Well, I'm updating this story in less than three weeks so that's cool and I am planning on updating before November but I make no promises, as usual.
Anyway, this is the chapter that concludes ARC I and will cover the last of basic training, the official, albeit somewhat brief, introduction of that major group of OC antagonists that I mentioned in the notes of chapter 1, brief interlude with C.C. and Clovis, and, yeah, that's pretty much it.
(Looks at review count) wow, 15 people reviewed the last chapter? Awesome
Thank you to Republic Che, Doommajor, Blacksword Zero, Scarease, MABfan11, DYnoJackal19, god of all, OBSERVER01, harelquin320, Demons Anarchy of Pride, Shadow-Shinobi666, B-kira, davycrockett100, Determined Savior, and Shimmering-Sky for reviewing the last chapter. You. Guys. Are. Awesome!
I hope that you enjoy this chapter (it's eighteen pages and over 10,000 words! [Not including the author's notes]) and reviews, as always, are much appreciated.
. . .
. . .
May 15, 2009
Imperial Military Academy, Outskirts of Pendragon
The Imperial Military Academy was the most prestigious military academy in the entire world and where many great military leaders made their start. Schneizel hadn't attended the academy himself, since he was more geared toward politics but he was there at the moment to congratulate his half-sister.
He wasn't alone either.
"I've been thinking," Marianne vi Britannia said at Schneizel's side. She was there with her two children. Nine-year-old Lelouch was looking bored out of his mind, seated in the chair between Schneizel and his mother while six-year-old Nunnally, who was seated closer to Marianne, was shifting and pouting.
"I'm bored," Nunnally whined, turning her bluish-purple eyes to her mother.
"The ceremony's almost over, Nunnally," Marianne reassured her, patting the tiny girl on the shoulder and turned back to Schneizel thoughtfully.
"What were you thinking, Lady Marianne?" Schneizel asked.
"Well, I've decided that I am in need of a Royal Guard, especially with the enemies that I have and I think I'm going to ask Cornelia if she would be my captain," Marianne said.
"I believe she would love such a position," Schneizel said. He was sure of it. He knew of just how much Cornelia idolized Marianne and she would not give up such an opportunity.
"I'll speak with her after the ceremony," Marianne said and returned her attention to the ceremony where the headmaster of the Academy was still speaking to the graduates.
A bored Lelouch leaned closer to Schneizel. "Brother Schneizel?" he said.
"Yes, Lelouch?" Schneizel asked, looking down at the small black-haired boy fondly. He was usually very coolly distant toward his other half-siblings but there were a few exceptions, Princess Euphemia, Lelouch, and Nunnally were among those. And he was rather fond of Lelouch; the boy was a brilliant and clever up-and-coming strategist.
"Do you think we can play a game of chess when this is over?" Lelouch asked eagerly.
"After you congratulate Cornelia, of course," Schneizel said.
Lelouch smiled a little. Schneizel, Cornelia, Clovis, Euphemia, and Nunnally were probably the only ones out of all of their siblings that have ever seen a genuine smile on Lelouch's face.
After the graduation ceremony, Marianne, taking Lelouch's and Nunnally's hands, guided them over to the reception area where their proud graduate was talking with the acquaintances she had made at the academy.
"Congratulations, Cornelia," Marianne said.
"Ah, thank you, Your Majesty," Cornelia said with a bow.
Marianne chuckled. "Considering you graduated at the top of your class, I have no doubt you've already been given offers on where to go next, correct?" she said with a kind smile.
"A few," Cornelia admitted.
"I have an offer as well. I have decided to build my own Royal Guard and I would like you to be the head of it," Marianne said.
Cornelia's indigo eyes went wide but she quickly composed herself.
"I mean, I understand if you would like to…" Marianne began.
"No, no, I would gladly accept the post as head of your Royal Guard, Lady Marianne. Thank you," Cornelia said immediately, just as Schneizel expected her to.
Marianne smiled. "You're welcome. Now, I think my two children would like to congratulate you as well," she said, letting go of her children's hands.
"Congrats, Nellie!" Nunnally cried happily, throwing her little arms around Cornelia's legs. Cornelia chuckled and patted Nunnally's head as Lelouch moved forward to offer his own congratulations.
"Congratulations, Nellie," he said with that small smile he reserved for only those he genuinely cared about.
"Thank you, Lelouch," Cornelia said, ruffling Lelouch's hair, causing him to scowl a little.
Marianne and Cornelia, with Nunnally in tow, walked off to talk more about Cornelia's new post, leaving Schneizel and Lelouch alone. Schneizel turned to his younger half-brother. "I believe I owe you a game of chess," he said.
Lelouch nodded eagerly. "This time, I'm gonna beat you," he declared.
Schneizel smiled. "Overconfidence can lead to a quick loss, Lelouch," he chided.
"But believing you can win can help motivate you to work harder to win," Lelouch countered.
"That is so," Schneizel conceded with a nod as the two of them walked away to find a quiet place to begin their chess match.
. . .
11
The Final Stage
May 23, 2016
Britannian Embassy, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Darany Soun made his way down the streets of Phnom Penh, heading toward the embassy on the edge of the city. As he was a high government official in the Cambodian government, he had his own form of protection in the form of a group of guards that followed him at a respectful distance. They were doing this just in case there were any assassins in the area, even though Soun doubted that there would be any.
Cambodia was rather neutral at the moment in the ongoing conflict between the Europia United and the Holy Empire of Britannia but that didn't mean that Britannia hadn't shown any interest in adding Cambodia to their growing Empire. The person that Soun was on his way to meet was an ambassador sent by the Emperor to speak to the government of Cambodia on the possibility of a treaty and Soun had been instructed by the president to ensure that they were allowed to keep their neutrality.
He entered the building that the Britannians had claimed for their embassy during the negotiations and a tall man with long rose-gold hair and blue eyes walked over to greet him. "Welcome. My Lord is waiting in the conference room," he said in Britannian.
"Then let's not keep him waiting, good sir," Soun said in a heavily accented Britannian. He was curious to know just who the ambassador Britannia sent was. He followed the young Britannian as he led the way down the hall toward the conference room and knocked on the door.
"My Lord, Representative Soun is here," he said.
"Send him in," a cool, regal voice said and the Britannian stepped aside. Soun made his way into the conference room and had to admit he was shocked by who was standing in front of him.
The tall, blonde form of the White Prince of Britannia, Schneizel el Britannia, rose gracefully. "Welcome, Representative Soun," he greeted him cordially as Soun closed the door behind him. "Please, take a seat. Would you care for some tea?"
"Yes, please, Your Highness," Soun said politely and took a seat at the table. The door opened and the rose-gold haired Britannian came back into the room.
"Kanon, some tea for our guest if you would," Schneizel said, sitting gracefully.
"Yes, My Lord," the Britannian, Kanon, said and turned to Soun. "How would you like your tea, sir?"
"Two cubes of sugar is all, good sir. Thank you," Soun said and Kanon bowed before walking out of the conference room. Soun returned his attention to Schneizel. "I must admit, I am surprised to meet you personally, Your Highness. Your reputation proceeds you."
Schneizel inclined his head. "Indeed," he said. "Nevertheless, we are here to discuss the terms of a treaty between the Holy Empire of Britannia and Cambodia, yes?"
"Yes, indeed," Soun said as Kanon returned and handed him his cup of tea. He blew on it and sipped it before adding, "President Song is willing to accept a treaty so long as his terms are met."
"Naturally, we will be willing to hear them out. However, I cannot guarantee that they will be accepted," Schneizel replied calmly.
Soun put his tea down. "One of the terms that President Song insists on being met is that we be allowed to maintain our neutrality in the conflict between Britannia and the EU. Also, we ask to maintain our independence and not become an area of Britannia."
Schneizel raised a delicate eyebrow at that. "Naturally, any nation would desire to remain independent," he mused. "The first condition is acceptable, though even if we adhere to that condition, there is no way of knowing whether the EU will adhere to it."
"President Song is confident that the EU will adhere to it as well. We have not yet received a request for negotiations with the EU, however."
"I see. Very well. The second condition is one that I will have to give more thought and bring the matter to the attention of the Emperor," Schneizel said calmly.
"Naturally, Your Highness," Soun said.
However, before Schneizel could say anything else, a boom sounded in the distance. Soun jumped up. "What was that?" he demanded.
The door opened and Kanon, holding a phone in his hand, came darting into the room. "My Lord, Representative Soun," he said with a bow.
"What's happened, Kanon?" Schneizel asked as he got to his feet.
"My Lord, a terrorist attack by the looks of it. They just bombed the Phnom Penh Military Base," Kanon reported.
"What?" Soun exclaimed. "Why? We're neutral! Why would we be a target for terrorists?"
"They may have seen you as a threat. However, I cannot say for sure until I know more about the situation," Schneizel said. "Kanon, do we know who was behind the bombing?"
"We're still receiving reports of the situation. So far there is nothing to suggest who was behind the attack," Kanon reported and then lifted his phone to his ear when a voice started speaking on the other end. He nodded and murmured, "Understood," before closing his phone.
"The terrorists left behind something. Whichever faction was behind this attack clearly wanted us to know who they were," Kanon said.
Schneizel nodded in agreement. "Let's go," he said.
. . .
Phnom Penh Military Base, Cambodia
Schneizel walked amidst the ruins of the military base. Kanon was walking alongside him and Representative Soun who was walking on Kanon's other side, frowning at the devastation.
"It doesn't make any sense. Why bomb only part of a military base rather than the whole place?" Soun said in confusion.
"What is significant about this area of the military base as opposed to the other areas?" Schneizel asked as they neared the area in which the Cambodian soldiers had found the mark of the terrorist faction responsible.
Soun frowned and then his eyes brightened in realization. "This was the area in which your convoy was housed," he said.
Schneizel knew that much as well as he had read through the report of the situation on the way to the military base. While his men had been lucky to not be on the base at the time of the attack, the fact remained that the terrorists had attacked an area that was filled primarily with Britannian soldiers. After all, they had specifically targeted a certain area of the base and, while Schneizel didn't know just how these terrorists knew he was in Cambodia, one fact remained.
This wasn't a terrorist attack on the Cambodian government.
This was a terrorist attack on Britannia.
And Schneizel had a good feeling of just who was behind the attack.
And his suspicions were proven correct a few minutes later when the soldier who found the mark revealed it.
A large U divided by two crossed swords.
The crest of the Liberators.
"The Liberators? They have made it plain clear that they are an anti-Britannian organization. Why would they attack Cambodia?" Soun said with a frown.
"They weren't attacking Cambodia, they were specifically targeting me," Schneizel said.
Kanon turned to Schneizel at that and his lips pressed together in thought. "It makes sense, My Lord," he said, "considering where they attacked. But that just brings up another question. How did they know you were going to be here today?"
"I suspect they may have some spies in very high places," Schneizel said. "However, that is not important now. Representative Soun?"
"Yes, Your Highness?" Soun asked, turning toward him.
"Inform President Song that he can expect a full-out terrorist attack on Phnom Penh soon," Schneizel said.
Soun was shocked. "What? Why do you say that?" he asked.
"This is not the first time that the Liberators have attacked Britannian forces. Each battle always began a similar way, with a swift, decisive strike meant to weaken the enemy."
Soun frowned. "I can inform the president but we are neutral and refuse to get in any conflicts between Britannia and another force. Therefore, I doubt President Song will agree to help," he said.
"That is fine. I can have my own men mobilized and ready to fight soon enough," Schneizel said.
. . .
May 25, 2016
Basic Training Camp
They were in the final phase of basic training and, with only three weeks left, Lelouch was looking forward to when it would final end. He was missing his friends at Ashford Academy and he was missing Nunnally. He knew that he probably wouldn't be able to spend that much time with his friends and his little sister since he would be assigned his post pretty soon after graduation but he was still looking forward to it.
He smiled to himself as he reread the letter that Nunnally had sent him. Apparently, she and the student council had a sleepover during the weekend where they played games like Truth or Dare and told scary stories until it was late. Nunnally even admitted that she ended up staying up until one in the morning because she was having so much fun.
...But Sayoko came and told me that I should probably get some sleep. It took me a while to actually get to sleep though. We had a good time though and I'm hoping we can do this again sometime. I know Kallen probably won't be able to attend again 'cause she has a lot of doctor's appointments but having Shirley, Nina, and Milly spend the night was nice.
Oh and Milly told me to tell you that you'd better not forget your date with Shirley after you graduate from basic training. She says that she's already picked out the perfect outfit for Shirley to wear. But I wonder, does this mean that Shirley's going to be your girlfriend? Milly says it's about time that you got another girl in your life.
Well, I'd better go. I have homework to finish before tomorrow.
Love,
Nunnally
Lelouch folded the letter up, thinking about Milly's words in that letter and Milly being…well…Milly. Only Milly would think that one date equaled dating status, he mused as he put the letter into its envelope. He had been a bit surprised when Shirley had actually asked him out on a date and did find it rather random, considering it was through the letter Nunnally had sent him. But he had agreed mostly out of politeness; besides, it would help him relax.
He hadn't really thought about dating before, despite the fact that he had most, if not all, of the girls at Ashford Academy practically falling over themselves to be near him. He just never had the time in between taking care of Nunnally, making enough money to pay for Nunnally's medical bills and buy food so that he wouldn't have to rely on the Ashfords, despite them insisting that it wasn't a problem, and keeping his grades up, though that really didn't take much effort on his part. And it wasn't as if he saw the other girls in that way; in fact, he barely gave them a passing glance and only associated with them when he had to.
Shirley was different. She had been his friend since his first year of high school. While he knew she hadn't really liked him when they first met, that had changed and they became close friends. She even had a tendency of acting like a mother hen toward him, constantly scolding him on his gambling habits and that just proved that she cared. She did get all flustered around him at times, though Lelouch had no idea why, but she was a good friend.
He didn't know how it would feel going on a date with her, especially considering he's never actually been on a date before, but he hoped that it wouldn't be awkward. He mused that he would probably also have to figure out a way to ensure that the media didn't get wind of it; the last thing he wanted was for him and Shirley to be hounded by reporters.
The bell ending the lunch break rang and Lelouch tucked the letter away before standing up, noting that the rest of his friends had also gotten to their feet. They had spent the better part of the morning running drills and going over how to use other weapons. That was what this week was dedicated to; learning how to use other weapons that one might have on hand, such as grenades and chaos mines.
Lelouch and his friends left the mess hall and headed toward the training area where Greene stood to meet them. Rayne and Lila didn't look that happy, though only Rayne said anything about it.
"I just have to deal with the sexist bastard for three weeks, that's it. Just three weeks," she was murmuring under her breath. Lelouch only heard because he was walking beside her but he said nothing; Greene really was rather sexist.
"All right, recruits, listen up," Greene declared once the recruits fell into formation in front of him, standing still and at attention. "Just as we have been doing the past few days, you will be putting what you learned this morning into action. You will be using live fragmentation grenades for this exercise, unlike the practice ones you used in the morning and you will employ all the throwing positions that you learned over the past few days. Line up!"
The group immediately got into lines and the exercise went on. Throwing grenades wasn't that hard; the hardest part was getting the distance necessary to avoid getting caught in the blast and that just took practice.
Standing and throwing grenades was the normal position that most people used and, in the training area, that was what they started out with. However, due to the lack of cover, the recruits had to drop to the ground as soon as they released the grenade. However, they also used other positions, such as prone-to-standing positions or kneeling positions. It was rather tiring but it did go by rather quickly.
During dinner that night, Lelouch received another letter, this time from Euphie. He opened it up and began reading it to himself:
Dear Lelouch,
I wish I'd been able to write to you sooner but I've been so busy with schooling and all those lessons that Mother is having me take since I'm turning sixteen soon. Nellie has been busy in the Middle East so she hasn't been able to write either but she sends her greetings. She is going to try and go to your graduation if she can take a break, though, considering things seem to be getting worse in the Middle East, she doesn't think that will happen. I'll also be trying to go to your graduation.
So how are you? How's life in the military treating you? Nunnally's been writing me and says that she only receives a letter once a week from you so you must be very busy. Nellie said that being in the military is very time-consuming so I guess that's why I haven't heard from you.
Write back as soon as you can.
Love,
Euphie
Lelouch put the letter down, reminding himself to write back to Euphie when he got back to the barracks and returned to his food.
"…and my brother was like 'you can't do it' but I sure proved him wrong!" Tadashi was saying when Lelouch tuned back into the conversation that his friends were having around him. "Granted, it took me forever to get off the roof after that and Mom and Dad weren't happy when they found me on the roof."
Rayne snickered. "Reminds me of this one time I also got onto the roof of my parents' manor," she mused.
"Though you got into big trouble with that since you did push the snow on the roof off onto Lord and Lady Weitz," Kay said dryly. "Weren't you confined to your room for a week after that?"
"I regret nothing," Rayne said with a smile but it was clear that the smile wasn't as genuine as her previous ones as was always the case when she talked about her life with her family.
"Have you ever done something like that, Lelouch, or has something like that happened to you?" Tadashi asked.
Suzaku smirked.
"Suzaku, shut up," Lelouch said flatly.
Suzaku's smirk widened into a grin. "Well, there was this one time," he began.
"Suzaku…" Lelouch said warningly.
"Lelouch, Nunnally, and I were outside in the garden. It started raining and we were told to come inside. We did but Lelouch slipped and landed in a rose bush," Suzaku said.
"Suzaku!" Lelouch growled, blushing in embarrassment at the memory as Tadashi started laughing.
"So you were clumsy when you were a kid?" Rayne asked, grinning in amusement.
"It was raining," Lelouch muttered.
"That's no excuse for clumsiness," Suzaku teased.
"Oh you were no better. Need I remind you of the river incident? Which would never have happened had you listened to me," Lelouch said casually.
"And how was I to know that you actually knew where you were going?" Suzaku said.
Kay shook his head in amusement. "So you were in Area 11 before the invasion?" he asked.
Lelouch glanced at Kay and nodded once but didn't elaborate, not wanting to discuss why he was in Area 11 before the invasion. Thankfully, Kay didn't push.
. . .
May 26, 2016
Britannian Embassy, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Three days had gone by since the bombing of the military base and there was no word of an impending attack. However, Schneizel was still prepared just in case. The situation was much too similar to what happened with Cornelia, Castor, Pollux, and Marrybell, as well as everyone else who fought against and lost to the Liberators. While he wasn't sure why they were waiting to attack, he speculated it was to lull their enemy into a false sense of security; after all, the bombing of the military base would have everyone on high alert. If they didn't attack then most people would assume that the bombing was to make a statement and nothing was planned beyond that.
Schneizel was not one of those people.
After carefully studying the tactics of the Liberators, and musing on the missing portions of the reports he had gone through, Schneizel realized that whatever occurred in the portion in which no one reported on what decided the outcome of the battle was the reason why the Liberators had been so successful. He didn't know why no one had reported what actually happened, since there had been survivors—Cornelia and her Glaston Knights, Marrybell and her Glinda Knights, and Castor and Pollux for example—but he suspected foul play.
However, he couldn't fathom just how someone could have messed with the reports for each engagement that the Liberators had partaken in and won.
And why didn't Cornelia or anyone tell someone about what happened? Why keep such a thing a secret? Even if it was a pride thing, even Cornelia wouldn't keep such information to herself, not when it could help defeat the Liberators in the near future.
On that note, why hadn't Castor and Pollux taken into account just how the Liberators won against them when they engaged the Liberators again?
It was mind-boggling and Schneizel still felt as if he was missing something, something very important, but he couldn't seem to figure out what.
He would have to contact Cornelia and the others and see what they knew about what happened during the time in which the Liberators launched their attack to win their fights. He walked down the hall and entered his private study. Patching himself through to Cornelia, he waited for his half-sister to respond.
It took several minutes but, eventually, Cornelia's image appeared on the computer screen. "Brother Schneizel, to what do I owe the pleasure?" She asked. She sounded tired and, while Schneizel knew that it was about four in the morning in the Middle East, he doubted she was actually sleeping.
"I apologize for calling so early but there is something I need to ask you," Schneizel said.
"What is it?" Cornelia asked.
"When you battled against the Liberators in Area 16 last year, how did the Liberators win? It's not included in your report of the incident and you never said anything about what happened," Schneizel said.
Cornelia grounded her teeth together, looking incredibly frustrated at the memory, but then she blinked in surprise. "What? It wasn't in the report? I remember including how the Liberators won in that report and no one asked so I figured they read it," she said.
Schneizel frowned. At that, the only thing he could think of was that someone altered the reports after they had already been finished but before they had been submitted, which would indicate a breach in security. That made Schneizel wonder just how no one had noticed the breach.
"Anyway," Cornelia said. "What happened was that the Liberators attacked using a series of guerilla attacks to overwhelm and destroy a sizable portion of the army at the military base in Area 16. When I arrived, my men and I launched a full-out frontal assault against them. I defeated them rather quickly—they seemed to focus more on retreating than actually fighting back—but then, the next day, they launched a series of guerilla attacks but I was able to defeat them again. But, when we were resting and getting our breaths back, these…things just attacked us out of nowhere in another series of guerilla attacks. They took my forces by surprise and destroyed quite a sizable portion of it with each of their attacks before I was forced to call a retreat."
Schneizel frowned. "What were these things that attacked?" he asked.
"I am not entirely sure. They were a kind of knightmare frame I've never seen before. I didn't get that good a look at them. I only saw that they seemed to be in the shape of a canine of sorts and it was bronze in color," Cornelia admitted.
Schneizel nodded. "Thank you, Sister," he said.
Cornelia covered her mouth to hide her yawn. "You're welcome, Brother," she said.
"You should get some sleep."
"I have too much to do. Goodbye, Brother," Cornelia said and ended the video call.
Schneizel contacted Castor, Pollux, Marrybell, and the other commanders that had lost to the Liberators next and listened to their sides of the story, his mind putting the pieces together as he did so.
Clever, he mused as the full picture took shape. Very clever. The leader of the Liberators must be a cunning military strategist to come up with such an elaborate tactic. Even I do not have all the pieces and yet I strongly suspect that I am correct, especially if I look at each battle in the order that they occur. If it is truly a repeating cycle like I think it is then I know of just how the Liberators will try and win against me when they do attack. But I will have to wait until they attack to confirm my theory.
. . .
May 31, 2016
Viceroy's Palace, Tokyo Settlement
The White Prince of Britannia Hands the Undefeated Anti-Britannian
Terrorist Organization Their First Defeat!
By Heather Quill
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA—In a shocking turn of events, the scheduled negotiations for a peace treaty between the nation of Cambodia and the Holy Empire of Britannia was shelved as a near tragedy struck. On Monday, May 23, 2016, an area of the Phnom Penh Military Base in which the convoy that accompanied Prince Schneizel el Britannia, Prime Minister of Britannia, was attacked and destroyed by terrorists. While there were no causalities, the terrorist organization who launched the attack and claimed credit for it by leaving behind their crest was none other than the Liberators.
The Liberators is an anti-Britannian terrorist organization comprised of many cells, though it is unknown where the main body of the organization is located. It is speculated that they were formed in the Europia United. While the exact date of their formation is unknown, they first made their appearance in late 2006. Little information is known about the Liberators; however, what is known is that they are a massive terrorist organization whom, it has been confirmed, has cells in as many as eight of the Areas of the Holy Empire of Britannia.
The vicious attack on the Phnom Penh Military Base was simply the prelude to the storm for, on Friday, May 27th, a cell of the Liberators launched a series of guerilla attacks against Prince Schneizel and the Britannian convoy who accompanied him to Phnom Penh. Unfortunately, due to their neutrality, the Cambodian Government were unable to lend a hand and help the White Prince. Thus, Prince Schneizel was greatly outnumbered and outmatched by the Liberators' and the arsenal of weapons and knightmares that they had to use against him.
However, reinforcements for Britannia were quick to arrive within less than a day of the Liberators' assault, giving the White Prince the numbers to draw the Liberators into a stalemate each time that they attacked. The Liberators persisted but Prince Schneizel persevered, forcing the Liberators to retreat. However, the Liberators were not done yet. In another shocking turn of events, the cell launched an attack on the White Prince's forces the night of Saturday, May 28th, clearly thinking that such an attack would annihilate Prince Schneizel's forces as they were believed to be unprepared and at their weakest.
However, Prince Schneizel, truly the Cold-Blooded Strategist, was prepared. By allowing the Liberators' cell to get close to his forces, under the pretense that he and his men were asleep and thus unprepared, the White Prince unleashed a devastatingly ruthless trap that ensnared and destroyed a large portion of the Liberators' forces. Soon after that, he launched a full-scale assault on the remains of the Liberators forces, decimating the cell and leaving very few, if any, survivors.
Prince Schneizel el Britannia has done what no one has been able to do before him in defeating a cell of the undefeated anti-Britannian terrorist organization that have proven themselves a large problem to be dealt with. While the Liberators as a whole has not been defeated, it is clear that they have a new enemy, just as Britannia has a new hope, in the form of the White Prince of Britannia.
Clovis put the newspaper down and turned his gaze to the large windows that allowed him a view of the Tokyo Settlement. He had received the article from General Bartley about half an hour ago with the story of his older brother Schneizel's impressive victory dominating the front page and had already read it twice. He always knew that Schneizel was a brilliant strategist and he had to admit that it was impressive of him to actually be able to defeat the seemingly undefeatable Liberators.
But it also put a bad light on Clovis, since he also had a cell of the Liberators thriving in Area 11 and hadn't done anything about it.
The truth of the matter was that Clovis couldn't do anything about it because not only had the Liberators not made a single move in Area 11—that Clovis knew of—but he also had no idea of where they could be hiding.
There was an increase of terrorist activity all throughout Area 11. Even though General Andon had defeated the Crimson Sakuras at Osaka, there were still terrorist cells scattered throughout the area, including the Japan Liberation Front. To make matters worse was the appearance of a small terrorist cell in the Shinjuku Ghetto, practically in Clovis's backyard.
There was a knock on his door and Clovis, putting the newspaper down, called for the person to enter. The door opened and General Andon made his way into the office. "Your Highness, you wished to see me?" Andon greeted him with a polite bow.
"General Andon, please, take a seat," Clovis said as Andon walked over and sat down on a chair. "I called you here because I need you to step up your game in finding these terrorists and destroying them."
"I assure you, Your Highness, that I am doing all that I can; however, ever since the defeat of the Crimson Sakuras at Osaka, the terrorists have made no significant moves."
"What of the terrorist cell that formed in the Shinjuku Ghetto?"
"Have gone to ground since they were first brought to our attention. I suspect that cell is rather small so finding them will probably be harder than finding the larger resistances in the area," Andon said.
Clovis hummed but knew that Andon was right. "And what of the Liberators? I know there is, at least, one cell in Area 11. However, there could be more," he said.
"We have found no clues suggesting that there is more than one cell."
"What about possible connections between the Liberators and the Crimson Sakuras? Or the attacks on Sapporo and Hakodate?"
"Still nothing in both regards. If the Liberators helped the Crimson Sakuras or were behind the attacks on Sapporo and Hakodate, they covered their tracks very well," Andon said.
Clovis rubbed his head, feeling a headache coming on. "Is there anything that can be done now?" he asked.
"Right now, no, Your Highness. We need to be patient," Andon said.
"I don't want to be patient! I want results," Clovis exclaimed.
Andon wasn't fazed at all by Clovis's outburst. "Results cannot come if one rushes headlong into a situation without first figuring out just what the situation is," he said calmly. "And, right now, we don't know what the situation is. However, I will have my men keep a close eye on the Shinjuku Ghetto and see if we can root out the terrorists that are hiding there."
"Yes, I think that would be best. Those terrorists are much too close to the settlement for my liking," Clovis decided since he really didn't like the idea of having terrorists as close to the settlement as that new cell was.
He dismissed Andon with a wave of his hand and relaxed in his seat once the Commander-in-Chief of the 11th Division left. Closing his eyes, the blonde prince thought about the situation and his thoughts drifted to Schneizel and his victory. A thought came to his mind and Clovis opened his eyes.
Perhaps I should pay her a visit. If she is willing to cooperate with me now then I might gain something that I can use against the terrorists, maybe something that could help me defeat the Liberator cell here in Area 11, he thought. He decided that he would visit the girl in the morning; for now, he had work to finish.
. . .
June 1, 2016
Hidden Laboratory, Edge of the Tokyo Settlement
C.C. looked like she was quietly sleeping, her green hair fanning out behind her and her arms pinned to her side as her chest rose and fell with each breath that she took. Her body was unmarred, despite the cruel torture that she had endured at the hands of the experimenters but that was part of the reason why Clovis found her so interesting, she knew.
However, she was not sleeping. Even though she was currently drugged and unable to move due to the straps that kept her in place, C.C. was still very much aware of her surroundings. The drugs that had been pumped into her system really didn't affect her like the experimenters thought, due to her being immortal and thus immune to all drugs, but she decided to just remain calm and let them think their drugs were doing their job. That way they wouldn't use the stronger stuff that actually worked on her and usually kept her sedated and unconscious for days on end.
She didn't like this place and she certainly held a vendetta against Clovis for what he did to her. She hadn't meant to let herself get captured a few years ago; she had just come to Area 11 because she wanted to observe Marianne's children. However, after she had been unfortunate enough to get caught in a firefight between Clovis's Royal Guard and a group of vengeful Elevens, Clovis had seen her regenerate and come back to life. He had immediately ordered her sedated and then, after transporting her to a secure hidden laboratory, had his scientists begun performing experiments on her.
The experiments were all designed to see just how far her regenerative abilities would go. They burned her, cut her, stabbed her, shot her, anything they could think of and, each time, she came back to life without even so much as a scar and a stronger hatred for the experimenters. While she had experienced much in the years that she had been alive, including getting burned at the stake, getting decapitated, and getting shot who knew how many times, actively being tortured to death over and over was, by far, the worst thing she had ever experienced.
She had tried to escape within the first couple of days but they just gave her that strong sedative that kept her unconscious for days. Eventually, she just gave up and let them do what they wanted; it wasn't as if it would really affect her, other than make her irritated and give her nightmares for years to come. She would just come back to life and, while it wasn't something she wanted to experience—she wasn't a masochist—she was rather apathetic toward it.
Then again, she had become rather apathetic toward a lot of things since she was tricked into taking the Code centuries earlier.
She was still looking for a new contractor to grant her the wish that she has sought for centuries as well. Mao had been a mistake, a mistake that she was not about to repeat. She was going to be careful with whom she chose to be her next contractor because she did not want a repeat of Mao.
However, until she got out of that laboratory, not only would she not be able to seek out another contractor but she also couldn't keep in contact with Marianne. She didn't know what was blocking her connection with Marianne, since she was usually always connected to the World of C, but she knew that it was blocked somehow.
The door to her room—cell, she thought apathetically—opened and she heard the shuffle of feet.
"Has she woken up at all today?" Clovis's voice sounded.
"Not since yesterday. The drugs we've given her should keep her sedated for a few more hours," one of the experimenters said.
"Then I suggest you give her the antidote. I need to speak with her," Clovis said.
Not like I wish to speak to you, C.C. thought.
"Yes, Your Highness," the experimenter said and moved to C.C.'s bed side, picking up her arm and she felt a slight prick before the experimenter injected the antidote into her.
She contemplated doing nothing and pretending that it didn't work but decided against it. Instead, her golden eyes fluttered open and she gazed apathetically at Clovis as the prince came to her side.
"So, girl, I'd like to talk with you," he said.
She said nothing.
"There must be some way we can come to an agreement of sorts. I find myself in a dilemma and I believe you can help me get out of it," Clovis said.
"The vain Prince Clovis actually admitting he needs help? The apocalypse must be starting," C.C. drawled.
Clovis's eye twitched. "Look, I'll release you if you just help me. I know you have power and that you're immortal. There must be some way you can give that power to me," he said.
C.C. said nothing. Clovis may have figured out that she had power, though that was only because he had seen the results when C.C. tried to escape the first time—which ended with C.C. driving three of his scientists mad by forcing them to relive an amplified version of their most terrifying, darkest, traumatic memories—but he knew nothing of the true nature of the power C.C. could bestow upon others.
And she wasn't going to enlighten him on that. She was not going to go into a contract with Clovis of all people, especially not after what he and his scientists had done to her the past couple of years.
Clovis scowled. "Will you help me or not?" he demanded.
"No," C.C. deadpanned and closed her eyes, promptly ignoring anything else the prince had to say. It wasn't long before she heard Clovis, growling angrily under his breath, leave the cell. She knew that saying no to Clovis probably would only succeed in garnering her more torture but she didn't care. She refused to go into a contract with Clovis and refuse to tell him anything about the Power of the Kings and if she had to endure more torture as a result of her refusal then so be it.
. . .
June 11, 2016
Basic Training Camp
Lelouch had to admit, he was surprised by how fast the final three weeks of basic training had gone by. It seemed like it was just yesterday that he was talking with his friends after going through training with various kinds of weapons, like hand grenades, chaos mines, machine guns, and missile launchers.
Still, the past nine weeks had certainly been eventful and, while not exactly enjoyable, Lelouch had come across a small group of acquaintances that had, within the matter of a few weeks, become good friends. They each possessed their own skills that would make them valuable allies. They also helped to make basic training bearable.
Not only that but Lelouch had also been reunited with his childhood best friend Suzaku and realized that both of them shared a very similar goal. Plus, he also found out that Suzaku could, very well, be an Ace at Knightmare piloting, according to the stimulation anyway. Lelouch mused that he would have to find a way to get Suzaku behind the controls of a real knightmare and see if he did as well with a real knightmare as he did with the stimulation, just as Kay had done.
"Man, I can't believe we're almost done," Tadashi said as he laced up his combat boots. "Don't we just got today and then we're done?"
"I think so," Suzaku said, kneeling by his footlocker and organizing it since there was a final inspection coming up that day. "Graduation is this coming Wednesday, right?"
"Yes," Dimitri said, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed across his broad chest.
"I, for one, am looking forward to getting outta here," Rayne said, resting her back against the bed as she stretched her legs out in front of her. She was seated on the floor with Lila, who was cross-legged, seated beside her. Kay was on his bunk with Tadashi seated next to him. "Though I'm gonna miss all of ya. I hope we get assigned to the same post."
"Same here," Kay said quietly.
"Hey, maybe we will," Tadashi said with a cheerful smile. "So doncha get all upset on never seeing me again, beautiful."
Rayne gave him a dull look but said nothing.
"It's doubtful that you'll be placed at the same post as us," Lila said. "Honorary Britannians are usually placed with other Honorary Britannians."
"Oh, well that sucks," Tadashi muttered.
The inspection began five minutes later. Dimitri, Lila, and Rayne returned to their bunks as Sergeant Greene made his rounds, checking everything and making sure everything was in order. Everyone passed the inspection and they were then ordered into the mess hall for breakfast before they would begin the final test that they needed to pass in order to graduate.
The final test was known as the Triumph Forge.
Basically, all the Triumph Forge did was take everything that they had been taught the last nine weeks and put it all into one final test that was to be done in the foothills of the mountains. It began with a ten kilometer foot march through the woodlands and into the foothills themselves followed by a course done at night and then the return journey.
Lelouch mused that he had gained some muscles and stamina over the course of the last nine weeks, though that wasn't that big of a surprise, but he still hated exercise with a passion. He was more of a commander than a fighter, leading his men into battle, yes, but he preferred giving orders and working out strategies as opposed to actually fighting. Granted, now, he could fight if he needed to.
The ten kilometer foot march began. Once again, it came as no surprise to anyone that Kay and Suzaku were easily outstripping the majority of the recruits but the recruits were still making very good time. The marching through woodlands and foothills was more challenging though; it included rounding many switchbacks, climbing over rocks and boulders, and crossing streams with their packs over their heads. Not to mention, the march mostly followed a gradual incline.
Summer had also just begun and, by mid-day, it was hot and humid, making it more challenging than in the morning, when it was cooler. However, despite these obstacles, everyone managed to make it through to the end of the Triumph Forge in one piece and with a sense of accomplishment hanging over them.
When they got back to the camp, Greene and Cloud met them. "Congratulations and good work, all of you," Greene stated, his eyes scanning the group of tired but proud recruits standing in front of him. "Go shower and rest. You've earned it. Dismissed!"
"Yes, sir," the recruits stated as one and then ambled their way toward the barracks to shower and rest.
. . .
June 15, 2016
Sanders Field, Tokyo Military Base, Area 11
Princess Euphemia li Britannia meandered her way through the crowd of proud family members and friends that were gathered on Sanders Field, which was just outside of the Tokyo Military Base, to congratulate the graduates. Even though the training itself had taken place at a camp that was five miles away the settlement, the graduation ceremony took place at the military base itself. That way it made it easier for friends and families who wanted to see the graduation to find the place.
Euphie had come to Area 11 to attend her older half-brother's graduation for only one reason, because she wanted to congratulate her older half-brother in person. She had arrived the day before and stayed at the Viceroy's Palace for the night, while admittedly not telling Clovis that she wasn't exactly supposed to be there. In the morning, before heading to the ceremony with her bodyguard—she wasn't stupid. Even if she was walking around in a disguise, Euphie made sure to have a bodyguard nearby just in case—she visited Ashford Academy to speak to Nunnally.
Nunnally had been thrilled to talk to Euphie again and admitted that she would have loved to go to Lelouch's graduation but felt it would be safer if she didn't. While Euphie would have liked to take Nunnally to the graduation herself, she knew that Nunnally was probably right. So she agreed to take the gifts and cards that Nunnally had made for both Lelouch and someone named Suzaku and headed out.
She had gotten there a bit late, though, thankfully, the ceremony hadn't started yet when she arrived. It had taken some time for her to navigate her way to a pair of seats with her bodyguard behind her though. At least she was in disguise with her long pink hair in a messy bun and hidden by a large, floppy sun hat and she was dressed casually in jeans and a pink shirt and was carrying a handbag in which were the two gifts that Nunnally wanted her to hand out.
She had ended up spending the entire ceremony seated behind a blonde girl that looked around seventeen and very familiar.
The ceremony went by rather quickly, ending with the recruits swearing their allegiance to Britannia with the Britannian flag flying in front of them. Then it was time for the reception in which the recruit were allowed to speak to their families and friends.
And that was what Euphie was currently doing, trying to find her brother amidst the crowd of people. Her bodyguard was trailing behind her, keeping an eye out for anyone that might pose a threat to her.
Finally, Euphie broke free from the bulk of the crowd and spotted her half-brother talking with a group; there were six people she didn't recognize and then the blonde that had been sitting in front of her during the ceremony. She grinned to herself as she darted forward. "Lelouch," she shouted and Lelouch turned around and caught her when she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. He stumbled back but managed to stay on his feet as he stared at her in surprise.
"Euphie?" he said. "What are you doing here?"
Euphie chuckled. "I told you that I'd try and make it to your graduation," she said as she released him and took her hat off, allowing her pink hair to flow down her back, since it had come out of its bun. The hat was bugging her anyway. Her bodyguard came to her side, his eyes still scanning the area.
"Is Nellie with you?" Lelouch asked.
Euphie shook her head. "She's still in the Middle East," she said.
Lelouch frowned. "Why do I get the feeling I'm going to be having an angry Nellie calling me any second now?" he asked, just as his phone began ringing. He pulled it out and answered it. "Hello?"
"PUT EUPHIE ON THE PHONE RIGHT NOW!" Lelouch had to jerk the phone away from his ear at Cornelia's furious shout.
"It's for you," Lelouch said dryly, rubbing his ear with one hand and handing the phone to Euphie with the other.
She smiled apologetically at the amethyst-eyed prince and took the phone. "Hello?" she said.
"Euphie, why did you leave without telling anyone that you were leaving? You practically gave Mother a heart attack when she couldn't find you," Cornelia said sternly. "She called me in a panic so I calmed her down as best as I could and explained that, since today was Lelouch's graduation, you had probably gone to attend."
"I take it Mother wasn't happy with my decision," Euphie said with a sigh. It was a rhetorical question. She knew that her mother wouldn't be happy with her decision, not just because Area 11 wasn't exactly the safest place to be at the moment but also because she really didn't care for the vi Britannias. She was nowhere near as close to the vi Britannias as Euphie and Cornelia were.
"Obviously," Cornelia said, sounding calmer now. "That was very reckless of you to leave without telling anyone."
"I know, Nellie, I'm sorry but I wanted to go and I knew Mother wouldn't have let me go. But I'm not stupid. Not only did I disguise myself but I also brought along a bodyguard and his very good at not drawing attention to himself or me."
"Still, you're going to be in trouble when you get back to Pendragon but I suppose since you did take precautions, I can't stay too angry with you," Cornelia said finally. "Give the phone back to Lelouch, Euphie."
"All right, sister. She wants to talk to you," Euphie said, holding out the phone to Lelouch who took it as Euphie turned her gaze to the group who was watching the interaction with confusion on their faces.
Lelouch finally hung up and turned his attention back to the group and Euphie. "Next time you leave without telling anyone, Euphie, please send me warning so I won't get my eardrum busted by Nellie's yelling," he said.
Euphie smiled apologetically again at him. "Sorry, Lelouch," she said. "I wasn't expecting her to find out that quickly. So are you going to introduce me to your friends?"
"I guess. Guys, this is my sister, Princess Euphemia li Britannia," Lelouch said to the group.
"But call me Euphie," Euphie added with a bright smile. "It's nice to meet all of you."
"It's nice to meet you officially, Euphie," the blonde girl said with a smile as she stepped forward and gave a small bow. "We never actually met but we've run into each other a few times at the Aries Villa. I'm Milly Ashford."
Euphie blinked. "Oh, I remember you now," she said. "Nellie said that your family was one of Lady Marianne's biggest supporters. It's nice to officially meet you but you don't have to bow. I'm trying not to draw attention to myself."
"Naturally, wouldn't want to get mobbed by reporters and the media," Milly said with a smirk as she straightened up.
"Who would?" Lelouch said dryly.
The burnt-orange haired boy came up next "Hi, I'm Tadashi Akiyama, it's nice to meet ya, pretty lady. Boy, you are hot," he said brightly.
Euphie giggled while Lelouch glared at Tadashi to the point that the burnt-orange-haired boy let out an eep and bolted to hide behind the tall, olive-green haired young man. "It was just a compliment!" Tadashi said in fear. "I thought you were only protective of Nunnally."
"I am but I'm also protective of Euphie," Lelouch said simply.
"Though not nearly as much as Nellie is of me," Euphie mused and glanced at the rest of the group.
"I'm Lila Moore," the blonde girl with brown eyes said.
"I'm Rayne Frost and this is my little brother Kayden," the pale-blue-haired girl said.
"I'm older than you by five minutes, Rayne," the silvery-blue haired boy that didn't look a day over thirteen said dryly and turned to Euphie. "Call me Kay, Your…I mean, Euphie. Everyone does."
"I am Dimitri Duncan, Your Highness," the olive-green haired man that Tadashi was still using as a shield said with a slight bow.
Euphie pouted. "I thought I said to call me Euphie," she said.
"Don't bother, Euphie," Lelouch said with a faint smile. "I've been trying to get him to call me by my first name since we met. It hasn't worked yet."
Euphie chuckled and turned her gaze to the last member of the group, the second Eleven; he was tall, only a few inches shorter than Lelouch, with messy brown hair and bright emerald green eyes.
"And you are?" she asked since he hadn't introduced himself yet.
"Oh, uh, I'm Suzaku Kururugi, um, Euphie," the boy said.
"It's nice to meet you, Suzaku," Euphie said. "You must be the Suzaku that Nunnally told me to track down. She sent something for both you and Lelouch and asked me to give them to you when I visited her." She dug into her handbag and pulled out two cards as well as two messily wrapped gifts. She handed one card and one gift to Lelouch and the other pair to Suzaku.
Lelouch opened his card, smiling to himself as he read what was written there and then opened the gift to reveal a foam crane painted black. Euphie noticed that Suzaku got the same thing, except that his was painted white.
"We'll thank Nunnally personally when we go to Ashford tomorrow," Lelouch said.
"We?" Suzaku echoed.
Lelouch gave Suzaku a look. "Yes, Suzaku, we. Nunnally wants to see you again so I will drag you if I have to," he said.
Suzaku rubbed his head but sighed. "I guess it couldn't hurt and I do wanna see Nunnally again," he said.
Lelouch turned back to Euphie. "So how long are you going to be staying in Area 11, Euphie?" he asked.
"I doubt for very much longer. Since Brother Clovis said that the terrorist threat is getting worse with each passing day, it'll probably be safer for me to return to the Homeland as soon as possible," Euphie said. While she didn't like it, she knew that Clovis was right and she could be in danger if she stayed.
"Probably," Lelouch agreed.
"Congratulations, Lelouch," a new voice cut into the conversation and Euphie and Lelouch turned to find the last person Euphie expected to see there, especially given his duties to the Empire, walking over to join them.
"Schneizel, what are you doing here?" Lelouch asked bewildered as the White Prince came to a stop in front of him.
"For a few reason, one being to congratulate you on graduating," Schneizel said calmly, his face impassive. "But also for a reason that I feel would be best discussed in private. Hello, Euphie. I must admit I am surprised to see you here."
"Hello Brother Schneizel. So were Lelouch and Nellie," Euphie admitted with a sheepish smile.
"I bet they were. Come, Lelouch, we have some things to discuss. I will send a few of my guards over to ensure your safety, Euphie," Schneizel said and turned and walked away before Euphie could protest. Lelouch followed suit.
Euphie huffed. "I'm not a baby anymore," she muttered.
"I'm sure he just wants you to be safe, Euphie," Suzaku said reasonably.
"I guess," Euphie said and turned to Suzaku. "So how do you know Lelouch and Nunnally, Suzaku?"
"Um, well, uh…" Suzaku looked flustered and avoided her eyes. "We met when they came to Area 11 before the invasion. I, uh, kinda didn't get along with Lelouch in the beginning but got along well with Nunnally but all three of us ended up friends over time."
Euphie smiled, which seemed to cause Suzaku to become more flustered than before. "That's good," she said.
. . .
Meeting Room, Tokyo Military Base, Area 11
Lelouch sat down on one of the chairs at the table while Schneizel took a seat across from him. As everyone was on Sanders Field greeting the graduates, that area of the military base was pretty much deserted. Plus, the meeting room was designed to ensure privacy so there was no risk of someone listening in on the conversation.
"Father and I have discussed what will happen to you now that you've completed basic training and are ready to enter into the military officially," Schneizel said. "We've agreed that you are to be given the rank of Colonel and given command of the 11th Regiment here in Area 11."
Lelouch nodded.
"General Andon will be your superior officer but, due to your status, any orders from me or Father will become priority. Right now, Andon is focused on eradicating the terrorist threat here in Area 11 and Father and I have agreed that you will help him in that endeavor and prove yourself by helping to take care of that threat," Schneizel said.
Lelouch nodded thoughtfully and his thoughts went to the friends he had made who definitely were skilled in specific areas. They were his allies and he would ensure that they remained his allies. If he was in charge of an actual regiment then… "As for the 11th Regiment, I am allowed to pick and choose who I wish to join it, right?"
"Yes," Schneizel said with a nod.
A cool smirk crossed his lips. "Good because I already have some candidates in mind," he said.
"I suspected you would," Schneizel said before he stood up. "Once again, congratulations, Lelouch."
"Thank you," Lelouch said also standing up and following Schneizel as the White Prince led the way out of the meeting room and toward where Euphie and the rest of Lelouch's friends were gathered.
. . .
End of Arc I
. . .
A/n what do you think?
Blaze: Arc II is, officially, entitled Storms
Suzaku: well, considering what happens in Arc II, that actually makes a lot of sense
Blaze: I thought so myself!
Lelouch: anything you want to tell us about Arc II?
Kallen: that won't spoil it for the readers?
Blaze: hmm, let's see (looks through the chapters of Arc II) a lot happens. There will be Lulu/Shirley moments, Tara will dig herself deeper into the hole she's already in (though, this time, not just with Lelouch), the Crimson Sakuras that were mentioned in this chapter will play a part, the Liberators will be given more depth, two important battles, exploring backstories for a few of the OCs as they relate to the main plot of our main hero/anti-hero Lelouch, and yeah
Kallen: well, that doesn't really spoil anything
Blaze: well, I had to take out quite a bit in order to not spoil the arc. That was just to give you an idea of what is happening in Arc II
Lelouch: interesting...why do I have this feeling I'm going to hate you by the time Arc II is over?
Blaze: well, if you don't count the first chapter of Arc III then you won't...much. Ah, anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Lelouch: (growls warningly) Blaze, what do you mean 'if you don't count the first chapter of Arc III'? What will happen in the first chapter of Arc III?
Blaze: reviews are much appreciated (takes off running)
Lelouch: get back here and answer my question! (Takes off after Blaze)
Suzaku: (sweatdrops and sighs) thank you all for reading
