I am updating today in honor of Lelouch's birthday. So Happy Birthday, Lelouch!

Lelouch: thank you

You're welcome. So fifteen people reviewed the last chapter. Thank you to Blacksword Zero, Darrenshan1234, ZeroUnleashed, harlequin320, ewertondragon, OBERVER01, Doommajor, Demons Anarchy of Pride, DYnoJackal19, B-Kira, MasterDangel, F.C.C.S., Scarease, Shadow-Shinobi666, and Shimmering-Sky for reviewing the last chapter. You guys are awesome.

Anyway, I hope that you enjoy this chapter. It's 16 pages, single-spaced, and over 8,000 words but it's a tiny bit of a filler/prelude to the upcoming three-part chapter. (Remember when I told you that I wrote a 45 page chapter and had to split it into three chapters as a result? Yeah? Well, that's what's starting in the next chapter.)

Anyway, real quick note; the scene that is from B.B.'s perspective, it will be explained in a later chapter. Just so you know.

I hope that you enjoy this chapter and reviews, as always, are much appreciated.

. . .

. . .

February 29, 2016

Underground Tunnels, Outskirts of the Osaka Settlement, Area 11

Hozumi Murkami scowled in fury as he paced the length of the small chamber he and the remnants of his resistance cell had gathered in when they were forced to retreat from Osaka as shattered as they had been. Their resistance had been utterly decimated under the assault of General Andon's forces; he had lost all of the knightmares and tanks that his supplier had been able to get him as well as a large chunk of his men.

"That didn't go well," his second, Naora Kubota, mused.

Hozumi glared at his second but closed his eyes so as to not lash out against Naora, who was a member of the very group that had supplied Hozumi the last time he had attacked Osaka. Also, over the course of the past couple of years since she'd joined, they'd become lovers. "Of course it didn't," he said once he got a hold of his emotions as best he could. "Damn it! I underestimated General Andon and his forces."

"No duh," Tadayoshi Yamakage said, rolling his eyes.

"I don't need your sarcasm right now, Tadayoshi," Hozumi snapped, glaring at Tadayoshi.

"We're in some deep shit now," Nomi Maruta said with a sigh. "We're not gonna be able to do much until we can restock on resources."

"I know," Hozumi said, stopping in his pacing and leaning against the wall, gazing around at his injured men. "For now, we need to focus on recovering and gaining more resources. As soon as I can, I'm going to find our supplier and request more supplies, though, since he won't be back in Japan for a while, I'll have to wait until he gets back."

"And when will that be?" Tadayoshi asked.

"Around the end of April, he said when I last spoke to him," Hozumi said.

"This means we gotta go to ground for a while 'till we get those supplies," Naora said. "It would be safer anyway. We won't be able to take Osaka until we have the necessary supplies and resources. Also, we should get some information on what's going on in Osaka. If General Andon isn't there, we may stand a better chance at retaking the city. Personally, I also think we shouldn't focus on taking the city itself. That obviously failed."

That was Hozumi's original plan. Just launch a full-scale assault on the city, force the Britannian military to engage them, and then obliterate them. Looking back, he realized it was an incredibly reckless, and somewhat stupid, plan. And he hated being proven wrong.

"What do you suggest, Naora?" he asked.

Naora gave him a cool smile. "Last time, we gave them too much time to get organized because we attacked the city first. This time, we simply do not give them time to get organized," she said.

"You mean launch an attack on the military base itself?" Nomi echoed.

"That's suicide," Tadayoshi said.

"Hear me out," Naora said, that cool smile never leaving her lips. There was a reason why Hozumi had chosen Naora Kubota as his second; she was just as ruthless as he was but she was also good at coming up with decent plans.

"All right, Naora. We're all ears. What's this plan of yours?" Hozumi asked.

Naora's smirk widened into a cool grin. "What is the best way to gain the advantage over the enemy? Take out their leader of course," she said, answering her own question.

"You want to stage an assassination of General Andon?" Nomi echoed, surprised.

"Or whoever is put in charge of the military base here when Andon leaves," Naora said.

"We don't know that Andon is going to leave," Tadayoshi said.

"We don't know that he's going to stay either. We don't know anything at this point. It's simply an idea, though I suspect we're gonna have to get a lot of information about what's going on in the city before we can implement this plan."

"I agree," Hozumi said and turned. "Nomi. You're the best suited for the task of espionage. Sneak back into Osaka and see what information you can gather."

"Yes, sir," Nomi said and left the chamber.

. . .

14

Meetings and Mission

June 21, 2016

Underground Tunnels, Outskirts of the Osaka Settlement

Hozumi gazed at the map that lay in front of him, his fingers pushing a few small blue-colored pieces of paper into various areas on the map. The map was one of the Osaka Military Base, downloaded from a computer in the base itself—Hozumi marveled at how Nomi was able to pull that off—and the blue pieces of paper represented his forces, which were rather limited at the moment due to his loss a few months earlier. At the very least, though it had taken him as long as it had, Reyes came through on his end and Hozumi had gained the resources he needed to implement Naora's plan.

However, that was what he was currently trying to figure out. He didn't have enough information on the military base itself to be able to launch an effective attack against it without losing the resources Reyes got for him. Reyes had told him, point blank, that he wouldn't get another chance; if he failed here then he wouldn't be able to get any more supplies from Reyes's group.

Since Reyes's group were his main supplier, Hozumi could not afford to fail here.

So he sent Nomi into the Osaka Settlement, just as he had the night of the Crimson Sakuras' defeat, to gather more information. She had assured him that she knew of a way into the military base but, when he asked her how, she said that she would tell him when she got back. However, if she did have a way into the military base, not only would she be able to get more worthwhile information but it would help with Naora's plan.

Speaking of his second, the black-haired woman had come to Hozumi's side, peering over his shoulder at the map and the various pieces of blue paper. "You haven't included the enemies' positions," she said.

"I'm debating on what the new commander would do should he find himself under attack. He seems like a newbie, considering his age, and yet I can't underestimate him. Underestimating someone is what cost me against Andon," Hozumi said.

"But you may be overcomplicating this entire matter. You do have a tendency of doing that, dear," Naora said, curling her arms around his waist and moving a few of the blue pieces out of the way, her warm breath brushing against his neck. He shivered at being so close to her but said nothing as she picked up a piece of red paper and began tearing them into small pieces.

"When we attack, we will be attacking when they least expect it," she said. "Our best bet will be during the night. Depending on what information we get about the newbie from Nomi, he will either be asleep like everyone else"—she moved the biggest red piece over to the barracks of the map—"or he'll still be doing work." She moved the biggest red piece to the main building. "However, they will always have someone on guard just in case, especially in key areas, including the communication building. That tower is key to ensuring our plan works."

"We need to avoid them calling for reinforcements so that we have time to take over the base," Hozumi said thoughtfully.

"And then we can move our base of operations into the city itself. We can use the city as a staging ground for our next campaign," Naora said.

"Let's focus on taking over the base for now," Hozumi said, turning so that he was facing his lover. "The communication building is our priority but taking out the leader will put the rest of the enemy in a disarray, which will make it easier for us to attack. Also, we should aim our hit on the barracks as well."

Naora nodded thoughtfully. "I agree," she said and then shifted so that her body was pressed against his. "But I think that's enough planning for now. Why don't we take a little break?" she asked, running her hands through his hair and leaning forward, pressing her lips against his. He kissed her back, hands traveling to her hips as he pulled her closer to him.

Naturally, their moment was interrupted.

"Ah, am I interrupting, sir?" Nomi asked.

Hozumi pulled back from Naora and turned to find a blushing Nomi standing at the entrance to the chamber, a folder in her hands. Naora huffed and pouted as he released her. "No. What did you find out?" he asked.

Nomi stepped further into the room and handed him the folder. "The schedule of everyone who's going to be on guard over the course of the next week, a printout of the layout of the base including the location of the hidden tunnel I used to get into it, the name and a brief profile of the man who was left in charge of the base, and the location of the main computer."

Hozumi's eyebrows rose. "Impressive," he said. "Just how were you able to find all this information?"

Nomi smiled. "Hacked into the mainframe using the main computer," she said.

Hozumi had always known Nomi was a skilled hacker. He never expected her to be that skilled and he'd been working with her for the past couple of years.

Naora smirked. "With these, Major General Pyne and his forces won't stand a chance," she said. "I say we do it this weekend during the night."

"Agreed," Hozumi said.

. . .

June 22, 2016

Meeting Room, Student Council Clubhouse

Shirley gently finished folding the origami crane, studying it. "Well, it's not as lopsided as I thought it'd be," she said, glancing at Nunnally as she pushed the crane she had just made toward the princess.

Nunnally giggled. "It takes time and lots of practice," she said, taking the crane and adding it to the pile of cranes she had already made. "Maybe we can include making origami stuff in the next festival. Sayoko can teach them how to do this like she did me."

"That's a wonderful idea, Nunnally," Milly said with a grin.

The student council were currently gathered in the meeting room along with their honorary member. As they hadn't had anything to do during the meeting, Milly declared that the meeting would be a game day. Nunnally offered to show others how to make origami cranes while Milly pulled out a few board games that she had brought with her.

Currently, Shirley was the only one making origami cranes with Nunnally while watching as Rivalz, Nina, whom Milly had insisted join, Kallen, and Milly herself were playing a game of Trivial Pursuit. It was just a laidback day; they did have a few of these since Shirley's freshman year of high school but they were few and far in between.

"Okay, I landed on a blue square," Rivalz said, placing his piece on the blue square. He only had two of the six necessary game pieces while Kallen was in the lead with five, Nina had four, and Milly had three.

Milly fished out a blue card. "Okay, Famous People. Oh, this one's about the Royal Family. Nunnally, you can't say anything," she said.

Nunnally giggled but nodded.

Rivalz pouted.

"Okay, the question is: Who was the Imperial Consort of Emperor Charles zi Britannia that was also the Knight of Two and nicknamed 'the Flash'?" Milly asked and then grinned.

Nunnally smiled but kept her lips closed.

"You know the answer?" Shirley asked. She felt as if she should know who it was but couldn't put her finger on the name.

"Ah, um…" Rivalz's face took on a blank look.

"Give up?" Milly asked.

"Yeah, I don't know who that is," Rivalz admitted.

"Nunnally, would you care to answer?"

Nunnally nodded. "It was my mother, Marianne vi Britannia," she said with a small, sad smile.

"Really?" Rivalz said surprised. "Your mother was a Knight of the Round?"

"Yup and she was a really good nightmare pilot." Nunnally giggled and added, "One time, when one of the other consorts was complaining about me and Big Brother playing too loudly, she came out in her knightmare frame and basically told her to leave us alone or deal with her."

Milly laughed. "I remember that. I was there, remember?" she said.

"Uh huh. That was the same day that Big Brother fell into the stream while trying to get away from me and Euphie," Nunnally said and started giggling again.

"You're never going to let me live that down, are you, Little Sister?" Lelouch's familiar voice said and Shirley jumped a little, turning in her seat to find Lelouch standing in the doorway, looking amused. She hadn't even heard the door open.

"Lulu, what are you doing here?" she blurted out.

"I see someone forgot to tell you that I was coming by today," Lelouch said, casting a sidelong glance at Milly who gave him a smirk.

"What? And spoil Shirley's surprise?" she asked.

Shirley blushed. She had been surprised by Lelouch's arrival but she was happy that he was visiting as often as he could. He hadn't been able to visit much the past six days though, nor had Shirley been able to schedule another date with him.

Her blush deepened at the memory of her last date with Lelouch, and about how she had kissed him at the end of it. She still couldn't believe she had actually worked up the nerve to kiss him, even if it was only on the cheek.

"Aww, are you remembering the kiss you gave Lulu before you ran off to your dorm at the end of your date?" Milly asked with a big grin.

"M…Madam President!" Shirley cried.

"Shirley kissed you, Big Brother?" Nunnally said in surprise.

"Yup. And I got the picture of him blushing to prove it," Milly said cheerfully. She gave Lelouch a perverted smirk before adding, "I bet ya had some really good dreams about her after that."

"Milly!"

"Madam President!"

Lelouch and Shirley exclaimed at the exact same time but Milly just started laughing.

"Perverted She-Devil. Don't you ever get tired of acting like this?" Lelouch asked.

Milly thought about it for a moment. "Nope," she said cheerfully.

Nunnally giggled. "Big Brother, why don't you join us? Milly decided that, since she didn't have anything scheduled, we're having a game day for this meeting," she said.

"Yeah, you can take my place playing this game 'cause, apparently, I suck at it," Rivalz grumbled.

Lelouch smiled. "I suppose I can stay for a little while," he said and moved over to join the group.

Shirley turned her attention to the small square piece of purple origami paper and began folding it, pressing her lips together in concentration as she worked. She could hear the rest of her friends as well as Lelouch continue to play while Rivalz had joined her and Nunnally in folding paper cranes.

She finished the purple one and began working on another one, putting the purple one aside to give to Lelouch before he left.

Before long, Lelouch managed to catch up with Kallen in terms of pieces; both of them were tied with six and were now heading toward the hub to get the final question. Kallen's eyes held a stubborn glint while Lelouch was as impassive as ever.

Kallen ended up getting there first.

"Okay, so we get to pick the category. Hmm." Milly tapped her finger to her lips.

"Military History," Lelouch suggested blandly, holding up one of the green cards.

"Good enough for me," Milly said, taking the card. "Okay, the question is: Which battle led to the culmination of Napoleon's rule?"

Kallen pressed her lips together in thought but shook her head. "I don't know," she said and moved her piece off the hub. "What was it?"

"The Battle of Waterloo in 1821," Lelouch said before Milly could read off the card as he picked up the dice. "My turn." He rolled the dice and moved two spaces when the dice came to a stop, bringing him onto the hub.

"Okay, let's see. Hmm, which category should we choose?" Milly said thoughtfully. She snapped her fingers together. "I know. We'll go with the Entertainment category."

Lelouch's lips twisted into a grimace and Milly, giggling, pulled out a purple card. "Okay, your question is: What is the name of the children's television show that won the award for Best New Animated Series in 2009?" She asked.

"Princess Lily and the Magical Glasses," Lelouch said, causing everyone to stare at him in surprise, except Nunnally who was smiling. Lelouch blinked at them in confusion at the stunned expressions on their faces and added, "That was Nunnally's favorite show growing up."

"Oh, well, damn, I hadn't known that," Milly said with a pout. "Well, I guess you win, Lelouch."

"Yes!" Rivalz cheered.

"Lulu was the one that won, Rivalz, not you," Shirley reminded him.

"But he won while playing for me," Rivalz said.

Shirley rolled her eyes.

Lelouch's phone went off at that moment and he pulled it out, answering it. "Yes?" he said.

There was a moment of silence before Lelouch nodded. "I'm on my way. Inform Clovis that I'll be there in ten minutes," he said and closed the phone. "I have to go."

"Tell Brother Clovis that I say hi," Nunnally said as Lelouch got to his feet.

"I will," Lelouch said and headed for the door.

Remembering what she wanted to do, Shirley jumped to her feet, grabbed the crane, and darted to Lelouch's side. He glanced at her and she, blushing, held out the crane. "Ah, I made this for you," she said. She bit her lip and added, "And, uh, well, there's a movie called Nightfall and I thought it sounded interesting and, ah, wouldoyuliketogowithmetoseeit?" She said that last statement in a big rush and her blush deepened when she heard Milly's laughter.

Lelouch blinked at her, taking the crane. "I didn't quite catch that, Shirley," he said.

"Er…" Shirley swallowed, about ready to back out and change her mind but, before she could, Milly came to her side and slung an arm around her shoulders.

"She asked you if you like to go see the movie Nightfall with her," Milly said brightly.

Lelouch blinked. "I'll have to see but I think I'm free Friday night. Would that be all right?" he asked.

Remember, act like yourself, Shirley told herself, reminding herself of Milly's advice during her first date with Lelouch. She lifted her head and nodded. "Yeah, that sounds fine with me. Um, I'm gonna be at my Dad's house this weekend so, uh…"

"I'll come and pick you up there," Lelouch said. "I'd better go or I'm going to be late." He said his goodbyes to the rest of the Student Council and left.

Milly grinned. "You were able to get two dates with Lelouch! I'm so proud of you, Shirley!" She said, hugging Shirley.

"Um…yeah…" Shirley said dizzily.

Milly snickered and guided the orangette to her seat. "Okay, everyone, who's up for playing Twister?"

"No!" The majority of the Student Council said in an instant.

"You're no fun," Milly said with a pout.

. . .

June 23, 2016

Tokyo Military Base, Tokyo Settlement

Jeremiah didn't know what to make of having two Honorary Britannians in the 11th Regiment and had to question just why it was that his prince would personally transfer those two Elevens. He, Kewell, and Villetta were currently gathered in Jeremiah's office in the military base and Kewell obviously didn't like that decision either.

"I can't believe that His Highness would personally transfer two Elevens to this regiment," Kewell muttered, leaning back in the armchair he was seated in.

"He said they have skills and potential," Villetta pointed out, crossing her legs as she relaxed in her own armchair.

"They're Elevens," Kewell said with a snort. "It's doubtful that they have any noteworthy skills."

"Well, it was His Highness decision. We can't unmake it," Jeremiah said. He didn't like it and did have to wonder why Prince Lelouch would do such a thing but he wasn't going to question him.

"I know but that doesn't mean I have to like it," Kewell muttered.

"I wonder just how good of a commander Prince Lelouch will be," Villetta admitted. "He did return from being supposedly dead and he doesn't have much experience beyond basic training."

"I'm sure he'll do fine," Jeremiah said. "And since I'm maintaining my position as his second in command, I can advise him should he need it. But I believe he will want to show his own strengths and not rely on me all the time."

"Probably. He is a new military commander," Villetta said. She stood up and stretched. "I think I'm going to head to the bar. Do you guys want to come with?"

"I could use a drink right now," Kewell said, also standing up. "Are you coming, Jeremiah?"

Jeremiah wanted to but he had a meeting with Prince Lelouch in fifteen minutes. "I would but I have a meeting with His Highness. Perhaps tomorrow?" he said.

Kewell and Villetta nodded before they left the office. Jeremiah returned his attention to the paperwork on his desk and finished going through the various reports. As General Andon had ordered the 11th Regiment to handle any terrorist matters that cropped up in Central and Southern Area 11, Prince Lelouch had decided that it would be a good idea to go over the previous battles that had occurred in that area since the terrorist threat started getting worse. That was what Jeremiah had been looking up; he had participated in many of those engagements himself the past six years since he'd come to Area 11 so he was sure that his knowledge would help his prince.

Getting to his feet and gathering the reports into a folder, Jeremiah left the office and headed down the hall to Prince Lelouch's office. He had one here as well as within the Viceroy's Palace as well as his own quarters.

When he reached the office, Jeremiah knocked on the door.

"Come in," Prince Lelouch's voice called and Jeremiah opened the door before stepping into the office.

Prince Lelouch was seated behind his desk, typing away at his computer and occasionally glancing at a report that was resting on his desk, his brow was furrowed in thought, and with his phone resting against his ear. He gestured with one hand for Jeremiah to sit down when he spotted him as he said into the phone, "No, at the moment, I cannot. Perhaps this weekend we can schedule something….Yes, I am aware that I have not spoken to the public since I returned to the Royal Family…Yes, I realize that but I have much I need to get done before this weekend…" The prince was looking exasperated as he spoke to whoever was on the other line, though Jeremiah figured it was the media.

Prince Lelouch finally hung up the phone and rubbed his head. "I hate the media," he muttered, confirming Jeremiah's suspicions. "That is the sixth time my secretary has contacted me telling me that a reporter wanted to speak with me." He shook his head and turned to Jeremiah. "What have you found out, Margrave?"

"It would appear that the increase in terrorist activity seems to have started in late January of this year, following the devastating attacks on Hokkaido," Jeremiah said, pulling out the report of that incident; he hadn't participated in it. "To this day, no one knows who was behind it since no terrorist organization has claimed credit but it was after those attacks that terrorism began to increase in Area 11."

"What do we know about those attacks?" Prince Lelouch asked, holding out a hand and Jeremiah handed him the report.

"The attack on Hakodate was an attack on the military base stationed there whereas the attack on Sapporo was an attack on the civilians in the city itself. General Bartley believes that Sapporo was a scare tactic while General Andon thinks that each attack was done by a different party."

"A coordinated attack and a scare tactic on the same island," Prince Lelouch murmured, scanning the reports. "And they were only a day apart from each other, with the attack on Sapporo occurring first." His brow furrowed in thought. "Both attacks had many civilian causalities, despite Hakodate being primarily focused on the military base; that is what leads me to believe that both of these attacks were done by the same group."

"Your Highness?" Jeremiah said surprised. "Why would they use two different tactics then?"

"It's very simple, Margrave. By using a scare tactic in one city, the terrorists are guaranteeing that our attention would be fixated on that city, therefore allowing them to launch an attack at another city without us suspecting anything. The attack on Sapporo was simply a distraction to draw the army's attention away from the true target."

Jeremiah blinked and realized that his prince's conclusion made a lot of sense. He hadn't thought of it that way; he had thought along the same lines as General Andon that the attacks were done by two separate groups.

"But we still don't know who was behind it," Jeremiah said.

"That is true," Prince Lelouch agreed, pressing his lips together. "What do we know about the terrorist cells in Japan?"

"We only know the names of a few of them; the largest is the Japan Liberation Front but they haven't done anything noteworthy since the Miracle of Itsukushima. There's also the Yamato Alliance, the Blood of the Samurai, the Crimson Sakuras, to name a few. While they have all attempted attacks against Britannia, they've either gone to ground or were defeated before they could do much damage. The most recent one would be the Crimson Sakuras' attack on Osaka at the end of February that ended in their defeat," Jeremiah reported. "There's also that small terrorist cell that's cropped up in the Shinjuku Ghetto but, ever since they made their first appearance, they've gone to ground. We also know that there is, at least, one cell of the Liberators in Area 11, though we don't know where they are."

"The Liberators?" Prince Lelouch said, pressing his lips together. "Hmm, according to that article I read about my brother Schneizel, they've never been defeated before he defeated them in Cambodia. But they haven't made any moves in Area 11, have they?"

"As far as we know, no they haven't not," Jeremiah said.

"Hmm. And that new cell that appeared in the Shinjuku Ghetto. Have they made any moves?"

"No."

"Then it seems that there isn't any threats, at the moment, but that could change," Prince Lelouch said, looking back at the reports on his desk. "We will need to keep an eye out. I want some men to keep a discreet eye on the Shinjuku Ghetto for any signs of that terrorist cell that's located there. They are closer to us and we should be able to keep a better eye on them without drawing attention."

"Understood, Your Highness."

. . .

June 24, 2016

Shinjuku Ghetto, Area 11

Tara wandered around the Shinjuku Ghetto, heading toward the abandoned building at the ghetto's edge. She was on her way to meet up with B.B. as he had contacted her earlier, telling her that he wanted a report on what was going on. She was thankful for the distraction; she was bored out of her mind.

Naoto Kozuki, the leader of the small resistance cell that had formed in the Shinjuku Ghetto over a month earlier, hadn't been giving her any interesting assignment to do. He mostly told her to meet up with people that he needed to speak to, like that Reyes guy that Tara could tell was from one of the Spanish-speaking Areas—he was also very good at giving nothing away, not in his facial expressions, not in his body language, not in his words—or to help organize the supplies that were brought in but not where to put them.

He didn't trust her. She was sure of that and it frustrated her to no end that he refused to trust her and give her some more difficult assignments, something that would help her to actually be more helpful to his resistance. She had even offered to do somethings that would help out, like assassinating Prince Lelouch, but Naoto had told her that she couldn't.

She just didn't understand why he wouldn't let her. So what if Britannia brought their wrath down upon Japan? If it meant getting one step closer to destroying the Royal Family then why should anyone care about what the consequences would be?

But he was her leader at the moment and, due to B.B.'s orders, she had to continue to act like a loyal member of his resistance until she could find the information that B.B. wanted. Besides, fighting against Britannia would be interesting, even if it wasn't fighting against the Royal Family, who were her main enemies.

She neared the abandoned building and, after looking around to see if anyone was following her, she made her way into the building. She mused that, even though the abandoned building was probably only going to be used every now and then, B.B. still had cleaned it.

OCD, she mused as she made her way deeper into the building.

"You got here earlier than I expected," B.B. said as he stepped out of the shadows, his amber eyes fixed on her.

"Yeah, well, I didn't have anything better to do anyway," Tara huffed. "I've literally got nothing to do while part of this resistance. The leader just won't give me anything worthwhile to do."

"That is most likely because he doesn't trust you," B.B. said.

"Well, why not? I haven't done anything to prove that I am untrustworthy," Tara protested.

"Is that really so? Do you remember what you told me about just how you got to join this new resistance?"

Tara frowned. "You think because I blackmailed them into letting me join, that's why they don't trust me?" she echoed incredulously. "That's stupid."

B.B. sighed. "You have a lot to learn, Tara. Remember how I told you that you shouldn't have done that when you told me that? This is the reason why. They will naturally distrust you because you forced your way into their resistance through use of blackmail. After all, it means that you, basically, have their lives in your hands and could easily throw it away if you want to and that could mean their deaths. They aren't going to trust you because of that."

"But they wouldn't let me join if I hadn't done that," Tara protested.

"Then you should have persuaded them using another method. You could have told them that you had information, for example, or told them that you knew of somewhere they could hide out if their current base is compromised. Basically, if you had offered them something in return for letting you join then they may have been more willing to let you join," B.B. said. He folded his arms across his chest as he added, "Though what's done is done. You're just going to have to figure out a way to earn their trust, and insuring that you won't go back on your word will help in that endeavor."

Tara huffed but nodded.

"Now what have you found out?" B.B. asked.

"Well, I know that Prince Lelouch vi Britannia is going to be the new commander of the 11th Regiment but, other than that, not much else," Tara said.

"Hmm, Prince Lelouch being a military commander? I wasn't expecting that. Then again, I wasn't entirely sure what would happen with him once his and Princess Nunnally's survival was announced," B.B. mused thoughtfully.

"Why can't I just sneak into the settlement and kill him?" Tara complained. "Naoto wouldn't let me but you want the Royal Family dead too, so you should approve it."

"Do you honestly believe that you will be able to get into the Tokyo Military Base? Or the Viceroy's Palace? The Museum didn't have nearly as much security as those two places do. You wouldn't get within ten feet of Prince Lelouch before getting killed yourself," B.B. said.

"Then…Then let me go after Princess Nunnally," Tara said quickly.

"Do you even know where she is?"

Tara fell silent because she didn't know where Princess Nunnally was. "I know that she had been attending Ashford Academy before she rejoined the Royal Family but I don't know where she is now but I can find out!" Tara said determinably. "I'll find out where she is and then I'll find her and kill her!"

B.B. raised an eyebrow. "Your arrogance is still as strong as ever. I will always remind you of this; your arrogance is going to get you killed one of these days," he said. "You shouldn't run headlong into the situation without first thinking it through."

"I'm done thinking it through. That princess should've died at the museum and I'm gonna find her and finish the job," Tara said stubbornly, not really hearing B.B.'s words as she turned around and left the abandoned building.

. . .

B.B. watched Tara go and shook his head. "She is going to get herself killed," he murmured.

It's your own fault for choosing to create a contract with her…

B.B. snorted. "Like you were any help in fulfilling my wish," he said, folding his arms across his chest as he walked toward the back door of the abandoned building and walked out of it. "And she does share the same goal as me."

That's true, I suppose, though I'm not really sure if her vendetta is really against the Emperor as yours is. I mean, you never did tell her that your vendetta was mostly against him, rather than his children…

"Mm, maybe I did let her believe that my vendetta was against the entire Royal Family," B.B. mused. "But it kind of is."

Oh, I know. But if you had the choice between killing the Emperor and killing one of his children, you would easily go for the first option…

"So would she."

Though she doesn't know about your hatred for him either

"She doesn't know that there are more people like me out there," B.B. said with a shrug as he wandered toward the edge of the Shinjuku Ghetto. "And you should know better than anyone that I have every right to hate him. He was the one who caused your death, he and his damn brother!"

It was mostly Charles's fault. He was the one who lead that attack…

"He was there and it was because of him that I was incapacitated and couldn't protect you." B.B. felt tears well up in his eyes and he quickly wiped them away, feeling a surge of sympathy.

It wasn't your fault, dear uncle, it was his and you'll get your revenge, though I don't know if that girl is really the one who will grant you your greatest wish…

"Perhaps not," B.B. said softly. "But I have a contract with her. Whether she will fulfill her end of it or not is still up for debate."

Yes it is…

B.B. smiled a little to himself. "You're very talkative today, Daniel," he said.

I'm bored. What else is new?...

B.B. chuckled lightly to himself as he walked out of the Shinjuku Ghetto.

. . .

Tara wasn't really paying much attention to where she was walking and so she didn't see the boy until she ran into him, knocking both of them off their feet. "Sorry," she said, not really meaning it as she gazed down at the gray-eyed Japanese boy she was lying on. He looked around fifteen years old, though he was slightly taller than her.

"It's fine. Um, could you get off me please?" The boy said.

Tara scrambled off the boy and he pushed himself to his feet, dusting himself off and looking around for something. Tara spotted a bag with a hardcover book in it laying on the ground and reached out to pick it up.

"Are you looking for this?" she asked, stuffing the book back into the bag, though not before catching the title. Nightfall. "Oh, this is the novel that the movie's based on, isn't it?"

"Um, yeah," the boy said, taking the bag back. "I decided that I wanted to read the book before watching the movie."

"That's cool. I haven't read it yet but the movie looks interesting."

"Yeah, it does," the boy said, a nervous smile on his lips. "Um, I'm Fuyuki by the way."

"Tara," Tara said, taking his hand and shaking it. "So you live here?"

"Yeah, not far from here actually. I should be getting back though. I was supposed to be back fifteen minutes ago. Bye, Tara, it was nice meeting you," Fuyuki said and jogged away.

"Bye," Tara called, watching the Japanese boy jog away, a faint smile on her lips. He's not bad looking, she mused as she began making her way back to the Kozuki Resistance Base.

. . .

Movie Theater, Tokyo Settlement

Shirley put some popcorn into her mouth as she watched the final scenes of the dark fantasy movie that she and Lelouch had been watching. It had been rather interesting and was based on a novel that was a rewrite of the Shakespeare play Hamlet. She glanced at Lelouch who was watching the final scene with a thoughtful expression on his face as he sipped at his drink. Well, he seems to have enjoyed it, she thought with a small smile.

The credits began rolling and Lelouch stood up, turning to Shirley and holding out a hand. She, blushing, took his hand and stood up as well. "Did you enjoy the movie, Lulu?" she asked.

"An interesting take on the play itself," Lelouch mused. "It was a good movie. Did you enjoy it?"

"Yeah, though a bit too bloody for my tastes," Shirley admitted as the two of them headed toward the entrance, Lelouch drawing the hood of his jacket over his head. Even though it was hot outside, he had done this because he didn't want to go around with bodyguards but he also didn't want anyone to know he was there. Shirley understood that he was just being cautious; the media would jump on him the instant they saw him, especially since he didn't have any guards with him.

The orangette then bit her lip and turned to Lelouch, suddenly nervous. She had been thinking about asking Lelouch to dinner again after the movie but, now that the movie was over, her nerves were starting to get the best of her. She swallowed and tried again, reminding herself that Lelouch was still just Lulu.

The same Lulu that she often got on the case of whenever he skipped school to gamble.

The same Lulu who always helped out with Milly's grand schemes even when he didn't enjoy them himself.

The same Lulu who had become one of her closest friends.

"So, um, do you…maybe…um…would you…uh…like to go out to dinner with me again? Um, maybe Sunday night?" She asked, forcing herself not to ask the question in a rush so that he could understand her.

He turned to her, amethyst eyes thoughtful. "I don't believe I have anything planned for Sunday. All right, Shirley," he said.

"G…Great," Shirley said, stunned. She couldn't believe that she was on the verge of going on three dates with Lelouch.

"Do you have any specific place in mind?" Lelouch asked as they walked toward where the car was parked; this time, Lelouch had opted for taking them to the movie theater in a discreet-looking car rather than a limo to avoid drawing attention to him.

"Um, no, not really," Shirley admitted.

Lelouch hummed in thought.

Briefly, Shirley recalled what she found out about her crush, that he knew how to cook and bake. "So, um, Nunnally mentioned that you knew how to cook and bake," she said.

Lelouch glanced at her. "Yeah, I taught myself and learned from watching my mother. When Sayoko wasn't feeling well, I cooked for Nunnally. It's actually not that hard and I enjoy it sometimes," he said.

"Oh, cool," Shirley said. "I actually prefer home-cooked meals. Mom's a good cook herself, though Dad can't cook to save his life. I think he's burned water before."

Lelouch's lips quirked in amusement and then his eyes grew thoughtful as they reached the car. He opened the door in the back and Shirley climbed in before he climbed in behind her; their driver was already seated in the driver's seat with a newspaper in his hands. He folded it and put it away.

"Where to, Your Highness?" he asked.

"Miss Fenette's apartment please," Lelouch said and turned to Shirley thoughtfully as the car started up and began to pull away from the movie theater. "What's your favorite kind of food, Shirley?"

Shirley blinked, surprised by the question. "Um, I actually like pasta, can't decide which one I like the most though," she admitted.

"Hmm." Lelouch's eyes took on a thoughtful look and Shirley frowned, wondering what her friend was thinking about. He blinked and then looked at her. "How does seven Sunday night sound?"

"T…That sounds good to me," Shirley said.

"All right. Will you be at your Dad's place?"

"Yeah."

"Then I'll pick you up there."

Shirley smiled a little. "Okay," she said.

. . .

June 25, 2016

Osaka Military Base, Osaka Settlement

Major General Samuel Pyne yawned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he gazed at the mountain of paperwork that was left on his desk. He turned his attention to his second and best friend, Brigadier General Robert Silvers, who was sorting through his own papers. "I think that's enough for today. We don't have much left anyway, Rob," he said. He glanced at the clock; it was eleven. "You should try and get some sleep."

"I think so too, otherwise I'm gonna fall asleep right here," Rob said with a faint smile as he put the papers back into the folder and closed it before standing up. He stretched, cracking his back, and turning to Sam. "Get some sleep yourself, Sam."

"I will. I just want to finish going over this report and then I'll go to bed," Sam said, turning his dark-gray gaze to the paper in front of him.

"Goodnight, Sam," Rob said.

"Goodnight, Rob."

Rob left the office.

About half an hour later passed by and Sam was practically passing out on his desk when his radio began to crackle. He picked it up and turned it on. "What is going on?" he asked with a frown.

"Sir, this is Major Blackstone. We've been infiltrated! There are terrorists in the base and they…" The rest of what the major was going to say was interrupted by static as the communication building erupted in a pillar of flames.

Sam swore. "How the hell did terrorist get inside the military base?" he muttered and stuffed his radio away. He grabbed his rifle and darted out of the office. With communications down, he was forced to seek out his men in person.

He came across Rob first and was relieved that his friend was all right. "What's the situation, Rob?" Sam asked.

"I don't know the entire story. There's fighting in the lower levels of this building and the terrorists have already taken out the communication building as we expected. According to Major Blackstone, they're heading this way. He and his men are trying to hold them off and he told me to give you an update on the situation," Rob explained rapidly, his own rifle was in his hands and he looked out of breath.

Another explosion sounded and Sam moved to the window, watching as the barracks erupted into flames and swore, hoping that the soldiers had gotten out before that explosion.

Another explosion sounded followed by the hail of bullets and Rob turned, frowning as he moved to the mouth of the hall. "Damn it, they got through Blackstone. We're outnumbered. Sam, you gotta get out of here and get word to General Andon. I'll hold 'em off," Rob said.

"No," Sam said firmly, moving to Rob's side and pushing his friend behind him. "I'll hold 'em off. I was the one given command of this military base and I'm not leaving my men. Go and get word to General Andon, Rob. I'll be fine."

"Sir…"

"Go! That is an order!"

Rob bit his lips but saluted. "Yes, sir," he said and darted off.

Sam made sure that his rifle was fully loaded before he clicked the safety off. He may die that night but he was going to take as many of these sons of bitches as he possibly could with him before he did.

. . .

June 26, 2016

General Andon's Office, Tokyo Military Base

General Seth Andon, Commander-in-Chief of the 11th Division, stared in shock at the battered and bruised form of Brigadier General Robert Silvers. It was about ten in the morning and Andon hadn't expected his day to start out with the arrival of the second in command of the Osaka Military Base who was injured and seemed barely able to stay standing.

And his message was even more shocking.

"They attacked the military base itself successfully?" he repeated.

"Yes, sir," Silvers said tiredly. "I was able to get away and was able to get a chunk of our men out of there but we lost the majority of the men stationed there. I don't know what the situation is now though."

"We will need to send a scout into the settlement itself to get answers for that," Andon murmured to himself. He grounded his teeth together as his mind went through the possibilities of what to do next. "Do we know who was behind it?" He asked.

"The Crimson Sakuras, sir," Silvers said without preamble. "I recognized their insignia when they attacked."

"I see. Hmm, they must have thought up a new strategy after they lost to me and it seems to have worked," Andon murmured, tapping his fingers thoughtfully against his desk. Osaka was in Southern Area 11, therefore, according to the decision he had made in regards to the 11th Regiment, this would fall under their jurisdiction.

It was going to be interesting to see just how Prince Lelouch handled his first battle.

Prince Schneizel had told Andon that Prince Lelouch was incredibly clever and an up-and-coming strategist and that he needed to garner his own reputation and prestige within the military. That was why Schneizel and Andon had agreed to let Prince Lelouch handle any terrorist matters in Central and Southern Area 11, to see just how strong of a military commander he would be.

"Go and see to your injuries, Brigadier General," Andon said, waving his hand to dismiss him. "And ensure that your men are seen to as well."

"And the situation at Osaka, sir?" Silvers asked, brow furrowed in worry.

"Will be resolved, Brigadier General, I assure you, it will," Andon said. Now let's see if Prince Schneizel's confidence in Prince Lelouch's abilities isn't misplaced, he thought as he reached for the phone.

. . .

Meeting Hall, Tokyo Military Base

It was around noon when the order for the 11th Regiment, otherwise known as the Black Knights, to gather in the meeting hall was received. Suzaku wasn't entirely sure what was going on, only that Lelouch sounded urgent. Something must have come up.

"So anyone know what this is about?" Tadashi asked, glancing at the friends that had gathered in the meeting hall.

"Probably our first mission," Lila said.

"Probably," Rayne agreed. "I mean, with the terrorist threat as bad as it is, I wouldn't be surprised that we're being called to the frontlines as soon as we are."

Gottwald called for the attention of the regiment and everyone stood at attention and saluted as Lelouch strode to stand in front of them, his face impassive but his amethyst eyes were cool and calculating. "At ease," Lelouch said and the regiment relaxed. "The Black Knights' have their first task before them. As tasked by General Andon, we are to focus on engaging and defeating any terrorist threats that appear in Central and Southern Area 11. Our first mission has come in the form of a cowardly strike by a terrorist organization known as the Crimson Sakuras."

"The Crimson Sakuras have successfully launched an attack on the military base at Osaka, successfully capturing, or possibly killing, Major General Samuel Pyne, and forcing our comrades at arms to retreat back here, severally wounded and with no knowledge of what exactly is happening in Osaka. I will not lie to any of you. Due to the lack of intelligence about just what is waiting for us at Osaka, the fight will not be an easy one and the odds are very likely going to be against us. Thus, the situation is very dire."

His eyes set in determination as he went on, "However, even if the situation looks dire, the fact remains that our comrades, and possibly the people of Osaka itself, are in need of our assistance. We are tasked with taking out the terrorists and we shall do so but not because we were ordered to do so. Terrorists are a stain upon the country that must be removed. They threaten the stability of the nation, they threaten the peace, and they threaten the lives of innocent civilians and soldiers who are simply trying to protect their country and their families." He gestured to all of them dramatically. "We fight these terrorists because we desire the peace that they are preventing from existing. We want a gentle world for our families and our friends and they seek to destroy our chances at a happy future. We must not, no,"—he clenched his hand into a fist and his voice rose—"we will not let them have their way any longer! We will fight these terrorists with every fiber of our being! Not just for ourselves, not just for the Empire, but also for our friends and our families who are counting on us!"

Suzaku smiled at his old friend's speech as he cheered along with the rest of the regiment. He couldn't help it. Lelouch really was a charismatic leader and his words had empowered everyone, getting them fired up for the battle that lay ahead of them, even if they knew little of what they would be facing.

"We leave in one hour," Lelouch declared. "Dismissed!"

"Yes, Your Highness!" The regiment all said at once and filed out to get ready to head out to their first battle.

. . .

A/n what do you think?

Blaze: and that was chapter 14!

Lelouch: (sharpening flaming machete)

Kallen: dare I ask why?

Blaze: the OC Hozumi Murkami

Kallen: I see

Suzaku: (walks into the computer room carrying a chocolate cake in his hands) Shirley told me to give this to you for your birthday, Lelouch

Blaze: aww, how sweet (eyes chocolate cake)

Lelouch: no (puts down flaming machete and takes chocolate cake from Suzaku)

Blaze: what the heck? I didn't say anything!

Lelouch: you were thinking it

Blaze: no I wasn't

Lelouch: yes, you were (walks off to go eat his birthday cake)

Suzaku: wait, I want a slice (takes off after Lelouch)

Blaze: (chuckles) anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and reviews, as always, are much appreciated.