Suzaku: where's Blaze?

Bakura: still hiding in that bomb shelter. So get to the beginning notes. I had best go make sure she hasn't died or something (walks off)

Suzaku: Well, since Blaze is hiding, I'll do this. Here is the first part of the three-part chapter and, yes, there is a somewhat cliffhanger but that should have been expected since these three parts were originally one over forty-page chapter.

Lelouch: we still have the reviewers to thank, Suzaku

Suzaku: right, right. Anyway, Blaze would like to say thank you to (pulls out list of people who reviewed the last chapter) PiroWolfxL, harlequin320, ewertondragon, Shadow-Shinoi666, DYnoJackal19, F.C.C.S., Doommajor, Shimmering-Sky, MasterDangel, OBSERVER01, Scarease, and B-Kira for reviewing the last chapter. Also, she would like to thank Imperial warlord for reviewing the first chapter.

Lelouch: also, she would like to give a shoutout to Scarease for being he 200th reviewer so congrats I suppose.

Suzaku: anyway, here is chapter 16 and Blaze hopes that you enjoy it (and don't try to kill her at the end, though you might be focusing your attention on someone else instead). Reviews, as always, are much appreciated and a thank you ahead of time for reading.

. . .

. . .

March 29, 2016

Naoto Kozuki's Apartment, Shinjuku Ghetto

Kallen made her way into her brother's apartment and noticed Naoto wasn't the only one who was there. Tamaki, Ohgi, Sugiyama, Yoshida, and Inoue were also there and she smiled a little when they greeted her with a resounding, 'Happy Birthday, Kallen!"

"Thank you, you guys," Kallen said, closing the door behind her and walking over to join them. "But you didn't have to do all of this."

"You only turn sixteen once, Kallen," Inoue said with a smile.

"We were gonna get ya a cake but we ran out of money and none of us knows how to bake," Tamaki admitted. He held up the wrapped present and added, "But we did get ya presents."

Kallen smiled and accepted the presents that Tamaki, Inoue, Ohgi, Sugiyama, and Yoshida handed her and sat down on the couch. She spent the next fifteen minutes opening up the gifts that her friends and fellow resistance members had gotten for her. She was difficult to shop for, and they knew that, but they did try their best and she was grateful.

She put down the red headband that Inoue had gotten her and glanced at her friends who sat around her. "Thanks again," she said.

"You're welcome, Kallen," Ohgi said.

Naoto, who was sitting on the armrest of the couch, held out his gift to Kallen. "Happy birthday, imouto-san," he said softly. He normally didn't call her that, since the Japanese language was outlawed and everyone had gotten used to talking in Britannian, but he did on special occasions.

"Thank you, onii-sama," Kallen said and took the gift before ripping into the wrapping paper and pulling the lid off the box. She pulled out the small pink wallet and raised an eyebrow at Naoto who just smiled.

"It's got a little surprise inside. Press here," he said and pointed to a small button and Kallen pressed it, causing a knife to jut out of it.

She blinked in surprise but, before she could say anything, Naoto said, "This is for you so you have something to protect yourself with. Don't use it unless you absolutely have to though."

"I won't. Thank you," Kallen said with a smile.

"Now let's get this party started," Tamaki suggested, pulling out a bottle of wine.

"Tamaki, Kallen's not of age," Naoto scolded.

"Well, we are," Tamaki said.

"Just don't drink too much, Tamaki. We don't wanna a repeat of the singing incident that happened last month," Naoto said dryly.

"Yeah, please spare our ears. I don't want them to start bleeding again," Yoshida said.

Tamaki scowled at him but Kallen, remembering that incident, just started to laugh.

. . .

16

Reclaim

June 26, 2016

Streets, Osaka Settlement

Lieutenant Rachel Stonewell was the best at what she did. She was one of the sneakiest and nimble members of the 11th Regiment. When it was under the command of Brigadier General Stromberg, she had been tasked with several espionage missions and so when Margrave Gottwald came to her and told her that Prince Lelouch wanted someone to get close to the military base, she had been thrilled. She knew next to nothing about Prince Lelouch, only that he had been missing for six years and then returned to the Royal Family along with his sister a couple of months ago, but he was her new commander and she wanted to make a good impression on him.

Perhaps she could get a promotion.

Her orders were simply to get an assessment of the situation since Gottwald warned her that the Crimson Sakuras may be expecting Britannia to send someone to scout the base out. She pressed her lips together as she made her way deeper into the settlement, occasionally glancing toward the military base on the southern end of the city before averting her eyes.

She was clad in simple civilian clothing and carrying a large bag to blend in with the population and no one gave her a second glance. It would seem that the Crimson Sakuras were content with staying holed up in the military base; they hadn't made any moves on the city itself.

However, that changed quickly.

She had neared the military base when she spotted the terrorists, bearing the bleeding cherry tree insignia that represented the Crimson Sakuras on their clothes, move into the city, carrying rifles. From behind the Tokyo Military Base, Rachel saw knightmare frames, Glasgows by the looks of them, head toward the city along with tanks and…were those Bamides?

Bamides were like a hybrid between a tank and a knightmare frame that were developed by the Middle East Federation. Before today, the only place that Bamides were seen were in the deserts of the Middle East, since they were best suited for traveling across sand, and Rachel was surprised to find some in Area 11 of all place. Area 11 was, by far, the least likely place that she would ever expect these kinds of machines to appear.

So they have knightmares, tanks, and Bamides and they seem to be attacking the city now, Rachel thought as she quickly ducked into the nearest alley and watched as the terrorists charged through the city.

The civilians were thrown into a panic, screaming and running from the terrorists; though they had been aware of the attack on the base, they obviously hadn't expected the terrorists to attack the city next. Rachel pressed her back against the wall, watching with pursed lips as the terrorists rounded up the civilians and herded them toward the City Hall at the center of the city. There weren't very many soldiers in the city itself and the terrorists were quick to gun down any soldiers who attempted to fight back.

It was over rather quickly but, considering the civilians weren't fighting back and were faced with knightmares, tanks, and Bamides, that wasn't a surprise.

However, Rachel used the distraction provided by the short assault to get closer to the military base. She still stayed on the edges, aware that if they were expecting someone to spy on them then they would have placed a trap to catch or kill the spy.

She spotted a tall, thick oak tree and, gazing around, darted to the tree once it was clear and climbed up it. Once she was crouched on the highest branch she could get to that would support her weight, she pulled out the binoculars she kept in her bag and looked through them at the base.

She scanned the area, taking note of everything she saw; the number of terrorists, their positions at the moment, where the most damage had been done during the attack—the barracks and the communication building were a pile of ruins—and the number of knightmares, tanks, and Bamides within the base itself—there was surprisingly very little.

She pressed her lips together as she put her binoculars back into her pack and pulled out a notepad and pen, quickly writing down everything she saw, including what had just happened in the city itself and an estimate of the number of enemies that was, very likely, not accurate.

Putting the notepad and pen back into her pack, she scrambled down from the tree and darted back the way she had come.

. . .

June 27, 2016

Bridge, G-1 Base, Outskirts of Osaka Settlement

The following morning dawned cloudy with the threat of another rainstorm. Lelouch studied the overcast sky, lips pressed together as he took in the information he had just received, from Lloyd and from the spy Jeremiah had sent into the Osaka Settlement. It was a case of good news bad news.

The good news, from Lloyd, was that Suzaku synced instantly with the Lancelot and was actually able to move it and access the weapons systems and use the weapons that Lloyd decided he could get away with testing both in the area where he had set up his base and without alerting the enemy. The bad news, from the spy Rachel Stonewell, was that the terrorists had an assortment of knightmares, tanks, and even a type of knightmare frame that Lelouch had discovered had been manufactured and was only used in the Middle East Federation. Also, they had moved out of the Osaka Military Base and had taken control of the settlement itself, keeping any civilians they found in the City Hall with knightmares, tanks, and Bamides surrounding them.

"Did all the terrorists move to the Osaka Settlement?" Lelouch asked.

"No, Your Highness," Stonewell said, shaking her head. "The majority of the foot soldiers remained within the military base as far as I could see. Only the knightmares, tanks, and Bamides as well as many two or three squads of foot soldiers entered the city."

Lelouch nodded thoughtfully, his mind working on a plan. "Were you able to determine if the terrorists left any of their knightmares, tanks, or Bamides at the military base?" he asked.

"I wasn't able to get close enough to determine, Your Highness," Rachel said. "I speculated that if they did know a spy would be sent then they would have a trap set to capture or kill that spy so I avoided getting too close."

"A good decision," Lelouch said. "And yet we still do not know just how Murkami and the Crimson Sakuras got into the base. Stonewell's report suggests that they didn't just attack and force their way in that night; otherwise, there would have been more damage. Major Duncan, can you get into the base's computer network?"

"I can try, Your Highness," Dimitri said. "What do you wish for me to do if I do get in?"

"I want a map of the entire military base. Try to find one that is as detailed as possible. I want to know how Murkami and his men got into the base without leaving more damage in their wake," Lelouch ordered.

"Yes, Your Highness," Dimitri said and immediately went to work.

"Our priority is taking back that base. We can, then, use the base as a starting point for our attack on the terrorists in the city itself but we must get the base under our control again first," Lelouch decided, his mind still going through various plans that he could implement to take back the base.

He dismissed Rachel after that and stood up from his throne, walking over to the railing and leaning against it, gazing at the Osaka Settlement and the military base that lay beyond it. If he got the base under his control then launching an attack on the terrorists in the city might take them by surprise since they would not be expecting an attack from the south. However, that would only work if Lelouch could get his men to the base without the Crimson Sakuras seeing.

He also wasn't sure if the Crimson Sakuras knew they were there yet. They had taken refuge on the outskirts, hidden by the ruined tall buildings of the ghetto they were camped next to so it was likely that the terrorists didn't know. It made Lelouch wonder just why Murkami hadn't posted sentries to warn him that reinforcements had arrived.

"Margrave, do you know this area well?" he asked, turning to his second in command.

"I have been here a few times the past five years so, yes, I would say that I know it fairly well, Your Highness," Jeremiah said.

"Then do you know of a way for a large convoy to travel past the city without alerting the people within it to the convoy's location? Or would it be best to move in small groups?" Lelouch asked.

Jeremiah pressed his lips together thoughtfully. "Moving in small groups may take the longest time but it might also be the best way to get to the base without alerting the men in Osaka. Going at night would also help and we could use the trees or the buildings to sneak past," he said.

Lelouch hummed in thought.

"I have it, Your Highness," Dimitri called and, a moment later, a grid map of the Osaka Military Base, appeared on the large screen. "And I believe I've found out how Murkami got into the military base."

"Show me," Lelouch said and watched as Dimitri zoomed in on the map. It rotated so that they were looking at a side view of the base, including the portions that were underground. Dimitri then had a path highlighted leading from the underground levels of the base and winding its way toward the east, disappearing into the foothills of the mountains.

"It looks as if though there's a ruined shrine in those foothills and that's where this tunnel seems to lead," Dimitri added.

"That's what they must have used to get into the base," Lelouch mused thoughtfully. "That is likely going to be our best bet at getting into the base as well. However, I doubt that they are stupid enough to keep that tunnel unguarded, unless they suspect that we don't know about it." He trailed off, his mind working out the kinks of the plan he was creating in his head.

"It could work," he murmured. "But in order for it to work, we need to get behind the enemy."

"Your Highness?" Jeremiah said.

Lelouch turned to him. "Margrave, we're going to head for the southern end of Osaka, past the military base. I do not want the terrorists to know we're moving or are even here, if they are still in the dark about that, so make sure each convoy is a small group, no more than ten people if possible. The knightmares and the other transports won't be moved until it's dark."

"Yes, Your Highness," Jeremiah said.

Lelouch had another plan as well, one that would lead to the capture of the Crimson Sakura's leaders. His lips curled a little at the thought of Hozumi Murkami, of the man who shot his little sister, and he had to remind himself that, while he did have a personal grudge against Murkami, he couldn't let that get in the way.

He couldn't afford to lose his first battle. Losing would imply uselessness and Lelouch couldn't afford to be seen as useless in the eyes of the Emperor, not when it would mean putting Nunnally in danger.

But if he did get his hands on Murkami, he would ensure that his own justice was served.

. . .

Kozuki Resistance Base, Shinjuku Ghetto

Tara skipped into the base, a fake cheerful smile plastered on her face, though she was currently extremely annoyed. She just couldn't seem to find Princess Nunnally anywhere; it was as if she had disappeared off the face of the planet and it was bugging her. Just where could she have gone? She thought furiously.

That wasn't the only thing that was annoying her though. Naoto Kozuki also was annoying her by refusing to let her do much beyond speaking to contacts, setting up meetings, and gathering resources. Since she had agreed to follow Naoto's and Ohgi's orders, and didn't want to make them distrust trust her even more than they already did by going back on her word, she had thought that she could get them to give her orders to assassinate the princess by using her blackmail over them. She knew they would refuse though and had already made the decision to go ahead and do it and just blame it on Naoto Kozuki's resistance.

She was getting that fed up with them constantly refusing to let her do more for the resistance or refusing to let her in on their meetings though. Essentially, she knew less than everyone else in the resistance; even Kallen knew more than she did and they were the same age.

She noticed that the rest of the resistance members were gathered in the lobby of the base but noted that Naoto, Ohgi, a couple of other members, and Kallen weren't there. She wandered over to join Sugiyama. "Where's Naoto?" she asked.

"Coming up with a plan. He said he'd tell us about it once he'd worked out everything," Sugiyama said.

"Why aren't we there?"

"It's a special mission. The less people who know all the details, the more likely it'll work," Sugiyama said.

In other words, only those Naoto trusts will know all the details, she thought bitterly. Naturally. Why can't he just trust me?!

The door opened and Naoto walked into the room with Kallen, Ohgi, and a couple of other resistance members that Tara didn't bother on learning the names of behind him.

"So what's the plan?" Tara asked.

"We are going to be attending a meeting tomorrow afternoon at five at Warehouse 3 at the docks. The rest of you will remain here. I don't want too many people to be there as it would draw attention to us," Naoto said.

"Then why don't you kick one of them out and let me go with you? I mean, you're letting Kallen go with you," Tara said, gesturing to one of the terrorists she didn't bother on learning the name of.

"This is an important meeting, Tara," Naoto said. "And it needs to be handled delicately."

In other words, only those you trust can go, Tara thought angrily. "You don't trust me?" she said.

"You never gave us any reason to trust you," Tamaki scoffed.

"For once, Tamaki does have a point," Inoue mused.

"What?! After everything I've done to help and you still don't trust me? You won't even give me important missions, just stupid stuff, and you won't let me in on your meetings. I know less than anyone else in this damn resistance because you won't tell me anything," Tara exclaimed.

"Trust is not given, it's earned, Tara," Naoto said simply.

"And you did nothing to earn Naoto's trust when you blackmailed him into letting you join," Kallen snapped. "You don't deserve to know anything!"

"Shut up! You've done absolutely nothing worthwhile, you worthless little bitch!"

"Tara!" Naoto exclaimed but Kallen was already in motion, lunging at her and punching her so hard in the face that Tara heard a crunch.

"You're the spoiled arrogant little bitch that believes she has the right to know everything and that she deserves everyone's trust when she has done absolutely nothing to prove that she deserves that knowledge or that trust! And you don't seem to understand that that's not how things work!" Kallen screamed.

"I have helped the resistance since I first joined. I've spoken to contacts for you and gathered resources for you and yet you still refuse to show me even an ounce of trust. What the hell? Why the hell do you refuse to grant me even a sliver of trust?" Tara shouted back.

"Because the only reason that you're even here is because you're holding something over our head and could easily turn us over to Britannia! Why the hell would we trust someone who holds that kind of power over us?" Kallen shouted.

"I haven't done that yet!"

"But you still have the power to do so!"

"But I haven't!"

"And yet you haven't once said that you wouldn't! You aren't even denying that you still hold that power over our heads!"

"Kallen! Tara! Calm down, both of you," Naoto snapped, grabbing Kallen around the waist and pulling her off Tara while Ohgi darted forward and grabbed Tara when she made to lunge at Kallen, intending to pay her back for that broken nose.

"Look," Naoto said, "this kind of fighting isn't helping anyone." He pulled Kallen away and turned to Tara who glared at him and then turned and stalked off.

"Where're you going?" Ohgi asked.

"Too cool off," Tara said and left the base, slamming the door hard behind her.

She wasn't leaving to cool off. Kallen's attack had been the last straw and she was not going to deal with them any longer. "They won't let me participate more, they won't trust me, and they even let that little bitch strike me like that. Fine then. Britannia will be happy with the information I have to give." She turned and stalked toward the settlement, her eyes set on her destination.

The Tokyo Military Base.

. . .

Base of the Foothills, West of the Osaka Settlement

Rayne folded her arms across her chest as she glared at Gretchen and Parker who were standing nearby. Lila glanced at her in concern and Tadashi was leaning against the wall. The five of them had been ordered to meet at the base of the foothills by Prince Lelouch, though Rayne had no idea why.

It was dark. Stars speckled the sky and the Black Knights were currently in route to the southern edge of the Osaka area, right beyond the military base. Almost everyone was already there; the knightmares and other transports were the last ones to be moved. Rayne didn't know what Lelouch's plan to retake the military base was though.

Lelouch walked over to join them at that moment with his second in command walking behind him. "I'm sure you're wondering why you were called here," he said once he was within earshot. "You five are here because I have need of your skills. Your orders are thus: you will use the tunnel beneath the shrine that will take you to the basement of the command building on the base and infiltrate the base while the rest of the regiment distracts the Crimson Sakuras. Your goal is the capture of Hozumi Murkami and, if possible, the rescue of Major General Pyne and his men if they are still alive. However, the capture of Murkami takes priority."

"How do we know that he'll remain in the command building when the attack begins, Your Highness?" Parker asked.

"According to the reports of Murkami's previous engagements, Murkami never actively participated in them himself and commanded his men from afar. Thus, it is likely he will remain in the relative safety of the command building and issue his orders from there."

"Won't he suspect that you'll use the tunnel to try and capture him?" Rayne asked curiously.

"It's unclear if he even knows we're here yet," Lelouch said. "He certainly hasn't made any indication that he knows we're here but be on your guard. However, he will have more to worry about in the attack on the military base itself. If he knows we're here, he won't be expecting an attack from the south. If he doesn't know we're here, he won't be expecting an attack at all. Any other questions?"

"I have one. Why is this Eleven here, Your Highness? Won't he slow this mission down?" Gretchen asked.

"You think that just 'cause he's an Eleven, he can't help, you little racist bitch?!" Rayne snarled.

Gretchen jerked as if slapped and turned to Rayne. "Rayne, that wasn't what I meant," she protested.

"It certainly sounded like that's what you meant!"

"Why are you defending an Eleven?"

"He's my friend!"

"Lieutenant Frost! Lieutenant Colonel Frost!" Lelouch's sharp, commanding voice tore through the argument and they both fell silent and quickly stood at attention as they faced Lelouch.

"Now is not the time for family squabbles," Lelouch said sternly, gazing at them with cool eyes. "If you two cannot work together on this mission then how can I expect you two to work together in the battles that are to come? Can you two work together on this or will your family squabble jeopardize the mission?"

"I will always put the mission first, Your Highness," Gretchen said.

"Lieutenant Frost?"

"I will follow through with the mission, Your Highness," Rayne said.

Lelouch continued to study both of them as if assessing whether they meant what they said before he inclined his head. "Then see that you do. If this mission fails due to your own personal quarrels, then that will tell me that neither of you have what it takes to be part of the military."

He never outright said it but Rayne knew what he meant. He would have them discharged if they failed this mission. "I understand, Your Highness," she said.

"As do I, Your Highness," Gretchen said.

"Good. There may be guards at the entrance to the tunnel at the shrine and, most likely, at the entrance into the basement. Get started but do not leave the basement until you hear the battle start. Understood?" Lelouch said.

Rayne and the rest of the team responded with a resounding "yes, sir."

"Lieutenant Colonel Frost, you are in charge," Lelouch said and left with Gottwald walking after him.

Rayne had to keep from scowling but wasn't about to protest. She knew that, while Lelouch was her friend, he couldn't show favoritism and that he would have her court martialed if she stepped out of line again.

"Let's move. Parker, bring up the rear," Gretchen said. Parker nodded and fell to the back of the group as Gretchen led the way toward the shrine and the rest of the group walked after her.

. . .

"You want Murkami to be captured for a personal reason," Jeremiah said. It wasn't a question since Jeremiah already knew that Prince Lelouch had a personal grudge against Murkami, due to what he did to Princess Nunnally during the invasion, but his prince responded with a slight nod.

"I'm not letting my personal grudge against Murkami get in the way, though, Margrave," he said. "But he shot Nunnally. That's not something I can just let go. However, it's more important that we retake the base."

"So if retaking the base means losing your chance to capture Murkami, you would let that chance go?"

"Yes but, hopefully, that will not happen."

Jeremiah cast a sidelong glance at his prince, studying him. Prince Lelouch had fallen into the role of military commander quickly and, when Jeremiah thought about his plan, he mused that it could work. He would reserve his judgment for after the battle was finished though.

. . .

June 28, 2016

G-1 Base, Near the Osaka Military Base

It was just after midnight and the battle was about to begin. Lelouch had waited that long to give Lieutenant Colonel Frost and her group plenty of time to take out the guards and reach the base. If they weren't in position, at least the attack would distract Murkami long enough for them to get into position and start the main part of their mission.

Lloyd's image suddenly appeared on one of the screens, a bright grin on his face. "So, Your Highness, can I use my Lancelotin this fight?" he asked eagerly. He had been in a happy, eager mood ever since Suzaku succeeded in moving the Lancelot.

"Not at the moment," Lelouch said. The Lancelot was the first seventh generation knightmare frame prototype; therefore, no one had ever seen it in action. However, at the moment, it wasn't necessary to have an advanced knightmare frame on the battle field; he would launch it if it became necessary though.

Lloyd seemed to pout and then thought about it. "Well, I suppose we should give the other pilots a chance, eh?" he said with a grin. "Just let me know when to launch, Your Highness."

Lelouch nodded and Lloyd's image disappeared. Lelouch turned his gaze to the military base as he connected to Jeremiah, Kay—whom he had put in charge of the 23rd Knightmare Squadron—and the rest of the squad leaders. The majority of those who were fighting were foot soldiers since there weren't that many knightmares, tanks, or those odd Bamides at the base. More of them had moved to the city than Lelouch had originally thought. "You may begin the attack," he stated.

"Yes, Your Highness," all the squadron leaders said at once and Lelouch watched as they attacked; their markers were represented as blue triangle blips on the screen as they swarmed the base. He also had a satellite view of the battle, which helped him pinpoint the exact locations of his men. His eyes focused on the screen that detailed the location of the enemy as well.

"Squad 3, watch your flank," he ordered. "Squad 2, move to reinforce Squad 3. Major Frost, have your men move to point C4. Margrave, move your men to point C2. Attack at will," he ordered and Squad 3 and Squad 2 of foot soldiers joined up with each other, outnumbering the terrorists they were fighting. At the same time, Kay's men and the Purist Faction moved to sandwich a squad of knightmares between them and attacked, forcing them to separate, moving in opposite directions.

Lelouch then spotted a group of tanks driving into the open from the northern end of the base and said, "Squads 4 and 5, flank those tanks and fire grenades at will," he ordered and watched as Squads 4 and 5, who were the ones who were using the grenade and missile launchers hurried to their positions—Squad 5 was in the shadow of the command building whereas Squad 4 was next to the ruins of the communication building—and quickly set up, firing grenades and missiles at the tanks that lay between them. Explosions erupted from the tanks and both Squads were quick to dive out of the way when the surviving tanks turned to fire at them.

Lloyd's image appeared on a small side screen next to Lelouch. "Now can I launch my Lancelot?" he asked eagerly.

Lelouch cast a sidelong glance at the pale-blue haired earl. "Not yet Lloyd, but I have not forgotten it," he said. It really didn't seem as if the Lancelot would be needed anyway.

Lloyd actually did pout that time but, nonetheless, disconnected the transmission and Lelouch returned his attention to the battle.

. . .

Basement, Osaka Military Base

While the battle was raging overheard, Tadashi, Rayne, Lila, Gretchen, and Parker were making their way into the basement beneath the military base. They could hear the explosions that sounded above their heads but weren't fazed by it. It was difficult to figure out who was winning though.

Two Eleven soldiers suddenly rushed toward them, their weapons pointed at them but, with two well-placed shots from Lila, they were taken out. Tadashi did feel a bit bad at seeing his own people get injured like that, since Lila's shots had just put them out of commission, but he knew that this war and people died in war. He pushed the thought out of his mind and focused on the mission at hand.

They moved deeper into the basement when Gretchen signaled for them to stop. She peered around the corner and frowned. "There're prisoners here," she whispered and slipped into the main area of the basement. Tadashi followed suit and noticed that Gretchen was right; there were a score of injured soldiers seated on the floor with their arms tied behind their backs. They looked up, tired and in pain, but brightened when they saw who had just entered.

"We're going to get you out of here," Gretchen said. "Where's Major General Pyne?"

"They took him…to the city," one of the soldiers said as Parker knelt down beside him and started working on removing his binds. Tadashi, holstering his rifle, hurried over to another bound solider and knelt down beside him. He could see Rayne and Lila doing the same, the latter pulling out a first aid kit that she had brought with her just in case.

The soldier that Tadashi freed rubbed his wrists and glanced at him. "Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome," Tadashi said. I'm glad he ain't treating me badly 'cause of my heritage, he thought, getting to his feet and holding out a hand. The soldier took it and pulled himself to his feet.

"Lieutenant Frost will show you to the tunnel we used to get here. It'll give you a safe passage to the foothills where you should wait until the fight is over," Gretchen said.

Rayne looked up, scowled, but bit her lip to keep from saying anything.

"We can still fight," the soldier Gretchen had spoken to first insisted.

"And I saw where them Eleven bastards hid our weapons," the soldier Tadashi had helped said.

"We will not be fighting exactly," Gretchen said. "We were ordered to apprehend Hozumi Murkami. However, if you want to join in the fight then I cannot stop you." She pulled out her communicator and turned it on, "Lieutenant Colonel Frost to base."

"This is Base. What is it, Lieutenant Colonel?" Lelouch's voice sounded over the communicator.

"We've found survivors, Your Highness, and most of them wish to join in the fight," Gretchen said. She glanced at the soldiers who were more injured than the rest and added, "Some of them are too injured however."

"Let the survivors join in the fight if they wish, Lieutenant Colonel. I will have the medical team meet the injured ones at the shrine. Can they still walk?" Lelouch said.

"Can you still walk?" Gretchen asked the badly injured ones; half of them nodded. "All right, you help your comrades and head toward the tunnel. Lieutenant Frost, guide them out of here."

Rayne growled under her breath. "Yes, ma'am," she said through gritted teeth.

"Excuse me, ma'am," Lila said, looking up. "But I think it would be best if I went with them. I can see to their injuries in the tunnel while you continue with your mission."

Gretchen frowned but, before she could say anything, Lelouch's voice sounded again.

"A good point. Very well. Lieutenant Moore, you will go with the injured soldiers and aid them should they need it. Lieutenant Colonel, you and the rest of your team will continue on with the mission."

"Understood, Your Highness," Gretchen said, clearly not liking the idea.

"Give the frequency we're using to the survivors and then head out," Lelouch added and went silent.

"Understood, Your Highness," Gretchen said and turned to the group. "Who is the one in charge?"

'That would be me: Major Harold Hendon," the man that Tadashi had helped said with a salute.

Gretchen gave him the frequency before adding, "Prince Lelouch will give you further orders once you have armed yourself." She gestured to her team and led the way toward the stairs leading out of the basement.

"Stay safe, you guys," Lila said to Rayne and Tadashi.

"We will, Lila," Rayne said.

"Yeah, don't worry 'bout us," Tadashi said and he and Rayne hurried after Gretchen and Parker as they hurried out of the basement.

. . .

G-1 Base, Edge of the Osaka Military Base

"Squad 4 and Squad 5, move to the northern edge of the city and await further orders. Margrave, Major Frost, move to point D5 and D2 respectively. Squad 3 and Squad 2, provide fire support for Margrave Gottwald, Major Frost and their men. Squad 1 fire at point E3," Lelouch ordered and watched as the surviving members of Squads 4 and 5 moved to the northern edge of the base while Jeremiah, Kay, Squad 3 and Squad 2 boxed in another squad of knightmares with Squad 1 firing in the only direction that the squad could go in.

"These look like the last of the knightmares stationed here. Take them out, Margrave, Major Frost," Lelouch ordered.

"Yes, Your Highness," Jeremiah and Kay said and launched themselves at the knightmares while the other two squads provided fire support.

The communicator came to life as Lelouch watched the battle, watching as Squad 2 and 3 were forced to move out of the way to avoid getting trampled by the fighting knightmares, and a new voice sounded over the frequency. "This is Major Hendon of the 7th Regiment," the voice said.

"Major Hendon, this is Prince Lelouch vi Britannia, commander of the 11th Regiment. How many of you men are capable of fighting?" Lelouch asked.

"About fifteen, Your Highness," Hendon said.

Lelouch pressed his lips together as he studied the map of his forces. "Are you and your men armed?" he asked.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Then have your men reinforce Squads 2 and 3. They are near your location, near the ruined barracks," Lelouch said.

"Yes, Your Highness," Hendon said and Lelouch watched as the newcomers hurried into the battle, heading over to join the two squads who were locked in combat with a large group of terrorists that had appeared from the ruins of the barracks. With the addition of Hendon and his men, the two squads were able to push back the terrorists.

Lelouch turned his gaze to the city that lay in the distance and connected to all his men, and Major Hendon. "Be forewarned that the terrorists may be sending reinforcements soon," he said. This battle should not have gone unnoticed but where are the reinforcements? Unless they decided not to help for some reason, hmm, he thought.

. . .

City Hall, Osaka Settlement

"What do you mean we aren't going to reinforce Hozumi?" Nomi said shocked, staring at Yosuke Hamada, the third in command of the Crimson Sakuras and also the commander who had been placed in charge of the units in the city.

"Exactly as I said," Yosuke said.

"But why?"

"We need to remain in control of this city so that our men have somewhere to fall back to and we can use plan B. Though I hate to admit it, they do outnumber us and badly at that. Besides, we still have Pyne here. We may be able to use him as a bargaining chip if worst comes to worse," Yosuke said.

"And the civilians?"

"They're in City Hall or are hidden within their homes so they're outta harm's way," Yosuke said with a shrug. "I have my orders. Naora told me that Hozumi wants me to stay here and so I will."

"I don't like it but all right," Nomi said.

. . .

Major General Pyne's Office, Osaka Military Base

Hozumi scowled as he paced in the office, glaring at the battle that raged outside that was not going, at all, in his favor. Whoever was in charge of the Britannian force that had struck in the middle of the night was a clever strategist; he was able to counter practically all of Hozumi's orders and there didn't seem to be many causalities for his side, if any.

He gritted his teeth as he struggled to figure out what to do.

There was the sound of gunfire outside the office and Seika burst into the office, blood seeping from the wound on his arm and a handgun in his hand. "Sir, the base has been infiltrated by Britannians," he gasped. "They're heading this way."

"What?" Hozumi said in shock.

"We think they used the tunnel," Seika said.

More gunfire sounded and Seika turned before firing out the door but a well-fired shot struck him between the eyes, making him topple forward. Hozumi yanked out a handgun but, before he could fire it, a bang sounded and Hozumi yelled in pain when the bullet slammed into his arm, forcing him to drop the gun. He clutched at his hand as he found five guns trained on him from the four Britannians and one Honorary Britannian that made their way into the room.

Snarling, Hozumi glared at them as they fanned out in a semicircle around him, successfully trapping him, holding his bleeding hand close to him. Damn it, he thought furiously.

. . .

Osaka Military Base, Osaka Settlement

Kay fired his Slash Harken into one of the few remaining knightmares that were still in the courtyard and shot forward, slamming his jousting lance into the knightmare's factsphere as he yanked the Slash Harken free. He jumped back and unleashed a barrage of bullets from his assault rifle into the knightmare, forcing the pilot to eject.

He whirled around but could see that there didn't seem to be any enemies left. He keyed on his radio. "Your Highness, there don't seem to be any more enemies," he said.

"No reinforcements are in route either, Your Highness," Gottwald stated.

"Your Highness, we have captured Hozumi Murkami," Gretchen's voice sounded over the frequency.

"Good work," Lelouch's voice said. "I will be there momentarily. Bring Murkami outside the command building. I wish to speak to him personally. Everyone else, see to any injuries that you have obtained. The medical team are returning to the base at the moment with the wounded from the 7th Regiment. Lieutenant Colonel Soresi and Major Nu. You two are on lookout. Inform me if reinforcements show up."

"Yes, Your Highness," the two aforementioned members of the Purist Faction stated and moved over to the edge of the city while everyone else moved closer to the center.

Kay relaxed against his seat, closing his eyes as he relaxed, the adrenaline from the battle fading.

. . .

Outside, Osaka Military Base

Suzaku listened with only half an ear as Lloyd complained about not being able to test the Lancelot in actual battle while Croomy just watched and shook her head in exasperated patience. She glanced at Suzaku and gave him a kind smile. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine, Major Croomy," Suzaku said.

"Please, call me Cecile," Croomy said. "I suspect that we're going to be working together from now on, especially since you've proven capable of moving the Lancelot. Lloyd's not going to want to let you out of his grasp anytime soon."

"We could have won this battle sooner if Prince Lelouch had launched the Lancelot," Lloyd was complaining.

"He was just being safe, Lloyd," Cecile said.

"Well, how are we gonna know if the Lancelot will work in an actual battle if it never actually experiences an actual battle?" Lloyd whined.

"Be patient, Lloyd. I'm sure Prince Lelouch will let the Lancelot participate soon enough," Cecile said and turned to Suzaku and added, "You look bored. You don't have to stay here, Private Kururugi."

"May I go and help the injured then, Ma…Cecile?" Suzaku asked, not used to referring to a superior officer by her first name yet.

"Go ahead," Cecile said with a kind smile and then gave an irritated glower at Lloyd who was still complaining.

Suzaku moved away from the base, looking around for anyone that needed help. He spotted Lila crouched by one of the injured soldiers and moved over to join her. She must have heard him approach because she looked up. "Hey, Suzaku," she greeted him. "Do you think you can help me?"

"Sure. What do you need help with?" Suzaku asked.

"I ran out of bandages. Can you run to the medical team and get some more for me?"

Suzaku nodded and headed toward where the medical team were taking care of some of the other injured men and women. One of the medics glanced at him. "Yes?" She said.

"I need some more bandages, please, ma'am," Suzaku said politely.

"Of course," the medic said and handed him an armful of bandages. He took them, thanked the medic, and returned to Lila's side.

"Thank you," Lila said, taking the bandages and working on bandaging the heavily bleeding wound on the soldier. Once the wound was bandaged, she stood up, stretched, and looked around for someone else.

Suzaku decided to keep helping Lila and, between the two of them—though Suzaku only had the knowledge he got from the first-aid training during basic training—they were able to help quite a number of injured foot soldiers. It didn't seem as if there were any causalities.

They neared the command building just as the doors opened and Lieutenant Colonel Frost, Major Parker Frost, Rayne, and Tadashi walked out of the building. Parker was carrying a very familiar Eleven man in between them; Suzaku froze, his eyes widening when he caught sight of those familiar blue-green eyes.

"You okay, Suzaku?" Lila asked.

"I know him," Suzaku said, narrowing his eyes as the man looked at him. Their eyes locked and the man's lips pulled back into a smirk.

"Well, well, if it isn't the son of Genbu Kururugi," he said with a cool smile. "I bet you're surprised to see me again, traitor."

"Traitor?" Rayne echoed.

"Of course he's a traitor. He betrayed his own people to protect two Britannians and became an Honorary Britannian. What would your father say, Kururugi?"

Suzaku flinched at the mention of his father.

"You are certainly very talkative, Murkami," Lelouch's cool voice said and Suzaku turned to find Lelouch striding toward them, cape swishing around his legs as he walked; his eyes were like purple ice and his lips were quirked in a cool frown.

Murkami turned to Lelouch. "Ah, Prince Lelouch, we meet again," he said with a cool smirk.

"Unfortunately," Lelouch said coolly.

"And how is your worthless sister?"

Lelouch's eye twitched. "She's fine, no thanks to you," he said.

"I should've shot her in the head, put that worthless bitch out of her misery."

Bang.

Suzaku cringed as Murkami screamed in agony as the bullet Lelouch just fired struck his knee, causing it to buckle. If Parker hadn't been holding him, he would have collapsed. When Suzaku glanced at his friend, all he saw was a cold mask of fury and a handgun in his friend's hand.

"That was for shooting Nunnally six years ago, Murkami, and for your insults as well," Lelouch said coolly and turned to Gottwald who had come to his side. "Take him away, Margrave. See if you can get any information out of him."

Gottwald cracked his knuckles and smirked at Murkami who pain-filled expression suddenly took on a hint of worry.

"I need him alive so that he can stand trial when we return to Tokyo, Margrave," Lelouch added.

Gottwald nodded. "Understood, Your Highness, he will not be permanently damaged," he said and strode forward, grabbing a Murkami's arm and guiding him into the command building.

Lelouch turned his attention to his men, who had seemed just as surprised as Suzaku was by Lelouch's actions when Murkami insulted Nunnally, but they had shaken it off pretty quickly. "We will rest here for the time being. I want small groups to be on watch at all times, rotating out every few hours, and alert me if the terrorists in the city make any moves. Lieutenant Stonewell, infiltrate the city and see if you can find any information on what's going on there."

"Yes, Your Highness," Stonewell said and darted toward the edge of the city.

Tadashi and Rayne walked over to join Suzaku and Lila and they were soon joined by Kay. "You know," Rayne mused. "I feel I should be surprised by Lelouch's actions but then I remembered that he had tried to set Tadashi on fire with his eyes when Tadashi called Nunnally 'hot' and I now realize why I'm not."

Tadashi shivered at that memory. "Note to self: never insult Nunnally," he said.

"Did Murkami really shoot Nunnally?" Rayne asked curiously.

"Yeah, he did," Suzaku said, wondering why he was surprised. This was Lelouch he was thinking about; he was so devoted to Nunnally that he wouldn't hesitate to hurt someone if they hurt her. He thought about during the invasion when one of the Japanese men that had cornered the three of them in the ruins of an old restaurant had grabbed Nunnally and nearly broke her arm. Lelouch had actually stabbed him with a fork he had found on the table just to get that man to release Nunnally.

"Suzaku, will you help me some more with the injured?" Lila asked.

"Sure," Suzaku said and the two of them walked off to continue tending to the injured.

. . .

Docks, Tokyo Settlement, Area 11

Kallen drew the hood of her jacket over her head and adjusted her sunglasses as she walked after her brother, Ohgi, and the others that had been brought with her brother. It was exactly four in the afternoon when they entered the warehouse in which the meeting was going to take place. Kallen noted that it was rather empty save for Reyes seated in the center of the floor with two standing on either side of him. He was talking on his phone as Naoto approached.

"¿Él tiene?" He said and listened to the response before adding, "Si quieres montar una misión de rescate, ¿verdad?"

A moment of silence and Reyes sighed before saying, "El jefe no va a aprobar." Another moment, then, "Usted todavía tiene la oportunidad de mantener esa ciudad."

It was then that Reyes spotted Naoto and he waved him closer, adding, "Te devolveré la llamada. Tengo compañía." He listened and said,"Bueno, lo haré. Adiós," and closed his phone before turning to the group and switching back to Japanese as he said, "Welcome, Naoto Kozuki and friends. You are right on time."

"I'm sure you will understand if I don't introduce my companions, Reyes," Naoto said, moving forward to stand in front of Reyes. "It would be best if we didn't use too many names, you see."

"I agree so I won't introduce my companions either," Reyes said with a smile. "Please, sit. We have much to discuss."

Naoto sat down in front of Reyes as the latter retook his seat. "Can I ask you something, Reyes?" Naoto asked.

"Of course," Reyes said.

"Why us? Why do you seek to help us? Why not the Japan Liberation Front or one of the bigger resistances like the Yamato Alliance or the Crimson Sakuras?" Naoto asked.

"The boss just thinks that helping a smaller resistance will be worthwhile but won't say why. I try not to question him too much," Reyes said.

Before anything else could be said, things went to hell in a hand basket.

The door blew open and Kallen whirled around, eyes widening at the knightpolice and several Britannian soldiers stormed into the warehouse.

Reyes jumped to his feet. "You were followed!" he hissed.

"No! We made sure we weren't several times before we came here," Naoto insisted, worry on his face as he got to his feet and whirled around.

"Terrorists, you are hereby under arrest for terrorism and treason against the Holy Empire of Britannia. Surrender now," a voice said and Kallen watched as a green-haired man in his late fifties walked forward, handgun in his hand.

"General Andon," Naoto and Reyes murmured at the same time before Reyes turned to his companions and nodded once. Both of his companions drew something out of their pockets and tossed it into the ground. Smoke immediately erupted into the area, causing Kallen to cough and her eyes to water. When the smoke cleared, Reyes and his companions were gone.

They…They just left us, even though they were offering to help? Kallen thought in surprise.

"You have one more chance. Surrender now," General Andon said.

"Fat chance! For Japan!" One of the men that had come with them, Izo Miura, shouted and started firing at the Britannians.

"Damnit, Izo!" Naoto hissed, handgun in his hand as he shouldered the table the two had been sitting at to the ground and dived behind it. Kallen and Ohgi were quick to join him, Ohgi's handgun in his hand as well. Izo was killed in the barrage of bullets that came seconds later.

"What do we do now?" Ohgi asked.

"We need to get out of here," Naoto said. "But how did they find out we were going to be here?"

"Were we followed and just didn't realize it?" Kallen asked worriedly, her own little handgun in her hands; though, considering her hesitation when that Britannian had been about to kill that five-year-old, Kallen didn't know if she could actually use it.

"We were very careful but I suppose it's possible," Naoto said, peering around the edge of the table and then ducking back when another barrage of bullets came flying toward the table. The table was thick but it wouldn't be able to withstand the barrage for much longer; already, Kallen could see it splintering.

She peered over the edge when the barrage stopped momentarily and her eyes widened when she caught sight of the aqua-haired girl that had come to Andon's side. Tara!

"You were right, Miss Archer," Andon said. "They were meeting here at this time. I will see to it that you are rewarded for this."

Kallen ducked down again. "It was Tara," she said with a growl. "Tara sold us out. Damn it! I knew she couldn't be trusted."

"We all did," Naoto said grimly. "She just proved us right."

"Come out and we will give you a fair hearing," Andon called out.

"Bullshit," Kallen murmured under her breath.

"Kallen, you gotta get out of here," Naoto hissed and turned to Ohgi. "Ohgi, get Kallen out of here."

Ohgi nodded grimly and grabbed Kallen's arm gently, looking around rapidly for the back exit. He spotted it as well as a stack of crates and narrowed his eyes, clearly judging whether he would get there in time.

"Big Brother…" Kallen whispered, worriedly.

"I'll be right behind you, Kallen," Naoto said. He drew Kallen into a brief hug and added, "I love you, Little Sister, now go."

Kallen swallowed. "I love you too, Big Brother," she whispered, hugging her big brother back before releasing him.

"I'll cover you. Go," Naoto ordered and, before Kallen and Ohgi could respond, he dived out from behind the table and fired his handgun rapidly at the Britannians before diving behind a stack of metal boxes. Using the distraction, Ohgi and Kallen bolted from behind the table and ran past Naoto's temporary cover before diving behind another, taller stack of metal boxes, just in time to avoid a barrage of bullets aiming their way.

"There's the back exit," Ohgi murmured, pointing. "We're going to have to make a run for it." There was no more cover between their current hiding place and the back door.

Naoto dove over to join them, whirled around, and started firing back at the Britannians. Kallen gasped when she saw that her brother was bleeding from a bullet wound in his arm and his thigh, the latter of which was bleeding heavily. He was panting, his eyes wide with pain, but he still fired as rapidly as he could.

That was until he ran out of ammo. "Damn it!" Naoto hissed, throwing the gun away.

"Here," Ohgi said, handing his gun to Naoto who glanced at him. He smiled a little and added, "You've always been the better shot anyway."

Naoto gave him a pained, weak smile and, clicking the safety off, immediately began firing back but his movements were becoming unsteady and the blood was still gushing rapidly from the wound in his thigh. Kallen swallowed, her eyes wide with horror; her brother was bleeding out in front of her and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Go, Kallen, Ohgi, get out of here," Naoto ordered tiredly, struggling to remain on his feet and leaning heavily against the crates, still firing at the Britannians. Kallen, after briefly peeking around her brother, could see that the enemy was getting closer.

"C'mon," Ohgi said and, grabbing her arm again, bolted for the entrance. Kallen quickly ran after him.

When they neared the door, Kallen glanced back once.

Just in time to see her bloodstained, probably functioning on adrenaline only, older brother throw himself between the bullet General Andon had just fired and Kallen. The bullet struck him straight through the forehead and Kallen's scream of horror echoed throughout the warehouse as her big brother fell motionless to the ground.

Ohgi shoved Kallen through the back exit and dived after her, swiftly slamming the door closed behind him and grabbing Kallen's handgun. Kallen heard him fire the gun twice but she was still staring at the door, tears streaming down her face, her eyes wide with disbelief, horror, and despair.

Her big brother…

Her big brother was…

Her big brother was dead!

"C'mon, Kallen, we've gotta go. We aren't safe here," Ohgi said, shaking Kallen's shoulders in an attempt to break her out of her shock.

More bullets slamming into the door as well as Ohgi's constant shaking finally jolted Kallen out of her shock and she mutely got to her feet. Ohgi handed her handgun back to her and she, numbly, took it before the two bolted down the alley between two warehouses. They rounded the corner of another and yet another, heading for the entrance to the ghetto that they had used to get there, before they were stopped.

A Britannian soldier appeared in front of them, firing at them but Ohgi dodged out of the way in time, pushing Kallen in the opposite direction and the bullet passed harmlessly between them. Kallen crashed hard against the wall, barely managing to keep her hood up and her sunglasses on, but her handgun was knocked out of her hand. Ohgi dove forward and grabbed the soldier's arm, wrenching it backwards swiftly. He hissed in pain as his gun was forced out of his hand and Ohgi kicked it away. But then the soldier whirled around and slammed a fist into Ohgi's face, throwing him backwards again. He then advanced on Ohgi, grabbing him by the neck and pinning him to the wall, tightening his grip. Ohgi struggled to escape and breathe.

Kallen froze, eyes wide with horror. No, no, I can't lose Ohgi too! She cried silently and began looking around for her gun but it was too far away for her to reach in time. She felt helpless.

Then she remembered the other weapon that her brother had given her only a few months earlier when she turned sixteen. Her hand went into the pocket of her jacket and she pulled out her wallet, pressing a hidden button to reveal the knife that was hidden within it.

"You damn Eleven, you're gonna die here," the soldier hissed, tightening his grip and Ohgi's face seemed to be turning a bit blue.

Kallen screamed and jumped onto the soldier's back and slammed the knife straight into the back of his neck, forcing him to release Ohgi and taking them both to the ground. Warm blood gushed out of the wound, washing over Kallen's arm and splashing into her face as she wrenched the knife free, staring at both the bloody knife and the vicious wound.

She had done that. She had stabbed the soldier.

She could feel him go still beneath her and she didn't need to feel his neck to know that he was dead.

She had just killed someone.

She felt herself shaking, the knife falling from her numb fingers, and nausea rolling around in her stomach. She clenched her teeth, trying to bite back the bile that rose up in the back of her throat but she still felt sick; the coppery stench of blood made her nausea worse.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. "C'mon, Kallen, we're still not safe here," Ohgi's voice whispered. "C'mon, Naoto…Naoto wouldn't have wanted you to die here."

Naoto… The grief over her brother's death came back to mix with the horror but she bit it back and swallowed her tears. Ohgi was right. Naoto would want her to live on and she would live on, she would live on for her brother.

She could grieve later. For now, she and Ohgi needed to get to safety.

She swallowed again and nodded before slowly getting to her feet. "My…My wallet…" she whispered. She didn't want to leave that behind; Naoto had gotten that for her. It was probably one of the few things she had left that were from her brother.

"I have it. Let's go. I can hear them behind us," Ohgi said.

Kallen swallowed but nodded and the two bolted away from the warehouses, heading directly for the entrance to the ghettos.

. . .

A/n what do you think?

Blaze: (pokes head slowly out of bomb shelter)

Kallen: (sharpening Blaze's flaming machete and glaring at Blaze)

Blaze: eep! (Ducks back into bomb shelter and slams door shut)

Bakura: (rolls eyes) guess we're stuck doing this this time. Well, you foolish mortals, you got lucky and got another update before the New Year, before Christmas even, so you'd best be happy about that

Suzaku: don't be mean to the reviewers, Bakura

Bakura: tch, that's just the way I am, fool. You'd best get used to it (strides off to go steal something)

Lelouch: what hasn't he stolen yet, I wonder? Eh, whatever (glances at where his electromagnetic pulse gun is charging) hmm, fully charged (disconnects it and lifts it up) Ready to go hunt down the bitch, Kallen?

Kallen: (lifts up Blaze's flaming machete) hell yeah

Lelouch and Kallen: (head off to hunt down Tara)

Suzaku: she's gone, Blaze

Blaze: (pokes head out of bomb shelter and breathes a sigh of relief) thank god

Allen: um, why is she in a bomb shelter?

Lenalee: I have no idea

Kanda: tch

Suzaku: who…?

Blaze: my three favorite characters from the anime that has quickly become my second favorite anime of all time (Code Geass/R2 is number 1 in case anyone was wondering). By the way, I don't own D Gray man. And I'm in a bomb shelter because I pissed off someone who can kick my ass

Kallen: (strides into room and glares furiously at Blaze) where is Tara?

Blaze: city-closet. Allen, Kanda, Lenalee, why don't you help her look?

Lenalee: okay

Kanda: tch, the beansprout would just get lost

Allen: My name is Allen, BaKanda!

Blaze: (watches as Lenalee and an arguing Allen and Kanda lead Kallen into city-closet) well, while they're doing that, I suppose I should end this. I hope that enjoyed this chapter and reviews are much appreciated.