The Demon and the Red Moon

Disclaimer: Code Geass doesn't belong to me. No profit involved. GOD SMITE ME FOR EVERYTIME I WRITE PINK AND PRINCESS IN THE SAME SENTENCE! GAAAARRR!

(seriously, yo, its fucking annoying. I'm fucking tempted to die her hair black just to get out of writing pink-princess.)

Spinzaku Kururugi FACT #666: If you write Pink-Princess 666 times, spinzaku Kururugi will leap out of your computer or notebook to kick you in the head 666 times. If you survive that, writing it one extra time causes a fatal brain aneurysm. Also, whoever designed Euphemia deserves to be cut in half with a rusty version of the Zangetsu's Shadow Longsword, from the soft underbelly of their genitals up, and make it last for twenty four hours.

pink-princess -BANG!-

I'm experimenting a bit here and there with some of the style bits for phone conversation below, would appreciate feedback. Thanks for waiting everybody.

Answering reviews,

Guren Dances

Lelouch was awoken suddenly when Kallen jostled him by the shoulder. He opened his eyes and immediately wished for a quick painless death as the sunlight burned his eyes. The black-haired prince gave a exhausted groan and rolled over to bury his face in the pillow.

"Don't bother me before noon," Lelouch grumbled into his pillow.

"Do you know what time it is?" Kallen asked, carefully. She narrowed one eye as an idea struck her. "Do you know what day it is?" Lelouch groaned into his pillow and turned his head, wincing.

"Saturday?" Lelouch asked, uncertain. Kallen replied with a sad smile. Lelouch's eyes widened. "Sunday?" Kallen still didn't reply. Lelouch eyes nearly popped out of his head with worry. "Monday?" he asked weakly. Kallen sighed and stood straight.

"Relax. It's two in the afternoon Saturday. You got a message," Kallen commented. "A new shipment, the largest we've gotten yet. And it's being personally delivered by-"

"Tohdoh!" Lelouch bolted upright, suddenly excited. Kallen was startled by the action and began to fall backwards. She was yanked back to a balance by Lelouch grabbing her arm. She was pulled right up against him, grabbing his shoulders as she fell right into him. Kallen froze as Lelouch's vibrant determined expression greeted her, his eyes like a blazing violet fire. His lips were on hers before she could even gasp. He broke the kiss just as suddenly as he had started it and began to run around his room, grabbing various things and throwing them into his bag.

"I need to check the techinical specs and analyze the excavators, and get Ohgi and the rest learning our combat drills. We've got to certify combat ability in the Knightmares, and assign radio channels and establish unit designations," Lelouch paused from his ramblings and looked up at Kallen. "We haven't got all day, Q1," he barked meaningfully, then proceeded to walk out of his room in just his boxers. Sayoko gave a shout and there was a loud noise like someone getting repeatedly hit with a newspaper.

"Back! Back! Get your clothes on first!" Sayoko shouted, beating Lelouch over the head, backing him up to his room. Kallen blushed furiously and covered her face, mortified.

# # #

Ohgi almost jumped as he entered the staging area. Technicians were unloading and assembling dozens of Burais. Crates of weapons were being moved by fork-lift trucks. And in the center of it all stood seven people. One was Zero, already checking something on a list. Kallen stood right beside him, watching in amazement at the machinery. The other five were different.

They were wearing the green uniforms of the Japanese Liberation Front, unadorned with medals or rank insignia, but Ohgi knew who they were. Everyone who had lived through the occupation would. At the farthest right stood the tallest of them, with darker skin and a long face. But he also seemed the friendliest, with a permanent smile on his face. Next was the only woman, who was exactly the same height as the leader of the five, and echoed his own determined composure. Next was a younger man with glasses and a scar over one eye. By far the youngest but also the most observant. And finally the oldest and shortest, but seemed the wisest and most lethal, apart from their leader.

But when Ohgi focused on Kyoshiro Tohdoh, it was if the ancient gods of Japan had been reborn into flesh in this one man. He was perfectly still, stone faced, but seemed as though he would be able to kill everyone in the room if he so chose.

'Don't look him in the eye,' Zero warned loudly, not looking up from his list. Despite Zero's warning Ohgi found himself looking back at Tohdoh just as Tohdoh noticed him and looked in his direction. Tamaki and Isurugi were standing behind his shoulders, and all three met Tohdoh's gaze.

Ohgi felt, in Tohdoh's eyes to be a naked child being examined on a table. Every secret thought Ohgi had or ever will have was Tohdoh's to know. Ohgi felt his sweat rise up unbidden, and felt so self-conscious that he instinctively buttoned his black knight jacket and bowed. Tohdoh nodded and looked back to Zero.

'Thank you for this,' Zero finally said, lowering the list and gazing back up at Tohdoh. 'May I ask a few questions as to why we were given this equipment?'

"Kyoto requested that we personally deliver the new model along with a fresh batch of new equipment, on the condition that you use it to help defend the Narita base," Tohdoh replied, no-nonsense. "More than that, I was not made privy to that information. May I indulge my curiosity?"

'Of course,' Zero replied. Ohgi walked closer, eager to hear what the next question and answer would be.

"Why did you side with Britannia against Kusakabe?" Tohdoh asked quickly. Everyone froze.

'I didn't side with Britannia,' Zero replied, as if it was obvious, 'I saved innocent hostages from a foolish man seeking to inflate his own ego. And the bombing of the school was worse. Those children will continue the legacy of Britannia unless we show them a better way. When Britannia is destroyed, the people that will be left will be the subjects of a new Japanese Nation. Wouldn't you choose to have loyal subjects, or ones that will rebel, remembering how the Japanese threatened their lives? And may I ask, why didn't you side with Kusakabe?'

"I agree with your assessment of Kusakabe, he was a foolish idiot who wasted the lives of his own men and innocent lives," Tohdoh replied, still stone faced. "But I've yet to determine whether you are any better."

'Fair enough,' Zero answered, bemused. 'May I ask you to stay and help with something?'

"For three hours, then we must depart," Tohdoh nodded, agreeing. He and the four holy swords walked away. Ohgi walked over to meet Kallen and Zero.

'You looked him in the eye,' Zero accused softly at Ohgi. Ohgi blinked and swallowed, but nodded. 'It felt like being under a microscope didn't it?'

"It was like he could see right through me," Ohgi commented, nervous at the very memory. "Like I was being judged by all of Japan."

'Tohdoh isn't a normal man, he's a genius commander and a brilliant strategist and warrior. But know this, Ohgi. He hasn't found you wanting. When you bowed, he showed you respect and nodded back. You're a part of a greater struggle Ohgi, and Tohdoh has agreed to fight with you at his back if need be. Be proud of that.'

"Y-yeah," Ohgi stammered, nodding. "But, did he affect you? You met his eyes way longer than any of us." Zero turned his helmet to face Ohgi. It took a second for Ohgi to comprehend the noise the helmet was synthesizing, until he realized it was laughter.

'No, Ohgi, I can assure Tohdoh's gaze isn't quite enough to affect me. I've got more terrible demons to contend with.' Ohgi made a confused noise but Zero walked past.

Thirty minutes later Zero had organized the entire black knights into rows of five, save Kallen. Ohgi stood at the front of his line, as did Tamaki and Isurugi. Tohdoh and the Holy Swords were watching from Zero's left side.

0.0.0

Kallen looked up at the red Knightmare Frame. The Guren Mk. 2. She heard footsteps behind her, packing for the trip to Narita. Kallen jumped as she realized Zero was standing beside her, looking at the Guren. She put a hand to her chest, trying to massage her heart back down to regular levels.

"You enjoy sneaking up on people, don't you?" she whispered at him. Zero's mask turned to look at her. He stood there looking at her for a moment, silently.

"I like having the edge," Lelouch confirmed. He looked back at the Guren. He held up a small object to Kallen's view. It was a small coin. "Your thoughts?" Kallen took the coin, hesitantly, eying Lelouch strangely.

"Shouldn't you spend some time reading the manual for that thing?" Kallen asked, nodding at the red Knightmare.

"I don't plan on piloting it," Zero declared, and then tossed something at Kallen. Kallen's hand flashed out and caught the small object. Kallen felt that plastic texture of the piece and held it up to examine it. Her eyes shot wide at the small red Knightmare Key.

"It's mine? But-"

"I'm not a bad pilot, but I don't have the skill or presence of mind to simultaneously pilot a Knightmare and command our forces," Lelouch explained, facing away. "You're a natural pilot and you have a reason to fight. With my right arm still healing I need another right arm." He spun and pointed his right hand at her. "You."

"But," Kallen winced, thinking about her mother. "I don't know if I can risk my life, now that I have something to live for." Inside his helmet, Lelouch's eyes went wide. He turned away. He hadn't thought of that. Nunnally flashed before his eyes, and he winced. The prince didn't want to speak about it. So he walked away.

"Zero," Kallen called to his retreating back, her voice cracking slightly. Lelouch frowned. "Can we-can I...discuss this later?"

'Very well.' Lelouch continued to walk away, angrily. He felt simultaneously betrayed and understanding.

0.0.0

Lelouch set the Burai to cruise control as he pulled out his booklet of maps yet again. He flipped between the newer Britannian and older Japanese maps repeatedly, scanning them intently. He pushed the button on the radio and gazed up at the road.

'We'll continue up this road. The Britannian forces don't have it on their maps, so it's likely they don't know about it. We'll be crossing a bridge a few miles up. After that I'm going to seperate and contact the JLF to let them know we'll be engaging the Britannian Forces.' Lelouch let go of the broadcast button and put his maps away.

'Roger,' Ohgi replied. 'How far up until we use this equipment we're bringing along? Are we building some trenches?' Lelouch growled to himself softly. More questioning.

"Please remember how we talked about minimum radio chatter, B-1," Lelouch said into his radio, overemphasizing the pronunciation.

"Asshole," Tamaki growled loudly in his Burai. Kallen heard from the open cockpit of the Guren. She looked away, begrudgingly having to agree with Tamaki for once, when she saw the shapes on the horizon.

"Zero!" she said into her radio. "Britannians, 9 o'clock!"

Lelouch quickly zoomed in with his Burai, opening its face armor to reveal the high-sensitivity sensor factsphere. 9 Knightmares, about half of the Black Knight contingent, but unlike the Black Knights they weren't leading any infantry. The Black Knights had brought along a few dozen members on trucks with rocket-propelled grenades and anti-tank guns.

"Ohgi, why are they using Knightmares, not tanks?" Lelouch asked into the radio.

"What?" Ohgi blinked inside his cockpit at the question. "Why not use Knightmaes?"

'Knightmares aren't designed for sieges, but they're not using tanks. Cornelia is overconfident in Britannia's superiority. So the tactics have gone out the window, using Knightmares like siege vehicles. Wild dogs outnumbering a lion and drowning it in attacks without a real strategy.' Ohgi didn't reply, absorbing the lesson. 'We're moving on.'

0.0.0

Euphemia was walking among the triage stations set up around the G1 Command Vehicle. So many empty white beds. And she somehow knew that each one would be filled and stained with the reds and browns of injury and death. She winced and looked up toward the Narita mountain.

"They sooner they're destroyed, the better," Cornelia declared, making Euphemia jump and turn. The pink-haired young girl frowned at her purple-curled sister and her knight.

"I don't see why we couldn't surround them and issue a demand for surrender," Euphie commented, looking back towards the mountain.

"They're savages, it's not like they know any better," Cornelia sneered. Euphemia didn't look back to her sister or reply. "They held you hostage and yet you'd offer them a hand in friendship? They are vermin!"

They're still people. Euphemia thought, but didn't say.

"Why hello your highness!" came Lloyd's excited voice. "I don't suppose you'd allow our dear Lancelot to lead the charge against the unwashed oriental hordes!" Euphemia spun around at the voice and gave Lloyd a glare. Of course she mentally stamped her foot that she didn't have a threatening bone in her body when she realized she probably looked like she was pouting cutely. But her eyes widened and her mouth opened involuntarily as she saw Suzaku standing beside the Lancelot trailer. He noticed and looked back. His eyes met hers and she felt like she was sinking into his green eyes.

"The special corps will remain by the G1 and observe," Cornelia declared, snapping Euphie bak to reality. "Especially with my concerns about your choice of pilot. You may have convinced my brother Schneizel to ask me to show you combat, but you're still a research unit and not fit for front-line duty."

"Oh, very well," pouted Lloyd, acting like a child denied a toy. Cornelia strode off to find her Knightmare. One of Euphemia's military advisers walked to the Pink-crowned Princess.

"One moment, please," Euphemia asked the advisor, and walked over to Suzaku. Lloyd watching, making a confused sound as he did.

"Suzaku, are you sure you want to be here?" Euphemia asked as she came to a stop before Suzaku. Suzaku's mouth opened in surprise at the question.

"Yes, absolutely," Suzaku replied firmly, resolved.

"But, hundreds or thousands of your people will get killed here," Euphemia pointed out. Suzaku frowned.

"Those who choose to fight against the system are dangerous," Suzaku declared. "Even if they are my people, we can't let them stand by and continue to endanger innocent people." Euphemia frowned as Suzaku spoke, looking down sorrowfully. "Euphie-"

"Princess Euphemia!" The military aide corrected forcefully. Suzaku winced.

"Princess Euphemia, don't you agree?"

Euphemia winced, still frowning. Do we just destroy people because they're dangerous? Is that protecting people? Is that how someone should rule?

"I..I don't know," she admitted, then turned and walked back toward the G1, still pondering. Lelouch, what would you think of all this?

0.0.0

Lelouch was jolted from his train of thought as his phone buzzed against his chest. He frowned and pulled the phone from the inner pocket of his suit. The caller ID read 'Euphemia.' Lelouch's eyes shot wide in surprise. The dark-haired boy narrowed his eyes and looked away, contemplating as the phone vibrated in his hand. What did she want? He switched off his radio and answered the phone slowly, then hesitantly held the phone to his ear, not speaking.

'Lelouch?'

-Phone Transcript-

-Silence-

Male Voice: Euphemia.

Female Voice: Are you still upset from the...party? (Hesitantly)

Male Voice: "Upset?" (Pause.) Yes, I would have to say I'm still "upset" about the death of the only parent I ever loved dying and being exiled from my home.

Female Voice: (Hurt Gasp) Lelouch-

Male Voice: (Interupting) But it was wrong of me to blame you. For that I apologize. Now what did you want to talk about?

Female Voice: Do you know about Cornelia's latest attacks on the JLF?

Lelouch looked out the side view-screen of his Burai, looking down at the massed forces of the Britannians moving up the mountain.

"I'm fairly aware," Lelouch noted dryly. The other side of the line was silent for a long moment, making Lelouch narrow his eyes as Euphemia failed to speak.

'What should I do?' Lelouch recoiled slightly, shocked at the question. 'I don't know what to do. I hate that we're exterminating these people and that we have to fight. I'm not as smart as you, so I had to ask, what should I do?'

"I can't answer that, Euphemia," Lelouch admitted. Euphie fell silent again. Lelouch sighed, "Let's talk when I get back to Asheford." He hung up the phone. He pressed the talk button on the radio. "B-1, this is Zero. I'm moving far ahead. Maintain radio silence until we regroup at the summit." Lelouch accelerated his Burai ahead.

Euphemia blinked, her mouth opening in confusion. 'When I get back to Asheford,' Lelouch had said. Where was Lelouch?

0.0.0

Jeremiah's heart was a leaden stone in a pond at the very sight of it. The glorious advance and the last of the true resistance before him and he was locked into the rearguard, a glorified observer. Jeremiah's rage burned in his chest impotently. Of all the emasculating assignments, this was the worst.

"You coward," Quel grumbled from his Sutherland. Jeremiah gritted his teeth, his head spinning at the little shit.

"How dare you!"

"Be quiet, Orange boy," Quel replied, hissing at Jeremiah. "It's your fault our careers are over. You couldn't just retire in shame like a man, you had to drag us down with you." Jeremiah looked away angrily, but smiled to himself silently.

Fool, he thought to himself, if the Black Knights show up I'll show you who's a coward. You dare to try to kill me. I've already disabled your ejection mechanism. You'll pay the price for betraying Jeremiah Gottwald.

0.0.0

Lelouch investigated the listening post screens as the geassed soldiers continued to play shogi. Lelouch checked his maps and re-checked his calculations. Everything was going according to predictions. In fact the Black Knights had gotten a lot of ground ahead of the Britannians.

"How utterly perfect," Lelouch thought aloud, chuckling. "Cornelia seems to be as idiotic as Clovis when it comes to knowing the battlefield. If this keeps up, I will have all day to wait for them to get to the target point." Lelouch stood and picked up his maps, folding them expertly. Clutching his helmet in the crook of his arm, he began to walk toward the door and paused by the shogi game.

After a few minutes of watching the game he looked out the window to see snow beginning to fall. Opening the door he stepped down and reached a gloved hand up. A snowflake landed in his black glove and melted quickly.

"Some people think that's bad luck to have a snowflake melt that quickly," C said from beside him. Lelouch frowned at the witch, dropping his hand to his side.

"A stupid superstition," Lelouch declared, not looking at the immortal. "How did you even get up here?" Lelouch growled and looked away when she didn't answer, ignoring him. "Did you come for a reason or just to test my patience again?" The witch continued to not respond. The prince ground his teeth, his ire rising every second.

"I was just wondering Lelouch," the witch finally spoke. "Why are you Lelouch?"

"You came all this way to ask that foolishness?" The prince growled incredulously.

"You changed your last name but you kept Lelouch," C stated. "Why is that?" Lelouch's anger flew away as if it had never been there. The question made his head spin as he thought about it.

"Why did you choose to call yourself C?" Lelouch replied, curious.

"I asked you first," the green girl replied.

"I've not a clue," Lelouch admitted, looking away. "I know my mother didn't choose it, yet I kept that name. Perhaps I unintentionally want to spite my father? I don't know what else people would call me. It's not like my middle name is any better."

"What is your middle name?" C asked suddenly, glancing at him. Lelouch looked back at her, embarrassed and frowning.

"Gawain," the prince replied.

"That's definitely not you," C declared, looking back at the snow. "You're not really a loyal knight, more like a mischievous devil."

"Lancelot was the loyal knight," Lelouch corrected, eyes narrowing.

"Lancelot betrayed his king and ran off with Queen Guinevere," C corrected. "Gawain stayed loyal and died fighting against the King's bastard son." Lelouch blinked. He'd been wrong about something. It was a new experience. Lelouch immediately hated it.

"So why did you choose C?" Lelouch changed the subject.

"Snow is white," the witch began. Lelouch waited, eying her out of the corner of his eye, curious. "Because it's forgotten what color it's supposed to be."

"You've forgotten what kind of person you are or were," Lelouch deduced, closing his eyes at how easy the puzzle was. "You should wear the mask and not me."

"No thanks, I'm not as theatrical as you."

"I'm theatrical?"

"You like being in the center stage, being the smartest in the room. You also like having all the power, keeping people in chains of logic and behavior." Lelouch gritted his teeth, eyes shooting open and glaring lasers at the immortal.

"I don't like being psycho-analysed," he growled.

"I didn't have to. I could figure it out the minute I knew what your Geass did. It's always a reflection of a person's desires or dreams. But it always turns out to be quite hollow." C announced, catching a snowflake in her hand as she spoke, as if to a child. Lelouch relaxed his face, appeased but suddenly even more curious.

"What was yours?"

"My business," C declared, matter of factually. "You worry about your Geass and our contract and I'll stay out of your personal life."

"You say that as if you haven't already infested my personal life," Lelouch taunted, irritated. He turned and walked over to his customized Burai. Rising to the cockpit, he sent the visual signal and began to double-check his controls and systems.

'Zero,' came Kallen's voice over the radio, 'can I come up to your location?' Lelouch paused.

"For what reason?" He asked, cautiously but not hard.

'It's a personal request,' Kallen replied. Lelouch frowned.

"Very well, but get up here quickly. We need to reach the summit in the next two hours," Lelouch advised. "Continue radio silence as ordered until we link back up, B-1."

'Uh, Roger,' Ohgi replied.

By the time Kallen arrived at the log-cabin that was the JLF listening post Lelouch was drawing on a map and playing with a small chessboard, while simultaneously taking notes. He noted the Guren Mk. II arriving and then looked back down to his notes and board. Kallen landed on her feet and walked over to speak to Zero.

"So what's your personal request?" Lelouch asked, uninterested, not looking up.

"I, uh," Kallen paused to notice C standing nearby picking weeds, then looked back to Lelouch, nervously. "I wanted to discuss my continued participation."

"I see," Lelouch commented noncommittally.

"I'm the only family my mother has left," Kallen began, stopping when Lelouch folded some maps and papers noisily. "If I die as part of this, I don't know what will happen to her." C noticed Kallen talking from her sitting position and paused to watch. "I, how do I keep fighting like that?" The last question was unusually desperate. Lelouch paused eying up at her, then sighed and set his papers to the step beside him.

"I have no intention of letting myself die until I can secure Nunnally's permanent safety. I'm no coward. I simply have to maintain a state of self-preservation," Lelouch folded his hand in his lap as he spoke, looking up at Kallen. "Lie, cheat, steal, kill. Smash everything between you and your continued existence. If you can't, then don't fight." He stood straight, facing Kallen, his face set with metal determination. "The only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to be killed."

Kallen's eyes fell to her feet, unsure and ashamed. Lelouch frowned.

"'Acting all so high and mighty, this is why I hate Britannians.'" Kallen looked up as Lelouch said the words. "That's what you should be saying right now. And yet, you're looking at your feet, unsure of yourself. Is this the real Kallen I'm talking to?" Kallen's brow furrowed as she narrowed her eyes, suddenly angry at the black prince.

"What do you mean? Like I've been replaced with some weakling?" Kallen asked furiously.

"That's better," Lelouch praised. "But I've worn enough masks to tell when someone else is. The sick girl at school or the firebrand in a red Knightmare. They're both masks. Like me."

"Don't compare me to you, we're nothing alike!" Kallen roared, leaning toward him.

"Of course we are," Lelouch replied, smiling a smug smile. "I'm a prince pretending to be a terrorist, and you're a freedom fighter pretending to be a school girl. We both exist in two worlds but are truly accepted by neither. We both wear two masks around everyone we care about. Everyone wears a mask, Kallen. That's not wrong. We all tell lies to keep people far enough away to be ourselves."

"That doesn't make us the same!" Kallen refuted, backing up a step, maintaining her aggressive stance. Lelouch just smiled.

"Does this mean I don't get to pick the movie next date?" He asked innocently.

"I'm picked the next movie!" Kallen declared.

"I'm looking forward to our next date then," Lelouch replied, smiling politely.

"Assuming we get out of this mess you're putting us in!"

"Then you're still with the Black Knights?" Lelouch confirmed questioningly, still smirking.

"Absolutely!" Kallen affirmed, grinning confidently. "We're gonna win this battle and the next and the next and the next!" Kallen blinked and her eyes went wide, looking at Lelouch.

"What just happened?" C asked, uncertain.

"Wow," Kallen commented, stunned. "You're good at that."

"And I do so make an inspired Lady MacBeth," Lelouch commented, bowing.

"Thanks," Kallen admitted, still impressed. She turned to mount the Guren.

"On the subject of gratitude," Lelouch declared loudly, "I do feel as though my efforts in securing your mother's dropping of all charges and release was met with an alarming lack of said gratitude." Kallen turned, narrowing her amused eyes as Lelouch eyed the snow-laden sky, noncommittally. Kallen set her hands on her hips and sauntered over in her red outfit, drawing Lelouch's eyes downwards, the corner of his mouth twitching. Lelouch blushed slightly and he brought his cloak about himself.

How embarrassing, Lelouch thought, wincing internally at his sudden condition. Kallen stopped in front of him, looking up into his eyes.

"What kind of thanks were you thinking about, you pervert?" the redhead asked.

"Oh, is that how you talk to your commander now?" Lelouch asked coyly, dodging the subject.

"I thought I was talking to my boyfriend," Kallen replied, smiling, relaxing her eyes in amusement. Lelouch blinked at the word boyfriend and smiled again.

"As your boyfriend, it was my pleasure, milady," at that he bowed slightly, lowering his face to her eye-level. Kallen crossed her arms and leaned in and kissed the prince on the cheek and walked back to her Guren.

"Like I said, very theatrical," C commented, uninterested. Lelouch smiled wider and rubbed his cheek, amused.

"The only thing that could ruin this day is if the JLF suddenly detects the Britannians too early."

0.0.0

"To summarize," Tamaki shouted loudly at the summit as the Britannians and the JLF were exchanging fire, "You have us trapped between two armies that hate us and we don't even have a plan to get out of here! Now give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot this mask guy right here!" At that Tamaki raised his assault rifle and leveled it straight at Zero.

'Well,' Lelouch said inside his helmet, 'I do have a plan to get us out of here and capture Cornelia, save the JLF, beat the Britannians and be back in time to enjoy a hot shower. Not to mention...' Tamaki raised his head from his rifle as Zero paused.

'If you kill me, none of you will leave here alive. You're surrounded and outgunned. And even if you somehow can fight the Britannian forces, the ground is so treacherous you'll be ground to dust before even getting half-way. And the JLF don't have the power to defeat the forces against us, even if we aid them. This is the tipping point to see if Japan will rise from the ashes, or forever be ground into the dirt! The only question remaining to you is, do you wanna win on your feet with me, or die on your knees?' Tamaki's jaw dropped at the speech.

I was an amazing Lady MacBeth, Lelouch declared to himself, smiling.

'The Britannians are relying on their technological power, on sheer numbers, like a hammer to beat the JLF, us, and this entire mountain into the ground! BUT THIS?! THIS IS OUR MOUNTAIN! THIS IS OUR COUNTRY! THIS IS OUR BATTLEFIELD! STICK WITH ME, AND YOU WILL HAVE A MIRACLE! BUT EVEN BETTER!' At this moment Lelouch threw his cape wide. 'YOU WILL HAVE VICTORY!'

"Yeah!" Ohgi agreed excitedly.

"Zero! Zero!" Inoue and Tsukiyama cheered.

"With Zero we can win!" Kallen added.

"What about it Tamaki?" Ohgi asked, smiling at Tamaki. Tamaki lowered his rifle, still dumbstruck.

"Yeah man!" He suddenly shouted, raising a fist. "Let's make a miracle!"

'Well then,' zero added. 'Attach the sand panels to all the Knightmares, and have the artillery teams prep weapons.' He looked right at Kallen.

'Start up the Guren, and show the Britannians the resolve of the Black Knights. Fire it up.'