3rd of Sea Feilong, year 1025 of the Imperial Calender
While Yang and Blake stood in shock over what had just happened, Lelouch began to reason out the events surrounding them. Silence reigned throughout the tunnel, while the smell of fresh blood began to permeate the air. While Yang suppressed the urge to throw up, Blake ran over her fallen brother.
"Suzaku!" she cried out, rushing to the side of the boy that had just been shot in the back by his superior. After a moment's silence, Yang tried to ask the obvious question.
"Is… Is he-"
"He's alive. Just wounded." Blake reported, taking a small object out from the area Suzaku had been shot.
"Is that…"
"It is." Blake answered, pulling out a similar item.
"Heh, you've kept it with you all this time… How sentimental."
"Hey, that looks like the watches you and Nunnally have back at Beacon…"
"What, afraid of it getting damaged, Lelouch? How sentimental…" Blake echoed, "Anyway, he's alive but still needs minor medical attention. I think if we all head towards the west-"
"No, leave him." Lelouch coldly stated.
"What!? Why would we-"
"If a Britannian soldier is found missing from the scene of two dozen dead, a scene he was presumably scheduled to investigate, and then later appears safe and sound, what do you think will happen?"
"… He wouldn't be dead?" Yang guessed.
"They would know someone helped him." Blake correctly guessed, "And with the current situation, they'd guess it was the White Fang."
"An honourary Britannian, the sole survivor of 25 soldiers, and evidently having received medical assistance from terrorists. The most likely conclusion they'd come to is-"
"He's a traitor." Blake uttered in annoyance.
"But what's the alternative, we just leave him!? You said he needs medical attention, we need to-"
"Britannia will realise he and the others haven't reported in, and send a unit to investigate. You said it was minor, so I assume it can wait until then?"
"… How long do you think it will take them?" Blake asked, before quickly hearing the answer she was seeking.
"I can hear a Knightmare!"
"Perfect. Both of you, follow my lead. Do so, and I'm confident we can all survive this."
"Fine. I'll trust in your strategy, Lelouch."
"Yeah, same here…" Yang replied, a hint of suspicion in her voice, "But when we've got a second we are going to talk about what just happened."
"If you insist."
Now where did they go… wondered a woman with pale white hair and a matching white-navy military uniform. From within her Knightmare, she searched the spaghetti of emergency underground tunnels for a certain truck-of-interest. Having lost the vehicle within the tunnels on account of its reckless driving speed and slight delay in initial pursuit, she'd lost contact with military command due to underground interference with her scroll signal.
If General Ironwood were here, we'd probably have fixed this before it became an issue… Why are so many nobles incompetent…
Just as she was beginning to consider re-surfacing to report her progress and join a more ordered search, the woman stumbled upon the sight she'd been searching for.
Finally! I have you now… Wait… She thought before approaching the scene and seeing its true nature.
That must be two dozen dead soldiers! A whole squad! And three kids!? Wait, one of them's-!?
"All of you, put your hands in the air, now!" she demanded through the Knightmare's speakers, readying her weapon in case they failed to comply.
While the two girls obeyed her orders, the boy didn't move, as if her words were naught but air.
"Didn't you hear me!" She yelled, firing a warning shot a few feet short of the boy's form.
"I order you to come outside." he stated, staring straight at the Knightmare's head.
Order?
"Outside the regular chain of command, I only obey orders from one man. And you are most certainly not him. Tell me, young man, do you truly value your own life so little?" She responded, repositioning her gun to focus squarely on the boy. While she didn't intend to shoot, she hoped the threat would emphasise his situation.
After hesitating for a moment, apparently surprised, the boy replied, "My name is Alan Spacer, my father's a duke."
Nobility? Typical… But what's he doing here, and more importantly…
"My apologies, Lord Spacer, but I must ask why you keep the company of a terrorist." she asked, gesturing to the girl with black hair and cat ears. While the two girls seemed worried, the boy responded without missing a beat.
"Hm. This pathetic creature accepted to freely give information about all of her companions, in exchange for my protection." he replied, fumbling somewhat over the deviant's insult for some reason.
"Very well. Your efforts are much appreciated by the military. However, I still need to confirm your ID."
"Of course. It's located in my breast pocket. Oh, you'd rather I raise my hands, yes?" the boy asked as he raised his hands as per the others.
Satisfied with his distance and apparent lack of hostility, the woman choose to exit her Knightmare while pulling out her sidearm for safety.
"Keep your hands where I can see them. And you two, stand back while I check his ID."
"Yes, of course, but before that, I'd like you to hand your Knightmare over to me".
"Understood. Here you are." the woman replied, taking the Knightmare's security key and handing it over to Lelouch, "The code number is IAW4ESYQ"
"Got it. Come on, you two."
"Uhhh, I'm pretty sure these cockpits are designed for a single pilot. It's gonna be a snug fit, not that I'm complaining or anything..."
"I'd rather be uncomfortable than dead." Lelouch replied, ignoring his companions attempt at humour.
"It'll do."
"In that case, I call piloting the death robot!"
"You received basic training at Signal, right? You would be the logical choice. Unless…"
"I've basically never touched a Knightmare. It's all hers."
A short while after the three had left, the remaining woman snapped to attention, as if she'd been broken out of a trance.
"Wha… Dead Britannians!? What happened!?" she exclaimed, running over to check the scene.
"A deviant soldier? Probably Bella- Hey, you're still alive!? Stay with me!"
"So I assume that your new power is a recent development?" Blake asked.
"Correct. That woman did… Something. I saw… images. Sounds. Some kind of religious cult, I think."
"Too bad we can't ask her about it. Damn soldiers..."
"And I assume that the scene back there was necessary as it requires clear line-of-sight to the target?"
"Eye contact, actually, but otherwise correct."
"Ohhhh, so that's why it didn't work."
"Welcome to the wonderful world of deduction." Lelouch joked with a chuckle, prompting Yang to give him a slight headbutt while growling slightly in annoyance.
"So… I'm guessing you two are close?"
"Well, there's not exactly much space in here…" Yang trailed off, finding even herself slightly self-conscious about their position: While Blake had successfully pressed herself to the side of the cockpit to stay out of the way, Lelouch had effectively ended up on Yang's lap, making piloting the Knightmare that much more difficult.
"As you can see, our friendship is so strong it transcends cognitive ability."
"And physical capability." Yang added, hitting Lelouch slightly and prompting him to grunt in pain.
"Would you stop that!"
"Sorry, I thought even you were stronger than that…"
"I've been overusing my semblance, ensuring we survive this situation."
"So you're saying if you didn't insist on showing off in front of that noble…"
"Heh. If I was aware we'd find ourselves in this situation, I would've held back, of course."
"Noble?"
"It's a long story…"
"He pissed off an arrogant 'noble' so much beating him in a chess match he sicked like a hundred guys on us!"
"Yang, there were 6…"
"I guess you haven't changed…"
"So, are we having a bad day? I'm afraid you missed a chance to reach Light's True kingdom, private Belladonna."
"Lloyd, he's injured, give him some space." A black-green haired faunus chastised the lavender haired man in a lab coat.
"Sorry, I did what? It's all such a blur…" Suzaku replied, holding his head as he tried to sit up, "Where am I? Wait, what happened to my- I mean, what's the current situation?"
"Hm? Oh, we're still in the Forever Rise region of Area 5, with combat still ongoing – we've taken residence in some village or other to use as our base of operations."
"With Prince Clovis nearby, this is probably the safest place in the area." a woman with purple hair informed Suzaku.
"This yours? Oh, I'm Marrow, by the way." Marrow asked, handing Suzaku a small pocket watch.
"Oh, yes, it is, thank you."
"You're very lucky, Mr. Suzaku. It seems this item was underneath your protective suit where the bullet hit."
"But somehow it fell out after the shot. You should thank Brigadier Schnee for picking it up when you get the chance."
"Brigadier Schnee? What does she-"
"She was the one who found you in the tunnels. She had further questions, but thought they could wait until the mission has been concluded."
"Right. I'm not sure how much I can really tell her, it's all such a blur... but I'll make sure to thank her." Suzaku replied, taking the watch and staring at the shattered frame longingly.
"… I'm guessing that was important to you, huh?" Marrow asked, picking up on Suzaku's disappointment it was so damaged.
"You Eleven's believe gods can reside inside of anything, even objects, don't you?" Lloyd asked, apparently somewhat familiar with the culture of Suzaku's homeland.
"Yes, sometimes. But that's not why this is…" he trailed off.
"Then what is it, may I ask?"
"… A promise." he replied, carefully moving away some of the glass fragments to find the picture underneath undamaged: Four children standing in front of two adults, who seemed to bear strong resemblance to Blake, and shared some faunus animal elements with Suzaku.
"Well, I'm sure there's a story there, but onto the matter at hand: Private Belladonna, you're rather proficient with Knightmare Frames, yes?"
"Uhh, no, sir, I've never actually been in one."
"Yes, but you scored perfectly on the simulators, I hear."
"Well, yes, but I'm under no delusions. A deviant would never be allowed within a hundred feet of a Knightmare's cockpit, let alone allowed to pilot one."
"Yes, well, supposing you could…"
"Ok, which way, capitán?"
"Good question… It seems we have access to the enemies' positions, but that just confirms that there's a tight perimeter surrounding us. Trying to get out unseen will be a problem…"
"Hey, why doesn't your old friend call her terrorist buddies?"
"We're not terrorists!" Blake yelled, "We're the White Fang, we're fighting for equality!"
"Yeah, and you're doing a bang-up job."
"What the hell's your problem!?"
"Blake, you must admit, if recent events are anything to go by then your methods are rather ineffective at best."
"Yeah, well I don't see you doing anything!"
"Give me fifteen minutes."
"Oh, no no no no no, we're not here for you to pretend this is a chess game, we're here to try and get us not here as possible as fast as possible."
"… I suppose, at this point in time, our safety must take priority." Lelouch relented.
"Whatever, I'm gonna call my friends" Blake bitterly replied, the implication clear in her voice.
"No, wait, they can track u-"
"We've got Grimm!" Yang yelled, her attention now fully focused on the monitor: Several beowolves, large wolf-like Grimm around ten feet in length, were creeping out of the forest towards their position, led by a particularly large one of their kind almost as tall as the Knightmare Frame.
"Oh, let's go! I've been waiting to see what this bad boy can do!"
"Yang, Knightmares don't have Aura – please stick to the guns." Lelouch pleaded, aware his friend's usual fighting style would go substantially worse without a protective Aura nor sufficient Knightmare experience.
"Yeah, yeah…" Yang replied, pulling out the Knightmare's weapon and taking aim at their attackers.
"See ya later, suckers!" She yelled while opening fire as the pack began speeding towards their position. The Knightmare's gun rang out and bullets flew through the air, however…
"The Knightmare's broken!?" Blake exclaimed, shocked at the approaching Grimm not so much as flinching despite the barrage of bullets.
No, the weapon fired, you can see the trees behind them damaged… Lelouch began to deduce, unable to use his semblance out of risk of depleting his Aura prematurely.
"It's the weapon type!" he realised after a few moments, prompting Yang's eyes to light up in recognition.
"Oh, duh! These must use dust-infused Sakuradite, right!?"
"Grimm are immune to those rounds!" Blake exclaimed, all three now realising why the shots had been ineffective.
Unfortunately, the Grimm refused to wait for their conclusions before launching their assault, as they descended upon the three. Yang was forced to flee before they could reach them, knowing that an unarmed Knightmare could be torn to shreds by the Grimm without issue.
"Dammit! What is wrong with these people!?" Yang asked.
"Doesn't Britannia have ways to deal with the Grimm!?"
"There are Knightmares equipped with dust weapons, but this ain't one!"
"No, you're wrong!" Lelouch exclaimed, flicking through the Knightmare's information touch-screens while Yang focused on fleeing the Grimm.
"This is a dual-weapon model! The dust-based weapons aren't as strong, but it has them; you just to re-arm, they're-"
As Lelouch continued his explanation, the Knightmare suddenly stopped for a moment as the large beowolf grabbed the frame from behind. Yang swung the arm back while boosting the legs forward to break it's grip, but her manoeuvrer had generated more force than expected.
"I got out, but I think we lost something!"
"What did we lose!?"
"… The dust-based weapons." Lelouch reported, his smile twitching as the 'weapon lost' readout flashed red on the monitor before him.
"Yang, pop the hatch! I can take these guys!"
"I guess I'll join you… Yang, cover us with the Knightmare"
"What!? But you're you, and your Aura's almost busted! You stay in the Knightmare!"
"You're more proficient than me, you stay."
"But if you go out, they'll kill you!"
"And if the Knightmare's broken, we all die." Lelouch retorted, readying his weapon with Blake.
"Argh! Fine, but don't you dear get yourself killed." Yang relented, opening the cockpit.
"They got away!? You call yourselves the Royal Guard, you even had Ironwood's Ice Queen, and yet you still failed!?" Prince Clovis cried, his stress reaching a breaking point as the search for his stolen 'goods' had proven fruitless.
"Please, forgive us, your highness, if you give us a little more time, then-"
"No, if word gets out I'll be disinherited, or worse… I can't risk this being discovered through your incompetence… I am elevating the operation to the next phase!"
"Your highness, please-"
"It'll be fine, Bartley. If anyone asks we can simply claim to be relocating the populace to more defensible positions for fear of Grimm attack. I, Prince Clovis la Britannia, third prince of the Empire, command you: Using everything in your power, eliminate all terrorists and process all citizens; Kill any potential witnesses!"
"Please, why are you doing this!?" A faunus with dog-like ears protested against the Britannian soldiers threatening everyone in his village.
"Because you refuse to co-operate, you damn deviant!"
"Co-operate!? No one here knows anything! We don't have anything to do with the White Fang, we just want to live our lives in-"
"Still not willing to answer, eh? Fine then!" the soldier yelled, his squad opening fire on a group of civilians.
"Please, stop!"
"If you want us to stop, then give us the information!"
"Please…! We don't know anything!" The faunus cried, collapsing to the floor as he begged the soldiers to stop.
"In that case, you're of no use to the Empire. Men, these villagers are garbage who have no hope of even becoming honourary Britannians! Wipe them all out!"
"Naturally." A man's voice resounded from a Knightmare as he opened fire on the civilians.
"Squadron Leader Jeremiah-"
"What is it?" Jeremiah responded through his Knightmare's comm, not stopping to pause his wholesale slaughter, "Have you found the Glasgow yet?"
"No, but Lieutenant General Bartley has requested you take command of-"
"Bartley has staff officers. It's been years since I was able to put these damn deviants in their place like this…" he replied, severing the call as he finished mowing down civilians with an expression of rage covering his face.
You'll all pay, dammit, all of you…!
Immediately after leaving the cockpit, Blake and Lelouch took up positions on the Knightmare's shoulders, allowing Yang to close the hatch and continue piloting the machine unfettered. As agreed, the two morphed their weapons into gun form, with Blake's blades flicking at a 90 degree angle to reveal rapid fire-pistol sidearms, while Lelouch's metallic spindles shifted to form a secondary layer around the rapier's blade, shooting balls of purple energy from the point. While their shots were able to keep the Grimm at bay, and even put a few smaller ones down for the count, there were still a number not relenting in their pursuit, including the abnormally large monster.
"I'm running low on dust!" Blake yelled after a good few minutes of continuous shots.
"I'm all but spent. Yang, how far to the village!?" Lelouch yelled to make sure his question got through to Yang inside the Knightmare.
"Nearly there! But are you sure it'll be any use!?"
"All the villages in this area should have at least 1 Anti-Grimm Knightmare – it's our best chance!"
After a couple of minutes, the three arrived in the village in question, but the sight they found was far from what they'd hoped.
"Dammit, I'm out, how-" Blake stopped after turning around to see the sight of the village. Following her lead, Lelouch turned to find a village of the dead: Dozens of faunas lying throughout the village. Yang, similarly, was stunned at the sight, but the same could not be said of the Grimm. The large beowolf struck at Blake while the smaller ones leaped at the Knightmare's legs.
Reacting promptly to the threat, Blake immediately leapt off the Knightmare. Joining Gambol Shroud to form a single chain, she used the nearby trees to swing down to the floor out of harm's way.
"New plan! Yang, get the Knightmare somewhere safe! Blake and I will keep the Grimm occupied until you get back!"
"But you're-"
"Just do it!" he yelled before Yang could refuse, sliding down off the Knightmare and impaling a smaller beowolf with his extended sword on the way down, pivoting to start running from the scene.
"Argh! I'll just be a minute!" Yang yelled back as she followed Lelouch's orders.
For a moment, most of the Grimm looked ready to follow the Knightmare, before Lelouch yelled and fired a few shots to get their attention, focusing the majority onto him.
Well, that worked a little too well…
"Blake, a little help?"
Swinging to his aid, Blake quickly took the two into a nearby tree to decide on some makeshift tactics.
"Plan?"
"Our dust is low, my Aura's low, I'm useless – Try not to die until Yang gets back."
"You better with groups or a single enemy?"
Realising she was asking whether he was better equipped to handle the single large beowolf or group of smaller ones, he responded "I'll take the big one."
Indeed, while it was extremely threatening, Lelouch's weapon and combat style was far more suited to keeping a single opponent at bay.
"Got it." Blake replied, leaping into the fray to tackle the beowolves: Slashing at several at once by swinging her blades around like whips with the chains, she would deal significant damage and not stop until the moment one hit her. When that happened, she left behind a shadow form made of explosive dust, further hammering the beasts while she jumped back to relative safety.
It's moments like these I envy combat-oriented semblances… Lelouch thought, finding the relative uselessness of his thought-acceleration semblance during combat grating.
Despite this, he too leapt down and engaged the larger beowolf in combat. Knowing that his dust was low and himself unlikely to land a killing blow himself, he instead opted to play defensively: Poking at the Grimm's non-vital points to disrupt its movement, then dodging backwards after the predictable counterattack came. The environment soon proved to his advantage: While his stabbing attacks were simple and direct, the Grimm repeatedly found its wide swings with its claws blocked by nearby trees that Lelouch made sure to stay near. Of course, the more powerful attacks simply tore through the trees, but those generally required more effort from the Grimm, and as such were easier to avoid.
Despite his efforts, however, one critical problem soon found Lelouch at a disadvantage: His stamina was dreadful. Even buffed by his Aura, he was tiring within a minute of battle, while the Grimm had no concept of stamina. Soon, he found himself back-pedalling, and one slightly off attack was smacked aside by the Grimm's powerful blows. Realising even one more hit could mark the end of him, Lelouch remembered that there was still one tactic he hadn't tried, thinking it was unlikely to prove successful.
Well, it's not like I have any other options; what harm could it do?
"You will not harm me!" he yelled, activating his newfound power to command the Grimm.
Upon his words, the Grimm tilted its head in an almost comical fashion, and began retracting its claws.
Well, I suppose I made that far more dramatic than it needed to be… Lelouch thought, letting his guard down.
"Gh!?" He gasped, the Grimm suddenly grabbing his body as it stood up on its hind legs.
As it turned out, the Grimm's shift in attitude was not an indication of placation towards Lelouch, but rather the beast realising his prey was out of moves.
Picking Lelouch up as easily as one might a toy, he attempted to struggle, but this was met with a harsh squeeze from the Grimm. The pressure drove the air out of Lelouch's lungs, while he felt the last remnants of his Aura fading, small purple particles dissipating around his body.
I see… I had only considered the human enemy in this world… I underestimated the brutality of the world itself… Were Lelouch's thoughts as his vision began fading to black, the sight of the Grimm's gaping maw and vicious teeth growing closer while the last of his body's strength left him.
"Don't you DARE!" A voice called out just as Lelouch was about to meet his fate.
Suddenly, the sight death was replaced with a firing gauntlet, as Yang decked the Grimm with a punch straight to the side of its head, her eyes glowing a fierce red while her hair was wreathed in violent flames. Completely taken aback by the unstoppable blow from out of right field, the monster dropped Lelouch as it was flung to the ground.
However, before the Grimm could even come to a stop as it slid through the dirt, Yang had already launched herself to catch up, and delivered a ceaseless barrage, each blow seeming as if it could kill a man several times over. While still disoriented, Lelouch was confident the Grimm had been killed with the first or second blow, evident by its body starting to dissolve. But Yang either hadn't realised, or didn't care, as she didn't stop until the Grimm's body had completely vanished.
Finally satisfied, Yang's fiery hair began to die down, before she turned around. Seeing Lelouch on the ground, barely conscious, clearly beaten, her eyes seemed to glow a new shade of red as she returned to his side at mach speeds.
"What the hell is wrong with you!?" She all but screamed.
"Well, my Aura's been broken, so there's that…"
"Why were you fighting that thing!? You've got no training, no strength, your dust is low… What, you think that having a fancy weapon means you're suddenly a huntsman!?"
"And what alternative would you suggest?"
"Oh, I dunno, RUN!?"
"Which would have been my preferred course of action, were we not in the middle of a warzone and my allies nearby!"
"Then you shouldn't have gone on your own! I knew you needed to come with me! Wait, actually, where the hell is Blake!?"
"She was dealing with the other beowolves – we need to make sure she's-"
"Oh, you don't need to worry about me." Blakes voice called out from a nearby tree, sitting on a branch and watching the two argue.
"How long have you-"
"What is WRONG WITH YOU!?" Yang exploded, taking a combative stance as if she was about to charge Blake.
"Wrong with me? I'm not the one screaming their lungs out when we're trying to stay under-the-radar."
"I thought you were his friend or something! I leave you two alone for two minutes and he's this close to becoming a Grimm's lunch!"
"He said he could take it. We needed to divide the strong and numerous enemies or we would've been overwhelmed."
"It's called tactics Yang."
"It's called suicidal overconfidence, you idiot!"
"Hey, maybe we should all take a minute to cool down…" Blake suggested, realising nothing would be resolved should things continue. Unfortunately, she found a slightly poor choice of words.
"Oh, cool down, cool down!? You nearly let him die and you're making jokes!?" Yang replied, evidently interpreting Blake's wording as a reference to her currently-active semblance.
"Yang, that's clearly not what she meant…"
"Oh gee, so~rry, but I guess I don't know anything, right?"
"What're you getting at?"
"Lelouch vi fucking Britannia!?"
"Ah... that…"
"Yeah, that. Did you know about this?" Yang looked towards Blake, who failed to meet Yang's gaze, unsure how to respond.
Realising that she'd been the only one kept in the dark, Yang's vitriolic anger dissipated, and her semblance deactivated.
"Whatever… I'll be in the Knightmare…" she said in a pained voice, walking back towards the village.
While it looked as if he wanted to reply, Lelouch failed to call out to her, instead opting to remain silent.
"… You're really not gonna go after her?" Blake asked sceptically.
"What good would it do? She's found out I've been lying to her since the day we met." he said in a cold, detached voice, "All things considered, it's probably for the best that she forgets I exist… I wonder if this power is capable of influencing memory…"
"… Lelouch, I'm not really a 'people person'"
"Then I suppose you haven't changed much, either, have you? Still the scared little girl who hides behind her father? Though I guess you've found a cause to hide behind instead, seeing how your father is-" Lelouch began to rant, before being interrupted with a strong slap to the face. Without his Aura to prevent the damage, and with the emotion behind it, Blake inadvertently sent Lelouch tumbling to the floor.
"I'm going to assume you're struggling at the moment and forget about that comment. I get that it's your nature to lie through your teeth and make everyone hate you, but do me a favour: Go talk to your friend and, just for once in your life, be honest with her. If I have to listen to you two arguing in that tiny cockpit I'm going to shoot someone." she asked in a frayed tone, before similarly walking back to the village.
In my nature, eh? Maybe you're right… But it's hardly my fault people reject the truth of this world: Humans are but collections of lies and falsehoods… That will never change… Lelouch thought, clenching his fist in frustration at his so-called truth of this world.
"Why has another Knightmare not been prepared for me yet!?"
"Sorry, Miss-"
"That's sir, to you."
"Right, my apologies Sir Schnee, but I'm afraid all Knightmares are currently in active duty."
"And you have no reserves!?"
"I'll ensure the Lieutenant General is aware of your situation." The staff officer replied, running off to make their report.
What incompetence!
"If General Ironwood were here, this situation would've been wrapped up by now…"
"If General Ironwood were here, I'm sure this situation would've been handled very differently." A man replied to make his presence known. Dressed in black civilian attire, with sandy brown hair fixed into a long ponytail and piercing, indigo eyes, the man seemed a poor fit for this military situation.
"I'm sorry, have we met?"
"No, but I'm quite well versed on your story: Winter Schnee, eldest daughter of the infamous Schnee noble family, the woman who forfeited her rights to inheritance so she might become the Knight of a commoner. A man who worked his way to the top of the military through strength, skill and, above all, determination. With the right framing, you'd make a good candidate for a fairytale hero."
"… It would appear you have me at a disadvantage, sir…"
"Diethard Ried, director of Area 5's media co-ordination, at your service."
I'd say media fabrication is more apt… Winter thought, well aware of the Briannian media's continuous distortion of information to suit their needs.
"So, you're the one responsible for reporting today's events? Tell me, is it accurate that our purpose here is simply the elimination of terrorists and relocation of civilians to reduce the risk of Grimm?"
"Heh." The man stifled a laugh, "If that were the case, I would be the one writing that headline. As it stands, I've been locked out of the loop."
"But why would military command prohibit information flowing to their central news fa-reporting efforts?"
"The same reason the Knight of Britannia's most prominent General is being isolated despite being one of the best pilots at our disposal, I imagine." he responded with a self-depreciating smirk.
"What!?" Winter recoiled, realising the lack of reserve Knightmares was merely an excuse to keep her out of the situation.
"Indeed. It truly is a tragedy that such vital information is being kept out of the hands of the public…"
"What do you want?" Winter asked, knowing this whole conversation was simply an excuse for Diethard to get something out of her.
"Oh, nothing much, but as we've both found ourselves with some free time on our hands, I was hoping I might get an exclusive? How did the Schnee's really react to you leaving the family? What is it like to serve under Britannia's tin man? What do you know happened out there?"
"And what do I get out of this 'exclusive'?"
"Simple: You, and by extension your superior, gets a high-level contact in the Britannian media, I'll share some information you may be interested in, and our magnificent Prince Clovis has another sword of secrets hanging precariously above his reign. My sources tell me you aren't too fond of nobles of Prince Clovis' calibre, true?"
"… Very well, Mr. Reid. If I'm not able to perform my duties as a Knightmare pilot nor military advisor, I may as well lend my services to our civilian branch, after all."
Maybe I was a bit harsh, I haven't seen him in 8 years now, after all… Blake thought, looking through the village as she waited for her temporary allies/friends? to be ready for moving out. Soon, however, she shook her head, confident that her words had been accurate at the very least.
He shows conviction in some circumstances, but that alone won't be enough to change anything. No one can change the world if they insist on pushing away everyone close to them… Blake thought, aware of a similar individual who had headed down a dark path for just that reason.
It's too late for him… For us… But maybe Yang can be better than I was. She hoped, taking out a small pocket watch and smiling at the picture contained within: Her family, Lelouch and Nunnally when they were but 10 years old.
Everything was so much easier back then… I know we fought a lot at first, but I think we were all truly happy towards the end. I think that was the last time in my life I could say that, before the world went so wrong. She reminisced while investigating the nearby homes, met only with interrupted meals and the occasional dead body.
How did the Grimm even get inside without damaging the exterior? It's almost like- Blake thought, realising the true events that had led to this town's demise.
What am I thinking? The world's always been wrong. I just didn't see it…
"… Hey."
"Hey." Lelouch replied, sitting atop the Knightmares cockpit, not keen on re-entering a space so cramped for multiple people, "I've been thinking about our situation."
"… and?"
"The Britannian's have established a strong perimeter, but if we use the Knightmare to generate a false report, I think we can target a weaker section and break through. We'll probably end up with some pursuers, but if we can reach the mountain tunnel to Vale their authority ends. It's not perfect, but I expect it's our best chance for survival."
"And?" Yang asked a little more forcefully, clearly expecting him to comment on other recent events.
"That is all."
"That's all? That's all!? Are we seriously not gonna talk about what just happened!?"
"It's unnecessary." Lelouch replied coldly.
"UNNECESSARY!?" Yang screamed, loud enough to make Lelouch flinch, "I find out my best friend's been lying to me about his entire past our whole damn lives, and talking about it is unnecessary!?"
"Correct. If you feel the truth is too difficult, or you're unable to keep the secret, I believe I can use my new powers to erase your memor-"
"You're answer to me finding out you've lied to me is to make me forget that you lied!?"
"Actually, my answer was to erase your memories of me entirely. I'm aware it may create some complications, but I'm confident we can make it work."
"… You're kidding, right?" Yang asked, her face paling at the suggestion. A few moments of silence later, it was clear Lelouch was serious.
"So that's all I've been to you, huh?" Yang asked, her voice weak as tears slowly began to form at the corners of her eyes, "I've had… so much crap in my life. My mom left before I was even a year old. My sister's always off in her own little world, like she doesn't see the real one. My dad was so pre-occupied babying her after Summer died, sometimes it felt like I wasn't even there. My Uncle is a hot mess that I'm lucky to see more than once or twice a year." she struggled to say, listing off each of her main family members while counting on her fingers for emphasis.
"I fail to see how your unique family situation factors into-"
"But I can live with that, you know? Because throughout my crappy life where sometimes it felt like it would be better if I just didn't exist, I had two friends who always wanted to see me. Two friends, and when I was with them it felt like I really belonged, you know?" she went on, her tears growing in size and quantity.
"But it turns out they were never really my friends… Just a couple of nobles who were so above me they didn't even deign to tell me their real names. So, what, did you and Nunnally just keep me around to laugh!? Just some stupid commoner girl you thought it would be fun to mess with!? Well, you did great keeping up the act! I know you can be cold sometimes, but I never would've even guessed Nunnally-"
"You think we lied because we wanted to!?" Lelouch all but screamed, pounding his fist into the Knightmare as he finally reached his breaking point. Under most circumstances, the truth would've never even crossed Lelouch's mind. Cold and detached, never letting anyone see the real you. That was how he lived, how he kept himself and Nunnally safe. But here, now, in this place, Lelouch finally did something he normally wouldn't consider:
"We had to protect ourselves, and you!"
Tell the truth. Maybe it was the exhaustion from the day's events. Maybe it was delayed fear from having his Aura shattered and nearly devoured by Grimm. Maybe he decided that despite the risks, Yang deserved to know the truth, the full truth. Whatever it was, once he started, he found himself unable to stop.
"… Nunnally and I are the children of his majesty" Lelouch spat out with bile so strong the words were almost indecipherable, "Emperor Charles zi Britannia, and his consort Marianne vi Britannia. We lived in a villa near the royal palace for most of our lives. Until one day, when I was 9 years old – Nunnally only 5 – our villa was attacked by Grimm. I was lucky: I was away visiting my elder brother at the time. But Nunnally and my mother weren't. She defended Nunnally with all the strength she had, but the attack was too much… She was killed, and Nunnally rendered crippled and without sight. My father didn't so much as visit her once. Furious, I demanded an audience with him…
37th of Sabyr, year 1016 of the Imperial Calendar
A young boy clad in prestigious regalia that was slightly too large a fit for him, walked up a red carpet past crowds of nobles towards a single point. To the throne of the Empire of Britannia, and the man who sat upon that throne.
"Hail, your majesty. My mother, the Empress, is dead." The boy spoke, ensuring to address the Emperor with the proper etiquette expected.
"Old news. What of it?" The apparent Emperor replied, no trace of emotion detectable in his voice beyond apathy.
"What of it...?"
"You sought an audience with the Emperor of Britannia simply to inform me of that? Send the next one in, I have no time for these childish games."
"But Father!" The boy cried, prompting royal guards to intervene before the Emperor waved them off.
"Why didn't you protect mother!? You're the Emperor, the greatest man in this nation if not the world, and she was one of the strongest huntsman to ever live! How could such a tragedy occur!? And why haven't you visited Nunnally!?"
"I've no further use for that weakling."
"Wha- Weakling!?"
"That is what it means to be royalty. When you no longer have a purpose to the Empire, to me, you no longer have a right to live, let alone receive my personal attention."
"Then I don't wanna be your heir! I hereby renounce my claim to the throne!" The boy yelled, earning a round of gasps from the nobles present, "I'm sick of all the fighting, father! If our family was more unified, there would've been no need for us to live somewhere the Grimm could attack!"
"… You are dead." The Emperor pronounced.
"Wha-"
"You have always been dead to me, dead from the moment you were born. Who gave you the fine clothes you wear, a comfortable home, the food you eat, the water you drink, your very life!? All of those, I have gifted to you. And what have you done with the gifts I have provided, with the intellect capable of near-matching Schneizel, of surpassing Clovis? Nothing! You merely sulk and whine when life does not go your way. Those who no longer have a purpose, who refuse to use their gifts for their betters, no longer have the right to live!"
"Ahh!" The boy cried, falling backwards as the Emperor approached him without hesitation, finally stopping as he reached the boys' feet.
"Lelouch! You are dead! As you have lost your right to life, I am sending you and Nunnally to Menagerie as Prince and Princess – you could still serve Britannia well as bargaining tools."
Unable to respond, the Emperor commanded "Take him away.", upon which the guards promptly grabbed Lelouch and began to drag him out of the chamber.
"Father! I refuse to accept this! I refuse to believe you can lead this world!"
"Then take it from me! To live is to struggle, to thrive is to struggle, to be Emperor is to struggle! If you believe yourself more qualified, then prove it! Take my throne by force!" He yelled, ordering his guards to turn around and bring Lelouch closer.
When the guards were close enough, the Emperor began to mercilessly kick the young boy again, and again, and again. Until Lelouch's Aura shattered, whereupon the punches began. Just as it appeared Lelouch was about to lose consciousness, he finally abated.
"This is what it means to rule, Lelouch: To be the strongest. You are weak, and as such have no purpose beyond what the strongest deem useful. Perhaps some time amongst the deviants will make you realise this…" he finished, whereupon the boy finally fell unconscious.
"In Menagerie, we were under the care of Ghira and Kali Belladonna – Blake and Suzaku's parents. Looking back, that was probably the time we were closest to a real family…" Lelouch recalled, smiling nostalgically at what turned out to be a genuinely good home, before the smile turned to a scowl.
"And then my father declared war on Menagerie six months later…"
"Ok, you definitely take the 'worst parent' award…"
"You know, that's not a contest."
"No kidding, my mom's an ass but at least she never turned my home into a war zone." Yang replied, trying to relieve the tension a bit when she realised how painful the memories were which Lelouch recalled.
"You don't have to go on, I didn't realise that-"
"No, it's fine, that was everything which we needed to keep secret, to be honest." Lelouch assured her, apparently thinking the next events were unnecessary to hide.
"After Ghira killed himself, everything began to fall apart. Kali was forced to the front lines, and the city we were staying at was overrun by Grimm. We escaped, barely, and spent weeks trudging through the continent, constantly surrounded by bodies of the dead. Honestly, if a huntsman hadn't been sent to find us, we would have joined them."
"A huntsman?"
"Yeah, and a good one, at that. He brought us to Vale, so that Professor Ozpin could help. Nunnally and I were told to stay in Beacon, to make sure no one found us. I was never told what happened to Blake and Suzaku, as we had to be separated for our safety. I tried looking into it, but Oz knows how to keep a secret…"
"So when you met the two earlier today, it was the first time since you were kids?"
"I know, a reunion like that seems like something out of a fairy tale, doesn't it?" Lelouch asked, aware of the monumentally low chance of meeting both of them simultaneously without anyone's foreknowledge.
"So, I guess that's everything…"
"Not quite" Lelouch claimed, continuing onto the final chapter in his tale, "You see, I've never possessed a particularly positive disposition-"
"You coulda fooled me."
"But after arriving at Beacon, I was bad even by my standards. I'd lost my home, again. I'd lost nearly everyone I cared about except for Nunnally, again. My father had taken everything from me, again. I was merely a shell, holding on to an empty life for the sake of my little sister. Well, her and a burning hatred for Britannia. Had I stayed like that, I dare not imagine where I would be now…"
"Then what happened?" Yang asked, to which Lelouch couldn't help but smile.
"A few months later, the huntsman who saved our life visited us., apparently needing to stay in Vale for an extended period for some assignment. However, he hadn't come alone. For a reason I couldn't fathom at the time, he'd brought someone with him: An energetic, if ill-tempered, young girl with blonde hair. I'd initially assumed she was his daughter, as the two appeared so similar. As it turned out, however, she was his niece." he explained, earning a slightly wide-eyed look from Yang as she realised this was where she entered his tale.
"Now, I must say, this girl was a complete nightmare. Whenever she was bored, she'd force me to play games against my will. Whenever she wanted to go somewhere, I'd get dragged along so her Uncle found it harder to refuse. And if she was ever upset? She'd always start yelling about it, and I had to listen! Honestly, she was such a selfish creature…"
"Yeah, I guess that huntsman was a real idiot, huh?" Yang quietly said with a dejected tone, but Lelouch simply shook his head.
"On the contrary, it was a stroke of genius. One could even argue the huntsman had saved my life a second time. Left to my own devices, I would've rotted in my own self-aggradisement, vengeance steadily overtaking my being. She didn't let that happen, essentially forcing me to be better… Looking back, I wonder if she knew that was what I needed." Lelouch theorised, but this time it was Yang that shook her head.
"I don't think so. I think she really was just bored, or wanted to go somewhere, or just really needed to vent at someone. And I think you were the only one she knew who'd actually take it."
"'Take it'? I almost always refused."
"But you still did it, didn't you?"
"Please, if participation was the only requirement anyone could've filled that role."
"But you were the only one that did."
After pausing for a good few moments, Lelouch began to chuckle.
"You know, I can never work out whether Qrow is useless, or brilliant."
"See, that's just because you haven't known him long enough yet. With experience, you realise he's both." Yang said with a laugh.
"I suppose I'll have to thank him the next time I see him."
"I'll say… Wait a second, so does he know you're-"
"Indeed he does. Other than that, I believe Blake, Suzaku, my maid Sayoko, Professor Ozpin and his… whatever Glynda is, are the only ones who know of our true identities."
"How could he not tell me? Or Ruby, or-"
"He was trying to protect you. If our true identities are discovered, we'll be drawn back into the world of noble politics – used as pawns for another's foolish ambitions. Anyone who was made aware of those identities in advance would be at risk, as well."
"So, he uses the same self-serving logic as you did?"
"Honestly, Yang, one should not address a Britannian Prince with such disrespect-"
"ex-Prince, pipsqueak." Yang corrected him, giving him a light flick on the forehead for good measure.
"Gods, are you sure Qrow isn't your father?"
"Listen, I know nobles seem to be real into the whole incest thing but-"
"Excuse me, don't tar all of us with such a brush!"
"Oh, that's a little rich coming from you, Lelouch." Blake commented, seemingly appearing from nowhere with a hollow expression.
"Look, that doesn't count."
"Excuse me, what doesn't count?" Yang asked, now hanging on the faunus' every word.
While Blake seemed put off by something, she pushed it to the side for a moment. Unable to not smile as she engaged in some idle gossip, the normality of the conversation gave her some anchor to reality.
"Lelouch used to have a crush on his sister."
"Wait, Nunnally!?" Yang exclaimed, giving Lelouch a disgusted expression.
"No. No. Emphatically: NO. She was referring to my half-sister, Euphemia."
"Oh, sure, if it's a half-sibling it totally doesn't count, right?"
"I'm not here to discuss royal consanguinity with you two-"
"Because you'd lose?"
"Because we have more pressing matters at hand, yes?"
"Well, you were taking your time expositing your backstory, so I assumed we were waiting for the Britannians to die of old age."
"Wait, you were listening!?" Yang yelled, evidently a bit disturbed by the breach of privacy.
"I think I caught about half. I'll fill you in on what happened on my end later."
"What were you doing for the other half?" Lelouch asked, curious as to what she'd been doing for those few minutes.
"… Remembering why I fight Britannia…" she said vaguely while donning a darker expression, to which neither Lelouch nor Yang had a response.
"Grimm didn't kill these villagers. The Britannian military did."
"What!?" Yang yelled, while Lelouch staggered back for a moment before activating the Knightmare and checking the monitor.
"She's right…" Lelouch reported, disgusted by the revelation, "These people weren't killed by Grimm claws or fangs. Those are bullet wounds, I'm almost certain."
"And I am certain. I checked."
"But… They're supposed to protect people…"
"Protect? Please. The military are here to oppress everyone who doesn't fall in line."
"And preserve the power of the rich and arrogant." Lelouch finished, his eyes still stuck to the monitor, where he'd moved the camera to see a young faunus girl's dead hand draped over a chess piece, the blood running down the black king.
"But, what about the huntsman-"
"The huntsman either can't help or won't. We're not stupid enough to believe those in power will help those without on a systematic level just because they're nice. That's why I joined the White Fang. This is why I engage in 'terrorism'" she stated, gesturing towards the pile of dead bodies.
It's completely wrong. All of it. This whole world is wrong, ruled by trash who prey on the weak… But can I really-
*ring*, *ring* Lelouch's phone went off.
"… It's Nunnally, do you mind if I answer it?"
With neither Yang nor Blake objecting, Lelouch answered the phone.
"Lelouch?" his sister's innocent voice asked through the phone.
"Yeah, it's me Nunnally. You ok?"
"Yes, I just wanted to ask when you'll be back tonight."
"When I'll be back? Well, I think I'll be a bit late. Actually, could you check the news?"
"The news?"
"Yeah, is there any disruption around the Forever Rise region?"
"Forever Rise? But that's in Area 5… Wait, you're gambling again, aren't you big brother! I thought you and Yang were just..."
"Ah, you caught me. Say 'hi' Yang"
"Hi Yang." Yang echoed, giving Nunnally an audible chuckle.
"You know, you shouldn't encourage her Nunnally… Regardless, it looks like there's pretty bad traffic around, so I was hoping you could tell us what was going on."
"Ok, one minute. Sayoko, could you check the news…"
After a minute of conferring with their maid, Nunnally was able to answer.
"Apparently, there's been some kind of Grimm attack, so the people are being evacuated and you can't get in. Oh dear, I do hope that Clovis is able to evacuate everyone safely, they must be so scared! It sounds like you might be stuck there for a while… Should I go get Professor Ozpin?"
"No, that won't be necessary, we'll be fine, and I'll explain everything once we get back.
"Ok, but he's going to be really mad when he finds out you left Beacon…"
"You let me worry about that."
"Ok… Make sure you're careful. Hey, do you think there's any chance that Blake or Suzaku might be in the area? I've heard it's mainly faunus that live in Forever Fall."
"It's possible…"
"Well, while you're there, maybe try and see if they're there too? And help any of the people evacuating, too! They must be in so much trouble, and if they're faunus then I'm not sure they'll be given enough help… Oh! Not that I want you to put yourself at risk at all, big brother!"
With her words, Lelouch suddenly grasped the phone so hard it may break. After a few seconds of considering the situation, he pulled the black king which he'd taken from the nobleman earlier, a souvenir of his victory, and began to twirl it in his hands.
"Of course, Nunnally. You know what I'm like, after all."
"Ok, then good luck! I'll be right by the phone if you need me, to check the news again or get the Professor or-"
"Thank you, Nunnally. I just might take you up on that later on."
"Ok. Be careful, and I love you, big brother!"
"I love you too. I'll call you later." Lelouch finished, hanging up the call and putting the phone back in hist pocket.
Immediately after, Lelouch began to chuckle, before addressing his companions.
"You know, after I received this power I thought all the pieces had fallen into place. I could announce my survival when convenient, and with a few years of manoeuvring I'm sure I could get a private audience with his majesty. Then, it would be a simple matter of commanding him to give me the throne, or permanently declare me his heir. There'd be some opponents to manage, true, but I could take Britannia and reform it from within, all with little-to-no bloodshed. Truly, the inspirational story of a hero Prince. But while I wouldn't take any lives myself, there'd be a problem with indirect consequences..."
"All the time you were reaching for the throne, you'd be forced to turn a blind eye to all the other evils Britannia was doing, and then you'd have the task of reforming a wicked Empire from the ground up." Blake replied, picking up on a substantial issue with Lelouch's plan. Assuming he truly did desire the emancipation of the faunus, as well as the 'numbers' – citizens of Brtiannia's conquered territories – who were still discriminated against, he'd be sacrificing all of those who didn't live to see his reign.
"Exactly. So I ask the two of you, which is more just in the face of such a system? Do you take the safe and steady path, eventually achieving justice at the expense of those suffering now? Or do you take the treacherous path of blood, staining your hands to protect those suffering now and fight for the future? Which is more just? Which is right?" He asked to no-one in particular, twirling the chess piece while considering the conundrum himself.
While Blake found herself unable to answer, realising the paradox in such a situation, Yang replied immediately.
"It's a huntsman's job to protect everyone who can't protect themselves, not to protect the people that are left once we've reached the end."
"Even if protecting the weak means fighting others in the system, forced by societal or economic pressures?"
"Obviously a huntsman's job is to protect everyone. But if someone's hurting people who can't defend themselves, they can make all the excuses they want for why they have to. I protect the defenceless, hands down."
"And what if you're endangered in doing so?" Lelouch asked, to which Yang only huffed with a smirk.
"For a huntsman, danger's an occupational hazard."
With Yang's words, Lelouch's hands began typing across the monitor as he returned to the map of Britannian positions, a determined glint in his eyes.
"… Well then, let us protect the innocent."
A/N:
Hey, so, this was basically supposed to be part of a prologue of like 2 or 3 chapters to set up most of the changes and principal characters and events before we got to Beacon, but now we're 18 thousand words in and still not done, so... Hope you're wanting a long work!
Also just so people are aware, this probably won't be updated this often going forwards, but I wanna get to Beacon before the schedule slows down.
See you next week!