Turn 10: Fool's Check
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, FUCK! FUUUUUCKKKK!
HOW?! How does she know?!
Ok, deep breaths. Can't deal with this now.
"Miss, who were you with at the hotel, so I can contact them?"
C'mon, figure it out.
"Milly Ashford. I was registered as her guest. No name."
I nod to Sayoko, who nods slightly in return. Good job, Sayoko.
"I will arrange to let her know you're alright. And that suitable explanation will be provided to you tomorrow evening. Is that acceptable?" Please do not make me have to explain this now...
"Why tomorrow?"
I grimace. "There are...certain others involved, whose perspective is important to what's happening."
If I'm going down, I'm taking all of you with me. And this isn't just my war. Not anymore.
My sister nods and lets go of my hand. "I understand."
As I turn to leave, she calls out, "Mr Zero? Thank you for saving us."
"You're welcome. We'll drop you off in the Tokyo settlement. You should be able to make your way back from there," I say as I walk back to the group.
After dropping Nunnally and Sayoko off, we take our hideout to an isolated spot where we can hide out for awhile.
I stride into the main room watching everyone swelling with pride, knowing that they did the right thing.
Except Ohgi. Who's standing by himself, looking troubled.
"What's wrong, Ohgi? Not feeling the moment?"
He starts upon hearing my synthesized voice.
"Zero, sir. I have a question."
I sit down in a chair, "Nothing wrong with that. Ask away. Though I may not chose to answer."
He rubs the back of his neck, trying to find the right words.
"It's just...did you have to kill most of the JLF there?"
I knew this was coming. But unlike Lelouch, I'm going to put them in their place.
"Ohgi, sit down. NOW."
Ohgi stumbles backward into a spot on the sofa as I rise to my full height, cape fluttering behind me.
"I'm going to tell you all something. Something that apparently didn't sink in, the first time we met. The same thing I told Kusakabe when he explained his reasoning for tonight's fiasco. ...Before I executed him like the subhuman dog he was," I seethe as everyone looks towards me.
I slam my fist on the wall.
"JAPAN. IS. DEAD!"
I pace back and forth.
"Britannia slaughtered it seven years ago. And if you think me a necromancer, you're as foolish as the JLF."
I sigh deeply as I rub the forehead part of my mask.
"What I want is to create a new nation, one without the prejudice, stupidity, and failures of the old. The JLF seek only a return to the past. And that is why they will never succeed."
I chuckle sinisterly, "Particularly after the letter I sent Cornelia reaches her."
Tamaki raises his hand, "Umm, Boss Zero? What letter?"
I nod, "A good question, Tamaki. I wrote two letters after killing Kusakabe. One went with Princess Euphemia to her older sister. The other, with a nameless grunt to Colonel Tohdoh."
I raise my left index finger up as if to count off , "The first, says what happened tonight during my meeting with Kusakabe. Do you know what he said to me when I told him how foolish his plan was?"
There's a collective shaking of heads.
"What I am about to say does not leave this room. UNDERSTAND?" I say with a deathly serious tone.
After a few slow nods, I continue, "Lieutenant Colonel Kusakabe said, if executions did not make Britannia agreeable, that perhaps public despoilment would."
Kallen and most of the others go white, except for Tamaki and the one with the glasses - Sugiyama, I think?
"Zero, what do you mean, 'despoilment' ?" he says nervously.
A brief pause for dramatic effect, and then I say bluntly, "A public gang-rape, starting with Princess Euphemia."
At this, there's shouting in disbelief and outrage.
Not unexpected, but honestly I've had enough of people questioning me for one night. I load a blank into my gun, and fire it into the air.
"QUIET!"
I stalk down the line of my troops, "I have not once lied to any of you about my objectives or the things I have done. While there are subjects that I will refuse to speak on, I am making it a point to explain what I can, when I can."
I whirl around to glare from beneath my mask, "So insulting me by calling me a liar is something I do not appreciate," I snarl.
"But Zero, why execute him? Why not hand him to the JLF? Let them punish him," Ohgi asks.
That's not entirely a bad idea. Tohdoh certainly would have killed him if he knew what he was going to do. And Katase, from what little I know, would have likely signed off on that.
However...
"The problem with that, Ohgi, is that while I know I can trust Colonel Tohdoh to be a man of honor and dispense justice, I do not share the same belief in the rest of the JLF."
This is going to be a hard sell. The JLF has been the face of the resistance. Openly insulting them won't do me any favors. But they need to understand that Kusakabe is not an isolated case.
"The JLF, if given the opportunity, rather than fix the problem, would likely pin the entire thing on Kusakabe rather than admit to, and deal with, the systemic rot inherent to the organization."
Seems I'm not getting through. Alright, gloves off then.
"Ask yourselves this: if Kusakabe's actions were indeed against the JLF and its character? How was he able to rally troops and leave with the amount of equipment he did, without anyone raising the alarm or asking questions?"
NOW they're listening. And the implications are sinking in.
"Zero, what was in Tohdoh's letter?" Kallen asks quietly, her face pale.
"Exactly what I told you about Kusakabe's plans. As well as a communication frequency to contact me at. The JLF is finished and he knows it now. Or at least he will, once he realizes what Kusakabe has done."
I turn to leave, taking a deep breath and sighing.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it has been a very long day. I'm going to call it a night. I suspect Kyoto will be demanding answers soon."
That was another reason for my public challenge. By claiming the title of Demon King, I have declared myself as answerable to no one. And with the JLF about to be raked over the coals of public opinion? Kyoto will have no other options. They will seek me out, if only to gain answers.
Of course, it's possible that things will go like the original timeline, in which case they won't see me till after Narita.
Annoying, but my position will be much stronger after that victory. To the point that I can DEMAND an audience.
"We'll reconvene in a few days to discuss reorganization and command structure. You've all done a great thing tonight. Thank you."
I turn and leave out the door for home, carrying a case with a change of clothes.
"Zero."
I turn around after a few minutes walk, meeting the steely blue gaze of Kallen.
"You followed me out to ask something that you can't speak of with the others."
She nods, "You're on edge. What happened?"
I take off my helmet and sigh.
"I met my sister Euphie again. I suppose I'm missing my family, what little of it I have left."
She gives me a gentle hug with a sad expression.
"I don't want to kill her or Cornelia. And I may not have to. I'm going to turn them."
Kallen raises an eyebrow and taps her left eye socket.
I shake my head, "No. I believe if we can have an honest discussion and I tell her the truth about who killed my mother, Cornelia will switch sides in a heartbeat."
Kallen gives a flat stare at that statement.
"You cannot be fucking serious."
I narrow my eyes, "As a heart attack. But in the shorter term, we have two things to deal with. One, I have no intention of allying with the JLF whatsoever. I will bring them to heel under my command, or else let Cornelia burn their fortress to the ground, as my namesake burned Mt. Hiei."
Kallen facepalms, "I knew it. I knew you would never give up control to them. You think that the rest of the group will be okay with this? Half of them would string you up for saying that!"
I give her a sharp glare from over my shoulder.
"They have no choice. No one will support the JLF now. Just like Kyoto will have no choice but to cut them off, as soon as public opinion turns on them. And I'm the first and only commander in Japan to defeat Britannia in seven years. Turn on me, and the dream of a new Japan will die with me."
My ace scoffs at that, "Since did people always do what was pragmatic or necessary?"
I shake my head sadly, "Parents do. They sacrifice their own happiness for their children, sometimes knowing it won't be appreciated or acknowledged. When they don't?"
I gesture to myself, "You get parents like mine, who see their children only as pawns and disposable tools."
I visibly deflate and sigh, "And that brings me to the second problem. Nunnally figured it out. Do you think you could swing by tomorrow and help me not get crucified?"
After a moment, I look back, and see Kallen visibly distraught.
"My god...what have I done? I'm the worst daughter ever..." she whispers.
"Something I said?" I ask with a raised eyebrow. Seriously, what the hell did I say that spooked...her?
Oh, right, her mother. Well, better she have it out with her now, than after Refrain has completely wrecked her nervous system.
She shakes her head to clear out the cobwebs, "Right, Nunnally. I'll be there, but I need to take care of something ASAP. Bye, Zero."
She then sprints off in another direction.
I think I'll ask to deliver her transcripts with Milly. A quick Geass should take care of her mother's addiction.
On the upside? Kallen will probably relax more, now that she is less conflicted about her mother.
As for me? I have a long day tomorrow, and I just really want to go to fucking sleep.
