Interlude 18: Arise Zero, Arise! The star of a young girl's hope shines once more!
It does my heart good to see this. I've been worried that Lelouch was in a dark place when he suddenly said he needed space to work on something.
If I'd known he was ignoring his medication and stewing in resentment..I fear I might have lost my temper at him and said things I would desperately like to take back in a more lucid state.
But that's all in the past. Now? Now I'm sitting watching Big Sister Nelly and Lelouch, two people who have been at odds to the point of trying to kill each other on the battlefield, trading stories and laughing together. It's...it's like we're a family again.
While Big Sister Nelly deserves some credit for finally realizing that Lelouch was right in what he's aiming to do and making him realize how much he missed her? The person who deserves the most credit is sitting by my left, smiling brightly as she sips her tea, even as Alice on my right squirms in her seat, feeling out of place.
I can understand it. She's never really seen any of us at ease with family, at least, not besides Lelouch and myself. It's heartwarming to see this, And I have Big Sister Euphie to thank for it. Because she did something even I couldn't. She made Big Brother let go of some of his darkness.
My head leans against her shoulder as my arms wrap around her in a hug, humming in pleasure as she strokes my hair gently. I couldn't do it because..I didn't want to. Much as I try to hide it, as innocent as I may seem to those who do not know me best?
I am still a vi Britannia. And I have not been innocent for a very long time, just like I said to Big Brother when he first began his dark quest to set right the world by the force of his will and armies.
A child cannot travel across a war torn countryside without being affected by it. Even blind, I could still hear. I could still smell. I could still touch. And what I sensed was more than enough for me to shut my eyes away from a dark and uncaring world. A world where I only had Big Brother, and needed nothing else.
"Big sister Euphie."
"Hmm? What is it Nunnally?"
I bite my lip as my worries about how to broach this rush to the forefront of my thoughts. What should I say? How can I tell her that I had been quietly despairing and desperately trying to ignore the growing void within my brother's heart? A void that suddenly after Shinjuku, he seemed to at last be willing to bridge and reach out?
The worst part is...I hated him for a time. Hated that he was ignoring me, that he was drifting away, hiding something. And finally hating him for choosing his damnable vision over staying with me.
Oh he said he would tell me later. He may even have meant it. But I could sense his reluctance to speak. Something still held him back from revealing the extent of what he wanted to do.
When he finally did come around to telling me the truth, it was because I forced him to. I demanded the truth. A truth that once revealed, left me filled with petty jealous rage. How dare he put anyone's life above mine. How dare he risk himself for a world that hates us. How dare he...he...leave me.
Some part of me knew it was wrong. That what I was asking him for was utterly despicable and selfish. But I cared not. All I cared about was that my stupid Big Brother was doing something insane and that I'd be left alone.
But when he refused to back down? When he showed me all the terrible and myriad ways the people we knew had suffered? When he said that he alone could save the world from itself? Something in me broke. Maybe it was my childish temper tantrum fizzling out, maybe it was my self denial.
I knew at that moment that he would do it regardless of what I thought. That as much as it hurt him, as much as my selfish wish made his heart ache and long to listen to me...that he would never yield on this. Not even to me.
At that moment my heart shattered. Because I knew I could look away no longer from what I'd seen. That the world was a dark place that needed to be set right. And that my brother was willing to pay a dire price to see it done.
I couldn't let that happen. He's already suffered so much for me. So I told him all that I cared about was that he was safe. At that moment, that tearful and sorrowful moment, I finally saw his face again. Because I realized what mattered most to me, was that his heart did not burn itself to ash and cinders.
"Big Sister...I...I…"
He promised me he'd never lie. Even when it broke both our hearts, he kept his promise. And for that, I will always love him. So I swore I would do something just as great. That I would help bring his heart out of the dark place it dug itself into.
But I couldn't do it. When I found out what my father, what my uncle had done? All I cared about was vengeance and what they'd stolen from me. How they'd destroyed my life and my brother's. How they'd thrown CC to be experimented on for seven years...
I hated them. All I could think of was hearing that my blindness, my crippling, was done because it was 'convenient.' I wanted Big Brother to make them suffer the way I suffered, the way CC suffered, the way Orange suffered.
So when I heard about what he was doing, the executions, the brutal deaths for people he deemed beyond redemption, the aura of terror he cultivated, I did not judge him for it. Because I saw nothing wrong. So what if he killed rapists, people who stole from the poor and helpless, people who discriminated, people whom scourged and cursed those unlucky to be born different?!
His justice, cruel as it was, was still better than anything Japan or Britannia meted out. That man Kusakabe, the one who nearly raped Euphie...as shocked as I was by what he'd done to him, in hindsight, I wouldn't have stopped him if I could have.
My fists tremble as I clutch onto her dress, the black rose choker, embroidered with the sword crane symbol of the Black Knights around her neck as she looks down in concern and worry.
How can I tell her? How can I let her know that I could have said something, could have made Lelouch curb the brutal edge he was cultivating? That maybe if I had, he and Cornelia wouldn't have fought, and he wouldn't have gotten injured so badly.
Big Sister Nelly and Big Brother almost died in that battle. Big Brother nearly died after, ironically because he granted mercy to someone he should have killed. I ripped my sister's heart out because I was angry and wanted to hurt her for what she'd done.
How can they still look at me with love and affection after what I've done?
"Sister Euphie...I..," I trail off, biting my lip as my shame at what I've done roils within, stilling my tongue.
I am not my brother, I cannot be the Devil who subjugates the world beneath his heel. In truth though, isn't the difference between being that devil, and encouraging his actions, nothing but a difference of degrees?
Above all others, I know my brother's heart. And I believe from the very depths of my soul, that I could have stopped this. That if I had rebuked him and appealed to his better nature, instead of fanning the flames of vengeance, that he and Cornelia could have reconciled far sooner.
Instead I let my hatred and bitterness, my anger at Cornelia for not being there guide my hand. And so I did nothing. An unforgivable act that nearly cost me my beloved older siblings.
"I...did something terrible, Sister Euphie," I mutter as Alice looks over in concern, her hand on my back.
Taking a deep breath as I harden my nerve, my voice flows from my lips, even as Big Brother and Big Sister Nelly stop their conversation to look over at us.
"When Big Brother started his campaign, I saw what he was doing. The executions, the brutality, the darkness he was cloaking himself in. And I didn't say a word. I saw nothing wrong with it," I say with a bitter edge as I look up, my older siblings' faces reel back in surprise, taken aback by the look in my eyes.
A look of ice cold anger.
"I saw nothing wrong, because I wanted the world to know what had been done to us. To make them pay for ruining our lives and causing so much pain across the globe. I didn't rebuke him for Kawaguchi, because I saw nothing wrong with what he did."
I sit up, glaring upwards, as if I could rebuke an uncaring and indifferent god for his negligence.
"The world can call Zero evil. What he is, is a reflection of the apathy and casual cruelty that is omni-present in reality. His executions are more just than the joke that is Britannian justice!"
Alice, my dear Alice, looks away with a guilty expression. No doubt she knows exactly from whence I speak. We've had conversations in the past about what she was taught about Britannia by her uncle Robert. As a former member of the OSI, he was privy to many dark secrets and the true nature of Britannia. Knowledge he shared to ensure his niece did not fall prey to it. Something I am grateful for, for we would never have met otherwise.
"I could have stopped him. I could have rebuked Big Brother, told him he was going too far. That he had become too much the Demon and not enough the King. But I didn't. I wanted the world to pay, to make our father, our uncle, even Cornelia answer for what they did to us. That's why I didn't say anything when he declared his intention to fight you, Big Sister. I wanted him to hurt you, to make your heart ache with guilt before I could forgive you," I say, pointing at her, eyes watering as I empty the venom within my heart.
Her pained and stricken reaction, visibly shaken by my confession, only makes my words sting like barbs within my breast. But I cannot stop here. I have to say it.
"But then the Siegfried struck. Suddenly my wish for vengeance became a curse turned back on me, a monkey's paw. Big Brother was near death, only narrowly surviving thanks to Big Sister CC and all the others who tried so hard to preserve his fleeting mortality."
Lips quivering as I clutch the hem of my dress with my fists, I swallow what feels like a lump of bile in my throat as I continue speaking at Cornelia, "Big Sister Nelly was hurt too. Struck from the skies during the battle. Suzaku was gone, so was Kallen. And all I could think of was how angry I was at you for being stubborn and filled with hate. When in truth, I was guilty of the same, and unwilling to see the truth of what I'd done. Just like I'd spent the last several years of my life doing. Looking away from the truth."
My diaphram wavers, voice halting as I struggle to enunciate my sin, the downcast looks from everyone around me bitter stings upon my being.
"I...I..I could have stopped it. I could have told Big Brother to speak to you. If I demanded he stop and pull himself back from the brink, he would have listened. If I'd said something...then...then...neither you or Big Brother would have been hurt. None of the terrible things that happened that night would have..," my throat closes up as I trail off, tears raining down my cheeks as my siblings and Alice all surround me in a hug, holding me close as I quietly sob out my heart.
"I cared more about hurting the people who hurt me than whether my sister lived or died! The hypocrisy of what I had done was a repudiation of everything Big Brother claimed to be fighting for! I..I don't deserve-!"
Before I can finish my thought, Big Brother has me in his arms, stroking my hair as he quietly speaks.
"If anyone is the hypocrite, Little Sunshine, it's none other than myself. I let you stay in a place as dark as that which I found myself in. You are my raison d'etre, the main reason I fight this war. There are other reasons yes, but..,"
He kisses my forehead softly, letting a heavy sigh out as he smiles at me in a way that makes me cry all the harder. A smile that reminds me of happier days back at Aries Villa. A smile of someone genuinely happy.
"Do you think I would ever scorn you for this? That I would not understand? I'll always love you Nunnally. We both made mistakes and suffered wounds to our hearts. But that's in the past. Euphemia said she would save me from my darkness. As your big brother, it is my duty and pleasure to be there for you. So don't ever think you don't matter, or don't deserve to be happy."
Big Sister Nelly, puts her right hand on my shoulder as she wipes her eyes with her left hand, "I cannot claim the power to change the past or make restitution for all my myriad failings. Letting you suffer alone while flagellating yourself for past sins is something I can do something about however. I deserve all the scorn you can muster, dear Nunnally. So if that is what you need, then by all means, lay on. A big sister's job is to suffer so her younger siblings don't have to."
My arms wrap around her torso as I sniffle, feeling Alice press onto my back as she joins the hug.
"I know you're mad at them, Nunna. But they're still family, even if your brother and sister are both hot headed morons."
The raspberry that Big Brother blows at that causes me to giggle as Alice rubs her face against me.
"So just thump them on the heads and let it go. They've both made up, they both want what's best for you, so that's that," she says in a matter of fact tone. Honestly, she's absolutely right. I'm being silly and scourging myself for no reason.
"Hey wait a sec. How come Pinky Princess doesn't get bad-mouthed?" Big Brother says incredulously as he raises an eyebrow at the cheekily smiling Alice.
"Cause she's smarter than both you & Cornelia and Nunna isn't mad at her, even if she has the bad taste to be fucking you," my knight says with a smirk as Euphie colors at the statement.
The fit of laughter that erupts from me is just what I needed to dispel my bad humors.
"Hehehehehehe!"
The sound of heeled boots clicking makes my ears prick up as a familiar face wanders in. My erstwhile missing sister Laila, wearing an oxford shirt with the sleeves rolled up, jodhpurs, and black military boots strolls in, carrying a binder of papers, looking like she hasn't slept in two days. Oh dear, is she alright?
The little blonde flops into a chair, guzzling down two cups of coffee, half a pitcher of tea, and three sandwiches before she pipes up.
"I got it done. Don't ask me how I did it or how many bodies it took, you don't want to know. You may commence praising me now," she quips, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
...And I'm reminded once again how much of an utter brat my sister is at times.
"Really Laila? We don't see you for days on end, and this is the first thing you say to your family? As your older sister, I am very disappointed in your manners," Big Sister Nelly says with an exasperated tone and a raised eyebrow.
Laila shrugs and leans back in her chair, "I'm OSI. Nobody cares about how we act, only that we get the job done. So..what did I miss?"
I fix her with a flat look, causing her to gulp as I narrow my eyes at her flippant tone. By Darwin, I am going to make her understand that things are different now.
"Laila la Britannia. You are not just OSI. You are my sister. Part of our family."
Using the table as a stabilizing aide, I walk over and sit down next to her, holding her hands as I-
Oh. Oh god.
My vision floods with images of dark places, hidden deeds, knives in the dark, and a brittle smile on a young girl's face.
"Nunnally?"
My throat catches as I gasp, pulling her into my arms as she blinks in confusion, looking around askance.
"Not that I mind this, but, why?"
I look her in the eyes as I rub her back, whispering quietly in her ear, knowing that she wouldn't want this to be said out loud.
"Because you have done so much and asked for so little. No matter what, you'll always be my sister. And I'll always love you."
The pigtailed blonde in my arms blinks at me, her lip quivering a moment before she returns the hug.
"...I'm still calling Lulu a daft cunt if he does something stupid like with the Siegfried again."
It takes a surprising amount of effort not to smile or laugh at that as Big Brother groans, palming his face, "Am I ever going to live that down? And that's the only time I'm letting you call me any kind of cunt, Pixie."
My older sister rolls her eyes as she sips from her tea, "I hardly think he can be faulted too much for that monstrosity upsetting his plans."
Big Brother sighs as he leans back in his chair, pulling out one of his joints from his cigarette case, lighting up for a moment before responding.
"I knew it was possible to create the Siegfried. I didn't believe they could find a pilot or that the research was that far along. So yes, that is indeed my fuck up."
Alice sits up, walks behind him, rears her arm back...and smacks the back of his head before sitting down and crossing her arms.
"Well, don't do that again. You made Nunna cry. And a lot of other people too. So keep your megalomaniac ass alive so you can fix this stupid world, ok?"
There are times when I really do love my Alice.
"Gotterdammerung...fine. I already promised CC, what's one more?" he says, taking another pull as he furrows his brow in thought.
Our eyes meet as I look deep into his violet orbs, a storm of thoughts raging behind his gaze before he realizes I'm looking at him and rouses himself.
"Yes sunshine?"
"Big Brother, are you sure you're up to this tomorrow? If you need more time-"
He shakes his head from side to side firmly, "No, if anything, I've delayed too long on doing this. If what everyone is telling me is right, the Black Knights, NOD, the Britannian forces, and all the groups here need to be unified under my hand once again. Nothing less will curb any rebellious sentiment and reignite the flame of passion we need."
Much as I want to argue with him that he should be resting? He has a point. The troops know he's awake and they need this. A sign that he's still there, that he hasn't abandoned them.
I walk over to him, wrapping my arms around him as I snuggle against his shoulder, taking comfort in the familiar feeling, "Alright. Tomorrow then. But you're going to stay in bed and rest after that. Little sister's orders."
Big Brother's chest rumbles as he chortles at my proclamation, planting a kiss on my forehead, "I can hardly argue an order with that kind of authority behind it."
It's not too long before noon. The various groups of the Black Knights, NOD, former JLF, Britanians, and others, are all gathered in a large hanger bay that's been turned into a meeting hall. Judging by the expressions on people's faces I saw? They're wondering what's going on, and clearly not expecting much.
It's known that Zero woke up, but few details about him are apparently known, according to Alice. She disagrees with me about Big Brother needing to rest, a fact we are still arguing about even now as I finish getting ready for the big day.
"Nunna, I know you worry about him. But he's right, these guys are drifting. They need a symbol, an idea, something to rally around. Uncle Robert always said 'A soldier will die for a country, but he'll fight for a king.' As much of a dumbass as your brother is sometimes? He's...well..he's good at this."
I finish tying my shoes with a sigh, checking to make sure my dress is fitted properly. She's right. This is the kind of moment where Big Brother shines the brightest. This could be where the Black Knights reunify, or where the organization finally collapses.
Part of me can't help but worry about him taking the first step back to the battlefield. That he's going to be putting himself in danger again, for me. He's doing all of this insanity for me.
I feel like I don't deserve him sometimes.
A pair of arms wrap around my waist as Alice hugs me from behind, her long pigtails draping over my shoulders as she nuzzles against me.
"I can tell you're not listening. You act just as dumb as he does sometimes. But I love you anyway."
She turns me around, planting a kiss on my lips as I let myself relax and return her affections. This, this moment, is just what I need right now.
As our lips part, I see her blushing cheeks which no doubt mirror my own, and I wonder, how on earth did I find someone perfect?
"I love you too Alice. I'm sorry for worrying, I just...I don't want him to get hurt again because of me," I whisper as I lean against her, her arms holding me in place.
My knight snorts in a manner that most nobility would be appalled at hearing. Personally I find it cute and amusing.
"Nunna, he'd do it even if he knew he was gonna get hurt. He's like an attack dog with a bone, he's not going to let go of his crazy ideas no matter what. So you need to be there for him to make sure he doesn't go nuts while doing it."
Much as I want to argue, she's not wrong. Lelouch believes in what he's doing, so I need to believe in him.
Planting a kiss on Alice's cheek that makes her sputter and turn red, I sit up, picking up the last piece of my attire. The mask of Moebius, a role being downgraded thankfully with Big Brother and CC taking over from me. I'm glad I was able to help, and they said they would still involve me in the logistics in an advisory capacity.
But I am very, very, glad that I am not responsible for decisions that decide where men and women live or die anymore.
"I gotta go, are you going to be ok? You don't have to be the one following him."
No, I don't. But I want to. Of all the people he could have asked, he asked me. Because in his words, 'Of all the people I know, you're the one I trust the most and whom this gesture means the most to, Nunnally, my sunshine.'
I almost burst into tears when he asked me. To be the one pushing his wheelchair into the auditorium. He can't even walk on his own yet, stuck in a wheelchair like I was, and he asked me to be the one to take him in. It hurt so much to see him like that, even if it's just temporary.
Letting him down now would be running away again, closing my eyes again. I won't do that! I can't do that!
"I know Alice. But this is just as important for me as it is for him. You don't know how much it means to me that he asked me to do this. I refuse to let him down, not now. Not after he showed me that he understood what I went through."
The mask of Moebius settles onto my head as I take hold of a cane, using it to steady myself as I march to the door. The pain comes and goes, but I can walk now. It's my turn to be the one standing by his side.
Alice sighs as she gets up and embraces me from behind, "Ok, just be careful."
"Of course."
With one last hug, my knight leaves for the auditorium. And I am left alone with my thoughts as I walk down the corridor to where Big Brother is preparing.
God knows I'm not a warrior. Perhaps in another life I could have been. But..it's not something that comes naturally to me, not like Cornelia, or Big Brother, or even Laila. I don't like killing people. I don't even like seeing people hurt. It would however be hopelessly naive of me to think that things like the darkness in Britannia, the failed states of the Federation, and the corruption in Europia, could be solved without bloodshed.
The best thing would be like Laila said, to minimize the damage as much as possible.
"Nunnally? Are you alright?"
I look up, seeing Cornelia..oh my. That's a new look.
Thigh high red boots, white pants, a red corset top, elbow length gloves, her hair down from it's familiar coif into flowing locks with a braid encircling the back of her head. But most striking and the thing that makes me gasp in surprise when I see it?
A black cape, with a pauldron bearing the emblem of the black knights on the right shoulder, with a similar emblem on her collar.
"Well, how do I look?" she acts, a surprising touch of nervousness in her manner. I suppose that's not surprising, considering how odd this must be for her to wear that.
My answer of course, is to walk over and hug her, smilingly warmly as she strokes my hair.
"Thank you, Big Sister. I think you look..smashing," a word I haven't used in...oh my, not since back in Pendragon.
She barks out a laugh, her shoulders shaking in mirth, "Haha, cálmate mi corazón." (Calm down, my heart)
Was that..? My eyes widen in surprise at her speaking spanish, "I haven't heard you speak spanish in a long time."
Perhaps it's the surprised way I said it, or maybe it's just something in my manner. Whatever the case, she look down, a melancholy expression on her face as she runs her fingers across my mask, "Ha pasado mucho tiempo, sí." (It's been a long time, yes.)
Drat. How do I ask this again..oh yes.
"Por...que?" I say hesitantly, half remembered lessons in spanish coming back to me after long disuse. (Why?)
"I used to speak it more frequently, but years of dealing with bloody court politics and needing to speak the King's English meant I was rarely in a mood to use my mother's tongue. Even on vacations in Cuba, the few times I took them, I barely used it," she says, rolling her eyes in irritation, her brow furrowing.
"As for why now? Well, as strange as it sounds, being out here in the middle of this godforsaken country, a rebel, hunted by the empire I turned my back on?"
A smile appears on her face, lines of worry disappearing as she looks upward, "De hecho estoy feliz." (I'm actually happy.)
Huh? I didn't understand that.
"I said I'm actually happy. It's almost absurd, but I'm happier now than I've been in years, mi corazón. And I have you to thank for it. You, our bratty sibling Laila, and sweet Euphie."
Her strong arms wrap around me, as I squeeze her to me, revelling in the feeling.
"That thing you called me, what does it mean? You used to say it to me back when I was little."
"Mi corazón. It means my heart."
My heart. I like that. It feels warm and comforting.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get into position for Lelouch's pageantry."
With a cheery wave, my big sister marches off towards the auditorium and I continue my walk, albeit in higher spirits.
I think I see someone near the door to Big Brother's room, wait, is that Kallen?
"Kallen!" I say, waving to her as she turns around in surprise...and a bit of fright. Which is an unnerving expression on her.
"Who the-! Oh, it's just you. Sorry Nunnally," the redhead grunts out, a look of shame on her face at being so surprised.
What happened to her? I've asked repeatedly from everyone, but no one will tell me anything. Not even Big Brother or CC. Well, CC said it was Kallen's choice to tell me, but that I shouldn't press her about it. Clearly something has upset her a great deal if she can react to my coming up to her with fear.
"Kallen...are you alright-" I ask I reach out to hold her hand-
Oh.
Oh no.
"Nunnally? What happened? You just went stiff..and quiet," Kallen whispers as she touches my shoulders an indeterminate amount of time later. I must have frozen in place. Which...after seeing THAT…
I should go. If I touch Kallen again, I might see...what am I saying?! What kind of a friend would I be if I ran away like a cowardly beaten dog after experiencing that secondhand!? She's my friend, and possibly a future sister! She needs help, not being shunned!
The redhead almost starts in surprise as I quickly hug her, refusing to let go, my arms firmly wrapped around her.
"Umm, Nunnally? What's going on?"
I look up at her, sympathy and understanding in my eyes as she flinches at my gaze.
"If you ever need anything, Kallen, I'm here for you. You're a dear friend to me, and I love you. Please don't forget that, no matter what."
Her hands shake as she pulls free from my hug, a frightened look on her face as she backs up away from me slowly.
"I-I-I gotta go!" she yelps out as she stiffly walks away, her movements on edge and guarded the whole time.
...This cannot stand.
Gripping my cane tightly as I screw up my nerve, I march through the door, making CC look up from studying a printout, and Big Brother glance over from reading what looks like notes as they sit together on his bed.
"Big Brother. Big sister CC."
Before either of them can respond, I march over, sitting down between them as I remove my mask, a conflicted and pained expression on my face as I look down.
"I know what happened to Kallen."
Big Brother's face turns white as he and CC immediately pull me into a hug. While I appreciate it? I'm not the one who needs it.
"Whatever you two think you're doing with Kallen? It isn't working. She needs help, badly."
My bold proclamation makes CC grimace as she closes her eyes, letting out a deep sigh.
"I was afraid of that. I wanted to give her time to approach us on her own terms. But you seem to have a certain talent for reading people, Nunnally. So we'll try to talk to her."
Big Brother rubs the bridge of his nose in frustration, "Knowing Kallen, she'll fight like a bat out of hell if CC and I even try to approach her."
"Well, she was waiting outside the door before I came up. Maybe she's working up the nerve?" I suggest after a moment.
The two of them look at each other, some wordless communication passing between the two of them before they turn back to me.
"Alright. We'll use a light touch, but..," he says, a skeptical look on his face.
"We might end up having to wait for her regardless. Tsundere-chan is as stubborn as Asshole here," CC finishes, her fingers interlacing with his.
A beeping from the clock on the dresser pierces through the quiet of the room.
"It's time. Let me help you into the chair. You'll know when it's your cue."
CC steps off the bed, walking over to a corner of the room where she pulls out a collapsible wheelchair, an object that makes my heart clench up with dread seeing it. I've spent too many years in one of those to ever want to be around them again and-
I blink as strong hands hold my shoulders, a comforting and familiar voice speaking in my ear, a dark cape folding around me.
"You need not fear it. I will make sure that you never have to use that chair again, my dear Nunnally."
My eyes blink tears away as I look up and notice that my brother is wearing his suit once more. I suppose I didn't notice it under the blankets he was under. There's something inspiring about seeing him wearing that once again.
With a bit of help from CC, he settles into the chair, cracking his neck as CC hands him a pill and a glass of water.
"You get one. IF you try and take more, or you overexert yourself?"
I flush red as she reaches between his legs, a cruel and haughty smile on her lips, grasping at his...his..I don't even want to think about this!
"I will ensure you enjoy what I do to you, no matter how much you deny it. If you have the energy to fuck Cornelia and Euphemia? You have the energy to endure MY punishments. Do you understand me, Asshole?"
Big Brother growls, yes, growls at that, and pulls her close by the hair as he kisses her, biting her lip as he speaks in a husky tone.
"Don't write checks your gorgeous ass can't cash, Bitch Tornado. We both know I'll enjoy-"
"AHEM!" I say loudly as I fidget in place, clearly not amused at the two of them getting up to their usual shenanigans. Really, I'm right here! You can't wait till afterwards?!
CC steps back, taking a deep breath as she smiles at my irritated look.
"You must be feeling better if you're flirting with me in front of Nunnally, you shameless bastard."
He tosses the pill back, then smirks at her, pure amusement in his eyes as he steeples his fingers, "Is someone being catty because I didn't screw her first? I thought only your hair was green, CC."
My sister in law smiles mischievously, "You're just digging yourself deeper. And yes, I am a bit upset that you didn't let me scratch my itch first. I've only been worrying myself for months."
To his credit, Big Brother scratches the back of his neck while he looks a bit chagrined at that chastisement.
"I deserve that. Tell you what, if I've still got energy after this, then I'm up for whatever you want to do tonight."
…I don't want to know. I really don't want to know. Especially if her eyes are lighting up with glee at the prospect.
"I'll hold you to that. It's time for me to get ready. I'll see you shortly."
With a toss of her hair and a blown kiss, she's out the door, leaving me alone with Big Brother as he looks solemnly at an object on the dresser, the last missing piece of his outfit.
The mask of Zero.
"It's time for us to go too."
I nod slowly, as I walk over, picking up the spherical mask, looking at the reflective surface and the etching along the chin. It's...heavy. There's an incomprehensible weight to it, apart from the metal, circuitry and armored glass.
With hands that tremble a bit, I hand over the mask, watching the back retract and fold upwards as he places it on his head, before it shifts back down with a click, sealing around his head.
It's one thing to know it's Big Brother sitting there in front of me. It's something else when it's Zero.
My lungs open up, air filling them as I take a deep breath, putting my own mask back on as I fold up my cane, putting in a pouch at my side, hands gripping the handles of his wheelchair, both of us moving towards the staging area.
"Big Bro-Zero. What was in that pill you just took?" I say, catching myself from calling him that when he's like this. He's more than my brother right now, he's something larger than life.
His gloved hand reaches back, gently touching my left hand, "They know you're my sister, you can still call me Big Brother, Moebius. And that was amphetamines. I need to be fully awake and energized for this. So I took a dose."
Amphetamines? That sounds dangerous.
"Are you sure that's ok? Rakshata-"
A scoff emanates from his mask, his voice betraying the tone of someone rolling his eyes, "Oh yes, Rakshata and Bartley were NOT happy when I told them I was going to do that. They cut the dose I wanted in half and ordered me to stay in bed for two days for observation after this is over. AND those overbearing dicks still won't give me back my fucking smokes."
The smile under my mask can't be seen, but I'm sure he can tell that I have it.
In a few minutes, we find ourselves outside a hanger door, unadorned and closed, the sounds of a large group of people behind the metal.
"And a one, and a two and a-" Big Brother counts off as sound begins piping through the audio systems, a drumbeat tempo joined by the wail of electric guitars.
"All embrace me
It's my time to rule at last"
It isn't the voice itself that surprises me. Nor is it the lyrics. It's the power, the presence. Big Sister CC is truly a natural singer. It's easy to see why she was a diva.
"Fifteen years have I been waiting
To sit upon my throne"
This time I can hear several male voices backing her up, the Glaston Knights. Big Brother is tapping his fingers on the hand rest, counting beats, head moving in time with the music.
"No allegiance
I will swear no oath
Crowned by god not by the church
As my power is divine"
There's a sensation, a feeling rising in the air, a tension. Is this what it's like? The absolute power to command a stage by your sheer presence? My hands are sweating as I take a breath to steady myself. This isn't like when I addressed the Black Knights previously. This is different. This time, their true leader has come.
"They thought I was too young to rule the land
Just as they failed to understand"
As the large hangar doors begin to rise, the gears cranking, I look down at the man in the wheelchair, my brother and..
All I can feel is a sense of profound joy and hope. Hope that this time, he will win and change the world for the better.
"Big Brother. No matter what, I believe in you."
He nods once at that remark, "Thank you Moebius. That means more to me than you can ever know. And now?"
"Born to rule
My time has come"
Spotlights shine on the spot in front of us visible through the rising of the door, the storm of feeling within me rising to a crescendo with the music as Zero thrusts his right arm to the side, gravity surrounding him like the cloak around his shoulders.
"Now, witness when a king enters his court."
With that proclamation, his voice rises in song, the audio from his mask patching into the sound system of the base.
"I was chosen by heaven
Say my name when you pray
To the skies
See Carolus rise!"
Blood rushes to my cheeks as the entire room turns in astonishment at the sound of his deep baritone voice, the risen hangar door wide open as we stand there under the spotlights.
With a gulp of nervousness, I start walking, nervous about being the center of everyone's attention. Last time I addressed the Black Knights, I was one of many people, and CC held the spotlight. Now? Now Zero and I are the center of attention. But I suppose therein lies the difference between us.
"With the lord my protector
Make them bow to my will
To the skies
See Carolus rise!"
Zero loves the spotlight. And the Black Knights, they love him. I can see it in their eyes. The tears, the outright joy bursting forth.
"Holy shit...he's back! ZERO IS BACK!"
Tamaki shoves a person out of the way, his eyes wide and wet as he salutes with his right hand, struggling to maintain his composure. Loyal, steadfast Tamaki. A man who saved my brother's life in his hour of need.
"LONG LIVE THE KING!" he screams out as he holds his head high, his left hand raised as a fist.
"To the skies
See Carolus rise!"
The twin voices of Zero and CC join together with the Glastons as a backing chorus, the room filling with shouts and exclamations as I march down the path towards the stage, head held high, my own tears of happiness streaking down my cheeks.
"Proved in battle
Led my men to victory
No man alive or dead commands me
I answer to the lord"
As we pass through the crowd, my brother's arms gesturing as though conducting an orchestra, I look forward to the stage, and notice something about CC's face. Despite her well known distaste for this type of music, she's smiling radiantly, tears of joy on her face as the duet continues.
"Hear my orders
Question me and die
What I say was said in heaven
And so it shall be done"
Big Sister Nelly, Sister Euphemia, Milly Laila, Tohdoh, Ohgi, Alice, they're all there on the stage, standing at attention, watching proudly as Zero makes his return to leading the Black Kni-wait...where's Kallen? She should be here. Where is she? Discreetly, I look around, trying not to move my head and display that I'm not paying attention.
I don't see her anywhere. Should I tell Zero..no. If I distract him now, it might ruin his speech. I'll see if I can spot her in the crowd from the stage.
"I was chosen by heaven
Say my name when you pray
To the skies
See Carolus rise!"
The wheelchair feels heavy as we reach the ramp incline to the stage, or maybe I'm just not used to moving something like this. But I'm not giving up that easily. This is Zero's moment, I promised him I'd escort him here, and a vi Britannia keeps their word!
"With the lord my protector
Make them bow to my will
To the skies
See Carolus rise!"
We're halfway up the ramp, I can feel my arms straining a bit-
Huh? It's lighter now?
I look up and see CC has grasped the other handle, giving me a wink as she takes the brunt of the effort pushing it up herself. Thank goodness.
"To the skies
See Carolus rise!"
As the song's crescendo rises, the Glastons stand aside with a salute as the two of them traverse the final distance to the podium, voices providing a bombastic chorus to the stars of the hour.
"All that's thine
Shall be mine
There's no stopping me
All over Europe my rule shall be questioned by none!"
This song...I think I know who it's about. King Charles the Twelfth of Sweden. Also called Carolus Rex. Did CC know him, or is Zero trying to send a message about his plans by invoking his name?
"All I see
Give to me
That is my decree
My will be done"
The spotlights twirl around the two of them as they hold hands in front of the podium, looking into each other's eyes. Even now, with the eyes of everyone on them, the love they have for each other shines through. You can hear it in their song, see it in their body language, it's an almost tangible feeling.
"They thought I was too young to rule the land
Just as they failed to understand
Born to rule
My time is now"
As she sings the last line, CC twirls into a kneeling pose, her hand outstretched towards Zero, the ring he gave her gleaming under the spotlights as he inclines his mask downward, miming a kiss. Under most circumstances, it might be considered inappropriate to do something like this before a major speech to an army.
Most people, aren't my Big Brother. Even now, he and CC look like the king and queen they've always said they were. And I could not be prouder to call them my family.
"I was chosen by heaven
Say my name when you pray
To the skies
See Carolus rise
To the skies!"
Zero raises both his arms up as if commanding a chorus, and to my amazement, I can see many in the crowd trying to sing the last line along with him. There's a kind of magic in the air, flowing forth from his fingers into everyone watching.
"With the lord my protector
Make them bow to my will
To the skies
See Carolus rise!"
Even Big Sister Nelly and Laila are getting swept up in it, such is the irresistible force of Zero's charisma. Maybe, just maybe, he can make my dream come true. A dream of a better world, a world where the misery and suffering that exists now is a distant memory. Where what happened to us never happens again..
"To the skies
See Carolus rise!"
As the song ends, I interlace my fingers with Alice's, catching the faint smile on her lips as Zero raises a finger for silence, waiting for the murmuring to die off before he begins.
"Ladies and gentlemen of NOD, Britannian forces, and of course, the Black Knights. My apologies for the extended theatrics, but I was out of action for a while, so pardon my wanting to flex the creative muscles."
I can hear a few assorted chuckles in the crowd. An icebreaker isn't the worst way to start this.
"Fuck anyone who didn't like that! That was awesome, boss man!"
A deep baritone chuckle emanates from the mask as Zero shakes his head, "Thank you, Tamaki. For those who do not know me? I, am Zero. Demon King of the Sixth Heaven, and Grandmaster of the Order of the Black Knights."
I look on in surprise as he hangs his head, arms by his side, hanging limply, his voice only audible because of the audio patching from his mask to the sound system.
"I'm sorry."
What?
"As your commanding officer and the man responsible for our war strategy, I accept full responsibility for the failure of the Siege of Tokyo. This is my fault, and I will own it. We have all lost something in the last few months."
He gestures with an open hand out towards the crowd, slowing moving it across the assembled multitudes, shaking his head from side to side slowly, "Friends, family, children, loved ones, limbs, pride, hope…"
What is he doing? Big Brother, they're looking to you to rekindle their hope, not snuff it out. Was this too soon? Is he having a panic atta-
"BUT!"
The thunderous tone of his voice startles me from my thoughts as I notice something on the monitors overhead looking at his mask.
His eyes are glowing red beneath the mask, casting a burning gaze across the room as he clenches a fist in front of his face.
"We. Are. Not. Beaten. We are not broken. Though I am even now confined to this wheelchair, it is not a permanent disability. Though Vice commander Ohgi has lost an arm, we can fix it, much like we can like Lt. Senba's eye."
Zero lays his hands in his lap, looking down at them as he continues in a quiet but resonating voice, "However, that is cold comfort to those now lost. I cannot apologize enough for my failures, and should any desire to chastise me for what happened after this, I shall meet with them when time permits. That is the price of atonement for failures of command. But know this. Though we have fallen?"
His arms flare to the side as his head tilts back, the audience enraptured by his command. I shouldn't have worried. He has this in hand. And I note Big Sister Nelly nodding in agreement with the last part of what he said.
"THE BLACK KNIGHTS SHALL RISE ONCE MORE!"
A resounding cheer greets that proclamation, which he waits to subside for a moment before continuing.
"As with any organization returning from ignominious defeat, there will be changes going forward. The first and most important: There will be no more egregious executions from me as examples to be set for despicable and deplorable acts."
The gasp of joy from Sister Euphie makes me beam with pride and happiness. Thank Darwin for her indefatigable kindness and determination.
He places a hand upon his brow, continuing his thought, "I care not for the title of messiah or savior. But though mine mask and bearing be that of the Demon King, I have yet some notion of chivalry and nobility within me. I dare any here, to proclaim a reason why the Demon King cannot lay claim to the title of HERO!"
This...this is better than I ever expected. He really has changed.
"We have the chance to create something new! A world that does not suffer from the cruelty of Britannia, the oppression of the Chinese, or the corruption of Europia! I DECLARE MY INTENT TO FULFILL THE DIVINE AMBITION, TO CAPTURE THE WORLD ITSELF BENEATH MY SABLE BANNER!" he yells, throwing his hand forward, fingers spread as the room gasps in shock at what he just said.
Despite it not being a surprise to those of us who are close to him, or half the command staff, it's still a terrifying idea to hear it proclaimed outright. The eternal dream of conquest. Part of me hates it, that my brother should desire such a dubious prize. But the remainder of me, the part that lived through the invasion, that has seen the suffering at home in Japan, in Pendragon, and here in the middle east, that part ruthlessly silences the dissenter. Zero is right. The world must change.
"And I cannot claim that hallowed mantle, the same that Iskander himself sought from ancient Macedonia, without proving myself worthy of it. None shall follow a king who cares more for the blood to be spilled than the battle to be won. Your lives are precious to me, and as your king, I must honor that commitment by doing my best to safeguard them so as few of them are spent as possible."
Wait..is that..it is! I can see Kallen off to the side, frowning in thought at what he's saying. She's not wearing her uniform, so it was a little hard to recognize her with her hair down.
Zero salutes with his right arm, voice carrying across the room as the glow in his eyes intensifies, "Though my body was broken, my spirit never wavered. And I am proud to see that neither has yours. From misfortune comes opportunity, and it is thus my great pleasure to announce that we have achieved a scientific breakthrough. The same science that brought me back, can be used for the benefit of this organization, to strengthen and enhance any who would choose to embrace it!"
In hindsight, I really should have asked to look at his speech. Because the mask is the only reason I'm not visibly gaping in surprise. I hadn't even heard that this was being planned. Is this what he was working on the last few weeks while he was holed up in his room?
"The technology that brought me back was used to restore my destroyed central nervous system, and once I am recovered, I am told it will grant me benefits to my ability to pilot. Indeed, we have seen the results of such a thing once already. Namely, Kewell Soresi and his infernal machine, Siegfried."
THAT's what he's planning? To recreate the same technology as the Siegfried for the Black Knights use? The same thing that restored my legs and his body? ...I'm both frightened and in awe of this. It's a terrifying concept to unleash upon the world. And judging by Nina, whom I can now see in the back, having a look of pride and wonder on her face, I suspect she was enlisted to work on this project.
"Before anyone objects, this WILL be voluntary. I cannot ask anyone to undergo this unwillingly. And none will need to subject themselves to what Jeremiah or I had done to us. That level of surgery and enhancement is impossible to produce en-masse in Jeremiah's case, and suicidal to replicate in mine. And for the record? The cybernetics that replaced my nervous system had an unexpected interaction with my optic nerves, hence the glowing."
Murmuring among the crowd can be heard filling the room, even as large as it is. It's hard to say how well it's being received.
"So if I get this, I'll be able to kick Tohdoh's ass in a knightmare? Sign me, boss man!" Tamaki boasts, raising a fist to the air and letting out a hollar.
Zero chuckles to himself, steepling his fingers, "Ha ha ha ha, as hilarious as that would be for all involved, I regret to inform you that the enhancement is nowhere near that drastic. Even as he is now, Jeremiah is not at the level of Kallen or our long lost friend Suzaku."
A heavy sigh escapes his lips at that name, is he going to tell them? I suppose it's better than leaving them in the dark if he does.
"And speaking of Suzaku, I regret to inform everyone here that we have found out what happened to him. The new Knight of Seven, the White Reaper, is in fact, Suzaku Kururugi."
Judging by the look of consternation on Sister Euphie's face and the look of annoyance on CC's, I don't think this was part of the original speech. He really needs to stop keeping people in the dark about his plans. I'm going to pull his ear next time he takes the mask off.
The crowd grumbles, arguments starting to break out, the words 'traitor', 'scum', and other foul language percolating amongst the multitude.
"Silence."
Zero's deathly serious and frozen tone chills the crowd to the bone as everyone looks to see him gripping the wheelchair with what is likely a white knuckled grip, judging by his fingers tightening on the handles. Even Laila and Alice gulped hearing him speak just now. Even I shivered in fear hearing him...
"Suzaku saved my life, and most of yours. His new allegiance is not voluntary. I have received intelligence that he was subjected to intense torture and brainwashed into serving the emperor. He also is unaware of Euphemia's continued survival. She is officially missing in action, but the general consensus is that she was killed sometime during the Siege or afterwards. This undoubtedly had a dire effect on his mental state."
His right hand gestures to Euphemia, "Furthermore, consider how hurtful that is to Euphemia. She is suffering enough knowing that the man she loves…"
A pregnant pause follows while he strokes the chin of his mask, before muttering to himself, "Fuck it, why not? No reason to hide it."
"Suffering enough knowing that the man we love, is enslaved to the Emperor's will. And yes, I said we. Suzaku is as much mine as he is hers. I will have him back," he snarls in a near demonic voice, the raw fury seemingly dripping from his mask.
Revealing his relationship with Suzaku is not the worst idea. Or perhaps he's past the point of caring.
"Nunna, I think he's going off into crazy-land..," Alice mutters, rolling her eyes. The elbow I deliver to her side is completely warranted. Suggesting otherwise would be absurd.
"Furthermore? The dissension in the ranks that I've observed, the bickering over the course of this organization, the petty arguments over race, culture, blame? That stops NOW."
He hold a fist up in front of his face, clenching it tightly before opening it as though he were holding a sphere in his palm, "Before any of you are Japanese, or Arabic, or Britannian, or any other creed or culture? You are people. Human beings with hopes and dreams. You have all suffered and bleed for what you believe in. For some of you, that was from the beginning of this endeavor. Others are a more recent edition to our cadre. You don't necessarily have to like each other, but you should damn well be able to trust the person next to you to watch your back and save your life. Case in point?"
His hand turns and points to the Glaston Knights, "The Glastons came at great personal risk, forsaking the empire they've been raised by. And from what I've seen, they've been among the first to volunteer for missions, and have not wavered in their commitment."
His finger moves down to Tohdoh, "Or what of General Tohdoh, who has so valiantly kept the peace and held the line to safeguard our depleted ranks during the Siege of Tokyo?"
"Or Princess la Britannia, who granted us this safe harbor and a place to regain our strength and heal our wounds? A risk that would see her executed along with every man, woman and child here? Does she deserve scorn for being part of the imperial family? Or Euphemia, who sacrificed her good name and rank to join this cause? Or Cornelia, who even now, flies our colors after she risked everything to bring the means to save my life?"
His arms cross and swing outward violently, "No I say, such is not the creed of the Black Knights! None of you have a country or a place to call home at this time, not even I! We are people without a nation, without a place to call our own."
Unpleasant as it is to think about, he's not wrong. We are homeless wanderers, bereft of safety and comfort.
"What we do have, is a vision, a dream. An ideal. And that ideal is one I have spoken of previously. The corollary to Emperor Charles' vaunted ideal of 'All men are not created equal.'"
With an air of majesty pressing down upon the assembly, he sweeps his arm across the room, red glow shimmering from his eyes, "But creation does not determine worth."
Creation does not determine worth. I cannot think of a more perfect repudiation of Britannian racism, or even racism in totality than this.
"You will pardon a digression for a moment, but I wish to address NOD at this time before I continue. I promise it ties into what I was driving at. CC, will you translate this into the appropriate lingua franca, which I presume is Arabic?"
With a nod from the greenette, Zero steeples his fingers and takes a deep breath before speaking.
"I will not insult your intelligence by singing the praises of the Middle Eastern Federation. Much like old Japan, it is dead and buried. And none here seek it's rebirth. However, Area 18 cannot be permitted to exist as a yoke around your necks."
Scanning the group by moving his head to gauge their interest, he taps his fingers together.
"Only Allah, or Elohim, or whatever men call their god in this part of the world, is infallible. I do not claim my victory is preordained, or that it can be done without effort. What I do claim, is that destiny has brought us here at this juncture, by our acts of will and courage."
Given how Laila is narrowing her eyes, I'm guessing he didn't discuss any of this with her either. Thus the list of things to berate him for grows longer.
"Some among you may ask, 'why should we serve another Britannian bent on conquest?'. And it is indeed a fair question. Princess la Britannia may have your allegiance, but even she will admit she cannot win a war against Britannia and all the enemies the world can muster."
At that moment, a chilling sound emanates from his mask. The sound of subdued diabolic laughter.
"Ha ha ha ha ha…"
His gloved fist clenches, and then unfurls, long fingers reaching out as he holds his hand, palm face up at them.
"But I can."
He shouldn't be so terrifying, so overwhelming, sitting in a wheelchair, his body still recovering from horrific injury. And yet, there he is. The room is spellbound and enraptured by his word, even delivered secondhand by CC's translation.
"I can, and I will. It will not be easy, it will not be guaranteed, and some here may not live to see it. But I promise you this."
"When this is done, and the world is mine? There will be a place for you, a place to call your own, where your families will not suffer for their place of birth or beliefs, a place where men and women will have justice and a fair chance to better their fortunes instead of a maladjusted scale weighted against them, where corrupt and decadent leadership will not commit peculation of the public trust, a place where the world is open to any and all."
His voice isn't loud, or overbearing, not even strident. It is spoken in a tone of absolute confidence, calmly and surely.
"All I ask, is your aid in making this dream come true for you, those whom you hold in your hearts, and those who will come after. So tell me, what do the men and women of NOD say in response to this entreaty?" he finishes, hands going back to the handrests of his wheelchair as he awaits the crowd's reaction. A reaction all of us on stage wait for with bated breath.
The pause stretches for a period I cannot measure, seconds, minutes, longer? It feels interminably long regardless. And then..
A fist is raised by a man in the front with a white beard and a turban, a look of acknowledgement, as though he had found something within Zero's words and judged it worthy.
السلام على ملك الشياطين!
The loud cry in arabic echoes through the auditorium, penetrating every ear around. What follows is a cascade of voices, men, women, old, young. All chanting two words.
ملك الشياطين!
Malik Al..Shaitin, or is it Shaytini? Whatever it is, CC looks intrigued and-
"Hahahahahahahaha!"
...And clearly Laila understands it, and finds it immensely amusing. As par for the course, she isn't telling anyone what it means before having her fill of laughter.
There are times when I really find her irritating.
I turn my head, giving her a look of anger through my mask as I walk over to her, grabbing her by the lapel of her jacket as I look down at her, my patience with her visibly at a low ebb.
"Laila, my dear sister. Will you be so kind, as to explain what exactly they are chanting and whether we should be worried? It would be most helpful, wouldn't you agree?" I say in the most saccharine and sickeningly sweet tone I can muster, something that causes her to actually turn a few shades lighter, Big Sister Nelly to give me a look of concern, Sister Euphie to bite her lip in worry and Alice...is she blushing?
"Hehehehe, well..um..Malik Al-Shayatini is...the direct translation of the words 'Demon King' into Arabic. I think Zero just usurped my command of NOD. Hehehe…" Laila trails off with nervous laughter as I continue holding her by the jacket before letting go with a sigh.
Well then, I suppose that's good news. As is the fact that Kallen is starting to smile at what she's hearing. Her thinking she can trust Big Brother and CC again is important for her to heal.
With a turn of my heel, I walk back and resume my place by Alice's side, my finger entwining with hers as Zero turns his wheelchair towards the part of the room containing the Black Knights, Britannians, and others, his left hand raised up in a gesture for silence, the NOD contingent quickly quieting down.
"I have much to answer for, this I will not deny. Even now, the land called Area 11, that which was Japan, chafes under the hated brutality of Luciano Bradley, the Vampire of Britannia. A dire punishment imposed by the emperor for our presumption that we could overthrow the Area system and challenge Britannia."
Ugh. A more odious person I don't think I've ever heard of. And that was before I got a glimpse of what he did to Kallen.
"Allow me to explain something that may have escaped the notice of this room."
Before anyone can react, Zero throws a dagger at the ground, the point embedded in the metal surface, blade vibrating for a moment as the hilt points upward at the angle.
"This action by the Emperor is not just a punishment for the Japanese! It is an admission of weakness! It is proof that just as this dagger has pierced the ground, so did we pierce Britannia's aura of invincibility and strike a telling blow!" he bellows, index finger pointing at the embedded weapon.
The effect this has on the room is nigh instantaneous, so striking is the contrast. Before he threw his weapon, there was hatred, despondence, malaise, sorrow at what was happening. Now?
Now there is determination, vibrant energy, hope.
"I swear to you, all of you now. I will not rest, until monsters like Luciano Bradley no longer have the power to do as they please with impunity! Till there is justice that cares not for the origin of your blood or the color of your skin! Till my hand has destroyed this wicked world, and crafted a new and better one!"
With as much movement as is possible in a wheelchair, Zero lowers his head and upper torso, doing a half version of a stage bow, or perhaps a kneeling pose? Regardless, the message carries forth.
"So I ask of you, my knights, my war demons, my heroes of justice. Willst thou stand with thy king once more?"
With bated breath, I grip Alice's hand and my sister Laila's, waiting as the room grows heavy with anticipation for the answer.
And then, almost as one, The Black Knights kneel in the knight's pose.
"天下布武、陛下!!" "YES YOUR MAJESTY!" (Military rule all under heaven, your majesty!)
Even were I still blind, I would be able to feel the triumphant smile upon Big Brother's visage as he salutes with both arms across his chest.
"I shall not forget the faith you have entrusted to me. We will save this world, though it fight us to the bitter end. FOR JUSTICE! FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE! 天下布武!"
"天下布武!!" "天下布武!!" "天下布武!!"
I can hear Sister Euphemia chanting it quietly, even Big Sister Nelly too. CC is learning on the back of the wheelchair, Big Brother reaching his arm back to hold her hand as they look upon the faces of people who dwelt in despair, misery and loss, their fears assuaged by a single gift.
The gift of hope. Hope that they can make a difference. That Zero can do the impossible and change the world.
And I will be there every step of the way, to make sure that he stays the Big Brother I love so much. Because I can do no less for all that he's sacrificed for my sake.
