"Lelouch"-Speech
'What'-Thoughts
"{Live}"-Geass Command
"Stop"-Loudspeaker
"Report"-Radio
Chapter 18: Geass Vs. Geass
September 11th, Port Yokosuka, 8:29 P.M.
Diethard Ried
Diethard approached the Knightmare cockpit. He was inching towards the battlefield when he heard a woman's voice, which turned out to be Villetta Nu. He saw that Zero was unconscious, his helmet off, and Villetta holding his hair. He was approaching from the side, and was currently unnoticed.
'Zero must not fall.' He pulled out a pistol Administrator Ohgi gave him. Though he never used a gun on an actual person, he was confident he could at least hit her. Villetta turned behind, looking at something. She said something, but he couldn't make out what.
'Is there a second person there?'
Villetta stood up, swinging a pistol out. Before Diethard could register what she was aiming at, he fired. Villetta was shocked as the bullet hit her lower torso. He fired once more, hitting her right shoulder, and she fell into the water. As Diethard exited between the two shipping containers, he got a look at the second person. It turned out to be a young girl, not even twenty, wearing a school uniform, light yellow with golden trims and black cuffs. She had Orange hair and green eyes with a hint of yellow. The gun she held was fixed on the spot where Villetta had stood a moment ago.
"You're a kid?" Diethard inquired, surprised that a kid would come anywhere near this place of their own volition. He noticed the girl's arms were shaking, and she was staring at him with confusion.
'Did she pull the gun out when I shot her, or was Villetta pulling her gun out to shoot the girl. Doesn't matter, this student could be a problem.' He swung the pistol, aiming for her, with the girls eyes widening in fear. Despite his curiosity, common sense ruled him out here.
"Sorry, kid."
"Shirley…" a weak voice wheezed out. Both turned, and saw Zero was awake, if barely. Diethard saw that Zero apparently had black hair and purple eyes. Blood was trailing down (up?) his head as he looked at the girl.
"What are you doing here…" Zero soon passed out again.
"Lelouch!" The girl, who he now knew was called Shirley, dropped the gun and, as if Diethard didn't exist, dropped on her knees next to Zero.
'They know each other?' Diethard's common sense told him 'If these two are friends, killing her might not be the best idea', so he put the pistol away. He quickly grabbed the gun Shirley dropped, and moved to Zero. He could see gray smoke in the distance, meaning Celaeno had begun the final part of the plan, and were evacuating.
"If you want to help," he commands her, "Then help me carry him."
Shirley nodded, backing off so he could pull him out of the cockpit while she picked up his helmet. He then lifted him up, and had Zero's arms draped over the two's shoulders.
It took some time, but they dragged him to the outskirts of the docks, into a warehouse that they were using. However, when they entered, they found it empty.
'Looks like this one already evacuated.' "Place him down behind those crates. We don't want someone to wander by and see him."
"Right." Shirley and Diethard placed Zero down, sitting upright against a crate.
Shirley
Shirley knelt down to Lelouch, taking off his cape, before quickly checking his head. There was a laceration across the left side of his head. On his purple outfit, part of the left arm had a darker shade than the rest, with a piece of the clock slashed. Any nervousness she had completely left her as she went into overdrive.
"Do you have any medical supplies, like compression bandages?"
Diethard raised an eyebrow. "I'm a reporter of the Britannian government."
Shirley gave him the stick eye.
'I don't know what news reporter qualifications are!'
"Of course I do." He pulled out a roll of bandages.
"Good." She took the bandages.
"Perhaps I should~"
"Does your father work with scientists, and is your mother a nurse?"
That shut him up real quick.
"Then let me focus." Shirley shocked herself at how assertive she was, but buried it to focus on Lelouch, ripping open the cut cloth on his arm, showing several cuts in it.
'The laceration takes priority.' She turned her attention back to his head.
Diethard
Diethard observed the girl tending to Zero. He stood behind another crate, watching the entrance for any unwanted guests. Pulling out a radio, he called Celaeno.
"Celaeno, this is Diethard Ried."
"Mr. Ried," Celaeno's voice replied, clearly annoyed, "Would you like to explain yourself?"
"I'll fully accept punishment for my actions, however, we have a situation. Someone saw Zero with his mask off."
"...What." She deadpanned, but he could sense restrained fury and horror.
"There's a girl here."
"What did you do?"
"I was going to kill her, but it seems they may know each other. Currently she's tending to Zero's wounds. He'll need a pickup, however."
"...Blond hair, blue eyes?"
'Wait, another girl knows who Zero is?' "No," he replied, hiding the shock from his voice, "I believe Zero called her Shirley. She has long~"
"Orange hair," Celaeno interrupted, her voice softer, "With green eyes."
'So they do know each other.' "Yes, ma'am."
"...(Sigh) Keep an eye on her. If she's harmed, you'll share her fate. We'll have a car pickup the two, and one of our men will pick up you, in that order."
"Understood."
Diethard stood guard and watched as Shirley treated Zero. However, his thoughts were in overdrive as he tried to discern his identity.
'Black hair, purple eyes, younger than twenty, older than ten, no, fifthteen. There's not that many people with purple eyes. But I'm still not getting much. Lelouch...that name sounds familiar. Where have I heard it?'
Deciding to take a different approach, he looked more closely at Shirley.
'Shirley, orange hair, green eyes. Both are not that common. The tie on her school uniform has the sigil for the former Ashford House, so she must attend Ashford Private Academy in Tok~'
Like a switch, it all clicked together.
'Ashford.'
The Ashfords once served Empress Marianne, the Commoner Empress, but lost almost all their assets when she was murdered. That alone would give them cause to despise Britannia.
Miss Villetta Nu wanted his help investigating schools, starting with Ashford.
Now, an Ashford student knows Zero.
The Ashfords are very likely allied with the Black Knights.
Finally, Zero's name is Lelouch.
Empress Marianne had a son with that exact name. He was called~
"Lelouch vi Britannia." Diethard whispered, though, loud enough for Shirley to hear. She froze, shifting her eyes to him, as if she had just been caught red-handed. However, she went back to treating Zero, though there was a slight fear in her eyes. Diethard was using all his years of reporting to keep his face from bursting into a cheshire grin.
'So she knows he's a prince. Honestly, I couldn't beg for a better story. This almost seems like a fairy tale.'
Shirley
After a couple of minutes, with Lelouch having been treated, the back faculty doors to the warehouse opened. Diethard whipped around, aiming his pistol at the sound. Two men wearing Black Knights attire approached them.
"You Shirley?" One of them said, which Shirley nodded, "Follow us. Diethard, you're with him." He gestured to the second one, which Diethard followed. Shirley, with the help of the first man, lifted Lelouch up. When they exited the warehouse, she saw a black car with black tinted windows. She noticed there was a privacy divider as well.
"You enter first," the man said, which Shirley complied, "We'll have to lie him down."
Shirley blushed. The car wasn't that wide, so, if he was lying down, his head would be on her lap. She shyly nodded, leaning over to help lie him down. After they were situated, the man closed the door and banged on the top three times. The car began moving, heading out of Port Yokosuka.
"Ugh." Lelouch grunted, lifting his eyes barely. He looked up, seeing Shirley.
"Lulu." Shirley said.
"Shirley," Lelouch whispered, still exhausted, "What are you doin~"
"Shhhh," Shirley gently interrupted him, placing her left hand on the top of his head. "Just rest for now. Your men are taking you home. You can be mad at me there. Just rest."
Whether Lelouch took her advice, or was simply overexhaustion, he quickly fell asleep in her lap. Soon, however, the events that unfolded took a toll on her as well, and she slowly drifted to sleep.
Celaeno
Celaeno was currently in a semi truck's trailer, waiting for any intel on Zero's condition. Her radio sparked to life, and it almost seemed to teleport to her hand.
"Report."
"Both Zero and the girl are safely onboard, heading back to the Nest. Diethard was also retrieved."
'Oh, thank God.' "Good. Injuries?"
"It appears Zero took some injuries to the head and one of his arms, though they seem to be treated."
"Either way, we'll have our doctors take a look."
"Copy that. Over and out."
With that, Celaeno placed the radio back on her hip.
'Shirley now knows that Lelouch is Zero. Probably guessed that I'm Celaeno. Not good.'
"Hey," a Black Knight said, "We're missing some rifles." In the trailer was a metal crate that contained all the Arcadon rifles. They would be placed into the crate, and locked into place with claps. However, it seems three were missing.
"We may have left them behind. We did lose some infantry."
"Don't worry," the voice of Talio replied, "It's not that much of an issue." Despite the risks, the twins insisted that one of them was here to see the mass-produced Arcadons in action.
"You're not worried that the Britannians will start making Arcadons of their own." Celaeno retorted.
"Nope! And here's why." He placed her hand onto the crate, which then scanned it. A red button appeared and, upon pressing it, the red ammo counter on each of the Arcadons was replaced with a green INACTIVE.
Suzaku
Suzaku was currently outside the Lancelot, observing the situation. Overall, they lost a third of their forces, and they don't know how many the Black Knights brought, so they can't report their casualties. He could see Lady Enneagram, Rai, as well as Prince Pollux and Castor discussing things. Prince Castor made a side glance to him, and subtly motioned him to come over.
"Did we get any more intel on them?" Pollux inquired.
"Not much," Nonette replied, "I'm just glad we kept them from getting to you."
"I don't believe you were the targets," Rai countered, "But, rather, our forces. When Celaeno killed Prince Clovis, we retaliated by sending two Royalties with combat experience. When you failed, a Knight of the Round was sent. Zero is wounding us, but he knows that if even one of you dies, the Emperor will send a much stronger force, possibly even Lord Waldstein."
"In other words," Castor replied, "We shouldn't expect him to try to kill us in the foreseeable future."
"Doesn't mean he won't eventually, Sub-Viceroy," Pollux retorted, "So don't get comfortable. I'm going to check up on Generals Dalton and Guilford." Pollux then left the group, leaving only the four of them.
"Suzaku," Castor said, "What's your opinion on Suwa? I noticed that you were engaging her during the battle."
"She's passionate, that much is certain. I'd say she's the most loyal of them all."
"Yeah, we figured. If she's named after one of your people's gods, her will is ironclad."
"On the bright side," Nonette replied, "I've learned a clue to Celaeno's identity."
All three whipped their heads at her, shocked.
"Well," Castor exclaimed, "Shoot."
"She said a statement during our battle. Something a teacher once said to me."
"Which teacher?"
"Jonan Grant. He was a combat instructor at the Camlann Military Academy. She said his statement word for word."
"Well," Rai replied, "That narrows down the list."
"Agreed," Castor continued, "Not only does this mean she's Britannian, but also that she was a noble lady. Me and Pollux were already theorizing that Zero and Celaeno were Britannian, but now this confirms it. Nonette, is Jonan still a teacher?"
"No. He died of old age two years ago. He only served as a teacher for five years, though."
"That narrows it down extremely. Well done, Nonette."
"Your Highness," a soldier exclaimed as he approached them, "We've found something." The group turned and saw a white and black rifle in his hands.
"Is that what I think it is?" Castor inquired, eyes wide with joy.
"It is," Suzaku replied, "It's one of the rifles the Black Knights use to destroy Knightmares."
The soldier handed the rifle to Castor, who inspected the weapon.
"This weapon will change the rules of warfare, and not for the better. Britannia is the leading country on Knightmare development. So much so that we're almost dependent on it. These guns would make them much more vulnerable. We should find out what makes these weapons tick, so we can make our own. If we can even the playing field, then all the better. How many have you found?"
"We've been able to find four others, your Highness."
At that moment, the ammo counter on the side changed to a red ACTIVE. Only Suzaku and Rai noticed it, while the others were focused on the soldier.
'What the~?' The center of the rifle began emitting a light glow, but was quickly growing brighter.
"CASTOR!" Rai yelled, but Suzaku was faster, he quickly charged at the prince and kicked the rifle out of his hands, sending it several yards away. All of them were shocked, and Nonette even gripped her sword, thinking Suzaku was attacking him, before they all noticed that the rifle began glowing even brighter.
"Get back!" Nonette exclaimed, causing all of them to run and duck from the rifle as it exploded with the force of a hand grenade. Suzaku jumped on top of Castor to shield him from any shrapnel, while Nonette did the same for Rai. When the smoke cleared, the rifle was split in two,and both parts were starting to melt. Several soldiers ran to the prince and Nonette to make sure they were alright. While Castor, Nonette, and Rai were alright, Suzaku took a piece of shrapnel to his left shoulder. Castor immediately ordered the men to get him to medical, even demanding his personal medic treat him.
"Your highness," Suzaku grunted, even as he was being lifted up, "Are you alright?"
"Gah, forget about me! Get yourself healed up."
With a shocked look on his face, Suzaku was escorted away from the group.
Castor
'God damn, that was close!'
A moment later, Pollux, Dalton, and Guilford all came running
"What the HELL just happened!?"
"The damn rifle was rigged to blow," Nonette replied angrily, "If Suzaku hadn't tossed the rifle away from Prince Castor, he'd be dead."
"Where's Kururugi now?"
"Getting treated," Castor replied, "A piece of the gun lodged itself into his shoulder when he tossed himself onto me to shield me. Nonette did the same thing for Rai."
"Damnit. Wait, does that mean~" They could hear small explosions in the distance, "That the rest were rigged as well."
"Ingenious," Castor growled, "They must have a device inside each weapon that super heats it, causing it to melt. This makes sure that none of their weapons fall into enemy hands."
"Why did they explode, then." Nonette replied.
"The bullets fired from them must have an explosive material added to them. When the gun super heats, it ignites it, causing the explosion."
"That's IT!" Surprisingly, it was Pollux who made that outburst.
'Oh booooy.'
"I've underestimated Zero long enough! Nonette, I need you to send a message to the Homeland, requesting reinforcements. Even if I have to suffer more humiliation, this WILL NOT STAND!"
Nearly everyone there was ramrod straight as Pollux stormed off. Almost none of them knew what brought this sudden rage from the normally collected Viceroy.
Almost none of them.
'Even after all these years, still treating me like I'm the younger sibling.'
September 11th, The Nest, Tokyo Settlement, 11:45 P.M.
Lelouch
Lelouch, wearing his outfit, barring the helmet, was sitting on the couch in his office, having woken up in the Nest. Despite his injuries, the doctors said he'll make a rapid recovery. Even though he should be getting rest, he had one issue he had to deal with first. His second girlfriend, Shirley, sitting across from him. Even though Cornelia wanted to be there for him, he insisted that this was something he had to do.
'How did it come to this? Geassing her would be the simplest answer. So am I not using it?'
For the longest time, the two just sat there, Shirley too nervous to say anything.
"So," Lelouch broke the silence, "You now know who I am."
"Yeah." Shirley replied, her head hanging low in shame.
"Shirl~"
"Thanks."
Lelouch was shocked. What would Shirley be thanking him for? He made no response.
"I just wanted to thank you, before you do whatever it is you're going to do. You saved my father from being buried alive at Narita. He's the kindest man I know, and you saved him, despite him working for a horrible group of people."
"He gave me valuable intel. I was simply paying for his services."
"Was that the only reason?"
Lelouch allowed a smile to form. "Possibly."
It wasn't. He simply didn't want to see Shirley sad.
"So, what are you going to do now?"
"I don't know. I hate that you're fighting, but I can understand why. Does...does Euphie and Nunnally know?"
"Euphie does. Nunnally...I can't even begin to imagine how to tell her about this. Nunnally despises any form of fighting, unless it's self-defense, and, even then, she hates it. Euphie does as well, but understands that words can only do so much before violence is the only answer. Nunnally would try to 'save our souls', and try to hinder us, which would cause issues."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. And Milly, is she involved?"
"We're under our school right now."
Shirley's eyes widened, instinctively looking upward, before looking back at him.
"Does that mean that Ashford Academy~"
"Every faculty member, from the teachers, to the guards, are part of this. Though, their only purpose is to maintain Ashford Academy. I do want my classmates to have an education, thank you." He said the last part jokingly, to lighten the mood, but failed miserably.
Shirley gave a forced laugh. "It's funny. All these years I thought you were lazy, and didn't take school seriously. Little did I know that you pretty much ran the school."
"Shirley, I have to ask again. What are you going to do? I know of a technique that can erase any knowledge you have that I'm Zero." Shirley looked shocked at him, "You don't have to decide now, of course. I'll give you until tomorrow night, so you can have some rest, and collect your thoughts."
"Okay." She got up, heading for the door, "By the way, the man who was with me."
"Yes?"
"He knows you're a prince. He said your name. Not Lamperouge, but Vi Britannia."
'God damnit. How is it that everyone has started discovering my identity since I put on the mask?!' The door slid open, revealing Celaeno.
"Cornelia?" Shirley hesitantly inquired, like someone making sure that was their name.
"Celaeno while you're here," she calmly replied, "I'll be escorting you back to Ashford."
"Celaeno," Lelouch exclaimed, "Once you do, schedule a time when we can speak with Diethard. It seems he stumbled upon knowledge that he shouldn't have."
She nodded, and the two left, the door sliding shut. He put the helmet on, and turned on the comm link.
"Minami?"
"Yes, sir."
"Have someone shadow the girl we brought back. Make sure she's safe."
"Of course."
'Now I just need to figure out how to deal with Diethard. While Geassing my men wouldn't be recommended, I'm much more inclined to use it on him than Shirley. Based on his personality, I don't think he'll reveal my identity, so it can wait until later. Right now,' Lelouch laid down on the couch, 'I need some sleep, and I don't feel like getting into my bed.'
September 12th, Tokyo Settlement, 1:20 P.M.
Suzaku
"How is the shoulder, Kururugi?" Viceroy Pollux inquired, checking up on Suzaku after he was released from Castor's personal physician.
'Pollux, not Castor, is concerned about me?' "Um, it's alright. Sore, and still hurts, but the doctor said it should heal before tomorrow."
"Yes, if it wasn't for our Knightmares, Britannia would be considered the leading country in the medical fields." He turned to the doctor. "Leave us."
When it was just the two of them, Pollux went to the window, and looked out over the city.
"I'm not one for emotional moments," he spoke with a more passionate tone, compared to his monotone attitude, "I tend to keep things professional. However, my twin Castor is one of the few weaknesses I have. I believe your people would say 'the Yin to my Yang'." He turned, looking at Suzaku for confirmation, which he nodded. "I don't think Castor would want me to tell you this, but he wants to die."
'WHAT!?' Suzaku would've yelled, had his mouth not been frozen from shock.
"Specifically, death in battle, like a warrior. It's a stupid thing to want, but I've never been able to dissuade him. He'll fight tooth and nail to survive a fight, but, if he died in battle, he'd be happy."
"Then," Suzaku replied, "Why were you so angry after the incident at Yokosuka." He may have been escorted away, but he could hear Pollux's outburst.
"I may hate his wish, but that doesn't mean I won't be a good twin. If he got his wish, I'd mourn, but I'd be content knowing he got what he wanted. But, back there, nearly being killed by a terrorist trick. That's something I can't abide. And now we come to the core of my visit. Suzaku Kururugi, you shielded Castor from the bomb."
Suzaku looked down. "I just did what anyone else would've done."
"No, not everyone would. Some people prioritize their own survival when faced with a crisis, and that's normal. Not only that, but you have more reason than any other Eleven to hate my family."
Suzaku looked back up in absurdity.
"I'm not blind. Suzaku Kururugi, son of Genbu Kururugi, Prime Minister of Japan. Your father died during the Second Pacific War. You have more reasons than most to hate not just my family, but all of Britannia. Yet, even with all that, you didn't hesitate to not only get the bomb away from Castor, but also shielded him from the blast. I cannot allow such loyalty to go unrewarded. As such, starting from this moment, you're being promoted to lieutenant."
'What!? Only a few Numbers have ever reached that rank.'
"Not only that, but, if you continue to warrant promotions, you'll get the rank of major, and can apply for Knighthood."
'Why is my head feeling dizzy?'
"Normally, this would be impossible for you. Yes, any major can apply for Knighthood, but it's not guaranteed that they'll be accepted, though the chances are higher if they are endorsed by a high ranking military or political figure. For you, they'd reject you. Even if you had an endorsement from Dalton, you'd be rejected simply for being a Number. However, if you have an endorsement from me, they'd be forced to take a closer look at your skills, and judge you more fairly, or else potentially angering a member of the Imperial Family."
Suzaku had to sit back down, as he was feeling light headed. He brushed a hand up his forehead and through his hair, wiping away the sweat building up. Even though he was still too shocked to react much, mentally he was smiling.
'You see, Zero. You can change the system. You just need the right moment. Even if it's only because of you that I got this chance.'
His phone, a gift from Lloyd, buzzed on the desk adjacent to the hospital bed. He looked and saw it was a text from Miss Cecile.
[She's here.]
Suzaku widened his eyes.
'It's already the 12th?' "Um, sorry, Prince Pollux, something's come up at the ASEEC."
"Of course. Duty calls."
With that, Suzaku left the room, heading for the ASEEC main trailer.
The Nest
Zero
Both Zero and Celaeno were inside his office, with Zero sitting at his desk, and Celaeno behind him. Across from him was Diethard Ried, who looked ecstatic. They were going to question him on how he found out he was Lelouch vi Britannia. Yes, Shirley saying his first name would've been a huge hint, but it wasn't enough.
"So," Zero finally spoke, "You know who we are under the mask."
"Yes, Lord Zero."
'Despite him knowing my face, he still refers to me as 'Lord Zero'. A good sign.' "How? I understand the girl may have said my name, but I doubt that was all that was needed."
"No. Of course not. I had only vaguely remembered your name because it was something Prince Clovis would sometimes mention. The girl's clothing, however, was the key. She was wearing an Ashford student uniform. Before Narita, a woman named Villetta Nu approached me, asking for my help in investigating the schools, starting with Ashford Academy. It was quite clear she was looking for someone. So we have a woman investigating Ashford, and now a student who knows your name is Lelouch. After that, it all fell into place."
'I'm impressed.' "So, because she wore an Ashford uniform, you deduced that the Ashfords may be working with us, and, because you knew my name is Lelouch, you concluded that I was Lelouch vi Britannia."
"It's as you said. However, I had to be beyond sure. So, on a hunch, I said your name, and the girl looked panicked. Not by you, but by me knowing your name."
"Deceptive. And, what's your opinion?"
Diethard took an almost feral grin.
"It's the story of the millennium!"
Zero backed into his chair, and Celaeno did a double take.
"Excuse me?"
"Forgive me, my Lord. But, if I deserted you now, I doubt I'd ever find a story more grand than yours. When I joined, I pictured your story as the maskless man, representing the common citizen, striking out against a corrupt empire. It was a thrilling story to document, but, this, this is beyond grand. A prince and princess, one the son of the only empress not born into royalty but favored by the emperor, and the princess being one of the top graduates of Britannia's most prestigious military academy. Both had bright futures, only to have it taken away. One when his family was ripped apart, the other who abandoned it after seeing how cruel the prince was treated."
'Okay, not what I was expecting. Slightly off, but it does sound like a thrilling story.'
"After being casted out, they were thought dead when Britannia invaded the country they were in. However, years later, they return and, having seen the corruption of their country, raised an army to rebel against them. I doubt whatever gods exist could get me a better story. Of course, I can only give you my word that I won't speak of your identities to anyone. I simply wish to be by your side as I record your story, right down to the no doubt thrilling conclusion."
Zero was, honestly, a little impressed with the man's ideals.
'He doesn't care about right and wrong, only the story. He hates stagnation, which is why he joined us. I already knew this, but to see his passion first hand. Honestly, I can't tell if I should be worried, or impressed.'
"Despite your clear devotion, Diethard," Zero said, "I have to take some precautions."
"Of course."
Zero pulled out a device, a silver capsule. (Think of the neuralyzer from Men in Black)
"This device allows for a mild form of mind control. I'm hoping you'll cooperate with us on this."
Truth be told, it didn't actually brainwash people, but this allowed him to use his geass more easily. The only ones who knew of his geass were himself, Celaeno, the twins, and Robbie, and he'd like to keep it that way. If he used his geass while in the field, his men would question how he did it. The 'device' would make it an easy explanation.
Diethard looked frightened for a moment.
"Don't worry. I won't force you to be loyal, and, even if I did, it wouldn't work that effectively. It only allows for simply, non-life threatening commands. I'll simply make it so that you cannot disclose either of our identities until a certain objective is met."
Diethard seemed to calm down at that.
"Very well, my Lord."
Zero pressed a button, causing the top to extend, and reveal three black lights.
"I want you to focus on me, and me alone." Zero pressed a second button, causing the three lights to flash different colors rapidly. Diethard maintained focus on Zero, despite the flashing lights, and a section of Zero's mask slid back, revealing his eye.
"{You will not speak, or in anyway reveal, the birth names of Zero and Celaeno, until every member of the Dark Council is aware of it.}"
Zero deactivated the device, and his geass. Diethard's eyes returned to normal, and he shook his head, trying to clear the headache.
"D-Did it work?" Diethard inquired.
"Let's test it." Celaeno replied, heading to the door and knocking it twice. It slide opened, revealing Kallen and Ohgi.
"Diethard, could you tell Ohgi what our names are?"
He was conflicted, but he eventually stood up and faced Ohgi. "Their names are Lelouch v~uurg." He looked shocked, as his mouth no longer obeyed his thoughts. "He's called~hergul."
"What did you do?!" Ohgi exclaimed, both him and Kallen shocked at what happened to Diethard.
"A little toy that the twins made. It can cause a form of mind control, as well as other potential benefits."
"That's," Kallen replied, slightly disturbed, "A little cruel."
"Which is why," Zero placed the capsule in a pocket on his suit, "We only will have one, and it will stay with me. Now, Diethard, you still have work to do with Ohgi concerning Kannon's Embrace. I expect you to work double time concerning the mess you made."
Diethard bowed, "Of course, my Lord."
With that, Diethard, Ohgi, and Celaeno left the room, leaving only Kallen and Zero.
"How's Shirley?" Kallen asked, concerned.
"She's obviously got a lot on her mind. Based on the situation, I'm glad Diethard intervened. It seemed like Shirley was about to kill the woman to protect me. There are some people who should never stain their hands with blood."
"You love her, don't you?"
"..."
Kallen scoffed, "Of course. You couldn't be content with Milly." After a second, she shook her head in shame, "I'm sorry, that was inappropriate, given what happened to her last night."
"No, no, you were completely justified. I've tried to distance myself from as many traits of my father, including having a harem as wide as Mt. Fuji. However, emotions, and Milly, just can't seem to keep me handled. As for Shirley, if she doesn't want anything to do with us, I'll use the device to make her forget that I'm Zero."
Narita Mountains
Shirley
"I don't want her involved in this war."
Shirley stood in front of a stone pillar. It was erected shortly after the battle, as a memorial. Despite all that happened, she couldn't get her mind off of Lelouch. She figured coming here, the place where her father could've died, would've helped clear her head. For the most part, it did. It all made sense why Lelouch was doing this, but she still didn't like it.
'All I wanted was a simple life. Even after me and Rivalz discovered their identities as royalty, I still hoped I could have simplicity. However, Lulu is Zero, and I almost killed a person when she discovered that. When did everything get so complicated?'
"When indeed?"
Shirley jumped out of her skin as she whipped around, seeing a man with silver hair and a light blue jacket. He had a pair of headphones, as well as sunglasses covering his eyes.
'Did he say that part out loud?!'
"A fine memorial, isn't that right, Shirley Fenette?"
"How…Who~"
"He's a cruel person, isn't he?" The man questioned. When Shirley didn't respond, he added, "Lelouch."
'He knows!?' "How do you know about him?"
"He deceived you. Never told you he was Zero. As for how I know, you didn't trust him either. Had you and your pal Rivalz look up dear Lulu's backstory."
'He knows we investigated him. Then~Wait, could he be part of the group that~'
"Killed his mother?" He interrupted, "Oh, I don't bother with politics. Let's talk about you. Back when Miss Nu discovered Lelouch, you were fully prepared to defend him. If it wasn't for that reporter, you'd have blood on your hands, but you wouldn't have minded. All because you know Lulu would have forgiven you. You may not have killed, but you've got the heart of a murderer, just like him."
"No, nonono, you're lying!" At this moment, Shirley noticed a man, wearing a black jacket and gray pants, slowly approaching from the treeline on her right, behind the man, a dozen yards away. He placed a hand on his hip, and she saw a gun in a holster. He pulled something out of his coat pocket, revealing a Black Knight insignia.
'If I can just keep his attention on me.' "Why are you interested in Lelouch." She inquired, still terrified.
"Simply put, he has someone that doesn't belong to him. I want her back."
'Her? Who could he be~Wait, the girl that joined Ashford, C.C.'
"Oh, good," The man exclaimed happily, "You know her."
'How is he DOING THIS?!' "What do you want with Claudia?"
The happy expression on the man turned to one of confusion, then anger.
"What?" He deadpanned.
"That's her name, isn't it? Claudia Celeste."
"You're lying! She wouldn't ever tell people her name."
Shirley could feel the man's anger boiling.
"She prefers being called C.C.," Shirley replied, trying to calm the man down, as the Black Knight quietly unhooked the harness on his piston, "She's a very nice lady, and she hasn't been harmed."
"LIAR! C.C. would NEVER tell anyone her name to some bitch like you!"
The Black Knight was now within ten feet, and was about to pull his pistol.
"And YOU can just be QUIET!" The mystery man whipped around, grabbing the man's arm and yanking him towards him. As he did so, he pulled out a dagger, and plunged it into the Black Knight's throat, causing Shirley to scream. The Black Knight only had time to pull out the pistol before he was dead. The pistol was thrown from his grip, and landed behind Shirley. Shirley quickly turned and was about to run away, intending to grab the pistol as she fled. She only got a foot before the man grabbed her hair.
"Oh no you don't!"
Shirley felt something metal hit her skull, and her world went black.
ASEEC Mobile Base, Tokyo Settlement, 1:35 P.M.
Milly Ashford
'I have to say, this man is certainly more interesting than I gave him credit for.' Milly thought as she sat near Lord Asplund, wearing a red dress and a pink hat, the best dress her 'mother' could get her. Initially, when she reached the meeting place for their 'date', he wasn't there. However, soon after, a truck approached, driven by a woman called Cecile Croomy, told her that she'd bring her to Lloyd. Apparently, this was the plan the whole time, as he's fully invested in his work. She was now sitting in the ASEEC main trailer, watching Lloyd work at one of the computer terminals.
"Are you surprised? Most matchmaking dates take place in hotels or restaurants."
"Yes, well, I should've expected otherwise, Lord Asplund. I did hear that you had a...unique personality."
"Unique? OhHo, what a delightfully artful way to put it."
"I highly doubt, though, that you're interested in a girl from a fallen family like the Ashfords simply because of my looks."
"Insightful as well? Wonderful."
Miss Croomy came up to the two, holding a tray with several tea cups and pots.
"Sorry for the inconvenience." Milly said to Cecile. Milly only agreed to this to get her mother off her back, and now, having seen how eccentric Lloyd is, she can only imagine how some as...normal, as Miss Croomy, must have to deal with. Not only that, but it seems they were in the middle of testing when this 'date' took place.
"It's no trouble," Cecile replied, a small smile on her face, "Take your time."
"No need for that," Lloyd retorted, going back to the computer, "Why draw it out? Let's get married."
If Milly was drinking the tea, she would have done a spit take. Instead, she simply looked gobsmacked.
"What? Just like that?!"
"Getting cold feet?"
'Oh boy. This man's an enigma.'
"Nope, not like this."
Cecile and Lloyd both looked at her, the former in confusion, and latter amused, as if he was interested in what she was going to say.
"Oh," Lloyd replied, "What could you possibly mean by that."
"The only reason I even accepted meeting you is so that it would get my mother off my back. She's desperate to get back into the nobility. Even though I already have a plan of how to do that, she's impatient." A white lie. It was technically her mother and Lelouch made that deal, but she was present.
"Ooooh, and just how were you planning on doing that?"
"Only that it involves my boyfriend."
"Boyfriend. Already cheating, I see?"
"Oh, no, he knows about this. Furious, yes, but he understands that I have no interest in marrying you, and only took it so I could get some breathing room from her."
"And, how would you compare him to me?"
"Well, he may not be as smart as you are when it comes to these Knightmares, but he could run circles around you in chess." Milly looked up and down Lloyd's attire. "Scratch that, he could simply run circles around you."
If Lloyd was offended, he didn't show it, while Cecile covered her mouth to hide her smile. However, Cecile had a strange look on her face. Like she was waiting for an opportunity.
"I must say, he sounds like an interesting fellow. I don't suppose I could meet him."
"Afraid not. He doesn't like noblemen that much, especially since he mostly takes their money through gambling."
"Ah. Very well. If you wish, we'll keep the charade for another week or two."
"Wait, really?"
"Of course, I'm not much into romance, anyway."
"I can't simply take up your time like this without giving you something in return." Milly looked deep in thought, however, she already had a plan. "Well, my family still have the plans for the Ganymede. I know it's an older Knightmare, but would it~" Lloyd's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Why, of course those would work."
"Thank you," Milly replied, standing up and bowing to him, "Lord Asplund."
'First step completed.'
"Let me escort you back to Ashford." Cecile exclaimed. The two went down to the ground floor, and, as they approached the exit, another person entered the room.
'Suzaku Kururugi.' Milly knew that Suzaku was the pilot of the Lancelot, and Lelouch's first true friend.
"I can buy you two minutes," Cecile told Suzaku, dangerously quiet, "Make them count."
'Huh?'
Cecile pressed a button on her datapad, and another console on the opposite end of the trailer started sparking. Lloyd started having a panic attack when he saw the console beginning to catch fire.
"Cecile, support!"
"Right!" Cecile handed Suzaku the datapad, before running to help him.
"What's happening?" Milly whispered.
"Miss Ashford," Suzaku Kururugi exclaimed, "There's something you need to see." Suzaku brought up the datapad, and showed her a clip. It was a video of the Kawaguchi Hotel crisis, specifically, the clip the JLF showed of the hostages. Suzaku paused the video, and zoomed in on Lelouch and Euphie.
'He knows!'
"Miss Ashford, I saw him several weeks ago, so I know he's alive. And I couldn't forget her eyes. I simply want you to deliver a message. That there are Britannians who are willing to help them, and even be loyal only to them. Can you please deliver that to them."
'He doesn't know that Lelouch is Zero, but it seems that some people know that he and his sisters are alive.'
"I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you, Miss Ashford."
'Well, things got even more intersting.'
The Nest, 2:30 P.M.
Zero
Zero was currently looking over statistics, and other documents relating to the organization. He was extremely glad he compartmentalized it, having separate divisions have their own paperwork. It certainly saved him a mountain of work. C.C. was also in the room, lounging on the couch and eating a pizza. Wrapped around her left arm was a large yellow plushie with a black top hat. She called it cheese-kun, and it was a loyalty reward from Pizza Hut. She would've gotten it weeks ago but was on 'Pizza Probation' for a couple weeks.
'That's what you get for telling Rivalz I was royalty.'
"You know, Lelouch," C.C. exclaimed, still disregarding his rebel title, "I'm surprised you haven't used your Geass on her yet. You did so very easily to your friend Rivalz."
"I only needed to make him forget your appearance, which was easy. This is erasing an entire night from her mind. Bigger chance of causing an issue. To top it off, I don't want to use my Geass on her."
C.C. could easily tell the reasons why. "If you don't want to lose someone close to your heart, you should keep them at a distance."
Zero, under his mask, scowled. "That could easily backfire. What if you couldn't explain to them why they're pushed away from you. They might grow resentful of you, which would eventually lead to hatred. And all the love you show them won't change the fact that, in their eyes, you abandoned them." Zero did a double take.
'Abandoned? Why did I use that word.'
C.C.
Unaware to Lelouch, C.C. wasn't the only person who heard that.
'He couldn't possibly hate me, could he?' A female voice spoke to her.
'I'd suggest you leave.' C.C. mentally spoke to the second voice, 'I feel like this is private.'
C.C. could feel the presence disappear. She hasn't told her that Zero is Lelouch, and, for now, she was going to keep it that way. If she wanted, she could temporarily close the connection, or even sever it completely. Right now, though, she'd like to keep all cards close to the chest.
Zero
The door slid open, revealing a worried Minami.
"What's wrong?"
"The man I assigned to shadow the girl, Shirley, hasn't reported back."
Zero's eyes widened, fear starting to grow.
"How long?"
"Been an hour since his last report."
At that moment, Zero's phone rang. He picked it up, revealing that the caller was Shirley. He motioned to the door, which Minami closed, before taking off his helmet.
"Shirley," Zero answered calmly, "Is everything alright?"
"Oops," a voice that wasn't Shirley's, replied, "Wrong number."
"Who is this?" Zero replied, venom in his voice. He then turned to Minami, and mouthed the words 'track this call'. Minami quickly exited the room, so fast he didn't even close the door.
"No need to worry about that. I'm surprised that you'd spy on your girlfriend."
'He must be talking about the soldier assigned to her.' "That was her bodyguard."
The caller scoffed, "Well, not a very good one then. I'll simply say this. You have someone that belongs to me."
'Someone, not something. There are only a few people here that might be targeted specifically, however, this man targeted Shirley to get to me, which means it's someone close to me. That only leaves…'
"So, you're Mao."
"Oh, good, you know who I am. Then you already know what I want."
"How do I know you'll honor your end of the deal."
"Deal? What deal?"
"It's quite clear how you'll expect this to go. I come, we make a deal involving me giving you C.C. and, once the two of you are safely away, you'll give me Shirley's location." In truth, he only said what he'd do. He didn't expect a maniac to come up with a clever plan.
"..."
"That was your plan, right." Zero feigned ignorance, when Minami came in. He held up a datapad, showing the word 'Narita'.
'Not surprised Shirley went there.'
"Well," Mao replied, attempting to recover, "I~"
'Time to hammer it home.' "Let me get this right," Zero interrupted, his voice dangerously low, "You kidnapped a girl close to the heart of a man. A man who has built up a network of agents all across Japan, all without attracting Britannia's attention. Who can easily have a squad on your position, with snipers that can hit targets 700 meters away. Who could easily track your position. Who has a sister that trained at the hardest military school in the world. And you kidnapped the girl without a plan."
"..."
Minami had placed the datapad down, and had both hands covering his mouth, trying to contain his laughter. Obviously Mao had a plan, but it was nice to make people think their plans didn't mean anything.
"However, Mao. I'll play your game. I'll be coming to Narita, alone. If only so I can rip your throat out myself." He then hung up, leaving Mao to his thoughts.
"Boss," Minami exclaimed through his giggles, "Remind me not to piss you off."
"Duly noted." Zero put his helmet back on.
Minami quickly got serious, "Should I contact Celaeno?"
"No, she's busy with her own operation. And I meant it when I said I want to kill him myself."
"Zero," C.C. replied, standing up, "Let me go to him. I know Mao~"
"You knew him. He has warped himself. You won't be able to convince him to stand down. Besides, you need to get ready for your mission."
C.C. looked to the side, obviously saddened by his words, but not showing it. Right now, though, he had a Geass user to deal with.
Narita, 4:00 P.M.
Lelouch
Lelouch, wearing his usual brown jacket, was walking amongst the northern ruins of the town. He didn't know where Mao was, so he figured he'd have Mao come to him. Lelouch knew he'd be a difficult opponent, however. With Mao's ability to read minds, Lelouch had to alter everything. One of his greatest strengths was not only predicting his opponents moves, but also guessing a way to beat his own moves. This allowed him to think three steps ahead. However, against Mao, all that would accomplish is giving him the key to victory.
'So, I can't fight him as my true self.'
"Well," a voice replied, "That's disappointing."
Lelouch whipped around, pulling out his pistol, while the man did the same.
"Woah, Lulu, getting a little hostile."
Lelouch could see that there was some sweat coming down Mao's head. Obviously, his little threat affected him.
"You have five seconds to tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now."
"Woah there, killer. If you do that, you won't be able to save your precious Shirley. As you said, it's only you here, so I don't have to worry about an army coming down upon me."
"Oh, I'm pretty sure I can find her eventually."
"Oh? Before the trolley car smashes into a wall, though?"
Lelouch raised an eyebrow, "Hmm, so you did have a plan. A bad one, but a plan nonetheless. So, what game shall we play?"
Mao looked offended, but kept his sadistic smile. "One you're quite familiar with, actually." He held up a white knight chess piece. "Follow me."
After following Mao for an hour, they arrived at an abandoned trolley station that went up the mountain. Lelouch observed the nearby trolley.
'The entire car has been rigged to drop at a moment's notice. The emergency brakes have most likely been disabled. If it falls here, it would derail by the time it hits the bottom.' Lelouch looked down into the trolley, and saw Shirley, bound her mouth covered with tape, and tears starting to come down her cheeks.
'Okay, I'd have less than thirty seconds to get in and rescue Shirley before the trolley gets too fast.'
"Before you get any ideas," Mao said, setting up a table on the steps, "Might I direct your attention to the doors."
Lelouch looked and, sure enough, the doors had a chain holding the handles together.
"Damnit."
"Not only that," Mao revealed he had a deadman's switch on his left hand, what it went to, Lelouch didn't know, "Now that we've got an understanding of each other, let's begin."
Grumbling, Lelouch sat down first, taking the side with the black chess pieces.
'Sorry, Mao, but things won't go the way you think they will.'
"You'd be surprised how often people Think that," Mao replied, sitting down, "But it never works."
Mao moved a white pawn to D4.
'Kn~no, N to Foxtrot November.'
"What?" Mao exclaimed, confused. Lelouch moved his knight to F6.
'If I assign numbers to letters~' He stopped his thought train, not wanting Mao to get the info.
"Mao," Lelouch exclaimed, "Why are you so obsessed with C.C."
"Isn't it obvious? We're clearly meant to be together."
"She's lived for centuries. How do you know that her feelings are real?"
"It's nothing a womanizer like you would understand!"
"Really? Such a childish insult. Next thing you'll tell me is that you never played this game before." Lelouch saw Mao's eyebrow twitch.
Mao moved his Queen's pawn to C4. Lelouch moved his former knight's pawn to Golf November.
'What is happening?' Mao thought, 'Why is he thinking gibberish.'
For several minutes, this went on, Mao reading Lelouch's mind, but clearly barely understanding it. By turn twenty-one, the board was as such:
Mao: Pawns at H2, G3, B3, and A2. Knights at D4 and C3. Rooks at D1 and A1. Bishop at A3. Queen at D2. And King at F1.
Lelouch: Pawns at Hotel Oscar, Foxtrot Oscar, Alpha Oscar, Golf November, and Bravo November. Rooks at Echo Papa and Alpha Papa. Bishops at Golf Oscar and Bravo Oscar. Queen at Delta Oscar. And his King at Golf Papa.
'If he moves his Queen to Foxtrot Juliet, I can counter by moving mine to Hotel Kilo.'
'WHAT IS HAPPENING!' Mao mentally roared as he gripped his hair with one hand.
"Mao, you claim that C.C. is yours, but how much do you actually know about her?"
"It won't matter once she's returned," he replied, taking his calm look again, "But you should really teach Shirley not to lie."
"What does that mean?"
"C.C. would never reveal her name to someone like her."
"Hehe, well then. How old is she? Where was she born? What's her favorite food?"
Mao's eyes were darting back and forth as Lelouch rapidly fired his questions, some of them even he didn't know the answers to, but it kept Mao guessing.
"Mao...What's her true name?"
"Ueeeee…"
"Hmph, shows how much Claudia Celeste cares about you."
"SHUT UP!"
"But, unlike you, she trusts me. There isn't a piece of her I don't know. Both about her past...And her body."
A lie, but Mao's mind was too enraged to figure that out, as he literally flipped the table at Lelouch. Lelouch ducked under the table, and grabbed Mao's left hand, keeping it closed to not release the switch. When Mao pulled out his pistol using his free arm, Lelouch used his other hand to grip it's wrist. The calm visage on both their faces were replaced with pure rage.
'You want to know how I beat you, Mao. Even with your Geass, you're still a child. If you actually paid attention, you'd realize that I was using the Britannian Military's phonetic alphabet to substitute the numbers and letters on the chess board. So, for G6, I simply thought of Golf November. Even if you can read your opponent's mind, if you can't figure out what they're doing, then it means nothing.'
Fvvvvfvvvvffvvvvv
'What the?' A strange buzzing sound could be heard as the two struggled. Then from the top of the trolley station, a small machine, with four rotating blades, and a firing chamber, came buzzing down towards them.
'That's one of our drones.'
"So you lied!" Mao had freed his deadman's switch from Lelouch, and released it. The cables to the car came undone, and it began drifting downward.
"NO!" Lelouch sprinted at the door, pulling his own pistol out, and, rather than trying the chains, he actually ran around the trolley.
"Oh, no you don't." Mao exclaimed as he raised a pistol, before seeing a woman with lime green hair on the far end of the station. His face lit up with joy. "C.C.!" His thoughts were halted however, when the drone began to fire at him.
Flashback, The Nest
C.C.
C.C. was annoyed. Lelouch had just left to face Mao, alone. With Mao's Geass, she didn't think Lelouch could win.
"C.C.," The twins both exclaimed, "Take this." They showed her one of their drones, but it seemed to be modified.
"For what?"
"We know you're going to go to Narita, even if the boss said no," Talio exclaimed, "You're the only person Mao won't see coming."
"So, you want me to kill him with this. I think a pistol would be more effective."
"Nonono," Tolia countered, "We understand that you still have some feelings towards Mao, or, at least, the person he used to be. Just get this drone near their location, and we'll handle the rest."
C.C. looked down, feeling unsure about killing Mao. It was true that she still did love him once. However, what Lelouch said was true. He has changed, and it was her own fault. The least she could is rectify this mistake. She took the drone.
Present
Robbinson MacNamara
The twins were in the Dark Council Mobile Base, over a mile from Narita. The twins were controlling the drone as Robbinson watched.
"Talio, the accuracy of this thing is bullshit! I could duck tape a gun to the drone and it'd be more accurate!"
"Just keep the thing steady!"
Mao ran away from the station, and into the treeline.
"C.C.," Mao exclaimed with a sadistic expression, "I'm coming for you. Don't worry. We'll be together soon!"
"Geez, this guy's obsessed." Robbie exclaimed.
"No kidding. Makes me wonder just how close Claudia and this guy were."
Again, the drone fired at Mao, missing wide. Mao fired back, and the camera spun wildly.
"What the?!" Talio barked.
"He took out one of the rotors!"
The camera spun more, before the screen blackened with an OFFLINE. Both twins began slamming their fists multiple times in anger.
Lelouch
Lelouch, with C.C.'s help, pried open the trolley doors, and he ran inside. It was starting to fall faster. Lelouch took out a knife and cut the rope holding Shirley.
"Shirley, jump!"
The two leaped from the car, rolling onto the ground as the it continued to plummet downward, slamming into the ground, derailing and rolling several times.
Lelouch pulled Shirley up gently, and the two sat. Lelouch pulled the tape off, before Shirley gripped his chest and started sobbing into it. He quickly hugged, bringing her close.
"It's okay." Lelouch said gently, repeating it several times. "It's over. That man won't ever hurt you again."
"B-but he got-tta away!"
"And he'll continue to run. He won't be able to come within a mile of Ashford without us knowing. You won't have to suffer from him."
'And I can't let you suffer anymore.'
"Shirley, I want you to forget all of this." Lelouch activated his Geass, waiting for Shirley to look up. "So, cou~"
"I-I want to help."
Lelouch was shocked, deactivating his Geass on instinct. After everything sweet, innocent Shirley would still want to be involved with him.
"Even if your method made me forget, I'd know something was wrong. I can't sit by while you and Cornelia do all this dangerous stuff, and I'm simply on the sidelines. Even if all I can do is keep an eye on Nunnally."
Shirley looked up at Lelouch, tears still streaming down, her eyes pleading.
"Please, let me help!"
Lelouch sat silent.
'Honestly, I can't say no to her. Not like this.' "Okay. If you truly wish to get involved, I'll think of something."
Shirley simply placed her face back into his chest, still sobbing over the experience. Lelouch kept her close, fearful that, if he let go, he'd lose her. He glared off towards the treeline.
'Mao, I know you can hear me. You better keep running! Because, if I catch you, you'll wish for a quick death!'
Pendragon, 8:55 P.M.
Unknown
A luxury private plane took off from the runway. There was little light inside the cabin, however, what moonlight did enter revealed a dark-skinned woman. She had black hair with a hint of blue, and her green eyes showed annoyance.
By the request of the Knight of Nine, Dorothea Ernst, the Knight of Five, was on her way to Area 11.
Author's Notes: So, good news, Mao has been driven off, Shirley didn't have her memories alter, and she's now going to be joining the Black Knights. Don't expect her to be piloting Knightmares, for obvious reasons.
Bad news, another Knight of the Round is coming. At first, I was debating sending Gino or Anya, but I decided against it for spoiler reasons. This left either Monica, the Knight of Twelve, or Dorothea. I ultimately decided of Dorothea because I have much more interesting moments I can right for her.
As for Lelouch 'beating' Mao, I figured that, since Mao can read minds, why not just have Lelouch speak in code. Just because he knows what's you're thinking, doesn't mean he can understand it. The code he used is based on the NATO phonetic alphabet. A-H are obvious, while Lelouch replaced 1-8 with I and P. Sorry if that part seems confusing.
The final layout for the chess game is based on the 21 move match between Robert Byrne and Robert Fischer.
As always, leave a review, favorite, follow, and I'll see you next time.