"The other SSDF leaders turned themselves in too?"
"It's not just them… a friend of mine was getting bullied… but then the bully came up to him out of the blue, and started crying, saying how sorry he was."
"It's all the Black Knights' doing?"
"They all received a calling card before their hearts were changed."
"I hear they've even begun targeting criminals off-campus."
"Don't forget - the Black Knights are criminals."
"But they're doing so much good around campus, it's hard not to root for them."
"Doesn't it strike you as creepy?"
"They're like phantoms…"
"You know, I hear someone started a website documenting the activities of the Black Knights."
"Really?"
"Yeah, they're calling it 'KnightWatch'."
"Huh. I'll have to check that out after school."
'By the way, have you heard about the Viceroy's new girlfriend?"
"Countess Breisgau?"
"She's so lucky! If I could have a guy as dashing as Prince Clovis falling for me…"
Unseen, a black cat scurried from the bushes and headed over to the Clubhouse.
xXx
"The Black Knights are the talk of Ashford Academy," Arthur reported as he entered their hideout, the Student Council room. Nina, Rivalz, and Shirley had already departed to work on other tasks, leaving the thieves by themselves. "You guys have even got your own fan site now."
"Really?" Milly perked up.
"KnightWatch. It's no better than a rumor mill," Lelouch said disdainfully. "You've got the people who pretend to be Black Knights. You've got baseless speculation. You've got the skeptics. And you have those who are just trying to rile everyone else up."
"Well, it shows that we've had an impact, doesn't it?" Milly asked. "We've made the school a better place, haven't we?"
"We've all but dismantled the SSDF here at Ashford, but they're just small fries," Kallen replied irritably. "We've done nothing to weaken the Purists as a whole, and every day they remain untouched, they continue to tighten their grip over Japan. Not only that, but their influence will work its way back into Ashford, and then we'll be right back where we started."
"Who do we need to take down?" Milly asked after a moment.
"I'm glad you asked", Lelouch said with a smirk. "I've been doing some research of my own into the Purists," He brought up an article on his computer. "Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald," he read. "He appears to be the current leader of their faction, followed by Lord Kewell Soresi. And I found something else that I think you'll find quite interesting." He brought up another article, with a picture showing Jeremiah and the other Purists at a state function. "Look right there," he said, pointing at a figure behind Jeremiah.
"It's Coach Nu!" Milly said.
"Seeing how closely she seems to shadowing him," Lelouch continued, "I'm guessing that the Margrave was her benefactor among the Purists. The other Purists would never accept her otherwise. Doubtlessly, much of the influence she was able to hold over Ashford Academy stemmed from him."
Kallen clenched a fist. "Well, what are we waiting for?"
"The decision needs to be unanimous," Lelouch said. He looked from Kallen to Milly. "Isn't that what we agreed upon, Madam President?"
"It is," Milly nodded.
"I'll go with whatever the majority wants," Arthur said.
"You and Kallen want to steal his heart, right?" Milly asked, looking back up to Lelouch.
"Don't feel that we're pressuring you," he told her. "If you're not comfortable with the decision, we'll find another target that we can all agree on."
This was the tipping point. They had long since established that they were partners in crime. There was little risk that any of them would betray the others. But going after the Purists would be the next step down a path that they would be soon unable to turn from.
"That's not fair, Lelouch," Milly pouted. "You know I can't just turn my back on my friends. And we can't have Ashford going back to how it was when Coach Nu and the SSDF were taking over. Count me in."
"How will we deliver a calling card?" Arthur asked. "He may know of us through what happened to Villetta, but I doubt he'd think that we're coming for him next. We need to alert him to that fact."
"We can't just keep post calling cards around campus, like we've been doing," Kallen said. "One of these days, we'll be caught. And even if he is investigating our school, it won't work going forward if we have to go after someone who doesn't take an interest in what's been going on here."
"I agree that the Margrave has probably started looking into the Black Knights already, even if he doesn't think himself a target yet," Lelouch replied. "I think we can safely assume that the Margrave was close to Coach Nu, considering how he must have vouched for her to join the Purists. Gottwald will want to avenge her humiliation." He smirked. "But I have an idea. Short of actually coming to Ashford to investigate in person, what would be the most readily available source of information that he can find on us, which he'll probably look into, even if he's doubtful of the merit of its claims?"
"But you were saying -" Kallen started.
"Yes, KnightWatch is just a rumor mill," Lelouch replied. "That doesn't mean that we can't start some rumors of our own and spread them to our advantage…."
xXx
"What? These lowlifes dare challenge me?" the Margrave fumed. The forum on KnightWatch had been abuzz since a user with the handle of "Zero" announced that the next target of the Black Knights would be a certain Jeremiah Gottwald.
He hadn't told anyone else that he was looking into such a disreputable site. Kewell and the others still didn't believe in the changes of heart that had been going on at Ashford Academy. He didn't blame them. It seemed too fanciful to be true. But with the as of yet unexplained mental shutdowns plaguing the city, was a change of heart truly that far-fetched? Indeed, he was certain that they were related. Any doubts he had in the reality of the Black Knights' ability to change the hearts of their targets were dispelled when he had a chance to speak to Villetta in her holding cell while the higher-ups tried to decide upon an appropriate punishment for her. His subordinate's personality had utterly changed.
He chuckled, and after a moment, it turned into an unrestrained laugh. "Then I, Jeremiah Gottwald, accept your challenge, Black Knights! Show yourselves, if you dare!"
xXx
"You were right, Zero," Arthur said as they disembarked from the cognitive Glasgow into the Distortion. They were deeper in Mementos than last time, but they had found their target. "Judging from the size of this Distortion, its well on its way to becoming a Palace."
"I was expecting terrorists, not a costume party," Shadow Jeremiah said dismissively as he eyed their thief outfits. He looked exactly like the Jeremiah they had seen in pictures, except, like all Shadows, his eyes had a supernatural glow. "You're Britannians, aren't you? I suppose it makes sense that the Black Knights would be students. But why would you turn against your country?"
"We're supposed to just stand idly by while your minions make life for everyone at our school miserable, Britannian and Japanese alike?" Milly retorted.
"And I'm not Britannian, I'm Japanese!" Kallen shouted.
"Impressive. You could have passed for a Britannian. A half-breed, perhaps? In any case, you're a fiery one, I see," Shadow Jeremiah smirked. "I'll enjoy putting you in your place, Eleven. Do try to make it a challenge."
"What loyalty do we owe a decadent regime that mercilessly crushes the weak and discriminates against anyone who is different?" Lelouch sneered. "Britannia must be destroyed, and when we steal your heart, we'll be one step closer to creating a better world in its place!"
"I swore an oath of loyalty to Britannia," Shadow Jeremiah glared, "and to protect those under my command. Darkness gathered around him. "If there is one thing that I cannot abide, it is DISLOYALTY!"
Shadow Jeremiah transformed, becoming a muscled warrior clad in a studded leather hauberk and helmet, wielding a large sword.
"I am Jeremiah Siegfried Gottwald, the embodiment of loyalty," the Shadow declared. "Villetta, you may have lost your way, but you were still a loyal knight of Britannia. You shall be avenged! I will not fail again! ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!"
"I don't think so! Suzuka Gozen!" Kallen yelled. Her Persona flew up to Siegfried, swinging its dual blade. Her aim was true, but Siegfried's skin was like steel, and the blade just bounced off.
"What the hell?" Kallen sputtered. "Physical attacks don't work?"
"You'll have to do better than that, Eleven!" Siegfried counterattacked, and Suzuka Gozen only narrowly leapt out of harm's way.
"Your reflexes are sharp, Eleven. But can you match this?"
Siegfried held out a hand, and for a moment was surrounded by a green light.
Lelouch knew that spell. It was Sukukaja. That meant-
But he had no time to think. Buffed by Sukukaja's effects, Siegfried's agility had increased tremendously, allowing him to move far faster than he had any right to. It was only by hurriedly summoning Slime that Lelouch was able to momentarily halt Siegfried's charge.
"Spread out and attack with magic!" Lelouch ordered. "Probe for a weak point! He has to have one!"
His teammates obliged. Medea blasted Siegfried with fire, and Master Cat fanned those flames with the wind conjured by the Garu spell, setting Siegfried ablaze.
"You think that will stop me?" Siegfried raged. He went on a rampage, swinging his blade wildly as he darted back and forth, still on fire, sending the Black Knights into disarray.
"Behold the strength of my loyalty!" Seigfried bellowed, taking advantage of the momentary lull in the Black Knight's offense. He held out a hand, and red energy rushed in around him.
"That doesn't look good!" Arthur called.
"It's like he's charging up for some big attack!" Milly gasped, doubled over. Medea had protected her from Siegfried's blows, but she still felt them through her Persona.
This wasn't good. They had to knock Siegfried off balance before he could unleash his next attack, or they would be done for.
"Jack Frost!" Lelouch shouted, invoking the name of his most magically potent Persona.
"Bufu, hee-ho!"
Shards of ice crystallized around Siegfried. The Shadow grimaced slightly, but its stance did not waver.
Dammit! It was resistant to ice! Milly and Arthur's attacks had been far more effective than his own, but even they hadn't been enough to hobble Siegfried.
"Die, traitors!" Siegfried bellowed.
"Not if I have something to say about it!" Kallen yelled. "Suzuka Gozen!" Dashing forward, her Persona moved to strike.
Siegfried laughed, causally blocking her blade with his bare arm. "You already know that's useless, Eleven."
"Guess again."
Suzuka Gozen's other clawed hand swooped down to grab Siegfried by the waist. Lelouch felt a sudden thrill through him, knowing what would happen next. He could only hope that it would work, for they would be out of time if it didn't.
"Frei!" Kallen commanded, and a blue burst of radiation erupted from Suzuka Gozen's claw, striking Siegfried at point-blank range.
"Ugh!" Siegfried's eyes went wide as the radiation wracked his body.
"It's working!" Milly cried.
"You saved us there," Arthur grinned.
"Keep it up, Queen!" Lelouch encouraged.
"One more!" Kallen shouted triumphantly.
Another burst of radiation slammed into Siegfried.
"Argh!" Suzuka Gozen's spells had melted a hole in Siegfried's armor, and left the Shadow looking like a wreck. Siegfried coughed up blood, and in another moment the darkness he had gathered dissipated, leaving Shadow Jeremiah on his knees.
"No….I've…failed… again…." Shadow Jeremiah lamented.
"That will teach you not to look down upon us Japanese," Kallen huffed, standing over him.
"I'm sorry… Lady Marianne…" Shadow Jeremiah continued, ignoring her, his golden eyes distant.
"Wait. Did he say…?" Milly started.
"He did," Lelouch said. "You knew Marianne vi Britannia?" He asked Shadow Jeremiah.
"Knew her? I was a member of her Royal Guard at the Aries Villa! He raised his hands in front of him, trembling. "How I admired her! Loved her, even, if only from afar! It was my first assignment… what an honor it was to be chosen! But then…." His voice turned to a wail. "She was killed, and I helpless to prevent it… I thought I could redeem myself by guarding her children… but they were exiled, and then killed as well, butchered by the Elevens! My loyalty was unfulfilled! And now… even that will be taken from me! I know what you did to Villetta! This is the end of Jeremiah Gottwald."
"Serves you-" Kallen began to say, but Lelouch raised a hand to silence her.
"You joined the Purists to exact a misplaced revenge against the Japanese people, even though you must have known that they had nothing to do with the vi Britannia's disappearance," Lelouch pronounced, his tone condemnatory.
"I - "
"What justice is there in persecuting an entire nation for the actions of a few? Do you even know that the Japanese killed them, or is that what you were led to believe?"
"No…"
"You then stood idly by, allowing your subordinate to run rampant as she flagrantly abused her power, brutalizing those she was supposed to coach, and framing an innocent youth in the hopes of having him expelled. You probably would have supported her in the latter if it meant discrediting the Honorary Britannian system."
"I admit it…". Shadow Jeremiah's eyes hung with shame. "Not only did I fail to protect Lady Marianne, but I'm a miserable excuse for a human being."
"You then turned to serve Prince Clovis in the absence of Lady Marianne?"
"That's right… bitterness and loyalty to the royal family was all that I had left."
"But you would still serve her if you could."
"Gladly! Above all else!"
"And what of her children, if they were still alive?"
"I would be theirs to command!"
Raising his hands, Lelouch slowly removed his mask, and then returned his gaze to Shadow Jeremiah, letting his fallen foe take a good look at his face.
"Can it…" Shadow Jeremiah murmured in disbelief. "Are you saying… that Zero is…"
"Jeremiah Gottwald, Lelouch vi Britannia commands you: join us, and atone for your sins. We, the Black Knights, stand for justice. Though we commit evil by stealing the hearts of others, in doing so we defeat greater evils."
"Is redemption for my failures and sins truly possible for me?" Shadow Jeremiah shook his head, tears welling from his eyes. "No. I needn't ask. If you are truly Lelouch vi Britannia, then you are my rightful lord."
I am thou… thou art I
Thou hast acquired a new vow
It shall become the wings of rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of captivity
With the birth of the Hanged Man Persona,
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
shall lead to freedom and new power…
Shadow Jeremiah's face softened. "I will return to my real self now… But where shall I find you, Your Highness?"
"Look to Ashford Academy."
"We will meet again, young Prince."
With that, Shadow Jeremiah faded into light.
"I'm not sure if I should be impressed or appalled right now," Kallen said after a moment. "You just talked down the leader of the Purists, and convinced him to switch sides… but he only joined you because you're the prince whose family he swore to serve. You knew he couldn't refuse you. Are you really okay with this, letting him go without any sort of punishment for his crimes against -"
"The Margrave will be paying for his crimes for the rest of his life. Besides, I think we just gained a far more useful asset than if we were simply to force him to confess to everything publicly. Tama and your brother could never figure out how to enter Clovis' Palace on their own, correct?"
"That's correct," Arthur said with a hint of irritation.
"But with my knowledge of Clovis as my half-brother, and the Margrave's intelligence from within the Viceroy's camp, discovering the necessary keywords before long is practically assured."
"You know, you're really insufferable when you're smug, Zero." Kallen retorted.
"He has a point though," Milly replied. "Still, I can't help but wonder how my grandfather is going to react when Margrave Gottwald shows up on his doorstep."
"Then there's the matter that you didn't actually take his Treasure," Arthur said. "His heart is still distorted…. though the Distortion does seem to have lessened somewhat," he admitted, glancing around. The chamber they were standing in no longer seemed quite as large as before. It certainly wouldn't be turning into a Palace any time soon.
"What's done is done," he said simply.
"Yeah… I just hope you know what you're doing, Zero," Milly said softly.
While their mission was done, they continued to explore further into Mementos for some time. However, before long, they reached a platform on a lower level where the path abruptly seemed to end, completely blocked off by a dark gray stone barrier covered with criss-crossing glowing red lines that formed intricate patterns.
"Huh? Is this it?" Kallen asked in confusion. "Is this the bottom of Mementos?"
"It can't be!" Arthur said adamantly. "There has to be something in here that awakened me to my powers! I need to know why!"
"There wouldn't be a barrier like this here if there wasn't something behind it," Milly said, putting her hand to her chin.
Lelouch took a deep breath and cleared his thoughts, using the Third Eye that Igor had bestowed upon him. His perception narrowed, and the world around him appeared to darken, but after a moment he murmured, "I see something." Faintly gleaming in his mind's eye, there was a pathway beyond the barrier, spiraling further down into unseen depths.
"Queen, see if you can force your way through."
She nodded. "Suzuka Gozen!"
However, her attacks, whether physical or magical, had absolutely no effect on the barrier. None of the other Black Knights had any luck damaging it either.
"It's no good," Arthur said dejectedly.
Lelouch shook his head. "Giving up so easily? We've simply ruled out brute force as a way forward. Like the rest of Mementos, this barrier must be some sort of cognition. There must be some way to dispel or alter it."
"I agree," Milly said. "But it's getting late. We'll have a better chance of coming up with a plan once we've had time to rest."
"That sounds like a sound strategy, Diamond," Lelouch replied. "Let us withdraw for now."
Returning to the entrance of Mementos, Lelouch paused to visit the Velvet Room, updating the records of his Personas in the Compendium. But he couldn't help but think that Igor was watching him intently.
"Is there something on your mind, Trickster?" Igor finally spoke, an infuriating hint of smugness in his deep voice. "Perhaps you mean to ask me about the barrier in Mementos?"
"You know something of it?" Lelouch asked irritably.
"Of course, Trickster. As I said before, Mementos is the Palace of the masses. To descend deeper into Mementos is to penetrate further into their thoughts. Yet you and your fellow thieves are still virtually unknown to the public at large. Thus, you can only scratch the surface of their cognition."
"So what you're saying is that if the Black Knights want to explore Mementos further, we need to gain notoriety?"
"I am glad that you understand so quickly, Trickster."
Lelouch couldn't help but laugh.
"Something amuses you, Trickster?"
"We'll solve that problem and take down our next target in one fell swoop."
"You have an ambitious heist in mind then?" It was Igor's turn to chuckle. "I look forward to seeing how you will rise to the challenges it will surely put before you. I also see that your rehabilitation continues apace, and so I would like to reward you with a new power. You have probably noticed that a mere six Personas already feels limiting for someone of your potential."
Igor raised a hand, and suddenly, Lelouch felt new expanses open up within the sea of his soul.
"You should be able to hold up to eight Personas within you now," Igor said with his usual demented grin. "Should you continue to prove yourself capable, I can bestow further powers upon you."
On one hand, Lelouch knew that he should thank Igor. Any new power would advance his plans. But at the same time, he resented the way that the master of the Velvet Room seemed to be talking down to him, parceling out power as one might reward a dog.
"Excessive power only leads to destruction," Tsu said, as if reading his thoughts. But instead of sounding condescending, as Igor did, she sounded sad.
xXx
The next day at Ashford Academy began like any other for the Black Knights. They attended their classes, pretending to be normal students, and met to discuss Student Council business. Milly had pitched the idea of a school play, a medieval fantasy romance, to the other members of the Student Council, which was unanimously agreed upon. Of course, they all knew that Milly would use the opportunity to indulge in her love of designing ridiculous costumes, but when compared to some of her other zany ideas, it seemed harmless enough. Besides, it needed to pass in order to keep up appearances, so that they'd have an excuse for Nina to keep making "special effects" for them in the future. Of course, Shirley, Suzaku, and Rivalz were blissfully ignorant of this, and if Nina suspected anything, she was, at least for now, willing to remain silent in exchange for the materials they continued to bring her, fresh from Mementos.
But there was another thought lingering in the minds of the Black Knights: Jeremiah Gottwald. Based on what his Shadow had said, they all expected him to arrive at Ashford Academy, but when and how?
The Student Council adjourned its business and the day continued to pass uneventfully. But then, not long after he had returned to his living quarters at the Clubhouse for the night, he noticed something amiss. Sayoko had paused in her usual duties, suddenly tensing up as she happened to pass by a window.
"What is it, Sayoko?" He asked her.
"Wait right here, Master Lelouch," she told him. "I'll take care of this."
It seemed that she had scarcely spoken and then she was gone. Had Sayoko… leapt down from the balcony in a single bound, bypassing the grand central staircase, and landed flawlessly, all without breaking a sweat? Already, she was at the door.
His mind reeled, trying to process what he had just seen. He expected such seemingly superhuman feats from someone like Suzaku. His first true friend in Japan had always been something of an exercise nut, and more than once while playing in the woods around the Kururugi Shrine, Suzaku had performed stunts that should have been by all rights impossible for a child of his age. Lelouch knew it wasn't just his own perception as one who had lacked any sort of meaningful athletic ability until stepping into the Metaverse. Lieutenant Colonel Todoh, who had been Suzaku's instructor in swordsmanship and the only Japanese military officer to win a battle against Britannia's Knightmare Frames during the war, had himself noted Suzaku's physical talents while criticizing the boy's undisciplined nature… a far cry from the mild-mannered Honorary Britannian that Suzaku would become. But for his maid to do the same… what was she?
Pausing only briefly to nonchalantly brush herself off, Sayoko opened the door.
"Good evening," she said pleasantly to their visitor, bowing slightly, though Lelouch couldn't see who it was from his current vantage point. "How may I help you?"
"I'm looking for Lelouch," a familiar voice replied. "I was told I could find him here."
"What business do you have with my Master?" Outwardly, Sayoko remained perfectly composed, but Lelouch suddenly felt a cold wave of killing intent from her directed at the stranger.
"So you don't deny it! Lelouch vi Britannia is truly here?"
That was Jeremiah's voice!
Sayoko pounced, leaping high into the air. As the hem of her dress hiked up, Lelouch saw her reaching for something strapped to the top of her stockings…a concealed weapon? He had only a split second to react.
"Sayoko, stop!" He shouted, praying that he was not too late, rushing down the stairs as quickly as his legs would permit him.
Sayoko hesitated, and landed without striking a blow, but there was a pair of incriminating kunai in her hands.
"Stay back, Master Lelouch!" She called. "That's - !"
"Jeremiah Gottwald, at your service." Now that Lelouch could see the full scene before him, there was the Margrave and Purist leader. Jeremiah had changed from his uniform, but was still smartly dressed in a suit, and now he was bowing slightly, though his eyes remained trained on Sayoko, analyzing her with military precision. "Impressive. A ninja masquerading as a maid? I see my lord keeps unusual company."
"I prefer the term SP," she replied, still ready to strike at a moment's notice.
"Security Police? I see… charged with the protection of VIPs before the conquest of Area Eleven…" Jeremiah mused. "I should have known better than to underestimate an Elev-"
Lelouch stepped out from behind Sayoko. "You will not address her in that way, Margrave Jeremiah," he interrupted. "Though I was wondering when you would arrive."
"You-" Jeremiah paused, his eyes locking on Lelouch. "So it was true," he murmured to himself in wonderment. "I apologize if I caused you offense," he said, bowing slightly.
"It's Sayoko you should be apologizing to," Lelouch said firmly.
"Of course," Jeremiah said, turning to face the SP. "Your skills truly are remarkable. I was wrong to try to demean you with such vulgar language."
"You were expecting him, Master Lelouch?" she asked warily, surprised by the Margrave's obedience.
"Indeed, I was. Jeremiah here is an old acquaintance, back from the Aries Villa," he said smoothly, conveniently omitting the fact that he had all but completely forgotten about Jeremiah in the intervening years. Judging from Jeremiah's reaction, this was exactly what the former royal guard wanted to hear. "He pledged his loyalty to my mother, and has now come to offer his service to me in turn."
"Yes, this is all just like it was in the-" Jeremiah began.
Lelouch raised a hand. "We should head inside. Someone might come to see what all the commotion's about, and I don't want to disturb Nunnally. Sayoko, would you get something for our guest?"
She nodded, understanding that which was unsaid. "As you wish, Master Lelouch."
A few minutes later, they were seated in a side room of the Clubhouse.
"This tea is excellent…" Jeremiah said, deeply inhaling the aroma after a sip.
"I am glad that you find it satisfactory," Sayoko replied.
"But we mustn't forget why we're here," Jeremiah continued, turning to Lelouch. "How did you survive the war, Your Highness? And… are you really Zero? I received a calling card… and then I had the strangest dream… That was how I knew how to find you here. I should have expected that you would take refuge with the Ashford family... they were among your mother's closest allies after all... but I thought you were dead, and so I failed to look for you."
Lelouch glanced from Jeremiah, to Sayoko, and back again.
"Yes… I am Zero… the leader of the Black Knights," he turned back to Sayoko. "But it's clear that you've been keeping some secrets from me as well. I never imagined that the Ashford family had quite the retainer."
"I am the 37th successor to the Shinozaki School," Sayoko said modestly. "Once, the Ashford family helped me, and so I pledged to serve them. When you first arrived, Mistress Milly asked for me to be reassigned to you and Mistress Nunnally. Since then, it has been my pleasure to serve the two of you and watch you grow up. I couldn't help but notice how much more animated you seemed these last few weeks. I thought you must have met a secret lover, but now it is clear to me."
Lelouch stared at his maid, mortified. Where had that come from? What other strange ideas did she have about him?
"I may not understand how you changed your gym teacher's heart," Sayoko continued, "but Ashford has become a better place for it. You can trust that I will keep your secret safe, Master Lelouch, and support you in whatever ways I can."
I am thou… thou art I
Thou hast acquired a new vow
It shall become the wings of rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of captivity
With the birth of the Hierophant Persona,
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
shall lead to freedom and new power…
"Your loyalty to your Master is most admirable," Jeremiah nodded. "I think we shall get along just fine." His attention returned to Lelouch. "But what exactly do you plan to do, my Highness? If you meant to return to the royal family, you would have surely done so of your own volition long ago."
"You served my mother. You know how she was killed. I'm certain that someone within the royal family had a hand in it, maybe even my father, the Emperor himself. Why else would he be so quick to cover it up and banish Nunnally and I after I dared to ask questions about I?"
"I was too willing to accept that terrorists had done it," Jeremiah said, his head hanging in shame. "But I must admit that at times I couldn't help but wonder the same."
"If Nunnally and I ever returned to the royal family now, we'd just be used as political pawns, as we were before," Lelouch continued, clenching a fist. "Not only that, you know how Britannia is all about 'survival of the fittest'." His expression turned to a scowl. "Blind and without the use of her legs, there would be nobles who would view her as a disgrace, and they wouldn't hesitate to bring harm to my little sister if it would cull a 'weakling' from the royal family."
"I agree, your Highness," Jeremiah nodded.
Normally, Lelouch would have pegged Jeremiah as a mere yes-man by this point, like any other sycophant who leeched off Brittania's already parasitic nobility. But he had seen Jeremiah's Shadow. The man was fanatically loyal to the late Empress Marianne and her offspring, to the point that it was the major force distorting his cognition. There was no chance that Jeremiah would betray him, and the Margrave had risked much by coming to see him, an exiled prince with no power base to speak of outside of the Student Council and the Metaverse. That alone spoke to Jeremiah's worth as a confidant. Sayoko's loyalty had never been in question from him either, and seemed stronger now that they both knew each other's hidden identities.
"The only way my sister will know happiness is if we tear down Britannia as it stands and build it anew. And when the Black Knights steal Prince Clovis' corrupted heart, our rebellion shall begin in earnest."
A/N:
Normally, I'm not too fond of stories in which Lelouch allies with Jeremiah very early on, at least not without events that establish a sufficient divergence from canon in the backstory, as he shows little sign of recognizing Jeremiah in early episodes in the show, and it seems like too much of a contrivance in Lelouch's favor. Of course, this is because Jeremiah was originally supposed to be a minor character (and even killed off) before he became a surprise hit among fans and the show's staff, who spared him from an early demise and brought him back from what should have been his death (twice) to give him a much more developed character arc and sympathetic backstory. However, the Metaverse provided a plausible, and more importantly, a natural way for Lelouch to come into contact with Jeremiah in spite differences in this story's scenario and canon, and being able to see directly into Jeremiah's distorted cognition through his Shadow would immediately cause Lelouch to realize Jeremiah's value as an ally. After all, as soon as Lelouch realized Jeremiah's deep loyalty to his mother in canon, he spared Jeremiah's life and sought to recruit Jeremiah to his side.
The dynamic between Jeremiah and Sayoko, the titular characters of this chapter, brought together in spite of their very different backgrounds by their devoted loyalty to Lelouch, paired with their idiosyncratic personalities, is much beloved by fans of Code Geass. I re-enacted their first meeting in part in this chapter, though the outcome played differently, thanks to Lelouch's intervention (very fortunate for Jeremiah, as without the "upgrades" he received in canon, Sayoko would have killed him for sure).
The name of Jeremiah's custom Knightmare Frame in canon is "Siegfried", hence the name of his Shadow. And while Siegfried is traditionally associated with the Strength Arcana in modern Persona games, I believe the mythological Siegfried's themes are also suitable for the Hanged Man. It is also a happy coincidence that Siegfried, as it appears in Persona 5, is also weak to Nuke, allowing Jeremiah's original defeat in the show to be re-enacted in a sense.
As for Sayoko, while the Heirophant is more commonly seen with male characters in the modern Persona series, at its core, it is about the theme of tradition, and as the successor to a distinguished school, Sayoko fits the Arcana nicely.
In a major landmark for this story, it now has over 100 followers (103 at the time of this writing) and 95 favorites! Still wondering if it will ever spawn a TvTropes page though... maybe when I've got more of the story written.
On an unrelated note, I am looking for a beta reader again. Please send me a PM if you would be interested, or if you would like to discuss/share ideas or theories on the stories and characters in more detail.