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Beta'd By BigCC.
"Kallen" - Speech
'Lelouch' - Thought/mental communication
"{Die}" - Geass Command
"Halt!" - Loudspeaker
"Roger." - Radio/Walkie-Talkie
Chapter 26: The Pride of the JLF
There was a deathly silence in the chamber as the Heads of the Six Houses of Kyoto stared at the revealed face of Zero in varying mixes of astonishment, disbelief, and a few cases of mounting rage. More than one of the more nationalistic and isolationist members felt as if they were about to have an embolism.
"Is…is it really you…?" Kirihara breathed, his eyes locked onto the visage of Lelouch vi Britannia.
"It is I, Kirihara-dono." Lelouch replied in nigh-flawless Japanese, "It has been, as I said, a long seven years since we last met."
Kaguya's eyes were filled with tears as she said, in a trembling voice, "…what did I do to you just a week before the invasion?"
One of Lelouch's eyebrows twitched in annoyance at that particular memory. "You snuck into the bath with me, and because of that little stunt I ended up being chased around the Kururugi Shrine by an angry Suzaku trying to hit me over the head with a bokken."
That had been one of the few times in his life that he had ever managed to outrun Suzaku.
That confirmation seemed to wipe the last of the younger girl doubts from her minds. Her eyes boiling over with tears, she practically launched herself out of her seat at him with a throaty cry of "LELOUCH!"
For such a small girl, Kaguya had some surprisingly strong legs; her impact nearly knocked the breath out of him. Even so the second she impacted she was clinging to his chest like an infant koala, bawling her eyes out. "I thought you were dead! I thought Nunnally-chan was dead!"
It took a good deal of willpower not to wince when the dark-haired mini-missile impacted him, but Lelouch was nevertheless able to smile and return her hug. "You haven't changed at all, Little Empress."
Hearing the nickname he had given her all those years ago, made her sobs redouble in strength and she started to half-heartedly slam her fists into his chest.
"Why!? Why didn't you let me know you were alive?!" she demanded, looking up at him with glistening eyes.
"You and the rest of the Six Houses had gone into hiding and anti-Britannian sentiment was rampant among the Japanese population. How was I supposed to contact you without giving myself away to those who would see finding us as an ample opportunity to deliver some vengeance unto Britannia?" the Exiled Prince pointed out calmly, not wanting to upset the girl further. Her reaction so far was more than a bit heart-warming to the former Prince. It was good to see someone who still cared so deeply for him and Nunnally even after all these years, "Besides, I was still in shock from having to walk over the aftermath of the Gunma Massacre."
The rest of the room drew in a breath at this. The Gunma Massacre had been the result of a commander executing three entire villages on suspicion of hiding members of the Imperial Japanese Army. That particular atrocity was the work of one Luciano Bradley, more widely known as the Vampire of Britannia and the current Knight of Ten.
"It took me a month to fully recover mentally and physically, plus Nunnally was in need of medical assistance as well." He continued sombrely. "Neither of us was really up to any heavy thinking for a good while afterwards either. We had almost been assassinated by our country; we would have been if the Japanese soldiers assigned to guard us hadn't sacrificed themselves to save us. Once I got my head together, all I could think about was preparing to rise against my father. I began to study anything and everything I could to find every possible weakness to exploit. I even began physical training, courtesy of dear Sayoko here."
"It took a while to get you seriously motivated, Lelouch-sama." The maid-ninja remarked with a barely noticeable smile.
"There's no need to sugar-coat it Sayoko, I was a spoilt brat who though his brain could deal with every problem under the sun." Lelouch dismissed her words lightly, "I needed a good kick in the pants to get me going, even if I was motivated. I had all the stamina of a soggy sugar cube, so I'd have to give you due credit for having the patience of a saint."
"You flatter me, Goshujin-sama."
Kaguya sighed and pouted at the obvious easy camaraderie between Zero/Lelouch and Aegis/Sayoko. Then she perked up as she recalled what Aegis had said to her in her chambers. She had her old crush and her new crush in one package. Not many girls could say that.
Kirihara cleared his throat, clearly amused by her sudden shift in demeanour. "If you would be so good as to stop straddling young Lelouch's lap, Kaguya, we can continue the meeting."
Blushing at her position, she did as she was asked, albeit reluctantly. Moving back to her former position, she smiled at Lelouch and nodded, letting him know he had at least one person on his side.
Akira looked confused. "I'm sorry, but…who are you?"
"Pardon my bad manners." Lelouch inclined his head, "I am Lelouch Lamperouge, formerly known as Lelouch vi Britannia, the Eleventh Prince of the Holy Empire of Britannia and Seventeenth in line for the throne. And I am the man who is going to destroy Britannia."
Same Time
Landing Fields, Tokyo Settlement Military Sector
"Nellie!" a boisterous shout made Cornelia wince. The rank of the two Knights of Round meant that she, the Viceroy, had to greet them, but she would much rather have delegated this to Euphie.
Nonette Enneagram strode towards her with a wide grin on her face, dressed in the usual uniform of the Knights of Round, cape included. A far dourer Dorothea Ernst followed in her wake far more sedately and dignified than her nominal superior.
"Hello, Nonette." The Imperial Princess said with a sigh, "You seem to be in good humour as always. Not to mention early."
"I'm not flying in that oversized casket, of course I'm happy!" the blond grinned. She wasn't claustrophobic or afraid of flying; she just preferred to be in control of the situation she was in whenever at all possible. If they developed a flight system for Knightmares, she would be fine with it once she knew how to pilot it, but a plane was a bit iffy for her. "And you would be amazed to discover how much the threat of having his Imperial Majesty angry with you will get lazy base commanders in Hawaii to expedite refuelling and resupply."
Nonette saw someone standing next to Cornelia and if anything, her grin grew larger. "Well I'll be! Jerry, is that you?"
Jeremiah Gottwald maintained a professional façade despite the overwhelming urge to roll his eyes. "Indeed. It has been many years since we last met, Lady Enneagram."
"Well, well! I knew you were here from Nellie's reports, but it is still a nice surprise to see you so soon!" the Knight of Nine exclaimed happily, "Fancy a spar in the simulators once we get settled?"
"Providing I am free from my duties, yes." The aqua-haired man replied with a nod and a small grin, "It will be an honour to duel you once again."
"Let's see if you can beat your old record." Nonette said with a hearty laugh, "Say Nellie, where's little Euphie?"
"She's doing her duties as Sub-Viceroy." Cornelia replied, "Later on in the week, she has a public relations matter to attend to, so she's getting as much of her paperwork out of the way as possible. She has to judge an art competition and she's being…difficult about it."
The tiredness in her voice made Nonette make a mental note to have a word with her old friend later when they were in a more private setting.
Dorothea grimaced at the lackadaisical attitude of her mentor, but kept her mouth shut. She had no desire to piss off Nonette again, especially when all of Cornelia's Knights likely shared her admiration of the Commoner Empress Marianne.
She would bide her time and get her revenge on Nonette for daring to treat her as a lesser, as if she were of no account. Dorothea Ernst had high ambitions and no guileless idiot would stand in her way, not even one who had the backing of the Chief Marshall of the Imperial Army.
'Oh yes…you will pay!' she thought as she stared sullenly at the back of Nonette's head.
Back With Lelouch
"You cannot seriously expect us to allow a Britannian, a Britannian Royal no less, to lead Japan's military!" Munakata bellowed angrily.
"I fail to see how you have anything resembling a choice." The Exiled Prince replied with a serenity that seemed designed to add fuel to his detractors' fury, "Within a month at most, and a week at the earliest, my sister Cornelia will track down and attack the remains of the JLF. Once she wipes them out, which she will, the largest resistance group in the islands of Japan will be the Black Knights. If you try and somehow manage to succeed in removing me from their leadership, they will fair only slightly better than the JLF before Cornelia crushes them as well. Japan will then promptly cease to be an issue on the world scale."
Munakata glared at him, enraged beyond all measure. Kubōin cleared his throat here.
"AHEM. This is all very well, Munakata-dono, but I am afraid that Zero…rather, Lamperouge-san, has effectively fortified his position in the Black Knights and with us." He said with a reluctant sigh, "Without the Black Knights, the JLF are doomed. Without the JLF personnel to swell their ranks, the Black Knights will have a much harder time of fighting the Britannians, which, despite Zero's impressive tactical and strategic skills, may doom them to defeat. Without Lelouch Lamperouge at their helm, the Black Knights will be less than half as effective, so it seems."
"I refuse to accept that the only path we can take is that of accepting one of that monster Charles zi Britannia's spawn as what will amount to acting Shogun of Japan!" Osakabe slammed his fist on the floor impotently.
"Enough with your whining." Kirihara growled impatiently, glaring the other man into silence for a moment, before turning his attention to Lelouch. "You deliberately waited until the JLF was on the brink of collapse before revealing your identity, because it would be presented as a fait-accompli. You are Zero and thus come as a package deal with the Black Knights."
"A succinct summation." Lelouch gave the old tycoon a respectful nod. "I'm not denigrating the skills of the Black Knights in any way, but I am still in the process of training them up. Using a weapon that isn't properly forged will cause it to break in the middle of battle."
"Humph. And how are we to be certain that you will not simply take the throne IF you somehow manage to destroy Britannia?" Osakabe growled.
"I cast off my inheritance rights before I was exiled to Japan." Lelouch replied evenly, his eyes cold as he stared at the older man. "I couldn't be Emperor even if I wanted to unless every other living member of the Imperial family acknowledged me as such after I killed the sitting Emperor. I have no desire to rule Britannia. Euphie…that is, my sister Princess Euphemia, will make a more suitable Empress. She will be backed by Cornelia and she will have the support of the common Britannians once she has time to work on them."
"And the other members of the Imperial Family?" Akira Yoshida asked, "Surely they might have something to say on the matter?"
"Considering they'll have either died in the fighting or been imprisoned…no." the Exiled Prince stated unequivocally.
Kirihara started to chuckle, which then evolved into a full-out belly laugh.
"Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" he guffawed, "So, the flower nurtured seven years ago has in fact bloomed, and far more brilliantly than I could have ever predicted."
"Kirihara-dono, you cannot seriously be considering this!" Munakata exclaimed in disbelief.
"And do tell what you wish to do then, Munakata?" the leader of the Six Houses asked archly, "I do not doubt Lelouch's predicted timeline of events. Cornelia's ire against the JLF, started by that utter fool Kusakabe, is well known. She will doubtless wish to eliminate the JLF so she can remain calm and focus on the Black Knights. None of the other rebel groups in Japan have anything approaching the size and organisational capability of the JLF or Black Knights and attempting to coerce or even force a merger between them would be like trying to herd cats. We are left with no choice if we wish for Japan to be free."
"Taizō…" Osakabe was at a loss for words.
"It is as I have been telling you all from the start." Kaguya put in smugly. She had refrained from speaking, simply sitting there smugly as her 'allies' made fools of themselves. It had allowed her the time to study Lelouch, Sayoko and C.C. in detail.
Lelouch was physically a lot different than she recalled, muscled in the manner of an athlete, lithe and built for endurance. Personality-wise, he was still the same. He had mentioned the bare minimum about Nunnally, trying to protect her. He had also not mentioned exactly where he and Nunnally had been concealed all these years, although she had a pretty good idea.
Sayoko was an intriguing woman. The members of the Shinozaki Clan were indeed well known for their combat abilities, but their stealth and infiltration abilities were almost fit for legend. There was said to be no building that was proof against them and even modern sensory equipment couldn't detect them. If you saw a Shinozaki, it was solely because they wanted to be seen.
Additionally, Sayoko was a very beautiful woman. Kaguya couldn't fault Lelouch's taste for choosing her as a mistress and bedmate.
The other woman, Celesta Crossfield, was very mysterious. Kaguya, who prided herself on being able to read people rather well, couldn't get any read on her whatsoever. Every so often, the verdette caught her eye and smirked at her slightly before returning to her implacable and indecipherable façade. She was also quite the beauty, to the point that Kaguya was feeling slightly inadequate by comparison.
For a sixteen year old, the Sumeragi Head was very attractive, and her training had made her very fit and lithe, but she could see the larger and curvier figures of the other two women and knew that she didn't stack up to them. Would Lelouch even give her a second glance as a woman?
She was brought out of her thoughts when Lelouch sighed and said, "I see I shall have to be more…persuasive…in my arguments. Sayoko, retrieve the package."
"Hai, Goshujin-sama." Sayoko nodded and lifted up one of the tatami mats to reveal three cases hidden in an alcove beneath it.
"When did you…?!" Osakabe gasped.
"I sent Sayoko to scout this base once I deduced its location in the highest reaches of the Fuji Mines." Lelouch explained, "She also stashed these here to save us the bother of having your ever-loyal guards demand to see their contents. I thought you six should be the first to have the honour."
"Oh?" Kirihara raised an eyebrow, "Then please do show us what you have taken such pains to bring to our attention Lelouch."
With a knowing smile, Sayoko handed the first case, a long and thin one, to her master, who undid the clasps and laid it on the floor. Spinning it around, he flipped the lid open with a theatrical flourish. Four old hearts skipped a beat as they gaped at the contents in disbelief.
"Is…is that…?!" Munakata croaked.
"It can't be!" Kubōin said hoarsely, "It was stolen!"
"And yet, here it is, lady and gentlemen." Lelouch stated, "I return to Japanese hands…the Kusanagi no Tsurugi…the Yata no Kagami…and the Yasakani no Magatama. The Imperial Regalia of Japan, the Sanshu no Jingi, are together once more."
With each item named, a case was opened, displaying the three precious items that had been thought lost during the chaotic events of the invasion of Japan. The Kusanagi no Tsurugi, otherwise known as the Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi, an ornate bronze straight sword. The Yata no Kagami, a circular bronze shield. The Yasakani no Magatama, a large green jewel in the shape of a single tomoe.
"Lelouch…how…?" Kirihara breathed reverently as he placed one shaky hand on the box containing the sword reverently.
"It took four years of hard work to accurately track what happened to them." Lelouch sighed tiredly, "Britannian soldiers ransacked all of the shrines where all of the Regalia, replicas and originals alike, were stored. Parsing through which greedy Britannian kept what was….tiresome to say the least. Once I found who they were though…well, they were happy to put up 'cheap Eleven garbage' in lieu of cash when they lost at chess with me. That's how I acquired the shield and jewel. The sword was more problematic, as the man who had acquired it, one Bartholomew 'Braggart' McBragg, sent it to his son in the Britannian homeland. Luckily, the son, Benjamin, came to visit, bringing some 'trinkets' to sell to raise money to help his ailing father, including the Kusanagi no Tsurugi. I paid him a fair price for what he thought it was, using Sayoko as a courier."
"These are not the only Japanese treasures my master possesses." Sayoko added, "Antique samurai armour, weapons, ink paintings, crockery, documents, photographs…the list goes on."
"The Sanshu no Jingi are the best of that collection, however." Lelouch finished, "None have the priceless history and irreplaceable value that these have."
"And you're just…giving them to us…why?" Osakabe asked suspiciously.
"I was merely acting as a temporary caretaker for them." Lelouch replied smoothly, "With the execution of the Imperial Family and the dissolution of the Japanese Government, the Six Houses of Kyoto, otherwise known as the NAC, are the only legitimate authority to entrust these symbols to, as I always planned to do. I owe Japan a great debt, for taking us in and helping Nunnally, as well as for the sacrifice of the soldiers who protected Nunnally and me from an assassination attempt made by our former countrymen. This is merely a step toward repaying that debt."
"Hoh, a worthy attitude." Kirihara said with a smile, "I think this gift is evidence enough of your sincerity, Lelouch. But one question still remains: should we be victorious, what do you want?"
"For my sister and I to be left alone." Lelouch replied instantly. He didn't even have to think in order to answer him.
There was a pause as the Six House Heads digested that.
"Nothing else? Money? Power?" Kubōin prodded.
"I get money by fleecing the self-serving parasites called Britannian Nobility." The raven-haired youth laughed, "As for power…well, I have more than is apparent. I have power over myself and I am satisfied with that."
'Just as Sayoko said…he has no wish for power after what he sees as his mission is over with.' Kaguya thought to herself, observing the stunned expressions on the faces of most of her companions. Kirihara looked thoughtful, but not surprised, meaning he had a shrewd idea as to why Lelouch had said that. Sayoko looked slightly irritated and fondly exasperated, while C.C. just looked…amused.
"I think that speaks enough for your character and intentions, Lelouch." Kirihara said with a nod, "I think we had better adjourn so my colleagues and I can debate about your proposal considering both your identity and your return of Japan's three most revered relics."
"Of course." Lelouch nodded, "Could Lady Kaguya escort us out? Doubtless she wants to hear more about my sister before we part ways."
"I see no issues with that. Kaguya?" the old leader looked at his protégé.
"I would be honoured to do so. Should a vote come in my absence, I leave my voting share to you, Kirihara-dono." The girl replied with enough innocence and demureness to fool those who hadn't spent a great deal of personal time with her, namely the older House Heads aside from Kirihara.
In short order, Lelouch and his girls replaced their masks and started to head out with Kaguya when Kirihara's voice rang out once more.
"So then Zero…do you intend to embark on the path of carnage?" the old man asked.
"I do, and have already begun." Zero replied quietly, "Regardless of where it takes me from here on out, it is the only path left to me."
With a swish of his cape, the masked man led the way out of the room, leaving the male members of the Six Houses to discuss Lelouch's acceptance or denial alone.
"I must say, that was very…bold of you, Zero-sama." Kaguya said with a smile as she walked next to him, "I am certain that none of my colleagues saw it coming."
"And you, Lady Kaguya?" Zero enquired politely.
"Oh, I had no idea about what you revealed to us, but I did expect it to be something rather unexpected." The Sumeragi Head replied with a giggle, "I had a…premonition, or perhaps you could call it woman's intuition, you could say."
"Woman's intuition is a truly a frightening thing." Zero stated dryly, "Wouldn't you agree, Aegis? Augur?"
"Just so, my lord." Augur replied with amusement clear despite the voice disguiser.
"Indeed." Aegis agreed, a hint of irony in her voice.
When they reached the car, Zero slipped Kaguya a slip of paper when he gave her a handshake.
"I trust we will be in contact with each other again soon, Lady Kaguya." He said before getting into the car. Aegis merely bowed and followed her master.
Augur, however, had removed her glove and shook hands with Kaguya as well. The girl couldn't help feeling like the masked verdette was looking right into her soul as she did so.
"I look forward to making friends with you, Lady Kaguya." The white-masked woman said smoothly, "It ought to be engaging for all involved."
For whatever reason, Kaguya flushed at that. There was a hint of innuendo in the other woman's voice and Kaguya wondered exactly what she meant by that.
"All will become clear when we meet again." Augur promised as she entered the car and closed the door, leaving the Sumeragi Head blushing up a storm on the platform.
Kaguya shook her head to rid herself of her blush after a moment and stepped off the elevator before it started moving down.
'Well, well, well…it looks as if Lelouch has some very interesting mistresses.' The young girl thought as she snuck a look at the paper in her hand. It had a phone number on it, one that was likely untraceable if her estimations of her crush's intelligence were anything close to accurate.
If Augur had read what Kaguya had thought she had read from her, then things were going to get very interesting indeed.
Later
Lamperouge Suite, Ashford Academy Student Council Clubhouse
With Lelouch, Sayoko and C.C.
"I'm sorry, what?" Lelouch looked at C.C. dully.
"I said that Kaguya Sumeragi is one hell of a perverted girl." The immortal repeated in amusement.
"And you know this how, exactly?" the raven-haired responded dryly, though a part of him was almost afraid of what he'd hear.
"I had skin-to-skin contact with her when I shook her hand." C.C. answered with a grin, "And I can scan people's minds with even a moment of it. She's also frightfully intelligent, Lelouch. Not quite up to your own level, I suppose, but more than enough that you should be glad she's one of your partisans. She also has a crush on you, with the addition of a more serious crush on Zero. Treat her the way she wants and you'll have an unshakable ally within Kyoto House."
"I take it she wants to marry me then?" Lelouch deduced, "That's what she wanted when we played together as children."
"She does, but she also has a bit of a cuckqueen fetish." The verdette smirked. When Lelouch practically choked in response and turned to stare at her, her smirk turned positively sinful. "She gets thrills seeing her man with other women. A situation where she knows or suspects that you're with other women is practically her fantasy come true. Marry her, make her yours and keep having sex with women in front of her and she'll be your devoted woman for all your days."
Lelouch ruminated this new and highly unexpected information before looking levelly at Sayoko, who was pouring him some Earl Grey.
"You knew this." He accused quietly.
"I had a reasonable suspicion, yes." The maid-ninja allowed as she passed a cup to her master before pouring two more, "I doubt Kaguya-sama has any actual knowledge exactly why she is aroused by such. She knows it makes her excited at the thought, but not why. She might suspect, but without experimenting, she has no way of knowing."
"And Kaguya isn't the type to experiment." Lelouch groaned, "What on earth should I do here? There's no way I'll be able to fade into the background with Kaguya as my wife or even if she is my mistress!"
"Boya, I think its high past time you accepted that you would never have been able to fade into the background." C.C. snorted not unkindly, "You cannot actually believe that you could fade away if you actually succeed in conquering Britannia and placing Euphemia on the throne. She wouldn't allow it, nor would most of the Black Knights. You would be literally the most dangerous man in the world. Disappear and people would fear what you could be up to."
She sighed and sipped her tea. "I remember back during the American Revolution, young George worried about the temptation that would come should he prevail against Britannia."
"Young…you don't happen to be referring to General George Washington, do you?" Lelouch asked in disbelief.
"He was a man full of principle and morals, with doubts as great as his achievements." C.C. said fondly, "I was rather fond of him. He dared to do what most men only imagined or wished to happen. His death was a great loss for the world. He was planning on a republic in America you know? The 'United States of America' he wanted to call it. Sadly that dream died with him and his fellow revolutionaries."
"I doubt it would have worked." Lelouch shook his head.
"Oh?"
"Look at the Euro Universe and Chinese Federation." Lelouch said with an airy wave, "The EU claims to be a democracy, but it is only the caricature of one. The people can vote for whomsoever they wish, but it is only out of the ruling class of plutocrats and oligarchs that they can vote for. Hell, it has been a member of the same political family who has been the Chair of the EU for twenty years now! They are merely keeping up the appearance of being different from Britannia because of their own snobbish sense of superiority. If given the chance, you could bet on seeing kings and aristocrats pop up in Europe again like weeds.
"They also heavily distrust their own military. Any officer ranked higher than a captain is usually a political appointee dressed in a uniform, and is likely incompetent to boot. They treat their rank-and-file soldiers like disposable trash and I hear they have even installed self-destruct devices in their latest line of Knightmares…the Alexander, I believe it is called. No, the EU is hardly worth calling a democracy."
"And the Chinese Federation?" C.C. asked archly.
"Ah yes…the largest and only Communist nation on the planet." The Exiled Prince sighed, "All men being equal and an equal distribution of wealth. A wonderful dream and ideal, truly. Sadly, it's not a realistic one. Try reading Animal Farm by George Orwell. That displays what really happens with communism, albeit to somewhat of an extreme. There are always those who rise to be something of a ruling caste and there will always be those who are 'more equal than others' to grasp the reins there.
"No matter what they claim, China itself has one of the largest population on the planet and over 80% of them live in slums and squalor worse than the Japanese in the Ghettos do. The remaining 20% are the rulers who dictate to the rest, including the military higher echelons and the High Eunuchs. The Empress and Chairwoman is a puppet and locked up in the Imperial Palace of the Forbidden City. No, yet another attempt at democracy that doesn't work."
"So you are a firm monarchist then?" C.C. smiled in amusement.
"To a degree." Lelouch allowed, "A firm hand on the system of government is needed, but without the absolute tyranny that is the Britannian monarchy. A constitutional monarchy like the Euro Britannians, but with a lot less restraints on what the monarch can and cannot do, especially during war. If a king cannot fight in a war, what right does he have to lead during peace?"
"A sentiment that suits you very much, Goshujin-sama." Sayoko said with a smile.
"Thank you, Sayoko."
"I still think that George's idea might have worked." C.C. sulked.
"I don't doubt that he would have made it work." Lelouch smiled at his first lover and stroked her hair, making her close her eyes and almost purr from the pleasure, "He would have earned it in battle. Maybe his successor and maybe even his successor's successor would have as well. But humans do tend to create forms of government that can be manipulated. Theocracies, Oligarchies, Plutocracies…in each of these, there are no kings, but there are those who control the government from the shadows. For Theocracies, it is usually those who select the leader of the religion. Those who give information to the Oligarchs can manipulate it and control them that way, which can also happen to the Plutocracies. In a republic, those who make the laws are the ones to watch, as well as those plutocrats that are not a part of it. A nobility of those who have the largest pot of gold would be the danger there."
"Mmmmm…" C.C. moaned, "You…might be…mmmm!...might be right there."
Sayoko watched in amusement as her master reduced the strong-willed and cynical C.C. to a puddle of warm mush from a simple movement of his hand. It was a very good thing that Lelouch didn't play the field with women, because if he did, he could have enthralled the entire school's population of females had he wanted to. He was surprisingly good at learning the weak spots of a woman's body.
"Having fun, C.C.-sama?" the Japanese maid asked with a smirk.
The verdette opened one eye and peered at her with an agate orb before closing it again. "Shut up. Like you're any better. Once Lelouch gets his hands on you, you may as well fly a white flag."
The maid couldn't very well refute that and turned red.
"I checked in with Ohgi and Kallen when we got in, while you two were having fun in the shower." Lelouch said with a smirk at his two lovers, "They're worried about the Six Houses, so I had to calm them down a bit."
"Aren't you worried about their decision, Goshujin-sama?" Sayoko asked curiously.
"Now that he knows who I am, Kirihara knows how I think, roughly speaking, and so I am relatively certain that he is on my side. Had I been able to reveal myself to him alone, it would have worked just as well." The Exiled Prince smirked, "Kirihara likes to have an idea about how a person thinks and what his or her motivations are before he works with them. That's why he arranged this whole song and dance in the first place. Kaguya was in my camp to begin with thanks to her crush on and admiration for Zero. Having me revealed to be the same person as Zero simply solidified her support for me."
"That's…mmmm…two down." C.C. managed, "What about the other….ahn…four?"
As he had been talking, Lelouch had drawn C.C. onto his lap and had started stripping her naked, artfully playing with her breasts every so often. It was something of a shock for the immortal that she was allowing someone, anyone, to do this to her. She had been left emotionally stunted by the betrayal of her Contractor, the accursed nun, all those years ago and had been left distrustful and cynical regarding humans.
Marianne and Charles had been the first ones in seven-hundred years to make her feel any kind of positive emotion for any kind of sustained duration. They had even offered to finally end her long life.
Thanks to that accursed hobgoblin V.V., that dream had faded and had then been shattered with Charles' betrayal of her. How ironic that the one to finally open up her heart and full range of emotions after all these years was Marianne and Charles' son and V.V.'s nephew.
Irony truly is a twisted little devil.
She knew that it couldn't last. She knew that her curse meant she couldn't do for Lelouch what Sayoko, Kallen, Milly, Shirley and Kaguya could do, bear him children. She knew that she was falling hard for him and that watching him age and die would be by far the most painful thing in her life, even worse than the physical pain that Code-R had inflicted on her. She wouldn't curse him with immortality, she would never do that to someone she was in love with.
What could she do?
"Akira Yoshida owes Kaguya and Kirihara his position, so he'll probably follow their lead." Lelouch was saying to Sayoko, so C.C. forced herself to ignore the mounting pleasure and listen to him, "He's also less hidebound and ossified than the rest, so he's more open to the idea of new things. That leaves Munakata, Osakabe and Kubōin. Out of them, the most likely one to listen to pure logic is Kubōin. He seemed to recognise the inevitability of my ascending to head of Japans military resistance forces."
"And as the Six Houses are a council, a majority vote wins the day." Sayoko nodded, "With this, you will be the leader of the pre-eminent resistance group in all of Japan."
"And it's only the beginning." Lelouch smirked, C.C.'s moans echoing through the room as he continued his ministrations, "The first thing that the Six Houses will do, after informing us of their decision, is summon Todoh-sensei for a meeting to tell him of their decision. Supplying two large groups equally simultaneously would be impossible, even for the Six Houses, so they'll deliver an ultimatum to the JLF: either disband and join the Black Knights or be willing to accept much lower levels of funding and other support."
"Won't that hurt their pride?" Sayoko asked.
"Ah, the famed pride of the Japan Liberation Front." The boy laughed scornfully, "To have pride in an army is necessary, don't misunderstand me. To have pride in your uniform, in your unit, is an absolute requirement to have an army's morale stay up. But pride taken too far is hubris, and the JLF has loped languidly along full of hubris for years now, partly because they leaned on Todoh-sensei's 'miracle maker' reputation and partly due to Clovis' incompetence and disinterest in rocking the status quo. Now the consequences of their arrogance are coming home to roost. Just desserts, one might say."
"What if they take up arms against the Six Houses?"
"They won't." Lelouch stated confidently, "If it were old General Katase in charge, they might have, but those left have had discipline hammered into them by Todoh-sensei. He wouldn't let them act like that."
The level of respect that her master's words had for Todoh the Miracle Bringer confused Sayoko. She recalled that the man had pointed a gun at her master shortly after the invasion, something which still made her angry to think about. She voiced her confusion to her master
"Do I resent him?" the Exiled Prince repeated her question, "No, not really. Yes, he scared the hell out of me, but he was bluffing. Even if I had kept knowledge of Britannia's plans to myself, he wouldn't have killed me. Punched me in the face, perhaps, but he wouldn't have seriously hurt or killed me."
That was just as bad in Sayoko's opinion.
"I believe C.C.-sama is almost ready." She remarked, trying not to think of her master being punched by a man of Todoh's age and strength when he was merely ten years old.
"Is she now?" Lelouch asked rhetorically, "What do you say, Celesta?"
"Get me in bed…ahn!...or I'll take you and Sayoko on this table!" the wound up woman growled as her womanhood wept with her arousal.
"Well now, with an invitation like that, who am I to refuse?" he chortled. With a quick motion, Lelouch stood up and threw the startled verdette over her shoulder, giving her snow white rear a gentle spank that made her yelp.
"C.C. and I will be busy." He informed Sayoko blandly, "Do you want to join us?"
"Sadly, I have to prepare Nunnally-sama's lunch for tomorrow." The maid sighed regretfully as the immortal squeaked again as Lelouch absentmindedly caressed her rear end with one hand while keeping her legs trapped with his other arm. "I also have to do the cleaning and laundry. I think I shall retire myself tonight, Goshujin-sama. Let C.C.-sama enjoy you by herself tonight. I think she's earned it."
"Mmmmnnn! I will…get you in bed tomorrow…ahn! Sayoko!" C.C. panted. She was actually very fond of lesbian sex with the maid. Sayoko wasn't a bisexual by natural inclination, but C.C. was delighting in expanding her horizons, to the point that on the rare nights that Lelouch slept alone, they were usually bedding each other. And it wasn't always C.C. who made the first move.
"OK. Have a good night's sleep." Lelouch grinned wolfishly, "I'll try and keep it down."
As it turned out, it was C.C. who needed to keep it down. Sayoko thanked the heavens that Lady Nunnally, the precious girl, had taken medicine that dropped her off to sleep like a log quickly, otherwise she would have heard throaty moans and screams of pleasure all night.
"Work hard, play hard, Goshujin-sama." Sayoko muttered before heading to her own bed. She knew that it would be her turn the next night.
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The Next Night
Viceroy's Private Quarters, Area 11 Administration Building
"So Nellie…what's buggin' ya about Euphie?" Nonette asked bluntly. She was seated on a chair with a glass of a light red wine in one hand, but most of her attention was on her friend.
She had spent most of the previous day and night getting her crew settled and the Bedivere set up. Fending off Earl Asplund was part of that, because he wanted to disassemble a lot of the weapons that Nonette had been given to use with the giant prototype. He wanted to improve them. Nonette said no. Then she said no a few more times just so he got the message.
The Knight of Nine hated persistent scientists.
Cornelia was dressed in a mauve robe, with her hair tied back for sleeping and also had a glass of wine, a white one in her case. She preferred to keep a clear head most of the time, but she was starting to need a way of relaxing that didn't involve Knightmare combat.
"It's…complicated." The former Goddess of Victory said with a sigh.
"Un-complicate it." Nonette said flatly, "Every time Euphie comes up, you start to look as if you're going to burst into tears."
So Cornelia told her about Euphie's increasingly rebellious and defiant behaviour, of her actions during the Battle of Saitama and the row they had had afterwards. Then she recounted bitterly how Euphie had been resisting and even refusing Cornelia's suggestions for her Knight of Honour.
"…and to make matters worse, she wants either Jeremiah Gottwald or Viletta Nu as her Knight!" Cornelia finished with a weary huff of discontent, "They let Euphie come to the battlefield! There is no way I am letting them be near my sister!"
"Nellie, Nellie, Nellie…" the Knight of Nine shook her head, "You really have to stop trying to wrap her in cotton wool. That's why she's being rebellious, because you won't treat her as her own person. Even with this Knight of Honour business! You're trying to make her choose a knight who is loyal to you first and foremost! No wonder she wants the only two knights in the entire area who have stood up to you."
"They put my sister in danger!" Cornelia growled, visions of the bad things that could have happened to Euphie en-route to Saitama flashing through her mind.
"They were stuck between a rock and a hard place!" Nonette argued, "What did you want them to do, tie her up? You'd have killed them for that. And short of doing that, they had no way to stop her. So they did the next best thing; grabbed a platoon of guards, placed her inside an APC and escorted her safely to the combat zone. From what I hear, the only fly in the ointment was caused by a snobbish knight from your Knightmare battalion."
"Not anymore." Cornelia stated coldly. No one put her sister in danger and got away with it. The knight wasn't quite a toilet scrubber, but he was now in what was now considered to be the job most closely associated with suicide since Zero showed up: aerial overwatch. Zero seemed to have a grudge against any flyers, be they helicopters, VTOLs or even planes, as they got shot down with a 70% fatality rate by his forces. She'd had to put in a request to the homeland for approval to use unmanned drones, as people were transferring out of that particular branch as fast as the paperwork could be filed.
"Good." Nonette was very fond of the younger li Britannia sibling as well, so she heartily approved of the punishment Cornelia had dealt to the idiot.
"What should I do, Nonette?" the Witch of Britannia asked with her head cradled in one hand.
"Stop treating the girl like a mushroom."
"Huh?" the dark pinkette looked up at her friend quizzically as she took a sip of wine.
"Stop keeping her in the dark and feeding her shit." Nonette translated, almost making Cornelia choke on her wine at the crude language.
"Nonette!"
"What? It's the truth." The Knight of Nine defended herself, "Look, have you even asked those two if they would accept an offer from Euphie?"
"Jeremiah said he would decline." Cornelia sighed, "The poor man still blames himself for Lady Marianne's death, even although there was nothing he could have done to save her, even if he had been in the room with her. There was little to no warning that an attack was imminent even two seconds before the first stream of bullets shattered the windows. Other than throwing himself into the path of the bullets, there was nothing he could have done, and there were too many bullets to block. Damn overlapping arcs of fire…"
Nonette grimaced. That had been a bad design fault of the Aries Palace. It had been designed as an ornamental palace, with only the minimum amount of defensible locations inside of it, plus very poor ornamental walls that had been rather easy to climb over. If it had not been for the fact that the Aries Palace had been in the middle of Pendragon, Nonette would have suspected deliberate negligence rather than arrogant complacence. The architects who had been commissioned to design the Aries Palace likely never dreamed, never even imagined that anyone would actually attack the palace. Pendragon hadn't been attacked from without since the Empress that had founded it had ceremoniously broken soil on the foundations of the Imperial Capital. Yes, assassinations had occurred in Pendragon, especially during the Emblem of Blood Era, but never had such a crude and obvious attack such as Lady Marianne's assassination been in the sanctified precincts of the palaces themselves. In the gardens, yes. On the roads between palaces, yes. But inside the palaces? Never.
"And Nu?" the Knight of Nine asked, drawing the former Captain of Lady Marianne's Guard out of her spiral of memories.
"She…will accept if offered." Cornelia sagged as she said that, "She's an ambitious knight, I can tell. At least she's a lot more tolerable than Dorothea."
Nonette snorted. "Nellie, you two are going to kill each other if you don't avoid one another."
That was no exaggeration. The new Knight of Four clashed with Cornelia and Euphemia on everything from troop deployments, food for the Numbers, Knightmare tactics, medical care for the Numbers, and treatment of prisoners. Both li Britannia sisters had developed a hearty dislike of the newly elevated Knight of Rounds, with Cornelia warning the arrogant Knight to leave her sister alone, or else.
"I will if she will." The princess snorted, "You still haven't answered my question."
"Euphie's sixteen, Nellie." Nonette said with a soft smile, "She has earned, no, more than earned her own life. Let her choose the life that she wants and the Knight that she wants. You can't keep her to yourself forever."
"And what if Father sees that she's no longer under my protection?" Cornelia hissed, "You know he'd try to marry her off for political or international advantage and gain! You know he'd try to do to Euphie what he did to Lelouch and Nunnally!"
That made the other woman grimace. Charles zi Britannia was many things, but a sterling example of fatherhood he was not. His children were pawns on a chessboard, to be used and discarded as he saw fit. Seven years ago, the sacrifice of the children of his favourite consort had driven that home to all of his other children.
The only reason he allowed Euphemia to wander free under her sister's aegis was that upsetting Cornelia like that would destabilise and possibly break the spirit of the best field general in the Empire, aside from Second Prince Schneizel. Until a time came that he needed to sacrifice Euphie more than he needed Cornelia, the young pinkette was safe.
Without Cornelia's aegis, the Emperor would, undoubtedly, attempt to test her. If she proved useful, he would use her. If not, he might ignore her or he might go so far as to disown her depending on how much she disappointed him. He was unpredictable that way, marching to his own drummer that no one could predict or estimate whatsoever.
"I know that." Nonette said with a scowl, "But so does she. It's her life, Nellie. Let her live it as she pleases."
"I…" Cornelia paused as frustration almost overwhelmed her. "Fine. I will still protect her, even if she has a knight."
"Just so long as you actually liaise with and respect her new knight's opinions." Nonette cautioned her, "You've tried to let her be and backslide before, remember."
"Fine." The other woman sighed, "Now grab another bottle for me. I think I need to get completely plastered. I usually do when I have to make unpleasant and unpalatable choices."
Two Days Later
Car Elevator, Six Houses of Kyoto Hidden Base, Mount Fuji
"What do you think the House Heads want to see you for, General?" the newly-promoted Colonel Nagisa Chiba asked. She, along with the other members of the Four Holy Swords, had been promoted by General Todoh once they had held the memorial service for General Katase.
"I do not know." Todoh replied. His new symbols of rank felt heavy on his shoulders and had done since he received word that General Katase had activated the Gyōkō System. "I can only assume that it is something of grave importance that requires me to be informed in person."
"Maybe they're going to give us a Seventh Generation Knightmare as well." Senba suggested.
Urabe snorted. "I really, really doubt it. We've been haemorrhaging soldiers like a pig that's been hung to bleed out. If anything, we'll have our funding and supplies cut."
"They wouldn't do that!" Asahina protested, "Not after seven years of loyal service!"
"Seven years spent doing almost nothing." Urabe countered, "Our gains have been miniscule and now we're barely as large as a battalion thanks to Kusakabe and Cornelia. By comparison, the Black Knights and Zero have killed an Imperial Prince, defeated the Goddess of Victory and dealt a solid blow against the Britannians during the Battle of Narita. Two victories and a draw. Kinda beats our one victory during the invasion."
This of course made the other three argue with him, but Todoh tapped his katana on the floor to get them to be quiet.
"That's enough." He said sternly, "Urabe is entitled to his own opinions and most of what he has said is little more than the raw truth. Now we have arrived, so keep any squabbling to yourselves until we return to base."
"Yessir." The four Colonels replied as the elevator clanked to a halt.
Debarking from the car, the five remaining highest-ranking members of the JLF followed the man in black who was waiting for them. They were led to the meeting room that, unknown to them, had been used for the meeting between Zero and the House Heads.
"General Todoh." An old male voice greeted them from behind a partition screen that merely showed the shadows of the people behind it, "And your famous Four Holy Swords. Welcome to Kyoto House."
"It is an honour to be here." Todoh bowed.
"Have a seat." A soft female voice said from the slightest shadow, "We are still awaiting one more guest."
"Oh?" Todoh raised an eyebrow as he sat down in a very stiff and proper seiza position, his Holy Swords following suit.
"Indeed." A voice laden with the overtones of mechanical disguising said from behind them. The JLF representatives leapt to their feet and turned around to see the masked and caped resistance leader standing imperiously behind them.
"Welcome, Zero." The first voice greeted the leader of the Black Knights, "Please, have a seat."
"Thank you." Zero replied politely and stepped forwards before pausing, looking in Todoh's direction. "General Todoh. It is an honour to meet you in person."
"Zero." The General nodded, "I was expecting someone taller."
"You might be surprised how often what you least expect to be the truth." The masked man said wryly.
"There's something that I've been wondering since I first saw you on TV." Todoh said gravely, "Would you satisfy my curiosity before we get started."
"I promise to listen, but no promises on answering to your satisfaction." Zero answered honestly.
"Very well. Why? Why the mask and cape?" the general asked.
"The actual question is likely something different." Zero chuckled after a moment, "Something along the lines of 'why not use something less flashy, like a balaclava, skiing goggles and plain black clothing?', right?"
"Something along those lines." Todoh allowed.
"Tell me, could you recall what I looked like even after only seeing me once?" Zero asked.
"Yes…" the Miracle Maker answered slowly.
"That is why." Zero stated simply, "What Japan wants, needs, right now is a symbol. The costume of 'Zero' that you see before you is that symbol; something instantly recognisable, something that is hard to forget…and something to rally behind."
"What do you mean?" Asahina asked rudely.
"On its own, a symbol is nothing than an image." Zero answered him, ignoring his rudeness, "A single person alone is ineffective. A group of people together with no common link is little more than a mob. Combine enough people with a strong enough symbol…well, you can change the world. It also means that, should I die in battle, the identity of 'Zero' will live on, with someone else taking up the mantle in my stead."
There was a sort of shocked silence in the room and this pronouncement. Making plans for the eventuality of one's death was understandable, but making it so the mask lived on beyond the death of the user was plainly ridiculous, beyond any sort of common sense one might bring to bear. Who did that?!
Zero, apparently.
The meeting started soon enough after the room recovered from Zero's revelation.
"While it is good to meet you face to face, so to speak, it is a sad reason that this meeting is called." A third voice spoke up, this one old and male, "The JLF, made out of the remnants of the Japanese Imperial Army, has managed to hang in and survive gamely over the last seven years of conquest and subjugation by the Britannians, but the recent incident with Lieutenant-Colonel Kusakabe has sent their support among the common citizens of the ghettos plummeting, and his foolishness also aroused the ire of Viceroy Cornelia, who even now prepares to march on the remaining bases of the JLF that she has guessed the locations of."
"It is also unlikely that they can be fended off this time, as none of the bases possess a Gyōkō System." The female voice added, "Additionally, two members of the Knights of Round are due to arrive today to reinforce the Britannian forces already stationed here."
"In fact, they expedited their arrival and arrived three days ago." Zero interjected smoothly, "They are moving quickly to get their Knightmares set up and plans drawn up. My sources estimate no more than a week before they launch their attack."
In the second shocked silence in a few minutes, Todoh shook himself mentally. "I see. Can I assume then that we will be working with the Black Knights to fend off this attack?"
"In a manner of speaking." The first voice said calmly, "After a vote of four to two, the Six Houses have elected to raise its support of the Black Knights to full associate status."
The eyes of the Four Holy Swords bulged at this. Only the JLF had ever been accorded that status with Kyoto House. Most resistance groups were probationary associates, with a select few being partial associates, such as the Blood of the Samurai and Imperial Dragons.
"I see. So you're going to reduce the JLF to partial associate status." Todoh deduced.
"As sharp as the rumours say." The first voice said with a chuckle, "Yes, that is indeed the reason we called you here, to inform you of that in person. In light of the years of honourable service that the JLF has given us, it is the least courtesy we can offer."
"This is an outrage!" Chiba protested, "We've fought and bled for you and now you're casting us aside like a broken sword!"
"You fought and bled for Japan, Colonel Chiba." The female voice said firmly, "The JLF merely had an easier time of it thanks to our backing. Your broken sword analogy isn't entirely incorrect, however. The JLF outside of the Greater Tokyo area has officially become less than a company, while you barely have the numbers to make up a couple of battalions in the Greater Tokyo area. How long before you are reduced to the same level as outside of your main base? A month? Two?"
"A month and a half at the current rate." Todoh admitted calmly.
"General!" Asahina protested.
"The truth is the truth. We cannot avert our eyes to it." The last General of the Imperial Japanese Army stated, "And it is obvious that the Six Houses have been keeping an eye on our personnel situation. Denying what they already know is not only pointless but foolhardy."
"Then why is he here?!" the bespectacled soldier demanded, pointing rudely as Zero.
"Because we have an idea that we wish to put to you." The first voice stated, "With the current state of the JLF, it is unlikely that you will be able to fend off the next attack by Cornelia, especially backed up by two members of the Knights of Round, even with your base fortifications and the new line of Jinrai that we will be replacing the Burai with taken into account."
"With that in mind, we would like to offer you a deal." The female voice continued, "The Six Houses will offer the aid of the Black Knights in the defence of your men in exchange for the disbandment and absorption of the JLF as an entity by the Black Knights following the battle."
"You cannot be serious!" Asahina and Chiba roared, coming to their feet angrily.
"Sit down!" Todoh ordered.
"But General!" Chiba tried to protest.
"Sir, these people-!" Asahina voice his own disapproval
"I said sit DOWN!" the General barked. Quailing, the two out-of-line soldiers sunk back down to the floor obediently. Senba hadn't reacted as harshly as his compatriots, but the stiff, disapproving set to his shoulders and back screamed his opposition to the idea. Urabe seemed to be the only member of the Four Holy Swords who was thinking about the offer and even he looked reluctant.
"Are you already so obedient to the Six Houses that you attack on demand for them, Zero?" Todoh asked sternly.
"I would offer my aid to the JLF without the caveat of the Six Houses, were it not for the fact that even if you somehow survive this attack by Cornelia, the time of the JLF will be over." Zero answered coolly, "Be it a month or be it a year, eventually you will be brought low and either killed or captured by the Britannians. That would be a waste of good soldiers' lives and of your tactical and strategic mind."
"Humph. Do you expect me to create miracles for you if I agree?" the General frowned and snorted in distaste.
"Your victory at Itsukushima was no paltry miracle; it was a victory won by the excellent use of intelligence and prediction of the actions of the enemy." The masked man rebutted, "To lay mines in an area, then slowly and carefully luring the enemy into them before detonating them was a magnificent tactic, made all the better by the instant counterattack by your tank battalion at the moment of high confusion that the loss of over twenty Knightmares caused. That is how you won. Not by force, not by cheap tricks, and certainly not by some divine-sent 'miracle,'" Zero's own disdain for the word seemed to match Todoh's. "But by outsmarting the enemy and using their own arrogance and pride against them. It is that which makes you an excellent commander and it is that which is needed for the Japanese people; not Todoh the Miracle-Bringer, but General Kyoshiro Todoh, the strategist and tactician. I would not have your talents lost to Japan now."
The only reaction Todoh gave to this was a raised eyebrow. That had been an excellent, albeit brief, analysis and summery of the way he had defeated the Britannians at Itsukushima. He hadn't made any reports to his superiors after that battle, and a lot of the soldiers that he had commanded that day were either dead or in the JLF, so Zero couldn't have interviewed them. This meant that the most likely source for Zero's analysis must have been…
"You somehow gained access to the Britannians' AAR's and used them to deduce how I won at Itsukushima." He said with a nod.
"Correct."
"I am afraid that this is a decision that we must press you on, General." The female voice said apologetically, "If we are to prepare the Black Knight and the JLF for battle, we must act soon. Your decision please."
Kyoshiro Todoh closed his eyes and thought very carefully about what his decision this day would mean. He thought about the way Zero had so easily supplanted the JLF, how he had killed a Prince and laid low the Goddess of Victory. How he had saved the honour of the JLF from the idiocy of that fool Kusakabe.
Opening his eyes again, he made his decision.
"I…"
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Next Chapter: Bedivere the Implacable
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