Author: HyperiorV
" " – Talking
' ' – Thinking
[ ] – SFX, Soundtrack, Camera Positioning, Extra Descriptive Details
( ) – Grammatical Clarification Notes, Extra Details, Author's Asides
[Code Geass: "Cold Nobility"]
Suzaku: Zero. The mask of a nameless hero. I understand now, Lelouch. So, this was your burden. So, this was my punishment. It's something that I need to keep up, until the very end. No one can know the truth. But even still I…
Act 3.00: A Peace of Pudding
A lone black king stand on the chessboard. The wind blows as it teeters, leaning upon the white bishop and the white queen.
Second Year of Light Sum. World Trade Towers; Tokyo Settlement, Japan.
Two years have passed since the extraordinary hero, Zero, killed the last emperor of Holy Britannian Empire, Lelouch vi Britannia. With more than 80% of the world joining the United Federation of Nations, the people continue to wish for peace and choose cooperation route even after Lelouch's death. With Japan and China as the center of United Federation of Nations's, politics were practiced with global perspective. In addition to that, military power is transferred to and operated by several independent military groups, as delegated by UFN. Any other small nations like Zilkistan were forcibly demilitarized under the orders of Zero. As a result, very few large-scale conflicts have occurred since the last World War, and the world's peace was preserved. However…
"I need a new knightmare." Zero asserted. Under the mask that shrouds his real face, his expression can't be read.
"No. I don't think you do." The one who suggested that was Schneizel el Britannia who serves as the Chief of Staff in UFN Supreme Council. As well as Britannia's Prime Minister. He's the man who's practically the world's second-in-command. At his side, his assistant Kannon spoke up. "Zero. Is the Mahoroba and the Lancelot Albion Zero not good satisfactory?"
Zero pushed forward, placing his palms on the table. "It's not enough. I need something better suited to my capabilities. So next time, I won't be defeated. No matter how the world as a whole is advancing toward peace, buds of conflicts will always arise. Weeds that need to be removed. As the one who has slain the evil Emperor Lelouch, I will need to prove myself."
Schneizel waved the notion away. "I believe that opinion is wrong. The Black Knights exist to main world peace. If they hold too much military power, it would frighten the people and new conflicts would be reborn instead. To that end, we requested the Glinda Knights and now Cornelia's Petal Rose Knights to check the Black Knights." Schneizel's words are reasonable. It's also clear that his words are for the sake of keeping peace. However…
Oldrin Zevon, the head of Glinda Knights, shook her head with resign and she crossed her hands. "Of course, there are still small seeds of conflicts," she stated. "Such as in the Congos, Zilkistan, the Philippines, Euro Britannia, and now the Middle East again. In this world which has been engulfed by war for a long time, it's natural that flames of conflicts won't be completely erased. It's natural because this world is inhabited by people who refused to change with it. Because of the people who can't forgive the tragedies of the past. Therefore, in order to prevent the conflicts from rising, it's probably right to assign the power to subdue conflicts to Zero, who is the symbol of peace and justice of the new world." She gestured to the man himself.
Zero nodded. "The world must be peaceful. Otherwise, what did he sacrifice his life for?" agreed Zero.
"Very well." Schneizel raises his hands in surrender as his eyes glowed red. Zero has spoken, therefore Schneizel can't go against him. However, for Oldrin, who did not understand who they were referring to; her brows creased briefly in confusion.
"Very well. Then who shall we contract to create your new steed? Hmmmm. Rakshata Chawla hasn't responded to our communications and I've heard that she's been compromised so Chawla Technologies… No, the Pearl Party is out of the question. The Toromo Agency in Cambodia has been silent of late. And Rosenberg is already occupied creating new knightmares for Cornelia."
Kanon raised his hand. "Should we contact Brighton Industries?"
Schneizel considered that option for a moment before dismiss the notion with a shake of his head. "Hmmm, no. We can't trust them and they've been gaining too much power of late. Still, with no other options..."
"...Actually..." began Zero.
1 Week Later. Shinjuku: Abandoned Industrial Zone.
[Code Geass Fukkatsu no Lelouch: "Peace for a While"]
In his hand, Zero held a piece of paper with decoded instructions. After he had requested their current location, Zero had received a paper with a large seven digit toy decoder ring and a long jumbled up message. After spending more time than he should have trying to figure it out himself and then running it through the Black Knight's intelligence agency, he had finally remembered the seven-letter code word that allowed him to decipher the message. "P-U-D-D-I-N-G". What else from the former Earl?
Zero looked up to the fenced gate of abandoned construction site. Unfinished rusty beams and plates and tubes were all visible. Compared to Rakashata's architectural wonder of a lab… The directions clearly stated this place at this time… but was it really correct? Was there some sort of double meaning? No, they wouldn't have made it that difficult for him. Perhaps a better vantage point.
(Note: This the place Zero was born in R1. Where Lelouch made his determination in R2. Episodes R1 1, R2 3?, the ending of ED 1 (0:05), and the Promotional Video of R3.)
Zero leapt upwards made his way up the scaffolding. He swiped his cape and looked out but could find nothing. But then, Zero's attention was something as he stared out into the distance.
The sun began to rise.
Captured by its beauty, Zero sat down on one of the beams, watching the natural wonder. Flames of white and yellow upon the blue shores in the distance. They wiped away the darkness of the skies. And even a bit of the darkness in his heart. The mark of orange lit the sky as a flock of doves flew by. He enjoyed this small quiet peace. It was something that he himself hadn't experienced in a long time.
"Yoo hoo~ Down here~!" Zero looked down to see the figures of two engineers. Two that he was very familiar with, before he had taken up the mask. He jumped down from above, landing on his feet perfectly, like a cat.
"You arrived here earlier than we anticipated, Zero. It's rather lucky that we spend our mornings outside anyways" stated Lloyd, holding a cup of coffee. He offered Zero his signature fake smile. Beside him was Cecile, holding her own cup. "See! I told you we didn't need us to send him that hint!"
"Ah! Lloyd Asplund and Cecile Croomy!" announced Zero, offering his hand. "It will be a quite a pleasure working with you. Your designs for the Lancelot have always had me quite intrigued."
"Why thank you! It's nice to see a suitable devicer again too!" Lloyd stated, cutting right to the point as he took the hand. He smirked. "…Even if you hired us for what I suspect are more than just professional reasons..."
Zero frowned. "Say no more."
Cecile gestured for Zero to follow them inside a massive truck, which was parked in an alley just out of sight. At the front door, Cecile put her eye and finger to a scanner, inserted the key around her neck, and then typed in a lengthy code. He followed Lloyd and Cecile through the front hallway into the back hangar.
"Of course, that's right! We first need to check you for bugs!" Lloyd agreed with him as he waved his hand away.
"Bugs?"
"Cameras. Microphones. Trackers. Those sorts of things."
Cecile approached Zero inside the van's hallway. "Here let me…"
"No. Allow me~!" Already in front of Zero and Lloyd began feeling him up; beginning with his shoes and ending with his arms. Then he doubled up, beginning from his neck and ended with on his abs. "Hmmmm. I've seen you've been growing in all the right places!" he teased. Behind him, Cecile pouted lightly, drawing a smile from Lloyd. "I'll just go make a final sweep." Cecile turned away to activate an old school radio, then increased the volume significantly. After that, she began checking around their hangar's workplace.
Lloyd pulled something from Zero's sleeve. "Ah… there you are." He showed Zero what appeared to be a button at first glance but was actually a miniature microphone. Lloyd crushed it with a nearby hammer and then threw it into a sink for good measure, where there were various other types. Somewhere near, yet far, an enterprising lone reporter named Cypris shouted, "Dammit!"
Zero trembled. "Ngh!? ...Thanks, I didn't notice." "No problem, any time! Especially now that you're our boss!" Lloyd's face turned a bit serious. "Still, you should be more careful. I don't think you could afford the price you'd pay if the world found out about your secret identity. Nor would that person forgive you."
Zero dismissed the notion with his hand. "...That's not a problem. I swore to him that I would wear this mask forever… Otherwise what was his sacrifice for?"
Lloyd smiled ironically, and Cecile gave him a look to warn him. "Still that's not a problem here, so you can take off your mask right now, Suzaku," stated Cecile as she closed the hangar door behind them. "You can trust us."
"Then I will be taking advantage of your hospitality." Zero began speaking in eloquent Japanese and removed his mask to reveal an older Suzaku. His face had elongated, and a stub of a beard appeared on his chin. But the lines around his tired eyes suggested that he had not slept in a long time. "… Cecile-san. Lloyd-san. I'm back home. Have you been well?"
Cecile closed her eyes and scratched her chin nervously. "Well… We've been…" "We've been unemployed." Lloyd finished.
[Music: Code Geass: "Stray Cat"]
Suzaku's frowned upon hearing his friends' troubles. "What? But it doesn't look like you're any worse off for funding." Suzaku motioned around towards the inside of Lloyd and Cecile's massive new truck. Lloyd wasn't normally the type of spend much money on luxuries if he could, preferring to spend all their funds on knightmare development.
Lloyd closed his eyes and rubbed his hands together cheerfully. "Well, both my parents were killed in the FLEJA-ing of the Capital Pendragon… and it turned out they had bequeathed the entire family fortune to me~ehehe!"
"Looks like they did care about you." Suzaku said positively. At least this was something he didn't need to fix. 'That's right… other people are dealing with their own problems too.'
"Perhaps." Lloyd gave a sneer. "But probably not."
"Anyways!" interrupted Cecile. "After we ran out of Lloyd's family funds, we began wandering around from job to job." "Eventually we got a very lucrative offer to join the rising Brighton Industries!" "We accepted of course, creating knightmare for the Glinda Knights." "...But after that incident half a year ago, we were fired. Thankfully we were then employed by Anya Alstreim under the table. To tutor her and help her with her custom knightmare; the Mordred."
"That joint project was so fun! I never knew that that person was so good with knightmares!" said Cecile jovially to Suzaku's confusion. She must mean Anya. Gino had said something about her being a knightmare engineer when they last met in Middle Britannia's Area of Mexico.
Lloyd smiled knowingly, narrowing his eyes. "Not to mention that we've been getting a veeery generous allowance for staying quiet about…" Cecile nudged Lloyd quite hard, causing him to close his eyes, frowning. "Ah… well we wouldn't be getting it, if we told you about what it was, now would we?" Suzaku raised his eyebrow.
Cecile spoke up, quickly changing the subject. "But that's enough about that. I've got something cooking in the kitchen. I promise, you won't believe your tastebuds! I've gotten much better!" promised Cecile, as she unbolted the door and headed into the nearby kitchen.
Suzaku looked at Lloyd with a grimace on his face that was equally matched. "Wellll, she's not wrong. At least now it's 'edible' now…"
Suzaku chuckled. "So, you finally told her huh?"
Lloyd put a hand to the back of his head, embarrassed. "…Not really. At our last job, Cecile offered some food to the CEO of Brighton Industries, Pallas Brighton, and almost poisoned her. That's how we wound up getting fired."
"Aren't you forgetting the fact that you pulled more funding than we were allowed?" shouted Cecile from the Kitchen.
"Oh please." Lloyd responded with a mischievous smile as she entered. "Companies always play hard-to-get~. After all, they're trying so hard to get us back now that we've countered their spying!"
[Code Geass: "Concealment"]
"Ahhh!" Cecile carelessly tripped upon herself, flinging the slimy black atrocities that she called 'baked potatoes' in the direction on Lloyd and Suzaku's mouths. Lloyd sighed as he put his hand to his glasses. Suddenly, a blaze luminous shield appeared before the incoming projectiles, shielding them from harm. "Sorry!" exclaimed Cecile.
"Ah, so you've gotten one of those miniature Blaze Luminous from Brighton Industries." Suzaku pointed out.
Cecile shook her head, cleaning up the mess. "Actually, it's our own design." "A joint project with Nina-darling~ and that Tina 'STARK!' girl." Lloyd exclaimed.
"...But we got so carried away developing it that our designs were stolen before we could patent it…"
Lloyd raised his coffee in a toast. "That's the dark side of corporatism for you! Survival of the richest." "Or rather, the quickest to the patent office," joked Cecile. The three of them chuckled for a moment.
"…Yes. Our old employers at Brighton Industries have been accused of stealing from many, many researchers." "That goes for us too." "However, nobody's been able to prove how they've been able to do it."
Suzaku smiled. "Ah, so you've had it rough as well."
Lloyd put his hand to his head. He facepalmed. "That's right... We lost most of the designs for the Knight of the Rounds' custom knightmare frames. The ones that we were given by little old Lelouch."
"Of course, it's not the first time we've had our technology stolen from us." Cecile admitted.
"By who… Oh. Rakshata," remembered Suzaku.
"Bingo…" noted Lloyd sourly.
"You see, Suzaku, the benefit of war is that no one really cares if you're stealing technology. In fact, it's encouraged in order to create better weapons!" explained Cecile.
Lloyd ranted bitterly as he shook his head. "However, now that war's over and we're held legally responsible, I don't think Rakshata know how to 'create' anything really. Not that she ever has, aside from that Radiant Wave Surger and Gefujin Disturber that she's so proud of. And we helped her prototype the concept on those things too anyways, so I'm not sure if you can even call really hers…"
"But she is very good at bridging technologies together and improving them!" Cecile pointed out.
"Yes… that is true." Lloyd grumbled. "Anyways that's the true purpose of the so-called 'Pearl Party'. To have a legal excuse to lay some claim to the technological advancements of her co-workers." Lloyd smirked, raising an eyebrow to Cecile. "Ironic that she's now a victim herself. I hear she quite livid nowadays."
Cecile smiled at Suzaku. "Still, it's not as bad as you'd think. At least we've figured out how to keep others from finding our secrets." Suzaku curled his eyebrows. Maybe he could learn something here. "Really? Then if you don't mind me asking…"
"Oh, of course~" Lloyd gave a modified "ok" handsign to Cecile, who began explaining. "Well we narrowed down the possibilities to Zero. It obviously wasn't a spy, since there are just us two. So, following that logic, we tried to encrypt our data behind several firewalls and use old-style computers without any internet or ports, but we soon found out that our computers would be instantly hacked or stolen when we left them. The same thing happened when we tried putting it all on paper and inside safes. So we hid ourselves."
"And this time, up~graded our home and it's defenses!" Lloyd knocked on the wall behind him with a grin.
"Reinforced, waterproof, airtight, pressured, infrared immune, and soundproof!" explained Cecile.
Suzaku's eyebrows raised in understanding. "Oh, I see. That explains why it was so hard to find your home."
Cecile apologized."…Sorry about that."
[Code Geass: "Pessimistic Time"]
Lloyd then turned to Suzaku with a smirk. "But that's enough about OUR problems. What about yours hmmm, Suzaku? Isn't that not why you hired us?"
"Lloyd!" Cecile hit Lloyd hard before she smiled kindly to Suzaku. "You know that we've always up talk you if you want."
"...Thanks." Suzaku sighed. "It's… It's been tough. I never imagined that leadership would be so hard. I must constantly balance so many facts, values, and concepts from different cultures, it's hard to judge what good and evil now. Its hard to know what I should do. But it's also hard to lead others, especially when they all want different things."
Lloyd flipped his hand and gestured. "Such is the fate of democracy, I'm afraid. If the opposite of pro is con, then naturally, the opposite of progress is…" "Congress," finished Suzaku. "Well, in this case it's the UFN and Britannian Grand Parliament. I can get the people on my side with a bit of daring-do and spectacle and so-forth, that's no problem. I know Zero better than anyone. I can put up the act just fine. No, I am Zero. But I can barely get the politicians to agree on anything! They all constantly fighting each other for their own selfish agendas."
Lloyd smiled. "'Politician' is such an ugly word is it not? People who lead to work and not work to lead."
Suzaku grinned in turn. "You said it! Those selfish paper-pushers have no heart! They're all clinging to money and power. Personal benefits. Especially the old ones."
Cecile frowned. "I'm sure that not all of them are bad. Maybe they just can't see the bigger picture. Or maybe they're just refusing to cooperate. And I'm sure some of them support you!"
Suzaku rubbed the back of his head. "I guess you're right. There's Kaguya and Schneizel. My cousin has always supported Zero's decisions. And Schneizel has been extremely helpful. Not just teaching me the ropes, but also acting as a safety net, if I should do something wrong."
"He IS still under Lelouch's geass? Correct?" questioned Cecile. Suzaku smiled. "Who can say? I'd like to believe that he's doing it of his free will. But either way I'm grateful to him."
Lloyd stretched out his arms. "Anyways… Just talking about your problems won't make them go away. Eventually, they'll become so big that you won't know what to do! So, from my point of view you have three options. One~. Give up your power and support to someone who can do what you can't. Who has the same agenda as you. Create extensions of your will. Two~. Stop limiting yourself. Simply steal some more power to accomplish what you need!" Suzaku looked angrily at Lloyd who only narrowed his eyes coldly. "...Or three; continue being an ineffectual ruler with popular support… Until you lose all your support and then your power… and then everything else. Left with 'Zero'," he finished.
"There's another option." Suzkau retorted.
"Oho? Do tell. Do tell." humored Lloyd.
"I can work within the system between the lines and find a way to solve everything."
Lloyd's face twitched in anger. "But isn't that just your original conclusion when we first met? Do you know what the definition of insanity is?!"
Cecile clarified Lloyd's words. "It's doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."
Suzaku recalled his dealings with that other person. He glanced at his open palm and clenched it in determination. "No, this time is different. Now I have the power and public support to make Lelouch and Nunnally's world a reality. And it's already a gentler world. I can make allies instead of enemies. I can talk things out to resolve problems peacefully. Like Prince Schneizel."
Lloyd leaned forward and stroked his chin. "But then… isn't that just the same as letting Schneizel's methods rule the world?" noted Lloyd skeptically.
Suzaku's clenched his teeth and stared Lloyd dead in the eyes. "The old Schneizel wanted to rule the world through fear and tyranny under the Damocles. I want to rule it through hope and cooperation under discussion at one round table."
Lloyd grinned ironically. "...So, it's tyranny of the majority then is it?"
Cecile cut them short, noticing the rising tension. "But I have another idea! Why not just… ask for help? Ask for power and support from someone who can do what you can't. Rely on your allies and friends. Today you've already taken as step by coming to us. You aren't alone you know!"
"Ahhh~ Never thought of it that way…" stated Lloyd. He leaned back to the couch and nodded in approval before raising an eyebrow skeptically. "Of course, you'd have to assume that those who you ask would be both kind and capable. And you'd have to swallow whatever's left of your pride and hate."
Suzaku began to sulk. If he had done that with Lelouch, when he had been Zero. If he had just asked… then perhaps much of the casualties could have been avoided sooner.
Sensing Suzaku's mood worsen, Cecile interrupted the two once more. "Surely there are some benefits to being Zero! The people love you! You give hope to everyone in a better future!"
Suzaku turned away and glanced at the mask. "…They love Zero. Zero gives people hope in a better future. And not everyone. I can't solve all the world's problems." Suzaku stated depressed.
Lloyd looked at Cecile and creased his brows. Even he could tell the mood was going sourly. He had a thousand retorts to what Suzaku just said. But they wouldn't teach him anything more. There was nothing he could do. In that case...
Lloyd frowned sadly at the lone boy in front of him and spoke in an slow, gentle, and unfamiliar tone. "Suzaku, no single person can or should bare the weight of the world alone. That's what I believe."
Suzaku's head spun towards him. "But…" "But I'm sure that Lelouch would be proud of what you're doing..." Lloyd finished.
The creases on Suzaku began to fade as he smiled tiredly. As he recalled his first, last, and only friend. Lelouch. "Yeah… he would be. Thanks, Lloyd. Thanks Cecile."
"Lloyd that was…" Cecile raised an eyebrow. Lloyd was being quite sensible. She hadn't heard him speak that way in a long, long time.
"...I guess I really am growing up." Lloyd said embarrassed.
The doorbell of the van activated. Lloyd glanced irately at Suzaku and returned to his old snarky voice. "All that work hiding for nothing!? Suzaku, you traitor! You're not human!" "D…Don't look at me! I checked if I was being followed." "Aside from that tracker on you, you mean?"
Cecile put her hands before Lloyd and defended Suzaku. "Lloyd! Calm down! It's not his fault! They were bound to find us again, eventually. We'll just find another place to hide out, like we always do! I'm sure we can find plenty of new hideouts. The OSI aquarium should be safe, and we can always return to the orange farm. And we can always ask them, right?!"
"The Black Knights would be more than happy to protect you both." Suzaku added.
"…Somehow, I doubt our research would be any safer." Lloyd sighed, got up out of his seat, and shrugged. "Well… either way, I'm starting to get a little bored of this 'philosophical' nonsense anyways, so it's all me," he said directing his thumb at himself.
Lloyd unbolted the door and exited the truck.
He was greeted by a teenager wearing a heavy clothing, a hat, and sunglasses who looked to the ground. "Package for Lloyd Asplund," she spoke in a heavy accent. "…For me? I see; it must be either another bribe or a compromised device. Just what I was expecting… Drop it over there will you?" He gestured towards the nearby trash container. A mountain of destroyed, half-vaporized packages and machines overflowed from it. A conspicuous red and white target ring was painted behind it on the wall.
"…I see. But I still require a signature." She provided a clipboard. Lloyd gingerly reached out before the woman grabbed his hand. A shock of static electricity ran across him as she forced a pen into his hand.
"Tch! …Owww…" Lloyd shook his hand. He looked at the figure quickly leaving, in suspicion.
"I think that 'truth' is something that is covered up most of the time." – Lloyd Asplund
[Code Geass: "Innocent Days"]
Lloyd knocked on the hallway door in a pattern. Dah nah nah nah nah. Nah nah. Suzaku reached for his helmet again but Cecile stopped him. Lloyd at the door shouted. "I think that delivery girl put a recording device on me, but I can't find it! So, I'm going to have to take a shower! After that I'll gather all the rest of the documents for the Lancelot." Cecile called after him. "Alright, but don't take so long this time."
…
Not knowing what to talk about further without Lloyd, Cecile and Suzaku turned to stare at each other awkwardly. Suzaku's eyes met hers and she began blushing. He interrupted the silence with a long-held question of his. "So, I've always been meaning to ask this. How did Lloyd get his title of 'Earl of Pudding' from Rakshata?"
Cecile smiled fondly and closed her eyes in embarrassment. "Well that's a long story. But I think I can tell you now that it's so peaceful. For that you have to know about Lloyd and Rakashata's relationship."
"Were they once together?" asked Suzaku. "Well I mean, I know Lloyd used to be an Earl and I know he loves pudding but… that no reason for it to be an insult is it? What, did Lloyd spill pudding on Rakshata and they broke up because of it?"
"Really, you didn't hear about what happened between them?!" Cecile opened her eyes wide in disbelief before looking away. "Well… I suppose they would censor news of what happened to us. When we young students in the Imperial Colchester Institute, Lloyd and Rakshata were to be politically married. Rakshata was and still is the daughter of the Prime Minister of India, Maharajah Chawla. Their marriage was an attempt by Lloyd's family to merge Britannian – Indian relationships. As you know, India's military technology matched and even surpassed Britannia's, so it was an excellent chance to bolster their military. As for a young Rakshata, it was her first time being in any form of meaningful connection. She was young and naïve, so she tried her best to keep their relationship going. Lloyd on the other hand didn't really seem to care much."
"Not surprising." Suzaku nodded, remembering the time Lloyd was once engaged to his school friend, Milly Ashford. "He's always been 'ASEEC-ual' (ASEEC/Asexual)." He joked.
Cecile smirked. "Of course. Well… there were some moments that he showed her affection during those early days, but I don't think he truly cared for her, even throughout the entire year of dating. More out of pity and guilt. Still…"
In a flashback, a young Rakshata and Lloyd are at a bar. "Lloyd! Do you love me or love me not?" A young Rakshata looked at him with sparkling eyes. Lloyd gestured with his hands. "Well yes but actually no." "What?!" she yelled in shock. "Well there are certain… aspects of you that I can't deny I'm attracted to... However! There are some parts of you that you need to change. You want to stop people from dying too right?" "Of course! That's why I'm a biomedical student!" "But war is where the most people die right? Well then why not come with me and help develop the Britannian Emergency Survival Cockpits? I'm always looking to save more people!" said the young Lloyd naively and held out his hand. She took it.
"Their relationship was beginning to finally reach some level of fruition, as both researchers found themselves enamored with their research. Rakshata even changed her major from a medical student just so that she could be with Lloyd more. I think that Lloyd held some affection for her, to some degree. Together, Lloyd and I helped her - accidentally - create the concepts for the Radiant Wave Surger using a modified medical bath designed to delay tuberculosis. And then from that we made the Gefujin technology. But we prided ourselves in creating the Emergency Survival Cockpits. Mobile 'Frames' that could save wounded soldiers from death. 'The First Generation: Infancy' they call it now."
In a flashback, the three engineers stood behind a modified blue frame. Lloyd shook hands with Lady Marianne, in her knight uniform. Aside her is Milly's grandfather.
"However, Lloyd spent all our research money erratically creating factspheres and landspinners. We had to outsource our research to the military, using his family's connections. To the Ashford Foundation and a Britannian Army Special Division; the 'Special Dispatch Guidance System Division'. Unfortunately, encouraged by the frame's unexpected 'success' at the hands of Lady Marianne, the Britannians only saw our research as 'Giant Fighting Robots'. They both began weaponizing it. That was the 'Turning Point' of the Second Age. The beginning of the 'Knightmares' as Lloyd put it."
"Knightmare… Frames." Suzaku muttered, piecing it together.
[Code Geass: "Feel Ambivalence"]
Another flashback appears. It's the image of the three engineers from the second ED at 1:09. It's a laboratory. On the table is various foods, cake, a gift-wrapped present, and a large bottle of wine. On the left, Lloyd smiles and lifts his glass in a toast. Rakashata shakes hands with a (now clearly blushing) Cecile Croomy. However, the screen focuses on the fridge behind them.
"That's right." Cecile looked down at her coffee cup and took a sip. "But we didn't know back then what they would become. All we knew that the days spent at the drawing boards together were the happiest in our lives. All seemed to be going pretty well for… them," she said with a bad taste in her mouth. "But one day I was being young and stupid. I was… cooking and I-I mixed up some of the cooking ingredients with s-some… volatile chemicals."
Something wet dropped into her cup. "I-I accidentally mixed them into a p-pudding for Lloyd. I-I didn't know. You understand right? It was an a-accident," she insisted with a red, tearing face. "An ACCIDENT," Cecile strongly reassured Suzkau.
"I see." Suzaku thought to himself. 'I don't think anyone could make an accident like that…' However now some of the pieces were beginning to fit in Suzaku's mind.
Cecile hid her face with her hands. She shook for a moment but then calmed down as Suzaku comforted her. "…One day Lloyd unexpectedly offered Rakshata that particular 'precious' pudding. After eating it Rakshata almost immediately fell into a coma. Because of his quick thinking, Lloyd was able to develop a cure for my… concoction.
Suzaku repeated what Cecile had declared. "It wasn't your fault, Cecile. It was an accident"
"…Yes. That's right." Cecile calmed down slightly. "I suppose it didn't matter. The deed was already done. Rakshata and her whole country was furious. At me."
In a flashback, a past Cecile is at the courtroom. Rakshata and her father are aside in the stands. The father wears a red turban and a black beard. He calmly grins, though almost deviously. On the other side of him, Rakshata has a furious, cold look on her face. "Cecile Croomy, the court has found you guilty of poisoning the daughter of our Prime Minister! What say you to these accusations?" states the judge, pointing his hammer at her. Everyone, including the cameras looks down at Cecile. "…I-I…"
Back in the present, Cecile wiped something wet off her eyes. "Her father looked through the records, the camera work, and the fingerprints. There was no doubt that I was the culprit. Understand that I was born a commoner with a family history of debt, so it would be logical to assume that I was some sort of hired assassin or had a personal grudge with the wealthy Chawla family. Nothing could be further from the truth. I was facing the world. Alone. But then… Lloyd stepped in."
In the flashback, the past Lloyd threw open the doors of the courthouse. "Objection!" The guards walked towards him, but with a motion from Rakshata's father, they moved out of his way. Lloyd walked to Cecile's side. "Hah! You Indian idiots! You thought it was Cecile Croomy! But it was really me, Lloyd!" he jabbed his thumb at himself as the cameras zoomed on his face dramatically. A crazed grin overtook him. Gasps came from the crowd, and a shocked, angry look of horror betrayed Rakshata's feelings. Only her father's face remained unchanged.
A smile appeared on Cecile. "When Lloyd couldn't calm Rakshata down, he took all the blame for the incident. He told Rakshata and the court that he had done it as a controlled 'prank'. That he did it to fool their entire country and her. It was proof of Britannian genetic superiority. He renounced their love and their marriage and then said that he enjoyed having Rakshata at his mercy. That he was a sociopath."
She shook her head in disillusionment. "Nothing could be seen ruder or more exciting than a failed political romance that captured the people's attention. Lloyd had made a deal with Raskshata's father, who used that Anti-Britannian hatred and the sympathy for his daughter to be re-elected as Prime Minister. And in exchange, I would be spared, and Lloyd would be punished. However, since he was an Earl, Rakshata's father and the judge used that excuse to pardon him as well, even though it was very clearly illegal.
Suzaku recalled the time he had been imprisoned himself. Falsely accused of killing Prince Clovis. (Code Geass R1: Episode 4)
Lloyd: "…Not much luck on your end, though. You may be getting a trial, but no one is pulling for you certainly."
Suzaku: "But the courts are where truth comes to light!
Lloyd: "I expect that they'll be more smoke and mirrors than anything…"
Cecile sighed. "Lloyd's parents too, began to hate him for doing such a 'crude' deed that brought about dishonor to their family. One that desired a 'peace' of India. He became the 'Black Sheep' of the family. So, I followed him to the Special Dispatch Guidance System Division of Britannia, the one that he hated so much. Lloyd had to literally buy back his title with the money creating the designs for the Third Age (Archetype) and Fourth Age (Implementation) of Knightmare Frames so that he wouldn't be persecuted by everyone. We created the RPI-11 Glasgow. Those were the same knightmares that conquered your homeland of Japan, you know." Suzaku grimaced.
"But we were still chased by others, by those seeking revenge. Even in Britannia. After taking a 'vacation' after creating the fifth generation, we had to hide ourselves in the Sixth Age (Missing). Just like we are now. After that, I think Lloyd decided to fully commit to science. We joined ASEEC under the protection of Prince Schneizel and began work on the seventh generation Lancelot Z0-1. We met you soon afterwards."
Suzaku spoke up. "Still, the people of India and Rakshata still don't know the truth," he stated. "All anyone knows is that Lloyd is a self-proclaimed sociopath..."
Cecile closed her eyes and nodded. "That was the first and only lie I've ever heard from Lloyd. That's why he's called the Earl of Pudding."
"He bought the lie…" Suzaku thought to himself, remembering their shared past. 'That must be why India supported the Black Knights… Why he chose me, the Traitor of Japan, to be his devicer! Why the early Lancelot models never had an ejection seat installed! And why he's so critical and cold all the time to me!' Suzaku concluded. '…Because I was once like him. A fool.'
He gestured towards Cecile. "So that why you…" "Yes. That's why I put up with his… current 'personality'. Because I owe him my life. And because… I think he truly cares. But he's just too afraid of losing someone that close to him again, or have anyone lose him too. After all, intelligent engineers like us are high priority targets for assassination and kidnapping, even in a world without war." Cecile glanced at an old newspaper article on the table.
("If you have someone you care about, you should keep them at a distance." – CC)
Suzaku smiled warmly. "I understand now. So, is there anyone else, Cecile? That you're close to?"
Cecile answered him. "Well there was one person. Ganabati from India. He was also from the Imperial Colchester Institute. Even though he worked for the Peace Mark terrorists, I did like him and he did like me. In fact, we actually started dating after the war."
"But then he joined the Pearl Party with Rakshata, where Lloyd wouldn't go. So, you chose Lloyd." Suzaku concluded.
Cecile blushed. "Well when you put it that way I guess I do…"
Dah nah nah. A knocking came from the hallway door, causing Cecile to jitter in shock. Suzaku had never seen her face become so red before. Cecile quickly slammed Zero's mask over Suzaku's head before he had a chance to react.
"Rakshata!? You're talking about her!?" Lloyd growled extremely angrily as Cecile hesitatingly let him in. An ugly, unfamiliar look appeared on his face. Unlike usual, Lloyd wore a black uniform and sunglasses instead of his trademark white labcoat. (Uniform from Knightmare of Nunnally)
Cecile sighed, partially in relief. "Here we go again…"
"Listen here, Cecile!" He pointed his finger at her. "That woman can't come up with anything on her own! She steals everything! Patents! The hard work of others! Even lives!"
"I agree with the first part but that last one. Lives? Well... I mean indirectly, in the past… I suppose so? But wasn't that meaningless in the context of war?" Cecile noted skeptically as she followed him into the hangar. Lloyd was being extremely simple and straightforward… even for him.
As the hangar door slammed shut, Zero took his mask off again. Lloyd noticed him and looked at him for a moment. ZAP. "Owww…" another electric shock hit Lloyd's hand, which he shook in pain. His anger disappeared as confusion took over his face. With suspicious eyes, Lloyd inspected his hand and frowned. "Erm. Ex-excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom. I might not have gotten quite 'clean'."
Cecile raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Really, Lloyd? Weren't you just in there for ten minutes? Or are you just being plain paranoid now?"
"It's okay, Lloyd. It's better to be safe than sorry. We can't let his sacrifice be in vain."
"That's right." Lloyd opened and slammed the hangar door behind him and he ran off to wash his hands.
Suddenly Zero got a call on his phone. He put his mask on before he activated it. "Yes. It's me, Zero. What! The Japanese Liberation Army again?! Horai Island docks. *(R2: Episode 10?) I see. I'll be there soon. I promise."
Cecile put on an awkward face. "Well it looks like we'll have to be leaving Lloyd to his long bathroom break again!" "Don't we need him to come with us?!" Zero motioned to the exit door. Instead, Cecile took Zero's hand and brought him to the front of the truck,
"Oh, he'll come out eventually. And I'm perfectly capable of launching the Lancelot siN II myself. If he takes that long, Lloyd'll just have to review the data secondhand."
She knocked on the bathroom as they passed. The sound of water from the faucet stopped, and Lloyd stepped out. "What was that?! I understand that duty calls and all but isn't it a bit rude to not let the creator of the Lancelot siN II see its debut?!" He followed behind them to the front.
Inside his helmet, Suzaku's brows furrowed. This wasn't the front of a normal truck. Aside from a few cheese-kun stickers and merchandise scattered about, it looked more like… part of a cockpit from a knightmare frame. Cecile seated herself in the knightmare seat, where the driver's seat would have been normally. On the other side were two normal seats where Lloyd sat them.
"Grow up, Lloyd. It was a joke." Cecile took the key from around her neck and put it into the ignition key of the van.
The van slowly exited the abandoned factory. "Head to the Tokyo Tower." Zero announced. "In the Lunar Chariot Launcher, we can be there within an hour."
In the cockpit Cecile shook her head. "That'll take too long."
Lloyd also rejected him as strapped on his seatbelts and placed a headset on himself. "And cost too much. Let's just go there ourselves, shall we~?"
Lloyd began flicking several switches around him. "Experimental Engel Engine started. Energy wings; on." Two large appendage extended from the sides of the vehicle. From them, several Energy Feathers formed wings as the car rolled to an open strip of land. "Blaze Luminous; functional. ME Boost activated!" A Blaze Luminous Cone surrounded the van and the wheels of the car began screeching in place. From at the back of the truck, a glowing ring of energy extruded.
"MWA Gadfly II! LAUNCH!" Cecile threw both her controls forward and stomped on a pedal. The vehicle jolted forward and accelerated, before literally flying out of the docks.
Under his mask, Suzaku laughed giddily, forgetting the fact that he was heading off to battle. "Hah! This is way too ridiculous! As expected of you two!"
Cecile took the complement. "Thanks, but the Gadfly still can't transform into a proper knightmare."
"Not yet. Hehe!" An eager smile came across Lloyd's face. An equally stupid grin under his mask, Suzaku couldn't tell whether they were joking or not.
A young woman's voice buzzed from the Radio headset on Lloyd. "Ummm. This is Central Tokyo Air Command. You do not have air clearance. Please bring the uh… van... back to ground level. Please?"
Lloyd handed him a receiver. "It's for you, Zero. We don't legally have a license yet."
Zero took it and spoke in Japanese. "This is Zero. This is an emergency. Please excuse us." "Zero!" "Is it really him?" "There's no mistaking that voice! It is!" squealed a female's voice. "But why's he in that?" "Don't question it, just believe in him!"
An older, more professional voice spoke into the microphone. "Ahem, my apologies, Zero. Go right ahead, sir. We'll be praying for your success."
"Zero! Banzai!" the young employees cheered as the Gadfly flew westward.
"Zero is Suzaku Kururugi."
In a darkened dorm at Ashford Academy, an Indian girl with a disfigured skin laid on her bed. She took off her a geass-marked device over her head. She rubbed her face and opened her eyes, revealed the red sigil of geass. Although she had had full access to ASECC's research, she still couldn't decipher the designs. They were all coded, like how her new colleagues, or "Sisters", communicated. What was worse was that each one was different. The only thing they all had in common were the runes in a language she had never seen before. She was always good at puzzles, but it was hard to decipher the meanings when Lloyd's gaze was constantly erratic. When she couldn't look at it herself. She sighed. Even still…
"So that's who he is now…"
She flipped open her spade shaped phone. "Hello, it's me. Neha."
An unrecognizable buzz came from the phone. "…I understand."
"…I wasn't able to." "…"
"I'm sorry." "…"
"It was my fault for not controlling myself; leaving before I could obtain any more information." "…"
"I see. The plan is proceeding normally, as expected of her. However, priority target 0 is also traveling to the mission site. We should pull back our squad to HQ. I recommend Plan S-2." "…! ..."
Neha smiled. "I understand. It won't happen again. However. I do have an excuse. Or rather… some invaluable information.
Next time:
Though, I might publish details on the latest Lancelot model, I won't be updating the "future" past this chapter for a long time. Instead, I'm going to focus on writing the 3 Separate Sidestories that take way before what I've written in Year 1 and 2 of Light Sum; "Laila of the Languish (L1)" "Kallen of the Calling (K1)", and "Rei of the Rebirth (Re1) (Euro Britannia Side Story/Sequel)"
I'd expect the next chapter to be R3: Act 1. (Or R3: Act 1.33) or "L1". I estimate 15-30 days.
Published: 5/13/2019, Last Edit: 5/15/2019
Author's Notes (Incomplete)
I've skipped Act 2.75 and the full UFN meeting before this because it contains massive spoilers. Though technically, there are still about half of the spoilers if you can read between the lines.
In the full UFN meeting, Zero goes through an internal recap about the events in the three planned sidestories and the changes in the political landscape. Cypris, a former OSI agent-turned news report of truth, pretended to be a retarded Zero fanboy and attached a secret listening/tracking device using his training. This is noted by a separate group of spies. The meeting is a recap of continued problems from the sidestories, and Zero gets absolutely rejected by the UFN in his attempts to invest funding in his logical solution, which again furthers his angst. This is noted by Nunnally. At the end of the meeting, Nunnally asks Zero to "come to my room tonight, again." She meant to help him out with his depression. However, this is picked up and recorded by Crypis. Earlier in the previous chapter, an angry Cypris puts this on hi-TV to suggest that Zero has been seduced by her and is using her influence on Zero to make him favor Britannia. Lelouch was not happy with even the insinuation that Nunnally is dating Suzaku.
A good alternate title of this Act would be "I can (not) do it".
I really like Lloyd. All guys in this series are pure boyz. That makes it fun for me to bully them.
I need to change the Gadfly so that it launches like an Emergency Escape Pod.
I have concluded that Suzaku's True Wish is to become a hero (or failing that a martyr) that is remembered. His greatest desire is to die.
I'm having trouble developing Britain and it's history for the side story. I know it got temporaily conquered by Britannia and was the reason for waging war on Europe. But I also know that it got freed/contested when the UFN formed. Maybe it was re-conquered in the decisive battle? But it was still used in the Ragnarock Connection. And now I have to deal with the factions of Germany, Netherland, AGI, and Peace Mark. And Euro Britannia. Don't know what happened to them, though at least I know what they WERE like thanks to Akito the Exiled. Still need to watch it though.
Thanks for Reading,
- HyperiorV
Retrospective Analysis (Incomplete)
Please Keep a Safe Work Environment in the Lab
What happened to Rakshata in the lab is something that happens in real life. I'm in engineering myself so I know the importance of food and safety in the workplace. I've never seen it myself thankfully, but I heard a lot of stories where some idiot puts dangerous chemicals into a power-aid bottle. A painful and short death. "Don't drink the cool-aid," as they say.
Lloyd and Cecile have magical adventures (well... really only 1 mission) with their foster 'son' Suzaku while getting tons of funding and a modified super-van from Lelouch (and Anya), who has too much storage/gambling/stock money and doesn't know what to do with it. But don't think Lloyd and Cecile too innocent either. Both of them don't (really) give a shit who uses their weapons, as long as they are being paid and aren't being chased. "Evil has family" after all. LL is just their best patron. Ever. A match "made in heaven", really.
Cecile is a mad scientist and neither of them can finish their work alone. Cecile is also really bad at doing the mechanical stuff. Since Lloyd isn't perfect either, they used to hire others to do their dirty work. But due to the engineering climate with corporate sabotage and stuff, they can't hire normies. Right now, their mechanic is usually Anya Alstreim, who (after Year 1-2 of Light Sum) is amazing. Both as a cook and a mechanic.
Rakshata, Lloyd, and Cecile's Past
No single one of them were responsible for the tragedy that befell them. In reality, all three of them were at fault.
Lloyd was a naive boy who wanted to help save lives on the battlefield, so what happened to his adopted siblings would never be repeated.
Rakshata got too carried away with developing technology to gain the approval of Lloyd. She misunderstood what Lloyd wanted, thanks again to both their dipshit parents.
Cecile had a crush on Rakshata, and developed technology to impress her.
Lloyd mismanaged the funding, and at the urging of his "ever-helpful", douchebag parents, got funding from the military. He was sympathetic to Marianne, who was under sexist bigotry for being a female Britannian knight at the time. Ultimately this resulted in their technology being weaponized. This stressed Rakshata out who then...
Rakshata left dangerous chemicals out, because she doesn't give a shit about safety hazards in the workplace. Also, her terrible social management skills resulted in her harshly rejecting Cecile, leading to...
Cecile wanted to poison Lloyd out of jealousy, but mixed 'harmless' laxatives with dangerous chemicals Rakshata left out.
Knightmare Frame History (Canon)
The creation of Knightmare Frames is roughly divided in nine Ages, which mark the birth of a new kind of weapon platform and its evolution into a full-fledged combat system.
In this fanfic, "Ages" are the chronological and technical terminology, taking about a year each. "Generations" is Britannian military terminology, since each successive generation is significantly better than the last, usually requiring an equal/greater generation to compete.
First Age: Infancy
The beginnings of the Knightmare Frame came from the creation of 'emergency survival cockpits' for conventional vehicles. Equipped with rocket engines to fly the crew away from the wreck, the contraptions were soon equipped with artificial legs to allow greater mobility. Limited room inside said vehicles restricted the number of legs to two. Though not a weapon in any sense of the word, the 'walking cockpits' provided the base form for their successors.
Second Age: Turning Point
Several years later, the creation of several common Knightmare Frame technologies, such as the Factspheres and Landspinners, lead to the funding for Knightmare Frame prototypes. However, the new technologies performed erratically, and the research was outsourced to military-based robotics projects and social-oriented programs. The former was assigned to a Britannian Army Special Division, the 'Special Dispatch Guidance System Division', while the latter went in the hands of a private group, the Ashford Foundation. The foundation implemented technologies related to training and education, enabling the entire Knightmare Frame program to make progress fluidly. The bipedal weapon was nicknamed 'Knightmare' by the army, but its non-offensive equipment was referred to as 'Frame' by civilians. The union of those two terms gave birth to the name 'Knightmare Frame'.
Third Age: Archetype
With the results gained from the two separate programs, Knightmare Frames were developed in combat-effective platforms. Use of Sakuradite became paramount in making the Knightmare Frames perform to expectations, resulting in the mineral's value increasing greatly, turning it into a resource as important as fossil fuels in international politics.
The Third Age also marked the creation of the Ganymede prototype, manufactured and designed by the Ashford Foundation. Its test pilot, Marianne quickly became famous and was granted knighthood, before eventually getting married to the Britannian Emperor. However, the company suffered great loss when Marianne was assassinated. The Ashford Foundation eventually retired from its business and its employees were disbanded. The truth on the Empress' death was never truly elucidated but rumors suggest that her downfall was caused by a political feud meant to keep the rising Ashford Foundation in check.
Fourth Age: Implementation
The Fourth Age saw the introduction of the RPI-11 Glasgow, the first mass-production weapons platform. Its abilities allowed the Britannian Empire to easily dominate Japan during the invasion of 2010 A.T.B. The Glasgow moved on to become the baseline unit for the Britannian Army, though it is eventually made obsolete. Some Glasgow units are still used by the Knight Police for law enforcement, and other countries have used it as a base in the creation of their own Knightmare Frames.
Fifth Age: Evolution
Following the success of the Knightmare Frames against conventional weapons of war, attention was turned to creating Knightmare Frames intended to destroy similar weapons, including other Knightmare Frames. The RPI-13 Sutherland is the result of this. The Sutherland features improvements to cockpit comfort and function, better mobility, and increased close-combat capabilities to emphasize its role as an anti-Knightmare weapon. The Second Princess Cornelia and her bodyguards make use of the Gloucester, a Sutherland variant designed specifically to combat other Knightmare Frames, reflecting the Chinese Federation and the EU's development of their own Knightmare Frames.
Sixth Age and Seventh: Missing and Continuation
The sixth age features almost no improvements in Knightmare Frame technology, earning it the moniker "Missing Generation" and no Knightmare exist within this category. The Knightmare Frame Gawain was the first Knightmare Frame to use a Float System, Druid System, Hadron Cannons and later Gefjun Disturbers were added to get better control of its Hadron Cannons and to give it a Stealth System. The creation of the Seventh Generation Lancelot marked the first significant innovation. Sakuradite is not only used in the Yggdrasil Drive, but is also scattered throughout the frame, increasing performance dramatically in all areas. This allows the Lancelot to effectively employ the MVS (Maser Vibration Sword) and electromagnetic shielding. In addition to the frame, Sakuradite is also used in the VARIS (Variable Ammunition Repulsion Impact Spitfire), with the intent of giving it the strength to survive a direct hit. It also features the implementation of a system that can remotely activate an auto-pilot that calls Knightmare Frame to the pilot by pressing a button on the key, though the range of this feature is limited to short distances. This kind of rapid development completely defies the notion of general purpose and mass production units, resulting in the Lancelot being a unique machine. The first mass-production seventh generation frame is the Vincent, which bears many similarities in design to the Lancelot. However, it lacks many of the Lancelot's experimental technologies, such as the Blaze Luminous and Harken Boosters.
Eighth and Ninth Age: Aspirations
The Eighth and Ninth Generations represent the highest level of Knightmare technology seen in the series, though like the Sixth Generation, no Knightmare exists within this category. Britannia's efforts are led by Camelot heads Lloyd Asplund and Cécile Croomy while Rakshata Chawla produces advancements for the Black Knights. The Knights of the Rounds' Knightmares incorporate eighth-generation technologies, as does Lelouch's Shinkirō. The Ninth Age sees the introduction of the Energy Wing, a Float System giving unrivaled agility and allowing for blinding speeds; but being highly difficult to control. Only two Ninth Age Knightmares are known: the Lancelot Albion and the Guren S.E.I.T.E.N. It is assumed all float-equipped, Eighth Generation, and higher generation Knightmares are built in with their own oxygen supply for combat at high altitudes and, for some, underwater travel and combat.'
(In-universe, Fan Canon Below)
Tenth Age; False 9th Gen: Fallen Aspirations/Dreams
Due to a lack of Sakuradite from Lelouch's explosion of Tokyo's Sakuradite Veins and hoarding, new knightmare technology experienced a major setback. Fuel and superconductors became non-existent. With massive inflated Sakuradite prices, UFN taskforces and countries were forced to come up with new energy methods. High energy weapons and technologies like basic FLOAT systems and especially Energy Wings were rendered gross wastes of Sakuradite. "9th" Gen knightmares operated assuming regular access to high grade Sakuradite. Currently, the Lancelot Black Albion and the Gurren Special Type I cannot operate at their peak performance without wasting a small fortune. No major or significant developments, aside from the miniaturization of knightmare technology.
After the war, the nations suffering the most (from left to right) and the nations with the most intact militaries (from right to left) are in this order: Britannia, Black Knights/India, European Nations, and then US of China (+allies).
Eleventh and Twelfth Age; True 8th Gen: Efficiency and Rebirth
To combat the issues with Sakuradite, researchers focused on efficiency and optimization of Sakuradite use and its technologies. This involved scaling down knightmares and providing alternative energy powering, like through batteries and energy fillers. The Pearl Party created STOCK (Fuel Backpack modules), and ASEEC designed the integrated siN system. However the main technological development of the twelve age came in the form of the "STARK Energy Principle". Due to various technological developments, future 8th Generation knightmares like Suzaku's Black Lancelot siN (II and Zero) and Kallen's Gurren Special Type II and Mark III can use their energy wings to fly for extended periods, though initially still limited. True 8th Generation Knightmare Frames are generally better than the old 9th ones, but usually only in terms of fuel capacity/efficiency.
SPOILERS!: Neha Shanter's Geass [The Watcher]
Neha Shanter's Geass allows her to hijack the senses of the people that she touches (and the people they touch) in a chain reaction. If possessed person A touched person B, then person B is now possessed, and Neha sees through their senses. She has little control over this hopping and is dependent on luck and the actions of the victims. Furthermore, any current person that touches her real body will instantly change to become the possessed victim. Right now, she gets her "sisters" to get in and pass it for her. Failing that, pay person A to do it for her.
Neha's geass is very limited; she can only watch, listen, feel, smell, and (unfortunately) taste. But she can't technically act on any of it. The geassed victim is still conscious and in control of their own bodies. If she tries to change the what people do/say, to do something "herself", she automatically gets "kicked out" of the geassed person's brain in thirty seconds. That's what happened to Lloyd. Neha got too worked up about Rakshata and couldn't control herself.
Neha's geass is counter to her own beliefs that she should take action herself and trust her own senses. It also reflects her personality. She sees other people only in the context of how they view her and how she thinks they see her. She received her geass from II (I2) or NN (N2), who saved her life, then promptly left her. Neha was later tracked down and recruited.
Originally it was just going to be switch bodies and for her to use Refrain on herself so the possessed person in her own body wouldn't wake up. So, a time limit would be preventing her. But that was too convoluted, even if it adds a dynamic with her and [The Refrain].
Example (Retconned): Neha blank for a bit. This was a golden opportunity, but she didn't anticipate needing much more time. Lloyd would be waking up soon in her own body, and then he would figure everything out. The Refrain she had injected wouldn't last forever. It wasn't worth the risk.
Prototype Neha=Neya
In addition, I was originally going to have Neha be (uncreatively) be re-named Neya (180 degrees turn of h=y) and Neha presumed dead. Neya sound like "Nyah" of a cat, which I would also give her a theme with cats. Kicking off the next Ashford Festival with as is tradition. Though I suppose Neha sounds just the same? Then I realized that she could be identified due to her continued education at Ashford University.
I was also unsure if I should have made Neha "the knightmare spy". I chose her because 1) her artificial legs remind me of Hephaestus, harkening towards my plans of a "Greek Council". 2) She is young, a girl, and hates someone; meeting the criteria of the "Sisters" 3) Her closeness to Rakshata. I read some other fanfic where Rakshata did something to someone else in a failed experiment; I hopped on that idea that she did (again) to Neha, causing her physical deformities, again referencing Hephaestus. A personal grudge like that would be good for a character arc.
Misc
Couldn't fit these details:
The massive 'double' truck is the same size/type as the one used in R2 Episode 10 "When the Shen Hu Wins Glory". It's also the same one that Lelouch left CC, though it's been heavily modified. It has a 'reflective'/'transparant' coloring. The engine, plates, etc. have been replaced, plastic (I don't remember what it's called, they have it on large buses and airport connector thingies.) is on the front. Modules and other technological stuff have been attached, or have even replaced large chunks. It takes up around three or four rows of American traffic. It fits more than enough room for around two and a half average sized knightmares, side by side. The hangar also opens up on the top instead of the back.
On the wall, Suzaku sees Cecile has a degree in Knightmare Engineering, etc. Lloyd does not have one. In the front part of the vehicle were Lloyd and Cecile's rooms and bathrooms. The back of the truck, which was where they were now, containing a back indoor hangar for the hangar for knightmares and parts/workshop. Also the kitchen/dining room area is separated, but next to the hangar. All devices are bolted to the floor. Located in the back of the hangar, there's a massive glowing circle that encompasses the entire wall. The knightmares inside include; Cecile's white and orange transportation/test knightmare, another unspecified one (from the Resurrection Movie). And under a black tarp is Lloyd's and Cecile's version of the Lancelot; the siN II. The other ones are at Jeremiah's Orange Farm in the bunker.
Was going to put this in the intro, might use it later:
Suzaku: I have become a hero to bring about peace. I did it for Japan's sake. No, for Nunnally's sake as well. That is something you would do, Lelouch. But I can no longer cry, no longer laugh and yet, I believe that there will be a time will come when nobody will quarrel nor, cry, nor scream. But it's not that simple. Somewhere, someone is lamenting, languishing. Of that, there is no doubt. Because of that, the conflicts will continue. Even so… I believe that someday true peace will arrive.
Somewhere, someone is lamenting, languishing. See Laila of the Languishing/Lamenting Sidestory, coming eventually.
Pallas Brighton is from the Code Geass LN: Fragments of the Mosaic.
Suzaku grinned in turn. "You said it! Those selfish (politicians) have no heart."
- In Lloyd's mind, he's thinking, "Aren't you technically a politician, too?".
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." – Albert Einstein.
"Suzaku, no single person can or should bare the weight of the world alone." - Lloyd Asplud, this fanfic. This is what I'm having as Lloyd's guiding principle. His only one, aside from "Don't care for more people than you can handle"- type of deal. That's why he tried to work to save people at first. Why he saved Cecile. Why he supported Suzaku, even when Suzaku punched him and stole his knightmare.
"Well yes, but actually no." - You know the meme
"Well there are certain… aspects of you that I can't deny I'm attracted to..." – Lloyd was looking "down" at something(s) when he said that.
"You Indian idiots! You thought it was Cecile Croomy! But it was really me, Lloyd!" he jabbed his thumb at himself as the cameras zoomed on his face dramatically. - "You thought it was JoJo, but it was me, DIO!"
Suzaku's head spun - Suzaku of the "Revolution" lives on?