A Vincent Commander Model is driving around on a dirt and rock path by the mountains, accompanied by Vincent Wards from behind. Following them is a military truck struggling to keep up with the superior speed of the Knightmare Frames ahead of them. About 16 people inside the truck wearing gray military armor with rifles in hand. Various conversations occur within the transporter, sounding like young adults with a casual tone in their voices.
"Must be nice being a Knightmare pilot."
"Can't we get there already?"
"So hot in here."
"Hate being part of the sweep-up crew."
"Because someone got lazy and didn't check all the houses."
"I think they might have Knightmares. They might fight back."
"I hope they fight back. With enough body counts, I can get promoted."
"If one of the pilots gets struck down, you bet your ass I will try to finish off whoever they were fighting."
Complaints, eagerness, sarcasm, different types of tones, and conversations scatter around the vehicle. Everybody is engaging, except for one soldier, sitting in the back left, leaning against the corner. Their head watches the window on the truck door, watching lines of trees growing more distance as the track follows the dirt trial.
Running, Ryoma spots an old, minorly damaged house that has a large group of children of various ages to the side. A booming explosion can be heard, which startled everybody but Ryoma. He shakes his head at the children when they notice him. The children run down to the house's basement, anxiety overtaking their faces. When Albright catches up, Tak notices and glares angrily at him.
"Ryo! Why is this Brit here!?" shouts Tak as Ryoma groans.
"Relax, Tak." Ryoma tries to assure, "He isn't dangerous."
"How you know?" questions Tak as all the kids stop walking down the basement and turn to watch the scene, "This guy could have told the army about our parents!"
"What is Takayama yelling about?" says a voice coming from the basement.
Popping out the basement door is an old man with short grey hair and a dark tan skin tone. His face is a bit wrinkled, but he doesn't look weak. He is wearing navy green colored coveralls with a metal name tag that says "Nagai Yamada" in Japanese.
"Hey, kids! The rest of you better get inside if you don't want to be spotted! Doesn't matter who is in charge of this country. That squad don't look like they care and only care about finishing what they started!" shouts Yamada as the startled children start rushing down the basement, "And you, Takayama- "
Before Yamada says anything to Takayama, he notices Albright instead and looks at Albright's appearance, "You…."
Albright looks a bit uncomfortable as Takayama scans the boy's face. Still, before Takayama continued, Ryoma stepped in a says, "Hey, grandpa. You realize you look creepy doing that, right?"
"Sorry.", apologies Yamada as he rubs his eyes, "I didn't expect a Britannia boy to be here."
"He is safe. Don't worry about it, old geezer.", assures Ryoma with a smirk as he pats Albright on the back, "This kid will be joining the others in the basement."
"What!?" shouts Takayama before Yamada pulls him away.
"Get to the basement!" orders Yamada as he leads Takayama in the direction of the doorway.
Takayama tried to protest but saw Yamada's glare before backing away.
"Are you sure, Ryoma?" questions Yamada looking at Albright, "We can just have him outside of town, and the army can pick him up. He's not one of us."
"I thought about that buuuuttt…" protests Ryoma, "there is even a slight chance that the army doesn't want a witness. It might piss off the governor if he finds out that a group of "Eleven" kids got killed by them. I don't want to take it."
"I see. And what about you?" Yamada asks Albright.
"To be honest, I don't really know what's going on. Just that this place is in danger.", admits Abright casting his eyes down, "I mean, why does the army want to finish you guys off?"
There was a brief pause between Ryoma and Yamada, looking at each other warily, before Yamada broke the tension, "It's because of our family."
Albright gave a confused look as Yamada continued, "My son-in-law, Ryoma's father, formed one of the last resistance groups against Britannia made up of most adults. Adults that still remembered Japan before the invasion. Adults that once had hoped to retake it. The Britannia army found out about us. Yesterday morning, they came in fast and hard, and the next thing you know, every adult who lived in this town was either taken away or killed."
"Like my old man!"
A resentful voice came from behind the group: a young man with brown wavy hair and blue eyes, fair skin tone, and a scowled face glued on. He is wearing a navy green jacket and black torn-up pants. He is accompanied by two from earlier, Yuna and Sosuke, with two more young adults, one young man with green hair, brown eyes, and a light skin tone, wearing glasses. The other young man had brown combed back hair, black eyes, and a warm beige skin tone.
The resentful sounding man immediately walks up and grabs Ryoma by his collar, "This is all your crazy old man's fault, Ryoma!"
Ryoma, glaring at the scowled young man, quickly grabs the other man's collar and answers, "What did you say!?"
"You two, stop!" shouts Yuna as she and the man with glasses quickly try to pull the other two apart.
"Takagi! Ryoma! This won't get us anywhere!" shouts the young man with glasses, trying to pull Takagi away from Ryoma. He has a more mature voice than the others.
"We are screwed! Absolutely fucked!" yells Takagi as the man with glasses pulls him off Ryoma, "Ayato, Shino, they're both dead. All because his dad decided that this town needs to rebel!"
"Would you rather be a Britannian slave forever!" angrily questions Ryoma.
"Those are your damn dad's words, Ryoma, and you know it!" fires Takagi as he shoves the man with glasses away, "Britannian slaves? Is that the best he can come up with? The shit we deal with now is better than 7 years ago, and that's a fact!"
Ryoma stops struggling against Yuna, an uncertain look on him. Takagi continues, "He might have tricked all the other folks to join him and his delusions, but not my dad!"
Everybody's eyes show signs of doubt, as Yamada's eyes show regret. Only Takagi's eyes filled with anger that matched his words, "My dad knew your old man was full of it. He said they could win against something that not even the guys from 7 goddamn years ago could do. My dad just accepted it and moved on. But your father couldn't do that, could he?"
As Takagi continued, Ryoma's eyes shifted to his left side, his teeth grinding, "You know I'm right, Ryoma. You know it. That your dad is just full of shit because he couldn't accept where we are now. He couldn't have just accepted and moved on, could he?"
Silence can right after Takagi's words as all Ryoma could do was stare at the ground.
Finally, after a deep breath, Ryoma looks up, stares at Takagi's icy blue eyes, and says, "No, he couldn't."
All eyes point to Ryoma, who continues with an almost regretful look on him, "My old man… made a mistake and thinks he could reverse what happened. For 6 years, he was obsessive to just unnerving levels. And dragged the town with him."
Ryoma steps closer to Takagi and, with a stern yet emotional tone, says, "You are right. My dad was delusional. He thought he could change things by rebelling like always, but the truth is, he didn't have anything to back him up except for a single Knightmare, so he convinced the entire town to help him out. To make up for that lack of strength."
Ryoma almost chokes up as he finishes his words, "And look what happened."
"You.", says Takagi, with a face whose holds anger but whose eyes show confusion, "If you knew, then didn't you say anything except follow his orders. Why didn't you do anything?"
"Because…" says Ryoma, pausing to glance at Albright, who looks uncomfortable, "I was trying to understand him."
"Understand him?" questions an agitated Takagi, "Is that why we face this messed-up situation? Because you tried to understand him instead of stopping? Is that why my dad is now branded a terrorist and rotting in a military prison, huh!?"
"You wouldn't understand.", Ryoma simply says, glaring at the ground.
"You're right, I don't!" shouts Takagi as he grabs the front end of his hair, frustrated, "What are we supposed to do now!?"
"We have to lead them away.", says Ryoma, looking up as if he is facing everybody.
"How!?" questions Takagi.
"The only thing we have is an old Sutherland and your Akatsuki." said Sosuke, holding a worried face despite the calm in his voice. "They are waiting by Yosuke's house."
"We will not win if they bring those 6 Vincents again.", says the man with glasses.
"We can't win.", admits Ryoma, "We just have to make sure they don't win either."
"The hell do you mean?" demands Takagi.
"I'm saying that… we need to get the army to think that they got all of us.", explains a reluctant looking Ryoma, "Just enough people to make them think that is all of the town. The ones still in the basement can escape with no problem."
As Ryoma continues, everyone faces ranges from anxiousness to outright devastation, "First we need a convincing number of us, maybe 5 or 6. We'll also need the Knightmares to fight back, maybe get rid of 1 or 2. Enough for them to leave immediately after, but I'm not going to lie, they'll be the second ones targeted."
"Then, who is the first?" asks a depressed-looking Yuna.
"Me.", immediately answers Ryoma facing everybody's stunned faces, "It's my fault for going along with my dad's plans. I don't think he's wrong that we need to gain a different kind of freedom than what they are offering, but… he wasn't the one to do it, and I knew that. I also helped lead you guys to this situation, too, repeating his words enough to involve you guys. If they see me as the new leader of this, their main priority will be me. I don't know if they'll capture me or kill me first, though, but at the very least, I can distract them long enough for you guys to take advantage."
Ryoma shows a weird smirk that looks forced as he says, "Maybe with luck… you'll be able to get rid of all of them and run once they have done with me. We can at least hope for that."
"Why?" an almost frightened-looking Takagi asks desperately, "Why would you…?"
"Because… I have to take responsibility for what's happening, right?" says Ryoma, forcing a smile but sounding hesitant.
No words came after nor a sound, just stone silence. Shaken up faces watch Ryoma, trying his best to look brave. No one knows what to say, but their faces start to relax as a few seconds later, one of them finally speaks up.
"Is Tak in the basement?" asks Yuna, looking at the ground, everybody unable to see her face.
"Yes.", Ryoma responds morbidly.
"Can I see him?"
"Y-yeah. Of course.", says a confused Ryoma as Yuna walks up to him.
"As long as I know Tak will survive this, I'm good. The Knightmares are where they should be.", declares Yuna as Ryoma looks down in guilt, only for Yuna to look at him and say, "Don't die, Ryo."
Eyes widen; Ryoma turns to Yuna, but she has already escaped his gaze, and as she rushes down the basement. All Ryoma saw was her hair disappearing under the doorway.
"I've already lost everything once.", says Sosuke as he walks to Ryoma, "My parents did the same things your dad did and paid the price. I waltz here one day, saw this excited kid who was older than me, and met his dad, who decided to let me in. I owe them and people the here."
Sosuke then passes by Ryoma and goes down the basement as well
"I'll take the Sutherland Sniper. Get as much as them as I can.", says Sosuke, whose voice is deaf as he enters the basement.
Ryoma turns his eyes to the others, mainly at the young man with glasses and the one with combed-back hair, "Moriyama, Taichi. What about you guys?"
The one with green hair, Moriyama, looks unnerved but still asks, "Are Hana and Nobu down in the basement?"
"I got all the kids inside.", responds Yamada.
"I'm not much fighter…" says Moriyama, looking at the ground, "but after everything… my siblings… at the very least, they won't get killed."
"Got it.", remorsefully says Ryoma as Moriyama goes down the basement before turning the one with combed-back hair, "Taichi, your brothers are down there too."
"Yeah…" says Taichi, slowly walking past Ryoma before saying, "I was hoping to be a mechanic instead of a soldier."
"Yeah. I remember when you pretended to be Black Knight, saying that you'll kick the Britannian's ass.", Ryoma reminisces happily.
"And then got set straight by you when I started picking on Takagi here.", smiles Taichi pointing to Takagi behind him, "I really was a punk then."
"Still a punk now, man.", cheerfully smirks Ryoma as Taichi gives him a soft smile.
"There's the Ryoma, I know.", says Taichi as he heads down the basement, "I got your back, dude."
"Got it.", responds a somber Ryoma before turning to Yamada, "Hey, gramps. Is that strange Knightmare still in the garage?"
"Yeah, and I still can't get it to work.", responds Yamada disheartened, "Had to the take the stuff it had on it just to get the damn thing inside. It's too big to be a normal Knightmare."
"I know.", says Ryoma getting a quick look at Albright's face, showing his realization, "If we can't get it to work, then that's that."
"Yeah.", says Yamada as he goes over to his grandson and tenderly places his hand on Ryoma's shoulder. "I…I won't be selfish and tell you to not sacrifice yourself. Even though you're my grandson…."
Yamada starts to shrivel his speech a bit before he tries to continue, "-the last of my kin, I get that as a leader, you must see things in the end. I've seen it before. And I'm proud of your ability to step up and save whatever we have left…."
Tears start to roll down Yamada's eyes as he puts his head up and shouts, "…but please don't die that easily! Even if the odds are against you, please don't give up your life! Run, crawl, fight, whatever! Please try to live!"
Yamada lifts his head, snot running down his nose, eyes flooded, and begs in a sorrowful voice, "Please, don't let me watch my grandson die a dog's dead."
"Gramps.", somberly says a melancholic Ryoma.
Yamada lets up and tries to dry his tears with his hands while facing Takagi's direction.
"Takagi. Your sister is also downstairs.", says Yamada as sternly as she can, "Since you are not fighting, you are the only one left to take care of the rest of the worst happens, and the rest of us are gone."
" Yamada-san.", Takagi whispers remorsefully.
"There is a rifle taped under the table. If a soldier manages to find you guys, fight back.", sternly demands Yamada, "Don't hesitate."
" Yamada-san… I…" stutters Takagi as he gives a rugged look to Ryoma, "don't think… I'm gonna do that."
"Takagi! This isn't about the right choice anymore!" sternly shouts an almost disappointing-looking Yamada, 'This is about protecting and surviving!"
"I know!" shouts back Takagi, turning his head to Yamada with a hesitant look, "But Mr. Yamada... I don't think I should be the one to do that."
"What do you mean?" questions a confused Yamada.
"I'm saying that… I'm fighting.", hesitantly declares Takagi, with a somber face, "If worse comes to worst, you won't be seeing Ryoma dying because you'll be in the basement."
"Takagi-, "says Yamada trying to interject.
"I'm more able than you, sir. I keep up with the fight much longer, so please, if anything happens, take care of my sister.", pleads Takagi, and he turns to Yamada and bows.
"Takagi…" grunts Yamada, frustrated while closing his eyes, "Do you really want to fight?"
Takagi took a few seconds to himself, glancing a bit at Ryoma, as he answered, "Not really, but… I can't just sit in my hands down, right?"
Ryoma looked intensely at Takagi. Albright raised an eyebrow, while Yamada gave a sympathetic look and said, "Your sister needs you."
"I know, but… I need to protect her.", responds Takagi as he quickly jumps down to the basement.
"Looks like I'm staying, Ryoma.", halfheartedly says Yamada as he goes down, leaving Ryoma and Abright alone.
Ryoma sighs, and he pulls out a small tablet from his back pocket
"The silent alarm near the edge of town was set off a few seconds ago. They should be here in a few minutes.", announces Ryoma, gritting his teeth, "You get down there too."
"And you?" asks Albright with a morbid look, "Don't you have anybody else down there to talk to?"
"No, not really.", admits Ryoma, with a sad smirk, "Like my grandpa said, I'm the last of his kin, and he is mine. And I don't have anybody that special to say final words to."
Ryoma looks at Albright, notices the somber look on his face, and says while rubbing Abright's hair, "Why do you have such a depressing look, kid? Don't take pity on me just because, okay?"
"I'm not." responds Albright, with mild irritation, "Just that…well…."
"Well, what?" asked Ryoma.
"Well…" drawls Albright as he gives an even more somber look, "I…don't want you to die too."
Ryoma stops rubbing Albright's hair as he looks at the boy, stunned.
"You seem like a good person, so I don't really want you to die," admits Abright retaining his grim expression. "Everything happening to you, everybody here, is all messed up."
Ryoma gave Albright a surprising look but suddenly smiled as he patted Albright in the back and said, "You're right, it is not. But that's our reality, even if none wanted it."
Ryoma pushes Abright gently towards the stairs and says, "Hurry up before they start locking the door."
It took a second, but Albright complies and heads down the stairs, face still looking grim, but 2 steps in, Ryoma calls out, "Hey!"
Albright turns and sees Ryoma, with his fist pointing at Albright, all with a confident smile on his face, and says, "Stay safe."
Albright looks at Ryoma with a curious look but eventually smiles softly and replies, "Okay."
Albright bumps his fist to Ryoma's as Ryoma exits Albright's view, who faces another door to the room inside. As Albright touches the handle, he pauses, eyes looking startled, as he bites his lips, and the grim look returns to his face. When he opens the door, he sees many kids all over the room, with Sosuke talking to many children huddled up, all of them looking frightened. Yuna having a tearful conversation with Takayama, who looks both angry and full of sadness. The others are there too, with Moriyama having both his hands on a pair of twins with brown hair speaking with a gentle tone and Taichi talking to 3 kids, the oldest looking a few years younger than Albright himself. Taichi almost looks like he is giving a lecture to the oldest. Yamada is in the corner, grabbing hammers and nails from a toolbox. Finally, he spots Takagi rubbing a little girl's head, who looks like she is in tears. Albright notices that the little girl looks different than most of the children, having blond hair and blue eyes.
He firmly places himself in an empty corner near a second door to the room's right before looking at the entire scene, with eyes filled with sorrow and whispers, "Another massacre."
Ryoma walks down the road, passing a couple of broken houses with only one house still standing on the street corner. He gazes upon the intersection, the only part of the road still intact but had two big spots with a different tone of gray compared to the rest of the road. Ryoma smirks, looking at them as the sounds of scurrying feet come to him. He sees the rest of the group approaching him as Ryoma points his thumb to the intersection.
"A little on the nose, guys.", complains Ryoma.
"Hey, there was barely any time.", retorts Sosuke.
"Everything inside the house?" asks Ryoma, shifting his head to the standing house.
"Yeah.", Moriyama quietly answers, eyes looking dark.
It wasn't just him. Everybody looked unnerved, some with shaken hands and eyes puffy.
Ryoma stood straight, faced them, and said, "All of you!"
Everybody turns head to Ryoma, looking a little bigger, who says in a commanding voice, "This is the moment of truth! To see if everything we have done so far was for nothing! We have lost too much already, and we won't let them take more! The last of our family is down that basement, and like hell, we are gonna die, leaving them in danger! No, in fact, like hell, we are gonna die leaving them alone, period! We are not just fighting for them but fighting for ourselves! Today, we are not going to die a dog's death. We are not just surviving but winning this fight! We won't let them decide our fate; we are deciding it ourselves!"
Nobody made a sound at first. Everybody just looked. Looks of awe, inspiration, and determination appear except on one stoic face. Ryoma stood tall over the others as most of everybody raised their fist to the air and let out a battle roar that echoed throughout the town. He then grabs the tablet from his rear pocket again, making a face of frustration.
"They're here."
