-Rise of a New Power-
August 19, 2017 a.t.b.
Ekkehardt laid upon his bed in Ashford Academy. He called in sick despite he isn't really. His phone sat on a counter in front of him and he looked at it as if he was waiting for a call from someone. Really…How can I look at my friends when I have failed them so badly? Ekkehardt thought to himself. Even with his resignations done and confirmed, he couldn't relax still.
His phone started to ring and he sits up on the bed, looking at the caller ID to see it was his father. Pitiful, leave me be! Ekkehardt thought scornfully as he stood up and walked towards the window of his room, ignoring the phone. It stopped ringing but it continued to the voice mail left behind. "Ekkehardt! I've got some good news! Princess Cornelia has talked to me about you. Well, she has proclaimed to improve your political rank and have you as one of her knights! That is of course, up to you and all, I just want to think the best for-" Ekkehardt rushes to the phone to stop the voice mail. "I thought I told you to shut up! Don't go telling me that it is up to me and what you think what's best for me when you were the one who forced me to the military two years ago! To hell with you and your offer!" Ekkehardt yelled, having the urge to throw the phone. He had regained his composure not to though.
"Hey Ekkehardt, are you okay in there? I was just wondering because well, Lelouch asked me to come by to see if you were okay. It's not like you to call in sick so everyone's worried." Hannah's voice was heard through the door. "Yes, I'm okay…Say, do you mind coming in? I need, someone to talk to." Ekkehardt said as he took a chair out of the desk. Hannah entered the room surprised about his request. She sat in the chair while Ekkehardt sat on the bed. "So, what did you want to talk about? I mean, you look fine to be calling in a sick day, even though you have the tendencies to skip class." Hannah asked him. He could only grin at her comment.
"Still straight to the point huh? I should be frank, I'm well physically but I'm…Well you see…It's just I don't know if I can bear facing my friends in a calm manner, not when I could save them for the Lake Kawaguchi incident. I was stationed there and yet I could not do a single thing and then Zero came in and saved them like nothing. I hate being powerless." Ekkehardt explained. Hannah listened before getting up. "Well, then you're not doing a good job about taking care of it!" Hannah said to Ekkehardt.
He looked up with a raised eyebrow towards her. "You're sitting here moping around not doing anything about it! So what they care about you not being there for them? You should at least be glad that they are still alive and well!" Hannah said with a hard scowl towards Ekkehardt. "Besides, trying to get power ruins good people. But if it is something where you want to be useful, then that's fine." Hannah continued. Ekkehardt thought about it before standing up and looking out of the window as he walked over there. "I see…" Ekkehardt mumbled. "I see? Is that all you can say? Why do I put up with you! I thought you were going to open up to me. I thought you were going to be my friend!" Hannah said before leaving the room. He looks over to the door then towards the window, watching Hannah leave the grounds.
Eleven's Slums in Tokyo Settlement
Ekkehardt walked into the slums, hands in his pockets with a calm expression added with a smile on his face. He'd never thought about doing this, but knowing that these are the type of people to be going to the Black Knights, it was a way to get to the Black Knights. Good advice Hannah. Thanks to the conversation we've had, I have decided to not sit around and do nothing. I will do things my way now. Ekkehardt thought. He stopped to see that a group of Elevens surround him.
"What does a Britannian student want here? You don't belong here so you should get out before things gets ugly for you." One of the Elevens said to Ekkehardt. He could only smirk at their attempts to scare him off. "Naturally, given the fact that a lot of people says you're all Elevens and I'm a Britannian. However, I ignore such racism, for the simple fact that we both want something that the Black Knights can provide. If one of you knows where to go to them, then help me." Ekkehardt said. One of the Elevens scoffed and rushes at Ekkehardt. "Yeah right! As if we would let the likes of you in the Black Knights!" The Eleven said as he kicked Ekkehardt in the gut. He continues to kick Ekkehardt to the ground until someone stopped him. "Tamaki, that's enough! I don't think he comes in deals to insult us. What is you name?" Another Eleven called out. Ekkehardt got to his feet, rubbing his now sore stomach. "Ekkehardt Von Kaiser. I wish to speak to Zero for negotiations." Ekkehardt answered. "Now wait a minute Ohgi! He's a Britannian, how can you trust him!" Tamaki asked in a violent manner. "Tamaki, he would have a good reason why he came here, all alone, asking to join the Black Knights." Ohgi said before nodding to Ekkehardt for him to follow.
Ekkehardt walked to the bay area of the Tokyo Settlement, escorted by the two from before into a warehouse. Ohgi went ahead while Ekkehardt stayed with Tamaki, who didn't look too thrilled for this to happen. Soon, Zero and Ohgi came out. "So, the son of Earl Alaric Von Kaiser has come here to join. What is it you seek from the Black Knights?" Zero said to Ekkehardt, who frowned upon his father's name once again. "After experiencing what you are capable of, I need your kind of resources to supply for my goals." Ekkehardt answered. Zero raised his head, as if interested in what Ekkehardt had said. "Oh? And what is your goals?" Zero asked Ekkehardt "To tear down the false curtain of the lies played on stage."
"So, have we settled on the negotiations? You allowing use of the resources you need for the goals along with us for your ability to provide information about the political families and even the royal family?" Zero said to Ekkehardt as they were making conclusions. "Yes, that is the negotiations, however, it can't be satisfied yet." Ekkehardt said. "Because of your lack of rank right now? I suppose you have a plan to remedy this then?" Zero asked. "Tomorrow night, I want a handful of your group to be with me to take down Alaric Von Kaiser." Ekkehardt said. There was a bit of silence before Zero spoke. "Agreed. Tomorrow night you will do the leading in with whatever plans you have. I will make sure that they will listen to your orders to carry out." Zero said as they both stood. Zero held out his hand to Ekkehardt, who had a smile on his face. "Thank you." Ekkehardt said as he took the hand and shook it.
August 20, 2017 a.t.b.
"You got to be kidding me! You want us to follow this Britannian rookie!" Tamaki yelled. "Oh shut up Tamaki, he's doing what's good for all of us." A girl said. Ekkehardt and the group, even Kallen which Ekkehardt was a bit surprised, waited outside of a white and prestigious mansion, surrounded by a small forest decorated for it. The girl that just spoke to Tamaki was the least surprise of all. Hana, or much rather, Hannah to him was indeed part of the Black Knights to confirm his suspicions. She has changed from the meek, serious to the point, book reader girl he knew in Ashford Academy, only for Hannah Trafford to actually be Hana Takahashi, a full fledged Japanese.
"I thought you were devoted to Zero?" Ekkehardt said tauntingly to Tamaki before staring down at the screen of the Burai he is sitting in. "Here's the mission overview. Group A will be engaging the Knightmares that guards the mansion on cue. Group B is to move inside and take care of the guards inside and plant the bombs. Leave the innocents be. I have but one absolute request. Keep the main room on the second floor to me. No one is to target that. Understood?" Ekkehardt explained. He got his responses before holding up a button. "On cue to you Kallen." Ekkehardt said as he pushed the button. The lights went out in the mansion.
"Roger!" Kallen said as she charged in with her special Knightmare along with two others and Ekkehardt. They went around the mansion to exchange the firing between the Knightmares guarding the mansion and clearing them out. Group B started to move in, that included Hana in the group. Inside was a small skirmish between the group and the guards, whom were really the only ones in the mansion. After the skirmish is cleared, Ekkehardt entered the mansion and made his way upstairs, wearing the Black Knights uniform. Hana went up to him to stop him. "Should I, be with you?" Hana asked him. "No, this is for me to do alone. You go back to the forest and await my further orders." Ekkehardt said, turning back around to finish his climb of the stairs and head towards the main room.
Inside the main room is dark due to the lights still being off in the sabotage. Before he entered, Ekkehardt has the helmet on, made sure that he was armed with a handgun and a button for the bombs. "So the Black Knights has come after me, but you're not Zero." The man behind the desk said to Ekkehardt. "You are correct, I'm not Zero." Ekkehardt said as he held the pistol up, brushing the helmet off of him. The middle-age man went eye-wide shock from seeing Ekkehardt's face in the moonlight. "Ekkehardt! What are you doing! You joined the Black Knights!" The man said. "You're wasting your breath asking those questions. You've closed your ears to listening to my reasons and I have done to yours. It's time to settle the difference with this!" Ekkehardt said, pointing his gun at the man he once called father. "No Ekkehardt! Don't do this!" But it was too late. The gunshot was heard.
Inside the basement of the mansion, Ekkehardt used a lift to get there because surprisingly, he found something of interest while using his father's computer. He got the lights to work, light shining in the room to see a giant, massive Knightmare in front of him. This was no ordinary Knightmare he seen in the military. Most of the body is black, with a small stream of purple lights running down from the neck to the right arm and legs. Overall it carried an intimidating look, especially the head where two purple eyes gave a faint glow and the silver chin piece. The left arm was something special too. It is completely metallic silver with a claw-like hand.
Ekkehardt rushed to the table next to it to find the activation key used for it, and when he found it in a drawer of the table, he smiled. He even took the flash drive inside the computer after briefly looking in it to see that the blueprints for the Knightmare is available. He got inside the cockpit that is on the back like a traditional Knightmare. He saw on the seat however a uniform. Most likely for the Knightmare as it has the similar color, except there are two gray shoulder pads on both shoulders. He got inside, inserting the activation key. No password has been set yet so the screen flashed the following. ACSS-01 Gespenst. "The Gespenst huh? Father, you kept such a Knightmare from me all this time? This concludes everything them." Ekkehardt said as he took the button and pushed it. The mansion exploded into rubble.
Meanwhile, the group waited for Ekkehardt, though Tamaki was getting impatient. It was then that the mansion exploded and everyone took cover. "Ekkehardt…" Hana said, about ready to tear up from what just happened. "Hah! What did I tell you all? The rookie just got himself killed!" Tamaki said. There was a buzz on the communicators. "This is Ekkehardt. Mission complete, return to the Tokyo Settlement area. Do not fire on a black Knightmare that follows. I'm its pilot." Ekkehardt said and with a cheer from just about everyone, they began to leave the area before the military came.