based of on Code Geass R1 turn 9 Refrain

Also, RED COAT (sort of leader of the 'A' TEAM in PLL universe), is also ZERO. BUT, only QUINN knows that. As far as everyone is concerned, there is this anonymous masked person who is leading the rebellion.

also, each scene will focus on the point of view of one person, so you'll see what each person knows. Santana has no idea of Quinn's Geass and Geass in general.

A little Fuinn. I'm sorry if there are a lot of side ships in here, but you'll get it someday. Haha.

CHAPTER 7

Bits of Inner Struggle

.

LADY JUDY'S GARDEN

QUINN.

.

"You don't like me." Brittany says out of the blue and Quinn slowly met her gaze. They had been lying on the ground on Quinn's late mother's garden, with their elbows supporting their weight, gazing up to the clear sky. Sir Evans is standing at least five feet away from them, and Santana is nowhere to be seen. Santana was doing some 'Knights of Rounds stuff', so when Brittany was at the palace, Quinn invited her for a stroll in her mother's garden.

Quinn doesn't know much about her mother. She has blur memories of her, but she knew, she knew, her mother loved her so much - Judy died for her, that was enough proof. They say the late Empress loves garden, so their Father had built gardens on all of their palaces around the globe. This one though-the one in Area 11, is special to Quinn. Probably because Frances used to take Judy here whenever they are both in Area 11. And sometimes, when Quinn is closing her eyes, she can feel and imagine that Frances and Jusy are with her too.

She tells this to Santana, but she found out that Santana is (although Santana will deny it) afraid of ghost-related things. She laughs the first time she heard of the fact. But Quinn will never call Santana out of it, because whenever the both of them are walking in this garden, and it gets windy, Santana will stand close to Quinn and hold her hand. Quinn doesn't mind at all.

Quinn opens her eyes and remembers Santana is not with them right now and her cousin had just asked her a question. She likes Brittany. Of course she does. "I do like you. Where would you get that?" Quinn laughs a little, feeling up the wind against her face and letting her hair follow the wind's breath.

"Would your answer change if I'm with Santana?" Brittany follows up as she looks to Quinn. Quinn didn't answer right away as she considers Brittany's question. Santana.

It has been two days since her meet with Red Coat, two days since Red Coat had sent her all of Black Knights' files and a phone, so she could contact Red Coat. In that two days, she never knew she could outright hide something from Santana. Why does she trust Red Coat the same way she trusts Santana? Why does she believe that the Royal family is hiding something from her enough for her to hate them? Is Brittany one of them? Is this a lie too? She feels torn, she had everything the military needs to capture all the Black Knights, but a part of her believes that Red Coat has the answers to all of her questions.

night of the hostage-taking.

PALACE, AREA 11

QUINN.

.

"Santana, what do you think of Zero?" Quinn asks as she settles in her bed. It was tiring, and the memory of hostage taking is still fresh to her. After all the hostages were freed, the masterminds - the Ohio Liberal Front leaders, were reported dead by committing suicide after realizing how stupid their act was. Quinn knew Zero had killed them, she doesn't know how, but she thinks Zero has Geass too. Then, Zero made his speech and fled from the scene. Spencer, as head of the operation didn't come after Zero after rescuing Britannia's living heir.

"I'm thankful he came." Santana starts and Quinn can't help but sit up from her bed to look at Santana. Maybe it's alright to associate with Zero or Red Coat. But she frowns when she hears her knight's next words. "But if they-the Black Knights want to catch criminals, they should join the police force." Santana sits to the side of the bed to make sure Quinn is comfortable.

"They probably can't even if they want to." Quinn counters thinking she should at least stand up for the Black Knights. Zero saved her… twice. "They might think the police are useless."

Santana's eyes widen and her head snapped back to Quinn so fast Quinn thought it would break. Suddenly, Santana's eyes narrowed, a sign that she is serious... and angry. "They might be right now, but if the Black Knights join the police, seeing Zero is so great..." Santana rolls her eyes, clearly annoyed at the aspect. "why won't he change it front the inside?"

"It'll be hard. They'll have lots of constraints placed on them in the process of changing it." Quinn says. She had thought of Red Coat's preposition. And she had been placing herself in the Black Knights' shoe. The Empire would never accept the Black Knights. They had killed an Empire's princess. That's treason. That's punishable by death. Then why does Quinn has this pull towards their leader? Towards Zero?

Santana stands up. "Well you can't say that, if they haven't tried their best in changing it. Unless they had done that, I'm considering everything they are doing as self-righteousness." Quinn looks at she sees Santana flaring up. She opens her mouth but her knight is on the roll. "What is this 'evil' they spoke of? We're not even sure what they're basing it on! It's a one-way street of self-satisfaction!" Santana argues, clenching her fists.

Santana is mad at Zero. And Quinn thinks it's not just because he is an enemy of the Empire. Even if Zero had saved Quinn, Santana is still hostile towards him. Why?

When Quinn didn't answer, Brittany continued, "You love her, don't you?" Quinn snapped her head towards Brittany, and she was met by her cousin not looking at her anymore but up in the sky, mimicking her position before. "You might not understand what love is, but that doesn't mean you can't feel it." Brittany explained.

Quinn decides to be honest. It was something that has been bothering her ever since they first met Brittany. She had chosen Santana as her knight. But seeing Santana that close to Brittany like it's a natural thing to her is foreign for Quinn. She's used to having Santana all by herself until Brittany came. "I just feel like if you ask her to be your knight, she would've said yes immediately." Quinn decided to be open about it to Brittany. There is just something about Brittany that assures you, she wouldn't say things you wanted to hear just to please you. "I don't know. Things between me and Santana have been different these days. She's busy with Spencer, Ohio, and me." Quinn added as she looks around noticing the newly-planted flowers Brittany's mother had gifted her them. Alstroemeria. It means wealth, prosperity... fortune. In hopes of Brittany's assignment to Area 11, they hope for a better future in Britannia's name.

When Brittany's eyebrows rose at Quinn's mention of Ohio, Quinn relaxes. So Brittany had decided to drop off of Santana's train for now. Quinn smiles as she answers, "I think I'm spending more time with my friends than I should I have.'' It's unusual for a royalty to address a colony by their former names.

Marley got back from the hospital two days ago, and when she found out about what her friends had said to Quinn and the Knight of Rounds, she had immediately apologized in behalf of her friends' antics. The Honorary Britannians had of course said they knew where the group was coming from, but Marley had insisted they patch things up.

"I saw a friend in Santana too." Quinn watches as Brittany's lips curves up to a smile. She frowns. And now, they are back to the Santana train again. "And I love holding her hand." Brittany admitted and Quinn can't help but feel uncomfortable to her confession. "Her hands are soft, and her grip is somewhere in between gentle and rough. She treats me like a friend, not as a royalty who would break with slightest push-and-pull." Brittany laughs a little as she looks back to Quinn. Quinn agrees "I mean, everyone treated me like I'm made of glass, you know? Like I'm not capable of doing anything on my own. Everyone says immediate relatives to the Royal family are just business trades to allied nations. And I've always believe that too. That someday, I'd be sent off to marry someone from different country to build up an alliance."

Quinn saddens by hearing this. She suddenly reaches for Brittany's hand and squeezes it. "You won't be forced to do something you don't want to, Brittany."

Brittany smiles at her, a sight Quinn has been getting used to by now. "Yes, I will be, Quinn. But as long as I'm here, at least I'd make sure I'd leave a mark, right?"

Quinn wanted to assure Brittany that she won't let that happen but she decided to leave the conversation for now. "What?"

"Area Elev—I mean Ohio." Brittany giggles as she corrects herself. "I'd like to make a change in here. Make it a better place." And Quinn just stares at Brittany. "Make it a better place?" Is Ohio... not a better place right now under Britannia's rule?

"It's a big thing, I know. But I'd like to make it happen. I may not be strong enough, but I have Sammy and Santana… and Spencer on my side, right?" Brittany taps Quinn's shoulder signaling for them to stand up as she sees Sam walking towards their direction.

"And I have you too, right?" Brittany extends her hand towards Quinn to pull her up. Quinn looks up to her blue-eyed cousin and considers her offer. Make it a better place, she thinks and Quinn can't help but chuckle at the thought. Slowly, she lifts herself up dusts her dress off of grass. She then takes Brittany's hand and intertwines it with hers as she shoots a smile towards her way.

COMMON ROOM, KNIGHTS MANOR, AREA 11

SANTANA.

.

"Hey, Spence! Could I borrow this?" Santana barged in to the knights' quarters with a red coat on her hand as she went directly to the mirror to see if it fits her.

"No! Santana, how many times do I have to tell you, you can't just enter my room like it's yours!" Spencer shouted as she immediately shoot up to go to Santana and steal the red coat from her hand. Santana just have this habit of going throught other knights' things like it's the most normal thing in the world. Ever since she became a knight, she had lived with Spencer and Mike so she felt like all their possessions are her possessions too.

"And here I thought, what's yours is mine and what's mine is yours. Is this one-sided all along?" Santana teases Spencer as she hears their co-knights snickers. "Besides, red is totally my color." Santana adds still trying to reach for the coat but Spencer was putting it away from her with her free hand stopping Santana's movements.

Spencer rolled her eyes and pulled Santana out of the Common Room. When they were far away from listening ears, Spencer leaned in to Santana and whispers, "This used to be Vivian's."

"Vivian?" Santana questions. When Spencer glared at her, her eyes widen as realization hits her. Vivian Darkbloom, Alison's disguise. It's Alison but with raven hair. "Oh! Okay, creepy." She immediately rubbed her arms as if there were some germs on it from the coat. She adds, "Where'd you get that?" Her tone was with disgust and Spencer just rolled her eyes. Spencer knew about Santana's dislike towards deceased properties.

"You're such a drama queen. We picked this up from a dry cleaner!" Spencer comments as they round the corner. "Jason is back at the capital, and he's looking for my dad."

Santana's head snaps at her direction, now interested. "Why?" Jason, the black sheep as they like to call him, prince of Britannia is back after exiling himself for finding his sister's killer.

"I don't know!" Spencer exclaims. "That's why I need you to spy on him tonight in that Truth Up—"

"I can't! There's some raid operation I was assigned to." Santana counters.

Spencer nods then she asks, "Wait. Does that mean I have to keep an eye on Quinn?"

Now that Rachel is not available anymore because the petite knight has been assigned to lead ambush attacks on the Black Knights, as the military have noticed that the rebel group has been acquiring new generation of knightmares. Deciding that adding a knight of rounds on their defence is a must, the Knight of Six was immediately appointed their leader.

"I don't think she'd be there. Or that she'd be going out of the palace without me." Santana replies as she reminisces what had happened at the hotel hostage taking. She still doesn't know how she found Quinn in an empty room supposed-to-be filled with Ohio's Liberal Front leaders, and she's safe. Spencer had said that Zero came to meddle with Ohio's affairs. Zero is well known with his flowery words and all that dramatics, and it was believed that he had convinced the terrorists to withdraw—more like joined forces with him, if you ask Santana's opinion.

Spencer looked sympathetically to Santana. "What did the Emperor say?"

"He didn't talk to me… the Empress did." Santana replies softly and there's a bit hesitation to her tone. "I don't really know what happened though. I'm still confused at that."

Zero is still giving his speech to the people when Spencer noticed Santana's bleeding arm. "Santana! You're bleeding!" Spencer exclaims as she noticed blood dripping from Santana's arm. Quinn immediately removes her eyes from Zero and remembered that her knight was shot.

"She was shot! We have to get some—"

"No. I'm fine. We have to get you back at the palace. If the public notice you, we'll be in big trouble." Santana immediately cut Quinn off as she winced at Spencer's touch. She notices the Guren and immediately pull Quinn towards her red knightmare, ignoring Quinn's protests.

When they had reached the palace and their presence was announced, she braced herself for some punishment, expecting the Emperor or the Empress has received the news. Luckily, the Emperor wasn't around—no one knew where he was, because really, no one dares questions the Emperor's whereabouts when he leaves with His knight. So Santana was faced with the Empress.

Lady Jessica had immediately ran towards Quinn and engulfed her with a hug inspecting her for some injuries. Santana wouldn't blame her. The last time her daughter Alison went missing, she didn't see her for a year. Quinn is her daughter now.

"Lady Jessica, really I'm fine. Santana's—"

At the mention of the knight's name, Lady Jessica had immediately stopped and walked towards Santana. "Knight of Three, I expected a lot from you!" And Santana flinched at the Empress's tone-a mixture of disappointment and anger. She had failed once again. She readied herself. Maybe Quinn's better off with a different knight? As Santana thinks of the possible punishment for her, she had heard Quinn stand in her defence… again.

When Quinn sees her mother raise her hand she immediately steps in. "She's wounded, mother! Can't you see? She'll be brought to the infirmary and you shall not question her capabilities as my knight!"

If Santana wasn't kneeling down while eyes on the floor, she might have noticed the Empress stood straighter and took a step backwards.

"Yes, send the Knight of three to the infirmary!" She orders, and Santana's eyes widen. "What?"

She feels Quinn's arm around her that pulls her up and guides her towards the hall.

"What just happened? There's no way she would listen to you, I mean you were in great danger and I'm sure her motherly instinct dictated her actions and I actually expected her to slap me. And-" Santana rambles as she tries to look back at the Empress but Quinn's hold on her was preventing her for doing so.

"You're losing a lot of blood, Santana. We have to hurry." Quinn quickens her pace and ignores Santana's confusion because she doesn't even know how to explain Geass on her. Not to mention, she was shocked herself that she had used the Geass on the person she treated as her mother.

ASHFORD ACADEMY

FINN

.

He doesn't know when it started but he just can't stop it. Ever since Quinn had arrived at their school, he just keeps on staring at her from afar. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever met, and she's kind and open to all Elevens, and what pulls him towards her the most is that shy smile she has every time someone hands her a note, a flower, or a token of admiration. He's sure she gets it every single time, but she's so humble about it.

He's falling for her, that's his conclusion.

He knows it isn't right and it could never happen. He's an Eleven, and she's a Britannia's crowned princess. Totally not gonna happen. But still.

He tried to share this realization towards Puck but his bestfriend was acting differently towards Quinn. He knew his friend was attracted to her too; he made that clear on her first day, but after the Welcome Party, he had never seen his friend near Quinn again. Every time he sees her, he always had to leave. Finn had asked Puck about it but Puck denied his accusations immediately saying he doesn't know what he was talking about. Weird.

Anyway, the princess seems to warm up to him so he isn't complaining.

He sees her walking across the hall with Santana on her side.

Santana.

Santana wasn't really that strict on those guys (and girls) showing their affection towards Quinn. Though she keeps an eye(aka glares) on the students' touches and she never leaves Quinn alone with anyone.

Finn remembers his friend Rory, an Eleven geek who asked to accompany him in asking Quinn out. He warned him it could never happen but his friend was really optimistic about it. So in an empty classroom, he and Santana stood by the door while they give Quinn and Rory a moment to themselves. While Rory professed his intentions through a poem, Santana was trying really hard not to laugh at his accent and choice of words.

Santana had given him an advice that day. "Yeah, sure. Quinn is into romantic gestures and all that. And yes, A+ for effort. But really? I didn't even understand a word he said. Be yourself. That's gonna impress her. "

He exhales and starts walking towards her. He stops in front of her and his heart beat faster when Quinn offered him a smile.

"Hi!" He scratches the back of his head as he hands Quinn a flower. "I still don't know what you're favorite flower is so I'd try my luck on this one." He says gauging Quinn's reaction. Quinn brought the flower to her nose and inhales its scent. He took a glance at Santana who's grinning at him. Does that mean, he got it right? Or was she laughing at him?

"It's lilac." Finn says as Quinn touches the purple petal of the flower smiling. "The flower lady says it means the first emotion of love." He sees Quinn blush at the meaning. Wow. Is he doing a great job? He sees Santana, acting like gagging on their side and decided to ignore her. Don't trust Santana to be romantic.

"I, uhmmmm… I saw you on TV and… I just… I wanted to apologize for what Ohio's military had done." He started hesitantly. He never had the courage to open the conversation to Quinn. He noticed Santana shaking her head with wide eyes. Was that a wrong move?

"It's not your fault." Quinn replied softly shaking her head. She moves in closer to Santana's left side.

"I just—"

"No, it's fine. I wasn't hurt." Finn watches as Quinn traces Santana's stitches over Santana's sleeve cautiously. Finn notices Santana shifts away a bit from Quinn acting as if it wasn't a big deal. It probably still hurts, but Finn always knew that Santana wanted to look strong in any ciscumstance.

Before he could say something, Santana had beat him to it. "Don't. Really, I'm fine." He shoot a an apologetic smile on Santana's way, though it came on as half-smirk, as Santana would describe it. His father was a general of Ohio. He knew his father would've never agreed on a hostage taking so he felt a need to apologize in behalf of his father's men. At least to live up in his honor.

The three had been silent for a good minute until Finn decides to blurt out, "So uhm. Do you wanna go to the park?"

When Quinn raises her eyebrow, Finn could feel rejection coming up. He never knew Quinn entertained someone before so why would she start now? "I asked Santana before, and she said she was into it, but can't 'cause she's not sure if you're okay with it." He ignores Santana glaring at him and prays that would do the trick. If Quinn thinks Santana is all for it, then Quinn will be all for it too.

Quinn slowly turns her head towards Santana, "He asked you out?"

"What? No! He just… He asked if he could… If…" When Santana can't find words, she cursed under her breath, "You know what, yeah! He did!" Santana looks away and Finn is sure he'd be in trouble for that.

"Oh… Okay, then! When do you want to go?" Quinn replies as she turns her attention back to Finn. Finn was busy internally screaming of joy—though that was totally girl-ish, he didn't mind. He's going out with the princess!

"How about later, after school? Sounds good? Yeah? Great. See you later!" Santana smacked Finn out of his internal celebratory party. He smiled thankfully at her and fist pumped to the air when the two girls passed through him.

later that day.

PARK.

QUINN.

.

"I didn't know you were still into parks." Quinn tells Santana as they wait by the bench for Finn.

"Nope." Santana grumbled as she kicks a stone while pacing back in forth.

"Sit down." Quinn taps the space beside her but Santana continues tapping on her phone, probably calling Finn. Quinn didn't mind waiting but Santana was getting impatient. Maybe she was really into parks? She tugs the hem of Santana's skirt to get her attention. When Santana stops and looks at her, Quinn points her right side indicating she sits. Santana sighs and took a seat next to her.

"Stop moving around or you'll bleed again." Quinn scolds Santana as she folds Santana's sleeve to see if there's blood. She smiles when she's nothing. Santana had bled twice today because of running around and moving too much. Her father had treated it, but her knight is a leftie and for her left arm to be shot is really troublesome for her knight.

"I told you it's fine. My dad took care of it." Santana replies as she shifts away from Quinn. A lot of people had asked her how her arm was and kept on touching it.

Quinn noticed it and realized that it probably hurts when the stitch is touched. "But it still hurts, doesn't it?" It's more of a statement than a question. Quinn carefully unfolds Santana's sleeve to avoid touching Santana's stitches.

"A bit." Santana replies as she recognizes Finn's figure from a far.

Quinn saw him running towards them with a balloon on his hand. Balloon?

He hands the green one to Quinn, and the red one to Santana.

Quinn smiles as she takes it and she notices Santana glaring at Finn while she puts her hand on her hip shaking her head.

"Santana, take it. Be nice." Quinn directs Santana and Santana's eyes narrow.

"Oh, this is me being nice. Not lashing out and beating you up to a pulp!" Santana hisses at Finn still not taking the balloon.

"Come on, it's not a crime." Finn jokes and Quinn can't help but smile.

When both Finn and Quinn stares at her expectantly, she grumbles something and took the balloon begrudgingly. "No ice cream?" Santana asks sarcastically.

"Maybe next time, little sister." Finn jokes as he messes with Santana's hair, and Santana immediately smacks Finn's offending hand away.

"This doesn't make up for anything." Santana warns Finn. And Quinn can see a mini-Santana, a younger version of her.

"We went to the park! my mom bought me ice cream! And it was soooo delicious!" An excited Santana exclaims as she bounces on Quinn's bed. Quinn follows her up and down with her eyes. She giggles at her friend's antics. The Lopezes are at the palace to discuss Frances condition. Frances just had a surgery and Dr. Lopez, Santana's dad is her surgeon. Santana is probably Quinn's only friend. So whenever the brunette is at the palace for a visit, she will always pull her towards her bedroom or along the palace to spend time with her.

"I'm glad you can spend time with your mom, while she's here." Santana's mother is a doctor too, but she works as a a military doctor and Santana said she's only staying for a few months with her and her father.

"Father won't let me out of the palace." Quinn says as she pouts thinking of the time she had asked if she could come with Alison and her friends. His father had dismissed her request and it wasn't up for discussion. No one questions their father's decisions.

"Maybe if you're bigger, the Emperor would allow you! Princess Alison goes out, right?" Santana says as she behaves herself and sits by the edge of Quinn's bed. She is smiling widely because of the adrenaline rush inside her and she just wants to run around. She controls herself because her mother had told her to behave properly or else she wouldn't be able to visit Quinn again. "It's amazing, Quinn. I saw other kids too and I get to play with them!"

"Would you come with me?" Quinn asks with hopeful eyes. And she knew Santana would never say No to that.

Santana hugs Quinn and squeezes her. "Yeah! Sure! You'll love it too!" And they both laugh as they plan their trip to the park.

They never went to a park. Aside from Quinn, never really going to public places, after Santana's mother's death, she knew Santana never went to the park ever since. Park was Santana and her mother's thing. So she was surprised when she heard Finn told her Santana wanted to go to the park. Maybe Santana wanted new memories? Quinn was glad she's part of this experience though. So she decided to make the best of it.

"What is this for anyway?" Santana asks as she holds the balloon string between her pointing finger and her thumb like she is disgusted by it.

"You write your wish on this paper, tie it down to the balloon and let go of the balloon." Finn smiles as he offers two small pieces of paper to Quinn and Santana and two ballpens.

"Where on Earth did you get that?" Santana laughs. "That's worse than the Leprechaun's—" Quinn nudges Santana and looks at Finn expectantly waiting for his answer. She had never heard of that 'tradition' before. Maybe it's an Eleven thing?

"When I was little, mom told me that in this way, my wish will reach God faster than the others. I mean, a lot of people prays. So there's gotta be some traffic on that and God might not hear it, so here's an alternative." Finn explains.

"You do know that once this balloon loses helium, it'll eventually—" Santana tries to explain some logic but Quinn stops her and says, "This is actually interesting." Quinn smiles as she takes the pen and paper from Finn and writes for her wish.

Finn can't help but smile triumphantly for his plan worked. Maybe this date won't be so bad at all.

He sees Santana follows suit and he gestured some thumbs up to her and Santana just rolled her eyes while smiling as she takes the pen and paper too. "Did your wish come true?" Santana asks while she writes on the paper.

"Well I wished for a Video Game, you don't know about so I won't tell. And I got it on my birthday, so..." Finn shrugs and Quinn sees Santana rolls her eyes. She knows Santana would try to make sense and use some of her own make-up logic so she immediately rolls her paper and ties it to the end of the string of her balloon. So what if this is illogical? Anyone could wish.

"What did you wish for?" Santana asks as they let go of the balloons.

The three of them looked at their balloons as they flew up in the sky. "What did you wish for?" Quinn asks in return.

"You can't answer a question with a question!" Santana complains but Quinn just sticks her tongue out and smiles. They start walking along the park and she listens to Finn tell stories about his family and friends. She learns that his mom married Kurt's dad last year so he wasn't that lonely anymore. At first he didn't like the idea, but eventually, her mom's happiness weighed more. Quinn learned what the glee club had achieved though no one still cares about them. They still get bullied, they still get tossed around. It's mostly because they are Elevens.

"Does it bother you?" Quinn referring to the insults they receive everyday as they take a seat at the edge of the fountain placed at the center of the park. They were all in uniform so her being a princess was slightly covered.

"I'm on the football team so it wasn't that bad. And we're like a family, you know? So we can stand this." Finn answers as he look at Santana who was nodding in his direction. Apparently, she was enjoying her ice cream too much to bother joining in to the conversation.

"Even if you can stand every little thing that happens, eventually it'll wear you out." Quinn says as she remembers her conversation with Brittany earlier. Just because everyone treats you in a certain way doesn't mean you have to get used to it.

"So do you want to be in the army too?" Quinn asks as she licks her ice cream on a cone. She had never tasted something like this in the palace before. And she's grateful to Finn making her experience new things. She glance back at her knight who seems happy too. Does it remind her of her mother?

Quinn turns her attention back to Finn. "I actually don't know." Finn replies softly as he stares off straight ahead. He was about to explain when Quinn notices Finn's change of expression. She follows his line of sight and she notices three guys ganging up on a street vendor. They were arguing on something.

"APOLOGIZE ALREADY DAMNIT!" A guy shouts as he kicks the street vendor crouching down the ground. Everyone in the park ignores the commotion and went back to their own businesses.

When Finn stands up, Santana holds into his wrist, "You're outnumbered. You think you stand a chance?"

Finn hisses at Santana, "And what? Let them beat him up?" Santana gazes at the street vendor, and both Quinn and Finn follows. "It was his choice to work for a Britannian franchise. If you decided to fight them off and win, he'd be out of work tomorrow."

"Are you saying—" Before Finn could continue, the three guys were now walking towards them. Quinn felt Santana tugging Quinn at her side.

"Feel sorry for the Eleven?" the guy challenged Finn. "Ooohhh. A Britannian student, eh? Maybe you want to beat him up to?" and the three guys laugh.

Quinn sees Finn clenched his fists so she immediately steps up and activates her Geass. "You are tired of beating up an Eleven, aren't you?"

A green light unseen by the others, went straight to the eyes of the three, and Quinn smiles. The three guys nod their heads and start walking away talking about the new video game out yesterday.

Santana raises her eyebrows in confusion as she looks to Finn who has the same expression. "Some Britannians are really a shame." Quinn says nonchalantly as she turns to both of her companions. She returns her gaze to the vendor and starts walking towards him.

later that night,

AREA 11 SUBURBS

SANTANA.

.

Santana maneuvers her knightmare as she receives the coordinates from Lloyd. "Is the source legit?" She asks as she reviews the location of the raid operation.

"Well, that's what the intelligence group says. That's why they sent you there." Holly answers with her cheerful tone.

"Why am I not in Guren again?" Santana asks. She was in Gloucester, the violet knightmare made for close combat and the knightmare frame, Princess Frances used to pilot. Santana was feeling queasy about it. It's one thing to almost wear a deceased's coat. And it's another thing to pilot a deceased's knightmare. Santana wasn't really that superficial but the thought of a spirit lounging around was always at the back of her mind. Though she would never admit that to anyone.

"This is a sneak attack, Santanita." Holly tried to use her Latin accent but it wasn't working and Santana might have snickered at that. "We don't want the enemy to spot you immediately."

Santana was assigned to lead a raid for a reported warehouse of Refrain that is distributed in Area 11. Thinking that the Guren, a known knightmare of a Rounds is too advanced for the operation, the military had asked Santana to pilot the Gloucester, Princess Frances's very own knightmare instead.

"And you think using the late Princess's knightmare frame is subtle?" Santana askes incuriously.

"You're leading the Glaston knights, Santanita." Holly tried again with her accent, but expectedly failed.

Glaston Knights, Santana sighed. Glaston Knights are a group of five-elite Knightmare pilots under the command of Princess Frances. Now, they had dedicated themselves into protecting Quinn, Frances's full-blood sister. As Quinn's knight, Santana has been appointed as their new leader.

"Why can't I lead them with my Guren? I think I'd be more flexible with it." Santana pouts in their video call.

"It's only for this mission. Speaking of, April would brief you into it." Suddenly, April's face replaced Holly's and Santana waited for her instructions.

"Refrain, known as kind of narcotics was reported sold in suburbs of Area 11…"

BLACK KNIGHTS TRAILER.

QUINN.

.

"Refrain."

Red Coat placed a gun-like with serum on top of the table in front of Quinn.

Quinn, wearing Zero's 'costume', held it in her hands. "A large number of users were depressed Elevens. It gives its users hallucinations of their most treasured experience. The most pleasurable they wanted to remember. As you know, a lot of Elevens wanted to think back to the time before Britannia had conquered Ohio."

Quinn nods as she examines the drug in her hand.

"You can say that Area 11 is in better place after Britannians came. Economics and military was stabilized. You can go to some government office and be an Brittanian citizen, and voila! You've got rights!" Red Coat says as she rounds the table. "The only problem?"

"Pride." Quinn answers in a whisper.

"We can't help it if Elevens think that they're better off being slaves to Britannia." Red Coat explains and Quinn nods. She remembers the vendor at the park a while ago.

A knock was heard and Quinn looks at the door. She wears Zero's mask and walks towards the door. No one can know about Quinn being Zero. "I'm not coming with you. I think you can handle this one, seeing as you came up with the plan and everything." Red Coat says as she hides behind the door, and Quinn nods.

Quinn reviews the situation and she thinks she can handle this. Brittany's words rang through her ears. They will make Ohio a better place. And Quinn can do that as Zero. She knows she can.

"Everything is ready." A girl in her Black Knights uniform reportss behind her black aviators.

Quinn nods and goes to the knightmare prepared for her. She was seated at the top- back part while someone pilots for her, a man, just like the girl, wears black aviator covering his eyes and a cap, he's also in his black uniform, making it hard for Quinn to recognize him. Red Coat says that anonymosity is an issue for the Black Knights. They work through trusts.

They follow a leader with a mask.

Quinn noticed the knightmare frame prepared for her and frowned.

The Zangetsu. How appropriate. Is Red Coat mocking her?

She is using Zangetsu, the knightmare that defeated her sister in battle and the pilot who killed her sister.

The Black Knights starts firing guns at a warehouse and Quinn enters with her knightmare. She sees cartels of drugs being prepared and some Black Knights starts to checks it. She didn't notice her knightmare going straight to another portion of the warehouse. It was dark inside and she had to use her night-vision to through the dark.

She sees Elevens on the ground mumbling something.

"Oh, Ohio!"

"I'm getting married! I'm getting married!"

"Promotion!"

"Honey? We're having twins! I'll be a father!"

Those are the victims of Refrain. Those are the narcotics speaking.

The Zangetsu had turned to a woman addicted to Refrain. As the pilot zooms in the woman, the pilot removed his cap and clenched his fist, "How weak of a woman are you? Refrain? Really?"

Quinn froze on her spot.

Puck.

She shook her head. No. It can't be.

Puck is the pilot of Zangetsu?

He killed Quinn's sister.

Suddenly, she felt anger boiling up in her. Puck killed Frannie. Puck disrespected Alison. And he had tried to rape her. This is her chance for revenge.

She clenched her fists and about to speak up when they heard the woman speak up again.

"Noah! You need to take care of your little brother!" the woman says as she trips to the floor but the Zangetsu had caught her.

Noah? Is she his mother?

Suddenly, the Zangetsu was being shot on its side.

"The knight police?" Quinn sees the blue-white knightmares around them. Zangetsu immediately runs off to the opposite direction while holding the woman it had picked a while ago.

"Does this mean they were involve in Refrain?" Quinn asks herself as she feels her anger towards the Britannian police.

Puck looks at the left palm of his knightmare and looks at the woman resting on it.

"Screw you! I don't need you!" He shouts and Quinn could feel him struggling inside. They stumbled to the ground as a part of the knightmare's left leg broke.

"RUN! DAMN IT RUN!" Puck shouts even though he knew his mom can't hear him.

The woman looked towards the knightmare, "Noah, I'd always be with you."

She remembers her conversation with Finn a while ago. Puck, as he likes everyone to call him, is Finn's bestfriend - an idea which is bizarre to Quinn. How could Finn be friends with a man like him? She learned a little about Puck. Apparently, Puck is half-Britannian, half-Eleven. His father was an Elite Britannian who had settled in Ohio after it lost the war to Britannia. The same man who forced himself on Puck's mother. After Puck's mother knew the man was married, she tried to get away but the man demanded for his son-Puck. Noah lived in his father's house and was considered as a Puckerman. Her mom worked as a maid at their household to be near Puck.

"PUCK!" Quinn shouts and she's thankful Red Coat has some voice changer in this mask.

Puck's train of thoughts was broken and he immediately moves his knightmare to dodge the knight police's attack.

"Noah, you can now be an Honorary Brittanian. You can do whatever you want, have rights!—" Puck's mother rants as she looks dreamily to nowhere as if in a dreamland.

Puck was about to open his trunk when a new knightmare frame entered the warehouse, firing at the Knight Police, completely immobilizing them.

"DON'T MOVE!"

Quinn froze again.

"Gloucester?" Puck wonders. "It can't be. Who's piloting it?"

"Santana." Quinn says in awe. She remembered Holly asking her permission to use the Gloucester, her late sister's knightmare. And since, the Glaston Knights serves her, she was to choose who the new pilot was. She immediately says, Santana. If she could trust her sister's knightmare to anyone, it would be Santana. After some alteration, the Gloucester was ready to use. Now she knows, where they would use the Glacouster for. Her sister, as the former Governor of Ohio used to lead operations like this personally with the Glaston Knights by her side and her own knightmare frame.

"What? No way." Puck immediately moves his knightmare away from his friend's.

Quinn's heart starts beating faster. She knew Puck killed Frannie because he had the advantage, technology-wise. If they were to have a fight, Puck would definitely win, right?

"Retreat." She orders.

"This is Santana, we're talking about, Zero. I've never fought her in a battlefield but I knew it wouldn't be easy going out of this one without actually fighting her." Puck says as he continues to dodge Santana's attacks. "Clear shot!" Puck cheers, he knew the Gloucester weak spot and he was about to hit it when Quinn stops him.

"I said, retreat!" Quinn repeats and because Puck was surprised to Zero's outburst, he had missed Santana.

"We're gonna be in big trouble, Zero!" Puck says as he tries to dodge again but Santana was ruthless. He sees her uses its joustling lance and if he didn't move quickly, he knows it would be a direct hit.

The Gloucester activates its speaker, "Under the Britannian law, you are under arrest for murdering the late Princess!" Santana announces still trying to corner the Zangetsu.

Quinn has to think fast. Once Santana corners them, there is no way she could escape without leaving Puck behind. She might have hated Puck for some personal reason but at that moment, she is Zero. She knew Puck has a reason to fight. But, if they fight, she knows there's a chance, Puck can actually kill Santana-right on front of her. She had always feared Santana would die because of her. But she never realized it would be literally.

"Open the trunk." Quinn orders.

"Are you out of your mind? She's gonna shoot you!" Puck shouts as he fights the Gloucester on combat.

"She won't. I know her." Puck hesitated but follows. Quinn thinks Puck trusts Zero with his life. So she has to be careful. If Puck knew her identity, he would stay away from her. And because she is now Zero, Puck will stay away from Zero. She had used her Geass on him before. And she had seen it worked. Puck never came near her at school. The moment Puck realizes Quinn is Zero, even without knowing that there are two Zeros, under the power of Geass, he will stay away from her.

The Gloucester stops its actions when the Zangetsu opens its trunk. "Zero?"

The Gloucester's trunk opens too, revealing Santana in her knight's uniform with a gun on her hand pointed at Quinn, who in Santana's mind is Zero.

"Do you know who operates this warehouse, Knight of Three? The Britannian Police." Quinn never knew they would be in this position. On the opposite sides. She had always lived with Santana on her side.

"I will deal with them after I deal with you." Santana hisses.

"What exactly is your mission? Don't you know how to follow SOP's? I've helped you out twice." Quinn knew guilt-tripping works on Santana. She's just hoping it will still work now. She never saw Santana at the battlefield.

"It doesn't make you a hero. It doesn't make you an ally." Quinn flinched at her words. And it hurts hearing it. This is the path she chose.

Santana was about to answer when suddenly, Zangetsu shot Gloucester's legs and its legs broke down.

Quinn panics when she sees Santana almost fall off the trunk because the knightmare got out of balance. She hissed at Puck, "I told you to—" Puck pulled Zero down and closed his trunk.

"Nice strategy. Really." Puck comments as he activates his floating system. He knew the Gloucester has no floating system so it can't follow them. "The other Black Knights are on the trailer. We're all set."

Quinn can hear Puck but her mind was left on that warehouse.

Santana.

It doesn't make you an ally.

She knows they will meet again in the battlefield. And when that happens, she doesn't know if she could still save both themselves.

next day

AREA 11 GENERAL HOSPITAL

PUCK

.

"I'm sorry." Santana says sympathetically. "She was sentenced 10 years of imprisonment. I didn't expect to see her at the raid yesterday."

Puck nods as he holds into his mother's hand. It was the drug's side effect that she can't speak and because she had overused it, she was paralyzed too.

Santana had called him early in the morning to tell him she was on a raid last night and had caught some users of Refrain. He had expected it but he still acted surprised to cover up his identity.

"You're just doing your job. We're cool." He left out the part that she almost killed him last night. Or vice versa. Though he knew he wouldn't do that to her. Maybe damage the knightmare for good but miss the 'vital points'. Santana will always be a friend.

Santana nods and motion towards the door. She silently leaves the room. When Puck hears the door clicks. He looks at her mom with teary-eyed.

"Wait for me. I'll change this world for you."

AN.

P.S.

so the A team (whoever the are) are also part of the Black knights. BUT not all Black Knights are part of the A team. The rest of the Black Knights doesn't know about Quinn, about Red Coat, about the A team. They see Zero as a hero, and an icon of justice. Yeah?

about the last part of the previous chapter where Quinn finds Zero with dead colonels, the A team had arrived with Zero killing them all and had left before Quinn arrives. Yes, the A Team is capable of that.

Also, REFRAIN is a narcotics.

And here's a quick summary of the knightmare frames so you wouldn't be confused.

BRITANNIA:

+Santana - Guren(all throughout); and Gloucester (it's only for this chapter, for the drama part in Quinn's inner struggle, and the Pucktana battle)

+Puck - Zangetsu

So for those who are concerned about Quinn's command on Puck when she had used her Geass on him, it was this.

some questions for you:

what do you think is Quinn's wish? How about Santana's?