Chapter 12
All's fair in Love and War
Part 1
(Pier warehouse, 19:09)
The evening at the pier was the same as before that night, and just like before, Lelouch sat in that very same warehouse, sitting in the dark without his mask on. He could barely hold on to what little sanity he had left anymore, his mind filled with grief and despair. What is left for me when this is all over? He thought to himself, wondering if his actions would have any results that were better than the results of the previous timeline. He looked to the door as it suddenly creaked open, wondering if Kallen had come to talk like she did the last time. He gazed at the sliver of light that the door had created, and began to speak. "Who is there?" He managed to keep his face covered with the towel as he did last time, but he knew that the person that entered already knew his face all too well.
"I... I'm sorry, I'll go." Kallen softly told the raven haired teen as she turned to leave, her heart aching just being near him. She didn't know what to say to him after all of this, but she knew she had to talk to him, no matter how much she didn't want to. She turned around, her expression showing that she was clearly in pain inside, and looked the former demon emperor straight in the eye. But just as she was about to speak, her soft words were washed away by the words he emitted from his mouth, the tone of his voice drowning in despair.
"Never mind that." He told her, his voice becoming like was back in the original timeline, when she confronted him that night about their true motive. But back then, she wanted to know what they were fighting for really, and now, she finds herself asking the same thing, but for different reasons. I suppose I should blame the Laws of Equivalence. She thought to herself, wondering if there was any real point to all of this. If things will have the same effect, then doesn't that mean things will turn out the same? She thought to herself fearfully, remembering the image of Suzaku wearing Zero's clothes, and ending Lelouch's life. Suddenly, the former demons voice tore across her mind, snapping her back to reality, and she gazed at him once more.
Lelouch looked at his red queen with his violet eyes, unsure what to say to her. But none the less, he began to speak once again, as if his tongue was speaking for him. "It's fine Kallen." He told her, his voice sounding more and more depressed with every word. In reality, he knew his heart was being torn apart inside, or at the very least… what was left of his heart after all it had been through. He could barely find the strength he needed to put on a mask right now, let alone put on the face of Zero the miracle worker. But regardless, keeping this hidden and unsettled will only cause us more pain and strife. He took in a deep breath, swallowing his enormous pride in the process, and let his thoughts turn into sound as he looked deeply into her eyes. "About what happened…"
Kallen closed her eyes for a moment, her legs walking towards Lelouch without her conscious consent, and she found herself sitting next to him, his face looking as bad as she imagined hers did. "Lelouch, I…" She paused for a moment, flustered and guilty at the same time. She knew she loved him, but it still didn't seem right. After everything that had happened to Shirley in the previous timeline, she was still the one who ended up paying for the Black Knights actions. It's not right. She thought to herself for a moment, remembering it was mostly her fault for what happened to Shirley. She was the one who used the radiant wave surger to create that avalanche, she was the one who kissed Lelouch, and she was the one who didn't say a word to Shirley about it until it was too late. She looked away from Lelouch, and the words flew out of her mouth, almost as quiet as a mouse. "I'm sorry."
"Kallen, what are you saying that for?" He replied bluntly, his heart tearing him up inside even faster now, the despair clawing away at his resolve to keep on living. "There's no reason to apologize to me Kallen. In this world, these things happen, and there is usually very little we can do to prevent them. It's easier to accept the fate that's been handed to us…" He began to monologue, before he found himself receiving a familiar pain to his face, a pain he had been expecting for some time now.
Kallen's mind went blank red as she swung her palm at Lelouch, slapping him across the face in utter sadness and anger. He always got like this when things got bad, but it never ceased to piss her off. She had tried to keep her anger under control, but she found herself unable to keep it that way. "Don't give me that crap!" She screamed at him, now standing up and facing him, waterfalls of tears running down her eyes. "Don't you know what I've done?! I kissed you, remember demon emperor?! I'm the one who broke her heart, even if it was you she loved. And no matter how I try to convince myself otherwise, I end up with the same conclusion." She felt her sorrow come to the surface of her being, the pain stinging her heart like an angry nest of wasps.
Lelouch closed his eyes for a moment, finding that no matter what he was doing, he would continue to doubt his choices. If my actions will have the same results, what would be the point of all of this? He paused for a moment, his breath weak and shallow, sighing as he began to speak. "Kallen, none of that is your fault." He told her, knowing that her actions had little to do with all of this. "It's mine. Her pain, her heartbreak, all of it." He spoke out loud, his doubts and conflicting feelings rising to the surface of his being. Under normal circumstances, he would never be one to let his emotions get the better of him, but whenever his friends or Nunnally got involved, his heart became swallowed in it's own despair. It was his most significant weakness, not that he would admit it.
Kallen gasped under her breath as she heard him speak, silently crying "Lelouch…" as she heard his words echo from his wounded heart.
Lelouch continued to ramble on, his despair now being in control of his vocal cords. And with every word, he could feel the pain of his heart reminding him it was there, taunting and tormenting him. "You may have kissed me, but you're not the one to blame for this mess. I'm the one who came back in time to redo all of this, remember? I was the one who revived your memories, I was the one who gave those orders to Jeremiah to rescue Shirley's father, I gave you the order to use the Radiant wave surger again, and I was the one who didn't say a word to her about our relationship until it was too late." He could feel himself regaining control of his voice, though he couldn't undo what was done. He turned back to his red haired ace, waiting to see what her reaction would be.
Kallen felt her heart stop as his words washed over her. He blames himself for all of this, and from the way he said it, it seems he really did care for her, if not actually love her. But if that's the case, then why did he kiss me back? She tried to ask herself, before she reminded herself that Lelouch had kissed her back when at the U.F.N. meeting, even though it was coldly. When we kissed that time, it was clear to me that he was determined to make me hate him in order for his plan to proceed. But when we kissed in the Student Council room, it was different. It was like he had a hidden passion inside of him, one that was hungry and directed at me. She kept thinking back on everything that had occurred between them, from the time they first met to now. But through and through, she couldn't come up with a clear explanation of his feelings, as his actions in their relationship, both as Lelouch and as Zero, kept contradicting each other. She sighed heavily, her thoughts beginning to slip out of her mouth, and began to speak. "So..." She began, feeling more nervous than she did when it happened, and twice as flushed. "...why did you kiss me back?"
Lelouch's eyes widened for a moment, as he was not expecting that question to come up so soon. And as his eyes narrowed back to where they were before, he took in a small breath of air, and gave her his answer, his pulse now racing like a Knightmare on the battlefield. "Kallen, after all we've been through, do you really have to ask?" He told her, trying his best not to insult her as he replied. But in actuality, he himself knew very little about how he felt for her. She is my subordinate, my ace pilot, and my best soldier. It would be highly unprofessional for us to be in a relationship like that. And as far as school is concerned, I can ill afford to compromise her cover as a frail, sickly girl. No matter how I feel about her, it doesn't change the situation. The logical side of him assured him. But at the same time, his emotional side was arguing with that logic, as he remembered something Shirley had once told him. Love is power. Her voice echoed in his mind.
Kallen could tell Lelouch was lying not only to her, but to himself as well. She sighed a bit, her gaze now fixated at the ground. He's confused about all of this. She thought to herself sadly as she began to come to the same conclusion. I suppose I am too. When we kissed, I could feel fireworks. But after what happened to her, including what happened in the previous timeline, is it right for me to… She stopped herself right there, knowing it wasn't good for her to think that way anymore. No matter what happened, the past is the past now. All we can do is press on forward, and head for the future. She told herself, then began to speak. "So then, you do feel that way about me?"
He hesitated for a moment, thinking hard over what he would answer. With a heavy sigh, he stood up, looking deeply into her eyes, and began to speak. "Admittedly, not at first." He told her, part of him waiting for her to slap him again. But as he continued to speak, she waited, listening diligently. "When I gave you your memories back, I was hoping to gain my friend and ally back, not much more. But now, after all that has happened and changed, I suppose you and I-" But as he spoke those last words, he found himself in a position where he could no longer speak, for his lips were now locked against Kallens, the intense, hungry feelings from before coming back all at once. He closed his eyes after a few seconds of contact, mimicking the movements of Kallens lips with his own, and pulled her closer to him, her body pressing against his once again.
Kallen's mind went blank as she closed her eyes, the world around them disappearing as they indulged in each other, neither one of them wanting to let go of the other. But as it went on, a part of Kallen was screaming at her to stop, reminding her there was still a world out there, a world that still needed them to play their parts. And as they pulled apart, she turned away from the raven haired teen, and softly spoke to him, her gaze turned away from him to avoid the look he would give her. "I'm sorry. I just…"
Lelouch looked at Kallen with a glimmer of hope in his violet eyes, and remembered the price of geass that C.C. had once told him. The power of the king condemns one to a life of solitude… He remembered, knowing that he was probably one of the few who escaped that consequence. But if that is the case, is that the price of abusing power, or is that merely a perception made when applied to the Laws of Equivalence? He pondered silently in his head. He looked at the beautiful young woman in front of him, and began to speak to her, in spite of her not looking at him directly. "Don't apologize…" he got out, his hand now trembling with anger and confusion. But there was another feeling, one he thought he could only really feel for Nunnally and Euphemia. It was driving him further into madness, making his heart heart race when he was near her, and making him crave her company when she was not. "These feelings are not yours alone Kallen. I fell them to…"
(At the Britannian operation, 19:34)
"It's time." Darlton declared to himself, knowing that it was now or never. Katase's forces are not getting out of this harbor, let alone out to sea. He had promised himself earlier, knowing that meant taking each and everyone of the elevens on that ship out. But at the same time, he knows that if something should happen, they'd be wide open for an attack. If Zero's behind this, then there's a good chance he'll launch a sneak attack from the harbor. And if he does that, the Lancelot won't be too far away to help. He reminded himself, knowing how crafty Zero could be and how fast Warrant Officer Kururugi was.
Cornelia raised her hand, her resolve to kill reaching it's climax, and shouted out at the top of her lungs so all her troops could hear her voice. "Commence the operation!" And with those words, the Britannian forces came to life, moving to their battle stations like it was their second nature. "All underwater units, hit the water!" a voice on the radio commanded. "Dive! Dive! Dive!" And as those words reached the ears of the soldiers, one by one, they dived into the chilling waters of the Japanese harbor, closing in on their target like a pack of wolves closing in on their prey. And as the soldiers moved into attack position, the sounds of gunfire rang out, and the fighting had begun. The agonizing screams of men getting shot filled the air, the smell of the sea being tainted as it mixed with blood, and in spite of all of this, the Britannian soldiers stayed stone faced, convinced that they weren't killing human beings, but elevens who needed to die for their benefit.
"Emergency, you clear category C1. Our unit will be covering them from the shore. Careful though, we want that tanker in one piece." A commanding officer ordered over the radio. Suzaku sat in the cockpit of the Lancelot, firing at the tanker, but his mind was looking through the eyes of the very soldiers he was killing… or rather, the soldiers he was slaughtering. He knew this was wrong, that all of this violence and conflict wouldn't solve anything for anyone. But even so, I need to move up… I need to gain enough power to change this country for the better. He kept telling himself, reminding himself that moving up in the military required that he needed to follow orders, even if he didn't agree with them. "Understood sir." he simply replied as he continued to fire, not hesitating for a minute, even though he wanted to so badly.
On the other side of the pier, Ohgi looked at the ship with Diethard, staring at it with a sense of dread in his heart. The men on board agreed to play decoy no matter what happened to them, but still… It's not right. He told himself, knowing that even though thoughts like that could get him into trouble with Zero and/or Katase, he was still a human being with a working conscious. He turned on his radio, and began to speak. "It looks like it's starting." He stated, alerting Zero to what was happening outside of the ship he was on. "Zero, you wanna move out or what?" He let go of the radio to allow Zero to respond, but all that came through it was silent static. "Hey? Do you read me?" He asked boldly, knowing that Zero would most likely wait til the last second to begin the operation. "They're closing in on the target."
As Ohgi's voice rang out of the radio, Lelouch sat patiently in his burai, checking his clock constantly for the exact minute when he detonated the ship last time. So far, everything's gone almost exactly like they did last time. With the laws of Equivalence in place, it's best to keep the changes small unless we really need them to change. He sighed, grabbed his microphone, and replied to his former Deputy Commander. "We have to hold." He told him, his voice sounding slightly edgier than usual. "If we go now, we'd jeopardize Katase's mission, and thus ruin our chance to gain China's support. Just be patient Ohgi." He put his mic away, returning his steely gaze back to the clock. Just be patient.
As shots continued to be fired, Suzaku could feel his resolve to kill lessening with every passing moment. "Commence support fire. All units are restricted to micro round ordinance only. Be careful not to set off that liquid Sakuradite!" As the orders kept being barked over the radio, Suzaku couldn't help but hear the agonizing screams of the ones he was shooting. They don't even have a single Knightmare, and their turrets seems to be completely outdated. He thought to himself, knowing that the sheer reality of this mission. "This isn't battle." He thought to himself out loud, the despair in eyes becoming more and more apparent with every shot fired. "This is whole damn thing is slaughter."
"Officer Kururugi?" Cecile's voice called out to him as she appeared on his top monitor. Her crystal blue eyes looked at him with sadness and discomfort, and the tone of her voice was even more so. Ever since he became the test pilot for the Special Corps, she'd always been there to help him out and give him support. Those eyes… He thought to himself, for that worried look on her face reminded him of the worried look Nunnally and Euphie gave him all the time. "I certainly know this must be hard for you. But you are soldier, remember that." She reminded him, trying desperately to preserve his resolve.
"Right…" He sighed, knowing that orders were orders, and that he was expected to do all of this the moment he signed up for the Britannian military. "I understand." He readjusted his shot, and continued to open fire upon the enemy ship.
Suddenly, without any warning whatsoever, a noise over the radio begins to catch Suzaku's attention. He adjusts his radio slightly, and the noise becomes clearer and clearer until he can finally understand it. "We surrender! Please cease fire. This is the Japan Liberation Front! I repeat: We surrender!" Suzaku couldn't believe what he was hearing. A surrender? It can't be true. But, on the off chance that it is, what should I... He turned on his radio in a heartbeat, then began to speak. "Sir, they're issuing surrender over an open channel."
"Ignore it." Answered his Britannian commander, skepticism lingering in his tone of voice. Suzaku should've known better than to try to reason with them over a matter like this. They won't listen to an honora- no, they won't listen to any Eleven, even if said eleven was in the military. He reminded himself, hesitating a bit as he continued to fire his weapon. That was his goal after all; to change the way Britannia viewed the former Japanese people, without the use of violence and from the inside. But as he did so, he could feel his heart grow heavier, his grip growing tighter, and his breath became more shallow with every passing second. "But sir…" He managed to get out over the radio, before he suddenly found himself barraged by a series of bullets from the JLF warship. As he looked to the warship, it's engines roared to life, and the ship began to move away from the harbor, whilst still being fired at from all other sides.
In that instant, the commanding officer screamed through the radio at Suzaku, most likely insulting him under his breath as he did so. "You see?!" He raged, knowing full well that the surrender was just a distraction so the ship could buy a few more seconds of time before leaving. "They're just buying time. Now, carry out your orders!" He commanded Suzaku, prompting him to fire at the warship without question.
Ohgi could feel his frustration rising within him, every last one of his molecules screaming at him to issue the order to begin attacking the Britannian forces on the docks. "Damn! It'll be too late soon!" He screamed out loud, knowing full well that Diethard was right next to him, probably calling him something under his breath. I know this part of the plan is crucial, but still… Is it necessary for him to take things this far? He thought to himself, knowing full well that they would've done something similar if they were still just a bunch of terrorists lashing out at Britannia out of anger and hatred. "When does Zero plan to move?" He said and he ground his teeth, Diethard looking out at the warship with a pair of binoculars.
Diethard looked at the ship with a stone faced expression, his whole brain itching for Zero to make his move. How long must I wait Zero? He began to wonder in his mind, knowing full well of all the time it takes to make preparations for these kinds of things. If I am to document your victory over Britannia in the wake of a new world, then you need to give me something to write about. The cold winds of the harbor blew slightly against his face, sending a slight chill up his spine as he continued to wait for the plan to go into action, for Zero to finally commence his own operations. "I just hope he isn't doing all out of a childish notion of honor and justice." He said out loud, knowing that Zero wasn't the type of person to do that. Zero's no hero, that's all just a ruse he invented with that mask of his. No, what he really wants is to satisfy his own pride and ego. He thought to himself, his creative side becoming hungrier and hungrier for material to work with.
In that instant, the warship began to take heavier casualties than before, and as Ohgi took a closer look with his own binoculars, he froze for a moment in utter horror, for the Britannian knightmares had begun to make their way onto the warship, just as Zero had anticipated. It's all going according to Zero's plan so far… He thought to himself as he subconsciously turned on his radio, then began to speak out loud. "Zero, the knightmares are boarding the ship, just as you predicted. Now all we're waiting for is the order to go in and strike." Several moments passed, but there was nothing but static over their radio. Ohgi didn't understand what their masked leader was thinking. What the hell?! He raged in his mind, knowing that Zero would probably wait til the last second to swoop in on Cornelia and her forces. "Zero! If we don't hurry, we'll miss our chance." He screamed into his radio, knowing in his heart that Zero could hear him perfectly clear.
Lelouch's patient expression became a slight grin as he saw the exact time the ship blew up last time reach him at last. "Very well then, go ahead." He told Ohgi, while simultaneously pressing his personalized detonator. And with this, my preparations have begun! He proclaimed in his head as the sakuradite began to explode, the resulting blast destroying the ship in the process, and engulfing the harbor in a wave of violet-pink light. It was satisfying to see his plans go through once again, and this time, there would be no direct repercussions. The Laws of Equivalence will come back to bite me sometime or another, but for right now, all I can do is prepare for the future. He proclaimed to himself, breaking out into a frenzied laughter of his now certifiable insanity.
As the light of the sakuradite swept across the harbor, Katase stared at it with a pair of binoculars, his stone faced expression beginning to crack into a slight smile. "That's the signal. We're all clear." He thought out loud, ready to make his way out of Area 11 and head for the Chinese Federation for support in the upcoming rebellion. It worked. Zero's plan actually worked. He thought to himself excitedly in his mind as he made his way down below to the command center. Distracting Britannia with that little ambush, then allowing us to escape to China by using a submarine to sneak past their blockades. "Zero's given us the all clear! Alright men, dive dive dive!" He barked out, the men seeming to have come to life as they prepared the submarine to dive into the water.
Ohgi looked at the Britannian troops with a mixed sense of despair, pride, and disgust. "This is like Narita all over again." He thought to himself out loud. As usual, Zero had wasted no time going straight for Cornelia and her men, and Ohgi could feel part of him was screaming to reprimand Zero for being so heartless. Whoever this Britannian is, he's not interested in helping Japan much. He may give us our freedom and independence back, but that's not his goal. He thought to himself, knowing full well that Zero had in his own agenda hidden away in the shadows. But so far, everything seems to going according to their plan. Or rather, everything's been going according to his plan.
Diethard could hardly contain his excitement as the operation pressed on. He had been starving for a story like this for years, a true tale he could document and remember for the rest of his, full of twists and turns. He could feel the urge to lick his lips from his sheer excitement and enthusiasm. "It's outstanding!" he boldly proclaimed. Using the ship full of suicide candidates as bait, having the real Katase travel to the Chinese Federation in an attempt to gain their support, and then going for Cornelia while her guard is still down! It was all a perfect trap. He's now made a complete fool out of Cornelia a total of 4 times now. He thought to himself excitedly as he raced to the ladder next to him, Ohgi shouting at him to stop. But he didn't listen, and he slid along the slide down to the ground, his heart pounding faster than it had in years. "They're command is wide open now. One of the oldest tricks in the book." He bellowed as he ran through the night.
Ohgi couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Where are you going?" He demanded to know, but it was too late, as the man had already gotten out of earshot. "Hey!" Diethard, that damned brit! He screamed in his head, knowing that he shouldn't have even let the guy get close to the ladder. His pent up frustration began to leak out of him, his thoughts becoming blank as he reached for his gun and aimed it at the blonde haired Britannian. As Ohgi pulled the trigger on his rifle, part of him hoped that he would get the Britannian in the leg, and therefore would learn the price for running away in the middle of a battle. But as the bullet zipped through the air, it missed Diethard completely, and instead ricocheted off one of the crates.
Diethard ran past the area in a heartbeat, his mind completely indulged in Zero's plan. It makes perfect sense. He wanted to cripple the enemy's defenses using the Liberation Front's ship as a trap. His body was filled to the brim with excitement, the adrenaline in his system nearly making him frantic. He couldn't contain himself any longer, but though the feeling was wonderful, it wasn't enough. He's excellent material, this Zero. Or rather, he's chaos incarnate. He thought to himself, his whole screaming at him for more. He couldn't get enough of this. This was the story of a lifetime, the story that could make him famous around the world, and spark a new era in storytelling. More, Zero! He demanded in his head. Show me more of your genius! Let your pride and ego engulf the world!
Voices cried out over the radio as the explosion began to fade away, replaced by the sudden appearance of Zero and his Black Knights. The voices varied from one unit to the next, but as far as Suzaku could tell, they were all filled with one single emotion: Shock. The sounds of screams, gunshots, orders, and the revving up sound of knightmares filled the air, and all Suzaku could smell was blood.
"Enemy attack!" One soldier screamed right before his radio cut out, his voice then being replaced with nothing but static. And soon after, others near the bay soon met a similar fate.
"204 Signal lost!"
"Erickson, form up with 308! Provide support!"
"All unit, Status report! I repeat, What is your status!?"
Suzaku looked over to where Viceroy Cornelia had set up her command, wondering what the hell was going on over there. But at the same time, his thoughts were elsewhere, still seeing the JLF warship going up in violet light in what appeared to be a suicide attack. Why would the General kill himself? He pondered to himself, knowing that even though the JLF was known for their cowardly tactics and suicide attacks, they wouldn't blow up their commander just to escape being taken in by Britannia. It doesn't make any sense- But as soon as his mind made out that word, the area where Cornelia and her guard where erupted into chaos, and Suzaku then realized what had really happened after seeing one simple thing: The red knightmare from Narita. Zero and his Black Knights are here. So then, could they have used the tanker as decoy?
Darlton was shocked at their arrival, but he wasn't surprised by this attack at all. Dammit! He screamed in his head. I knew this would happen, and I let happen anyways! He tried to calm himself down, knowing that this was no time to scold himself. Not when the life of the Viceroy was on the line. He quickly powered on his Gloucester, turned on his radio, and gave his orders quite clearly, anger and a hint of fear lingering in his voice. "Mount up now!" He howled over his radio. "Form a defense of line on a double!" And with those words spoken, Cornelia's royal guard ran to their knightmares at full speed. But before they could get to them, they soon found that most of their knightmares were being knocked into the sea without by the Black Knights.
Cornelia couldn't believe she had been so careless. Even as she got inside of her own, personalized Gloucester, she couldn't help but wonder how Zero could've learned of their location. "How did they know we were here?!" She violently thought at loud, part of her wanting to scream at her officers, along with herself, for leaving themselves wide open like this. This is a disgrace! A disgrace to me, to the royal family, to all of Britannia! The witch of Britannia thought to herself as she remembered how zero had humiliated her in the recent past. First it was Saitama, then Lake Kawaguchi, then Narita…! She gripped her hands tightly around the controls of her knightmare, furious that she had been put into this situation in the first place.
"Your highness!" Guilford's voice cried out over the radio, and suddenly, Cornelia found herself being rammed down by an enemy knightmare, one of the black Glasgows the JLF and the Black knights were known to use. But this one seemed different from the other ones. Unlike the other ones, this one had a crimson colored head and golden horns, giving it a more demon-like appearance on the battlefield. Wait! Cornelia's eyes widened as she remembered seeing this knightmare before at Narita, and she immediately knew only one person was in a position to drive a customized knightmare like this one. "Zero!" She raged, knowing in her heart that it was the masked terrorist was the one who blindsided her.
(Earlier)
Lelouch couldn't help but smile at his plan. The Black Knights attacked the Britannian troops without a moment of hesitation this time, and none of them would suspect him of foul play this time, as they already knew of the suicide plan ahead of time. "Knock their Knightmares into the sea before their pilots can mount!" He ordered, just as he did before. He turned his attention to Kallen, knowing she was right by his side the whole time. "Guren Mk-II, you're with me!" He shouted into his radio, his mind focused on the gains he was going to receive from all of this. On top of all of this, Katase will be able to head for the Chinese Federation to gain their support while remaining under the Britannian radar. He thought to himself, remembering how his attempt to gain their support in the previous timeline was halted because of Mao's interference in his plans.
"Yes sir." Kallen responded immediately, keeping a close eye out for Suzaku and his Lancelot. She was reliving the past, but yet each time she was inside of her Guren, she never quite gotten used to the fact that she could predict almost everything that was going to happen on the battlefield. Then again, She thought to herself as she powered her way through towards Cornelia. With the Laws of Equivalence in effect, there's no telling when things will change as the scales attempt to balance themselves out. She knew that lesson all too well, considering what had happened between her, Lelouch, and Shirley. As Lelouch rammed into Cornelia, she quickly remembered exactly how she attacked Cornelia last time, and moved her Guren accordingly, waiting for her opportunity to strike.
(Present)
Guilford powered on his Gloucester in a flash, then charged at the terrorist knightmare that had rammed into Cornelia's knightmare, his entire mind focused only on protecting his princess. "Your highness…" He said with a grunt, the knightmares speed and power nearly overpowering the strength of his own. "We can handle this." He assured her, silently telling her to run. After the last time this had happened, Zero had promised her that he would do everything it took to bring Cornelia down, and this time was no exception. Cornelia was not a woman to be trifled with, as he knew all too well from being her personal knight. But at the same time, he had a feeling in his gut that she shouldn't be the one to face Zero alone. Cornelia, my princess, you must live! He told her in his mind, knowing full well that she couldn't her him.
"Silence Guilford!" She screamed at her knight in utter disgust. She knew it was his duty to protect her at all costs, but to do and say those things while she was engaged in combat was stepping over his boundaries. Zero, you've belittled me for the last time, you damn terrorist! She proclaimed in her head as she powered on her Gloucester and charged back at the knightmare that had attacked her, Guildford getting out of her way as she did. She turned on her speakers as she charged at him with her lance, and screamed at the top of her lungs. "How many times you think you are allowed to mock me, Zero?!" But as she said those words, she found herself sent flying backwards, her enemy moving fast in a flash of red.
"Arghh!" She silently cursed at Zero's cowardice, knowing the bastard would never attack her in a fair fight. But as she returned her gaze to the battlefield, she saw a strange looking knightmare; a knightmare she had only seen once before at Narita. That new model again? The red knightmare swerved around, then charged at Cornelia again. Cornelia charged towards the knightmare in turn, her rage having made her ready to fight, and to take her revenge on the ones who put her into this position. "Do you honestly think you can best me in Knightmare combat, you dammed eleven?!" But even as she charged at her red bodied foe, she once again found herself blindsided by Zero, and she was sent flying onto her side, half of her controls now damaged from the crash. And as she tried to secure herself and get her knightmare up, Zero had fired his slash harken at her, cleaving one of her knightmares arms clean off. He then stood before her, holding her own lance, and moved as if to finish her off.
Lelouch could hardly remember what he was like when he was sane anymore. After all of the events of the previous timeline, as well as the events of this one, he could hardly remember exactly when he had lost himself to madness. But if he had to make a guess, he would have to assume he had lost it after he shot Euphemia and began the Black Rebellion. But now, he felt like he could ignore the pain of that experience, as he knew he would never allow such a thing to happen to her again. His breath was shallow, rapid, and dry, but he didn't care. At the moment, all he could think of was burying the pain in his heart with the violent pleasure of destroying Cornelia. "I'll smash your hatch and drag you out, dear Cornelia!" He declared out loud to himself, knowing that he shouldn't, but didn't care at the moment. And this time, Shirley isn't here to distract me! But just as he was about to strike the witch of Britannia down, he found the arm of his Burai had been shot off by a VARIS blast, and his Burai stumbled backwards as he came to realization of who had shot him. Suzaku!
Suzaku could feel the adrenaline in his blood rising, his resolve unwavering as he faced the masked terrorist once again. He knew that what Zero was doing was most likely derived from good intentions, but those intentions had been robbed of their honor, and were thus worthless to anyone. Violence only breeds more violence, and that only feeds the cycle of hate and pain. In order to break the cycle, one has to approach things from a more peaceful manner, and change things without the use of violence. He thought to himself as he charged into Zero's direction. Zero, your methods are not going to change anything. You're too focused on goals, and you don't understand the pain of others! He screamed in his head as he sent the terrorist's knightmare flying in a burst of speed, dodging all of the bullets that had been fired at him.
"Zero!" Kallen screamed into her speakers as she attempted to charge at him. Ever since she got her memories back, it had become harder and harder to continue to address him as Zero rather than Lelouch, as she now knew that the mask that divided the two was mostly just for show now. Before… She told herself earlier. Zero was just a character in a stage production, a man who existed only with the mask. But now, Zero and Lelouch are truly one and the same, both fighting for the idealistic tomorrow we've all fought so hard for. But as that memory slipped from her mind, she was caught off guard as one of Cornelia's slash harkens fired at her. Kallen lurched back at the last moment, but not before her Guren had taken a serious hit. She was thankful that the slash harken didn't pierce through her cockpit, but she knew better than to let her guard down, especially with Cornelia.
Lelouch was slightly disappointed with himself for not seeing that coming, having already lived through these events before. But at the same time, he was kind of glad that, in spite of the Laws of Equivalence, most of the events seemed to occur as expected. He could feel a smirk crack along his face as he turned to his long time friend/foe, waiting for Suzaku to come in close. As the Lancelot charged in close, Lelouch fired his slash harken into a wall, and propelled himself away from his one time Knight of Zero. And as he did so, he switched on his speakers, and let his thoughts fly out at Suzaku, hoping to catch him off guard. "Well, if it isn't the knight in shining armor?" The demon emperor taunted. "Have you made up your mind yet, Kururugi?"
"Yes, I have. I've decided… that no matter what, I'm going to stop you!" Suzaku declared as he scowled at the knightmare in front of him, his anger rising by the minute. But at the same time, he knew how Zero was feeling, all too well. Zero, I can sense your feelings beneath that mask, so there's no real use hiding it. Your struggling inside, wanting to find a reason to live, a meaning for your life. I know that feeling all too well. He thought to himself, his father once again plaguing the back of his mind. But even so… Shirley's life has gone to hell because of you. He reminded himself, his resolve becoming stronger with every second.
She got her heart broken by something I don't even know about, that part wasn't your fault. But you put her father's life in danger, which caused him to want to leave in order to protect his daughter, which forced them to leave their entire lives behind as they left. And yet… how do you feel about it?! The Honorary Britannian thought to himself as he attempted in vain to slam Zero against the wall. "I won't be fooled by your lying tongue anymore!" He proclaimed, his tone sounding as confident as he was when he first turned down Zero's offer to join the Black Knights.
Lelouch smirked at his resolve, knowing that if Suzaku was indeed trying to sense his emotions as he fought him, he'd be focused entirely on him. And when that happens, I'll have his complete attention. He reminded himself, knowing that his plan was about to unfold nicely. He switched on his speaker quickly, while simultaneously, rearing back to avoid the Lancelot in close combat, but not far enough where he could use the VARIS. "Then tell me Suzaku, why do you keep getting in the way of the will of the people?"
Suzaku's heart stopped for that brief second, the very phrase reminding him of what he had done. However, he closed his eyes as he shook the feeling off, remembering the proclamation he made only a few minutes ago. "Will of the people?" He asked him rhetorically, knowing that was the phrase that drove all of his supporters to make trouble for everyone else. "People don't always know what they want, and their emotions can cloud their judgement. I know that better than anyone." He said with a heavy heart, remembering what he did to his father.
"Are you saying that you let your stubbornness blind you from seeing the obvious oppression that these people are suffering through?"
"And what about you, huh? Why do you go around spilling people's blood without meaning? Your supporters aren't just chess pawns you know. These are people's lives you're messing with, and yet you only care about results!"
"Ends justify the means, Suzaku! One cannot change the world without getting one's hands dirty. As a soldier, you should know that!"
"And what happens to the lives that are left behind huh? Where do you think all that suffering goes to when it's over?!" The soldier screamed into his microphone, his temper taking complete control over his body. "If you would just use the system to reach your goals, then..."
"Then I'd be bound to the rules that Britannia makes, thus ensuring there is no real change." The former Demon Emperor interrupted. "If I was foolish enough to think like that, all I'd manage to do is get myself caught up in bureaucracy and red tape. It takes more than pretty words to change the world Suzaku. We do not live in an idealistic world where such things are possible." Lelouch could feel the temptation to revive Suzaku's memories growing stronger by the second, his iron will the only thing allowing him to keep himself in check. While it would be easy to awaken Suzaku, now is not the right time. He reminded himself, knowing full well of when he actually needed to awaken his Knight of Zero. A little longer, and then I'll awaken him. Until then… He stopped himself right there, remembering exactly where he was. "This is the real world, and you need to realize that."
Suzaku could feel his heart churn inside of him, part of him wanting to agree with the man he was fighting. However, he knew that if he doubted himself now, he would never be able to forgive himself. His conscious screamed at him to finish it, the voice sounding as angry as he was feeling. But at the same time, there was another voice, one that was telling him to listen to what Zero was saying, telling him that what he was doing was wrong. He hardened his resolve, and fired his gun at the Burai's leg, the sounds of rapid fire building the air, and without any hesitation, Suzaku had shot the leg of the Burai off. "You want results, Zero? How's this for results?!"
"Lancelot, behind you!" Cornelia's voice rang out behind him, alerting him to the danger that was about to strike at him without warning. He swiftly turned around, only to be attacked by the red knightmare from Narita, who had already put Cornelia's knightmare into an inoperable state. But as the knightmares collided, Zero's pod had fired off, sending it in the direction of another pier and away from the battlefield. Suzaku knew that he should've been faster and taken out Zero when he had the chance, but now was not the time for him to be scolding himself. He could feel the strength of the knightmare being just as strong as his, it having pushed him back severely hundred feet before he was able to push against it at all. That red Knightmare again? He thought to himself, remembering how it was able to keep up with the Lancelot the last time they fought at Narita.
"Get the hell away from him Suzaku!" she screamed at him, making certain her speakers were turned off before she did so. Despite him knowing that she was half Japanese/half Britannian, she still had to keep what little of her cover she had left with him. At least until Lelouch finally decides to revive his memories. She reminded herself, knowing that she was supposed to let him live for Lelouch's plans to move forward at all. But at the same time, she knew better than to let her guard down or to hold back against Suzaku, which had proven to have disastrous consequences in the past. The last time she had done that, he fired the F.L.E.I.J.A at her while he was under the influence of the geass command to live.
Suzaku couldn't believe how skilled the knightmare pilot was, being able to block, dodge, and counter all of his attacks like they had been. He jumped onto the top of a crate, and just as swiftly, attacked the red knightmare with his signature spin kick. But as he did, the knightmare moved its arm to block the Lancelot's leg, as if it had expected it to be there in the first place. What? He gasped in his head as he fired his slash harkens at it, the knightmare simply countering it with it's own slash harken. The two knightmares clashed against each other, matching each other blow per blow like two titans of power. Whoever the pilot is, they're not only strong, they seem to know how I fight. But how can that be if they've only fought me once? He tried to piece together in his mind, but the more he thought about it, the less any of it made sense. Is it possible for them to be that perceptive, or is there something else at work here?
(Meanwhile…)
Villetta could hardly believe what she was seeing. Ever since the Shinjuku incident involving that Britannian student and the loss of her memory, she could swear there was something fishy going on. Ever since Jeremiah explained what Project Orange was to her, she had an uneasy feeling around him, as if he was a different person altogether. She knew she was betraying his trust of her by doing so, but she couldn't sleep at night knowing that there was a possibility of a conspiracy within the settlement. She spent weeks investigating, scouring the entire Tokyo settlement for anyone who looked like that boy she saw, only to find a student going by the name Lelouch Lamperouge within the settlement. She thought that if she could get to him, she could find out more about the Black Knights, and about Zero.
But this was beyond what she was expecting. When she had heard that the JLF was planning to flee, and that Viceroy Cornelia was going to launch an operation to stop them, she hurried down to the docks, where she expected the Black Knights to appear. She had hoped to see the boy with them, hoping that finding a link between the boy and Zero would help her regain her title as a knight of honor. But instead, she found something of much greater value: An unconscious Zero with his mask fallen off of his face, revealing to be the very boy she had been investigating this whole time. "This is fantastic." She thought to herself out loud, barely able to contain her excitement over the whole situation. She grabbed him by the hair, her mind thinking of all the potential rewards she could receive for bringing him to the viceroy. With this, I'll probably be granted nobility. And not just a knight of honor, REAL nobility… Her smile became a tiny chuckle, but within seconds it had transcended into full on laughter.
But as soon as her laughter had begun, it was halted by the sound of a gun. "That's quite enough Villetta." A rugged, familiar voice rang out behind her. She froze where she was, knowing exactly who the voice belonged to. No! She thought to herself in a panic. It couldn't be…! Without thinking, she slowly turned her gaze behind her, allowing her to see who it was that was pointing a gun at her head. But when she did, she could feel herself have a heart attack, for she was staring at a man who was, for all intents and purposes, supposed to be dead. "...L- Lord... Jeremiah…?!" She managed to get out, knowing that it was impossible for him to be there. But yet, he was, with the eyes of a killer staring straight at her, and a taunting smile upon his face.
Jeremiah just smirked at her, the gun and his expression not moving an inch. "The Jeremiah Gottwald you knew is dead Villetta. Call me… Orange." As he spoke that one word, Villetta could feel her eyes nearly pop out of her skull, and the whole situation became a whole lot clearer for her. She looked at him as if he were a ghost, her body feeling cold and numb, and her skin paling by the second. "Why do you look so surprised?" He asked her tauntingly. "After all, you know I value loyalty above all else." He chuckled, his golden eyes taunting her with his glare.
As he spoke those words, Villetta quickly closed her eyes to him, cringing in shock and anger. She didn't want to believe it, but it was obvious now, and there was no more use in denying it: The Jeremiah she knew was gone, replaced by this traitorous sounding man in front of her. "You value loyalty?" She asked him rhetorically. She could feel despair cloak her as she spoke those words, her entire heart feeling like it had been stabbed. "That's pretty hypocritical of you considering the fact that you're a traitor!" She screamed at him, her fear making her shudder at the very thought of him lecturing her about loyalty.
"Traitor?" He chuckled amusingly at her, knowing that her memories would be restored soon enough. Villetta, old friend, I know you must hate me right now. But I promise you, when Lord Lelouch deems that the time is right, I'll be certain that you receive your memories back. He promised her in his mind, his body giving off an completely different response out loud. "On the contrary." He told her, knowing the timing had to be just right for this all to work. "My loyalty for my true master has never wavered, not even once." He glared at her, knowing she was trying to figure out a way to subdue him even as he spoke.
Villetta cringed at his response, knowing that Zero must've planned this out ahead of time. But if that were the case… She thought to herself. Then how did he know I was following him in the first place? She had been certain to cover her tracks in all the time she had investigated the boy, not letting him see even a single hair of her. She knew that it was only a matter of time before she was shot, and the way things were going, it wouldn't be long now. I'll have to stall him. It's all I can do at the moment. She told herself desperately, knowing that if this Jeremiah was anything like the one she knew, then he would like to talk a lot. She quickly thought of a conversation they could have, and began to speak. "So… you were playing us the whole time then?"
Jeremiah tilted his head at her, suggesting that he intended to toy with her. "Perhaps, perhaps not." He say cryptically, his loyalty telling him that it was time for him to get on with his mission, and then carry out the rest of his orders. "In any case, all will be made clear in time. As for the here and now, however…" He lowered his aim, and she began to charge at him, just as he anticipated. He pulled the trigger on his master's gun, the bullet flying through the air faster than the eye could see, and it landed right in her stomach area, where Ohgi had supposedly found her injuries to be last time. She lurched back in pain, her vision becoming dark and faded. After what seemed like an eternity to her, she fell to the ground, bleeding profusely as she laid there in silence.
Jeremiah put the gun away, having no reason to keep it out any longer at this point. He then walked to Villetta, putting his hand on her arm to check her pulse. After a brief moment, he could feel a small, soft pump in her veins. She's alive, but she won't last long without treatment. He told himself grimly, hoping that Ohgi could get to her in time, as he had one in the previous timeline. He stood up, ready to carry her back to where she had supposedly been found the last time. But as he did, a small grunt emerged from his master's body, it suddenly beginning to move. He smiled at this, knowing his master had only been knocked out cold, seeming to have sustained the same injuries that he had described to Jeremiah before this operation began. He scoffs at himself for thinking anything different for a brief moment, closing his eyes as he bowed to his one true master. "Lord Lelouch, you're awake." He greeted him, knowing that his master would need a few more seconds to recollect himself.
Lelouch could feel the small trail of blood oozing from the wound on his head, though he could also feel the headache that the impact had given him as well. What happened? He asked himself for a brief moment, instantly remembering the events as he looked at Jeremiah. So… my preparations were not for nothing after all. He thought to himself, then looked Jeremiah in the eye as he addressed him. "Well.. I can tell from the looks of this that Villetta was looking into my case after all." Jeremiah simply nodded at him, and Lelouch instantly knew that things had gone according to his plan once again. "Well done Jeremiah. Now then, what is Katase's status?" He asked, knowing that if it had failed, it would cost the Black Knights their submarine right here and now.
Jeremiah stood up after a moment, and as soon as he was on his feet again, gave his answer. "He is on route to the Chinese Federation as planned, with no Britannian personnel following him." Jeremiah told him without hesitation, knowing that his master would be pleased to hear that things were going just as he planned. "And as scheduled, Lady C.C. will be leaving the day after tomorrow to greet him when he arrives." He concluded, knowing that if all of these preparations went as planned, then his master's plans would go without interference this time around.
Lelouch smiled at this, knowing that all he had to worry about for the time being was Mao. He paused for a moment, remembering all the things he had promised to do to that bastard if he ever had the chance to. This time, Mao will not lay a hand on Nunnally, Suzaku, or anyone else important to me. I'm going to be sure of that! He proclaimed angrily in his head, then returned his attention to Jeremiah. "Excellent. Now then, put Villetta where Ohgi found her the last time. With the Laws of Equivalence in place, we can't afford to be sloppy about this. It might cause a butterfly effect that could come back to bite us." He reminded him. Jeremiah simply nodded as he flung Villetta over his shoulder, then carried her out towards the end of the pier.
(Government Bureau, 11:09)
Cornelia and Euphemia sat on their chairs in the throne room, General Darlton and Lord Guilford facing them less than 10 feet away. Euphemia could feel something rotten was in the air, and that it somehow involved Lelouch. Darlton's gaze fixated on Cornelia, and he began to speak, his voice muddled with a mixture of various emotions. "In this last operation and also at Narita, they were specifically targeting you, Your Highness." He recounted, knowing full well that though targeting the leader of an army was a standard military tactic, there was much more to it than just that.
Though she wasn't going to let anyone notice it, Cornelia's mind wasn't all at the meeting, still being a bit shoken up from the unexpected ambush by the Black Knights. On the surface, it seemed like the JLF committed suicide in order to take out some of our troops, and the Black knights simply took advantage of the confusion in order to ambush us. But then again, Zero's more cunning than to get a shot like that through sheer luck. More likely, he planned out the attack on us in advance, and it seemed like he knew that Kururugi would be there as well. If that were the case, it may have been possible that Katase trying to escape was nothing more than bait to lure me into Zero's trap. She thought to herself as Darlton spoke. "Eliminating the leader is a standard tactic." She said in a very reserved tone, not wanting them to notice that she was thinking about more than just the meeting they were having at the moment.
"That's not all it is though." Guilford argued, knowing that Zero wasn't just being strategic about his targeting of the viceroys. There was something else about it. Something darker; something personal, almost revenge like. He took in a silent breath, and continued his statement. "Even after he called off the attack on Shinjuku, Zero also eliminated Prince Clovis." He knew that Cornelia was nothing like Clovis, but other than just being the viceroy, there was another method to what seemed like the madness behind the mask of Zero.
"Zero is not merely fighting Britannia." Darlton continued, speaking in Guildfords place at the moment. "He has a deep hatred for the royal family, and he wants blood." He spoke in a dreadful tone, sending a shiver up Euphemia's spine. "So far, Sub-Viceroy Euphemia is the only exception."
Euphemia could barely take these meetings now, considering that she was caught in the middle of all of this conflict. After all, it was between her sister, the honorable Viceroy Cornelia, and her long lost brother, Lelouch vi Britannia. Hatred..? She thought to herself, remembering the way Lelouch acted when he confronted her at the hotel. I suppose he did hate our father, and he seemed to despise Clovis enough to pull the trigger on him. But when he was with me, it seemed like quite the opposite. Lelouch showed me that he still cared about me, but he also seemed to be in pain around me. She thought to herself, remembering the small piece of metal that he had given her, and that she had kept in her room. What did I do to him?