Alright, this was a fun chapter to write. Note, Isabella swears A LOT here...much stress for her...XD Anyway, no rants but thank yous go to: Satanica-Demon of Pride and Invader Designia!! :D Enjoy Chapter Twelve!! ^-^
"Damn it, I'm losing control! Isabella, stop the Lancelot!" Kallen cried as her Knightmare skidded across the cement road, sending rocks flying in every direction.
"My personal favorite," Isabella muttered sarcastically and forced her Knightmare up into the air, following the Lancelot. "Damn you, Suzaku! When did you become such a douche?!"
Suzaku steered the Lancelot sharply to the left and aimed his MVS at Isabella's Knightmare.
"I'm sorry, Isabella," he said, oblivious to her cursing him.
Suzaku took aim and fired, Isabella's green eyes widening in shock and fear as the two blades sped for her. She turned her Knightmare sharply, reaching it's huge, mechanical hand out and grabbed the cords of the swords as she dodged both of them.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Suzaku struggled as he tried to free himself but Isabella's willpower and the Knightmare's strength had overpowered him.
The Lancelot jerked forward and Isabella shot her own Knightmare's fingers out at the Lancelot but missed just barely. Suzaku continued to twist his Lancelot in the air and one hard yank ripped the cords from the iron fist.
"Damn you, Suzaku!" Isabella cursed as she made the Knightmare tear back down the deserted road, shooting bullets back up at the Lancelot to throw off Suzaku.
"Zero! It is I!" a familiar voice boomed through the air and Isabella clenched her teeth together.
"We don't have time for this Orange Boy!" she snarled and pressed her ear piece harder against her ear. "Kallen, you have to help Zero! I gotta find as many Britannian soldiers to possess as I can and gather information about Nunnally!"
"Right, I'm in control now--DAMN WHOEVER IS IN THE LANCELOT!"
"Suzaku, you are really pissing me off! You fucking stubborn ass, we're doing this for a reason now get out of the way!" Isabella yelled and shot the Knightmare's penetrating fingers back out at the white machine and fired the guns. Suzaku was caught off guard and Kallen plunged the blade into it, disengaging it. "Let him go Kallen! Don't kill the pilot!"
"The temptation is so overwhelming..." Kallen grumbled but a cat like growl from Isabella made her retreat. "Traitor," she spat at Suzaku and then left him, stranded.
Isabella sped away and to her pleasure, there were hundreds of Britannian soldiers scattering through the area near her Knightmare.
"Fun toys...such fun Isabella is going to have," she sang to herself and fired several thousand bullets down at the soldiers. "I'm getting to be one sick person..." she scolded herself and ceased firing then stopped.
In a flash, Isabella was transparent and flying through the air, possessing the first soldier she saw.
"Where is Nunnally Lamperouge?" Isabella demanded, the soliders lips moving as she spoke.
I don't know...
"Yes you do, I can see into your thoughts! Where is she!?"
I swear I don't know who or where she is!
Isabella growled extremely hacked off and aimed the gun the soldier was holding at his neck.
What are you doing?! STOP!
Isabella made him fire and was out of his body just as the bullet entered his pulse, blood splattering everywhere. She jumped into another body, now so strong her victims didn't have time to struggle.
"Tell me where Nunnally Lamperouge is," she ordered and the soldier paused, "tell me now!"
I only know of a Nunnally vi Britannia.
"What?! Nunnally is a princess?!"
Nunnally vi Britannia, viceroy--
Isabella forced herself out of the body and it shot itself, as Isabella had intended. She remained motionless, her mouth hanging half way open and then started to sprint back to her Knightmare.
"Zero, I know where Nunnally is now!" Isabella cried into her ear piece and then spied his Knightmare in the air, fighting Jeremiah's. "Stupid Orange Boy..."
"Isabella?!" someone called her but it wasn't any of the people she was fighting with.
"What?" Isabella turned around and saw straight, shining blond hair.
"Isabella! Help me!"
"Ami!" Isabella cried and turned on her heels, sprinting in the opposite direction.
"Isabella!" Ami cried as she fought her way through soldiers.
It's amazing how none of these guys notice me...then again I am transparent at the moment.
Isabella weaved passed the Britannians, found Ami and then seized her wrist.
"Come on, we aren't safe here!" Isabella pointed out the obvious and pulled Ami through the ruined area.
"Isabella where the hell are you going?!" Tamaki demanded as Isabella avoided several bullets.
"Send Zero down here! I need to get someone to saftey!"
"Screw that! Save yourself! Zero would say the same thing! I know he would!"
"Damn it Tamaki! Do what I asked you to do or I'll bitch at you for the rest of your life!"
"You do that anyway," Tamaki grumbled and connected to Zero. "Zero, send your ship down! Isabella needs you!"
"C.C., go down! Forget Orange Boy for a moment!"
"Really, you should try driving for once! You change your order every eleven seconds!" C.C. dipped the Knightmare down and disappeared beneath the clouds.
On the ground, Isabella pulled Ami to a bald spot in the ruins and her Geass glowed.
"Hold still for a moment," she ordered and before Ami could open her mouth, Isabella jumped inside and took immediate control of her body. "Don't panic, I won't hurt you. Just cooperate with me."
Alright, don't get shot.
"Actually, now I'm being twice as careful because you're the one that would get hurt."
How can you be sure?
"I've done this several times. Let's leave it at that."
Isabella made Ami run and searched the storm threatening sky for Zero's ship. She couldn't contact him now, but possessing Ami was the easiest way to get her to safety. The Britannians would pay no attention to her if they were both lucky. Zero's Knightmare was visible, speeding towards her and Isabella waved Ami's arms furiously. She heard the whistle of a bullet speed past her ear and in a moment, Isabella was out of Ami's body, plunging into the Britannians.
"Isabella!" Ami gasped as she watched the soldier's resisting hand point up at his exposed neck. "ISABELLA STOP!"
Blood splashed and Isabella sprang forth, perfectly fine, but transparent. Zero's ship was closer, a huge landing reaching out and Isabella jumped onto the outstretched platform, latching onto Ami's arm as well, yanking the blond off her feet. Several soldiers fired their bullets as Ami gripped Isabella's hand for dear life, still dangling over the edge. She yelped in pain as one of the fired bullets struck her hip and Isabella struggled to stand up, rain beginning to soak her still keeping her fingers tight over Ami's wrist.
"I won't let you--die--! Hang on Ami...I'll make it okay!"
The mechanical landing raised and Isabella stepped back into the open door, Ami stepping up over the edge of the hand, crimson staining her white jeans. Isabella was safe over the threshold and Ami began to follow until the hand dropped down and she dropped.
"NO!" Isabella grabbed her hand again and was yanked off her feet then someone caught her hand.
She felt as if she was going to be ripped in half but she still held on. Isabella looked up through her tears and rain drenching her face to see Zero clinging desperately onto her hand, Kallen coming back beside him, her arms around his waist to help him pull the two women back.
"Ami...it'll be okay...I promise you..." Isabella gasped, her ebony hair waving savagly in the wind and turned her eyes back down to her friend.
"They won't be able to get us both back...even if they do...I don't have anywhere to go..." Ami's smile was kind and tears leaked from her eyes as well.
"You--can stay with me!" Isabella gasped and forced herself to raise Ami up more.
"I'm not a child Isabella, I can't stay at Ashford--"
"You can be a teacher! Yes you can, you can teach! You taught me! Please don't let go Ami! Don't give up!" Isabella cried.
"Tamaki, help us!" Kallen cried and he came running, also grabbing Isabella's rain soaked hand.
"I'm sorry Isabella...but that won't happen...they won't hire me..." Ami said and then swallowed back sobs, "I've tried to get a job there."
"Try again! Don't let go Ami! I can't lose you too, I promised you freedom! What would I be doing if I didn't get you to safety!?"
"You did free me Isabella," Ami said to her and smiled again, "you gave me the best seven years of my life after my family was killed. You let me be myself and you were like my little sister. I love you so much Isabella, you don't have to do anything else for me."
Ami's fingers began to slip and Isabella screamed.
"NO AMI! DON'T LET GO! DON'T LET GO, KEEP HOLDING ON! DON'T DIE!"
"I'm sorry Isabella," Ami said and looked up at the three people struggling to save their lives. "I have to, or you'll die too."
"AMI!"
Her fingers let go of Isabella's wrist and the teen fought to keep a good hold.
"Thank you, Isabella, for everything you gave to me," Ami whispered to her and the memories flashed through her mind. "Thank you..."
Ami's hand slipped and Isabella reached for her.
"NO! AMI!"
The blond hair whipped around wildly as she fell, the faint smile still visible on her face.
"AMI!"
Ami had disappeared beneath the clouds, and Isabella was pulled up by Zero, Tamaki and Kallen to the safety of the Knightmare. Isabella stayed on her knees, soaked in rain water and gasping for breath as Zero and Tamaki slammed the door shut.
"Isabella, I'm so sorry," Kallen whispered to her and pulled her into a hug.
"Shirley and Ami are gone...within three weeks of each other..." Isabella sobbed and clung onto her friend, "how many more innocent people...?"
Tamaki knelt down beside her and rested his hand on her shoulder.
"A lot more than any of us want," he told her honestly and Isabella gripped Kallen's shirt sleeve.
This isn't fair...all of the innocent people that were nothing but kind to me are the ones suffering...their lives are the price for my actions...I hope I burn in Hell for all the pain I've caused these people...Mom...Dad...Shirley...Ami...Scotty...I deserve to be cast into Hell...
Isabella pulled away from Kallen's embrace and then stood up, not saying a word. She walked away from them and found the small bathroom, turning on the shower.
Why Ami...? What did she ever do wrong? Why all the innocent, kind people?
Isabella half heartily welcomed the steaming water onto her freezing body, making goosebumps rise on her pale skin. She leaned against the wall in front of her, her black hair clinging to the sides of her face, back and arms. Steam filled the room, keeping it warm and Isabella stood under the hot water, watching the ribbons of water flow down her naked body. Tears still dripped from her green eyes, which no longer shone with the happy life they used to have. Ever since Scotty had died, the light in them had dimmed and almost gone out when Shirley was murdered.
Shutting off the warm water after a few minutes, Isabella pushed her wet bangs aside, making them cling to her forehead. She wrapped a fluffy, white towel off the rack and wrapped it around her body, using another to wring out her hair. Turning her half dead gaze to the weaved basket, Isabella saw her under clothes, a pair of jeans and one of Lelouch's shirts (she had a tendency to wear his clothes at times) sitting in the basket. Isabella adjusted her bra over her chest and pulled the cozy, navy blue t-shirt over her then buttoned the jeans up. She didn't bother too much with her hair, she had other things on her mind, so she guided a comb through it and pulled it back with a black scrunchy.
"Isabella? Are you alright?" Zero's voice came outside the door and Isabella opened it.
"No," she answered and walked passed him, going over to the couch across the room.
"Isabella, I'm so sorry," Zero continued and Isabella fell onto the L shaped couch, her black hair spilling over the edge.
"No need to apologize. It couldn't be prevented. I'm done crying...I've done too much of it."
"You've watched five people die, Isabella, three friends and your parents. I'm surprised you still have enough strength to get out of bed," Zero told her and she still didn't look at him.
"What about you Zero? How many deaths have you seen? I'm sure my number is nothing compared to yours," Isabella said and tucked her hands under her head. "By the way, about Nunnally, she's safe. I thank God she's alright."
"Where is she?"
"She's a Britannian princess and she's one hundred percent safe. I have had several people tell me that and if they were lying, I'll torture every Britannian I lay eyes on," she said and Lelouch felt a smile tugging at his lips at her words.
"Morbid."
"I'm sick of people lying, people hiding, the innocent dying and paying the price for what the evil do. I know I've indirectly killed many people and directly killed many people, however," she paused, "I won't allow the ones I love to suffer for what I do. Scotty paid that price, as well as Ami and Shirley."
Isabella closed her eyes and Zero walked over to her.
"I admire how determined you are to stop the Empire from expanding. It means a lot to have someone so devoted to following me," he told her and she smiled, her eyes still closed.
"Thank you, Zero."
Zero sat down, next to her head and set a pillow on his lap.
"You can lie down here," he said, his hand on the pillow.
"It amazes me how friendly you are to me, even though you know I'm..." Isabella stopped herself and felt ashamed.
"I don't mind."
Isabella studied the masked face and then slowly raised her head to rest it on the pillow, feeling exhausted.
"I think I'm getting an idea...of who you are...Zero..." Isabella had her face towards his chest and drifted off to sleep.
Lelouch let her sleep for at least an hour, stroking her hair and his other arm around her waist. Kallen stepped in after an hour and saw Isabella asleep, took one look at Zero, nodded then left them. Another half hour passed and Isabella shifted her weight slightly and sighed deeply. Lelouch continued to stroke her hair and she opened her eyes before sitting up.
"I thought you would have left. Isn't your outfit uncomfortable?" Isabella asked, eyeing his suit and Lelouch shrugged.
"Not really, otherwise I wouldn't wear it constantly."
"Good point...but your helmet?"
"I'm fine, really."
"You saw right through that, huh?" Isabella stretched her arms out in front of her and twisted her fingers in her bangs.
"Yes," Zero said and set the pillow aside, still not moving from the couch.
"Thanks for being here for me, Zero. I may not show it but, it means a lot," Isabella said but avoiding making eye contact with him.
"No big deal. Its the least I can do right now."
Isabella wanted to respond but couldn't find the right words, only looking down at her hands on her lap.
"Can I thank you this time...?"
"You just did," Zero said, his eyebrows creasing behind the mask.
"No, I mean...never mind. I'm being weird," Isabella stood and started out of the room but Zero grabbed her hand. "Huh--?"
"Close your eyes," Zero said and pulled her back over to him. Isabella cocked her eyebrows but closed her eyes.
Lelouch stood up and lifted the mask off his face. Isabella sensed this and raised her hands up to his face, the warm skin slightly damp with sweat from being in the mask. Lelouch wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her body closer to his and Isabella still kept her eyes closed, only focusing on the faint, minty breath caressing her lips. Her heart pounded as she moved her lips nearer to his and kissed him for a brief then pulled away.
His taste...
Isabella kissed Zero's hesitating lips again, keeping her eyes shut, letting her other senses take over. He didn't reply much, as if he were trying to hold back but she kissed him longer and he grew more responsive as the seconds added up.
His taste...it is Lelouch...I can tell...
Isabella felt adrenaline pulse through her and her arms snaked around Lelouch's neck. Her kiss become more enthusiastic and she nuuzzled his mouth, her hand running through his dark brown hair. Lelouch kept his lips moving in the same, passionate rhythem as Isabella's and his arms pulled her so securly against his body, he could feel her heart pound in her chest. Her ebony hair tangled with his fingers and Lelouch slowed the rhythem of the kiss, thier lips still touching. Isabella brought her hand back to the side of his face and rested her head against his shoulder, inhaling deeply and drawing her hand down his cheek to his neck and stopped when she reached the spot over his heart. She swallowed and laced her other arm through Lelouch's, her heart pounding a million times a minute.
I love you Lelouch...you're Zero...that just makes me fall for you even more if that's possible...I love you so much Lelouch.
Flash Forward One Week...
"ROLO IS DOING WHAT?!" Isabella screamed as she forced her Knightmare to the left, dodging the bullets that were being fired at her. "DAMN YOU BRITANNIA!"
Isabella felt as if she had yet again lost someone important to her as the Knightmare she was driving swung it's blade out.
Rolo being a spy for Britannia...and I accpeted that little bastard...letting him become my little brother...
"Go to Hell you effin Britannian scumbags," Tamaki growled and came face to face with the enemy Knightmare.
"Tamaki, hold them off so Isabella and Kallen can get to the Lancelot and Rolo," Zero ordered and Tamaki smirked.
"Will do my man."
"I can only imagine what is running through Isabella's mind right now," C.C. told Lelouch softly and he curled his fingers into a fist.
"I thought he wouldn't do anything because of his attachment to her," he growled and his Geass gleamed, "I can't believe he'd betray her."
C.C. bowed her head then swirved the Knightmare around and clashed blades with a Britannian.
"Damn you Rolo, how could you do this to us?!" Lelouch yelled as C.C. struggled against the resisting force.
Back in her own Knightmare, Isabella weaved through the broken buildings and slammed the button activated the force shield protecting her against the gun shots being fired at her.
"Damn you Britannia, how much more do you want to torture the Japanese!?" she yelled. "You've taken my parents, friends and my little brother...GO TO HELL ALL OF YOU!"
Isabella made the Knightmare's mechanical fingers penetrate through a Britannian Knightmare and it fell over before exploding. Isabella gave a giggle and continued on, her Geass shining in her eye, the wolf like snarl curled across her lips.
"Isabella, the group behind you!" Kallen's voice warned in her ear and Isabella turned her gaze to the screen giving her a back view of the machine.
"Shit," she muttered when she saw four Knightmare's swarming her.
Thinking quick, Isabella looked at the screens showing buildings barely standing. An idea came to her mind and she swirved the Knightmare between two of the ruined buildings, the others following her. Isabella shot the fingers out again, making them wrap around weak pipes and stone pillars struggling to hold the shattered structures up. She floored the Knightmare, making it almost pummlet backwards at one point, but was finally able to yank the pipes and pillars, making them break and the buildings begin to collapse. Isabella took a moment to look back at her work, many tons of bricks and stones raining onto the Knightmares as she giggled and then flew away.
Only a minute passed of being in the sky and Isabella came face to face with the Lancelot, seeing Suzaku just barley in the pilot seat. Isabella's eyes darkened, a deep scowl carving into her face, and she held her hand over the button that would launch fire at him.
"What made you join them?" Isabella hissed through her teeth and almost pressed the button but Rolo shot at her from behind. "WHAT THE HELL?!"
"Sorry Isabella," Rolo's voice said into her ear and she gasped.
"I gave my all to be a family to you, and then you turn around and stab me in the heart!?" Isabella screeched and Rolo inhaled deeply.
"It's what I had to do."
"YOU LITTLE BASTARD! YOU TOLD ME BRITANNIA TOOK EVERYTHING FROM YOU!"
"They did."
Isabella reared around and shot the fire at his Knightmare but he dodged it and fired bullets at her.
"THEN WHY ARE YOU ON THIER SIDE?!"
"It's where I belong," Rolo said and used his Geass to make her freeze. Isabella felt herself pause unwillingly and her Knightmare began to fall.
"TO HELL WITH THAT--!"
The alarm began to scream and the Knightmare flipped several times, speeding for the ground.
"DAMN YOU ROLO! YOU WERE MY BROTHER!" Isabella cried, "SUZAKU I HATE YOU TOO FOR BEING SUCH A DOUCHE!"
Her Knightmare pummleted to the ground, Isabella making feeble attempts to regain control of it but failed.
"Shit..." she muttered as she saw a ruined building beneath her. "How convenient...total fuck my life moment..."
The Knightmare crashed through the building, making Isabella fly forward, cracking her head against the dashboard. Her arm bent under the weight of her body and she felt her wrist break, making her scream out in pain. The Knightmare tumbled for a few more seconds, then stopped once it came to the last floor. Isabella gasped for breath, blood flowing from her head into her right eye, and her wrist felt as if it had been spilt to pieces.
"It's a wonder I don't die from all of this..." Isabella grimaced and crawled over the broken glass to get out. "Zero, I need help, desperatly."
"We--Knightmare--help--you--are--"
Static intercepted Lelouch's voice and Isabella's eye twitched in annoyance.
"Wonderful, broken wrist, bleeding head, two so-called friends that stabbed Japan in the back and no means of good communication. This sucks," Isabella sighed and retreated back to her Knightmare to collect her gun. "Maybe I can find some soldiers and get back to Zero that way..."
Isabella hobbled out of the building, feeling as if she was going to break into pieces. Rain began to splatter the ground and it stung Isabella's wounds, making her grit her teeth. She cradled her broken wrist and kept the heavy gun at her side, eyes on the ground. Isabella only walked a few steps then stopped to lean her broken body against the side of the building. The air became thinner, harder to breath, and Isabella opened her mouth, letting the frigid rain trickle down her throat.
"Shirley," Isabella opened her eyes wearily and looked up at the grey sky, "it hurts. What do--I do--now...?"
There was no answer, and Isabella closed her eyes again, sinking down to the ground, her forehead on her knees and damp hair spilled around her figure.
"Shirley...Mother...I don't know what to do..."
There was a cock of a gun but Isabella didn't move.
"How did I know you would be here?"
She raised her head and looked into the masked face of the general.
"Get on your knees," he hissed and Isabella twitched.
"I'm sitting on my butt. That's as close as it gets," she sighed and kept the silver gun tucked between her thighs and stomach.
"I order you to, now do it!"
"Onii-san, you don't have to act around me, I'm not going to turn you in," Isabella spat and struggled to her feet, keeping the gun in her good hand.
"You're not who I think I am, my sister is dead," the general snarled and Isabella faced her body towards his.
"I'm Isabella Liberata, my brother, Michael, I am told, is a general in the Britannian army. I don't know why you would join them, Michael, but--"
There was a gun shot and Isabella felt a searing pain tear through her shoulder.
"Michael..." she gasped and fell backwards onto her back.
"You make me sick," he growled, removing the helmet off his head, his black hair falling down to his shoulders.
"M-Michael-onii--what are you doing--?!"
"You're such a stupid girl," Michael snarled, his gun pointing at her as she forced herself back up to her feet.
"What are you talking about? It's me, your little sister!" Isabella cried. "I thought you were dead and I can't believe you're still alive after the bombing and being taken away...Michael, how can you become apart of the Britannian army after they killed Mom and Dad?!"
"Are you stupid?"
"W-what?" Isabella felt as if her head was spinning and she was dizzy.
"You're such a dumb girl, you haven't figured it out yet have you?"
"Michael, what are you talking about? When did you get like this?! Please don't tell me you're under Geass power..."
"No, I'm not and I have many ways to prove it."
Michael's blue eyes were like ice daggers and he strode over to her, his gun pointed right at her heart.
"But--why? How...why--? You were always protecting me and I loved you more than anyone...why--?" Isabella stammered, her brother stopping a few feet from her.
"It was all an act. I knew what the Britannians were planning prior to the bombing that killed Mom and Dad! I was one of them to begin with, and I knew this war would happen!"
"I-impossible! Michael, you can't be--!"
"SHUT UP!" He fired his gun and it barley missed her. Isabella fell to her knees, defeated and the gun she washolding clattered next to her. "I was the one that planned the bombing in the first place."
"What?" Isabella felt a metaphorical bullet rip through her heart.
"The bomb that killed Astrid and Nathaniel Liberata was not spontaneous or random. It was a perfectly planned event. In fact, it was supposed to be the start of the Britannian reign, showing we dominated over the weak nation of Japan! You, Astrid and Nathaniel I knew wouldn't agree with me, so, there was no way I could join the Britannian army with you three in the way. You were always sniveling around me, clinging to me like an annoying diaese, you were my main obstical."
"Michael..." Isabella breathed, her eyes brimming with tears.
A cold laugh came from him and his eyes seemed almost demonic the way they were glowing.
"Everything went according to plan. The bomb was dropped as I posed as the protective brother that would do anything for his sister. I had you blindfolded so I could escape back to the headquarters as quickly as possible, expecting the soldiers to just kill you and that brat friend of yours right there. I wish I could have stayed and watched and had I stayed, you wouldn't be standing here groveling at my feet now."
"You were my first reason for fighting...after all I've been through to avenge you...I find out that you were the one that killed Mom and Dad?! What did they ever do?! They're your parents!" Isabella sobbed and clutched the gun in her hand, the rain falling harder around them.
"They wouldn't have approved of my fighting for Britannia. You know how it is, if you have an obsticle," he was directly in front of her now and grabbed her by her hair, yanking her to her feet, "get rid of it. Also, I thought I should let you know this as well."
Isabella shuddered and gritted her teeth as she felt the stabbing pain in her wrist increase.
"The bombing that took dear Scotty...yes, I knew about him, I saw you running out of the grocerey store with him all that time ago..." Michael's eyes gloated, "I shot him dead after you failed to save him. And little Shirley--tsk tsk--such a cute little girl, I didn't want to kill her at first, but, hey, another obstecle."
Isabella's jaw dropped and she stared at him.
"You're the one that murdered Shirley?!"
Michael smirked, looking proud of himself and Isabella crept her hand down to her thigh where her dagger was strapped.
"Like I said, she was bound to get in the way of me killing you, she was your best friend or so I heard you scream through the phone. Rolo--don't kill her--she's my best friend--"
"So you have me now, why not just kill me here?" Isabella demanded but her voice in a soft monotone.
"I have killed you," Michael whispered into her ear, "by slowly getting rid of the people you love the most, I knew I'd kill your spirit. You'd blame yourself, and the second Zero started his rebellion, I knew you'd join in order to avenge who you lost. It's so amusing what you were fighting for...thinking you were doing something for my sake, but you weren't. Now that you're here, what do you have to live for? Your parents and best friends are dead...so you have nothing. You have nothing! You're such a waste of space, useless, you're not good for anything!"
Michael grabbed Isabella's hair and swung her, making her yelp in pain.
"You're a sick, twisted tratior!" Isabella screamed as Michael forced her back on her knees, his gun pointing at her head, the black locks knotted around his hand.
"I've taken everything from you, so why don't you just beg for death!? Why are you not begging to be put out of your misery?!"
"Because that's what you want me to do and I will not give into Britannia!" Isabella declared, "I won't break!"
Michael's grip on her hair tightened and Isabella remembered the small dagger strapped to her thigh.
"I'll kill you right here," Michael hissed in her ear and cocked his gun.
He's trying to provoke me...lower me down to his level...Mom...Dad...Shirley...Scotty...he killed all of you so why can't I just aim my gun up and blow out his brain? Or better yet...no I can't think like that...that's just...no...good torture method though...
"Then quit talking and do it. If you want me dead so badly, then fucking shoot me to bits," Isabella snapped, her green eyes raging.
Michael stopped, shocked by her words and with one swift movement, Isabella had the dagger out, sliced it through her long black hair and was on her feet, gun aimed at her...brother.
"I'm so sick of the betrayals and lies," Isabella snapped, her now shoulder length hair billowing around her as it floated back down to her shoulders. "If you're going to shoot someone--" she fired and struck Michael in the ribs, "then don't talk and just shoot them."
A jackle like grin curled over Michael's lips and he cackled.
"This is what I wanted...I knew you'd avenge those you loved--so you really have dropped down to a mindless murderer--you have nothing now! You have NOTHING!"
Isabella fired again, this time missing but it shut him up.
"Shut your filthy mouth you asshole. I am going to make you suffer as long as possible--or at least I would but--something is holding me back at the moment--"
Isabella lowered her gun and observed her black strands of former hip length hair scattered about the uneven ground. She raised her hand to touch her shoulder length hair and sighed at the thought of the unplanned hair cut.
"You're such a waste of a human...you don't have any back bone...you won't even avenge your own family!" Michael shot, gripping his bloody rib cage, gasping for breath.
"You killed your own family so shut up. You make me sick...I looked up to you and you betray everyone that ever showed you love. We never did anything to you and you just brush aside your own family as if they are nothing. I however," Isabella fired again and struck him in the shoulder, "will make sure your last thoughts are ones that regret all you have done."
"I won't ever regret it!" Michael screamed and took aim at her.
Isabella remained motionless and the gunshot sounded, the bullet whistling passed her ear. Her hair swayed and her face was expressionless but tears were flowing down her face in the same beat as the rain. They both paused for a moment and then Michael sneered again.
"I thought he would be here," Michael laughed darkly.
"What--?"
"SEND IN MY MEN AND CAPTURE ZERO! HE'S HERE AND--"
"NO!! I WILL NEVER ALLOW YOU TO KILL ZERO!"
Isabella whipped her gun around and fired at least six times and threw her dagger. Michael's screams werev drowned out by the gun and once the smoke cleared, his body was lying on the ground, blood splattered everywhere. Isabella dropped her gun and fell to her knees at the sight of what she had done. The dagger was sticking up out of his chest, bullet wounds in his neck, one on his forehead, chest and shoulders. Blood pulsed from his temples and his eyes and mouth were all half way open, a crimson ribbon trickling out of his pale lips.
"Oh my--" Isabella slapped her hands over her mouth, her face twice as pale as it usually was and her eyes wide. "What have I done?!" Isabella lifted her hands up to her face, the rain clensing them, Michael's blood leaking out of his body, coming closer to her but not touching her at all.
I killed my brother...I just killed--!
"Dear God, please forgive me...I'm going to Hell..."
Isabella covered her face with her face and began to sob uncontroably for her actions.
"Isabella!" Zero's voice echoed for her and Isabella turned around to see him turn around, searching for her.
"Zero! I'm over here!" Isabella got to her feet, the searing pain returning to her entire body but she forced herself to run.
Zero spotted her and rushed over to her, picking her up bridal style immediatly.
"Zero...I just killed my own brother! I killed my..."
"It's okay, it's okay, don't worry about that now. Just worry about not losing so much blood," Zero said and Isabella felt lightheaded.
"I won't..."
"Hang in there, jsut keep listening to me," Lelouch said and darted behind a building, setting Isabella down in a patch of green grass. "Don't close your eyes, you'll be fine. Concentrate on me, that's right, hang in there."
Lelouch stripped his cape off and used it as a tourniquet for Isabella's bleeding shoulder and dabbed the caking blood off her head.
"Lelouch...Suzaku..." Isabella's head turned and Lelouch followed her gaze then heard a gun being fired.
Damn it...why now of all times!?
"I didn't think you'd drop to that level, Isabella," Suzaku said, his forest green eyes fixed on her and raging.
"He killed my parents and two of my best friends. Just be happy I didn't torture the bastard," Isabella snapped and pushed Zero's cape off of her. "You shouldn't be preaching to me either. You're a tratior too."
"At least I keep my head and remember my morals. You killed a general of the Britannian army and it goes that--"
Zero drew his gun out and aimed striaght at Suzaku's heart.
"She was undermy orders. If you want to shoot anyone it should be me," Zero said and Suzaku focused on him.
"You're afterward."
"So much for those morals. What about your friends? What about Lelouch and me? You betrayed both of us," Isabella said, her voice still in monotone and held her weapon with both of her hands. "You, Rolo and Michael are nothing but tratiors. I regret wasting any type of love I had given to you."
Isabella fixed her eyes on Suzaku, and curled her fists.
"I want nothing more to do with you...you've betrayed Japan...you're own people!"
"I want Britannia and Japan to--"
"YOU ARE SUCH AN IDIOT FOR THINKING WE CAN COMBINE AND GET ALONG! YOU SO NAIEVE AND STUPID FOR THINKING IDEALS ALONE CAN CHANGE ANYTHING!"
"IT'S BETTER THAN BEING USED BY A TERRORIST THAT HAS MURDERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE!" Suzaku shouted back and shot his gun, one bullet striking the top of Lelouch's helmet, the other Isabella's arm.
"ISABELLA!" Zero cried as she fell into his arms and Suzaku's eyes widened. The mask split and fell to the ground, the wispy brown hair swishing over his face. Suzaku's eyes darkened, his gun still pointed at Lelouch.
"I was hoping I'd find someone else behind that mask," Suzaku said softly and Lelouch held Isabella up against his body.
"What do you plan to do, Suzaku?" Lelouch asked, referring to Isabella, and laid her down on the soft grass.
"I was hoping I was protecting her, from you."
"She wanted to follow me, she knows this world is falling to pieces," Lelouch snapped, two ribbons of blood trickling down his face.
"She killed her own brother and several soldiers--"
"Her brother is a tratior to her and you know it!" Lelouch cried and kept his hands pressed on Isabella's new wound. "What she is really trying to do is find Nunnally and return her to me!"
Suzaku stopped and gritted his teeth.
"Isabella has become a mindless murderer because of you!"
"What does it matter to you!? You don't even stand by her and you're never there for her! However, when you almost die, she's the one that gets you medical help! You're alive because of her!" Lelouch yelled and aimed his gun at Suzaku once again.
The brunette's hand shook and he kept his raging eyes on Zero.
"You're sick morals have blinded her of what this world can really become! She's unable to realize how peaceful this world can be you would just step down and let Britannia and Japan unite!"
"You stubborn idiot! Do you honestly think that could happen?! If it were that simple none of us would be here and Shirley as well as Isabella's family would all be alive!" Lelouch yelled and Isabella opened her eyes again.
"You're both hopeless!" Suzaku hissed and Lelouch stopped.
"What?!"
"You're both so against this world...after it's all said and done you both will betray the world as it's done to both of you! You're both just mindless, arrogent murderers!" Suzaku raged and his shaking gun in his hand went from Isabella to Lelouch.
"And you say you're in love with her?! You don't show Isabella any kind of love what so ever! No wonder she followed me! You weren't the one that spent seven years believeing she was still alive and searched for her! Rather you moped around believing the myth she was dead then joined the army for her sake!" Lelouch shouted and Suzaku fired his gun again.
Isabella tried to get to her feet but she couldn't move. Darkness began to overcome her and her head throbbed.
"I won't let you hurt her anymore!" Isabella heard Lelouch cry and a whisp of green hair glided over her face.
"LELOUCH!"
"SUZAKU!"
She was being picked up and someone was swiftly carrying her away.
There were two gunshots, then silence as the darkness overcame her.
PLOT TWIST!! Poor Lelouch...D: Review please!! ^-^