So yeah...I'm not dead. Again. Since it has been so long, I'll do my usual writing all at the end. I know you guys just want to get to the sweet stuff. So without further ado, I present to you

Chapter 8: Time Moves Forward...

"My son. What are you doing?" Natsume sighed as he walked into the throne room. It was a large, elegant room. Deep satin red curtains hung from the walls and a long red carpet led up to a decent throne. It was a beautiful piece of work, yet compared to Emperor Lelouch's throne room in Pendragon, it was merely a waiting room.

His Knight sprawled on the throne, polishing his blade. Lycris turned back and snarled venomously. "Stop with that bullshit. I'm not your son and I don't ever plan on becoming it."

Natsume glared at Lycris, his tone becoming serious. "Watch your mouth you brat. I didn't agree to this either but it's within Emperor Lelouch's best interests. The rebels in this area are beginning to become more active and picking a Knight was the best was to show them that we're becoming serious." He growled. Lycris merely gave a quiet, spiteful laugh before jumping off the throne. "Where are you going?" Natsume interrogated.

"To the training area." Lycris spat back.

Natsume sighed as the footsteps of his knight faded. Walking over to the throne he sat down, brooding. The boy was such a handful with his arrogant behavior. If not for his skills, devotion to Emperor Lelouch, and necessity, Natsume would have had the boy buried in a Conquered graveyard where he belonged.

A tap of the shoulder interrupted his thoughts as he turned to his right hand man Shimada. "General Natsume, Sir! Report for this months search." The image of the Guren flashed through Natsume's mind as he motioned for Shimada to continue. "We found and exterminated 3 new rebel bases. None of them contained the Guren Key or our high priority targets. Therefore it's certain that they are staying in Damocles the majority of the time. However with our DSHM locked onto Damocles, it would be suicide for them to move. Our monthly attacks on Damocles were met with the usual results. Despite our attempts to convince Emperor Lelouch to destroy Damocles, he refuses. Our most recent attack, however, yielded an interesting piece of information. A man with long black hair in a white outfit appeared. Emperor Lelouch has confirmed this to be the weapon of peace that has been in the Royal Family for centuries. He has raised the priority level of the extermination of Japan's resistance from level 3 to level 1." Natsume rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Anything else, captain?"

Shimada nodded. "A message from Emperor Lelouch. He looks forward to both you and Knight Lycris's performance." Natsume frowned and waved away his Captain. Pulling out a small computer from the throne, he began to plan.

There was a blur in the air as Lycris swung his sword. A split second later the top half of the dummy was sent flying through the air, slamming with a loud crash into the wall behind it.

"Impressive. That was saronite, the hardest substance known." A voice said.

Lycris spun around, the words already escaping his lips. "Your Majesty!" He collapsed to one knee, his head bowed.

A smile tugged the corners of the visitors mouth. Emperor Lelouch, dressed in his regal white emperor robes rose a hand. Next to his side stood as always his guardian Zero. "Rise, Knight Lycris. How are you doing?"

Lycris sheathed his sword and rose. "I am fine, Your Majesty. Just training."

Lelouch nodded approvingly at the ravaged training area. The dummies all lay sliced in half, beyond repair. The shooting range was surrounded by empty shells, every target's center punched clean through. Fresh blood stained the sparring ring. Looking through the window into the emergency care area, a number of men who had been unlucky enough to be sparring when Lycris entered moaned pitifully, their bodies pummeled and broken. The attending doctors winced as they treated their patients. "How is your body feeling? The side effects should have completely gone away by now."

Lycris grinned as he stretched and flexed his arm. "It's amazing. The speed, the strength, the stamina...it's all amazing."

"Excellent. You have become everything I had expected of you, Knight Lycris."

"Your Majesty, it is only because of you I have gotten this far. I owe everything to you."

Lelouch smiled back. "You flatter me. I must get going, this detour has lasted long enough. I have important matters to deal with back in China." Lycris nodded, his hand tapping the side of his sword slowly. "Yes, Lycris? You have a question?"

Lycris looked up, nodding. "Your Majesty, if I may ask...Why are you in Japan?"

"Zero had sent a new supply of weapons, fresh from the lab here. He's interested in seeing their performance in Japan before he had them supplied to our troops in China. Well if you excuse me, we must be going." The two turned around to leave.

"Your Majesty, could I talk with Zero briefly?" Emperor Lelouch merely nodded and continued walking. When he was a suitable distance away, Lycris narrowed his eyes and glared at Zero. "Listen you. You may think you're so great being His Majesty's right hand. Enjoy it while you can you bastard. I'm going to be the one at His Majesty's side before long." He hissed, his voice filled with venom. His hand shot down like lightning, drawing his sword in the blink of an eye. There was a loud clash, and Lycris's sword was sent flying, impaling the wall next to them. Lycris swore as Zero's sword hovered centimeters from his neck.

"Good luck." Zero said, his voice low and emotionless. He sheathed his sword and turned around, leaving a humiliated and furious Lycris seething behind him.

"This....This is amazing!" Breathed Lucia. The polished silver walls gleamed as the reflections of the dozens of personnel around shimmered in them. They had entered a large vehicle bay, with tanks, humvees, and dozens of other vehicles stood ready at a moments notice. A number of heads turned to look at the newcomers with curiosity before returning to their work.

"The wall on the other side has a direct ramp leading to the surface. Makes for convenient deployment. We have a airstrip further near the mountains that's well hidden. However Natsume has been getting smarter in his searches for us, so we've been cutting back on its usage."Jeremiah explained, a hint of a smile on his face as he observed his speechless guests.

"What are those?" R.R. asked curiously. He was pointing to what looked like sleek motorcycles. Two clear square panels were attached to the sides, covering the wheels. Two flat engines were attached in between the wheels and clear panels.

"Oh these? They may look like ordinary motorcycles, but these are more than meets the eye. Let me give you a demo. Hey, Green! Give our guests a demo of the Speeders!" Jeremiah ordered, turning to two men milling around near the vehicles.

A tall strongly built man in a green uniform stopped talking to his companion and turned back to them. A headband kept his messy brown hair out of his eyes. His face had a good natured smile plastered on it. His deep brown eyes lit up as he saw Lucia. His companion groaned as Green went over to them. "Be still my heart! What is a beautiful woman such as yourself doing here? Would you not favor me with your name? Or better yet, your company?"

Lucia raised an eyebrow as she looked at the man in front of her. "You let people like this into your rebellion?"

Green took a step back raising a hand to his forehead as if he had been struck. "Ohhhh...You're even lovely when you're cruel!" Roy let out a chuckle as Jeremiah sighed.

"I'm sorry sir." Green's companion said, running up to them to grab Green. He was a man of similar build to Green, his uniform the same except for the red color. His orange hair was neatly parted down his forehead and spiked at the ends. His face was set and serious.

"This is Red, Green's partner. Despite their looks these two are some of our best soldiers." Jeremiah explained.

"Thank you sir. Now shall we demonstrate the Speeders like you asked?" Jeremiah nodded and the two walked away. "Green, you idiot! You just had to chase after another girl!"

"It's not my fault!" Green complained. "It's my curse! And besides, to be silent in the presence of such beauty is an unspeakable crime of the most heinous offense!" Sain explained, looking to Red for understanding and pity.

Red sighed and the two got onto the Speeders. After a quick diagnostics and start up, the engines of the two Speeders began to rumble. There was a blast of light and the two engines sandwiched between the wheel and clear panels turned into jets, propelling the Speeder into the air. The clear panels suddenly began to lurch upward, stopping once they rested horizontal. There was a soft hiss as they extended slightly back, curving inward to form a metallic straight wing shape. A soft pop emerged from the handle bars as two guns emerged.

"These semi automatic weapons shoot 5.56 mm caliber bullets, capable of penetrating most anything. However battle isn't these vehicles main focus." Jeremiah explained. At those words Green revved the engine, and with a blast he began speeding around the room, making breakneck turns and slick movements. "These Speeders are highly maneuverable and versatile. The weapons are added as safety and some form of self defense, not their primary focus." With that the speeder landed and their demonstration came to a close. "Red, Green. I want you to organize a meeting in the grand room. I have an important announcement to make." Jeremiah ordered.

"Why sir?" Both asked curiously.

"Our most important pieces have finally arrived. We can begin." Red's face (if possible) became more serious, a smile almost invisibly tugging at the corner of his lips. Green meanwhile cracked his knuckles and chuckled, already shaking with anticipation. The two saluted and ran quickly to their jobs.

"Green! Green?! DON'T USE THE SPEEDERS IN THE BASE!" Red screamed as Green jumped aboard one.

"ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE MAIN HANGER! IT'S TIME!" Green yelled energetically, blowing by a woman and sending her spinning. Jeremiah waved his hand as he lead R.R. and his band away, giving permission to use them.

With permission from a superior officer Red nodded and boarded a Speeder. "Green! BE CAREFUL!" Red yelled, chasing after his companion.

Jeremiah shook his head, an old smile wrinkling his face. "Those two....they've been like that since day one. Invaluable though. Two of our best fighters, both leaders of their platoons."

Lucia eyed the small scraps of paper flowing on the wind left by the Speeders. "I can imagine. How did those two get their names? Green and Red aren't really...common."

Jeremiah motioned them to follow. "They're nicknames. Their real names...they've discarded. That's their decisions though, and I respect them for it. The past...The past is something all of us would like to forget, at least once. Let's head over to the main hangar, it's time to make an announcement."

The main hangar was enormous. The vehicles had been removed to make room for the occupants. An elevated platform sat near the back, awaiting its announcers. Thousands of people gathered in the hangar, talking excitedly, their voices filling the room. The mood of the room was invigorating, a mesh of excitement, curiosity, and long awaited joy.

"It's time!" A teenage girl with long teal hair laughed.

Her companion, a middle aged man with square shoulders and a set jaw turned to her. "It's rare to see you so excited, Fiona." He said, his voice warm and caring despite his rough appearance.

The girl turned, a smile on her face. "Of course I am, father! Mother....Mother will finally be able to rest in peace!" Her father nodded in agreement. "Plus....I get to fight next to Green." Fiona said, a light blush on her cheeks. The smile evaporated from her fathers face as he gave grunted in disapproval and crossed his arms. Fiona gave a exasperated sigh. "Oh father..."

"I don't like him." Fiona's father merely grunted.

Their discussion was cut short as a hushed silence quickly fell upon the immense crowd. All eyes turned to Jeremiah as he stepped onto the stage. Standing next to the stage Lucia, Roy, and R.R. watched. He cleared his throat briefly before waving his hand in front of his mouth. "Soldiers of the rebellion!" He said, his voice booming across the hangar.

"How does he do that?" Lucia asked Roy.

"Jeremiah told me about it briefly before he went up there. A special device in his hand that makes the particles in front of his mouth vibrate more frequently, creating a louder sound, or something like that. It makes absolutely no sense to me. I wish I had Benny to translate this techno talk for me." Roy said, rubbing his head.

"We are all here today for a common goal. The so called "Emperor" Lelouch has affected all of our lives. He destroyed the peaceful lives we all enjoyed and ruined the hundreds years of peace we enjoyed. Today, we shall end this age of terror and oppression! The days of the Demon King, Lelouch vi Britannia, shall not be relived!"

An immense roar erupted from the crowd. The thousands of occupants screamed and cheered, fired up.

Jeremiah motioned for silence. "Today, our luck has turned around. Companions...allies, I have been hoping for have finally appeared! The Empress of New Britannia, Lilia vi Britannia, has arrived!" The very air in the hangar seemed to shake as its occupants exploded into cheers and applause. Jeremiah motioned for Lilia to join him.

Lilia looked nervously at the crowd, apprehension and and uncertainty evident on her face. A hand fell gently on her shoulder. "You can do it, Lilia." Roy said softly, giving her a small squeeze. Lilia turned back and gave a warm smile before nodding to herself, mentally preparing as she walked up the stairs. Accepting the voice magnifier from Jeremiah, she cleared her throat and turned to her audience. "Members of the rebellion. I...I am sorry." Murmurs emerged softly from the crowd as they tried to make sense of what she had just said. "While you have been risking your lives, I...I've been hiding. Royalty is no excuse...what good is an empress who does not know her people? I ask that you treat me like you would a fellow soldier. Because right now, I am not royalty, I am not your Empress. I am a citizen who, like you, merely wishes to end the atrocious actions of an unjust leader! So, my comrades. Let us raise our fists, grit our teeth, and prepare for battle!" Lilia descended the stairs, clutching her chest, explosive screams following her. She walked up to Roy, relief evident on her face as she unexpectedly hugged him. "Roy... I did well, didn't I?"

Roy blushed and put an arm around her, his eyes softening. "Yeah, you did good Lilia."

Lucia giggled as she elbowed R.R.. "Cute couple, aye?"

R.R. rolled his eyes as he ascended the steps to stand next to Jeremiah. "Now! I have a very important announcement to make." Jeremiah began as the crowd hushed. "I have chosen my right hand. I have chosen the man to be my second in command." Silence in the crowd was absolute and the air became thick with tension and suspense.

"Hehe, about time, aye bro?" A muscled teenager said, turning to his brother.

His brother, an older teenager with spiky brown hair snorted. "I know Minato. I thought the old man would never give me the position."

"As of this moment, R.R. will be my second in command." Jeremiah announced, turning to the tall, long haired teenager standing next to him. Shouts and gasps came from the crowd.

"THE HELL IS THIS SHIT?!" Minato yelled, slamming the wall with his fist. "That fuckin' position is yours Shinto!"

Shinto's body trembled as his hands curled into fists, his eyes filled with rage.

"Interesting development, wouldn't you say so Red?" Green remarked, his eyebrows raised as he tapped his chin.

Reds eyebrows furrowed as he scrutinized R.R.. "I don't see anything so spectacular about him. We certainly have talent within this resistance. For Jeremiah to pick a complete newcomer...He must know him and trust him completely. To me, at least, that's enough."

Green let out a hearty chuckle as leaned back and relaxed against the wall. "I'll take your word for it my fellow knight! For R.R. to be promoted as commander, that means we will be seeing more of my beautiful angel Lucia!" The exasperated sigh Red let out was heard by all those around them.

"Jeremiah....is this really necessary? The forwardness of promoting a complete stranger is going to cause rifts and tensions in this rebellion." R.R. murmured to Jeremiah. "I know your skill first hand. There is no one better than you for this. Plus a position like this will let you prove yourself to them when it really counts. Your Majesty, you are the only one who can do this. No one has experience with demons like you."

R.R. nodded as he turned to the shocked crowd. "None of you know who I am. Many of you are wondering why the hell I got such a position." R.R.'s eyes narrowed as he stared at the crowd. "Trust me. I have the skills, I have the ability to lead us to victory. I say this with complete certainty, with complete confidence. Lelouch vi Britannia will fall. Nippon, BANZAI!"

"NIPPON, BANZAI!" The crowd screamed back.

"Hey...He seems pretty confident." Roy said, nudging Lucia.

Lucia watched her accomplice work his magic on the crowd, an impressed smile on her face as she ignored the obtrusive boy next to her. "Well, I do suppose a direct approach is the only option you have left, being pushed into such a position so unexpectedly."

R.R. nodded at his new subordinates and soldiers. "Now lets get ready. We've got a lot of work to do.

To Be Continued in Chapter 9

I lied. It hasn't been two weeks since I last updated. I apologize. Writing has been pushed even further out of my life as time goes on. Junior year is actually a bit difficult. I've been goingto raves more frequently, at the same rate I used to a year or two ago. I've been doing work for my permit (Yeah...I'm 17, figured I should get on that). I quit WOW months ago and have been spending time with people who I stupidly did not spend enough time with. Oh yeah, Modern Warfare 2 has been a big timesink too (Love that game. My gamertag is k4m4k4z3, hit me up if you ever want to play!). Also Bayonetta (Awesome game with an AMAZING OST. Something Missing - Michi is my new favorite song!) has been stealing my life. So my bad readers, MA BAD!

Also, dont you hate it when after writing a story, you realize that if you had done this during this chapter your story could be SO much more kickass? This story would be SO much more awesome if I had done those simple few changes in chapter 1. Oh wll, no point crying over spilled milk.

+20 points if you figure out where Green and Red are from (yeah, I know the Archetype's are technically switched, but I chose it because of the game they came from). What's funny is this is the only deliberate time I've referenced the game, all the other times were by pure accident. I'm probably not going to finish my Fire Emblem fanfic, all my writing time will be spent on this story. If you really do want it that much, let me know and I will think about it. As usual, R/R. I would love it even more if you were to do so, its been a long time since I've written and I would love to see how I'm doing. Until then I hope you enjoy, sayonara.

-FireIceWindEarth (FIWE)