This chapter will be where the anime and my story go their separate ways. The timeline is similar, but the actual events will be quite different. Enjoy!
Chapter 3: A Captured Knight.
A few days had passed since the operation that resulted in General Katase's death and Shirley joining the Black Knights. In that time, Sukai noticed that Lelouch and Shirley had grown closer. Whenever Shirley called him 'Lulu', Lelouch would smile, and the two always seemed to be together. Milly kept pestering them about it, but stopped after a while. Sukai also felt he and Kallen were becoming closer as well. He still found it amazing that she could act like a different person outside and inside of school.
"C'mon Lelouch, quit moving around will ya?" Rivalz complained, interrupting Lelouch's thoughts. Lelouch looked up to see the rest of the art class staring at him with irritated looks. They were supposed to be sketching Lelouch, who was finding it hard to keep still with all the attention.
"I don't get it. I can be theatrical with a gun trained on me, yet I can't sit still for an art class?" Lelouch wondered. "Oh, sorry guys." He apologised, sitting up straight. He then returned to his previous contemplative posture.
"No, your sightline was lower." Rivalz said.
"Like this?" Lelouch replied, lowering his head slightly.
"No, too far. A little higher."
"Good?" Lelouch asked, raising his head a fraction.
"Agh, now your expression's totally different from when we started." Rivalz complained. He stood up and proceeded to rearrange Lelouch's face. "This was like this, that went...kind of like that and, this was here! There." Lelouch was now smiling broadly, something he didn't do often, unless he was with Shirley.
"That's not how it was!" a girl complained.
"I like the frowning face more!" another said.
"Oh come on, everyone! I prefer him looking clueless." Rivalz protested.
"Shirley, don't you have Math for first period?" Nina asked, sitting down next to Shirley.
"Don't you remember, it's Art Week. Besides, I'd never pass up an opportunity to be with Lulu." Shirley replied, gazing dreamily at Lelouch.
At the same time, Ohgi was about to have lunch when Inoue approached him.
"Excuse me." Inoue said. Ohgi turned around to face her. "We have visitors. They also have an introduction from Kyoto." Ohgi recognised the three men and one woman standing before him and jumped to his feet.
"You're the Four Holy Swords!" Ohgi exclaimed.
"I'll get straight to the point here. We've come to you today to ask for your help." The man on the right said.
"How do you mean?" Ohgi asked, confused.
"Lieutenant Colonel Tohdoh has been apprehended. He sacrificed himself so that we could escape." The man replied.
"I see. We'll help them." Lelouch replied, talking to Ohgi via cell phone.
"You sure?" Ohgi asked.
"The Black Knights fight for the cause of justice. There's nothing odd about that." Lelouch replied. Ohgi smiled, giving the Four Holy Swords the message.
"We'll use assembly method B-13. Take the section Knightmares via Course 18. You can have Diethard handle it. Also alert those who are to rendezvous with us." Lelouch told him, cutting off the call. "This will be a great opportunity. Now I can gain access to Lieutenant Colonel Tohdoh's military genius."
Later, the Black Knights were assembled beneath a highway overpass. The mobile HQ was there, along with a number of trucks containing their Knightmares. Yoshida and Minami were working on the Gurren Mk II, with Tamaki supervising.
"I told you not bunch up all of the hydro lines in one place." Yoshida told Minami.
"That's why I said it was different from a Burai." Minami replied. As they worked, the Four Holy Swords watched.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to throw in with the Black Knights?" Asahina asked.
"Can you think of any other way to rescue Colonel Tohdoh?" Chiba replied.
"There's also what Kyoto said, that they would lend us the new models." Urabe said.
"Still, their principles seem to be somewhat off." Asahina said.
"We're not ethnocentric but after all, you already know that." Chiba replied.
"We can worry about the details after we've rescued the Colonel." Senba said.
"I understand, but no matter where Tohdoh may be , it's the place I belong." Asahina told him. Meanwhile, Tamaki was getting impatient.
"Look, just stuff 'em in and close the lid for crying out loud, it's almost time to move out!" Tamaki shouted.
"Take your time and treat it with the utmost care!" Tamaki and the others look up to see an Indian woman approaching with two men following. "It was far more fragile than any of you when I gave birth to it."
"Huh? Who the hell are you?" Tamaki asked.
"I am its mother." The woman replied, as Zero and Sukai, already wearing his suit and helmet, joined them.
"You arrived on time." Zero said.
"Hm? Are you Zero?" the woman asked. "It's a pleasure, I've heard a lot of things about you."
"The pleasure is all mine, Rakshata. I've been reading about you on the net for some time now." Zero replied, as the two shook hands.
"You have?" she asked.
"The articles relating to medical cybernetics." He replied.
"I do hate talking about the past. Anyway, here." Rakshata replied, pulling out five Knightmare activation keys. "A souvenir from Kyoto." She said, opening the case next to her, which held four pilot suits, as Kallen walked out wearing a similar suit, except hers was red.
"Excuse me, is this really going to improve the interfacing system?" Kallen asked.
"No, of course not." Rakshata replied.
"Huh?" Kallen exclaimed.
"It's going to improve your life expectancy." Rakshata replied.
"In any case, you look more beautiful, anyway." Sukai said, causing Kallen to blush.
"Ah, so you must be the one Zero mentioned. The person whose Knightmare was able to defeat an opponent able match the Gurren Mk II." Rakshata said.
"Yes, my name is Sukai Furaia. My father was Aeolia Schenburg." He replied.
"Schenburg? I remember working with him once. I can see his technical brilliance passed onto you completely." She replied, studying the Banzai Dasher.
"Just wait, I'm almost done constructing a Knightmare based on his designs, with a few improvements I made myself." Sukai replied.
A few hours later, the Black Knights broke through the walls of the prison, causing the guard to spring into action, a large number of Sutherlands deploying from a hangar. A few were immediately cut down by a combined force of gunfire and the Banzai Dasher's TLS. The rest halted, as the Dasher and four other Knightmares burst from the smoke. The four Knightmares slashed through the Sutherlands with their Revolving Blade Swords, while the others were shredded by gunfire from the Dasher's right gun-shield.
After a few furious minutes of combat, Sukai and the Four Holy Swords had gained a foothold and were awaiting Zero's next orders. Suddenly, Sukai spotted Zero's Burai and the Gurren Mk II.
"They're here!" he radioed. The Four Holy Swords responded, moving to cover Zero's escape with Tohdoh. However, before they could move, Kallen barely managed to block a Slash Harken from hitting Zero. The Lancelot retracted the Harken, charging the Black Knights' position.
"Zero! I can handle this guy! You and the others need to get away now!" Sukai shouted, preparing to engage the enemy.
"All right. Good luck." Zero replied, as he and the others retreated through the hole they had made.
"Now then..." Sukai said, focusing on the Lancelot. "It's time you lost, permanently!" he yelled, charging the Lancelot.
Elsewhere, the dedication ceremony for the Clovis Memorial Museum continued. Princess Euphemia was about to announce the painting that would be declared the winning entry. Suddenly, the media presenter informed General Dalton of the prison break. The screen on the back wall came on, displaying a live helicopter feed of the scene. Those present gasped, as the Lancelot engaged the white and red Glasgow.
"Isn't that the ASEEC's Knightmare?" Dalton wondered, as the two Knightmares duelled fiercely.
"You've improved since we last fought." Sukai said, as he blocked a shot from the VARIS. The Lancelot drew its swords, attempting to slice the Banzai Dasher in half. "However, this time, you're coming with me, whether you like it or not!" Sukai managed to grab hold of the Lancelot's arm, and activated his Geass. Suddenly, he could see into the Lancelot's systems, and found himself looking through its sensors. Satisfied, Sukai forced the white Knightmare to put away its weapons, and raced off, controlling the Lancelot mentally.
"Huh? Controls aren't responding!" Suzaku gasped, wrestling with the Knightmare's controls. Suddenly, Sukai's helmeted face appeared on the screens around him.
"Sorry, but I'm in control now." He announced, as Suzaku gaped.
"How did...?" Dalton exclaimed, as he watched the Lancelot get forced away by the Glasgow. The people in front of him began murmuring amongst themselves, wondering what had happened. Meanwhile, at the prison, Lloyd watched in horror.
"No! Not the Lancelot!" he cried, as his creation was led away.
"Do you think Suzaku defected?" Cecile asked him. Lloyd shook his head.
"Doubt it. From what I saw, Suzaku was intent on destroying that Glasgow. They must have hacked the Lancelot's systems, but how?" Lloyd wondered.
"Zero, thank you once again for your help." Tohdoh said, bowing.
"Not at all. It's an honour to finally meet you, Colonel Tohdoh." Zero replied. The Black Knights were waiting at their pre-determined meeting place, waiting for Sukai to catch up. They were surprised when the Lancelot arrived, seemingly escorted by the Banzai Dasher. Sukai climbed out of the cockpit, jumping down to the ground.
"It's that Knightmare again!" Kallen exclaimed.
"Did the pilot choose to defect?" Tohdoh asked.
"No, I managed to shut it down remotely. I can't imagine the pilot's very happy in there." Sukai replied. "Anyway, I suppose I should let him out now." Placing his hand on the Lancelot's leg, Sukai activated his Geass. The cockpit hatch opened, and the pilot inside jumped out. Everyone gasped when they saw who it was.
"Suzaku?" Tohdoh exclaimed.
"Colonel Tohdoh?" Suzaku replied, clearly caught off guard.
"Kururugi, I saved your life, and this is how you repay me? By trying to kill me?" Zero demanded. Suzaku glared at him.
"I told you, any ends gained through contemptible means are worthless!" Suzaku retorted. Kallen decided to step forward.
"Suzaku, at least listen to Zero. Then you can decide what you want to do." She suggested. Suzaku was clearly startled by Kallen's presence, along with her abrupt manner, but he slowly nodded. He followed Kallen, Sukai, C.C. and Zero into a room, where they could talk without being overheard.
"Zero, I've already said I won't help you." Suzaku said as soon as the door was closed.
"Suzaku, perhaps I should've been clearer about my intentions. I only seek to make to make Japan an independent nation once again. The only way to achieve that is to use force to get the Brittanian forces to surrender." Zero explained. Suzaku still looked doubtful, but Sukai could tell he was slightly less opposed to Zero's plan now that he knew what the leader of the Black Knights was attempting to do.
"Come on, Suzaku. Surely you want Japan to be free again. It's why we've been resisting Brittania for the last seven years." Kallen said.
"Zero...you're right. I've realised now that Brittania would never just let Japan become independent. Even though I don't like it, you're right about using force, it's the only conceivable way to get there. I'll help you." Suzaku said. Kallen smiled, while Zero nodded.
"I'm glad you've changed your mind Suzaku. I didn't want to have to fight you, besides, the Japanese would've been horrified if you were killed fighting us." Zero said. "All of you have shown yourselves to be trustworthy and determined. Therefore, I believe you can be trusted with my identity."
"Really?" Kallen and Suzaku gasped. Zero nodded, before removing his mask.
"Lelouch?" Suzaku cried, his eyes wide in disbelief.
"Suzaku, you've been such a close and dear friend to me. Even though I was Brittanian, you accepted me for who I was. I glad you decided to help me." Lelouch said.
"T-Thanks Lelouch, I just can't believe it's you." Suzaku replied.
"Wait, so you killed Prince Clovis?" Kallen asked. Lelouch nodded.
"Yes, and it wasn't as easy as I had thought. I think Suzaku can figure out why." Lelouch told her. Kallen turned to Suzaku, who looked at Lelouch, as if asking for permission. Lelouch nodded slightly.
"All right, but Kallen, you can't tell anyone else. The Black Knights would probably have a fit if they knew who was leading them." Suzaku told her. Kallen agreed, as did Sukai. "All right. Lelouch's name isn't Lelouch Lamperouge. His real name is Lelouch vi Brittania."
"What!" Sukai and Kallen both cried.
"So that means...you killed your own brother?" Sukai asked.
"Yes, but I'm not proud of it." Lelouch replied.
"I see. Well, since Lelouch has already shown he's Zero, I might as well show Suzaku who I am." Sukai said, removing his helmet. Suzaku didn't look too shocked.
"I've had enough surprises already. You're going to have to do better than that." He said. Sukai smiled.
"Now then, you already know what I'm trying to do, but there's one other thing I need your help with. Before I killed Clovis, I used my Geass to force him to tell me anything he knew about my mother's death. He said that either Princess Cornelia or Prince Schneizel could tell me what I wanted to know. That's why I need to speak to them." Lelouch told them.
"Geass?" Suzaku and Kallen asked.
"Yes, it is a power that manifests differently in each person. I have given it to both Lelouch and Sukai. Lelouch's Geass enables him to command others to do absolutely anything he tells them, but it requires direct eye contact and only works on each person once. Sukai's allows him to control technology with his mind, which is how he was able to override the Lancelot's controls." C.C. explained.
"Wow." Suzaku gasped, while Kallen looked slightly afraid, which Lelouch easily spotted.
"Don't worry, Kallen. I've already used it on you. That's how I found out who you really were and why you're resisting Brittania. I apologise for what I did." He reassured her.
"I'm just glad you can't use on me again." She replied. Lelouch laughed lightly, causing everyone else to laugh as well.
Afterwards, Zero told the rest of the Black Knights about Suzaku's decision. Surprisingly, no one complained, Tohdoh stating that Suzaku would be an invaluable aid, given his piloting skills. Sukai told Zero (Lelouch) that he was finished with building his own custom Knightmare Frame, so Shirley could pilot the Banzai Dasher if she was ready. Zero (Lelouch) agreed, as he had watched Shirley training in the simulator, scoring almost as high as Kallen.
I always thought Suzaku should have joined Lelouch, so here's how it should've happened. Next time, Sukai's Knightmare Frame makes its appearance! Review, people! Anzac-A1 out!