Chapter Thirty Four: This Mortal Coil
Arc Nine: Shining City On A Hill
Opening: "Heart Of Steel" - Takahashi Hiroki
Kyoshiro Tohdoh had looked out in pride, the thirty days falling away as the crowds gathered to celebrate the founding of the Republic of Japan. It was an immensely emotional moment for the deadline to close and for the Britannians to have to relinquish their grip on his people's rightful clay. Decades of struggle was now realised, and it was all the old war horse could do to stand behind Ohgi as the Prime Minister gleefully recited their declaration of true independence.
In the beginning, Britannia brooded, too embroiled in the realisation that their Emperor had vanished off the face of the Earth to do much to Japan beyond staring from a distance. This status quo lasted for some time, however, on a wet June morning some time later, Tohdoh's office phone rang out trumpeting the arrival of an odious spectre to Japan. He picked up the phone and listened attentively as the whispering speaker reached him.
"Mr Kyoshiro Tohdoh, this is Schneizel El Britannia. I am making a state visit next week, and I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to arrange a private meeting."
There was never a good context for someone with Schneizel's reputation to be contacting you privately, but given Japan's recent activities, even the stoic Tohdoh was forced to hold a breath. After a moment, he replied nervously "Would you not prefer to meet with Prime Minister Ohgi?"
"I'm sorry, I should clarify. I'm not hoping to meet with you in your political capacity, I was hoping to meet with the Head of Military Operations for the Black Knights."
Tohdoh physically recoiled in shock, losing his cool as he roared back "What in the world? How dare you accuse me of-"
"When we took in a… Kallen Kozūki as part of the Midway Treaty, we intercepted documents she had on her person at the time that incriminated you. Given that Kallen was the only member that the Ameliorates agreed we should prosecute ourselves, we decided not to pursue you."
The soft voice interrupted the force of the former Genrō's roars with no effort, and the substance of the reply caused Tohdoh to pause for some time afterwards, realising he was cornered before he quietly asked "Does the Prime Minister know?"
"My answer depends on whether you could spare the time to see me next week."
This sequence of events was how Kyoshiro Tohdoh wound up alone in his office with the Crown Prince of Britannia, which was a ludicrous idea on any other face. Fortunately, Tohdoh had used the week in between to prepare, acknowledging that at least he had some time to not be taken by surprise, as he had been during the phone call. It was important to be aware and alert, as he knew Schneizel's reputation, with his victories at the negotiation table being far more noteworthy than any achievement on the field of battle.
"My condolences for your father." he began, electing to try something safe, however Schneizel waved it off and replied "None of that. In truth, I found him a somewhat unpleasant character, and his vulgar sentiments against those of other nationalities never struck me as rational. I believe it was Mark Twain who said 'I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure.' I appreciate you having me; I promise I'll try to be quick. I'm sure you have many things on your plate at the moment."
The 2024 Olympics in India were not for another month, but already Schneizel, as far as Tohdoh could see, was already getting into the spirit of things, practicing his verbal contortions and mental flips with the skills of a master gymnast, dodging the tightrope and bending over backwards to accommodate Tohdoh with kind words and the gentle assurances, however false, that he was in fact secretly in favour of Tohdoh all along. Tohdoh, keen to not expose a rhetorical flank, remained silent and allowed Schneizel to continue.
"As I mentioned in my call, we took over management of Miss Kozūki, who you know as Zero, as part of our spying apparatus in order to capture C.C, I believe another colleague of yours. This plan did not work, and she escaped our surveillance at Babel Tower. I believe you had met her earlier that day if my report is accurate."
Tohdoh nodded, as indeed he had. It had been a bizarre experience, seeing her out in the environment to the point where he had been shaken for some time, wondering whether it was really her. After confirming his suspicions with his colleagues, he had left to allow the Black Knights to retrieve her.
"This is where I get to my reason for seeing you, as in my research I noticed several troublesome issues. First, several of your colleagues were captured in that Battle, I believe either 15 or 16, and while I have the names of most, one name was redacted."
"Who redacted it?"
"I don't have that information in specific, but there are several other incidents that lead my suspicion in a certain direction. It was definitely a Cabinet Minister. However, the unnamed person was removed for the prison altogether two days later. Guards that my agents have spoken to claim it was a woman in her early twenties, and that there was significant pressure to keep quiet. In those two days, the only Cabinet Minister to visit the prison was my brother Lelouch Lamperouge, and reportedly he only saw one prisoner."
Tohdoh silently mulled over this information. If Lelouch had met with Kallen, he could easily have persuaded Kallen to work for him. He certainly would hold the power in this situation, and there was a wealth of reasons he had to do it. Quell the rebellious element to bring peace? Control the political opposition to bring power? It depended on how cynical you were, and Tohdoh was fairly cynical.
"The second incident was what confirmed my hypothesis. Does this person look familiar?" Schneizel asked, handing over a photograph of a woman sprinting across a street to Tohdoh. Tohdoh had never seen Kallen in civilian clothing except for the incident at Babel Tower, though he had seen her in her Zero costume without a mask. That said, it was very easy to recognise her stark, red hair and fierce green eyes.
"This is Kallen." Tohdoh responded, answering the rhetorical question, as Schneizel continued "This was taken about forty days ago, two days after an attack on a Britannian research facility in Amur, Siberia. That day was notable also because Lelouch called me that same day in a panic asking about the state of the Emperor. For reference, he had been gone two days at that point, though it had not yet been deemed noteworthy. It was a stroke of luck more than anything on the part of an agent of my fathers, who followed her to the Parliament building where he was forced to stop chasing her to avoid appearing suspicious. However, while he was initially disappointed he was eventually able to capture this shot ten minutes later."
Schneizel handed over a second photo, and this one shocked him. It was a low, dutch angle, obviously rushed as the photographer realised what he was seeing. It was of a window on the side of the Parliament building, with a black haired man leaning back against the window, almost in a seated position but for the lack of a chair with his back pressed tight against the glass, and there was a red haired woman, clearly Kallen, standing opposite holding onto him by the leg and shoulder in a suggestive fashion that made the conservative leader cringe slightly. She looked exhausted.
It did not take much imagination to realise who the black haired man was.
Tohdoh recoiled as he realised what must have happened. Kallen had been making bizarre strategic choices of late, and had intentionally been avoiding confrontation with the RPJ Government back when it had existed. And to think that the head of the Black Knights was acting only on the authority and directives of Lamperouge, not to mention whatever they were doing together in that final photograph, Tohdoh could barely contain his anger.
"I do not know what my brother is attempting, but I fear it may have adverse affects for the stability of your country. It is no longer my role to say what Japan ought to do; you have made that desire for freedom clear, however as a fellow statesman, I would recommend you do something about this. Conflicts of interest and blackmail have no place in any functioning Government. I will leave this at your feet to deal with as you see fit."
Tohdoh pocketed the photographs and thought. This was beyond the pale, a betrayal of the Black Knights and Japan. Lelouch's actions were fundamentally against the spirit of the Japan he preached about, but he could wait; his agent in the Black Knights was the more immediate issue. He needed to do something immediately before Lelouch made a decisive move, starting by consolidating his side.
Running an organisation centred around restoring Japan may have been unethical back when they were still a Dominion, but it was necessary. This proved to Tohdoh the Black Knights were still necessary, with or without their founder. Someone with that attitude, that they had the authority to spread their influence and control like a web, was a danger to Japan herself, and Tohdoh could not abide that. The Black Knights were still needed to provide security to Japan, and it was his duty to bring that security about.
He would have to betray his country to save it.
"Thank you for that Mr El Britannia, I will have to investigate this further myself."
"Not at all; I just felt you ought to know."
Kallen breathed out slightly as she slid on the mask of Zero. It was the same one she had made eight years ago, and in a move that lacked foresight, she neglected to built in foam to add some leeway in terms of size the way a crash helmet did. Her cheeks were pressed against cold steel, and her forehead was grated by the plastic ring that mounted the coil designed to pull back her eye cover and allow her to Geass people with the press of a button behind her ear. It was an ingenious system that made the best use of the available space inside her mask, but it was more than a little uncomfortable.
In any case, she could live with that. She slipped on her gloves before taking a brief look in the mirror, before finally leaving the bathroom and stepping out into the hallway.
Picking up a roster, she began to sort out who was present and absent, noting that Tohdoh and several Representatives were away, however her eyes faltered at the 'C.C' at the very bottom.
It had been some time since she had last seen the witch, who had thanked her for helping her realise the flaws in her way of thinking before heading off to a new adventure. It had been when they left Kamine Island when they had parted ways. She said she had gotten what she had wanted out of their arrangement, and would go on one final adventure in Britannia with a fresh perspective.
Kallen would miss her, but she supposed that would be the way of things. Such an existential change as a glance with mortality would surely make anyone want to change things up, even someone who had lived centuries. Hell, Kallen could argue her friend had aged several hundred years from the time she left C's world to the time they parted ways. Their parting conversation had been brief, but fraught with emotion.
"You have more than fulfilled my contract, but not in the way I had imagined. I cannot thank you enough. In millennia, I don't believe I have met anyone else like you."
It had taken significant effort on Kallen's part to not cry. The woman who had made all her dreams of a free Japan possible was now thanking her, having found new purpose in life in a skirt with death.
Of course, as the green haired woman departed Kallen was forced to ask herself similar questions to what she imagined her former colleague must be asking.
The green haired woman must surely, Kallen assumed, be asking herself what to do now after such a long period spent adrift, seeking her death. For Kallen, this question was represented in the Republic of Japan. What was the role of Zero, the symbol of seeking Japanese independence, in a free Japan?
Eight years ago, the question would be easily answered. Zero stood as the lone symbol of justice, standing in solidarity with Japan's oppressed in the face of her enemies. However, as Japan recrystallised as a nation it became increasingly clear that that role fell to public servants like Tohdoh or Lelouch, rather than an unappointed masked vigilante.
Again, eight years ago she would likely have tried to fight the encroach of her own irrelevance, however the departure of her biggest beneficiary had lent her new perspective. Japan was free, and while she had helped, it had only been through her Geass, her friends, and her allies. To have ever thought that her skills in a Knightmare or tactical proficiency could have won without the aid of others was laughable. She didn't intend on kidding herself like this again. She would need Lelouch, Tohdoh, and all the rest of Japan's people to work together to cultivate their new Japan.
The time may well have arrived to start enjoying that new Japan, she acknowledged. Sure, she would do Lelouch's errands and keep an eye on things, but she had a very long life ahead of her, and unlike her pizza obsessed friend, she hoped to make the most of it from the get go.
She moved towards her office and unlocked the door, stepping inside with the gentle but lonely clacks of her boots marking the way. It was early in the evening, and with no active missions today most people had turned in. The room was cluttered, needing some attention, however she was too emotionally drained to make the effort.
However, as she approached her desk from the opposite side, facing away from the door, even she noticed something had been added, though it took some time for her to spot the offenders; a pair of printed photographs which she moved to inspect, placing her fingers on their tops to separate them.
Suddenly, she felt the narrow, short blade of a Hira Tantō bristle against her clothed neck. She froze up, her survival instinct still in place after 24 years of mortal life, as she tried to turn around to see who was threatening her, however she could barely move her lungs to breathe, let alone her neck to turn. Panicking, she could only hush out "What do you want?" after her heart had returned from a state of near cardiac arrest.
"Would you care to explain these photographs?"
The voice was deep, accented with a conclusory snarl that forced her to look down and examine them, and she quickly realised she had been caught.
Annoyingly, there was little she could really say in her defence. The two pictures made it look like she was secretly colluding with Lelouch, because that's exactly what she had been doing.
Nonetheless, she gave it her best shot, beginning "We were meeting to discuss… terms of a ceasefire. He and I know each other from before the rebellion, from school-"
"Funny you never mentioned such good news to any of us, that there may be a ceasefire soon. Incidentally, was your meeting with him two days after Babel in your prison cell also about the ceasefire?"
Kallen was silent again, as she realised the depth of her doom. It was Tohdoh's voice, and he was none too pleased. Now that she realised it was her second in command who was betraying her, she panicked and said "Wait!"
"To think, you would have the gall to betray the virtues you preached; justice and integrity, to go behind our backs and lead us into the arms of the Britannian in Japanese clothing!"
Tohdoh was getting worked up now, for possibly the first time in his life. This terrified Kallen even more, as an angry Tohdoh was so rare as to be beyond comprehension. He had always been a stoic man, with almost boundless patience that left her terrified as to what lay beyond that wall.
On an instinct that was characteristically human, she spoke out, louder "Please, wait!", raising her off hand and trying to face Tohdoh to calm him.
This was a move out of panic, but it was the wrong one, as Kallen wasn't the only person in the room with muscle memory and a temper.
The blade flew away from her shoulder as she realised her mistake, swinging back before making heavy impact with her neck. Kallen felt no pain for a moment beyond the sensation of blunt force impact forcing her suddenly numb neck muscles to cave in, before her head finally exploded into the most horrendous of agony, akin to the migraine of Gods choking out the air from her brain. Her knees fell away like sand as she collapsed against her desk, her head feeling broken and her neck feeling battered.
"Did you think your song and dance about justice while you pervert it with Lamperouge would end any other way, Kozūki? This is justice! This is what is prescribed for the collaborators, and the treasonous! I am the justice you describe!"
As she sat upright, with her legs sprawled and her back propped up against the desk, her muscleless neck fell away, the swipe of Tohdoh's blade having removed its function, forcing her face down towards her Zero costume, which was now a filthy, thick, heavy red in colour. It was funny, she could have sworn it was black when she had made it.
It took her some time to realise that she was bleeding rapidly from the neck, Tohdoh's blow having punctured her neck muscles and causing her blood to flow healthily down her lapel like an oil well, the red gold seeping away in its thick, abnormal gushes. As a fighter who had killed many dozens of people, she knew that this was normally fatal, causing deoxygenated blood to soak the brain within a minute.
Unfortunately, Tohdoh had not received this message, as he stabbed her a second time in the gut, twisting away at her intestines as he placed his off hand onto the top edge of the desk and kneeled down to deliver his final words to her.
"You betrayed us at the Conference, and you have betrayed us again to Lamperouge, allowing him to subvert the nation to his own imperialist ends."
Kallen now could not see, her brain beginning to run dry of its needed supply of air, and Tohdoh's voice was now more of an internal whisper, a voice in among the darkness that reminded her of what could have been. It was not alone; as Kallen''s consciousness drained away, she swore she could, even at this juncture, still hear her green haired witch snarkily comment "Surely it'll take a bit more than that to take you out?"
However, this had no bearing on reality, as Tohdoh concluded "And I… will make him pay, for what he has done, just as you have! Japan will be free in more than name! Free from corruption, from your moral bankruptcy!"
Two stabs later, he came to realise Kallen was not moving, Tohdoh removed the dagger from her belly, drawing out with the slow delicacy of a butcher, before announcing "Good riddance!"
With this, the other Holy Swords who had been waiting in the wings stepped in to join Tohdoh in his coup, if only in spirit, as the Lt. Colonel had by far the dirtiest shoes.
"Dump her in the harbour with some concrete at her feet. I don't care to see her again."
A parting gift, Kallen remembered.
\_(ツ)_/
How's that for filler, mm? Your psychotic fake brother can't save you from being stabbed if you've killed him and burnt his body. [Taps head knowingly while smugly grinning.]
See you soon for Chapter 35, Impermissible. Stay healthier than Kallen did.
~Eth0