Author's Note: Surprise, surprise. I only uploaded chapter five two days ago and here I am again. I don't know quite everything that will happen this chapter. Got a few ideas, but I'm not sure what it might end on. We'll see how the events fall into place.

On another note it seems I need to specify something. This story is solely Milly x Lelouch. There will be no harem here.

Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass. If I did I doubt I would be writing this.

Stage 06
Lake Kawaguchi

Kotaro Asada still had trouble believing everything that had occurred recently. Four days ago he was, without ceremony, taken to the viceroy's office and came face-to-face with Princess Cornelia herself. It would be fair to say that the honorary Britannian feared the worst, but was taken off guard when she offered him a biscuit. A biscuit of all things as if that was going to help him not freak out. Which, oddly enough, it did. Perhaps it was the sheer absurdity of it.

He came to find out that Suzaku Kururugi had given her his name when asked about trustworthy honorary Britannians. Which still confused Kotaro as he only knew him in passing. He never talked to Kururugi much though there had been no reason to not do so. It was just one of those things.

Of course Suzaku's namedrop, while surprising, was nothing compared to what the viceroy wanted of him. The princess wanted him to infiltrate a terrorist group as a spy. She promised it wouldn't have to be a long operation as the group was small, but still needed to be taken care of. Her bluntness about her options left him with no real choice. Be a spy or knowingly let a purge happen. Something Cornelia did stress that she would prefer to avoid.

A decision between the lives of a few and the lives of many was an easy one. What she offered in return for his cooperation made the choice even more so. Kotaro joined the military in the first place because his family was falling further and further into financial straits as time passed.

The land lord was, unsurprisingly, raising their rent on a whim due to their Honorary Britannian status. Usually for the smallest things. Joining a terrorist group to fight such injustices was tempting, but he couldn't. His family needed him. He wouldn't abandon them like that.

Her offer of a promotion to Warrant Officer, a pay raise, and even talking to the land lord was too good to be true. If it were anyone other than Princess Cornelia he wouldn't believe it. It was her though. He, and most others, were aware that she didn't care much about a soldier's nationality. All she asked was that the soldier was good at their job and loyal. She just preferred her own soldiers because she knew where their loyalty lied.

Which is what led Kotaro to where he was now. Sitting in on his first meeting as a member of the Yamato Alliance. His task had been simple. Join the Yamato Alliance and report all valuable information. Afterwards they would send in a strike team to kill the terrorists. Of course, as simple as it sounded, it wasn't without its problems. It had taken him nearly two days to find them.

It seems most of the people living in the ghetto really didn't know anything about the terrorists among them. A fact that only cemented his choice in his mind. Thankfully they didn't even question his intentions. They were quite desperate for new members. Probably have a big turnover rate due to their activities being more harmful towards freeing Japan than anything.

Apparently this group didn't really do much other than graffiti walls and the occasional bombing that did nothing but kill innocent people. Frankly if he ever joined a terrorist group for real this is the last group he would choose. Though considering these people will be dead soon that doesn't matter.

Something interesting did come up in the meeting to his surprise however. It was brief, but the viceroy would certainly find it need-to-know information. Zero was now recruiting. Something the Saitama Resistance only found out when two of their best members disappeared without a trace. The only thing left behind was a note.

Not that Kotaro blamed them for not saying it to their faces. The anger displayed by this group towards their now ex-members could have easily turned deadly for them. It was probably for the best that they had left the ghetto entirely. Though where to had been left unspecified. He sighed internally as the meeting ended and muttered, "I don't think I'll regret this as much as I thought I might at first."

Nunnally and Kallen sat in an awkward silence that settled after Lelouch left the room. Kallen hadn't really talked to the crippled girl much at Ashford and knowing she was actually a princess didn't help much. She recognized what Lelouch had done when he left, but how do you start this kind of conversation? Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, it was taken out of her hands.

"You don't need to be so nervous." Nunnally turned her head towards her and smiled, "I don't bite Kallen."

The fiery red-head stiffly nodded before remembering the girl couldn't see. "Okay." She fell silent again as her stomach began doing somersaults. Kallen had intended to lead into it better, but apparently her mouth had a better idea. "I'm half-Japanese."

It all clicked for Nunnally when her friend said that. Why she was the first one to visit in person and not Milly. Her spirits dropped as even her newest visitor is related to Zero. Is it so wrong to want to not be reminded of Lelouch's alter ego? "So you," she trailed off searching for the appropriate word to use. "Work for my brother then."

Kallen could tell Nunnally didn't like talking about Zero and hoped that didn't stop them from getting along. Plus this would be a good chance to learn more about Lelouch. She resolved to not stay on the subject if Nunnally doesn't want to. "I do, but we don't have to talk about that." Gently squeezing the young princess's hand, "Let's just forget about Zero for now and focus on other things."

Nunnally felt Kallen's honesty and genuine desire to help anyway she could. It was oddly refreshing from someone who hadn't known her for years. Even recognizing that she knew that it would be hard to get back onto the subject if she let it drop. As much as she wanted to. So she asked the only thing she could, "Why do you fight?"

The girl's question made Kallen pause in surprise. Coming from Nunnally of all people this question was as loaded as they come. The little interaction she had had with the wheelchair-bound teenager did nothing to hide her gentle soul. Most answers Nunnally simply wouldn't be able to agree with and Kallen knew it. It made her consider her words carefully.

Kallen fell silent before slipping her hand from the princess's grip as she was tired of kneeling. "Before I answer would you mind if we moved to the couch?" At Nunnally's nod she chose to outright carry the girl so she could sit beside her.

Nunnally was shocked to feel herself leave the wheelchair. It wasn't unpleasant and it did give her a chance to get a better mental image of her new friend. She really did need to ask what she looked like. Though she couldn't help but feel slightly jealous at the size of Kallen's chest. She smiled as she felt the soft cushions of the couch under her and the dip beside her was a telling sign to where her friend was.

Taking Nunnally's hand once more Kallen decided to not lie. "As you might imagine I grew up in Japan. My mother, father, brother, and I were happy. Things weren't perfect and the Stadtfeld family never approved of the marriage, but we were happy." She closed her eyes and let herself remember her childhood. Something she generally tried to not focus on as it only made her sad to know such days were over.

Nunnally smiled softly as she could feel the sense of peace and happiness. Though it was tinged with anger and grief. She could tell just how much Japan means to Kallen. "I was already blind when we came to Japan, but my brother would tell me it was beautiful. We were even here long enough to go to a festival." She frowned slightly as she tried to remember the name of it. "I think it was one for Tanabata?"

An honest smile spread across Kallen's face. Surprised that Nunnally even remembered the name. "Tanabata was always fun. I miss all of those festivals we had back then." She sighed, "Truthfully I know that even if we succeed in our efforts to kick Britannia out things will never be the same as they were."

"But you have to try."

Kallen nodded and gently squeezed the frail girl's hand in return. "My brother started the group in Shinjuku, but he's gone now. He died a few months ago gathering information. Lelouch actually reminds me of him. I fight for the Japanese. I fight for the ability to one day be able to go to another Tanabata festival." Her burning passion flared within her, "Most importantly I fight for the memory of Naoto. His loss will not be for nothing and I will survive to see that our dreams are realized!"

Nunnally was quiet as she wondered if she would pick up where Lelouch left off if he died. Even if it wasn't his mantle as Zero if she would still fight in his place. Feeling Kallen's burning passion she realized that, even being as useless as she was, she would. For her brother and all he is trying to accomplish she would go again her nature. There was no option for peace as most nobility would never go for it and the Britannian people in general are brainwashed racists. It was a fact she knew quite well.

She just wanted a more gentle, kind world. She wanted to be able to be with her sisters again without fear of being used by her father and the imperial court. She wanted Lelouch to feel like he didn't need to do so much for her. Most of all Nunnally wished she could be less of a burden. Because she knew, no matter what others might say, that she would always hold Lelouch back from being the best he could be.

"What are your dreams?"

"That . . . That I could show people my Japan and my culture. To be able to take the student council to the kind of festival I grew up with." It was strange to admit, but they had grown on her. They were eccentric and down right weird, but they were also fun. Only Nina showed bias against the Japanese and for her it was more of a fear of anyone not of Britannian descent. Even then they were all legitimately decent people. "I just want the ability to stand up and scream to the heavens that I am Japanese and proud of it."

Nunnally tilted her head and smiled brightly, "Those are wonderful dreams."

With a click a picture of the honorary Britannian Kotaro Asada came up on the projector. Cornelia pointed at it, "This is my double agent within the Yamato Alliance. He is a soldier I sent in to find their exact whereabouts. Later today at 1300 hours there is to be a meeting at their hideout with every member in attendance. Shortly before the meeting starts Kotaro will slip into the bathroom, lock it, and then initiate contact with me. At which point all of your will move in from your assigned points."

A new slide of a floor plan replaced the picture. "With the help of a video he secretly recorded we mapped out the building." She pointed to a small room, "This is the bathroom. I expect Private Asada to not be harmed." Cornelia knew she needed to make that very clear to ensure they were aware it was apart of the mission. She moved to point to what is easily the largest room.

"This is where they are to meet. Apparently the leader will be there as well. Our agent has described the other members well, but for oddly their leader has yet to show up in the week since the Private joined them." The princess gazed at the faces of the soldiers in front of her while gauging their thoughts on the matter. She was aware that none of them approved of her chosen method for taking down the Yamato Alliance. They thought it would have been better to just squash the entire ghetto. A month ago she would have agreed too, but that was then and this is now.

There was more to it than Clovis's actions driving her to approach things differently. It wasn't even just the fact that Lelouch and Nunnally are alive. While Cornelia had only scratched the surface she could tell that Area 11's government was corrupt to the core. Its nobles even worse. The reason the resistance was so strong here even after seven years was obvious. Even so that problem would have to wait. The safety of her siblings was her first priority and so long as this Area was rampant with terrorism that safety was thrown into question.

"That is our mission. Our targets should be caught off guard. It should be a simple get in, get out with the goal of no civilian causalities. Do you understand?"

The men in front of her saluted respectfully, "Yes, Your Highness!"

A few hours later each soldier were in position and just waiting on Kotaro to contact Cornelia. They chose to use a pager so there was no way he might be heard speaking on a walkie-talkie or cellphone. She won't be going in with them, but she will be heading in after the mission was complete. Perhaps one of them will be lucky enough to survive and face torture to extract any new information on other terrorist groups.

Her pager buzzed and she looked at the message. The princess smirked and quickly let the team know it was time to move in. Unsurprisingly it took less than ten minutes for Cornelia to get confirmation that all targets were down. "Understood. I'm on my way." Thankfully Saitama wasn't very far away.

She stepped into the building and saw soon-to-be Warrant Officer Asada standing off to the side. Nodding to him she looked over the carnage. Seemed none of them survived after all. How fortunate for them. "Which one is the leader?"

This question was pointed at Kotaro, but oddly it was one of the others who answered, "He's over there. Still alive, but won't be for long." He noticed her looking at him questioningly, "It was obvious the leader has to be the Britannian in the group."

With a sense of foreboding she couldn't explain she approached the man they pointed out. As she turned him onto his back she froze. Refusing to see what was in front of her. The man smiled at her, "You didn't go about this the way I thought you would. I'm sorry Nelly."

Cornelia fell to her knees, "L-Lelouch. Why are you-" The voices of the soldiers surrounded her, but she couldn't hear them. Her little brother was dying in front of her damn it!

"I think you know."

No. Why him and why now? She only just got him back. "I will not let you go. We can save you."

He shook his head, "Will you watch over Nunnally for me?"

He stopped breathing before she could answer. Tears blurred her vision, but she forced herself to not cry in front of her men. It was only after she wiped them away that she noticed something was off. Her breath hitched as now the body in front of her belonged to Euphie. A wound to her chest as her eyes stared blankly onward. "What's going on?!" Cornelia frantically looked around and began to hyperventilate.

She was in the same building, but all of the soldiers were gone. Surrounding her were the bodies of people she knew. Her heart felt like it was about to shatter. Beside her was Guilford, but there were others. Over there was Schneizel and against a wall laid Clovis. She even found Nunnally beside an overturned wheelchair. Spread out throughout the room the student council could be seen as well. The only person suspiciously missing was Lelouch.

Cornelia heard a clack of boots in the doorway in front of her and she turned to look. To her shock she found her missing brother. Very much alive, but in the Zero costume. A gun pointing at her and his mask under his arm. "I-I don't understand."

"They got in my way. My end goal is to take my revenge on the emperor, but I was being held back. I will miss Nunnally, but she was blind and unable to walk. What kind of life could she have led with such disabilities?"

Her shock was slowly becoming horror the more he talked. "Did . . . Did you do all this?"

"Like I said. They wouldn't get out of my way." Lelouch paused for a moment and looked at her with what could only be described as a slasher smile. "Speaking of which. You're in my way too aren't you?"

One moment he was raising his gun and the next Cornelia was sitting up in her bed. Skin slick with sweat as she breathed heavily. Trying to not cry, but failing as she attempted convince herself it was just a nightmare. That it had no hold over reality. Lelouch would never be Zero. Would never kill Clovis.

Beside her the bed shifted and her knight rubbed his eyes wearily. "Cornelia?" He only ever called her by name in the bedroom. It was the one place both of them agreed that conventions didn't apply. He took her in and sat up on an elbow, "What's wrong?"

"It was just a nightmare. It was nothing." She tried to take a deep calming breath that barely helped.

He shook his head, "A normal nightmare would not affect you like this. You and I both know that you have those regularly." He gently placed a hand on her bare arm, "Tell me."

Cornelia sighed, but smiled at him. She leaned towards him and pressed her nude body against his, "Later." She kissed him softly, "I promise to tell you later, but . . . help me forget. At least for now." The image of Lelouch being Zero and killing everyone he knew made her shudder. "Please. Make me forget in the way that only you are allowed to."

Guilford's eyes softened, but had a teasing smile, "Again?"

"Again."

"This is the first time that I've been outside of the settlement." Shirley admitted as she gazed out the window in wonder. "If my family goes on vacation we don't stay here in Area 11." Seeing it now made her regret that to an extent. The countryside here was beautiful.

"Oh if only my darling Lulu was here! That's what you are thinking right?" Shirley huffed at the blonde's teasing.

Nina shivered as a list of a million and one things that could go wrong went through her head. Most of them involving the Elevens. Crashing the train, raiding the train, or even blowing up the hotel. The circumstances just got darker and darker. She nearly jumped out of her skin when a pair of arms surrounded her.

"Relax. Everything will be fine," Milly smiled at her. "Nothing will happen." Her smile twisted with a familiar perverseness, "Since all the boys were too boring to come along we can have girl time. We'll talk about who we like!"

Shirley shook her head, "If we did that then you would have quite the list wouldn't you?" Milly was a dear friend, but sometimes she needed a taste of her own medicine.

"Who's to say." The blonde grinned and winked.

Bell-like giggling interrupted her, "Don't listen to Milly." Nunnally had a knowing smile spread across her face. "There is only one boy she loves." Though she couldn't see it Milly's grin turned into a pout, "The long list is how many boy's she finds cute, but isn't interested in."

"Nunnally!" She whined with her arms crossed, "You take after Lelouch too much."

She only smiled wider, "Lelouch would say the same in regards to how much you've influenced me."

Nina couldn't help but slightly cheer up as she watched their back and forth teasing. The banter made her giggle despite herself. "You make it sound like they are your parents."

The frail princess tilted her head contemplatively, "I suppose in a way . . . they are."

Shirley's mouth fell open in shock. "N-Nunnally!? Think about what you are saying. What you are-" She immediately went silent while her face burned bright red. The implications. Lulu and Milly would never be interested in each other like that. Right?

She only felt confused and didn't understand where the orangette was going with that sentence. "They are though! Both of them have taken care of me for so long. Never shying away from telling me how much they love me. Not to mention they are very close to each other and that there are no secrets between them."

Milly stared wide-eyed at Nunnally as she blushed furiously. Hoping that she would stop talking about it. Maybe Lelouch was right when he said that his sister took after her too much. Maybe.

"So in a way they are my parents. Just not."

That's it. Time for drastic measures. Milly slowly moved to reposition herself behind Shirley while she wasn't paying attention. "This should get us off topic," she hoped so anyway. The blonde slipped her arms around the orangette and placed her hands on her friends chest. With an air of glee she groped Shirley.

"Madame Pres!" Shirley shrieked and flailed, "Get off of me!"

"What's going on?" Nunnally, blind as she was, couldn't be certain. Though she was pretty sure Milly was touching Shirley again. Too bad. She had been trying to get Milly to admit her feelings for Lelouch.

Cackling at Shirley's reaction she felt better. Crisis was successfully adverted. Though that didn't mean she had to stop. She unapologetically squeezed again despite being in public. "It's not my fault you are filling out so nicely."

"Stop acting like such a dirty old man!"

Nina slid into a chair with a sigh of relief after changing back into her clothes. Things weren't so bad here despite it being outside of the settlement. They even went swimming in the pool here. Though Milly didn't do much as she stayed in the shallow end with Nunnally. Neither seemed to mind surprisingly. She could kind of see what Nunnally meant on the train now that she actually paid attention to how they interacted.

It looked very much like the bond between sisters, but something about it felt deeper than that. Their relationship was hard to describe much like the one between Lelouch and Nunnally. It was interesting. Nina decided that going on this trip was a good idea after all.

"Stop staring at me!" Shirley yelled in a fruitless attempt to make Milly to stop being perverted as she got dressed. "Geez."

"You can stare right back at me if you like." Milly slowly pulled up the hem of her shirt. Taken aback the orangette huffed before ignoring her and finished getting her clothes on. "You're no fun."

Nina smiled even though she was blushing lightly at just how much she had seen of them today. "Milly isn't wrong about-" Her thoughts were interrupted by pounding on the door. Before any of them could move open it the door burst open despite being locked. She cowered as she immediately recognized the intruders being Elevens with guns.

"Alright ladies. This hotel is now under new management. Come quietly and don't do anything stupid."

Milly immediately took control of the situation. She nodded, "Shirley help Nina. I'll get Nunnally." As Shirley coaxed their shy, and deliriously xenophobic, friend into getting up she gently took Nunnally into her arms. "Everything will be fine," she murmured into the girl's ear. "Lelouch won't let us die. Especially not you."

"Why are you carrying that girl?" One of the men asked harshly with a glare.

Not giving an inch Milly glared back, "She's blind and unable to walk. It is either this or the wheelchair." She nudged her head in the direction of Nunnally chair to show them she wasn't lying. "Frankly I would both she and I will feel better this way." The men scoffed, but let them do what they wanted.

"This was a terrible idea!" Nina screamed within her mind, "I should have never come on this trip!"

As royalty, though her identity was concealed, Euphemia was taught how to handle these kinds of situations and that was to not show fear. She knew her sister would try to her hardest to save her, but that comfort didn't matter. She would not give these terrorists the satisfaction of knowing how scared she was. This kind of situation and her status demand that she not bend further than she had to.

It was by, what could possibly only be sheer dumb luck, that she ended up being one of the last people in the hotel to be found. It was for this reason alone that she caught sight of someone that both filled her heart with joy and fear. Joy because her beloved half-sister was in front of her. Fear because she really didn't like that both she and the girls from the student council were in this situation.

Euphemia knew that her life was one thing, but her sister and half-brother couldn't lose both of them. Especially not in the same terrorist attack. Of course this didn't stop her from being a little selfish. Carefully she managed to steer towards to her sister so she could finally be with her in person. The downside to this being that her bodyguard would learn of the vi Britannia siblings survival.

Of course Cornelia would just make the woman swear to secrecy or, should she prove a liability, have her taken care of. Euphemia really hoped the woman wouldn't though because she liked her. She sat down next to her recently made friends and ignored the look her bodyguard sent her. She had been wanting her to sit within the crowd so as to avoid attention.

Quietly she spoke, "Are you all doing okay?"

Both Milly and Nunnally, having known her so long, froze as they recognized her voice. Shirley looked at the princess in disguise and, while not realizing who it was, seemed to see it was someone near their age. "Well enough." She smiled awkwardly, "You?"

"Dealing with it as best as I can."

Milly almost chortled at her wording, but muffled it from putting much attention on them. "I'd be surprised if you weren't. You have been taught how to act in a crisis Euphie." It was almost too funny to see Nina, Shirley, and Euphemia's bodyguard barely stop from giving themselves whiplash in surprise. Her friends snapping their heads towards the pinkette while the guard looking at Milly warily.

"I knew you would recognize me. Please continue calling me Euphie. Especially under the circumstances." She paused awkwardly as her gaze centered on Nunnally who was sitting in the blonde's lap. Unsure how to ask what she desperately wanted to.

"Would you like to hold her?"

Euphemia blushed at having been caught red-handed and embarrassed that her thoughts were so easily deciphered. She nodded albeit more eagerly than she intended. The princess could hear the rapid beating of her own heart as her little sister was placed in her arms. She hugged Nunnally with tears in her eyes.

"I love you too." Nunnally's small arms reached around her sister and enjoyed this embrace with everything she was.

Lelouch glared balefully at the TV as the news report about Lake Kawaguchi played. His anger burned as the JLF threatened to take away the lives of those he cares about most. This was inexcusable. The only bright side was that there could only be one reason that Cornelia had yet to demolish the hotel and call the hostages martyrs. The footage playing proved his assumption as, even though she was in disguise, the pink hair poking out from under that hat was a dead giveaway. Of course the way she held Nunnally, who was thankfully hiding her face from the camera, didn't hurt.

He glanced away from the screen as Kallen walked in. Looking distressed, "What are we going to do?"

"I'm going to kill Lieutenant Kusakabe that's what."

Kallen's eyes widened and tried to feel some kind of sadness about it, but couldn't. This man was threatening the lives of not only their friends, but also numerous other innocent Britannians. She wouldn't deny she didn't care for most of them, but the people who would be at the hotel likely aren't to be from the military. These were not the people to target.

She could see his rage even though he was wearing the Zero mask. For the first time Lelouch actually kind of scared her. His emotions were palpable and it made her shudder slightly. Almost pitying the JLF. Almost. "Then I believe you have subordinates to inspire."

He nodded, "Of course, but let me make a call first." Lelouch locked the door before taking off his mask and pulled out his cell phone. He went into his contacts and pushed the call button. Lifting the phone to his ear as he listened to it ring.

"Who is this!?" A hard voice answered after several moments, "This is a private number."

"Cornelia." His own tone as harsh as hers, "It's your favorite little brother." If he had been in a better mood he might have laughed at the look on Kallen's face. She couldn't have possibly been expecting him to have a direct line to the viceroy.

The breath on the other end hitched as he heard things being shuffled around. Then a few excuses given so she could get to privacy, "I know what you are calling for Lelouch. I'm going to try my hardest to save Euphie and your friends."

"You best try your damnedest! Nunnally is in there too!" He didn't even have to fake the overwhelming anger as his sister grew quiet on the other end.

"She is?" She no longer sounded so steady. Hearing that it was possible she might lose her half-sister again after all this time took her off guard. "Lelouch . . . I promise that I WILL save her. I don't know how yet, but all of them will be live through this. Somehow."

"I know. I will not allow there to be any other outcome."

Another pause, "What do you-"

He hung up on her and put his phone on silent. Putting his mask back on he turned to Kallen, "Let's go."

Cornelia slammed her phone onto the table in front of her in frustration after Lelouch refused to pick back up. She had redialed the number he just used three times, but he never answered. She needed to know what he meant, but clearly wasn't going to get her answer right now. Growling she slipped her cell back into her pocket and she went to Guilford.

She still didn't know what to do, but something had to be figured out. The only possible way in aside from the front door had proven to be protected. The Elevens had somehow managed to turn a knightmare into damned giant railgun. It decimated the pilots she sent down there not long ago. Perhaps Kururugi in his Lancelot could do it. An option for her to consider.

As the princess considered what to do the loudspeakers activated and Kusakabe spoke. "You have not responded to our demands." Cornelia looked up in time to see footage of a man being pushed off the roof. She gritted her teeth in anger, "For every hour that passes without our demands being met we will throw one hostage off the roof. Think hard, but try to not take too long."

"You damned terrorist!"

It hadn't been as hard as Lelouch thought it might have been to convince his subordinates to help the hostages. All his talk of being knights for justice over the past week must have gotten under their skin. An ideal he both did and didn't actually believe in. Though it will make things a lot easier as he plays to that image.

Tonight his Black Knights would make their debut even though his main reason for stopping the JLF was entirely selfish. Not that he would have stood for this should he not have friends and family inside. Of course had that been the case it is unlikely he could have reached the hotel in time to save the people inside. The Lieutenant was a fool if he didn't realize there was someone special in the hostages. Cornelia has deal with similar attempts before and has simply sacrificed the civilians in the name of not negotiating with terrorists. This might make her a hypocrite since Euphie was involved, but her hypocrisy was something he would graciously exploit.

Which is why he was completely confident in his plan working. Which was good as he could see three Gloucester frames waiting for him as he got near the hotel while riding on top of this news van. As he expected Cornelia stood up from the cockpit of the one in the middle.

"Zero! Are you affiliated with the JLF or perhaps are you here to help us?" The witch of Britannia pointed her gun at him and smirked, "No matter. I will take revenge for Clovis here and now."

Lelouch scoffed while his confidence never wavered, "Oh? Who is more important then Cornelia? Clovis who is dead or Euphemia who is alive?" He smirked as her stance shifted slightly after his words.

"I have no idea what you are talking about!"

"I can save her!"

The purple-haired princess's arm trembled, "W-what?"

"I said," he made a dramatic flourish with his hand and stretched his arm towards her. "I can save her!

She was staring at this masked man and something illogical in her said to trust him. For some reason she honestly wanted to believe Zero, her enemy, would do as he promised. She was out of options. Maybe he could at least distract the JLF long enough for her to make a move. To do something. Against her better judgement she got back into the cockpit of her knightmare and moved it aside, "Very well."

Lelouch felt triumphant as his understanding of Cornelia didn't fail him. "All tasks at hand have been cleared," he thought to himself as the news can rode across the bridge.

Nina quivered as another one of the JLF members strode past and in her fear made a terrible mistake, "Eleven . . ."

He paused and shifted a glare to her, "What did you say? We're Japanese! Don't call us that!" She didn't answer and started to cry and mumbled that number again, "You bitch!"

Milly balked at just what Nina was saying. This was not the time to fall apart like this and you most certainly don't antagonize your captors! Especially with such a racially charged word. She brought the shy girl into her arms, "She's just terrified. Let me calm her down."

"Correct her then!"

Shirley bristled, "Fine. We will!"

"How dare you speak to me like that!" The Japanese man grabbed Nina's arm and she tried to pull away frantically. Screaming for him to let her go. "The three of you are coming with me."

Nunnally could sense the tension and anger and sat up to speak to stop this. She turned her head in the relative direction she could hear him from, "Sir! Please forgive my friends." She only hoped her plea worked. After this they needed to work with Nina on her xenophobia.

"Are you . . ."

"Blind and crippled? Yes." If she had to exploit the pity everyone always felt whenever they noticed her disabilities for the first time then she would. For the sake of her friends. "I don't know what I would do if I lost them. Please." As much as she hated that same pity this was the only option left to her. She couldn't see it, but he slowly let go of Nina.

The man huffed, "This is the only warning you get. Another outburst like that and she'll be the next one we throw off the building." His tone made it clear that he wasn't joking, "Do I make myself clear?"

Before they could respond there was a commotion on the other side of the room, "Wait! No! I have a wife and daughter!"

The cruel man in front of them laughed, "After him that is. Those Britannians just aren't cooperating."

Euphemia had had enough. She placed Nunnally to the side and stood up despite her bodyguard's efforts to stop her. "Let him go," she steeled herself for what was to come. "I order you take me to your leader!"

"Who are you to tell us to do something?"

The pinkette pulled off her hat and glasses, "I am Euphemia li Britannia. Third princess to the Holy Britannian Empire." Standing tall, "I ask again that you leave him alone and take me to your leader instead."

"Tell me. What exactly do you intend to accomplish with your actions tonight." Lelouch had an idea what it could be, but needed to make sure. It is possible he is wrong about Kusakabe's motives after all. Of course even if he was wrong that wouldn't change his fate.

The lieutenant's lips pressed into a thin line after having being ignored. Zero clearly had no intention of joining them nor did he respect him. Even so he would answer his question, "For the attention. I want to remind Britannia and the rest of the world that the Japanese aren't dead yet."

"As I thought . . . How stale. You all are obsolete." This man had put Nunnally, Euphie, and the others in danger for something so trivial? Kusakabe wasn't very hard to understand as this showed.

He pointed a hard, angry glare at the mask before him and held up a hand to stop the men behind him from doing something rash. "If you aren't going to help us then why are you here?"

"To kill you lieutenant." His eyepiece slide away and exposed amethyst that turned red. He spoke his orders even as the men began to react, "I command that you obey my orders until I state otherwise!"

"Yes your highness!"

A malicious smirk spread unseen across Lelouch's face, but knew he couldn't take too long here. Cornelia was certain to be up to something. "Sit back down Josui and you two in the back. Come up here and keep your guns pointed on your former boss. Make sure he stays sitting down. Don't shoot unless I say to."

"Good, good." He sat down on spare couch and stared at the man in front of him coldly. His orders were being followed wonderfully. "You can stop obeying me now Josui."

Lieutenant Josui Kusakabe was confused as he realized he was for some reason sitting down again. He tried to stand back up only to have two guns jab him. "Get back down!"

His eyes widen to see his own men threatening him, "What are you doing?! I'm your leader!" A chill swept through him as he heard Zero laugh and he turned his head back toward the masked man. One of his men whacked him on the head and repeated the earlier order. Seeing no other choice he complied. "What did you do to them?"

Lelouch didn't answer as he pulled out a pistol and, without saying a word, slowly added a silencer to it. This man was a soldier, but that didn't mean he couldn't be intimidated. Which was the entire point to this action. "Nothing. I'm just very . . . persuasive."

"Bullshit!"

He smirked, "Perhaps." Without warning his arm flashed up and he pistol-whipped the lieutenant across the head. As Kusakabe looked back at him he noticed, for the first time, there being fear in his eyes. It seems he has finally realized the dire straits he was in. Lovely.

Afraid, but not willing to go down without a fight he stood his ground. "Why are you doing this?"

"You are endangering the lives of innocent people, but it's more than that. Five of those lives are people who are important to me. Friends and family." Lelouch's tone darkened, "You made a fatal mistake in doing so."

He froze as he realized something terrible. Disastrous. "You're a Britannian! How-" The man as interrupted by an explosion of pain that came from his right knee. Which was bleeding profusely as Zero just shot him there. Kusakabe gasped in pain and fruitlessly tried to stem the bleeding. "Damn you!"

"What's funny is you don't know the real advantage you have. At least you couldn't because if you did you would be using it." Lelouch grip on the gun tightened, "Surely you thought it was odd that Cornelia of all people had to yet to make a move." He scoffed at the blank look on Josui's face, "You didn't did you? As much an idiot as you are a fool."

Kusakabe's face twisted with anger at such a comment. Advantage? Of course he had an advantage. The hostages! He yelped as his other kneecap was shattered with another bullet. "What are you talking about?"

There was a knock on the door only moments later, "Commander? We have a hostage with us claiming to be Euphemia li Britannia."

Zero's words echoed in his mind and he realized that this masked man had known all along who he had. He smirked, "So that's what you were talking abo-" He was interrupted as was his life with a bullet to the head.

Lelouch sighed, "It seems my time with you was cut short. I had intended to do more, but . . . it is what it is." He took the silencer off his gun and pocketed the accessory before ordering the other two men to kill themselves. Taking aim as he knew the gunfire would make those outside panic. He shot the first man who opened the door in the shoulder. "Kusakabe and his men committed suicide when they realized how meaningless this operation was."

Despite himself he smiled genuinely seeing Euphie in front of him in person.

It was actually kind of pathetic how easy it was to take these members of the JLF down. They were resting on their laurels and didn't keep close watch on the doors. It was simple for Kallen to leap into the room and shoot all three of the gun-toting men before they knew what was happening. She stood up and made checked each one to check if they were actually dead. She didn't need any surprises while evacuating the hostages.

As her friends streamed into the room she went to complete the other part of her mission. Kallen walked towards her school friends as Ohgi began to explain what was happening. "All of you can relax now. We are here to bring you to safety."

Kneeling in front of Milly, who had Nunnally in her arms again, she carefully deepened her voice. "You must be Ms. Lamperouge. Your brother paid us well to ensure the safety of you and your friends. All of you will be fine now, but he wants Nunnally brought right to him." She offered them a kind smile and held out her arms so she could carry the girl.

Nunnally tilted her had and reached out to grab her hand. Something Kallen allowed because she now understood the odd ability the blind girl had and knew it would let her recognize her. Several moments pass before she nodded. "I trust you. You are telling the truth."

Milly looked at the disguised Kallen warily, but trusted Nunnally's judgement. She hugged her, "Be safe. Tell Lelouch to come by soon and that I'm sorry that I put you in danger."

The frail princess only smiled and kissed her cheek, "He would never blame you for this." She then let go of her and let Kallen pick her up.

"We'll be descending to the bottom most levels where all of you will be getting into life boats. With the exception of Nunnally of course."

Shirley finally spoke up, "Is Lulu the only reason why you saved all of us?"

Shaking her head, though not too hard to make sure her hat stayed in place, Kallen answered. "Of course not. We were going to try to stop the JLF no matter what. We were lucky that Princess Euphemia was here. Otherwise it is likely it would have been impossible to reach Kawaguchi in time."

"W-who is 'we'?" Nina stuttered and surprised everyone that she even spoke.

Kallen only smiled mysteriously and didn't specify.

"I hear you are the sub-viceroy now Princess Euphemia li Britannia." He remarked as they stood face to face. "You must have let your presence be known to protect the hostages. I'm not surprised."

She blinked at his odd comment, but assumed it was because her gentle nature wasn't hidden from the public. "I am, and I did, but it's not an appointment that I'm happy with."

"Yes. After all it is because I killed your brother." Lelouch tried to remove his love for her out of the situation, but found it hard. He didn't like the idea of being cruel by taunting her about Clovis. "He died begging for mercy with the same tongue that order the deaths of innocent Elevens."

Her shoulders fell and she smiled sadly, "I know what he did and if there was anyway I could make up for it . . ."

He couldn't do it. He needed to, but couldn't. His mask of rudeness and cruelty fell away, "Clovis was a wonderful painter. A much better artist than he was a politician." Lelouch paused as he contemplated his next words. He would have to be careful to ensure he didn't say something telling. "You should know that I didn't take pleasure in killing him. A mutual understanding existed when he was just fighting the terrorists. I hadn't had any intention of getting involved until he ordered the massacre of everyone in the ghetto."

"So you confirm that is the reason why you killed him."

The masked prince nodded, "That and at the time I didn't have this mask. He saw my face so I had no choice. I have family and friends I need to protect after all."

Her eyes widened at what he admitted. She recalled hearing that the security footage from the mobile base that day had been found to be erased. It seems that Zero himself must have been the one to do so before he fled. She inadvertently glanced at Kusakabe's body and looked away quickly. Though she noticed something odd at the same time, "Did he really kill himself?"

"No. That too was my doing."

"No! My friends!" Horror set in as Suzaku watched the hotel explode shortly after seeing Zero in a window. The Lancelot jumped towards the collapsing building, but he soon only found himself surrounded by rubble. Milly, Nina, Shirley, Euphemia, and even Nunnally. He had failed them.

His breath caught in his throat as the hostages began floating out on life boats. His friends were safe. His attention was drawn to the yacht behind them though he couldn't see who was on board he could guess. "My dear Britannians. All of the hostages from the hotel are safe and sound. I, Zero, return them to you unharmed."

Lights lit up the deck of the yacht showing Zero to not be alone. Around him were others in what was clearly a uniform, "People! Fear us or rally behind us as you see fit. For we are the Black Knights!"

Suzaku could hear Lloyd chuckle in his headset, "Ironic isn't it? The terrorists referring to themselves as knights?"

"We of the Black Knights stand with all those who have no weapons to wield. Regardless if they are Elevens or Britannians." The masked man's voice began to echo with strong passion, "The Japan Liberation Front cowardly took innocent Britannians hostage and mercilessly executed them! It was a wanton and meaningless and and therefore they have been punished."

Suzaku narrowed his eyes, "You think you have that right Zero?"

"Just as Viceroy Clovis was punished for ordering the deaths of countless unarmed Elevens. We could not just stand by and allow such cruelty to be carried out. So he paid for his actions. I will not repudiate battle on a fair and level battlefield, but neither will I tolerate a one-sided massacre of the weak by the strong."

"The only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to BE killed! Wherever oppressors abuse their power by attacking those who are powerless we shall appear again. No matter how mighty! Or how formidable our foe may be! Those of us with power!" Zero swept his left outwards, "Fear us!" He did the same movement with the other arm, "Those of you without it rally behind us!"

"We, the Black Knights, shall be the ones to stand in judgement of this world!"

Author's Note 2: I apologize for the length. It couldn't be helped. This is not something I intend to become common. Even so I do hope you enjoyed the chapter. Also I thank Rhivan for the idea for the nightmare. I put my own spin on it, but he was the one who suggested it. I hope it tricked some of you at first.

This is the first time this story has been updated twice in a month. That's amazing. Haha. It is also true that I didn't change the speech at all. There was really no need to. This had numerous other changes made as it is.