NOTICE: The scene between Kallen's mother and herself is altered.
"The people should not be afraid of its government. Rather, the government should be afraid of its people." V
"Curse you're fate as I do mine." Zasalamel
"Refrain?" Kallen asked.
Kallen went out the park earlier that day. She felt way too confined in her room at Ashford. The park was huge and vast. It wasn't just a park; it served as a small market place. It held three basement levels below the park that we're reached by stairs. The second and third level held shops, and the second level had a couple bridges that allowed people to view the third basement level. Kallen was on the third level watching the people shop.
"It's a narcotic." Ohgi said. "According to Cerveau's research of the drug, it makes one feel as if they had ventured into the past."
"That sounds it would sell well; especially for the Japanese." Kallen said.
"Even everyone gets nostalgic about Japan before Britannia conquered it." Ohgi said over the phone. "The drug's specifically is targeting the Japanese. We can't leave it alone. We'll start once they illegally obtain their supplies."
"Our resources have increased; and they are many who want to be our comrades." Kallen said. "The Order of the Black Knights is pretty popular."
"That's because we're allies of justice." Ohgi said. "I'll call you once our ammo arrives."
Kallen turned off the phone. She put the phone in her pocket and continued to walk through the third level from that area. As she walked she heard of what seemed like sounds of fighting around the area. She ran through the bottom level to see several older Britannian boys attacking a young Eleven boy who was managing a hotdog stand.
"Yo!" One of them said. "Get and up and say something Eleven."
"Apologize Eleven!" Another one said.
"C'mon!" His friend to his left said. "Aren't you Elevens good at lowering your heads!?"
Kallen looked around the area and noticed that no one was really even looking at the fight. They all knew the fight was going on, but no was even raising an eyebrow. As if this procedure was normal in life.
"Eleven…" Kallen said to herself.
Kallen walked over as if she wanted to do something. She had the training and skill. She could have easily defeated all the young men there. Before she could get close to the young men, she felt a touch on her shoulder.
Kallen turned around to see Lelouch with his arm on her shoulder.
"Lelouch!?" She exclaimed.
"There are five of them." He said. "You can't win."
"Then should I leave him!?" She asked with fury.
"Take a good look at that Eleven over there." Lelouch said.
Kallen turned around to see the young Eleven boy. He was wearing overalls with a hotdog symbol on it. He was the running the hotdog stand.
"If you help him, then he won't be able to do business." Lelouch said. "He has chosen to become a Britannian slave. That's what it means to work in the settlement."
"Even so…"
"Enough of this." A voice was heard.
Kallen turned around to see a young man approaching the five teens. She didn't recognize the young man at all. He wore a blue shirt, blue jeans, and spiky brown hair. Skin was white, and his eyes we're green. Unknown to Kallen, it was actually Mega Man X. And he had no clue that a member of the Order of the Black Knights was in front of his face.
"Stop this nonsense now." X said.
"Hey!" One of them shouted.
"Don't you think Elevens are pitful?" One said.
"Don't tell me you want to be friends with them?" Another asked.
"I'm going to ask you people to leave." X said.
"Yeah?" One said. "And what are you going to do about it?"
"You don't want to do this." X said.
One of the Britannian youth looked and his friends and sneered for a bit before walking right next to X. He suddenly out of nowhere delivered a clean left hook to X.
But X wasn't fooled. He ducked under the fist. Grabbing the young man's arm, X forced the man off the ground with his strength alone and threw him over his shoulder. The man landed on the ground with a thud. X turned around looking at the four shocked youth. Even Lelouch was shocked at the quick response delivered by X...but he knew something was wrong as the counter was almost inhuman.
That was too fast to be human.
One of the young men then attacked X with his fist. X moved his head to the right to avoid the fist, using his own hand to sway the opponent off to the side. With a swift move, he delivered a kick to knock the man down. Another tried kicking X, but X grabbed the man's leg with his left arm and held him still before delivering a punch to his face with right. X ducked to avoid an attack from the one he first defeated and sweep kicked him. X jumped up and round house kicked the next attacker.
The fight was intense for the first two minutes. X stood still after in a fighting position as the Britannians looked at him, beaten and bruised.
"Again, I'll ask you." X said. "Stop this pointless fight before you get hurt."
The men looked around to see what they should do. They knew after the two minute brawl that this young man was a trained fighter. One by one, they all left the area. X kept his pose and battle ready, until they were all out of sight. X then relaxed his position.
"But it seems there are at least some decent minded Britannians after all." Lelouch said in surprise. Although he himself was still in disbelief that one man took on more than three opponents and won. Certainly real life was no action movie.
Kallen ran over before X could even glance at the Eleven. She went over to the Eleven and picked him up from he was standing and brought him to his feet. X held out his arm as if he was going to help, but Kallen ignored him. Lelouch ran over to help him as well.
"Are you alright?" Kallen asked.
The Eleven boy gasped a little bit in order to catch his breath. He looked up at Kallen and then noticed that she was wearing a Britannian uniform.
"A Britannian…student!?" He gasped. "Welcome! Want a California style hotdog!? How about him? Is he your boyfriend?"
Kallen looked at the young man with confusion. He was eyeing Lelouch when he said that. Lelouch stayed cool headed while Kallen looked at him with confusion. Lelouch eyed X who put his arms down after Kallen had the situation under control. Lelouch looked at X for a few seconds. X himself was confused, but then nodded his head towards Lelouch. Lelouch smiled back and nodded his. X then walked away from the area.
Lelouch and Kallen ended up buying a hotdog and something from the young man and went back up to the third level with their food. They found a nice shady bench on the third level next to some trees and a fountain and then sat and ate together.
"Area 11 is much better, than when it used to be just be Japan." Lelouch said finally. "Thanks to the colonization by Britannia, both the military and the economy had stabilized. Citizenship is allowed too. You can go to the governor office, do some paperwork, and become an honorary Britannian. But the problem is that of pride. I suppose they would want to treasure that."
"And?" Kallen asked.
"Hmm?" Lelouch muttered.
"I understand all you have told me so far; but what does Lelouch Lamperouge think?" Kallen asked. "What do you want to do?"
"Nothing in particular." Lelouch said.
"You seem smart; but you're all talk." Kallen said. "Shirley is always complaining about that. She always says, "Lulu has such a brilliant mind, but he doesn't put any effort to use it!"
"That's why I didn't use anything." Lelouch said. "You should understand from that Eleven incident earlier."
Kallen then quickly remembered her mother and how she was in the very incident. Kallen's mother was currently a maid for the step mother Kallen lived with. Kallen's mother had been abused and was like that same Eleven that was attacked earlier this day. Lelouch had no idea how much he had insulted her and her mother.
Kallen got up from her chair and smacked Lelouch in the face. Lelouch looked up at her all confused.
"You think you're so cool!?" She shouted. "That you embrace those ideals and look down upon the world!? It was stupid for me to hope for anything out of you!"
Kallen walked away in anger. Lelouch took no notice as he felt his face from the smack he had taken.
Good. At least now she'll leave me alone. I can operate from the school in peace.
"Hey Cerveau." Zero said as Cerveau continued to construct a weapon on his little table. "Got a little question I want to ask."
"Spit it out then Zero." Cerveau said as he pulled out a thin cylinder rod like object.
"It's about the Human Simulation program or "Disguise mode" as I like to call it." Zero said.
"Oh; our little project from years ago." Cerveau said as he put the rod down and began to get a hydro spanner. "You know, Ciel told me you finished the little program. That was real nice of ya. You saved me and her a lot of work."
"I wouldn't have attempted it unless it was necessary." Zero said. "With the exception of the basic subjects such as physics, physical science, mathematics, etc etc, I'll admit that these pseudo and theoretical sciences are not my forte."
"Physics isn't exactly a basic subject Zero." Cerveau said.
"To humans it isn't." Zero responded.
Cerveau walked over to Zero and observed his body got a few seconds.
"Hmm…" He muttered. "Well the program seems to be working up to spec. What's wrong with it?"
"Well…" Zero said. "It's just…well…umm…"
"C'mon; out of it." Cerveau said as he went back to the construction of his weapon.
"Well…" Zero said. "No one is watching us right?"
Cerveau watched Zero and shook his head. He could tell Zero did something that he didn't want to or felt like sharing if he wanted to be sure cameras and voice recording was deactivated.
"Well…last night…" Zero said. "Ciel was still at my room; because she's still too scared to stay here. We we're watching a movie. Well I made Ciel a little too excited…"
"Whoa!" Cerveau said.
"Huh…ah…I didn't mean it that way!" Zero said.
"I'm just messing with you." Cerveau said.
Zero sighed.
"Can we please get back on topic here?" Zero said.
"Alright." Cerveau said. "What do you want to know?"
"Well…last night…after that…she on accident alerted some of my friends at the manor." Zero said. "And so…I…I…I kissed her."
Cerveau stopped working and looked at Zero.
"You kissed her?" Cerveau asked.
"Y…yeah." Zero said. "It was for them to think that I was regular student and all, doing human things. I figured seduction would be something to keep them from thinking otherwise.
"Well congratulations." Cerveau said. "I didn't think you had it in you."
"That's the thing." Zero said. "I didn't have it in me...that's not me. Not anymore at least. I shouldn't have. I didn't feel that way about her. But I just went in and planted one on her. After I did, I felt weird for the entire night. I started having emotions that I couldn't understand."
Cerveau broke down laughing at his chair.
"What's so funny!?" Zero said.
"Nothing…" He said. "So…what did you want to know?"
"Is it possible that the Human Simulation program can cause unusual side effects on Reploids?" Zero said.
Cerveau stood there for a few seconds. He put his hand on his face and began to ponder on the subject.
"Well…" He said. "The simulation program is based on a human brain. It creates a simulated version of the human brain using the bio metal and force metal, while mixing in the data from the Reploid brain so the Reploid retains all personality and traits it had before. The human brain is still a scientific mystery. Even the greatest psychologists have problems reading the brain a good forty percent of the time. It's full of weird and unusual things: Hormones, connections, memories, etc etc. It's so difficult to study the organ because of the way it is made. Based on all of that, mixing a Reploid brain with a human brain could cause theoretically, some side effects."
"Side effects?" Zero asked.
"In that body…" Cerveau said. "You run on a human brain; until you tell the program to make the force metal and go back to Reploid. Your data and personality is all programmed in there, but the problem is that you know now also have to deal with all of the functions with limited ability to deactivate any. All the hormones and such that humans have are now your problem. It could cause problems, seeing that this program we created is so extensive. It is also possible that the program could create a "Bleeding Effect" in which even after the Reploid returns to its armored form, the emotions and other things that it thinks as a human may consume it and be a part of permanently."
Zero continued to stare at Cerveau.
"Then again, who knows?" Cerveau said. "This is still all in theory. This is the first version of the program; and we haven't tested it completely yet due to circumstances beyond our control. It would take awhile and I need more tests still. I suggest you just wing it for now. When I have more relevant data, I can update you. Now here."
Cerveau took the rod like object and handed it to Zero. He pressed a button on the rod like object and it formed a spearhead on the top of the pole. Cerveau pressed another button the top of the rod seemed to extend. Zero smiled at the sight of seeing one of his old weapon's reconstructed.
"The Triple rod." Zero said.
"All fixed and ready to go!" Cerveau said.
Zero put the rod in both of his arms. He then began to do a series of attacks using the rod to see if it was still up to date. He hadn't lost any skill with his spears.
"Now don't go off breaking it after I took the time to fix it." Cerveau said.
Zero spun the spear in his arms for a few minutes and put it on his back.
"No promises." Zero said.
"Concerning the Orange incident…" Villetta asked.
Jeremiah made a grunt of anger. He was at a bar with Villetta. The two had met up and wanted to talk about something. The small old time bar accommodated their liking as they could talk privately here. Jeremiah was still mad over the whole incident.
"Sorry." She said. "Concerning the Kururugi Suzaku escape incident, is it true that you experienced a memory loss at the time?"
"I don't expect you to believe me." Jeremiah said.
"No." Villetta said. "The truth is, around the time of the Shinjuku incident, I also experienced a memory loss at the time."
"What?" Jeremiah said.
"When I woke up, my Sutherland had been stolen." Villetta said. "The only thing I could remember was talking to a young man in a school uniform."
"And you're not the only ones." A voice said.
Jeremiah and Villetta turned around to see X walk in the room. He was clothed and in a human form, but they could tell who it is.
"Come to degrade me more than I already am?" Jeremiah said.
"No." X said.
"Hmm?" Jeremiah said.
"Awhile back, you kept me from being thrown in the slammer." X said. "I'm here to repay the favor."
"You…you remembered!?" Jeremiah said.
"My brain's a hardrive." X said. "And Doctor Light designed me to have no glitches in my system. So I wouldn't forget a favor."
X went over by the two and sat down.
"There we're several other pilots found in both the Shinjuku and Samaita Ghetto incidents that all had the same thing that happened to them." X said. "Each one gives a different story from the next, but the fact, each person had a memory loss at one time and then lost their Sutherland."
"So who is this student?" Jeremiah said.
"I don't know." Vlletta said. "But I think it's worth investigating."
Vlletta looked over at X.
"I figured you came to help?" She asked.
"We got to bring Zero down in any way we can." He said. "The government isn't doing enough to let this matter be dealt with. I have to ally myself with people who I know can get the job done, rather than incompetence that are only considered with what goes in their pockets. I'll help you guys in any way I can."
As Zero was walking towards the place where the Black Knights ambush was to take place, he couldn't help but feel like he was being followed. As the darkness of the storage buildings encased him as he walked, a swift shadow flew over him. Zero looked up towards the moon to see nothing. After that moment, he returned on his stroll.
And then it happened, the shadow descended on him. Zero looked up and drew his beam saber, blocking the samurai sword stroke that came at him. Phantom leapt off of his sword and then landed nearby. Zero backed up and held his saber out, ready to fight.
And then Phantom charged. He threw his kunais at him to give him an initial distraction. Used to this, Zero deflected them, spun around and blocked his sword strike with his saber.
"Ionized edges." Zero said. "Only way to block energy is with energy."
Phantom held his stance, but Zero was now far stronger in his armored form than his resistance form. His mere strength allowed him to push off Phantom's blade and allow him to move for a counter attack. Phantom gasped and back flipped over Zero's swing...falling right into the Hunter's trap. Zero pointed his left arm forward, firing his Z-Buster into him. Phantom flew forward and landed on the ground, holding his side.
"Not bad." Zero said. "Haven't lost your touch...care to explain the ambush though?"
Phantom spat on the ground and pulled himself up.
"I will not cease my fight against you." He said. "Until I retire you."
"Still holding that petty grudge?" Zero asked. "Kind of pathetic if you ask me. You lost...three times now. Get it through your head."
"Your arrogance doesn't suit you." Phantom said.
"Neither is holding a petty grudge." Zero snapped back.
Phantom laughed and pulled himself up, watching as Zero deactivated his saber, leaping towards the buildings.
...I'll keep fighting for these Black Knights...just to be sure that I won't lose sight of you. You are still my target Zero...now and forever.
The Black Knights, thanks to the Intel provided to them by Tamaki, we're able to locate another drug resupply. They all went by the storage docks nearby the ocean. They had also received a Knightmare from an unknown donor. They we're confused, but sooner or later accepted it. The Black Knights, several Reploids, and Lelouch's personal units all stood outside the building, waiting for Zero's signal. Ciel was busy tapping into cameras that she had hacked into and was observing the thugs. They we're all too busy loading up their drug to even know they we're in danger.
"What is Zero thinking!?" Tamaki shouted to his team mates. "Zero said he wanted to defeat Britannia, but what we're doing is no different from the police."
"But it doesn't feel bad to be thanked by people." Ohgi said.
"Yeah." Kento said. "We're heroes all over the internet."
"You guys haven't figured it out yet have you?" Zero said.
All of the Black Knights looked at Zero, including that Leviathan and Phantom.
"When an empire needs to commence a project," Zero said. "It needs to win support from the people. This is all a ruse to gain the trust of organizations and the public view. If Zero didn't do any of this, we wouldn't be where we are now."
"So all of this is a mere front?" Kallen asked.
"Yes; and no." Zero said as he peered down a corner, waiting for Zero's symbol. "Zero said it himself. He will punish those who use their power to abuse others. Zero wants to build a society where everyone is equal. But Britannia isn't the only ones who make people feel under them. Corporations and criminals can be the same thing as a government. Zero's preparing us for what is to come. Britannia is not going to be the easiest foe we have fought before. And when the time comes, we need to be ready to face all of that to come. In addition to dissolving the Britannian government, Zero wants to destroy the others who can create an artificial empire for themselves, by abusing the people, making them fear them with terrorist and murders. And bribing the government with millions of dollars to let their organization keep running. By killing these guys, we show them that there are people willing to stand against them. We'll better both Britannian people who live here, and improve the lives of the Elevens that these crime syndicates abuse."
All of the Black Knights stared at Zero.
"So well said." Leviathan said.
"You're right Zero." Phantom said. "The people shouldn't be afraid of their government. Rather, the government should be afraid of its people."
"Exactly." Zero said, getting up and moving towards Phantom. "But no will do it. They're all afraid. They don't want to die. What the people don't realize is that sometimes it only takes a single life or a single action to alter history forever. And the person who is going to do that…is the one leading us all now."
Zero and the Black Knights looked out into the distance to see a light flashing in the distance.
"That's the signal." Zero said. He reached into his back and ignited his emerald green saber. "Let's go!"
This is going to be boring.
All of the members ran from their position and ran up to the door. Zero put his ear to the door. HE could hear a large amount of crates being moved and opened up. But they we're completely unaware. The Black Knights had the element of surprise once again.
"Is the shipment for Nagoya complete?" A voice said.
"It's safe as long as it is in the settlement." Another voice said.
Zero grabbed his saber and plugged the emerald blade into the wall. He could hear a large amount of shrieks and such, but paid no attention. He knew they would be too awe struck and stunned to care or move. Zero made a full circle around the door. As soon as he did, he kicked the piece of metal down. The Black Knights and Reploids peered their weapons over Zero's shoulder and let out a barrage of ammo into the crowd. Zero watched as several thugs ran for their life, while others had a red mist appear on their backs as they slumped over dead.
"The Order of the Black Knights is here!" Tamaki shouted.
That was Zero, Leviathan, and Phantom's cue. The three ran into the building as the Black Knights and thugs fired at each other. Zero charged at three who attempted to fire at him. Zero used his saber and sliced the first one by his stomach. The second was cut in half from the waist up. Zero leaped over the third one. When he landed, he first tapped the saber to neck, stunning him. Zero then turned around, performed a small spin, and cut the man from shoulder to pelvis with a clean cut.
Leviathan stabbed the first one with her lance; the whole rod penetrating the man until it was out on the other side. Thick warm blood was immediately seen from the other side. She lifted him up over her head while the lance was still on him and threw him off of it. Several others pointed their guns at her, but Phantom charged in front of them. Within seconds, all of the men we're sliced by his katana and they fell dead.
One man tried shooting Phantom in the back. He however only hit a cloud of dust as Phantom reappeared behind the man. The man turned around, only to have a katana stabbed straight through him.
"Curse you're fate as I do mine." Phantom said.
And then Kallen rode her Knightmare through. The thugs who saw the Knightmare run though began to run in all directions. Kallen's Knightmare knocked over most of the stuff and materials that they used for the drugs as they attack continued.
"A Knightmare!" One shouted.
"Shit, run!" Another said.
Kallen continued to attack the thugs, felling many with her Knightmare as she did. She eventually penetrated into the back of the warehouse. She drove past all the storage units.
"A Knightmare is so powerful." Kallen said. "Just merely riding gives one a feeling of power."
There was a small steel door in the way of Kallen's path. Kallen simply rode through the large steel door and crushed straight through it. She ended up in another large storage room, although this was darker than the last. Sight was barely visible in this area. Fighting still commenced in the background, but Kallen paid it no mind. She opened up her thermo-optics and began to scan the room.
She saw Japanese in the room. Lots of them. They we're all acting weird and out of tune. She could hear shouting and cheering. They we're all in a trance like state. Nothing they we're saying were making any sense.
"Refrain…" Kallen said; referring to the drug that made people feel as if they went into the past.
Kallen continued to scan the room around the area for more signs. There wasn't anything in the room that gave any signs of the thug's presence. Still Kallen continued to survey the room, just to be sure.
There after a few minutes of searching, she saw something that made her gasp. Kallen watched as her mother was walking around and talking out into the darkness.
"Kallen, don't run too quick now." She said.
Her mother tripped while walking towards what she thought was college. Kallen in her despair grabbed her with her Knightmare and held her in the machines arms (though in a way, she would have rather preferred to hold her with her body). Kallen looked at her mother with both despair and anger. Despair at the way she treated her mother; and anger for the life her mother lived.
"I don't believe it." Kallen said, tears forming in her eyes. "First to sell yourself to Britannia, then to a man, and now a drug! You weak woman!"
Several loud gunshots we're heard going off to her right. Kallen grunted as the bullets penetrated her Knightmare's left arm and destroyed it (Even worse; this was also the arm that her machine gun was being held on). Kallen looked to the side and saw a large white Knightmare with a badge on it.
"The Knight police!?" She shouted.
Kallen made her Knightmare immediately dash forward. The Knight police Knightmares we're downgraded versions of Sutherlands. They we're painted white instead of the traditional Britannian military purple, and used large pistols instead of machine guns. They we're also armed with a knife and hidden blade attached on the arm. The Knight police unit immediately began pursuit of Kallen; just as the Black Knight units began to move from the light warehouse to where Kallen is.
"Isn't that the Knight police!?" Ohgi asked.
"No way!" Kento said. "Have they teamed up?"
"Tamaki…" Ohgi asked with a serious face.
"What!?" Tamaki said. Tamaki in truth was the one who discovered the info about this distribution and was supposed to find as much Intel as he could. Turns out he missed one little detail.
"God dammit." Lelouch said.
"I'll go after her." Zero said.
The Black Knights didn't have time to think; and Zero didn't have time to move forward. Gunshots appeared from behind them. Lelouch and the others ducked to avoid being shot.
"Hang on Kallen!" Zero shouted. He turned around and stabbed one of the thugs who got near him.
The Knight police unit was hot on Kallen's tail; although Kallen was a highly skilled pilot and was able to avoid some of the shots fired at her. She drove through the first area and made a sharp left turn. The police unit followed her in unison. Kallen turned to her side and used her chest machine gun to fire at the Knight police unit. She had forgotten though that these pilots we're trained marksman. The Knight Police unit used his pistol and fired at the turret, destroying it. Kallen was once again on the defensive, only now with nothing to defend herself. Kallen continued to move forward.
As she did, she couldn't help but kept eyeing her mother. Every time she tried to keep her cool, she would always look at her mother and become distracted.
"What a nuisance." Kallen said.
She attempted to throw her using her Knightmare's arm. But each time she tried, she couldn't do it. She couldn't bring herself to do it.
"Why?" Kallen said as her Knightmare continued to take shots; her eyes and voice cracking. "Every time I try…I just…I can't…"
Kallen's Knightmare took a blow to the leg and fell down. Kallen watched as her Knightmare fell down and skidded about two hundred feet across the warehouse floor. Kallen got up from the blast and saw that her mom was still there. Alive and well. She then began to get up and move forward towards Kallen's unit.
"Run…" Kallen said weakly.
Her mother did not stop (despite the fact it was probably the drugs doing most of her movements) and got closer to the giant mech.
"RUN YOU IDIOT!" Kallen shouted.
"I'm here for you Kallen." She said. "I am always with you."
Kallen gasped and watched as her life flashed before her eyes. She then began to think of the awful memories between her and her mother.
Kallen used to be a resident of Japan. She was the daughter of a Britannian noble and a Japanese girl. The noble loved his wife and family and cared for them deeply. He was conducting business in a region of Japan when he was killed in the war. Britannia didn't even care. Collateral damage as they called it. Since legally the Japan couldn't own property, a mistress took over the estate. Kallen's mother was either forced into the ghetto or could become a slave maid to the family. Since then, Kallen and the mistress had always insulted and deeply hurt the young girl. And Kallen now knew why she faced the abuse from the two.
It was even worse on her because she was sure for those few seconds that Kallen's mother said that, the narcotic had worn off before it moved back into her veins.
Kallen continued to face an assault from the Knightmare until the Knight police ran out of ammo. The unit threw the pistol and pulled out a knife from its back.
"I'm the idiot." Kallen said sadly, as she desperately tried to fight the knife back. "Not her."
Kallen began to weep.
A thick slash was heard. Kallen looked up to see the head of the unit fall off. The Knightmare was blind. She looked to see Zero moving past the Knightmare with his green saber. Kallen took the chance and did an unusual tactic. She fired her Slash Harken into the wall and drove it into the large storage shelves. Her Knightmare crashed straight into it with minimal damage. The Knight police unit who was on top of her was not as lucky as his cockpit was ripped in two from the force of hitting a storage shelve. He was killed instantly.
Kallen was dazed and confused. She watched as the Black Knights ran towards her unit to check and see if she was alright. She watched as Leviathan sliced open the cockpit and managed to pull her out. Kallen looked in a trance like state.
"Kallen." Ohgi said. "Are you alright?"
Kallen could only shake her head. She looked over by her mother. Ciel and Cerveau had walked over to her mother and pulled out a syringe. They injected the syringe into her mother. Zero and Phantom walked over to her mother as the Black Knights helped Kallen over to her mother.
"What is that?" Phantom asked.
"It's a counter-refrain." Ciel said. "We analyzed the cell culture of the refrain drug. Then Cerveau and I created a counter agent. It a serum that penetrates into the cerebrum and removes the effect of the refrain, plus creates a counter against its addictive factor. Made with a combination of Britannian biology and Reploid technology. We've been injecting the Japanese with it and hoping they'll join up with us as troops."
Kallen watched as her mother slowly began to come back to reality. It happened fast. It only took a minute for the drug to counter the effects of refrain. Kallen's mother returned back to reality as she looked up towards her daughter's face. She looked immediately confused and shocked.
"Ka…Kall…Kallen?" She said.
Kallen didn't know what to do. She was so overwhelmed with emotions she didn't know what to say.
"Oh Kallen…" She said weakly. "How…are…you…doing?"
Kallen attempted to force her tears back. But she failed with a few seconds. She put her arms around her mother and clasped her tightly.
"Oh mother…" She said. "I'm so sorry. I'm an idiot!"
"What's…the matter?" Her mother asked.
Her mom seemed to be oblivious that the Black Knights we're around. It was likely she wouldn't care.
"I'M an idiot!" She said. "I spent all this time pushing you around and abusing you…that…I failed to understand why you did any of it!"
Kallen's tears streamed down to her shirt within a few seconds.
"I force you to do chores, I call you names, I said I hated you, I avoid you, I said awful things that I can't take back and…and…oh mother! Forgive your foolish daughter!" Kallen said.
Kallen hugged her mother tighter and fell down into her. She continued to sob fiercely as her mother continued to stand still. She was very much out of it still, but she knew what was going on. Ciel felt sorry for the girl and wiped away some tears from her eyes.
"I knew…" She began. "That…you…would remember…Kallen. I've…already…forgiven…you."
"You…mean…it?" Kallen asked.
Kallen's mother wrapped her arms around and hugged her. It wasn't as strong; laughable actually. But to Kallen, it felt as if a tight rubber band was wrapped around her. Kallen began to cry more, but her tone had changed dramatically.
"Mom…I'm sorry." She said. "I love you mom."
"I…love you too." Her mother said.
Kallen continued to cry a little bit more. Kallen felt a touch on her shoulder. She turned around to see Ciel with her arm on her shoulder. She was teary eyed, but smiling. Kallen smiled and hugged Ciel.
"Thank you." She said. "Thank you for letting me share that moment."
"It's okay." Ciel said.
"Its…It's…" Kallen said.
"Shhh…" Ciel said, patting Kallen on the back a couple times. "Don't worry about it. Let it all out."
Kallen's mother still looked confused, but still held her smile.
"Is…that a friend of yours?" She asked.
"Yes…" Kallen said. "Yes…she is…mom…"
Kallen continued to look at her with a teary eyed smile. Zero watched and held her mother from falling. He smiled back as she continued to bawl softly in Ciel's arms.
Lelouch continued to watch in the distance. He was in very much in distress from all of this.
"That's…her mother?" He asked.
False tears can hurt others around you. False smiled can hurt one's self.
C.C. watched from above as the whole scenario played out below her.
Fefnir stayed in his jail cell. His arms we're banded with a Reploid class rope they found in the base. He was fully restricted from using his gun. He couldn't materialize it. He just stayed in his dark room and waited for something to happen.
X walked into the room where he was. Fefnir looked up and saw X. He looked at him for a few minutes and then laughed.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Master X." He said.
"I'm not sure whether to see nice to see you again or what we're you thinking." X said.
"So…" Fefnir said. "What happened? Did you blow up the world?"
"I stopped them." X said. "Everything is safe. The fight that ensued was all based on misunderstanding. If we knew that Sigma was there, we would have halted the attack. But then again, if I knew that, I might have killed you all. I'm not the best when it comes to judgments'."
"Really?" Fefnir said. "That's a surprise. What's your angle Master X? What are you trying to do this time?"
"Are you referring to me as the fake copy of me or as the original?" X asked.
"Meh; I don't even know anymore." Fefnir said. "I don't know who to believe. I don't know if I'm with the government or with a rebels; whose friend or foe; or who I even am."
"I understand how you feel." X said. "I've been working for these guys for awhile and still wonder what side I really am on. I don't like this government, but I need to protect the people from the rebels. Two wrongs don't make a right."
Fefnir spat on the ground.
"Yep…" he said. "You're the original; that's for sure."
"Fefnir…" X said. "I'm here to offer you a job. If you serve jail time, we will allow you to join the military and you will have a clean slate. We need your help."
"What makes you think I'll help you?" Fefnir asked.
"I have no guarantee that you will or not." X asked. "But the only reason you attacked us was to keep us away from Sigma. He's secure now. No one will use him now. If you want, you can join us now. No hassle. Nothing to hide."
"I don't know…" Fefnir said.
"Just think about it." X said as he got up and left the room. "Take as long as you need to decide."
X left the room, leaving a mad Fefnir to once again sit in darkness.
The Black Knights began to move out of the area. They escaped without losing a single man, though their Knightmare was damaged beyond repair. Kallen and her mom returned to their house. Her mother was caught however with drugs and was being given a sentence. Kallen talked to her mom in her room and began to speak.
"You're sentence came in." She said. "Twenty years."
"I see." Her mother said.
Ciel's counter agent is so amazing. She's already able to move and speak within a short time. She is a real amazing person.
Kallen stood down with a small sad face. She was so depressed over yesterday. Finally she spoke.
"Wait for me then!" She said. "I'll come and change the world. I promise! So please...wait for me...wait...wait..."
Kallen once again broke down in tears. She quickly stopped when she felt her mother's hand on her. She looked up to see her mother smiling.
"Do your best Kallen." She said.
Kallen stared at her mother in the face. Tears once again began to role down her cheeks; only this time, of happiness. Kallen clasped her mother's hand and began to cry.
"I will." She said. "I will."