Phase XIII: The line is forming.
(Tokyo bay docks)
"You mean to say that after all of the time it took to mobilize a force this size, all we have to show for it is a dead old man!" Cornelia said towards Guilford.
"Yes sir, we have identified the body as that of General Katase of the JLF, it appears he had committed seppuku aboard the tanker hours before we even arrived here" Guilford replied.
Cornelia herself was now feeling a mixture of appeasement and dislike, she had tracked general Katase to Tokyo bay, and she hoped that with this operation she could have annihilated what was left of the JLF, but all they had found on that tanker was a dead Katase and he impaled himself with Lelouch's dagger, the one he purposely lost to Todoh.
"Well at least Lelouch will be happy to see this." She said looking at the blood soaked dagger, and decided to have it cleaned.
(Six families of Kyoto meeting room)
"The outcome is the worst possible one for us, the JLF, the hope of Japan has been defeated and I heard a report that Katase had killed himself" Taizo Kirihara said towards the other members.
"Also because of the actions of Princess Euphemia people are starting to sway towards the Brittannian government" Tatsunori Osakabe said.
"All hope is not lost Todoh is still alive" Hidenobu Kubouin said.
"There is more than hope" Kaguya said
At this the other members all turned their heads towards her.
"The Slayers ? Do you think they have the power to defeat both Cornelia and Lelouch?" Kirihara Taizo asked.
"'They have shown that they can at least hold their own against them we must give those who are capable our fullest support, also even if they can't do more than that Lelouch is a man who understands that compromise is the key to prosperity" Kaguya retorted
"Are you saying that if all goes bad we should make a deal with him? I have to admit the thought had crossed my mind, but in order to do that we would have to show him we are worthy off making a deal with, and the only way to do that is through power, how do we know is these "Slayers" are up to the task?" Tousai Munakata asked.
"I will meet with them and determine if they are worthy of our sponsorship" Taizo Kirihara announced.
(Tokyo concession opera house)
Lelouch was with Shirley at the opera and he had to admit that he was actually enjoying himself, the opera to Lelouch was in essence everything that was good about humanity, to perform and opera you needed the best painters and sculptures, the best mathematicians and engineers for the stage props and mechanism to work, the finest musicians and composers so the music can be powerful and penetrate the spectators, the finest actors and singers to create the illusion that what they are witnessing had actually transgressed.
The play Götterdämmerung was now at its final scene, and the ending was to the majority just another ending of an opera, but to Lelouch the ending of that particular opera meant more than anyone could ever know.
In the final act of the play the pantheon of the Norse gods disappears in a fire signifying the end of the gods and their mighty empire, and over the course of the story Wodan the king of the gods through his bad judgment, errors and greed helps in it and at the end of the play he sets fire to the pantheon himself to signal the end of the gods, the end is symbolic of the end of the Viking kingdom, one who raided, looted, and enslaved country's all over Europe.
To Lelouch the sight of an evil, greedy and corrupt empire being consumed by flames was so beautiful that he began to shed tears, which were not unnoticed by Shirley, and when the final curtain came down, no one clapped more intense, through roses with more vigor or enjoyed it more than Lelouch.
"I never knew you liked the opera so much" Shirley said towards Lelouch as they walked together
"it'd just that last scene always gets to me" Lelouch replied, for the first time in moths he was able to relax, how he loved being able to go anywhere do anything without the paparazzi putting it on the front page, he knew that sooner or later he would have to go public and when that would happen, this would be the first thing he would miss.
"Well where at this point, so I guess it's time to go the last hundred yards" Lelouch said towards Shirley.
At this Shirley cheeks turned a shade of red as bright as a tomato "Go the last hundred yards? Does he mean that we should have sex? I love him and all that, but….but it's too early" she said to herself.
"Wait! Lulu it's too early for us to go that far, we just can't walk that path now!" Shirley said in a panicked voice.
"What are you talking about? Its eleven thirty and I have to walk the hundred yards that are between here and my room" he said and pointed towards Ashford Academy.
"Oh! I thought you meant…..ah never mind" she said greatly embarrassed at herself, and she also asked herself the question "Am I a perverted woman" for thinking that just now.
"We'll see you tomorrow" Lelouch said and turned her back towards her back towards her and started walking towards Ashford.
Just then he felt Shirley arm grab his right shoulder "What is it?" he said and turned around, only for Shirley to catch him in a kiss.
They staid like that for a moment until Shirley broke it.
"Shirley I….I….we can't do this!" Lelouch said still shocked from what happened.
"Why? Don't you like me?" Shirley asked with panic and confusion in her voice.
"It's not that, it's just that currently I can't go out with you" he couldn't tell her he was actually Zero, how could he do that, how could he bring her into that world of liars, backstabbers and murderer known as the nobility, that's why he never dated a girl before.
"You and Kallen are dating aren't you, that's why isn't it?" Shirley asked with tears forming in her eyes.
"No, it's not that, it's just that I can't date anyone right now" Lelouch responded now panicked that she was beginning to cry.
"Well why? Just tell me why and all is forgiven." Shirley said desperate.
Lelouch hesitated and just remain silent.
"You always like this; you smile and are polite to everyone, that's why so many girls are smitten with you that's why I am smitten with you!
But do you take your pick of one of the girls? NO, YOU DON'T! And because of that girls think you are available, they do all kinds of things to get your attention, but you don't respond, you just keep smiling and that smile makes them fall in love with you even more, IF WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER HAD YOU BEEN DATING KALLEN, THEN I WOULD HAVE KNOWNED THAT I LOST YOU TO ANOTHER WOMAN, BUT NO YOU JUST CONTINUE LIKE YOU'VE ALWAYS DONE BEING FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE, BUT NOT LOVING ONE OF THEM, YOU'RE THE CRUELEST MAN OF ALL!" she then slapped him hard and then ran away.
Lelouch kept his head still for a moment before turning it and then started walking towards his apartment.
"You should hate me Shirley, you should despise me and stay away from me as much as you can, for I am going down the road of death and destruction and you are to pure a soul to walk that path" he said in his mind as he entered the clubhouse building.
He opened the door, paused for a moment, turned his head to the spot Shirley had slapped him, looked at it for a moment, then turned his head back forward, shook it with his eyes closed and said:
"I started my journey alone, I w ill travel it alone" and then walked into the clubhouse.
Up above from the second story window C.C had watched the whole thing.
"What are you saying? Why should I be jealous?"
…
"This really is an anoying hobby you have "
(Tokyo government airport)
The Eastern Federation in acting up again, our forces are being press hard and I suspect that they are pushing for the Suez Canal, and possibly El Alamien, I am going with Guilford back to the 8th army, Darlton will stay here in case you need help, I am leaving you here in charge of affairs" Cornelia said to Euphemia.
"Will you be gone for long sister?" Euphie asked.
"I'll come back here as fast as I can, Lelouch is here to help you, and Nunnally will keep you company, this Area now that it is almost free of terrorists we can prepare to upgrade it so satellite state, also here" Cornelia replied and handed her a picture book.
"Things are starting to get dangerous; I believe it's time you chose your knight all of them are excellent pilots and come from good families "she then put her hand on Euphie's cheek smiled wholeheartedly and said "After this Area is clean I'll give it to you and you won't have a thing to worry about" and then she boarded the plane.
Euphemia watched her leave and then though to herself.
"Sister was always like that protecting me, sheltering me from the world, I've been working on that new proposition for weeks now, and I think I should try resenting it, Lelouch would support it and Nunnally as well, Cornelia wouldn't like it but she would support me, but would brother Schneizell approve it?
And how can I show the world what I intend to do, if I can't even show how I fell to the boy I like?" Euphie pondered in her mind.
(Transport vehicle towards the meeting pint with the representative of the house of Kyoto)
Oughi, Kallen and the other could not believe what had just happened, being summoned to meet with Kyoto was what every resistance member dreamed about, and I was actually happening, across from Oughi sat Colonel Todoh, he had met with Kyoto before so he occupied his mind with other matters, before the news of general Katase reached them Todoh already knew of his fate, for Katase had left him a letter, and now he was replaying it in his head.
Todoh it has come to my realization that I am no longer fit to lead our struggle, when I was supreme commander of the army's of Japan I chose to let them land so we could cut them off from their supply's but that failed, and now years later I lead the JLF to disaster, if it hadn't been for the rain or the mudslide we would have all been killed, but you! You Todoh you're a better general, better warrior and more level headed than I was, am and ever will be, I now realize that it should be you leading our struggle, but that with never happen as long as I am alive.
So with this final act I hereby end my useless existence, I have lead the Brittannian's on a wild goose chase and have thrown them of your tracks, and by the time they find me I will be already dead.
I have absolute confidence that you are the right choice as my successor, and this old man gladly steps into nothingness to allow you, Japan's Kiseki no Todoh the limelight
Your commander and friend
Katase
Todoh mind returned to the present and they arrived at the warehouse were the meeting would take place.
The Slayers exited the vehicle and went o a nearby window.
"Hey! This is mount Fuji!" Kallen said amazed.
"This is where the sakuradite mines are!" Oughi said
"The cursed treasure that brought about the war! Kyoto's really something if they have influences all the way here" Tamaki said.
"It's repulsive... Mt. Fuji, a sacred mountain once known for its clear water and quiet beauty, now it is bent to the empires will, a place of hideous violation, a reflection of what Japan has become, it pains me so." Taizo Kirihara said from behind his concealment.
"You are the Slayers am I correct? And your leaders name is Ohgi" Taizo asked.
"Yes, it is on honor for us to have been summoned by the house of Kyoto" Ohgi said with a light bow of the head.
"Colonel Todoh you have know them for more than I, can they be trusted?" Taizo asked.
"Yes sir, they are honorable warriors" Todoh said and gave Kallen a glance.
"Very well then" he said and then moved paste his concealment.
"You're surprised aren't you, to think that Benedict Kirihara was then man who leads the Six Houses of Kyoto must come as a shock to you, but let us get down to business, you are Ohgi are you not? Is it true that you're group killed Clovis?" Taizo asked.
Oughi pondered what to say for a moment and then hesitantly responded with:
"No lord Kirihara, we did not, we were about to engage him in combat, but Zero then made his performance which landed him the capsule without a fight….."he clenched his fists in anger and said:
"Back then he defeated us without firing a single shot, and at Narita blocked our troops movement before we left our concealment.."
"Lelouch is as cunning as a fox, as slippery as a snake, as silent as a mouse and as deadly as a tiger, I myself met him once when he was a little boy before the invasion and even then I could tell he would grow to become a great man…..Ohgi I ask off you with Katase dead and the JLH heavily fragmented will you take up leadership and unite the resistance movements of our country?" Taizo asked
"M….Me! But I'm no leader and Colonel Todoh here should be the one to do that, I'm just a school teacher who picked up a rifle, why should I lead our people?" Ohgi asked concern since he himself knew that it was all true.
"It is because you are a school teacher who picked up a rifle that you are the man for the job, already rumors are spreading of Ohgi and his Slayers, and how they killed Clovis and faced Lelouch and Cornelia and lived to tell the tale, you are the first man in seven years to manage such feats and the other resistance groups have already been soliciting to join the Slayers."Kirihara answered.
"But..But Colonel Todoh should.."
"Todoh is the one who suggested this course of action, he will of course be second in command and be head of military operations, but a resistance needs more than a general, it needs a leader, a hero, and you are currently a hero because of the rumors surrounding you" Taizo the paused walked up to Ohgi and said.
"In case you haven't noticed the people need heroes in these dark times, with Prince Lelouch's Phoenix Fund and Princes Euphemia's actions of mercy at Narita and Cornelia's rapid attacks on both the Blood of the Samurai and the Japan Liberation Front has sent the following message to our people:
We can and we will crush anyone who opposes us, but those who accept us as masters can live good and prosperous lives and not all of us are bloodthirsty savages, we can be king, courteous and considerate to those who accept are rule" Taizo said and paused for a moment to let it sink in.
"Already the number of pro brittannian supporters are growing, people are like sheep and will follow a Sheppard, the only shepherds here are brittannian, we must give them a Japanese one, for if not there will come a day when all of Japan will accept that Brittannia is here to stay and the generations to come will support, fight and die for the Empire" Kirihara added.
After hearing this there was nothing that Ohgi could say or do that would have convinced him that he was not the right man for the job.
From his own experience from leading Naoto's group after he died, he realized that a leader's biggest burden was basically deciding who lives and who dies, be it victory or defeat, he realized that as a simple soldier all you had to worry about was yourself and if you made a mistake you'd pay the price, but as a leader if you'd made a mistake the men under you would pay the price, he was actually quite relieved when they joined the JLF they were under Todoh's leadership and he didn't have to caryy the burdon any more
And now here was the leader of the underground movements asking him to lead possibly thousands of men, to decide who lives and who dies and he couldn't back down.
"Very well, I may not be qualified, but I accept and I vow to do my best" Ohgi said and gave a bow of the body to Kirihara.
"Todoh will be next to you to advise and guide you, we will support you with men material and intelligence, and may the heavens be with us all" Taizo said and the meeting was adjourned.
The group boarded the vehicle which brought them here to take them back to Tokyo.
"Naoto, if you we're in my position what would you do?" Ohgi asked himself mentally.
Just then a built in screen into the limousine became active and the face of Kaguya Sumeragi appeared on it.
"Good evening I am Kaguya Sumeragi, head of the Sumeragi conglomerate, now that you have been accepted, I would like to know your next step"
"Commander what is our next course of action?" Todoh asked curious.
To say Ohgi felt uncomfortable with his new found power was an understatement, the person which up until a few moments ago was his superior addressing him as a subordinate.
"Well…."He paused mid sentence to allow himself time to think, and then her remembered the hotel incident "A great deal of soldiers were caught during the Lake Kawaguchi incident, maybe we should rescue them?" he said, it sounded more like a question then an order.
"I agree! With what we sustained during Narita we will require all the manpower we can get "Todoh said.
"Also I would like to disband the JLF and expand the Slayers as a full fledge organization." Kaguya said over the screen.
"Why would you do that? I mean the Slayers are just a squad of the JLF" Tamaki asked and the rest we're curious as well.
"Unfortunately after Kawaguchi both the japanese people and the brittannians now see the JLF as a terrorist organization, public support is the greatest weapon we can have and the Slayers have a reputation as valiant fighters, we must use that to our advantage" Kaguya responded.
The others understood and agreed and then Kaguya closed the screen, ending the conversation.
"After seeing them in person I wonder how long they can hold out against you Lelouch" Kaguya said as her mind wandered back to that fateful summer when it all began.
She remembered how Suzaku's father once tried to make an arranged marriage for Nunnally and how Lelouch avoided it, he challenged Genbu Kururugi to a game of chest and if he lost he would also offer himself for an arranged marriage, but he defeated Genbu in under a minute, she smiled at the pleasant memories of childhood, but now frowned as the realization of its significance.
"Even back then you were formidable and now that you are grown up and have an army I wonder, what great victories will you accomplish now, and who will be the one to suffer defeat at your hand" all that Kaguya could do at the moment was hope that it would not be Japan the one to suffer that fate.
(Plains of Kyushu)
"Battery fire!" Jeremiah ordered and the battery replied.
Lelouch looked on from his vantage point, in all his corps was composed of five divisions of 10.000 men each, they had with them 300 knightmares 500 tanks,600 cannons 200 helicopters and 150 fighter jets as support.
Lelouch knew that even though it was common sense to have the heavy equipment controlled by brittannian soldiers, but he also knew that if he was going to show the empire that the number policy was wrong he had to give them some of the heavy armor.
And so 30 knightmares, 50 tanks, 60 cannons 20 helicopters and 15 fighter jets where all manned by numbers, Suzaku was ecstatic when Lelouch told him, for it was unheard of for a honorary brittannian to even set foot in a tank or knightmare, let alone have a battalion of thirty of them, led by lieutenant Tadamichi Kuribayashi they where worthy of being called dragons, because Lelouch had never seen such marksmanship in his life.
He went up to Jeremiah and asked:
"What do you think of them?"
"I hate to say it, but I've never seen such good marksmen in my life, the training you put these boys through really paid off" he replied.
"Glad you think so, also since the corps is almost ready here's what our command structure will be like, you will command the right wing formed out of the brittannian division and one of the Japanese one's, Viletta will command the Mexicans which will form the center and Kewell will command the left wing formed out of the Canadians and other Japanese division, do you object?" Lelouch said to Jeremiah.
"No! Why should I? Thank you my lord!" since the majority of the heavy equipment was used by the brittannian division it basically meant Jeremiah had the strongest units under his command, which pleased him greatly.
"Whish Kururugi was here, he'd had liked to see these blokes in action!" Jeremiah said a bit disappointed.
"Well he insisted he guard the prisoner transfer himself, you know how he is stubborn to the bone" Lelouch replied towards his second in command.
(Clovis memorial museum)
"As you can see we have a great number of beautiful paintings that you your highness can choose from as the winner at tonight's exposition" the curator of the museum said towards Euphemia and Darlton.
Euphie surveyed the wall which was covered with paintings until she reached a small rustic painting which she found beautiful.
"I like this one very much" she said towards the curator.
"Ah! We investigated and discovered that the author has a quarter eleven blood in him" he responded.
"Then why didn't you even placed it in the gallery?"She asked disappointed.
"It is necessary to put up a façade in such matter, anyway please look at this painting, it is one done by the son of Duke Nicolai" it was a painting of her father in one of his speeches raising his fist towards the sky.
Euphie looked at it disappointed that even here she was being told what to do, she could even be allowed to pick a simple painting by herself.
(Prisoner transport train somewhere in the Kanto countryside)
Suzaku by now had kept a constant watch on the surrounding landscape.
"Suzaku-kun you should take a break" Cecile said to him genuinely concerned.
"She's right Suzaku, if you're eyes heart to much from surveying the passing landscape, you won't be able to see well in battle if the rebels do appear" Lloyd added and that convinced Suzaku to lay down the binoculars and sit down and eat dinner with them.
He then picked up one of Cecile's sandwiches from the table, Lloyd upon seeing this immediately moved to stop him from eating them, but it was too late, Suzaku already took a bit, and another and another, until two of Cecile's sandwiches were consumed fast.
Lloyd upon seeing this was mortified, since he was sure that Superman himself wouldn't have had the strength to do such a feet, he then realized something.
"His brain is too preoccupied with concern over the prisoner transport to pick up the pain his tongue and stomach is going through!"Lloyd said in his head.
(Meanwhile a few miles away, Slayers ambush location)
"Is it really okay letting the Slayers take control of the JLF?" Asahina said towards the other Shiseiken as they watched the knightmares being made ready for combat.
"It was Colonel Todoh idea, are you saying that you don't trust his judgment?" Chiba asked her squad mate.
"It's not that! But what we are doing is basically letting civilians lead a military operation, the last time we let that happen was seven years ago, and we all know what happened then!" Asahina replied
"That's enough you two, we can discuss such trivial matters after we rescue area comrades!" Senba silenced them.
"I'm all for rescuing them, but do we really have to save Kusakabe as well?" Asahina asked with a serious tone.
"I agree with him, I mean as far as right wings go Kusakabe is as far as they get, and it's because of him that the JLF will be remembered as a terrorist organization!" Urabe said in support of Asahina.
"Whether we like him or not is of no importance, he is a comrade and we help one another" Todoh said appearing suddenly from behind the four.
"Yes, but to let that trouble maker just waltz back…" Senba said but was cut off by Todoh.
"I said that we would save him, after that we have no responsibility to him what so ever "Todoh replied and walked off to mount his Gekka.
"Hurry up and put it together already, the train will be here any minute!" Tamaki said towards Yoshida who was assembling the Guren.
"Be careful with that! I was ten times more delicate when putting it together" Laksharta said to those present.
"And who are you anyway?" Tamaki asked.
"I'm its mother!" she said while pointing her pipe angrily towards Yoshida who was assembling the Guren.
"It's an honor to meet you Miss Laksharta, I read all of your papers regarding the use of cybernetics in medicine" Ohgi said and shook her hand.
"So you're the infamous Ohgi? Nice to meet and about that, I don't like talking about the past" she said and opened a pair of suitcases which her assistance had placed on the ground with her pipe.
"Here you go, presents form Kyoto" she said.
"Excuse me..will this really improve our combat proficiency?" Kallen said after putting on one of the suits.
"Of course not"
"He?"
"The survival rate that's what it will improve!"Laksharta replied.
(Meanwhile at the transport train)
Suzaku had to admit Lelouch had done a good job with this convoy, there where knightmares running parallel at each side of the trained, each of the checking station along the way was fortified and a heavily armed convoy was running at about the same pace with the train on the highway which was parallel to the train tracks, and even they if they could have managed to stop it the route they were using was flanked by open country, where they couldn't hide, but even after all this there was still a rotten feeling in his gut that said disaster was imminent.
As the train continued on its way it was now moving parallel with the Tone River, when all of a suddenly the train halted to a stop.
"What's happened?" Suzaku said concerned over the intercom.
"Some trees have fallen on the tracks, nothing serious we should be able to move them in half an hour or so sir" the driver replied.
Suzaku was relied when he heard this and sat back down in his chair, he turned on the monitor so he could watch with the help of the external surveillance cameras how the knightmare pilots remove the threes.
He was calm, but only for a second when something hit him:
"We are moving through open fields! There isn't a forest here for miles!" he quickly jumped back up from his seat.
"Miss Cecile and Lord Lloyd please prepare the Lancelot for battle!" he said towards them.
He then pushed the intercom and said:
"All units get away from those trees now!" but it was too late, a bomb which was hidden under the logs destroyed the knightmares most of the knightmare escort and the locomotive engine and the knightmares of the Slayers rushed from their crouched hidden positions in the field to eliminate the remaining knightmares, and what looked like trucks and hummers to evacuate the prisoners.
(Lelouch mobile command center Kyushu)
The prison train is being attacked?" Lelouch asked the subordinate which brought him the news.
"Yes sir, we estimate about six to ten enemy frames of unknown design, but all are sporting the S symbol of the slayer squadron and we have spotted also we are getting reports that a red knightmare frame has been spotted among them"
" Todoh! He is the only one with enough brains to pull this off and is seems Lady Devil has decided to grace us with another public appearance, I want to view it, put the battle on the monitor!" He said and his subordinate did just that.
(The prison train)
Fire enveloped the now destroyed train engine and smoke clouded the sky, the remaining knightmares from the escort all jumped to where the enemy frames where coming sixteen of them in all, four of them where destroyed from afar by the Gekka's machine guns, the others formed a defensive perimeter around the train, the Gekka's charged them and cut them two down with their swords, they then passed the remaining frames, spin around and destroyed them from a distance with their machine guns.
"Hang on guys; we are coming to save you all." Chiba said to herself.
Now only two knightmares remained from the original train escort, Asahina saw them and charged them , he cut the one on the left, then made a 180 turn and cut down the second one on the right, with this the escort was completely destroyed.
"This Gekka sure is amazing. A big difference from the Burai!" Asahina said over the radio.
"Yeah, with this nothing can stop us now" Urabe said agreeing with Asahina.
"The synchronization with the attached weapons is still not perfect" Laksharta said observing the battle and the data gathered by the computer .
"Well that isn't a problem with the line…." One of her assistance said towards Laksharta.
"There's a 0.07 deviation with the cognizance process". The other assistant pointed out.
"Isn't that because those old guys at Kyoto didn't give us any better parts?" Laksharta said annoyed.
Meanwhile back at the train Todoh and his men had subdued the foot soldiers stationed in side the wagons, and where transferring the prisoners into the trucks and hummers.
"Everything has gone according to plan, all we have to do now is reach the river and we will be home free "Ohgi said to himself as he watched the battle from his command position, he had wanted to join as well, but Todoh insisted that there would be bigger battles in the future, and he should not risk dying in this one just then a slash harken was headed towards Todoh's knightmare, Kallen quickly drew her dagger, jumped into the air and deflected it.
And then they saw it the Lancelot in al it's menacing glory appearing from the back of the train and charging them.
"Why…Is that thing here?" Kallen asked concerned.
"Should have known that things were going to smoothly" Todoh said to himself.
(Clovis memorial museum)
"And now Princess Euphemia will designate the winner of the exposition" the curator said and gestured towards Euphie.
Euphie walked towards the painting of her father with the bow which designated it as a prize, just then the reporters phone's began ringing like crazy, Darlton's own phone as well, he the gave the order to put it on screen, and there they saw the Lancelot fighting against the Slayers.
Suzaku fired a shot at one of the Gekka's which was dodged, the Gekka hen passed him and s second Gekka tried so slash him with his swords but he managed to block it with his right forearm energy shield, the second Gekka realizing this immediately jumped away to put space between the Lancelot and himself"
"Fighting is….."Suzaku tried to say to himself, but didn't have time in the head of battle to finish his sentence.
"Oh my! The enemy's new machines sure are formidable!" Lloyd said as he observed the battle from inside the command wagon.
"But Cecile-kun." Lloyd said
"Yes?"
"If you view it solely by results, isn't it lucky that since the Lancelot wasn't officially with the convoy, it escaped the trap?" Lloyd asked.
"In other words it is a blessing in disguise is it not." She said.
"Or a curse depending on this battles outcome"
"Is that the white armor that's giving you so much trouble?" Laksharta asked looking at the monitor.
"Y..Yes" Ohgi replied hesitantly.
"Hm!" Laksharta muttered intrigued by the Lancelot.
(Clovis memorial museum)
"This is reckless. It's seven against one" one reporter said viewing the screen.
"But that knightmare called "Lancelot" is pretty powerful." Another reported said
"W-Wow, he evaded the enemy's gunfire" a third one exclaimed.
"Do your best silver knight!" a fourth one added.
Euphemia watched anxiously the battle displayed on the monitors, behind her Darlton was talking in his earpiece.
"That's right! Send the armored convoy and everything available to provide cover for Kururugi" he said with a great deal of concern for his student.
"What? That order has already been given? Who gave that order?...Prince Lelouch did?" at hearing this news Darlton chuckled a bit and said to himself "Even when you're on the other side of the country you somehow manage to help your comrades".
(Convoy ambush site)
"Listen up everyone; we will use our superior numbers and tactics to take down this machine!" Todoh said to the Shiseiken.
"Yes sir!"
"Yes sir!"
"Yes sir!"
"Yes sir!"
"All units widen the gap!"
Todoh gave the order and they complied, Suzaku continued to chase them in his Lancelot at full speed he was on the collision course with the Guren and as soon as he was close enough he slashed his sword at the red knightmare, but Kallen jumped managing to avoid it.
Suzaku seeing that his attacked failed jumped in the air and prepared to find another target.
"Now Asahina move to position x57"Todoh ordered.
Asahina complied and this caught Suzaku off guard, he aimed the V.A.R.I.S at the incoming Gekka, but Asahina slashed him with his sword making the V.A.R.I.S fly away from the Lancelot grip, Asahina then quickly moved to shoot with his left mounted machinegun.
Suzaku after seeing what happened immediately jumped to g et out of close range, Todoh seeing where he would land, immediately rushed his black Gekka towards that position and since Suzaku jumped backwards he did not see him until it was too late, Todoh then unleashed his triple trusts blade attack, upon him, Suzaku damaged to dodge the first and second blow, but the third hit his cockpit.
"This technique….!" He said to himself.
"Another one capable of evading my triple thrust! However….!" Todoh said to himself as he moved his blade along the cockpit slicing off the top.
"A-Ah, this is bad, it doesn't have an escape mechanism yet!" Lloyd said extremely concerned.
"You haven't installed it yet!" Cecile said just as shocked as Lloyd was concerned.
The Lancelot remained still for a moment and then Suzaku moved its body and those present could now see his face.
"It's….Suzaku-kun!" Todoh said his eyes wide with shock.
"E-Eh,,,?" Kallen said to herself equally shocked, the boy she became friends with over these past months, was her enemy.
(Clovis art gallery)
"Hey look it's an eleven!" one reporter said.
"The Iron Prince's, Silver knight is a number!" another one continued.
"Why is an eleven in a knightmare" a third one asked.
"Stop the video transmission immediately" Darlton ordered.
"Please wait, I wish to see this" Euphie said towards Darlton and then turned her head back towards the screen.
(Prison train ambush site)
Suzaku played with his controls a little and discovered that he could still move, he immediately raised his sword and charged towards Todoh's knightmare.
Todoh blocked the blow with his left arm and then opened his cockpit to talk to Suzaku face to face.
"Stop this Suzaku –kun!"
"Todoh-san!" Suzaku said momentarily surprised that it was his old sensei in that knightmare "Why do you risk your life for Kusakabe, even by the your own standards he deserves to rot in a jail cell for what he is done!" he angrily said towards Todoh.
"Are you disappointed?" the veteran samurai replied.
"Then why not take my head, since I am now your enemy?" he said towards Suzaku with a slight chuckle.
"What's wrong? Didn't you come with this convoy in order to protect it from enemy's?" Todoh asked while his Gekka and Suzaku's Lancelot where in a tug of war.
"Have you degenerated into a useless brat that's only satisfied with the present?" Todoh asked him his voice was with and authoritarian tone, but it was filled with more curiosity that anger.
"It's meaningless to go against the current society, a power that accepts it and tries to change it is then truly….."
"Are you serious?"Todoh asked.
"Of course!" Suzaku replied.
"Then you should travel down that path" Todoh told his former student.
"Eh?" Suzaku said confused, and Todoh used his momentary lapse in concentration to separate their knightmares from their deadlock.
"Be it victory, be it defeat, you won't achieve anything unless you do your best."
"The same applies whether it's at a national or personal level!" Todoh said and then closed his cockpit's hatch.
"Understood!" Suzaku happily said and prepared to continue the battle.
"All units prepare to destroy that white armor" Todoh ordered.
"Wait! That things more powerful than you thing!" Kallen said concerned, her brief skirmish at Narita had taught her the powers of the Lancelot are not to be underestimated.
"I can't wait. Captain Senba Freely rotation, Life or Death Formation!" Chiba ordered and the others complied.
"Wait!" Kallen said concerned.
"Don't worry. It's an attack from four directions. There's no way to evade it!" Asahina said confidently to Kallen.
"And now it's checkmate for them!" Lelouch said as he watched the battle unfold from his monitor; he knew that a battle was one by strategy and not tactics, and now Todoh was relying on tactics.
"Captain Kururugi, release the Haken Booster!"The password is my favorite thing!" Lloyd said over the radio and Suzaku quickly complied and tapped the password.
The ? Haken boosters immediately launched depriving Todoh, Chiba , Urabe and Asahina of their weapons.
"What the? Urabe said.
"Impossible!"Chiba said just as shocked as Urabe, Todoh and Asahina where in similar mental states.
Suzaku retracted the Harkens and hurled his sword at Senba's Gekka damaging it, Asahina quickly jumped it and gave his wounded comrade cover fire with his wrist mounted machine gun.
"Are you alright?" Asahina said concerned for Senba.
"An interesting way of fighting" was all that Senba replied, but he too was flabbergasted at the sheer raw power they were up against.
"Asahina turn to the left, then…." Chiba said
"Stop it! I am picking up multiple enemies on my radar heading this way, this is a rescue mission, not a battle, all units deploy chaff smoke and get the trucks and hummers to the evacuation point!" Todoh ordered and they all complied.
The train was now enveloped in a thick cloud of radar proof smoke and the Gekka's and truck where driving at full speed towards the river, with Suzaku in hot pursuit.
"Why are they heading towards the river, we detected no boats, and even if they cross it there is open field for miles, they don't have anywhere to hide, what could Todoh-san be thinking?" Suzaku said in his mind.
As they got nearer and nearer to the banks of the river, Suzaku noticed that the water seemed to be boiling "It can't bee, the river isn't deep enough to allow one, or is it?".
A submarine suddenly emerged from the river and its port bow opened up and a Linear cannon similar to the one used at Kawaguchi appeared from within the submarine.
"Here they come, linear cannon fire at will towards the Lancelot!" Ohgi said from the submarines command deck.
The cannon charged it and blasted away Suzaku crossed his arms and the shield automatically activated to block the shrapnel, normally the Lancelot could take one blast without a scratch, but with the sword and V.A.R.I.S not in his possession, his knightmare damaged and his energy filler consumed from the fight the Lancelot was in a weakened state, so weakened that even though the shields had enough power to block the shrapnel the legs did not have enough to dampen the kinetic energy of the bullets, and the sheer force of the impact hurled the Lancelot all the way back towards the train and it impacted one of the wagons and full speed causing it to tilt, Suzaku somehow was unhurt and the Lancelot was intact, but heavily damaged.
"Captain Kururugi! Are you alright, the surviving soldiers said and rushed to his aid.
Suzaku accepted their aid, but he was angry for letting them escape and he watched as the Gekkas and trucks boarded the submarine and it disappeared under the water.
"Todoh-san I am your enemy!" Suzaku said to himself.
(Clovis memorial museum)
"Hey he let them get away!" one reporter said.
"Are you stupid, he pursued them until he was bloody blown away, you all saw it" another one pointed out.
"Even so he failed in his duty, he should be court martial led for that!" a third reporter.
"How was he supposed to know they had a bloody submarine in the river!" a forth reported defended Suzaku.
"Suzaku you deed well" Euphemia said under her breath, but Darlton still heard it.
Euphemia was now feeling proud, not only of Suzaku's proves in battle, but also of the fact that among the gathered reporters there were some who defended him, instead of just blaming him was a sign that Lelouch and Suzaku's efforts were starting to pay off, encouraged by this she decided she must also act on the basis of her beliefs.
"Everyone! I have an important announced to make" she said and all the reporters quickly turned towards her.
"I Euphemia di Brittannia have chosen the person who will be my knight, it is that person Kururugi Suzaku" she said towards the astounded reporters, she then turned around and placed the winners bow one the rustic painting painted by the one who had japans blood in his veins.
(Command submarine)
After reaching a hidden submarine port within the river, the sub s surfaced .
Kusakabe and the others by now had been untied from their straightjackets and where having celebratory hugs with the others.
"Where is General Katase?" Kusakabe asked curious.
"General Katase is dead!"Todoh said angrily as he approached Katase.
"Since I was his second in command, I hereby take control of the JLF, and my first order is for this submarine to resurface and destroy capture the white knightmare" Kusakabe said.
"Resurface! But sir the brittannian army is encroaching on that position; if we go above water we will be crushed!" Urabe said to Kusakabe.
"We will arrive there before the brittannians can deploy, and if they arrive then we will crush them! As commander of the JLF I order you all to resurface and attack!" Kusakabe barked that order.
"The JLF! The JLF ceased to be a fully fledged organization after Narita!" Todoh said menacily while he moved closer until he was face to face with Kusakabe.
He then punched Kusakabe so hard and so fast that he flew ten feet backwards from the blow.
"AND THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR ACTIONS THE JLF AND GENERAL KUSAKABE WILL BE REMEMBERED BY HiSTORY AS BLOOD THIRSTY KILLERS AND TERORISTS!". Todoh shouted from the top of his lungs at Kusakabe who was lying on the floor.
"I want Todoh subdued; he assaulted a superior officer!" Kusakabe ordered, but then saw that no one was obeying his order, not even the men with whom he was imprisoned with!
"What are you doing? I am the commander of the JLF and Todoh's superior and I order you to arrest him!" Kusakabe shouted angrily.
"Haven't you been listening, the JLF for all intents and purposes ceased to be after Narita, a new organization has taken its place 'the Slayers'."Todoh replied.
"And you've taken controlled of this organization?" Kusakabe asked angrily.
"No! The leader of the organization is this man." Todoh said and then waived his hand towards Ohgi.
"The squad leader of those raw recruits, I am Katase heir; I will not serve under some peasant!" Kusakabe barked back while he got back on his feet.
"You will not serve at all!" Todoh yelled back.
"What do you mean?" Kusakabe asked startled by that sentence.
"Because of what you did at Kawaguchi Zero had the necessary motive to brand us as terrorists and had a legitimate reason to launch a full scale attack! Because of Narita General Katase was left vulnerable and he died, your actions brought disaster upon us and if you would continue to remain a part of this organization then disaster would strike us again, so we are banishing you from the Slayers and any other resistance organization in Japan" Todoh replied.
Kusakabe was shocked at what he heard and saw that everyone was ok with this, even his own subordinate.
"Fine! I don't need you spineless cowards anyway, I will do what I should have done seven years ago, I will journey to China and join Sawasaki, and when I return here with an army to liberate the country , the first thing I will do is kill all the traitors, and you Todoh will be the first one I kill!" he said and stormed off into the night.
"Should we just let him go?"Tamaki asked Ohgi.
"Colonel Todoh knows him better than me, if he decides to let him go, then I agree Ohgi replied.
(Mobile command center, Lelouch quarters)
"Even I couldn't have predicted they'd have a bloody submarine in the river!" Lelouch said as he took a puff of smoke from his cigarette.
Lelouch by know was relaxing in his chair and was smoking a cigarette, and as usual he only smoked when he was stressed or something didn't went according to plan, and such a scenario was now.
Suzaku's unmasking was too early, his original plan was to get a great deal of battle merit before unmasking him, Siberia, Narita and Kawaguchi made the Black knights famous, but he wanted to wait until after the 42nd first victory to reveal Suzaku's face.
"I can see the line forming already" he said to himself.
A line in the sand had great meaning, before wars or conflicts began two belligerent factions would naturally be born, and people would chose sides or rather choose which side of the line they would be.
With their so called murder of Clovis their actions at Narita and their accomplishment tonight Todoh would only get more support, from the data he managed to get from the worms virus he implanted in the JLF computers before the antivirus kicked in Lelouch could tell that a great and powerful army was sitting right under their noses, "Only Clovis would be stupid enough to allow such a thing to happen!" He said to himself.
The army which up until now had been divided would unite now, since whoever was leading the JLF now showed that the Empire could be defeated, those who are anti Brittannian's would also join their ranks.
On the other hand with the revelation that the "Silver Knight" is an eleven, the message that a number can work his way up in the world will spread throughout the Empire, and those who are pro Brittannian will join the Black knights.
He could see the factions forming, the armies mustering and the battle line's where being assembled.
The lines was forming before him, and unless Todoh could be stopped, tragedy will visit Japan's shores once more, what he and Suzaku had tried so hard to avert will come to pass and the country will run red with blood.
"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!" he said and took another puff of smoke.
He then pulled out a picture which showed the Guren pilot boarding the knightmare which was the only other bit of information the virus managed to extract before the antivirus kicked in, unfortunately the pilot picture was shot from the back, and the only information he could get was that the pilot had red hair.
"I'll find you! You bitch, and when I do I'll stab your heart with my own dagger" he said out loud in anger and then burned
(Lelouch apartment Ashford Academy)
C.C was bored so she decided to play with Lelouch's computer, after opening all of his files she found that Lelouch computer was in direct link with the Tokyo concession police security camera system.
And so for the past hour she had looked over hundred of security pictures, but then she suddenly stopped and starred at one particular picture, a silver haired ghost of her past which had finally caught up to her.
"Mao! "she said in shock.
Authors note:
Read and review, let me know if I should continue, also this has been a longer chapter so it will take time until I update again.