The twenty-four hours that Rivalz needed in the pod came and went. The whole team, now in regular clothing, was gathered around, anxiously waiting for him to come out.
"I can't tell if he looks healthy… or not," Shirley said.
"I think he's breathing weird," Rai observed.
"Oh, come on!" Kallen exclaimed, about to open the pod herself.
"Not yet!" Allura batted Kallen's hand away, "A few more ticks."
"How much better do you think he's gonna get in a few more ticks?" Kallen argued.
"What exactly is a tick anyway?" Milly asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You know, a time slice," Allura said obviously.
"What, like a second?" Lelouch asked.
"What is a… 'second'?" Allura asked, intrigued.
Rai pulled a device out of his pocket, which looked like an advanced stopwatch, "Like this." The watch started counting up in Earth's time.
"I'm not sure," Allura said after listening to a few of them, "I think ticks are bigger. Coran, do you have a ticker?" she asked the advisor, who was at the central control monitoring Rivalz's condition.
"Right here, Princess," he said, holding up his device. It ticked slowly around a circular direction.
"I think ticks are a little slower," Suzaku said, squinting at the ticker.
Rai furrowed his eyebrows, looking between the two, "I can't tell. We have to start them at the same time."
"Okay," agreed the advisor, restarting his, "Ready, go!"
The two held the timers out in front of them. At first, it seemed they were evenly matched, but each click from the Earth timer slowly jumped ahead of the Altean timer.
Everyone was so engrossed in this competition that no one noticed Rivalz's pod opening and the Blue Paladin in question stumbling out.
"Yes! I think we're winning!" Milly cheered.
"Winning what?" C.C. raised an eyebrow, "The 'Intergalactic Time-Measuring Competition'?"
"Um, yes!" Milly said in an obvious tone.
Rivalz soon stumbled over on his own toward the group, eyes still droopy, "You guys having a clock party?"
"Aw, Rivalz, you just ruined it. Uh-hey, Rivalz!" Milly shrieked before pulling him into a bear hug, lifting him off the ground.
Under normal circumstances, Rivalz would have blushed, considering where his face was pressed. However, he still felt half asleep after coming out of the pod. He blinked his eyes to stay awake as he was lowered back down. "What happened?"
Allura placed a hand on his back, "We can tell you all about it while you get something to eat. Are you able to walk?"
"Talking? Eating? Are you asking out on a date or something?" Rivalz asked, only hearing half of what was said with his foggy brain.
While Allura looked a little annoyed, the rest of the group shared some snickers. They were all happy that their friend was alive and healthy again.
Rivalz honestly thought the food goo in front of him was the most delicious thing he'd ever eaten at the moment. He had finished almost the entire plate when Platt scampered in front of him, loopy-looping around before sitting impatiently in front of the bowl, begging for a bite. Smiling, the Blue Paladin scooped a clump up and held it out to the mouse, who nibbled at it almost greedily.
"You'd be Sendak's prisoner right now if not for Kallen and Lelouch," Allura said.
"Well, you wouldn't have survived the explosion if Shirley, C.C., and Coran hadn't gotten a new crystal," Kallen added.
"Wow. Thanks, everybody. It sounds like the mice did more than you, though," Rivalz said, and the mice straightened in pride at the praise, smirks on their little faces.
"Hey! I punched Sendak!" Suzaku protested.
"Yeah!" Rivalz laughed, "Apparently, after I emerged from a coma and shot his arm off."
"We had a bonding moment! I cradled you in my arms!" the Honorary Britannian exclaimed, throwing his arms up.
"Nope!" Rivalz shook his head, "Don't remember! It didn't happen! So, anyway, what happened to Sendak?"
"He's frozen in a cryopod. We're keeping him here in the castle," Allura answered.
"...Is that really a good idea?" Rivalz asked.
"He's too dangerous to be set free. Besides, we might be able to get some information about Zarkon from him."
"That's the plan anyway… if he'll even talk," Lelouch said with a frown.
"So… what's the plan now?" the Blue Paladin inquired.
"We have to get back to the Balmera and save Shay and her people," Shirley declared with a determined frown.
"Made a new friend have we?" Milly asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
"Prez, you know it's not like that!" Shirley scowled with a small blush, "Look, guys, when you see how Zarkon has treated these people and destroyed their home—they've been under his thumb for so long, they don't even know what it is to be free. It's up to us to set this right. This is what being a Paladin of Voltron is all about."
Not much different from how we treat other countries, though… Shirley regrettably added silently.
"Let's get going then!" Rai cried, "Time to go defend the universe!"
"Wait," Lelouch said, standing up, "before we do anything else, I have something to say first. A confession. A few of them actually, and I might not get another chance like this. And some of them might change the way that you all think of me."
Lelouch now had the full, rapt attention of everyone in the room. The ex-prince took a deep breath. Now or never.
"First, I must ask that what I'm about to say does not exit this castle unless I say so. Is that clear?"
Milly quickly caught on to what he was implying and began to protest before Lelouch silenced her with a stern glare.
"No, Milly, if we're going to be doing this, they have a right to know."
Milly looked like she still wanted to protest but ultimately stepped back with a sigh before crossing her arms.
"Before that, though, I owe all of you an explanation. About why I wanted to go back to Earth."
"You said it was because of Nunnally, right?" Shirley asked, confused.
"Yes, but that's only part of the reason. You see, I'm a part of something back on Earth. A special group of people that I have responsibility for… the Black Knights."
Shocked silence filled the room. Suzaku's eyes widened into saucers along with Rivalz and Shirley's. Kallen's arms dropped to her sides in shock.
"Y-You're a part of the Black Knights, Lelouch?!" Suzaku exclaimed, "Why?!"
Suddenly, Rivalz started laughing.
"Oh! Good one, Lelouch! You? In the Black Knights?" the Blue Paladin giggled hysterically, "Man, and here I didn't think you even had a sense of humor! You had me worried there for a second!"
It took five seconds to register that Lelouch wasn't laughing with him or the offended and enraged look on Kallen's face.
"Wha-What wait, you're serious?!" Rivalz asked, shocked as his hands also fell to his sides.
"Well... I'll be damned..." Milly muttered, realizing just how real this was.
"I'm not just a part of them," Lelouch said, sighing before taking a deep breath, "...I'm their leader. I'm Zero."
There was silence for a solid twenty seconds in the room. The only ones who didn't look in shock were the two Alteans, who only looked mildly confused. Even C.C.'s eyes widened at Lelouch's revelation, quite baffled that Lelouch told them.
"Y-yo... Lelouch, please tell me that's a lie! It can't be true!" Suzaku begged desperately.
"You've known me since childhood Suzaku," Lelouch frowns, "why on Earth would I lie about something like-"
The Black Paladin was cut short when he was nearly bowled over by Shirley, who had thrown herself forward and engulfed him in a hug.
"It was you then," she whispered, "you were the one that saved Milly, Nina, and me at the hotel!"
"Um…" Lelouch blushed, embarrassed, and awkwardly patted her back. "Yes, that was me."
"...Now that I think about it, so much makes sense now!" Suzaku suddenly exclaimed, causing Shirley to let go and back away, "I can't believe I didn't suspect you even once, Lelouch. But…"
"I swear, Suzaku, so help me... I will one day obliterate Britannia!"
"...To think that you went through with it?! Don't you realize how many people you're endangering just to achieve this goal of yours?! Your methods aren't going to change anything!"
"Endangering people?! Suzaku, did you not hear the goal of the Black Knights? Our mission is to defend the weak, those who can't do it for themselves!"
"The police force can do that just fine too! There are plenty of ways to work within the system for it! If you, Zero, continue this way, how many others will die in the process?! A goal is worth nothing if the means of achieving it are wrong! Rebellion isn't the way to do it!"
Lelouch froze before throwing his head back and laughing almost hysterically.
"What's so funny?!" Suzaku spat in disgust. The rest of the room, the Alteans especially, were watching this play out like a tennis match, heads shooting from one side to the other.
"What's so funny?!" Lelouch gasped before glaring venomously at Suzaku, "What's funny is that you're spouting nonsense and degrading rebellions when you're participating in one right at this very moment!"
Now it was Suzaku's turn to freeze, his eyes widening in shock.
"Don't give me that look, Suzaku. You know it's true! Voltron is rebelling against the Galra. We're the only known force at this moment that has any hope of defeating them! You said so yourself! We're Defenders of the Universe, ones that are destined to defeat Zarkon and the Galra. Tell me, how are mine and the Black Knight's vision and goal for Japan and the rest of the world any different?!"
Suzaku clenched his fists and looked like he was about to make a comeback statement when Shirley interrupted, "He has a point, Suzaku…"
"Wha… Shirley, what are you saying?!"
"Well... it's just... Lulu is right! We're doing the same thing as the Black Knights right now. We're a rebellion. If you think it's so wrong… are you saying we just hand Voltron over to Zarkon and surrender?"
"We-well no, but-!"
"If we do that, Suzaku, people will just keep suffering!" Shirley interrupted, "When I was on the Balmera and talking to Shay, she didn't even know what the word 'free' meant! The Galra have been there for so long that they don't see any other future for them! Just as slaves living in those mines. She hasn't even seen what the sky looks like! They're all kept in those mines. If they don't obey, they're taken from their family, and who knows what happens to them?!"
Sounds familiar. Thought Kallen. Upon the revelation of Zero's identity, many feelings and thoughts raced through the Red Paladin's head. There was confusion as to why a Britannian of all people was fighting for Japan, anger and rage for his deception, but also… acceptance and even a little peace. The fact that Lelouch trusted them enough to reveal himself to them. Not to mention the way he acted when Sendak still had the castle. He was utterly focused on saving others. So, Lelouch wasn't being selfish on those terms, and because of that, she was at least willing to hear Lelouch out.
"Suzaku… I want you to be honest with me, please," Shirley said, turning to the Purple Paladin, "...the Ele-the Japanese, the ones still living in the ghetto. Is it the same for them?"
"YES!" Kallen exclaimed before Suzaku could even open his mouth, "That's exactly what it's like for them! In Shinjuku, the military slaughtered everyone, even those not involved with terrorism. Men, women, and children! All of them!"
"Wait, hold on a moment! What is this all about?!" Allura suddenly exclaimed. All the Paladins turned to the Alteans, who they realized probably had no idea what they were talking about.
"Apologies, Princess," Lelouch said, "Can I assume that you two don't understand the situation?"
"No, I'm afraid not," Coran admitted, but his face was shocked, "but are you saying that this is happening on your home planet?"
"Yes, it is. It's why I was so eager to return there. We're currently in the middle of what you may call… a planetary conflict," Lelouch confirmed.
"I'm afraid I still don't follow…" Allura confessed, feeling embarrassed for sounding naive.
C.C. suddenly stepped in, and everyone saw that she had one of the mind meld machines on. A screen appeared in front of her, showing Earth's world map. "Currently, our planet, Earth, is separated into three major superpowers, each with different laws and ideals for its people. They are the Chinese Federation, the European Union (also called the EU), and the Holy Britannian Empire, where most of us are from..."
China and its allied nations lit up in red, the EU appeared in green, and the rest of the map lit up in blue.
"...Each group is fighting and negotiating for territory and resources," the colors started shifting back and forth across the differing lands. However, the blue area seemed to continually expand. "From what we've heard of your planet, Altea, it seems that your planet has reached unity under one centralized government. Our planet has yet to make it that far."
Allura nodded, though inwardly, she was pretty surprised how primitive Earth was compared to other planets.
"As you can see, the Britannian Empire currently holds most of Earth's territory, and they're still pushing forward, taking more and more countries into the fold. Whether it's willingly or not," Lelouch explained.
"I suppose I am still struggling to understand why you've turned against your nation," Allura explained. Never in a million years would she think to betray her people.
"Because," Lelouch seethed, "Britannia is no different from the Galra!"
Coran and Allura both looked taken aback.
"As I mentioned before, even as we speak, Britannia is continually conquering more and more territory. They crush any and all they see as weak. Are either of you familiar with the term Social Darwinism?"
"I don't believe so, no," Coran said, holding his chin in intrigue. Though from the way Lelouch spoke, Coran wasn't sure he wanted to find out.
"To put it simply, Social Darwinism is the belief that all living things are subject to natural selection. Basically, the strong survive, and the weak die. Kind of like the food chain," Kallen explained.
"That sounds quite similar to what the Galra believe," Allura observed with a look of disgust on her face.
"Precisely!" Lelouch said, "What Britannia does is no different. They invade other countries, take what they want, and because the country 'lost,'" he made quotation marks with his hands, "to them, they strip the nation of their freedom, rights, and even name. All countries that come into the empire are replaced with just a number. All the previous citizens of that country suffer the same fate."
"Now, hold on!" Suzaku quickly protested, "That's not completely true! If they become Honorary Britannians, they can also live in the settlement!"
"Oh, so they need to earn their rights back?" Kallen shot back angrily, "Rights that never should've been taken from them in the first place?!"
"It's better than resorting to violence!"
"So, are you saying that our planet should have simply surrendered the Galra? Even if we did that, they would've destroyed Altea anyway!" Allura exclaimed angrily.
"No! Princess, you have a right to be angry. I get it! But Britannia didn't destroy Japan-"
"They sure as hell did!" Kallen screamed, spittle flying, "The people, the Elevens, have nothing now! Last I checked, the Britannians don't even see them as human beings!"
Suzaku stuttered, wracking his brain to devise a defense when Lelouch spoke again.
"What floors me the most, Suzaku, is that you're even trying to defend that nation when they themselves tried to murder you in cold blood!"
"Wh-what are you talking about?" a drop of sweat slowly descended Suzaku's brow.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about! They falsely blamed you for Prince Clovis's murder, even though you had an obvious alibi! They didn't bother to launch a real investigation. They just threw all the blame on you because you happened to be in the same area!"
"These people would do that?!" an astounded Allura demanded. She was starting to understand why Lelouch hated this nation. She was appalled. If her father had heard that an Altean had done this, he would've immediately charged them with treason and conspiracy.
"Yes, there was zero evidence against him. A sect within the military known as the Pure Bloods decided to use the Viceroy's ("Similar to a regent's in status," Milly quickly explained to the Alteans) death to accuse Suzaku of it. And if he was found guilty, what do you think would have happened? An Honorary Britannian, the son of the late Prime Minister even, is found guilty of the murder of Viceroy Clovis. Please, any of you. Humor me."
There was silence for about twenty seconds before Rai's head shot up in horror, "No…"
"That's correct. The Pure Blood's ultimate goal is to abolish the Honorary Britannian system. And they would've used that incident to begin that process. If Suzaku was found guilty, I wouldn't have been surprised if the entire system had been toppled overnight. That means all numbers, not just the Japanese, would've had their rights stripped from them all over again. They would have been forced to return to the ghetto, like lambs to the slaughter."
"But that didn't end up happening, obviously," Milly said, "Suzaku was found innocent."
"Yeah, it was after Zero showed up, and…" Rivalz trailed off before looking at Lelouch again.
"Wait," Suzaku said, realizing the same thing, "then that means... you killed Prince Clovis!"
"Yes, you're right, Suzaku. I did kill Clovis la Britannia," Lelouch sneered, "after he gave the order to slaughter hundreds of innocents in Shinjuku ghetto! They were your own people Suzaku, and as Kallen pointed out, most had nothing to do with the terrorism!"
"Wait, Prince Clovis ordered that?!" Shirley asked, horror in her tone, "But the news said it was poison gas that the terrorists had stolen!"
"That was a lie," C.C. said calmly, "it wasn't poison gas that the terrorists stole. It was me."
"C.C..."
"We might as well tell them, Lelouch. I'm stuck here just as much as the rest of you are," the immortal rationalized. "So, to answer why I was inside that capsule, your precious Clovis la Britannia was running illegal human experiments on me." Most of the room's occupants made noises of shock and disbelief. "So, when the terrorists unknowingly took me, he feared if anyone outside his inner circle found out what he was doing and it went public, he would be disowned by the Royal Family. So to cover his tracks, he ordered the massacre. That's also where I first met Lelouch."
"I had fallen into one of the vehicles the terrorists were using to transport C.C. I also ran into Suzaku, who was already a soldier. We both saw the canister open with C.C. inside."
Despite all of the firm, furious emotions within him, Suzaku couldn't deny this as he nodded in confirmation. No one noticed that Kallen had made a slightly disturbed and guilty face at the mention of the vehicle.
"With a little of his help," Lelouch decided to leave out the part where the squad captain shot Suzaku as he had already dragged Britannia's reputation through the dirt enough, "C.C. and I made a run for it. But we were eventually cornered by some of the royal guards. They were going to shoot me; they thought I was a fellow terrorist despite it being obvious I was a Britannian student." Coran's eyes widened at that before grimacing in disgust. They even would kill one of their own?! "C.C. then leaped in front of me and took a headshot in my place."
"A headshot?!" Rai exclaimed, most of the others having similar reactions.
"That's impossible!"
"You should be dead then!"
"Are you sure it was a headshot?!"
"Not many alien species can survive a head wound like that, but as far as I can tell, Miss, you seem very human…" Coran observed, "...Unless..."
"I'm..."
"...You're immortal," the two of them said together.
Everyone was shocked into silence again. None of them made a move to question whether or not C.C. was making it up. Plus, after everything that's happened so far, nothing really surprised them anymore.
"Wait, if you're really immortal, then how old are you?" Milly asked, leaning forward.
C.C. shrugged, "You tell me; I stopped counting about a century ago."
"When I thought C.C. was dead, she suddenly grabbed onto my arm and… well, I'm not one hundred percent sure what exactly happened. I saw a bunch of images," Shirley gasped a little, "and I felt different when it was all over. I realized that C.C. had given me something. A power known as Geass. The ability to compel anyone to do what I want."
"Wait! So that's what happened with Haxus," Kallen realized, "You just looked at him, and whatever you asked him, he answered you."
Lelouch nodded as C.C. continued, "Lelouch and I formed a contract. I would give him the power of Geass, the Power of the King, and in exchange, he must grant me a single wish of my choosing."
"What kind of a wish?" Rivalz curiously.
C.C. shrugged, "Don't know, haven't thought of one yet."
"Wait! That's what you said to me on the Balmera. We formed a contract too!" Shirley said.
"You made a contract with Shirley?" Lelouch asked, quite surprised.
"Don't act too shocked; I can decide who I form contracts with or not," C.C. said.
"So… you can control people now too?" Rivalz asked.
"No," C.C. said as Shirley shook her head, "Geass manifests differently from person to person. It usually depends and is based on strong personal desires. It can be anything from mind control to mind reading to even rewriting another person's memories."
"So then… What can you do, Shirley?"
"Perhaps seeing these abilities up close could give some insight," Coran suggested. "That way, we all see how they work and how to use them in battle."
"Ladies first," Lelouch said to Shirley.
"Um… okay," Shirley activated her Geass, and a blink later, she was gone.
"WHOA! Where'd you go?" Rivalz exclaimed.
"Nowhere, guys! I'm right here!" the Orange Paladin said.
"You're invisible! That's so cool!" Milly squealed.
"Hmmm… I think invisible is the wrong term," Lelouch said, "Shirley, turn it off for a second. Rai, go to the opposite end of the room. I want to try something."
The Green Paladin shrugged and obeyed, stopping at the far wall.
"Okay, try it again, Shirley."
Shirley turned it on again. Once again, the Lelouch and the others nearby couldn't see her. But Rai…
"Did you do it? I can still see you!"
"You can?" Shirley asked, shocked.
"As I suspected. You're not becoming invisible with your Geass. Rather, you're projecting an energy field that affects people and creatures a certain distance away from you. It likely distorting our vision so you can't look invisible to us. But because Rai's out of range, you'd eventually disappear to him as well," Lelouch deduced.
"It seems we'll have some extra training to do," Allura said, "to find its limits and capabilities."
"I think I can make others invisible too," Shirley said, "on the Balmera Coran, Shay, C.C., and I were all invisible to the sentries."
"I believe all three of us were in some form of physical contact with you when that happened," C.C. said. "So I assume that's how it's done. The Geass recognizes anyone touching you as an extension of your own body and therefore will act to hide them as well."
"Cool!" Kallen said, mildly impressed with the ability. She could already see the advantages that this gave.
"And you, Lelouch?" Suzaku asked, narrowing his eyes. He didn't know why, but something about this 'Geass' power rubbed him the wrong way.
"...All right," Lelouch turned to Coran, activating his Geass with a small grin, "Tell us the most embarrassing thing that's happened to you."
Coran's eyes lit up with a familiar red ring around them. "When I was just beginning my training as the Royal Family's advisor, I do recall tripping down the staircase, losing my pants and shirt in the process, and lying square florgal at the bottom… with the entire Royal Court there to witness it."
There was silence for ten seconds before most of the Paladins burst out laughing. Even Lelouch had thrown his head back in guffaw and deactivated his Geass. Allura was also attempting to hide a couple of giggles, with C.C. shaking her head in amusement.
"Huh? Wha-what happened? Why are you all laughing at me?" the advisor asked.
"Oh," Allura coughed to cover her next snicker, "nothing that you must concern yourself with, Coran."
"My Geass originally was the ability to compel anyone to obey when I make eye contact with them. The drawbacks I've noticed so far are that I can only do it once per person. So now that I just used it on Coran, it won't affect him again. Also…"
Lelouch activated his Geass again and held his fist to the side, charging up with lightning. A blast shot out, completely obliterating the cup Rivalz was using at the table.
"I can do that."
"Whoa! That was like that one superhero movie! You know, the one where the chick was kidnapped by aliens and got caught in a spaceship explosion?" Rivalz asked.
Lelouch smiled and shook his head slightly. He knew what Rivalz meant, but it was hilarious that that was the first thing his friend considered comparing it to.
"Strange, no one I've made contracts with was able to do that…" C.C. muttered, inwardly quite shocked.
"I couldn't do that until we infiltrated Sendak's ship. Something just… snapped inside me. I don't know how else to describe it."
"Hey yeah! Both you and Rai totally destroyed the sentries that came after us," Milly remembered.
"Come to think of it," Rai said softly, rejoining the group, "whenever I fight, I get this weird feeling. Like my senses are heightened or something. When I was fighting Sendak the other day, he mentioned a group of people. The Druids? He said I must have paid a visit to them or something. So if I do have this Geass thing too, it seems to activate when I'm physically in battle."
"I see. We'll see what can be done about it. Sendak did say something similar to me as well," Lelouch said, "Princess, Coran, does that name ring a bell at all? The Druids?"
"Not that I recall, no," Allura shook her head.
"It could be the division's name," Coran suggested, "a group of Galra that specialize in science and the like."
"Perhaps…"
"Okay… but why you, Lulu?" Shirley suddenly asked. "You get this weird power and decide to use it to fight Britannia? Why go so far? Why does it have to be you that does this?"
That was the big burning question, wasn't it? Well, time to finally answer it.
"Do you remember the story of how my parents died?"
Shirley and Rivalz winced. The official story about Lelouch and Nunnally's past was that their father was a scientist and their mother a businesswoman. Both were also very well versed in Britannia's politics. They had moved to Japan to help settle the disputes about the sakuradite mineral. But shortly after, the Pacific War broke out, and both lost their lives.
"Yeah, you said they were killed during the first days of the Pacific War, right?" Rivalz said.
Lelouch nodded and grimaced.
"That's the story that I came up with, with some help from the Ashfords. But in reality, my mother was murdered while we were still living in the homeland."
"Wait, what? But, I don't get it..." Shirley stuttered. All of these revelations today were starting to make her head feel dizzy.
"Yeah, what Shirley said. I know that Milly's grandfather owed you guys a favor, but..." Rivalz trailed off.
"My mother and the Ashfords were close friends up until she died. That incident stripped them of their status as nobles. If it weren't for the Ashfords, my mother would never have become the Knight of Six. Or Two, for that matter."
As he expected, their eyes widened to the size of softballs. Even Kallen and Rai looked surprised.
"Whoa, hold on, back up! Your mother was a Knight of the Round?!"
"Let me put it to you this way, Rivalz. Lamperouge is our mother's maiden name. When she was married, she was renamed Marianne vi Britannia."
It was nothing but silence. Milly and Suzaku were the only two not showing signs of shock, having known about this beforehand.
Rivalz's jaw was on the floor, Shirley was a stuttering mess, and Kallen was stock still, standing dumbfounded. Coran was also quite shocked, and Allura seemed to relax slightly, her suspicions of him being a prince finally confirmed. Still, Lelouch felt somewhat relieved to finally have that off his chest. Now they knew his identity. Now they had to understand his reasons.
"W-w-what... S-so then, you and Nunnally are..." Kallen stammered.
"Correct. Officially, Lelouch vi Britannia and Nunnally vi Britannia both died near the end of the Pacific War. After we were exiled, we were sent under the care of the Kururugi family. That's how Suzaku and I knew each other before."
The word 'exiled' caught Allura's attention, but Coran beat her to the question, "Hold on, why would you and your sister have been exiled?"
No one expected to hear Lelouch's tone go cold and icy. The air in the room seemed to turn several degrees colder.
"Because my father, Charles zi Britannia, doesn't give a damn about anyone but himself, not even his own children. After our mother was killed, I barged into the throne room and demanded justice be carried out on the murderer."
Lelouch took the mind-meld device from C.C. and placed it on his head. He figured showing them would help them understand better than merely telling them.
The screen in front of him fizzled out before clearing. It showed a set of elegant grand doors in front, and after a few moments, they opened up.
"Announcing Prince Lelouch vi Britannia, Seventeenth Heir to the Royal Britannian Imperial Throne!" someone announced to the side. At the other end of the room was a large throne with the Emperor himself seated on it. On both sides were nobles and people dressed in fancy gowns and elegant jewelry. The women all had their hair styled beautifully.
The screen slowly began approaching the ruler of Britannia, walking at a steady pace and with purpose, ignoring the whispers circling. However, some of the comments shocked the majority of the audience.
"I heard Empress Marianne was killed inside of the Britannian Palace."
"There's no way terrorists could've gotten in there."
"Which means that the real assassins must have been…"
"Shhh. Beware, my friend. You'll regret it if anyone hears that kind of talk around the Palace."
"And yet the boy remains… even though his mother is dead."
"It's over. And the Ashford family who stood behind them is finished as well."
"And his sister, the princess?"
"I understand she was shot in the legs."
"And that she lost her sight."
"Blindness caused by trauma, though, isn't it?"
"No difference. Now she can't even be married off for political gain."
The screen stopped at the foot of the throne, "Hail, Your Majesty! My mother, the Empress, is dead!" A young voice was heard, which they realized must be Lelouch's when he was younger.
"Old news. What of it?" the Emperor replied in a bored tone.
"What of it?!" the younger Lelouch exclaimed in disbelief.
"You sought an audience with the Emperor of Britannia simply to inform me of that? Send the next one in. I have no time for these childish games."
"Father!" the screen approached the throne closer. Two guards standing by the throne rushed to intercept but were stopped when the Emperor raised his hand.
The guards straightened and secured their weapons. "Yes! Your Majesty!"
"Why didn't you keep mother out of harm's way? You're the Emperor, the greatest man in this nation, if not the world. You should have protected her, and now you don't even visit Nunnally?!"
"I have no use for that weakling."
This reply drew a large variety of reactions from the group watching. Shirley gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Rivalz and Rai were both standing with duplicate looks of horror. Even Coran looked taken aback and a little ill. Milly grimaced and looked away while Suzaku scowled. He had heard stories about the emperor, but to witness this firsthand… paled to anything else he experienced. Kallen and Allura, on the other hand, weren't horrified. They were both livid. Kallen gnashed her teeth, and Allura clenched her fists so hard they almost turned white.
"That weakling?" Lelouch gasped.
"That is what it means to be royalty." Allura honestly never thought she'd meet someone she'd hold in as much contempt as she did Zarkon, but it seems she had. Lelouch's father was certainly one of the most despicable beings she'd ever laid eyes on as she stared at his face in disgust.
The screen shifted downward for a moment before rising again, "Then I don't want to be your heir. I give up my claim to the throne!"
There were shouts and noises of bewilderment and shock that followed. The vassals that were there to watch were all astounded at the proclamation.
"I'm sick of the fighting and scheming over who will succeed you, Father. I've had enough!"
"You are dead." They heard the young Lelouch gasp.
"You have always been dead to me, dead from the moment you were born. Who gave you the fine clothes you wear, a comfortable home, the food you eat, and your very life? All of those I have given to you. In short, you are nothing to me because you have never existed. Yet you dare to speak such foolishness to me?!" the emperor rose threateningly from his throne, and the young Lelouch stumbled back as the screen shook with his cry.
"Lelouch! You are dead. Therefore, you are not entitled to any rights. I am sending you and Nunnally to Japan. As prince and princess, you will serve well as bargaining tools."
The screen shorted out, and the Black Paladin pulled the device from his head, his hands shaking slightly.
"The image you saw when I messed up the mind-meld was of the assassination. Not a day goes by that it doesn't haunt me… Afterward, we went to Japan and were taken in by Suzaku and his family. The Pacific War started not long after that. We stayed at the Kururugi Shrine during that time, and it was one of the first places to get bombed by Britannian forces. Nunnally and I wouldn't have survived had Suzaku not helped us escape. During this time, Britannia had developed a new weapon. Their Knightmare Frames. War machines that work in a very similar fashion to the Lions, though not nearly as advanced. They were used within the military ranks to fight. The country fell less than a month later, and not once did anyone even try and rescue us. In other words, it didn't matter if their prince and princess were still there. Britannia attacked anyway, knowing there was a huge possibility that we would die, and officially that's exactly what happened. Lelouch vi Britannia and Nunnally vi Britannia's deaths were marked among the casualties of that war. It's only thanks to Milly and her family that Nunnally and I have a place to stay at all."
"...That's horrifying!" Coran said.
"All this time…" Rivalz said, clenching his fists and scowling in disgust.
"Lelouch I…" Shirley started before stopping as tears trailed her face.
Rai also was scowling. Though he still didn't remember much, everyone knew about the war. And to hear how it happened from another point of view was terrifying, and he immediately regretted ever calling Lelouch selfish or a coward.
"Lelouch, I knew that you were a prince, but… I didn't expect your father to be such a cruel individual."
"Wait, you knew Allura? How? When?" Rivalz asked.
"Apparently, the mice don't know when to keep certain pieces of information to themselves," C.C. said, eyeing the mice. Platt had the decency to look guilty, but the other three shrugged aloofly.
"The emperor... my father... he's a monster. Now, do you understand? This is why I have Geass, why I became Zero. Though I'll admit there is personal motivation behind this, it's not just about revenge, not for me. The Britannian Empire is nothing more than a plague on the Earth. I swore I would do whatever it took to create a world where Nunnally, and all those less fortunate like her, could find happiness. But to do that... I have to... I will obliterate Britannia!"
"And you will!" Allura agreed, looking right at the prince, "Because you'll have Voltron with you!"
"Princess, not that I disagree in the slightest, but are you sure this is a good idea?" Coran inquired.
"Absolutely!" she proclaimed, "They may not be the Galra, but I can not just sit by and let other people suffer like this. Lelouch, you have my support in this endeavor."
"I thank you, Princess, but I only fly the Black Lion, and though she may be powerful, I doubt we can do it alone."
"You won't be!" Kallen stepped forward, "The Red Lion is next to you! Can't leave a fellow Black Knight behind now, can I?"
"Wait, Kallen?" Rivalz exclaimed, "You're in the Black Knights too?"
"That's right! Even if I weren't half Japanese, I wouldn't be standing by and letting innocent people die!"
"You're half Japanese?" Suzaku asked, shocked.
"Yes. My real name is Kallen Kouzuki, and I'm half Japanese, half Britannian."
"Why did you choose to do this then?" Shirley asked, "I mean, it's pretty obvious by now that you're not the Kallen Stadtfeld we know."
"Yeah! By the way, please keep that look. It suits you way better than before," Rivalz said with a grin.
She shot Rivalz a slightly annoyed look before speaking, "...Because Lelouch isn't the only person who's lost someone to Britannia." At everyone's concerned inquiring faces, Kallen grimaced, tears pricking her eyes, "Britannia killed my brother, Naoto. He never hurt anyone! When Japan was overtaken, my brother and some of his friends made a small group. They weren't terrorists, though. I guess the best way to describe them is like Robin Hood and his gang, you know? Anyway, they never let me go with them. They said it was too dangerous." She growled a little before continuing, "Anyway, all they technically did was find food and medicine, whether from an overly rich house, hospital, or whatever. Then they would hand it out to people in the ghetto. Sure, they may have stolen the stuff, but that's all they did. They were never violent, though! Naoto even insisted they not carry guns! Anyway…" Kallen had to take a breath to gain control of her emotions, tears nearly spilling from her eyes. "Anyway, they once went out on one of their raids. Nothing special, just another nobleman's house with more food than he knew what to do with, and as they were leaving, they got caught by some soldiers in Knightmare Frames. Naoto distracted them while the others got away… They publicly executed three days later."
Lelouch and the other Paladins looked in shock; even he didn't know about this. It was no wonder Kallen showed her distaste for Britannia so strongly.
"They killed my brother when all he tried to do was help others! No... Not because he was helping others, but because he was helping Elevens! What kind of logic is that?! Even if they charged him for theft, that shouldn't warrant the death penalty!" she screamed, tears falling. Coran stepped forward and placed a hand on Kallen's shoulder. The Red Paladin instantly wrapped her arms around his neck and broke down in sobs, and they both lowered to the floor. Allura also comforted her, running her hand up and down her back.
"I-I'm sorry that happened," Lelouch tried to sound comforting. He knew that Kallen's brother was dead, but he never knew anything about the circumstances. Her attitude towards Britannians explained a lot now.
Kallen sniffled, before wiping away the rest of her tears, "Either way, I'm with you too, Lelouch, Zero, or whatever you want to call yourself."
Lelouch smiled graciously, "Thank you… Q1," he finished with a smirk. Kallen snorted and shook her head as she slowly stood back up.
"I'm in too!" Shirley said, shocking Lelouch again. He honestly was expecting to get scorned and even kicked off the team for revealing all this to them, but everyone was suddenly proving him wrong, "Besides, I already told Shay we'd be saving everyone, including our own planet! The Orange Lion will stand with you too!"
"So is the Green Lion," Rai said, stepping forward, "Lelouch, I'm sorry I called you a coward before. You're anything but that!"
"Me too! If that's really what the Emperor is like, I don't want anything to do with that monster! I mean, what kind of a parent does that to their own kids?! What the hell?!" Rivalz ranted.
"Don't count me out," Milly smiled, "who else is supposed to keep an eye on you, Lulu?" Everyone laughed a little at that.
Suzaku just stood there, still in semi-shock. What amazed him most was how fast everyone in the room was suddenly against their own country. How could they not see the consequences that could occur from this?
"Suzaku," the Purple Paladin jumped, startled from his thoughts, "I know we don't agree on many things, but I think we can agree on one. The Galra is the bigger threat; if they reach Earth, the entire planet is in jeopardy, including Britannia. I believe it's in our best interests to work together in this."
Suzaku grimaced. Lelouch did have a point there, no matter how much he wanted to deny it. But still…
"Lelouch, you realize if Earth wants a chance to stand against the Galra, then we'll need Britannia. Despite what you might think, Britannia has the strongest military power at the moment, and we'll need that to defend the planet! W-Why don't we just tell him?" Suzaku suggested.
"Tell him?" Lelouch asked as if Suzaku had just spoken to him in an ancient Roman dialect.
"Yeah! If-if the leader of a country knows there's a threat coming and is provided with legitimate proof, wh-why wouldn't he help?!"
Lelouch let out a sigh. Then he approached the Purple Paladin until he was almost nose to nose with him. Suzaku leaned back, looking very uncomfortable.
"Let me make something very clear, Suzaku," Lelouch almost whispered in his ear, "you do not know that man the way I do. And I can guarantee that when I say he won't help. He. Won't. Help."
Suzaku had to take a couple of steps back. He had never heard Lelouch use that tone of voice before. It terrified him.
"However, you are correct about one thing," he said a little louder, walking back to the center of the room. "Britannia's military might trumps any on Earth at this very moment. Therefore, if the Galra were to attack at this very moment, this is the outcome I see. Due to their superior firepower, Britannia would likely try to shoot them out of the sky immediately. They wouldn't even take the time to ask who they are or what they want. This course of action would only provoke the Galra further. They would retaliate with their own weapons. Ones that Britannia would never even dream of inventing. They would wipe out their troops and the rest of the empire overnight. Other countries will move in to claim the power void when that happens. I have no doubt this will ultimately lead to conflict between these other countries. The Galra will immediately take advantage of the wars and chaos that follow. The rest of Earth's forces will be destroyed within days. Any other resistance would be hunted down and annihilated along with the rest of the planet."
"Are you sure that's what will happen?" Rivalz asked in a shaky tone.
"Well, in theory, considering it hasn't happened yet, but that's the most likely outcome. This also means that to defeat the Galra, we will need Britannia's forces on our side."
"Wha-but you just said-"
"Kallen, I know what you're thinking, but hear me out, please," Lelouch said calmly. "I know I spoke of my desire to obliterate Britannia, but you misunderstand what I mean by that. What I want to obliterate isn't Britannia itself, but their ideology. Their belief in Social Darwinism. I will honestly say that I believe that most people within Britannian are good people. They're simply following an ideology given by racist leaders and are just too scared to disobey or are unaware there's another way. Ignorance is bliss after all.."
"...Lelouch, say you're wrong," Suzaku suddenly said. "Say we do manage to convince your dad… Sorry..." he quickly apologized at Lelouch's glare. "The emperor… Say we do convince him, and he agrees to help. That should merit something, right?"
Lelouch shook his head, "This is what I see happening if by the tiniest percent that does happen. If the emperor, along with every other world leader not under his thumb, agrees to work together, I see us defeating the Galra. But once that threat is eliminated, the very second it's confirmed that we beat them, Britannia will return to what it does best. And that is oppressing other countries for its own personal gain. I wouldn't be surprised if they try to use what remains of the Galra tech to advance their own, making them even more difficult to defeat in the future. You know that Lloyd Asplund certainly wouldn't pass up the opportunity to do so, Suzaku."
"Sure, I know some people might be interested in it, but the emperor-"
"THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT CHARLES ZI BRITANNIA WOULD DO!"
Suzaku jumped back. For a brief moment, Allura, still standing to the side watching this showdown, saw something different. It wasn't Suzaku and Lelouch arguing anymore. It was Alfor, her father… and somebody else.
"If we want to save Earth, if we want to stop the Galra from taking it, if we want our world to have a peaceful future, it has to be united. Not under Britannia rule, but where all nations, all people stand as equals regardless of race, status, gender, or ideology. But to do that, we can't have Britannia's beliefs on Social Darwinism be active anywhere, which means removing Charles zi Britannia from his throne. Otherwise, Earth will return to fighting itself, and nothing will change. Maybe two or three people from the royal family who might listen to us and cooperate willingly." Euphemia, Odysseus, Marrybell, and even Cornelia and Schneizel flashed through Lelouch's head. However, he didn't utter their names, "But not Charles."
"Suzaku, we are looking at a man that exiled his own kids just because Lelouch wanted to know why his mom died," Rai pointed out.
Suzaku still looked unsure, and Lelouch inwardly sighed. Suzaku usually meant well, but he was also one of the most stubborn people that Lelouch had ever met.
"I'm not going to force you, Suzaku. That's one of the few things I'll never do. But right now, I need you. Nunnally needs you. The Earth needs you. Voltron needs you. So please, fight with us now," Lelouch held his hand to his comrade in arms.
Suzaku was silent for a few moments. He admitted Lelouch's responses were almost all logical, even his explanation of Britannia's 'obliteration.' Not to mention that Lelouch came out and told them that he and Zero were the same being. That probably took a lot of courage for his friend, considering how hard it came for him to trust others, even when they were still kids. And both he and Lelouch at least agreed that Britannia needed to stop what they were doing for peace to come about. So, because of that…
Suzaku clutched Lelouch's hand, "I'll help you, Lelouch. But there are lines I will not cross. You can guarantee that."
Lelouch grinned, "Of course, I think we can all agree to that."
"All right! Team group hug!" Milly proclaimed as everyone crowded around the two Paladins in a tight embrace. Even C.C. had been dragged into it.
Lelouch was so relieved that it had turned out this way. His first fear had been that they would turn away and abandon him once they knew who he was, Zero and a Britannian Prince. That, fortunately, wasn't the case. Now that everything was off his chest, he felt lighter and happier.
"Thanks, everyone, for everything…"
"No problem."
"Anytime!"
"Of course, you idiot!" came the responses.
"Right," Lelouch said after everyone backed away, "then I think it's time we launch this Castleship. Princess, are we ready?"
"Absolutely!" Allura nodded.
"Then let's go. We have a Balmera to save."
"Yes, yes, let's go!" Shirley eagerly responded, leading the way to the bridge.
After changing into their Paladin uniforms, everyone arrived at the bridge. Allura stood underneath the crystal once again. As it glowed, seven large colored seats that circled the edge of the room rose from the floor. Each matched the color of their respective Paladin. Lelouch at the front, Kallen, and Rai behind him to the right and left, followed by Suzaku and Milly, and Rivalz and Shirley taking up the back. Each seat was conveniently located next to each of the elevators that could take them down to their Lions.
As everyone took their seats, transparent screens appeared in front of them, each showing a different castle function.
Coran and C.C. were close to the front of the bridge, just behind Lelouch's chair. The green-haired witch was adorning a new outfit of her own as well. It looked identical to Allura's but was gold where pink should be, and the blue was much darker.
Two pillars rose to Allura's side, where she placed her hands gently on top of them. "Activate interlock," Allura said.
"Dynotherms connected," Coran confirmed from below.
From outside, the Castleship's windows glowed a brilliant blue as the ship prepared for launch after 10,000 years of inactivity.
"Mega-thrusters are go," Allura said.
"We are ready to depart Planet Arus," Coran said.
"Whenever you're ready," C.C. added.
The dark windows that initially surrounded the bridge opened to reveal the clear Arusian sky, "Firing main engines for launch," the castle soon began to shake.
The center's six spires moved outward as the engines roared to life. At last, the Castle of Lions detached itself from its rocky outpost and rose into the sky. From the Arusian village, the king and his subjects watched as the Lion Goddess and her warriors vanished into the atmosphere.
AN: This is a bit of an interlude between episodes. I hope you liked it. It was actually pretty fun to write. I got stuck in some places, but thanks to the lovely Iron117Prime, I was able to push through!
A little note about Naoto's death, all that we know about it is that he died before the first season of Code Geass. So Iron117Prime came up with this. Hope you like it.
Also, C.C.'s outfit, you can find it in the fanart that was made for me. It's posted on my TvTropes fic page. ;)
So anyway, R&R please, and I'll see you next time!
Edited and revised 07/07/2022