The throne room was lavish to the extreme. Purple walls with gold trim and a golden colored floor made the long red carpet that lead to the throne look drab in comparison. But what irritated Lelouch Vi Britannia the most was either the societal vultures that called themselves aristocrats which were lined up on either side of said carpet or his father, the fat man that sat atop the throne at the very end. As the grand doors swung inward, Lelouch walked forward, steadily gazing at that very man.
"Announcing Prince Lelouch Vi Britannia, seventeenth heir to the Royal Britannian Imperial Throne!"
Lelouch walked in steadily, the cape he wore trailing behind him and creating a unique contrast with the sour expression he wore upon his face. Although they were bowing, he could just barely see the smug and haughty looks upon the faces of many of the nobles he passed.
"I heard Empress Mariane was killed inside of the Britannian Palace."
"There's no way terrorists could have gotten in there."
"Which means that the real assassins must hav-"
"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."
"And the Ashford family that stood behind them is finished as well."
"And his sister, the princess?"
"I understand she was shot in the legs."
"And then 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."
Lelouch finally came upon the steps that lead to the throne and stopped. "Hail your majesty! My mother, the empress, is dead!"
Lelouch's father didn't even blink. "Old news. What of it?"
Lelouch was aghast. "What of it?!"
"You sought an audience with the Emperor of Britannia simply to inform me of that?" his father asked dismissively. He looked over to one of his guards "Send the next one in. I have no time for these childish games."
"Father!" Lelouch ran up the steps, and the two guards at the top moved to intercept him, but the emperor held up his hand.
"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 Nunally!"
"I've no use for that weekling." his father replied evenly.
"That weekling?" Lelouch asked, frowning.
"That is what it means to be royalty."
Lelouch's face twisted and he grimaced. It was an odd sight, to see one so young bare such a face to his father. "Then I don't want to be your heir; I denounce my claim to the throne!"
The assembled aristocracy gasped and began to mutter amongst themselves.
"I'm sick of the fighting and scheming over who will succeed you, Father! I've had enough!" Lelouch shouted, his head raised high in defiance of a king.
"You are dead. 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! And yet you dare to speak such foolishness to me?!" the emperor shouted, raising to his full height and towering over the prince, who fell backwards to the ground in fright.
"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!"
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Lelouch groaned as he escaped his nightmare. A quick glance at the clock on his nightstand told him it was nearly 6, and so he rose and began preparing for the day. Even in my sleep he haunts me. The exiled prince thought, bemoaning his nightmare. Oh well. Today was going to be a very busy day. Today would be the attack on the Saitama Ghetto. While he wouldn't be falling for his dear sister's provocations this time around, he couldn't just allow her to slaughter the civilians there, either.
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"It's a seventh generation knightmare frame, making it's abilities far greater than normal." Lloyd Asplund explained as Princess Cornelia walked with him along the raised platform. They were in the knightmare hanger at the Britannian Military Area Eleven Primary Command site.
The princess stop and turned around to face the odd earl. "I understand that the Lancelot's pilot is an eleven?"
"That's correct; an Honorary Britannian. However-"
"I'm promoting this man from private to warrant officer. That should satisfy him. I'm trying to win without having to rely too much on the numbers. Now, I must be going. I have a meeting with Gottwald." the Witch of Britannia said, cutting him off.
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Cornelia strode into the conference room, one of many in the Area Eleven Administration Building. Euphemia was off surveying Area Eleven. Usually, Cornelia would have objected to this regardless of security, but it was convenient to her that her sister wouldn't be there for what they were about to discuss. General Darlton, Villetta Nu, and Jeremiah Gottwald saluted her as she entered, only sitting down after she had.
"Jeremiah Gottwald. I understand you have much to report." Cornelia said, directing her attention to the cyan haired man.
"Your highness, allow me to officially welcome you to Area Eleven." Gottwald began, stopping as her expression soured.
"Enough of that nonsense. Tell me about the Operation at Shinjuku." the princess demanded. "I want to know what happened to Clovis. And what's this about infighting in the 3rd Mobile Battalion?"
Jeremiah gulped. "That is, your highness- Lord Kewell and his allies attempted to seize power after Zero rescues Suzaku Kururugi. I ordered Kewell to be court martialed due to abetting an enemy of the state, but his allies within the purebloods freed him. Myself and Villeta pursued them, as well as those whose loyalty I was sure I could trust." Jeremiah paused, and Cornelia gestured for him to continue.
"The battle was chaotic. I requested that Camelot deploy the Lancelot to assist us, and that proved to be the push we needed."
Cornelia nodded as he concluded. "Where is Soresi now?"
"Dead, along with his allies. The Purebloods are at half battalion strength at this time, your highness." Jeremiah responded dutifully.
Cornelia looked over at General Darlton, who nodded. She gave a satisfied nod of her own before turning back to Gottwald. "Very well. You will both maintain your rank and status within the imperial army. However, I am disbanding the 'Purebloods' effective immediately."
Villetta made a confused look. "Your highness?"
"I believe the two of you will be helpful in other ways. You are dismissed." The Princess responded, effectively ending the conversation. The two knights stood and saluted before leaving the room, leaving Princess Cornelia and General Darlton alone.
"What do you think?" she asked the general.
Darlton nodded thoughtfully, his gaze falling on the table. "After action reports list them both as active participants in the operation. They might be of some help."
Cornelia thought for a moment before shaking her head. "Neither was there when Clovis died. We'll leave them here with Euphie."
"As you wish, your highness."
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Suzaku had to fight back the urge to cry. He had to catch up on years of studying all over again! Or at least pretend to. While it was true that he had forgotten some of what he learned in his time at Ashford in their original timeline, he still remembered much of it. It wasn't quite as hard this time around, merely tedious.
"Sorry you have to sit here watching me do my homework." he muttered, sitting next to Cecile Croomy. They were both in the Lancelot's hangar bay, but neither had much to do at the moment.
"Oh don't worry about it. You've never attended a regular school before so it can't be avoided." Cecile responded, smiling warmly. She would never admit it but she saw Suzaku as something of a younger brother.
"The guys on the student council are helping me, too, but it's still hard."
"To be perfectly honest with you I've been a little bit worried." Cecile responded. "It's supposed to be a liberally school, but I was afraid you weren't fitting in well."
Suzaku looked up at the older woman. "Yeah, me too. But I ran into an old friend there and he smoothed everything over. He even got me into the student council."
Cecile's smile brightened. "Be sure to never take that friend for granted. If your friendship continues your reunion won't have been coincidence; it will have been predestined."
"All right everyone!" Lloyd shouted down at ground level. "Pack it up pack it up we're done for the day, don't do anymore!" he exclaimed, waving his arms in an exaggerated manner. "Hip hip hoorayyyy! That's all folks."
Cecile giggled at the earl's odd behavior, and Suzaku rolled his eyes. And yet he was smiling.
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Back at the student council room, Shirley was setting up a scratch post for Arthur when Kallen walked in. The red head walked in with a box full of cat toys and set it down by the far wall, right next to where Shirley was working.
Shirley looked away from the other girl almost instantly, and Kallen could feel the tension building between them, which worried her. Despite not knowing her very well Shirley had been a good friend to Kallen in their previous life. She didn't want the two of them to be at odds.
"Kallen?" Shirley asked while keeping her eyes on the cat house she was setting up, her voice barely more than a whisper.
"What is it?" Kallen responded calmly.
"Are you hiding something?"
Kallen blinked, surprised. "No. What are you talking about?"
Shirley turned her head, keeping Kallen in the corner of her eyes. "I promise I won't be upset. It's just-" She wheeled around with a stomp. "Argh! You're going out with Lulu, aren't you!?"
Kallen fell back a bit in shock. "Lulu?"
"You kissed him and everything!" Shirley responded.
Kallen stood up, waving her arms in front of her in an attempt to diffuse the situation. "Nononono, that was all his doing!"
Shirley's eyes widened. "All his doing!?" she shrieked.
"You don't understand the circumstances one bit!" Kallen retorted, her cheeks going atomic.
"Then explain them!" Shirley shouted, throwing her arms to the side.
"What?! No!" Kallen shouted back, shutting her eyes as hard as she could. She had known about Shirley's feelings for Lelouch but honestly who acted like this?!
"Yes!" Shirley retorted, throwing her arms downward and pushing her face up into Kallen's.
Kallen rose from her crouched position, walking swiftly to the door. She was not opening this can of worms right now; not if she had anything to say about it. "Like I said, there's nothing between Lelouch and I!" she shouted, opening the door.
She came face to face with Milly, who wore an amused expression on her face. Her blue eyes were full of mischief, as usual. "I don't know, Kallen. It looked like you enjoyed that kiss to me." she said dismissively.
Kallen harumped, blowing past Milly into the hallway and briskly walking away.
Shirley groaned, throwing the cat toys in her hand down on the table hard, while Milly assumed her usual sassy stance, putting her hands on her hips and throwing them to one side. "Better act soon, Shirley, or Kallen's gonna steal Lulu out from under your nose." she chirped, smirking.
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"The Saitama Ghetto is now completely surrounded. The Yamato alliance's hideout is located somewhere in here. Half the people in this neighborhood are cooperating with them." General Darlton announced, turning around and facing his princess as the command g1 moved into position. Their forces had truly surrounded the ghetto; there was no way in or out, at least according to the pre war maps they had. And there was no way the resourceless elevens had built anything in this rat's nest since. "So if we proceed now-"
"What will be the effect on production?" Princess Cornelia interjected. She was seated in the command seat, elegant yet disciplined in her posture. The princess' personal knight of honor, Guilford, stood at attention at her side.
"Sector output should decrease by 0.2 percent." Darlton answered dutifully.
"Within expectations, you mean? All right." Cornelia mused, turing to look at a line of officers to her right. "All of you here participated in the Shinjuku disaster, is that right?"
The first officer spoke up but none of them looked up at her, instead maintaining their ridgid salutes. "Yes, and we are indebted to you, Princess Cornelia, for your mercy." the first said humbly.
"That's not what I'm asking!" Cornelia snapped, though not harshly. "Do you think the conditions are similar-"
"Huh?" the three men muttered, finally looking up at their commander.
Cornelia smiled in a disturbing manner, her purple lips creeping upwards slowly. One would even be forgive for saying that it was an evil smile. "To those in Shinjuku?"
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C.C. was putting together her pizza rewards list when Lelouch walked into his room. Sure, it was just an inanimate stuffed toy but by the collective consciousness she was getting her Cheese Kun back!
"Oh, my." she breezed. "What has you looking so serious?"
Lelouch rolled his eyes. "You know as well as I."
C.C. yawned, never looking up from the sticker board. Her bare feet kicked through the air as if she was enjoying this, which she probably was.
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"-known hiding place for terrorists. Viceroy Cornelia is also on the scene, and entry to the are is restricted."
Dietard groaned quietly. Again with the dog and pony shows! Was this really what his career was coming to?!
"It appears that a full scale assault will be launched in two hours. Consequently, power will be shut off in all the following area-"
Richard scratched his head from his position next to him. "I don't get it." he admitted to Diethard. "News is one thing, but why are we broadcasting the start time?"
"Because they are trying to provoke Zero." Diethard responded evenly.
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Cornelia stared ahead, eager as ever to begin. She held no ill will to these people; they were merely tools to draw out her brother's murderer. If a few dozen numbers had to die in order to do so, so be it.
Ahead of her, was General Darlton. He turned to face her. "We're done sweeping away those in charge."
The princess nodded, not a single hint of remorse upon her expressionless face. "It's nearly time to begin our plan. So shall we begin?"
The general came to attention in an instant. "Right!"
He turned back around, holding don a button. "Attention all forces! Commence the eradication of the Saitama Ghetto! All forces, assume level one battle stations!"
His commands rang forth, received by every tank, vtol, and knightmare. They moved forward, weapons leveled, and began firing on their surroundings.
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"Saitama is today, isn't it!?" The hot headed girl exclaimed, getting in Lelouch's face. The prince sighed in exasperation.
"Yes, Kallen, it is."
"So what are we going to do about it?" She demanded, much to the other's amusement.
"Ten bucks says she hits him." C.C. said without taking her eyes of the bickering pair.
Suzaku shook his head. "Why would I bet against that?"
Lelouch shot the two of them a glare, but it did little to wipe the grins off their faces. Traitors; all of them!
"We can't fight Cornelia. Last time I nearly got killed, and I couldn't do a thing to help the citizens there." he said with a shrug, sitting down on his sofa.
"So we're just going to let them die?" Kallen asked, a frown taking over her face.
"Did I say we would? We're going to evacuate as many people as we can. Tell Oghi to meet us there in half an hour." Lelouch said evenly, but it was clear that he was exasperated.
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"Suppression of area four complete. Eighth and Eleventh Mechanized Infantry Companies are sweeping north and south in a pincer movement."
Cornelia and her knights listened on, almost bored with how easily they had swept upon their enemie's position. The three of them were used to active warfare, not unconditional slaughter. This was by and far the least thrilling act of war any of them had committed in years.
"B12, nothing here."
"10-7 no sign of the enemy."
One of the command officers spoke into his microphone. "Paladin team, change course to 5-1-6."
"Yes, my lord."
Two blue dots changed their position, turning and circling in a new direction.
"Moving to five one six. No response at all. This guy Zero might turn out to be a no show."
"Yeah, just another run of the mill terroris-"
"Fwooom-boom!"
The officer in contact with the knights cried out in shock as the line went silent. Cornelia's head whipped to where he sat. "Report!"
"Paladin Team lost, ma'am!"
"An ambush?" Cornelia wondered aloud before her smile morphed into an almost predatory grin.
Guilford stirred beside her, although his impassive gaze remained on the monitor. "Then-"
"He's here." Cornelia confirmed, rising from her seat.
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"I don't get it. Why aren't we fighting the Brittanians?" Tamaki griped as he waved fleeing civilians along.
Ohgi rolled his eyes imperceptibly. "Because we aren't equipped to, Tamaki!" he explained somewhat impatiently. "We don't even have Kallen's glasgow right now."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. But still…" Tamaki retorted glumly, gazing into the distant carnage. "We should be doing somethin."
Ohgi shook his head. "Kallen got Zero in touch with the Yamato Alliance. They'll hold the brits back while we get everyone out."
"But why do they get to have all the fun?!" Tamaki complained, earning himself a smack from Kallen, who had just walked up to them from behind.
"Zero wants us to cover their retreat, idiot!"
Tamaki gumbled and sulked, staring at the steady flow of refugees streaming into the underground passage they were directed to.
Kallen shook her head at her fellow redhead. He acted more immature that her, and she was an actual teenager for kami sake!
"Why do we have to do what he says, anyway?" Tamaki finally said.
"Because he's our leader, moron." Kallen retorted.
"And who decided that?!"
Ohgi groaned. "We voted on it after the Kururugi incident. You were the only one to vote against it, Tamaki."
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Despite the enemy ambush earlier, the battlefield was quiet. Too quiet, in fact. Cornelia frowned. Zero loved his little traps and tricks, so why just the one? And where were the elevens? Aside from the few elevens that had retained some semblance of self government, her soldiers hadn't found many. Sure, there was the odd straggler, but then it was even more odd. Wait- stragglers! Cornelia's eyes narrowed in disgust. He's evacuated the civilians! Damn it!
Cornelia didn't care if the elevens were there or not. She wanted Zero and Zero alone. But if the terrorist bastard was evacuating civilians, then his priority must not be Cornelia herself. Instead, he had taken the time she afforded him to get the civilians to safety, and the ambush earlier was meant only to throw them off.
"Well played." the princess muttered.
"Your highness?" Guilford asked, confused.
"No matter." Cornelia replied. She was still confidant that she could come out on top. After all, Zero was there. And while he hadn't followed the script so far, that didn't mean he couldn't be convinced to do so.
"Getser Team- contact lost!"
"Enemy spotted in district G47."
"Kasinsky Team engaging! They were ambushed!"
"The enemy appears to be using sutherlands captured from our own forces!"
One of the officers from Shinjuku muttered. "Exactly the same as Shinjuku…"
"Has there every been any sign of Zero, yet?" Asked another.
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Lelouch spoke, and a bridge was destroyed, dumping numerous tanks and knightmares into a river. The emo prince grinned. This was too fun.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself." the verdette next to him pointed out as she eyed the display with obvious disinterest.
"I do love it when a plan comes together." Lelouch responded with a shrug, his eyes remaining on the battlefield display. "It's a shame we can't take Nelly on here and now. Ah well. C'est la vie."
"Such is life. I didn't know you spoke french, Lelouch." C.C. exclaimed, turning to look at her contactor.
"I don't." he said, and she rolled her eyes. Of course not.
"Have you thought about what I said?" she prodded, much to Lelouch's obvious discomfort.
"I said I would consider it, witch." Lelouch responded, tapping a couple of buttons. "R4, engage the Vtol to your right." He smirked, remembering how everything had happened last time. "You're no match Cornelia. You'll lose."
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"That's enough. Order all troops to fall back. Further damage and casualties serve no point." Cornelia ordered, sitting regal as ever upon her seat.
"Fall back!? With all due respect, we can still fight them!" the bridge officers complained.
"No, we can't fight them like this." the Witch of Britannia replied, undisturbed by their insubordination.
The order went out, and her forces began to make their way back to the ghetto perimeter. Cornelia smirked confidently. "Zero is no match. I'll win."
General Darlton nodded. Though he did not know what the princes had planned, he was confident in her abilities. Who wouldn't be? "That's why the call Princes Cornelia the Goddess of Victory."
Cornelia turned towards Guilford, who even now was standing at her side. "Shall we go then, Guilford, my knight?"
The bespectacled knight bowed low. "It is my pleasure to serve and obey you, my lady."
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Lelouch smirked as he stared into his binoculars. Unlike last time, he had not tried to walk right in with a stolen knightmare. Hindsight was twenty/twenty, after all. Any minute now, Cornelia and her knights would personally inspect the troops, ordering each knightmare to open their hatch.
Of course, he had ordered the Yamato Alliance members to leave their knighmares and retreat, but three of them had insisted they could get closer if they stayed inside their knightmares. Their insubordination was hardly surprising, which is why he, C.C., and Kallen had rigged the stolen knightmares with explosives that Jermiah had procured for them before the fighting had even begun. They weren't strong enough to kill a knightmare pilot, not like this, but they would definitely leave a good number of knights in the hospital long term. "Any moment now."
Bzzzt! Bzzzt! Bzzzt!
Lelouch looked down at his phone incredulously. Suzaku shouldn't have been at the student council room this time around. So why on earth was he getting a call from the student council room!
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"I know Kallen said I have it all wrong, but it seemed like she was getting upset in order to fool me!" Shirley mummered glumly.
Milly smirked, the student council landline held up to her face. "Which is why it's simply best to ask him directly!"
She turned around to the other girl, a wide grin adorning her face. "I can ask him how he feels about you on your behalf, you know. Especially since you can't work up the nerve to ask him out!"
Shirley sputtered and blushed. "WHAT? You'll do that!?"
"Oh just relax, Shirley." Milly reassured to no effect.
Shirley dashed forward and grabbed the phone from her hands, slamming in down onto the reciever. "NO WAY!"
"Aww common! Let me handle this for you! I'll be discreet!" Milly protested as they wrestled over the phone, but the shit eating grin on the buxom blonde's face said otherwise.
"I don't want your help!" Shirley insisted, pulling with all her might.
"Oh, c'mon! It'll be fine!" Milly insisted, pulling it back.
Finally having enough, Shirley let the phone go, causing Milly to tumble backwards with a yelp.
"Uh oh." Shirley muttered.
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Dozens of purple sutherlands stood around in front of the G1. Royal guards in gloucesters zipped past.
"One knightmare left transmitting a friendly IFF signal." General Darlton reported.
"Can't you contact it? Scramble a rescue team." one of the staff said.
"No. Destroy it." Cornelia ordered.
"You can't! He may be a captive of the enemy!"
"I ordered all troops to fall back. I have no use for soldiers who can't follow my orders."
General Darlton turned around. "You heard the princess."
Cornelia didn't even blink. "Do your duty, even if it costs your life. My subordinates follow that code without question."
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Guilford raced forward in his gloucester, lance raised, towards the unmoving knightmare. He was flanked by two of the princess's royal guard.
Even as they approached the machine didn't move. Guilford almost paused, uncertain, but he pushed those thoughts aside. His was not to reason why. His was but to do or die.
His lance was the first to pierce the cabin. Two more followed, one from either side, but still the knightmare didn't move.
"Your highness, there's no sign of the enemy. The knightmare is unmanned." he reported, uncertain. What idiot would sacrifice a sutherland like this? And for what?
BOOOOOOM!
The ground beneath Guilford's gloucester gave in as the earth itself shook. Guilford didn't have time to react, and apparently neither did Princess Cornelia's guards. Three gloucesters fell below the earth, followed by half a building's worth of rubble. Their com lines spat static, then nothing as their IFF beacons vanished.
"GUILFORD!" Cornelia shrieked, bolting up from her seat. The staff sat in stunned silence, so it was wholly up to General Darlton to take charge of the situation. "You're highness, we should send search and rescue units."
Cornelia nodded silently, her face a mask of quiet rage. She opened her mouth, but before she could utter another word there was another explosion.
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The room was dark and quiet, save for the fire that crackled in the the square cutout in the middle of the open room. The floor was a simple on, with wood spanning across the floor. Six people sat around the fire. Most were older in age and male, save for the lone teenage girl.
"So Zero made another appearance?" A gruff voice asked.
"It would seem so. And this time he dealt a vicious blow to Cornelia, as well." replied a slightly younger but still old sounding voice.
"As I said he would." Came a much younger female voice. "Zero- sama is amazing."
"You admire him?" came another voice, this one just as gruff as the first but more feeble.
"He has done more for Japan in the past two months than anyone else has in seven years, openly defying Britannia as he has." the younger girl answered.
"Bah. All the masked fool has done is assassinate Clovis, nothing more. The coward never met Cornelia on the field of battle, did he?"
The fire crackled, and another man, this one older than the rest, shifted. "Perhaps. But it is undeniable that this Zero has struck Britannia in ways others have failed to replicate. His actions are worthy of our attention."
"I agree." Came another voice, the youngest of the old men. "But we should be weary of supporting someone as inclined to grandstanding as Zero. I do not believe that we should openly support this Zero until he has proven trustworthy."
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Cornelia was alone in her office. The lights were out, and a short glass cup sat on the desk in front of her. It was filled a little less than halfway with a light brown liquid and a bit of ice. The princess herself was slumped, all evidence of discipline, posture, and decorum long gone in her weariness.
She reached for the glass and took a sip as someone knocked at the door, downing the entirety of it's contents before reacting. "Enter."
Jeremiah Gottwald walked it with a crisp salute, one that Cornelia copied effortlessly before turning her attention once more to her glass. She grabbed a bottle from beneath the desk and poured, never looking back up at the margrave.
"Your highness, we've received a message from Zero." the knight stated nervously.
The purple haired princess shot up, sending an almost crazed look at Gottwald. She knocked her glace off her desk in her fervor, although she did not appear to notice. "Show me."