September 9, 2017 a.t.b.
Area 11, Tokyo Settlement, Ashford Academy, Cafeteria, 7:40 am
Kallen's gaze was downcast as she sat in front of her breakfast, with but a few cuts taken out of the buttered pancakes. She picked up a small cut of the cake with her fork, appearing sluggish and tired.
Naomi, who sat on the other side of the table, looked with concern. "Kallen? Is something wrong?"
"Nothing," said Kallen.
"Nothing? You don't look like you had much sleep," said Naomi. "And your mind is clearly somewhere else. Please, if you have problems, tell us."
Kallen was silent for a few moments. "It's...it's about my mother."
Naomi remembered the time they found Kallen's mother amongst the Refrain addicts. She knew it had hurt Kallen greatly when she had found out. It had also been difficult for her to try and comfort the redhead during her emotional turmoil the days after.
"I had a dream last night about her, and I've just been…so worried." Kallen's hands shook.
"It's going to be okay," said Naomi.
"You're saying that only to make me feel better," said Kallen. "She's locked up in jail somewhere, and with those aliens attacking…I'm scared I might really lose her forever. Damn it, if only there was something we could do…"
Sitting a few tables away, Euphemia had been overhearing their conversation.
Ashford Courtyard, 8:20 am
Euphemia had gone out to the courtyard to try and give herself some time to relax her mind in the morning air. The crisp blue sky with a few white clouds there looked deceptively cheerful, given the events merely yesterday.
"Good morning!" greeted the voice of Milly as she came, having been looking for the ex-princess.
"Good morning to you too," Euphemia greeted back.
"I suppose I don't have to call you 'Your Highness' anymore, do I?" Milly took a seat on the bench next to the pinkette.
"I'd prefer not being addressed as such," said Euphemia. "I'm not a princess and I don't fancy the title."
"Figures," said Milly. "Do you have any time to spare, Lady Euphemia?"
"You can drop the titles and formalities," said Euphemia. "And sure. I don't really have anything I need to do right now. How can I help you?"
"Something's been bugging Nina all night," said Milly. "She wants to talk to you. She's…well, afraid of the Black Knights around here, so you'll have to come to her."
"Alright." Euphemia got up and followed Milly towards the clubhouse.
Ashford Student Council Clubhouse
Nina sat working on her laptop on the council table, working on simulations in regards to her ongoing research, a proposed combination of nuclear power and Sakuradite. This time though, she had been working on it as an attempt at self-distraction. But it was barely successful if at all.
Inside, she was conflicted. About what Kallen had told her about Euphemia last night.
She had received word that Euphemia was within the school grounds…and that she had allied herself with the Black Knights. Her goddess, as she had considered her, had actually allied herself with the Black Knights! With Zero!
Nina could not understand. And as much as she wanted to talk to Euphemia herself, she had been too afraid to come to her.
As Milly came back with the pinkette in tow, Nina felt some relief. The woman she had idolised was safe so far, and she had obliged the request to come. And with this came Nina's chance to try to understand why the ex-princess had done what she did.
"Princess Euphemia!" Nina blurted out of habit in spite of the fact that the title no longer applied. "I'm glad you're alright."
"It's nice to see you again Nina," Euphemia took the seat next to her with a soft smile. "Milly said you wanted to talk to me. What is it?"
"I-I need to know…" Nina began. "About the Special Zone…"
"Go on," said Euphemia.
"W-why?" asked Nina. "Why did you give up your title as a princess for the Elevens?"
"Nina," said Euphemia. "It was useless to me. It gave me nothing. Giving hope to others was worth more."
"K-Kallen told me," said Nina in a shaky voice. "That you even fought for them against the invaders. Please, tell me…why do you care so much for the Elevens? Even to put your life at risk to protect them? I-I don't understand. T-they're…they…"
"They were people like you and me," said Euphemia. "I fought for them because I was the one who promised them hope. It was the right thing to do. Think of it like the time I stood up for you back at the hotel incident."
"B-but…" Nina could not speak her next words, unable to argue. She gave up and moved on to her last burning question. "W-why did you…you allied yourself with Zero…with terrorists…why?"
"The Black Knights helped me at the SAZ," said Euphemia. "I assure you that I had not been coerced by them in any way. And as you can see, I'm unharmed. Let's just say that, unlike what all that Britannian propaganda has been feeding you, they're not really terrorists. The right term would be revolutionaries."
"B-but…" Nina tried to find a reason out. "T-t-they're Elevens…"
Euphemia sighed. "Nina, please stop calling them Elevens. They're Japanese, just as how you're a Britannian. Just because they lost a war against superior numbers and technology doesn't make them inherently inferior as a people."
"A-alright," Nina nodded weakly.
"I need to ask," Euphemia continued on. "Why the prejudice? Because I don't think it's for a feeling of supremacy. You don't have a very lofty view of yourself. You're not like Cornelia and the Purists. Why?"
"I-I…" Once more Nina could not utter the next.
"Please, if you wish for me to understand," said Euphemia. "You have to tell me."
Nina simply looked down silently with her hands trembling.
"Nina?" Euphemia asked with concern. "What's wrong?
"Euphemia, I think I need to tell you," Milly spoke up. "Nina's deeply traumatised. It's very hard for her to speak about it herself, so I will."
"Go on," said Euphemia. "I need to hear this."
"Just over two years ago, Nina used to see things just the way you did," said Milly. "She had been such a sweet and bright girl. She saw no logic in the Area and Number systems. But then one night she ended up walking through the ghettoes alone."
"I-I…" Nina spoke up weakly.
"Nina?" Euphemia and Milly turned their attention back to her.
"S-someone was following me…" said Nina in a shaky voice. "I tried to run…he caught me in an alley and…"
"What happened?" asked Euphemia.
"H-he g-grabbed me and forced me to the wall." Nina shook and shrank unto her chair, tears flowing from her eyes. "S-stripped me a-and v-violated me…"
"I-it hurt so much…" she continued amongst sobs. "It went on and on. I thought it…it was the end. Then someone came and beat him up."
"The person who saved you," asked Euphemia. "What were they like?"
"I-I didn't get a good look," said Nina. "I passed out and woke up in my dorm."
"She was shivering and in tears when she woke," said Milly. "I had to console and care for her the whole day. She didn't want to go outside her room. I had Shirley try to handle her during the times I had to go, but for the first few days I was the only person she could feel comfortable with."
"She never forgot his face," Milly continued. "The rapist was caught and executed by hanging two weeks later, but the damage was done. Ever since that day, Nina had never been the same. She started seeing all the Japanese as monsters. She would tremble at the thought of even leaving the Settlements. I was the only person she ever had the courage to tell me before now. And only barely."
"I'm sorry," said Euphemia to Nina with sympathy. "I didn't know that about you."
She held Nina's hand to comfort her. "But look at it this way, the one who tormented you is gone now. He can't hurt you anymore. The Black Knights aren't like him. Don't be scared."
Nina sniffled and wiped her tears. "A-alright…"
"Remember about Sayoko too," said Milly. "She's been nothing but kind and loyal to us. I mean, one would think she would have left us given how our nation has done nothing but step on and oppress people like her. But she continued to be faithful to us and the Lamperouges."
"Y-you're right," said Nina. "Sayoko never treated me badly…"
"It's because she knows not all Britannians are bad," Milly continued. "She understands that we respect her as a person. We don't let surface-level differences get between us."
Milly placed her hand on Nina's shoulder. "Don't let your trauma control you. You have to be stronger than that, alright? The sooner you can conquer it, the sooner you can heal."
Nina nodded. Euphemia and Milly, remaining close to give her a better sense of security, took several moments to allow her to calm down.
Shirley came into the clubroom about a minute later and was taken by surprise at the sight of the pinkette. "Princess Euphemia!?"
"Cut the princess part," said Euphemia. "I'm not one anymore. I'm going to have to remind people constantly of it am I…"
"And what's going on with Nina?" asked Shirley.
"We were having a talk about her…well, fear of Japanese people," said Milly. She turned towards Euphemia. "That's Shirley Fenette. She's a member of our Student Council like me and Nina."
"Hi…Euphemia," greeted Shirley, not used to addressing the ex-princess casually.
"Since you're here now as well," Euphemia began. "I'd think you'd need to hear this as well. It's something that might change the way you see things a bit. The so-called noble and heroic Princess Cornelia?"
"Huh?" Nina, Milly, and Shirley raised their eyebrows.
"She's not as noble and heroic as she makes herself out to be," said Euphemia. "Not even close. What do you know about the Saitama Ghetto? Any recent events?"
"Well, there was an anti-terrorist campaign there from Princess Cornelia," said Milly.
"That's what she told everyone," said Euphemia. "That's what she told me. But I've learned from the Black Knights who experienced it first-hand the truth of what really happened there. Cornelia massacred hundreds of innocent civilians at Saitama. She conducted a massacre behind my back and lied to me about it."
Nina gasped as did Milly and Shirley. "P-Princess Cornelia…massacred civilians?"
"Is it true?" asked Milly.
"Yes," said Euphemia. "I confronted her about it during the meeting last night. Cornelia's image as a valiant hero is nothing but a sham. She's a murderer who abuses her position as a princess to kill whoever she sees fit."
"That sounds like a pretty big accusation to make," said Shirley.
"You can talk to Kallen about it if you have any doubts," said Euphemia. "Or any of the Black Knights. If I had any regrets at all before for shedding the name of li Britannia, all of it vanished the time I found out."
"P-Princess Cornelia is a vile murderer…" Nina was still trying to process the revelation she had just received. She would not have believed it had it been the Black Knights. It was the fact that this was all coming from Euphemia herself that had made her open to this idea that stood in stark opposition to views she had held before.
"She indeed is, Nina," said Euphemia before Nina could continue down her thoughts. "And now here's the question I was leading up to with all that: does that mean I should hate or fear all Britannians?"
"N-No." Nina shook her head.
"Precisely," said Euphemia. "You shouldn't blame an entire group of people based on the actions of one or a few vile members. There are good and bad people from any group. Does that mean we should jump straight to outright misanthropy and declare the entire human species to be evil?"
"No." Nina shook her head again.
"It's good that you're trying to understand this now," said Euphemia. "Especially in this time. So drop the prejudices, okay? The Black Knights have orders directly from Zero to keep you all safe, so don't worry."
"A-alright." Nina nodded.
"I'd be going now." Euphemia stood up and went towards the door. "Nina, if you'd like to spend some more time with me, you're free to come."
"I-I'm still not sure," said Nina still in the midst of trying to process her thoughts. "I-I'll just be here."
"Alright. Good luck." The pinkette left the room.
Nina's head fell to the table. "I…I…"
The full implications of what she had heard from Euphemia and Milly set in on her.
She had held unfavourable and unfair judgement over an entire people, even those who were innocent, even those who had treated her with nothing but kindness, all for the crime of one man who had been dead for two years now.
A renowned Britannian Princess that she would have once felt safe to support, the older sister of her 'goddess' figure no less, turned out to be an amoral mass murderer rather than the gallant heroine she had once been led to believe.
The more and more she thought about what all that implied, she only felt more and more ashamed. In spite of her own brilliant mind, she had allowed such a flawed and irrational worldview to fester in her mind when she should had known better.
Kallen was right. Euphemia certainly did not approve of her prejudices. And in spite of the pinkette's kind words and efforts to console her, she still felt like she had disappointed her goddess.
"I-I was wrong," said Nina. "I've been wrong all this time…"
Ashford Academy classroom
Clara sat slumped on a chair in her holding room silently as Rai came in. She glared at the silver-haired boy with displeasure.
"Ugh, you again," grumbled Clara. "Let me guess, you still want me to join you."
"Here." Rai handed a large brown hat towards her. "I found this somewhere in the library."
"My hat!" Clara took the hat and clutched it close to her chest.
"I could tell that hat means a lot to you," said Rai.
"What do you know?" retorted Clara.
"You could tell me," said Rai.
"I'm not telling you anything, traitor," she retorted.
"Suit yourself." Rai shrugged. "Listen, Clara. You might have been quite misguided, but I understand how you feel. I know what you really want."
"Oh really?" questioned Clara. "What?"
"Companionship," said Rai. "You feel lonely. You followed V.V. because you thought he was someone you could trust, and of course you were really wrong about that. What you really want are friends and family."
"Ugh, stop pretending to care about me," said Clara. "You say all that stuff but you were the one who abandoned me in the first place, you hypocrite. Now leave me alone."
"Alright," Rai sighed. As he began to take his leave, he took a glance towards a tray with a partially-bitten sandwich and a half-full glass of water lying on the table nearby. "You know, you should finish your breakfast."
Black Knights G1
After her time with Nina, Euphemia decided to go towards the simulators to better prepare herself for the next battle with the invaders. She ended up entering a virtual team battle set in a ghetto using a Gloucester armed with a sword, shield, and rifle, alongside Kallen in a simulated Guren and a few other Black Knights in Burais. The simulator lacked any alien war machines; thus they ended up fighting an attack force of Britannian frames, tanks, and other vehicles.
Although they won the battle in the end with Euphemia's own performance surprising her comrades, she could not help that Kallen's performance was somewhat poorer than what she had seen during the battle at the SAZ and the reports she had received from the Guren's previous battles. She deduced that it must have had something with the conversation she had overheard at the cafeteria.
"I admit it still feels a bit weird to have someone who was a Britannian Princess just yesterday to be willing to train and fight amongst us," said Naomi.
"I have to owe my debt to everyone who died at the SAZ," said Euphemia. "And to save as many lives as I could from the invaders."
"But you decided to do that with us, not with the Britannians," said Naomi. "I'm a bit curious on your reason why."
"Well, long story short, I hate my former older sister," said Euphemia, placing emphasis on 'former'. "I don't want to go back to her."
"I can definitely understand that," said Naomi.
"Kallen..." The pinkette turned towards and addressed the redhead out of concern. "I could tell something was troubling you."
"I'm fine," said Kallen.
Euphemia wasn't convinced by her denial. "Didn't look fine to me. You were clearly compromised in that battle. You were making some pretty impulsive and reckless moves. Seriously, there were a bit too many times in which, to be honest, if I had not been there and that wasn't a simulation, you could have ended up captured or dead."
"Euphemia's right, Kallen," said Naomi. "Your sim score went lower than usual. You know full well we can't have that knowing what we're up against."
"I just slipped up some. I said I'm fine. I just need some time." Kallen left the simulator room.
Ashford Student Council Clubhouse
Nina had left for her dorm under Milly's escort for she had still been anxious about going outside by herself, having requested for some time to herself in her room. On her way back, the blonde was joined by Rivalz with Sophie in tow under the former's request. The three went inside the clubroom and took their seats.
"Well, Shirley," Rivalz began. "You were going to say something about Lelouch to us. You know, the one that you got so worried about yesterday but couldn't tell us."
"Better let it off your chest before it gets you worried all over again," said Sophie. "Should be fine to spill it out here."
"Oooh," cooed Milly. "Shirley has something to say about her darling Lulu?"
"Milly, please don't," Shirley pleaded.
"Alright, alright," said Milly. "Go on. I'd like to hear it."
"Well…" Shirley began. "I think Lelouch might be Zero."
Sophie, Rivalz, and Milly looked at Shirley as if she had just grown a second head.
"W-what!?" exclaimed Rivalz. "Y-you're kidding, right?"
"I'm not," said Shirley. "I really think he and Zero might be the same!"
"And what makes you think that, Shirley?" asked Sophie.
"Yeah, I know Lelouch," said Rivalz. "He's been my best pal for a long time. What makes you think he's Zero?"
"I'm not really sure, but I feel like I should know him more than I do right now," said Shirley. "It's like there are these gaps in my memory. When I think about Lelouch, I can't help but think about Zero as well, and I don't know why. And…have you all noticed that when Zero's around, Lelouch isn't here? You never see them at the same time! I've gone and looked for him this morning all over the school, and I can't find him!"
"Hmm, come to think of it, it does seem a bit odd," said Milly. "Lelouch has always been strangely absent whenever Zero is around."
Ashford Courtyard
Euphemia found Kallen alone sitting on a bench. Concerned about her new friend, she sat down beside her to try and reach out.
"Kallen…about your mother," Euphemia began. "I'd like to know more about her."
Kallen burst out in sudden anger. "What do you know about her!?"
Euphemia went unfazed by the redhead's outburst. "I did say I'd like to know, didn't I?"
"Oh…sorry." Kallen simmered down and apologised. "It's just...a really touchy topic for me. And the past sometimes gets clingier than we'd like. Seems like a small part of me still sees you as a Britannian princess."
"No worries," said Euphemia. "I understand. I've overheard you mention your mother this morning at the cafeteria. That you had a nightmare about her and now you fear that this nightmare might become real. Please, if it's alright with you, tell me more."
"Alright," said Kallen. "She was a kind, sweet, and caring woman. But while my mother is Japanese, my father was a Britannian nobleman."
"You're a halfbreed," said Euphemia.
"Yes," said Kallen. "After the war broke out and Japan was taken over, my father left my mother and married a Britannian noblewoman. An overpompous and arrogant racist piece of shit who thinks she can just step over everyone and anyone she wanted, typical of Britannian nobility. My real mother was reduced to but a mere maid, mocked and abused to no end by my bitch of a stepmother and even by the other maids, while I had to live the life of a Britannian noble."
"I hated it so much." Kallen clenched her fist as she continued. "Seeing our mother treated so lowly and stepped on all over, and yet she kept on enduring all that shit."
"Our?" asked Euphemia.
"Yeah." Kallen's expression fell. "I had an older brother. He's dead now, killed by the Britannians."
"I'm sorry," said Euphemia sadly.
"It got worse after that," said Kallen. "She…she fell into Refrain."
The redhead grit her teeth as she recalled that memory.
"We were on a campaign to eliminate the distribution of that damned drug," said Kallen. "Launching raids against known dealers. In case the Bitch of Britannia kept you from learning this, the Britannians were using the drug to control and poison us. We far too many unfortunate Japanese in warehouses under its influence, stuck in old memories. And there…I found my mother among them."
"I saw her weak for that," she continued on. "I had thought she only wanted to stay with my father who cared nothing for her. But I was wrong. I found that she went through all that abuse for me. If only I knew…I treated her so badly…it hurt so much to see her like that, calling for me in old memories. She wasn't even aware of what was going on around her. We recovered her, but she got sentenced to twenty years in prison. A Britannian in her place would not have received even a quarter of that."
The ex-princess looked down ashamed. Ashamed of what her nation, her people had brought, the suffering they had caused, especially more so that she had now heard the stories right from the victims' perspective. She had already given up her royal title, but now she felt ashamed to even be a Britannian at all. It still made her feel complicit.
Euphemia then thought about her own parents.
"You know…you're fortunate, Kallen," said the ex-princess.
"Huh?" The redhead was confused.
"You had a mother that loved and cared for you," said Euphemia. "My own mother never loved me. She would not care whether I lived or died. I'm sorry for all that you and your loved ones had to endure under our people."
"It's not your fault," said Kallen. "Actually, I'd say you were a victim too. Kept prisoner by your own so-called 'older sister' and treated more like an accessory than a person. And it must have been quite rough on you for never having a real loving family. I do hope you can find yours someday. They might be waiting for you, somewhere, even if it's on the other side of the world."
"Yeah," said Euphemia. "That would be nice."
"But I fear I might lose the only one I had left," Kallen sighed sadly. "I misjudged my mother for too long. And now, this might well be her last day."
"I'd suggest you take it up with Zero," said Euphemia.
"You know what," said Kallen. "I'll do just that."
Kallen met up with Zero in the hallway.
"Zero," said Kallen. "We need to talk about something."
"What is it?" asked Zero.
"It's about my mother," said Kallen. "I'm sure you remember her from that one time we raided those Refrain dealers. I've been worried sick about her all day. She's locked up in prison and the world's gone to hell with those aliens. I…I think she might die. I already lost Naoto. I don't want to lose her too."
"I see," said Zero. "I've had my sources overheard you talking about it with Euphemia."
"I want to request a rescue mission," said Kallen. "Please give me your permission to go out and save her."
Lelouch imagined what would happen to her if he refused and let Naoko die. She would be completely devastated. She already lost her brother Naoto, and now her mother as well? Kallen would simply be utterly broken and in grief.
The scenario in his mind ate at his conscience. Lelouch already had to shoulder the burden of having Shirley's father die. Would he abandon and condemn Kallen's mother as well? Turn a cold shoulder towards the subordinate that placed all her trust in him? Make her feel the pain he felt when he lost Marianne?
Just like that man did? That man he once called 'father', that man who had simply let Marianne die and allowed Nunnally to be crippled, and did nothing?
No. He would not become like Charles. The very idea repulsed him to the core.
For all he knew, Kallen might also well end up losing her very will to fight. Losing their best ace and setting a huge blow towards the Black Knights. He could not afford this at their current situation.
And as much as Lelouch would not openly admit it, he himself had been growing rather fond of Kallen…
Taking it all into account, he made his decision.
"Yes," said Zero. "Kallen, you have been one of the bravest and most loyal of us. I can't reward that by letting your mother die. But she's imprisoned by the Britannians, and we must be very careful not to upset our truce."
"But how will we do that, Zero?" asked Kallen.
"I have performed miracles before, didn't I?" said Zero. "Time to make preparations."
Zero had held the briefing in one of the Black Knight tents on the school grounds, with Kallen and five other Black Knights including Tamaki and Yoshida present. Euphemia had opted to join the mission as well, taking her seat beside Kallen.
"Kallen's mother, Naoko Kouzuki, has been unjustly incarcerated to twenty years by the Britannians in Blackford Prison, located on the outskirts of Kofu," said Zero. "It has come to our attention that the danger she now faces is negatively affecting our strongest ace, and needless to say, given the enemy we now face we cannot afford this setback. We are to rescue Naoko."
"I have a question," said Yoshida. "Why don't we just ask the Britannians to hand her over?"
"What?" Tamaki looked at his comrade as if he had grown a second head. "You think those Brits would hand Kallen's mom over just like that?"
"I just thought it was worth a try." Yoshida shrugged.
"As absurd as it is, Tamaki's right this time," said Zero. "I'm afraid it's not that simple. We might have a truce, but we are not exactly friends. Any other questions?"
"No," said Yoshida.
"Very well," said Zero. "Given our current situation we cannot afford to send much of our force for the rescue mission. We'll be on our own. I'm relegating the organisation and entrenching of our defences to Inoue and Tohdoh. The location is close to the front lines, so we must be quick. We need to maintain contact with each other at all times."
"Right," Kallen affirmed as did the other five Black Knights.
"Got it." Euphemia nodded.
"I had five aircraft prepared for us," said Zero. "One for each of your knightmares and a personnel transport for the prisoner. Let's move out!"
Once preparations were complete, the Gawain along with five VTOLs – captured Britannian models from the many past raids, modified and painted in the Black Knights' colours – set out westward to their destination about 70 or so kilometres from the Settlement.
Soon the prison complex came into sight amongst the surrounding forest and sprawling suburbs. And unfortunately, so did plumes of smoke as well as the flashes of fiery explosions as well as what they were sure had to be high-powered laser and plasma weaponry in the distance.
"No…" gasped Kallen as she feared for her mother. "They're already here."
"We're about 800 metres away from the prison gate," announced Zero. "We should drop-off here. Land the transports."
The VTOLs did as they were ordered, dropping off the knightmares and landing in a clearing beside the road leading towards the prison.
"Hold this position and defend the transports," ordered Zero. "I, Q1, and Euphemia will go and retrieve the prisoner."
"Yes Zero!" The two other Black Knights in their Burais affirmed, taking out their assault rifles on guard.
"Let's move!" Zero gave the signal.
"This is it! Mother! I'll save you!" Not sparing a moment, Kallen drove her frame as fast as she could towards the prison. "I can't, and I won't, let that nightmare become reality!"
Zero and Euphemia followed suit.
Several insectoids crawled out from the woods as the Guren closed in at the final third of the way to the prison gates. They opened fire at the Guren, but Kallen swerved and dodged the blasts.
"I won't let you!" She returned fire with her autocannon, hitting the closest insectoid before slashing it open with her Guren's claw.
Another insectoid emerged from the foliage behind Kallen but just as it aimed at her, Euphemia arrived firing a rapid burst from her frame's assault rifle to neutralise it. The redhead then destroyed a third insectoid with her radiant surger as Euphemia slashed another one open with her sword.
Lelouch fired his Hadron Cannons at a pair of mechapedes coming in to block the path, quickly reducing them to mangled burning wrecks.
"Mother!" cried Kallen as she shot down an incoming alien fighter with her autocannon and zipped past the gate.
The Sutherlands, gun nests, and tanks stationed on each side had simply let them pass. Kallen had been too focused on rescuing her mother to notice, but Euphemia could not help but feel a bit suspicious.
Inside, entrenched Sutherlands, infantry, and APCs could be seen with their weapons at full fire against the airborne invaders in their attempt to keep them at bay, using the prison's fortifications as cover. But it was clear by the number of invaders that got past that they were failing. Time was short.
Kallen travelled as fast as she could towards the prison's main building. A couple of fighters went to attack her, but Lelouch intercepted them with his Gawain's finger harkens as Euphemia shot down one more coming in from over the walls. It wasn't long before she reached the hangar, and fortunately for her there was more than enough room beside the prisoner transport vehicles for her Guren to park inside. The redhead quickly got down from her frame.
"Q1, I'll go with you to search for the prisoner," said Zero. "I'll be leaving the Gawain to C.C. for the time being."
"Right," said Kallen.
"We'll try to hold them off as long as we can," said Euphemia.
Zero descended from the Gawain just outside the hangar's gate. He walked at a fast pace towards Kallen while C.C. flew the Gawain up to continue fighting the alien forces outside.
"Let's go find her," said Zero.
"Right." Kallen nodded.
Zero and Kallen walked through the hallways inside the prison. The latter turned anxious as she heard a deep grumble which she knew had to be from an explosion just outside the building.
"How do we find my mother quickly in all this?" asked Kallen. "I don't think we have the time to search every cell."
"Inmates in Britannian prisons are segregated," said Zero. "In this one, Britannians in the east wing and Numbers in the west. If I have to hazard a further guess, they transferred the Britannian inmates out before we arrived but left the Numbers behind."
"Sounds like Britannia alright," Kallen spat with disgust. "So, what's your plan?"
"We need to go to the warden's office," said Zero. "We'll need to check through the files to see which cell your mother is in. They would have taken any important files with them when they left, but I don't imagine cell assignment for Numbers was considered important enough to take."
"I wouldn't imagine it either," Kallen concurred.
"But it should work to our advantage," said Zero.
The two soon reached the door at the corridor's end that led to the prison officers' section, guarded by a Britannian soldier.
"Halt!" shouted the soldier. "State your business here, Zero."
"I'm merely asking for an extraction of a key prisoner," said Zero. "Think of it as the Britannian Army's end of a trade for when we sent Dame Nu back."
The slot over his left eye opened up, revealing the red glow of his Geass. "Take us to the warden's office."
"Yes M'Lord," said the soldier as they went under.
"Huh?" Kallen raised a brow. "How did Zero do that?"
As commanded, the geassed soldier had led the two Black Knights into the warden's office.
Kallen and Zero searched the inmate files for Naoko Kouzuki's. They were able to obtain said file after a couple of minutes, nailing down which cell she was incarcerated in. Kallen took the warden's key shortly before they left.
Zero and Kallen made their way to the wing where the non-Britannian prisoners were held. The section had incurred quite some damage – many cells have been breached with many of the surviving inmates already having broken out.
Thanks to the information they had, the two were able to reach Naoko's cell within a couple of minutes. Inside, the brunette sat on the floor against the wall, bound in a white prisoner outfit.
"Mom!" Kallen rushed ahead upon the sight.
Naoko looked up, surprised to hear her daughter's voice. "Kallen?"
The redhead unlocked the cell, relieved and glad to see her mother still alive and unharmed.
"What are you doing here?" asked Naoko.
"We're going to get you out of here." Kallen undid the prisoner suit's bindings and helped her mother up.
"Zero?" Naoko gasped. "Kallen? You're with Zero?"
"Yeah," said Kallen. "It's about time I come clean with you about that. I'm a Black Knight."
"Kallen, why?" asked Naoko.
"I'll explain everything later," said Kallen. "Right now, we need to go."
"Your prison sentence was due to Britannia's systematic abuse and unfair laws, Naoko Kouzuki," said Zero. "And now we are in the midst of a battle against invaders. You are at risk here. Follow us and we will ensure your safety."
Naoko looked around at the ruined environment around her, heard the sounds of the battle outside through the walls, and realised that she had little choice in her situation. She complied. "R-right."
Holding her position a dozen or so metres away from the hangar entrance, Euphemia used her frame's slash harkens to take down an alien fighter that got too close. She brought up her shield just in time to block several blasts from another incoming fighter.
"Can you get a good view of the enemy forces?" asked Euphemia over the communication channel with the Gawain flying nearby.
"Yes," said C.C.
"I need you to use the hadron cannons to wipe out a swath of those invaders," said Euphemia. "Can you use it now? Things are getting a little heated over here."
"Sure," said C.C.
The Gawain's twin hadron cannons charged up and fired a continuous stream at the greatest concentration of alien fighters C.C. could make out while turning the frame in a clockwise direction. The beams of red high-energy plasma swept through and destroyed a major portion of the invaders' aerial assault force.
"That should buy us some more time," said Euphemia.
"You owe me a pizza for this," said C.C.
"Really? You still think of pizza even at this time?" questioned Euphemia in mild annoyance. "Fine, as long as you actually share it."
A couple of fighters in the distance in front of her were struck by gunfire coming from just outside the wall, with one being shot down. As the pinkette turned her gaze towards the direction of the source, she saw a group of a Gloucesters and the Lancelot coming in through the gate.
Her mood soured as she saw Cornelia's pink Gloucester leading them.
"Ugh, why did it have to be her?" Euphemia grit her teeth. "Zero, are you there?"
"Yes," said Zero. "We have the prisoner with us. What is it?"
"Suzaku and Cornelia are here," said Euphemia. "We've been followed."
"Got it," Zero affirmed.
"Stop right there!" came a harsh feminine voice through the last corridor on the way back to the hangar.
Zero, Kallen, and Naoko came face to face at gunpoint with Suzaku and Cornelia. The two Black Knights readied their own guns as the air stilled in their standoff, the redhead standing protectively in front of her mother.
"What an unpleasant surprise," Zero said sarcastically.
"The last person I hoped I'd run to today," said Kallen, annoyed. "Princess Bitch of Britannia."
"ZERO!" screamed Suzaku.
"I've have had my suspicions when Euphemia choose to throw her lot in with you and your band of terrorists, Zero," said Cornelia. "When we found your frame and a few of your aircraft flying off the Settlement for whatever mission you have here, we decided to take the opportunity to trail you to find out."
"You're seriously still butthurt that she turned out to be her own person and stood up to your bitch ass, aren't you?" Kallen sneered.
"Shut your filthy mouth, Eleven!" screamed Cornelia. "You terrorists corrupted my sister with your foolish words!"
"Sure, keep telling yourself that," sneered Kallen. "We 'corrupted' nobody. And news flash, she's not exactly your sister anymore. And it's plainly obvious why she doesn't want to be. Deal with it, princess."
"Kallen!" Naoko pleaded, uncomfortable with the way her daughter brashly and abrasively addressed the princess.
Cornelia, however, regained her composure. "Talk all you want. I have the advantage. I'm sure you already all noticed that this prison complex had been commandeered and garrisoned by my army. Why do you think the guards at the gate just let you all in without any question or resistance?"
The princess smirked wickedly. "I have you right where I want you, Zero. Since you and Euphemia ended up on that island, she had been rather willing to trust you and work with you. I could not understand why, but Schniezel came up with an idea. That perhaps the reason that Euphemia trusts you so much is that under your mask, Zero, you are someone who she knows personally."
"For fuck's sake you're really still on that," said Kallen. "I have a better idea, take the stick out of your ass. Now quit stalling us and get out of our way!"
"Kallen, please don't," Naoko pleaded again.
"We'll talk about it later," said Kallen towards her mother. "We have a lot to unpack about her."
"We're going to get to the bottom of this right now!" Cornelia declared, ignoring Kallen. "Take off that mask, Zero!"
"Or you'll shoot me, I assume?" replied Zero. "You should understand that this is not the best time to break the truce and incite fighting between the growing Black Knight forces and the Britannian Army. All while also having to fight the invaders. Because that's exactly what will happen if you shoot me. Or are you far too focused on your own ends that you fail to realise what you are doing?"
"I can always blame it on the aliens," said Cornelia. "I never asked for this damn truce. I don't need help from terrorists. And I will fight two, or hell even more, wars at the same time if that's what it takes! So, what would it be, Zero? Will you take off that mask, or will I have to rip it off from you myself?"
"Time is running short," Lelouch thought. "And to find out the truth about Marianne, I would need to unmask myself to her eventually. I can Geass her to let us leave, but Suzaku is here and I already used my Geass on him. I suppose I do not have any other choice."
"Very well," Zero placed his hand on his mask. "If you insist."
"Zero? What are you doing?" thought Kallen.
Zero removed his mask, revealing Lelouch's face for all to see.
Kallen stood consumed by shock and disbelief, her eyes wide as dinner plates and her mouth agape.
"Le-Lelouch!?" the Black Knight barely managed to utter. "Z-Zero…is Lelouch…"
Suzaku essentially shared Kallen's reaction.
"I-it can't be…" Cornelia went aghast, her weapon lowering as if it felt heavy on shaky arms. "Le…Lelouch…"
"Yes," said Lelouch. "It's me, Lelouch vi Britannia."
"But why?" questioned Cornelia still in shock. "Lelouch, why?"
"I was to tear down the old world's system and the tyrants that perpetuate it and build a better one in its place," said Lelouch. "One where people like our sister Nunnally can live free of fear and oppression. Or, at least, it was before I had to put it on hold due to the invaders."
"You killed Clovis for the sake of that madness?" questioned Cornelia.
"It was necessary," said Lelouch. "He abused his power over those who could not defend themselves. Much like what the Emperor did with me and Nunnally."
"And now it's time for me to get my answers from you." Lelouch activated his Geass. "You will answer me truthfully. And when I am done with my questions, let us pass."
Red rims appeared around Cornelia's irises as her mind was taken over by the Geass. Her expression slackened and calmed. "Go on."
"Sister, are you the one who killed my mother?" asked Lelouch.
"I'm not," said Cornelia.
"Then who was it?" asked Lelouch.
"I don't know," said Cornelia.
"But you were in charge of her personal guard, were you not?" asked Lelouch.
"I was," said Cornelia.
"Then why did you withdraw her escort?" Lelouch continued on. "Left the very woman you idolised vulnerable?"
"I was asked to by Lady Marianne herself," said Cornelia.
"What? But how?" Lelouch was in disbelief. "That's impossible! That would mean that she knew she would be attacked that day. But she would have moved us out of there if she did! It doesn't make any sense!"
"What really happened back there!?" Lelouch demanded. "Who really did it!? Who killed her?"
"I still don't know," said Cornelia.
At that point Kallen would have commented on him asking the same question twice, but she was still rendered too speechless in shock at the revelation she just saw to do so.
"Then who does?" asked Lelouch. "Someone must know!"
"I remember His Majesty the Emperor ordered Schneizel to move the body out of the villa," said Cornelia.
"Body? You mean mother's?" asked Lelouch. "Who was in that coffin?"
"That's all I know," said Cornelia.
"Looks like we're done here then," said Lelouch. Placing his mask back on, he turned towards Kallen and her mother. "Let's go."
"Right," Kallen nodded as she and her mother followed Zero towards the exit.
Suzaku tried to stop the three, but the still-geassed Cornelia held him back as she stepped aside to let them pass.
"Kururugi, stand down." The Second Princess ordered. "Let them pass."
"Your Highness, you can't just let Zero—" Suzaku tried to protest.
"That is an order, Warrant Officer!" Cornelia cut him off sternly.
Suzaku stood down obediently under the princess' order as Zero, Kallen, and Naoko left.
Kallen quickly boarded her Guren and had Naoko come inside the cockpit with her. Zero called back in the Gawain to board it as well. They left the hangar and regrouped with Euphemia.
"We got the prisoner out," said Lelouch in a private line to the pinkette. "But I also had to reveal my identity to Cornelia."
"You did WHAT!?" Euphemia exclaimed back in shock.
"I didn't exactly have much of a choice there," said Lelouch.
Not long after, Cornelia and Suzaku came out of the hangar in their respective knightmares.
But before they could leave the compound or any additional disputes could come up, two pods crashed down from the sky towards the nearby forest. The force of their impacts levelled trees in a couple of mighty explosions.
"This can't be good," said Euphemia.
An eerie foghorn-like sound came from the forest in the direction towards the pods' landing site. They all understood what that meant…
The figures of two tripods rose from the forest and towered over the trees.
"Shit!" cursed Kallen. This was made even worse for her as having Naoko cramped with her in the cockpit made it harder for her to pilot. "We really need to go now!"
The Britannians opened fire on the first tripod. Needless to say, its deflector shield activated to block them.
"Kallen! Go on ahead! We'll cover you!" Lelouch began charging up the Gawain's hadron cannon.
"Right!" Kallen nodded and exited the gate.
The first tripod charged up its lasers and fired, sweeping through and destroying a group of Sutherlands.
Lelouch blasted the tripod with the hadron cannon at full force. Unlike the other weapons they have thrown at it before, the high-energy plasma beams were powerful enough to penetrate the shield and tore through the tripod's armour and right side of its head in a fiery conflagration.
The tripod's burning husk fell towards the forest with a great thud.
"Well, that's one weapon we have that can break the shield," thought Lelouch.
The second tripod fired at the prison building from over the walls, destroying a large chunk of its west wing in a sweeping explosion. The remaining Britannian forces had opened fire on the tripod, but as before the shield stopped their efforts.
"Tch!" Lelouch grit his teeth as fighters went to attack the Gawain. He destroyed one with his finger slash harkens. To his fortune, the Lancelot flew up towards his aid and started shooting the fighters on his back.
"That's a pleasant surprise," thought Lelouch. "I guess Suzaku does somewhat still see me as a friend even after he knew I was Zero."
Meanwhile, Euphemia watched the Britannians' battle with the tripod from the roadside just outside the compound, taking shelter on the nearby trees while covering Kallen's path.
"Their shields…they appear to form a protective umbrella of the same shape and size around those machines," the pinkette thought from her observation here as well as what she remembered from the battle at the SAZ. "They seem to activate locally upon hostile projectile detection rather than being active around the entire machine constantly. If it was, they wouldn't be able to fire and the shield would visibly interact with nearby objects like those trees as the tripod simply walks close to them, and if also extended to the feet as well, would impair their movement…"
A realisation struck the pinkette. She turned her frame towards the forest and rushed away towards a direction not quite towards the tripod, but close to it.
"Euphemia, what are you doing?" asked Kallen.
"That thing can shoot us down if we let it stay," said Euphemia. "I'm going to take it out!"
"What?" Kallen was incredulous. "That thing's shield blocked like everything we threw at it short of a hadron cannon!"
"I think I found a weakness!" said Euphemia.
"What?" questioned Kallen.
"I'm going to attack that thing," said Euphemia. "From inside its shield!"
"That's crazy!" exclaimed Kallen.
Euphemia took a few chaos mines and a grenade launcher from a downed Sutherland. "It does sound crazy, I know. But I have to do it. Worry about your mother. Get her to safety!"
She made her way between the trees, using their canopies for cover, lowering her speed as she went closer and closer to the place the tripod stood.
"If I can get close…slow enough to not be recognised as a projectile in case the shield can go that low…"
The tripod remained occupied with its assailants.
Euphemia drew the grenade launcher as she closed in on one of the tripod's feet. And lo, no deflector shield appeared to stop her! She looked up, and indeed she was within the protective umbrella of the tripod's shield!
She took aim at the underside, where the legs connected, and fired. The tripod shuddered as the explosive projectile hit. Not sparing another moment, she fired again.
The Guren returned to the landing site. Naoko got down from her daughter's frame with Tamaki and another Black Knight waiting for her on the ground.
"Come with us," said Tamaki. "We'll be saving you and getting you out of here. We're Kallen's buds, by the way."
"Alright, if you're her friends," Naoko complied, following her escorts to the personnel VTOL transport. "I'd just like to hear the full explanation for everything later."
Euphemia evaded the stomping feet of the tripod as she fired a few more shots. She then launched her slash harkens towards the damaged underside close to the rear leg before leaping on said leg and using her landspinners to skate up it. She leapt up as the tripod tried to shake her off, using the harkens to drag herself to land unto the upper section of its rear leg.
She then threw one of the chaos mines towards the tripod's head, with the mine activating to shower the right side of the head with superheated shrapnel, damaging the connection with the right weapon arm. She then leapt up atop its 'waist', using her harkens to latch on.
Her attempt had not gone unnoticed by Lelouch, who started to fly the Gawain towards her.
"Euphemia, what are you doing!?" he questioned and exclaimed. "The hadron cannon is 40% charged! Let me—"
"Stay back!" Euphemia cried towards him as she took out her assault rifle and fired at the base of the tripod's damaged arm. "This one is mine to finish!"
The arm's connection with the body was soon severed and the appendage fell to the ground. She then switched to her sword and ran it into the underside of its head, before dragging it across to cut open a gash. She then cut a couple more gashes into the same area before rappelling down with her harkens.
Once on the ground and retracting her harkens, she once more opened fire with the grenade launcher into the gashed part. The blasts broke into the tripod's insides, a fiery explosion ripping out of its windshields along with what seemed to be some sort of strange liquid.
The tripod finally fell as Euphemia left to rejoin her allies.
"Holy shit…" Kallen gasped as she saw the alien war machine fall. "S-she actually pulled it off…"
The Black Knights and Euphemia finally all regrouped soon after at their landing site and departed on their way back to base.
Ashford Academy
Later in the afternoon, Kallen took her mother along with Zero and Euphemia to the Ashford rooftop. Checking around and realising that everyone in the vicinity already knew his identity, Zero took off his mask.
Naoko looked at her daughter in the eye. "Now tell me everything, Kallen."
Kallen explained her story as a resistance fighter from the original Kouzuki group to the Black Knights. Naoko was flabbergasted at this side of her daughter that has been hidden from her for so long. That she was not just merely a Black Knight, but one of the founding members of the organisation, and that she was also the infamous 'Red Lotus' that had defeated so many Britannians in the battlefield.
It was nearly too much for her to take in by the end.
"Why?" gasped Naoko. "Kallen, why?"
"Why? Britannia trampled all over us," said Kallen. "Enslaved and slaughtered so many of us. Because they think they're so high and mighty that they can do whatever the hell they want and get away with it while we suffered."
"I was giving you a life to live," said Naoko. "A life where you can live in comfort as a Britannian. And you're throwing it all away!?"
"A life where part of me, the part that came from you, is forcibly repressed?" asked Kallen. "All while you and all the other Japanese, and all the others Britannia conquered and made to suffer, are enslaved, tortured, and slaughtered senselessly at a whim?"
"Naoto's dead," said Naoko. "You're all I have left. There has to be another way!"
"But there isn't another way!" cried Kallen. "Britannia is just too horrible. If it weren't for those aliens, we'd still be fighting them. And as for Cornelia, that bitch deserved everything I said to her face and way more. She's a fucked-up racist mass murderer."
"Kallen's right," Euphemia spoke up. "Cornelia can go fuck herself."
"Princess Euphemia!?" Naoko was shocked at the pinkette's abrasive statement.
"No," said Euphemia. "I'm not a princess anymore. I gave away that name and title for the Special Administrative Zone. And while that is literally in ashes now, I do not regret that decision. Please, don't refer to me by that title. Just Euphemia will do."
"Alright," said Naoko. "But Princess Cornelia is still your sister. How can you say that about her?"
"Cornelia slaughtered hundreds of innocent people behind my back in the Saitama Ghetto," said Euphemia. "People who only tried to live their lives, who had not resisted or taken arms against the regime, all dead because of her. And she lied to me about it, that this wanton massacre of unarmed civilians was counterterrorism! And she bore no remorse for it at all! And that's on top of her having treated me like some bloody doll to be kept in a gilded cage for years and never listening to anything I say. She is not my sister."
"I-I see," Naoko conceded.
"You should be proud of Kallen," said Lelouch. "She fought for the Japanese, your people. For you. So you could live free of the abuse you had to endure. If you and her were in each other's places, wouldn't you have done the same for her? Would you have fought to ensure that your daughter is safe and well?"
"I-I suppose you're right," said Naoko. "What should I do now? I can't go back home."
"You can stay with us," said Kallen.
"If you ever wish to join the Black Knights yourself, Naoko Kouzuki," said Lelouch. "Our door is open."
"I'll pass," said Naoko.
"Very well," said Lelouch. "But if you ever change your mind, we'll be there. For now, you shall be an honoured guest under our protection."
"And as for that Refrain addiction." Lelouch activated his Geass. "You shall never take a single drop of Refrain ever again. Any craving or addiction you had with Refrain is forever erased. You will rightfully loathe that accursed drug just as much as your daughter does."
"I-I feel…free now." Naoko smiled in relief as red rims glowed around her irises. "I'm free from that nasty thing. I don't know what you just did to me, but…I don't feel it anymore. Thank you."
The red rims faded as the command sank fully into Naoko's willing subconscious.
"I set you free from Refrain," said Lelouch. "Arranged the rescue mission for you, and you've seen my face even though I have not planned for that first time. I hope you can trust me with your daughter now, can you?"
"I need some time to think about all this," said Naoko. "But I'll trust you as long as I can remain close."
"Very well." Lelouch nodded.
"And Euphemia," Lelouch turned his attention at her. "That was a really risky manoeuvre you did back there."
"I had to take it out," said Euphemia. "Otherwise, it could easily have turned around and shot us down. I'd think you would understand that. I found a weakness in their defences and I took the chance."
"And you explicitly stopped me from coming in to help?" asked Lelouch.
"I had it handled," said Euphemia.
"You could have—" Lelouch tried to say.
"I said I had it handled," Euphemia cut him off. "And I did. Are you really going to argue with that result?"
"You were trying to prove yourself, weren't you?" asked Lelouch.
"I knew it was about that 'useless puppet princess' thing," Kallen spoke up. "I was wrong, okay?"
"Listen, Euphemia, you're not useless or worthless," said Lelouch. "You don't need to take on the biggest enemy you can find all by yourself to prove it. It might have saved us the danger of being shot down, but that was still completely reckless. That's what Kallen would do."
"HEY!" retorted Kallen.
"You charged in with a knightmare frame into a Gefjun Disturber field fully knowing what it does," said Lelouch. "You also attempted to stab Suzaku right in the middle of a school party open for all to see."
"My little girl did what!?" Naoko was shocked. "KALLEN! What were you thinking!?"
"I wondered the same thing sometimes," Lelouch concurred. "She's loyal and quite accomplished, but she's also quite prone to acting without thinking."
"Sheesh…" Kallen felt like shrinking where she stood.
"Zero," said Naoko. "Promise me you'll take care of her, okay? And try to stop her from doing anything too rash."
Lelouch nodded. "Trust me, I will."
"And Kallen," said Naoko. "Let's make up for our lost time."
The redhead smiled. "I'll be glad to."
"That nightmare of mine never came true. Zero…Lelouch…thanks to you, my mother is alive, free, and now reunited with us. Thank you."
Notes: And here it is. I swear I need to be able to update this faster but motivation lapses, real life and other stuff get in the way. Also, still on the trend of my chapters getting longer at over 9600 words.
First tripods destroyed in the story! Let me say for sure that Tokyo will definitely be much more of a fight than the SAZ was.
Zero's identity is now revealed to Kallen and her mother is saved. For those who wanted to see more signs of the Lelouch/Kallen pairing in this story, here's a start.
Now I'm sure not many were expecting Kallen's mother to also find out about Zero's identity and her getting to keep her memory of that afterwards, but I don't think Kallen or Euphemia (especially Kallen!) are just going to allow him to erase Naoko's memory, and the two are not going to be affected by his Geass anymore either.