Naruto: Oi Soul, you okay? You're glitching in and out.

Soul: Probably because of real-life stuff over the past month. I also blame FGO and its recent casino event. Got all but Summer Musashi.

Lucienne: Speaking of Musashi, I wonder who will be blessed with her?

Soul: That's what I'm keeping close to the chest.

Milly: This chapter is pretty chill.

Kallen: You mean boring! I want some action! Gimme my Knightmare!

Soul: Patience comes to those who wait. Now, mail time:

-Review responses:

Guest1 - Yes, yes it was.

Squall321 - I promise explosions in the next few chapters.

XenoBlaze - Yep, you pretty much summed it up. Claire's Geass and Servant will be revealed in the next chapter.

Falco - Thanks for the contribution, but not today. This chapter is all about the crusaders.

claymaster27 - I have plans for Nina.

Guest2 - Soul: I know history is a sore topic these days, but it was best to go with the vanilla version of history for now. Trust me, Kallen and Akiza will learn what Imperial Japan did in Nines' world, and it'll be going along with Kallen's character development.

Last Guest - Castle: I also realize that America isn't nor ever was perfect, especially in this day and age. We have plenty of issues that stem from poor choices, from our leadership down. The thing I was doing was comparing America to Britannia. From the standpoint of what Charles is trying to do, we're saints.

Soul: And now, on with the fill- I mean show!

And also, I'll working on a special oneshot that will be uploaded to AO3 and Hentai Foundry. Stay tuned!

Like Soul says, on with the show!

[JLF Headquarters, Narita, Area 11]

Some time passed after the now-infamous and disastrous Saitama Incident. From the footage that came out of the ghetto to what had happened during the Kururugi Affair, the people now believed that this new group of vigilantes had superpowers that put them on par with the Knightmare Frames. There was also the tech they'd used that allowed them to turn Sutherlands and the Gloucesters into scrap metal, and their pilots into mincemeat. And then there was that silver-helmeted man, who had completely bisected Cornelia's G1 in a single move, killing all but a single soldier who was lucky enough to survive the ordeal.

Now the whole world was talking about the masked trio and their new friends, labeling them as the new generation of rebellion against Britannia and its almighty Emperor. Their presentation, their style, their personality, all these things captured the attention of the world. Even the kids loved them, to the point that they would dress up like them, from Britannians to Japanese alike, despite their violent displays. Of course, the parents had to hide the shows of support, since the trio and their friends were Public Enemy #1. Regardless, they were the new flavor of the year, and the new hope for not just for the Number around the world, but the Japanese as well.

This did not sit well with some people…a certain group in particular.

The JLF, or the Japan Liberation Front, was currently having a meeting at their base. The higher-ups were all seated in a circle, with Toudou sitting in seiza. his Four Holy Swords were seated between him and the other generals. There was an edge in the tension of the room, an air of unhappiness, as footage of the new vigilante group that had once been the elusive Phantom Thieves dominating over the Britannian forces; from the Kururugi Affair to the Saitama Incident.

"Do we have any idea where those Phantom Thieves came from yet?" demanded Kusakabe Josei, "And why haven't they made contact with us? We're the Japan Liberation Front, the strongest resistance force in Japan! We should be part of their recent accomplishments!"

One of the aides swallowed nervously and looked over his report. "All we know is that they came out of the blue several years ago and have been operating indiscretion. They've stolen minor equipment, sabotaged bases, and assassinated officials with little influence all the while. News broadcasts touched on them little until now due to their so-called less than significant deeds."

"And now because of Shinjuku, they've stopped playing around and showed their true power," the leader of the JLF, Katase Tatewaki, sighed, "Has Uzushio said anything?"

"Nothing. Other than them still amassing an arsenal to this day, it's all quiet on their end…"

Katase hummed. "It's not like them to be silent like this after everything that's happened. I'd wager that they're expecting Britannia to have eyes on them."

"As if that stopped them before! Remember the days of Imperial Japan?! They constantly prevented our ancestors from obtaining glory!" Kusakabe noted angrily.

"That was then, this is now, and Britannia is our enemy. Now that the status quo has been shaken up, now is the best time to strike," said Toudou suddenly, drawing all eyes to him. "Remember, after what they did, Britannia's eyes will mostly be on Joker and his friends."

Kusakabe slammed his fist down in frustration. "But for how much longer?! All you've been doing is fence-sitting instead of leading our troops into battle-"

"Josei, enough!" Katase cut across him. "This isn't a competition, especially with the fate of Japan hanging in the balance!"

"But the Six Houses of Kyoto-"

"Now hold on! There's no confirmation that the Six Houses of Kyoto are gifting the Phantom Thieves the Guren Nishiki!" Toudou said sharply. "Those are just baseless rumors started by musings of the younger members."

"But what if…" Kusakabe pressed up, looking nervously at Katase.

"For now, we'll see how things play out. That trio's taken Cornelia and her army off-balance, leaving an opening we can exploit in the future. All we need now is patience," Katase assured everyone in the room, "I know it's not ideal, but if we play our cards right, the sun will shine on Japan once again."

Tohdoh nodded his head in satisfaction while Katase grit his teeth and clenched his fists.

Stage 10: Everyday Life with a Crusader

[Uzushio]

Nines stretched as he walked along the path in the gardens of Uzu Castle. The ancient structure, built during the early Edo Period, had housed the Uzumaki Clan for generations. The structure retained its original Shiro-style architecture, giving it an old-world feeling, like you were stepping back in time. This didn't mean it hadn't kept up to date with current technology, nor would it be easy to destroy. The interior had been remodeled to allow lights and electricity, as well as computers and monitors, surveillance and security systems, and a kicking arcade and karaoke bar.

Hey, they needed to unwind somehow.

Over the course of more than a decade, Uzu had become his home. He was welcomed with open arms and made a part of the family. He was an only child, so Naruto and Naruko were like the siblings he'd never had. He'd been all over the island with them, even into some of the restricted areas they had access to. He even participated in training in the ninja arts with them for self-defense and showed off his skills with computers when Uzu was hit with a cyberattack from the Chinese Federation. Coupled with gifting Uzu the designs for Metal Gear, and he had more than earned himself a seat at the table.

But the twins weren't the only ones who were close to him, as he suddenly felt a welcoming presence and a hug from behind.

"Guess who~?"

Nines grunted as he felt two familiar pillows smush against his back, flattening and spreading out pleasantly. "How could I not recognize that sexy voice of yours, Ryofu?"

"Aw, at least indulge me!" the girl whined as Nines turned around to gaze at her.

Ryofu Housen, his childhood friend and bodyguard who's only known by her codename. She had teal-green hair tied in pigtails, emerald eyes, and tan skin with a busty physique; and wearing a matching red leather blazer that showed her cleavage and a miniskirt, knee-high socks, and brown shoes. She is a playful and flirtatious expert martial artist with superhuman strength and ability, being one of the strongest fighters of Uzu.

"After all, you owe me that much for blowing off our date the other day," she stressed while poking his shoulder.

"I'm sorry about that. It's just that Cornelia chose that day of all days to do something stupid, and the twins needed my help," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Don't worry, I'll make it up to you-"

"And me."

Nines and Ryofu looked over to see Unchou Kan'u, the former's other childhood friend and bodyguard, who came sauntering over and hugged his free arm. She was a tall, slender young woman with long purple hair that reached down to her feet and tied at the end. She had blue eyes and light tan skin with large breasts. She also wore a modified class school uniform with the top showing her navel, a blue miniskirt, knee-high socks, and brown shoes.

"I was about to say you both, Kan'u-san." Nines chuckled as they walked down the path. "Now that Cornelia's been thoroughly humbled for now, we have all the time in the world until the next operation, and we'll be there."

"Finally! I've been going mad cooped up here when Naruto and the others are having all the fun! I mean, it's not like sparring with the others isn't fulfilling and all, but-" Ryofu grinned and punched her fist into her hand. "I've been wanting to test my skills against Britannia for a long time now~"

"You mean those small-time raids in Euro Britannia that slowed Britannia's attempt to take over the country." Kan'u drawled while brushing her hair back.

"True, but they didn't have commanders like Cornelia, and their Knightmares were pathetic. They dented easily from my attacks and went down like a stack of cards," Ryofu proudly boasted.

"It's what's to be expected from mass-produced machines. Faster production yields cheaper quality. There's also laziness to account for since Britannia's gotten complacent with their victories for the past few years," Nines pointed out, "But cheap or not, you know you're not normal, Ryofu. None of us are."

"Yep! We're just built different!" Ryofu agreed with a cheesy grin. "But enough about that! Let's use what remaining time we have to do something…fun~" she suggested with a lick of her lips.

"Must you always be so vulgar?"

"Aw, don't even, Kan'u-chan. I saw you pine for him and take your frustrations out on those poor holograms in the training room the other day." Ryofu refuted, poking at Kan'u's cheek.

"Hmph!" Kan'u pouted, turning her head away.

"I supposed we can find something...recreational to do," Nines said thoughtfully. "Milly does need your sizes for the school uniforms at Ashford. Sure, we can laze around in Valhalla, but where's the fun in that? Plus, the Lancelot's pilot is there, and I want to get a feel for him personally."

"You have fun with the idiot. I can't wait to see Milly again." Ryofu said, much to Kan'u's dread. "And of course, send some Refrain dealers to the hospital."

"Sounds like the newly minted Disciplinary Squad needs some assistance." Kanu' drawled with a roll of her eyes. "I can only imagine how much the school suffered under the twins and Milly."

"The school's still standing, isn't it?" Nines chuckled and put his hands on the girls' waists. "Now come on. Let's get wasted before I'm dragged off to deal with another mess with Britannia."

They entered the karaoke bar as Kan'u sighed and Ryofu giggled with glee, the latter moving Nines' hand to her breasts.

[Old Ashford Warehouse]

The light switched on inside the once defunct warehouse, which was now bustling with activity. Due to the Uzumaki-style underground train system, workers were coming in and out restoring the place and setting things up. There were ninja that were using Earth-Style jutsu to expand the underground complex beneath the warehouse to allow for increased production on Knightmare Frames. Technicians were setting up computers and equipment, and engineers were updating the machinery.

Of course, this generated so much noise that a passerby in the ghetto would be bound to come to investigate, right? Well…

"Uzumaki-style Sealing: Sound Barrier Jutsu!"

"Uzumaki-style: Camouflage!"

Naruto and Naruko stood atop the building, weaving through a few hand signs on their respective jutsu. From Naruto's feet spread a series of symbols, which flowed throughout the building and across the surrounding ground, even traveling through some of the cracks beneath the basement levels. As soon as they were in position, they planted themselves and sank into the soil, sending out continuous pulses of energy that nullified all sounds outside the barrier. In addition, Naruko's jutsu created a dome that spread throughout the surrounding area, forming a sphere that even stretched out underground.

"That'll do it," Naruto said with a nod to his twin. They jumped down off the roof, where Milly and Nick waited for them. "No matter how much noise anyone makes, no one outside will hear anything, not even a huge explosion," he explained, looking back. "Not only does this place serve as our primary Knightmare production facility in Japan, but it'll also house our troops until the retaking of Japan."

"We should also consider installing Knightmare simulators. Those who will join our group won't know how to pilot one. Knightmare training isn't exactly commercial outside of video games." Milly commented with a thoughtful expression. "You know, we should experiment to see if they're compatible with game controllers?"

"Denied. It's sink or swim." Naruko shot her down.

"Just a thought. Maybe we can do it for fun?" Milly suggested brightly. "When this is all over of course."

"You can work with Nines on that front." Naruto drawled, before turning to Nick. "So what do you think of our operation so far, Samurai? See anything similar to one of your many lives?"

The other boy smiled dryly. "You'll have to narrow that down. EVERYTHING looks similar once you've seen it enough times. But, you do have a pretty good setup. Very secure, very discreet, little chance of discovery…"

"That's what we're aiming for. While our clan is both ninja and samurai, we're more ninja than samurai, with the exception of a few." Naruto said and grimaced. "Naruko and I, on the other hand, stealth is sometimes optional. Think of us as Battle Mages when shit goes sideways. Everyone will see what more we have to offer in the coming weeks."

"Well, there's certainly nothing wrong with having more heavy hitters," agreed Nick, "Especially if they know how to dial it back when necessary. I count myself among that number, of course. I gotta admit, though, I haven't exactly had the most opportunities to practice with my abilities over the years. My Samurai powers aren't all that subtle and I didn't have access to a hidden military base."

"Then you're gonna love Valhalla, our primary training faculty. It also serves as an R&D development hub for weapons outside of a Knightmare." Naruko said, grinning.

"Well, hopefully, it's big enough. As you've seen, some of my techniques can get pretty...large-scale. Ah, speaking of R&D, could you make me a proper sword?"

The twins blinked at him, remembering the utter destruction Kinkaku had wrought on their last outing. "I mean, sure, but what's wrong with the one you have already?" asked Naruko.

Nick laughed ruefully, rubbing his neck as he held up his sword and drew it, holding it up for them to see.

Naruto's eye twitched as he immediately realized the issue. "...Is that a plastic sword?!" he demanded. Indeed, the blade that the Samurai was holding was just plain plastic, not steel that the sun would shine off of.

Everyone paled as they realized that Nick had used a fake sword to demolish Britannian forces. The implications for if he got ahold of some proper steel were...terrifying.

"You've gotta be…" Milly held the bridge of her nose. "I swear, you are impossible, Nick."

"Hey, you try getting an authentic steel tachi with a commoner's money in this day and age!" protested Nick defensively.

Naruko laughed dryly. "I remember we had to use wooden and yes, plastic blades until we were trusted with a sword."

"Good times. Don't worry, you'll get you something to tide you over until Nines can commission a blade to match your specs and power level. No one HF-Blade crafted with Uzu Steel is the same." Naruto said and gestured to the door. "Now let's go inside and- hmm?" he frowned when he heard something in the distance on the ground and in the air. "Something's coming. Sounds like…Bladewolf?"

"Ah, those'll be my Key Holders," commented Nick, crossing his arms, "I did say that I had more Samurai stuff to explain."

Milly raised an eyebrow. "Key Holders?"

A moment later, two robotic beasts swooped down out of the air to land beside the Samurai: a silver wolf and a golden owl. Both had smooth, slightly simplistic features, but they moved fluidly, without any visible joints. "These are Moshire and Kotane," he said, indicating the wolf and owl respectively, "My partners. A Key Holder is every bit as important to a Samurai as his Princess."

Moshire gave a canine huff, sat down, and began scratching his ear, while Kotane stuck his head under a wing and began preening.

"Not like our Bladewolf, but close enough." Naruko mused, bending down to examine Moshire, who gazed back at her curiously. "A wolf for getting across the battlefield quickly," she eyed Kotane. "And an owl to scout the battlefield above."

"Well, both of them can fly," Nick corrected her, "To be honest, I think most Samurai are supposed to only have one, but somehow I ended up with two." With a clack, both his forearms split open, revealing a pair of bone sword hilts. "Key Holders are the ones who provide their partner with the bone hilt for their True Sword, and can provide them with armor or even additional weapons."

"...Are you absolutely sure you need a sword because it looks like those laser blades will do the trick!" Milly said, her eye twitching. "I mean, the Uchiha clan can do the same with their Susanoo-"

"Only a select few have Susanoo, you know." Naruko cut across her.

"Oh yeah, so do you two!"

"And they're still incomplete." Naruto refuted with a wave of his hand. "We still need Kurama to stabilize them, but that's neither here nor there at the moment, dattebayo. You know, Nines is gonna have lots of fun with your Knightmare Frame."

"As soon as he's done with ours, that is," Naruko added while climbing on top of Naruto's shoulders, much to his annoyance. "Personally, I think he's making them a bit bigger…"

"You know," Milly pointed up at Kotane who was now circling her head before sitting on her shoulder. "This one is a lot nicer than you, somewhat," she said with a teasing, cat-like face.

Nick snorted. "Ah, he's just being cute. His full size is more than big enough for about...four or five people to ride on?"

The blonde girl's laughter died off, and she began sweating as she turned to look at the owl, who hooted and ruffled its feathers self-importantly. "Eh, not as big as a Bijuu, but close enough. Please don't grow on me."

"As for why I don't use the True Sword all the time, it takes focus and willpower to shape my Soul into a blade, not to mention making it sharp enough to cut with. With a physical sword, I just have to worry about form."

"We get it. It sounds like how we're training with Senjutsu with all that focus." Naruko said as she shifted to sitting on Naruto's shoulders. "Still, I don't think we'll be in a position where you'll be using that Soul Sword all the time, so keep it under lock and key."

"Yeah, what she said," Naruto grunted, feeling Naruko's grip on his hair and her thighs on his head. "In all honesty, we don't need Knightmare Frames to fight, but let's be honest, who wouldn't want to pilot a mech into battle to free the world from a tyrant, like in the anime from Nines' world."

"Just to be on the safe side, your sword won't slice through the Earth itself…will it?" Milly asked with a chilly smile and closed eyes.

"Careful, your Panther is showing." Naruto chuckled as he absentmindedly pet Moshire's head.

Completely unphased by her attempt at intimidation, Nick scratched his chin. "Eh. Probably not yet."

"Yet, he says." Naruko deadpanned.

"That is the most terrifying thing I've ever heard," Milly grumbled with twitching eyes. "Don't ever do that, ever."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Unless it is a meteor, like from Kaguya-baachan's Tengai Shinsei. What Madara did before our time was overkill. Two meteors, one on top of the other! An S-tier-ranked ass-whooping, dattebayo."

"Don't worry, I have no plans to destroy this world."

"...This world."

"I know what I said. Any world after this one is totally up in the air."

"Lovely." Milly shook her head before brightening. "But enough talk about destroying worlds and meteors! Let's take the grand tour and see if we can help out! We gotta start pumping out new Knightmare models on the double! Now that Claire is part of the team, I might be out on the field! Woo-hoo!"

Naruto smirked as they went inside. "If there's more than one thing Milly-chan loves more than sex with me and being a pervert, it's all the aspects of Knightmares. People are going to be surprised when they're not seeing Milly as a news anchor like she publicity claimed she would. Then again, that was just her cover so people won't go prying."

"Sounds like she puts more effort into being a resistance fighter than Student Council President." Nick mused, watching Milly zip around.

"She was the very first member of our resistance. She may be a pain-in-the-ass to you, but to us, she's the most reliable full-time partner we could have. She and Old Man Ruby have as much a stake in this fight as all of us. She worked hard and combated accusations of nepotism to become Student Council President, allowing us the freedom to do what we did as Phantom Thieves." Naruto said as they now watched her carry boxes around.

"So Nicky, give Milly a chance." Naruko finished for Naruto, leaning forward and causing her boobs to press against Naruto's head. "You may be surprised at what she's capable of. After all," she smiled widely. "In this resistance squad, she's your senpai, dattebane!"

"We all knew that. You didn't have to say it so openly, Sis…" Naruto grumbled with a sweatdrop.

"Love you too, Bro," Naruko replied cheekily.

"Well, if you can show me a side that's different from school, then I won't have any complaints," sighed Nick, shrugging.

"That's all we ask," Naruto said before answering his ringing phone. "This is Joker…Yes…Yes…Really, this again? We'll take the Guren, not those Glasgow knockoffs. We have our own mass-production models…Yes, really." Naruto said sternly, then huffed. "Just like Britannia, you underestimate us, sir…Sorry if that offends you, but if your Burai were remodeled Sutherlands, then we would have no problem accepting them into the fold."

"And who's he talking to?" Nick asked an annoyed Naruko.

"Representatives of the Six Houses of Kyoto. Publicly known as the NAC, they're an organization of elite Japanese industrialists and plutocrats. The Britannian Empire left them in charge of running Japan's major industries, particularly its Sakuradite mining operations." Naruko explained while hopping off her brother. "Because they're cooperating with Britannia, the Japanese see them as traitors. In reality, they're currently the biggest supporters of the Japan Liberation Front…for now, that is," she added with a smirk.

Nick picked up on that. "...I imagine they're none too happy with the progress of the JLF at this point."

"The JLF's done nothing of note for the past few years. A bunch of toothless Dragons, they are. Now that we've put a dent in Britannia's superiority, the Kyoto House wants to support us. But besides the Guren, all they have are cheap options," Naruko continued with a shrug. "If they insist on shipping those knockoff Glasgows, they'll simply be used for simulators and-"

"Wait, the Guren developer is who again?" Naruto suddenly asked, nodding and grinning. "Great! …Fine, send the Burais if you want, not that we're going to get any use out of them. Have a nice day!" he said cheerfully before hanging up on them.

"Do we know the developer?" Naruko asked while Naruto sped-dialed a number.

"Oh, do we!" Naruto chuckled and waited for a moment. "Hey Rakshata-san, it's Naruto! Fancy a trip to Japan in a week or so? It's time!"

[Ashford Academy]

All was quiet at the school where Lucienne and Claire were walking through the campus. It was peaceful with a few students walking around with others and lounging around. When the two beauties of the school walked past the students, the latter gazed at them in admiration and squeals.

"You know, you could tell them that you're a Princess and they'll revere you all the more." Claire teased Lucienne.

"No thanks. I gave up my right as a Princess of the Realm, remember?" Lucienne growled with a disgusted look at the idea.

"Heh, I'm joking, I'm joking." Claire assumed her while sticking out her tongue. "It's been a few days since the fiasco in Saitama, and Cornelia's been taking her anger out on the minor terrorist and resistance groups in Area- Japan. Are you sure it's all right to let her be like this?"

Lucienne shrugged and shook her head. "Let her throw her tantrum. The other groups are incompetent and caught innocents up in their acts on purpose, unlike the Kozuki Group."

"Eh, sounds kinda cruel, but understandable. It'll only be worth it if you succeed in this war so their death won't be in vain." Claire stated sternly.

"There is no 'if,' Claire, but 'when.' It'll all be worth it. I owe that much to Japan. But still, why are acting so nice all of a sudden? And if you say that it's because I'm a former Princess, I'm going to hit you," she warned her.

"Eh? I thought we were friends now. I thought you don't want me acting the way I…was before all of this was happening." Claire said sheepishly while scratching her head with a finger. "Naruko said I was acting a lot like a…tsun…tsun-something?"

"Tsundere." Lucienne finished for her and smiled. "Could it be that you're trying to get into my good graces to get close to Naruto?" she asked teasingly, making Claire flush, "Thought so. Even before all of this, I saw those little glances you gave Naruto when you thought no one was looking. Just talk to him. He won't bite. Trust me, you're missing out."

Claire blanched as her face turned red. "I'm surprised you're okay with this! Doesn't it remind you of…you know…"

"If you're talking about the sperm donor, rest assured that Naruto's nothing like him." Lucienne hissed with a twitching eye. "He made time for all of us, unlike the so-called genetic jackhammer who doesn't even enjoy his harem. Like, he piped all of them at least once or twice before going back to my mother, who was his favorite…or so he claimed."

"So the Emperor having a harem was more of an obligation instead of a want or need? What a waste. And here some of the boys aspire to be just like him." Claire noted and shivered at the thought.

"If anyone looks up to Charles as a role model, they'll need their heads examined, and their girlfriends spied on for their safety," an exasperated Lucienne replied. "Of course, that one first-year, Onigawara Rin, would be perfect for the job. Has she actually castrated anyone yet like she keeps threatening?"

"No, but-"

A body suddenly rolled rapidly into their path and slammed hard into the wall, the student in question all bruised and swirly-eyed. One Gamagoori Ira landed in front of the student with an earth-shaking boom, only a sweatdropping Lucienne and Claire being unaffected.

"HIDDEN CAMERAS IN THE GIRLS' LOCKER ROOM?!" Gamagoori boomed, showing the images on the student's phone. "DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?!"

"Bite me! You're just jealous, you…filthy…" the student cried back, but with no strength to his words, as Gamagoori towered over him with glowing eyes. "Uh?"

"It matters not if you call me an Eleven or not, for it will not excuse you of your crime!" Gamagoori boasted and grabbed the student by the scruff of their shirt. "Now, let's have ourselves a nice little talk with Rin and her friends, shall we?!"

"No, wait, don't let me near that crazy Eleven bitch!" the student wailed as Gamagoori suddenly jumped with him going along for the side, with the other two girls sweating further.

"Hopefully the others will stop Rin from castrating him and his friends," Claire said while laughing nervously.

"Tell Gamagoori-san to ease up on the shouting. Something being way too enthusiastic is too much. Plus, we don't want a noise complaint, and Nick will get mad if we have to spend our budget fixing busted walls."

"Duly noted, Vice-President." Claire nodded and smiled. "I guess this is what you mean by acting normal as therapy, right?"

"It helps keep me human," Lucienne said while looking over to see Escanor and Tenya resolving an issue between a group of students. "Speaking of staying human, how are you managing your Geass and Servant?"

Claire looked at her hand. "Well, my Geass is more than I expected, and my Servant's a handful-"

"Lucy! Claire!"

Both girls turned to see Shirley waving and coming towards them, the two now having nervous smiles and were now dreading the possible conversation they're about to have with her; not helping the fact that the two were sexually active with her crush. As much as they want to help Shirley out, there are many obvious reasons that none of them want Shirley around for the next several years at least.

"Is everything all right, Shirley?" Claire asked with concern.

"I have some papers that Nathan needs to sign since he's the Head of General Affairs. It's concerning the upcoming festivals." Shirley said and handed her the papers. "Do you know where he is, by the way?"

Lucienne looked over them and grumbled. "Shirley, these were going to be done later since Japan is close to a state of emergency, and the festival is in question because of it. Were you dozing off when Milly told us this the other day?"

"What?! Of course not! I just thought it'll be better to get it done now than later, you know!" a miffed Shirley replied, but the other two weren't buying it. "So uh, where is he?"

"...Off-campus until tonight," Lucienne replied flatly.

"If you want a date with Nathan, all you have to do is ask," Claire drawled, making Shirley turn red. "You're not being subtle and your attempts are getting more obvious by the month."

"Besides, I heard that you didn't, and I quote, gave a damn about where he goes after you confronted Kallen and Akiza over a minor get-together they had on campus on some random day," Lucienne said as she got in her face, making Shirley step back a tad. "Stop being a coward, ask him out already, and quit harassing every girl that even breathes on him."

"But Milly-"

"Already graded you a perfect 10 and wants to eat you out while Nathan pounds her from behind," Lucienne bluntly deadpanned, causing Claire and Shirley's faces to glow atomic red and sputter in shock, "Seriously, they're waiting for you to see if you have the spine to join their little escapades."

"Wha-?! No way!" Shirley wailed, waving her hands rapidly in front of her, while steam whistled out of a still-red Claire's ears.

"Face it, Shirley, if you're looking for some kind of misguided pure relationship, then-"

"Um, excuse me…?"

Mentally thanking the heavens above for the interference, Lucienne turned away from the embarrassed girls to an underclassman, whose sunny disposition was a welcome change to the surrounding mood. Her uniform, while technically modest, clung tightly to a bust that almost certainly rivaled Milly's, if not surpassing it. Her skirt drew the eye to a pair of sleek, smooth, yet plump and pillowy thighs, and flared out around a pair of wide hips. Her hair was pink, much like Euphemia's, but had several flowery ornaments placed strategically throughout the strands.

Standing behind her, just out of view as though trying to blend into the background, was a girl with long, black hair and a darker version of the uniform. While she was equally busty, she wore her skirt longer, and her bangs hung down long enough to completely obscure her eyes.

"Aren't you?" she started to say, eying the bouncy pink-haired girl up and down.

"Hanazono Hakari, President of the Japanese Culture Club! I wanted to speak with Ward-san about our budget. Do you know where I can find him?" she asked brightly, looking way too eager for a positive answer.

"He's currently off-campus on business with Nathan and Milly, but I can shoot him your request at his earliest convenience," Lucienne offered with a gentle smile. "Maybe some private one-on-one time if you're patient."

Hakari eagerly perked up. "Really?"

Lucienne smiled. "Of course. You and your friend are more than welcome!"

"Oh, yes, thank you…" Hakari turned to give said friend the good news, only to find a tiny plushie on the ground where she'd stood. "Mou, Meme-chan!"

"See, Shirley? This one's a lot more fun than you." Lucienne chuckled, making Shirley pout.

'And as big as Milly and I.' Claire thought while the first-year student searched for her elusive friend. 'Only difference is that these two have a mad crush on Nick. I wonder how they'll take Nick being a cyborg?'

"What? I can be fun!" Shirley protested, to which Lucienne and Claire laughed. None of them noticed Kakure Meme lying flat on the floor, hiding in Shirley's shadow.

'Hawawa, how is her shadow safer than the others?! It's like they're alive~!'

[Ashford Bunker]

On the giant screen in the bunker, the Kozuki twins were watching the statuses of the FOBs throughout Japan. None were in the red as the bases were just coming alive, leaving mostly yellows that were in the process of being operational, and some of the greens being fully operational. Those that were marked with a red star were the most important places, such as Uzu, Ashford Academy, Valhalla, and the old Ashford Knightmare facility. In addition, there were blue lines that represented the electromagnetic train line that ran underground between Uzu and Japan.

The door suddenly swung open, prompting Kallen and Akiza to spin in their chairs to see Jeremiah and Villetta coming inside.

"It's been a while," Akiza commented as the two secret Britannian spies took their seats. "Been busy?" she asked teasingly, with Villetta throwing her a dirty look.

"We all know who's fault that is. Ever since the twins and that strange cyborg humiliated Captain Cornelia, she's been running everyone ragged. She also terminated several surviving soldiers for disobeying her orders, never to work in any kind of enforcement again. If she had her way, everyone would be canned, but her advisors convinced her otherwise, leaving the ones let go to be sent as a message. They got off easy because the Captain promised that the next ones to violate her order will be personally executed by her." Villetta explained wearily before lying lazily on her chair. "By the way, what's the deal with her?"

She pointed behind Akiza, where Scheherazade nervously peeked her head around the corner.

"Don't mind my Servant. She's always like that, no matter how safe it is." Akiza grumbled before calling out to her. "C'mon~ you're embarrassing me~"

"Will I die then?"

"NO!" Akiza yelled before falling out of her chair. "Ack!"

"Sorry sis, but I'm not switching," Kallen said with a shrug look as she jabbed her thumb at her own Servant.

Artoria was currently draped in a blue kimono with a cloudy design and was demurely sipping a cup of tea.

"Only because she's appealing to you," Akiza growled while flipping Kallen off.

"Hey, I didn't ask Artoria to do that. She did it on her own!" Kallen protested before looking at Artoria for support. "You didn't need to put on a kimono, but I appreciate the gesture. You do look beautiful."

"I just wanted you to be comfortable around me, Ma- Kallen," Artoria quickly corrected herself; Kallen had let her know a day after the summoning not to call her Master. "I am a Brit, and even if I've come from a different time, the modern Britannians are still my people, though it shames me to see what they've become. I'm sure my Alter self would cheer them on…"

"Ah, she's not that bad," Scheherazade said timidly.

"...I suppose so, but a Servant's personality depends on their Master and their assignment," Artoria noted thoughtfully. "For example, if a good-hearted Master has an Evil Servant, that Servant's evil tendencies are lessened to an extent. But when an evil Master has a good Servant…well…"

"A Servant is forced to violate their own moral code." Akiza finished for her. "You don't have to worry about that. Kallen has a pure heart, even if she's a bit abrasive."

"I am not!" Kallen protested and pouted. "I just don't take shit from anybody. And what's this about your Alter self?!"

Artoria sweatdropped and looked away. "It's a long story."

"Everything's a long story these days," Villetta noted with a snort.

"You have no idea," Akiza mumbled, recalling the night-long session that had her and the others learn about Nick and Nines' origins.

Kallen grimaced, turning around in her chair a few more times before finally asking. "So what's it like…Back during your time, Artoria? Can you tell me a bit about yourself?"

"Well for starters, we didn't have all this technology around us. Thanks to the Grail, I have a general understanding of it, but back in my era, we made do with what we had in the time of chaos and war. While I was born a girl, I was raised as the son of Uther Pendragon and was destined to be the once and future King of Britain, with many teaching me to prepare for my destiny. When I was 15, I pulled Caliburn from the stone, discarding my humanity, and became King of Britain by slaying Vortigern in battle. But in my ruling, it was a mistake refusing to understand human emotions, as I did that out of my own will."

Kallen frowned. "What made you think that?"

"I strived to be the perfect King with no regrets, until another Servant, Saber Lily, another version of myself I fought alongside with another Master, appeared. Her existence was something that…made me question what I've done. While I hid my gender, she never did. I stopped being human, but she kept her humanity. She led her people on the throne, and I led them into many battles. I believed…" Artoria swallowed and breathed to calm herself. "I believed in the oath that a King is not human and that one cannot protect the people with human emotions."

"Most righteous Kings would think differently," Scheherazade said softly, much to the surprise of everyone. "You're one of the few that led Kingdoms emotionlessly."

"From what I can tell from your legend, you never withheld your emotions out of malice, and you strove to do the best you could in your young age," Jeremiah said with a nod. "It was a different time with different morals and whatnot. Despite everything, you make for a better King than our current Emperor."

Artoria smiled and shook her head. "I'm flattered, but it doesn't change the fact that I didn't rule the right way, leading to regret that had me call out to the Holy Grail to fix my mistakes. Because of that, I've been through a few Holy Grail Wars."

"Did you win it?" Kallen inquired, to which Artoria shook her head again.

"No. The Holy Grail that called to me was tainted, and would not have granted me my wish. But the experience with my various Masters changed my perspective, and in the end, I accepted the final result of my time as King. All I can do now is to be a Servant who answers the call of my Master, and help them win the Holy Grail War," Artoria explained, gazing at Kallen, "My last Masters, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Rikka, had many Servants, some that were Kings like myself. And trust me when I say that they would run the Britannia Emperor through the ends of their weapons."

"Not all of them," Scheherazade spoke up, "Someone like Iskander would be proud of a man like Charles vi Britannia. He is the King of Conquerors."

Artoria grimaced as she was reminded of the Servant that had considered her naive in her way of kingship. "I don't want to talk about him. He's as bad as Gilgamesh."

"I don't know who Iskander and Gilgamesh are, but I can tell that you're not like any of today's royal Brits, like C.C." Kallen suddenly said and scratched her cheek. "I'll be honest, I still find most Brits untrustworthy, but since you're my Servant, I'm willing to trust you."

Artoria smiled. "Most, but not all. There may be hope for you yet. The last thing I need is another Master like…that man."

"You mean like that one hooded Assassin who's also named Emi-?" Scheherazade started to inquire.

"No comment." Artoria cut across her flatly.

Villetta chuckled as she reached over and stroked Scheherazade's hair. "I guess even Heroic Spirits have it rough," she noted and looked over at Jeremiah, who was deep in thought. "What's wrong, Jeremiah?"

"Just thinking about how Charles vi Britannia's Servants could probably be like, how many he has, and what's their relationship with him." He folded his arms and furrowed his brow. "And will Lady Lucienne's Servant be a match for them?"

'He's really devoted to Lady Lucy…' Artoria thought with a sweatdrop.

"Don't forget everyone else's Servants. They seem pretty powerful enough." Villetta drawled with a wave of her hand.

"Don't worry. You two just focus on your spy work and the grunts. Leave the more supernatural elements to us. And in any case," Akiza said with a pat on her chest. "I wonder where Naruto will take me for our first date?"

Kallen's eye twitched. "We don't have time for dates, Onee-chan…" she growled out as she felt a different kind of hostility towards her sister that had nothing to do with Britannians. "We're about to go to war."

"And you still have that upcoming School Festival to set up as part of the Student Council." Bagley butted in.

The twins looked at each other and cringed. They were good at fighting and playing hooky, not setting up events. Now that they were part of the Student Council, they were going to be roped into it, and quite literally have no choice since being in the Student Council will cover for their other activities. Not helping that they knew that it won't be smooth sailing, as Milly will have god-knows-what planned, and Nick will make sure they'll never escape their duties.

Small price to pay, but it doesn't mean that they have to like it.

"I won't die if I assist you, will I?" Scheherazade asked, with Akiza gaining several tick marks.

"NO!" she finally exploded with sharp teeth and loomed over a scared Scheherazade. "YOU ARE NOT GOING TO DIE FOR ONE SINGLE THING! AS YOUR MASTER, I COMMAND YOU TO CHILL OUT AND TRUST ME!" she shouted, shaking her violently to get her point across.

"Y-y-yes-m-m-my-Mas-ter!" Scheherazade wailed, swirly-eyed.

"Speaking of the upcoming Festival, we'll request security in case something happens," Jeremiah suggested, making the sisters blanch, with Akiza ceasing to shake a dizzy-eyed Scheherazade. "After all, the Uzumaki and everyone around them are magnets for trouble," he said, before mumbling, "With some ridiculous good luck that should be illegal. Nevertheless-"

"We'll be fine. Nothing will happen at the festival!" Kallen roughly cut across him. "Besides, if the visiting Japanese sees increased security, especially Britannian soldiers, it'll scare them off!"

"She had a point." Villetta agreed.

Jeremiah sighed but nodded. "Understandable."

"The Servants should more than suffice. They're more sociable than your friends." Bagley said, with the two members of the Royal Guard groaning in agreement.

What Bagley said was true, but he didn't have to say it.

[Meanwhile on Campus]

In another part of the campus, Rivalz and Suzaku were both on the lawn in front of the school, where Rivalz was fixing up his personal bike. Sure he could just get it fixed in the bunker, but Rivalz wanted to do it himself. Not that he didn't trust Bagley or any of the machinery, but it was more of a learning experience for Rivalz, as it kept his engineering skills sharp. In addition, Suzaku was with him, since he was in the Engineering Corps himself and could assist him.

If only Rivalz knew…

"Oh, I see. You knew the twins longer than Lucienne, who spent summer break here as a kid," Rivalz noted over the sound of him tuning up his motorbike. "Pretty nice."

"Yeah, that's right. Although, we didn't spend a great deal of time together." Suzaku admitted, arms folded as he watched Rivalz work.

Rivalz suddenly stopped and gave Suzaku a pointed stare. "Um, listen. When we talk, can you not be so formal? We're just classmates, as well as fellow members of the Student Council."

"Oh, um," Suzaku looked away in embarrassment. "Sorry."

"No problem," Rivalz chuckled, waving it off, and continued working. "Well, this is kinda a first for me. I haven't met many people besides Milly who knew Lucy and the twins when they were kids. I know bits and pieces, but they never share the whole story," he fibbed as he fiddled with some wires.

Of course he knew, but Suzaku didn't need to know. Rivalz didn't want Suzaku to know how close he was to the others. That way he could fish for more information when it comes to Suzaku.

"Hey, can you pass me that 12mm wrench?" he asked, reaching over his bite.

"You mean a 10mm, do ya?" Suzaku said, handing Rivalz the correct wrench.

Rivalz examined the spot he was working on before his eyes lit up. "Hey, you're right! Nice save! You really know your stuff!"

"BMC R-1200. It's a pretty cool bike."

"Wow, you're into it, huh?"

"A long time ago before I joined the army," Suzaku said while looking out at the city. "I knew someone who rode one of these, someone who helped me out a lot. It was my job to keep it in good condition. She told me that if I ever took the bike out on the road, she'd kill me, so I never got to ride it." he explained with a laugh.

"Wait wait wait, she told you? As in a lady?" Rivalz asked with amusement.

"Yeah."

"Your girlfriend?"

"No."

"Your big sister then." Rivalz guessed before pointing up. "Or maybe your mother?"

Suzaku shook his head. "No, I…I don't have any family. Not anymore." he admitted sadly. "And the one who was helping me, she's gone now too."

"Oh, awkward." Rivalz flinched before hurryingly going to tighten some screws. "Sorry for bringing up bad memories."

"Don't worry about it. It's just the way it is."

"So you, uh, live in the barracks?"

Suzaku shook his head. "No. The unit I'm assigned to is renting a place at the university across the way, so my quarters are there. It's a little cramped, so…"

'So the Lancelot is close by, along with that Asplund guy. Good to know.' Rivalz noted to himself. "Why not come to the dorms if that's the case? There are other Ele- Japanese and half-Japanese living here as well," he suggested.

"That's okay. I have my duties. It was my choice alone to join the army, so I don't mind. Keeps me from being too comfortable. Still, thanks for the offer, Rivalz."

"No problem my man," Rivalz said, twisting the throttle and causing his bike to roar to life.

[Government Borough of Area 11]

Euphemia was in her room, dressed in her royal garb and working on her computer. While she was a student at Ashford, she was also still the Sub-Viceroy of Area 11, not that she'd asked for the job. She loved her sister, but she could be overbearing and usually pushed things on Euphemia without her input.

Which was why she needed a little reprieve.

The Sakuradite Allocation Meeting, a yearly national summit, was coming up at the Lake Kawaguchi Convention Center Hotel in the once Yamanashi Prefecture. It was once a popular resort that served as a major hub for those that wanted to climb Mount Fuji, the legendary mountain that now served as a major Sakuradite mining site; making it the perfect place to hold the meeting.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the limit of Sakuradite production. This meeting was held by members of all Sakuradite producing nations to agree to the amount of Sakuradite that will be mined and processed due to the volatile nature of the rare crystal. Too much Sakuradite could increase the risk of a disaster if a cargo ship full of the resource or a warehouse storing it detonates. Not to mention it was a limited resource, so over mining it could cause issues in the future. Disposal of used Sakuradite was also a concern as well, as it was radioactive to a degree.

Euphemia had no purpose in these discussions, even as Sub-Viceroy, but there was more to do at the convention than just discuss Sakuradite. The hotel also served as a resort, a hotspot for those who wanted a beautiful view of Mount Fuji while relaxing in the waters. There was an indoor pool, a thriving main hall bustling with activity, an all-you-can-eat buffet, and attracted a who's who of VIPs and influential individuals.

One could also say it was perfect for a growing, fledgling group of terrorists to make contact with a Sakuradite distributor.

'The Sakuradite Allocation Meeting is a once-in-a-year event, so no doubt Joker's group will make their presence known in some way.' Euphemia thought as she completed an RSVP with fake credentials on her computer before sighing. "Or maybe not. With all the security and attention on them, I don't think they would risk it. Not to mention, why would they go? Maybe I'm thinking about this too hard…"

Before she could dwell on it further, there was a knock at her door. "Come in!" Euphemia called out while closing her laptop. The door opened and Laila came in, wearing her own royal garb that was baby blue in contrast to Euphemia's pink.

"Is everything all right, Laila?" Euphemia asked, concerned about Laila's gloomy aura.

"No." Laila shook her head. "We're nowhere close to finding our brother's killers, and Elder Sister's plan nearly got her killed after calling out those terrorists! I'm starting to lose hope that there'll ever be justice for Clovis! I know what he did, but…it's making my mother suffer after being forced to disown him!"

Euphemia nodded in understanding as she went over to her little sister. "And if you were to catch them, then what? They've proven to be just as dangerous as the Uzumaki, if not more. What if they see you trying to get justice for Clovis as defense for what he did in Shinjuku?" Euphemia asked, with Laila flinching. "We don't know how far they're willing to go in the fight against our country, so it's not safe to go after them. Even Cornelia is now holding off on antagonizing them further until we know more about them."

Laila looked downtrodden at how powerless they are. "Then what can we do?"

"Sadly, nothing except bide our time," Euphemia admitted before smiling. "Which means lots of free time. The Sakuradite Allocation Meeting is coming up and I booked myself a spot. You can come with me as my guest."

Laila looked surprised. "You too? I just signed myself up to get away from all this!"

The pink-haired young woman giggled. "Great minds think alike, I guess! So who's your plus one?"

"I want to invite that Nick guy! To thank him for escorting us!" Laila proclaimed, blushing lightly, "Um, you have seen him at Ashford, right? He's doing alright?"

"Yes, I've seen him and-" Euphemia started to say before catching herself. It was best that Laila doesn't know about Lucienne and the twins yet. "Well, he wasn't the most talkative, but according to some people I've talked to, the way he acted when we met him was more unusual."

"Really?! Tell me more!" she said excitedly.

"What?" Euphemia wondered before her eyes twinkled with amusement. "Oh, does my little sister have a crush?"

"What, no!" Laila instantly replied, waving her hands in front of herself. "I-I'm just curious to learn more about him, and since 'Nelia isn't letting me attend Ashford with you, I thought…"

'Yep, she has a crush on the guy. Good thing too. It might keep her from doing anything drastic.' Euphemia thought and smiled. "I'm just teasing you. All I know is that he's a buffer to the Student Council President's more eccentric plans. You should invite him. I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Just be sure not to tell 'Nelia."

"O-Of course not! If he's not a noble, 'Nelia will give him hell and I don't want that."

"Indeed. I will return to Ashford tomorrow, so I can give you your invitation there." Euphemia offered.

"Yes, thank you!" Laila cheered, jumping onto Euphemia and hugging her.

"No problem, little sis," Euphemia replied, rubbing Laila's head. 'Sadness doesn't suit you, Laila. You're more beautiful with a smile…'

[Ashford Academy, a few days later]

"Kya! " Kallen yelped as she jumped. "Sh-Shirley! N-Not there!" she stuttered, sounding embarrassed.

"Wow, Kally. Imagine if one of the boys were here to hear you moan like that. They'd imagine something." Milly chucked with a knowing look that made Kallen pout.

"Kinky…" Nina muttered, looking away with a blush.

"Ah, sorry Kallen. Was it too tight?" Shirkey asked. She and Akiza were finishing up the tailoring and the stitching on the dress Kallen was wearing.

"No. It's just…caught me a little off guard." Kallen mumbled as she used her arms to help hold up her dress so she wouldn't be exposed.

"Don't mind her. She's a bit ticklish," Akiza commented, before playfully poking the same spot on Kallen's waist that Shirley blushed over.

"Gah! Why you-!" Kallen growled out, slipping into her usual persona before catching herself. If Shirley and Nina weren't around, she would've clocked Akiza on her head.

Milly smirked at seeing Kallen squirm. Kallen choosing to act like an invalid was a great boon for a prankster like Milly, who had learned greatly from watching the twins. In some twisted way, it was payback being insufferable when it came to generalizing all Britannians as evil. It was also a bit hypocritical since she was half-Britannian. At least Akiza accepted all of herself, but it was still going to take a while with Kallen.

"It's a bit surprising, you know. She may not look it, but Shirley's really good at one thing, and that's sewing," Natalia chuckled, leaning on a chair while taking a sip of Uzu-manufactured ramune.

"Oy, what do you mean by just one thing?! Just one?!" Shirley said indignantly.

Lucienne, who had her arms wrapped around Nunnally, deadpanned at her. "Well, I guess you could be good at swimming too, I dunno."

"Well, I'm looking forward to the Handmade Dress Party!" Nunnally piped up while holding a box of sewing equipment for Shirley.

"Right?!" Milly said excitedly. "This way, it won't be a boring party like the haute couture fashion shows where they compete for brand names and cost."

Nunnally nodded. "I agree! It's a wonderful plan, and they look lovely!"

"Oh yeah Kallen, have you decided who will be your escort for the party?" Milly asked her curiosity.

Nunnally pouted when nobody noticed her joke.

"It would've been my sister, but she said no," Kallen replied with a dirty look towards Akiza, who stuck her tongue out at her.

"Seriously Kally, you need to get out of your comfort zone. Remember, we're all your friends." Lucienne drawled, with Kallen's eye twitching at the nickname that was thrust upon her thanks to Natalia. "Besides, it's pretty obvious who you should pick," she added, supported by Natalia's giggling.

"Wait a minute. You're not going to pick Nathan, are you?!" Shirley said shrilly.

"Huh?! No way! He's too unpredictable for my tastes!" Kallen shot back before glowering at Shirley. "Stop jumping to conclusions!"

"You did that on purpose," Akiza accused Natalia, who let out a sour raspberry.

"Aw, he's not that bad. He's the perfect gentleman and will be sure to treat you right," Milly said with a wink, much to Shirley's dismay, "If you don't believe me, ask Akiza. He'll be escorting her for the party."

Akiza giggled. "I look forward to it," she said, discreetly licking her lips.

"Ohhhhh…" Shirley whined, running her fingers agitatedly through her hair.

"Ah, so many girls are pining for my Nathan. You know I'm willing to share, just as long as I get a piece of the action." Milly cooed, with most of the girls sans Lucienne shivering at her perverted gaze.

Lucienne had nothing to worry about since she's already part of Naruto's harem, but Shirley, Nina, or even Suzaku needed to know that.

…

"Achoo! Achoo! Achoo~!"

Meanwhile, the boys of the Student Council were walking from the hallway to the Student Council room, with Nathan, Rivalz, and Suzaku carrying some boxes, while Nick was going through some notes.

"Caught a cold, Nathan?" Rivalz teased, with Naruto snorting.

"Nah, I don't get sick that easily," Naruto said, waving him off and flexed. "I take my vitamins every day. Besides, there may be some lovely ladies looking about yours truly."

"Well, they're out of luck since Akiza asked you out first. I wonder if Shirley knows?" Rivalz said thoughtfully.

"If she doesn't, she will soon enough. Seriously, she wants to be with me, but she knows that she'll be subjected more to Milly's whims," Naruto ruminated with a chuckle.

"Well, Milly's always been eccentric, in a good way I mean. But since you're going with Akiza, I wonder who she'll be going with?" wondered Rivalz.

"I saw her ask out Lucy in front of everyone, so Lucienne couldn't refuse," Suzaku noted.

"Probably to keep her from going out with Nunnally like she usually does. She doesn't want to admit it, but Lucy has such a sister complex with Nunnally," Rivalz said with a knowing smirk. "It's time for a change of pace, don't you think?"

"You're not wrong. There have been whispers brewing up about Lucienne and her, eh, possible love interest with Nunnally." Nick commented while flipping pages. "Of course, no one dares accuse the Ice Queen of Ashford of incest."

"Yeah, like that'll go over well," Naruto said dryly.

"Careful now, Nathan. There are rumors about you and Natalia as well."

Naruto shrugged. "Let them be. Their childish antics mean nothing to us since we'll be graduating in a year."

"There is merit to their rumors. You and Natalia were awfully close in the past." Suzaku piped up.

"It won't stop her from escorting Nina because she owed Milly a favor," Naruto said before adding to his head. 'Thankfully it was nothing from our missions…' "What about you three? Who will you be escorting?"

"Well, I'm going to be escorting Nunnally," Suzaku replied sheepishly. "Hopefully Lucy won't mind since she agreed."

"Me? Probably my twin girlfriends, despite them not being from Ashford." Rivalz admitted. "But Milly said she didn't mind."

"…I might have someone in mind," admitted Nick, instantly drawing the attention of the other three, "Or rather, someone had me in mind. I found a letter in my locker. A girl named Hanazono Hakari. If I recall, she's the President of the Japanese Culture Club that we kept from shutting down."

Suzaku hummed thoughtfully. "Perhaps she wanted to thank you for that?" he suggested.

Nick kept his face blank as he thought back to the photograph that had been included in the letter: a picture of the voluptuous pink-haired girl in a lacy set of lingerie and holding up a pair of pink and blue dresses, asking him which he would prefer. "...I don't think that's what was on her mind, no," he replied, deadpan.

Rivalz leaned over to Nathan. "What do you think?"

"About what?"

"Can a cyborg get it on with a human? Maybe he'll come with a vibrator function-"

"Why don't you ask him? I'm sure as hell not bringing it up," Nathan growled at him in hushed tones and a stink-eye. "Hakari will be fine, considering it's Nick."

Rivalz nodded before gazing at Nick, who narrowed his eyes dangerously at him. "Ack…I think he heard me."

Naruto snorted at him. "You made your bed of nails, now lie in it."

The boys arrived at the Student Council Room and opened the door. "We're coming in," Nathan called out as they entered.

"Ta-da!" Milly suddenly cheered. "What do you think? Gorgeous, isn't it?" she gushed as she and Natalia presented Kallen to the arriving group.

For a handmade dress, it was stunning, and being donned on Kallen, it made it absolutely beautiful. It was a rose-colored, strapless dress, with two pink sashes around the arms and a long skirt, which was slightly translucent. The boys had blushed since Kallen's cleavage looked more pronounced.

"Wow, she sure is!" Rivalz praised, stroking his chin while Suzaku blush deepened.

"Heh, you've outdone yourself Shirley, though I suspect the dress being strapless was Milly's idea," Nathan noted, setting the supplies to the side while keeping his eye on Kallen. "Nonetheless, beautiful."

"D-Don't stare so much," Kallen mumbled, feeling increasingly warm under Nathan's gaze.

"Wow! It looks great on you, Kallen!" Suzaku complimented her enthusiastically.

Kallen fought to keep her eye twitching at his praise and ground out, "T-thank you…very much."

"It's unanimous then."

Meanwhile, Nick was surreptitiously texting Hakari, who had given him her number in her love letter. The blue one, he told her succinctly.

"Then again, fine feathers make fine birds, or so they say-" Lucienne tried to joke, before Nathan Gibbs-smacked her upside the head.

"Laugh it up, Lucy. While Milly's escorting you, Suzaku will be escorting Nunna." he shot back, making Lucienne look around wildly as if everyone had grown a second head.

"Eh?!" But, Nunnally-" she started to protest.

"I'm the one who asked, Lucienne," Nunnally said brightly, cheerfully killing her older sister's protests. "Since it's Suzaku, I'm sure you won't mind. Besides, it was either choosing freely or pulling straws."

"Alright, alright, I get it," Lucienne grumbled before narrowing her eyes at Suzaku. "You better treat her right, you hear?"

"Of course!" exclaimed Suzaku, waving his hands. "You won't regret it, I promise!"

Lucienne was still sour at Suzaku due to his words when she and the twins had rescued him, but that was neither here nor there. Her enemy or not, he was one of the few she could trust with Nunnally, but that time might be coming to an end…

"...I'll hold you to that- Ack!"

"Okay, that's quite enough out of you, ya sis-con." Natalia chided, pulling her ear. "It's not like this party is a war zone."

"Never say never!" said Milly bracingly, winking at Kallen, who looked as though she wished the party would turn into a war zone. "Oh, but, if you want a different event to go to, I recently managed to score us tickets to the Lake Kawaguchi Convention Centre Hotel where they'll be holding the Sakuradite Allocation Meeting soon! What'ya say? It'll be lots of fun!"

"With how things are getting hectic, we could use a breather before something else happens. I'm down." Nathan said, with Milly smiling getting wider.

"Wait, if you're going, then I'm going too!" Shirley shot up, unknowingly snagging one of the threads on Kallen's dress.

Natalia rolled her eyes. "Like clockwork."

"Um, I think I'll pass-" protested Kallen before her mouth was clamped shut by Akiza.

"She'd love to go. I always told her she needed to go out more and now it is a good time!"

The younger twin swiveled her eyes around to level a death glare at her sister.

"Damn, sounds like a good time," Rivalz said, looking slightly dejected. "But my boss will need all hands on deck at the bar, so get me a souvenir, eh?"

"Same, since I have a prior engagement around that time," Natalia said with a knowing look to those in the know. "Don't have too much fun."

"As much as it sounds interesting, don't we have the Handmade Dress Party to set up first?" Nick drawled to the others.

"Indeed!" Milly trilled excitedly, "Well then, now that everyone's here, let's wish for our success! To the First Ashford Dress Party! Ey, ey-"

"Oooohhhhhhhhh!" The rest joined in with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

Arthur the cat joined in, standing up on his hind legs in front of Kallen and raised his paw, only to fall over onto the dress. Out of shock, he scrambled around in the ruffled skirts, meowing.

"Kallen, around your feet!" Shirkey yelped.

"What, where?" Kallen squeaked, taking care to try and not step on Arthur.

"Don't Kallen! That dress isn't-!" Shirley started to say.

"Wah!" Kallen wailed as she toppled over her dress, ripping it in half and exposing herself. Thankfully, the girls sprang into action and blocked the view of the boys who all quickly whipped around. "WWWAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Never a dull moment." Nathan chuckled.

"Why are you turned around, Nathan? You already saw Kallen undressed in the shower that one time." Akiza called over with a smirk.

"You did what?!" Shirley shrieked with a red face.

"Long story!" laughed Natalia.

"Just fix this, please!" Kallen shouted angrily with sharp teeth.

In another world without Britannia, Knightmares, and Geass, this would just be another normal school day with best friends, old and new. It would be young adults being in touch with their inner kid and whatnot. But unfortunately, this was just one of those brief moments of respite for them. With the exception of Shirley and Nina, the rest would have to go back onto the battlefield to fight for what they believe.

With Naruto and his crew, it was to free the world from Britannia's tyranny, prevent Ragnarok, and get revenge for their loved ones.

With Suzaku, the odd one out, it was to take back Japan in his own way without betraying his beliefs.

For now, none of that mattered, until the next battle, which would come sooner than they thought…

Look at those kids, all having fun and wishing the moment would never end. But soon reality will hit those little piggies like Truck-kun blasting a poor soul into another world.

Dark? Yes, but look at this world. Most people would rather be in a different world from this, but this is their reality.

Not that it's going to last much longer, but only one thing is of importance…

What's their team name gonna be?!

STAGE 10 COMPLETE

Some of the crew decides to take one more brief respite before going all-in on the crusade and freedom fighter. Unfortunately, an annoying old man with several foolish recruits decided to make their presence known in the worst way possible.

It's time to introduce an Order of Black Knights that will be the new hope of Japan and the world.

Next time - Stage 11: A New Hope (tentative title)

Milly: More vacation time! Woo-hoo!

Lucienne: Careful now. Sometimes too much of a good thing can backfire.

Milly: Aw, don't be such a spoilsport. It's not like I'm jinxing us.

Akiza: And with that, you just jinxed us all. Thanks.

Milly: Boo-boo-boo…

[Debuting Characters]

Ikkitousen ] Ryofu Housen, Kan'u Unchou

…

[References and Explanations]

'Built different' and 'An S-tier-ranked ass-whoopin' - Mostly heard from Cjdachamp

Given that Nick came from a commoner family, there was no way that he would have been able to get ahold of a real katana. Fortunately, his power as a Samurai means that even a model sword can still do the job, though a real one would do it better.

I'm gonna be transitioning Milly from Mission Control to a possible Knightmare operator.

I wrote the abridged version of Artoria's FGO backstory and merged her experiences in Fate/Zero, all three routes of Fate/Stay Night, and Fate/Grand Order.

Rivalz and Suzaku talking to each other are from the Code's Geass Picture Drama 6.75.

Thanks to Castle for summarizing the purpose of the Sakuradite Allocation Meeting.

The Handmade Dress Party preparation scene is from Picture Drama 7.19.

Expect Nunnally's jokes to be a running gag.

The Gibbs-smack is from NCIS.

Released: September 01, 2021

It was nighttime, and the duo of Nick and C.C. were on the school roof, watching the stars.

"No matter how much the years pass, the night sky filled with stars is a beautiful sight," C.C. murmured. "What do you think?"

Nick smiled. "In all my many lives, there were very few of them that didn't have a night sky worth watching." He snorted. "Well, sometimes that was to watch out for night-time invaders, but that's beside the point. As long as there is a sky to watch, there will almost always be stars waiting in them. It's been a long time since I've seen Earth's constellations."

"Invaders, huh?" C.C. sat up and stretched. "And here we are, trying to drive out Britannia with a ragtag group of the most interesting children in the world. I dare say that it'll continue to grow. There are only two individuals who are not in on the party. Think they'll join in if fate wills it?"

"Anything can happen, but it's doubtful that they'll cooperate. Shirley's too normal and Nina's still xenophobic despite Shinjuku." Nick shrugged. "But even if they do find their way into the team, the question is what can they do for us as a whole."

"Indeed, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there."

"Mhmm. You know, I've been wondering for a while. Did you have any other contractees before the others?"

"...I did. Most of them are dead," C.C. said as she looked away.

'Most of them, uh? So there may be some that are still alive.' Nick noted as he sensed a mood shift with C.C. Politely, he decided not to pursue that line of inquiry for the moment.

…

In the darkness of the harbor in Area 11, a boat floated into the pier. When it neared the boardwalk, a figure hopped out onto it. It was a mysterious individual dressed in mostly white clothing with a pair of tinted visors over his eyes.

With a grin, he slipped on a pair of headphones and made his way into the city.

"I understand, Mao. Don't worry Mao, I'm not going to die. Mao! Mao! Are you awake, Mao? Oh Mao, how silly of you! See Mao, you can do it! I'll always be with you…

Mao."