Hey, there.

This now marks the end of covering the first part of the arc. Enjoy.


#63

To Belong


Leila's Apartment Complex

Paris, France, Europia United

Mid August, a.t.b. 2018, r.y. 229

Leila shuffled to the other side of the pillow, before lifting her eyelids to meet the light shining from her apartment window. She turned her head on the other side of the pillow and glanced at the square clock on top of the drawer next to her bed.

9:21

Ugh… far late than her usual schedule.

She made ready to rise out of bed when…

RING! RING!

"Hello?"

"At last, you finally pick up, Leila…"

"Uh…" Leila's eyes stood still as she took in the familiarity of the voice. "P… Papa…"

"I've been trying to get you pick up since last night," He almost rasped. "You had your mother and I think the worst."

Leila sighed. "I apologize if I caused you and Mama any grief."

"That sounds lovely to hear. Perhaps you can explain to us about what happened… with last night's incident."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I am talking about what happened with Ioan! About what I have been trying understand when he came with bruises on his back and his arm."

Leila narrowed her eyes.

"If you wish to truly know what happened, then perhaps whatever Ioan told you…"

"It was not Ioan, Daniel and Stefan told me enough of what I needed to know about that…" She almost her adoptive father snarled. "And the tedious phone calls I received regarding how my youngest son was made a laughingstock in public!"

"And they specifically told me… that it was done by none other than a man… who you introduced as your guest!" the man practically exclaimed on the phone.

"Papa, please…" Leila tried to ease the tension, but knowing her Papa… "Monsieur Kruger…"

"He assaulted your brother in public, Leila!"

"He didn't do it without reason!" Leila protested. "He did it out of self-defense."

"It was far-over self-defense from what I have heard!"

"Well…" Leila almost gritted her teeth. "If Ioan hadn't been… if he hadn't been at his recent habit with drinking…"

"Ugh… good grief…" her Papa stressed out. "I know that, Leila. Don't think your mama and I have been regretting with how much liberty we have been giving your brother as of late."

"It still does not excuse what that man did!" the man persisted. "I ought to call the police to get an order on that man."

"Don't…" Leila stated. "Leave Monsieur Kruger out of this…"

"Are you defending this man, Leila? Who is he to you?"

There was a short pause.

"Leila, do not tell me… and you better not… not when you are already…"

"Monsieur Kruger is my guest, Papa! He has been transferred under custody."

It was no sooner that Leila said that she then realized what clue she gave to her Papa on the phone.

"Your… your guest? Under your custody? What are you talking about?!"

"I… uh…" Leila rubbed her head. "Papa… it's not…"

"No…" He breathed out. "No, no, do not tell me, Leila!" This was when his tone was about to take a tone for the worst. "Did you… Did you bring a stranger into your apartment?!"

"Please, there's no need to yell," Leila said. "You are overreacting…"

"That's it! You are coming straight home, Leila!"

"What?!"

"Your behavior is becoming far unruly as of late! First you don't bother contacting us, and now I am to hear you have a wild man?!"


Eren rubbed his eyes as he stepped into the kitchen before he heard Leila's voice coming from a different part of the suite.

"You can't force me to come back home!"

"I have duties to attend to! I'm meeting with General Smilas!"

"I am not seven-years old, Papa!"

Eren stepped back, realizing he may be stepping onto something philosophical. And at that last word, the man had a pretty good idea with who she was conversing with.


"Leila…" She could hear her Papa seething on the phone. "I am condoning this rebellious from you. I am not in the slightest."

Leila almost facepalmed. "I'm sorry, Papa… but I have to get ready to meet with the General."

"Leila! You are coming home this instant! Do you hear me?!"

"I'll call you and Mama soon."

"Leila! Don't you dare hang…"

Leila pressed Cancel on the call.


Hours had passed…

Leila was dressed back in her military attire, and Eren was dressed in casual clothes.

"You alright?" Kruger asked.

"What?" Leila glanced at him.

"You seem a bit… tired." Eren noted. "Exhausted."

"What… myself?" Leila looked about her, wondering why he would ask that. "I… it's nothing, Monsieur Kruger. I… just had a tiresome call… that is all."

Kruger merely shrugged.

They stood outside the apartment suite, before they were greeted by the General's security escort. Trucks and jeeps had been assembled both in front and back of the fine black limousine. Coming out of the door were none other than General Smilas and the Deputy Commander.

"General," Leila gestured to the man on her right. "I would like to introduce you to my fellow acquaintance. Monsieur Kruger… this is my good friend and mentor, General Gene Smilas."

"It is a pleasure to meet you at last, Monsieur Kruger," the general extended a hand to Kruger. The young man glanced at both the general's face and then the hand, before finally…

"Likewise, General," he clasped the hand. "It's an honor."

"Leila has told me very much about you," They released their handhold.

"I'm sure she very much has…" Eren said.

Leila shook her head at that.

"Well, this is all very lovely," Claus cut in. "But I hate to remind everyone that we are going to be late on schedule."

"Right, thank you for reminding, Deputy Commander."

Leila caught hold of something that Claus was holding. "Claus, what's that?"

"Oh, this?" Claus held up the silver suitcase. "This… I'm sorry I forgot to mention, Commander. These are the belongings you requested. Belongings that had been taken away for inspection… from our guest here…" He eyed Eren. "Took a bit of talking with the officers to get it back. But everything looks to be in order…"

All four approached the limo until…

"Hold," An officer halted.

"Is something wrong, officer?" Smilas asked.

"Forgive me, General," the officer apologized. "The limo is arranged for you and the lieutenant colonel to drive in… however…" the man glanced at Eren. "The man here can't be allowed."

"What?!" Leila practically burst out, causing everyone to glance at her. "Who says they won't allow him to drive with us?"

"By regulation, Lieutenant Colonel."

"Monsieur Kruger is under my custody," Leila said. "Regulation should understand…"

"The man in question while in your custody, is still registered as an unknown." The officer interjected. "Until further the state has further evidence and reason not to suspect this man… then it is imperative that he would be kept at further distance as possible."

Leila made to gasp, clearly appalled.

Kruger to her left, barely looked surprised.

"Every regulation and safety measure needs to be taken for this mission," the officer said. "So, your guest… would have to ride in the rear escort vehicle. And watched on proper guard."

Leila made to protest again until…

"Fine by me…" Kruger shrugged.

"Not to worry, Commander," Claus waved. "I'll be sure our house guest isn't alone with unfriendly eyes."


Five minutes passed after that debacle…

The limo was already driving with the escort security driving in front and in the rear.

"I apologize for that inconvenience, Leila," Smilas said as he sat next to her, both occupants inside the driving limousine. "This is just part of security protocol."

"I'll try to understand that, General," Leila said, not hiding the sarcasm.

"I understand how adamant you are by this treatment towards your… war, Leila," the General tried to reassure her. "Not that I do not wish to know more about Eren Kruger as you have been these past few days, I would be lying if I didn't feel truly assured about him."


The drive was simple with the bright day in Paris… that was… until they cross the bridge… and going into a certain area.

The place Leila had considered to be the most horrid part of the City of Lights.

Compacted behind long fences and wire, inside were parts of run-down mobile homes and buildings. Crowding at the fence lines, lifting up homemade signs written in both French and calligraphy of a language many would rather discard than to learn.

Behind the fences as Leila could see… were sad faces. Somber faces. Bitter faces. Faces that were both exhausted and dirty after going days or worse weeks without proper hygiene and sanitation. Nor accounting the lack of proper heating, as displayed by the oil barrels acting as campfires for several people dressed in rags.

Leila could only stare back. And she would be ashamed to look away from them… as her fellow countrymen have already.

The luxurious limousine guarded by multiple armed escorts… was passing by the site of one of the many ghettos in the EU…

…designated to house those who had been classified as Elevens.

Leila turned when she heard Smilas sigh. "They are still going at it."

"What?"

"Many Elevens have been doing the same thing at the fences for weeks now," Smilas looked at her. "Their silent protests for the demand of their rights. The Council have been muttering about how much of a nuisance they have been becoming lately. And I fear what they will do if they are annoyed even further."

"How could they think that?!" Leila exclaimed from her seat. "Are most of those sitting in the council not have the eyes to see the state they are in? Are they ignoring state they are languishing in? All due to what the other superpower had decided to brand them for years?"

"It's another testament of the hypocrisy that is our beloved republic of Europia," Smilas scoffed in agreement.

"It was on a day like this… less than ten years ago… when Europia stood with the nation once known as Japan… as proud brothers-in-arms." He closed his eyes. "For decades we benefitted each other in our alliance. From one corner of the world to the other. You were still young to remember it, Leila…"

"I remember, General," Leila said. "I remember very well."

Smilas sighed. "Then you would remember how everything changed." He glanced at the window with a grimace. "One month. That was all it took. Citizens who walked our streets. Who owned businesses. Who had estates in the upper states of Paris. All of that was taken away the moment Britannia branded another nation into its long list of areas.

"Our Republic is supposed to stand as enemy to the Empire… and yet we are the ones treating a people no differently than how Britannia composes its Number policies. It disgusts me.

"We… the ones who ordered the Elevens to be put in these ghettos. All of it being done out of the fear of what Britannia would do."

Leila turned when she heard the general chuckle.

"Fear of what Britannia would do if it looked like we would be giving sanctuary for our former friends," the general calmed himself. "We are sooner ready to destroy ourselves before they finally set foot of the city of lights."


Meanwhile, in the escort transport behind the limo…

The soldier right in front Eren licked his lips a bit while glancing through the door window at the sight of the ghetto they were passing.

"Something amusing, Officer?" Claus asked as he laid back in his seat.

"Nothing of the sort, Deputy Commander," the soldier said. "Just thought I catch a glimpse of some of the Eleven girls behind the fence."

"Yeah…" the soldier's partner grinned. "They look pretty hot with having little rags to cover themselves."

Both soldiers laughed.

"Ha, Ha…" Claus sarcastically cheered. "Pretty sure they won't be when the winter comes by. I'm pretty sure they would be happy to know their military cares about them. Ask one of them out to a nice drink sometime."

The first soldier laughed. "A date… with an Eleven." He scoffed. "Like I would pay my decent paygrade for them."

"Maybe…" The second soldier said. "If she were willing to pay you… then it would be fair."

That caused another laugh.

Claus sighed.

Eren stayed silent, staring through the window.

Glaring.


"Things have taken quite the drastic turn in the past year…" Smilas said. "From Prince Clovis la Britannia's assassination…" He frowned. "To what happened on September 8th…"

Leila frowned at the mention of that.

"Hours after that… disaster on live TV… it became an even bigger catastrophe with the insurgency wrecking across the Tokyo Settlement. And in that time… happening over here… the Elevens in the ghettos were the most erratic I have seen in years…"

Smilas narrowed his eyes.

"I could tell… in those several hours the chaos gone on in Area 11… the prospect of the kinsmen… overthrowing their Britannian captors in their homeland with such force… it gave them hope."

"Hope being built upon by more violence…" Leila interjected. "It was horrible what happened during the Special Administrative Zone. The people were harmed. They were betrayed."

The girl could barely block out the clips of an assembled mass of people. And the gunfire that ensued. And the terror that followed…

"And in the aftermath… the insurgent thought to reward violence with more violence," Leila glanced at Smilas. "Don't forget that the insurgents took the power to slaughter not only Britannian Military, but even all the civilians who had no part to play in it.

"It was becoming barbaric. It was going out of anyone's control."

"And that… is why I appreciate your opinion above many others, Leila," Smlias nodded. "The insurgents who had been gaining success and support across the Area 11 may have looked to have been something that could stand against Britannia… but at the end of the day it showed why it couldn't.

"And the end result, Britannia drove back the rebel forces and took back control of the Area. Now security and control over the land and its occupants is tighter and stronger than before. No one would be reckless to attempt another insurgency like that."

"At least not for a while, that is," Leila added.

"No," Smilas nodded, before looking out the window. "I won't deny… many of us higher-ups were on the edge of our seats during that day. Anxious to know what the result would be… and how many of us felt… disappointed. And how many of us would just brush it off over a glass of whiskey."

Leila narrowed her eyes at that.

"I'm sure whole ghettos would feel the same. All their hopes and dreams being pinned on the result over the siege taking place at their long-lost homeland. But even so…" Smilas opened eyes. "I still think… that with the rebellion… many Elevens around the EU have been growing bolder as of late. Them… and many other areas occupied by Britannia. That even with the recent failure… the spark has been lit. Many nations… showing their hatred towards Britannia.

The general closed his eyes ashamed.

"If only this Republic… could be as brave as they are."


Information Available for Public Disclosure:

Elevens

The term 'Eleven' is a term listed to those of the ethnicity formerly known as 'Japanese' after the Holy Empire of Britannia invaded and annexed the country of Japan, now currently known as Area 11. Elevens or Numbers as they are referred to in most annexed areas of the Empire, live with conditions and rights befitting that of 2nd Class citizens, lacking most rights Britannian citizens and colonists bear. Other nations such as the EU have adopted the same treatment of Elevens out of fear of Britannia's retaliation for suspicion of sanctuary.


The escort long since departed the bounds of the city… before going along the road into a rural area. The road leading to a bridge that stretched across a wide open grass field, covered with a row of wind turbines.

The bridge then led to the old part of Paris. A city district that had been in the middle of renovation and construction… now looking molded and decayed. Buildings looked dilapidated, half done, or even abandoned. The lower streets dirty and full of trash… where scavengers were scurrying about with their shopping carts… even when they heard the sounds of the escorts run above the bridge.


"Target has entered the area, right on time," Yukiya relayed "That's about the level of security I expected. Alright…" the psycho-technological genius smiled wide. "Let's get this game started!"


Sitting back in the small space that was the piece of Glasgow, Ryo typed in on the keypad, allowing the screen to turn on. First it the flashed the insignia of the Holy sonovabitchin Empire of crap whatever, and then it went to scan his facial features.

And right on the side was his registered ID.

Name: Napoleon Bonaparte

Birth: 1769

Age: 249 years old


"Five minutes."


"Is the drive beacon coming in?" Yukiya asked.

"No doubt about it." Ryo said. "This is the route the nav system's showing."


00:00:04

The timer beeped…

00:00:03

Yukiya's grin widened.


00:00:02

00:00:01

00:00:00


Eren widened his eyes.


BOOM!


"Huh?!" Leila was brought out of her daze at the sound of the explosion.

"What is that?!" Smilas exclaimed.

"Good grief! The bridge!" the driver yelled.

Meters beyond the limo, the explosion caused the bridge in front to collapse, and thus the first escort unit in front tumbled off. The second front jeep tried to steer back and brake, but it was not enough before it tumbled off the crumbling edge as well.

"Dammit!" the driver steered to the left and stomped hard on the brake. Both Leila and Smilas almost shifted out of their seats; their seatbelts preventing them from doing so. The limo started drifting violently across the gravel road. Sparks flying from the tires as the whole vehicle was coming close near the broken edge…

Before it managed to stop… just a foot away from doom.

The first back escort unit managed to come to a stop on the road… before it was kicked out of the way by the incoming truck. The truck almost going out of control before it dragged at the right wall of the road, before it crashed with a column…


"DAH!"

Eren felt himself, Claus, and the other soldiers fall out of their seats inside.


Ryo grinned at the work the bombs had done. The front two escort units, gone. The back units, screwed. And the real prize… having just stopped near the edge in a vulnerable position.

Perfect.

"Okay! Now let's party!"

The man activated the Glasgow's landspinners, allowing them rev up, before he made the whole Glasgow to zoom from his position and down the construction hall. Before long, he jumped from out of the building and landed right in the middle of the bridge.

The second carrier truck was still operational, but its soldiers were in disarray, even as they scrambled outside and one Panzer unit getting out.


"Err…" Eren rubbed his head, while the ongoing gunfire could be heard from inside.

"Just what we need to happen on this sort of day…" Claus groaned, while lying on floor of the transport.

"Both of you!" The soldier ordered as he got up, with his rifle in hand. "You stay right here! We'll take care of this!" He ordered before he crawled out with his partner outside.


"This is too easy!"

Ryo zigzagged his Glasgow through the road before aiming his Knightmare rifle and…

BAM!

Machine fire punched holes through the struggling Panzer unit, before he unlocked something from the side of the Glasgow. The object was thrown in the air, before it transformed to that of a makeshift crowbar, which the yellow Glasgow caught before he stabbed it into the head of the Panzer unit. He ripped it out and it spilled a torrent of both blood and sakuradite. With a kick, the Glasgow pushed the burning Panzer across the road before it collided with the scrambling soldiers… engulfing them in a fireball.

"Really too easy," Ryo said, satisfied, before he turned his Glasgow in the direction of the prize they were after. He grinned as he had the Glasgow walked towards the target, with both gun and baton in hand.


"It's a Knightmare," Leila saw through the monitor of limo. "A Britannian Glasgow model!"

"You think they're terrorists?" Smilas asked.

"I'm sure of it," Leila nodded, before turning her mentor. "Let's stay put for now."

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Leila gasped as she turned to see who had knocked at the door window next to her.

It was that of a figure dressed in snow white. A snow-white jacket and fluffed hood over their head… only for the figure gaze back at Leila. It was none other than a girl. Short dark hair and features of that belonging to a…

Japanese.

The girl pulled up in her left hand to clearly display to Leila and the general…

A grenade.

Leila gasped.

The girl removed the lid… and grinned.

"General, get out!" Leila quickly unplugged her seatbelt. "MOVE!"

The driver didn't have time to get out.

Once Smilas was out, Leila came right after. The pair made it several meters as they could cover… before…

BOOM!

The limo erupted in flames, and the sudden shockwave caused Leila to fall to the ground.

"LEILA!" Smilas turned and yelled, but then…

Leila, now on the ground, rose up, practically unharmed from the explosion, but gasped in shock at what she saw next.

The same snow-white hood figure came from behind him and twisted his arm back.

"What?!" He exclaimed, before the same figure pulled out a glistening object and placed it near his neck.

A blade of Eastern origin.

"So, then…" the girl asked with a grin. "Shall we… test how sharp this is?"


"Ayano has secured the target!" Yukiya relayed back as he rushed down the stairs.

"Good! Meet you there!" Ryo replied.

"Okay."


"Well, would you look at this…" Claus winced as he peeked from the damaged door at the ongoing rumble playing out in the middle of the bridge. "I'm afraid all the other escorts are… gone." The Deputy Commander looked back to the wreckage that was the upside-down truck. And glancing on the floor for what was left: being a pistol lying about with spare bullets scattered about, and what appeared to be a belt of grenades in the corner. "Don't think we can do much against an armed Glasgow, and the General at risk of getting an open throat surgery." He facepalmed. "By the time reinforcements arrive… it would be too late. I hate to say it… but looks like our situation is… well…" By instinct he patted his flask still at his belt. "If only a sip can be enough to calm my nerves about this—"

"There's no time for that!"

"Wha…? Argh!" Claus didn't have time to register when Kruger grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him back inside. "What's wrong with you?!"

"My equipment!" Kruger demanded. "Open the case, right now!"

"W-What?!" Claus almost stuttered. "Why would you need…?"

"You have the key to open it! Open it right now! There's no more time for this!"

"W… Well…" Claus shifted. "Just… what is it in the case of yours is going to help the situation at hand."

"There's… no… time…"

Kruger tightened his grip on the soldier's collar.

"If you don't open that case right now… then Leila…" The boy lifted his eyes to meet with that of Warwick's. "And the general… are done for. I'm the only one… the only in the world right now… who can save them…"

Claus almost froze by the intensity of the pair of burning green eyes glaring back at him.

"And destroy the scum responsible…"


Ryo turned the monitor to zoom in on Ayano holding the target with her trusty knife.

That was so like Ayano.

"Ayano, take the geezer and go meet up with Yukiya! Let's finish the rest of any witnesses and…"

"Huh?"


"What?" Ayano turned while holding the General.


Leila, still lying on the ground, turned and looked in shock.


"What the hell?" Ryo turned to see from his monitor… a sudden figure coming out from the crashed escort truck.

Another soldier?

It was then when his Glasgow aimed his rifle at the figure… he expected to see a shade of blue holding a rifle… but instead…

He caught glance on the monitor… a figure… strapped in a suit of black… and at the neck was hanging a green hood and cape. There glistening from the center… were that of a pair of… wings?

He didn't have long to observe… when the figure… suddenly blasted from the space… and into the open air.

"WHAT THE?!"


"The hell?!" the girl exclaimed, still holding in her position of the general, who glanced with wide eyes at what he was witnessing as well.

Leila from her spot, could only look in…

"Wait… no… it can't be… is that…?"


"What the hell is that supposed to be?" Yukiya had stopped his running and took a look of what had popped on his monitor. Another soldier coming from the damaged truck? And… he was dressed differently?

Special Forces?

And he… just flew right from the ground with some sort of…

"Is that supposed to be some sort of… zipline?"


"Hey, where are you going?! Huh?!" The Glasgow aimed his rifle in position at the fleeing target that was… ziplining off the bridge.

He pulled the trigger and out came an array of machine fire that sprinkled from across the bridge towards Ryo's intended target.

The target was somehow… unbelievably scaling up the building. With his cape or cloak fluttering back, there came some sort of gush of air trailing behind him. As if he was being… propelled up somehow?

What the hell was this?!

Gunfire was on his tail as he propelled up the building. The bullets were shattering glass windows of each level as the target propelled closer to the top. Until the guy jumped into an open window.

"Oh, what is this? You trying to hide, huh?!" Ryo yelled as he pulled the Glasgow across the bridge and came in front of the building. "I'll smoke you out if I have to!"

He unloaded his round to blast a rain full of bullets throughout the building.


Eren felt his adrenaline starting to spin as he put his skills with the new ODM gear to the real test as he kept flying through the interior of the building.

He knew full well the risks. He knew full well that the new ODM-gear that had been mass-produced as of the year had come. He had put the effort into putting this newly made equipment to good use. The spare time they made as a squad to test the new gear.

Gear that would be better than what the island had been used to in the past century.

In many ways, it both looked and felt like the Anti-ODM gear the MP's had used…

To dirty hunt them down like pigs.

It was lighter and enabled new reflexes. It had the use of guns that allowed the direction to fire the grappling hooks. That had been the first tricky part in getting used to.

He didn't care if he wasn't one of the most talented with ODM gear. All those times practicing it had to be worth it for the situation at hand.

And the other card he had at hand… one that he had become so attached and adapted to… that was out of the question.

He didn't anymore time to think… not when bullet fire was shredding and burning through the building.

The building he was flying through was clearly in construction… or had ceased construction a long time ago. The unfinished floors and levels were more condensed than that of the forest.


"C'mon! C'mon!" Ryo yelled as he kept unloading his rifle into the building. His monitor was going crazy in trying track this weirdo son of a bitch.

"Ah, what the hell with it…"

He clipped the rifle to launch a drop that flew almost harmlessly into the building before…

BOOM!

The center of the building burst out an instant fireball. The flames were now starting to spread out.

"That should do it!"

"Ryo!" He turned to his comm hearing Ayano speak. "Stop playing around! Help me get this geezer on board!"


"Alright, sorry. Let's hit the road now… huh?!"


Leila gasped, still lying on the ground when she looked to see who appeared right over the other side of the bridge.

It was…

"The hell?!" The snow-white girl screeched, still holding Smilas at knife point.

Kruger.


"C'mon!" Ryo turned the Glasgow, in time to see the green-caped weirdo somehow appearing from that one side of the bridge opposite of him. He narrowed his eyes, expecting the runt to make another run… only for him to do something he didn't expect…

The guy was now running across the bridge… right towards him.

"Seriously?! Taking a Knightmare head on?!" His baffled frown… shifted to that of a grin. "This guy is crazy!"

The guy continued to dash towards him, before he pulled out a pistol…

"For real?!" Ryo laughed at what he saw on the screen. "What good is that cute little toy going to make against…?"

He paused when the pistol shot off a grappling hook that sped… and attached onto the chest of his Glasgow.

"What the…?"

The grappling line caused the crazy guy to zipline towards him. Ryo didn't like the look of this, nor when he saw the guy's face. And how he opened his mouth, about to bite on to something from his arm…

The guy bit down on a pin and spit out…

A pin to… what?

Ryo didn't have time when the crazy guy had managed to duck and zipline right between the Glawgow's legs. The grappling hook to his chest disconnected and the guy was now meters on the other side.

"What was that for?!" Ryo exclaimed, before he looked down from his monitors and his pupils shrunk…

Laying and rolling near the edge of the Knightmare's landspinners… were that of certain oval objects…

That he could describe as grenades…

"SHIT!"

BOOM!


Eren slid before drifting to stop when the grenades he had thrown under the feet of the Knightmare went off.

His gamble was paying off.

The explosions were more powerful than he had expected. One or two of them blasted the KMF's legs to fall apart. No doubt one or both of the landspinners became decommissioned, explaining how the Knightmare was starting to topple over.


"No, no, no!" Ryo banged on the panels and keypads as he felt the Glasgow losing control due to the rear taking the brunt of the explosions before it toppled over.

"Shit!" He cursed. "How did that little guy got me so… huh?!"


Eren jabbed his ODM blade into the center of the Glasgow's head. Electricity and sparks flew out as he felt the blade cutting through circuits. He ripped it out, before he swung the blade at the neck. He slashed again before the KMF head toppled over, now useless.

"RYO!" the girl exclaimed.

Eren set himself near the cockpit, readying his gun.

"Kruger!" He turned to see Leila up and ran towards him. "Don't kill them! I want you to take them alive!"

"Ah, screw this!" the girl cursed before removed her blade from the general's throat and used the back of it to strike his back. The general cried out as he fell to the ground.

"Look out!" Eren cried out, and Leila turned to see the girl coming at full speed towards her, now swinging her blade towards her to…

For Leila to stop it… but grabbing hold of the hilt before the girl could swing it to slash at her. The blonde commander went to grab the girl's sword arm with both hands… before flipping the snow-white clad girl over her shoulder… and onto the ground.

The girl cried out.

"To the pilot of the Glasgow!" Leila called out. "Your friend is my prisoner! Resistance is useless! Come out of there at once!"

"Alright! Just don't hurt her! I'm coming out!" The cockpit shifted and opened, allowing a lean young man in black clothes to jump out. He was tall height, almost spikey brown hair and eyes. Eren could see the back of his black sweater was emboldened with a white calligraphy character he knew no meaning of.

"Whoopsie daisy…" the man commented as leapt of from the cockpit and right in front of Eren. He lifted his hands up, before he glanced at Eren. "Huh? What the hell is this? You're just a kid."

"Look who's talking," Eren aimed his blade towards the guy's chest, who frowned at that.

"Let them go!" Everyone turned to see another figure walking on the bridge towards them. "Now! Don't try to stall for time!" As he got closer… he seemed to have something strapped to his suit along with a wire running up to a trigger in his hand…

"Or I'll blow us all sky high." He brought the trigger closer as he grinned. "What do you say?"

There came gasps… except for Eren.

The scout observed the calm look the brunette was giving… or at least try to give.

"If you do that… then you'll end up killing your friends as well." Eren stated.

"Do I look like I would back down over a threat like that?" the youth questioned.

"That depends, if you're just masking it," Eren responded, causing the youth glare at him.

"Just do it, Yukiya!" the girl in Leila's hold beckoned. "We're all going to killed if they capture us, so what's the difference?!"

"Tell me!" Leila said. "Tell me why you did it?"

That caused the girl to stop squirming and pause. Even the Yukiya fellow looked caught off guard by that question.

"All of this was to kidnap General Smilas, is that right?" Leila stated. "I would assume this would have been to ransom him for something, is that it?"

"You catch quick, girl," Ryo grinned, still keeping his hands up. "At the very least, we assumed he's worth… a few top-of-the-art Knightmares."

"You want Knightmares?" Leila questioned.

"Well, that sounds disappointing," Eren said from his spot. "From what I have seen… Knightmares are not as impressive as you make them out to be. They are easily dilapidated as they are expendable." He glanced at Ryo. "You've seen already what I able to yours without one…"

"Tch…" Ryo made a grin. "Okay… maybe you're just good. Maybe we should reconsider…" The guy was starting to eye the suit and equipment Eren was wearing with some form of interest.

"Even if you had succeeded with a ransom," Leila said. "How long do you think you can hide from the military?"

"We'll keep running for as long as it takes," Yukiya answered. "Blending in with the other Elevens."

"You think they would let you get away with this?" Eren retorted. "I doubt you get farther than a day in the crowd after what you pulled."

"There's has to be more to it!" Leila stated. "What are you really after?! This wasn't just about Knightmares!"

...

"A place to belong," Ryo answered.

"To belong…" Leila said, almost pausing at that answer.

"That's it?" Eren asked. "Belong where?"

Ryo sighed as he let his hands down. "Man, I wish I was as dumb as you people are. You see we're not so lucky as you kids." He glanced at Eren. "We don't have the luxury of being part of the normal classmen who have been qualified to fit into society simply because they were born in the right place." He then scowled. "But us Elevens? We don't belong here. We don't because they say so." He glanced up at the sky. "There's no place in this world for Elevens anymore."

Because they say so.

Eren kept staring at the bitter look on Ryo's face.

"If you that's what you believe… then why are you fighting?"

"Huh?" Ryo glanced back at Eren, now puzzled.

"If you think that is no place to belong… then why are you fighting?" He asked the question again.

Leila gaped at what Eren just said, even the girl in her hold paused.

"All this fighting. All this effort." Eren glanced around. "You wouldn't be doing all of this… if you believed there wasn't such a place."

Ryo scoffed. "Because that would mean we would have to roll back in the shithole we were forced into for the rest of our dirty lives… or… we just roll over and die…" Ryo made a somber stare to both of his friends. "All that we want… is a place for ourselves. Somewhere to call home. If that is something that you would care to understand."

Eren narrowed his eyes.

"If you want a place to belong, I can give you one," Leila called out.

"I'll allow you all to join my team. It's as close to any home as you could find."

There was a grave silence overtaking the area. Despite the broken bridge. Despite the corpses of the dead escorts lying about. Despite Smilas still lying knocked out on the ground. Despite Claus Warwick already getting out of the ruined vehicle with a confused look on his face. Despite the smoke coming from the damaged Glasgow.

Everyone paused to take in the gravity of the offer Leila made.

Soon, came the sound of helicopters.

"Yeah, I think we get it." Ryo said. "Because if we say no…"

He glanced at the multiple EU helicopters circling the scene.

"…we go boom. We don't have a choice…" He glanced directly at Eren. "…do we?"

Eren could only stare back.


There.

Before, there was barely much to be seen or heard about the Malcal family except through Leila's adoptive older brothers, and there was a brief picture of the whole Malcal family seen in canon. We never get much character on Leila's adoptive parents.

When they speak of September 8th they are basically speaking of the events of the Season 1 finale of Code Geass. And as the world had seen what they could… on live television. Things are fresh… and they are anything but good.

And here we get the first match between ODM gear and a Knightmare Frame (Glasgow Type). The ODM gear Eren has is the new upgraded type (the kind made during the timeskip) equipped with automated guns and blades, and able to consume less fuel to propel himself.

And now Ryo Sayama, Ayano Kosaka, and Yukiya Naruse have now joined the fray. What else is next?


Imperial Railway

Sankt Petersburg, Russia, Euro Britannia

Early August, a.t.b. 2018

The train made another wheeze from its wheels before it made another close from its engine.

The white-garbed commander stepped off followed by his aid, as they went to meet with the escort arriving at the platform of the station.

"Commander Theodore Magath," A middle-aged man dressed in a purple uniform suit and cap made a slight bow of the head towards the arrival.

"Lord Michael Augustus," the commander acknowledged. "Thank you for coming to receive us."

"You arrived earlier than we had expected, Commander," the lord said. "I trust your journey was in order."

"On behalf of Emperor Charles zi Britannia…" Magath began. "98th Emperor of the Holy Empire of Britannia… he has given consent… that the Fatherland's Eldian Warrior Unit come here... and aid Euro Britannia."

"Indeed," Lord Augustus nodded. "The whole Warrior Unit is on board?"

"Yes, that along with the equipment and squadron we had pull on short notice to come here as fast as we could."

Magath's aid, Koslow, could only groan as absently rubbed his back a bit.

"You must be all exhausted after such a long journey with so many personnel in tow," the lord said. "Allow me to escort you where you and your subordinates can rest."

"Much appreciated, my lord, but that can wait for a bit," Magath glanced around. "I was hoping to meet with the Grand Duke regarding the situation at hand."

"I'm afraid that you would have to wait, sir." Augustus said otherwise.

"What do you mean?" Koslow gave an accusatory glare towards the Lord. "Are you refusing us…?"

"Quiet, Koslow," Magath shushed his aid, who relented.

Augustus looked back at the duo with a somber look.

"I am very sorry to tell you this," He started to explain. "There has been an incident that had occurred as of late…"

That got the attention of both Magath and Koslow.

"Just a few days ago… Lord Michelle Manfredi, Leader of the Holy Order of St. Michael… has passed away…"

What came next was enough to become one of the few times Magath felt himself shake in disbelief in front of another.

"…by taking his own life."


To be continued.