AN: Greeterlings, I hope you all are having a good one reading this and continue to enjoy the story!
I'm proud of the last chapter, I liked the idea of expanding on Kallen's Britannian ancestry and on her Relationship with Lulu.
Kallen: SCOTLAAAAAAND!
Me: wha-
Kallen: FREEEEEEEEDOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Lelouch felt like the weight of the world had been taken off his shoulders, at least in that moment. The one he and Kallen shared together. Relief unlike anything he had ever felt before flooded his system.
He was so vulnerable then, in mind, body and soul. He shared that vulnerability, that weakness with Kallen, and when he did there was no shame, no shunning, no judgement. She held him, she listened, she let him cry, and she shared in his sorrow.
It was an enlightening experience, one he would never forget. A memory that would stick with him in vivid detail for the rest of his life, and he was happy to have it.
He had never felt so close to someone before, to anyone. It felt like- in that moment, the essence of his spirit brushed with hers, the emotions he felt were indescribable. Words quite literally failed him when trying to internally examine his own feelings.
But he knew he liked it, he knew he wanted more. To share that sense of close, personal intimacy with Kallen.
And Kallen was much the same. She had heard his wails of sorrow, muffled as they might have been, she could hear them echo in the back of her mind.
He was in so much pain, when she held him he felt so fragile, like he could break at the lightest touch. But she held him still, with such a gentle embrace only a lover could use.
She wanted to protect him, to make him feel better, to help him in any way she could and remain by his side no matter what.
His sobs had quieted down by now. The warm water still kept washing over them, cleansing their bodies and souls. It felt therapeutic.
She opened her eyes to look at him. He had stopped crying a short while ago, though she didn't keep track of the time, and quite frankly she didn't care how long they had remained. She would stay as long as she had to.
Lelouch noted the slight shift in her position as she massaged his scalp, her hand running through his hair.
He opened his own eyes and saw her looking at him, and for a brief moment they felt completely connected. Cerulean blue met royal violet and they smiled at each other.
"Sorry-" Lelouch blurted out, as his eyes shifted to look down and away from her. "I probably look like a damn crybaby."
Kallen brought her other hand up to cup his cheek, tilting his to look back up at her and she shook her head. "No, you don't. You needed to get that out of your system, that's why I did this." She said, smiling and leaning in to kiss him on the lips again, which he responded to by kissing back instinctively. They had made out enough in their relationship for him to be more than comfortable locking lips with her.
It was warm, passionate, and full of love, it reassured them both
Lelouch tingled with excitement as his hands started to experimentally roam her body. His hands ran across soft skin, his fingers brushed down the sides of her ribs, and garnered an immediate reaction as she suddenly started to laugh, giggles erupting from her, it was a beautiful sound to him.
"Stop-! Lelouch that tickles!"
An evil grin spread across his face as he began to splay his fingers across her bare skin and tickle her ribs with gusto, making her laugh uncontrollably as she tried to pull away and nudge him off, but he persisted, and the bathroom was filled with her laughter for a short time, until he finally gave her mercy and stopped.
When he did, she lightly swatted his shoulder and grinned at him.
They felt so relaxed now, any tension they might have felt before slipping away.
She stared at him, and he stared back.
They weren't ready to go much further than this, not yet, but they could feel the strength of their bond increase thousand fold.
Lelouch decided to treat her to a nice bath, using the shampoo available, be began to wash her hair, massaging Kallen's scalp.
She melted at his touch, relaxing and letting her body rest on top of his as he cleaned her. He was attentive and gentle in his every touch, using the soapy water to cleanse her body. He washed her arms, legs and stomach but avoided looking at her body or touching anywhere that would be more risqué before moving to her back and scrubbing her down, massaging her as he went
He was exploring her body thoroughly, and treating it with care. She adored it, enjoying his touch, the gentleness he displayed as his hands roamed her. She took pleasure in knowing her body excited him, that her physical, sexual appeal was high for him. That was a massive boost to her self confidence. Knowing that he was attracted to her, and he felt the same boost in self esteem as she did knowing that she yearned for and accepted his touch.
When he was done, she had spent enough time relaxing to return the favor, washing his hair and his body, they held each other, and she planted small kisses on him every so often.
Physical intimacy without an overtly sexual charge to it. A show of trust, and respect for each other's boundaries. Their thoughts lingering only on the partner they shared the tub with.
Of course, they both eventually knew they would need to get out of the bath, and so they did.
Once they had gotten cleaned up, they walked out together, dried off and got dressed. Kallen put on the nice outfit that Lelouch picked out for her and he put on his uniform for the time being since he didn't think to bring a fresh set for himself, though he would change when he got back to their room anyways.
They didn't shy away from getting dressed in the same room, they didn't look away from each other or act bashful. They were past that now, and enjoyed the looks they got from one another. Not that they stared per-say, but they couldn't help but throw just a few appreciative glances at one another.
Kallen and Lelouch then went back to the student council room. They talked along the way, sharing playful banter as they walked shoulder to shoulder and Lelouch opened the door for her.
"Lelouch!" Nunnally cried out, and the panicked tone of her voice immediately caught his attention. Kallen- Who by this point considered Nunnally to be a surrogate little sister herself was also alarmed.
"What is it Nunnally?" He asked, stepping forward with Kallen as a news report was displayed on the television.
"It's terrible!" She was genuinely freaking out at this point. "Suzaku's been arrested! They're saying he killed Clovis!" She explained, anxiety rolled off of her in waves, and what she said made Lelouch look on in shock for a moment, freezing in place before running over with Kallen to the TV and joining the rest of the student council as they all watched the broadcast.
"-ose of you just joining us, we have breaking news involving the murder of Prince Clovis. An arrest has been made following an investigation. The Honorary Britannian, Suzaku Kururugi, son of the late prime minister Genbu Kururugi, has been detained and is awaiting his trial by court martial which is expected to take place within the next few days. The exact time of the procession has yet to be announced. We will now bring you to a live feed of interim viceroy for Area-11, Margarave Jeramiah Gottwald."
The camera cuts to display the man in question standing at a podium. A press conference. Cameras flashed, and next to him stood what was likely the only surviving members of the Purist faction.
"Prince Clovis died a martyr! He brought peace, stability, and prosperity to Area-11. Now an Honorary Britannian has killed him, abused our Prince's leniency and compassion to kill him in cold blood! Is that what we want? For hardened killers like the Elevens to run around on our streets? Attacking our women!? Our children!? I say it's time we re-evaluate our position on the numbers!"
The camera cut away and back to the reporter.
"The current state of affairs leaves the future of Area-11's native inhabitants uncertain, but for now, we will wait until a verdict is given at Kururugi's trial. All hail Britannia."
Lelouch chose that moment to shut the TV off. He didn't want to hear it. Looking at the reflection, everyone saw Lelouch and Kallen's livid glares, but nobody made any comments. Lelouch took a deep breath and grabbed Nunnally's wheelchair, pushing her towards her room.
"Come on Nunnally." His voice was soft, but with an edge. "Let's get you to bed, I bet you're tired."
"Yes big brother."
The way she said it made it clear there were things she still wanted to talk about.
Kallen walked in behind them shutting the door.
"Nii-Sama, did something happen while you were out yesterday?" Nunnally asked suddenly, reaching up to hold her big brother's hand.
"No Nunnally, Kallen and I just got caught up in traffic that's all." He said placatingly.
"Ok Nii-Sama."
Liar.
She knew they were lying, she could feel it... smell it. When they came home the night prior they reeked of blood, oil, sulfur, iron, smoke and lead.
They stank of death, violence. The stench of war, it invaded her nostrils and overtook her senses the moment they came back to the Student Council room, the tendrils of conquest's unmistakable scent permeated her sense of smell and triggered memories best left buried in ash. She could almost hear the echo of gunfire and far off screams from the invasion.
They lied, and she could only weep on the inside.
"I'm glad you're both ok." She responded quietly after a moment of tense silence.
Kallen helped Lelouch by moving the covers for Nunnally while he placed his little sister on the bed, and she then pulled the covers over Nunnally, making sure she was nice and snug.
Kallen gave Nunnally a hug goodnight, and Lelouch kissed her on the forehead.
"I love you Nunnally."
"I love you too big Brother, and you Kallen." The red queen smiled, standing by the door and waiting for Lelouch to finish wishing Nunnally a good night, before they both left, shutting the door behind them.
They then went back to their shared room, and Kallen went into the adjacent small bathroom to freshen up with some light perfume and a little makeup while Lelouch got changed in the bedroom.
When she came back out, Lelouch was wearing a black shirt and blue jeans with a black coat and black shoes. It matched up with her own outfit.
"We'll rescue him." Kallen promised, and Lelouch nodded.
"I already have a plan, but there are some things that need to be taken care of first. Once all tasks at hand have been cleared we will be ready for the operation."
"What do you need from me?" Kallen asked, going into soldier mode as Lelouch walked over to her and tilted her chin up.
"Many things my Queen." He said confidently, leaning down to give her a quick kiss that she accepted without hesitation before pulling away.
The fact that he called her his Queen sent a delightful shiver up her spine.
"First, we need to get our set dressing ready, every great actor has a great costume to go with their performance." He declared, grabbing his sketchbook and sliding it into his coat pocket.
"It's time for Zero to take the stage then?" She asked, sounding excited.
He had talked so often about the plans he had for his role as the masked Crusader, and she was vibrating with anticipation at the thought of the persona finally coming to life.
"Quite right, it will be the show of a lifetime, and thanks to Jeramiah most of the stage is already set for us."
"First stop is the tailor then?" She guessed accurately.
"Quite right, I'll be using my Geass to make sure he forgets everything and erases any evidence. Though the Zero costume won't be the only thing I order from him.
Oh?
"And after that?" She questioned. Kallen figured whatever else he had planned was a surprise and didn't pry.
"We call a meeting, I need to inform the rest of the command staff to my plan of action. We will only need help from one other person, though there should be a 4th for security purposes." He laid out his requirements. "I'll explain it all once we hold that conference. In the meantime let's-"
Lelouch paused, and Kallen raised an eyebrow, it wasn't like him to stop unless an idea sprang into his mind. So it left her curious.
He turned to look at his nightstand, his eyes landing on the bottom drawer.
He had told her before that the contents of that drawer were private, and she of course respected his boundaries, but she was nevertheless interested in what laid inside.
"Kallen." He began, getting her attention as she looked back up at him, though he was still staring at that drawer.
"Yes?"
"What do you know about Knights of Honor?"
Kallen blinked. Where had that question come from? She wondered.
"They're bodyguards." She supplied. "I know there's more to it than that but it's the best general answer."
He nodded. "There's more yes, but that's the very broad gist of it." He agreed, walking over to the drawer and opening it. His eyes landed on that small velvet lined box he placed within.
"Nevertheless, a Knight of Honor is the closest person to their lord. In the ideal circumstances they are often the best of friends and greatest confidante. The duty of the Knight is to serve and protect their liege above all others. They execute their lord's will with unwavering commitment, without question and in exchange the lord they serve does everything in their power to secure and protect their Knight in political, social and economic matters. Their lives, legacies and honor are permanently intertwined. It is a deeply personal oath of blood, founded on mutual respect of one another." He explained before standing up and turning to face her.
She listened intently to every word, and hung onto them. She had a feeling she knew where this was going, but remained silent out of respect, knowing this had to be important.
Lelouch continued, cradling the small black velvet box with reverence as he turned to face her.
"To be a Knight of Honor is completely different from being an ordinary knight, or even a royal guard. They are companions, with a strong personal connection, partners. Their connection to one another supersedes any ordinary chain of command." He finished, walking towards her.
Kallen was starting to see what Lelouch was getting at, and excitement began to well up inside her. Lelouch saw her in this way, as HIS Knight, and elation rolled through her.
"You have always been there for me. Ever since we met for the second time, that fateful day during the invasion. You have been my best friend, you know everything about me. You have been by my side through everything for better or worse. At my highest points, and at my lowest. You never faltered Kallen, you always had my back. You're strong, you're kind, you're intelligent, you're determined you're the best Knightmare Pilot I've ever seen, you are unwaveringly loyal and you're the most beautiful woman in the world." He complimented, and she smiled brighter with every word he spoke. Her heart threatened to burst out of her chest as it seemed to grow with his praise. Her eyes lit up with happiness.
He smiled sadly, but with a sense of joy. "Kallen, this is the last thing my mother gave me."
Kallen blinked, and stared down at the object he held with trepidation.
"What is it?" She finally asked, she was intrigued. After all Marianne was her childhood idol.
"An object that she believed one day I would find someone worthy of bestowing it upon them." He answered, and opened it for her to see inside.
Sitting neatly upon a silky white pillow was an obsidian black pendant, a brooch. It took the shape of a black dragon skull with small amethyst gemstones as the eyes. Black wings splayed out from either side of the head, and a sword running through the middle. The hilt and cross guard on the top and the blade extending downwards through the skull. It was ornately detailed with silver, and the dragon's teeth were pure gold.
It was more gorgeous than any other jewelry or piece of art she had ever seen before, and she was left in silent awe.
"This is a pin that would be destined for my Knight of Honor. My mother was given this as an inaugural badge of honor when she became an Empress in place of her original brooch, and she gifted it to me on my 10th birthday, in private. She told me then that I had to find someone worthy, someone that she would approve of." He said, stepping forward.
"And... you're giving it to me?" She didn't even know what else to say.
Being a Knight of Honor was a strictly Britannian thing, and growing up under Britannian occupation had soured her views of most Britannian culture.
But those rules didn't apply to Lelouch, he was an exception, the exemption. She loved and respected him, and she revered his mother. This was something significant and important to him. She wanted to be there for him. To protect him, to shield him and destroy anything that got in his way. That was her duty, her purpose... if anything this just made it more official.
"I think she'd approve." He answered while she thought about it. He was being patient and deliberate about this. He didn't want to push her into anything, but he was hopeful all the same.
She smiled, her decision made rather quickly.
"I would be honored."
He returned that smile, relieved and overjoyed by her answer.
"We technically don't have to do the whole oath lines and pomp if you aren't interested."
"Please do." Kallen insisted. "To make it official."
Lelouch nodded, understanding where she was coming from. It would feel more... real. He took one of her hands and pulled her over to the bed. They sat down next to one another. He cleared his throat and straightened himself out before letting out a sigh to prepare himself. He then began to speak.
"Kallen Kozuki-Stadtfeld; do you henceforth swear to be my sword and shield, to defend my life as you would your own?"
"I do." Without hesitation.
"Do you swear to remain by my side and stay forever faithful to me and our shared cause?"
"I do." Forever and always.
"Then by the power invested in me as a prince of the realm, I dub thee; Dame Kallen Kozuki-Stadtfeld. Rise as a Knight of Honor to Lelouch Vi Britannia, exiled 11th Prince of the Empire and 17th in line for the throne."
She blushed, feeling a new sense of pride and connection to the man she loved. It was a strange kind of feeling at first, realizing that now, technically, Lelouch was her 'Lord and master'. But it also felt... right.
She had always felt she owed him. For saving Naoto, and herself all those years ago. She never felt she could repay it before.
But now she felt like she was. He needed someone to support him, to be there for him. To help him succeed in his goals and crush his enemies, to destroy the Britannian Empire.
She was already doing those things. And she felt now more than ever, that she had earned this, that she had earned her place as his right hand.
It was alluring. It filled her with pride, confidence, and it had strengthened her resolve.
He hugged her, and she hugged him back.
They stayed like that for a time, before Lelouch pulled away, and did the Honor of bestowing the pin on Kallen, inserting the pin into her shirt. He placed it on the upper left side of her chest and leaned back.
It looked like it belonged there. Kallen reached up to gently brush her thumb against the overlapping scales of the dragon's head, feeling the cool metal caress her skin. She loved it.
"You will need to hide it when in public so that no suspicion is aroused, as it will certainly draw attention. But whenever it is safe to do so you can wear it openly."
She understood, but was disappointed. Part of her really wanted to show it off, that she belonged to him.
And likewise, he wanted to show her off, that she was his.
But it was going to be necessary to hide for the time being. So she put on her coat and made sure that the pin was covered up.
"Ready to go?" He asked, walking over to the door and making sure he had everything.
"As I'll ever be." She replied, following him out the door.
Unbeknownst to either of them, a certain maid had heard the entire conversation.
The next few days ended up kind of all melding together. She got her first experience seeing Lelouch's Geass in action. She had nearly forgotten about it in the haze of everything that happened the following day, but when he used it on the tailor her memories all came rushing back on the subject.
It was unnerving.
"-and once I have it delivered to the listed address I should forget everything and erase all the evidence right?" The tailor had responded to Lelouch's command with red circles around his eyes. She almost didn't catch it, but once she knew what she was looking for it was unmistakable.
When they left the tailor's office, she turned to face him. "Lelouch?"
"Hmm?" He hummed lightly in response, stopping to face her. "What is it Kallen?"
"Can I see it? Your Geass?"
She didn't know why, but she found her curiosity on the subject to be unshakable. It was basically magic as far as she could tell and it was the real deal. So she couldn't help but ask.
He nodded, making sure to remain silent as he willed the power to activate, and like the past few times he used it, the Geass heeded his call.
Kallen watched, mesmerized as Lelouch's normal violet eye was overtaken by a light red haze. His iris became an electric, almost neon red. Then the main spectacle occurred shortly after that. A blazing, dark red winged V snapped into place, it seemed to almost buzz with energy. The shape distorting slightly like a surge of energy was running through it.
She couldn't help but stare, stepping close and reaching a hand up to gently brush the left side of his face, near his eye that held the Geass.
It looked so strange, so alien, but there was a certain draw to it that made it difficult to look away. It was hypnotic almost.
"It's beautiful." She said finally after admiring it for a moment.
He smiled a little, making sure to deactivate the Geass and letting it vanish before speaking. "I'm glad you like it."
After that they planned the operation with the rest of the original Kozuki resistance members, as well as Maya as she was deemed to be trustworthy enough to be included in the inner circle. In the end the plan called for 5 individuals. Lelouch himself would be the main player, with 4 supporting roles. Kallen as the driver, Ohgi as the pilot of an MR-1. And Maya would be on station providing long distance overwatch from an elevated position, using the blue Burai Custom and a KSR.
Naoto would have been involved, but his prior injury from Shinjuku left him unable to do much as part of the main cast. So it was decided that he would play a support role by keeping tabs on Britannia comms traffic and acting as a control operator.
Since the 4 of them would be the ones risking their lives and Naoto was injured, the rest of the resistance members were put to work assembling a mockup vehicle that resembled prince Clovis' personal transport.
Finally, after all the prep work, it was showtime.
Lelouch approached Kallen as everyone began to get into their positions. The parade would be starting within the next couple of hours and so they needed to change into their respective costumes. He was holding a pair of briefcases.
One of the briefcases was handed to her, which she accepted.
"Your costume my dear, I do hope you are prepared for your first televised appearance."
She grinned. "I was born ready."
"Then let's get into costume, we shan't keep our awaiting fans longer!" He declared with an amused chuckle.
They broke apart, each finding a changing room wherein they got into their respective outfits.
Kallen looked at her costume with an appraising eye as she pulled it out of the case and laid it out on the counter. It was a multi-piece setup.
There was a red cloak with a golden laced chain that she could close up around her to conceal her body from the neck down to her lower legs. There was blood red mempo mask that would cover her mouth and nose, with the mouth exposing dragon-like rows of sharp teeth plated in gold. The top and legware consisted of a kevlar Armored bodyglove with Tactical pouches for ammunition in an all solid-black and matching combat boots. This was accompanied by fingerless red gloves. The chest armor was emblazoned in the top right corner with a stitched pattern of a Crimson Lotus flower. There was also a new headband, black, with 'Q-1' inscribed into the cloth using red ink.
There were a pair of matching handguns. A grin stretched across her face as she picked up one of them to expect it. They were a set of SCK/Minebeas, the last Handgun Japan produced before Britannia's invasion. Though to her delight these appeared to be modified versions, bigger- an upscaled model larger than the original 9 mil standard. Checking the magazine she noted with glee that these weapons were chambered for .454 Casull ammunition.
Knowing she would have to wait til later to fawn over her outfit, she tried it on, and noted that Lelouch had gotten all 3 of her sizes.
The bodyglove and it's kevlar protection went on first before she put on the boots and gloves, then strapped on the mempo and tied the new cloth headband around her forehead, putting her hair up in the preferred style she liked to go for. Kallen grabbed both of the guns and slotted them into the holsters and finally put on the cloak before looking in a mirror. She smirked beneath the mask.
Kallen looked ready for war.
Approving of her new look, she walked out to see Lelouch standing ready near the limo they prepped for the mission. He appraised her with keen eyes while she confidently strutted towards him with a playful sway to her hips, and he clearly approved.
"I love it, but I have to ask, how did you get my measurements?" She questioned, tilting her head and eyeing him up with a smirk. He began to squirm under her gaze.
"Go through my drawers did you?" She continued, stepping closer and standing on her tip-toes to lean into his ear. "Naughty boy~" She purred in a sultry tone, making him shiver before clearing his throat and quickly putting his mask on.
"A magician never reveals their secrets!" He defended poorly before briskly walking away to get into his position, earning a throaty chuckle from Kallen at his expense.
Lelouch took a deep breath as he stood in the darkness of the limousine's makeshift second floor, hiding behind the Britannian flag he hated with every fiber of his being. He noted, internally, that he would absolutely get a perverse sort of satisfaction watching it burn, but set that aside for the time being to focus on the here and now.
He could hear them, the crowds of Britannians lining the sides of the street. He could feel the wheels of the vehicle beneath him as his beloved knight drove them to the operation area.
But his focus was internal, rather than external.
'Am I ready for this?'
He desperately wanted to believe that he was. He had made the calculations, he made backup plans, he made backup plans for the backup plans. He went over every single tiny detail until there was nothing left to cover. The security, the news choppers and vans, the civilian bystanders. The likelihood of enemy reinforcements, Maya's accuracy with the rifle. He had examined Jeramiah in particular. He took great care to research his enemies. After all knowing your enemy was the first step to victory in any engagement, the second step was knowing one's self.
He knew his enemy, he knew himself, and therefore he was a step ahead with clear vision while the Margrave was half blind. He knew every variable, every piece on the board.
Jeramiah did not, Britannia did not, as far as the Purists were concerned a thick fog of war permeated the field in which this battle was to be conducted.
Lelouch however was still nervous. How could he not be? He was going to be standing out there in the open, and he would openly declare that he had killed his brother in front of the entire world.
A ballsy move, and a clever one, but not strictly good for one's health these days. He had to rely on Jeramiah's predictable character traits and the rigid chain of Britannia's command structure to guide the situation into one of his favor, manipulate the outcome into one that resulted in victory.
The objective? Rescue Suzaku. And all tasks at hand have been cleared.
He took a deep breath, and thought about his family. Nunnally, Kallen, Naoto, and Sayoko. His friends, the Kozuki resistance and the Student Council. He thought of his mother, of her life and her death.
The strength of those bonds and memories helped him steel himself. He was doing this for them.
He would not fail.
He clenched his fists beneath his cloak as the car came to a stop, an uproar of anger from the Purists and confusion from the crowds reverberated through his ears and he centered himself.
He listened, and he waited for the perfect timing, the exact moment...
"Step out of the vehicle at once!" Jeramiah spat from his position while Suzaku watched on, perplexed but unable to speak.
Lelouch's eyes snapped open and hardened, like a switch had been flipped, a predatory grin stretched across his face.
'Now.'
He tapped his foot against the roof at that moment, and Kallen flipped the switch that caused a spark to snap out from a lighter that had been rigged to the car. The sparks shot out and caught onto the flag which had been absolutely drenched in fuel, causing the Britannian flag to burn away in less than a second, revealing:
"I, am Zero."
"I, am Zero."
Cornelia was still reeling. She hadn't finished mourning her Brother, not yet, she didn't get enough time to do that, and Euphie was still distraught. She had gotten that accursed call just the day before.
She was in this very same private office on her personal G-1 when it happened, and her memories even now forced their way back into the forefront of her mind.
Cornelia was doing paperwork with Euphie, the eldest sister was doing her best to teach her little Euphie politics. If her revolution against Father and the civil war against Schneizel was to be successful then Euphemia had to be ready to claim the throne. The girl was not a gifted military commander, but her skills as an administrator were now proving to be exemplary.
Then Guilford ran in, unannounced, a look of great concern on his face as a bead of sweat dripped from his brow.
"What is it my Knight?" Cornelia questioned, setting down a pamphlet she had been going over as both she and Euphie looked up at him, his appearance gave them both cause for concern.
"Your highness-" He began with some hesitation. "You have a call."
Cornelia frowned. "I thought I made it clear I was not to be disturbed during my tutoring lessons with my sister." She huffed.
Guilford nodded and bowed. "Yes your highness, forgive me your highness but-" He closed his eyes. "It's coming through the red line."
Cornelia and Euphie went rigid. The red line was only used for 2 very specific situations. An immediate and indisputable national emergency, or the death of a family member.
A ball of lead formed in Cornelia's stomach and she clenched her fists.
"Send it through."
"Yes princess!" Guilford replied dutifully and the call was transferred to Cornelia's office phone which began to ring. She gulped, and slowly reached for it, picking it up and holding it to her ear.
Euphemia watched as all color drained from Cornelia's face, turning a sickly pale as tears welled up in her ducts, threatening to spill out and pour down her cheeks. Her grip loosened up, her hand hovering in place even as the phone dropped, clattering across the desk and hanging off the edge by the cord.
Euphemia jumped out of her seat as Cornelia screamed suddenly, leaving her chair, grabbing the office phone and ripping the line out of its socket before violently throwing it across the room. The pinkette ran up to her big sister and threw her arms around the goddess of victory.
Cornelia dropped to her knees and shook her head, before turning to hug Euphie, holding her in a tight grip. "No..." She started to repeat, shaking her head.
"Sister?" Euphie asked softly. She had only seen Cornelia like this one time before... just one other.
"Clovis..." Cornelia croaked, barely able to summon the strength to speak his name.
Euphie froze, and then she began to cry. Cornelia cried with her, and they stayed like that for the rest of the night.
And now she was here, watching the parade on her laptop computer, she had been laser focused on it. She had demanded reports on the status of the investigation, she had watched everything, every bit and scrap of footage that could be recovered, security logs, combat data, documentation, all of it.
Kururugi was innocent, that was blindingly clear, there was no possible way for him to be responsible for the kill. Doctor Asplund and all of his staff in the advanced engineering corps could account for him during the battle and after it. But she could not influence the courts from her current position in what would soon become Area-18.
She didn't want some random kid, some mere boy to be killed on a whim for the Purist's own gain, she wanted the real killer brought to justice, she wanted to avenge Clovis.
But now, here came this man in the mask, the self proclaimed Zero, standing in front of the world with open defiance.
"I, am Zero."
Rivalz, Shirley, and Nina all froze seeing the masked man who stood on top of the Limo.
"That...THAT'S-!" Rivalz started, unable to come to terms with it.
"Lelouch's costume..." Shirley breathed.
Milly's back went ramrod straight, realizing that Lelouch's other identity had been compromised.
It all happened in just a couple of seconds, but in a flash, Milly ran in front of the exit and blocked it, and Nina pulled out her phone to frantically dial a number-
Nina's phone left her hand in an instant, before she could type a second button, the sound of metal hitting metal snapped as Nina's hand shook in place. Everyone looked to see Nina's phone had been destroyed, pinned to the wall by a Kunai.
Everyone then looked to see Sayoko standing at the top of the stairs, her hands clasped together in front of her as she stared harshly down at the trio of Britannian students.
"Until master Lelouch returns, none of you are leaving this room or contacting the outside world." She declared.
Shirley just turned to stare in awe, fear, and confusion at the TV, her eyes wavering as she struggled to wrap her head around what she was seeing.
Jeramiah, irritated at seeing the flag of his beloved empire burn, narrowed his eyes at this so called 'Zero'.
Lelouch examined the Purist faction leader with disappointment and disgust. Studying the available information on Jeramiah had led to the discovery that he was once one of Empress Marianne's royal guards. Quoted comments in regards to his loyalty always held Marianne in a high regard, a sort of reverent worship of Lelouch's mother. That kind of loyalty could be useful, and abused if the right kind of pressure was applied.
He wouldn't even need his Geass for this.
"Shows over Zero!" Gotwalld exclaimed, firing a single round into the air, causing a Squadron of Sutherlands to drop from the orbiting gunships and take aim at the vigilante. "Lose the mask!"
"Ah-ah-ah." Zero tutted, raising a hand from beneath his cloak and wagging a finger, causing Jeramiah to growl. "Be careful now, you don't want to cause an accident do you?" Zero continued, and the hand he held out snapped their fingers together. The covering of the rear compartment thusly collapsed like a house of cards as Kallen pressed the corresponding button.
Jeramiah froze, seeing what was sitting right behind this so called 'Zero'
"Lord Jeramiah!" He faintly heard Nu exclaim as she shot up from her cockpit. "Be careful that's the-!"
"I know!" He snapped, cutting her off. Villetta Nu flinched, and just looked on in palpable fear, one wrong move and they were all dead!
Jeramiah struggled to control his breathing, his arm holding the gun that aimed at Zero now began to shake, and he instinctively flipped the safety back on, not trusting his own twitchy trigger finger.
Zero had taken them all hostage, every single person here and they didn't even know it!
Jeramiah's face contorted into an expression of mixed emotions.
"What do you want, Zero!?" He spat. "What are your demands!?" He might not be able to save the Purists or even himself but he could at least try to save the civilian bystanders, for Marianne!
"My conditions are simple, really, this-" Zero elegantly gestured with a theatric flair at the capsule. "- For Kururugi." He finished, pointing at the prisoner.
Suzaku tried to speak, to warn them that the gas was fake, a rouse, but the moment he tried to vocalize even a single syllable the shock collar sent a brutal discharge into his neck.
'No!' Jeramiah thought. 'Kururugi is the lynchpin to this entire thing! I can't-!?' He began to panic.
"Like hell!" He eventually found his voice. "This prisoner is charged with the murder of Prince Clovis! I can't let him go!"
Lelouch had to stop himself from laughing and maintained his composure.
"I'm afraid you are mistaken, Lord Jeramiah."
"What?" The Margrave blinked, so stunned by the response that he could only muster that up as a reply.
"Suzaku Kururugi did not slay Prince Clovis. Oh no, the honor of that kill belongs to the person who stands before you."
It took a few moments for those words to sink in, and Jeramiah's eyes went wide as every member of the Purist faction bristled.
"That's right, Lord Jeramiah." Zero spoke with biting sarcasm. "The one who murdered Prince Clovis, is MYSELF!" Zero announced with vigor, his arms splaying out to either side as his cape billowed in the wind.
The weight of his words bore down on Jeramiah like a lightning strike, sending a pulse through his very soul that threatened to shake him to his core.
Those words, he knew in that moment, would doom the Purist faction. Even if they killed Zero, the farce of a trial and investigation would come to light as the true killer had brazenly admitted culpability. The credibility of the Purist faction, already in tatters from being absolutely mauled in Shinjuku, had effectively just been taken out back and shot with that statement.
Rage filled the former royal guard, fury of almost unmatched magnitude to anything he had felt before flooded his mind and his body began to shake uncontrollably.
"Careful Jeramiah, even if you don't miss, even if you kill me, you still lose." Zero declared, tapping his foot against the roof of the limo, and Kallen slowly inched the car forward, bringing Zero into ever closer proximity to the Margrave.
"You don't want anyone to learn about project orange do you?" Zero asked, and Jeramiah blinked in confusion.
This is where Lelouch's plan came into play. The Margrave was unendingly loyal to his mother as far as all the evidence suggested. If the man was as driven as he appeared to be, then Lelouch could bend Jeramiah to do whatever he wanted with just a few well-placed words, and perhaps make use of the man in the future depending on how he responded...
"If I die, it all goes public." Zero continued as he got closer to the Margrave, who seemed to be perplexed. "You wouldn't want that, would you? After all if that happens..."
Zero leaned in, his mask's microphone being turned off now as he clicked a small remote hidden in his sleeve. His voice dipped into a whisper that only jeramiah could hear.
"You'll never find out who murdered Empress Marianne." Zero all but growled into Jeramiah's ears.
The world of the Interim Viceroy came to a screeching halt. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe.
Visibly, Jeramiah recoiled as if struck and he stared into the mask of Zero, seeing only his own purple-tinted reflection.
"Well Jeramiah? What's it going to be?" Zero asked coldly, snapping the teal-haired man out of whatever looping thought process he was stuck in and making him react on instinct.
"Release the prisoner!"
Lelouch smirked beneath his mask, leaning back and straightening himself out. His focus was drawn to Suzaku, relief flooding his system as Suzaku's chains were undone and his restraints loosened. He jumped off of the roof of the limo and approached the Japanese boy.
He had not seen Suzaku in 7 years, but he would recognize his oldest friend anywhere. From his tanned complexion to his soft green eyes and brown hair. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same it seemed.
"They didn't even let you speak." Zero noted, reaching a hand up and using a fabricated key to unlock the shock collar, pulling it off.
Suzaku was about to respond when Kewell's Sutherland suddenly sprang into action, leveling his KAR at the white knight and black prince.
"Kewell!" Jeramiah snapped. "Stand down! That's an order!"
"You're out of line Jeramiah!" Kewell barked back with outrage. "Britannia does not negotiate with terrorists!"
"You fool-!"
Jeramiah cut himself off and Kewell looked on with frustrated perplexity as Zero raised his arm, pointing his forefinger at Kewell's Sutherland and his thumb cocked back like a hammer.
Kewell began to laugh.
"Stupid eleven monkey! You think you can threaten me by just-"
Zero interrupted Kewell's tirade, he pulled his index finger back as though he were squeezing the trigger of a gun.
"Bang."
A split second later, the streak of a huge tracer shell split the air. A whistle, the sound of metal being torn. Kewell didn't know what killed him.
Jeramiah stood there in shock as the cockpit of Kewell's Sutherland had a massive gaping hole torn into it, red mist escaped from the perforated gouge torn out of the armor.
Jeramiah saw red, it perfumed like a haze as more blood leaked out of the entrance and exit holes, oozing out and pooling around the Knightmare's feet. A splash of it whipping out and splattering across Jeramiah's face.
He collapsed into his own seat, the canister popped open, and everyone screamed.
Escaping the Britannians was easy. They were caught off-guard, blinded by the mix of smoke and magnetic chaff that was released, and without reinforcements that could arrive on time or give chase.
Zero had grabbed Suzaku, not even giving the other young man a chance to protest as they snuck their way out of the settlement and brought him to the outskirts and into a dilapidated building.
Lelouch looked intently at Suzaku and could not help but feel a surge of anger. He didn't get to take a good look at his old friend, not til now. He now saw every cut, every bruise, every injury the boy had sustained, at least that wasn't covered by his clothes.
But the worst part was Suzaku's eyes. His eyes were different, he could feel it. He looked into them and saw pain.
Not physical pain but a wound in the soul, something that cut deep. The steadfast defiance and brashness Lelouch remembered in Suzaku was buried deep. His kindness was still there, but his personality felt... muted.
"Do you see now?" Zero began, orating his views. "The Empire you serve is corrupt, if you join me we can bring peace and prosperity back to Japan, we can free the people from the shackles of oppression!"
Suzaku was not moved.
"You speak of freedom for Japan without considering the cost." The son of the late prime minister replied cooly. "If the people of Japan try to fight back they will all be killed."
Lelouch blinked, not expecting this response.
"The sacrifice of the few for the betterment of the many is an unfortunate necessity an eventuality. The Japanese have been trampled under the jackboots of Britannia for years, would you deny them their freedom?"
"It's not worth it." Suzaku replied hotly. "All the death, the suffering, the pain, war isn't worth it."
"It's worth it for the results-" Zero countered only for Suzaku to bite out a retort.
"The results? The results of war with Britannia would mean the death of countless thousands!"
Lelouch narrowed his eyes and squared his shoulders, stepping forward.
"Thousands will die regardless! Would you rather they starve to death with boots on their necks or fall in the line of duty for something worth fighting for!?" Zero snapped in rebuttal, and Suzaku responded in kind.
"You make me sick! You're nothing more than a war-mongering psychopath!"
Lelouch bristled, baring his teeth in a barely restrained snarl at the words spilling from the lips of his old friend. Silence reigned for a few very tense moments.
Zero clenched his fists, the fabric audibly stretched while his knuckles turned white. Suzaku tilted his chin up, haughtily believing he silenced the masked Terrorist-
Suzaku then suddenly saw stars. His face stung and his head was turned to his right as Zero smacked him with an open palm clapping against his cheek. Suzaku stumbled, only for Zero to grab him by the collar of his straightjacket and yanked him back up to his feet, forcing Suzaku to stare at his own reflection.
"You imbecile." Zero began in a low tone. "You absolute MORON!" He continued, spitting vitrol and yanking Suzaku over to a collapsed section of the wall, offering a view into the surrounding Ghetto.
"Look at it." He ordered, and Suzaku resisted only for Zero to grab Suzaku's chin and forcefully wrench his face to look out into the ruins of Tokyo's war-torn districts.
"Fucking Look. At. It." He hissed. "Look at what they did, what they're still doing! Every day more of your people die! Every day they starve! They dehydrate and emaciate, they die to disease and famine and suffer in silence only when Britannia isn't kicking their doors down and shooting them in their own homes!"
Suzaku shoved Zero away and stood his ground. "They chose to do that! If they just worked with the system they could become Honorary Britannians and-"
Suzaku was cut off by Zero laughing in his face, a mocking cackle that suddenly stopped as Zero hunched over slightly and flung his arm out to point at the ghettos.
"The system!? The system that endorses second class citizenship!? Being beaten and humiliated at the best of times or RAPED and MURDERED for fucking entertainment!? Those people want to be treated like human beings Kururugi!"
Suzaku winced, but that was the extent of his reaction as he straightened himself out again, staring at Zero with defiance.
Lelouch was suffering internal turmoil. He had won the argument, and he expected for Suzaku to lash out like he always had, to try and beat him up, to do SOMETHING.
Suzaku just stared at Zero, am uneasy silence hung between them until finally Suzaku spoke once more.
"I'm late for my trial."
And thus Lelouch could only watch in confusion and frustration as the young man he called his friend turned around and began to walk away.
Lelouch's shoulders sagged, his arm dropping limply back to his side and he shook his head slightly in disbelief.
"Suzaku..." He whispered.
'What happened to you?'
A/N: And there we go, thats a wrap for this one, hope you all enjoyed and that you like the outfit I came up with for Kallen.