AN: This part looks ugly while it's empty.

DarkDremora: A leadership role for Kallen would be nice. It would certainly make the chain of command more streamlined, so I don't see why Lelouch wouldn't give her that kind of role.

RanVor: This part shouldn't take too long, but I'm gonna try to make it as enjoyable as possible.

Guest: While Rolo is loyal, for him to become an ally in this, Lelouch will have to see him as someone valuable to keep around. As for Shirley's father, he's alive, otherwise, I would've tried to highlight his death. And I'd like to have some Akito characters interact with the main cast in the future.

Chapter 53: Instinct

Six hours after the Black Knight's arrival at Gralbhad.

King Shams burst into his large war room, which was situated on the other side of the large palace, far from their guests. Inside, Shalio, Shamna, Shesthaal Forgnar were watched as the soldiers filed in. The most notable being Bolvona Forgnar, Shesthaal's father, and a large tan man with a Geass sigil on his palm.

The King was of average height, with a black burly beard that was well-kept, cleary going through a constant grooming routine. His clothes were relatively light, with him wearing a baggy shirt and pants, alongside a long white fur robe that draped around his shoulders, signifying is status.

"Welcome back, father." Shalio greeted Shams as he ordered his men to clear the large center table of all its objects.

"Enough of the small talk, Shalio. You know why I'm here."

The Prince bowed his head in disappointment, as Shamna stepped forward, "Britannia is moving in on us, correct?"

"So you've already seen it?"

Shamna shook her head, "No. But my future self sent a 'note', detailing that they'll attack midday tomorrow."

While she could only see six hours into the future, her future selves could write on a piece of paper what they've seen in their visions, allowing for the Shamna six hours prior insight into what will happen up to 18 hours in the future, as after 24, the visions become blurry, and impossible to translate.

"Excellent." once his soldiers set up a large map of Gralbhad, Shams leaned over the table, "When you get another one of your visions, tell me immediately, then we'll plan accordingly. For now, let's set up the Bamide's along the city walls. Make sure they're dug in to the point that they can fire upon Britannia, while preventing the opposite from happening."

Bolvona nodded in response, "Yes sir. We'll have it done within a few hours."

"And what about our guest?" Shams asked, "I trust they didn't cause too many problems?"

"Not at all. However, I believe one of them may be a master." Shamna informed.

This made the tan man smile, "Oh? Is that so? What did she look like?"

"She had long green-hair, and yellow eyes."

From a nearby window, Rolo listened in on the conversation while peeking over the edge, "Is that S.S? The Master of the Farlaf Order? He certainly fits the description… though, with him here, it makes my mission more difficult." he reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone, "While V.V did order me to capture him if given the chance, I hadn't come across him during my time in the Middle East." he looked back at the group as their conversation continued, "Now… I have to choose my method of transportation."

"Ah, that must be C.C." Rolo's heart practically froze upon hearing those words, "She left the order long ago after V.V took over. However, nobody's heard from her after Area 11 was conquered."

"Master C.C's here?" the Geass assassin slowly retreated, "I must contact Master V.V at once, and inform him of this development."

S.S noticed movement from the window, but paid it no mind, as he thought it was just the wind, "Anyway, have your visions revealed anything about her? Such as why she's working with the Black Knight's?"

Shamna shook her head, "No. I can only see things that my future self has experienced, and unfortunately, such a thing hasn't happened. Not yet anyway."

"What a shame. Perhaps I'll just have to ask her myself. Are they still in their rooms?"

"If nothing has changed, then yes."

"Good. Now, let's return to the task at hand."

Shams nodded with a stern look, "So, what did Zero have to say?"

"Nothing we didn't already know." Shalio finally gained the courage to speak, "He wants to liberate Area 11 of Britannia, but he's come across some complications, just as we predicted. Though, through further prodding, I suspect we'll find out he'll want to employ our soldiers in his revolution."

"How disgraceful." Bolvona muttered, "He can't win with his own strength, so he runs off to another country to beg for their aid. Then again, you can't expect anything else from those Elevens."

"Is that so?" S.S ran his hand through his hair, "Well, we'll see about that." with that, the immortal walked out of the command room.

"Hey! You can't just leave without the King's express permission!" Shesthaal protested.

"Leave him." Shams said, "He's free to roam the castle as he pleases. I've known him for too long to worry about such a thing."


C.C kicked her feet over the bedside while waiting for the door to her room to open. Currently, she still had on her Black Knight garbs, ready for combat at any notice. "If Shamna spilled the beans… then I should be expecting a visitor from this nation's Code Bearer any second now… if only I could remember who it was, then this interaction wouldn't be so troublesome."

Suddenly, her door creaked, and in came a tall, well-built tan man, wearing a brown GI, "Ms. C.C. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"You must be the Code Bearer of this realm. Though, I don't believe we met before."

"I don't blame you. When I came in possession of my Code, you had already left the Middle East, along with your chosen contractor." the man's eyes narrowed, "But… given your current condition, I'm guessing that didn't work out."

C.C shrugged smugly, "Well, as you know, things happen." she stood up, "So, is the Princess your chosen contractor? Or is it someone else?"

"Are you not going to ask my name?"

"Is there a point? You have most likely abandoned it for initials, right?"

The man sighed, "It's S.S."

"Sounds about right." the witch approached her nearby balcony, "So… is the Princess your contractor?"

"I'm not inclined to give you that information." S.S leaned against the door frame, purposefully keeping his distance, as he was still wary of the woman, "So, what business do you have with the Black Knight's?"

"Isn't it obvious?" the green-haored girl responded with narrow eyes, not pleased by the answer given to her.

"Maybe… though, which one is it?" the man asked rhetorically, "You're the reason Zero began his whole rebellion, aren't you?"

C.C shook her head, "Nope. Not in the slightest." she noticed the red head sneaking into the room next door, "Oh my… what an interesting sight."

"So what? Does he genuinely believe he can defeat Britannia? Even without the power of Geass?"

The witch turned to the man and said with a firm tone, "Yes."

S.S's jaw dropped slightly, before he began chuckling, "I always heard you chose some interesting contractors, but I never thought it'd be like this." he shook his head, "And I'm guessing if I asked you why he's here, you won't tell me, right?"

"Correct."

"Then… what are you here for?" upon hearing this, C.C raised an eyebrow, "I mean… from what I understand, the reason Britannia… or rather, V.V is invading the Middle East, is that he wants the Thought Elevator that resides here. Though… if that's the case…" he pulled out a retractable spear hidden in his GI, "I remember you working with him from last time." with a swift motion, the weapon extended.

The Witch stared S.S in the eyes, "Really? You think I'm still doing that? Even while working with Zero, who directly opposes Britannia?"

"Perhaps it's a ruse."

"I gain nothing from that."

The immortals stared into each other's eyes with a fiery intensity. The thread of tension in the room was so tough, that even touching it with a feather could snap the balance. That was something C.C didn't want to do, especially while an unwelcomed visitor watched from above.

S.S retracted his spear, "Since I've known you from before, I just wanted to warn you of what'll happen if you try anything that'll destabilize Zilkhstan."

"Oh? So you're planning on killing me? How bold. Especially considering that won't work."

The man laughed, "Oh trust me, it will. After all, my contractor's Geass is nearing mastery, meaning I can just feed your code to them, making you mortal once again. Keep that in mind if you truly want to help those… Black Knights through their efforts."

The Witch's eyes widened with shock, "Why is he so adamant with defending this place? Is it possible… that his chosen contractor is the King?" the image of Shamna and Shalio flashed in C.C's mind, "Or is it one of them?"

"I'll take your silence as confirmation of your understanding." S.S turned around, "Goodnight, C.C. Hopefully I'll be able to meet your contractor soon."

After the imposing man left her room, the Witch sighed heavily, "This is going to be far more troublesome than expected."


"Yes, Master V.V. C.C is here in Zilkhstan, along with S.S." Rolo informed his master, who was on the phone.

"What an unexpected development. Certainly, more than expected, but it's nothing you can't handle." the blond responded, "I want you to go through with killing King Shams, obtaining his map of the Thought Elevator in the process. Though, if you can't complete such an objective, then above all else, capture C.C before you leave, even if it costs you an arm or a leg. After that, return her to me."

"What about S.S?"

"Leave that brute be. He's all muscle, and I doubt in his 300 years of living, he has enough accumulated experience to be useful to us." V.V put a hand on his chin, "Though… maybe having a third Code Bearer in our possession wouldn't be bad… Alright, if he gets in your way, feel free to capture him as well. If not, then just capture C.C, as she's your top priority right now."

"If you don't mind me asking… how would I transfer Master C.C if I capture her?" Rolo asked as a woman wearing a hijab opened the door to the alleyway he was hiding in. Her face told him that she had heard the last part of his sentence.

"That's simple. Cut her into pieces, and we'll reassemble her here."

With those words, the assassin activated his Geass and sliced the woman's throat, causing blood to splatter everywhere, "It shall be done." he responded while wiping blood off his cheek.


Zero and his group, who were dressed in their Black Knight uniforms, entered the throne room, where Shams sat in his chair, with S.S, and Bolvona on either side. "Greetings, Zero. I apologize for not being able to meet you yesterday. Though, from what Shamna's told me, the designs you provided for the new Ghedo Vakka are beyond superb. Along with the battle data, of course." the crowd of citizens murmured in the background at the appearance of the Black Knight's, giving an oddly warm atmosphere.

"I'm glad you appreciated it." Zero stared the King in the eyes, "Though, I hope you're not planning on having us stay any longer, as we've already completed our end of the bargain."

"Ah, about that… Britannia's closing in on our position rapidly, meaning we won't be able to provide your group with a return flight until they're defeated."

"Defeated?" Lelouch's eyes narrowed, "Is he truly that confident in his abilities? Or is he just foolish?"

Kallen noticed the wording as well, which made her raise an eyebrow, "Considering that I've never heard of the Kingdom of Zilkhstan, I doubt this battle will go well. As, any nation that can defeat Britannia, would automatically be notable."

"I can sense your surprise." Shams extended his arms with a sadistic smile, "But I can assure you… we're not known as the land of the Warrior's for nothing."

Zero sighed internally, "Very well. Though, just know we won't be participating in this battle unless it's absolutely necessary. This means we'll also be taking our Knightmare's with us. For our own protection, of course."

"That's disappointing. You would think if you're allying yourself with a nation, you'd come to their aid when asked." the King responded.

"I don't remember stating I was allying myself with you. The only reason we're here, is to deliver the blueprints granted to us by Rakshata. Though, if there was a way we could get more out of this deal, then I'd happily oblige."

Shams stared into his guest's black mask with stern eyes, trying a gauge a reaction. However, once that proved fruitless, he shrugged it off by saying, "All the more glory for us."

Mario and Maya gave each other a side-eye, while Shalio looked toward the ground with disappointment. In truth, he felt useless. He knew that someday, he would have to rule Zilhkstan, just as his father, and his father before him did. But thanks to his disability… he was never looked at as a good option. There was even talk of Shamna being chosen to rule instead of him. That's why, even if it was only in a Knightmare, he wanted to prove himself through combat.

"So, when will Britannia be here?" Lelouch asked.

"Approximately six hours." Shamna answered, "Cornelia will be spearheading the assault across the main bridge, while their ships hope to set up a naval blockade."

"You speak with such certainty. It's almost scary."

To cover for his sister, Shalio stepped in, "Well, many countries have tried to do the same strategy. Only, they've all failed. I doubt Cornelia would be any different, even with her staggering accomplishments in battle."

"Is that so…" C.C looked at Shamna, then back at S.S, who returned her gaze with confidence, "Is it her? She seems to be a constant factor in these… odd interactions. Though, it could also be Shalio." she shook her head, "No. Even if I know who it is, it'll do me no good in the long run, especially since I don't know what to do with this information… not yet anyway."

"If it's any trouble, could you please explain the strength behind your soldiers?" Maya asked while scrolling through her tablet, "From what I can tell, your people aren't any different from those in Japan, so what drives their strength?"

Shams smiled pridefully, "That's simple. It's instinct." Lelouch's eyes narrowed upon hearing those words, "The killer instinct to survive. The instinct to fight for something larger than yourself. That kind of strength flows through the blood of every Zilkhstanian warrior. That's why we're known as the Land of the Warrior's, and that's why Britannia hasn't won a single bout while we're on the field."

"It seems that pride is also one of their greatest strengths." Zero watched the King as he continued going on about how great his country was, "Of course… most commanders have pride, which is the main driving force behind their victories."

After a solid five minutes, of what felt like the same points being repeated over and over again, Shams finally stopped boasting about his soldiers. "In short, Britannia doesn't stand a chance against us, not even if they outnumber us 2-to-1."

"Well, I hope we can see such a display relatively soon. Then… maybe we could discuss a partnership in detail, as having such a powerful ally would be more than beneficial."

Shams chuckled at Zero's suggestion, "Is that so? Well, you'll also have to show me what you're capable of."

Kallen's muscles tensed, "Meaning…"

"You'll have to fight tomorrow. Just like the rest of us." the King leaned back in his chair, "Of course, you don't have to. But know this: if you choose to merely observe, then you won't see me within one mile of the negotiation table."

Lelouch sighed internally, "Very well. I'll think this over."

"No." Shams abruptly ordered, shocking the audience and Black Knight's alike, "Choose, here and now. Will you fight alongside us? Or will you simply watch as we crush Britannia with our instinct." he extended his hand, "Tell me, what is your choice?"

"Damn it! He's cornered me. If I reject their invitation now, I could lose a valuable ally in the future. But… if I accept, then I'll be getting Kallen and the others in danger…" Lelouch clenched his fist in frustration.

"Oh? What's this? Is Zero actually losing his cool?" Shams taunted, "I would've never expected that from a man who wears a mask."

Kallen stepped forward upon hearing that comment, but she was stopped by C.C, who shook her head, "Let him handle this."

Despite hearing this, the red head whispered, "Zero… if you choose to fight Cornelia, I think I speak for everyone when I say, we'll gladly follow you into battle." the rest of the Knight's heard this and nodded, "After all, we can take care of ourselves."

While Shams couldn't hear the interaction, he could tell what was going on through their movements, "You disappoint me, Zero. Is this the man who will defeat Britannia? The man who stands before me can't even make a simple decision to stay and fight, so how can he hope to stand up to a world superpower?"

"Very well." Zero broke the King out of his thoughts, "We'll join your fight. Where would you have us?"

Shams glanced at his son, who continued to stare at the ground, before returning his gaze to Zero, "Well, how about we have you hang out in the reserve force for now? If we need to pull you to the front, or perhaps fill in the gaps between our flank, then I'll send a message letting you know."

Rolo watched the interaction from the crowd, wearing a hijab that covered his face and hair. The near perfect disguise given his less-than muscular frame. "Looks like I've found my opening. Once the attack finishes, I'll go in for the killing blow while their guards down." his eyes wandered to C.C, "V.V instructed me to capture her before leaving. To maximize my effectiveness, I have to separate her from the group. But how? She always seems to be traveling with that red head." his eyes wandered to the aforementioned woman, "Perhaps I just have to deal with her first."


Cornelia's G1.

"How boring." Cornelia muttered as her royal guard, Darlton, and Guilford easily dispatched of the Middle Eastern forces who were determined to stop her path of destruction, "Say, when are we going to reach Gralbhad?"

"We'll be there within an hour, Princess." a soldier reported as Darlton was the first to return.

"My apologies." the aforementioned Knight appeared on a large monitor, "It appears my Gloucester has sustained some minor damages to its slash harkens."

"How long will the problem take to fix?" Cornelia asked.

"The engineers says it'll be hard to say. Depending on how serious it is, they might have to gut the entire system just to get to the problem."

"Then pay it no mind. We'll get it fixed properly once we take Gralbhad." the Princess responded as Guilford returned, "What about you? My Knight?"

"Fortunately, I sustained no such damage, my Lady."

"Excellent. Then I expect you to join me on the main assault across the bridge." she reported while a holographic image of the capital city appeared on the command table, "Considering that the main city is located on that island, the only option we really have is to cross one of the numerous bridges. Of course, it's not the smartest route, but it's the only option we have."

Darlton and Guilford simultaneously entered the command room fresh off their victory, "Though, considering that they only have those dust buckets they call Knightmare's to defend the city, I'd say we'll gain a decisive victory within minutes." the former boasted.

"I wouldn't underestimate the Bamides. While it's true that they're useless against our Knightmare's in close combat, as artillery units, they could be devastating, which is most likely what they'll be used as in this battle." Guilford responded, "After all, unlike the rest, Zilkhstan seems to have actually tactics when it comes to fighting."

Cornelia watched the hologram spin around, "Even so, we should be able to easily storm the capital without much difficulty. From there, we'll massacre what little resistance they put up, and raise the Britannian Flag."

"Yes, my Lady." the soldiers responded with proud smiles, "We'll crush Zilkhstan before moving onto the rest of the Middle East."


Shamna clenched her eye while writhing in pain, desperately trying to hold in her screams as she felt like it was about to explode at any minute, "Why is this happening to me!?" she wondered while releasing her frustration into her pillow, "Is it because I've used it too much recently? It's never been like this before…"

There was a knock at her door, causing the Princess to assume a normal position while sitting at the edge of the bed. Still holding her eye, she called, "Enter."

In the next second, S.S entered the room, "My lady, please forgive my ignorance."

"That's alright, S.S. You've given me the gift of prophecy. I don't think there's anything I can do to repay your kindness."

"Even so, I have no right to intrude on your privacy." the man kneeled before the Princess, "Though, since I gifted you your power, I'm able to sense whenever you're distressed thanks to it. And right now… I can sense the pain you're in, and I just wanted to let you know, that it's okay."

Shamna's eyes widened, "What? How can this be okay!? It hurts… it hurts so much… how can anyway carry such pain with them?"

"Don't worry. The pain is temporary, as this is a sign that your power is evolving. You're growing, and that's good, because the stronger you get, the further you'll be able to see into the future. Meaning, you'll be able to bring your people even greater prosperity."

"Really?"

"Yes. So you should embrace this pain instead of shying away from it."

Shamna clenched her hand, before releasing a heavy sigh, "O-okay. If you say so. I'll gladly embrace this power with all my might."

S.S reached out his hand and began caressing the Princess' cheek, "I'm so proud of you. After all, I've never seen someone grow so much with their ability by being so selfless. If your father truly understood what you were doing, I'm sure he'd appreciate you even more."

Shamna shook her head, "No… He'd probably call me pathetic for fighting for Shalio… after all, everyone knows he hates him ever since birth. But… he couldn't replace him, as mother was the one who was royalty in the first place."

After the birth of Shalio, their mother unfortunately passed only a few hours later, leaving the two kids alone with Shams, who at the time, was her personal warrior. Due to her will, as she was the only member of the royal family remaining, Shams was made temporary King until either his death, or until Shalio turns 18.

"Nonsense. Your father just doesn't see the value in him yet. He just needs time, that's all."

"It's been 16 years. If he hasn't seen my brother's value now, then he never will."

"You don't know that." S.S stood up, "Even you can't see that far ahead."

"Maybe not… but it's hard to fight instinct… right?"

"It's hard. But not impossible." the man turned to the door and said, "I have to go. Please, stay here until the battle's finished."

Shamna watched as her guest left, before retreating under the covers, clenching her eye while muttering, "Push through the pain. Push through the pain. For Shalio. For Shalio."


Shams stood at the center of his Bamide with a wide grin, "So, you're finally here, Cornelia!?" he called over an open channel.

Across the bridge, a Britannian G was surrounded by hundreds of Sutherland's and Gloucester's, with Apaches circling over head. It was clear this force meant business, "Shams. I hope that this display helps you realize just how outnumbered you are." the Witch of Britannia shouted while slamming her lance into the ground, "You've been boxed in from the land, air, and sea. If I were in your shoes, I'd surrender at this instant."

"It's a good thing I'm not you, then." the King snarkily replied, causing his soldiers to laugh in response.

Upon hearing this, Cornelia felt a thread of irritation snap in her mind, "The fools… they genuinely think they can win this. Even when outnumbered like this?"

"Like I said, they're nothing but barbarians." Darlton added, "Any sensible warrior would sense the strength disparity, and would wish for an honorable defeat. Instead, they simply stand their ground and pound their chest as a display of strength."

Lelouch overheard the conversation in his Burai, which was hidden in a large alleyway, "Show me what you can do."

"Send in the first wave and establish a foothold in the city, from there, we'll crush the enemy in one fell swoop." Cornelia ordered as a Gloucester led multiple Sutherland's across the bridge. However, once they got halfway, the checkpoint door that led into the city opened up, revealing two Bamides, which opened fired on the narrow pathway, slaughtering the incoming troops with ease. Of course, the rest of the push ended more or less the same, except with their bridges being destroyed.

"So… we're playing that game, huh? Very well, send in the Apaches and clear out the bridge."

"Activate the AA emplacements." Shams ordered as several turrets rose out of the wall, each manned with two soldiers. Within seconds, the fleet of aircraft was shot down with little difficulty, not a single one making it past the halfway mark on the bridge.

"Princess, perhaps we should stop messing around already." Guilford suggested.

"You're right. I was hoping we'd be able to take the city without much resistance, but it's clear that I've underestimated Zilkhstan's tenacity. Order a bombardment from the ships. Tear down those walls."

"Wait." Darlton protested, "I thought you wanted to avoid civilian casualties."

"I do. However, given that they placed weapon emplacements on the wall, I'd say it's safe to assume that either they evacuated the civilians, or have pushed them deeper into the city." Cornelia explained.

"Understood. I'll call in a bombardment at this instant."


"We've got incoming fire!" a soldier reported, "They're heading for the main gate!"

"Just as predicted." Shams muttered while putting a hand over his mouth, "Make some space for them to flood in. Then we'll funnel them into trap D."


Cornelia and her royal guard rushed across the bridge at high-speed, expertly moving around the fiery wreckage of their fallen comrades. "Keep pushing! Don't let up!" Darlton shouted once they crashed through the gate, which had been destroyed by an intense Britannian bombardment moments earlier. "We'll take the right side, while Guilford takes the left, supporting Cornelia's assault through the center." as he said this, a destroyed Bamide blew up, as the fire had finally reached it's munition reserves.

Just as he rounded a corner, his forces came to a dead stop upon seeing his new opponents, "General Darlton." Maya called from within her Sougetsu, which was leaning against a wall, "I hear your Knightmare skills are impressive. If you don't mind, my partner here wants to test his might against yours."

Mario stepped forward, releasing his cloak, revealing his Naginata, alongside several replacement blades, "I hope you don't mind the interruption."

Darlton smiled in response, "Not at all." his eyes scanned the blue Kngithmare's with glee, "So… this is the famed Black Knight's, huh? So, where's Zero?"

"If you want to get to him, you have to beat the information out of one of us first." Maya answered with a sassy tone.
"In that case…" Darlton pointed his lance at Mario, "I'll duel him for the information!"

The General's soldiers looked at each other, before shrugging. After all, it wasn't everyday they got to watch their leader fight in a duel against the enemy.


"And who are you?" Guilford asked rhetorically as he came face-to-face with the Guren, which was blocking his way.

"You should turn around before someone gets hurt." Kallen warned while raising her surger arm.

"If you're here, that means Zero's close by, right? I've seen the replays. You almost never leave his side, even in desperate times, you're always an arms-length away. Tell me, why do you fight for him?"

The red head pulled out her fork knife, "I'm not inclined to give you such information."

"Figured as much." the Witch's Knight said while taking out his MVS blade, "All forces, destroy that Knightmare, make sure there's nothing left of it."

Kallen swiftly moved behind a building just as a hail of bullets rain on her previous position, which made her think back to the time she spent with Cornelia and her Knight, "While you and I might've been enemies when we first met, after the Zero requiem, I got to know you better as a person. You and Guilford. Which is probably the main reason why I'm hesitant right now." she zoomed through an alleyway, allowing herself to get the drop on a duo of Sutherland's which were pursuing her, "Maybe… hopefully, there's someway you and Lelouch and get to know each other. Though, I know it's probably unlikely, given how he views the royal family right now." an image of a certain pink-haired Princess popped into the red head's mind, "Ah! That's it. She's the key, isn't she?"


"Take good care of it." Lelouch warned C.C as she stepped into his Burai.

"Do you think they'll notice the drastic change in skill?" the Witch teased while powering up the machine.

"Probably not. After all, no one's seen me pilot. Not here at least." the Prince responded while turning toward the palace.

"What'll you be doing in the meantime?"

Lelouch smiled, before saying, "I'm following my instinct."


AN: I know what you're probably thinking "Ew, an OC Code Bearer, how dumb." Well, most of the OC's in this arc are going to be exclusive to here, so they won't be making any future appearances after this arc is done, so don't worry, S.S is only here temporarily, as Shamna needs to get her Code somehow.

Also, Kallen and Cornelia getting to know each other after the Zero Requiem makes sense to me, as the latter joins the Black Knight's (as seen in Re;surrection), so it makes sense to me that they had to have spent some time together.