AN: It's been a while, and I actually haven't written since publishing the last chapter, so I kind of forgot where I was taking this chapter.

SamuraiSeven: It'll be quite some time before Karma Suzaku is definitivly taken out for good.

Guest: Thank you for the information

Batazar: I mean, he's been out of commission temporarily, so I don't know how that's being judged.


Chapter 65: Retaliation

Kallen's eyes slowly opened to the sterile hospital walls. Her ears were first met with an ear-piercing beep of the heart rate monitor she was strapped to. Though, she soon grew accustomed to it, and began scanning the room. However, her eyes quickly stopped on a single sight that shook her heart.

On a chair to her right, C.C was currently on the phone, still unaware of her awakening, "Oh… I see. That's a shame, Naoto." the Immortal said, trying to hide her disappointment, "Don't worry about it. I'm sure you tried your best." she obviously lied. Her face said it all.

Of course, this did nothing to calm the red head, as she half-expected to see her boyfriend sitting in that same chair, waiting for her to wake up. As a result, her heart rate rose, catching the green-haired girl's attention, "Uh, I'll call you back."

"What happened?" the poor girl impatiently asked.

"Listen, you need to calm down-"

"Where's Lelouch?"

"I can't tell you that right now-"

"Don't tell me he's-"

"Stop jumping to conclusion!" C.C slapped Kallen across the face, shocking her, "I haven't said anything about Lelouch yet, so don't worry about him."

"But why isn't he here!?" the red head exclaimed.

"I… I…" the Immortal clenched her jaw, "I'm sorry…" she let out a heavy sigh, "But… Naoto, he… failed to retrieve Lelouch."

At that moment, Kallen felt her entire world shatter, and with that, her heart rate skyrocketed, causing the beeps to increase significantly. Soon, a nurse came in to check on her. And, after a few minutes of evaluation, they left as quickly as they came. "Is… is he dead?" Kallen shakily asked.

"I don't know. From what Naoto said, it was the pilot of the other Lancelot unit that got a hold of him. And, Suzaku was apparently shouting at him to 'quickly kill Zero'. From what Naoto saw, that didn't happen, and they sped off, allowing for him to escape."

Kallen clenched her fist. She was angry. At what was something, she really didn't know. Was it because her brother chose to ran instead of save Lelouch? Or was it because Suzaku's words may have come to fruition, and she doesn't even know it? The only hope she had, was that the person who Suzaku was working with, chose to bring Lelouch into custody. But that was something she doubted heavily.

"What happened to Mario and Maya?" Kallen asked, desperately trying to shift the conversation off her boyfriend.

"They're in the next room over. They got hit pretty bad by Suzaku, but are expected to make a full recovery, thanks to the wonders of Britannian medical science." C.C explained, echoing the words of Mao from the past timeline.

"I see… and what about Clara?"

"You messed her up pretty good. She's currently undergoing life-saving surgery in an isolated room. It won't take much to kill her at this point." the Immortal leaned forward, "Kallen… I'm sorry…" she tried to maintain a strong face, "I'm so sorry…"

"It's… fine." the red head lied while lying back in bed, "I just… need to sleep for a while."

"You don't have to pretend. Kallen, I'm-"

"I said it's fine." Kallen abruptly interrupted the green-haired girl, and turned away from her, "Just… go check on Mario and Maya. I'm sure they'll be waking up soon."

Hesitantly, C.C got up and left the red head's room. Of course, this wasn't what she wanted. She knew Kallen was hurting on the inside, but she recognized that there was no way she could get through to her like this. So, for now, she'd let the Kozuki have some time alone, before attempting to comfort her again.

"I failed… I failed again…" Kallen clenched the sheets tightly as soon as the door shut, "I had one chance, and I failed. All because I let that bastard get to my head." the image of Mao taunting her over and over replayed in her head multiple times. Sure, he didn't really say much, but it was enough to remind her of those past failures. Those past failures that etched a deep trauma within her very soul. It also didn't help that Suzaku had to show up, and beat her so handily. Perhaps it would've been better if he killed her right then and there. At least she wouldn't have to deal with the aftermath. Then maybe… she'd have a chance to reunite with Lelouch in C's world.

Unbeknownst to Kallen, most likely because her mind was preoccupied, she was crying uncontrollably. The heart rate monitor's beeps quickened, indicating the amount of stress she was in. If it wasn't for C.C telling the doctors to not disturb the girl, as she was going through some kind of heart break, they would've barged in by now. "I'm so useless…" Kallen muttered to herself, "I failed Lelouch again… I got complacent with how things were. I was so preoccupied with the little happiness I achieved, the real threats eluded my mind. If I had only been more diligent… if only I had been more prepared…" in a fit of rage, she tore off her sensors to silence the machine, but instead, it beeped even louder. So, she naturally threw it to the ground to silence it, which seemed to work. Of course, the nurses couldn't ignore this, and barged in regardless of the immortal's request. But, they were quickly met with a ferocious, "Leave me alone!" from the red head. Not seeking confrontation, they quickly left to call security.

"Everything I do is a failure…" the red head held her hands in her head, "I shouldn't have been given a second chance. All I did was squander it like a fool. And now-" her breath hitched, "Lelouch's dead… again."

Hundreds upon thousands of images of Suzaku executing the Prince played in her mind. Each depicted horrific, and bloody results that made Kallen want to vomit despite what she's been through. Or maybe, the reason she was so repulsed by them, was because it wasn't some random nobody dying, but the man she loved. Regardless of the answer, she just wanted some relief at this point, this pain was all too similar to when the Prince died the first time. And that took her a few weeks to get over, despite resolving herself to killing him.

"You failed to protect him once again." Suzaku appeared at the door, "Looks like the universe was on my side this time."

The red head's eyes slowly met the Knight's, who was smiling sadistically with joy, "Wh-what the hell are you doing here?" she muttered while falling out of bed. Unfortunately, her leg was still broken from before, so she couldn't run away, only leading to even more helplessness to flood her mind. "Have you come to finish the job?"

Suzaku's boots stopped inches from her face, "Not at all. I'm just here to watch you writhe in pain." he answered as her back hit the wall, "And let me tell you, it feels oh so good to finally see you crumble."

The fire in Kallen's eye briefly returned, and she tried to send a punch forward. Though, she was easily countered, and thrown to the wall, then a boot was placed on her neck, locking her head in place, killing the vestige of fighting spirit she had, "Just do it already, you sick fuck."

Suzaku's sadistic smile grew, "Like I said, I'm only here to watch you writhe in pain." his boot dug into her neck, "After all, you were so confident in the beginning. Resolving yourself to protect Lelouch and all that."

"Shut up…" she muttered.

"Why? Am I lying?"

"I said shut up!" tears streamed down the red head's face as she shouted that, causing the Knight to cackle in amusement. However, his laugh seemed to not only echo his, but also the voices of everyone Kallen's ever met. It was almost as if, the whole universe was laughing at the girl who thought she could change things if given a second chance.

"You know what could make your pain go away?" the Knight asked while pulling a syringe seemingly out of nowhere.

Of course, the red head recognized instantly, "Refrain!"

"Correct." Suzaku replied calmly, "Y'know, I heard your mother was a real big fan of the stuff." Kallen's eyes widened with shock, "It made all those nasty things you said to her go away. And replaced them with pure bliss. I'd say that's what you need right now."

Kallen grabbed the Knight's leg and said, "Oh. I get it now." she slowly pushed his foot back, "Suzaku doesn't know about that. So, you must be a figment of my imagination."

However, the Knight only applied more pressure, "While that may be true, it doesn't invalidate my words at all." he confirmed her suspicions, "In fact, it only makes them hit harder, because it's what you really want." the syringe dissipated, and he backed off, "Regardless, Lelouch is dead. And his blood is once again on your hands. How you proceed from here is none of my concern. Kill yourself. Or exact revenge. It won't fill that hole in your heart. No matter how many Suzakus you kill, or how much refrain you take."

Just as quickly as he appeared, the Knight vanished. Reinforcing the fact that he was merely a projection that Kallen's mind created. But to what end was unknown. Right now, Kallen was left alone with her thoughts. Those same thoughts that sought to end her life mere moments ago. Perhaps it would be better if she died right now. Her reason for living was gone now. And besides, would it even matter now? No one would miss her. Or at least, that's what she convinced herself to believe.

"Suzaku…" she muttered, "No… I can't let him celebrate, while I'm stuck being miserable." Euphemia appeared in her mind, "I'll hurt him, the same way he hurt me. I'll make sure he feels the same helplessness I feel." a red glint appeared in her gleaming blue eyes. "I'll kill her. I'll kill Princess Euphemia."

Of course, whether she truly follows through with this action, was something only time would tell. Hopefully, the truth about the man she loves, comes to light soon. For it might be too late.


"Ugh. Where is security when you need them?" a female nurse muttered while pressing the red button under the table, "I bet those slobbering oafs went on ANOTHER break."

"Yeah. Seriously. I wish we could get new ones. I swear, I think Officer John is gonna kick the bucket one of these days. Did you know he turned 65 last week?" her colleague added.

"Ew. Seriously? How disgusting." the pair of bullies began laughing. Unaware of the unfortunate fate of their guards, that would soon befall them as well.

With a bloody knife in hand, Rolo strolled the halls of the hospital, twirling a key card he retrieved from a guard's body. Of course, to get such an item, he had to infiltrate the guard's post, and needless to say, he did what had to be done. It also helped to turn off the camera's.

"Um… are you lost?" one of the nurses asked as he walked past them.

"Where is Clara Lanfranc?" he asked.

"Oh, are you her relative? Well, she's currently undergoing surgery-" he tried to walk off, but was stopped, "But only doctors are allowed in there!"

In an instant, Rolo used his Geass and killed the duo in a single motion, before continuing toward a set of double doors. He used the key card and entered the room, where a doctor, and his assistant, crowded around an operation table. "H-hey, what are you doing here?" the surgeon asked, "You can't be here, little dude."

"Out of my way." Rolo ordered while approaching the table.

"Now, now. There's really no need to be so bossy. If she's your big sister, then you don't have to worry, because Doctor Braun is the best-"

Before the assistant could finish her sentence, Rolo sliced her throat, causing the girl to stumble backwards with a gargle. "Wh-what the hell!?" the surgeon quickly ran to an intercom close by and shouted, "Security! Security! Help!"

Of course, Rolo ignored his cries for help and removed the curtain covering Clara's body. However, much to his surprise, it wasn't her. Naturally, he approached the doctor and asked, "Where is Clara Lanfranc?"

"S-she's on the surgery table!" he frantically answered with red rings around his eyes.

"Geass…" Rolo muttered with disdain before killing the surgeon.


Meanwhile, Clara, who had bandages wrapped around her face, limped down the hallway, passing the security office, which was covered with blood, "So… it looks like V.V really did send Rolo to finish the job. Well, I'm not going out like that. No way. I'm going to enjoy the freedom I have now." she nodded, "Yep. No more Geass order, or Eden Vital for me." she then visibly shook, "Or… Kallen Kozuki…" her mind was still scarred from the beat down she received, and due Geass being tied directly to a person's mental state, it was highly unlikely she could ever use her ability the same ever again. In fact, it was a miracle that she was able to Geass the surgeon in the first place.

Regardless, Clara was set on turning a new leaf. Perhaps she'd move to somewhere remote, like Australia or New Zealand. Or maybe, stay in a Japan, and see the sights. After all, there was still so much she wanted to do. "Ow- Watch where you're going!" she shouted upon running into someone.

"Who the hell do you think you're talking to?"

"Gah!" Clara stumbled slightly upon realizing who she was facing, "K-Kallen Kozuki…"

The Kozuki, now wearing her resistance uniform, stared down the trembling pink-haired girl with a questioning gaze, "Wait, how do you know my-" the red head gasped, "You're-"

"No! I swear I'll never bother you again!" the former Geass order assassin got on her knees and began begging, "Just let me leave! You'll never see me again! I promise!"

Just as Clara tried to crawl away, Kallen asked, "Wait. Where are you going?"

"I-isn't it obvious? I'm running away. After all, Rolo's here to finish what you started."

"Rolo's here?"

"W-what about you? What are you doing?" Clara asked stupidly, "Gah! What am I doing!? I have to get out of here before she snaps again!"

"I'm trying to leave, just like you. Though, I think our reasons are quite different."

"Well… I think that's wonderful! Now, if you'll excuse me, I've gotta go-"

"Wait." Kallen placed a hand on the pink-haired girl's shoulder, "let me come with you."

"Eek!" Clara shook under the pressure of the red head's hand, "S-sure…"


"What the hell are you doing here?" C.C asked as Rolo entered her room.

"I'm looking for Clara, master C.C." he answered while scanning the bleak hospital room. Though, the only things that caught his eye, were Mario and Maya, which of course, were none of his concern. For now.

"Please don't call me that. I'm not longer a master." the Immortal corrected the boy, "Besides, aren't you supposed to be capturing me?"

"Things have changed. I'm here to eliminate Clara for her failure. Afterward, if Master V.V deems it so, I'll return to capture you." Rolo slowly took a step back, "Besides, a fight in such close quarters wouldn't be wise to undertake."

"Then why don't I just kill you right now?" C.C asked with a stern face.

"That… would be highly inadvisable." Rolo lied for his own sake while taking a step back, "It's obvious that Clara's not here, so I'll leave you to take care of your… friends. Until next time, Master C.C."

"He's an odd one…" the witch muttered as the doors closed, "I should check on Kallen. After all, I haven't heard any noise come from her room in a while."

Of course, shock would overcome the immortal upon entering the red head's room and not seeing her there. Naturally, she wondered where her friend went, but before she could begin searching the hospital, Maya limped out of her room with bandages around her head, "C.C… wh-where's Kally? There's something I need to talk to her about…"

"Maya, you should be in bed. You got badly hurt last time, I don't want your wounds opening up again."

"But… Kally's from the future, isn't she?" Maya asked, causing the immortal's heart to drop, "I… I need to ask her some questions about it."

"Damn it. I shouldn't have left Kallen by herself. Now things are spiraling out of control. Just how much more can I mess up?" C.C sighed while guiding the black-haired girl back into her room, "Just get some rest. I'll happily answer your questions when you wake up."

"But I'm awake now-"

"But your head's not clear. You need to recover first before I begin info dumping on you."

Maya sighed with frustration, "Fine… but Kally's got some serious explaining to do, especially about that time travel."

"Yes, I understand that. But, I must ask you to refrain from mentioning that stuff for the time being. After all, we don't need uninvited ears prying into our lives."

"I… suppose you're right." the black-haired girl laid in bed and slowly drifted back to sleep.


"I've been blindsided once again." Rolo entered his apartment and began checking his closet, alongside his weapon safe beneath the bed, "She's been here…" he muttered, "Damn it. She could be anywhere by now." his eyes wandered to the coffee table, which had been flipped over in the chaos. "I can't fail V.V again. Otherwise… he'll kill me. But what am I supposed to do? How am I going to find Clara?" his mind then wandered to Lelouch, "While he might've been captured, I have no doubt that his replacement could possibly help me in finding her. Especially with how big their network is." he then lifted his mattress, where several folders detailing Black Knight activity lied, "I was hoping I wouldn't have to use these. After all, what goes on in Area 11 isn't my concern. However, it's still nice to have this around." he looked over the list of known safe houses, before finally picking one and saying, "Alright. I'll do this one at a time. Eventually, I should find Zero. Or, at the very least, get his attention."


Suzaku slammed his fist into Lloyd's table and shouted, "Where's Rai!?"

The mad scientist rolled back in fear, "Um… I don't know… I think he had something to speak with Princess Euphemia about."

"Did he tell you where he went?"

"No!"

"Don't lie to me!" the Knight raised his fist, and was about to launch a strike, but was luckily stopped by Cecile.

"Suzaku! Don't do it!" she grabbed his arm desperately, "Lloyd doesn't know anything! No one does." The Knight eyed the rest of the warehouse, who had stopped what they were doing to watch the spectacle, "Suzaku, I don't know what's gotten into you, but this isn't right. If this is about the trailers, you don't have to worry. We can replace them. But… you and Rai? You're irreplaceable members of the team."

Suzaku clenched his teeth. His anger was reaching its boiling point. Not only was Lelouch missing, but the reason for his getaway was also gone. "Rai… I swear, next time I see you, you'll pay. And, if it turns out this choice will harm Euphemia in any way, I'll kill you myself."

The Knight put his hands in his pockets and left the warehouse, "In the meantime, I should send a message." once he was out of range of the ASEEC crew, he pulled out a small piece of paper, detailing the locations of numerous Black Knight warehouses, "I hope these are right. After all, my memories still foggy, but I managed to extract these from my last visit to C's world. With any luck, I'll come across someone who has the location of the official hideouts." he stopped in front of the Lancelot Club, which was being towed into the warehouse for extensive repairs. Its singular intact green eye stood as a symbol of resilience for its pilot. The same resilience Suzaku hated. Especially now. "Even as a sub-variant, the Lancelot still has the same determination as its pilots. In the last timeline… I wished that determination would die. At least then, I wouldn't be able to harm anyone else." he clenched his fist, "But for now, I need that determination more than ever. Lelouch must die. No matter the cost."

Unsavory words, for someone who regretted living the most.


Lelouch's eyes slowly opened to the sound of curtains being drawn back. Before him, sat his sister, Princess Euphemia, asleep on the couch. To his right, her unofficial Knight, Rai opened the curtains, allowing for light to seep in. "What… what's going on?" the boy muttered, "Where's Rolo?"

Unbeknownst to the Prince, but Rai had already noticed him awaken, but chose not to say anything, as it would disturb Euphemia's rest. So, he headed into the kitchen, and began preparing tea, as per the Princess' instructions if he ever noticed Lelouch awake.

After some time, the aromatic smell of tea made its way toward the Princess' nose, causing her to wake up to the pleasant sun hitting her face. Once her eyes adjusted, she noticed her brother shift slightly, "Lelouch? Are you awake?"

The Prince sat upright and faced his sister with a tired look, "Yes… I'm awake." In truth, he had no choice but to reveal such information. After all, if he did somehow manage to escape, Euphemia already saw him, and so did Rai. It would've been pointless to lie about not being here, especially if they confronted him in front of Nunnally.

"That's good to hear. Rai's making some tea for us, so I hope you'll enjoy." the pink-haired Princess explained with a beaming smile, almost as if nothing happened last night.

"R-right…" the Prince looked down as the silver-haired boy walked in, carrying a tray with the tea pot and three cups. "Does… does she know? She has to, right? I mean, if Rolo personally delivered me to her, then he had to have told her about me." his eyes then widened, "Wait… why did he hand me off to Euphie?"

"Lelouch? Why aren't you touching your tea?"

To the boy's surprise, a cup had already been poured for himself from the Knight. Inside the porcelain cup, his reflection from the green tea stared back at him as an upright stem gently floated endlessly. "Euphie… why am I here?" he finally asked.

The Princess sighed, "I was hoping you'd take a bit more time to settle in before asking that." she put down her cup, and faced her brother, "Lelouch… yesterday, we found you at Yokota Air Base. It was just moments after it was attacked by the Black knight's."

"What!? The Black Knight's attacked Yokota? That can't be right, Naoto and I had a conversation-" the Prince's heart skipped a beat, "Ah… I must've been held there, and Naoto was trying to save me. But… how did he find out? Did Kallen tell him? Or maybe C.C? And if so, how'd they find out? Damn it, there's way too many unknown variables here…"

"Should I just ask him?" Euphemia wondered as her brother entered deep thought, "I'm… kind of scared of the answer. I mean, what if he says yes? What then?"

Rai calmly watched the siblings from the door. Not intervening as per the Princess' orders. Of course, he saw the look of distress on her face as she had to make one of the most difficult choices of her life.

However, Lelouch had different plans. "Listen, Euphie. Thanks for the tea and all, but I've seriously gotta go. After all, I'm sure Kallen's worried sick, and-"

"Are you Zero?" Euphemia asked, ripping the metaphorical band-aid.

The Prince began trembling upon hearing the accusation. In truth, while it was part of his expectations, he was still terrified of giving an answer, as it would only further complicate things. However, he wasn't the only one trembling from the question, as his sister was shaking uncontrollably, as from his reaction, she knew the answer wasn't going to be a pleasant one. "Euphie… I-"

"Please… just answer the question." she begged as Rai stood firm against the exit, "I… I won't be mad, I swear."

Lelouch slowly turned around, and met eyes with the Princess. The sight of her at the edge of tears broke his heart, so, despite his better judgment saying otherwise, he confessed, "Yes. I am Zero."

Euphemia let out a gasp, "So it's true…" her thoughts immediately turned to Suzaku, "But… how did he know?" she shook her head, realizing now wasn't the time for worrying about such things, "But why? Is it because of your mother? Or perhaps Nunnally? Or is it a combination of the two?"

The Prince let out a heavy sigh. He knew in his very being this was the wrong decision, but he had no choice. It was either use his Geass to escape Euphemia, someone who reminded him of Nunnally, or fess up. A brute force escape would be impossible with Rai's presence. And even if Lelouch only used his Geass on the boy, the main problem would still be present. Nevertheless, he had to get himself out of this somehow. He was just lucky that it was Euphie who caught him, and not Carine. "Well… it's a combination of the two. I guess…" he carefully took a seat across from his sister, while Rai moved closer. However, he retreated with a quit hand swipe from the Princess, "It's a bit of a long story, but-"

"You don't have to worry. Neither of us will tell anyone about this." her eyes wandered to Rai, who merely nodded in response, "So, go ahead and explain. I swear, I won't judge you."

The Prince took a deep breath, before beginning, "Well, as you know, Nunnally and I were sent here to Japan after our mother was unfortunately killed in a terrorist attack. However, I suspect that her death was evident of an assassination."

Euphemia's eyes widened, "Seriously? Well, who do you think was responsible?"

Lelouch shook his head, "I don't know. But I do have a direction." he hesitated, before continuing, "From what Clovis told me, Schneizel had something to do with the incident."

The Princess' eyes turned melancholic, "And… he told you that before you…"

"Correct."

The information regarding Cornelia possibly knowing about the assassination was kept hidden by Lelouch, as he imagined it would cause some complications within Euphemia. At least if it was Schneizel, diverting the conversation away from an actual conclusion would prove simpler, considering his distance. "Why don't I bring him here?" the Princess suggested, "That way, I can ask him about Marianne's death myself."

"If you did that, not only would you draw attention to yourself, but there'd also be no way of proving whether the information's false or not." Lelouch shot down the idea effortlessly, "Besides, I'm no fool. If I couldn't beat Carine, whose skills are inferior to mine, then what chance do I stand against Schneizel, whom I've never beaten in chess?"

"So… what do you suggest we do?" Euphemia asked, automatically including herself in her brother's future plans.

"Let me operate as Zero naturally. Of course, you'll try to stop me, and that's all right. Because I won't be caught off guard like this a second time." the black-haired Prince responded confidently, "Eventually, I'll draw Schneizel's attention, and that's when I'll be ready to face him."

"So, are we letting him go?" Rai asked respectfully.

"Not yet. There's still one more question I want to ask." Euphemia took in a deep breath, causing Lelouch to shudder slightly.

"Does she despise my actions as Zero because of Lila? Or is it something else?"

The next words that came out of the Princess' mouth, stirred a strange feeling within Lelouch, as it was something he had never considered as a possibility, "Does… Kallen know about your… activities?"

"Ah-" he instinctively hummed, "Well…" In truth, he didn't know how to answer this question. Could he tell Euphemia that Kallen was a part of the Black Knight's? Or would he lie, and frame her as just an innocent girl?

Luckily, that choice would be made for him, "Listen, Lelouch. I know that you want revenge for your mother, but with Kallen, you could genuinely live a normal life." the pink-haired Princess began, "She loves you. I can see it in her eyes every time she gazes upon you. With her, you could be free of this… burden of responsibility you've placed upon yourself."

"You think I'm burdening myself by getting revenge for my mother? For Nunnally?" the Prince asked with a hint of hostility, "Do you really think I can let the bastards who put Nunnally in that condition walk free?"

"That's not what I meant." Euphemia responded, trying to calm the situation, "I just… don't want to see her hurt, if you die. I mean, you almost just got captured by Britannia, Lelouch. If it wasn't for me, you would've been done for."

"And… that's true. Thank you, Euphie."

The Princess puffed out her chest proudly, "Yeah, you better." she said with a smile, "But, please think about what you're gonna do next. I won't turn against you if you choose to continue on this path, but I'd prefer it if you chose to live a peaceful life with Kallen instead."

While it would've been easier to explain that Kallen was a part of the Black Knight's, something possessed the Prince to play along with this scenario his sister constructed. Perhaps it was because he genuinely agreed with her sentiment, or maybe it was something else. Regardless, he felt compelled to perpetuate this lie, "I… can't abandon my mission. If it proves that I won't be able to stay by Kallen's side… then I'll take care of things myself. I promise."

Euphemia sighed, "Jeez, I was hoping that you'd just renounce your revenge. But then again, this is you we're talking about." she then began tapping her chin, "Still… what am I going to do about Lila?"

"What about her? She doesn't have to know my identity." Lelouch stood up, "I killed Clovis. She has a right to be mad. So, allow her to seek revenge."

"But what if she captures you?"

"Then she'll have earned it." he answered while heading for the door. But, just as he was about to leave, he turned to Euphemia and said, "Though, I won't just allow my capture to happen, remember that."

The Princess rolled her eyes, "And where are you going? Back to Ashford?"

"Correct."

"Then let me take you there. We can't afford to have anyone seeing you exit my room."

"Oh… right." Due to being caught up in his own thoughts, Lelouch nearly forgot the situation he was in. "I won't question how you got me in here, but how are you going to get me out?"

"Just leave that to me." Rai stepped forward, "I'll make the arrangements immediately."


Clara opened the door to her hotel room, as she supported Kallen on her shoulder, "Wh-where do you want me to set you down?" she asked, fearful of angering the red head.

"Just… on the bed will be fine." Kallen answered while grabbing her leg, "If I remember correctly, those hospital notes said my leg should heal by the end of the day. If left uninterrupted, of course. So, maybe it'll take until the end of tomorrow?"

"D-do you need anything?" the pink-haired girl asked as the red head sat at the edge of the bed.

"Just some water."

In an instant, the girl dashed out of the room, presumably to grab a bottle of water out of a nearby vending machine. "Damn it. Why am I still keeping her around? I should take this chance to run away! Not service her!" Clara's legs began to shake as she pressed a button on the machine, ejecting a small bottle of water, "Ah, who am I kidding? There's no way I can run away, especially after what she did to me. That fears been engrained into my very being."

Kallen pressed her back into the mattress, and let out a sigh, "Now what? I escaped the hospital, but I don't really know what to do." she rolled onto her side, "Damn it. I should've thought this through."

"H-here." Clara gently set a water bottle next to the red head, before retreating to the bathroom.

"Clara." she called, sending a shiver down the assassin's spine, "Are you… afraid of me?"

The pink-haired girl struggled in answering, as images of the night before flashed in her mind, making it hard to swallow. "Um… I… I guess."

"You guess?"

Clara frantically shook her head, despite being out of sight of the red head, "I-I mean… when you started savagely attacking me, I didn't know what to think. At first, I thought it was just some final cry from a dying beast, but then you kept going, and it turned into something I can't describe… even now." her hand began to shake as she removed her bandages, revealing her scarred, but healing face, "The pain from those strikes is still prominent in my body, almost like they've been engraved into me." she said that last part in a whisper, fearful of such information being used against her in the future.

Kallen let out a sigh. Not at the situation, but at the proclamation she made at the hospital, "Kill Princess Euphemia. In all honesty, I have no issue with committing such an act. However, is that what Lelouch would want?" she put her hands on her head, bouncing the idea around in her mind for a bit, "I can't think about this right now. I'll take a nap, and when I wake up, I'll think of my next move."

Just as the red head drifted into a slumber, Clara reentered the room with clean bandages on her face, "Eh? Did she die? Actually, don't answer that. I can see that she's still breathing." her eyes then wandered to the door, "Does that mean I can leave? Right?" she inched closer to the door handle, and held it firm. But, her hand wouldn't move any further. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't turn the handle.

There wasn't any issue with the door, but instead, Clara's resolve. Unknowingly, Kallen had inflicted some kind of mental trauma onto the girl, which caused her to be fearful of facing the red head's wrath once again. This caused her body to instinctively want to stay by her side, regardless of whether it was good for her or not.

"D-damn it…" the pink-haired girl sunk to her knees, as they finally gave out. "Why can't I leave? This is something I want, I know it, and yet… my body just won't listen." she felt the urge to punch the ground, but just like her knees, the strength in her arms faded as well.

For now, Clara would stay by the red head's side, much to her dismay.


Outside the Viceroy's palace.

Rai, wearing a white driver's uniform and cap, escorted a black-haired woman, and a finely dressed young man wearing a hat into a limousine, before getting into the driver's seat. After a moment, they drove off.

"So, where do you want me to drop you off?" Euphemia asked as she took off her wig, which was used to disguise herself as a secretary, to leave the building covertly.

Lelouch, who sat across from her wearing a hat and sunglasses, responded, "You can drop me off a couple blocks from Ashford. I'll be able to make it home from there."

"Alright." the pink-haired girl smiled, "And remember, if you need anything else, don't be afraid to ask."

"I'll keep that in mind for the future." he lied. After all, Lelouch wanted to keep her out of this as much a possible. Accepting her help would needlessly drag her further into the Black Knight's conflict.

"I hope you do. After all, we're still brother and sister at the end of the day." the Princess nodded, "And we're meant to help each other."

Lelouch nodded as he took off his suit, revealing his Ashford Academy uniform underneath, "Of course we are-"

Just then, Euphemia's phone began to ring, startling the siblings momentarily, "Oh, it's Carine. Should I answer it?"

"Go ahead. I'll keep quiet."

Without hesitation, the pink-haired girl answered the phone and put it to her ear, "Hello?"

"Where the hell are you?" the fiery Princess asked as her and Dasko walked down a hallway, "Actually, don't answer that. I need you at the Viceroy palace, now."

"Wh-what's wrong?"

"WhAt'S wrOnG?" Carine responded in a mocking tone, "I guess that's the sacrifice of not attending that emergency meeting after the attack. Well, Marrybell's coming here ahead of schedule."

"Eh!? Marry's coming here?"

"You didn't even know that!?" the red-haired Princess exclaimed in an annoyed tone, "Ugh. How clueless can you be? Anyway, as we speak, Marrybell is boarding a plane and making her way over here, so I need you back at the palace to prepare her welcome."

Without warning, Carine hung up the phone, "You can drop me off here." Lelouch said, "It sounds like I have to make my own preparations."

"Oh… okay." Euphemia muttered, "Just be careful. I don't know why Marry's, but it can't be good from how Carine's framing it."

"Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing I can't handle." the Prince responded with confidence.


Area 2 Airfield.

"Alright! It's about time we got that thumb out our asses!" Luciano Bradley shouted with ecstasy as his custom Gloucester was loaded onto a Hercules, alongside the Zetland and Gino Weinberg's Gloucester.

"While I'm all about enthusiasm, I feel inclined to remind you that the reason we're going to Area 11 early is because they attacked Princess Euphemia's and Viceroy Lila's Knighting ceremony." Gino added as Anya took a picture of the grand plane.

"Oh shut it." Luciano approached the Knight of Three with a disturbed look, "How about I remind you that we were originally traveling to Area 11 to completely annihilate the Black Knight threat? So no matter what, this trip would've happened."

"You're just trying to use the mission's directive to sate your bloodlust." the blond Knight responded sternly, "I know you, Bradley."

In an instant, the Knight of Ten sent a punch toward his fellow Knight, only for it to be promptly blocked, "Heh. Are you sure about that? Or is it that you're going soft?" Luciano asked as his fist shook against Gino's palm.

"I'll have you know, that my ideals have not changed since the day I became a Knight of the round." the aforementioned man responded while calmly holding his comrade back.

That's when they heard a faint clicking sound, "Recorded." Anya muttered while checking the image on her camera.

Luciano scoffed and walked away, "Whatever. I'm gonna take a nap on the plane."

"Um… that's the Knightmare's plane." Gino called, "I'm sure it's not going to be very comfortable sleeping next to a block of metal!"

However, his concerns were simply met with a middle finger as the Knight of Ten boarded the plane. "We've got quite the cast of characters, don't we?" Oldrin commented as the remaining Knight's boarded another plane.

"I suppose." Marrybell said as she watched an incomplete Sutherland Eye being loaded onto another Hercules, "I don't like how we're being rushed into this."

"But Prince Schneizel's reasoning is sound. We can't just let the Black Knight's run amok like this any longer, especially after they stole those ASEEC trailers. Before we know it, they'll be just as armed as we are."

"I understand we have to quickly snuff out the flames before they catch on. I have no issue with that. However…" the Princess watched as a group of soldiers lazily walked past them, almost uninterested with what was going on, "I can't help but feel like we're being set up for failure."

"It's alright." Oldrin smiled while smacking her arm with a confident smile, "We'll soon whip these sorry louts into shape."

Marrybell giggled as her friend began playfully flexing, "Your confidence is very appreciated."

"Marry." the familiar voice of Schneizel abruptly called, causing the Princess to face him almost immediately. This also wiped the confident smile off Oldrin's face, replacing it with a stern look.

"Brother, what are you doing here? I thought you went to the EU to meet with their leaders?"

"Well, just before my plane took off, I got the idea to wish you luck. Especially since I failed to provide you with adequate tools to succeed in this endeavor." he responded as several strange Knightmare, covered in cloaks, passed them.

"Nonsense. You've provided enough already." Marrybell bowed slightly, "I'll make sure to put them to good use. I promise."

"I know you will." Schneizel looked on as the newly formed Glinda Knights prepared for their very first mission, "You understand what you must do, correct?"

"Yes." Marrybell watched as the doors of each Hercules closed shut, "We are to eliminate the Black Knight's, through any means necessary."