Song: Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams (lyrics)
POV: Shirley Fenette.
"Dad, really, I'm fine, I'm with one of my 'friends' right now. You'd probably know him. Lelouch Lamperouge. We're actually somewhere in Kyoto right now, so we're quite far from Tokyo."
Shirley had decided to excuse herself for a bit while the entirety of Mother Base was on high alert. Various MSF soldiers and clone troopers were passing by while she was talking to her father. Truth be told, she truly missed him. The very first thing that she did when she came back to the past was to fully embrace the man, for dear life, in fear of losing him once again. He was here. It was unbelievable. It was one of the first steps that would make her realize that she had somehow come back.
Naturally, he was confused. If only he knew. When her father had died, she recalled just how devastated she was. It was the first in a long string of cycles that would eventually mark her own suffering, as if it were some twisted cosmic karma, even when she never really did anything wrong, other than to be involved with the 'wrong man' who would inevitably be her death.
But Lelouch vi Britannia was not the 'wrong man' from her heart. And right now, her heart worries for him, as just nearby was one of the rooms where an unconscious Nunnally was dragged in a hurry by the medical staff.
She was distraught by the entire situation, and no doubt that Lulu was too. She never really expected a sudden terrorist attack to come about. It was too early. How come things were already happening? Did it have anything to do with this mysterious time war that her Lulu and his allies were fighting? Even if it was, nobody had any real clue or context of what and how did this happen.
Thousands of Britannians died in that blast, and hundreds of those were wounded with extreme and varying degrees of burns and poison.
"...Yeah, dad, I'm sorry for not exactly telling you," Shirley felt a little sad that she has to lie to her father and her mother about her current whereabouts. If they found out that she was involved in an actual military operation that could very well spell a risk to her own life, then she knew that a grounding would be given. Her parents were loving, but they were also worrywarts.
Better that than dead, a thought came bitterly to her mind.
"Look, dad, I gotta go. I gotta be there for Lelouch. His sister just fainted unconscious and I need to be there for him. Yes, she's fine, at least that's what the doctors said. Okay, I love you."
Then Shirley hung up the call and sighed.
"...Shirley Fenette, right?"
She turns right to see a man wearing a grey suit and bandana, looking at her with a grim and alert expression. She recognized him instantly.
"Solid Snake."
"I take it Big Boss and the others are inside," He said.
"Hmm," Shirley nodded. "Lelouch's sister fainted for some reason just right after we got the news of a nuclear attack on Shibuya."
"I thought this world didn't have nukes though," Solid Snake pointed out.
"They don't," Shirley confirmed. "Plus, my friend, Nina Einstein, hasn't even invented FLEIJA yet for the Empire, and that wasn't even a radioactive bomb."
Solid Snake looked like he didn't like where this was going. Who or what could have set a nuke off? More to the point, before that, there were Britannian police officers that were clearly involved in the incident before the nuke went off, slaughtering entire civilians in the mall. Fear grew within her heart. It has to be Geass. There was no explanation for something like that happening. Unless of course there are factors she's ignoring.
"In any case, we better head inside. We can discuss things further there," Solid Snake proposed, as he walked first.
"Hmm," Shirley nodded, following close behind.
They would both enter the room where an unconscious Nunnally vi Britannia was resting on a hospital bed. There was a little gathering of people within the room. Among them of course was her Lulu, who was sitting on the left and holding his sister's hand, his eyes full of worry and no doubt, thinking of what had just happened. She could just feel the intensity of the atmosphere, while she head towards her Lulu, giving him a supporting hand, which he looked back with a grateful expression before turning back towards his sister.
Kenobi, who noticed Solid Snake's arrival, having placed his right hand to his chin, spoke with a grim, yet considerable greeting.
"Ah, Snake, you're here. I believe it is about time to fully discuss your first mission in this world, as circumstances have advanced considerably more than I would have anticipated."
Solid Snake would look at the sleeping princess, that was being monitored by the medical support systems.
"What happened?" He asked.
"I'm honestly not quite sure," Kenobi looks concerned, glancing at Nunnally. "Before she lost consciousness, she seemed to have been mumbling a few words. Her exact words were..."
"Suzaku. My husband," The one who spoke was a shaken and troubled Euphemia li Britannia, who was present on the other side of the bed, holding on to her hand. "That's what she said."
"So...would that mean that the princess is a leaper?" Solid Snake would ask.
"That may be the case, Snake," Campbell spoke grimly. "But our medical staff would keep an eye on her for the time being. You on the other hand would need to focus and prepare to move out. A slight alteration of the team is in order. From now on, you're going to link up with Big Mama, Captain Fordo, and some of the Muunlinst Squadron troopers when it comes to stealing the experimental Knightmare Frames that we've talked about in the past debriefing. The cargo ship that was containing those Knightmare Frames would no longer head towards Tokyo Bay. This time, it's heading somewhere else, just a few clicks south, around the Yokosuka Port."
"Got it," Solid Snake nodded. "How soon do we leave."
"Two hours, when the sun goes down," Campbell answered.
"I'll get myself ready then in the meantime," Solid Snake looks at Big Boss, who had been silent and thoughtful, with arms crossed. "Is there anything else?"
"No," Big Boss answered. "That would be all. Dismiss."
Solid Snake nodded before eventually going to the door, glancing back at the unconscious princess for a bit, before walking along. Eva, before leaving, would kiss Big Boss on the cheek, making the latter look at him.
"I would need to go dress up as well," Eva spoke with a trusting smile. "I'll let you and the boys handle what needs to be done."
Then she would leave and follow where Solid Snake is heading.
"...I would need to find Suzaku," Lelouch muttered, looking concerned. Shirley and Euphemia both look at him with their own similar sentiments of concern and anxiety. "Nunnally, she said that Suzaku was her husband. If...If she is from the future, then the question is when."
"Plus," Kenobi explained further. "We must consider the possibility that not everyone's time leaps are the same. For all we know, the timeline may have changed in subtle lines, naturally there could be rogue elements that we may not even be made aware of."
"Like a nuclear bomb being revealed to the world," Big Boss replied grimly. "We've already established that nuclear arsenals are a non-existent factor in this world. As far as this world is concerned, the MSF are the only ones that have the capacity for nuclear power. So what and where did this nuke come from?"
"Good question," Kenobi grimly. "We may need to consider the possibility that we may not be the only otherworlders running about."
"You think this is Sauron's doing?" Big Boss asked.
"Not likely," Kenobi rejected the suggestion. "And I would say that you would agree with me on this point."
"That's right," Big Boss affirmed. "Sauron isn't this clumsy. Revealing a nuclear weapon this early is just not his style, not to mention, there are no benefits for him to make use of this tactic. Whatever the case, we must consider the nation of Japan to be an invisible territory for potential enemies besides Britannia. From what I observed, the terrorist bombing could be a set up for something."
"An invasion perhaps? Or something far more sinister?" Kenobi looks thoughtful. "If Britannia is targeted, then there is no doubt that the main targets would have to be the royal family."
"That means that any one of us from the Royal Imperial Family, myself, my sister, Euphemia, Cornelia, Clovis, and anybody else could be next on the hitlist," Lelouch surmised. "And just because myself and Nunnally are not known to be alive, does not exempt us from being walking targets. Japan's no longer safe for both of us."
"Lulu," Shirley spoke sadly, yet with understanding. "Would that mean that you would no longer go to Ashford?"
"Actually, no," Lelouch replied grimly, understanding Shirley's concern. "I will still attend Ashford Academy. If someone wants to target me, I'd say that we could use this opportunity to draw out this threat, if this assassination theory is true. Of course, I planned to keep Nunnally here in Mother Base for the time being, if that is alright with you, Big Boss."
"That's a wise decision in relation to these circumstances," Big Boss nodded. "I can assure you that she would be more than accommodated here by my men." He would look at Euphemia. "Both of you. Perhaps it is time that you would need to make contact with your Resistance Network, Your Highness. I will provide you with the proper coordinates for your army to move into Mother Base without being detected by one of the naval fleets of the Britannian Navy, which one of my spies informed me of, is currently coming from somewhere in an established artificial island just a few 200 kilometers near the tail end of Tierra del Fuego in South America."
"I suppose you would want me to send a couple of my clones to handle the situation regarding the Britannian Navy that are coming in from the southwest," Kenobi surmised.
"Make them disappear off of the radar, capture all of the soldiers and their naval personnel if possible. Of course, electromagentic pulse weaponry is mainly preferrable for this side operation," Big Boss explained.
"That's something that we have for good measure, sir," Cody explained. "I'll call in for the X-Wing Bombers to deploy immediately."
As Cody would begin to make contact with the 212th pilots and would leave the room, Shirley would feel...something strange, something...dark...
(*1) "...Draut agh burzum."
Shirley felt a cold terror run down within her own soul, as she felt a pitch-black darkness speak - but she know not where - only that it was present within this world, and made itself known - speaking to her. And she felt within, some reverberating presence that corrupted the wellspring of life itself Kenobi widened his eyes, as he immediately turns towards Shirley, realizing that she too heard it.
"Shirley!" Lelouch notices her looking on as if in terror, with her lips trembling.
"...Milambak agh Tanfuksham. Faluke goduk. Faluke krahaun agh trov. Dautas agh eavhereal. Ul ro avhe mubullat goth hauk."
She felt helpless and lost. She felt worse than how she had died in the future past. The only comfort was a touch of a hand from Kenobi, placing it on her shoulder. She glanced at him, but she could tell that he felt strained, not because it weakened him, but because he too felt the thick darkness that echoed from the voice.
"What's happening?!" Big Boss exclaims, not knowing what is happening with the two, but somehow, he can tell by instinct that something is wrong. The rest who were present were also worried, not knowing what was happening.
"...I'm afraid that something terrible has already made its way here in this world," Kenobi's voice looked haunted and grim, feeling the years catching up to him.
"Sauron?" Big Boss asked.
"Not directly," Kenobi would look with concern at Shirley, who felt like she was hyperventilating.
"Shirley, breathe, listen to my voice, Shirley!" Lelouch would try to reach her, but half of her thoughts were occupied elsewhere as she turned toward the direction where Japan was located geographically. Nevertheless, she could still clearly hear him, which was more of a reassurance. She could feel her legs weakening, but her Lulu was there to support her.
"A Death Wraith is here," Kenobi muttered softly. "And it's deliberately calling me out."
"To do battle?" Big Boss asked.
"No," Kenobi replied. "It's not trying to do anything. It won't do anything now. It's simply...taunting me...or us," He looks meaningfully at Shirley, who does not know what is happening because she lacks the context to fathom it.
Flashback
POV: Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Kenobi could never forget that one time he encountered one of the servants of the Dark Lord during the Clone Wars. It was during the Battle of Sarrish, when the Xnyntoids were invading in droves, with no seeming end.
It was nightfall. It was raining, as rumbling thunder crackled through the skies where star destroyers were firing their turrets against the flying insectoids that had large rectangular lengths and millions of pincers. Blue and green beams of pure light seared right through the hovering abominations. Flames and the remains of dead insectoid carcasses were seen on the ground, and their stench, none of which could cover the aura of darkness that was walking towards him, as he instinctively drew himself into a battle stance, lifting his blade into the style of Ataru, the style of his late master, Qui-Gon Jinn.
A black-cloaked figure, with silver armor and features, along with wearing a silver, sinister-looking mask. And materializing from his right hand, it was a hilt, that ignited into a crimson blood red, which contrasts with Kenobi's blue lightsaber.
...This was no Sith. This was no Dark Jedi. This was something else. He could just feel the hollow presence within, an utter lack thereof of the Force. He knew by natural instinct just what this thing was. But why was it here? Why appear now?
"Obi-Wan!"
Kenobi glances to find Anakin already with him, with his lightsaber steady and firm.
"Wha...What is that...thing..."
He knew that Anakin could feel the nothingness within the being, with the red-colored blade, a nothingness that had and wanted nothing to do with the Force. He could see Anakin grimacing as his voice stuttered, conveying a mixture of raw emotion and disgust, as if looking at something so...utterly wrong. A feeling of empathy only passed through Kenobi's heart. He knew that terrible feeling, all too well.
Perhaps all of that training that Anakin had received in Mortis is about to be used right now, Kenobi thought grimly.
(*2) "Dautas agh numbas-at, Jedi-Zot."
Its voice was terrible, one that shivered the souls of the two Jedi. With a screech that was even more irritant than the grinding sounds of a silver knife, it push forward for the instant kill. Anakin caught it, but was surprised at the strength that this unknown combatant was capable of. Kenobi wasted no time as he stepped in and lunged his blade forward, which the dark warrior deflected with a swoosh of its blade.
And thus, came the swooshing maneuvers. A crimson blade that twisted remarkably to the effectiveness of its user. Kenobi could only be reminded of how he fought Maul on Naboo. But that was different. This creature was more dangerous than Maul.
Why did Sauron send one of his servants in the middle of this battle?
Was it to test him? Or to test Anakin Skywalker - the Chosen One?
He knew that Anakin would play a major and powerful role in the conflict against the Dark Lord. It would not be surprising if Sauron would try this tactic, just to gauge the potential of the Chosen One, of a variant that had yet fallen.
A memory of the dark future. Of a man, hidden underneath a dark, cold armor that does not comfort, nor release from the pain. Then you will die, a cold echo, filled with a wrathful vengeance, would echo from his past memories.
Darth Vader. He is not here. The only one who is here right now is Anakin. Not Darth Vader.
And to Anakin's credit, he manages to fend the creature off, and steps forward, sending a turbulent wave of aggressive strikes, which makes the creature go into a rapid defense, like an impenetrable wall, all for Anakin to cut through it just a bit before the creature dodged the sharp edge of the blue saber. And with the force of his silver armored hand, the wraith would begin to smash through the ground, creating a quake that would make cracks on the ground, as...
...Flames would burst forth from the ground, and would launch itself within Anakin. But Kenobi was quicker, as with a powerful Force push, he dispersed the flames into nothing, as the creature appeared with a twisting maneuver of its body, striking at Anakin's center form, which the latter block, with gritted teeth.
"Loukav ghash. Kon dolap. Durb-ishi."
The words strike a cord deep beneath Kenobi, as dark memories of Vader would resurface. With a defiant offensive, allowing the Force (Eru Illuvatar) to guide his actions... surrender...
With a slice, he cut through the deadlock between Anakin and the wraith. The latter would strike with a bolt of poisonous lightning, of crimson color, which Kenobi would block, forming a shield around him and Anakin.
Anakin couldn't speak. He could not ask his old master just what he was dealing with. All he had was a complete focus on this entity. If he was not careful, he knew that it would have been the end of him. As Kenobi reflected the lightning back, the wraith absorbed it as it charged headfast, and tried a swipe maneuver which both Jedi dodged, one jumping high, and the other leaning back before they both swung their blue lightsabers at the monster, which he dodged and parries another blade with its own tenacity.
The monster was wild and relentless, with swirling attacks more ferocious than the last, as he conjured monstrous flames that Anakin dodged and Kenobi would reflect back. Ataru, before Soresu. Kenobi would combine the techniques of both, focusing all of his energies to become the ultimate offense and defense, walking as if faster than the very second that would mean one's life. A wild swing from the red blade, which was parried by either Anakin or Kenobi, as they both tried to find a way to gain an opening, but to no avail.
The creature was fast, dispersing like smoke, before reappearing and striking. Despite the first time Anakin was fighting against the wraith, he was doing a superb job of dodging its attacks as he moved his legs together. From the outside, they were like a blur that could not be seen, and if someone could, it would still be hard to track their respective movements.
And their blades clashed furiously as thunderous applause came from the skies.
POV: Shirley Fenette.
"...But what does this mean?" Shirley trembled, not understanding, as Lelouch was supporting her. "What does this have to do with me?"
"...For whatever reason," Kenobi grimly noted. "You are capable of being able to listen to my conversation with Lelouch. Not just anyone can do that. And...you can hear the dark language of the Death Wraith that only someone like me can naturally hear. I feel that this is no coincidence."
"...Hold on," Lelouch begin to look at Kenobi with a dreadful understanding. "...You're not saying that, Shirley's Force sensitive, are you?"
"...I can sense it, Lelouch, ever since I laid my eyes on her," Kenobi muttered softly, looking thoughtful. "But this was something that I never expected. A non-Force sensitive, now having gained the natural abilities of the Force."
Trivia For Chapter:
(*1) - Language: Black Speech - Translation: "Light and darkness. Children of the Almighty. False gods. False countries and kingdoms. The days of men are ethereal. The Age of the Dark Lord has come."
(*2) - Language: Black Speech - Translation: "Your days are numbered, Jedi Lord."
"Lost flame. Dog of the doorway. Dominated."
