"About this Special Administrative Zone of Japan, there are some...unpleasant rumors going around about Princess Euphemia."
"Yes, and about her connection with this Voltron. Some are going as far as to say they brainwashed or blackmailed her into doing this, as a way to get Britannia to surrender."
Ever since Princess Euphemia's announcement of the Special Administrative Zone, Britannia had been buzzing with theories and rumors about the Princess's motivations behind this. Particularly in the high ranking military. Some believed it to be a ploy for Britannia to let its guard down so that Voltron's forces could finally finish them off.
"It could also be the perfect opportunity to finally put an end to this fighting," Lord Guilford spoke up, his tone firm. Like Guilford and Darlton, who were heatedly discussing the announcement with Bartley and several other officers, others saw it as an opportunity to finally put an end to the bloodshed and constant war ravaging the nation for years. Hundreds of thousands of people had already died, both Numbers and Britannians. If the stronger force (yes, their pride was forcing them to admit that this Voltron was indeed stronger than them) was offering a truce, wouldn't it be foolish to not at least humor them?
"As Viceroy Schneizel himself stated, Zero's goal is to cripple Britannia, not destroy it. We've seen time and again that Voltron could easily do that at any moment. We've been lucky that their patience hasn't run out," the bespectacled knight continued.
"Not to mention that Voltron's success has inspired rebellions in almost all other areas of the Empire," Darlton continued, supporting his fellow knight, "Our forces are spread thin enough as it is. With Princess Cornelia, Princess Euphemia, and even Lady Enneagram, a Knight of the Round, being captured and held prisoner, many speculate that the Emperor is losing his grip. If there is a chance for this to be resolved as peacefully as possible, I'll take it!"
"Pardon me for sounding overdramatic," General Bartley interjected, "but need I remind you that Princess Cornelia has been Voltron's hostage for months now? Besides the fact that she's in enemy territory, this is bloody aliens we're talking about! For all we know, Zero is simply a puppet for these interlopers and are threatening harm upon Cornelia unless Euphemia cooperates."
"Not to mention most of Voltron's forces remain unknown," another officer pointed out, "Yes, Black Knight activity has dwindled to nearly none, but it's clear if Zero's stance is anything to go by, that the group has thrown its batch in with these aliens. None of our spies that we've attempted to incorporate into the group have been successful."
"Isn't that only more reason to end the fighting this way?" Guilford argued, rising from his chair, "With all of these unknowns, it's simply too dangerous to keep fighting them! If we push them hard enough, they'll cut negotiations, and we'll be back where we started! A nation against a power that's only so many encounters away from wiping us out!"
"Voltron and Zero are cowards!" the man by Bartley spat, "If you have such a weapon at your disposal, then use it! You could easily win against any nation!"
"Why you little-"
"Enough!" Bartley barked, silencing Darlton, "While I commemorate you both for your loyalty to the princesses, I think your personal feelings are clouding your judgment. Especially you, Guilford."
"Excuse me?!" the knight exclaimed.
"While you may have answered to your princess originally, there is still one who has the final say in this matter. You may be Cornelia's knight, but the word of the Emperor far trumps her."
Guilford grit his teeth, restraining himself from strangling Bartley in that very moment.
"Speaking of his majesty, is there still no word from him? He's been silent ever since Euphemia's declaration."
"He hasn't spoken to the Viceroy yet either," Bartley muttered, "but with something like this, I doubt he'll stay silent forever."
"Holy quiznack!" Rai gasped as he pulled up a video feed as well as what appeared to be a registration page on his laptop. Suzaku and Euphemia were looking over his shoulder, "Over 200,000 people have applied to join the Japan Special Zone. From the way it looks, that number is only going to grow!"
"That's fantastic!" Euphemia exclaimed happily, "Everyone is rallying because of what Voltron represents."
"It's not just Voltron, Euphie," Suzaku said with a smile, "they're supporting your actions too...I'm glad."
"Suzaku?" Euphemia asked, noticing the Purple Paladin tear up a little.
"Euphie," Suzaku said, "Ever since I became a paladin and seen what the Galra have done, even I couldn't deny the similarities they shared with Britannia. My idea of reforming Britannia from within seemed to grow more and more unrealistic to the point it became just a pipe's dream. But… you may have just proven me wrong."
"Oh Suzaku," Euphie smiled gratefully before her smile faded slightly, "while I appreciate the praise, I fear that they may only be cooperating because there's an even greater threat. The start of this alliance will be shaky at best."
"We can worry about that when the time comes," Suzaku assured her, "I'm sure Lelouch will come up with a plan to keep this peace secure."
"And I hope I can help bring that peace to the rest of the universe as well," Euphemia said sincerely, "Once Zarkon is defeated, I hope all worlds out there can finally be free as well."
"We'll make sure of it," Suzaku promised, "And I'll be right by your side!"
"Shouldn't I be the one saying that? You're a Voltron Paladin after all," Euphemia teased with a giggle. Suzaku chuckled as well.
"And I'm not even here," Rai says aloud, causing the pair to jump. They'd honestly forgotten he was still in the room. However, they could tell from the tone of his voice that he was grinning.
"What's the status on the Knightmare testing, Coran?" Lelouch asked as the male Altean's face appeared on the monitor of the Castle's bridge.
"They're going quite well!" the adviser said with a smile from the castle pod he and Rakshata were occupying within the Solar System's asteroid belt, "Number Seven, my boy, your idea was just the answer we were looking for!"
Rivalz looked down, blushing at the praise. More often than not, the Blue Paladin felt like he didn't contribute much to the team outside of being comic relief and helping out with chores, so it felt nice to know that he made a lasting contribution with his suggestion.
"Is Sayoko okay? In case… you know… something goes wrong?" Shirley asked anxiously. The moment the crystals had entered the lab, Rakshata had insisted that they work them into the Guren Mrk-II first since that was her 'special child.' Since Sayoko had initially been the pilot for it, she had gone along on the test flight, with Sugiyama keeping an eye on Nunnally until they got back. ("It's time for another therapy session anyway," he had said.)
"Not to worry," Coran reassured them, "Miss Sayoko is in very capable hands. Her suit alone will provide her with plenty of protection in open space should she need to eject manually."
"Good," Lelouch nodded, but everyone could hear the warning in his tone. Sayoko had been the closest thing he and Nunnally had had to a mother since their banishment. If something were to happen to her…
"Keep us updated on your progress," Allura ordered, "And we'll be expecting all three of you back here within three Earth hours."
"Understood, Princess!" Coran saluted, but before he could cut the connection, there was a blinding flash through the pod's windows.
Before anyone on the bridge could ask what was wrong, they heard a loud, girly squeal from behind the Altean.
"Splendid! Absolutely marvelous!" Rakshata sang, looking ready to leap out of her seat with a victory dance.
Coran sighed with a shake of his head before cutting the connection.
"Are they going to be okay?" Milly asked, glancing around a little uneasily.
"Well, I mean, Coran did say he wouldn't let Sayoko get hurt, right?" Kallen asked.
"Oh, Coran I trust all right," Milly said, "It's Rakshata I'm worried about. She does tend to go a little… overboard sometimes."
"You say that as if you've never done that yourself, Milly," C.C. pointed out with a smirk.
"Hey!" the Yellow Paladin pouted.
"Either way, I'm sure Coran will alert us if something is amiss," Allura said surely, "Now that it's confirmed that the Balmera crystals are compatible with your Knightmare machines, we still have much to discuss."
"Right," Lelouch nodded before turning to address the rest of the room. Besides himself, and the other four Paladins, C.C., Tohdoh, Kaguya, and Ohgi were also present.
"So it looks like Euphemia's message was fairly well-received," Ohgi observed, "I mean, they're already getting everything set up back on Earth."
"According to Rai, the announcement has gained a great deal of support," Tohdoh said, "Most of it is coming from the Japanese population, but surprisingly we do have several Honorary Britannians backing the project as well. I've heard several members within our own ranks talking about joining the zone as well."
"This is technically a good thing, though, right?" Rivalz asked, "I mean, with so many people joining the zone, that means more support for Voltron, right?"
"Not necessarily," C.C. said, "Just because they choose to support the SAZ doesn't mean that they will support Voltron."
"C.C.'s correct," Lelouch nodded, "There will be those, not just from Britannia, that will never see eye-to-eye with something like this. Unfortunately, there isn't much that can be done about it, even with two royal princesses-"
"Technically, three royal princesses, Lelouch," Shirley pointed.
Lelouch abruptly turned to the Orange Paladin, raising an eyebrow, "I'm sorry?"
"What about Cornelia?" Shirley said, "Nunnally did say that she was willing to help us too, right?"
"Yeah, and we have Nonette too," Milly added, "who, according to Rai, isn't even loyal to Britannia. Plus, Cornelia's likely the most influential member of the royal family right now, since she is, or used to be, the viceroy. I'm sure if we can both of them on board, that could garner even more support, especially from Britannia, which is what we need right now."
Lelouch was silent, face contorted in a frown. While it was true that Nunnally had told him about her conversation with their sister, a part of Lelouch still hesitated to trust Cornelia.
However…
If there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that no matter what, Cornelia would never betray Euphemia. And Euphie was entirely on board with this plan. Even if Cornelia didn't support some of the things Euphemia did, she never actively tried to work against her either. So long as Euphie was on their side, Cornelia would follow.
And if what Rai said about Nonette was true too...
"...We'll talk to them."
"Sire, pardon my rudeness, but are you serious about this?" Bartley asked Schneizel in the viceroy's office back on Earth.
"Quite so, Bartley," Schneizel answered calmly, "You know I wish for the fighting to stop as much as anyone else. If Voltron is willing to offer an olive branch through Euphie's project, I am willing to humor them and receive it."
"This could easily be a trap too, Your Highness," Bartley protested, "They could be waiting for us to let our guard down before striking us."
"Yes, yes, Bartley," Schneizel nodded knowingly, "I have considered that possibility. However, I highly doubt that that would be the case."
"How so?" Bartley asked skeptically.
Schneizel smiled, hands clasped behind his back as he stood, "As we've discussed previously, it's clear that Zero, through Voltron, possesses more than enough resources to raze Britannia to the ground at a snap of his fingers. The fact that he has yet to launch such an attack is our first clue. No, he doesn't want to see Britannia destroyed. At least, not anymore. Instead, he wants something from Britannia."
Bartley sputtered, "What?! What could Zero possibly want from Britannia besides its destruction?!"
Schneizel sighed, "Unfortunately, I have no definitive answer for that. I have theories at best, but there is too little proof to draw any conclusions. This is partially the reason I am supporting this ceasefire. Once we have the facts of the situation at large, and all the pieces are presented on the board, I'm certain we can… determine our next move from there."
Bartley didn't answer, but he made no further comment as he saw Schneizel's line of thinking. He was just like most other Britannian officials and officers. They wanted answers, and each encounter with the gargantuan robot only brought more questions. Even the partial victory on the island backfired in ways they couldn't have imagined.
"By the way," the prince interrupted his thoughts, "There is still no word from the Emperor regarding this?"
"Um, no sir," Bartley shook his head. At least this he could answer, "The Emperor has been silent ever since Princess Euphemia's broadcast, even back in Pendragon."
"I see…" now it was Schneizel who was frowning. The fact that their father hadn't commented about either the broadcast or the SAZ was concerning. Perhaps Charles was thinking along the same lines? Wishing to hear Voltron's explanation before making a move? If there was one thing he and his father shared, it was their dislike of being uninformed. This could be the one chance they had to gain the information they needed.
Schneizel blinked as the image of that strange woman flashed through his mind for a moment. Despite his brother wearing his mask, it was clear that Lelouch didn't merely dislike that woman but was scared of her. Why else would have lashed out (with a lightning blast?!) the way he had and brought Euphemia with him?
In any case, Schneizel hoped that with this ceasefire order, he could finally, finally, get answers.
"And that's the plan we've come up with, should you both agree to assist us," Lelouch said, standing authoritatively in front of Cornelia and Nonette's cell. Behind him, Nunnally was seated in the hover chair with Arthur in her lap, along with Kallen, Allura, and Tohdoh. The ex-prince had just finished explaining the ceasefire that Euphemia ordered, along with the plans for the Special Administrative Zone of Japan back on Earth, and what they hoped to accomplish with this.
This was only the second time Lelouch had spoken to Cornelia since he and the other Paladins captured her. Despite what everyone was telling him when they talked with the older princess, Lelouch simply couldn't bring himself to face her yet. Even though, via his Geass, he learned that Cornelia had nothing to do with Marianne's assassination and had genuinely tried to find him and Nunnally during the war, that didn't fix the trust that had been shattered during that time nor erase the pain of the royal family's betrayal.
"I understand the need for cooperation, Lelouch," Cornelia finally spoke after a few moments of silence, "but surely you see how risky this plan is."
"No quiznack, what gave you that clue?" Kallen commented sarcastically.
"We know that," Lelouch admitted, "and even without your assistance, we still plan to carry it out, but if you two are willing to cooperate, not only can we likely rally more Britannians to our side, but also build some level of trust between the factions. We're going to need that in spades once the Galra arrive since everyone will be focused on one enemy."
"You do realize that will likely mean cooperating with the Emperor as well, correct?" Cornelia reminded her brother.
Lelouch clenched his fists, "If it means Earth's survival, I will force myself to work with the Emperor. Grudges and vengeance become petty in situations like this."
"And afterward?" Nonette asked, "You know that once the Galra are pushed back that His Majesty isn't likely to change. I learned that the hard way after all…"
Along with the plans for the SAZ, Nonette and Cornelia had also learned what happened to Rai, his sister, and his mother. How they were abducted and taken prisoner by Galran scouts, how Rai had been forced into the gladiator pits, and how he'd been forced to become a living test subject for Zarkon's second in command, who they had learned was named Haggar.
Nonette vowed that she ever saw Haggar face-to-face, she would kill that witch herself.
"If all goes according to plan, should your Emperor attempt such an act, we'll have enough support from your planet's other countries and factions to stop him," Allura said, "Hence why we must solidify a united front against the Galra, and put aside all prejudices before that occurs. This will mean nothing if your world reverts back to what it was before we got here."
"And as Lelouch stated before, the more members of the Royal Family we have on our side, the higher chances we have of gaining the support that the Emperor will lose," Tohdoh added.
Cornelia shared a look with Nonette, who was staring back at her expectantly. Nonette had made it clear that no matter what happened, her place she by Zephyr's side (she was still in shock about the fact that he was a member of the Royal Family and half Japanese). From the very second that Lelouch revealed himself to be Zero, and from what Nunnally told her shortly after, the princess had been thinking and pondering on how she could regain her brother's trust. Nunnally had made it clear that she didn't blame her for what happened during the war, which was a relief. Lelouch was a different story. Even as a young boy, Lelouch had shown that he wasn't one to forgive easily.
The fact that he was extending the closest thing to an olive branch was a miracle on its own.
"I failed you and Nunnally once, Lelouch…"
"I know," Lelouch answered bluntly. Nunnally glanced between her brother and sister anxiously.
"...But it won't happen again."
"Oh, here you are."
Chigusa jumped and nearly dropped the sprinkler she'd been using to water the plants in one of the greenhouses.
"Oh, sorry! Didn't mean to scare you!" Ohgi gasped, hands up.
"No, it's all right!" Chigusa gasped out a laugh before turning the sprinkler off, "I wasn't paying attention, is all."
Ohgi a little and looked around at the vegetables growing in the vertical trellises. He had to admit, Milly's idea to apply hydroponics to the ship's greenhouse was not only inventive but saved them resources too. All they needed was water and the nutrients the plants would need from the soil. It not only saved space but made growing food cleaner as well due to the lack of soil.
Tending the greenhouse seemed to quickly be becoming Chigusa's favorite job, and Ohgi was happy to see that she was adapting well.
However, despite this, there was still no sign of her memories returning. Ohgi knew that something like amnesia wasn't something that could be forced. They just needed to be patient. Of course, there was always the possibility that her memories didn't return. He honestly wasn't sure how he felt about that.
Plus, there was the stress about the SAZ. So far, nothing seemed to be going wrong, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Sure, they had Euphemia, Nunnally, Lelouch supporting this, but they were only three members (four if Cornelia of all people agreed to support it as well) of the Royal Family vs. the hundreds of other members, plus the Emperor.
"Is everything okay?" Chigusa asked, noticing his frown.
"Hmm? Oh, no, it's nothing important," Ohgi attempted to wave it off, but Chigusa was just as smart as her other identity.
"Are you worried about the zone?" Chigusa asked. It was hard to be in the castle right now and not know about it. It seemed to be the only thing the Black Knights were talking about.
Ohgi paused then sighed, "I-I don't know… I-I just can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. I know we've taken all the possible precautions, but…"
Chigusa frowned in concern, "Have you talked to Zero about it?"
Ohgi shook his head, "I don't have to. I can tell he feels the same way. I know this sounds bad, but when you think about it, the only reason we're doing this is because we don't have any other choice. Zero has always thought all of his plans through. So the fact that he's practically just winging this…"
Chigusa nodded, "Yes, I suppose that would make anyone nervous. But I'm sure once Earth understands what they're up against, they'll be more likely to cooperate. That's the whole point of this zone, right?"
"That's the idea," Ohgi confirmed, "but… there are people that just won't do that! People like-"
Ohgi stopped himself before he could finish.
"You mean people me?" Chigusa asked, looking down.
"Well, yes, but I mean like how you were like before. Not now!" Ohgi gasped.
"It's all right," Chigusa reassured him, "I understand. But… despite all of that, I can't help but be grateful to you."
"Grateful?" Ohgi asked, looking up in surprise.
Chigusa nodded, "I know I wasn't the best person before I came here. I was an enemy. But you still decided to take me in, to make me a part of all of this. It's like I've been given a second chance to be better. And I'll always be grateful for that."
Ohgi's look of surprise soon morphed into a smile. Her response surprised him, but upon hearing it, he felt a weight of his own lift off his shoulders.
"I'm glad to hear that. And if it means anything to you, I'll be more than happy to be there for you, memories or not."
Chigusa smiled back, "Thank you, Kaname."
It took another three days, but it was at last time. The area around the Special Administrative Zone was packed almost shoulder-to-shoulder with both Japanese and Britannians alike. Military personnel, including Guilford, Darlton, and his sons, on guard also stood on guard, Sutherlands, Gloucesters, and several specialized Knightmare units were present as well. High above in the sky, the Le Fey also floated above the zone.
For those who weren't there personally, everyone was tuned into radio, television, or any broadcast available in Japan, watching and listening. The E.U. and Chinese Federation were also watching, waiting with bated breath for the ceremony to start.
"We're bringing you live coverage from the stadium where the inaugural ceremony will be held for the Special Administrative Zone of Japan. The place is already packed full of Elevens… sorry, I mean Japanese. And those unable to get in are gathered outside the stadium."
"The question still remains, though. Will Zero and his forces truly make an appearance? While Princess Euphemia herself was the one to make this announcement, rumor has it that the princess hasn't been publicly seen for several days. Many are concerned that this ceasefire order is another ploy of the Black Knights… wait, what?"
There was a beat of silence as everyone listening to the broadcast held their breath.
"Oh! Okay-well, our satellites just picked activity in the atmosphere and-!"
A thunderous roar suddenly echoed around the stadium as large shadows fell upon the crowd. All chatter stopped as everyone looked to the sky with bated breath.
With a low sweep, the Black Lion whooshed around the stadium, wind picking flying in its wake. The silence was meet with screaming cheers as the six other lions followed, though none flew as low as the Black Lion. After several minutes of circling the sky, almost like hawks circling prey, the Black and Purple Lions finally descended, with the other five staying aloft in the air, directly above the arena, and to the south, east, north, and west.
The Sutherlands tensed as the Black and Purple Lions landed gracefully on the stage, tails lashing and eyes looming over the military units surrounding them, growling in clear warning. Then the Black Lion seemed to chuff before lowering its haunches and head toward the ground, the Purple Lion following suit.
The roars of the crowd only amplified as the 'Savior of Japan' himself, Zero, glided out of the Black Lion's mouth, helmet, cape, and all. From the other Lion, the pilot clad in his purple and white armor, helmet on and face shield darkened, also exited, only to pause and hold his hand out behind him.
To everyone's shock, Princess Euphemia was gently escorted out of the Purple Lion's mouth, and the Knight of Nine, Nonette Enneagram, exited right behind her.
What truly shocked the crowd, though, was the additional passenger that exited with Zero. It was none other than Cornelia li Britannia herself.
"Princess Cornelia!" Guilford gasped from within his Gloucester, nearly leaping from it to rush to her side. It was only Darlton's cautious but also shocked expression that stopped him.
The same shock was reflected on the Japanese citizens, as their cheers morphed into waves of confusion rippled through around.
A single wave of Zero's arm in front of the former viceroy silenced them.
"Enough!" the rebel's voice exclaimed in admonishment, "This day is not a day for violence or anything of the like. This is a day of cooperation and unity between Britannia and Japan that has been delayed for far too long!"
The crowd's cheers returned once again, even the voices of a few Britannians joining them this time.
Back on the Castle of Lions, now just above cloud cover above the planet. The Black Knights were all waiting anxiously in their newly operational Knightmare Frames, appropriately named Seishins. They were ready to soar out and attack at a moment's notice. From the bridge itself, Allura, Coran, and C.C. observed the ceremony from the screens.
"Are you sure letting Cornelia attend this ceremony personally was a wise move?" Allura inquired from her position at the teludav, frowning.
C.C. snorted, "Well, it's not like we didn't all agree to let her out in the first place. I do recall you were there for that."
Allura grimaced, but before she could make a snarky comment back, Coran spoke up.
"Lelouch and Nunnally are willing to trust her, Allura. And you know for a fact that Lelouch wouldn't have agreed to it if he didn't think it would work."
Allura sighed, "I understand. But…" the princess bit her lip, "...I can not help but feel like something is wrong."
Almost impulsively, Allura pulled up the commlinks connected to the Knightmare bay.
"Ohgi, Tohdoh, what's the status of our troops?"
"On standby, Princess," Ohgi answered.
"We're prepared to launch at any time," Tohdoh also confirmed.
Allura blew out a breath. At least they were ready. She just hoped the feeling of foreboding she felt was paranoia and worry for the Paladins down below.
"People of Japan! People of the world! Welcome to the Special Administrative Zone!" Euphemia greeted shortly after Zero's reprimand.
The crowd cheered once again, and Euphemia waited patiently for the noise to die down before continuing.
"Many obstacles have been overcome to bring this project to fruition, and I'd like to dedicate this zone not only to the Japanese people but also to the Paladins of Voltron, who, along with the Black Knights, have helped pave the way for this day to come to pass."
"However…" Euphemia's tone became solemn, which silenced the beginning of any further cheers, being replaced with murmurs of confusion, "...there is another reason I announced the opening of this Special Zone. It was to provide an opportunity to address the entire planet as a whole and deliver a message. A warning, to be exact. A warning that the entire world must heed!"
The crowd was now getting anxious, many gasping and some even inching towards the exits, as if expecting the Britannian soldiers to open fire on them at any moment. However, none of the Knightmares moved as the soldiers looked just as confused as the Japanese.
Euphemia handed the microphone to Zero, who addressed the masses once again.
"What Princess Euphemia speaks is true!" the rebel leader said, "As you all are well aware, Voltron's purpose is to stand against oppression and dominance, not just against Britannia, but any nation that uses their power unjustly. But there is another threat that is looming. A threat that not only you must be aware of, but every nation of this planet!"
The jumbotron at the top of the stage started to flicker.
"The footage you are about to see is real. They are no figment of one's imagination!"
From inside of Zerith, Rai was rapidly typing on a laptop he brought with him. He wasn't only uploading this to the jumbotron, though, but to every screen on planet Earth.
"Here we go," the Green Paladin muttered before pressing the 'enter' button.
On the jumbotron, recorded footage of hundreds of Galra ships invading on the Balmera they had invaded, and footage of Sendak's ship when they stayed on Arus when this whole crazy adventure first happened. There were several other clips that Rai managed to find through the few times he managed to hack into the Galra in some form or another.
"This is the Galra Empire," Zero said, pointing at the jumbotron's screen, "An alien regime hellbent on the domination of the known universe, with Darwinistic beliefs not too different from Britannia. Their technology is far more advanced than anything Earth has ever developed, and with the way the planet stands now, in such a divided state, our world will not stand a chance against such a brutal force."
This time, it wasn't just the Japanese people who were gasping and even screaming in shock. Several members of the Britannian military had similar expressions. Some even dropped their guns in shock.
Even Darlton and Guilford were speechless and pale, the latter looking towards Cornelia, who nodded.
"My god…" Darlton muttered, "That's what they've been up against?" If Voltron, a force that Britannia was lucky to come out of in one piece of, was struggling against this regime, then what chance did Britannia have?
"But that is why Voltron is here," Euphemia spoke again, "to protect all the people of Earth, regardless of their differences. The Paladins of Voltron are no different from any of us."
The screen shifted again, and low and behold, Milly's bright blonde hair filled the screen.
"This thing on…? Yep, the red light means 'on.' Okay, hello everybody or any alien lifeform that finds this video in the future!" the Yellow Paladin grinned, waving at the camera, "This is Milly Ashford, Paladin of the Yellow Lion of Voltron, or Maeraka as I like to call her!"
From the other side of the settlement, Ruben Ashford felt his pen slip from his fingers as his granddaughter's face lit up the screen.
"Anyway, as you can see," Milly grabbed the camera (or whatever the device was). She spun around with it, showing the inside of one of the Castleship's lounges, "I am not at Ashford academy, and it certainly doesn't look like I'm even on Earth. That's because I'm not. Long story short, my friends and I got kidnapped by a magic blue lion and shipped off into this awesome spaceship! With real aliens too! Crazy, right?! Anyway, just letting everyone know that I'm fine and we're hoping to be back home soon once we take care of the Galra Empire. Wish us luck!"
The video fizzled for a few moments before clearing up again. This time it was Rivalz on the screen.
"Hi! It's Rivalz Cardemonde, Paladin of Polaris, the Blue Lion. Hi, Mom, hi, Amelia. Isla. Ava. Little Josh. I'm here in outer space somewhere. I, um, uh, don't really know what to say. Uh, I miss you guys. I miss you guys a lot. I-I know you'll have a lot of questions, but… I'm doing what I think is right, and… yeah, that's about it. Anyway, I hope you're staying safe, and I'll hopefully be back soon. I love you guys."
"...MOM!" a shrill voice rang through the Cardemonde manor.
The next face to appear on the screen was Shirley. The Orange Paladin bit her lip and twirled a piece of her hair.
"Um, hi. I'm Shirley Fenette, the Paladin of the Orange Lion, Zinnia. Mom, Dad, if you ever see this…' the Orange Paladin paused, eyes getting misty, "Just know I love you and I'm thinking about you and I hope I can see you again soon… whenever that is anyway."
Aurora Fenette gasped, her hand flying to her mouth at the sight of her daughter on the screen. Joseph Fenette could only stare in shock before his wife lunged at him, sobbing into his neck.
"...I'm Kallen. Kallen Kozuki," the Red Paladin said bluntly when her video finally popped up, "Paladin of Aka, the Red Lion...what? You know I'm bad at this sort of stuff!" she snapped at someone behind the camera before sighing. "Okay, as everyone can guess from the last name, I'm half-Japanese, surprise, surprise. Anyway… mom, I'm so sorry I left without saying goodbye. I think of you and Naoto every day. I'm here to finish the fight that he helped to start."
As the last recording switched off (Rai didn't make one as he didn't have family on Earth and the Royal Family didn't know about him), the Purple Paladin stepped forward. Most of the crowd was already shocked to see the faces of the Ashford students that went missing months prior, but it was nothing compared to their reaction as Suzaku slowly removed his helmet.
More gasps filled the stadium, and there were even shouts of protest from several people both in the audience and but more so among the Britannian troops. And while they weren't among those protesting, Guilford and Dalton both shared faces of shock as well.
"All of you be silent!" Cornelia suddenly snapped towards the Britannian soldiers. This shut them up immediately. Even the Japanese ceased speaking, though it was clear the order wasn't directed at them. "I will not condone any form of violence here! You just witnessed proof of a formidable threat, and you're concerned about a soldier's blood?"
This admonishment seemed to pacify the Britannians, but the Japanese were staring at the princess in amazement. This woman, who was known as the Goddess of Victory and had shown little mercy or tolerance for 'Elevens' in the past, was now defending them. They weren't sure if this behavior was due to Princess Euphemia's presence or not, but Suzaku took this opportunity to finally speak.
"Yes, I know, I am Suzaku Kurugui, and up until recently, I was also a soldier in their military. An Honorary Britannian like many others here. When I became a soldier, I believed that if I worked hard enough, if I rose high enough in the ranks, I could help change the system, change Britannia from the inside. I hoped to try and use Voltron for the same purpose. But… I can't do it. Not alone, anyway."
Next to him, he felt Euphemia grasp his hand and squeeze it. She then addressed the crowd once again.
"And right now, we need that change more than ever. I know that our empire has committed countless crimes and atrocities, not just to Japan. And I swear to you, we will take full responsibility and do everything we can to make amends. But we can no longer be consumed by our differences."
Zero stepped forward next to the princess, "Now is the time for us to come together. Race, gender, religion, ideology, none of that matters anymore. We must be united under one cause! I implore the people of Earth: Stand alongside Voltron! The Black Knights already stand with us, as do many members of the Royal Family!"
From behind Zero, Zenobia lowered her head again, and from her mouth, another person glided out.
Nunnally, her eyes wide open, rolled up to Zero on her hoverchair and, to the amazement of everyone, stood up, though still wobbling as Zero steadied his sister.
Seeing the lost princess was shocking enough, but seeing the disabled girl now standing on her own two legs nearly sent everyone into a frenzy again.
"Zero and the Paladins helped to restore what was lost to me, and they can do that for everyone on Earth!" she exclaimed.
Next to her, Cornelia walked beside her, grasping her other hand, with Nonette coming up next to the former viceroy. To Zero's left, Euphemia held his open hand, with Suzaku still standing next to her.
"From this day forward... Voltron and Earth... STAND TOGETHER!" Zero proclaimed, raising his hands high, those with him doing the same. This earned cheers from the gathered Japanese, who became encouraged by his words and began to chant.
"VOLTRON!"
"VOLTRON!"
"VOLTRON!"
From above the arena, each of the Paladins was grinning.
"Paladins!" Coran's voice exclaimed over the commlinks.
"What's up, Coran?" Rivalz asked.
"Responses are coming in from all over the planet. They've heard us and are offering support!"
"YES!" Milly cheered, fist-pumping in her seat.
"We did it…!" Shirley exclaimed, tears gathering in her eyes.
Then, the screen on the jumbotron abruptly flickered, drawing the attention of everyone.
"Huh?" Rai gasped from his computer as the system he was working through was swiftly hacked into from another source.
"Rai, what's going on with the signal?" Zero demanded from below.
"I don't know!" the Green Paladin gasped, "Someone's hacking in! They're completely taking me over!"
"What? But who could possibly-" Allura gasped from the castle.
"I don't know!" Rai exclaimed in frustration. Looking closer at the code streaming onto his laptop, he suddenly gasped, "Wherever this signal is coming from, it's not coming from Earth!"
"...But, that could only mean-" Zero's thoughts were interrupted when the screen's image finally cleared. What were once cheers of triumph were transforming into gasps of horror once more as Charles zi Britannia's face glowered on the screen.
"A stirring performance, Zero," the Emperor boomed on the jumbotron.
"Father?!" Euphemia gasped, eyes wide with fear, while Suzaku and Nonette glared angrily at the monarch on screen. Instinctively, Zero pulled Nunnally towards him while Cornelia placed herself in front of the vi Britannia siblings, eyes narrowed at the man whose blood they shared.
"It amuses me how you and my foolish daughter continue to spew these ideals, such as unity. You must think that such counsel is wise. But this is nothing but a folly! Such terms as responsibility and peace are nothing but an illusion. Lies created by a childish and naive fantasy!"
"How dare you!" Nonette gasped, but the Emperor drowned out her voice.
"You wish to truly speak of responsibility? Our beloved Britannia has nothing to be responsible for! Our methods are our divine right! Any talk of change is preposterous!"
Suzaku didn't say anything, but he could tell that jab was likely exclusively targeted at him.
"I am pleased that I can finally put faces and names on you so-called 'Paladins,'" the Emperor then sneered, "Now I know who to mark as true traitors of the empire, along with you and everyone else on that stage with you!"
This declaration was met with shouts of protest and shock. Darlton and Guilford looked the most shell-shocked.
"He can't be serious!" Guilford gasped.
"The Emperor's gone mad!" Darlton added.
"Why must Britannia ally itself with that wretched abomination, Voltron, when we have gained an even greater ally?"
Allura, Coran, and C.C. were also watching and listening to the Emperor's speech from the inside of the castle. The Altean Princess was practically seething. Was this man truly that stubborn and shameless? Why did he refuse to see reason when they were extending a hand for an alliance.
The Emperor's last words, though, did catch them off guard, especially C.C. The immortal was shocked and confused as well at Charles's behavior.
'What the hell are you thinking, Charles?!' she thought, 'Making this proclamation will only turn the whole world against you and Britannia! Why would you make such a move if you still wish for Ragnarok to succeed?'
Red warning lights began to blare all over the bridge and throughout the castle. The Black Knights, still on standby in the launch bay, looked around in bewilderment.
"Princess, what's going on?!" Tohdoh demanded through his radio.
"We're not sure-"
"Allura!" Coran gasped, face paling as he turned to the main scanners, "The castle's picking up multiple vessels entering the atmosphere!"
"Pull it on screen!" the princess commanded.
As the castle pulled up its outer surveillance cameras, Allura's blood ran cold. C.C. and Coran also watched in equal horror.
One after another, Galra warships and fleets closed in, surrounding planet Earth.
"No…"
"No…!" Zero gasped as he looked to the sky and saw the same warships descending from space.
Everyone, Paladin, Japanese, Britannian, every citizen of Earth was frozen in terror as the very threat they had been warned of moments of ago came into visibility.
"From this point onward, Britannia stands not as an ally to Voltron, but as their enemy! And our new Galran allies have graciously offered their support in our crusade!"
"WHAT?!" Suzaku shouted, eyes wide and staring at the Emperor, who he could only think was outright insane!
From within the Viceroy's Palace, Schneizel el Britannia felt himself shaking as he witnessed the events unfold in front of him.
"Father, what madness is this?!"
"He…" Lelouch could barely get the words out of his mouth, "He's actually… joined them…?!"
"If you wish for Earth to stand with you, Zero, then you must fight us for it!" Charles challenged, a broad grin on his face, "Will you and your precious friends save this planet or destroy it?! Time to learn the gambles of war! ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!"
Having heard the final declaration from the nation's monarch, Commander Corza looked over her own forces. Forces that the Emperor had personally requested to oversee this… union.
She sneered at the choice of word, but she was an old Galra, and she knew her emperor well. The only reason he agreed to such an act was because it was more beneficial to proceed down this route. Had Haggar not established contact between this planet's hierarchy and Zarkon, they could have easily rained death and fire upon these lesser lifeforms and took the planet for themselves.
'Oh well,' she shrugged aloofly. The long game was sometimes necessary.
"Commander Corza," a robotic voice rang over the speakers, "all vessels are locked on."
The commander smiled. Let the fun begin.
"Open fire!"
Like wasps swarming from their nests, hundreds of Galra cruisers and fighters shrieked across the sky towards the SAZ. One that appeared to be faster than the rest swooped down and blasted rapidly into the center of the stadium.
Screams of terror and pain erupted as the ground exploded from the blasts.
For a moment, time seemed to stand still. For the Paladins, the Japanese citizens, and several Britannians.
Then all hell broke loose as the Japanese panicked and began to run for the stadium's exits, only for many more to be blown away by more blasts from above.
This seemed to snap Zero from his horrified trance, and he leaped into action.
"Paladins!" he all but screamed into the comm in his helmet, "Defend the zone! Take down any Galran ship that you see! NOW!"
He barely heard the acknowledgment from his teammates as the Orange, Blue, Yellow, Green, and Red all roared in unison and rocketed up into the sky. It didn't take long for blue lasers and balls of fire to mix in with the purple, black, and red of the Galran attacks and debris.
"Lelouch!" Nunnally gasps, eyes large and panicked, clinging to her brother like a lifeline.
"We've got to ge-"
Before Lelouch could finish his sentence, he froze, along with Nunnally, Suzaku, Cornelia, Nonette, and Euphemia. It was like someone had hit the pause button on a movie screen.
Off to the side of the stage, a short, hooded figure crouched down, raising a pistol towards the group.
"Targets sighted," he said almost monotonously, his light violet eyes barely showing emotion at all.
His finger pulled down on the trigger.
BANG!
Blood spurted from Princess Euphemia's chest, but she made no move fall from the bullet's impact.
"First target eliminated…" the assassin confirmed before pointed his gun at his second victim, "and second tar-"
Yoru's eyes suddenly sparked to life, and the Purple Lion's head whipped towards the boy's direct, a malicious growl verberating from his maw. With a livid sounding roar, the lion lifted its paw and slammed down mere inches away from the boy's body.
With a grunt, the assassin landed with a gasp on his back, hood flying off his head, revealing light brunette locks and honey peach skin, the wind rushing from his lungs from the impact. He had managed to move out of the way in time before the paw crushed him, but his shock at the lion's sudden movement nearly cost him his life!
Despite this setback, though, he still had a mission, and he attempted to re-aim his gun at Nunnally's vulnerable head.
Then with a mighty leap that shook the ground, the Black Lion leaped into the air and landed directly in front of the adolescent gunman.
The young couldn't stop the scream of fright as Zenobia roared in his face, nearly shattering his eardrums. The lion then raised her tail, the end lighting up with intense blue light.
Any further coherent thoughts vanished as all, but primal instinct replaced the boy's mind as he immediately turned and ran for his life, his Geass flashing reactively as he felt himself be thrown backward from the force of Zenobia's tail laser obliterating the ground where he had been not two seconds previously.
Scrambling to his feet, the Geass assassin disappeared into the crowd of panicking Japanese citizens.
With a stumble, Lelouch regained his senses, Zenobia's roar still ringing in his ears, both mentally and literally.
"Wha-"
"EUPHIE!" The raw, anguished cry of his older sister caused Lelouch to whip around and gasp terror as he saw the princess lying in a pool of blood beneath her.
"NO!" Suzaku screamed, dropping to his knees and skidding to her side.
From the amount of blood already there, Lelouch could tell that Euphemia didn't have long.
Unless…
"Suzaku, get her back to the castle now!" Lelouch ordered desperately.
The Purple Paladins seemed to have the same idea, as he was already scooping Euphemia into his arms and sprinting towards Yoru's open mouth. The lion swallowed her Paladin and his injured cargo up before he was even inside her mouth and shot up into the sky.
"Nelly!" Nonette cried out before tackling the former viceroy to the ground as a round of bullets suddenly rained down on the stage. Lelouch did the same for Nunnally, shielding his sister, his armored back taking the brunt of several bullets.
But just as quickly, the quartet heard the sound of bullets again, but this time being fired away from them.
Looking up, Cornelia gasped to see several Gloucesters, her unit's Gloucesters, firing rapidly back at both Sutherlands and Galra fighters that flew close enough to the ground.
"Princess Cornelia! You must flee now!" Guilford's voice shouted from the cockpit of his Knightmare.
The princess in question stared in shock for a moment before speaking. "Why are you helping me?! You heard your emperor! I'm a traitor!"
"No!" the knight argued back, fervently, "The Emperor's the traitor here! Not you!"
"Our loyalty is to you, and you alone, Princess! Whoever that madman was, he was not the Emperor that leads our people!" Darlton added from his own Knightmare. Close by, the group noticed the specialized Knightmares of the Glaston Knights close by, also firing towards the sky and surrounding their father and the stage.
"...I thank you," Cornelia said softly, "All of you!"
"Lelouch!" Nonette exclaimed, "Get Nunnally out of here! We'll rally the troops down here and form a front here on the ground!"
The sky suddenly flashed with two large laser blasts, melting away several Galran fighters at once. As the smoke cleared, the Le Fey emerged, cannons and other artillery at the ready.
"Hm, an alien invasion," Lloyd Asplund said casually as if he was strolling through a peaceful park, "I'd say I'm surprised, but I'd be lying."
"What Lloyd means to say," Cecile's more frantic voice interrupted from the vessel's speakers, "is that we're in this fight too! We'll provide air support where we can!"
"But… you'll be slaughtered!" Lelouch exclaimed.
The Black Paladin then gasped as Cornelia approached and grasped his shoulders. At that moment, he didn't see the Goddess of Victory, the Witch of Britannia, not even the Second Princess of Britannia. He just saw Cornelia. His sister. His beloved older sibling, he once thought was gone forever.
"I'll be fine, Lelouch. Go, help your friends. Get Nunnally away from here," she said calmly but firmly, meeting his eye through his mask.
Lelouch finally nodded after a few seconds.
"Be careful," was all he said before turning to Nunnally.
"Let's go Nunnally!" he said urgently, gently grasping her forearm and running towards Zen.
"R-Right!" his younger sister gasped, nearly tripping over her feet. With a squeak, she soon found herself scooped into her brother's arms, one of his hands shielding her head as he darted into the Black Lion's mouth. After gently placing her back in the hover chair, now connected to the floor of the cockpit, Lelouch flung himself into his seat.
"Zen, let's go!" he shouted, and with a furious roar, the Black Lion pounced and shot into the sky.
Kallen screamed out a battle cry as Aka flung her jaw blade out. It ripped through several fighters, which exploded seconds later.
Corkscrewing around each other, Polaris with her sonic cannon active, and Maeraka's light bombs flashing, several Galrans suddenly either lost control of their vessels or were blinded enough that they ended up running head-on into other ships.
"This can't be happening… There's just no way!" Shirley muttered as she rammed into a cluster of v-formation ships.
"Well, I mean, I knew there was always the risk of this scenario, but…" Rivalz exclaimed almost hysterically.
"Guys, focus!" Rai snapped, Zerith blocking a barrage of lasers heading for Aka just in time, "If we get distracted, more people are going to die!"
Before anyone could respond, a large form shrieked past them, beelining towards the castle.
"What the-was that Yoru?!" Milly gasped.
"What's Suzaku doing?!" Rivalz gasped.
"Don't worry about him!" Lelouch ordered as Zenobia sliced through multiple ships, fires illuminating the lion's form behind her, "Rai's right! Focus on the enemy in front of you if you want to survive!"
"Lelouch, is Nunnally with you?" Kallen asked urgently.
"Yes, she's fine. We both are. Euphemia though… Suzaku's rushing her to the infirmary."
"What?!" Shirley gasped, "What happened?!"
Lelouch grit his teeth, "Someone-no, the Emperor tried to kill her…"
Seeing the Purple Lion returning to the castle, Allura, Coran, and C.C. raced to the lion's hanger. Shortly after the Emperor's announcement ended, the castle's link was cut. They only had access to the lion's commlinks but had no clue about the specifics that just transpired.
Nearly crashing onto the platform, Yoru screeched to a halt, not even stopping fully before lowering her mouth.
What came out had Allura gasping, hands flying to mouth. C.C. also froze.
"Oh, Alaaran…" Coran whispered as Suzaku held a blood-soaked Euphemia in his arms, his pristine white armor smeared crimson.
"Please! You have to save Euphie!" Suzaku gasped, his eyes wild, "Do something! You mustn't let her die!"
"Coran, prep a cryopod, now!" Allura frantically.
"Right away!" the advisor yelped before sprinting out of the hangar towards the infirmary.
With assistance from Guilford and Darlton, both Nonette and Cornelia managed to procure Gloucesters, both of which had float systems, for themselves. As they soared through the sky, staying close to the Le Fey, the princess saw that not only were the Galra fighters firing at the Japanese and other humans in their path, but several Sutherlands were also firing upon the people.
"What?!" she gasped. That couldn't be right! Euphemia had ordered those soldiers not to attack the Japanese.
Unless…
"You!" she shouted, accessing an open channel to the Sutherlands, "What the hell are you doing?!"
"I don't see why a traitor should be concerned with these matters any longer!" came the response from the commanding officer of the units below.
Gritting her teeth, Cornelia didn't back down. "You were given strict orders before we were announced as traitors not to harm these people!"
"Apologies, Cornelia," the officer sneered, "But any orders from the Emperor trump those of any lowly princess!"
Now, everyone knew that Cornelia li Britannia had a temper, so if you wished to survive around her, it was best you didn't provoke it. However, if there was one thing that would instantly earn you her wrath, it was speaking ill in any way towards her sister.
Cornelia dove towards the massacre with a roar of challenge, Nonette and the rest of her faithful knights right behind her.
"No!" Rai gasped as he and the rest of the Paladins also witnessed a large number of Britannian forces turning on the Japanese. Bodies of men, women, and children were strewn everywhere, and neither the Britannians nor the Galra showed any signs of stopping.
"Why…?" Shirley cried, tears running down her cheeks.
"Even our own home?!" Rivalz uttered, eyes shaking.
Milly could only bow her head, feeling absolutely helpless.
"Lelouch, we need help!" Kallen shouted. Aka's head turned towards their leader.
"Yes…" Lelouch nodded, barely containing his own emotions of grief and anger. He promptly contacted the castle, accessing the channel that would speak from every point and room on the Castle of Lions.
"This is my order to all Black Knights!" he exclaimed, "Charles zi Britannia is now officially our enemy! The coward has sided with the Galra and openly declared anyone who sides with us as traitors, even fellow Britannians! All Black Knights and Paladins, wage an attack now! Wipe out all Galra and Britannian forces! Save the people! Hurry!"
AN: First of all, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, and I hope everyone is staying safe out there during this season!
So, it's finally happened. The Galra have made it to Earth and have allied with Britannia. What exactly is Charles thinking?! Well, we may be finding out very soon!
I did struggle writing this chapter a little bit. The part with the video clips featuring the Paladins I believe I rewrote five times before calling it good, so I apologize if some parts sound a little awkward.
Next chapter, we'll be seeing the new Knightmares in action as the Black Knights officially join the fight against the Galra. I'm super excited to write this part, so look forward to it too!
A little trivia, I came up with the idea for the aquaponics greenhouse from Disneyworld's Epcot and their greenhouses that use the same methods. Look it up, it's pretty cool stuff!
R&R, update the tropes page, and I wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR!
