Hey! It's been too long! I know I've been doing WAY too much with my free time, but rest assured I have not given up on this story! Truthfully, this chapter is not my favorite, but I found it necessary to get through. So, if this for any reason is a low point in this story...I promise the next chapter will be more exciting. I know, I'm not selling this very well, am I? Oh well, let's get this over with, and let's do our best to have some fun!
Peter pulled up to the side of the dirt road; he couldn't afford to get too close to his quarry, not just yet. He quickly observed the area before him. "Pretty desolate. Can't hide in something out in the open. But if you did, it would be a brilliant hiding spot." Quickly, he fetched his binoculars and got out of the car. Running up the hill, he settled upon the top and lay as flat as possible, observing the car he had been following "Let's see...ah. There you are." The car pulled up to a stop somewhere in the old train station. Suddenly, a young boy held them up at gunpoint. Despite this, the driver, the girl, was completely unafraid of him. She got out, not even bothering to hold her hands up. Then, her passenger got out of the car. What Peter saw made his eyes widen. The man he focused on wore a normal business suit from the neck down, but that helmet... "Zero?" Anyone can put on a helmet, he told himself. But if they were dressed up as Zero...they must have meant serious business. "I better get to the bottom of this..."
"Z-Zero?" Hamasaki stammered.
"Yes." "Zero" replied. "It is I. And I have important business with your master."
Hamasaki hesitated. At first, he lowered his weapon, believing him to be the real deal, only to bring it back up again a second later. "No! For all I know, you could be a fake!"
"A very wise instinct. But I can assure you, I am the real deal." Zero said, no apparent fear for the firearm in front of him.
"Oh yeah? Prove it." Hamasaki demanded.
"That won't be a concern of yours. It will be your master's." A slot on the left side of the mask flew open, revealing his geass. "Lead me to your master, and do not interfere until our business is concluded!"
The boy's eyes glowed the faint red, as he relaxed. "Follow me." He holstered his weapon, and walked towards the empty station, the two following him.
Inside the locker room, Shiro picked out the locker at the end of the hall. Using a combination, the entire locker suddenly disconnected from the wall like a door. "8, 10, 3" CC said. "Kaguya's birthday, I believe."
Zero nodded. "Looks like we really found her." The locker gave way to reveal an elevator door. "Underground. Interesting." Zero commented. Hamasaki pressed the button, and the elevator doors opened up. All three stepped inside as their escort typed in another code inside. "Down we go." Lelouch thought as the doors closed on them.
Kallen quickly jogged up the hill as she followed the instructions given to her. Eventually, she reached the top, looking down the ruins of an old train station. She quickly did a double take on the address given to her. "There's no mistake; this is it."
Steadily, she made her way down and looked at the building. "It's so run down; even if this is a good place to hide, it's not a good place to live." She slowly walked around, making sure she did not miss a thing. Upon making her way down to the deck, her ankle tugged at a wire. A mine jumped right in front of her; for most people, that would have been the end of them. But Kallen turned to the side and kicked it away at seemingly superhuman speed. The mine harmlessly fell across the gravel. "A dud." Kallen looked around her. "Either the security around here is out of date and in need of a serious upgrade...or this isn't security at all."
She finally walked up onto the deck, hoping to see signs of life. "Saw what you did to our fake mine; well done." A digitized voice said. Kallen looked around for the speakers. "To your left." Kallen did so, and saw the faint outline of a camera lens embedded into the wall. "We got that rigged up for you personally. The real security is somewhere inside. On another note, our informant told us you had great physicality. So far, you've impressed me."
"And trust me, you haven't seen even a tenth of what I'm capable of." Kallen replied. Whether she was bragging or acting defensively she could not say.
"Then I'm even looking more forward to the real test now. Tell me, do you have a gun?"
"No. Couldn't bring one with me when I got here."
"Interesting. Well, we've come prepared for that." A compartment to the right of the lens opened up. Kallen hesitantly reached inside, holding a modern pistol in her hands. "That thing has 12 rounds inside. And you're going to have to make each round count if you're to survive the evaluation."
"Sounds extreme. I can see why no one's found you yet." Kallen commented. She checked the magazine to be sure they weren't lying, and holstered it to her belt. "I'm ready."
"Go inside. In the middle, you will see a yellow circle. Stand in the center, please." Kallen approached the area surrounded by yellow tape, and did as she was told. "Good luck."
The center was revealed to be an elevator, as Kallen descended down with it seemingly underground.
Down below, a door opened, revealing Zero and CC. Hamasaki escorted both of them out. The room, however, was vacant. Zero was tempted to say "Hello?" but ultimately chose not too; that would break character. So, instead, both chose to wait patiently.
They were rewarded with a greeting on the other end, wherever that may have been. "Well, if it isn't the mighty Zero. Or, so it seems."
"It seems you have doubts to my identity. I understand; after all, anyone can put on a mask like this." Zero motioned.
"Indeed. Although, if you found this place, I am cautiously optimistic about your identity."
"I shall reward your optimism, if you'll let me."
"I wish it were that simple. But, you must be tested."
"What shall it be then? A duel to the death?"
"Now that would be stupid. I never knew you to be the fighting type. But...if you want to go that direction, I can arrange it. Do you accept?"
He was met with silence. "No thank you." Zero finally replied. "If you have another test in mind, I'm sure it would be quite appropriate."
"I thought so. You were known for your brilliant mind and miracles. I wish to see that duplicated here tonight."
"Very well, then. I accept your challenge." Of course Lelouch was still nervous. But, oddly enough, he was looking forward to it; Zero or not, he could never resist a challenge of the mind.
"Very well then. But be warned: should you prove unworthy, I may have to dispose of you here and now."
"It won't come to that. You have my word."
"I'll hold you to it. Shall we begin?" A door swished open, and Zero entered inside. "What you see before you is not a hall, it's a maze. And you must reach the exit."
"I see. I suppose it's doable. But I doubt it's that simple. What's the catch?"
"You'll have to find out for yourself. Now, I'd hurry along if I were you. While you don't have a strict time limit per say...if you're not making any progress..."
"Understood. C2; do you have anything we can use as markers?" he asked his female companion.
"I brought some cookies." she said.
Zero only stared at her for a good minute. "Cookies?"
"I can break them up and use them to make a trail."
"You never heard of the tale of Hansel and Gretel, have you?" Zero sighed.
"Do you see any animals here? I think they're perfectly usable indoors." she quipped.
"It will have to do." Zero agreed. As they entered, Zero pointed to the left. "Shall we go this way?"
"Interesting. What has your intellect found?" CC asked sarcastically.
"It's just a guess." Zero replied nonchalantly. "All mazes begin based on guesswork. Let's see where this takes us."
They did so, and came upon what seemed to be the exit sign. "Wow. That was easy." CC said.
"Yes." Zero agreed." Too easy. If this is a test of intellect, than I suppose a lucky four-year old can wear the mask of Zero. Come on; I've got a bad feeling from that door. We'll find another way."
After another guess, the duo encountered another dead end, if another exit door could count as such. "Either the designers here were embarrassingly lazy, they do not have a high opinion on Zero...or, as I suspect, these exit doors are a death trap to those too stupid to take the easy way out." The pair went back and decided to explore some more. Zero noticed how the walls seemed to curve back into the maze.
"Interesting. I suspect it's not a square maze." "Excuse me." he called towards their observer. "May I ask for a hint?"
The man on the other end laughed. "Well, I never suspected the great Zero would ask for help! But...it's not strictly against the rules set up. Okay then. What do you need?"
"I know this isn't a square nor circular maze." Zero said. "I just want to know the shape; you don't even have to show me the walls."
The man on the other end chuckled. "Okay then. If you would direct your attention up towards the ceiling."
The duo did so as an image became apparent. It was a shape Zero and the other Black Knights were very familiar with. "Japan." Zero murmured. "The maze is based on the shape of the islands of Japan."
"It makes perfect sense." CC agreed. "But it doesn't tell us where to go."
"I have an idea." Zero said. "Every dead end was an exit sign and represented an actual shoreline in Japan. So, we don't have to navigate towards any one side. The true exit is somewhere inside the maze. Do you have a pen and paper by any chance?" CC fumbled about in her purse and handed him one. "Thank you." Zero drew a crude version of Japan, and outlined it's most famous cities before their take over. "Okay then. I suspect that the true exit lies where their greatest cities would be. CC, what places do you believe would mean the most to Kaguya?"
CC looked it over. "It would either be Tokyo or Kyoto. Tokyo was the country's capital before it was taken over. That would hold importance. But...Kyoto was her birthplace."
"So...practicality over sentimental value. Which should we choose?" After thinking it over for a minute, Zero handed the paper over to CC. "Let's go for Kyoto."
"Any particular reason?"
"Kaguya may be an important political figure, but she's still young. She's more likely to have a soft-spot for her birthplace."
The two navigated the maze, keeping track of where they were going. They ran into a few more exit signs, but took none of them. Finally, after at least a good 20 minutes, they reached where Kyoto should be. "There's nothing here." CC noted.
"Nothing readily apparent anyway." Zero agreed. "I wonder..." He stepped forward into the middle of the floor. Then, a green circle lit up beneath his feet.
"Congratulations." the man said over the speaker. "You made it."
"If I may ask, what would have happened if I took the exit signs?"
"Well, in taking such an easy way out, we'd have to assume you're not the real Zero. And upon opening any of the exit signs, you would have triggered a high level explosive and be sent to heaven...or hell."
Zero sighed. "This is a game of the mind where I cannot afford to get careless."
"Well, little miss. I suggest you join your master. We're about to proceed to the next level."
CC heeded his request and stood next to Zero. "Going down I suppose?" Instead, a portion of the ceiling opened up into a circle as the platform beneath them ascended. "You are just full of surprises, aren't you?" CC asked as they were taken up.
Kallen walked with the lightest footsteps possible down the corridor, gun next to her face should she have to shoot. She kept eying every direction, finding nothing in the way of danger. "Are they just planning to keep me tense forever?"
It seemed not; for with her next step, the floor suddenly angled down and Kallen found herself slipping with it. "Whoa!" Kallen managed to jump up and hold herself between the walls with a split. "Score one for great reflexes...and the foresight to wear jeans." Quickly looking for a way out, she saw a vent next to her. "I probably shouldn't...but..." Kallen aimed the gun and shot out the grate's screws, the piece of metal falling to the ground. Seeing an opening, she reached for the vent and hauled herself inside. Thankfully, the vent was fairly wide, so she had no problem crawling through the space. What worried her was that something she would not like waited on the other side.
It seemed it would not matter, as the vent suddenly tilted downward as well, sending her sliding. "Oh no!" Kallen braced herself for impact as she hit a hard floor. Her arms stopped any nasty marks from forming on her head, but they still stung. "Ow..." she moaned as she shook them hard.
She tried to get her bearings straight, but then caught two projectiles coming at her from her peripherals. Quickly, she raised her pistol and fired, shattering one of the objects, but she could not pull the trigger in time for the next. Quickly, she grabbed it with her bare hand, preventing it from reaching her body and threw it on the ground. That was when Kallen noticed her hand was bleeding. "Shit!"She tore the bottom of her t-shirt off, exposing her belly button and using the fabric to bandage her hand. It didn't look too bad; a slight scratch, but she reminded herself she would need to have a doctor check it out soon, just in case.
She decided to move on, seeing as it was quiet. At the end of the hall, a door appeared. Kallen was about to head that way, but stopped herself. "Something's not right." Kallen aimed the gun at the door, and fired. Quickly, she rolled away simultaneously as the door exploded.
"Very good." the voice above said. "Never take the route that is too easy."
"I take it not many make it this far." Kallen said dryly.
"Truth be told...this is the first time we needed to make a test like this."
"WHAT!?"
"After hearing about your physical prowess, we designed this especially for you, to see just how good you were."
"I'd be flattered if you weren't trying your hardest to kill me."
"That's why it's called a test." A door to her right suddenly opened. "Here's the real path. Entering won't kill you...not directly anyway." Kallen cautiously entered...
Peter cautiously approached the place, making sure he wasn't spotted. "If Zero is here, this could mean something big." While duty was the motivating factor in his job, other aspirations began to take hold as well. "If I capture Zero, I can kiss this shit-hole of an island good-bye. Perhaps even this shitty career; ain't nothing like the movies." If he had kids, he would be sure to tell them not to take the movies of Sean Brosman or Daniel Moore as truth.
Scanning the building, he saw no visible signs of surveillance. But of course, if this was some kind of secret headquarters, that was exactly what they would want outsiders to think. He dug into his pocket and produced a small ball with blue indentations on it. He rolled it across the ground, and then the spots began to pulsate light. The indentations extended, giving it a blunt spike like appearance. Then, the blinking stopped. Though nothing visible could be seen, the ball was in fact a device that unleashed an EMP, disabling anything electronic within two miles. It would only last a few minutes, but hopefully that was all Peter needed.
Peter quickly sprinted inside, not wasting anytime. He made his way inside the locker room, looking around desperately. "Shit. No visible signs." He then noticed a foot print in a dust covered floor. It was not his, and was heading for the wall to his right. "I wonder..."
Quickly, he ran straight for the wall, knocking on it. It was an old technique to check for hallow spaces; it didn't always work, especially with modern architecture, but should still be usable on buildings decades old. "I think I've got it." he thought as he felt the sound change in a specific location. Remembering that he was running out of time, he pressed his ear against the locker and twisted the lock, listening for the clicking noise to signify the correct number with each turn. After the third click, he pulled the door open, and helped himself inside.
Zero and CC waited patiently in the elevator. It was strange, but it seemed like the power cut off. The platform stopped moving and it was pitch black "Hello?" Zero asked. There was no response.
"Power outage. It sometimes happens when you have to rely on sources other than the grid. It'll get back on; I'm sure." CC assured him.
Finally, the lights reappeared. "Sorry about that." the voice said again. "We had some power outage. That usually never happens."
"Usually?" Zero asked.
"I'll send someone to investigate the cause right now. In the meantime, I suggest you continue on with your task."
"Okay."
The man speaking into the microphone, meanwhile, observed the cameras as they came back online. "So far, so..." He then noticed the elevator moving. "Wait a minute..." Looking through the surveillance cam, he noticed a strange man was hot wiring the circuitry, bringing the elevator down. "Someone's breaking in!"
He pushed the comm. "Attention, we have an intruder! Report to-"
"Continue with the test." A young, feminine voice ordered. "Zero must not be concerned with what happens on the outside world, so to speak."
"But-"
"Send someone, but do it quietly. Make sure no one interferes with the trials and keep both our subjects in the dark until it is over."
The speaker eased off the control panel, and instead sent a text message to anyone available.
The platform continued to move, and soon the two entered a small room. There was nothing inside it save for a chessboard. "My specialty." He moved forward to inspect it. The two sides were not set; it seemed either two people had been playing and quit or the board was purposely set up this way. "You want me to continue the game. Which one am I?"
"You are white. And you are only allowed one move. It must result in checkmate."
Zero looked closely. Black had all of its important pieces, missing only a few pawns. White however, only had a few pawns, a knight, a bishop, a rook, and the king. All were dispersed, surrounded on all sides. "Looks tough." CC noted.
"It is. But not impossible. I need to think for a few minutes." Zero concentrated. It seemed white was on the ropes; most people would believe all they could do was move the king indefinitely to avoid mate.
"It looks impossible. I can't figure out anything that could help you." CC said.
"Fortunately, I have a knack for making the possible out of the impossible. Observe." Zero moved a pawn towards a bishop, just to its side. Most of the other pieces couldn't make any worthwhile moves; the bishop would have to take out the pawn. But if it did that, it would leave the king vulnerable to the knight. If black did not move it's bishop, the pawn would take it out, leaving the king open for the rook. "It is done. Checkmate."
"Well played; well played." The voice said over the speaker, clearly impressed. "I don't know if you're the real deal or not, but you are absolutely brilliant."
"This is what happens when you challenge me to a game of the mind." Zero said. "And I am quite enjoying it."
"Are you ready for the next one? It's a doozy." the voice warned.
"I assume it is the last?"
"As they say, save the best for last."
"Let us proceed, then." Zero and CC walked through a door that opened up for them, ready to take on the next challenge.
One of the organization's security guards inspected a dark hall, pointing his gun and flashlight right in front of him "No problems here. Must've been..." His report was cut short as he felt something sharp pierce his heart like hot butter.
Quickly, Peter crushed his ear piece before his boss could ask what was happening. He knew that would alert whoever was in charge, but at least right now he could still hide. "There IS something going on here. It makes sense now; the Zero here is the real deal; and I've just entered the nest of something bigger than I could have imagined." He moved quickly, hurrying to find his prey...
"We have a problem."
"An intruder?" the female voice asked as she stroked something in her lap.
"I don't know. Looks like it. I suggest we postpone the tests immediately..."
"Please continue as if nothing has happened." she ordered. "It will take the intruder time to reach anything worthwhile."
The man hesitated, and turned to face his mistress. "With all due respect, miss, that would be unwise..."
"Perhaps." she said as she stroked something fury in her lap. "But I've waited too long for this moment. If we stop now because of some inconvenience, we may never get another opportunity..."
"And what if the intruder reaches here?"
She smiled. "Well, if he is the real Zero, he will come to rescue me."
Kallen walked across the room with great trepidation. Her senses were on high alert, looking for any hostiles that may want to kill her, pistol at the ready. She walked on, still nothing. Then she heard something click. Quickly, she turned to her right and fired. A high-powered automatic gun, apparently operated by machinery, was about to fire upon, her, but she aimed her shot so perfectly that the bullet traveled down the barrel, destroying the weapon. "Wow. Impressive."
"What else you've got?" Kallen challenged him.
"How about this?"
A column appeared right in front of Kallen, about to smash her if she stepped only one inch forward. She heard another coming from behind, and made a break for it. The pillars came from all angles and directions, each threatening to squish her. She dove through each one like a monkey, never losing her footing and always staying aware despite the pressure. She slid on her knees like extreme limbo under one, did a full body twist like a gymnast over another, then proceeded with aerial splits with several others. She reached the door...and found it to be locked. "What the-!?"
"Sorry, I forgot to mention: you're not finished yet."
"WHAT!?" Kallen would remain safe if she stayed on either side. But she had a feeling that would not be deemed acceptable here.
"Also, if you don't stop this nonsense within five minutes...I'll have to blow up the room."
"Anything else you'd like to tell me!?" Kallen yelled.
Wasting no time, she ran to the center of the room, avoiding all the pistons. "Okay. Calm down, Kallen. I just got to find the control center..." Easier said than done when you were doing cartwheels all over the place. "Where!? Where's the central control..." She found a mechanical box up on the ceiling before she was forced to plant herself on the floor. "That has to be it!" Quickly, she aimed, and fired. Unfortunately, a pillar blocked the way.
"Shit!" Kallen moved, then fired again. The bullet ricocheted off another pillar, but it managed to shoot out a screw and expose the circuitry. "Bingo!" Kallen back flipped again to avoid being crushed, and took another shot. Unfortunately, the bullet missed. Kallen fired another round as she rolled away from another crusher. It was still a miss. "There's too many too fast!" Kallen realized. "I'll never make the shot under this pressure! Not unless I can get closer!"
As another pillar closed in front of her horizontally, she scaled it and jumped from pillar to pillar. It took all her hand-eye coordination to jump perfectly and not get crushed. Soon, the fuse box was within perfect shooting distance. "Yes!" She aimed...and was grazed by another piston from behind. Though it only slightly touched her, the force was enough to throw her off balance and send her falling down. "No, NO!" Before another could crush her, she placed her hand on top of the metal and stopped her fall. Without missing a beat, she made like a monkey again and made the climb like many classic video game characters. "I only have a few shots left!" If she kept conserving, she would never reach the box. She had no choice; she had to unload them all. As soon as she got as close as she possibly could, she aimed again. That's when she noticed from her peripherals two pistons coming together, threatening to sandwich her. "LIKE HELL!" Kallen fired again, emptying the clip. She closed her eyes...and noticed everything seemed to stop.
"Whew." the announcer said. "I didn't think you were going to make it there for a minute. Well done."
Kallen slowly opened an eye, to see she had destroyed the now flaming fuse box. "I did it."
"And not a moment too soon I might add."
Kallen realized her feet were not touching the ground, and looked down below to find out why. "Holy-!" The two pistons had nearly crushed her; she must have stopped the circuitry at the very last second to cut the power right before they could turn her into a bloody pancake. It was amazing how she stopped it right before and the two held her up perfectly.
As she pulled herself out, her announcer continued. "I suppose this would be a good time to tell you that I was just kidding about the explosives being here."
"WHAT!? YOU MOTHER-"
"Sorry, I just needed to see how you acted under pressure!" he chuckled. "Anyway, I've unlocked the door. Are you ready to proceed?"
Kallen looked at the now empty gun. "Do I get a reload?"
"Sorry. I've given you all we can. Truth be told however...I've a feeling you won't need it at this point. Not after witnessing your athleticism for myself. Are you ready?"
Kallen finally touched down to the floor and made her way to the door. "As I'll ever be." she said. "Lelouch...I hope you're hanging in there. If not, hold on. I'll be there shortly." She turned the door knob, ready to face anything they threw at her...
An air vent was suddenly kicked open. Peter eased himself out, landing on the floor. "No doubt about it; this is a terrorist cell!" He pulled out his gun, ready to attack anyone who came into range. "The Black Knights? Or perhaps some other organization?"
It didn't matter; if they were allying themselves with Zero, it would spell trouble. Quickly he pulled out his cellphone to text a message, just in case. He then proceeded down the hallway...
Kallen came to the center of the room, highlighted by a beam of light while everything else remained dark. Guessing it was for her, Kallen stepped under it. She breathed deeply. "I've a feeling I know what this is going to be..." Just then, someone's fist came into her view. Of course, she easily blocked it and countered with a punch to the assailant's face, sending him flying. "That it?" she asked sarcastically.
Suddenly, the room lit up; Kallen was surrounded on all sides by masked assailants. "Now this makes much more sense." They came at her all at once. Kallen grabbed the arm of one as he tried to punch, and threw him over like he was nothing. Another tried to kick her head, but she easily caught his foot and twisted his ankle. Kallen jumped back as another came at her with a knife. Judging by a stray strand of red hair, this was no rubber weapon, and this guy was not playing. As he made a stabbing motion, Kallen blocked it with her now empty gun. Before he realized just what happened, Kallen spun the supposedly useless weapon and pistol whipped him. Another managed to catch her off guard and got her in a clench, kneeing her. Kallen sucked in a deep breath; it had been a while since someone could hurt her like this. Even so, Kallen got her act together like it was nothing and blocked the next knee, throwing a chop powered by his momentum to his trachea. As he backed off gagging, Kallen finished him with a kick to the sternum.
Kallen traded blows with a couple others, knocking each of them down. But none of them stayed down for the count. "They're trained well." Kallen could fight them all to the death...but if this was just a test, she had no desire to take anyone's life. Besides, if this was any indication, she already proved she could mop the floor with them anytime; there had to be some other reason behind this test. Third...she had a feeling she didn't have time for games. "Lelouch may need me...and the best way to end this is to force a surrender."
She eyed her attackers, noticing one pick up the knife. "There." As she was charged from all directions, Kallen kicked one in the head, then knocked another down with a two-headed serpent punch. Quickly, she ducked under the other assailants and ran towards the knife-wielder. Reflexively, he made a slash towards her. It was so quick Kallen had to jump back, but on his second slash, she caught the blade and twisted his arm, forcing it to point towards his neck. She quickly kicked his knee underneath him, forcing him to kneel. Now he was helpless, only her mercy saving him if he allowed it.
"Stand down!" Kallen yelled at the others as they halted in their tracks. "I don't want to use any more force than necessary! We're on the same side, right!? Then let's act like it! However, if you refuse..." She pushed the knife closer to his throat, despite his best efforts to resist.
The others backed away, holding their hands up. "Please, let him go." one said in Japanese. "We were only following orders; it was never personal."
"I know." Kallen pulled the knife away and pushed her captive to the floor. "Is there anything else your superior wants from me?"
"No. You've done an excellent job." the speaker from the megaphone said. "Not only did you display superior martial skill; you've also displayed good tactics and an understanding of what this was really all about. Had you killed that man, I would have shot you the instant you went through the exit. Can't trust someone who would willingly kill what would be their own comrades to achieve objectives."
"And what about now?" Kallen asked skeptically.
"Come through the door and find out. Unless you're an enemy spy...I promise you have nothing to worry about."
Kallen relaxed slightly, confident that she had proven herself. "And Zero-sama?"
"You'll see him shortly...provided he passes his own test. Also, perhaps there is something you could help us out with." Kallen reluctantly nodded, and proceeded...
Zero proceeded to the next room, CC close behind him. "What do you suppose this next mind game will be?" he asked. CC only shrugged her shoulders, to which Zero sighed. "Helpful."
"Are you ready to begin?"
"Yes."
"Then, perhaps I should see you in person for this one."
"What?" This was unexpected. This was something...something... "...something that Zero would do." Bold, and completely confident in victory.
Soon, an elevator door swished open, and footsteps could be heard coming towards them. The figure in the shadows became clear. A tall man, dressed in a fancy suit and his dirty-blonde hair well-combed. He was built too, like he spent a great deal of time in the outdoors. "I take it you were our guide throughout this ordeal?" Zero asked.
"Yes, yes indeed. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Daniel Irwin. It's a pleasure to meet you, Zero." he bowed, giving him a cocky smile.
"You should be more careful." Zero said. "You put me through this because you weren't sure I was the real deal. And if you're wrong, you're putting yourself in danger."
"Ah. True." Daniel agreed. "Then, allow me to elaborate on the details of this test. You see,all you have to do, is to prove to me that, without a doubt, you are indeed Zero."
Lelouch nearly gaped under his mask. Though CC remained stoic, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't nervous. "May I ask on what standards you base this...test, on?"
"Hard to say, really." Daniel shrugged. "Whatever works for you. As long as I'm convinced."
"And if I fail?"
Daniel's cheery face turned serious, as he revealed a gun hidden underneath. "Then you shall die, right here, right now."
Lelouch took a deep breath, and tried to think as clearly as possible. He could simply use his geass...but surely his superior would notice something off. Daniel also made sure to stay a good distance away from him; if he was distracted for any reason and looked away from him, his geass would fail. His geass was something he could not depend on in this situation. "How would Zero do this?"
"Well, you gonna say something? I ain't going to wait forever." Daniel said, itching to pull the trigger.
"You've known me as the miracle maker, am I right?"
"More or less." Daniel replied smugly. "But stalling won't save you. I know all about Zero's exploits...before he abandoned the Black Rebellion."
That got to Lelouch more than it should have. "It was...a grave mistake on my part..." he attempted to explain, though truth be told, he could not apologize for something he didn't do...at least, not with his current memories.
"Now this is interesting...I would have never guessed that Zero would have admit to a mistake."
"I am only human...even if I take on the face of a devil."
"Well, this nice little therapy session isn't helping you right now. Not if you want to meet my superior...alive."
CC's fingers twitched nervously. There was one thing that Lelouch could do to turn this around...if only he remembered! "He met Kaguya right before the battle. He rejected her offer for marriage; something along the lines of how he couldn't take the hand of a goddess, because he made a deal with the devil. If only there was someway to make him remember..." CC then had an idea. "VV blocked me from releasing all his memories. But...perhaps I can access them, one at a time?"
"Excuse me, sir." CC finally said aloud. "May I consult with Zero-sama? I have a few ideas that may help him."
Daniel thought about it for a minute. "Well...I suppose." He then checked his watch. "But make it quick; time is of the essence. For the both of you, I should add."
"What's..." Zero began to ask.
"No time." Daniel warned him, this time fully taking the gun out of it's holster. "Not for any of us. Now do your work, whatever that may be."
CC nodded, and took Zero's hand. She leaned towards him as if she was whispering. But the real exchange was taking place in a realm not perceptible to anyone else around them...
"What's going on!?" Lelouch once more found himself in a world devoid of physics and replaced by blinding color that he could only describe as a tunnel or a tube.
"We are back in your mind." CC came floating to him once more. "Or rather, the code. Those of us who bear the code can share our consciousness with others. And right now, we are joined."
"Why? Wait..." Lelouch realized something. "You've done this before! Back at the casino!"
"Yes." CC confirmed. "I meant to unlock all your memories back then. But VV placed a block on you. It was all I could do just to get your subconscious to remember your geass."
"So, what's going to be different this time? Why haven't you tried this before!?"
"The main reason was that after all you went through, I feared unlocking all your memories would prove to be too traumatic!" CC explained. "The other...I don't know."
"What?"
"If VV is connected to you, he will probably be able to sense my presence inside the code. I fear that even if I succeed, he will be able to pinpoint our location."
"And therefore, the Black Knights as well." Lelouch realized.
"Yes. Once you do this...IF you let me do this...there's no take-backs. I'll unlock your memory, and in doing so, alert Britannia to our location."
That certainly did make Lelouch nervous. "And...my 'other' memories...what of them?"
"I don't know." CC said. "I'd imagine they'd remain...but not as clear as before." Well, that certainly wasn't a strong selling point for Lelouch. "I only need a memory regarding Kaguya. I promise, I will do everything I can not to compromise your other memories. Ashfrod, Shirley...your brother. But I need you to trust me."
Lelouch was hesitant; even after all they've been through, she never came off as the "trustworthy" type. But she did allow him to join the Black Knights of his own free will, and took risks for him no sane mortal would. And most of all, she made it clear she would not allow him to die. Which would happen any second now if he delayed any longer. "Very well then." Lelouch relented. Though he doubted this was the interaction of their physical bodies, he felt himself place his forehead against hers. "I shall allow you to dig deep into my mind. Good luck...C2."
CC nodded and began to focus her thoughts. "Find the door..." While a literal door did not appear in her vision, a blinding light showed. "There it is!"
CC may have hesitated for a split second, but she reminded herself of her resolve and her personal promise to protect Lelouch. She pressed her hand against it...and a slurry of images bombarded her. She had to be careful not to let anything leak into Lelouch's mind as she dug through the buried memories. "One wrong memory, and I'll ruin him! No, it must be..."
Suddenly, all the color had gone again as she once more found herself in a black void. "You are a stubborn old witch, aren't you?"
CC was once more face to face to VV. "Stand aside, VV."
"Now, I'm afraid I can't do that. Otherwise, Zero may very well become unstoppable." he sneered.
"You're not going to just let me take what I need, aren't you?"
"Not without a fight." CC reached past him for the door, and once more searched, only this time more furiously. The memories didn't come freely this time; it was much harder just to even access them.
"You really think just one memory will make a difference?" VV taunted her.
"At the moment, it's all I need!" The symbol on her forehead glowed.
VV's did the same. "Found what you're looking for? I won't let you give it back to him!"
"You will try!"
The two were locked in a battle of concentration. "My hex prevented you from freeing the real him before! What good do you think you alone are!?"
CC was about to lose her grip, but then she felt something. Another presence. "CC! Hang in there! I'm here for you!"
Soon, it manifested as Lelouch grabbing her free hand and her other wrist, as if keeping her from falling over. "Lelouch! But how-!?"
"Does it matter!? Do what you've got to do!" he shouted. CC stared at him for a moment...and nodded.
She returned her focus to the gateway in front of her, and VV. "How is this possible!?" VV yelled, as he tried to double his efforts to stop them. "How can he consciously manifest himself within the code!?"
CC focused, feeling Lelouch's own mental strength flow alongside hers. Soon, she had access to a few more memories. She felt VV's will hinder her again, this time stronger than before. "Almost got it..." Finally, she found it; Zero's repressed memory of his encounter with Kaguya.
"I won't let you restore him!" VV shouted.
"And I won't let you stop me!" CC struggled, desperately pulling for the memory...and succeeded! "Lelouch, I got it! We need to return to the real world!"
"Right!" Soon, inside the code, all the players were no more.
"Time's up; what's it going to be?"
David noticed that Zero seemed to hunch over for a bit, breathing rapidly. It was as if he had a strenuous exercise...or a traumatic experience. Soon, he put himself back together and straightened himself out. "The night of the Black Rebellion, I had a conversation with Kaguya."
"Oh?"
"She hailed me as a god, and declared her fit to be my bride, as she was the Goddess of Victory. If she takes no offense to this...at the time I declined. I told her I was a devil, and therefore not fit to mingle with gods."
David looked at him questionably. Before he could say anymore, a voice over the intercom interrupted him. "It's him." a young girl's voice in a thick Japanese accent said.
"You sure?" David said with skepticism.
"Zero indeed told me those things. And even if this man is not the real deal, the only other people present at the time were the Black Knights. He is Zero. And even if he is not, he's on our side. Let him pass; I want to meet him."
David slowly relaxed. "Okay. We've got our contigency plan in place for our...other problem."
"Other problem?" Zero asked curiously.
"Don't concern yourself over it. Not now, anyway." David replied curtly. "This way." he gestured with his weapon arm. As the three approached a door, he typed in a command. Finally, he opened the door. "Well, come on in."
Zero and CC entered, with great trepidation. "It's been a long time, Zero-sama." the same voice said. A chair, illuminated by a single light above, faced away from them. "I understand that you were under a lot of pressure back then. With Euphemia's massacre and all...I understand you did not have time to even consider my proposal." A moment of silence passed between them.
Suddenly, the chair spun around. "But I hope we can discuss the matter further in the future!" she said, this time in a much more cheerful voice as she swiveled the chair around. Before them was a young Japanese girl about Rolo's age. She had midnight black hair, typical among her people but a striking feature nonetheless. She was also adorned in red and white traditional garb, much like the noble women of feudal japan.
"Kaguya...it really was you..." Zero said. What was strange for Lelouch was that he genuinely remembered this girl, even if his memory of her did not make sense in context of his other memories.
"Was there any doubt?" Kaguya giggled.
"Nothing is ever 100% certain." Zero replied. He then noticed something on Kaguya's lap. It was covered in black fur, had a head like a giant rat, and had a white crescent across it's sternum. "Uh...WHAT is that?"
"Tasmanian Devil." David answered for him. "They're little, but they're fierce. Can chew through steel cable in minutes. The little missus here managed to tame one...somehow." he said with a tone of disbelief.
"And his name is Tsukisoku; Moon Hound." Kaguya said as she stroked it lovingly. It seemed to genuinely enjoy her company. "I found him while David here was guiding me on a walk through the woods..."
"I'm sorry, Kaguya. This is all very interesting, but we have more important things to discuss..." Zero interrupted her.
Suddenly, the room began to shake briefly. "An earthquake?" CC asked.
"We don't get quakes here." David answered as he brought his pistol close. "And that felt close. I dare say that was a grenade."
"A grenade?" Zero asked incredulously.
"Uh...yeah. You see...other than you...and your lady friend..."
"Kallen?"
"Yep. That's the one. Anyway...we've something of an intruder problem. And the little missus insisted we continue with the test anyway."
Just then, a door on the other side blew open, knocking David to the floor and forcing him to drop his weapon. A man came barreling in, pistol loaded. Somehow, Lelouch just knew he was working for Britannia. That seemed to be confirmed as he smiled in mild surprise. "Zero." he breathed. "So, it is you."
Zero slowly held up his hands, having no weapon to defend himself with. "In the flesh. I take it you're a Britannian spy?"
"We're all over. With all the enemies His Majesty has made, you can't be too careful." the spy explained. "Even in the neutral territories."
"Wise." Zero agreed. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Provoking an execution wasn't wise, but since he was taking his time, Lelouch figured he could at least stall him.
"You're not the only person I have to kill." He then pointed his gun towards Kaguya. Though the young lady trembled and her exotic pet hissed, she only glared at him fearlessly. "Brave." he noted. "But pointless." He grabbed her pet, and tossed it aside before it could bite his hand off. Without missing a beat, he grabbed her by the collar and took her hostage before David could get off a shot. "After I kill Zero here, I suggest you let me go. I'll let this little girl live...until I turn her over."
"You should look beyond what's right in front of you." Kaguya said without fear.
Just then a knife impaled his hand, forcing him to drop the weapon. "AUGH!"
"C2!" Zero ordered.
"I'm on it!" CC ran forward, and knocked him over with a spinning round kick.
"I'm glad I was able to help." Kallen stepped out of the shadows to reveal herself.
"And not a moment too soon I might add." Zero chimed in.
"It's not over!" Peter pulled out a device with a switch; since the Britannian Military was not explicitly keen on suicide bombings (that he knew of anyway), Lelouch could only guess it was a signal of some sort.
"Oh no you don't!" Kallen quickly grabbed it out of his hand and crushed the controller.
David finally retrieved his gun and emptied his clip into the man's sternum. Peter quickly bled out onto the floor as he began to take shallow breaths before collapsing. "Well, problem solved." David smiled smugly.
"Not quite." Zero said. Addressing his benefactor he said "Kaguya, take everything you need that will be of the utmost importance, and take as many of your men that you can with you. Get whoever has to remain to a safehouse."
"But we destroyed his transm-" Kaguya began to protest.
"There are other forces at work, Kaguya. You need to pack up; I'll show you where we'll be going. But I need you to trust me. Okay?" he asked.
Kaguya stared at him, then smiled. "Well, of course! As long as it's you!" She hopped off the chair and skipped along to get her things.
David sighed. "She's brilliant...but she's still a child in the end." he holstered his pistol. "Looks like I'll be coming with you. She's prepared for this moment, and our operation will continue in the shadows."
"I assure you, you will not regret this decision." Zero said. "I shall deliver to Kaguya a free Japan and the fall of Britannia.
VV rubbed his forehead as he recovered from the ordeal with CC earlier. "So...you put yourself at risk...all for one memory?" VV asked CC, even though he knew she couldn't hear him. "A memory of no relevance to the person he once was, I might add."
VV sneered as he dialed a number on a cell-phone; even in the catacombs, thanks to the Britannian Royal Satellite, he could still receive a signal in what was essentially a no-call zone. "Hello?" he spoke into the phone. "Yes, I'd like to speak to Sir Weinberg...no, I'd like to remain anonymous." he spoke into the phone, never losing his cocky sneer. "Oh, you should consider patching me through...because I have a tip. A tip that could lead him straight to Zero...if he hurries."
The Black Knights had been anxious ever since Zero and Kallen left. With no contact, occupying themselves was difficult to do. Of course they were all concerned for his safety. Or Kallen's at least. Ohgi and Todoh...they were worried they were betrayed yet again. Still, at least Zero gave them specific orders on what to do if he did not show up soon. There was much debate about when to make a deadline for Zero, but Todoh advised to give them a little more time. If they couldn't trust Zero, they could at least trust Kallen. She would come through for them no matter what.
Deciding to not make a big deal about it until worst came to worst, Todoh decided to read a book. He hadn't had much chance to relax and read, and though his warrior instincts were itching for a battle, he was also quite fond of classic literature around the world and decided to catch up on his other hobby. And somehow, the Shitora contained much of his favorites, all translated into Japanese (he could read English, but this was much easier if he intended to relax and enjoy himself). Just then, the beeper in his room went off. Sighing, he made his way to the console. "Todoh here."
"Todoh, get to the bridge. We're going to meet with Zero."
Todoh's eyes widened. "He found her?"
"That's what he claims, and Kallen has confirmed it. We need to pick them up; according to Zero, we may have Britannia on our heels in a matter of hours."
Todoh cursed under his breath. It wasn't like Zero to be this careless; something must have happened. Or, perhaps his actions left him no choice but to reveal himself? No matter; they had to pick up their comrades and get out of here. "Take command, Ohgi and do as he says. I'll join you shortly."
"Roger."
Todoh signed off, fastened his military shirt and grabbed hold of his katana.
"They'll be here?" David asked as they overlooked the shoreline.
"Of course." Zero replied, still wearing his helmet. "And I trust things will be alright with your operation here?" He took note of the people following him. All were Japanese, though their ages and appearances varied. Some were engineers and laborers, others were training to be soldiers. It was only a small addition, but the Black Knights needed any help they could get. Still, Zero was ultimately worried that this "donation" would put a huge dent in the operation Kaguya had going.
"For the most part." Kaguya answered, keeping her new pet on a leash and harness as it sniffed around. "Officially, we've disbanded. But I've left some capable individuals behind to run the smaller-scale things. They'll keep recruiting exiled Japanese and other sympathizers to our cause. When they're ready...they will serve you well, Zero-sama."
"I see."
"Zero-sama." Kallen alerted him. "They're here." The sub rose out of the ocean, and Zero wasted no time nodding. Kallen anchored a rope to a rock, and flung the rest over the edge towards the sub.
David carried Kaguya and her pet on his back as he descended. Zero and the rest did the same. "It's a relief that I didn't have to carry you this time." Kallen whispered as they touched down on the sub's hull.
"Hey, it was going up that was the problem." Zero retorted quietly. Truth be told though, there were several instances when he nearly lost his grip during the descent.
Todoh and Ohgi quickly made it up to greet them. At first, they were stunned that Zero actually found her, but quickly regained their composure and showed their respect. "Kaguya-sama." Todoh bowed with respect. "I am relieved to see you alive and well."
"As I am you, Todoh-san." Kaguya replied. "I tried my best to find a way to free you and our comrades, but unfortunately we did not have the man power or other means to do so. For that, I am truly sorry."
"You have nothing to apologize for." Todoh replied courteously. "Any attempt would have been suicide; it was better that you attempted to continue our fight from scratch."
"Another outcome I'm glad did not occur." Kaguya said. "But rest assured, with what resources I do have and Zero-sama, there is no stopping the Black Knights now." she smiled.
Todoh nodded. "Let us go down below. We can discuss matters further."
"We have to hurry." Zero added. "There were...complications."
Todoh stared at Zero coldly. "That is not like you to make such careless mistakes."
"It was a necessary risk. It paid off, but we need to hurry, lest Britannia be on our heels any day now." All descended inside the sub, and the Shitora left as fast as it could.
Gino admired the view as the airship sailed across the skies. How else was he supposed to deal with his anxiety? "How long until we arrive in Tasmania?" he asked, never taking his eye off the beautiful sea.
"A watched pot never boils, sir." the captain jested, the other crew members joining in his laugh. While this was normally considered inexcusable behavior in the military, those who worked under Gino were rather relaxed. Their commander didn't care much for decorum, and in fact demanded that his soldiers behave like themselves unless in the most dire of situations. "We should be there in less than 3 hours. However, we will still need to negotiate with the local governor, unless you'd rather we do it the hard way."
"Negative." Gino turned serious. "Australia has done nothing to antagonize the empire, and we will respect their neutrality as much as possible. Only if we find what we were told, shall we act."
"Roger."
As he continued to watch the sea line, Anya approached him, not taking her eye off her phone. "Do you really think we will find Zero ?"
Gino shrugged. "Hard to say. The tip itself was suspicious. But what choice do we have? Besides, it's close by. If it's a waste of time, we can just as easily return to base." Anya silently nodded in agreement.
"But I know this much." Gino said in deep thought. "Whatever it was, it was no prank. There was definitely something there; the cryptic nature of the call alone told me that much. And we will find it. What I want to know is who sent me the tip, and why?" he wondered, rubbing his chin.
"It seems our 'mistress' is settling in quite nicely." Lelouch sighed as he leaned back in his chair, placing his helmet on his knee.
"I just hope Tamaki is doing okay." Kallen sighed. "I heard those Tasmanian Devils have a nasty bite." The poor fool had mistaken the animal to be completely tame, and paid for it.
"That is why you don't pet a strange animal without asking first." CC said as she hugged her cheese-kun on the bed.
"He'll get over it." Lelouch sighed. "It's not like accidents don't happen." Just then, the intercom beeped. "Yes?" Lelouch answered.
"Zero, the new viceroy of Area 11 is about to give her inauguration speech." Ohgi spoke over the com.
"Put it on." Lelouch ordered. "I'd like to see what kind of woman this new viceroy would be."
The TV came on, the flag of Britannia present. Then, it cut to the new viceroy. And all in the room, even CC, widened their eyes in shock. "Nunnally?" Kallen wondered.
If she was confused, Lelouch's mind was in absolute turmoil. "That...that's the girl in the photograph Kallen gave me! But how? She was supposed to be my sister!?"
"Greetings." the girl spoke, never opening her eyes but giving the warmest smile one would ever see. "My name is Nunnally Vi Britannia, fourth princess to the throne and your new viceroy."
Tsukisoku-Moon Hound
Next chapter, drama, turmoil, and finally...Knightmares! I know, it's been too long.