Chapter 118: Annoying Nephew

C's World.

"Annoying nephew." V.V muttered as he hung upside down in the Lancelot's grasp, staring down the Guren and Lelouch, who was standing atop it.

"Suzaku, the cage!" the Prince shouted, drawing the Immortal's attention to a large trap set below him, fitted with iron bars.

"Thought you'd be more creative than that!" V.V proclaimed while breaking free of the white Knightmare's grip by shooting several black spikes from his body, "How on earth is that little thing supposed to stop me?"

"Get in and find out!" Lelouch flew toward his Uncle, throwing out a punch that was easily dodged.

"I've got better things to do." the Immortal calmly said while flying away, heading toward the location of another thought elevator. However, that's when the Lancelot, now equipped with a set of energy wings, cut him off. This action failed to deter V.V for very long, as he quickly flew between the gaps of his opponent's armpits, conjuring up another vestige of Marianne, this time piloting a special frame, "You're not the only one who's got new toys." he taunted as the silver and gold Knightmare manifested with broad shoulder pads, and a float unit, wielding an MVS made of the same materials as Bismarck Waldstein's Excalibur.

"You think this evens the playing field!?" Kallen shouted while engaging the Queenglint with her fork knife. The two soared further into the sky, eventually separating as the red head zipped around the Knightmare, causing Marianne to try her best to keep up in her frame, despite being vastly inferior in terms of specs.

This allowed Kallen to seek a critical strike by rushing Marianne from the front, forcing an instinctive blocking motion from her opponent, bracing for the attack. However, just before the fork knife made contact, the Guren instantly moved behind the Queenglint, where it was powerless to avoid the surger as it was tightly gripped by the head, "D-defeated so easily!?" V.V exclaimed as Marianne's frame went limp, and began bubbling before subsequently exploding.

Though, he didn't have any more time to react, as Lelouch struck from his left with a flying kick, knocking him toward the ground where Suzaku rushed in with his hand outstretched. Just as he was about to capture the Immortal, a metallic hand suddenly manifested out of thin air, beginning the creation of the Galahad, piloted by Bismarck. Even so, Kallen charged in from the other side, aiming for a pincer maneuver, only for her to be met with another Queenglint as it blocked the surger with its blade.

Lelouch led his right foot in an attempt to attack his Uncle from above, getting easily dodged in the process, "Suzaku, remember what I told you!"

"Don't worry, I'm already on it!" the Knight shouted as he led Bismarck into the sky, while Kallen separated herself from Marianne, and fired a beam from her surger.

In response, the Queenglint used its blade to deflect the attack, sending it upward effortlessly, "Despite some unforeseen circumstances, everything's going according to plan." Lelouch thought as Suzaku matched Bismarck blow-for-blow, as they ascended further out of sight, "Marianne's new Knightmare was certainly unexpected, but that's why I prepared Kallen and Suzaku with the Albion and SEITEN. They might not have the same experience as those from the other timeline, but they should be able to beat – if not contend – with any pilot due to those frames alone."

Lelouch continued chasing his Uncle, who summoned countless spikes in the process to impede the chase. However, the Prince navigated through these with ease, eventually catching up to V.V by using one of the spikes as a launch pad, "Bastard!" the Immortal shouted as he punched his nephew in the back of the head. That's when he felt the sharp pain of a blade pierce his abdomen, which came from Lelouch stabbing him with a small dagger.

Meanwhile, Suzaku maneuvered around Bismarck, dodging numerous missiles in the process, while firing back energy shards from his wings, "Even though I know how to beat him… this Bismarck's way stronger than the one Lelouch manifested. Is it because of V.V's connection with him? Or something else?"

The two Knights crossed swords, creating a shockwave midair as they circled each other, separating upon making a 180. There, Suzaku made sure to gain enough distance, before rushing forth, causing the Knight of one to duck his strike, countering with a barrage of missiles that chased him relentlessly until he pivoted midair, using every ounce of speed to blitz the Galahad, catching the Knightmare as it was turning. The Bismarck vestige closed his eyes in defeat as he felt his Knightmare split in twain, followed by a massive explosion.

In the background, Kallen and Marianne collided with their blades; the former felt a bead of sweat drip down her brow while watching her opponent push their blades upward, before delivering a swift kick to separate them. The red head clenched her teeth, pushing her controls to the side, banking right just as the Queenglint thrust its blade forward, allowing the Guren to appear behind it in an instant. "Got you!" Kallen proclaimed, using her surger to tightly grab the Knightmare's head.

However, as the Queenglint began to bubble, Marianne – as a last ditch effort – stabbed herself with Caliburn, angling it upward so it would pierce through her chest, straight into the Guren's cockpit. Kallen screamed in pain, feeling the blade sever the left side of her body, sending blood splattering in every direction, followed by her rapid descent.

Upon hearing the red head's pained cry, Lelouch turned to face the source while pinning V.V with his leg, "Kallen!" he shouted instinctively, just as the Immortal clasped his hands, firing off a black spike that tore the Prince's head off like butter.

"Now leave me alone!" the blond shouted, using his nephew as a launchpad to escape.

Lelouch reformed, starting from his head, followed shortly by his clothes, where he managed to barely witness his Uncle's retreating figure in the distance. That's when Suzaku sped past, attempting to catch up, only to find himself losing more ground as each second passed, "He's way too fast… the Albion can't keep up…"

As this was happening, Lelouch quickly moved to catch Kallen midair as the Queenglint succumbed to its injury, and erupted into a fiery explosion, alongside the Guren. "Are you okay?" the Prince asked while creating a protective shield to avoid the flying debris in their descent.

"I'm… fine…" the red head muttered, her wounds healing in the process with aid from Lelouch, "And sorry. I messed up."

"It's fine." the boy responded, "I didn't foresee V.V getting a new Knightmare for Marianne."

"Even so, I shouldn't have been defeated that easily." Kallen said as they landed, though still staying in his arms.

"Neither you nor Suzaku have the experience to foresee something like that. I suppose it's one of the perks of creating vestiges; they'll do anything to win."

That's when the Albion landed before them, with Suzaku stepping out moments later, "Sorry, I couldn't catch him."

"That's alright. We'll just come up with another plan." Lelouch explained, as Kallen's face slowly turned red, realizing the position she was in.

"Still… if I had beaten Bismarck faster-"

"Suzaku, that's enough." the Prince cut his friend off, "I know you want to return to your body as soon as possible, but to do so, we must have a clear head, otherwise the chance of failure skyrockets."

"I know, I know. But that doesn't make it anymore frustrating…" Suzaku let out a heavy sigh, "By the way… when are you going to get down, Kallen?"

In response, the red head clenched the Prince's royal garbs tightly in embarrassment, "Sh-shut up…" she gave the Knight a fiery glare, "And learn to mind your business…" then her eyes wandered to Lelouch, who gave her an odd look – not odd in the strange sense, but in a way that made her heart flutter. Perhaps it wasn't just his eyes; maybe it was the way he held her, his fingers delicately wrapped around her bare knees, while his other hand led a tight grip on her shoulder, keeping her in proximity, and safely from falling – like she was a precious treasure. Or, it could've been the way he rushed to her aid upon hearing her cry of pain, despite having a chance of capturing V.V.

"Are you okay?" Lelouch asked, breaking the red head out of her thoughts, "Can you walk?"

"I… yeah… I can walk just fine…" Kallen mumbled, feeling too timid to give him a snappy response.

"If that's the case, then let's head back." Suzaku said, climbing back into his Albion, "I wanna see if my other self has made it to the Geass Order."

"Wait… Suzaku, are you sure you want to watch that?" the Prince gently placed the red head on the ground, "It… most likely won't be pretty, if it's anything like how things went in my timeline."

"Lelouch… I have to." the Knight responded while hanging out of his cockpit with one hand, "Even though I know it's not 'technically' me, I still feel like I have some kind of responsibility, to at the very least witness this action. That way… I know what kind of person I'm dealing with." he let out a heavy sigh, "Besides, if we don't watch it from his perspective, then we'll just see the aftermath from yours; so no matter what, I'll witness the events."

Lelouch stared his best friend in the eyes, as if trying to seek his conscience of some kind of intent. Though, he gave up his search a moment later by shrugging, "If that's what you want… then I won't stop you. But just know, I'll be watching too."

New Hampshire Thought Elevator.

"Someone's coming through!" a scientist announced as the portal opened, followed by V.V, who bounced across the stone floor, collecting dust on his garbs in the process.

"Stupid brat…" he muttered while getting up, "He's causing me way too many problems."

"V.V." a Stoic voice called from behind, his heavy boots echoing throughout the vast chasm, "Welcome back."

"Norland…" the Immortal dusted himself off, "I appreciate the gesture, but it doesn't look like you've brought anything that I've asked. And honestly? I've encountered my fill of incompetence for the day, so you better have a good explanation."

"Fear not. I've brought the documents to your new office. Though, if I may ask – where are the documents you were supposed to bring?"

"There were some complications, so I couldn't bring them along."

"Is that so?"

"Don't you dare start." V.V snapped with an icy glare, "Now, lead me to my office, I need to contact Schneizel."

Ikaruga. 4:00AM. Zero's Office.

Beneath the sheet of Lelouch's bed, a young couple slept peacefully with a certain red head being spooned by her boyfriend, feeling his breath on the nape of her neck, causing her to further bury herself in his embrace. Though, such a peaceful scene had to come to an end, as the blaring sound of an alarm clock went off on the nightstand on her boyfriends side of the bed, disrupting her soft breath as her hand shot out from beneath the covers, aiming for the machine.

However, she ended up bumping the night stand, knocking everything – including the alarm – over, where it would continue its annoying rampage on the ground, "Lelouch…" Kallen whined while ramming her head into his chest, trying to wake him, "Lelouch… make it stop…"

The Prince let out a soft chuckle while carefully moving her to the other side of the bed, allowing him to reach over the edge and grab the alarm, turning it off successfully, "Sorry about that. I've just got something to do this morning."

"No…" the red head objected, wrapping her arms around his chest like she was holding a prisoner, "I don't care if Naoto needs you, or Tohdoh does. It's too early to do anything."

"You don't even know the time." Lelouch teased, sitting up in bed as she positioned herself onto his lap, where her head would continue to rest against his chest.

"No, but I know you." Kallen cheekily responded, "And I know that you're someone who likes to prepare, so I wouldn't be surprised if the alarm was set for 6 or something."

"Hm… well, you're kind of close." the Prince carefully tried removing his girlfriend's arms, only to find them squeezing even tighter.

"Am I?" she pulled herself closer to his face, making sure to caress his cheek gently with her breath in the process, "I bet I can get a bit closer~"

"Go back to sleep." Lelouch rolled his eyes playfully while carefully pushing her back onto the bed, where she landed with a giggle, "You're worse than C.C sometimes, you know that?"

"Am I?" the red head puffed out her cheeks in a pout, "Also, do you really think it's a good idea to mention her so earlier in the morning? After all, it could be the sign of a bad-omen."

"Like what? You think she's just going to appear-" Suddenly, the couple heard a sound come from the living room, causing the Prince to let out a frustrated sigh, "She better not…"

"Better not what?" C.C's voice called as she turned on the TV, making sure to turn up the volume, so the couple couldn't ignore her.

Kallen grabbed a pillow and pushed her boyfriend onto the bed, "Stay here. I'll take care of her."

"Not so fast, Kallen." the Immortal proclaimed while wiggling her finger in disapproval, "I've got something to tell you." those words made Lelouch instantly get up, and dash into the living room, "Oh my, you sure got up quick."

"C.C-"

"Hush. I'm about to tell Kallen something."

The Prince moved to stop the Immortal, only the red head to suddenly pull him onto the couch, "Wait, Lelouch. It sounds like something important."

"What? You know how C.C is; she's always telling some kind of joke."

"Not all the time. From her tone, I can tell that she's being serious." the red head responded, "Go ahead, C.C. What is it?"

The Witch crossed her legs with a smile, "Well, the other day a little birdie told me that he was going to assault the Geass Order today."

Kallen's gaze instantly shot to Lelouch, who could do nothing but listen to the revelation, "You didn't tell me about that." she said, her voice cracking ever so slightly.

"I'm sorry…" the Prince looked at her with sincere eyes, "I just… don't want you to get hurt again."

"I know you don't, Lelouch." the red head got up, taking off her top while heading back into the bedroom, "But I'm not made of glass, especially when it comes to your safety." she opened the closet, pulling her pilot suit off the rack, while also grabbing her boyfriends outfit, "So I'm going, no objections."

The Prince followed her inside, "Kallen-"

"No, Lelouch. I said no objections." the red head repeated while pushing the Zero uniform onto her boyfriend's chest, "Besides, we'll be in Knightmare's most of the time, so I won't even be affected by most Geass."

"And even if she is, Jeremiah will be there to lift it." C.C chimed in.

Lelouch let out a frustrated sigh as he felt cornered by the girls, "That's not the point." he put a loving hand on his girlfriend's cheek, "I don't want to ever see you like that again. It… it really hurt…" he said, failing to find the right words to properly describe the pain he was feeling.

Kallen smiled while holding his hand, spreading the warmth from her palm, "It'll never happen again, Lelouch. I promise." she met his gaze with her determined blue eyes, sending both of them into a brief trance, "You trust me, right?"

"Of course I do. You don't even need to ask that question."

"Good." she then got onto her tiptoes, and planted a delicate kiss onto his lips, playfully pushing him away afterward, "Now get out. I've gotta change."
"Why? I've seen you like this before."

Instantly, Kallen's face matched the color of her hair, as they heard the faint sound of C.C's signature smirk in the background. Lelouch's eyes widened at the implication of those words, but it was too late, "Hoh? I wonder what Naoto would say about that~"

"I-It's not like that!" the Prince tried to back peddle, "I-I've just seen Kallen change plenty of times… so it's not that big of a-"

Though, his attempts were to no avail, as the Immortal simply waved her hand in the ultimate showing of ignorance, "Uh-huh. Kallen's face says otherwise."

Realizing the situation would only get worse, the red head quickly pushed Lelouch and C.C out of the room, "J-just go!"

However, due to there being no door to separate the bedroom from the living room, Kallen ended up retreating to the corner, where she would be covered by the wall, and some parts of the bed, "See what you did?" Lelouch glared at C.C, who simply shrugged it off.

"Oh boohoo. You can ogle your girlfriend all you want later, pervert." the Witch jest while walking back into the room to retrieve her own pilot suit, to surprisingly no protest from the current resident.

"Like I said, it's not like that-"

"I don't know why you're making such a big deal of it, Lelouch." the Immortal casually responded while taking off her own clothes, and preparing her pilot suit, "Isn't it kind of strange having to explain yourself about seeing your partner changing? Besides, I'm not actually going to tell Naoto."

The Prince let out a frustrated sigh, "You know what? You're right. I don't have to explain myself."

"See? There you go. Now you're growing up." C.C teased while nudging his shoulder, "Though, do tell, have you done it yet?"

Lelouch shook his head, "You know? Despite Bradley being on this ship, your presence is still surprisingly the most annoying."

"Oh come on. You can tell me~" the Witch said as he retreated to the bathroom, where he would close the door to change, causing her to puff out a cheek, "Neither of you are any fun."

Ikaruga. Knightmare Bay 2.

Naoto let out a long yawn, a tear dripping down his cheek in the process. Then, he focused on his clipboard, feeling the morning chill in full force on his fingertips, "I hate waking up so early." he muttered as Orpheus walked on-deck, leaning against a nearby wall, "Especially when the people I'm supposed to be meeting are late."

Soon, Rolo, and Clara entered, both wearing Black Knight trench coats over their pilot uniforms, which were blue for the former, and pink for the latter, "Good morning, Naoto." the girl greeted him with a sneeze.

"Hello, Clara." the Kozuki took a pen from within his own trench coat, using it to mark two Gekkas for-use today, handing the duo keys afterward, "Do you know where Zero is?"

"Um… about that…" she nervously scratched her cheek, "I'm pretty sure I saw C.C enter his room."

"Oh? Did that come before or after you told her about what we were doing?"

"Wh-what!? How'd you know?"

Naoto rolled his eyes, "I didn't. Though, your reaction just answered my question."

"T-to be fair, she already knew, and was going in there regardless." Clara crossed her arms, looking toward a Gekka.

"Figures." Naoto let out another yawn as Luciano entered with an elongated stride, "Luciano, catch." he tossed a key to the Britannian.

"Hm? What's this for?"

"A Gekka." the Japanese man pointed to the subject of their conversation, "That one, to be precise."

"What about the black one?"

"Like I said before, we decide what you pilot."

"Sounds like a load of bullshit."

"I don't have the time to argue about this."

Luciano groaned in frustration, heading towards Orpheus in the process, "So, what's your name?"

The Mercenary didn't bother to face the former Knight while saying, "My name isn't important now."

"Isn't it? After all, I'd like to know the name of those I fight alongside, especially if they're Britannian."

"That's a lie."

Luciano smirked, "Well, not the Britannian part, but if you were some other dweeb, I certainly couldn't care less who you are."

"In that case, leave me alone. I'm trying to think."

"No. Not yet." the former Knight crossed his arms, "I wanna know what makes you so special. Why were you – out of everyone on the ship – selected for this mission?" Orpheus kept calm, listening to Luciano as he continued to press for answers, "Tell me, do you even know what we're doing?"

"Yes." the blond answered plainly, aiming to avoid revealing too much.

"Then tell me. What's so special about this mission?"

"Shouldn't you already know that?"

"All I know, is that my expertise is needed. However, that could mean a lot of things." Luciano spread his arms out in a grand gesture, "Killing soldiers. Killing civilians, even children. Though, the latter would be heavily frowned upon by the Black Knights, wouldn't it?"

"I suppose."

"Then… why does Zero want me to commit such an act? Not that I have any objections, of course."

"Why do you automatically assume that's what he wants?" Orpheus raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? So you can speak?" Luciano chuckled, "Listen, the Emperor never called upon my services unless he expected excess casualties. I'd say the same is true for Zero, despite them being so different."

"Is that so?"

"Oh great. Back to boring responses."

"I see you've made a new friend, Oz." Zero's voice cut into their conversation as Kallen rapidly approached her brother in the background.

"Oz?" the former Knight snickered, before erupting into a full-blown laugh, "No wonder you don't want me to know your name."

Orpheus shook his head while pushing off the wall, "Are we ready to go?"

The red head suddenly grabbed Naoto by the ear, pulling him to her level as she reprimanded him for not mentioning Lelouch's plan. In the face of this, her brother could do nothing but take the harsh words, "Damn it, I had a feeling this would happen… though, from the sound of things, Lelouch hasn't told her about 'that' yet. I'll have to ask him later."

"Naoto, are you even listening!?" Kallen pulled his ear again, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Uh-ow! Yeah, I'm listening… I'm listening."

"Then answer my question!" the red head demanded.

"Oh… well… c-could you repeat it?"

"Ugh!" finally, her grip released his ear, allowing him to stand up straight.

"Why didn't you tell me? You know I can't let him go out alone, especially now."

"Well… we wanted to protect you, that's all."

C.C suddenly put her hand on Kallen's shoulder, saying, "Oh, don't punish him too hard. After all, his heart was in the right place. Just like…" she leaned into her ear and finished her sentence, "Lelouch's."

"I suppose you have a point…" the red head let out a sigh, "Still, I'm going on this mission."

"Kallen… do you know what they're going to be doing?" Naoto asked with a hint of concern, "It's not gonna be like the other battles…" he looked away with a darkened expression, "In fact, it's debatable whether this will be a battle or not…"

"Naoto…" Kallen called out to her brother, "I know what'll most likely happen… and I know it won't be pretty, that's why we're bringing along Luciano to take most of it." she then let off a faint smile, "But don't worry. I'll be fine."

"You know that won't stop me from doing so." her brother mumbled, "Well, it's best you start looking over the Guren. I need to talk to Zero about something."

Lelouch approached just as his girlfriend walked to her Knightmare, followed shortly by C.C, leaving him alone with Naoto, "As you can see… plans have changed."

"You didn't tell her about that, did you?"

"Of course not. I think she'd have a way more violent reaction if she found out."

"I'm sorry, again." the Japanese man apologized, "I know you probably don't like keeping things from Kallen, especially something so… damning. But, if it helps, you can think of it as a way of helping her."

"Naoto, we've had this conversation before. And respectfully, I'd like to forget about it until the time comes where I would have to enact such a wish." the Prince responded while looking down, "Even now, the very thought makes me want to vomit."

"I understand." Naoto nodded, "In the meantime, your Kagero's ready to sortie."

"Thank you. And remember, if anyone asks-"

"You're meeting with a Europian agent." the Kozuki finished the Prince's sentence, "Good luck out there, and make sure to keep Kallen safe."

"I won't let anything happen to her." Lelouch responded as Jeremiah entered the bay wearing a white trench coat, "Everyone! Get into your Knightmares. It's time to head out."

"Finally!" Luciano cracked his fingers, rushing toward his Gekka in the process, "I'm sick and tired of waiting!"

"It's still weird having him around." Kallen thought as she entered her Guren, "Then again, it's even weirder to be working with him, especially on a mission like this." her eyes wandered to the Kagero, which took to the skies shortly after Lelouch closed the cockpit, "In the last timeline, I heard what happened at the Order from C.C, and it honestly sounded horrifying back then… though, now that I understand why the massacre happened… well, it's still horrifying. But this way – thanks to Rolo, Clara, and my own experience – I see now why we have to eradicate it." she let out a heavy breath, clearing her mind as the Guren took off, escaping the cave and following the Kagero, alongside C.C's Gekka, "Though… it doesn't make the thought of killing kids any easier."

Taklamakan Desert. Chinese Federation.

The Hercules engines roared as it cut just beneath the clouds, sun beaming off its metallic wings casting a massive shadow on the barren desert. Inside, Suzaku's eyes were closed as he felt the turbulence shake his Lancelot's cockpit, waking him from a light nap once Oigaros' voice cut through his intercom, "Suzaku, you're almost above the order."

"Thank you." the Knight responded in a calm tone, flipping a few switches in the process, causing his Yggdrasil drive to begin spinning, "Do you have eyes on the cave?"

"Yes. There aren't any guards posted outside, but I know they have at least 20 Pluton Knightmare's inside."

"Oigaros Zevon…" Cornelia's voice interrupted their conversation, "I didn't think you'd know someone so… important, Suzaku."

"It's a bit of a funny story how we met. Perhaps I'll tell you someday."

"I implore you." the Witch of Britannia began warming up her Knightmare, "By the way, Oigaros. Are you really not going to join the attack? I know you said that you didn't want to risk getting spotted by Pluton, but still… I don't intend on leaving anyone alive."

"Princess Cornelia, please be careful what you wish for." the Britannian man responded, "After all, you'll find the difficult part of this mission isn't killing soldiers, but the civilians too."

"I'm more than aware that no one in that damn order is innocent; so killing those civilians won't be an issue."

"Even if there are kids?" Suzaku asked, earning a glare from the Princess.

"You're a strange man, Suzaku."

"How so?"

"Well, you're completely different from how my sister described before becoming a Round."

"It's been months. People change."

"Not like this." Cornelia protested, "I've fought alongside many men in my lifetime, and I've seen how they each steel themselves for battle. Some choose to tell jokes, while others go completely silent."

"What's your point?"

"I always assumed you were the kind of man to fight for what's right. Naive? Sure. But that doesn't make it a bad thing. In fact, we need more people like that if Euphie and Lila's dreams are to come true."

"I do believe in Euphie and Lila." Suzaku responded, "But what we're about to do… it's not something I can be optimistic about."

"That's certainly one way of looking at it." Cornelia said as they drew closer and closer to their drop point, followed by the sound of their plane's cargo bay opening, "However, I like to think of this as revenge for forcing me to turn hurt Euphie against my will."

"If you don't mind me asking, do you truly want change, Princess?" Oigaros asked, "Because from what I've heard, you've been quite the patriot. Leading the frontline for Britannia, converting territory into Areas."

"If Euphie's decided to fight for change alongside Lila, then I'll support her to the best of my abilities."

Suzaku clenched his controls tightly, readying his landspinners to roll out of the bay, "Cornelia, it's time."

The Princess did the same, pushing herself into a free-fall, shortly followed by Suzaku. Shortly after exiting the plane, their float systems activated, allowing them to rapidly descend upon the entrance to the Geass Order below. Cornelia readied her KMF lance, shimmering gold as she held it at her side, preparing to crash into the cave just as the Lancelot fired a VARIS round, blowing a hole large enough for both of them.

Using her lance, the Princess crashed through a building, sending debris flying everywhere as she kicked a Pluton Gloucester into another, "They were expecting us?" she muttered to herself as Suzaku destroyed a Sutherland.

"They seem to be poorly equipped in the Knightmare department, just as Oigaros said." the Knight spun his MVS around, stabbing a Sutherland that tried attacking him from behind, killing the pilot instantly. Then, he activated his antipersonnel machine gun, killing a group of researchers as they tried to flee into a building.

"It's the Black Knights!" a civilian screamed as she tried running for cover, only to get crushed by a building, which collapsed from the weight of a Pluton Gloucester, followed by the brutal slam of Cornelia's foot, crushing its cockpit.

"Black Knights?" the Princess took note of the pleas for help, "They were expecting the Black Knights?"

"Must be mistaking me for one." Suzaku said thoughtlessly while effortlessly dodging an incoming lance from a Gloucester, sending a kick into another that came from his right, using the same momentum to bisect his assailant across the chest.

Cornelia dealt with another by piercing directly through the cockpit, catching sight of a group of seemingly innocent children as they viewed the commotion. Though, their expressions were strange; empty eyes that seemed to be unfazed by the massacre occurring before them, "Suzaku!" the Princess called, "I found some kids."

"Kids?" the Knight questioned while firing a single shot at a set of stalagmites, crushing two Gloucester snipers in the process, "You already know what to do."

It was true. Suzaku had already informed Cornelia of the high possibility she might have to kill a group of kids during the attack. And at the time, she naively thought it would be an easy task, due to them not being able to fight back. But, now that she actually had to do it, she found herself hesitating for a moment. "Why?" she thought, "I already knew this was going to happen. I knew that I would have to commit such an atrocity for Euphie, and yet… I can't bring myself to do it. It's not the same as killing some defenseless man. No. These are kids with real lives; possible futures. And yet… I'm about to snuff them out for Euphie's sake?" she closed her eyes, before pressing the trigger, "Of course I am. Suzaku's already told me that rehabilitating these kids would be pointless, due to the damage the Order has already caused them."

"Think of it as a mercy kill." Suzaku's words broke through her thoughts, "Now, let's move to the main courtyard-"

Just as he finished his sentence, a flash of white struck his side, sending him crashing through a building, where he would recover with a graceful flip, narrowly catching sight of a massive fist aimed for his face. In an instant, the Lancelot dashed behind the source of the hulking attack, delivering a swift kick to the monster's abdomen, which didn't even leave a scratch, merely pushing the beast back a bit. In response, the hulking frame slammed its fist into the ground, causing the entire cavern to shake, "Dalque, stop that." Sancia ordered from atop a building, catching the Lancelot in her sights.

Though, the Knight managed to catch sight of her at the last moment, activating his Blaze Luminous in the process, blocking an incoming sniper round aimed for his chest, "So… you're here?"

Before the Knight, Dalque and Alice blocked his path to the main courtyard, with Sancia and Lucretia in the background, staring him down. "What was that speed?" Cornelia questioned as she stood by Suzaku's side.

"The one on the right appears to have the ability to increase their speed to unbelievable proportions, while the other has immeasurable strength."

"But how? I thought you said Geass only worked on the mind?"

"That… is something I can't answer. For some reason, those two seem to be exceptions to the rule."

"What about the two in the back?"

"Those two are incredibly bland, considering they're hiding back there." the Knight explained, "We should split up, with one of us taking out the two in the back."

"Then I'll handle this one and the ogre!" Cornelia proclaimed, pointing at Alice and Dalque.

"If that's the case… then we might as well work together." Suzaku muttered, "After all, there's no way Cornelia will be able to beat these two."

AN: I actually feel really good about this chapter.

I chose to include the Queenglint, mainly because I don't think it'd make sense for V.V to make 0 preparations for facing Lelouch again. Though, keep the Knightmare in mind, since V.V made it in C's World, he had to have seen it in the real world in some capacity.

Oh, and I thought it would make sense for NT Kallen/Suzaku to learn how to pilot the SEITEN/Albion.