Lie and Seek

by draconichero21

On Planet Earth, there are multiple superpowers that oversee the global populace, most prominently are those that follow the Church of Seiros: Adrestia, Faerghus, Leicester, and Britannia. A chance meeting interlocks the fate of Lelouch and Edelgard, unknowingly putting the fate of mankind in their very ambitious hands.

29. Best Laid Plans

(A/N: So this chapter ended up taking an unexpected turn. I'm still stirring my stew for next chapter. For now, here's your appetizer, extra crispy).

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26th Day of the Horsebow Moon

On an unsuspecting early afternoon, the Black Knights were descending onto the scene of Kyushu's Black Market like a swarm of ninjas. Even Balthus, the one most likely to stick out like a sore thumb, managed to stay covert at the start of the operation. Everyone knew why, this mission had to be low-key. Get in. Get out.

Among the group, Shamir had an expert amount of experience with stealth-based operations. She knew how to look for danger and wave a group forward. Talking would be difficult as it would give away the group's positions. Fortunately, they all knew the rules: take out anyone that looked suspicious, and try and locate the vendor with Vajra-Mushti on sale.

Among the group, only Yuri, Ryo, Shamir, and Yukiya were considered savvy enough to talk to some of the vendors. Everyone else was on reconnaissance. Zero in particular tried not to stand out, sticking to the shadows. If people knew he was here, hell could break loose. As a result, C.C. stuck to him like glue.

"Are you sure this operation will work?" C.C. asked.

"It has to work," Zero stated. "We've come this far. To back down now puts a hero's relic in someone else's hands. More people could suffer. I don't want to be responsible for another Miklan."

"What happened back there was not your fault."

C.C. was one of the few people not present at the scene that Zero had told about what happened.

"No, but if I turn my back on a hero's relic now, the next one will be on my head," Zero stated.

As he snooped around the market, a man too well-dressed for the area started walking down the street, eyes darting around everywhere. His wide-brimmed blue hat and yellow shoulder tassels stuck out too much. He looked like an old-time musketeer from the seventeenth century, or at least the movie version of one.

More importantly, however, was that Zero noticed a seal on the sheathe of the knife the man was carrying. The Ochs family seal?

Monica von Ochs was one of Edelgard's biggest supporters. If her family was caught parading around the Black Market, the scandal would be huge. Leverage would be at Lelouch's fingertips as Zero or as himself. Or, maybe it was a stolen heirloom. Having Monica owe Zero one would also be a huge boon. He had to follow this man. Tailing the man quietly, he directed C.C. to help him flank the man. He followed him expertly, using skills Jeralt had instilled in him during his pre-teen years.

Eventually, just as the well-dressed man seemed to contemplate going into an unmarked building, Zero finally made his move.

"That's a mighty fine knife you have there, sir. Ochs family seal if I'm not mistaken. How much does it go for?"

The man he was following whipped around, pulled the knife on Zero and nearly went paler than white paint when he saw who was standing in front of him.

"Z-Zero!" he gasped.

"In the flesh," Zero responded.

"I…well…yes, I figured you would be here. As for the knife," he said, putting away, "It's mine." He took the hat off and bowed. "Baron Gregory von Ochs, sir." He then put the hat back on.

This is Baron Ochs, Monica's father? Their hair doesn't match. He thought of Nunnally and his own mother. Then again… "What color is your wife's hair?"

"Ah, I see the reason for the question. We're in a seedy part of town, ergo you must question my identity. My young Monica has the finest head of red hair one has ever seen, yet I am quite tawny myself." He took out his wallet and took out a family photo. In it was himself, a young Monica, clearly still a toddler, and his wife, whose hair was long and free flowing, but it matched Monica's perfectly. Baron Ochs then slipped his photo into his wallet.

"You seem awfully calm for someone who was skulking about just now, Baron," Zero stated to him.

Baron Ochs sighed heavily. "Come this way," he gestured. He and Zero dipped into the nearby alleyway. "If you must know, it's about those ruffians that kidnapped my dear Monica last year."

"You immediately have my attention," Zero stated.

"They have…something resembling a stranglehold on the Empire. I know that her imperial highness is intending to take over the Empire sooner rather than later, but well…I am a lowly Baron, sir. If fighting breaks out, I don't want my territory to be swallowed up."

"I was under the impression Miss Monica and Lady Edelgard go way back," Zero stated.

"A father is not his child," Baron Ochs stated. "I've heard talk that the heir to House Vestra and his father do not get along anymore. I…I don't want my daughter to think ill of me, Zero."

"Why would she?" Zero asked.

"Because when she was kidnapped…I was a coward, I bowed my head to the fiends that kidnapped her and I said nothing. I've heard talk, as have you, I presume, that a hero's relic is at this very market. I plan to acquire it and then turn around and give Lord Arundel a beating he'll not soon forget," Baron Ochs stated.

Another potential ally, Lelouch thought. "Baron, I believe you and I can…help one another."

"Oh?"

"Give the Vajra Mushti to me. If you're planning to acquire it, I have someone under my employ that can bring out its full potential," Zero stated.

"Jolly good, my fellow," Baron Ochs responded with a pull on his cap.

"I have a question though, why treat me with such courtesy? Officially, I am a vigilante," Zero stated.

"Ah, well, this is just between us, but I've heard my daughter talk and talk about her imperial highness's plans for Adrestia. I actually support her rule, sir. Duke Ludwig von Aegir is no good for the people of Adrestia. With Emperor Ionius in the state that he's in, Duke Aegir has ruined Adrestia for not just lesser nobles, but its people. In fact, I fear if it was ever revealed that I lack a crest, my house would crumble," Baron Ochs admitted.

"All the more reason you should relinquish the hero's relic to me," Zero told him. "A hero's relic without a crest is dangerous. I've witnessed such tragedy firsthand."

Baron Ochs nodded. "Well, the fellow I'm supposed to buy it from should be around here somewhere.

Suddenly, three men armed in bandanas and masks turned down the alley and spotted Zero and Baron Ochs. "Look, there he is! Gut him!"

Zero immediately turned to defend the baron. "Friends of yours?"

"Ah, I should probably have mentioned sooner. The Crows of Midnight, a notorious thief gang also want the Vajra-Mushti. I gave them the slip earlier, but appears they have caught up with me."

"Run. My associate is down the other end of that path," Zero told him. "Make your purchase and look for a tall man with his shirt open wearing one of my knights' uniforms."

"Can do, sir. And please, do be careful," Baron Ochs told Zero.

"Don't let him get away!" One of the Crows of Midnight shouted. All three ran down the alley to jump Zero.

Three at once down a narrow passageway. They're mostly uncoordinated and one of them has a bad leg, Zero observed, watching the enemies come towards him. He went for his energy sword sheathed at his side. Weaving through the oncoming thugs, he made it past them, turning to see them all sliced in half, their innards burning and searing shut from the quick slices of his dark light energy sword. They'd never even seen him take it out. I'm getting better with this, Zero thought and then radioed to his entire team. "This is Zero. The enemy has revealed themselves. We are after an organization called the Crows of Midnight. Switch from low to high alert. This area is about to become a miniature warzone. Do not activate HLKMF crystals without approval. The battlefield does not need to escalate to a high-tier scale."

"Copy that, Zero," Yuri stated. "Leave everything to us."

"Baron Gregory von Ochs is in the process of purchasing Vajra-Mushti for us. Q1 currently has his position. Protect him at all costs, bare minimum until Vajra-Mushti is ours," Zero stated.

"Copy that, Zero!" Balthus exclaimed. He was grunting, sounding like he was already in combat. "Time to tear these hoodlums apart! Come here!"

"Sounds like B's already having fun," Hapi said. "Are you holding up well, Coco?"

"With the visor Zero has provided me, the sunlight cannot reach me! I am at my most glorious!" Constance replied.

"Don't get carried away. Powerful magic is the easiest way to get the authorities sent here if we cause too much of a disturbance," Shamir radioed as she slunk out of an alleyway to tag two members of the Crows in the side of the head. Her shots didn't even register as being that loud.

"I know that," Constance replied, indignantly, but her facial expression indicated she needed the reminder. "I shall simply do my best to avoid hitting any buildings."

Hapi shot a Miasma blast at a target, nailing him dead center in the chest. "Best stick to thunder magic, Coco. Fire magic is a good way to set this market ablaze."

"Ah! I am not a child, Hapi! Do not patronize me!"

Ayano sped through the alleyways, holding her sword in reverse grip, slashing people's throats. "We're always worrying about you, B1," she said. "You're a bit over the top!"

"Et tu, Ayano? I shall show you just how discreet I can be!" Constance shouted and blasted a Thoron that filled up an entire side of a street, ripping through multiple thieves. "AHAHAHA!"

"Ooooookay, before Coco gets carried away and costs us the mission," Hapi stated, rolling her eyes, "How long before this Baron guy makes his purchase?"

"By my estimation, fifteen minutes or less. Let's clean up this area of some rogues and thieves while we have the chance," Zero declared calmly.

"I hear that," Yukiya stated.

"Ahahaha, I love the smell of death in the early afternoon," Kronya responded. "Smells like fun!" She then began blitzing these wannabe thieves with her superior assassin skills, cackling all the while.

From gunfire from Ryo and Shamir, to sword strikes from Akito and Ayano, the battlefield was wholly going in the Black Knights's favor.

"Q1, where's Baron Ochs?" Zero questioned.

"Almost at our destination. Worry not, he will not be harmed with me at his back," C.C. responded, flinging spells with a flick of her wrist at any thief or rogue stupid enough to get within her sights.

"Good, then the mission is almost clear. B1, P2, K1, get the Neverland. I want to evac out of here as soon as we have the Vajra Mushti in our possession."

"Copy that, Zero," Constance replied. "Leave it to us!"

And that was when Lelouch's blood ran cold as he heard over comms, "Well, well, well, if it isn't the infamous Zero."

A voice he had never heard before, but someone that clearly knew him. And from the goosebumps he was getting, this person sounded as if they were here to cause a real problem.

Yukiya suddenly shouted, "Zero, we've got a problem of more than just thieves and bandits!"

A well-regulated militia suddenly stormed the black market, putting Zero's forces on the defensive and forcing them down alleyways. Constance, Yukiya and Ayano, all heading to recover the Neverland, had to break formation and seek shelter from the gunfire and magic spells being sent their way.

Zero turned a corner, using Yukiya's signal to trace the source of the open comms channel that had been broadcast to his unit.

At the far end of the marketplace, stood a man with long blue haired tied back in a tight ponytail. He had eyes as green as the deepest emeralds and wore blue fabrics denoting his Faerghusian heritage. However, he looked…

A Japanese? Lelouch thought. "Who are you?" he demanded to know.

"I suppose being of so low birth, you wouldn't quite know me. My name is Shin Hyuga Shaing of the noble Shaing family, a family under the protection of Lord Rodrigue Fraldarius and House Fraldarius itself."

Hyuga? Like Akito?

"I thought perhaps I could solve this with just some lowborn rats, but it appears that my private militia will have to do," Shin stated, craning his neck back as if looking down on Zero.

"We're in areas full of Adrestian people. Let's not do something that will cause Faerghus to go to war with Adrestia," Zero reminded him.

"Makes no difference to me. I have no love for my country, nor loyalty. My men and I fight for my ambition." Shin took out an energy sword and swung it at his side. "Hand over the Vajra-Mushti, Zero."

"And if I refuse?"

"Then this market becomes a battleground, and I have no qualms about leveling it to the ground," Shin told him.

Zero contemplated his options. On the one hand, he needed that Hero's Relic. On the other, he absolutely did not want innocent people dragged into this.

That was when Balthus skid into view. "There ain't no way we're giving you the relic, pal!" Balthus shouted. "We're gonna kick your sorry us and leave you for the Knights of Seiros to pick you up!"

Well, looks like his decision had been made for him.

Still with his head craned back, clearly seeing himself as superior to everyone, Shin stated with disdain, "So be it. Wipe out the Black Knights and get me that relic." He activated a gold colored HLKMF which gifted him a golden frame with a centaur-like build, a glaive appeared in Shin's dominant right hand. This was the ultimate weapon of House Shaing. Codename: Pyrrhus. "And don't get in my way."

"You're on pal! ROLLING THUNDER!" Balthus shouted, activating his own HLKMF. He rolled his frame towards Shin's at intense speed, only to get deflected into a building by Shin's glaive.

He's strong if he can deflect Balthus like that, or maybe it's just the frame, Zero pondered. He then radioed with one hand, shooting magic with the other as he fell back. "All units, changing orders. Take out that golden knightmare. If he dies, he dies, but if he lives, capture him alive!"

"RIGHT!" Over the simultaneous declaration to carry out his orders, Lelouch didn't notice that Akito had failed to join in.

Standing alone in an alleyway, shocked, Akito's body shook. "Brother…you…but why?"

Ayano was the first one on the scene with the Shadow of Hope. She stormed the Pyrrhus's location with blinding speed, leaping into the air and attacking it from above with a sword strike. The first strike was parried, but with her left hand, she struck with the other, landing a glancing blow upon Shin's right shoulder.

The proud Faerghusian warrior then turned and struck at Ayano with his glaive. However, before he could make contact, Zero tagged it with a Miasma bolt, knocking Shin off balance. This allowed Ayano to touch the ground and speed backwards to safety, intending to loop around a building.

While Ayano was performing a reverse U-turn, Ryo came in with the Howling Timberwolf. He decided to fire only the smaller guns on the frame just to get Shin's attention. He was wholly unprepared when Shin wound a chain on his glaive along the Pyrrhus's arm and hurled it so quickly at Ryo it impaled the Howling Timberwolf and nearly into Ryo's ribs. The Howling Timberwolf was immediately disabled and Ryo now had a bleeding wound where the tip and heat of Shin's Pyrrhus had harmed him.

Shots from multiple cartridge rifles rang out then, attempting to shoot the now defenseless Ryo, but Balthus rolled into view, using the bulky frame of the Rolling Thunder to protect his comrade.

"Get outta here, pal! You're no good to anyone like that!"

"Right!" Ryo shouted. "Zero, I gotta retreat! I'm sorry!"

"It's fine!" Zero shouted, activating the Zero Matrix to bolster his abilities. "You, and anyone else that gets their frame disabled should get to the Neverland. B1, you as well. This battlefield is too close quarters for the Magnificent Peacock's mines to be anything more than a hindrance."

"Ah! I can still fire magic, you know! Do not count me out!"

"That's what I'm here for Coco!" Hapi shouted as the Demonic Hellcat rolled onto the scene, firing its main cannon at Shin's frame. "Get the Neverland online! You're our primary pilot!"

"Very well, performing tactical retreat!" Constance exclaimed.

Shin surprised the Black Knights when his Pyrrhus evaded her gunfire and then proceeded to charge straight towards her. His glaive was poised to swipe the cannon right off her back when he had to evade an incoming powerful rifle shot. From the other side of the horizon, Shamir had hunkered down behind her shield with the Jungle Artemis. She reloaded and performed mental calculations, adjusting her aim accordingly. She wasn't going to miss her next shot.

At such close range, Hapi took Shin's momentary lapse in concentration to fire a point blank shot from her gun at his frame's face, causing decent damage.

"Get my shock troopers in here! I need back up!" Shin shouted.

Standard Faerghusian HLKMFs suddenly swarmed the battlefield. Using pivotal thrusters, they began weaving through the alleyways and streets, taking potshots at Zero's forces from all angles, making it hard to concentrate on just Shin. Taking advantage of this, Shin took the opportunity to fight Hapi at close range, something the Demonic Hellcat was definitely not designed for. Fortunately, her speed helped her evade a few swings of Shin's glaive here and there as she hopped back and forth, even barely evading a thrown chain aided toss of his glaive as the impact cracked the street.

She fired two shots at his face, damaging the chest, but the impact seemed to do minimal damage.

"Zero, we've got a problem," Hapi said as she ran down a random alleyway. "I just got three direct hits on this guy and he's barely taking any damage."

"Not a problem," Zero responded, using sticky webs to his advantage to get above enemy knightmares and blasting them from above with Miasma bolts. "Yukiya, can you try hacking the crystal's energy filler?"

"I'm on it!" Yukiya exclaimed and took to the battlefield with the Cosmic Gyro. The tendrils of his floating HLKMF struck towards Shin. Shin used the agility and mobility of his Pyrrhus to evade Yukiya's attacks as the tendrils cracked the streets.

Yuri gasped. "Zero! Wait! Yukiya's exposed! Enemy fire will be drawn to him!"

"That's what I'm counting on!" Zero exclaimed as he pulled himself up onto a rooftop. "K2! Retrace enemy fire at the Cosmic Gyro and eliminate any hostile spotted."

"All right! Giving me the fun job!" Kronya exclaimed. She got onto a rooftop and watched for enemy fire, striking it out of the air with Athame and then diving for the enemy, obliterating pilot and flame in the same strike. "Ahahaha, you can leave these losers to me, Zero. They're nothing special."

"Copy that. R2, take to the skies."

"Copy that," Shamir responded calmly. She fired her thrusters and got into the air. She then began unleashing sniper shots on Shin's Pyrrhus from above. Shin was able to evade her shots, but by now Hapi was back in the fray and unloading more, hardier cannon blasts juuuust as Ayano got back in the fight and attacked Shin from behind.

All conditions are clear, Zero thought. We'll end this with the next blow. Sorry, Shin Hyuga Shaing, but I've taken great pains to formulate strategies to fight enemies far tougher than you. "Banshee Theta!" Zero shouted

Shin gasped as his HLKMF was suddenly rooted in place, attacked from all sides by dark magic orbs. Although damage was minimal, it left him wide open for a bombardment of attacks from all sides. Shamir's rifle, Hapi's Cannon and Ayano's swords.

A critical blow to Shin's systems blared from his HLKMF. "Damn it all!"

As soon as the effects of the Banshee Theta wore off, Shin broke off into a retreat.

"Enemy retreating. I've got the shot," Shamir stated.

"Take it," Zero told her. "We'll worry about the consequences later."

Shamir obeyed her orders, lining up her shot with Shin Hyuga Shaing.

Shin's on board computer let him know he was being targeted. As Shamir's shot came in, he fired up his full throttle speed boosters on his frame and, instead of getting a bullet tunneling through the back of his head, he instead took it to the core of his HLKMF, damaging the crystal severely and causing a small explosion that sent him hurtling into a building, battered, bruised and bleeding horribly. He could taste blood in his mouth. He coughed. His body burned. His wounds seethed with pain.

Storm clouds began to roll in. The explosion had kicked up a mushroom cloud of black smoke and it was already flooding his lungs.

No! Not like this! My ambition! The Goddess…the Goddess favors me! ME! He reached for the heavens, hoping for a response, but nothing came of his call as his arm fell forward and hit the now rain dotted path. He heard the clacking of footsteps as his vision grew blurry. A woman in a strapless dress, wearing a veil, was approaching him. She knelt down at his side. The last thing he saw, he swore, was the woman's pale skin as she reached down to grab his hand. And then, his world went black.

---

As the rain poured down, Shamir slowed her thrusters, coming closer to the ground. "Target lost. Cannot confirm demise."

"Let's hope that explosion finished him off, or at the very least left him disabled until we're finished," Zero replied. "All units, power down. Q1, what's our ETA?"

"Vajra-Mushti has been bought. We're on our way. Shall we meet at the evac point?" C.C. questioned.

"No. Just in case something goes wrong, if we lose the Neverland this time, we don't have a backup. Let's head for the location we originally ran into Baron Ochs," Zero told her.

"Copy that."

"Am I still getting the Neverland online?" Constance asked.

"You are," Zero stated. "I still want to get out of here as soon as possible. There's a storm brewing."

"Roger!" Constance exclaimed with cheer.

"All forces, make for the rendezvous point. Let's not cause any more damage than we already have. P2, start forwarding all recorded footage to Control. Let him spin this."

Control was Zero's code for Diethard.

"Way ahead of you, Zero," Yukiya told him.

The group marched in the rain and eventually met up under the thick clouds and drizzle. Akito was the last to arrive. He looked miserable.

"Apologies, Zero. I…didn't join the battle. I was…emotionally compromised."

"So, it's as I suspected. Who is Lord Shin to you, Akito?" Zero asked.

"He's my older brother. He's the one who exiled me from Faerghus," Akito told him, staring at the ground.

"Well, it's all over now. We can go back to Abyss and drown you in ale as soon as our favorite mysterious lady gets here with Baron Ochs," Yuri responded, forcing cheer in order to try and lift Akito's spirits.

It wasn't working.

Splashing through puddles of rainfall, Baron Ochs approached with C.C. He was holding a small crate.

"Did you confirm the contents?" Zero asked.

Baron Ochs opened the crate, revealing the strangely shaped Vajra-Mushti. The two gauntlets were shaped like vaguley dragon heads with the wearer meant to stick their hands in the mouths. The horns were the "claws" meant for puncturing the enemy.

"Hell yeah! Come to papa!" Balthus exclaimed, putting the weapons on his arms. They glowed red immediately. "Hell yeah, check me out! I'm a lean, mean, relic wielding machine!" He took a few practice punches.

"Hey! Careful how you swing those!" Ayano complained. "You could put someone's eye out."

"Whoops, sorry," Balthus apologized, putting his hand up behind his head.

"I thank you, Baron," Zero stated, bowing in gratitude, "Your cooperation has been greatly appreciated."

"No thanks necessary, Zero. You gave me quite the bodyguard. My own court mages could learn a thing or two from your subordinate here," Baron Ochs replied jovially.

"It's a shame she's not currently in the market for a teaching career," Zero joked.

Baron Ochs laughed. "Take care of yourself, Zero. Safe travels, and don't forget you now have friends in Ochs territory."

"I shan't," Zero replied. "And you take care as well."

Baron Ochs doffed his hat, and walked out into the open. He was then pelted with multiple shots from an unknown weapon in his arms, torso, head and legs, crumpled to the right from the force and died immediately in the street in an undignified pose.

Lelouch was so shocked he had to take a minute to process what had just happened. Surely, surely he'd just imagined that. Unfortunately, Ayano's shrill gasp of fright proved that no, Baron Gregory von Ochs, Monica's father, had just been shot and killed before his very eyes.

"Incoming!" Balthus shouted.

Zero's forces scattered as an explosion rocked where they'd been standing.

"I've got visual!" Yukiya exclaimed, hacking a street camera and air dropped it to spread the footage around. Standing on a rooftop was a much larger, jet black, much more formidable looking version of the Pyrrhus. This was no HLKMF, this was a full-fledged KMF, a custom model far beyond anything Zero had ever seen of KMF technology.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! What's going on here?" Kronya questioned. "That's…that's an Agarthan KMF!"

"Has Thales finally betrayed us?" Zero questioned.

"No…I don't think so. If it were Thales, this place would be swarming with Agarthans coming for my head. What gives?!" Kronya shouted, frustrated.

"What's the matter, Kronya? Don't you want to play with my toy?" A voice came over the general comms.

"I know that voice…" Kronya stated, frowning. "Bias! Bias, is that you?"

A woman's voice cackled on the other end of the line. "You've become far too complacent with these beasts, Kronya dear. I hope you don't mind if I kill a few."

"Bias, Thales is going to have your head for this!" Kronya shouted. "Zero is our ally! As am I!"

"So let him take my head! I'm more than willing to die for the cause! I finally found a pilot worthy of the Nuckelavee! You should be proud, Kronya! Your combat abilities will be put to their limits!"

A loud mechanical whinny was heard as lightning flashed and multiple missiles were rained down from a rooftop to the ground below. Zero's forces scattered.

"Zerooooooo…where are youuuuuu…Hahahahahahahahaha."

"That voice!" Zero exclaimed.

"Yes, indeed!" Bias exclaimed over comms. "Shin Hyuga Shaing was the perfect pilot for this experiment. Wish I could stay and play with you all, but I'll be too busy collecting data from afar. Farewell." The signal then went dead.

"BIAS!" Kronya shouted. "Damn her! She set us up! I bet all of this was her doing too!" Kronya growled.

"Tell us about her later. Right now we need a plan!" Zero exclaimed, re-equipping the Zero Matrix. "What in the Goddess's name are we up against?"

"Experimental KMF the Nuckelavee, a brutally powerful quadrupedal KMF equipped with multiple armaments and heavy armor plating. We didn't have anyone that could pilot it, last I checked," Kronya explained, voice shaking.

"Then let's put my brother at rest," Akito requested sternly. "Things can't stay like this and we can't leave and put these people in danger."

Zero took a look at Baron von Ochs's body still laying in the street. "Agreed. Black Knights, our objective is clear: Take out the Nuckelavee! All forces attack!"

The Nuckelavee screeched as it dropped down to ground level and charged forward. Balthus's Rolling Thunder stood in its path to protect his allies, only for a skull-laiden glaive to swat him through a building and into another one, causing the Rolling Thunder to be disabled immediately.

"Hahaha. Ahahahaha!" Shin shouted. "YES! I can feel the power of this Knightmare and it's mine, ALL MINE!"

Yukiya attacked with his Cosmic Gyro, only for slash harkens to burst forth and smash his gyro in multiple different places.

Shamir fired from the air, pelting the Nuckelavee in the back multiple times before it charged forward and made U-turn around several blocks. It fired back at Shamir with machine gun fire before releasing several missiles at her. Shamir weaved back and forth to avoid the missiles as Hapi began running circles around the Nuckelavee, taking shots at it with her cannon whenever she could get a clear shot.

With Yuri piloting the Violent Swan and Ayano the Shadow of Hope, they both charged to engage the Nuckelavee in close quarters, only to be held at bay by its glaive and shield. When Yuri tried a clever tactic and tried to hack off the Nuckelavee's back half, the KMF transformed from Quadrpedal to bipedal on a dime and attempted to impale him, only for its weapon to get shot and cracked by Shamir flying high overhead.

"It's big but it's still just mechanical! Don't let up!" Zero shouted.

That was when the Nuckelavee overclocked its energy filler and released a massive dark energy wave that sent Ayano and Yuri flying, disabling their frames. Zero's shielding and his lack of close proximity to the frame kept him in the fight.

At this, Akito charged forward with his Wyvern Revenant to attack the Nuckelavee up close, only to be blocked by Shin's skull glaive.

"Brother!" Akito shouted.

Blood dripping down his face, ponytail lost, and eyes crazed with excitement, Shin was elated to hear Akito's voice. "Akito, by the Goddess is that you? You're alive after all!"

The two brothers clashed in the black marketplace with every swing from Shin, pushing Akito back.

"The Goddess must truly favor me, she allowed you to live for my sake. So you've joined Zero, have you? How interesting," Shin chuckled.

"Brother! Why are you here? What are you fighting for?!" Akito demanded to know.

"I want what every man wants, to stand at the top of the food chain and look down upon life itself so that I may rule over and eliminate the festering maggots crawling in the pile," he declared as, with a mighty swing, he sent the much smaller Akito into the front of a building.

"You could join us brother!" Akito shouted. "It doesn't have to be like this!"

"Save your comradery drivel for someone who cares!" Shin shouted. "I am this world's chosen to destroy and rebirth it anew!" Shin shouted.

"You want to destroy the world?" Zero asked, stepping up to the Nuckelavee's left shoulder area, about a tenth of a kilometer away. "Then you'll have to kill me to do it! You thing you can shape the world through tyranny?! I will not allow it!"

"And what can you do?" Shin asked, turning and pivoting to face Zero. "You are just a man in a mask. I am a man chosen by fate to do with this world as I see fit."

"You're a lunatic," Zero rebut.

"I suppose you have to be a little crazy to try and burn the world to the ground," Shin stated calmly, blood continuing to run down his face. "But I'd rather be crazy, than fall in line with this corrupt, pointless world!"

"The world isn't pointless! Even if there are horrible things in it, it's still a world fighting for!" Zero shouted.

"Oh spare me!" Shin shouted. "You're not doing anything differently than what I am doing. You are rebuilding the world as you see fit. You are setting fires where there need to be fires and bringing destruction as you demand. You don't care about the opposition and you see everyone else as beneath you. If anything, you should join me. With my power and your cunning, no one will stand in our way!"

"The world should be free to make its own choices, to live without the fear of tyranny. I will purge the corrupted strong, and only the corrupted strong. The strong must protect the weak so that the weak can thrive and become strong. That is the nature of man."

"If that is the nature of man than the nature of man is a lie! I've seen man and man is cruel and unjust! The world frowns upon those who are just unlucky. There is no difference between a king and his poorest peasant, only that the king eats steak while the peasant hasn't a calorie to his name. I will burn this entire world to the ground and from its ashes I shall cultivate one that's better!" Shin shouted.

"Yeah, and who's going to support your crazy little puppet show?" Yuri asked. "Newsflash, we've killed all the men you've brought with you today."

"Bias," Shin answered.

"Bias?!" Kronya questioned.

"That woman offered me power, an army, and all I have to do is crush you all!"

"Bias is using you!" Kronya shouted. "As soon as you're of no use to her, she'll discard you and gut you like a fish. Your body will be taken by any number of my kind purely for the sake of what it has to offer us! Shin Hyuga Shaing, you will never reach your dreams! You are a dead man walking!"

"SILENCE!" Shin shouted and fired a laser from the Nuckelavee's "eyes", but he missed Kronya by a considerable horizontal distance. Her Keen Intuition ability had her get out of the way with plenty of time to spare. "You are all just rats from the sewer!"

"And what does that make you?" Akito asked, pushing up off the wall. "If I'm a rat, then so are you."

"Akito's right," Yuri said. "You can dress a rat in pretty clothes all you want, it's still a rat. And nobody will bow their head towards a rat king."

"Akito's blood is fouled up. Mine is not. It's all your fault, Akito! If you'd never been born—"

"SHUT UP!"

Hapi materialized two extra cannons on her Demonic Hellcat and just plastered the Nuckelavee with shots until her energy filler was almost empty. "How dare you!" She hissed at Shin. "Akito is cool and awesome and a great friend! Everyone has a right to be born! Everyone has a right to live! Sure, the world isn't great, but the problem isn't the world, you scumbag! The problem is you!"

Shin's next attack was aimed at Hapi, but Akito grappled the glaive to impede its thrusting power as Slash Harkens then sliced and punctured the Wyvern Revenant, taking it down.

Shots from above rained down as Shamir had finished locking onto key spots on the Nuckelavee's build and the shots rocked the frame.

"Excellent shooting, R2," Zero commented.

Now immobilized, but still with some of the weapon systems work, Shin glared at Zero. "I command the power to fell gods! Even with my frame disabled, I still have enough firepower to level this entire market. In fact!"

Another dark energy pulse did precisely that, shattering windows, scattering Zero's forces and disabling even the Jungle Artemis from high in the sky. It crashed to the ground, absorbing the impact, and then Shamir was left exposed in her Black Knights uniform, slowly getting up in the rain as lightning flashed.

Winding up his glaive to strike Zero down, Shin had one final thing to say to the man of miracles. "Just what made you think that you could stop me, Zero?! What power do you possess to rival my might?"

"You are mistaken in your beliefs, Lord Shin," Zero stated. "I never claimed to have power of my own. What I lack in power, I have in my unbreakable ideals. And besides…" Zero slowly pointed one index finger to the sky. "I have her."

Hovering above Zero was none other than C.C. Her eyes and arms glowing with white light.

"Rest in peace, Shin Hyuga Shaing. And don't come back," Zero told him. "Q1, do it."

"Agnea's Arrow."

Unable to evade, Shin had no choice but to suffer the powerful magic to rain down upon the Nuckelavee and detonate on impact. However, whilst the spell was still falling, Shin was going to conduct one last act of petty defiance. "If I am to die today, then so shall you!" Shin shouted. "Perish, Zero!"

He threw the lance at him. At that moment, the Neverland Mk. II flew out from behind an array of buildings and shot the weapon to shrapnel with its forward machine guns just as Agnea's Arrow made contact with the Nuckelavee.

"WOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHH!" Shin screamed as his entire mech was consumed by the blast of magic.

When the blast cleared, true to Shin's belief, the Nuckelavee wasn't destroyed, but it was basically defunct, unable to function at all, with several limbs missing. And, to Zero's surprise, the man inside was still alive. However, Shin was slumped back, bleeding out. His wounds were mortal. Without healing magic, he would expire within the hour.

Zero turned to leave. "Black Knights, our objective is complete. Let's go!"

"What about Lord Shin?" Hapi asked.

"Leave him. R2 can have the knights call it in later," Zero told her.

"Are you sure we shouldn't finish him off here?" Shamir asked.

"If he comes back to haunt us, we'll defeat him again and again and prove to him time and again that what he's fighting for will never come to pass. And he will also be a message back to Agartha that I am far more powerful than a mere test subject for their lab rats."

At this, Kronya actually smiled. In fact, her smiled grew wide enough that she basically looked giddy. "Zero…you're kind of cool."

"Aha, okay, I think I'm still delirious from being tossed through that building. Did…did Kronya just compliment Zero without walking it back?" Balthus asked.

"Hey! Praise where praise is due. I think you're all a bunch of Goddess worshipping weirdos, but I've never denied your strength!" Kronya exclaimed.

"Oh, come on, Kronny. You know you like us! Big hug!"

"What?! No! Get back! Hey!"

Ayano, Hapi, and Akito all gave Kronya a group hug she clearly did not want. "Zero! Make them stop! I…I'll report to Thales you're harassing me if you don't tell them to cut it out!"

Zero, however, walked forward and flattened his palm over Kronya's head, gently stroking her head. "You've done good work today, K2. I'm proud of you."

Kronya lowered her head, blushing slightly. "Hey…that's not fair, Zero. You can't just…" Kronya wanted to cry or complain, but, for the moment, all she could do was smile gently. And, for the first time since joining Zero's group, a part of her now craved his approval, more than Thales's.

---

It was a longer flight back to Rome than the flight over, mostly due to Constance having to navigate a storm. In that time, Shamir had called in the situation. Entering the bridge, she went up to Zero to speak with him.

"I told Catherine I got a report of suspicious activity in the area and that Zero may have been involved. She's on her way with some knights, likely to collect the bodies, hopefully including Lord Shin's," Shamir stated.

"What do you mean hopefully?" Zero asked.

"There's a non-zero chance that Bias person may have recovered him for further use," Shamir stated. "I don't know how likely it is, but that's nagging me in the back of my mind."

"Then I'll allow it to nag the back of my mind. If this isn't the last we've seen of Lord Shin Hyuga Shaing, so be it. We've faced tougher and come out alive. Compared to brushes with the Death Knight and the Ashen Demon, I'll take Lord Shin any day."

Shamir smirked. "Heh. How very like you not to let it bother you." Her smirk faded. "By the way, Kronya's ready to report about Bias if we're ready."

"It can wait until we've returned to Abyss. We'll talk in the classroom," Zero stated.

"Acknowledged."

---

As Lelouch had predicted, calming Bernadetta down had been a Herculean task, taking well past afternoon classes. After checking his phone, he found out that she still hadn't been soothed. He decided to settle that matter first. He went up to the surface and lured the dark furred cat with the patch over one of its eyes, bringing it to where Edelgard and Byleth were trying to sooth a still hysterical Bernadetta.

"Bernadetta, is this what you've been so afraid of," Lelouch said, showing off Arthur, the sunlight at the monastery, casting a shadow on the nearby hedge.

The cat mewed cutely, stretching as Bernadetta came out from under the effects of Lelouch's Geass. "It was…a cat?"

"A cat? Honestly, Bernadetta. I know you to have some of the strangest paranoias, but you've completely disrupted everything at the monastery today," Edelgard groaned.

"I'm sorry," Bernadetta apologized. "I don't know what came over me. How long have I…been acting like this?"

"Several hours," Byleth answered. "Classes are over for the day."

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry, Professor! Please forgive me!"

Byleth pat her on the head. "What matters is that you're safe and not freaking out anymore."

"I think someone needs some chocolate cake to soothe their nerves," Lelouch recommended.

The cat he was with seemed to agree with this.

"I like that idea! And it sounds like your friend does too," Bernadetta said cheerfully.

"Oh? This little guy. He follows me around a lot when I'm not doing anything. I think he thinks I'm its father or something. Say hello, Arthur."

"Lelouch, that's a girl cat," Byleth said.

"You can tell?" Lelouch asked.

Byleth lifted the tail and pointed.

"…So it is." Animal biology wasn't exactly one of Lelouch's strong suits.

"Why don't we name her Artoria then?" Bernadetta asked.

"Mrowr," the cat mewled and then purred as it snuggled up against Bernadetta's hand. If anything, it was rubbing its head all over her side.

"Awww, you're a cute little kitty, aren't you?" Bernadetta asked rhetorically, picking it up, stroking it. "Why don't I get some chocolate cake, and I'll cook you up some nice tuna."

Artoria squirmed to put her paws on Bernadetta's collar and licked her nose.

Bernadetta laughed. "Hey, stop, that tickles. Ahahaha."

"All's well that ends well, I suppose," Edelgard said, trying to make the best out of a bad situation.

"Glad I could be of service. When you told me what was going on, I had trouble chasing Arthur…Artoria down," Lelouch remarked with a smile.

"I wish you hadn't taken so long," Edelgard responded, exasperated. "Ugh, I hope Monica cancelled my stream like I asked her too."

The mere mention of Monica wounded Lelouch emotionally.

"Lelouch, is something the matter?" Byleth asked.

Lelouch shook his head. "No. Not sure what gave you that idea. You'll both have to excuse me. I need to take care of something. I'm a bit behind on my personal businesses from playing cat tracker after all. See you later."

Byleth wasn't sure how much she believed that. Edelgard looked just as suspicious. But, she could talk to Hubert about it later. Right now, Bernadetta's care was more important. Fortunately, with her new kitty friend to calm her down, that task looked to be as easy as taking a nap.

---

Deep underground, well into the evening, Zero had the Black Knights gather in the classroom to talk about Kronya's…fellow Agarthan—Lelouch couldn't think of a better descriptor—Bias.

He sat in the student section, allowing Kronya the ability to give a speech to the class.

"Among my people, there are plenty that rise above the rank and file. Thales is our leader, but there's also Solon, the head of our research division, Cleobulus, the head of our medical division, and Myson, the head of magic research. Bias, although she's a mage, she's in charge of engineering and technology. She helped develop some of Agartha's finest weapons of war. I can't talk about more than what you've already seen, Thales would have my head, but yeah…she's a big deal."

"Any idea why she did what she did?" Zero asked curiously, tenting his fingers.

"Beats me, but…almost all Agarthans look down on other humans as inferior, that they're no different from incinerating insects with the sunlight of a magnifying glass. They exist for our amusement, and extermination," Kronya explained.

"Yet Thales wants to ally with us," Hapi stated, confused.

"Thales has a vested interest in the fall of the church," Kronya reminded her. "The Flame Emperor isn't Agarthan and neither is the Death Knight. We'll work with you folk if it suits us. Just look at what happened to Shin."

"They need puppets to continue their theater," Yuri commented. "Makes sense."

"Bias probably saw what she did as just seeing if her new toy could overcome the might Zero claims to have. I've no doubt if Thales doesn't outright destroy her though, that he'll be furious with her. We shouldn't expect her to interfere with our operations for quite some time," Kronya said informatively.

Zero rose. "In that case, we'll let the dice fall where they may. As long as our status quo isn't changing, as long as you're still at our side and Thales isn't planning his invasion now, that's all that matters."

Kronya's mouth twitched at this as though she wanted to smile, but forced herself not to.

"Balthus, start practicing with the Vajra-Mushti and Rolling Thunder together. With any luck, we can force your frame to evolve before our next big battle," Zero told him.

"Woohoo, orders to spend all day training! Yes, sir!" Balthus exclaimed, pumping his fists as he then rolled his shoulders.

"I heard from Catherine about what she found by the way," Shamir suddenly spoke up. "Baron Ochs's death was announced publicly. Our unit was not blamed in any capacity, but witness reports confirmed that we were there. However, from what Catherine told me, nobody considered us the problem."

"Good. That's good for our reputation. Sounds like we're in the clear," Zero said, turning to face her.

"There's more, unfortunately. Neither Shin Hyuga Shaing's body, nor the Nuckelavee was recovered from the scene, though witnesses spoke of it as some kind of demon, so she knows its out there."

"Sounds like Bias recovered it then," Kronya commented.

"Like I told Shamir on our flight back to Rome, let Shin Hyuga Shaing fight us as many times as he pleases. We'll destroy him every time."

Hapi rose from her seat. "Yeah!"

"A true noble would never have fallen as far as he did. We shall punish him for pointing weapons at us!" Constance exclaimed.

Akito then stood up. "Zero, the next time we fight my brother, I won't hesitate! I'll fight him with everything I have!"

"Good, then all is as it should be. I must take my leave now. I have business to attend to on the surface," Zero told his knights.

"A hero's work is never done and all that," Hapi said with a smirk. "We get it."

"That storm we passed by is supposed to have hit Rome by now. Be careful up top, yeah?" Yuri told Zero out of concern.

"Your concern is noted. I'm leaving now," Zero said. He went up to the surface via the elevator, switching into his academy uniform. Just as Yuri said, it was raining at the Monastery. He came up from the maintenance area, only to find a familiar face at Garreg Mach cemetery. He already knew before he confirmed it that it was Monica.

Looking sympathetic, he approached.

Monica turned towards Lelouch. Despite the rain, Lelouch could see fresh tears in her eyes. "L-Lelouch…" she sniffed.

"I heard what happened. I…"

Monica collapsed into him and beat her fists against his shoulders, using his chest as a pillar for her forehead. Lelouch didn't move his arms. He knew Monica would have latched on to anyone above an acquaintance level that came by. He deduced she came out to the cemetery to avoid Edelgard and Hubert, not wanting either them to see her like this.

"Lelouch…" Monica uttered, choking on tears, "You…you support Zero…a…a lot, r-right?"

Lelouch nodded. "I do."

"Why couldn't he save my dad, Lelouch?" Monica sobbed. She buried her face in Lelouch's chest. "Why couldn't he save my dad?"

Lelouch stroked the back of Monica's head. He wanted to say "I'm sorry." He wanted to accept responsibility for the guilt that wracked his heart. But he could not do this. He wanted to tell her "Your father believed in Zero." But he could not do this either. Baron von Ochs perished and no one would know the contribution he made towards the greater good.

He left behind a daughter who loved him and wanted nothing more than to speak with him. Up until now, as Zero, it had been about the spectacle. It had been about using the Black Knights to further his goal. But, Lelouch knew, he knew that if he had truly done everything he could today, if he simply hadn't dropped his guard at the worst possible time, Baron Gregory von Ochs wouldn't be dead.

No more though.

Lelouch hugged the crying Monica, helping sooth her as only a friend could. He'd started this revolution in it only for himself…but that wasn't going to be good enough. His emotions couldn't handle the burden. Starting tomorrow morning, no…starting now he would change. He would become his mask. He would fight for not himself, but for the people.

"Shed your tears tonight, Monica," Lelouch told her. "Tomorrow…the fight for freedom continues. Edelgard needs your strength, as do I. We cannot control our fates, we can only choose how we react to them. Do not break. You are strong." Lelouch let go of Monica and took a knee to her. "Baroness Monica von Ochs, you are in control of your father's territory now." He gazed up at her, a fierce and intense stare surprised the young woman. "I will help you overcome your despair! I swear it! If you give my sister and I a home, I shall become a knight of House Ochs."

"Lelouch…" Monica uttered, still sounding miserable. She knew that Lelouch was serious, but she also knew he was trying to make her feel better. He was right. Tonight was for tears. Tomorrow would be the time to take the next step forward.

And yet…Lelouch's fervent passion helped Monica pull herself together, if only for a moment.

"I appreciate your oath, Lelouch, but I can't accept it now." She giggled. "I'm not the Baroness yet. But…I'm going to work hard. I'll be a good Baroness, and if you still want to work for me as you claimed, I will gladly accept your offer."

Lelouch rose. He also lifted Monica's hand with his own. "Losing a parent is difficult. I would know. If you need someone to talk to and you don't want Hubert or Edelgard to see your pain, I will listen."

Monica smiled as she cast her head down, tears dripping as they splashed the ground. "Thank you, Lelouch. Thank you so much."

One last brief hug was exchanged between friends, and then they got out of the rain, slowly making their way back to the dorms. After bidding each other good night, both went to their respective rooms. As Lelouch slept with a guilty conscience, Monica slept in peace, knowing that she had her devotion to Lady Edelgard to push her forward, and a friend like Lelouch to keep her propped up, were she to ever falter.

---

27th Day of the Horsebow Moon

During her time at Garreg Mach, Monica Krushevsky did her best to complete her classes and follow directions. She wasn't just a model knight, but also a model student. Many of her peers in the Violet Tigers wished to follow her example, not the least of which was Sokkia Sherpa who thought Monica was, in a word, "Cool."

Monica took pride in her status as one of Cornelia's star students, competing fervently for the top spot with Oldrin, Marrybell and Shez on multiple occasions. She was ever loyal to Britannia. She could not see herself being a part of any other nation, nor doing another nation's bidding.

Unfortunately, Monica was hiding a big secret, and big secrets could often be discovered. And no one was better at uncovering people's big secrets than one Hubert von Vestra.

As Monica was exiting the greenhouse, after performing gardening duty, Hubert called out to her from the right hand side of the exit near the fishing pond. "Monica, a moment of your time, if you wouldn't mind."

"Ah, Mr. von Vestra," Monica said, turning and bowing to the nobleman. "Good day. Is there something I can assist you with?"

"Well, two things. First and foremost, Mr. von Vestra is my father. Hubert or Lord Hubert is fine. Secondly, I have some things to ask you, Lady Monica, or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say Princess Monica."

Monica froze. How did he know?

"The only illegitimate heiress to the Britannian throne, the woman who could be known as Monica gi Britannia had things been only slightly different," Hubert said with a gleeful hiss to his voice.

Monica could clearly tell this was going to go in one of two directions: blackmail, or coercion. "You had best pick your words carefully, Hubert," she told to him. "Blackmailing a Knight of the Round is a grave offense."

"Believe me, if simple blackmail were the objective, I'd have never confronted you face to face. No, I'm after something far more curious."

"And that would be…?"

"As a Knight of the Round, you enjoy prestige, status and recognition for your achievements under your country's banner. Any Emperor worth their salt could spin a yarn about a long lost daughter come to reunite with him, especially one so accomplished. Yet, you remain silent. I am puzzled as to why. If you are planning the Emperor's downfall, of course, the pieces all fit, yet I suspect this not to be the case."

Hubert made a good case for her to reveal herself to Charles, but something stuck out to her. What did he get out of it? "You don't seem the type to care about others. Why talk to me about this?"

"I am here to make you an offer," Hubert stated. "Regardless of your reasons for keeping quiet, you have. And chances are not zero that Charles will welcome you among your half-siblings with open arms. Surely that thought must have crossed your mind."

"…It has," Monica admitted, staring at him seriously.

"So then, what were to happen if you were rejected. I'll tell you what I would do if I was Emperor Charles: plot your assassination, and make it look like a tragedy."

Hubert's words cut to Monica's heart more painfully than any dagger. She had…certainly considered the possibility. But…no. She was loyal to her Emperor. He… "He would never do that."

"The fear in your voice suggests that you believe otherwise," Hubert told her. "But, losing a woman of your caliber would be a grave disservice to the world. If Britannia were to cast you out, your services could be best used by other countries. Lady Edelgard is in the process of her plans to rebuild her Empire. With Jeritza now in disgrace, Hrymn territory will need a new ruler, someone strong, someone deserving of leadership. As a Knight of the Round, you possess gifted skills many could only dream of."

"You're proposing…that if Britannia doesn't want me…Adrestia…would accept me?" Monica asked, voice shaking.

"I am indeed," Hubert replied. "What say you?"

"And what if his majesty does accept who I am?" Monica asked.

"Then life goes on, and we never had this conversation," Hubert told her.

"Just like that?" Monica asked.

"Would anyone believe the allegations? You'd have to tell others who you are to even accuse me of my behavior in the first place," Hubert pointed out.

Monica had to concede on that front. Still… "I would never betray my country."

Hubert glared. "Don't be a fool. If Britannia does not accept you, his majesty's army won't rest until you've been disposed of. Britannia has a long history of burying people they consider…troublesome. But, Lady Edelgard's Adrestia will be different. People will be recognized for their skill, not their status. You could lend your talent to such a regime, should you be disqualified from your current one. Life is all about having backup plans, after all."

Monica shook her head. "I will not accept your offer."

Hubert glared deeply.

"Don't misunderstand me. It's not that I believe fully that his majesty will accept who I am, but I do not believe that betrayal should be met with betrayal. However, if I were to be rejected, and Adrestia were to offer me refuge, I will consider what I wish to do with my life then and only then. I will not guarantee you a warrior for your new empire."

Hubert chuckled. "So be it. Just be aware that Lady Edelgard and I can also remove those we consider…troublesome."

"Should it come to that, know that I will fight back," Monica told him, sharply. "Because I am no one's puppet. I chose to become a knight. I chose to stand with my country. I am Monica Krushevsky. And no one will take that away from me."

"Hmph, well, we'll just have to see what happens," Hubert replied with a smirk. "Won't we?"

---

28th Day of the Horsebow Moon

If there was one task Annette volunteered for to help around the monastery, it was cleaning duty, specifically dusting. She loved to clean. Seeing a nice clean room gave her energy. Today, she was helping to clean the second floor of the student lounge. And whenever Annette cleaned, she liked to sing.

"Oh how I want to eaaaaaat lots of creamy doughnuts, and how I like them wiiiiith lots of fluffy pancakes, please put them on my plate wiiiiith waffles dunked in syrup," she sang. She'd missed breakfast that morning from oversleeping, hence coming up with a silly song like this on the spot.

In the middle of her song, she was completely unprepared when she heard a calm and masculine, "I heard Nunnally singing that song the other day. Did you teach it to her?"

"BWAAAAH!" Annette yelped, throwing her dust mop in the air. It hit the ceiling and the plastic handle conked her on the head. "Owwww." She then looked forward and saw Lelouch looking at her with complete and abject confusion. "Lelouch! I uh…ummmmmm…uhhhh…ummmmmmmm…UHHHHHHHHH…" Annette stuttered. It's okay Annette, don't be intimidated by his presence! Just picture him in his underwear! This backfired immensely. Annette's attempt to remove Lelouch's clothes and put him in the goofiest underwear she could imagine, left her with seeing Lelouch as a pretty boy out of a graphic novel, sparkles and all. She whimpered internally. Oh no, he's hooooooot! Annette gulped and then, sweating, she then let out the smallest, quietest and guiltiest, "…Yes."

Lelouch couldn't help but laugh. "Nunnally said she picked up the song from a friend, but she said she made a promise not to say who taught it to her."

Annette whined. "That's cause I don't like when people hear my dumb songs, but Nunnally is just so cute, I can't help but baby her and play with her like she's half her age…you know?"

Lelouch laughed. "Nunnally does sometimes feel like my baby sister, I'll admit, but she's a growing girl. She'll be an adult in 4 years, you know."

Annette giggled. "Yeah, I know, but man, I'm so jealous. She's just the sweetest as sunshine, cutest as pie sister ever." She fumbled with her hands, giggling more, "I wish I had a younger sister." She frowned. "But, I'm an only child."

"It's not always about getting along. Younger sisters can be quite demanding, and bratty," Lelouch said candidly, recalling the time he and Nunnally fought over a commemorative plate and broke it.

Annette laughed. "Still, she's got such a good big brother looking after her. Whenever we hang out, she always talks about you at least once. Being how she is, you're like the center of her world, it feels like."

"Well, I did have to take care of her all by myself for a time," Lelouch said, trying not to sound soured by what led to those events. "She's the center of my world too. My one and only blood sister." A lie on paper, but to Lelouch's heart, he had no other sisters by blood.

"Family's great, huh?" Annette asked, only to sigh and look downright miserable.

"Something on your mind?" Lelouch asked.

"It's just…" Annette tried to make excuses only to huff in surrender. There was no point. She continued to frown. "Lelouch…you…fought alongside my father, right? At Conrad Tower?"

That's right, I'd nearly forgotten, Gilbert, or rather Gustave…is Annette's father.

Lelouch had been so busy with his Zero business, and Flayn's kidnapping, he hadn't followed up on this in the slightest.

"I did," Lelouch admitted honestly.

"Did he…say anything about me?" Annette asked, sounding miserable, but hopeful.

"No. When Miklan tried to bring it up, he denied who he was even," Lelouch stated. The truth was a bitter pill to swallow, but he hoped Annette would be more honest with him if he was more honest with her. "I didn't even know he was your father until Miklan brought it up."

Annette grumbled. "Of course that's what happened."

"Do you mind telling me about it?" Lelouch asked. "Sorry if I'm prying."

"No, it's fine," Annette said, even though she still looked depressed. "You fought alongside him and I consider you at least a friend. Plus, you lost your parents too, right? You'd probably understand a little of what I'm going through."

"How do you know about that?" Lelouch asked her.

"Nunnally told me, she said your parents died when you were young and it left you guys homeless," Annette said.

Well, at least she's keeping our story straight, Lelouch thought. He'd have rather Nunnally didn't divulge anything to Annette at all, but apparently that was out of his hands now, Geass notwithstanding, of course.

"Well, it's true, but, as you were saying," Lelouch urged.

Annette nodded. "My father left my mother and me shortly after the Tragedy of Duscur."

Lelouch almost groaned. Why oh why oh why did everything negative he heard somehow trace back to that one act of terrorism?

"My father was a knight to the late King Lambert. He was on duty and right at his majesty's side when it all went down, but…his majesty still died. My father felt so guilty for surviving when the king couldn't, he ran away to the Church of Seiros. Apparently, he turned to the Goddess for atonement. That's what my uncle said at least. Even now…he won't even look at me." Annette sounded heartbroken. "And it hurts Lelouch. It hurts real bad. What do I do, Lelouch? I have a satisfying, busy and fulfilling life, but…I still…I want my father to recognize me." Instinctively, Annette started to cry, wiping away the tears with the sides of her hands. She sniffled and croaked on tears, as Lelouch crossed the room for one of the many windows and opened one of them, letting sunlight and wind into the room.

Annette, surprised by his actions, watched him. He stood there, quietly, gazing across the monastery at some of the trees and, more directly, at the sky. It was warm for the Horsebow Moon. The sun was shining, the wind was fair. Lelouch tucked his arms behind his back, clasping one wrist gently.

"It was a day just like this, the first day I remember meeting my father. He wasn't always around when I was young. My mother had to raise me herself, but…he still visited for important occasions, like birthdays. I remember I greeted him with a smile, and, like a little boy that didn't know any better, I hugged his leg, and called him Papa."

This was the unvarnished truth. Lelouch remembered his first meeting with the Emperor vividly. It was while his mother was still pregnant with Nunnally. Lelouch was still to young to understand a lot, but in his childlike wonder, he understood the man that had just strolled into his manor's garden was his father.

"He lifted me up onto his shoulder and asked me to look up…"

---

2003atb

"Gaze up as high as you can my boy," Charles said to the young Lelouch. "What do you see?"

"Blue," the preschool Lelouch said.

Marianne giggled, rubbing her pregnant stomach.

"Up there, we call that blue the sky," Charles told him. "And do you see that white thing."

"Uh huh," Lelouch nodded.

"We call those clouds."

"Papa, how far does the sky move?" Lelouch asked, not quite understanding how the world worked at such a young age.

"The sky stretches endlessly, Lelouch," Charles told him. "No matter how hard you try, you can never reach it. It is as endless and vast as the air we breathe. And beyond the sky, far away beyond this planet is space where the sun lives."

Lelouch made awestruck noises of childlike wonder.

---

2017atb

"If you study hard, and grow up healthy, one day, a part of what falls under that sky can be yours. That was what he told me," Lelouch stated, gazing at the vast blue horizon above. He then clenched his teeth and his fists. "That same man…abandoned me when I needed him the most."

"I thought your parents were dead though," Annette said.

"They are. My mother died in the same horrific accident that took Nunnally's legs and eyes. And my father, shortly thereafter…" Lelouch hissed as he, in the back of his mind watched his father's face rot into a skeleton, "He died right in front of me. The man I once looked up to died when I needed him the most."

That was what hurt most of all, not Charles's temper, nor the punishment that came with it. It was the simple fact that Lelouch thought himself loved and deserving of the status that he clung to as a nobleman, only to have it ripped away from him in an instant for one simple, small transgression. That was the center of his absolute visceral spite.

"Wow…you've had it pretty rough, huh?" Annette stated, walking closer to Lelouch, sounding sympathetic. She stood next to him by the window. "I feel upset just for my father up and leaving one day, but I can still see him while I'm at the Officer's Academy, even if he won't acknowledge me. But…you lost both your parents, and Nunnally got left in the state she's in. I can't even imagine what it's like to be you, to be left with that burden."

Lelouch's anger fizzled slightly. Annette's attempt to sympathize with him cooled his anger slightly. "It wasn't long after that, that I met Byleth and Jeralt."

"I feel so bad. You're usually so friendly and calm and on top of things, and Nunnally's just so…nice. I would never have guessed you two were suffering so badly," Annette said sympathetically. "Losing both of your parents from such an early age must've left some scars."

Lelouch nodded. "They did. And I don't think they'll ever heal."

"That's not right. All scars should heal with time," Annette replied with a slight shake of her head. "I mean, I guess once Captain Jeralt picked you up you never really had a childhood, being taken from battlefield to battlefield and everything."

Lelouch recalled his days on the move around Japan. There was a lot of business for PMCs during the tumultuous era of Neo Japan's rise under Roman rule. It was why he and Nunnally never really left the country. But, as Lelouch reflected on his memories, recalling days where Jeralt and Nunnally would laugh, Byleth would not react, and Lelouch would groan, that for all of Jeralt's faults…he was more of a father to Lelouch…than Charles ever had been. And, as he recalled a day where Byleth was hand dipping laundry into warm water, and Jeralt was picking Lelouch up around the waist with his arm with that dumb laugh of his, Lelouch realized…that year before he went to Ashford…he was happy.

Lelouch sucked in a breath. It took Annette to tell him what was happening next.

"Ah! Lelouch! You're crying!" She looked and sounded positively worried. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make you remember everything!"

"Don't," Lelouch sniffed, turning his head away from the window, and Annette, "Don't be ridiculous. It's just dust from the wind." He reached into his pocket to dry his eyes, shaking his head. He could deny it out loud all he wanted, but he knew inside how he felt. An image of Lelouch, Byleth, Shez, and Jeralt all gathered around a table for Nunnally's birthday, for a moment, Lelouch could think of nothing more pleasant. Wait, but…they were all here. Not just them…everyone he'd met since he'd come to Garreg Mach was here.

Nunnally…I'm going to throw you the biggest birthday party you've ever had, just like I once promised. I know you won't be able to see it…but…but I'll still throw it! And then next year…next year…

Next year what? He had no idea. The future was clouded in fog…because of his own revolution.

The wheels were already in motion. He'd come too far. But…that didn't matter. He had his resolve, his resolve to change the world, a world where he and Nunnally could be happy.

His eyes stopped watering. He smiled. "Annette, thank you."

"Huh?" Annette looked positively shocked as her eyes bulged. "You're thanking me?"

"You reminded me of something very important, something close to my heart that I'd almost forgotten mattered," Lelouch said, putting a hand over his heart. "So, thank you."

"Oh, well um…gosh," she said, blushing, playing with her fingers, and wiggling in place, "Now I'm all embarrassed."

"Annette."

"Uh, yes?" Lelouch had called her name so sharply, it was like he wanted her to stand at attention or something. Annette stopped blushing and squirming and just stood up rigidly.

"Keep being who you are and keep fighting for what you believe in. If you do that, your father will have no choice, but to recognize you."

"Lelouch…" Annette replied, surprised, only to follow up with a forceful and passioned. "Yes! I will!"

With that, Lelouch went over to the second floor bookcase, plucked a book off the shelf and headed down the winding staircase.

"Father…" Annette said with strong resolve in her eyes and voice, "I'll do exactly what Lelouch suggested. I'll become a mage so worthy of the royal court, it'll knock your socks off. And then…" she closed her eyes, envisioning her own image of dinner for three, something she hadn't experienced in nearly four years. "Yes…that's a good dream." She shook her fists to the air. "All right. No more moping around. Time to make this lounge floor spotless!"

---

29th Day of the Horsebow Moon

Ingrid's devotion to her training and schooling left her with little opportunity for socializing outside of her primary group of friends. However, when Milly Ashford waltzed through the dining hall with a tray of food, looking for somewhere to sit, Ingrid couldn't help but try to get her attention.

"Milly! Come sit here!" Ingrid offered.

"Oh, how generous of you, Ingrid. Don't mind if I do," Milly replied, pulling out the chair and wiggling her butt into it. "Rare for you to offer to eat with me."

"Well…I have a lot on my mind that involves you that I need to talk to you about," Ingrid said, honestly, having trouble getting the words out.

"Oh my, Ingrid, I didn't know you felt that way about me," Milly teased.

"What? No! Not like…urrrrgh! Now I can see why you and Sylvain hang out so much. You two are perfect for each other," Ingrid growled.

"Awww, that's so sweet of you to say Ingrid. Honestly, I'm glad you asked me to sit with you because I have a lot of questions about Sylvain too," Milly replied.

"Why does that not surprise me?" Ingrid asked. "All right, ask away?"

"So, did you guys ever date before?" Milly asked.

"What?" Ingrid asked, taken off-guard by the question, only to reply with a swift, "No! Ew! Sylvain? I'd rather fornicate with a cactus."

Milly laughed. "I bet he'd feel a lot better going up your womanhood."

Ingrid blushed. "Please do not speak of such things so casually in the dining hall. You'll put me off my meal."

Milly laughed. "You're a riot, Ingrid."

Ingrid groaned. "Okay, serious question, what exactly are you and Sylvain up to? Are you guys like on and off, is it a casual thing?"

"You make it sound so scandalous," Milly replied with a dramatic gasp, slapping her cheeks with her palm.

"Milly, Prince Dimitri's dorm room is right next to Sylvain's…and voices carry," Ingrid said seriously.

"Oh wow, didn't realize I was that much of a screamer," Milly said jokingly.

Ingrid slapped her forehead against the edge of the table.

Milly cackled. "Oh, Ingrid, relax, I'm just teasing." She pushed her fingers together. "Honestly, I want Sylvain to take our relationship more seriously, but he's always so evasive about it."

"See, that's what I want to talk about. Sylvain's just using you. I don't think he'll ever…grow up as it were," Ingrid told her seriously.

"I mean, what's wrong with two schoolmates shacking it up?" Milly asked sincerely.

Ingrid shook her head, shocked, "I'm sorry…what?"

"I mean…it's a nice distraction and it's great stress relief. You should give up your V-card and try it sometime. I bet Lelouch could use the company."

"Okay, first off! No! I'm not giving…what you just said up unless I'm married. And I would sooner Sylvain than Lelouch!" Ingrid snapped.

"Shame, he's all the rage back where we're from," Milly said with a wink.

"Yes, and I've noticed the girls are all over him," Ingrid replied. "Fortunately, he ignores them. So good on him for having standards, unlike your not-boyfriend."

"Oh Sylvain definitely has standards. I'm the only one who can get into bed with him after all," Milly said with a wink as she flirtatiously stuck out her tongue.

"That's because you're the only one that's volunteered and is willing to stick around despite his deplorable behavior. Also, last I checked you're getting married soon. So why are you…?"

"I don't want to get married, Ingrid. Not now. I want to enjoy my youth while I have it. I'm sure you feel the same."

Ingrid, who had her own arranged marriage woes, nodded her head.

"Honestly, I wish Sylvain would mention me to his father. I dunno, I think I'd like being a Margrave's trophy wife."

Ingrid slapped her forehead in disdain.

"Oh wow. That one looked like it hurt," Milly replied. "Are you okay?"

"Please stop talking. You are giving me a headache," Ingrid groaned.

Milly laughed. "I'm just kidding, Ingrid. Honestly…for real though, no nonsense…" she put her hands on the table, fingers together, slapping her thumbs against each other as she pondered a future as Mrs. Gautier. "…I kind of like the idea. Sylvain's a real cutie and once you look past the bad behavior, he's a real sweetie."

Ingrid blinked a few times. "Let me ask for my own clarification because I feel like I missed something. You like Sylvain in spite of his flaws, for his personality?"

"Yup!"

Ingrid took a deep breath. "Okay. It's official. I never woke up this morning. This is all a dream."

Milly laughed so hard, Ingrid thought she was going to fall out of her chair. "Honestly, Ingrid, I'm glad you're so concerned. I've seen you handle Sylvain's poor exploits gone wrong. But I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." She stretched. "Sometimes I just need a little unwinding a warm body to sleep next to. I'm a teenage girl. I'm entitled. Maybe start by sitting in the bath alone and using your hand to—"

Ingrid cupped her eyes with one hand and put up her whole other hand, fingers spread to Milly. "Okay, stop! Please, stop. I'm acquiring about five pints of blood on my face. Enough."

Milly laughed. When she calmed down, she said seriously, "Honestly, the best way to get your dad to stop searching for a marriage you hate is to find a guy to love."

Ingrid slumped in her chair. "Who'd want a girl like me though? I'm not exactly what you'd call typical. I've been a warrior since I was young, and I'll be a knight soon enough. Guys want women like you, Milly. Voluptuous, flirtatious and docile. Nobody would want a girl like me unless my dad asked them. I'm not even that pretty."

Milly gasped in horror. "Lies! Lies and slander!" She exclaimed. "You're very pretty, Ingrid. Don't you be telling me guys don't want a woman with muscles or abs cause I've got thirty-four magazines that can tell you otherwise."

"Oh, yeah? Prove it!" Ingrid exclaimed, calling Milly's bluff.

She was floored when Milly pulled out a magazine from her purse and slapped it on the table.

"Why do you…no never mind. Give me that," Ingrid said, swiping it off the table.

Milly was far from surprised when Ingrid slowly started to blush with every page turn until she was redder than the sauce on Milly's pasta.

Ingrid slammed the magazine closed. "May I…borrow this? You know for…research."

Milly chuckled. "Sure, it's all yours, Ingrid. Consider it a gift."

"…Thank you," Ingrid replied and then ate the rest of her lunch in silence.

---

30th Day of the Horsebow Moon

Before Zero could start classes that night, Yukiya had to pull him aside to talk to him about something of great importance. He showed Zero the camera feed for the inside of the vault they'd placed the Chalice was in. The camera was working, but no chalice was in sight.

Before he began to panic, Zero simply asked, "How long ago was this?"

"An hour ago," Yukiya told him. "The security footage was scrambled, but I didn't get a break in alert, so whoever got in, got in via the password you set. More surprisingly, they didn't put in enough wrong passwords to lock them out either."

That's really suspicious, Zero thought. Only a handful of people knew his code to the safe. 30025201, Nunnally's birth date in reverse. To most, it would just appear to be a random selection of numbers.

"Has anyone been seen with it?" Zero asked.

"No, not since I checked the footage or even the hour before when it was stolen," Yukiya stated.

Zero nodded. "Let everyone know class will be delayed for ten minutes and get that footage unscrambled." He turned on the Zero Matrix. "Send it to me immediately to let me know what's going on!"

"Can do," Yukiya said. "Where are you heading for those ten minutes?"

"I'm going to check the vault myself for clues, see if I can dig anything up on our infiltrator," Zero replied. "Don't breathe a word of this to any of the wolves."

Yukiya nodded and walked away, leaving Zero to his own devices. The head of the Black Knights headed for the large vault that sat below a hidden staircase in the back northwest corner of Abyss. Very few people knew that this was here, or what the vault contained. So whoever went in here knew what they were looking for.

Lelouch reviewed the people he'd told about the password. I only told C.C., Yuri, and Kronya, Zero rationalized. If it was Thales or Arundel, no doubt the Abysskeeper would have informed he he'd been through here, or Kronya, I would hope, would have told me that he'd come to retrieve it. C.C. I know couldn't be bothered, and as for Yuri…

Zero punched in the code and opened the vault. He wanted to confirm with his own eyes that the Chalice had been taken from the pedestal he'd placed on it, from inside the glass case he'd placed it in.

Zero removed the glass case, only to hear a whine from the lights overhead, flashing red. Okay, so the secondary security system that he only told Yukiya existed was working fine. He pulled out a small remote key like a car key to shut it off, then opened a panel in the wall to check the manual alarm pad. It was there just in case the remote key got lost, broken, or ran out of batteries.

Zero was shocked and not shocked to find that the manual pad had been used. Somebody had figured out his backup system and more than likely disarmed it prior to taking the chalice. But the only one smart enough to do that was…

Zero was alerted to the vault door suddenly slamming behind him. He turned and came face to face with an unlikely individual: Aelfric Dahlman, Abyss's caretaker.

"Trapping me in my own vault," Zero said, flanking Aelfric as Aelfric circled the room along with him. "Aelfric, what is the meaning of this?"

"I have nothing to say to you," Aelfric said. "Other than requesting your immediate demise."

Zero immediately drew a gun on Aelfric, only for Aelfric to draw one on him in turn. Both men stopped moving.

"I should have suspected we had a wolf in sheep's clothing. Your constant trips to Neo-Japan should have tipped me off. There was always something off about you, Aelfric. Talk," Zero demanded.

"This isn't personal, Zero. Honestly, I wish you had stayed the way you were when you first came down here, just a man looking to teach some lost lambs. But now you've got them all talking about revolution. They revere you far beyond a simple teacher and student relationship. And, I know, you've grown attached. If someone tried to hurt your precious Black Knights, you'd skewer them. So, for my plan to succeed, I'm afraid I have to kill you."

"I'll be honest. You have me at a disadvantage. If you're looking to resurrect someone with the chalice, I've no idea why that would require my death…unless…"

It didn't take long for Lelouch to connect the dots.

"YOU PSYCHOPATHIC—"

"Silence!" This was more than a simple demand. Lelouch realized all too late that this was a cast spell. The Zero Matrix wasn't silence proof, not that there was a way to force Silence-proofing onto an HLKMF.

When Lelouch tried to speak suddenly, he choked on his own words. He grasped at his throat. If he couldn't speak, he couldn't command Aelfric with his Geass. Worse, Aelfric likely didn't even know he had it. He just wanted to prevent Zero from casting spells.

"And now that you're unable to cast spells, I'm afraid I have one for you," Aelfric said as his entire body trembled with power, power far, far greater than even Lysithea's.

Zero gasped. No! Impossible! Not that spell.

"Hades. Omega."

Zero tried to scream when the massive dark vortex shot upwards and thrashed him about, but Aelfric's silence spell prevented such things. His body was thrown against the wall, helmet and armor getting bashed up from impact with the spell and the vault's walls. The vortex grew in size and began to expand its radius. The damage eventually created a hole big enough for Aelfric to slip out.

You get back here! Zero shouted internally since he couldn't utter noise from his throat. You bastard!

The images of the smiling faces of the Ashen Wolves floated through Zero's mind. Their celebrations…their victories…all of it about to be torn asunder.

AELFRIIIIIIIIIIIIC!

An explosive spell detonated the vault and caused it to collapse inward, ripping the Zero Matrix to shreds. Zero became a victim of his own vault turning into what could very well be his tomb.

He lay there, pressed beneath rubble, body aching and encased in darkness. His family appeared in his mind.

Help…someone…help…Byleth…Shez…Jeralt…Nunnally…

The faces of Edelgard and Mercedes appeared in his mind.

Someone…

The faces of Dorothea and Lysithea appeared as well.

Anyone…

The faces of Suzaku and Claude appeared next.

Please…

The faces of Shirley and Annette appeared too.

Help me…

Lelouch's arm strained out of the rubble, shaking.

More faces appeared, faces of many people he'd come to know at Garreg Mach from Marrybell to Oldrin, to Sokkia and Bernadetta, to Raphael, Ferdinand, Dimitri, and Hilda as well.

But then Lelouch's arm fell to the ground. His thoughts went blank. And all that was left…was silence.

---

(A/N: …)