Disclaimer: Code Geass is written and owned by Ichirō Ōkouchi and Gorō Taniguchi, and produced by Bandai Namco's Sunrise studio. I own no characters, locations, or elements from the Original Series, Manga (Yes, there IS a manga), or Movie Trilogy/Resurrection Timeline. I own only my OCs and their respective Knightmares.
With that said, Please Enjoy The Show!
Normal Speech: "Hello"
Radio/Comms: "Hello"
Thoughts: Hello
Geass: "{Hello}"
Knightmare/Loudspeakers: "Hello"
Chapter 9: Among The Wolves Part 3
Minato Southern Military Base, Tokyo Settlement
In a way, it was almost funny how fast the night turned on the Japanese. Usually, the outcome of a battle or mission depended on Naoto's luck, which dripped fed down to the rest if you asked Nagata or Ohgi.
Sometimes, things went their way, and other times, missions were downright horrendous. So, the moment he steps away, it's no surprise to some (in the back of their minds) that the night comes bearing down on them with a vengeance.
A nearby explosion snapped everyone to attention as they scrambled to hide or find cover. Their Knightmares, however, were not spared the same luxury as gunfire struck MERLIN first. It tore the left shoulder sensor off entirely, along with a few bullets that hit the Glasgow's side. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Kallen yelled, pulling her staggered KMF out of the line of fire.
"Goddamn it - what now?!" Sugiyama yelled, popping up from a crate. "Did they manage to call in reinforcements or something?"
"The hell it is after what we did! It's an ambush!" Yoshida called back, taking cover with Ohgi behind the doors.
Lowriel's head throbbed, and his entire body screamed as he fought to regain focus over the shouting and alert sounds. The MERLIN's system blared as he jolted it back up, turning to a Sutherland stepping out of one of the furthest warehouses down the lot, rifle hissing with heat. Unlike previous units, this one had red shoulders and white stripes across the frame.
The Sutherland charged up the weapon and fired again, sending a large round right toward the old KMF as it ducked away. "Lowriel!" Kallen shouted over the comm. "Lowriel, are you alright?!"
"Knight…mare!" He gritted out.
"Not just any Knightmare - those are Purist colors!" Ohgi exclaimed."Oh God! We're dealing with the Purists?!"
"Who the hell are they!?"
"Anti-Honorary group! They're REALLY not fond of Non-Britannians, let alone us!"
"Great! So it's not just Britannians but a bunch of VERY racist Britannian assholes coming after us! Can't we catch a break already?!" Tamaki shouted, followed by another shouting from his feed. "Nagata! Shit, you came outta no-"
"Kami Almighty, I leave you people alone for not even 5 minutes!" The man barked over the comms, quickly taking control of the chaos. ""Lowriel - handle the new arrival! Kallen, stay close and cover MERLIN! You two are the only ones who can deal with that bastard! Rest of you, check your ammo and get ready to move! We are leaving! NOW!"
"Hai!/Under…stood." Both pilots called, with the MERLIN rushing out once the bullets ceased. They didn't get close enough before Lowriel yanked the controls hard, turning from two more Purist Sutherlands that charged out of the warehouse. Knightmare-sized Jousting Lances replaced their rifles, but they all matched in similar white and red markings.
MERLIN ducked under the first lance, swinging the rifle up and catching the second Knightmare in the head. With the force and speed, it lunged past and let out a barrage of fire, pelting the two as they struggled to recover.
Kallen used the moment to push her Glasgow ahead, firing Shark Harkens at first KmF and garnering its attention as she went in the opposite direction, firing.
The Purist did, leaving the other two for Lowriel.
Relying on one sensor alone, the MERLIN had no way to track them both, or at least not as efficiently. On the upside, the Knightmare still had a speed advantage, tearing past the burning garage and cutting past the pursuing units which followed close behind.
Lowriel pulled the machine into a roll, turning to face the Knightmares. "Rgh..." The KMFs were ready for him, lances poised and aiming to run him through.
The rifle snapped to life, firing rapidly and peppering the Purist Frames.
One Sutherland managed to get close, bringing the Lance up. The MERLIN responded by bringing the rifle up, blocking the attack. The blade sunk into the gun, but it held as the KmFs struggled, pushing back at one another.
By now, Lowriel was feeling the full effects of his body wounds, struggling to keep the machine in control. His hands were numb, and his arms were weak. The air inside of the cockpit was suffocating, making his chest burn every time he was thrown one side or the other.
Miyahara had warned him before leaving that his body was still in a bad position and could not handle too much stress, especially in the cockpit.
And right now, he was really feeling his words of foreboding.
Use it, some part of him was saying now. Use what you have, what you've always had! Use it or you'll die here! Forget what happened then! Let go of your fear and USE YOUR DAMN-!
He needed to end this.
The other Purist KmF tried to charge in, but the MERLIN twisted and threw the Sutherlands into each other, sending them tumbling back. Lowriel pushed the machine forward, lunging for his first target: the protective faceplate from the Factsphere.
The MERLIN didn't relent, about to go in for the kill if not for the Shark Harkens firing out at the head, sending the sensor into a panic and Lowriel back a bit. He regained control as the second KMF rose fast, swinging hard. "Hgk-!" There was no time to react before he was thrown back hard.
A dark maroon Jousting Lance sent the entire unit to the concrete floor, the right arm skidding somewhere into the mess, little more than a mess of metal and wires, sparking and hissing with steam. Lowriel was in no better shape, struggling to even remain conscious as the world around him spun and darkened.
Lowriel's head spun, and his vision blurred from the sudden impact. His breathing was shallow, and the cockpit screamed with voices, alerts, and alarms. Someone was...
"Low…el! L….OWRIEL! Can y…ear m…?!" Yelling? But everything hurt so much.
It was so hard now, to breathe. So hard, and dark, and...
And then nothing.
MERLIN shut down completely, the last of its power switching to emergency reserve, falling silent and limp.
"Hah! That's one pest taken care of!" The victorious Purist sneered after a moment of anticipation, lowering his Lance. "Lazlo, you good?"
"I-I'd be better if Bartley mentioned before that it moved like a fucking rocket." The other groaned from the ground, Sutherland slowly coming to bear. "Bastard nearly took my head no less! Whatever. Lazlo to Landrumm: Priority target secure."
Across from the base was the lead Sutherland, its pilot letting out a sigh of relief. "Good work as always, you two! With any luck, we'll have this handled before the hour is over."
Admittedly, this was much less impressive than the fight he'd hoped for. These rebels were surprising, at most, but nothing to the likes of what Quincey Landrum was expecting. With the way that sod Bartley has been sweating, I'd hoped we see a chance to deal with maybe some extremists like the Liberation Front! But this? He couldn't help but frown at the rebels' feeble efforts. Jeremiah owes me for sending us out here. It's disgraceful!
"This is just sad," He huffed in dissatisfaction. "Here I was hoping for real action."
"To be frank, there Elevens," Ayden Price called haughtily, another Pureblood. "Were you expecting something new?"
"A fair point. Lazlo, Glaubey, remain close for retrieval." He ordered. "Ayden, swing around the perimeter and see about cutting the Elevens off. We'll meet up after I've dealt with the red Glasgow."
"Yes, Captain!/Roger that!" The Purist members called back.
Ahead of him was Kallen, her Glasgow behind cover while she tried hard not to panic. Naoto had not been lying when he said how bad a battle like this could get, but NOW she understood the implications. She'd seen how frayed the MERLIN was, thinking it was a wonder the thing was even still running. So when she heard it collapse over the comms, and the following silence of everyone collectively hearing it, she knew things were about to get much worse.
And she wasn't sure which she feared the most: the idea that the Knightmare her friends had gone through hell for was down, or the fact they were now in the cross-sights of a very dangerous group of Britannian extremists.
"Oh shit... shit, shit, SHIT! Lowriel's down!" Yoshida swore, breaking the silence in panic. "That was Lowriel right?"
"Fuck, I can't see the MERLIN from here!"
"What do we do?!"
"Will all of you SHUT UP! Kozuki, come in! Do you read?" Nagata demanded, snapping Kallen out of her tense shock. "Kallen!"
"I-I'm here! I'm still here." She answered, forcing herself to remain calm.
"Good! Look, the only way we're getting out of this is if we do things smart! So here's the plan." Nagata ordered, voice unwavering and firm. "You'll run distraction and keep these guys occupied. DON'T. FIGHT. Just swing around the base and get out of the hole we made. We'll follow behind in the trucks. Can you do that?"
"I- I can... What about Lowriel?" She asked, adding to that with, "What about Naoto too? Is he-?!"
"We'll worry about them later! Right now, we need to get outta here. So do your best."
Kallen felt a pit in her stomach at his tone, but she couldn't bring herself to argue. Her Glasgow had no chance of standing toe-to-toe with a Sutherland, and there was no way to grab Lowriel AND escape without getting caught. After a moment, she swallowed, nodding her head. "Y-Yeah... Okay. Got it!" She said, taking a deep breath and calming herself.
She had a job, and she was going to do it.
Her Glasgow rushed around her cover, heading through the base fast. As soon as she rushed out, Quincey's Sutherland locked onto her energy system, and he was on her tail immediately, rifle at the ready.
"There you are!" He shouted, firing off several shots at her legs. He almost got one off, but the Japanese girl managed to turn a corner, spinning around and charging as fast as she could. The Purist fired a few more loose shots, but his opponent had already slipped through the debris. "Incoming!"
The other two Purists had finished securing the MERLIN and had just gotten back into their frames when a red-painted Sutherland tore past, firing several Shark Harkens and a burst of gunfire. "Hey, who the hell?!" Lazlo yelped, trying to look.
"Don't stop, don't stop, don't stop…!" Kallen shouted at herself, keeping her speed high and pulling the Harkens back, turning around and heading around them again.
"Shit! Wasn't expecting you to come through!" Glaubey cursed, bringing his Sutherland up. He tried lunging at her, only for her Glasgow to suddenly pull back, twisting out of the way. He didn't realize she had done so to draw his lance into the path of the Harkens until they were already embedded deep in his machine.
Kallen wasted no time, turning the rifle and firing a barrage at the Sutherland, a few chunks of metal from the Knightmare before pushing past him and Lazlo's unit too. Quincey was already moving to cut her off, chasing her across the base. This one was certainly more experienced, that much he could give credit to, but her actions were desperate.
His own Sutherland rushed through the wreckage and debris, following the Glasgow. He fired several shots, hoping to get them to slow down or make a mistake, but this pilot was either very lucky or good at dodging. Quincey scowled, taking aim and firing again. He watched as the KMF pushed the debris and mess left behind by her group, her frame slipping out the front path and disappearing. "Son of a bitch!" He cursed, coming to a slow. He would have charged after her if not for needing to remain close to Bartley's damn pet project.
But still. Oh, Jeremiah owes me BIG time for this… He thought before calling out. "Ayden! Report!"
"Parasites, the lot of them..." The orange-haired man sneered between the comms and external speakers, his Sutherland slightly chipped but hardly damaged from his position. Across from him was the Japanese, and not far from them, their only means of escape - the trucks. "You may have escaped Yokosuka, but know that I will not give you that benefit!"
"You've got incoming! Stop fooling around!" Quincey barked at him, and Ayden's Knightmare was about to charge at the small group of Japanese when Kallen's Glasgow came up behind him.
She didn't think twice, firing what little ammo she had left. Ayden was not a pushover, however, firing his Shark Harkens and cutting into her KMF's chest. But she wasn't deterred, charging her Glasgow once more. "Oh no, you don't!" He yelled, only for her to come close and slam her shoulder against his.
It was enough to make his Sutherland lose its balance and send him crashing to the ground, rolling and crashing into a pile of debris.
"RUN!" Kallen ordered the rest.
"Let's go, let's go!" Nagata barked out, already rushing along with the group.
"Way ahead of you!" Tamaki called back, chucking another flashback at Ayden's Sutherland, sensors screaming from the intensity of a flashbang being thrown right at its head.
It was more than enough to send the unit into a fit of disorientation, leaving it unable to do much besides try and get back up. "You-YOU SCUM!" Ayden screamed in wrath. "I'll kill every last one of you, Eleven trash!"
"Come on! Everyone's inside!" Nagata yelled, already slamming his heel on the gas.
"Go! Go, go, go!" Ohgi urged, his truck tearing off after them. Kallen didn't need to be told twice, already making her way to the rear. She had no ammunition left, but she'd be damned if she let them get caught.
Quincey's Sutherland barely caught up through the opening left by their assault, firing a few loose rounds after them. "Damn!" He growled, slamming his fist against the controls. "We had them! Dammit all. Landrum to Ayden! Do you copy?"
The man groaned over the comms, his Sutherland finally returning to its feet. "Yes, I copy! Damn Elevens, got away..."
"Believe me, I'm VERY aware of that fact. Are you capable of giving chase?"
"Negative. My Sutherland sensors are all over the place, leaving quite a bit of damage."
"Wonderful," Quincey muttered sarcastically. It's not like he could follow either. "In that case, get back in here and help secure the target. We have no use wasting further resources."
"Copy, Captain."
Meanwhile
Some Knight I am... Lowriel was not sure what happened after that, eyes fluttering briefly to find himself surrounded by the straining alerts of his Knightmare and the darkness of the MERLIN's cockpit. He couldn't move. But he could feel his eyes trying to focus on something he could latch onto. I can't fight, can't run, can't even breathe on my own now...
He remembered being like this. A very long, long time ago - stuck in paralysis, utterly helpless to the things that went around him. Go figure it would happen here, of all places.
His body wasn't in pain anymore, replaced now by a dull, throbbing ache that pulsed with his faint, very slow heartbeat. It was all just a blurry mess, and it hurt so much to do anything other than lay still.
He couldn't stay awake.
He tried so badly to do something, anything but felt his mind drifting in and out of consciousness for what felt like eternity.
His mind drifted in and out of memory and reality.
Of his time "in service" to Clovis and his disgusting interest in the MERLIN.
The brief illusion of freedom, and before that...
Pain.
Pain so raw, so unbearable it was almost hilarious.
If only I were stronger...
The Order.
If only I used my voice then...
An argument. A finality.
If only I just... wasn't so afraid...
A name. Lowriel could barely remember it, his mind swimming.
Why did I leave? Why did I leave her?
It was hard to remember.
Why? Why couldn't I go anything... Why can't I do anything...
"He-Hello...?"
Why?
"Is... anyone there?"
Miyahara? He thought, feeling his fingers twitch.
"It's Naoto..." The raspy, coughing voice leaked through the radio, dropped somewhere in the cockpit, crackling.
Kozuki...? His mind repeated, flickering in and out of his memory. You're still... here?
"I-I'm not sure if anyone can hear this, but... I'm still here... if you can, please respond." Naoto coughed harshly, the sounds of his voice weak and fading. "Guess they made (cough, cough) it out…"
"But... I... I don't want to die here." Naoto mumbled out, said, his voice becoming softer.
Lowriel couldn't help but feel pity for the man. He could not blame him. 'I can't... do anything, not even save one person.' He tried so hard, and it still wasn't enough.
'And now we're both trapped and helpless... What a pitiful pair, huh?' Lowriel blinked slowly, his eyes adjusting to the dark. The world was so dim and hazy. 'Maybe it's... better I die this way...'
Die?
You can't die on me, Lowry
The world flickered again, and Lowriel felt something like hands grabbing him from the darkness.
You can't go cold turkey on me now, Lowry... you just stared again
'That voice.'
Not after you finally came back out
'No…'
You can't die, Lowry...
'Don't say it.'
You've got a vow to keep, or else that poor little sod's gonna die
'No, not now. Please, not you. Not now.'
You still can't do anything on your own, can you?
'Just please... not him. Anyone but him. Please, please don't let him see me like this.'
Come on... get up.
The hands were on his shoulders now, crawling all over him.
Get up get up get up get up...
'No no no no no!'
Get Up Get Up Get Up Get Up Get Up Get Up GetUpGetUpGetUpGetUpGetUpGetUp
He didn't want to go back.
Not to him.
Not again.
NEVER again. Even in death.
GETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUPGETUP
GET UP LOWRY
And suddenly, all of that pain, that numbness of body and mind just... melted. Washed itself away and replaced with something warm. Something hungry.
Something needy.
Something desperate.
Something like him.
Lowriel felt his eyes open, his breath surging out with violent, loud coughs and his body thrumming power. Power, energy, life. "Ha-hah-ahh..." He gasped, his fingers curling and uncurling.
He could see the cockpit. The warnings, the alarms, the radio.
The damn collar.
It was glowing again, just as it had done before, but far more intense. And yet, Lowriel felt no pain, no fear.
Just the raw, aching hunger.
And a need to take it off.
He needed it off.
He'd hated himself for it, but it was that or a very slow death in this metal box. There was no turning back now. "I want... it off..." Lowriel mumbled, reaching up and fumbling with the clasp. "I... want..."
His fingers clawed at the latch, pulling on it. But the metal, old, rusted, and strong, didn't budge.
Lowriel didn't give a damn.
His strength, his energy was flowing and surging, the light only getting brighter.
"I need..."
"To get it off..."
"Get... Off..."
"Off..."
"OFF."
"GET... OFF!"
"GET OFF!"
His fingers clawed harder, bleeding into the collar as it creaked and hissed.
"OFF!"
It hurt. But he didn't care.
'I... will not... fail... again...'
"OFF!"
The latch groaned, bending to his hold.
"OFF!"
And finally, the collar lock broke, slipping off his neck entirely.
And with it, power surged forth, bright and intense as crimson light flooded Lowriel's vision.
"Well, this was a great letdown," Lazlo grumbled, looking at the downed MERLIN.
"Goes to show what happens when you take Bartley seriously," Glaubey added, chuckling.
"Useless man was so hell-bent on recovering his precious machine that he didn't even think about casualties, let alone the rest of the Elevens," Ayden growled, fuming at the damages to his Knightmare. "No matter. I have no problem hunting those scum down when His Highness gives us the orders to-!"
"That's enough. We have what we came for." Quincey interrupted, even if he greatly agreed to hunting those animals down. "We're done here.
"I still wonder what the fuss was about," Glaubey murmured, looking at the inert MERLIN. "I mean, it's just a prototype. What's so important about it?"
"Who knows? His Highness has strange tastes," Ayden grunted, moving his Sutherland closer.
Quincey was about to move when his Knightmares sensors beeped. He blinked, a curious look on his face as he read the readings. "Hm?"
"What is it now?"
"Sensors are picking something up...".
"What, another Eleve-?" A loud crash sound cut Ayden off before his Sutherland was slammed into a building, followed by a cut-off scream and a burst of static as rebar and metal pierced the cockpit block, silencing him.
"Ayden!" Quincey shouted out, whirling between his sudden dead comrade and the creaking of the MERLIN as it turned to face them. "What the hell?!"
The Knightmare was a mess, damaged and sparking from the cleaved-off right arm. But the left arm clenched tightly as it stood to full height, the exposed exoskeleton glowing a deep, threatening red. Not just there, but underneath the leftover armor, too, bright and intense on their sensor feeds.
"How is-it-It's getting back up!?" Lazlo yelled.
"Bartley didn't mention it'd do this!" Glaubey exclaimed, his Sutherland stumbling back.
Impossible, that-that can't be possible! Quincey thought, face paling at the sight of this derelict thing standing upright again. Lazlo and Glaubey's strikes should have been enough to kill any energy left in the intake. Unless… don't tell me they were waiting for us to let our guard down?!
"It-It doesn't matter!" He finally shouted, tensing as the head snapped in his direction. "It's still a glorified pile of metal! We have them 3 to 1! Take it down!"
The MERLIN's Landspinners screamed like a reply as Lazlo and Glaubey sprang forward, the machine suddenly on them. It slammed right into Lazlo's damaged unit, knocking the KmF back before whirling around. The right leg came up as it spun into Glaubey, its clawed toes kicking the Lance right out of the Sutherland's hands. "It-It's so fast!" The pilot cried out, firing his Shark Harkens.
It proved ineffective, and even worse in the enemy's favor as MERLIN's leg swung back down, the Harken wires going taught and dragging him into a lunging fist. Its claws dug into his Sutherland's exposed side, the entire frame groaning as it tore through like sheet paper. "SHI-!"
Glaubey didn't get a chance to scream further as the MERLIN's hand tore into him, ripping back out. The Sutherland fell limp, a bloody hole in its side and whatever remained of Glaubey's body coating the giant's hand. "GLAUBEY!" Lazlo screamed out in panic horror. "Glaubey's down!"
"I noticed dammit!" Quincey cursed, letting loose a burst fire. The MERLIN rushed back, pulling distance fast and now bearing the dropped Jousting Lance. For a moment, Quincey felt fear rushing up before forcing it back down with new orders. "Lazlo, on me!"
"What? A-Are you crazy?! We can't fight this thing!"
"Then deal with it because we're not leaving until we put it down for good!" Quincey yelled back, firing off more shots at the machine. He didn't care how 'special' or 'important' that Knightmare was, he'd drag its burning corpse to Bartley in the end. "Take the front and force it to attack - I'll drop a Chaos Mine and lead with more gunfire!"
This Knightmare, it shouldn't have been possible for it to move so fast, to do so much damage, even in its sorry state. Certainly didn't help that no matter how close Lazlo got - and their Sutherlands had been modified to get up close and personal with the enemy - the damn thing wouldn't bite, staying out of range.
It only served to piss the Captain off further. "Rgh, stand still wretched beast!" He roared, firing off several shots.
The bullets impacted the MERLIN's frame, bouncing off and denting the metal. The MERLIN took the opportunity before he could even prime the Mine and rushed towards them, charging with its Lance. Lazlo moved quickly, throwing his Knightmare forward, trying to ram the machine, but the MERLIN matched his speed. It had no trouble parrying the approaching Lance with a harsh clash, its weapon pushing the other Knightmare back, causing its feet to slide against the ground.
"Fuck-!" Lazlo's KMF stumbled back, his Sutherland unable to react quickly enough before the Lance swung around through its chest, sending it down entirely. "N-N-no! Stop! Get away from me!"
The MERLIN had no sympathy. Its pistons and gears hissed as it forced the Lance deeper into the Sutherland's core, sending sparks and fluid flying. Lazlo's Knightmare went dark, falling limp under the assault.
"L-Lazlo…" Quincey froze, wide-eyed and speechless at the sight of his comrades being slain so simply.
Then it turned to him again, its crimson glow and optics bearing down on his unit.
"No... this-this can't be!" He managed out, his mind racing. No, this wasn't happening! There was no way some Eleven and that hodgepodge of a machine could have defeated them! It was impossible! And yet, the proof was staring him down. "H-How-? We're Purists! We're the symbol of Britannian pure-blooded strength! You can't do thi-!"
The MERLIN's frame hissed, steam pouring out of the glowing body. Quincey barely managed to get his Knightmare before it was on him next, Jousting Lance raised and ready to impale him. "Get away, you animal! NO!" Quincey panicked, raising his Knightmare's Stun Tonfas in defense. However, it was not enough, as the Lance came down with a heavy clang, shattering Sutherland's arm and tearing through the chest armor. It swung again, and the force was enough to throw his unit's weight into a spin, sending him flying to the ground.
He didn't get a chance to stand, and a shadow fell over his unit. Looking up, he saw the MERLING hovering above him, its eyes glaring down.
Quincey felt his breath hitch, his Knightmare sparking and sparking. "No...No, please... NO! NOOOO-!" He was cut off as the tipped blade came down, and Quincey's world ended in black death.
Meanwhile
Naoto wasn't sure when he woke up, nor when he came to. The sudden blast had left his ears ringing, his vision was a mix of grey and black spots, and he felt like a freight train had run him over. He could also taste blood in his mouth, along with a horrible gas filling each breath he took, and a sharp ache was spreading through his head.
What... happened? He finally thought, trying to get his bearings. Wh-Where am I?
The smoke was thick, and he could barely distinguish what was before him. It didn't help that everything around him was so loud. He could hear things moving, the sound of rubble and concrete being tossed around.
Someone else is here...? Naoto blinked slowly, his eyes barely adjusting to the smoke. What is that?
Then, he was almost blinded by a deep red light.
Naoto shuddered, turning his head with a violent coughing fit. "S-Wha...?" He rasped out, trying to move his limbs as the bright light came close.
There was no reply, only a low hiss and groan of metal and the loud, heavy movement before his vision went dark and his body again shuddered to the feeling of clean air passing over him, along with the rapid hissing and popping sound of metal.
What is that? Naoto repeated, trying to grab at the coldness of the metal around him. Wait... Knightmare...? He realized, nearly crashing into another fit as his lungs expunged the remaining smoke from them. Lowriel then? Maybe Kallen? Be dead if it wasn't-
Naoto tried to speak, but his throat was too dry, and he was left coughing harshly as the air passed by, the sound of tires crunching on pavement over the sound of a Knightmare, and the faintest hum in the air around them.
He was safe.
Alive, maybe, but he was safe.
And that was good enough.
Saved by the bell, He thought, coughing uneasily as sleep (he hoped it was sleep) settled over him.
Naoto Resistance Base, Shinjuku Ghetto
It all went wrong. How did it all go wrong?
Everything had fallen apart. Nagata couldn't help but wonder how it had all gone so wrong. The mission had gone so well, so on track before Momoi decided to walk off, and the Purists appeared out of fucking nowhere. Lowriel's downfall had been the final blow, and it wasn't until they were safe from the Britannian forces that people started realizing Naoto was missing.
Everyone except for Nagata.
Because of course, Nagata knew Naoto was missing when they ran. He knew he wasn't with them, even as they climbed into the trucks, and when he told Kallen not to worry about him.
He knew. It'd been drilled into their heads since they started this, right? Logic and all that shit Naoto would talk about - how everyone knew what being a part of this meant. Still, it didn't take away the gnawing guilt inside Nagata that their leader, their friend, their brother, was not here.
That's why he was staring up at the ceiling, on this shitty bed while his mind replayed the last 2 hours. Over and over. We were right there. Right next to the fucking thing… He thought numbly. So close. Why did it go wrong?
He knew why. Before they even left, he knew why something would go wrong the moment Kyoto suggested a co-effort with Yamato. For all their effort in fighting Britannia, the Yamato members were fanatically opposed to anything Britannian. If those psycho-Purists were extreme, then Yamato was the mirror counterpart for the Japanese resistance groups.
And as much as he wanted to lay the blame at Momoi's possibly dead feet, deep down Nagata knew it wouldn't have changed the outcome. The mission had been a disaster; the poison gas was still in Britannia's hands, and half of their group was wounded. At least several were dead or missing.
No time to collect jackets or headbands, at least he didn't think anyone did.
And now everyone was looking towards him for guidance, for some sense of reassurance or hope that everything would be fine. But he had no words to say.
He couldn't even look Kallen in the eyes when she realized her brother wasn't among them, and maybe in some way, she knew Nagata had made the split-hair decision of sending her off so as to not look for him. But it didn't take away the anger and desperation in her eyes. The panic, the fear. Didn't help how she nearly took back to Naoto's Knightmare with a berserker's rage, or how it had taken all of his strength, along with Tamaki and Oghi's help, to stop her.
She was furious. Screaming, swearing, trying to break free till she just broke down in their arms, crying her eyes out.
That was the worst part; out of everything else, out of the friends who weren't coming home, the poor trainwreck their mission ended up being, it was seeing someone's face when they realized they lost someone important.
But this wasn't just someone - it was Naoto.
Where do we even go from here? Nagata shifted, the question lingering in his mind. We failed. Specatuarly. That gas is still out there. Naoto's gone, and so is Lowriel and all the work we put into that metal corpse. Now-
He didn't get to finish that thought as a loud noise caught his ear, his eyes wandering to the radio beside him. He wanted to ignore it. Wanted to let whoever was on the other side deal with it and just try to go to bed. Instead Nagata willed himself up, snatching it off the table. "Go ahead." He said numbly.
"This is Lookout - we got something heading into Shinjuku!" The voice of some young member called, and immediately everything in Nagata's body tensed.
"Describe it." He ordered.
"Can't say. Too fast to be a car or truck, and way too big to be a drone. Maybe a Knightmare?" For a moment, Nagata could have sworn his heart stopped. There was no way the Britannians were that fast in response, right? Unless…
There's no fucking way.
"Can you tell which way it's going?"
"Towards the base, but… there's something weird about it. I think its... glowing?"
Glowing? Nagata thought before a loud noise interrupted his thoughts. A loud noise that was getting louder by the second. There's no FUCKING WAY. "Keep your eyes out, report anything else you spot!" He shouted before rushing out of the room and past others also hearing this sound.
After how poorly tonight went, tensions were high, and everyone was on edge. And the sound of whatever was tearing through Shinjuku was enough to expect the worst; it didn't sound like a Knightmare, let alone an engine. More like a banshee, loud and piercing, making the hairs on Nagata's back stand upright.
But Nagata could hardly focus on that now. His legs were burning as he tore down the hall, skidding to a stop in the garage. Others were already gathering around, murmuring and whispering. "Nagata!" Oghi called out. "What's going on?!"
"There's no fucking way… no way in Hell…" He ignored his friend, the tension skyrocketing when the sound came to a screeching halt in the garage, beaten and battered, and glowing a vibrant red. MERLIN's frame creaked in place, looking ready to fall over.
A few tense seconds passed before Nagata finally found his voice again. "Lowriel?" He called aloud, his throat drying out at the sight of the damaged Knightmare. There was no reply, only the loud hiss of hydraulics, steam, and a hiss of metal as MERLIN collapsed forward.
A hundred thoughts came to Nagata's mind, but it was the sight of the machine's hand (which looked much better than when it left, along with most of the right arm too) that made Nagata's heart clench. "No fucking way." He breathed at the sight of a very tired, bloody, but very alive Naoto resting in its hold.
"Naoto…Naoto! NAOTO!" Nagata's voice surged out, his eyes wide and heart hammering in his chest as he rushed over. Oghi's jaw dropped, his disbelief mirroring the rest of the garage as the man in the machine's hand groaned. A loud, hysterical laugh escaped his mouth at the sight of their friend.
"He-He's alive... Kami Above, he's ALIVE!" He shouted out.
"Go! Get Miyahara, hurry!" Nagata barked out, pulling Naoto out with Ohgi's help.
"And for Kami's sake, get him out of that death trap!" He added hastily, pointing to the MERLIN, its glowing framework fading into silence amidst the frantic shouts and cries of relief.
Later
He wasn't sure how long he stayed unconscious, but the first thing Naoto knew was the warmth of a very old cotton bed, along with the steady sound of a hitched breath. He groaned as the world spun, his vision blurred as he blinked away the drowsiness. His head throbbed and burned and everything ached…
But he was alive.
Despite the headache of a lifetime banging off the walls of his head, despite the soreness in his neck, and despite the dull, throbbing pain in his legs, he was alive.
I'm... Alive... He thought, feeling his heart pound and his lungs filled with MUCH cleaner air. Thank god... Thank Kami, I'm alive.
Naoto turned, blinking as the world cleared and met the vague silhouette of something red beside him. No, that was someone red. "K…Kal…?" He managed out, meeting the gaze of the teary, puffy-red eyes of his sister. She looked a mess.
She looked beautiful.
Kallen threw herself over him, wrapping him into a hug that was far too tight for his poor body as tears stained his shirt. Her shoulders were shaking, and she was trembling. She was crying.
All he could do was wrap his arms around her, ignoring the burning ache in his limbs, and just hold her as tightly as he could. He felt her shaking and shuddering against him, her voice muffled by his shirt, and all he could was hold her tighter.
"M'okay….mm'okay Kallen…" He coughed out, feeling her arms tighten, holding him as if her life depended on it.
Kallen sniffled, shaking her head. "Idiot... stupid idiot," She huffed, her voice choked up. "Baka... baka aniki..."
"I know… Fuck, I… M'sorry, Kallen-chan..." He coughed again, holding her close. "Really... m'sorry."
It felt like forever before Naoto heard the door to the medical room open, followed by several familiar - very relieved, but also angry and frantic - faces appearing/
"Naoto! Shit man, you're awake!" Tamaki exclaimed, pushing past the other two. "Are you alright?!"
"About as alive… as I can be," Naoto nodded, groaning a bit. "I'm sore and I feel like hell, but… god, is this what Lowriel feels like?"
Ohgi exhaled, looking like the weight of the world had lifted off his shoulders. "You have no idea how relieved we are that you're alive," He said, smiling weakly. "We… weren't sure if you would wake up."
"How long?"
"Two days. Miyahara's had his eye on you hour by hour. You got incredibly lucky, all things considered."
A small scoff came from Miyahara as he shook his head. "Luck has nothing to do with it. If not your injuries, then the smoke left over in your lungs should have killed you." He admitted heavily, giving Naoto a long look. "You were fortunate not to have suffered any lasting damage or burns from what I've made out. So to try not to make it a bad habit again."
Naoto couldn't help but wince at the doctor's bluntness, nodding. "Well….guess we can chalk it up to my good fortune then," He joked, taking a deep breath. "Thank you, Miyahara-San.
Miyahara waved him off, the dark circles under his eyes making the man look older but all the same, relieved to see Naoto awake. "Save your thanks for after I'm sure you're recovered. Until then, no fighting. Hell, you're lucky I even let this lot in - it was just supposed to be just little Kozuki-chan in here only."
"And the mission, th-the poison gas. Did we-?"
Ohgi shook his head, giving him a somber look. "Still in Britannia's hold. Kyoto hasn't said anything yet, but with Momoi and his men dead and the way the base is shaken, it's… not looking good."
Wasn't that an understatement, He thought glumily.
"I'm sorry... I-I should have been there-" Naoto let out a shudder, pulling his sister closer with his tired limb. "How did… I don't even remember what happened." He mumbled out, face flickering as the memory of the battle came back. "Momoi he,-t-there was an explosion and…"
After a moment, he looked between Ohgi and Tamaki. "I heard when you escaped," He finally said, seeing their stiffening and feeling Kallen grip him tighter. "I'm not mad - we've always been aware of how poorly this shit can get. But how… how the hell did I get HERE?"
"Your zombie." Nagata's voice called from the doorway, and the older man walked inside.
Naoto blinked at the sight of an exhausted-looking Nagata, who was even more disheveled than Kallen. A stark contrast from the usually put-together man, pissed off as he was. "You… (cough) you look like shit."
"Yeah? Take a look in the mirror yourself," Nagata snarked with a small smile, sitting in the chair beside him. "Looks like your gamble paid off considering he saved your unlucky ass. Again."
"And my half-mummified savior? Is he alive too?"
There was a pause as Nagata glanced at Ohgi, both looking hesitant. "Not… exactly."
Lowriel took long and deep breaths from his bed, his eyes closed and his body tense. Compared to before, his body felt like it was on fire all over again, the essence of power surging through his veins with each pulse of his heart.
Fuck… God, I forgot how intense you could be, Lowriel thought, running a hand over his chest and feeling his wounds tightening and shifting like needles and fire were tickling them. It felt like his heart was tightening and expanding at the same time.
It was an odd but familiar wrath of sensations. There were parts of him still aching, hurting from the fight and chaos of his body being under such pressure. The rest of him was thrumming with raw, wild energy that left a sort of dull, throbbing in its wake even as the world came into better clarity around him.
He'd gotten a bit too used to its absence that it felt... odd. Exhilarating. And he could only imagine, in turn, what would become of MERLIN after this and the reactions it'd garner.
"Hey... You alive over there?" Kallen's sore, hoarse voice called.
Lowriel took a breath, wincing a bit as he shifted. "Yes... I am..." He answered, coughing a bit as he turned his head to meet her peeking through the makeshift curtain Miyahara had set up.
She looked better after having heard Naoto's awakening and their conversation, her clothes less rumpled and her hair not in complete disarray. But she still had a weary, exhausted look to her eyes and face. "Nao...to?" He asked her, taking a moment to breathe.
Kallen's face softened a bit, and she nodded. "He's awake now. Miyahara's still looking after him."
"...Good. Glad to hear," Lowriel grunted, nodding his head.
There was a short, brief silence, and Kallen finally continued, "You fell. I heard it, only the comms. Almost everyone did."
"Yes."
"That's all you have to say?"
"Would you... like me... to say more?"
Kallen opened her mouth to reply, then paused, considering her words. "I... I'm not sure," She admitted. "I mean, you... I don't know how or what you did, but-you-y... You brought my brother back. But I don't get it, I-" She blinked, looking both confused and frustrated. "Why? Why would you do that? After how everyone here treated you, watched you like a hawk! Not-Not that I'm ungrateful, I just... I don't understand! What was the point?"
"There wasn't one."
And Kallen recoiled, taken aback by the frankness. "Bullshit," She said, shaking her disbelief. "Nobody does anything without a reason."
"Then... this makes me... the first."
"Why?"
"Because..." He took a deep breath, grunting as his back twitched a bit. "He is... your brother," He said simply. "He made me… promise. To make sure… you were safe. But… I also. Would not let… him. Die either. He would return, just like... you did."
Kallen's eyes widened, staring at him in surprise. She was silent, trying to digest the words, and her hands tightened around the curtain's edge. "Why?" She repeated, her voice soft and almost fragile. "You don't know us. Hell, you hardly know me, and yet-"
"I know... what it's like. To lose some-one." Lowriel said softly, looking away. "No... No one should be f-forced... to part ways like. That. Ne-ver." His breath was heavy, and his hands twitched in place as he relaxed.
"I..." Kallen's face flickered, and the words died in her mouth. "...Thank you. Thank you for bringing him back. He and Mom are the only family I have left, so... T-Thanks. For not making me lose him." She managed, her voice shaking and tears gathering at the corner of her eyes.
Lowriel gave her a long, hard stare as he breathed, nodding slowly. "Do you… regret it? Going… out there?" He asked, unfazed by her reaction.
After a moment or so, she shook her head. "No," She answered firmly. "I won't lie and say that wasn't probably the scariest moment of my life, but I didn't regret a second of it. If anything, I was glad that I could help."
"Then you are…. braver... than you t-think. Will you... continue to fight?"
"Yes," Kallen said without hesitation, blinking her tears away now. "After seeing what happened to Naoto, knowing that could happen again… to more people… I want to help fight Britannia. I want to be useful and I want to do something. Something more than just sitting on the sidelines while all my friends could be hurt or killed!"
"Even if... you get hurt?"
"I'm not going to sit and wait for things to get better," She argued, her eyes narrowing. "I want to make a difference for the Japanese."
He was silent, and Lowriel stared at her. After a moment, he gave a nod. "Then… you will have my help." He said simply, much to her surprise.
"I-Wait, seriously? After all of that?"
"I swore... I would… stay loyal. To your… brother. To fight Brit-annia. And… to protect you." He muttered. "Naoto… cannot fight. Not now. But… I see his… resolve in you. His strength. So I… will fight. Uphold my-my vow. To make sure no harm… comes. To you."
Kallen was quiet for a moment, taking in his words. In turn, Lowriel wondered if she would take offense to his words. Instead, she took a deep breath. "Then… Do you swear to me, here and now, that you'll help me fight Britannia? That you'll do everything you can to help us and the Japanese? That you will do your best to protect me and the others, no matter what gets thrown at us? Even if it seems impossible to win?"
Lowriel was quiet, meeting her gaze and taking a breath. He had already told her brother the same oath.
So, he didn't hesitate to give her the same words:
"I swear." The Knightmare pilot promised, his gaze hardened. "On my honor… as a Knight. On my life… I vow. To do whatever I can... to help."
"I cannot promise you a happy ending. Or that… Britannia will fall... But I will fight. To the very last breath."
A/N: Hello everyone! Hope you all had a good Spring Break because oh man, oh man, oh man it's finally over!
I can now say welcome to the end of the Prelude for Knight of Liberation! And over 7000 words no less, like goddamn!
I also want to apologize for the super-long delay on Chapter 9. My schoolwork came up fast, and I had a lot of projects and assignments to cut through, and writer's block sorta hit me between all that. I also just had a lot on my mind with how to write this chapter with all the scenes I wanted to have. Took a bit of time, and a lot of back and forth with myself but I managed to pull through and, honestly, I like how it came out.
I'm not sure if I'll be writing this much with how the next chapters go, so I apologize in advance. Just know I am trying my best here and working around changing some things up for the future (story-wise)!
That said I have no real time-frame for Chapter 10. I'm hoping (Very big emphasis on hoping) that I can get back into the 2-3 week mindset of writing, just so long as I don't get sloppy or writer's block again.
Writer's Block: But what if I just decide to go an oopsy and-! (gets conked in the head by a foam rubber brick)
NO! No more writer's block! Hopefully for now.
Anyway, please let me know what you think about this chapter in the Reviews!
With that said, This is the KnightOfZ3R0 signing off!