AN:
Guest: I'm actually planning on building a bit more on that mysterious skull.
Samurai Seven: Neither DS is going to directly interfere with the war. As for NT Suzaku contacting Rai, probably not in the way you're thinking.
Chapter 129: Berserk
Weiss Wolf Castle Command Center.
"What's causing this sudden spike!?" Sophie Randle – the squad's Brain Science expert – questioned as Akito slammed his Tonfa into Naoto's frame, sending it crashing through a statue of Emperor Charles. Meanwhile, her screen turned red as the Pilot's brain waves began exceeding normal measures by at least 200% and climbing.
"It's not just Akito!" Kate Novak – her assistant – added, "Everyone's producing similar results…"
"That's impossible! Check the values of the Pilot's neural devices immediately."
"From what I can gather, there's been a signal backflow in Sayama, Kosaka, and Naruse's neural devices." the purple-haired assistant reported as Ryo slammed his axe into Urabe's revolving blade, forcing the Holy Sword onto his knees, allowing Ayano to followed up with a devastating kick to his head, sending him tumbling back.
"Their brain waves are almost completely in-sync. Somehow… they've networked." the red-haired Brain Scientist mumbled as Senba tried attacking the Europians from behind, only for Yukiya to shoot through a nearby building, hitting his legs dead-on, causing the Gekka to trip.
Saint Petersburg.
"These guys are relentless!" Urabe shouted as he blocked an incoming attack from Ayano, just for Ryo to try and flank him, "Are these really the guys Naoto was fighting a moment ago!?" he quickly stepped back, narrowly avoiding his opponent's axe as it went for his exposed arms.
"DIE!" the black-haired girl shouted as she pressed the attack, thrusting her blade straight into the Holy Sword's weapon, finally snapping it in twain thanks to the previous attacks.
"DIE!" Ryo added as he brutally sliced the Gekka in half, sending mechanical guts in every direction, before raising his weapon triumphantly overhead, preparing for a finishing blow, "DIE!"
However, the moment he began bringing his weapon down, Naoto came flying in, knocking him away with a spinning kick, and firing his hip-mounted harken at Ayano, forcing the sword out of her hand, allowing him to easily send her away with a kick. "Urabe, ejected!" the Kozuki ordered, "I don't know what happened, but these guys got better. A lot better."
"Got it!" the Holy Sword responded as his cockpit flew away.
"Senba, go retrieve him!" Naoto added as he dodged Ayano's counter-attack and blocked Ryo's follow-up.
"What about you? You can't beat them alone!" the Older Sword shouted as he attempted to help, only to be cut off by Yukiya's bullets, "This battle's not worth dieing over!"
"I'll be fine! Kallen's gonna be here soon, and together we can handle these guys. You just make sure Urabe's safe!"
"Understood." Senba responded briefly while tracking his ally's cockpit, "Come back safe, Naoto."
"Don't curse me like that!" the Kozuki joked as he entered a clench with Ayano, noticing Ryo moving behind him, attempting to strike his cockpit. In response, Naoto sent a high-kick into the assaulting Japanese boy, knocking the Alexander away, and allowing the girl to gain the upper hand which he easily flipped by striking her with his elbow. Though, once he moved for a finishing blow, Akito came out of nowhere and kicked him away.
"DIE!" the Japanese boy shouted as he brought down both Tonfas for a heavy strike, causing Naoto to groan in pain as his Katana was slammed against the concrete; though, he still held onto it tight.
"DIE!" Ayano joined in with an overhead slash, which Naoto easily ducked and countered by delivering a slice across her chest. Then, Ryo drove his shoulder into the Magnus, knocking it to the ground as he prepared his axe for an attack.
In an attempt to get away, the Kozuki flew onto a roof, where Yukiya lined up the shot, and destroyed his air glide system with three bullets; the sheer force of the impact sending the Black frame crashing back onto the street, where the rest of Wyvern Squad charged in simultaneously.
"These guys don't let up." Naoto muttered as he got up, charging toward Ayano, sliding beneath her attack as she swung for his head, and used the momentum to bisect her across the waist, defeating her Alexander.
Inside, the girl held her head, screaming in pain as mental backlash hit like a truck, causing glimpses of Akito's memory to flash through her mind, "Wh-what is this…" she mumbled.
Even so, the fight was far from over, as Ryo came in, swinging his axe wildly, forcing him to block the attack, which allowed the Europian soldier to grab the Magnus' arms, holding it in place as the axe was brought back for another attack. However, Naoto wasn't out of options, as he used a harken to knock the weapon from his opponent's hand, and pull them in for a headbutt, finally freeing his Katana.
But before he could unleash a counter, Akito landed on his chest, and launched him away with a double kick. To recover, the Kozuki did a handstand, then firmly planted his landspinners on the ground, where he could be forced to block another strike from his opponent's Tonfas; the sheer force sending him tumbling back once again, "Kallen, I could really use your help right now!" the older Kozuki shouted into his radio.
"I'll be there soon!" the red head responded as she sped towards her brother's IFF, passing Leila's Alexander without noticing, "Just hold on!"
"Wyvern Squad, come in!" the blonde called as the Guren zoomed down the street, "Lieutenant Hyuga!? Is anyone there!? Somebody please answer me, damn it!" her grip around the controls tightening with every passing second of silence, "I have to follow that red Knightmare. If she's truly been tasked with fighting Europia, then she must be heading toward Akito and the others."
Weisswolf Castle. Command Center.
"Hurry up, Joe Wise. I need a report." Sophie ordered as the obtuse man rapidly typed away at his digital keyboard, a lollipop present in his mouth.
"I'm trying my best, just give me a minute!" Joe responded as a bead of sweat crossed his forehead.
"Mental cloud intensifying, ma'am!" Ferilli Baltrow – another one of Sophie's assistants, "Their ego boundaries are at their breaking point!"
"Akito's nervous system is somehow co-opting the others via their neuro devices, it appears the other warrant officers are no longer in control." the red-haired scientist mumbled to herself, finally snapping her fingers in realization, "It's a… brain raid!"
Saint Petersburg.
"DIE!" Akito shouted as he slammed Naoto to the ground once more, "DIE!" he brought up another Tonfa for a strike, sending the MVS Katana flying away, leaving the Kozuki utterly defenseless. "DIE!"
The Magnus desperately rolled away, avoiding a finishing blow from the spiked Tonfa, then brought his arms up to block Ryo's incoming axe, intending on severing his head. Luckily, he still had the Blaze Luminous to use, stopping the weapon dead in its tracks. Though, that's when Yukiya flanked him from the left, firing several bullets into the Kozuki's side, causing him to quickly dash back prematurely, where he would be met with Akito's signature weapons striking him from behind.
"Gah!?" Naoto gasped in pain while crashing chest-first to the ground. There, he would begin crawling away, using his leg to knock away Ryo's axe as the Europian soldier moved to attack, successfully sending it into a tree. However, the soldier still kicked him from behind, causing the Magnus to collide with another statue of Emperor Charles, shattering it against the lush grass.
While bringing his Tonfa back, a sadistic smile crossed Akito's face; eyes narrowing in determination as he intended to end the fight once and for all, "Die." he said – no longer a yell, but just above a whisper.
From his chest, Naoto drew his fork knife, using it to catch the metallic object just as contact was about to be made. Even so, this wasn't the end of his struggle; supporting his last weapon with both hands, he tried pushing the Europian back, noticing Ryo approaching from the right, now wielding his axe once more.
"Damn it… where are you, Kallen?" the Kozuki thought as the approaching Alexander brought its axe overhead, preparing to finish the job as Akito held him still.
Luckily, that's when the Guren intervened with a heavy kick, knocking the White Knightmare away, using her surger to grab Akito by the shoulder, forcing him to spin off, and retreat, "Sorry about that. Are you okay, Naoto?" his sister asked as she helped him up.
"What took you so long?" the Magnus slowly got up, and retrieved its Katana as the red Knightmare kicked it over, "Actually, never mind. I'm glad you're here." he said, wielding the fork knife with a reverse-grip in his left hand, and MVS in his right.
"Don't mention it. Now, how are gonna go about this? I've already dealt with the sniper." Kallen explained as Yukiya hopped out of his Alexander, which had been split in half across the chest.
"Always on top of everything, aren't you? Well, if you'd be so kind…" Naoto pointed at Akito's frame, which was rapidly advancing toward them in insect-mode, "Please take that one."
"Too strong for you, big bro?" the red head teased while sliding toward the Alexander with her landspinners.
"Oh, shut up." the older Kozuki responded jokingly as he caught Ryo's axe with his fork knife, using leverage to toss the weapon to the ground, following up by kicking the soldier away.
Using her shoulder, Kallen roughly slammed into the blue-haired boy's chest, sending him tumbling backwards, where he would instantly recover by entering insect-mode, strafing left before leaping at her. The red head tried to grab him midair, only for Akito to return to normal, and deliver a kick to her surger, sending it crashing against the concrete, where he would then climb to the top of her frame.
Despite this disadvantage, the Guren easily recovered by dropping its fork knife; allowing her to grab the Alexander's leg, and throw it into the distance. Using both hands, the boy came screeching to a halt, just to find the red Knightmare already giving chase, towering over his figure with its fork knife in-hand. Akito quickly moved out the way in insect-mode, and climbed up a building, "Lieutenant Hyuga! Wait!" Leila ordered as she chased the duo from below, watching their intense clash. "Let me help you!"
Kallen eventually closed the gap, landing a clean flying kick onto Akito's back, causing him to immediately face her upon recovery, Tonfas fully ready for a fight, "DIE!" he shouted while slamming his weapon into the red head's fork knife, following up with a powerful knee to her chest, forcing the Guren to step back.
Even though it was miniscule, the blue-haired boy wasn't giving it – the Geass command instilled within his mind willed it. After ducking her surger, he swept her legs with a kick, only for her to use the momentum to complete a backflip, intentionally kicking his other Tonfa away in the process. With her fork knife, Kallen then delivered a clean slash across his chest, causing the Alexander to flip away, retrieving its second Tonfa in the process.
However, upon landing the White Knightmare propelled itself forward, extending the tip of his Tonfa forth in a shocking surprise attack, which the red head barely saw coming, "Now I can see why Naoto had trouble!" she thought, having no choice but to duck the spike, "This guy's relentless!"
Once the Alexander landed, Kallen instantly began countering, first tossing rubble at the Europian by using her surger to dig into it. By using this as cover, she easily closed the gap as Akito – surprisingly – did the same, shocking her once more as the tip of his Tonfa shot through the debris, chipping the red Knightmare's shoulder. Despite this, the red head didn't back down, instead using this opportunity to drive her knee into his chest, then tightly grabbed his arm with her surger, activating it instantly, causing the Alexander's arm to bubble shortly after.
Upon witnessing what was happening to his arm, Akito desperately pulled back, severing his connection to it, and shifted behind his opponent, where he would pull back his Tonfa to attack their cockpit. Kallen turned around at the last moment, managing to avoid the lethal hit by directing it to her chest, tanking it successfully, but not without destroying her harken. But that wasn't where the problems ended, as the momentum from the Alexander managed to knock her off the building, sending her head-first toward the ground.
Naoto effortlessly slid past Ryo as he went in for an attack, quickly swapping to insect-mode, and avoiding any chance of the Black Knights counter. The Kozuki let out a frustrated sigh as he chased the bug-like Knightmare through the street, into the outskirts of Saint Petersburg, where he caught a glimpse of Yukiya and Ayano rushing toward a nearby treeline. However, it was only brief, so he didn't think much of it, and focused on the fight at hand.
After coming to a halt, Ryo turned to charge his opponent once more, leaping over the Magnus while transforming, swinging his axe at the Knightmare's vulnerable head, only for Naoto to duck, and get in a stance once the Alexander landed. "This guy's good, but not nearly as strong as the other one!"
"Die!" the berserker shouted as he rushed in once more, swinging his weapon downward to meet the enemy Katana, throwing sparks in every direction as their clash intensified. By quickly stepping back, the Alexander narrowly avoided a strike from his opponent's fork knife, then leapt in once more for an upward slash, throwing the Kozuki off-balance, allowing him to raise the axe over his head for a final strike. Or so he thought.
With its fork knife, the Magnus effortlessly caught his opponent's weapon as they came in for a slash, then used the Katana to shatter it in a single slash, permanently disarming the Alexander. Naoto followed this up by delivering a devastating kick to the White Knightmare's chest, sending it crashing to the ground back-first, then he plunged his MVS into their chest, ending the fight.
Weisswolf Castle. Command Center.
"Mental backlash incoming! This time, it's for Sayama!" Kate reported as the Japanese boy screamed in pain.
"Keep track of those readings! We'll use it to compare Naruse and Kosaka's!" Sophie ordered.
"Already on it, Ma'am!"
"Um… I know this might be a bad time… but could I ask what's going on?" Claus Warwick asked nervously.
"Can't you see I'm busy?" the brain scientist reprimanded while concentrating on the constant flow of data presented to her, "It's exactly as my husband said! Finally… I'm finally able to confirm a BRS event. With this… we're one step closer to having proof! No, I can't think of that right now. Wyvern Squad needs me."
Saint Petersburg. Outskirts.
"Where do you think you're going?" Naoto questioned as Ryo hobbled out of his Alexander with a submachine gun, desperately running toward the tree line. The Kozuki moved to capture the man, but stopped upon hearing a massive explosion go off in the distance, "What the-!?" he barely managed to catch it, but the Ikaruga fired its Hadron Cannon out into the water front, destroying a massive Europian fleet that was positioned out there.
Remembering what he was doing, Naoto turned to face Ryo once more, only to find the boy already gone, so he checked the tree line, only to be met with a large river past it; water flowing rapidly downstream. Though, his target was nowhere to be seen, "Damn it. Lost him." he then activated his radio, "Kallen, how are things on your end? I just finished here."
"Give me a minute!" the red head shouted through struggled breaths, "This guy's tough!"
"Need some help?"
"No! He's tough, but I can win! The only issue is this guy doesn't stop attacking, barely giving any room to breathe! I've never met a pilot like this!"
"I'll move in to assist then, just in case." Naoto assured as he moved back into the city, secretly passing the Europian Trio as they hid inside a small cave together, just big enough to fit them.
"That was close." Ayano whispered as she let out a nervous breath.
"Seriously, just what the hell was that?" Ryo muttered as he made sure the coast was clear, "Those memories… they were Akito's, weren't they?"
"Yeah… I think so…" Ayano mumbled, trying to recall what she saw, only for a thick fog to cloud her mind, "So, are we getting out of here or what?"
"Well… I can't just leave the guy." their leader said, picking his gun off the ground and preparing to head out.
"Whoa… are you seriously going to save him?" Yukiya asked, "I mean… I thought we were gonna use this chance to escape?"
"With Knightmares, remember? Now, that plan's totally shot, so we might as well help Akito and Leila." Ryo explained, "And besides, even if we left now, we'll just be in the same exact situation we were in the beginning. At least with the Wyvern Squad, we can belong here."
"You're just doing this out of sympathy, aren't you?" Naruse teased with a smirk, "You were always a softy."
"Oh, shut up." the Japanese boy scoffed as he dashed out, "Don't tell me you didn't feel anything."
Yukiya let out a heavy sigh as Ayano ran after their leader, saying, "Wait for me! I don't wanna leave Akito alone either!"
"Oh come on guys…" the last member muttered, "We all have our own trauma to deal with." he slowly got up, and began running after his friends, "Though… I suppose we can all be trauma buddies together."
Smilas' Leviathan.
"Wh-what the hell was that…" the General mumbled in disbelief as the Ikaruga's Hadron Cannon powered down, leaving nothing but a sea of flame in place of the once staggering Europian fleet.
"I… I'm detecting no life signs… sir." a breathless specialist reported in disbelief, "There's nothing left."
"Damn it." Smilas slammed his fist, catching a familiar blue light out of the corner of his eye. Though, when he went to check, he found nothing, "We'll continue our retreat to Warsaw! There, we'll set up defenses to stop the Black Knights."
Despite these words, the General knew within his heart that they had almost zero chance of beating the Black Knights, at least not as they were now. However, what concerned him the most, was the fact that now both Zero and Shin were on the same side, reminding him of the Dimensional Supervisor's haunting warning about them. "Perhaps it's not too late to negotiate… buy me some time… or even have this solved without bloodshed. No… that's just wishful thinking. I have to buy as much time as possible so we can set up those defenses."
Saint Petersburg.
"DIE!" Akito shouted as he sent a kick toward the red head, who easily dodged the attack, and countered with her own kick, sending him tumbling away in pain. Then, she lunged her surger forth, only for the blue-haired boy to suddenly get up, and meet it with his Tonfa, firmly planting the metal rod within the Guren's powerful weapon, before releasing it to move behind her.
Kallen quickly turned around to slap his hand away with her fork knife, following up by using her surger as a bludgeon, shattering his armor, and causing it to crash into a building, where it would be buried beneath a pile of rubble. "Lieutenant Hyuga!" Leila turned the corner, witnessing the tail end of the fight.
The red head turned to face the incoming Alexander as a hail of bullets was sent towards her; easily being absorbed by her radiant wave shielding. Though, once she moved to deal with the new opponent, Akito suddenly burst out from the debris, lunging at her cockpit in a last ditch effort; his wrist blade now fully extended.
Even so, Kallen was prepared for this, and with one final high-kick, sent him hurtling toward the outskirts of the city; his limbs being torn apart with every impact he had with the ground, until he found himself at the bottom of a deep crater, right next to a pile of Sutherland parts.
That's when the Geass command finally subsided, allowing for the mental backlash to hit him like a freight train, forcing him to relive the moment his life changed forever.
?
"Akito. Die now. You're not supposed to still be alive." a young Shin ordered coldly as he stood within a church, surrounded by the lifeless bodies of his loved one.
"Big Brother?" a young Akito mumbled while slowly getting up, and – despite the gruesome scene – cutely wobbled towards Shin, seeking the affection of his sibling.
With a villainous smirk, Shin's Geass activated as he stared directly into his younger brother's eyes, "Die."
Present Day.
"Lieutenant!" Leila desperately called while opening his cockpit, and retrieving the boy gently in her arms.
"C-commander?" he said weakly as she began escaping towards the tree line, where they caught a glimpse of Ryo, Ayano, and Yukiya, who were waving her down.
Without hesitation, the blonde pulled up next to the group, allowing them to hop on beside Akito, where Ayano would check on him, "He's still in one piece. Or at least… that's what it looks like."
"Step on the gas, commander!" Ryo shouted as the Guren ran into a Gracchus, "It looks like we've got time to escape!"
"I'm already on it!" Leila shouted as she moved through the tree line into a nearby forest, using it as cover to escape.
Meanwhile, back at Saint Petersburg, "Hey! Watch where you're going!" Kallen complained, "What the hell are you even doing here? Aren't all the Euro Britannian's supposed to be at Caesar's Palace by now?"
"My apologies, I wasn't watching where I was going." Shin said, apologizing for his 'accident', "Please, allow me to repay you, and chase after those Europians instead."
"No way, I'm here to deal with the Europian threat so you need to-" however, just as the red head was about to finish her sentence, the Japanese man was already gone, chasing after the Alexander at high speed. "Ugh. Idiots." she muttered before trying to move, only for Naoto to come out of nowhere.
"Kallen! Sorry for being late, you were jumping all over the place!" he apologized, glancing at the suspicious Euro Britannian Knightmare as it disappeared into the trees, "Who's that guy?"
"Naoto, would you mind following him?" the red head asked kindly, "Your Knightmare has the same undetectability as the Shinkiro, right?"
"Ah, so you don't want me to be spotted? Alright, but what'll you do?"
"I'll head back to the Ikaruga and get another glide system, then I'll join you shortly after. Just make sure to turn on your IFF then so I can locate you."
"Will do." Naoto said, as he shut off the tracker and moved toward the tree line, "Ah, what am I looking for by the way?"
"Nothing in particular." Kallen responded as she leapt from roof-to-roof, "That guy's just suspicious, that's all. I suppose… finding out what he's up to will suffice."
"Understood." the Older Kozuki said as he leapt over a fallen log, continuing to skate after the White Knightmare, which was just within range of his radar.
At the same time, Shin grabbed the rifle off his back, and aimed it at the Alexander, which was swerving left and right through the dense trees, accidentally knocking some over due to the clumsiness of its pilot, which the passengers were quick to notice, "Commander! Keep it steady, are you trying to kill us!?" Ryo complained as he watched the Gracchus get closer.
"I'm sorry! This is my first time piloting a frame like this." the blonde responded as she shoulder-checked another tree, "And I thought the back lines were stressful."
"Watch out! He's gonna shoot!" Yukiya shouted as their pursuer aimed at the Europian Knightmare's legs.
"Crap!" Leila shouted as she moved even faster, narrowly dodging both bullets and trees alike until she struck the latter, throwing her off-balance, leaving the Alexander helpless to dodge a set of rounds aimed for its legs, knocking it over.
Luckily, the commander managed to release her passengers close to the ground, minimizing the damage they took as she screeched to a halt a few meters away. Unfortunately, her Knightmare still sustained some internal damage from the attack, preventing her from moving freely.
Ryo tucked his body parts close together as he tumbled across the ground, finally coming to a stop by hitting his back on a tree; luckily, it was towards the end, so it only hurt him a little. Meanwhile, Yukiya ended up landing closer to the Alexander, and just halfway from Ayano and Akito, who landed together in a mess of limbs as she tried protecting his body.
"Akito, get up, please." the girl whispered as she successfully separated herself, "We've gotta go, please."
"I'm fine." the blue-haired boy reassured as he slowly got up, "Just a little-"
"Akito." the soothing hum of a familiar voice called from within its Knightmare. Soon, the Gracchus came to a stop before the group, "I can't believe you're actually still alive, and a Europian soldier to boot."
"It… it can't be…" Akito mumbled in disbelief as Shin stepped out, presenting himself atop the Euro Britannian frame.
"Exposed like this, even someone like you could kill me, Akito." the Older brother said mockingly as the Japanese boy stepped in front of Ayano, trying to get a better look.
"Brother…" Akito's eyes widened with shock at his presence.
"Brother?" Leila used her camera's to zoom in on the man, "How? He's a Britannian Knight."
"A-Akito…" Ryo muttered in pain as he crawled toward his submachine gun.
"Now I get it, the gods must've allowed you to live simply for my sake." Shin gloated with pride as Naoto watched in the background, concealed within the trees, "They must support my ambitions." a brief memory flashed in Akito's mind, one directly from that fateful night, "Akito…" the Knight extended his hand generously, "I would be honored if you took the blood oath with me in the Order of Michael. And then… offered up your life in creation of a new world. After all, fate brought you to me."
"Creation of a New world?" Naoto whispered to himself, "I don't like the sound of that. At least, not when it's coming from him."
"You want me…" Akito asked in a trembling voice.
"That's right, Akito. I want you to die." Shin proclaimed, clenching his hand in the process, "Die for me, Akito."
Slowly, the red rings returned to the boy's eyes as he began to shake violently, reaching for his hip, where he had Ayano's confiscated Kodachi. However, before he could put it to his neck, Leila shouted from within her Alexander, "Why would you say that!? He's your brother!" she tried to reach for her rifle, only to find Ryo – who held his submachine gun – suddenly push the Lieutenant to the ground, "Akito! Fall back, I've got you covered!" he shouted while firing at Shin's Knightmare.
Unfortunately, that's when the Magnus came bursting out of the woodwork, using its arm-mounted MVS to block the bullets from making contact, "Thanks for the assistance. I didn't see that he had a gun." the Knight said, feeling worried upon realizing that he was being eavesdropped.
"Don't mention it." Naoto responded sternly, "What the hell are you doing anyway? They're the enemy, so you're wasting your breath on them." he said, hiding the fact that he heard the conversation from before.
Yukiya quickly rushed to Leila's aid, tapping her cockpit so she could open it slight, "What's wrong?" he whispered while looking at her controls.
"I don't know… something in the legs has the entire system locked up." she explained briefly, allowing him to check the sight.
Meanwhile, Naoto continued to press Shin, "Get back in your frame. I'll take this group in."
"Ah, wait." the Knight stopped him with a charismatic smile, "I… actually one of them is my brother, you see? I'd like to take him back to Euro Britannian so we can have a proper reunion."
"Oh? I understand having a sibling." the Kozuki related, once again playing dumb, "After all, you wouldn't want to ever see them get hurt, right? War isn't for everyone."
In truth, Naoto's main focus wasn't the Europian's, but instead on Shin himself, as he realized just how much of a threat this Knight was thanks to the speech. Sure, he could easily end the Japanese man's life right then and there, getting rid of any possible threats in the future. However, that would mean fighting against Euro Britannia, which in of itself wouldn't be a problem, except for the fact that it would tarnish Zero's reputation as a defender of the weak.
Lelouch's reputation. Something he had been building this whole time. If word got out that the Black Knights weren't who they said they were, then it would be all for naught. So, until Shin expressed any will to harm the Black Knights, or show that he was against them, Naoto would stay his blade.
"Get on, quick!" Leila shouted as her Alexander roared to life, picking up the Wyvern Squad, and successfully escaping into the trees.
"Let's go after them." Naoto commanded, only for Shin to stop him once more.
"Wait, my Knightmare's energy filler is low." feeling the Kozuki give him an odd look, the Knight added, "What? I've been fighting this whole time, you know?"
"Fine, I'll escort you back to Petersburg." the Magnus began leading the Gracchus through the forest, toward the city, "Besides… those guys caught me off-guard this time. However, the next time we meet, I'll be ready."
C's World.
"And here I thought you weren't going to get involved with those human affairs." the Dimensional Supervisor said to her other self as they watched Kallen and Suzaku train in the Guren and Lancelot. The entity now inhabiting two separate bodies instead of one.
"You know it had to be done. My contact with Smilas was necessary to keep everything intact." the collective unconscious responded as she crossed her arms.
"Oh? Then would you mind explaining where it was necessary to mention Zero?"
"It's to keep the natural order intact, and you know it. If he and Shin were to combine their ambitions, then it could easily spell the end for the world."
"You really still believe Lelouch is the enemy? I thought you were open to change after dealing with the Leila Malcal in your world."
"Still believe in change. However, Lelouch has proven in both your world and mine how destructive he can be. So honestly, I find it stranger that you still believe he can be good, despite never meeting the Leila Malcal of yours."
"Well, I've seen yours, haven't I?" the Dimensional Supervisor stated, fully facing her other half, "I can see it. If she and Lelouch were to make contact, then they could not only save the World from Shin's corrupt Geass, but also help us."
"That's only if Lelouch wasn't on Shin's side."
"Who said he was? Sure, the Black Knights are helping Euro Britannia, but that doesn't automatically make him and Shin acquainted. I'm sure if the two were to meet in person, you'll find that Lelouch would easily be able to sniff out the Usurper's ill-intentions."
"Is that so?" the Collective Unconscious turned to face the Dimensional Supervisor with a peculiar eye, "If that were to happen, then I'll happily admit that I was wrong. However, if the other possibility comes to pass…"
"Then I'll admit that I was wrong."
That's when a replica of Lelouch appeared between them, followed shortly by ones of Leila and Shin on either side of him, both with their Geass' active, serving as a visualization for their pact, "I'm glad you could finally see reason." the two shook each other's hand, beginning their deal, "Though, I hope you do know that I get one free interference, right? After all, you unnecessarily told Smilas about Zero."
"Do as you please. So long as it doesn't directly interfere with our pact, I won't care." the Collective Unconscious responded, "Besides, I know for a fact you wouldn't anyway."
Somewhere within Euro Britannia.
"Come on, please keep moving!" Leila pleaded as her Alexander began running on empty, swerving around a tree as the Wyvern Squad kept a look-out in her hands, "No… not yet… please."
Despite her pleas, her Knightmare's energy filler emptied, causing her to slow down greatly, now only carried by the momentum from its wheels as she carefully maneuvered through the trees, until finally it came to a stop. Ryo was the first to get off, and shouted, "Come on! We'll walk from here!"
"What about the Alexander?" Leila asked as she slowly descended from her cockpit.
"Wanna put it on your back or something?" Yukiya joked as Akito helped Ayano down, "Come on, if we keep walking that way, we should reach a town or something."
Their Commander rubbed her arms anxiously, feeling out-of-her-element in the forest as the rest effortlessly travelled ahead of her. Well, all except for Akito, who hung back, and stayed by her side, "How are you feeling, commander?" he asked in a normal tone.
"Oh… just a bit cold, that's all. Russian winters are pretty tough this time of year. Or so I've heard…" Leila then turned to him, realizing that she finally had the chance she'd been waiting for, "Lieutenant, about that man from before, you said he was your brother, right-"
"That man's practically a stranger to me." the blue-haired boy answered sternly, "This is the first time I've seen him since we were separated over ten years ago."
"I see… but you are brother, aren't you?"
"Yeah, we're brother's I suppose. The same blood runs through our veins. We share a past. That's why he wants to kill me, I guess."
Despite walking ahead, the rest of the squad listened intently to their Lieutenants story, trying to figure out just what they saw, "His brother, huh?" Ryo thought, tightly clenching his fist, "How could anyone be related to someone so… heinous. After all, to wish death on your own sibling… I can't even imagine how Akito must really feel."
"If I had a sibling, and they ever said half the things that man did to Akito, I don't know how I'd take it." Ayano looked at her feet as she continued strutting forward, "Is that why Akito's so indifferent all the time? Is that how he copes with something so traumatic?"
"What!? Kill you? He's your brother, I'm sure you can change his mind, maybe you-"
With a twisted expression, Akito grabbed the blonde's arm as she reached out to comfort him, "I've already died once commander, that's why…" everyone came to a stop as he moved closer to her, his voice darkening in the process, "I want to return the favor, and kill him." the red rings appearing around his eyes briefly, before disappearing shortly after.
The reaction sent a shiver down Leila's spine, feeling a jolt of fear overtake her as the others watched, "I'm sorry… I didn't know it was such a sensitive topic for you." she looked down, worried about the boy's safety. Feeling genuine fear on his behalf, "There's no way I can allow Akito to destroy himself like this. But what can I say? Is there anything I can even do to help this?"
The group continued walking through the forest as normal, with Yukiya leading the way; a hand-held device that showed their location showing their compass direction, "No wonder he wasn't afraid of me back at the castle. I just so happened to pick out the one guy who doesn't give a shit about his own life. What luck I must have. Though… even I can acknowledge there's something wrong with him. Something that I know the others want to help with. In that case, then I'll have to do the same. There's no way I can let Akito go through that."
For hours on end, the group slogged through the forest; frost nipping at their earlobes as the sun began setting in the distance, turning the evening into dusk. But that was the least of their problems, especially with hunger beginning to make its presence known throughout the group.
Due to their preparation for the rocket launch, the group hadn't eaten since 12:00PM yesterday, meaning now the hunger pangs were being felt more than ever, "How much further do we have to go?" Ryo complained as he clenched his belly.
"I don't know." Yukiya responded, "I just know that we have to head southeast."
"Are you sure we didn't get turned around, or something? I feel like we should've arrived by now." Ayano added.
"It's not a casual park walk, Ayano. We're traveling quite a distance." their guide explained as they finally cleared the tree line, being met with a vast plain before them, where it would lead into another forest. "Just keep going southwest, and we'll get there."
"I thought you said southeast?" Leila asked as she stumbled, softly landing on Akito's shoulder, who helped her up.
"Ah… yeah. That's what I meant." the boy tapped his head several times, "Sorry, my mind's clouded right now."
The group continued their journey, traveling until the sun finally set, allowing darkness to take hold of the landscape, trapping them in the forest, with Yukiya's device being the only source of light. "Watch out for roots." Ryo warned weakly as he could barely keep his eyes open, "On second thought… maybe we could take a rest somewhere?"
"No… I can keep going…" Leila proclaimed, only to trip on a rock, falling onto Akito once more, who caught her effortlessly, still somehow keeping a good amount of his strength.
"Commander, we should rest for now." the blue-haired boy said, "Let's find a cave, and get some sleep. Ryo and I will find something to eat for everyone." However, before Sayama could respond, he – ironically – tripped over a root, falling flat on his face, where he would struggle to get up, "On second thought, I'll just go."
"Wait… Akito… I can help." Ayano pleaded, moving to his side, only to slump onto his shoulder with ragged breaths.
Grabbing her by the arm, Akito began leading both girls in a direction, saying, "I think I saw something this way-"
Just as things couldn't get any worse, once the Japanese boy planted his foot, the ground beneath loosened, throwing off his footing, and causing him to slip down a hill, unintentionally taking Leila and Ayano with him.
"Akito!" Ryo shouted, diving to grab his hand, coming up short in the end, which resulted in him being plunged into the darkness, falling after the trio.
"Idiot! Don't just dive after him like that!" Yukiya shouted, finding another path down the hill.
Akito desperately clutched both girls close to his chest, taking the brunt of the damage in the process, before coming to a stop on a main road, where he would gasp for air, feeling his strength leave as the two laid unconscious on top of him.
"Whoa!?" Ryo's voice slowly grew, until he landed right next to them, falling unconscious shortly after.
"Guys!" Yukiya shouted as he ran onto the road, instantly finding their bodies, and running to check on them, "Crap, are you okay? Ryo? Akito? Ayano? Leila? Come on. Someone get up, please."
"Yukiya…" Akito weakly called out, "Take the commander… and put her by the… tree…"
"Akito! Damn it. Don't pass out now. I need you." the remaining Wyvern Squad member demanded, hearing the sound of a horse neighing in the distance, causing him to turn around, coming face-to-face with a group of Gypsies.
"They're really here." one old woman said as she approached them, "It looks like the gods are on your side, children."
"Please… help us! My friends desperately need your help." Yukiya pleaded, not hearing their words, "We won't trouble you long, but if it's money you want, I'm sure we could work something out, and-"
"Be at ease, child." an old woman with small, round sunglasses put a hand on his shoulder, "We'll help you."
Unbeknownst to them, the Dimensional Supervisor watched the group from afar, smirking proudly at her work as Wyvern Squad was loaded into one of the Gypsies wagons, "Get some good rest, Leila Malcal. Fate still has plans for you and your group yet."
AN: To tell the difference between the two DS' in their conversation, I reffered to the one from the Karma Timeline (KT) as Dimensional Supervisor. And the one from the Original Timeline (OT) as collective unconscious.
Though, they're both still Dimensional Supervisors.