(A/N: Welcome back! It has been a WHILE. Small update for those who care about those sorts of things. I quit my toxic as sin job and now am unemployed looking for a new job from my parent's house. So if y'all could support me on my you-know-what, I'd really appreciate it. I still have 0 patrons. Link is on my profile no matter which website you're reading this from.
I also just got done playing a 100-hour marathon of Unicorn Overlord, which is now my favorite video game of all time. I plan to, at some point, maybe do a crossover between UO and FETH.
Thank you to all of you that have already voted on my pairing poll for Lelouch. If you haven't voted yet, you can find it on my FanFiction profile at the top of the page. Please vote for up to 10 choices, minimum of 5. I will emphasize that this won't actually decide who I pair Lelouch with. That will ultimately be up to the flow of the story, BUT it will decide who I give more emphasis to as I start harder shipping his options. Gotta keep y'all invested somehow ;P
But I know most of you didn't come here to hear me prattle on about stuff. You're here for the good stuff. So grab a fork, or a shovel, and let's dig into that good stuff, shall we?)
2nd Day of the Wyvern Moon
When it came to repeating the school year, Monica found that the only comfort to not scream from how repetitive some of the curriculum could be, was tea time with Edelgard. While Monica would spend these tea times often unable to converse out of sheer tongue-tied embarrassment, the proximity to Edelgard and her absolutely fragrant rose perfume was enough to have Monica von Ochs absolutely giddy each and every time it occurred.
Of course, Edelgard was a busy heiress and not all tea times were equal. Case in point, if Hubert was not present at the start, or watching from the shadows, he often was the cause of its interruption. Monica, like Edelgard's stream chat, took Hubert's presence as a sign that the fun times were over. Unlike Edelgard's stream chat, however, Monica was always privy to what came next.
"A thousand apologies for interrupting your down time, Lady Edelgard, but this couldn't wait."
Edelgard took a quick sip of tea and put down the cup and saucer. "Go ahead, Hubert."
"Rather than speak, I would like you to see this," Hubert stated, passing Edelgard a newspaper. It was the most well-respected and well-known global newspaper in the world: The Seirosian Inquirer. Written in modern-day Roman, any child of the goddess could read it with ease. It was the Church of Seiros's primary newspaper that had its production overseen by Seteth and Rhea directly. If it was printed in the paper, it was considered basically the word of the church. And given the popularity of the Church of Seiros across the world, if it was in this paper, it was considered the unvarnished truth.
Edelgard read the headline aloud. "Zero makes peace with Archbishop Rhea. Flame Emperor blamed for extortion of a noble vigilant—What kind of insane drivel-!"
"Lower your voice, Lady Edelgard!" Monica exclaimed. "We'll get caught. I understand your anger quite thoroughly, but still…"
Edelgard massaged the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. She then slouched forward and put her palms against her eyes. Monica awkwardly pat her future Emperor on the back. The awkwardness came from the part that Monica wasn't sure if she was overstepping her station.
"Zero's found himself in quite the cushy position, wouldn't you say? All of his crimes being pushed onto the Flame Emperor as a scapegoat. No doubt the church will now be coming for the Emperor's very heads," Hubert pondered aloud in a hushed tone.
Edelgard sat up. "We need to do something and fast. I was already prepared to suffer under the church's ire, but having Zero essentially cozying up to them brings my blood to a boil."
"I don't actually think Zero plans to keep this peace eternally. Read the article," Hubert requested calmly.
Edelgard did so quickly and quietly, Monica looking over her shoulder so the two of them could catch up to speed simultaneously. The paper depicted an interview Rhea had willingly conducted the night before. In it, she detailed out that as long as Zero didn't remain a threat to the church, she would have no recourse to see him punished.
Edelgard stuck the side of her left hand under her chin. "So even Rhea isn't fully convinced Zero won't turn treacherous," she realized, putting the paper down.
"Precisely," Huber replied with a devious smile and a nod. "Perhaps we are still being seen as vile and against the church, but at present, Zero is seen as playing nice with the church. Lord Arundel hasn't asked us to do anything about him, and Kronya still supports him, so it's unlikely he will coddle her forever. Playing on the inside, however, may work to our advantage…don't you think?"
Edelgard contemplated this. She was quiet for a long time. "As I am to understand it, based on what I have heard, the Ashen Wolf house resides in Abyss and Zero takes residence there, not that the latter has been made public."
"As far as statements of facts go, those are true, yes."
"In that case, let us act in a way befitting our situation and forget my uncle," Edelgard said with a smirk. "While it's unsportsmanlike, sometimes when you are losing at chess, the best move to make…is to flip the board."
Later that same day, Marrybell and Oldrin approached Cornelia's office on the second floor of the monastery. Marrybell knocked on the open door whilst her older half-sister was drowning in paperwork. It was hard to say which station said paperwork belonged to. Even as a teacher at Garreg Mach, Cornelia still had some responsibilities to the Britannian military.
Cornelia looked up from her desk. She smiled. "Ah, Marrybell, and Lady Zevon too. Is this a casual visit, or something far more serious?"
"Official Glinda Knights business, as it were," Marrybell stated, her expression vacant, but stern.
"Ah, I see. Close the door then," Cornelia replied, smiling fading.
Marrybell stepped in, Oldrin behind her as the latter shut the door. "I believe it's safe to assume that you don't take well to Rhea's harboring of Zero here at Garreg Mach."
Cornelia scowled. "Not in the slightest, why?"
"As if you even have to ask," Marrybell said plainly. "I'm of the same mindset." She took a seat in front of Cornelia's desk. "I understand that Lady Rhea has to take a delicate approach to everything. If she allows Zero the opportunity to change his ways, he may come around and become the church's most steadfast protector, trading his crimes for exoneration and knighthood. Since Zero's crimes are currently small, outweighed by the virtues he's exhibited as of late, she's more than within her right to look the other way and try and bury the hatchet." Marrybell scowled. "I don't buy it. That masked terrorist is up to something. The Chalice of Beginnings was at the heart of the incident yesterday early morning. The very same chalice that Zero fought us to get away with. A scheme, perhaps, that blew up in his face, yet is being treated as a heroic ordeal that he's the victim of."
"I couldn't agree with you more. Did you just come here to complain, or are you planning on acting?" Cornelia asked.
Marrybell nodded. "I've done a little bit of research. While Abyss is under the church's protection, its denizens live off the grid, not counted on the church's official census in order to better protect some of the people down there. That means the church can't officially prosecute us if we were to conduct an official military operation down there. It's like attacking an embassy, the nation on which it sits upon is not the nation you have to answer to, but the nation under which the embassy belongs to. However, in the case of Abyss, it has no national protections."
"So, whatever it is you're planning, even if it goes wrong, we aren't criminally liable," Cornelia stated.
Marrybell nodded. "Precisely."
"And what about you, Lady Zevon. How do you feel about all of this?" Cornelia asked, trying to keep Oldrin from feeling like part of the furniture.
"Mary has made her decision. I will follow her orders unquestionably," Oldrin replied.
"And as someone outranking her in the military, I'm asking you to speak your mind," Cornelia requested more sternly.
Oldrin swallowed. She martialed her thoughts and then answered, "Zero is a terrorist, there can be no doubt about that. However, I do not know if attacking this soon is sound."
"Oldrin! What are you saying? Are we supposed to wait until he acts next?! Or did you forget that I nearly died back in Duscur?!"
Oldrin winced. No. No, she definitely hadn't forgotten that.
"I…I am only saying that…Zero is our target. I would hate to see the Abyssians caught in all of this. It feels wrong," Oldrin told her.
"If things go according to plan, not a single innocent Abyssian will get hurt, only those that act to protect their hero Zero," Marrybell responded, whipping her head back around towards Cornelia, nose in the air, eyes closed.
"And if they don't go according to plan, Mary?" Oldrin inquired.
Marrybell shook her head. "I'm not planning to turn Abyss into a bloodbath. I only want Zero's head. That's all."
"I concur," Cornelia agreed with a nod and a stern tone. "We need to only ensure Zero's demise. We can worry about the fallout after."
Oldrin nodded. "Very well, what's the plan, Mary?"
Marrybell then flashed a smile that her half-brother Lelouch would have been proud of to see.
Nightfall
2nd Day of the Wyvern Moon
As always, Lelouch, as Zero, was giving one of his famous lectures to any and all that would listen. He was surprised, that evening, to see Edelgard in his class. While yesterday's lecture had drawn a crowd from other houses, Edelgard was the first of the five house leaders to actually sit in on a lecture, and on the second day no less. He didn't know whether or not to list it as odd, or feel reassured that someone he respected found what he stood for and what he had to say to their liking.
He was about half an hour into his lecture, however, when the clomping of footsteps alerted him and many other students. Shortly after this, Kronya drew Athame from her hip side and members of the Glaston Knights, the Glinda Knights and a small, tiny band of no more than ten strong of the Church's Holy Knights—that included Catherine and Suzaku—entered the lecture hall armed with rifles and other weapons, most of them being aimed at Zero himself.
"What is the meaning of this?" Zero demanded. "I was under the impression that I had peace with the Archbishop."
"With the archbishop, sure," Marrybell stated. "Not with Britannia. You have a lot to answer for!"
"You say that, yet Thunder Catherine is at your side," Zero rebuked. Recognizing Suzaku by name out of the other knights with Catherine would have revealed too much, so Lelouch held back on singling out Suzaku's presence.
"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to protect Lady Rhea, even if it goes against her orders. Cornelia and Marrybell told me the threat you posed, and I happened to agree with their assessment," Catherine answered, glaring at Zero.
"Is this an execution?" Zero inquired.
"Consider it more of an ultimatum," Cornelia told him. "Turn yourself in, and you can keep your life. Of course, we will be exposing your identity once you're processed."
"Resistance is futile," Guilford urged. "Unless you're the type that wants to endanger your students."
"There's no escape, either," Oldrin reminded him. "This is the only door into this room."
"Which is why you waited until the classroom was full before charging in. I must commend, it's a tactic I'd consider part of my own playbook. I respect that," Zero responded, his masked visage not showing a hint of fear or worry.
"So then you understand that you should surrender," Marrybell told him.
"What I understand is that Britannia is shaken by my actions so much that they feel the need to wipe me out where I stand. Britannia, the highest offender on the powers of the strong eating the weak. If not for the church, Japan would be a colony living under your rule, just like what you caused to the tropics you now call Southern Britannia!" Zero shouted.
"Enough games!" Cornelia shouted. "Hands where I can see them and turn around. I'm not shooting one bullet into this room if I don't have to."
"As much as I would love to aid Britannia in its totalitarian regime," Zero quipped with the most deadpan sarcasm possible, "I have other plans in mind. If you want to arrest me, you'll have to find me first." Then, with the aid of the teleportation crystal he kept on his person at all times, Zero warped out of the room.
"Wha—where'd he go?" Guilford shouted, eyes darting around the room.
In the next instant, several bursting sounds were heard and a bunch of smoke filled the room. The dusty gas caused a lot of people to start coughing, followed by a shout of "HOLD YOUR FIRE!" from Cornelia, which she declared while fanning her arm out. Her, Catherine and Marrybell's barricade of the front door was then smashed aside by magic and shoulder checks as all of the core members of the Ashen Wolves, which also comprised the Black Knights, burst out of the classroom and into the underground city on the other side, varying degrees of dastardly playful smiles on all of them.
"The Ashen Wolves are making an escape!" Suzaku shouted. "Follow me!" Activating the Lancelot Shogun, many of his allies began following his pursuit of the Ashen Wolves. The entire force followed suit.
With the enemy forces hot on their trail, the Ashen Wolves made for deeper underground and out the northern tunnel to exit Abyss. "They went down this tunnel!" Suzaku exclaimed, pointing.
"They're going to try using the ravine under the bridge then," Catherine deduced. "This way! Follow me!"
With their pursuers temporarily shaken, the Ashen Wolves were continuing to their point of escape. "Well so much for keeping the peace!" Hapi shouted.
"It's all right," Yuri reassured her. "I suspected something like this might happen and Zero's going to meet us where this tunnel will take us. From there, we'll have to fight our way out for our own safety."
"Oh yeah, sure, us against some of the most powerful military squadrons in the church and Britannia. We're totally going to make it out of this," Ryo responded, rolling his eyes.
"Well we can't go back the way we came, Cornelia's bound to have left a token force to trap us," Yuri pointed out. "We'll just have to do what we do best and trust in Zero."
The group exited out into the valley below the bridge to the Garreg Mach cathedral. As Yuri expected, Zero was already standing at the exit, waiting for them.
"Good, you made it," he told them. "I expect our enemy will catch up to us soon enough."
"Zero…we're not gonna like…leave Rome, are we?" Hapi asked, worried.
"No, not in the slightest," Zero told her in the tone of a parent soothing their child. "Cornelia and Marrybell believe that they can shove us out of our home, but they are bypassing Rhea's authority to do it. All we have to do is hold out until word inevitably gets back to Rhea or Seteth. Unfortunately, we aren't able to rely on C.C. or Shamir. But…I know that all of us together can pull through, as we have done before."
Ryo smirked. "Well then, what's our first order of business?"
"Let's get closer to the bridge itself. Also, suit up. If we can push the enemy back to under the bridge, the Magnificent Peacock can detonate and use it as an impromptu avalanche."
"We're gonna push them back with our numbers?" Yukiya questioned.
"Yeah, no offense Zero, but we're up against Oldrin Zevon and Cornelia li Britannia with no cover," Hapi pointed out, frowning. "I don't see how we win here."
"That's the neat part, you don't."
The declaration came from above. The Ashen Wolves gazed up to see the Scarecrow King, the Tin Giant, The Venerable Lion, and the Vampire Valkyrie all hovering around them in a circular formation along with several members of the Glaston Knights.
"They have us surrounded," Hapi pointed out, almost whimpering.
"So, is this where we hold hands and seize the day through the power of friendship?" Yuri asked as he went back to back with Zero and the other wolves. No one responded. "Yeah, okay, guess now's not really the time for jokes."
Hey, Goddess, I never really pray to you, but…if this is how I meet my end…make sure Holst and Hilda live out their best lives, yeah? Balthus thought.
The possibilities were shrinking by the moment. Waiting too long would allow Cornelia and Marrybell's forces to swarm. Striking too carelessly would only get the others hurt and Lelouch's forces wouldn't have the fighting power to deal with the second wave. There was the option of turning himself in, but Lelouch was too selfish to even consider it.
He had anticipated there might be pushback. He knew Marrybell just a bit too well. Unfortunately, while he'd set up the dragon variation, she'd countered with the Yugoslav attack and he lacked the defenses for a pawn storm. Therefore, his best tactic was so simple it could be boiled down to one word: survive.
"All units, release your hard light knightmares! Take no prisoners! Fight back with all of your might!"
The Absolute Zero, the Magnificent Peacock, the Gleaming Blade, the Savage Mockingbird, the Howling Timberwolf, the Wyvern Revenant, the Heavy Thunder King, the Demonic Hellcat, the Shadow of Hope, and the Cosmic Gyro all formed up, ready for action.
"B1! To the skies! P4! B2! Ground our targets! K2, prepare to intercept!"
"YES, SIR!"
Kronya's right hand shook as she gazed up at the Venerable Lion under the glow of the moonlight, watching it weave from Hapi's turret fire, waiting for the right moment to strike. What the heck am I doing? I shouldn't be here. I should be…cutting and running back to Thales. It doesn't matter…they don't matter…it doesn't matter! It doesn't…
Kronya's body acted on autopilot. As soon as the Venerable Lion had inadvertently moved itself into her attack trajectory, she leapt towards it, surprising herself as she carved off its wings with one slash.
…matter?
Airborne, and without a flight system of her own, the Gleaming Blade was now in free fall, bullets flying at it from the airborne Scarecrow King. However, three of the tentacles from Yukiya's Cosmic Gyro blocked the shots, surprising Kronya further. She couldn't rationalize her behavior as she backflipped safely to the ground. She couldn't even comprehend her own emotions as she looked around at the battlefield, heart thumping in her chest. Hapi running around as Constance rained mines from above. The Glaston Knights were now taking the bridge, keeping her at bay, forcing Zero to have Akito scale the nearby rockface to get at them. The Venerable Lion was now taking shots at her, but with her Keen Intuition skill, Kronya was more than safe, backing away towards the tunnel she and the others emerged from.
I'm not one of them! Dammit! I'm not one of them! So why…so why…?
She balled her fists, gripping Athame's handle so hard it could have cracked but didn't. Her sclera strained with bloodshot veins, pupils dilating, teeth grinding.
Thales…I want to go home, she thought.
It would be the only way to escape the pain, the only way to escape these horrible feelings that she didn't understand.
She watched as Catherine took to the field, Suzaku following suit as Cornelia's main force was blitzing out from under the bridge, Zero's units getting pinned down and separated one by one.
"Banshee Theta!" In attempt to slow his opponent's down, Zero unleashed the maelstrom of dark magic designed to immobilize foes. However, the narrow area of effect against such a widespread array of foes made that difficult to fend off.
Constance screamed over comms as one of the wings of the Magnificent Peacock was blasted off, causing her to crash into the ground.
"Constance!" Yuri shouted, out of great concern. It hadn't been ten minutes, let alone ten hours. They needed to survive until morning at most. Yuri knew that that's what Zero's plan was. Get Rhea, Byleth…someone with some authority to help cooler heads prevail.
Kronya watched as a shot from the bridge tunneled through Hapi's gun and blew it clean off, leaving the dark-skinned girl a sitting duck sans the claws on her frame's front legs.
And all the while Kronya stood around in abject shock, afraid to do anything. And the more she waited, the more she could feel that this battle required everyone to work together. If she waited around and did nothing, she'd die too.
All the more reason to run away, she thought. She had a warp crystal. She could leave them all to their fates, tell Thales it wasn't worth it, that Zero had brought it on himself.
Thales…it all came back to Thales, huh?
"K2!"
"Ah, Zero?" Kronya was surprised when he suddenly contacted her.
"I don't know what's going on in your head, but I need every last soldier giving it their all, or none of us will survive!"
"I…"
"I get it. If I was in your position, I'd be considering cutting and running too. But, if you're hesitating, it means you're considering the other option too. And so!"
Zero suddenly somersaulted through the air and landed in front of the Gleaming Blade. He stood up straight and fanned his cape out to his left. "Kronya! Forget your mission!" He threw it out to the right. "Forget what you've been told!" He covered himself with his cape. "In this very moment, what do you want to do? Follow your instincts, and let them lead you to the answer!"
Kronya swallowed, breathing heavily. The words were coming out before she had a chance to even filter them. "I…I want to fight! Is…is that okay?"
"Then, fight, Kronya!" He extended a hand towards her for her to take in the moonlight. "Fight at my side, not as an Agarthan, but as a Black Knight. Cast aside not your pride, but rebirth it anew! Be not who you are, but who you want to be!"
Kronya shut her eyes, clenching them tight. Her hand reached out and grabbed Zero's hand before she'd even realized she was doing it. She then springboarded off his shoulder and into the fray. "GET AWAY FROM MY FRIENDS!"
A flash of eerie purplish black light gave off from the Gleaming Blade, shocking Kronya, filling her with a sensation that caused her to moan. This…she knew this. This was…HLKMF evolution. She'd experienced it before, through the harsh environment of being trained into who she was. But not like this. This felt surging…powerful. An evolution beyond her comprehension.
She smiled. And it's all thanks…to Him.
Kronya let the light surge outward as she floated upward, shrieking with a roar of fury.
I'm no hero, she thought. I kill people. But…even a killer like me has things I care about I guess. And right now…what I care about isn't just to live…I want them to live as well.
The arms of the Gleaming Blade grew shinier and sharper, becoming like a glove of finned spikes from shoulder to wrist on both arms.
So…if I can be selfish…
The tops of her boots spiked as her helmet grew a pair of horns.
…at least for one night…
Clawed nails curled around the fingers of her gauntlets.
…let it be tonight…
The jawline of the Gleaming Blade now bore teeth like a jagged smile of a demonic shark.
…So I won't regret tomorrow!
Kronya dropped to a three-point stance as wings shot out of her back, glowing with eerie purple Blaze Luminous light.
Since acquiring it years ago, the Gleaming Blade had finally evolved. Codename: Eternal Midnight.
Kronya shot off like a rocket. She weaved around and between bullets as though they were standing still. Athame wasn't even drawn. The claws of her new frame provided plenty of power in the palm of her hand as she grabbed an unsuspecting soldier by the throat and tossed him into the air.
Laughing psychotically, Kronya released blades from the slots between her spikes, shredding the soldier like taking a steak knife to a cotton shirt. Well…multiple steak knives.
Kronya never felt more alive.
"Did that HLKMF just evolve?!" Sokkia exclaimed, only to take a missile to the leg from the Howling Timberwolf.
"It sure did and you guys are gonna pay!" Ryo shouted, firing on the Scarecrow King. Give 'em hell, Kronya!
With speed unmatched, Zero watched Kronya rip through Cornelia's rank and file like they were nothing. "K2, pull back," he requested calmly. "We're going to enact phase two."
"Hold on!" Kronya cackled with delight. "I'm not done ripping the wings off these butterflies!" she shouted with glee, as more megalomaniacal laughter ensued.
Lelouch was only now realizing exactly the dam he'd allowed to burst open. Only once the river of blood had flown through it would he be allowed to close it. He grumbled. Plan C then, "P1, what's your status!"
"Almost to the bridge," Akito responded.
"Good, start taking them out."
"Copy," Akito responded as he flopped onto a four pointed stance from the cliffside, his back to the cathedral. The enemy frames on the bridge were surprised to see him as he darted forward, grabbing the face of one of them and slamming them into the stone of the bridge beneath him. Gunfire followed and Akito took the shots, but the Wyvern Revenant could take it. As more gunfire followed from further back down the line, Akito climbed over the side of the bridge, circling around under it in a spiral pattern, emerging behind his enemies and kicking the one in the back of the formation in the back of the head.
"Bridge nearly secured!" Akito radioed.
"Think again!"
Akito had to whip around before nearly taking a sword to the back from the Lancelot Avalon. He was pinned between Oldrin and some Glaston Knight rank and file.
"This is your last night as a free man," Oldrin declared. "Surrender now."
Akito calmed himself and summoned a hard light energy katana to his hands. He bent his knees and held the blade pointed outward, parallel with his cheek. He spoke what had become the creed, to him, within the Black Knights, in Japanese. "Fumeiyo yori shi."
"Death before dishonor," Oldrin said it in Britannian-Roman. "Very well." She reached behind her back and grabbed two longswords, the Zevon family tradition, holding them up and at the ready. "Have it your way."
A wind blew on the bridge. The Glaston Knights backed away, deciding to leave this to Oldrin. Akito uncurled and re-curled his fingers around his blade as he watched the Lancelot Avalon for any sudden openings. When none became immediately present, he decided to make the first move.
Charging forward, his sole katana clashed with Oldrin's left hand sword. She quickly thrust forward with her free blade towards his face. Akito backed away only to crouch low and attempt to go for Oldrin's leg but the Lancelot Avalon took flight and Oldrin unleashed one of her wing blades, nearly slicing Akito in two. However, he backed away and avoided the attack as the blade landed where his head had once stood, the front of his feet on either side of the weapon.
Oldrin darted forward to run Akito through with one sword as he blocked with his katana. Oldrin used the telekinetic link in her frame to try and pierce Akito from behind with the other sword, but he kicked upward and reverse somersaulted, putting distance between him and the head knight of the Glinda Knights. Oldrin then swung forward, two blades in hand, the attacks as brutal as they were fast, Akito doing his best to parry them all. If he missed even one, he'd get sliced. Worse, he was losing ground and eventually, he'd run out of bridge to back up to. Oldrin kept hacking away, her skill with a blade evident with every swing, especially compared to Akito who was entirely self-taught.
Akito wasn't the only one in peril. Despite Kronya's achievements tearing through the rank and file, it was still just the rank and file. Once an opponent with some teeth actually showed up, she wasn't going on a friendly little murder spree anymore. Said opponent was her nemesis at Saitama, Cornelia li Britannia herself. A thrown red, energy spear nailed Kronya in the abdomen and sent her flying. The Eternal Midnight held together, but it was sent flying and tumbled along the ground, Kronya needing time to get up on her hands and feet. The Scathach strolled forward, Cornelia's slow, unflinching walk an indication of her power and prowess in battle. The eerie red glow of her spear's tip in the Roman moonlight, only further accentuated the nightmarish opponent she was about to be.
Yup. This is what Kronya got for sticking her neck out, she felt. Damn Zero and damn friendship. This was a mistake.
Although Hapi could re-summon the turret gun to fight back, it kept getting picked off. It was apparent the Demonic Hellcat had been in enough fights that its primary weapon was now a primary target. Balthus had his hands full with Tink's Tin Giant and Yuri was slowly finding himself surrounded.
As Marrybell's Saintly Witch rolled up onto the scene, Zero could feel check closing in. And, if nothing was done, pretty soon it would be mate. Appealing to Marrybell had no value. If she had any intention to negotiate with him, she wouldn't have done this in the first place. Without Shamir and C.C., Lelouch lacked the power to unleash the full might of his troops. Holding out was becoming harder and harder.
And then, the Saintly Witch met the Absolute Zero directly on the field of battle. Marrybell pointed a lance at Zero, with his team stuck in their own troubles in some form or another. While the Absolute Zero was powerful, Marrybell's Saintly Witch was heavily armored and heavily armed, making it difficult for Lelouch to win out against given his lack of athleticism. And that wasn't even considering that both the White Lightning and the Lancelot Shogun didn't appear to be struggling in any meaningful way.
"It's over Zero. Surrender, and it will be only you who suffers. If you have any dignity, don't let those under your command be dragged down to your level any further."
That wasn't happening. If this was the end, a brutal counterattack so soon after a tenuous peace, so be it. "MARRYBELL I'VE NEVER CONSIDERED SURRENDER! AND I'M NOT STARTING NOW! DEAAAAAATH GAMMA!"
The furious magic attack was pierced straight through by Marrybell's lance as she sped forward, intending to pierce Zero's frame and possibly the man within along with it.
However, in a flash of an instant, Marrybell's lance was parried and then sliced down to the handle, rendered useless. It took Lelouch a moment to realize exactly what had happened and he was befuddled and alarmed to see the Death Knight with his back to him. In the next instant, another familiar presence warped onto the battlefield, none other than the Flame Emperor themselves.
Zero wanted to scream. These were the same people that had wounded Shirley and now, it seemed, he was being rescued by them, possibly Thales too.
"YOU!" Marrybell growled.
"I trust I'm not interrupting anything too important," The Flame Emperor remarked. Despite the voice changing software, Zero could detect a hint of smugness in their voice.
Cornelia immediately radioed Marrybell. "Marrybell, am I seeing things or—"
"No. They're here, sister. I'm staring right at them." She lowered her arm from the push to talk center of her HLKMF. "What do you want?"
"Much as we've had our differences in the past, I have a vested interest in Zero continuing to live. As we speak, my own army is mounting itself from deeper underground. You will recall how you were outnumbered at Saitama. I trust you understand that you can ill afford to carry on a drawn out battle."
Marrybell growled. "I could drop you both where you stand!" She aimed her lance at the Flame Emperor. The Death Knight stood between Marrybell's lance and his master.
"That would be ill advised. The only warriors capable of holding their own against the Death Knight aren't anywhere on this battlefield."
"You really think we'll stop, especially if you plan to ally with Zero?!" Marrybell growled.
"I don't think you really have the luxury of choice."
"What is going on down there?!"
Heh, right on cue, Edelgard thought, smirking behind her mask.
Seteth's visage appeared on all of the church and Britannian troops' HUDs.
"Director Seteth," Cornelia commented, gulping slightly.
"All of you! My office! NOW!" Seteth shouted, sounding absolutely livid.
"But…Director…the Flame Emperor!" Marrybell pleaded.
"I don't want excuses!" Seteth shouted. "Catherine! Suzaku! That includes especially the two of you!"
"Yes, sir. Right away," Catherine remarked, sweating.
All enemy forces began a retreat, with Akito's battered, sliced Wyvern Revenant slumping to the ground as Oldrin walked away. She took one last look at him, and then turned off her Lancelot Shogun and ran for the stairs.
With his enemy in retreat, Zero stared at the Flame Emperor. "I didn't need to be rescued."
"Really? Because from where I was observing, it looked just about as if you were going to be run through by the Saintly Witch," the Flame Emperor responded. "Zero, we've clashed in the past, but I'm willing to rethink your proposal of an alliance." They stuck out their hand. "We can do much for this world side by side."
Zero did not immediately respond.
"This is a matter by which I have not consulted Thales about at all. I believe that, together, we can topple him."
"And Kronya?" Zero asked, recalling how the Flame Emperor wanted Zero to kill her when they met.
"For the time being, you seem to have her on a leash. But regardless of her, I have plans for this world as well, plans you are getting closer and closer to managing in your own right."
"So, unable to fly on your own, you decide instead to be uplifted by my coattails," Zero remarked, covering himself with his cape.
The Flame Emperor lowered their arm. "Do not misunderstand my intentions. I know a good man fighting the good fight when I see one. I would like to think you are smart enough not to turn down an army."
"And what of the innocent people that have been harmed by your actions? Shirley Fennette didn't ask to be stabbed, nor did Flayn need to be kidnapped, and need I say anything about whatever involvement you had in causing Lonato to rebel?"
"Shirley was a regrettable situation I failed to have control over, and Thales is more involved with the actions taken against Flayn and Lonato."
At this, the Death Knight stepped forward. He bowed to Lelouch, arm crossed over his chest. "I apologize for stabbing the one known as Shirley. But…had I not, I feared Kronya might have done it first. Athame inflicts wounds that cannot be healed by healing magic, only medicinal care. If the wounds are fatal, the target is put to eternal slumber. I…wished to spare the girl that fate."
Lelouch had to take a moment to remember that the man behind the mask was Jeritza von Hrymn. It took him a moment to picture and hear that stoic emotionless voice apologizing sincerely, as though he were a nobleman in his teens, apologizing for disrespecting an Emperor.
"Just…think about it, would you?" The Flame Emperor asked, awkwardly. "I hesitate to stay much longer, lest your subordinates see us talking."
"And how will I contact you when I make a decision?"
"Send Kronya," The Flame Emperor answered. "How else?" Then they and the Death Knight vanished from sight.
Zero took a knee, dismissing the Absolute Zero and reverting to the uniform he was wearing underneath.
"Hey, you okay Zero?" Hapi asked, running over to him, helping him up.
"I'm fine," Zero stated, leaning on her a little. "What about all of you?"
"Aki's still on the bridge, making his way down, but I think we're all good, nothing broken," Hapi responded.
"Good, then let's head back to Abyss proper and try to move on like that didn't happen. Given Seteth's ire, I don't think we have to worry about surprise attacks from Cornelia again, at least for a while."
Hidden from sight in an alleyway outside of Garreg Mach, Edelgard was dismissing the Flame Emperor and being approached by Hubert from out of the darkness. He'd seen everything through the onboard cameras on the Flame Emperor's interfaces. As for Jeritza, he'd warped elsewhere, needing to remain in much more inconspicuous locales.
"Was that wise to come to his rescue? Could you not have let him die and risen up with his followers, after he'd become a martyr?" Hubert questioned.
"In order to get rid of my uncle and everything he holds over my empire, Zero is a necessity. I'll do whatever it takes, even if it means swallowing my pride. Should he become an issue, I'll eliminate him after our true enemy has been erased. Use evil to destroy an even greater evil."
Hubert chuckled. "Are we evil now, Lady Edelgard? I've always thought our goal quite virtuous."
"The world has painted me a pariah. There's no changing that, at least for now," Edelgard admitted. "I'm just glad Seteth responded as swiftly as he did."
"Is that why you decided to attend Zero's nightly lecture, so you could tip off the church to Marrybell's attack semi-anonymously?" Hubert meant that Seteth knew Edelgard tipped him off, but no one else would know it was Edelgard.
"Actually," Edelgard said, sticking her chest out with pride, "I plan to attend more of Zero's lectures. After moons of being told the same boring thing over and over, it's nice to learn from a man with some brains to him."
Hubert chuckled. "My lady, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you almost sound smitten with Zero."
Edelgard blushed. "S-so what? My tastes are open!" She walked away from Hubert and out of the alleyway, but only to stare up at the moonlight. "What do you think he's like…behind the mask, I mean?"
"You say that as if you hope he's handsome," Hubert stated, in a tone designed to poke fun at his liege.
"Actually, I was more curious as to Zero's identity, not his visage. What drives him to hide his face? How does he act when he's not putting on a show?" She turned to face Hubert. "Look at me for instance. In my alter ego, I'm straightforward and sullen, but as me, I'm far more personable, at least I'd like to think so."
Hubert pondered this to himself. Edelgard made an excellent point. They'd done a lot to research Zero's identity, but they'd never once considered the content of his character. Zero had eluded Hubert's best spies to try and discover who the man was behind the mask. This was made many times harder by the fact that some of those spies could either be killed or bought out by the Savage Mockingbird. So far, their best lead was still that Zero had a Crest of Macuil.
"I wonder…" Hubert stated, hatching onto an idea. "With how over the top he is, perhaps Zero is someone who prefers to stay quiet and out of the way, almost forgotten."
"That could be any number of people. Ignatz Victor in the Golden Deer house fits that description."
Hubert scoffingly chuckled at the idea of the timid Ignatz running around and spouting Zero's poetic speeches. "Quite the picture you've painted in my mind, Lady Edelgard. Commendable."
Edelgard chuckled, finding the image funny to her mind as well. "Come now, it's late. We should be returning to Garreg Mach from our moonlight tryst."
Hubert nodded. The two then proceeded back to the dorm rooms to get some well-deserved rest. Tomorrow, as always, would be another day.
Despite how late it was, Seteth had some choice words for Cornelia, Marrybell, Suzaku and Cornelia. He'd even roused Rhea, standing before the quartet in her night clothes, to further scold them for their unauthorized attack on Zero.
"Lady Rhea, please, give me a chance to explain," Catherine began, feeling the most guilt and remorse.
"Catherine, if I wanted Zero dead, I would have done it myself yesterday early morning when he was at his most vulnerable," Rhea said bitingly. "I'm ashamed of you taking matters into your own hands without consulting me about it."
"But…" Catherine protested.
Seteth cut her off. "Zero is one thing but the Ashen Wolves as a whole are under the divine protection of Lady Rhea and myself!" He snapped. "I only knew what was going on because one of those students fled the room and reported to me exactly what was going on. You should all be a shamed interrupting a lecture and pointing weapons at innocent civilians!"
"If I may, Director. I take issue with the church's decision to have Zero not turned over for his crimes. I have men dead both today and at Saitama for—"
"If you hadn't been so reckless, those men would still have their lives," Seteth lectured. "Any courtroom worth the foundation it sits upon would see the actions as justified self-defense."
"You're coddling a terrorist!" Marrybell shouted.
"Bite your tongue!" Seteth shouted back.
"Enough!" Rhea shouted over the arguing. She took a deep breath. "I understand that my decision to pardon Zero was never going to be a popular one with some groups of people. I understand, Princess Marrybell, your strong sense of justice against terrorists and those like them. But…Zero has been good to the church as things stand. Unlike the western church which bared its fangs at me and this monastery, Zero has been instructing, in secret, mind, the fallen that I could not help myself. I want that to have meaning. The Goddess does not punish wayward souls that find their way back to salvation. And I believe Zero to presently be in that category"
"Lady Rhea, with all due respect, what if you're wrong?" Marrybell asked her strenuously, throwing her arm across the air and down to her side. "I know Zero's type. He's a conniving schemer. He's using your shield in order to plot something far more sinister and you're basically giving him the excuse to do whatever he wants by harboring him!"
"I must agree with my sister, Archbishop," Cornelia added, shaking her head. "Coddling Zero isn't going to make him stop, it's only going to give him an excuse to conduct further harm and now the church is allowing him to do it out in the open! This man shouldn't be getting accolades, he should be in chains, or executed!"
Before Rhea could answer, Catherine butt in. "Lady Rhea, you know I don't think ill of you and have always believed in and followed your orders unquestionably," she began, holding her head with her hand. "But…I have to agree with the Britannian princesses. Zero is a threat. And if you're going to be blind to it…" she stood at attention, scowling, "…then it's my job as your sword to do what needs to be done. It's my job to keep you safe. I can't do that if I stand by and watch Zero put a knife in your back."
"I agree with Catherine," Suzaku chimed in. "You're giving Zero recourse to act outside the law, simply because no authority on Earth has authority over the church. You're giving him exactly what he wants and it's going to set a bad precedent. People will come to resent the church!"
Rhea remained quiet, now looking ashamed to have four people she respected dogpiling on her.
To give Rhea some peace of mind, Seteth spoke up again, this time far more calmly. "Lady Rhea's decision to harbor Zero was not a decision either of us made rashly. The archbishop asked for my opinion on the matter as well, biased though it may be given Zero was instrumental in having Flayn returned to me unharmed. However, between Zero and the Flame Emperor, I believe that, for the time being, the church can afford to allow Zero peace of mind. Although both vigilantes refuse to show their face and have attacked church officials, staff and students, Zero has also taken efforts to aid the fallen and uplift the helpless. If his words did not have the action to back them up, of course we would be calling for his arrest. But then you have incidents like Duscur. At the end of the day, Viscount Kleiman was still alive and despite whatever illicit methods Zero used to break into his abode, he managed to win back Duscur territory without killing the Viscount. There is meaning in that, in my opinion."
"Zero's ideology is just an excuse to cause more harm than good. It will destroy the peace every nation has worked so hard to achieve. Do you not see the battering ram with the word chaos carved on it that he's going to use to bash in the front door?" Marrybell asked.
"Of course we see it," Rhea answered. "It's why I believed it was best to make peace than war."
"I don't understand that," Marrybell replied, looking and sounding horrified. "I can't understand that!"
Cornelia thought about it silently, chin cupped by her gloved hand. "I…think I'm starting to get it. The Church of Seiros stands at the pinnacle of 'strongest' in the land. You're afraid Zero would have made a move on the church before long. If you can convince him of the church's better qualities, you aim to make him a force for the church of Seiros, rather than a lawless vigilante, a win for the world if it works."
Marrybell caught onto something in that explanation. "Lady Rhea…you're…scared?"
Rhea closed her eyes, showing vulnerability and guilt. "I am."
Catherine sounded both concerned and offended. "Why didn't you tell me? If you had only said the word, I would have eliminated him well before he could gain traction! Why didn't you trust me?!"
"Forgive me, Catherine," Rhea replied in a tired tone. "I…was content to simply observe Zero, to wait with guards ready to face him head on after the incident at the Mausoleum. But…between Flayn and Lake Kawaguchi…I wondered if things truly needed to come to violence between us. Zero is dangerous. Of this I will not deny." She put her hands together in prayer. "But…should we not take every opportunity to turn those who can be our ally into one? When someone is suffering, should we not reach out a hand to help them? Saint Seiros built this church and this faith with the Goddess's blessing so that all who slept in the dust could have warm food and a bed with a roof over it. Bloodshed and violence are never the answer." Rhea took a deep breath. A strong look of conviction replaced her tired outlook. "Zero said it thusly, I will not coddle battle on an even playing field, but neither will I accept a devouring of the weak by the strong. I have a response to that. I will never choose war as my first option, but I am very good at it. I seek what the goddess would have all of her children do: live peacefully. But I will not allow myself to be rolled over by any brigand with a sword aimed for my heart. I will do as any living being would and defend myself thusly.
"When Japan defied Britannia, I only wanted to protect it. They chose to refuse my offer. I couldn't stand by and watch Britannia cruelly crush a nation whose only crime was wanting independence!" Rhea sounded like she might cry. "I didn't want to do what I had to do. But Japan suffers because they refused a diplomatic compromise." She took a deep breath, composing herself. "I would see Zero my ally in the pursuit of justice and the aid of the fallen and helpless before I would consider him my enemy at this time."
"At this time…so it's possible you may decide to sever ties with him in the future," Catherine noted.
Rhea actually smiled. "Zero gives people hope, that one day their troubles could be over." The smile faded. "Those who are afraid of him are those abusing the luxury they now live. I don't condone the violence involved with shedding blood to make a difference, but I can say that I cannot argue with the results it produces, or the faith and hope it provides in those that are suffering, abused, or both."
"In other words, it's to the church's benefit that Zero continues his crusade, no matter what nation's nobility gets caught in the crossfire."
Rhea looked, at minimum, nine shades of guilty. "…It's…as you say."
"Wonderful," Cornelia huffed, putting a hand on her hip.
"If I may, Princess Cornelia," Seteth stated. "Understand our position here. If the Archbishop were to be assassinated through actions Zero aims to be taking, society would fall apart into chaos in the wake of her mourning. Rest assured, we are both following Zero's every move, and now that he feels he can act more openly, without repercussion, gives us a greater insight as to who he is and what he's after. Like this, we may even be able to unmask him without actually taking his mask off."
"Let me see if I'm understanding this, you're…attempting to deceive Zero by using the church's kindness as a weapon?" Suzaku asked.
Rhea nodded. "To oversimplify it, yes? Do you think it callous?"
"It's brilliant is what it is," Suzaku replied. "I was a wayward soul at one point too." Suzaku bowed, holding his hands in prayer. "Your kindness knows no bounds, Lady Rhea. We can all learn from your example."
Marrybell gazed at Suzaku judgmentally, as if she could see a leash around his neck and Rhea was its holder.
"Make no mistake," Seteth told those assembled. "If Zero proves to be an enemy of the church, action will be taken against him, but only then."
"And what if it's too late by then? What if he's already outfoxed us at every turn because you were too lax in keeping an eye on him. He's already sunk his talons into Shamir, Seteth. What if you're next after he so, seemingly sincerely, rescued Flayn."
Seteth seemed to actively contemplate Catherine's words. After a few seconds of silence, he answered thusly, "Rest assured, Catherine, that if Zero did something to earn my truest ire. No number of times rescuing Flayn would keep me from seeing him punished to the full extent of the law."
"I am of the same mindset," Rhea added. "I would prefer if things would end here, that Zero would see that I am not the enemy he seems to think of me as."
"You know it won't end here though," Suzaku stated. "Someone like you can't be that blind, Archbishop."
Rhea sighed. "Sadly, no. You are correct, Suzaku. However, I hope that with enough kindness and love from the Goddess, Zero will change his mind."
"And if in the time you allow him, he gets worse and turns on us, what then?" Catherine asked.
"Then…" Rhea's eyes went from sympathetic to enraged near instantly, "I will show him no mercy. If he will reject salvation, then I shall send him to meet the goddess in shame. On that, you have my very word."
"And what are we supposed to do?" Cornelia asked, referring to herself and Marrybell. "The Flame Emperor came to his rescue tonight, and he pointed a gun at my sister at Lake Kawaguchi. He's got it out for Britannia, Archbishop."
"If the Flame Emperor and Zero are cooperating again, we can only hope this will cease the Flame Emperor's activities and lead us closer towards their benefactor. For if they fell out and are now seeing eye to eye again, it can only mean that the person pulling their strings is someone they wish to see silenced. If they have not asked the church for help, now that the church is offering Zero clemency, we can only presume that he is not prepared for such a confrontation."
"Wait, slow down," Suzaku requested earnestly. "Seteth, you make it sound as if there's another foe we should be concerning ourselves with, one more dangerous than the Flame Emperor and Zero put together."
Seteth took a deep breath. "Investigation is still being conducted into such a matter to confirm my suspicions, but based on what I know, I do believe that an ancient enemy of the church may be rising back to power. If so, we may be able to cease whatever ire both the Flame Emperor and Zero have at the church, unmask, and exonerate them, putting all the blame on this foe that lurks in the shadows."
"And how many Britannian royal corpses are you willing to sacrifice in the time it takes for you to complete your 'investigation'?" Cornelia asked snippily, making the air quotes.
"Rest assured, we will be keeping tabs on Zero's activities. I advise you all to do the same, but keep communication open. Unwarranted attacks after a full, if but temporary, pardon will only serve to reflect poorly on the church. When Zero shows his true colors, we will strike then, not before."
Cornelia wasn't pleased with this, judging from the way she was grumbling, but she exhaled in resignation, accepting the church's stance, now that she understood the whole situation.
Marrybell was even less happy about this. Zero needed to be stopped, long game or no.
Seteth could see this reflected on her face. "Princess Marrybell, if you are unwilling to compromise on the situation, you and your Glinda Knights are free to pack your bags and return to Britannia."
Ouch. Not the response she wanted to hear.
"Princess, if you'll allow me," Suzaku said, appealing to the young lady. "I understand how difficult it is to watch lawlessness go unchecked, but I trust Seteth and Lady Rhea with my life. Please, let us trust their judg—"
As Suzaku reached out a comforting hand to Marrybell's shoulder, she swat it away rather harshly.
"You don't understand! You don't understand at all! You could never understand!" She shrieked at him and then ran out of the room.
"Ah, Marrybell!" Cornelia exclaimed.
"Perhaps we should give the young princess some space to clear her head. It's been a stressful night. I'm sure, given her track record, you will see her in class tomorrow, Princess Cornelia," Rhea extrapolated.
Cornelia exhaled, not happy about the deduction, but agreeing with it. She scratched the back of her head, turning towards the open door and the dark hallway it led into. "Very well. Have a good night, Archbishop." She then walked away.
Seteth then looked to Suzaku and Catherine. "You two are dismissed. And if I find out that you deliberately disobeyed direct orders, there will be consequences."
"A thousand apologies director," Suzaku replied calmly, bowing. "Won't happen again."
"I'll be more careful," Catherine replied, also bowing in atonement.
"Good, let's all get some sleep then. It's late."
"Agreed. Catherine, may you escort me to my quarters?" Rhea asked.
"Of course, Lady Rhea," Catherine said and left with her. Suzaku took one more look at Seteth, the man's serious poker-face of an expression hard to read and then awkwardly walked straight out of the office and to his quarters.
By the time Zero and his team made it back to Abyss, everyone that was in the lecture hall had already left for the night, class clearly having been cancelled due to the smoke blasts. Zero spent some time with his allies de-smoking the classroom, getting some spray from the closet to help with the smell.
Things were silent before Zero heard Hapi trying to stifle a giggle.
"What's got you in a good mood?" Balthus asked.
Hapi, unable to contain her giddiness, simply gazed in Kronya's general direction and uttered, "Get away from my friends."
The expected reaction was the resulting reaction, as Kronya hurled the nearest chair at Hapi, which was subsequently caught by Balthus.
Hapi did not let Kronya's attitude keep her from teasing her. "You said it, Kronny. You can't take it back now."
"I didn't mean it!"
"Then why did your Gleaming Blade evolve, huh?" Hapi asked, teasingly, with a smug smile. "Come on, Kronny. We're growing on you. Just admit it already."
"Now, now, let's not go poking a hornet's nest and trade one disaster for another," Yuri stated, trying to keep the peace.
"I concur," Zero agreed. "However…" he turned towards Kronya. "Gratitude is in order where gratitude is due. Kronya, you saved us. You had every opportunity to abandon us to our fates, but you stuck with the Black Knights. Whether or not you choose to accept it is up to you, but your choice tonight meant something, to you, to us, and to the future."
"Yeah…well…don't expect it to happen again!" Kronya snapped.
"Aw, come on, don't be like. Come on, big hug!" Hapi exclaimed.
"Don't you dare!" Kronya shouted, only to find Hapi, Akito, Ayano and Constance all hugging her. "Gyaaaagh! Zero get them off me!"
Zero approached, but not to break up the festivities. Instead, his palm fell atop Kronya's head, index and middle finger moving slightly across it, silently praising her for a job well done. "I'm proud of you, Kronya. You did good."
Whatever animosity Kronya had died in that moment as she cast her head at the ground, blushing ever so slightly. The part of her that now craved Zero's approval was being filled with warm fuzzies, and she couldn't bring herself to fight them. If anything…deep inside, she only wanted more. And how dare her boss exploit that.
As a result, the only thing that came out of her mouth was a barely audible, "…No fair, Zero."
3rd Day of the Wyvern Moon
Marrybell had gone straight to bed after her chat with Seteth, Rhea and the others. This ended up being a bad decision. Without a brief chat with Oldrin to calm her down, Marrybell was plagued in her sleep by the worst predators of her subconscious, waking up screaming and in a cold sweat. Rushing to her bathroom, she puked into the sink and then splashed her face with cold water, letting the sink run to wash away the chunks of bile she just projected out of her mouth, as well as the smell.
She grabbed the hand soap and scrubbed her face, stopping to cry as the suds tickled against her cheeks and forehead. Eventually, she finished cleaning her face, shut the water off, and dried her face off with a towel. Her bedside clock read 1:07am. Her gaze slowly dropped towards the floor as she put on a pair of slippers and strolled out into the hallway, the glow of the moon peering in through the open window down the hall.
Marrybell made for the second floor public balcony, half staring at the floor, half gazing a head, in her own misery. She hoped the walk would make he feel drowsy and she could collapse into bed until past sunrise. However, when she saw another pair of women's slippers in the hallway, her gaze trailed upward, coming eye to eye with Edelgard von Hresvelg.
"I see I'm not the only one woken by nightmares," Edelgard commented, showing sympathy.
Marrybell's face flushed. She was mortified someone had heard her. Granted, she'd screamed pretty loud and, unlike her private suite on the Granberry, the dorm rooms weren't exactly soundproof. Part of her felt simply grateful that only Edelgard had heard her.
Seeing Marrybell's bright red embarrassment, Edelgard thought to reassure her. "You needn't worry about waking me, I was already awoken."
"…By your own nightmares?" Marrybell asked.
Edelgard nodded. "I've never screamed quite that loudly though. It must have been one hell of a nightmare."
Marrybell fiddled with her fingers, looking dejected. "I dreamed my house was on fire, Pisces Villa, when it was still standing. It's…more like a memory. That was how I came to lose my mother and sister." She stared at Edelgard. "And it's why I despise terrorism."
"So, the attack came from outside," Edelgard deduced.
Marrybell nodded. She did not follow up with further elaboration.
"In my experience, terrorism comes about when an extremist sees change that needs to be made. It wouldn't be outlandish to state that terrorism and tyranny are often two sides of the same coin. One would not exist without the other."
Marrybell gripped her night dress. Edelgard could see the hate-filled glare in her eyes.
Sweating slightly, eyes reflecting shock, Edelgard asked, "Have I offended?"
"Why…why is everyone today trying to justify terrorism? All they do is hurt people, people that are just trying to live their lives in peace!"
"You must have received quite the scolding from Seteth," Edelgard stated, trying to look sympathetic, even though she herself was basically the reason Marrybell got in trouble.
"Lady Rhea and Director Seteth are harboring Zero…willingly. They can try to justify it all they want, but the highest authority in the world is knowingly harboring terrorists!" Marrybell sounded choked up, like she might cry. Her world view was being thrown into chaos and she didn't know how to handle it.
Edelgard took a step towards Marrybell. "Earlier you said that terrorists only hurt people that are trying to live their lives in peace. But…based on your nightmares, is that not simply your own world view based on your own privileged lifestyle?"
"Wha-what?!" Marrybell hissed, unable to comprehend what Edelgard was saying.
"If a king abuses his authority and mistreats his people, should the ruling class simply roll over and allow it to happen? Should peasantry be condemned simply because they were born poor?" Edelgard lectured. "If you denounce terrorism as simply mere violence, you turn a blind eye to its route cause: the tyranny that spurred it. Now, I'm not trying to say that every terrorist is justified. Many are lunatics and extremists that do just want to hurt others. But like with everything in politics, there is nuance. You can't wipe out terrorism any more than you can wipe out tyranny. You can wipe out terrorists. You can wipe out tyrants, but you cannot eliminate a concept with weapons. The idea of rebellion will always exist within the human spirit. When something is wrong, people rise to challenge it, and some will resort to unsavory means to do so."
"Shut up!" Marrybell hissed in the loudest whisper possible. "How can you say something so disgusting without an ounce of remorse?"
"I say it because it's true. You're the only shutting your eyes away from reality. Counterterrorism is important. That goes without saying, but your approach is incomplete."
"All right Miss 'I have all the answers'. What would you do then? You were attending Zero's lecture earlier this evening. Explain yourself!" Marrybell challenged.
"If I was faced with terrorism while I was Emperor, I would start by not giving into their demands. The minute you give a hand, they take the whole arm. No, what I would do is fix the very problem they're fighting for myself. Say my enemies are a bunch of farmers believing I am not doing enough to protect crops, or that taxes are too heavy. Action can be taken to eliminate the problem, thereby making the opposition look like fools."
"And what if the problem is you? What if the terrorists object to your very existence, and steal away things you care about?"
Edelgard approached Marrybell and put a hand on her shoulder. "Then you don't compromise. You fight for what you believe in. Like I said, not every terrorist is equal. I believe Zero has the best of intentions for the world."
"He threatened my sister with a gun and shot my older brother, Edelgard," Marrybell said, staring at the floor, "how can you say he has good intentions?"
Edelgard took her hand off Marrybell's shoulder. "You want me to be blunt? Britannia is a cesspool of tyranny and foul nobility. Charles zi Britannia is a madman and, if I may be so bold, an awful father."
In a fit of rage, Marrybell slapped Edelgard across the face. Aside from her head jolting to the side from the impact, Edelgard didn't even flinch as she turned her head to stare back at Marrybell, standing firmly behind her statement, and her conviction.
Marrybell panted, arm still crossed over her body, glaring at Edelgard.
Edelgard tilted her head back, the red mark from Marrybell's slap still prominently on her face. "Perhaps I was wrong about you and Euphemia. Euphemia may be sheltered, but she's trying to learn more about the world around her, in spite of her handicap. You think you know everything, so you refuse to grow, to see the world how it needs to be seen. And if you keep up that kind of stagnated thinking, even Oldrin will leave your side."
Marrybell wanted to attempt to choke Edelgard, but she knew that such acts were unbecoming of any station she held…not to mention that Edelgard was undisputedly stronger than her…not to mention she didn't need to get in trouble again.
"I understand my words are harsh and unapologetic, but that's simply how I choose to live. You can choose to believe me, or you can choose to follow your own path. No matter which path you do take, it won't affect me. No matter what's in my way, or what's in my path, I see the future that I have laid claim to and nothing is going to stop me."
Edelgard spun on her heel to return to her bedroom. Marrybell, angrier than ever, turned around, gripping her dress.
"Have a pleasant night, Princess Marrybell. I hope your next venture into slumber is more pleasant than the last one." Edelgard then walked away, leaving Marrybell alone. When she heard the door to Edelgard's room close, she collapsed to her knees and wept, the moonlight through the window, her only companion in the darkness.
She sat there angry, scared, crying and alone for a good two minutes before she was able to pick herself up off the ground. She then made for her room and opened the door, gazing at the unkempt bed she'd thrown the covers off of. Taking the extra effort to remake it, she then stepped out of her slippers, lay down, gazing at a picture on her nightstand of her and Oldrin, before her vision waned, sleep took her, and she did not awake until morning.
(A/N: Kind of a heavy chapter to come back on, but hey, it was necessary. Next chapter should be a little lighter and fluffier…I hope.
I am hoping to have chapters coming out regularly again. I was struggling with the logistics for the showdown against Cornelia so I took a break to get my mind off the script. From here until the 19th of the Wyvern Moon, I have a general idea of what I'm doing, be it support conversations, or scenes based on canon events. No, that's not the Battle of the Eagle and Lion, that's on the 29th. And that too is going to take me some time and it alone may need to get broken up into multiple chapters since it's what all the ensemble cast shit has been leading to.
Whatever comes your way as I think of it, until then, as always, from all of me, to all of you, let your hearts stay human and your wrath draconic. Ja ne!)