Chapter 106: Psychotic Twins

Unknown time. Ikaruga. Chinese Federation.

"Are we really going to use this psycho?" Naoto questioned as he and Zero stood outside of one of their prisoner holds, "You know he's unstable, right?"

"Obviously. But I'm sure my Geass will make him a bit more complacent." the Prince responded while opening the door, "Don't worry, it won't be anything like Rolo's command. This will really… speak with his deepest desires, I suppose."

Once inside, they gazed upon the figure of Luciano Bradley, strapped firmly to a chair as he struggled against his binds, "Hoh!? And what honor do I have for the big man paying me a visit?" their prisoner taunted, "Or perhaps you're here to put me down for good!?"

"Not at all. I'm just here to tell you, that I want you to fight for me in the upcoming battle." Lelouch said as Naoto positioned himself against the vampire.

"Pft. I didn't know you had jokes like that. Unless you're serious, in which case; you're an even bigger idiot than I thought."

"Don't you want your position as Knight of Ten back?"

Luciano scowled at the title, remembering the boy who stole it from me, "Don't worry your pretty little head about it. Once I hand you over to the Emperor, I'll get that title back licitly split. And hopefully, they'll allow me to torture you first~"

"Very funny." the Prince took off his mask, revealing his face to the deranged man, shocking him, "But I know you're lying. If I gave you the chance to fight on the battlefield, you'll take your revenge on Britannia, especially Rai."

"Go fuck yourself. You don't know me!"

"But you do."

The line confused Luciano, as it took him a second to figure out what it meant, "Yeah… I do know myself… was that supposed to be smart or something?"

Lelouch's Geass flared with a smirk, "Not at all."

September 29th. 2:38AM. Vermilion Forbidden City. Chinese Federation.

Euphemia looked over the plan for tomorrow party, taking note of how strict her route was, especially once she would meet with Empress Tianzi, "Um… is this how things always are?" she asked Li Xingke as he kept a poker face, "Because… this doesn't really seem like a party…"

"And the safe room… it's kind of… open. Don't you think?" Nonette asked while looking over the documents, "I mean, sure it looks over the city, but safe rooms are supposed to keep them… well… safe."

"I understand your concerns. However, this comes directly from the High Eunuch. Nobody can overturn it, I'm afraid." Xingke looked down humbly, "My apologies."

"It's not your fault." Lila mumbled as she felt her eyes spinning in confusion, "There are so many words… I just wanna meet the Empress."

Suzaku's eyes narrowed as he came across one part of that felt extremely odd, "And what about this? It says, that normal civilians will be allowed around the Palace grounds. Not just invited guests. Isn't that a security hazard?"

"Ah… that's…" the Chinese man looked away, "It's a new one. They said it's so the people can feel more in-touch with the Empress, but I agree with the sentiment that it shouldn't be a thing."

"All these conditions… they're perfect for someone like Lelouch to slip away in." Suzaku thought while finally coming across a layout of the courtyard, "At least our frames will be close by." he flipped the page, and sighed, "Ugh. No weapons? Seriously?"

"First of all, it's no guns." Xingke corrected, "And swords or spears are allowed, as per custom for these kinds of things."

"The protection of our Princesses come first. I demand our guards be armed with-"

Just before the Japanese Knight could finish his sentence, Euphemia came in with a gentle tone, "Don't worry about it, Suzaku. We are guests here, after all."

"Yeah!" Lila agreed with a cute smile, "Besides, all these measures are to ensure our safety, right? So I'm sure it'll be fine."

September 30th. 8:58PM. Ikaruga. Chinese Federation.

"Stay still." Lelouch told his girlfriend as he tied her hair into two buns, "I can't concentrate like this."

"I really don't see the point in this." she mumbled while C.C watched with an amused smile, her hair already tied in buns, "I'm not even going to the party."

"Even so, if you're going to escort me there, you have to fit in. So you can't be wearing normal clothes." the Prince responded as he picked up a mirror, "Or worse, wearing Black Knight attire."

"What about you?" the red head glanced at his Zero outfit, "It looks like you're just dressing as Zero for this event."

"That's just for now. I'll change once we're on the field, and cover my face with this." he handed her the mirror – which she used to check on her hairstyle – and picked up a black Chinese umbrella, "Everyone's going to have one, so it shouldn't be too suspicious."

Kallen touched her hair a few times, before tossing the mirror onto Zero's bed, "Meh. It's not that bad." she commented on the style.

"I think it's cute." C.C added with a smile, "Clearly Lelouch does too, since he saw how good I looked in mine."

The Prince rolled his eyes and responded, "I only did your hair for this mission, C.C. Same for Kallen."

"So… you don't think it looks good?" his girlfriend asked while cutely putting her hands behind her back, and leaning slightly.

"If you like it, I'll happily tie it for you again."

"That's not what I asked." the red head stepped forward, "Do you think it looks good?"

"Of course. Everything looks good on you." Lelouch said with a confident smile, making Kallen blush.

"Oh? That wasn't bad." she responded while holding a smug smirk, "But you'll have to do better than that to get the reaction you're looking for."

The Prince gently grabbed her hand and pulled her close, "You're just luck we have things to do. Otherwise, I'd make you flustered right now."

"Since when did you two get so handsy?" C.C teased casually, "I wonder how long it's going to take for me to see a Lelouch Jr. running around."

The couple suddenly pulled away from each other with deep red faces, "Th-that's not…we aren't…" Kallen mumbled while holding her face, "Damn it. Why'd you have to say that, C.C?"

Meanwhile, the Prince put on his mask, and cleared his throat, "Anyway. Let's get a move on. I'm sure the others are losing their patience."

"R-right." the red head slapped her face a few times, calming herself before walking out her boyfriends room, covering her Chinese dress with a trench coat.

Awkward silence filled the truck as Rolo and Oz gave each other a blank stare with the low hum of its engine went on in the background. Zero sensed the tension from his seat, but made no move to alleviate it, since they were now within the city limits, as indicated by the bumpiness of the road. This was the riskiest part of the mission, and he was feeling quite nervous. "Shall we go over the plan once more?" C.C asked, cutting through the silence expertly.

"O-oh. Right." the Prince cleared his throat and began, "As you all know, our target is Empress Tianzi. Currently, she's partaking in the main party, held at the palace. Needless to say, we need to infiltrate it to get close, and accomplish our task."

"And these outfits are for their strict dress code, right?" Clara added as she wore her own Chinese dress, "Honestly, I wish I could wear these more often."

"You really haven't changed." Orpheus commented while closing his eyes, "I'll meet you at the palace."

Once the truck came to a stop, the boy hopped out and disappeared into a passing crowd effortlessly, "We'll go too." Rolo added while getting out, accompanied by Clara, "Don't take too long, Lelouch."

Soon after, the Prince took off his Zero outfit, and – from his briefcase – put on a hanfu, trying his best to fit in with the crowd.

Kallen took one last look at her Guren, before stepping out of the truck, onto the busy street which was at the foot of the palace's massive staircase. Overhead, dim Chinese lanterns floated through the air majestically, providing a soothing atmosphere as the couple ascended the rather daunting path to their destination. The Prince opened his umbrella, covering their faces on the walk, alongside a couple other couples who seemed to be enjoying the light show.

"Isn't that cute?" C.C commented alongside Kaguya from the back of the truck, "They look so proper."

"I still think it would've been better for me to accompany Lelouch." the Sumeragi commented, "After all, I doubt Kallen knows much about these sorts of events."
"She's not going into the party. It kind of makes me jealous how she's able to get what she wants from Lelouch just by complaining enough." the Immortal explained, before giving a sigh, "Ah. Who am I kidding? I'm glad he allowed her to accompany him to the gate. At least we know nothing bad will happen to him."

Back at the top of the staircase, Lelouch and Kallen stared into each other's eyes, as the latter whispered, "Don't do anything reckless, okay?"

"I won't. And if something bad does happen, I won't hesitate to let you know." the Prince responded with a gentle smile. Then, they shared a parting kiss beneath the umbrella, "I'll be back before you know it."

The red head nodded and began heading back down the stairs, as Lelouch approached the large palace doors – using his Geass to slip past the guards and into the party. Once inside, he instantly noticed something wrong, considering the amount of Britannian soldiers patrolling the catwalks, "Crap. What's going on? Did I really fall for some kind of trap?"

That's when his eyes wandered to the massive table, where he spotted the demure Empress seated at the center, wearing an oversized outfit with sleeves that completely covered her hands. Though, what surprised him the most, was who she was surrounded by, "Euphie, and… Lila?"

"Wow! You look so cute, Empress Tianzi!" the pink-haired Princess began fawning over the little girl, much to her discomfort.

"Uh… um… th-thank you." she responded, not knowing how to react.

"Tell me, is it true that you're not allowed to go out?" Lila asked, coming on a little too strong.

"W-well… I guess…"

That's when Cornelia – the sense of reason – stepped in and said, "Lila, Euphie. Please be reasonable. Can't you see Empress Tianzi is uncomfortable?"

"Oh… I'm sorry." Euphemia returned to her chair, "Why don't we change the subject? Like… what are your hobbies?"

"Um… I like reading books." Tianzi responded.

"I like reading books too!" Lila eagerly shouted, "What kind of books do you like?"

The Empress looked down and fiddled her fingers, "Well… books about the world… I guess? It's hard to describe, really, but I want to find out what it's like out there."

"In that case… we could totally take you!" Euphemia suggested while grabbing her hand, "What do you say to that?"

"I don't know…" she glanced over at Li Xingke, who stood solemnly, keeping an eye on her, "I've already made a promise with someone to see the world with."

"Hm? Who is that?"

Suzaku watched as Rai approached Xingke, and began conversing with him casually. His eyes returned to the party floor, scanning for anyone suspicious, "See anything?" Nonette asked while approaching him with a drink.

"Not yet." he mumbled while scanning everyone's face, "You're supposed to be on duty."

"What? One drink won't hurt." she downed it in one gulp and smirked, "Why are you so on-edge anyway?"

"There's a possible threat on Euphemia and Lila's life. How can I not be on-edge?"

The elegant woman shrugged and suggested, "Maybe you should take a break? Enjoy the party?"

"You know I can't do such a thing."

"Then…" Nonette began pushing him toward the stairs, faint red rings around her eyes, "Pretend that you're scouting out the scene down there. This is an order from your senior, got it?"

The Japanese man shook her off and headed onto the party floor, "Ugh. I suppose just looking from above won't get me anywhere. Especially if they're hiding beneath the overhangs."

In the background, Cornelia slipped away, heading outside to meet with someone. Guilford watched this, and carefully followed her, where he would spot her speaking with a cyan-haired boy – who handed her a suspicious object.

But, just as he was about to speak up, Cornelia stuffed it into her jacket and turned around, asking, "Guilford. Is there something wrong?"

Her Knight watched as the boy slipped away, leaving the two of them alone, "I'm not trying to pry, but if I may ask; who was that?"

"Who?" Cornelia asked with a genuinely confused expression.

"That boy just now."

"What boy?"

The two stared at each other for a solid second, not knowing how to push forward with the conversation. At least until they heard a loud crash from inside.

"Bastard!" Suzaku shouted while throwing his hand forward, narrowly missing Lelouch as he ducked beneath the table. After reaching into his hanfu, the Prince pulled out his Zero mask, and ran into the open, where multiple guards jumped down, surrounding him with their spears.

"Z-Zero!" Lila shouted as their guards ushered them toward their safe area.

"Great. Suzaku just had to be here." the Prince thought while checking the top floor, where Orpheus slipped out of the building, presumably after the Empress, "I suppose we're going with plan B now."

"Zero! You've got a lot of nerve, showing up here!" Suzaku proclaimed as Rai held him back, while the Empress, and Princesses were escorted out.

"An imposter?" Xingke suggested, "No… how did Suzaku know it was Zero down there? If only I got a look at his face…"

Rolo and Clara hid amongst the crowd, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice, especially the former, whom Lelouch finally allowed the usage of his Geass.

"Zero. What the hell are you doing here?" Guilford questioned as Cornelia ran off with her sisters, confusing Nonette.

"Strange. I would've figured she wanted to confront the man himself…"

"Might I ask the same of you?" Lelouch turned the question on them, desperately searching for a way out, "Why would Britannian Princesses be interested in a harvest festival?"

"Clearly, you think of our people as snobs." the Elegant woman stepped forth, "Princess Euphemia and Viceroy Lila wanted to meet with Empress Tianzi, since they'll be in close contact for the following months. Peace is our first priority."

"Is that why you've brought armed guards? And three Knights of the Round?" Lelouch gestured around the room.

"That's for our own safety."

"So you don't trust your own allies? Is that what I'm hearing?"

"That's enough out of you, Zero." Suzaku drew his katana, only to be stopped by Xingke.

"Halt! Sir Kururugi." the Chinese man drew his own sword, and pointed it at the masked man, "Zero. Answer me. Why are you here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to enjoy the festival." the Prince gripped his umbrella tightly, "And… to rescue Empress Tianzi from her captors."

"Rescue?" Xingke questioned.

"Is that what you needy guys call kidnapping these days?" Nonette chimed in with narrow eyes, "Guards, seize him!"

"No! We should-"

Just as Suzaku was about to finish his sentence, Rolo activated his Geass, encompassing the whole room, "Gotta move fast!" he thought while lifting Lelouch's body, and moving it outside, within a moving crowd of people. The whole Process took him six seconds, - thanks to Lelouch being close to the door - but it was worth the heartache. "Keep moving." he struggled to get out as Lelouch's sense of time returned.

Thankfully, nobody in the crowd noticed the mask, due to being so engrossed in one another, "Rolo?" the Prince took it off and helped the limping boy toward their truck, "Thanks for the save back there. Is Clara gonna be all right though?"

"Don't worry, I've…" he coughed, "I've pulled off a disappearing act like that before. Usually, it causes mass panic. That'll allow her to slip out and join us…" he coughed once again.

"You pushed yourself too hard." Lelouch said, as droves of Chinese party goers hobbled out, shouting incoherent statements about Zero, "Though, I can't say I'm not grateful."

The former Geass assassin coughed once more, "Well, we look out for our own, I suppose…"

"Hm… that's right."

"Eh?" Clara blinked several times as she scanned the room, "Did they leave me?"

"Wh-where'd Zero go!?" one guest screamed.

"He disappeared!"

"It truly is him, isn't it!?"

"But is he truly here to steal Empress Tianzi from us!?"

Panic took hold of the room as the guests began charging the door, creating a chaos that the Knights of the Round couldn't mediate, "Works for me. But don't think I'm letting this go, Rolo!" Clara slipped out with the crowd, leaving a disgruntled Suzaku as he sheathed his blade.

"Damn it. I should've charged him while I had the chance." he mumbled, "Why'd you hold me back?"

"I…" Rai released his hold on Suzaku's shoulder, "We couldn't just kill him here. Remember, we're here as guests."

"You really think I believe such a pathetic lie?" the Japanese Knight said in a low tone while holding his former pupil by the collar, "If we let him go, he'll hurt Euphie."

"There's no way he'd do that."

"Hey! Enough fighting!" Xingke shouted, "Get in your Knightmares! The city's going on lockdown!"

The Chinese guards nodded and ran out of the building, setting off a blaring alarm, followed by an announcement forcing the citizens to seek shelter indoors.

Undisclosed location within the Vermilion City.

"Gosh. Can you do anything right, fool?" Castor commented as he watched Zero slip away alongside Rolo through his camera feed, "I truly don't understand why Uncle was so scared of you, Suzaku Kururugi. To me, you look like you'll be a good boot-licker once I become Emperor." he said while flipping through recordings, until he saw Orpheus blending into the guards that escorted Empress Tianzi and the Princesses to their safe room, "Looks like it's almost time for the main event."

On his Knightmare's main screen, he contacted his brother, who was wearing an outfit identical to the one Zero was famous for, "Brother, have things gone as planned?"

"Not exactly. It seems Suzaku just… let our prey slip away. But other than that, it's going swimmingly. Big Brother's going to be trapped within the city due to it being on lockdown, so we don't have to worry about him missing our special broadcast."

"Excellent. I've already taken care of the Britannian problem over here." Pollux grinned while grabbing his mask off the table, "Now… it's just time to put on our show!"

Ikaruga.

Naoto watched the events unfold from his chair on the bridge and said, "Crap! We've gotta get everyone out of there!"

"How'd they get caught?" Diethard questioned while watching roads getting blocked off on the monitor, "What are your orders, Naoto?"

"We have to mobilize!"

"Are you crazy!?" Rakshata protested from her couch, "If we charge in now, we'll be utterly destroyed."

"Even so, we have to do something." the Kozuki responded, "Rakshata, you said this thing's undetectable, right?"

"By radar? Yes. But if they see us-"

"Then let's commit to approaching the city. The fighting should keep us covered if we just stay below the mountain range-"

At that moment, one of their staff members shouted, "Wait! I'm receiving a nationwide transmission!"

"Patch it through." Diethard ordered, causing the image of their 'leader' to appear on the monitor, "Zero!?"

Forbidden Vermilion City.

"What the hell!?" Lelouch gazed upon the imposter within their truck, "Who's that!?"

Suddenly, the heard gunfire outside, followed by the screams of innocent civilians, as if an execution was taking place, "We might be in a bit of trouble…" Tamaki mumbled from the driver's seat while a group of Gun-Ru's swarmed the city, "Kallen! Get ready!"

"On it!" the red head shouted while zipping up her pilot suit.

"People of the Chinese Federation!" Zero began, "It is I! Zero! And I am here to inform you, that we – the Black Knights – have returned!"

Oiagros watched the broadcast with stern eyes, "A broadcast? Just how bold can this Lelouch be?"

"Sir!" a Pluton member shouted, "Several of our Safe houses have been destroyed!"

"What!?"

"We've lost contacted with squads C, E, and F!"

"There are only three of us left-" just as the Zevon said this, he heard a loud bang on the main door, and instantly hopped into his Knightmare, just as a Gun Ru broke into their warehouse; its guns trained on the scattered Devicers as they tried to board their frames. Luckily, their leader managed to destroy the Chinese machine before it could fire even one bullet, "This isn't Zero's handiwork. There's no way he could know of our presence." he said while withdrawing his MVS from the body.

Regardless, Zero's broadcast continued with him saying, "And we seek revenge! Revenge on those who have wronged us! Revenge on Britannia!" he finally threw his arms into the air, making a grand gesture, "First, we have made it a mission of ours, to save the Chinese Federation from the evil clutches of Britannia! To do this, we'll kidnap Empress Tianzi! Allowing to freely eliminate our true target!" after a dramatic pause, Pollux finished his sentence by saying, "Euphemia Li Britannia!"

Geass Order.

"Bastards!" V.V shouted while throwing his coffee mug at the monitor, "I saved your pathetic lives, and this is how you repay your uncle!? I swear, if I ever see your face again; Castor, Pollux, I'll wring you out like the dead fishes you are!"

Emergency Safe Room. Upper Palace level Balcony.

The pink-haired Princess felt her heart drop upon the mention of her name, "No. There's no way this is Lelouch. He would never do this!" she told herself, "Besides, he was just in the party room, so there's no way he can be doing this broadcast right now!"

"E-Euphie…" Lila slowly walked up to her, on the verge of tears, "I don't want you to go…"

"Awe. Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere." Euphemia began comforting her sister by caressing her head, "Shh. It'll be okay."

In the distance, a bird-like Knightmare frame hovered in the air, flapping its wings with great power as the pilot aimed its cannons at the building, "What is that thing?" Orpheus thought as he slowly approached the Empress Tianzi, "No. I need to get her out of here. She's my priority."

"Bang!" Zero's voice echoed as the cannons were fired, causing Oz to grab the demure girl from behind, and rush her down the stairs, carrying her to safety.

"No!" Cornelia shouted in pain while clutching her head, "Euphie… I can't… I can't do it…"

As the orbs grew closer, Lila and Euphemia clutched each other tightly, while their guards braced for a brutal death. Luckily, the Lancelot and Lancelot Club appeared at the last second, getting between the building and the blast, using their combined blaze luminous to deflect the shots into the mountain.

"Suzaku!" Lila called cutely.

"Rai!" Euphemia added, "You're here!"

"Don't worry. We're here to help." the Japanese Knight proclaimed while drawing his MVS, just as Nonette entered the top floor, "Nonette, escort them back to the Avalon. We can't trust the High Eunuch."

"Understood." the elegant woman responded as Cornelia suddenly got up, eerily calm.

"K-kill…" the Princess mumbled while slowly approaching her sister from behind, "E-Euphie…" red rings around her eyes shone brightly, overpowering her will.

Sometime during Cornelia's first visit to the Chinese Federation.

"Not enjoying the party?" Odysseus approached her from the right, looking calm with a martini glass.

"I'm alright, brother." she responded calmly, "It's just… drinking on the job isn't a good practice."

"Ah. You're right. Sorry about that." the Prince bowed slightly, "Even so, I feel bad for you."

"Hm? What for?"

The man sighed and stood by her side, "I've seen how hard you work; all those accomplishments. Listen, I know I'm not exactly one of our most productive siblings, so perhaps I have no right in saying this, but please take a break sometimes. And I know that's not how you operate, but I have a feeling someday your work's going to be the death of you." he noticed a few Chinese Official's waving him over, to which he responded with his own, "I don't want you to die, and I know Euphemia doesn't either. So, for her, please take a month off for yourself."

"I'll… think about it." Cornelia said, "Thank you for your concern, brother."

"No problem. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think the officials are getting impatient." he chuckled while walking off.

The Witch of Britannia let out a sigh and gazed upon the crowd, "A break… haven't I had enough of those? Maybe not. Perhaps it would be a good idea…"

"Yes. Everyone needs a break sometimes." an unfamiliar voice chimed in from behind.

Once the Princess turned around, she came face-to-face with a cyan-haired boy, "Do I know you?" she asked with a hint of hostility.

"What? You don't recognize your brother? Pollux Rui Britannia?"

"P-Pollux? But aren't you supposed to be-"

"Dead?" the Prince bowed slightly, "And yet, here I am."

Cornelia backed away, looking for her gun, only to find it not there, "Oh right! Guns aren't allowed at these events!"

"Sorry about being so selfish, but I have a request for my dear Older Sister." his eyes flared with two Geass symbols, "Perhaps you could amuse me? For old times sake."

Present day. Moments Earlier.

Cornelia slipped out of the party, meeting with the cyan-haired boy, who had motioned for her to follow, "You. We've met before, haven't we?" she confronted him with hostility, "What's your name?"

"Hm? You don't know?" he faced her with a smile, "It's me, Castor Rui Britannia."

"Castor?" she raised an eyebrow, "I…" Cornelia suddenly an abnormal pain in her temple, causing her to hiss, "Damn… what is this?" she began remembering her interaction with Pollux months prior, which earned a gasp, "Damn it!? What is this…"

"Big Sister." Castor called gently, "Look at me." Cornelia's eyes slowly met his, which had Geass symbols present, "When Zero says the word 'bang' you will kill Euphemia Li Britannia."

The Princess reeled back, holding her head in pain, "N-no! No! She's my… she's my…" her voice was then silenced, once the cold steel of a gun's handle made contact with her skin, "It shall be done, brother." she said robotically while taking it into her jacket.

"E-Euphie…" the Witch of Britannia struggled to say as she pulled out her pistol, and put it up to her sister's back.

"Nellis? What's wrong?" Euphemia asked, not realizing what was going on.

Slowly, Cornelia pulled the trigger, which Nonette only noticed at the last second, "Don't do it!" she shouted, extending her hand to grab her friend. However, it was too late. A shot rang across the cityscape, as the camera that once focused on 'Zero', now showed Euphemia as she fell forward.

"EUPHIE!" Lelouch shouted in outrage as Kallen tore through the truck's ceiling, destroying two Gun Ru's in the process, "Damn it!"

"Come on! We have to move!" Rolo shouted while pulling the Prince down a side street, "We need to get to our frames!"

"Lelouch, please!" Clara pleaded as their leader struggled to walk, "Don't shut us out!"

Kallen looked up, noticing the bird-like Knightmare was seemingly watching Lelouch as he ran toward another truck, "There's no doubt. We're being targeted." she muttered, "But who are these bastards?"

"We need to get out of here!" Tamaki shouted as he led Kaguya and C.C to their back-up truck, "Looks like the kidnapping is a bust!"

"Not yet." a calm voice cut into their conversation. Then, Orpheus landed before them, carrying Empress Tianzi with a gentle, yet firm grip, "I've got Ms. Rapunzel. We just need to get a move on."

"P-please let me go!" the demure girl pleaded with tears in her eyes, "I don't want any trouble, I swear."

"It's okay!" Kaguya came in, and held her hand, "We're here to help."

As the conversation went on, Kallen took in her surroundings, noticing Britannians shooting at each other, alongside Gun Ru's doing the same, "They've got a Geass." Orpheus proclaimed while leaping onto the Guren's shoulder, leaving Tianzi with Kaguya, "And a powerful one at that."

"It's turned into an utter free-for-all." the red head commented while engaging her air glide unit, "Though, this should help us escape."

"Escape? Is that really wise?" Oz asked, "By the way, take me to my Knightmare, please."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kallen began soaring through the street, narrowly dodging Gun Ru and Sutherland's alike.

"The Black Knights reputation as been ruined, especially with the actions that 'Zero' just took." the Mercenary explained, "Even if we make it out of here, it'll be impossible for your group to find support anywhere."

The red head's eyes widened with a shocking realization, "We've been cornered."

"Exactly." Orpheus hopped off the Knightmare, and onto a truck where his Byakuen had been stored, "I don't know how our Zero plans on getting us out of this, but I hope he's as much of a miracle worker as they say."

Kallen clenched her controls tightly, and flew into the air, intending on taking down anyone threatening them from above.

For Rai, time seemed to slow as he watched his Princess' body begin falling toward his frame, causing his eyes to widen, "EUPHIE!" he shouted in a broken voice, picking her up gently with his Club's hand, "I need to get to the Avalon! We'll treat her there!" he thought while holding her close, and zooming away at full speed.

Meanwhile, Cornelia stumbled back in shock, realizing what she had just done as her Geass command faded, "E-Euphie… Euphie…" her hands shook, dropping the very weapon she used to do the deed, "NOOO!"

Nonette watched in utter disbelief as her friend – one of the strongest women she knew – began crying uncontrollably, "Wh-what's going on?" she mumbled, "What the hell just happened?"

In the background, Lila fainted from such a traumatizing event. It seemed like utter chaos now had a tight grip on Britannia's throat, until the voice of Suzaku Kururugi cut in, "On your feet, Nonette!" he commanded, "If you can't handle something so trivial, then you don't deserve to be a Knight of the Round!"

"H-how can you say that-"

"Get Lila and Cornelia back to the Avalon. That's an order!"

Suddenly, the Elegant woman's senses returned, and she finally took in the situation, "Apologies! I don't know what came over me." she put Lila on her back, and carried a traumatized Cornelia bridal-style, "I'll be back to assist you later. Just hold these bastards off for as long as possible."

"Already on it." Suzaku switched frequencies, and broadcasted across all Britannian radios, "Attention! This is Knight of Seven, Suzaku Kururugi. Due to Cornelia Li Britannia being incapacitated, I'm taking command of this operation. For now, platoon leaders; funnel orders through frequency 9. I repeat. Platoon leaders; funnel orders through frequency 9." he switched frequencies once more and thought, "Those bastards. I knew Pollux and Castor were bad news. This is up there with some of the things Lelouch did." he gave quick orders to a few sectors, before returning focus to the Aquila – Castor's Knightmare. "I swear, I'll murder these twins with my bare hands. The pain I'll engrave into them will be felt even in the next life, and the life after that."

Pollux climbed into the Equus, and spun a tape on his finger, "Now, Suzaku's forced to stay, regardless of how the battle's going. Even Big Brother can't go anywhere due to his connection to poor Euphie. Honestly, they shouldn't have connected with our weakest sibling in the first place. She's nothing but a liability, so it's really their faults that she had to get hurt." he gazed at the tape with a smile, before placing it in his coat pocket with a pat, "And with this, the Black Knights will be ours. Don't worry, Big Brother. You might not be able to save them, but I can." his Geass flared sadistically, while he licked his lips, "Though, you'll owe me big time for that."