Rebel Against the Night
By
CrossoverManiac
Code Geass is owned by Sunrise, Inc. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is owned by Hasbro and created by Lauren Faust. This is a fan-based work not intended for commercial purposes. Character thoughts are italics.
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Chapter 8: Dusk in The Land of The Rising Sun
‘REMEMBER RIVALZ’ became the rallying cry for the Britannian refugees confined to Shikoku Island. The epithet to the victim of Eleven violence was spray painted on buildings far and wide. For a people grounded in the hierarchy of nobility, this was an open act of defiance against the design of their princess and the peace she had forged with their worst enemy. But was she a princess? Could she call herself a ruler when she so willingly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory? Could she even be called a citizen of Britannia or was she a traitor who exchanged her loyalty from Britannia to Japan for the sake of her Eleven lover? For if Zero was a secular messiah and Rivalz the martyr, then Princess Euphemia’s role was both Judas and Jezebel.
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The gray ominous sky over Matsuyama was a reflection of the mood of the Britannian people-a simmering rage blanketed in grief. Murky clouds bellowed and groaned while spewing the occasional lightning flash. Mourners by the thousands gathered around the base of Matsuyama Castle, which almost blended seamlessly with the drab sky, to pay homage to the young man whose life was tragically cut short by the enemy that has imprisoned them. Rivalz’ body lay peacefully inside a coffin. His forelegs folded over his chest. Princess Euphemia took her place beside the body and addressed the mourners.
“Rivalz Cardemonde is someone who I share an indirect acquaintance,” Euphemia said to the crowds. “Though I never had the opportunity to meet him in person, I shared in a life-or-death situation with three of his classmates, Shirley Fenette, Milly Ashford, and Nina Einstein. We were taken hostage by the Japanese Liberation Front when they took control of the Lake Kawaguchi Hotel. Recently, another act of violence has brought us together, the one that took this young man from our community. We spoke at length with Ms. Fenette and Ms. Ashford about our dearly departed Rivalz. It was my privilege to hear stories about the time they spent with him as members of the Ashford Academy student council. It wasn’t just Rivalz that died, but a piece of their life is missing. We are all diminished at the loss of one who touched the hearts of so many.” Suddenly, a winged mare sailed over the crowd and landed beside the princess. She had a lavender coat and a white mane that hasn’t been groomed in quite some time.
“I’ve heard enough from you!” The glare from her bloodshot eyes silently screamed in hatred of Euphemia. “You think those pretty words make up for letting those animals beat my son to death?”
Euphemia held Suzaku back. “Mrs. Cardemonde, I’m sorry that you’re upset.”
“Upset?!? You don’t know what upset is. Rivalz would still be alive if you didn’t surrender to the Elevens. We were better off with Cornelia.”
“I’ve already explained my decision to surrender.”
“Nothing but excuses. Cornelia wasn’t afraid of those bastards. She would have finished Zero off.”
“Her majesty doesn’t need to offer excuses,” said Suzaku circled around Euphemia and stood between her and Mrs. Cardemonde. “She’s your princess, and she owes you no explanation. Now please calm down or else I’ll be forced to arrest you for sedition against the crowd.”
“It was him wasn’t it?” Mrs. Cardemonde pointed to Suzaku. “You betrayed us to become that Eleven’s whore.” Mrs. Cardemonde tried to cut around Suzaku to get to the princess. Whether it was to harm the princess or just talk down to her face-to-face, Euphemia never found it. Before she had a chance to get close to Euphemia, Suzaku leg-swept Mrs. Cardemonde and forced her off her hooves.
“I tried warning you! I’m now placing you under arrest!” Suzaku screamed. Then, something slammed into Suzaku’s temple, then his left side, then the back of his neck. The mourners have turned into an angry mob, and the horned-types in the crowd were hurling rocks. The security detail pulled Suzaku and Euphemia out of harm’s way just before the riot erupted.
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Shirley pushed Milly, who was confined to a wheelchair, into her private room in the hospital. Milly’s wounds were healing but not without leaving deep scars-gashes across her muzzle and neck and patches of fur still missing. The setting sun cast outstretched shadows as it shined through the window. Shirley left Milly at the side of her bed and pulled the curtains.
“Thank you for taking me to the funeral, Shirley” said Milly.
“It wasn’t any problem at all,” Shirley smiled back at her friend. “I’ll do whatever I can to help you until you...hey!” Shirley raced to Milly’s side. Her friend was getting out of the wheelchair on her own and staggered to reach the bed. “You shouldn’t try to get up on your own.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m feeling a lot stronger now.”
“But the doctor said for you to stay off your feet for one more week.”
“I’m not that helpless.” Milly tried to climb into bed but her hooves only manage to pull off the sheets. “Maybe, I could use a little help.” Shirley placed the back of her neck underneath Milly’s haunches and pushed up with her legs. Milly was elevated high enough to crawl up on the bed.
“I hate that the funeral was ruined,” said Shirley. “I didn’t know Mrs. Cardemonte was so upset.”
“Don’t blame her. Blame the hotheads looking for an excuse to go back to fighting the Japanese. You’d think they’d have the decency to start a riot after the funeral.”
“Milly, do you remember being...you know what I mean?”
“You can say ‘raped’ Shirley, and the answer is no, I don’t remember, and I have no problem keeping it that way.”
“It doesn’t bother you that bastard stole your memories.”
“Shirley, I don’t want hear you say anything negative about Lelouch.”
Shirley snorted angrily at Milly. “Even though he got my father and Rivalz killed and you...raped.” Shirley said the last part in a hush tone.
“I’m sure Lelouch never intended for this to happen.”
“No, of course he didn’t intend for this to happen. That would imply he cared at all.”
“I said I don’t want here you badmouthing Lelouch. Please stop or I’ll end this conversation right now.”
“Okay, I’ll quit,” Shirley said as she looked down and huffed.
Milly reached out to Shirley and stroked her mane. “You used to be in love with him, you know.”
“And I’m glad he erased that part of my memory.”
“You know Lelouch cares about us. If he really was callous as you make him out to be, we would have been killed instead of having our memories erased.”
“Then why didn’t Lelouch erase my memories again when I confronted him? Tell me why?” Shirley then started crying.
“Maybe we should change the subject. You’re getting upset, Shirley.”
“No, that’s not it. Oh Milly, I did something terrible. I betrayed you. Please, forgive me.”
“Forgive you for what?”
“It was so painful to watch you suffer that I wanted Lelouch to make me forget again. When I confronted Lelouch, some part of me wanted him to erase my memories like he did after my father died. That shouldn’t have ever crossed my mind. I betrayed you and Rivalz because I’m weak.”
“It’s okay. I don’t hold it against you.” Milly said as she embraced her broken and weeping friend. “Shirley, you’re stronger than you think. You know that, if it wasn’t for Rivalz, I would have committed suicide.”
Shirley shook her head. “No, that can’t be.”
“But it is.” Milly completed the sentence. “I was the one that ransacked the chemistry lab looking for anything that would give me a quick death. Rivalz caught me at the last second and kept me from drinking. That’s why we need each other. Together we’re stronger than on our own.” Milly leaned back and wiped the tears off Shirley. “Ask the nurse for an extra bed and stay with me tonight.”
“You know, I came here to comfort you, but it’s the other way around.”
“No, you did make me feel better, Shirley. Like I told you-we’ll help each other, and we’ll make it through together.”
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Princess Euphemia was in her personal office reflecting on the riot that broke out one week ago. Fifteen Britannians died that day. Mostly the elderly and young who were either trampled to death by the angry mobs or trapped in that burning building set ablaze by a Molotov cocktail. For once, she was thankful the Black Knights’ air guard was around to bring order to the refugee camp. She also reminisced about the drawn out debate she had with Darlton and Guilford over the pardon she granted to Mrs. Cardemonde. She was a grieving mother lashing out in angry, not some dangerous anarchist, and it wouldn’t be right to imprison her for a lapse of judgment.
“A penny for your thoughts, Euphie?” Suzaku asked. Being the duty-bound personal champion to the princess, he stood poised between Euphemia and the doorway should any of the rioters attempt to harm his princess.
“We’re safe inside the castle. Suzaku, you’re overdoing it.”
“How can you say that after what happened at the funeral?”
“You worry too much.
“Your majesty, I’m sorry to disturb you, but there’s an officer from the Office of Secret Intelligence here to see you.” The voice coming from the hallway was Guilford’s.
“Let him in,” said Euphemia while she rolled her eyes. She wasn’t really annoyed. It was just that having ‘secret intelligence’ in the title was gratuitous since nations generally kept their military intelligence a secret anyway. Euphemia wondered if the person who named the agency was trying too hard to emphasize its importance.
Darlton, Guilford, and a third, a mundane colt, made their way inside. The stranger was short in statute with a straggly, dirty blonde mane and grayish-blue fur. Euphemia could hardly believe someone so young and unimposing could belong to a clandestine organization that answered only to the Emperor himself. But maybe the ideal spy was someone who had an underwhelming presence and who wouldn’t be perceived as a threat.
The new pony reached into his saddlebag and bit into some papers which he laid out on Euphemia’s desk. “Your majesty, my name is Rolo, and I am of need of your services. These papers validate my status as a member of the Office of Secret Intelligence.” Euphemia examined Rolo’s papers. Each page had her father’s official seal. She levitated a magnifying glass over the seal looking for the subtle nuances built into the royal seal as a safeguard against forgery.
“Is Rolo your first or last name?”
“Yes,” said Rolo.
“Yes your first name or yes your last name.”
“I’d rather not say.”
“You can’t even tell me your name?” Euphemia asked. Rolo shook his head. “Very well, I won’t press you for it.” Euphemia went back to examining the seals. “This does looks genuine.”
“Now that you confirmed my status, I would like to make a request: I need someone familiar with the Tokyo region to accompany me. His familiarity of the area should be with both Old Tokyo and the Settlement. Make a list of your best soldiers, and give me their complete profile. I will choose the one that will assist in my mission.”
“I’m afraid we don’t have personnel files. The Black Knights confiscated them.”
“I have a suggestion,” said General Darlton. “The man you’re looking for is Sir Kururugi Suzaku.”
“General Darlton, what are you doing?” Euphemia blurted out.
“Rolo asked for our best man,” said Darlton. “Sir Kururugi is an Honorary Britannian, so he’s familiar with both the Settlement and Old Tokyo, and his service record was rated in the 99 percentile. And he’s trustworthy enough to be selected as the princess’s personal champion.”
“You must order Sir Kururugi to accompany me on my mission, your majesty.”
“But he’s my personal knight.”
“And I have orders from the Emperor that you are duty-bound to follow and that includes making your knight available to me.”
Suzaku noticed how stressed out Euphemia was and placed a reassuring hoof on her shoulder. “You don’t have to worry. I’ll be fine. Find a temporary replacement to fill in while I’m gone.” He then addressed Rolo. “I’m ready to leave when you are.”
“Good, and it won’t be long either. We'll leave tonight and be at the Seto-Ōhashi Bridge before sunrise. Sir Kururugi, could we go somewhere private so we can made preparation.”
“Yes sir, I know just the place.”
When Suzaku and Rolo left, Euphemia slammed the door behind them. She stormed over to Darlton. “I demand an explanation!”
“Your majesty, I know I overstepped my bounds, but it was for your sake.”
“My sake?!? I’m perfectly capable of deciding that for myself.”
“Your majesty, the citizens are questioning your loyalty to Britannia.”
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s not any one thing. It’s everything. It’s the murders the Black Knights committed and the fact that you surrendered when we had the upper hand in the battle.”
“Darlton, my sister was grasping at straws thinking she could take back Japan with just a few Knightmares. Had we been taken over by another faction beside Zero’s, our people might have been slaughtered.”
“I know that, your majesty, but not all the commoners believe it. And there’s the issue of Sir Kururugi. Our people believe you sold out to the Elevens and having an Honorary Britannian as your personnel knights furthers their doubts.”
“They’re Japanese, Darlton, Japanese.”
“There are even rumors the Emperor disowned you for treason.”
“I don’t care what a few bigots say about me.”
“As our princess, you should,” said Guilford. “If they lose faith in you, we’ll lose control over the refugee camp. For the sake of stability, please show some concern about your public image. It’ll mean the difference between life and death.”
“But it’s not fair,” said Euphemia. “Suzaku risked his life to save the Settlement.”
“No, this is a good thing,” Darlton said reassuringly. “Once the Empire retakes Area 11...”
“That’s assuming a lot, Darlton.”
“I believe the Empire will, and when they do, Suzaku’s bravery will be proclaimed through all of Britannia. Then there can be no disputing either Suzaku’s or your loyalty to the Empire.”
Euphemia looked away from Darlton and Guilford. “I tended to his wounds after the battle. He suffered a concussion after Zero threw him into a pillar. I was so terrified the head trauma would kill him. I stayed up all night keeping watch over him as he drifted in and out of consciousness.” Euphemia turned around and glared at Darlton with eyes filled with hurt and anger. “How much does Suzaku has to suffer before our people will trust him? How many times does he have to get hurt before we believe in him?”
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Kallen came back to the broken home where she grew up. Plans were being made to convert the luxurious, three-story Stadtfeld mansion into a housing office for the Japanese moving into the Settlement. The air was filled with the scent of sawdust and the noise of banging hammers. Carpenters, all horned types, were taking down the old partition walls and building up new ones for the new floor designs. One of the workers caught sight of Kallen and greeted her.
“Are you Kōzuki Kallen?” The carpenter asked.
Kallen nodded. “I got a message saying that I left some of my stuff behind?”
“It’s just a photo album and some keepsakes.”
“That’s funny? I thought I took everything with me.”
“We kind of stumbled across it during renovations. It was stuffed away in a hollow spot in the walls of the study room.
“Where is it?”
“We put in your bedroom. It’s that last bedroom on the third, right? They’ve been waiting for you for the last two weeks.”
“Yeah, sorry about that, but I just got back from the refugee camp.”
“Ma’am, I was wondering...” Kallen waited for him to finish his sentence, at first, but was growing more impatient with the carpenter who couldn't decide what to say next.
“Just spit it out.”
“I was just wondering why a Britannian would join the Black Knights. I thought you just worked here, but then I heard your name was Stadtfeld and...”
“I’m only half-Britannian. My mother is Japanese, and I go by her surname.”
“I’m sorry for bringing it up, ma’am.”
“You didn’t hurt my feelings.”
Just as Kallen was going upstairs, the carpenter called out to her.
“You don’t mind us turning your house into an office, don you? I feel bad about taking your home.” He asked.
“Well don't. This place has nothing but bad memories,” Kallen said without turning to face the carpenter. “In fact, I wish you'd tear it down.”
Kallen’s bedroom was stripped bare of its contents. The room was an empty chasm. The only item inside was a bag at the center. Kallen put her head inside and bit into a brown envelope. The other items Kallen removed were a plaque and red-ribbon medal. Kallen scratched her mane wondering why her father hid away these items in his study. It then came to her attention that the inscription on the plaque was in kanji. It was a second place medal for her older brother Naoto, who died as a resistance fighter against the Britannian Empire. It was at that moment the memories of a long-forgotten childhood flooded her thoughts.
Before the Britannians took over, Naoto won second place in the high school track and field competition. Her mother took her out of class early to watch Naoto compete. After the tournaments were finished, they had a little picnic at the park eating homemade riceballs.
Kallen then looked over the plaque. The inscription read: Congratulation Kōzuki Naoto for three years of perfect attendance in Toho Academy. It was from Naoto’s old middle school. It then occurred to Kallen what might be in the envelope.
Kallen emptied the envelope of the old photos of Naoto that went as far back as his infancy. Her father had kept the pictures of his first-born child. I was wondering where these went. Oh father, I thought you disowned Naoto for joining the resistance against Britannia. If I only knew you still cared...
“I can’t believe you gave up your father’s house!” Kallen turned and faced a white unicorn with a blonde mane and a hindquarter symbol composed of three gold bars.
“I thought you’d hightail it out of here after we took back Tokyo,” Kallen said to her step-mother, Lady Odessa Stadtfeld. “What happen to your loyalty to Britannia?”
“Don’t question my decisions. Have you forgotten who it was keeping a roof over your head?”
“It wasn’t you, step-mother. And what the hell are you doing here anyway? Britannians can’t live in the Settlements.”
Lady Stadtfeld closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’ve been trying to track you down.”
“You didn’t do a good job of it. How many months has it been since the Black Knights took over? All you had to do is ask arou...”
“Your mother is dead,” Lady Stadtfeld interrupted. “I’m sorry to tell you, but I thought it would be best if you heard it from me. I know we didn’t get along, but...” Lady Stadtfeld looked off to the side. “I’m sorry I took so long finding you. But the Black Knights I spoke with wouldn’t tell me because I used to be a Britannian. When I heard you might be coming back here, I knew this would be my only chance to reach you with the news.”
Kallen was taken a bit off-guard by the uncharacteristically kind gesture coming from her estranged step-mother. Her gaze softened. “I already knew she was dead. I went to check on her myself, but thank you for going through the trouble to tell me.”
Lady Stadtfeld grinned. Her smile was not the appreciative smile that Kallen showed. It was as though she was trying to hide the distaste of having to suck on a bitter lemon and failing at it.
“Since I did go through the trouble of tracking you down, I was wondering if you could return the favor and talk Zero into giving me a few minutes of his time.”
Kallen frowned at the request. “I should have known. You never did anything for me without expecting something in return.”
“I gave you a home even though you’re not my child! And I never asked anything from you, you ingrate! How dare you say I never did anything for you!”
“Father gave me a home, not you! He gave me a home even though you wanted to send me away! Don’t you dare take credit for someone else’s kindness! Zero’s too busy to listen to you beg for your house back and I’m not going to bother him with it! So cut the loving mother act!”
“I see this was a waste of time,” said Lady Stadtfeld who then smirked at Kallen. “Oh, as for your mother, she was quite the sight to look at. She’d make the perfect carnival sideshow exhibit and since she’s used to selling her body anyway...” Lady Stadtfeld’s head jolted from a slap across the cheek.
“SAY ONE MORE THING ABOUT MY MOTHER AGAIN! I DARE YOU, YOU BITCH!”
Then Kallen was knocked back by a flash of light. Lady Stadtfeld landed a blow with her telekinesis. It was strong enough to knock Kallen on her flank. Stadtfeld felt something running along her lip and wiped it with a white handkerchief she kept in her saddle bag. There was now a red streak staining the white cloth.
“I don’t care if your father divorces me. I’m done babysitting his bastard daughter. If he cares so much, he can swim across the Pacific and tend to you himself.” Lady Stadtfeld stomped out of the room.
Kallen stuck her head out of the doorway. “I never asked you to take care of me!” She yelled out to Lady Stadtfeld, who was heading downstairs.
“Hey, what happened to you,” one of the construction workers, who dropped what they were doing to check on Kallen, asked Lady Stadtfeld. The former Britannian noblewoman shoved the worker to the side and made her way outside. There, she was greeted by Demegawa and a few other horned types.
“What happened to you, Odessa?” Demegawa rushed to Lady Stadtfeld's side. He tried to examine the cut lip but was pushed away.
“Don’t try babying me,” said Stadtfeld.
"But you're bleeding."
“I’ll live.”
“Was it those construction workers?”
Stadtfeld shook her head. “My step-daughter, actually. Don’t worry-she’ll get what’s coming to her soon enough.”
“So, meeting with Zero is out of the question?”
Lady Stadtfeld shook her head. “He’ll meet with us, eventually. We’ll just have to shake things up first.”
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Suzaku and Rolo trotted along the tracks leading to the Seto-Ōhashi Bridge. It was an hour before dawn. They didn’t have long before daybreak would deny them the cover of darkness.
“Maybe we should wait until tonight,” Suzaku suggested. “I don’t think we can sneak pass the guards and get the cross the bridge in time.”
“That would take too much time,” said Rolo. “The window of opportunity will open in 48 days from now and close soon after. The mission will fail if we’re not in Tokyo on that exact day.”
“That’s plenty of time to walk to Tokyo. It’s better to take our time than risk getting caught.” Suzaku then noticed they were coming up to the checkpoint. It was well-guarded with two squadrons of Black Knights. “Hold on Rolo,” said Suzaku. “They’ll see us.”
“It won’t be a problem, Sir Kururugi,” said Rolo. “I am in charge of this mission. You have no other choice but to defer to my judgment.”
“Yes, sir,” said Suzuki, who was feeling more apprehensive as they closed in on the checkpoint. In the back of his mind, Suzaku hoped Rolo had a double agent stationed at the checkpoint. Just then, two spotlights beamed directly on them.
“Halt!” One of the Black Knights guarding the checkpoint ordered. He was a horned type armed with a bow and arrow that was suspended in mid-air by his telekinesis. “Identify yourself or else I’ll open fire.” He strung the bow back and took aim. The other soldiers drew their spears and stood poised to attack. The winged types hovered about ten feet off the ground.
Suddenly, Rolo disappeared from Suzuka’s side and reappeared beside the horned type with the bow and arrow. Rolo plunged a knife through the Black Knight’s throat. The winged Black Knights for some unknown reason, also teleported from their position. They were now lying on the ground as though they stopped flapping their wings and let gravity take over. Rolo then disappeared and reappeared again, but this time he left a row of dead Black Knights in his path. A third ‘teleportation’ wiped out the rest.
“How did you do that!” Suzaku asked as he galloped to the checkpoint. “You don’t have a horn. How were you...”
“That is top secret, Sir Kururugi,” said Rolo. “You are not to reveal nor discuss my power with anyone.”
“Yes sir.” While Rolo was in the glow of the spotlights, Suzaku couldn’t help but to notice the red strip on Rolo’s right eye that resembled a bird.
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Alexander Franklin, once a baron whose lineage went back to the very Benjamin Franklin that saved the crown from Washington’s Rebellion, was relegated to pulling an antique harvester. Rice patty terraces ran along the contours of the mountain. Each one was an artificial stream created to grow semi-aquatic crops, and like any other marsh, it was a struggle just to take a step as the mud-covered ground held fast to the farm ponies’ hooves. It was hell for someone used to being waited on hand and foot by his servants, especially when that same person was pulling an antique combine harvester. Franklin stopped in his tracks and sat on his haunches. He was too exhausted to care that he was sitting in mud.
“Hey you!” A voice called out from above. “Break time isn’t for another hour and a half.” A winged Black Knight was keeping an eye on the laboring mundane ponies from above. She floated down and settled just an inch above the marsh. “Deputy Commander Ohgi wants this field harvested by the end of the week. So, no goofing off or else I’ll dock your pay.” It was then a mundane stallion with a dark green mane and orange coat wedged himself between Franklin and the Black Knight’s work foreman.
“Cut him some slack, will you?” The orange stallion said. “Can’t you see he’s exhausted?”
“If you don’t move your ass, I’ll dock your pay as well.”
“Go to hell.”
The winged Black Knight just shook her head. “I’m docking you both an entire day’s wages. But you two better still work if you don’t want to be arrest for dereliction of duty,” she said before flying off.
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The sun was setting on the work camp. Most of the mundane types had already turned in for the night. However, one of them was in an argument with his stomach. Franklin stared at the flicking flame of the camp fire as hunger pains rumbled in protest deep within his bowels. He had consumed the last few tablespoons of rice yesterday. The surrounding land had been nibbled to the roots by the other mundane ponies, and without today’s wages, he couldn’t purchase the very rice that he had a hand in harvesting. It was then another pony, the very orange stallion that stood up to their flying foreman, placed a riceball wrapped in a paper towel beside him.
“I thought you could use a little charity.”
Franklin devoured the riceball in a matter of seconds and greedily licked the leftover kernels. “Oh dear, are you sure you can afford to share your food with me? I should have asked.” Franklin wasn’t really concerned about depriving his benefactor of food, but it was necessary to maintain the appearance that he cared.
“It’s no problem at all,” said the orange stallion. “My friends all chipped in to help.” He slid a bag of rice to Franklin.
“Why thank you, Mr...”
“The name’s Ebisawa Taro. And yours?”
“It’s Alexander Franklin. I’m indebted to you, Mr. Ebisawa. You are a generous man to give aid to a Britannian noble.”
“Don’t sweat it, Franklin? You mind me asking why a Britannian noble took the loyalty oath.”
“I don’t mind at all. To tell the truth, I didn’t have much a choice. Someone falsely accused me of deserting my post during the siege, and I would most certainly faced reprisal because of that terrible lie.”
“You’re learning about how the new world works.”
“The new world works?!?”
“It’s all about the wings and the horns. You’re a nobody without them.”
Franklin leaped up. “But I’m a baron!”
“Keep it down before you get us arrested.”
“Oh, sorry.”
“I know how you feel. I used to be a Black Knight. My brother and I were members of the ground forces. It was our job to take the lower parts of the Settlement. Everything was going fine until the Brits got one of their Knightmares working again. It was mowing down every mundane type that crossed its path. It even killed my brother. And you know what our air troops were doing? They tucked tail and flew away leaving the ground forces without any air support. After the battle, I let one of those birdbrains have it. They kicked me out, but it was worth it after what they did to us.”
“I see why you hate people with wings, but what about horns?”
“You used to be a baron. Well, I used to be an engineer, and I thought after we defeated the Brits that I would go back being an engineer. Turns out, the guys with the horns were getting all the work. I can still draw blueprints. I can write with my mouth just as well as they can write with their mental powers, but they won’t give me a chance. Not that it matters, the Black Knights made us into slaves...oh I’m sorry...I meant to say civil service draftees.”
“I heard it was a mundane that gave the order.”
“Then you didn’t hear the whole story. He’s some pushover and the guy who really gave the order is a flyboy. I’m telling you-everyone here without wings or a horn is a second-class citizen.”
“Maybe it doesn’t have to be that way.”
“Whadda mean?”
Alexander Franklin leaned over and whispered in Ebisawa's ear. “We mundane-type have all the food," he grinned devilishly. “From what I understand, there was talk about rationing food for the winter. They would only do that in the face of a food shortage. We would only have to take over a small percentage of the food supply to make life difficult for the horned and winged-types. We’ll threaten to destroy the crops if Zero doesn’t give in to our demands.”
“I like the way you think,” Ebisawa smiled. “We’ll show that horned bastard Zero he can’t make us his slave labor.”
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“You did what!” Tohdoh yelled. He, Ohgi, and Diethard were slumped over a conference tables; its legs were cut in half in order to compensate for the loss in statute.
“We had to. The food supply’s running low.” Ohgi said defensively. “It’s only temporary.”
“Forced labor for even a day is morally abhorrent."
“What do you mean ‘forced labor’?” Ohgi looked to Diethard. “Did you enslave Japanese?”
“The USJ Articles of Governance gives us the right to draft citizens in a time of national emergency. They were fairly compensated for their...”
“That doesn’t matter. The draft was set up to provide manpower for time of wars, not for slave labor.” Tohdoh slammed his hoof on the table. “And it wasn’t necessary. Had you told the Japanese the situation, you would have had more than enough volunteers.”
“Tohdoh,” said Diethard, “as members of the Black Knights’ command structure, we don’t need to explain ourselves.”
“Spoke like a true Britannian. Our people didn’t wait seven long years just to switch task masters. They don’t serve us. We serve them.”
“Diethard,” said Ohgi, “I’m ordering you to discharge the Japanese that were conscripted.”
“That’ll be easier said than done,” Tohdoh sighed. “There are reported uprising in the agricultural prefectures. The grain store houses were taken over and now our distribution has been cut by a third. We have no choice to ration food, starting tomorrow.”
“What if we explain everything to them?”
Tohdoh shook his head. “They’re not listening to reason. They want Zero to step down and for us to elect a new leader-one that has neither horn nor wings.”
“You mean a mundane-type? But they can’t expect us to divide Japan into three races.”
“Why not? We already have.” Tohdoh was looking squarely at Diethard. “Zero, what do you suggest doing?” All eyes turned to Zero who was at the head of the conference table staring down at the floor. “You’ve been quiet this whole time. Care to share your input with us?” Zero looked around the room but avoided making eye contact with the others. “Well? What do you have to say?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Not sure?!?” Diethard yelled. “There’s only one course of action to take. This uprising has to be put down immediately.”
“And cause more needless bloodshed in the process? Acting without thinking is what got us in this mess in the first place! We should continue negotiations.”
“Zero, they’re not negotiating,” said Tohdoh. “They made it perfectly clear that they won’t settle for anything less than having all their demands met.”
“I said ‘continue negotiation’ and that’s final!” Zero then started to leave the room. “Now, you will excuse me. I have other matters to attend to.”
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“Don’t you think this is a bit out of the way, Barnstormer?” Villetta asked. They were trotting along the side of a steep hill. It was tasking for Villetta to walk on the rocky, uneven ground.
“Sorry,” Barnstormer apologized, “I’ve been flying so long that I keep forgetting how hard it is to get around on hoof.”
Villetta was weighing her options. Barnstormer still had a creepy obsession for me and this little incursion could be the finale to a fatal attraction. We’re far enough away from the camp that he could rape or kill me and get away with it, but it also means I can kill him and make a run for it myself. But he’s a pegasus. I’d only have one shot to kill him and if I make a mistake, he could fly out of reach and warn the others. And then I have to find my way back to the Settlement without getting caught by the Elevens, and it didn’t go well for me the last time I tried it. And that’s assuming the Viceroy is still alive. If Nightmare Moon was telling the truth, the Elevens may have killed them all.
Barnstormer then stopped by a pile of rocks. “Okay, we’re here.”
“Oh thank heavens. My hooves are killing me.” Night Fire’s cruel brand of re-education had its effect and broke Villetta from using human colloquial.
“Do you trust me, MB?” Barnstormer asked.
“Of course I trust you.” Villetta lied.
Barnstormer pawed a pile of rocks. As he dug deeper, patches of fur surfaced. Villetta was horrified to see what was buried under that pile of rocks.
“Sergeant Dux,” Villetta gasped. “Did you do this Barnstormer?”
“Yes, and I did it for us, Moonlight Blossom.” Villetta backed away from Barnstormer as he walked towards her. “I saw you talking with him and that other wild pony.” Villetta lost her hoofing and stumbled. “I know you were only trying to help, but you shouldn’t scheme against Nightmare Moon. Don’t you understand-she’ll kill you, and then I’d die too because I can’t bear to be without you.” Barnstormer scooped Villetta up and flew far above the mountain tops until the pine wood trees looked like twigs. “You have to learn to trust me, Moonlight Blossom. You have to forget Britannia, forget about Lord Jeremiah. That’s all in our past.”
“Please, Barnstormer, can’t we talk about this on the ground?”
“You’re not trusting me, Moonlight Blossom! You know I love you too much to let you fall, but you still won’t trust me!” Barnstormer was hysterical. Villetta could feel his front and rear legs trembling as he held her aloft. In his frenzied state, Barnstormer could inadvertently drop her at any moment.
Calm down, Villetta. If you panic, then Barnstormer will panic too and drop you. Villetta closed her eyes and let her racing heart settle down. “Okay, I trust you, Barnstormer. I know you won’t drop me.”
Barnstormer glided back down and dropped Villetta off right next to Sergeant Dux’s body. He nuzzled against her and whispered in her ear between breaths, “you see...you’re safe...safe with me...Moonlight Blossom.” Barnstormer took a deep breath and let his racing heart settled. “You don’t have to be afraid anymore. I’ll take care of you. I promise.” Barnstormer said as he planted kisses on Villetta’s forehead and cheeks.
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“General Darlton, Sir Guilford, must I choose a replacement for Sir Kururugi?” Euphemia pouted. Her elder sister’s former confidants led Euphemia to the Matsuyama castle courtyard much to her objections.
“It’s necessary to keep up appearance, mi lady,” said Guilford. “Having a Britannian as a personal champion will reassure the people that you are still loyal to the homeland.”
“So, how many potential knights will I choose from?” Euphemia asked. Darlton and Guilford glanced at each other and then looked off to the side. “Is there something wrong?”
Darlton stomped his hoof and created a loud clop that echoed through the castle hallway. “It’s the fault of these craven nobles,” he grumbled. “They’re like rats leaving a sinking ship.”
“And what is it that’s their fault, Darlton.” When they reached the courtyard, Darlton shamefully pointed to one solitary mundane-type waiting on a park bench. He was a young stallion, approximately Euphemia’s age, had a bright red mane, blue eyes, and a forest green coat with red spots that bore a striking resemblance to freckles. Perhaps he was a ginger before the transformation. Upon seeing the three going into the courtyard, the stallion smiled for a moment before he remembered what his place was and jumped up at attention.”
“Only one candidate?”
“Please pardon Guilford and I, mi lady, but the nobles have abandoned you. They actually believe you were disowned by the Emperor and that they’ll be stripped of their noble status if they associate themselves with you.”
“If you wish your majesty,” Guilford volunteered, “I can be your champion.” Out of the corner of Euphemia’s eye, the candidate stared down at the floor with a glower look on his face.
“I like you where you’re at now, Sir Guilford. You’ve done an excellent job organizing the refugee camp. It would be an arduous task to find someone who could fill your shoes.” The candidate’s mood perked up.
“Are you sure, your majesty? A knight’s first duty is to protect the crown.”
I can’t choose Guilford as my personal knight. He’ll insist on permanently replacing Suzaku. I have to dissuade Guilford without hurting his feelings. He’s still blames himself for Cornelia dying. I’ll have to word this carefully. “You’re already by my side most of the time. I could count on my fingers the number of times we’ve been away...if I still had them. Having an extra protector won’t hurt.”
“In that case,” said Darlton, “allow me to introduce Reginald Franklin, son of the former baron Alexander Franklin.”
“Former Baron?!?”
“May I explain?” The candidate hung his head down and spoke up in a sheepish tone. “My father abandoned his post when the Black Knights took over the High Ground Level.”
“Don’t let that dissuade you, mi lady,” Darlton spoke up. “This young man fought bravely alongside the former viceroy and has four confirmed kills. The apple fell far from the tree with this one, mi lady.”
“Darlton! That’s rude,” Euphemia rebuked.
“No, it’s quite alright,” said Reginald. “I’ve accepted the fact that my father isn’t exactly a brave man.”
“Don’t you worry, Sir Franklin,” said Darlton. “Your service to the crown should overshadow the indiscretions of your father and preserve your social status.”
“In that case,” said Euphemia, “I choose you, Sir Franklin, to be my champion in Sir Kururugi’s absence. Come with us so that we may plan out the formal ceremony.”
Reginald Franklin could barely contain his joy as he fought against the smile creeping across his face.
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After the Battle for the Settlement, when it was discovered the Britannians found an alternative power source to sakuradite, the Black Knights took on the difficult task of towing the Knightmares from the oceans cliff when they were left on the Night of the Transformation to the Yokohama dock warehouses for safe keeping for the day when they unlock the secret of this new source of power.
Kallen, who was flying over, spiraled down and glided through the warehouse bay doors. One of the new recruits reported a group of ponies performing unauthorized maintenance on the Knightmares, and Kallen took a short flight to Yokohama to see for herself. Sure enough, there were ponies dismantling the Gurren Mark II, Kallen’s Knightmare Frame.
“Just what the hell are you doing!” Kallen yelled at the ponies fondling her machine. She galloped full speed and shoved a horned worker out of the way. “Who gave you permission to put your hands on my Gurren?”
“That would be me.” Kallen turned her attention to a rather annoyed-looking mundane mare. She had a blonde mane and orange crème coat, but what stood out about her the most was the purple diamond mark on her forehead and a long red pipe hanging off her lips at an angle. “Is there a problem?”
Kallen marched over to the mare. “You’re damn right there’s a problem. No one’s allowed to touch our Knightmares without authorization from Zero. Just who the hell are you anyway?”
“I am the Gurren’s mother.”
Kallen tilted her head and frown in bewilderment. “It’s mother?” The confusion was short-lived when Kallen made the connection between the mare’s claim to motherhood and the Gurren. “You’re Rakshata?!?”
“Well who else would I be?”
“But your flight to Japan? It was on the night of the transformation. You should have...”
“...crashed? We almost did, but when I heard Japan was blacking out, I talked the pilot into making an emergency landing. The plane lost power just after touching down in the Gobi Desert. We traveled on foot to Shanghai and paid a hefty fee for smugglers to bring us to Japan.” Then Rakshata did something that caught Kallen by surprise. The pipe stuck to the Indian scientist’s hoof as a stream of smoke passed between her lips.
“How you’re doing that?”
Rakshata looked down at the pipe. “You mean this? Take a look for yourself.” Rakshata tilted her hoof showing Kallen a horseshoe with brown tabs lining its perimeter.
“Magnets?” Kallen guessed. The magnetic tabs were in contact with hose clamps fastened around the pipe’s shank.
“Not just magnets,” Rakshata said.
Kallen examined the hoof more closely. There was a black strip running along the hoof’s central groove.
“Is that Velcro?”
“It’s crude, I know, but it’s quite effective. Between the two, I’ve regained 25% of my dexterity. The long walk got me thinking of other ideas to get around our lack of fingers. Interested in hearing about them.”
“Never mind that. I want to know what you’re doing to the Gurren?”
“If you must know, my team is removing the modification *that man* made on the white Knightmare Frame and placing it on my child,” Rakshata said as though she just happen to spat something vile on the tip of her tongue at the same time she said ‘that man’. “I have no idea how the internal mechanism for the power generation packs work, but they’re self-contained so they can be installed on the Gurren once the upgrades are completed. After the power plants are installed and the modifications to the cockpit interface are made, we’ll begin work on the anti-personnel gun turrets. Since there isn’t any sakuradite to propel electromagnetic rounds, we have to resort to compressed air. We’re also looking into chemical combustion but that may take awhile to come up with a mechanism to discharge chemically-propelled rounds at high rates of fire...”
“Hey wait a second!”
“Is there something wrong?”
Kallen motioned to Rakshata to distant herself from the others. “You were talking as though you knew the identity of the scientists who made the nuclear reactors,” Kallen said in a hushed tone. “If you got your hands on top secret information...”
“Oh please, I didn’t need to peek in your secret files. The Pudding Earl wouldn’t let anyone touch his machine without his supervision.” Rakshata took a drag from her pipe and exhale another cloud of smoke.
“Pudding Earl”
“My nickname for Lloyd Asplund.”
Kallen had a feeling that they may have been something between them but decided it was best not to press Rakshata for details.
“Before I get further off subject, some of your people haven’t been checked out yet.” A winged mare stopped the work she was doing on the Gurren’s Radiant Wave Surger and looked down upon Rakshata and Kallen
“Resistant fighters with red tape. Now I’ve seen it all.”
“We’re not resistant fighters anymore. The Black Knights is the USJ’s official military defense force. The red tape is really for the sensitive material like the Knightmares.” The winged mare eased herself down just enough to pry without being noticed.
“I only came here with two other scientists. The rest are your men.” The winged mare causally and quietly flew off.
“Hey you,” Rakshata called out to the mare. “We’re on a tight schedule. Where you’re sneaking off to.” Suddenly, the winged mare picked up speed and hastened to the exit.
Kallen, realizing that the mare might have been flying away to avoid being questioned, took off after her. The fleeing mare, hearing wings flapping behind her, sped up, but it wasn’t enough. Kallen was about to overtake her, when the winged mare kicked her in the nose and flew away. The winged mare was about to exit the warehouse when one of the rank-and-file Black Knights flew in her path. They would have collided had it not been for the winged mare making a steep dive and then pulling up just in time with only a scraped up chest to show for it. She almost made it to the exit adjacent to the first one when Kallen landed on her back. The added weight too much for the winged mare, and both she and Kallen make a rough landing.
“Let go of me, you damn Eleven!” The mare yelled.
“She’s...a Britannian,” Kallen said dumbfounded.
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Lelouch was about to make another incursion to Nunnally’s room when he was cut off by Kallen, who was sitting on her haunches with a crossed look on her face. Just behind Lelouch was C.C.
“Excuse me, Kallen, but do you mind stepping aside.”
“As a matter of fact, I do mind. You’ve been shucking your duties and spending all of your time here.”
“I can have you transferred if this is a...”
“That’s not the issue. Did you know we caught a Britannian spy? She gain access to the Gurren and was sabotaging the Radiant Wave Surger before we found her out. Zero, you were the one in charge of vetting recruits for top-secret work, remember?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“Then why aren’t you?”
“We found her out. What else do you want?”
“You know better than that, Zero. There could be more Britannians than just her. And why are you always going to see Nunnally? Is there something going on between you...”
“Don’t you dare accuse us of perversion!” Zero yelled.
“Then what else could you possibly be doing with her?”
“I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!” Lelouch yelled to the top of his lungs. “I won’t hear another word on the subject! Accuse either Nunnally or I of acting inappropriately again and I’ll have expelled from the Black Knights. Is that understood?”
“Yes sir, I understand.”
“I’ll take care of these spies. It’s no longer your concern.”
Kallen nodded her head and flew away. Good going, Kallen. You almost got booted out of the Black Knights. Well, hopefully, this will snap him out of his depression.
C.C. tapped Lelouch on the shoulder. “With your Geass, finding the identities of her accomplices wouldn’t be problem.”
“Oh that’s right,” said Lelouch. “Thanks for reminding me.”
“I shouldn’t have to. That normally would be the first thing to come to mind. Did the assault on your classmates shake you up that badly?” Lelouch wouldn’t answer. “I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.” Lelouch grunted and disappeared into Nunnally’s room.
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The early bird shoppers were greeted not by store clerks and cashiers, but by Black Knights guarding the entrance. Just after sunrise, Ohgi, carrying a megaphone in his mouth, emerged from the store.
“Could one you help me with this thing?” Ohgi asked.
One of the Black Knights left his post and bit into the megaphone handle awkwardly held it to Ohgi’s face.
“Could you raise it a bit...one that’s too high...point it to the right,” Ohgi and the guard wrestled with the megaphone a bit until a helpful horned-type telekinetically positioned the megaphone for Ohgi.
“Oh, thank you,” said Ohgi.
“You’re welcome,” said a sultry, feminine voice.
“My name is Ohgi Kaname, Deputy Commander of the Black Knights. Now, I know some of you are concerned that the numbers of peacekeepers in the Settlement and Old Tokyo has increased. Rest assured. Everything will be fine, but we still need your complete cooperation. As you know, Zero made contingency plans in case of food shortages. Well, there’s been a slight set back in food production and we’re enacting our contingency plan.”
Then, without warning, megaphone floated away. It happened so suddenly, Ohgi didn’t have time to react.
“I wouldn’t call greedy mundane types hogging the food a ‘set back’.” It was the same sultry voice from earlier. Odessa Stadtfeld stepped out of the crowd and faced them. “Don’t tell me you didn’t know the mundane types in the farming prefectures took over the food supply.”
Ohgi galloped over to Lady Stadtfeld. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m telling them the truth about what your kind is doing.”
‘My kind’?!? Going by your accent, you’re the only one here who isn’t Japanese.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about.” Mrs. Stadtfeld motioned to her horn. Realizing what she was up to, Ohgi tried to take back the megaphone, but before he could, Lady Stadtfeld snatched it away. Ohgi leaped for the megaphone repeatedly, but each time it was levitated out of reach. Some of the Japanese in the crowd chuckled at the undignified display.
“Give it back or else I’ll have you arrested!” Ohgi yelled. Just then, some of the other horned ponies stepped out of the crowd and between him and Lady Stadtfeld. Ohgi recognized one of them as Demegawa Hitoshi, the guy who was discriminating against that mare for not having a horn.
“You’ll get it back,” said Lady Stadtfeld. “I’m only borrowing it to say one more thing.” She then addressed the crowds again. “It was the mundane types that are withholding food. And yet, I bet this mundane type here,” she said pointing to Ohgi, “will insist that we all have the same amount. Just think about it when they give you your paltry share.” Lady Stadtfeld smirked as she levitated the megaphone right in front of Ohgi. “Didn’t you have something to say?”
“I know this sound bad, but don’t listen to...” Ohgi said when Lady Stadtfeld released her power over the megaphone and letting gravity take its course. There were more snickers from the crowd, but mostly from the horned Japanese. Ohgi shot a dirty glare at the other Black Knights. One of them, a winged stallion, held the megaphone up for Ohgi, who, this time, took the initiative and position it for the recruit. “Don’t listen to this Britannian. She’s only trying to turn the Japanese people against each other.”
“I don’t know what he’s talking about,” Lady Stadtfeld said. “I took the loyalty oath.”
Ohgi pulled away from the megaphone and said, “you just nullified it by that stunt you pulled.” He then spoke into the megaphone and said, “every household will be permitted one bag of rice, two bags of hay, and one bag of nori. Everyone must give their home address to the store clerks before checking out their merchandise. After today, we’ll have set days of the week for people to purchase food by the alphabetical order of your surname as written in romanji. The store clerk will provide you with the schedule. They’re opening the doors in one minute. Please, come into the store in an orderly fashion and only twenty can go into the store at a time and only one person per household.
Lady Stadtfeld and the other horned ponies that accompanied her stepped out of line. Demegawa, who was about to move up in line took noticed.
“Hey, aren’t we getting our food?” Demegawa asked.
“I wouldn’t go in there if I was you. If everything goes as planned, it might not be safe in there.” Demegawa perked up as Lady Stadtfeld whispered in his ear.
Lady Stadtfeld’s little gang of horned ponies watched the tension build. Everyone was on their toes. The crowd seemed to eye each other with suspicion that the person next to them may be against them for not being the right race. One mundane stallion was shoved in the rear by a winged mare. He then murmured something about not hitting women. For a moment, chivalry trumped the racial divide. But that would only go so far.
Just as a mundane stallion was about to get his turn to pick up his household’s share of the rations, a horned stallion shoved him out of the way and bullied his way inside.
“No skipping!” A mundane Black Knight yelled out. He stepped in front of the horned stallion.
“Or else what? I’ll starve?”
“No, we have plenty for you to eat in the stockades, and they’ll have to carry to there in a stretcher if you don’t get the hell out of here!”
“It’s okay,” said the mundane stallion that was showing civility than the Black Knight guard. “He can go ahead of me.”
“I didn’t ask for your permission,” the horned stallion sneered.
“You ought of,” said the mundane Black Knight. “It’s our kind that keeps you fed.”
“Slaves should be working in a field, not mouthing off to their superiors.”
“What the hell did you just say?”
“Well what else can you kind do? It’s not like you’re good for anything else but pulling carts and plows?”
The mundane Black Knight pawned the grown and snorted. The horned stallion did likewise.
“Hey look, we don’t need to get violent.” The mundane stallion, who was trying desperately to defuse the situation, inadvertently ignited a powder keg. Just outside the grocery store, a winged stallion, that was halfway paying attention, saw the mundane stallion step inside the store without any other person exiting it.
“That bastard is jumping the line!” The winged stallion yelled out not realizing the pony ‘jumping’ the line was trying to keep a fight from breaking out. The winged stallion flew over the group only to be slammed back to the ground by a horned stallion that then bolted for the door only to be kicked in the side by the mundane stallion that was shoved from behind by the winged mare. And it was that very same winged mare that leaped on the mundane stallion’s back and was pulling out his mane with her teeth. And then it went downhill from there.
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Alexander Franklin feasted like a king. As one of the leaders of mundane pony faction, he had free reign of the store houses, and that privilege was abused shamelessly. Franklin was on his back reclining on a pile of rice; his stomach bulging out from overindulging. Ebisawa Taro, the other leader, was on his haunches with a hoof under his chin.
“I told you this would work,” Franklin gloated. “We have the food to ourselves and Zero better abdicate his position or else those hungry mouths might force him to resign the hard way.”
“I don’t know,” said Ebisawa. “It seemed like the right idea at first, but now I’m worried. We could wind up hurting a lot of our own kind in the process, and even I don’t hate the other types to starve them to death.”
“How many times do I have to tell you it won’t go that far? Do you really think they’d let Zero stay in power for long if it means starving? No, they won’t. They’re looking out for themselves just as we’re looking out for all of the mundane-types in Japan. We’ll be heroes-the saviors who rescued the mundane-types from the oppression of the winged and horned races.”
“And that’s another thing-we took this place with barely a fight. It was like the Black Knights didn’t try to take it back.”
“That’s because we have the power to grow food. Didn’t you feel it, Ebisawa? The connection we have with the earth? The other two races lack that power. They’d starve if they killed us off.”
“Wouldn’t they just get more mundane types to take our place? There’s plenty still left in just Tokyo alone”
“That’s why the timing of our revolt is so perfect. The growing season will be over soon. By the time they get rid of us and dispatch our replacement, it’ll be too late for them to grow anymore crops, and they know it.”
It was then one of the mundane guards rushed into the store house. “I’m sorry to disturb you, sirs, but there’s a problem with the clouds.”
“Well of course there is,” said Alexander with a tint of annoyance in his voice, “it hasn’t rained in a while. Tell us something we don’t know.”
“But we found out why. Come with me, I have to show you.”
“Come on, Franklin,” said Ebisawa, “this may be important.”
“If you insist,” said Franklin. He strained just to get back on his hooves.
When they went outside, the guard pointed at a single cloud racing across the sky. Alexander pressed a hoof over his forehead.
“You brought us outside to see a cloud?” Franklin mumbled.
“Sir, the cloud’s moving against the wind.”
“Do anyone have binoculars?” Ebisawa asked in a panicked voice. Another guard held out a pair of binoculars and pointed them at the cloud. “Franklin, you have to see this?” Ebisawa stepped aside for his co-conspirator to get a look through the binoculars.
“Oh sure, right away.” Franklin said in a voice that betrayed his feelings of trepidation. He looked through the binocular and saw a swarm of winged ponies pushing the cloud away. “They’re stealing our clouds.”
Then, piece of the cloud broke away and were being strung out and crisscrossed together. The winged types were skywriting a message to the mundane faction below in kanji.
“What the hell are they saying?” Franklin said. “I can only read some of it.”
“It says ‘you may have the land, but we have the skies’.” Ebisawa stomped the ground until his hoof dug about six inches into muddy ground. They’re cutting us off at the knees. That’s it! If they want to go all out on us, then so can we. We’ll burn the grain before we let them have it.”
“Weren’t you the one worried about them starving?”
“That’s before they tried to kill us with a drought!”
“Look Ebisawa, we still have the food and we’re the ones with the green thumb. They need us more than we need them. That means we still have a stronger position to negotiate. The mundane-types can still come out on top if we play our cards right.”
“Yeah,” said Ebisawa, “that’s a good idea. We’ll wait them out.”
“And since we have the underground aquifers, we still have drinking water,” said Franklin. “All these idiots are doing is hurting themselves.”
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“What the hell happened to you?” Kallen asked the bruised and beaten Ohgi. Though the wounds weren’t life-threatening, Ohgi was still worse for wear. Bits of his mane were missing. There was also a swollen lip and a bump on the top of his head that almost looks as though Ohgi was about to spout a horn. Yoshitaka was tending to his comrade-at-arms.
“There was a riot at the grocery store on Asahina Street,” said Oghi.
“I never heard of Asahina Street?”
“It used to be Clovis Street, but we renamed it in honor of the Holy Sword that died in the Battle of the Settlement.”
“I told you to stay still,” Yoshitaka scolded Ohgi. “How can I keep the ice pack on you when you keep moving around.”
“Oh sorry,” said Ohgi who then pressed a plastic bag full of ice on the bump on his head. “But like I was saying, there was a food riot on Asahina Street.”
“How could the Japanese fall so far?” Kallen asked. “Foot riots breaking on the first day of rationing? Don’t these Japanese have any pride in themselves?”
“It’s my fault. The riot wouldn’t have happen if I didn’t issue the order for mundane-types to farm our food. Had I explained the situation, the Japanese would have gladly volunteered.”
“Don’t sit there and take all of the blame for yourself,” Yoshitaka protested. “We know who really started the food riots.”
“Yoshitaka, please don’t,” Ohgi pleaded.
“Kallen needs to hear it,” Yoshitaka said. All Ohgi could do is hold his head down and accept what would come next.
“Hear what?” Kallen asked.
“There was a gang of horned-types getting the people riled up. We didn’t know who the leader was except *she* was a former Britannian. But Ohgi recognized one of them and made him tell us who it was. Kallen, is your stepmother’s first name Odessa?”
“Yes, it is, but why you’re ask...you mean my stepmother caused this?!?”
Yoshitaka nodded. “She has a small following of horned-types. Hey wait!” Yoshitaka manage to catch up with Kallen before he had a chance to fly out the window. “Listen, that’s exactly what your step-mother wants. If you attack her, you’ll be playing into her hands. Tohdoh will be here any minute now and then we can decide how best to confront your step-mother.”
“Alright, I’ll wait!” Kallen grumbled. About a few minutes later, Tohdoh showed up with the three remaining Holy Swords: Senba Ryoga, Chiba Nagisa, and Urabe Kosetsu.
“I’m glad you could come,” said Ohgi. “We could use your help with the racial tension that’s been building up here lately.”
“I’m afraid there’s a more pressing issue at hand,” said Tohdoh.
“More pressing than infighting among the Japanese?” Yoshitaka asked.
Tohdoh nodded. “Come with us.”
Tohdoh and the Holy Swords lead Kallen, Ohgi, and Yoshitaka to the medical ward where Minami was waiting. Next to him were two stallions, both were winged types. One had a bright yellow coat and brown mane and wore a pair of glasses. He was all stitched up after being in the losing end of a fight. The other looked somewhat familiar to Kallen. Zero had argued with some holier-than-thou pacifist with a dark blue mane and light blue coat. He was also a nudist. Going bare-naked was not an option when your body can no longer fit your clothes, but that was before the horned types learned to use their powers to tailor clothing for their new forms. Even the more impoverished of the Japanese would keep something over their bodies even if it was nothing more than an old shirt or jacket. The laws against public nudity were temporarily suspended but still he could have at least tried.
“Do you mind?” Kallen hinted to Minami’s patient to practice a little modesty.
“Mind what?” The blue winged stallion asked. Minami wasn’t so clueless. He tossed a sheet over the blue winged stallion.
“So, what happened to you?” Kallen asked the injured stallion.
“I’ll let him tell you,” said Minami, who then tapped the patient on the shoulder. “Urashima, they want to know what happened to you.”
Urashima nodded. “My name is Urashima Keitaro. I was out in the Pacific with Sorato. We heard about the winged-types stealing clouds from the mundane-types in the farming prefectures. We wanted to show the mundane-types that not all winged types were their enemy. So, I got some of my friends to come with us. We were having trouble finding clouds since the Chinese Federation kept snatching them up. We had to split up to cover more area. After looking for days, I saw this huge cloud and thought if we brought it back, we could make peace with the mundane-types. But there were Britannians hiding inside-must have been thousands. Also, they had all these ships...dozens of them. They looked like ocean liners and freighters but with these huge sails. And the wing types were using their powers to make wind for the ships. They chased me down and knocked me out of the sky. I was treading waters for what seemed like forever. I would have gotten tired and drowned if that fog didn’t show up and gave me something to stand on. Sorato found me the next day and patched me up enough to fly back.”
“Do you remember how fast they were going or how far off they are?” Ohgi said.
Keitaro nodded. “It took us two days to get back and those ships were moving really slow.
“I’d give them about one week if they’re working in shifts,” said the blue winged stallion.
“And you must be Sorato?” Tohdoh asked.
“I am,” Sorato nodded.
“I remember you,” said Kallen spitefully. “You’re the pacifist that kept bugging Zero about making peace with Britannia. Does it sound like Britannia wants to make peace with us? Does it?”
“No, it doesn’t.” Sorato’s ears drooped as he stared down at the floor with a frown on his face. “But there’s still time left to talk to them.”
“And go back to being their lapdops?!?” Kallen sneered.
“I never said that! All I’m asking that you tried to talk to them.”
“I’ll let this do all of the talking for me.” Kallen tapped the knife holstered to her left foreleg.
“Keitaro, Sorato, you are to stay here until we release knowledge of the Britannian armada to the public,” Tohdoh ordered.
“But my roommate will worry if I don’t come back,” said Sorato.
“Minami, inform this man’s roommate that’s he being detained for security reasons. What about you, Keitaro?”
“I’m living with my aunt, right now.”
“Tell Keitaro’s aunt as well, but only that’s being detained. If they ask why, tell them it’s classified.”
“Yes sir,” said Minami.
“Come with me. We need to speak in private.” Tohdoh motioned to Ohgi and Kallen to follow him out in the hallway. “Ohgi, Zero hasn’t been much of a leader for the past month. Will you turn over control to the Black Knights to me?”
“I don’t know,” said Ohgi. “I wouldn’t want to go over Zero’s head.”
“Wait!” Kallen cried out. “Let me talk to him. Give me one more chance to reach him.”
“Very well,” said Tohdoh, “I have no desire to usurp Zero, but you don’t have much time left. I’ll give you until tomorrow night, and then I’ll assume command.”
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“Zero’s in my room again, isn’t he?” Kallen interrogated Sayoko, who was, once again, guarding the door.
“Ms. Kōzuki, you know I’m not at liberty to dis...”
“I’m tired of hearing that excuse.”
“Ms. Kōzuki, I know this is an inconvenience to you. I’m sure Master Zero won’t mind transferring you to a different room.”
“I don’t care about the room. A race war is breaking out and Zero’s been indecisive since we came back from the refugee camp, and now an armada of Britannian ships is heading our way. What’s wrong with him, Sayoko? Did those rogue Black Knights shake him up that badly?”
“It would be a betrayal of my duties to discuss this matter.”
“Sayoko, the Japanese are turning on each other. They’ll be nothing left of Japan unless Zero acts now. If you care about being a good servant, you’d help me snap Zero out of whatever the hell is wrong with him?”
“Do you not have faith in Master Zero?”
“Not now, not when he’s like this.”
“I always have faith in Master Zero.”
“Sayoko, Zero’s only human. Something got him upset and now he’s lost the will to lead.”
“Ms. Kōzuki, I have faith in you as well,” Sayoko said without averting her glance. “I believe you will find the answers for yourself.”
“Damn you, Sayoko. I came here for answers, and you give me riddles.”
“I gave you nothing, Ms. Kōzuki. You have all the pieces you need for your answer.”
Just then, the door flew up. “Sayoko! What the hell was that racket?” Zero then noticed Kallen off to the size. “Sayoko, see to that Kallen is transferred to a new room. And you-pack your belonging and move to your new quarters by the end of the day.” Zero then stormed off.
“I’m sorry to end our conversation so abruptly, but I have my orders,” said Sayoko, who then whispered into Kallen’s ear, “and you must speak with Nunnally to put those pieces together.”
“Wait Sayoko!” Kallen called out. “What does Nunnally have...” Sayoko paid Kallen no heed and disappeared around the corner.
Nunnally is the key?!? But how? Think, Kallen. It would make perfect sense. Zero’s always in there with her. But why? And what does this have to do with the murders committed by the Black Knights. He’s been going in my room before Rivalz was murd...before *Rivalz* was murdered. But after it happened, Zero lost his nerve. And Sayoko said to talk to Nunnally about putting together the pieces. NO! It can’t be him. It couldn’t be. It can’t possibly be him. Kallen took a deep breath to steady her nerves before going back to her room.
“Kallen,” said Nunnally. “I heard a commotion outside. Is everything okay?”
“It’s nothing. I was having a friendly quarrel with Sayoko that got out of hand.” Kallen then said in the sweetest voice she could muster. “Have you seen Lelouch? He’s been missing since the transformation. Has he tried to get in contact with...”
“No he hasn’t!” Nunnally said sternly. “Please don’t talk about him anymore.”
“So, that wasn’t him talking to you? Please tell me the truth, Nunnally. You know you can trust me. Lelouch and I are classmates.”
The weight of Lelouch’s secret was getting to be too much for Nunnally to bear, and since Kallen seems to know anyway. “You can’t tell anyone.”
“Tell them what?”
“Zero has my brother hostage.”
Kallen closed her eyes and took a deep breath to brace herself for the worst. “Was that Lelouch you were talking to?”
Nunnally nodded. It’s confirmed-Lelouch is Zero. Kallen fell to her knees and trembled. How? Lelouch never cared. I confronted Lelouch and ask him about the occupation, and he showed nothing less than perfect indifference. He’d rather play the critic and judge the world from the sidelines. How could he be the very same man I idolize? “Nunnally, I need you to tell me everything.”
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about?”
“Nunnally, tell me everything about Lelouch. Don’t hold anything back.”
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“Are you sure you don’t have any tomato sauce?” C.C asked the store clerk.
“We’re in the middle of a food shortage, and you’re worried about tomato sauce? And no, the Britannians who used to run this store before they got evicted ran out before the Black Knights gave it to us. In fact, I doubt any place would have luxury items.”
“Very well, thank you for your time.” C.C. exited the store with nothing but the saddle bag on her back. “Calling tomato sauce a ‘luxury item’? The word’s really is going to hell. No, I’m not addicted to pizza. It’s just that I haven’t had any since the transformation.” While C.C. trotted along the sidewalk, a young filly galloped alongside her.
“Lady? Lady? Lady!” The young filly called out to get C.C.’s attention.
“Yes, can I help you?”
“Are you talking to your invisible friend? I have an invisible friend too. His name is Hajime. What’s your invisible friend’s name?”
“Her name is Marianne.” In reality, Marianne was no imaginary friend. She was, in fact, Marianne vi Britannia, the mother of Lelouch and Nunnally. V.V., Charles zi Britannia’s twin brother, grew jealous of Marianne and made an assassination attempt on her. Marianne, bleeding to death from multiple gunshot wounds, used her Geass to transfer her mind into the body of a girl named Anya Alstreim who was staying at the Ares Villa as an etiquette student at the time and who had witnessed the attack. When she made the transfer, Marianne formed a telepathic bond with C.C., the one who gave her the Geass.
“That’s a pretty name. My mommy said I was too old to have an invisible friend. But you’re an old lady, and you have an invisible friend.”
C. C. frowned. “Did anyone tell you it’s rude to call a woman ‘an old lady’?”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“What do you mean look to my right and left? What are you talking about?” C.C. then noticed the stallion hiding in the adjacent alley. It was the same stallion that piloted the white Knightmare. In his mouth was an electric cattle prod. On the other side of the street, was another mundane stallion with dirty blonde mane and grayish-blue fur. C.C. then noticed the Geass in his right eye.
“Hey lady, are you talking to Marianne?” Then, from the point of view of the young filly, C.C. disappeared.
“Lady?” The filly looked around. “Lady!” She called out again. “Wow! She turned invisible. I’m going to tell mommy.” Unnoticed by the filly was the partially open storm drain grating near the front of the alley. Just after she left, a pony inside slid the grating back into place.
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Kallen busted into Lelouch’s private office. “We need...to talk...” she said between breaths heavy from exhaustion.
“May I ask why you barged into my private office?” Lelouch said in a crossed voice.
“Japan is coming apart at the seams without you. You have to take responsibility and be our leader again.”
“Go pester Ohgi or Tohdoh if you believe I’m negligent in my duties.”
“I know you’re upset over what happened to Milly and Rivalz, but you have to put that to the side.”
“You know nothing about me! Keep your conjecture to yourself!”
“You can drop the act, Lelouch. I know it’s you.”
“Do you really think you uncovered out my true ide...”
“Nunnally told me everything.” Lelouch was stunned into silence. “Well, everything she knew. She told me that Zero was keeping her brother hostage and that you went to visit her, but the only person that went in and out of our room was you. I didn’t want to believe it myself. Of all the people in the world, it had to be you, Lelouch.”
Lelouch shook his head emphatically. “She wouldn’t. Nunnally would never betray...”
“No, she wouldn’t, but I backed her into a corner. She had no choice but to tell the truth.”
“What else do you know?”
“Nunnally also told me you’re both royalty, the son and daughter of the Britannian Emperor. I found that one a little hard to swallow until I looked it for myself. I never knew Britannia sent two royals as hostages to Japan until today. I’m surprised no one figured it out sooner with you both keeping your first name and all.”
Lelouch slipped off the mask. “And now what will you do with that knowledge? Will you tell the Japanese that their leader is the son of their worst enemy?”
“I ought to. I should tell all of Japan who you really are and how you deceived us, but we need you.”
Lelouch laughed bitterly. “You’re the second girl to that told me that.”
“The second?”
“Shirley was the first to tell me how much she wanted to expose me but couldn’t because I was the only one standing between them and the Japanese who wanted revenge for the occupation.”
“But Shirley has a crush on you? Why would she...”
“It’s because I left them in the refugee camp. Shirley blames me for Rivalz’ death and Milly being raped...and she’s right.” Lelouch collapsed on the floor in despair. “It’s all fault. Everyone I hold dear suffers because of my decisions.”
“Get over your self-pity! You owe it to your friends. Their suffering would be for nothing if you let Japan fall. Right now, at this moment, an armada of 70 ships and a giant cloud full of winged types is heading straight for Japan.”
Lelouch suddenly stood back on his hooves and gazed at Kallen with eyes wide open. “From where?”
“Britannia.”
“But why? They can’t maintain control over Japan without modern technology...and there’s no more sakuradite to fight over. It’s worthless to Britannia. Why fight for it?”
“Who cares why they still want Japan. All that matters is stopping them.”
“Yes,” said Lelouch as he slipped back on his mask, “all that matters is stopping Britannia.”
“Oh, and one more thing Lelouch.” Kallen fixed her cold, pitiless glare on Lelouch. “If this all a plot to become emperor of Britannia, I’ll kill you.”
“And I’ll expect you to keep your promise, Kozuki Kallen.”
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Tohdoh studied the map of the West Pacific that was bathed in the glow of a horned-type’s light. The candlelight did little to illuminate the newly christened war room.
“That’s odd. Are you sure intel calculated the coordinates where the armada was initially sighted?”
Diethard looked over the map and then back at Tohdoh. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
Tohdoh bit into a red marker and drew a line from the coordinates of the first sighting to the coordinates of the last. “With only wind power, even if they have some level of control over it, the ocean currents will deflect the Britannian fleet too far north to make landfall at Shikoku Island.” He then drew up and left to Japan. “They’ll overshoot the refugee camps and land right at Tokyo.”
“Is that’s an issue because?”
“Tohdoh,” said a familiar electronically distorted voice, “Diethard lacks your knowledge of military strategy. You may have to go into detail.”
“Welcome back Zero,” Tohdoh greeted Lelouch and was relieved that he wouldn’t have stage a coup. “Did you speak with Kōzuki?”
Lelouch nodded. “And I’m feeling more like my old self again.” Lelouch ran a hoof along the line made by Tohdoh. “And am I to assume this is the trajectory of the Britannian armada?”
“It is,” said Tohdoh. “But it’s a foolhardy gesture.”
“But isn’t taking back the Settlement their first priority?”
“But the best way to do that is to land on Shikoku Island and beef up their manpower with as many Britannian refugees as possible and set up a defense perimeter around the island. From there, they can work their way up the Japanese archipelago all the way to Tokyo. By going the direct route, the Britannians are throwing away a chance to build up their manpower and set up a fortified position. It’s bad strategy to say the least.”
“And how long before they make it Tokyo?” Lelouch asked.
“Approximately six to eight days,” said Tohdoh.
“Then I only have four days to prepare.”
“And it’ll be harder to do this time thanks to those exacerbating the racial tension between the three pony types.” Tohdoh was staring at Diethard the whole time.
“Don’t look at me, Tohdoh. I was only trying to deal with food shortages.”
“Drop it, both of you. Keep your mind on the task at hand.”
“Yes sir,” Tohdoh and Diethard said in unison.
“Tohdoh, dispatch messengers to the leaders of the three factors. It’s about time I have a word with them.”
“And if they won’t come?”
“Tell them I’ll proceed with negotiations with the other two races. Tell them they may bring as many men with them as they like. Diethard, Rakshata should be completed with the Gurren’s refits by now. Tell her to have it ready for Kallen by the day after tomorrow.”
“Tamaki,” Lelouch said the horned type lighting the room, “hand these instructions to Kallen.” Lelouch levitated papers into Tamaki’s saddlebag.
“Ugh!” Tamaki grunted. “Great, I go from being a lamp and to a messenger boy.”
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A sailing boat beached itself on the soft and sandy beach aft end first. Two horned-types first dropped anchor and then lowered the loading ramp for their two passengers, Suzaku and Rolo. The two pulled a cart carrying a large metal drum off the boat.
“Excuse me, sir,” asked Suzaku as the two horned-types hitched him to the wagon, “but what’s the name of this island?”
“This is Kamine Island,” one of the horned-types replied.
“You said enough already!” Rolo snapped.
“Pardon me, sir,” the horned-type apologized.
“You’re completed your mission. Head back to Tokyo and wait for further instructions.”
“Yes, my lord,” the horned-types saluted Rolo and began to make preparations to set sail.
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Franklin shivered in the cold, thin air of Mt. Fuji. He and Ebisawa were greeted by Lady Stadtfeld, her champion Demegawa, and five winged types.
“When they told me the second-in-command of the mundane types was a Britannian, I didn’t think it would be Baron Franklin,” Stadtfeld said in a condescending tone of voice.
“Well, actually Ebisawa and I are sort of co-leaders.”
Lady Stadtfeld laughed uproariously. “That’s quite ambitious for a deserter.”
“Franklin isn’t a deserter,” Ebisawa objected. “He was framed by his political enemies.”
Lady Stadtfeld laughed even harder. “What a gullible mundane-type." She then said to Baron Franklin. "I *almost* feel sorry that circumstance left you in the inferior race.”
Ebisawa got in Stadtfeld’s face. “Take that back, bitch!” He yelled.
Stadtfeld telekinetically shoved Ebisawa right into Franklin. “Your breath stinks, mundane.”
“You horned-types should be the ones to talk about,” one of the winged types spoke up. “We control the weather and unless either of you want to see the rain again, you’ll follow orders from us, especially if the horned and mundane types insist on following Britannians.”
“Don’t try to pit us horned types against each other,” said Demegawa.
“Hey,” a third winged type spoke up, “we’ll talk about this later. I see Zero coming up this way and he’s with a mundane and winged type.” Lelouch, Tohdoh, and, Kallen emerged from a large rock formation. Lady Stadtfeld curled her lip while staring daggers at her former step-daughter, who smirked delightfully at the thought of getting under the skin of her former step-mother.
“I’m glad you could make it, all of you.” Then Lelouch addressed each of the representatives. “You must be Ebisawa and Baron Franklin. Is that correct?” Both of them nodded. “And Ebisawa, were you once a member the Black Knights?”
“Yeah, but then I learned the hard way you horned and winged-types made the rest of us second class citizens. So excuse me for not feeling any loyalty to you.”
“And you must be Odessa Stadtfeld and this is Demegawa Hitoshi.”
Lady Stadtfeld regained her composure, put her best face forward, and smiled at Zero. “Yes,” she said, “and as a fellow...”
“Not now, I haven’t spoken with the winged types’ representatives yet.” Lelouch then asked “which one of you is the leader?”
“Well actually, we don’t have a leader right now. The rest sent us here because we kinda volunteered for the job.”
“Yes we know,” said Lady Stadtfeld. “You’re unorganized rabble. Zero, you can’t negotiate with them, especially when they don’t have leaders, and as a fellow horned-type, I trust that you will make a fair judgment that will not disadvantage our kind.”
“Oh no you don’t!” A winged-type objected.
“I knew the horned-types couldn’t be trusted.” Ebisawa shook a hoof at Lelouch.
“As if you guys are any better. You mundane-types were hogging the food.”
“You mean the food *we* grew.”
“With the water that came from our clouds.”
“You don’t own the clouds.” Ebisawa got into the winged type’s face.
“We do if we can move them.”
“So I take it you don’t wish to negotiate!” Lelouch said loudly without sounding angry. “Or have you forgotten that I still have the support of the Black Knights? If you wish to convince me to side with you, then put your bickering aside and come with me to the meeting place.” Ebisawa and the winged type huffed and backed away from each other. “Now that we put the petty squabbling to the side, we can negotiate a mutually beneficial agreement.”
The leaders of the three races followed Lelouch, Tohdoh, and Kallen along a path at the top of Mount Fuji until they were on the edge of a steep precipice facing the ocean. When they cleared the corner, Lelouch pointed at the skeletal structure with a large cylinder set in the center.
Demegawa squinted trying to study the object at a distance. “That looks like a telescope.”
“The negotiations are on hold until you take a look, all of you. Then you are free to accept or reject my offer.”
“This had better be good Zero,” said Lady Stadtfeld.
“And don’t think we’re backing down that easily,” said Ebisawa.
“We won’t settle for anything less that what is due to our race,” Franklin interjected.
As they trotted towards the edge of Mount Fuji, it became apparent that the telescope was pointed downward towards the sea. Also, there was a line cut through the cloud cover. A patch of cloud in the line of sight was cleared away.
Kallen followed beside Lady Stadtfeld and both eyed each other with nothing but contempt. “I expected you to be the last Britannian to give up her citizenship after calling the Japanese sub-human and degenerate monkeys.” Kallen then said to Demegawa. “She never told you what she really feels about us, did she?” Demegawa was beginning to look unsure of the woman he’s been following and even had a slight infatuation with.
“Pay her no mind. She’s just trying to turn our kind against each other.” Lady Stadtfeld reassured Demegawa.
“There’s no one you won’t throw under the bus for your benefit,” said Kallen. “Not my father, not Britannia, not even Japan.”
“How dare you stand in judgment of me!”
“That’s enough, both of you,” Lelouch snapped. “Put your family squabble to the side. We have more pressing matters to attend to.” Lelouch pointed to the telescope. “Lady Stadtfeld, care to be the first to take a peek?”
“How come she’s going first?” A winged-type whined.
“Fine,” said Stadtfeld, “go ahead of me. I’m not in a hurry.”
The winged-types got in line with the one objecting to Lady Stadtfeld getting first dibs.
“Oh my God!” The first winged-type blurted out. “It’s Britannia!”
Lady Stadtfeld shoved the first winged-type over. “What the hell are you…” Lady Stadtfeld would have turned white had that not already been her coat color. Ocean-going vessels, as far as the eyes could see, were being propelled by makeshift sail and all of them were flying Britannian flags. Lady Stadtfeld stepped away from the telescope in a state of shock while Franklin jumped ahead.
“According our reports,” said Lelouch, “there are a total of seventy ships and an estimated two hundred thousand winged troops stationed in a giant cloud following the fleet from above. And they’ll be within striking range of Tokyo by tomorrow evening.” Alexander Franklin was sitting on his haunches with a hoof over his chest trying not to hyperventilate while Lady Stadtfeld did a better job keeping her composure. “There isn’t a Britannian in Tokyo that didn’t take the loyalty oath.” Lady Stadtfeld could make out the smirk beneath Lelouch’s cloth mask which only made keeping the tempest of rage seeping between the cracks that much harder to suppress. “If I recalled correctly, the loyalty oath consisted of disrespecting the flag and crown. I imagine the prison sentences would be a long one, especially when traitors are as low on the pecking order as child molesters in Britannian prisons. And that’s assuming they even bother taking ex-Britannians as prisoners.”
“We’re doomed! There’s no hope for us!” Alexander Franklin collapsed and rolled up in the fetal position. “I should have never turned my back on Britannia. They’ll execute me for sure.”
“You coward!” Ebisawa raged. “You’re suppose to be on my side.”
“Against the full might of Britannia?!?” Alexander cried. “You’re better off groveling like me. They’ll go easy on you. You didn’t profane the crown like I did.”
“I can’t believe I sided with a craven coward,” Ebisawa face-hoofed.
“And what do you want from us, Zero?” Lady Stadtfeld grudgingly asked.
“Quit playing your games of sowing derision among the Japanese. The Britannians have united against us. Their three races are too busy preparing to wage war on us to be bothered with physical differences. Our enemies have put their differences aside. If we are to survive, we must do the same. Alexander Franklin, Odessa Stadtfeld, you will fare far better under the United States of Japan than with Britannia.”
“No thanks to your loyalty tests.”
“As if I would take the chance of Britannians turning on me in a situation like this,” said Zero.
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“Knight of One,” Schneizel el Britannia said with a tinge of frustration in his otherwise calm demeanor, “would you care to shed light on the actions of my father.” Schneizel’s inquiry was directed at the winged stallion with a grey coat of fur, a purple mane and matching purple beard, and his left eye stapled shut standing before him. They were on the bridge of the armada’s flagship.
Bismarck Waldstein, the Knight of One, the elite knight among elite knights bowed to the son of his beloved Emperor. “And what about your father’s action that has you so perplexed my lord?”
“First he insisted on pulling resources away from rebuilding the nation as well as troops badly needed to re-establish order to the homeland in order to invade land that has lost its primary resource. Then, against the advice of his generals and his sons, he directed the fleet away from the refugee camp on Shikoku Island and vied instead for a direct assault against Tokyo, which, according to our intelligence, has been heavily fortified since it was occupied by the Black Knights.” Schneizel then pointed to the approaching shoreline with Tokyo in its center. Above Tokyo was the Black Knight airborne division that appeared as dark thin clouds from the perspective of the Britannian fleet. “And even though the enemy is poised to attack at any moment, he’s no where to be found. As a ruler, he has neglected his royal duties and treated the very invasion he concocted as trivial.”
“And you wish to know why your father abandoned his grand armada?”
“Does it have anything to do with the ruins on Kamine Island?”
“Why, as a matter fact, yes,” Bismarck said with a self-satisfying smirk. “This invasion was merely a distraction to divert attention from the prize stolen from his enemy Zero and the means to bring him to Kamine Island.”
“And does his majesty expect his subjects to follow him after leading his armada into a faux battle?”
“Actually, he doesn’t. I have a message from your father, Prince Schneizel. He says whatever is left of the world is yours to govern, as per his royal decree, although the nature of politics would have changed greatly.”
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Kallen and Lelouch both returned to the very precipice where they revealed the Britannian armada to the three factions. Behind them was a newly erected radio tower.
“Have they found C.C. yet, Lelouch?” Kallen asked.
“Still no sign of her, I’m afraid,” Lelouch answered. “But I wouldn’t worry too much about her. She’s better at taking care of herself than either than us. Besides, we have more pressing matters at hand.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay with you?” Kallen asked Lelouch.
“Your place is with the airborne division, Kōzuki,” said Lelouch.
“But what about the Gurren Mark II? Rakshata said everything but the new anti-personnel gun is ready.”
“If we have to use the Gurren, then it means the armada made landfall. I don’t want the fleet to get that close. The plan is to gain air superiority and then bomb the armada with our remaining IEDs. The ground troops are moving the trebuchets from the Settlement siege to the shore to provide an additional layer of defense. Also, expect the Britannian forces to arm their ship with anti-air defense systems.”
Kallen nodded. “And it’s my job to lead the troops.”
“But you’ll do so with my direction. I am unable to go with you on your aerial battle, but I’ll be here watching everything from the high ground. We’ll be in constant contact with each other.”
“We should consider ourselves lucky the Britannians were late getting here.”
“They weren’t late. I lied to the leaders of the faction. It was my way of making sure they wouldn’t stall under the short time restraint.”
“You’re too good of a liar for your own good, you know.”
“You shouldn’t complain. Lying is what gotten us this far.”
“You’re still too good at it.” Kallen said as she flew away.
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Suzaku and Rolo were waiting at the entrance of a cavern when the Emperor’s chariot landed nearby. It was designed with the same esthetics as the Greco-Roman chariots except it was extended lengthwise. It was held aloft by a team of no less than twenty winged types-half in the front and half in the back.
Suzaku studied the chariot’s occupants. One was a horned type with brick red fur. This mountain of a stallion was the biggest horned type Suzaku ever saw. The only other ponies that had a similar physique were the larger mundane types. Two things about him bore a strong resemblance to the 98th Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire-the white mane styled as the wigs worn by judges over two centuries ago and his blue coat with yellow trim and purple cape. Both the hair style and uniform matched the ones worn by Charles zi Britannia when he was still a human. The second one was a dainty filly that was absolutely dwarfed by the large horned stallion. This mundane type had a long pink mane in pig tails and long bangs in the front and dark pink fur.
Suzaku bowed to the Emperor. “Sir Kururugi Suzaku, personal champion Princess Euphemia le Britannia, at your service, your majesty.”
It was then Suzaku caught sight of the third occupant. A small horned colt with melon orange fur and a platinum blonde mane so long that it dragged along the ground.
“So, I take it your mission was a success,” said the Emperor.
“C.C. awaits you inside the ruins, your majesty,” said Rolo was also bowing to Charles.
“You have both done well.”
“Your majesty, are these members of the royal family?” Suzaku asked. “Excuse my ignorance, but we weren’t notify to their change in appearance.”
“The girl is Anya Alstreim, Knight of Six, and as for the little one, I don’t have time to go into details right now.”
“It’s an honor to meet a Knight of the Round,” said Suzaku.
“No big deal,” said Anya Alstreim in an emotionless voice. She trotted closer to Suzaku. “I haven’t been much of a knight at all without the Mordred working. It must have been nice to have your Knightmare running, Sir Kururugi, even for the little while you had it.”
“Yeah, it was an interesting experience.” Suzaku mumbled. The vivid memories of cutting down Black Knights armed with only melee weapons in his Lancelot still haunted him.
“How did you manage to operate it?”
“Foot pedals, Sir Alstreim. I helped work out the kinks in the design.”
“What about the operating system? How hard was it to program to accept input from your foot pedals?”
“It wasn't as hard as you'd think,” Suzaku said. He flicked his fetlock as to mimic using the pedals. “We just...” Both Suzaku and Anya were frozen in place.
Rolo activated his Geass extending the range just enough to encompass Suzaku and Anya inside. “Your majesty, shall I eliminate Sir Kururugi? He knows of the existence of Geass.”
“That would be unnecessary bloodshed. We are too close to victory for such ruthlessness. Let Sir Kururugi bear witness to the gentle world he helped create.”
“Yes your majesty.” Rolo deactivated his Geass and allowed Suzaku and Anya to perceive time once again.
“...made a patch to interpret the commands from the pedals into commands from the original control schematics.” Suzaku finished his conversation unaware of the time skip.
“Sir Alstreim, put your conversation with Sir Kururugi on hold. We have a schedule to keep.”
“Yes, your majesty,” said Anya.
The cave came to life with the echoes of hooves as the Emperor, V.V., and Anya made their way to the ruins inside. The path inside were lined with Roman-styled stone pillars leading to steps. What appeared to be a huge double doorway with lines radiating from the center was at the very end of the cave.
“Soon,” Anya said to V.V, “the collective human unconsciousness will be destroyed, and then everyone will understand what is in each other’s hearts. Isn’t it exciting?” Anya’s mood completely changed. Her voice was livelier. She then addressed the Emperor. “It’s the world we always wanted, Charles. I can’t wait to share it with you.”
“You’re a Knight of the Round,” V.V. snapped. “Never speak to the Emperor in that familiar tone unless you wished to be stripped of your title.” Anya just snickered at V.V.
“I don’t need you to speak on my behalf,” said the Emperor to V.V as he opened the metal drum that C.C. was kept inside. “Let her express her joy freely. The destruction of the world of lies is cause for celebration. It was why our vow never to lie to one another was so important. You still believe that vow, right Big Brother?”
V.V. would not reply to Charles’ question.
Charles flipped the metal drum and C.C. spilled out with the thick, clear fluid. She coughed until the fluid that made its way into her lungs was vomited up. “Is this Kamine Island, Charles?”
“It is, and I’ve brought a familiar acquaintance with me.”
“Directorate V.V.?”
“And we brought you here to activate the Sword of Akasha,” said V.V.
“You went through a lot of trouble for that,” she said.
“It wasn’t that difficult,” Charles replied. “From Rolo’s report, you were picked up in plain sight.”
“I suppose I was becoming too complacent.”
“Had I knew a free Japan would have brought you out in the open, I would have allowed my son to take over sooner.”
“You know Lelouch is Zero?”
Charles nodded. “I knew the moment you gave him Geass.”
During the conversion with Charles and V.V., C.C. was fixated on Anya. The Knight of Six, who was a few steps behind the Emperor, waved and then winked at C.C.
“Why continue to humor my foolish son?” Charles asked. “He will not fulfill his side of the contract that you made with him for his Geass. Only I will grant you the death you so long for, C.C.”
“Yes, deep down inside, your son Lelouch would be too soft-hearted to grant my wish.”
“What are we waiting for?” Anya said enthusiastically. “Stop dragging your feet.”
“Little Brother,” V.V. bellowed, “what’s the Knight of Six doing here?”
“She’s earned the right by her contribution for the cause.”
“When has any of the Knights of the Round served the Geass Order?” Charles, rather than answer V.V.’s question, tapped the stone door. The lines etched on its surface glowed red. Charles was teleported out of the cave. “Charles! Dammit!” V.V. then glared at C.C. “Well?” He pointed to the doorway.
“You don’t have to be so pushy.” C.C. also tapped the door and was teleported out of the cave as well.
The next to go was V.V. who followed Charles and C.C’s lead. The last one to make contract with the door was Anya. But she wasn’t teleported. Instead, a spirit, an essence that possessed Anya for many years without her knowledge passed through the door. When the spirit left her body, Anya fainted.
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“You’re watching this, Zero?” Kallen’s voice crackled through the loudspeakers?
Lelouch performed a visual check on Kallen. She was speaking through a shortwave transceiver carried on the back of one Black Knight. A long wire, acting as the antenna, dangled from the box. Lelouch widen the view of the telescope. The enemy airborne division formed a wide field aerial formation.
“Stretch the left wing and take the half moon spear formation.”
“Yes, sir.”
The left side of the Black Knight airborne division drifted away from the rest of the formation. The Britannian air division moved in to check the battalion on the far left.
“Kōzuki, reverse the direction of our left wing.” About a minute later, the left side of the Black Knight formation began falling back from the rest of the airborne division.
“Not falling for it are you?”
“What was that?” Kallen asked.
“Nothing. Keep your mind on the task at hand. Now take the Pisces formation.” Lelouch watched the Britannian formation for the appropriate counter move.
“It looks as though they’re positioning themselves for a concentrated assault on our right wing.”
“Counter with the Cancer formation.”
“Yes sir.”
Lelouch kept an eye on the Britannian air division. Let’s see if I anticipate your next move correctly.
“Zero, the Britannians have taken...”
“...formation Orion. Yes, I know. Back away eight hundred meters and take formation Delta-Omega.” Now, I’m more convinced it’s you leading the armada, Schneizel. But why would make this invasion harder on yourself and take Tokyo in a direct assault with only your naval forces rather than liberate the refugee camp and strengthen your forces in the process?
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“Big Sister, did I do good? Did I? Did I?” Princess Luna pestered her elder sister. They were looking out the balcony of their watch tower at the gray cloud beneath them.
Princess Celestia gave the rain cloud over Canterlot a good looking over and then smiled at her younger sibling. “That looks very nice.” She leaned over and whispered into her ear. “Though you should tone it down a little or else the pegasi in Cloudsdale might lose their job.”
Princess Luna covered her mouth in shock. “Oh no! I’m so sorry Big Sister. I promise I won’t make another rain cloud again. Why are you laughing?” Celestia was busting a gut at how serious Luna was taking herself. She lovingly rubbed the back of her younger sister’s mane. “I was just kidding.” Princess Luna puffed up her cheeks and pouted.
“Pardon my intrusion, Princess Celestia,” a voice called out from inside the tower, “but I must have a word with you.”
“Wait for me at the throne room, Luna.”
“Yes, Big Sister.” Luna glided off the balcony giving Princess Celestia her privacy.
“I hope this is important, Fancy Pants. I don’t like sending my sister away to listen to some noble’s frivolous complaints.”
“Actually, this is about the Princess, your highness.”
“Oh is it now?”
“The historians brought to our attention that Princess Luna is much younger than she was at the time she...took on her alter ego.” It was true. Princess Luna was about the equivalent age of Rarity and Applejack’s younger sisters. Her mane did not flow as hers nor did it sparkle with twinkling stars and glowed with the soft hue of the midnight hour during a full moon. Luna’s coat was the light blue of her fillyhood and not the dark blue she sported in her mature form.
Celestia raised an eyebrow. “And you thought I wouldn’t notice? Maybe I didn’t bring it to your attention because I didn’t care for you to know.” Celestia barely raised her voice by a few decibels, and it was still enough to make Fancy Pants quiver on the inside.
“I apologize for this intrusion on Princess Luna’s privacy.”
“Don’t be,” said Celestia. “I shouldn’t be so hard on you, Fancy Pants. You don’t need to apologize on some other pony’s behalf. Was it the Bluebloods that put you up to this?”
Fancy Pants nodded
“I expected better from them. Tell them to wait a few centuries, and Luna will be exactly as she was before becoming Nightmare Moon. They can congratulate my sister upon making a full recovery assuming they’re still alive.”
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V.V. couldn’t believe his eyes. She had remained unchanged after eight years. She looked exactly the same as she did when he ‘killed’ her. The whore that seduced his younger brother stood before him exactly as she was on the night he riddled her body full of bullet holes.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost, brother-in-law.” As a human, Marianne vi Britannia towered over V.V. She was clothed in the same brown dress that she wore on the night of her assassination.
“How?!? How did you...” V.V. muttered.
“...survive? C.C. granted me the Geass to live in the hearts of others. Anya Alstreim, who was staying at our villa to be schooled in etiquette, just happened to witness my assassination. As my body was dying, the power that lay dormant inside of me awoke for the first time. I was able to transfer my mind into her body. Also, I found I could communicate with C.C on a telepathic level. That’s why she abandoned the Geass Order. I told C.C. your dirty little secret. And now I stand before you, given a form of my own by C’s World.”
V.V. shivered as his sin was being uncovered before his eyes. “You can’t believe her,” V.V. pleaded with Charles. “Marianne would say anything to drive a wedge between us.”
“Big Brother!” Charles bellowed. “You lied to me even though we swore to create a world without deceit.”
“Little Brother, why would you believe Marianne over me?”
“Your lies fool no one! I’ve always knew you were the one that tried to murder Marianne! I waited patiently for you to confess for years, but you never came to me and told the truth!”
“You temptress!” V.V. yelled at Marianne. “You turned my Little Brother against me!”
“Don’t blame your deceitfulness on Marianne. It is your doing, not hers. We’ll talk about this later, Big Brother. Now is the time to activate the Sword of Akasha and destroy the collective unconscious.” V.V. did not move or say anything from the shock of having his precious younger brother turn against him. “V.V!” Charles snapped at his elder brother.
“Yeah...right.” V.V. stuttered.
As V.V was trotting over to C.C., Marianne kicked V.V. He bounced along the ground like a stone skipping across the surface of a lake and came to rest at C.C.’s feet.
“Stop assing around, V.V,” said Marianne with a mischievous smile.
“You don’t have to be rough on him,” said Charles.
“Your brother tried to kill me, remember.”
V.V. took a deep breath and exhale before acting his Code. The symbol of Geass appeared on his forehead. The Geass symbol also appeared on C.C.’s forehead as well.
The image of the yellow murky clouds and Greek temple floating in mid-air literally shattered like a pane glass window. In its place, was a massive dome with a single pillar spiraling upward to the sky roof in the center with the image of the planet Jupiter hanging above them.
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A red aura poured out of the mouth of the cave as the island trembled. Suzaku peeked inside. The only one there was Anya, and she appeared to be unconscious. Suzaku was about to go inside to save Anya when Rolo blocked the entrance.
“The Emperor didn’t give you permission to go inside.”
“But the Knight of Six is in there,” Suzaku said as he tried to weave around Rolo. “What if it collapses with her still inside?”
“I am under orders from the Emperor to stop all unauthorized persons from entering the ruins. You know what will happen if you try.”
Suzaku backed down. Rolo gave the not-so-subtle hint that he would use his Geass if it came down to it.
“Please, I beg you, please let me help her.”
Just then, Anya screamed out and then ran out of the cave for dear life.
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Then, without warning, the blue afternoon sky turned neon colors. Mt. Fuji grumbled and shook beneath’s Lelouch’s hooves.
“Zero, something weird is going on,” Kallen panicked. “Should we fall back?”
“Ignore it! Keep your mind on the battle! That’s the only thing that should matter!”
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Night Fire directed the last of the cult members out of the cave. The tremors forced them to the surface. A few broken stalactites that broke off the ceiling darted the ground. The sky, to Night Fire’s shock, had turned neon-colors.
“The Northern Lights, at this altitude,” said Night Fire.
“This isn’t natural,” Nightmare Moon said to Night Fire.
“Then what’s causing it, your majesty?”
Nightmare Moon closed her eyes and concentrated. “Of all the audacity!”
“You know the cause?”
“Some foal is trying to destroy the collective unconscious.”
“‘The collective unconscious?’,” Night Fire repeated.
“I don’t have time to explain,” said Nightmare Moon. “Night Fire, we’re moving up the timetable. I’m taking over today before these wild ponies become the ruin of us all.”
Cheers of joy and the tapping of hooves rang out among the cult members. Their princess, their goddess would take her rightful place as the ruler of their world and bring upon it the peace of eternal night as she promised.
“Now you will excuse me. I must save my future kingdom.” The cultists were thrown back by the shockwave created when Nightmare Moon took off and broke the sound barrier.
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The world was being thrown into cataclysm as the thought elevators scattered throughout the world came to life. The skies lit up in a brilliant neon aura. But the chaos was not limited to only this world.
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As Celestia was finished admonishing the Blueblood family for their meddling, the sky burned bright neon. A slight tremor ran under Celestia and Fancy Pants’ hooves.
“Big Sister!” Princess Luna cried out as she landed on the balcony. “Big Sister! Some wield light is coming from Canterlot Tower.”
“It’s not the main vault, is it?” Celestia panicked.
“It’s the one at the end of the hallway.”
“The Elements of Harmony!” Princess Celestia blurted out. “Could you please excuse me, Fancy Pants? Luna stay here until I come back.”
“But Big Sister...”
“I said ‘stay’!”
Celestia took to the air and dashed over to Canterlot Tower. Luna was telling the truth. A red glow seeped through the seams of the main vault storing the Elements of Harmony.
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“Charles, something isn’t right.” C.C. cried out.
“Now what?” Charles bellowed.
“There another thought elevator. One that we haven’t accounted for.”
“No,” V.V. objected. “It’s not just one. There’s four...no...make it six. There’s six thought elevators that weren’t unaccounted for. They’re in close proximity to each other, and their energy signatures are overlapping. That’s why it just seems like only one.”
“Just incorporate the new thought elevators into the Ragnarok Connection.”
“Understood,” said V.V.
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Celestia removed the box containing the Elements of Harmony from the vault. It was teeming with energy. She cast the lid to the side and to her shock, all Six of the Elements was bathed in the red glow. A red bird-like symbol appeared on the gems embedded in each of the Elements.
“No,” Celestia frantically shook her head, “it can’t be.” Celestia shook away her self-doubt and gritted her teeth. “I won’t allow it. I’ll never allow it to happen.” She concentrated all of her magic on the Elements.
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A sudden jolt knocked C.C. and V.V. on their haunches.
“What the hell happened?” Marianne asked.
“It must have been feedback from the new thought elevators,” said V.V.
“Can you compensate?”
V.V. nodded. “We’ll have to give it a bit more ump.”
“Are you three sure about this?” C.C. asked.
“You want your wish fulfilled, right C.C.?” Charles asked.
C.C. nodded. “I suppose I don’t have a choice.” Once again, the Geass symbols on V.V. and C.C.’s head came to life.
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Before Celestia had a chance to put the Elements back under lock and key, the red aura returned but with a greater intensity than before. The backwash was powerful enough to push Celestia back. She braced herself but was unable to hold her ground. As Celestia was being repelled back, her hooves dug a trench into the floor. Once again, Celestia concentrated her magic on the Elements, but the aura only dimmed slightly. Whatever this force was, it was overpowering her.
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“And you don’t remember going into the cave?” Suzaku asked.
“My mind went blank just as I step inside. The next thing I knew I was lying down in the ruins.”
“I’m sorry that I couldn’t go after you but I was ordered not to.” Suzaku said as he was staring right at Rolo.
“I will not apologize for following orders, Sir Kururugi,” said Rolo.
“There are such things as mitigating circumstances, Rolo. A field operative should know that.”
“WHAT IN GOD’S NAME IS THAT!” All eyes turned to the team of winged types. One of them was pointing at a dark blur heading right for them. The blur came to a sudden stop in front of the cave entrance. Standing before them was Nightmare Moon.
“Who is it among you foals that dare destroy the collective unconscious?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Suzaku.
“Don’t play me for a foal!” Nightmare Moon tossed Suzaku against the mountainside knocking the breath out of him. “You know what I speak of! Now tell me or else suffer the consequences, foal!”
Rolo jumped in front of Suzaku. Instantly the scene changed. Rolo was on the ground clutching his chest and riving in pain. There were crescent bruises on his upper body. Rolo used his power but somehow this hybrid of a winged and horned type was not affected and had trampled him under hoof.
Nightmare Moon stood over Rolo and looked him over. “Fascinating-an earth pony able to cast spells. Not that your feeble magic had any effect on me.” Nightmare Moon laughed. “Awe, that’s what you were protecting.” The entrance to the thought elevator beckoned to her. “I’ll deal with you foals later.” Nightmare Moon flew into the cave, and upon touching the door, vanished.
Nightmare Moon found herself inside the thought elevator. It was as bizarre and alien as anyplace she’s ever been. And there, beside two spiraling pillars shaped like the ugly bloodthirsty apes clustered together were an earth pony mare and a unicorn colt. Both of them had a strange red bird-like marking on their forehead.
“So this is your doing!” Nightmare Moon shouted. “I forbid this abomination!” Nightmare Moon’s magic took hold of C.C. and V.V. by the head and wrenched their necks. Both of the immortals collapsed. Their heads flopped in an unnatural posture.
Charles stooped down and checked on C.C. and V.V. “C.C., Big Brother!”
“You were in on this as well, foal.” Nightmare Moon said to Charles. “You can forget about your plans.” Charles was levitated and pulled towards Nightmare Moon. “I’ll tear down this abomination so that it’s never used again.”
“Put my husband down, now!” Nightmare Moon was confronted by one of the very naked ape she so detested. Marianne was standing face to face with Nightmare Moon.
“I thought I rid the world of your kind.” Nightmare Moon closed her eyes for a moment and concentrated. “You’re not really flesh and blood. You’re some sort of apparition.”
“So, turning the world into farm animals was your doing?” Marianne asked with a condescending sneer on her face.
Nightmare Moon’s eyes blazed bright white. “Did you call my precious little ponies FARM ANIMALS! Away with this eye sore!” Marianne’s form disintegrated right before Charles’ eyes.
“Marianne! No!” Charles cried out.
“I’m glad I took care of that loose end. My empire of the night is truly free of ugly bloodthirsty apes. Now, then little pony, what is your name, and why would commit such a terrible misdeed?”
Charles knew this may be his only chance to complete the Ragnarok Connection and be reunited with Marianne. “You know who I am. We’re worked together as allies to destroy the collective unconscious.
“What the hay are you babbling about!”
Charles activated his Geass. “I, Charles zi Britannia, give you new memories.”
“Another foal trying to cast his feeble magic on me!” Charles backed away from Nightmare Moon who was advancing towards him. “This must be some hold over from your existence as apes. I’ll gouge out your eyes for your insolence!”
Charles saw, out of the corner of his eye, C.C. and V.V. coming back to life. If Nightmare Moon could be lured away, they’ll have enough time to recover and finish the Ragnarok Connection. Charles bowed down to her.
“That’s much better,” Nightmare Moon smirked. “But did you not say your name was Charles Britannia, the Emperor of the Britannian Empire.”
“Yes, I am the one you speak of.”
“I could never imagine an emperor bowing down to another pony so easily.”
“Britannia is a nation that respects power. And one who can mold the form of humanity and resist my Geass wields more power than any being on this planet.”
“Ge-ass,” Nightmare Moon sounded out the world. “Is that what you call your magic?”
“It is.”
“And because this Geass of yours holds no power over me, you will surrender your kingdom without any resistance?”
“All the lands under my control is now yours to reign over, my empress?”
Nightmare Moon laughed uproariously. “Empress, I love that title. Call me ‘Empress of the Night’.”
“Would you like to see your new realm, Empress of the Night?”
“I would be deligh...” Nightmare Moon’s eyes glowed bright white once again. Her face was distorted with anger. V.V. and C.C.’s recovery did not go unnoticed.
“You conniving, deceitful foal! You were trying to lure me away! I’ll put a stop to this foalishness once and for all!”
Nightmare Moon cast her magic on C.C. and V.V. turning them to stone. “And for good measure, I’ll send you to my sister and let her deal with you.” A vortex formed behind the two petrified immortals. Everything in the thought elevator not bolted down was being drawn inside the vortex.
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Suzaku nudged Rolo who had gone silent after spitting up blood. “Are you okay? Can you hear me?” When Rolo didn’t respond, Suzaku pressed his head against Rolo’s chest.
“Sir Kururugi,” Rolo moaned. “Forget about me. Save the Emperor. Something happened to the Ragnarok Connection.”
“What’s a ‘ragnarok connection’?”
“The light from the cave. It’s gone out. Something must have gone wrong.” Suzaku then noticed the glowing aura from the cave had died down.
“What that light the Emperor’s doing?”
Rolo nodded weakly and pointed at the ruins. “Go to him, Sir Kururugi.”
Suzaku then remembered the hybrid touched the stone slab at the very end of the cave before disappearing. Suzaku galloped inside the cave and touched the doorway to the thought elevator. The background shifted and Suzaku was enveloped in a powerful gush of wind. It was as though he teleported inside a typhoon.
“Your majesty! Where are you?” Suzaku called out. A barely audible cry, which was almost drown out by the gusting wind, caught Suzaku’s ear. There, at the far end of the complex was the Emperor being dragged towards the vortex. The Emperor frantically tried to keep his footing but his hooves slid along the smooth surface.
Suzaku gritted his teeth and ran in an arching semi-circle. The momentum he picked up from the running head start kept him from being drawn into the whirlwind. Suzaku tackled Charles and sent him flying out of the vortex’s jet stream. Unfortunately, for Suzaku, he came to a dead stop. All his momentum went into pushing the Emperor out of the way. Suzaku was sucked inside the vortex before it collapsed in on itself.
“Looks like your lucky day, Charles zi Britannia,” said Nightmare Moon. “I decided to give you a time out instead! Right after I make sure you’ll never use your Geass again.”
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Another barrage of missiles launched off the deck of the converted sailing ships and exploded in mid-air. Hundreds of winged Black Knights spiraled lifelessly into the waters of Tokyo Bay. From the shoreline, it looked like raindrops splashing against the surface of a pond.
“Zero, this is Trebuchet Command,” Ohgi spoke into the microphone. “Request air cover. ETA of enemy airborne division-ten minutes.”
“Trebuchet command, this is Zero. Your air support will be coming in shortly.
Lelouch switched frequencies. “Kōzuki, divert QB3 and KB4 regiments to ground support.”
“What about that storm cloud? We can’t defend them from lightning strikes.”
“Each trebuchet team has a wheeled vehicle to take cover in.”
“What good will those do?”
“Do I have to explain the principal of the Faraday Cage to you?
“No sir.”
“Good, and after you’re done, order QK5 and 6 to prepare for a cloud-to-cloud lightning barrage.”
“I’m having trouble with those regiments. They’re in a panic over the Brits’ rocket attacks.”
“Tell them to break formation momentarily and drop a few hundred feet when the Britannians fire. They’re just old-style gunpowder rockets with no guidance.”
“Yes sir.”
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Nightmare Moon emerged from the cave with her prize-the petrified body of Charles zi Britannia. The cave was engulfed in the alicorn’s magic and collapsed in on itself. Nightmare Moon made a mental note to track any remaining ‘thought elevators’ and make sure this never happened again.
Rolo, Anya, and the winged Britannians were horrified at the ‘statue’ that Nightmare Moon had in tow. The streams of ‘tears’ flowing from empty eyesockets heightened the sense of dread that beamed from the agonized expression etched in stone.
“What is that?” Nightmare Moon pointed to the flashing lights just over the horizon. “Tell me if you ever wish to see your emperor restored to his original form.” Nightmare Moon partially undid her spell. Few Britannians ever heard such excruciating screams, and none of them imagined they would escape the lips of their beloved emperor. The ‘tears’, which were the darkest of reds, once again flowed freely from the empty eye sockets before being turned back to stone.
“Our fleet is engaged in battle with the Black Knights.”
“You wild ponies never learn! I should have kept you on a short leash from the very beginning.” Once again, Nightmare Moon flew off leaving a supersonic shockwave in her wake.
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Lightning bolts darted back and forth between the various smaller clouds over the Port Yokohama docks and the one large cloud off the shore. The bodies of dead winged types rained down on Tokyo. The mundane and horned-types weren’t fairing much better. The ones on the ships were in an uphill battle with the fire bombs dropped by the Black Knights’ air troops and from the trebuchets on the shore. The Black Knights ground troops, in turn were dodging whatever heavy object the Britannian air troops could scoop off the ground and drop on their heads.
Sorato watched the bloodshed from an apartment on the Tokyo Settlement’s High Ground Level. He had failed to save these lost ponies from themselves. Even an end to the infighting between the three pony tribes was no solace to Sorato. It was only because their common foe was a threat once again. It was as though they were doomed to fight. If the enemy from without was vanquished, they would find enemies within.
Meadow Prancer placed a confronting hoof on Sorato’s shoulder. “It’s time for us to leave.”
“We can’t!” Sorato cried out. “But why?”
“Nightmare Moon is putting her plans in motion. I got the message that she’s coming this way.”
“I just need more time! Let me talk to the princess, please!”
“Drop it, Soarin’!” Meadow Prancer yelled. “If Nightmare Moon catches us here, we risk all of Equestria. Princess Celestia doesn’t want Nightmare Moon finding out we tracked her to this dimension.” Meadow Prancer brushed the bangs away from Soarin’s forehead. “You’re a Wonderbolt. You’re first duty is to Equestria.
“My duty to help everypony, not just the ones living in Equestria.”
“And maybe they’re better off with Nightmare Moon. Princess Celestia thinks so.”
“I should have never wrote those reports. It’s given her the wrong impression.”
“Soarin’, don’t kid yourself. Even dragons and diamond dogs aren’t as violent as these ponies. What if Nightmare Moon stops the fighting? Isn’t worth it to have her in control? She may these ponies’ only chance at peace.”
“And what about eternal night?”
“Nightmare Moon won’t let this world die. She turned these humans into ponies so she can have subjects to call hers. Her magic should be strong enough to keep this world alive while it’s in darkness and that’s assuming she’s able to control the sun in this dimension. And I doubt she can. Please trust the princess. If Nightmare Moon goes too far, we still have the Elements of Harmony. So, when the portal back to Equestria opens, I won’t have to drag you through, right Soarin’?”
“No, you won’t,” said Soarin’.
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“Bismarck, from your downtrodden expression, I take it my father’s plan has failed.” Schneizel’s patience for the Knight of One was growing thin. “Well?”
Bismarck stared down at the desk. His ears flopped down. “Yes, your highness. I’m afraid Ragnarok has been averted.”
“I wish I could say it wasn’t a total loss. But the eventual defeat of the Black Knights will be a Pyrrhic victory. Do you know what that means, Bismarck?”
“It means our forces will be too diminished to maintain our hold over the Tokyo Settlement.”
“And once the Elevens regroup, they’ll finish us off. I have no choice but to sacrifice a portion of our fleet so that the rest of our remaining forces can make a strategic withdraw. Worse, the Elevens may retaliate by harming the Britannian refugees on Shikoku Island. For your part in this needless bloodshed, I order you, Knight of One, to lead the forces that I have no other choice but to sacrifice for the sake of our fleet.”
“Yes, your majesty.”
It was at that moment, the flagship was rocked by a concussion force. Schneizel, Bismarck, and the bridge crew galloped outside. What looked like a glowing ember passed by at supersonic speed and then came to a sudden stop at the far end of the fleet. It then darted from ship to ship dragging the catapults and rockets off their decks and dumping it in the ocean. When it passed by the Britannian flagship and disarmed it, Schneizel could see that its coat was black as ink and it had both wings and a horn.
“Is that ‘thing’ my father’s doing, Bismarck?”
“No, your majesty, it isn’t.”
“Then what is it, Bismarck?”
“I don’t know.”
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Lelouch couldn’t believe his eyes. Something was single-handedly decimating both the Britannian armada and the Black Knights. Just after it was finished crippling the Britannians’ naval forces, the unidentified object turned its attention towards the shore line. As it flew by, a telekinetic aura collided with the siege engines and torn them to pieces. All that was left were the scraps of junk they were constructed from.
“Kōzuki! What the hell is going on out there!”
“I don’t know. We won’t have anything left to fight with if this keeps up.”
It then emitted a wave of energy that dissipated the clouds leaving only the air troops in its wake. Now, neither side had the means of launching lightning attacks.
No! Not now! Not when I was about to turn the battle around in our favor! Why must this world throw one roadblock after another in my path? No, I have to keep focused. I can’t give up. Nunnally is waiting for me back at headquarters. I have to be strong for her sake.
“Kōzuki, order the airborne troops to fall back at the Settlement and to go into the lower levels. That should cut down on its maneuverability. We can attempt to overwhelm it with superior numbers.” But there was no response. “Kōzuki! Kōzuki! Response now, dammit!”
Kallen was unable to response, for she was paralyzed with fear. The very monstrosity that had effortlessly brought the Britannian armada and the Black Knights to their knees hovered just a few feet away from her.
“Your talking box has quite the fowl mouth,” said Nightmare Moon. She flew by Kallen and examined the shortwave radio strapped to the back of Kallen’s radio operator, who was also too terror-stricken to act. “I can’t sense anything alive inside of it. What is it?”
“It’s a radio,” Kallen’s radio operator stuttered. “It’s a way to talk across long distances.”
“Amazing! Yes, I can feel the magic flowing through this wire and it’s coming from..” Nightmare Moon paused and waved her hoof around until it was pointed at Mt. Fuji. “…there.” Then, Nightmare Moon flew toward Lelouch’s position.
Kallen grabbed the microphone between her two front hooves. “Zero! Get out of there. It’s heading for your position! Run!” She then cast the mike aside and chased after Nightmare Moon.
Before Lelouch had a chance to clear out, he was intercepted by Nightmare Moon.
“So, it was the mangy outlaw leading this pointless battle. Zero isn’t it? That’s what these wild ponies call you. A fitting title if you ask me.” Nightmare Moon chuckled. “These ponies no longer need your leadership, you worthless zero! I’ll be ruling these ponies for now on.”
“I’ll show you what this mangy outlaw is capable of.” Lelouch telekinetically peeled away the eye patch covering his Geass eye. “Now die!”
Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes. “Not another one. You’re the third foal today that tried that trick! I’ve only known about this Geass for one day, and it’s already getting old.” Nightmare Moon levitated Lelouch off the ground. “Your silly little power is nothing to one such as myself.”
No, it’s not possible! It’s not fair! She bested Britannia and the Black Knights *and* she’s immune to Geass!
“What are you?” Lelouch cried out. His legs trembled and the hairs on his coat and mane stood up, not out of fear, but out of rage. Once again, he was cheated out of victory by one single opponent whose only virtue was being so powerful that it could bulldoze its way through all of Lelouch’s grand designs. Worst of all, it was gloating. It talked down to Lelouch. Her nonchalant manner screamed to Lelouch that he wasn’t a threat. He wasn’t even a nuisance.
“I am Nightmare Moon, your new empress. It was I who gave you your beautiful new body, and you will learn to love me for my act of kindness.”
“Was all this...your doing?” Lelouch raised his front hooves before Nightmare Moon.
“Why yes, my little pony. You may freely express your gratitude for the gift that has been bestowed upon your kind.”
“You think we’ll ever show you gratitude for mutilating our bodies?!?”
“You ingrate! How dare you profane my hoofiwork!”
“You force your vanity on us and expected the world to bow to you?!? We’ll never accept you as our ruler!”
“Oh you wild ponies will. And your first lesson will be NOT TRYING TO MURDER YOUR EMPRESS! And I’ll start by plucking out your Geass eye!”
Lelouch tried to free himself with his own telekinesis but Nightmare Moon’s hold was too strong.
“What futility!” Nightmare Moon chuckled in amusement. “It was I that gave you magic, and yours is but a smidgen of my power.”
Lelouch, instead of pushing away from Nightmare Moon, pulled himself towards her. It was enough to catch Nightmare Moon offguard. He then concentrated all of his power on making his horn glow and focused his power on Nightmare Moon’s eyes. The sudden flash of light overwhelmed her senses, and, in the process, she lost her concentration. Her magic slacked off enough that Lelouch pried himself free, and in a last act of desperation, leaped off the precipice.
“You dare assault your empress, foal!” Nightmare Moon regained her vision and was searching for Lelouch. When she couldn’t find him on the precipice, Nightmare Moon looked downward and saw Lelouch falling. “So you choose death rather than surrender your Geass? So be it, foal!”
Lelouch had no intention to die. He concentrated his telekinesis on himself, but it did little to slow down his fall. It wouldn’t enough. Lelouch then directed his telekinesis at the air itself. The magic aura formed a wall blocking the air acting as a telekinetic parachute. This time, the magic worked. Lelouch was slowing down, but it was taxing for him to use his power in this manner. It would give out before he could makeit safely on terra firma. As his power was about to give out, the ground was closing in faster and faster until...
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Kallen pressed forward even as her lungs burned and her wings were about to give out from exhaustion. Nightmare Moon had long passed her by and would have swatted Kallen like a gnat even if she could keep up, but it didn’t matter. Lelouch was too important to the Japanese people. Even though he was the son of the Britannian emperor, his life was more precious to Japan than all of the national treasure looted by the occupation forces combined. She had to save Lelouch even at the cost of her life.
Kallen was almost at the precipice when Nightmare Moon zipped by. What appeared to be Lelouch’s mask and cape flew alongside her, held aloft by Nightmare Moon’s magic. Both items were stained with blood. Kallen’s heart skipped a beat. What if those really were Lelouch’s? Did Nightmare Moon...No! It can’t be. No it just can’t! How will we survive without him? Kallen traced backed Nightmare Moon’s flight path to the base of Mt. Fuji. When she landed, Kallen’s worst fears were verified.
There on the ground was a broken body. Legs fractured and twisted out of place. Horn snapped in half. Blood was pouring from every gash and cut. Lelouch was sprawled on the ground beaten and bloodied hanging on for dear life.
And at that moment, the sky went dark.
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Two weeks later
A sleepy yarn escaped from Applejack’s lips as the worn out cowfilly was on her way back to the Sweet Apple Acre farms. It was a rather exhausting week. Just as she and her friends were returning from Appleloosa, Applejack had to stay on the train and head over to her cousin Peach Melba. Melba, while distracted by that weird light show, stepped in a hole in the road while hauling peaches and twisted her ankle. Applejack had to finish the peach harvest for her. The itinerary for the rest of the day was to hit the sack and get a good night’s sleep in preparation for a day of apple bucking. But as she was going through the gate, she noticed a strange earth pony she never seen before, bucking apples from their family orchid.
“What ta hay ya think ya doin’?” Applejack cried out to the stallion she was fast approaching.
“Um...may I help you?” The stallion asked while backing away from the agitated cowfilly.
“I dun need no help. Looks like u dun gone and help yerself to our apples.”
“I don’t understand.”
“If ya don’t git off our farm, yer git plenty o’ understandin’ when I buck yer but good.” It was at that moment Big Macintosh raced across the farm to Applejack.
“Hold yer horses, sis!” Big Macintosh yelled out.
“Big Macintosh, ain’t yer suppose ta be mindin’ the farm? How come yer haven’t stop that there apple thief.”
“Sis, that’s not an apple thief.”
“Well, he’in takin’ our apples. Wad else would yer call it?”
“I’d call it doin’ his job. That’s our new farm hoof.”
Applejack stared half surprised and half revolted at the stallion that was extending a friendly hoof to the cowfilly.
“Hello,” said the stallion, “my name is Suzaku.”
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I hope you enjoyed Chapter 8 of Rebel Against the Night. Yes, this is Chapter 8. The idea of doing sub-chapters isn’t going to work out. So, Chapter 6.25 is now Chapter 7. If I do subchapters, they’ll be added at the end of the existing chapter, and notify you through my fimfiction.net blog. Also, I have another Code Geass crossover that I have been neglecting. That one is long overdue to be finished. So, I have to put this one on hiatus, though I don’t have a good track record with putting Rebel Against the Night on hiatus. I made that claim before, and this story is eight chapters and 110,000 words long. Hopefully, the next time I post the next chapter, Zero vs. Kira will be finished