Power of the Kings

Fighting Together

I curl up on the couch in the main area of the hideout. My mask clutched to my stomach. The news on the flatscreen that I can't hear but I can surely hear.

"Atsushi Sawasaki, leader of the forces that have occupied Fukuoka military base," the male announcer is monotone, "was Chief Cabinet Member of the Kururugi administration in the former nation of Japan. After the war, he fled to the Chinese Federation, but is apparently making his move in response to the recent civil unrest caused by Zero. Whether the Black Knights played a role in these events is currently under investigation."

"We're not part of it!" Tamaki exclaims.

"What does Kyoto say about it?" Ohgi asks.

"They didn't know it was coming," Diethard says. "They have just been notified of his unilateral claims over the Sakuradite mining rights."

"Zero, Infinity, it's our move," Kallen looks back at Zero who is standing in front of me. "What do we do?"

"We get the submarine team together, and we head out for them," I answer. "I'm sure that Zero has a more in depth plan than that, but we have to go out there. They've basically called us to do so, and not doing so won't help us, but it is unclear if it would hurt us."

"Sakura is right," Lelouch says. "We need to head out now, so send out a call to those that are permitted to board the submarine."

It doesn't take long for us to all get to the submarine, as we are all on edge with how much attention we've been getting. All the Black Knights are always waiting for a message on what to do next. Once we are cruising beneath the waves, Lelouch and I take our positions addressing everyone. Diethard, Kallen, Ohgi, and Tohdoh standing up front with us as the plan is delivered. To tell them we won't be assisting.

"Wait, so you're saying..." Tamaki leaves his thought unfinished.

"We aren't going to collaborate with Sawasaki," Lelouch says. "He is dependent. A puppet of the Chinese Federation."

"But he says he's fighting for Japan," Urabe, one of the Four Holy Swords with dark blue hair, speaks up.

"We'd get a new name and a new master, but there would be no real change," I reply. "His Japan is a sham."

"Yeah, so what you're really saying is..." Asahina, a Four Holy Sword with a scar that goes over his eye, starts.

"When Britannia strikes back, we play dead?" Urabe completes the thought for Asahina.

"Zero, perhaps you'd better clarify our overall mission," Diethard says.

"Yeah, he's right," Ohgi looks at Zero. "Even with the Sawasaki issues aside, what's our mid-term goal with doing all this?"

"To make Tokyo an independent nation!" Lelouch declares.

The group bursts with gasps of shock and confusion.

"Independent?" Kallen blurts out.

"A nation?" multiple people ask.

"Are you serious? Us? A country?" ripples all over the Black Knights with us.

"I thought so," Diethard is in awe. "He's going all the way."

"Now wait a minute!" Ohgi calls out. "No matter how big the Black Knights have expanded to-"

"Our enemy is an empire that controls a third of the world!" Chiba firmly states.

"We can't pull that off alone!" Tamaki takes a step forward.