"We will ambush Cornelia's army at the bridge connecting the west coast to the Capital. Neil and C.C, you take care of Guilford. Roku and Shio, you take care of Jeremiah. Haru, Travis, Leo and Hiro will deal with the other knightmare frames. I will deal with Cornelia myself," said Zero to the Black Knights. " Kallen, I will leave you to pilot the Gawain."
"Got it," replies Kallen.
"We will commence our attack when Cornelia is at the middle of the bridge. We must make sure not to have a single scratch to the Gawain. If someone is piloting the knightmare frame, C.C, I will let you take care of that for me," Zero added.
"Sure thing," C.C responded. "Kallen, you must be alert at all times since you will be the pilot of that Knightmare Frame."
"I know that without you telling me," Kallen replied as she rolls her eyes in irritation.
"That's all for now. I will give orders during the attack so be alert at all times," said Zero.
C.C heads to the elevator to take her leave when Zero noticed her.
"Oi, where do you think you're going?" he asks.
"I'm going back since I'm sleepy," the witch replied. "I will wait for you back there."
The witch smirks before the elevator closes. Her words left some misunderstanding with the Black Knights.
"That girl, doing whatever she wants," Zero commented.
"Aren't you having some favoritism here? You're letting that woman does what she wants when we're having an important matter to discuss," Kallen retorted with anger.
"Just let her be. She can be relied upon and she has the biggest task tomorrow so please let her off the hook for now," replied Zero.
Kallen simply clicked her tongue before going to her quarters.
"You also rest well. Tomorrow will be a long day," said Zero before taking his leave.
"I am sure that those two live under the same roof," said Roku.
"No doubt about it," Travis agreed.
"Don't you think Kallen is always moody whenever she's with C.C?" Neil asks.
"Hahahaha, I bet she doesn't like her much," Shio replies.
"Is this a love triangle?" Neil said.
"Let's just go and rest," Haru said. They all head to their own quarters and had their rest.
C.C who has slept early wakes up at dawn and finds Lelouch still fast asleep at the couch. She goes to the shower and wears her straitjacket after.
When she's ready, Lelouch wakes up and sees her at his bed eating her pizza.
"Hurry up, boya," she says.
"You're unexpectedly early today," Lelouch counters as he sits down to fully wake up.
"Who do you think made me do it?" asks the immortal witch.
After some time, the two depart and head to the headquarters. Upon arriving, the Black Knights are already prepared. Each of them pilots their own Knightmare Frames. They head to the bridge where they will ambush the Britannian Army. Neil implanted bombs under the bridge before they all went to their positions. When the sun rises, the Britannian Army and the Gawain is already on sight.
"Get ready to attack after the bombs explode," Zero orders. "We will have the Gawain, sister."
Princess Cornelia is on the lead and Guilford is right beside her. Zero sees a familiar knightmare frame that he didn't take into account.
"Travis and Leo, you take on the Lancelot," he said.
"Roger," the two replied.
"I've never thought that you'd be a part of this, Suzaku," Lelouch thought but he will still fight for his goals even if it means fighting his best friend.
When Cornelia and Guilford are on the middle of the bridge, the bombs explode consecutively. The bridge collapses,thus, Cornelia and her right hand-in-command and the other army fall on the cliff.
"What?!" Princess Cornelia yells in surprise. "Don't tell me it's Zero? Damn it!! Guard the Gawain!! Don't let Zero take that!!"
"Now!!" Zero signaled the Black Knights and they attacked the army.
Lancelot immediately takes action but two of the Black Knights block him. Guilford and Cornelia are able to get out from the cliff and attack the Black Knights.
The Black Knights follow Zero's instruction according to plan, thus, they are able to fight the Britannian Army. Travis and Leo are taken down by Suzaku and he charges towards Zero making a great damage on his knightmare frame.
"Darn it!!" Zero curses under his breath. His knightmare frame's left arm couldn't move well due to Suzaku's attack.
But despite that, Neil is able to fight one-on-one with Guilford giving C.C the time to support Zero against Suzaku. Since the Lancelot is far better-made than Zero's and C.C's knightmare frames, Suzaku is able to take them down.
"Looks like this knightmare is of no use anymore," says C.C as she ejects herself to safety. She sees Kallen struggling to fight off the guards of the Gawain. She goes near and helps the red-haired girl.
Haru and Travis are almost defeated by Princess Cornelia but the Gawain protected them from the powerful jab from Princess Cornelia's knightmare frame.
"What?!" Princess Cornelia says in confusion. "Don't tell me they've already got Gawain?!"
"Zero, it's time," C.C says after making sure Kallen is now controlling the Gawain.
"Zero!!!" Princess Cornelia yells out in anger upon seeing him standing on top of one of the damaged knightmare frames.
"This Gawain is mine, Princess Cornelia," he replies. "If you give freedom to the Japanese, then this rebellion should end."
"Shut up, you rebel!!!" the princess yells as she charges on him. Lancelot is about to back up the princess but Neil and the others stop him from going near her.
"Kallen, you pilot this knightmare. I will operate its weapons," orders Zero upon entering the Gawain.
"Who are you? How come there are two Zeros?" asks Kallen in confusion.
"I'm the real Zero. That one out there is C.C," replied Zero. "Now, attack Cornelia."
"Roger," Kallen replies. The two help the others until everyone is able to get their upgraded knightmare frames from the Britannian Army. On the other hand, Lancelot cornered the fake Zero.
"Surrender yourself before you get hurt," Suzaku commands but he is attacked by the Black Knights and C.C enters in one of the stolen knightmare frames.
"Let's see who will surrender," says C.C as she attacks him.
"Darn it!!" Suzaku curses. "Zero!!"
Princess Cornelia couldn't move her knightmare frame due to damage as well as Lancelot made by the Gawain. They are left by Black Knights who successfully got the Gawain from the army.
"We're done for," says the princess to herself as she watches the Gawain fly away from them. "Darn that Zero!!"
"Head to the headquarters," Zero ordered.
Upon arriving at their headquarters, the Black Knights celebrate their victory.
"Where's Zero?" asks Neil.
"Maybe he's still outside," replies Kallen who is ordered by Zero to enter the headquarters first.
"Talk about the devil," says Troy. They all look at the elevator and are shocked to see two Zeros except for Kallen who already knew that one of them is C.C.
"That was tiring," said C.C as she takes off her mask.
"Why'd you pretend to be Zero?" Travis asks.
"To confuse the enemy of course," the witch replies. "Zero, I want some pizza delivered in my quarters."
C.C enters in Zero's private quarter leaving an irritated Lelouch.
"You witch, taking advantage of the situation," he scoffs.
"Pizza? I baked some," says Leo as he hands a big plate of pizza to Zero.
Zero takes it and goes to his quarters with a grumpy mood.
"That was fast," C.C says as she snatch the pizza from Lelouch.
Lelouch takes his mask off and glares at the witch who is now sitting comfortably on the couch while eating her pizza.
"So, what's next?" asks C.C. "We took the Gawain and the knightmare frames are now upgraded. What will we do next?"
"For now, let's not take any action until news about Zero will die down. If not, let's wait for the next move of the royalty," Lelouch replied.
While Zero and the Black Knights are now having their rest, Princess Cornelia isn't as calm as before.
"Could you track the location of Gawain?" she asks.
"I am sorry but I can't. We didn't install any locating bug in it," replied Nina.
"Darn it!!!" the princess cursed. "That Zero totally got us. I won't let him escape the next time I encounter him."
"Do you want me to lend you a hand?" asks Prince Schneizel.
"No, I can do it myself," replied the princess with gritted teeth.
"Really? Zero has escaped from you not just once but twice," said the prince. "I think I should take over this matter before the emperor has to involve himself. And they even got the Gawain. You know that that Knightmare Frame is on the same level as yours."
"Don't get so cocky. I could handle Zero myself," Princess Cornelia insisted. "I will get the Gawain back."
"Anyway, how's Lelouch and Nunally?" the prince asks.
"Why are you asking that now?" - Princess Cornelia. "It's unusual of you to ask his situation."
"I have a feeling that he's probably involved in this rebellion," -Prince Schneizel.
"Why would he rebel against his own family?" -Princess Cornelia.
"Have you forgotten that father sent him and Nunally to Japan? That is enough reason to rebel against us," Prince Clovis said as he enters the scene.
"He accepted being thrown away. And before Empress Marianne died, he renounced his title so it only means he has no interest in becoming the next emperor," Princess Cornelia replied.
"Well, I guess you're right. He is the kind of person who only thinks of his younger sister's safety rather than saving people he don't know," Prince Schneizel said.
"I will get Zero. I will make him pay for what he did to me," says Prince Clovis who just recovered from his wounds.
"Hahaha, I have never thought that you're welcoming banquet would be that disastrous," Prince Schneizel commented before leaving the two.
"So, do you have any information on who Zero is?" asks Prince Clovis.
"Unfortunately, no. Even his minions are still unknown," replied Princess Cornelia. "But the next time he appears, he won't be able to escape from me again. I will definitely catch him."
On the other hand, Lelouch and C.C arrive at the house safely.
Upon seeing the bed, Lelouch lays down lazily.
"I'm so beat," he groaned. C.C gets on the bed and caresses the head of the prince.
"Physically weak, aren't you?" she says as she brushes his hair with her hand.
"I have no energy left to fight with you," the prince says in a low tone of voice. "Let me sleep for now."
"Should I take over for the time being?" suggested C.C, still brushing his hair softly.
"No, we won't be taking any action for now," replies Lelouch with his eyes closed. "Would you sleep already? You must have been tired since a while ago."
"Concerned, huh," C.C commented. "So unusual of you."
"Shut up, witch," said Lelouch before drifting to sleep. C.C smiles before she sleeps deeply beside the prince.