Unnamed

Claudius p.o.v

Truth be told, I was surprised that Kallen was at home when I decided to visit with Naoto.

While the original intent of this visit was to meet with his stepmother and make peace with his mother, the latter would be more difficult with Kallen here.

Kallen being present wasn't a good or bad thing, but it did present a challenge.

No doubt she'll try and tempt her brother into joining up with the Black Knights and running away together, however, the Naoto that was here now and the brother that she knew are two very different people.

I had faith that his loyalty was all but assured, but today will either cement it or all my efforts would be for not.

Although the guards I have on the perimeter, the presence of Mary, as well as members of my personal forces, reassured me that any kind betrayal of my trust would be short-lived.

That was a fact that Naoto knew, but I didn't envy the man's job from talking to his fiery younger sister about him joining forces with a prince of Britannia.

Naoto p.o.v.

Recently I have gotten used to the antics of Claudius.

For all the good things you hear about him and what he does, he really seems to be a guy who wants to have fun.

Apparently last minute requests to leave and go off somewhere were common for the prince so no one thought it strange.

I had also started to feel like I belonged with the rest of the prince's forces, as they were all welcoming, but expected me to pull my weight.

For all the pressure to succeed, there was a sort of pseudo family atmosphere about the Ouroboros Crops.

Everyone in their own way had to fight and work their way to get here, and their struggle to succeed led them to join the prince's forces.

Which made me feel guilty about being just let in.

Although I have begun to earn my place, I knew I had to work harder, train in Knightmare simulators longer, and take every opportunity I was given to legitimize my place among so many elite pilots and experts that made up the prince's forces.

And to repent for what I have done to my own people.

But I was surprised when I was told to get ready to go by Mary, along with a small accompaniment, for a protective detail on an official visit.

I sat with the prince and his knight in the black car while the rest of the soldiers occupied other identical cars in the convoy.

After a silent ride, the car stopped and I stepped out in front of my father's home.

I was surprised that Claudius was coming here out of the blue, but when I asked why he merely said it was a habit of him to visit as many families of new subordinates as he could.

I know I should be happy that I'm getting a chance to see my family again, an opportunity that seemed unlikely in prison until the prince got me out of there.

However I was nervous, not that he knew where my family was.

He already knew all of that and more.

No, I was wondering why now of all times would he choose to let me see my family.

This couldn't just be a home visit; this must be a test of some sorts.

Now the looks Mary and the other guards were giving me made sense.

I lead the way up to the front door, then I knocked on the door to the home I ran away from years ago, waiting for someone to answer the door.

To my surprise, it was my mother who answered the door.

I hardly recognized her after all these years away.

She was thinner than I remembered but still dressed in a maid's outfit.

"Naoto, is it really you?" My mother asked shocked at my sudden appearance at the front door.

"Yeah it's me, mom," I couldn't say anything more as my mother immediately began sobbing and grabbed hold of me in a hug, fearful I would disappear if she would let go.

I hugged back and teared up a bit as well as I held my mother's quivering form as I never thought a few months ago I would ever see her again.

My stepmother, who heard the commotion, came out to see what was happening and was shocked at my reappearance but was even more surprised as Prince Char walked into the door.

I was thankful for Claudius handling my stepmother as well as my father because I doubted I would be able to come here alone and be able to face them and explain everything.

Although even with his help distracting them, that still left my little sister Kallen.

Speaking of which, she had decided to jump from the second flight of stairs into my arms and I had to catch her before her face met the floor.

After the Prince came back and gave me some more time, I took Kallen and my mother off to a side room to explain things.

"Where have you been, it's been months?" Kallen asked as she wiped her tears from her red face.

I paused as I thought what I could say in front of not just Kallen, but my mother as well.

Especially with the prince's people everywhere covering the estate.

"I've joined the prince's personal forces as a Lieutenant," I said not pretending to avoid the pressing issue.

While they both suspected much, it still didn't stop them from being surprised by my actions.

While my mother was silent in the corner of the room, just happy I guess for me being alive.

"WHAT!"

Kallen was much more vocal in her reaction.

"I also talked to our father and he's agreed to reinstate me as heir of the family."

If my previous statement shocked Kallen, now she was absolutely livid.

I knew that things would get ugly with her, so I turned to my mother.

"Mother can I speak to Kallen alone, I promise I'll explain things later okay."

My mother nodded and gave me a reassuring smile and left towards the kitchen leaving me with an irate little sister to deal with.

"Ok, start talking now!" My sister demanded as she crossed her arms and scowled at me.

"It's a long story," I began.

"Then tell me, where have you been, why are you with a prince of Britannia, and why the hell are you back taking the name Stadtfelt, abandoning everyone and your dream of a free Japan?" My sister demanded cutting me off.

I paused gathering my thoughts.

I knew explaining things to Kallen would be difficult and I doubt she'll understand but here goes.

"After the mission to spy on Prince Clovis's chemical weapons project I was captured, after that for the next three weeks, I was tortured multiple times a day."

Kallen was both horrified of both what I went through, but she wasn't satisfied by my barebones story.

So I continued.

"But the fourth week there, Claudius rescued me from that hellhole and offered me a second chance, so here I am a member of his personal forces."

"That can't be all of it, my brother wouldn't betray everything he believed and join Britannia. What aren't you telling me?"

Her words stung me, but I couldn't tell her the whole truth about Code R or what was discussed between Claudius and me.

I still wasn't sure if this was a test and if I was under surveillance.

Also, I didn't want to put my family in any more danger than I had to after all that's happened.

"I can't get into the details, but I can tell you that I'm doing this for our family's sake." My answer left Kallen less than unsatisfied.

"So you are betraying me, Ohgi, the others, and Japan for titles and that worthless excuse for a maid!"

"NO!" I shouted silencing my sister who flinched at my outburst.

While I may have disagreed with my mother's choices in the past, I still loved her and hearing my own sister demean her was too much for me right now

"You can say anything you want to me, but don't bring our mother into this you hear me," I said, spitting out the words in anger at my sister.

"I'm doing this to protect you, mother, and the Japanese people," I said, speaking my new creed to my less than receptive little sister.

"What a joke, all your doing is bowing your head to Britannia your nothing more than a slave."

I felt awful doing this to her, but I had to protect her, even if she doesn't stop fighting I could, at least, protect her from the Prince.

"Do you think I had a choice?" I asked my sister in a low and quiet voice that caught her off guard as I lowered my head to the floor.

"When I was thrown into that cell after the guards had finished torturing me, I had resigned myself to die. But, as time went on, I starting thinking about you and mother and not being able to see you all again," tears were streaming down my face dripping onto the floor as I spoke.

"My resolve began to break little by little until there was nothing but darkness and despair. I prayed that I could see you both again. And that prayer was answered when the prince found me and pulled me out of that hellhole. He offered me a choice, work for him and live or die in that prison."

I looked up at my sister who didn't look angry but surprised hearing me bear all my weakness in front of her.

To her, I must seem like a different person than the brother she used to know, and she wasn't wrong I have changed.

I'm no longer the man I once was.

"So I took the offer to not only live but to see you again, so I'm sorry for being selfish."

My words caused Kallen to shrink back and had her at a loss for words.

I took a few moments to wipe away my tears and breathe, as we both were silent for a minute.

"Kallen, please. Tell me the truth, are you a member of the Black Knights?"

My sister was shocked at my question, as her expression clearly showed and was about to say something before I cut her off.

"Don't deny it, I recognized Ohgi and the others even with those ridiculous disguises, I just want to hear it from you."

If Kallen was distressed, now she was literally terrified looking at the doors half expecting armed soldiers to burst in at any moment.

"Just a yes or no will do," I said in a flat tone of voice already knowing that my sister has gotten involved with the most wanted terrorist in the world.

My younger sister was quiet until she gave a slight nod barely noticeable, but I caught it.

"I see, and I suppose it would be too much for me to ask for you to quit and walk away."

Kallen was silent, so I took her silence as a yes that she wouldn't stop.

Besides, I doubt anyone could stop her from wanting to fight to free Japan.

"I guess that's another reason I can't leave and run away from all this."

My sister looked to me curious to what I meant.

"What do you mean?" she asked, all life from her voice seemed to have left her as she was emotionally drained.

"I think Prince Claudius knows as well, but he's not acting on it for some reason, so I'm not going to give him an excuse to go after my friends and loved ones if I just run away."

Understanding and fear came over Kallen at the implications of my statement.

"I'm sorry I can't tell you everything, but I'm done with terrorism," I said with a tone of finality, not leaving any room for a debate about how the Black Knights and Zero are different.

While they were better than most resistance groups, they weren't helping the poor, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, or doing anything to help the people.

They were in it for themselves and the only thing they wanted was power.

However, like all resistance groups, they needed the peoples' support, hence their knights for justice routine and cleaning up the settlement.

But I knew once they held real power they wouldn't be worried about the people anymore, they would be just focused on taking down Britannia and freeing Japan no matter what.

Still I was sure if I never was captured and met the prince, I probably would be right alongside everyone else in the fight to free Japan.

But now, I can't go back to how things were.

I had to protect the people close to me and I placed my faith in the prince to help change things for the people without all the bloodshed that freeing Japan would take.

Which I knew first hand from the deaths my own actions have caused and the reckless actions of others have caused.

Even if it meant fighting my friends, family comes first as I had no other options, and I think this is the way for me to redeem myself not just for myself but for all the people's blood that is in my hands.

"I have found a new way to help people along with protecting you and mother so hate me all you want, I won't stop protecting you."

I was about to turn and leave when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me from behind.

"I could never hate you, just promise me you'll won't disappear again," Kallen said, burying her face in my back.

I turned around in her embrace and returned it holding my sister in a comforting hug that was very different from the joy-filled one we shared earlier.

"Kallen, just promise me one thing, will you?"

My sister looked up at me with red, teary eyes and nodded.

"Please, don't tell Ohgi and the others about me, at least right away. This is my path, don't let my choices determine what they do with their lives, the same goes for you too."

Surprised at my request Kallen silently nodded and buried her face in my dress uniform staining it with her tears.

After a while, we separated, with Kallen going up to her room to rest while I went to talk to my mother about my situation.

Thankfully, my talk with my mother was less tense but still was emotional.

More for her when she couldn't stop crying about being so happy that her son was back.

It was comforting to see her again even if she was a maid in the house.

When I asked why she grew uncomfortable, but eventually said it was so she could be a part of Kallen's life.

I was shocked at how much my own mother sacrificed for our family as well.

And I felt like terrible for thinking badly of her when I first heard about it after I ran away from home all those years ago.

She was a stronger person than I ever gave her credit for.

I hugged and apologized to her for leaving her all those years ago and promised I wouldn't run away again.

Eventually, after finishing my business, I sought out Char to ask to leave.

With my business complete I had to return to base.

While this was my family home, I still was required to live on base with the rest of the men. At least until whenever my probation is up.

Kallen p.o.v.

Sitting on top of my red painted Burai, I was in a daze thinking about everything that has happened today.

Ignoring the meeting with Milly, I was reunited with my missing, presumed dead, brother, who joined the forces of a prince of Britannia. He knows I'm a part of the Black Knights and is trying to protect me by serving the prince.

My head was still spinning from everything and I didn't know what to make of it all.

While I was happy my brother is alive, I still couldn't understand what could have happened to cause my brother to change so much in such little time.

Then there was that Prince Claudius.

After meeting him in person I could say he acted like any other high and mighty noble, but at the same time, he seemed different at the same time.

When he kissed my hand, I was torn between feeling disgusted and embarrassed.

When he left with my brother and his men in tow, I decided to research what kind of man had both saved and corrupted my brother.

To my surprise, I found online that people couldn't stop saying good things about him.

From news sites to fan clubs it seemed that Claudius el Britannia was loved by almost everyone.

Still I looked deeper sifting through records, news, and even dreaded fan club sites.

Eventually, I found information on his military exploits and career.

When I saw that he was an ace Knightmare pilot I dug deeper and found pictures of his personal Knightmare.

To my surprise, his personal Knightmare just happened to be the same one that saved my life in Shinjuku.

There was no mistaking that the blue and gold Knightmare was an exact match to Merlin.

Strange as its namesake may be, that made the marching no less menacing as I heard of what he did to us in Shinjuku.

Still in a weird way, I felt that I owed the Prince for not just saving my brother's life but my own life as well.

"What the hell is Zero thinking, after all, his talk of bringing down Britannia he's just got us running around helping the police," Tamaki said while waiting for Zero's signal to move in on a refrain distribution center.

"Still feels pretty good to have the will of the people behind us, though," Ohgi added.

"Yeah we're totally heroes on the net," Said Sugiyama, enthusiastic over our celebrity status as self-proclaimed knights for justice.

"Are we in the right, I don't know anymore," I said aloud doubting our cause.

Was my brother right to get out, or was he being forced against his will to protect all of us? I still didn't know the truth.

"Kallen?" Ohgi asked wanting to know what was eating at me, but I couldn't tell him or anyone the truth, or the Black Knights would be finished.

Eventually, we got the signal from Zero to move in, so I pushed out all thoughts of my family and began to focus solely on the mission, and started up my Burai.

A few minutes later, Ohgi and the others shot through the door and broke it down, and then all hell broke loose.

Gunfire erupted from the drug dealers and us, it was then I charged in firing my Knightmare rifle causing the criminals to run for it or get cut down by my machine.

"These Knightmares really are amazing, just one of them is an army of its own."

I then burst through a closing shutter ready for whatever came next.

But, instead of armed criminals, there were dozens of addicts all stumbling around in the dark high off the effects of Refrain.

There were all trapped in their own little world, unaware of the battle outside.

Suddenly a woman walks in front of my Burai and trips, so I reach out to catch her.

"Naoto, I told you to look after your little sister."

To my horror, the woman in my Knightmare's left hand was none other than my own mother.

"My god woman, first you bow down to Britannia, then father, and now this. Just how weak are you?" I said with gritted teeth.

Before I could do anything about my refrain-addicted mother, I came under fire and my Burai's right arm was destroyed by gunfire.

Looking behind me, I saw a police Knightmare with a sub-machine gun pistol trained on me.

"The knight police!" I shouted from my Knightmare that echoed throughout the warehouse.

After I shouted the corrupt police unit opened fire again, but this time I shot off, evading his fire with my mother in tow.

The Knightmare pursued me as I dodged and weaved through the warehouse.

However, with my mother in my only available arm left, I was at a disadvantage.

I couldn't fight back without risking her getting hurt.

So that left me with a choice.

Continue to run and protect my mother, or drop her and fight back against the police unit.

I looked at my Knightmare's hand and the prone form of my mother, which made me cringe at my options.

But, if I didn't do something, the both of us were going to die.

"Dammit, I don't want you, I don't need you!"

I wailed out as I lifted my Knightmare's arm to toss my mother aside, but my legs were taken out from under me and my Knightmare slid across the floor, now down to one leg and one arm.

Looking at to where my mother was, I spotted her unharmed face down on the floor.

"Kallen, Naoto," she murmured our names while the other Knightmare opened fire again.

I took the punishment, because if I moved then, my mother would be cut down.

"Go on, run, please get out of here," I begged my mother to escape while I shielded her.

My pleas, however, fell on deaf ears as she recognized my voice and merely turned and smiled.

"Get going you idiot!" I screamed at her.

"I'm here for you Kallen like I've always been."

What?

So all that time you stayed in father's house was for me.

I was shocked at my mother's words, but didn't have time to react as the police Knightmare that had emptied his gun, now came at me with a steel Knightmare combat knife.

I struggled against the machine above me, pressing down to try and destroy my cockpit, but an idea came to mind, as it was the only option I had left.

I aimed my slash harkens at the storage shelves across from me and fired.

"I guess I'm the real idiot here," I said as I pulled both Knightmares toward the shelves.

While I was safe near the ground, the police Knightmare's cockpit was sliced in half by the reinforced steel shelf, decapitating the pilot.

I barely had time to breathe as Ohgi and the others rushed to help me out of my damaged machine.

But, when I got out, I rushed towards my mother to see if she was all right.

It wasn't until I was called later when the authorities arrived and took her along with the rest to a hospital could I really know if she was all right.

"She can't speak right now as a side effect of the refrain. She'll recover eventually, but it will take time," A police liaison said to me.

Although my mother was getting the treatment she needed, the police were going to press charges for drug possession.

And because my mother was just an eleven there was nothing to be done.

"Mother you were sentenced to twenty years, but just you wait, I'm working to change things. When you get out, I swear to you, I'll make the world a place where we can live a normal life again so, please mother…" I began to tear up until my mother reached out and grasped my hand.

"Hang in there, hang in there, Kallen, my little girl."

I wasn't sure if she understood what I said, but even now she just wanted to take care of me.

Although I had tears in my eyes, I had a smile on my face, knowing that I had something to fight for.

I would change things so that you, Naoto, and I could be a family again.

But for that to happen, I first needed to save my brother.

Even if that Prince did save my life and my brother's, he still was making my brother serve him.

He also may know about me, Ohgi, and the others are apart of the Black Knights.

Now I knew what I had to do to protect the people I love and for that I would need to defeat Britannia.