Amazon Forest
The Amazon rainforest is usually peaceful, but tonight was different. Even in the middle of the night, flashes of light could be seen coming from gunshots as battle raged.
This wasn't the usual conflict between Britannia's forces and the resistance. Tonight, different groups clashed in the jungle darkness.
One was a mercenary group that worked for Britannia but whose biggest employer was The Patriots—they usually took orders directly from Zero himself.
They were the Haven Troopers.
On the ground, two different types of mech suits battled one another. One was the usual outdated Knightmare frame, and the other was the Haven Troopers' personally updated Gekko units—specially designed for them thanks to The Patriots' engineering.
As both sides opened fire, the Haven Trooper units clearly had the upper hand. Several bombs exploded in front of the Haven Troopers, making them step backward to avoid the blast.
"Hey! Tell those Brits to bomb the other guys!" one Haven Trooper yelled as he easily gunned down several resistance fighters.
"Those nanomachine-less bastards don't give a shit!" another Haven Trooper shouted while continuing to fire on the terrorist group. "They're too busy with their outdated tech back home!"
One Haven Trooper spotted a resistance mech rushing toward them. With quick reflexes, he slammed his robotic fist straight through the chest plate and squeezed the pilot inside. When he pulled his hand back out, blood covered the Haven Trooper mech's fingers.
"Not bad," he chuckled. "Works out to about two a day if you don't count Sundays."
Just then, they spotted a squad of Knightmares heading toward them. Before anyone could fire, the sound of a high-frequency blade cut through the night air as another mech suit jumped in front of the squad. Wielding a long HF blade, it sliced through the Knightmares one by one, sending pieces of metal flying with each cut.
When finished, the suit turned around and approached the Haven Trooper soldiers, resting the weapon over its shoulder.
"Don't worry, boys and girls. I got a message from the boss saying we're done with this shithole and the Brits here," the pilot inside announced.
"About fucking time!" the Haven Trooper soldiers cheered, looking to the sky where another suit was flying around.
The flying mech landed and aimed a weapon at some nearby trees. A long line of fire shot out, burning several resistance fighters who had been hiding with rockets that exploded in the heat.
The flying mech landed next to the HF blade mech and turned toward it. "So what new battlefield has The Patriots got us in this time, Vamp?"
The pilot in the HF blade mech gave a small chuckle. "Hope you got your nanomachines calibrated, 'cause we're going to Area 11... or what the boss calls it—"
"Japan."
Area 11: Britannia H.Q.
When the video ended, Zero, seated on his throne, looked at Otacon who wore a big smile on his face.
"As you can see, sir, with this recruitment ad, we will have more forces joining our ranks," Otacon said happily.
Zero gave a nod. "I'm pleased with the video, but are you certain it will convince everyone to join us? I want the Japanese people to believe The Patriots will be their ally."
"Without a doubt, sir! Especially after they saw how we helped in the ghetto regions when your sister attacked." When he said this, Zero stood abruptly.
"Umm, sir, is something wrong?" Otacon asked.
"It's nothing, Doctor. I have a meeting with the nobles," he replied with an angry tone. He glanced at his clothes, then back at Otacon. "Are my other clothes ready?"
Otacon nodded.
"Good. Time to deal with this annoyance," Zero muttered under his breath. He always hated dealing with the nobles—pompous, entitled punks who thought they were better than everyone. He sighed to himself. "Anyway, I need to go. The train might leave soon."
Train
Zero sat in the VIP lounge of the train, having decided not to bring his usual guards—their absence didn't bother him. He wore the same clothes he'd worn when visiting the high school. Sitting there with fancy wine and hot food made him feel... guilty, especially when he looked out the window at the people living in poverty below, all because of his family.
As the train passed over their homes—if you could call them that—he looked down and sighed. "Soon... you all will be free," he whispered, placing his wine glass on the table.
He overheard girls talking at the seats next to his booth.
"I've never left the Tokyo settlement before! This is my first time," said a girl with green clothing and orange hair.
"I'm sure you wish Lelouch was coming with us, don't you?" the blonde one teased, making the other girl gasp in shock.
"Don't be so shy! Tonight we can stay up all night and talk about which boys we like at school," the blonde continued.
"Then you have a lot to talk about, right, Miss President?" the orange-haired girl responded with a slight frown.
"Who can say?" the blonde answered playfully.
Zero rolled his eyes under his mask. He knew he shouldn't be upset with high school girls ignoring the poverty of the Japanese people—they hadn't been confronted with the truth. Still, he had to admit he somewhat admired the blonde one's joking attitude, which made him chuckle quietly. However, when he heard the name "Lelouch," something stirred in his memory. He hadn't heard that name since his brother was sent to Japan... could it be?
His thoughts were interrupted when the train entered a tunnel, momentarily darkening the car. He noticed the shy girl with glasses look frightened and gasp.
The blonde reassured her, "Nina, it's alright. There are lots of Britannian tourists at Lake Kawaguchi, so security's fine. Don't be afraid—it's not the ghettos."
"Yes, but—" Nina began, uncertain.
Zero frowned at this. Afraid of people in the ghettos? People who were suffering? He knew he shouldn't interfere, but he felt compelled to say something.
"Don't be a fool, young girl," he said. All three looked at him as he held his wine and gazed out the window. "You're afraid of people who are suffering because of our people. If they show anger, they have reason for it."
The three girls were shocked—not because he spoke to them, but because they recognized him. "Lord Zero," the blonde whispered.
"Although I understand why you three might believe that, seeing as my fool of a father, the Emperor, feeds you nothing but honey and lies," he continued, looking at his glass. "But remember this lesson: Japanese or Elevens, they're like a snake. It might shed its skin, but it's still a snake."
He squeezed the glass tightly. "And every snake has fangs."
The girls were startled when he broke the glass with his bare hand. He stood, placed his hands behind his back, and walked toward the train's bar. The blonde was stunned momentarily. When she saw Nina looking scared, she frowned and stood up. "Excuse me, girls," she said, following where he had gone.
Train Bar
Zero sat at the bar while the bartender poured him another glass of wine.
"Your drink, my lord," the bartender said, bowing his head. Zero nodded and left a $100 tip. "Thank you. That will be all."
Before he could take a sip, he heard a voice beside him. "That was uncalled for." Zero turned to see the blonde girl. "I know you're a lord, but that doesn't give you the right to scare someone like that, especially one of my friends."
He sighed as he stood. "Look, Miss..."
"Milly... Milly Ashford," she supplied with a frown.
This piqued his curiosity. "Wait, the Ashford family? One of the noble families?" He'd heard of them—they were perhaps the only noble family he could somewhat tolerate.
Milly nodded. "That's right," she said, approaching him with her arms crossed. "I know that might mean nothing to you, seeing as you're a prince and all."
Zero shook his head. "On the contrary, I actually respect the Ashford family. I know it's been a while since your family had any real power in the courts, but they're one of the few I can actually tolerate." He sat back down.
She was shocked, not realizing someone like him would respect her family, especially since they weren't as powerful as they once were.
"Oh! Thank you, my lord," she said shyly. "I thought you never cared for nobility. No offense, but you do have a reputation regarding your thoughts on them."
This made Zero chuckle. "Good to know my reputation precedes me, but there are some I slightly tolerate. Yours is fine." He pressed a small button on his mask that opened a hatch where he could sip his drink.
As he did this, Milly caught a glimpse inside his mask and saw what should have been his lips... was just teeth with badly burned skin so severe that the bone of his jaw was visible.
Her eyes widened in shock. As he set his drink down, the hatch closed, covering his mouth again. He didn't look at her. "...The Sons of Liberty attacked my home when I was young," he explained, knowing she had seen his injuries. "If that wasn't bad enough, I was burned alive when an explosion detonated nearby. I suffered horrible burns to the point that this mask keeps me alive by helping me breathe."
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to stare," she said, feeling terrible.
He shrugged. "It's fine. It doesn't bother me anymore." He looked at her. "But regarding your friend, you need to help her understand that they're not monsters."
Milly looked confused and raised an eyebrow. "Forgive me for asking, but why do you care so much about the Elevens?"
Hearing that, Zero sighed as he stood. "Look out there," he pointed at the window. When she looked, she saw the beautiful city of Area 11 with its large buildings. This confused her.
"This beautiful little city full of lights, games, and food draws everyone's attention," he said. Then he pressed a button that closed that window.
"So they don't have to see this." Another window opened, and Milly turned to see the ghetto where most Japanese people lived. Zero walked to the window and looked out. "These people are starving. The only way they can eat is if they work with the kingdom that stole their country's name. Most have no choice but to eat whatever they can scavenge."
She gasped at what she saw. She knew conditions were poor, but she never realized how bad until she saw a group of people standing on a destroyed building—a mother holding her child, both looking hungry.
She stepped back, covering her mouth, truly seeing the severity for the first time. She looked at Zero, who was watching her reaction. "We eat like kings as they starve. This is my family's sin, and it's something I have to live with. I will change it, and they will be free." He walked away but stopped to look at her again.
"So tell your friend to show respect to them. If not, then please enjoy your hot meals, warm bed, and delicious drinks while you look out there and see them." She looked down in shame as he continued. "See what they could have if my family hadn't brought them so much pain and suffering... unlike the rest of my people... unlike Britannia."
She watched him walk away, hands behind his back, seeing only his retreating figure as he exited.
"I don't forget what we've done to them," he said as he left.
His words shocked her as she stood there, looking out at the ghetto. She admitted to herself, "Are... are Britannians really the bad guys? God, I'm so... so sorry." She sniffed, feeling ashamed of what her country had done.
Hotel
When Zero arrived at his hotel, he opened the door to find a luxurious, fancy room prepared specially for him. He sighed as he surveyed it. "I would have been fine with a normal room," he muttered, placing his suitcase on the bed and sitting down.
Facing a wall mirror in front of his bed, he stared at his reflection for a moment. Slowly, he touched his mask, rubbing it softly. His hand shook as he moved to touch something on the side that would open it.
Before he could, his door burst open. Two men with assault rifles aimed at him. "Don't move, Brit!" one man yelled.
Zero sighed and raised his hands. "I knew I should've brought my Skull Unit when I came here," he said to himself. This earned him a blow to the stomach with a rifle butt.
Soon he was dragged into a room full of other hostages.
A soldier shoved Zero. "Move it, mask man!" he yelled, and Zero fell to the floor. As he slowly stood, he saw his sister Euphemia in front of him. When she saw her brother, she tried to help him up, but he shrugged her off.
"Get off me. I'm fine."
She sighed. "Look, Rexford, we can continue our sibling rivalry later. For now, we need to stay calm." He nodded in agreement.
"Agreed, but I believe you should keep your identity secret for now. No doubt they've already figured out who I am," he said, making her look worried.
Soon a man walked in. Zero recognized an older man in a Japanese general's uniform holding a katana. The general looked at Zero for a moment, then turned to a soldier. "Get him up," he ordered. The soldier saluted and pulled Zero to his feet.
"At last we meet, Zero. Although I must admit, I'm disappointed. I would have assumed you'd be harder to catch," the general taunted.
Zero scoffed. "If this is your attempt to get under my skin, I'm afraid it isn't working. I know who you are." The general gave him a smug look. "And frankly, Josui Kusakabe, I'm not the least bit impressed with your little group." This comment made the general frown.
"So your plan was to hold us hostage until your demands were met, and then what? Do you have a backup plan or even an escape route?" Zero continued. The general frowned deeper, gripping his sword tightly in anger. Everyone in the room was shocked. Milly and her school council thought he should be quiet, while Euphemia grew worried for her brother.
Enraged, Josui pulled a pistol from his holster and pointed it at Zero's head, making everyone gasp. "I wouldn't be so high and mighty if I were you. You're just a coward who hides behind a mask! And unlike the Black Knight's leader, I see no reason why you should! Is this your form of scare tactic?" he yelled.
Zero remained quiet for a moment, then looked around at the others. Slowly, he moved his hand to his mask and pushed a small button. Air hissed out. "The mask helps me breathe," he said calmly.
He took off his mask and dropped it on the floor.
Nobody spoke when they saw his face. Even the general was shocked, his gun shaking as he backed away. "Oh... my... God," he whispered as he stared at Zero's face.
"Not pretty, is it?" Zero said. They all saw he could move his teeth despite having no lips, with one eye visible and much of his head wrapped in fresh bandages, including the other side where his eye should be. "The wonders of technology when it comes to keeping me alive. I don't wear this because I'm a coward. I wear it because it helps me breathe." He grabbed the general's hand and guided the gun to his own forehead, making the soldiers aim at him.
"Does this look like the face of a coward, or the face of a man who isn't afraid to die?" Zero asked. "But kill me, and The Patriots won't just kill you—they'll torture you and your loved ones until you beg for death. Is that what you want? To be an enemy of The Patriots?"
The general backed away, still holding the gun. "What in God's name happened to you?" he asked, still shocked by such horrible disfigurement.
Zero just scoffed and sat down, holding his mask for a moment.
Looking around, he saw everyone's shocked and disgusted faces. He didn't care what they thought, but when he saw Milly with tears in her eyes—looking sad for him rather than repulsed—and Euphemia closing her eyes tightly with tears, whispering quietly, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, brother," covering her mouth so no one would hear, he turned away and put his mask back on, breathing normally again.
He sat by himself, watching events unfold.
Hours Later
Zero witnessed various developments. A green-haired girl captured by the Japanese terrorists would likely have been killed if not for his sister revealing her identity to save her. The soldiers escorted Euphemia to the general, but left Zero alone because they feared him, especially after seeing his face. Zero stayed with the other hostages, looking at the green-haired girl and muttering, "Idiot."
Suddenly, the building shook. Everyone was scared—everyone except Zero, who merely scoffed. He heard gunshots outside before the door opened. Soon after, explosions rocked the structure. Zero and the other hostages escaped in lifeboats before the building collapsed. Looking around, he spotted the main boat where he saw him...
The Black Knight's leader.
Listening to the Black Knight's speech about how "only those prepared to be killed should kill," Zero found himself agreeing. After the speech, the Black Knights and everyone else heard something—they turned to see Zero... clapping.
"Nice speech... Black Knight, was it?" Being closest to the boat and using his enhanced abilities, Zero jumped aboard, landing in front of the Black Knight's leader. Some were shocked by his agility, and several reached for weapons until the leader raised a hand to stop them.
"The wonders of technology," Zero remarked.
At last, both masked men faced each other. "Our long-awaited meeting has come at last, and you do not disappoint," Zero said, while the Black Knight's leader remained silent, assessing him.
"The infamous Zero—your reputation precedes you. I owe you thanks for what you did in Shinjuku, so I ask: why still be part of Britannia if you see their evil? Are you seeking revenge for your brother?" the Black Knight questioned.
This made Zero chuckle. "I have my own reasons, and I care not for that little shit," he said venomously, making Euphemia flinch as she knew his true feelings.
"You know... you would have made a good Patriot," he said, shocking the Black Knight and his followers. "It's true. In fact, you all would have made good Patriot soldiers, but it seems fate has other plans for us... or does it?"
"What do you want, Zero?" the Black Knight asked, wanting to get to the point.
Zero walked over and whispered something to the Black Knight that no one else could hear. Whatever he said made the leader flinch slightly. When finished, he added one more thing.
"Also, like you, my organization agrees in some ways. I don't care if you are Japanese or Britannian," he said as he turned his back. Aware of the cameras recording, he delivered his own speech:
"To all those who listen, know this: I am Zero! Leader of The Patriots! I offer my hand to those tired of corruption and evil! Know that you are not alone!"
Bar
"We hide in the shadows, not out of fear but because we know the one enemy any should fear are those you cannot see."
Hearing this speech, patrons in a fancy bar wondered what he meant. At a lone table sat several ordinary-looking people—two women and two men—with serious expressions as they listened. When one man set down his drink, a fox tattoo was visible on his wrist.
Shinjuku
"To those who wish to harm the innocent and to our enemies: Be afraid, be very afraid, for we will hunt you down, and you won't see us coming until it's too late."
In a run-down building, a radio played as a drunk, overweight man prepared to hit his already bloody wife and son with a belt. Before he could, the door was kicked in. He turned to see an average-looking man in a tactical suit and bandana. Without a word, the man pulled a gun and shot the abuser in the head.
The shocked wife and son watched as the man pulled down his sleeve, revealing a fox emblem on his arm. The boy gasped, perhaps inspired to someday become a member himself.
Emperor Charles' Throne Room
"We are everywhere. You cannot hide from us, and when the time is right, we will strike."
Emperor Charles listened to both speeches—first the Black Knight's, then his son's. He scoffed, "Preposterous." What he didn't know was that some of his guards, especially one standing close by, frowned at him, a Patriot emblem hidden under their uniform.
Cornelia's G-1 Base
"Those who are our allies know that with The Patriots, you are never alone."
With Cornelia away from the G-1 base, only Patriot agents remained inside. They all saluted and proudly declared, "For The Patriots!" making sure no one outside could hear.
Area 12
"And to all my soldiers: Rise up! For The Patriots!"
In a military base in Area 12, soldiers standing in a long hallway heard the broadcast. Every soldier stood at attention and saluted in unison, shouting:
"FOR THE PATRIOTS!"
Back with Zero
After finishing, Zero looked at the Black Knight and his followers. "You may have this victory. But when we battle—if you remain my enemy..." He pressed a button on his mask and removed it. Some Black Knights were shocked to see his face; others looked ready to vomit. The leader's eye slot opened as he wanted to see him face to face, though he didn't use his power.
"AND THIS WILL BE THE LAST FACE YOU WILL EVER SEE!"
A Metal Gear appeared in the sky bearing The Patriots' insignia. He replaced his mask. "Choose: ally or enemy." He boarded the craft and ordered, "All soldiers, let the Black Knight and his followers go. We owe them this victory." The craft departed, leaving the Black Knights behind.
As the Metal Gear took off, Cornelia and Guilford watched from below. Guilford started, "Princess, if we strike the Black Knight now, we can—" but stopped when he saw her face. She looked horrified yet deeply sad, gently touching her cheek.
"His... face... I... I never thought he... how?" She seemed on the verge of tears, devastated by what had happened to her brother. Guilford didn't finish his sentence, admitting to himself he never expected the burns to be so severe.
On the Metal Gear, two soldiers chatted. "What's with the Commander showing his face? He's never done that to anyone," one said.
The wiser one responded, "Don't you get it? If Zero shows his face..."
"It means big changes are coming. Operation Outer Heaven has begun, and all those against us will know the face of the man who killed them. I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later."