Many years later…

"Aki-kun, could you please grab me more coffee? I'm afraid I've already finished the third cup." A middle-aged woman with deep, blue hair rubbed the sweat from her brow as she continued to work on her latest project: a self-sustaining energy converter. It was nothing more than a metal skeleton so far, with its core lying on the floor some distance away. The green tube was also incomplete, but her slow progress didn't bother Cecile in the least. It was just a prototype, after all.

An adolescent boy peeked out from another large piece of machinery, his raven-colored hair fluttering a bit from the sudden movement. He couldn't have been any older than twenty; with wide eyes and a wrench held in his mouth, the boy certainly had a silly look to him. Cecile couldn't help but laugh, and the look of confusion that graced his features belied his handsome appearance. He spat the wrench out of his mouth and blinked.

"You need more already? Cecile-san, if you keep this up, you'll be awake all night!" Akihiko walked around the machine and came fully into view, arms crossed and a familiar pout on his lips. Cecile sighed when she looked upon his school uniform, decorated once again with splashes of oil. He took a moment to loosen his collar before he approached, clearly overwhelmed by the stifling heat that hung in the air. As he moved forward, Cecile turned away from the massive engine-like frame and walked over to her desk. Aiming to meet him halfway, she grabbed the empty mug and spun around, bumping right into his chest.

He took the cup from her with a smile, inadvertently widening her own. She loved to look into those golden eyes of his, so filled with vim and vigor. They almost made her feel young! The boy was rather bright for his age, too, something that her oldest friend and partner had taken a liking to the first time they'd met him.

"Is Lloyd still here?" She chuckled, walking over to the engine and kneeling back down. She winced at the slight pain in her knees as she did so, a constant reminder of her age. At least her mind had aged gracefully, something she took great pride in.

"He fell asleep in the lab again," Akihiko laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Honestly, you guys shouldn't push yourselves too hard. I can do everything you can do, so why not take a day off every now and then?"

"But we have taken days off, Aki-kun."

"Yeah," he scoffed, "maybe once in the past two months? Don't get me wrong; I know this is your livelihood and all, but what's the point of keeping me around if I can't take some of the real work off your hands? Lloyd even told me that I was ready to handle the lab's computer system!"

Cecile turned around at that, her eyes wide with a profound sense of shock. "He really said that? Lloyd, who never lets anyone interfere with his delicate 'children,' honestly said you were ready?"

"I was surprised, too," Akihiko laughed again, both hands now behind his head. "I'll just have to take him up on his offer before he goes and changes his mind like he usually does. Still can't get over how he calls the computers his 'precious children,' though. Gets me every time!"

"Better not let him hear you laughing," Cecile chided, shaking a wrench of her own at him. "You know how he gets when someone asks too many questions or mocks him."

Akihiko snickered at that, suddenly bursting into a dramatic new pose. "'No, you don't understand! What I'm doing here is delicate work, it's an art form!'"

Cecile brought a hand to her lips to stifle her giggling, but it wasn't working to well. Her light snorting was enough to almost ruin his moment, but Akihiko carried on with rapid movements and wild swings of the arm.

"'Would you like me to explain further? Ah, why even bother? You're still too young to appreciate these brilliant designs, nevermind my magnum opus!'" Cecile could no longer hold it in as she burst into a fit of giggles, leaning on the nearby desk for support. "'You and your uncle are exactly the same, always brushing aside the subtle intricacies of science in favor of more frivolous pursuits! Come find me whenever you want to learn something, for once!'"

The two of them shared in their laughter for another brief moment, though his face fell as Akihiko's mind once again strayed towards thoughts of his uncle...and his father. He knew better than to ask about the latter, of course. It'd been many years since he'd first learned that particular lesson, but at least he'd been receiving visits from his uncle on a regular basis.

"It's been a whole week, now," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Has he sent anything, Cecile-san? An e-mail, a phone call…?"

The older woman sighed, herself, and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Aki-kun. Maybe he's just been busy?"

"Uncle Suzaku is never busy," Akihiko laughed. "Not since he stopped playing pretend, anyway. I guess too many years of wearing that stupid helmet must've caved his head in a little."

Cecile wagged her finger at the child genius, pouting a little bit. "Now, that's not fair. You know what it was like for him, and he's visited us on many occasions. I should think that taking a little time for himself would be healthy, for once."

"Yeah, time for himself," Akihiko waved, turning around and going back to his own project. "Time for drinking and reflecting on the past without explaining a damn thing. I can't tell you how many times he's promised to tell me about Dad before passing out at the table."

Cecile's expression fell as he walked around the giant reactor he was building, an object far greater in size than her own. The sound of scraping tools carved right through to her heart, and her eyes closed. "But one of these days," her assistant's voice rang out, "I'll get him to cough it up."

"I don't think you will, Aki-kun…" Cecil shook her head.

Akihiko twisted his wrench once, twice, thrice, four times and a fifth. Like usual, he slipped far into his own mind and let the memories take over. At a very young age, young enough for him to barely remember anything, he'd come into the care of his uncle. It had been during the very last years of Suzaku hiding behind the mask of Zero, the legendary hero that had ended the tyranny of Britannia. His ultimate service to the world had been the assassination of its most evil Emperor, Lelouch vi Britannia. All he had learned about the man in school was through the Internet, information taken during his free periods in lieu of the textbooks' lack of knowledge. The Demon Emperor, as he was now called, had his name stricken from every lip and book that would dare speak of it. The freedom of the Internet, however, was never at any particular risk; it offered up all that was known about Lelouch, from his time with the Black Knights to his eventual rise in power.

His uncle refused to talk about it, but Akihiko knew that there was more to learn. Suzaku knew more than most people could have, as he'd been Lelouch's closest friend as the two were growing up. Merely knowing that it was Suzaku behind the mask was enough of a secret, so Akihiko tried not to press further. The temptation had only grown with time, though.

"It must have been terrible," he thought, "being forced to kill his own friend like that. I never want to know what that's like."

Akihiko's grip suddenly failed him, impeded by the copious amount of oil on his hands. The wrench slipped from his fingers and fell to the metal floor below, the loud clang echoing throughout the lab. With such a large chamber, the slightest noise carried quite far. Needless to say, Cecile nearly jumped out of her skin and dropped her blowtorch. She cried out in surprise as the device bounced around on the floor, driven by the vicious flames spewing from the tip.

"Aki-kun!" She whined, arms crossed as the blowtorch continued to bounce around and set random objects on fire. It wasn't long before the emergency sprinklers activated, soaking the two of them to the bone along with everything else. Both of them ran out of the massive room with its tall ceiling and glowing walls, their lighted surfaces catching on the droplets and bathing them all in lovely blue. Cecile and Akihiko both laughed their way into the nearest hall and leaned on each other, gasping for air.

"I didn't do it," Akihiko grinned. She clonked him on the head playfully and he winced, pouting up at her amused face.

"Convincing," she giggled, ruffling his hair in a show of affection. The boy blushed a little and moved her hand away, mumbling to himself.

"What a cute face~" She teased, reaching over to pinch his cheek. He only reddened further and took a frantic step backwards, eyes wide and mortified.

"Stop that! Stop teasing me!"

"But it's so fun~" Cecile sang again, smiling even wider as he turned his back in a huff and walked down the hall, scanning the area for the shutoff panel. As the two of them progressed, the only light shining from the glass floor, Akihiko spied the glowing panel he'd been searching for. He broke into a light jog and reached it in seconds, throwing his hand against the glowing screen and impatiently waiting for verification. When the message verifying his access flashed, he immediately shut down the sprinkler system with the appropriate command. He then closed the program and turned to face Cecile...who was no longer over there.

Instead, his friend was walking further down the hall, straight toward Lloyd's domain: the central computer room. It was by far the most complex and interesting area of the complex, and typically where Lloyd spent his time. As Cecile approached, the glass door slid into the wall and allowed them access. A burst of freezing air collided with them both, sending shivers down Cecile's spine. Akihiko, on the other hand, was perfectly comfortable in the cold. They now found themselves in the observation room, the windows up ahead revealing the long rows of servers and forest of wires around them all. The console below them ran almost around the entire room, and slumped somewhere in the middle was a sleeping Lloyd.

Cecile pulled the swivel chair out from under the man and Akihiko winced as Lloyd's rear end collided rather harshly with the metal floor. He cried out in surprise and fury, jumping to his feet and whirling on Cecile like a madman.

"Why would you ever do that?!" He yelled, tugging on his hair and looking frantically around the room.

"It's time to wake up and call it a night," Cecile smiled, wagging her finger at him as though she were a stern mother. "You should stop staying up all night, it's bad for your health at this age."

"Hmph," Lloyd grumbled, dusting off his labcoat and shoving his hands into the pockets. "Everyone knows that scientists like us peak in our fifties."

"Aki-kun, on the other hand, is not that old and should already be heading home. Did you really need him to stay as long as he did?"

"Scientific pursuits and conditioning of the mind are the top priority-"

"And he does that well enough in school!" Cecile grumbled, crossing her arms. Akihiko looked from one scientist to the next, his role almost transforming into that of a troubled child watching his parents argue. He'd never known that feeling himself, of course.

"Head Scientist Lloyd," an artificial voice suddenly called, "you have visitors from the Department of Intelligence and Security."

The voice in question belonged to Aurora, Lloyd's proudest achievement. An AI with a personality of her own, Aurora possessed an intellect greater than any computer system in Britannia. Her voice was like flowing water, calm and kind. If the voice had belonged to a real woman, Akihiko imagined that her beauty would have put all other women to shame.

"CrownSEC? Not those people again." Lloyd sighed, straightening the tie resting beneath his labcoat. "What do they want this time? Are they going to strip our funding for the third time this year? Imprison me for doing my job?"

"Their intentions are unclear," Aurora responded, "but they are five in number. They are armed, and though they appear to be high-ranking, their faces are hidden behind their helmets. Facial recognition is therefore impossible, as is linking these individuals to their profiles in the city's database."

"What rank are they?" Akihiko asked, staring at the ceiling.

"Unknown."

The three of them looked at each other slowly, silent as the grave. The rank should have been clearly visible on their uniforms or armor, but even Aurora didn't know?

"That's not possible." Cecile clasped her hands together.

"Honestly..." Lloyd scoffed. With a shake of his head and a tut-tut of the mouth, the lab's leading scientist then moved to the door and out into the hallway. Cecile and Akihiko took one quick look at each other before chasing after the man, each as worried as the other.

"What's going on?" Akihiko said nervously, sweating despite the cold air around them.

"This has been happening lately." Cecile said quietly. "Security forces in the city have been more and more active, searching homes and businesses even though crime is at an all-time low. A lot of people are worried."

"Why is this happening all of a sudden?" Akihiko insisted, reaching over to grab the woman's shoulder.

"It might have appeared sudden, but I can assure you that this has been building up for some time," Lloyd interjected, rubbing his chin. "With the Empress in such poor health and the current Zero so soft-spoken, respect for the crown and its subjects is practically nonexistent. These so-called 'security companies' never had much of a leash on them to begin with."

"CrownSEC used to be the most reliable, but now I'm not so sure." Cecile sighed and shook her head. "The smaller branches have always avoided stepping on Kozuki Kallen's toes, but now…"

CrownSEC. Nearly three years after Nunnally vi Britannia took the throne, the United Federation of Nations, or U.F.N., had convened to discuss the possibility of reinstating a military presence in the countries of the world. Despite a frightening increase in support for such a decision, a two-thirds majority was reached in opposition, and the matter was put to rest. Unfortunately, a great number of officials and members of the world's elite decided to take matters into their own hands. This gave rise to several prominent Private Military Companies, or PMCs, funded in secret and wrapped around the finger of the highest bidder. Nearly a decade had passed before their supporters were jailed, and their initial source of income was immediately crippled. Time had taken its toll on the Black Knights, as well; with their dwindling numbers and resources, it was only a matter of time before the most resilient PMCs overwhelmed them. In a desperate attempt to maintain order and protect the crown, Empress Nunnally and her closest advisors commissioned the development of their own defense force.

Thus, Crown Security was born, a conglomerate of PMCs funded directly by the crown and confined to Japan. While initially against the decision to use PMCs as a shield, a lack of alternatives forced the Empress into heeding the advice of her royal advisors. Newborn PMCs were carefully handpicked from the now-thriving market, groups with little to no financial backing or established loyalties. It wasn't long before local law enforcement agencies were absorbed into CrownSEC, creating conflict between old and new players in the game. A schism erupted shortly thereafter, an incident which resulted in the creation of new "security companies," many of which were loyal only to certain businesses. Laws were still enforced and the general public protected, though it was rarely done for any reason other than profit. CrownSEC had always been the strongest and most loyal of these companies, their leadership comprised mainly of retired Black Knights. It wasn't long after the schism that the Black Knights disbanded, with the more prominent members seeking to continue their protection of the Empress. For her efforts against the Demon Emperor and her vast military experience, Kozuki Kallen was a shoo-in for Head of Security. CrownSEC managed to keep the other companies in check, but...

"Kallen stepped down this year." Lloyd said, taking a moment to adjust his glasses mid-stride. "Some new moron is in her place, and if the current atmosphere wasn't enough of a clue, he doesn't know a pen from a pistol. We've traded a war hero for a politician, something that never bodes well. Things in the city are bound to get worse from here on out."

"That's awful..." Akihiko muttered. To tell the truth, he'd been blissfully unaware of the political strife taking place in Tokyo. His classes and extracurricular activities already took a bit of a toll, and what free time he had left was always devoted to the lab; current events didn't rank very high on his list of priorities or personal interests. With no more wars, terrorist attacks, or significant criminal organizations remaining, he'd honestly believed that Tokyo was safe.

"But that was just from my perspective. Was I wrong?" Akihiko bit his lip, cursing himself. Intelligence was no excuse for ignorance, he knew that better than anyone.

Lloyd scoffed again, looking back at the boy with a wry smile. "No, what is truly awful is how these lowbrow soldiers can just waltz right into a person's domain and interfere with their work without any rhyme or reason! I'm going to start setting up a defensive barrier from now on."

"Lloyd-san," Cecile sang out with a nervous smile, "didn't we talk about disintegrating our guests?"

"They aren't guests, they're interlopers," Lloyd growled, "and it would seem that they are either an up-and-coming patrol unit, or…"

"Or?" Cecile inquired, her voice soft and almost trembling. Lloyd didn't answer, suddenly breaking out into a jog as he removed his glasses and wiped them on his sleeve. The three of them quickly returned to the lab's main chamber. With its impressive size, glowing walls and mountains of equipment, the place was enough to take anyone's breath away. Even Akihiko had been at a loss for words on his first day.

Anxious thoughts gave way to nostalgia, and with that, navigating the maze of equipment was suddenly much more difficult. Akihiko slipped back into his memories for the second time that day, mouth set in a rigid frown as he jumped over one last bundle of wires and followed his friends.

Though he'd been grateful for his home at Ashford Academy, he couldn't escape the endless tedium. Even on his very first day, Akihiko had a trying time staying awake in class. He continued to attend out of obligation to his uncle, who had so generously raised him and provided for him. What a surprise it had been, then, to be called out of his dorm and taken away by the city's most renowned scientists. Suzaku's old colleagues had spirited him away from the academy and into the deepest heart of the Tokyo Settlement, hardly speaking to him until they'd arrived at their destination. That was when he learned who they were, what they wanted from him, and where his future lied.

Cecile, who was kind and motherly, initially got on his nerves with her teasing nature. It wasn't long before he learned to love her company. Though soft-spoken at times and very patient, Akihiko had seen her angry once before. From that day forward, he'd resolved to never get on her bad side.

Then there was the famous Lloyd Asplund, rivaled in his genius by only one individual: a woman he rarely spoke of, whose name Akihiko had never known. The rival in question had long since retired from their line of work, something that Lloyd seemed quite offended by. As eccentric as he was brilliant, it was this man that had kindled Akihiko's scientific talents and killed his laziness. To a point, anyway.

Lloyd and Cecile had taken him out of his boring everyday life, laughing and poking and challenging his knowledge all the way to their laboratory. It had filled him with such pride, to study under them and remain in their company...

Reaching the top of the stairs and quickly spinning around, Akihiko moved faster in order to keep up with the two scientists ahead. The catwalk was still quite slippery from the incident earlier that night, and so he was extra careful not to lose his footing. The catwalk ran all along the lab and rose into the next level, stairwells scattered all around to spare them a long walk. A second set of metal stairs led to a cramped chamber red with rust and overflowing with steam: the entrance to the labs. With its rusty pipes, rusty floors, and second-rate lighting, it was obvious that none of the funds had been applied here. Even so, the bright blue glow reached up and peeked through the grated metal at their feet, a precious little hint of the wonders that were hidden below.

BANGBANGBANG!

Akihiko fell back against a large pipe in surprise, stunned as he watched Lloyd and Cecile jump in place and clutch their chests. There was a time and place for jokes about their age and heart palpitations, but that was best saved for later. The banging on the watertight door ahead of them continued, the single incandescent bulb above flickering occasionally from the vibrations.

"Wouldn't be so forceful if they didn't have that armor." Akihiko chortled, scratching his head and flashing Cecile a weak smile. Neither she nor Lloyd paid him any heed, which was understandable. He'd always been pretty good at hiding his own fear, something that was clearly written all over their faces. Lloyd took a couple nervous steps forward, reaching for the intercom on the wall next to the door. His finger hovered over the button for just a moment before he slammed it forward, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"What do you want?" Lloyd snapped. He released the button and waited patiently for the reply, and it didn't take long.

"We are here on official business," a muffled voice boomed through the speaker. "We were sent to interview one 'Akihiko Ryota' regarding a job opening in CrownSEC's R&D level."

"Persistent lot, aren't you?" Lloyd groaned. He released the button again, turning around and sliding down the wall to the floor.

"CrownSEC wants to interview me?" Akihiko blinked, clearly surprised.

"Something along those lines," Cecile mumbled. She looked to Lloyd and he to her, their expressions grim. She sighed with eyes shut tight, leaning against a pipe and hugging her chest. "I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later…"

Suddenly, mumbled voices on the other side of the door. Soft thumping, more voices, and a faint sound like clicking.

"Cecile," Lloyd said quietly, "go ahead and escort the boy to the server room. I think it's time for Akihiko to receive his inheritance."

"The one you're always sleeping on?" The boy snickered.

"You're not inheriting my lab, so you would be wise to let go of that fantasy." Lloyd flashed him a genuine, tired smile and slowly rose to his feet. "You remember what to do, Cecile?"

The brilliant scientist's colleague looked just as tired as he did, all of a sudden. "I do, but...Lloyd?"

"Not now, Cecile." Lloyd said with a wave of his hand, turning to once again face the watertight door ahead. "I'll be the one to greet our guests, so hurry up and do what you need to do."

Akihiko cocked his head to the side, confused as Cecile suddenly grabbed his arm and dragged him down the stairs and back into the massive chamber below. Their usual working area was still quite damp, though not quite as dangerous to run in as it would have been earlier. And run they did, as fast as Cecile's legs could carry her. It wasn't very fast, to be honest, but Akihiko could tell just how hard she was trying.

"What's going on?" He asked with concern, leaning forward as they ran.

"We have to send you away," Cecile replied, "even though we don't want to. I know Lloyd can be a little grating at times, but we've both enjoyed having you here with us."

He tried to get a better look at her face and her eyes, but she kept herself hidden behind the veil of her dull, blue hair. She said not a word, however, and they continued to run in silence. Every project they passed, finished and unfinished, was another memory. Setting off the sprinkler system was definitely a first, though.

"Obviously this isn't anything good," Akihiko said, "but can you at least tell me what's going on? I'm just a student and part-time assistant around here, and I'm not exactly wealthy. It's not like I went on a murderous rampage, either. What does CrownSEC want with me?"

"You're very intelligent," Cecile said in her usual, motherly tone, "so I'm sure you realize that we have no time to discuss this right now. When you get where you need to go, you'll probably find out what's happening on your own."

The two of them ran past their most recent projects for what Akihiko presumed to be the final time, dashing into the corridor ahead. They'd nearly made it halfway before the explosion threw them off balance.

"Lloyd-san!" Akihiko cried, wrenching his arm away from Cecile and heading back the way they came.

"Akihiko!" She cried desperately, reaching out for him as he ran. He didn't get far before the blast door came crashing down, its gunmetal surface reflecting the gray cloud of despair within his own heart.

"Head Scientist Lloyd Asplund has been apprehended," Aurora's voice rang out in the corridor, the glass doors behind them quickly sliding open. "Please move quickly, as these protective measures were not meant to withstand CrownSEC weaponry."

"Akihiko, we need to go!" Cecile hissed, grabbing his arm firmly as he continued to stare at the wall of metal that separated him from his other teacher. His friend. Akihiko turned around and finally complied with Cecile's demand, staring blankly ahead as he struggled to comprehend the situation. The two of them sprinted into the central computer room as the glass doors slid shut behind them.

Stunned, they could only watch as each and every console displayed a black screen with numerous error codes scrolling down. One by one, they watched as the servers in the freezing room ahead were shut down. Akihiko turned to face Cecile, real fear etched on his face this time.

"A data purge…?"

"This is serious, Akihiko. There's no coming back from what's happening tonight, and I truly hope you understand that." Cecile moved over to the last and largest computer, the only one still operational, and typed her commands with urgency. "You have to leave the city, and if you do return, you will do so only after you are amply prepared. A good friend of ours will be taking care of you, at least for a little while."

Akihiko remained silent as she finished typing, and he looked on in wonder as the servers beyond the glass slid down into the floor and disappeared beneath sliding panels. A much larger panel then slid open, revealing a new passageway at the end of the room. Cecile spun around and grabbed Akihiko by the shoulders, planting a firm kiss on his forehead before wrapping him in a tight hug.

"There's a Knightmare Frame down there, in a pool of water that descends into an isolated section of piping. That pipe will take you out to the ocean, outside of Tokyo and into one of the neighboring areas. One of your father's friends will be waiting for you there, maybe even Suzaku."

"My father's-?!"

"Hush!" Cecile clamped a hand over his mouth, smiling cheekily as he pouted behind it. "That Knightmare Frame belonged to your father and it will respond to you. It will recognize you, and you alone, as its pilot. Rather than an activation code, this Knightmare only requires you to place your hand on the keyboard within and speak your name."

"My name?" Akihiko grumbled. Cecile removed her hand and he coughed a bit, still looking completely shellshocked.

"Your real name. 'Ryota,' was a false name given to you by Suzaku in an attempt to keep you safe. And it worked, for a little while at least. Say your true name, and the Knightmare will take you to a preset destination. Somewhere safe, where you can learn who you really are."

Cecile leaned forward, her lips a soothing volcano against his ear. She whispered one last, sweet flame against his skin and wrapped in him a final hug.

"You have to go, now. Go, and don't you dare look back. I won't forgive you if you do!"

"Okay." Akihiko nodded, fought to quell the rising storm in his chest, and ran through the next set of sliding glass doors into the server room. Not once did he look back.

"I can't look back!" He thought, teeth grinding and knuckles whitening as he descended into the area Cecile had described. The chamber itself was nearly pitch black apart from the glow of the water, rising up and reflecting off of the Knightmare floating within. He took one step forward, and another, and then another. It was another two or three steps before the panel slid shut behind him, causing Akihiko to jump in alarm. The chamber was suddenly flooded with deep blue light, revealing more of the Knightmare's appearance than the light of the water did.

Smooth black and framed with gold, unlike any machine he'd seen in a textbook or heard of on the Internet. It was most certainly a transformation-type, presently locked in its transport mode. The cockpit suddenly burst open, the light of the screens within granting him a warm welcome.

"Am I really doing this?"

The sound of gunfire in the room above him was all he needed to hear. It ripped him apart inside to think of what may have happened to his friends, but he already promised that he wouldn't look back. Akihiko shook his head, slapped his hands against his face, and steeled himself. Carefully approaching the Knightmare so as not to fall into the water below, he slowly crawled up and fell into the cockpit with grace.

"Now then, the cockpit…"

His fascination with Knightmare Frames had finally paid off, something he took a moment to relish in as the cockpit quickly closed above him and locked into place. The keyboard Cecile mentioned suddenly snapped out in front of him, the surface smooth and glowing with a faint purple hue as it waited for his command.

He took a deep breath. One, two, three...exhale. Another. One, two, three…

"Akihiko...Lamperouge."

The cockpit immediately lit up with various buttons, screens and holographic displays as the Knightmare once again had life breathed into its system. Hovering right in front of him was the Knightmare's model name and specifications.

Generation X:::Shinkirou ALPHA

Pilot:::Akihiko Lamperouge

Absolute Protection Territory::: Disengaged

He rubbed the sleep from his right eye with a yawn, blinking slowly as the first screen disappeared. What replaced it was a map of the route his new Knightmare would be taking; it would be taking him out of Tokyo, just as Cecile said. Without waiting for any further acknowledgement, the Shinkirou ALPHA quickly pulled the keyboard away from him and locked its user commands, sinking into the water.

Akihiko leaned back in the seat as the entire cockpit was plunged into darkness. His mind followed not long after, and all that awaited him was a deep sleep as dark as the metal cocoon around him.

"Who am I…? Lloyd-san, Cecile-san...Uncle Suzaku...who am I?"

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