Stage 12, The Messenger from Kyoto
At the same time, members of a Japanese order are arguing what to do, since the Japanese Liberation has been burned up. An enigmatic girl of probably high power interjects the conversation, saying that there's still hope, referring to the Order of the Black Knights.
Back at Ashford Academy, Shirley holds up two tickets her father gave her, intending to ask Lelouch to come with her to the concert. She complains that Kallen and Lelouch are both absent that day, while being teased by Millay. Lelouch, apparently present walks in, taking a bunch of files, along with Shirley's tickets that she had put on top of.
Shirley runs off to follow him, and asks if he'd go with her. He "didn't say no" so Shirley has a lot of hope.
Meanwhile, a man with white, spiky hair and odd sun glasses is standing on top a roof.
Later on in the Black Knight's base, Ohgi gives Lelouch a letter (sarcastically saying it's a love letter, and since Lelouch was wondering about Shirley he takes it seriously! XD) saying it's from Kyoto asking to meet with them. The rest of the Order say it's a big deal, since it's the Kyoto Organisation, and it'd help their financial affair, since somehow Tamaki blew all their money. Somehow, it becomes another 'identity and trust' argument. They all start having doubts about what they're doing, and then talk about the Naoto and everything that happened with their organisation.
In the meantime, Lelouch is in his private room and Kallen knocks on the door. She apologises for what she said (even though she supported Zero) claiming that it was out of line. He asks her if she wants to know his identity. Kallen hesitates, whispering that 'that person' (referring to C.C.) knows his identity.
At night, Lelouch checks up on Nunnally. She's awake, and she tells him that he's been distant lately, and that her body reacted on its own, getting a fever because she was sulking.
The next day, Zero goes to meet with Kyoto's people. In the meantime, Suzaku is helping out with corpse excavation and rescue duties, along with most of the Britannian army. He spots Shirley there, but is called to do something and dismisses it.
Cecil talks to Lloyd about the enemy's new weapon, the Radiation Wave. A woman they know called Rakshata presumably created that weapon and gave it to the Japanese.
The Order arrives at Kyoto's base, Fuji Mine, the place wear Sakuradite is mined, the resource that led to the war. A man, behind a curtain, the Kyoto messenger, says that site of the conquered Mt Fuji pains him. He apologises for not being able to show his face, but the same goes for Zero. He orders out his Knightmares, and they hold Zero, and the executive members of the Order (Zero, Kallen, Ougi and Tamaki) at gunpoint, forcing Zero to show his face. Kallen (protectively! XD) tries to stop them, but to no avail. The Kyoto messenger orders Ougi to take of Zero's mask. He does so, and to his, our, and everyone else's surprise, C.C. is behind the mask! The Kyoto messenger asks if she's the real Zero, and she replies that she is. He then asks her if she's Japanese, and she replies that she isn't and then says his name; Kirihara Taizou. His guards exclaim that whoever knows their master's true identity must die.
All of a sudden, one of Kyoto's Knightmares takes everyone by surprise and shoots down everyone. It holds Kirihara and his men at direct gunpoint, and comes out of the cockpit, revealing the true Zero. They're about to shoot him down, but he holds a remote control so he can fire at Kirihara whenever he wants. Zero approaches Kirihara, still hidden by the curtain. He reveals all he knows about the guy, saying that he was a strong supporter of Kururugi's (Suzaku's dad) political policies, but as soon as Japan lost the war, he became a supporter of the colonisation, and was commonly called "Kirihara the Traitor". He goes on, saying that he is the head figure of the six major families of Kyoto that support the resistance. He says that Kirihara was correct in assuming he wasn't Japanese.
Kirihara asks why he fights if he isn't Japanese, and what he wants. Zero replies that he wants the destruction of Britannia, and he can do it, because he has a reason that he must.
He takes of his helmet, so only Lord Kirihara can see. Kirihara tells Ougi and the other they must follow Zero to the end and they will be provided with information. He quietly asks Lelouch if he's pursuing the path of carnage, and Lelouch replies he is, if it's his destiny.
In the meantime, Villetta is talking to Shirley and her mother, and asks them to identity the body. Villetta looks at Shirley's identification, and she sees a picture of Lelouch.
Later on, Lelouch is outside a concert waiting for Shirley in the rain. He walks around, and sees Shirley with her head dropped, drenched in the rain. She asks, if Zero was the ally of the weak, why did he kill her father? She exclaims that her father was kind, and never did anything wrong. She falls into Lelouch's arms, asking him to save her while pressing her face to his, and all Lelouch can do is yield in shock and guilt.
Rating: 4/5
Comment: Man Shirley gets a big slap in the face. At the start of the show she's just a spoilt little girl who thought that fact that Kallen and Lelouch were away was bigger then a huge battle that just happened. Bam, that battle she was ignorant of is the cause of her father's death. That aside, a good episode. Little flashbacks and hints about Lelouch's past, and about 3 seconds of two new characters. Kallen's protectiveness is cute XD - emily
