Code Geass Stage 12: Messenger from Kyoto

At a meeting, officials report to Cornelia that many of the escaping JLF members from Narita have been caught. The officials argue about how Japan’s infrastructure was left intact after the occupation. A key point: a subway that runs underneath the entire country serves as transportation and hiding places for terrorist groups. Another official explains that they weren’t sealed because Clovis believed it would be seen as too forceful. Darlton reports that there’s signs of distinguished families and financial groups assisting the JLF. In Kyoto, several influential people discuss the defeat of the JLF as the end of Japan’s hope, but Princess Kaguya Sumeragi believes there’s still hope – the Black Knights. At school, Milly asks Shirley if she’s feeling down because Lelouch isn’t around. Shirley thinks it’s strange that Lelouch and Kallen are both absent. Milly says that Shirley should just tell Lelouch how she feels about him, but Shirley answers that she can’t do that. Suddenly, Lelouch walks in to pick up some documents and explains that he’s absent because Nunnally has a fever. He picks up the documents and leaves, and Shirley realizes that he’s walked off with her concert tickets as well. She runs after him to get the tickets and asks him to come with her to the concert. C.C. watches from a window and talks to the thin air, while a mysterious man watches things from a nearby rooftop. Afterward, Shirley runs behind a building and is amazed that she managed to ask Lelouch to the concert. At the Black Knights base, Ohgi explains that Kyoto is happy about how they used the Guren at Narita. Ohgi gives Lelouch an invitation from Kyoto to meet with them. Lelouch wonders why they want a meeting now, and Ohgi explains that Kyoto can provide much-needed financial support. Since Tamaki has been screwing around with the group’s funds, Lelouch puts Ohgi in charge of coordinating the Kyoto meeting. Tamaki complains about Zero being their comrade and not showing his face, and Kallen says they don’t need to know his identity because he has the power to beat Cornelia. Back at school, Nina uses a table edge to masturbate to a picture of Euphemia, but she’s interrupted when Nunnally rolls in and asks if she’s alright. Elsewhere, Tamaki and the others talk about what they should do. They were originally part of Kallen’s brother Naoto’s cell, which Ohgi later handed over to Zero. Lelouch examines several files to determine who’s calling the shots in Kyoto. Kallen knocks on the door and apologizes for her outburst earlier. Lelouch asks if she wants to know his identity, but she says no. Later, Lelouch returns home to check on Nunnally. She says it feels like he’s been distant lately, and he swears he’ll always be by her side.

Lelouch asks C.C. for her help because he wants to make sure he acquires the power Kyoto has to offer. C.C. agrees to help if it’s something that will help his overall goal. She hands him Shirley’s ticket, and he tells her he plans to cancel that because he doesn’t know when he’ll be back. Shirley then calls Lelouch from the train station on the way to Narita to tell him she might be late. Lelouch meets with a Kyoto representative and uses Geass on him. At Narita, Sutherlands work to excavate corpses buried under the landslide. Suzaku thinks about C.C. and the images he saw of Genbu. He asks Lloyd what the Black Knights are planning to do, and if they call these sacrifices ‘justice.’ He sees Shirley walk by, but Cecile grabs his attention with news that the Lancelot is ready to go. Cecile then tells Lloyd that she examined the destroyed Purist Sutherlands and confirmed it was the radiation wave. Lloyd says he’s surprised because he didn’t expect Rakshata Chawla to help the enemy. Lelouch and the others arrive at the Kyoto House headquarters, which overlooks the Mount Fuji Sakuradite mine. An old man behind a screen says the mountain is a repulsive sight and represents the change in Japan since the invasion. The old man demands to know Zero’s identity and summons four Burais. Kallen tries to intercede, but the old man demands that Ohgi take Zero’s mask off. Ohgi takes the mask off and is shocked to see C.C. underneath. The old man sees that she’s not Japanese, and she reveals his real name, Taizou Kirihara. Suddenly, one of the Burais fires its slash harkens and quickly disables the other three Burais. It then points its machine gun at Kirihara, and Lelouch jumps out of the cockpit and says they can’t win with weak and outdated thinking. Lelouch states that Kirihara became famous as a Sakuradite exporter. After the invasion, he publicly supported Britannian colonization, but privately funded anti-Britannian activities. Lelouch reveals that he’s not Japanese, and when Kirihara asks why he fights, Lelouch answers that he must destroy Britannia. He then takes off his mask, and Kirihara recognizes Lelouch from when he was a young political hostage before the war. Kirihara then tells Ohgi that he can trust Zero and understands why he masks his identity. He declares that Kyoto will provide full support to the Black Knights. At Narita, Viletta helps Shirley identify one of the recovered corpses. Later, Lelouch walks in the rain outside the concert hall and spots Shirley standing in the rain. He places the umbrella over her and apologizes for being late. A crying Shirley asks why her father had to die if Zero claims to be an ally of the weak. Lelouch is shocked, and Shirley explains that her father was buried under the landslide that hit Narita. She asks Lelouch to help her and kisses him.