Code Geass 1. Arrival

**Chapter 1: Arrival**

It was an extravagant vehicle, white and pristine. Light reflected off of its smooth walls, glinting in the gold-plated hubcaps. The windows were tinted, naturally, to protect the identity of the individual who owned it. But then, the Britannian flags that fluttered on the front of the limousine already gave it away, not to mention the dark cars that made up its entourage.

In Area 11, there was really only one person who could be in that vehicle. Until the Sub-Viceroy, that is. He watched the scenery from behind the tinted glass with unimpressed purple eyes. His plane had landed about half an hour ago, and now he was on his way to present himself to the world, make his first debut on the political scene. He should be nervous. He should be worried, at the very least, of the newfound responsibilities. Having to deal with rebel factions wasn't exactly a walk in the park. He knew this. People lost their lives. He knew this too.

Was it bad that he didn't care?

_Maybe it just hasn't sunk in yet_, he told himself. News reports and battle simulations in the Academy were very different from real life, and being told of so-and-so's achievements was very different from trying to achieve them himself. The path before him was not an easy one. But he would understand, he was sure of it. Given time, he would understand it all. He had to, if he ever wanted to be emperor. If ever wanted to be a _good_ emperor.

The procession halted briefly while a pair of large golden gates opened and then passed into a large garden area. The Sub-Viceroy smirked inwardly. How so very like Clovis, surrounding himself with extravagant gardens. They almost rivalled the gardens of Aries Villa. Almost, but not quite. Briefly, he wondered just how big of a budget Clovis set aside for his personal pleasures, and if maybe he could do the same. No matter how frivolous he was, next to Clovis it would be nothing.

Lush grass, vibrant flower beds- the only thing that really stood out to him was the cherry blossom tree. So pale, subdued compared to the rest of the greenery, but elegant and arresting in its own way. He forgot what the Elevens called it, and most likely so had Clovis, but he spoke very highly of it and its beauty. He even gave one to Euphie as a gift. Lelouch made a mental note to plant one at home as well. Nunally might not be able to see it, but one day she might, and it was something he knew she'd enjoy.

The sprawling villa slowly came into view, just as grandiose and exaggerated as everything else. Lelouch spotted a few statues here and there and, although they were too far away for him to discern their features, it was safe to assume they were of Clovis. Maybe even Euphie, if she'd agreed to pose for one. They could always be of the Emperor- appearance's sake, of course. Clovis abhorred those busts of the Emperor that littered the palace hallways, just as he did.

"_His frown just seems to follow you everywhere, doesn't it? Whatever you do, he's frowning down at you."_

The sides of his lips twitched slightly, picturing a groggy Clovis opening his bedroom window, only to be greeted by their father's dark frown. No, Clovis wouldn't put a statue of the Emperor in the garden. He didn't make a very good balcony view.

The soldiers were lined up at the entrance, forming a path for him and his entourage. At the very front stood the flag bearers, rigid and resolute, with the flags of Britannia and Area 11 flying over their heads. He thought it strangely symbolic, how they held the flags up and how they fluttered in the wind, as if taunting them, happy to be out of reach. Like Britannia, his _beloved_ Britannia. You might be _told_ that you're a part of it, but you never truly are.

Lelouch closed his eyes and breathed deeply, steeling himself. When he opened them, he could see Clovis' royal guard, standing proud in their long-tailed lavender coats and then, as the limousine came to a stop, he saw Clovis himself, slowly descending the front steps. There was a faint smile on his half-brother's face. Sincere? Maybe, but he doubted it. Clovis had asked for him here, had requested the Emperor give him this position when he knew of Lelouch's plans to join Cornelia in the Middle East, and it probably wasn't out of the goodness of his heart.

He waited, a finger tapping impatiently on his knee, as members of his own royal guard began to take their places. His expression was constructed into a passive mask. Finally, his door opened, and Lelouch stepped out, taking a moment to adjust his cape around his shoulders.

"His Imperial Highness Lelouch vi Britannia, Eleventh prince of the Holy Britannian Empire!"

"And Sub-Viceroy of Area 11," Clovis drawled. "Congratulations, little brother."

His smile was still in place as he approached. Clovis always had this light, leisured manner in things. Growing up, Lelouch had tried to take a leaf from his book and affect this languid style of his, but with him it always seemed to come off as apathy instead. But there was an allure to that too, so it was alright. And when all else failed, that long title of his had an allure of its own.

"I understand I have you to thank for that, Clovis."

"Don't be so eager to thank me yet. You'll come to realize that the work of a ruler is tiring, and worse than that, it never ends."

A hand on his back, Clovis began to lead the Sub-Viceroy inside. Lavender stood by black as their royal guard came behind them, together with whoever was deemed important enough or simply had been with the Viceroy at the time of Lelouch's arrival.

"Oh yes, balls and amusement parks." This Clovisland project was the butt of many jokes within the royal family, excluding Nunally and Euphie. "How terrifying."

Clovis gave him a sidelong glance; most likely he'd heard of these jokes already. "Balls are more work than you'd know, Lelouch, and besides, balls are not the only duties I -and now you- will have to attend to." He smiled again, patting Lelouch on the back lightly.

The foyer was airy; this was his first impression as they stepped in together. Beyond that, Lelouch paid it little attention. He didn't care for the marble under his feet, nor did he care for the paintings on the wall, although he did take note of them, acknowledging that they had most likely been painted by Clovis himself. Another thing he took note of was the distinct lack of porcelain, whether as vases or decorative plates, in spite of his knowing full well just how much the Viceroy liked to have those things. A precautionary measure, perhaps? Had his most recent tantrum reached his ears? His lips twitched briefly before he managed to stifle his amusement.

"But you'll see soon enough," Clovis said. He paused in front of one of the paintings, seeming to admire it. A passing glance told Lelouch it was of nature, probably a very charming scene. "You'll see. For now, let's enjoy what time we have. I expect you'll be quite busy by the end of this night."

"Why?" Lelouch asked. He began to unfasten his cape and the head of his royal guard, Lord Jeremiah, stepped forward to receive it from him. "What's tonight?"

"Why, a ball, of course."

Lelouch forced a laugh and Clovis joined in, leading him further into the villa.

* * *

In spite of his statements in the morning, Clovis certainly seemed to enjoy the ball. More so even than Lelouch, who was supposed to be the guest of honour. To Lelouch, balls and galas and all of those things were only a means to an end, a way to see the pawns and determine if any of them were even worthy of participating in the game, _his_ game.

It seemed, however, that his act was more a hindrance than help right now.

_They treat me like a child_, he thought, hiding his frown behind the champagne flute. _An ill-tempered five-year-old._

Sure, he might have acted like one, and it might have kept him alive thus far, but it was time to let it drop. Lelouch honestly wasn't even sure he could stand to keep it up anymore in the first place.

"Lelouch, sulking off on your own again?"

Turning around, he put on a careless smile, very similar to the one on Clovis' lips.

"Forgive me, brother, but you can hardly blame me. Your talk has been so dreary."

"Says the Black Prince! With the uniforms you've assigned that guard of yours, I'm not surprised you've turned so dull."

In the Homeland, they called Lelouch the Black Prince. It was a jab at his faked temper tantrums and the black moods everyone saw him in. Nonetheless, going by the saying of '_If you can't beat 'em, join 'em,_' Lelouch had adopted the name and decided to apply it to various areas in his life, starting from his royal guard to his gifts and ending with his own wardrobe. It showed tonight in his gold-embroidered jacket and trousers, both black. Wary of looking grim, he tied a red cravat around his neck over a white dress-shirt.

His guard, however, didn't often apply bright colours to their uniform, and Lelouch preferred it that way. Grim they may be, but formidable.

"Or was it simply the military that changed you?" Clovis asked, looking as though he had trouble imagining Lelouch in the military in the first place.

"Yes, that might be it," he nodded. After a pause, he said, "Tell me, Clovis, do you care for a game of chess?"

"Oho, revenge, is it? Looking to show me up in front of my pet nobles?"

Yes. Exactly. It might seem ill-mannered to them, even when the ball was nearing its close, but he was the spoiled Black Prince, after all. They probably expected this sort of behaviour from him. Besides, what was a ball for if not to show off? His smile took on a sly edge, knowing that Clovis would humour him anyway. And he did.

A chess board was brought out and the court gathered around the two princes to watch their game. Clovis motioned for the musicians to continue playing, having stopped as soon as they saw the board being set, and requested a slow classical piece.

And so it began.

One thing Lelouch could never quite understand was why Clovis always agreed to play chess with him when he always knew he'd lose. In most things, his half-brother wasn't nearly as forgiving. Failure was not an option to him, it wasn't in his vocabulary. And yet, this game, it could actually be called fun, even as Lelouch out-manoeuvred him at every turn.

The chess pieces glinted as they were moved, the marvellously-crafted glass catching the light quite beautifully. _Even in chess, Clovis_, Lelouch mused inwardly, picking up his king. A collective gasp; he smirked, making his move.

"The king, Lelouch?"

"If the King does not lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?" He leaned back in his seat, one leg crossed over the other.

Clovis didn't answer, merely shaking his head and smiling at some inner joke.

It was different from how he played with Schneizel. Their chess games were stimulating, intense. Lelouch was always determined to triumph over him, no matter what. He felt none of that from Clovis. It felt like nothing more than a good-natured game between brothers, political agendas be damned.

He supposed Clovis simply didn't care for the game. Oh, he played well enough and even seemed to enjoy it sometimes, but in the end it wasn't his preferred field. He'd gladly replace the rooks for brushes, the horses for paint.

_Such a whimsical world you live in, brother._

"And with this," he announced, placing his rook on the board. "I call checkmate."

* * *

**A/N:** This is my first fanfic in a long while and I'd really appreciate any comments you have, whether on characterization or style or whatever else you can think of. Constructive criticism is more than welcome, and don't worry about being a little harsh! I'm a big girl, I can handle it.

Evidently, this is AU, and the history behind it will be explained, more or less, in the next chapter, which should be up by the weekend.

Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed it! And following chapters will be more fast-paced, don't worry.


	2. Advantage

**Chapter 2: Advantage  
**

Clovis reclined further in his chair, for once not minding if his clothing wrinkled and merely taking a moment to relax and enjoy the quiet. Waiting for reports was never a pleasant thing, but now he would make an exception. Pale blue eyes drifted to the window beside his desk, drinking in the view, plain as it was. Recent terrorist activity had the government amok. The Japan Liberation Front was already more than enough action for them without these newer attacks. Public transportation, supplies, these weren't the JLF's usual targets. Those men were ancient, but they were noticeable, had a certain pattern, and always made sure to state their responsibility. None had been stated for these attacks, which led him to believe it was a new faction. As if they needed any more.

A glimpse of the petitions and various other papers that needed his signature made him frown. And then a few moments later he began to smile to himself, imagining Lelouch swimming in his own piles of paperwork. He'd told him there was more to ruling than balls and parties and amusement parks, and even those weren't easy, but just to get the message home he'd instructed to have any and all paperwork not pertaining to the military or his own research or matters of serious international relations to be diverted to the sub-viceroy. This included all the repairing and cleaning up after the terrorists.

He knew Lelouch enough to know he wouldn't screw up, not _too_ badly at least, and if he did then little brother would do his damndest to make it right again. Or to cover it up. Either way, he wouldn't do too much damage, and Clovis would have fun watching him run around himself in the meantime. And then in a few weeks, just when the sub-viceroy got used to his new position, he would find his work-load had increased with the addition of small military matters. Very small, almost trivial, but it would be start.

While Lelouch was a very intelligent tactician, Clovis was still wary of putting men into his hands. He was hot-headed and proud, and sometimes these traits could get the better of him, overriding common sense and tactics. Like his last game against Schneizel. He played with his King, and Schneizel gave him a clear opening … only for Lelouch to retreat, stubbornly insisting he would not take such a dishonourable win. Naïve, idealistic- never good qualities for a leader. Worse yet, _spoiled_. Cornelia had a point when she said he needed to learn discipline, hence his enrolment in military school shortly after the Empress' death. Even so, he still had a few bratty tendencies. Like those temper tantrums he threw every so often. Clovis heard that the one following being told of his appointing as sub-viceroy had been particularly nasty. But then, he'd expected no less; Lelouch's reactions when parted from his beloved sister were always nasty.

"But what are you up to, little brother?" he wondered aloud.

Little brother was adapting very well, it seemed. Lelouch did that, he adapted, but not without a fight, usually, especially not when it came to being away from Nunna. It appeared that ever since the assassination of Lady Marianne Lelouch was obsessed with a conspiracy theory. Clovis believed it became little more than a crutch after a while. Evidence enough was the fact he'd blame every little bad thing in his life, such as a tutor punishing him for skipping out on his lessons, on the envious nobility and how they were out to get him and his sister like they'd already gotten his mother. He never outright said it, not since he was ten years old at least, but it was there. You could sense it, that undeniable underlying suspicion. Thankfully, there were people around him to help quell these suspicions before they got out of hand.

Clovis remembered seven years ago, after the investigations in the death of Lady Marianne, may she rest in peace, had been stopped. The entire court was in unrest, not just Lelouch, and the gossip run rampant. Cornelia herself had protested, having been the head of her Highness' guard at the time. She felt it was her responsibility, and she made the mistake of saying it where Lelou could hear.

Cornelia was always the tough one, the strong one, but that day she'd been beside herself. The investigations had helped put off the feeling of loss they'd all already gone through and overcome. When he came upon her that evening, he found her face unattractively pale, as if colour had drained out of it. She was clutching the arm-rests of her chair and staring straight ahead. She hadn't even noticed him coming in, which was very uncharacteristic of her.

"Cornelia, dear?" he said, concern laced in his voice. He came up from behind her, fingers trailing on the plush back of the chair. "Are you alright?"

"Of course, Clovis," she nodded, breathing deeply. She seemed to gather her composure then, putting the pieces of the mask back together. "If it's about my missing that appointment, I told you before I didn't want to pose for a-"

But Clovis waved it away, interrupting her, "The worst model is an unwilling one. We'll postpone it until you're in the mood. That aside, you've had Euphie worried." He sat down opposite her, one leg crossed over the other, resting his head on his palm.

"Euphie worries about _me_ now?" Her lips twisted into a wry smile. "Well, isn't that a nice change of roles."

"You've given her more than enough reason to."

"If there's anyone she should be worried about it's her _darling _Lelou."

Usually, that would make him chuckle lightly; Nunally and Euphemia often fought over who would get to marry Lelouch at that age and then chase after each other, running all over the place. But at the time he couldn't find it in him to be amused. Nunna was still in the hospital then, and she wouldn't be chasing anyone ever again. "What about him?"

"He's accusing me of conspiring against his mother."

Silence. He could offer nothing else. Cornelia, irritated, snapped at him to say something. He remained silent for a few more moments, wondering if he wanted to pursue this conversation. But of course he did and finally asked, "Why?"

"I'm –_was_- I _was_ the head of her personal guard, Clovis."

"She sent you away."

"But still! I just- I should've …" At that point, tears started to well up in Cornelia's eyes. This alarmed him, he recalled, although he didn't let it show.

At length, he said, "Lelouch needs someone to blame, that's all. He'll get over this, just as we all did."

"Oh, he's found someone to blame, alright." She said it as if there was a laugh lodged in her throat, something that was dying to come out but might choke her in the process. He sat up straighter, curious. "He's blaming it on Father."

"On … father?"

"You heard me."

It was decided that Lelouch should not stay alone that night, and a good thing too, because the boy had been planning on going right in front of their father and demanding something be done. To stand before the Emperor was in and of itself a very daunting task, let alone _demand _anything of him. Manage to not end up grovelling at his feet and you might just get your demand, at a certain price. Cornelia had waved off Lelouch's plans, saying he would never go through with them, that he would chicken-out midway. Clovis knew better.

The next morning, he suggested that they should go visit Nunally. All of them. Lelouch didn't want Carline to come, but he insisted, and even managed to pull Odysseus and Guinevere out of their projects to tag along. They only stayed for a little while, barely even an hour, but he, Lelouch, Euphemia and Cornelia remained. Schneizel spent most of the time there speaking with the doctors, discussing technicalities Clovis never cared to know, before taking his leave. He noticed that Lelouch tensed when Schneizel pat his shoulder on the way out.

Eventually, Cornelia left as well, the guard carrying a sleepy Euphie out, so that only he and Lelouch remained. More silence followed, the only sound being from the various machines that Nunally was hooked to and the scratching of a pencil on paper, until Lelouch spoke at long last. "You don't want me to talk to Father, do you?"

Clovis never looked up from his sketch. "You can talk to him all you like. Just be mindful of what you say."

"You want me to give him honeyed words and beg for my mother's justice?" His voice held power and anger and grief. A fleeting glance in his way showed him Lelouch had balled his little fists beside him, and his expression was as stubborn as it had been all day.

"No. Begging doesn't get you anywhere in this world," Clovis stated simply. "If you want something, you take it. You're a Prince of Britannia, Lelou."

"I will denounce my claim to the throne!" he stomped. Clovis paused and then lowered his sketch pad, looking at his younger brother with raised brows.

"And what do you think that will accomplish?"

"I want my mother's justice and I _will_ have it! Or else I no longer want to be a prince of Britannia!"

The blond laughed. He laughed in spite of the enraged expression his brother now wore, and he laughed even with his sister's small form in the bed nearby, still healing, although they all knew it would never really fully heal.

"_What are you laughing at?_" Lelouch demanded, stomping again. His eyes suddenly became wide. "You were in on it, weren't you, Clovis? You knew … You knew! That's why you-"

"Hold on there, kid. Princely rule number one," He raised a finger. "Don't jump to conclusions."

"Then why were you laughing, huh?"

"Because," A smile, as patronizing as it could be. "You presume too much." Lelouch opened his mouth but Clovis continued, holding two fingers up now, "Princely rule number two: Know your worth."

"I am a Prince!"

"And so are your brothers, so what?" Putting his sketch aside, he leaned forward in his seat, elbows rested on his knees, and looked Lelouch straight in the eyes. "What advantage do you have, Prince Lelouch vi Britannia?"

His reminiscing was interrupted by a knock on the door. Sighing deeply, he tore his eyes away from the window, lifting his head from his hand. "Come in, Bartley,"

The door was opened and General Bartley hurried in, giving a hasty bow that made him look almost comical with that rotund body of his. Clovis gestured for him to hurry up, looking bored. His eyes were already being drawn back to the window, even as the balding man gave his report. No word on the new terrorist faction, no new activities; they seemed to be laying low for a while. As expected. They didn't strike him as a large group with resources. Nonetheless, patrols were dispatched around their previous target areas and places where they might attack next.

Finally, he got to the part the Viceroy had been waiting for.

"As for the- the girl, your Highness."

"Yes?" Clovis' eyes were fixed on the General now. "Did she survive the tests?"

"Without a scratch."

His brows rose, his lips parting ever so slightly in his surprise. "Without a scratch … " he repeated, trailing off. It was true then; she was immortal. Or at least she couldn't be killed by conventional means. He had thrown everything he could think of at her and more. "Interesting. Try with a Knightmare next."

"But, sire-"

"Yes, Bartley?" He had overcome his wonder and regained his usual manner now, and was looking at the General expectantly.

"That would require an open location. We'll have to transport her, and-"

"And make sure to keep her secure at all times. Will that be too hard for you, General?"

Bartley swallowed and saluted him, his large belly jiggling with the sudden step. "No, sir!"

"Then you are dismissed."

Clovis was left alone with his thoughts again, but this time they were of a much grander nature.

_Immortality._ As soon as he discovered what was behind it, everlasting life would be his. He could be forever young, forever strong; indestructible.

_And that, little brother, is __**my**__ advantage_.

* * *

Just how many trees did they kill in a day, he wondered, with all this paper?

The notion was completely uncharacteristic of him. It just wandered into his head, like a wayward thought, lost on its way to someone else's head, and then it found his princely one, frazzled from the never-ending mounds of paperwork, and decided to settle down there, all nice and snug.

Lelouch paused mid-signature, staring blankly at his pen. He finished scribbling his name and then dropped the pen with a clatter, pushing himself away from the desk. When he started thinking like that, he knew he was in desperate need of a break.

It wasn't that he couldn't work, exactly. Although he could easily be described as lazy sometimes (most of the time, actually), Lelouch was more than prepared to jump into action when the occasion called for it. But this … this was so boring! So mind-numbingly boring. Such a waste of his talents, too. It was frustrating. Why wouldn't Clovis give him something worth his brain-power for a change? Something stimulating, maybe out on the field. He bet he could catch those terrorists, if he was given the chance.

Part of him rebelled at the idea of having to wait for permission, for the right chance or opportunity, but if there was one thing he'd learned over the years it was that no one broke the chain of command. It was essential that the hierarchy was maintained, for everyone's sake, so that the machine kept running smoothly. Here he was under Clovis' rule as Viceroy and he had to respect that.

Didn't mean he had to like it, though.

Lelouch got up, breathing a sigh of relief when he finally got around to stretching his legs. Sitting around on a desk was no better than sitting around on a throne, although one generally looked better on a throne than behind a desk.

One also generally looked better with a champagne flute in hand, a nice lady on his arm and a smile on his face. Clovis was living proof. A frown tugged at the sides of his lips, reminded of the strategies he'd set before he came here. His stay in Area 11 should hold some merit, if he managed to execute them correctly. The main point here being _if_. Lelouch had full confidence in his ability to formulate working plans, and even more confidence in his ability to carry them out. That wasn't the problem; the problem was in the excess of the human element. He didn't usually like to depend on people he didn't know or trust, which was only made worse by the fact they didn't really even _know_ he was depending on them. And to add to the whole mess, they were nobility, a traitorous breed, and always eager to tear each other down. And there was nothing, absolutely _nothing_, they liked more than seeing the great ones fall.

To be perfectly honest, Lelouch would rather continue the mind-numbing business of signing papers all day than take on the nobility of Area 11, but sadly, wars aren't won with paper.

"_If you want something, you take it."_

"But first, you need to make sure you're strong enough to defend it, or you're fast enough to steal it and run," he murmured.

Right now, he was neither.

This situation must change. And so, he must have allies. Powerful allies, large in number. And since nothing was ever free of charge in this world, he must give something in return. Alliances, promises of titles, land, promotions. The more power he would get from them, the more he must give and give and give. He wondered how many of the families would offer up their daughters point-blank and how many would simply push them on him, telling the poor girl to work her charm on the Black Prince.

He wondered how many were already trying with Clovis, and if he might be seen as an easier target.

His brother was charming, no doubt. He was also shrewd, snobbish and had a million faces he could slip on without the slightest catch. In short, Clovis was a precarious bet at best, and it was most certainly safer to have an alternative. What better alternative than his 'inexperienced' younger brother? A quick background check on the nobility of Area 11 made some rather interesting names pop up; Lelouch expected he'd have at least eight girls he needed to charm by the end of this week. One name that especially stood out was Ashford, his mother's old allies. They would need to fit in somehow, in spite of the little power they now held. Loyalty was a rare and valuable thing and they deserved to be rewarded for it, for not simply switching their backing to one of the other royal consorts.

A crackling sound followed by the shrill voice of his secretary made him glance back at his desk. "Your highness? I apologize for the interruption …"

He crossed the room in three quick strides. Had the race for the Prince started already? He leaned over the files, pressing the button to talk. "Yes, Eleni?"

"There's someone here to see you. He doesn't have an appointment but he's, ah, very adamant. He says his name is Earl As-"

A deep voice interrupted her. "If your highness would permit me, I will gladly get rid of this annoying little man at once." He thought he could hear a voice protesting in the background.

Only a second's hesitation and then, "Send him in."

Lelouch straightened up, crossing his arms over his chest. An Earl. Time to play host, then.

He went to stand beside the window and was disgruntled to see his faint reflection in the glass; the back of his hair was sticking up slightly from running his fingers through it. Remaining passive, he fixed his hair, and then his hands moved downwards to smooth out his jacket as well. His position at the window had a strategic importance … beyond using it to make sure he looked good, yes. (Well, he was sub-viceroy to Clovis, who always looked impeccable. Lelouch refused to be seen as lacking.) It would enable him to observe the man and size him up without having to seem to do so, as well as be able to monitor his own face. Also, it would give off a perhaps dreamy impression of him, leaving his work to go stare out of the window. His reputation may not include that, it may outright contradict it, even, but everyone knew reputations didn't necessarily have to be true.

There was a curt knock before the door opened, revealing Lord Jeremiah Gottwald, imposing as always in his uniform. He gave a bow, which Lelouch acknowledged with a wave of his hand, never looking away from the window, before taking his place in the back of the room, alert as always. The sub-viceroy's eyes remained on the reflection of the door, waiting.

One of Lelouch's brows rose, hidden behind his fringe, but he was quick to wipe his expression clean again before this Earl could notice. Was he really an Earl? _Really?_ He'd heard of those eccentric types, but that usually meant exotic house décor and mismatched clothing, rather than what he was seeing.

The Earl was tall and gangly, wrapped in a long white coat that flapped at his legs as he walked. In his arms were what appeared to be plans, the kind you saw for construction work and whatnot. Lelouch found himself disappointed, to be quite honest. Although, on the bright side, if these were just the plans for some new complex or something he could just give his approval with no more than a smile and a nod and the man would be on his way, and he'd have something tangible in Area 11 that could be accredited to him. It would be a start, at least.

"Sub-viceroy! I do hope you like our little Area. Rather quaint place, isn't it?"

"Yes, quaint."

"Now then, I know just how busy of a man you must be, your Highness, so I'll show how kind-hearted I am and get straight to the point, hmm?" The Earl smiled and Lelouch felt a very childish quality emanating from him, like a little boy proudly showing his parents' guests his new toy car and explaining its every feature. "I am Earl Asplund, although I'd prefer it if you just called me Lloyd, really, and I have a proposal for you. I'm the head of the Camelot, so I assure you it isn't something trivial. Now then, if your highness wouldn't mind?"

He gestured to the desk with his free hand, still genial as ever. Lelouch nodded, leaving his place beside the window and stood beside the Earl. _Camelot_. The name didn't click immediately, nothing outside of the Arthurian legend at least, but now that he thought back on it he did remember Clovis mentioning them. Some pet project of Schneizel's. Well then, if he already had a Prince's backing, what was this meeting for?

There was a few seconds of waiting, most likely the Earl- _Lloyd_- was putting on a show of politesse and waiting to see if the Sub-Viceroy would do anything, and then he started moving. Beckoning Jeremiah over, he told him to make himself useful and help unravel the plans, which amused the Prince somewhat. Neither Lelouch nor Lloyd seemed to mind that they were laying it out on top of the paperwork, although he did notice Lloyd eyeing it with distaste for a few seconds.

"Alright, Lloyd, tell me what I'm looking at."

Not a complex, he thought, eyes travelling over the figures quickly, but a weapon. A Knightmare Frame. He allowed himself to show some interest, making the Earl beam and begin his tirade, and Lelouch found himself becoming more than just interested. He was genuinely intrigued.

Two retractable fact-spheres, forearm-mounted energy shields called the Blaze Luminous, four Slash Harkens with experimental thrusters that allowed them to change their direction _mid-flight. _Forget intrigued, Lelouch felt like a kid on Christmas morning. He tried not to let this show too much, though, and suppressed the building excitement. A seventh generation Knightmare Frame's plans were laid out before him.

But why?

This was what made it easier to maintain his expression, even as Lloyd proceeded to glorify his creation. Why bring it before him? Why not Clovis, if Schneizel wasn't paying them enough attention? Or had Clovis already dismissed the project? If that was the case, then it would certainly make sense. It would explain his being so adamant to bring this before him, as Eleni had said. But would it be a smart decision to take on something his brothers had already cast aside?

Something was wrong here.

"Wonderful machine," he commented. "But … "

"But?" The Earl's head snapped up. "There are no buts about the Lancelot, your Highness, I assure you. Maybe a kink here or there, but with the right tools that can all be smoothed out quite easily."

"Ah, and what tools are those?"

"A decent pilot, for one. Most can't even _move_ the Lancelot, let alone pilot it to its full capacity." He sighed. "Shame, really."

Lelouch stored this in the back of his mind; Lloyd referred to a pilot as a tool. _Nobility_, he thought with an inward sneer. Typical nobility. When he spoke again, his voice held no traces of these thoughts; he was just a young Prince, eager to prove himself, and that was all. "And what other kinks might there be?"

"Just a few things here and there. Nothing too worrying, your Highness. Nothing that can't be fixed with a bit of field data."

Which brought them back to the problem of the pilot. Lelouch didn't see what he had to do with any of this still and voiced this question to the scientist, who waved it off.

"I'm sure we'll find a pilot eventually. There has to be someone out there willing to test-run an experimental Knightmare with no ejection seat that isn't a _complete_ idiot. We're combing through Honorary Britannians right now, but anyway, our problem seems to be with the field data." Here the Earl paused for breath, taking a step away from the desk so that he could use his hands without fear of toppling anything over. "Your respected brother, Viceroy Clovis, doesn't seem to be too keen on dispatching us."

"Can't really blame him, considering your pilot problem," Lelouch pointed out, crossing his arms over his chest.

"But simulation is no comparison to the field! I'm sure you're familiar with those simulations yourself, am I right?"

Only vaguely. Knightmares had never been his forte, in spite of his excellent hand-eye coordination. One on one combat in a Knightmare never ended well for him and he'd decided early on that if he had to pilot one, it would only be to preside over battle not to head it.

"Imagine the data we could collect, even with a mediocre pilot!" The childlike quality had given way to a severe intensity. The man was passionate about his work, he would give him that, even if he did have odd ways of expressing it.

"So, Earl Asplund, your request is … ?"

"That you allow us to join field operations."

Lelouch fell silent for a few moments. He went behind his desk again, sitting gracefully in his chair. His elbow propped up on the arm-rest, he placed his chin in his palm. The silence stretched in his contemplation, and yet he could see no signs of irritation or impatience from the Earl. That man was either amazingly arrogant or very self-controlled. Lelouch was betting on the first, personally.

At length, he said, "It is my understanding that you are backed by my older brother, the Prime Minister, Prince Schneizel, am I right?"

"Yes, actually, Prince Schneizel has been most generous in that regard. But Prince Clovis doesn't seem as … receptive of us."

"Nonetheless, you … are independent of the army?" A natural conclusion, which the Earl once again confirmed.

"That doesn't mean, however, that we can run around doing whatever we like. Sadly. The other units will need to be aware of the Lancelot and we aware of them, as well as the assault plans and all that. Just so I don't accidentally end up hindering anything."

Lelouch very much doubted if the Earl cared at all about hindering any plans. He had eyes only for his Lancelot. "And you want me to influence Viceroy Clovis into allowing you on the field."

"I believe it would be very useful with all these awful terrorist attacks." He said _awful_ and yet seemed to regard it as anything but. The Prince was being swayed to his side, however. He, personally, had been dying to participate in the apprehension of these terrorist factions, but Clovis was apparently content to delegate him to the side for now. If he included the Lancelot, he wouldn't be participating, not really, but he would have _influence. _And through this influence, the Lancelot may very well be under his hands. Aside from the delicious thought of having taken one of Schneizel's pet projects, if the Lancelot succeeded in its missions it would be an incredible asset.

Baby-steps. One at a time.

"_If you want something, you take it."_

Battles weren't won by sitting behind desks.

The first fielded seventh-generation Knightmare Frame.

His.

"I believe I just found my advantage, Clovis," he muttered to himself. Louder, he said, "I'll see what I can do, Earl Asplund."


	3. Façade

**Chapter 3: Façade **

He said he would denounce his claim to the throne. It seemed a valid threat at the time, truly, in his childish mind, because even though he was only seventeenth in line for the throne he had always been called special. Exceptionally smart, wonderfully privileged- and that was what Britannia was all about, wasn't it? Privilege.

He had been planning to say it, believing he knew his father, and knowing the line that he would have said. _Because we are royalty_. Lelouch had heard that line so many times growing up and had even delivered it a few times. Nunally, ever the gentle soul, hated it when one of their half-siblings went off to war, Cornelia especially. Why, she would ask, why do they have to go and fight?

"Because only they can do it," his nine-year-old self responded. "Because they are royalty." They were sitting side-by-side on the couch, watching television until it was bed-time. Mother said it was good for them to watch the news, not just cartoons and kiddie things, and so it became a daily ritual. Nunally didn't always like to watch it, but Lelouch was there to hold her hand and assure her that all the wars fought by the Holy Britannian Empire were just ones, and it was okay because the other people were bad people anyway. This wasn't necessarily a lie, he would reason, and felt it alright to continue telling Nunally so.

"But why? Why do we have to fight?"

"Because not everyone's as nice as you, Nunally. Some people can be bad, and that's why the good people have to fight them. To protect us." Here, he squeezed her hand, giving her a reassuring smile. She returned the smile, although it was weak and said, "I'm glad you're here, then, big brother. You'll protect me, right?"

"Right."

Too bad he couldn't keep his promise. He didn't protect her from the bullets that took her legs away, or the claws that scarred her so deep inside they took away her sight.

He tried his best thereafter, though, seeing as how his father wouldn't be doing anything.

"_I give up my claim to the throne!"_

He rehearsed that line many, many times in the privacy of his room, trying to anticipate the conversation. He wasn't very sure at the time of what the Emperor's reaction would be, but some childish part of him, some innocent little part that grasped onto the image of the loving father that his Mother had painted for him, wanted to believe that this declaration would shake the Emperor, make him resume the investigations.

Lelouch knew now, seven years later, that he was sorely mistaken in his assumption. But even so, he couldn't entirely be sure of the response he would have gotten. Laughter, perhaps? Banishment? Would he have been used as a political pawn, or told to go back to play with his toys and weakling of a sister until he was of age and could prove useful? One thing he was sure of: the Emperor did not waste any of his cards. No matter how many he had, each of them must have a use.

Nunally's use right now was to force his hand and make sure Lelouch stayed in line, this also he was quite sure of. It wouldn't hurt to have her as a sympathetic face for the Empire; a crippled girl on a diplomatic mission for peace would move a lot of hearts. But it wouldn't be the Emperor's idea to have her so. Charles zi Britannia had no need for sympathy. But seeing as how everything was left in the hands of his children anyway, it was still a definite possibility. It did sound like something Schneizel would do.

Lelouch chose to ignore the voice in his mind that said it sounded like something _he_ would do as well. What he was doing was for Nunally's own good; he wasn't using her as a pawn, he was trying to protect her from becoming one.

He would tell Clovis of this, as an excuse to bring Nunally to Area 11. Should the rebel factions get a charismatic leader, the other Elevens may just pick up arms and before long things would get out of hand. The Viceroy was a vain man, albeit one they had prospered under, and the Sub-Viceroy was a spoiled young prince that was only out to prove himself, as far as they knew. Neither made a very sympathetic figure, and the charisma Clovis might exude during those melodramatic speeches of his would not be able to stand against the bubbling pride of the Eleve- no, _the Japanese_.

His plan would appeal to the politician in Clovis, which would overrule any other plan there may or may not have been to keep Nunally away from Lelouch and bring her to Area 11. After that, he was never letting her out of his sight again.

A faint smile was gracing his lips as he sauntered out into the garden. As usual, he was greeted with the sight of Clovis' exquisite marble statue, standing in the middle of a rose-bush with a similar rose in hand. This rose was a real one, the servants replaced it every day.

He didn't expect to find the real Clovis, however.

Nonetheless, there he was, seated at the breakfast table in all his golden glory. Coming up behind him, Lelouch saw that his long hair was braided, meaning he had an important meeting sometime today.

"Good morning, Viceroy," Lelouch greeted, pulling up one of the wicker chairs. "I didn't expect to find you here."

"Good morning to you too, Lelou," Clovis watched him sit down from over his tea-cup. "And, this is _my_ villa, unless I'm mistaken?"

Lelouch chuckled, "Yes, yes, it's _your_ villa. I don't normally catch you for breakfast, though. You're a pretty busy man, big brother," he said, adopting the familiar tone Clovis was using with him. Although he'd have preferred if he wasn't addressed with his childhood nickname in front of the help. His eyes flickered to the butler, an Honorary Britannian, who was placing baskets of freshly-baked goods on the table. The help were generally not acknowledged. They existed as shadows, mere ghosts, to neither be seen nor heard most of the time, aside from the guard and personal maids. Lelouch could only imagine the amount of gossip they picked up.

"Well, I simply thought it was time for a little … hm, brotherly bonding, shall we say?"

The Sub-Viceroy calmly poured himself a cup of tea, dismissing the butler with a wave of his hand. The smile, though slight, never fell from his lips, which Clovis noticed and was quick to comment on. "If I didn't know better, I'd have said you had a _very _good night, Lelouch." A pause as he took another sip of his tea. "Of course, I do know better, so, care to tell me the reason behind this _unusually_ good mood? I might just be able to make it happen more often."

"As thoughtful an offer as that is, Clo, I'm afraid you won't be able to."

"You should have more faith in my abilities, brother."

The sugar cube he dropped into his tea made an unceremonious _plop_. Lelouch stirred it slowly, looking across the table at the Viceroy. "I received a letter from the Homeland."

"Ah. Well, I suppose I'm beat there. Nunally, I presume?"

Lelouch nodded. "She sends her regards." He placed the spoon aside and then reached for the basket of baked goods, his brother helping him along by pushing it with a finger. "She misses you, by the way. Her and Euphie."

"But not as much as they miss you, I bet. Their darling little _Lelou_."

"_Naturally_."

"Naturally, yes. I'm actually quite surprised at you."

"Hm?"

"You haven't brought Nunally over yet."

The cup paused at Lelouch's lips, just for a second, his eyes flickering to Clovis' face, and then he tipped it, taking a mouthful of the hot liquid. Could he have seen through him already? Was there an ulterior motive to this, or was it just Clovis, being his usual social self?

There were few people that Clovis considered worthy, in a way, of his consideration. Those people consisted strictly of the Imperial family, and even then only those he liked of them. Carline, for example, scarcely received more than a passing glance and a chilly greeting from him, while he would sometimes visit Lelouch at Aries Villa for the sole purpose of playing with him, even after the Lady Marianne was assassinated. Lelouch tended to take things with a grain of salt, knowing all too well what pride, selfishness and ambition could compel others to do. Usually a little digging was enough to prove his suspicions well-founded. But with Clovis, he was no longer quite as sure. After all, his one motive behind bringing Nunally to Area 11 could be that he wished to see her.

Or it could be that Clovis wanted to use her as a sympathetic public face, as Lelouch might have reasoned with him, had he not brought the matter up first. He decided to take advantage of this, since he no longer had to use an excuse.

And should Clovis decide to suggest it … well, then, he'd best hide all of his fragile valuables, because Lelouch vi Britannia would be throwing the largest temper-tantrum he could possibly muster in his way. The fake persona he'd adopted over the years, of being a spoiled little boy, could be tiring, and often had its drawbacks, but these drawbacks were nothing compared to the advantages. One of them was the ability to get out of arguments by sheer brattiness. There were few who were willing to 'discipline' the young prince, and Clovis was not one of them.

"I haven't made the proper arrangements yet," he said simply.

Clovis rolled his eyes, "What kind of arrangements could you possibly need?"

"Living quarters. School."

"She'll be staying here, no question about it. As for school, she has her tutors, has she not?"

"Nunally has been complaining of loneliness, Clovis, and we won't be able to stay by her side all day; I believe it might be beneficial to her if she was to attend a normal school. Find some friends outside of the help."

"It's rather unorthodox, not to mention dangerous. I don't think that sending her to school would be a very good idea, Lelouch, not with all these terrorist attacks."

"Are you saying our royal guard won't be capable of protecting the Princess?" he asked cooly. He received a sharp look from Clovis, but ignored it. He had a point, of course; it was indeed dangerous, but he would take his precautions.

"Her arrival at Area 11 won't be publicized, and seeing as how she's yet to make her debut, I very much doubt anyone will recognize her." He paused to take a bite of his croissant, chewing slowly and watching Clovis out of the corner of his eye while he pretended to admire the scenery that the gardeners had worked so hard on perfecting. Still not as good as Aries Villa. Clovis' expression remained passive, and if not for the light tapping of his fingers on the arm-rest, one might have believed he was completely calm.

Lelouch swallowed and took a sip of his tea before continuing, "Also, she will assume the surname _Lamperouge_ while on school grounds. Even with her presence in a normal school, she will require tutoring in certain subjects, which will mean her mingling with normal students won't be much, but it should be enough to make her happy."

Silence reigned for several moments while they finished their breakfast. It was a heavy silence, one that almost seemed to carry accusation. But who was it directed at? At the older brother, who had just confirmed Lelouch's suspicions regarding his scheme to use his little sister? Or at the younger? Who had uncovered the elder's scheme and made it so he couldn't suggest it without voicing his plans, without antagonising him?

Lelouch wasn't disappointed, not really. He expected this. Even from Clovis, whom he considered to be the closest to him, after Nunally and Euphie.

"You seem to have thought this through, Lelouch," There was a formal chill in his voice, which Lelouch quirked a brow at, but didn't comment on. He must uphold the illusion of naïveté, even when they both knew exactly what he had done.

"Indeed I have."

"And have you a school in mind, then? I would like to ask around first, make sure it is fit for a Britannian Princess."

_Make sure you have enough people there, you mean,_ he thought._ Yes, Clovis, I know how it is._

"I've already taken it upon myself to do so. In fact-" Lelouch lifted his tea cup delicately, swirling the contents around a little before gulping them down. He grimaced at the taste, the tea having grown cold. "-I have an appointment with the headmaster scheduled in half an hour."

"I see," Clovis said slowly, watching his half-brother rise from his seat. "Tell me about it when you get back, then? Nunally's my sister too, after all; I care as much for her well-being as you do." He placed special emphasis on that fact, and Lelouch nodded, saying, "Of course."

When he turned around to leave, however, a sad smirk was drawn on his lips.

_Ah, if only, big brother. If only._

* * *

Carefree laughter, longing glances from across the room, late night cramming before an exam, and lots of goofing off: these were the main constituents of the life of a Britannian teenager. The school-dances were the highlights of their lives, as Milly Ashford often so proudly proclaimed, as well as the occasional ball, depending on where the teen's family stood on the social ladder. For girls, there would be the addition of boy-squeeage (a term she'd coined from the girls' dorms) and many nights spent debating with her friends whether the boy that sat next to her in Chem Lab liked her or if he _like_-liked her.

That might have been the life she led.

It sounded kind of stupid at first, but even so, sometimes Kallen found herself wondering what it would have been like to live like that. If her father hadn't left them, if he had taken her and Naoto from the start and brought them up the Britannian way, would she have been like that? Would she have been teasing Shirley as well, instead of gripping her pouch knife under the table, trying to relieve the tension of having to wait until she could finally leave and return to her work with the resistance?

Did she even want to be like that?

_No_, came the immediate answer. Of course not. She was happy with what she was doing, proud to be a part of it. She was helping to restore Japan, _their Japan_, from the hands of those stupid Britannians, just like the ones in school. Once Japan was back, she might live like that. She might start concerning herself with a social life other than the one her Dad forced her into. But until then …

Kallen pulled at the tie around her neck, itching to get out of this uniform and slip into her usual suit instead. It was waiting in her backpack, which was on the seat beside her, calling out to her. It was a dangerous thing, carrying her suit around like that, as well as the phony ID she needed for tonight's operation, but Kallen figured it was far safer with her than it would ever be in the dorms or at home. At least no one would snoop around her bag. She still couldn't trust her roommates, and she could never trust her step-mother. So, in the end, it was safest with her, being lugged around all day along with her books and papers.

It was almost time, she thought, staring out of the window. From so far away, the school gates looked so tiny, like she could reach out and crush it in her hand. Once or twice, out of sheer mind-numbing boredom, Kallen had actually tried, but of course her fingers ended up closing on nothing but thin air, and the gates remained unreachable. Almost like a symbol of the Emperor himself; so far away, unreachable, like a legend from long ago. But he was there, just like the gates. They were locking her in, leering at her from above. As soon as she got the call, she would be passing right under them, regardless. Just as soon as she got the call.

Why wouldn't the damn call come, already?

"Damnit, Ohgi," she cursed under her breath, glaring at the cell-phone clutched in her hand. "What's taking you so long?"

He wasn't late, not technically. It was only a few minutes after ten, the agreed time, but Kallen was restless.

"Ohgi?" The lively female voice brought her out of her thoughts. Kallen plastered on a meek little smile, turning to face her. "I've never heard that name. Is that a boy you're seeing?" Shirley gasped, hand flying to her mouth, even as it began to form a gigantic smile. "Oh my god, is that why you keep turning down all those boys?"

"Ohgi doesn't sound very Britannian, though," That was Milly Ashford, inserting herself into any conversation, as always. "Where's he from? Is he cute?"

"Ohgi isn't my boyfriend, silly,"

"Oh?" Shirley lowered her hand, looking slightly put down.

"He's just my chauffeur. He's an Honorary Britannian." It was a story she'd thought up long ago, in case anyone overheard her conversations with anyone of the resistance, she could easily claim they were the help. It was very common for Britannians to take Japanese as servants, Milly Ashford herself had her personal maid, Sayoko. Not to forget her own stupid mother, of course. It angered Kallen, how low they would stoop. Serving Britannians, psh.

"Is he cute?" Milly asked again, earning a blank look from both girls. "_What?_ I never said _marry_ him, I just asked if he was cute. It'd hate to have an ugly chauffeur."

"Jeez, Milly!"

The blonde merely shrugged. Shirley shook her head before turning back to Kallen, "Are you going somewhere today?"

"Yeah," _HELL YEAH!_ She gave a small smile, almost apologetic in nature. It was amazing how well she'd become at this charade. "I'm going home for a bit. I'm just not … not feeling very well."

The standard excuse, and no one could argue with it. As much as she hated the act she had to put up, it was incredibly convenient when she had to go away on a moment's notice. Like right now. As soon as Ohgi called. She looked down at her cell-phone again, willing to ring. 10:10. _Where are you, Ohgi?_

"Oh, hey, who's that?"

"Wow. Sweet ride."

She didn't know who said it, only that it wasn't anyone from the student council, nor did she particularly care. Her eyes remained fixed on the phone. Finally, it erupted in song, but was cut short as she snapped it open, putting it to her ear. With a smile and a wave, she left her student council friends and began her slow walk outside the building.

"About damn time. What took you so long?"

"There's been some, uh, complications."

"What do you mean, there's-"

"I mean we need to revise the plan. Tamaki went and-"

"Ugh, I swear, I'll kill that guy," Kallen gave a timid smile to the teacher that happened to hear her. The man blinked, obviously bewildered, but returned the smile all the same.

"Don't worry; Inoue's already on it," She heard Ohgi's nervous chuckle from the other end. Kallen shook her head and sighed. She stepped out of the main building and, turning, found herself directly in front of where the vehicle that some student had commented on was parked. Inwardly, she would admit that yes, it was a pretty awesome car. Whoever was in it came from money, big money. Money gained by leeching off of the Japanese.

A new student? Another boy that might harass her for a date? There was no end to those, even with the sickly façade she kept up. Apparently, her family name was enough to make her a good catch, regardless of her poor health. It disgusted her.

"Fine, we meet at the regular place?"

"No, too dangerous now. We're moving to another location- I'll call you once we get there, okay?"

There was no reply.

"Kallen?"

She had stopped walking and instead was staring ahead, slack-jawed, at the man who had just stepped out of the vehicle.

"Kallen!"

"I'm here, Ohgi," she said finally, never tearing her eyes away from him. Could it really be … ? But why would he come here, of all places? It was just a school, owned by nobles who had long-since fallen from grace. What business could he possibly have here?

He glanced her way, but didn't seem to have registered seeing her.

His eyes were a vivid purple.

"Ohgi," she said, cutting off whatever he'd been saying. "I think Lelouch just walked into my school."

"Lelouch? Who-"

"I mean Sub-Viceroy Lelouch vi Britannia," Kallen hissed, turning her back to the man and his guard in case any of them happened to hear her. Even if they did, they would probably just assume her one of the excited masses. "How many Lelouches do you know?"

They would be mistaken as to what her excitement entailed, however.

Like the excited masses, she would love to get her hands on him. Unlike them, it would be to strangle him with her bare hands.

It would be so easy, part of her thought, to just run up and kill him. He didn't look very strong, she could take him. And if she was lucky, she might be able to finish the job before his guard could shoot her down.

Kallen shook her head, shaking the wistful thoughts away.

"I won't be coming to the meeting," she informed Ohgi. "I need to know what he's doing here."

She snapped the phone shut before she could hear his protests and looked over her shoulder. The Sub-Viceroy was already inside, as were two of his personal guard. The other two were situated at the door. So, sadly, planting a bomb on the car was out of the question, as they were standing right in front of it. But they couldn't stop her from following him; she could always take another entrance and get to him from within, since the majority of the school structures were connected. If she hurried, she might be able to catch him.

If other girls hadn't already thought of that plan, that is.

* * *

When her grandfather requested her presence in his office, Milly thought she was about to go deaf. The squeals of those around her when she'd told them had been unbelievable.

In spite of the size of it, news travelled very fast in Ashford Academy. So from the moment Lelouch vi Britannia set his imperial foot on Academy grounds, everyone in the school knew about it, and squealed about it, and talked about it. And for once in her life, Milly was not eager to join in.

Ever since Lelouch took up the position of Sub-Viceroy of Area 11, her family had been in high hopes. That maybe, just maybe, the boy- no, young man, she had to remind herself. He was even taller than her now. Maybe the young man would remember the family that had backed his mother and lift their position once more. Her grandfather did not seem to share these sentiments and Milly, despite the fact she tried to be optimistic, could not help but agree with him. He had no reason to back them. The Imperial family were a handsome bunch, charismatic, arresting- but they were cold bastards, all the same. Although perhaps Nunally had turned out different, there was no doubt in her mind as to how Lelouch had become. The gossip around him described the young prince as somewhat immature, with a flair for the dramatics and a tendency to make a scene at the most inappropriate of times, but everyone agreed that he was a ruthless strategist when it came to chess.

And other things as well.

She wasn't high-up on the social ladder anymore, but she had friends who were, and those friends told Milly all about the rumours that surrounded the fall of the Gignon family. It was all very suspicious, they said. One moment they were parading around, throwing their wealth here and there. Another, they were at rock-bottom. Just like that. It was quite known that they were strong supporters of Lady Evelyn, one of the Emperor's consorts, and vehemently against the Lady Marianne. It was rumoured they even celebrated her death.

It was also rumoured that Lelouch vowed they would pay for the disrespect they showed his mother's memory.

Although there was no evidence linking the Prince with the Gignons' downfall, one couldn't help but wonder …

Milly found herself in front of the headmaster's office before she even knew it. A member of what was no doubt Lelouch's personal guard was effectively blocking her path, standing rigidly in front of the door, dressed in all black. She was surprised to hear laughter coming from inside.

"Um, my grandfather," she started awkwardly, gesturing at the office door. "He asked for me."

"Milly Ashford?"

"That's me," she nodded, trying to be her normal playful self. "The one and only."

He gave a stiff nod and stepped aside, and the door opened for her.

Her grandfather, Reuben K. Ashford, was still laughing, leaning back in his plush chair comfortably. Seated before him was Lelouch vi Britannia, in all his imperial glory, with another member of his guard situated behind him. He was clad in white and gold, garb that was hardly fitting for the Black Prince of Britannia, and was probably dressed as casually as a Britannian Prince could be. No cravat, for one, which was more or less a staple in noble attire, and no ruffles or gloves.

Lelouch's eyes fell on her as she stepped inside; he was smiling lightly. A smile of her own touched her lips, innocent at first, and then steadily gaining a more mischievous edge the closer she got. She saw his smile become a smirk.

"My my, haven't we grown," Milly folded her arms, leaning on her grandfather's desk. "You've turned into quite the handsome devil, huh, Lulu?"

He winced visibly at the name. "You know, Milly, it's almost worth hearing you say that right now. Just so long as you don't say it in front of anyone else."

"Sure thing, Lulu!" She gave him a cheeky grin, to which his only response was a dry chuckle.

"_Milly,_"Her grandfather used his pen to swat her arm. She mouthed 'ow', rubbing it, but moved away from his desk all the same and sat very ungracefully onto the chair opposite Lelouch.

"I expect you to be more courteous to our guests," he reprimanded, but she waved it away with her hand. "We need you to be on your best behaviour for Princess Nunally's arrival."

That brought her to attention.

"Princess Nunally?" she repeated, looking between the two men. "Nunna? She's coming … here?"

"She will be Nunally Lamperouge, as far as anyone's concerned," Lelouch informed her. "She wants to experience a normal school life, so I thought it would be a nice surprise to bring her here. Make some new friends and meet an old one too."

"Nunna … " Milly's voice grew soft. That poor thing. She hadn't seen Nunally since the assassination of Empress Marianne, but apparently she'd been crippled by the gunshots and blinded by the trauma. She wasn't sure she could manage seeing the little girl –for that was what Nunally would always be in her mind, just a little girl, trailing behind her and Lelouch- in such a sad state.

"She still requires certain special tutoring, of course, which I will be overseeing personally. But,"

"For the most part, she will be a student at Ashford Academy," the headmaster finished for him.

"Hey, great!" she said, slipping back into her usual role. "I can introduce her to all the girls! She'd be great friends with Shirley, I bet."

"Just so long as they won't corrupt her or anything."

"Psh, you're worried about corruption and you're leaving her with _me_?"

Lelouch smirked again, "I'm sure you'll take good care of her."

"Yes, that she will." Reuben Ashford was looking at his granddaughter pointedly. She ignored him again, instead delving after a different topic, "Will she be staying in the dorms, then? We could have her room with me! Although that might insult my current roommate, and _boy_ is she bitchy when riled up. She won't take it too well, Princess or no. But I suppose-"

"She'll be staying in the Student Council Clubhouse," the headmaster stated, cutting her off. "It's large enough that you shouldn't disturb her too much with your little meetings."

"And far enough that I might be able to visit without warranting too much attention."

Milly had to snort; did he have any idea what kind of craziness was going on outside? Although she supposed that if it became a more regular occurrence, there wouldn't be such an upheaval whenever the Sub-Viceroy decided to stop by. Or, on the other side of the spectrum, it might be worse, his presence encouraging fangirls to start taking certain actions. Actions that she would usually be backing one hundred percent, except she doubted Lelouch would be too happy with them.

"Can I tell anyone of the student council?" she asked. She wondered if Rivalz might have a jealous fit. "There's just five of us, and they're all really nice people."

"Only if necessary."

"Like if they catch a glimpse of your Imperial Highness during one of your visits and Shirley faints at your overwhelming beauty? Or rumours start to circulate about me and you? Because you know they will. " She'd make sure of it her own damn self. "Not that I'd mind, but there's this boy that's been crushing on me since forever, and I can't guarantee he'll stay entirely sane if he believes I'm being courted by a Prince."

Milly felt proud of the fact she managed to coax an actual laugh out of him, as quiet and short-lived as it was. Lelouch looked so serious most of the time, or else so passive.

"I doubt he's all that sane in the first place, Milly. Falling for you, of all people."

"Heeeeey!" She pouted, indignant. "Well, just so you know, Shirley wouldn't faint over you anyway. She likes Prince Clovis more." And yet, in spite of the gossip, she saw none of Lelouch's fabled immaturity here, even with this blatantly childish challenge. There was only a faint amusement in his eyes. It reminded her very much of her grandfather. When he wasn't lecturing her, anyway.

Their conversation went all over the place, turning from Princess Nunally to the Academy's infamous festivals, and then back to Nunally and her living arrangements, before going off to include last year's cross-dresser's ball, and how it was a good thing Lelouch wasn't at school here because she planned on doing it again and a dress would not be very flattering on that angular body of his.

"Although you do look rather effeminate, Lulu," she commented, eyeing him as if she wanted to test that theory and shove him in a dress. Not that most of the other boys looked very flattering in dresses either. Her grandfather, who often remained silent during their exchanges, cleared his throat loudly, and the conversation returned to Nunally once more at his behest.

Finally, after all the details were sorted out, Lelouch rose from his seat, Reuben and Milly Ashford rising along with him. He gave a polite nod to each, thanking them both for their assistance, and then turned to leave.

Milly instantly twined her arm with his and led the way, his only protest being a muttered, "What the-?" before he found himself being pulled out of the office. Milly slowed down to a more casual pace after that, flashing a smile at anyone in their way, all of whom stared at the sight.

"You're starting those rumours, you know,"

"Oh, they would've started anyway, sooner or later. Best get them over with." She patted his arm, smiling up at him. "Anyway, how are you, Lelouch? Really?"

His brow quirked. "I'm fine, Milly."

"Really?"

"Really."

"_Reeeeally_?"

"Yes, really." He put a hand up to silence her before she asked again. "Is there any reason I shouldn't be?"

She shrugged, "You just don't seem like yourself." Not that she would know exactly what this _self_ of his entailed anymore. A lot could happen in seven years. He pointed this out as well, stating that he had just changed a bit. "Maybe," she conceded. "Or maybe I'm right and you're not yourself, just hiding it."

When Lelouch didn't answer, Milly decided to try something else.

"So, how come you're enrolling Nunna here?"

"I told you already-"

"-she wanted to try a normal school? It won't make much of a difference; she'll still be tutored on her own."

She stopped walking and instead faced him, amused at the fact she now had to look up at him rather than down. Seven years they may have been, but Milly felt as if it were just yesterday that they were playing hide-and-seek in Aries Villa. She always knew when something was off with him back then, and she doubted it would be any different now.

Lelouch stared right into her eyes, unwavering. "She'll be lonely at the Viceroy's palace. Clovis and I won't be around all that much. She needs friends, Milly."

Her eyes narrowed, searching, but finally she sighed, and they resumed their walk. And as she watched him board his car with one final wave of the hand, Milly Ashford found that she was certain of one thing: Lelouch had become an exceptional liar.

"Bye, Lulu!"

He would need more than that to deceive her, though.

* * *

Part of him was amused and part was disgruntled about the fact the head of his royal guard, Jeremiah Gottwald, decided to ask the same thing Milly Ashford had asked him only moments before.

"You know perfectly why, Jeremiah,"

"Because you have reasons to be wary of the Viceroy's Palace." It was a statement, not a question.

Lelouch frowned, his eyes narrowing. Was he really so easy to read now?

Jeremiah, from his place in the passenger's seat, watched the Prince carefully through the rear-view mirror. Lelouch's gaze fixed on his reflection, so it felt like he was staring straight at him. Jeremiah never averted his eyes, although a few years ago, he might have. He had watched Lelouch grow from a vengeful young boy to the calm, collected man he was now, been with him every step of the way. Always, he was there to protect him. From both the outside world and himself.

The boy's stare used to unsettle him in its sharpness, its maturity. Now, it only assured him that Lelouch was alright and still at the top of his game.

"I'm right, aren't I?" he asked when the silence stretched on.

"You presume too much, Lord Jeremiah." The icy tone made him frown.

"Your Highness, I never meant any disrespect," he said, adopting a more professional manner. "I merely know of your conflicts with your enemies."

The Prince sighed, his eyes going to stare out of the window and at the passing scenery. Jeremiah knew that he saw nothing; his mind was too preoccupied.

"Clovis is keeping secrets from me,"

"Every man has his secrets, your Highness."

He saw the ghost of a smile flit across Lelouch's face; a very, very sad smile. "Don't I know it."

* * *

**A/N:** I don't know about you guys, but personally, Lulu and Lelou have always sounded very different to me. Like this, see: L_ou_lou and L'lou. Just thought I'd say that before I got questions asking why I write them both, heh.

Next chapter will see more of Kallen, as well as a bit of Lloyd and his baby (I think!). Shinjuku still has a little bit to go, but it will be here soon. I know that things are going rather slowly right now, but no worries! The pace should pick up soon enough.


	4. Chance

**Chapter 4: Chance**

In military school, Lelouch learned a great number of things. He learned how to handle a rifle, and how to pilot a Knightmare; he learned of the strong bond of camaraderie, how it brought men together even in the bleakest of times; he learned how discipline bred power. Above all, he learned that life could not move forward without a gamble or two.

Or ten. Or a hundred.

Jeremiah disapproved of this hobby of his but had only voiced it once, when he first discovered it.

"Gambling is not an action befitting of a prince, My Lord!" he said.

Lelouch looked up briefly from the screen before him. On it was depicted a chess board, and beside it, the round, double-chinned face of his opponent.

"On the contrary, my friend," he said, and then pressed the communicator attached to his ear. "Kewell, move the knight to c7."

He watched the black knight move in place and then continued, "It's exactly what we princes do. Politics is just a big chess game, after all."

"That's a different matter! Politics is necessary, but gambling-"

He was interrupted by the Prince's laughter, watching his opponent's move. Jeremiah could see that he'd already lost, and evidently the nobleman knew it as well; his face was shining with perspiration. He had to wipe his monocle clean.

"Oh, he's easier than I thought." His voice was still laced with amusement as he gave Soresi his orders, but it faded away once he looked to the side, meeting Jeremiah's glare.

"Alright then, it's what we _humans_ do. Gambling is a fact of life. We gamble by walking across the street, by breathing in this polluted air ..." He paused, purely for the dramatic effect, just as he'd seen Clovis do so many times. "I'm taking a gamble just by trusting _you_ so much, Lord Jeremiah."

Lelouch never took his eyes away from the screen, but from hearing the man's gasp it was evident his words had their desired effect. Instantly, Jeremiah launched in his usual tirade of loyalty and devotion, while Lelouch instructed Kewell on the next move and ignored him. Eventually, he stopped, and Lelouch managed to win his game.

The topic was never breached again, although he did see Jeremiah frown whenever Kewell was sent on an 'underground mission'.

Gambling, Lelouch found, was a very fun pass-time.

The thrill was not so much in the game itself, but in the process that led to it. As a Prince of the Britannian Imperial family, he could not be seen participating in illegal activities. Instead, he had two agents who played on his behalf: Lord Kewell Soresi and Conrad Evans. Conrad, his loyal butler, was for the more low-class opponents of the underground that Kewell's pride and station would not allow him to associate with. These both were known as the only two contacts of the one called the Black King.

The Black King was now riding in his personal transport, brows furrowed as his butler and accomplice gave him his latest report on his findings in Babel Tower. The soldier he was in contact with came as usual, dead-tired and cursing Bartley Asprius to hell and back again.

Every night, he was ordered to transport things back and forth from a base at the very outskirts of the settlements to somewhere he described as the middle of nowhere, near Mt. Fuji. This was all they'd managed to get out of him over the last two days.

After confirming the man's identity and connection to General Bartley, they began digging after him. Conrad was instructed to go to the same place each day, having befriended the soldier, and weasel more information out of him. It came in a slow, but steady trickle- truly frustrating- but today it seemed they'd made some more progress.

"A sealed container?"

"Yes," came the butler's voice on the other end. Lelouch could hear shrill laughter around him, the clinking of glasses, loud shouting and whirring- the sounds of the casino. "Spherical, with wires and tubes connected all around. He said it gave him the creeps."

"I see." He sent a sidelong glance at his secretary, who was looking discreetly away. He was careful not to say too much.

"He passed out not too long ago, but before he did, I heard him mumble something about a job at 3 a.m."

"You believe that is when it will be transported?"

"I do." Lelouch heard a crash on the other end; Conrad disappeared into a sea of curses and shouting. He was forced to wait, thin fingers grasping his knee tightly. Just in case, Conrad was instructed to remain discreet, as were the others who also had their targets. If someone had uncovered him, however …

Lelouch breathed easily again only when his butler returned, apologizing for the momentary lapse. "A drunken … _fool_ ran into me, my Lord," he explained. "Do you want me to carry out your instructions, Master Lelouch?"

"Relay them to Jeremiah. He will take over from here- thank you, Conrad."

With the conversation ended, he motioned for Eleni to continue her briefing as if nothing had happened. And as he nodded, taking in all the details of the charity he was on his way to, the thoughts were whizzing around in his mind.

General Bartley Asprius was rather average, as far as generals went. Regardless, he got the job done. Lelouch disliked him for the most part, finding the way he grovelled at their –that is, the royals- feet disgusting. Most likely it was for that exact reason that Clovis had employed him here.

It seemed, however, that Asprius was cooking something up. And since he wouldn't dare go behind the Viceroy's back, there was no doubt that Clovis was behind it.

And yet he, the Sub-Viceroy, knew nothing.

Thus, he was conducting his own investigations into the matter, starting with that careless soldier. Jeremiah already knew of his suspicions, and would send the necessary person to trail the soldier until he got to the bottom of this.

Clovis' secret would not remain secret for long.

* * *

Kallen nibbled at her sandwich delicately. She was sitting in the garden with her so-called friends, only half listening to their conversation. It was all meaningless twittering, as far as she was concerned. Damn that Ohgi for making her stay in school, and damn him for always playing the guilt card. "Naoto would've wanted you to have a proper education," he always said. That was usually more than capable of closing all possibilities of arguments and made her march right back to Ashford. The comforting weight of her pouch in her hand, and the knowledge she could whip the knife out in the blink of an eye, was most likely the only thing keeping her sane.

"What about you, Kallen?"

"Hm?" She blinked, looking up at her _friend's_ face.

She was greeted by Shirley's wide smile. "Have you thought about what you're going to wear for Sophie's coming-out ball?"

"Oh." And here she was, thinking they were going to ask her something important for a change. "No, not really. I don't think I'm going to be able to go." She gave an apologetic smile in response to their protests.

"Aww, Kallen!"

"Come on! You're barely around as it is!"

"It'll be fun, promise!"

She shook her head gently. "I'm just … feeling a little sick these days." _Yeah, sick of sitting around like a goddamn invalid._ Ohgi forced her to stay in school; he couldn't force her to socialize, although Inoue did encourage her to.

"Aw. Too bad,"

The iron-clad excuse triumphs again. They went back to their chatter; she went back to daydreaming about shoving socks down their throats.

It would be quite delicious, she imagined. Their eyes bugging out of their skulls, cheeks red and puffy, their shrill voices muffled by-

"-and Sub-Viceroy Lelouch might just attend!"

"What?" she asked incredulously, head whipping up.

All hail selective hearing!

Thankfully, she wasn't the only one with that reaction, as the two other girls said it at the same time. And then, the squeals came. She winced visibly, but tried to pass it off as a smile. She ended up looking constipated- something Sophie, the one who'd been speaking, and whose coming-out ball would be soon, was quick to point out, saying, "Wow, Kallen, you really do look sick."

Kallen waved a hand, indicating it was nothing, "But what was that you were saying about the Sub-Viceroy?"

Sophie got a twinkle in her eyes and a mischievous little smile on her lips, both of which reminded her eerily of Milly Ashford. "I was saying he might just attend my debut. What, you thinking you might just be able to come after all?"

"He_ is_ pretty yummy!" Mia giggled.

"_Really_, Sophie?" Shirley's eyes were wide, practically glistening with adoration. Ugh, how pathetic.

Sophie nodded, clearly enjoying the attention, and launched into an explanation of how her father, the esteemed Margrave Arcroft, was often present at the Viceroy's parties, and how he'd seen the young Sub-Viceroy attempt to make some form of a social life.

"Daddy says he's making allies." A nicer way of saying _posse_, Kallen thought. "And tries to appear as often as he can, mingle with the nobility. I can't imagine him passing up something like this."

Mia looked thoughtful- a real feat, considering it was doubtful she actually had a brain to think with. It was sad, sometimes, but at least she had her looks. With her looks, she would be the perfect Britannian trophy-wife. Now wouldn't Prince Lelouch just love that? Kallen could have sneered, but settled for taking a sip of juice instead.

As if in sync with Kallen's thoughts, Mia said, "He must get awfully lonely, spending all his time with some stuffy old men. He'll come, Sophie," she stated, nodding. Mia said it with such conviction, you'd think she got the knowledge from the Prince himself. "He needs some fun."

"Yeah," Sophie nodded, grinning conspiratorially. "And we'll give it to him, right?"

"Right."

"You've been spending too much time with Milly," Shirley said with a nervous little laugh, looking between them both.

"Speaking of Milly, did you hear what she called him that day? _Lulu._ Gosh, it's just so-"

And just like that, Kallen was in her own world again. She wasn't fantasizing about stuffing socks down their throats again, however, but wondering if his personal guard would follow if he was being led by a teenage girl to a dark, dark corner.

It would be so easy; she'd just seduce him, either with her womanly charms or with her family name, and pull him aside, and then her trusty pouch-knife would do the rest. She'd have to be extra careful, of course, but that wasn't new. She just had to tell the rest of her cell, in case she needed some back-up.

A thought came to her, making her grimace, and she lowered her half-eaten sandwich onto her lap.

She'd have to go shopping for a good dress.

Oh_ god_, if the other girls ever caught wind of that …

* * *

The element that mattered most in battle was the human one. So he had been taught. And seeing as how Britannians were _obviously_ the more superior race, they would always be superior in battle. Cornelia and the grand majority of his siblings believed in that, not to mention the general Britannian population, and although Lelouch generally didn't support that belief (it seemed far too ridiculous- when you shoot them in the heart, Britannians still bleed and die, after all) he was starting to wonder if perhaps there was some truth to it.

Piloting a Knightmare frame was part training and part talent. It didn't take much to be a decent pilot, but to be an exceptional one took a whole lot, especially where talent was concerned.

The Lancelot did not settle for merely a _decent _pilot. Sadly, that was all they seemed to be getting.

The excitement Lelouch had first felt upon first setting eyes upon the Lancelot had now diminished greatly.

Who was he kidding? This project had been abandoned by not one, but two of his brothers. If there was any merit in it they'd have been the first to pounce.

Lelouch's lips pursed, watching the latest applicant rise from the cockpit. His eyes were wide, obviously overwhelmed by the technology.

Yes, it truly was a magnificent machine, Lelouch would concede. When it had first been uncovered to him, he suspected his eyes had been that wide too, and he'd been just as overwhelmed. But there was little use for the machine without a man behind it. As it stood, the Lancelot might be put to better use if he sent it to Carline as a birthday present.

It might make her stop nagging so much, at the very least.

"Hmn, 57% efficiency," Lloyd stated. He was looking over his assistant, Cecile Croomy's shoulders, at the screen which showed the applicant's scores. The scientist sighed, straightening up, "Best we've had so far."

"But not good enough."

Lloyd turned slowly, as if he'd just remembered there was a Prince around. "No, not nearly. But! On the bright side, we still have a long list of Honorary Britannians to go through!"

He seemed quite optimistic about it. Lelouch wasn't so sure.

They didn't need Honorary Britannians for this, they needed Knights! Real knights, who had actual experience in battling with Sutherlands. But, of course, Britannia wasn't about to give up some of her precious Knights for the sake of experimental technology. And due to lack of an ejection mechanism, he couldn't pressure any of his subordinates into it either.

_Idiot, _he thought, shooting Lloyd a glare. When asked, he'd said the reason he didn't build an ejection mechanism was that he'd gone a little overboard with the experimental systems and had to draw funding from other, less important things. _Idiot, idiot, idiot!_

"Do as you like, Lloyd, and send me the results,"

His escort, realizing from his tone that this meeting was over, rose from his seat, and Lelouch followed suit.

"So soon, your Highness?" He was glad to be rid of him, it was obvious as day. "Ah well, busy schedule I suppose."

"Yes, exactly." Lelouch didn't even bother pretending to be cordial anymore. The time for pleasantries was over, and he wanted results. Unfortunately, it seemed he wouldn't be getting them for a while.

No wonder Clovis had laughed when he mentioned the Lancelot at dinner one time.

What a waste of technology and resources. The ultimate weapon, the first seventh generation Knightmare, and they couldn't even find someone to pilot it.

The disappointment was coming off of him in waves. Cecile's eyes were on his retreating back, a slight frown drawn on her lips. She could see him shaking his head. "Lloyd, do you think … ?" Turning to look at him, she found the scientist completely unperturbed, already looking through their lists again.

"He's every bit as impatient as they said he was, yes. I think it's about time we bring Kururugi, hmm?"

Cecile hesitated. "He's … he's the son of the late Prime-Minster."

"And, ironically enough, he joined the Britannian Military."

Lloyd had been very amused when they stumbled upon him; Private Suzaku Kururugi, the seventeen-year-old son of late Prime-Minister Genbu Kururugi, an Honorary Britannian serving in their very own military force. He had the highest scores when it came to the Knightmare simulator, as well as agility and endurance training. "The perfect devicer," Lloyd exclaimed after examining his file. The only reason they didn't bring him in was Cecile's insistence they should look at other alternatives first.

Lloyd gave her a sidelong glance, his usual cheeky grin playing on his lips. "Cecile, dear, do you really think the royals give a damn?"

"I'm not sure," she answered, giving a small shrug. She pulled out Private Kururugi's file again, and the green-eyed boy stared back at her from the screen. "I still don't think it would be a very good idea."

"Well, I do."

"Shouldn't we ask his highness first?"

The scientist laughed, collapsing onto one of the chairs very ungracefully. "Which one of them? We seem to have an abundance of highnesses these days," he said, waving a hand.

"I know Schneizel wouldn't mind, Clovis wouldn't care, and our dear little Lelou here-"

"_Lloyd!_" she whispered harshly, shooting a worried look at the door. "He's right outside! Be c_are_ful, please!"

He ignored her. "-I really couldn't tell, but at this point, he'll take whatever he can get."

Seeing the look of uncertainty that was still on her face, Lloyd rolled his eyes and let out an exaggerated sigh. "Just bring Kururugi. We'll test him first, see if he can move my Lancelot, then we'll ask permission. How's that, hmmm?"

Cecile finally gave a nod, "I suppose that would work."

"Good, now get started on all those awful procedures… Please," he added in the end, seeing the pointed look she gave him. "My Lancelot is getting dusty, just sitting there. Poor thing."

His eyes were practically sparkling behind his glasses, even as he pouted at the thought of his Lancelot sitting useless in the hangar.

* * *

****

A/N: For some reason, this chapter simply refused to be written, and as of now I'm not satisfied with it. Most likely, I'll be editing it later, but for now it will have to do. I've been writing snippets of later events, so I really just wanted to get this one out of the way. -grins sheepishly- The next chapter should be up fairly soon, and hopefully better than this one.


	5. Dream

**Chapter 5: Dream**

It was with great, great reluctance that Kallen told Shirley that she would be attending Sophie's coming-out ball. And it was with even greater reluctance that she allowed Shirley to drag her along shopping. There was not much she could do about it, after all, without completely blowing her cover. She was just a normal Britannian teenager, on a normal outing, with her normal little friend…

… who had seriously abnormal levels of energy and zeal.

They had been walking around the mall (read: Shirley was running around, pulling Kallen along behind her) for nearly two hours now, from shop to shop, trying on this and that and enduring exclamations of how _oooh!_ That dress would go so well with her hair. And _ah!_ That colour would really complement her eyes. It was tiring, to say the least.

"Oh, hey! What about this?" Shirley held up yet another dress. This one was a pale pink, a slightly darker shade of pink on the sleeves, accented by white frills and the occasional ribbon. So innocent, until you saw the dipping neck-line. Kallen imagined that wearing this would make heads turn. Frowning slightly, she shook her head.

Somewhat surprised, Shirley looked at the dress in her hands again, as if to make sure it was the right one. "You sure? It looks really pretty! I bet Prince Lelouch would… um, so yeah." A faint blush appeared on her cheeks and she bowed her head, smiling nervously. "I guess it's just not your style, huh?"

"No. It looks so … indecent," she said in her usual low voice. Not to mention a pain to run in. She might have to make a quick escape, and when that time came, long skirts and a tight corset would not be very helpful.

Kallen sifted through the garments, trying not to grimace at some of the styles she saw. This season's fashion in Britannia seemed to be putting extra emphasis on the bust (as if she needed it), but there had to be something good in here, right? As a girl of noble blood, it might have been more normal for her to have something tailored, rather than buying off of the rack like some commoner (so her witch of a step-mother said) but it was rather short notice, and besides, Kallen didn't feel like wasting any more time, just to take measurements and make adjustments to a dress she'd only be wearing once.

Although she wondered if she might have been able to ask for a holster to be sewn in somewhere, or a few concealing pockets for weaponry. Hmn …

"It's not… _that_ indecent," Kallen looked up, blinking, to find Shirley still holding up that dress she'd shown her. She was chewing on her bottom lip, eyes glazed over. "Right? I mean… I think it's really very-"

"It would look great on you, Shirley," Kallen said, sensing where this was going. By the way Shirley's face lit up, she could safely assume she'd been right.

"_Really?_ You think so?"

Kallen merely nodded.

To say that she was relieved when Shirley announced she was going to try it on was a severe understatement. It would be the first time that morning she'd gotten the chance to let down that annoying invalid act and just breathe.

First thing she did was find herself a secluded corner and contact Ohgi.

"How's it coming along?" she asked, her voice in a low whisper.

"Are you still insisting on going to that party thing?"

"Ohgi, this is a once in a life-time chance," she hissed. She looked around, wary of eavesdroppers. "Even if I don't manage to get him, I might still be able to find a General or something and weasel some info out of him."

She heard him sigh on the other end. He'd been sighing a lot, she realized. He just wasn't cut out for this; it was hard, trying to replace Naoto. Both as leader of their cell, and as older brother for her. "Ohgi, I'll be fine," she assured him again. "I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, Kallen, but... "

"Anything happens, I'll run for it."

Another sigh, and she knew Ohgi was already defeated. He briefed her on their preparations: he would be posing as her chauffeur, since the Stadtfeld's real driver wasn't exactly hard to convince to take a night off (especially when he was Japanese _and_ it was under Kallen's orders), positioning himself at the front of the Arcroft manor and ready to escape should the moment call for it. Minami and Inoue, with a good bit of forgery on their part, managed to secure themselves serving positions during the ball- nobles never could resist flaunting their wealth, after all, and you could never have too many servants at events like this.

"They'll both be armed, just in case."

"Just tell them to be careful."

"Funny that you should be saying that, Kallen."

She smiled faintly. "Like I said, I can-"

"Hey, Kallen! What do you think?"

Kallen cursed under her breath, sparing a look over her shoulder in Shirley's way. The girl was swishing the dress around this way and that, admiring it with a kind of childish glee. Kallen got that way around guns and Knightmare frames- to each their own, she supposed. "I have to go," was all she said before she closed her cell phone. She took a few moments to put on the mask of Kallen Stadtfeld before turning back, offering Shirley a tired little smile.

* * *

Lloyd's gaze was fixed on the screen; his eyes were bright, wide and staring behind his large glasses, and his smile was bright too.

Reflected on his glasses was the number 92.

"Cecile," he said. She looked up at him, hovering over her shoulder, and sighed, "I know, I know."

"I was right."

"You can't blame me for my concern, I just-"

"He is the one."

"-wanted the best for Lancelot."

"He _is_ the best!"

And finally, what she dreaded came true. Lloyd threw his arms in the air, twirling on his heel. "We've found him!" he exclaimed happily. "We've found him, we've _found_ him! Finally! Lancelot has his devicer!" With all his flailing, he was liable to knock everything over.

"Lloyd,"

He ignored her entirely.

Cecile stood up, her attention going from Lloyd to the young man who was climbing out of the scientist's beloved machine. Suzaku Kururugi was looking upwards, almost straight at her, anticipation etched all over his clearly Japanese features. And with it, a good dose of excitement. Cecile had been in the Lancelot cockpit in the earlier stages, just performing regular check-ups, but she hadn't felt any thrill, only immense pride.

"How did I do, Miss Cecile?" the boy called up to her. Lloyd responded before she could even move, "Marvellously, Private Kururugi! Marvellously!"

He turned to her with a calm smile now, "I want that boy transferred here. I don't care who you want to ask, just get him first."

She nodded wordlessly, eyes returning to the young Japanese man. He was beaming. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into, Suzaku Kururugi," Nonetheless, Cecile felt her lips twitch upwards slightly.

* * *

He could feel the uneasiness growing in the pit of his stomach, and along with it, a steadily rising restlessness. It wasn't a feeling he was used to and, frankly, he didn't like it very much. Lelouch was used to being in the very thick of things, watching his plans unfold and giving additional instructions should the need arise. Being unable to reach his own men at such a time was just…

Still, he was relying on Jeremiah to tell him if there were any interesting developments.

For now, he would simply have to settle with entertaining the throng of ladies he currently found himself with. He'd already forgotten the names of half of them, but kept the disarming smile on his lips throughout the conversation. Inside, he was dying to run off, get in touch with Kewell, but he supposed this wasn't so bad. If not for his restlessness, he might actually have enjoyed it. After all, who doesn't like to meet with their devoted fans?

He could see it in their eyes, the shining adoration. While he didn't have as extensive a fanbase as, say, Clovis (which he was very, very thankful for- he did not want to have to worry about being kidnapped by a crazy fanatic) Lelouch found that he had accumulated a good few followers in the short time he'd been in the public eye. And really, he rather liked it.

There was one girl, however, who differed from the rest. She did not have that adoration shining in her eyes. What was more, that demure look on her face did not match up with the confidence she exuded with every move; her stride, her hands as she dismissed the dark-haired waitress, even her eyes, trained on him (yes, without the adoration. He didn't think he liked that.), almost challenging.

There was something decidedly fake about young Lady Stadtfeld. Something that went beyond the normal falseness of these interactions, something deep.

"Care to dance, Lady Stadtfeld?" he asked, offering his hand gracefully.

Again, he saw the confidence shine through the coy façade as she accepted his hand, even with the small smile she gave him. "I'd be … honoured, Your Highness."

He took note of the skin beneath his fingertips as he escorted her to the dance floor, how it lacked the usual smoothness characteristic of those who led a pampered life. Instead, these hands spoke of someone who had experienced _work_. Highly unusual. Her movements as well, they practically oozed strength. His hand slid down her back to settle on her waist, and he took note of her muscular form. _Fakefakefakefake_.

The one thing that was perhaps in-character was the slight hesitation, the light blush that graced her cheeks when they became close. She met his gaze steadily, however. They danced in silence, seemingly lost in the world painted for them by the mystical tune.

Underneath the surface, they were engaged in a different kind of dance; he knew she was assessing him, just as he was doing to her.

"How is it I'm only just meeting you, Lady Stadtfeld?" Lelouch asked, breaking the relative silence.

"Kallen, Your Highness," she said, and here she averted her eyes. "My name is Kallen."

"And my name is Lelouch. It may be slightly odd, but I would prefer it if you called me by my name. At least when it's just the two of us."

"Your High-"

"Now, what was I just saying?" he reprimanded lightly.

"Le-Lelouch …"

"That's better." His smile was kind, indulgent. In the background, the musicians continued to play, setting the perfect stage for romance. "Now, why is it that I've never met you before now, Kallen? You seem a good friend of Lady Arcroft, and yet you're never present at any of her father's functions." All of which he'd had to attend, much to his everlasting agony. He was boring, a yes-man who drooled all over his and Clovis' shoes, but in the end he had power, which Lelouch would need to utilize if he ever wanted to get anywhere in this Empire.

"My health makes it difficult for me to attend sometimes."

Ah, so that was her excuse? Lelouch barely suppressed his smirk, suddenly reminded of one of his sisters, who also apparently lead a double-life. She wore the mask of innocence and frailty, blushing furiously whenever Guinevere would mention her latest escapades and altogether leaving the room whenever Nonette Enneagram, Knight of Nine, entered.

Oh yes, Olwen su Britannia played the part very well.

Behind closed doors, however, the mask came off, and Scarlatte surfaced. Scarlatte was her nom de plume, a name well-known in noble circles as the author of several erotic novels. Sadomasochism was, apparently, a recurring theme.

Their other siblings would later marvel at how wonderful the relationship between Olwen and her older brother Lelouch had become. His only response was to smile enigmatically.

"Oh? Surely they can't be _too _taxing." On the sanity, perhaps. Some of those events made him wonder if he could simply jump out of the window and be done with it.

"My doctor tells me I need my rest. I can barely go to school as it is." He was suddenly aware of just how soft her voice was. Somehow, he doubted her reason for pretending to be an invalid was due to her being a closet smut author.

"That's too bad. But surely you'll be at the opening of Clovisland?"

She looked doubtful, "I-"

There was a sudden explosion of sound.

Lelouch jumped, startled, and his hand instantly went to the inside of his jacket. As he turned around, fingers curling over the hilt of his gun, he was met with the sight of Sophie Arcroft, yelling her lungs out at two Eleven workers. Behind them was a large black box, embedded in the ground.

Seeing another one just like it, standing upright, and what he recognized vaguely to be DJs' equipment, he realized that box was a loudspeaker.

That was all. Just a speaker that fell. No attacking Knightmare frames, no gunshots whatsoever. No one here was trying to kill him.

_Yet._

He slowly withdrew his hand, comforted nonetheless by the presence of his concealed weapon. It was then that he, giving her a sidelong glance and a sheepish grin, noticed just how tense Kallen had become. She was staring at the interaction intensely, the hand that was on his arm suddenly gripping tightly. That was a lot of strength for someone supposedly so fragile- reminded him of Cornelia, in fact.

"Awful, isn't it," he murmured, knowing she would hear. Sophie had calmed down now and slipped back into her role as gracious hostess.

"It was just an _accident_," Kallen stated. There was indignation in her voice, confirming his unvoiced suspicions. She was an Eleven sympathizer. He watched her from the tip of his eyes, brows furrowing slightly, his mind whizzing with the possibilities.

"Your Highness!"

Jeremiah came into view, making Lelouch push the matter of Lady Stadtfeld's secret to the back of his mind. Whatever it was she was hiding, it wouldn't be as important as what Clovis was hiding- which he would be uncovering very shortly, if Jeremiah's expression was anything to go by.

The teal-haired man gave a quick bow, which he acknowledged with a nod, and asked Kallen to excuse him for taking the Prince away from her. Lelouch smirked slightly at that knowing look on his guard's face, wondering just how far his mind had taken him, as he pulled his arm away from her grasp.

"We won't be long, milady, I assure you," Jeremiah said, offering her a short bow as well. Lelouch didn't wait to hear Kallen's response, feeling this had dragged on long enough, and pulled Jeremiah Gottwald to the side where he could brief him on the recent developments.

"Well?"

"Priority item one is in our hands. Stage one is currently underway." That was earlier than he'd expected. Lelouch's face broke into a smug grin. "I've delivered your orders to Lord Kewell and he is now supervising the transition. Stage two should be complete by the time your Highness is finally dragged out of bed in the morning and arguing about the freshness of your orange juice."

"Hm. I really do give you too much leeway, Jeremiah,"

The man looked vaguely amused. "Have you any further instructions?"

"No, that will do for now. I'm to assume it will be secure before Nunally's arrival?" Jeremiah nodded and Lelouch smiled in response. "Good. Now go enjoy yourself a little while you can. I order you to find a gorgeous woman to spend the night with before I put you in a Sutherland again."

"Very well, my Lord." It was obvious he would do no such thing. And Lelouch knew that, which was why he'd deemed it safe to suggest it in the first place, in fact. He wouldn't really have given the man time off when he was liable to get shot at any moment. Here, he was surrounded by enemies, and even though the night had passed without incident, one could never too careful.

"Speaking of gorgeous women, it seems the Lady you were with has taken her leave," Jeremiah said, nodding behind him.

"Oh?" Lelouch turned around, looking somewhat surprised. Had she sensed that he was suspicious of her? Running away like that, without even saying a word, made him believe that maybe really was an average girl, with average and trivial reasons for acting like a sick person. In the end, it might all boil down to her liking to go on reckless teenage escapades and hiding behind the frail image to throw off suspicion.

"Strange. With the way she was holding on to you, I half-expected her to be dragging you away after five minutes," Jeremiah joked.

"I suppose she didn't feel well after all."

"Th-that's right, your Majesty."

_Highness._ Majesty (actually, _Imperial Majesty_, if one wanted to be exact) was reserved for the Emperor and his consorts, not the Imperial children. Whoever spoke was clearly of common birth and upbringing, not even with the proper social status that would allow her to fraternise with nobility and thus bring her up to date on the most _basic _of things. As his dear brother Clovis would so eloquently put it: Tch. Plebeians.

Nonetheless, when Lelouch turned to face this new (clearly female) voice, he was wearing a kind expression.

And it was a good thing, he thought, because anything else might have scared the poor little thing away. He got the feeling they'd spoken at some time that night, but it came as no surprise that he had no recollection of her whatsoever. She was about his age, he estimated, and aside from her hair- long and orange, flowing freely down; it was such a refreshing change from all the elaborate up-dos he often found himself surrounded by- nothing really stood out to him

"She- um, Kallen, I mean- she, ah, says she's really sorry about leaving so suddenly, but she wasn't really feeling well and, uh-" Her face was burning red. He had to admire the courage it must have taken her to come talk to him like this.

"I see," he said, and she finally looked up at him instead of at her shoes. "Thank you, then. For telling me."

"Oh, um, you're welcome!" She gave him a nervous smile; he returned it with his more charming version.

"But that leaves me with a certain predicament. You see, Miss, I seem to be without a dance partner… "

Jeremiah gave a knowing smile and stepped back, away from the interaction, as he watched his Prince work his magic.

* * *

"Why did you pull me out of there? A few more minutes and I would've gotten him!"

"He was armed, you could see that."

Kallen scowled, "So what? I wasn't going to face him on the field-all it would've taken was a quick slash!"

Inoue pursed her lips in annoyance, sparing her a glance as she tied her red headband. The two girls were sitting beside each other, and opposite them was Ohgi, who for the most part remained silent during their interactions. They were seated in the only car the resistance cell had that could be seen in Britannian streets; the rest were too knocked up, or else riddled with bullet holes, or else rusting, falling apart, or ready for the scrap heap.

After receiving the signal to leave from Inoue, Kallen had run off hastily, giving Shirley some half-assed excuse before she bolted out of the door and into her car. She and Ohgi met up with the other two near Tokyo tower, where they were waiting in the other car. The Stadtfeld-owned vehicle was far too luxurious to be taken into the ghettos and it was too easily spotted. Kallen called her mother (no! Her _maid_.) and told her to have someone pick it up later on.

So now, upon Inoue's insistence, they were on their way to the Shinjuku ghetto, and Kallen still hadn't gotten her answers.

"I don't see why you're so worked up, anyway. There are plenty other functions, and plenty other chances." Inoue smirked. "You'll get to dress up for them, too."

Kallen scowled, glaring down at the stupid dress. She hadn't had time to change yet, and it was a pain. Oh man, she'd never hear the end of this from Tamaki, she just knew it.

"Now then, remember the capsule job?"

How could they forget? They'd put a lot of hopes on that job, until Tamaki blew their cover. They hadn't even gotten enough info by the time.

It was purportedly a capsule of poison gas- very top secret, for some reason. Ohgi suspected it was because they intended to launch them on the ghettos, and then wave it off as some 'unfortunate accident' or even as a result of terrorist actions. From then on, it had become something of a race between the resistance groups to see who could get it first; the group that could get it would have unbelievable leverage. They could move the thing right to the middle of the Tokyo settlement, threaten to release the poison gas on all of their precious Britannian citizens.

For once, they'd get the chance to negotiate.

Afterwards, they might have started a communication with Kyoto, get them agree to fund them. Naoto's dream would have come true.

"I think we may just have another shot at it,"

* * *

**A/N:** Oh god, finally! –collapses- Please, someone- _anyone!_- bomb my school for me? Pretty please with a cherry on top?

The next chapter is already underway, but with the sea of assignments I'm currently drowning in -glares at the pile of paper beside her- there's no guarantee I'll have it before next weekend. I'll try, though!


	6. Equality

**Chapter 6: Equality**

The Britannian idea was that all men are not created equal. There were men born to be masters, and there were men born to be slaves._ That_ was why Britannian rule was supreme, _that_ was why they were the most powerful nation in the world.

The Britannian Imperial family, more than anyone else, knew this well. They had it drilled in their heads since infancy, and then … they were told to put it into practice. Favouritism was usually frowned upon when it came to children, but when it came to the Imperial family, who could really argue? There had been 108 Imperial consorts, each with a child or two of her own, and each child was given the task of triumphing over his or her siblings.

Thus, they were always battling amongst themselves, encouraged to step over each other for the ultimate goal: to become the favourite.

Until now, however, only one had ever achieved that title: Schneizel el Britannia.

It was doubtful there was a Prince in the whole Imperial family that did not hate Schneizel to some extent. Even mild-mannered Odysseus, most likely, because although he was second prince and not first, it was always known that he, Schneizel, was the most likely candidate for the throne. No one would dispute his claim to it, either; no one dared.

But in their hearts, they all harboured some hatred. Some were foolish enough to show it, challenging Schneizel head-on, like Fifth Prince Reinier. Some showed it in subtle ways, hiding behind a stiff cordiality, like Eighth Prince Charles. Some, like Eleventh Prince Lelouch, chose to let it surface only in select fields, where it could easily be passed off as petty sibling rivalry, and kept the pretence of a good relationship otherwise.

Some never noticed this hatred except in certain points of their lives, and often chose to ignore it. Of these, there was Clovis. Clovis especially, above everyone else, because he was the Third Prince, and closest to Schneizel in both order of birth and in relationship.

Clovis grew up with Schneizel as his role-model, believing that Big Brother could even bring the sun down and take its place, if he so desired. The older he got, the more he laughed at the childish notions, and the more he realized that the truth was just a little bit worse.

Schneizel didn't need to bring the sun down and take its place; he already outshined the sun from right where he was.

Everything he did was just _perfect_. There was never a hair out of place, never a word that was inappropriate, never a gesture or a smile or a thought or anything.

Worst of all, he never even had to try.

In moments of rare honesty and clarity, Clovis would admit to himself that yes, he did hate his big brother. Just a little bit. And while he would never dream of harming Schneizel in any way, he found himself wishing that, just once, he could fail at something. _Just once_, so that he seemed more vulnerable. More human.

He would muse that it was probably the reason behind his excellent relationship with Lelouch.

Left alone, he might have grown up to be a second Schneizel. Perhaps with Lady Marianne's careful instruction, he might even have eclipsed Schneizel.

But alas, that didn't happen, and Lelouch became something entirely different.

In mind, he was as formidable as their big brother. In heart, however, lay his weakness. He could not always detach himself and analyse, but was sometimes inclined to react on the spot. He could not let go of pride, and refused to back down even when his stubbornness only made the situation worse. He needed support, always; he needed someone by his side- hence his attachment to Nunally.

So in the end, Lelouch was the _lesser_ form of Schneizel.

When the Empress, his mother, died, Clovis relished how he was suddenly the big brother figure to the boy. He could instruct Lelouch, teach him about life, about the court. Lelouch always beat him at chess, but Clovis didn't mind.

They were rivals, and he never hated his little brother for it.

But he hated him now. _Just a little bit._ And instead of relishing being his older brother so that he could instruct him, Clovis relished being the Viceroy, thus outranking him.

The look in Lelouch's eyes told him little brother hated him too, though he couldn't be sure if it was a little bit or not.

"Don't be an idiot, Clovis," he growled, fists balling at his sides.

"_Viceroy_," Clovis corrected coldly, narrowing his eyes. "I am Viceroy, Sub-Viceroy Lelouch- you would do well to remember that."

A few moments ago, Lelouch had stormed into his command centre, demanding he be brought up to date on the status of this whole terrorist fiasco. Clovis allowed this, noting with some amusement how serious he looked, and remembering that this was likely his first taste of action. But then things started to get ugly when Lelouch, taking advantage of his brother's generous mood, decided to shoot out orders.

That _look_ was on his face now, that look that anyone who knew Lelouch vi Britannia knew to look out for. He could see how the younger boy struggled to keep his temper in, especially with so many people around to bear witness to it. His fingers were twitching- the tell-tale sign. He was just dying to smash something.

_Go ahead, Lelou,_ Clovis thought, smirking inwardly. _Go ahead and show them what you're really like. _

"Viceroy," Lelouch started, breathing deeply. His eyes were closed, head bowed. "Let me help you. Military matters have never been your field, and I believe I am more adept at handling-"

"You _dare_ try to tell me how to run _my_ Area?" Blue eyes narrowed; inside, he was petting his offended pride.

Lelouch gave no response, and Clovis hated him just a little bit more.

"I've been ruling here since before you had your first wet dream, my dear little brother." He smirked, seeing the violet eyes snap open and stare at him incredulously. "Three years ago –even though you _were_ in military school, certainly- your voice was about _identical_ to Euphie's."

A blush was creeping up those sculpted cheeks. The officers who were unfortunate enough (or fortunate, depending on how one looked at it) to be caught in the middle of this interaction kept their attention strictly on the board in front of them, trying best as they could to simply blend into the background.

"So forgive me if I find your claim to being more adept than me is completely and utterly ridiculous, Lelou."

"… I see." Lelouch held his head high, as only a true Prince could under these circumstances.

"I'm afraid the battlefield is simply not a chess game," Clovis supplied, putting on his sympathetic older brother face again. His voice and smile were kind, they were condescending. Lelouch maintained a stony expression.

"So you say, Viceroy." He turned around on his heel, gathering what dignity remained to him as he left. Clovis was relaxing in his throne again, setting his head on his hand, when Lelouch stopped at the door. "I hope you don't come crying to me when they, pardon my French, kick your royal behind."

And with that, he disappeared, leaving a suddenly enraged older brother in his wake.

* * *

"My Lord-" Jeremiah paused, sounding hesitant. His forehead was creased, brows drawn in deep thought, still trying to envision what his Prince had just told him. "My Lord, are you sure of this?"

"Of course I am," came the steady reply. His voice was smooth, but firm. "And even if something goes wrong, I trust your ability to deal with it."

Jeremiah stood up abruptly and then bowed deeply, holding a fisted hand to his shoulder. "I will not fail you, Prince Lelouch."

"I know."

There was so much certainty in that voice, so much trust, that it pained Jeremiah deep inside when he did indeed end up failing him.

Two days later, he was slumped in the cockpit of his Sutherland, waiting until they reached their destination. The plan was to allow the terrorists to escape and then take both them and their compatriots in one fell swoop. After the attacks in Osaka, it would do wonders for their public image.

While all of this was certainly a very good thing, the fact remained that it all came from his failure.

The object should never have fallen into their hands in the first place. All of this, it was orchestrated by Prince Lelouch- a mere bluff, a warning to the Viceroy, subtly telling him that Lelouch knew more than he let on. For terrorists to take advantage of his plans… For them to come upon a leak that _allowed_ them to know of these plans in the first place…

"Jeremiah." The deep voice of his Prince made him close his eyes. His head hung in shame.

"Your Highness, I- I apologize. I wasn't-"

"I'm coming in. The target has been sighted- I'm sending you the coordinates right now. We will rendezvous there and make our escape."

He opened his eyes, looking down at the location indicated at the map, and there they widened. Shinjuku Ghetto, in the very heart of it. "My Lord, you cannot possibly-"

"I can and I will, Jeremiah." He would not be argued with, and he was making that quite clear. "I've already ensured that my disappearance will not be noticed for a little while, and when it does, they'll merely pass it off as childish sulking. Do your part and provide me with back-up. That is your assignment, and I sincerely hope you manage to do it this time."

The protests died in his throat. He had no choice but to mutter his agreement.

* * *

It was almost immoral, the emotional black-mail he used on that man. But Lelouch deemed it necessary. Lord Jeremiah Gottwald had been with him for seven years now; usually, that long a time spent in a person's service would create some sort of bond, and it did, to an extent. He trusted Jeremiah, but needed him more as a subordinate than an ally. _Jeremiah_ needed it. He needed to receive orders and act on them.

In the end, he was a soldier; it was what his entire existence revolved around.

All men are not created equal; so he had been taught, so he would repeat proudly to that man, intimidating still even though he sat in a plush chair in the sitting room rather than on a throne. The only thing giving him strength at the time was his mother's encouraging smile. She gave him the nerve to speak up, and the man had looked upon him with what his seven-year-old self would later swear to Nunally was pride.

Seventeen-year-old Lelouch nearly scoffed.

_Would you be proud of me now, Father? Poking around my half-brother's business- I'll step on him eventually. I have to. Does that make you proud, Your Majesty? _

Why not? Schneizel had always been his favourite, and it was obvious Schneizel had his eyes on the throne. This wasn't a strange thing in and of itself, of course- what kind of imperial family would they be if they weren't constantly plotting each others' downfall?- but the difference lay in Schneizel's ability to reach what he aspired for.

Schneizel el Britannia would no doubt become the 99th Emperor of the Realm. It was a widely accepted fact.

Lelouch vi Britannia intended on becoming the 100th Emperor.

He flexed his fingers and then curled them around the controls. One thing at a time, he thought. First, he would retrieve his stolen object.

The location flashed before him on the map. Lelouch did his best to focus on only the map rather than the surroundings, but he couldn't help catching glimpses of the desolation.

Filth coated the streets. Once or twice, he thought he saw stalls, rustic and primitive, made haunting by the lack of human presence; all the people had already fled the second the Britannian military appeared. The buildings were crumbling from neglect, but he saw splotches of colour on their walls occasionally- murals, he concluded, and he found the attempt at alleviating the depressive surroundings to be feeble and almost pathetic. But then, at least it wasn't terrorism. Painting on a wall didn't accomplish much of anything (although he was sure Clovis would disagree), but at least it didn't result in meaningless deaths.

Blood, death, destruction… Everything that was Britannia. A righteous war, they said. For justice, they said. It was all a big sham.

* * *

"Lelouch…"

The face he saw on the screen was unnaturally calm, considering the circumstances. A façade, no doubt, now that Clovis had appeared before him. This was so like Lelouch, childishly plunging forward. As if commandeering a Knightmare hadn't been enough (so _boorish_), without his permission, he was now gallivanting around the ghettos without a care in the world.

An hour had now passed since the whole Shinjuku fiasco started, and it didn't look like it was going to wrap up anytime soon. The last thing he needed to worry about was his younger brother getting himself killed.

"Lelouch, gad, what are you doing out there?"

The boy still had the nerve to let out a dry chuckle. "I know you don't really have experience with these things, Viceroy, but really, that question's a bit much, even for you."

"It's dangerous out there, Little brother. Come back where it's safe, why don't you?"

"You know, you're right. I shouldn't have challenged you before."

Clovis' eyes narrowed, sensing foul play. He never apologized. And although he didn't explicitly say he was sorry, he was admitting he made a mistake, something Lelouch never did if he could help it.

His suspicions were confirmed when Lelouch continued, "So, to make up for my mistake, I've decided to retrieve that trinket of yours myself."

He felt his stomach clench. "You'll do no such thing. Just come back and leave it to the royal guard. They'll take care of it. "

"Come now, have a little more faith in me. I know I'm more adept than _them_, at least."

A frown drew itself on Clovis' lips, his forehead creasing ever so slightly before he remembered that it would give him wrinkles and his visage cleared.

Lelouch was doing this just to spite him. After all of his work, his careful planning, all of the precautions set in place to prevent her presence from being discovered, all of it was going to be ruined by a _child_. A spoiled little brat! Because of his bruised pride, Lelouch was going to cost him everything.

Poetic justice, was it?

"Le_louch_-!"

Shots were heard on the other side. He saw the young Prince manoeuvre his Knightmare, assumingly launching an assault of his own. "As you can see, Clovis," he began, and here they heard an explosion. "This is hardly the time for idle chit-chat. See you when I get back!"

"Don't-!" he started, lurching forward in his seat. His arm was stretched ahead, as if trying to grasp the boy, pull him back. But the face disappeared. That was the second time today he'd run off like that, leaving Clovis to seethe.

In spite of the pleasant manner of address, it was obvious Lelouch was sore, and it was too late to appease him.

Clovis slumped back into his throne, a finger tapping impatiently on the armrest.

_I am not going to lose everything because of this! _

If Code-R was discovered, he would be disinherited. If Lelouch stumbled upon her before his royal guard… well, Britannian history was chock-full of brothers who killed brothers for the sake of their ambition. He would not rely on their good relationship to save him; he knew Lelouch too well, far too well. They were brothers, but that meant nothing in the game of thrones.

Clovis closed his eyes, coming to his decision. "Bartley!" he called out. "Alert the guard of the IFF signal of my brother's Sutherland. Have them apprehend it."

"My Lord?"

"Be careful that no harm comes to him, though. I'd never hear the end of it from Euphie," he said, heaving a sigh. "The plan has entered the next phase."

_The trouble you put me through, little brother…_

"Tell them back home we're carrying out a plan for urban renewal here." He rose from his throne slowly. "As Clovis, Third Prince of the Empire, I command you: destroy Shinjuku ghetto!" He swept his arm out for emphasis. From observing his father's speeches, it seemed excessive arm-gestures captured the crowd. "Leave no one alive!"

* * *

Lelouch cursed under his breath when he found the royal guard on his tail. Under other circumstances he might have laughed, but as it was this was neither the time nor the place. He wanted to wrap this disaster up before it escalated any further. Hopefully the terrorists wouldn't decide to release the poison gas while he was trying to escape his own guard.

_Clovis, you idiot!_

Ordering his apprehension had been a possibility he considered briefly, but he didn't think Clovis would actually go through with it. It made him all the more suspicious, wondering if this poison gas was just a hoax. He was going into a lot of trouble to cover up his tracks, even risking a very pissed off Lelouch- which, naturally, meant he would have to fake a tantrum as soon as he saw the Viceroy again, and which only made him all the more determined to get to this capsule.

But first, he had to evade capture.

The idea of using his title to escape was discarded; even if they didn't already know who he was, the order came from someone who outranked him, so there was really little he could do to them should Clovis decide to intervene on their behalf. Threatening only got you so far, after all, and they didn't seem to take him very seriously (he made a mental note to start acting more mature soon. His act was putting a dent on his plans as of now)

He couldn't use his men, of course. That would create confusion among the ranks, Britannian vs. Britannian, and the only ones who would benefit would be the terrorists.

Several other possibilities came to mind, each with its drawbacks, and in the end Lelouch was stuck with the simplest of plans: evade and try to outrun them. He was pushing his Sutherland to its limits already, and perhaps if he could reach the old subway tunnels …

A slash harken coiled around his Sutherland's 'arm'. He clenched his teeth in frustration, readying the assault rifle and taking aim.

_You leave me no choice…_

_

* * *

  
_

The only sound he heard was his breathing, shallow and loud in his ears, amplified by the gas mask over his face. His ears were strained for another sound. He was waiting for something else, for _someone_ else. The royal guard, the terrorists- _anybody_. Anything was better than standing around idly, just waiting.

Suzaku always believed himself to be a patient person, but this was beyond his abilities. Here, in Shinjuku, in a place that had once been thriving with life and motion … To see it so barren, so _haunted_… He remembered how the people fled before him and his fellow soldiers, abandoning their belongings, running over things in their haste. Like they'd seen a ghost.

Somehow, he doubted they saw the same ghosts he did- the ghosts that followed his every move. Even now, he thought he could see them in the shadows, leering down at him from behind that capsule. His father. Countless dead Japanese. Good men, strong men, but fighting in the wrong way.

_I do this for you_, he thought, knowing they wouldn't accept it anyway. Their idea was of pride, do-or-die resistance that accomplished nothing but coating the streets in blood.

Somewhere in the darkness, a communicator crackled, _"Kallen!"_ Suzaku frowned, even though he often yearned for the familiarity of that accent, that language that he only heard every so often now.

"_Nagata, come in! Kallen! Somebody answer me, dammit!" _

There were a great many Honorary Britannians in the infantry, but speaking in their native tongue was considered a taboo, whispered among themselves like an old, dirty secret.

"Who's in there?" His head whipped around. That was said in English. The voice was very clear and very commanding. Suzaku was now aware of the slowly approaching footsteps and drew his pistol out cautiously, stepping out of the truck. The voice sounded too young to be a superior officer, even though it spoke with as much conviction as one.

A slim silhouette came into view, doubling his doubts. Eyes narrowed, Suzaku held up his pistol, the figure mimicking the action.

"Identify yourself!" the person barked.

"I am Private Kururugi," he said, voice muffled through the gas mask. He loosened it, letting it fall at his chin. "Number 404, of the third infantry division,"

"Thank you, Private Kururugi, for securing the capsule until my arrival." The figure lowered his weapon and came closer. Suzaku's eyes widened as he realized just who that was, the light finally falling upon his face; those purple eyes were hard to miss, no matter where they were. Instantly, he fell on one knee, bowing his head, holding a closed fist over his shoulder.

The Sub-Viceroy gave a dry chuckle, stepping beside him. "This is hardly the time for formalities, Private. Rise and-"

_Hissing_. From within the truck. They heard the sound of a mechanism; something was definitely opening.

With barely a moment of thought, Suzaku sprang up, pulling the other man back. He managed to clamp his gas mask over the Sub-Viceroy's mouth before they hit the ground. The repercussions of this action were in the back of his mind, only vaguely aware of them.

"That… light," he heard the Prince murmur. He was pushed away, with Suzaku only allowing it as he realized that he was not, in fact, dying yet.

"We were told it was poison gas," he mumbled, rising up from the ground. Prince Lelouch didn't answer, rushing forward, and Suzaku followed suit.

They were met with a shock of green, from under which a pair of golden eyes stared at them forlornly.

He heard the other swear under his breath, voicing Suzaku's own unspoken thoughts, "_All this for a… a girl?_"

A prisoner, as was obvious by her garb and numerous bindings, but still not something worth mobilizing the royal guard over, as well as the Knightmares. It was just a girl. What could she possibly have done to deserve being trapped in a capsule like that?

Suzaku froze, another question surfacing in his mind: how did she _survive_ being trapped in an _airtight_ gas capsule? For she was most definitely alive –green eyes flickered her way, just to be sure, and he saw her chest rise and fall- but _how_?

"Don't just stand there! Help me untie her!"

Broken out of his stupor, he knelt down to unzip her leg bindings while the Prince tugged at the other straps.

Light flooded over them once more. This time, it was from outside.

They both turned to look, Suzaku standing up from his crouch and dazedly facing his superiors.

"Stinking monkey." The Royal Guard. And again, he wondered what that girl could possibly have done to deserve all of this. "Being an Honorary Britannian will not excuse you."

"Ah, but sir-!"

"Perhaps aiding a Prince will."

All the attention was focused on the owner of that low baritone voice. Suzaku took some satisfaction, however small, in seeing the smugness wiped off of their faces to be replaced by a look of surprise.

"P-Prince Lelouch."

"I am requesting your protection," he stated, walking forward confidently. "You will escort me to the Mobile Command Centre."

The man's gaze travelled back to the green-haired girl, now slumped on the ground. Suzaku could see his hesitation, and obviously so could the Prince, as he added, "Take her with you, if you want. I have no interest in Clovis' little toys."

A moment or two passed in which no words were exchanged. Outside, Suzaku could hear yelling and then gunshots, silencing them; he heard the rumbling of tanks, relic weapons standing alongside their much superior Knightmares. Explosions. Screaming. _Death_. He didn't want to step into that world.

"Well?" the Prince demanded, apparently oblivious to said world.

The world retaliated -it didn't like being ignored by this slip of a boy.

The truck exploded.

* * *

_Burning!_- burning in his chest, _beating!_- beating wildly. Screaming for him to stop. Making him dizzy. He went on regardless, ignoring their cries of protest; his lungs, his heart, his legs.

He had to go on. _He must go on!_

Willpower was the only thing keeping him on his feet now. One fell in front of the other, once-polished boots clicking loudly, echoing in the abandoned tunnels. He didn't know how far they'd gone, only that it wasn't far enough, or where they were, only that it wasn't where he wanted to be.

Eventually, his body decided to force Lelouch into a standstill, willpower be damned, and his knees buckled. He fell, but managed to stop from crashing face-first into the ground (which his nose was very, very thankful for) by throwing his arm out, just barely supporting himself with it. His other arm was, he was surprised to discover, clutched by the soldier that was accompanying him.

Lelouch might have scowled if he had enough energy to. Instead he took it with as much dignity as he could, swallowing his pride and allowing the Honorary Britannian to help him up.

"I believe we've put a sufficient distance between us and the Royal Guard," he said, leaning on the wall for support. The old structure felt grimy beneath his fingers, and the grittiness made his skin tingle unpleasantly- Lelouch marvelled at his ability to notice, given the circumstances. Shinjuku ghetto had fallen into chaos and they were running from the higher ups of the Britannian military, all because of one green-haired girl.

He glanced at her from beneath his dark fringe, hanging limply over his eyes, slick with sweat. All of this was because of her. All of it. Clovis might crush him under his heel soon, because of her, if he felt Little Brother knew too much. Though just what knowing entitled, he had no idea. There had to be something more behind this.

Violet eyes narrowed. Lelouch straightened up, having succeeded in regulating his breathing a little. His heart didn't feel like it was trying to break out of his chest anymore, at least. He turned to her, pointing his gun at her head. Kururugi let out a cry, stepping in front of her, but she didn't seem at all phased by the action. On the contrary, she seemed almost amused.

"I want answers!" he growled, pushing away from the wall. Somehow, he managed not to sway, and for that he was very thankful- the world didn't want to completely crush his pride yet, it seemed. "I went to this much trouble for you, and the least I can get out of it is answers. What does Clovis want with you?"

Silence.

"Answer me!"

Slowly, a smirk curled on her lips.

"Why you-" He took a step forward, only to be stopped by Private Kururugi standing in the way.

"Your Highness," he began, somewhat hesitantly. "You must reach a safe location. Perhaps if you could-"

"My men will be waiting at the opening of the Azabu route with a suitable transport," Lelouch said wryly. The hardest part had been securing something large enough to carry a gas capsule but inconspicuous enough to pass unnoticed through the streets, and at such a short notice. Jeremiah had supposedly accomplished that task, but now it seemed it would be unnecessary.

Lelouch was no longer pointing his gun at the girl, but continued to regard her carefully. He decided the interrogation could wait until later. Perhaps she would be more responsive to the intimidating figures of his personal guard. Grudgingly, he would admit that he probably didn't scare her much, having seen him collapse barely moments before. "Lord Jeremiah should be contacting me shortly," He touched the communicator attached to his ear.

The soldier nodded in understanding, and as an afterthought, Lelouch added, "Rest assured, Private Suzaku Kururugi, that upon my safe arrival you will be rewarded adequately."

"Oh… That- that's very generous of you, my Lord."

"Yes, I know."

It was likely the only reason the soldier had accompanied him this far in the first place, carrying the girl in one arm while the prince dragged him by the other, taking advantage of the confusion created by the exploding truck. It was perfectly obvious, even to the most unsuspecting of idiots, that the Prince was running from the Viceroy, that something was up. He could easily have held Lelouch in place or called for the guard or countless other things that would end up with Clovis successfully dragging him back.

And now that Clovis would know the girl had escaped, and that Lelouch had seen her, that might be a very dangerous matter.

"I always reward those who serve me well,"

Because that was the only way to ensure their loyalty.

"_Prince Lelouch!"_

Lelouch pressed the communicator at his ear, staring ahead into the darkness. "Jeremiah, where are you?" His voice seemed very loud in the old subway tunnels.

"_My Lord! I saw the explosion-"_

"Yes, a very fortunate accident," he said, this time in a near whisper. "I am safe, for the time being. The object is with me."

"_The object?"_

"Well, what was inside it," He shot a glare in the girl's way. "Are you facing the wreckage?"

"_Yes."_

"To the left there is a tunnel. You're in your Sutherland, I-" A gunshot rang through the air. Lelouch found himself very well acquainted with the ground again as the soldier pressed him down.

Harsh cries could be heard from the shadows. It had occurred to him long before that the terrorists would know more of the underground's secrets than he did, so finding them upon him here was hardly a surprise. He was just disgruntled it had to happen when all he had was a single Brtitannian pistol and an infantry soldier to fend them off.

"_Prince Lelouch!" _

Another shot. This one sounded closer, but it still did not hit any of them. This told him a very important detail: the terrorists did not know exactly where they were. Most likely they'd only heard them- well, _him_, most likely- and decided to come gun down the Britannian bastards.

"Jeremiah," he hissed. "Barge into that tunnel with your Sutherland. I am under attack."

* * *

**A/N: **An unregistered reviewer has recently brought to my attention how large of a plot hole Suzaku's enrolment in the Britannian army must seem to you. While I very much doubt said reviewer is still reading (if they are, then hi!) but I would like to assure you that it's something I've taken into careful consideration.

I know full well just how important Nunally and Lelouch's exile to Japan was, the effect they had on a young Suzaku. Trust me enough to believe I've solved it in the following chapters? It's even hinted at in chapter 7, and fully clarified in chapter 11.


	7. Debt

**Chapter 7: Debt  
**

"So, are we having a bad day?"

Kururugi's eyes flew open, an action he would come to regret deeply as they were assaulted by the bright lights overhead.

"Looks like you missed a chance to go to Heaven, Private Kururugi."

"I did?" He tried to get up, only to be reminded of the pain in his side. Suzaku winced visibly, but managed to sit up nonetheless. Blearily, he looked at his surroundings. Some kind of truck. Judging by the devices on the side, the cold surface he'd been lying on and the bandages wrapped around his torso, a medical truck. "Where…"

"Hmn? Ah, we're still in the Shinjuku ghetto."

He raised his head, blinking at the two figures, confused as to why they'd be here. What did the Special Corps have to do with any of this? Surely _they_ weren't being mobilized as well?

The blue-haired assistant merely smiled at him, "With Prince Clovis nearby, this is probably the safest place anywhere." She opened her hands, showing him what she was holding. His breath caught in his throat. "This is what saved your life, Mr. Suzaku."

"You're lucky it was under your protective suit, because that's what deflected the bullet," said Professor Asplund.

"Is it a keepsake?"

Tentatively, Suzaku reached out to take it, the antique pocket watch taunting him even now. He'd have to get that thing fixed soon. He could just imagine his father's disapproving frown at being so careless with something so valuable.

"Yeah…" The reminder of a life he no longer lived, and a man that he still feared even after his death.

Lloyd watched his trepidation with obvious interest. "You Elevens believe that gods live inside of everything, even objects, don't you? I guess this-"

"Prince Lelouch!" Kururugi said suddenly, remembering the tunnels, the terrorists, the… the gunshots. He'd jumped in front of him, to save the Prince's life, but that only protected him from one of the bullets. Who knew what happened afterward? And, oh, if his Highness had gotten injured while he was there…

"Well, he certainly looked alive when he brought you here."

"He… he brought me here?" Suzaku asked, bewildered.

"Yes. He called you an idiot, but said to patch you up nonetheless because, apparently, Britannia needed more idiots like you." The scientist had a wry smile on his face, faltering only for a second when his assistant elbowed him, offering the injured Private a gentler expression.

"_I always reward those who serve me well,"_

That's what he'd said, back in the old subway tunnels. Somehow, Suzaku had never thought that included actually caring about them as well, especially not a low-ranking Honorary Britannian. He almost smiled. He supposed he should have given Prince Lelouch the benefit of the doubt, even if rumours did label him as bratty and unforgiving.

A certain pink-haired individual had once spoken about him, he recalled, and she'd apparently held him in very high regard. That had to amount to something, no matter that it was seven years ago. Suzaku trusted that person's judgment very much.

"And the gi- Um, I mean… what's the situation?"

Regardless of whatever kind streak the Prince had, Suzaku couldn't shake away the image of him holding his gun to the mysterious girl's head. Nor could he forget how she emerged from that gas capsule, bound and gagged, looking quite harmless in spite of all the commotion around her, and yet she'd smirked in the face of his threat.

There was something more here, something that he doubtless wasn't authorized to know. He didn't think the eccentric scientist was authorized to know either. Heck, he didn't think Sub-Viceroy Lelouch had known, and he was a Prince!

His suspicions were confirmed when Lloyd sighed, saying, "It looks like the poison gas has been released. Massive Eleven casualties have been reported."

"They haven't caught the perpetrator yet," Miss Cecile added.

"They haven't, huh?" Suzaku lowered his eyes as the sounds from outside the tunnels resurfaced in his mind. He remembered shooting, screaming, pleas for mercy that eventually turned into curses against Britannia or anguished cries. His hands fisted in ill-contained fury.

The terrorists… This was their doing. It was their fault. If it wasn't for them, the Viceroy wouldn't have felt the need to deploy his guard and Knightmares wouldn't be racing down the streets, shooting at guilty and innocent alike.

And the residents had finally started coming back to Shinjuku, too…

His thoughts were cut off as a vaguely familiar object was dangled in front of his face. Suzaku blinked up in surprise to find Lloyd Asplund's unsettling smile on him again.

"Now then, how would you like to take the Lancelot for another go?"

* * *

In his hand was a black communicator. It was a large, clunky thing, a relic of ages past; very much like the red Glasgow that was purportedly causing the royal guard so much grief. Sneaking between the vans that surrounded the Mobile Command Centre, Lelouch had managed to catch snippets of conversations, descriptions of this Glasgow in action. One-armed, they said, but the pilot had a mean aim.

What was more, they said the pilot was a _woman_- actually, no, more like they grumbled it in undertones between lewd jokes while they tried to salvage their male pride. It was a good thing the Empire wasn't quite so sexist anymore, or they would be lacking a great number of very talented pilots- most of the Knights of the Round were women, after all, and Lelouch could think of few men who could take on his dear Nonette Enneagram in a fight and emerge victorious.

No, Britannia took out its bigotry on other nations instead, trading sexism for racism. So, apparently, it was alright to be bested by a woman so long as she was a Britannian noble. An Eleven whore on the other hand…

Their words, not his. Lelouch would never resort to such crude language.

He noticed with an odd sense of detachment that there was blood crusted on the side of the communicator. Had that been there before? Was it Britannian blood? Or was it… was it theirs…

The scene replayed itself in his mind as he recalled every detail vividly: the sound of his heart hammering in his chest, their harsh laughter, the darkness, the suffocating darkness, and that inexorable feeling of… of helplessness.

Lelouch had felt that helpless only once before, when he watched his mother's life bleeding away from the top of the staircase.

Then, in the old tunnels, blood pooled on the floor again, this time seeping from the green-haired girl. Crumpled nearby was the Honorary Britannian who had pushed him away, taking a bullet in the side at close range. The girl had taken one to the head.

"He mustn't die!" she announced, but that hadn't done much. The terrorists only laughed harder when she was out of the way.

They recognized him. They knew who he was. Even if Lelouch hadn't understood what they were saying, like they doubtless believed (he was suddenly quite glad he'd taken Nunally's advice and brushed up on his Japanese before coming to this godforsaken area), it was obvious by their grins, the vicious look of triumph both of his assailants got as they closed in on him.

One of them fired, deliberately aiming above him to make Lelouch duck- _they wanted to see the Prince on his knees_. The other man wondered aloud to his comrade, just how loud the little princeling would scream, how long he would beg for his life, and Lelouch had clenched his fists, promising himself it would never come to that.

When he died, it would be with a smile on his face.

But he wouldn't die here.

_He could not die here, dammit!_

All of a sudden, a hand grasped his wrist; one that he'd been pretty sure was lifeless up till that moment.

His shock upon discovering her animation was drowned out by his shock upon hearing a voice in his head.

"_You don't want it to end here, do you?"_

_What? The girl… _

He saw light, blinding light, and he saw the Earth as if from above, and he saw people, unified under a strange bird-like symbol which was tattooed on their foreheads- the same symbol which glowed from the girl's forehead. She was naked, but in spite of his usual prudish ways he found that it didn't matter.

Here, it simply didn't matter

"_You appear to have a reason for living."_

"Yes," he whispered, and he would never know if it happened only in his head or out loud. "Nunally. Mother. I will… I must…" In the midst of all the death, all the despair, he saw her smile shining at him, turning to him with her closed eyes, and somehow that made it all better.

"_If I grant you power, could you go on?"_

Power! Power was his life's quest! His very own Holy Grail. With power, he could bring his father to his knees before him. He could discover the truth about his mother and finally have her justice, he could grant Nunally's wish for a gentler world…

"_I propose a deal. In exchange for this power, you must agree to make my one wish come true. Accept this contract and you'll accept its conditions. While living in the world of humans, you will live unlike any other- a different providence, a different time, a different life. The Power of the King will condemn you to a life of solitude. Are you prepared for this?"_

As if to spite his previous thoughts, an image of the Emperor came to him, standing in what seemed to be an ancient structure of Greek designs. He heard the man's great voice rumble, expressing a hint of surprise, and Lelouch might have sworn he looked straight at him then.

"Yes!" he announced, with a flourish of his hand. "I hereby accept to terms of your contract!"

That symbol blazed above (although above _what_, exactly, he wasn't sure. This was supposedly all happening in his head, after all.), burning itself in his eyes.

Lelouch still felt that burning when the world came back into focus, the now-familiar darkness of the subways returning. It was pooled into only one eye now, though- his left. He pressed the heel of his palm to it, although it didn't hurt. Not in the least, in fact, he felt strangely empowered.

And he knew exactly what to do.

"I, Lelouch vi Britannia command you, both of you, now _die_."

The Prince closed his eyes, grip tightening around the communicator, remembering the blood that splattered on his face, the blood that had soaked this device as he pried it away from the terrorist's fingers.

He'd issued the order so calmly, and in Japanese too… What came over him then?

Still, try as he might, Lelouch could not suppress the growing feeling of- was it excitement? Was it dread? Was this what they meant by a person getting drunk on power?

His left eye still burned slightly and he rubbed it. At least his second order had been of the more peaceful sort.

"Hand your Knightmare over to me. Tell no one of this."

It was so much more affective than commandeering one, and less likely to draw Clovis' attention to him again.

Another reason nagged at him, and it was that he'd wanted to test this power of his again. Lelouch grinned, even as he made a mental note not to act like an over-zealous four-year-old who just got a new action figure for Christmas. He should be rational about this. What if his new power came with unforeseen consequences? A wish, she'd spoken of a wish. One could only imagine what someone like that would ask for.

Yes, he should be rational and use his power with caution until he learned more about it.

That didn't mean he regretted his third order, however. Clovis deserved it.

Now, to give those terrorist their due as well.

"Taking advantage of my plans like that… It was a smart action, but you'd be stupid if you thought there wouldn't be consequences."

From his hidden location in one of the decrepit buildings, Lelouch watched the red Glasgow being chased by two Sutherlands. Her slash harkens were deflected time and time again, and if she stopped to aim they would surely shoot her down. All she could do now was run and even that she couldn't keep up for long, due to the limits of her energy filler.

She was playing decoy.

"You followed my plans once… Let's see if you'll do it again."

He pressed the button on the side of the communicator, the sides of his lips quirking slightly upwards.

"The West Entrance!"

Lelouch vi Britannia always gives what is due.

* * *

Kallen's eyes stung. She didn't know how dirt had gotten inside the cockpit, but what mattered was that it did, and it got in her eyes, and that was the only reason she was tearing up right now because Kallen Kozuki did not cry!

Not even for the massacred Japanese that littered the streets. Certainly not for these idiot Britannians. Kallen knew her only chance here was to play decoy, for the sake of her people. And with the way things were going, she had a very slim chance of escape, but she wouldn't cry for her life. Never, ever would she do something like that. She was Japanese, and she was tough as nails, and if she was going down then, _god dammit_, she was bringing those suckers down with her!

"Only thirty minutes left-!"

The communicator taped to the side of her cockpit crackled and a vaguely familiar voice spoke to her over the radio. "The West Entrance."

"Who's-"

"Use the tracks to move to the west entrance."

Man, this guy had some nerve, ordering her around like that. Like he expected her to just do as he said in blind faith. Come on!

"Who is this? How did you get this code?"

"That doesn't matter. If you want to win, you're just going to have to trust me."

Win… They'd never thought about _winning_, only gaining a foothold against the government, some way of bettering life for the Japanese. And at this point, escaping intact was the best they could hope for, and maybe that the Britannians hadn't gotten their capsule back. That was it.

But winning…

Was he really offering her a chance at victory?

Against her better judgment, Kallen did as she was told. This could mean the end for her if he failed, but what did she really have to lose right now? It would be the end for her either way. "Okay, what am I supposed to do now?"

A train sounded ahead of her. It was coming steadily closer. Behind her, the Sutherlands did the same.

"Since you trusted me, you're going to win. Now jump onto that train!"

"Got it!" The Glasgow jumped on the train without a hint of hesitation this time.

"It'll take more than that to outrun Britannia's finest, Eleven!" the pilot taunted behind her, and Kallen snarled at the name.

"We're not Elevens, we're Japanese!"

The only thing stopping her from broadcasting that, as was her wont during battle, was how preoccupied she was with proving the Britannian idiot wrong. She _could _outrun him, she _would_, but jumping from cart to cart was difficult, especially considering the train was moving.

Well, not anymore. Britannian idiot had taken care of that.

She heard the unmistakable sound of slash harkens smashing through, and since she was fairly sure _she_ wasn't the one taking a beating, then…

Eyes wide, she watched as one of the Sutherlands fell to its doom. The other had its assault rifle aimed at what she assumed was the attacking Knightmare- as well as the voice on the radio.

"What's your name and your unit?" the Britannian demanded. "We're after the one-armed Gla-"

The Knightmare opened fire. Like a cornered animal, the Britannian was scrambling for an escape, his landspinners screeching on the tracks as he retreated. The barrage continued, tearing through one of his legs and effectively bringing the Britannian Sutherland to its knees. Her heart swelled at the sight, a vicious sort of pride coursing through her.

Before she even knew what she was doing, Kallen was urging her Glasgow forward, letting out a loud war cry.

The Britannian pilot ejected before she could ram into him. She watched as the Sutherland collapsed, a mere heap of metal now.

"You saved me," Kallen breathed. Her mind cleared now that there were no more enemies in sight. "But how did you get hold of a Sutherland?" She turned to her saviour, only to find the space he'd previously been occupying empty. "What? But how… ?"

How did he slip away so quietly? So quickly?

"Kallen!" Her head whipped around to see the members of her resistance cell- Ohgi's group, all of whom were alive and thankfully unharmed. She let out a sigh of relief, only to have it catch in her throat as Ohgi inquired about that message on the radio.

"What? He contacted you too?"

"Sure did. And Yoshida's group ought to be here so-"

The communicator in his hand crackled; the voice spoke again.

"Are you in charge?"

"Uh, yeah."

"I present to you the cargo in that train over there." As cautious as one might expect an over-zealous resistance cell to be, they approached the train, eager to see their offerings. Cries soon came of rifles and ammo, energy fillers, and even some bazookas. Kallen moved to one of the heavier doors, using her Glasgow's remaining arm to pull it open. "They're tools for your victory. If you want to use them to win, then follow my orders."

Sunlight bounded off of the blue armour, the metal shining brightly, eager to be flaunted in the battle-field. Kallen gasped, her eyes becoming so wide they felt like they might pop out of her skull.

"There's more in here!"

"Here too!"

"Amazing!"

"Maybe we should give this guy a chance!"

All Kallen could do was sit back, staring in slack-jawed amazement at their bounty. "All this… How?"

"Woman in the Glasgow!" came the voice. It was strangely commanding, and she found herself stuttering as she replied. "Y-yes?" She hated herself for it.

"Stay where you are. Your unit's going to run decoy, you got that?"

"Understood."

"Energy-filler status?"

Her eyes flickered down to the indicator in front of her. "About fifteen minutes' worth."

"Then recharge. In ten minutes, I'll contact you with your next instructions."

Several buildings away, nestled in the debris left behind by the sweeping Britannian troops, Lelouch vi Britannia could finally breathe with ease, realizing with some discomfort that being on the battle-field was nothing like school.

"This is wearing me out," he muttered, and closed his eyes as he leaned his head back. "It's no wonder Cornelia's starting to get wrinkles." Something Clovis constantly reprimanded her for. Would he notice if Lelouch started to get them too, in all the stress future battles would bring?

He nearly smiled at the thought, before pushing it away and opening his eyes again, returning to the task at hand, which was organizing the pieces on the chess board he'd managed to salvage from the ruin. A few pieces were missing, but that was alright. The King remained, as well as the Queen and enough pawns to ensure victory.

Lelouch picked up the white king, twirling it between slender fingers. "How about a game of chess, big brother?"

* * *

"Enemy spotted at point 831!"

"A feint, ay?" The bored expression never left Prince Clovis' face. "How pedestrian."

He watched from his throne as the little blue triangles moved across the black digital map. If he could have his way, Clovis would be back at that little villa of his, far away from the Viceroy's Palace and all the headache that came with it, and far, far away from his troublesome younger brother. He might put the finishing touches on his latest swimsuit designs, or work on a new portrait, perhaps of Guinevere, she always did like to be featured in his art, no matter the situation depicted. He respected her a great deal for that; she had an open mind, unlike Cornelia, who he was sure wouldn't hesitate to shoot him dead should she ever discover the paintings he had of herself and her darling Knight in various compromising positions.

He was brought back from his far away world when a loud and very annoying beeping pierced through the air. Clovis appeared briefly disgruntled, more at the interruption than anything else, until the implications behind that beeping sunk in.

"Sir Eugen and Sir Valery: both lost."

"An ambush?" he asked, genuinely surprised.

_-In the very heart of the ghetto, his devious younger brother grinned devilishly, watching a similar screen. He placed a black horse on the board. 'An I.D. signal can be a double-edged sword,' he thought 'If the terrorists follow the orders I issue, my task at hand is sure to be completed.'_ –

Clovis watched with steadily rising alarm as the number of little blue triangles diminished, each replaced by a taunting declaration of LOST.

His gaze flickered to General Bartley, now perspiring profusely, and he wondered if maybe he should have given Lelouch's comments more attention rather than brush them off. Bartley had been immensely useful to him, granted, when it came to Code-R, but the man didn't seem to be able to handle pressure very well. He was already showing visible signs of cracking.

"The enemy's moving toward G-28!"

In a rare show of frustration, Clovis' fists were balled. "This means… terrorists have our military weaponry?"

He would have to take matters into his own hands soon.

_-"P-1, P-4, P-7 move a hundred metres to the right. Fire your slash harkens toward three o'clock!"-_

"Change our codes, they're intercepting our transmission!" the General barked.

"We already have, sir! Four times!"

"Do it again!"

No, not soon. _Now!_

This matter was evidently far above the capabilities of these idiot so-called nobles. Clovis was on his feet, crossing the room in a few long, purposeful strides. This farce had gone too far. "This failure is _unacceptable_!"

"Forgive me, your-"

"Good afternoon," The joviality of that voice was almost blasphemous. Clovis looked into the face of the eccentric scientist with obvious annoyance, wondering if Schneizel would mind too much if the man simply _disappeared_ some time soon. If asked, he could always use Asplund's atrocious fashion-sense as an excuse. "I'd say it's time to deploy the ASEEC's special weapon."

"We've no time for this right now!" Clovis yelled, unable to hold back his aggravation. The smirk that curled on Earl Asplund's lips only furthered this feeling.

_-"R-2, fire anchor. B-7, use UN ordinates. N Group, you'll continue your advance."-_

"We just lost Lazlo's squad."

"So do it," Clovis stated, "Bring up Quincy's squad."

"But my Lord," came Bartley's protest. "That will break the encirclement."

Coward. Clovis preferred to play it safe most times, not taking risks where it wasn't necessary, but there was no choice before him now. He was being made a mockery of, here! And by who? A rag-tag group of filthy Elevens! NO!

He was Clovis la Britannia of the Imperial family! He would not let his name be dragged in the mud!

"Reinforce the breach with some of the units guarding me," Even with the equipment they stole, it was doubtful they'd manage to get anywhere near the Command Centre. And even if they did, would they really have the gall to make an attempt on the Viceroy's life? Would they manage to take _so much as a step_ inside without being riddled with bullet-holes? "What we know for certain is that enemy forces are here."

- _Lelouch stopped twirling the queen in his hands, quirking a brow at the shifting dots on his map._ _"Well, you're being stupider than even __I__ anticipated, Clo. Breaking formation? Have you learned nothing from our chess games?" A sigh; he raised the communicator to his lips. "You're really making this too easy. Q-1, do you have an area map?"_

_The woman in the Glasgow was quick with a reply. "Yes. I have a map of the old town- but it has none of the current landmarks."_

"_That'll do." _-

"Alright! Send in Bert's and the others too!"

Soon, he would be able to breathe easily again and this nightmare would be over.

-"_Mission number three, now."-_

"Concentrate our forces there! Surround them!"

-"_Is everything prepared?"-_

"The enemy's main force is that centre dot!" Clovis grinned, glaring intently at the red dot indicated on the map, quickly being surrounded by the blue triangles that were his superior Britannian forces. "Finish every one of them off!"

In his Knightmare, a violet-eyed devil smirked. "With this, I call check."

Both of them were counting the seconds beneath their breath, eyes focused on the moving dots. Each was confident in his victory, but only one would laugh as the red dot disappeared, followed by the blue triangles, only to be replaced by a single ominous word: LOST as a dangerous red circle spread to swallow them all.

The ground had collapsed beneath them.

While Lelouch laughed, revelling in his victory, Clovis began to back away, staring incredulously.

'_Who in the hell am I up against? What if-_' His heart clenched, panicked. For a moment there, the Third Prince had forgotten how to breathe. It was the apocalypse. These Elevens… They were good. They'd anticipated his moves, _outsmarted him_. Whoever was leading them was incredible. '_He's even better than Tohdoh_.'

"Lelouch!" Clovis called out, turning his head around wildly in search for the other person who could outsmart him. When he failed to find the person, and no one had moved to summon him from wherever his little brother had hidden, he asked, "Where's my brother? I thought he'd returned!"

"Well, yes, your Highness. He had," said Asplund, his voice grating on the Viceroy's nerves, as it always did. "He dropped my pilot off, in fact- I'd been meaning to thank him for that."

"Where is he?" Clovis demanded.

Lloyd merely smiled, "I believe he returned to the… battle."

One of the Generals reported Jeremiah Gottwald's presence in the field as well. Gottwald would not be far away from Lelouch. In a rare spectacle, Clovis cursed- very quietly, of course, and with all the finesse of a royal. There was a cunning terrorist out there, and his younger brother was caught in his net. Beyond having lost the one tactical mind he believed could counter this terrorist, Clovis also had to worry about said tactical mind getting killed in his childish tantrum.

"Lloyd," Let it never be said that Clovis la Britannia did not value members of his family. He was swallowing his pride for one, after all.

"Yes, your Highness?"

"Can it win? Will that toy of yours beat them?"

"Hmph." For once, Earl Asplund looked almost offended. "My Lord, please be so kind as to call it Lancelot."

* * *

"Yes, Jeremiah, I assure you, I'm fine. Yes, truly. I've found myself a very comfortable seat from where I can watch the show in peace. It's very exciting, isn't it?"

Lelouch had to roll his eyes at the response. Gottwald was loyal, but could be overly so. He was not a child to be doted over. "Very well, I will retreat. Soon. Not now, no; I believe things will become very turbulent near the Command Centre before long, and personally, I don't want to get caught up in that. Have you found the object?"

There was a pause on the other side. As far as Lelouch was concerned, that was all the answer he needed. He sighed, but he wasn't surprised. It was doubtful the terrorists would have taken her. "No, it's fine Jeremiah. I didn't expect you would find her, but sent you there just in case. Return to the Command Centre, if you so wish. I will be joining you shortly."

Thus, he ended the conversation and returned to the chess game he was playing. His fingers hovered over the black bishop, but grasped the king instead. "Why do I get the feeling I'm going to be meeting you soon?"

Probably because he now had the ability to order people to take their own lives. Which she had given.

_She's a witch. That's the only explanation for it_.

He was receiving a terrorist communication, "This is B Group, reporting enemy presence!"

"Reinforcements?" Lelouch quirked his brow. "Real battle is different, isn't it? Just like Clovis said." Still, he hadn't expected the Viceroy to risk calling in reinforcements, what with the story he was doubtlessly weaving as a cover-up for this massacre. Desperate times, he supposed.

"Status?" he asked.

"Everyone's ejected, but they took out four units in nothing flat!"

Lelouch sat up straighter, his interest piqued. He racked his head for the units that could possibly have caused this kind of damage. "Enemy numbers?"

"Just one." The leader of the group sounded panicked and out of breath. Lelouch paused from fiddling with the chess piece in his hand, raising his eyes to the screen. "Might be a new model. I've never seen anything like-" The transmission was cut, and the terrorist's last word ended in a scream.

_One? Could it be?_

"N-4, N-5, hold there!" _It can reflect bullets?_ "When the rear units arrive, surround that thing."

He recalled seeing plans, plans for a certain bullet-reflecting energy shield that would be mounted on its arms. But… had they found a pilot?

"We can't stop it!" Of course not. If this was what he thought it was, they wouldn't stand a chance. "N Units, what is it?" Only static in response. "P-1, report!"

Nothing. Lelouch was torn between frustration and open awe; Clovis must be gloating now, so proud in his achievement. But Lelouch had been the one to endorse them. That is, if this was indeed the-

A slash harken whizzed, latching onto the outside of the building he was hidden inside, and it was soon followed by dazzling white and gold.

-the Lancelot!

It was even more magnificent than Lloyd said!

Lelouch was forced out of his wonder when the Lancelot began its attack. He quickly threw up the Sutherland's arms to counter, the chess pieces scattering everywhere, but the Lancelot was far superior. It pushed his Knightmare back even as he struggled to simply stay upright.

"Are you the guy that's in command?" the pilot demanded.

Was it safe? The terrorists, they couldn't get up this high, could they?

No, no, impossible. But he must act quickly.

"Halt!"

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Someone you will sincerely regret harming. I will step out of my cockpit- stand down!"

The Lancelot did just that, but it held up its VARIS rifle just the same. Lelouch waited a second, trying to determine just where each of the units should be. The closest to him now would be the Glasgow, but unless it suddenly sprouted wings or a float system, like the kind used in Schneizel's airship, it was staying firmly where it was.

He breathed deeply as the cockpit opened, brushing his hair back from his face. It was slick with sweat, he noted with a grimace.

Now exposed, Lelouch stood with all the dignity of a King. "Stand down!" he commanded once again.

"Pri-"

"I would advise you to stay quiet. Would it really be wise to broadcast my presence to the terrorists?"

The VARIS lowered, and with a hiss and clinking of mechanism, the cockpit of the Lancelot opened to reveal a young man whose sight made Lelouch laugh in spite of himself.

"Well, Private Kururugi, I see you've come to my rescue twice today. My, my, you certainly are the eager one, aren't you?"

"Your Highness," the Honorary Britannian said, still as formal as ever. He and Jeremiah would get along quite well, a part of him thought, if Gottwald ever managed to look past his 'tainted' blood. "Please, permit me to escort you back to the Command Centre. It's dangerous out here."

"You don't say?" Lelouch countered sarcastically, but settled back into his Sutherland nonetheless. "Permission granted, Private Kururugi. Lead the way."

It was about time he headed back anyway. Phase three of his plan was currently underway, and it wouldn't do if he missed _that_ part, not when he was a key player.

* * *

"Welcome back, my Lord!"

Hearing Lloyd's greeting, you'd think he was Santa Claus come to bestow his gift of sakuradite upon him.

"I trust you've seen the Lancelot in action now, hmm?"

His assistant, the wonderful Miss Cecile Croomy, offered Lelouch a towel and a smile, both which he accepted graciously. "It's good to see you safe, Prince Lelouch," she said. "The Viceroy was quite concerned for your well-being."

"Yes, so I've heard."

"So!" Lloyd cut in impatiently, clasping his hands together. He looked like he wanted to draw the Prince away to privately fawn all over the Lancelot (or fangirl, as Lelouch would inwardly refer to it). "How do you like my Lancelot, my Lord? Isn't it every bit as marvellous as I said it would be?"

"It's wonderful, Lloyd. Though, to be honest," Lelouch nodded up at the young pilot climbing out of the Lancelot's cockpit. "I'm more interested in the pilot. He did manage to_ move_ it, after all."

"He did more than move it, I assure you. Suzaku!" The scientist waved him over. As soon as Kururgi's feet were on the ground, he jogged toward them and offered the Prince a quick bow.

"I want to thank you, Warrant Officer Kururugi."

"Warrant O…" His eyes widened. "My Lord, I- I-."

"You deserve it."

"Oh, Suzaku, how wonderful!" Cecile said, managing to clap even with the clipboard in her hand. "Your first day and already acknowledged."

"Well, I did-"

"Attention all forces!" Clovis' voice drifted to them from the radio. All heads turned toward it, listening intently as he ordered a cease-fire.

"A cease-fire?" Cecile said, her brows furrowed. "But why would he do that?"

"Perhaps his Highness wishes to show some compassion, hmm?" The way Lloyd said it, it was obviously meant to be sarcastic. Lelouch let it pass, far too preoccupied with stopping himself from smirking to respond.

"I, Clovis, Third Prince of Britannia and Royal Viceroy of Area 11 hereby command you: all forces cease fire at once! You are also ordered to cease destruction of any building or property. All causalities, whether Britannian or Eleven, shall be treated without prejudice. In the name of Clovis la Britannia, you are ordered to cease fire at once. I will allow no further fighting!"

"That's very kind of his Highness," the newly-appointed Warrant Officer stated. Lelouch and Professor Asplund exchanged looks and then both gazes turned to Kururugi, who seemed unbelievably sincere.

"Yes, very," Lelouch said wryly, nodding. "I suppose I should go check on him to make sure it doesn't become a habit. If you'll excuse me…"

A few minutes later, Lelouch was racing down the many corridors of the command centre, not even bothering with the pools of blood on the floor except to step over them so he didn't slip. Any and all guards were absent, as well as Clovis' usual staff of Generals. Getting them aside had been difficult but doable. Except for Bartley. He'd given instructions that if the rotund man was still there, however, he'd be neutralized.

Phase three should be near completion. Now for the final stage.

He had to stop midway to catch his breath, and took the reprieve as an opportunity to check his pistol and re-load it, as well as to take off his boots. The clicking of the heels would surely give him away.

From then on, he kept a brisk pace, walking rather than running. To preserve energy, of course. Not because he barely had enough energy left in him from running the whole way here, no, of course not.

Eventually, he reached the Main Bridge. The lighting was dimmed, just as he'd ordered, giving him the opportunity to slip in quietly, unnoticed. Before him, dressed as common infantry soldiers, were three members of the Royal Guard, the very same that had seen himself and Private- no, Warrant Officer Kururugi with the green-haired girl. The rest of the men who had been present at the time were now dead.

All three were holding pistols, and all of them were aimed at the throne. At Clovis.

"Is this a coup?" his older brother was asking. "Because if it is, it's really one of the worst I've ever seen. How long do you really think you'll live after this? My siblings won't-"

"Shut up!" The leader fired a shot above Clovis' head, and the Viceroy quieted down. A good thing, too. If there was one thing Clovis could do, it was talking you into a stupor.

"You ordered a massacre!" one of the men shouted.

"I don't recall you ever having a problem with that before…"

Lelouch took a step out of the shadows. He was positioned several steps left of the throne, facing the men. The leader met his eyes briefly and yelled,"Enough! Enough of this!"

He came right in front of Clovis, the gun pointing at his blond head. "This ends now!"

_BANG!_

And the girliest scream Lelouch had ever heard.

Clovis' eyes were squeezed shut and he was trembling, muttering underneath his breath about how he didn't want to die. It took everything in Lelouch not to just snort right then- probably it was helped by the two remaining men shooting at him.

Actually, one. He'd shot the other down.

Lelouch ventured closer, stopping in front of Clovis' throne. Still careful to keep his pistol pointed at the remaining man, he asked his brother if he was alright.

"Lelouch!" he shrieked. It took him a few moments to calm down and return his voice to a normal level. Panting, a gloved hand placed over his chest, Clovis slowly rose from his seat, "Oh, little brother! It's so good to-"

Two bullets were fired, and two figures fell to the floor. Clovis screamed again.

* * *

Sitting in his room, in the villa he'd acquired from a certain Refrain dealer who lost to the Black King, and reading _Hamlet: Prince of Denmark_, Lelouch could honestly say he'd never been happier in his life. Even with the pain in his arm, and how annoying it was to turn pages when one hand was restricted by a cast. The one thing that remained, perhaps, to make things complete was arriving by plane in only a few more hours and would be brought straight to him.

Hopefully, he hadn't worried her too much with this little escapade of his. It was dramatic, rather painful (what with taking a bullet to the arm and all) but necessary. To show Clovis, to remind him, just what his worth was. How his life could be over in a second, and how cowardly he could be.

He was teaching his older brother the lesson that he'd taught him eight years ago.

"_Know your worth."_

What Jeremiah failed to understand, and what Lelouch would not point out to him otherwise, was that his gambling habits were not simply as a pass-time for a bored and spoiled Prince. In reality, he was building his fortune, bit by bit.

For most of his life, Lelouch had been dependent entirely on the Emperor. The lavish clothes, the scrumptious foods, the feathery bed, every single aspect of his life had been a result of the Emperor's _generosity_ for his weakling children. In the past two years, however, Lelouch was depending less on less on this so-called generosity, thanks to his steadily growing accounts- a fact he was very proud of.

When his mother died on that staircase, his childhood died with her, as well as any rose-tinted view he may have had of the world.

Power was the only way he was getting anywhere. Money was one of the roads to power, and it was the easiest one to walk. A bit of gambling here, playing in the stocks there, and voila!

The second road was people, and this road was fraught with danger. It was fickle, a crumbling path on the side of a mountain. The higher one climbed, the more precarious the path, and the harder the eventual fall.

Nonetheless, he'd resigned himself to climbing. One by one, he would get there, he swore it.

And now… now he was being presented with a secret staircase in the middle of the mountain. A shortcut, one could say. Dark, with the possibility of bats and arachnids and other unpleasant things, but Lelouch decided he could handle the dark.

Geass. He heard it when she was offering him that contract. That's what it was called: _Geass_. The power to bend absolutely anyone to his will.

And now, these terrorists.

If he crushed them, more would rise in their place. Britannia was much hated; she crushed the weak underfoot, spat on their strong because they just weren't strong _enough_, and discarded her own the moment they lost their use. She was a ruthless lady, and she had many enemies that were more than willing to pick up arms against her.

They were willing to pick up arms against her even when they knew she'd only end up crushing them under her heel.

Just imagine what would happen if they were united under a man who gave them victory and tamed the shrew that was Britannia…

Yes. On one hand, he would ensure that the rebels of Area 11 stayed under his control, rather than compromising his plans like today. On the other hand, leaving Area 11 too vulnerable would open them up for an intervention by the Chinese Federation. So he must remain Prince to ensure the safety of this area. Clovis was not good enough to stand up to both the terrorists _and_ the Chinese.

But best of all, he could fight the Empire head-on without fear of his siblings' underhanded games. They wouldn't pay attention to a mere terrorist, and by the time they realized he was more than that, it would already be far, far too late.

In a few months' time, Lelouch would have an entire army at his disposal. In a year, he might very well be on his way to defeating Britannia- and claiming it as his own.

And then…

"Checkmate."

"You should really cut back on those chess metaphors, Lelouch," came a voice from behind him. "They're really very annoying."

When he turned around, he found a pair of amber eyes and a smirk he'd never forget. Honestly, he wasn't all that surprised to see her again. In fact, he might even say he was happy for it.

"You."

"Yes, me." She draped himself on the opposite chair with little ceremony. "You may call me C.C."

* * *

**A/N:** Yesss! Finally, I post! Phew. Sorry this one took so long. School has been very hectic lately, but hopefully things have calmed down enough that I can return to my usual chapter-per-week.

Now then, as you can plainly see, a lot of this chapter has been borrowed from Episode 2. I try not to do that, but when I'm writing an almost identical situation I prefer to return to canon. I'll be doing that at various points throughout the fic, but of course, in the end, I don't own any of it. I've never seen the need to put a disclaimer in one of my chapters before, but here it is, right here: **I do not own Code Geass in any shape or form**. Which saddens me considerably.

Also, a great big thank you to everyone who's taken the time to review! You're really very motivating, you know that? Cookies for all!

Until next week, then. Hope you've enjoyed reading!


	8. Bonds

**Chapter 8:**** Bonds**

"En garde!"

Lelouch batted him away with his free hand, but his older brother and Viceroy was apparently in a very silly mood and would not be denied his playtime; Lelouch was poked again.

"I said en garde, Lelou."

"I'm reading, Clo."

"Oh, really?"

And just like that, Clovis snatched the book away, smirking as he held it high and out of his brother's reaching grasp.

"What is this thing, anyway?" he asked, peering up at its worn cover. With his other hand, he held Lelouch back, very much enjoying the advantage of having an extra mobile arm. "Shakespeare? _Hamlet?_ You're still reading that awful thing?"

"Only you would call Shakespeare awful," Lelouch remarked with a scowl, lowering his arm. He was realizing how futile reaching for it was. Instead, he closed his eyes, breathing deeply, and said, "Now give it back."

Clovis disregarded him entirely in favour of examining Lelouch's face closely. Far, far, far too closely for the latter boy's comfort. The scent of his brother's cologne was stifling at such a proximity.

"Clovis, what-"

"You have gorgeous lashes, little brother."

For a moment there, all Lelouch could do was blink, too struck by the utter randomness and… stupidity of the statement to be able to whip-up one of his usual quips. Eventually, he managed to speak again, blurting out a very inelegant "What?" that had Clovis' lips twitching. Or it may have been general amusement at something else, but Lelouch felt defensive either way.

He proved entirely justified in this feeling when Clovis, finally taking a step back, elaborated, saying, "Sinfully long, as Olwen would say. In fact, you remind me of a character in one of her books- Lucien, I think." He considered for a moment. "Do you think it's possible she based this Lucien fellow on _you_, little brother?"

Lelouch spluttered, wide-eyed and utterly horrified at the prospect, until a thought struck him and he asked, "How is it you know about-"

"Ollie's late-night hobby?" Clovis smirked suddenly, one brow quirking up. Lelouch decided he didn't like that expression. It spoke of a deviousness that was uncharacteristic of Clovis, instead usually reserved for the likes of his sister Carline or, say, a certain heiress by the name of Ashford. "Who is it, you think, who provided her with the… _intimate_ details?"

"_Clovis!_" Even Lelouch didn't know why he sounded so scandalized. He'd thought, maybe Guinevere. They were sisters, after all, full-blooded sisters. It was something girls could discuss, and Gwen was not the modest type, even if Olwen pretended to be.

But- but Clovis!

He imagined the situation: seated in the gazebo in Exelica Garden, sipping tea and nibbling on biscuits, all the while talking about the intricacies of… of…

"-although, that would make you wonder how exactly she views us, little brother, considering Lucien is widely known for that torrid love affair he has with the handsome and dashing Earl Calv-"

He broke off when Lelouch snatched the paint brush Clovis was brandishing before, holding it ready in front of him and yelled, "En garde!"

The Viceroy gave a lazy grin, using the stolen book as a shield against Lelouch's thrust while he reached inside his coat for his own weapon.

"… Why am I not surprised at the fact you apparently carry paintbrushes around?" Lelouch said, just barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

With a light _clank,_ their wooden weapons met in a battle that was as heated and as childish as one would expect from brothers. Taunts were exchanged amid strikes and slashes; the banter was playful, but the movements were not. Well, except when Clovis managed to tickle Lelouch's nose by use of his _weapon's_ bristles, while Lelouch wailed at the unfairness of it all, especially with one of his arms impaired.

"All's fair in love and war, Lelou!"

Just for that, Lelouch rapped him on the nose.

* * *

Milly Ashford was in full action mode. Somehow, she'd gotten a hold of a whip (most likely by pilfering it off of some poor member of the Equestrian Club) and was now standing in the middle of the Student Council Room, barking orders at everyone and slamming said whip down on the table at every possible opportunity.

And occasionally on Rivalz's head, if she felt like it, but he bore it all like the good trooper that he was. Sometimes Milly pitied him, really.

This was not one of those times.

"Come _on_, people! Put your backs into it!" she yelled, and the whip fell on the table again with a resounding _crack! _Nina jumped, blinking up owlishly at Milly, but the rest had grown accustomed to the sound over the course of the day.

"Prez," Rivalz started, looking up from his papers in exasperation. "We're working as hard as we can. You just sprung it on us today!"

"Well, that's because I just received word today," she stated, giving his arm a light hit. "Besides, we're the Student Council! We should be prepared for anything!"

"Why can't we just have a small party? We could get some pizza, champagne-"

"But, we're underage!" Shirley said, apparently horrified at the suggestion.

"A little bit of bubbly never hurt anyone, right, Kallen?"

The sickly girl glanced their way briefly, meeting Rivalz's hopeful smile and Shirley's expectant gaze, and wondered just why they always looked to her when they needed back-up. Why couldn't they just turn to Nina or something?

"It's normal for nobility to drink a little champagne or wine during occasions. It's… expected, actually."

"But we're the Student Council! We're supposed to set a good example!"

Kallen merely gave a little shrug and returned to her work, of which she had actually accomplished very little, and ignored the argument that continued between her fellow Council members.

Who cared about some snot-nosed brat of the nobility? If it were up to her, Kallen would be planning future missions with Ohgi, or working on tracking that Voice, not planning a welcoming party.

The Voice had been on her mind ever since Shinjuku. He'd promised them victory and might have delivered if not for that white knightmare that appeared out of nowhere. Kallen never got to face it, but from the descriptions it had to have been pretty amazing, not to mention harrowing.

Nonetheless, the Voice had been able to stop the massacre in Shinjuku. _He_ was behind that cease-fire order, she just knew it!

Intelligence said there were rumours of an attempted coup d'état, and she wondered if perhaps he'd been behind that as well. And if that was the case, she wondered if he was dead.

"Either way, it's useless to try and run after some voice on the radio," was what Ohgi had said during her last inquiry, and he was probably right. Nonetheless, Kallen couldn't stop herself from wondering.

So many questions, all of them with no answer, and it was driving her mad.

Another _crack_ made Kallen jump slightly.

"Back to work, people!" Milly ordered, waving her whip around. "You'd be done by now if you didn't keep arguing like this!"

Grumbling, the Council members complied. She heard Rivalz mumble, "Man, that girl had better be hot."

Milly appeared fairly amused as she leaned on the table beside him. Rivalz paused, eyes closed, obviously expecting another beating, but Milly only laughed and patted him on his blue head. Just as he was about to relax, she decided to state that the new girl's older brother was a graduate of the Los Angeles Imperial Academy, famous for producing the best knights in all of Britannia, and happened to be very protective of his baby sister.

"I hear he's pretty mean with an assault rifle, too."

Rivalz gulped, and Kallen was very thankful for the quiet that followed.

* * *

Their sparring continued, with both princes using everything in the surrounding environment, sometimes for an advantage, sometimes merely for the dramatic effect or 'cool' factor. It was undecided as of yet just how exactly one could _win_ this little game of theirs -Lelouch was keeping score in his head, but it appeared not to matter at all- and there weren't really any rules.

After all, as Clovis had said, all's fair in love and war. Lelouch wondered which category this game fell under.

"Ha!" the Viceroy said, pointing his brush down at his brother's forehead. His other hand, still clutching _Hamlet_, was at his waist, a foot on the back of the chair, and his head was raised, a grin forming on his lips.

The way he looked, you'd think he was King Eowyn gloating about his triumph over Caesar rather than a frivolous Third Prince perched on top of a chair.

Lelouch took immense pleasure in ruining Clovis' pose when he kicked said chair, throwing the Viceroy out of balance. An extra push had him crashing to the ground in a cursing heap of purple, white and dirty-blond.

"Now, now, big brother, you should watch that language," Lelouch admonished. He was careful to keep a suitable distance between them, such that Clovis couldn't suddenly reach out to trip him or something. "I'm telling you right now, if you speak like that in front of Nunally, I'll have no choice but to set Jeremiah on you."

To his credit, Clovis recovered fairly quickly. He got to his feet again in the most dignified manner possible, given the circumstances, and without so much as a word he strode off to the next room.

_Oh, sore, are we? _

Lelouch followed, wary of whatever revenge Clovis might decide to dole out. He nearly grimaced at the thought of him complaining to Nunally instead; she'd tell him to apologize, and he didn't think he could stand the smug smirk Clovis would have then, as Lelouch would have no choice but to obey.

Rather than sulking and giving him the evil eye, he found Clovis standing at the wall in the far end of the room, examining the photographs with obvious interest.

To Lelouch, this room was his safe haven, his place of contemplation. It was very simple and bare, compared to the myriad of rooms in his villa, with off-white walls and only a few antique chairs and the occasional coffee table. A loveseat was placed by the large window where Lelouch could enjoy his free mornings by reading in the sunlight.

But the thing that made this room so special were the photographs and portraits hung on its walls.

As a housewarming gift from Clovis, Lelouch had received a portrait he'd painted of Empress Marianne flanked by her two young children. That was the centrepiece. Around it were various other portraits showing Lelouch and Nunally, often with their siblings, usually Euphie.

"Lelouch…"

"Hm?"

"Did I hit my head too hard, or are you actually_ blushing_ in this photo?"

Lelouch cut the room in a few quick strides to stop in front of the picture Clovis was pointing at, eyes widened slightly.

Like everything that belonged to Lelouch vi Britannia, the photographs on his walls were organized. This particular cluster was of his friends, or the people he would call his friends, and comrades, largely consisting of those he'd met in the Academy- although Milly Ashford was there as well, albeit a much younger version.

The particular one that had caught his brother's interest was taken on his graduation day. It showed him in full military uniform, wearing a confident smirk with an arm slung around the shoulders of none other than the Knight of Nine, Nonette Enneagram, who was winking and holding her fingers up to form a victory sign.

Nonette had caused quite a stir by stopping by. Gino Weinberg, his friend of sorts simply because of the man's sheer stubbornness, had followed her like a lost puppy all day. The only person who was seemingly unaffected by her guest appearance was the now-Knight of Six, Anya Alstreim. But then, Anya never seemed to be affected by much of anything.

But Clovis, eyes keen as ever, had caught the blush that was indeed dusting his cheeks, in spite of his arrogant expression. The secret behind that was quite simple: Nonette's hand had, at the time, been gripping his behind.

"Oooh, such a _firm_ ass- _nice_," he remembered her whispering, giving her trademark lop-sided grin. "You know, kid, you're starting to make me regret turning you down all those years ago."

It was a miracle his face hadn't burned off that day.

"Aww," Clovis cooed, bringing him out of his reverie. "Does little Lelou still have a crush on Nonnie?"

"Of course not," Lelouch answered coolly. He gave himself a proverbial pat on the back for managing to stay composed, but realized he'd talked too soon when he caught a glimpse of green hair on the other side of the window.

Panicking, Lelouch did the first thing he could think of, which happened to be pushing Clovis against the wall, thereby effectively cutting off his view of the window with his body. He also managed to shock his brother into silence- a very rare feat indeed. But it was short-lived, as Clovis began to laugh a few seconds later.

"Gad, Lelouch, I didn't know you felt so _strongly_ about it."

Lelouch could have groaned. He became mortified when Clovis began to reference Olwen su Britannia's smut again, saying that it was really no wonder she wrote their respective characters the way she did.

"Honestly, shoving me against the wall like that… You can't blame the girl for getting the wrong idea. If it were anyone else, I probably would have too."

Resisting the urge to repeatedly bang his head against the wall, Lelouch instead pushed away from it and his brother and went to close the window instead as an excuse to look out for that infuriating woman.

No C.C. in sight, but something else caught his attention. That something being his personal transport easing into the driveway.

"Nunally!" he announced.

Clovis' voice suddenly came from beside him, the man apparently having come to see what his younger sibling found so interesting. Lelouch noticed a faint smile playing on the Viceroy's lips. "And not even a proper royal greeting. Honestly, Lelouch, where are your manners?"

"Nunally doesn't like those, you know that."

"Even so…" His smile, innocent at first, was steadily transforming into a predatory one, something Lelouch found very disconcerting. "Say, who is that woman that's pushing her along?"

"Nu, I think. A Knight. Jeremiah was the one who suggested her."

"Hm, so that lapdog of yours has some taste after all." Clovis placed a hand on his shoulder and began to steer him in the direction of the door. "We might as well give the poor girl some form of greeting, since her supposedly caring big brother couldn't bother to put together a _proper _one."

"Like I said! She doesn't-"

"Hush, you _tyrant_."

Lelouch sighed, pushing him away, and consoled himself with the fact he'd be able to spend his time with Nunally from now on, who would be safe in Ashford, away from their elder brother's awful influence. It wouldn't do to have his beloved sister infected with Clovis' special brand of stupid.

His butler was quick to fall in step behind them, an umbrella in hand even as he inquired about their destination.

"The gardens of course, old man," Clovis replied flippantly. Conrad nodded like a good servant and opened the door for them, stepping out and opening the umbrella to protect their dear Viceroy from the midday sun. Lelouch didn't care for that, instead walking ahead onto the path. Already, Nunally was in view, pushed along by the dark-skinned knight and accompanied by his own personal guard.

"Brother?" He saw a smile light up her face.

He was jogging, cursing the large expanse of these gardens, and willing that Nu to just hurry it up already, until finally he was at the wheelchair-bound girl's side.

"Nunally," he breathed, crouching down beside her. He could almost feel Clovis' appalled look, wondering how on earth Lelouch could stand to dirty his clothes so freely. Small, frail arms wrapped around his neck, drawing him closer, and he wrapped his arm around her in return.

"Oh Lelouch, I missed you so much!"

He smiled into her hair, "I missed you too."

She pulled away gently, her smile fading somewhat as her hands slid down from his neck to his shoulders where she fingered the sling that held up his casted left arm. "Euphie and I were worried sick when we heard about the terrorist attacks. They didn't say much on TV, but the rumours travelled fast, and when we heard you and Clovis were caught up in some shooting-"

He placed a hand on her cheek to soothe her, and silence her at the same time, "It's alright. I've been trained for that sort of thing, remember?"

"I know, but it was just so _awful_. Even when we called Lord Jeremiah-" With a quirked brow, he looked up to Jeremiah, who lowered his head apologetically for failing to report this call.

Nunally, apparently sensing the interaction, took hold of his hand and squeezed. "We told him not to bother you, big brother. He said you'd taken a bullet to the arm, but you were going to be alright." She managed a sort of smile, "Euphie said we must sound like mother hens- that's your and Cornelia's jobs, not ours!"

Lelouch shot a glare in his guard's way when he heard Jeremiah's low chuckle.

"Nunally, darling!"

If he could, he would have blasted Clovis for ruining the moment- _his_ moment. As it was, he could only turn to look (_glower_ is more like it) as their elder brother sauntered their way, arms opened in a welcoming gesture that Nunally could not see.

"Brother Clovis!" she greeted happily. One of her hands stayed with Lelouch, sandwiched between his own, while the other waved in Clovis' direction.

The smile he was wearing was that television smile; charming, handsome, but obviously fake. It was put on for the guards, so that they would see him as the gracious brother warmly greeting his younger sibling. It was not for Nunally.

Lelouch suppressed the instinct that told him to bat Clovis' hands away when they came to encircle her small frame, to shove him aside entirely when he bent down to plant a light kiss on her head. It must have shown, for Clovis gave him a questioning look, which he responded to by simply shrugging his shoulders, indicating it was nothing.

But it wasn't _nothing_.

He didn't want that kind of acting around Nunally. In part, he was actually thankful that the vi Britannia line had fallen largely out of favour since it meant that at least she didn't have to suffer the nobility too much. He didn't want her tainted by their hypocrisy.

Only tonight would she be subjected to it. Tomorrow, as soon as breakfast was done, he was taking her to Ashford. Milly was eccentric, but she wasn't fake- not _too_ fake, anyway. Nothing beyond her insistence to remain happy and perky and pretend that everything was fine, and that was tolerable.

Slowly, they walked back to the villa amid soft laughter and heartfelt greetings (and some not so heartfelt), the scent of gardenias enveloping them while black-clad guards followed not _too_ far behind, but far enough to allow them some semblance of privacy.

Lelouch's hand remained clasped tightly around Nunally's.

* * *

It was appalling, really, the things he had to do nowadays. Leaving the table for _work_, of all things.

_Father, you've turned me into an ill-mannered brute_.

Clovis sighed, but he'd already long resigned himself to his fate. For the sake of success, one must be willing to make sacrifices, decorum be damned.

Brushing a stray lock away from his face, he brought his cell-phone to his ear. "Speak."

Listening to Bartley stammer on the phone was hardly the way he'd have liked to spend his afternoon, especially not with Nunally there. Or rather, not with _Lelouch_ there, watching him like a hawk protecting its young.

They were both watching each other, and both were aware of it. Though did Lelouch know the reason behind it? Was he being his paranoid self, or was there something more?

Clovis' eyes were darting around, searching for a sign of motion. He mused inwardly that his little brother was rubbing off on him, but was ultimately glad that this sense of paranoia limited the number of servants Lelouch hired, no matter how large this villa of his was.

"I see. Very well, arrange a transport for next week. I want to examine this myself. And that coup? What have you uncovered?"

It came as no surprise to him that Bartley could deliver very little. He could give excuses like no other, stammer and stutter like no other and kiss royal ass all the way to Armageddon. He could not, however, think his way out of a paper bag.

Still, if he'd been exceptionally smart, Clovis wouldn't really have hired him. What he'd needed was a tool, a dog that trailed behind him that would rip out the throat of anyone his master pointed a finger at, not a rocket-scientist. There was always Asplund for that, and Clovis already had the uncomfortable feeling that man knew more than he was supposed to.

He got that same feeling about Lelouch, too.

"Tell me, Bartley," Clovis said out of the blue, cutting off the General's oath of fealty or whatever it was he was swearing nowadays. Manners did not, of course, apply to those that were beneath him. "Do you think Lelouch really did find her? Or were they lying for some reason; trying to buy time, perhaps? Using it as an excuse to eliminate him before they moved on to me?"

"It's… Wh-who can really say, your Highness? They were filthy traitors, the whole lot. They must've been radicals or something."

"Mm, yes, that's possible."

It still didn't explain why, exactly, they'd reported back saying that the Sub-Viceroy had been sighted, along with an Honorary Britannian, and had found the subject of their research. What was their motive?

And if they weren't lying; if, hypothetically speaking, Lelouch _had_ found the girl… Why would he have taken that bullet for him? If anything, he should have been glad to see Clovis go, all the more reason to keep her to himself.

The relationship between them was a good one, a sort of friendly rivalry, and he did love his brother dearly, but even so, Clovis never held any illusions about the sort of relationships made in this family.

… of course, that was presuming his little brother actually had an idea of what she could do. Clovis was fairly sure that Schneizel and their father hadn't included Lelou in their little Geass Club. Yet.

So, then, supposing Lelouch didn't know. He just found the girl, ran the hell away from everyone, saved Clovis because he was a good little brother, or because he was simply too sentimental to be a back-stabbing bastard like the rest of them.

And then? Why didn't he confront Clovis, demand an explanation, throw a tantrum that shook the heavens?

And most importantly: _where was the girl?_

_Something wasn't right! _Something was missing. A component so vital that, until one found it, it would be like staring at the Joconde and trying to decipher the meaning behind her smile. Her awful, mocking smile.

He imagined C.C. giving him that same smile, even in her prisoner garb, amber eyes looking at him with the same disdain she shot while she was being locked into that capsule for the first time.

Funny. Even as his lab-rat, she still managed to look condescending. It was probably why she'd fit in so well with the rest of the court during her first stint at Aries Villa.

Hearing the gentle laughter of his sweet sister, Clovis delegated the thought to the recesses of his mind where it could be examined at a more appropriate time. "Give me results, Bartley, or I might just decide to experiment on _you_ instead."

With the simple push of a button the conversation ended, and the entire matter was brushed off.

Clovis put on a wide smile again, taking in a deep breath, and loudly began to apologize for the interruption as he returned to the supposedly-loving company of his siblings.

And to that game, the silent game of watching, waiting.

Unbeknownst to him, a green-haired girl was playing that game as well, smirking in the shadows.

* * *

"I thought I told you to _stay_. Put!" the Prince growled, dragging her along by the arm. She put up no resistance, allowing him to shove her inside his room, content with the knowledge that, if she wanted to, he wouldn't be able to touch her.

Content with the knowledge _he_ knew it too.

"You did."

"And?"

"I chose not to obey," was her flippant reply. "There's nothing fun to do in your room. I was bored."

"Do you have any idea what would happen if Clovis saw you here?" he hissed, whirling around. Lelouch had locked the door; he always locked it, even before she came along and he actually had something to hide for a change.

"You'd use your Geass on him to make him forget."

She knew it infuriated him when she stated things so matter-of-factly, as if he had no choice in the matter. And he didn't. It was about time he accepted that, the control-freak.

It wasn't like she was going to get caught, anyway.

C.C. began to pull down the prisoner's garb, resisting the urge to roll her eyes when she saw him immediately turn his head away. What kind of boy was this, anyway? Seventeen and _shy_?

Still, she wasn't complaining. All the more ammo to use against him.

"You still haven't explained it properly to me," Lelouch murmured, still looking to the side. A soft pink hue was gracing his cheeks.

"And I never will."

"Why not?"

She had to give him credit here: he was positively furious, practically bursting with frustration (sexual? Hm, it was a possibility), and yet he somehow always managed to keep his voice level, expression blasé. It was the emotion _underlying_ the seemingly calm voice that gave him away, and gave her the pleasure of poking fun at him whenever she liked.

"Because."

Lelouch didn't have to know that her knowledge about his Geass was about as limited as his own. He didn't have to know that Geass differed from one individual to another, each unique in their effects and draw-backs.

He didn't have the _right_ to know.

She tossed her clothes aside and then slid under the covers of his bed, enjoying the warmth and comfort. Ah, yes, this was the life. Just like in Pendragon.

"C.C., I need to-"

"Goodnight, Lelouch."

"_No!"_

Ah, there he went again. As if he had a choice in the matter. C.C. didn't bother to respond, merely closing her eyes and snuggling further into his covers.

"I want answers, woman!"

"And I want to sleep."

She felt the mattress sink ever so slightly, and she felt his hot breath on her face as he hovered above her. C.C. cracked one eye open, looking thoroughly annoyed. "I thought you had more control over your hormones."

He blushed again, but didn't respond to the jab, merely staring at her. Did he think he could stare her down? Hah, but that was her game.

Alright then, let's see if he'll respond to another one.

"I saw those designs of yours."

Stony silence.

"You're not seriously considering wearing that, are you? People are going to mistake you for your brother."

"It needs to be over the top."

"You certainly succeeded there."

"Tell me."

"You're an idiot… Well, you never specified _what_ I should tell you," she added in response to his dark glare, shrugging. Such a moody boy. Marianne would be getting it for this.

"_C.C_." Lelouch growled.

She leaned up and kissed him. Bewildered, the boy jerked back, and she took advantage of his momentary lapse to push him off.

He landed on the floor with a thud, followed by a groan and a bitten curse.

"Good night," she said in a sing-song voice.

She heard him grumble in response and smiled to herself, closing her eyes again.

* * *

"It's very beautiful," Nunally said, 'looking' up at the Club House with a smile. The picture Lelouch had painted for her, using fanciful words as his brushes, had her imagining that Ashford Academy came straight out of one of her big brother's bedtime stories.

But this fairytale was sadly lacking in the princesses area.

"Where's Milly?" she asked, turning her head to face Lelouch.

No sooner had the words left her lips than a loud exclamation of "LULU!" cut through the air. Nunally giggled and tried to hid it behind her hand, the other hand patting her brother's arm gently.

Perhaps she knew or perhaps she didn't, but that gesture of hers softened his glare a little. He almost smiled in fact. But it didn't make the message to Nunally's new guard any less clear: a _word of this to anyone and you die._

Villetta Nu was careful to keep a neutral expression the entire time, and somehow managed to maintain it even as a perky blonde latched herself around the prince, hugging him so hard she thought he might burst soon.

"Careful on his arm, Milly," Nunally said, reaching for the other girl.

Milly Ashford paused for a moment, simply looking at the crippled girl with the closed eyes and the gentle smile.

She had a hard time connecting the waif she saw right now to the energetic little bundle she'd known as a girl at Aries Villa, the girl who would help her to gang up on Lelouch and put ribbons in his hair, who would proudly prance around on the pony she'd gotten last Christmas (which they'd named Lulu, much to a certain little boy's annoyance) and loudly challenge everyone to a race, winning every time simply because no one ever had the heart to defeat her.

"Milly, I'm fine," Lelouch said suddenly. Puzzled, she looked up to his face (and she was still trying to get used to the fact she had to look _up_ to him now) and grew even more confused when she saw his expression: sharp, protective, which contradicted entirely with the carefree tone of his voice. "Seriously, it's just scratch. You shouldn't stare so much."

Finally, he gave her a little push, nodding in Nunally's way. At the hand which had faltered, but was still reaching out to her. Milly's eyes widened, "Oh! Oh, well… Hah," Her cheeks burned, but she'd finally caught up. "Guess I just can't get used to the fact you're actually fighting nowadays. Remember when we used to tackle him to the ground, Nunna?"

Nunally giggled, nodding, "Yeah. But big brother's grown a lot since then. You should see him piloting a Knightmare!" Her voice turned wistful, "I hear he's very good at it."

"When you open your eyes, Nunally," Lelouch began. Milly could have melted right then, seeing the tenderness of his gaze. So Little Lulu was in there somewhere after all. "I'll jump into a knightmare and do a special performance. Just for you."

"So, you're the second generation _Flash_, are you?" Milly grinned, throwing an arm around his shoulders.

"I wouldn't say a… _Flash_, exactly…"

"Don't be so modest, Lelouch!" Nunally suddenly seemed very energetic and animated as she told her old friend all about her brother's training, describing various performances as if she'd seen them herself. Whoever had taken the liberty of describing them to her must have taken _a whole lot _of liberty, because Milly seriously doubted Lelouch –for all he was a Prince, trained in Britannia's top military academy, friends with various Knights of the Round- had it in him to do the feats Nunally spoke of.

Lelouch's light blush only proved to further her doubt, but he made no move to correct the young princess and neither did Milly. She merely listened and laughed and teased and tried very, very hard to ignore the wheelchair.

Even though Lelouch had been very precise about additions to the Club House that were meant to facilitate things for Nunally in her wheelchair-bound state, and Milly herself had supervised the instalment of the sensors that made the doors open on their own and the various ramps, it had never really hit her until now.

And Lelouch knew, and he managed to save her every time she lapsed. She gave him a grateful smile every time, but he pretended not to notice them.

"Are any of the other Council Members around?" Nunally inquired. "I'd love to meet them."

"I'm sure they're around _somewhere_," Milly said, leading the way to the patio. It was too good a day to stay inside, and she figured Nunally would appreciate the light breeze and sunshine. "They're probably still sleeping, actually. It is a Saturday, after all."

In fact, if not for this visit, Milly would have been sleeping too. Seven a.m. was too early to be up and about, just to prepare for people that wouldn't be arriving till _nine_. But, such was the price one had to pay for being a good hostess.

Remembering said role, she waited until her guests were seated (well, _guest_. Nunally was already seated, after all) before asking, "Who's up for tea?"

"That sounds wonderful," Lelouch nodded.

"Would you like some tea too, Miss Villetta?" asked Nunally. Milly's gaze transferred to their dark-skinned companion, who had so far maintained a very rigid silence and who, so far, the Ashford heiress had somehow managed to forget about.

_Once a noble, always a noble, I guess._

The Villetta woman appeared flustered, and Milly guessed it was her first time working with the vi Britannias as Lelouch didn't at all seem phased by his sister's offer. In fact, the way he was looking at her, he was almost daring her to refuse.

"I-I really shouldn't."

She apparently did not get the message, and so the Prince took matters into his own hands.

"Of course she would. Thank you, Milly."

"No problem," she smiled, and promptly rang the little silver bell that had been sitting innocently on the table. Normally, she would just call for Sayoko, but her grandfather insisted that they act like proper nobility today.

And Sayoko, always the perfect maid, appeared moments later with the tea and a plate of fresh cakes to go with it. A polite silence settled above them as she poured the tea, handing a cup first to Nunally, who accepted with gracious thanks, then to Lelouch and then to the clearly flustered woman who was probably trying to figure out how exactly she should act from now on.

"Thank you, Sayoko," Milly said, receiving her cup. "That'll be all for now."

The maid bowed and disappeared inside.

"Sayoko…" Nunally said experimentally, as if trying the word in her mouth. Lelouch looked up from stirring the tea in her cup, having just dropped a single sugar cube in it, and nodded as if he knew what she was going on in her head.

"Yes," he said, placing the spoon aside. "She does appear to be Japanese." He blew on the surface of the liquid gently before giving his sister the cup.

"I thought so."

"Forgive me," All eyes turned to Villetta Nu as she spoke. "If I am being out of line, but… do you trust that woman?"

Milly blinked, "Of course I do. She's my personal maid."

"I understand, my lady, but she's-"

"An Eleven," Lelouch finished for her. She clenched her jaw and nodded. "Your concern is duly noted and understandable, Villetta."

"I wish you wouldn't call them that, brother."

"I apologize, Nunally, but that is, apparently, what they're called now."

"She's not involved in any terrorist activity, if that's what you're hinting at," Milly stated. Although she tried not to display any outward evidence of it, it was apparent she'd become defensive. "Sayoko was right here during that Shinjuku thing."

"Oh, I'm sure Miss Villetta didn't mean it like that!" Nunally was also quick to defend her own, it seemed. Not that it was surprising.

"Of course not," Lelouch supplied, and then took a sip of his tea. "She's merely doing her job as Nunally's personal guard. She would have asked the same question if Sayoko was Britannian, am I right?"

"Yes, your Highness."

This was obviously a lie.

"See? No need to get worked up."

But how could a girl resist that smile?

In the back of her mind, Milly thought Lelouch was dangerous to be around. Little Lulu was still there, oh yes, but she wasn't privileged enough to be able to see him on a regular basis anymore. What she saw in his stead was a young man who knew what he had and how to use it; a killer smile, lying lips, silky dark hair that girls would be dying to touch and, most importantly, those violet eyes…

Those mesmerising violet eyes.

Alone, they were already formidable weapons, but with the knowledge of the meaning behind those eyes, the lineage, the _resemblance_… They were lethal.

And he knew it.

They heard some pounding at the door. Brows furrowed, Milly set down her teacup, noticing that Lelouch and Villetta had grown tense.

"Could it be media?" the dark-skinned guard asked.

"Madame Pr_eeez_!"

Milly chuckled. She'd recognize that voice anywhere. "No, it's just Rivalz. Wonder what he's doing up so early, though."

The answer came in his loud whining of, "We want to meet the new kid!"

_We._ As in, it wasn't just him.

"Is he on the Student Council?" Nunally sounded fairly excited.

"Yep, I'm afraid so."

Sayoko had appeared again, standing on the side and waiting for her orders. Milly, in turn, looked to Lelouch, who was waiting for a response from his sister. "Would you like to meet them, Nunally?"

"Very much so!"

He sighed, nodding to Milly, who gave Sayoko leave to open the door before the idiot banged the door down.

"I'd better go, then," Lelouch said, rising from his seat. Milly nodded in understanding, as did Nunally, although she didn't seem too happy with it. Even in 'common' clothes, dressed in a black turtleneck and jeans (Milly didn't know Princes even _wore_ jeans until now), it would be too easy to recognize the Sub-Viceroy.

"Have fun, Nunally," He leaned down to plant a kiss on her forehead. "I'll stop by tonight, okay?"

"Okay, big brother."

He left barely a moment before three students came barrelling in. Rivalz just barely managed to stop before he tripped over one of the wicker chairs- the glare he got from Villetta helped immensely. Seconds later, he was joined by Shirley and Nina.

"Uh… hi," he started, feeling suddenly very awkward. The heat of Villetta's gaze didn't lessen, and he began to rub the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Hey, you guys." Milly chuckled. With a flourish of her hand, she gestured at Nunally and said, "Meet Ashford's newest student."

Shirley was the first to walk over and hold out a hand, only to retract it when she realized the girl wouldn't be able to see it. "Hi, I'm Shirley. Shirley Fenette."

Encouraged, Rivalz stepped forward as well, "Name's Rivalz Cardemonde."

"Nina Einstein."

Nunally raised her head, as if to look at them all. "It's very nice to meet you. I'm Nunally Lamperouge."

Milly looked away from the exchange, her gaze instead turning to the green expanse ahead, where she thought she met the gaze of a lone figure who'd been watching. She nodded and saw him nod back before pulling a baseball cap down on his head and turning away.

"Oh hey, who's that fourth cup for?"

With a lop-sided grin, Milly turned back to them, "Remember that big brother I told you about?"

Rivalz paled, while Nunally only clapped in delight. "Oh, you know about Le- about my big brother?"

"Not really," Shirley smiled, taking a seat beside her. "All we know is that he's involved in the military. Could you tell us more about him?"

She couldn't have asked for a better subject; Nunally's face practically glowed as she told them all about him, skilfully avoiding anything that might reveal their true status. And as she watched, Milly couldn't help but think that Nunally had become a good liar as well.

_Maybe even better than you, Lulu._

But that was hardly surprising. In the end, they were all liars, one way or another.

* * *

**A/N:** I had originally intended to post this on Lelouch's birthday, but C.C. and Clovis were being uncooperative. Nonetheless, happy belated birthday to our favourite terrorist-turned-Demon Emperor! –throws confetti-

And just so you know, all you guys asking me about pairings, I honestly have no idea at this point. I'm not leaning to any pairing in particular. We'll just have to wait for the characters to tell us, I suppose. Personally, _I'm_ fond of Lelouch/Kallen, but then… I'm fond of him with Suzaku as well. XD But no worries! I won't be writing that, even if it _was_ possible in this continuity (and it isn't ).

As always, thank you for reading, and until next week!


	9. Setting

**Chapter 9: ****Setting**

Through a great feat of self-control (and a little contribution from his steadily growing embarrassment) Lelouch managed to keep his eyes directed firmly in front of him, scanning through decidedly uninteresting reports. In the background, a green-haired witch traipsed around his room in a white silk shirt -_his_ white silk shirt, which was now probably stained from her grubby, greasy fingers and that disgusting little triangle she seemed to worship.

_Pizza_. He didn't know how she'd discovered it, nor did he care, but it was quickly becoming the bane of his life.

Every time he left the room and returned, the stack of pizza boxes seemed to grow, and every time he'd get a heart-attack, not only at how ugly they looked, or how she sullied his usually pristine room with grease and oil and globs of cheese, but also with fear. Fear of her being discovered by Clovis, fear of the rumours that would no doubt start to spread about the woman in his bedroom, and fear of having all of his clothing smelling perpetually of cheese from here on now. His cologne just barely managed to mask it, and he was starting to think that he would have to dump the whole bottle on himself soon.

"Are you really going to wear this?" The question was muffled, spoken with a full mouth. Lelouch had no doubt that, should he choose to turn around, he would find a string of mozzarella connecting her mouth to the pizza slice in her hand. For that reason, he did not turn around, remaining stubbornly focused on the papers in his hands.

"Don't touch that," he ordered. "I'd like to have at least some of my wardrobe remain clean, thank you." Also, this particular ensemble would be very hard to simply dump on his help. This, he would have to wash manually, something he was certainly not looking forward to.

She let out a noncommittal, "Hm," but left it at that. Lelouch slowly began to relax, even to the extent of slouching slightly in his chair as he sunk into the monotony of his 'work'. This area needed refurbishing, and that person had complaints, and this road needed to be paved, and _god_, didn't they ever end? He wasn't sure whether to be amused or frustrated that Clovis still only gave him the most inane of tasks.

It proved his brother had half a brain, at least, which was a whole lot more than Lelouch had previously given him credit for. He knew something was wrong, and was reluctant to hand his little brother any more power than he'd possibly already attained.

C.C.'s voice cut through his daze, speaking in her usual lack-lustre way. "Do you have a name yet?"

The reply was instant, "Zero."

It was surprising in its simplicity.

"Zero?" she repeated. "Not Rei?"

"No. _Zero_." He did not question how she knew Japanese, merely tossing a folder aside and turning to pick up another. His hand hovered over the manila covering for a second before he changed his mind and opened the left drawer of his desk. He was greatly enjoying the mobility of his left arm again, but accepted that he would have to keep it in a sling in public. It was all part of the little show he was putting on, of the heroic Prince who saves his older brother at the last moment, selflessly taking a bullet for him.

Well, he did take a bullet, but not for him. In fact, Clovis was never really in danger of getting shot at all. Lelouch had been very precise in his order: to shoot him in the arm, no hitting arteries, just the bicep. In and out. The Royal Guard were some of the best marksmen in the Empire, and he had been trusting in that skill, as well as his newfound power, to begin his show.

Once alone with the doctor, he ordered the man to believe that his wound was much more serious than it was. If Jeremiah noticed, he didn't say anything, and Lelouch was free to continue his charade, milking it for all it was worth.

The media loved it, apparently, and were waiting to see if he could produce more. No doubt he'd be used as the ultimate success story; son of a commoner, the mysterious Black Prince of the fallen vi Britannia line rising to fame and recognition.

"How ironic," she said, and he would swear he detected an undertone of laughter. "The hero of the Numbers dresses as a Britannian nobleman, speaks English and even has an English name. Are you intending to mock them?"

Irritated, he looked at her from over his shoulder to find her fingering his Zero cloak with interest. He snapped at her to leave it, to which she only shrugged and bit into her pizza again, but her hand dropped from the fabric, at least, and he was partially satisfied.

"Since when are you so interested in what I do?" he asked, leaning back into his seat. Crossing one leg over the other, he casually began to flip the pages of the report Jeremiah had sent him a few hours ago, eyes scanning over the names. Various students stared up at him from their glossed pictures. One Rivalz Cardemonde had him curling his upper lip in distaste and making a mental note to have Villetta try and scare him off. He was the only boy on the Student Council and appeared to be fairly unremarkable, and Lelouch didn't want him anywhere near _his_ Nunally.

He heard C.C. heave a sigh so dramatic that he wondered if perhaps she wasn't Clovis in disguise.

"It just goes to show how far boredom can take a girl."

"Didn't anyone ever teach you not to speak with your mouth full? It's rude."

"It's also rude to lock a lady up in a room with no form of entertainment."

Lelouch snorted, "What lady?"

She didn't respond to that, apparently deeming it below her, instead asking, "Why Zero?"

"The hero of the Numbers must first _be_ a Number." He stopped flipping when he found the page he'd been looking for. Sayoko Shinozaki.

"Hmmm," She seemed to ponder his words for a few seconds. "Very well, but why _Zero_? Why not, say, Eleven? It would be more fitting."

"Hardly. I'm no Eleven."

"…But you're a zero?" He looked up at her and, just as he expected, found one of her brows quirked, a smirk playing on her lips.

"…Yes. In a way."

"Oh?"

Lelouch swerved his chair around to face her, his fingers lacing together over his stomach. C.C., forever with that passive expression, faced him as well. Satisfied he had his audience's attention, he began to explain, "Each land claimed by Britannia is given a number: Area 1, 2, 3, etcetera, all the way to Area 18, as soon as Cornelia manages to neutralize the Middle Eastern Federation."

"Yes, that's right."

"But our so-called homeland isn't _really_ our homeland, now is it?" He paused to give his audience time to react; C.C. merely shrugged. "If you think about it, our homeland is technically a wet little island far, far away. So Britannia, the current Britannia… is Area Zero. Thus _I_ am a zero."

"…I see…" C.C. took a bite of her pizza, chewing thoughtfully. Lelouch smirked in satisfaction, proud of his little philosophy, until the witch decided to swallow and open her mouth and ruin everything. "So, how long did it take you to come up with that explanation? Y'know, to make it seem like it's not something you merely pulled out of the air because it sounded cool."

For a few seconds, all he could do was stare at her incredulously, mouth parted slightly until she told him to close it before he let flies in.

Clenching his jaw, Lelouch swivelled back to his desk. _Witch._ What did _she_ know, anyway?

"…Are those _four-inch heels_, Lelouch?"

He just barely resisted the urge to slam his head on the wooden surface.

* * *

He listened patiently, like the perfect older brother that he was, as Nunally's animatedly told him about her day in Ashford. She told him about breakfast on the patio with Milly and Shirley, about the fun she had when Rivalz raced her across the school grounds, and how delighted she'd been when the Student Council threw her a party. She told him all about her new friends and each of their individual timbres, what their touches revealed to her sensitive palm.

Lelouch was matching the details he gleaned from Nunally to the information filed in his head. He smiled and nodded and commented ever so often, chuckling at her stories even as his fist clenched at the thought of that Cardemonde boy holding her hand, even if it had been at Nunally's request.

"They all sound very nice," he said, dabbing her mouth gently with a napkin. Her disabilities sometimes made it so that the simple task of eating soup became a very messy ordeal He, as her loving brother, took care of that for her. Because she was a Princess, she was _his_ Princess, and must always be in perfect condition. "I'm glad you're happy."

"Mhm. Ashford is a very interesting place!" She giggled slightly, hiding her mouth behind a bony hand, and heard Lelouch's chuckles. He thought it was brought on by Milly's antics, but Nunally surprised him by saying, "I think Shirley has a crush on you, big brother. You should hear how she gushes about you. She says she danced with you one time, and you stole her heart away."

"Really?" His chuckles took on a slightly awkward edge, his grin becoming sheepish. It wasn't that he was embarrassed at having a fan girl; he was embarrassed to have one talking to his _sister_. He hoped upon hope that girl was as nice as Nunally said, and not the kind to share whatever… ehrm, fantasies she might have.

"You… don't remember her, do you, Lelouch?"

Insightful, as always. Lelouch swallowed a mouthful of soup and shook his head. "I'm afraid not,"

Hearing the slightly apologetic tone seemingly satisfied Nunally, and she nodded in understanding. "Well, you'd like her, if you ever met her again."

"I'm sure I would."

_Doubtful_. If he'd already met her and forgotten about her, she must not be worth remembering. Lelouch had no time for someone who wasn't even worth remembering.

They chatted pleasantly throughout dinner, and Lelouch sunk even further into this serene make-believe. His plans, his suspicions, his new-found power and the infuriating woman that came with it- it all melted away. All that was missing here was Euphie, smiling at him from across the table, and Cornelia delivering a light _whap!_ to his back should he slouch.

And Mother…

The appearance of a certain Japanese maid broke his illusion, coming to do her job and serve dessert. Lelouch narrowed his eyes at her retreating back, regarding her with obvious suspicion as he sampled the chocolate cake.

She was very efficient. Milly trusted her. She'd treated Nunally with the utmost kindness and respect. She was a qualified nurse. But _he_ couldn't trust her, not for a single second. Because in the end, no matter how good a maid she was, she was still an Eleven.

While Lelouch was not prejudiced, he maintained a healthy suspicion of the Numbers. Because while _he_ may not be prejudiced, there was nothing to guarantee that _they_ weren't. After all, having your country, culture and language torn away tended to leave people bitter, and he more than anyone would understand how it felt to lose everything.

How it felt to hate, but hide it behind a smile. How it felt to despise, but to bow down, hiding a dagger in his sleeve and waiting for the day he could rise from that bow to plunge the dagger into that black, black heart.

Nunally's heart was pure, but hatred sometimes blinded people to the most obvious of things. She had already paid enough for their father's mistakes and short-comings; he would not let it happen again.

After dinner, he wordlessly took Nunally to her room, ignoring whatever protests the maid might have, insisting that she was capable of doing so. Nunally only smiled, reaching behind her to clasp the hand that was pushing her along.

When he lifted her from her wheelchair, Lelouch's good arm suffered. He almost dropped her altogether, if not for the fact she had her arms wrapped around his neck, but in the end he managed to lower her into her bed without having to use his supposedly injured limb. He might have cheated when wheeling her in, using both of them, but he would be insulting Nunally's intelligence if he thought she wouldn't notice him lifting her with both arms.

"It's been a long time since you came to tuck me in," she said as he lifted the covers over her slim frame.

"Not a _long time_, per se," His lips turned downwards slightly and he brushed a few brown locks from her face. "You've only been here for a few days, Nunally."

"But _you've_ been gone for much longer, big brother."

Well, the girl had a point there. He muttered an apology, one of the few to ever escape his lips, and she said it was okay. "I forgive you, but only on one condition."

"A condition?"

"Hold my hand. Just until I go to sleep."

He was more than happy to oblige, and she was fast asleep barely ten minutes later.

Lelouch planted a kiss on her forehead, slowly pulling his hand away, and made sure she was tucked in properly one last time before he crept out.

There was only one last task left to complete.

"Miss Sayoko, if you don't mind…?" He gestured to the white jacket he was holding.

Nodding, the maid hurried over and held it up for him while he slipped in an arm. "Arigato," he mumbled as she draped the other side over his shoulder. The left sleeve hung uselessly at his side.

When he faced her again, he found that she'd mostly overcome whatever surprise she had at hearing him speak in her native tongue. All that was left on her face was that pleasant expression he'd been seeing all day, that sweet smile that all maids seemed to wear.

"Will your Highness be visiting again tomorrow?" she asked amiably. Her hands were folded together in front of her, a sign of modesty and timidity, but she looked him straight in the eye. This one had pride.

"No, but I'll be here for lunch on Tuesday." He felt the now familiar heat pooling in his left eye as the bird sigil took its place, malicious red bleeding into violet. "I have a few questions for you, Miss Sayoko, all of which you shall answer truthfully."

Immediately, her posture changed, becoming eerily lax. Like a knightmare that had just been turned off, or a marionette without a puppet master. Yes, that sounded good. A marionette. And _he_ was the master. "Yes, your Highness."

Lelouch smirked. "Your name?"

"Shinozaki Sayoko."

"Profession?"

"A maid for the Ashford family."

Good. Now that he was sure it was working properly, it was time to get down to business.

"Are you affiliated to any terrorist groups?"

"No."

"What are your feelings toward the royal family?"

"They are like all people: some are good, some are bad, and some are neither."

"And Nunally?"

"I find her to be a sweet young lady, but strong, to be able to smile through her misfortune. I respect her a great deal."

Lelouch allowed himself to relax a little, a relieved smile spreading across his lips. He didn't have to worry about the maid trying to kill Nunally in her sleep, at least.

"Thank you, Miss Sayoko." He turned to leave, but with an afterthought faced her again, activating his Geass. "Oh, but just in case. You will be loyal to Princess Nunally. Under no circumstances are you to let any harm befall her."

Unexpectedly, the maid smiled at him and gave a slight bow, "Of course, Master Lelouch."

Wide-eyed, he took a step back. Thoughts raced through his mind, piling up possibilities to explain this anomaly. Was there a lag? A time-limit? Or did it simply not work anymore? It occurred to him yet again just how little he knew about his power, and it scared him all of a sudden.

His only weapon, and he couldn't even use it.

Lelouch panicked inwardly, and for once he failed to mask it. Miss Sayoko looked concerned as she reached forward, asking if he was alright, or if he would perhaps like a cup of tea.

He activated his Geass again and ordered her to go back inside. The maid bowed again and did as she was told…

… but she was not under the effect of Geass.

Half an hour later found Lelouch seated on one of the benches that littered the vast expanse of greenery that was the Ashford Academy school grounds with his head in his hands, fingers threading through glossy black hair. The cool night air helped to calm him down somewhat. Now he could think more clearly, to decide the best course of action.

First, he needed to put down several back-up plans. This power of his was fickle, much like the witch who'd given it to him, and he very much doubted he could trust C.C. to provide him with another should his Geass decide to disappear. That is, if it was even possible in the first place. What if a person could only receive a Geass once in his lifetime, after which he would have to pay the price stated in his contract?

He realized then just how much he'd been depending on his Geass for his future plans. Every time he reviewed one of them, the power of Absolute Obedience played a vital part. That was unacceptable; he knew that now.

Second, he needed to experiment. The revelation of possible rules and limits made several questions pop up. He knew he could order a person to do absolutely _anything_, even things that went against their basic survival instinct, such as to take their own lives. He knew that he needed direct eye-contact. He knew that the afflicted person had no memory of the time spent under the influence of Geass. But his orders had all been short-term, the longest being his orders to his tailor for the Zero costume and the man he commissioned for his masks.

What of long-term orders? He'd been taking his power for granted, simply assuming that once the order was placed nothing could remove it. Several points in his plan depended on placing certain political figures under the influence of his Geass, but would he be able to do it? Was there a time-limit?

And what of side-effects? Those under his Geass often seemed unlike themselves, but could apparently function well enough not to draw suspicion. Were there any other side-effects?

There were too many variables here, far too many for his liking.

Reaching a conclusion, Lelouch was suddenly thankful he hadn't used it on Clovis yet.

But first, to test his theory…

Lelouch was fishing through his pockets for his cell phone when a moving silhouette caught his eyes. He froze for just a split second before resuming his action, except this time he was keeping careful watch on the figure slipping stealthily along. It was after curfew, so the school grounds should be deserted at this time. However, these were also teenagers, so it wasn't exactly unheard of for the occasional student to be sneaking away.

"Hey!" he called out. The figure only moved faster, so he called out again, beginning to walk towards it. His stride was slow and leisurely, like he hadn't a care in the world. In the darkness, she –he could identify the figure as a _she_, now- would most likely think he was just another student.

"Hey, I thought it was past curfew now?" Lelouch asked, a teasing hint present in his voice. He came to a halt a few feet away from her.

"W-well, yeah,"

That… sounded oddly familiar.

Lelouch ventured a few more steps forward, and his eyes widened when the voice was fitted to a face he recognized. The breeze was toying with her hair, sending the red strands flying all around. She tucked them behind her ear irritably, and Lelouch smiled, thinking he couldn't have any better luck.

Kallen Stadtfeld. Hm, he always did want to know what her little secret was. It appeared he was about to find out.

"P-Prince Lelouch?!" she stammered, staring at him incredulously.

Grinning, he came closer, and made a mental note of how tense she became. Her body was going on the defensive. Very curious for the girl who was supposedly too sick for anything. "I thought we agreed to just call me Lelouch, am I right, _Kallen_?"

She nodded, bowing her head as she slipped into her usual sick-girl act. That wouldn't do. He needed eye-contact.

Lelouch took hold of her arm. That did the trick- her head whipped up, and her hand too, batting his away with surprising force. (_Cornelia_. She reminded him so much of Cornelia) Just as she opened her mouth to protest, the bird sigil appeared in his left eye. "Answer my questions."

"Of course." She, unlike most, became rigid under the effect of his Geass, straightening up like a soldier in front of a superior officer.

"You're not really sick; it's just a cover for your secret, am I right?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"I'm a fighter in a resistance cell."

It took a few moments for her words to sink in, but once they did, he felt another spark of recognition. Her voice… The Glasgow, could it be… ?

"Were you the one piloting the Glasgow in Shinjuku?"

"Yes."

Lelouch half-laughed, looking back at his thoughts during Sophie Arcroft's party. Oh, and he'd been driving himself mad, looking for the leak that led to the Shinjuku fiasco. There was no leak of information; it was merely that he'd been careless. She could easily have eavesdropped on his and Jeremiah's conversation. It would certainly explain why she ran off so suddenly.

Still, at least she wasn't a closet smut-writer who might use him as the basis for one of her characters. This girl might even prove useful.

"Why?"

"Because I'm Japanese," she replied. "Though technically, I'm half-Britannian."

_A half-breed… Well, well, aren't you full of surprises?_

"So you resort to terrorism?"

"There is no other way. Britannia needs to be stopped. Also," And here, there was a split-second of reluctance. When she spoke again, her words were slightly softer. "I am carrying on my brother's dream."

"I understand… Are you going to meet your comrades now?"

"Yes."

"For what reason?"

"Counting our losses. A lot of people died in Shinjuku, and we lost a lot of resources."

"Your comrades, what are their names?"

Kallen came to her senses a few moments later to find the Prince wearing a very wide smirk that she was just dying to slap off. Still, at least he wasn't touching her anymore. Although… When had he moved away?

"Where are you going?" he commanded. There seemed to be a gleam in his eye. Kallen scowled. Damn spoiled idiot, so used to having everyone subjected to his every whim.

"That's a private matter," she stated. If it wasn't for the fact they were still in Ashford, she might have gutted him and gotten it over with.

Lelouch closed his eyes, seemingly satisfied, which only unnerved Kallen further. "I see," he said, "I apologize for asking; it wasn't my place. Goodnight, Lady Stadtfeld."

And so he turned around, his left jacket-sleeve whipping through the air, and left without another word.

The bad feeling that manifested in the pit of her stomach since then was only explained the next morning while she was sitting with the rest of the Student Council. While she was away, they'd apparently taken to having brunch with the new student, Nunally Lamperouge. Kallen would admit she liked the girl, regardless of her status –nothing less than a Marquise, she thought, given the guards that were situated outside the Club house.

"We interrupt this broadcast with breaking news!" the anchor-woman said. "The men suspected for being behind the attempted assassination of his Highness Third Prince Clovis and Eleventh Prince Lelouch have been apprehended and identified as Elevens: Yoshitaka Minami and Kento Sugiyama. They are currently being…"

The rest of the words were drowned out by her classmates' chatter, but it was all meaningless buzzing to Kallen.

Nobody saw her quietly mouth the names of her comrades, and her distressed look was passed off as merely another onset of her illness.

"They didn't do it," she muttered, thinking they wouldn't hear her. But Nunally's keen ears caught the words and she surprised them all by saying, "I don't think they did it either."

The gang's attention was now on the two, rather than the television, which showed Minami and Sugiyama being hauled off.

"Mm, yeah. Something's off about this. I mean, how could a couple of Elevens make it through the Royal Guard?"

Milly posed a very good question, although it did grate on Kallen's pride to admit it, but it was true. There was no way in hell a Japanese person could have made it that deep into the Command Centre, not even an Honorary Britannian.

"Well, you can never put it past those terrorists," Rivalz said. "I mean, just look at that Shinjuku thing."

Milly just shrugged, and it was obvious she was unconvinced.

"What do you think, Miss Villetta?" Shirley asked, and all eyes turned to the dark-skinned woman in interest. They often seemed to forget she was even there, but Kallen never did.

"Yeah, have you heard anything?" Rivalz's curiosity apparently overrode whatever fear he had of Nunally's guard. "I mean, you're pretty high up, right?"

Villetta's back straightened, her chin raising just a notch, evidently pleased by that comment. Kallen guessed the woman had to work her way up; she'd never heard the name Nu in noble classes, and generally nobility didn't take as much pride in being called 'high up'. They'd have accepted it as a fact of life by now. Thus, if Villetta Nu was nobility by birth, the response would have been a scoff, or a quirked brow, or something that would have said, "_Of course I am._"

"Since I'm not in the thick of things, I can't tell you much," the woman answered. "However, investigations have pointed at them, and one can only assume they have gathered conclusive evidence of their involvement."

Milly wagged a finger, "You know what they say about assuming..."

Nunally took Villetta's hand, lifting her head to look up at the woman. "You talk to Lord Jeremiah, right? Did he say anything about brother?"

Ah, there he was again. That nameless brother everyone kept gushing about.

"Your brother seems to be the one who insisted they be trialled, my Lady."

Nina gasped, "And Prince Clovis listened to him?"

"Jeez, the man must be his best bud or something!"

"They're practically brothers," Milly supplied, a knowing smirk playing on her lips. Rivalz mouthed a 'wow', but frowned a little. Most likely, he was despairing at the competition.

Kallen might have pitied him, but found it a little hard to do so now when her friends' lives were on the line.

"It doesn't matter," she said, eyes fixed on the screen. They were broadcasting one of Clovis' melodramatic speeches. The Prince's arms swept to and fro, his handsome features twisted in a show of anguish and rage. "Even if they are trialled, they'll be found guilty."

No one spoke after that, and the silence was stifling; they all knew it was true. What kind of judge would ever absolve two Elevens, after all?

So when the Ashfords' Japanese maid, Sayoko Shinozaki, came in to tell her she had a phone call, Kallen just barely managed to keep herself from running. She only nodded and followed the maid, breathing deeply so she could maintain her façade when she heard Ohgi's voice on the other end, because she had no doubt it would be him. Who else would call her?

She waited she was sure Sayoko had left before lifting the receiver to her ear, "Hello."

But it wasn't Ohgi on the line.

"Glad you're still alive, Q-1."

* * *

"_16:00 hours, the day after tomorrow. The observation deck on Tokyo Tower. Come alone."_

She hadn't, of course, come alone. If this really was the voice from Shinjuku, he'd be smart enough to know that she wouldn't.

Maybe he did, and this was a test.

Maybe he was just an arrogant brat that felt she'd obey his orders without hesitation.

From the tips of her eyes she watched Ohgi and Inoue, hands laced together and admiring photographs of the Britannian troops storming their Japanese beaches. They looked like an average Honorary Britannian couple, like good citizens who had finally accepted their roles in life.

_16:04 _

Where was he?

Kallen was anxious, and with good reason. What if he'd been arrested after his communication? What if he'd been a Britannian mole all along, leading them into a trap.

She resolved to wait for five minutes. After that, she was getting the hell out of here.

She heard a _ding-dong_, and then a pleasant voice came from over the speakers._ "Attention please. Paging Miss Kallen Stadtfeld of Ashford Academy."_ Kallen's eyes narrowed, her head snapping up. He was drawing attention to her. Was this on purpose? What was he playing at? _"One of your personal affects had been turned in at the kiosk on the observation deck."_

She wasted no time in making her way to said kiosk. It was okay to look concerned, she figured. After all, she'd apparently lost one of her things.

There, she was greeted by a young Britannian woman in pink, who nodded when she said her name and turned to retrieve the object.

"I'm assuming this phone is yours, Ma'am."

Kallen blinked down at it, testing its weight in her hand. There didn't seem to be anything concealed in it. Maybe she should have a crack at it later, though. Just in case.

Having assured the woman that it was indeed her cell phone, Kallen walked away, contemplating the little black object. One thing she couldn't help but noticing: this thing was pricey. That Voice was going through a whole lot of trouble just to get her attention.

She nearly stopped in her tracks when it started to vibrate, but managed to make it to the windows, gazing intently at the name displayed on the screen.

_Zero._

Inoue and Ohgi were nearby. She could hear them. It brought her some sense of comfort to know she still had them, at least, and enough confidence to lift the phone to her ear, clicking it open.

"Um, hello?"

There it was, that unmistakable baritone. _"I want you to board the outbound train on loop-line five. Bring your friends."_

"What?"

Once again, he hung up on her. Kallen's fists balled up in frustration, swearing in her head. She would do as she was told, but this was the last time.

* * *

Normally, Jeremiah took immense pride in his prince's young age, even as others would scoff at his childish antics, because only _he_ had been trusted enough to know the true workings of Lelouch vi Britannia's cunning mind. And he would roll his eyes inwardly whenever Andreas Darlton or Gilbert G.P. Guilford warned him about the coming years, wishing him good luck and saying that he was sincerely going to need it.

Only now did he understand, after Prince Lelouch had gone missing for the third time that week. It seemed he really _was_ going to need it.

Tapping his fingers irritably on his desk, Jeremiah waited for his prince to pick up. When he did pick up, it took every ounce of self-control he had not to yell at the boy and demand his whereabouts, or lecture him about the dangers of running off unguarded like he had last time. The Eleventh Prince and Sub-Viceroy did not take very kindly to be treated like a child, especially not from Jeremiah.

"Prince Lelouch," he greeted stiffly.

"Jeremiah, what is it? I'm busy." For some reason, the teen was panting.

"_Forgive me_ for interrupting, but I'm merely doing my job. As you will recall, your Highness, I am the head of your personal guard and-"

He heard shrill laughter on the other end and froze. He heard as Lelouch tried to quiet her down –for the laughter definitely belonged to a female- and the blood slowly drained from his face, realization dawning on him.

When the Prince returned to the phone, he sighed and with an almost apologetic tone said, "I… guess you heard that."

"Yes."

"Like I said, I'm… I'm busy."

Jeremiah had never felt more awkward in his life, bar perhaps when he'd accidentally walked in on his Majesty the Emperor and his wife, Lady Marianne, while they were taking advantage of their children's absence from Aries by being rather daring in the main study.

He gulped, banishing the thought from his mind. "I understand."

"Thank you."

He hung up, still unbelieving.

Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald was being faced with a very jarring new reality, as he realized for the first time that his brilliant prince and liege was, first and foremost, nothing more than a teenage boy.

* * *

Ohgi and Inoue were situated at an exit on either side of the train, eyeing their surroundings warily. Once it started moving, their position would be useless, but it provided them with some form of comfort nonetheless. If there was a trap waiting for them at the next stop, they'd be ready to run.

Kallen was seated away from them, between a bespectacled young man and a rotund man holding up a newspaper. He was supposed to be reading it, but she noticed that his eyes never moved. He'd been staring at the exact same spot since she first boarded, which made her on edge. In fact, all of the passengers were acting extremely suspiciously.

She clenched her knife-pouch tightly. In her other hand was the cell phone, black and sleek and completely inconspicuous.

"_Attention all passengers" _She heard over the speakers._" If you become aware of any suspicious items on board, please alert metro personnel by telephone." _

The phone vibrated, and it flew to her ear.

"_Face forward and look to your right. What do you see?"_

Kallen stood up from her seat and did what she was told, turning to face a view of the settlement. It didn't surprise her that he could apparently see her; they'd been counting on his presence on the train, whoever the hell _he_ was.

"The Britannian's city," she answered. "It was stolen away from us, and built on our sacrifice."

"_And on the left?"_

The difference was obvious, from sleek and modern to desolate and barren. Kallen breathed. "I see our city. Remnants of a desiccated city after the Britannians sucked it dry."

"_Good answer. Now make your way to the front of the train."_

He hung up on her, which was fast becoming a regular occurrence. It was a little more tolerable now that they were supposedly meeting him.

Kallen beckoned her comrades and headed toward the front of the train. In the back of her mind, she acknowledged the speaker announcing that the next stop was Okubo. The crowd was thicker in the next car, but even when she elbowed her way through, no one so much as batted an eyelash. She forced herself to ignore it.

Finally, they were at the front car, which appeared to be completely empty save for a lone figure in black. Impulsively, she pushed forward, confident in the knowledge Ohgi and Inoue were close behind. Even if he had a gun on him, they could take him down.

"Was it you?" she asked, coming to a stop a few steps away from the door. "Was it you on the phone?"

They received no answer. Kallen heard Inoue whisper that this was probably a trap.

Agitated, she stepped forward, demanding, "Was that you in Shinjuku?! Was that cease-fire your doing?"

"Hey!" Inoue said. "We're talking to you!"

The figure turned to face them a split-second before the train went into a tunnel. The surface of his mask glinted eerily in the overhead artificial lights.

"What do you think of my _tour_ of the settlement?" he asked, almost casually. That was his voice, she recognized it, but magnified.

"Your tour?" Ohgi repeated. Inoue scoffed, shaking her head, "There's no way it was _this_ joker."

Kallen was half-inclined to agree with her. The man was swathed in a dark cloak with an impossibly high collar, in a spiked mask that reminded her of the king in a chess-game. At any other time, she might have laughed, except this _was_ the voice, she was sure of it.

He called her Q-1. A chess fanatic. The fact he considered himself the king was hardly surprising.

He continued as if they hadn't said anything, his magnified voice reverberating in the empty car.

"I wanted you to fully grasp the two. The settlement," Here, he extended his left arm, lifting his cloak and exposing the elaborate suit beneath. "And the ghetto." He extended the right. Now, he looked more like a bat than anything else.

"Yeah, we know," said Ohgi, coming forward. It looked like he was shielding Kallen and Inoue. "There's a difference between us and them. A very harsh one. And that's why we resist them."

"You're wrong." His arms were hidden beneath his cloak again. "Britannia will not fall to terrorism."

"_Fall…_?"

"It's little better than childish nuisance."

Kallen's temper flared at that statement, and the almost condescending tone it was spoken in.

Inoue obviously felt the same, for she lifted her fists, "_Excuse me?_ You calling us a bunch of kids?"

He was completely unfazed, as if they really were no more than a bunch of unruly children. "You should know your enemy- it is not people, but Britannia itself! It is a war you must wage, but not on the innocent! Take up your sword, fight for justice!"

"Oh please!" Kallen was quite fed up with all this dramatic talk. Justice? Just who did he think he was, anyway? "That's all easy enough to say, isn't it? Hiding behind that mask! Why should we even trust you?!"

"She's right! Lose the mask!"

Ohgi nodded solemnly, "Right. Are you going to show us your face or not?"

"Very well," he said, and Kallen's eyes narrowed in suspicion, thinking that he'd given in much too easily. "I'll show you…"

_He's got something planned_, she thought, even as he spoke again. "But rather than my face, bear witness to my power." He paused, seeming to think, and at length said, "If I deliver to you the impossible, then I _might_ have earned your trust."

"The impossible? Like what?" Kallen demanded.

"Anything. Anything at all. For instance… How about I free those friends of yours?"

The words caught in her throat, but thankfully she had Ohgi to speak for her, sceptically asking if he was serious.

"I do not joke about people's lives, Kaname Ohgi. At trial, they will be convicted and sentenced to death. Their execution will be widely publicized; Clovis likes that, he likes to show off and taunt his enemies. It is then that I will perform my miracle."

"Miracle, huh?" Inoue snorted.

"Can you really do it?" Kallen asked quietly. Her jaw clenched, she looked up at the dark figure. The mask stared back at her. "Can you save them?"

"Yes." His word was final, she could feel it. And while she still had her suspicions, Kallen was willing to hang on to his confidence.

"I have your support, then?" His shoes clicked loudly as he walked forward. The train was finally out of the tunnel and sunlight flooded through, illuminating him further as he extended a gloved hand toward them.

Ohgi hesitated for only a second before he took the hand, shaking it firmly. "Just so long as you give us your miracle."

"Of course." Kallen imagined a smirk twisting on the lips behind the mask. "Zero never goes back on his word."

* * *

**A/N:** Once again, I had to borrow dialogue from the series, so credit to most of the dialogue in the train scene goes to Episode 4. Other than that, s'all mine. Heh.

Things are getting exciting now! The next chapter will see Zero's debut, as well as many awkward moments for our dear little Prince. Thank you for reading, and I hope you've enjoyed it so far!


	10. Possible

**Chapter 10: Possible**

Having experienced the mortification of having to change in the train (twice), barely managing to zip up his trousers and release the Geass on the other passengers before the train stopped, Lelouch did not believe he could ever be placed in a more awkward situation in his life.

He was proved sadly wrong not once, but twice in the same day.

First, when he woke up to find his face buried in C.C.'s breasts. That in itself was already embarrassing enough, except that when he sat up, he found his body had reacted accordingly in his sleep. He also found her amber eyes wide open, dancing in silent amusement after she witnessed his humiliation.

Not even the long cold shower he took could calm the fire that burned in his face thereafter.

"Hm, so you're not gay after all,"

He pretended not to hear her.

The second time was barely two hours later when, sitting in his office in the Viceroy's palace, he found Jeremiah striding in abruptly. His expression was solemn, his lips drawn in a grim line that made Lelouch shift uncomfortably in his chair, because he knew what was about to come.

Eleni stopped listing his appointments for the day at his guard's entry, apparently sensing the tension, and although he would have preferred to postpone this as much as he possibly could, Jeremiah's silent manner made it clear he wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. Lelouch dismissed her with a wave of his hand, inwardly steeling himself.

Once the door clicked behind her, Jeremiah breathed deeply. He had obviously prepared a long-winding speech; no doubt it would be as awkward for him as it would for the young Sub-Viceroy, but that wouldn't stop him.

"Prince Lelouch-"

"Sit down, Jeremiah,"

He never liked receiving those looks from the man, as if he were no more than a petulant child. Even less so when those orange eyes were looking down at him.

Though he was careful to keep their relationship somewhat formal, the fact remained that Jeremiah had acted as a parent of sorts to him as he was growing up. At the very least, he'd protected him and Nunally at their weakest, stayed by their side while the rest fled. They would never be merely a prince and his knight.

"I know why you're here," he said, surprising even himself with how level his voice was. "And before you say anything, I can assure you I'm being perfectly responsible."

"Forgive me, your Highness, if I doubt your claim," Jeremiah said, his tone border-lining on disrespectful. Lelouch was hardly in a position to point that out, however. "Running off without a word to one's personal guard does not conform to the general idea of being 'responsible'."

"I'm not a child to be chastised, Margrave,"

"No, you're not a child, are you? You're a man now…" He sighed, leaning forward on a gloved hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. "A _young_ man, with a man's needs. I suppose I should have… expected this, but…"

He seemed to be struggling for the proper words, or perhaps he had the words but was struggling with the delivery. Either way, Jeremiah paused, and Lelouch was silent throughout it all, wincing inwardly and cursing whatever reason he'd had to make the order that was behind this entire ridiculous scenario.

Preparing for the up-coming conversation with Kallen and those friends of hers, Lelouch had hardly been in the mood for one of Gottwald's lectures. The idea had seemed so ingenious at the time, and he didn't hesitate a moment to pull one of the women hypnotized under his Geass aside and order,

"When I raise my hand, you will see me as your boyfriend and laugh flirtatiously."

He'd been very careful with his orders as of late, leaving ones where the people afflicted with his Geass would walk away as largely ambiguous. At the time, he'd ordered them all to, "Obey my every command!" just in case Kallen's group proved uncooperative and he required assistance.

Believing he knew Jeremiah, he knew the man would immediately get the wrong idea, and he was right. However, it appeared he was very wrong in one point: that Jeremiah would simply skirt around the issue entirely, leaving Lelouch with a perfectly good alibi for later disappearances and no lectures from his guard.

He did not count on receiving_ The Talk_.

"First," Jeremiah began again, at long last. "I must ask you something. And please, my Lord, do not be offended, but… The lady you were with, she was not a… paid companion, correct?"

"_Of course not!_"

In his head, Lelouch was repeating the mantra of, _'This is not happening. This is not happening._' Sadly, it was not working.

"Then I must request to meet with her."

"Out of the question."

"Sire, as head of your personal guard it is my duty-"

"To protect me, yes. I assure you, Margrave, that she is not trying to kill me in any way."

"Death… is not the only thing I must protect you from, Prince Lelouch," he stated solemnly. "It is also my duty to protect you from yourself."

Lelouch gave a subtle frown to show his displeasure, but Jeremiah looked back stubbornly, and his frown deepened. He wasn't used to the man being so insistent.

Eyes locked together, indignant violet facing tenacious orange. The silence stretched as their little staring competition went on until at last Jeremiah Gottwald looked away with a sigh. Lelouch would swear he heard a mutter of, "teenage rebellion."

"…Will you at least disclose her name?"

"I… cannot do that." _Because she doesn't exist_. Noticing the look on Jeremiah's face, he raised a hand, cutting him off, and said, "It's not my place. She had me promise to keep our relationship secret."

Ah, there we go.

With a good bit of satisfaction, he watched as the gears turned in Jeremiah's head, the words having the desired effect. If there was one thing Margrave Gottwald treasured, it was chivalry and loyalty. Breaking promises went against his principals, the romantic ideals he so loftily held up.

Especially when that promise was between supposed lovers.

"Is she married?" he asked carefully. Lelouch shook his head. "Engaged, then?"

Hesitating only a moment, he shook his head again. "Then why must you keep her a secret? Any family would be overjoyed to have a prince courting their daughter! Unless…" Jeremiah grimaced, coming to a conclusion. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, "It's not _her_ family that concerns you, is it?"

Lelouch hesitated again, but made it more obvious this time so as to fit the story he was rapidly weaving.

"She's-" He even bit his bottom lip, carefully averting his gaze. "She's half Eleven."

Instantly, Jeremiah was on his feet. "Eleven?!"

"_Half_."

"You realize, your Highness, that this could merely be a ploy against the Empire?"

As any man whose choice was being doubted, Lelouch pretended to be indignant, shooting Jeremiah a cold glare. Nonetheless, he bit out, "I'm perfectly aware of that, yes."

Claiming his unnamed lover had a mixed heritage was risky. It might make Jeremiah all the more determined to protect his Prince from the wicked seductress, but it was the most plausible of claims. A noblewoman made no sense if she wasn't married or engaged, and if Lelouch claimed either of those scenarios Jeremiah would insist he break his relationship with her at once, the honourable man that he was.

To have her be common wasn't of any use either; Lelouch had no qualms against commoners. In fact, it would be more likely that he would _flaunt_ whatever relationship he had with a commoner, a throw-back to his own darling mother, the _Empress_ Marianne vi Britannia, Marianne the Flash, who had also been a commoner by birth but proved herself worthy of the highest honours.

And so, his reasons for keeping her a secret must be profound, they must be earth-shattering, and in Britannia nothing was quite as derailing as a half-blood. If word ever got out that he, Eleventh Prince of Britannia, with the weak standing he had, had a romantic relationship with a half-blood, it could very well mean the end of him.

And Jeremiah knew that. And he would keep quiet about it, and do everything in his power to ensure it stayed under wraps.

"Are you," His handsome features twisted, looking for all the world as if he'd just swallowed something unpleasant. "Are you _careful_, at least?"

"Of course, Jeremiah; I don't want this to get out, after all."

"That's not what I meant. I mean…" He took a deep breath, readying himself for the plunge. "Prince Lelouch, you're an intelligent young boy- _man_, I've always thought so, and it should be clear to you… There are certain _precautions_ a man must take."

And realization finally dawned on him; Lelouch's eyes widened impossibly, his lips parting slightly in surprise.

He was _not_ having this conversation.

"We're not at that stage yet!" he blurted out. Slowly, very slowly, his regal air returned and Lelouch cleared his throat. "I mean, I wish to preserve her modesty."

He didn't see Jeremiah's approving nod, for he had already buried his face in his palm, and was very thankful for the fact he'd let his hair grow long. It now fell over his skin, his _burning_ skin, shielding his embarrassment behind a curtain of glossy black.

He was even gladder for it when, after an awkward cough, Jeremiah decided to continue his, ah, questioning, occasionally adding in some snippets of his own experience.

"It was unforgivable, of course, but in the heat of the moment, I forgot all that and…"

That man had always been far too resilient for his own good.

"So you see, my Prince, even the most steadfast of men may fall to temptation, and when that happens… well, you'd do well to remember these."

Something was dropped onto his desk. Against his better judgment, he peered down through a crack between his fingers and immediately closed them, proving once and for all that curiosity really did kill the cat.

Condoms. It was a packet of condoms.

Honestly, changing in the train had nothing on this. This was… This was…

Impossibly, he wished Zero would decide to bomb his office at that very moment, before he recalled that he himself _was_ Zero, and that there was no saving him.

* * *

Given the circumstances, it should come as no surprise that Lelouch became apprehensive when he received his brother's request. The Sub-Viceroy was to join him in the Throne Room, at the very heart of the Viceroy's Palace, immediately. After the day he'd suffered, the last thing Lelouch needed was another bout of 'brotherly affection' from that fop.

God only knew what he wanted this time.

Still, apprehensive or no, Lelouch vi Britannia was Prince and Sub-Viceroy and as such had a duty to uphold.

With his gold-embroidered cape billowing behind him, Lelouch made his way to the Throne Room, silently begging whatever deity was out there not to make him suffer any more than he already had. He had a terrorist act to put up tonight, after all.

Kewell Soresi was at his heels, and Lelouch was thankful for his silence. Jeremiah had seemingly disappeared since their little talk that morning- he was thankful for _that_ too, at least for now. Clovis had a tendency to pick up on underlying awkwardness and, knowing his half-brother, would stop at nothing until he got to the bottom of things.

Arriving at the Throne Room, he was surprised to find it devoid of the usual throng of nobles. Instead, a few men dressed in civilian clothing were gathered, which surprised him further (although it only showed in the slight quirking of a brow). Clovis, as a general rule, did not tolerate commoners for very long, deeming it beneath him to associate with them.

"Ah, Lelouch!" Clovis greeted, beckoning him with a white-gloved hand. "We can finally begin."

"Begin?"

He caught sight of a large video camera in the hands of one of the men and understood immediately- _media_. The subtlest of frowns flashed across his visage, but it had disappeared completely by the time he arrived at his throne. With a nod to his brother, Lelouch sat down gracefully and crossed one leg over the other before turning a cool, expectant gaze on the reporters.

Each one of them gave a short bow, hands fisting over their shoulders. He ignored them and focused instead on the Viceroy, whose fingers were curled over his mouth, no doubt to hide his smile at how the civilians squirmed under the heavy gaze of the Royal Guard.

"What's going on, Clovis?"

"I told you yesterday, didn't I?" At the blank look he received, Clovis merely shrugged, brushing his hair aside. "Ah, well, I suppose it slipped my mind. At any rate, we have matters to discuss concerning tonight's performance- and no, before you say anything, you are not getting out of this. You will address the loyal subjects of Britannia and give an account of your heroics. You owe that much to your fangirls, at least?"

"_Fangirls_? I've no time to indulge some love-sick adolescents."

_Because unlike you, I actually have to work._ He didn't have to say it; the insinuation was obvious, but Clovis pretended not to notice the derision in his brother's voice and motioned for him to remain sitting.

"Come now, _Lelou_!" A low blow, to be sure. He noticed, from the tips of his eyes, how close the camera-man had been to snickering; even now, his lips were pressed into a thin line. Lelouch's sharp glare made sure they all remembered their place. It was really quite eerie how similar that glare was to their father's.

"That's Sub-Viceroy Lelouch vi Britannia, Viceroy Clovis. I'd appreciate it if you remembered that."

Clovis merely rolled his eyes, waving a hand about as if to wave the matter away. "That's too much of a mouthful. Anyway, why be so formal now? We're in the company of…" Cerulean eyes turned to face the media crew and a lazy smirk drew itself on his lips. "Well, not _friends_, but…"

The deep voice of Diethard Ried reached their ears as he stepped forward to distinguish himself from his crew, "Your Highness, Prince Lelouch," he added as an afterthought, remembering that there were _two_ highnesses here. "I assure you that our top priority will always be to present the best possible image of our benevolent rulers to the Britannian masses."

Which could be translated roughly into, _"I don't give a flying fuck what you do; so long as you smile and look pretty for the camera, I'll turn you into a hero."_

Ah, the media. Where would the Imperial Family ever be without it?

"Diethard, tell me," he began, lacing his fingers together over his crossed legs. "How is the float coming along?"

"Some adjustments are currently be made to better fit your Highness' design, but it should be ready within a few hours."

"… You made special designs of a float for an _execution_?" his half-brother asked incredulously.

"Of course. This is to be a widely publicized event, after all; we must flaunt the might of Britannia."

"Viceroy, are such dramatics _really_ necessary?"

Clovis sniffed in disdain. "I suppose _you'd_ prefer to parade around in a Knightmare instead, hm?" Lelouch shrugged in response, making Clovis' nose wrinkle slightly in disgust. "You've been spending _far_ too much time with Nelia."

"Knightmares would be much more practical," Lelouch pointed out.

"But so _ugly_."

"Sitting on a float, perfectly exposed and moving at a snail's place with hordes of people around _while trying to provoke a person who previously tried to kill you_ is not a very good idea, Clovis."

"Oh, Lelou. Lelou, Lelou, Le_lou_…" He pretended not to notice how one violet eye twitched at the repeated use of that much-hated name. Only Euphie and Nunally had ever gotten away with saying it, and even then he had an adorable little scowl on his face. "We'll have caught the terrorist by then, of course! The float is so we can parade him around afterwards. That is, if he's not killed on the spot when he tries to spring those Elevens."

"You're confident he'll show up at the trial, then?"

"Of course. Whoever the real culprit behind that attempted-assassination or coup or whatever it was obviously has a soft-spot for the Elevens. He'll show up then, either to save them or take credit, or even try and kill me again."

"And how can you be so sure he won't _succeed _this time?"

Clovis didn't even bother answering, merely letting his smirk do the speaking for him, and motioned for Diethard to continue telling him about the arrangements for that night's 'performance'.

* * *

"So, what do you think they're _really_ doing?"

"Hm?"

Lloyd glanced up at the young pilot briefly, still sitting in the opened hatch of his beloved Lancelot, before his gaze returned to the screens before him.

"The execution tonight- you've heard of it, haven't you?"

"Oh…"

The scientist didn't have to look up to know Warrant Officer Kururugi's face fell. That boy was like an open book, his emotions always brimming far too close to the surface. Suzaku Kururugi was the embodiment of everything that Lloyd deemed was weak in mankind, and everything that Lloyd had left behind when he sold his soul to Science.

Ironic, then, that he should be the perfect tool for his Lancelot.

"You're going to have to give me more than that, Kururugi. Cecile's been hounding me about being more… _humane_, was it?" He paused for a moment, lips pursed, and his head cocked to the side as he observed the data streaming through. If he could just test out the VARIS a little more without potentially blasting his lab… "Apparently, that includes making small-talk with everyone. But I don't think a conversation can be held with only one participant."

His gaze went to the young Japanese boy, smiling, because that was apparently what people did when they wanted to be reassuring.

Lloyd knew for a fact that his smiles tended to be anything _but_ reassuring, of course, and it gave him immense satisfaction to watch people squirm underneath it. And all the while, he'd be holding up the mask of cordiality that everyone so loved to hide behind, so he really wasn't doing anything wrong.

"They tried to kill Prince Clovis,"

"So they say…"

"If they're truly innocent, they'll be acquitted. The court is where the truth comes to light."

He sounded so determined, so convinced of what he was saying. Did Lloyd really have the heart to disillusion him?

He shrugged, deciding that since he didn't really have a heart in the first place (not in the sentimental sense, at least) he would simply leave him be. Kururugi would come to learn how the world worked in due time, and when that time came Lloyd sincerely hoped he wouldn't be too traumatized to continue being his devicer.

"I hear it was the Royal Guard."

"Th-the Royal Guard? But that's impossible!"

"And I suppose a pair of Elevens waltzing into the very heart of the Command Centre and nearly killing Prince Clovis is more believable?"

"But what motive could they possibly have? They're the Royal Guard; why would they try to kill a Prince?"

"… Maybe they were ordered to. By another Prince."

"You… you mean…"

"What other Princes are around?"

A whack to the back of the head alerted him of Cecile's arrival. Lloyd pouted, rubbing his 'injury' and giving her a baleful look. "What was that for?! I wasn't terrorizing anybody!"

"Considering the look on Suzaku's face, I'd say you were," she stated coolly. And then all of a sudden that cool tone changed into one of smothering warmth as she addressed Suzaku, apologizing for her employer's behaviour. Lloyd pouted again, exclaiming, "Why is it you like that boy more than _meeeeee?!_"

Truthfully, he didn't care if Cecile liked Kururugi more than him, but it was only fair that she whack the boy as well every once in a while.

Suzaku's chuckling earned him a pseudo-glare from over his glasses.

"It's okay, Miss Cecile. Professor Lloyd was just, uh-"

"Doing what you said and engaging in small-talk."

"Oh?" Cecile seemed surprised, and when she faced Lloyd she wore a little smile. "What were you boys talking about?"

"The possibility of Prince Lelouch plotting for his elder brother's assassinat-OW!"

It really didn't hurt that much, her weapon being no more than a bunch of rolled up reports, but he still whined in protest. He was an Earl! And a genius! What if she decided to hit him with something harder one day and gave him a concussion, or worse? What if she took him to Rakshata, trying to repair her mistake and fix his poor genius brain, only for that vindictive witch to take advantage of the situation and _steal_ said genius brain, since she obviously needed it, as it was so superior to hers?!

…or something. Lloyd was of the firm belief that anything was possible.

"It's perfectly plausible!"

"No, it isn't," Cecile responded, shaking her head. "If that was truly the case, he wouldn't have saved him."

"Ah, but maybe something came up and he needed his brother alive after all. Or maybe-"

"Maybe he just… loves his brother?"

Lloyd blinked up at the pilot, having temporarily forgotten his presence. He could feel Cecile's warm smile.

"Yes, there's that too. They bicker, but so do all brothers."

"You forget that these are no ordinary brothers," he said with a wry smile. "These are Imperial brothers, and not even full-blooded. Have you ever looked at the history of our glorious nation?" There was no malice in his words. Britannia's policies, though heartless to some, were practical. _Survival of the fittest_ was the most basic rule of all. "How do you think brothers generally fight over thrones?"

"It still doesn't make sense. And even so, it makes no difference," she added quickly, before he had the chance to speak. "Those poor Elevens are being used as bait- everyone can see that they didn't do it, but they're trying to draw out real culprit. And even if not…"

"They still need a sacrificial lamb for the slaughter. Tonight should prove eventful, one way or another." He clapped his hands together. "Alright, Kururugi! Just one more test to go and you can leave and rest and all that. Get moving!"

He didn't care one bit for the sudden pallor that had overcome the Japanese boy.

So long as it didn't bother his Lancelot, he didn't care for much of anything at all.

* * *

To think, just yesterday she'd been in school, simmering behind her soft smiles and trying desperately not to snap at the young girl who was telling even more stories about her brother (at Shirley's insistence. She seemed quite taken with the man, this _Lord Lamperouge_, even though she'd never seen him before.). She remembered wishing she could snatch up a machine gun and run outside instead of sitting there like a useless invalid while her friends were in prison.

Restlessness had a tendency to drive people to do crazy things, but not even she could have come up with something as crazy as _this_.

She was currently sitting behind the wheel of the fake transport she and Ohgi had constructed the day before. It was supposed to look like the Viceroy's, which she'd been very enthusiastic about- anything to slap the Britannians in the face was fine by her!

It was when she discovered just _where_ she was supposed to be driving this transport that the enthusiasm drained out of her, and she started wondering about the state of the Voice- _Zero's_ sanity.

Kallen focused on her breathing, trying to dispel her anxiety. In the end, she reassured herself that if this was a death-trap, Zero wouldn't be seated right behind her, next to the gas capsule he'd miraculously managed to acquire.

"It's not poison," he'd told them. It was as if he could read their minds at the time, and knew just what Ohgi would say. "The gas is harmless. Just a diversion, nothing more. I will not bring any harm to innocent civilians." And then, after a pause that she was sure was purely for dramatic affect, and a grin that she could practically feel radiating from the mask, he added, "But they don't know that, now do they?"

His voice came to her again from behind the Britannian flag that was scheduled to burn soon, confident as ever as he told her everything would be fine.

"Zero never goes back on his word. By the end of the night, you shall be celebrating your comrades' safe return."

And she wished she could believe him. She really did. But considering she was driving right into a barricade of KMFs with no weapons aside from a rifle and a Britannian pistol (the gas capsule didn't count since, as he'd said, it was just there for show) it was hard to have his kind of confidence. In fact, if she didn't concentrate, her hands started shaking slightly on the steering wheel.

Kallen Kozuki was not afraid of dying. Oh no, she was fully prepared for that… Just as soon as she realized Naoto's dream, or was at least close to it.

Dying on what could only be classified as a suicide mission, however…

It was only when they passed by the first pair of Sutherlands without incident that her frayed nerves began to settle down. They didn't stop them; they didn't even move an inch. Just like he said.

"Have faith in me, Q-1. I shall make the impossible possible."

"I hope you're right, Zero," she mumbled, pulling the white chauffeur's cap down further over her eyes. "For all our sakes, I hope you're right."

* * *

"You want us to _stop_, Your Highness?"

Clovis fixed the General a condescending smile, staring him down from his place on the throne.

"Yes. The people came for a show, did they not? It would be rude not to give them one."

And with their terrorist friend approaching, it was only proper to greet him and give him his due. Especially when he dared to make a mockery out of him by stealing his own transport.

Confusion ran amok. The people crowded together, pushing against the barriers to get a better look at whatever it was that was going to happen- because something was _definitely_ going to happen. Processions like these don't just stop for no reason.

Of the Sutherland pilots, only a handful of the most trusted knights knew what was going on. It was to this handful that the task fell of calming the rest, who had been kept in the dark now that it had become apparent that there were traitors even among Britannia's elite, and reminding them to stay in formation.

"This is not a scheduled stop," came the voice of a reporter, one of the many to have been on the scene. "Could there have been some sort of accident? Wait… Site five tells us there's a… There's a vehicle approaching! It's-" His eyes widened. "It's Prince Clovis' personal transport?"

All eyes turned to the approaching vehicle, occasionally flickering back to the Prince who supposedly owned it. He held a passive expression the whole time. Inwardly, he was brimming with excitement. It was too bad Lelouch chose not to ride beside him, he thought, as his younger brother had stated that he would rather die before participating in such a ridiculous farce, but Clovis couldn't say he was too sad for it. There was only room on the float for one ridiculously handsome prince, after all.

The transport came to a halt a short way from the first Sutherland, which had now drawn its assault rifle and was aiming it at them.

"You dare mock the crown?! Get out of there and show me your face, coward!"

Lelouch would admit his surprise at hearing the voice of none other than General Bartley Asprius himself, and discovering that he was, in fact, the pilot of the Sutherland. Then again, if he could ride behind Jeremiah in a similar knightmare frame, the cockpit should have more than enough space for even his gigantic belly.

The Britannian flag that had been shielding him so far from view was suddenly devoured by flames. Embers danced before him, sparking with some final vestiges of life, and as he allowed the people to drink in the sight before them, he found that he could only muse at how he'd never seen purple fire before.

"I am _Zero_."

There was no exclamation; merely a solid statement in a calm and commanding voice, amplified courtesy of a certain addition in his helmet.

It was obvious that they were dealing with a new type of terrorist. Or perhaps he was merely a madman, for surely one had to be mad to face several knightmare frames with no visible weapon, all alone, simply standing over a transport that was a spitting image of the Viceroy's in a blatant sign of disrespect.

"I don't care who you are!" Bartley bellowed, contrasting with Zero's cool demeanour. "You'll pay for your insolence! I'll remove you from his Highness' way myself!"

"From this moment onwards, I shall always be in his Highness' way. You can count on it." Gasps erupted from the crowd; he could hear a reporter laughing in the background, insulting his intelligence, but above that all, he could hear his breathing and focused on it.

Bartley spluttered, raising his Sutherland's assault rifle, "Do you have a _death wish_?!"

"If that's the case," Clovis drawled from his place on the float. He didn't even have to raise his voice, as he merely lifted his hand for everyone's attention. "I'm sure Bartley will be more than happy to grant it. However, why don't you take off that ugly mask? I'd like to look upon your face as you die."

Unexpectedly, Zero nodded.

"As you wish…" A gloved hand appeared from under his cloak, revealing his suit of royal purple and gold, and went up to his mask. All of a sudden, his hand shot-up in the air. With a click that seemed to resonate in the hushed silence, the back of the transport fell apart, revealing a gleaming white sphere that immediately made Clovis stand up.

"This is my face! Gaze upon it if you will, for it is the face of Britannia's injustice!"

"Surround him!" the Viceroy ordered, an arm outstretched and pointing. He faltered when Zero's other hand appeared, however, clutching the switch that would undoubtedly open the capsule.

"Ah, I see you know what this is," the masked figure commented, and a hint of amusement could be detected in his voice. From the tip of his eye, Lelouch could see one Diethard Ried directing a camera at him, looking eager and hungry, and smirked.

_I hope you're satisfied, Mr. Ried. You wanted an account of my heroics, did you not? _

He tapped his heel on the transport twice, and Kallen obediently brought the car forward at a slow pace, so the Sutherlands didn't feel the need to take drastic action. In response, Clovis stood proudly at the top of the steps that led to his throne on the float, shooting a cold glare down at the terrorist who dared ruin his procession, his plans, his everything.

"What are your demands?"

"An exchange. _This_ for your prisoners."

"I think not," Clovis' expression was mocking. "These men made an attempt on my life. You would be dense to believe I might let them go."

"You're mistaken, Clovis. It was not an attempt on your life, but a warning. And _they_ were not behind it."

The lack of a title didn't escape anyone, but that wasn't nearly as important as what this Zero was insinuating.

"Indeed," he spoke again, the smooth baritone instantly capturing the attention of every human being in the premises. "It was I!"

Both hands were visible now, one gesturing to himself, the other holding the switch in plain sight of everybody. It was becoming obvious that this capsule was a weapon of sorts, the way he kept brandishing that switch around. Panic was simmering amid the masses as they watched over anxiously.

Diethard noted his posture, his choice of words, the hand gestures that could only be rivalled by Prince Clovis himself. _This is just one big performance to him,_ he thought.

"For the life of two Elevens, you'll save scores of precious Britannians. I find that to be a bargain."

"I should just order them to shoot you tight now," Clovis said.

"You should- but you won't. You know full well what will happen if you do." Zero chuckled darkly and then, just to top it all off, he enigmatically announced, "_The girl_. I have her. I _know_."

The silence that followed was tense and fraught with accusations, the apprehension rolling off of everyone in waves. Lelouch relished it all, every bit of it.

He could practically see the gears turning in Clovis' pretty little head, grinding together frantically in an effort to produce something that might save him from the hole he'd dug for himself.

"If I die, it will all go public."

At long last, a look of grim resolve that looked entirely too foreign settled on the Viceroy's features.

"Release them."

"Your Highness-?"

"_You dare question me?!_" he bellowed. "Release the Elevens!"

The soldiers fumbled with their rifles and the prisoners' bindings, the confusion and fear making it hard to think straight, but soon Yoshitaka Minami and Kento Sugiyama were unbound and stumbling onto the asphalt, where they were met by the enigmatic figure wrapped in his dark cloak.

"Who the hell-" Minami was cut off by the electric shock delivered by collar they'd fastened around his and his comrade's necks

"As I thought, they didn't allow you to speak."

The chauffeur stepped out as well, the white cap pulled down over her face to shield her from view, but Clovis could see that it was clearly a woman, and that she was red-headed. He never did like red-heads.

"Consider this your second and final warning, Clovis," came Zero's voice. "I'll be seeing you again soon."

Clovis' eyes widened as he saw him press down on the switch.

Before he could utter a single word, the capsule hissed and clicked and all of a sudden everything was enveloped in pink smoke. Panic now took hold of the people and their screams filled the air as they fought to get away, but that chaos was nothing compared to what was happening to the royal procession.

"It's just a diversion!" Clovis cried, hurrying down the steps on his float. "After him! Go after him!"

But they didn't know what to do. The smoke impaired their vision, and the frightened civilians did nothing to help their nerves. And just as the Sutherland pilots finally began to regain their senses, slash harkens came to smash them away if they got anywhere near Zero.

"No," the Prince muttered. "No, he can't get away!"

This was just like Shinjuku! His own men were turning against him, and Zero was left to flutter off of the highway with his prisoners and… and…

And it was all happening on Live Television.

* * *

As Zero predicted, the net Ohgi had released the second they jumped was not strong enough to stop their fall entirely, but it was enough to soften it. When the net came apart, they all dropped through the open ceiling of the truck he'd somehow managed to acquire. Not the smoothest of landings, to be sure, but it would've been a lot worse if they'd just jumped straight in. There were no broken bones, at least.

By the time Kallen managed to scramble up, Zero was already on his feet, his ensemble only slightly ruffled by the whole ordeal. He watched in silence as she helped her friends up, and she got the distinct feeling he was above such mundane actions.

Once Sugiyama and Minami were up and she was sure they were unharmed, Zero gestured for the woman behind the steering wheel. "Inoue, take us out of here. It won't be long before Clovis recovers and gives chase."

Sugiyama was still glaring at the dark figure, even after Minami elbowed him. No words were exchanged, due to the collars fastened around their necks, but the suspicion was obvious in their eyes.

_Who the heck is this guy?_ She'd like to know that too, but after tonight, she didn't dare question him out loud.

Kallen jerked back when she saw a metallic glint in front of her face.

"It's a key," Zero said, and she realized that he was holding it out to her. It was just a tiny key, but when she held it between her fingers she could feel a crest carved into it. It felt like the Britannian crest. This key was not a copy. "Unlock their collars."

Their eyes widened, settling upon Zero in a mixture of both awe and suspicion, but Kallen did as he instructed. Two delicate _clicks_ later, Sugiyama and Minami were finally free to talk, and the first words out of their mouths were, "Who are you?"

The answer was, "Your saviour." Which didn't settle well with them at all.

"_Saviour_?" Sugiyama spat.

"Listen, we're grateful for the rescue and all, but…" Minami frowned. "That word's a bit much."

"Oh? You would rather I let them execute you, then?"

"So you're just going to dangle that over our heads, are you?"

"Yes."

His blunt response only managed to agitate Sugiyama further, but Kallen placed a hand on his arm, fixing him with a stern glare until he backed down, huffing and folding his arms over his chest.

It would take them a long while to accept Zero, she knew that, but even she had to admit that was one pretty impressive bluff he pulled back there. He had anticipated Clovis' every move and countered it with no more than a word, and _somehow_ managed to escape unharmed.

Somehow, he managed to get some Sutherlands under his control, using them to attack the other knightmares while they made their escape. Somehow, he managed to find people who were willing to die for him- because that was no doubt what would happen to most, if not all, of the Sutherland pilots that had assisted him.

Was he really worth dying for? Did he perform a miracle for them as well?

"I must take my leave," he said all of a sudden, and only now did Kallen notice how the truck had slowed down.

"Here? But we're in the middle of the Settlement!"

"Inoue has her instructions. As for me… I'll contact you soon, Q-1." The back of the truck opened. He handed her a remote, presumably the one controlling said door, before stepping down. "I expect you to be at school tomorrow. Lay low until you hear from me."

"Wait, Zero-!"

But they were moving again, and he was running in the opposite direction, his cloak whipping behind him.

"Zero…"

* * *

"_Lelouch!_"

Said Prince looked up from his chessboard, blinking at the sudden intrusion, before the sight before him registered in his mind and his eyes widened. Clovis la Britannia was standing at his door, panting and red-faced and very, very dishevelled.

"Clovis?!" he asked, bewildered. "What happened to you?"

"Where were you, Lelouch?"

"What do you mea-?"

"_Tell me!_" Unexpectedly, Clovis yanked him up by the collar of his shirt, accidentally hitting the table. The chess-pieces scattered, ruining whatever masterful strategy Lelouch had been planning. They heard a few dull clunks as some pawns fell to the floor.

"Clovis, you've gone mad!" Lelouch exclaimed, pulling at his brother's fingers. Inside, he was gloating over his victory, and wishing he had a camera on him so that he could capture this moment of time. "I've been here the whole time, watching that fiasco on the television- speaking of which, what was that all about?"

It was his turn to be accusing. Clovis' grip never faltered, but his glare lessened somewhat. Lelouch sneered, "Check the surveillance, if you want, but if there's anyone you should be questioning it's that royal guard of yours. I thought you'd already rooted out all the traitors?"

"Yes, so did I," he sighed, and at long last his hands fell away from Lelouch's shirt. "I apologize, little brother. I don't know what came over me."

Lelouch watched as he slumped into a chair, hiding his face in his hands, and allowed the smallest of smirks to flash over his face for just a second. He pretended to be preoccupied with straightening out his clothes, and then with gathering his fallen pawns. "What happened out there?"

"I don't know. It was a nightmare- an utter nightmare!" He looked up from his hands and frowned down at the younger prince. "You should've been there, Lelouch!"

Lelouch glared. "If I recall correctly, Clovis, _you_ were the one who let the Elevens go. There was nothing I could've done to stop that."

"You might've gone after them!"

"And gotten shot down by your men, yes."

To that, Clovis had no reply. He merely slumped further into his chair and watched as Lelouch set up the board again.

He barely managed to catch the white king that was thrown his way.

"Chess, big brother?"

* * *

**A/N:** This chapter was unexpectedly hard to write, so I dearly hope the quality didn't suffer for it. As always, criticism is welcome and appreciated.

Oh, and happy holidays, everyone!


	11. Direction

**Chapter 11: Direction**

"The terrorists are becoming a problem. We need to purge the Area of them before this Zero gets the chance to rally them up."

"Hm," He decided not to point out that his brother was already stating the obvious, knowing it was merely a case of thinking out-loud, and moved his knight forward to capture a white pawn. "I doubt the other factions will take well to him. He seems too… flamboyant for their tastes, too showy."

Clovis frowned, seeing that he now had to sacrifice his queen for the safety of his king. "Perhaps we'd be able to pit him and the JLF against each other."

"No, that wouldn't work. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, after all." And, as anticipated, Lelouch took his queen.

"Yes, that's true, I suppose."

This was their third game of the day, and so far it appeared that it would be ending in very much the same way the other two had, with Lelouch winning almost effortlessly. Clovis didn't mind anymore. In fact, he was the one who suggested they play that morning, even disregarding breakfast and settling for only a cup of tea in his office. Lelouch had agreed, of course. Chess took precedent over most things in life when it came to the Eleventh Prince, and this certainly wouldn't be the first time he chose chess over a meal.

Clovis remembered fondly how Lady Marianne always had to practically strap her son to the chair so that he'd finish his dinner before he ran off in search of Schneizel and yet another rematch.

"Also, we don't yet know the extent of his power," Lelouch said. "All we do know is that he seems to be entrenched in our own military forces."

"Unbelievable. That a faction of our own forces would turn against us…"

"Radicals, half-breeds, who knows?" Lelouch shrugged. "You hardly helped things with that Shinjuku massacre, Clovis. And for a _girl_…" He ignored the glare that was sent in his way, focusing only on the board. "When Nelia hears about this, she won't be happy. She's been telling you to stop your womanizing ways for years. I wouldn't be surprise if she arranges a marriage for you."

"I'll send her a teddy for her collection," Clovis said, dismissing the matter with a rather feminine flick of his wrist. "Back to the matters at hand: I believe a purge is now necessary."

"Of what? The army or the terrorists?"

"Both."

He grinned at Lelouch's pause, calmly meeting his gaze as it rose to him from under a dark fringe. "Both?"

Clovis nodded.

"Do you intend on asking for help from Cornelia? Or perhaps Oscar, or Emile?"

"Now why would I do that, when I have my brilliant little Lelou here?"

"Oh, so _now_ I'm your brilliant little Lelou, am I?" Clovis pretended innocence, even when the sarcasm was practically dripping from Lelouch's words. His smile rapidly fell with the falling of his white king. "Checkmate, by the way."

He pouted, gazing down at the board and wondering where he'd gone wrong. Playing with Lelouch was less about winning and more about realizing his mistakes nowadays; Clovis hadn't been close to winning since Lelouch was eleven years old. Only twice had he forced him into a draw.

Knowing what he was doing, Lelouch supplied his own opinion, "You were playing by the book, too traditionally, and that made it easy to anticipate your moves."

"I see," Clovis heaved a melodramatic sigh. "I don't even know why I bother anymore."

"Well, if you keep on playing like this, I may not bother either. You're nothing if not creative, big brother." With a faint curl of his upper lip in disgust, Lelouch added, "Keep playing like this and you'll turn into Odysseus."

"That bad?" he chuckled.

The dark-haired prince nodded and set to work organizing the pieces again. Clovis noticed he wasn't resetting the game; rather, he appeared to be constructing a scene. The white pieces were surrounded by the black, with the occasional black pawn infiltrating its ranks. The white pieces still had some space to move, however, as well as one or two openings.

The two kings remained untouched on the table. Clovis picked up the black king, fingering it with obvious distaste. It reminded him of Zero.

At the time, it seemed far too strange that the masked terrorist had chosen his mask in the shape of a black king when Lelouch's code-name in the underground gambling arenas also happened to be the Black King.

Given his little brother's absence at the time, as well as the nagging suspicion he had since Shinjuku, it was only natural that he'd come to the conclusion Lelouch was, in fact, Zero and taunting him. And for the first time in his life, Clovis was very, very glad to be wrong.

As Lelouch suggested that night, he had checked the surveillance and found that the Sub-Viceroy had indeed been in his office the entire time, playing chess with himself and watching the events unfold on television. Beyond that, the doctors assured him that Lelouch's arm still had some time before it healed completely, while Zero obviously had use of both arms.

Also, he had no reason for such theatrics. If Lelouch really did have knowledge of C.C., he could easily report him to their father and be rid of Clovis without the hassle of terrorists and all that.

But above that all, Zero's mask was an abomination; Clovis would be appalled if his own flesh and blood was ever to wear something so ugly.

He leaned forward when Lelouch began to speak, setting his chin on his knuckles, and was very glad his little brother had better fashion-sense than this Zero fellow.

"We are White," his younger brother pointed out, and it was entirely unnecessary, but Clovis nodded all the same. "Currently, the terrorists have us in a pinch. Since the Zero incident, they've been popping up everywhere. However, they don't seem to be working together, it's more like… showing off."

"They're flexing their muscles," he commented, a slight frown pulling at his lips. "For Zero."

"_Because_ of Zero, maybe, but not necessarily _for_ him." Lelouch leaned forward and snatched the black king from Clovis' hand. Sitting back, he gazed at it intently while twirling it between his slender fingers, apparently at a loss of where to place it. "No matter how annoying it may be, the fact he apparently has allies with the Britannian army hasn't made him all that popular with the Elevens' resistance forces, which is undoubtedly a good thing. We should take advantage of that while it lasts."

"And we mustn't forget Zero's little friends on the inside," Clovis said, gesturing at the black pawns amidst the sea of white.

"Yes, I wonder if we could make use of the families of those disgraced knights…"

Of course they could. When nobility fell from grace, they fell hard, and having a family member on he Royal Guard only to turn traitor for Zero was a stain that nothing short of pure heroism could remove.

Clovis gave a lazy nod, "I'll deal with that."

"And Honorary Britannians,"

"What about them?"

"We need to integrate them better into the army."

"Integrate them _better_?" Clovis repeated, sounding incredulous. Lelouch merely nodded. "We need to get them out of it! It's most likely their fault- I wouldn't be surprised if Zero came out of their ranks, in fact!"

Later on, the Viceroy would reflect on Lelouch's unfaltering calm, the level head he showed at the time that had rarely surfaced before, outside of chess. It was strange and uncharacteristic of him, their spoiled little black prince. In fact, a lot of what Lelouch did nowadays contradicted entirely with the person Clovis had known these past years, and yet, some of his glass figurines still suffered whenever said person decided to rear his ugly head.

At this point, he wasn't sure which version of his little brother he preferred: the patient, reserved one or the childish one with the tendency to throw things around. Lelouch's aim had improved considerably since his stint in the military, and Clovis did not enjoy the idea of having a concussion, but at the same time he rather feared what a mature version of Lelouch vi Britannia might be capable of.

"Think about it, Clovis: how could an Honorary Britannian ever get in good graces with the Royal Guard? In the end, they're just _Numbers_, after all." Lelouch paused to let his words sink in and allow his older brother to see the logic. "But Zero would be an idiot not to use them. We need to beat him to the punch."

"Beat him to the…? Lelouch, you've been wandering around that commoner school far too much," he admonished. Sighing, the Eleventh Prince pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.

"This is hardly the time to comment on my choice of language."

"Oh, very well," Clovis settled back in his chair, tapping the heel of his boot impatiently on the floor. "What makes you think the Numbers will respond to us better than Zero? They'd jump at the chance to get their precious little clod of dirt freed, I'd imagine."

"But they've evidently accepted their roles of living under the Empire's dominion, if they've enrolled in the army," Lelouch pointed out. "I wouldn't be surprised if one or two of them are even hoping to actually make a difference."

At that, the Viceroy couldn't help the laugh that escaped him. Seeing his younger brother's quirked brow, however, made Clovis purse his lips together in an attempt to control it.

"I apologise," he said, curling gloved fingers over his mouth. It did nothing to hide his mocking smile, but at least gave the pretence he actually cared. "I thought you were joking."

"I assure you, I'm being perfectly serious. In fact," Lelouch said, rising from his seat. "I'm about to go and recruit our first Number friend. Warrant Officer Kururugi should prove to be a valuable asset."

"Kururugi…"

Clovis rolled it around his tongue a few more times, searching through the recesses of his mind for a corresponding face or event to that name. He was sure it wasn't foreign to him. Past the portraits, past his projects, past all the trivialities of his lavish life, he searched, until at last he came upon a half-forgotten memory from long ago, and his expression turned from its usual smugness to wondering.

"Lelouch!" he said suddenly. Lelouch stopped in his tracks, gloved hand just hovering over the doorknob, and turned to look at him quizzically, "Yes, big brother?"

"That Kururugi boy, he wouldn't happen to be the son of Genbu Kururugi, would he?"

Instantly, a grin formed on the young prince's face, and that was all the answer Clovis needed.

"So, it _is_ him. Have you told her yet?"

Lelouch shrugged nonchalantly and then adjusted his cape, which was hanging over only one of his shoulders, as was the fashion. "Why should I? That was a long time ago."

"Not long enough for _him_ to have forgotten, though. Isn't that what you're counting on?" Clovis asked with a knowing grin. Lelouch had the decency to look abashed, lowering his head even as he smiled slightly, "You got me."

"How very devious of you, Lelou."

Lelouch only laughed.

The laughter stopped the moment he closed that door, the smile dropping quickly as well to be replaced by a blasé expression that betrayed nothing of the Sub-Viceroy's thoughts.

He beckoned Jeremiah, which was entirely unnecessary as the teal-haired man fell into step behind him instantly whether or not he told him to, but Lelouch chose to acknowledge his presence and thus signifying that he was willing to talk to him again.

After that Talk of theirs, Lelouch had expected that Jeremiah would keep a very close eye on him- well, closer than normal, anyway. He had even expected that Jeremiah would begin to snoop around his room and personal effects, and to that end Lelouch had been careful to relocate C.C. as well as his Zero costume and any other possibly incriminating evidence of his double-life.

The surprise came when the prince caught Jeremiah at it _red-handed_.

It was the sloppiness, more than anything else, that enraged Lelouch.

As his knight and personal guard, you'd think he'd manage to be a little more discreet

After a temper tantrum that would shake even the gods and shattered every single piece of china in his personal wing, Lelouch stormed off. For four days after that he didn't even acknowledge the man's presence, let alone talk to him.

Four days was a long enough time to let him squirm, the prince thought.

"I'm going to be leaving the settlement for a while," he stated, sparing a glance over his shoulder. Jeremiah was walking stiffly behind him, and a frown was evident on his face. "Surprise inspections of some of the military bases. You will not be accompanying me."

"Your highness, with all due respect-"

"I won't hear it, Margrave Gottwald. It's only three days, and I don't want to draw unnecessary attention to myself. Like I said, _surprise_ inspections."

For a while, Jeremiah didn't reply. He was probably considering just how much leeway he had, just how far he could argue, given the current circumstances. In a way, Lelouch was thankful for Gottwald's blunder. It gave him the perfect excuse to alienate him whilst he made his little 'trip' to the ghettos _and_ Jeremiah wouldn't have the guts to tail him regardless.

"Will you at least take one of the men with you?" he said at last. They stopped in front of the elevator. Jeremiah leaned forward, pressing the button as Lelouch gave a stiff nod and replied, "Kewell."

Because Soresi, while one of his best men, was not someone he had to worry about Geassing. Lelouch was reserving Jeremiah's Geass for now, as he had no doubt he'd need it when the man's zeal and loyalty compelled him to go after Zero.

"Very well, Your Highness."

With a pleasant ding, the elevator doors opened and Lelouch stepped inside, ignoring the bows he received from the two other occupants.

"Ground floor, Jeremiah," he ordered, since it was beneath him to press the button himself. He was, after all, a Prince. "We're going to visit the Lancelot."

* * *

The Sutherland quickly raised its tonfa, just barely in time to block the Lancelot's assault, only for the white-and-gold knightmare to grip the tonfa in its metallic fingers. With a loud groan and a shower of sparks, it came away in the Lancelot's hand. Jeremiah gritted his teeth, just barely stopping himself from cursing, and swerved his knightmare around, away from the monster he was fighting. His landspinners screeched with the effort.

This was his punishment, he thought, for daring to look where he had no right to. Prince Lelouch had learned well from his elder sister, and if there was one thing Princess Cornelia li Britannia emphasized it was discipline. Discipline and respect and protocol were above all else, even family. Still, he did not regret his actions, but accepted his punishment, his _humiliation_, with the knowledge he wouldn't hesitate to commit the crime of digging around his prince's personal life again if he must.

As testament to that, three green hairs he'd found in Prince Lelouch's personal quarters resided in his breast pocket, kept inside a neatly folded napkin until he could investigate further.

Jeremiah brought the Sutherland's arm to strike at the Lancelot, which only, for lack of a better word, _pirouetted_ out of the way before bringing down its maser vibration sword and cleaving half of the Sutherland's left arm right off. It fell to the floor with an unceremonious clank.

The barrage of bullets Jeremiah released was reflected, but did its job of distracting Kururugi long enough for Jeremiah to ensnare the Lancelot's legs with his slash harkens.

"You may be piloting a seventh generation knightmare, but machinery alone cannot compare to experience!"

He sped toward the Lancelot, the cut-off part of his arm held in his other. Jeremiah knew full-well that binding only its legs did little to subdue that monstrosity of a machine.

"But," he muttered to himself, "It will at least put an end to this disgrace."

His makeshift weapon collided with the Lancelot's chest. Jeremiah found only a brief satisfaction in the resulting shower of sparks as Kururugi, completely unfazed, pulled the Sutherland's arms from their sockets.

"Mm, apparently machinery does just fine against experience- wouldn't you say so, your Highness?"

Jeremiah closed his eyes, inhaling deeply through his nose, and tried very hard to ignore the annoyingly jovial voice of Professor Lloyd Asplund. His prince's low laughter came to him over the radio.

* * *

"Would you like some more tea, Miss Cera?"

The green-haired witch looked up from the paper she was folding and gave the maid a blank look. "No, thank you. I would, however, like some more pizza."

The maid bowed, and C.C. bet she was hiding kunai up her sleeves or under her apron. Nonetheless, the smile she gave was genuine, as was the warmth behind it. C.C. decided she liked this woman; her mini-pizzas were phenomenal.

"You really like these pizzas, huh, Miss Cera?"

"Yes, Nunally, I do," she replied, holding up one of the few mini-pizzas left on the plate. C.C. looked at it, then looked at the young girl in the wheelchair and, in a rare show of generosity, handed the pizza to her. "They taste very good, wouldn't you agree?"

"Brother and Big Sister Cornelia say they're unhealthy," Nunally said, sniffing delicately at the pastry in her hand. "They don't like it when I eat things that aren't healthy."

"They aren't here, now are they?"

"No, they're not," she conceded. C.C. gave a rare smile at Nunally's devious giggles, choosing to ignore the glares shot her way from the dark-skinned woman standing rigidly behind them.

"Prince Lelouch has left very explicit orders pertaining to the Princess' diet," Nu said. "And he did not include-"

"Oh, Lulu won't mind," C.C. stated through a mouthful of cheesy pizza. Swallowing, she said, "He only minds when I get Tabasco sauce on his bed or shirts."

With a shrug, Nunally smiled and lifted the mini-pizza to her mouth under C.C.'s approving gaze.

"That's a good girl," she said, giving the girl a light pat on the head. "And later, you can tell me alllll about your brother and big sister."

"I have school later, Miss Cera"

"School? What kind of hostess leaves her guests to go to school?"

Nodding, Nunally conceded that it wasn't very becoming, and thought that _surely_ her brother would understand. It was her duty to be a proper hostess for her possible future sister-in-law, after all. He should be pleased.

She also thought it strange she'd never been allowed to taste this pizza stuff before- it was good!

* * *

"_Then there's Lelou--."_

"_Lelou? That sounds like a girl's name," _

_The little girl giggled, hiding her mouth behind a white-gloved hand. "He kind of looks girly sometimes too, but he gets very angry when we say that, and Lelouch can get scary when he's angry."_

_Ten-year-old Suzaku was unimpressed. Placing his hands on his waist, he announced that he wasn't afraid of no ruffle-wearing, sissy-named prince. Instead of the giggles he was after, the girl sobered up, now with only a faint, almost sad smile on her lips. Concerned, he stepped closer, watching intently as she played with the skirts of her dress._

"_Lately, Lelou has been scaring us a lot, even Big Sister."_

_Suzaku's eyes widened just a fraction, trying not to imagine what kind of demon-boy the Eleventh Prince was to scare the Witch of Britannia herself._

"_He's turned so, so cold. Cornelia says he might become dangerous too. I didn't believe her at first, but when I went to visit…" Euphie's voice lowered to almost a whisper that Suzaku had to strain to hear. "He reminded me of Father."_

With his thin, lanky frame and almost girlish features, it was understandably hard to imagine Prince Lelouch vi Britannia as anything like Emperor Charles. However, looking at that smile and the rapid movement of sharp violet eyes, Suzaku couldn't help but feel uneasy.

The prince was being very casual with him, almost friendly even, for reasons he couldn't fathom.

They were chatting over tea, watching Lloyd and Margrave Jeremiah bicker over something or the other, but no matter how many times Prince Lelouch jokingly told him to loosen up, Suzaku couldn't do it. This whole conversation felt contrived.

It wasn't until the subject came around to his life and the Prince enquired about his reasons for joining the army that Suzaku felt easier, if only slightly, feeling that they had finally come to the heart of the matter.

_So that's what it is. He's trying to place my loyalty, evaluate me. _

In the background, he could hear Margrave Jeremiah accusing Lloyd of building an escape chute somewhere, with Lloyd sheepishly denying any recollection of it. There seemed to be some sort of bad history between them.

"I want to serve the people," the Honorary Britannian answered.

"Which?"

Suzaku blinked. "Which?" he repeated, confused.

"Which people?" Prince Lelouch elaborated. And though his eyes were on the unsightly duo nearby, Suzaku was sure he had the Sub-Viceroy's wholehearted attention. "The Britannians, or your own, the Japanese?"

His use of the word '_Japanese'_ didn't escape Suzaku's notice. With a burst of newfound courage, he managed to declare that, "I don't believe there's a difference."

Prince Lelouch seemed to contemplate that answer. Inwardly, the Honorary Britannian cringed, knowing that he'd gone too far, and resisted the urge to repeatedly bang his head against the wall. If any of the Britannian soldiers heard him, he'd get a bullet between the eyes instantly for daring to equal them, the conquerors, to the subjugated Numbers.

And he'd gone and said it right in a Prince's face.

_Stupidstupid__**stupid**__!_

He watched the dark-haired royal's expression apprehensively, his insides clenching. After a few seconds, a small, barely perceptible smile drew itself on his face. Suzaku thought it looked rather wry. "Your honesty is refreshing, Kururugi. Refreshing, but dangerous."

The Warrant Officer took a deep breath, understanding the veiled warning. Or was it a reprimand? He closed his eyes, head bowing slightly, and steeled himself for whatever punishment Prince Lelouch saw fit.

It would remind him to keep his mouth shut from now on, at least.

He failed to see the smirk that curled on the Prince's lips. "Nonetheless, I can see why Euphie spoke so highly of you."

Suzaku's head snapped up, his eyes widening in surprise. "Eu-Euphie?"

"She sends her regards, by the way."

* * *

Once they were alone in Lelouch's personal transport (or as alone as a prince could be, at least. Other occupants included the chauffeur, dutifully looking ahead and ignoring any and all conversation, another member of his personal guard by the name of Montague and his young secretary, Eleni) Jeremiah began to slowly, carefully, but surely hound him about several things.

The first being his up-coming trip, which the Margrave cited as an unnecessary danger especially since he hadn't been informed of it previously. He hadn't the time to set up the customary security measures, and if the Prince was going to be visiting various military bases there was a very good chance one of Zero's men could be lurking.

Lelouch waved the matter away, and his confidence and flippant dismissal seemed to irk Jeremiah. The Sub-Viceroy pushed away the temptation of admitting that the reason he didn't fear Zero was that he himself _was_ Zero, although he would love to see the expression on his usually stoic guard's face at the revelation.

There was no need to rush, anyway. Jeremiah would come to know, in due time. This wasn't it.

The next subject brought up were the Prince's worrying habits, of gambling and abrupt disappearance (Lelouch was thankful he didn't mention the imaginary mistress this time, although Jeremiah was obviously referring to her) and now of ordering pizza at the strangest hours.

"It's simply not healthy, your Highness!" he said. "And all those delivery boys could possibly be enemy agents. Even if they don't come near your person, they can still get a good view of the villa and plan their attacks, or place bombs, or simply poison the food itself!"

Paranoia, Lelouch had always thought, could be useful in healthy doses. Jeremiah had crossed 'healthy' long ago, and now teetering dangerously toward _toxic_.

"Very well. You can taste each pizza before it reaches me, how's that?"

Jeremiah's only answer was a dark frown until he began on his next and hopefully final subject: Warrant Officer Kururugi. He apparently thought his Prince had been far too candid with the Honorary Britannian, though Lelouch suspected this belief was only because of his supposed mistress being a half-breed.

It wasn't good for his image, he said. A Britannian Prince must uphold the Empire's beliefs.

"Even if he doesn't believe in them himself," he added, looking at Lelouch pointedly.

"There are many who would see that as compassion," the Prince remarked.

"Which is not a very good trait to have in Britannia."

Well, he certainly had him there.

Lelouch scoffed, reclining in the rich leather seat of his transport. He propped his chin on his knuckles, staring out of the darkened windows at the passing scenery with unseeing eyes.

Instead, he saw the gardens of Capricorn Villa on a sweet summer day, and he saw two little girls running around, laughing happily. A third girl watched over them with an uncharacteristically kind smile, and he thought he spotted her dexterous fingers, so used to manning knightmares, tying stalks together to make a flower wreath.

"You know, it's funny," Lelouch said at last, and his voice sounded so far away that Jeremiah wondered if he was even talking to him. Nonetheless, he asked, "What is?"

The Prince raised his head, dark strands of hair falling to cover his eyes as he gave Jeremiah an amused look.

"Once upon a time," he began. "Kururugi might have been my brother-in-law,"

* * *

_He wordlessly held her, stroking her pink hair in what he hoped was a comforting gesture as she sobbed into his chest. Recent events had hardened Lelouch further than any of his siblings might have thought possible, but it also, ironically, taught him some level of compassion. _

_For Nunally's sake, who had to struggle alone in the darkness with only her older brother to guide her. And now for Euphie's sake, who had to cope with the recent loss of a friend at the hands of her own siblings._

_**Kururugi Suzaku**__, he thought with a barely suppressed growl. __**Wherever you are, you had damn well better appreciate these tears… **_

_If he was even still alive, that was._

_The contemptible image of that young green-eyed boy came to his mind, memorized after all the time he'd spent glaring at the photos his sister sent .He had a head of unruly brown hair and cheeky grin that reminded him all too much of his older brother, Fourth Prince Cassius, when he'd push Lelouch into his mother's prized rose bushes, sneering down at the __**commoner's spawn**__. _

_In other words, it spelled trouble. He didn't like the thought of that… that __**ruffian**__ taking his Euphie._

_Yes, that's right. __**His**__ Euphie._

_No matter that he was the son of the Prime Minister. No matter that he was, technically, nobility. No matter that Britannia had needed a tie to the Japanese (or appeared to have needed one, anyway. The recent storming of Japanese shores showed a very different story.)_

_In the end, he was just glad it wasn't Nunally who'd gotten sold- although it would have been, if not for the 'incident'. It made him frown to see how she'd been thrown aside, but the fact she was seen unfit to be married off was the only silver-lining. Even when there was talk of selling __**him**__ off instead to some Japanese noble girl, or using him as a political hostage, he was glad it wasn't Nunally._

_But he wasn't sent anywhere or married off to anyone thanks to Cornelia li Britannia. _

_It was only after Euphie came to him one day, smiling through her tears as she told him about the Emperor's decision, that he knew what Cornelia had done for him and Nunally- and how she had paid for daring to oppose their Father. _

_Euphemia accepted the marriage arrangement with grace that only a princess could manage, and began her preparations. She learned about Japan's history and customs, as well as simpler things such as how to wear a kimono properly, or how to hold chopsticks. _

_For her sake, he and Cornelia would join in, even having the royal cooks prepare Japanese meals for them. And all the while Cornelia would growl that the Kururugi boy had better be learning how to behave like a proper Britannian gentleman or she'd personally shove the damn chopsticks into his eyes and-_

_Lelouch took care to cover Nunally's ears at that point._

_Waving a picture of him around, Euphie would giggle that at least her future-husband was cute._

"_But not nearly as cute as you, Lelouch," _

_He wondered if he imagined the melancholy note in her voice as she said those words._

_Together, he and Euphemia learned Japanese, because she said she wanted him to visit all the time, and perhaps come to befriend her fiancé. _

"_Also," she admitted, a light blush dusting her cheeks. "I want to spend as much time with you as I can. You know, before I… Before I have to go."_

_She spent the entire summer of 2010 in the very heart of Japan, a guest of her future-husband's family._

"_Shhh," he cooed, and he didn't mind that she was soaking his shirt. _

"_B-but, Suzaku," she sniffled between sobs. "Why would they do that? Suzaku didn't do anything wrong! None of them did, so __**why**__?"_

_Apparently, she'd made a friend of the boy. The letters he received while she was away proved that much. He was a little rough around the edges at first, she said, but warmed up to her soon enough. Of course, that wasn't much of a surprise- who __**didn't**__ warm up to Euphie, after all?_

_Two days after her return marked the beginning of the Britannian invasion of Japan._

"_**Why**__?" _

_He held her tighter, his expression soft but pained. __**Because this is Britannia**__, he wanted to say, but he didn't, instead assuring her that Kururugi would be alright. _

_It was the first time he'd lied to her knowingly, as he had no doubt that if Suzaku survived this war he would be __**far**__ from alright._

_And to think, he'd been jealous of the Japanese boy._

_Still, Lelouch wasn't petty. He was a gentleman, a man of noble status and upbringing. He would not gloat over his rival's fall, but send a prayer to whatever deity was out there that he'd survive this war, if only for his ex-fiancée's sake. _

_

* * *

  
_

Fujiwara Riku clenched his hands together nervously, missing the familiar weight of his trusty submachine gun. Being part of the Yamato Alliance, he rarely went anywhere without it, and he knew all the other members of the Japanese resistance felt more or less the same.

Still, none of them could resist a meeting with Zero, not even the JLF. So when he said no weapons, they were all forced to take the trouble of concealing their arms. The Britannian pistol in the waistband of his trousers as well as his pocket-knife provided Riku with little comfort, but it was enough.

At least if anyone tried anything, he would be able to gut someone and drag them down to hell with him.

"Where's Zero?" someone growled, voicing the question they'd all been dying to ask.

_Blood of the Samurai_, Riku thought, barely stopping himself from rolling his eyes. Just because they were the largest faction in central Japan they thought they were all that. With their noses stuck a foot in the air, you'd think they had Tohdoh of Miracles with them, but no. In fact, the last time they'd performed a successful raid was a whole month ago.

Still, the guy did pose a valid question. Where _was_ Zero?

After calling them all two days ago and gathering representatives of the most important resistance factions, one would think he'd at least be on time.

A quick glance at his wrist-watch told him the masked vigilante was twenty minutes late.

One minute ticked by, then another. The tension was running high. Nobody liked being here, cooped up in one of the storage rooms in the old subway tunnels. Another five minutes passed; the representative from Rising Sun stood up abruptly, announcing that he was through with this shit.

"Please, take your seat, Kishima,"

Instantly, all eyes were focused on the room's only possible entrance. They heard heels clicking on the hard ground. Slowly, the figure appeared, the dim illumination making him seem all that more intimidating.

"So, you've finally decided to grace us with your presence, have you?" Kishima spat.

"I apologize for the delay," came the mechanized voice, but it was obvious he wasn't apologetic at all. "I'm afraid I was held back unexpectedly. Izumi Toru?"

The man from _Blood of the Samurai_ stiffened at being singled out. "What?"

"Be sure to pick up your subordinates when you leave. Have no fear, they're right outside, but you'll find them to be, ah, incapacitated at the moment."

Izumi's eyes widened then narrowed, his face contorted in rage as he reached into his pocket for what could only be a weapon.

Hearing a click, they realized that Zero had beaten him to it and was currently aiming a pistol at the man's crotch.

"Next time you decide to bring your goons along, at least tell them to be a little discreet," he said. "Like the JLF's men, for instance."

Riku's eyes flickered to the JLF representative, one of the Four Holy Swords, Urabe Kosetsu, and found him looking strangely amused.

"Well, no denying you're good," Urabe admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. "But why don't we get down to business?" His expression became solemn as he leaned forward in his seat. Zero remained standing, looking down at each and every one of them, but tucked his weapon away.

"Yes, I also dislike wasting time," he said. And Riku thought, _absurdly_, that he could detect a slight accent in Zero's Japanese. _Nah_, he thought, _must be the mask_. "You want to know why I gathered you here; you, who come from the greatest anti-Britannian movements in Japan."

"That would be great, yeah."

"I've come to discuss the terms of… an alliance."

* * *

His three days spent undercover proved to be very, very profitable.

In the morning, he performed his surprise inspections on several military facilities, and spent a great deal of his time enjoying how flustered he was making them all as he hung the threat of dismissal over their heads. He'd actually done it, too, as a threat ceases to be effective once the person figures that you're bluffing.

Then again, even if he didn't need to prove he meant business, General Rosencruz of the Osaka facilities really had it coming to him.

At night, Lelouch vi Britannia would be relieved of his duties, and Zero awoke to begin the construction of his Empire.

Kewell had been Geassed beforehand to ignore his nightly excursions, or anything unusual that concerned his Prince, with the utterance of the word "_Pawn_". As such, he remained blissfully unaware of Zero as he met with the underground resistance and gathered intel.

The _Blood of the Samurai_ was one of the largest resistance factions in Area 11, boasting large numbers and organization that was second only to the _Japanese Liberation Front_. However, they were lead by proud and foolish men who still pined for a lost era of Japanese supremacy and refused to see beyond that. They would regain Japan or die trying, but they would do so alone. They would not accept Zero.

For that, they would die at the hands of Lelouch vi Britannia.

The men of the _Yamato Alliance_ were thankfully smarter, in spite of their lack in tacticians and decent leadership.

Actually, that might be the reason. Still, it was good they didn't cling to meaningless pride and recognized the fact they stood a better chance against Britannia with Zero as their ally.

For that, they would live, and maybe even long enough to see Japan liberated.

Next on his mental list was the JLF itself, but that was a whole new level. He understood that these men would never be his subordinates, only his grudging allies, if even that. They were a threat, and would always be so. They must be neutralized. But first-

"Big brother?"

That train of thought instantly took the back-seat as Lelouch was brought to the present by that sweet voice. He smiled at her. "Yes, Nunally?"

_I need to pinpoint their centre of operations. If I'd been able to take that Urabe to the side, I could have Geassed him into telling me. Regardless, a little while longer and Zero will have the necessary connections to make that discovery- that is, if Lelouch vi Britannia doesn't first. I could take Tohdoh into custody…_

"Brother, Miss Cera-" Nunally hesitated briefly, and Lelouch's smile threatened to fall. It was never a good thing when the witch was mentioned, especially not by his sister.

He hadn't wanted to bring her here, where she could possibly corrupt his darling sister, but he'd been a little short on options at the time. With Jeremiah watching his movements closely and the media hungry for gossip, a hotel or anything like that was out of the question. He could have Geassed some nobleman into allowing C.C. to stay with him, but what was to guarantee the nobleman wouldn't have visitors, or that C.C. would have the common sense to stay hidden in front of said visitors?

"What about her?" he urged, leaning slightly forward. "I hope she wasn't too much trouble."

Hiding C.C. in Ashford, and with Nunally no less, was the only option available to him. It was also the most unexpected; Jeremiah would never think to search there, and if the thought did cross his mind he wouldn't dare act on it. At the same time, Villetta would make sure C.C. stayed hidden for the sake of the Prince's reputation.

It was the perfect plan!

"Oh no, she wasn't any trouble. I like her a lot," Nunally said. A sense of foreboding filled Lelouch suddenly.

Indeed, it was the perfect plan. But he'd forgotten to take Nunally's willingness to befriend just about anyone into account. Should she think of C.C.- no, _Cera_ as a friend, she would no doubt want to see her again, and Lelouch was notoriously weak-willed when it came to his sister.

"Brother, is she… Is Miss Cera your girlfriend?"

Oh _god_, what had he done?

"Ah, er, no. No, she's not,"

Since when did he, Lelouch vi Britannia, the Black Prince, have trouble with words?

His condition only worsened when he saw that Nunally, rather than nodding in acceptance and dropping the subject, or else looking confused if C.C. had insinuated anything that would bring Nunally to that conclusion, was blushing.

His sister was blushing.

Did he want to know why? Did he dare to ask?

"I … I suppose it's not strange for a Prince… but, Lelouch," She set her cup of juice down on the table and then folded her hands over her lap. Her young face was set in an unusually serious expression. "You should think of making her your girlfriend. Your proper girlfriend, instead of just a mistre-"

"Cera! There you are!" Lelouch practically jumped out of his chair, bolting to the door. "Excuse us for a moment, Nunally. Cera needs to talk to me for a bit."

Before the girl could say anything, he was already gone, his hurried steps becoming farther and farther away.

Nunally frowned, fully aware of the fact her brother had just taken advantage of her blindness and lied to her. She hadn't heard any footsteps or the hiss of the automatic doors, for one. Those aside, as Miss Cera had a tendency to be unusually quiet, even in her footsteps, Nunally hadn't detected that signature pizza-scent that always followed her- she _had_ detected it on Lelouch, however. On his clothing, although he'd obviously tried to mask it with his cologne. Before meeting Cera, she'd always wondered about that, and now she knew.

Miss Cera was her brother's mistress. His reaction proved as much.

Still, she supposed she couldn't blame Lelouch. He never could handle talk of relationships. Maybe she could forgive him, then. Just this once.

* * *

"HEY SHIRLEEEEEEY!"

The redhead in question blinked in surprise, almost afraid to look over her shoulder. Beside her, her friends from the swim team scoffed and rolled their eyes.

"Don't look now, but the Milly-minion's back," Sophie said in a sneering undertone. This earned her some snickers from the surrounding girls, a few shaking heads and a small frown from Shirley.

"Sophie, be nice," she reprimanded, "Rivalz can't help it if he likes the Prez."

"But you have to admit, it makes you wonder just how crazy the guy is. I mean, _Milly Ashford_?"

Shirley opened her mouth, about to protest, when another one of her friends, a brunette by the name of Helen, brought up Milly's tendency to try and cop a feel in the locker rooms. The redhead was promptly silenced, her cheeks flaming.

"SHIRLEEEEEEY!"

When the boy almost barrelled into them, Sophie gave her a knowing look, and Shirley nodded in resignation, sighing.

Point taken. You had to be a special kind of crazy to fall for Milly Ashford.

Nonetheless, she wore a smile when she faced his puffing face and asked, "What is it, Rivalz?"

"Th-The Clu-" Rivalz wheezed. Shirley watched patiently as he took a moment to breathe and gather his words. "The Clubhouse. It's on lock-down again."

"Lock-down? Did Madame Prez say anything about that yesterday?"

The blue-haired boy shook his head. "Nope. I forgot some books there from this morning, but when I go to get them I find the whole place crawling with security."

"But isn't there always a few bodyguards around?" Mia asked.

"Yeah, that Villetta woman gives me the creeps," another commented.

"I mean more than usual," Rivalz clarified. "And these weren't even regular security, either. They're all dressed in black, with these _huge_ swords-" He used his hands to further emphasize his point. Shirley tried not to blush when some of her friends snickered, silently horrified at herself for noticing the double-meaning that Rivalz was clearly unaware of. Oh dear god, she'd been hanging around Milly far, far too much.

"One of them had this cloak over his shoulder and the meanest glare I have ever seen, I swear! … Weirdest hairdo, too."

"Nunally could just be entertaining a guest," Shirley suggested.

"But you have to wonder what kind of guest that is…" Sophie said, sounding thoughtful. She tapped a finger on her chin. "Only knights and royals are allowed to wear swords outside of formal occasions. They're just for show, of course, but they're a pretty major show of wealth. Daddy has this sword he got from his great-great-"

"You think it's a noble, then?" Shirley asked. She wasn't pleased to have to interrupt her like that, but knew that if she didn't Sophie would go on a tangent about her noble lineage for hours.

"Not just _any_ noble," Sophie grinned suddenly, a very predatory grin that Shirley had only seen once, during her debutante ball. "To be able to afford _knights_ as personal security? I'd have to say it's no less than a Margrave. No, make that _Marquis_."

Mia gasped suddenly, and in a rare moment of intelligence and clarity said, "You don't suppose that's the brother Nunally's always gushing about, do you?"

There was a pause as they considered the possibility, and then-

"OH MY GOD! Really? Did you hear, he graduated from the Imperial Academy in Los Angeles!"

"He's practically best friends with the Rounds."

"Nunna told me he always came out on top in knightmare combat- against _Knight of Six Anya Alstreim!_"

"WAAAAH!" They all stared as Rivalz fell to his knees, his face raised to the heavens in askance. "WHYYYY?"

"Oh-kay…"

Shirley patted him awkwardly, "I'm sure if he was trying to court Milly we'd have heard something by now."

"Or he'd have been scared off by now," Sophie suggested, merely shrugging at the frown Shirley sent her way. "Now then, who's up for some undercover work?"

"What do you mean?" Shirley asked, helping Rivalz up from the ground.

"Don't you want to know who this mysterious '_Lord Lamperouge_' is?" Helen said, using wide arm movements to emphasize just how 'mysterious' he was. They didn't even know his first name; Nunally only referred to him as 'Big Brother'. "His face, even?"

"It might help us figure out who Nunally really is. I, for one, have never heard of the Lamperouge family." Sophie flipped her hair over her shoulder in a display of grace and arrogance that only those with noble blood seemed able to pull off. "I bet it's just an alias."

She looked down at Rivalz, a smirk playing on her lips, "Don't you want to scout out the competition, Cardemonde?"

Their blue-haired classmate had a look of sudden resolve. He nodded solemnly, in a way that almost made Shirley want to laugh if not for the gravity of the situation they were dragging her in. She protested futilely, defending poor Nunna's right for privacy, but her protests fell on deaf ears.

Shirley sighed, resigning herself to her fate. It wouldn't hurt, she supposed, just to get a... a glimpse of him.

* * *

**A/N:** Stupid evil midterms are stupid and evil. That is all.

Actually, no wait! I just noticed something! I'm… almost at 100 reviews!

Champagne, anyone?


	12. Intent

Usually, I don't put author's notes at the beginning of the chapter, but this time I'll make an exception for two reasons.

One, to warn you that more than half of this chapter was written during a fever-induced haze, meaning that you may find some mistakes here and there. I'm going to look over this chapter once again later, when I'm feeling better, but feel free to correct me on anything you find.

And two, to thank everyone who's ever dropped a review, a PM, put this story on their alerts or favourites or even just read along so far. I'm in a loving mood here, so this chapter is dedicated to you all!

Now, without further ado, I present to you…

**Chapter 12: Intent**

Having Rivalz describe the heavy security was one thing; seeing it with her own eyes was something entirely other.

Shirley paused, olive eyes gazing worriedly at the knights that were positioned in front of their Club House, until the girls pulled her along once more. She couldn't see the fierce glares he'd told them about, but she could see their expressions, firm and unyielding, and decided they didn't seem like the type who'd let the students in if they just asked nicely. They likely wouldn't take very well to trespassing either.

"You don't think they have… guns, do you?"

Shirley was certain she wasn't the only one discouraged by the overwhelming appearance of the black-clad guard. She was also certain she'd seen those uniforms somewhere before, but just _where_, exactly…?

"What kind of bodyguards would they be if they didn't?" came Sophie's scoffing reply.

Just because they were discouraged didn't mean they'd stop, though. Of course not. If something was to be said about Sophie Arcroft, it was that she could be very persuasive when she wanted to be, and very tenacious when it came to her goals.

Rivalz and Mia, along with Rivalz's bike, provided to be a good enough distraction for the remaining four girls to slip in through a partially opened window unnoticed while several knights ran off, guns in hand, to deal with the perceived threat.

The girls had already taken off their shoes beforehand, and so their steps down the hallway were quick and silent. Nonetheless, Shirley breathed a prayer in thanks that they hadn't run into Villetta, or even worse, Nunally. Her heart was beating so wildly in her chest; she was surprised the girl hadn't picked up on it yet.

Although whether that was from fear or excitement, she'd yet to really decide.

The small group managed to go through three rooms before Sophie announced, "We'll cover more ground if we split up."

Shirley nodded without even processing the words, too preoccupied with her impossibly loud heart-beat to pay attention, and by the time she understood what that meant the other girls had already gone their separate ways.

"Oh god," she whispered, just a hair's width away from panicking. "Oh _god_, _ohgodohgodohgod_."

This was wrong, she thought. This was _so_ wrong, so _beyond_ wrong.

She had to get out of here!

It occurred to her then that, while the girls had been careful to plan their entry, no one seemed to have given much thought to their _exit_. In other words, she had no idea how she could leave.

She could go back and try to leave the way she came in! But… those guards had probably returned to their posts by now. And from the way they looked, they probably wouldn't be very sympathetic to her plight.

Looking around, Shirley realized the ballroom was right down the hall. She could peer out of one of the windows, see if there was maybe a blind spot she could take advantage of. Oh! Or maybe she could find a female guard. A woman would understand, right?

Right?

She suddenly remembered Villetta Nu's unforgiving stare and withered.

Maybe not, then.

Shirley sighed. She should never have allowed Sophie to drag her along into this. Now what was she supposed to do?

"I guess I just have to tell Nunna," she murmured, frowning to herself. This was so embarrassing, but Nunally would forgive her. And hey! Maybe then Shirley could see whoever that guest of hers was without having to sneak around like this!

She nodded to herself and took a deep breath before proceeding further inside, reaching the ballroom that now more or less belonged to the Student Council. Once there she had to crawl her way across, thanks to those huge windows, and keep close to the tables.

A few moments, and she heard the hiss of the automatic door followed by the clicking of confident steps. Shirley immediately dove under the nearest table and held her breath, hoping that the person was just passing by and wouldn't notice her.

No such luck. The steps stopped, and he didn't seem to be going anywhere. She knew it was a _he_ because she could see his legs from where she was, clad in white dress-trousers and tall leather boots.

And then she heard his voice.

Shirley could've sworn something melted inside of her.

"Do you have such little faith in me, Q-1?"

That voice. She knew that voice.

That was…

She let out the breath she'd been holding slowly, covering her mouth to make sure she didn't make a sound.

Shirley had entertained many fantasies about how they might meet again.

One of them involved a ball. He'd be dressed as handsomely as ever, and she would be wearing a gorgeous shimmering dress, and a band would be playing soft, romantic music in the background. Just like last time, he'd ask her to dance, but _this_ time she wouldn't stutter and blush whenever he spoke to compliment her or ask her a question. No, she'd be confident and charming, and they'd dance the night away.

Eventually, they'd retreat to a balcony, where he'd hold her under the moonlight and whisper sweet nothings into her ear.

Shirley would admit that she'd never expected that fantasy to go _exactly_ as she imagined. Even so, she didn't think she'd be hiding under a table at the time either.

Well, they were both in a ballroom, at least.

"Hmmn. You're a hard woman to impress," she heard him say, and she tried to stifle the jealousy that flared up at that statement.

He had sisters, didn't he? A bajillion sisters! And he could be talking to any of them. Or perhaps it was a foreign minister, an ambassador- he could just be talking politics.

His following statement backed up that belief, "I suppose I'll simply have to demonstrate my power further."

Shirley gave herself a proverbial pat on the back and continued to watch through the thin table-cloth as he paced back and forth.

"There's an object in my possession, an object which would be dangerous should it fall into the enemy's hands. I need you to hold onto it for me, Q-1, can you do that?"

He paused, presumably waiting for an answer, and then abruptly hissed a, "_Careful_."

Shirley got a sudden sinking feeling, her nerves fraying further as the one-sided conversation continued.

"You shouldn't use that name so freely. Now then…"

She didn't think this was something she was supposed to hear.

"Your base should be satisfactory, yes. The same location as before, 19:00 hours."

Oh _god_. This was some secret of national security, wasn't it? Some anti-terrorist weapon of mass-destruction! Shirley tried desperately to keep from panicking, but that proved to be too difficult as image after image and scenario after scenario flitted through her mind.

What if she got caught? What if Prince Lelouch found her and thought she was a spy? She wasn't nobility, she couldn't stand up for herself! Hell, she could barely compose a full sentence in front of that man! So then, he might take her shyness for guilt, and then she'd be left to the mercy of the knights outside (whom she now knew to be Prince Lelouch's royal guard- no wonder those uniforms looked familiar!) until Milly or Nunna could come and sort things out. But by then, it would be too late, and he would be suspicious of her, and-

Shirley's breathing had become erratic, her condition worsening upon realizing that the Sub-Viceroy had stopped pacing and in fact stopped talking.

_Ohhmigod, ohmigod, he can hear me, can't he? He can hear me! What am I going to do? What would Milly do- wait, no._

Milly would likely just use her 'womanly wiles' to get out of it; just thinking about the methods the blonde would use made Shirley feel light-headed. She was thankfully snapped out of that once she noticed that _he was coming straight toward her!_

_

* * *

  
_

Lelouch breathed a sigh of relief, tucking his cell phone away in his pocket. Soon, C.C. would cease to be his problem. He wouldn't have to lock her in his room twenty-four-seven, nor would he have to worry about her corrupting his angelic little sister. She'd be far away, deep in the ghettos, with her very own bank account especially for pizza purposes so she couldn't complain.

That took care of one dilemma, at least.

_Wait, what was that…?_

Eyes narrowing sharply, he scanned the tables –he could swear he'd heard something!- until the sound of the automatic doors pulled his attention elsewhere.

"Sayoko," he greeted. The Japanese maid gave a bow in response. He could smell what she was holding before he could see it: a platter of her promised freshly-baked cookies. "Here, let me take that off of your hands."

"Oh no, Master Lelouch, I couldn't possibly-"

"I _insist_."

His pointed glare told her he wouldn't take no for an answer and she surrendered the platter to his waiting hand, albeit with some reluctance. Lelouch wondered how long it would take her to realize that when he asked for something, she really had no choice but to obey.

_The Ashfords have been too lenient with her,_ he thought, even as he offered her a slight smile in thanks. _If this were Conrad, he never would have dared refuse me, even if just out of politeness._

"Could you help Cera pack her things?"

Sayoko bowed again, "Of course, your Highness. She will be leaving with you, then?"

And there was another thing: Conrad wouldn't dare ask something like that. Sure, he eavesdropped occasionally, but his lips remained sealed firmly. Lelouch had Geassed him, just to make sure.

His mouth opened, but no words came out as he instead focused on the sound that had just come from the tables. Something like… like a gasp, or…

"You're dismissed, Sayoko," he stated, and it was obvious he was distracted by something. She followed his gaze but managed to leash in her curiosity and walk out without question. Lelouch waited until the door hissed shut behind her before he approached the tables.

Holding the cookies in his supposedly injured hand, he slowly pulled the pistol he always had on his person and clicked off the safety.

Could it be a spy? A Japanese spy, no doubt, as he liked to think that Britannian spies were at least a little more discreet. Lelouch's natural suspicion (C.C. would call it _paranoia_) made sure he was careful with what he said, and he was very thankful for that. Even if this spy had heard the entire phone conversation, he would have nothing that would link the Prince with Zero.

And what if it wasn't a spy? An assassin, then? No- a planted _bomb_? Or perhaps a trap.

His steps were slow and deliberate, and as a result they seemed to reverberate in the large ballroom. Even so, he could hear a hitch in that person's breathing, leading him to believe this was not, in fact, a professional. Whoever it was, he was too nervous, too jittery.

"Come out," he began in his most soothing voice. "I won't hurt you."

It was probably just a student, someone who was far too curious for his own good.

Underneath a table in the farthest corner from where he was standing, he glimpsed a flash of orange and tensed, gripping his pistol harder, until he realized that was orange hair. Orange hair which belonged to a girl who was slowly crawling out of her hiding place. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her lower lip trembling.

Realizing the weapon in his hand probably wouldn't help much, he lowered it.

"I- I didn't-" she stuttered, sounding on the verge of tears. She opened her eyes, but kept them downcast in shame. "I just-"

All of a sudden, and with a very loud _meow_, Lelouch found his legs under the mercy of a ball of fur.

The Prince yelped, staggering back in his surprise, which seemed to empower the monster and encouraged it to try and claw its way up his legs.

"Get the hell off, you!"

It was only the danger of shooting himself in the foot (quite literally) that stopped him from going trigger-happy on the thing.

The girl watched on with wide eyes, until she finally snapped out of it and scrambled forward, arms outstretched.

"Here, kitty!"

Moments later, Jeremiah experienced the scare of his life at hearing the sound of a gunshot ringing through the air.

* * *

C.C. allowed a smirk to curl at her lips as she watched the scene in the Clubhouse from afar. It took the Royal Guard about five minutes, give or take a little, to return to their initial posts after the frenzy that cat had caused. Tsk tsk, so sloppy.

Jeremiah, in his panic, had taken half a dozen of them with him as he stormed the building, arms loaded and ready to face his prince's assailant. Instead of the terrorists he expected to face, however, he found Lelouch on the ground, gun still in hand, with cookies strewn on the floor all around him; a pale and shaking girl was nearby, dressed in the usual Ashford uniform for upperclassmen (although she was curiously missing her shoes).

In her hands, instead of the expected weapon, was a cat which meowed innocently at them.

"Get that demon away from me!" the Prince shrieked. Wimp.

_Must you be so mean to my little boy, C.C.?_

"Don't tell me you're developing some sort of motherly instinct, now," the witch muttered in response. The boy himself seemed to revere his mother as a saint, but C.C. knew better.

And apparently, so did Marianne, if the laughter that had suddenly erupted in her head was any indication.

_Perhaps I am. Those years I spent with him at the Academy must have worn on me._

"Oh?" C.C. tilted her head to the side, trying to recall the photographs he had hanging on the walls of what he dubbed his 'Contemplation Room'. There was a corner full of teenagers in military uniform, no doubt from his Academy years. She'd only observed them in passing, but she remembered seeing a lanky blonde and a woman with pale green hair, among others. "Were you close to him there?"

The phantom-voice laughed again. _Come now, C.C., surely you don't expect me to make it __that__ easy for you?_

"Must you be so childish?"

_It's a way to pass the time_, was the reply, and the witch was sure that, if Marianne still occupied her physical body, it would be accompanied by a twirl and a playful smile.

It would be much easier if her old contractor would just tell her whose body she currently inhabited, but _no_, of course she couldn't do that. She wouldn't be Marianne the Flash if she made anything easy.

C.C. sighed, shrugging, and pushed away from the wall she'd been leaning on. She sauntered over to the roof's door, slipping the goldenrod uniform jacket on. It was time she disappeared before that Jeremiah recovered and decided to act on the information Villetta Nu gave him about the Prince's supposed mistress. The cat had provided an apt distraction to facilitate her getaway, but she may not be so lucky the next time.

Besides, she heard it was Pizza Day in the school cafeteria.

* * *

She heard their footsteps long before she heard their voices. They were slow and heavy, which both calmed and confused her somewhat. Calmed her because there was no urgent matter, there was nothing to worry about, and the gunshot she heard was probably just an accident. Confused her because her brother's footsteps were fast and clipped, even in his leisure. His knights, likewise, were quick and efficient.

Either something was wrong, or these weren't Lelouch and his guard.

But that _was_ Jeremiah's voice! She knew it! Thus, only the first option remained.

When the door opened, Nunally's head whipped up instantly, turning in their general direction with furrowed brows and a concerned look on her face.

"Big br-"

Her brother's deep voice cut her off before she had a chance to finish, saying, "You seem to have some _guests_, Nunally,"

Slowly, the situation began to clear up, and with it her visage. Guests. Unwanted guests. Who weren't supposed to know she was part of the vi Britannia line. Likely they were trespassers, which would explain the gunshot from before- Lelouch always was overly paranoid, and he tended to hire people who shared that same trait.

"Guests?" she asked, and turned her head to (presumably) face her brother, who had just crouched beside her. She heard the squeak of his boots and felt the displacement of air as he lowered himself. And there was that unmistakable pizza smell, almost masked by his own usual scent. "Who is it?"

"Uh, um, h-hi Nunally,"

"Shirley?"

"Yeah," the girl said with an embarrassed laugh. "S-Sophie, Helen and I just wanted to, um, say hi. Yeah, that's all. But then we found this cat-"

"_Demon_, if you please," Lelouch corrected, managing to somehow sound dignified even when he was obviously incensed by the animal.

Nunally giggled quietly into her hand, "Do you mean Arthur?"

"… _Arthur?_" her brother and three uninvited guests said in unison.

"Yep. He's a stray that hangs around the school a lot, and his name's Arthur." Nunally gave a knowing smile as she asked, "He didn't give you a hard time, did he, Lelouch?"

It took a whole lot of self-control not to snicker when he responded with an indignant, "_Of course not!"_ and Nunally was sure she wasn't the only one who felt that way. From what she remembered, her older brother's huffy-frowny-face was quite adorable. Of course, he'd grown quite a bit over the last seven years, as her fingers revealed to her when they would touch his face, but she doubted the expression had changed much.

"Well, it's very nice of you to drop by," Nunally began, directing her speech to where she assumed the other girls were. "We were about to have lunch, if you'd like to join us…?"

She could feel Lelouch's disapproval at her suggestion, but knew he wouldn't refuse her request. It was better if they stuck around a little, even if it did cut in to their sibling bonding time. At least that way they wouldn't get any wrong ideas- Shirley's heart would be broken, she knew, not to mention what kind of rumours Sophie might spread.

"That's fine, Nunna!" Helen was quick to say.

"Y-yeah," Shirley agreed, "We don't want to intrude."

"Oh come on, you two," That would be Sophie. "You're not really going to turn down Lady Nunally's invitation, are you?"

"And you're really not intruding at all," Nunally urged. "Right, Lelou?"

Silence reigned for a few moments, in which the girls no doubt held their breaths in anticipation of the Prince's answer. Nunally, of course, had already known it beforehand.

"Yes, that's right."

Because Lelouch could never refuse _her_.

_Sorry, big brother._

Nunally smiled and clapped her hands in delight, "It's settled, then. We're _allll_ having lunch together."

* * *

At 6:15 p.m. a dark figure was standing outside the closed gates of Clovisland, a large bag slung over his left shoulder and a baseball cap drawn low over his violet eyes, which slid down to glance at his watch irritably every so often. His fingers itched to reach for his cell phone, even when he knew it would be of no use.

The driver's Geass would already be pushing him to do everything he could to arrive on time. There was no reason to call him and yell his ear off- not unless it was to blow off steam, but Lelouch believed himself above that.

_6:17_, he thought, letting out a frustrated huff. _And I still need to find that infuriating woman_.

He supposed it wouldn't hurt to be fashionably late. It wasn't like Kallen and co would be going anywhere if he failed to show on time.

_But damn you, C.C. - where the hell did you run off to, witch?_

She'd disappeared at Ashford, but when Lelouch discovered that the cafeteria was serving pizza today he assumed that was where she'd gone and didn't worry himself too much.

_And you know what they say about assuming…_

Still, C.C. had a tendency to appear at the most convenient of times, even when he didn't tell her to beforehand. In hindsight, it had been foolish of him to expect the same now- but it was too late to dwell over lost time, anyway.

The rumbling of an engine brought him out of his reverie. And as he lifted his head, he couldn't help the sigh that escaped him.

_Finally!_

He watched as the car, nondescript and unremarkable save for the tinted glass windows, eased into a stop in front of him. Just as he reached to open the door, he found it swinging out and a pair of amber eyes stared back at him. A smirk was playing on her lips.

"Well?" she said. "You don't want to be late, do you?"

Slipping inside, the Prince decided that being wrong wasn't so bad after all.

Although Lelouch was disgruntled when C.C. insisted they stop by Pizza Hut on the way, he would admit that it gave him the much needed chance to change his outfit in private. He may have gotten used to her presence, as well as that godawful cheese scent she'd gotten on all of his belongings, but he would never be able to get used to the feel of those unsettling amber eyes, just silently watching his every move. Especially not when he was undressing.

Of course, being in the back of a car hardly made things comfortable, but with tinted windows and a Geassed driver he eventually forced himself not to care as he tugged on his Zero costume.

When the witch returned, she found the masked terrorist still struggling to cocoon himself in his ridiculous forked cape. C.C. gave a small chuckle as she slipped in, but made no move to help him.

Eventually, several banged heads and bitten curses later, Zero was finally ready in all his purple and gold glory.

He began to adjust his cravat in the window reflection but froze suddenly and whirled on her.

"What is _that_?" he asked, his voice now amplified courtesy of the mask. And although she couldn't see his face, she knew one of his brows would be quirked.

"What is what?" C.C. opened the pizza box almost reverently.

"That… that _thing_. That yellow _thing_ right there,"

"My, how articulate of you," she drawled, but understood him nonetheless and hugged her newly purchased Cheese-kun plushie close to her chest. It was as if his pointing fingers might hurt the plush toy.

C.C. heard him sigh within his mask as he leaned back into the leather chair, apparently willing to drop the matter. One thing she had to give to Lelouch: he was a fast learner. He knew better than to pursue an argument (_conversation_, she mentally amended) with her, especially when it came to pizza and any attached memorabilia.

After a while, he said, "I'm attempting to pass you off as a dangerous criminal, witch. Trailing a stuffed toy around will hardly help my case."

"If they protest, I'd be more than willing to show them just how dangerous I can be,"

Although her tone remained as bland and jaded as usual, Lelouch could have sworn he saw a spark flashing in those amber eyes for a split-second before they became lacklustre once again. He chose to blame it on the city lights.

"Besides," she added, holding up a slice of pizza. She seemed to contemplate it for a second before biting into its cheesy crust. "I thought that was the reason you actually _told_ me to wear the straightjacket for a change."

Lelouch had thrown a hissy fit the first time she dared to venture out of his room in her standard-issue military straightjacket and immediately after had bought her a whole new wardrobe, insisting she wear normal clothes. She didn't, of course, not all the time. For some reason he'd yet to understand, she preferred her straightjacket.

"Heh. Which reminds me… How did you manage to walk into Pizza Hut dressed like _that_?"

C.C. only shrugged, "They probably assumed I was into bondage or something."

The mental image of a flustered adolescent cashier attempting to serve the witch while battling the lewd thoughts in his head invoked a dry chuckle from Lelouch.

"I guess it _does_ seem rather unlikely that an escaped felon would drop by Pizza Hut, of all places, while flaunting her straightjacket for all to see."

Of course, if Clovis knew C.C. even half as well as Lelouch did, he would no doubt be keeping an eye out for her in all of the pizza establishments. In fact, that was probably how they'd managed to catch her in the first place.

Letting her go into one so undisguised was daring on his part, and if word reached Clovis it would doubtless infuriate him. Zero was taunting him, more or less, by showing the girl in plain sight. It would, at the very least, help Lelouch along with the next phase of his plan.

"Why do you like wearing those clothes so much anyway?" he asked, genuinely curious. "I'm sure you're in no hurry to go back to playing guinea-pig for my brother."

"It's my choice,"

"Do you like the design? Or is it some kind of good luck charm?" The prince's tone took on an uncharacteristically teasing edge, and he had a sly grin underneath his mask. "Or maybe you really _are_ into that kind of thing."

Completely unfazed by the rare show of humour, C.C. told him it was merely appropriate.

"I'm not free; I'm a prisoner. I'm bound, shackled, locked down. So for me, wearing this straightjacket is appropriate."

"If you're not free, fight for your freedom. If something's holding you back, _smash it_. If you just accept things in your life, nothing will change."

"And what would _you_ know about being prisoner, Prince Lelouch vi Britannia?"

"A great deal,"

Lelouch's voice took on a dark edge, his eyes narrowing. He had been around C.C. long enough to know that being condescending was almost second-nature to her. Even so, he found it hard not to go on the defensive- it was as if she was _belittling_ his past sufferings.

"Being the prisoner of one's own family and status is no trifling matter. To constantly have to look over your shoulder for fear of assassination, scrutinizing every kind word or gesture and wondering if there's another, less noble meaning behind it… I was a captive of my own mind."

Well, that explained a lot. Although C.C. was of the opinion that crazy was in their blood, if Charles and Marianne were any indication.

"_Was? _You're free of your little gilded cage, then?"

"I soon will be, and so will Nunally."

Such _conviction_…

"Is that what those terrorists are for?" C.C. asked. "Do you intend to take over Britannia, _Zero_?"

His answer was immediate, "Yes."

"If that's the case, then why not simply Geass the Imperial Family? It would be much easier than all of this running around- playing with terrorists like that; you're liable to get yourself killed."

"How touching. You're concerned about my well-being?" he scoffed.

"I'm concerned about my wish," she retorted, deadpanned. "You can't fulfil your end of the contract if you're dead, now can you?"

"I suppose not," he conceded with a tilt of his head. "And to answer your question, it's because Britannia consists of much more than just the Imperial family. Britannia is a way of life; of fighting, back-stabbing, stepping over the weak… It is that way of life I intend to change."

"But the thing you hate most about Britannia is what makes it so strong. The ones best fit to lead are the ones left standing, thus you have the elite, the best."

"And what about Nunally?!" Lelouch boomed suddenly, slamming a fisted hand onto the leather seat.

_My, my, I believe he may just have some of Charles in him after all_, she thought wryly.

"Should I simply give up on her because she's frail? _No!_ I refuse to let her be cast aside! And I refuse to let that happen to anyone else!"

"And what will terrorism change about that?"

"Terrorism? Tch. You think that's what this is all about? This is _war_. These terrorists are nothing more than means to an end: an army, a _nation_. And in return for their help, I'll give them their precious Japan. That's a fair trade, isn't it?"

C.C. tilted her head to the side, chewing thoughtfully.

"So you'll go to war with your Homeland… to change it?"

"Yes. If I used my Geass to ascend to the Throne and made my changes from there, I'd be usurped in an instant. Geass can only do so much, and I have no need for a nation of slaves. However, by Britannian logic, it's survival of the fittest: thus, if I make Britannia submit…"

"I see," C.C. said, and Lelouch thought she sounded oddly solemn. "You want to give Britannia a taste of its own medicine, is that it?"

No, that wasn't it.

"We're here," he announced, gesturing to the window. C.C. acknowledged his words with nothing more than a quirk of her brow but didn't comment on his choice to change the topic, and for that he was thankful.

Accomplices though they may be, he still couldn't fully trust her. It would be unwise to tell her the entirety of his plan, especially when said plan was subject to change at any moment.

The car came to a stop in front of a run-down theatre in the Shinjuku ghetto, their designated meeting place. The once-proud establishment was presently in shambles, housing uncouth vagabonds and resistance cells rather than elegant art-connoisseurs, but he would give it a new hero for the up and coming performance.

_Although the roles have yet to be casted. Which am I, I wonder- the hero, or the villain? Heh. Perhaps I am both, as Zero and Sub-Viceroy Lelouch each have their parts to play_.

He stepped out of the vehicle, discreetly smoothing his clothes out before offering a hand to the witch. C.C. ignored it in favour of holding her precious pizza box and Cheese-kun plushie.

And there, he thought, allowing his hand to drop underneath his cape, was the irrefutable proof that being a gentleman in this day and age just didn't pay off.

* * *

Tamaki lifted his head, sniffing at the air, and loudly proclaimed, "Whoever's hiding pizza had better be willing to share!"

Inoue closed her eyes, lifting a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, and let out an exasperated sigh. "What're you talking about, Tamaki?"

The days she'd spent underground gathering Intel had worn on her, especially her stint with _Blood of the Samurai_. Irritation was only the natural result- then again, when it came to Tamaki Shinichiro, irritation was always the natural response. Even Kallen snapped at him every once in a while.

"I'm talking about pizza!"

He jumped down from his post at the window-sill, rifle still clutched tightly in his hand, and resumed his vulgar sniffing.

"I know it's here somewhere!"

"Shouldn't you be doing something more productive than imagining food?" the dark-haired woman ground out. "Like -oh, I don't know- _maybe being on the lookout for Zero?_"

The terrorist scoffed, dismissing the matter with a wave of his hand. "Zero, schmero. If I am imagining food, it's his fault. I- " But a glare from Inoue told him there would be hell to pay if he didn't do as she said.

"I don't get what you're all worked up about, anyway," he grumbled, trudging over to his post to peer out of the window once again. "What he did wasn't a miracle! It was just a great big bluff!"

A smooth, deep voice echoed in response, making Tamaki nearly jump in surprise.

"And I suppose _you_ could have pulled it off?"

There in the doorway was the tall, slim figure of Zero, swathed in his dark cloak. The mask made it impossible to see the man's expression, but Tamaki got the feeling it would be amused- no, mocking, and immediately went on the defensive.

"Hey, I coulda done it! If I had-"

Until a green-haired girl in white slid up next to him, after which Tamaki decided that he had a different set of priorities.

"Oh hey, who's the chick?" And then his eyes widened almost comically as he caught sight of what she was carrying, "See, Inoue?! I toldja I smelled pizza! This sniffer's never been wrong!" he stated proudly, tapping his nose.

"Maybe not, but that sniffer's been _broken_ before, hasn't it?" Inoue growled, lifting a balled fist.

"Well yeah, there was this one time- Hey! Are you threatening me?"

The impending fight was interrupted when a female voice loudly asked, "So these are the brave warriors you've recruited in your fight against Britannia, Zero? It might be a better idea to just turn yourself in right now and be done with it,"

"Hang on a second," Tamaki protested, "Just what the hell do you mean? We're the best resistance cell there is-"

"Is that supposed to be reassuring?" Her smirk was condescending, and only succeeded in flaring up the terrorist further. If not for the sudden entry of the rest of his group, he might have marched right over there and given her a piece of his mind.

… well, that's what _Tamaki_ said, anyway.

The masked vigilante lifted his head to face them and then tipped it in greeting.

"I see you all answered my invitation," he said, to which a scowling Sugiyama only scoffed. "I'm grateful."

"Who's she?" Minami asked, gesturing at the girl in the straightjacket.

"This is C.C. She's an ally, and a very valued one at that."

Kallen, now dressed in her usual terrorist get-up of red and beige, usually straight locks curled in an upward flare, eyed C.C. critically and with obvious distaste.

"You said you had an object for us?" she asked, her gaze turning to Zero instead.

"Object? Is that any way to describe a lady, Zero?" C.C. asked lightly. She was making herself comfortable on one of the few chairs present, holding a plush toy close to her chest.

Kallen took some comfort in the way Zero seemed to ignore her, but her mind froze as the implication of that girl's words sank in.

"Wait, you want us to keep _her_ here?!"

"Like I said, it would be dangerous if she fell into Britannian hands again,"

Ohgi, ever the voice of reason in this group of hot-heads, calmly interjected, saying, "That straightjacket… I take it she was in prison?"

"That's right. I broke her out."

"A regular knight in shining armour, eh?" Tamaki leered, winking and elbowing Ohgi in the chest.

"What were you in for, then?" Sugiyama asked her. "You some kind of EU spy?"

"At the rescue," Inoue began tentatively, "You blackmailed Clovis, with a girl."

"Ahahah!" Tamaki clapped. C.C. levelled him with a cool glare that didn't quite manage to stop him from walking over to her and plopping down beside her. "I bet you were in with Clovis, weren'tcha? You must've picked up on some juicy stu- OW! Hey!"

The terrorist turned into the perfect image of a sulking five-year-old when, after boldly reaching for one of the pizza slices, he found his hand being slapped away with surprising force and then was unceremoniously shoved away.

In response to his questioning gaze, she merely stated, "Get your own," as she lifted a slice and pointedly took a bite.

Sugiyama rolled his eyes before turning back to Zero. "Is there any particular reason you've brought her here, or did you just want to get rid of her? Not that I blame you or anything…"

"As Inoue pointed out, I did indeed blackmail Clovis with a girl," Here, a gloved hand appeared from under his cape and gestured at C.C. gracefully. "C.C. is an invaluable source of information on the Britannians, information Viceroy Clovis would rather not have the public aware of. Namely concerning… _human_ _experimentation_."

There was a collective gasp. Zero allowed them a few seconds for the words to sink in before resuming, "Should C.C. fall into their hands again, the outcome will not be favourable. However, that is not the only reason I gathered you here,"

Kallen immediately snapped to attention, a newfound spark in her eyes, "You have a mission for us?"

"Yes. My sources tell me that Prince Lelouch vi Britannia is planning an assault on the Saitama Ghetto."

"Saitama?" Ohgi repeated, lips drawing into a frown. His heart was heavy when he explained, "He's going after the Yamato Alliance."

But Zero shook his head. "No. At least, that's not his main objective. His main objective," Cue the dramatic pause. "Is me."

* * *

**A/N:** Ah, Shirley. I love Shirley. Not even her constant pining after 'Lulu' can annoy me. If any of you have heard the sound episode called '_Ticket of Dreams_' you'd get an idea of how wild her imagination can run, and it just made me laugh so damn hard. She managed to come up with nearly every single CG pairing ever (that concerns Lelouch, anyway), including, but not limited to, Nunally, Suzaku, _Rivalz_, and even _Arthur_.

Lelouch and C.C.'s conversation is a fusion between Episode 7 of the English dub, as well as sound episode 11.531 titled '_The Girl in the Straightjacket' _and my own additions. Once again, **Code Geass is not mine**, no matter how many times I wish it was.

Oh, and happy Valentine's Day, everyone!


	13. Dual

**Chapter 13: Dual**

He could remember their first meeting vividly, as if it were only yesterday instead of nine years ago. Jeremiah was nineteen years old, still a young lad and untried in war, but foolishly eager for it. Nonetheless, when he received his first assignment he couldn't have been more ecstatic, unlike most of his peers. But they were simply too blind to see the greatness that shone through her Majesty Marianne vi Britannia, _The Flash_; too fixated on her common lineage to see the nobility of her heart, and for that he pitied them.

Of all the newly-appointed members of her Majesty's Guard, he was the only one who felt truly honoured by the task of guarding the 'common whore who slept her way up the ranks'- not that anyone would dare say so before him. Jeremiah would suffer no slight to her Majesty's honour.

Doubtless their Commander, a young Cornelia li Britannia, heard of his loyalty and chivalry, and so felt him worthy of the task of guarding her siblings, the Empress' children. His comrades snickered behind his back, thinking it was a punishment; he thought it was a reward, even if it was, as they termed it, _babysitting_.

Royal children would never be ordinary children, after all! These were their future rulers. And, being from the womb of Empress Marianne, they were bound to be even more extraordinary!

"Jeremiah was it?" she asked cordially. Her eyes were a kind lilac, and they were smiling.

His mouth felt inexplicably dry, and suddenly it was a struggle to find his voice. Eventually, Jeremiah managed to do something other than nod and saluted her, replying, "Yes, your Majesty,"

She laughed, and as a result he felt his blood rush to his face, even more so when her melodious laughter was joined by gentle giggling. From behind her mother's skirts, seven-year-old Princess Nunally appeared, clutching a stuffed toy tightly to her chest.

"What do you think, sweetheart? He's not so scary, is he?"

The Princess shook her head, smiling up at him and even venturing a few steps in his direction. Whether he willed it or not, his lips began to twitch and eventually he smiled softly in response.

"Cornelia says he's a good man and thinks he should be the one to watch over you," the Empress said, her eyes never leaving him. Jeremiah grew rigid, knowing he was being evaluated and scrutinized. "Would you like that?"

Now two pairs of eyes evaluated him and he soon found himself unable to look anywhere but the opposite wall, as he was certain that, should he dare to look at the Princess again, he wouldn't be able to contain his laughter. She was looking at him through squinted eyes, the pink tip of her tongue poking out of her mouth and her nose scrunched up, a finger tapping at her chin in an attempt to appear contemplative.

At length, she asked, "Do you know how to ride horsies?"

He cleared his throat. "Ye-yes, my Lady,"

"And make daisy necklaces?"

"I can… learn, my Lady,"

Seemingly satisfied, Princess Nunally ran back to her mother and clutched onto her skirts again. "He's okay," she said, but just as he was about to relax again she added, "But Lulu has to say yes too!"

"Of course, Nunally. I've already sent for your brother; he should be along any minute now."

As promised, the Prince was not late in coming. His presence at the door put a stop to the young Princess' tirade of questions _–"Why's your hair like that? You talk funny; why do you talk funny? Will you play tea-party with me? Mr. Fluffles likes oranges, do you like oranges?"-_but placed Jeremiah in an even tighter spot as he came to face with the boy's stern countenance.

Previously, he had only watched the Imperial children from afar as they played in the garden and there, accompanied by his sisters, Prince Lelouch vi Britannia seemed like any other boy his age. He seemed happy and carefree.

This unsettling sharp gaze, however, was nothing that should belong on a eight-year-old boy, Prince or no. It was only slight toned down by the sudden attachment of his little sister to his legs, with a loud squeal of, "Lulu!"

"Nunally," he reprimanded, a frown drawing itself on his pursed lips. "I told you not to call me that." He shot Jeremiah a glare, daring him to laugh or comment.

Jeremiah didn't dare.

Having been informed of Commander Cornelia's proposal and asked his opinion of it, Prince Lelouch began to circle the guardsman, eyeing him critically and with obvious distaste. Jeremiah could recall no time in his life when he'd ever felt this uncomfortable. The fact it was a eight-year-old boy doing this to him only made the situation even worse.

When his Highness spoke again, it was to ask him a single question, "Do you play chess, Jeremiah Gottwald?"

His mother gave a low chuckle, and Jeremiah nodded stiffly.

"Play with me, then."

Princess Nunally was displeased and stomped her feet, tugging at her brother's jacket as she complained about his apparent chess obsession. "You never play any normal games with me anymore, not unless Sister Euphie's here!" But the Prince paid her no mind as he ordered a servant to bring a board. Eventually, the Empress managed to soothe her daughter, who displayed every bit of fire and spirit that characterized her mother, The Flash.

He could see that same fire reflected in the young Prince's eyes as he organized the pieces, and Jeremiah was suddenly struck with a sinking feeling in his stomach, a feeling that told him this was a very, very, _very_ bad idea.

"You'll be white," Prince Lelouch stated, gesturing for the man to sit down opposite him.

Jeremiah complied and the Empress, grinning, said, "I should warn you, Jeremiah, my dear Black Prince here is quite the chess prodigy."

The sinking feeling increased, and continued to do so with each black piece that was moved across the board.

No one spoke for the entirety of the game, which really didn't last very long. Only minutes, really. Even so, it felt like an eternity had passed before the black king claimed his victory.

In light of this harrowing defeat, and to a boy over ten years his junior no less, Jeremiah inwardly steeled himself for his Empress' rejection.

"He'll do, Mother. Even if he does play like Clovis."

And that was that. Jeremiah spent all his days thereafter watching over the Imperial siblings, in spite of the turbulent times. Even when they were abandoned by all others, he alone remained diligently at their side.

"I'm dragging you down, Jeremiah,"

It wasn't a question, but a solemnly spoken proclamation that was delivered from a grim-faced prince. He was seated in what used to be his Mother's favourite chair in the library, curled up under a blanket with a cup of cocoa in hand. He looked depressed, he looked vulnerable. For once, Lelouch vi Britannia looked exactly like what he was, just a sad, scared little boy who didn't know what the future had in store for him or if he'd be able to handle it all.

"What do you mean, my Lord?"

But even so, those violet eyes remained sharp as ever as they glared at him, and Jeremiah was reassured that his Prince was still not entirely beaten.

"You know full-well what I mean. Mother is dead," Here, Jeremiah couldn't help but flinch at the callous statement. Prince Lelouch noticed, and his upper lip curled back in disgust. "She's _dead_, Jeremiah. And Father doesn't give a damn. The other Consorts have already begun preying on us, and not even Cornelia will be able to hold them all back."

His voice, usually so strong, dropped to a whisper as he let his head sag back against the chair. "We're finished. Vi Britannia is no more…"

"You're mistaken, your Highness,"

"What?"

"You're wrong. Vi Britannia remains, so long as its prince is still alive and well." Jeremiah fisted his right hand over his heart and knelt down, bowing his head before his liege. "It is my job to ensure that, if you will allow me the honour of maintaining the line of Vi Britannia."

For the first time in months, his prince smiled. It was small and sad, fleeting, but it appeared and that was all that mattered.

So Jeremiah remained, and with each passing day his words were proven true as his Prince, his lord and liege, grew up from an uncannily intelligent boy to a composed and calculated young man who, he believed, would be the one to remind Britannia that chivalry was not dead, that nobility remained in the hearts of the strong.

For years, he was content with this. No, more than content, he was _happy_. He was proud to be at Prince Lelouch's side. But now he'd received a taste of something new, something raw and primal, completely devoid of any the intricacies or delicacies of court.

It was _battle_.

And Jeremiah was discovering a new thrill in the possibility his liege might soon be involving himself in them.

"You're sure you wish to sortie, your Highness?"

"Yes, Jeremiah," came the exasperated reply. "For the last time, I am going to join the fighting, for if the King does not lead-"

"His subordinates would be fine with taking orders from afar, my Lord, I assure you."

Prince Lelouch shot him one of his trademark glares from over his shoulder, violet eyes narrowed in annoyance. Jeremiah merely smiled, still attempting to quell his building excitement. Certainly he would not deprive his Prince the joy of battle, and he was, in fact, quite fond of that particular philosophy and proud that his Prince would believe in it so, but it was his duty, first and foremost, to ensure Lelouch vi Britannia's safety.

"But," Jeremiah relented at last. "If that is what you wish…."

* * *

He adjusted the strap of his assault rifle for what seemed like the hundredth time that hour, absentmindedly wiping his sweaty hands on his trousers, and cast a fatigued glance at his comrades. There were shadows playing on their faces as a result of the dim lighting, making them all look particularly gaunt. It filled him with a sense of foreboding. The sound of his blood pounding in his ears was distracting and hindered his ability to think straight, and his entire body felt stiff and tense; he wondered if he would be able to run when the time came to it.

All that, and the operation hadn't even started yet. It was just his nerves going haywire after they heard that the Sutherlands were mobilizing around the Saitama Ghetto- about three hours earlier than anticipated.

Had they gone by Zero's schedule, they should've been ready by then regardless. However, there had been a few… _accidents_.

For one, Kallen, driving their one car with the cases of Britannian infantry gear Zero provided in the trunk, got rammed by another who then proceeded to insult her obviously Britannian appearance -she came to them half an hour later than she was supposed to, grinning fiercely through a split lip- and then there was the matter of getting Tamaki past his hangover, then that maddening C.C. woman…

_Naoto_, Ohgi thought wistfully, _how the hell did you ever do it?_

Even with their frantic last-minute scramble, they were too late to slip into Saitama before the blockades were set up. Zero sounded mildly exasperated when they told him; he could tell in spite of the voice filters. Nonetheless, the masked vigilante found a way for them to get in through the underground tunnels set up by the Yamato Alliance itself, after which they would have to wait for their contact from the Alliance.

So wait they did, because they had no other choice.

That seemed to be the case a lot of the time, when it came to Zero. Ohgi was sure he wasn't the only one uncomfortable with that fact, but he was the only one unwilling to voice it- for the time being anyway.

For now, for the sake of everyone in the Saitama Ghetto, he would believe in Zero and hope for another of his miracles.

From the darkness ahead came the roaring of an engine that made them all tense and stand up immediately. Ohgi held up his assault rifle wearily, suddenly tired of always having to be on guard. Part of him wondered if that was why he was so willing to hand over the reins to Zero, who seemed so much more capable; if he was just sick of being responsible for his friends' lives.

A truck came into view, and he squinted in the brightness of the flashlight that was suddenly trained on them.

"Oi! You Kozuki's group?" someone yelled from the truck.

"That's right!" Kallen answered back, just as enthusiastically. Well, who else would just be sitting in a dank, _supposedly secret_, underground tunnel? If they really were members of the Britannian military, as their current infantry uniforms indicated, they would have just opened fire by now anyway.

The engine was still rumbling as someone stepped out from the side, armed as they all were with a rudimentary rifle, as well as a Britannian pistol in his belt. With a start, Ohgi realized the boy was barely even Kallen's age. In a better time, he might even have been in Ohgi's class, and that wide grin of his would be reserved for when he made half-assed excuses for not turning in his homework.

"I take it you're our guide," Ohgi said, putting on his helmet and ignoring the sudden tightness in his throat. The sleeves of his uniform were uncomfortably constricting, as it was probably meant for a man of a slightly thinner frame, but the discomfort only registered dully in the back of his mind.

The boy nodded proudly, hefting his rifle onto his shoulder and pointed a finger at his chest saying, "Name's Riku. You're the guys that did the Clovis job, aren't you?"

Sugiyama scowled at the mention, as he always did when the subject of his and Minami's rescue came up, while Tamaki loudly proclaimed that _of course_ it was them, they were the only people Zero trusted enough to do an operation that big, conveniently forgetting how he'd been badmouthing the masked man and doubting him not moments before.

Ohgi only sighed and gestured for everyone to board the truck, pushing down his feelings of unease. If they were lucky, this was going to be a very, very long day.

* * *

_Tch. Incompetent._

Along with the sound of whirring machinery, the cockpit was filled with a curt and consistent clicking. It helped to calm him somewhat in the mess he was presently involved in.

Perhaps he had been too hopeful in expecting those terrorists to be able to follow his plan flawlessly. They weren't a real military force, after all- they were being lead by a goddamn _teacher_, of all people, who probably had no experience with weaponry prior to the invasion beyond a ceremonial katana mounted up on some wall or something of the sort.

_Breathe._ The clicking came to a stop as he closed his eyes, inhaling deeply through his nose._Remember the backup plans; there's still room for error, plenty of it. Although, if they persist in their ineptitude, then even my contingency plans may prove ineffectual, and then…_

And then what? The Saitama Ghetto would be decimated, the rebels would fall, and Lelouch vi Britannia's first act of purging would be a success.

_That's right. I'm just playing against myself, here. No matter the losses, in the end I will be victorious._

_Heh, Cornelia would be proud._

He regarded the black king chess piece between his fingers and began to twirl it idly, setting his head on his knuckles and assuming his usual thinking pose.

If the B-7 group were on schedule, they should have reached the supply train by now and, armed with its contents, would be on their way to Point 5-16 where they would intercept a certain Sir James Devlin and his unit.

Given that they probably were _not_ on schedule, however, that little plan needed to be modified. He traced the path on the map before him with his eyes, instantly concluding over fifteen possible setbacks and resulting scenarios. Not all of those scenarios could be true, meaning he needed to follow a process of elimination.

And all the while, Sir Devlin and co were growing closer to the designated point.

_In fact, they should be there in twelve, eleven, ten-_

His terrorist communicator suddenly flared to life as someone proclaimed, _"Zero! We're in position!"_

"About time," Lelouch muttered beneath his breath. Given their timing, ten scenarios had been eliminated.

He picked up the communicator, specially modified with a voice modulator fitting for his Zero persona, and cleared his throat before asking, "The process was a smooth one, I hope?"

_Seven, six…_

"_We lost Kimura during the hijack, but-"_

Lelouch interrupted, stating, "There is a wall at two o'clock. In four seconds, you will fire at it."

So now two scenarios remained. Judging by the terrorist's manner of speech, Lelouch thought he could safely assume that the possibility of this Kimura, whoever the hell it was, working for Britannia was little to none. Leaving only one.

"Four. Three. Two. _Fire_."

Several little dots on his screen disappeared, replaced by a cheerful orange proclamation of LOST. He couldn't help the smirk that curled at his lips as he flicked a white pawn off of the board. That was also a name to be stricken off of his list.

"It's amazing how easy it was to kill you, Sir James Devlin, son of the proud Duke Devlin of New York," he gloated to himself. Picking up the black king again, he tapped it on the screen, where the little dot that once symbolised Sir James had been. "My only regret is that I couldn't be there to witness it myself, but rest assured, I'll be the one to bring news of your tragic passing to your dear father."

The Devlins were a large family of vehement purists whose thoughts went beyond simple purging of Britannian society from the Honorary citizens, which Lelouch generally didn't bother with, to include even those of common birth who 'tainted' their pure, _noble_ blood. They held no love for Empress Marianne, the commoner who dared look down on them, or for her _spawn_.

"I vowed, I _vowed_ you would pay for sullying my mother's name," he said, and in his eyes shone unrestrained ferocity. "Lelouch vi Britannia always gives his due."

The Prince laced his fingers together and leaned back with a self-satisfied grin on his face.

All the conditions had been cleared; finally, Phase 1 was successfully complete.

"It's time for Phase 2."

He raised a hand to press the communicator at his ear, "Jeremiah, send reinforcements to Akabane station. They're heading for the Saikyo line!"

"_The Saikyo line? But, there's an armoured blockade there! They can't possibly-"_

"Desperate men do desperate things, Jeremiah. And sometimes they get lucky. Sir Devlin's down- Sir Mallory as well," he added after a quick glance at the digitized map. Good, B-7 was proceeding as planned, at long last. "If they have access to knightmares, it shouldn't be long before they at least try to overcome the blockade. _Send the reinforcements_."

"_At once, my Lord."_

Lelouch put down the black king in favour of picking up the queen and held it up thoughtfully. "Your turn, Q-1. Let's see if you're worth it."

* * *

"Are you alright in there, Kallen?"

She couldn't see him, but she could hear Minami's laughter at the absurdity of that question and grinned in response.

"It's gonna take a whole lot more than a few Britannian bastards to take me down, Minami!"

Some cheers erupted from the men below, carrying through the relatively empty warehouse. Kallen joined in with a war cry that turned into a laugh halfway through, which made them laugh as well. Was this what victory felt like? Because _damn_ was it good.

The taking of Akabane Station was quick and painless, thanks to Zero's instructions. The Britannians defending it were either dead or incarcerated in the carts of the very same supply train that carried the Sutherlands she and her comrades were currently in. Of the Honorary Britannians, some chose to flee while others joined them, afraid that the Shinjuku massacre might happen again here and encouraged by the promise of _Zero_.

Now, it was time for some payback.

Kallen tore off the gray infantry jacket she'd been wearing to reveal a red tank top underneath and tossed the jacket away. An extra moment was spent tying their group's trademark red bandana around her head, and then her hands dropped to grip the Sutherland's controls.

Her communicator, taped to the side of the cockpit, crackled as it came to life. Zero, she was sure of it. His timing was always impeccable; somehow, he always knew exactly when to check in.

"_Q-1, are you ready?"_

"I was born ready!"

That line was so cliché that on another time it might have made her cringe, but it felt so very true at that moment. The hard part was over. They'd successfully taken over the station, seizing the Britannians' weapons in the process and opening the road for more of the Yamato Alliance's forces to join in.

"_Good to hear,"_ Kallen thought Zero sounded vaguely amused underneath that voice modulator. _"You and N-2's team will push onward to point 4-63, while R-1 and R-2 stay behind to hold the station. B-7 and B-5 will-"_

Zero's instructions were interrupted by a cry of, "Incoming knightmares!" Kallen's head whipped up, eyes wide and staring incredulously ahead.

"Reinforcements already?" Ohgi wondered aloud. The panic was evident on his face as he told Inoue and Riku to check on their prisoners, in case one of them had managed to send a distress signal of some sort. They hadn't cut off communications entirely in fear of drawing attention to themselves too soon, thinking that a few well-placed guards around the station would be enough to ensure their safety. Apparently, they were wrong.

Zero, on the other hand, seemed completely calm, _"They've come earlier than I anticipated…It seems your Honorary Britannian friends betrayed you."_

Sugiyama swore, "I knew we shouldn't-"

"Save it for later, buddy!" Tamaki exclaimed, gripping the tug line. He was slowly lifted to the cockpit of his stolen Sutherland. "Now we've gotta kick some Britannian ass!"

For once, Kallen couldn't agree with him more. Her Sutherland's landspinners screeched as she sped off, assault rifle ready in one hand and a tonfa extended in the other.

"Me and Tamaki'll take care of this!"

* * *

It was a party, identical to the million other parties that were characteristic of Area 11's genteel society. With Clovis at their head, frivolity had been given full reign, and while they printed elaborate reasons on their gold-gilded invitations it was quite clear that the great majority of their parties were just for the sake of having a party. They'd take any reason they could, really.

Today, in the exclusive section of the yet-unopened Clovisland, it was held in honour of the completion of the Viceroy's new line of swimsuits, which were being modelled by various young ladies of the nobility. Clovis, observing a certain Baroness Deirdre Myric from over his cocktail as she pranced around in an especially saucy black number, gave himself a proverbial pat on the back for a job well-done and congratulated himself on his exquisite taste.

To a few of the gorgeous ladies in his circle, he had enclosed a package with the invitation that contained the swimsuit he'd chosen for them, along with a hand-written note that told them, more or less, that Prince Clovis would be very upset should they fail to appear and model his creations.

They all came, of course, regardless of propriety or their fathers' objections. Clovis expected he'd made himself quite a few enemies today.

Judging by the number of men that had approached him to express their admiration for his line (who were usually on the verge of salivating), he'd also made himself quite a few friends.

How Lelouch could ever refuse to come was beyond him. And for what? To go chase after some terrorists in some ghetto. Zero was a nuisance, to be sure, but couldn't he wait until _after_ the party?

Clovis sighed and shook his head, as if shaking the issue out of his mind, just as a Countess touched his arm and asked, with fluttering lashes and a saccharine voice, if something was the matter.

"Ah, my dear," He patted her hand lightly, taking it in his as he flashed her a winning smile. "Such is the curse of ruling. One's mind is never truly free of concerns and sometimes that can even obstruct one's ability to take pleasure in life."

"Oh, you poor thing," Another one cooed. She had a pretty face but her name escaped him. His smile toward her was just the tiniest bit subdued; if he couldn't remember her, she probably wasn't worth remembering, but he was a man who appreciated beauty no matter where its origin.

"Yes, yes, it's really quite horrible," Clovis sighed dramatically, releasing the Countess Renfield from his hand and lifting it to his forehead.

"You shouldn't allow the trivial matters of state to trouble you, Your Highness,"

"We fear you might burn yourself out!"

"And then you might not be able to grace the world with your masterpieces."

The third member of his little gathered fanclub, a young Lady Lydia, placed a delicate hand on his shoulder and began to massage it lightly. She was a favourite of his, and currently modelling a very dominatrix-inspired purple swimsuit, so he let her, even leaning back slightly to her touch.

"Worry not, my dears. I could never do that to you."

Oh what a ridiculously dramatic world he lived in. They were all liars, and not even convincing ones, but they pretended to believe one another nonetheless for some obscure, twisted reason. Was it that they meant to be so obviously fake? That they enjoyed this charade, this clichéd script?

Clovis' smile became wry, and he thought that perhaps he'd been spending a little too much time around Lelouch lately. It was unlike him to dwell on the whys of life, preferring to live it rather than question it. That was his brooding little brother's job, after all.

The ladies noticed that he'd grown distracted again and apparently didn't like that, for as soon as they regained his attention they started laying the charm on especially thick. Clovis grinned hugely and lapped it all up as usual, but part of him was growing tired.

It was that part, perhaps, that was actually _glad_ to see Bartley for a change, in spite of the eyesore the General presented in this beautiful establishment of his. Bartley was a flatterer like no other, and Clovis had his fill of those, but his presence signified that the Prince was needed elsewhere, thus provided him with a valid excuse to escape.

"Your Highness, I'm terribly sorry to disturb,"

But… did he really want to escape?

"But the media's caught wind of the ongoing operation in Saitama. They need you to make a statement."

The Prince cast a look at the pouts that formed on the girls' lips, noting how Lydia's in particular looked so very voluptuous and inviting.

"I suppose I'll have to change then," he said, gesturing at his current state of undress with a resigned sigh. He knew the girls' gazes followed, eyeing his bare torso greedily, and he relished the attention.

Funny. He wanted to be free of this awful scripted play but refused to relinquish the spotlight. This world of his would be better if he was merely a bystander, able to take in the beauty without it being tainted, but at the same time Clovis would simply never be satisfied if he was not the centre of attention. Anonymity was something he'd had to taste often, growing up in Schneizel's shadow- or rather, as much as it was possible for a Prince. He didn't like it.

Grudgingly, the ladies left their places on his chaise lounge so that he could get up, each of them giving him a bow once he was on his feet that provided quite the view. Clovis merely chuckled, gesturing for a flustered Bartley to follow.

He made sure he was perfectly within everyone's earshot when he, laughing, asked, "Do you think the masses will mind too much, though, if I gave them the speech like this?"

* * *

Perhaps he was just a tad too excited when he reported the terrorists' presence, and perhaps just a little too glad for it. Inwardly, Jeremiah berated himself for failing to compose himself, but he knew that the pride swelling in his chest was nothing he could help.

It was the pride, dare he say it, of a _parent_ who was watching his son in his most brilliant moments.

Soon Britannia would understand this pride and share it, cheering for their Black Prince as they cheered for his mother when he returned victorious, bringing further glory to his Homeland and name. The other princes and princesses, his peers, even his sister, all of whom doubted him and his decision to remain by the boy's side; they would understand, at long last. They would understand that he wasn't serving the ghost of his idol, the Lady Marianne, but someone who was equally if not more powerful.

The way Jeremiah saw it Lelouch had a very good chance of becoming the next ruler of Britannia, or at least the next Prime Minister should his Highness Prince Schneizel take the post.

"But first, my Lord, you must lead us here to victory," he whispered, eyes focused on the digitized map glowing in front of him. The squadron sent to Akabane was being opposed by only a few units, but it appeared that one of them was a particularly talented pilot. It was strangely reminiscent of…

Jeremiah pressed the ear comm., opening the line between himself and his liege, "The Glasgow pilot, from Shinjuku. I think she's here."

"_I see we share the same thoughts, Jeremiah,"_ Prince Lelouch replied. _"Hopefully, that's the only good pilot they have, but even so her presence is dangerous. She's buying them time. Soon, Zero's men will have organized and they'll be able to face us head-on."_

"I'll deal with this pilot at once!"

"_No!"_Jeremiah frowned, brows furrowing, "But, your Highness, I'm fairly close to the scene, and I'm more than capable of-"

"_I have full confidence in your capabilities, Lord Jeremiah, and that is why I'd prefer it if you remained by my side. It's possible Zero himself will be making an appearance shortly and at that time I will need loyal individuals who will ensure my safety."_

He still wasn't pleased but relented nonetheless. Given Zero's friends within their own forces, in spite of whatever purging they'd done, it was only natural his Prince would require someone trustworthy nearby. Should Zero manage to injure, or worse, capture Prince Lelouch the blow to Britannia would be irreparable.

Even so, that pilot was a danger that needed to be dealt with.

"What do you propose, then, my Lord?"

"_Dispatch the Lancelot."_

"Kururugi." His distaste was obvious.

"_What better opportunity to show his loyalty to Britannia?"_

And what better opportunity to test these terrorists' mettle?

If Lelouch's vision was realized, they would be up against far worse foes than merely an experimental frame. He needed to see how they'd fare against Kururugi- hopefully, better than their Shinjuku counterparts who merely panicked and ejected.

To survive, they would need to have the utmost trust in Zero. To win, they would need that _and_ flawless execution of his plans, along with a good deal of talent and courage. Given their performance so far, though, Lelouch didn't expect them to win.

_So it's Lelouch vi Britannia who claims the field today._

Playing idly with his black king chess-piece, a sudden thought came to him that seemed comically trivial compared to the current situation, but prompted a frown to tug at his lips nonetheless.

Since he was considering himself and Zero to be two different entities, _opposing_ entities, did that mean he also had to stop referring to himself as the Black King in this game?

* * *

She would never admit it, not even to herself, but the first time Kallen laid eyes on the white and gold knightmare as it charged towards her, glimmering swords held out, her heart stopped for a moment and she became aware of an alien feeling. It flickered, making her blood drum in her ears and her palms sweaty on the controls, and it was called _fear_.

The times Kozuki Kallen had truly felt afraid were few and far in between. During most of her operations with the resistance cell, she felt apprehensive, sure, but it was masked by her excitement and anger. Fear was a rarity. Fear came with her older brother, her beloved idol's death; it came with the massacre in Shinjuku; now, it came in the form of that white and gold knightmare that had come to snatch their victory away just as they were finally about to grasp it.

When the sword came down, her Sutherland's tonfas came up to block it, and she soon found herself struggling simply not to be pushed backwards. Even so, she got the feeling he was holding back, which was more than enough to turn that flicker of fear into indignant anger.

It certainly didn't help when the pilot, in an apparent attempt to be merciful even though she took it as mocking, asked her to surrender.

"Like hell I am!" she yelled back, and she pushed away from him, swerving to the side in an attempt to put some distance between them. Immediately, the others began their barrage, but the bullets were deflected by a green film that materialized over the knightmare's forearms, a shield of some sort. He managed to disable two of their Sutherlands in that duration.

Gritting her teeth as she sped around him, Kallen fired one of her harkens, only to have it blocked as he performed an impossible spinning kick that sent her flying back.

Her head slammed against the back of the cockpit with the impact and she hissed at the pain.

"How could he… That's physically impossible!"

"_Not for the Z-01 Lancelot, apparently,"_

"Zero!" She latched onto her saviour. "Do you know how to deal with this thing?"

Kallen heard Tamaki cry, "Die, Britannian!" followed by yet another hale of bullets as he fired his slash harkens. The knightmare, Lancelot, managed to grip one of those harkens in its massive hands and use it to pull the Sutherland towards it. Tamaki abandoned the harken, but far too late as the Lancelot had his knightmare in its metallic clutches and wasn't letting go.

"_Fall back. The Yamato Alliance's reinforcements have just arrived; join their ranks if you can. Alone, you can do nothing against that monstrosity."_

Although it wounded her pride to do so, Kallen conceded and began to speed away. Whatever that thing was, it was way out of the Sutherland's league.

She saw Tamaki's cockpit whiz beside her after he ejected, as if to confirm her thoughts, but it also alerted her to a very important fact: the Lancelot was now free to focus on her. Then why wasn't he giving chase?

Whatever his reason, Kallen was thankful for it (grudgingly), because it allowed her enough time to retreat into the safety of the Station more or less intact, even as other Sutherlands poured out. Above the shriek of the landspinners and the clanking of metal, she could hear Zero's commanding voice clearly from the speakers, and she couldn't help but beam up at them as if the masked man could see.

* * *

Well, they didn't panic at least. In fact, the way they held up against Kururugi was almost admirable. Perhaps with the right knightmare frame to even the scales, Kallen might even be able to put up a decent fight. Of course, in order to test this theory of his she needed to first survive the following hours; Lelouch estimated that at least half of the rebel forces he'd gathered would be lost in the ensuing battle. They just didn't have what it took to go up against full knightmare squadrons at a time.

Zero's modus operandi was generally more discrete, for he knew the rebels weren't ready as an army yet, but just in case _they_ didn't know that, or in case they shared the sentiment of the JLF and Blood of the Samurai, they had to try it for themselves. Only then would they appreciate the underhanded methods he would have to use in the future and realize they had no chance of victory without Zero.

Now came the hard part…

"R-1, R-2, maintain distance. Draw them back to the Area where N-2 is."

The reports were starting to stream in from both sides. Things weren't so hectic normally, but then again normally a man was in charge of only one side of the forces, not both of them. Nonetheless, he somehow managed to make out the garbled Japanese and English that came through.

"Hawke, pull back and regroup with Alexander's unit." _Check_. Lelouch took off his earpiece and spoke into the hand-held radio.

"B-7, open fire towards three o'clock," Several of Hawke's knightmares fell. "B-5's team will commence its barrage."

He held the earpiece to his mouth, "Commander Sinclair, proceed as instructed. You'll catch them in a pincer movement."

His eyes flickered constantly between the blue map on his screen and the chessboard balanced on his legs. He didn't bother to move the pieces anymore but kept track of where they should be in his head, until at long last he could let go of both communicators and simply breathe.

The King, having given his orders, could only wait and see and hope they were carried out properly. In the end, humans were much different than chess pieces, they didn't have set values. A human could fall under his expectations, he could fail, but he could also _exceed_ them. Given Lelouch's precarious situation, playing for both sides as he was, either scenario could be disastrous for him.

Regardless, this wasn't the time he would worry about the resistance excelling, because even if they did there was no way they could overcome the superior Britannian forces, which boasted incredible numbers and weaponry if it lacked in skill, as well as the Lancelot. In fact, they wouldn't be able to even escape without one of Zero's miracles.

Said miracle was set to happen in a few moments, actually, provided a certain green-haired witch was punctual. Lelouch gazed down at his wrist-watch with pursed lips, trying to decide if she valued her pizza above screwing with him or not.

Suddenly, the image of a masked man appeared on his screen and the prince smiled, having gotten his answer.

* * *

Physically, Zero's mask wasn't any different from before. It still had those spikes at the top, vaguely resembling the king chess piece; it was still a gleaming purple, and it was still entirely expressionless. And yet somehow, _somehow_, it managed to radiate a certain arrogance as he spoke.

"I'm disappointed, Britannia,"

Perhaps it was his intonation. Maybe his posture.

"You fight well, I'll give you that, but you failed to do the simplest of tasks."

More likely, it was the setting. He sat with one leg crossed over the other, resting his head on his long, gloved fingers as if bored, in what was obviously the Viceroy's throne in the Mobile Command Centre. Behind him, the Britannian flag smouldered.

"Next time, I advise you to cover your bases better,"

Gradually, more of the room became visible as the camera backed out of the initial close-up. Zero paused, apparently allowing the soldiers fighting on the field, both Britannian and Japanese, a moment to digest what they were seeing.

At the base of the throne, pooled around one shoe and dripping from the heel of the other, was what could only be blood. Eventually, they could see bodies on the floor. Three, to be precise, and judging by their uniforms they had been high-ranking Generals in the Britannian Army. The Japanese hooted at their victory, but quieted down once their saviour began to speak again.

The Britannians were watching, slack-jawed, but for a select few who took aim at the G-1 Mobile Base.

_"Bomb it."_

They lived to serve.

"Prince Lelouch vi Britannia," Zero said, apparently unfazed by the assault. "It appears you're on the battlefield. I respect that. As such, I hope you don't mind that I took the liberty of ridding you of these vermin," He gestured around him, at the bodies of the dead Generals. "For now, this will suffice to get my point across. Next time-"

They never got to hear the rest of his warning, for in that moment the broadcast was cut off as the Command Centre went up in flames.

Jeremiah Gottwald, who had been given the privilege to command that bombing, rose from his cockpit, punching the air with a cry of, "_All hail Britannia!_"

It was taken up by the rest of the soldiers in no time. Soon, the entirety of the Saitama Ghetto shook with their chanting of, "_All hail Britannia!_" until at last the Prince showed his face, rising up from a perfectly ordinary looking Sutherland, to join in.

But at that moment, the chant changed.

"_All hail Lelouch! All hail Lelouch!"_

Meanwhile, the rebels retreated. The Britannians knew and let them, because they were ordered to. They'd seemingly completed their objective, destroying Zero and scattering the Yamato Alliance. Here, at least, the Japanese no longer posed a threat.

But even as they retreated, the Japanese rebels had his voice to guide them, and as they sped through the underground tunnels with what few battered knightmares remained to them, they took up a chant of their own,

"_Zero! Zero! Zero!"_

_

* * *

_

**A/N:**This chapter should have been longer, but the last few scenes didn't fit with the whole theme of this battle so I decided to save them for the next chapter instead. That said, I hope the battle itself wasn't too awful or confusing; it's my first time writing something like that, but it certainly won't be my last, so if you have any constructive criticism to give I'd really appreciate it.

Now then, when it comes to Geass, it seems I have an opinion of it that very little share with me. Because they will be coming up in this fic, I thought I should get it out of the way.

For one, when it comes to the physical manifestation of Geass we see in the series (i.e. the red rings around the eyes, the red bubble in which time is seemingly paused) I've always believed they were just visual cues for us, the viewers, since none of the characters ever seemed to notice them. It's also possible that only Geass users and Code-bearers can see them.

It's also the same when it comes to that bird sigil that signifies that activation of Geass. Because, really, if just anyone could see a crane flare up in a person's eye you'd think there would be some note of it in history by now, even in just a passing fairytale. My main reason for this belief is due to the fact many Geass users in the series, such as the Emperor, took little or no pains to hide their eyes.

Of course, one could argue that, well, he's the _Emperor_ and also happens to be able to alter memories. In Mao's case, he did wear sunglasses, but those were probably for protection against Lelouch's Geass more than anything else. As for C.C., it wouldn't have mattered to her if people saw her Geass or not since they were too madly in love with her to do anything about it. Still, I maintain the opinion that the lens Lelouch wore in R2 was more to block the effects of his Geass than to hide its appearance.

So tl;dr, in this fic the Geass sigil can only be seen by other Geass-users or Code-bearers. The red rings around the eyes and whatnot are nonexistent. That is all.


	14. Knight

**Chapter 14:****Knight**

Shirley gazed out of the window with unseeing eyes, hardly registering the gorgeous scenery that flashed past. Toying with the straw of her cocktail, she couldn't help the sigh that escaped her, one of many. _Idiot_, she thought. _You have no right to be so upset._

But that didn't stop the fact that she was, and while her head rationalized her heart blocked it all out, stubbornly clinging to her silly little crush. All the rationale in the world couldn't prevent her from dreaming of her prince charming, nor could it stop her from replaying their last meeting in her mind.

It was, simply put, a disaster.

First he'd caught her hiding under a table, _apparently_ spying, and then he'd been attacked by Arthur, causing him to go trigger-happy before she managed –_barely_- to pry the cat off of him. And then there was the embarrassing revelation to Nunally, made even more embarrassing by the girl's gracious invitation to lunch. It made Shirley wonder if they (Helen, Sophie and herself) couldn't have saved themselves the trouble and just asked nicely in the first place. Maybe then the simple act of having lunch with a Prince and a noblewoman (they never _did_ know what exactly Nunna's title was) wouldn't have been so difficult.

And then…

The way he looked at her, the way he spoke… Shirley found it hard to believe, but it was just as hard not to after witnessing their interaction. And what was worse, they acted like it was completely natural for them to be together. There were no awkward silences between them, no scripted rolls to fall into; only a heart-wrenching familiarity that made her feel almost embarrassed to see, as if she was intruding upon their moment.

Nunally had been the perfect hostess, of course, and made sure to include the girls in the conversation, but Prince Lelouch had no such inclination. He had eyes only for Nunna, something that had irritated Sophie to no end. When he spoke to the guests it was with a cool formality that plainly told them he was only doing it to be polite. And that he didn't even care enough to hide it.

Shirley sighed again, only to be brought back to Earth after receiving a prompt whack on the head, courtesy of Milly's rolled-up magazine.

"Owww," she complained, rubbing her forehead lightly. Milly set the magazine down and wagged a reprimanding finger in her friend's face.

"Stop spacing out like that!" she ordered, "We're here to enjoy our time together, which means you're going to have a good time whether you like it or not! Got that, Missy?"

"Yes, Madame Prez,"

"More feeling!"

She rolled her olive eyes, but complied, louder this time, "Yes, Missprez!"

"_I can't hear you!"_

"YES! MISS! PREZ!" Shirley was red-faced but grinning, if only at the absurdity of it all, and Milly gave a nod in satisfaction. Her grin rapidly fell at hearing Nunally's quiet giggles, however. _Oh god_, and she'd gone and made a fool of herself in front of Nunna _again_, and now-

"Shirleeeeey," The President was rolling up her magazine again, an eyebrow quirked in what was supposed to be a threatening gesture.

"Is something on your mind, Shirley?" Nunally asked, oblivious to the menace sitting beside her.

"No. I guess it's just… I've never been out of the settlement before, you know?" she lied. She went back to playing with her straw, ashamed at herself for having to lie to such a sweet little girl, and missed the smirk that was curling at the blonde's lips. Had she seen it, Shirley would have described it as purely _devilish_.

"Oh, _I_ know, alright," Milly leaned forward conspiratorially, giving Shirley and Nina who were sitting opposite her an eyeful of cleavage. "You're wondering if the cabin boys are going to be as cute as they were in the pamphlet. Or maybe you're thinking about a weekend tryst with an exotic Eleven, hmnn?"

Nina choked, looking positively scandalized. "H-how could you even joke about that, Milly?"

"_What?_ Elevens can't be cute?"

"Well that's _not_ what I was thinking about," Shirley huffed. She felt like her face was about to burn off. Folding her arms, she was quick to follow up, hoping Milly would be distracted and forget about bugging her, "And _you_ shouldn't think about that stuff either! Elevens can be dangerous, no matter how cute they may be."

The Ashford heiress sat back, laughing lightly and waving a hand in dismissal. She wiggled her eyebrows and said, "The danger's just part of the appeal."

They were suddenly plunged in darkness as the train passed through a tunnel. Someone gasped, and Shirley looked worriedly at her friends.

"Is something wrong?" Nunally asked. In that instant they emerged from the tunnel and were flooded with light again. Shirley could see the concerned frown on the wheelchair-bound girl's face and Villetta Nu's pinched expression, and also Milly's smile as she knelt down in front of Nina, patting her hand reassuringly.

"Nina, it's alright," she cooed, but it did little to comfort the frightened girl. The confusion was evident on Shirley's face, though she later tried to mask it. Milly, as always, seemed to know exactly what to do. Her smile never wavered for a second. "There are loads of Britannian tourists at Lake Kawaguchi, so security's fine. Don't be afraid. It's not the ghettoes."

"Y-yes, but-"

"We'll be with you the whole time. You'll never be rid of us, I promise."

The mousy girl gave a timid little smile, "Thanks,"

"Besides!" Shirley chirped, regaining her usual bright demeanour. "We have Miss Villetta here, and she's trained in all sorts of combat and stuff. She'll protect us! Right, Miss Villetta?"

The dark-skinned woman, now accustomed to being randomly included in their conversations, gave a prompt nod. "That's right. There's absolutely nothing to worry about."

* * *

In light of recent, very alarming discoveries made in the A.S.E.E.C.'s hangar, Lelouch could be found pacing his office, a look of deep concentration as well as _frustration_ on his face.

Ever since he'd set foot in this accursed country, it seemed as if all of his plans were crumbling all around him. Those that did come through were always with frantic last-minute adjustments. Why could nothing go according to plan, for once?

"It's too soon," he muttered, running an aggravated hand through his hair. Seemingly unaware of Jeremiah's presence, Lelouch spoke his thoughts aloud, "I can't… But if I don't, then I'll lose my leverage. But would it be too sudden? Or perhaps… Yes, I have to act, _now_."

He suddenly stopped in his tracks and whirled on the knight, who had been standing patiently to the side, "Jeremiah, I wish to speak with Reuben Ashford."

The man was terribly efficient, and in only a few moments Lelouch was seated behind his desk, fingers laced over his knees and looking at the Headmaster's elderly face in his screen.

"Good day, Lord Ashford," he greeted.

Reuben Ashford merely chuckled, giving a slight shake of his greying head. "Good day to you too, your Highness. Although, as you well know, I haven't been a Lord for seven years."

Lelouch wasted no time in getting down to business. His eyes became hard, expression stony and unforgiving. "Is that why you're setting your granddaughter up with Earl Asplund?"

Ashford's smile fell rapidly. This was a man renown for his youthfulness, but Lelouch thought he looked inexplicably old as he closed his eyes, a hand rising to pinch the bridge of his nose. It was as if the weight of all his years had finally fallen upon him. "I assure you, my Prince," he said, heaving a great sigh. "That arrangement is not one I approve of."

Lelouch gave a careful smile, his expression showing just the right amount of approval. "I'm glad to hear that," he began, his tone much more amicable now. "But I'm right, aren't I? Your family wishes to regain your noble status, so they're marrying Milly off to Asplund."

"I'm afraid so."

"Is Milly alright with that?"

The once-proud Lord Ashford now turned away, his head bowing slightly. That was all the answer Lelouch needed.

"I understand." He lowered his head as well, although in his case it was more to hide his smirk than anything else. Behind him, Jeremiah Gottwald watched the interaction with barely-contained curiosity. "In that case, I have a proposition for you. Your granddaughter is a friend of mine, and I don't want to see her suffer. Certainly not with Lloyd Asplund."

Truthfully, the idea of combining the eccentric genius of Milly Ashford and Lloyd Asplund was simply too much to bear. Lelouch shuddered at the thought of how their offspring might turn-out. Yes, he must stop this marriage, for all of humanity's sake.

"Thus, I will see to it that your title returns."

Ashford's head whipped up immediately, his eyes widened in surprise. However, the Prince could also detect some suspicion and he could see a frown pulling at his lips underneath that heavy moustache. Reuben Ashford was a man of the world. He knew more than anyone else just how risky it was to depend on a royal. He also knew that nothing came without a price.

"Don't go thanking me yet. I'm afraid there's a catch," he said, confirming Ashford's thoughts. There was no use denying what they both knew. However, Lelouch was making it seem as if the matter pained him, and he hesitated momentarily to make the act even more convincing, before he leaned closer to the screen, "Tell me, Lord Ashford… Do you still have your old knack for machinery?"

* * *

When Villetta Nu became a knight, she'd been ecstatic. No, _beyond_ ecstatic, she'd been… There was really no word for it. And yet, she somehow managed to maintain her cool expression, broken only by a righteous smirk on her painted lips. And all she could think was, _Take that, all you brats at the Academy!_

Knight of Honour, Villetta Nu. It was her life's dream finally coming to fruition. She was a _noble_, if not by birth then by rightfully earned status. It wouldn't be so hard to reach even higher, reach for the stars, for Rounds Status or, barring that, a position with the Royal Guard. It wouldn't be so hard to get a real title.

She'd been aiming for service with Princess Cornelia, but when she was summoned by Jeremiah Gottwald she didn't dare refuse. There was only a year between herself and Gottwald, and she had served with him briefly before he was assigned to the Royal Guard. He had shown little care for her origins, and for that Villetta held an immense amount of respect for him.

Of course, it didn't hurt that he was now Prince Lelouch's personal knight as well.

The last thing she'd expected was to be assigned to guard, not Prince Lelouch, who although young and generally belittled in the military field would have given her a wonderful chance to prove herself against those Eleven terrorists, but his sister, Princess Nunally.

His sister, who was blind and crippled and only fifteen years old.

Something in Jeremiah's knowing look, and then the calculated glare he shot her way, made her accept, because she knew she would come to regret if she didn't. He would make her regret it.

And now here she was, pushing the princess' wheelchair around as she and her ditzy little friends discussed hot springs and clothes and who knows what else, wishing desperately that she could be transported into a knightmare. Villetta was a soldier, not a baby-sitter! She wanted some action!

As if in response to her unspoken wish, the door at the far end of the room exploded. Villetta immediately pulled the wheelchair back, ducking in front of the Princess as she extracted her firearm, when all of a sudden Elevens began to pour in. Each of the Elevens was training his rifle on them, and it was obvious from their stance that these were no ordinary terrorists.

_They're too organized. Almost like a military._ Villetta's eyes widened then narrowed as she came to a realization. _The__Japan__Liberation Front_.

"What's happening?" the Princess cried out.

"It seems…" The knight of honour glared at their captors and slowly slid her firearm back into its place under her shirt. It would be foolish to try anything. There were just too damn many of them. "It seems the hotel has been hijacked."

Here was one half of her wish: action. Now if only she could have her other half: a knightmare and plenty of ammo.

Princess Nunally reached for her hand and Villetta let her, grasping those frail fingers tightly even as the Elevens surrounded them.

* * *

"Your Highness."

Lelouch frowned, disgruntled at the interruption, but turned his head slightly towards Jeremiah and motioned for him to talk. It was only when the knight bowed down to speak to him that Lelouch noticed how ashen his face was. Soon the blood drained from his face as well as Jeremiah relayed the news to him and, for several painful moments, he could've sworn his heart stopped.

"Kawaguchi?" he repeated, his voice a strained whisper.

He'd forgotten entirely about the elderly man he'd been speaking to, but Ashford reminded him of his presence when he, after a polite cough, inquired if everything was alright.

"I'm sorry, Lord Ashford," Lelouch said, rising abruptly from his seat. "But I'll have to cut this conversation short. It appears my fiancée has just been taken hostage."

"Milly?" the headmaster asked, staring incredulously. "But, she was just going to a resort with some friends! She…" He trailed off, a hand covering his mouth as he came to the realization of what the Prince meant. "Oh my. I-is the Princess alright?"

Lelouch closed his eyes, swallowing the lump that had risen in his throat and refusing to consider the possibility that she might not be. The only response he could give was a stiff nod, and then the screen went black.

"I'm sure she's fine, my Prince," Jeremiah ventured. "Her Highness is relatively obscure; they couldn't possibly know she was there."

"Get me whoever is in charge of this thing, and prepare the G-1 Mobile Base. Where's Clovis?"

"On his way to Kamine Island. There are ruins there the Viceroy wishes to inspect."

Brows furrowed, Lelouch asked, "Isn't he supposed to be conducting an attack in Shizuoka?"

"He is, My Lord. Remotely."

Lelouch made a sound of disgust, shaking his head. Had he been in any other situation, he might have congratulated himself on a job well done. The Zero ruse he'd orchestrated during the Saitama Affair made it so that his elder brother wanted a piece of the action as well, but didn't want to be anywhere near it while it happened. The result was that Zero would be able to operate more easily without Prince Lelouch having to be under his older brother's eye all the time.

But now? Now, when he most needed someone beside him…

When the face of the Japanese Colonel appeared on his screen, the Prince had just barely collected himself. With practiced cool, he asked after their demands. The response made him want to laugh.

"The freedom of Japan, you say?" Lelouch wore a belittling smirk. "I'm flattered that you think I have that kind of power. Sadly, I do not. Feel free to take it up with the Emperor, though."

"In that case," the gruff Colonel Kusakabe said, completely ignoring his last statement. His English was awkward and heavy on his tongue. "We demand the withdrawal of Britannian forces from the following areas…"

When the video feed was cut off, he allowed his already crumbling mask to fall away and dropped his head into his hands. This was too dangerous a situation to merely sit back and wait. He needed to be there, in the very thick of things! He needed to save his sister!

_Think, Lelouch! What do you have at your disposal?_

The entirety of the Britannian army of Area 11. Countless knightmare frames, including an advanced experimental prototype. Aircrafts. Soldiers. Japanese guerrilla. Desperate resistance fighters.

Lelouch's head shot up.

It was a testament to just how shaken up he was that it took him so long to remember that. Prince Lelouch had no place here; only Zero would suffice.

He took a moment to listen for footsteps then, when he was sure Jeremiah wasn't rushing back, pulled his private cell phone from his breast pocket. This was reserved for terrorist activities only, equipped with a voice modulator that gave him Zero's metallic tone.

One ring, two, three. _Pick it up, witch!_ Four, five.

"_What is it, boy?"_

"Where are you?" he asked in a whisper. The urgency was evident in his voice, but even so she remained as infuriating as she'd always been.

"_In a decrepit__warehouse in the middle of nowhere. Where you last dumped me. Where else would I be?"_

"Do you remember where I told you to park that transport?"

"_Yes."_

"Go there. Now. Then wait for Ohgi's group. I'll tell you where to go after that."

"_Mm. Understood.__Anything else,_Zero?_"_

"Yes. Record what I'm about to say. It's possible I won't be available for a while and if that's the case I'll need you to act in my stead."

"_Very well,"_ There was a brief pause as Lelouch tried to piece together what he needed to say, when he heard C.C. sigh. Against his better judgment, he asked, "What is it?"

"… _I suppose I won't be able to eat pizza in that precious suit of yours, will I?"_

Lelouch stared at the phone in disbelief, trying to figure out if she was being serious. Then, deciding she was, he chose to ignore it and instead cleared his throat, "_Lelouch_. We meet again."

* * *

The scene shifted from the beautiful hotel exterior to show a cramped little storage room where the terrified Britannian hostages were huddled together, trying to shield themselves from their captors' hateful glares. There were women and children there, was her first incredulous thought. Innocent civilians! Sure, they were Britannians, but that didn't necessarily mean-

Kallen saw an orangette comforting her bespectacled friend, and beside her a blonde holding a small, frail girl protectively, and felt her stomach drop.

"The Student Council," she murmured. "Milly, Nunally…"

She could see Inoue shake her head in her peripheral vision. "The things men will do when their pride gets hurt," she scoffed.

"Well, I think it's a good move!" Tamaki protested loudly. "I mean, they've got that Chairman guy hostage, and all the people coming in for the Sakuradite conference make for good bargaining chips, don't they?"

"Plus, with all the media attention…"

Kallen whipped around to face Minami "But what are they trying to prove?" she asked, gesturing wildly at the television screen. "Britannia doesn't care about hostages, everyone knows that!"

Minami sighed and gave a shrug of his shoulders, "It's suicidal, never said it wasn't, but they're proving to the world that the Japanese still fight."

Whatever Kallen's response was, she bit it back once Ohgi emerged from inside. His expression was determined, but also held a fair bit of apprehension. It was the look he got when they were about to go on a mission, a dangerous one, and even Tamaki knew him well enough to shut up and listen when he got that look.

"Zero called," Ohgi said when he saw he had their attention. Kallen couldn't help but note the change in her comrades' posture when the masked vigilante's name was brought up. They grew stiff and rigid, their backs straightening, as if they were soldiers before a superior officer. "He wants us to meet up with him."

"Three guesses why," said Yoshida, nodding at the screen. It was showing a few of the distressed parents now. Kallen thought she heard the name _Fenette_ there somewhere, and her expression became troubled, eyebrows drawing together. "You don't think he wants us to join up with the JLF, do you?"

Ohgi had evidently been filled in on the situation by Zero, or else he'd managed to get the gist of things and generally understand what was going on. He gave a slow shake of his head, although there was a frown on his lips, and said, "I don't think so. This guy doesn't seem like the type that would get along with the JLF. "

"Yeah, he's too _Britannian_," Sugiyama spat. No one could argue with that. Zero acted Britannian, even if he wasn't. The way he dressed, for instance, and his preference to speak in English most of the time. Of course, one could argue that it was merely for the sake of mocking Britannia, except no one forgot how Zero could get the Viceroy's personal forces to turn against him. That implied something else. It implied Zero had connections in the military, connections that ran very deep. Just because he decided to betray the Empire didn't mean they could trust him.

"Britannian or no, he still gets the job done," Inoue commented. And considering she wasn't that much of a Zero fan either (not since he dumped C.C. with them), Kallen was justifiably surprised, especially when her friend continued, saying, "And he manages to look damn good while doing it, too."

Inwardly, Kallen had to agree. The JLF were easily the biggest anti-Britannian group in Japan. They were the remnants of the once powerful Japanese army, the only ones who could honestly say they were _more_ than just a bunch of terrorists. They were Japan's last hope… Or rather, they had been, before Zero came along. With the flourish of a gloved hand and a few well-chosen words he managed to openly defy Britannia in a way that no one had before. Zero had captured the world's attention.

Yes, their pride was hurt, she thought as she was ushered outside. This move wasn't against Britannia so much as it was against Zero. They wanted to remind the world just who the Japanese were. Even if it meant dying in the process.

* * *

"He wants us to _withdraw_?"

All movement on the bridge stopped at that single incredulous proclamation. The unusual quiet made Clovis suddenly aware of the attention he'd attracted and he quickly regained his control, slipping on his usual apathetic mask. It appeared to them as if he'd been told a rather bad joke and slowly the work resumed, leaving the Viceroy free to beckon Bartley forward and hiss his demand for an explanation.

"What do you mean, Lelouch has ordered our withdrawal?"

"There appears to be something of a hostage situation, my Lord," the General responded in a hushed tone. "At the Kawaguchi Convention Centre."

"And the terrorists have demanded our departure?" Bartley nodded and then adjusted the monocle that had slipped off with that action. "That fails to explain why we're obliging their requests, however."

Lelouch knew what had to be done. Unless he really did have a soft heart under there, which Clovis highly doubted, his brother should have no excuse not to order the bombing of that hotel. It would be an easy matter to pin it on the terrorists, especially these Japanese with their honourable suicides and whatnot.

"Princess Nunally is among the hostages."

Clovis' brows rose and he nodded in understanding. "Ah." Of course. Lelouch was utterly obsessed with his little sister. It was endearing sometimes, but often worrying. Just what lengths would he go to in order to save her?

"Very well then," he said, waving a gloved hand. "Give the order to withdraw. Lelouch would never forgive me if I did anything to endanger her life," he added in an undertone.

Just as well, he thought. He wouldn't have been able to supervise the army's activities on Kamine anyway. Geass ruins were simply too important to be ignored or pushed aside for mere spats over land.

* * *

The door slid open with a hiss. Ohgi blinked once, his hand still hovering in the air as he was about to open the door manually, but recovered quickly and stepped inside. The transport's interior was overwhelming. He'd known just by looking at it from outside that this was no ordinary run-of-the-mill vehicle, and that made the lavish furnishings a little less of a shock. Of course, compared to what he was used to, even the most mundane of Britannian accommodates would seem luxurious, but this...

"Whoa, look at the size of that T.V.!" Tamaki quickly scooped up the remote and made himself comfortable on the plush couch. "We've gotta get ourselves one of these."

"Well," Yoshida began as he picked up an ornate vase to examine it. "We could always sell some of this fancy stuff. Think Zero would mind?" He took a few steps, tossing the vase from one hand to the other, until Kallen snatched it from him and carefully put it back in its place.

"Speaking of Zero, where is that guy?"

The man was nowhere to be seen. Ohgi wondered briefly if they'd come to the wrong place, but no, Zero had been very precise with his directions and he'd followed them to the letter. "I don't know," he told them, "Maybe he left instructions for us somewhere?"

"Tch, arrogant bastard," Sugiyama remarked snidely, only to jump out of his seat when, barely seconds later, he heard the trademark metallic voice of their supposed-leader.

"Welcome," he said, having appeared all of a sudden at the top of the stairs. He was slowly coming down the steps, his cape sweeping behind him. "I'm glad to see such a quick response. The situation at Kawaguchi has become dire."

"So what, are we siding with the JLF or are we against them?" Kallen asked bluntly, coming to stand at the foot of the stairs. She found herself staring at her own purple-tinted reflection as Zero gazed down at her.

"Lieutenant Colonel Kusakabe has involved innocent civilians; I cannot forgive that. Our first priority will be the safety of the hostages."

"And just how are you going to get us inside?" Inoue crossed her arms over her chest. "You saw the news. The Britannians have the place completely surrounded. You don't happen to know another secret tunnel, do you?"

"The Britannians will let us in," he replied, eliciting several gasps and even a laugh from Tamaki, who seemed to think the man was joking. Zero walked past Kallen, and their eyes followed his every move until he sat down gracefully behind a table. "Hear me out, and I will tell you my plan. All will become clear then. But first, are you truly prepared to join forces with me?"

"What, like we haven't alre-"

He cut Sugiyama off with a word. "_Permanently_."

A shocked silence settled over them, and for a while all they could do was stare at Zero. They realized, somewhat belatedly, that they'd considered Zero their leader for a while now, even Sugiyama and Inoue who weren't too fond of him. He was too efficient, too brilliant not to acknowledge. They'd already trusted him with their lives not once, but twice before; first in Shinjuku then in Saitama, and in both times Zero had produced _results_ even if not outright victory, which was more than any of them could have accomplished on their own.

Almost as one the resistance members turned to Ohgi in askance. "Naoto made you our leader," Kallen said, speaking for them all. Her voice was low, reverent, as it always was when the subject of her older brother came up. "What do _you_ think?"

Ohgi hesitated. His eyes went from one member to another before finally resting on Kallen, whose bright blue eyes reminded him all too much of their deceased comrade. Naoto was the leader here, he was the one in charge, he was the one who held it all together. Ohgi had never wanted it. It made him feel guilty beyond measure, that he would shun the obvious trust Naoto had placed in him, but truth of the matter was he was tired of being responsible for his comrades- no, his _friends'_ lives.

When his eyes found Zero, they were shining with determination. The masked man had one leg crossed over the other, an arm slung over the back of the couch. His posture radiated confidence, and Ohgi thought the man already knew what their answer would be.

"We'll do whatever it takes."

* * *

He had one leg crossed over the other, and his posture radiated confidence. Even so, Jeremiah could spot his Prince's tension in how he gripped the arms of his throne, and he could spot his fear. It made him feel a painful tug at his heart. He understood his Prince's frustration, his helplessness, as each one of their attempts to infiltrate the hotel was shot down. If only there was something he could do.

"There is only one route that will allow us to develop a possible hostage rescue plan," General Lucas Myric pointed out. The screen behind him morphed to show the hotel's blueprints, highlighting a tunnel that lead to it in red. All bridges connecting to the hotel except for the main one had been destroyed, and it was the main one that currently held their forces, clustered behind the hotel's gates.

"The main utilities tunnel runs directly beneath the convention centre hotel. Basically, we would go in through this route, destroy the foundation block and submerge the hotel." Prince Lelouch's fists clenched, his brows furrowing as he considered what was possibly their only option. "Since the tunnel was also built to handle supply deliveries, it should be able to accommodate Sutherlands."

"They'll have anticipated this," the Prince said, a frown pulling at his lips. "The JLF won't have left that opening unchecked."

"Even if the enemy have taken precautions they've been using sub-standard weaponry, so we'll have no trouble evading them."

Having no other choice, Prince Lelouch allowed the knightmares to be lowered into the utility tunnel. They watched as the Sutherlands sped through, as one of them reported the likelihood of Knightmare rifles and instructed them to spread out, and as the Sutherlands were taken down mere moments later by the JLF's unknown weapon. The General gaped at the screen while the Prince merely regarded it with an indifferent expression.

"What do you think that is, Jeremiah?" he asked at last, gesturing at the grainy image their Sutherlands had managed to capture before their untimely demise.

Jeremiah took a moment to observe the picture. Mounted upon the shoulders of four Knightmare frames was one of the largest cannons the Margrave had ever seen. Apparently, the Elevens weren't as backwards as most thought. "It appears as though they've modified Glasgows into a linear cannon, my Lord,"

"It wiped out three Sutherlands in a single shot," The Prince's tone was flat, surprising the Generals on deck. "We won't be able to break through."

"What do we do now?" One of them exclaimed. Jeremiah didn't bother to hide his disgust at how easily the man lost his cool. How did he ever rise to his position? "If we release the political prisoners as they demand-"

"We've given into enough of their demands," Prince Lelouch stated, rising from his throne. "If we give them any more, the next thing they'll ask for is the complete surrender of Area 11!"

It seemed a preposterous thing to ask in exchange for a few hostages, especially since both parties knew those hostages would likely be dying anyway even if the Britannians did give into the JLF's demands. But for his sister, Prince Lelouch would trade the world. They had been fortunate so far in that Kusakabe didn't know just how valuable his hostages were, but how long would their fortune hold out?

_Forgive me, my Empress. __Once more, I have failed you._

_

* * *

_

The surface of the water was disrupted yet again as a pebble plunged through it. It still did nothing to help Lloyd Asplund's frustration. He heaved a sigh and fisted another pebble to toss.

"I've already asked them if we could help," he said in reply to his pilot's question. "But we're in a regular unit and they don't acknowledge our chain of command. Besides-"

"It's too risky to entrust the operation to an Eleven, is that right?"

Lloyd gave a humourless laugh. He threw the pebble and watched as, this time, it skipped over the water a few times before sinking through. It seemed this Suzaku wasn't as clueless as he'd have them think. Optimism, then, was what drove him. He knew how Britannia worked yet stubbornly ploughed through all the same- it didn't say much for his intelligence, but then brains weren't what piloted the Lancelot, were they?

"Prince Lelouch claims to have more liberal views, but Britannia's national policy _is_ discrimination against numbers after all."

"So the Japanese still aren't being accepted enough into your structure," the young Eleven said, his face set in a stubborn frown.

"If that were true, then what point would there be in even having the Honorary Britannian system?"

"Why, Cecile, you mean you don't know?" The scientist gazed up at his assistant with wide, deceptively innocent eyes, the effect of which was offset by the appearance of his usual wry smile, "For cannon fodder, of course."

* * *

"Knights for justice, huh?"

"That's what he said."

"What do you think he means by that, anyways?"

"I dunno, but he sounds determined."

Yes, he did sound determined. He always did. And somehow, some of that determination, that infallible conviction always managed to rub off on her. Zero believed in his cause, and he believed in his ability to make the impossible happen.

What was more; he made them believe it as well.

"You are no longer a mere resistance group!" he'd told them, and she thought she'd never heard him sound so passionate. "What we are, what we're trying to be, are knights for _justice_!"

Justice. Such a nice dream.

The explosives were ready and packed in small inconspicuous boxes. It would be up to Minami, Yoshida, Tamaki and Ohgi to make sure they were all planted in accordance to Zero's instructions. She and Sugiyama were to guide the hostages down to safety, where Inoue would be waiting with their 'ride'. Just what said ride was had yet to be revealed; Kallen suspected Zero himself wasn't sure yet.

"Hey, there's an extra uniform in here!" Tamaki called out, holding up the black jacket for them to see. They were all wearing identical jackets, their supposed new uniforms as Knights. Black knights serving their black king.

"Looks pretty small," he observed as he held it against his own frame. "Think it could be for C.C.?"

Kallen couldn't imagine the enigmatic woman as Zero's follower, for some reason. She was with Zero, but not as his subordinate. It was almost as if… "Say, where is C.C. anyway?"

Sugiyama shrugged, "She just left. Wouldn't say where she was going, but that's hardly new. Now then, how do I look?" He was trying on his visor, another part of their ensemble, and she was pleased to see that it hid most of the face rather well.

Her lips twitched in a brief smile and she replied, "You look like a Knight."

* * *

Not even Lelouch, with all his usual composure and stoic indifference, could hide his revulsion as he watched a repeat of what the JLF dubbed as their 'warning'. The man fell from the top of the building with a blood-curdling scream, only to be silenced when he shattered –yes, _shattered_- on the asphalt. He could hear Jeremiah's horrified whisper of, "_Barbarians!_" beside him and inwardly agreed.

When Kusakabe appeared on the screen again, he wore a self-righteous smirk. Lelouch shot him a disgusted look and mentally modified his plans. Instead of geassing the man to follow him and join Zero, he would die. It wouldn't reflect well on Zero to have Kusakabe in his ranks, or anyone from the JLF who belonged to his mindset for that matter. Such an animal wasn't worthy.

"Our demands have gone unanswered," he said.

"We've answered part of it," Lelouch protested, just barely managing to keep his voice down. "You should at least be willing to negotiate."

Kusakabe looked down at the Prince with raised brows, his expression patronizing and Lelouch clenched his fists. "Very well, here are our terms: release our compatriots or we'll throw a hostage from the roof every thirty minutes until you do."

_Where are you, C.C.?_

"For the sake of the hostages, negotiations better be in good faith."

As soon as the feed cut off, Lelouch left the bridge in a hurried stride. He had always been a rather composed individual, occasional fake-tantrums aside, but waiting on the edge of his seat for hours on end while Nunally was in the clutches of these barbarians was agitating him.

_If C.C. has followed my instructions, they should be arriving any minute now.__However, if they refused-_

Nonsense, they wouldn't have refused. He was only asking out of courtesy anyway, so they didn't feel as if they were roped into the matter later on. It would have been their own choice.

_Even something as inane as a flat tyre could ruin everything_, he thought, checking his watch again. _But the witch would call me if anything went wrong, if only for the chance to blackmail me into buying her more pizza._

He felt a vibration in his breast pocket, and his hands flew to answer the phone just a split-second before he realized this was his _personal_ phone, not the one for terrorist activities (even though they looked identical), but the one his siblings and those few he considered friends called on. Clovis, he thought. Probably wanted to check up on him.

However, when he pulled his phone out, it wasn't Clovis but the name _Gino_ that flashed at him from the screen. "Hardly the time, Gino," he muttered, but Lelouch decided to answer anyway, knowing that the blond was too damn persistent for his own good.

"Your Highness! It's Zero!"

And Gino was all but forgotten in the Prince's scramble to meet with his alter-ego.

* * *

"Guess he's busy." The blond shrugged and closed his phone, having received the voicemail for the third time in a row. He couldn't bother to leave a message. There wasn't much to say, anyway. Nothing urgent. Just a 'Hi. Long time, no see.' Maybe they could hang out together for a bit like old times, that was if _His Highness_ wasn't too busy for that too.

Lelouch never let anyone forget his lineage, always spouting orders as if giving a royal decree, but somehow the fact his best friend was really a prince hadn't really hit him until after graduation. Before that he was just another cadet, struggling alongside the rest of them as they completed their training- heck, he probably struggled even more, what with his tendency to drop dead after running for ten metres. And naturally, Gino would tease him relentlessly about it, until Lelouch eventually managed to get up on his own just so he could throw something at his head to make him shut up.

For three years it had just been him, Anya and Lelouch, and Gino had never even thought it could be any other way. Until they graduated. Then Anya was swept off of her feet to become the Knight of Six, Lelouch dragged off to see to his princely duties in Area 11, and Gino found himself alone and serving under his friend's scary older sister, Commander General Cornelia li Britannia. It had been that way for months now, and he'd barely heard a word from either of them. Was it too much to want to spend time with his friends?

A gathered crowd caught his attention from across the street, and Gino's curiosity (as well as mild boredom) compelled him to go investigate. After getting a closer look, he realized it was an electronics store, and he might have popped in to buy a few of those commoner gadgets he kept hearing about if not for the scene he caught on the many television screens displayed.

A man was pushed from who-knows-how-many-stories high again and again and again, each replay serving to draw gasps from the viewers and even a cry or two, until finally the scene shifted to an anchorwoman, with that now-familiar building in the backdrop.

"As you can see, the situation here is becoming more dangerous by the minute. It now appears that the terrorists, who claim to be of the Japan Liberation Front, have turned to killing the hostages unless their demands are met. We have yet to receive a statement from his Imperial Highness, Sub Viceroy Lelouch vi Britannia, who we are told is in charge of this situation."

_Well, no wonder he's busy._

"So much for my relaxing vacation," he chuckled as he walked away. He finally manages to get a few days off from the Middle Eastern frontier and what does he do with them? He jumps headfirst into a hostage situation. Because there was no way he was simply going to sit back and watch and let Lelouch have all the fun. "At least I can't say it was boring."

Gino hailed a cab, and mentally cheered as he slipped into the little yellow commoner's car. That was one thing stricken off of his list! He took a moment to remember the location as written on the news then said, "Lake Kawaguchi, my good man,"

The driver looked over his shoulder incredulously for some reason, as if he was crazy or something. "Do you have any idea what's going on in that place?"

"Yup," Gino grinned. "Why, is there a problem?"

* * *

There he was, straight ahead. Standing tall and proud on that stolen news van, his cape wrapped tightly, almost protectively, around his abnormally thin frame. The guards above focused their floodlights on him, something that made Jeremiah scowl for all it looked as if he were an actor on stage. Zero hardly needed the incentive for the dramatics.

"Hold your fire," he ordered. If it were up to him, Zero would be a pile of ash by now- he would have been a pile of ash, if he had only been in the mobile base in Saitama when Gottwald ordered its bombing. But, as usual, his Prince was right when he said that what they'd seen had merely been a recording. By the time he broadcasted his announcement to them, he'd likely have been far, far away from the ghetto, laughing at them. "We'll capture him after he's surrounded."

Prince Lelouch's Sutherland skidded to a halt directly in front of the main road, cutting off Zero's path, and he did the same while making sure to keep a respectful distance. The news van was now completely encircled with knightmares on either side as well as dispersed foot-soldiers, and from behind the G-1 Mobile Base acted as a sufficient block.

The hatch of his cockpit hissed and opened, and his Prince stood to face the terrorist with a gun ready in hand.

"_Lelouch_. We meet again."

Jeremiah's blood boiled at such a casual method of address and before he could stop himself was practically leaping from his cock-pit, bellowing, "You _dare_ speak to his Highness in such a manner!"

But his Prince raised a hand to put a stop to his tirade before it could even start, and Gottwald quieted down as ordered, but his glare didn't lessen in its intensity.

And then that bastard had the gall to _laugh_!

It was a deep, low chuckle that felt especially patronizing, and it only ceased once Prince Lelouch lifted his gun to that masked face. The sound of its safety being clicked off was loud in the hushed silence.

"She's inside, isn't she?" Zero said.

"What are you talking about?"

"Princess Nunally vi Britannia."

Jeremiah felt something lodge in his throat, probably his heart. How could he have possibly-? Even Prince Lelouch, after a quick glance, seemed to be barely holding himself together. He could see the boy's fingers tighten around his weapon, his hand shaking ever so slightly.

"She's inside," Zero repeated, sounding smug. "And that's the only reason you've let the negotiations run for as long as they have. You haven't been able to get in to save her. But _I_ can."

"What are you, anyway?" the Prince demanded. "You fight against Britannia but offer to save one of its Princesses?"

"I protect the weak," was Zero's arrogant response. "Whether Japanese or Britannian. I believe Princess Nunally has already suffered enough from indiscriminate terrorism, don't you?"

The silence that followed was stifling. He could feel their eyes on them: the soldiers, the knights, even the terrorists. But above all, he could feel Zero's searing gaze from behind his mask, even if he couldn't see it. Prince Lelouch seemed oblivious to all of this, however, and Jeremiah could sense the internal battle he was currently fighting. Damn that Zero, exploiting his Highness' love for his sister in such a manner!

Prince Lelouch's words were hesitant when he asked, "Can you really?" And it was so uncharacteristic of him that Jeremiah briefly considered taking him back inside and dealing with the terrorists alone.

But his Prince was not the kind to stay down for long. It was only when the power returned to his voice and his gaze as he repeated his question that the Margrave truly realized what he was saying. As if he was considering _letting Zero pass_.

"My Lord-" he started, but was interrupted by the masked vigilante's response.

"I can."

"_Will_ you save her?"

"If you allow me to pass."

There was a pause as the Sub-Viceroy appeared to think, but Jeremiah, with a sinking feeling, already knew what his decision would be. He would risk anything for the sake of Princess Nunally. Zero had won.

Prince Lelouch lowered his firearm. Jeremiah's fingers curled around the controls, ready to stand back, until the Prince surprised him once again.

"I have one condition," he announced.

"Oh?" Even Zero seemed slightly surprised, not to mention amused, by the young man's words. He didn't let that deter him, however.

"I'm coming with you."

Seeing his liege actually grip onto the tug-line made Jeremiah snap out of his shock-induced stupor, and he immediately followed suit. "My Prince, you cannot possibly- Prince Lelouch!" He was ignored, but if anything could be said about Gottwald it was that he was a persistent man. The Prince began walking at a slow and steady pace towards the news vehicle, the hand still clutching the gun held up as if to show that he meant no harm. As soon as Jeremiah's feet touched the ground he raced after him and soon managed to block his path, spreading his arms wide to stop him. "Your Highness," he said. "I cannot allow you-!"

"_Allow_ me?" He could see the violet eyes flash in their rage, even in this dim lighting, and returned them with his own glare.

"It is my job, my Lord, to protect you. Even from yourself."

"It is your job, Margrave, to obey my every command. And now Lelouch vi Britannia commands you, _stand down and return to the base!_"

"No."

The Prince's eyes narrowed dangerously, his warning coming in a dark hiss as he said, "_Move_, or I will have you demoted for insubordination."

Jeremiah felt insulted that his Prince even thought that would verify as a threat against him. "Do as you wish, your Highness, but I refuse to allow you to throw your life away so carelessly!"

Unexpectedly, he found Prince Lelouch gripping him by his collar and yanking him down to eye-level. "And I refuse to stand by and watch as terrorists take my family from me again! _Do you hear me, Jeremiah?"_ he roared to his Knight's bewildered face_. "_I WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN!"

And then, as if just realizing what he'd done and the kind of scene he'd made, he released Jeremiah from his grip, head bowing slightly as he walked past him with a final murmur of, "Not again."

It seemed that all of his defences, the masks he'd so carefully constructed and maintained, had finally crumbled. What Jeremiah was seeing before him was the little boy who was screaming at the top of the staircase; the little boy who clamped a hand over his mouth as he sobbed so he wouldn't wake up his bed-ridden sister, while his other hand stroked her hair comfortingly; the little boy who stormed into Pendragon Palace, demanding an audience with the Emperor to ask for the justice he so righteously deserved.

He had been denied far too many times. It was not Jeremiah's place to deny him again.

"Prince Lelouch…"

"You're in charge here during my absence," his Prince told him quietly. "If anything happens to me, if anything goes wrong, save Nunally. You have my permission to employ any means necessary, even the Lancelot."

Even so, he couldn't stop himself from giving it one last ditch attempt. "My Lord," he called to the man's- the _boy's_ retreating back. "Why don't we try the Lancelot first? Surely trusting one Eleven is better than trusting a terrorist?"

"Nunally is _crippled_, Jeremiah. She's crippled and _blind_. How far do you think she'd be able to go before she's crushed to death under the feet of the panicked hostages as the hotel submerges?" As his knight suppressed a wince at the mental image he'd conjured, Prince Lelouch ventured forward until he was directly in front of the vehicle.

"Well, Zero?" he asked loudly, lifting his head to gaze up at the terrorist. "What will it be? Do you accept my condition?"

Zero slowly lifted his hands from beneath his cloak and laid them on the railing before him. He looked as though he were standing on a podium, readying himself for some great speech. Instead, he only said, "You are a reckless fool, Lelouch vi Britannia."

"Do you accept or not?"

The sound of clicking could be heard, and then the door at the side of the vehicle swung open and out stepped a man who Jeremiah was frustrated but not surprised to find was wearing a dark visor that concealed his identity. If Zero wore it, then why wouldn't his subordinates?

"I accept," Zero said, and his goon walked cautiously to the Prince, who handed over his gun with barely a derisive glance before striding past him to the open door of the van. He paused there and half-turned, giving a nod to Jeremiah who immediately stood at attention.

"Soldiers!" he bellowed. "Stand down! Let Zero pass!"

* * *

His heart was beating wildly in his chest. Lelouch would claim it was excitement or a residual effect from his performance before Jeremiah, but neither of those could explain the cold that was running through his veins. No, this was fear.

He stepped inside the stolen news van, trying to quell what uneasiness had surfaced, and focused instead on inspecting his surroundings. They wouldn't harm him, because they knew his army would skewer them if any of them so much as sneezed his way, but to appear too confident in this kind of situation was unwise. The Black Knights stood menacingly around him, each clutching his (or her, in Inoue's case) weapon and not so subtly pointing it at him. The glow emanating from the screens only served to enhance their sinister look; in the back of his mind was the dull acknowledgement of a job well done in designing their uniforms.

"Uniforms," he observed, passive mask in place. "How quaint." And then, just because the arrogance was expected of him, he threw in, "Don't suppose he wants to turn you into a real military force, does he?"

They didn't respond to his jibe, even though he could feel the hatred rolling off of them in waves. That was good. It meant they understood the gravity of the situation and could restrain themselves. Even Tamaki who, from what he'd seen so far, was the loud-mouth with the short fuse did little more than glare.

He shot a look over his shoulder, to where Minami was closing the door behind him. The rumbling of engines could be heard along with the unmistakable sound of landspinners as the Britannians moved from their path, obeying the order Jeremiah kept yelling which could be heard over the rest of the racket.

The news van began to move at an agonizingly slow pace, and he was stuck in the darkness with five Japanese people who really, truly did not like him. It was difficult to keep himself from getting impatient, especially knowing what lay ahead.

_Nunally_, he thought, brows creasing briefly in worry. _Hang in there_.

At long last, the figure of Zero descended from the top. Lelouch injected as much loathing as he could into his glare when they came face to face. He simply imagined it was his father underneath that mask. "Zero," he said coldly. "What's your plan?"

"My plan is to free the hostages, evidently," the other responded. He nearly marvelled to think that this was his own voice, returned to him from the modulator within the mask. "Your sister included, of course."

"My sister _especially_," he warned. "And I was hoping for a more detailed explanation."

"In due time," Zero said, and then tossed something to him. Lelouch caught it deftly and held up a jacket identical to what the Black Knights wore. "First, you must wear this. You'd stand out otherwise."

"Of course," the Prince scoffed, observing the garment. He quickly unclasped his cloak, letting it fall to the ground in a red heap, followed by his white coat and gloves. Kicking them aside carelessly, Lelouch slipped on the uniform jacket and paused, as if reaching a sudden realization. "This is a perfect fit."

To that Zero gave no response, instead telling the Japanese rebels to go up top and present a good show for the JLF. They obeyed him wordlessly, but they weren't happy about it. They refused to let this Britannian see them divided, however, so they complied.

_Excellent. Everything appears to have gone according to plan._

And at last, Lelouch could breathe freely. He turned to his own alter-ego, noting in the back of his mind just how absurd that sounded, and held out his hand expectantly. Zero raised his- no, her hand to the mask, fingers arranged in a certain way to release the pressure and make the plates at the back of her head retract, until finally the mask fell into his waiting grasp. Lelouch smirked, enjoying the weight of it.

When he lifted his eyes, it was his own face looking back at him.

"These adhesive masks really are quite amazing," he remarked, taking off the Black Knights' jacket. "Too bad they can't replicate voices as well. Although, I suppose it's not so bad when you consider the possible repercussions of that."

It would have been an easy matter to Geass someone, perhaps Asplund, into making such a voice altering device for him, just as he'd built in a modulator to his Zero cell phone. Lelouch simply didn't trust C.C. enough to do that. It was troublesome to have to record everything, but it at least ensured that she couldn't stray from his script. He'd yet to decide if the witch was on his side or not.

The question of her loyalties was brought to mind again as, after hearing a certain unmistakable click, he found her levelling a gun at his head.

"I can't allow you to go in there," she said. First Jeremiah, now C.C…. Why could no one see it fit to allow him to make his _own_ damn decisions? "You need to fulfil your end of the deal, Lelouch, so I won't have you dying before that."

"Don't you realize that what you're saying and what you're doing are contradictory?" he said, gesturing to the weapon offhandedly.

"Oh, I won't kill you," she told him, a smirk identical to his own forming on the mask she was wearing. It was so strange, to see his face yet hear her voice. "I'm merely going to carry out your plan, just as you said it."

Lelouch shook his head. "If you were going to do that you would have knocked me out already, there would have been no need for this conversation. The fact of the matter is you _can't_. You're not Zero and without my voice you can no longer keep up the act."

"Then I could ignore the plan altogether," C.C. countered, seemingly unfazed. "I could simply knock you out and run."

"Once again, that action would contradict your wishes."

"Oh?"

The Prince pulled another, smaller gun from his trouser pocket, and clicked off the safety. C.C. gave him a blank look. "Do you honestly think you could threaten me with a gun?"

"Yes. Yes I do."

As he lifted the barrel to his head, Lelouch was treated with the rare sight of a very distraught witch, made even stranger by the fact she was currently, for lack of a better term, wearing his face.

"Everything I do, I do for Nunally. My plans, my revenge, my life, all of them are worthless without her." Lelouch narrowed his eyes, finger tightening on the trigger. "If Nunally dies tonight, I would no longer have any reason to-"

"Stop it! You've made your point."

A smirk flashed across his features briefly. He only lowered his gun after she'd tossed hers aside.

"I see now," she said, and he thought she sounded strangely melancholic. "She's your reason for living. What drives you forward. Without her, your life would be without purpose, and a life like that…"

* * *

They were instructed to park in the hotel's underground garage and wait until their escorts from the JLF arrived. Having no choice, they did as they were told, and Kallen couldn't help but note the soldiers' evident relief at their cooperation.

_Just wait 'til you see what we've got in store for you,_ she thought with barely contained excitement. _You won't be so relieved then!_

Part of her wondered if they shouldn't at least try to warn some of them. The low-level grunts had no say in what their superiors did, after all. But no, that would endanger the mission. These people… They probably didn't expect to survive the day anyway.

Now all they had to do was stand around and wait for Zero and that _brat_ to finish talking and they could get started. Frowning, Kallen adjusted her visor for the hundredth time, making sure it covered her face adequately. If Lelouch recognized her, she'd be in deep trouble. Why did Zero agree to that condition? He knew it was dangerous to have him around, even if their faces _were_ covered, so why? Why take that chance?

From what her friends were saying, though, it seemed that Zero not only agreed to his condition, he'd _anticipated_ it.

"The jacket's a perfect fit, he says," Tamaki told them, and Kallen guessed by his grin that he was in a Pro-Zero mood for the time being. "Bet he's scared now. Zero's got people right under his nose and he can't do a thing about it if he wants his precious sister to be saved."

Kallen had half a mind to tell him it was extraordinarily easy to get the Prince's measurements, if you knew where to look. She was sure at least half of the girls at Ashford knew. She decided to keep that piece of information to herself, however, her thoughts instead going to this Princess they were supposed to save.

_Nunally. Nunally vi Britannia. Could it really be…?_

And why not? Now that she thought of it, it didn't seem so far-fetched. Milly seemed like an old friend of his, and Kallen could recall many a time the Clubhouse was on lock-down for some reason or the other and swarming with guards. Then there was the way Nunally kept gushing about her brother, but never divulged his name. She never did say what her title was, exactly. Everyone just called her Lady Nunally or Nunna.

_Well, if it is her, I guess I wouldn't mind rescuing a Britannian princess so much. _

Because even if her brother was a pompous bastard, she was as sweet as could be, and Nunally didn't deserve any of this.

She looked up when the van's side-door opened and Zero stepped out. Alone. She was relieved for the most part, but then there was a little tiny nagging bit that wondered what he'd done to the Prince.

Sugiyama beat her to the question, asking, "And where did his Royal Highness go, then? Got cold feet?" as he craned his neck to peer inside the van.

"Sub-Viceroy Lelouch is a reckless fool, I told him as much when he gave me his condition. He would only slow us down," Zero told them, closing the door behind him. "Inoue, make sure you take him with you when you prepare our escape."

"Speaking of which," Inoue began. "How, exactly, are we going to escape? You're not going to have the Britannians do that for us too, are you?"

"You'll see in just a moment," he replied, enigmatic as always, before he walked forward to where the two JLF grunts were keeping watch. They exchanged a few words, and the next thing they know the soldiers are saluting Zero and eagerly following him back to where the Knights were watching.

"The resort keeps a few cruising yachts for the sake of its high-end clients," Zero explained, and at once they all understood. "Our friend here-" He gestured to the soldier at his left. "-has offered to show you the way. Inoue, take the news van. We may still have some use for it."

The dark-haired woman nodded and, with a wary glance at her supposed guide, went to the front of the van. Zero turned to the rest of them with his remaining instructions, going over his plan once more, until they reached the subject of the hostages.

"The hostages are located on the hotel's middle floor and are supposedly locked inside a storage room," he informed them. From within his cloak he produced a picture and handed it to Kallen, who nodded, her thoughts confirmed. Nunally Lamperouge's soft smile greeted her from the glossy surface of the photo, her eyes closed as always and long mousy hair flowing around her. Beside her knelt Lord Lamperouge or, as she now knew him to be, Lelouch vi Britannia. Her brother. He was smiling in a way she'd never seen before. Not smugly, nor fake and saccharine sweet to woo the masses, but softly. Genuinely.

"You must ensure her safety at all costs."

Sugiyama looked down at the picture from over her shoulder and groaned, "Is that a wheelchair? Don't tell me we have to carry her the whole way too!"

"I'll carry her," Kallen stated. "She's just a little girl. Even if she is a Britannian Princess, she doesn't deserve this kind of treatment."

Zero gave a slight, barely perceptible nod of his head. Kallen liked to think it was in approval.

A shout alerted them to the arrival of their escorts from the JLF, and she quickly hid the picture inside her jacket. The soldiers were armed to the teeth and tried to put on a tough act for them, but it was clear that they were apprehensive. Kallen barely suppressed a smirk at the thought. Why wouldn't they? This was, after all, the infamous Zero. Zero, who stood before Britannia and challenged it loudly, in front of the world. Zero, who had already made it perfectly clear he could kill the Princes at any time he wanted, but spared them so that they could live in their shame. Zero had appeared at their doorstep, and they had no idea what he was planning.

… or did they?

"Take me to Kusakabe," Zero ordered, modulated voice echoing in the empty garage. "You will ignore my companions. I came here alone."

They nodded and saluted him, just like the others, before they resumed their act and cautiously surrounded him. As per his orders, they hardly seemed to notice her or her friends. Kallen gaped at their retreating backs, incredulous, and asked, "They're with us?"

Zero didn't respond, having disappeared around a corner with his escorts –subordinates?- from the JLF.

* * *

Lieutenant Colonel Kusakabe had broken his promise. He'd said that if they stayed quiet and obeyed his orders no harm would come to the hostages. That was a lie.

Approximately twenty minutes ago a man, just an ordinary person, no different from the rest of them, had been dragged off. He hadn't even protested much as they hoisted him to his feet, pushing and shoving him all the way. The man hadn't been back since. It didn't take a genius to know why. In fact, it seemed their genius was the only one who didn't really get it.

But then, Nunally surmised, Nina had probably been too busy trying to block this entire ordeal out.

She heard the bespectacled girl gasp all of a sudden and whisper, as if just realizing it, "An E-Eleven." Nunally grimaced, hoping their guards hadn't heard her, but knew she was out of luck when that stench assaulted her sensitive nostrils again as one of the Japanese soldiers whirled on them . "What did you say?" he demanded.

Nina cowered into Shirley's arms again, and the Princess extended a hand blindly, trying to reach her, to comfort her.

"We're not Elevens!" the man yelled, "We're Japanese, _dammit_!"

Milly quickly pulled her hand back, trying to hold Nunally into herself again as if to protect her as she sharply responded, "Yes, we're well aware of that. Just lay off of her." Nunally shook her head. She wanted to tell her friend that she didn't need the coddling, in spite of what her brother might say. But more than that, she wanted to tell her to just _be quiet_ and let it pass.

"Then correct her! We're not called Elevens!"

_Don't give them any reason to antagonize us further, Milly, please!_

Her plea must have been evident on her face because Milly didn't speak up. It was Shirley, this time, who rashly answered, "_Fine_, we'll correct her!"

_Shirley, no…_

It was so unlike her. Then again, with her friends in danger and tensions running high perhaps it wasn't so strange for Shirley to get a sudden boost in courage. It had become obvious to the hostages that it was unlikely they lived through this ordeal so, at the very least, they would die with their pride.

Of course, the Japanese soldier was hardly going to stand for that. "How dare you speak like that to me?" Nina's frantic wails were loud in the small room. "You three, come with me to the next room and I'll teach you a real lesson!"

Nunally sensed movement beside her; a panicked rustling of fabric, hard boots on the concrete floor. It wasn't until he repeated his demand, this time snatching Nina up –"Let me go!" she cried, desperate- that the implication truly sank in, and Nunally's heart leapt into her throat. Her young features twisted in disgust and horror. She'd been told that soldiers could be uncouth, that they could do unspeakable things, but this… this was too much.

"Stop it!"

"Stay out of this, little girl," the man growled, sending a mocking laugh her way as soon as she laid eyes on her. "Unless you'd like to join them."

She felt Milly's grip on her arm tighten but shook it off as she presumably faced the guard, brows furrowed in determination, "I order you to stop. Unhand her!"

"Just who the hell do you think you are?"

A whisper, from Villetta, "No, my Lady, please!" She ignored it.

_Brother, give me strength._

Rolling back her shoulders, her chin raised proudly, she tried to summon her most commanding voice as she said, "You're addressing Nunally vi Britannia, princess of the Holy Britannian Empire."

* * *

Gino couldn't help it. He burst out laughing. Beside him, Lord Jeremiah buried his face in his palm, shaking his head.

They were alone on the bridge of the G-1 Mobile Base, Jeremy having thoughtfully dismissed the Generals as soon as Gino showed up, shouting for "Lulu" to come out and play. He refused to leave even after being told that his Highness (with extra emphasis on the _his Highness _part) wasn't currently available, saying he'd wait, and overall just nagging the staff until at last Jeremiah grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and dragged him to the bridge before, as he said, someone decided to shoot him.

_Works every time_, Gino thought.

Except Lelouch really wasn't on the bridge, on his throne, where he was supposed to be. Instead, Jeremiah here was telling him Lelouch had run off into the building, with a terrorist no less.

"Oh, and all these years we thought you had no sense of humour," Gino said, laughter still lacing his voice. He wiped a few tears from his eyes. "That's a good one, Jeremy."

The man shot him a glare so venomous that it stopped Gino's hand mid-motion, about to slap him on the back.

"I assure you, Lord Weinberg, I am not joking."

The blond merely blinked at him for a few moments, eyes wide, until finally he said, "You mean to tell me Lu really did throw himself into the middle of a dangerous hostage situation with a known _terrorist,_ no less?" At the slow, slightly exasperated nod he received in reply, Gino jumped out of his seat, suddenly panicked. "Is he crazy, or something? What the hell did he do that for?"

"The Princess."

Gino snapped out of his panic for a second, looking around, "Oh hey, that's right, where is she? I haven't seen her in a while."

Jeremiah's loud, frustrated sigh drew his attention back and he looked at the man expectantly. "The Princess is the reason Prince Lelouch behaved so recklessly," Jeremiah explained between clenched teeth. "She's with the hostages, and that _bastard_ Zero took advantage of it."

"Oh…" And for a while, that was all Gino could say on the matter. Crazy generally ran in the family, was what Lelouch would often say, and not always in jest, but if that was the case he could hardly blame him.

He recalled clearly the first time Lelouch's sisters came for a visit. The Prince hijacked the Academy's PA system and announced, in an eerily monotone voice, that any boy who dared to approach either of his sisters, whether Euphie or Nunally but _especially_ Nunally, without his permission would be disposed off slowly and painfully. He then spent over half an hour describing, in vivid detail, just what his punishment would entail until the instructors finally caught up with him and cut off his broadcast. Lelouch was made to walk the area* for sixty hours for that stunt, but the damage had already been done, and he hardly seemed to care. Judging by the smirk that would curl at his lips when the other cadets leapt out of his path, it was worth it.

Even Gino, Lelouch's best friend (no matter how much the boy would vehemently deny it), wasn't exempt. He did get to hang out with Nunally occasionally, but there was always that unspoken rule to adhere to: You touch, you die.

(_Oh, C.C., what's this? I didn't know you had a thing for bondage! Good to know you're being creative with my boy, at least._

_I do not have a bondage fetish, you-_

_If you say so, sweetheart. Anyway, what's going on? I thought you were going to shoot him in the leg. Now I see you're bound and gagged in the back of the truck, dressed as Lelouch no less, and watching some woman studiously stomping on… What is that, anyway?_

_A little gift from Jeremiah. Apparently, he likes to play parent to that boy of yours.) _

A shrill beep broke the tense silence and Jeremiah, face betraying a look of utter terror, raced to one of the screens. As Gino came beside him, he could hear the Margrave muttering, "No, no, no," over and over again under his breath as he slammed at the buttons almost frantically. He could see a little red dot, presumably the source of that annoying beeping sound, in what appeared to be the building plans of the hotel.

"Hey, what's going on?" he asked, but he received no reply.

Jeremiah inhaled deeply through his nose, his eyes closing briefly before he pressed a few more buttons. A smiling face suddenly appeared on the screen, and the man greeted them with a cheerful little wave. "Hello, Jeremiah," he said. "Got any good news for me?"

"Prepare your little toy, Asplund. It's running decoy."

"It's not a toy!" Asplund whined, and Jeremiah immediately closed the video feed. He slumped into a chair, visibly exhausted, and ran his gloved fingers through his hair.

Frowning, Gino took a chair beside him. He didn't like the looks of this. "Jeremiah," he said, causing the man to look up in surprise at his grave tone. "What happened?"

"I had a tracker on Prince Lelouch," Seeing Gino's questioning look, he explained, "He's had a tendency to disappear these past weeks, so I had Asplund here construct a minute tracker for me. Today was the first time to try it; I slipped it on his person this morning and have been monitoring his movements closely ever since. But now… now the tracker's been destroyed."

"It could just be that he found it and destroyed it himself, y'know," Gino suggested, and Jeremiah nodded.

"Yes, but somehow I doubt he's had the chance to rummage about his pockets in this kind of situation."

Well, with Lelouch, you never really knew.

"Whatever the case, I must assume the worst." It was final. As far as he was concerned, Lelouch was dead until proven otherwise. Gino watched as the older Britannian rose from his seat, looking grim and even a bit scary, and felt his stomach clench in what was now a familiar anticipation. He got to his feet so that he could meet Jeremiah's eye and stated, "I want to help."

Jeremiah gave a wry grin and gestured for him to follow.

* * *

Kusakabe had taken one of the hotel's prime suites as his headquarters, transforming what had once been luxurious accommodation into a small fortress. He now sat alone on the plush couch, hands resting on the katana he had propped in front of him, while his soldiers flanked him at a suitable distance with their assault rifles on the ready. The only light in the room came from the open windows, and even that was dim. Lelouch expected it was supposed to give a foreboding feel, and he was reminded of the Black Knights' same tactic with him not minutes ago in the news van. He was not impressed.

"So, you have no intention of joining me?"

"I believe you've already spoken to Urabe. Didn't he already tell you as much?"

Zero gave a slight inclination of his head, "Yes, but I wanted to give you one last chance."

The soldiers frowned at his insolence, but Kusakabe remained admirably calm, even managing to fix him with a cold glare. "You're very arrogant, aren't you, Zero?" he said in a condescending tone. It was not a question. "I don't like arrogance. It reminds me too much of those big-headed Britannian Generals, shooting nonsense about _inferiority_ and surrendering to the _might_ of the _Empire_." The Colonel's upper lip curled back in disgust, even as he looked the revolutionary up and down, sizing him up. "Come to think of it, you're probably a Britannian yourself."

Lelouch ignored the accusation, knowing it would hardly be the last time he received it. Instead he decided to ask a question that he was honestly curious to know, even though he already had inkling as to what the answer would be. "Tell me, Kusakabe: what exactly do you hope to accomplish by this action?"

"Gain attention," he answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I want this country and the world to know that the Japanese aren't dead yet."

_But they will be. Quite soon. By now, 60% of the mission conditions should be complete. _

"How stale," The disdain was evident in his voice, even with the metallic distortion granted by the modulator. "You people are obsolete. There's no saving you."

One of the soldiers started forward, bristling at the insult, but was put in place by his Colonel's intervention. Lelouch was reminded quite suddenly of Jeremiah. His gaze, hidden by the mask, wandered to the open window where he could just barely make out the flood lights at the hotel's gate. Behind that, he knew, was the Mobile Command Centre, where Jeremiah would be dutifully overseeing matters while inwardly he was dying to jump into his Sutherland and race after him. But he wouldn't. He would stay, because his Prince ordered him to.

Kusakabe drew his gaze back when he spoke again. "Explain what you mean by that, Zero." He was doing a very good job of hiding his rage, Lelouch had to admit, but it wasn't quite good enough.

"Your methods are outdated, useless," he clarified. "You've wasted your lives chasing after an abstract idea of honour and the shadows of your past. People evolve, _nations_ evolve, and yet you strive to bring back what you call the _glory_ of old. You will never free Japan. But then, you already know that, don't you? And so you want to bow down on your own terms. I could have respected that, even commended it, if not for the fact you're dragging dozens of innocent people down with you."

"No Britannian is innocent. They came here to enjoy a nice, peaceful weekend while our countrymen suffer in the ghettoes. Their lives are built upon the deaths of our men; it is time that they pay."

Underneath his cloak, Lelouch's fists clenched tightly. _It is you who will pay, Kusakabe_.

"And then what? Then Britannia will retaliate, and your precious countrymen will be eradicated. More meaningless deaths. More killings. The cycle of hate continues."

"Remove that mask and reveal your real face to us. Perhaps I will be more inclined to listen when I'm sure you're not actually a filthy Britannian."

"Ah, but what if you were right?"

This caught him off-guard. Kusakabe gaped at him openly. "What?"

"I am Britannian. In fact-" Here, Zero lifted his hand to his mask, slowly so as not to alarm them, and splayed his fingers over its gleaming surface. They heard a faint hiss, and then a few clicks as the plates in the back of his head retracted, and Zero raised his head, eyes closed. There was another mask, this time of cloth, covering his mouth and nose, but when he opened his eyes Kusakabe recognized him at once.

"You-!"

"That's right," he said, pulling down the cloth mask to reveal his underlying smirk. "And now that you know who I am, I'll ask you to address me with my proper title. Eleventh Prince and Sub Viceroy. A simple _Your Highness_ will also suffice."

"I will never submit to Britannia!" Kusakabe leapt up, drawing his katana with a yell. Unfazed, Lelouch faced him and uttered a single word: "Die."

He found the sight of blood soaking the carpet to be quite satisfying. Even more satisfying was when Lieutenant Colonel Kusakabe, his blade poised and ready, proclaimed, "Yes, Your Highness!" before plunging it into his gut.

Several more of such proclamations were uttered by the remaining soldiers, followed by gunshots and a splattering of blood. In a matter of minutes, Lelouch was the only man standing. He couldn't stop a grin from forming, even as he wiped a few stray droplets of blood from his cheek.

_Now, to check on the rest._

The door suddenly swung open with an alarmed cry of, "Colonel!" revealing yet more JLF soldiers to subdue. Lelouch quickly held his mask up before his face, his other hand whipping out his pistol. The soldier's shock served in his favour, allowing Zero to shoot him in the shoulder.

"Calm yourself," he ordered, staring the grunt down. "The Colonel and the others committed suicide when they realized how meaningless this operation was."

Bewildered, they could do nothing but stare. Lelouch pursed his lips, annoyed, until he caught sight of the worried face of the very person in whose name he had just murdered.

"N-Nunally," he choked. She was carried by one of the soldiers, and he found the sight of her clutching at the front of his uniform to be maddening. She was afraid. He waited until he put on his mask properly before he stepped forward, noting how they inched away from him. They were afraid too.

"Hand the princess over to me."

The man didn't even hesitate to come forward, holding Nunally in front of him as if she were a peace offering. Unexpectedly, she turned to face him, a frown marring her soft features. "You're Zero, aren't you?"

"That I am, Princess. But there's no need to worry." _Big brother's here, Nunally, I'll keep you safe. _"I will do you no harm, I promise."

"That's the same thing Kusakabe promised," she retorted, and he was taken aback by her biting tone; his hands actually faltered. She had never spoken to him that way. He was her brother, her beloved, doting older brother. Her Lelou.

But she wasn't talking to Lelou, she was talking to Zero. Zero, who was a terrorist, who had vowed to stand against everything her family stood for. That in mind, he managed to wrap his arms around her small frame and gently pick her up. "I assure you, I am nothing like Kusakabe."

He looked up to find the remaining soldiers had seemingly overcome their bewilderment and were now openly glaring. With Nunally in his arms, shooting would be difficult, and they knew that. What was more, shooting just felt wrong with her in the vicinity.

_Ah, but I have another weapon in my arsenal._

The panel covering his left eye slid open. "Stand back. You will not harm me or the Princess in any way."

Killing also felt wrong, but there was no need for that as the men simply saluted him and stood back, as ordered.

_Only one phase left. If they are on schedule, I should be meeting the Knights very soon._

He strode down the corridor in a brisk pace, cradling Nunally to his chest protectively.

"Why are you saving me?" she asked eventually, and he felt a small measure of pride at how even her voice was. No longer scathing, she nonetheless had a certain steel in her words.

"Why were they taking you to the Colonel, Princess?" he asked in return. There was no way they would have figured out who she was on their own, which could only mean that she had told them; Villetta and Milly would never have done it. "You were standing up for your friends, weren't you?"

"I may be disabled," she began quietly. "But I'm still a princess. It's my job to lead the people."

"Even the commoners?"

"_Especially_ the commoners."

Lelouch chuckled lightly, "There's your answer, then. I'm saving you because you are a prime example of what royalty should be. If Britannia was ruled by someone like you, I would have no reason to fight."

He rounded a corner, heading for the staircase, only to find himself facing the barrel of a gun. The clicking sound was obviously now familiar to Nunally, for she shrunk away from it slightly, and Lelouch held her tighter. "You shouldn't wave that thing around so freely, Tamaki," he reproached, glaring at the red-headed buffoon from under his mask.

"Whoops, sorry boss!" the buffoon said, grinning sheepishly. "Can't be too careful, with all these JLF guys running around."

Zero merely walked past him and he fell into step immediately, but not at the respectful distance of a subordinate. It annoyed Lelouch immensely. "I take it your mission was a success?" he asked, pushing his annoyance away. These people weren't commoners, they were worse than commoners. He could expect no less.

"Damn right! Pipes, vents, staircases- just like you said. The other guys have already gone on ahead to the meeting point."

He nodded in acknowledgement and began to descend the stairs, only to feel a slight snag. Looking behind him, he found the idiot had stepped on his cloak. "Ahem."

"Wha- Oh!" Tamaki practically jumped back. "Oh man, sorry Zero."

"Go down ahead of me," Lelouch ordered, exasperated. "Make sure the coast is clear."

The idiot grinned and leapt ahead, making a grand show of checking for enemies at every corner. Lelouch studiously ignored him, focusing instead on formulating his speech for the final phase. It hadn't been his intention to use this disaster for propaganda –truth be told, he could hardly think straight at first- but C.C. had taken a news van and it would be a waste not to make use of it. Whether this was foresight on the witch's part or simply dumb luck for him and the Black Knights, he didn't care to know.

His heart was beating painfully against his ribcage after only three floors down, and he was already panting, though he tried to hide it. To show weakness in front of one of his subordinates, and such an incompetent one at that, was unacceptable. It was bad enough Nunally could hear it.

_Only four more floors to go_, he consoled his burning lungs.

* * *

"Whoa!" Gino exclaimed, watching the white and gold knightmare shoot out of the water. The screen in front of him streamed with the Z-01 Lancelot's logistics as fast as his Sutherland's computer could manage. All he could do was gape at it, until Jeremiah barked his orders to stand by and get ready. Having destroyed the linear cannon, all that was left was for the Lancelot to destroy the hotel's foundation as well, and then they had a small window of time in which they could race inside, grab the hostages then run the hell out. Perfect plan!

A burst of green light streamed out of the Lancelot's giant gun ("I have _got_ to get me one of those," he muttered), then another and another, and they all hit their mark. The building began to tremble, slowly sinking under.

"Alright, men, this is our chance! _Now_!" Jeremiah yelled, already racing ahead in his Sutherland. Gino was close behind.

All of a sudden, there was an explosion. No, a series of explosions! He watched, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, as the hotel began to collapse and before he knew it he was dashing forward, screaming at the top of his lungs.

But it was too late.

They were gone.

_Goddamnit!_

He kept going regardless. Because he was Gino Weinberg and he did _not_ give up.

He was dimly aware of someone calling his name. For once, his lips were drawn into a grim line and his blue eyes were narrow and steely as he regarded the crumbling edge of the bridge. He could always jump over to the other side. The Lancelot had done it, so why couldn't he? However, the dust and smoke made it hard to see just _where_ the other side began in the first place.

Gino was forced to stop and wait, staring intently at the gray cloud ahead. There was still a possibility of someone being alive under that rubble (_buried alive_, he thought, suppressing a shudder) and every second counted, but it would do them no good if he ended up falling into the water.

And so he watched and waited.

A white yacht appeared from the clearing dust like a ghost ship, slicing through the black waters. Relief washed over him and he could have smiled, if not for the dark figure he saw standing on its deck.

"Is that…?"

Yes, there was no doubt about it. News of the audacious terrorist who publicly challenged Prince Clovis was far-reaching, even where he had been stationed, in what was now known as Area 18.

Gino's fingers clenched the controls, angry that this terrorist had survived where others, innocent people who were much worthier, did not. He was probably the one who bombed the place, as well.

"Jeremiah, what should we do?"

"_Stand dow__n, for the time being,"_ came the reply, though the older man was obviously as incensed as he was. _"Zero has something up his sleeves. He knows he won't make it out here alive otherwise."_

Jeremiah proved to be right when, mere moments later, they caught sight of lifeboats. Dozens of little orange lifeboats floating alongside it, scores of Britannians saved. Gino was excited as he zoomed in, examining the faces on each of the boats, until finally he found the one he was looking for.

"YES!" he exclaimed, punching the air only to wince as his fist collided with the top of his cockpit. Not one to be put down, Gino quickly opened his hatch and practically jumped out, shouting, "She's alright! She's alright, Jeremy, did you hear that?"

Nunally was fine. And where there was Nunally, Lelouch was sure to be close behind.

He could see Jeremiah standing in his cockpit as well, but the man still seemed a bit subdued. "He's here," Gino stated. "Somewhere. I'm sure of it."

Zero's metallic voice echoed to them from over the water. In spite of himself, Gino found himself drawn to watch this vigilante at work.

"My dear Britannians," he said, and for the first time Gino noticed the many cameras on the yacht's deck. "Have no fear. All of the hostages from the hotel are safe and sound. I, Zero, return them to you unharmed."

"Of all the brazen audacity," Jeremiah growled. "Just as I said. He's using those people as hostages."

Suddenly, the yacht's floodlights were turned on, revealing Zero's dark-clad companions. The two at either side of him had their heads lowered, right arms folded in front of them in the mockery of a bow.

"People! Fear us or rally behind us as you see fit. We… are the Black Knights!"

"Black Knights?" Gino snorted. "Terrorists, fighting against Britannia, and they're calling themselves _knights_?"

"Zero has ridiculed everything Britannian since his first appearance," Jeremiah said. "I'm hardly surprised."

"We of the Black Knights stand with all those who have no weapons to wield, regardless of whether they are Japanese _or_ Britannians. The Japan Liberation Front cowardly took innocent Britannian civilians hostage, and they mercilessly executed them! It was a wanton and meaningless act, therefore they have been punished. We cannot stand by and allow such cruelty to be carried out, just as we have fought against the slaughter of countless unarmed Japanese in the ghettoes. I will not repudiate battle on a fair and level field, but neither will I tolerate a one-sided massacre of the weak by the strong! The only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to _be_ killed!

"Wherever oppressors abuse their power by attacking those who are powerless, we shall appear again. No matter how mighty, how formidable our foe may be!

"Those of you with power: fear us!" Zero threw the right side of his cloak back, extending his arm. "Those of you without it: rally behind us!" He extended his left, as if beckoning them. "We, the Black Knights, _shall stand in judgment of this world!_"

* * *

Kallen's heart was racing in a way she'd never even thought possible. A million different emotions were coursing through her body, excitement and pride being the foremost. Pride swelling inside her chest, so much she thought she could burst at any given moment.

She cast her eyes over to the inflatable lifeboats, wherein the hostages were all floating to safety. The Britannians were on the other shore, waiting to take them home. The Black Knights had performed their duty here, they'd saved the day. Just like Zero had promised.

Even so, she couldn't help but feel a small pang of guilt at the JLF soldiers, now buried beneath the debris. Most of them had been killed before the explosion anyway, but there may have been some they'd forgotten. And then a thought hit her: Did Zero pull his men in the JLF out? Kallen shook her head, shaking away the thoughts. Of course he did! They'd probably snuck out at the beginning, since they couldn't very well escape with the Britannian hostages, and it wouldn't look good if they suddenly popped up with the Black Knights.

"It's time we take our leave," Zero announced, and he gestured for Inoue, who was behind the wheel, to veer to the left. "Our role here is done."

"Hey, what about our little guest here?" Ohgi asked, pointing over his shoulder to the stairs that led to the lower deck. There, Prince Lelouch remained unconscious.

"I say we keep him hostage!" Tamaki suggested. To that, Sugiyama nodded his approval, but Kallen disagreed.

"We can't save them then go kidnap their prince; it would send the wrong message!" Zero didn't discriminate between Britannians and Japanese and he wanted to make that clear. Snatching Prince Lelouch and running off with him contradicted it, as well as everything he'd just said. The Prince had surrendered himself to them so they could help him find his sister, and they had. Taking advantage of such an opportunity felt wrong.

"We're knights for justice, right? And Lelouch has a whole lot to answer for."

"Kallen's right," Zero interrupted, making them quiet down. Kallen practically glowed. "It would be unseemly. For now, we shall declare a truce."

No one argued with him, so Zero announced he would go and check up on their guest.

Moments after he disappeared downstairs, they heard several thuds and the sounds of a struggle, and then all of a sudden Lelouch emerged, wild-eyed and visibly enraged. Zero's calm words came from behind him, telling him _she_ was safe, but he appeared beyond reasoning.

Gun in hand, he whirled on the nearest person he found, who just happened to be Ohgi. Ohgi immediately held his hands up in surrender, even as Minami and Tamaki picked up their rifles and took aim.

"You terrorists! You fucking _terrorists! _You deceived me!"

"We did no such thing," Zero was slowly ascending the steps, his cape just barely brushing against them.

"You knocked me out, you bastard."

"For your own good."

Lelouch's eyes never left Ohgi and his gun remained pointed at his head. Slowly, he was regaining his calm, which was not a good thing. This was a man who was used to murder, she thought, and marvelled again at how he could be Nunally's brother.

"If you'll kindly look over there-"

"Not a chance."

Zero continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. "-you'll find Nunally and her friends safe and sound. There's not a scratch on her, I assure you."

The Prince didn't respond, but Kallen could see the first signs of cracking. All he needed was one more little push. Before she could stop herself, she was blurting out, "Milly and Shirley are with her as well. On the lifeboat."

"How do you know about Milly?"

She froze. Oh god, if he figured out who she was… "I-I heard the rest of the hostages calling her that," she quickly lied. "A blonde teenager, right?"

Swallowing, Lelouch nodded and ventured a glance at the lifeboats far away. In a second, Minami had kicked his gun out of his hand and pushed him against the railing. She was more than just a little surprised when the prince fought back, and found he wasn't half bad.

"Get away from me, you damn Eleven!"

Finally Lelouch, after a well-delivered knee to the gut, managed to scramble away from Minami. Zero raised a hand, and no one went after him. Lelouch, breathing heavily, just looked at him for a while, until eventually…

"You saved her?"

"I did."

The Prince nodded, what Kallen supposed was his form of thanks, because god forbid that spoiled brat ever said thank you. Next thing they know, he was jumping over the railing and into the water with a great _splash!_

For a while, all they could do was stare after him in bewilderment, until Zero's chuckle broke the silence. "All the better. I would have preferred not to turn back, and he's saving us the trouble." He turned away, his cape cocooned around his body again. "You should rest. This has been a long day."

They gladly obliged, with Yoshida making a great show of stretching. Kallen was as tired as the rest of them, in body at least, but she kept watching as Lelouch, in his white dress-pants and silk shirt, swam through the water with almost vicious determination.

"Hey Kallen," That was Ohgi. She blinked, breaking out of her reverie, and turned to him. "Something wrong?"

"No, not really. It's just…" Stealing one last glance at the water before she left, Kallen murmured, "I can't help thinking about Naoto, all of a sudden."

* * *

**A/N:** It annoyed me so much in Zero's original speech that he kept referring to the Japanese as Elevens. _Elevens, _Lelouch? Really? So I took the liberty of changing it. It was just off to me, even if he was addressing the Britannians. The rest of the speech, however, was completely filched from Episode 8 of Code Geass, as well as several bits and pieces of dialogue here and there. You should know how I work by now.

*Walking the area is a form of punishment I picked up from the United States Military Academy. It entails walking a certain number of hours in a designated area of the cadet barracks courtyard in full uniform, back and forth. Small misconducts, such as being late for class, can get as few as 5 hours, while bigger ones, such as Lelouch describing methods of torture over the Academy's PA system, result in much more severe punishments. Fun fact: did you know that the Unites States Military Academy's football team is called _The Black Knights_?

Anyway, my finals are over at long last and summer is here! Which means what? Yes, that's right: updates! I won't give you a definite date for the next chapter, but I can at least assure you that this wait won't be nearly as long as the last.


	15. Smile

**Chapter 15: Smile**

"Hold on to me tightly, Princess," he said, his voice soft but commanding. She could just barely hear him over the rumbling. "Don't let go, no matter what." She did as she was told, because she had no other choice. Because she was scared. Nunally wrapped her arms around his neck so tightly she feared she might strangle him, but Zero never told her to loosen her hold, instead tightening his own around her torso.

And all of a sudden, she was falling. _They_ were falling. Together. Nunally couldn't help the small scream that escaped her; never had the darkness been so stifling as now. She didn't know what was happening, or why she was falling, or where the ground was. She didn't know if she would land safely, whether they'd be landing on the ground or in the water that surrounded the famous hotel resort. Would they drown, or would the impact alone be sufficient to kill them?

It was over in only a few minutes, and not in any of the macabre ways her panicked mind came up with. Instead, they fell into something soft and almost squishy. She later discovered, from what Milly told her after she asked, that the Black Knights had set up several of the life-boats to act as a cushion to break their fall. Zero had prepared for this. He was always prepared.

She felt him pull back and, somewhat reluctantly, relinquished her hold on his neck. He murmured, "You're safe now, Princess. Just as I promised," before rising and walking away. One of his subordinates came and carried her to the rest of the hostages after that, but Nunally was only half-attentive and remained facing the direction he'd last left her.

Zero's speech was exquisite and left chills running through her body. Eventually, Milly enveloped her to stop her shivering, but it didn't stop the tingles under her skin. He had set himself up as a symbol for justice, but she knew better. She recalled the feeling of his heart beating fervently in his chest as he ran with her in his arms.

In the end he was just a man, a man who had been so severely wronged that he had taken it upon himself to rid the world of what he saw to be evil, smiting them with his hammer of righteous rage. To Nunally, that was much more terrifying than any symbol of justice could ever be.

She allowed her thoughts to drift, lulled into a sense of security by Milly's embrace and the calming sound of the water around them. She was tired, physically and mentally, and would have liked nothing more than to fall asleep right then and there. But she couldn't. Not after what she'd just heard.

_Brother_, she thought_. I just need to be with brother again. If there's anyone who can defeat Zero, it's him._

Zero's speech terrified her so much because... because it was something she could understand. It was something she couldn't disagree with but she must, because he was an enemy of the Empire and she was one of its princesses. He had sworn to fight for justice and he did, but in the process he had sworn to fight her family.

Nunally wasn't daft nor was she oblivious to Britannia's tactics, even though the people she cared for tried to shield her from the truth. She acted as if she didn't know, for their sakes, and also because sometimes... it was just easier to pretend than to face it all. But she knew. She knew of Britannia's policy of discrimination against Numbers, how they tore at the country's very livelihood until each Area became almost indistinguishable from the other, a mere extension of Britannia. She knew how brutal Britannia's tactics could be.

But she also knew how loving Cornelia, the Witch of Britannia, the Goddess of Victory, could be. She knew that Clovis, who even now was likely overlooking some sort of fight against the Japanese, really wanted nothing more than to be left in peace, to paint to his heart's content. As for Lelouch, he never wanted any of this. All he wanted was to make the world safe for her, a better place- he'd promised her so himself. Pinky-promised, in fact!

All Zero wanted was to rid the world of evil. Who was to say he wasn't fighting for someone as well? Their goals were fundamentally the same, and the parallels she drew between her brother and the vigilante (she refused to think of him as a terrorist now) were chilling.

A steadily rising murmur rippled through the hostages and Nunally found herself slowly regaining touch with the world around her as the name of her brother was brought up. "Lelouch?" she asked aloud, dazed, and was surprised to find her name being called out in turn. "Nunally!"

She sat bolt upright, and suddenly became aware of a splashing sound, gradually becoming closer. Swimming? Was someone swimming? She heard her name being called out again. It was his voice. This was real.

"Lelouch!" she cried out. Shirley and Milly and Miss Villetta, she could hear their voices but not the words they were saying. All she could focus on was the sound of the water as he lashed through it until finally she felt a tug at the edge of the lifeboat and could hear his ragged breathing.

The other occupants of the lifeboat moved to haul him up, and the first thing he did was wrap his arms -_freezing cold_, she noted, _Poor brother_- around her tightly. "Nunally," he breathed, and she smiled into his chest, not minding that he was wet or that her clothes were getting soaked. In fact, she barely even noticed. All that mattered was that Lelouch was here, he was with her, and for now at least everything was alright.

* * *

Minutes passed in silence, only interrupted by the soft swishing of the water as they floated to shore. The women in the lifeboat were thankfully quiet, allowing the siblings to have their moment even though he could see the question in their eyes. What was he doing in the water? Why did he come from the direction of the hotel? He would explain everything later. For now, all he wanted to do was hold his sister and make sure she was alright.

Lelouch had never been so scared in his life as when he found himself jumping from the hotel window to the yacht, four stories below, with Nunally in his arms. And what was worse, he couldn't even check up on her after they'd landed. All of the hostages as well as his Black Knights' eyes had been upon them and he, as Zero, had an image to uphold. The most he could do was instruct Kallen to return her to Milly and watch from afar as she was boarded onto a lifeboat, just barely restraining himself from hurrying over there himself.

Her face had been white with fear, and there was nothing he'd wanted to do more than comfort her, but to do so would have revealed his identity and so Zero remained distant. But Lelouch would not.

He glanced down at her and realized, with an incredulous chuckle, that she'd fallen asleep in his arms.

"It's been a rough day," Milly told him, as if reading his thoughts.

Lelouch nodded, "For all of us. I trust that you're alright?"

"As well as we could be, considering we were hostages not so long ago."

"And probably still are," Villetta said, casting her golden eyes over the water in the direction he had just come from, where C.C. and the Black Knights were speeding away. "If Britannia moves against him, Zero won't hesitate to use us."

"That was likely his plan," Lelouch conceded, although it wasn't, but had he been thinking a little more clearly at the time he most certainly would have followed the same course of action. "But there's no need to worry. He's already made his escape." A dark frown drew itself on his lips. "Just... disappeared into the mist. Which is a ridiculous thing to say, of course, but it seemed like it."

The prince shook his head and a few droplets of water flew around but were barely noticed. "With his flare for dramatics, I'd think it was Clovis underneath that mask if I didn't know any better," he joked with a small, wry smile.

It prompted a smile from Milly and that girl -Shirley, was it?- but Villetta remained solemn, looking to where the yacht had disappeared as if Zero was going to lunge at them at any moment. There was another girl with them as well, her hair in pigtails and her eyes wide beneath her glasses. He vaguely remembered seeing a file with her name and knew her to be one of Milly's friends from the Student Council. Apparently, she wasn't quite over the experience yet.

From up ahead came several beams of light trained on the water and then on the lifeboats as they came closer and closer to shore. Once-faint shouts were becoming louder and more coherent; the soldiers were whooping for the hostages' safe return, seeing the JLF's demise as a victory regardless of whose hand wielded the sword.

Lelouch's eyes narrowed, searching amid the floodlit Britannian forces for that telltale crimson-painted Sutherland that would mark the presence of Jeremiah Gottwald. Instead, he found a very familiar blond head, waving and hooting obnoxiously from the cockpit of his knightmare.

_"Gino?"_

So that's why he was calling earlier. And if he was in Area 11, it was only natural that the first thing he did was jump into a Sutherland and go to where the 'fun' was. Lelouch couldn't help the fond smile that pulled at his lips, watching as Gino leapt down from his knightmare and raced to where other soldiers were already helping the Britannians out of their lifeboats.

A few moments later, that smile turned into a grimace as the idiot of a blond held him in a suffocating hug with Nunally sandwiched between them. He was blabbering on and on about how worried they'd been, but how he had kept believing (_Of course. Always the optimist._) and Jeremiah had gone crazy and all of a sudden, Lelouch was whacked on the head and Gino finally -_finally!_- let up. His grimace now became a scowl. Aside from the headache he'd surely be suffering from soon, he had an image to think of; Gino couldn't just hit him like that in the middle of all the Britannian soldiers!

"I don't care if you're a prince," Gino told him, knowing full well what that death-glare meant. "You're still a crazy son of a gun, and you deserved that."

"I could have you arrested for that, you know."

Gino gave a smile and shrugged. Yes he knew, but he didn't particularly care. Lelouch exhaled slowly to calm himself, knowing that it was pointless to try and knock some sense into that empty head of his and was about to walk away when he remembered the girls. Reluctantly, he looked over his shoulder to find Milly and the other two girls being ushered along with the rest of the civilians, and he thought he could spot Chairman James there as well. Villetta, however, had come after him while careful to place a suitable distance between them.

He carefully adjusted his hold on Nunally, quite aware of how cold the night air felt against his wet and sodden form and how he was likely going to catch something because of it. Worse yet, _she_ would probably catch something as well. He had to get them both dry and warm as soon as possible.

"Gino, do you see those girls that were in the lifeboat with me?" The blond searched a little but eventually nodded, and Lelouch continued, "Bring them and Chairman James and anyone of the Sakuradite convention back to the Mobile Base."

Where otherwise he would have teased, Gino simply nodded again and went to do as he ordered. Lelouch might have been relieved if he hadn't caught sight of the grin twitching at his friend's lips, telling him that this subject would not be left to rest anytime soon.

_It could've been worse, I suppose,_ he thought to himself as he made his way through the crowd. This was made somewhat hard considering he looked like a drowned rat but eventually the soldiers caught on to the fact the prince was here among them and took it upon themselves to escort him. He couldn't take a knightmare with Nunally in his arms and so he had to make the trek on foot, but he kept his head high all the while, ignoring the cold and how he'd begun to shiver.

* * *

Mobile Command Centres were, as the name suggested, fortresses on wheels. They had the capacity to hold over twenty knightmares as well as innumerable weapons while also containing a handful of very comfortable, richly furnished rooms for the sake of the commanding officers and an occasional political hostage. Soldiers often joked that you could find anything in those mobile bases, especially those belonging to Viceroy Clovis who was rumored to have a room in each of them solely for painting, in case inspiration struck him in the midst of battle.

Lelouch knew the rumor to be false, as Clovis could never paint when surrounded by so much callousness as in a battlefield. The Command Centre also, sadly, did not contain everything, and certainly not a change of clothes. He'd simply never thought to bring one along, although made a mental note to do so from now on. He still had to change out of his wet garments however and so, finding no other choice, the now-dry Prince Lelouch entered the Throne Room in his skin-tight red and black pilot-suit, with a cloak that Jeremiah so graciously leant him draped over his shoulders. He was feeling more than just a little self-conscious as he sat down in front of his guests.

Of course, his face betrayed nothing. That Shirley girl's cheeks became dusted with red and she averted her gaze, but otherwise no one seemed to be affected. Nunally was left to rest in one of the rooms, which Lelouch could only wish he could do. However in spite of Zero's role being over, the Prince's role was just beginning. The interruption of the Sakuradite Allocation Meeting was a disaster and seeing as how Clovis was still gallivanting around with his ruins, it was up to him as Sub-Viceroy to fix everything.

"Chairman," he greeted. "You have my sincerest apologies for that unfortunate incident. I trust that you and the rest of the members of the committee are well?"

Chairman James was a heavy-set man in his late thirties with thinning mousy brown hair and watery blue eyes that darted around nervously. If Lelouch hadn't met him previously, he might have thought it was an effect of the recent hotel hijacking, but that was how he always was. He had a surprisingly good poker face, however, and that timid appearance belied an exquisite businessman, hence the fact he was chosen as head of the Sakuradite Allocation Meeting. It also helped that he owned the largest company responsible for the refining of sakuradite in Area 11.

The Chairman nodded in that usual twitchy manner of his, thanking him for his concern and swift action. "Although, Sub-Viceroy, I must admit... This Zero individual has me concerned."

Lelouch waved the matter away with a flick of his wrist. "Zero has no interest in the distribution of sakuradite. Not yet, at least. Keep in mind he could easily have killed you, or simply left you behind in the building."

Chairman James paled, more at the casual tone with which the prince was speaking than anything else. He quickly recovered from whatever surprise he had and began discussing suitable locations in which the meeting could be held and the arrangements that needed to be made. Throughout the conversation, his and the other esteemed members' eyes would often drift to the three teenage girls sitting aside, one of them already dozing off on her friends' shoulder, wondering what their importance could possibly be. Lelouch's eyes would occasionally flicker their way as well, but mostly to Milly, to gauge her reaction. She'd never seen him like this, all business, as he preferred to act light and friendly around her.

In the end, they agreed to hold the Sakuradite Allocation Meeting at the Viceroy's Palace itself for the sake of security; although Lelouch was quite clear on the fact there would be no more terrorist attacks, it was still his duty to make it up to them. Lelouch let his head to drop into his palm as soon as Chairman James and co. were escorted outside, rubbing at his temple where a headache was throbbing painfully.

Milly tugged at her friends, instantly startling the pigtailed one awake, and said, "Perhaps we should be going as well..."

Lelouch's hand shot up, signalling them to stop. "Stay. Please," he added, to soften the order. He stepped down from the throne and beckoned them to come along as he walked down the corridor. "Nunally would be happy to see you when she wakes, and it would be safer to return with us than with the rest of the hostages."

"You don't think the Elevens would attack again, would you?" asked a panicked Shirley.

Chuckling, he shook his head, "No, the Japan Liberation Front are down for now. It's not them I'm worried about. At least they will fight you head on, but the media..." Gino, walking beside them, gave an exaggerated shudder.

"Crazy vultures. God help you if you ever get caught in their clutches."

"_Thank you_, Gino. As I was saying, there are rooms if you wish to rest, although we'll be back in the settlement shortly, and-"

"Um, Your Majesty?"

Jeremiah froze, looking down at the girl with a quirked brow and a slightly worried expression, which made her even more nervous than she obviously already was. Meanwhile, Lelouch had finally figured out when he'd first spoke to Shirley; it was right before the affair at Shinjuku, in some party or the other. She'd made that same mistake, and he recalled scoffing inwardly. Now he plastered on a smile, just as he'd done then.

"Highness," he corrected kindly. "I'm afraid I'm not quite Emperor yet."

"Oh," Shirley said, and suddenly her shoes were the most interesting things in the world. "Well, I- um, I was wondering... If I could possibly call my father?" Lelouch's eyes widened, wondering how he could've been as daft as to forget something like that. "I know he's probably worried sick by now and the terrorists back there took all our personal things, so..."

"Of course."

He put a hand on his chest, as if about to reach inside a jacket, only to remember that he was currently in his pilot suit and anyway, his cell phone was probably ruined. Both of them, actually. Blushing, but only slightly, at his mistake, he told Jeremiah to give him his work phone, but by the time he'd pulled it out Gino had already handed her his own cell phone with an accompanying wink, saying, "Here ya go, gorgeous."

Shirley's blush darkened until it seemed as if her whole face was about to burn off and she stammered a thanks before opening it and dialling with shaky hands. Lelouch nonetheless took his work phone and began dialling as well, determined not to be outdone.

"Lord Ashford!" he greeted, and saw Milly straighten up. "Yes, yes, all is well. Nunally's fine, and yes, so is Milly. In fact, here she is."

He held out his phone to her, and she somewhat reluctantly accepted it. She gave him a smile in thanks as she lifted it to her ear and he returned it, and then turned around, taking a few steps away to give them their privacy. Jeremiah followed, standing behind him, as always, and there was an odd kind of smile on his face. When asked why, the man shrugged, his smile never wavering, and said, "I suppose I'm glad to have you back, and worrying about the minute things again."

"Well _I'll_ be glad when I get to sleep again."

Jeremiah didn't reply, his smile only widening.

* * *

True to his prediction the night before, Lelouch woke up with a sneeze and the groggy acknowledgment that this would not be a good day. He was proven correct when, stumbling out of his room, he was met suddenly with the face of Milly Ashford, hand poised over the door and apparently about to knock.

They'd reached the settlement in the wee hours of the night and seeing that the media had already swarmed around Ashford Academy, having discovered from the worried parents that this was where the students went, Lelouch graciously invited them all to stay at his villa until things blew over a little. Truthfully, he wouldn't have bothered to if not for Milly. Judging by the surprise that flickered across her face during the phone call, her grandfather had already filled her in, and it was likely she'd want to talk. Best to get it over with, he figured. And since she didn't strike the conversation during the night, she'd likely want to do it in the morning.

He looked at her blankly for a few seconds, as if not quite registering what he was seeing, and Milly was frozen in her surprise. They both snapped out of it at the same moment-

"Was there something-"

"I just wanted to-"

Milly broke off with a small smile and a bowed head and Lelouch sneezed again.

"Are you alright, Lelouch?" she asked, handing him a tissue that she'd just magically produced. Sniffing and cursing the cold for hindering his usually impeccable perception, he accepted the tissue with a small thank you and lightly dabbed at his nose.

"It's just the lake, from yesterday," he told her with a slight shake of his head, and almost frowned at how his words came out. His m's were turning into b's. _Ugh_.

"Maybe you should stay in bed, then? Sleep it off. Like I was saying, I came here to wake you up, but if you're sick you might as well rest a bit."

Wake him up? And what about his servants? Jeremiah? His sister?

Milly gave a self-conscious chuckle and said, "Lord Jeremiah... told me that maybe I should be the one to do it. Since... y'know..."

A frown pulled at his lips, more at the fact he was apparently so easily read (it was either that or she was a telepath, and he was betting on the former, personally.) than Jeremiah deciding to send a girl to his room. That was still an issue, however. She wasn't supposed to be in his room- she wasn't supposed to be anywhere _near_ it! He especially, being as chivalrous and proper as a fairytale knight, should have understood that.

But perhaps with their impending engagement Jeremiah thought it was alright...

Sniffing again, Lelouch nodded and stepped out of his room, careful to close the door behind him. He gestured for her to sit down but remained standing, leaning against the wall. Beside his head hung several pictures, mostly from his days at the Academy and his sisters, though one and two even featured a young Milly. This was what he'd dubbed his 'Contemplation Room'. In the centre was a small table which held a chessboard, the pieces in various positions over the checkered surface as if in mid-game. Opposite him was Clovis' gift; a large portrait of Lady Marianne vi Britannia, flanked by her two children.

He found Milly coming to stand beside him, smiling gently as she observed the portrait.

"I remember that day," she began fondly. "I was so annoyed that you couldn't play with me that I kept on jumping around, trying to make you all break down and talk to me. Nunally wiggled free once or twice, but Lady Marianne always pulled her back. I stole her hat later on, and you ran after me-"

"That's not the original."

"Hmn?" Milly blinked, somewhat dazed at being pulled from her reminiscing. "It's not?"

"No. The original was destroyed. Clovis painted this, from memory."

"Oh."

There was silence for a little while until Lelouch broke it, his voice quiet as he said, "I destroyed it." Milly turned to look at him now, surprised and questioning, but his eyes remained fixed on the portrait. At her kindly smiling face. "I couldn't bear the thought of it hanging in Pendragon Palace, where all the nobles could sneer and laugh and plot in her presence. So I burned it."

He had never in his entire life seen Cornelia so shaken, and even Schneizel appeared rather concerned, while Lelouch had remained quiet as he listened to her scolding, screeching in his ear. Quiet and cold and detached. Jeremiah was instructed not to let him out of his room for two weeks after that, what he supposed was Cornelia's way of grounding him; Jeremiah let him go, of course, because in the end he served Lelouch, not her.

"Why?"

"I told you. Because-"

She shook her head and few blonde strands fell over her eyes. "No, not that," she said, tucking her hair back in place. "I meant... The engagement. Why?"

He replied without looking at her. "Your family is important to me, your grandfather's genius mostly, and I won't deny that. I could utilise that genius anytime I wanted, and without needing to give anything in return, but I owe it to your family. To you." Here, Lelouch turned to her slowly, face constructed into a careful passive mask. "You... You're my friend, Milly. And I know what kind of pressure must be on your shoulders to redeem the family name. If I simply restored your title you'd still be pressured, this time to marry someone of equal or better status. So I just thought I'd save you the trouble."

A shrug, as if he was embarrassed, "I know no one will dare challenge it- I'm a prince, after all. Not a very powerful one, but a prince nonetheless. And it would satisfy your family. And if ever you found someone you wanted to be with who feels strongly enough about you to go up against me, well then, you could always just break it off."

"And what if _you_ find someone?"

Lelouch scoffed, which turned into a cough midway and completely ruined his image. He scowled, only to find Milly giggling gently behind her hand and decided that maybe that wasn't so bad. Perhaps it was better if he appeared more human to her.

"I highly doubt that," he said. "But on the off-chance I do, well, my father has over a hundred consorts. Polygamy is hardly an issue."

She laughed and he joined in, and when the laughter died down there was silence once again. A comfortable silence this time, that neither of them wanted to break.

It was broken anyway when Lelouch's stomach, having no inclination to behave as proper and princely as its owner, growled loudly and Milly laughed again, remembering that the reason she came to wake him up in the first place was to come down to breakfast.

"So," she said as they descended the grand staircase. "Does this mean I'll have to meet up with your family and all that?"

"I'm afraid so. My older siblings, at least, will want to have a gander," he replied, sending her an apologetic look. He did not envy her position in the following months. "We'll have to make an announcement soon, by the way."

She nodded in understanding. Nothing remained hidden for long in the noble circles and it was always best that the revelations happened on one's own terms. "I have just one condition."

Lelouch stopped, looking almost apprehensive. "And what is that?"

"You have to join in the Ashford Academy festivities! We have to keep up appearances, right? And I bet Nunally would love it."

The magic word: _Nunally_. Lelouch nodded his agreement, and then felt his stomach sink at her delighted cackle. School festivities didn't sound so bad, but when it came to Milly Ashford...

"But it better not be anything embarrassing!" he called after her as she skipped down the stairs. "I have an image to think about!"

She didn't respond, and Lelouch's stomach only sunk further, feeling he would come to deeply regret this decision. Suddenly, he wasn't so hungry anymore.

* * *

"Are you okay now, Lloyd?"

The scientist didn't even bother to look up from his computer, still furiously typing away as he replied, "Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

Suzaku shrugged, feeling rather foolish now that he had even attempted to strike up conversation with the eccentric man. It was just that they were still doing some adjustments to the Lancelot and Cecile had work to do and he was just sitting there, useless. He couldn't even leave because they were supposed to be waiting for Prince Lelouch.

"You seemed pretty upset this morning," he said eventually. "About that engagement being called off."

"Oh. That." Lloyd finally looked up, that funny little smile of his in place. He seemed to be quite calm now, satisfied even; so far removed from that morning's whining, stomping child of a man who kept on wailing, "It's not fair! I asked first!" Suzaku had felt sorry for him up until Cecile, whacking Lloyd on the head with her clipboard, revealed that he'd never even liked the girl. The only reason he wanted to marry her was because her family owned an antique knightmare frame that he was dying to get his hands on.

"You mean it doesn't bother you anymore?"

"Not at all! I'll be getting the Ganymede anyway, hopefully soon, and now I don't even have to get _married_ to do it! It's wonderful!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms up and twirling around in his swivel chair. Suzaku only blinked, his head tilting to the side in confusion and slight worry.

"Um, how will you-"

"Why, he'll give it to me, of course! I won't be doing anything illegal, Suzaku, if that's what you've been worrying your little head about. Not unless he tells me to, anyway."

"Unless _who_ tells you to?"

Blue eyes twinkling underneath his glasses, Lloyd nodded to the door, which opened to reveal Lord Jeremiah, looking mildly annoyed for some reason, followed closely by... a girl in a wheelchair? Suzaku's features softened, until he realized just who it was pushing that wheelchair and he immediately jumped up in attention.

"At ease, Kururugi," the Prince commanded in a strangely nasal voice. Suzaku lowered his hand from the salute but his body remained rigid. Prince Lelouch's lips quirked up in amusement. "I said _at ease_. This isn't an official visit. You could almost call it recreational."

Turning his gaze to Lloyd, he said, "My friend Gino here-" He gestured at the tall, blond man that had entered behind him, who Suzaku had just now noticed. He seemed to be the source of Lord Jeremiah's annoyance, if the dark glares the man kept shooting in Gino's way were any indication. "-saw the Lancelot in action yesterday and has become a very big fan. He insisted on coming down here to tell you himself."

"And maybe see if you could build me one of my own," Gino added with a cheeky grin. "Or at least one of those gigantic gun thingies! Man, they looked so awesome!"

"Oh my, yet another fan of my genius? How wonderful. By the way, Your Highness..." Lloyd's expression became sly. "I believe congratulations are in order, am I right?"

"Congratulations?" the small girl asked, lifting her face to look up at the Prince. She didn't open her eyes. With a pang, Suzaku wondered if she even could.

"Why, for your engagement to Miss Ashford, of course!" Gino's head whipped back so fast he was surprised that nothing cracked. The girl gave out a surprised but nonetheless delighted squeal.

"Oh big brother, you never told me!"

Gino laughed, clapping the Prince on the back so hard the poor guy almost toppled over, wheelchair and all. Suzaku froze, eyes widening a fraction as several things clicked:

Lelouch vi Britannia was the suitor that had bested Lloyd, and now the scientist seemed confident that would work in his favour somehow.

That little girl in the wheelchair was a princess.

He'd actually just referred to Prince Lelouch with '_poor guy_'

The Sub-Viceroy plastered on a smile of artificial cordiality, "It was _supposed_ to be a surprise, but now that Lloyd's ruined it then yes, Milly and I are engaged."

"Lelouch, that's wonderful!"

"Hah, I knew it!"

Prince Lelouch quirked his brow at him, "_Really_ Gino?"

"Well, not that you'd be _engaged_," the blond amended, wrapping his arms around the prince's shoulders. "But I _knew_ you had your eye on one of those girls from last night."

Amazingly enough, Prince Lelouch blushed, and Suzaku lowered his head, hoping to conceal the smile pulling at his lips. Even the little girl, the princess, was giggling behind her hand.

Prince Lelouch cleared his throat. "What Gino meant to say is the students from the hotel-jacking. They're my sister's friends, so I offered to see them back to the settlement. Anyway, didn't you want to see the Lancelot?"

"Hell yeah!"

"Well then, come right this way!" Lloyd exclaimed, mirroring the blond's enthusiasm. He took Gino along and disappeared through the doors that led to the hangar, where the Lancelot was being touched up, leaving Suzaku alone with the Prince and his company.

"You disobeyed orders last night, Warrant Officer," he said at last, taking a seat on Lloyd's now empty swivel chair. He pulled the wheelchair beside him. "Jeremiah specifically planned for you to play decoy and destroy the linear cannon, but you went the whole nine yards and destroyed the hotel foundations as well. You weren't supposed to do that."

Suzaku bowed his head, "Yes, your Highness. I knowingly disobeyed direct orders, and I'm ready for whatever disciplinary action you see fit."

Surprisingly, the Prince laughed, "Why is it that every time I see you, you're either rescuing me or asking for some sort of punishment? Are you a masochist, Warrant Officer?" The question was mocking, asked with a lifted brow and upturned lips, but Suzaku felt there must be some truth to it. And likely the prince knew that. Suzaku's head remained lowered.

Receiving no response, Prince Lelouch continued, "Well, whatever the case, I actually want to commend you, Kururugi."

"M-my Lord?"

"You had the opportunity and you took it. Waiting for the rest of the forces would have taken too much time, time _they_ didn't have." Prince Lelouch's eyes slid to his sister's small form, the girl smiling back as if she could feel his gaze on her. "My sister was with the hostages, Warrant Officer. Did you know that?"

Suzaku had now overcome his previous surprise a little, but still found it hard to speak properly without stuttering, "N-no. No, Your Highness, I didn't."

"I've been trying to keep Nunally out of the limelight for years now to prevent just such a situation. And it happened anyway. Ironic, isn't it?" he wryly commented. He wasn't expecting an answer, however. "Sometimes, things just won't go as planned. And sometimes, breaking the rules is the only way to produce favourable results."

Results. That was all that mattered in Britannia, he supposed. So long as the results were 'favourable', the end most certainly justified the means.

"I respect a man who can know when to follow orders and when to _act_, orders be damned."

Suzaku knew he was being complimented. Even the Prince's expression showed it; he had a sort of pleased, smug air about him. But why didn't it feel like one? He didn't regret what he did at Kawaguchi, and was certain it was the right thing, even if he did ultimately fail, because in the end it was Zero who saved the day. Zero, not him and Lancelot, saved the hostages.

"Forgive me for saying this, but... I think you're wrong."

The smile slowly dropped, making way for a more serious, even dark expression. "How so?"

"I believe in the logic of systems over individual human emotions. Emotions make way for error, where logic minimizes them. And also... results gained by contemptible means are never favourable. The end never justifies the means."

"You contradict yourself, Kururugi. Logic-" They were interrupted by the doors swinging in, and the sound of small squeaking wheels as Cecile pushed in a trolley with refreshments and what Suzaku thought with dread were probably her very own home-made muffins.

"I apologise for not being here to greet you, Your Highness," she addressed him, face bright with a smile as always. "But I was preparing these muffins in the oven and it seems I underestimated how long they would take. Would you like to try one?" she asked, holding one up to the princess.

Princess Nunally smiled and reached a hand out blindly, saying, "I would love to, thank you," and Suzaku's eyes widened in horror. He discreetly motioned for her not to, glad that Cecile was facing away from him, but soon realised how stupid that was. She couldn't even _see_.

Thankfully, it seemed her brother had caught on and quickly snatched the muffin from between her slender fingers. "Ah, I'm terribly sorry, Miss Cecile, but Nunally has rather frail health and as such follows a certain diet." Princess Nunally seemed a little put down but nodded, dropping her hand to her lap again.

Prince Lelouch, looking apologetic, took a bite out of the muffin, and Suzaku witnessed first-hand just how amazing an actor he was that he didn't even pause at the no doubt awful taste of Cecile's latest concoction. He merely chewed and swallowed, and then even complimented her, much to the blue-haired scientist's delight. In fact, he was so good that when Cecile offered him one, Suzaku might have actually accepted had he not noticed how the Prince hid his muffin in his pocket as soon as she turned her back on him, hiding his mouth behind a white-gloved hand and shaking his head.

Suzaku heeded the warning, thanking her with his most sincere smile and saying he wasn't hungry. She accepted it with a small shrug and moved on to offer them drinks, which she had not made herself, much to everyone's relief.

Later on, the Prince sat down beside him and, chuckling, told him he was an awful liar. Princess Nunally had left, pushed away by Lord Jeremiah because she had an urgent appointment, and Gino was still gushing about the Lancelot with Lloyd elsewhere while Cecile presided over the maintenance work. They were left alone, just an Honorary Britannian and the Sub-Viceroy, and Suzaku thought that was an immense statement of trust and took it to heart.

Even if he _was_ being laughed at.

"I'll take that as a compliment, Your Highness," he said, and the Prince chuckled and shook his head in response.

"Yes, I suppose you would, wouldn't you?"

Again, was that an insult? A compliment?

"You would never survive in the imperial court, Kururugi. You can't lie and your emotions are written all over your face, as clear as day. I don't think you'd be too fond of plotting to stab a person in the back either, would you?" Violet eyes flickered his way for just a moment, taking in the bewildered expression and wide gaze. "No, that's below you. What you said to me earlier... Do you really believe that? The end could never justify the means?"

Suzaku gave a firm nod.

"But just what did you mean by _contemptible_? What classifies as _contemptible_ to you? Shooting a man in the back, evidently, but things are never as simple as that. What if that man was a drug-dealer, and shooting him in the back is the only way we can possibly hope to cut him down? This is our one chance. After this, he's going on a plane to the Chinese Federation; we can never touch him again, and he'll just keep on sending shipment after shipment of Refrain."

Prince Lelouch paused to let the implication sink in, and Suzaku's hand clenched into a tight fist over his leg, gripping at the fabric of his orange trousers. He knew it was never that simple, but he did not appreciate being manipulated into questioning his morality just so he could end up agreeing with him. When those moments came, he let his heart took over and although he may regret the action later, it would already be too late to change it and that was that.

Suzaku knew the answer already and, judging by that knowing look on Prince Lelouch's face, so did he. Nonetheless he waited, because he had to hear Suzaku say it for himself. "I would shoot him," he said, resignedly. The Prince smiled, until he added, "In the leg. Both of them if I have to. Then we could take him into custody."

"I see..." His Highness was disappointed, but also contemplative. He steepled his fingers together then pressed them to his lips as he sunk into his thoughts. Suzaku felt hopeful; had he managed to reach someone who could actually make a difference?

At long last, Prince Lelouch spoke again, his voice (still nasally, like he had a cold. How funny, a royal catching a cold) now sounding so far away. "I'll admit I never considered that option. He will still be sentenced to death, of course, but it would be better for that to occur within the law. Of course, had you just shot him in the back it would still have been within the law, and likely you would have prevented any escape attempts that may or may not succeed, but either way will result in the deaths of guards... But then again, he'll have the chance to a fair trial, so what does that matter?"

The tone of his voice never changed, but Suzaku once again got the distinct feeling he was being ridiculed. Or was it simply because he was a Prince that it sounded as if he was mocking anyone he talked to, as a force of habit more than anything else?

"I'm sure many of your countrymen despise you," he commented off-handedly, making Suzaku start. "Label you a traitor. You said you wanted to save people, Suzaku Kururugi, but to do that you have sided with the enemy. Is that a '_contemptible mean_'? Or is that just..." He waved a hand, searching for the word he needed. "A necessary evil?"

"I can only make changes to the Empire from within it, Your Highness," Suzaku replied. "Trying to free Area 11 by force is useless."

"Because even if it is freed, the Chinese Federation will be ready to pounce," the Prince nodded. "And assuming the Japanese still have enough manpower to resist their invasion, by then the Britannian fleet will have arrived to crush them all."

A heavy silence followed, or at least it felt that way to Suzaku. He had never been one for politics, in spite of having been the Prime Minister's son, but he understood what was going on in the world. The Chinese Federation had always had its eyes on Japa- Area 11, and with the current turbulence, thanks to Zero, it was likely plotting to invade even now.

But they wouldn't succeed. Not if he and the Lancelot had anything to say about it.

"I take it you don't agree with Zero either."

It was as if he could read his mind. Or maybe he just had it written all over his face, like the Prince said. "No, Sir. He's only bringing the Elevens more grief."

"Japanese, Kururugi. Respect your ancestry. _Japanese_."

Suzaku flushed. "There is no such thing as Japan now, Your Highness. Only Area 11."

"Such a distasteful name. I never did get why we'd change the country's name, but everything else would be kept," Prince Lelouch mused. "Tokyo, Kyoto, Okinawa... Britannians can never say it right anyway, so why not rename it all?"

A sigh and a shrug; the Prince sat back, lacing his fingers together over his leg, which was crossed over the other elegantly. "He's bringing the Japanese more grief, you say." Suzaku didn't miss the correction. "Why's that? He's promising them freedom from oppression, the restoration of their pride..."

"But it'll only be crushed again! All he's doing is delaying the inevitable, and causing a lot of deaths in the process! "

"And what if he could stand up to the Chinese? What if he could even defeat Britannia itself? What then? Wouldn't he be accomplishing just what you set out to do- faster, more effectively?"

The Honorary Britannian shook his head. "Faster, maybe, but bloodier, and not necessarily more effective. You can't _force_ people to change. Eventually, there will be war again, and someone else will rise in Zero's place. The cycle of hate will continue."

Prince Lelouch seemed to freeze, bewildered, and then Suzaku blinked and when he opened his eyes the Prince was as composed as ever; he wondered if he'd just been imagining things.

"What if..." But maybe he wasn't. Prince Lelouch was being strangely hesitant. His eyes were elsewhere, brows furrowed in deliberation. " What if I told you I wanted to change the Empire as well? What if I told you that I _despise_ the way it is now?"

His voice was gaining more power the more he spoke, but even without that Suzaku was floored just by what he was hearing.

"My _father_-" He spat the word, the sarcasm practically dripping from it. "-gave a speech a few days ago, at the appointment of my half-brother Reinier as Viceroy of Area 18."

Yes, Suzaku remembered. He remembered standing in attention with the rest of the soldiers as the Britannian anthem played, reciting the now-familiar words flawlessly and with more feeling than most Britannians did. The Middle Eastern Federation had finally collapsed at the hands of the Witch of Britannia, with the scattered remnants running to hide behind the EU's skirts. And while usually the appointment of an Area's Viceroy wouldn't be so widely televised, the subjugation of Area 18 was a major event.

Fifth Prince Reinier, famous for his roles in the conquest of Areas 14 and 16, stood proudly before the Emperor as he accepted his new title. But even he, as terrifying and formidable as he was, the scourge of Africa, dwarfed in comparison with Emperor Charles zi Britannia.

"All men are not created equal," Prince Lelouch intoned, having apparently memorized the Emperor's speech. "Some are born swifter of foot, some of greater beauty, some are born into poverty and others born sick and feeble. Both in birth and in upbringing, in sheer scope of ability, every human is inherently different. Yes, that is why people discriminate against one another, that is why there is struggle, competition, and the unfaltering march of progress. Inequality is not wrong; equality is. What of the EU which made equality a right? Rabble politics by a popularity contest. The Chinese Federation, with its equal distribution of wealth? A nation of lazy dullards. But not our beloved Britannia."

He had been speaking without much of the emotion that had made the speech so enthralling, but an emotion was beginning to build up now: rage. It was etched on the Prince's face, on his every feature, his lips twisting into a dark scowl as he spat the words, "We fight! We compete! Evolution is continuous! Britannia alone moves forward, advancing steadily into the future. We shall fight on! We shall struggle, compete, _plunder_ and dominate! All shall be ours."

He ended it on a mocking note, almost laughing in his contempt. "All hail Britannia! All hail Britannia, indeed."

His rage having seemingly subsided, he turned on Suzaku with a wry grin, "I've heard that speech before, you know. Or at least the gist of it; my father isn't very creative when it comes to things like that. It was when Nunally lost her legs and eyes, in the attack that killed my mother. He told me... He told me they were weak and had no place in Britannia. That _I _was weak for still caring for my sister." His expression darkened again. "They say terrorists are what killed her, but I know better. It was _them_. The nobility. They hated her because she had climbed too high, they thought, because she was of common birth. She was Empress, Kururugi. Just how high do you think _you_ can climb before they kill you too?"

With those parting words, the Prince rose from his seat and left, saying he had a meeting with the NAC. They remained ringing in Suzaku's ears for a long time after that.

* * *

Shirley pulled the curtains back slightly, tentatively peering out of the window. There were suddenly screams and shouts from outside and she sighed in defeat, quickly dropping the curtain. "Yep," she informed her friends, moving away from the window to slump in her chair. "They're still outside."

"Geez. And I thought the media was bad," Rivalz commented. "At least they can't get past the Academy gates. But these guys..." He trailed off, making a clockwise motion beside his head to get his point across.

Milly laughed from her place atop the meeting table, kicking her legs up and down leisurely with Rivalz following their every movement with his eyes. Thank god she was wearing trousers this time, Shirley thought. "Aw, well, you can't really blame them. They were all probably worried sick about their beloved Student Council."

Rivalz nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah! They were going mad last night."

"It's not just that, and you know it," Shirley told them. She picked up a pen and resumed her doodling, just as she'd been doing for the past hour since they first got back. "They're asking about Prince Lelouch."

Nina paused from her typing, blushing darkly. "I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to say that, it just slipped right out!"

"Oh, no one's blaming you, Nina!" Shirley said, offering the mousy girl what she hoped was a reassuring smile. She received a half-smile in return as Nina nervously fiddled with the hem of her skirt.

"They would've known sooner or later anyway," Milly stated with a dramatic sigh. "Especially since Nunally hasn't come back. But it's good that she didn't. Lelouch doesn't want her on the news or anything."

Rivalz tore his eyes away from Milly's legs for a moment, becoming bewildered again as he remembered the status of their Junior Council Member. "Wow. Who would've thought- Nunally, a Princess!"

"Shhhh!" the President said, placing a finger over his lips. "Someone could be eavesdropping right now. Just like you were."

"Hey, I wasn't eavesdropping! I just... uhr, overheard! Yeah, that's it."

Milly grinned hugely, knowingly, like a Cheshire cat. "If you say so."

"Just keep it quiet, okay?" Shirley said. "Nunally still doesn't want the rest of the school to know."

Rivalz nodded in understanding, "In case of terrorists and stuff, right? My lips are sealed." He mimed zipping his mouth, something Shirley was very thankful for. He was a nice guy, but talked way too much.

"Actually," Nina said quietly. "She said she didn't want any of the students to treat her differently. She said likes school because she doesn't have to be a princess here."

The Student Council members were all wearing similar smiles at that moment; soft and affectionate.

"Yeah, that sounds like Nunnaly alright," said Milly, her voice devoid of any of its usual playfulness for once. "They're making such a big fuss just because we spent the night at Lelouch's place; imagine what would happen if they found out Nunna was his sister."

A few moments passed before Rivalz spoke up again, asking them what it was like spending so much time with royalty, and in the Prince's own personal villa too! He didn't seem to buy that it was as normal as they told him, insisting there must be some amazing details of national security they were keeping from him. And so, with a sigh, Shirley repeated her account of the previous night, with Milly occasionally adding her own colourful comments.

"I think that Gino guy likes you," she interrupted once, and Shirley's face turned a light pink as a result. "He does, doesn't he?"

The orangette tried to shrug noncommittally, but it didn't come out quite right. Milly's grin only widened, looking down at the girl in a way that made her feel uncomfortably like a mouse that was about to be eaten. "Did he ask you out?"

"He... He did give me his phone number," Shirley mumbled, only to shriek moments later when she found the blonde's hands in her clothing. However, this time she wasn't trying to grope her (thank god!) but fishing through her pockets for said number, since she didn't have a phone anymore.

"Madam Preeez!"

"I'll let you go if you promise to call him!"

"But I don't want to!"

"And just why not?" Milly quirked a brow at her. "He's tall, incredibly cute, funny, cute, a gentleman, cute, he likes you and, oh, did I mention cute!"

"Yeah. Four times now," Rivalz said dejectedly from behind her. She paid him no mind. As always.

Shirley determinedly shook her head, pushing the blonde away. "That's all fine and good, but I don't like him. Sure, he was nice and all, but..."

"But what?"

"But... he's..."

_He's not Prince Lelouch..._

He didn't seem to be showing any sort of interest in her, romantic or otherwise, but Shirley just couldn't forget how desperate he'd seemed last night, and then how relieved when he saw that Nunally was okay. He'd looked so vulnerable at that moment, shivering in the night air, his clothes plastered to his form. His hair, so soft and shiny, was dripping, and the droplets ran along his pale skin, illuminated in the moonlight. She recalled watching one droplet in particular as it ran down his nose and then to his lips... Only to start upon finding his eyes, those ethereal purple orbs, looking at her.

Just seeing him smile had always made her heart flutter, let alone when he was smiling at _her_, thanking her, hugging his little sister in his arms.

How could she even think about another boy, when they all paled in comparison to her Prince Charming?

Milly pulled back, a look of understanding on her face, and Shirley blushed. Was she really so easy to read? "Well, whoever this guy you're pining after is, I still say you should give Gino a call. And because I'm your friend..." She placed a hand on Shirley's shoulder. "_I'm going to do it for you!_"

The devilish grin returned all of a sudden and Shirley found herself being pushed back, collapsing to the ground in a great heap.

"Preeeez!" she shrieked.

"You'll thank me later!" Milly yelled over her shoulder as she ran out of the room. Her delighted cackle echoed throughout the Clubhouse.

* * *

The JLF had used a one-of-a-kind linear cannon made of four modified Glasgows. It had taken out several of their Sutherlands in mere seconds and even the Lancelot seemed to have had a difficult time evading the linear cannon's shots.

Now then, just where did the JLF get it from? The group was, at its core, the ghost of the long-defunct Japanese army. It boasted a large number of soldiers and very memorable names resided within its ranks, specifically Tohdoh of Miracles and his Four Holy Swords. That was it. They had neither the brains nor the resources to build something like that on their own, and so there was only one possibility: it was given to them. Just like they were given their Burais, the custom knightmares the JLF were known for which were in the end little more than cannibalised Glasgows.

The records show that Clovis had been digging after the NAC for years, his brother having long reached the same conclusion as he: it was the NAC, or at least the people who pulled its strings, who were funding the various resistance groups in Area 11. And whoever they were, they left no paper trail whatsoever. Meticulous, flawless working that suggested they had deep roots within the occupational government and thus the entirety of the Area. There were twelve possible figures, and these were chosen based only on their wealth, strong political standing prior to the invasion and the fact they were Japanese.

Clovis wasn't willing to dig any deeper, having no hard evidence of their involvement and wary of upsetting certain people, and so he settled with keeping an eye on them but otherwise let the matter drop. Lelouch, reading the reports that detailed just how he 'kept an eye on them', snorted and thought he had nothing to worry about from Clovis' end whatsoever. His underlings were sloppy, whether through corruption or sheer incompetence. They would not be uncovering his double-life anytime soon if this was how they worked.

Lelouch's double-life came to his aid again as it brought to his attention the name _Kyoto_. It seemed that everyone who was anyone in the resistance scene had been contacted at some point by Kyoto House. No body knew who the head of this conglomerate was, but Lelouch had expected no less. They had already given him more than enough material to go by.

A few hours of research later, he had six names in his hands: the heads of the six most important families in Japan prior to the invasion, and currently the most influential industrialists of Area 11, not to mention prominent members of the NAC. The Six Houses of Kyoto. He was rather amused to discover that there had once been a seventh, but that the Kururugi House had been removed given its two betrayals, first by Genbu Kururugi when he committed suicide and abandoning Japan at its moment of need, and then by Suzaku Kururugi, when he joined the Britannian military.

Only five of these names coincided with Clovis' list. Apparently, he didn't see Kaguya Sumeragi as a likely terrorist; Lelouch disagreed. He had met her personally only once before, when he'd first taken up his position as Sub-Viceroy, and his immediate impression was that she was much more mature than she let on. She appeared little more than a cheeky little girl with a large vocabulary at first glance, but by merely catching snippets of conversation he'd deduced that she was a very adept politician.

In fact, Kaguya Sumeragi was one of the most likely candidates to be head of the Kyoto House, second only to Taizo Kirihara simply by basis of age. Age meant very little when one was thrust into their war-ridden world, of course -Lelouch personally was only a few years older than her- but people tended to be less willing to follow orders when the one giving them was exceptionally young, no matter how ingenious.

Taizo Kirihara was founder of Kirihara Industries which had a monopoly on sakuradite mining. Formerly a vehement supporter of the Kururugi government, when Japan fell, he slyly dodged the tribunals by collaborating with the colonial rulers, thus earning his title of Kirihara the Traitor among the Japanese people. The heads of the rest of the Houses quickly followed suit, securing their places within the new government. Lelouch did not miss the similarities they shared.

_Working within the system to work against it. Hah. _

All the more reason to flush them out, and quickly.

_After all, who better to spot a double agent than another double agent? _

Lelouch came to the meeting to find Kirihara absent and was fed the perfectly plausible excuse that Lord Kirihara was ailing and couldn't make it. He pretended to believe it, showing the appropriate sympathy, which they also pretended to believe.

They spent a whole two hours talking circles around each other, failing to do anything substantial. As expected. The Britannian rulers generally paid little mind to the native government so long as the population of Numbers was stable and the tax revenue remained high. Clovis hadn't met with them personally in nearly a year now, preferring to send a delegate, and Lelouch hardly blamed him now that he saw how these things usually worked.

No matter. He didn't come here to discuss Eleven labourers or production rates in the damaged ghettoes, but to observe them personally. He confirmed his suspicions, at least partially, at seeing the fake numbers they provided him on the situation in Shinjuku. He happened to know it was doing much worse than they said; or rather, Zero knew, because that was currently Zero's base of operations. They did the same with Saitama.

Of course, the fact they were sympathetic to Numbers was hardly anything strange, but Lelouch had been careful to gather the intel he needed before this meeting and one thing that caught his interest was that only these two locations had fake reports.

_They know._

Shinjuku had witnessed the birth of Zero after he stopped Clovis' assault, and Saitama was where Zero had stood up to him, Lelouch, and taken over his Command Centre.

_They know that I... _

No! They couldn't, because they had no proof, or else they wouldn't be playing these games. But they could be suspicious.

_Then this is a test._

It would be simple for him to prove the reports false, even if he weren't Zero, so there had to be more to it than what met the eyes. A trigger, a small hidden trap, a detail that a Prince should never know. Or did they expect him to notice that? Did they expect him to correct everything while deliberately avoiding their trap, thus proving that he was only playing his part? Did they expect him to ignore it all entirely?

"I mean no disrespect to your persons, of course," Lelouch began carefully. With a few keystrokes, he brought up the Intel he'd gathered beforehand, courtesy of Jeremiah's quick work. It appeared likewise on each of the screens placed before the NAC members. "But I did some research before this meeting, and I have noticed some... discrepancies between the reports my subordinates provided me with and the reports _you_ gave me."

One of the council members and suspected Kyoto affiliate, Tatsunori Osakabe, immediately took offense. Lelouch attempted to placate him by doubting his own results, stating that he had merely done it as a test of his subordinates' capabilities, and wished for the esteemed members to correct whatever information they found inaccurate.

From across the oval meeting table, Lady Kaguya Sumeragi's eyes twinkled; the prince was reminded of a young Nunally, up to no good. She graciously provided him with the needed corrections, only to unexpectedly turn around and rectify something in her own report.

"We're lucky that Your Highness is so thorough," she said with a smile. "Or else this mistake might have gone unnoticed!"

His information stated the percentage of production decrease in the Shinjuku sector as 65% while theirs stated 57%. Now that she had corrected it, it stated 42%.

"I take it the rebuilding of the Shinjuku Ghetto is going well, then?"

"Indeed, Prince Lelouch."

"Then I should like to observe the progress myself. Tomorrow, perhaps?"

He felt Jeremiah grow stiff beside him but otherwise showed no sign of being affected by Lelouch's declaration. And then as Lady Kaguya offered to accompany him on his tour, he caught it, from the tips of his eyes; Jeremiah absentmindedly adjusted his right glove.

_No._

Lelouch happily accepted her offer and laced his fingers together on the table.

_I have a plan. _

"I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, then, My Lady," he said, rising from his seat. The council members stood up in turn, giving him a bow that was more due to their heritage than because of his status. He responded with a curt nod and left the conference room, Jeremiah at his heels as always.

Not a word was shared between them until they reached his office, wherein Jeremiah sat down in front of his desk. "Will you tell me this plan of yours now?"

"All in good time. First, I have a task for you." Jeremiah frowned, but nodded like the loyal soldier he was. "I want you to have each of the NAC members under surveillance."

He tugged at his collar discreetly. _I'm being followed._

"Lady Kaguya especially."

Papers were piled high on his desk, documents that needed his signature, dossiers he'd asked for. He pulled a file his way, picking up a pen and began to read. "The information you gathered wasn't wrong, Jeremiah, and I want to know what they're hiding," he said, tapping the pen lightly on his desk.

_The office is bugged._

Jeremiah's face was blank as he nodded once again, standing up, "Very well, my Prince." He smoothed out a nonexistent wrinkle in his clothing.

_Understood._

Lelouch watched him leave the office with an inward smile, wondering if he should devise a secret language for the Black Knights as well.

* * *

When he came out of his office he found Gino waiting for him outside, leaning against his assistant's desk. And judging by her flustered state, he'd probably been working his charm on her. Lelouch coughed loudly and Gino straightened up with his usual wide grin. "You should really take some cough drops, Lu. You sound even worse than this morning."

"I'm fine, Gino," he said. Nunally had already insisted he took some medicine before he left, and with Milly there to hold him down there was really no escape. "And don't call me that. What are you doing here, anyway?"

Gino pouted, folding his arms. "Is that any way to talk to your best friend?" Lelouch rolled his eyes and scoffed, walking past his so-called friend and outside. Gino was quick to follow, of course, throwing an arm over his shoulders. After his growth-spurt at fifteen, Lelouch had thought he'd finally be free from Weinberg's annoying habit, only for the idiot to sprout up even higher barely a few months later.

"Why did you leave me back there?"

"I had a meeting to attend to," Lelouch replied. He ignored the stares that followed them best as he could, determined to remain dignified in spite of Gino's antics. It was easier than trying to convince him to act sane. "And you seemed to be having so much fun with Lloyd."

It was as if he'd opened a floodgate; Gino immediately began to gush about the Lancelot and all its 'hardcore' features, complete with obnoxious sound effects, all of which Lelouch was able to zone out thanks to years of experience. As endearing and useful as Gino could sometimes be, he had far more important things to contemplate. Namely his upcoming meeting with Kaguya Sumeragi.

He needed to discover her motivation, as well as the rest of the Kyoto Houses. If they hadn't uncovered his identity of Zero then they suspected his involvement, or at least some foul play. Lelouch's early actions of taking control of the Royal Guard had seemed like a good idea at the time but were now proving to be much more trouble than they were worth. Perhaps if he had geassed lesser soldiers it wouldn't have been so obvious that he was an upper-class member of Britannian society... But it was too late to think about that now.

Lelouch doubted his office was truly bugged, but if it was then that could mean a disaster for him. He had been careless with the knowledge that he controlled the surveillance in the Viceroy's Palace and had made several phone-calls as Zero within the confines of his office. They'd know about his using C.C. as a body-double and a recording of the speech he'd given her just yesterday for Zero to give in front of the hotel would be more than enough evidence to convict him.

No, if they had that sort of evidence they would have made a move by now. His office was safe. Nonetheless, he had to be careful from now on. It also didn't hurt to have Jeremiah check it anyway.

As for being followed... Well, there was no question about that. He was Sub-Viceroy; he was _always_ followed. Whether by a gaggle of reporters hoping for a statement, paparazzi snapping away, fan-girls (and even boys) and of course the occasional spy, whether Japanese or Britannian.

Of course there was always the possibility he was just looking into this too deeply and Kyoto didn't suspect him at all, in which case-

"...and then me and Nunally made-out on the couch."

-Lelouch's thought-stream came to a screeching halt. He turned on his friend, grabbing the taller Britannian's collar with an almost murderous expression. Gino's lips quivered for a second before he burst out laughing.

"Man, you should see your face!" he somehow managed to say, still laughing to his heart's content. Lelouch huffed, shaking the man in his grasp as if trying to shake some sense into him.

"I should _kill_ you for that."

But Gino, as always, remained immune. He merely flashed that lop-sided smile of his and said, "Aw, Lu, lighten up for a change! It's not like old man Vance is breathing down your neck anymore."

The Prince nearly shuddered at being reminded of that bull of a man. General Leroy Vance, Headmaster of the Imperial Military Academy, was a beefy, red-faced man with a thick graying moustache that Gino often joked could hide an elephant. He had made it very clear from day one that he did not like spoiled, girly princes; he liked him even less when Lelouch suddenly collapsed from exhaustion in the middle of nearly every single obstacle course in his first year.

"Heh, remember when he caught you gambling-"

"Yes, sadly, now shut up." He released Gino and pushed him away slightly then turned around to continue on his way outside.

"And then he put you in that dress-"

"I thought I said to _shut up_."

"And had you attend the start of term dance-"

"Gino! We agreed never to talk about that incident again!"

"You know, I think Anya has a picture of that somewhere..."

"She _what!_" Lelouch choked, looking horrified. The people around them froze, staring at the prince and his eccentric little friend with curious eyes, hungry for gossip-material.

Gino grinned sheepishly, shrugging. "You know how she is, snapping away at everything. I wouldn't be surprised if she had shots of the boys' locker rooms at this point."

Yes, he did know how she was. And yes, that actually wouldn't surprise him either. But considering they were on less than friendly terms after their last meeting, amnesiac or no, he really did not want Anya with any blackmail material.

This day just kept getting better and better...

Lelouch grimaced and lifted a hand to his temple, where he could feel an oncoming headache. "Change the subject. Now."

"Alright!" Gino began to tap a finger to his lips, humming while he apparently tried to think up another subject of conversation. Lelouch would've been quite happy to continue like that the whole way, but of course nothing was going how he wanted today. Just as they reached the elevator doors he let out a loud, "Aha!" He then used the finger he'd just brandished in the air to press the button since the prince, of course, could not. It was beneath him.

"I got a date," he announced happily. Now this Lelouch didn't mind hearing. He had to make sure the idiot didn't get himself in trouble with an undercover terrorist- Kallen, for example. Seeing he had his friend's attention, Gino went on, "That red-head, from Kawaguchi. Shirley."

"You always did have a thing for red-heads," Lelouch commented with a half-grin. "Remember Senior Cadet Lafferty?"

"Remember? I _still_ get dreams about her sometimes." Gino let out a low whistle, making a show of fanning himself and loosening his collar. "Anyway, yeah, Shirley. She called me today- well, not her, but that girl of yours, Ashford. I invited her to come with me to the official opening of the new Clovisland water park tomorrow. I was surprised you hadn't invited them yet, being Nunna's friends and all."

Lelouch shrugged, "Must've slipped my mind. I told her she could bring along anyone she liked."

With a nice little ping, the elevator doors slid open and the woman who had been inside scrambled out, trying to bow with her hands full of files. Lelouch passed her by without a second glance with Gino beside him.

"Garage, right?" he asked and then pressed the button upon receiving Lelouch's nod.

"If you don't mind, I'd like you to keep an eye on Nunally during that date of yours."

Gino looked pleasantly surprised. "What's this? You, the big bad brother, are entrusting me with sweet little Nunally? Does that mean I've passed the serial-rapist test?"

"Not quite yet." Completely deadpan, Lelouch told him that he had various members of the Britannian military scattered around the premises, including the Lancelot pilot and some of his own personal guard.

"I just want you to be nearby," he said. "Don't worry, I'm not asking you to disrupt your little date or anything."

"Nah, it's fine. I take it this means you're not coming?"

"Duty calls, I'm afraid."

"Yeah, duty." Gino nodded sagely in understanding. "I don't blame you for wanting to escape your fangirls; they're damn scary, man."

"Wha- fangirls? I'm not escaping _anyone_! I need to tour the ghettoes tomorrow, and with Clovis being the careless fop he is-"

"Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of. You'd be right in the middle of the crowd, half naked, nowhere to run; I'd be scared too. I mean, they might kidnap you or something."

"I am _not_ scared!"

His friend merely clapped him on the back with a grin and, as the elevator pinged again and the doors slid open, walked away, leaving Lelouch to gape after him as he weaved between the cars. Was he… Was he trying to give him a taste of his own medicine?

"Coming, Lu?"

Taking a resolute inhale of breath, Lelouch unclenched his fists and, with his head held high, followed after this supposed friend of his slowly. He'd almost forgotten just how annoying Gino could be.

From the fluorescent-illuminated space ahead, the idiot's voice came to him, as childish as ever as he exclaimed, "Awesome bike!" A small pause followed, and then, "Think the owner would mind if we... borrowed it a little?"

Try as he may, Lelouch couldn't suppress the upward twitching of his lips. He'd also forgotten how carefree Gino was, and thought that maybe it wasn't so bad to be reminded of that at least.

"Yes, Gino, I do. Now come on, and leave the bike alone."

"Awww, Lelouuuuuch!" he whined.

Lelouch gave up and allowed the smile, lopsided as it was, to spread on his face, chuckling quietly as he walked to his car.

* * *

**A/N:** Ah, I know, still a long wait, but at least I got it up faster than last time! In the end, I actually had to employ Write or Die to kick my writing behind into gear. It's surprising how many words you can crank out when under pressure. XD Also, apologies for how mushy Shirley's thoughts came out, but… well, she's Shirley. :P What can you expect?

Now then, I don't usually respond to reviews here but a certain anonymous reviewer by the name of Kuo left me this gigantinormous (yes, that is a word, now hush) review that I just have to reply to. It's pretty long, so feel free to skip it if you'd like.

First off, thank you so much for leaving this review in the first place. I was grinning like an idiot when I saw this in my inbox. XD I'm going to be responding to each of your points in turn.

1) Thankyouthankyouthankyou. I love my magnificent bastards, and Lelouch is most definitely one of them. Heck, he's the king of all magnificent bastards. One of the things I loved most near the end was the chilling similarities between Lelouch and Charles, and how easy it would be for Lelouch to eventually _become_ Charles.

2) Yes, Lelouch was keen on getting Nunally and Suzaku together- but then, that was Suzaku, their childhood friend, who helped them during one of the hardest times in their lives. Lelouch's childhood friend here is Gino. Raising hell in military school at age 13 is quite different from playing in a cozy little shed at age 10, with a young Nunally watching on. Gino never really got to be close to Nunally and at that point in life Lelouch wouldn't have let him, whereas Suzaku was actually friendly with Nunally before he was with Lelouch (I think? It's been a long time since I heard the sound episodes). There is also the fact that Suzaku was a dependable young man, loyal and friendly, where Gino is... well, he's a little too friendly, if you catch my drift, and a little too goofy.

Does Lelouch expect his sister to remain nunlike forever? No, not really, but he's going to keep her so for as long as he can. XD Until he finds someone suitable. Or Gino grows up, whichever comes first.

3) Ah, Suzaku. Hm. The relationship between him and Lelouch is a tricky one, although I tried to lay some groundwork for that in this chapter. I very much doubt they'd be like they were in canon, however, simply because they don't have the same history here. I lament that as well; I loved the frienemyship in canon. Rest assured, however, that Suzaku will indeed have a very big role. Soon. Eventually. XD I have plans for that boy.

You're right in your assumption with the Ashfords, however! Kudos to you. It would help bring Lloyd over at least, if he can't have the Lancelot.

4) I actually have some more plans for Clovis in the future, so he's not getting kicked out just yet, even if he is becoming scarce in these chapters. You're also right about Charles. With Marianne reporting everything, via C.C., he's been content with simply observing from afar. Like in canon.

5) I never did understand that. Milly apparently didn't recognize Lelouch and Nunally either, which really doesn't make much sense to me, unless her parents hadn't been living in the Homeland at the time. Whatever the case, I decided to go with the more logical alternative of Milly having known Lelouch since childhood. Anyway, I hope this chapter answers whatever questions you may have had on the engagement.

6) Nina, pro-Lelouch? Hmm... Not necessarily. -evil grin- You'll see soon enough.

7) I always simply assumed that C.C. wore extra-extra-high heels. That, or the Black Knights are just really, really daft. What I really want to know is how a shapely woman like Sayoko could disguise herself as the noodle that is Lelouch... and no one ever noticed a thing. Also! How he hid that giant Britannian pistol in his school uniform without so much as a bulge showing. Such are the mysteries of Code Geass.

8) To be perfectly honest, I had been intending on taking the easy route and Geassing Kirihara. Except you got me thinking. The result of this thinking has been alluded to in this chapter, with Kaguya Sumeragi, and will be continued in the next and in many more after that. Thank you for the inspiration! ^-^

9) In the end, it all goes back to his remaining a Prince, but the hostility exhibited by the Black Knights and other terrorists have several reasons. One, Lelouch was careless and geassed the Royal Guard, twice. First in the attempted-Clovis assassination, and then in the rescue of Sugiyama and Minami. The fact he used _Royal Guard_ has not gone unnoticed, and thus it's generally assumed he has some serious connections in the Britannian Military, or else is a very high-ranking nobleman who can afford to bribe them. While that was good in isolating Clovis, it also had its downside in that the Japanese are wary of him as a result. Add to that Lelouch's natural arrogance and how adamant he is of keeping his face hidden, but demanding the Black Knights' trust nonetheless, well...

The real cincher though was this: he has an accent. When he speaks Japanese, Lelouch has an accent- a terrorist a few chapters back had noticed this, but waved it off as something from the distorter inside his mask.

In canon, Lelouch learned Japanese from the native speakers and was probably using it quite a lot during his stay at the Kururugi Shrine. Thus, later on with the Black Knights, they were surprised to learn that he wasn't Japanese, meaning that he spoke the language so well they never for a second guessed that he wasn't a native. Here, however, Lelouch learned Japanese just to go along with Euphie. He learned from books and a tutor and, as anyone currently studying a language could tell you, class and the real thing are often very, very different. He also did not use it after that, and only just brushed up on it before coming to Area 11 on a whim. Needless to say, his Japanese is a little rusty, and probably a little too formal too. He's getting progressively better, though. I suppose I should have one of the Black Knights note this at some point.

10) Thank you, and I love that family. XD Royals are crazy fun. Olwen actually will be making an appearance soon(ish?) along with some of the other siblings. As for Cornelia, she's appearing in the next chapter! It's just a teeny glimpse of her, sadly, but we'll be seeing more of her very soon.

There we go. A tl;dr answer to a tl;dr review. Heh. Until next time, then! My school term is actually beginning in about two weeks. -sighs- No one said IGCSE would be a walk in the park. I will try to get most of Chapter 16 finished before then, however, as well as start working on the next installation of _Hero Without a Name._


	16. Hearts

**Chapter 16: Hearts**

There was just the barest undertone of panic in their voices as they told her she was being followed. Kaguya only smiled in response, having expected such a development. And what a wonderfully fast response, as well!

She went through her day pretending not to notice the carefully placed agents in her path, ignoring whatever signal the Honorary Britannians might 'accidentally' drop to catch her attention. She wondered, did he anticipate that? Was she even now helping him root out the traitors in his ranks? Ah, the poor naive men. Their loyalty was touching, but sadly their intelligence was severely lacking. They should know that Sumeragi Kaguya was always prepared.

The other Heads of the Houses knew that, but remained worried nonetheless in spite of her efforts to calm them.

"We have yet to confirm his identity," she told them. She was kneeling on a tatami mat in her servants' quarters, facing the screen, which was divided into five segments to show each of the Heads of Kyoto in their own respective homes. It was too risky to meet in their customary place at the present time. "The reports prove nothing aside from the fact he is a very thorough man, and the only mask we've discovered thus far has been that of a spoilt, incompetent prince. This does not make him Zero, nor even an associate of Zero, only a very formidable opponent."

"Are you sure of this, Lady Kaguya? Or is it simply that your pretend infatuation has evolved into something more?"

Her smile remained as bright as ever. "Perhaps so! But if it has reached the point where you doubt judgment, Lord Osakabe, then you may feel free to pursue this investigation yourself. I will happily hand over all material pertaining to it."

No, they wouldn't dare. To do so would be a direct insult to the Sumeragi House, whose alliance they could not afford to lose. Besides, she was the only one suitable for this job, hence the fact it had been entrusted to her in the first place.

Osakabe Tatsunori backed down as expected, quickly saying how he meant no disrespect to her person and was merely concerned about the fate of Japan. "Lelouch is a man of results, and he is more than capable of posing as a terrorist to get them."

"Not a terrorist." Lord Kirihara had been strangely quiet throughout the discussion, and Kaguya was glad to have him speak up at last. He was her main concern, if their suspicions were true, and she wanted to determine his stance on this matter. The other four could be swayed, but not Kirihara. "That is far too crude a term," he said quietly. "And one that he was careful to dissociate himself from at Kawaguchi. Zero intends to become a symbol of justice. He has not made himself an enemy of the public, only of the state. He is smart."

Kaguya nodded her agreement. "Meaning that if Prince Lelouch was to cut him down now it would not necessarily be met with a round of applause from the people."

"But it would not be met with scorn, either." Osakabe had a deep frown on his lips and the shadows that played on his face made him look particularly old and grim. "The youth may be infatuated with this... this _vigilante_ but they will still rejoice at his fall. In the end, he is no more than a rebel against Britannia and Lelouch is a Britannian prince."

"Then why did he not simply kill Clovis in Shinjuku?"

As always when that question was asked, the rest fell silent. Kaguya looked between them solemnly and continued, empowered, "It would have been a simple matter to allow him to die. If he had orchestrated the coup it would hardly be strange for a Britannian, and he would have become Viceroy. A resistance group would have been happy to step up and assume responsibility, resulting in the massacre of more innocent Japanese and no one to stand against him."

"The JLF still fight!" Kubouin Hidenobu protested. "They defend the pride of the Japanese!"

"The Japan Liberation Front have lost much of their public support, thanks to Kusakabe's reckless actions," Munakata Tousai stated. "There were also Honorary Britannians in that hotel, held hostage with the others."

"Britannian dogs are still Britannian."

Kaguya tilted her head to the side, brows rising. "Does that make us Britannian as well, then?" she asked with an innocence only she could display. Kubouin fixed her with a dark stare whereas she could see Munakata with a faint smile.

"Many of our people have been forced to abandon their lives and national pride for the sake of their families, and even then they struggle," he said. "Just because they strive for a better life does not make them traitorous, or else we are the worst of the traitors."

"Well said, Lord Munakata."

"That Kawaguchi incident, the Britannians will retaliate for it. And soon," Yosino Hiroyosi said, drawing the subject away from their bickering. "Are the Burai Kais ready?"

Kirihara gave a slow nod. "We will contact Tohdoh soon for the delivery."

"And what of the Guren Mk II?"

Here Kaguya answered on his behalf, "I believe it should be given to the Black Knights," which flared the argument up once again. The conversation ended nearly an hour later with a compromise being reached: they would summon Zero themselves and unmask him, ending the speculation once and for all. Kaguya would continue with her investigations and be careful with her conversation with Prince Lelouch the following day, and all would be reported back to them.

Long after, Kaguya resumed the conversation but this time only Lord Kirihara appeared on her screen. There were things that the other Houses simply could not understand, and these were best left hidden until their conspicuous labours came to fruition.

"I take it you have listened to the recording?"

Kirihara gave a stiff nod. "I have."

"And what do you make of it?"

"I find it difficult to believe a prince of Britannia would have such animosity for his country. He could have an ulterior motive for saying this- are you sure he was not aware we were listening in?"

"Yes," she said immediately. Her hands, folded in her lap as was proper, were beginning to shake slightly in her excitement, which she thankfully managed to keep from her voice. "I believe he was being sincere. His hatred was true."

Kirihara's old face betrayed nothing of his thoughts, but Kaguya felt hopeful nonetheless, bright eyes searching his wrinkled features for her answer.

"We have studied Lelouch carefully, and it would seem his past could result in such emotions... Even so, if he were Zero he could be intending to gather all the resistance and then crush them in one fell swoop, thus improving his status within the Empire and bringing him closer to the throne. I do not trust this Zero, prince or no."

"You do not trust most people, Lord Kirihara."

He gave a short bark of laughter. "Ah, true. Quite true. And that is why I've lived long enough to be a wrinkly old man!" His amusement halted just as abruptly as it had begun. "However, most people are predictable and easy to break. Zero is neither."

She refused to have her spirits put down. "All the more reason to keep him on our side, am I right?"

He was quiet for a while as he held her under his calculating gaze. Kaguya lifted her chin, looking boldly into his eyes. Perhaps being around Britannians for so long had made her rude and brazen and audacious, as her exasperated advisers would sometimes say, but it didn't matter so long as she was able to stand tall and look defiantly ahead. Kaguya was a girl of strong beliefs, and right now she believed wholeheartedly in Zero. Whether Kyoto would back her on this was irrelevant; the vigilante had her support; _the prince_ had her support.

Still... She would much rather do this with at least Kirihara's blessing. It would make things so much easier for her future husband.

* * *

They didn't even spare him a glance when he went inside; Suzaku released a breath he hadn't even known he was holding, relieved. They wouldn't have been able to stop him anyway, not when he was there on official orders from Prince Lelouch, but he didn't want to draw any unneeded attention. After all, this was supposed to be a covert mission... if he could even call it that.

His objective was to keep an eye on the princess without being obvious. Since it didn't involve the Lancelot in any way Lloyd had opted out of this, but he was still accompanied by Cecile, who kept telling him to relax every few seconds.

"But I thought we were supposed to be here as guards?"

Stretched out languidly on her chaise longue, Cecile gave a small laugh. "It's fine," she assured him. "The Princess has never made an official public appearance before, so there's really no danger."

"But Prince Lelouch-"

"Is an over-protective older brother. Just like countless others." She smiled, opening one of her eyes. "Don't worry, Suzaku. Everything will be fine."

He nodded somewhat uneasily, but his hand went to check his ear comm. anyway. He had been worried about standing out too much with it, as well as his being an Eleven, but Suzaku actually blended in wonderfully. There were many Elevens milling around, whether they worked in the Clovisland Water Park or for its many young guests. As for the earpiece, well, Princess Nunally wasn't the only important figure that needed protecting here. Being the official opening, many of the privileged children of the nobility had attended and with them came their hordes of heavy-set guards. Suzaku was barely even noticed. Cecile was noticed quite a bit, however, in her revealing white swimsuit.

"Subject sighted," came a voice in his ear and he immediately went rigid underneath his umbrella, eyes scanning the crowd. "Headed for the main pool. She is accompanied by five girls and a boy, as well as Sir Weinberg and Dame Nu."

"Yes my Lord. I see her," he said, his gaze finally falling on the wheelchair-bound girl and her companions. Her long mousy hair was pulled into pigtails that bounced and swished as she talked animatedly with her friends.

There was laughter all around, except from a certain sour-faced redhead in a black bikini that was walking beside them. He could recognize the other girls as the ones from the hotel hijacking- a vivacious blonde, a nervous-looking bespectacled girl, an orangette who Gino seemed to be hanging off of, and finally the oldest, a dark-skinned woman he assumed was Villetta Nu. Suzaku's face heated up suddenly, seeing the Knight's full figure barely concealed in a flimsy silver bikini. He determinedly fixed his gaze on the princess.

Beside him, Cecile laughed again. "Ooh, Suzaku. You aren't developing a crush on our little princess, are you? You're as red as a tomato!"

His eyes widened to an almost comical extent as he shook his head frantically, "N-no, it's nothing like that! It's just very sunny an-"

"It's alright," she chuckled, and then reached over to pat his knee. "I was just kidding."

Her kind smile calmed him down but his blush darkened, both at his reaction to her harmless joking and also... because he currently had a prime-view of her cleavage. Suzaku nodded, swallowing, and managed a nervous smile in return. With one last pat on the knee, Cecile -_thankfully!_ - pulled away and leaned back against her chaise longue.

_Phew_. Now he didn't have to worry about being caught ogling his superior. He just had to worry about... being caught ogling the _other_ very attractive women in swimsuits.

Suzaku nearly grimaced as he watched the princess' blonde friend emerge from the swimming pool, her skin glistening from the water. This mission was going to be harder than he thought.

* * *

Unbelievable, to think of the age of those ruins. To think that this bizarre superpower went so far back in history. He'd known that Geass had played its part in most major world events, his father had told them so, but to see concrete evidence... And to be without C.C. at such a crucial moment-!

Clovis knew how uncooperative she was, but he was sure that her mere presence could have unlocked something crucial in Kamine. Even so much as a spark of recognition in those mocking amber eyes might have led him to a clue, a key to unlock the secrets of those ruins. He had left a team of experts there in the unlikely case they would find something but wasn't about to hold his breath for it.

But then perhaps he was looking too deeply into it, anyway. Perhaps the ruins at Kamine served no purpose other than recording history, merely an homage to Geass. Perhaps not. Perhaps the entire mystery of Geass could be solved in that crumbling cave.

His handsome face was marred by a frown the entire way back, brows drawn in thought, and not even the threat of wrinkles could make his face clear. Bartley was keeping a cautious distance, afraid to irritate him further, and the caution had seeped over to the rest of his staff who tiptoed around the disappointed Viceroy. For this Clovis was thankful, as it left him the opportunity to think uninterrupted.

He paused the video, zooming in on the figure beside Zero. Her face was covered but her unmistakable red hair was still visible; he remembered her from the rescue, where Zero had humiliated him on National Television. He'd long since concluded she wasn't C.C. in disguise. Disregarding C.C.'s usual audacity and the unlikelihood of her disguising her identity and leaving the opportunity to rub it in his face, the woman beside Zero quite simply had a larger breast-size than her and C.C. had a better backside. He'd had them compared, just in case. Nonetheless, the redhead intrigued him.

From the accounts gathered from the hostages he'd discovered a great many things, most of which were entirely irrelevant. However, thanks to the esteemed members of the Sakuradite Council who had contacted him earlier to thank him for agreeing to their usage of the Viceroy's Palace he had managed to glean a little information that actually meant something. For one, he learned that this girl had impeccable English and, coupled with her red hair and fair skin, this led him to disregard the possibility of her being an Eleven working in close proximity with Britannians and conclude that she herself was a Britannian. Hardly surprising, considering Zero himself. And now Clovis' curiosity was piqued. He wanted to hear her speak, to determine her social status and see if perhaps she was a noble, if she was the one with connections to the military rather than Zero, or if perhaps she was a seductive vixen who wooed the Generals to their side or involved them in scandals to blackmail them into obeying.

Unfortunately, no one had been able to see her without her visor as of yet, and there were many Britannians with vivid red hair. That was assuming Zero's subordinate wasn't wearing a wig. If she was, however, that would be a whole other story.

But Lelouch might have gotten a good look at them. His little brother, reckless as he was, might just uncover a vital piece of information by being in such close contact with the terrorists. Clovis had been utterly horrified when he heard that Lelouch had so simply given himself over to them for Nunally's sake, but now he was starting to wonder if perhaps he'd had an ulterior motive to that crazy action of his.

And, of course, the worry of Lelouch conspiring with this Zero person was ever-present in his mind. His first thought had been that Lelouch himself was Zero, but that had been twice now that they had both appeared in public and on tape at the same time. It was fairly simple to use a body-double just to that purpose, but he knew Lelouch far too well to believe he would trust anyone that much and with such an important secret. His paranoia had always been his worst handicap.

"Y-Your Highness?"

Clovis pursed his lips in displeasure as he looked back at Bartley, gesturing for him to speak and be quick with it. If not for his value in the Code-R project, he might have chosen himself an aide that was easier on the eyes.

"Her Highness Second Princess Cornelia is-"

And it was only at that moment that Clovis noticed the tiny little thing at the bottom of his screen, a video-com request, overlooked in his concentration on Zero's speech at Kawaguchi. He clicked it quickly and the screen was overtaken by the image of his older sister, with her stern little half-smile and her premature wrinkles.

"Took you long enough."

Clovis flashed her his most charming smile, waving a hand to dismiss his eyesore of an aide. "Well hello to you too, Sister. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I'd rather bypass the pleasantries. They annoy me," she stated. Ah Cornelia, always straight to the point. "You've been having some trouble with your Area, haven't you?"

"It's nothing I can't handle," he assured her. "This Zero is merely another terrorist that will disappear in due time. Besides, I have Lelouch with me as well."

Cornelia looked unimpressed. "For some reason, that only worries me further."

_You and me both, my dear. _

"How is Lelouch doing, anyway? What sort of mischief has he been getting himself into these days?"

Clovis chuckled behind his hand; no matter how many wars she fought, Cornelia was and forever would be a worrying mother hen. Thankfully, he had been spared her protectiveness, but Euphie, Lelouch and Nunally had not been so lucky.

Receiving one of her famous death-glares, Clovis forced himself to calm down and display a more neutral expression. "Oh, not much," he said at last. "Just commandeering knightmares, visiting a commoner school and, ah yes, surrendering himself to terrorists."

He winced at the following screech, which, while expected, was in no way welcome.

"I don't know why, I haven't gotten the chance to speak with him yet."

"Why not, where is he?" she demanded, nostrils flaring in the most unattractive way.

He gave a nonchalant shrug. "I haven't the faintest idea. He may simply be avoiding me, however."

Cornelia exhaled slowly, pushing a purple curl away from her eyes and then pinching the bridge of her nose. "Don't tell me you've gotten into one of your petty little arguments again." She opened her eyes, hand lowering. "That's why I told you it was a bad idea to have Lelouch as Sub-Viceroy! How can you expect to rule an area if you allow such trivial matters to come between you?"

"I assure you, it's nothing of the sort. At least, not at my end. Lelouch, however..." He trailed off, waving a gloved hand.

She regarded him carefully, likely trying to determine if this was merely a ploy to have her take his side of whatever idiotic fight they were having. Calmly for once, she asked him what he meant.

"He's been keeping things from me," he told her with a sigh. Clovis looked the perfect picture of delicate woe as he placed his head in his palm, eyes half-lidded and joyless. "I have the feeling he no longer trusts me, if you'll believe it. He's even placed Nunally in a commoner school, rather than keep her in my villa, or even in his- he's gotten himself a villa of his own, did you know that?"

"That's perfectly understandable," Cornelia said thoughtfully. "He's grown up now, he'll want his independence."

"Or he'll want privacy to gamble to his heart's content."

She frowned deeply. "He's still doing that? I'd thought for sure that General Vance's punishment would have been a sufficient warning."

"Well, apparently not." Clovis' face suddenly broke into a grin. "Are you sure he doesn't actually _like_ wearing dresses? I'd be glad to use him as my model if-"

"Clovis, _please._ Spare me your games." The Viceroy pouted and she rolled her eyes in response. "Tell me, what do you know of this engagement of his?"

Here he straightened in his seat, the surprise evident on his face. "Engagement? What engagement?"

"Lelouch requested permission from Schneizel a while ago, didn't he tell you?"

"No. No he didn't..."

That in itself wasn't so strange. To woo the ladies of the nobility was standard procedure and Lelouch would have had the foresight to know that words would not suffice forever. He might need to make things official at one point, if only for the sake of appearances, and it was best to have the Imperial Family's approval on such an occasion.

But that Cornelia would bring it up right now meant that Lelouch had actually done it. Clovis happened to know that he had disappeared from the social circles for a while, busying himself with chasing after the terrorists and preferring the glory of the battlefield to the glittering parties, gaining power from flinging lead around rather than sweet talking nobles. In spite of whatever uneasiness Clovis may have had, he was fine with that arrangement because it meant that Lelouch would not encroach on his domain, but now it seemed he'd been mistaken. His sources had failed to report this engagement to him, the incompetent imbeciles. Or perhaps Lelouch had them in his pocket at this point?

He noticed Cornelia looking at him intently and straightened up, his face clearing. "Do you happen to know who the lucky girl is?"

* * *

As always, things didn't begin to get interesting until terrorists became involved.

Lelouch dove to the ground, pulling Lady Kaguya down with him as the bullets sounded overhead. They were quickly surrounded by their guards, Britannian and Japanese side-by-side with their arms ready. He could hear shouting and yelling and more bullets, and then it was all over just as abruptly as it had begun.

There was blood flowing from Kewell's arm as he helped him up, staining Lelouch's white gloves but otherwise hidden by his black uniform. He was unable to hide his wince, however. Lelouch gave him a pat on the back in thanks before turning his attention to Kaguya, who was somewhat shaken but otherwise appeared to be fine. Nonetheless he asked out of courtesy, even placing his bloodstained hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine," she nodded, holding a hand over her chest. "Wha- what happened?"

Their guards were still forming a tight ring around them, protecting them from the surrounding chaos. Their entourage seemed to have gone mad with the gunshots, colliding with the crowding Elevens, and the media was clicking wildly at everything that moved. Lelouch had pulled out his own firearm, holding it protectively before him, but his eyes remained on Lady Kaguya critically.

She seemed genuinely confused, clutching onto his arm tightly as she gazed worriedly around, but he knew that he would be more than capable to perform such an act and expected that she would be too. This was not just any little girl, she was a politician, she was a terrorist, but as far as anyone was concerned she was just an upstanding citizen of the Empire.

That morning as he flipped through her folder had been one of the few times Lelouch had genuinely smiled. As expected, his investigations turned up nothing. The girl was flawless. None of her employees were even related to suspected terrorists, or indeed anyone that was of less than stellar behavior. She was completely and utterly clean and he loved it, because that could mean only one thing: she had prepared for this long ago, and now she knew she was being watched.

And if he hadn't reached this conclusion on his own already, one of the pictures taken would have clued him in. Standing at her car, a servant opening the door for her, Lady Kaguya looked straight at the camera and raised her hand in a small wave. On her face was that cheeky little smile she always wore. He wouldn't be surprised if this little attack was entire orchestrated by her; in fact, he'd be disappointed if it wasn't.

He could hear Jeremiah's roar over the noise as he was ushered inside his transport, calling for order. Lelouch made sure Lady Kaguya ducked in first before going inside, the door closing behind him. Jeremiah slipped in not moments later, muttering darkly under his breath, and the transport rumbled and began to move at a snail's pace as it pushed through the crowd.

"Some terrorist," Jeremiah growled, eyeing him critically to make sure he was alright. His eyes caught on the red-stained glove and Lelouch quickly shook his head, tugging it off. "Kewell," he explained. "Did you catch him?"

"The coward shot from amidst the crowd. They're all being rounded up as we speak, of course, however..."

"It's likely he's already escaped, yes," Lelouch sighed, setting his pistol next to him on the seat. He noted Kaguya didn't even flinch from it, or indeed even spare it a glance.

"Still, it's important to seem as if we're actually doing something in front of those vultures or we'll be a laughing stock."

"Make sure they're not too rough on them. We'd only be fuelling the terrorists further and playing into Zero's 'Evil Empire' routine, the fact that it's true notwithstanding."

Surprise flickered across his two companion's features for just a moment at his bold statement, especially in front of an Honorary Britannian who was most certainly under suspicion of being affiliated with terrorists. Sure to catch Jeremiah's eyes, he laced his fingers over his legs, urging him to trust in his prince's plans using their secret language. The men did not make any response but Lelouch knew he'd gotten the message.

Lady Kaguya was brushing her dainty hands down her skirt, smoothing it out and trying to dust it off gently. Her skirt was a plain, professional black and cut over her knee, and he was struck with the thought that she was purposely drawing his eyes to her legs, primly crossed and encased in sheer tights.

"Perhaps we should cut our tour short, then?" she suggested without looking up, and Lelouch didn't look from them either, deciding to humor her.

"On the contrary, we should continue it as if there's nothing wrong."

Kaguya lifted her head with a faint blush, green eyes catching his gaze. Lelouch remained unabashed. A lifetime with Clovis had made him immune to at least the simpler embarrassments. He'd yet to develop immunity to people like Nonette or C.C., however, much to his everlasting mortification.

"If there are other assassins lurking they will either be too afraid to strike now that the element of surprise is lost or too angry to see their countrymen rounded up to strike properly," he explained. "And of course we must remain strong before the people. Running away would be admitting defeat, and I refuse the very notion."

"But what if this was planned, Your Highness?"

Jeremiah nodded his agreement, his lips pursed in thought. "Zero has shown an uncanny knowledge of our movements and tendencies. It's possible he planned for this, even planned for it to fail, in anticipation that Your Highness would continue regardless and take care to show your lack of fear."

Lelouch shook his head slightly, lips quirked upward in amusement. "While your concern is appreciated, it is unnecessary. It simply isn't how Zero works."

From the tips of his eyes, he caught the pleased look that flashed across Lady Kaguya's face momentarily and she asked, "You seem quite confident, Sire. How can you be so sure?"

"Zero isn't the only one who's studied the enemy," he told her. "Of course, he has the advantage of knowing just who he's fighting, but I've gathered enough from our few encounters to know an assassination in broad daylight is simply not his style."

"And why is that? Taking down the enemy leader is a standard tactic."

"True."

"And yet you believe he is... above that?"

Above that? Hardly. Both he and Zero, actually one and the same, would do whatever it took to reach their goals. But should he say that? This was a test, there was no doubt about it, but he wasn't sure what she wanted to hear. Was she asking him as a teenage girl with stars in her eyes and dreams of knights in shining armor, or was she asking him as the head of a terrorist-funding operation? Was she idealistic or was she practical?

"Not in the least," he said at last. "It's merely that Zero is smarter than that. He won the people's support in Kawaguchi, both Elevens and Britannians, by parading as a hero for justice. He isn't about to lose it by publicly assassinating me."

In the end he decided that she could not possibly have come so far in life as head of the Sumeragi Conglomerate without knowing the necessity of getting one's hands dirty. Perhaps he was disappointing her in some way, perhaps he was making her wonder if the Zero act was nothing but a ploy for the throne, but then perhaps he was assuring her of Japan's fate. Perhaps he was showing her that since public opinion mattered to him so much, he couldn't act as he truly wanted to as a prince. Whatever the case, the die was cast and now he could only wait for the results.

Lelouch watched her expression carefully for any sign of her inner thoughts and found her simply smiling, just as she had been all day long.

* * *

"CANNON BALL!"

That laughing yell was their only warning before they all found themselves soaked in the wave caused by the illustrious Gino Weinberg. He surfaced moments later, whipping his blond braids out of his grinning face and looking every bit the woman's perfect dream man with the water running down his rippling muscles. Kallen only scowled, flicking her sopping hair out of her face. She didn't see the dream that made all the other girls swoon, only a perfect example of the average Britannian knight: loud, obnoxious, and impossible to ignore.

"_This _is why I _hate _Britannia," she murmured through clenched teeth.

She'd known it would be like this from the first moment Milly had suggested it, though, so she really had no one to blame but herself. Zero told her to lay low and play her part at Ashford, but he didn't order her to go on trips. She could easily have bowed out of it using the usual sick-girl excuse.

Delighted giggling from nearby in the pool reminded her of why she'd subjected herself to such torture. That's right, Nunally vi Britannia. And maybe her brother.

After the thing at Kawaguchi, she'd gained a small bit of insight into the prince's psyche, and she'd thought that with his sister here and being the overprotective brother that he was he would have been here to stand over her like a hawk. At least, that was what Naoto would have done, but then Naoto didn't have the Britannian military under his thumb and subjected to his every whim. She'd spotted them from the moment she walked in, looking stiff and awkward in their swimming trunks and casual wear in spite of how they tried to blend in. The bodyguards of all the other nobles were obvious with their sunglasses and dark frowns, some even wearing suits for the sake of showing off. Nobility wanted their bodyguards noticed; Lelouch wanted his sister's to be hidden. Although as far as Kallen could see, that only made them even more noticeable.

And now she was stuck here for absolutely no reason, wasting valuable Black Knights time sitting under an umbrella with a glass of pineapple juice in hand. She could have been tuning her knightmare or going over raid-plans with Zero. Hell, even bickering with C.C. was better than this. It was only her under the umbrella, the rest of the gang having leapt into the pool by now and enjoying the water rides or hanging out by the bar, neither of which Kallen's cover could believably do for long. Not that she wanted to, anyway, because then she'd have to make small talk with all those annoying Britannians and endure being hit on. Gino had already filled her flirting-quota for the day, and he was supposed to be here with Shirley.

Sighing, she sat back and bit down on her straw, wondering if she couldn't call Headquarters or make up some lame excuse to bolt out. A vibrant red cover caught her eye, peeking out from under her friends' things. Curious and bored, Kallen picked up the book, wondering who could possibly have brought it along. Probably Nina, though didn't she see her with Nunally in the pool? There was no discernible art on the cover, only the name _Scarlatte _embossed in gold, which she had thought was the book's name until she saw the rest.

"Laroche: Silk Dragon?" she read out loud. So Scarlatte was the author.

With a shrug, she flipped the book open and scanned the first page. The prose was actually surprisingly good, if a bit flowery. Something about a guy called Lucien Laroche. The name rang a bell somewhere, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

_Probably the newest teen craze, _she thought, reading Lucien's obviously rebellious thoughts about this latest marriage he was being forced into. She then amended that to _chick craze _after coming across an entire page dedicated to Lucien's dashing good looks. And in spite of how she inwardly rolled her eyes at the angst that was rolling off of the page, Kallen found herself reading on, strangely absorbed.

Catching sight of her from where she was floating at the far side of the pool, Milly grinned wickedly. "Now _that_ is some interesting reading material."

"Hm?"

Shirley raised her head and pushed her sunglasses up, following the blonde's line of sight until her gaze fell on Kallen, sitting on her chaise longue under the umbrella. Her sickness prevented her from exerting herself too much and staying in the sun, and Shirley would admit she was somewhat relieved. It wasn't like she and Gino were together or anything, but he _was _here with her and she didn't think she wanted to get ditched so quickly in front of her friends. Gino had been flirting with her heavily ever since she first emerged in that black bikini of hers- then again, he tended to flirt with all the girls. Even Nunally!

She squinted her eyes, trying to see just what that book was called. The gold embossed words glinted from afar and her eyes widened, stomach sinking as she cursed herself for being so daring. Already, Milly was giving her that Cheshire Cat grin, propping herself up on her floating mattress to face her.

"Say, doesn't that look like that Scarlatte book I lent you?"

"Um, m-maybe."

Shirley slipped her sunglasses back on, lying down again and staring up at the sky and wishing, wishing _so hard_, that she would just be swallowed by the water underneath and drown. Instead she had to sit there and pretend the colour on her face was a result of sunburn rather than a deep blush.

Laughing, Milly dipped a hand into the pool and splashed some water on her, making Shirley squeal in weak protest, attempting to return the attack.

"Oh, my little Shirl is all grown up," the heiress said. "Tell me, have you gotten to the stable scene yet?"

Shirley hesitated, eyeing her friend carefully. In spite of her better judgment, she decided to ask, "Why? What's the stable scene?" And regretted it immediately when Milly, after determining that she was close enough to it in the book that nothing would be ruined, began to describe exactly what this infamous stable scene entailed. In vivid detail. What made it all the more mortifying was the crowd that began to gather around them, leaning on their floating mattresses and listening raptly to Milly's dramatic narrative. The name Lucien Laroche attracted a great number of fans, although there was a surprisingly large following for the exotic Hei, Lucien's stoic Chinese admirer. Still others pined for the eccentric, more than just slightly insane Earl Cromwell, who in spite of not even being featured in this scene remained a dark shadow over Lucien's thoughts even as he was intimately entangled with Hei. It was all very swoon-worthy, but it wasn't exactly what Shirley wanted to hear in broad daylight and with a gasping, gushing audience.

And yet somehow Kallen was still able to read on, unmolested. Shirley envied that peace.

"_Come away with me_, he breathed, and Lucien shuddered, turning his face away in an attempt to escape that dark, piercing gaze. But Hei was persistent. He snaked an arm around Lucien's thin waist, pulling him cl- AAH!"

Her narration was cut short as Milly fell into the water, her mattress having been overturned from below. It just so happened that she fell into Shirley's mattress, and so with a shrill cry the redhead fell under as well, except that when Milly surfaced she was laughing. Shirley just looked distraught.

"Aw, gorgeous, don't fret."

She found an arm snaking around _her _waist now; Gino's to be exact, as he pulled her closer in an attempt to comfort her. Milly offered a pat on the shoulder as well, after which she swatted Gino on the head.

"I was telling a story here!" she exclaimed. The blond just grinned and shrugged, making Milly swat him again and again, much to Rivalz's viewing pleasure. "You ruined the mood!"

"_Yeah!"_

That was from their audience.

Faced with a horde of dissatisfied girls, Gino did what he did best: he smiled. He simply flashed them all a heartbreaking smile that made Shirley blush just from being in its general vicinity. As if that wasn't enough, he pulled out the sensitive card and apologized, very convincing in his sincerity, and said, "Sorry gals, but my best friend's little sister is nearby and he'd just flip if she got _corrupteeeeed."_ He used his free hand to make quotation marks in the air in emphasis, his other hand still clasped around Shirley's shoulder and squeezing. "And he's pretty scary when he flips. I'm talking full-out knightmare-bashing, lead-flinging, fire-breathing fury, and... Come on, would you really want me to risk _this_?"

And by _this, _he meant his gorgeous face. Not even Milly could really object to that, and neither could Shirley, though she averted her gaze and tried to ignore the fact she was so closely pressed against him. Gino was no Lelouch, but she couldn't deny his charm.

Lelouch... That was who he was talking about, wasn't it? The older brother who was so obsessively protective of his younger sister. Shirley couldn't even begin to imagine what would happen if that stable scene reached poor little Nunna's ears.

As the crowd dispersed, she could see the little girl nearby with her adorable pigtails, clutching onto a pig-shaped floaty toy. Sayoko was sitting at the edge of the pool, keeping careful watch as always but from afar. While there were a lot of Elevens milling around, none of them were actually allowed in the pools themselves or on the rides by the same unspoken rules that reigned over all of Britannia. Shirley couldn't help but feel a little bad for her; Nina may get little freak-outs whenever a Number was nearby, and she certainly wasn't going to forget Kawaguchi anytime soon, but not all Elevens were bad. Miss Sayoko was living proof of that. She'd been serving in Ashford for years and she was actually a very nice person! That didn't matter to Britannia, however, nor did it matter to Nina, who apparently had enough Eleven-exposure for one day (or perhaps sun-exposure?) and was nowhere to be seen, leaving the blind little girl all alone.

_Well, that's not right, _she thought. _Prince Lelouch wouldn't be happy about that._

Deciding to remedy that situation, Shirley began to pull away from his half-embrace and gestured for the two blondes to come along. "We shouldn't leave Nunally alone," she said, and began to swim her way when Gino held onto her arm to pull her back.

"She'll be fine," he said, but Shirley shook her head, tugging him forward.

"She's my friend, it's not right to leave her."

"Aw, c'mon," Gino whined, pouting at her. "Give a guy a break, will ya? Can't we just hang out? Just the two of us?"

Shirley's eyes widened and she flushed in embarrassment, though she couldn't hide her twitching smile. It was nice to have someone so interested in her, but still. "Maybe later."

"Shirley," Milly interrupted. She had her stern voice on, the kind of voice she used when she was ordering the Gardening Club to plant hundreds of roses in preparation for Valentine's Day or ordering Rivalz to put on a dress for the Crossdresser's Ball. "I'll go take care of Nunally; you give this poor guy some love."

"Madame Prez!"

"That's an order, Fenette!"

Encouraged, Gino pulled her closer again with a grin. "That's right, let Ashford take care of her. They're going to become family soon after all."

At that she froze, her head whipping up suddenly to fix him with an incredulous stare. "F-family?" she repeated, her stomach sinking. "What do you mean?"

"You know what." Milly began nervously, and her stomach sunk further. "Maybe you should come with me after all." She was ignored. Instead, Shirley urged Gino to explain. Her desperation was evident, and it was confusing him.

"You mean you didn't hear?" he asked, looking between the two girls.

"Hear what?"

"The engagement."

"_What?"_

_"_Lelouch and... Milly..." He trailed off as understanding dawned on him, seeing that heartbroken expression on her face and the guilt on Milly's.

"It's really nothing," said Lelouch's fiancee. "Just this... this family thing. A favour, really. It's not like we-"

"No, it's okay." But it was obvious it wasn't. Shirley tried to smile but failed miserably, and it only made her heartache all the more pronounced. Gino tried to hold her to him again, to comfort her, but faltered when she raised her hand to stop him. "I think I need to rest a little, I'm sorry." And with that she hurriedly swam away under their worried gazes.

He heard Milly sigh and felt the sag of her shoulders beside him, prompting him to murmur his apology. Milly shook her head, smiling weakly. She was a better liar than Shirley, at least.

"Nah, it's not your fault, Weinberg. I should've told her and explained the whole thing. It's just- I knew she wouldn't take it well."

"She's in love with him, isn't she?" He received an apologetic smile in return and he had his answer. "Wouldn't be the first time."

She gave him a curious look. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know if it's the looks or the prince thing or what, girls have just always had a thing for Lelouch. He would collapse from exhaustion on the obstacle course and have a dozen female cadets to help him up and even carry him the rest of the way, if he asked for it." Gino shrugged it off and smiled, and his was the best lie of them all, having learned first-hand from the best _liar_ of them all, Lelouch vi Britannia himself. "It's hardly the first time I've lost a girl to him."

The worst part was, he never even knew it.

* * *

Lelouch was beginning to grow tired of this charade. They had spent a whole morning dancing around each other, dropping the tiniest of hints, and still Lady Kaguya showed no signs of stepping up her game. At this point it was less about the game itself and more about seeing who could keep it up the longest, but Lelouch was more than willing to throw in the towel if that meant it would actually get them somewhere.

If only he could know what to expect! He didn't know whether Kaguya would be on Zero's side or whether she wanted him to tie his own noose and then hang him with it, or if she herself was still undecided. He didn't know what she expected of Zero, or of him, and it was forcing him to consider his every movement with a care he had only ever previously used with Schneizel. And as with Schneizel, he had the distinct feeling she could see through that all and was smirking inwardly.

It was time, he decided, for some drastic measures.

After sending his guards away and asking Kaguya to dismiss hers, Lelouch took an extra moment to ensure they wouldn't be interrupted before closing the doors of his office. She smiled politely as he turned to her, leaning against the door casually. He did not smile back.

"I believe that it's high time we dropped all pretenses, don't you?"

The pleasant expression faltered momentarily but didn't drop. "I'm afraid your Highness will have to be a little more clear; I'm not quite sure I understand."

Lelouch held her gaze for several long moments, seemingly trying to break her. When at last he spoke again, it was in slightly accented Japanese. "I dislike wasting time, Lady Kaguya, and I grow tired of these games. You know as well as I the real purpose of this encounter."

He received no reply but the widening of her eyes, surprised that he would be so forward, and he pressed on. "You've been spying on me for quite a while now, haven't you?"

She lowered her head, looking shamefaced and Lelouch's excitement as well as his suspicion heightened. A girl like Kaguya had to have something left up her sleeves, and he would happily admit that he was looking forward to seeing it.

When she spoke again it was in a soft, low voice, slowly lifting her gaze to boldly lock it with his. She had a game plan already. "As _you_ have been spying on me."

He gave a patronizing smile and said, "It's called investigation, my Lady, and it is my right as a prince in regards to suspicious individuals."

"And what have I done that would warrant suspicion?"

"Aiding and abetting multiple terrorist factions, for one." Lelouch walked past her, trailing his fingers over the surface of his mahogany desk as he went around it. His fingers grasped a nondescript manila folder and he sat down on his chair, flipping it open.

"Kaguya Sumeragi," he said, purposely ignoring the usual Japanese inversion of names. "You are a suspected member of a group by the name of Kyoto, possibly even the Head, however I believe that position is reserved for an older figure. Lord Kirihara, perhaps?"

Lelouch raised his eyes from the folder to find her looking at him with a strangely solemn expression, one that would look more at home on the face of a wizened ruler rather than a fourteen year old girl.

"That's all quite impressive," she said, and then her head cocked to the side in question and she asked, "But if you know I aid terrorists, shouldn't that be beneficial to you?"

"Why should it? I'm no terrorist." He rose from his seat slowly, hands clutching either side of his desk. "I... am a knight for justice."

* * *

Just two days ago they'd made their stand at Kawaguchi and already they were being recognized by the highest of powers. By _Kyoto_ of all people, the prime backer of terrorist factions all over Japan. _Amazing_. Kallen stole a look at Zero, sitting beside her as regally as ever, and wondered what was going through that brilliant head of his.

He had shunned the naming of terrorist, insisting on his knights of justice stance. It was hard to decide if he actually meant that or if it was just for the sake of good PR. Sure, Zero _sounded_ sincere, but who was to say he wasn't simply a good actor? Kallen had seen plenty of those in her lifetime, surrounded as she was by Britannian nobles who loved to suck up to the Stadtfeld name. In the end actions spoke louder than words and she was curious to see how this meeting with Kyoto went. Tamaki had been given the reins of their finances that morning (along with a very strict budget to follow, which he had naturally tossed aside as soon as Zero's back was turned) and he had gushed for hours over the amount of cash they had, so it wasn't like they were in dire need of Kyoto's funding. Weapons were needed, but she got the feeling Zero could produce those as well. So what then? What was this meeting for?

Maybe it was just the rep; it certainly didn't hurt to have Kyoto recognize them officially. Whatever his reason, Zero was going to meet them personally, even knowing the risk to his person and hidden identity. Some part of her was thrilled at the idea of seeing the face behind that mask (she imagined him to be young and roguishly handsome, with dark intense eyes and long flowing hair. Kind of like Hei from that strangely addictive book she'd been reading...) but another part shrunk from it, wondering if she actually wanted to know. He had to have a reason to hide his face, after all, and she worried that he might disappear forever if his secret was discovered.

"Ugh, this is taking too long. When do we get there?" Tamaki whined, pulling her from her thoughts. She was suddenly minded of a sulky five-year-old. No wonder C.C. had such fun teasing him all the time.

"Could you chill out? You're embarrassing."

He scowled and huffed, crossing his arms over his chest as he slumped back into his seat. Kallen rolled her eyes, although he did have a point. It had been nearly an hour now and they had no idea where they were, thanks to the curtains on the windows. But Zero hadn't uttered a word since, waiting patiently, and she was determined to show him she could be patient as well. She could be cool and collected, just like he was.

She stopped her leg from bouncing and crossed it over the other, trying to affect his same calm. The admittedly bad illusion was shattered, however, as they felt the limo... going up?

"Just where the heck are we...?"

* * *

Nunally was quite dismayed to discover upon returning to her brother's villa that Lelouch was still nowhere to be found. Working, Conrad said, except that Jeremiah was also here and Jeremiah was practically Lelouch's shadow. She decided not to question it, however, merely nodding and smiling and trying best as she could to hide her disappointment. These past few years she'd gotten used to not having her big brother around, ever since Cornelia had first shipped him off to that Academy.

Still, she'd never gotten used to eating alone, having lived with Euphie since then in Capricorn Villa, and she most certainly did not look forward to the prospect now. The knights didn't count, of course.

Resigning herself to her lonely fate, Nunally decided to take dinner in her room and was about to inform the butler of this when she heard a certain name from nearby: _Kururugi_, and she was reminded of the nagging feeling she'd had since yesterday. The feeling told her she was supposed to know this person, but she couldn't seem to remember him at all.

She turned her head to catch snippets of conversation as the guard Lelouch had placed whispered amongst themselves. They tended to be more relaxed around her, and while Nunally was sure that should be counted as an insult for many princesses she saw it as an advantage, because it let her hear things she most certainly was not supposed to hear.

Now she heard things like _Eleven scum_ and _unworthy_, as well as _amazing _and something about that knightmare prototype called Lancelot. Most importantly, she heard a knight's outrage on how the Eleven was daring to look him in the eye, and that gave her a very important piece of information: Kururugi was still here!

Nunally smiled and gestured for the butler. It seemed she wouldn't be dining alone after all.

* * *

It was quite refreshing to hear what the Japanese truly thought of his little organization. Kaguya had informed him that many were skeptical of the Black Knights, questioning their motives and saying they were far too good to be true. The Japanese who just wanted to be left alone were slightly hopeful that Zero wouldn't rouse too much trouble, given that he'd saved Britannians at Kawaguchi, while the die-hard resistance were torn in half. One half took it as a sign he cared more about Britannians than their people and condemned him for it; the other half gave him a salute for both showing up their oppressors and not mindlessly killing innocent civilians in the process.

What amused him most, however, was the endless speculations as to Zero's identity. Seated in the cockpit of his borrowed Burai, only slightly groggy due to the cold medicine he'd been scarfing down all day, he could listen in on the other men's chatter as they passed the time, waiting for the Black Knights' arrival and then for their master's signal. There was no fear of any other forces so they didn't bother with radio-silence, and they had been Geassed to ignore his presence and so spoke freely. Lelouch couldn't help but laugh at what he was hearing.

One speculated that he was a fallen nobleman, a Richard Daly, who used to be one of the few truly decent Britannians and had provided work for many an Honorary Britannian in his lands. He even went so far as to speak openly for Eleven rights, which he soon paid for with a bogus Refrain-smuggling charge. He'd disappeared after that, his title having been stripped from him. He had to admit, Lord Daly made a very good candidate for Zero; he was a kind, charismatic man, the perfect knight in shining armor. However, that was all he could ever be: a knight. Never a king.

Another said he was a covert member of the OSI, come to root out the resistance and then crush them all in one fell swoop. That was also a fairly good guess, and not all that far from the truth, actually. Still another insisted that Zero was actually many people, the core Black Knights members who would take turns wearing the mask in order to create a symbol people could identify with. And then there was one who said Zero was actually Tohdoh, who was tired of the JLF's inefficiency and took matters into his own hands in order to bring them another miracle.

The chatter ceased once the object of their discussion finally came into view; Zero, or rather who they thought to be Zero, strode in with his Black Knights close behind. He could hear them marvelling at the view and then marvelling even more at the Kyoto group's apparent power, which reached as far as sacred Mount Fuji and the very heart of the sakuradite mines. It was rather fitting, but nonetheless mind-boggling, that they hid right under Britannia's noses and Lelouch applauded them for it. No one in their right mind would have thought of looking for terrorists in the sakuradite mines.

He also applauded them for their dramatic introduction. Red light flooded the room as Kirihara spoke from behind the thin curtain that hid him from view, his voice ominous and resonating.

"It's repulsive," he said. "Mount Fuji, a sacred mountain once known for its clear water and quiet beauty, now bent to the Empire's will. A place of hideous violation. A reflection of what Japan has become. It pains me so..."

Lelouch slipped on his mask and then grasped the controllers. _Show time._

"I apologize for not showing my face, but Zero, your face is hidden as well. Unfortunately, I cannot allow this. To trust you, I must know who you are. Therefore, you will show me your face!"

His crooked cane pointed out, toward the masked vigilante, and the knightmares were spurred forward at his signal. The Black Knights panicked, reaching inside their jackets for the weapons that had already been confiscated. Lelouch noted with a small smile how Q-1 stepped closer to Zero, looking almost protective of him.

Smirking, he flicked open the Burai's speakers and calmly said, "Is that so?"

The effect was instantaneous pandemonium. After several shocked exclamations Kirihara's guards bounded forward, to the figure of Zero that was standing a few feet away, their guns drawn and ready. Lelouch slid forward and intercepted them, firing slash harkens at the two Burais opposite him and knocking away their assault rifles before they had a chance to fire. He just barely managed to avoid squashing the guards underfoot as he sped to the dais where the old man was seated. The Burai crouched down before him in the mockery of a kneel, bringing the assault rifle to his level.

After clutching the switch firmly in his hand, Zero emerged from his cockpit and he was sure to hold it in plain sight. One of the guards down below took the hint and wisely stopped his partners from shooting.

"He can fire if he pushes that button!"

Indeed. Good to know his future associates weren't completely incompetent.

"You disappoint me... _Lord Kirihara_." There was a collective gasp, and he could see the old man's wrinkled hands clench his cane. Lelouch's smirk was hidden by his mask, but he was sure Kirihara could sense it anyway. "Your methods are outdated and I find your blatant disregard of my intelligence insulting."

Just as his feet touched the ground somebody behind him began to clap enthusiastically.

_Ah, so there you are._

He'd been wondering when they'd get to meet properly.

Lelouch took a step back, angling himself so that he could both see Lady Kaguya and keep an eye on Kirihara and his guards at the same time. And of course, they would never be able to tell just where he was looking.

"Wonderful, Master Zero! Simply wonderful!"

She came hurrying forward with a bright smile on her face, and instead of her usual professional suits she was clad in a soft pink kimono that fluttered around her feet. Her long black hair was left to flow all the way down to her waist rather than pulled up into a ponytail like that morning, and all in all her appearance was startlingly different from what he was used to. The Black Knights gave her a wide birth, watching with wide eyes as she walked calmly between the knightmares and then finally and without any prior warning threw her arms around the vigilante in a surprisingly tight hug.

"Kaguya!" came the old man's growling reprimand. She let go reluctantly and then offered them each a bow in apology, although her expression was anything but apologetic. Cheeky was more like it.

"It's an honour to meet you at last," she said, and turned to the still bewildered Black Knights with a smile. "All of you. And I wonder, who is this that Master Zero trusts so much to even wear his mask?"

"Trust?" Lelouch scoffed. C.C. took off the mask and shook her head to free her hair; how she could stand to have it all bunched into her collar, he would never know. "It is not a matter of trust so much as it is a matter of common interest." She had her usual listless expression, but he could see a sharpness in her gaze that told him she was analyzing her surroundings. "This is C.C. An ally of sorts."

Lady Kaguya gave a nod, and although she was evidently quite curious about the witch Zero was a much more interesting figure and she focused on him again, inviting him to the dais where Kirihara was seated. The fact there was an assault rifle aimed at that spot, the trigger of which he held in his hand, didn't seem to bother her at all. Lelouch politely declined.

"Oh, I hope you're not too upset about this..." She gestured to the knightmares around her, searching for the proper word. Finally she settled on, "_Misunderstanding._ Lord Kirihara simply has Japan's best interests at heart!"

"I'm well aware of that. I'm also aware of how difficult it must be to place your trust in a man who refuses to show his face. Especially when that man is Britannian."

"So you admit it?" Kirihara asked. He had lifted the thin film that kept him hidden from view and Lelouch could see his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Why bother to deny something so obvious?" he said, and cast his gaze over to his Black Knights, who were watching the exchange intently. He had learned Japanese merely to share it with Euphie and hadn't spoken it since, and it showed. The modulator couldn't hide that. "I am not ashamed of my heritage."

As expected, that statement was not received well by his followers. They quieted down once he lifted his hand, however, and he was satisfied. "Where I come from is of no importance. My face, my name, my identity is of no importance. What truly matters is what I can- no, what I _will_ do."

Kirihara played into his hand, scoffingly asking just what it was he intended to do.

"Why, destroy Britannia, of course."

Here the man paused and Lelouch had the familiar feeling of being sized up. He was probably wondering just how crazy this masked vigilante was, and if that craziness was actually a flaw or if it was his greatest strength. The only sound for a long while was that of the whirring machinery from the mines, until Kirihara decided to step down from the platform with an echoing _clunk-clunk_ of his cane.

It wasn't until they were face to face (figuratively speaking) that he spoke again. "Why?"

Lelouch smirked. "_Revenge_."

He turned away from Kirihara with a flourish of his cape, calling upon every dramatic bone in his princely body as he began his speech.

"Revenge for every man, woman and child that has ever been crushed for standing in the way of Britannia's so-called march for progress! For the forgotten cultures, the suppressed history, which is even now being rewritten by the victors! Britannia is corrupt to the _core _and eventually it _will_ crumble upon itself. But when it does, it will take the whole world down with it!" He whirled upon them again, holding his fisted hand before him. "By my hands Britannia will _burn_... and from the corrupt ashes, the world will rise anew."

There was another pause as he caught his breath, and Lelouch took the opportunity to gauge their reactions. The Black Knights were mixed between open awe and suspicion; Ohgi seemed to be taking his words with a grain of salt, careful as always, but from Kallen he saw a shining adoration. The same could be said for Lord Kirihara and Kaguya respectively, but Kaguya was much more subdued. In her eyes he could see a gleam of understanding.

"It begins with Japan," he said. "Because Japan is the only Area that truly stands a chance. In a few months' time we will have an army that will shake the very foundations of the Empire, and we will do it with or without the Kyoto Group's support. The decision is yours."

With that, his hands were lowered and his cape fell to drape over his figure. Zero turned on his heel and began to walk away, only to pause mid-stride and turn his head to Kirihara.

"And by the way..." He showed them his hand, still firmly holding the switch, and pressed down on the button. The empty clicking of the assault rifle told them all that needed to be said.

* * *

**A/N: **I love Kaguya! She was such a pleasure to write, although quite hard at the same time. Kind of like C.C. It's sad she's so under-appreciated, though.

Oh, and also a very belated happy Ramadan to all those Muslims out there! It's day nineteen now. Hope you're all still staying strong!


	17. Trust

**Chapter 17: Trust**

"Is something wrong, Mr. Suzaku?"

He received a sharp jab to his side from the guard who was standing beside him, his glare telling him he had damn well better answer the princess in a manner that pleased her. That was just the thing, though. He had no idea what would please her. It was just too much to consider: a princess, inviting _him, _a guard and an Eleven no less, to dine with her. Half of him was convinced she was joking, that as soon as he accepted they would all burst out laughing at the inferior Eleven's naïveté. The other half, however, believed in that soft smile that was directed towards him and felt ashamed to even be in her general vicinity.

Then there was her brother to consider. The brother who was so over-protective he had a battalion of soldiers following her every move and a highly capable knight practically stuck to her side. Following the usual big-brother formula, Prince Lelouch would be extremely skeptical of any boy who went near his dear little sister, even if it was by her request. Did he really want to get on the Prince's bad side? That is, if he wasn't there already after their last conversation.

"Not at all, Your Highness," he replied, and watched the concerned furrow of her brow clear.

"Then will you accept my dinner invitation? Brother has work and even Gino couldn't stay, so will you _please_?"

Oh god, she was pleading him! Suzaku's eyes widened in alarm, , and before he knew what he was doing he found himself nodding frantically and agreeing to her offer. The princess clapped happily, smiling, and beckoned for him to follow her. He trailed behind the wheelchair reluctantly, glancing over his shoulder at the dark glares the rest were shooting at him and suppressed a shiver. This... didn't bode well.

* * *

They waited only until they were inside the limo, and then all hell broke loose; questions, accusations, comments on his sanity (or lack thereof...) all because he'd apparently refused Kyoto's funding. Lelouch watched this all with a dark frown, his fists clenching beneath his cape, until at last they were finished and giving him expectant looks.

_Unacceptable_. Lack of foresight was normal, but such lack of trust? Such lack of discipline? Perhaps Lelouch was too used to the Britannian military being under his thumb, but he had never even entertained the notion of having his subordinates question him so openly. The only one who ever dared was Jeremiah, and that was because Lelouch allowed it. He had earned that right. Even so, Lelouch never hesitated to remind him of the very obvious line that remained between them should he even consider putting a toe past it.

And yet here they were, Japanese guerilla who owed him their lives, doubting his decisions.

"He hasn't failed us yet," Kallen said, interrupting that loudmouth Tamaki mid-rant. "I'm sure Zero has a very good reason for what he said."

At least she was trying to defend him, but not even she did it out of trust. Where was the blind faith he'd seen not moments before as he gave his speech? Now they all turned to him with expectant gazes, waiting for him to explain. Him! Zero, their only chance at anything even resembling victory! Tch. Cornelia was never questioned. Tohdoh was probably never questioned either. These rebels needed to learn that Zero was never to be questioned as well,_ especially not when they were currently in a vehicle that was probably bugged._

Never looking away from the window, he quietly asked if they trusted him.

"Well, yeah, of course we do," came Ohgi's somewhat hesitant reply. "That's why you're our leader."

Zero nodded, apparently satisfied. "Yes, that's right. You made me your leader," he said, because it was time they remembered that. "And a leader is of no use without his subordinates' trust. Should the day ever come when you can no longer believe in me or trust in my decisions, feel free to leave the Black Knights."

"What?"

"How could you say that?

"We _are_ the Black Knights!"

"Could we stop for pizza?"

The comment thrown so carelessly amid the rising tension somehow managed to shatter it, leaving the rest of the limousine's occupants staring blankly at the green-haired witch, who was idly playing with the replica of his mask by tossing it from hand to hand.

"You do realize you're dressed as Zero, don't you?"

C.C. only shrugged in response, "If you're so concerned about exposure, why not send one of them to get the pizza?"

"Uh-uh, no way I'm acting as servant boy for you!" Tamaki scowled, leading him to believe this was hardly new for the loud-mouthed idiot. Lelouch was quite thankful he'd decided to leave C.C. with them all this time, or else she might have turned _him_ into her servant boy instead.

"That reminds me..." Ohgi began, twisting to face him again. His eyes were less accusing this time. "Zero, why didn't you tell us C.C. would be playing double?"

"Because then you wouldn't have treated her like Zero and my deception would have been exposed. I know your fighting skills, but I have no idea of your acting skills." Kallen especially was quite pitiful in that sick persona of hers. Her every movement betrayed the athlete she was and her quick-flaring temper made maintaining a frail and weak mask quite difficult. "It's a risk I wasn't willing to make."

"And yet you were willing to risk leaving C.C. with your costume?" Inoue asked, folding her arms over her chest. A valid concern, to be sure, although honestly Lelouch was somewhat surprised they hadn't picked up on anything strange while C.C. played his part.

"I'm still waiting for my pizza..." the witch drawled. He snatched the mask from the air before it could land in her hand again, growing annoyed by how she kept tossing it as if it were a toy rather than a symbol for his persona.

Ignoring C.C.'s request, he replied, "She's skillful enough to avoid exposure, and besides, she could never truly impersonate me. Didn't you notice how _Zero_ didn't speak at all?"

By the thoughtful nods, he guessed they hadn't. At first he'd chalked C.C.'s success as his double during Kawaguchi to her own skill, but now he was starting to wonder if it would've made a difference if they had seen a shorter Zero who seemed inexplicably curvy. They didn't seem like the most perceptive bunch.

_World, I give you my conquering army: the Black Knights! _he thought wryly. If he could turn these idiots into knights then he truly could do anything.

* * *

The niggling feeling never left her, that she was supposed to know this boy. And she decided that if she couldn't remember him, then she would just have to get to know him all over again. Even if he didn't want to.

Dinner had passed in relative silence, with Nunally doing most of the talking and Warrant Officer Kururugi answering only when expected but otherwise not adding anything to the conversation. He seemed nervous and uncomfortable, the light creaks of the chair telling her he was constantly fidgeting in his seat. Lelouch had probably given him very explicit instructions about how to act around her, he _always_ did, and that didn't help matters any.

When dinner was over, she asked Conrad to bring her some colourful pieces of paper and then turned to the Honorary Britannian to ask, "Do you know origami, Mr. Suzaku?"

"Origami?" He sounded surprised. "Uh, yeah. It's been a long time, though."

"Would you teach me, please?"

Nunally tilted her head to the side, smiling brightly, just as she heard the shuffling sound of papers being placed on the table in front of her.

"Miss Sayoko, she's my maid at school, made me a paper crane the other day, but she had work to do so she couldn't show me how. So she says, anyway. I think Miss Villetta makes her uncomfortable; she makes my friend Rivalz uncomfortable too," she said, and giggled softly. "She's always so serious and tense! That's why I gave her the night off."

Her fingers trailed over the table until she could feel the papers and took a leaf in her hand. She held it out for him and, as expected, he took the paper from her.

"I'm a little rusty," he warned, sounding embarrassed. Nunally reached out and patted his hand, which made him freeze for a moment until she removed her hand from his, taking another paper instead.

A few minutes later, she was given a slightly disfigured paper crane and she chuckled, telling him he really could use some practice. Kururugi gave a small laugh; her smile widened.

_Objective: Make Suzaku Kururugi more comfortable._

_Status: Complete._

_Onto Phase 2._

_

* * *

_

Kewell flexed his fingers experimentally in the cast, slowly lifting his arm to inspect it. A chuckle by the door made him raise his head, and he grinned, seeing the dark-skinned beauty leaning against it.

"Nu," he greeted.

"Soresi," she responded with a nod, pushing away from the door frame. "Heard you had an exciting day."

He watched her saunter across the room, his gaze drawn to her swaying hips, until she sat at the edge of his bed and he was forced to lift his eyes, although with her legs crossed practically in his face he would swear she wanted him to look.

"Not as exciting as yours, I bet."

Villetta scoffed, "The official opening of the Clovisland Water Park with a bunch of teenagers. _Very exciting_."

"Most knights would love a chance to kick back every once in a while."

Once upon a time, working with Prince Lelouch was all about that too; underground casinos and hanging out with his friends. Nowadays it was all work and no play, and while he was doubtlessly up to all the work Kewell couldn't help but miss the carefree days. Villetta didn't know how lucky she was.

"Sure, _every once in a while,_" she said, and then sighed and waved a hand in dismissal. "Anyway, enough about that, how's your arm?"

"It's fine. Bled a lot, but it's nothing. I just won't be able to pilot any knightmares for a while. His Highness is keeping me on his guard anyway, so I suppose that's all that matters."

"But isn't Prince Lelouch prepping for an operation against the JLF?"

Kewell gave a knowing grin. _Of course_, that was what she was here for. "That's what I'm told. We have a lead on the location of their base, so it's only a matter of time."

"Then he'll be missing a man, right?"

"Let me guess... You want me to put in a word for you?"

"I'm going _mad_, Kewell! I'm a knight! This is an utter waste of my talents! If I wanted to baby-sit I'd have stayed in the Homeland and popped out some of my own brats."

He couldn't hold back his laugh at that, but seeing her glare he tried to mask it with a cough.

"Can't you just ask for a transfer?"

"And face Jeremiah's wrath? He seems to think he's bestowed me with this great honour," she scoffed.

"Well, he has."

Villetta groaned, "Not you too!"

"Prince Lelouch is very protective of his younger sister. Most knights work their whole lives in hopes of being able to get a comfy job with royalty."

"Not this dead-end kind. Her Highness can't even make it up the stairs without help. Tell me, how am I ever supposed to advance?" His only answer was to nod in understanding. "Listen, just feed him something about my wanting to go after the JLF personally after what they put Princess Nunally through. Having been around Jeremiah so long he should be able to buy that."

Kewell laughed. "He's young, Nu, but he's not stupid. "

"Even better. Maybe he'll get a hint and give me a different job."

"Fine. Just be careful; he has low bullshitting tolerance, so don't lay it on too thick."

"Really, Kewell, you should have more faith in me."

She wouldn't have gone this far in life if she didn't know how to bullshit properly.

* * *

He ignored Jeremiah's exasperated questions and demands, in no mood to hear the tirade he had practically memorized by now, and pushed past him into the dining room, where he hoped Nunally would still have been. It was unfortunate that Kyoto had demanded his presence at dinnertime, when he could finally hope to relax with his little sister, but he couldn't expect the resistance to adhere to his schedule. All he could do was hope she hadn't retired to bed yet; she tended to wait up for him when she could, but he had come home way past her bed time.

Conrad appeared before him with a respectful bow and informed him that Nunally had taken her dinner in her room and was currently entertaining a guest of sorts.

Lelouch frowned, turning to Jeremiah at last with a questioning look. "A guest? This late?"

"A friend of yours, I believe," he answered with a strained, mocking smile. "Warrant Officer Kururugi."

An Eleven. They left her, a princess of the Empire, alone with an Eleven. Regardless of his Honorary Britannian status or even that Lelouch himself had assigned him on Nunally's guard for the day, she should _never_ be left alone with a person who hadn't been certified by the Prince to be one hundred percent trustworthy. He didn't even leave Clovis alone with her, let alone an Eleven with every reason to want to assassinate a princess!

Not that he thought Kururugi actually had it in him. Their conversation the day before was still playing in his mind, namely how the naive little Eleven had managed to outsmart him so easily, countering his argument in a way that Lelouch simply couldn't dispute.

Kururugi said he'd shoot the culprit in the legs and take him into custody for a fair trial, which Lelouch responded to by pointing out the possibility of his accomplices trying to break him out, which would likely cost several Britannian officers their lives. However, that wouldn't happen if the officers were more competent and security was tighter. Not to mention the possibility of cutting a deal with the culprit or alternately using advanced interrogation means (in other words, torture) could bring down several other dangerous individuals. Putting all that into consideration, Kururugi's argument trumped his, but amazingly enough Lelouch didn't believe he actually thought of anything beyond what he thought was 'right'. Kururugi didn't think to counter him logically at all, he just didn't seem the type. In a lot of ways, he reminded Lelouch of Gino; his actions came from his heart, not from his head. Thankfully, Gino didn't think too much on the morality of things. In fact, Gino didn't think too much about anything.

One thing in particular resonated with him, however.

_"You can't force people to change... The cycle of hate will continue."_

Funny. He'd used those very same words to explain his motives to C.C. and now they were being thrown back at him, by a soldier whose methods differed so drastically from his.

Lelouch tore through the hallways, mentally damning every guard in the household for letting such a travesty take place.

_Even if Kururugi doesn't have it in him, they don't know that! And even if they did they should still be suspicious. _

"Is Villetta with them, at least?"

"I believe Her Highness gave her the night off."

His scowl grew deeper.

_And what about propriety? When Euphie turned thirteen, it became improper for us to be alone at any given time. She had to have a chaperone with her if I so much as wanted to say good morning!_

And as much as Lelouch hated to admit it, Nunally wasn't a little girl anymore.

_Or is it just because she's not important? Do they think that just because she's handicapped they don't need to worry? _

He found himself feeling insulted on her behalf. Nunally was radiant! She'd inherited much of their mother's beauty and even more of her spirit; any man should be honored to even be in her presence!

Lelouch slowed down as he reached the door to her room, only slightly mollified by the sight of the cavalry parked right outside. They snapped to attention and he acknowledged them with a nod, striding forward to grasp the doorknob. He twisted it then pushed the door open just as laughter erupted from inside, and he was greeted by the sight of his dear little sister, giggling deviously with Kururugi, or perhaps at him, given the dark blush he was sporting. He sobered up quickly upon seeing the prince and practically jumped to his feet, snapping off a crisp salute.

"Welcome back, big brother!"

"Hello, Nunally." He kept his glare focused on Kururugi just a moment longer, then turned his eyes to his little sister where it softened. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it for dinner; my meeting ran a little late."

"That's okay," she smiled. "Suzaku here's been keeping me company."

_Suzaku?_ So they were on first-name basis now? He clenched his fists and relaxed them, his jaw tightening, but forced himself to maintain a pleasant voice and said, "Well then, I suppose I should thank you, Kururugi."

"I-It was my pleasure, my Lord."

_I said I __**should**__ thank you, not that I would._

"Look, Lelouch!" she said, and proudly held out a quaint little powder-blue bird. "He even taught me how to fold paper cranes!"

"That's wonderful."

Had he done that with any other princess, Kururugi might have found himself being arrested for conspiring against the Empire. The Number cultures were suppressed, and though not outright prohibited they were generally frowned upon. That he had the gall to parade a part of that culture before royalty would have been enough incentive for anyone to shoot him right on the spot. The fact she herself had likely urged him to do so, if not flat-out ordered him, would have mattered little.

Kururugi at least knew that he was in trouble, judging by how his eyes were currently glued to the floor. It was disgusting, how willingly submissive he was, but then maybe that was just Zero talking. As a prince, he should really expect no less.

"Mhmn. You know, they say that if you fold a thousand paper cranes your wish will come true!"

"Oh?" Lelouch pulled a chair up beside her, watching as she felt for the corners of yet another piece of paper. With a pang, he noticed the paper cuts that littered the tips of her fingers and he quickly slid the paper away. "Say, isn't it past your bedtime?"

"Aw, big brother! But I wanted to stay with you a while."

He could feel his heart breaking, right then and there.

"I'll make time soon," he promised, rising from his seat. He took hold of her wheelchair and eased her away from the table. "It'll be you and me, all day. Things have just been a little-"

"Hectic lately," she finished with a nod, and Lelouch gave a sheepish smile, pushing her along. "I know. You're Sub-Viceroy now, big brother, I understand." A delicate hand reached out to grasp his, and he gave it a gentle squeeze in return. From over his shoulder, Lelouch shot a glare at the Warrant Officer in a way that made it entirely clear he would deal with him later.

As if reading his thoughts, Nunally, concerned, asked him if Suzaku was in trouble.

"Why would you say that?" he asked, trying to keep a pleasant tone. It was unnerving how well Nunally could read him sometimes.

"You feel tense," she explained, withdrawing her hand. "You always get that way when boys are around."

Lelouch opened his mouth to disagree, but thought better of it and said, "Maybe you're right. Can you blame me, though?"

No, no she couldn't, because that's how he'd always been ever since the _incident_, and she wouldn't have him any other way. Nunally turned her head to grace him with a smile, and she knew he smiled back.

"Fine, I won't scare him too much."

"Lelouuuch!" she giggled. "I spent a long time trying to get him more open; I don't want you to scare him at all!"

Nunally imagined he was wearing a stubborn pout, like when Mother used to tell him he had to play with her and Euphie in the gardens and they were grinning devilishly in the background in a way that didn't bode well for him at all, except perhaps an older version of it.

Before long they'd reached her room, where the soothing scent of their mother's favourite perfume enveloped them both in its comforting familiarity. She had a very unique perfume that had taken them a long while to reproduce, but ever since they had Euphie enjoyed gifting her with a bottle at every possible occasion, or even without one, and so it seemed as if every one of her belongings was forever infused with that fragrance.

Even so, the perfume couldn't stop the invasion of that unmistakable smell of _pizza_ as her brother wrapped his arms around her to lift her onto the bed. A crease formed between her brows, a frown on her lips as she burrowed her nose into his shirt and inhaled deeply. Yes, there it was: pizza. And... something else... Something decidedly feminine.

"Big brother," she began, somewhat hesitantly letting go of him when he began to draw away.

"Hm?"

"Were you with Miss Cera again tonight?"

He had slipped entirely from her grasp and she could now hear him opening a drawer. She wanted to reach out and hold his hand before he could speak, to see if he was going to lie to her again. That thought stung, and not just because he might be lying. It was the fact she had begun suspecting that from him that stung. And the fact she was entirely justified.

So when he replied in the negative, Nunally didn't just wave the matter away like she used to.

"You smell like pizza," she said.

"Cera's not the only person in the world to eat pizza, you know. When the meeting ran a little late, we ordered some."

"And... I can smell a woman's perfume."

And maybe, just maybe, she was getting a bit jealous as well.

Gentle laughter reached her ears and she could feel the mattress dip under his weight as he sat down beside her.

"Is this an interrogation, Detective Nunally?"

She smiled in spite of herself. Lelouch didn't laugh as often as he used to, _really laugh_, but when he did it was infectious. "Maybe it is. You have a fiancée now, mister!"

And a little sister who does not appreciate being blown off for a mistress, but she wouldn't say that.

"I know, I know, but unfortunately there _are_ female politicians and officials, so I will eventually have to deal with women." He ruffled her hair playfully, urging her to smile again. "Now then, would you like me to help you change?"

She refused, the softest of blushes coating her cheeks, and Lelouch stepped out until she had changed into her nightgown and called him back again, where she wasted no time in continuing their conversation.

"You don't spend enough time with Milly," she told him sternly. He was quiet as he pulled the covers to her chin and then diligently worked on tucking in the sides so that she was cocooned entirely. "The Student Council's having a party tomorrow. You should come!"

She could feel the fanning of his warm breath on her skin as he sighed.

"Nunally, I can't-"

"_Please_?" She even threw in a pout for good measure.

A hopeful pause, and then, "I... _suppose_ I could stop by for a while."

The pout cleared and she beamed at him. He planted a kiss on her forehead. "Good night, Nunally."

"Good night, big brother."

* * *

"Suzaku Kururugi."

The soldier immediately stood at attention, rigid as a board. Lelouch's countenance was dark and unforgiving, his lips set into a stern frown as he circled the Warrant Officer like an aggravated tiger.

"I'm well within my rights to shoot you, right here and now," he said, and backed his statement up by lifting his gun to Kururugi's face. Eyes narrowing, he clicked off the safety, and the soldier didn't flinch away or even blink. It didn't seem like defiance, however, or a silent challenge. Rather, there was a resigned air about him that made Lelouch wonder if he didn't have a death wish. The best soldiers often did. "I bet they'd applaud me for it. An Eleven in the Britannian military. What the hell are you doing here, Kururugi?"

He knew it wasn't yet time for him to answer; he remained stock-still and perfectly silent. He'd probably gone through worse in his lifetime than a mere tongue-lashing, and even if Lelouch did decide to pull the trigger it would be heaps better than what must undoubtedly have happened to him in basic training. Although, depending on who you asked, Geass was worse than any of that. Humiliation, physical harm, prejudice, racial drivel, none of it compared to the violation of the mind. The loss of free will.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!"

It was as if Kururugi could feel the heat radiating from that demonic eye of his. For once, he didn't snap to obey, and in fact seemed rather reluctant to lift his head. But when solemn green met malicious red, it was all over. His body became relaxed, or as relaxed as a soldier's ever could, and his face showed the weary soul within. More than anything else, Suzaku Kururugi simply looked _tired_.

Pitiful, truly pitiful.

Lelouch repeated his question, and received a mere word in answer, surprisingly in English: "Atoning."

"Atoning for what?"

"The lives lost in the Second Pacific War. The blood needlessly shed. It was all useless, and I could've stopped it sooner. But father wouldn't listen. If I had come to terms with that, I might have spared the deaths of many. If I had worked up the nerve to ask Tohdoh-sensei before he returned to the army, perhaps that wouldn't have happened. But it did, and now I must atone."

That made absolutely no sense to Lelouch, but the revelation of a Tohdoh-sensei intrigued him. Probably the very same Tohdoh of Miracles he kept hearing about.

"And just what did you do to stop the bloodshed, hmn?"

"I killed him. I killed my father."

Surprise flickered across his face. Genbu Kururugi was reported to have committed suicide, preferring to die with honour before Britannia took him prisoner. Given the Japanese's strange customs and thoughts it didn't strike anyone as odd at all. But now he was hearing that in the end, the one who had truly put an end to the do-or-die resistance had been nothing more than a ten-year-old boy.

_Funny, how similar we are. Both our lives changed at age ten. We both lost parents. We both strive to change the Empire. I wonder, if I had been the one to go to Japan rather than Euphie, would I have been able to stop you? Or would I have run away and tried to join the resistance? Heh, we might even have been friends; I could've used people like you in my fight against the empire._

Could have? And why couldn't he still?

"Don't you think it's Britannia's fault this all happened? Your father, your countrymen, even you... Once upon a time, you might have been an important figure in Japan, instead of a lowly soldier."

The lowly soldier gave a slow shake of his head.

"Japan was playing the Chinese Federation against Britannia, manipulating third world countries..."

"You knew all that at age ten?"

"No. I know that now. In the end, Japan had no chance of winning that war, even without knightmares. Knightmares just sped things along. We shouldn't have courted Britannia's wrath. The marriage arrangement should have gone through."

Ah, so Euphie was the secret. Euphie, Euphie, sweet, gentle Euphie.

"There was no marriage arrangement. Britannia used that as a hoax."

"Japan should have suggested it long ago. We should have maintained good relations with the other world powers. Like India."

India? He thought that was the optimal state? India was an Area in everything but name. The maharaja was under Schneizel's thumb, although he did occasionally have a rebellious streak or two, and the country was divided between the pro-Britannian rich and the anti-Britannian poor, which happened to constitute quite a large, if insignificant, percentage of the population. Why, Lelouch was almost certain a great deal of Kyoto's technology happened to come from India.

Kururugi continued, oblivious in his trance. "It was our arrogance that was our downfall."

Well, be that as it may, it made no difference to Lelouch.

"What are your goals?"

"To become the Knight of One and take Japan as my area."

Ah yes, the Britannian dream. Even his Mother had dreamt it, until she attained an even higher honour (supposedly) by marrying his dear old daddy.

So, he too was working within the system to achieve his goals. He thought the system might actually give him a chance, rather than squash him underfoot. How amusing.

"And what about the other conquered peoples of Britannia? Are they not as important, since they're not your countrymen?"

"From such a position, I might be able to enforce some of my own beliefs, change the policies. Britannia won't change overnight, but eventually it can become better."

"Why not just... burn Britannia?"

He shook his head vehemently, reminding Lelouch of a child trying to block out his classmates' jeers. "More bloodshed. So many lives."

Lelouch couldn't help but laugh. A soldier that hated killing. What a hypocrite! He wasn't the most upstanding of citizens, certainly, but at least he had the honesty to admit it to himself, if no one else.

"And how do you think you'll get to Knight of One? By picking daisies?"

Within him remained that childish notion of good and evil, black and white, and as far as Lelouch could see Kururugi most certainly didn't see himself as the white knight in shining armour. This he could understand, and even condone; he disliked the self-righteous type. What annoyed him was that Kururugi still _strived_ to be the white knight, not yet realizing that there was no such thing. Not really. Kururugi would beat himself up no matter what he did. Every death would haunt him for the rest of his life, which would undoubtedly be very short. Really, Lelouch would be doing him a favour by geassing him to join the Black Knights; he would be reaching his goal, in a sort of roundabout way, given that he'd be serving under the future Emperor of Britannia. But no. That conflict was part of what made Suzaku such an exquisite soldier. He followed orders without question because he feared his own decisions. Geassing him into obeying would do nothing but put out the tormented spirit inside, and then he would have a mindless drone behind the Lancelot, and he couldn't have that. No, his best bet was to coax Kururugi into joining Zero of his own free will...

...that was, if Zero even wanted him on his side. No doubt, when it came time for Lelouch's ascension to the throne, Kururugi would be on-board... or would he disapprove of the method? Would he join Zero if he knew of Lelouch's plans? Or would he see the means as contemptible, and sell him out? Because that didn't count as contemptible means_ at all. _

Kururugi, he was coming to discover, had a very twisted sense of justice.

It was strange, how focused he suddenly was on his role as Zero. He was starting to look at things and wonder how Zero could benefit, not how Lelouch vi Britannia could benefit, and he was starting to wonder just which one of them was the real person.

Kawaguchi had made him realize that there were some things he as a prince simply couldn't achieve. He was too closely watched, too transparent, whereas Zero... Zero was the man of miracles. He could do anything without having to explain how. He was one of a kind and the mere mention of his name had all eyes on him, but even then they only saw what _he_ wanted them to see. Sooner or later, the time would come for him to choose, and as of now Lelouch had no idea which he'd take. Either way Nunally remained a very real problem.

Here, his attention returned to Kururugi again, the soldier's eyes still glazed over while Lelouch's eye worked its magic. Should he geass Kururugi into protecting Nunally? Lelouch was wary of using any Geass that was so absolute, especially given its irreversible nature. Maybe he would take that to the extreme and decide the air was too polluted and so protect her by stifling her, or that she must be protected from the world and so would lock her away. What about, never do Nunally any harm? Love Nunally...?

_God_, no. He didn't even want to think about how that one would backfire.

Be loyal to Nunally? As far as Lelouch could see, that was unnecessary anyway. It seemed his sister already put some plans in motion concerning the Warrant Officer, although that fact disconcerted him somewhat.

"Kururugi, how do you feel about Princess Nunally?"

His expression softened a little, a smile forming, and Lelouch became even more disconcerted even though he really shouldn't. It was a _good thing_ if the soldier took a liking to his sister. Not too much of a liking, of course, but some fondness was acceptable. Nunally already had her Guilford. He just didn't know it yet.

"I admire her. Her strength is inspiring."

Okay, that was good. Admiration was alright. Lelouch felt he could relax a little now, but naturally didn't allow himself to, instead fixing the Eleven with a contemplative gaze. The idea of letting Kururugi free of his spell didn't sit well with him, for some reason. He could only use his Geass once, and he was already lucky enough in that he wasn't confined to just one order, and while he had gleaned some good information from this discussion he still felt there could be more.

At last, the prince came to a solution, and gave a faint smirk.

"Kururugi," he began. "When I say, _P-1, advance_, you shall-"

The doors were thrown open suddenly as Clovis waltzed through and then unceremoniously threw his arms around Lelouch.

"Little brother!" he greeted with just enough enthusiasm to be considered genuine. "It's so good to see you're alright."

The murderous look on Lelouch's face lasted for only a moment before he was able to school it into something more neutral.

His concentration had been broken just as he was about to place his final and most crucial order! In the mere five seconds it had taken his older brother to burst in he had ruined everything. Now Kururugi's head was bowed and he stepped back respectfully, completely oblivious to what had transpired between them not moments before. Lelouch cursed inwardly, trying very hard not to let his vexation show while Clovis continued to prattle on, describing the island and the ancient ruins he'd been inspecting. Quite suddenly, he came to a stop, instead gripping both of Lelouch's shoulders and fixing him with an unusually solemn expression. "I wanted to kill you myself when you turned yourself in to the terrorists at Kawaguchi. What were you _thinking_, Lelou?"

"I _wasn't _thinking, I guess." He gave a sidelong glance to their two companions, Jeremiah and Kururugi, to whom Clovis hadn't paid the slightest attention, and wondered if things couldn't still be saved after all. "Nunally was in there, Clovis, I couldn't just sit back."

"Oh no, of course not. Instead you jump head-first into a life-threatening situation with no backup whatsoever."

_That's what you think._

"You simply _must_ tell me everything. These so-called Black Knights, what did you discover about them?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? But surely you must have picked up on a word or two; didn't you learn Japanese with Euphie?"

Both princes' eyes flickered in the Honorary Britannian's direction, but Kururugi, like the good little slave he was, showed no signs of having heard.

"That was a long time ago. I did manage to get a few words at first, but they were mostly discussing their plans. After that, the bastard knocked me out and tied me up. He said I would get myself killed by going inside."

"What's this? The masked madman actually has a drop of common sense? You should be ashamed of yourself, Lelouch. Anyway, how did you get back to us? Don't tell me he simply untied you and let you go on your merry way."

"Alright then, I won't tell you."

"Surely you jest," Clovis said incredulously. "Zero actually set you free, just like that?"

"He worries about his PR," Lelouch shrugged. "I guess kidnapping me wouldn't have looked good."

"The terrorists would've been thrilled!"

"But terrorists aren't the ones who are going to be funding him and his organization, now are they?"

"Who else, then?"

"Sympathetic elevens. Britannian youth, enamored with the idea of the masked vigilante and the saviour of their friends. Our next door neighbors, perhaps."

The Chinese were always a problem, for both sides. Some of his sources said that an old Japanese government was in hiding there, and Lelouch's guess was that they would storm Area 11 under the guise of restoring the land to its rightful owners when really this government would be nothing more than a front, a puppet controlled by the Chinese, similar to how Egypt had been a Britannian dominion long before Britannia finally stepped up her game and took it properly. As Zero, it was necessary for him to establish a connection with the Chinese Federation. They were curious about him, just like they were curious of every other troublemaker, but not enough to contact him directly. Instead, they would send spies, and Lelouch wasn't fond of the idea of spies within his secret organization. Sadly, he couldn't geass them all upon entry. He would have to begin the talks with Sawasaki's so-called government early on to make sure he didn't make his move while the Black knights were making theirs, to get a feel of this man.

Clovis sighed in displeasure. "Oh, this is all just absurd. And now we have Cornelia on our case to top it all off. She says hello, by the way. You should talk to her, there seemed to be something she wanted to tell you."

Ah yes, of course, one could always count on the Goddess of Victory to follow the action. He wouldn't be surprised if she arrived in two days, guns ablaze and ready to bomb some terrorists. That was another thing to consider. Eventually, if Zero got strong enough, Clovis might just give up and ask for help, and in that case the battle would be stepped up to an entirely different level; he actually lost to Cornelia a few times, and that was keeping in mind that she didn't share much of Lelouch and Schneizel's passion for chess. He had to act quickly and then disappear, and even lose a battle or two. As Zero. Funny, how he was thinking as Zero much more now. As if Zero was here to stay.

He nodded and promised to call her in the morning.

"Now then Lelouch tell me... What's this I hear about an_ engagement?"_

_

* * *

_

It was over an hour before Lelouch could finally wiggle free from his older brother's suffocating grasp and retire to his bedroom, and then another two hours were spent on his laptop, tending to the affairs of his terrorist organization before he had to return to the work he'd neglected as Sub-Viceroy. Lelouch recalled, with a small hint of nostalgia as he scribbled his signature onto a multitude of papers, how he'd resented Clovis for limiting his authority in the Area to the civil section at first.

He woke up with a start hours later, grimacing at the stiffness he felt in his back and neck. Words swam before his eyes as he tried to blink the sleep out of them, something about the JLF and Sutherlands and hotels. Slowly, he realized it was a report on the Kawaguchi incident; he'd fallen asleep while writing it.

"Next time, I'm writing my late-night reports in bed," he promised, stretching, and then let out a groan when his back popped. With a yawn, he rose out of his severely uncomfortable chair and began to shuffle out of his office, rubbing the back of his neck the whole time in an attempt to ease the stiffness, only to stop when he felt a vibration in his breast pocket. That was probably what had woken him up in the first place. He only woke up properly now, his mind kick-starting at the realization it was the phone in his right pocket. Zero's phone. He whipped it out, taking a moment to look at the number and determine it didn't belong to any of his Knights before he answered.

"Yes?"

"I apologize for any inconvenience," she said, sounding all too perky for such an ungodly hour. A glance at the clock overhead told him it was five in the morning. _Blasphemous_. "But I simply must see you today."

"Today?" He pinched the bridge of his nose and frowned. Nunally had him promise to go to that stupid school festival, and as reluctant as he was to subject himself to Milly's whims he could never refuse his sister. To have to face both Milly _and_ Kaguya in the same day was not something he thought he could handle.

"It's quite urgent."

He pursed his lips. "When?"

"An hour from now? I know a delightful place where we won't be interrupted."

Holding back a sigh, he resigned himself to his fate.

"I'll be there."

* * *

Some part of her was squealing, and it was very hard to contain. That part happened to be rather large, and it stubbornly insisted, in spite of all the reasoning and logic Kaguya tried to use against it, that this was a date. It was nothing of the sort, of course. They were simply business partners, meeting to discuss matters of interest. In a small room in the back of a quaint little tea house, where the lighting was dim. All alone. Kaguya focused on dispelling those thoughts. She tried to take an example from Master Zero- er, Lelouch's expression; serious, no nonsense and maybe just a tad bit annoyed. Judging by the slight redness of his eyes, he hadn't slept well, the poor dear, but he came at her bidding nonetheless.

That part squealed again and she decided to let it, just this once. She'd made the right decision in choosing her future husband. Now he just needed a _little_ adjusting and he would truly be perfect.

"Lelouch," she said, and waited a moment for him to register the Japanese version of his name before she continued; he wasn't quite used to being addressed as _Rurushu_ yet. "The Black Knights, do you trust them?"

He chose that moment to lift his cup to his lips, effectively giving himself the time to read into the question and formulate a proper answer. An elegant sip, then he swallowed and replied, "To an extent. There are some I trust with my life, and others I wouldn't trust even with food delivery."

"Ah. Tamaki, I suppose?"

His lips pursed only slightly. "The one and only."

"And yet you entrusted him with finance. Why is that?"

"Because, as important as it is, it's the one job I could give him that wouldn't cost people their lives if he screws up. And I know he will, which would then give me the excuse to demote him without the others getting worked up."

So excluding Tamaki had been his intention from the start. Hardly surprising; great leaders had no tolerance for incompetent subordinates. Most of them, however, tried to mask that, just as Zero was doing. She appreciated his honesty with her.

"You have sufficient funds, then?"

A slender brow lifted and he smirked. "You forget who I am, my Lady."

"No, but perhaps you do. As a result of your station, you are always under close watch, and I'd imagine some questions would be asked if all of a sudden a large chunk of your fortune went mysteriously missing."

He shook his head, becoming smugger by the minute, and Kaguya found herself falling in love with that confident expression. "Not at all. You see, these past few years I've had a rather bad habit of _gambling_. It's always done remotely, of course, but I chose a name for myself that would seem obvious to all those that know me, so should some of my fortune disappear suddenly… Well, all I have to do is act annoyed and embarrassed and they'll come to their own conclusions."

"Wonderful," she praised, gracing him with a bright smile. Lelouch didn't smile in return, but that was alright; he didn't seem the type to smile much anyway, outside of diplomatic relations. "The reason I'm asking is, well, I happened to overhear a conversation between Zero and the Black Knights," His nod told her he'd been expecting as much. "There seemed to be a lot of... tension between them. Almost _hostility_. Now, I'm sure they trust in Master Zero's genius and they will happily follow his orders during battle, but these are only a small number of men. What about the new recruits pouring in? Master Zero cannot treat these inexperienced men the same way, or they will not follow."

"They must give me a reason to trust them first."

"As must you."

"I'll give them a miracle if they want it."

"They expect one. But the greatest miracle will be defeating Britannia, and to accomplish this you'll require the Black Knights. If they have reason to distrust you, then even the cleverest of plots will be useless. You cannot win without an army, and an army is nothing without its soldiers, no matter how cunning its commander."

She could see he didn't like what she was saying. Kaguya could imagine he wore an expression similar to that when being questioned by his subordinates. Great men, while geniuses in their own rights, often failed to understand the importance of those below them. That was the job of their partners. Behind every great man is a woman, is there not? And she would be Zero's. A good thing, too, because he looked like he needed one. That C.C. woman wasn't doing a very good job.

"They were wrong in speaking to you in such a disrespectful way, I will concede to that, but perhaps you also have a tendency to escape their questions on a regular basis? Perhaps that is why they feel they must bombard you with them? Hoping to catch you off-guard or pressure you into answering?"

Zero was an enigma, and that was part of the allure, she would admit. Not that Lelouch didn't have plenty of allure on his own, but the mask was an entirely different thing. She couldn't imagine helping Zero the way she was now without first knowing his intentions.

"Have you considered giving your followers... small hints?"

"Hints?"

"Of who you are. Not necessarily your identity," she added, just as he opened his mouth in protest. "Merely a reminder that there is indeed a man behind that mask. Tell them your motives. It's easier to follow someone you can relate to."

"But in an impossible battle, against a near omnipotent enemy, would they be so willing to follow someone they know as a mere man?"

"He would not merely be a man. To be a man and stand against such an impossible foe is to cease to be a man."

"No, it's to be crazy."

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. "_Are_ you crazy?"

Lelouch laughed, and she joined in.

"Perhaps," he said when they'd calmed down. "But I don't think they'd be willing to follow a madman either. Zero must be an icon."

An icon, hmn? That struck her as too similar to the Britannian Emperor's mindset, and she was sure she wasn't the only one having such thoughts either. True, the Emperor's tactic was very effective; the idea of his dying seemed preposterous, no matter how many times she heard of his heirs' squabbling over the throne, and many a warrior shuddered at hearing his booming voice. But why should Zero follow that tactic, especially with his followers?

Observing Lelouch, she decided he likely wouldn't be changing his mind on that matter anytime soon. In that case it was always best to simply smile and nod; she would just have to take matters into her own hands later on.

* * *

Jeremiah watched passively as the prince strode in and dropped the crushed device onto his desk. He didn't even feign surprise, knowing that would only serve to incense him further, but looked up at him cooly.

"If you want to keep an eye on me, Jeremiah," he said through gritted teeth. "At least do it in a way that isn't so obvious. That button was two shades lighter than the rest! Just who do you think you're dealing with, here?"

Who indeed? Prince Lelouch always had a rather rebellious streak, an unruly side that had him pulling his hair out in frustration, but never anything like this. He had never been so secretive and reckless before, and it was worrying, especially since Jeremiah knew this had nothing to do with his perpetual mission. No, this was nothing more than teenage hormones. It was times like these that made him wish he'd actually listened to Andreas Darlton when he'd offered some help. The man had been Cornelia li Britannia's mentor and doubtless witnessed much of her own rebellion firsthand, not to mention his five adopted sons. They were now the Glaston Knights, some of Britannia's finest, so obviously he knew what he was doing.

"His Highness Eleventh Prince Lelouch vi Britannia," he replied. "Who seems to have developed a bad habit of taking off in the early morning without notifying his guard."

"Oh of course, I should notify my guard so that I end up with five of them trailing me and blow my cover."

"If you don't mind my asking, your Highness, but just where were you?"

"I do mind, actually."

"You wouldn't be seeing that _Cera_ I keep hearing about?"

Lelouch's eyes narrowed dangerously; he was walking on very thin ice, here. "Eavesdropping, Jeremiah?"

"There's no need. The entire villa's been buzzing with talk."

"Very well. First thing tomorrow, fire the help. All of them. I have no use for servants who don't know how to keep their mouths shut."

He turned away from him and strode outside, but Jeremiah scrambled out of his seat to catch up as he headed for his quarters upstairs. Jeremiah had been alarmed by that morning's discovery that prince had changed the access code and failed to tell him. He felt as if he was being shut out, and it was unsettling. His liege was a brilliant young genius, not a moody teenager!

"Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"Please do not play dumb with me, my Lord. It's insulting."

He could practically hear the ice cracking.

Lelouch stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face him.

"Do you know what is really insulting? How my knights are treating me like a _five-year-old! _Do you think I don't fear for my life, Gottwald? _Hmn_?"

"I do. I also think you're becoming foolhardy and reckless, my Lord, which is unlike you."

"I think you've said enough." It was as frank a dismissal as he could get without the prince outright saying it; Jeremiah feigned ignorance and kept his steady pace behind him. In the end, Lelouch got tired of glaring and simply slammed a door in his face. He sighed, looking forlornly at the closed door. He hated to have to do this, but his prince really left him no choice. It might even cost him his job. Still, desperate times called for desperate measures, and when dealing with a petulant young boy he had no power over his best bet was to go to someone who _did _have power over him.

* * *

Lelouch sighed, shaking his head at the closed door.

First a spoiled brat, now a spoiled _teenage_ brat. Would these annoying roles never end? Next he'd have to angst about how no one respected his free will and no one understood him. Which was all entirely true, of course, but it wasn't anything new.

He strode through the hallways to his room, mulling it over. Lelouch hated having to do this to Jeremiah. The man was stubborn and quite resourceful, as the myriad of tracking devices he'd found in his clothing proved. It would be troublesome if he discovered anything on his own, and so Lelouch let him believe what he wanted, but eventually Jeremiah would start taking drastic actions and he wasn't sure he could handle that and juggle being Zero at the same time.

The best thing to do, obviously, was to just tell him about Zero before he got more people involved, but Lelouch was wary of that. It wasn't the right time. Zero still had more miracles to perform, preferably before more Britannian soldiers started to join him. And who knew, maybe if Jeremiah discovered he was Zero he'd tell his siblings, deeming it as too dangerous for his highness to pursue such a treacherous path. Maybe not; he knew of Lelouch's suspicions regarding his mother's killers.

The secret lay in convincing him that he had everything under control, and that would only be accomplished when he won a major battle and proved, once and for all, that Zero was not to be taken lightly. _Then_ he could reveal himself, and show Jeremiah that 'Hey, I had you fooled, and I could take care of myself just fine.'

Or something along those lines anyway. He was too tired to think properly. Thankfully, he still had enough presence of mind to punch in the correct code for his room, and the door swished open to admit him.

Without even bothering to take off his clothes, Lelouch collapsed unceremoniously onto his bed. If he was going to spend the day at the insane asylum that was Ashford Academy, he'd need all the rest he could get. Oh, and Gino.

* * *

Though the person on the other end seemed uncaring and listless, barely even looking his way as she returned his enthusiastic greeting, Gino's face broke into a brilliant smile when he saw her.

"Hey, you! Where've you been? We haven't talked in forever!"

"That's incorrect."

"Well, not _forever_," he conceded with a playful roll of his eyes. "But it's been a long time, Anya! Now that you're Knight of Six you're too important to talk to your old buddies, huh?"

"No. EU."

"No, I get how it is. It's alright. My feelings aren't hurt," Gino raised a hand to his forehead, pretending to feel faint, and sniffled. "Much. But anyway! How've you been holding up?"

She gave a small shrug of her narrow shoulders, eyes focused on her blog as always, and he nodded. He figured that was as good an answer as he could ever get from her, and so continued his bombardment,

"What's that fabled Round Table like? And Camelot! Is it as awesome as we used to think?"

Anya put her handheld against the screen, showing a wide, surprisingly Spartan room that contained a single large round table.

"I took pictures."

Aw, that girl. She knew him too damn well.

He could just make out the Britannian emblem carved on it; the lion's feet and the serpent's tail. The only thing he could think of was that the chairs looked unreasonably uncomfortable. Such is the duty of a Knight of the Round, he thought with a shrug.

From the opened window, he could catch a glimpse of the gazebo in Exelica Garden and of two ladies riding horses in the background. One of them might just be Euphemia, though he couldn't be sure.

"And Camelot?"

She pressed a button on the side, bringing up another picture, one that actually showed some of the knights this time. Dorothea Ernst was lounging in a rather provocative position on one of the armchairs (much more comfortable looking, thank God), a book lying open on her lap. Behind her was Nonette Enneagram, holding her pool stick up triumphantly, like a sword, while Bismark Waldstein watched amusedly, leaning against his own pool stick.

"Man, that Enneagram," he whistled, remembering when she'd paid them a visit at the Academy. He'd tailed her all day, enthralled, until in the end _she _ended up chasing _him_. She'd turned it into a hunt of sorts, and Lelouch was only too happy to point her in his direction, the traitor.

"Lelouch had a crush on her," Anya informed him, pushing the button again. This picture showed their knightmares, customized Gloucesters painted with each knight's distinctive colour, but Gino was far too fixed on what she'd said to notice Anya's Gloucester was pink.

"He what?"

"He had a crush on her," she repeated.

"You mean Lelouch? _Our _Lelouch? As in, domineering vi Britannia, obsessed with his sister, looks better in a dress than most girls - _that_ Lelouch?"

Anya nodded, and he laughed incredulously.

"Man, she must be the one that got away or something."

Well, he could hardly blame the guy. Enneagram was a knock-out. Kind of scary, though, but he supposed that was part of the appeal, if you were into that kind of thing. He knew quite a few of his fellow knights that found Commander Li Britannia pretty hot too; personally, she creeped him out.

"So wait, how did you know?"

"Nonette told me."

"Awesome! She must have all sorts of dirt on him."

Another shrug.

"Anya, you gotta ask her. Just _think_ of all the blackmail material we could-" He was interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone. Peering at the glowing screen, his grin became even wider. "Well, speak of the devil. It's lover boy!"

She merely hummed her acknowledgment.

He flipped it open, putting him on speaker phone. "Heeeeeeey, Lu."

"Gino," he greeted. "What're you up to?"

No nonsense and straight to the point. That was Lelouch for you.

"Nothing much. Just talking to Anya. She says hi, by the way."

"Ah. Sure. Right. Anyway," Gino's smile faltered a little at the dismissal and his eyes flickered to Anya, wondering what had gone wrong. "I'm headed to Ashford Academy; they're having this festival and Nunally wants me there. I'm coming to pick you up in twenty minutes."

"Er, I don't think that's a very good idea,"

"Why not? You had a date with Shirley yesterday, didn't you? Don't tell me you tanked it."

"Hey, it wasn't my fault! Turns out she had her eyes set on someone else."

"So?"

"...so?"

"Come on, Weinberg. You never let that stop you before."

"You just want me to come with you."

Lelouch chuckled. "Honestly? Yeah, I do."

"I thought so!" Gino said, and laughed. "Hear that, Anya? Our buddy here's too scared to go on his own."

"Must have a scary fiancee," she said, lifelessly as always.

"I'm not _scared_," he said and huffed indignantly. "You said you wanted to hang out, right?"

"Sure, Lu."

They heard him take a deep breath on the other end, and Gino could practically see the scowl in his words. "I'm coming to pick you up in twenty minutes. Be ready."

"Yes, _your Highness._"

The line closed with a click, after which Anya gave the lone comment of, "Bossy."

"Heh. You got that right."

* * *

Perhaps the overwhelming sense of dread that had gripped him from the moment he stepped out of his room again should have clued him in, but Lelouch, as always, stubbornly ignored that screaming voice in his head at his gut feeling and trucked forward regardless. They were telling him to go hide inside his closet because some very scary women were going to come after him, but did he listen? Of course not.

He found the first of those Scary Women upon settling into his transport. The screen lifted to head-level just as they began to move, and a video conference had already been set up prior to his arrival.

Judging by the dark scowl on her purple-painted lips and the dark look of contempt she was wearing, Cornelia was not pleased.

He just barely stopped himself from groaning.

"Lelouch vi Britannia," she said, putting a great deal of stress on each and every syllable.

"Yes, sister, I know what my name is," he drawled.

"Watch that snark, young man. You're in enough trouble as it is."

He slipped back into the moody act with alarming ease, wearing a sullen expression as he fixed her with a dark glare.

"I'm not a child anymore, Cornelia."

"Really? You could've had me fooled," she scoffed. "Just what are you thinking, acting the way you have? Gambling, running around undercover, jumping into dangerous situations - honestly, Lelouch, I leave you alone for a few months and you go berserk! If you have a death wish you should've told me sooner, I might have put a bullet between your eyes and saved us all the misery."

So loving, his family. The ironic thing was that Cornelia was probably the one that cared for him the most, out of all of his older siblings. She just had a peculiar way of showing it.

"I see _someone_ has tattled," he said, pursing his lips.

"I don't need people to _tattle_, Lelouch; you're not half as discreet as you think you are. The whole Empire knows what you've been up to."

"Oh really? His Majesty hasn't called me in for a scolding yet, though, so I suppose I'm not yet important enough to warrant attention."

She ignored that. "And what's this I hear about a mistress?"

_Jeremiah!_

He mentally swore. Lelouch didn't know whether to feel betrayed by this or reassured, given Gottwald's apparent concern for his well-being. Either way, he turned his glare to the screen that separated them, knowing the man could see it and understand his promise of swift retribution.

_Gottwald, I should __**kill**__ you._

"You heard about that, huh?"

Her eyes widened, clearly surprised that he would admit it, and he allowed a small smirk to curl at his lips, reveling in his little victory. Cornelia frowned at him.

"So it's true?"

"You're not going to give me another virtuous speech about the sanctity of marriage and all that rubbish, are you? Because I've had quite enough of those from Jeremiah already."

"I don't care what the circumstances for that engagement are, you are to _honor it!_ "

Drawing a pout on his lips, he couldn't help but think, so very childishly, that this really wasn't fair. She didn't seem to mind half as much when it was Guinevere who had paramours on the side, and she'd been _married_.

_Britannia was founded upon double standards, I suppose..._

"What kind of example are you setting? As a prince of the Empire, albeit an annoying and juvenile one, you have an image to uphold. Fooling around with some- some common _tart _-"

"Cornelia!" he cut her off, slamming a fist down on the bleached leather. "You will refrain from insulting her!"

For a few moments he seemed to have rendered her speechless (no small feat, to be sure. He'd surprised even himself with that outburst) until slowly her visage changed from righteous fury to mild irritation, along with a hint of understanding that, _damn, _this was more than just stupid rebellion.

"Lelouch," she said, and then sighed. "Little brother, you must understand. When you start sneaking around like that, people get suspicious. If you want to have a woman on the side, _fine_, but do it in plain sight; that way they'll have less to gossip about. If you try to keep it under wraps, when it invariably leaks out it will make much more of a bang than its worth!"

"Do you think I don't know that?" he asked, looking dejected. "Do you think I enjoy sneaking around like some filthy street-rat?"

"Then what is it? Speak up!"

"She..." He glanced away briefly, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He didn't like having to make up sordid love stories on the fly. That was Olwen's thing, not his. "She's not suitable for the court. She wouldn't survive a day there, and she knows it. I offered to teach her, to ease her in, but she refused." Lelouch shrugged. "I'm not about to force her either."

Her lips twisted, and although she looked altogether even less pleased by what she was hearing, Lelouch recognized that look; that knitting of her brows in deliberation and how she looked like she was trying to chew her own tongue off. That was the look of Grudging Understanding.

It meant he had won, for now.

"I see." More tongue chewing. "I suppose next you're going to feed me some nonsense about how you can't divulge her identity."

"Are you telling me you'd be able to resist the urge to investigate her and every member in her family?"

That actually coaxed a faint grin from her and she shook her head. "No, I honestly wouldn't."

"There you have it," he said. "I can't have you scaring her off, Cornelia."

A deep chuckle rumbled in her throat.

"I hear she's met Nunally." When he nodded his affirmation, she said, "I'm surprised she wasn't already scared off by the competition. Any girl of yours has to know she'll be competing mainly with Nunally, and that's not even mentioning Euphie."

He thought he detected an odd gleam in her eyes, something searching and mildly predatory, but ignored it.

"She accepts that. Anyway, was there anything else you wanted to address, or were you just calling to berate me?"

"There is, actually."

She lifted a gloved hand and Guilford, lovingly obedient Guilford, gave her a polished wooden box that she held out to the screen.

"The former King of Area Fourteen was an avid gun collector," she said, carefully lifting the lid to reveal two exquisitely crafted firearms encased in velvet. "Had surprisingly good taste, as well."

Lelouch smiled. "Peace offering?"

"You could say that," she said with a grin. "I'd rather think of it as a well-meaning gift. They would be quite at home with your collection."

"It's not _my_ collection, Cornelia. It's Mother's."

"And it was passed on to you, wasn't it?"

He accepted that with a nod, muttering his thanks, only to groan midway as his sister went back to nagging him by saying, "I'm not all that happy with your choice for a bride, by the way."

"_Corneliaaa_…" he whined.

"_I'm just saying. _Why Milly Ashford?"

"Loyalty needs to be repaid, wasn't that what you taught me?"

She lifted an eyebrow, but didn't comment, instead closing the box and handing it to Guilford.

"You know, Euphie was quite upset when she heard of your engagement from Nunally," she said, giving him a pointed look. "She was hurt that you hadn't told us yourself."

That wasn't why she was upset and they both knew it, but neither was willing to say it.

Lelouch shrugged and apologized. "It was supposed to be a surprise," he said.

"When will the ceremony take place?" At his blank expression, she pressed on. "You _are_ having a formal ceremony in Pendragon, aren't you?"

"Of course, but it's a little early to be talking about that, right? We haven't even made a proper announcement yet!"

"Next you're going to tell me you haven't even gotten any rings —oh, you have got to be kidding me."

"I've been busy!"

Cornelia laughed, shaking her head at her little brother. "You, Lelouch vi Britannia, are hopeless. Just… bring her over for your friend's knighting ceremony. I should be done at the El-Alamein front by then."

"Knighting ceremony?"

"Oh, haven't you heard? Weinberg's been named as a candidate for the Rounds. I put in a good word for him, so I expect the position's all but…" She trailed away, brows furrowing in concern. "Lelouch?"

The young prince was wearing a look of absolute horror, and in a betrayed whisper asked, "Cornelia, _how could you?"_

A while later Gino slipped into the royal transport with his usual wide grin, and for the first time in years Lelouch wondered at that jovial expression.

_No,_ he thought, clenching his fist out of Gino's view even as he engaged in their usual sarcastic banter. _You will not take him away from me too. _

* * *

All plots and plans and terrorist organizations aside, Lelouch was beginning to wish he'd just gone with his gut and stayed in bed that day. Being around Milly wasn't all that bad, although the usual fawning over him was rather annoying. He hadn't bothered to come undercover this time, instead arriving with his whole entourage of stone-faced guards to hold back the fans. Well, Nunally did want him spending more time with Milly, and if their engagement was going to be known anyway he might as well get it over with.

The real horror began when, having successfully escaped from the adoring masses, he found himself locked in a room with lots of cat costumes and Milly was approaching him with a length of rope in her hands and an evil gleam in her eyes.

"Don't. You. _Dare." _he growled, backing away. The windows were locked, curtains drawn; there were no other doors anywhere. It was just him, Milly and a laughing Gino who had somehow already been halfway shoved into a blue cat costume.

"Come on, Lu, get with the game! I thought you loved playing dress-up!"

"_Don't!"_

"You'd look adorable with little cat ears, Lelou!"

And with that she lunged for him, cackling.

* * *

Kallen's hand faltered in front of the door, hearing what seemed like… _frustrated yells and death threats? _From the other side. No doubt the Prez was inflicting her strange torture upon some poor unsuspecting soul, but that voice seemed strangely familiar. Her curiosity prompted her to open the door and see what was going on, but her common sense pleaded with her to run the other way, and fast.

They battled against each other for a while, until at last Kallen decided to shut them both up and pushed the door open recklessly. What she saw made her freeze in her place, staring slack-jawed ahead: the formidable Lelouch vi Britannia, proud and pompous and unflappable, struggling as sweet little Shirley Fenette, dressed in an oddly fuzzy red and pink outfit, tried to draw the last in a set of whiskers on his face. A pair of adorable black cat ears sat atop his head, while his bound hands were covered in fuzzy blue paws.

She couldn't help the panic that took hold of her suddenly when Milly smiled at her, and she took an involuntary step back.

"Good meowning," Milly said, waving a paw at her.

"Good… meowning?" Kallen held back a yawn. Against her better judgment, she asked. "What is all this?"

"What do you mean, didn't we tell you?" At the bewildered response, Shirley said, "We're throwing Arthur a welcome party! It was _supposed_ to be next weekend, but the Prez rescheduled it, so here we are!"

"Sounds like fun, I guess."

Wait, hadn't Shirley been head-over-heels for Mr. High and Mighty? How come she was part of something that was pissing him off now? She hadn't gotten over him, had she?

"Haha, you betcha! These commoner schools are pretty awesome, huh, Lu?"

Kallen was mildly surprised to see that the person in the oversized blue cat costume, holding the prince in place, wasn't Rivalz as she'd first thought but Gino Weinberg, that annoying blond friend of his.

"I'll have you flayed and beheaded, Weinberg, I swear it!"

Weinberg just laughed.

"I haven't had this much fun since knightmare training! Wait till Anya gets a hold of this - we are going to be taking pictures, right?" he asked Milly, holding Lelouch firmly in place when the prince began to rock the chair.

"But of course," she grinned, patting Lelouch's head. "We need to treasure this day."

"_Traitooooooors!_"

What surprised Kallen the most in this scenario was how easily she could accept it, now that she knew what was going on. She stifled a yawn again, trying to blink the sleep out of her eyes.

"Long night?" Gino asked.

Frowning slightly, she gave a brief nod. "You could say that."

The heated conversations had continued long after Zero left, and suddenly there was talk of just leaving the Black Knights, if that was how he was going to be. C.C. occasionally threw a few aggravating words just to flare things up as well, and it certainly didn't help that Zero seemed to trust her more than the rest of them. By the time everything was sorted out and all the paper-work for the new recruits was looked over ("Do you think it would matter if you left?" C.C. said with a faint smirk, and prodded a stack of applications with her foot. "There's a lot of people who would love to replace you.") it was four in the morning, something her step-mother was quite happy to nag her about when she'd stumbled back to the house at last.

"Your sickness been acting up, I suppose?" Lelouch asked, giving her a critical look.

Kallen quirked an eyebrow. So he was after her too now?

"Yeah. I've switched to new meds, though, so I should be okay."

"That's great!" Shirley said. "We have lots of costumes over there for you to choose from, by the way."

She followed Shirley's finger to a rack of assorted cat costumes in the far end of the room and felt the urge to run return to her, but before she could Milly was pushing her in that direction and wearing her no-nonsense face.

"Don't even _think _of getting out of this one, Missy."

Heaving a sigh, Kallen could only breathe a prayer in thanks that Milly Ashford hadn't decided to pursue a military career and began to sift through the costumes. That girl had the uncanny talent of always managing to get things done her way.

* * *

"_Lelouch_, goddamnit, where are you?" he muttered, frowning down at his phone. He had been ringing nonstop for nearly ten minutes now and no answer. The worst possible scenarios were flashing through his mind; he'd really been too hopeful in thinking the prince wouldn't try to get back at him for going over his head to Princess Cornelia, given that he hadn't said anything about it yet. He'd simply assumed that he'd be getting the silent treatment until Prince Lelouch gave him a formal reprimand or something.

But what if he was taking a more creative route? What if he was going to use the Ashford festivities to slip away unnoticed with that insufferable friend of his? Jeremiah's teeth clenched as he snapped the phone shut. What if it was more serious than that, and one of Zero's undercover agents had taken him away?

He could wait no longer.

Jeremiah strode purposefully into the Clubhouse, motioning for the rest of the guard to stay put until he determined the situation. He slipped a hand inside his jacket, just touching the handle of his pistol, as he approached the double-doors carefully. The laughter was fading away and only the agonized yells of his prince remained, making his favourite threat of beheading all those that opposed him. It was obviously all just in good fun, and so he pushed the doors open with both hands.

"Your Highness-!" he began, only to falter as he took in the sight before him. Three very gorgeous girls in very revealing suits with fuzzy edges and cat ears upon their heads, two boys in cat costumes, and his prince tied to a chair, and apparently being stripped of his clothing.

"Good meowning, Lord Jeremiah," Lady Ashford greeted with a salute. "Come to join in the funnnn?"

"The madness, you mean!" the Prince protested. "Get me out of here, Gottwald!"

Some part of him, small and petty though it may be, smirked at Prince Lelouch's new position. Lady Ashford was audacious and wild and not someone he would generally approve to be in his prince's company, but it appeared she didn't shy away from forcing Lelouch to do her bidding, and that in itself was invaluable. Finally, someone was teaching that boy some humility.

In spite of himself, his lips began to twitch upwards in amusement.

"Oh god, not you too!" Prince Lelouch groaned, and sagged forward in his chair in defeat.

Jeremiah cleared his throat and tried very hard not to smile. "Sub-Viceroy, your presence has been requested by his Highness Prince Clovis immediately."

Prince Lelouch scowled and beckoned Milly with a jerk of his head. "Feel free to continue. Clovis probably just needs me for a party or something, I don't think I can stand that right now."

"Actually," Jeremiah sounded serious now. "There's been some trouble east of the Settlement. Bombings. We believe the _Rising Sun_ faction are behind it."

The very air in the room seemed to change, whatever joviality present chased away by that solemn statement. They untied the prince and handed him back his phones (_two_, Jeremiah noted with a frown, and made a mental note to examine this new secret cell phone later on) as well as his discarded clothing. Lelouch tore off those cat ears and quickly buttoned up his shirt again, then tied his cravat around his neck. Jeremiah, somewhat reluctantly, handed him a handkerchief to wipe off the whiskers drawn on his face.

"Tell Nunally I'm sorry I couldn't stick around longer," he said as he slipped on his jacket, to which Weinberg responded with, "Liar."

"Hey, I resent that. I did want to spend some time with her."

"And not with me?" the Ashford heiress pouted. "I'm crushed."

"I don't particularly enjoy being forced to dress as a cat, Milly."

"You're no fun."

"Be that as it may…" Lelouch took a moment to check his reflection in a full-length mirror that had been conveniently placed in front of his chair so he could see what they were doing to him. "Just tell her I'm sorry, alright? And Gino, I need to talk to you later."

"Alright. Have fun, Lu," Gino said with a wave. Lelouch gave a nod and left, but Jeremiah lingered at the door for an extra moment, wondering if he was out of line here.

Milly Ashford was wearing a Cheshire cat grin (fitting, given her current attire) as she came forward and patted his arm and said, "We'll send you the pictures, Lord Jeremiah, don't you worry."

The knight offered her a smile in thanks and left to follow his liege. He needed all the leverage he could possibly get these days.

* * *

Minami burst through the door with a yell, waving a phone in his hand.

"Zero's called!"

The line of new recruits whooped and cheered until Inoue motioned for them to be quiet.

"What did he say?" she asked as the rest of the Black Knights gathered round. The few recruits that had been called to the warehouse that day were torn between staying put like they'd been ordered and joining in, eager to listen to what the saviour had to say. Tamaki gave each one a thump on the chest as he passed by, his way of telling them to mind their own business.

He slung his arms around Yoshida and Ohgi's shoulders. "What's he got for us this time? Gonna kick some Britannian ass?"

"Far from it," Minami said. "Rescue operation."

"Rescue?"

"There's been a bombing, east of the Settlement. A shopping mall."

Inoue inhaled sharply.

"Sounds bad," Ohgi said with a frown. "But Britannians will be all over this. What does he need us there for?"

"Most of the workers there were Japanese, the Britannians aren't going to bother saving those."

Yoshida nodded. "And that's where we come in."

"Wait, hang on, how are we going to get anywhere near there?" Tamaki asked. "It'll be crawling with military, and you know they're cuffing any Japanese around."

Inoue laughed, marvelling at how he was making a useful contribution for a change, to which he protested loudly until Minami gave him a good whack on the head.

"_Focus_, guys."

"And girl."

"And girl, sure," he sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Zero says he's got it covered. I already sent Sugiyama ahead to this address he gave me. He wants us to meet up at a garage near the mall."

They went over a few more details before breaking apart, slipping off their uniform jackets in the process, when all of a sudden they found empty pizza boxes hailing at them from above.

"What the-"

"C.C.!"

The witch was sitting on the top floor railing, swinging her legs back and forth disinterestedly with no regards whatsoever to her precarious position. A pile of pizza boxes were underneath her, and with each kick of her foot one of them flew down at the Black Knights.

"You should take the newbies," she said, nodding in the direction of the new recruits. The young men all nodded enthusiastically, eyes gleaming with the thought of battle and glory, only to be snapped out of it when Tamaki burst out laughing.

"Them? They couldn't even handle the equipment without shooting themselves in the foot!" he scoffed. "And you want them to tag along on an official Black Knights mission?"

"I think that experimentation or whatever it was messed with your brain a little."

"You won't be needing any guns," C.C. looked up briefly from twirling her hair and fixed them with a commanding look, although her voice betrayed nothing of it, remaining as lack-lustre as ever. "Take them with you. They need to know it's not all fun and games." With a smirk, she added, "It's what Zero would want."

And there she was again, flaunting her apparently high position and being in Zero's good graces. Not that they necessarily cared who Zero preferred (whispers were starting to spread about her being his lady friend) but it chafed a little to have such a bossy person in the organization and be expected to follow her orders when they didn't even know who she was and all she did all day was lounge around and order Tamaki to go get pizza. She had no use whatsoever, as far as they could see, and yet Zero said she was a valuable ally.

"Is that so?" Yoshida challenged. "And how would you know? Did he contact you or something?"

"No. I just know how Zero thinks," she stated simply. "Sooner or later, he'll have to devise a proper testing process for all these recruits. Think of this as some hands on experience." When she saw they were still unwilling, she said, "It's a rescue mission, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

It didn't surprise them any more. C.C. had a weird tendency to always know things she shouldn't.

"Then you'll need all the extra hands you can get. And hey, if things fall through you can always use them as human shields."

One of the recruits, a boy of mere seventeen, gulped audibly.

"Why don't _you_ come along, then?"

"You know I can't do that. Zero won't let me." She swung her legs over the railing, landing gracefully on the floor, and looked over her shoulder in a very seductive pose. "He can be very possessive."

Inoue clenched her fists, while the new kids leered up at her, lost in their own lewd thoughts.

"Alright, fine. You kids, file in! " she barked, jolting them out of their fantasies. "And if any one of you so much as blinks without my permission, you'll find yourselves on Pizza Duty."

Beside her, Tamaki gave an almost imperceptible shudder, and Minami laughed and clapped him on the back.

"That's a bad thing, trust us."

* * *

The carnage was unimaginable. Fujiwara Riku, a young boy who had once been their guide in Saitama and was now a hopeful Black Knight recruit, was beginning to look green in the face. Ohgi made a mental note of how bad he looked, and how he trucked on regardless. It was admirable. The kid might just have some promise, if he lived long enough.

They tread carefully on the still-wet ground, keeping their heads down with their caps drawn low as they maneuvered around the debris. The equipment Zero had promised them turned out to be paramedics uniforms and IDs, along with several actual paramedics and their ambulances. It had been surprisingly easy to get through the barricades, no matter how many there were, and here they suspected Zero's involvement as well. Zero was probably military, right? From below his cap, Ohgi scanned through the Britannian crowd, wondering if one of them was their leader.

Another thing that had surprised them was the presence of their dear Sub-Viceroy, kneeling down on the ground and soiling his pristine clothing to inspect an apparent survivor. Tamaki's body had tensed upon seeing him, but a look from Inoue made him restrain himself. They had a job to do here.

As such, they had to ignore all the distractions. They had to ignore the bodies of the Britannian youth who should have had their whole lives ahead of them, and were instead mangled on the ground. They had to ignore the soldiers milling around, the outspoken curses against the Eleven monkeys who did this (and truth be told, Ohgi was cursing the ones responsible for this inwardly too).

C.C. was right, it _was_ smart to take the recruits. Before, their heads had been filled with flags and national anthems and witnessing miracles performed; now they had come to realize that these miracles came at a cost. This was the cost.

Besides, like she said, they needed every hand they could get.

It was understandably difficult to find the Japanese in need of aid amidst the debris and the charred remains. The Black Knights helped what few they could, covering their faces with masks so that the Britannians wouldn't suspect them. But some part of him kept insisting they already did suspect.

For one heart-stopping moment, his eyes locked with the prince's, and he would swear he saw the young boy's piercing purple gaze flicker with recognition. Ohgi tensed and discreetly motioned for Inoue, carrying the gurney with him, to be ready. But nothing happened. The prince looked away and began conversing with some Major, judging by his uniform, and let them pass unmolested. Ohgi wondered if that counted as a thank you.

They couldn't take more than two at a time in each of the six ambulances, which meant that more trips to the mall were required, something none of them looked forward to. It was hard to keep their cool in the ambulance, with their patients groaning behind them. Tamaki drove like a maniac until Yoshida managed to wrestle the wheel away from him, with the curses of the poor people in that ambulance egging him on.

Their destination was a surprisingly high-class hospital. To add to the shock, the Britannian doctors there didn't even blink at being presented with Eleven patients, and although the passing nurses did sometimes throw them dirty looks no one tried to throw them out or even say a word against them.

And then they saw her, sitting in the waiting room, and everything made sense. Though she was dressed in a navy Britannian business suit, there was no mistaking those sparkling green eyes and wide smile.

"It's good to see you all well," she said, giving them a bow in greeting. Such audacity. The Black Knights returned her bow, albeit rather awkwardly.

"So, you're the one who made this possible?" Ohgi asked.

"Oh no. It's merely that our Group has several rather old and ailing men. This hospital caters to our needs quite well, for a handsome fee. That fee was fully paid by Master Zero; I just pointed him to the right place."

It took a few more trips back and forth, the paramedics actually doing a pretty good job in keeping their charges alive given the Black Knights' frantic driving. It was enough that they all managed to make it to the hospital again and again in one piece, although on a battle field it would be much more hectic.

Ohgi supposed he could see what Zero was doing here. Not only was he giving them insight to the gore of the battlefield (if you could even call that one) but he was also testing them and their ability to act under pressure — even if there was a sentimental reason behind this rescue operation, Zero seemed to him like the kind of man who never did anything purely on emotion.

It would take a while for them to be fully able to appreciate him, and he them. But maybe, just maybe, Ohgi would be willing to take the initiative this time. He knew Kallen was with him on that too. It was very encouraging to see Lady Kaguya apparently supported them, if not the entirety of the Kyoto Group. He wondered if she knew of Zero's agenda; it might be easier to follow him blindly then, at least until he deemed them important enough to share those plans.

Trudging back to the warehouse, they found Kallen waiting for them at the door in her uniform. She proceeded to punch them all playfully, proclaiming them as traitors for going without her and leaving her to suffer in that Britannian school of hers.

"Although it was kind of funny for a while," she said, walking backward slowly to face them. "Picture this: Prince Lelouch, in all his pompous glory… In a cat costume."

By the time she finished her story about that day's cat party (a party for a cat. Just went to show how much money those Brits had to burn) they were all howling with laughter, but the laughter came to an abrupt stop as the overhead lights came on suddenly, all of them directed at the cloaked figure standing behind the second-floor railing.

"You performed admirably," Zero said, his synthesized voice booming throughout the warehouse. He didn't sound pleased, but rather imperious; Ohgi doubted they'd ever get some sort of emotion out of him beyond that. Still, he _said_ he was pleased, at least, and Zero certainly wasn't the kind of man that shied away from expressing his opinions. "You saved dozens of your countrymen, and even a Britannian or two."

Those had actually been accidents, as it had been somewhat difficult to discern their features, but they wouldn't say that.

"You should be proud of yourselves."

The newbies beamed at his praise, and even the so-called original Black Knights (who had barely even broken in the name, really) seemed to straighten up, their chests puffing outward. Like it or not, Zero was an inspiring figure.

"Those of you who are new to the Black Knights, you are dismissed. The rest of you will remain here; I have something to discuss with you."

When finally the recruits shuffled out and the door closed behind them, Zero placed both of his hands on the railing, as if preparing for a grand speech.

"Yesterday I asked a question, and I am repeating it now: do you trust me?

"We've already been through this, Zero," Ohgi said, holding back a frown. The pride he'd felt was deflating.

"Yeah, you know we trust you!"

The rest backed up Kallen's statement readily.

"Thank you," he said unexpectedly, making them start. Zero also didn't seem the kind of person who went around thanking people either, and for a moment there Ohgi wondered if he was making fun of them. "And to show you how much I value your trust, I will now give you the reasons you… asked of me."

Demanded, more like, and it was obvious their leader was still displeased about that. Looking back, he supposed they had been out of line, but between discovering they'd been hoodwinked by C.C. and Zero's shocking actions with the Head of the Kyoto group it became hard to hold back their doubts.

Zero began to descend the steps at a leisurely pace, every step echoing. Always dramatic, that man.

"Perhaps I should have made my plans clear sooner, but I felt it would be better if I presented you with evidence to back them up. And now, I give you my evidence."

He threw his right arm in a wide arc to gesture at the wall. The bare, empty wall. They stared for a moment, waiting to see if there was something more. When the seconds ticked by and nothing happened, Kallen gave a cough to alert him.

"C.C., if you don't mind…" he said, his exasperation obvious as he held his hand up in waiting.

They heard an exaggerated sigh, and then a projector came on, throwing the image of a large warehouse much like their own on the wall.

"Warehouse seven, in the Odaiba harbour." The image changed to show the inside of said warehouse; crates stacked high, men armed with standard-issue assault rifles pacing between them. "Prince Clovis may be a murdering fool, but he has enough sense not to completely neglect the Japanese populace. He wouldn't want to present unsatisfactory production rates to Daddy dearest, after all, and so every once in a while he grants the Japanese a little something here and there."

He gave a derisive snort as the image changed again, this time showing the contents of the crates. They could clearly see the rows of small welfare boxes marked with the royal seal. "But even this hint of faux compassion is denied, snatched away by the Britannians."

The picture of a slimy-looking Britannian nobleman overtook the wall. From the tip of his eyes, Ohgi saw Kallen's sneer.

"Rathford," she muttered, disgusted.

Somehow Zero heard her, because he nodded and said, "That's right, Kallen. Cyrus Rathford, an aspiring nobleman who has been smuggling things in and out of Area 11 for years now, everything from food to weapons and even women. He's a vile being, hardly worthy of being called human; he must be brought to justice. Not even his future _contributions_ to our cause will be able to redeem him. "

He chuckled darkly, and Ohgi couldn't hold back a grin at that. Sugiyama laughed openly and Tamaki hooted. Payback was going to feel good.

"So you see, my Knights, _here_ is our funding. We need no charity to function, and certainly not the control of old plutocrats. We are Knights for Justice, and what we need we will _take _from our oppressors! It is time for Britannia to pay her dues!"

* * *

It was all over in a matter of seconds.

Their superior organization as well as the element of surprise made it easy to cut down the smugglers, their assault rifles making quick work of whoever stood in their way, until at last they were left with no one but Rathford and a short, stout man who was presumably the buyer of the Japanese's welfare.

Kallen would never forget the sheer horror on both men's faces as they stared up at them, knowing that they were about to face righteous punishment for all the people they'd wronged. There were people dying in the ghettoes, of starvation, of disease and shoddy living conditions; it was men like these who were responsible for those lives lost.

"You- you're the-"

"The Black Knights!" Kallen said, sneering down at them through her visor. "That's right, you bastards!"

"You call yourself the elite race, _nonpareil_, but in reality you are little more than parasites. You live upon the blood and sweat of the Japanese you've enslaved, robbing them from their homes and livelihoods, but no more! The Black Knights have come; at long last justice will be exacted! As you can plainly see," Zero said, waving a hand to gesture vaguely at their surroundings. "You are now surrounded with no means of escape."

The smugglers' eyes flickered to the door and, as if on cue, it opened to show the rest of the Black Knights, dragging the dead guards inside.

"I highly suggest you surrender."

Of course, being the cowardly Britannians they were, they surrendered.

Zero emerged from his office in the Mobile Headquarters with a whole list of warehouses to hit, courtesy of Rathford and his friend. When asked, he merely said that a little persuasion went a long way, and Kallen suddenly wished she'd offered to hold the culprits down as he interrogated them or something. She wanted to see how he did it. Did he go with scare tactics, or did he use elaborate mind-games and corner them into blurting it all out on their own? Whatever he did, it was bound to be intriguing, just like the man himself.

Speeding away from the precinct, she looked in her rear view mirror at the two unconscious men she'd dumped on the pavement, tied together with a note stuck to each of their foreheads, and smiled.

* * *

He was obviously dead-tired from whatever he'd been doing. Lelouch tried not to let it show, of course, but it remained painfully obvious in the slight slump of his shoulder, the dragging of his feet and the drooping of the eyelids. Gino's thoughts were only reinforced when he saw Lelouch stifling a yawn.

"I don't think you're up much for hanging out right now, buddy," he said with a chuckle. It turned into a full-fledged laugh at seeing his friend's startled reaction; it was so rare to catch Lelouch off-guard, and even rarer to do so and not get shot as a result.

Lelouch just blinked it him and waved him away, shuffling past his chair to get to the counter behind him.

"Ugh, just shut up and let me get my coffee, okay?"

"I thought you hated coffee," Gino said around the pie in his mouth. Lelouch's kitchen would forever be his favourite place to raid; Nunally loved sweets and Lelouch didn't, which always guaranteed plenty of left-overs.

"It's becoming increasingly difficult to live without it, I'm afraid."

"Whatever," Gino shrugged. "So long as you're awake. We have celebrating to do!" He brandished his fork suddenly, and a piece of apple pie went flying at the wall.

Lelouch paused for a moment, just staring at the confectionary as it flew by him, before he snapped out of it and returned to the matters at hand. "Celebrate?"

"Yep! I hear your brother's designed some pretty awesome casinos, so I thought we could go check those out. You're into gambling, I'm into the ladies, and you're pretty silly when you're drunk. It'll be fun!"

"I can't afford to get drunk, Gino," he said with a chuckle. Lelouch walked around the table and threw himself gracelessly into the wooden chair opposite him. "What are we celebrating anyway? Did you manage to get Shirley to come around?"

"Better!"

"Okay, so what is it?"

"Guess!"

Lelouch rolled his eyes, lifting his cup to take a sip. "Come on, idiot, tell me already."

"Okay, okay. I wanted it to be a surprise, but..." Gino was grinning ear to ear, excitedly tapping his fork against the plate. "Well, you know Anya called, right?"

"Yeah."

The prince's expression was shifting, it wasn't quite as cool and nonchalant anymore, but he just chalked that up to being tired and continued.

"Turns out I was a candidate for the Rounds! And get this, she's heard from a pretty reliable source that I… am going to be Knight of Three!"

Slowly, Lelouch swallowed, carefully setting his cup down and then folded his hands on the table. Finally, he said, "I see…"

Gino's smile had dropped now, and he could feel something twisting in his gut. "It's funny," he said, leaning forward in his seat. "But I can't really detect any excitement or anything."

"Probably because there isn't any to detect," he replied, deadpanned.

"Aw, c'mon, Lu, gimme a break, will ya?"

"I won't lie to you, Gino; I'm not happy with this."

He snorted. "Gee, I couldn't tell."

"You'll be under _his_ thumb, can you imagine that?"

"Yeah, actually, I can," Gino said. "I've been imagining it just fine all afternoon! And I don't know about you, but it seems pretty darn sweet."

"There's nothing '_sweet_' about being the Emperor's lapdog. You know what he did," Lelouch growled.

"What you _think_ he did," the blond amended. He'd always thought that theory was a little far-fetched, personally. Why would the Emperor want to kill Lady Marianne? She had been widely loved, and often viewed as one of his favourites. "_Technically_, you can't really prove it."

"What more proof do you need? Cornelia lifted the guard that day at Mother's behest, that means it was somebody she trusted! Now who could possibly have been close enough to an Empress?"

"Well then, wouldn't my being with the Rounds be an advantage? I mean, I could be your inside man."

"I already have my inside men, Gino, I don't need another one. Besides, your presence in needed here more. I…" Lelouch looked away briefly, but when he looked back he seemed much more determined somehow. He gazed straight into his eyes and said, "I want you to be Nunally's knight."

"You're… joking, right?"

His eyes narrowed. "Do I look like I'm joking?"

Gino sat back in his seat, throwing an arm over its back as he tried to process what had just been said. Coming from Lelouch, this was an amazing act of trust. Or at least, it should be, if Gino didn't know him that well. "I… Wow, Lu," he breathed. "I'm honored. Really, I am. But…"

"But?" His expression darkened, and he regarded Gino with suddenly hard eyes.

Weinberg tried to think of the best way to put it. The only danger Nunally would face was if someone wanted to get to Lelouch through her, which was an understandable fear, but Lelouch had been very careful to keep her hidden away all these years. The security surrounding her was unbelievably tight and supervised by the prince himself. Really, Gino just couldn't see what use he'd be in that kind of position. Now if Lelouch had asked him to be on his own personal forces, then _maybe_ they could've worked something out, but this was just…

"That's not exactly a smart career move," he said truthfully. Lelouch would appreciate his honesty more than anything else, he told himself. "I mean, it's a dead-end job! No offense to you or Nunally, but being her knight is, well, it's not how I want to spend my years."

On the contrary to what he thought, Lelouch did not seem to be appreciating his honesty. But then, when it came to his little sister he was very quick to take insult.

Seeing his friend rise so abruptly from his seat, Gino inwardly steeled himself. He'd let Lelouch throw it all out then explain, quite calmly, that Nunally would be fine without him, get him to see the logic he was so fond of. Except Lelouch caught him off-guard again, and instead of going into a tirade about his dearest Nunally, he began to strike low.

"The Emperor didn't choose you for you abilities, Weinberg!" he scoffed. "Don't you get it? He chose you to spite me!"

And just like that, any thoughts of rationality were thrown out of the window.

"Well guess what? The world doesn't revolve around you," Gino retorted, slamming his hands onto the table. He slowly began to rise, straightening up to his full height so that he now towered over the irate prince. "I happen to be a very talented fighter, and to be quite frank my talents would be wasted staying with you."

"Wasted? I am entrusting you with the most important person in my life!"

"If you really wanted to do that, you'd have said so when we first graduated."

"You're a careless idiot, Gino; I thought experiencing the front-lines would sober you up a little bit."

"Sober me up for what? Playing baby-sitter to your little sister? That is not what I trained in the Academy for."

"You always used to say you'd love a job guarding a princess. Or is it just because it's Nunally? Because she's disabled? Or is she just not pretty enough for you?"

"You know, maybe I'd be more willing to be her knight if only you weren't such a suffocating older brother. As it is right now, she has _no_ political standing whatsoever. Hell, you haven't even let her appear publicly yet, Lelouch."

"I don't want to lose her too. They've already done enough!"

"_They? _Who are _they?" _

"The nobility!"

Gino gave him an incredulous stare. "Yeah, nobility. You mean like me and Anya, right?"

He shook his head, pushing the chair away. Things were becoming a little more clear now. If this was Lelouch's normal reaction to being named as a Rounds, he could definitely see where all the coldness he was directing at Anya was coming from. Poor kid; all alone over there without any friends. He used to think that Lelouch would check up on her, however infrequently, like he checked up on his sisters and him, but he had obviously been mistaken.

"Let's be honest here," he said, coming to stand directly in front of him. "You are keeping me close at hand because you don't want anyone else to have me. Now that you've heard I could be a Round, you just want to spite your father by taking me. This paranoia has got to stop! Fact of the matter is, Lelouch, you're just not important enough for anyone to want to mess with you so bad."

Almost imperceptibly, his jaw tightened and his whole narrow body grew tense. Lelouch was wearing a stubborn look that made Gino just a tiny bit hopeful he'd hit on something real here. Then Lu would see the light, wave the matter away (because princes never apologized, he'd learned. Or pressed elevator buttons) and then Gino would smash his remaining pie into Lelouch's face and all would be well.

And then, with a chillingly dark voice, he said, "I'm not important enough to pass up an opportunity to be a Rounds, is that it?"

Gino began to panic. "Lelouch, that's not what I said, and you know it."

"All I know is that the person I thought was my friend is selling me out for a higher position with my enemy."

Before Gino could protest, Lelouch had called for his guards, who had of course been standing on high alert right out the door the whole time and had likely even heard the argument. He was waiting for one of them to tell him to stop being ridiculous, _willing them_, but of course they didn't. He was their prince, first and foremost, and he was just the prince's goofy best friend.

Well, not anymore he wasn't.

"Jeremiah, if you would please escort Sir Weinberg out,"

Gottwald gave a short bow and then turned to him, gesturing at the door. Gino gave one last look to the dark-haired boy; the boy he'd first saved from earning the animosity of their whole dorm, the scrawny little cadet he'd picked up by the arms when the obstacle courses got the better of him, and then the friend he'd followed during battle simulations when no one else willing would. It had never really hit home that Lelouch was a prince, not really, but now it was making itself painfully obvious and he couldn't help but wonder how he'd ever missed it.

"Bye, Lu," he murmured as he stood at the door.

In return, Lelouch loudly said, "You should congratulate him, by the way. He's going to become the Knight of Three."

* * *

After sufficient time had passed, Lelouch hurled his cup against the door his supposed friend had left through before sinking into his chair. Watching the coffee drip down to the floor was only mildly satisfying, and throwing the plate of pie against the wall as well didn't help very much either.

"God_damnit_ it, Gino!"

The idiot should have left by now, so there was no worry of him overhearing, and his men didn't matter. Even if they did, Lelouch really didn't want to care at this point.

He knocked his chair over as he shot up and then tore out of the kitchen, cursing under his breath the whole way. The cursing became steadily louder as he neared his room, until at last he could slam his door behind him and let out a resounding, _"Fuck!"_

Swearing was crude and vile and utterly beneath him, but sometimes there was simply nothing better to say.

Lelouch closed his eyes and took a deep, hopefully calming breath, sagging against the closed door. He was _better than this_, and it was time he got that straight. This shouldn't be new to him; this _wasn't _new to him, and he could handle it and everything would be fine. It wasn't like he needed Weinberg for anything, after all. It was simply convenient to make him Nunally's knight, but he was hardly the best choice for her.

Looking to the side, he found her younger version smiling up at him, in those days when she could still open her eyes, and he almost smiled himself. No, Gino hadn't been the right choice; he was too reckless, too much of a flirt. He was simply the only one available presently. Lelouch merely had to wait a while longer, search a little harder

Then… there was just one thing left he had to do.

Calmly this time, Lelouch walked across the room and sat at his desk. In the third drawer, underneath the fake bottom, was a small square of folded paper, tucked neatly in the corner. He opened it carefully, taking a moment to scan over the list of names; most of them were written in the small, uneven handwriting of a ten-year-old, and only a few of them had been struck out, but Lelouch intended to rectify that situation very, very soon. The top of the list was in gibberish, names written in code so that he wouldn't be pinned with something ridiculous like _treason_ if it was found.

He picked up his quill-shaped pen and smoothed the list out. The tip hovered over the paper for a few moments, hesitating, until finally he narrowed his eyes and scribbled the name down, right under Anya's: _Gino Weinberg._

* * *

**A/N: **Wow. Long chapter is long. Heh. I guess this is me, trying to make up for the long wait (and the even longer wait to come) by rambling on and on.

Thank you all so much, whether you review or just read and keep your reviews to yourself, for even following along so far. Just seeing that reader count jump whenever I update is enough to get me itching to write the next chapter. And I'm very happy to see such a positive response to Kaguya's role here.

Now, then, I mentioned a long wait coming, and by that, I mean longer than usual. XD November, for all you people who don't know, is the month where lots of crazy writers try to churn out 50k words in a little event called NaNoWriMo. I'll be working on something other than fandom this time, so don't expect an update before, say, late December. I hope this ridiculously long chapter can tide you over until then. ^-^


	18. Understanding

This chapter and everything I write hereafter will be dedicated to the person on whose shoulder I cried for countless fictional deaths. She used to joke and say I'd never cry even half as hard for her. Guess I proved you wrong, huh, Mum?

* * *

**Chapter 18: Understanding**

"Are you alright, My Lord?"

Lelouch didn't look up from his newspaper. There was an article about the Black Knights that he pretended to find very interesting as he drank his morning coffee "Why wouldn't I be?"

Jeremiah tried to suppress his frown and instead had a pained look upon his face. He knew this was a delicate matter, and was reluctant to delve into it if his prince didn't invite him to. He was already on thin enough ice as it was, having talked to Her Highness Princess Cornelia.

That morning, as he went to wake the prince up, he'd noticed the new voids on the walls of his Contemplation Room, where pictures of a certain blond cadet had once been. What concerned him more than the absence of those pictures was that Prince Lelouch, normally meticulously organized, had failed to rearrange the others in a way that would hide the fact there had ever been missing pictures in the first place.

"I've received word that Lord Weinberg is leaving this afternoon," he said.

There was no reaction from the prince.

Jeremiah ventured further, saying, "Should I, perhaps, arrange for someone to send him off?"

"Do what you think is prudent, Jeremiah. I have more pressing concerns."

He didn't push the matter after that. Prince Lelouch was obviously determined to put it behind him and had once again polished and donned his indifferent mask of professionalism, having somehow pieced it together after it had shattered the previous night. Damn that boy and his stubbornness, he thought. By now he'd probably realized his mistake, but hell if he'd ever admit it. Princes were never wrong, it was a simple fact of life. Teenage boys, on the other hand, often were.

Jeremiah had never particularly liked Weinberg. He was the typical spoiled child of nobility, rebellious only for the sake of rebellion. He had run away from home only to join the army, using his parents' good name to get him into the Academy even as he slandered them. He was careless with his weapons and a daredevil in a knightmare, as Jeremiah had observed during the Academy's yearly parades, prone to breaking formation for the sake of showing off.

But he had made a friend of Prince Lelouch in a time when he was so suspicious he had a knife concealed on his person at all times and refused to eat any food he hadn't personally witnessed being prepared. Gino had good-naturedly tested his food for him, no doubt thinking it a joke, which Lelouch had realized and hated it for him at first. And yet Weinberg refused to take the hint and stuck to the young prince for some unfathomable reason, and eventually managed to get the rest of the cadets to accept him as well after Lelouch's brusque manner had alienated him.

He had been a friend, a real, loyal friend in a sea of perceived enemies. In spite of all his misgivings Jeremiah had never once doubted Gino's allegiance. He had, in fact, been dreading the day when Weinberg would join the ranks of Prince Lelouch's guard. But to his surprise the prince hadn't taken him along after their graduation, instead letting him get drafted for Commander General Cornelia's army. Lelouch had been intending on joining up himself, if not for the Emperor's orders naming him as Sub-Viceroy of Area 11, but even then he hadn't asked for his friend to join him.

And now it had all gone to hell.

"When should I make arrangements for your return to the Homeland?"

Prince Lelouch finally put down the newspaper and lifted his eyes to look at him, and Jeremiah thought he looked inexplicably tired.

"I suppose I should attend the knighting, shouldn't I?" he said. "Nunally would want to go, at least, and I did promise Cornelia I'd see her then." And then his eyes narrowed. "I will not show weakness."

_Not to that man_, was what went unspoken.

Jeremiah bowed deeply, a hand fisted over his heart, and promised to make the necessary arrangements.

* * *

Lelouch visited Ashford Academy again, but this time he was accompanied by Professor Lloyd Asplund rather than Gino Weinberg. He left the scientist in Reuben Ashford's office after a brief discussion on knightmare designs when the talk became too technical for him to follow, and went in search of his sister.

Milly hadn't known of this visit so there was no elaborate scheme to get him in a costume this time; he hadn't taken his usual entourage and was even wearing commoner clothes, all in an attempt to deflect attention from himself. He was only moderately successful. Stares and whispers followed him as he strode purposefully down the corridors, and a few students mustered up enough courage to ask for his autograph, but he was otherwise unmolested. Reaching the Club House, he rapped respectfully on the door and was promptly greeted by the cordial smile of his sister's Japanese maid as she answered it.

"Mistress Nunally is in class now," she said as she led him inside. "Would my Lord like to have some tea while he waits?"

He accepted with a nod and she bowed and left to prepare it. Lelouch's interest was caught by the multitude of expertly folded paper-cranes around the living room. He took one in his hand carefully and examined it, and remembered what she told him. Did she really intend to fold a thousand cranes? What wish could she possibly have that she didn't think her brother could grant for her?

Or perhaps it was only a pleasant pass-time, he tried to mollify himself, a playful test, like whispering a question to an eight-ball even with the knowledge it was nothing more than a toy.

Sayoko appeared momentarily with his tea and a plate of delicious steaming confectionary that reminded his stomach that he'd skipped breakfast that morning and hadn't eaten anything since lunch yesterday. It protested loudly on how he'd been subsisting on coffee and tea alone. His new double life was proving hazardous for his health. He refused to think about last night's incident.

He was on his second cookie when the door swished open, and he was greeted not with Nunally's calm smile or with Villetta Nu's stern countenance, but the wicked grin of one Milly Ashford. And co., he discovered by glancing behind her. That looked to be the entire Student Council, including a very tired Kallen.

"You thought you could slip by me, huh?" she accused, not quite managing to pull off her intimidating frown as she stomped forward to meet him. The others marvelled at her gall as she poked him harshly in the chest. "I would've thought you'd have known better. I'm the Queen of this school!"

"And I'm a Prince of this Empire," he countered with a faint smirk. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that trumps campus-queen." He placed the cookie down on the china plate and flicked what crumbs remained on his fingers her way. Her eyes narrowed at the challenge.

For some reason, he suddenly felt the need to be imperious and overbearing, and who better to rain this strange mood down on than Milly? She wouldn't take it personally, he knew, and was more than capable of holding her ground before him. He was a prince, but at the same time he was just Lulu. And her fiancé, he reminded himself. Hm. He needed to get her a ring soon, didn't he?

"What's your ring size?" Lelouch asked abruptly.

Milly blinked, surprised at the sudden change in subject.

"Uh, six," she said. And then, to diffuse some of the weirdness and with a nervous flick of the eyes in her friend, Shirley's way, she laughed, "What, intending on getting down on one knee at long last and doing it properly, Mr. High-and-Mighty?"

"Yes, actually," he said without missing a beat. A smile twitched on his lips at seeing her bewildered expression, followed by the loud exclamations of, "_What?" _and _"No way!" _from the Student Council that he hadn't bothered to acknowledge thus far. "Perhaps not literally, though, because you can't honestly expect me to do something that cliché, but I will be getting a ring. Cornelia nearly bit my head off when I told her I hadn't yet. There will probably have to be a party too— it's been a whole week since his last one, and Clovis is itching for an excuse to throw another. And drag me into the fold as well."

Milly quickly latched onto that thread, glad to find something familiar. "A party! About time. I was starting to think you were ashamed of me."

Lelouch rolled his eyes, flashing his most charming and obviously fake smiles. It was only then that he turned to the students standing awkwardly by the door and the smile dropped, and then slowly, deliberately, a slender black brow rose, and he asked, "Was there something you wanted?"

She poked him again and it actually hurt this time. "Lelouch, don't be mean."

"I was asking a legitimate question!" he protested, his lips pursing in displeasure. "They've just been standing there for the past three and a half minutes, doing nothing. Surely they have more important things to do with their lives than listen in to our conversation?"

With a loud huff, Kallen turned on her heel and stomped away. Smart, Q-1. She was probably seconds away from punching him. If he had his mask on when he spoke, would she have done the same thing? Hah, he didn't think so.

He levelled his cold violet gaze upon them, daring them to protest. Shirley had a wide-eyed look of disbelief. She was fond of him, another one of his many fan-girls, and had likely imagined him her knight in shining armour. It was time she realised he was a King, not a knight. That Cardemonde boy's eyes were looking watery, but he returned Lelouch's gaze readily. Einstein, someone he made a mental note to woo onto his side if Milly hadn't already, hadn't looked up from the ground.

The frost began to melt as the tell-tale whirring of Nunally's wheelchair reached him. Lelouch rose from his seat, passing by them all without a glance, and greeted her unseeing eyes with a dazzling, for once genuine smile.

Almost as if she could feel it, she lifted her head and smiled back. "Big brother!"

"Good morning, Nunally," he said, crouching down by her side. In an unusual act of open affection, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss on her cheek. Her smile brightened, pleasantly surprised, and she giggled.

"You're in a good mood today, I see."

"Now that you're here, perhaps."

She patted his hand, rested on the arm of her wheelchair, as he rose from the ground. "Well, I'm glad I could be of help," she said. "Is Gino here too?"

"He's been called back to the Homeland, I'm afraid," he said, and actually sounded apologetic, but it was more for the fact he'd failed to procure her knight than sadness at Gino's departure. And at the crestfallen look on her face. A spark of anger. How _dare_ Weinberg cause such an expression to mar Nunally's features?

"He didn't even say good-bye," she said sadly. "It must have really been urgent, huh?"

"Oh yes. Very urgent. The summons came from Father," he lied to mollify her.

Nunally nodded. "Well then, there was nothing he could do. I hope he's not in any kind of trouble?"

"I don't think he is, no, so don't worry." _He's not worth worrying over, _he wanted to say, but Lelouch refrained from doing so. Instead he forced his most jovial tone as he cheerfully informed Nunally of his mostly free schedule that day.

She clapped happily, only to pause for a moment as she asked, although she already knew the answer, if she could be excused from her classes that day.

As expected, Lelouch smirked and replied, "I'm sure the teachers won't mind letting you go today." He looked over his shoulder, where Milly had been watching silently with a soft look in her eyes. "Would you take care of that for us, Milly?"

She nodded absently. "Of course. Ah, have fun, Nunna!"

Lelouch half-expected Nunally to stop him and insist on having Milly tag along, as his fiancée and all, but she did no such thing, only bidding them all a good day as he pushed her wheelchair forward. For now, it seemed, she was content to have him all to herself. It almost made him feel guilty to know he would be planning that night's raid in his head the whole time.

* * *

Milly watched him leave with a frown that wasn't as uncharacteristic of her as she'd have people believe. Normally she tried to school her expression into something cheery whenever she was in public, giving the illusion of happiness and bouncing with energy wherever she was. But she was too confused for that now, too concerned about Lelouch's odd behaviour.

He reminded her more of the boy he'd been in Aries, with his cold, biting gaze and the belittling smiles and fake politeness. That behaviour in itself wasn't unusual for nobility, but ever since Lelouch had arrived in Area 11 he'd tried to maintain his charming image, being remarkably tolerant even of the commoners that he found himself surrounded with every so often. Of course, he couldn't help that when she tried to force him into a cat costume, but even then he'd never intentionally tried to be mean to anyone.

"Man," Rivalz said, breaking the silence that had fallen over them. "Who knew the prince could be such a…" He never said what he meant to say, eyes flickering to Milly warily as he came to realise just who it was he had almost badmouthed, and in front of his bride-to-be no less.

The bride-to-be snorted incredulously and finished his words for him. "A bastard, yeah."

"You shouldn't say that!" Shirley chastised. She still looked rather shaken and slumped down into the chair Lelouch had occupied moments before.

"What? It's true." Milly slid up onto the table, her favourite sitting spot, and swung her legs back and forth. As usual, Rivalz's eyes immediately followed. She could grant him that small thing, she supposed. "He must be really upset about something. He isn't normally like that."

Not that she'd know what was normal for him anymore. Lelouch had crafted himself a new persona that she hadn't yet been privileged enough to see past, but she dearly hoped that wasn't his normal behaviour.

For the first time in what must have been an hour, Nina timidly spoke up. "All those warehouse raids must have him strung up," she suggested and then shrugged, mumbling something incoherent. Shirley tried to ask her to speak up but she only shrugged again and they let it go.

"Well, you never know with these blue-bloods," Rivalz muttered. He was encouraged by Milly's previous words, but not enough to speak up confidently against Vi Britannia. "I've dealt with plenty of uppity nobles at the club. He was almost _kind_ compared to those snobs."

"Did you notice how he skirted around the Gino matter?" Milly asked, sounding pensive. She turned to Shirley suddenly and asked, "Did he call you?"

The orangette only blinked. "Who?"

"Gino, of course."

Shirley bowed her head in embarrassment, her cheeks colouring as their time at the Clovisland Water Park came back to her. Milly leaned over the table to pat her hand sympathetically. She felt partially responsible for it, and for failing to fix things during the Cat Festival.

"You haven't talked?"

She shook her head. "He must think I'm an idiot."

Just as Milly was about to tell her to stop being ridiculous, Rivalz interjected, saying he didn't see what was so special about the guy anyway.

"Well, _you_ wouldn't, obviously," she said, snapping upright again. With a mischievous grin, she added, "Unless there's something you want to tell us, Rivalz? A closet you'd like to come out of…?"

"Wha— no! No, definitely not! Nuh-uh. No closets here."

It was hard not to laugh at his alarmed reaction. Even Shirley let out a giggle, rolling her eyes at the President's antics.

Milly gave a nod in satisfaction. That was how things were supposed to be. Now if she could just get to the bottom of things with Lelouch…

"Could you give me your phone for a sec?"

She held her hand out expectantly, and naturally Shirley placed her small pink cell phone in her waiting palm.

Milly scanned through the numbers, letting out a loud and triumphant, "Aha!" at finding the one she wanted, and then placed the phone to her ear.

_Rrrrring. Rrrrring._

"_Yeeeeallo."_

"Hey Weinberg," she greeted, swatting Shirley away when she tried to take her phone back. "Where are you?"

"_Oh, hi Ashford."_ Ooh, was that disappointment she detected? _"I'm on my way to the airport. Why? Something up?"_

"You bet something's up. What happened with you and Lelouch?"

"_He told you?" _Gino asked, evidently surprised.

"No," she admitted. Lelouch was too secretive. He would never say a thing if he could help it. "But it's pretty hard not to notice."

She heard him sigh on the other end, a sound that was far too weary for someone as upbeat as the blond. He was a man after her own heart, she thought. Who knew what his smiles hid?

"_We had a fight." _

She waited for him to say more, but after a few moments it became obvious that he wasn't going to divulge anything else just yet.

"Oh. Is that why you're leaving?"

"_No. It's _because_ I'm leaving, actually. I'm… I'm going to be knighted. I'm going to be a Round."_

"A Round?" Her excited yell made her friends startle. In the back of her mind, she lamented not having a camera in hand, because the expressions on their faces were priceless. "Wow, that's amazing! Congrats!"

"_Thanks! See, now that's the kind of attitude a person should have when they hear that kind of news. Lelouch? He went ballistic on me."_

"_No_. Seriously?"

"_He had his guards escort me outside,_" he told her dryly.

"Huh. Not very friendly of him, is it?"

"_You're telling _me_?"_

"Did he say why?"

But she already knew why, more or less, even before Gino told her about the whole 'traitor' thing. He was speaking in a hushed tone, probably in fear of being overheard and having the whole ordeal reach the press. Or worse, reach the prince.

With a sympathetic frown, Milly promised him she'd smooth things over with his friend, and Milly Ashford didn't promise things she didn't know she could fulfil. The gears were already beginning to turn, a diabolical plan forming.

_Lelouch vi Britannia_, she thought with a wicked grin as she clicked the phone shut. _Be afraid. Be very afraid. _

* * *

Gino tucked his phone away with a smile, and for the first time that day he had the feeling that maybe, just maybe, things would be alright. It was good to talk to someone like Ashford, cheery without being air-headed. He couldn't fathom how she would get along with Lelouch, though. He'd play nice for as long as he could, but eventually he'd reach his limit and when that happened he loved to whip out the prince card. It was hard to forget about it after that.

"Well, that's her problem now," he muttered, flexing his arms and then folding them behind his head.

And if she wanted to patch things up with him and his friend, more power to her. He just wouldn't be holding his breath over it. Even if Lelouch did realise how unreasonable he was being (and that was beyond unlikely) there was no way in high hell he'd ever go back on what he said.

The best Gino could hope for was for the prince to start acting like nothing had happened, really, but even then things would never be the same.

Before long, he was in the airport with his duffel bag slung over his shoulder, on his way to the private jet that would take him back to Pendragon. A middle-aged Eleven was jogging behind him to catch up to his long, hurried stride, and trying not to topple the suitcases neatly piled onto the trolley he was pushing.

Seeing the figure standing by the steps Gino paused for a moment, just a moment, and then continued walking. But to the trained eye it was obvious he wasn't the same; his back was straighter, his muscles tensed, and all in all it seemed as if he was readying himself for something decidedly unpleasant. And yet, to ask him, Gino would say he wasn't surprised to see Jeremiah Gottwald standing there, not really.

"Does His Highness know you're here?" he asked once he was within hearing distance.

"He's upset, but he's not petty," Gottwald said. "He wishes you good luck on your future endeavours, whatever they may be."

Gino gave a very undignified, incredulous snort. "I'm not as stupid as you think I am, Jeremy."

Jeremiah's lips quirked briefly before he managed to suppress the smile. He inclined his head. "Fair enough."

"How do you stand it, anyway?"

"Stand what?"

"The paranoia. Someone's always conspiring against him, the whole _world_ is out to get him. It drove me nuts, and I didn't even have to do anything about it! Let alone you. I mean, you're the head of his security."

"Prince Lelouch's concern may seem foolish to you, Lord Weinberg, but I assure you it isn't," the older man said, and Gino rolled his eyes. Of course. Jeremiah Gottwald practically worshipped the earth Lelouch walked on.

Catching that, Jeremiah frowned deeply. "There have been attempts on his life, you know."

"Well, duh. He's Sub-Viceroy of a volatile Area."

He shook his head. "That's not what I meant. Back in Aries… Prince Lelouch was correct in his belief Princess Cornelia sent him to the Academy to keep him away from Pendragon, but he was incorrect in that there were evil intentions behind it— or perhaps they were, for all I know. But the reason _I_ approved it was for his own safety."

"So you're saying…"

Gino couldn't quite bring his mouth to formulate the words. It just seemed too silly, too impossible. Jeremiah nodded.

"Yes. It was quiet after her Majesty's death, but after a year rolled around I was uncovering assassination attempts every other day. Poison, usually, until His Highness eventually insisted on learning how to cook so he didn't have to concern himself about it. The help was eventually restricted to only Conrad and Allison, Princess Nunally's nurse, and even they were under close scrutiny at all times. Twice, the Royal transport was rigged with explosives. Once an assassin even broke in to the Villa. So you see, Lord Weinberg, Lelouch has every right to be paranoid, as you say."

He was so surprised he didn't even register the use of Lelouch's name without any titles. Gino felt suddenly foolish, and the doubts he'd been having all night, only barely forgotten and assuaged by Ashford's phone call, came back full-force.

"And you think," He paused to swallow. "You think it was really nobles behind that? I mean, it could be the same terrorists that got Lady Marianne."

Jeremiah murmured something under his breath, likely a prayer for the late Empress.

"Whoever it was, it was a person with considerable power and wealth, rooted deep within Pendragon's high society. Every trail I followed lead nowhere, and when Princess Cornelia's investigations became too deep, she was ordered to cease. By Imperial decree."

For some reason, that fact was easier to swallow now that it was being delivered by Lelouch's honourable knight, much more than it had ever been from the prince's own lips. He was hit with the thought he'd made a terrible mistake when, surprisingly, he felt a firm hand falling on his shoulder.

"Be proud of what you have achieved, Lord Weinberg."

Alright. Now he was just confused.

"But you just said—"

"I said," Jeremiah interrupted. "That His Highness' suspicions are not unfounded. I did not say he was infallible, nor that everything he does is for the best. Go. Accept your knighthood. Take on your duty and be proud of it. But always be careful, and remember: Prince Lelouch never was and will never be your enemy, no matter what may transpire between you. You were his first friend."

Gino couldn't help his smile at that.

Feeling that the mood had gotten a little too serious for his taste, he turned and slapped a hand on Gottwald's back and said, "Aww, that was touching. Really, Jeremy. Who knew you had it in ya?"

The man's expression became that of a disgruntled bear, and he was glaring at Gino with that old familiar look that suggested he was experiencing some very murderous desires.

"You," he ground out. "Are hopeless."

To that Gino could only respond with a huge grin. He patted Jeremiah on the back one last time, a wordless thank you. He then hefted his duffel back up his shoulder and, with the deep inhale of one about to take a plunge, ventured forward to the steps and began to ascend, one by one. Each one felt like he was coming closer and closer to something undeniably awesome, and now that the unease from last night's fight had all but disappeared he could actually enjoy it. It felt pretty damn good. He still couldn't fully understand why Lelouch would want to keep him from this— even with the overwhelming paranoia, the conspiracy theories, all that, it seemed more likely that the prince would want to remain on good terms with him and then gently push Gino to do his bidding. It would be dirty, sure, a low-down manipulation that he was more than certain Lelouch was capable of. End justifies the means and all. He wouldn't have taken it personally. It just didn't make sense.

With one foot on the last step, he froze as he was suddenly struck with the idea that maybe, just maybe, Lelouch hated it so much because he didn't want to have to use him. Since they were friends and all. Huh. Well how about that?

"Say, Jeremy," he called down to where Jeremiah was still standing on the tarmac, waiting for him to board. "Was it like this with Anya?"

"It was a little different with Lady Alstreim. Apparently," And Gino found it doubtful Jeremiah had not witnessed this first-hand, or at least overheard it. "Lady Alstreim _agreed_ to guarding Princess Nunally, only to go and accept a position with the Rounds the week after."

"The week after? So Lelouch made the offer _before _anything was heard about being a Round."

He nodded. "That's my understanding."

Ouch. Gino might have been hurt, if he hadn't just turned down the offer himself. Also, Jeremiah only spoke of an offer to guard her, he said nothing about Anya being her knight. He liked to think Lelouch trusted him a bit more. Or, well, he did anyway.

His brows furrowed as he realised something. "But wait, that shouldn't have bothered him as much as it did. I mean, Anya's prone to forgetting things, after all. Maybe she just forgot?"

"Yes, my liege thought so too, and so he endeavoured to remind her. But there was… I may not know Lady Alstreim as well as you do, but it seemed to me that she was being very unlike herself. When Prince Lelouch spoke to her about the matter, she laughed and said it must've slipped her mind, but that she wouldn't be turning back. She also said Nunally didn't really need guards of her own and that he should stop being such an over-protective brother." Jeremiah shook his head. "I suppose she meant this in jest, but Prince Lelouch took it as an affront. He seemed to feel she was making fun of him, and of Her Highness. I'm sure it may sound irrational to you now, but having been present at the time of this conversation I can tell you I was honestly inclined to share my Lord's opinion at the time. There was something about her tone, perhaps, or her flippant attitude. Almost _cheeky, _playful."

Gino had a hard time thinking of Anya as _cheeky_ or anything even remotely related to it. But he knew those weird mood swings were possible. He recalled, somewhat uncomfortably, a night when Anya's mood had flipped some sort of flirting switch. She'd managed to hook many a bewildered cadet, and had even flirted with Lelouch and him before it finally ended and she was her usual lacklustre self.

"I'll have to ask her about that," he said. "Although she probably doesn't remember a thing of it, but she'll have blogged it. She blogs everything. Maybe I can even get her on good terms with him again!"

Because there was no doubt in his mind, now that he had Milly Ashford and even Jeremiah Gottwald on his side in this, that his and Lelouch's falling out was temporary. These things happened between friends, right?

* * *

In the middle of the shopping mall, five Britannians were kicking the snot out of a cowering Eleven. Only a few feet away, Prince Lelouch vi Britannia watched impassively. His eyes were narrowed behind his sunglasses.

"What's wrong, Big brother?" his sister asked. She could hear the sounds; the triumphant jeers, the pained yelps, the hurried footsteps of shoppers eager to see the so-called fight.

"Nothing," he said, and tried to pull the wheelchair back, only to discover he couldn't move. He was rooted to the spot and couldn't tear his eyes away. Because it wasn't nothing. It was Britannia, preying on the weak as usual.

"Is someone fighting?"

"Yes." He didn't know why he answered truthfully, but he did.

"That's awful." After a few moments she lifted her face to him and said, "It's a Japanese person, isn't it?"

And again, his mouth opened before his mind could process it and he said, "Yes, I'm afraid so."

"How many?"

"Five." Something was rising in his throat, an unpleasant taste in the back of his mouth. "There's five of them."

He placed his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her and felt her fingers close around his. Finally he was able to pull his gaze from the circle of vultures to look down at her. She was trying to be strong, he could see it in the knotting of her forehead, but she couldn't help the concerned frown on her lips.

"Can we leave, please?" she asked, and he knew how much it pained her to say it. But that was the way it was in Britannia, and standing up to those bullies would do nothing in the long run. In fact, it would be counterproductive, as attempting to help the Eleven would only hurt him. He was a hot dog vendor. If someone helped him, he wouldn't be able to sell a thing tomorrow. In the end, it had been his choice to become a Britannian slave.

He knew that. So why couldn't he bring himself to leave?

"You think you're so tough, don't you?"

_Kallen?_

The redhead in the goldenrod Ashford uniform was striding towards the Britannians purposefully, her fists balled at her sides. She wasn't even trying to keep up her sick persona anymore. Was that her pink pouch he saw clutched in her hand?

"I'll be right back, Nunally," he said. Lelouch took a moment to make sure no suspicious individuals were nearby, brushing off her bewildered questions, and then went off in the direction of the bullies. They were closing in on Kallen with nasty leers on their faces, glad for new and (they thought) easy prey. He caught a glint of metal as the pouch-knife was extended.

"Gentlemen," he said loudly, and all eyes swerved his way. "Haven't you gotten tired of this?"

"And just who are you?" an oaf asked, their apparent leader.

More people had gathered now that there were Britannians apparently against beating up the Eleven, waiting for a spectacle. He decided to give them one. In one elegant movement, he whipped his baseball cap off. The sunglasses came next. A gasp rippled through the crowd as they realised his identity.

"My name is Lelouch," he said, quite unnecessarily. He decided to forego the titles this time; he didn't want to be overly dramatic, and especially not in front of Nunally and the general populace here. "I'll ask you again: haven't you gotten tired of this?"

The Geass was pooling behind his eye, ready to enforce his will, but it seemed it wouldn't be needed. The idiots didn't need to be told twice. Under his sharp violet gaze they nodded, saying they were bored. One of them suggested going to the arcade.

"Enjoy the Eleven, your Highness," another said as they were leaving. Lelouch glared at him, committing his face to memory.

"Why did you do that?" Kallen asked. Her eyes were narrowed in suspicion, but the blade was out of sight.

"It's behaviour unbecoming of citizens of Britannia," he said simply. And then he smirked. "You seem to be feeling much better than usual, Lady Stadtfeld. That was a very spirited attempt from you."

"Unbecoming, huh? And what happened to survival of the fittest?" she spat. It seemed she still couldn't manage to rein it in. Maybe he should have a talk with her about this, as Zero. She'd listen to Zero.

"Survival of the fittest doesn't give the strong the right to gang up on the weak. Especially not in such a disgusting display. Five against one does not make them strong."

The battered Eleven was just starting to come out of his daze. Kallen crouched beside him, asking him if he was alright. He took one look at that uniform, the Ashford family crest, and immediately slipped into the role of the vendor, the little Eleven eager to serve. She jerked back, bewildered, as he offered her hot dogs and ice-cream.

His gaze then went to the man standing calmly beside her and there the Eleven's eyes went so comically wide, Lelouch couldn't help the twitching of his lips.

"Y-Your Highness!"

The Eleven doubled over on himself again, this time in respect rather than in pain. Although perhaps he was still suffering the aftermath of the beating. What did it matter anyway? It made no difference. In the end, he'd been beat down by Britannia.

Lelouch benevolently told him to rise. "You said something about ice-cream?"

After much bumbling and genuflecting and expressions of gratitude, he at last received a sparkling strawberry ice-cream, which he paid for and on top of it gave the Eleven enough money to pay for everything on his stand. A compensation for the fact he wouldn't be able to sell anything there ever again. Lelouch felt an inordinate amount of pride as he handed Nunally the frozen treat. He then placed the baseball cap on her head, putting on his sunglasses, and quickly wheeled her away.

* * *

"…_He was found in Warrick Square this morning, hanging upside down from the arm of Prince Clovis' massive statue. He was allegedly wrapped in a black jacket with a silver symbol on its back. Local law enforcement refused to comment on whether the Black Knights were involved. Eye-witnesses report that there was a note stuck to Lord Reddington's forehead, detailing numerous crimes—"_

Kallen was grinning in satisfaction as she turned off the radio, remembering the look on that fat bastard's face as they were roping him up. It had been difficult —her palms were still red from the rope burn she'd gotten as she, Yoshida and Minami hung him— but so worth it. It was beyond her how scum like Reddington were allowed to live. It wasn't just the Japanese he was abusing, but apparently a great many lower-class Britannians as well.

Funny, how she actually cared now. Probably had something to do with the Student Council. They weren't too bad, not really. Just a little clueless. It was amazing to think she helped save their lives. Them and countless others, Japanese and Britannians alike. She was actually saving Britannians! She was a hero, _they_ were heroes, just like Zero said they would be. The knights of justice, champions of the weak, riding upon their white horses to slay the oppressors. Or knightmares, whichever worked. Terrorists who involved civilians, overbearing military, criminal syndicates and corrupt politicians, they were all brought to justice.

And more than that, the Black Knights didn't carry out that justice themselves. Zero didn't act like a god. They attacked, they captured, and they took their dues. Then, when they were done with the culprits, they always dropped them off in front of precincts or, in the case of particularly famous individuals, in the middle of public squares with enough evidence to condemn them for life.

Oh, if only Naoto could have seen…

Kallen stood by her bedroom window, looking fondly down at the gardener's children as they ran between the flower beds. One of them had taken a fruit bowl and now held it over his face and although the colour was off, pale green rather than royal purple, it was obvious who he was pretending to be.

He and his sister both had black capes tied around their necks and were running around with pretend rifles and cries of, "Evildoers, beware!" They were even dressed similarly to the Black Knights' uniforms, in ratty blue shorts and oversized jackets, hand-me-downs that had seen one too many days.

"It's my turn now," the girl said, tugging at her brother's cape. "I wanna be Zero."

"No way, Zero's not agirl," he responded. He said _girl_ with that special sneer little boys reserve for particularly nasty things, like baths and brussels sprouts and cute dolls.

"How would you know?"

"He doesn't sound like a girl, does he?"

"Maybe Zero has a special device that will change her voice," she retorted smugly. "To make it harder on the Britannians."

A very valid point, Kallen had to admit. But no, Zero was definitely a man. Aside from his lack of curvature, he had that same pride, that particular sense of self, that… that machismo. He reminded her a lot of her brother when he spoke to them, explaining a new mission objective, he was so confident in what he was doing. But that was the only time. Otherwise, when he began one of his speeches or was shooting orders like the military man he so obviously was, it was hard to compare him to anyone else, even Naoto.

Besides, she didn't really like the thought of Zero as a brotherly figure. She had Ohgi for that already.

The gardener came out and hurriedly ushered them inside, berating them in quiet Japanese. They mustn't ever pretend to be Black Knights, he said. They mustn't ever say a word against Britannia. She saw his eyes flicker upward in worry and stepped away from the window, hopefully out of his sight.

Even with everything they'd done, it wasn't enough. It wasn't nearly enough. Their real enemy was Britannia, with all its corruption and oppression.

Soon, she told herself, soon they'd be an army. The recruits were pouring in, and now they could make two or even three hits at the same time, with the original members of her cell acting as leaders under Zero's careful instructions. Things were still a little tense between them, but a truce had been called, if only temporarily. Kallen knew they had her same fears. That if they pushed too hard, if they upset him too much, their leader would vanish. Or worse yet, he would simply do without them.

In only two weeks they had amassed a great fortune as well as several knightmares and other weaponry. The people in the ghettos would perk up whenever they saw a Black Knight uniform around, they would cheer and cry out happily when the Knights distributed some of their winnings. Usually food, occasionally medicine, whenever they could get their hands on it. Kallen didn't think she'd ever been happier in her life, but she wouldn't delude herself into thinking this was by their effort. It was Zero, all of it. Zero was the one who'd made it possible.

"Mistress Kallen!"

She jerked out of her reverie and glared in the direction of the door. Several polite raps later the door opened just a crack to reveal the wrinkled face of their elderly butler, a Four named Gabriel.

"Mistress Kallen, you have a guest."

"A guest?"

He nodded, and she understood it was a Britannian. Her Japanese friends didn't come here usually, only on ground-shattering occasions, and on each of those occasions Gabriel had provided her with a subtle warning. He had been the Stadtfeld's butler for years now, way back in the days her mother had been the Lady of the house rather than that harpy. He understood.

"I'll be right down."

He gave another nod and closed the door, to give Kallen the chance to put on something more presentable than her current oversized pink shirt and shorts. She didn't bother, only putting on some slippers before she left her room and descended the grand staircase.

Milly Ashford was at the door.

"I just dropped by to give you something," the blonde said, and Kallen thought she was considerably less animated than usual. The resistance-fighter was immediately on her guard, but masked it by saying a dazed, "Huh?"

Her mother was at the front door in that damned maid uniform, her hands clasped behind her and eyes lowered demurely. "Where would you like me to show her to?" she asked tonelessly. "The parlour, perhaps? Or maybe—"

"We'll be in my room," Kallen interrupted, her eyes narrowed.

Somehow she'd failed to hear that awful staccato of heels as her stepmother graced them with her presence, and only realised the woman was there when she spoke, saying how she was sure it was a boy at the door, what with all her disappearances. Apparently the woman wasn't as self-centred as Kallen thought. At least, she was aware of the surrounding human beings enough to note when one of them went missing for days at a time.

"Out all night and missing school. Not to mention all your visits to the ghetto," she said scornfully. "You're lucky your father's back in the Homeland. No fighting one's blood, is there?"

Her mother cringed, shrinking away from that vile woman's sharp gaze.

_Why? Why do you stand for this?_ Kallen thought angrily. Out loud, she snapped, "_You're_ the one enjoying Dad not being around here, aren't you?"

Whatever rebuttal her stepmother had was cut off by the crashing of one of their many priceless vases to the floor. Flowers were strewn across the tiles. One of them was crushed under her mother— _her maid's_ knee as she scrambled to collect the shattered pieces.

"What is _wrong_ with you?"

"Forgive me, milady. Forgive me."

"Can't you do anything right? Besides selling your body, that is."

It was just too sad. Kallen turned away, the will to fight sapped from her. She beckoned for Milly to follow and hurried up the staircase. It wasn't until she closed the door of her room that she could finally breathe somewhat easily. She rested her head against the wood for a moment, her eyes scrunched shut as she composed herself. When she turned to her friend, her usual mask was on.

"I'll have them bring us some tea," she said, leading her to the table in the middle of the room. From the tips of her eyes she could spot her dumbbells beside the piano and cursed inwardly. Damn, she needed to remember to hide those things. Well, at least her other weights were out of view. If asked, she could always claim they were part of her physical therapy or something.

"Quite the complicated homelife you have here, isn't it?" Milly said. Kallen shrugged noncommittally and rang a small silver bell. Like clockwork, Gabriel appeared moments later with a tray of tea. She dismissed him without a glance, focusing on pouring cups for the Prez and herself so she didn't have to see the pity shining in her eyes.

Milly knew. Or else she wouldn't have cared. But she didn't seem to be holding it against her.

Kallen wouldn't lower her guard just yet. "So, what was it you wanted to give me?"

"Grandfather asked me to pass these on." Milly opened her schoolbag and pulled out an envelope with the Ashford Family crest on it. She placed it on the table and slid it to her with a finger. "Your transcripts since Middle School."

There. That was it. The little snitch, and it was in the form of a harmless piece of paper. The grades she'd worked so hard to earn, the straight As sneering up at her. Milly handed her another paper, pointing wordlessly at where she needed to sign.

"So my secret's out, then," Kallen said. She tried to sound nonchalant as she picked up the pen she was offered. "That I'm actually an Eleven and Britannian half-breed." Milly said nothing. "That was my stepmother down there. My real mother was that clod of a maid who knocked over that vase."

She scribbled her name, _Kallen Stadtfeld_, and slid the paper back.

"And your father, is he the head of the Stadtfeld family?"

"My mother is such a fool. In the end she wound up a servant." Her upper lip curled back in disgust. "She has no real skills, you know. Can't cook, can't clean. Keeps knocking things over. No matter who's ridiculing her, all she can do is laugh like it's nothing. She didn't have to stay in this stupid house, she just chose to cling to some old lover who's jilted her."

"Wow. You… You really hate your mother, don't you?" And there it was again, that sympathy.

Kallen drank her tea, not minding that it burned her tongue and throat on its way down. She didn't hate her, only what she'd become. "I just find her depressing," she said truthfully.

"Well, this is getting a little heavy. Imagine, the wife, the daughter and the other woman all living together."

She didn't like how that sounded. Knowing Milly Ashford, she may just decide to turn it into a play and hand it to the Drama Club, then go around and make Kallen play herself. She'd have her homelife on display for the whole damn school to see.

"Could be worse. Three square meals and a roof, right? I mean, it's not unbearable," she said uncomfortably, imagining the corny dialogue and shuddering inwardly. "Most of the time, anyway."

"That's good," Milly offered her a smile. "Some things in life you can bear on your own, but when you add them all up they eventually break you…"

Great, she was thinking up the script already.

Milly must've seen that look in her eyes, because she surprised her by saying, "Oh, don't worry!" She chuckled. "I won't lie, I'm always hungry for secrets, but I know which secrets need to be kept."

This time, her smile didn't feel so annoying. She didn't look sympathetic, only… understanding. Like she knew what Kallen was going through. And that's why she found it easy to believe the President when she promised not to tell a soul.

* * *

"Refrain?"

Lelouch nodded, his eyes flickering to her reflection briefly before they returned to his own. He fixed his cravat, pulling here and there until it was perfect, and slipped the pin in place.

"It's a psychotropic," he said. "Causes the user to relive memories of the past."

"Mm. Must be all the rage here."

"Ah yes. The 'good old days' before the occupation." He swept his hand down the front of his shirt to smooth out the nonexistent creases. "I wonder how many of them remember just how bad it was before."

"I'd imagine it didn't compare to Britannian servitude, no matter how bad it was."

He inclined his head in agreement. That was supposedly his reason for fighting, after all. He gestured for C.C. to hand him his tailcoat, but she only stared at him blankly from where she was sprawled out on the futon in his office. Her yellow plush toy was taunting him, nestled firmly in her arms. A few moments passed as they stared at each other, until at last Lelouch huffed and went to get it himself.

She smirked, triumphant, and said, "Isn't Refrain a Britannian-made drug?"

"That's right." He pulled the hanger down from the peg on the wall and carefully removed his tailcoat. "Targeted specifically for the unruly nations. It's supposed to make life more bearable without letting them rebel, thus ensuring high production rates and a docile populace that's too busy living in the past to worry about the present."

"Then aren't you just making them miserable by cutting off their supply?"

He looked amused as he fastened the buttons. "That's one way of looking at it, I suppose. If you're an addict."

"You're going to be crossing some very important people tonight, Lelouch." She ignored the sharp look he sent her at saying his name. This room wasn't soundproofed; there was no telling who could be listening at the door."Are you sure you're ready for that?"

At that moment his cell phone vibrated. Lelouch took a cursory glance at the glowing screen and then tucked it away with a satisfied look on his face. Their JLF man had cracked at long last.

"I can't ignore it. Refrain is a vile instrument of mind-control and now that one of the main distributors has been brought to my attention it's my job to put an end to it."

"Taking the whole hero of justice thing very seriously, aren't you?" she said. Her tight-lipped smile was mocking, her amber eyes danced with amusement.

"Zero has an image to uphold."

"And the hot dog vendor?"

Lelouch froze, surprised, but soon schooled his expression into something more neutral and even managed to smile. It must be something mystical, he rationalised, picking up his mask. Something Geass related that allowed her to keep tabs on all her little slaves.

"Lelouch has an image as well, and it made Nunally happy. Besides, Kallen was going to blow her cover." The last few words were slightly muffled, a result of him pulling the collar of his turtleneck up to cover his mouth and nose.

"Is that all?"

The plates clicked in place. He raised his head and saw C.C. tinted purple. "What else would it be?"

She shook her head but didn't answer, only chuckling quietly, and he had the distinct feeling he was being laughed at. Zero clasped his cape around his shoulders and swept out of the room, nursing his wounded ego.

* * *

Kallen sat on the ground, not minding the filth or cigarette stubs or even the minute shards of glass. Her Black Knights' jacket was thrown half-heartedly over her shoulders, but otherwise she was wearing her customary red and beige get-up. An homage to her brother, perhaps, or maybe she just couldn't bother with anything else.

It was just _so hard_ to get the images out of her head. First her mother, that stupid wreck of a woman. She'd broken another vase that morning, and Kallen woke up to her stepmother screeching about how useless she was. Peering groggily out of the door, she was just in time to see her stepmother pushing the maid aside with her foot, causing her to cut her hands on some of the shards. And still, she could do nothing more than wince quietly and continue her grovelling for forgiveness.

Kallen slammed the door shut, blinking away her stinging tears.

To escape it all, she'd gone to school. There she found Sayoko Shinozaki, another woman who had been reduced to a maid. She wasn't anything like her pitiful mother, though, but just seeing her uniform and hearing the words, "Mistress Kallen," evoked feelings of immense disgust in her.

And then, to top it all off, she went to the mall she'd gone to last time and watched that hot dog vendor. No one was beating him up this time. As Ohgi briefed her on that night's raid she'd felt proud of how he could stand tall, unmolested. But as the time passed by, she noticed how no one stopped to buy from him. Hours passed, and he grew almost desperate. It made her want to apologise for what she'd done. Instead, she bought a few snacks and overpaid for them, then ran away before she would have to face his gratitude.

In the end, it was her fault. Prince Lelouch had been the one to resolve the matter, but if she hadn't moved then he wouldn't have either; he'd just been standing there, watching impassively like the rest of them. Or maybe Nunally had egged him on, for all she knew. But it had been Kallen who had dove in impulsively.

Zero had spoken to her about that, just before they sortied. That was the worse thing of all. Having to stand there while the vigilante berated her for acting so rashly, hearing the disappointment in his distorted voice.

"_Have you noticed how all of your friends are young and often single? It's because people with families to support can't afford to be rebellious,"_ he'd said. _"It's easier for them to bow their heads and let life go on. They hope to lead better lives that way. You can't hate them for that."_

But she did. She did hate them for it. Except now she wasn't so sure anymore.

It was only when she heard Ohgi calling her name softly that Kallen realised how close she was to crying. She shook her head, wiping her eyes with the heel of her palm, and stubbornly insisted she was fine.

She was saved from further questioning when Inoue reported seeing Zero's signal.

"I can't believe he got in there," Yoshida said quietly, shouldering his assault rifle.

Kallen could. He was Zero, after all.

She got up from the ground and clambered into the cockpit of her red Glasgow, where she immediately felt the comfort of being surrounded by whirring machinery. Machinery wasn't complicated. It didn't have things like pride and honour to worry about, or families to feed or avenge.

On the screen, she could see her comrades shooting down the doors, a dramatic entrance if there ever was one, and nearly smiled.

_Here we go, then_.

She got her signal moments later.

Kallen crashed into the warehouse, bursting off rounds to scare off all off the men that stood before them. She didn't want to shoot at them. In her admittedly brief time as a resistance fighter she'd met many an unsavoury person, smugglers who brought them weapons and medicines. The men employed by those smugglers for shipping and handling were usually just people trying to make a living that didn't involve bowing down to Britannia. She hadn't liked it, but she couldn't hate it either.

There were some men that shot at her futilely; her friends took care of them while she pressed forward. Her Glasgow went through another door, just as it was closing, and was immediately plunged into darkness. There were people here, she could hear them, but she couldn't make sense of anything they were saying. She skidded to a stop, keeping her assault rifle up warily while she waited for the Glasgow's factsphere to adjust.

The darkness cleared to reveal raving addicts wandering around, talking gibberish.

"Refrain," she murmured in disgust.

One woman was talking about her impending marriage, another about a vacation to Paris, while a man spoke proudly of how Japan was going to rule the world with their advanced technology. Kallen found a familiar face and zoomed in. The hot dog vendor was jumping up happily; he'd received a scholarship and was going to study abroad.

Milly's words returned to her. _"When you add them all up, they eventually break you."_

She tightened her grip on the controls. "That's why _I'm_ here."

She would save them from breaking. She would help them pick up the pieces. She would make sure everything was alright. Her, and Zero. They would crush Britannia. They would—

"Careful! It's dangerous to run like that."

Kallen gaped at the voice. It- it couldn't be her. She couldn't possibly…

Her mother wandered into view, her arms outstretched, as if reaching out for some unseen person. For a ghost.

"Oh god. Mother…"

The Glasgow's hand shot out to save her from falling to the floor. Kallen lifted her up, gently balancing her on the metal hand. Her mother remained oblivious, calling out for her dead son.

"You need to take care of your little sister, Naoto."

Her vision was growing blurry. Kallen shook her head.

"How weak a woman are you, Mother?" she said. Her voice was thick with unshed tears. "First you give in to Britannia, then to a man, and now _this_. My brother is gone forever. Let him_ go!_"

She was knocked to the side as her Glasgow fell under attack. Bullets from the right, powerful enough to do some damage. Alarms were beeping in her cockpit, lights blinking in warning, as her arm was blasted entirely off. A white and grey knightmare came into view.

"The Knight Police?"

But Tamaki hadn't said anything about police involvement!

Cursing loudly, Kallen sped away as the knightmare opened fire again. She had to drive like mad, swerving left and right to avoid the addicts in her way. They were pitiful but she didn't want to squash them! She could only hope the policeman was similarly inclined.

She activated her chest-mounted machine gun and swerved the Glasgow around to aim at him. At this point she was moving blindly, unsure of where she was going only that it was away from the bullets. But even the machine gun was blasted off before it could do any real damage.

Her mind whizzed with alternatives, except that they were all dangerous and none of them involved having her mother in the Glasgow's remaining hand. But she couldn't just leave her. She couldn't slow down to put her safely on the ground.

"You're in the way!" She pressed the controls again and again, and the metal arm moved downwards. Her mother's face was blank, dazed, unaware of danger. She was almost tempted to just throw her aside, screw everything else. It would be mercy! Compared to that life she was leading, death would be bliss.

"Dammit!" She squeezed the tears from her eyes. "I don't need you!"

She raised the Glasgow's arm and cried, "_I don't want you!_"

But before she did anything she would regret, Kallen found her legs being shot out from underneath her. It was all she could do not to smash headfirst into the ground. When she opened her eyes, she found her mother lying prone beneath her knightmare. For one heart-stopping moment Kallen worried she was dead, and in the back of her frantic mind she acknowledged how funny that was, given her previous thoughts.

"Kallen," her mother said softly.

The redhead let out an breathless laugh, thankful, only to have her heart jump to her throat as the bullets returned. She grit her teeth against the shaking of her cockpit, just barely holding up to the barrage. Unless one of the Black Knights did something, she was dead, and she knew they hadn't brought anything that could damage a knightmare. There weren't any crates in sight, nothing to drop on it.

Was this really how she was going to die?

Kallen cried out in frustration. This wasn't fair, goddamnit!

She flicked on the speakers. "Go on, run," she said, and for the first time it seemed like her mother was aware of what was going on. She sat up, turning slowly toward her. But she wasn't running, nor did it seem like she was going to anytime soon. "Get moving, you idiot!"

The woman stood up shakily, and it seemed as if she was looking her right in the eyes, right through the heart.

"Kallen," came her soft voice. "I'm here for you. I'm here for you, Kallen, I'm here, as I always have been."

* * *

The Glasgow finally seemed to come to life, raising its leg to keep the blade from falling. Zero's eyes focused on the woman who was slowly backing away from the two machines. What was so important about her, that Kallen would risk her life to keep her safe?

The police unit finally succeeded in thrusting its blade into the Glasgow, just as Kallen released her slash harkens. They caught onto a ledge protruding from the opposite wall and quickly wheeled the two knightmares in. He watched with grim satisfaction as the offending knightmare's cockpit smashed into the ledge. Blood splattered across the wall. Brutal, perhaps, but effective.

Her comrades raced to her side, calling out Kallen's name and asking if she was alright. Minami climbed onto her cockpit, tapping against it until at last she answered them.

Zero went in a different direction, slowly approaching the woman.

"I'm so happy for you," he heard her say in a weak, trembling voice. "You've finally become a Britannian, Kallen. No one will ever be able to hurt you, my darling."

_So this… This is her mother._

Now he understood.

He came closer, foregoing his usual distant demeanour, and held his hand out for her to take. Unsurprisingly, she didn't seem to see it. He recognised that glazing of her eyes as an after-effect of Refrain. Lelouch grasped her arm gently and tried to help her up. Kallen appeared at her side to take her other arm, and together they brought Mrs. Kozuki to her feet.

"Thank you," Kallen murmured. Her eyes were lowered, refusing to meet his.

He chose not to discomfit her further and stepped back, his hands slipping under his cape once again.

"Ohgi," he said.

"Yes, Zero?"

"Call Lady Kaguya. Have her prepare the ambulances and bring them here. These people require immediate care."

Ohgi just barely caught the cell phone thrown his way. He stared at the device, bewildered, until Zero said, "_Now_, if you please."

While Ohgi made the call, he instructed the rest to go to the front of the warehouse and see if they couldn't still find something on the smugglers. The vermin themselves were of course long-gone, but there should be plenty of evidence left behind. He motioned for Kallen to stay when she began to move.

"Stay. You're needed here."

She opened her mouth, but apparently thought better of her protest and closed it again, giving him a thankful smile instead.

It was only then that he noticed the woman in the white straightjacket standing on a beam above them. He thought he saw her nod, but in the darkness he couldn't be sure.


	19. Games

**Chapter 19: Games**

She wasn't supposed to be here, especially dressed as she was in the Ashford Academy uniform. If anyone had any suspicions about her at all, if anyone was tailing her, all they would have to do was walk up to the reception and see the Japanese people milling around. They would ask who she was visiting, and upon receiving the name Kozuki would be able to piece it all together. But it didn't matter in the least.

The doctor was apologetic as he told her last night that they were obliged to report any Refrain incident to the law enforcement, doubly so with the massive influx of addicts the Black Knights had brought in. Although, of course, that name hadn't come up anywhere during their investigations. It was just plain embarrassing to admit that the Black Knights were basically doing their jobs for them, and of course the hospital hadn't wanted any association with them whatsoever.

The sentence had come almost immediately. Twenty years. Ohgi called her once he heard, and it took everything in Kallen's power not to scream. Instead, she calmly excused herself from her classes, aided by the sudden pallor that had come over her, and slowly walked out of the school before darting into a taxi and offering the man triple if he got to the hospital in under ten minutes.

And now here she was. And she wasn't sure what she should do.

Standing at the door frame, Kallen cast a grim look around the room. It was bigger than her mother's room back at the Stadtfeld manor, much nicer too, but then her mother's room was little more than a rat hole so that wasn't much of an achievement. There were flowers on every surface, several small, cheap bouquets from her well-meaning friends and then one giant basket that reached all the way to Kallen's waist.

Her brows furrowed. She plucked up the card that was with it and a blush came over her cheeks as she saw what was on it, embarrassed and secretly delighted. The number zero.

"See, Mother?" she said, sitting down on the edge of her bed. She lifted the card to her unseeing eyes. "He can make it happen. I know he can. _We _can. We're changing things, so that…"

Kallen swallowed thickly, the emotions heavy and unfamiliar on her tongue.

"So that you and I can live a normal life again. Together. We'll make a world where that's possible, I swear it!"

Silence, save for the _click-clicking_ of heels on the linoleum floor in the hallway. Her eyes were beginning to sting, her vision blurring, but this time she wouldn't push the tears back. It was… It was okay here… Right? It would all be okay.

"The doctors said you'd recover," she said, more for her own assurance than for anything else. "This is just from the Refrain, that's all. You'll be fine. You… you'll be fine, won't you? Mother…"

She looked down at her lap, squeezing her eyes closed as the tears fell. A warm hand covered hers, callused and scratched and weak. Kallen lifted her head in surprise. Her mother wasn't looking her way, her face still blank and seemingly uncomprehending, except for the hand that was squeezing hers comfortingly.

And then, in a barely-there whisper: "Hang in there, Kallen. My little girl."

Her lips, though trembling, somehow managed to pull into a smile. Kallen wiped the tears away on her sleeve.

"Yeah, that's right. Your little girl."

* * *

Kaguya had refused to divulge the JLF's whereabouts, claiming she had no idea where they were located. She knew he didn't believe her even for a second but he didn't press her further. He understood that she would not sell out her countrymen, not even for him, and _she _understood that he would find them anyway, with or without her help. As such, it came as no surprise to her when her informants told her that Britannia had found the JLF base in the Narita mountains.

She phoned Kirihara and asked him to allow her to resolve the matter on her own. He was skeptical, of course, but she promised to inform him of Zero's plans as soon as she knew them. _If _she ever knew them, but she wouldn't say that. And then she phoned Lelouch to tell him to meet her in that quaint little tea house.

Half an hour later, she walked in to find him already there, sitting on the tatami mat with his legs crossed rather than tucked beneath him. At least he'd taken off his shoes. Kaguya smiled and bowed and he returned the greeting with a nod.

"Perhaps we should meet somewhere else afterwards?" he said. "It won't do to develop a predictable pattern, after all."

She wasted no time in getting straight to the point.

"You've found out where they are."

A slow smirk formed on his lips. "It was only a matter of time."

"And now, of course, Britannia must make its move."

"Naturally."

"And _naturally_, Zero will save them."

"He will?"

She locked her gaze with his and nodded firmly. "He will."

Lelouch wore an amused smile. He was humouring her. "And why would he do that?"

"Because he's the hero of Japan, isn't he?"

Lelouch abandoned the pretence, or perhaps he merely slipped into the role of Zero. "It is precisely because I am the hero of Japan that I must rid her from such people as the JLF. Relics of an age passed, fixed in years that have gone, unwilling to look into the future." His disgust was obvious. "I'm doing Japan a favour."

"Japan? Or yourself?"

"I won't lie. The fall of the JLF is beneficial to me, both as a prince and as Zero. They will never accept the Black Knights, and it won't do to have the Japanese populace divided between us. If we have any hope of defeating Britannia we must face them as one."

"Have you told them that?"

"Of course. They offered me a position within their ranks," he said with a snort. "On the condition I take off my mask."

Even Kaguya smiled at that, entertained by the notion. She then tried to imagine Lelouch dressed in the drab JLF uniform, waving his arms about dramatically, and began to giggle.

"Besides, I have reason to believe they have dealings with my brother Clovis."

Her giggling stopped. "With the Viceroy?" she asked incredulously. "General Katase would never allow such a thing."

"There is a secret research facility somewhere in Narita, and I have a hard time believing they've never noticed it. Now tell me, why would they allow Britannian trucks to go in and out of their territory unmolested?"

Kaguya studied him intently. Surely Lelouch knew better than to try and manipulate her? Surely he wouldn't lie to her?

Would he be offended if she conducted her own investigations into the matter? No, of course not, he would expect it. Or was this a test, to gauge how much she trusted him? These princes, these great men, they sometimes had unrealistic expectations of the people around them. Just like the Black Knights, who he wanted to trust him blindly. Did he think she should as well?

And what if he spoke the truth? Could it really be that the Japan Liberation Front fraternised with Britannians? Well, she was hardly one to judge, considering she was engaged to a Britannian prince.

She was quiet for a long time, turning the matter around in her head. Lelouch didn't seem to mind, drinking his tea quietly while she chose her words.

"Let's say that's true," she began carefully. Lelouch placed his cup down on the table. There was a sharpness to his gaze. "It still makes no difference. The JLF are what remains of Japan's glory, and they must be saved. I understand that the Black Knights must come out on top, of course I do, but don't you think it would be better if that happened gradually?"

"They won't be _eradicated_, Kaguya."

"Even so. Zero would look better if he helped the JLF. He would be swooping in to save the day! The Black Knights would take it as another sign of good will, proof that in spite of Zero's heritage he has Japan's best interests at heart, not to mention how it would undermine the JLF's power. They would have no choice but to join up with Master Zero's forces!"

It took almost half an hour of convincing and coaxing and flirting before Lelouch, Master Zero, finally conceded and agreed to her wishes. She rewarded him with a kiss on the cheek and promised to have a present delivered to the Black Knights the next day, giggling again at the bewildered expression that came over him. Men like Zero were usually men of great appetites, and she found it endlessly amusing that behind the mask he seemed to be quite inexperienced. So very adorable.

_We will just have to learn together, then, won__'__t we?_ She thought, hiding her smile behind her teacup.

* * *

He couldn't believe he was actually doing this. There was a logic to it, certainly, as Kaguya had so graciously pointed out to him the previous morning. But it wasn't anything he hadn't already considered and discarded beforehand. Quite simply, the Japan Liberation Front could not continue to exist. He could rationalise it all he wanted, but the fact remained that they had nearly hurt his sister and he wanted them dead, and that was all there was to it.

But Kaguya left him with no choice. His self-appointed fiancee had the sense to mollify him with a gift, and a very impressive gift at that, but the sight of the massive red knightmare frame did little for his pride. What was it with little girls and controlling him, anyway?

At least the Black Knights were excited by it, although their attitude was disconcerting. He watched them chatter excitedly amongst themselves, revelling in their elite status. Elite, tch. Who did they think they were kidding? This upcoming battle was necessary to remind them of just who they were up against, just who he was, as both Zero and Lelouch vi Britannia. He would have to co-ordinate one hell of an act, though, and Jeremiah would be a pain to get around. No doubt he'd need C.C. to stand in for him yet again, for if the King did not lead (or at least appear to) how could he expect his subordinates to follow? Should he tell Ohgi and Kallen beforehand, perhaps, in case C.C.'s cover was blown? As a sign of trust. He seemed to be throwing trust everywhere for these people now. It had damn well better pay off in the end.

Kallen was left alone, still standing in awe before the Guren Mk II. Zero swept out of the shadows behind her. He thought it amazing she was still able to perform as well as she did, given the state her mother was in, and he respected her will to change. It was no use to sit beside her mother in the hospital, after all. He had been intending to send flowers or a note or something, but he had already broken character when he'd helped Mrs. Kozuki at the warehouse. A bit of concern was alright, but he shouldn't seem too close to her. In the end they were master and subordinate and it was important that line remained visible.

"I would have expected this kind of behaviour from Tamaki, but the rest as well?" He shook his head in disappointment. "They're treating this like a party."

Kallen, of course, was quick to come to her friends' defence. "We've accomplished a lot, Zero. We're heroes. They're-"

"We have accomplished _nothing_," he interrupted. Zero made a scoffing sound. "All of this was nothing more than preparation. Practice, you might say. Britannia won't fall from losing a few warehouses, Kallen."

"We know that."

Her bowed head told him she'd been entertaining dreams of victory already, however. She'd gotten just as carried away as the rest of them.

"Do you, really?" Zero took a few steps forward to come beside her, looking up at the Guren. "Do you have any idea of the battles that await us? First Clovis and Lelouch, and then Reinier and soon even Cornelia. We will have to face the Rounds head-on and _win_. Or rather…"

He tossed the Guren's activation key her way. She just barely caught it and looked down at the feather-shaped key in bewilderment.

"_You _will have to face the Rounds. And with the help of the Guren Mk II, you'll win."

"Th- The Guren?"

Underneath his mask, Lelouch smiled in amusement at her wide-eyed surprise, and then he actually chuckled as she awoke from her surprise only to sputter half-hearted arguments about how he, as the leader, was more important.

"Now, now, Kallen, you shouldn't underestimate yourself. I may be the leader," _And I am definitely more important than you._ "But you are our ace. The Guren is a machine that requires above-average piloting to use it to its full potential and would be put to best use in the front-lines. My job is not on the front-lines. I must oversee the battlefield, and for that a Burai will suffice."

"B-but, but Zero…" she said, breathless. Her blue eyes were sparkling in that familiar adoration he saw in his fangirls, except less mindless. Her fingers closed around the key and she pressed it to her chest. "Thank you. I won't let you down!"

Or was that sparkling perhaps a sign of that clichéd fiery determination? Either way, he found he rather liked it.

"I know."

Neither of them spoke after that. But then, nothing really needed to be said. He could see her gratitude, her awe, drawn as plain as day on her face, and she… Well, he liked to think she was content to bask silently in his glory.

Elsewhere in the warehouse, he could hear the excited yells of new recruits, racing between the Burais, and Minami's unconvincing reprimand. Someone called them over to start moving armaments and though there was much groaning he soon heard the grunts that indicated they were, in fact, unloading the crates. He also heard crashes of crates falling to the floor. He chose to let that pass, just this once. In spite of his general disapproval of their light attitudes, he couldn't help the small bud of pride at having achieved all of this on his own. Casting his eyes over the rows of knightmares, standing like alert sentinels in the darkness, he allowed himself a grin.

_How about it, Father? Think I__'__ll make a good Emperor?_

All of a sudden, he found himself almost toppling over by the force of a small, distinctively female body slamming into his.

"Master Zero!" she chirped in greeting. "So good to see you again!"

He looked down at the purple-tinted face of Kaguya Sumeragi, smiling so hugely, so innocently, and inwardly applauded her acting skills.

Ohgi appeared a few seconds later, red-faced and apologetic, saying she insisted on meeting him. Zero slowly, somewhat awkwardly, patted her on the head with his available hand. His other arm was crushed between his body and hers, making him uncomfortably aware of her not-quite-there breasts.

"Lady Kaguya," he said once he'd overcome his shock. "If you don't mind…"

"Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry, Master Zero."

She loosened her death-grip, but remained hanging on. He cleared his throat and she sighed and withdrew her arms completely.

"What brings you here, my Lady?"

A pout drew on her lips and she wagged a finger at him.

"Is that any way to greet your future wife?"

"W-_wife_?" Kallen sputtered incredulously. And she wasn't the only one either. He grimaced, only just now noticing the small audience that had gathered, mostly of the original Black Knights, although Tamaki had his arms around two female recruits who looked just as distraught as Kallen.

As usual when faced with a situation that discomfited him, Zero ignored it entirely.

"It's late, and while I'm delighted at your visit, this is hardly the suitable time or place for it," he said smoothly, and gestured at Ohgi, "My subordinate will escort you-"

He was cut off by a light laugh from Kaguya.

"I'm not going anywhere, silly."

Did she… Did she just call him silly?

"Lady Kaguya, I must insist-"

"Did you like my present?"

He sighed, and the sound was muffled by the cloth over his mouth. "I did. All of us thank you for your kind contribution."

She smiled brightly in response.

"Wonderful! The Guren was intended for Tohdoh Kyoshiro initially," Beside him, he heard Kallen draw a sharp breath. "But I know Master Zero will put it to much better use. Have you tried it yet?"

"No, but then it is not I who will be piloting it. Lady Kaguya, allow me to present our most capable knightmare pilot," he said, and gestured to Kallen with a flourish of his hand. "Q-1, would you care to demonstrate?"

Kallen at that moment looked like a deer caught in headlights. She seemed unsure of what she should do, but then she steeled herself and her grip on the Guren's activation key tightened.

"Right," she said, and moved closer to the red knightmare. But just when he thought he was home free, Kaguya shook her head, rejecting his attempted distraction.

"That won't be necessary. I trust Master Zero's judgement."

He sighed again. This time it was audible. She seemed not to notice, however. "Besides, I expect I will be seeing much of your prowess on the battlefield in Narita, Q…1? Isn't that the designation of the queen chess piece?"

"That's correct."

"They say that's the most important piece. How intriguing."

Strangely, he could detect no jealousy in Kaguya's tone or demeanour. It was just a statement, an observation. Lelouch had been fairly certain she harboured some feelings for him, just as certain as he was that Kallen, who had turned an interesting shade of pink, felt more than just loyalty towards Zero. Could he have been mistaken, or was she just that sure of herself?

"You must be an avid chess player," she said, and latched on to his arm. "Why don't we play a game while we discuss the details of tomorrow's hiking trip?"

What? Hiking trip? The Britannian forces weren't scheduled to move for another two days!

He hid his ignorance and guided her to the mobile headquarters, away from their audience. Her playfulness didn't decrease even when the door to his office was closed, and they were alone. He took off his mask and shook his hair, aware of her eyes on him. No, he was right; she liked him, although maybe the future-husband thing was taking it a bit far.

"You were talking about a hiking trip?" he asked, glad to revert back to English after speaking Japanese all day.

She nodded and patted the place beside her on the futon. He didn't move from his place, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest. Under his expectant gaze she gave up trying to get him to sit next to her and folded her hands in her lap, though thankfully there was no pout this time.

"I've spoken to General Katase. He's willing to grant you an audience."

"An audience?" He unfurled his arms, indignant. "I am offering to save their lives, he should be damn grateful!"

"Now, now, _Ruru_, calm down. You know he can't leave the mountains."

"Even so, I see no reason to go to him. There is such a thing as video conferencing."

She smiled at him again, shaking her head. This smile wasn't like the ones before; this one was knowing and more than just a little patronising.

"What can I say? These men are old-fashioned and dislike such methods. Besides, there is much to be gained from a face to face confrontation, especially when one of those faces is covered."

"And just how long do you think I'd be able to go with my face covered over there?"

"Are you afraid, Master Zero?"

"No. I am merely cautious. They won't be able to resist the opportunity to unmask me while I'm in their clutches and while I'm sure General Katase is an honourable man and will stand by whatever promise you make him give me, I doubt others will have the same sentiment."

"You think I would let that happen?"

"I think neither of us would have a choice in the matter, really."

"You have so little faith in me…" she said, looking playfully dejected. She picked at a nonexistent thread on his futon, swinging her legs. He supposed she thought it was cute or something.

He lifted a hand to his face, fingers splaying over his forehead to massage it. He could feel a migraine coming on.

"Kaguya. It's not a matter of faith, merely of facts. I-"

It was at that moment that C.C. chose to show herself. The door opened all of a sudden and the witch wandered into the room, not even bothering to close the door behind her. A thin string of cheese connected her mouth to the greasy triangle of pizza in her hand.

Lelouch scrambled forward and slammed on the controls on the wall, only breathing when the door swished shut again.

"C.C." He growled, fixing her with a dark glare. In response she only blinked, clueless, then shrugged and flopped down beside Kaguya, exactly where she had wanted him to sit.

"Hello," the Japanese girl greeted. "I've wanted to speak to you for a while, C.C. I hope you won't mind sharing Ruru with me."

Lelouch choked on his own saliva.

"What? C.C. isn't my-!"

"It's alright, I don't mind," the witch cut him off.

Kaguya gave a little clap. "Wonderful! I'm sure we'll become the best of friends, we ladies of his court."

C.C. didn't answer, busying herself with eating, but the look in her eyes told him she wouldn't be letting him live this down anytime soon. Lelouch strode to his desk and opened the bottom draw. Underneath the small mirror he used to soothe his vanity and a worn copy of _The Prince_ was a bottle of aspirin. He took two and swallowed them dry as he sank into his luxurious swivel-chair.

* * *

Never in her life had Villetta Nu met someone who didn't even glance at her legs or chest, not until she'd spoken to Lelouch vi Britannia. Even Jeremiah couldn't help a discreet look or two whenever she crossed a leg over the other before clearing his throat and resuming whatever he'd been doing. The Prince, he hadn't cared to look. If not for her knowledge of Cera, Villetta might have thought he was gay. She found herself feeling rather insulted.

Still, she'd gotten what she wanted in the end. After withstanding his long, hard, scrutinizing glare (focused solely on her face, strangely enough) he agreed to including her among his personal forces for the Narita operation. Of course, nothing in Britannia was ever given for free. Villetta had been expecting a price, but nothing like this.

"Picking out an engagement ring, of all things," she grumbled, her eyes scanning over the jewels on display. This wasn't the job of a soldier. It wasn't a bad job, per se. As a woman of common birth, she'd been made to do stranger things. It was just so terribly _trivial_. Knowing she was buying the ring for Milly Ashford certainly didn't make her feel better. That girl was a menace.

Then, of course, there was the fact she didn't know what Ashford would like, or whether the prince cared enough in the first place. If he didn't, she didn't want to waste time looking for something perfect, but if he did then she might displease him by choosing something unsatisfactory.

Villetta breathed a sigh, annoyed. She didn't see why he didn't just summon one of the many Imperial Jewelers and have rings brought to him so that his fiancee could pick and choose whatever she wanted.

She had finally found something she thought was suitable, large and expensive without being gaudy, when she heard a tutting sound behind her and someone saying, "No, no, that won't do at all. Try that one over there."

Lovely. Now she had a loser trying to hit on her as well.

Decidedly ignoring him, Villetta nodded and said that she would take it.

The man sighed. "You knights, all the same."

She had to admit a sort of delicious pride that her rank was so easily identified. She wouldn't admit curiosity at the kind of man it took to still have enough guts to keep bothering her even with the knowledge she could kill him in a second. He wasn't nobility, she could tell that much by how the jeweler didn't bother acknowledging him.

In fact, his English had a sort of accent. Villetta accepted the velvet box with a nod and turned around, and saw her suspicions confirmed: Asian. An Honorary Britannian, then?

"Close. Chinese." Her nose wrinkled. "Don't give me that look, Villetta Nu. You're no pure-blooded Britannian yourself."

With sharp eyes, Villetta scrutinised him, from the top of his wild white hair and purple headphones to the bottom of his scuffed brown boots.

_Just who the hell-_

"Do I think I am?"

She blinked, bewildered. The man smiled. He looked down at her from over his sunglasses.

"Call me Mao."

* * *

She was dressed in a more traditional-looking kimono this time, wrapped firmly around her small frame. It was a soft violet, with floral patterns of purple and unobtrusive yellow. A darker yellow... _thing _was tied around her torso, looking incredibly bulky and complicated and he had no idea how she could bear to sit with it. He faintly remembered Euphie telling him about that sash and the various ways it was tied and the significance of it, but he had been too busy trying not to laugh at the sight of his sister struggling with her trailing kimono to notice. On her socked feet were a pair of purple-strapped flip-flops, which he was sure had a traditional Japanese name he couldn't be bothered to remember.

Even so, her dark hair was not piled up in some elaborate style but left free and flowing down her back, with only her customary golden circlet as an accessory. The whole ensemble gave him the feeling of a little girl trying to play dress-up, really, but the message was clear. Violet and yellow, purple and gold; she couldn't have been more obvious if she'd stood on top of the mountain and screamed her support for Zero all the world to hear.

Kaguya must have felt his gaze from under his mask, for she managed to meet his eyes and flashed him a smile from behind the fan she held so coyly to her mouth. Zero gave no indication he'd noticed. For all they knew, he was enjoying the scenery.

At that thought, he looked out of the window and began trying to guess the route they were taking. It was still dark outside, save for the occasional lamp-post lighting the street, but soon those disappeared altogether as, Lelouch assumed, they came into more Japanese-populated areas. The roughness of the road contributed to this assumption as well, as Tamaki so loudly complained. He eventually gave up and turned his mind to more important things, namely his upcoming meeting with General Katase.

He didn't like this. He didn't like having to save those barbarians, and he didn't like having to plead with them to do it. Really, if they didn't want his help, all the better! But no, Kaguya insisted, and unfortunately he happened to need her for now. He was also reluctant to waste her Geass.

Lelouch shifted slightly in his seat. He lowered his leg and crossed the other one over it, aware of the Black Knights' eyes focused on him. They were as uneasy as he was, though he, of course, did a better job at hiding it. Walking right into the JLF's territory after they'd ruined the Kawaguchi operation... Well, they had no reason to expect a warm welcome.

But if they thought to unmask him, they'd have another thing coming. Heat flared in his left eye briefly.

An hour passed. They entered a tunnel which, he surmised, went through the mountain. Eventually not even the threat of Yoshida's fist could keep Tamaki quiet, and the rest of them had given up on trying to impress Zero and Lady Kaguya with their stillness and patience.

"I don't see why we couldn't have taken the mobile headquarters, instead of this cramped heap of junk."

Lelouch rolled his eyes. Idiot. They were in a limousine _generously donated_ by one of those insipid noblemen; it probably cost more than Tamaki was worth. Not even to mention the fact that Kallen soon pointed out: "Oh, yeah, because that's not obvious and easy to spot at all."

Sleek limousines, while not exactly commonplace, were hardly a strange sight within Britannian territory.

Tamaki wasn't going down easily, however. He continued to argue his case, in spite of how he was constantly being shot down by his comrades. Lelouch had to admit, the man was perseverant.

Only a few Black Knights were coming with him; Ohgi and Kallen were seated beside him, with Yoshida, Tamaki and Lady Kaguya on the opposite seat. The rest of the core members -Inoue, Minami and Sugiyama- had been instructed to take another route to the Narita mountains, one that would not lead to the JLF's base (which they didn't know the exact location of anyway, that was why the man driving the limousine was a JLF soldier) but which would keep a few knightmares within reach should the negotiations go sour.

Eventually, the chatter became too much for him to handle. He was tired, having slept only four hours the past two days, and it made him understandably irritable.

"En_ough_," he said, angling his head towards them. In spite of his annoyance, Zero would not raise his voice. He didn't have to. They quieted down instantly.

Kaguya folded her fan and placed it in her lap. "I apologise for not securing a more suitable appointment, Master Zero. I would have preferred it to take place in the morning, myself, to make sure we were all well-rested. I hope you're not too tired?"

Lelouch's eyes narrowed into a glare. She was going back to that again, even when he'd told her not to?

"I'm fine, my Lady, I assure you."

Zero did not get tired, Zero did not need to rest, quite simply because Zero was not a human being. He was an icon, a symbol, a concept, and none of those ever got tired.

But the damage was already done, he could tell it by how they were looking at him. It was as if they now saw something they'd never noticed before. Lelouch was careful to keep his back straight, his shoulders squared and his head high, in spite of how heavy his mask felt. It seemed he would need to have another chat with Kaguya as soon as they got back.

At long last, they felt the limousine slowing down to a stop. A few moments passed as they waited, and nothing happened. Lelouch tapped his fingers on his knee, growing impatient, until Kaguya told the Black Knights to step out. Ohgi had the good sense to open the door for her, but it wasn't until she nodded his way that anyone thought to open the door for Zero.

The JLF soldier, their driver for this night, had been standing to the side the whole time. Lelouch shot him an unseen glare as he came out of the limo, but he supposed it was his own fault for expecting the grunt to make a good chauffeur.

They were led through a large vaulted door and a series of corridors, passing countless rooms on the way. Soldiers watched from the sidelines, murmuring amongst themselves as Zero passed regally, followed closely by Lady Kaguya Sumeragi and four of his knights in their black uniforms.

Their guide stopped at the door of what seemed like a hall. He did not bow, only gesturing wordlessly at where they needed to go, looking darkly at them all. Zero swept past, only for one of the men sitting on a dais in front of the Japanese flag to lift his hand and halt him. He was half-tempted to ignore it, if not for the presence of several undoubtedly armed underlings standing in a semi-circle around the man, General Katase.

"Forgive me, Zero," He said. His voice was deep and gravelly. "But I must ask you to hand over your weapons."

Understandable. At least they were finally showing some courtesy; no one was giving him a full-body pat-down. He handed over the Britannian pistol he always had on his person, stolen from the head of Clovis' Royal Guard, but kept the other one hidden. The Black Knights followed suit, and then looked expectantly at the General.

"Your shoes as well."

His... shoes?

His companions toed off their footwear, unfazed, and placed them so they were facing the door.

Oh, right. Japanese customs.

Still, it felt so undignified; Zero, the vigilante, taking off his shoes and walking around in just socks or slippers. There was also the fact of the four-inch-heels he happened to be wearing, to change his height. They were hidden well enough under his trousers, but if he took them off...

It wasn't as if he had a choice, though, was it?

With a suppressed sigh and a vow to never let Kaguya coax him into anything again, he slipped off his shoes and nudged them into position like the rest had. For once, he did not like the feeling of their eyes on him.

General Katase allowed them to come forward now and gestured for them to sit opposite him on the straw mat. Lelouch grimaced, feeling stiff after the trip and unused to the method of sitting, but tucked his legs underneath him nonetheless. His cape pooled behind him on the floor.

The General waited until they were all seated before he spoke.

"Zero."

"General."

"I understand there is something you wish to discuss."

"Indeed," Zero said. He took a moment to sweep his eyes over the other men -and woman, he realized, now that he was seeing her up close. Her short-cropped mousy hair and that dark scowl made it hard, but now he could see the tell-tale softness of her features that gave her away. "By Saturday morning, this mountain will be nothing but rubble."

He had been aiming to shock. He failed. The General's face remained impassive, as did the faces of the men around him. Only the armed underlings standing guard nearby showed any reaction.

"I have been rude, I realise," Katase said. "Allow me to introduce my compatriots. Urabe Kosetsu. Senba Ryoga. Asahina Shogo. Chiba Nagisa."

He gestured to each of them in turn, and they each nodded upon hearing their names. The first he already knew, having spoken to Urabe previously about joining forces. The second was a balding man with a protruding gut, who somehow still appeared formidable even with his figure and advanced age. The third man was bespectacled, with floppy dark green hair and a scar that ran down the right side of his face. The fourth was the woman. Together, they were the Four Holy Swords, which meant that the one sitting so calmly, watching him intently with dark, narrow eyes was-

"And this is Tohdoh Kyoshiro."

This was the only person Zero acknowledged, tipping his head slightly.

"Well met, Colonel."

"The Japan Liberation Front remains strong," the General continued. "We will not fall that easily."

"I never said it would be _easy_," he conceded. "But make no mistake, you _will _fall. You can thank Kusakabe for that."

"_Lieutenant Colonel _Kusakabe was-" the woman, Chiba, started, enraged by his blatant disregard of the rank, but she managed to rein herself in as she remembered her place and closed her mouth.

"What Colonel Kusakabe did was reckless, I admit," the General said, ignoring the interruption. "But I don't think it warranted killing him."

"I think it did." Now _that_ got a reaction out of them. A smirk curled at his lips. "Fortunate that he realised it himself and took his life, then, isn't it?"

They could hardly accuse him of murder when it had been their own men to radio the base, panicked, and tell them of Kusakabe's apparent suicide with his very own katana.

"I hear you were with him at the time."

"Correct."

"You made no move to stop him?"

"Who am I to deny a man his honourable death?"

Just before the tense silence could fall, Kaguya decided to interject and save the day. Neither she nor the Black Knights had been acknowledged by their hosts so far, which put a dent in her argument of holding sway over the JLF.

"A little known fact is that Lelouch's younger sister was among the hostages," she said. The surprise and doubt was evident on their faces. "Hence the fact he agreed to negotiate at all, as we all know Britannia's policy concerning terrorists. Colonel Kusakabe was not aware of this fact, however, and so thankfully the girl was unharmed and Master Zero managed to save her-"

The General turned to him sharply. "You would save a Britannian princess and condemn a Japanese soldier?"

"I save the helpless and condemn the tyrant."

There was a tightness around Katase's eyes. "And she was helpless, this princess?"

"Nunally vi Britannia," He struggled to keep his voice flat and devoid from emotion. "Is a fifteen-year-old girl who is blind and cannot walk, so yes, I consider her helpless."

"Lelouch happens to be very attached to his sister," Kaguya said, eliciting a frown from the prince in question. He would not have liked that fact to be revealed, in case the JLF should decide to get to him through her. That was another thing he'd have to talk to her about. "And he's now taken it upon himself to annihilate the Japan Liberation Front in retaliation."

"I thought she was unharmed?"

"She was! Luckily, or else he might have decided to take his revenge upon the Japanese as a whole. You know how older brothers are." There was laughter laced in her voice in that last sentence, as if to make fun of him and his protectiveness.

"Very well, then, let him come!" The General unsheathed his katana, and he was hit with a sudden sense of deja vu as that katana was lifted into the air with a yell. "We will show Britannia the might of Japan! We will fight to the last!"

Keeping a wary eye on the withdrawn blade, Zero said, "What use would it be, then? You fight to the last, and Britannia remains. He is coming at you with everything he has in his power. Even if you manage to defeat him, even if you manage to _kill_ him, you will lose a significant part of your forces, and then you will be left vulnerable for Clovis. And make no mistake, the death of a prince will not go unpunished."

"So you're saying that the Black Knights will prevent that?" General Katase said. He lowered and sheathed his katana, then placed it between them on the floor. "You believe your rag-tag army will make that big of a difference?"

His army? Hardly. But he couldn't say that.

"Yes."

"General Katase, surely you see the wisdom in the joining of the Black Knights with the Japan Liberation Front?" From the tips of his eyes, Lelouch could see the widening of Kaguya's eyes as she turned the cute-and-powerless dial on high. "Surely you see the importance of facing Britannia as a single united entity?"

"We have given Zero this opportunity before," he said, proving he was made of stronger stuff than Lelouch in being unaffected by the dreaded puppy-eyes. "The offer still stands: take off your mask and join our ranks, if you would."

"I cannot work under men less ambitious than myself. I find it stifling."

"Tell us your ambitions then, Zero, tell us your goals."

"My goal is the destruction of Britannia and its Darwinist ideals."

"Then, I wish you the best of luck. I, also, could not accept a subordinate with such lofty dreams."

Lelouch's lips twitched upwards. "How diplomatically put. Would you not allow me the chance to prove myself, at least?"

General Katase's brows rose, but whatever his response might have been it was forgotten in the sudden bursting of a soldier into the hall, declaring that the Britannians were attacking.

* * *

"_You're sure that he took it? All of it?"_

"Positive, your Highness."

"_You do realise that if Lelouch wakes up any time tonight it will mean your head on a pike, don't you?"_

The simpering fool looked up at him and evidently decided that he would suffer a much worse fate at Jeremiah's hands if he said anything.

He gulped audibly and replied, "H-He won't, your Highness."

The call ended with a click. Jeremiah lifted his gun from the man's head and dismissed him with a disgusted curl of his lips. It was all he could do not to lynch him right then and there but, as Jeremiah reminded himself with a sigh, in the end this was _his_ failure and there was no one to blame but himself. Before he could punish the gardener he must first receive punishment himself, and before any of that could happen he had to locate his prince to inform him.

For once, he was actually _glad _for the boy's mysterious late-night excursions. Even if he was gallivanting around with some half-Eleven, the important thing was that the prince was safe. So he hoped, anyway.

Jeremiah took a deep breath as he dialled Prince Lelouch's number.

* * *

Clovis wore a cold smile of satisfaction as he ended the call.

How lucky for him, that the paranoid Lelouch should change some of his help because they'd been gossiping. And about his _sex-life_, no less. He hadn't even known Lelouch _had_ a sex-life! It was almost too good to believe, really.

These new servants hadn't been broken in yet and held no loyalty to him whatsoever. In the end, they were still serving the crown, weren't they? And what business did they have with why a prince would want to slip his younger brother a few harmless sleeping pills? Poor little Lelou was working himself to a stupor! It was obvious in those unattractive bags forming under his eyes, and Clovis just couldn't let that stand, oh no. It was his job as older brother to take care of him, and it was his job as Viceroy to make sure the Empire's affairs ran smoothly. Lelouch simply couldn't hope to lead a campaign against the Japan Liberation Front in such a state.

And so Clovis, the loving person that he was, was willing to take up that responsibility himself, and all he wanted as a reward was the credit for wiping out the JLF, that was all. It certainly didn't hurt to be able to keep his secret research facility hidden until he could arrange a safe relocation either.

He handed Bartley the phone and went back to watching the events unfold on the large digitized map.

* * *

Zero could only catch snippets of the reports that were pouring in, as he and the Black Knights had been shoved aside as soon as the chaos struck, but those had been enough. He recognised his attack formations, the plans he'd agonized over for so many hours, and understood just a split-second before the call came.

"Wait here," he ordered his men, and managed to stride away before they could catch him. He shouldered through the streaming soldiers, attempting to find a secluded spot while Jeremiah continued to call. The phone vibrated almost violently in his hand. After ten minutes passed and he gave up on looking, Lelouch pressed _reject_, to let the man know that, at least, he was alive and well. Then, discreetly, he began to type. It was slow, with his gloves and natural aversion to the teen-fad called texting, but he managed to send out the message.

The response came within moments.

_Yes. Orders?_

Lelouch's hand fisted around the phone, his teeth clenching. _Clovis_. The gall! The sheer audacity! How _dare_ he steal his victory? _How dare he_-

Wait. His victory hadn't been stolen, not yet, not while he had the Guren.

He wrote a quick reply that told Jeremiah to stay put and wait then closed his phone.

When he returned to his Knights, Zero was a man on a mission. He beckoned them wordlessly to follow and ignored Kaguya's inquires as he made his way to the Japan Liberation Front's control centre, having grabbed a passing soldier and extracted directions out of him.

They were halted at the door by an assault rifle to the vigilante's chest. No one saw the panel slide from his mask or the red-tainted eye that appeared from behind it. All they saw was Zero commanding the guards to step aside and the guards doing just that, complete with a crisp salute. He swept past them and in a loud, clear voice called General Katase's name.

The stout commander was a statue amidst the chaos, seemingly unaffected by the throng of soldiers buzzing around him. The look on his face as he lifted it to Zero, however, told another story.

"You said the attack wasn't to start for at least another day!" he accused.

"It wasn't supposed to," Zero said calmly, approaching the map that was laid down in the centre of the room. "And I assure you, my information wasn't wrong."

"Then how do you explain this?"

"It's simple, General Katase." A pause, in which a wry grin drew itself on his lips. "The game of thrones has begun."

* * *

**A/N:** Oh. My. God. Have you _seen_ Cairo? Have you _seen_ Alexandria? It's gorgeous! Crazy and a little frightening, whatw ith the gunshots I can hear down the street, but still, gorgeous. Is it too much to hope for a man with a purple fruit-bowl on his face and a black cape to emerge next? XD


	20. Providence

**Chapter 20: Providence**

C.C. watched with hooded eyes. Far down, at the base of the mountain, a knightmare exploded. More poured down, undaunted, to face their Britannian assailants. Zero was still nowhere to be found. She wondered if she should consider that a good thing.

"You always were much more trouble than you're worth," she murmured. An indignant retort came to her, heard only in her head, and she rolled her eyes. "Of course, _you_ would think so. The first time you held him you declared he'd rule the world, even though he was nothing more than a squalling pink mass."

A pause, a response; she snorted delicately.

"Don't give me that nonsense. Potential indeed. I was there, Marianne, remember? I saw that look in your eyes."

The voice gave no answer. C.C. thought it safe to consider that a victory.

She scuffed her boots in the snow, enjoying how the cold seeped through to her legs. It was said that in order to live one must feel, and right now she was feeling cold. Did that mean she was alive? Her lips twitched and might have formed into a wry grin, if she could bother with one. That question was silly, even for her. She already knew the answer. And that was why...

"Don't let me down, Lelouch."

* * *

Emerging from the mountain was a glorious feeling. The cool air was a relief, although with his mask on Lelouch still felt half-suffocated, but he could still feel it at the nape of his neck, through the fabric of his costume. The underground did not agree with him at all. He felt confined, and although Lelouch had never counted himself as claustophobic he was beginning to feel like one.

The freedom, coupled with his exhilaration at the plan he was putting into motion, made him almost giddy. Behind him the JLF clambered out of the tunnel with their drilling equipment. The Black Knights helped them put things into position, as per his instructions, while they waited for the rest of their forces to come.

The Guren, coming up behind the rocks, seemed like salvation. An avenging angel decked in light, come to rain justice down on Britannia. That was how they saw it, wasn't it? He could read it in their faces. Lelouch liked to see it how it was: a demon with its malevolent silver claw. Only a demon would be able to take down the Holy Britannian Empire. He didn't move from where he was seated on an admittedly uncomfortable rock, one leg crossed over the other and his cape splayed around him. The others were quickly briefed on Zero's plan and, as expected, they called him crazy. Lelouch breathed an inaudible sigh. They were supposed to be past this point, but evidently pressure made them irrational. It was one thing going into battle prepared, it was another entirely to be ambushed like this and still expect miracles to happen, but then that was what separated real armies from a few idiots with knightmares.

He'd given them enough chances. It was time, he decided, to settle this once and for all. He dipped a hand into his tailcoat and pulled out his handgun. They gasped, tensing. He flipped the pistol so that the barrel was facing him.

"The Britannian forces have surrounded Narita completely. If you believe you can survive without me then please shoot me now."

The expected silence made his metallic voice sound incredibly loud, though he never raised it. Moments passed. They knew they were beat, but those mumbled acknowledgements wouldn't be enough this time. Lelouch took Tamaki's hand and pressed the pistol into it, stubbornly lifting it to his mask.

"I _implore_ you." His voice was levelled and calm. "If you cannot trust my judgment or follow my leadership then _kill_ me now! Distrust would only get us captured in the end; I'd rather die now than fall to Britannia. Go on!"

He didn't stop until Tamaki threw the pistol away, loudly proclaiming that yes! Fine! He was the only one could save their asses! Zero rose abruptly, causing the surrounding Black Knights to take a step back, and bent down to pick up the fallen pistol. He then turned around and fired once into the rock he'd been sitting on.

"Thank you," he said. Behind his mask was a thin smile as he tucked the firearm into his tailcoat again. "I really appreciate it."

* * *

Nobody knew what to say after that. Kallen for one couldn't seem to stop stealing glances at the bullet hole in the rock. That gun had been loaded. Tamaki really could have shot Zero in the head — by accident! They could have lost their leader just like that because there were still doubts about his leadership. His point had been made loud and clear.

Zero was the one who broke the silence, the sharpness receding from his voice. "I understand your misgivings. I understand how impossible our odds must seem. In fact, it would take nothing short of a miracle to win this battle, a miracle we will deliver."

A miracle _he _will deliver.

"I am not the kind of commander who will hang back while you risk your lives, no! I will be there, leading you, risking my life just as you do. Since you joined the Black Knights you either live with me, or you perish with me."

He turned to the soldiers, standing bewildered at the back, and gestured at a spot where they should start digging.

"We've wasted too much time already," Zero said, and turned to mount his black-painted Burai.

Kallen quickly scrambled into the Guren — her Guren. If he did intend to perform a miracle here, that would be it. The Black Knights would be the stuff of legends, and she wouldn't have to deal with the fear of Zero leaving them anymore, because her comrades would no longer have any doubt in their minds as to his intentions. He was helping the JLF here, even when he obviously disliked them, and he was kicking Britannia's ass. Surely it would hurt his position with the Britannians if they kept facing one defeat after the other, so it was obvious which side he favoured.

He was for real, and he'd put his trust in them. She wasn't going to let him down now.

At his word, Kallen positioned the Guren's silver claw over the drill unit Zero had indicated. She breathed deeply, listening to him instructing the JLF to fall back, and smothered what fear rose in her at imagining just how hugely this could go wrong. A landslide, of all things.

"Now, Kallen!"

She activated the Radiant Wave Surger, turning it all the way to a hundred percent as instructed. For a few breathless moments nothing happened, and then...

* * *

Clovis had never been a religious man, not by any stretch of imagination, for all he was the prince of an Empire that called itself Holy, but in that moment he felt the fear of god crash upon him. He watched, horrified, as a sea of mud and rock swallowed up half of his forces, and wondered if perhaps he'd been too presumptuous. A landslide, a natural disaster... Divine intervention?

Thankfully, the thought was a fleeting one, and although his heartbeat was still erratic his mind was becoming clearer as reports came from what soldiers remained to him. He started to laugh, inwardly, quietly, and wondered if his brother was just that damn lucky.

Lelouch, for all of the countless contingencies he had in place, had never even considered the possibility of a landslide. Why should he? They were taking the JLF by surprise. The Elevens would have been entangled with their forces whether they wanted to or not, and inducing a landslide, assuming they even had the means to do so, would have hampered more than helped them.

Then the Black Knights appeared, and Clovis' laughter became louder.

"Well then, Zero. So be it."

He should look on the bright side of things. He now had the chance to eliminate both the Black Knights and the Japan Liberation Front. It would be difficult, of course it would, but if he managed then he would finally achieve stability in this Area of his and snub Lelouch, all in one blow.

Clovis sat back in his throne and forced a smile on his lips It was alright, right? He could… He might still be able to save this.

The landslide hadn't taken half of his forces, exactly. Just a sizeable chunk, but not half. The reports they were getting confirmed that. His forces were scattered, that was all, he could still mount a decent offensive. Even better, he'd be making his own plans. No one could say he'd depended on Lelouch only in this. The victory would be entirely his own, and all the more sweeter for it.

He drew his staff around him, standing over the map, and regally doled out his intructions. He hoped they didn't notice how his voice shook.

* * *

"Hmn. That was even more destructive than I anticipated."

The landslide had completed its objective of isolating the main units of Clovis' forces (and possibly killing General Alex. Too bad, he'd liked that man) but he could have been a bit more accurate. Now it had overtaken part of the city below as well, and this kind of damage would be left to him to mop up. It seemed there would be no forthcoming rest for Lelouch vi Britannia.

"Although, really, since Clovis was the one to start this mess he should be the one cleaning it."

But he could live with a bit of extra work if it meant he got to utterly crush his older brother first. Lelouch only regretted not being able to see Clovis' face when he realised his defeat.

Lelouch flipped on the loudspeaker. "Clovis' forces are disoriented and he has only limited reinforcements. Smash right through them!"

He was glad to see the JLF soldiers so responsive for once. They sped past him and took out what Sutherlands were foolish enough to stand before them. The three Black Knights he had with him —Ohgi, Sugiyama and Yoshida— took heart and plunged into the fighting as well. Lelouch smirked in satisfaction. It wasn't chess now, he didn't need to devise insidious plans and counter-plans. Here, brute force would suffice. The JLF, while technologically inferior to the Britannians, currently held the advantage of number and organisation, not to mention the morale of having both Zero and Tohdoh of the Miracles on the battefield. It was just too easy.

He opened a comm-link to the base. "General Katase. I have delivered."

"_And so will I." _His voice, even over the radio, sounded tired. Lelouch supposed he could sympathise. No one liked defeat. _"Colonel Tohdoh is approaching your position."_

"Excellent. I'm glad I could persuade you to see it my way."

He heard a shrill,_ "Good luck, Master Zero!" _and then the communication was cut. Tch, luck? He scoffed at the very thought he might need it.

The Guren Mk II slid into position by his side, reporting the expected success of her mission. For this machine, enduring Kaguya was worth it. He'd entertained many gruesome fates for his enemies before, often quite creative ones, but he'd never though he could microwave them before.

He narrowly dodged bullets from a reckless incoming knightmare. Kallen instantly extended the Guren's gauntlet to clamp onto the offending Sutherland's head and Lelouch was treated to another display of said microwaving. Seeing the metal bubble and twist was both satisfying and chilling at the same time, a reminder of just how little his own metal encasement would protect him should the time come.

The Sutherland exploded. The Guren Mk II was a demon bathed in fire.

Oh yes, Kaguya had done very well.

"Q-1, move on ahead to Point Three. Obliterate them."

"_Understood."_

* * *

Asahina was wrong. This was nothing like seven years ago. Tohdoh was cutting through the Britannian forces almost effortlessly. He had expected the custom Burais to provide them with an edge, but this was incredible. Almost sinful. The Burai's chainsaw-bladed katana slashed through a Sutherland's cockpit as he raced by; he heard the explosion a few moments later.

Unlike seven years ago, they had knightmares. Unlike seven years ago, they had a chance. And unlike seven years ago, it would not be Tohdoh who would perform a miracle.

When they came upon him, he and his companions were taking shelter behind several large boulders while Britannian units fired at them. Chiba and Urabe made quick work of the Britannians. From the smoke, the madman emerged.

"_Lieutenant Colonel Tohdoh," _he said, voice even and pleasant. _"How nice of you to join us."_

"Zero."

"_We're heading for Point Eight."_

"We aren't going to capture the G-1?"

"_As soon as Clovis sees the projected path he'll make a run for it, and we would be left with nothing to fight but the wounded soldiers in the field hospital. It's useless." _He began to move ahead, and Tohdoh fell into place beside him. He was forced to hold the Burai Kai back or it would surely outrun Zero's older model. _"The Guren and the main bulk of forces will break the encirclement. That should be enough of a scare to get the Viceroy to back off. We've won, Colonel."_

He was also forced to hold back his misgivings. No matter how skilled the commander, it was never wise to count a victory while the enemy yet stood. However he was, for now, placed under Zero's orders.

"Then why are we going to Point Eight?"

_"I'm not sure yet."_

Tohdoh furrowed his brows, looking down at the radio, puzzled. "What was that, Zero?"

_"I said I'm not sure. The intel I've gathered isn't sufficient to make an accurate assumption. It is, however, enough to make me want to get a closer look."_

"Is now really the best time?"

As if on cue, there was a roaring explosion, a reminder of the battle taking place not too far away.

_"Now is the only time,"_ Zero insisted, and Tohdoh had no choice but to follow.

They weaved through the mountainside, dodging crumbling rocks and bullets and missiles as they came. Zero for the most part ignored these distractions, leaving the Holy Swords to take care of any enemies they faced. Only once had Tohdoh seen him engage an enemy himself, and even then it was only when the Sutherland had been facing away from him. A burst of bullets penetrating the cockpit and then he was on his way. No other words were exchanged between them.

At Point Eight, a monster awaited.

* * *

"That desperate are you, brother?"

A dark chuckle escaped him as he gazed up at the white experimental knightmare that blocked his path. The Lancelot held its twin Maser Vibration Swords crossed in front of it. The guardian at the gate. Yes, Clovis was very desperate if he was using Schneizel's toy, which Lelouch had also vested some interest in, to end his campaign.

_"What is that?"_ He could hear the fear and awe in Urabe's voice.

"That is the Z-01 Lancelot. The first Seventh Generation knightmare frame."

_"Even if it is Seventh Generation, it's still only one unit!" _This from the impassioned Chiba who lifted her chainsaw katana in defiance. Tohdoh silenced her, bidding her to wait. Smart man. This Tohdoh of Miracles was certainly living up to his reputation.

That was when Lelouch remembered something, a geassed conversation with the Lancelot's young pilot. Smirking, he flipped open his loud speaker.

"Kururugi. Is that any way to greet your sensei?"

He said this in English, just to make the word _sensei_ that more obvious. It was time, he thought, listening to Tohdoh and Kururugi's shocked but grim interaction, to test just how far his loyalty lay with Britannia, and also test just how much of a miracle maker the Colonel was. Lelouch watched the two units fight for a few moments, the Four Holy Swords having been instructed to stand back, and found the similarities and differences he could spot in their styles fascinating. He had better things to do, however, than to watch student and mentor battle it out.

With Kururugi distracted, he took the opportunity to slip into the hidden tunnel. By the crash he heard moments later Zero guessed that his abandoned Burai had been destroyed. Didn't matter. He'd just radio a unit when he was done.

The first door took him about three minutes to open. The second took one. The third and last also took three minutes, but that was mostly because he was woefully out of shape and running through the tunnel had made him so winded that he couldn't properly concentrate on hacking the control panel. Besides, it had been a long time since he'd last had to hack into anything of this complication, since his first year at the Academy maybe. He was out of practice.

A beep, the flashing of a small green light, and the door swished open to admit him. In spite of the urgency, it felt wrong to run. There wasn't going to be anyone inside (he had his pistol out, just in case) but he still wanted to make an entrance. Call it the prince in him. Lelouch strode down the whitewashed hallways and found the rooms abandoned, as expected. There wasn't a scrap of paper to be found. Clovis' scientists had cleaned everything out before they left.

"Alright, Clovis, not bad," he muttered, peering into yet another empty office. A laptop had been forgotten but contained nothing of use. Clovis had been very careful with covering his tracks. Now the only clue he had as to what Code-R entailed was in C.C., and there was no way that witch was going to tell him anything.

Geass. The only thing stopping him from using Absolute Obedience on his brother was the possibility he had a geass of his own, or that he researched it enough to know. That, and the fact he didn't want to waste it. He could easily put Clovis under his power rather than having to play these stupid little games. He had no idea of how long a geass could remain active, or if it could be broken, or if others of the Imperial Family had researched it as well and would recognise its signs.

He came into what appeared to be a testing area, where white jumpsuits similar to the one C.C. always wore hung on the wall at his right. To the left, stairs that lead downwards, where an open capsule and a tank of green liquid stood, eerie in the pale fluorescent lights. Dark stains of something that looked like dried blood were on the floor. He took a sample for later. The monitoring computers had been destroyed - shot at, to be precise - but perhaps he could still…

"It's not polite to snoop around, you know."

The voice startled him for a moment before he recognised the lacklustre tone. Lelouch didn't look up.

"It's also not polite to sneak up on people."

The only reply she gave was a noncommittal hum. C.C. appeared at his side, looking over his shoulder at the screen with a blank expression (he liked to think she didn't understand a thing of it) before she moved on to stand at the railings and gaze down at the open capsule. For several minutes there was silence, save for the _clack-clacking _of his fingers on the one usable keyboard in the lot, and then: "You won't find anything, you know,"

"At least I'll have tried."

He _could_ find something. Her very presence here proved it. C.C. guarded her secrets very jealously, and Clovis' scientists had probably uncovered some. Well, he wanted to uncover some as well. They were accomplices, wasn't that what she kept saying? Accomplices implied an equal relationship, when there was nothing equal about it. She knew him almost inside out, and he knew nothing of her, not even her name. Time to even the scales a little.

The monitor sparked and went black. From where she stood, C.C. smirked. Lelouch glared at her, knowing she would feel it even covered by his mask and knowing that, sadly, she would not spontaneously combust as a result. He would not be beat! It was still possible to recover _something_ if he could just get the hard-drives out intact. The problem was that he didn't usually bother himself with the computer's physical aspects, and with only his hands it would probably be rather difficult, but kingdoms weren't toppled in a day and, damn it all, he could do this! …Somehow.

C.C. yanked him away from the heap of metal he was trying to figure out with surprising strength, in the direction of the hallways he'd just come through. Lelouch tried to pull his arm away and found he couldn't, her vice-like grip was unrelenting.

"The self-destruct sequence has started," she said, serious for once, and this time Lelouch didn't fight her. She sped up into a run. "I gave you all the time I could so you could have your fun, but now it's time to go, Zero. I won't have you blown up. We're accomplices after all."

Right. Accomplices. His thoughts as they emerged from the tunnel were bitter and resentful. Thanks to her, he'd been forced to endure the dreaded _Talk_ from Jeremiah, of all people. And his sister thought she was his mistress. And his shirts all smelled of cheese. And now the Black Knights probably thought she was his mistress too, given how Kaguya had acted, asking if they could _share. _His Burai was still smoldering and nearby he could spot pieces of the Four Holy Swords' Burai Kais, but they, Tohdoh and Kururugi were nowhere in sight. Just as well. He didn't want anyone to see the way C.C. dragged him along. He also didn't want to get squashed by a knightmare. More than all of that, he wanted some leverage on the green-haired witch.

He had just been about to accuse her of deceiving him when the explosion came.

* * *

The atmosphere in the control room was sombre and subdued. Nobody dared to celebrate Britannia's defeat. Too many had been lost to allow for that. Worst of all, Zero was missing. Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords returned with battered knightmares and tales of Kururugi's son, who was now piloting the biggest pain in the ass knightmare ever, and of an explosion. Right where Zero had disappeared underground. The fear was present in them all but nobody would voice it, not even Lady Kaguya, his self-proclaimed wife.

Kallen held her phone in her hand and was staring at it intently. He'd given it to her, more or less. Their first official meeting on that train. The information desk at Tokyo Tower. The only number it contained was Zero's. Any minute now he'd call and tell them he was alright, tell them he'd subdued Clovis, tell them he'd killed Lelouch, tell them he'd performed a miracle. Any minute now.

Reports were streaming in from the field. She could hear whoops and cries of joy, even some calls of _Long live Zero!_ The room was a hive of activity. Only the Black Knights, huddled together around their phones, remained still. Lady Kaguya, from what glimpses Kallen caught of her and her purple and yellow kimono, had taken charge of documenting every confirmed life and death. It occurred to her for the first time that the kid might not have been as air-headed as she'd thought. In fact, she'd probably make a very good wife for Zero. A traditional Japanese wife for a Britannian revolutionary, how quaint. Kallen wondered briefly whether C.C. gave a damn.

The phone rang. The hive came to a standstill as she announced Zero's whereabouts, along with the assurance that he didn't sound hurt at all. Just tired, she thought, but kept that part to herself. Twenty minutes later found her barrelling through trees and to the cave Zero had specified. He was waiting for her there, leaning against the rock wall in a strangely careless pose. His cape was absent and that made it even stranger. Even when he straightened up at seeing the Guren he didn't strike the same figure he usually did. In fact, without the cape draped over it, the purple costume was looking a little ridiculous.

God, what was she thinking? It didn't matter. He was still Zero, the Man of Miracles. The lack of a cape didn't make him any less amazing. Even without the mask, he'd still be Zero. She wondered if Lady Kaguya had seen his face. C.C. had, assuming she and Zero really were… Which Kallen seriously doubted, because she seemed to annoy him to no end, but then why would he tolerate her and her obnoxious pizza demands if they weren't? And why did she trail him so closely? And why—

Her eyes narrowed, seeing C.C. emerge from the cave behind Zero. She was hugging the absent cape around her, eyes downcast until she came to stand beside the revolutionary. She looked at him then, and the mask was facing her, as if some silent communication was passing between them. Kallen forced down her irritation as she opened the hatch and stood up in her cockpit.

"Zero," she said and then fell silent, because she wasn't sure what else she should say. Thank you for saving us, maybe? We were so worried? Or Wow, you're so amazing? How about, why do you tolerate that goddamn witch and what does she have that I don't?

C.C., as if reading her thoughts, met her eyes with a tight-lipped smile that barely concealed the edges of a smirk.

"Did you intend for us all to cram inside that tiny cockpit?" she asked. When Kallen, wide-eyed, began to stammer an excuse, the golden gaze turned to Zero instead, "Or did somebody forget to tell you to bring a car?"

"The cockpit is big enough for two people," came her leader's metallic voice, and Kallen felt a thrill of satisfaction at the thought C.C. might get left behind after all. Her elation was cut short when Zero continued, saying, "I'll be sitting in the Guren's hand."

"Again with the dramatics?" C.C. sounded amused. She let go of the cape and it fell to the ground, pooling around her legs. "Here, you can have your cape back. It'll help on that front," she said, and stepped out of it, then came closer to take hold of the tug-line Kallen had lowered. Kallen clenched her teeth, her grip around the Guren's controls tightening. It took every ounce of self-control she possessed not to just smash the woman or microwave her, as she'd done to so many people today already.

Her grip slacked and her jaw dropped when she saw the great and proud man that was the revolutionary Zero bend down to retrieve his cape from the ground. He even dusted it off and then, in one fluid motion, brought it around his shoulders and clasped it in place. Added to her surprise was the fact she noticed that the cape was singed and so was C.C.'s white jumpsuit, which also had several bloody tears in it. However, both of them seemed to be entirely unharmed. Kallen was only half glad for that.

C.C. climbed in and immediately latched onto her, just to be annoying. Taking a deep breath, Kallen forced herself to ignore her and focused instead on making sure Zero didn't fall or get crushed in the Guren's metallic hand. She moved the Guren slowly at first, eyes flickering constantly between the man and the path she'd come from between the trees. Zero tried to stay standing at first but it was apparently too difficult to balance, so he crouched down instead, a using a hand to steady himself. Deciding it was safe enough now, she pushed the Guren faster. His cape flapped behind him and she found herself smiling faintly, trying to imagine how it would look to the JLF scouts.

Amazing. It would look amazing.

* * *

"Fuck."

The curse escaped her before she could help herself and Villetta immediately curled her fingers over her mouth, frowning. As a servant of the Empire, she represented the best of the best. She was supposed to be above that. She blamed that accursed Mao for this loss of control. He'd been revealing… everything. Everything she didn't say, everything she wanted to hide. He only fixed her with that unnerving knowing smile of his.

Apparently, he could read minds. Villetta still wasn't sure what to think about that.

"Oh you are a hard girl to impress, Letta," he said, pouting. She paid no attention the much hated nickname that he'd pilfered from her childhood, eyes on the television screen mounted on the wall.

It showed the anchorwoman against the backdrop of the Narita mountains. Villetta knew this because she'd finally managed to worm her way onto that operation and had seen maps and photos of the place in the briefing. From what she was saying, the operation had already started. Without her. Without Prince Lelouch, in fact, because the woman on TV was saying something about trying to get a statement from Prince Clovis, who had definitely not been a part of the original plan.

Her chance had been lost in a petty sibling squabble.

"Aw, you poor thing!" She tore her eyes away and looked back at Mao, who was wearing a mock-sympathetic smile. "Don't you just _hate_ those princes? You do, don't you? Such horrible people."

"You could get hanged for saying something like that," Villetta said. She lifted her coffee mug to hide her frown behind.

"Always hiding, always afraid. Not very knightly of you, is it?" Her only reply was to glare. It didn't faze him in the least, and neither did the stream of profanity that he could presumably hear her thinking. "Then again, nothing you've ever done has been very knightly. Seduction, favours, even blackmail - oh, you're a bad, bad person, Villetta Nu."

No she wasn't. She did what she had to do, and she was hardly the only one. The only thing that mattered in Britannia was blood and family and names. Her superior piloting skills on their own would have got her absolutely nowhere. Right now Villetta thought of all of that as merely part of the job — part of Britannia. Survival of the fittest.

"Survival of the fittest, hmm? Cute. Doesn't seem like your usual tactics are working on Prince Lulu, though. Maybe you're getting too _old_. Maybe— " His wolfish grin dropped suddenly, mad red eyes widening. Villetta lowered her mug and sat back, tense and alert in case he'd finally snapped. Rather than lunging at her, however, he began to clap. "Cera! C.C.! You know C.C.!"

* * *

"She's a friend."

That explained nothing of why she was dressed in a white jumpsuit, a prisoner's uniform, or why it was torn and bloody or why she was here, with the Japanese and a Britannian revolutionary when she was clearly of European descent. But it was enough to stop the questions. Zero had gained their respect today.

He gestured for C.C. to go with Kaguya and for once she actually obeyed, no comments or arguments or anything. And yet, Lelouch wasn't all that surprised, not even by the brief smile he caught. She… wasn't really that bad. She'd been stung by those in power as well, she'd been wrongfully prosecuted, she'd suffered under wars. She understood. Her name, her real name, was on his lips in a whisper. She probably wouldn't be satisfied by that way of saying it either. Picky girl.

The men parted before him like the Red Sea. Though he was used to this kind of treatment, it was incredible to finally receive it on his own merit. Here he was not Lelouch vi Britannia, prince of the Empire, he was just Zero. No titles were involved - although he did catch the words _Man of Miracles _a few times. Even if that was similar to Tohdoh's title, he enjoyed hearing it. It was only the beginning.

He was saluted by the soldier standing at the door of the Control Room. When he stepped inside, he was saluted by the Black Knights as well. A pleasant surprise, to say the least. Finally, they were starting to act like real soldiers. Or trying to, anyway. All of them wore stupid, excited grins and their salutes were sloppy at best. Tamaki actually smacked himself. Still, they did manage to restrain themselves from flocking to him, so he supposed he should be thankful. Lelouch stopped in front of General Katase, who was flanked by Tohdoh and his Holy Swords. All of them looked battle-tired, though Katase's brand of weariness had a little something extra. Zero decided it must be defeat.

"Welcome back, Zero."

The words came stiff and grudging. The fact was the JLF would have fallen today to that idiot Clovis if it hadn't been for him, and now Katase had no choice but to acknowledge that. Lelouch inclined his head in response.

"Why, thank you, General."

He was led further inside, to a quiet little corner where he, the General and Tohdoh could converse in private. The soldiers slowly returned to whatever they'd been doing before, studiously ignoring them, and it wasn't until then that Katase spoke at last. He wanted to know where Zero disappeared to, at Point Eight.

"A tunnel."

"And what did you find at the end of this tunnel?"

A pause. "I believe it would be best if we discussed this somewhere private. Just the two of us."

Tohdoh grew tense. That spar with Kururugi must have taken a lot out of him, because all of a sudden he was much easier to read than before. Interesting. He'd have to get an account of it from Kururugi when he got back, see just what this Tohdoh of Miracles was capable of.

Katase refused. He was wary of Zero, of course, and with good reason.

"I have ears in the Britannian military," Lelouch said, and he was sure they'd take it to mean he was part of it. He'd been too careless before with his information and equipment, and this voice modulator did nothing to hide his accent. "They tell me Clovis has an experimentation facility. Here. In the Narita mountains."

"Impossible!"

Of course. For Clovis to hide something like that on their turf meant that either the JLF were incredibly incompetent or… that one of their leaders didn't mind being a Britannian dog. The facility, from what little he'd seen of it and what he'd glimpsed from C.C.'s jumbled memories, was vast and had an entrance in one of the mountainside towns. It was just too big to have been created and maintained in plain sight of the JLF. Unless, of course, Geass had something to do with it. Maybe there was a boy out there with the Geass of Illusion, who knew?

Zero reached into his tailcoat, his other hand lifted to stop any rash reactions, and pulled out a disk. It contained footage of possible wedding venues Kaguya had picked out, as well as wedding dresses and kimono, but they didn't know that.

"May we go somewhere private now, General?"

Katase was still suspicious, but there was little he could do. Zero's victory was still fresh in the soldiers' minds and right now they were in awe of him. If he started perpetuating rumours about the integrity of JLF leaders, they might just believe them. Lelouch grinned as Katase stood up and gestured for Tohdoh and his Holy Swords to stay put.

_Checkmate._

The heat was pooling in his eye long before the door closed.

* * *

Shocked silence prevailed in the aftermath of General Katase's announcement. Even Kaguya was taken aback, although she really should have had more faith in her future-husband. This was just another one of his miracles.

The silence made his footsteps even louder as he took up the place General Katase had just abandoned at the front of the room. She could hear every swish of his cape, every rustle of cloth, until slowly the whispers started up and swallowed the lesser sounds. He came to a stop and turned to face them.

"Comrades. You fought well today. _We_ fought well today. We beat back Britannia!"

Zero allowed a moment for the hoots and cheers before resuming, and the men quieted down before his loud metallic voice.

"Many were lost, brave men and women, today and in the years before — now they can rest easy. Their deaths were not in vain. Soon, they will be avenged. Soon, Japan will be freed, and the land of the rising sun will belong to its people once more. Our alliance brings that day ever closer. General Katase" —Zero stepped to the side, facing the old general, and gave a shallow bow that made Kaguya smile — "I thank you. Japan thanks you."

She was not the first one to break out in applause, nor the most enthusiastic. The soldiers of the JLF had seen enough today to make them all too willing to fuse with the Black Knights. For now, at least. Kaguya could still spot a few dissatisfied faces, the most worrying being that of Lieutenant Colonel Tohdoh. All in good time.

General Katase spoke again, barking out orders this time. There were battlements to reinforce and still more bodies to recover. Rather than join the efforts, Kaguya followed a certain Britannian prince's lead and slipped away. She just barely caught up with him.

"You're returning to the Settlement?" Kaguya asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She tried to loop her arm with his but Lelouch sped up his pace.

"I have duties to attend to."

"As do I. I'm coming with you."

"Lady Kaguya…" He sounded tired and exasperated.

"I'll only come with you as far as the mountain base," she said. No protests followed, and Kaguya felt she was allowed to continue walking beside him, although it was hard to keep up; Lelouch had such a long, hurried stride.

At the limousine, the JLF soldier was quick to open the door for them. Zero slipped in first, which wasn't very gentlemanly of him, and she followed. He should have waited and then gestured for her to get inside first. Kaguya chalked it up to being tired and chose to overlook the transgression. A wife must be understanding.

"Ruru, I—"

"Don't—!" Lelouch bit back the rest of it, composing himself. After a deep breath, he spoke again, "I'll ask you not to call me that again."

Kaguya nodded mutely at first, then overcame her surprise and managed to say, "Of course. I... had no idea it bothered you so."

It was her own fault for testing him. It was only this fatigue that made him almost snap at her. Lelouch had always been the perfect gentleman, a prince to his very core. She wasn't the type to give pet-names, really, but the word had sounded nice on her tongue and she'd wanted to try it, see just how familiar they could be. Britannian couples were like that, were they not?

But no, he was royalty, first and foremost. She should have expected that he wouldn't be receptive to such silly little things.

Zero gave a stiff nod, but she felt he still wasn't entirely satisfied. Kaguya worried her lower lip before she caught herself. It was an old childhood habit. A sign of weakness, her father used to say.

"You performed wonderfully," she said, trying to smile again.

"I know."

"I'm glad General Katase could finally be persuaded to join forces with you."

"As am I."

The message was clear: he wasn't up for conversation. Kaguya became quiet after that, folding her hands in her lap and turning to look out of the window. There was nothing to look at, only walls of dirt as they passed through the tunnels that had still, thankfully, not collapsed. Zero was much more interesting. She stole glances at him every few moments. Eventually, in the safe darkness of the underground and with the tinted glass separating them from the driver, he took off his mask. The cloth that covered the lower part of his face remained, though, and his hair, damp and stuck to his forehead, did a good enough job of covering those telltale violet eyes. Still, she could see the bags underneath them. Her poor, poor future-husband.

"You should get some rest," she said.

"I'll rest when Britannia's destroyed," he said in return, even though he was rubbing one of his eyes. He pulled out a cell phone with his other hand and flicked it open. "Hm. I see Jeremiah's been worried."

Kaguya smiled at that, sharing his amusement and glad he wasn't shutting her out now.

"Well, that's his job, isn't it?"

"Not really. His job is to protect me, not to father me."

Father. Interesting choice of word. Kaguya's smile widened as she listened to the phone conversation Lelouch was having. He gave Margrave Gottwald his orders before the man could get a single word in, but once those were out of the way Lelouch reassured him that all was well, he wasn't hurt at all and reprimanded Jeremiah's "Mother Hen behaviour," saying he was worse than Cornelia. Kaguya tried not to laugh —it was very difficult to imagine the Witch of Britannia as a Mother Hen, as he put it— but she drew Lelouch's attention nonetheless, and he quickly ended the call.

"What is it?" He tucked the phone into his jacket and turned in his seat to face her.

"Oh, nothing. It's just strange to imagine someone worrying about Master Zero, when it seems there's nothing he can't do."

Lelouch expression morphed into that proud look all men got when their egos had been stroked. "Well, it's not Zero he's worrying about."

No, it was his prince. Kaguya now knew who else she'd have to impress before she could take Master Zero's hand in marriage.

* * *

Jeremiah clutched the steering wheel, knuckles going white, his eyes fixed on the rear-view mirror. Whenever he spotted so much as a head of dark hair one of his hands would immediately leap for the door, only for his brain to catch up moments later and alert him that his prince was thinner than that, or taller than that, or very simply_ wasn't Asian_. The wait was driving him crazy.

At least he knew Lelouch was alive and well. An hour ago he hadn't even that knowledge to tide him through, only a vague text message telling him to stay put and a turned-off phone and the news reports on Narita. He'd gone into a maddened frenzy when he'd seen footage of that landslide, terrified that Lelouch, the reckless idiot that he was, had marched off to his brother's campaign and been swallowed underneath the mud. That traitorous gardener had gotten the worst of it, although that wasn't half what he deserved, or what he'd soon be facing from Lelouch.

It was a thin figure that caught his eye this time. It was him. Even with the dragging movements, the commoner clothes, Jeremiah knew it was him. He opened the door and stepped out, then turned to face him.

His eyes were green and he looked vaguely strung-out. It was not Prince Lelouch.

"God_damnit_!"

Jeremiah slapped his palm against the car door. He almost jumped at the voice that came from behind him, calling his name. The prince peered over his sunglasses, an eyebrow cocked, as he leaned against the other side of the car.

"Is that what you call being discrete?" Lelouch let out a quiet scoffing sound, shaking his head, and pulled the door open. "Come on. I need to see Clovis and gloat a little."

He slipped into the back and Jeremiah had no choice but to follow suit, returning to his place behind the steering wheel. He twisted in his seat to properly assess the prince's condition. He looked a little worse for wear; the jeans and shirt were dirty and loose, obviously not his. Jeremiah had to wonder whether his Eleven mistress had provided them. Other than that, though, he seemed relatively unharmed. There was no blood, at least.

"Gottwald," he said, and stifled a yawn. "Get moving already." Lelouch deflected any questions by resting his head back against the window and closing his eyes. Cunning, especially when he really did look tired.

Jeremiah barely suppressed his sigh. He turned back around and switched on the ignition

* * *

Lelouch woke up to rough shaking. He narrowed his eyes, trying to gather his wits, and found a pair of orange eyes narrowed right back. Orange, Jeremiah. Right. With a deep inhale, he pushed himself up, and was immediately aware of the crick that had developed in his neck. Lelouch grimaced, rubbing it, turning it side to side, and then rolled his shoulders back.

"What is it?" He looked around. Commoners walked by without sparing him or the car a second glance, going about their business. On the other side, a brick wall with a myriad of peeling posters. This wasn't where he was supposed to be. "Why have we stopped?"

"You haven't changed, my Lord," Jeremiah said, a concerned frown on his face. "We're close to the base."

He gestured at the bag that had been ignored thus far, on the backseat beside him. It contained the clothing Lelouch had asked him to bring, even providing Jeremiah with the access code to his room. He wouldn't have to hide things from him now, not after his victory in Narita. As soon as they were back at the villa this charade could come to an end.

Lelouch nodded and thanked him, taking hold of the bag. Jeremiah stepped outside and leaned against the window to shield him from view as he changed. Sad as it was to say, Lelouch was used to this sort of thing now and called his knight back only minutes later. The outfit Jeremiah had picked wasn't half as complicated as his Zero suit, with the trousers that needed to cover his heels and the undershirt and the dress shirt and the tailcoat and the cape.

He finished tying his cravat in the rear-view mirror and pat down the back of his hair, which had been sticking up. His neck was still aching and a migraine was starting to pound behind his eyes, and he was still having trouble keeping his eyelids from drooping, but he figured that would've been the case if Clovis had drugged him anyway. It all worked towards his act.

Soon they were being waved in by the Britannian soldiers standing guard at the Narita Military Base. The men grew wide-eyed when they realised it was him, and Lelouch constructed his expression into something downright murderous. Just in case Clovis had left orders not to allow the Sub-Viceroy on base, this would make them think twice about obeying him.

The base wasn't as chaotic as Lelouch had expected it would be. Technicians were running around everywhere, tending to half-melted knightmares and smoking vehicles, and there were soldiers rushing to deliver messages or tend to their duties, but there was none of that panic that always came with a defeated prince throwing temper tantrums.

And yet, he was sure Clovis was here. So what was going on?

Lelouch stormed in, making it a point to shove anyone nearby out of his way, until news of his presence got around and they got out of his way on their own. Good. He needed to make an entrance. When he flung open the door of the colonel's office, he discovered the entrance had been wasted. Clovis was not in the room. Most of his staff was there, though.

He managed not to lose his momentum and demanded to know his brother's whereabouts. Colonel Havelock looked up calmly, obviously used to this sort of thing. He didn't look the least bit impressed with Lelouch, though he did bow and spoke with the deference his title demanded, "His Highness is conversing with Earl Asplund, concerning the Lancelot."

Ignoring the offer to stay and wait, although he was desperate for a cup of coffee right now, Lelouch headed down to the A.S.E.E.C.'s trailer, Jeremiah chasing after him. There, he found the white and gold knightmare looking surprisingly battered. Had it looked like that before, when he and C.C. had encountered it? He couldn't remember. Too focused on the witch at the time, he supposed. Lelouch bypassed the Lancelot and its pilot, who was sitting on the ground with Cecile Croomy, and strode to where he could see the back of a braided blond head.

"_Clovis!_"

His brother half-turned, an unconvincing smile slapped on. Lelouch punched it off. He heard Jeremiah's distressed, "Your Highness!" and Asplund's amused, "Oh my." and he could feel the throb starting to surface in his knuckles. All that was in the background.

Clovis' nose was bleeding. It stained his white silk gloves when he covered it, eyes wide and staring at his livid little brother.

"You broke my nose!"

He hadn't, but that wasn't the important thing. The important thing was that _my_ came out sounding like _by_ and Lelouch felt very good about himself.

"Clovis, you _idiot_. I planned this operation, it was mine! You ruined it. You drugged me and you ruined _everything!_"

"You _broke_. By _nose_."

His nose was the more important issue. Of course. Lelouch clenched his hands and hit him again, his fist coming down on where Clovis's cupped hands covered his nose. He let out a wail, scrambling back before Lelouch could do any more damage. Jeremiah slid himself between them, placing two firm hands on his shoulders. On his knight's face was an obvious question: did he really have to go so far for his act?

…No, not really. But he'd wanted to do that for a long, long time.

Lelouch stepped back and turned away, drawing a scowl on his face. It was only then that he noticed the blank expression on Kururugi's face. His green eyes were haunted. What had C.C. shown him? Had she thrust her own memories or experiences on him or merely forced him relive some of his own? No, it had to be the latter. C.C. wouldn't share her memories willingly. Kururugi should be glad; nothing he could have experienced would be worse than being burned at the stake.

"Tch." He threw a glare over his shoulder at Clovis. "You even ruined the Lancelot."

"We were just talking about that!" Lloyd piped in. He ran ahead to the Lancelot and threw his arm around its damaged leg. He barely spared Kururugi a second glance. "Look what those heathens did to my baby!"

Jeremiah nearly laughed; he just barely managed to cover it by coughing.

"You have my sincerest condolences," Lelouch said dryly. He then nodded at Kururugi. "What happened to your devicer?"

"We were talking about that too," came Clovis' now-nasally voice. "The recording— Lloyd, show him the recording."

Lloyd wore a petulant frown as he pushed away from his 'baby', probably annoyed that no one had fussed over the Lancelot much. He returned to his computer and had to lean over Clovis, who had taken his chair to recover from Lelouch's abuse, to access the keyboard. A few keystrokes brought the video up on the screens overhead. The green hair instantly caught his attention. The image was grainy, but there was no mistaking C.C. Or the purple-clad figure sprawled on the ground behind her.

"Is that Zero?"

"Do you know anyone else who would wear that atrocious costume?"

Lelouch was sorely tempted to punch him again. He clenched his fist but kept quiet and still. He had a part to play.

"I see. So Zero's allied himself with the JLF. Good."

"Good?" Clovis swiveled the chair to face him, looking incredulous (not to mention ridiculous, with his bloodied hand stuffing tissues in his nose). "Are you mad, Lelouch?"

His name sounded so strange in that nasal voice. Lelouch didn't stop the smirk that slid onto his lips. "I thought it was just the JLF that sent you running. At least with the Black Knights in the picture we can claim you were outnumbered or something."

The Zero in the recording was slowly pushing himself up. Lelouch's arms were still burning with the effort. That blast had taken a lot out of him. C.C. never looked back, simply ordering him to find somewhere safe. She then disappeared from the Lancelot's view— that was when she'd pressed her hand against its leg. Zero got to his feet, not without some difficulty due to that damn cape, and followed.

"C.C.," Zero said. "I won't leave you."

"Touching," Lelouch said. A split-second later he wondered if he shouldn't have just kept his mouth shut. Speaking right after Zero had might show some similarities. But then, that was what the modulator in his mask was for, wasn't it?

The camera swerved away and then back again, moving wildly as the Lancelot's pilot went berserk. C.C. said she fed him shock images. Static followed, the video ending. Lelouch had no idea whether Kururugi had seen the damage he'd done to C.C., or if he'd captured that on video too. If he had, Clovis didn't want anyone seeing it.

Lelouch looked down at his older brother, a brow raised. It was a few moments before Clovis noticed, far too busy fussing about his nose. "That C.C.," he said finally. He then had to pause to sniff. "We've been following her for a while. We're not sure who she works for, but whoever it is certainly isn't a friend of Britannia."

"Surprising."

Clovis inclined his head, conceding to the point. Most of the world wasn't a friend of Britannia, even some Britannians. "She always pops up whenever there's trouble and now, it seems, she's allied herself with Zero."

"So?"

"So, if we can finally figure out who she works for —or better yet, catch her— we'll be able to unmask that Zero."

Lelouch looked doubtful. "What makes you think she knows Zero's identity?"

"C.C., I won't leave you," Clovis said, mimicking him, and Lelouch nodded. Right, that must have indicated intimacy. "And even if she doesn't know who Zero is, we'll still know who's behind her. There's a very good chance they're the ones who are supplying him."

Was he being serious? It was impossible to study Clovis' face right now, impossible to tell if he was lying. He was aware of C.C.'s regenerative abilities, Lelouch knew as much, but was he aware of Geass? Did he know C.C. served no one but herself? Goddamnit, if he'd only gotten to that research facility faster.

"Hm. That's nice." Lelouch turned away from the screen and folded his arms over his chest. "Is she the reason you took over _my_ operation?'

"It's my right as Viceroy. I hardly need to ask your permission."

Clovis pushed away from the desk with his foot, wheeling out of Lelouch's grasp. So much for being Viceroy.

* * *

Oh, oh, this was too good. What luck! Divine providence, he liked to think. There was no need to go digging through that complicated mind of his to find any mention of C.C. — he thought about her all on his own! For showing Lelouch that video, Clovis had made up for a few of his sins. Mao had seen them. Locking C.C. up in that capsule. Experimenting on her. Seeing parts of her that not even he…

But Lelouch, oh, Lelouch was the worst sinner.

He knew C.C.'s name. And eavesdropping was a _very_ bad thing. C.C. didn't say her name to anyone, not even her beloved Mao, and she certainly didn't want some spoiled Britannian prince to know it.

"I'll save you, C.C.!"

Mao paused and replaced that with her name, trying to say it with emotion, which she'd said Lelouch's attempt had lacked. Her name tasted good on his tongue. He smiled, withdrawing from Lelouch's mind, and raised the volume of the recording again as other people's thoughts began flooding in.

"_Mao. I love you, Mao."_

* * *

**A/N: **No, I'm not dead, and neither is _Third Game_. Shocking, isn't it? Would you believe me if I said I've been working on this chapter for the past six months? Although, honestly, more than half of it was completed in the last three days. Muse? Maybe.

I had a dozen excuses piled up for you; my finals, a killer A2 Biology class, a writing course, my other WIPs, which take priority over _Third Game_ because they're original… But really, it was just that my love for CG waning. I fall in and out of love with things all the time — books, music, anime. _Code Geass_ lasted over two years with me, making it my second-longest obsession ever. I still intended to finish _Third Game_, but it was in the back of my mind.

And then a new influx of Story Alerts and Favourites flooded my inbox. And… I don't know, but the muse was back all of a sudden. I decided to look at _Third Game_ as work, as one of my projects, rather than an homage to the series. Now then, I won't promise fast updates (I don't think you'd believe me if I did, anyway) and I can point at my dozen excuses to explain why, but I can promise that updates will come. And that you won't have to wait six months for them.

Basically what I want to say with that long spiel is: Thank you. To everyone who reviewed or put my story in their favourites or alerts list, thank you. To everyone who's spread the word, thank you. To everyone who hasn't given up on my lazy author ass, thank you. And here's one last thank you to a person called Trrnt, on the Dark Lord Potter forums. Trrnt's synopsis of _Third Game_ was frankly better than mine so I sort of paraphrased it and used that instead. Hope you don't mind, Trrnt!


	21. Wicked

**Chapter 21: Wicked**

Lelouch couldn't sleep on the way back. Between his headache, his throbbing hand and the crick in his neck, it was impossible to relax, so he busied himself with visions of Zero instead.

This was it. The play was coming to a close. As soon as he returned to the villa and fired all his help again, he could sit Jeremiah down and explain. He would have to do it as Zero, of course. Zero's deep voice, Zero's wide, sweeping gestures, Zero's charisma, or else Jeremiah would panic and overreact. Zero would point to his victory in Narita and detail every step, and the genius would make itself apparent.

It was just as they'd planned, when he'd been a boy. When Gottwald sat him down to explain why he backed Cornelia's decision to send him to the Military Academy.

"For your revenge, my liege, and the peace you desire, war will be necessary. Take this opportunity to learn all you can of the arts of war so that when you return, you return a victor."

When Lelouch finished his time at the Academy, he intended to fight under Cornelia. Gain the soldiers' love and maybe even his sister's approval - she claimed to have loved Marianne the Flash, and he heard several of his mother's beliefs echoed in her war-cries. Why shouldn't she join his crusade? Slowly, slowly, he would form his army. And then the true war would begin.

That would have taken him years. Thanks to the witch and her gift, he had formed his army in the span of months. He was already close to taking a nation, and had already crushed his brother in battle. Phenomenal! Beyond their wildest expectations. And now, at last, Jeremiah could share in his glory.

Almost there… Almost…

Lelouch didn't even wait for Jeremiah to open the door for him. He stepped out the instant the car stopped and strode ahead. Now he just had to deal with that gardener and —

"Big brother!"

A lump formed in his throat. "N-Nunally."

She broke into a brilliant smile, turning in her chair to face him. "Lelouch! Oh, I was so worried."

He heard the door close behind him and saw Jeremiah coming to his side. Nunally knew he was there as well and greeted him.

"I suppose I should've known better than to worry about my brother with you here, Jeremiah."

"You flatter me, Your Highness," Jeremiah said with a deep bow they both knew Nunally couldn't see. Lelouch appreciated it a great deal.

He took Nunally's hand and crouched beside her, trying to find his voice. His soft voice, not… He'd been thinking so intently on Zero, and Zero was power. Zero was an icon. Zero did not have a little sister.

"I'm fine, Nunally. Clovis — tch, Clovis had me drugged. I've been completely out of it these past few hours."

"Oh." Her fingers traced his palm, feather-soft. A look of concern flashed briefly across her face and then melted into her usual warm expression. "I'm sure he meant well. You know Clovis."

_I do. But you don't._

"Anyway, I'm glad you weren't involved in all the fighting. The reports we've been hearing… That landslide — it was so awful!"

That landslide was a stroke of genius. Take out a considerable chunk of the Britannian forces and isolate the rest. Who else would have thought of using the Guren's Radiant Wave Surger to create a landslide? Who else would have _dared_ to create a landslide? Just because he'd miscalculated a little…

"Let's go inside," he said, then frowned and cleared his throat. When he spoke again, the soft voice was back. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

"Oh, I thought you might be," Nunally said as he took hold of her chair. "So I had Lucy and Susan make us a late lunch."

Lucy and… The help. Lelouch glanced over his shoulder and gave Jeremiah a meaningful look. The knight nodded and bowed before he left to round up the servants again. The guards outside would've stopped any of them from escaping, but they couldn't have stopped them from roaming the villa. Not when Nunally had let them out of the room Jeremiah had locked them all in before he left.

Did she know how he'd been betrayed? She'd have asked why the servants were imprisoned like that, and his men would surely have answered.

…Did she know the gardener hadn't been able to drug him? Did she know he lied to her? Lelouch looked down at his sister, taking in the warmth of her smile.

_You're too forgiving, Nunally… Don't ever change._

"You know. I feel like cooking," he said. "I haven't cooked in a long time."

He hadn't worried about poisoning in a long time.

Maybe he should tell Jeremiah about Geass too, so that he didn't worry when Lelouch brought in yet more servants. He just didn't have the time to take care of the entire household on his own again. He wasn't a child anymore. He was a young man, a prince and sub-viceroy, and the saviour of a nation.

"You should make those blueberry pancakes, Lelouch."

"Blueberry pancakes it is."

Lelouch made the pancakes and couldn't hide the fact that one of them plopped on the floor while flipping. Nunally's laugh was quiet and subdued, so he dropped another one and hoped her big brother's silliness would cheer her up. He was only marginally successful. They ate together on the veranda, and there she told him what was bothering her.

"People died today."

Of course, he'd been expecting that, but it turned out that wasn't quite what bothered her. As Lelouch dabbed her cheek lightly from the sticky maple syrup, she continued, "I know that it's - natural. I understand that it was necessary to… to root out the terrorists…"

And as much as it broke his heart to hear her pain, as proud as he was of her for being so grown-up about it, part of him was glad to hear her reluctance. He didn't want his little sister to start treating death the same way he and Cornelia did.

"I intended to try and evacuate the towns at the mountain base," he assured her. A lie, of course, since doing that would have alerted the JLF. "But Clovis…"

"I know, Big brother." Nunally reached for his hand and clasped it between hers tightly. She tried to smile. "I know. You have a good heart." Her hand went to press against his chest, a little off from where his heart actually was, the heart he wasn't supposed to have, as a prince of Britannia. "The people who died there, in Narita, it's our duty to tend to them. As prince and princess, and you as sub-viceroy and commander, the soldiers expect us to respect the fallen."

They expected nothing of the sort. And that was why it would be so, so much more effective. Create a comparison between him and Clovis; his victories and connection to the soldiers vs. Clovis' defeat and frivolity. It was genius.

"I'll be returning to Narita soon," he assured her.

"I'm coming with you."

* * *

She wasn't sure what she imagined would happen when she came here. She knew that her brother would be his usual protective self, and she knew there wasn't much she could do anyway, but Nunally hadn't thought she'd be pushed this far aside.

The tired soldier rattled off another name and phone number, then an account of the injuries while she waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello? This is the Britannian field base in Narita. May I speak to Lady Eisenhart, please?"

Nunally had learned not to announce her status after the first few people hung up on her, thinking she was a prank caller. She'd also learned to sound as tough and serious as she possibly could.

"I'm sorry to inform you that Lord Eisenhart sustained a great deal of injury in the — Yes, he's alive and currently being tended to by our doctors until he's well enough to be moved. Very well, I'm sure he'll be delighted to see you."

It wasn't a bad job, exactly. Nunally understood the importance of what she was doing. Narita was all over the news today, and there was nothing worse than being left in the dark. These people needed to know what happened to their loved ones. But it wasn't what a princess should be doing. As princess, she should be touring the field hospital, consoling the injured and the dying. She should be showing the soldiers that the Empire cared for them, even the common ones.

Except the Empire didn't care, did it? And she had trouble moving her chair in the uneven terrain. She'd be no consolation at all, a weakling comforting fellow weaklings.

Nunally swallowed and clenched her jaw, tucked her hair behind her ear and lifted the phone again.

"Next name, please."

"Joseph Fenette."

* * *

Lelouch wiped his forehead with the back of his gloved hand. He was sweating in spite of the air conditioning, and decided that he must've caught something. Hopefully it would go away once he actually managed to get a full night's rest. He didn't see that happening in the near future, however.

"Jeremiah! Over here."

The Sutherland's fingers removed rocks and clods of dirt from his path, slowly revealing the dented metal frame of the knightmares buried underneath.

"_Poor bastard,"_ Lord Ashley said over the radio. He appeared beside Lelouch and was soon followed by Jeremiah. Together they managed to extract the half-crushed Sutherland from its grave. It was their third find so far, the thirty-second one the army had discovered, with many left to go.

"_The hatch is useless," _Jeremiah observed. _"We'll have to send the knightmare down, have them open it."_

Finally, an excuse to be rid of him.

"Lord Ashley, if you'd be so kind?"

"_Of course, your Highness."_

Lelouch watched the knightmare leave, feeling a knot beginning to form in his stomach. This was it. He'd forgotten much of what he'd planned to say during the train ride, the words lost in Nunally's insistence to go to Narita and then in the flurry of formalities when they arrived. But now, at last, they were alone. He pulled his phone out —it wasn't safe to talk over radio— and dialled Jeremiah's number, then attached it to his ear, his hands returning to the controls.

"_Your Highness?"_ Jeremiah sounded puzzled, of course.

"Jeremiah. I think it's time you know where I've been disappearing to."

They kept moving, digging through the mud, so as not to attract suspicion.

"_While I'm overjoyed your Highness has decided to divulge your secret at last, might this not be better left until we return to the villa?"_

"No, it cannot wait."

A tree was embedded in the ground, its ravaged roots hanging in the air. Jeremiah helped him get it out of the way. Underneath, something sparked and fizzled then died out instantly. Lelouch hadn't expected to find another so soon. Sweat beaded on his forehead as they worked, as he agonised over the right wording.

"Today's victory was mine, Jeremiah." He tossed a severed metal arm aside and then helped pull the knightmare out of the dirt. "In truth, I have no mistress, Japanese or otherwise."

The knot in his stomach tightened. Lelouch wet his lips and drew on the strength he used for Zero. When he spoke again, it was with Zero's voice. "In truth, I am — "

"_Dear God, Alex!"_

The name had been swallowed in Jeremiah's outburst. It now lodged in Lelouch's throat, threatening to suffocate him. General Alex, yes, that was his knightmare, the shoulder-plates painted a lighter purple to signify his rank. His unit had been swept away by the landslide. He recalled acknowledging the fact while he gloated in his Burai. He also recalled feeling a vague twinge of regret for the loss of that man.

He'd only known very Alex briefly. Good man. Knew his place. Mathis Alexander had also been Jeremiah's friend — he'd forgotten that. Jeremiah was the one who introduced them. And while Lelouch knew that General Alex had tried to pry his old friend from the vi Britannias many times over the years, he also knew it was only out of concern for Gottwald's future.

With the Sutherland torn open, Lelouch could see him. A glance was all it took, he couldn't stand any more. There was blood splattered around the cockpit, along with bits of... of...

Alex had his pistol with him, and chose to die on his own terms rather than wait to suffocate underneath the earth.

Lelouch opened his cockpit and scrambled up. He just barely managed to throw himself to the side in time to splatter his late lunch over the mountainside.

"Prince Lelouch...?"

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then, disgusted, peeled the glove off and threw it away. Lelouch slowly pushed himself from where he'd been leaning on his Sutherland, standing up straight, and nodded.

"I'm fine." Far from Zero's deep voice, he sounded like a shaken little boy, so he said it again. "I'm fine. I'm... sorry for your loss. General Alexander was a friend of yours, wasn't he?"

"He was."

Jeremiah saluted the corpse and then radioed the soldiers to come remove General Alex's body and take it down to the waiting tents.

Nunally was safe in an air-conditioned room in the school they'd commandeered. From what Lelouch had last heard, she'd insisted on helping somehow and ended up phoning the families of the victims. Would she remember Alex? Would she mourn? There were other knights here they'd known, lords and ladies they'd rubbed elbows with. Most were a despicable bunch, but Nunally didn't think like that. Consoling the dead soldiers' loved ones might be too much for her.

"Let's move on," Lelouch said. He took one last deep breath of the mountain air. It had been cold and fresh in the morning, when the sun was still pale and he was ordering the Guren to induce a landslide. Now the air tasted of dirt and ashes. He retreated into the comfort of his cockpit, where no one could see him, and pushed his Sutherland forward.

A video comm link request appeared on his screen. Lelouch hesitated a moment before he clicked it, and saw Jeremiah's concerned expression.

_"Are you sure, my lord?"_

"Of course I'm sure."

_"We've been here for a while now. Perhaps Princess Nunally would like to go home?"_

Giving him a dignified excuse to escape. How chivalrous.

"I'm sure, Gottwald," he said through gritted teeth. "Let's move on."

_"...Very well."_

He closed the video link and took a deep, ragged breath. It was ridiculous. He had killed men before. Watched them salute, lift the pistols to their temples, splatter their blood and, yes, _brains_ all over. There was nothing new with Alexander. Except that he'd known the man, perhaps. He was a good man.

They uncovered three more bodies before his depleting energy filler forced him to return to the base. None of the three had had pistols with them. One had gotten crushed. Another had clawed desperately as she died. The sight of her bloody fingers haunted Lelouch when he looked down at his own hands, one gloved in black and one bare. Both covered in blood, even if not literally.

Accompanying that image was Jeremiah's voice in his ears, muttering curses at the coward Zero.

"Soldiers shouldn't have to die this way," he said as he handed Lelouch a bottle of water. They were resting in a tent, watching soldiers moving body bags to and fro.

"Death is the result of war, isn't it?"

"Not like this." Jeremiah sank into the chair beside him, shaking his head. For once, his shoulders were slumped. "It's dishonourable. They had no chance of survival, no chance to fight. God _damn_ that Zero."

It echoed. Lelouch gulped down his water but the lump remained, and his hands, though he washed them, were still red. He poured the rest of the water over his head. No, it didn't matter how they died. Had he pulled the same stunt as Prince Lelouch vi Britannia they would have sung his praises for weeks.

"War isn't fair. That's just the way it is," he said. "Zero did what he had to do to win."

If Jeremiah wondered why his prince was defending their enemy, he didn't say so. He merely shook his head and drank his water and stayed quiet.

Lelouch had miscalculated here as well. Jeremiah may have been his loyal knight, but he would forever be a Britannian, first and foremost. He wouldn't be able to accept Zero. The charade would have to continue.

_No rest for the wicked, is that it?_

He let out a snort and threw his empty bottle to the ground.

* * *

They spent the night in Narita. One of the bodies recovered was the father of Princess Nunally's friend, and so she wanted to be here when that friend arrived. They took quarters in the school —the Nurse's ward had a bed which naturally went to the princess— to keep away from the chaos of the military base and the ongoing recovery efforts.

Jeremiah found himself locked out of the room with instructions to go out and relax. That unsettled him more than anything else he'd seen or heard that day. His prince would never order him away, especially not with Princess Nunally with him and in the midst of all these enemies. It was clear now that he wasn't even safe in his own home, let alone with all of the Viceroy's men here. But Prince Lelouch had made it clear that he really did want him to unwind and would be very upset if he didn't.

After much pacing around and having left very strict instructions with the knights standing guard at the door, Jeremiah tore himself away from his duty. He was soon cradling a glass of cheap, watered-down brandy with several other lords and ladies in a gymnasium filled with body-bags. The air smelled of decay and cigar smoke. It was suffocating and he immediately wished he was back with his prince.

Conversation was sparse and spoken in mumbles. Even the most hardened soldiers were affected by the bodies in the landslide and many had lost loved ones. Zero's victory was crushing. Everyone looked haunted. Most were slightly drunk. Jeremiah drank his brandy and did his best to ignore them which, of course, didn't go very well.

After punching a Lord Dellaware unconscious for trying to provoke him by insulting the vi Britannias, Jeremiah sat down again and asked for a refill. They gave him the bottle. As he unscrewed the cap and poured the amber liquid into his glass, yet another person slid into place beside him.

"You people just never learn, do you?" he very nearly growled. The woman beside him just chuckled and waved her empty glass in front of him.

"Do a girl a favour, hm?"

He relaxed a little and filled her glass. "Are you still disappointed you couldn't join in on the Narita operation, Villetta?"

Villetta took a sip of her brandy. He found his answer in the sour twist of her lips.

"That red knightmare could've been the end of you," he said, setting the bottle down between their chairs. He paid no attention to how she crossed her bare legs, and how enticing they looked. Serving under Marianne vi Britannia had taught Jeremiah to rise above such things — or at least not to be obvious about it. "They're calling it the Devil's Right Hand."

"I could've beaten it," she said.

"Doubtful." And because it was never wise to doubt the abilities of a woman with a weapon, he added, "Not in a Sutherland, at least."

"Well, even dying at the hands of that damned red knightmare would've been better than sitting around, guarding little miss sunshine."

"Careful." He shot her a sharp glance and Villetta bowed her head.

"I apologise. I meant no disrespect." A lie, but he wasn't in the habit of hitting women. Not when they were allies, at least. "It's just… so frustrating! Day in and day out at that school, enduring that infernal Ashford — here! Look! Here's that ring Prince Lelouch had me pick out for her in exchange for letting me come."

She thrust her hand under his nose. Even in the semi-darkness the ring was eye-catching. Diamond of course, large and ostentatious. In other words, the perfect royal offering.

"Good job."

Villetta scoffed, sounding disgusted, and drank her brandy. "A knight is not supposed to pick out jewellery."

"A knight is supposed to do whatever is commanded of him. Or her."

He heard her sigh, probably realising at long last that he was the wrong person to rant to.

"You're right, of course," she said, slumping back in her chair. "Forgive me, I've just had a long day. I don't think I'd have minded it so much, if only it wasn't for _Ashford._ The girl is insufferable. Between her and that Cera, I'm starting to think that's the prince's type: insufferable."

Jeremiah turned in his chair to face her, his brows furrowing. "Cera? You've met her?"

"Unfortunately. Prince Lelouch brought her to meet his sister, I guess. She stayed over for a few days. The house reeked of pizza."

She stayed… with Princess Nunally? Without Prince Lelouch present at all times to ensure her safety? And how could a half-Eleven make it onto the Ashford campus unnoticed? Did he smuggle her in, dress her like a maid? Or perhaps her features were more Britannian than Eleven. Yes, that was more likely. That was probably how she'd snared the prince in the first place, and he didn't discover her heritage until it was too late.

"Did she have green hair?" he asked, remembering the few strands he'd found that one time he snooped around his prince's room.

Villetta nodded. At least he was assured it was just the one mistress.

"Oh, which reminds me. There was this man, this Chinese guy, he came up to me while I was getting the ring. Very creepy, calls himself Mao. He said he knew Cera, except he called her C.C."

"C.C.!"

The video. The green-haired girl with Zero, her name was C.C., wasn't it?

All of a sudden, things were clicking into place. His prince's unusually sombre mood, even with the dead soldiers in mind, his disappearances, his unusual defence of Zero's methods. Up on the mountain, when they found Alex, Prince Lelouch had been telling him he had no mistress. He was renouncing her. Then, truly, it was she. His Cera was, in fact, Zero's accomplice, if not the true brains behind Zero. The thing that had shaken his prince was the atrocities his lover committed, and it seemed, by the end, that he couldn't bring himself to hate her even then.

Zero had manipulated him well. Prince Lelouch would now be powerless against him, as attacking Zero would mean attacking his love, and he was just a teenager. Love at that age seemed all-powerful, all-consuming.

Jeremiah got to his feet and pulled Villetta up with him. "Can you take me to this Mao character?"

"Er, no, but—"

Her phone rang. She handed it to him wordlessly and Jeremiah put it to his ear.

"_You rang, oh white knight?"_

The accented voice was childish and grating. Jeremiah hated him already.

"_Tsk tsk. Hate is such a strong word. That's not how a knight should be!"_

"Mao, is it?"

"_At your service. You want to save your precious Lulu, hmmm? Meet me in the dumpster behind the school. You have five minutes."_

He closed the phone and shoved it back at Villetta. "How does he know your number?" Better yet, how did he know when to call? Did she give him a signal? Was she too part of the conspiracy?

He must not have done a very good job at hiding his thoughts because Villetta, usually so composed, became wide-eyed and held her hands up in front of her in a gesture of peace. "I don't know. This Mao guy. We talked today, and he always… He knew _everything_."

"What do you mean?"

She averted her gaze for a moment, seeming conflicted. "I mean he knew everything. My childhood, my family, my secrets— things I'd never told a living soul." Villetta took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye. "He said he can read minds."

* * *

Lelouch glanced at his sister's sleeping form then looked back to the witch standing at the window. Rather than her usual prisoner's garb she was now dressed like a Britannian knight, white cloak and all. He took a moment to make sure Nunally was still tucked in properly, all snug and warm, before crossing the room and opening the window. She leaped in with all the grace of a cat, the cape fluttering.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered harshly. He closed the window again and drew the curtains.

"Normally, one begins a conversation by saying _hello_," she said, not even bothering to keep her voice down. His lips pursed and he jabbed his finger over his shoulder, in Nunally's general direction. She just shrugged.

"If you don't behave yourself I'll just have my guards escort you outside."

"No you won't." She wasn't so loud this time, though she was right. He couldn't risk anyone seeing her after that Lancelot recording.

"I'm in no mood for your games. What do you want?"

"You're required back at the base," C.C. said, stroking her thick, braided hair. "Not all of your new allies are happy with you, namely Miracle-boy."

Tohdoh Kyoshiro. That was unfortunate. It might have had something to do with how he'd taunted Suzaku earlier that morning, or yesterday technically, but it likely went beyond that. He was one of Katase's most trusted men. Had he noticed something wrong with the general's behaviour?

"I'll attend to it in the morning," he said.

"I suggest you attend to it now. They've already thrown that loudmouth into solitary confinement."

The loudmouth being Tamaki, of course. Lelouch was far from surprised. Who did he piss off now? He heaved a sigh. So no sleep tonight either.

"Do you have my clothes?"

"I have a car waiting for you by the Japanese restaurant, just a block away. Don't be late."

She left the same way she'd arrived, and Lelouch made a mental note to ask her how the hell she always managed to stay undetected. Centuries of practice, he supposed. He returned to Nunally's bed, making one final check of the covers, and leaned down to plant a kiss on her forehead.

The red of his hands was even worse against her pale skin. Then he blinked, and the blood was gone. She'd forgive him, wouldn't she…?

Lelouch pulled on his jacket and tied his cravat loosely. There was no cap or sunglasses to help hide him a little but the restaurant wasn't too far from here and he'd sent Jeremiah away. His Geass would just have to do.

* * *

The guards he'd left in his place were just as puzzled to discover Prince Lelouch's disappearance. They swore that none of them had so much as twitched, let alone abandoned their posts, and they hadn't allowed anyone in or out. The window could only be latched from the inside, so he definitely hadn't left that way.

To make things worse, Mao's silly laughter and clapping woke the princess up. Jeremiah clamped a hand over the Chinese man's mouth before he could explain what was going on and told her Prince Lelouch was needed elsewhere and they'd collected him. She seemed disappointed that he was gone but took his words for truth.

"What kind of white knight lies to damsels in distress, hmmmm?"

Jeremiah grabbed the front of his coat and slammed him against the wall. Mao only laughed again. They were attracting curious looks but no one dared approach.

"Where is he?"

"With C.C., of course." Mao shoved him away and adjusted the headphones that had slipped off. Jeremiah could still hear the woman's soft voice saying _I love you, Mao_ over and over. Was that C.C.? Was that what she said to his prince? "She's taking him to Zero. See how you've failed him? Just like you failed his mommy. Just like you failed the little princess."

He let out a frustrated cry and tried to take a swing at Mao, who only ducked away with a patronising grin.

"Failure after failure after failure. And you call yourself a knight?"

Before Jeremiah could lunge at him again, Mao was skipping down the hallway, chanting, "I know where they aaaaaare!" He had no choice but to follow.

* * *

The old Britannian woman who met them at the back door was the Japanese restaurant's owner. That wasn't surprising. Britannians loved to indulge in the natives' food every once in a while, and sushi was becoming very popular in Pendragon. What was surprising was that this woman and her daughter were Zero supporters. They ushered him in—mask, costume and all— with awed smiles on their faces.

"It's really you, isn't it?" the daughter said, breathless in her adoration.

Her mother placed a hand on her shoulder. "Please excuse my daughter. We just… We never thought we'd actually see you in the flesh. It's true, then? The Black Knights are working with the JLF now?"

"General Katase and I have reached an agreement, yes, that is true." His gaze flickered to each of the shuttered windows, ears straining to pick up the sound of footsteps. Britannian soldiers come to drag the vigilante away.

C.C. opened a door and gestured for him to follow. "The tunnel's this way."

Zero strode after her, the mother prattling as she tagged along. She explained that they'd lived here for over a decade and that her husband had been killed by the invading Britannian forces. He listened with only half an ear, but it gave him ideas of the stories he could spin to gain Tohdoh's trust. He could claim he'd been here before the invasion too. He could claim he'd loved the Japan of before. What he recalled from Euphie's Japanese training and her letters would help him with the details. Maybe he'd even say he'd lost someone dear to him— his mother, maybe. The best lies were the ones with grains of truth in them.

He'd need to talk this over with Kaguya first, in case she decided to drop any more 'hints'. He was seriously considering just Geassing her and saving himself the headache, especially with the wedding venues she kept trying to show him, but he was reluctant to waste it. Kaguya was still useful to him.

They led him down a trap door to their cellar, where sacks of rice and flour slouched against the walls. He was saved from the worst of the damp smells by his mask, but it soon became suffocating. C.C. helped the daughter push a cupboard aside, revealing the hole in the wall.

"Are you really Britannian, Zero?" the old woman asked. He really only noticed the question because of the expectant silence that came after it, but he pretended he hadn't and thanked them for their help instead.

Together, he and C.C. stepped into the hole in the wall and were swallowed by the darkness.

Moments passed in silence, save for the sound of their breathing and their muffled footsteps. The mother and daughter slid the cupboard back and he had to rely on C.C. to guide him along, until at last he saw the twin lights of the waiting car. The driver, a JLF soldier, scrambled out and held the door open, offering him a deep bow. Lelouch slid into the back seat with a smirk. The unease he'd felt all afternoon was beginning to fade. He had no doubt he'd feel even better once he spoke with his army again and relived his victory.

Lelouch looked down at his hands, gloved in royal purple. There was only a speck of red on the left glove. It didn't go away when he blinked, though, and after a moment of trying to rub it off he decided it must be sauce. The witch had probably handled his costume with her mouth stuffed full of pizza. His mask did smell vaguely of cheese…

"What are the details?"

C.C. didn't answer, focused on releasing her hair from the tight braid. He tapped a finger on his knee until she looked up at last, combing through the green strands. "I don't know all the details. I'm Zero's friend, after all, no one will tell me anything… But I heard the word _blackmail_ tossed around a few times."

"From the Holy Swords, I take it?"

"That's right. The woman and the one with glasses, they were talking about a disc."

He should have fed Katase specifics concerning that. He should have made the man say there had been nothing of worth on the disc and perhaps act suspiciously, give those loyal followers of his something to think about. Lelouch wasn't sure Katase remembered the disc in the first place.

The car screeched into a stop, throwing him and C.C. against the front seats. He bit back a curse and passed a tongue over his teeth to make sure nothing was bleeding after they'd slammed into the modulator in his mask.

Lelouch lifted his throbbing head and tried to see what the problem was, even as the car sped in reverse. It was the whirring sound that clued him in, long before he saw the purple-painted landspinners. A Sutherland. Britannia had caught up with him at last.

"We can't outrun it," he said. Even if they did, the mother and daughter had closed the door. The five minutes it took them open it again would be the end. "Stop the car!"

The driver didn't obey. He reached into his tailcoat and pulled out his pistol, but C.C. grabbed his arm. "What are you doing?"

"We took down the Lancelot, didn't we?"

"It's too dangerous here. There's nowhere for you to take cover and he could—"

"ZEROOOO! Face me, you coward!"

A burst of bullets sent the car veering to the left, the Japanese soldier yelling panicked curses at the Britannian knight as he tried to avoid him. The bullets kept coming. It was obvious the intention was getting them to stop or crash, not to kill them. Not yet anyway.

"I, Jeremiah Gottwald, have come to avenge my lord, Lelouch vi Britannia!"

Once he found his voice again, Lelouch commanded the driver to stop the car. A glance in the mirror was all it took. The soldier intoned, "Yes, your highness," and slammed his foot on the brakes, just as Jeremiah took out one of their tyres. His head slammed against the roof of the car, the plates of the mask digging into his skull.

Lelouch clenched his teeth, eyes screwed shut, until the car was done jerking around and his head stopped swimming. When he looked up again the driver was dead and Jeremiah was striding to them with a pistol in his hand and murder on his face.

_I should've told him. I should've told him. He shouldn't have to find out like this._

He splayed his fingers over the oval surface of his mask, pressing as he always did.

The plates did not retract.

* * *

The skin beneath her fringe began to glow and he recalled Mao's words: _She's a witch, don't let her touch you. _Jeremiah hated to shoot a woman, but didn't hesitate to fire several rounds into her chest. She fell into a bloody heap on the ground, eerie amber eyes staring up at him blankly. He stepped over her body and ducked into the car. There he was. Zero. Huddled in a corner, hands over his mask. His prince was nowhere in sight.

So, Mao was right. Lelouch was gone.

He dragged Zero to the ground, right beside his beloved witch, and pressed his foot down on the worm's chest.

"You're the great Zero, are you?"

Zero had barely resisted, so that must mean he had a plan up his sleeves. Did he intend to barter, using Lelouch's body as a bargaining chip? Or was he intending to use that 'power' of his? His eyes narrowed behind the sunglasses Mao gave him. Jeremiah wasn't sure what to believe anymore. All he knew was that this man was evil and must be put down. He couldn't waste his time wondering about variables. He wasn't Lelouch.

Jeremiah clenched his teeth. He cocked his pistol and aimed at Zero's head.

"Remove the mask, Jeremiah."

He stomped on Zero's stomach, the foot then returning to his chest to prevent the man from doubling over.

"_Sir_ Jeremiah Gottwald."

The worst thing about it all was that, if Mao was right, the man beneath the mask was Britannian. A man he knew and had fought beside, a man he had saved countless times. A man who had lied to his face and murdered his brothers in arms. He wasn't even a terrorist, fighting for some rights he thought he had. Zero was nothing more than a filthy traitor.

"I don't care who you are beneath that mask," he said, his upper lip curling back into a snarl. "The mask is your true face. It's only fitting you die in it."

Whoever Zero was, he was no longer a friend. Seeing his face would only make things worse, and Jeremiah intended to hand over Zero's carcass mostly intact.

"I have one question for you. If you answer truthfully I'll grant you the mercy you denied your comrades: I'll give you an honourable death. Where is Prince Lelouch?"

"Pull the mask off."

"_Where_ is Prince Lelouch?"

"The plates are dented. If you could just—"

He shifted his foot to press against Zero's neck and leaned down. He spoke through gritted teeth. "Where. Is. My prince?"

The choked speech was made even worse by the voice modulator. Jeremiah had to remove his foot before he got anything coherent.

"For god's sake, Orange, it's me!"

He smashed the butt of his pistol against the clear oval of the mask. "How _dare_ you use that word!"

Her Highness' childhood nickname for him meant that this bastard had been close to the vi Britannias as well. He'd likely known Prince Lelouch as a boy. Maybe he'd even been part of the assassination that had taken his Lady Marianne. Right under his nose all these years!

Jeremiah straightened up and took aim. "Good bye, Zero."

He squeezed the trigger. A hand clamped around his ankle and, glancing down, he saw the witch glaring up at him a split-second before everything went white.

Colour bled into his vision again after a few moments. A new scene. Sunlight glinted off of broken glass and jewels, and Marianne vi Britannia lay dead on the staircase. Her wide, vacant eyes found him and only him. He knew what she was saying.

_You failed._

An agonised cry tore through his throat as he fell to his knees. The young prince screamed at him, little fists hammering away at his chest. Then the prince was a man, kicking him down, and Jeremiah saw his eyes were still glistening, even though he was full-grown. Jeremiah knew what he was saying.

_You failed._

_You failed me._

_I put my life in your hands, and you failed me._

_Why?_

The scene shifted. There was darkness again. Rather than the blood-splattered marble floors of the palace he was lying in the dirt. The witch C.C. stood over him, a pistol in her hand.

"He's recovered," she said, to Zero no doubt. Zero, who'd taken it all. His Lady, his liege, his comrades, his honour. Jeremiah tensed, willing his tired limbs to push him up when the moment was right. The most he could hope for, now, was to die while scratching Zero's eyes out.

Zero's eyes were violet.

"I didn't want you to know like this, Jeremiah," he said, in a voice Jeremiah knew was usually reserved for Princess Nunally. "I'm sorry."

"Lelouch…"

He wore a sad smile, only half of which he could see. The other half was hidden behind a jagged piece of his mask. Blood trickled down his forehead, parting at his nose to form two streams that came around his mouth and that smile.

A bloody smile. A bloody mask, which he had broken. There would soon be bruises too.

He'd shot at his prince. He'd hurt his prince. He'd very nearly _killed_ his prince. Marianne's son. Lelouch.

"Lelouch vi Britannia commands you…"

* * *

**N/A:** Hah, see? Didn't take six months this time. -assumes superhero pose-

The next chapter will probably take a while, though. -ducks from angry readers- I'm sorry, I'm sorry! But I have two term papers coming up, two short-stories due and NaNoWriMo to slog through, so yeah. On the upside, the Mao arc is a part I've been looking forward to write since I began this fic, so I'll be back as soon as I can! Wish me luck?


End file.

Code Geass, Drama, Sci-Fi