Disclaimer: Code Geass is the property of Bandai, Sunrise Entertainment, and Funimation. Anna Peries, and Maria Falkner are the property of StormWolf77415. This is purely a non-profit fan based story.
FORWARD: Ya ever see a side character in a show or game, and wonder "Hmmm I wonder what their story is. Like what adventures they had or how they got where they were?" Like even if that character had only a few seconds of screentime. Well... Here's one right now.
"My name is Marika Soresi. I'm Fifteen years old, and starting my first day at the Imperial Britannian Military Academy. I come from a long line of military service. My grandmother was one of the first female officers to serve in the battlefield during some of Britannia's earliest conquests, my father served as a Captain on board a Frigate for ten years before an injury forced him into early retirement, and my older brother Kewell is already a soldier serving in Area 11. That used to be Japan up until this big war six years ago happened, now they are part of Britannia. I know things are not going well, and there is a lot of people unhappy with us owning their land now, but still eventually things will work out for the best. Britannia can usher the whole world into a peaceful loving place. Sure things look bad now, but in the future I'm sure people can calm down, put things into perspective, and they can see that fighting and hating will only drag everyone down. I know it will be a hard road ahead, and I know there will be danger and death ahead, but I will follow my family's example, and keep the peace not just for Britannia, but for the world.
Steel railing screeched as the elevated train made its way down the tracks. I sat in one of the middle seats, just awkwardly listening to some music on my phone. I always was kinda shy due to living a bit of a sheltered life. I didn't see anyone I wanted to talk to at the time, so I just kept to myself looking out the window as we passed through the city of Pendragon.
I was broken out of my thoughts when out of the corner of my eye, I saw a pretty blond girl about my age step on the train, she waved, and flirted with people along the aisles before finally plopping down in the seat beside mine. I awkwardly turned my head away from her, I don't really think she would be interested in anything I'd have had to say, so I tried to ignore her, and focus on my songs.
Or at least that is what I would have done had she not yanked my earphones out and nearly shouted the word "Hi!" straight into my right ear. I nearly jumped out of my seat in shock from the suprise forced interaction. My heartrate doubles, and my adrenal glands go into overdrive. "What do you want?!" I scream much to the shock of the entire car. I quickly realize what I am doing, and shrink back a bit. "Sorry about that." I say to the entire car before turning to the blonde. "You startled me."
"Oh, my bad." She said casually placing an arm around me, much to my chagrin. "Name's Liliana. What's your name?"
I stammer a bit before speaking up. "Marika Soresi."
"Cool, so you going to the academy too? That sounds awesome, always glad to meet a fellow student!" She said happily.
"Oh, you're a student too?" I asked immediately berating myself. What a stupid question, she was wearing the same uniform I was. A black blazer with gold-trimmed shoulderpads. a knee-length black pencil skirt, and black low-heeled shoes with knee-high dark grey stockings.
"Sure am." She said. "I'm so exited. I'm the first in my family to attend the Military Academy."
"Really? But aren't you a noblewoman too?" I asked a bit confounded.
"Not really, my Dad is only a Knight." Lilianna said. "He saved a Grand Duke's kid from getting hit by a car four years ago, The Duke called in some favors, and Dad got Knighted and everything. That's how I was allowed to come here."
"Makes sense." I said nodding. From what I understood, you had to at least be directly related to a Knight to be accepted to the Academy.
"Yep. So you wanna be friends?" Liliana asked happily. "I've never met a fellow noblewoman my age, and you seem like a nice person."
"Sure thing." I said smiling a bit myself in spite of how informal and down-to-earth this girl was. The muffled screeching of brakes went as the train finally slowed to a stop in front of a huge building... A campus more like it composed of multiple levels with entire floors dedicated to piloting, and military exercises. This was the Pendragon Imperial Military Academy.
"Oh wow, it's even bigger than the pictures made it look!" Liliana said jumping around almost. "This is so incredible. This is where we get to learn to be soldiers!"
I shake my head at her antics, she's so hyper and carefree. Did she really think this was conduct becoming of a future officer? The door slowly opens and one by one the people who either go to, or work at this Academy file off the train car onto the platform. I make my way onto the grounds, and head for the main adminstration building. I walk inside to see a girl with long straight silver hair being harassed by some boys.
"Come on Girl, don't you wanna hang out with some real movers and shakers." The lead boy said. "You're just a Knight. My Dad is an Earl. I'm going places. An orphan like you is struggling to get by." He moved to touch her face only for the girl to grab his arm, and force him to his knees.
"Who is struggling?" She asked in an annoyed matter. "Now leave me alone before I get really mad." She said letting him go.
"Owowow okay, lemme go!" He said as she released him, and he scrambled away. "Frigid bitch, I'll make you pay for that." He threatend as the girl shrugged him off.
"Hey, are you okay?" I ask walking up to her. "I get that he was being a jerk, but he's a higher rank than you."
"I'll be fine." She said. "I'm not scared of him, no matter his rank."
"Hey I know you!" Liliana said running up. "You're Anna Peries. You won the 3rd Annual Knightmare Wars Tournament, and recieved Knighthood from Princess Cornelia herself!" I blink. Come to think of it, this silver haired young lady did look familiar.
"Yeah. That's me, now would you keep your voice down. I'd rather not draw the attention of all of Pendragon." Anna said. "Now if you will excuse me I have better things to do than talk to you." She said walking away.
"Well she's... Not very good with people." I say watching her leave.
"Yeah, oh well, not everyone is gonna like you at first. That's why you gotta make a good impression." Lilianna said patting my back. "Now come on, let's go register." She said nearly dragging me off to the front desk.
It was a suprisingly simple task to do. Just a few sheets of paperwork with basic information, and we were good to go. Handed our dorm room keys, and sent on our way.
"Room 1525." Liliana said examining the number. "Sweet looks like we get to be roomates." She said smiling. I nod a bit put off, but trying to remain polite. We walk outside only to be greeted by a cry and splash as a wavy brown haired girl literally fell out of her shoes into the fountain. Nearly everyone pointed at the girl and laughed.
"Stop laughing, that poor girl could be hurt!" I admonish the ctowd before marching up to the girl as she got to her knees. "Hey there, are you okay?" I ask offering my hand to help her out.
"Yeah... Thanks." She said as she stood and got out of the water shivering in the late summer wind. "I'm Maria... Maria Falkner."
"Marika Soresi." I say as she puts her shoes back on. "You sure you're okay. Do you need to visit the infirmiry?"
"N-no... I'm fine... I just need to dry off." She said awkwardly as the crowd dispersed.
"Better get dry fast." Liliana said checking her phone. "Assembly starts in less than forty minutes."
"Oh no... I can't go out there like this!" She said on the verge of crying.
"Hey hey, don't panic. We'll help you." Liliana said. "Come on, let's go to the bathroom. I have an idea."
I simply nod and follow them. I wanted to help this girl too regardless of her aparant weaknesses.
"This is seriously the best idea you had?" I asked as Liliana and I ran piece by piece of Maria's clothing under a hand dryer in the bathroom. "This will never get them dry in time."
"Not completely. I never said this would work perfectly." A blazerless Liliana said smiling. "But it's still better than nothing. She said as she finished drying off the poor girl's panties. "Here Maria, these should be dry enough for now." Liliana said handing them back to her over the door of the stall I was her bare feet as she quickly pulled them back on like they were a bulletproof vest in the middle of a shootout. I quickly finish drying out her bra and toss it back to her. I can only imagine how mortified I would be in such a situation naked in a public bathroom stall trusting two total strangers with my clothes.
"Thank you both." She said. "I'm so sorry I had to force this burden upon you."
"Hey don't worry about it." Liliana says as she dried off the skirt. "I wouldn't have come here if I didn't want to help people. This is just a precurssor to all the people we will help as soldiers." I blink at that as I work on Maria's blouse. This girl was not that different than I was. I wanted to help my fellow countrymen too.
"You two are saints." Maria said from behind the stall. "I wish more nobles were like you two."
"Oh I'm not a noble." Liliana said finishing up the skirt. "My Dad is only a knight. Marika is one though, right."
"That is correct." I say handing back her blouse. "My father is a Viscount."
"Ah... Mine is a Baron." Maria said. "Jon Falkner. He did... Not like it when I enrolled here." She said. "He thinks I'm not cut out to be more than a trophy wife... I wanted to prove I can be something more than just his klutzy daughter... I'm off to a good start so far." She said feeling down obviously.
"Hey don't be like that. You had one accident, it's too soon to doubt yourself now." Liliana said making me smile. "If you give up, then all you will do is prove him right." She added as she finished the stockings in a few quick passes under the dryer before handing them back.
"Thank you both again." She said choked up a bit. "I really need friends like you two."
"Yeah, we're your friends." I say handing back her jacket. "Just like you guys are my new friends."
Liliana just beamed and slapped my back lightly. "See I told you, I'd grow on you." Before I opened my mouth to protest. "Okay, I never said it, but I think it was implied." She grinned.
As soon as Maria was dressed, we went to the front desk and registered Maria too. "Oh wow, you get the same room as us?" Liliana said amazed and elated. "What a happy little coincidence."
She nodded meekly as we made our way to the auditorium for initiation. One lengthy speech from the headmaster later about how we were the future of the military, and how we all must do our best in order to insure the safety of the Empire for future generations. We are finally dismissed and allowed to go to our rooms to get unpacked before classes start.
"That was so boring. I get that it was important, but I can hardly remember any of what that old man was saying." Liliana said shaking her head. "He might as well have just handed out pamphlets with the speech on them."
"Liliana hush." I say worriedly. "You're going to get us in trouble if you say things like that around the staff."
"Yeah, sorry. I'm just so tried I could use a nap right now." She said sighing as we we arrived at our dorm, and opened it to find Anna sitting against one of the beds listening to music. She turns and sees us, taking out her ear buds.
"What are you two doing here?" She asked a little put off.
"Ummm, This is our dorm room." I say. "Is it yours too?"
"Yeah, why else would I be here." She said scoffing. "Listen, just don't bother me, and we'll get along fine." She said putting in her earphones again.
We nod, and head inside, our bags having already been delivered here by the help, we proceed to unpack, and claim our beds. "Whichever one Marika gets, I call the one right next to her's!" Liliana shouts.
"Wait what?!" I ask falling back a bit.
"Dammit quit shouting, you vapid bimbos!" Anna yells.
"Hey. You don't have to be so rude." Maria says to the silver-haired girl who just scoffs and turns her earphones up louder.
"Well we're best buddies, so of course I want to sleep right next to you." Liliana says beaming. I blush a bit at the implications of that. This girl was a bit too... affectionate for my taste. It was something I was not very used to. In fact as a child. I remember one time when I first came home from school, I ran up to hug Kewel, and he jumped to the side, and tripped me sending me face first into a partially dry mud puddle. It hurt... But not nearly as much as the thrashing my parents gave him in return. The point being we Soresi are not exactly known for public displays of affection even in the most platonic of ways.
"Okay. I guess since we are in seperate beds there's nothing wrong with that per say." I admit only to see Liliana trying to push all four of our beds together.
"Are you kidding me?!" I cry out.
"What, we're teammates now, time to start building our bonds!" Liliana declares.
"Oh my, I don't think I can." Maria is blushing even worse than I am.
"Oh hell no! I am not doing this with you weirdos!" Anna declared ripping out her buds again. Inside I sigh, this is going to be a long year.
(End of Chapter 1)