Title: Code Geass: Survival Challenge
Author: SkyDragonKing
Genre: Drama/Action
Rating: T
Summary: The most exciting of Ashford Academy's yearly traditions takes place as couples are selected to compete and win the fabulous grand prize! This is an AU story plz read & review!
"Lelouch..." A sweet, squeaky voice called from the side of his bed while a frail hand nudged his shoulder. He gave no response except the shift in his position remaining asleep still.
"Come on Lelouch, wake up." The voice stiffened a bit, trying to sound more firm and persuasive but the dormant young man gave it no heed as his gentle snoring continued.
"Le-louch!" The voice nearly shouted as two hands were used to shake the sleeping body. Despite the efforts, none were successful in waking Lelouch from his slumber.
Nunnally, the source of the voice grew frustrated in her failed attempts to wake her older brother and huffed after crossing her arms. Her brow furrowed.
"This is impossible." She complained aloud, getting the attention of another.
"What seems to be the problem Nunnally?" Said Sayoko, the caretaker of the young girl stepped in standing next to the seated Nunnally.
"I can't wake this lug up and he's going to make us late for school." Complained Nunnally as Sayoko eyed Lelouch and his sleeping form as he was mangled up in his sheets. A sly grin crossed the maid's face as she cracked her knuckles.
"Not to worry Nunnally, I'm a pro at this sort of thing. Watch this." She said as she walked along the bed until she was standing above Lelouch's head.
"Um, Sayoko, what are you going to do?" A curious Nunnally asked as her caretaker wriggled her fingers, eager to get going.
"The same thing I always do to wake up lazy bums like this." Nunnally could almost hear the evil laugh come from Sayoko as she drew closer to Lelouch.
Suddenly the maid from hell grabbed Lelouch's thin shoulders and pulled him up from his bed before the shaking began. The violent throttling preceded the small slaps that did nothing but leave little red marks on his cheeks.
"Oh, my!" Nunnally gasped as the sounds from the smacks reverberated throughout the room, but just as every attempt before it, failed. Sayoko let go of Lelouch allowing him to slump back down into bed.
"Gee, he must have really had a late night last night, I can't get him up!" Sayoko complained, putting her hands on her hips, she was stumped.
"Oh wait Sayoko, why don't we try this." Nunnally said as the thought popped into her head, and it was so simple. She reached over the bed, her hand hovering over her brother until it found his nose. Her hand clamped down Lelouch's nose, shutting his nostrils off from inhaling any oxygen. Now it was only a matter of time before...
"G-ah!" Came the startled cry from Lelouch as he shot up from his lying down position, sitting straight up on his bed, finally opening his violet eyes as her ran a hand through his black hair. He heard a couple of familiar chuckles to the left of him so he turned to find his sister and caretaker both standing there.
"W-what are you two doing in my room...?" He nearly mumbled before a stinging sensation overcame in his cheeks. "Ah...!" He winced as he held his face, rubbing the sore spots.
"You wouldn't wake up, and your alarm clock is busted again." Nunnally said looking at her big brother through her big violet eyes as Lelouch turned, leaning over the edge of his bed looking at the aforementioned hardware that rested on his nightstand.
"Grr, piece of junk." He muttered as he stood up, stretching himself up before a yawn. "...What time is it?" He asked both ladies.
"Why it's 8:10 Lelouch." Sayoko said cheerily as she looked at the watch on her wrist, his eyes almost popped out of his head.
"What! I only have twenty minutes until class starts..!" He shouted before he began to scramble around his room, pulling whatever pieces of his school uniform together.
"You're not the only one, I'm going to be late too, so get a move on." Nunnally reminded him as she directed her wheelchair out of the room with Sayoko close behind, giving her brother the space.
Lelouch hopped into his pants, struggling to get his foot through the last pant leg until he stumbled over his left shoe, causing him to fall straight to the floor.
"Ugh, I really need to stop staying out so late..." He said to no one in particular as he picked himself up to finish putting on his pants. "At this rate I'll sleep the whole day away." Lelouch went for his shirt next and buttoned it up.
"But the thing is, I can't." He said to his reflection in the mirror, adjusting the collar of his shirt and gave himself one more look. He stared at himself, fully dressed in his school uniform, the typical male attire of Ashford Academy students that consisted of black pants, shoes, a white button-up shirt and a black jacket with gold trimmings, buttons and the school crest on the collar, also gold.
Satisfied with his dress, Lelouch quickly moved on to the next phase of his daily routine. He only had fourteen minutes left to be out the door and in class, so he had to move fast.
"Hey Kallen...Kallen hunny..." A brown haired, blue eyed woman knocked on the door of her daughter's room, but received no answer. "Your going to be late for school hunny." Kallen's mother reminded with one last knock before walking down the hall.
Meanwhile, behind the door, Kallen, the aforementioned girl was a little preoccupied.
"Ninety...eight...ninety-nine...!" The young woman counted, strained as she continued to perform abdominal crunches taking a deep breath before finishing the set. "One...hundred!" She breathed before standing up from her worked out work out. Leaving her room, Kallen walked one door over and into the bathroom.
"She doesn't have to keep telling me, I know I'm running late." Kallen grumbled after she washed her face in the sink, looking herself in the mirror with her crystal blue eyes as her parted red bangs framed her clean face. Not being one for making herself up, she decided that was enough and carried on, back into her room.
Quickly draping herself in her school attire, Kallen pulled up her blue socks that stopped below her knee, followed by her black skirt that ended higher than mid-thigh, a little too short of a skirt for her taste. After buttoning up her white collared shirt and closing her beige jacket, Kallen fastened the green tie that bore the school crest around her neck, knot pre-tied. All ready to go, Kallen grabbed her bag and was on her way. Outside her door, Kallen's mother had arrived again, ready to leave another knock.
"Kal...ah!" Her mother jumped out of the way as the door flung open, away from her knuckle as Kallen charged out of the room and out of the apartment.
"I guess she was ready...!" Her startled mother let out a nervous laugh, watching her daughter bolt out the door.
Outside, Kallen jogged down the street towards the train station, hoping to catch the final train that would drop her off at school on time.
"Oi, Kallen wait up!" She heard an obnoxious voice call out as she stopped at the foot of the train station stairs.
"Oh, I thought it was you Tamaki." Kallen said dryly as her eyes rolled, ignoring the stupid grin shining over the stubble on Tamaki's face. Shinichiro Tamaki, Kallen's long time...friend? Maybe so, he stomped his foot on the ground and clenched his fists.
"Is that any way to greet a friend!?" He shouted at her while she shook her head.
"Relax you, you...you stink." Kallen pinched her nostrils shut after catching a whiff of Tamaki. "When was the last time you washed your uniform?"
"Whatta 'ya mean?" He raised a brow in confusion before looking down at his partially complete school uniform, complete with food stains along the cuff of the sleeves. "I think I look pretty good." It was Kallen's turn to raise a brow at him but in passiveness, uwilling to put up with the loud and rude Tamaki, it was just too early in the day.
"Speakin' of lookin' good..." Tamaki held his chin as his eyes looked over Kallen's slightly busty, athletic form and the way it looked in her school uniform, going obviously noticed. "I'd say you're fillin' out pre..."
Tamaki was about to comment before Kallen's fist came into his field of vision.
WHAM!
Kallen's punch landed right in between Tamaki's eyes. "Stop ogling, you perv...huh?" Kallen shook her fist at the punch drunk male that stumbled before her until a whistle came in earshot.
"Oh dammit it, the train!" Kallen muttered before running up the stairs onto the terminal.
"Hey wait up!" Tamaki hollered, straightening himself out before chasing his attacker and catching the train.
"Okay Nunnally, I'll see you after school alright?" Lelouch said to his handicapped little sister as they waited outside the door to what presumably was Nunnally's first period class.
Luckily for Lelouch, he and Nunnally lived at the Ashford Manor which was on school grounds so the commute was extremely simple, making his rushed mornings easier.
At Ashford Academy, Lelouch was a senior while Nunnally was only a freshmen, so he felt responsible for showing her around until she felt comfortable with her surroundings, regardless of the fact that she was restrained to a wheelchair.
"All right Lelouch, just be careful today." She playfully reminded her big brother, who blinked at her curiously before realizing the joke, he still wasn't fully awake.
"Heh, right." He smiled as he reached his hand out and patted Nunnaly on top of her head before turning.
"Lelouch?" He heard Nunnally say before he had the chance to walk away.
"Hmm?" Lelouch looked over his shoulder, making eye contact with his sister.
"Umm...never mind, I'm sure you'll find out later." Nunnally dismissed her own thought, twirling a finger through her long light brown locks. Blinking at her again Lelouch slowly turned his head and walked away, into the traffic of commuting students.
As Lelouch walked down the hallway towards his class, which was conveniently located in the same corridor, he was being watched. His onlooker, one Shirley Fenette standing next to the doorway of her class which she happened to share with Lelouch.
Her amber eyes followed Lelouch as he walked down the hall before she unknowingly let out an affectionate sigh as she stroked her orange hair. Shirley was lost in her thoughts until someone's laughter cut them short.
"Shirley, you must be kidding me?" Shirley sharply turned herself around to find her close friend Milly Ashford standing behind her. Melinda Ashford, as in Ashford Academy Ashford, or Milly for short was the closest thing to a Barbie doll in real life. Blonde hair, blue eyes, generous assets, just simply gorgeous, not to say that Shirley wasn't pretty cute herself.
"O-oh Milly hey...!" Shirley tired to disregard her gazing at Lelouch, but it would take more than that to shift Milly's focus.
"When are you finally going to admit you're nuts over Lu-Lu." Milly crossed her arms as she asked her ginger friend.
"Since when do you call him that?!" Shirley snapped back and gasped once she realized her reaction and covered her mouth. As far as Shirley knew, she was the only one who called Lelouch Lu-Lu, the nickname she gave him. Seeing that she struck a nerve, Milly decided to take this matter a little further.
"It's so cute how you get all defensive about him. I wish I had that sort of relationship with someone." She mused, getting Shirley's face all red.
"It...It's not like that!" Shirley pleaded only to receive laughter in response.
"Whatever you say Shirley, whatever you say." Milly smirked as she stepped through the doorway, entering class, leaving Shirley in the hall to get one last look at the approaching Lelouch before following her.
"Hey Lelouch!" Someone else called out.
"Oomph!" Lelouch held his stomach, crumpled over in pain after suffering a hit in the gut.
"I thought you would cut class again today slacker." Lelouch's attacker said, cracking his knuckle that was used for the assault.
"What's...up Su...zaku?" Lelouch managed a grin as he slowly straightened himself out. "You know...you still hit like a bitch."
"Shut up." Suzaku smirked as he gave Lelouch another punch, this time in the shoulder.
Suzaku Kururugi, believe it or not, is Lelouch's best friend. Standing slightly shorter than his punching bag with brown wavy hair and green eyes and athletic build, Suzaku was very different from Lelouch.
"What makes you think I'd skip class anyway?" Lelouch raised a brow at his friend, who always went to class.
"Because Lelouch Lamperouge doesn't go to class on consecutive days and would rather rip off gambling rings than sit through physics." Explained Suzaku, arms crossed over his chest, studied in his friend's habits.
"Well sorry if I'm not a good little boy scout like you, but I like making money." Lelouch smirked as he and Suzaku approached their class. Suzaku proceeded to cock his arm back and make a fist.
"Then get a...job!" He said as he let his punch go and hit Lelouch in the back, making the boy wince yet again. Yet Lelouch kept the smirk on his face as they entered their class.
Just as Lelouch set foot in the classroom and Suzaku still behind, someone ran past them. "Excuse me." The girl said very quickly as she brushed elbows with the boys, making them stop in their tracks. The boys looked at each other and shrugged.
The late bell rang at that moment, that girl had some pretty good timing; looking at the clock across the room Lelouch read the time as 8:30 sharp and grabbed the edge of the door and pushed.
"Wha...hey!" Suzaku called, noticing Lelouch's actions.
"Sorry Suzaku, but your late." Lelocuh shrugged pointing downward causing Suzaku to take a glance. He was still outside the classroom and when he looked back up the door shut.
"Hey, let me in!" He hollered, banging on the door with his fist, but on the other side Lelouch simply smirked before finding himself a seat.
That's for that gut-check you just gave me. Lelouch thought as he walked down the aisle of occupied desks.
Taking a look, he only noticed two seats that were available, one which was directly next to Shirley and the other while still adjacent to her was directly next to the girl that just ran past him, Kallen.
"Good morning Lelouch!" He heard Shirley greet him as she did virtually every day, and he smiled and nodded, as usual. He also received a look from Kallen which he met. Why did she always look at him like that, like she didn't have any patience? It made him think.
Always one to find answers to his questions, Lelouch decided to take the seat between the two girls, directly next to Kallen and when he sat, the two exchanged glares.
"All right, all right boys and girls, settle down settle down." The class instructor, Professor Lloyd Asplund (told you this was an AU) rose from his desk, hushing his talkative class as he walked to the door, letting Suzaku in. "Don't make tardiness a habit Mr. Kururugi." He added as he pushed the bridge of his glasses up his nose.
"Wha-, but, but..." The student stumbled as the class collectively chuckled at the exchange.
"Please take a seat so I can make my announcement." Professor Lloyd smiled, waving his hand, shooing Suzaku away to take a seat before the class quieted again.
"Thanks for nothing, dick!" Suzaku whispered as he gave Lelouch a smack in the back of the head before taking the seat next to Shirley.
"Now then class, you might be as heartbroken as I when I heard of it but, the senior assembly that was scheduled for tomorrow has been bumped up and is actually taking place in twenty minutes, ruining the lesson I had planned for today." He said with his flowy hand gestures before the class cheered.
Well not the whole class was celebrating; Lelouch dropped his head on the desk and Kallen's eyes went wide.
I rushed for no reason...?! Was the collective thought.
"It's a shame too, I was going to demonstrate the mechanical arms today...I guess there's always tomorrow." Lloyd sighed as he spoke to no one in particular.
"Does our lovely class president have any idea what this assembly is about?" A student turned in his seat to ask Milly, his slicked blue hair bounced lightly behind him.
"Actually Rivalz, I haven't the slightest idea." The blonde shrugged with an innocent smile.
"Well Milly, if you don't know then..." Shirley said from behind her, leaning forward in her seat.
"You don't think...?" Rivalz inquired, now sitting backwards in his chair, facing the conversation.
"That registration for the Senior Challenge ended already? I don't know, it's possible." Milly pondered, but her words also attracted the attention of Kallen, who remained in her seat, but her eyes expressed her curiosity completely.
I hope that's the case, I've been waiting forever on that competition to start, I just need to be selected first. The red haired girl thought as she eyed the exchange going on in front of her.
"I guess now's a better time than any; all right boys and girls to the performing arts theater." Professor Lloyd told his students as they began to rise from their seats and file out of the room.
Before she pushed her chair out, Kallen's school bag dropped from it's hanging position on the backrest.
"Oh, let me get that Kallen." Lelouch offered, seeing the drop from the corner of his eye, but when his hand wrapped around the handle he found it was difficult to hoist up.
"Man, this thing's heavy, what do you have in here?" Lelouch asked, arm straining a bit holding the bag up before Kallen swiped it from him.
"Don't worry about it!" She snapped, slinging the bag over her shoulder before she proceeded to make her way out of the room being watched by Lelouch on every step, while he had eyes on him, amber eyes that observed behind fiery orange hair.
Much of the seniors were filing into the auditorium while the rest were already seated when Lelouch's class arrived, dispersing amongst the rest of the student body. The auditorium itself was moderately sized given that the total number of students at Ashford tallied off at somewhere around eight hundred, with only about a quarter of it being used.
With the current period's classes staying grouped together, all off Professor Lloyd's class occupied the same three rows with Lelouch making way for the middle.
"I wonder how they're going to select the participants this year, I heard last year they bobbed for apples." Rivalz speculated as he filed down the row of seats, parking himself next to Lelouch.
"Don't tell me you're actually excited about this glamorized extortion Rivalz?" Lelouch rolled his eyes at his friend, and unknowingly receiving another glare from Kallen sitting in the row behind him.
"Yeah I can't wait, they always give some fabulous mystery prize to the winners. It's so exciting!" Shirley turned around from her seat in the row ahead, her enthusiasm evident.
"You too Shirley?" Lelouch turned, brow raised as he received a smile and nod in response.
"I'm on board with this too, and what's wrong with a little competition?" Suzaku smirked at Lelouch from further down his row past Rivalz.
"It looks like your opinion is overruled Lelouch, too bad." Milly shrugged, overhearing their conversation from a little further down Shirley's row. Lelouch faked a frown at his class president.
"He's just sour because he didn't register." Rivalz commented hoping to get a rise out of Lelouch but he did not bite.
"You really didn't register Lu-Lu?" Shirley asked intently while glares were still being given from the row above. The lights in the room dimmed, leaving the audience in darkness, ending the line of questioning as everyone turned to face the stage.
"No, I didn't have the time." Lelouch mumbled, still answering the question regardless, before the stage lights went on. A woman, not so much older than the audience, with indigo hair and light blue eyes. Lelouch remembered her face as a substitute teacher he had a few times as she stepped up to the podium that was located center stage.
"Welcome seniors, as you may or may not know, this assembly is for the announcement of the Ashford Senior Challenge!" The woman said before stopping briefly, allowing applause to ensue. Once the crowd silenced she continued.
"Now to prese..." The speaker began until she stopped to place a finger on her earpiece, pushing it closer. "Oh right now?" She unknowingly said into the microphone. "Yes sir right away." The woman muttered before redirecting her attention to her audience.
"Sorry about that students, but it is now my pleasure to present to you, your headmaster, Ruben K. Ashford!" She said, arms open before the stage went dark and smoke filled the area including several rows of coughing students.
Rising up to the stage from a platform underneath, along with laser light effects, was Ashford Academy's current headmaster. With his gray slicked back hair and thick gray sideburns trailing down the sides of his slightly wrinkled face, the headmaster took the stage in a rock and roll pose complete with glittery cape and jacket.
"Thank you, thank you, thank 'ya very much!" He said once fully elevated to the stage, his students applauding in what can only be conceived as general skepticism.
"G-gee Milly, your grandpa really seems to be uh...rockin' out...!" Rivalz commented as his hands slowed their applause. "Milly?" Shirley called after the silent response to Rivalz's comment. They, along with Lelouch, turned to find the Ashford girl pulling the end of her tie to tighten it as much as possible around her neck.
"Tha-ats m-m-my...gramps!" Milly, more embarrassed than words can describe, said through gritted teeth as she feigned a smile while tugging on her tie even more.
Should've never given him that CD, he goes through phases like a little kid...! Was her thought as she turned around to face the stage and the headmaster, her grandfather's antics.
"Now my little dudes and dudettes I'm about to drop kickin' tune on you right now so check it out. For the selection of this year's gig, we're gonna change it up, we're gonna make it...rock!" Headmaster Ashford began as the stage lights around him went out, intensifying the spotlight that was directed on him.
"My lovely assistant babe Ms. Croomy, I think it's about that time to...unveil The Gambler, uh huh uh huh." A dramatic pose from Ashford preceded the stage lights to switch back on revealing what appeared to be a giant slot machine with a giant screen as its face and pull lever on the side with Ms. Croomy, the previous speaker, standing next to it.
"Once this mamma jamma gets spinning, it will pick each team, one at a time; first it'll pick the little ladies then the dudes. Is that all clear, my rockin' students?" The headmaster explained, but received blinking stares in response; in fact if they were outside they would've heard crickets chirping.
"I said, YOU GET THAT?!" He shouted into his mic causing a sudden uproar from the crowd in front of him. Smirking in satisfaction, Ashford decided to proceed. Turning to Ms. Croomy he continued.
"All right baby, I think we're about ready to get groovin." He said, telling her to begin.
"Enough with the 'baby' stuff." She muttered, giving her superior a death glare causing Ashford to stiffen up from his relaxed, 'rockin' pose.
"All right, now unlike previous years, this year's selection for the Senior Challenge will be entirely random. Like Headmaster Ashford explained, once I pull the lever, the machine will pick each team individually, and like every year there will only be four teams competing. That means, that out of the hundreds of you the registered, only eight will get the chance to compete for the grand prize." She said stepping up to the pull lever on the side of the machine.
"Remember, your name and picture will only appear in the machine if you registered on time." Ms. Croomy explained one last time before placing her hand on the lever.
"Let's get rockin' and rollin'!" Ashford cheered as Croomy pulled the lever, initiating the selection process.
As the machine started, two slots began rolling with increasing speed with one side full of female students while the other was packed male students, as their school photos rolled quickly through the machine. The random selection was underway and every student was watching intently, well every student except for one.
"The first A's first selection is...!" Croomy said, noticing the first slot, the female slot beginning to slow down and the crowd growing quiet, quieter than they were during Ashford's explanation.
The first slot was nearing its halt, moving very slowly, almost stopping on the last few selections making the students passed up cry in agony, just missing the cut. The slot slowed even further, a collective gasp forming from the female students until finally...
"Team A's first selection is...Shirley Fenette!" Ashford called out. "Come on down to the stage Shirley!"
"Aaaaaahhhhhhhhh!" Shirley squealed as she leapt out of her seat, clapping her hands excitingly. "I was picked, I was picked!" She cheered as she literally hugged everyone she passed as she sidled past the row of seats and into the aisle.
Shirley couldn't hold back her excitement as she smiled widely as she made her way down, ignoring all the glares she was getting from her fellow female students while all the guys were still too anxious as the awaited the next selection.
The next slot was assuming the same actions as the other one did, slowing its pace, this time making the male students nervous.
Shirley stepped up to the stage where the headmaster was waiting with an extended hand to congratulate her. Being too exited, Shirley ignored the handshake offer and just went in for a hug. After getting her hug returned Shirley took her selected spot on stage, waiting for her eventual teammate.
"Suzaku Kururugi! You have been selected!" Ashford called out taking the chosen student by surprise.
"Uh, wha...! I'm selected, really?!" He questioned, he couldn't believe it as he slowly rose up from his chair. He received some cheers from his classmates but mostly other guys gritting their teeth.
"Way to go buddy!" Rivalz congratulated Suzaku as he made his way down the row of seats, the people getting up to let him pass, but there was one who didn't move.
"L-Lelouch, get up I can't pass." He said at his friend who just stared up at him. They exchanged glares momentarily until Lelouch finally closed his eyes and stood up. Suzaku turned and continued walking.
"Just be careful Suzaku." He heard Lelouch's voice just after he passed him. Stopping in his tracks, Suzaku looked over his shoulder and found Lelouch looking ahead at the stage before he turned back around and joined his new teammate Shirley as they greeted each other with smiles.
"Let's keep rollin' along now baby!" Ashford said before Croomy hoisted the lever down, beginning the random selection process again.
"Selection for Team B is underway!" Croomy declared as the slot machine resumed its spinning.
The crowd reacted the same way it did for the first selection, on the edge of their seats waiting. The female slot slowed down a little more and more until it finally came to a halt.
"Team B's first selection is Melinda Ashford! W-wait, Milly...?!" Headmaster Ashford said before doing a double take, making sure it was his granddaughter's image on the screen. It was and it came as a surprise to Milly as well.
"To be honest, I really wasn't expecting this!" Milly meekly smiled as she stood up and made her way to the stage.
There were whispers floating around the crowd as Milly walked, and without directly hearing them she had a good idea what they were saying. This caused her to drop her smile momentarily before she walked up to the stage where her grandfather was waiting.
"Congratulations Milly, I-! Ashford began, holding his arms out but his 'Silly-Milly' had another idea; she made a quick move to grab his shirt and pulled him close.
"Cut out the rock routine or else I'm telling grandma!" She gave him a quiet warning before letting go and assuming a spot on stage next to Shirley and Suzaku whom she exchanged smiles with. The headmaster gulped and loosened his collar before redirecting his attention to the machine.
The male slot soon followed suit as it eventually stopped and revealed a face to an excited audience.
"And the second selection for Team B is Gino Weinberg!" A tall blonde student with blue eyes rose up and waved to the crowd like a hero, while a certain blue haired student gaped in horror. Gino Weinberg walked towards the stage. Well built, tall, athletic, looking at him anyone could perceive that he was a prototypical jock and his arrogant attitude sure helped him fit the role.
He shook the headmaster's hand as he took the stage and gave Milly a toothy smirk as he walked over to her as she merely rolled her eyes
"Don't worry about a thing Madame Prez, with the way things look so far, I can win this thing single handedly." He snorted as he looked down into the crowd.
"Whatever you say Gino...!" Milly huffed and shrugged her shoulders.
"Have your doubts?" Gino asked, sensing her tone, still wearing that smirk. Milly looked up at him, making brief eye contact.
"Until the competition begins, I do." She said as a small smile crept on her lips while the selection process continued.
"The first selection for Team C is Anya Alstreim!" Came the announcement before a shorter girl with light pink hair and pink eyes stood up. Where most other students would be excited out of their skulls to be chosen, Anya didn't seem phased by the moment given the melancholy expression she wore on her face.
Seeing this only made Kallen more irritated; not only had she not been selected yet, but this girl didn't even seem to care! This whole randomness was very aggravating as Kallen gripped the armrests of her chair even tighter.
The stone faced girl walked up to the stage to her designated spot and patiently awaited the announcement of her teammate after receiving a greeting from the headmaster. The male selection was just wrapping up.
"The second spot on Team C goes to Rivalz Cardemonde! Come on down boy!" The headmaster announced before a loud yell was heard throughout the auditorium.
"Woo hoo, I got in!" Rivalz jumped up and down, fists held high in the air in triumph.
"Easy there." He heard someone say, and turned to find it was Lelouch. Giving him a small smile of congratulations, Lelouch saw Rivalz off as he almost ran down to the stage.
"Hiya!" He enthusiastically greeted the headmaster, violently shaking his hand before walking across the stage, waving at Suzaku and Shirley before stopping not next to his teammate Anya but in front of Milly.
"Milly...?" Rivalz said, staring intently at the blonde girl.
"Yeah Riv?" She asked, looking back at him, noticing the young man looked a little hesitant.
"Uh...good luck!" He smiled before jogging over to his spot next to Anya. Milly smiled back, watching Rivals go.
"Anything about that I should know?" Gino asked, raising a brow at his fellow blonde. Milly simply looked up and shook her head bearing the same smile.
"And now for the selection for Team D, the final selections." The headmaster said. Any chatter that was going on in the crowd was immediately silenced.
"Ms. Croomy, if you please." Ashford turned to his assistant before she reached up and tugged on the lever one final time, setting the machine in motion.
By now Kallen and every other student in the audience were extremely tense. Kallen had almost ripped through the cushion of her armrests she had gripped them so tightly She wanted this so badly, if she wasn't picked then she would never be able to...She almost couldn't bear it. Kallen put her head down and closed her eyes, she couldn't take it.
"The first pick for Team D is Kallen Kozuki!" She heard.
Oh great, just great. Of course I didn't get... She yelled in her mind, feeling her eyes beginning to well up.
"What are you doing get up!" She heard Tamaki yell from behind her. Quickly picking her head up Kallen looked around, confused.
"Wha-!" She gasped and found all the other students around her staring at her.
"Kallen Kozuki come on down!" She heard the headmaster say. Looking at the stage she saw the slot machine's first slot had stopped and landed on her picture.
She couldn't believe it she was selected! She had her chance to...
"Get up already!" Tamaki shouted, smacking her in the back, causing Kallen to stand up. She had to look at the machine again just to make sure it was right, it was.
Taking a deep breath Kallen managed to calm herself down before she sidled out of the row of seats and down the aisle to get to the stage. She gave the headmaster a quiet smile before she shook his hand. Shirley, Suzaku, Milly and Rivalz all smiled back at Kallen as she took her spot on the stage.
Kallen was chosen but now for her teammate.
The male slot was almost done, it reached a snail's pace as it passed one student after another. Everyone anxiously awaited the final selection, the male students in the front rows practically toppling over each other to get a closer look at the machine as it reached its last spin. The whole theater was quiet, everyone was waiting; what some of these waiting students wouldn't give to get that last selection. The anticipation reached its highest point and just as it climaxed the selection was made.
"The final selection for the Senior challenge is..." Ashford started as the slot was just about to stop. Everyone looking intently, the final spot for the chance at the grand prize was about to be filled. Kallen looked with a different interest than others, waiting for her teammate to be chosen and she hoped she would get someone competent.
"Lelouch Lamperouge!" Declared Ashford, almost everyone on stage's jaws dropped. Kallen's eyes went wide.
"You've got to be kidding?!"
What?! How could this happen? Lelouch didn't even register, how did his name wind up in the slot machine's database. Ms. Croomy specifically said that only registered students would be selected. So how is this even possible?
Slowly Lelouch stood up, his mind still racing as he began to wriggle his way out of the row of seats. As he walked down the aisle he started to think further.
How did his name get entered? It wasn't him obviously, and the only way he could have been registered is if there was someone else who knew enough personal information about him to fill out the registration. Someone close, someone he knew intimately. Suzaku? No he wouldn't go to such lengths for a chance occurrence Shirley, Milly? Sure they liked to mess with him from time to time but nothing of this caliber. If not them then who?
That's when Lelouch stopped his walking, it had come to him. He had remembered what was said earlier this morning.
'Umm...never mind, I'm sure you'll find out later.' Lelouch remembered the words spoken to him.
"Nunnally...!" He mumbled.
"Lelouch." He heard Ashford say his name, snapping Lelouch out of his thoughts. He looked up at the waiting headmaster and smiled as he continued making his way on stage.
Well Nunnally, I did find out but what I want to know now is why. Lelouch said in his head as he greeted the headmaster. He received confused looks from almost everyone on stage. He shrugged as he walked past them.
Finally Lelouch reached the designated spot on stage, but not without being stared down by Kallen the entire walk over, she didn't look happy.
"I thought you didn't register!" She whispered to him as they stood side by side, not drawing any unwanted attention.
"I guess sometimes I surprise myself." He said back as they both continued to look out into the audience. Kallen turned slightly so that she could get a good look at him.
"Well you better keep surprising yourself, because believe it or not some of us want to be here!" She said in a hushed tone, eyes narrowed at him. Lelouch darted his eyes over to her meeting her gaze.
Lelouch said nothing and only gave his glare as a response. He found it peculiar that she said that as their staring contest continued. Her intense gaze not letting up.
"Students, I give you your competitors for this year's Ashford Academy Senior Challenge!" Headmaster Ashford proclaimed, gesturing to the eight students who stood on the stage in their selected pairs.
Okay, I finally finished chapter one!
Please please please tell me what you think.
In case you want to see it again the teams are like this:
Shirley Fenette/ Suzaku Kururugi
Milly Ashford/ Gino Weinberg
Anya Alstreim/ Rivalz Cardemonde
Kallen Kozuki/ Lelouch Lamperouge
This is an experimental idea I had and just had to get it written down and I'm very excited about it.
Next time: The four teams have been selected, now the competitors will have the rules explained to them before they break off and meet their coaches as the next phase begins. What challenges will await the chosen students? Read more to find out!