Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass. I do own the plot. All songs used belong to their respective artists. Also, I have very little knowledge with fight scenes so please forgive any things I make reference to that might not make much sense.
Remembering all of that moment.
Naturally repeating that sin over and over.
Realizing the reason it all ended.
Having to go back to those days. – Re-Birthdayby Len Kagamine
Chapter Two
Gino and Suzaku took their fighting stances across from each other in the small training room. Off to one side sat Anya Alstreim, Knight of Six, in a casual navy blue dress with her camera in hand. Suzaku had met her a few days ago, thanks to Gino, and had decided that there was something a little odd about the girl. He could really place his finger on it, but the eerie calm and monotonous tone she addressed every matter with unhinged him a little. When she and Gino were together, however, they seemed to pull off of one another; Gino being so sporadic and constantly perky and her so mild and more reserved. Suzaku had decided that he couldn't really stand being around either of them for too long alone because something about their relationship just seemed oddly familiar and left him running in a fog. He tried to ignore the flash of Anya's camera as he and Gino began to circle one another like opposing wolves warring over a recently fallen deer.
Gino lunged forward first, stomping one foot in Suzaku's direction. The young Japanese boy lifted his arms in front of his head and midriff in a defensive posture, arms tightening in expectation for a blow to be served up. Gino smirked at him a little bit, his foot slipped easily back into its previous position. "Pretty good; for a foreigner, that is," He taunted lightly. Suzaku kept up a calm façade because he had already started to catch on to the other male's way to try and goad him into letting emotion dictate his motions.
"I was about to say the same to you; only instead of 'foreigner' I was going to say prissy Brit," Suzaku said smoothly, a wry grin quirking up his features. A faint pink mist flushed up to the other's face and he snorted, steeling his position and resuming their slow circular waltz. "It appears I might have to make the first move. Oh well, I may as well." Suzaku said before rushing forward and aiming to kick the other in the head.
The blonde, however, grabbed his ankle, aiming to flip him. Instead, Suzaku threw his hands to the ground and forced his leg up against the other's fingers, aiming to clip him in the jaw. Gino moved his head back in the nick of time but the shock caused his grip on Suzaku's foot to slacken. Suzaku did a quick cart wheel, pushing himself from his handstand, and landed back on his feet with the grace and skill of a trained acrobat, naturally gliding back into another attacking pose. "Woah," Gino utter in shock before grinning in that child-like way of his and slipping back into his own spot. He shook his head a bit as he chuckled. "Anya's the only one I've trained with who has ever gotten that close to landing a blow on me. You've got serious skill."
"Really?" Suzaku asked in slight bewilderment. He cast his gaze to Anya, who was still holding her camera up toward them. He assumed that she was recording the fight, rather than taking pictures like he's thought. She had a thin, lithe little frame that seemed better suited as a ballerina or professional dancer in his opinion than a warrior; though, he realized, her figure definitely gave her a decent amount of speed which was essential in out witting the Knight of Three. When he turned back He saw Gino's fist making a dive for the side of his face. He caught it, twisted it, and made to sweep Gino's legs out from under him with the heel of one foot. Gino, however, had seen this coming and effectively forced one leg back awkward and tripping the brunette up instead, causing them to topple over gracelessly with Gino seated on Suzaku's gut. "Get off! You're heavy!" The other wheezed frantically.
"Whoops! Sorry, buddy!" He laughed lightly, jumping up and grabbing the other's arm, yanking him up to his own two feet in a matter of seconds. "I didn't really think that would work like it did!"
"That's why you really shouldn't think too much, Gino," Anya chimed in casually from the sidelines, ruby hued eyes still glued to the little screen of her camera. Gino let out an insulted little noise as he huffed and put his hands on his hips, clearly sulking like a small child.
"Why do you have to be so mean, Anya? Suzaku wasn't seriously hurt and my plan worked! That means that I win!" He declared in a huffy tone of voice. Anya finally tore her gaze away from her camera and looked between the other two teenagers.
"The winner is whoever came up with the most effective strategy without causing any type of damage to their opponent; according to those rules you are disqualified because you probably broke one of two of Suzaku's ribs when you landed on him," She said smoothly. Suzaku had been fighting back the urge to wince over how his side was aching and throbbing thanks to Gino's miscalculation.
"It isn't that bad, Anya. You shouldn't over exaggerate," He said calmly, lightly stroking his side. The other's eyes held sharpness as they looked at him, as if reading him for lies. Something about the eyes and their keen analysis reminded him of when he was younger and he'd met Lelouch; until they developed their mutual friendship he had always been scrutinized and sized up by the more petite boy.
"I have minor first aid training; remove your shirt, sit next to me and let me see if it is a mere over exaggeration on my part," She said calmly. He sighed and nodded, knowing there was no point in trying to argue with her. If he didn't just agree with her order she'd forced Gino to offer his assistance (of which Suzaku had clearly had enough of for one day). He removed his shirt as he headed over while Anya fiddled with her camera, probably saving the video and shutting it off until later use. He sat down calmly, making sure to sit so that his wounded side was facing her hands for easier access. For some reason, he suddenly realized that it was on his left side the other male had fallen; that was where he'd been shot when he refused to kill Lelouch so long ago. "You're in luck; no broken ribs." Anya suddenly chirped out, looking up at him.
"Ah, thanks," He said, standing back up and slipping his shirt back over his head. Gino suddenly jolted up and grinned happily, darting over to the entrance of the training room. Suzaku glanced up to see Nunnally seated in her wheelchair, smiling lightly.
"Why hello, Princess Nunnally! What are you doing here?" Gino asked happily. Suzaku had learned over the last few months that Gino had at one point been very close to the vi Britannia siblings, though he did confess that Lelouch had always seemed more interested in matters of politics than making friends with other aristocratic children. Suzaku had been told by Nunnally that Gino was the one of the only people (the only one other than Suzaku and her personal tutors) who ever came by to visit the young girl in her study room.
"My tutor decided to give me a small break from Mathematics and I decided to come see who was in here and how they were doing," She said cheerfully. Suzaku jolted up at this; she had told him many times that her math tutor, a man known as Sir Todd Poole, was a stickler and was always riding her about trying harder than she already was.
"Nunnally, you didn't sneak out of your tutoring session, did you?" He asked sternly as he approached. Gino looked between the two while a meek little frown turned up on the little girl's face.
'How does a blind, crippled princess sneak away from a perfectly healthy adult in the middle of a Mathematics lesson?' He wondered to himself. He knew that asking such a thing aloud, with Her Highness Nunnally right there, would be terrible and could be punishable by him losing his rank.
"The lesson wasn't any fun and I wanted to talk to you about the matter we discussed the other day," She said sadly, head tilting down a little bit in shame. Gino left the two to their chat and headed over to Anya, the two beginning up with their usual banter of passive versus impassive tones. "I wanted to know if you'd had any free time to look in to the matter for me."
He knew, of course, that she was speaking of the matter involving her brother's status and location. He couldn't tell her the truth and hadn't thought up any elaborate lies to tell her yet to try and get the subject cast aside for a little while. "I don't think we should discuss that here, Nunnally," He said softly, falling to one knee to be better adjusted to her level. He took one of her hands carefully in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You and I are the only ones here who know that Lelouch may be alive. We shouldn't get everyone's hopes up, should the worst be our results from the search." He said in a tone that was as delicate as he could muster.
She nodded in agreement and then tilted up, her head shifting toward the two bickering behind him. Suzaku glanced over at the two, watching them go back and forth like always in opposing tones, and smiled a little bit. When he shifted his gaze back to Nunnally, he saw tears spilling from her shut lids and her hands tugging her handkerchief up to dab away the tears. "I'm sorry, Suzaku," She whispered. A small, tragic smile turned up her lips that broke his heart. She was squeezing his hands as she took a trembling breathe. "I just… They sound a lot like you and Lelouch when we were children."
Suzaku's head shifted back to the two with a frantic gleam in his eyes and as he listened to their tones and phrasings he realized that she was right. How many times had he, as a child, approached Lelouch and started a conversation just like this? He would always be quick to jump between each of his emotional ranges while Lelouch would always remain brisk and blunt, tone free of too much emotion when aiming to prove the other wrong. For a moment he did now see the other two Knights of Round; he saw himself, standing in his old kendo gear, reeling into Lelouch with his arms flailing while the other kept his own face blank and his eyes focused on the open page of whatever book he had decided seemed interesting that noon. He shook his head and nodded, standing again. "I guess they kind of do. Anyway, I'll walk you back to your study room to make sure you don't get lost on the path of life," He said, awarding him with an innocent giggle from the younger individual.
He began to trek along the royal halls with their high walls of white stone, decorated with luxurious drapes and other things that seemed almost wasted in such a large and rarely cared about location. Suzaku had never understood the point in putting too much decoration in hallways or offices because they were only used as bridges between portions of the property or locales to discuss business. Suzaku mother had taught him to be "tasteful and not unnecessarily extravagant" and to this day he kept that principle close to his heart, clutching it as his only remaining bond to the long since departed woman. The halls of the palace in Pendragon had always left him feeling dishonest to her memory with how they were done up.
"Have you found anything new about Lelouch?" Nunnally asked after a moment of peaceful silence. He blinked and swallowed hard.
"I haven't had the chance to ask. I was planning to discuss it with His Highness as soon as he could find the time to permit me into his company," He explained, hoping that it was enough to make her feel a little better.
"My father is nearly impossible to meet with; even I have been unable to get a conference with him," She confessed sadly, head bowing down again. Jade orbs sparkled with bemusement but it the emotion was quickly tossed aside when he remembered all the things Lelouch used to tell him about the Emperor of Britannia. He had mostly thought it to be the mere curses of a child abandoned for his reckless rebellion but now understood that there was at least a small amount of validity to the old claims. "I want to ask him myself but it has been too hard. I was hoping that you, as a Knight of Round, would have a better chance of getting him to see you."
"But, Nunnally, you are a princess; your rank is much greater than mine," He said worriedly. He knew she'd been raised on the hospitality of the Ashford's and Lelouch's protective nature but he didn't think that should keep her from recognizing she was of royal blood. Despite being a Knight of Round for Britannia, though he'd never dare to even whisper it aloud, Suzaku still felt a surge of Japanese pride swell through him when someone mentioned he was Prime Minister Kururugi's only son. It would, after a brief second of pride, fill him again with the bitter self-loathing that came with knowing he'd murder the other man. "You have a better chance of getting council with His Majesty than I ever could."
"Father has never accepted many requests from us unless they came from Schneizel, Cornelia, or the few times Lelouch requested his presences. Schneizel is far too busy to meet with me as well, Cornelia has disappeared in search of some unknown thing, and Lelouch is the exact matter I wish to discuss so my only chances within the royal family are all gone. You'd be surprised at how powerless I really am, despite my royal title," She said with a small, hollow chuckle. It sounded awkward and unnatural coming from her. Had her brother being gone really caused her this much anguish?
"I will continue to attempt to get in to speak with your father to press the matter further. Until then, please focus on your studies and keep your thoughts of Lelouch on the positive side," He said gently. He perked up when a man with thinning brown hair, a matching beard and an all brown suit approached them. The other pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with one glove covered hand, brown eyes the picture of inner Zen.
"Good day, Sir Kururugi. Thank you for returning Princess Nunnally for her lessons; I shall take her back from here. Also, a man called Earl Asplund came looking for you not too long ago. He said that he wanted to talk to you about something and to head to the knightmare hangar as soon as you had a moment," He explained calmly before walking over. Suzaku stepped back and watched the other push Nunnally away. He fought the urge to ask if the mentioned mechanic had said anything else, knowing that even if he had asked the other would have withheld the information.
Aside from Gino and Anya, all the Britannians he'd met since becoming a Knight of Round only tolerated him because of his status rather than out of genuine respect.
…
It wasn't until after a surprisingly calm dinner with Anya and Gino that Suzaku found the time to go visit Lloyd and see what had been bothering the scientist. He had been trying to avoid Lloyd to the best of his ability ever since he had left Lelouch in the older male's care. That room he'd left the young man in haunted Suzaku's dreams and he'd hoped that keeping distance from the location would help him eventually push it from his mind. He walked in and caught sight of Lloyd immediately, seated at a desk and looking over the repaired Lancelot. "It looks good as new," Suzaku commented as he walked over. The other perked up and smirked lightly at him.
"Well we aren't done just yet. I have a few upgrades to make and then Lancelot will be even better than he was before!" He beamed happily before rising from his seat. He clapped lightly, causing his blue haired assistant to perk up. "Cecile, Suzaku and I have an errand to run~! I leave double checking the software updates on the Lancelot to you~!" He sang before turning and heading toward the door. Suzaku was filled with dread but kept it from showing on the surface. The other unlocked the door and let the Japanese boy slip past him first, locking it back up behind him after he walked in as well. "Do you remember what specimen 392 looked like, Suzaku?" He asked casually as he began to descend the stairs. Suzaku flinched at the mention of the beast he'd seen killed but swallowed hard and pursued the other male.
"Yes, I do," He said softly. How could he forget watching it claw at the glass before its jaw popped off? It was one of the horrors of war and science that Suzaku was certain he'd never manage to escape.
"The drug we were testing on it was a chemical to infuse human and animal genetics," He began to explain as if he was talking about his favorite thing in the whole world to do, "but, sadly, 392 wasn't compatible with the animal I chose. It's tragic, really, because I'd thought that a monkey would have been 392's closest match in physical appearance. I have to thank you, though, because I realized through testing said drug on specimen 393 that it has to be personality and mental capacity that must match. If you hadn't brought him to me I would never have found the key element to assuring the chemical would have the desired effect."
"Is that why you wanted to see me?" Suzaku asked calmly. He was hoping that this wasn't Lloyd offering him to say his finally farewell to the new specimen; he had wanted Lelouch to know justice, not be tortured and murdered.
"Actually, I needed to ask you a favor," Lloyd smiled as he paused in front of the door that led to the holding cells. He turned and smiled at the other in a way that made his blood turn to ice in his veins. "You see, specimen 393 is a little too energetic to keep in a cell. But I need to make sure he is monitored and his reactions to certain stimuli is well-documented. Would you be so kind as to take him in and record his daily doings and responses in a journal until a more permanent location can be found for him? You'll have to keep him with you at all times but he can't be seen by others, so we have a special kennel for him to be carried around in at all times. And he can still eat human food but be careful; he may have food allergies that none of us know about." Lloyd explained, waiting for his response.
'Grapes and peanuts. As long as I keep him away from foods with grapes or peanuts he'll be fine,' Suzaku thought before nodding. He remembered when they were younger and Lelouch had told him that he couldn't eat the two foods while they awaited a maid to bring them some flavored shaved ice; Suzaku had wanted grape and Lelouch had wanted strawberry, causing the brunette to wonder why the other had such a preference. Suzaku had always felt that grape was the great flavor of anything. "I can take care of him as long as I have the kennel and you provide me with a journal to keep track of his status."
"Excellent!" Lloyd cheered happily before unlocking the knob and slowly pushing the door open. He poked his head in and then released a shrill, distressed cry and fell to his knees. Lelouch poked his head in, stepping from behind the other male, and blinked.
What appeared to a be a tiny replica of Lelouch sat on the surgical table like a cat with front paws resting between his back paws, his rear rested on the table. His black ears were tipped down and back, the corners curling up a little to resemble demon horns. His tail swished in slow, aggravated strokes, curling to tap his left front paw before snapping back around his back to touch the other. Aside for where he was seated, the surgical table upholstery had been ripped to ribbons and large chunks and little gouges of the cushioning beneath were absent. One the ground were a few shattered bottles and syringes, their contents spilled and mixing in with one another and the shards of broken glass. In those familiar gem-like eyes he saw irritation but also a dull sense of satisfaction with flooring the scientist. "You little beast! Those chairs are expensive!" He wailed loudly.
"This is what the chemicals did to him?" He asked as he stepped around Lloyd and approached the other. His eyes shifted from the man hunched in the doorway to the teenager heading toward him. Before Suzaku could reach out and pat his head, he growled lowly and took a swipe at him, aiming to scratch and leave a mark. Suzaku pulled his hand back before the blow could be landed, causing Lelouch's paws to slip back into its previous position while he continued to growl at him. "He's acting like a cat."
"It's part of the effects of the chemicals. Since his personality was compatible with a cat his mind has become like that of a cat though his body has maintained most of it's human appearance. It's really quite interesting; a much better reaction than the one specimen 392 had," Lloyd commented as he rose and strode over. He reached in to his pocket and pulled out a small black object with a white switch on one side of it and two metal prongs at one end. He reached over to the snarling half-cat and pressed the clod prongs to his cheek while flipping the switch. Lelouch let out a loud yowl of pain and toppled backwards, falling off the table and landing on the ground with a loud thump. He lay there, unmoving, for a moment before Suzaku knelt down to see if he was alive. "Don't worry; he just passed out. He's a little medical miracle that I need to keep alive for quite some time."
Suzaku could see two little red marks already beginning to blister against the cheek that had been zapped. He fought back the urge to grab the device and repeat the action to Lloyd only multiple times and in various locations by carefully picking the other up. Lelouch was so much lighter than Suzaku remembered, given that the other was now the size of a toddler, and his arms seemed to ache for the feel of the longer, slightly heavier and full frame the paler male had been gifted before the drugs were administered. Lloyd reached under the ruined table and pulled out a kennel much like the type you'd see a regular cat being put in. It was one of a bigger variety, better suited for a dog of a medium build, and had no bars or slits on it. There was a door that opened but it did not have little rectangular to allow any sight. The only holes were five little circles set at the top of the kennel, close to the handle. Lloyd opened the door, took Lelouch back, and calmly pushed his limp form in before shutting the door, the automatic lock clicking into place. "Now, you should keep him in here until he wakes up; he'll be familiar with this kennel and waking up in your room instead might just make him more stressed than necessary. Also, to avoid him repeating this action in your room, you should just have your meals brought up to your room," Lloyd said while heading over and rummaging through the trunk. He pulled out a journal and handed that to Suzaku as well. "Here's your journal and remember; you have to update it every day at the end of the day. And it must be as detailed as you can make it."
Suzaku nodded mutely before taking the handle of the kennel and heading off, eager to take Lelouch far away from this terrible room that smelt of pain and sorrow.
…
Suzaku sighed and watched Arthur, who was pacing circles around the kennel. It had been nearly two hours since Suzaku had returned to the room with Lelouch and still the other had not stirred at all. Suzaku assumed that either the smell of chemicals around Lelouch was unnerving the older cat or he could smell the scent of other cat and was eager to evaluate this foreigner as either a threat or a minor nuisance.
In reality, Arthur could smell the scent of a new male kitten mixed in with the familiar scent of the human who used to take care of him at Ashford Academy. Despite being a cat Arthur knew that something had been done to the human he recognized as one of his owners; one of his favorites, in fact. He remembered spending weekends lounging in the human's lap, one of those pale hands scratching at the base of his tail or under his chin like he liked, while the other was working on some rebellion plan or a scatter plot for his third period or how he smuggled him slices of chicken and fish while preparing dinner. He didn't care if his animal instinct dictated he beat the new male up until he recognized that Arthur was the alpha; he was going to try and watch out for whatever the young human had turned into.
Suzaku jolted up when he heard a small mewling noise come from the kennel. He walked over and pushed up the lock, opening the little door. In a blur of white and black, Lelouch darted into the center of the room, ears back and tail resembling a skinny feather duster, looking around in horror. Arthur sat back and blinked slowly, tail twitching while he tried to understand what was going on. "You don't need to be afraid, Lelouch," He said softly, watching him worriedly.
Lelouch shifted his gaze around, examining each corner of the room. After a moment of looking around he rushed over and ducked under the desk, ears slicked back and a low growl vibrating from him. Suzaku sighed and walked over, calmly pulling the desk chair out of the way and kneeling down to look at him. Lelouch growled and glared at him, shrinking back until he was as pressed against the wall as he could get. "Come on, Lelouch; don't be like this. I'm not going to hurt you," He said, reaching over to gently stroking his hair and coax him out. Instead Lelouch opened his mouth and bite him. Not only had Lelouch gained ears and a tail, his hands and feet changed into paws; his teeth had elongated a bit and resembled those of a cat more. "Ouch!" Suzaku yelped loudly, yanking his hand away and cradling it against himself. He looked down and saw blood already beginning to seep out of the new bite mark. It was deeper, longer and more painful than any bite he suffered at the paws of Arthur. He stood up and headed to the bathroom with a sigh. "I guess I'll write a quick update after I clean this and see if I can get you out later."
Suzaku headed into the bathroom and held his wounded hand over the sink so that it didn't get blood everywhere. He rummaged through his drawers and pulled out some alcohol pads and some bandages. It was deep and long but it would only need a few bandages in his opinion. After rinsing off some blood he ripped open the package and began to kill the wound. He let out a pained his, sat on the closed toilet lid, and sighed lightly. He remembered a few times when he'd been attacked at Ashford and been shoved to the Lamperogue home to be treated by the oldest sibling. "It's no big deal, Lelouch," He'd argue with a small laugh, trying to calm the other down.
"Arthur hasn't had all his shots yet and I'm not going to let you take any unnecessary risks. Now shut up and sit," He'd order, pointing to the counter of the sink before pulling out the necessary items. Suzaku, knowing it was futile to argue with the older male, sighed and hopped up, sitting while the other opened an alcohol pad and began swiping it over his cuts and bites.
"Ow! Lelouch, that seriously hurts!" He'd yelp back, wincing and trying to yank his hand back. Wrathful violet eyes would cause him to stop and sit, releasing little whimpers but not pulling back any longer.
"You're whining like this in yet you're supposed to be a soldier," He'd state flatly before throwing away the soiled pad. He would then pull out the gauze and wraps and set to work.
"I don't feel like I need to put up a strong bravado in front of you; I know I can be myself without you making fun of me or deeming it as weakness," Suzaku would state with a little grin on his lips. Lelouch would keep his gaze on his work but there would be a little bit of pink tinting his cheeks.
"Don't say things that make you sound like a fag, you moron!" The other male would snap but continue to do his hard work. But that was no longer the case because of Suzaku. Lelouch was now ducked under his desk with the brain of a four month old kitten, in the body of a four year old boy, with a huge fear of humans because of what a mad scientist had done to him. Suzaku finished pushing on his last bandage and then looked back out, seeing glow purple orbs watching him suspiciously.
'You're really gone, aren't you, Lelouch?' He thought sadly, turning his attention to look at his own reflection. He could fell tears prick at his eyes as he realized that he and Nunnally were the only ones who remembered Lelouch; not even Lelouch could remember Lelouch anymore! He bowed his head and pressed one of his hands against his forehead. 'Even if you aren't physically dead you are dead; you'll never be the real Lelouch ever again.'
'Cause I'm gonna lose you.
Yes, I'm gonna lose you.
If I'm gonna lose you
I'm gonna lose you now for good. – Lose You by Pete Yorn
…
Cici tossed the spare Zero mask Lelouch had always kept in reserves in the air and then caught it casually. He had the second uniform made so that, in case of emergency, Cici could slip in to it and help him keep up his school-boy-by-day-warrior-of-justice-by-night act up. She remembered once comparing him to Sailor Moon, singing the lyrics "Fighting evil by moonlight, winning love by day light," after he'd explained the reason for the second outfit.
"And who, pray tell, would you be implying to be Tuxedo Mask? You know I have no interest in the girls of Ashford," He had said bluntly, a small smirk worming up on his lips. She had smirked back at him, a knowing glint in her wicked amber orbs, and he had turned away quickly. She had always suspected that Lelouch was gay (ever since he was a young boy, really) and wasn't surprised that he and Suzaku were secretly in a rather modest relationship; they never did anything in public and only kissed and cuddled under the safety of the Lamperogue home. Tragically ironic that he had been betrayed by the very man he was romantically involved with.
But now Lelouch was gone and she was trying to pick back up the shattered pieces he'd left in his wake.
She found out that the Four Swords of Japan, along with Tamaki and Ohgi and some other Black Knights, had been captured and were being held until a later date. She knew that this so called later date was the day of their public execution. So many Elevens had been captured over the last few months from various places across the country, however, that she knew they were at the bottom of the barrel currently. Charles would not care if they were Black Knights; he wanted people killed in order of when they were captured. He also only permitted one gathering of a maximum of twenty people per public execution because he said the Britannians needed to have that little boost once a day or so. "This whole country is corrupt and now Japan's only hope is gone. How tragic," She said aloud, very aware of the elephant in the room. Then again, that elephant was more like a fiery half Japanese knightmare piloting ace by the name of Kallen Koizuki, but Cici didn't feel the need to be polite.
"Look, I know I shouldn't have run off like I did but what's done is done! Either stop chastising me for it or I'll ditch you!" She snapped angrily, standing and glaring. Cici tilted her head back, craning it over the edge of the bed, to get a better look at her new ally. Kallen was currently wearing a pair of dark blue jeans, a red tee shirt with a star in the center, black denim jacket tossed over that, and a pair of dirty old running shoes. Her hair was styled into its usual spikes.
"How much longer until we're heading off to meet up with the Black Knights you were able to locate?" She asked smoothly, pushing herself up into a sitting position. She twisted herself around and set her sock-clad feet on the floor.
"We should leave right now if we want to make it there on time," She said in response, plucking a pair of sunglasses with white frames off of the coffee table of the small apartment they had gotten. They were going to have to blend in, and given that Kallen had been revealed as a Black Knight at Ashford Academy, returning to the Stadfeld home was not an option. Cici walked over to the closet and rummaged through, looking for a jacket of Lelouch's. She had snuck back into Ashford to get her Cheese-Kun only to find two soldiers of Britannia there, gathering Lelouch's clothes and things and tossing them into a pit. When they went off to find some newspapers, gasoline and matches to light the object on fire she had grabbed everything she could in her arms and darted back to where Kallen was waiting with a large gym bag to carry their things. She made one last trip out there while the soldiers were still searching and grabbed as much of the rest as she could. She had separated the things in accordance to clothes and not clothes, tossing his books and laptop into a plastic bin she kept next to her bed. "Could you hurry it up?" Kallen growled while the green haired witch gently plucked Lelouch red and black jacket from a coat hanger, looking at it tenderly.
"To think I watched you grow up and now who knows what has happened to you, Lelouch," She whispered to herself, one hand stroking the fabric. She then sighed and slipped herself into it, leaving it unbutton to reveal the white sleeveless turtle neck she wore beneath it. "What kind of guardian am I?" She mumbled into the collar before slipping on a pair of black tennis shoes. Kallen grabbed her set of apartment keys and followed her out.
After locking up and shoving the keys back into her jacket pocket, Kallen followed Cici down the cement steps and out into the street. Neon lights and flashing signs surrounded them, advertising gambling or prostitution. There were a few people on the streets, wearing trench coats with the collars popped up to cover their faces with hats and sunglasses on to help hide their features. They both knew that they were wealthy Britannians, not wanting to be seen heading out toward the ghettos where the Elevens lived in squalor. Why pay full price for a Britannian whore when an Eleven would do the same for enough money to feed her two father-less children? It made Kallen's stomach wretch but she swallowed and followed Cici out farther down the street. A taxi cab pulled up and Cici slipped in wordlessly, followed closely by Kallen. "Thank you for agreeing to do this," Cici stated calmly.
"It is my job to protect Lelouch, as ordered by the Ashford's. And if is truly Zero, it will be my pleasure to help Zero escape Britannia and crush them," The female behind the wheel stated calmly, tilting her head back to look at them. Kallen blinked a few times in shock but recognized her as the mild-mannered maid of the Lamperogue home, Sayako. She was currently wearing a blue baseball cap, jeans and a large black tee shirt. She turned her attention back to the windshield and began driving.
"I told you I had a better way to get there than on foot," Cici mused from her seat, shifting her gaze to look out the window with a smug smirk on her lips. Kallen let out a small scoff, turning to glare out her own window as well. Cici kept the smug look on her features but inside she was churning in a sea of unease. 'Where could you be, Lelouch? You aren't at Ashford, you aren't in Pendragon as far as my source there knows, and you certainly aren't here anywhere. Are you in a different Area? Or a different city in Britannia to be monitored better? No, that'd be too risky; if you weren't somewhere your father could keep an eye on you himself you'd be too much of a danger. So where exactly are you being hidden at?'
She remained lost in her thoughts until they reached the docks and Sayako had parked the car in the shadows out of sight. "Shall we then?" The maid asked calmly, turning off the car and pulling out her key. Cici nodded and opened her door, slipping out into the lukewarm air that held the strong aroma of fish and salt water. She'd never cared for the smell of fish; it bore the smell of the dead in her opinion. She started to walk toward the small area beneath the bridge, where the others they were meeting with should have been located.
She perked up and smiled a bit when she saw them. There was only three of them, but she hadn't expected any more than that. Kaguya was there, for once dressed in street clothes that consisted of a white dress with red sleeves and black platforms that wrapped around her pale calves and tied off in bows at the bottom of her knees, where the edge of the dress ended. With her was Deithard, clad in his usual dark blue suit with matching slacks and maroon undershirt. Another had come, a foreigner. She knew only that his name was Takashi Higurashi and he was the leader of a small rebellion force in Hokkaido that hoped to collaborate with Zero's infamous Black Knights. He wore a dark green long sleeved shirt that complimented his sandy brown hair and black jeans. "Thank you for coming," Cici stated politely as Kallen and Sayoko strode to her sides.
"You said you had news involving Zero, right?" Kaguya asked, hope and panic clear in her eyes. She nodded and cleared her throat lightly.
"Zero is not dead. I do not know what they've done with him, or where he may be, but he certainly is among the living still," She said smoothly. 'Considering his ghost hasn't come to visit me yet is sign enough.' She thought while she watched the other three. Kaguya and Deithard looked as if they may weep with joy, tears actually pooling in the young girl's eyes, and the other male looked completely stunned.
"So why hasn't Britannia killed him yet? He's their greatest threat and should he escape somehow he could return to the Black Knights and rally his troops to staggering numbers," Takashi commented calmly.
"Again, I don't know too much except that he isn't dead. Perhaps they're trying to get information out of him through torture and just wanted everyone to think him dead so no one would come looking for him," She said with a casual shrug. Kaguya let out a fearful squeak when she said this while Deithard flinched and Takashi nodded.
"Our best option would be to capture someone high up in their ranks and force the information out of them," Takashi stated calmly, looking between them.
"Why don't we catch that traitor Kururugi? He used Zero to get up in to the Knights of Round," Deithard stated flatly and Cici's eyes widened. How could she have missed that? She smirked devilishly and chuckled lightly, causing all eyes to shift to her in surprise and curiosity. It had been right in front of her face!
"I have a plan. Kaguya and Kallen, you two will be coming with me. Deithard, keep trying to round up as many of the Black Knights as you can. Make sure they understand that until further notice they need to blend in and not cause any trouble. We don't want them thinking anything is up. Sayoko, keep an eye and Deithard and make sure he's safe; if people realize that he's reassembling the Black Knights in secret they'll want him taken out. Takashi, do the same as Deithard in Hokkaido. Try and rally the groups together; use Zero's name to persuade them," She stated before turning and heading back toward the taxi. Kaguya, Kallen and Sayoko rushed after her worriedly.
"What's your plan?" Kallen asked suspiciously as she caught up to her. She smirked at her over her shoulder.
"Lelouch left me a nice little sum of cash from his winnings with gambling. So let's get some tickets and go pay Suzaku a little visit," She said as she walked. Suzaku Kururugi was the only remaining link to Lelouch and he was going to help them; whether he liked it or not.
End
I decided that I'll be answering any questions that I feel aren't too much of spoilers for the rest of this fic just since I want to make sure everything it clear at the end of each chapter. So if you have questions, I'll let you knwo what's up! On to the first round...
To Atheist1: There will be a cure developed later on but you'll have to keep reading to know more than that. x3
To Skiperella: I was actually inspired in that scene through listening to the song Risoukyou (Utopia) by Len Kagamine when writing that scene. The song is about a world where human memories are downloaded into android bodies to avoid dying due to a nuclear holocaust and the reaction one young man has when his girlfriend looks nothing like she did as a human, instead opting to have an android body that looks like a female version of him. It's basically bringing up the question of what humanity and life really mean, and if love can really exist after being changed so drastically, to what a lover may consider a horrific degree. Though, after reading your review, I will admit I may have been subconsciously inspired in part by that scene since I absolutely love that series. I'll give credit where credit is due… So, a combination of Full Metal Alchemist and Len Kagamine will be reasoning for that scene. And also, the rating has gone up for more than one reason. xD
To starlight luna (though I think yours may have been a more rhetorical inquiry): Hmm… I'm thinking that Nunnally will cry and weep senselessly, begging to know why, while Cici and Kallen will gather a mob to attack Suzaku. Suzaku… Well, he'll probably have Lulu so he'll be playing with him and a feather toy… Lol.
