(A.N. Alright everyone, here's the first true chapter of Spartan Ops: Zero Requiem. I decided to finish the first chapter today, so I hope you like it! Remember to read and review!)
Ch. 1: A Sudden Return
FIVE MONTHS AFTER ZERO REQUIEM
Life is good.
Kallen Kozuki smiled as she fell backwards onto her bed this Tuesday evening. The past Five months had been rough on her, but after playing Catch-up with her school work, she'd just finished all of her work and had caught up with the others, grade wise. She was smart; she'd just spent so much time in her extracurricular activities that she had little time to catch up on school work. However, the year was almost over, and Graduation was two weeks away.
Yes, the girl had managed to pull through after the World War that was almost started. She glanced over to the corkboard by her bedside and saw the picture of the Student Council, everyone together and happy. She saw Milly, Rivalz, Nina, Shirley, Herself, Nunnally, and… Lelouch. It was such a nice time. That was all before the Black Knights had been formed, and Lelouch took the guise of the Terrorist, Zero. Taking this Alter-ego of his, he reined a vicious campaign against Britannia, the ruling empire at the time. He'd been her idol, her savior, her hope in this bleak world for Japan's freedom.
That was before she figured out that Lelouch was Zero. After learning of his identity of being a Britannian, the people whom she hated, she doubted whether she should follow him or not. She stuck through with him, keeping his identity secret until the rest of the Black Knights learned of him being not only a Britannian, but a Britannian Prince. After that, they turned on him, but somehow he still managed to gain control of the world. He became a Ruthless dictator, forcing other countries to join him or be annihilated. Sadly, what choice did they have?
There was a plan to stop him. She played a part in it. She tried to distract Suzaku, who believed he'd always been working for the greater good, while Schneizel, Lelouch's older brother, tried to unleash the F.L.E.I.J.A's, from a fort called Damocles, on various countries to control them out of fear. Sadly, Lelouch took the Damocles with help of his Geass, but before he could execute the Black Knights for Treason, well… He was killed. Suzaku, posing as Zero murdered him before the entire world.
It was only afterwards that she realized Lelouch's true plan; to focus all the world's hate on him and to give them a common enemy. Once he was… eliminated… Then the world was put at peace. The plan was utterly genius, but if only he would have focused the hate on something else. He did it all for her, too: For Nunnally. Such dedication to making the world a better place all for his sister was astounding. She leaned up and picked the photo from the board, scanning it a bit closely as she reminisced over the good times.
Lelouch…Why do it for her... Why not for me instead? she thought to herself, placing a hand on her chest gently.
A Knock on her door disrupted her thinking back on the entire ordeal. She set the picture on her night-stand and paused as she thought who it would be. Her mother was out for the day at her new job, and she didn't order anything. Perhaps it was just Rivalz or Milly coming to say hello. "Be there in a second." She called. She walked up to the peephole and stuck an eye to the small entry-way to see who was outside.
Her heart skipped a beat at the sight. Slowly pulling away from the door, her eyes widened as she looked on in sheer memory of who was there at the door. Of all the people to come speak to her, why'd it have to be her? She slowly twisted the doorknob and pulled back the small apartment door to stare at the girl in front of her.
She'd changed her appearance various times throughout the years, and was now currently clothed in short black-ruffled Mini-skirt, a green Tank-top and a pair of High-heel shoes. A Purse of purple leather hung over her shoulder while her hair was done back in a low Ponytail tied back with a white ribbon. Although the real giveaway was the green hair and yellow eyes.
"C.C…" Spoke Kallen warily. "I… I didn't know you were still alive…"
"Hello, Kallen." Said the immortal witch to the Pilot. "It's been a while. May I come in?" she asked, plain and simple as she always was.
"Oh, umm, yeah, sure." She said, backing up, letting the woman stroll in. The way she walked, one might think she belonged in one of the Casinos. She walked past Kallen and took a seat in front of the Television, removing her heels and placing them beside her as she twisted up and curled on the couch. Kallen watched confused as the girl took the remote and just started watching Television.
"Umm… Are you just going to ignore me like that?"
"Mmhmm... "
At this response, Kallen sighed, suppressing her confusion on the subject and sat down in the chair, crossing her legs and looking at her. "Any reason that you're dressed like a Stripper?" she asked her blatantly, knowing that Sarcasm wasn't her strong point, deciding to head straight to the point.
"The same reason you're in your school uniform."
Wait…does she mean…
"C.C, don't tell me you got a job as a Stripper!?" Exclaimed Kallen shocked as she stood up and looked at the girl now, slightly worried for the woman's safety.
"No…", came the word from the green-haired woman's mouth as she continued staring at the television.
Kallen paused and thought about what she said and why she was here and came to the following conclusion:
"I… Don't get it… Could you elaborate?"
"Simple," C.C turned to her while explaining. "You're not in school anymore, and you're still hanging around in your school uniform. Therefore, you either don't want to change clothes, or you like the clothes you have on." She said as Matter-of-factly as she could. "I find that a rude comment, by the way."
"That's," said Kallen, trying to prove her wrong, but finding nary a reason that she wasn't. Dejectedly she sat back down and looked at her. "So… What're you doing here?" she said, slightly nervous around the peculiar woman. It was true that in the Black Knights they had grown as friends, but C.C had followed Lelouch around more and served as his version of a "Secretary," keeping him in check. She hadn't been seen since the day Lelouch had been killed, and was assumed dead. As it turns out those rumors of her being immortal were true.
"I've finished travelling. I've been everywhere I want to go, done everything I want to do, and now I'm home. That's it for me, isn't it?" she said, turning to Kallen blankly.
The Red-head's expression took on the guise of surprise. "You've… travelled?"
"Yes."
Kallen blinked as she continued to look at her. "… Around the World?"
"Yes."
"… In five months?"
"Yes."
Kallen only blinked in slight surprise. "Is that it then? You travel around the whole world, visit different countries, come back here, plop down at my place and just do nothing?"
"That's the Idea, yes." She said, continuing to watch as the screen changed to Cartoons.
Not all that surprised anymore, Kallen only stood up and sighed as she walked to the Kitchen. "Alright then, who am I to argue with a witch?"
"Damn straight."
Kallen's eyes lifted to spy the usually quiet girl through the Kitchen counter window and they were again surprised at her words. "Pardon?"
"Damn straight… It's an expression I learned in the Middle-west. It means you're correct." She explained as technically as she could. "I've learned new Lingo as I've travelled." She said with a nod as the Television switched to the News network.
Kallen only sighed as she went back to rummaging through the refrigerator. "Well, if you've just gotten back, you must be hungry, right?" she asked her, pulling out a box and setting it down before rummaging some more. C.C stopped as her eyebrows lifted a bit as she smelled the air. "Pizza?" she said, turning to the box and standing up.
"Yeah, I have four leftover slices, so we can s-" as Kallen looked up from the fridge, she saw C.C with two slices of pizza per hand. A bite in each of them. The guilty girl only blinked in confusion. "…Share?" she asked, as she'd continue eating the cold Pizza.
"… You know what, Never mind, I can make my own food." Said the Guren pilot, causing C.C to smile as she sat back on the couch and went back to watching T.V
As soon as she sat down, the doorbell rang again. Kallen froze as she looked at C.C. Shit! No-one can know she's here! She thought to herself worriedly before slowly walking over to the door and taking another peep through the peephole.
This next guest wasn't as surprising, but she was nonetheless a pain to deal with if she knew C.C was alive. She slowly opened the door just a crack to reveal the kind face and uniformed officer Cecile Croomy. "Hey there, Kallen." She said, waving a hand to her through the bit of door available to see her body.
"Ms. Croomy," smiled Kallen back to her. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" she said, lightly rubbing the back of her neck. Things had been awkward between them since Cecile sided with Lelouch, while she betrayed him, and although Cecile considered Kallen a good friend, Kallen still was a little nervous around her.
"It certainly has, but please call me Cecile." She said with a smile and a slightly embarrassed laugh. "I hate it when people call me Ms. Croomy. It makes me sound like an old woman."
"Okay, don't call you Ms. Croomy, Got it. Do you need anything else?" said the pilot, trying to hurry things along.
"Actually, yes, there is. May I come in?" she says taking a step forward.
"No-no, no, nooo." Hurried Kallen as she stood in front of the crack, bumping into Cecile and closing the door behind her.
"No?" asked Cecile curiously and slightly surprised about her reaction. "Why not? It'd be easier inside, wouldn't it?"
"I mean… well… You can't come in because… My house is a mess, huge mess, Mom's always so busy now, she doesn't have time to clean it, and I'm just so busy with schoolwork!" spoke the more than nervous pilot as she tried to lie about this subject.
"Oh, dear…" said Cecile as she looked at Kallen. "Always so busy, hmm?" Suddenly a look of horror and realization came to her face. "Oh, god… Is she using Refrain again?"
"What? NO, no, no , no, no." said the girl assuredly, backing against the door. "She's as busy as I am with her new job and all, she has to get organized and all that stuff. Umm, what do you need her for, exactly?"
"Well, I was told to give this to her." She said, holding up a letter labeled for the Kozuki Family. Kallen noticed the symbol of the New United Federation of Nations where the stamp should be. "Do you think you could give it to her?"
Kallen blinked as she took the letter and looked at it. "Umm, yeah, sure." The Handwriting on the address was written sloppily, and seemed almost to have been written in a hurry. Whoever wrote it to her must have been in a hurry. "I'll… make sure she gets it." Responded the pilot as she looked at the woman.
"Great, thanks so much." Said Cecile as she turned on her heels and left without so much as another word.
Kallen watched the woman walk away and head into the elevator before returning back to the apartment. She looked at the letter thoughtfully as she headed to the Kitchen doorway and leaned on the mantle. What ties does my mom have to the U.F.N? Who would send this to her?
"Something wrong?" spoke the green-girl from her place on the couch. She was too lazy to turn her head, so she tilted it back on the Couch's arm and looked up at her from there. "You look confused."
"That's because I am… " Kallen paused and thought about it before the curiosity got the best of her. She headed over to the counter, grabbed a knife and began to open the letter.
What could be so important concerning my Mother?
When she pulled out the paper and looked at it, the same sloppy handwriting was there. She looked at the top and sighed as she realized who it was. "Of course, it'd be him."
"Who?" interrogated the witch.
"Lloyd. For Some reason he sent my mom… a letter." She said as she continued reading. Her eyes squinted as she tried to make sure she understood what was on the paper.
"Hmm? What is it?" asked the witch, now becoming curious as she stood up and approached the kitchen herself to see what she was reading.
"Lloyd… wants me to come to his office, at eight 'o clock Friday… It says he needs me for a trip out of country… He wants my mom to sign it and approve that I'm free to go."
"Interesting." Spoke the witch as she looked at the letter from beside Kallen's shoulder. "Maybe you should go."
"Well… I'm not sure if I should. I still have school to attend, and if I leave, well… Eh, who knows, I'll think about it tomorrow." Kallen sighed as she put the letter back and carried it with her back to her room. "I'm… going to bed. You can… sleep on the couch if you want."
"Thank you." Said C.C as she returned to her 'bed' for the night, watching Television as the Sunset gleamed through the closed blinds.
The Next Morning, Kallen sighed as she reached her school. She showed the letter to her mother the next morning, but her adamant "No" downed her spirits. She knew her mother wanted to make up for time she'd spent away from her, so the reasons were understandable, but Life had been slightly average, and she had the chance to get back into the game, but her mother denied that chance.
I guess other opportunities will come along. Thought the girl as she set her stuff down by her seat and decided to just wait for class to start.
"Hey, Kallen!"
Kallen heard that usually peppy voice and smiled as she waved to Rivalz. They'd become pretty good friends in the past few months and he'd helped her plenty of times with stuff neither of them understood. "Hey, Rivalz. How's that Math project coming along?" she asked him.
The blue-haired boy plopped down in the chair beside hers and began to talk to her. "Well… I'm still at Square one, as I've done absolutely nothing to progress… So it's going good." He said with a smirk. "How's your life going?"
"Well," Kallen said slightly hesitant. She was curious about whether or not she should tell him about the letter she got last night. It wouldn't really mean much now, would it? She wouldn't be going anyways. "I got a letter from Lloyd. He wants me to go on some scientific trip of his, but Mom won't let me go."
"Yeah, with the way your grades are, I'm surprised she lets you come to school without an escort!"
The punch on the shoulder that followed made Rivalz cry out slightly. "Hey, it was a joke! Jeez, can't you tell?"
"Yeah, well you know I've been working of my grades to make them better."
"Yeah. You've come a long way since… " he said, pausing as he recalled the events that occurred not five months ago.
"Since Lelouch died…" finished Kallen solemnly.
"Yeah… I miss him. It was always fun watching him play chess and messing with him."
It was true, most of the students missed Lelouch. It was true he was horrible as a Ruler, and some of them didn't mind him being dead. Those who were closest to him, such as the Student Council, knew that his death meant the loss of a close friend. Even through all his Tyranny, he was still that awkward genius they all knew and loved. "Yeah. I miss him too…" she said in a consoling manner, patting his shoulder.
"Miss Kozuki, you had me worried! I thought you'd missed my Letter!"
Kallen's eyes widened and she blushed as red as her hair when she heard the call and saw the scientist stroll into the room. Lloyd Asplund sighed as he walked over towards Kallen, that same eccentric smile on his face. "I'd been worried you wouldn't make it! I thought you'd be stuck doing something incredibly Banal and it seems I was right!"
"Lloyd… " said an embarrassed Kallen. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm making sure you don't miss the trip, of course! We've had to move up schedule, so let's go dear!" said Lloyd, reaching for her hand.
*SMACK*
Lloyd withdrew his hand as Cecile smacked it away and pointed at him angrily. "It's not polite to grab a Lady's hand like that!" she said, scolding Lloyd.
"But Cecile, we need her!" he said like a child who complains for not getting what he wants.
"Hang on, need me for what?" asked Kallen confusedly.
"Sorry, dear, but we need you right away. As Lloyd said, our schedule's been sped-up a little bit, so we need you to come with us right away." Said the assistant, placing her hands on the pilot's shoulders and leading her towards the door. "We need you for a-"
"A Scientific Trip, yeah, I remember the letter." She said as she was ushered away. "But I didn't have my Mom sign it, and I need to stay here and not lose my grades." She tried to explain to them.
"Oh don't worry, Miss Kozuki, she's already signed it and given it to us this morning." Corrected Cecile as she held up the letter for Kallen to look at and spy the signature of her mother. "Now, Let's just hurry up and leave, you have a long journey ahead of you!"
"Come on, dears!" said Lloyd as he hurried outside and walked down the hall. "There's no time to lose! It's off to the lab!" Cecile and Kallen followed Quickly as the door of the classroom was closed behind them.
When they were gone, nearly the entire class stared at where they'd left. The scene was quite humorous and made a few of them laugh. Rivalz was just as confused as anyone else in the room and raised an eyebrow. "What was all that about?"