DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CODE GEASS OR ANY OF THE RIGHTS TO IT'S CHARACTERS!


CHAPTER THREE: In the Evening (Part One)

"So, where to first? A bar?" He heard whispered to him from over the pages of the demon's grimoire. Luke knew it was Lucire but the fact his hood sat over his head and he concealed his face with a pair of wire framed glasses wore on him. And now all he needs is a wig, man he is paranoid. Luke noted to himself. "I hear that Ohgi owns a bar or restaurant of some sort," his disguised friend mentioned as he tried to busy himself with a news paper from two days ago. He couldn't blend in even if he poked everyone's eyes out first, he mentally continued as he bookmarked the page with a red ribbon. Red, more like her kind of red, slipped through his mind as he outright turned to Lucire. "Hmmm?" Lucire hummed as his eyes shifted over the top of the 'International Business' section of the paper. "You know you look stupid with that pizza hut hat on." Lucire said finishing his thought with a neutral air.

"You know, I was thinking something similar about you." Luke added while trying to hide his amusement. "You know what I want to do first, perhaps she can join us for a meal." He said it as a statement more than a request but Lucire just shrugged and flipped the page to a new section - Something about Britannia changing a former factory for Knightmare construction to a factory for creating luxury aircrafts from what little he could see via the picture and bolded segments title. "But honestly Lucire," Luke accused passively, "Why do you need to be incognito as well? You were worried about me being mistaken for a dead man. I don't think you need to worry about yourself."

"Because we were both in the papers and on television." commented Lucire,"don't use my name in public either." Lucire cooed over something in the paper before hap-hazardly folding it up and setting it in his lap. "Sorry, I don't want an idiot getting the wrong idea and cutting this trip short with a night in the hospital." Lucire confessed with a worried look pulling his face tight. Looking into Luke's eyes he drew in a breath and turned to look out of the train's windows across from where he sat.

They rode all the way from the southern tip of Hokkaido to deep inside of Kyushu on this same train and both men swayed with the flow of the train's movement. Tokyo lay only 40 kilometers away now. Luke searched the landscape for something memorable but found little more than the occasional forgettable building that held some kind of purpose or small house surrounded by cars and bicycles. They had their closed section of seating with four comfy red fake velvet covered seats to themselves to spread out over. Earlier in the trip a man had occupied one of the free seats with his young daughter sitting on his lap asking quiet questions about Tokyo and the train with an occasional "Look at that daddy!" to break her shy demeanor. It made Lucire laugh and Luke smile but they had left almost twenty minutes ago to go into the dinning car.

Lucire broke the silence, and Luke's concentration, when he resumed his previous conversation. "Ohgi's bar," He reminded, "It gives one free drink to any Black Knight who stops by." He stretched his legs and swung them onto the vacant seat next to him. "I think that would be an excellent way to start our vacation." Lucire yawned as he slid the news paper over his face to block out the sun's rays that leaked over the top edge of his window. Lucire was letting his guard down, although he rarely liked to admit it Luke valued Lucire's unwavering loyalty and desire to keep him safe. This trip pressured Lucire in ways Luke hadn't realized. After the war he must have become a 'home body' because before it he was known for creating a lot of noise when he journeyed out and about. I guess somethings are bound to change, Luke commentated to himself. He slipped his fingers through the diary again and found it's pages cool and smooth on his finger tips; the ribbon felt similar but with a deliciously pleasing tickling sensation accompanying its smoothness. "Which part are you reading this time?" Lucire interrupted with one eye cracked open at the journal in Luke's hands.

"About the first time Lelouch talked to Kallen. They were in school." Luke paused, searching the page for further explanation. "I hadn't a clue they went to school together. Apparently she had suspected he was Zero but he recorded a message and had someone else call her and play that recording while he was in same the room as her." He paused re-reading the next segment a few time to ensure it was detailing what he thought he had read. Lucire opened both eyes realizing something caught his buddy's attention and he moved his newspaper to his chest as he turned his head to Luke. He waited a few seconds before gesturing for Luke to go on with the story and spit out whatever had caught his attention. Luke gulped slightly embarrassed at the thoughts that drifted into his mind before continuing. "She was in the shower and he was bringing her clothes, it's a long story. It seems that she was so shocked to hear zero on the phone with him in the room that she pulled the phone close and unintentionally exposed herself to him." Luke finished and slid the journal to his knee to regain his full composure.

"Seriously?!" Lucire burst out before chuckling for a considerable amount of time. "Where in the journal is that?" He asked calming from his fit of laughter.

"Near the front. It's the page that starts with Sayoko being geassed." Luke insightfully added. "That's embarrassing, I don't know if I could deal with that."

"What's the matter 'Lucas'" Lucire coughed as he had to change the name last second; he struggled to do so as an attendance passed the door with a bottle of some sort of soda. Quietly he continued after she was well down the corridor of that train-car. "Don't think you could be naked in front of the woman you love?" Lucire was mocking him and it peeved Luke slightly that he could turn this back on him so easily.

"At least I have someone to love." Luke shot back as he picked the book back up and continued to read; the rest of the page described how Kallen was inducted into some student council due to 'being continually absent'. Lucire groaned before placatingly throwing his hand up in defeat and returning the newspaper to his face. You walked right into that one, Luke mused as he finished the page and turned to it's backside. The other council members didn't know about her part in the black knights missions but then again they didn't know that Lelouch founded the terrorist organization either. Luke imagined what that must have been like then dismissed the idea, school is school, he summed up. Then it hit him, something that had been right there all along. "Hey Lucire, Do you think she could still be attending that school?" He questioned, hope high in his hushed voice. Perhaps he could find her without having to chat with the other terrorists-turned-citizens.

"Hmmmm, I am not sure." Lucire stated trying not to bring his friend down with a negative answer. "Could be worth a shot but if we're gonna be somewhere like that you have-" Before he could even finish his line Luke sighed heavily. He knew this conversation, he'd predicted this same show & dance even before he asked his question.

"I will have to be careful. I am more cautious than you give me credit for." Luke interrupted calmly while shooting an annoyed gaze to his friend. Lucire's body didn't even seem to move as he waved his hand at Luke, motioning that he was through with the conversation. Luke rubbed his eyes and lowered his gaze once more onto his ribbon bookmark. The contacts he wore to shield his eyes from the increased light still bugged him, he had forgotten to take them out yesterday and the irritation wore on his ability to stay relaxed. He's had to wear them since he woke on a little over a month ago. When the medics went in to get the the shrapnel out of him they had left a small piece in there and that caused him to get some sort of 'heavy metal toxicity'. It was the reason he was in a coma, Lucire told him after a few days, and it also destroyed some of his cones in his eyes; everything seemed too bright to him without the soothing dark pieces of plastic covering his irises. I need to change them out tonight, Luke lightly added to his last though.

"Wake me when he arrive." was all Lucire said although he was watching Luke adjust his eye protection. Lucire just shimmied deeper into the seat to get more comfortable and fell quiet. Luke gazed at him for a moment before returning to his reading. Ashford Academy? Hmmmm, I know I have been there before. When was it? Luke mind raged to remember, he felt like he could if he focused intently enough. The UFN meeting with Emperor Lelouch? He thought as he touched his lips and a light blush burned his checks. He had remembered his dream and smiled. That's right, in the ballroom. He blissfully remembered as a new grin stretched across his face. Maybe we can continue where we left off he joked with himself.


"How the hell is it that we have both been there but we don't remember how to get back?!" Luke fumed as he and Lucire came to a stop at a corner with a traffic light going in two directions and a stop sign halting the other directions. There was a large wall enclosing a building on their left and to their right stood a few random buildings that began to cast long shadows over the pavement. It was getting later than he wanted and Lucire was getting them more and more lost.

"I swear it has to be close by." Lucire apologized with a wince. He had a great memory but seemed to be bad with direction, Luke's exhaustion from all the extra walking forced his friend to slow his pace. He refused to tell Lucire about this but the scar on his chest was starting to pulsate in spasms and it took all of his will power not to rub it. "The man at the grocery said it was down this way," Lucire repeated, "Ya can't miss it, Loud place with lots of kids." Lucire finished his impression with a wink just as the manager of the store had.

"Well it seems he was god damn wrong!" Luke shouted irritably as Lucire shrunk down and dug into his satchel for a bottle of water that he bought at the same store they got directions at. They had been walking this way for ten minutes, it was slowed by looking around for the entrance to the school and Luke slowed canter. Luke snatched his water and guzzled down a bit before quickening his pace down the sidewalk again. He almost lost his footing when he thought he saw three or more teenagers in familiar looking uniforms lazing around a large cast-iron gate. "Oh thank goodness." He sighed in relief and handed Lucire his water bottle.

Lucire screwed the top back on the water since he was the one to uncapped the drink; he just smiled and shifted it back into his pack as Luke shambled ahead of him. They had left everything behind once they checked into a hotel upon arriving and after dropping off all of their bags and supplies there; all that was left was this one pack. Inside rested the journal, which had done nothing to tell them where the school actually resided much to Luke's chagrin, a few extra articles of clothing in case they were noticed and needed to appear different from when they arrived, the two waters and an energy bar Lucire had purchased to bribe the information out of the attending manager of that store and lastly cash needed for whatever they planned to do once they had finished this 'adventure'.

After a few more steps towards the front entrance several explosions lit the sky with sparkles and smoke. Luke jumped slightly and grabbed his chest before noticing it was fireworks. Fireworks? at the school? What is going on here? Trying to ascertain a reason for the explosives, he sped up his stroll towards the students. With a bit of protest Lucire hurried to catch up, picking to jog in order to come up alongside him. This is the place alright, Luke noted upon reading 'ASHFORD ACADEMY' over the top of the metal archway. A brunette haired girl with a long french-style braid waved to them and called out cheerfully "Hello there! Come on in Pizza lover." Luke stopped mid-stride with a start before realizing he still had his head tucked into a ball cap with the pizza hut logo on it. Laughing at himself, Luke looked down at himself and concluded he looked foolish. So foolish, in his skin tight black shirt, brown leather jacket, Light blue jeans, silly ball cap and a pair of aviator sun glasses. "The school is open to the public today as we try for a fourth time to make the world's largest pizza!" A male student ran to Lucire and started pushing him through the gate amid protests and cries for help. The girl with the braid took Luke's arm and guided him in towards the festivities.

There were several building separated by open fields of grass, condensed trees creating borders for the outermost passages into the schoolyard and other scraps of foliage segmented by beautiful white pavement walkways. Along the center pathway to the school stood seven white archways made of solid marble who's base sat in craved deposits of water. Farther down the path closer to the main building sat a set of stairs guarding several fountains artfully placed to welcome it's visitors; if not to also impress them. The scenery shown beautifully and it turned the school from a normal place of learning to an academy for betterment of one's image as well as one's mental capability. It looks just the same as I remember it, Luke processed looking to the Academy portion of the school noting it had three stories the spread across the center of the plot and separated everything from each other.

"Hey, Pal, stop shoving! Luke," Lucire shouted as his so called guide thrust him past Luke, "I guess the old man was god damn right. It's a loud place with lots of kids alright." He finished with a yelp as the student gave him one final shove and he fell down in a not so graceful manner. "Thanks." he growled sarcastically as he pulled himself back up. Placing his hand out in order help his friend off the grass, Luke finally focused on what this event was actually for. There stood a giant but ancient Knightmare frame tossing a huge pile of pizza dough into the air with both hands gracefully working in tandem. It struck him as odd but now he knew why she commented on his hat right away.

"Pardon me ma'am," He asked politely as young woman let go of his arm with a final squeeze. "Do you happen to know Kozuki Kallen?"

"Kozuki? Yeah," the young girl confirmed after a slight hesitation, "Kallen! I knew her by her Britannian family name though, kinda got confused for a second there." she admitted with a cute laugh that caused him to raise an eyebrow. "She's actually the one piloting our school's Knightmare" She recited almost as if she'd been reading off a card. Luke's eyes shot to the machine that was throwing dough into the air before slamming it on a platform and reaching for a huge container marked 'TOMATOES'. She was here, right there in fact but he couldn't talk to her. Not now obviously, he admitted to himself as he started forming a plan on how to get her alone so they could. . . His brain stopped analyzing as he watched the Knightmare shake the tomatoes thoroughly in awe.

"Thank you ma'am, and we will have fun thanks." called Lucire over his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around Luke's neck and supported him forward. "Look at that. It's almost like the whole school is celebrating your arrival, Pizza lover or should I say. . . Kallen's lover?" Lucire mocked in a sweet sounding falsetto. They were moving into the cheering crowd, it was surprisingly full. A mix of Students, Britannians and Japanese, as well as all sorts of people in outfits of random professions filled it's ranks."Shit," Lucire hissed out and he turned Luke's shoulders towards the stage with a tug. "The T.V. Crews are here too. So much for that."

Luke jerked out of his friends grasp with a concerned yelp of surprise. As he looked over Lucire's shoulder, who placed himself between the camera's view and 'THE Lelouch look-alike', he noticed a woman with long blonde hair, a green and blue sundress on and a microphone in her hand commentating about the progress of the pizza's creation. He could hear her say her name as she ended her report and frozen in realization. That was Milly ASHFORD! Former President of the student council of this school and it's heir. How odd, Luke thought as his worry slowly melded into amusement, The lady who Lelouch mentioned liked to throw and host random events is coming back to the school after she has passed her mantle now gets to watch someone else succeed where she failed three times. He smiled lightly at the irony.

"Let's just stay in the crowd and see how this goes." Luke mouthed into Lucire ear as he's words were drowned out by the triumphant cheers of the crowd. The toppings were all in place and all that was left was to sit and wait while the pizza baked. Lucire and Luke both laughed and chatted lightly as the smell of cheese and tomato sauce rose.


"Hmmmmm, It's not very good." Lucire joked with a laugh as people started to gather towards the entrance of school. He had eaten all of the small piece of pizza he grabbed but still complained as he always did. He did this every time he ate anything when they had eaten outside of the house. Most of the students had took their portion of pizza and crossed the campus grounds back to their dormitories in boisterous cheering groups. Luke tried to ignore him, as well as the excited calls to classmates, as he watched to see where the 'Ganymede' was heading. "I see it too," Lucire commented before Luke spoke, "Show time, aye?" Aye? Luke pondered as raised an eyebrow at the utterance, I've never heard him use that before, why not just say 'ne' like he always does? "Let's go." Lucire instructed as he slipped off his satchel and set it lightly against the stage where the Knightmare performed it's 'historical record shattering task'. Luke nodded and eyed the bag as they both lopped towards the school as the dusk was setting in fully.

What would he say to her? What would she say to him? He didn't know but he needed to come up with something quick. "Let me handle this" Lucire assured him as they followed the wall of the main structure. They seemed out of place but it wasn't like they were gonna kidnap her. . . Never Luke jokingly re-assured himself. They slipped around a corner of the building, Lucire leading the two and Luke shadowing him not far behind. Luke's heart began to race as they inched around the corner to see two shadowy figures talking near the kneeling Ganymede. One of them is Kallen but who is that other one. Luke thought breathing long deep breaths trying to remain undetected but able catch his breath.

"Well?" huffed Luke impatiently and Lucire gave him a soft nod.

"Well, let's do this." Lucire whispered calmly and both men took a deep breath as they started towards them.


AN: Chapter Three is in the books and I am happy to say we're getting into the best part of the EARLY story. . . This chapter was initially twice this size and after some time working with Magery I realized that it needed to be cut in half; Thus you have a Part One and a Part Two!

I wrote this chapters months ago and as I read it all over again I am laughing at how poorly it sounds before it's edited. I hope you guys enjoy it, don't worry I won't keep ya waiting for part two.

For those who love music you might have caught onto this already but the chapter names are all songs.
(This is an homage to Magery for his assistance in editing - His story Breath of Life did the same thing so I figured it's was the least I could do now that he is taking a break from writing.)
And I am going back and forth between Led Zeppelin songs and other songs I have listened to while writing my chapters. Chapter 1, 3-4, 6, 8 and every even numbered chapter afterwards should have a LZ song name for a chapter title. If you wanna suggest a song for me to listen to/use as a chapter name, you might get a shout out too!

As always. . . Keep on reading you Fan Fiction Fans and Keep it classy!