The next morning, I woke up in excruciating pain and soreness. Everything just hurt so much; my abdomen, my ribs, my arms, and even my head from when my hair got pulled. Kuro was nibbling at my bandaged arms. I sighed and strained to sit up. I checked my phone. It was 1 in the afternoon. Thankfully, it was a Sunday, so there was no class. There were no missed calls, only an apology text from Takumi. I forced myself to fight through the pain and got out of my bed. The first thing I did was clean up my broken mug from the night before. Then, I filled up Kuro's bowl with fresh water and food. After that, I started brewing some coffee and then tottered toward the bathroom. I pulled out my toothbrush and began brushing my teeth while I turned on the hot water. I began to undress. I noticed the bandages and remembered last night. I began to unravel them. My abdomen wasn't as inflamed, but it was still bruised prominently. My arms were covered in tiny cuts that were beginning to scab over. I would have to wear bandages for the next week so people wouldn't see them. I hopped in the shower and enjoyed being immersed in the steaming hot water. It was soothing to my injuries. I began thinking of Zero and couldn't help myself from smiling. I was so happy that he came by to check on me. Though, I wondered if he came by because I was drunk or if he wanted to see how my injuries were. I had so many, endless questions about Zero.
When I finally ended my shower, I threw on my baby pink robe. I hated putting clothes on directly after a shower. I enjoyed walking around in my robe for a little bit before I put clothes on. I strolled into my kitchen where I made a cup of coffee with milk and sugar. I gazed out my window at the bright blue sky. Daydreaming of finding love. It wasn't something I was very concerned about when I was living in the ghettos and in the wilderness, but now, I could afford to daydream about such luxurious things.
Thinking about my past made my heart throb. It started remembering the day of the massacre. My mother and I were both so excited about the Special Administrated Zone. We were living nomadically in the Tokyo Settlement and Shinjuku ghetto. We would sleep in alleyways, abandoned shacks and train stations, and even public bathroom stalls. We didn't have any money. Work was scarce for the Japanese. Many turned to drug dealing and doing dirty jobs for money, but it was never enough money to support a home. It was just petty cash. To find food, we would dig through garbage and when times got bad enough, we would steal from Britannian shops. Soon after, we heard of Princess Euphemia's proposal of the special zone. It was to take place around Mount Fuji. We applied and were accepted. Mount Fuji was a 24-hour walk from Shinjuku. Mother's health was not in good shape because of malnutrition and over exhaustion. We split the trip into 4 days of walking for 6 hours and then camping out. When we finally arrived, everyone was screaming for joy and just exhilarated beyond belief. The crowds went even wilder when Zero appeared. My mother and I were in the back of the crowd that day. Then after Princess Euphemia returned from her talk with Zero, she began shooting, executing the Japanese by the handful, asking us to die. At first, we couldn't tell what was going on, but then the soldiers on guard in their Knightmares were told to annihilate us. My heart sank to the pit of my stomach. I grabbed my mother's arm and ran. I ran as fast as I possibly could, but then the unfortunate happened. My mother got shot in her legs and in her back.
"Oka-san, get up. Please, try to get up," I cried, trying to drag her. She couldn't move anything past her torso. She closed her eyes and smiled,
"Go on without me, Yuki. I can't even walk, yet alone run away with you."
"Oka-san, I'll carry you if I have to. Please, get on my back," but she refused. I tried picking her up myself, but I was too weak. I had no muscle. Ignoring the indisputable fact that I was weak, I put her arms around my neck and drug her with me. "It's okay, Oka-san. I can take you with me. We can escape together. We can go somewhere far from here. Right, Oka-san?" I sobbed. Behind us, Japanese were still being slaughtered. I could hear their howls for a savior to come and screams of agony. I just wanted to disappear. My mother maneuvered her way out of my pitiful piggyback ride and collapsed to the ground.
"Yuki, you have to leave me behind. You'll be slaughtered!" she bellowed. I couldn't believe that she was about to make the choice to die.
"But Oka-san, I can't l-"
"Yuki! I've lived a wonderful life as your mother and as a wife to your father, but my time is up. Just accept it. Stop fighting it. Fate has already claimed me. Even if you could save me, I would most likely die from infection." She was sobbing and so was I. My only other family was dying right in front of me, and there was nothing I could do to save her because I was not strong enough. She grabbed my hand and held it against her cheek, "Yuki. You're going to do wonderful things with your life. When this war is over, I hope that you don't hold any grudges. Go to Lake Motosu. Our old house might be there still." I clutched her hands to my face, sobbing. "Yuki. Go." I tried to pull myself together, but I just couldn't. I wanted to keep talking to her. I didn't want to leave her, but I had to.
"She has chosen to die, so that I could have a chance to live. I can't let her death be in vain," I thought to myself before I left. I kissed her hand and smiled at her with a face full of tears; then, I turned away and ran. As I ran away, I could still hear my mother sobbing and whimpering. I also heard gunshots. I didn't hear her sobs after that. I wanted to look back to see if she was really dead, but I had to tell myself to keep looking forward. Looking back would only hurt me and result in my death. I sprinted as fast as I could to get out of that stadium, even though it was hard to see from all the tears that kept gushing down my face. There were corpses everywhere. There were women and children lying motionless and lifeless in pools of blood and bullet shells. There were Britannians everywhere with their Knightmare frames. I had to sneak my way to the exit. I ran along the walls and hid under some of the corpses. I waited until there was a distraction, and then bolted for the exit. I kept running. I had no idea where I was going. Eventually, I came across the Kururugi Shrine. I hid myself in there to take shelter.
There were broken picture frames of the former Prime Minister and of Suzaku Kururugi. I raided through closets and drawers of old clothes and layered my body with them generously. Finding that shrine saved my life. There was nothing left for me in Shinjuku. Though, I couldn't permanently stay at the shrine. I had to go to Lake Motosu. It was a special place for my family. My father took us there after Genbu Kururugi killed himself. My father knew that Britannia would seize the opportunity and strike the cities first. So, he took us to Lake Motosu because it was the most westward of Tokyo that we could get without being too far. The west was the safest place to be. We lived in the wilderness. We caught our food, filtered our water, and made a home there for 5 years. My father would go into surrounding towns and steal clothes and books for me to read. Then, my father decided he wanted to go back to Shinjuku because he heard that it was rebuilding and prospering. I loved Lake Motosu. I never knew why Oka-san wouldn't go back there. I asked her after father was killed, but she refused.
I lurked around the Kururugi Shrine for about a month before I finally left for Lake Motosu. It was a 9 hour walk from the shrine, but I made it all in one day. There, I found sanctuary in my old home. I found books that I had to leave behind and old clothes that were too small for me to wear. I took refuge there from January of 2018 until July. After that, I packed up and went to Lake Kawaguchi. It was closer to the Tokyo Settlement. I knew that it wasn't safe to go back yet, but I was able to get more information about Britannia that way.
After I heard news that Emperor Lelouch was killed, I decided to wait a month before I made my way back to Shinjuku. That's when I found out that Ashford Academy offered a non-segregated school environment. So, I enrolled as quickly as I could and took the placement test. That was just two years ago; now, it's 2020 and I've come so far. Well, not exactly two years yet but almost.
I reverted my thoughts back to present time issues. I wanted something closer than a friend. I was the oldest student at school; it made me feel pathetic no matter what I told myself. Tamaki was my only friend from my childhood. I had no real friends at school because studying, working, or helping out Nunnally was my top priority. Not to mention, none of the other students even tried to talk to me. Even though I got hurt, last night was my first fun night in a long time. Did I have a wonderful time because I was drunk? Was it because I was with Zero? I felt like I was coming off as a crazed fan girl. I wasn't even sure of my own desires anymore.
I finally snapped out of my wild thoughts and tended to my injuries. It was more difficult wrapping my abdomen myself. It made more even more thankful that Zero helped me out with that. After I finished wrapping my abdomen and arms, I had to decide what to wear. Luckily, it wasn't raining like it usually would in April. It was warm and bright outside, so I figured a strapless, short white spring dress would be appropriate. It had layers of white mesh and ruffles underneath. I wore a light grey cardigan over it to conceal my bandaged arms. Finally, I threw on a little make-up and styled my hair in a loose ponytail. Then, I grabbed Kuro to take with me and sauntered down to Nunnally's room to see if I could assist her with anything.
I knocked on her door, but there wasn't an answer. So, I knocked another time and waited five minutes before knocking one last time. There was still no answer. The door creaked open.
"Okay. That was weird." I whispered out loud, as I snuck in her room. The blinds were opened and there was breakfast still on the table. It looked like someone was here, but there wasn't a sign of anyone. I glanced back at the table and saw a note. I picked it up immediately, and it read: "Hello! Look's like you've discovered that I am missing. Can you find me before the day is over? If you don't then something bad will happen. Clue number one: Teamwork is crucial. With it, anything is possible. Teamwork was achieved here already. Teamwork, don't forget to keep it steady. Can you unlock the door that was unlocked before? Xoxo, Nunnally"
"What the heck is this? Is she in trouble? Is this a prank?" I shouted loudly. I heard a noise from behind me and turned toward its direction. It was Zero.
"What are you shouting about? What is that?" he asked in a calm tone.
"It's some kind of weird scavenger hunt letter that looks like it's from Nunnally. It's telling me to find her or else something bad will happen." I explained, handing it to him. Zero's attention was completely on the letter. He examined it closely. "It does look like her handwriting," I said, "But why is it worded so dangerously? Do you think she was forced to write it by some stranger that wants a ransom!?" I yelped. My mind was chaotically confused and disorganized.
"No. This is Nunnally having fun with us. It's her way of pushing us to work together."
"How is this going to push us together? I'm totally freaking out, while you are over here calm, relaxed, and have no doubt in your mind that she's okay."
He gave the come hither motion and directed his finger to the letter, "Look. The word 'teamwork' is written three times and each time there are certain letters that are bolded. Those letters are 'e', 'm', 'w', and 'o'. Do you know what that is?" I shook my head no. "It's the letters that form the word 'meow'. That's how I know it is Nunnally."
"Could you explain how the word 'meow' is a sign that this note was really from Nunnally?" I asked.
"During the times when Lelouch and Nunnally went to school together, and during most of the school festivals, there was always a kickoff phrase. Nunnally always picked, 'meow'. I know this because she told me some of those stories before."
I nodded, "So. I know next to nothing about Nunnally's life before she became Empress. How am I supposed to help?"
"I'm sure there's some things you could help with. We won't know until we try. Teamwork is the point she's trying to make to us. Ready to find Nunnally, teammate?" He asked, holding out his gloved hand. He was much more open with me. I wondered if it was for the sake of Nunnally's scavenger hunt. Maybe Nunnally was doing this because she knew that I wouldn't know how to approach him after last night. She is known for being very insightful. I wondered if Zero would have approached me if the letter weren't there. The scavenger hunt was my shot to get closer to Zero. I reached for his hand and shook it. Smiling, I replied, "Let's do this, teammate."