"Well this is awkward." Lelouch said sitting on the pile of rubble. Last time they met like this, he was trying to convince Suzaku to join him. Now that he already had it seemed that the meeting was redundant. This does not excuse the fact that he needed to ask him a question. "So would you help me this time around?"
"Depends are you going to save Euphie?" Suzaku asked.
"Are you seriously asking him a question you already know the answer to?" Kallen answered him. Anger was evident in her voice. "You already know that whole fiasco was an accident."
"Regardless, I need an answer from him." Suzaku shot back. His voice was stern and cold. This was his voice when he became the Knight of Zero. This made Kallen tense up. He was ready to kill Lelouch if he gave the wrong answer. "So Lelouch?"
"You're an ass Kururugi." Kallen commented. She stood up moving to Lelouch's side giving him a warning glare.
"Yes, I was not planning to lose control that day and that she was not supposed to die." Lelouch answered.
"What's the plan?" Suzaku said smiling. His scowl turned to a smile. This man had been a thorn to Lelouch when he was on the opposing him; however, when they were working in tandem, he brought unbelievable results. The proof being him taking down the Knights of the Round by himself along with their troops.
"This is what we'll do." Lelouch said charismatically. A devilish smirk was appearing on his face. This was Zero they were talking to, this was the man who conquered the world by declaring war on fourty-seven nations all at once with a smile on his face, this was the man who destroyed the world and recreated it to a gentler one, and this was Lelouch. "Suzaku, I need you to be one of my eyes and ears in the military. Try to interact more with the people in the ASEECs Unit. Tell Lloyd that there is someone who is interested in his work. I am more than happy to fund Dr. Franknstein for his genius."
After they finished, Lelouch went to where the others were. Upon entering he heard them discussing among themselves. They did not notice him come in with Kallen. They stood at the door listening to what the resistance group is saying.
"Man, I didn't really think he could do it." One of them said.
"Yeah, who is this guy?" Another one agreed.
"That's crap! How many times can a bluff like that work, anyway?" Tamaki said. He was the most skeptical of the resistance group; however, during the incident in the Ikaruga, he was the only person save Kallen that did not want to kill Lelouch.
"You gotta give the guy some credit though." Ohgi replied.
"Huh?" Tamaki said.
"Gotta admit it nobody else could've pulled that off. Not the Japanese Liberation Front, certainly not me. We've always thought that a full-on war with Britannian wasn't a possibility at all. But maybe with him, it is." Ohgi said. Lelouch frowned. He found these words hypocritical. This man betrayed him. He may be protecting those that he cared about but he did not even give his leader the benefit of the doubt.
"Come on master Lelouch" Sayoko screamed from across the soccer field. "You still have twelve laps to go."
A panting Lelouch can be seen running on the field. Sweat was dripping from his whole body. His legs felt like they were about to snap from his body. 'This woman was killing him' he thought. She had made him do a hundred pushups and a seventy sit ups since dawn. He was hungry and tired. Class has not even started and he was already exhausted. 'He'd probably sleep through history' he thought. The one he knew and the one that Britania is spoon feeding the masses are conflicting anyway. Cornelia had just finished up in the Middle East and is moving towards Area Eleven.
"Come on Onii-chan you can do it." Nunnally said to encourage her big brother.
The misunderstanding with Sayoko was cleared up last night after he got back from talking to Suzaku. He was still to go back to his court martial so that the Britanians do not get an excuse to blame the incident on the Elevens. Sayoko has begun installing state of the art security systems. Using Lelouch's gambling money she had a feed from the entire city. The targets that her master had given her were nowhere to be found. Her mission for this was to eliminate them once and/ or if they enter Area 11. She had machine guns, flamethrowers, missiles, and microwaves for traps. She even had Surface-to-Air missiles in the arsenal in case of aerial suspicion or attack. To her, it seems like Lelouch was over doing it. She had every type of sensor array at her disposal, she had access to all of the Area's security systems, and she has audio, video and sonar of all of the country. How did Lelouch get the codes for the Areas defence network? Did he hack the system? She was only filled with questions but summed it up to Lelouch being incredibly smart. She finally went back to reality realizing that her master was out of air and would collapse anytime soon. He was doing better at least. For the first day of training he at least managed to run five of the fifteen laps in the first day.
"It's time to learn the basics of combat." She said as she approached the boy. He groaned but stood up. He knew he needed this for the trials to come.
"First we need you to practice clearing your mind." She said taking a Zen pose beside him. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. Lelouch followed and took the same pose that she had made. Nunnally intently listening to what they were doing.
They meditated for twenty minutes. This allowed not only Lelouch's body to rest but also his mind. They then proceeded to basic forms. He learned the correct way of seeing a battle where he was one of the fighters. He was very proficient in his learning. Sayoko wondered how he did not learn anything from Todoh and that he was not able to teach such a quick student. After their session, Lelouch went to take a shower, ate breakfast and went to class.
"Case No.107 Private Suzaku Kururugi, Area 11 Military Forces. In the murder of His Highness Prince Clovis you are no longer a suspect, and are hereby set free due to lack of evidence." The judge said.
Suzaku Kururugi found himself free yet again. No matter how many times he did this event in his life he still found it unpleasant. He did not like being used as a scapegoat and sure did not like being in a courtroom.
"Agh, Kami-sama can you send me a guardian angel?" He groaned as he was making a mock prayer.
"Out of the way, please, look out below!" A pink haired teenaged girl shouted as she fell from the sky. Suzaku caught her and laid her gently to the ground. "Oh!"
"I didn't think God would take my prayer for an angel literally." He said jokingly. He smiled at the young girl. He loved her. She was the main reason why Suzaku had decided to betray and kill this girl's brother. "Are you all right?"
"I'm sorry. I wasn't aware you were down here until I had leapt." She said. "Hardly something an angel would do."
"Don't worry; I'm pretty sure that's just your way of bestowing your blessings." He said.
"Oh, my..." She said.
Suzaku already knew what was going on. She was escaping because she wanted to see the outside and because there were guards all over the bureau, she decided to use the window. She forgot one thing though; she was three stories up and did not bring a rope.
"Huh? Is there something wrong?" Suzaku asked, deciding to play along.
"Yes! There is something wrong." She replied.
"Huh?" Suzaku said.
"The truth is bad guys are chasing me. So considering the circumstances could you help me, please?" She asked.
"Sure" Suzaku replied
They ran from the bureau and spent the afternoon touring the city. Suzaku wore shades not to be recognized. They went around the settlement, talked about their life. Suzaku knew she was hiding some things because she was a princess of Britania and purposely avoided giving those questions and giving her the knowledge that he knew. They met Aurthur again. The cat was the same as he always was. He bit Suzaku the moment he got the chance. Lloyd and Cecile spotted them later on and shadowed them. Then she asked to be taken to the Shinjuku Ghetto. They saw the same bunch of students that were there last time. The fight ensues with Tamaki and his gang and the students to which the Suzaku interferes once again explaining that his father died and that if he stopped trying then his death would have been in vain. He was cut off by an explosion to which the ASEEC truck appeared. Jerimiah was under attack. He and Lelouch needed the man for he was loyal to no one but the Vi Britania bloodline.
"Damn, it's four against one. Cowards!" Jerimiah shouted. He was being cornered. His Sutherland has already been disarmed.
"Don't worry Jeremiah. We'll say you died in battle. Your family's name won't be disgraced." Kewell said.
"You're serious then? You actually intend to kill me? Kewell!" Jerimiah asked.
"Silence, Orange! We serve the Imperial family. Why else would we be here?" Kewell responded.
"All hail Britania!" The purebloods shouted in unison.
As Jerimiah's unit was about to be pierced, six slash harkens find their way to the four assailants, disarming two of them of their lances.
"Stop it. I will not stand for this senseless battle." Suzaku said.
"That's him; it's that Honorary Britannian, the advanced weapon, Lancelot." Jerimiah said.
"What business of the Special Corps wants here? Interlopers will die." Kewell said.
"By order of Emperor Lelouch Vi Britania, stop this fight at once." He said.
"Emperor Lelouch Vi Britania?" Jerimiah whispered.
The Lancelot jumped in the perfect imitation of death which gave him his moniker during the second rebellion. Pulling out the MVS and slashed the arms and legs of one of the units disabling it immediately. His land spinner raced as he ran toward the next unit.
"Oh my God, they've perfected the MVSes. Too late, I won't back down." Kewell said.
"Lord Jerimiah, are you ok?" Suzaku asked.
"Suzaku Kururugi... is saving me?" Jerimiah said. He was not only questioning the logic of what is happening here but by whose authority this boy was working from. "His majesty Lelouch?"
"We can at least kill Orange." Kewell ordered hopelessly as he sees another of his comrade being ripped to shreds by the Lancelot. He tried to strike the Lancelot with his lance only to have it split in two by the MVS sword and his unit's arm slashed.
"Lord Jeremiah!" Viletta said.
'Viletta?' Suzaku thought. 'Did Lelouch send her?'
"Viletta! Thanks." Jerimiah said.
"Lord Kewell it's over, please stop this." Suzaku said. "Don't use a chaos mine."
"Too late" Kewell said. His unit threw what looked like a grenade onto the air.
"No, stop it now!" Euphie said as she ran past the Jerimiah's Sutherland."
"Damn it! Not this time." Suzaku said as the Lancelot went in front of Euphemia and put the Blaze Luminous shields on overdrive.
"Hmm, it's in overdrive?" Lloyed said comfortably as he was leaning on the entrance. "When did he get the password?"
"Don't know" Cecile replied.
"That Honorary Britannian, he risked his life for..." Viletta said.
"Euphie, are you hurt anywhere?" Suzaku asked. "Lord Kewell, I swear if there's even a sign of a scratch on her you won't live to see tomorrow."
"No, thank you Suzaku" Euphie said grateful for his protectiveness. She stepped forward to the middle of the coliseum to be heard by everyone. "Everyone, lower your weapons at once. In my name I command you."
"It can't be" Kewell said in disbelief.
"I am Euphemia li Britannia of the Empire and the third princess of the royal family." Euphie said. "I'm assuming command here. Now fall back."
"It is her, it's the princess." Jerimiah said. First Lord Lelouch and now Princess Euphemia, how does this Eleven know them both? He thought angrily.
"Did you know it was her, Lloyd?" Cecile asked.
"Uh-huh, but she's been a student up until now and hasn't made her public debut yet." Lloyd admitted.
"We're truly sorry, your Highness!" The purebloods spoke as one.
"Euphie, I glad you're ok." Suzaku said smiling as he descended the Lancelot.
"Yes, thank you now you know who I am." She said sadly. She looked down knowing how he would be now that she was revealed as a princess.
"Well, I kind of knew from the beginning." He said as he scratched the back of his head.
"How?" She asked.
"It's because an angel doesn't really fall from the sky, right?" He said teasingly. This made Euphemia smile because she was treated as a normal person even though he knew. He remembered what Lelouch asked him to do once he met Euphie again. "Oh yeah, would you mind reinstating Lord Jerimiah?"
"Huh?" She said.
"I'm sure that what happened during my court martial was him being pressured into letting me become a scapegoat." He said. "From what I've heard from a good friend of mine, he is very honorable and loyal."
"I would also like to request his reinstatement, your Highness." Viletta said.
"So be it" Euphemia said. "Lord Jerimiah Gotwald, I Euphemia Li Britania reinstate your position as Margrave."
"Thank you your highness" He said. "Thank you Viletta for coming and thank you Kururugi for saving me."
At the Lamperouge house, Lelouch has just gotten home from school. He had asked Kallen to join them for dinner. They found Nunnally sitting on the dining room table folding paper cranes. Kallen joins her and starts learning how to fold them. Sayoko and C.C. were in the kitchen. One was busy making dinner for all of them. Since they had talked about Lelouch's plan Sayoko has been eating dinner with them as the formalities have been tossed aside unless there are guest who might be offended at the notion. The other was waiting for her homemade pizza to cook in the oven. When it was done she brought it to the dining room with her and started eating it.
"So the second wife comes into the picture." She said with a menacing grin across her face.
"I um uh" They said in unison.
"Big brothers are you embarrassed?" Nunnally smiled, the same teasing grin appearing on her face. Her gentle voice and soft giggles were only making it worse for Lelouch's reaction.
"Yes" He replied remembering the first talk they had when he came back.
"Of me?" Kallen asked sadly.
"No! God no! " Lelouch said denying her claim. "Why would I be embarrassed of you?"
"Well, there was this and that." She replied circling her finger on the table.
He embraced her from behind. He placed his head on her shoulder and said in the soft and warm voice. "Listen to me very closely; I will never be embarrassed of you. No matter where you came from and what you've done does not matter to me. You are very important to me and I care for you just as I care for Nunnally, Sayoko, and C.C... Do not be worried about me being unemotional at times. Believe me I am proud of you, all of you."
He looked around to find a blushing C.C, an ecstatic Nunnally, and a smiling Sayoko. He felt a hand on placing itself on top of his own. He turned to look at the red head and saw a faint blush, tears falling from her eyes, and a smile on her face. He stood up and headed for a chair.
"There that's better." He said. "You look much more beautiful smiling."
"So she is one of your girlfriends, big brother." Nunnally exclaimed. "No wonder Milly ran from the gym when she saw the both of you, you know big brother, and it may be more obvious that Shirley likes you but I think Milly does as well."
"Yes, I plan to fix that." Lelouch said sighing. If this was true, it would explain the countless times Milly tried to get some dirt on him or just plain torture him with her antics. It would also explain Milly's brief conversation with Sayoko on the last parts of Cupid Day. He saw her behind Milly saying 'it might have meant more this time around.' The next second she was gone. It might have been his imagination though.
"Everyone, please just wait a few more minutes as dinner would be served soon." Sayoko said. She brought out plates of food and sat beside them. During dinner they were talking about how the economy is so much better although some problems replaced the financing problem of Area Eleven, when Nunnally suddenly came up with a question.
"Big brother, how are you managing to keep us like this?" Nunnally asked.
"Meeting his clients in the ghettos" C.C. said jokingly, much to Lelouch's terror.
Nunnally was silenced by some unknown revelation that had taken up in her mind. She was probably thinking of the worst case scenario. Tears started falling from her closed eyes.
"Big brother is that what you have been doing?" Nunnally asked, despair evident in her tone. "Shirley said it was a gambling problem but this."
"Wait Nunnally, what are you thinking? Let me explain." Lelouch said trying to extinguish the flames that have just lit from their conversation.
"Big brother, if you have to do things like that I don't mind being poor." Nunnally continued hysterically.
Kallen was holding her stomach to keep herself from falling off the chair. It seems that Nunnally was misunderstanding things. She took the worst thing she could think of for a job at the ghettos and placed it with her brother. C.C was watching on the opposite end of the table amused and satisfied with her work. Sayoko was fighting not to start laughing from what had ensued in front of her.
"Nunnally, what are you thinking? I only meet nobles there." Lelouch said. Nunnally started wailing after he said those words.
"So I was right, big brother's become a gigolo." She cried.
The three women burst out laughing. This was all too good of a show to them. Lelouch was doing damage control to a person which is making the worst assumptions.
"Damn it witch you started this." He shouted, only to receive a smirk from the green haired girl completely entertained. As bad as this situation may be in Lelouch's eyes, he did get an idea from this.