Turn – 04 "Truth & Lies"
It had been several hours since the prisoners were released by Zero's odd tactics. Many of the men were celebrating while uniform crates were pulled out of a warehouse. Feite stood in front of one of the crates with a data pad and a stylus. She tapped it on the side of the screen while running through the roster. A few of the members were will missing, or killed in action. She scrolled the page, and stopped over two of her subordinates. One of which was Soran who was killed in the Black Rebellion, and Haruka who went missing nearly four months ago. 'I wonder where you are Haruka, surely if you're still alive you would want to join us again…'
Ogi walked up behind Feite and tugged on the collar of his new uniform. He let out a small smile, and stopped behind her. "Say…Feite how did you manage to get this much support from the Chinese Federation?" Feite lowered the pad, and turned around with a clever look. "My sister made arrangements for us, and it would seem the young Empress thinks of me as a good role model." Ogi let out a firm nod, and tugged at the jacket. "How did you know our sizes? Did you keep track of our data for a full year?" Feite glanced at her data pad, and let out a deep sigh. "Diethard kept most of the data, so I simply had it transferred over." He turned over at the main building and panned through the others. Many of them were excited to be free and around familiar faces yet again. "Feite, is that Zero the real one?"
Feite tucked the data pad into a satchel, and shrugged her shoulders. "I'll let you decide that Ogi. You after-all are the second in command." She moved her hand over her stomach and smiled. "I'm a bit hungry, so I'll catch you later…" Ogi shook his head and waved his hand. "Avoiding my question I see…" He turned over and shook his head while a pair of female members argues over a sleeveless vest. "Calm down you two…each uniform is assigned to…"
Moments later, Kallen sat inside a chair with a disappointed look on her face. "Where did that Knightmare that save Zero flee to?" C.C. sat on the couch opposite of her with a pillow wrapped in her arms. "He left using Xingke's route." Lelouch looked over with a confused look. "Who is this Xingke?" The doors opened while Feite walked in holding a tray of food. "Xingke is the man who made our stance here in Area Eleven possible. Without his help we would be hindered without a place to push out from." Lelouch let out a small nod, and stared over at the food. "Feite is that?" Feite blinked for a moment and nodded. "Yes, I made it myself and you're not having any." Kallen waved her hand and sighed. "Anyway, about that Knightmare pilot, can we really trust a guy like that? Is the one at Babel tower?" Lelouch folded his hand one over the other and sighed. "Yes, but for the moment I can't divulge the pilot's identity. I know the situation with Urabe comes to mind, but that guy could become a decent ally."
Feite sat down in the chair beside Kallen and started to stir her soup with one hand. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "I don't think that is a wise choice Lelouch. Did you use your Geass on him at least?" Lelouch turned over while she took the first sip of the soup. "No, it wasn't necessary to do so on that pilot." He glanced at C.C. and quickly changed the subject. "C.C. about the…." Kallen stood up with a growl on her face. "Do you intend on keeping that a secret from us?" Lelouch looked over with a sly grin on his face. "Can't I keep at least one secret from you Kallen? I'll be sure to tell you when I'm prepared to. I have a lot on my mind right now." Kallen's face quickly calmed down while her arm moved casually to her side. "Do you still want me to be the captain of Team Zero?" Lelouch stared between Kallen and Feite, and sighed. "Yes, as Feite is still the commanding the autonomous division." Kallen tossed her jacket over her shoulder and started out towards the doorway. "I'm counting on you Kallen." Lelouch eyed her while Kallen simply waved her hand over her shoulder.
"So Lelouch, do you want me to tell you a little something I have acquisitioned via my good relations with the Chinese Government?" Feite took a spoonful of soup, and placed it into her mouth. She closed her eyes and smiled at the flavorful dish touched her taste buds. Lelouch leaned back in the seat, and grinned. "Good relations? I was shocked to see that you gathered a lot more of us than I would have thought of. Did you recruit in China during your stay there?" Feite shook her head and looked up at the rooftop strip lighting. "Not exactly, when we lost I was given orders by my sister to evacuate the command crew. Ogi, Tohdoh, and his subordinates were cut off from us. So Urabe, Rakshata, Diethard, Sayoko and a few others were able to evacuate to China in the Aerodyne."
Lelouch laughed slightly and rested his palm against the side of his cheek. He stared over at Feite in a state of disillusion. He was now incapable of reading her emotions or body language. It made a small amount of distrust to form inside of him, about what C.C. had done to Feite in that one year that had transpired. "So, what did you do after?" He questioned with an unforgiving gaze held within his eyes. Feite simply glanced at him while stirring her soup. Her eyes narrowed staring at him from her peripheral vision. "I laid low for several months, using what little power I had left from Longinus and Avalon to my aide. It took a lot of resources, but I was successful in creating something that you'd like." Lelouch shook his head and stood up. He turned off the monitors around him and grabbed hold of the mask. "What did you create?" Feite stood up from the table, and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked down at the floor, and took in a deep breath. "You'll find out soon enough, it's not ready to move yet, but you'll see." He placed the mask over his head, and let out a small groan. "You and your surprises….do you think the others are ready?" Feite paused while moving for the door. Her heels tap against the floor while she laughed softly. "Probably, so Zero shall you head out to greet them as our dedicated leader?"
The doors opened and Feite casually stepped out into the hallway. Zero stood behind her while behind the mask Lelouch held a frown on his face. 'What did I gain in turning you into a weapon?' He glanced at his gloves, and shook his head. 'Your losses out weight my gains….Feite I wish I had the courage to apologize to you properly.' Feite walked down the hallway with a content expression on her face. She didn't take a second glance behind her while unbuttoning her jacket. Her right arm tugged at the left side of her jacket, and quickly started removing the piece of clothing.
"So, did you end up telling him?" C.C. leaned against a wall with a grin on her face. "You look rather…" Feite shook her head while staring down the corridor. He was nowhere to be seen and a sigh of relief exited from her. "No, it's not necessary for him to know. I don't think he'd accept her for who she is." C.C. closed her eyes and let out a disappointed sigh. "I see, but you should not hold it in for long. Also, you should inform the others about your decision." Feite took a few steps from C.C. and nodded. "That's where I'm heading….Lelouch needs a few minutes to gather his thoughts." C.C. moved her arms across her chest, and kicked off the wall. "I see, Feite you should be careful and not let him find out. A man's heart is something easily breakable." Feite closed her eyes, while a small tear escaped onto her face. "I know…in order to protect him. I need to keep this a secret between a select few."
"The door's opening? Is Zero ready to talk to us?" Ogi turned over while holding a bottle of water in hand. Tohdoh looked over his shoulder and quickly noticed Feite crossing out into the view of the others. "No, it's just Feite." Nagisa eyeballed Feite scanning her body with a hint of jealousy. "Do you think it's true that she had a child? I think it's a rumor that she and zero had a love child." Tohdoh shrugged his shoulders, and let out a sigh. "Nagisa...we shouldn't talk about this openly. It will only cause confusion within our ranks." Senba chuckled and raised his bottle of water in greeting to the quickly approaching Feite.
"Evening Feite, how are you?" The elderly member smiled happily at her while she stopped in front of the group and smiled. "I'm doing fine, it would seem that the uniforms all fit properly." Her icy gaze turned over to Tohdoh, and she quickly placed her arms behind her back. "So, it would seem that Zero is taking awhile?" Tohdoh rubbed his temple, and nodded. "Yes, did he tell you when he'd be ready? Some of us are getting restless." Ogi took a small drink, and smiled. "So, when did you have your child?" Feite blinked a few times while Asahina placed his hand over his face in embarrassment. "How did you find out?" Ogi looked over at the others, and tapped his balled fist into his open palm. "We overheard Masashi talk about it when you had that call from Horai."
Feite chuckled and moved her hands to her hips. "I see so it was Masashi, that guy talks a lot doesn't he." She shook her head, and leaned around Tohdoh to catch a glimpse of her aide. "Can you guys keep that a secret from Zero?" Nagisa gave Feite a confused look while her jaw nearly dropped. "Does this mean that Zero isn't the father?" Asahina let out a disappointed groan. "Wow, we all thought that Zero at least had a chance. So can we ask who the father is?" Tohdoh held up his hand and groaned. "It doesn't concern us, so we will respect Feite's words and keep this between us. Is that understood?" Ogi gulped for a moment before tugging on his collar. "Okay…I guess." Nagisa shook her head, and turned her attention to the doorway. "It's Zero."
The large crowd quickly turned to see Zero walk out onto the patio from the large double doors behind him. He takes several steps forward with his cloak draped over his shoulders. Zero pauses for a moment while looking through the crowd. He easily spots Feite standing beside Tohdoh and the others and smiled underneath the helmet tinted visor.
Feite crossed her arms over her chest, and turned over to Nagisa and Asahina. 'What are thowse fools planning to say?' The two walked forward in hastened pace to the front of the crowd. After pushing a few members out of the way, Nagisa stood mere feet away from Zero in the center of a few others. "I'm grateful that you saved us. But if you hadn't betrayed us, we wouldn't have been caught in the first place." Asahina took a step forward and placed his hands deeply into his jacket's pockets. "Do you have anything to say about that?"
Ogi turned over with a semi-interested gaze, and nodded. "Yes, Zero what happened?"
Zero promptly responded in his usual cold and tactical tone of voice. Feite simply shook her head while witnessing the same words Lelouch had spouted out during the beginning of the Black Knights. It brought a smile to her face while listening in. "It's all to defeat Britannia."
Tamaki raised his eyebrow obviously confused by Zero's words and leaned forward. "And then?"
Zero shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. "That's all there is." Asahina let out a scowl, as the words he just heard infuriated him. "Is that it? No Excuse or Apology?"
"Quit it." The crowd paused while turning their eyes to Tohdoh who gallantly walked past Feite and straight over to Zero. "Zero…You tried to secure our victory right?" He walked up the small stairs and took a spot to the right of Zero. "I'm always aiming for results." Tohdoh nodded and turned over to the crowd. "Understood.." He spoke under his breath and clenched his fist. "There are times when battle plans have to remain hidden. We need his strength right now. And I know of no one with abilities greater than his!" Ogi quickly rushed up to the stairwell and nodded. A great deal of determination was held on his fatigued face while the crowd turned their attention to him. "I agree, everyone we need to place our trust in Zero." Minami stared over at the three and adjusted his glasses. "Don't you see it he's using you like a pawn."
"Who else besides him could do this?" Ogi took a step forward while tapping his hand into his open fist. "Waging War against Britannia…Even the Chinese Federation can't openly walk that path. Apparently the European Union is locked in a stalemate with Prince Schneizel over the Former United Kingdom. We're the hope for the whole settlement. Zero is the only leader we need to win this war of independence."
Feite glanced over at the crowd as they took Ogi and Tohdoh's words to heart. The large crowd starts to chant Zero while she manages to walk through unnoticed. She crosses over to the Voulge, and stares up at the scarred armor of her machine. 'Since when is Schneizel being outwitted by the Europeans? Could it be that they've re-organized themselves enough to compete with Britannia?' Kallen appeared at the fringe of the crowd, and took a moment to catch up with Feite. "Hey, are you alright? You're acting a little strange." Feite glanced over her shoulder, and sighed. "It's nothing; I've been under a lot of pressure as of late."
The night ended quickly with Zero retiring back into the embassy, and passing the outfit to C.C. Feite stood inside the private tunnel with her arms resting behind her head. She turned over at the doorway spotting Lelouch enter with a duffle bag on his shoulder. "So how will you sneak back into Ashford?" Lelouch let out a firm smile and crossed over to the motorcycle sitting in the middle of the tunnel. "I'll manage, I was thinking of using this." Feite kicked off the wall and shook her head. "Sadly, that bike belongs to me." She crossed over to the vehicle, and ran her hand along the sleek finish moving towards Lelouch's hand. Lelouch narrowed his eyes and grinned heavily. "So will you give me a ride? Because I have to problem with walking." Feite chuckled while pulling the helmet over her head. She climbed onto the back and motioned for Lelouch to get on. "Let's go…." Lelouch reached for the second helmet and stared at it briefly before putting it on. "What's wrong?" Lelouch shook his head and climbed on sitting behind Feite. "It's nothing."
The motorcycle cruised through the freeway with Feite leaning forward while Lelouch's arms were wrapped around her stomach. She let out a mild giggle and glanced over her shoulder. "You don't need to hold me so tightly. You could almost call this foreplay." Lelouch's face turned red while he let out a panicked yell. "You're driving like a maniac!" She chuckled while the pair continued down the highway for a few minutes longer before pulling off towards the school districts.
The pair rolled to a small café several blocks away from the school. Feite turned off the engine, and looked over her shoulder as Lelouch disembarked. "It's almost sad to see you walk off." Lelouch let out a small nod and stared out the corner of his eye. "Yes, I would have liked you to drop me off at the academy, but you know." Feite sighed deeply while flipping the visor of her helmet up. "With a face as memorable as mine, it's impossible for me to follow you." Lelouch scoffed while pulling his bag over his shoulder. "You'll probably find a way, where are you heading after this back to the Embassy?" Feite shook her head and turned off into the city. "I'm going to contact someone, they deserve to speak to me after announcing myself to the world that I didn't die last year." Lelouch nodded a few times while staring off down the street. "I see, I'll see you later." Feite smiled at Lelouch while he vanished down the sidewalk. She tugged on her glove while a brief smile appeared across her face.
A red field had engulfed the café, the motorcycle and the street. Feite felt the ominous energy brush across her body while chuckling loudly. "Stopping time again? I would have figured that you'd show up at a different time." She pulled the helmet off her head, and stared at the people nearby. They were frozen in place while Rolo stepped out from the alley. "Feite Avalon, why is it that you're able to stand in the same time as me?" Feite glanced over at Rolo, and her eyes narrowed for a second. "So you really do look like a passable twin for Lelouch." She paused for a moment while pulling off her gloves and tossing them onto the chair of the motorcycle. "You must be Rolo Lamperouge, and sadly I believe you already know the answer."
Rolo moved a strand of hair from his eyes and nodded. "You read me well, you are very much like one of them." Feite glared over at him and sighed. "One of who?" Rolo crossed his arms over his chest while the traffic and people bound to his Geass were freed. "A witch, except you are stuck in-between both worlds am I right? Being shot multiple times usually kills a person in your weight class." Feite nodded a few times while her gaze became more intense. "Why are you approaching me in such a way?" Rolo shrugged his shoulders, and rubbed his temple. "Because, Lelouch trusts you enough for you to drop him off this close to the academy. Also he would be displeased if I managed to kill you." Feite chuckled while climbing on the back of the motorcycle. "Hah, managed is a funny word. Anyway, now that I know you are with Lelouch now, protect him or I will kill you."
Rolo stood in silence while Feite started up the engine and slow started to back out into traffic. 'I will protect him as long as he keeps his promise to show me a future.' His eyes moved towards the backside of Feite while she disappeared down the street. 'What a woman…I've never had anyone threaten me that lived. You are very different from the ones I've courted.'
The next morning, Lelouch sat in class twirling a pencil in his fingers. The door opened while the teacher walked in. He left the door open revealing a person Lelouch despised with all his being. Suzaku walked into the room dressed in his old uniform. The whole class started to gossip as Suzaku's exploits made him somewhat popular in most circles.
Suzaku walked past the podium and lightly nodded at Villetta while she stared at the class's response. He paused a little past the podium, and stood up tall. "As of today, I've been readmitted to the Ashford Academy. I'm Kururugi Suzaku, it's a pleasure to meet you." The class starts to chatter amongst themselves about Suzaku's achievements against Zero, and his becoming the knight of seven. Lelouch started at Suzaku with an eyeful of hatred held within his eyes. He clenched his fist underneath the desk while Suzaku too returned somewhat of a cold stare. "Okay, class be quiet… Lord Kururugi has been assigned to area eleven, and readmitted to school." She paused and pointed to the empty seat next to Lelouch. "For now, you can sit next to Lelouch."
Lelouch relaxed his hand and stared down at his textbook. His memories quickly returned to him. 'Suzaku, you were one of my closest friends. But war tore us apart. Britannia's conquering of Japan during the Second Pacific War caused you to change so much. I was abandoned by Britannia, vowing for revenge while you, a person changed by this war chose to be peaceful and follow the way of Britannia. Those are what my memories tell me, that you had my memories of Nunally, Being Zero, and being a prince rewrote. For that I cannot forgive you Suzaku.'
Lelouch blinked momentarily while he returned from being lost in his own thoughts. He smiled up at Suzaku and grinned. "It's been a long time Suzaku…" Suzaku let out a small nod and took the seat next to him. "It has, how have you been doing?" Shirley got out from her seat and rushed to Suzaku's side. "It's been too long Suzaku!" Rivalz jumped out from his chair, and put his arm around Suzaku's shoulders. "You sure made a name for yourself, Suzaku!"
Meanwhile, at the docks Feite brought her motorcycle to a full stop beside a large warehouse. It had been awhile since it was used, but Britannia was too far behind on getting the city's infrastructure than to find out the secret hiding spots of Black Knight equipment. Feite turned the engine off and removed her helmet before crossing over to a large steel door. 'It's still here, and hasn't been tampered with.' She flipped a small rectangular panel open revealing a keypad and quickly punched in a sequence of numbers.
With a small mechanical click the lock opened and Feite pushed the door open. The dark warehouse held a nostalgic feeling while near the back of the building stood a few Knightmare frames that were left behind before the final battle was settled in Tokyo. Feite moved her hand along the wall while she managed to make out the silhouettes, but the darkness would restrict her too much to get an adequate count of how much ordinance was still here. Her hand brushed against a lever, prompting her to pull it down.
A small electric whirl surged through the wires while the lighting above turned on one by one. A few of the light bulbs were worn out while the tarp covered Knightmare were revealed to her. Feite let out a smile while walking over to one of them. She grabbed the tarp and pulled it off revealing one of four Gekka. "Tohdoh will be pleased to hear that the spares were stored safely." Feite turned around and wandered the warehouse in search of a tool kit.
Tohdoh sat on a sofa in the meeting room with his arms crossed over his chest. A cup of tea sat in front of him while Nagisa took a seat across from him. "So where did Feite say she was going?" Tohdoh opened his eyes and stared over at her. "Something about getting more Knightmare frames. When she finds them, she will have them transported." Asahina let out a small nod while leaning against the nearby wall. "To where? Its not easy to transport things to this embassy." Senba sat forward and folded his hand over one another. "Regardless with only the Guren, Voulge, and a handful of Burai we can't effectively push out of this embassy." Tohdoh grabbed hold of his cup of tea and took a sip. "Right…"
A large amount of grinding could be heard while the arm of a Gekka was being attached to the main body. Feite sat on the top holding a data pad with a miniature screwdriver resting in her lips. She pans down on the screen while letting out a loud groan. "Why do I get to play the part of mechanic? I seriously should be watching Lelouch instead of Kallen." She moved her hand down to a set of wires and quickly caused a spark. Feite let out a loud yell and kicked the open panel while putting her burned finger into her mouth. "Damn piece of Kyoto Junk." She lowered her head while her stomach let out a loud rumbling noise. 'How long have I been here?' Her eyes turned over to the data pad's time and a disappointed sigh exited her mouth. "This is going to have to wait; the circuitry on unit two is going to need several tweaks." She stood up off the backside of unit two, and leaped off to the ground. "Where should I go to get some food?"
Lelouch took a bite from his sandwich while Rivalz told him what happened after the evacuation last year. Suzaku nodded while he himself knew the reasons why none of the other students or teachers returned from the evacuation. "I see, that's why there are so many unfamiliar faces." He let out a deep sigh while Milly and Shirley sat next to him on the bench.
Rivalz chewed on a bite of his hamburger and let out a smile. "Hey, about Zero what was it like?" Milly turned over with her eyes wide. "Was he really a woman?" Rivalz stood up with excitement in his eyes. "What about the rumor of him being His Highness Clovis?" Milly turned over with a piece of tomato on the end of her fork. "Was he some prince of a foreign country?" Rolo crossed his arms over his chest. "Was Zero really Feite in disguise?" Milly turned over with a glare in her eyes. "Rolo that was too harsh to say." Shirley shook her head and formed an X with both arms.
Suzaku stared over at them with a troubled expression. "Uh…that's.." Lelouch lowered his cup of coffee and smiled. "Come on you can at least tell us that?" Suzaku shook his head and held up both hands in protest. "Sorry, I'm under strict orders not to say. It's a military…" A loud hiss filled the area while Arthur clamped his jaws on Suzaku's hand. "Arthur?" Milly let out a gasp, as Shirley got off the bench. "You brought him with you?" Lelouch let out a small laugh. "You really like cats, don't you?"
Down the street from the school Feite sat at a café chewing on a hamburger, while a soft drink was held in her off hand. She chewed on the burger, and eyed the various students while they were passing her by. Feite had no recollection of any of them ever being at Ashford. Her memory was impeccable and none of these students looked remotely familiar. 'This is odd, did the emperor have the students switched to better facilitate the transition?' She shook her head while taking a sip from her drink.
Several hours later, underneath the school in the observation room, Villetta stared at a still image of Lelouch laughing earlier in the day. Her arms were crossed over her chest while she turned back at Suzaku. "Did you notice anything different about Lelouch when you met him earlier today?" Suzaku sat at the table across the room, and shook his head. "No, nothing in particular." Villetta turned around and placed her hand on one of the chairs. "Then I conclude that the target hasn't regained his memories." Suzaku sat up and shook his head. "Please wait…I need to investigate a bit further." Rolo moved his hand through his hair while letting out a mocking sigh. "You don't trust our intelligence Knight of Seven?" Suzaku glared over at him with upmost disgust. He was always frightened whenever speaking to Rolo as he held the same face as Lelouch. The only thing different between the two was their hairstyles, and eye color. It caused quite an amount of torment to Suzaku every time he spoke with Rolo. "There's still an issue of C.C. Right? Also Feite Avalon has been spotted in the area. We don't want her to make contact with Lelouch at all. Continue the role as his brother." Rolo waved his hand dismissively and sighed. "Yes, my lord…"
"It has come to my attention that the Student Council is hosting a welcome party for you Lord Kururugi. Use that for additional confirmation if you need it." Villetta turned back towards the live feed on Lelouch and let out a sigh. Rolo stared down at the table, while his hand fiddled with the hone. 'What should I do? Can I really trust Lelouch?'
Moments later, Lelouch moved his hand over his left eye and removed the contact from it. He stared over at the teacher standing a few feet from him while his Geass flared up. "Teacher, could you overlook all the irregularities between me and Rolo?" The teacher stared blankly at Lelouch while easily being overcome by Lelouch's order. He started to walk by the two of them and casually waved his arm over his shoulder. "Alright, I will. Don't wander about too much now, you two." Rolo took a few steps down the plaza and let out a sigh. "Ms. Villetta is the only member left, right?" Rolo shrugged his shoulders, and shook his head. "We have the small problem of Kururugi Suzaku. Do you want me to kill him?" Lelouch replaced the contact in his eye and shook his head in disappointment. "Rolo, you really should hold off on acting that way. You being a playboy already is suspicious."
Feite stood in the warehouse while a few Black Knights' move the Gekka and the remaining equipment out into waiting supply trucks. She stared over at the old tube television mounted on an empty milk crate. "There seems to be a lot of uprisings going on since we rescued the others." Ogi stood behind Feite with a bottle of water in hand. "Yes, I was shocked to see that we still have pockets of resistance in the areas." Feite crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the video feet. "Iwate, Wakayama, Tokushima, and Yamaguchi are all having small scale attacks on structures there. Also there is rumors of a sniper in Tokushima…could it be who I'm thinking?" Ogi placed his hand against his chin and nodded. "Wasn't Sniping Haruka's specialty?"
"Feite, why are we moving the equipment from this warehouse anyway? Isn't it secure enough already?" Minami walked up while running a towel against the side of his face. Feite turned over with a hint of annoyance spread across her face. "We were lucky that the Britannians didn't find this place already. We'll load it up into the tanker and await orders from Zero." Ogi turned over with confusion in his brow. "Speaking of which where is Zero? He hasn't been talking to any of us since the speech yesterday." Feite shook her head and waved her hand. She couldn't tell Minami nor Ogi about Zero going to Ashford, and quickly played the part of a fool. "I have no idea, I've been operating on my own. This is what I believe should be in our best interest. Also, the tanker has better equipment than the…" She moved her hand to her forehead while her vision blurred. "Feite, are you alright?" Minami looked over at her and sighed. "How much sleep have you gotten since you rescued Zero, and us?"
Feite paused while shaking her head and blinking a few times. "Very little I'm afraid…" Ogi let out a disappointed groan while shook his head. "That's no good, you've pushed yourself for us before, and I don't think we should let you do that again. You should rest for awhile, and we'll take care of moving the equipment." Minami grabbed the nearby data pad and nodded in agreement. "Just trust us, and get some sleep." Feite let out a smile and exhaled softly. She closed her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I can't hide it much…I'm counting on you two."
Inside a dimly lit room in the Britannian Capital city of Pendragon, Charles stood overlooking several paintings decorating the walls. He stared over at a particular painting of Marianne while slowly turning over his shoulder. "You've been gone for quite a while, what have you observed?" An extremely beautiful woman stood behind him wearing a white uniform of a rounds member. Her brown hair was tied back into a bun while her piercing green eyes take a glance at the painting. "Gino and Anya should be arriving in Area Eleven shortly; do you think it's enough to deal with the situation?"
Charles moved his hand through his thick beard, and quickly contemplated the growing situation in Area Eleven. His menacing eyes opened while moving to the corner spotting the young knight. "If Lelouch has truly awakened, those three won't be able to touch him." The knight raised her eyebrow in confusion while letting out a gasp. "You don't mean…" Charles let out a sinister grin and nodded. "He is protected by that woman who defies death. Tell me Aurelia, do you fear death?" Aurelia's eyes were shuddering at the words of her emperor. She closed her eyes and bowed with her arm across her chest. "No, I am not afraid to die." Charles turned around and walked over to her. He placed his large hand onto her slender shoulder, and glared into her eyes. "Rumors have been spreading at court that someone is plotting to overthrow me. I want you to find those responsible, and have them dealt with Aurelia." Aurelia bowed her head, and nodded. "Yes, my lord."
A cool breeze blew across the waves in the beautiful city of Sacramento. On the balcony of a large condo apartment, Azalea Avalon stood in an elaborate party gown. She stared at the half full glass of wine, and held it up to the moonlight. "It would seem my party carried on longer than expected." Azalea moved the glass to her lips and took a sip. Out of the corner of her eyes, a woman stood dressed in loose fitting robes with her hood masking a majority of her face. "I noticed, but I can't stay here long before they realize I've left the villa."
Azalea turned around and walked back into the house. She gulped down the last bit of her wine and placed the empty glass onto a nearby table. "So I take it that you've been watching the news from Area Eleven. Feite has caused quite a show with Zero." The mysterious woman crossed her arms over her chest, and nodded. "The question lies in itself, is that the real zero from the Black Rebellion or is it someone Feite is using to act like the real Zero?" Azalea shrugged her shoulders and laughed. "It doesn't matter who it is, Feite is making her own path out of what was destroyed by the Emperor. Her success thus far has called for Kururugi, Alstreim, and Weinberg to head to Area Eleven to strengthen the garrison there." The mysterious woman walked over to the doorway and let out a sigh. "Azalea, my spy in the rounds has told me that the Emperor is starting to suspect others of being involved in our faction. You should be less overt in the presence of others." Azalea let out a mild scoff, and shook her head. "I doubt it, but I'll be on guard."
A loud yell exits from Lelouch's room while he sat up in bed drenched in his own sweat. His hand was held over his eyes while taking in several deep breaths. He removed his hand and stared at it with a pair of confused eyes. 'Why am I having those dreams again? Nunally, I need to find you…'
A light knock was at Lelouch's door while Rolo's voice came in from the other side. "Hey, Lelouch are you alright? You sounded like a girl screaming, so like always I came to check on you. Did you find a bug or something."
Lelouch's eyes narrowed while he growled under his breath. "Shut up, it's a subject that you won't understand. You're being a bother to me Rolo go back to bed."
Rolo let out a loud sigh, and replied quickly. "I'm just giving you a hard time. I have a date, so tell Milly I won't be able to help out in her little event."
'That's right…Milly is having a welcome party of Suzaku today.' Lelouch tossed the sheets off him and walked over to the window. He pulled the curtains out of the way and let out a sigh. 'Why did you have to come back at a time like this?' A smile flashed on Lelouch's face while he walked away from the window and over to his closet. 'It doesn't matter; your arrival here won't impede my plans of making this my fortress.'
Hours later, Lelouch walked out of his room dressed in his school uniform. He tugged on his collar only to notice Milly standing in the lobby of the council building where her grandfather stood beside her holding a cane in hand. "Ah, young Lelouch I'm glad to see that you're awake. An old man like myself in unaccustomed to escorting a young lady like my granddaughter." Milly shook her head and grabbed her grandfather by the arm. "Grandfather, don't speak like that…" Lelouch let out a mild laugh and walked down the stairs. "Are you asking me to watch over Milly for the day sir?" The grandfather let out a small laugh and nodded. "I'll be depending on you today young Lamperouge. If you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to." Milly let out a sigh while her grandfather walked for the doorway.
"He's recovered a lot since the incident…" Milly turned over to Lelouch and let out a soft nod. "I think it has something to do with Feite popping up again as a member of the Black Knights." Lelouch gave her a sympathetic look and stopped a few feet in front of her. His arms extended and lightly touched against Milly's shoulders. "Don't worry, Feite will realize her errors soon enough. The Black Knights are an outdated thing." Milly looked up with a smile, and nodded. "I would hope so, I don't think grandfather can take Feite being on deaths doorstep again." Lelouch shook his head, and motioned for the doorway. "We shouldn't keep Suzaku waiting…" Milly looked up at the second floor and blinked a few times. "Where is Rolo at?" Lelouch shrugged his shoulders, and sighed. "My idiot brother decided it was wise to go on a date instead of help out at Suzaku's party." She moved her hands to her hips and shook her head. "That guy is getting too far out of line."
Several hours later, Milly stood in the announcement booth with Suzaku, and a few others from the student council. She wore a vintage red dress with a bonnet while speaking loudly into the microphone. "Sorry to have kept everyone waiting. We're now starting the welcome party for the Knight of Seven! A greeting from the guest of honor!" She turned over to Suzaku who gave her an uneasy look. "Um…do I have to?" Milly let out a bright smile and stepped away from the microphone. "Of course it's an order from the President." Lelouch let out a sigh and shrugged his shoulders. "You should give it up Suzaku. Milly's word is the only rule at this school." Suzaku lowered his head and crossed to the microphone. He pulled it out of its stand and moved it to his mouth. "I guess, I'll get it over with…" He took in a deep breath and a loud meow exited his lips.
On an outside track to the school, Feite walked through the large crowds of students with her hair tucked underneath a large hat. A pair of sunglasses covers her eyes while she wore a simple red jacket, and a pair of jeans. Her heeled shoes tap on the concrete while the sensation of nostalgia rushed back to her. 'Milly still hasn't changed much…' A light smile appeared on her face while approaching a nearby stand.
"I can't believe this place, its completely different. Commoners are really fun!" Gino walked in front of Anya with a huge grin on his face. He laughed heavily while holding an ice cream cone in his hands. "Recording…" Anya held the camera up towards Feite while glancing up at her. "Ah, who is that? Another visitor like us?" He held up his hand and waved over at Feite. "Hey, are you a visitor as well?" Feite held up her hand and waved. "Yes, I couldn't help but notice that this school was having a festival. It brings me back a bit." Gino let out a small laugh, and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't get this at all, do commoners have school like this all the time?" Feite chuckled, and held her arms up. "Not really, but I hear it's all due to Milly Ashford for organizing these festivals." Anya blinked at Feite while closing her pocket journal. "Who are you?"
Gino's eyes widen while waving his free hand to quiet Anya. "Hey, its' not polite to ask…" Feite stared down at the young girl, and smiled. "I'm Khristina Lanzaat." Anya returned with a stare of her own questioning the validity of this 'Khristina.' "You look a lot like Feite Avalon, a member of the black knights." Feite's eyes widen while she immediately started to burst into laughter. Gino stood in a state of shock with his mouth wide open. "Why are you laughing?" Anya blinked a few times while Gino shook his head, and smacked his hand against his forehead. "There's no way, that girl would come to this school. That would be really stupid right Khristina?" Feite stopped laughing and pulled down her sunglasses. "Yes, that would be a bad decision. My associates at the Daily Star think the same thing. I've been brought into questioning once as well!" Gino's eyes widen while turning over to Anya. "Really? That's crazy, well it explains why you were laughing." Anya bowed her head and tucked her virtual journal into her pocket. "I'm sorry." Feite moved her hand over and patted Anya on the head. "No problems, well I have to meet a friend of mine here."
Gino moved his hand to his chin and let out a small laugh. "Man that girl was very attractive, did you see it Anya. She had green eyes, that's a rare eye color!" Anya blinked a few times while spotting Feite disappear into the crowd. "Green eyes, that is why she was mistaken as Feite Avalon." Gino let out a small laugh and narrowed his eyes over in the direction of her. "Yeah, but she's a looker nonetheless. " He let out a whistle while turning over to a new stand. "Hey Anya lets check that out next!"
Lelouch managed to get away from the crowds while walking on the rooftop. He held his mobile phone to his ear while speaking to Ogi on the other line. "Find out more answers about our F Cells from Kyushu, and contact Diethard using the signal Feite set up." He walked up to the patio, and leaned on the railing. "Yes. Have Lakshata come here…" His eyes turn to the plaza and they fix on C.C. walking across the quad. "No way!"
Feite leaned against the wall of a building and sipped casually from a cup of lemonade. She lowered the cup and stared over at Lelouch running across the quad. 'Why is Lelouch running?' Her eyes narrowed while spotting him grabbing a female student by the arm and turning her around. 'Wait a minute…' She let out a small scoff while shaking her head in disbelief. "Why did she have to follow me here?"
Suzaku sat on the back of the schools civilian use Knightmare programming the settings for the main event. "We spotted the Guren Mark II and the Voulge. Feite and Kallen are probably at the Embassy." Milly let out a sigh while playing with Arthur with a horse whip. "Yes, it's a hassle, but Feite is probably calling it a resistance spot am I right?" Suzaku looked over her shoulder and shook his head. "Nina is doing well, she defended her thesis at a conference earlier this year." Milly let out a smile while Arthur bit down on the end of the whip and pulled it away from her. "That's good…hey give it back." The black cat meowed while leaping up into Milly's lap. "Is she going to complete the Ganymede?" Suzaku picked up a laptop and punched in a few keys. "Who knows? Unlike Lloyd, her major is…" Milly stood up tall and pet Arthur on his small head. The car purred while his eyes slowly closed. "Has Earl Lloyd said anything yet?"
"No nothing yet…" Suzaku turned over and let out a small laugh while waving a feather quill in the air. Arthur's ears popped up and turned over quickly at Suzaku. He leaped out of Milly's lap and rushed across the top of the Knightmare. His jaws opened and ripped the quill from Suzaku's hand. The small cat leaped off the Knightmare with quill in mouth and ran off. "Arthur, that quill it belonged to Euphie." Milly leaped off and rushed after Suzaku. "Hey Suzaku the lead is supposed to wait here…!" The plans for the giant pizza fell to the ground.
"Hey what's this?" Gino bent over and picked up the clipboard. He stared down at the paper while Anya took a picture. "Making a giant pizza…with a Knightmare?"
Lelouch pulled C.C. down from the festival grounds and over to a large truck carrying the tomato's for the giant pizza. The two climbed up to the top of the vehicle and C.C. leaned against the side of the railing. Lelouch turned over to her and sighed. "So, was it the same person who gave the Emperor his Geass and told Suzaku about it?" C.C. let out a soft nod, and crossed her arms. "yes, but if I tell you any more…" Lelouch shook his head, and turned over with a menacing gaze. "I'm already involved." C.C. closed her eyes and spoke in a firm voice. "V.V." Lelouch raised his eyebrow and confusion spread across his face. "Did he give Suzaku a Geass?" C.C. shook her head, and looked over her shoulder. "No, but its' not out of the question."
"Lulu!" Shirley yelled out loud while running around the corner. Lelouch let out a smile, and pushed C.C. into the tomato truck. "Shirley, I'm over here!" Shirley turned over and waved her hand. "Oh, you're over there?" Lelouch closed the top of the tomato truck, and smiled. "What did you need?" Shirley ran up the stairwell, and sighed deeply. "Ms. Villetta is avoiding me. So I thought I'd ask you to give the present we bought for her."
Feite walked through the trees at the rear of the school and stared at Lelouch and Shirley chatting amongst themselves. "It would seem that the girl is still fixated on him." Her eyes narrowed while she chuckled slightly. 'Sadly Lelouch is…wait a minute where is C.C.?" Feite blinked for a moment while squinting in order to get a better look. "No way…she couldn't…"
"Weren't you talking to someone?" Shirley looked around while Lelouch shook his head. "Nope, it's just the two of us." Shirley's eyes narrow while a light amount of redness appears on her cheeks. 'Crap, this feels like a chance.' She took a deep breath and looked up with a large amount of confidence. "Say Lulu, wouldn't you…" Her eyes widen while a large stuffed bear clamped its head over Lelouch. "Eh?"
Lelouch turned catching a scantily clad Kallen standing behind him. "What are you doing? If you're seen here…" Kallen whispered into Lelouch's ear while a slight amount of annoyance was on her face. "I came to get that Pizza Girl back." Lelouch scoffed while looking in the direction of the tomatoes. "Well, she's with the tomatoes. Carry the container out of here, and wait for orders from Tohdoh or Ogi." Lelouch let out a mild yell while Shirley started to pull him out of the stuffed animal's jaws. "Who are you? You're being rude!"
Feite shook her head while staring at the stuffed animal. She crossed her arms over her chest while moving her eyes to the corner of the school. 'A Knightmare? Wait a minute.' Feite leaped backwards while moving further into the woods. 'Damn it Suzaku is approaching.' She looked left to right before falling to the ground and started crawling. Her crawling caused a nearby shrub to shake.
"Hey Lelouch, have you seen Arthur?" Suzaku rushed around the corner and started looking in the wooded area. "Wait a minute I think I found him." He took a step forward, and started off into the trees in the distance. Lelouch let out a sigh of relief while a loud banging sound came from the tomato crate. Suzaku turned his attention to the crate, and his eyes widened. "Can it be? Is he in there?" Lelouch turned over with a grave look on his face. "No, Cats and Tomatoes don't come as a set."
"This is quite the precarious position you're in." Rolo stood in the wooded area with a knife in hand. He cut off a piece of apple and tossed the fragment into his mouth. Feite looked up at him while a growl as well apparent on her face. "So you caught onto me." Rolo narrowed his eyes while extending his hand out. "I'm watching him from afar. So you had no need to come here." Feite pushed herself up and let out a mild chuckle. "I didn't want to see him, but being in the academy is rather nostalgic for me." Rolo shook his head and carved off another piece. "Hungry?" Feite shook her head, and glared over at the loud sounds from the location of the tomato crate.
"It would seem that the past should be left in the past. Rolo where is the location of the tracking and command room?" Feite turned over her shoulder while Rolo shoved his knife into its scabbard. "Do you really want to make yourself seen by the intelligence society?" She reached behind her back and pulled out a handgun. "I'm prepared…now Rolo we should head on."
Villetta moved down the elevator while the festival was quickly flipped into chaos. She entered the command center and yelled over at her subordinates. "Where is Lelouch?" The commander looked over and smiled. "Lady Villetta, he is currently chasing after Milly and the others. It looks to be some sort of child's game. Sadly, because of the party we had to shut down a few of our cameras. So other than the motion sensors we don't really have a visual." Villetta slammed her fist into the table while the commander chuckled. "What's with that getup? I didn't know you had such an exotic taste commander." Villetta looked down at her swimsuit and growled. "Shut up, I did this for the mission."
"What the hell how are you so…" A soldier had his body pinned to the wall while Feite had a firm grip on his neck. The pressure of her strength squeezed the air from his lungs. Her eyes were narrowed while a smirk grew on her face. "Why do humans reach out to god?" The soldier's eyes went dull while Feite released him. The soldiers body fell to the ground while Rolo stood in shock. "So is this the side the world never sees of Feite Avalon? Were the rumors true of what happened in your record?" Feite looked over at Rolo while pulling off the helmet from the unconscious guard. "Are you scared of me? Geass Assassin?" Rolo chuckled and flipped the knife in his fingertips. "No, for some reason you're oddly attractive to me." Feite pulled off the soldier's uniform and started to put it on. "Sadly, I'm already spoken for you idiot. Now go guard the door." Rolo took a few steps past her and laughed. "Whatever…I could rock your world sweetie…" He paused while catching an icy glare from Feite, and waved his hand. "Okay…I'll follow your orders psycho."
Minutes pass while Rolo walked forward with Feite following close behind. He looked over at the various other members of the intelligence department. Lelouch and him had manaded to geass all of them except for Villetta. She was completely unaware of the events, and was being fooled by her own men. Rolo grinned while looking over his shoulder. "Feite, we are approaching." Feite pulled the rifle's bolt backwards, and walked over to the doorway.
"Ma'am we have a report to tell you." Villetta turned around with her eyes wide. "That voice it can't be." Feite let out a grin while stepping into the room with weapon drawn. "Do you recognize my voice?" Villetta turned over to the commander who ignored Feite and Rolo. "Do something commander!" The commander looked over at her and smiled. "Those antics of Lelouch are quite astounding aren't they?" Villetta stood in absolute shock while Feite chuckled. "You lost control of your own men Villetta, and even Rolo here has become our associate."
"Rolo is this true?" Villetta sighed while slamming her fist on the table. "Damn it you traitor, now I see why I shouldn't have trusted you. Your face alone should have made me pass you by." Rolo shrugged his shoulders and stabbed the knife into the table. "Well what you were making me into didn't fit my style. Lelouch offered me a greater deal, and you'll have to obey him…" Feite lowered the weapon and ejected the magazine. Villetta stared at the weapon while noticing that there were no bullets inside of it. "Lelouch will be here soon, and you will follow our orders."
The door opened behind the two while Lelouch crossed into the room. He turned over to notice Feite standing here and his eyes widen. "Feite you decided to act on your own again. This is very odd of you." Feite let out a small laugh and sighed. "Reading you has gotten easier for me. So what shall we do with her?" Lelouch smiled at Villetta with a bottle of wine in hand. "Villetta Nu. The woman who earned the position of Baron for the achievement of discovering Zero's true identity. But behind the scenes she was consorting with the Black Knights." Villetta turned over with hate held within her eyes. "I would never betray-…" Lelouch interrupted her with a loud laugh. "Ogi Kaname, if your relation to him was found you, you'd lose your hard-earned position. Why not turn over a new leaf? Surely you wouldn't want to be shamed and sent to pick oranges at a plantation. Or perhaps a brothel is more suiting?" He let out a mild laugh and placed the wrapped bottle of wine on the tabletop. "Oh yes, before I forget. Happy Birthday Ms. Villetta."
Moments later, Feite walked through the lengthy tunnel leading out of the school building to a waiting vehicle. C.C. stared over at her with an uneasy expression. "Feite, I was unaware that you would show up." Kallen let out a firm nod while still wearing the bear costume. "Yeah, weren't you busy gathering equipment for the others?" Feite let out a smile and looked behind her. "I was busy with that, but I was told to relax." Kallen waved her hand and chuckled. "Doing what you did doesn't seem relaxing at all." Feite rolled her eyes while crossing her arms over her chest. "I know, but at least we managed to make Lelouch's burden less than what it originally was. We can move forward now." She smiled over at the vehicle while Xingke stepped out from the back. "My, it seems that we always meet under ill circumstances. Shall we head back to the embassy?"
Meanwhile, the night sky had already fallen while a gala event was well underway. A ball was ongoing where most of the students danced with their partners. Rivalz however was separated from Milly while she danced with Gino. He let out a sour groan while Lelouch watched from the rooftop. "Oh, Suzaku the lead should stay on the main stage." Suzaku crossed over to the edge and smiled. "Nah, looks like they're all having fun." He paused nearby the railing and ran his hand alongside the top. "Besides, there's something I want to talk to you about." Lelouch leaned over the edge staring at the even from above. "What is it?"
"I'm planning on becoming the knight of one. Before you say anything about it, one of the privileges of the Knight of One is to chose one area for himself. I'm planning on choosing this area…Japan. I lost important friends, and an irreplaceable woman. I'm going to become stronger so I don't lose anyone again. So the people no longer need Zero…" Suzaku glared over at Lelouch almost knowing that his memories had returned. There was a hint of malice held within his eyes, one that would never be forgiven.
"So those are your goals? I'm impressed Suzaku you keep climbing higher. You want to make Area Eleven into a protectorate?" Lelouch let out a smile while Suzaku pulled a phone from his pocket. "I'll let this person decide…The new governor-general who's arriving next week." Lelouch let out a chuckle and smiled. "Why would the governor general want to know about my thoughts? I'm just a mere student."
"Yes, this is Kururugi. Yes, he's standing right in front of me." Suzaku held a straight face while handing the phone over. His expression was cold as ice and Lelouch knew it. The two of them were playing their parts well, as if they both knew each other's motives. "I'm not fit to talk to such an important person…" Lelouch turned around and moved the phone to his ear.
"Hello…Brother?" Lelouch gasped while his eyes widen and start to tremble after hearing Nunally's voice on the other line. "Is this not my brother?" Lelouch regained his composure and glared out the corner of his eye. 'Damn it Suzaku…you read my bluff perfectly. There is no way I can lie to Nunally.' Lelouch turned around only to spot Rolo standing by the rooftop doorway. He held up his hand and activated his Geass. Suzaku's eyes go dull while he was caught within the field projected from Rolo's position.
Lelouch let out a smile and lowered the phone muffling the receiver with his coat. "Well done. Keep him like that." Rolo let out a small sigh while holding his Geass. "Dude, I can't keep this up like a flashlight, I have a limit you know." Lelouch turned around and nodded. "Listen to me Nunally, we need to play a game. We have to pretend to be strangers for now. It's not safe for me right now." Nunally's excited voice started to calm down while she replied in a soft voice. "Okay Brother…I love you."
Rolo's Geass dropped while he walked backwards into the school building vanishing as quickly as he appeared. 'This Suzaku is really brilliant to do such a heartless thing like that. Man, I should just kill him right now.' He shook his head while adjusting his collar. 'I guess I'll cool off by courting one of the girls in the swim club.'
"Umm…I'm sorry but you've got the wrong person." Lelouch turned over to Suzaku with a relieved expression. "Yes, I'm just a student, after-all." Suzaku glared at him with a small amount of pain in his face. 'So your memory hasn't returned, Lelouch?' Lelouch let out a brief laugh and bowed his head. "No. I'm honored to have spoken to her highness the princess." He lowered the phone and extended it over to Suzaku. "Suzaku, thank you for allowing me to speak to her." Suzaku held the phone and walked down the rooftop. "I'm sorry Nunally, I seem to have caused a misunderstanding."