Part 2: Zero's Rebirth
The arch mage read what had been written, then read the correction. When he stood up, his black robes whispering about him as he said, "This alters time."
"This alters nothing," Astinus said coolly. "She came in his stead, that is all. An even exchange. Time flows on, undisturbed."
"And carries me with it?"
"Unless you have the power to change the course of rivers by tossing in apebble," Astinus remarked wryly.
Raistlin looked at him and smiled, swiftly, briefly. Then he pointed at the globe.
"Watch, Astinus," he whispered, "watch for the pebble! Farewell, Deathless One."
Chapter 3
Lelouch felt the morning sun burning his eyelids as he awoke from his slumber.
He slowly, gingerly cracked open his eyes, noticing that his bedroom curtains were left open for some reason. His open curtains were the reason that the sun's beam had started to burn his eyes. He finally opened his eyes fully, revealing his violet irises to the world once more. Lelouch raised his right wrist over his eyes in order to shield his sensitive eyes from the burning sunlight.
After he'd shielded his eyes he sat upright in his bed, his bed's large, black comforter sliding down his bare chest until it came to rest on his thighs. Lelouch followed that by looking over at his alarm clock. In neon purple it shone brightly as "5:53 A.M."
"Why on earth am I up so early?" he asked himself as his gaze left the alarm clock and went back to his bedroom's window. "My alarm isn't supposed to wake me up until 6:31. No point in wondering about it, I guess," Lelouch said to nobody in particular as he shrugged. He then fell back until the back of his scalp hit his unusually comfortable pillow.
As he raised his bed sheets to cover him once more, Lelouch noticed something unusually warm to his left.
Lelouch turned on his side to face whatever it was that was the heat's source, hidden underneath his covers. He ventured his hand underneath the covers, towards the source of the great heat. His hand slowly inched closer and closer while it remained under his bed's sheets. As his hand got closer to the lump under his sheets that appeared to be the source, he felt his fingers and palm continue to further warm. That confirmed it for him; he was reaching towards the source of the foreign heat in his bed.
Lelouch couldn't stifle his surprise as his hand made contact with the supposed heat source. It was unusually soft, yet had a firmness to it as well.
"Iyan!" A small cry came from beneath the mound of bed sheets to his left.
He quickly removed his sheets so that he could discern what this foreign object in his bed was.
What lay before him was lustrous green hair, which sat atop a stunningly beautiful young woman's face. Lelouch slowly continued to remove the covers from the gorgeous woman whom happened to be in his bed with him. As he removed the bed sheets from her, he revealed some voluptuous womanly curves and an ample bosom which his palm was still groping.
The woman, whom could only be called astoundingly gorgeous, opened her eyes, revealing a pair of even more beautiful golden eyes to him.
"Already, Lelouch?" the woman asked him. "You mean to tell me that you weren't satisfied last night?"
Lelouch then felt it click in his head that his hand was still firmly grasping her left breast, and quickly removed his palm from the unusual softness which was her breasts.
Last night, Lelouch wondered. Did we- Lelouch didn't finish his thought in his head. Images flooded his mind of the previous night's exploits with the green-haired beauty.
Lelouch couldn't help himself. A grand smile covered his face as he remembered everything. Every vivid detail of their bodies intertwined, every moan, every single thrust, everything.
"You were amazing, C.C." he complimented her after he'd recalled their 'fun' last night.
"You weren't bad yourself," she replied back. C.C. then arched her back like a cat as a yawn escaped from her perfect lips. She lay back down and appeared to purr a little.
"This may very well be the first time I am unable to describe any experience with real words. I may end up having to make up a few if you ask me to describe it to you." Lelouch didn't know why, but his grin just refused to disappear from his face.
C.C. then sat up, her breasts both bouncing freely as she did, and stretched her arms over her head. "I was actually a little bit shocked, Lelouch," she told him as she lowered her arms. She made no attempt to hide herself from his wandering eyes. To Lelouch, it felt like she was showing herself off to him again. "Your initial lasted longer than I'd ever even heard of before," she continued as she threw her legs over the edge of the bed. "You are also surprisingly 'gifted.' You also stood ready and willing to go quite a bit longer than I'd expected you would."
Lelouch's grin unhindered, he felt his cheeks burn a little as she complimented his apparently unforeseen ability.
"You realize that that stupid grin reveals far more than you think it does," she told him. She then crossed her legs and threw her hair back behind her shoulders.
Lelouch shrugged. "I can't help it," he replied. "This thing just doesn't want to go away." He paused for a second before he finished. "But I don't know if I really want it to disappear."
C.C. sighed and then stood up from the bed, her breasts bouncing freely as she did. She then walked over to Lelouch's closet, her lengthy green hair swaying with her marvelous figure as she did.
Once she reached his closet, she reached in and grabbed one of his white, long-sleeve, button-down shirts. She removed the shirt's hanger and threw the hanger back onto the closet's floor. C.C. then slid her slender arms into her new shirt for the morning.
Lelouch merely marveled at the piece of artwork that existed and moved before him. Why didn't I ever try this before? he wondered to himself as he watched the immortal steal one of his undershirts.
C.C. threw her hair back once more after she had put on Lelouch's shirt since parts of her flowing, emerald hair had ended up caught between her back and the shirt she'd claimed. "Well," she began after turning back and looking at Lelouch. "Are you going to get dressed, or do you intend to surprise your class with your birthday suit?"
Lelouch looked down at himself after her query. He then realized as he looked down that he had nothing on his skin aside from the hair growing on it.
He nearly panicked as he fell over from attempting to conceal his little friend that resided between his thighs.
C.C. softly giggled at the sight of Lelouch's face burn so much that he thought that steam was coming out from his earlobes. "Really Lelouch?" she said through her giggles. "Modesty is the very last thing you have to worry about with me," she finished after her giggles had died down.
Lelouch felt his face and heart calm back down after she'd reminded him of that little detail. "I guess that you're right," he told her. "After everything that the two of us did together, modest isn't really needed between us, is it?"
"Nope," she affirmed as she giggled again. "I'm about to go and enjoy a nice shower. Care to join me?" she suggested with a playful wink.
Lelouch shook his head. "I must still be spent," he informed her. "It refuses to respond even to the perfect sight before me."
"Too bad," C.C. feigned disappointment at that. "Then again, eight times would be pushing it. Even for professionals," she playfully said to him.
"I'd be surprised if it even works at all for a few days after how much we both 'enjoyed' last night together." Lelouch's words sounded playful, but inside of him, he was dead serious. How in the hell did I even manage to do that? he silently wondered as he thought back to last night.
"You don't have to worry," C.C. assured him. "I just happen to know a few 'tricks' you see."
"What are you, woman?"
C.C. smiled as his words hit her ears. "That's a refreshing change from 'witch,'" she told him. "It's just that I'm simply experienced, is all." C.C. playfully poked her tongue out at him as she finished.
Lelouch stood up from the bed he and the immortal beauty were going to be sharing together for quite a long while and walked over to his closet. He grabbed his spare Ashford Academy black and gold male student uniform since his main one was in tatters due to his antics in Shinjuku once more. Lelouch continued to rummage in his closet in search of another undershirt that he could wear to class.
"She didn't," he said worriedly as he slowly turned.
Lelouch finished turning around and his eyes noticed the shirt that C.C. had been wearing a few moments earlier was hanging on his desk chair. C.C. had since left in order to enjoy her shower.
"She did," he realized. Rivalz is going to eat me alive if he finds out.
Lelouch heard the sound of his bathroom's shower running.
He then felt his lips' corners turn upwards and form his devious, devilish grin as a great idea for his vengeance on the immortal woman spawned inside his brilliant mind.
Lelouch quickly got into his Ashford uniform, which was now exuding C.C.'s scent. Smells like clovers, he thought after he sniffed his shirt.
Lelouch then confirmed that the shower was still running.
"I'd better leave this here," he said to himself as he laid his debit card on his desk. "She'd murder me once I got back if I did this and decided to keep her from ordering her precious pizza."
Lelouch quietly walked over and opened up his bathroom's door. He snuck in while trying not to make a sound. He then looked over towards the frosted glass shower stall.
Good, he thought to himself so that C.C. wouldn't be able to hear him. I guess that her laziness at accomplishing anything quickly is playing into my hands with this.
Lelouch was laughing diabolically on the inside as he continued to quietly creep over towards the object which will allow him to get his revenge on the immortal woman.
"Is that you Lelouch?" C.C. had noticed him. "I'll be out in a minute. I'm almost done."
Lelouch cursed silently at being noticed before he'd reached his objective. "You needn't worry about it," he told her as he continued to inch towards his goal. "I was actually about to go have breakfast with Nunnally. I wanted to tell you that I left my debit card on the desk for you so that you can order your pizza."
"Well it seems that you do care," C.C. said to him from behind the frosted glass. Her figure then turned and noticed where Lelouch was standing. "DON'T YOU DARE!" she screamed at him.
Lelouch let his diabolical laugh leave his throat and then pressed the lever down so that his revenge could be complete.
"FLUSH!"
C.C. squealed and crouched down behind the frosted glass as the shower went from a pleasantly warm stream, to freezing cold in an instant.
"That's for knowing what you did," Lelouch told her as he decided to bolt from the bathroom before she could gather herself and give chase.
"YOU'RE DEAD WHEN YOU GET BACK!" C.C. was shrieking as he closed the bathroom door behind him.
Lelouch then let out a deep, slow breath as he kept his back against the bathroom door he'd just shut.
"Well that was fun," Lelouch said to himself as he stood up straight from blocking the door. "It'll probably be a good while before she cools down from her murderous streak."
Lelouch then exited his bedroom and walked down the hallway towards the dining room that he, Nunnally, and Sayoko all shared.
"Is that you big brother?" Nunnally asked as she heard the dining room's door open with a hiss.
"It is." Lelouch then felt his loving smile appear on his face as he gazed at his little sister. How long has it been since I was able to truly smile like this? he asked himself. "Good morning Nunnally, and to you as well Sayoko.
"You're up early my lord," the Japanese maid/ninja said to him.
Lelouch waved his hand before him as he told Sayoko, "You know what my feelings towards you calling me that are. I believe that you have to earn that title, and I've done nothing at all for you to say that." Not yet, anyways, he quietly added.
"I understand." Sayoko nodded as she gave a traditional Japanese bow.
"But Sayoko's right," Nunnally piped up. "You usually aren't out of bed until at least seven. What's the occasion?" she asked her brother.
If only I could say, Lelouch thought as he stared at his sister. "I just went to bed a little earlier than usual last night," he lied. It pained him to have to lie to his sister again.
"Is that why you weren't at dinner last night?" the crippled princess asked of her older brother.
Lelouch shook his head. "No, that's not why I wasn't able to eat dinner with you last night," he informed Nunnally. "I happened to get separated from Rivalz yesterday around the Shinjuku ghetto and the military decided that they wanted to keep me for questioning."
Nunnally giggled. "I told you to stop skipping classes to go and gamble, or it would get you sooner or later."
"You were right," Lelouch told his sister. "It did catch back up with me yesterday. I probably won't be gambling again for a little while."
Lelouch walked over and hugged his blind and crippled little sister. Nunnally immediately returned the embrace.
"Why do you smell like clovers?" Nunnally had noticed the unusual scent of the green-haired woman hiding in his room.
Damn. I forgot to put on the cologne before I left, he realized. Lelouch quickly came up with a believable explanation for the foreign scent on him. "It's a new body wash that a friend of mine recommended. Do you think it smells good?"
Nunnally looked as though she was pondering about whether to accept his cover story as the truth or not as her forefinger came up and pressed her fragile chin.
Nunnally then shifted to where, if she was able to, she and Lelouch would be looking directly eye-to-eye. "You're lying Lelouch," she said matter-of-factly.
Lelouch felt himself panic just a bit that his secret lover would be revealed after just one night. She is quite astute, but I hope that it's just her gut. "What do you mean Nunnally?" he asked.
Nunnally wagged her finger side-to-side as if she was a mother scolding her child. "That's your clothes that smell like clovers, not you."
Lelouch felt his breath catch in his throat as she figured out where the smell exuded from so quickly. He couldn't bring himself to tell her anything to the contrary either. He knew that they would just sound like flimsy excuses to his sister.
"I'd bet that you were with a girl last night," Nunnally pieced together. "What will Shirley do when she finds out? What do you think Sayoko?"
Sayoko smiled as Nunnally asked her. "I think that she'd become extremely jealous, go hysterical, and then panic."
Lelouch was the one panicking at the moment though. He quickly put his finger to his lips and told them to "SHHH!"
"But why, Lelouch?" his younger sister asked him in response. She looked like she was enjoying teasing her older brother with this.
"Can we just keep it a secret? Just between us?" he begged his sister not to reveal that he'd been with a girl.
"I will, but only if you let me meet her." Nunnally had presented her terms to buying her silence.
"Very well," Lelouch sighed. "I'd actually planned on having the two of you meet in a few days, but I guess that I'll introduce you to her at dinner tonight. Is that okay?" Lelouch couldn't believe it. Beaten this easily. How?
"I guess that is good enough. Very well. Sayoko and I won't tell Shirley about it." Nunnally appeared to be rather happy that she'd be able to meet her big brother's girlfriend.
"Please," Lelouch begged once more. "Also don't tell Milly or Rivalz. They'll probably notice the scent, but please back up my cover story."
"Okay," Nunnally nodded. "If they ask, Sayoko and I will tell them that it's a new body wash. Just like you tried to lie to me with."
"Please don't rub it in." Lelouch then let out the breath that he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Thank you Nunnally. Now can we get to enjoying our breakfast that Sayoko obviously worked so hard on."
Lelouch then sat down at the seat opposite Nunnally and enjoyed the Japanese maid and kunoichi's homemade cooking for the first time in over a full year. It truly is amazing, he thought as he swallowed a piece of orange, laced with Sayoko's secret seasoning.
"That was perfect," Nunnally complimented their truly all-purpose maid's marvelous cooking as she finished her plate.
"Nunnally's right," Lelouch nodded. "You are the best cook that we've ever met, Sayoko."
Sayoko acknowledged her master's compliments with a traditional bow at her hips. "It was really nothing."
"Well, I've gotta be going." Lelouch then pushed his chair from the table and stood. "Milly's apparently got a huge problem that requires all of the Student Council members to gather."
"What do you think it is?" Nunnally asked.
Lelouch shrugged like he didn't really know what the problem was. "If I had to guess…" Lelouch paused and acted like he was thinking about it in order to determine the problem. "I'd say that it would be the club activities budget. I remember a few of the Swim Club members were complaining about their budget."
"Doesn't every club?" Nunnally giggled as she playfully asked him.
Lelouch let out a single chuckle. "I guess that you're right again." Lelouch waved as he left and said to his sister, "Don't worry. You and her will meet at dinner, just like I promised."
"We'd better," Nunnally told him.
Lelouch heard the dining room door close behind him and walked towards the upstairs Student Council Office.
He opened the door and looked inside the barren room. "Hmm. Nobody's made it here yet," he said aloud to himself.
Lelouch entered the office and took his seat, right next to the assigned seat of his blue-haired friend, Rivalz. He then checked the clock that was across the room from him.
Well, I am a little bit early, he noted.
Lelouch leaned back in his chair with his fingers interlocked behind his head and closed his eyes.
I wonder what this time around will really be like, he silently wondered behind his shut eyes. Rivalz will still be going at Milly with everything he's got to try and woo her over to him. Lelouch smiled a bit as he recalled Rivalz's literally hundreds of attempts to get Lelouch's longtime blonde bombshell of a friend to just go on a single date with him. I wonder just how I would fare with her. Lelouch thought as he remembered Milly.
Lelouch heard the door to the office open from behind him and opened his eyes, bringing himself back to the reality before him.
"Oh. It's you Lelouch." The Student Council Secretary, Rivalz, was the first member of the Council to arrive after Lelouch.
"Yeah," Lelouch answered. "I was just eating with Nunnally when Prez sent out her distress signal."
"Speaking of distress," Rivalz said as he took his seat to Lelouch's left. "Just how did you make it out of the ghetto?" Rivalz sounded rather concerned for his friend.
Lelouch then recalled that the last time this Rivalz had seen him was when he'd fallen into Kallen's Resistance Group's truck.
Lelouch then began to recount the story that he'd prepared to tell his friend in order to explain what happened. "I stayed hidden until the terrorists had been gone for about ten minutes. After that, I was found by some soldiers and they took me into custody for questioning."
"Why'd they take you in?" Rivalz worriedly asked his friend. "I mean, you didn't do anything."
Lelouch leaned back in his chair once more. "Well," he began. "I was dressed as a Britannian student, found in the ghetto, and was found close to a known terrorist site. What would you think if you were in their shoes?"
"I'd think you were skipping out on your duties as my Vice-President." Milly answered his question as she walked in. Shirley and Nina were following right behind her.
Shirley looked hysterical. "Lulu! Thank god you made it back. Are you hurt? Did they try to torture you?" Shirley asked her questions so quickly that she was short of breath.
Lelouch waved his hand in order to try and prevent Shirley from over-exerting herself. "No, no. Nothing like that," he assured his not-so-secret admirer. "They just asked why I was found in the ghetto. So I told them the truth. I told them that I was a passerby who came upon a wreck, so I went to see if anyone in the truck needed any help or medical attention. Then I was knocked off-balance when the truck started moving again and happened to fall into the back of the truck they were using."
"And you mean to say that they actually believed you?" Rivalz was absolutely eating up the fabrication.
"Well not at first," Lelouch told them. "But a few eye-witnesses corroborated my story and so they released me since they couldn't really pin anything on me after all."
"Thank goodness that you're okay Lulu," Shirley then sighed in relief
Lelouch nodded back to everyone. "Thanks for being so concerned everybody. I really appreciate it." He then turned towards his longtime friend, Milly. "By the way Prez. What was so important that you needed to use the distress signal I set up for you?"
Milly energetically clapped her hands together after his question. "Oh! That's right! We need to find a way to fix the club activities budget before the end of the day."
Shirley looked dumbfounded. "Why do we need to fix it?" she asked her President.
Lelouch sighed as he suddenly remembered Shirley's utter lack of any real intelligence. "Because it isn't balanced," he told her. He then glared at Milly. "I told you that it wasn't balanced two weeks ago Milly. Why did you decide to procrastinate so much?"
Milly playfully winked at her raven-haired old friend.
Okay then, Lelouch though. He then teasingly blew the blonde bombshell of a woman a kiss.
Milly's face flushed at Lelouch's action. However, nobody other than the two involved parties happened to see the silent flirting between the two of them. Rivalz and Shirley had been staring blankly at the stack of papers laid out on the table before them, and Nina's eyes never left her computer.
Milly cleared her throat to help clear her reddened face and gather everyone's attention again. "We have an hour before classes start, so why don't we try and get this done before then," she told them.
"You know that we might actually be able to reach that deadline if you decided to actually help do the legwork, right?" Rivalz told the blonde woman built like a brick house.
About thirty minutes had passed and, through Lelouch's personal guidance, they were nearing their goal finally.
"Can't we just put this off until tomorrow," Rivalz groaned.
Here it comes, Lelouch thought and plugged his ears with his fingers.
"GUTS!" Milly roared.
Rivalz grimaced as Milly's 'magic' reached his eardrums. "Are you trying that whole 'guts' spell again?" the blue-haired Secretary asked her.
"You know that magic doesn't exist, right Milly?" Lelouch probed.
"Actually, you've got me going Madam President!" Shirley was energetic as ever, flexing her arms as she told them.
Milly's lips slid upwards into a sly grin. "Supple and willing. I like that," she told the orange-haired young woman.
Shirley, oblivious to what the lecherous president was really saying, replied with, "I work hard in my Gymnastics Club."
Lelouch couldn't help but grin as he remembered how the conversation went from here.
"That's not what I meant," the blonde bombshell told the oblivious young orangette. Milly's eyes slowly moved upwards as they took in Shirley's slender figure. "You're a ten. At least from what I've seen in the girl's bathroom anyways."
"Oh, ho." Rivalz leaned over the table and leered at the unfortunate soul that was Shirley Fenette at the moment.
Shirley crossed her arms in order to attempt to hide her breasts from the perverse stare of the blonde beauty. "What are you talking about you pervert?" Shirley demanded.
"She means that you're filling out in all the right places," Lelouch piped up, stealing Milly's line. Lelouch then admired Shirley's hourglass figure with his own eyes and said to her, "And I would have to agree with her on that."
Shirley's face turned scarlet after Lelouch had complimented her figure like that. "LULU!" Shirley sounded absolutely hysterical. "What-what-what are you saying?" she stammered in response.
Lelouch simply shrugged at her question. "Is it wrong to admire such a perfectly well-done piece of artwork?" he playfully teased her.
So much blood raced to the orange-haired girl's face that it appeared as if she would pass out from the embarrassment she was facing. Shirley was reduced to a stuttering mess, unable to piece together enough letters to make a coherent word.
Lelouch couldn't help but laugh at the sight as he stood up from the table. "The budget's balanced," he said to the stunned Milly as he put the stack of papers he'd been working on in the President's hands. "I'll see you guys in class then," he said as he walked out of the room.
Lelouch heard a chair fall over from inside the office.
"Shirley!" he heard Nina yell.
Lelouch then heard Rivalz's voice come from the office next. "Did… Did Lelouch just… flirt?"
Milly giggles were the last thing he heard as he walked away from the office.
Lelouch couldn't stop himself form smirking as he left the Student Council building. Why didn't I do this last time? he wondered. It's so much more fun to tease. Now I understand why C.C. enjoys doing it so much.
He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't notice the short, crimson-haired young woman come around the corner and they both ran into each other. Both of them fell on the ground, the papers that she'd been carrying with her falling everywhere around the two of them.
"I'm sorry. I didn't see-"
Lelouch wasn't able to finish what he'd begun apologizing for.
Kallen.
The sight of the young red-haired young woman enveloped all of his thoughts. He was temporarily in a daze at being able to see her once more.
Kallen was rubbing her bottom saying, "Ouch, ouch, ouch."
Lelouch quickly stood himself up and offered the beautiful half-breed his hand. "Here," he said to her.
Kallen's head tilted slightly and she asked, "Who are you?" Kallen was using her fake, sickly tone.
I like you better when you're being yourself. Not when you pretend to be some invalid, he thought to himself while still extending his hand to her. Lelouch smiled. "I'm Lelouch Lamperouge," he introduced himself under his false identity. "I'm the Student Council Vice-President. It's good that you're back Ms. Stadtfelt.
"Do I know you?" she asked as Lelouch helped her to her feet.
Lelouch kept his warm smile as he told her, "It's been a long while, so I don't really blame you for not remembering me. We're in the same class." He then began to bend over and pick up the papers Kallen had been carrying with her before they'd bumped into each other.
Kallen realized what Lelouch was doing and quickly began to help the dark-haired youth collect her scattered papers.
"So are you feeling any better?" Lelouch asked her as he handed Kallen the rest of her papers that he'd collected.
Kallen nodded and then meekly said, "I'm sorry for not remembering who you were."
"You needn't concern yourself." Lelouch waved his hand before him to further emphasize his statement. "I'm just glad that you're back. I don't really blame you for not remembering me."
Lelouch wasn't sure about it, but for an instant it appeared as though Kallen's cheeks flushed red.
Lelouch didn't bother to think on it. He then motioned with his hand for Kallen to walk with him.
Kallen meekly nodded to his invitation and began to walk beside Lelouch as they walked across campus to their first class.
"So how was your time away?" Lelouch used his conversation-starter.
"Uneventful." Kallen responded with as little as possible.
Lelouch grabbed her shoulders and gently moved her out of the way as another group appeared not to notice someone walking directly towards them.
Lelouch noticed Kallen's cheeks tinge red as he let go of her.
"Are you sure that you're okay?" he asked her as they stopped outside of their first classroom. He then placed the back of his palm on her forehead like he was taking her temperature. "Your face is burning up."
Kallen shook her head to get his hand off of her. "I'm fine…" she whispered.
"Are you sure?" he asked her. He was enjoying this. "I can help you to the nurse's office if you'd like." Lelouch noted that Kallen's cheeks reddened further the more that he maintained contact between them.
"I said I'm fine!" Kallen snapped at him. She then realized that she'd gone out of character and quickly returned to her façade of a sickly girl. "Anyways, thanks for walking me to my class. I really appreciate it." Kallen bowed slightly, her large stack of papers clutched to her chest, to offer her thanks.
Lelouch laughed at the gesture. You really aren't meant to be docile, he thought as she stood up. "Don't worry; this is my first class as well. So, if anything, we accompanied each other," he informed her.
"Accompanied each other?" Kallen seemed bewildered at his choice of words.
"Yes," Lelouch nodded. "I don't really know why, but I feel safer for some reason when you're around Kallen." Lelouch put on his warm smile again as he opened to doo to their shared classroom. "Ladies first," he said as he motioned with his hand for her to enter first.
"Thank you," Kallen thanked him for the action. "It's nice to have met someone as kind as you when I came back."
Lelouch continued to smile. "Thank you for the compliment, and I already told you that we've already met." Kallen seemed embarrassed that she'd already forgotten what he'd told her just ten minutes ago. "By the way, are you involved in any clubs?" he asked her, knowing full well what the answer would be.
Kallen shook her head at his last question. "No, I'm not. I'm not really able to join any clubs because of my health. I wouldn't really be able to participate in any club activities."
Lelouch shook his head. "That's no good," he told her. "A girl as pretty as you needs to be in at least once club."
Kallen was surprised at what Lelouch had just told her. "What did you just call me?" she asked him.
"Pretty," he said to her. "You really are quite attractive Ms. Stadtfelt."
Kallen's cheeks tinged red once more as Lelouch reiterated his earlier compliment to her.
Lelouch stamped the bottom of his fist on his open palm. "I have an idea," he told her. "Why don't you join the Student Council?"
Kallen seemed surprised at the notion. "I don't really know," she weakly replied as she averted her eyes.
"You don't have to say yes or no right now," Lelouch informed her. "Why don't I show you around the Student Council building after school? After that, you can tell me if you feel like joining or not."
She nodded after thinking about it for a moment. "I've got nothing planned. It can't really hurt to see if it's something I can join or not."
Lelouch turned and started walking over to his seat after her answer. He waved his hand to her as he was walking and said, "Deal. It's a date then."
Kallen's face looked like it was attempting to do an imitation of her hair. Her face flared crimson as soon as Lelouch had added on that extra little 'date' line.
Lelouch was inwardly laughing as he took his seat next to Rivalz, who still looked as though he was in shock from Lelouch's actions at the earlier council meeting. That's something I rarely got to see last time, Lelouch thought to himself as he saw Kallen, still red-faced, take her seat on the other side of the room.
Rivalz had just noticed Lelouch presence beside him. The blue-haired young man then turned and asked his friend, "What came over you earlier?"
"What do you mean?" Lelouch was feigning ignorance over his very noticeable change in behavior.
"You know exactly what I mean." Rivalz moved his hand in front of him in a condescending manner. "You never flirt, least of all with Shirley. You've only ever been cold and distant to her. Next thing I know you're flirting so darn well that you even had Milly giggling." Rivalz leaned over. "What's going on Lelouch? Did you happen to get laid yesterday?" Rivalz asked him lecherously.
Lelouch acted like he was surprised at the very notion that he would engage in an action such as coidus. "Where did that come from?" he demanded of his blue-haired friend. You are actually very close to the truth Rivalz, he silently added.
Rivalz then began to list out the changes that he'd noticed about his friend. "You've got an unusual air of confidence around you, you actually flirted, and I happened to see both you and Ms. Stadtfelt over there walking together." Rivalz wagged his finger. "I also saw that little Ms. Stadtfelt seemed to have a bit of red on her cheeks while you were walking with her." He then slammed his palms on Lelouch's desk. "You got it on with the sick girl last night, didn't you," Rivalz accused.
Not yet, Lelouch silently answered. He then sighed in disappointment at the poor young man before him who'd made such conclusions. If anything he pitied Rivalz for when Kallen happened to find out about his last accusation. "I happened to bump into her as I left the meeting," he began to explain. "I helped her find her way back to class since she hasn't been to school in a long time. She also came to school with a bit of a fever, so that might help explain why her cheeks were red."
"A likely story, Lelouch," Rivalz said with a teasingly condescending tone. "But I know the look of a guy who had a little bit of a 'fun' experience the night before."
Lelouch smirked as Rivalz stepped into his own trap. "Oh? How is that?" he shot back. "Did you happen to lose your virginity since I saw you yesterday?"
Rivalz opened his mouth to reply, but he couldn't find the words to fire back at Lelouch. Rivalz closed his mouth and turned back around in his seat.
"Cocky bastard," Lelouch heard Rivalz mumble.
Lelouch couldn't help but burst out laughing at Rivalz at the moment.
Lelouch quieted his laughter after a moment and looked towards Kallen, who was eyeing him suspiciously. So she already suspects, huh? he noted. Lelouch simply waved to her, a warm smile on his face.
Kallen's cheeks flushed red and she quickly turned back around to face the teacher.
Using the recording worked fine last time. It should quell her suspiciousness adequately for the time being this time around as well. Lelouch began to plot out what his next moves should be.
Lelouch continued to simply go through the motions of class as the next few hours slowly passed by.
"Hey Lulu!" Shirley called to him after the bell to signal the beginning of the lunch break rang out.
"What is it Shirley?" he asked her as he stood up from his desk.
"Um… Well…" Shirley seemed embarrassed and nervous about what she wanted to say. "I was just wondering if you had any plans for lunch," she finally spoke, her words revealing more to him than she really wanted.
Lelouch smiled to the orangette. "As a matter-of-fact," he said to her, "something just came up."
Shirley dropped her gaze and her shoulders drooped in disappointment. "Oh," she sounded despondent. "Well, I'm sorry for taking up your time." She then turned around slowly and began to drag her feet away.
"Hold it," Lelouch told her as he grabbed her slender wrist. "You're what just came up."
Shirley's, as well as everyone else's in the class, eyes bulged in shock at his words.
"Just let me grab my lunch and we can go eat together," Lelouch said to her with a gentle, warm smile on his face.
Shirley nodded to him, still unable to speak through her scarlet cheeks.
Lelcouh grabbed his lunchbox, covered Shirley's hand with his own (this turned the young woman crimson from neckline to hairline), and walked with her to a lone bench in the Ashford Academy's large courtyard.
Lelouch sat down on the bench. "Here," he said to her as he patted a section of the bench next to him, motioning for Shirley to sit down next to him.
Shirley, her head still red, nodded and somehow managed to find the seat next to Lelouch without steam coming from her beet red ears.
Lelouch felt the hundreds of eyes staring at him while he sat next to Shirley. Some were jealous of him; others stared because they still couldn't believe that Lelouch was showing human emotions.
I guess that even I would be surprised at myself it I was the me from two years ago, he thought.
"Um… Lulu?" Shirley managed to squeak out a coherent word.
"Hmm? What is it Shirley?" he asked her.
Shirley was fidgeting in her seat next to him.
She must not know what to think. Lelouch grabbed one of the bananas that Sayoko had placed in his lunchbox and held it in front of the still-fidgeting Shirley next to him. "Want one?"
Shirley's face, somehow, reddened even further as she fell over backwards off of the bench they'd been sitting on.
Lelouch blinked in surprise. "Why'd she…" Lelouch then realized what he held. He started to cackle to himself as he realized that he'd unintentionally sent Shirley over the edge.
Lelouch looked down at the orange-haired beauty, still chuckling a bit. Her eyes were spinning, steam was fuming profusely from her scarlet ears, and she was babbling on incoherently about Lelouch's 'banana.'
He sighed at the sight. If she's like this after that, then I wonder how she'd… Lelouch shook his head. "Hey, Shirley." He poked her burning cheeks with his finger.
Shirley simply continued to babble on about the 'banana' in nothing but garbled words.
Lelouch shrugged as he realized that he couldn't do anything to snap her out of her banana-induced daze. "She's gone," he said to himself as he stood up. "Oh, well. It was fun." He then picked Shirley up and bridal-carried her to the nurse's office.
(Shirley would awaken from her daze about an hour later. Milly immediately was over her, displaying to the orange-haired young woman HD photos of Lelouch carrying her as if they were a pair of newly-weds on their way to consummate their recent wedding. This teasing by the blonde bombshell made the orangette pass out once more due to too much blood rushing to her head.)
Lelouch returned to class after he dropped Shirley off with the nurse. The day began to creep by at a snail's pace once more.
"Finally!" Rivalz exclaimed as the end-of-the-day bell echoed throughout the school. Rivalz walked over to Lelouch's desk and asked his friend, "Got any plans lover-boy?"
"As a matter-of-fact I do," Lelouch retorted. "And with exactly who you're thinking of."
Rivalz's eyes widened in disbelief at Lelouch's admission. "I knew it!" Rivalz shrieked. "So you and Kallen have been-"
"He and I have been what?" Kallen interrupted the blue-haired youth as she walked over.
"I apologize for him Ms. Stadtfelt." Lelouch sighed before he continued. "Because of his own failing in his personal love life, he seems to think that he two of us are sleeping together.
Kallen's face turned red. "He what!" she screamed. She then turned and smacked Rivalz with the palm of her hand. "I barely even know Lelouch!" she was yelling. "Why would I do that of all things with someone that I hardly even know?" Kallen demanded, losing her sickly façade for a moment as her anger got the best of her.
Rivalz appeared to be in shock at the sight of Kallen's fierce nature, as he was reduced to a blathering idiot at Kallen's fiery side.
Not that's the Kallen I remember, Lelouch marveled. You really are better looking when you're violent.
Lelouch continued to inwardly laugh as Kallen continued to verbally pummel Rivalz with her accusations and demands.
A few moments passed, and Kallen had finally finished tearing Rivalz a new one for his false assumptions. She then quickly reverted over to her sickly persona. This quick change in attitudes left Rivals more confused than anything as he left, his head hanging from receiving Kallen's verbal wrath.
"I'm sorry about that," Kallen apologized to Lelouch for screaming so much at his friend.
"You shouldn't," he assured her. "I thought that you looked cute when you were scolding him. If only your health wouldn't worsen, I think that it'd fit you better," Lelouch said to her, a smile on his face.
Kallen blushed a bit at that. "Yeah, if only I wasn't so sick," she mumbled. Her cheeks quickly returned to their usual complexion. "I think that you promised to show me the Student Council building."
"I did," Lelouch nodded. "Just let me get my things and I'll show you around."
Lelouch quickly gathered up his school equipment and then began to escort the red-haired actress. He showed her every room in the building-minus his and Nunnally's private rooms- and explained to her the purpose of each room they had. He explained the purpose of the Student Council, what events they usually plan, and gave her a brief description of each member position's personal responsibilities. He decided to end the tour in the ballroom.
"…And this is the ballroom," he told her as they entered the large room. "Our President had it built so we have a place to house all of our dances and parties that she plans," Lelouch explained to Kallen.
"Looks rather nice," she admired. "Are there any real perks to joining the Student Counil?"
Lelouch grinned. There it is. "There are actually quite a few." Lelouch paused briefly before he continued. "We have access to the school on a level even the teachers don't really have." He then leaned over and whispered to her like he was telling her a grand secret, "But my favorite would be the underground exit tunnels."
Kallen's eyes widened as the realization dawned on her about all the uses she could have for the escape tunnel he'd just mentioned.
Lelouch leaned back to where he was standing straight and began. "I'm sure that you've heard about me gambling during school hours. Yet no teachers have ever caught me sneaking off of campus before. That is the reason why I haven't been caught." Lelouch could see Kallen's sapphire eyes sparkle as he revealed his private use for the tunnel.
"Oh. There you are Lelouch. And you brought Kallen with you." Milly came into the ballroom with an apron on while she was pushing a trolly covered with food.
Lelouch cocked an eyebrow at the sight of Milly entering the ballroom just like in his memories. "What are you doing here Madam President?" he asked the blonde woman.
Milly playfully giggled. "Didn't you know? I thought that's why you brought her."
This isn't how it went last time, Lelouch noted. Milly didn't induct Kallen until tomorrow. Has the time stream been accelerated? Lelouch slapped his forehead to make it seem as though he'd forgotten something obvious. "Now I remember," he told Milly. "You planned on letting Kallen into the Council anyways."
"Huh?" Kallen was wondering just what was going on, because it appeared as though she was at the center of it all.
Milly energetically clapped her hands together. "You guys can come in now!" Milly yelled towards the second floor landing of the ballroom.
"Coming Madam President!" Shirley called back.
"On our way Prez!" Rivalz exclaimed next.
Kallen winced when she recognized that second voice. She then leaned over and quietly asked Lelouch, "Is he really a Council member too?"
"Yeah," Lelouch sighed. "Don't worry though, he's harmless. Now that you set him straight, I doubt he'd make any similar assumptions for a long while."
"He'd better not," Kallen growled.
"By the way, I'm Milly. Student Council President." Milly extended her hand to Kallen. "Nice to meet you Ms. Stadtfelt."
Kallen took the blonde's hand in turn. "Likewise. But if we're going to be in the same club, you guys can just call me Kallen."
Rivalz, Shirley, and the reclusive Nina came down the ballroom staircase as Milly was extending her greetings to the newest council member and the three of them approached their new co-worker.
"Nice to meet you Kallen. I'm Shirley." The orange-haired girl, energetic as always, introduced herself to Kallen.
Rivalz was nervous and cautious since Kallen's fierce stare was still fresh in his mind from earlier. "I'm Rivalz Cardemone. The Secretary. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Kallen bowed at her waist and apologized to the blue-haired boy. "I'm sorry for going off like that earlier. It was just surprising to come back and already have rumors about me and someone else being an item."
"What's she talking about Rivalz?" Milly asked her admirer.
Lelouch chuckled and spoke up before Rivalz could dig himself a deeper hole with his answer. "Rivalz only got what he deserved. It wasn't anything that you need to worry about Prez."
Rivalz laughed nervously as he scratched his cheek after Lelouch saved his hide.
"I'm Nina," the young genius that would eventually create the F.L.E.I.J.A warhead introduced herself.
Kallen acknowledged the small girl's introduction with a nod. "Nice to meet you."
"Shirley, can you put this on the table for me?" Nunnally had just rolled in on her wheelchair.
"Oh, sure Nunna," Shirley accepted as she walked over to help out Lelouch's sister.
"This is Lelouch's little sister, Nunnally." Milly introduced Kallen to the crippled young girl.
"It's nice to meet you Ms. Stadtfelt," Nunnally's gentle voice soothing to the ears. "I'm still in the Middle School group, so I'm not able to become an official Student Council member just yet."
"That's okay," Rivalz told the crippled girl. "You're an honorary member in all our eyes!"
Lelouch noticed something strange about his sister, so he walked over to Nunnally.
"Is she the one?" Nunnally whispered to him.
Lelouch shook his head. He then whispered back, "No. I told you that you'd get to meet her at dinner. Don't believe Rivalz. I think he's just jealous about nothing because of you-know-who."
That elicited a few giggles from his younger sister. "He has been chasing Milly and continues to fall on his face."
"That he has." Lelouch smiled as he ended his brief conversation with his sister.
Lelouch then turned back around and faced the calamity that was Kallen's welcoming party.
He noticed that Rivalz had just pulled out a green bottle that was filled with a sweet, bubbling liquid. "Let's kick off this party already!" the energetic Milly-admirer exclaimed.
"Champagne!?" Shirley was flabbergasted at the presence of the slightest amount of alcohol.
Nina broke her usually silent nature and pointed out, "But we're on the Student Council. We really shouldn't."
"Aw, don't be such a stick in the mud." Rivalz teased the party poopers.
Lelouch smiled as he witnessed the scene play out once more. And now the Champagne comes to me, he thought as he saw the green bottle fly towards him.
Lelouch inwardly smirked as he caught the bottle and purposely moved the bottle's cork towards Kallen.
Now the fun starts.
"You're not getting away with it either Lulu!" Shirley raced over and pounced on Lelouch while trying to steal the bottle from him.
"POP!"
Kallen deflected the cork as it flew at her head. The Champagne then rained down on top of her head, coating her in the sweet liquid.
Oh the sights I'm about to see.
Lelouch had just left his room after getting Kallen his red and black jacket-and-jeans combo.
C.C.'s laughter could still be heard through the door.
"She really enjoys seeing me squirm," Lelouch grumbled.
He had just told her about the deal he and Nunnally arranged at breakfast in order to buy her silence on the matter.
"I'll go," C.C. told him through her fits of laughter. "But I find it absolutely hilarious that you couldn't keep it a secret for even a single day."
"It's your damn fault, woman," he grumbled to himself as he'd reached the bathroom that Kallen was borrowing for her after-champagne-shower shower.
He heard the shower's water running. She's in. Lelouch grinned like a sly fox as he thought about slightly changing this experience.
Lelouch then knocked on the bathroom door.
"It's Lelouch," he called through the door. "I brought you some clothes to change into."
"You can come in. I've already drawn the curtain," Kallen answered from behind the door.
Lelouch entered and the door closed behind him. He then walked over the bathroom counter. My God those curves are dangerous, he thought as he admired Kallen's silhouette on the curtain. He set down his clothes on the counter. "I brought you some of mine since Milly and Shirley's were too large."
"Thanks," Kallen said from behind the curtain. "That was fast. You went all the way to the boy's dorm?"
"Actually, I live here." Lelouch recounted to her why he was living in the Student Council building. "My little sister would have it pretty hard living off in the dorms. The principal of the school lets us stay here as a favor."
Kallen went quiet for a brief moment. Her slender hand slipped out from behind the shower curtain and pointed to the pink pouch she always carried around with her. "Can you hand me that pouch over there?" she finally asked.
Now we dance once more. Lelouch devilishly grinned as he grabbed the switchblade-concealing pink pouch. He reached his arm behind the curtain and it was forcefully grabbed by Kallen's strong hand. Just like last time. Lelouch couldn't shake the sense of déjà vu he kept getting at the scene.
"Were you the one from the radio yesterday?" Kallen demanded an answer.
Three, Two, One. Lelouch finished the countdown he had maintained.
The phone on the bathroom wall began to ring.
Kallen didn't loosen her grip on his wrist.
"If I don't answer it, someone will come," Lelouch told her, just like he did last time.
Kallen's figure nodded from behind the curtain.
Lelouch answered the phone and played his part just like last time. "Oh?" Lelouch handed the phone behind the curtain to Kallen. "He says that he knows you."
Kallen grabbed the phone from behind the curtain and began to listen to Lelouch's pre-planned recoding once more.
Too easy, he thought.
"Who are you and how did you arrange that ceasefire order?" Kallen yelled into the phone.
Lelouch turned his head towards the curtain in anticipation. Four, three, two, and one.
The curtain slid open at Kallen's violent twist with the phone to her ear. Kallen didn't realize since she had her back to Lelouch all the while.
"Ceasefire order?" Lelouch acted innocent, just like he did last time. "Let me guess, you're talking about a game?"
"Uh, yeah." Kallen piggybacked on the provided cover-story. "Since I've been sick so much."
My, those are probably bigger than Shirley's. Lelouch was taking mental pictures of the nude woman before him.
Kallen turned around and her sapphire eyes met with Lelouch's violet ones. She appeared to not register what was happening for a moment.
When it clicked in her head, her eyes widened, her face turned a deeper red than her hair, and she began to shake in anger.
This is gonna hurt, Lelouch winced as he saw Kallen's hand raise up.
Her hand was a blur as it was brought down heavily on Lelouch's left cheek.
The blow was so hard that it sent Lelouch over and he fell on his ass.
"Serves you right. Pervert!" Kallen closed the curtains behind her with a "Hmph!"
Lelouch quietly stood himself up and left the bathroom.
As the door hissed shut behind him, he brought his hand up and lightly brushed his stinging cheek. Lelouch noticed that his entire left cheek had a large, deep red handprint covering it.
Lelouch brought his hand back down from his face.
Remembering Kallen's excellent figure, her shapely hips, and her quite large breasts, only one thought remained in his head.
"That was so worth it."
Lelouch returned to the ballroom, where the rest of the Student Council and Nunnally were awaiting his and Kallen's return.
All of the Student Council members saw his stinging cheek, and they just nodded to each other. Lelouch saw Rivalz hand Milly what looked like a twenty pound note.
Kallen returned from her shower, dressed in the clothes Lelouch had given her to borrow, after another few minutes. The air around her was very icy, so Lelouch decided it would be better for his health to simply leave Kallen be for the moment.
After Kallen returned from her shower, Milly restarted the party. The Student Council continued to party for another few hours. The ballroom echoed with the laughter of all the young men and women gathered throughout the fun time they were sharing. After a bit, even Kallen left her icy shell and began to enjoy the fun with everyone again. Rivalz eventually decided it wasn't a real party unless they all had a Karaoke tournament. Lelouch fumbled the words of his song all throughout the three-and-a-half minutes of torture he was forced to endure, making everyone, even Kallen, laugh so hard that their faces all turned red due to lack of oxygen and tears appeared from their eyes because of the pain in their sides. Surprisingly enough, Kallen unanimously took home the blue ribbon for performance of a local pop-star's latest number-one hit. Kallen seemed embarrassed for some reason as everyone continually told her how good she was and that she should try and get a recording contract soon.
As the party finally came to its conclusion a few hours later, everyone was exhausted. Rivalz was sprawled out on one of the ballroom's tables, passed out from dancing too much. Nina thanked everyone for letting her join in, and excused herself to go work on her research project. Milly was carrying Shirley, who'd also partied to the point of complete exhaustion, back to her room. Kallen also thanked everyone for the best party that she'd ever been a part of, and took her leave as well. Lelouch roused Rivalz after everyone else left, and the blue-haired Secretary dragged his feet as he trekked back towards his room in the dorms. Then it was just Lelouch and Nunnally left in the large, spacious ballroom.
"It's about dinnertime, isn't it Lelouch?" Nunnally asked of her older brother.
"It most definitely is," Lelouch smiled as he spoke to her. "You go on ahead. I'll be right behind you."
"You didn't forget, did you Lelouch?" Nunnally accused him.
"Not at all," Lelouch replied nervously. "I've just got to go get her is all."
Nunnally nodded. "Just don't be too late, okay?" Nunnally told him as she rolled away and left him alone in the ballroom.
I was hoping that you'd forgotten. Lelouch couldn't believe that it hadn't even been one full day since he'd killed Clovis. "They say 'time flies,' but this has got to be the longest day of my life. And it's not even over yet!" he yelled as he pulled on his hair.
Lelouch then realized something. He let go of his long black locks.
"Wait. The timelines off. I knew it was already different, but the sequence of events is slightly different. If I remember it right, it was just after I'd fooled Kallen last time that they announced Suzaku's arrest. However, this time the events weren't linked. Granted it's the day before they arrested him, but something's definitely off already. I hope I'm only being paranoid about this, but still…" his thoughts trailed off.
Lelouch shook his head in order to focus on the task at hand.
"I can deal with that possibility after I tackle this dinner. I don't think that this foreboding premonition is going to be wrong, either."
Lelouch hung his head and began to trudge on towards his room to grab C.C. and head to his doom.
Lelouch opened the door to his bedroom, and his jaw hit the floor at the site before him.
"What are you wearing?" Lelouch screamed hysterically at the emerald-haired beauty hiding in his room.
C.C. had obviously decided to go out clothes shopping after Lelouch informed her of her meet-and-greet with Nunnally, as retail store shopping bags littered his bed.
C.C. was garbed in a classic, Japanese kimono. Her attire was a deep emerald green, accented with pink outlines that made it appear that the kimono had shamrocks embroidered into it with pink string. The outfit tightly hugged her figure and helped her to show off her dangerous curves. The kimono showed off very little skin, but it somehow only helped to enhance the immortal's natural beauty further.
C.C. tightened the kimono's pink sash around her waist. "Don't you like it?" C.C. twirled around as she finished asking him. "You did buy it, after all."
Lelouch was stunned at the piece of paradise parading itself before him. "It looks amazing C.C." Lelouch couldn't believe that those words fell from his mouth.
C.C. seemed genuinely happy at his words as her perfect lips formed a smile on her stunning face. She giggled like a schoolgirl for a second. "Thanks for being honest, Lelouch."
Lelouch quickly regained his senses after he shook his head. Where did you find something like that?" he asked her.
C.C. turned back to the pile of bags on his bed. She then rummaged through the large mound on his bed in search of the bag of the appropriate retailer. "Ah! Here it is." C.C. held up a red bag of a retail shop that specialized in traditional Eleven culture. "I found this here."
Lelouch placed his palm on his face, covering his eyes. "I don't even want to know how much that cost me," he said in disgust.
"Oh relax, will you." C.C. threw the red bag back on top of the mountain of retail bags on his bed. She then came up behind him and hugged him from behind, her hands gently pulling his chest towards her. "I saw your account balance. You really are quite the gambler aren't you?" C.C. playfully whispered in his ear.
Lelouch felt a little pride well up in his chest, but he quickly pushed it aside for a later time. "Why'd you leave the Academy?" he demanded. "You know that Charles is still searching for you, don't you?"
C.C. playfully smiled as she separated from him. "And you apparently forgot that I evaded him for the full year between the Black Rebellion and when I woke you up," she shot back without any malice in her voice. "Have a little faith will you." C.C. waved her hand in an expression of arrogance. "Besides," C.C. motioned to the mountain of retail bags on his bed. "After today, I won't have to leave until Narita."
Lelouch chuckled as a smile appeared on his face. "I guess that you're right. But why on earth did you get so much? Did you hate your prisoner's outfit so much?"
"I'm not a prisoner anymore," she replied with the true smile she only showed to him. "Besides," she continued after staring into Lelouch's eyes. "Would you like it if everywhere you walked your clothes rattled and clanked?" C.C. ended with a "Hmph!"
Lelouch cackled at her last response. "I guess not. But why are you dressed up so much? You met Nunnally last time, didn't you?"
C.C.'s cheeks turned red. She lowered her gaze in embarrassment. "I guess it's because Nunnally asked to meet me this time," she murmured.
Lelouch tilted his head at her statement. "You know that we're not royalty anymore right?"
"I know that," she mumbled. "You wouldn't understand, so can you just drop it?"
Lelouch shrugged. She's probably right. "Shall we formally introduce you to my sister, then?"
C.C. nodded in affirmation, her cheeks still a bit red. "Sure."
The two of them then left his room together and began to walk towards the dining room. Both of their footsteps echoed off the tile floors together as they walked side-by-side.
Lelouch noticed out of the corner of his eye that C.C. was fidgeting as they stepped closer to the dining room. Is she nervous? Lelouch wondered as his and C.C.'s next step echoed off the walls.
"Kyah!" C.C. yelped in surprise as Lelouch grabbed her hand with his own.
That was unusually cute of her, Lelouch noted to himself.
C.C. calmed down as she realized their connection and her face returned to its normal alabaster shade, which sparkled in the moonlight. C.C. rested her head gently on Lelouch's shoulder as they walked together.
Lelouch was completely surprised at her actions. He felt his cheeks tinge red, but since he had no idea how to react to her, he decided to just let C.C. rest her head as they walked together.
This hallway seems unnaturally long for some reason.
"Hey, Lelouch," C.C. whispered from his shoulder.
"Hmm? What is it C.C.?"
Her hair blocked her face from Lelouch's view. "Thank you. For everything." Her voice sounded truly sincere.
Lelouch and C.C. stopped walking as they reached the dining room door. He then gently grabbed her chin and pulled her face to where he was staring directly into her golden eyes.
"You look great," Lelouch encouraged her as he gently smiled.
C.C. smiled her true smile and nodded. She reached for the door to open it, but she froze before she could.
Lelouch had stolen her lips once more.
"Now we can go in," he told her after their lips separated.
Lelouch then pressed the switch and the door hissed open. He then ushered C.C. into the most terrifying experience of her life.
Suzaku Kururugi was in the shower when he heard a knock on his bedroom's door.
"I'll be there in a minute," he called to the knocker. "I'm in the shower at the moment."
"Suzaku," Cecile Croomy's voice came from behind the door. "Hurry up, Margrave Gottwald asked to see you."
Why does Lord Gottwald of the Purist Faction want to see me? he wondered as he wrapped his towel around his waist. "Let me get dressed real quick and I'll join you Ms. Cecile."
"Alright, just make it quick," Cecile told him. "Be sure to dress well. I'll escort you there once you're dressed and ready."
Suzaku hurriedly dried himself off, found his dress uniform, and changed into his uniform reserved for special occasions.
"Thanks for waiting for me," Suzaku thanked the azure-haired technician as he opened his bedroom door.
Cecile smiled her beautiful smile and nodded. "It wasn't a problem. By the way, Lloyd is in love with you right now."
Suzaku wondered at her meaning. "Just what are you saying Ms. Cecile?" he asked her.
Cecile hurriedly waved her hands before her as she answered, "It's not THAT!" Cecile cleared her throat and regained her composure. "It's just that Lloyd thinks of the Lancelot as his own child, and you used it to its near-maximum potential back in Shinjuku yesterday. Can you guess what your operational efficiency was?"
Suzaku shook his head. "I don't much really know. All I care about is preventing the loss of further life as much as possible."
Cecile gently chuckled. "I know that. You finished with an unreal percentage. The highest achieved in the simulators we made was sixty-five percent, and that was by one of the Glaston Knights we happened to borrow from Cornelia. Your efficiency at the usage of the Lancelot was at ninety-four percent Suzaku. You were nearly perfect, and you still had that wound in your side to deal with."
Suzaku was a little shocked at that. He then realized why Lloyd was so ecstatic after he'd returned yesterday. "No wonder Lloyd was jumping up and down after I got back."
"Mmhmm," Cecile nodded. "Lloyd couldn't help himself. He had visions of a wonderful future with you as the Lancelot's deviceor."
Suzaku couldn't stop the pride welling up in his chest. "Do you think that he'd be thankful enough for him to share his pudding with me?" Suzaku asked her playfully.
Cecile giggled. "I don't know if he's ever going to be that thankful to anyone."
Suzaku and Cecile were laughing together as the door to the Lancelot's hanger opened with a hiss.
"Suzaku Kururugi." The turquoise-haired leader of the Purist faction stated as the young Japanese man entered.
Suzaku immediately snapped to attention and saluted to the Margrave before him. "Yes, sir! Private Suzaku Kururugi reporting as requested, sir!"
"You're under arrest," Jeremiah stated flatly.
Lloyd, Cecile, and all the other technicians and engineers for the Lancelot collectively gasped.
"On what charges!" Lloyd demanded.
The Purist Faction's leader smiled as if he was a sly fox. "The murder of the Viceroy of Area Eleven and Third Prince of the Empire, Clovis la Britannia." Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald turned and looked at the stunned Suzaku. "Take him into custody!" he ordered of his loyal subordinates.
Suzaku was so stunned at the accusation that he couldn't resist as he was roughly forced to the ground and his wrists were covered in metal cuffs.
A/N: Welcome back everyone and a great "HELLO!" to those of you who are just now being introduced to my child here.
100 favorites. All I can say is just "WOW!" I never expected such a positive beginning reception. I honestly expected it to start off slowly until I at least reached Narita or Kyoto. Never in my wildest imaginations did I think that so many people would love my story enough to favorite it like all of you have.
The little story quote at the opening of the chapter is from the book "The War of the Twins." It's in the Dragonlance series, which I HIGHLY recommend to any avid fantasy reader.
Of all the chapter's I've written so far, this is definitely the longest one. It truly is the longest day in Lelouch's life. This one chapter was almost as long as the entirety of Part 1!
To all of you reviewers who are wondering when Kallen will be brought into the romantic fold, please remember the timeline. Kallen didn't start falling for Lelouch until around a year AFTER she found out he was Zero. And Zero hasn't even made his official debut yet. All I ask is patience. She will be brought in, but I can't tell you when. (It's a secret, and beta stay quiet about it.)
Thank you all for everything so far.
To all of you who've Favorited and/or Followed me and/or the story itself, this is for you. Every chapter is dedicated to those who love the story. I honestly hope that I can live up to your expectations. I hear your cheers whenever I write, and it drives me to nothing less than excellence. If it falls short, then I am depressed.
I'm done ranting now.
Lelouch: But I'm just beginning.
dripley11: Shoo. Back to your own universe. Don't you have to get back to your dinner with your precious little sister.
Lelouch: You're right! (retreats back through the hole between dripley11's computer and his universe)
Don't forget to review. As long as you don't leave spam, I will take your input into account.
THANK YOU ALL.