"There it is", Suzaku said, when they reached the Narita borders.
Suzaku stopped the carriage at a blacksmiths and handed off tools. Nunnally and Rolo looked around in awe. They had never been outside of their own village. Suzaku and Lelouch left many times to deliver things.
Lelouch was waiting with Charlie. Nunnally and Rolo sat on the carriage. Suddenly a blonde girl came running up to him, a red head not to far behind. The blonde grabbed Lelouch's chin and inspected him.
"You see Shirley! I told you he was perfect!", she said.
"Uh um, Milly, I don't think you should be touching him like that", the red haired girl stuttered.
Lelouch stepped back. "What do you think you're doing?", he asked.
"My name is Milly and this is my subordinate Shirley!"
"S-subordinate!?",Shirley stammered.
"I saw you face and knew that I had to use you", Milly said.
Lelouch stood there and wondered when exactly he crossed into another dimension. Nunnally and Rolo heard the commotion and went to their brother.
"Lelouch, what's going on?", Nunnally asked.
"Just some idiots", he answered.
"Hey! That's a rude thing to say", Shirley scolded.
"How's about you come with us. We could use your help", Milly requested.
"We're busy", Lelouch deadpanned.
"That's not very friendly Lelouch", Suzaku said coming from the blacksmith's.
"Come on brother, let's help them", Rolo pleaded.
Lelouch thought silently. There no rush to find their mother. They could spend a few hours helping some strangers.
"Fine, what do you want?"
"Come with us", Milly said.
- - -
"What the hell?"
"Language, Lelouch."
"Shut up Suzaku. Why didn't you protest to this?"
"Well they needed our help. We're the only ones who could-"
"Don't even say that. We are not the only ones capable of doing this. More likely we're the only one who agreed."
"Either way, we're here now. Hehe, might as well enjoy it."
At the moment Lelouch was in an expensive and frilly lavender dress. It really brought out his eyes, as Milly said. On his head was a long, black wig. Suzaku wore a bright green sundress with a matching hat.
"But even more unacceptable, even more unjust, is that!", Lelouch yelled pointing at Rolo.
He was currently learning from a girl named Nina how to sew a flower onto a hat.
"What's wrong with that?", Suzaku asked.
"Needlework is not very masculine", Lelouch answered.
"You're pretty good at this Rolo", Nina said.
"Thank you. Maybe I can sew one onto Suzaku's hat, it looks plain-"
"Over my dead body!", Lelouch yelled.
Suzaku and Lelouch were somehow talked into modeling dresses for Milly's shop. Shirley and Milly ran it together with Nina. The room was in the back and filled with fabrics and sketches. Milly wanted Lelouch because he had "a lovely face". Suzaku agreed with her and was roped into it because of his undying will to help.
"Why can't I wear a dress?", Nunnally asked, she was holding the pins Milly and Shirley used to make the dresses.
"I can't really get any inspiration from you. But these two", Milly indicated to Suzaku and Lelouch. "They give me so many ideas!"
Lelouch looked in the full body mirror, and sighed. Suzaku came up behind him.
"We really look like girls don't we?", he said.
"Don't say things like that", Lelouch looked closer at his face and at Suzaku's. "You look adrogynous enough but me. . ."
"Milly, sorry I'm late!", another girl came through the door.
She had blue eyes and carried several papers.
"Hi there Kallen, look who I found", Milly said.
Kallen noticed the four strangers. She raised an eyebrow at the two models.
"Are you guys new to town? I've never seen you before."
Suzaku was about to answer when Milly interrupted him.
"Yes, they're new! They're my new motivation."
Kallen walked up to Lelouch and Suzaku. She put her face up close to them and inspected them with her eyes.
"Wow! No wonder Milly picked you. You're really pretty."
"I never thought I'd ever see Lelouch or Suzaku in a dress", Nunnally said.
"Lelouch? Suzaku? Those are funny names for girls", Kallen said.
Everyone in the room got quiet. Lelouch's face was showed shock. Suzaku saw his face and started snickering. Rolo and Nunnally exchanged glances.
"We're not girls", Lelouch whispered.
"What?", Kallen asked.
"We're not girls!", he yelled.
Kallen stepped back with her mouth agape. She turned to Milly.
"Milly what the hell!", she screamed.
"They're inspiring."
"They're BOYS!"
"So?"
"Milly do you really have no common sense?", Kallen asked.
"Obviously not", Lelouch said.
"And you! You agreed to this. What's wrong with you?! I was supposed to model those dresses!", Kallen pointed a finger at Lelouch.
He smirked. "Jealous are you?"
"Milly, is this what happens when I'm late?"
"Kallen calm down. Lelouch and the others are just passing through. They have somewhere to be", Milly said.
"Well, the clothes are finished. They can leave now", Kallen crosed her arms.
"Fine by me", Lelouch pulled off the wig. He noticed Kallen's wide eyed stare. "You didn't think that was my real hair. . .did you?"
"I made him wear a wig to complete the picture in my head", Milly explained.
"We should be on our way then, right Lelouch?", Suzaku said.
"Yeah."
"Alright then, go to the changing rooms and take off my masterpiece", Milly commanded.
Suzaku and Lelouch were in side-by-side rooms.
"Hey Lelouch, are you really in no rush to find your mother?"
"Hmm, it's not like there's a deadline. Besides, there are many possibilities. She could be dead, or maybe Mary is our mother. Or maybe our real mom is an evil witch."
"D-do you really think that's possible?"
"Who knows?"
"Hey Lelouch?", Suzaku asked coming out of the room.
"What is it now?", Lelouch followed him.
"You're so focused on your mom. But what about your father?"