Chapter Four
August 11, 2017
The incom buzzed, Suzaku slowing the Lancelot to reach up to adjust the device, smiling when it began to function again. With so many Knightmares out in such a small area and all of them constantly reporting back the incom systems were on the fritz. If they hadn't completely destroyed the Black Knights yesterday then Suzaku would have been worried about being attacked. He reached up to tap on the side of the incom, the static disappearing. "Yes?"
"Ah, there you are." He smiled at the sound of Cecile's voice, readjusting his grip on the joysticks as he continued to move the Lancelot through the wreckage. He had begged to be allowed to go out and help with the collection of bodies earlier, using it as an excuse to try and find the time machine. Besides, it was helping him learn to pilot the Lancelot better, something he needed to learn how to do if he expected not to be laughed out of the Royal Guard. "You have ten more minutes before you have to head back."
"Really?" His stomach twisted at that, looking at the view of the Shinjuku ghetto, sure that he was close to where he had left the time machine. He couldn't go back and just leave the car here, then he would never get back. Suzaku gritted his teeth, reminding himself that he wouldn't be spending the rest of his life guarding Lelouch. That was at least something.
"Yes. The emperor is returning to the Tokyo Settlement and he wants you to go with him." She hesitated for a while. "Don't worry, Suzaku, you'll be fine."
"I'm not worried." He sent the Lancelot forward faster, glancing over at the remaining time that he had on his energy filler. It would be enough to get back, easily enough to get back even if he pushed the Knightmare. There would be a replacement waiting for him at the A.S.E.E.C anyway. What he had to do was find that time machine. He didn't want anyone else stumbling on it and using it to go into the future or, worse, further back into the past. He gritted his teeth at that thought, glancing off to one side and bringing the Lancelot to a stop when he saw a flash of white from an open door.
Suzaku swallowed and sent the Lancelot towards the warehouse, a smile crossing his face as he found the time machine. He spared some time to look over it, wincing as he saw that some parts of the car had been smashed by falling pieces of the wall. There were a few bullet holes in the side and the gas tank was completely destroyed. Suzaku ducked his head and heaved a long sigh, so it would take more time than he thought to repair. At least he had something to do until the time machine was fixed.
"Miss. Cecile? I think I've found something."
"Found something? A body?"
"Nothing like that." He edged the Lancelot forward, trying to assess the damage done to the time machine. "It looks like a car…with Knightmare armor."
He held his breath for a moment when the line went quiet, not sure if that was enough to grab their attention. Of course, he could always bring the car back himself, but he wanted to catch their interest enough to bring it back without all of the attention of the Britannian army on him. Suzaku let out his breath quickly, reaching for the button that would open the cockpit. "I'm going to have a look."
"Suzaku!"
"I'll be careful, Miss. Cecile." He forced himself to laugh as he stepped onto the tow rope. "It's just a car."
Cecile didn't voice any more objections, Suzaku stepping onto the ground and shivering. He wasn't used to the skin tight pilot suit that he had been given that morning. He glanced down at himself, rolling his eyes at the outfit before walking into the warehouse. Apparently the suit was more likely to save his life if he had to eject than normal clothes, but it was still uncomfortable. Suzaku rolled his shoulders, fighting the urge to wrap his arms around himself.
Suzaku circled the car, picking out some more damage done by falling bits of building before clambering up onto the car. He pulled the driver's door open and slipped inside, glancing around to see if he had left anything that would incriminate him. There was nothing, Suzaku relaxing at that before turning to stare at the Flux Capacitor, tapping it with a finger before clambering out again.
He stood on the car, staring back at the Lancelot. It was odd seeing the two together, the past and the future. And, suddenly, he realized what a let down for Lloyd it must have been to completely destroy the Knightmare Frame. If the Lancelot had been Lloyd's pride and joy, to reduce it to something mundane would have been horrible for him.
Suzaku scratched the back of his neck before slipping off of the car, heading back for the Lancelot. All he had to do was drop a few more hints and they would be running out here. Unfortunately, he didn't have the time to watch them bring the car back himself, he had taken too long in finding it. "Miss. Cecile? Why would a car have a Yggdrasil Drive?"
"Yggdrasil? How do you…" She trailed off as she processed the information, Suzaku ready with an excuse if she chose to finish the question. He had been tossed the manual to the Lancelot this morning as he was climbing into the cockpit, he could always lie and say that he had looked through it earlier. "Why would a car have a…Lloyd!"
He winced at the shout, taking the incom out of his ear and shaking his head, trying to get rid of the ringing in his ear. He clipped the device back into place, giving his head another shake before reaching up to grab a hold of the tow line. Suzaku could hear Cecile and Lloyd talking in the background as he rode up to the seat, the argument between the two of them carrying on even as he slid back into place.
"Suzaku, return to the trailer. We'll get you ready for your escort duties and then go out and get this thing."
"Alright." He smiled to himself, turning the Lancelot around and heading back to the trailer. He kept a close tab on all of his screens, trying to fall into a rhythm of checking them all. He couldn't embarrass himself in front of the Royal Guards, not he wanted to survive in this world. And especially not since he already have the favor of the emperor. Suzaku sighed, maneuvering the Lancelot around a ruined structure, trying to make the turn as close as he could. If he didn't concentrate too hard on what he was doing, his performance was better.
Suzaku smiled to himself, sending the Lancelot through another tight turn, weaving his way through the rubble. It was a heady feeling to be able to control the Knightmare Frame this well. He could control the thing that he had feared most of his life, that most of the kids his age feared.
The trailer loomed ahead of him, Suzaku slowing down the Lancelot. He steered the Knightmare into place, releasing a long breath of relief when it was done before looking down at the screen, tipping his head in confusion when Cecile gestured for him to get out of the Knightmare. He hesitated, his finger hovering over the button that would allow him to get out when Cecile spoke into the incom. "You'll just be escorting on foot. Come on, you have to change."
Suzaku's stomach twisted as she held up the uniform of the royal guards, staring at the black uniform before sliding out of the cockpit. He stepped onto the scaffold, walking towards where Cecile was standing as he tried to calm his heartbeat. He wasn't betraying anyone by doing this, he was saving the future that he wanted to be a part of. He was saving Milly, Shirley and Rivalz from a life in a place like this. There was nothing to be ashamed of and it was his own silly fear that was making this harder than it should be.
He swallowed and took the uniform from Cecile, giving her a smile as thanks before walking away to find somewhere to change. He found that he couldn't stop staring at the uniform, taking in the black top and pants that looked like they would fit him snuggly. Suzaku flinched, stepping into the equivalent of the trailer's changing room, coming to a stop as he stared at the boots that were waiting for him. He blinked before glancing out of the room, Cecile catching his gaze and giving him an encouraging motion.
Suzaku growled to himself and shut the door, hanging up the uniform before wrestling out of the pilot suit, hearing the incom clatter to the floor. He cursed, partially trapped in the pilot suit as he scrambled to pick up the device, placing it close to his boots before managing to scramble out of the skin tight suit. He took a moment to pull it right side out before reaching for the shirt, pulling it on and carefully zipping it up; pressing the small flap of fabric back over the zipper, making the outfit look seamless. He didn't bother to look at his reflection in the small mirror, reaching for the black pants and pulling them on, fumbling with the complicated belt. He took a deep breath, feeling the fabric cling to him like his flight suit, Suzaku shaking his head before sitting down on the small bench in the room, pulling on the boots and zipping them up in the back.
He paused there, staring down at the black boots on his feet before looking up at the mirror, paling as he stared at himself. He didn't recognize the boy in the mirror, he looked Britannian, like those old soldiers who wandered the streets denouncing Empress Nunnally. Suzaku shuddered, wrapping his arms around himself before slowly standing up, taking a step towards the mirror. Looking like one of those people wasn't the problem, it was only when he became one of them that he would be in trouble. Britannia, this Britannia, was his enemy. Suzaku lifted his head, carefully schooling his features into a blank mask before adjusting the uniform, tugging slightly at the sleeves and collar. His fingers lingered over the gold fabric that edged the collar and sleeves, brushing over it before he let his hand drop, kneeling down to retrieve his incom.
He froze as he heard the door open, turning his head to snap at the person who had walked in without knocking only to stop and stare at the person standing in he doorway. Suzaku tensed under the emperor's gaze, bringing his outstretched arm back to himself, reaching up to put the incom back into place. Suzaku swallowed before carefully turning his position into a bow, not looking up at the emperor.
The expected comment didn't come, Suzaku looking up at Lelouch to find that the emperor was openly staring at him. Suzaku blushed and looked down at the floor, clearing his throat. "Your Majesty."
He heard Lelouch shift, daring to glance up to see the emperor pulling himself back together. "Ah, so it fits."
The smirk that Lelouch gave him made Suzaku shiver, wanting to run. He was willing to bet that the other Royal Guards weren't going to be forced to wear uniforms that were this tight. He looked up completely when Lelouch turned to leave, following him out into the main part of the trailer. Suzaku tried to keep the pain from his face as the boots pinched his feet, sure that he would get used to them eventually, but he would have blisters after this.
He stood back as Lelouch walked over to where Lloyd was, the two of them having a discussion. Or, it was just Lloyd talking and gesturing grandly at the screen of the computer and the Lancelot while Lelouch looked on with his usual blank expression. Suzaku blinked when the emperor shot him a sidelong glance before smiling. He didn't quite know how to take that look, remaining where he was until Lelouch stepped down from the platform.
Another hand wave from the emperor brought him to Lelouch's side, Suzaku belatedly remembering to fall back a few steps. They weren't equals, he couldn't just walk beside the emperor, that would be assuming too much. He sighed and squared his shoulders, walking out of the trailer and into the open space of the ghetto.
He raised an eyebrow at the sight of another man dressed exactly like he was, not missing the look of surprise and fury on the other man's face. Of course the Royal Guard would be insulted, he had just appeared yesterday and stolen all of the emperor's attention. Suzaku looked away, scanning the area for danger as a distraction. If he ever had to stay with these men, he wouldn't survive too long, they would do everything to make his life miserable. Suzaku swallowed hard at that, feeling his hands shake at that thought.
"Kururugi." He snapped back to the present, turning to look at Lelouch as the emperor walked forward. He followed, watching as the other man fell into step beside him. They made their way back to the mobile command center, Suzaku glancing up at the towering vehicle. He felt his mouth drop open at the sheer size of the vehicle, snapping it shut a moment later as they veered away from the command center to the car parked beside it.
Suzaku barely noticed the man who opened the door for them, standing by Lelouch as the other Royal Guard checked the car before sliding inside. Lelouch followed with Suzaku stepping in after, keeping himself as far away as he could from the emperor.
He looked around the interior of the car, suddenly feeling claustrophobic with the two Britannians in the small space with him. He was willing to stand the smirks from Lelouch and the angry glares from the other Royal Guard, but not the two of them together. Suzaku shivered before forcing himself to remain still. Some part of him wished that he had enlisted in the military instead of allowing Cecile to talk him out of it, at least all of this would be second nature to him instead of remaining on edge for so long. The other man gave him a disgusted look before focusing his attention on Lelouch, Suzaku glad to be out of both of their attention, transferring his own to the scenery as they drove deeper into the Tokyo Settlement.
It was strange how much had remained the same, Suzaku able to recognize a few buildings that were still standing in his time as they were now. The rest had just been updated, the signs changed as the buildings changed hands. And the differences weren't enough to throw him into shock either, buildings that weren't around in his time, probably because they were victims from the War of Ascension or time itself. He had thought that going back to the past would have been a shocking experience, that everything would be different. But everything was so similar, everything from the buildings to how Cecile and Lloyd acted. Suzaku felt his stomach roll, shocked by this strange version of homesickness before he shook his head, looking back at the two Britannians in the car.
He wasn't home, not yet. He had to wait out a year and for the repairs to the time machine before he could get there. Nothing here would replace his home, nothing could even come close.
Lelouch looked out of the window as they approached the administration building, the place that he had taken over as his home while he was subduing Japan. It was the ideal place to be, a visible show of his power and central in the Tokyo settlement. Plus, it had the space needed to store the Knightmares and other vehicles that he had and the room to send them out. That and the gardens, Nunnally liked gardens.
He smiled to himself, glancing down so the two other men in the car wouldn't see the expression. Nunnally would come out to see him, but it wouldn't be too much of a problem to get the servants to serve lunch out in the garden, for Nunnally's sake. Besides, his sister would like the chance to go outside, she tending to remain inside the building when he was out fighting, clutching her radio like a lifeline.
Lelouch closed his eyes for a moment. Euphemia was right, he needed to spend more time with Nunnally, he was doing all of this for her after all. He had demanded that their father acknowledge her disability only to be sent to Japan and then get stuck in the war that their father started. For his sister's sake, he had begged to be allowed to come back home, he had lied and pretended that he was sorry. He had acted like a doting son to the man he hated the most in the world, and then he had killed him. All so that Nunnally wouldn't be used as a political hostage, so that she wouldn't be thrown away. So that she could be happy.
He opened his eyes as the car slowed, staring at the gates that they passed through to enter the administrative building, sitting up carefully. He had to remember that he was working to create a world where Nunnally would be safe, a world where the weakening Britannian empire didn't loom over other countries like a threat. Lelouch closed one hand into a fist. He had a limited amount of time before Schneizel saw through the bluff that he was counting on, the fear that the Areas already had for Britannia. If they fell away then they would see the empire for what it really was, a country with a delicate hold of all of the Areas.
He took a deep breath to calm himself, smiling as he saw people walking out of the administrative building, his gaze lingering on the girl in a wheelchair. He had one more Area to go before he could focus on repairing that part of the empire, and then he could shatter Britannia and rebuild it anew.
Lelouch straightened up, watching his two guards carefully. Normally he wouldn't travel with any, preferring to be alone with his thoughts, but he had promised Euphemia that he would. And some perverse part of him had been allowed to convince the rest of him that seeing Kururugi in the tight uniform of the Royal Guards was a good idea. And Lelouch had to admit to himself that it had been a good idea, if a distracting one.
The car came to a stop, Lelouch sitting back and allowing Kururugi to slide out first, forcing himself to look at the back of the Eleven's head. But it was all too easy to let his gaze slide lower. Lelouch shook his head, stepping out of the car and smiling at his sisters, walking over to them.
Euphemia was leaning over to whisper something in Nunnally's the younger girl laughing at whatever joke they were sharing, probably at his expense. Lelouch rolled his eyes and glanced up at the man that was hovering close behind them, meeting Jeremiah Gottwald's gaze for a moment. Jeremiah gave him a slow nod, enough of a reassurance that everything had been alright here. Lelouch let out a minute sigh, relaxing a bit at that. With the Knights of the Round gone, Jeremiah was the only one that he trusted enough to guard his sisters while he was in battle and there was no question that he would never take Euphemia or Nunnally to any of his battles. They wouldn't understand the reputation that he had to keep.
He tensed as Euphemia looked back up at him, giving him a shy wave that stopped part way through the motion as she stared at something just behind his right shoulder. Lelouch turned his head to the side, just enough to see who was walking there, catching a glimpse of the Eleven's brown curls. His stomach rolled at that, Lelouch forcing his gaze to the front. Euphemia already had the attention of one of the Knights of the Round, she didn't need to have another man. Suzaku was his Royal Guard.
Lelouch had a moment to realize what he had thought, not even getting the chance to go over it before Nunnally was rolling forward. "Big brother!"
"Nunnally." He bent over, reminding himself that he couldn't kneel. Out of the sight of the public he would kneel by her wheelchair, his white robes be damned. He hated talking to his sister like this, from so much above her. But it was fitting of his station as the emperor. "It's good to see you."
"And you." Her smile wavered for a moment. "You didn't call last night."
"Ah…" He glanced over at Euphemia. "Euphy called later. I was speaking with the Knights of the Round before that."
"Oh." Nunnally's hand dropped out from between his, his sister folding her hands in her lap.
Lelouch bit his lip before walking past them into the building. He had to explain to Nunnally, he didn't want her mad with him. And the only place they were guaranteed that was the garden on the roof of the administrative building. For that, he wanted as few guards as possible. Jeremiah was acceptable, as he had been part of his mother's personal guard before she had been assassinated, the man still trying to prove his loyalty for the mistakes that led up to Marianne's death. Now that he was safe in the building, he could dismiss the two Royal Guards at his back.
He glanced over at Euphemia, noticing her eyes lingering on Suzaku again, Lelouch gritting his teeth before making his decision. For Euphemia's sake, the sake of one of his Knights of the Round and Lloyd's precious pilot, he would keep Kururugi with him. Lelouch glanced over at the other man, staring at him before waving him away, ignoring the disgruntled look on his face.
Euphemia scowled at the move, Lelouch ignoring her. He had listened to her and asked for two guards, it was his right to decide how he would use them. Lelouch walked up closer to Nunnally, smiling down at her before looking out one of the windows. "The weather looks nice enough to eat outside."
His sister beamed up at him. "I know. Lunch is already set up in the gardens. You like to eat up there when you get back."
Lelouch continued smiling, not bothering to correct Nunnally. He ate in the gardens for her, like everything else he did was for her.
He turned away, glancing at the Eleven to make sure that he was still following, amused by the fact that Kururugi was not staring at anything around him. Most of the Royal Guards that he brought in here were busy looking around at everything that was in the building, awed and the grandeur. But, then again, Kururugi wouldn't be proud of this place, it was a symbol of his country's loss. The Eleven was probably wishing that he had been the one sent off.
Lelouch turned his gaze away, following his sisters into the elevator that would take them to the roof, moving aside slightly for his one remaining guard. He tensed as Kururugi brushed against him, catching the mumbled apology as the guard moved to stand at the back of the elevator. Lelouch took a deep breath, staring at the doors of the elevator on the way up, trying not to be aware of Kururugi's presence at his back. Suddenly, keeping the guard close seemed like a very bad idea. He couldn't think clearly with Kururugi around, his mind kept jumping back to the guard. He sighed, reaching up to rub his forehead. Clearly, he had been too tired when he had come to this decision and he was perfectly justified in blaming the tight uniform of the Royal Guards as well.
"Lelouch?" He looked down as Nunnally gently tugged on his sleeve. "Are you alright?"
"Yes. I'm just tired."
"I told you that you needed to take a break." Euphemia smiled at him as the elevator came to a stop, wheeling Nunnally out.
Lelouch followed, Jeremiah and Suzaku falling into step behind him. They followed the two girls out of the small gazebo that the elevator was housed in and out into the gardens, Lelouch glancing at the blanket and basket that was laid out on the ground. He smiled to himself, walking a bit faster to catch up with his sisters.
He made sure that he was the one to lift Nunnally from her wheelchair and set her down onto the blanket, settling down next to her. Euphemia joined them soon after, kicking off her shoes and stretching out over the other half of the blanket. Lelouch glanced at the two others, glad that Suzaku and Jeremiah had taken up positions to guard them, only turning back to look at his sisters then.
Euphemia tipped her head back to look at him, reaching backwards to grope for the picnic basket, frowning when he purposefully moved it out of her way. "Lelouch…"
He smirked, pulling out the plates and making sure that Nunnally was served first before offering food to Euphemia, not surprised when she snatched it away. "This is why I said you needed to-"
"I am aware of what you implied." He shot a meaningful look at Nunnally, Euphemia quieting at that. There was the unspoken rule that they never discussed the bloody massacres or any of their private exploits around Nunnally. Of course, Lelouch couldn't keep Nunnally from her radio, but hearing a number of the dead and seeing it or having it described to her was another thing. Lelouch wanted to keep her away from that horrible consequence of being royalty a bit longer. In his opinion, she was far too young to be involved in the give and take of court, and the hard and fast rule that everything, aside from your own mind, was a resource to be traded.
He turned his gaze to Suzaku, letting the sight of the guard steady him before the turned back to look at Nunnally. His sister was happily eating an apple, one of her hands resting on her ankle to keep herself steady. Lelouch stared at her hand for a moment before turning his gaze away. Just above where her hand rested the pattern of scars would begin, all marks from where the bullets that had kill their mother had hit Nunnally. They were the reason that she couldn't walk, too many bones shattered and too many muscles torn. Lelouch had tried everything to help Nunnally walk again, but nothing had worked. If he got the world set right, he supposed that the science could be found soon enough.
"Lelouch." He froze when Nunnally set a hand over his, squeezing his hand gently before scooting closer. "I was worried about you. The reports said that the terrorists-"
"We had it under control, Nunnally. The reporters like to blow things out of proportion. It's been taken care of." Euphemia glared at him for that, Lelouch shaking his head. They would get their chance to talk after dinner, when Nunnally was asleep. "I'm sorry I didn't call last night, I had to check in with the Knights of the Round, the call went on longer then I thought it would."
"Have they found Cornelia?"
"No."
Nunnally's smile wavered for a moment before she sighed, looking out at the gardens. "When they do, will they bring her back here? She must miss Euphy. I know you would miss me if the same thing happened." Lelouch stared at his sister, Nunnally giggling when she looked back at him. "I'm sure all you have to do is explain to her what you're doing as she'll understand."
He nodded, unable to look at his sister anymore. Lelouch stared at the carefully arranged garden, so much like the one at their former home, the Aries Villa. His hand clenched into a fist at the thought of the building, the one that he had torn down when he became emperor. He didn't want any reminders of the place, but Nunnally had loved the gardens too much, as had Clovis. This had been Clovis' home until Lelouch had turned his attention to Area 11, then his half-brother had run to the JLF.
Nunnally's hand squeezed his again. "She'll understand, Lelouch."
Lelouch looked away. He wasn't sure that Cornelia would be willing to listen, considering all that he had done. And he was certain that she wouldn't understand what he was doing. He sighed and flipped his hand over so he was holding Nunnally's hand. "You're right, Nunnally. She'll understand."
Placated, Nunnally turned back to her food, Lelouch staring at his. Suddenly, he had lost his appetite.
Euphemia stormed into her room, holding the door open long enough for Lelouch to follow her inside before pressing her thumb against the control panel, ignoring the shocked look on the guard's face as the door slammed shut in front of him. She leaned against the door for a moment before turning back to Lelouch, staring at his outfit before walking over and pulling off his hat, throwing it across the room in a short burst of anger. "You lied!"
Lelouch just stared at her before he shrugged, walking over to one of her couches and stretching out on it. "I have to."
"You lied to Nunnally."
His eyes narrowed as he stared at her before he gave a reluctant nod. "Yes."
"How can you?"
"Euphy, how can I not?" He sat up, glaring at her before gesturing towards the door. "Do you want her to know what's going on out there? Do you want her to know about the people who die daily for what they believe is right? Do you want to her know about the people who curse me and call me a demon?"
Lelouch seemed to get a hold of himself, slumping before wrapping his arms around himself. "Do you want to tell her about what we've done to keep her safe?"
"What we've done?"
"What I've done." Lelouch looked up at her, his arms falling back to his sides.
Euphemia shook her head, walking over to where her brother's hat lay and picking it up. She turned it over in her hands before brushing it off. She crossed the room, holding the hat out like a peace offering. For a moment, she was afraid that Lelouch wouldn't take it, breathing a sigh of relief when he reached out, placing the hat in his lap.
She hesitated before going to sit on the edge of her bed, adjusting her skirts out of habit, all the while watching her brother. Lelouch was tense, he had been since Nunnally had turned the conversation to the events from yesterday. And he was tired, she could tell by the slump of his shoulders, just the tiniest tilt to them. After three years of being the closest thing to a confidante that he had, something forcing him to accept her in this role, she had gotten used to reading him.
Euphemia hummed to herself before leaning back on her hands. "You killed someone yesterday."
"Yes."
She flinched at the flat tone of his voice, nodding to herself. Euphemia reached over her shoulder to start braiding her hair. She had waited too long to have this talk with him, but Lelouch had made himself unavailable until after dinner, sticking close to Nunnally. And he always kept that guard with him, the new guard that she didn't recognize, even to the point of choosing him over Jeremiah. Euphemia tipped her head to the side at that thought, forcing herself back to the matter at hand. "Who?"
"Clovis." He looked up at her before looking down at his hat. "You're not going to get me to apologize."
"No, that time passed a long time ago." Euphemia bit her lip, glancing towards the curtains that covered her windows, letting out a long sigh as she let her hair slide through her fingers. "Lelouch, I just want to help. At least let me do that."
"I have it all planned out. There's nothing you can do."
"I'm sure there is."
"No, everything is-"
"They hate you Lelouch!" She was unprepared for the smile that appeared on his face for a moment before he looked up. Euphemia swallowed nervously and scooted further back on her bed. "Just go back to Pendragon."
"I don't have the time."
"Just for a week or-"
"Euphemia!" Lelouch stood up, Euphemia immediately scrambling back onto her bed. She reached for a weapon, stopping herself when she remembered who this was. This was her half brother, this was Lelouch. He had saved her from the panic at the palace after their father had died. He had kept her safe when their half brothers and sisters tried to use them as political tools. He was still protecting them, leaving them behind while he went off to war.
She shook her head, drawing her knees up to her chest and hugging them close. "What happened to you?"
That got Lelouch's attention, her brother wavering for a moment before he collapsed back onto the sofa, the two staring at each other. Lelouch was the first to look away, closing his eyes for a long moment. "My mother was killed."
"I know that. But there's something else. Why are you doing this?" She let go of her knees and tentatively crawled forward. "You're smarter than this, Lelouch. You could make the world love you and get everything you wanted done. Why do you have to do it this way?"
"It's the only way it can last." Lelouch sighed and tilted his head back to look at the ceiling. "If you give them an example of something to fear, they'll try to avoid repeating the experience after it's been destroyed."
"Destroyed?" Euphemia stared at him before rushing over, grabbing Lelouch by the shoulders and shaking him. He looked down from the ceiling, his eyes frighteningly blank. She gave him another hard shake, trying to get him mad at her again. "Lelouch, you're not doing this, do you hear me? You're not letting yourself get killed. What about Nunnally?"
He didn't respond, still staring off into the distance. Euphemia collapsed against him with a sob, holding him in a close hug. She pressed her face into the silk of his clothes, shifting so she could hear his heart beating, wanting to make sure that Lelouch was still alive. Euphemia sighed with relief when she heard the steady sound, giving Lelouch a tight hug before pulling away, wiping the tears from her face. "I promised that I would help you, Lelouch, but not with this."
Lelouch blinked at that, coming back to himself and looking down at her. He sighed and reclined back against the sofa again. "There's no way around it."
"Find one. You're smart, Lelouch, I know you can do it."
He stared at her for a moment before raising one shoulder in a shrug, Euphemia smiling at that. He would think about it and that was enough for now.
She got up off of her knees, glancing at the door, relieved that Lelouch's guard hadn't come in. She went back to her place on the bed, her fingers shaking as she went to start redoing her braid. "So, I see you took my advice to heart."
"Yes. I might as well make sure I get some use out of the Royal Guard."
Euphemia paused in her braiding before blushing. "My other advice."
Lelouch stared at her before giving a short laugh. "He's an Eleven."
"So? Aren't you the one always telling us that they're people not Numbers?" That got a flinch out of Lelouch, Euphemia smiling as she continued. "You're trying to talk yourself out of it."
"Yes, because I'd rather not show favor towards the El-Japanese at the moment. If I show favoritism towards them now, some of the more volatile Areas will take it upon themselves to rebel again." He reached up to rub his forehead, glancing at her before waving his hand in a dismissive motion. "Besides, it's not that important. The pressing matter here is the fact that we have the two most dangerous siblings of ours still out there."
"You'll make a mistake because of stress, Lelouch."
"I don't make mistakes."
She laughed, shaking her head and having to redo part of her braid because of the motion. "It's a natural need."
Lelouch glared at her before standing up. "I don't need this talk from you."
"I'm sure that there's some girl-" She cut herself off as he tensed again, Euphemia's eyes widening as she realized who Lelouch had immediately mentioned before. "Or some guy that might not mind."
"I'd rather not." Lelouch walked over to the door, resting his hand on the handle. "And tell Sir Raleigh that he has corrupted you."
"Alright, Lelouch."
Her brother let himself out of the room, giving her a smile. She caught a glimpse of the new guard before the door was shut again, using that moment to pick out the color of his eyes before leaning back on her bed.
She had been stealing glances at the young man all afternoon, using the moments to figure out what he looked like while under Lelouch's gaze. He might accept that she had needs, even if she was a princess, but he certainly didn't want to be reminded of it. And that new guard was a welcome sight, especially with Raleigh slowly moving away from her company.
Euphemia hunched her shoulders at that thought, trying to shake herself out of the melancholy that always followed when she thought of the Knight of Five. Sir Raleigh had made it very clear that the relationship between them wasn't going to last, and Euphemia had agreed on that account. But she would be turning seventeen in October, she found that she was looking for something a little more permanent now the Lelouch was nearing the end of whatever he had planned. Hopefully she would find someone to marry before Cornelia could find a way to her, then she wouldn't have to face her sister's wrath.
She leaned her chin into her hand. Perhaps she should start with finding a knight, just to take some of the workload off of Jeremiah. Then the Knights of the Round could focus their attention on protecting Lelouch. Maybe then that would take some of the stress off of Lelouch, he could worry about whatever plans he had. Then she would see if she could talk Lelouch out of his suicidal plans. Or maybe she had just been overreacting.
Nunnally was his one reason to live, so Lelouch wouldn't do anything that would make her sad. If she could just remind him of that, he would adjust his plans, if he hadn't planned to do so already. She had pushed him to react like that.
Euphemia sighed, pushing off her bed and walking over to her wardrobe. She would speak to Lelouch about looking for a knight tomorrow and then speak to him about her marriage options. She giggled to herself as she pulled out her nightgown. Knowing her brother, he would be appalled. Then would come the speech about how he was saving her and Nunnally being used as political pawns, how he was saving them from the horrible fate that her sister had suffered. Still, it was just as much fun to imagine the look on his face when she finally explained. She was asking for the right to look, not to be married off to the highest bidder.
She slipped into her nightgown, straightening it out before flopping down onto her bed. Until then, she would focus on helping Lelouch. He had been doing this on his own for too long, it was time that he let someone help. The first thing to do would be to talk to the Royal Guards, especially the one that Lelouch seemed to be favoring. But that could wait until morning. Barring any attempts by the Black Knights and JLF, they should have Lelouch to themselves all day, plenty of time to talk to that new guard.
Suzaku trailed after Lelouch through the hall of the administrative building. He kept his gaze on the floor the entire time, not wanting to look up at the lavish decorations. He didn't want to see any of it, didn't want the reminder of what this place was. Suzaku swallowed harshly, glancing up at Lelouch's back. His eyes lingered on the design on the back, tensing when he realized that the configuration of jewels formed an eye. He looked back down at the carpet, preferring to focus on the complex designs there.
He glanced up as he heard Lelouch slow in front of him, coming up short as a door was opened up in front of his face. He blinked before ducking around the door, peeking into the room that Lelouch had disappeared into. "Your Highness?"
Lelouch didn't seem to hear him, strolling over to the bed and beginning to strip out of his clothes. Suzaku barely muffled and yelp and turned away, one hand still clutching at the open door. He tensed as the sound of rustling fabric stopped, shutting his eyes.
"Kururugi?"
"Y-yes, your highness?"
"You can shut the door. And don't steal anything." Suzaku opened his eyes at that, turning around to shoot a glare at Lelouch, only to be met by the emperor's smirk. "Ah, I see. Well then," Lelouch gave a lazy wave of his hand, "you can stand guard. I'm sure someone will come and relieve you during the night."
Suzaku gritted his teeth but managed another bow before shutting the door carefully behind him. It took a lot more effort than he thought it would to keep himself from letting it slam shut. He turned to glare at the door, taking a step to the side. He fought the urge to stick his tongue out at the closed door, knowing that it wouldn't help. He would just have to stand out here until he was relieved from duty, something that Suzaku was sure wouldn't happen. He was just an Eleven who the emperor had taken a passing fancy to.
He crossed his arms over his chest, suddenly realizing that he had no weapon to defend the emperor with. Suzaku glanced back at the doors before sighing, falling into the position that he had seen all the guards in the movies take. Suzaku let his chin fall forward onto his chest with a long sigh, his eyes falling shut.
He could already see the start of a vicious cycle starting, the favor of the emperor keeping him close while the hatred of the others in the Royal Guard would keep him from getting any sleep. Suzaku counted it as a miracle that he had gotten dinner, but that had been Jeremiah's doing, bringing him something to eat while he had watched the emperor and his sisters out in the garden. And he wasn't even sure if that had been basic human kindness or just Jeremiah feeling sorry for the new guard. Suzaku couldn't think of any reason that his position would threaten Jeremiah, the man already seemed very comfortable in his place.
Suzaku opened his eyes and straightened up as he thought he heard footsteps, relaxing a moment later when no one passed by. He blinked and glanced both ways down the hall before allowing him to slump again.
By now Cecile and Lloyd would have the time machine, that was the one relief that he had. Knowing Lloyd, the scientist would spend the night doing absolutely nothing to the car, just looking over it and figuring out what he could do; from there it was up to Cecile to bring that list down to a manageable level. Suzaku was counting on Lloyd to be somewhat perceptive of what the car could do, or at least recognize his own work. Either way, he was sure that they would be contacting him when the rest of the forces finished up at the ghetto.
He tipped his head up, watching as a servant scurried down the hall, the man giving him a shocked look before walking faster. Suzaku narrowed his eyes before shaking his head. Now he had to wait, something that he wasn't looking forward to. He would be stuck waiting in a place where all of the people treated him like some piece of dirt and the emperor fluctuating between indifference and something else.
What he wouldn't give to be back a home or at school. Even struggling with the budgets for the clubs would be better than this, a mere minor form of torment. Suddenly, he had a better appreciation of what his father had to go through if he had been in the Britannian army, a heavy blow to someone his mother had always described as a proud man. In her more lucid moments, his mother would always comment on how he had wanted to be prime minster of Japan before everything fell apart. But that seemed to be the fate of his family, striving to achieve something only to fall apart at the end, his father with his political dreams and his mother trying to live on after the death of her husband. It was enough to make Suzaku wonder if he should even bother trying sometimes, but he couldn't bear the thought of making Miss. Cecile disappointed; not even in the past when she didn't know him.
Suzaku sighed, the sound loud in the deserted corridor. He was thinking too much, the tell-tale headache already starting to show. It was easier just to rely on instinct rather than to plan every little detail, he had never been good at that. It was so much easier just to smile and offer his help to others who needed it, to apply his skills where he knew that they would be needed instead of trying to figure out where he belonged. His mind always immediately jumped back towards his days in the ghettos of Tokyo when he thought about that. Places like Ashford Academy were meant for people were smart, people who had earned their place there, not people who knew the right people and struggled with their grades the entire time.
He tensed as he heard someone walking towards him, Suzaku turning towards the sound and reaching for his gun, only to realize that he didn't haven one. He muttered a curse before clenching his hand into a fist, glancing around. There were plenty of things around here that he could use as a weapon, but they would probably break. He settled for marking the pieces of furniture that he could use to his advantage, narrowing his eyes as the person walked into the corridor.
Jeremiah seemed surprised to see him there, glancing him over before laughing and walking over. "Already so eager for a fight?"
"Not really." Suzaku relaxed a fraction, watching as Jeremiah walked closer.
The man laughed, coming to stand on the other side of the door. "Smart and loyal. Strange for an Eleven." Suzaku twitched at the name, earning another laugh. "Ah, so you are sensitive about that. And yet you managed to keep yourself from reacting when the emperor called you that."
"He has the right to."
"Does he?"
Suzaku shot Jeremiah another long look before tipping his head to the side. "I have no say in the matter."
"You could…"
He looked up sharply, staring at Jeremiah for a moment. "I'm not a part of the JLF or any other rebellion out there. I just caught up in this."
"Providing an example to your people?"
"Yes." Suzaku hoped that Jeremiah wouldn't think too long on his hesitation before he had answered. Was that was he was doing? By being in the emperor's presence and among Britannians, would it encourage a stop to the rebellions? It was another change in the history that he hadn't anticipated, Suzaku wincing and looking away. "Hopefully they'll take the hint."
"I don't think they will." He heard Jeremiah shift, glancing at the man out of the corner of his eye. "You don't have to stand out here all night."
"The emperor has given me my orders."
Jeremiah smiled at him, Suzaku not sure how to take the expression. The man pushed away from the wall, glancing at one of the clocks in the hall before nodding. "I'll be by to relieve you later. If you follow this hall to the end and then turn left, you'll find a room where you can sleep two doors down. I believe that will be close enough for you."
Suzaku nodded, not sure what the appropriate response would be. Jeremiah walked away from him, Suzaku following the man with his gaze for a moment before going back to staring at the wall across from him. That had been unexpected but not unwelcome. Maybe there was a chance of him surviving this.
"This is amazing!" Cecile hurriedly took a step back as a handful of screws came flying out of the car. She reached forward to steady the tea pot, staring at the tray before quickly setting it to one side. She hesitated before inching over, ready to jump to the side at the next barrage. Lloyd was lost completely in his own world as he tinkered with the car. She would only be needed when it came time to move some of the heavier stuff.
She took another step closer to the car, bracing herself against the open door and peering inside, watching as Lloyd contorted himself further under the steering wheel. "What is it?"
"It's a car." He looked up at her with a huge smile before ducking back under the wheel. "It's amazing."
Cecile rolled her eyes as he started to hum to himself, sliding into the seat and looking around. "Suzaku said something about a Yggdrasil Drive."
A hand appeared and waved towards the back of the car, Cecile raising an eyebrow before stepping out of the car. She kept one hand on the car, trying to reassure herself that this thing was real as she walked toward the trunk. Cecile frowned and stared at the smooth surface under her hand, it felt completely different from paint. She turned to stare at it, tracing over the yellow edge near the doors before looking towards the Knightmare that was looming over them.
Her mouth dropped open, Cecile taking a step away from her car and staring at her hand. "Lloyd!" He popped out of the car, a screwdriver dangling from his fingers. She pointed towards the Knightmare Frame. "It's the Lancelot! It's the same armor as the Lancelot!"
"And?" Lloyd ducked back into the car. "It's interesting because the armor is exactly the same as the Lancelot and…" His voice trailed off as he went back to work, muffled by the car.
Cecile rolled her eyes and went to the truck, opening it and staring at the unit in the back. She trailed over fingers over it, finding the catch and slowly opening it, staring at the familiar configuration of the Yggdrasil Drive. She leaned over, carefully looking it over, getting glimpses of parts that had been clumsily put back together. It wouldn't work just like the one in the Knightmare, it was too small and there were too many parts missing. So it wouldn't power the car itself, it was meant to power something smaller.
"Lloyd?" The humming stopped abruptly, Cecile waiting for Lloyd to peek out only to be disappointed. She huffed in annoyance and stepped around the car, peering inside. Lloyd was now splayed over the seats, staring at the screens, reaching up to play with them, watching the information display.
"Now that's interesting."
"What?"
He pointed at the screen that displayed a series of numbers, Lloyd slipping out of the car. Cecile leaned in, her eyes widening as she stared at the date on the top of the screen. August 10, 2017. Yesterday's date. She shook her head and went to step out of the car, only to be stopped as Lloyd bustled around. "That's not it. Below."
Cecile ducked back inside to stare at the date below it, her mouth dropping open. October 29, 2036. She stumbled out of the car, nearly falling onto the ground. "That's not possible."
"And yet, it is." Lloyd smirked at her before skipping around the car, running his hands over the armor. "Something that is the Lancelot but isn't."
"But it can't be."
"Obviously it is." He jumped up to sit on the hood, happily swinging his legs. "Beautifully done, though, meshing the car systems with the systems from the Knightmare. Whoever did this is a genius." He flinched his smile disappearing for a moment. "I hope it wasn't Rakshata. She would do this because we've finished a float system before her."
Lloyd shrugged before hopping down from the car, continuing to circle it. "It looks like we'll need a devicer."
He gave her a wide smile before disappearing into the car again, Cecile sighing and going back to where she had set the tray down. With Lloyd going on like he was it was going to be a long night, there was no use in trying to get him to sleep when he was like this. She poured herself a cup of tea, holding the cup in her hands just to have something to do as she tried to wrap her mind around what Lloyd had said.
If she could believe him, and Lloyd wasn't letting his enthusiasm get the better of him, then this thing was beyond what she could conceive. Cecile believed in the facts, what she could see and touch. Still, that didn't mean that she would just believe that this car could do what Lloyd was hypothesizing it could do. Then again, Lloyd had always been better at the more speculative sides of science, she just worked with the subjects that she could completely grasp, things that she could handle physically.
Cecile took a sip of tea, swallowing slowly before looking back at Lloyd. "A devicer?"
"Who else to test this?" Lloyd laughed to himself, the sound echoing a bit in the car. "We fix it, they test it. Well, Suzaku tests it."
"Suzaku?"
"He found it. And he pilots the Lancelot."
"Lloyd, this is a car."
"This is the Lancelot." Lloyd peeked out of the car, reaching for something that he had stowed in it. It took her a moment to identify what it was, Cecile almost dropping her cup of tea.
"Lloyd, that's Suzaku's school bag!"
"He left it in the front."
"That doesn't give you permission to take it."
Lloyd shrugged and opened the bag, rifling through the books and papers in there before pulling something out. Cecile got a glimpse of metal before Lloyd tossed the object at her. She didn't let go of her cup, taking a step back and letting the object fall to the ground, watching it skitter across the floor before coming to a stop. It was the access key to the Lancelot, Cecile feeling her throat clog up at the sight of it.
It couldn't be the key, she could see the key sitting on the next computer console over. This thing had to be a fake. That explained why there were two of them, but not why the fake one had been in Suzaku's bag. But there was only one reason that Cecile could think of.
"He's with the Black Knights or the JLF, he must have copied the Lancelot's key." Cecile bit her lip, trying to work the logic in her mind. "But it would take more than a night to copy the key, there's software in it too, so it might be a fake to throw us off."
"Wrong on both counts." Lloyd ambled over to where the key was lying, picking it up off the ground and turning it over in his hands. "It's real."
"It can't be!" She lunged for the key only to have Lloyd dodge out of the way, the scientist bouncing on the balls of his feet as he kept away from her wild grabs.
"It can!"
"Prove it."
"Not without something catastrophic happening." Lloyd gave her a huge smile before skipping back over to the car. "Wouldn't want to cause a paradox…although that would be fun."
She stared at him before shaking her head. "No."
"You know the theories."
"It's impossible, Lloyd! It's a trick by the JLF."
"Then why would our capable devicer give it to us?"
Cecile stared at him before her mouth dropped open. "We just let him walk away with the emperor."
"He's not dangerous." Lloyd waved her worries away before dropping the activation key back into the bag, ducking into the car again. "He wouldn't have given us this if he was."
Cecile didn't know how Lloyd had come to that conclusion, setting down her tea cup before she dropped it, taking a deep breath and focusing back on her colleague, resisting the urge to hold him down. It was hard to formulate an argument while Lloyd was jumping around and humming to himself, interrupting himself at times to exclaim over something. She groaned and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "We should still talk to Suzaku."
"Of course! How else are we going to learn how this magnificent thing works?"
"That's not the point, Lloyd." He stared at her for a second before shrugging and going back to work. Cecile sighed, realizing that she had lost all hope of holding out a conversation with him, not when there was something new for him to play with.
And, if she was going to be perfectly honest with herself, she was interested in the car to; although it was more for the physical aspect of the machine rather than what Lloyd speculated it could do. How a Yggdrasil Drive could even function in conjunction with a regular engine was something that she was very much looking forward to looking into. But that would have to wait until Lloyd was done with his initial excitement and actually settled down to do something. Now he was just fluttering around the car, probably coming up with a list of things that he had to do and wanted to do. Her own time to look over the piece of machinery would wait until morning, if she was awake enough to function; Lloyd was probably going to keep her up all night just so that she would be ready to help him.
Cecile gave another long sigh and glanced back at the tray, watching the steam rise from her cup of tea. She had a feeling she would be needing something stronger.
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