Well I have nothing to say except enjoy...
Bonds, made and rebuilt
The people around the whole world who are watching the broadcast are in awe as the truth is revealed, and part of what they believed for the past 18 years crumbles apart as the Knight of Zero stands before them.
As Zero calmly stands before the shocked crowd, he stares straight at Suzaku. "So Suzaku Kururugi, now that the truth is completely revealed, where do your loyalties lie now?"
With his face finally seeing the bright sky Suzaku gives the same look he gave when he spoke to Zero the first time they met, but spoke with a tone of determination and authority. "Just as they always have, Zero, to the people, the ones who's live are most affected by the conflicts of the powerful."
Zero nods his as an acceptance to his answer. "It seems you haven't changed in my absence that is very good, in light of this Suzaku, I see no reason to remove you of your position. However, I do wish to regain control of the organization I started, the Black Knights."
Suzaku smirks slightly, but to everyone else it was just a twitch of the lips. "You are very gracious and generous," he then kneels in respect, head bowed, then raises his head to stares into Zero's eyes, almost like the gaze is piercing the mask, and he spoke with the same authority from before, "but I'm afraid it isn't your choice, nor my own. Its the people's choice who shall do what at this point."
Zero nods again. "Once again, perfect answer Suzaku." He then turns to the crowd and shouts to the world. "People of Japan, no the world, shall Suzaku Kururugi maintain his position and will you be willing to allow me the Black Knights again, and allow us to cooperate to end Isaak's rebellion and bring true peace back to the world!"
The massive crowd can only sit in silence for a moment, trying to take in everything at once, but the crowd agrees and allows Zero's proposition go through nonetheless.
Zero then begins to talk to Suzaku again. "It has truly been a nostalgic reunion my old friend, but we must part yet again for now, however we will be seeing more of each other, seeing as we're working together now." CC's knightmare then comes beside them, and Zero jumps onto her knightmare, and the knightmare leaves the battlefield as the crowd disperses and the Black Knights return to their barracks.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A few hours later, Lelouch and CC are arriving to Lelouch's dorm room thinking about how well the day went.
CC was the first to break the silence. "That went quite well."
Lelouch snapped out of his trance and looked at the (for once) fully-clothed witch. "Yes it did, it actually went much better than expected."
CC looked at him curiously. "What do you mean? What were you really expecting to happen?"
Lelouch heads towards the bed while speaking with his back to her. "To begin with I was certain I would have to take off the mask." As soon as he finished his sentence, he lays down on his bed, removing his shirt to show his chest. Over the years in hiding, Lelouch decided that he wanted to get rid of his weakness of doing physical activity, so while in hiding, he has been doing all sorts of labor from being a clerk in a small town to lifting crates into wagons in the countryside. He even worked on Jeremiah's orange farm from time to time. All of that work started building muscle on him. Now Lelouch looked like he was when he was alive save for his arms look buffer, not to much like a he-man, but enough to make all the girls at Ashford wish to just see him with his shirt off all the time.
CC stared at him, then blushed slightly when she noticed how her eyes were roaming his chest and arms. She just hoped that he didn't catch her staring. "So did I, but its much better that you didn't have to do that."
Lelouch didn't seem to notice the blush or her stare. "Yes it is." He then realized something. "Wait, CC, shouldn't you hurry over to your room, in the 'girl's' section?"
CC seemed thoughtful for a second. "I should, but I thought I'd just stay here instead, and its such a long walk all the way over there." She then walks over and sits down on Lelouch's bed by his feet.
Lelouch scowled at her. "Your immortal, it wont kill you." He then gently pushes her off his bed.
CC pouts a little, then heads for the door. "Fine."
Lelouch, a little worried that he hurt her feelings, gets up and walks behind her and grabs her arm. "Im sorry, I didn't mean it quite like that."
CC turns her head and looks at him. "Its alright, but like you said, I should go." She shakes her arm out of his grip, then opens the door and walks out before he had the chance to stop her.
Lelouch goes to his thoughts /Hmmmm I wonder what's going on with her, she's been acting a little weird ever since we came back to Japan. Oh well./ He then hides the Zero costume, and goes to bed.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
As CC is walking to her room on the other side of campus, she talks quietly to herself. "That idiot, we've been together for what, twenty years now, and I'm no closer than I was then. He can conquer the world, and beat any body at a game of chess, but that idiot can't begin to tell when a girl freaking likes his stupid ass!"
Milly suddenly pops out from behind CC. "Hey CC, heading to your room?"
CC was a little shocked, and kind of almost blushing thinking that she was heard talking to herself. She then turns around and sees Milly. "Oh Milly, um... Yea I was."
Milly looked apologetic. "Well, that's too bad. Something's happened and we've had to close off the section of your floor."
CC looked at her quizzically"What happened?"
"Water leak, don't worry your stuff wasn't damaged, though you didn't have much to damage. We went ahead and moved your stuff to your new room." Milly sounded as if it were no big deal.
CC had a blank face. "Which is where?"
Milly cheered up instantly. "This floor, actually room 218 I went ahead and move your stuff up there for you, since you didn't have much, hope you didn't mind."
CC shook her head. "No not at all, thanks."
Milly waved her off. "Oh! say 'hi' to your room mate for me." She then walks off.
CC looked at the retreating form of Milly questioningly. "Room mate?" She spoke aloud. She shook her head and started walking to her new room. /just great. What's going on now?/ She continues to walk around till she finds her new room and knocks on the door.
Someone speaks up from the other side. "Come in. It's open."
CC froze. /That sounds like... Oh. I'm going to kill Milly./ CC breathes in deeply, then opens the door and walks in cautously. "Hello?" Inside the room were two twin beds on either side of the room. There were also two desks right next to the beds, and dressers along the side of a wall. On the right side of the room, Reiko was doing some homework on her bed.
Reiko looks up from her book. "Hey CC /kind of odd name, oh well/ looks like we're room mates for a little while." She speaks sounding as happy as could be.
"Yea..." CC said dryly. /Now I remember why Lelouch was never happy about Milly's sense of humor./ "Looks like we are after all, Miss Kouzuki."
Reiko waved her hands in front of her face."Oh, please, just call me Reiko. You have the left side of the room, hope you don't mind sharing the room with me. I try to keep the place clean."
CC waves her off. "Its ok, looks nice right now." /hmm maybe she wont be that bad after all, she seems nice./ She goes over and sits down on her bed.
Reiko blushes a little bit debating over what to do. After a while, she gathers her courage and speaks to CC. "Um, CC, can I ask you a few things?"
CC looks at her,rather puzzled, then shrugs. "Sure, I guess."
Reiko's blush brightens up a little, but she speaks quietly. "What's Lelouch like?"
CC is still confused. "What exactly do you mean? And why are you asking?"
Reiko blushes so much that she thinks CC can see it. She shakes her head to clear the blush off her face, which she succeeds a little. "I mean, he's new to the school and everything, and you two seem to be close. So I'm kind of curious about him."
CC looked at her strangely. "Okaaay... Well, what would you like to know?"
Reiko is blushing a little bit again. "Anything really, just, what does he like or, I don't know, just what makes him different?"
CC lists off things like a shopping list."He likes chess, he's really smart, he loves a challenge /almost too well/. Is that what you wanted to know?
Reiko nods. "Yea, kind of, you two do spend a lot of time together, though. Why is that?"
CC instantly answers. "We've known each other for years, I'd say I probably know him better than almost anyone."
Reiko is surprised. "Oh, I see. So, are you two, like, together?"
CC snorts. "Yea right, girls are about the last thing that's ever on his mind."
Reiko looks at CC weirdly. "Is he gay?"
CC shakes her head. "No I don't think he is." /Well...Suzaku... Nah.. / She shakes her head furiously to clear her 'disturbing' thought. "No I doubt Lelouch is gay."
Reiko blinks. "Oh he's that type of guy, Takashi used to be like that, but..." Then Reiko's cell phone rings, and its a text message from Takashi" "Speak of the devil." In his room, Lelouch sneezes, then curses before falling asleep again. Back to Reiko. "Awwww." The text reads, 'Good night baby, Love Takashi.' Reiko sends a text back then closes her phone, and looks back at CC. "Anyways, now I'm really starting to think I am the only thing on his mind."
CC is confused. "Isnt that a good thing?"
Reiko shrugs. "Normally, but he's a little obsessive. Its starting to be a little annoying, but I still think its cute."
CC fumes silently. /I really wish Lelouch felt that way.../ "Well anyway goodnight Reiko."
"Night CC." Reiko says sleepily.
During the next morning, Lelouch comes over to CC's room and knocks on the door.
Reiko is woken up from the knock. "I've got it." She says sleepily, and wearing only the 'small' amount of clothes she slept in, Reiko opens the door to find Lelouch.
When the door opens, Lelouch's eyes fall upon his half naked daughter, and his whole face turns beat red instantly. /Why is it always me to have embarrassing moments with the ones I love. Better yet, why do I always see someone who looks beautiful./
Reiko, who was even redder, covers her body with her arms, and slams the door. /Oh My God, I can't believe he saw me!/ She snaps out of her thoughts ans shakes CC. "CC, its for you." Reiko then heads to the closet to hide and put something on.
CC lazily rubs her eyes. "OK" /who could that be?/ She opens the door, wearing not much more than Reiko. She sees Lelouch blushing like mad. "Oh, hi, Lelouch. Come in."
Lelouch looked up at CC uncertain. "You sure?" He walks in behind CC, still red but not as bad as when he saw Reiko.
CC sits on her bed and looks at him. "So what brings you all the way over here?"
Lelouch had his face in a frown. "I felt a little bad after last night, so I thought I'd come find you this morning, but I ran into Milly, and she said you had a new room and roommate. Never thought it would be Reiko though."
CC nods. "Yea, another one of her games she's so famous for." She rolls her eyes by the end, then looks at Reiko, who is just coming out of the closet dressed.
Reiko is still blushing a little."Sorry about that, didn't think any guy would be over here, well... aside from Takashi." Her blush deepens a little more.
Lelouch avoided eye contact with Reiko. "Its alright, I didn't see much, and I wont say anything... ok?" He then turns to CC again. "Anyways, CC, even though its the weekend, we got a busy day ahead of us."
CC lays down and turns so that she is facing away from Lelouch. "I really don't feel like anything today."
Reiko looks excited. "Come on, I mean... didn't you know, today's the first meeting of Zero and... Suzaku. You have got to go. My mom's going to be there." She smiles at the end.
Lelouch confirms that this is true. "Yea she's right, we have got to be there you know." He throws her clothes for her to wear. "So, get dressed. I'll wait outside" He gets up and walks to the door.
CC shrugs. "Guess you're right." She gets dressed, then walks out the door after Lelouch.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Once they are walking alone, CC decides to speak at last, glaring at Lelouch.
"Wow, why did you get the meeting so soon?"
Lelouch holds out two fingers. "Two reasons, I have to see Nunnally again."
CC still keeping the glare. "And the other?"
Lelouch shrugs. "Suzaku's idea... Personally I think Kallen helped him set it up so soon."
CC lost her glare and replaced it with her neutral look. "Well that may be for the better. I mean 18 years since you've seen any of them."
Lelouch agreed. "True. We have to be there in about one hour, anything you can think of?"
CC shakes her head. "No, but, who all is going to be there?"
Lelouch thinks, then looks back at her. "Im not completely sure about everyone, but Suzaku of course, Nunnally, Kallen, Oghi, Toudoh, and possibly some other people."
CC rolled her eyes. "Well, I assumed that much, I was meaning, do you think that Reiko or Lorelei will be there?"
Lelouch shakes his head. "They wont be, I specifically told him that none of the children should be there."
CC scoffs. "Children? There as old as you and I, well, when we started this mess, don't you think they should know some of this?"
Lelouch nods. "You are right, and they will know, just not so soon."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
At the meeting, Zero enters the meeting room with CC, with her in her Black Knight uniform, and an awkward silence fills the room.
Suzaku, who changed back into his old Knight of Zero uniform, extends his hand, and greets Zero. "Good morning Zero, sorry if this was too soon for you, but welcome back Zero."
Zero gladly accepts the hand. "It is good to finally be back, and no it isn't too early, in fact maybe the sooner the better. So who here knows the truth?"
Suzaku whispers in his ear. "Only Nunnally, me, and Kallen."
Zero sighs. "That's good I suppose."
Toudoh finally breaking the silence of the spectators, speaks to Zero calmly, but with distrust underneath. "Zero, we have met many Zeros in our time in the Black Knights, how do we know that you aren't just another Imposter."
Suzaku buts in. "Trust me, he is the real zero, the one that brought us all this far."
Zero puts his hand up. "No he is right, they deserve to know the truth as well."
Kallen hesitantly speaks. "Zero, is that really such a good idea?"
Zero nods. "Yes they all need to know, we need fewer lies between us than what we had 18 years ago, Kallen. You of all people should agree with that."
Kallen nods in understanding."I understand sir."
Suzaku clears his throat. "Well, before we start the reunion, I say we speak about Isaak, he's going to try again, and unless we're ready for him, who knows what's going to happen."
Zero then steps in. "That's why we give him the perfect opportunity to attack, then counter."
Suzaku is confused but understands what he is saying. "That sounds almost too easy."
Toudoh nods. "I agree. He knows what he's doing, it wont be that easy."
Zero looks at Todoh. "I realize this, which is why we make it seem like we still think he's nothing. I have everything planned out already."
Kallen looks at Zero. "And what might that be exactly Zero?"
Zero puts his hand in front of his face, then waves it to the right."I say we set up some special celebration for my return, then set the stage to our benefit."
Suzaku looks thoughtful. "That could work, but are you certain he will come."
Toudoh snapped. "Forget if he comes, but when he does, what about the civilians?"
"He's fighting for a purpose, he wont harm that many people without true warrant, but regardless you do have a point Todoh, which is why there will be no civilians. Just only Black Knights that are dressed for the occasion." Zero calmly states.
Kallen agrees. "That sounds, like it should work, but will he even come?"
Suzaku nods. "He will come, we just have to make it sound like it will be the perfect chance to catch all of us off guard."
Zero nods in agreement. "Yes, lets set this for a few weeks in time, too soon would make it sound like a trap or something."
CC giggles lightly to herself. /Wow, he truly is his old self again, which means... I will get no attention till this is all said and done./ She thought sadly.
Ohgi decides to speak up for the first time since the meeting started. "I've sat silent enough, though that does seem good. Its almost too perfect. We need to know who you are before we put any more faith in you!"
Zero nods. "You are right, forgive me for wasting time. Allow me to truly and formally introduce myself..." He places his hand on the mask. Then, the sound of hissing resounded throughtout the room as he slowly takes off the mask of Zero. He stares at all who are present. "I, am Lelouch Vi Brittania."
Well I hope that was ok for you guys. Please Review. Comments taken into some consideration.
