A/N: sorry about the late update I got lazy, but here we go and we got Nanoha and co having a little reunion back on Earth as well as more details into Lelouch's past with trio. Also a few surpise guests will make some appearance so enjoy. Also thanks for the reviews and feedback.

Chapter 10

Homecoming

It's been about seven years since they left Earth, but now events had prompted a return to Nanoha Takamachi and Hayate Yagami's homeworld. However returning to Japan was not easy for both of them especially as they sat together inside a spacious living room located within a large mansion located in the middle of a wildlife preserve. Not long after their arrival their only remaining contact in Japan, now Area 11, invited them to stay at her house. Sitting together on a sofa was Ginga Nakajima wearing formal wear consisting of a blue skirt with a white shirt complete with a blue jacket and a red bow-tie wearing black shoes while next to her was Hayate and Fate.

Like Ginga the two had adopted more casual wear with Fate wearing a white turtleneck shirt with a yellow cross-pattern on the front, a black skirt, brown stockings, red and black shoes, a black jacket with finally her long blonde hair tied into two long pigtails with light blue ribbons. Hayate's casual wear consisted of pink shorts with a white sweatshirt complete with a hood and a white shirt underneath.

The trio sat together as Ginga was showing the group images of Shinjuku the decaying ghetto which the images showed the signs of the terrible events that had happened days ago around the same time as the Wyvern Drone Incident on Mid-Childa. Ginga gave them a step-by-step of events that had transpired, although telling them of how the Britannian Military was indiscriminately killing civilians for reasons unknown was very difficult for the young woman to bear. A fact that Nanoha, Hayate and Fate understood all but too well, but nevertheless with their arrival they intended to get to the bottom of this. Even if it was finding Zero or the Mandarin they would deal with both problems depending on which one presents itself first.

"So since the incident there has been no sign of him staying in Shinjuku," Fate inquired to Ginga.

"No and I have been trying to follow the resistance group he had contacted and collaborated with during the incident. But somehow he found out the identity of one of their own and contacted that person directly denying me an opportunity to catch him at the meeting he had arranged. However did discover that he met with them to warn them of Clovis's intent so I waited in Shinjuku for him when he would come this way to stop the bombers."

"Which lead to your second encounter with Zero, but instead you ran into his ally." Hayate said as Ginga nodded.

"Yes I never expected it, but now with what happened on Mid-Childa and the fact he is my brother…I am not sure."

"If we want more information on the Mandarin then we need to capture him and Zero," Nanoha said joining the conversation.

Her choice of attire consisted of blue jeans, a simple pink shirt. Nanoha stood by one of the large windows looking out at the open grassy plains where she saw a trio of dog running around outside.

"Tea anyone," A fourth voice rang as a young woman around the same age as Nanoha, Fate and Hayate entered the room with a silver tray with a white tea-pot and cups on it. She had short light brown hair, light green eyes wearing dark brown shorts and a light brown shirt with long-sleeves and bow tied on the front of it complete with sandals.

"Oh thank you Alisa, but here let me help you with that." Nanoha said trying to help her old childhood friend Alisa Bannings.

"NO…you are my guests, so please let me serve you tea." Alisa insisted, although she had grown up there were still parts of her personality that were the same. Fate and Hayate chuckled at the exchange as Nanoha simply sweat dropped at Alisa's defiant expression before sitting the plate on the coffee table before the sofa most of the group sat on. "I know you are trying to be nice Nanoha, but I haven't seen you guys in person for almost seven years ok."

"I am sorry Alisa I meant no offense," Nanoha said with her hands raised up defensively.

Alisa sighed in response before saying, "You haven't changed much."

"I haven't…"

"Nope you are still the same, but just a little taller through."

The old friends plus Ginga were staying at the Bannings Wildlife Preserve that was a few miles outside of Nanoha and Hayate's hometown of Uminari City, although Alisa was the head of their family's holdings in Area 11 as well on their behalf which included the Sakuradite Distribution and Shipping Operations near Mount Fuji. However at the heart of the preserve was the Bannings Mansion which had a large surrounding wide-open grass covered yard where all twenty of Alisa's dogs were allowed to roam free.

At that moment a maid entered the room whispering something into Alisa's ear causing the woman to open her eyes wide in shock.

"What's wrong," Hayate asked noticing the woman's change in expression.

"Uh…well it seems we have some unexpected guests."

On cue another maid led into the living room Euphy with Suzaku following her and Jeremiah Gottwald in their company.

"E…Euphy," Alisa exclaimed clearly shocked by the third-princess's appearance. "I…I…I mean Princess Euphemia it's an honor to have you here."

Nanoha, Hayate, Fate and Ginga were surprised as they were in the presence of a member of the Britannian Royal Family, but more for the trio it meant that they were seeing one of Lelouch's many half-siblings.

Euphy giggled at Alisa's expression.

"Relax Alisa no need to be formal, but I did want to take time to visit you before I assume my new duties as Area 11's new Sub-Viceroy."

"You're the new Sub-Viceroy," The brown-haired woman asked also surprised by the news.

"Yes, so when time allows it you and I can see each other since you're the only person I really know here."

During the exchange Suzaku saw the familiar faces in the room and froze on the spot. The blonde hair and eyes were unmistakable as were Nanoha's own hair style and eyes which were familiar to Suzaku as you don't see many women with such an appearance.

"Uh Mr. Kururugi you know these people," Euphemia asked innocently.

"Yes I do your highness…I actually know almost everyone here."

"I am surprised to see you with Princess Euphemia Suzaku, but other than that it has been almost seven years since we last saw one another." Alisa began.

"That's a long story," Suzaku replied.

"Maybe we should tell them how we met," Euphy offered as she was intrigued to meet Alias's other guests as well while Jeremiah was clearly hesitant, but if there was trouble he would step in.

Meanwhile inside their underground base below Ashford Academy two people were before a holographic screen displaying a section of Japan where he saw four dots in the shape of chibi-style faces of Nanoha, Fate, Hayate and Ginga. Standing next to Peter was Gil Graham who observed the map with a grim expression.

"It was only a matter of time before they became involved in this," Graham pointed out.

"True, but I never expected it would be this soon."

"If anything it was perhaps good luck on top of battle luck you managed to encounter the three aces so you could infect them with your special bacteria allowing us to monitor their movements."

"I suppose," Peter said in agreement as the blonde-haired young man had developed a harmless bacteria that has been designed in a way to emit a special harmless radiation that with the right equipment to detect it could be used as a very effective method of monitoring a person without them ever realizing it. Peter's father developed it originally, but the young man found a way to modify it thus enabling him to tell the difference between the radiation signals he was detecting to know who was who.

"We'll need to be ready for a confrontation with them soon."

"I know, but everything is proceeding too quickly."

"Are you talking about the recent attack on Mid-Childa?"

"Yes," Peter said before going on to explain his concerns to the aged former admiral. "I know he wanted revenge on the Scaglietti and the High Council along with the rest of the Bureau, but to attack so suddenly like this. I thought he was going to wait until Scaglietti began his attempt to take over Mid-Childa using the Saint's Cradle. Using his new spy within their ranks I thought the Mandarin would have hijacked Scaglietti's plan along with all of his drones to conquer the planet while forcing the man to watch as the Mandarin accomplishes the very plan he sought to accomplish but it was all stolen from at the last minute. I know for him it's not enough to simply kill Scaglietti…no he wants to break him."

"That probably would have been sweet revenge, which would have been a very painful low blow for Scaglietti."

"Yes I know, so why attack now and then reveal yourself it doesn't make sense to me."

"You don't suppose something happened that could have prompted a change in plan?"

"It's possible, but I can't think of what exactly."

"Until we know more then we should proceed cautiously," Graham advised.

"I agree," Peter said with a nod, although deep down he felt uneasy.

Elsewhere in her room Quattro was seated at her desk reading a book written by Italian Renaissance political philosopher and historian Niccolò Machiavelli titled the Art of War, although the combat cyborg found the Art of War written by Sun Tzu to be far more engaging and appealing to her. Among the books on Earth she had looked at his works were among her favorite pieces of literature, although Battle Studies written by Ardant du Picq wasn't bad either. As she was reading she was thinking of the recent discussion she and Lelouch had about the strong and weak.

A weak life that can't do anything is no different from an insect's. No matter how many you kill, more will just keep being born. Playing with them and abusing them, throwing them in a cage and watching them suffer...it's supposed to be fun, but…

That was the mindset her creator Jail Scaglietti had put into her with the help of her older sister Due who had likewise being modeled into a cruel and sadistic woman ideal for long-term infiltration missions and to ensure she could manipulate potential targets she could use without becoming soft or conflicted if she grew close to them. For Quattro however it was for a different purpose after the Doctor decided she could serve as a potential back-up commander should in the unlikely situation that Scaglietti and her sisters were defeated. For instance should their base on Mid-Childa fall she could easily activate the self-destruct without feeling any remorse or guilt for the death of her fellow sisters and the Doctor himself should he be captured within the base. Had she been like some of her other sisters they might have questioned performing such a task and may not even commit the act, but Quattro on the other hand wouldn't thanks to the special conditioning Due under Scaglietti's direction gave her to ensure she could fulfill her duty.

After all within her womb she did carry a clone of him possessing his memories, but now that clone was gone from her and her intended purpose was gone as well. It took some time to recover from her near-death at the hands of her own sisters after being set up by an enslaved Due. Without the Doctor in her life the sadistic and manipulative Number wasn't certain what to do now. Weeks after initially meeting Lelouch she questioned her continued existence, but an incident that happened that allowed her to find new purpose and a reason to go on.

Three weeks after meeting Lelouch the recovered cyborg was struggling to adapt to not only life on Earth. Her new abilities Peter had granted her having been trying to practice them upon learning she had improved capabilities similar to Uno now incorporated within her. At the time Quattro began wearing normal attire which consisted of a white dress shirt with dark blue pants as her normal combat suit was a lost cause with Peter creating a new one for her, which would be better for her.

Instead of spending another day in the underground base Quattro was asked by Peter to assist him with a troublesome matter.

"So let me get this straight…your golden child Lelouch got himself into some trouble?"

"Yes apparently Lelouch was at Babel Tower gambling again. Everything went fine until he challenged a man notoriously known as the Black King."

"The Black King, that doesn't sound like an original name."

"Well the name is nothing to scoff at since the man is a major player in the Britannian Underworld here in Area 11 and he is a prominent member of the Britannian Mafia."

"I think your little pet mage is screwed."

"Not unless he uses Abyss Soul, but then that could draw the attention of the TSAB and we don't want that." Peter pointed out.

"Fine I'll help you find him…I guess it will be a good chance to try out my new abilities."

"And if you do find them you might need this," Peter said handing Quattro a large black bag designed to look like a large purse. Quattro peaked inside finding a weapon and something else quite dangerous.

"I'll take care of it."

Using her new abilities Quattro hacked into the tower's security systems and using the recorded camera footage she quickly found Lelouch's location which was in the penthouse on the top floor. She modified security to remove traces of her and Lelouch from the surveillance footage before heading up to the top floor taking the elevator. Normally you needed a security code to reach the penthouse, but Quattro took care of that problem.

I bet Uno couldn't acquire and rewrite security systems like I can now…I wonder what else I am capable of now.

Quattro grinned evilly before realizing she was almost to the penthouse.

"IS: Silver Curtain activate," The Number said before she became invisible. The elevator doors opened where upon the surpise of the two bodyguards standing by the doors didn't see anyone inside, but Quattro calmly walked out and proceeded to enter the penthouse.

As for Lelouch he was in possibly one of the worst situations possible as he sat tied to a chair with a black eye after having won his chess match against the Black King, but unfortunately he denounced Lelouch as a cheater and brought him up to his penthouse to educate the young man. However the former prince knew it was more of a punishment than so called education as the man was clearly very sadistic intent on torturing him before inevitably killing him.

I got no choice…I got use it.

Don't even think about it, Quattro said starting a telepathic communication with him.

It's you…

Yes and Peter asked me to save your troublesome hide.

How do you plan on getting me out?

Just watch and I'll prove I am more capable than you thought.

Suddenly a large obese man with dark skin and blonde hair with a beard wearing a tacky looking brown suit approached Lelouch as following behind him were five of his closest associates who for the most part handled some of his more legitimate businesses while some handled his underground businesses more specifically on his behalf. They wore black suits generally, but each one was a little different.

"Now little boy we're going to give you a lesson in manners," The Black King said with an evil smile before someone behind them began speaking.

"No how about I give you a lesson and if you don't pay attention I'll blow us up." Quattro spoke as the Black King and his five associates turned around to see Quattro standing behind them with a large device consisting of a metal tank attached to a electronic device with two smaller tanks linked to the larger five-gallon tank. "Now if you try to run or do anything else I'll let go of this remote."

"Just who the hell are you?" The Black King demanded.

"Oh I am just a vicious piece of work, but I know all about you and your friends. Let's see if I got this right you are Wilson Fisk the head of Fisk Transportation and Trading. As far as the public is concerned at large you are an international trading and shipping company who has ties with a number of businesses here in Area 11 and have several casinos you own in the Britannian Homeland while you own Babel Tower. But to the criminal underworld you are the Black King who uses his transportation business to move guns, money, drugs and even people worldwide as part of an international slave trafficking and smuggling ring…now did I miss anything?"

"You forgot the assassination contacts I help put out."

"Well damn it," Quattro said cursing herself as her information dig for dirt on the Black King was incomplete.

Something to practice on I guess.

"Is there a point to this?"

"You and all of your associates here are obvious criminals and are possibly the worse I have ever seen in my life." Quattro began as Lelouch who everyone else seemingly forgot about was struggling to free himself, but at that moment the real Quattro appeared next to him using a knife to cut his bounds while trying to be as quiet as possible.

But…how are you?

How am I in two places at once? The answer is simple that is my Inherent Skill. Those idiots are talking to an illusion of me.

But is the bomb fake as well?

Yes, but I got the real one right here.

Quattro freed Lelouch and as the young man moved off the chair the young woman set up the real bomb atop the seat having already armed it. Taking hold of Lelouch the combat cyborg activated her IS again and vanished before the two slipped out of the room, but Lelouch and Quattro made sure to lock the door from the outside using a longsword from a weapon display rack to seal the door from the outside. As the two quietly made their escape retreating to the elevator confusing the guards who stood by there even more which included one of them deciding to talk to the boss later about having the elevator looked at.

All the while the Black King and his associates were stuck talking to an illusionary image of Quattro unaware that Lelouch was gone and a very powerful bomb was left behind.

"Not only that, I'm afraid not one of you passes for a decent human being. Your continued existence is a complete insult of morality. Like you, Mr. Burton." Quattro said looking to one of the Black King's associates who was a man in his late forties with brown hair and some gray with green eyes. "Last year cheated on your wife of seventeen years eight times. You even had sex with her best friend while you were supposed to be home watching the kids.

Mr. Burton was shocked as Quattro had hit the head of the nail on that one.

"And you Mr. Newman," Quattro turned to a man wearing black sunglasses with slick back blonde hair. "You got your girlfriend drunk at a party four months ago and then you paid a kid you hired off the street to have sex with her while she was passed out just so you could break up with her guilt-free when she sobbingly confessed in the morning." The Number said as Newman looked down in the ground in horrified shame. "Oh and she killed herself two months later by the way."

Now moving onto her next victim was an obese man with black hair and blue eyes.

"Mr. Brace disowned his gay son…very compassionate, Mr. Brace."

"Mr. Ray," Quattro began turning to a man with a buzzed head with green eyes. "You put your own mother in a third-rate nursing home and then used the profits from the sale of her home to buy an oriental rug," The cyborg said while shaking her head. "Tsk tsk…my goodness. Mr. Barker," Quattro said now onto her fourth victim who was an older man in his fifties with graying black hair and blue eyes who was a little on the chubby side. "You flew to the Chinese Federation on the company account to have sex with an eleven year old boy."

"Mr. Holtzman, you are the owner of a toy company that works hand in hand with Mr. Fisk's company in the moving of drugs and money as well as acting as one of his closest business associates of the mafia." Quattro said looking to a man with long blonde hair tied into a small ponytail with brown eyes. "Recently you okayed the production of Glasgow Action Figures from materials you knew to be toxic and unsafe, because it was…survey says…less costly."

Everyone else was feeling shamed and partly horrified that this woman knew their darkest secrets.

"Mr. Johnson you sold your wife off into the slave trade just so you could marry your secretary without anyone to oppose you," Quattro said to a red-haired man with blue eyes before looking shocked before moving onto her last victim. "And you Mr. Black King have more skeletons in your closest than this gathering has combined…so much so I cannot speak them out loud."

Quattro walked up to the Black King and whispered close to him causing the man to sweat and display an expression of shock.

"So yes…not one of you count for a decent human being…I can't say that I am much better, but oh who am I kidding of course I am better and now I think I'll do the world a favor."

"WAIT…the boy is in here with us!" The Black King snapped.

"What boy?"

The gathered turned around finally realizing Lelouch was gone and on the chair was the real bomb.

"Thank you idiots for being distracted," Quattro said as the illusion vanished while below inside a taxi cab driving away from the building the real combat cyborg pushed the detonator button. The liquid Sakuradite bomb had already been mixing with a special Ionized Aerosol and Mercury Fulminate solution to augment the liquid Sakuradite into a far more potent explosive where upon detonation the result was devastating.

The explosive device upon detonation released a pressure cloud of near microscopical sakuradite particles. Then it releases the second part, a charge of over 100 kilowatts which supercharges the cloud with electricity and then it ignites it. The added electricity turns the cloud of Sakuradite when it ignites, into an inferno of 3000-5000 C°. The end result was that the penthouse was completely destroyed and not even the corpses of the Black King and his associates survived intact.

"Oh my god I am glad we left that place when we did…could that be the work of terrorists?" Quattro exclaimed acting panicked to the cab driver.

"Well let's get the hell out of here lady, but you said Ashford Academy right?"

"Yes and please no need to worry about how we get there."

"I heard that," The driver said before Quattro engaged Lelouch in a telepathic conversation.

So do you have doubts about my capabilities now?

You pulled that off very well, but you seem fine with wiping out an entire penthouse full of people.

Don't tell me you are not shedding any tears for them?

Lelouch laughed mentally before replying.

Oh no not at all, but you didn't hesitate to kill those men.

I guess you can say that part of it is how I was created.

I see, so Quattro right…

Yes and your name was Lelouch correct?

Indeed it was…

Since I went through the trouble of getting you out of there I want to know why you even bother with such activates? Quattro inquired clearly curious about Lelouch's gambling habits. It was clear the young man was very intelligent, but yet why he chose to engage in underground chess matches for money seemed like a waste.

The answer is simple…it's because I am bored.

You're bored…well that was hardly the answered I expected. At the very least I could see that you did it for the money.

Well it is true my victories do provide a very nice payout, Lelouch admitted with a smile on his face. But I have no interest in living day to day…not like how the other students at the academy. Until I met Peter and Graham I was dead. I was nothing but an impotent corpse existing behind a false guise of life. A life in which I did nothing real, so I went day to day simply going through the motions of living, as if I were a zombie and I always had the feeling that I was gradually dying. I refuse to live that life and…I don't want to lie to myself anymore.

Then what do you want?

I want to change this world.

You change this world…a mere student.

Hee hee it sounds impossible I know, but I am compelled by reasons that drive me to make it happen. I don't care if it's right or wrong, but it's going to happen because I DECIDE it's going to happen.

At that moment Quattro looked into Lelouch's eyes and saw hate, but she saw something else that intrigued her.

And the world will change because of that?

I'll change it…I'll destroy the old world and build a new and better one in its place.

Quattro laughed for a few moments before saying.

Now that is a bold statement…Lelouch…I want to see you live up to those bold words.

Lelouch smiled in response.

Then welcome aboard Quattro.

Returning to the present Quattro put down her book having finished reading it while reflecting on everything that happened in the last two years while thinking about Lelouch. As time went on she learned of what events shaped the formerly weak former child prince into the ruthless and calculating mage he was becoming with revenge on his agenda against his father's own empire. The very idea of a former prince rebelling to destroy his father's empire seemed impossible to accomplish, but seeing Lelouch's success so far and the fact he has considerable support behind him changed her mind.

It was during that time that Quattro had an epiphany.

Lelouch lost everything and was banished to this country expecting to die, but yet he has managed to survive and now strives to destroy Britannia.

The former prince as a child from what Quattro learned was a pathetic weakling, but despite his physical weakness Lelouch continued on. Even after suffering beatings from the local Japanese boys he never gave up, but if anything it only fed the flames of his anger and desire for vengeance against Britannia. Even when the war came and Japan became Area 11 Lelouch still managed to survive that hell along with Suzaku Kururugi and Lelouch's little sister.

What didn't kill him only made him stronger, but now you can't call him a weakling anymore…

Then it was at that moment that it hit her. Quattro had also experienced a sample of what he endured, which was losing everything and her purpose in life. She was framed as a traitor to her creator and then disposed as one, but now she was alive and more or less free to determine her own fate. But what could a former sadistic and manipulative cyborg like her do. Living a normal life seemed rather impossible for her all things considered, but that was when Lelouch's words about living as a zombie came to mind. If that is what a normal life meant it was unacceptable, because Quattro deep down realized she could never accept that…she wanted more.

Being part of a revolution that could change the world and maybe even beyond sounds like a cause at least worthy for me to be a part of, but furthermore the young woman felt a degree of bitterness and betrayal at her creator and sisters.

Quattro was curious to see how far Lelouch will go and from all she had seen of him so far she was confident he will go very far as long as conditions remain favorable to him. On the side however she planned to make her father and sisters sorry they were too quick to label her a traitor and attempted to kill her. She was going to make them sorry for that and prove she is the more superior and capable of her father's creations as the ideal revenge against him.

Why…because…

Quattro began thinking as a sinister smile appeared on her face as she completed her thought with.

Because I'll make it happen…

With her new purpose in mind the young woman pulled out a new book she kept in a drawer in her desk. It wasn't a classic piece of literature through nor was it a book about war and tactics, but rather it was a yellow book simply titled.

Dummy's guide to relationships, men and you, women's version.

As if on cue Quattro heard the loud scream of a certain redhead, which could only mean one thing.

I guess that means it must be survey time for Kallen.

Quattro thought before shivering at the thought as she had heard earlier that Kallen had been invited to a late night ladies only get together at the warm bath. Now Quattro knew from being warned by Lelouch what was happening as not only was Kallen being checked out, but they were collecting measurements from her unwillingly.

I should thank Lelouch for his warning regarding Milly, but I never thought there would be someone else out there who is possibly a bigger pervert than Sein is. God forbid if those two ever become friends.

The combat cyborg couldn't help, but shudder at the thought again.

Speaking of whom, back at Alisa Bannings mansion everyone was eating at the dining room table while Jeremiah stood guard, but under the table Sein raised her head up. The young Number didn't think her tailing of the princess and her tour guide would yield unexpected results like this. Now she was in the room with three of the TSAB's most infamous mages including one of the Type-Zero combat cyborgs that had served as a predecessor to them. There was no doubt if she stuck around and mindful to avoid detection there was probably a good chance Sein could get some good intelligence.

Might lessen the area we would need to be snooping around it, but…

Sein thought, but realized she was faced with a crisis as her stomach grumbled. Fortunately no one heard what probably sounded like a tiger roaring with her stomach still partly within the floor.

The…the…food smells so good…

Meanwhile unaware they had another guest present in the room the group carried on with conversation as Euphemia sat at the head of the table with Alisa on her right and across from her sat Fate while everyone else sat dotted around the long table. The young girl was shocked by the fact almost all of her friends were gathered here. Euphemia and Alisa had met when the young blonde haired girl returned to the Britannian Homeland for a time following the war between Japan and Britannia. They ended up going to the same private school and became close friends, especially as Alisa was left torn about leaving Suzuka behind in Japan.

Speaking of whom Alisa had not seen or heard from Suzuka which left the young woman fearing her friend, but Alisa was broken from her thoughts by Hayate who asked her.

"Excuse me Alisa, but have you managed to hear from Suzuka recently?"

"No I still haven't, but," Alisa said before she adopted a sad expression. "I'll tell you more later on after dinner."

"I see, but you haven't heard anything regarding Lelouch at least?" Hayate asked forgetting that there was a member of the royal family in the room along with a member of the Purist Faction.

"You knew my brother," Euphemia asked as Hayate realized her mistake.

"Uh," Hayate said before Suzaku decided to take the bullet.

"Your highness when your brother was sent to Japan along with his sister Nunnally they were sent to stay at the Kururugi Estate. I met your brother in late august a year before the invasion, although we didn't get along at first but after Nunnally and I became better acquainted she explained the details of what happened that had them sent to Japan."

"I see, so you must be the young boy he mentioned that he made friends with in a letter he sent me."

"Yes I am…"

"So how did four meet my brother?" Euphy said addressing Fate, Alisa, Hayate and Nanoha.

"Well I met him after Suzaku did," Nanoha began retelling her first meeting with Lelouch while Hayate reclined in the chair she sat in mentally cursing herself for speaking about Lelouch in front of a member of the royal family whom she knew Lelouch despised.

Although come to think of it…

Hayate realized that of all of the members of the royal family she never recalled hearing anything judgmental regarding Euphemia from Lelouch. As Nanoha told Euphy how she and Lelouch met along with Fate the brown-haired girl couldn't help but remember the first time she had met the former prince who had been exiled to Japan.

(December 24th 2009 A.T.B. Christmas Eve)

It was late afternoon as the sun was setting over Uminari University Hospital as a nine-year old Hayate Yagami sat alone in her hospital room while on the right-hand side of her bed sat a small White Christmas Tree on the table. On the bed next to her sat a familiar large brown tome with gold trimming on it including a cross-like emblem. As the girl sat up in her bed bored out of her mind with little to do a knock was heard.

"Come in," Hayate called wondering if it was Signum and the others, but when the door open she saw two familiar faces Alisa and Suzuka dressed in their school uniforms, although Alisa was still wearing her brown coat while Suzuka was carrying her coat in her arms. However there were some faces she didn't recognize as two others were clearly from the same school Alisa and Suzuka went to school, but there were three others who possibly did not.

One of them was Suzaku wearing a red T-shirt with blue jeans while the other boy Lelouch wore a white short-sleeve dress shirt with gray pants wearing red suspenders then finally the girl with them was Nunnally being pushed into the room by Lelouch.

"Good evening Hayate-chan," Suzuka greeted before everyone else but Lelouch, Suzaku and Nunnally said.

"Good evening…"

"How are you feeling?" Suzuka asked as everyone approached Hayate's bedside.

"I am so bored I might pick up another disease," Hayate replied jokingly prompting most of the assumed girls to laugh.

"Let me introduce you to everyone," Suzuka said before gesturing to Nanoha first.

"I am Nanoha Takamachi."

"Fate Testarossa," Fate said before moving to Suzaku.

"Hello I am Suzaku Kururugi and this is."

"I am Lelouch," The black-haired young man said believing it was best not to use his surname out in public. "And this is my younger sister Nunnally."

"Pleased to meet you," Nunnally said waving in Hayate's direction.

"I am Hayate Yagami it's a pleasure to meet all of you."

"Oh these are for you," Alisa said bringing out a bouquet of flowers she had concealed from Hayate's view while Suzuka brought out a Christmas present wrapped in green wrapping paper tied with red ribbon and a bow on top.

"And here is a Christmas present."

Hayate was delighted by the gesture although Nanoha and the others presents regrettably didn't bring any presents mostly due to the fact that for the group at large this was their first time meeting Hayate. Suzaku, Lelouch and Nunnally were asked to come as the more people who visited Hayate the better. Lelouch needed some more convincing, but Nanoha and Suzuka successfully convinced him after a little persuasion. The discussion went with Alisa talking for the most part, but the mood in the room slightly changed when Hayate's guardians arrived knocking on the door.

"Oh it must be them," Hayate said before calling out. "Come in!"

"Coming in," Signum said as she, Vita and Shamal entered leaving Zafira outside due to his animal form.

"Good evening," Suzuka and Alisa said as the two went to greet the three Wolkenritter.

"Oh good evening Suzuka and A…" Shamal said, but her sentence stopped just as Fate and Nanoha turned around the two groups seemingly recognized one another. Vita instantly ran pass them putting herself in front of Hayate acting as a shield. Vita continued glaring at them until Hayate gently hit her on top of her head with a rolled up magazine.

"Stop that Vita; that's not how you should treat my guests."

"B-But Hayate-chan," Vita began but she never finished her sentence leaving Nanoha to speak.

"Uh…it's nice to meet you Vita."

"We mean no harm, so don't worry."

"Fine," Signum replied before Shamal seemingly more at ease for now offered to everyone else.

"I'll take your coats, so all of you relax."

Shamal took Signum's coat soon followed by her taking Alisa and Suzuka's coats, but Vita was still glaring at Nanoha which made the young girl feel uneasy.

"Uh please don't glare at me like that."

"I am not glaring," The red-haired girl snapped back defensively before Hayate sighed.

"Come on Vita, be a good girl."

Hayate seized the young girl's nose and began playfully squeezing it as a way of lightly scolding the girl.

"Uh well," Nanoha began as she was clearly at a loss for words, but as a hushed exchange between Signum and Fate went on Suzaku couldn't help but comment on the scene.

"You know that Vita kinda acts like you sometimes Lelouch."

"Huh…I don't act like that," The former prince snapped back drawing Vita' attention to the black-haired youth. But upon seeing his face Vita froze seemingly shocked by his appearance in the room.

"Vita is something wrong?"

"Oh…no…nothing Hayate-chan," Vita replied snapping back to reality.

The discussion went on for a good hour as the girls were drawn into a large conversation, although strangely Vita and Hayate's guardians excluded themselves from becoming activity involved in the conversation which Lelouch had noticed but he didn't inquire of the matter. It wasn't his concern after all, but yet he couldn't help but feel something was strange. It wasn't that he noticed some obvious tension between Vita and Nanoha, but the fact that Vita was familiar to him somehow.

Why do I get the feeling we have met before?

"Lelouch-san," Hayate began snapping Lelouch back to reality. "Does your sister come to this place for physical therapy too?"

"Oh…well…no," Lelouch replied quickly.

"That's too bad it would be nice to have someone else I know take part with me," Hayate replied somewhat saddened by it.

Hayate's thoughts returned to the present recalling the first time she met the young man while preferring not to remember certain events that came after that visit. It was at this time Nanoha had finished telling her story of her meeting with Lelouch before Jeremiah calmly came around coming to a stop behind Suzaku who proceeded to ask.

"Private Kururugi I apologize to her highness, but I must inquire to Prince Lelouch's current whereabouts because if you know something then I must insist that you tell me," Jeremiah said with a deadly seriousness in his voice.

"I honestly wish I knew, but when the war began and with my father's suicide we were separated. I don't know what happened when the landing forces made landfall midway through the war." Suzaku replied, although it was a lie but part of it was true.

"At least I am comforted to know my brother's time in Japan was pleasant, but I assume Private Kururugi and you all here were the friends he mentioned in a letter he wrote to me." Euphy said surprising Nanoha and the others gathered at the table slightly.

"Thank you Princess Euphemia, but I do apologize we couldn't tell you that your brother is alive." Fate began as she recalled that she; Nanoha, Hayate and the Wolkenritter were away from Earth before the war began on a mission for the bureau. However before they returned they were informed of what had happened and of the Takamachi Family's relocation to Mid-Childa.

No one took what had happened well, but there was nothing at that point anyone could do about it and the Bureau had a strict non-interference policy with the affairs of undeveloped worlds. However to the surpise of Fate and others Vita went to Earth attempting to find Lelouch and Nunnally, although Signum and Hayate were asked to retrieve before she caused a disturbance the red-haired girl was unsuccessful in finding the missing royal siblings.

Once dinner was finished a VTOL transport arrived to take Euphemia and Jeremiah back to the Viceroy's Palace leaving Suzaku behind who would receive a ride back to the Toyko Settlement provided by Alisa with Euphemia arranging for Suzaku's superiors to be contacted to ensure he wouldn't get into any short of trouble with them.

However once Euphemia and Jeremiah were gone Alisa gave the brown-haired boy her full attention as she had noticed something during his discussion with Euphy regarding Lelouch.

"Ok, where is Lelouch, Suzaku-Kun?"

"Alisa?" Suzaku asked confused for a moment which seemed to only irritate Alisa even more.

"Don't dare to pull the Alisa card with me buster. I knew you well then and I STILL know you. You saw Lelouch recently, you know his likely location, and you saw him in the middle of some mess, I'm right?" Alisa snapped reading Suzaku like a book having caught his expression change during the subject of the presumed dead prince.

Suzaku couldn't but gape to Alisa's conclusions. Was the girl a psychic or what? Looking to the others, he saw the expressions of worry in the other girls, and specially Nanoha's barely concealed hope.

"Yes…yes I did," Suzaku admitted. "I wasn't expecting to see him, but we ran into each other recently."

"You did, so did you find him in the Toyko Settlement?"

"No…we actually ran into each other at Shinjuku Ghetto during the conflict between the resistance forces and the military there." Suzaku revealed surprising Hayate, Nanoha and Fate.

A/N: well Euphy knows at least her brother had a relatively pleasant time on Earth, but Suzaku due to Alias noticing something was amiss got him to spill that Lelouch was in Shinjuku and is alive and well. And we get part two of how Quattro and Lelouch met cue a Loki moment, but her dealing with the gangsters was more violent through. But it shows that Lelouch did have an impression on her.

Anyway I got the next chapter ready at anytime and chapter twelve is when Zero and Cornelia meet in battle. So I look forward to your reviews/feedback.