I thought; one day with my own power...
Lelouch had just finished sewing the last pieces of Cornelia's kimono together. He didn't need to finish the outfit anytime soon, but he needed to keep his hands busy since he could not design a thing and was stuck in a rut.
After finishing his final touches to the kimono, he wandered into the corridor to the east when he came across a couple walking towards him. As they came closer, Lelouch realized it was CC and Mao. CC was laughing at what Mao had said.
Not only was Mao's hair at a disagreeable length, he was standing way too close to CC for Lelouch's liking. Lelouch did not like the idea of Mao being near CC. He could tell that Mao was a bastard. Just look at the way his hair was tied! Lelouch was irked at how a stray strand of hair was left to roam free on the nape of his neck.
Lelouch walked over to the pair and began eavesdropping on their conversation.
"So are you going to Cornelia's now? Would you like me to accompany you? After all, you are my contact lens."
Mao looked at his watch.
"We are going to be late," Mao said to CC. "Let's go, before the Witch yells, 'off with her head!'"
CC caught sight of Lelouch and gave a nod of acknowledgement before running in the opposite direction.
:x:
Mao tore up the stairs that lead up to the entrance of the atelier. In his haste, he smashed face first into the transparent glass door that lead inside. CC slowed down and promptly walked into the glass door.
Both stunned, they pushed open the glass door where Cornelia greeted them.
"You are almost a minute late." Cornelia looked at her undoubtedly expensive, diamond-studded watch. "Never mind, let's get started."
CC nodded. I quicker she got out of there, the better!
Cornelia looked down at Mao with obvious distaste, but said nothing. She pointed to her left"
"You can observe from th"re." She motioned towards a row of chairs in front of a mini-bar. Though they were the traditional one legged chairs, the cushions were made out of plush velvet.
Damn these rich people.
CC rubbed her chin, deep in thought. The gesture reminded Mao of the old wise men in ancient Japan where they had a long beard which they could stroke as they were playing shougi.
He wondered briefly whether Cornelia would have him hung, drawn and quartered if he had voiced his thoughts to CC.
Luckily for Mao, CC began speaking. "Before we start, I'd like to ask a few questions. What is the commercial about and what's your role in it?"
"The commercial's selling point is "tea fit for a princess." I play an oriental princess picking her fiancé. She rejects all her suitor's lavish gifts and finally picks the prince because she likes his tea." Cornelia supplied.
"So basically, you're playing the role of a noble princess?"
"Not just any princess," Cornelia said, "an oriental one… I'm perfectly capable of acting like a Western princess."
Cornelia flicked her hair. "I am one after all."
CC nodded, unsure on how to start.
"Please walk for me?"
Cornelia complied, and the room was taken to the catwalk as she walked down the atelier as though she was in the most prestigious fashion show of the century.
"That's your problem." CC suddenly spoke out.
"What is?" Cornelia turned to face CC.
"You walk like a model. You're not walking like a princess." CC clarified. Cornelia raised her eyebrow.
"An oriental one, that is…" the short one quickly added. "The vibes you are giving is incorrect… that was why the director kept giving you NGs."
Cornelia nodded, processing the information.
"How can I walk like an oriental princess?" she asked.
CC pondered for a moment, looking up at the ceiling digging deep into the memories she had been, until this day, running away from.
"Chest forward, chin perpendicular to the ground, straight back, slightly bent knees," CC recalled. "I remember Lelouch saying something how models wanted to elongate their legs to give out a confident and dominating aura, but when you're a princess, you should give a meeker, more submissive aura."
Cornelia's lips turned towards in distaste, even though she was not a die-hard feminist that sounded very sexist, if it were not for the sake of improving her 'princess walk' she would have had CC's Id...
It was lucky Mao had not opened his mouth and agreed. Any man who would dare suggest Cornelia "go back in the kitchen" would have hell to pay.
"I know it sounds sexist," CC continued, as though she had read Cornelia's thoughts. "But back then, even now, many young girls' futures were controlled by their parents and they have to submit to their every whim."
Cornelia nodded slightly. She was the princess of Britannia and she knew that one day, or whenever her father pleases, she'd have to face her duties of being the Britannian princess, whether it was in marriage or other diplomatic issues.
There was something else bothering her…
"The advice you've given me seems to have come from recollection rather than actual observation."
While it seemed like a statement, it was an order to elaborate on why it was so.
CC looked up at Cornelia. Her eyes gave away nothing.
"Yes, it was recollection." CC said evenly.
Cornelia was slightly irked her order had been blatantly ignored, but admired our dear heroine's courage for it.
Cornelia walked, this time with a slower and meeker stride.
CC nodded approvingly and said, "I think the director will stop NG-ing you now." She smiled genuinely at Cornelia.
"You may leave now," Cornelia said, dismissing the short girl. Now that she knew what was wrong, she could work on it herself.
Mao climbed out of his chair, patting himself on his backside.
"Oh," Cornelia added as an afterthought. "I don't intend to break my promise. The day after tomorrow at 8 AM sharp, come to the drawing room. I'll introduce the director to my new protégé. I'll get Mr. Lamperouge to fix you up with something immediately."
With a click of her fingers, Cornelia summoned her butler.
:x:
Lelouch was procrastinating and doodling on black silk with his fabric chalk as he thought up ideas on how to get his gifts back. An important fashion show was to be held in a month's time with its main theme being 'fairy tales'. Despite given such an interesting topic, he couldn't even come up with which story he'd choose!
A hand touched his shoulder and Lelouch jumped giving a feminine squeal.
"Mr. Lamperouge… Cornelia-sama has requested you. Follow me."
Without a word of the designer's consent, he was led to the Witch of Britannia.
"Mr. Lamperouge," Cornelia addressed the purple-eyed male. "You have tonight to make a kimono, I want it to be completed in two days time, 8AM sharp. Do so and you will be rewarded greatly. If you fail, then…" Cornelia left Lelouch to think of the repercussions.
"Y-yes, your highness!" Lelouch stuttered. He couldn't even draw up a design… how could he create something in less then a day?
"May I borrow the actress in question? I'll need her measurements… skin tone and hair color…"
Cornelia said, pointing towards CC, "She's right in front of you. I suggest you start immediately."
"CC…?"
CC looked up to meet Lelouch's eyes.
"What?"
"You were so small I didn't sense you."
Cue foot to knee.
"CC!" Mao called out, "is he hurting you?"
"Do you have eyes?" Lelouch yelped[M1] .
:x:
Now Sayako the maid was horridly curious about CC's relationship with her , after witnessing Mao swooping in to destroy the budding romance (in her head) of her young master and CC,decided it was time to play Cupid. She had also resolved to take initiative for her master's happiness - she had to get rid of the obstacle: Mao.
"Oh, Lelouch-sama, I was just going to go to buy the black cloth you needed, but I'm oh so tired…" Sayako looked pointedly at Mao. "Would you help me fetch the material instead?"
"S-sure… why not?"
As if he could refuse helping a poor damsel in distress with his object of affections in front of him!
Thus, Sayako sent Mao out on an errand, promising it'd be a short trip. What she left out was that she was planning to ignore the sound of the buzzer and refuse to open the door for him (Sayako was the only one who had control over the gates). What a great servant she was, always thinking in the best interest of her master!
Mao nodded completely unsuspicious of the thought that was running in her head. After thanking the clueless Mao, Sayako left the scene grinning her head off.
Alone for the first time this chapter, Lelouch looked over at CC and said, "Let's go to my workshop. We're out of time, so I'll probably try recycling one of my old works."
With that, the pair set off to their destination. Lelouch's last comment was not unnoticed by Sayako, and she began trailing the pair, patting her pockets to check that her master keys were in her pocket...
:x:
Lelouch made a circular motion with his forefinger, signaling CC to turn 360 degrees so he could inspect the article of clothing she was currently wearing. It was yet another Pizza Express shirt.
First I have to figure out what design pattern would suit her skin tone the best… Or was it the color? No wait, it's definitely the length of her-
"I give up!" Lelouch yelled exasperatedly.
The demon prince strode towards the door and pulled the door open to escape his crisis. The door refused to succumb to his will causing Lelouch to shake the knob a few time.
"What's the problem?" CC asked, addressing both Lelouch's cry of exasperation and the strange behavior of what seemed to her like shaking hands with the door knob.
Lelouch looked at CC, puzzled.
CC tried to turn the doorknob, but no avail.
"It's… locked." Lelouch said.
"I think, they'll eventually find us missing and look for us here." CC said. "But in the mean time… let's try to find a way out."
The pair stood in silence for a few seconds, both trying to figure a way to escape.
"Ah! I know, we'll use the rolls of material to make a rope and we'll get out like that!"
Thus, the pair did exactly just that only to find; in their extreme disappointment that the quantity of the bed sheets did not make a sufficient amount of rope. The distance between the end of the make-shift rope and the ground was more than the combined heights of an average-sized man and a very short girl.
With the second story window being twice, if not thrice, the height of standard castle, it was easy to see the Lamperouge family always had a soft spot for grandeur.
Though slightly lacking in the facilities for 'emergency evacuation' it would seem…
"Look, it's a forest."
"No, it's gaming grounds," Lelouch corrected. "No one is going to come to here once it's dark. It'll be early next morning at the earliest before they realize we're here." Lelouch turned to CC.
"I'm going to freeze to death!" Lelouch sniffed, suddenly shivering.
"Oh, stop with the melodrama." CC looked up to the ceiling and slapped her forehead.
"I have a frail body." He moaned.
CC couldn't resist a giggle. "I just wear a T-shirt to sleep all year round."
Lelouch gasped in disbelief, "A T-shirt all around! What atrocity!"
CC turned to face Lelouch, "What do you wear then?"
"Silk in the summer, flannel in the winter." Lelouch answered honestly, "I'd prefer knits, but my skin develops a heavy rash with wool."
"Oh, really? I've learnt a lot more about you today." CC said closing her eyes, in a somewhat sarcastic tone that was missed by Lelouch.
"Oh?" Lelouch raised a finely manicured eyebrow.
There was an awkward silence before Lelouch blurted out the first thing he could think of, "Why did you run away from home?"
CC turned to face Lelouch, wondering whether to trust an almost stranger with a secret she had never told anyone before. Something about Lelouch's effeminate eyelashes struck a chord of nostalgia within CC's heart. Her mind went back to the sleepovers where all she and her friends would spill their deepest, darkest secrets to one another.
Her brain then habitually loosened her tongue and thus to Lelouch's delight CC decided to answer the question.
"Only if I'm allowed to ask you a question too."
Lelouch readily agreed.
"Prepared for a big monologue?"
Lelouch nodded.
"Well," began CC, "I lived in a high class family and went to a high class school…"
"CC, as the only daughter in our family, you must not disappoint us."
"I was expected to become the perfect lady and marry into a good family."
"That must be hard." Lelouch commented.
CC cleared a small area of the table and continued, saying, "Not really. I was born into that expectation so it never felt out of place. Naturally, I was in one of the most prestigious schools, "Ashford Private Academy." I was rich, they were rich. I fit in. I wasn't popular; I was the loner sitting in the toilets and eating my food at lunchtime."
CC sat on the cleared space. "Then one day, while we were out on an overnight excursion, I experienced something that changed my life…"
There was a push and a shove, and CC was separated from her group. Thrilled by the sudden sense of freedom, CC began wandering aimlessly in the streets of Tokyo. She was sure she could get back to the hotel no matter where she was. The hotel was the tallest building in the district.
Thoughtlessly crossing roads and observing normal life in front of her eyes, CC began wandering further away till she finally stopped in front of a glowing neon sign in an otherwise dark street.
The sign read:
Pizza Express
CC was slightly hesitant upon entering. She was very curious and wanted to see how a fast-food outlet worked (She had only heard of them). CC pushed the doors open, feeling very out of place and unsure what to do.
Then something hit her.
CC spun around and caught the scent of a delicious aroma drifting past her nostrils...
"Missie, whatcha staring at?" A gruff biker-man in shades looked at the short girl in front of him. Just as she was about to speak, her stomach grumbled loudly.
"Ya hungry?"
CC shyly nodded and the biker-man sighed.
"Come sit down with me. I guess I can afford to share a slice."
The male opened the box and a wave of that scrumptious scent overpowered CC's sense of smell.
"Thank you very much," CC said as she was handed a warm triangle.
CC bit into the salty slice with great anticipation. Her expectations were blown completely away by the taste of the pizza. It was glorious, heavenly… godly…
"Missie, you don't have to eat that quickly," The biker laughed.
CC looked up embarrassed, crumbs all over her face. She thanked that strange and kind stranger over and over again, to the point where he felt uncomfortable and left the store. Other customers were bamboozled at the antics of the teenage girl, wondering why said girl thanked the male so profusely.
Little did they know, the kind act of that stranger sparked an unrivalled passion with the heart of the tiny girl…
"So that's how I fell in love with pizza," CC declared. Sensing at the look of satisfaction on Lelouch's face she continued. "Now with the background story done, I'll get into why I ran away from home…"
A short while after the biker-man left, CC made her way out of the store and once again dove into the busy streets of Tokyo. After several blisters and random turns on the streets, CC miraculously arrived at the entrance to the hotel at the same time as her group.
Unnoticed, CC slipped back into her group. Being the wonderful people her friends were, they did not alert anyone of her sudden disappearance. In trade for such courtesy, however, they made her tell what she did during the half an hour she was missing.
Her best friend was particularly incessant about her story.
"CC! Tell me, where did you go? Oh-mi-gee~~~ Did you meet the guy of your dreams?"
"I think I might've met the love of my life."
All the girls leaned forward for the next, juiciest bit of information. "Who is it?" CC's friends grouped together in a tight circle to listen to the gossip.
"Pizza…" CC said. "I love pizza!"
"Huhh?" the girls all fell backwards.
CC relayed the events of the half hour she went missing to the girls.
"Is it only that?" There was a collective sigh of disappointment.
"I'd thought the mysterious bike-man would be much more interesting!"
CC's best friend looked at the green-haired girl worriedly. "But CC, upper-class people like us don't eat pizza."
"Yeah," another girl chimed in. "Your mother tolerated your love for truffles because it is considered a high-class food…. But pizza? That's for commoners!"
"CC, I think it's best to give up pizza… you wouldn't want to disgrace your family right?"
"Imagine all the rumors you'd start with you entering such a place…"
With that, the girls made her promise to never talk about the event or the forbidden food ever again.
"And so one day when I couldn't bear it anymore, I decided to run away. I don't want my family to be disgraced by my actions, and I want to pursue my interests."
"T-that's… an incredible reason to run away from home."
"Love does conquer all right?"
"Yes, it really does… Just look at how I relentlessly strive to be a top designer for Nunnali. Now for my next question… Hmmm, what should it be?"
"I don't know… But wait, isn't it my turn now?"
"Oh haha, you just used up your question. Yes, it was your turn but now it's mine. Heh."
:x:
Mao was disgusted as he kicked the curb of the pavement. He had been standing outside of the manor for more than hour trying to regain access. Perhaps the buzzer didn't work...
He had tried climbing over the fence, but had failed. After driving around the perimeter of the Lamperouge estate, he had realized that the gate was the only way in and the only way out. It was one of the reasons why Area 11 had chosen this location for their shoot. Not only did it have lush scenery and manicured lawns, but it also had security that could rival a military base. No crazy fans or paparazzi could get to them there.
With one last attempt, Mao pressed the buzzer. When there was still no response, he angrily left.
Inside the control room, Sayako, with headphones on full blast, laughed gleefully.
:x:
The singing nightingale sat on the pomegranate tree, singing his sorrowful song which pierced the fearful hollow of Lelouch's ear, awaking him.
Feeling refreshed and strange, even though he had only slept for a few hours (he and CC ended up talking for most of the night), he opened his eyes.
The reaction was dramatic, as though opening his eyes was a switch that turned inspiration on. His brain was instantly bombarded by flashes of themes, designs and fabric schemes.
Lelouch shut his eyes again, too happy and in disbelief. With a trembling hand, he pinched himself on his cheek, just to make sure he wasn't in a dream. The sharp pain confirmed that he wasn't and he instantly bounded out of bed, unable to contain himself.
After rummaging through the room for a pencil and some paper, he began drawing the image that was imprinted in his head.
While he expertly made quick strokes with his pencil, he looked over at CC, his mind runningthrough the various fabrics that would suit her. Crepe de Chine, he decided would be a good material, as it was soft and wavy and had an oriental gleam to it.
When the nightingale retired and the sharp discord of the lark broke out in song, Lelouch stood back from his drawing.
His most daring wish had been fulfilled.
Though a nagging feeling in the back of his brain told him it appeared because of the presence of a very short girl.
I will break down these walls...
Hi guys, it's been almost half a year since I've updated and I can't promise I'll go disappearing... but this story will be constantly in my mind till I finish it. (Might be in a few chapters or so, I'm not too sure of it myself.)
There are a couple of reasons why I haven't been updating:
1. I've been preoccupied with a new pet project of mine - scanlating. It's eating up heaps of my time and thought.
2. My personal life. Basically I've hit a mid-life crisis in my teenage years and for the first time ever, got a D for one of my English essays T.T I've been depressed and that caused my grades to drop which causes me to be even more despressed and thus caused a downard spiral of fail ness.
Thank you for spending your time reading this, special thanks to the fans who've stuck with me from the beginning and have tolerated my lack of updating.
Useless trivia time: What is the thing that brightens up your day the most?
Mine is when someone shows me that they care ie. by giving me a warm response when I greet them and such.
I'll try update soon!
Tofu out!