I've been sleeping a lot lately. I'm not sick or anything, but I've just been tired this week. I was planning on posting yesterday, but I ended up taking a nap instead. I also had a dream about Code Geass a few days ago. I was Zero, and I had a pet dragon named Ice. There were always a tone of people after me, so whenever I needed to make a big getaway I'd jump from a window and call, 'Catch me Ice!' Then I'd ride away on her back, laughing. It was fun!

Lelouch: That is certainly very creative.

SnowyNeko: You think? Ice could fly, too.

Lelouch: How many times did you have to make a getaway?

SnowyNeko: Oh, I lost track after five I think. I don't really know, other than a lot.

Shirley: What did your dragon look like?

SnowyNeko: She was a pale pink, with an icy blue underside and yellow eyes. Her wings were purple. XD

Shirley: Wouldn't it be cool if dragons were real?

Lelouch: I'm sure it'd be great having giant, dangerous reptiles flying around.

SnowyNeko: Yupperdoodles! It'd be awesome!

Lelouch: ...

Shirley: SnowyNeko doesn't own any of Code Geass, but I think she wishes she did.

SnowyNeko: Yupperdoodles!

When Lelouch unveils the new, mobile headquarters to us, my mouth drops. A place like this…only Britannians with money to burn can afford something like it. Whoever its original owner was, they have to have been filthy rich. There's even a second floor and T.V. The person who previously owned it definitely loved to indulge themselves.

I imagine Lulu got his hands on it fairly easily, whether through geass or gambling. When I had returned the bike to Rivalz, I had asked about Lelouch's apparent gambling. The spunky boy explained to me that Lulu is infamous in the world of gambling. He had the best of luck in betting, the best poker face (which came as absolutely no surprise), and often played chess against wealthy Britannian men. While on rare occasions he lost at poker, and luck is simply chance, he never lost at chess.

Hearing that from Rivalz made me grin. As a child, Lelouch would challenge all of his older siblings to games of chess. He'd always manage to beat them somehow, even those more than fifteen years our seniors. The only one I recall him ever loosing to would be Schneizel.

I chuckle to myself while the others gush over the place as if they've never seen anything like it. They probably haven't. Although I've seen dozens of them, and been in almost ten of them, I don't have to fake the fascination in my eyes.

Ohgi walks in carrying a box bulging from being overstuffed, drawing our attentions. Eyes on him, he approaches Zero and heaves the box onto the table in front of him.

"Is this what you wanted?" he asks, ripping it open. The contents turn out to be black uniforms of some sort.

So he wants this rebellion to be official, does he? I think to myself. Lelouch is getting serious. No, he was serious from the beginning. He was one to openly express his opinion of our father when we were small. His point of view haunting me is what changed my opinion of the empire and what turned me rebellious. He would never joke around with something like this. Still, I don't think many terrorist leaders would think of making uniforms. Lulu is truly one of a kind.

One of the rebels settles himself on the couch and hits the on button on the T.V remote. It flashes on and displays a tall building surrounded by water on all sides.

"Terrorists have captured the Lake Kawaguchi Convention Center Hotel and cut off at entrances except the front. The military is standing by, but has yet to announce any movement. It is suspected this is due to the hostages held inside."

My eyes fly wide and I step closer to Zero, leaning down to whisper. "Weren't some of the student council members going there today?"

"The leader of the terrorists has claimed to be Kusakabe, a former Lieutenant-Colonel in the Japanese military.

"Area 11 is the largest producer of Sakuradite and the meeting between Sakuradite producers was to be held here today. With those people taken hostage, the power of Britannia may be at stake."

Ohgi grabs the remote from the rebel and flips off the television. "Sounds like the Japanese Liberation Front has made their move," he states, sighing. He acts as if it doesn't concern him, which irritates me. Even if the perpetrators are Japanese, that doesn't justify their actions at all! Doing such a thing…they're going to try to negotiate something and Cornelia won't stand for that. The Liberation Front does, however, have the advantage of hostages, so they'll use them. They'll kill them.

There's a tug at my sleeve. I turn to see Kallen standing like a soldier, but there is worry in her gaze.

"Nine, Shirley and Milly all went there today," she mutters with urgency. "We have to do something!"

"Don't worry, I know," I tell her with a nod. "I just asked Zero to help as a personal request."

"Personal? Will he really just take requests like-"

"We will go to the hotel," Zero declares, lifting himself to his feet, "and we will rescue the hostages." This causes unrest among the rebels, not including Kallen and me. We both let a little bit of tension slip away from us.

"But why-"

Zero interrupts the complaint. "We are here for justice, to support those who are weak. This is the ideal time for us to prove it! It may also be possible for us to converse with Kusakabe and get him to assist us."

And so, with Zero having put the disapproving rebels in their place, a plan is formulated and we set out to put it in action.

The sun set an hour ago and the media are still here. Luckily. Their presence is an invaluable part of our plan. Camera trailer three is the easiest target, being farthest away from the military operation and with very few people around. I've disguised myself lightly in the pretense of a news reporter for a newspaper, with my hair in a tight bun and a notebook.

"Not much is needed to blend in," was my response when Lelouch expressed his doubts. Surely he realized they'd be suspicious when they don't recognize me, but I convinced him to trust me. In all honesty, I'm nervous.

This'll be my first time using my geass.

In the shadows, Lelouch, Kallen, and a few other handpicked rebels are waiting for my 'all clear' signal. I round the trailer and try the door, relieved to find it unlocked. I step up into the trailer and shut the door as quietly as possible.

My hand tucks my pen behind my ear and rolls up my sleeve. I specifically wore this shirt because it only just barely covers my geass symbol. I run through the rules of my geass again in my head. The number one requirement is that the mark remains in the sight of whomever I'm using it on. It should work similar to Lelouch's, in the way that the target won't remember encountering me. At least, that's what Lelouch told me about his geass.

As I finish the thought, the chair swivels to face me. I jump, but use a bobby pin to hold my sleeve up so I won't have to hold it for the red shape on my skin remains visible.

The man in the chair jolts into a standing position, apparently startled by me as well. "Julia! Weren't you here earlier today?" I force a polite smile, to which he smiles back. This 'Julia' is certainly someone he likes.

"I was," I admit falsely, "but the boss wants you. He told me to hold the fort while you were gone, since you'll be away for a while."

His expression immediately becomes panicky and he stumbles to collect his things before turning back to me. "Can you handle the cameras? Do you know how?" When I nod, he hustles past me without another word. His boss must be a horrifying person.

Curious, I glance into one of the screens that are black. The reflection I see is one of a blond, slightly tanned woman in her mid twenties. Her figure is beautiful, and she's clearly too young for the guy before. Geez, this world is just full of perverts. It also just so happens our student council president is one of them. I watch in amazement when I cover the geass mark and the image of the older woman melts into my seventeen-year-old self. I wonder if I'll ever get used to seeing that. I'm sure this power will help me help Lelouch, but it's limited in its uses. I just hope I can do enough with it.

Taking a deep breath, I go back to the door and wave to the others. They dash out of the shadows and barge into the trailer. Zero stands as an overseer as the rebels slide into the chairs and begin to press buttons. While we watch them at their work, Lelouch turns to me.

"Tori, I want you with me when we're inside the hotel. Kallen and the others will be busy, so it'll only be you and me talking with Kusakabe."

"Huh?" Did I hear him right? Shouldn't he go by himself? Wouldn't it be best if he didn't favor me? "Why?"

"Because if I'm right, we're about to see Euphie."

I was originally was going to make this longer and have the encounter with Cornelia and Euphemia in this chapter as well, but that didn't happen. Oh well, more time for them in the next chapter! So we have her geass revealed. She can turn into anyone, but there are limitations of course. She can only do it if the person she's using her geass on has seen whoever it is she's becoming, and she can only use it on five people at once and for only five minutes max. that's just in case you were wondering. I can't wait to write about Euphie and Tori's reunion. I'm not exactly sure it'll be a happy one.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!