Putting on Kajiura's 'my long forgotten cloistered sleep' track on loop. In which the overall tune of the song/melody helped a lot in getting me to type the rest of this chapter.

Longest chapter ever YES!

Edit: I added a bit more about having Suzaku into Knight of Seven in here. Since I can't think of other reason to allow him to get the position now. Also added the mention of Kirihara's fate. Since on a later chapter, I made a reference on a plot point that was from canon but then realised that this au hadn't had that part mentioned.

Chapter 7.091: The Sword of Akasha

o

o

After a few days passed he thought that it would be right to ask Kallen about their current situation. Once he stopped being fussed on by either Kallen or Jeremiah... or that old physician, Dr. Ainsley, who first visited him two days earlier. And strangely enough, despite what Kallen told him about the girl named Anya's involvement in saving his life—for the lack of other words to describe it—as well as the reason on why they ended up returning to Pendragon, the girl has not concerned herself with him at all for the past few days. Which was an odd thing... and made him wonder about Anya's true motivations. Considering that the girl was—as Kallen informed him beforehand—the Knight of Six, which also happened to be the same old title that his mother once held.

So right after a late breakfast... and once they're back in his room, he asked her the question. Since he wasn't able to figure it out himself.

If this was one of Schneizel's ploy... his older brother would've come to see him again once he woke up. If it was someone else—and god forbid, his father himself!—said person should've made their presence known to them by this time. But besides the two people—Jeremiah and Anya—no one else had appeared to make contact with him and he found that uncanny. It was unlikely there would be anyone in Britannia who would be sympathizing with him or the Black Knights to warrant them to go the lengths to save him. Much less hid him in this villa—even if the villa itself appeared to be left abandoned after all these years.

And that itself added to the strangeness of their situation. They were told that the villa had been closed ever since the time he and Nunnally were sent to Japan. Yet the villa itself, and everything inside—the amenities, furniture... everything—had been well maintained, as Kallen herself confirmed it. As if it had been waiting for this very moment for his—or anyone else's—return to reoccupy this place. But that didn't make any sense! Why would anyone do that?

He told Kallen all of his thoughts on this matter, and she herself was not able to provide any answer to the questions. Despite the fact that she had two months to try to find out the details while he had continued sleeping, Kallen explained that regardless of how much she'd tried to find out the true nature of their circumstances... she was never given a straight answer. Definitely not from Jeremiah since he wasn't the one in charge. The man had happily resumed his duties of 'protecting' them as if it was the most natural thing for him to do... and Anya—ever since that night when she first appeared, her other personality... the one that gave the command to Jeremiah to take the two of them to Britannia never appeared again. Or at least whenever Kallen was awake to notice anything about her.

There was a silver lining though. While she wasn't able to find out anything regarding their own situation, she managed to find out bits and pieces of what happened in Japan. It wasn't quite an easy feat regardless. Every time she wanted to try to take the newspaper that Jeremiah had left behind after he finished reading them, she had to pretend that she was much more interested with the tabloid side of the news columns rather than the more serious ones. Despite his current mannerism nowadays, Jeremiah was still sensitive over any hints or signs when she had shown concerns over the Black Knight's activities. And he was very adamant in making sure she wouldn't try to secretly escape with Lelouch back to Japan in order to reassume their Black Knight's roles.

"So what did you found out?" Lelouch started to say as Kallen glanced around, making sure that no one else was listening.

"Not much," she said, before letting out a sigh. "The Black Knights were still out and about, I guess... but there were some significant losses."

She glanced up to see his worried face before continuing, "Ohgi was detained in an operation last month, Tamaki was caught a few weeks before that but that's probably over some stupid reasons. It doesn't sound as if Ikaruga's been captured..." Kallen bit her lips before continuing. "The people in Kyoto... the news about them that I could get hadn't mentioned it in detail, but a few of the senior leaders had been captured. Kirihara-san... had been one of those in Kyoto who has been executed."

Lelouch barely showed her any reaction, but she could tell that in some way that he was taken aback by the news. She used to wonder what was the relationship Kirihara-san had with Lelouch, but now that she was aware of Lelouch's secrets... she assumed that Kirihara must have been amongst the few who had been aware of Lelouch's true identity.

She paused for a moment, hesitating if she should tell him anything more as Lelouch urged her to continue. Kallen heaved another long sigh.

"Suzaku was made the Knight of Seven by Prince Schneizel. And uhm, Nunnally... was now currently the Viceroy for Area 11, but it's mostly Schneizel who was doing the administration work behind the scenes," she said quickly, as Kallen noticed him clenching his hands after hearing that bit.

"Schneizel—" she hesitated, "—didn't release anything else about you... or us. I tried to look for any mentions of any news regarding that night but I found nothing save one. Which mentioned that a freak storm hit the palace area at that time and caused some substantial damage to the area. But aside from that, there were no more articles about Zero or the fact that you're Zero or anything of the likes."

"Because doing so had no use to him." Lelouch sighed. "Back then, that piece of information was a useful trump card that he could have used against me. But with me gone—"

He frowned. "Now I'm just wondering why on earth were we being taken here. Was there some hidden motive—because that's the only reason why I'd think anyone would do us a favour by sheltering us here in secret..."

"Were you curious?" Both of them froze as Kallen glanced around towards the new voice that just spoke. And to no surprise, it was Anya. And for once, Kallen noticed for the first time that Anya's eyes this time had a ring of bright red glow encircling each iris.

xxx

Kallen frowned at the girl. Again, this time the girl was back in the same personality as when she first made her appearance. By instinct, she held her arms in front of Lelouch... pulling him to her side as she eyed Anya warily.

Anya just smiled. "I'm impressed, my dear Lelouch. I thought only C.C. would go all out to protect you like this. But I guess, girls were just drawn to you, isn't it? You're just like your father, how charming..."

"What the hell you're saying?" Both of them cried out almost at the same time as their faces turned red; Kallen, out of embarrassment and Lelouch, out of anger.

"Don't lump me the same as that person!" exclaimed Lelouch, furious. "Anyway, who are you exactly?"

The girl just sighed. "I was hoping to introduce myself to you in a better setting, my dear. But oh well..."

Anya climbed onto the bed as well and crawled over to their side. Kallen continued to hold Lelouch's arm protectively as Anya approached them. The girl cocked her head towards them.

"Don't let this body fool you, my dears... I'm only borrowing her for a while," Anya said again before turning her attention towards Lelouch. "Don't you recognize me from the way I speak, dear? My beloved son..."

"W-what... what nonsense are you talking about?" Kallen exclaimed, before turning to Lelouch looking aghast. "Lelouch! Don't tell me you believed her on this crap!"

She glanced back at the girl. "What're you trying to pull—?"

xxx

"This is me, Lelouch. It's me... Marianne, your mother..."

Kallen continued to tell him to not believe in this person's words and he did feel inclined to trust her on that, yet...

A part of him couldn't help feeling that the girl was telling him the truth. In which the statement itself didn't make any sense! His mother, Marianne vi Britannia... was long dead. He knew that all too well. He had seen her dead body with his own eyes!

Yet, why did this person... why did this girl—who sounded as if she was around their own age—claimed to be his long-dead mother? And why did a part of him... wanted to believe in those words? Lelouch forced himself to shake his head.

"No! You can't be—!"

He could hear the girl sigh.

"I guess, this was the only way to make you believe me..."

"What're you doing—?" Kallen suddenly cried out as she grabbed his arm... almost at the same time as another hand grabbed his.

The next moment he realized, they were standing in a place filled with light. And he could see again. Kallen was beside him... and there was another girl standing in front of him that he never met before. The girl now was smiling at him the way his mother used to smile at him.

"If I show you this... would you believe me?" she spoke again before taking a step backwards. Suddenly the girl's form started to change... gradually into someone that he never thought he would see again.

Lelouch gasped, as he stared at the person that now appeared before him. Someone... he never thought he could see again.

"Mother?"

xxx

Almost as soon as the girl 'Anya' made the surprising revelation, the three of them were back in Lelouch's bedroom again. Kallen blinked.

"What... what was that just now?" she cried out as 'Anya' shrugged.

"Just a demonstration..."

Kallen continued to eye the girl warily but then started to turn her attention towards Lelouch when she noticed he began to look even more troubled. 'Anya' placed a hand on Lelouch's cheek.

"I know that this seemed a bit too sudden, but I'd like to take you someplace to show you something."

That sentence made her feel wary again as Kallen gripped Lelouch's arm tightly.

"I'm not going to let you take Lelouch to some strange places—"

The girl just turned her attention towards her, "Then why don't you just come along with us. Since I bet he wouldn't want to leave you alone here either," she said again matter-of-factly as Kallen was taken off guard.

'Anya' then proceeded to go out and told her to get Lelouch and herself ready while she went out to find Jeremiah to fetch them. All the while, Kallen still didn't understand what's going on around her.

xxx

It was almost in the late evening when they arrived at the location. They were taken to the Pendragon Palace, as Anya told Jeremiah to wait by himself... before telling Lelouch and Kallen to follow her by foot. She led them down into some secret passage that led to some underground ruins that seemed to have been around for a very long time. They continued walking before reaching a wall (or a large door?). Kallen looked up and noticed a familiar symbol etched on the old stones. For some reason, the symbol looked slightly similar to the one that Lelouch had used for the Black Knights. As well as the one they saw on the ruins in Kaminejima back in Japan before.

"Was this place, related to the power that Lelouch had?", she wondered. She could have asked Lelouch about it, but he's not exactly in any position to know.

Anya started tinkering with some kind of machinery as the symbols on the platform and the gate in front of them started to glow brightly.

When she opened her eyes again, Kallen found herself again in a room filled with bright lights. And it appeared that they were surrounded by multiple portraits of different people and scenery as Kallen started to wonder about their significance. She walked closer to one portrait and to her surprise it showed a scene from her memory, yet she didn't remember it ever being photographed.

She heard Lelouch gasped behind her, and turned to find him standing before a family portrait. Upon closer inspection, she realized that it was a portrait of Lelouch and Nunnally, alongside their mother... in a beautiful garden. A garden from Aries, in fact.

"What's the meaning of this?" Lelouch started to say, as Kallen realised that Lelouch was able to see with his eyes at this place.

"We're in the World of C, where all consciousness is gathered." Both of them turned around to see Lelouch's mother standing before them. "And the reason why I can appear as my true form here, as well as the reason why you were able to regain your sight for now."

"Why are you taking us here?" Lelouch asked as he continued, "—what was it that you wanted to show me?"

"Follow me."

Thus the two of them followed the woman until they arrived at a place where another person was standing alone. Lelouch tensed as both of them recognized the person immediately.

The man gave them a brief glance before turning away, disinterested.

"Marianne... why did you bring them here?"

"I thought perhaps we should tell the truth to our son. About the plan,"

"Why?"

"Charles—dear, are you still going to continue with the pretence? Our beloved Lelouch had been gravely hurt for some time and I know that you've been worrying too..."

The man didn't respond as Lelouch gritted his teeth. "What nonsense are you trying to pull. I have no care to believe—!"

"Charles! Don't you think it would be better for him to know the truth? If he did, surely he'd be able to understand..."

"Was that the reason that you let go of the chance to recover C.C. in favour of him?"

"What? Was this all because of C.C.—?" Lelouch started to say before Marianne cut him off.

"It's because Lelouch was hurt. Didn't we agree that we'd listen to both Nunnally and Lelouch's opinions before continuing?"

"Knowing Nunnally's thoughts about it should be enough..."

"My love!"

xxx

Lelouch frowned as his father turned around to face him. Yet for some reason, the aged man felt to him like a stranger—no, it was more like... the Emperor Charles zi Britannia that stood before him had been a different person than the last time he remembered him. Or seen in broadcasts.

Or better put, this Charles seemed to have a lot more emotion that the one he was used to seeing. At least, the one he knew didn't usually have this sad expression on his face. Why would he be sad anyway? He no longer remembered a time when the man had last shown any expressions to show that he actually cares about anything in this world. Much less his own children!

And then his father finally spoke. He started by telling Lelouch how in his younger years Britannia had always been at war as royalties fought against each other in a bid to claim the throne. And Charles, alongside his brother V.V., had witnessed so much blood and carnage and destruction as humanity succumb to their greed. From that moment, they had promised to not keep lies to each other and be truthful. While they made plans to create a 'kind and gentle' world. In which his father began to explain the nature of the place they were in—the World of C—and what it meant for them. His father also talked about the purpose of the thought elevators, the Plan... and ultimately, the purpose of the Sword of Akasha.

To which Lelouch found everything to be just a pile of bullshit!

xxx

Lelouch couldn't hide his disbelief at what he just heard. But before voicing out his thoughts, he turned to face his mother.

"Before anything, mother... what actually happened to you?" he asked.

Marianne smiled at him weakly. She started explaining that on that fateful night, she told Cornelia to dismiss all of the royal guards from duty. Since it was requested by V.V. who wanted to have a word with her in private. But it turned out that V.V. was planning to kill her because he thought that Charles' attachment to her was taking his focus away from fulfilling their plan. And just around that time, two royal guards had come down towards their meeting place. When she dropped her guards on V.V. and tried to warn the two to leave, V.V. took that chance to shoot them all. At that time, little Anya who has been sent to the villa to learn some etiquette witnessed the incident. In her last moment, Marianne had activated her Geass for the first time and her soul hid inside of Anya's body.

Charles picked up the narrative and continued explaining that afterwards he had asked his twin brother about it but V.V. denied any knowledge of it. That made him mad since the two have made a promise to not lie to each other and his brother just shamelessly lied to him. And he also used Nunnally as a fake witness to make people believe that the murder was done by some elusive terrorists. He then proceeded to alter Anya and Nunnally's memories of the incident and sent Lelouch and Nunnally to Japan in order to protect them from V.V. under the guise of making them into political hostages.

At that last line, Lelouch immediately broke his silence.

"That's nonsense! How could you claim that you were protecting us? You didn't even show us that you cared about us at all after the incident! You didn't even look for us after the war! And you called Nunnally a weakling that's not worth caring back then! You told me that I was DEAD! Don't you dare say that you did all of this to protect Nunnally and me!"

"Lelouch! " Marianne interjected. "You father really do c—"

"And what's this about creating a kind and gentle world by killing the 'gods' and uniting everyone inside the collective consciousness? What kind of world would that be? That's just a stagnant world! That not the kind of world that Euphie... Nunnally or anyone else would've wanted! "

"If you wanted to create a kind and gentle world, you should start by becoming kind yourself! If you wanted to create a more truthful world, you should've started by becoming truthful yourself! When you do that everyone would've tried to follow suit. Then everyone would've started to change—"

"That's just feeble words that the weak used to—"

"DON'T YOU TRY TO THROW YOUR SOCIAL DARWINISM BELIEF HERE!" Lelouch screamed as his legs suddenly gave out from underneath him. Kallen hastily caught him mid-fall as they laid sprawled spread-legged on the ground. "How could you claim to want to create a kind and gentle world when your actions promoted the opposite? How could you claim to want to protect when all you did was oppress the ones you wanted to protect?"

"This idiot! Don't you realize that we did this for you—?"

"Don't you dare say that to me. In the end, all you ever did was abandon us!" Lelouch raised his voice angrily as he shouted towards his father. "How could you claim to know what 'kind and gentle' world would be like? You're just gonna create a world that's only kind to you alone! That's not a world that is truly kind and gentle!"

Lelouch wiped his tear-stricken face as he confronted his father. "Do you even realize what Nunnally's smile meant? She lost her sight and mobility from such an early age. Her smile was the only way for her to show kindness!", he screamed as Marianne let out a small gasp.

"Such a trivial thi—"

Marianne suddenly lifted a hand to stop her husband before kneeling beside Lelouch and Kallen.

"I'm sorry, my dear. You're right, Lelouch. Your father and I were very mistaken about our beliefs. I'm sorry that all these times we've been hiding this truth from both of you. I'm sorry to make you believe that all these times we've been abandoning you. We didn't mean to make you think that way! We should've been more honest to you and Nunnally from the very beginning. "

She tried to give Lelouch a hug but he quickly pushed her hands away. Only when Marianne acted more firmly and begged that Lelouch didn't refuse her that he relented and allowed his mother to embrace him finally. As Marianne held her son tightly in her arms, she let out a long sigh.

"I wonder... if I've forgotten those beliefs after so long."

Lelouch glanced up towards her. His mother seemed to be deep in thought.

"Had I... lost my mind when V.V. killed me? That I could no longer see clearly of what's in front of me?"

"Marianne..."

Marianne turned around and glanced up towards her husband.

"Charles... did we, lose our way again without realizing? Will this plan truly bring out a kind world that we wished for? Or were we just being conceited?"

Kallen glanced up towards Charles as the man appeared conflicted.

"Then Lelouch... what would be the better answer that you could think of in your mind? How would you stop humanity's thirst for war? Aside from forcing them all into a collected consciousness or put them in line by a ruling based on fear... what other ways would you pursue in order to bring about a gentler world?"

Lelouch turned his eyes towards his father as he spoke clearly.

"One was an existence that clings to the past, another was rooted to the present. How could either of that be a better choice? I wanted a better future. It's what Nunnally, Euphie... Kallen and anyone else sane enough would've wished for!"

Charles frowned at him. "Then how are you going to grasp that future?"

"I don't know!" he cried out, pulling away from his mother's embrace. "But still, I wanted a future! It's how I managed to keep surviving. It's because there's still the future! That's why even if I'm not sure what was it I'm supposed to do... I'll still try to reach for the future! Any other world that didn't consider the future, I will definitely reject it!"

Lelouch hung his head low, as he spoke out in a voice that could barely be heard by anyone. "I'll strive for that future, no matter how difficult pursuing that path could be. Even if I have to sacrifice myself..."

Marianne immediately turned her attention towards him as she barely caught what he just said under his breath. Charles continued frowning at him before he too dropped to his knee and held out a hand to lift Lelouch's face so that he would face him.

"Very well. Then go find that answer."

Lelouch let out a gasp as Charles gave him a grim smile. Was this really the father he had been opposing all these times?

"When you found it, prove to me that your answer was the better one. Show me that your way was the better one and Ragnarok Connection—this Sword of Akasha—will lose its intended purpose."

xxx

Kallen felt as if she has just witnessed something big. No, something incredibly enormous that she couldn't have even imagined even if she tried. To think that she first started on this path only for the sole purpose of liberating her homeland—the country from where she was born from the clutches of tyranny.

But now, it was as if they're holding the fate of the world in their hands!

"Kallen... wasn't it?" Kallen started to blink as she turned to face Marianne, Lelouch's mother.

"Would you mind taking my son back by yourself? I still have something that I needed to do here..." said the lady as she quickly accepted the request.

xxx

When they returned to Aries Imperial Villa, she immediately took Lelouch to his bedroom. But even then, it didn't seem as if Lelouch has got better ever since they left the place that they went to earlier.

"Kallen. What... should I do know?"

Kallen turned to face Lelouch, who was also sitting on the bed beside her. Looking as dejected as he had been earlier, but this time... a different kind of concern plagued his thoughts.

"Earlier, I spoke... almost boastfully that I'll find a better way. A different path that I could pursue in order to create a kind and gentle world for Nunnally. Yet, as it stands now... what kind of action should I take? What kind of power should I use? What kind of—"

Kallen placed a finger on Lelouch's lips, effectively stopping him from uttering any more words. The action itself took her by surprise but listening to Lelouch continuing to beat himself up, she just didn't like it.

She really didn't like it. It wasn't the Zero—the Lelouch—that she had grown to respect and admired. The Zero that she used to know had been so confident, so charismatic... to whom she could leave her doubts aside and serve with all her hearts. The Lelouch... Lamperouge that she used to know, despite all of the teasings that he used to give her, she could tell that he was a kind soul. And brave... to have still overcome all obstacles that he been burdened with despite being a discarded royalty and kept on surviving. Lelouch Lamperouge... who, for the sake of his sister had silently taken all the burdens by himself, and strive his best to change the world to become a better place for her.

Both Zero and Lelouch Lamperouge were some pieces that made up Lelouch vi Britannia. They were a glimpse of what—who Lelouch vi Britannia had been and more.

So for that same Lelouch... to be so lost right now, she could not accept this side of him at all!

xxx

"Why... did you tend to put yourself down so much?"

Lelouch felt his heart skip a beat. Either it was due to Kallen's finger still being placed on his lips or the way she spoke, but he could feel a tingle inside his heart. Or perhaps it was also because he couldn't see her with his eyes at the moment and could only rely on her voice to know where she was... that he became overly aware of himself. He turned his face away as his cheeks started to become warm.

But now that he thought about it, Kallen was right. He did tend to put himself down too much whenever he felt that the situation around him had started to become too overwhelming.

Yet, how else should he feel?

It would have been better if his father remained a figure to be hated and someone that he must defeat at all cost. It would have been better if his father remained to be part of his worst nightmare that he needed to banish from this world. It would've been better if he didn't have to see that the person that he used to resent so much, turn back into someone that he used to deeply respect and depend on.

As if finding out the truth about what truly happened to his mother was not shocking enough...

So what should he do now?

Rather than Japan, he was back in Pendragon—his real homeland—right now. After so long. His former heritage aside, he was no longer sure what power he still has. If the physician that visited him a few days ago was correct, once his eyes regained its light... he should—might be able to regain the use of his Geass powers. And even that Geass... may still be unstable. But besides that, what else?

The Black Knights? Would he still have them fighting alongside him once he returned to Japan? Kallen aside, he was not too sure about the rest. Barring C.C... and of course, Sayoko. How loyal would they still be to him if Schneizel decides to reveal his true identity to them? If they found out the truth about what happened to Euphie... as well as his power? Would his Black Knights support him still?

During the time he and Kallen disappeared without a trace, there weren't any reports released regarding them in the news. And despite the fact that Schneizel has found out about his identity as Zero—due to the incident that happened after—his brother ended up not being able to use that information to his advantage. But if he and Kallen return to Japan right now—there was no doubt that Schneizel would use that information against him. Also... Schneizel still had Nunnally under his control. As long as Nunnally remained in Japan as Area 11's Viceroy, under Schneizel's control... he couldn't—!

"You're thinking about a lot of stuff inside that head of yours again... huh? Was that why you end up stressing yourself too much?"

Lelouch blinked. For a moment, he forgot that Kallen was still around...

Kallen spoke to him again—but before he could comprehend what she was talking about, Lelouch felt a pair of lips suddenly pressing onto his own.

"Kalle—!" he cried out before Kallen shushed him again, deepening the kiss.

It was an odd sensation. Kallen's lips were so soft... and warm. And for some reason, he could feel her warmth spreads to—not only his lips but to every last inch of his body. It was different from when he kissed Shirley, though back then... the only thing he could recall was the rain and Shirley's sorrow and his guilt. Yet right now...

It felt so intimate, yet a part of him felt that it was improper for both of them to do this at this time. Still, he closed his unseeing eyes and let her venture further. Her lips left his own before he felt her lips kissing his cheeks, his ear... before returning to claim his lips once again. The sensations he felt from her touch caused him to let out sounds that he never thought he'd make in his lifetime. Kallen's kisses... while it seemed so sudden considering that she was the one who first initiated it—it was also so gentle. Lelouch tried to return the favour by kissing her back—and Kallen let out a surprised gasp that sounded like music to his ears.

He shouldn't be doing something like this at this time. Yet, another voice started telling him to just set the concerns aside and forget everything else for a while.

For a second he's forgotten that he had only his frail arms supporting his back as he braced himself to receive Kallen's affection for him. So when he tried to reach out towards her with one arm, the other couldn't support their combined weight and lead both of them to fall flat on the bed in a tangle of limbs.

Their heads almost clashed as they fell at the same time.

xxx

Kallen blinked dumbly as she stared down towards the person below him. Somehow, their positioning... turned into something quite scandalous. She was now on top of him, her hips just barely straddling his. Her arms were holding onto his on both sides, their chests barely touching. And Lelouch's face... if she'd just lower her face even just for a little bit, she could've easily touched him... nose to nose.

Lelouch's face was flushed red now. Either it was from her earlier kisses, or the fact that they were so entangled like this... it was not hard for her to see how much he was so affected by their close proximity. Somehow seeing him like this, made her feel a bit guilty. He was always so frail, so having him pinned like this made her feel too much like a predator eyeing its prey.

She was about to pull away from him as his hands stopped her from making a move. Lelouch shook his head as his eyes stared blankly towards her.

"No, don't go. Please don't leave..."

Somehow, the way Lelouch said those lines tugged onto her heart. "Lelouch, I would never—"

Without thinking she had leaned over to plant a kiss on one of Lelouch's eyes when those very eyes had become teary. And almost at the same time, she felt Lelouch's arms wrapped around her... not allowing her to leave.

"Silly, how could I ever leave your side..." she whispered before returning the embrace.

A/N: I revised a bit of the end part, cos I get self-conscious over the bit on Lulu-Kallen there hahaha. Which means the next chapter (and the related scenes) will also getting a slight revision. Since the teeny bit was supposed to be innocent. Also because yes, when you reread your writing a thousand times you tend to keep noticing parts that you wished you didn't write, and yep... you just HAVE to fix it.