Code Light Chapter 11: A Date

"Aww man Light, did you see his face? That was fantastic! He was so shocked!" Ryuk guffawed loudly in his raspy voice. Light as usual refused to be amused. He merely stated,

"I did what I had to do, Ryuk. After all, our good friend Robert vi Brittania did pay me well to protect Lelouch." He allowed himself to smile. Brittanian fool thought he could hide his name behind a silly alias. How many brothers could the emperor possible be close to? Another observation he had made was that he also used a repeating letter alias, as did C.C.. Perhaps there were 26 of the Immortals about. However, if that were true then there was a severely disproportionate number of Immortals to geass holders. It also implied that either most did not grant geass or could be incapacitated in some way. He would have to do additional research. However, he did now have plenty of time. Robert, or V.V. as he wished to be called had provided him with an international list of all convicted criminals, that had managed to avoid capital punishment. Though his face had been stoic at the time, Light's heart had jumped within his chest and he gleefully spent a sleepless night writing all their names in the Death Note. He would be set for the next year exactly. V.V. pledged a list of 8,760 criminals to be sent to him thirteen days before each new year. Apparently every noble had at least some flair for the dramatic.

"So whatcha gonna do next?" Ryuk floated with his wings out, despite the fact that he didn't really need them to fly. Light disapproved because it blocked his vision. In the dark as they strolled to Light's new on campus quarters that had been provided for boom. V.V. had insisted on Light being closer to Lelouch at all times. His new room, or more accurately, his new building, had been the old greenhouse for the horticulture club. The Immortal had nested that with a job so close to death, he should spend more time around living things. As Light stepped inside, he noticed that the place seemed rather clean and tidy for a place that hadn't been used in several years. VPro probably had hidden some bugs in the place when he'd ordered it to be renovated.

"You hired me for my caution and I refuse to work while you spy on me. I am grateful, but I still don't trust you." He checked the usual spots, behind mirrors, near phones and doors and to be safe, he meticulously ran a strong magnet along every inch of the place.

"Sheesh Light, you sure are calm for someone who thinks their house has been bugged." Light crushed a small rose in his hand, which fell apart with a metallic tinkle.

"Nature adores the fibonacci sequence. Had it been a real rose, it would have had 13 counterclockwise spirals." Light looked to Ryuk. "As for how calm I am, it is because I am certain the Immortal will not defeat the God of Justice with such cheap tricks. Get to work finding any more bugs Ryuk, there will be an apple waiting for each one you find." Ryuk's face lit up like a child on Christmas morning and his grey skin disappeared into the wall with a sense of urgency unbecoming of a god of death.

Now on to other business. Light thought. It was late, but he hardly needed to be awake for school anyhow. Time to reassess his engagement with Lelouch. The last time they spoke, Light had revealed that he knew Lelouch's identity as prince. However by saving him from those ruffians earlier that night, he had undoubtedly proven that he bore Lelouch no ill will. So keeping lelouch from seeing him as a threat had been accomplished. Now that he had been assured that he and Zero were the same, it seemed as if joining the rebellion would be an excellent way to get closer. But how was he going to do that?

It did not take long for him to recall the events of his first day at Ashford Academy. Lelouch and Kallen had been discussing Shinjuku and Zero had no need to speak to a civilian. Kallen was undoubtedly a pilot for Zero and did not know he was Lelouch. Perhaps he could get her to invite him into the resistance group. He had a plan now and everything would go accordingly.

When he arrived to class the next day he made sure to arrive before Lelouch. Nothing had changed, things were as they always were. It seemed that he had either received late-night hospitality or his grim demeanor was one of pain instead of hatred today, because despite the darkness and lack of blood that at least a rib had been broken. They avoided eye contact as they always did, but Light noticed that his hand trembled as it carried the laptop. So Light had merely overestimated the severity of Lelouch's injuries.

Reexpanding his view of attention and noted that the two who had accosted Lelouch were still missing. Apparently they had committed grave crimes, for the severity of the penance was proportional to the foul deeds done. He had not had the time to fully explore his powers, but V.V. Had remarked that Light was the only one recorded to have immediately manifested dual-eye usage of his geass. Wabisuke, he called his power, to force the evil in the world to repent.

Kallen was present, fortunately enough and Light approached her after class.

"Good morning Kallen, how are you?"

"I'm fine." She spoke with an air of suspicion. Light had not been in the game of more intimate social contact for quite some time, he needed to warm up a little.

"I see you're not going on the field trip with most of the class."

"No, I didn't think it would be all that interesting to visit the convention center."

"So does that mean you're free later tonight?" Kallen's eyes visibly widened as Light felt his manipulative side smile.

"Well I... I don't have anything planned... " she stammered out. Light took the opening

"You want to grab something to eat for dinner together? I know this place that makes great donburi, I think you'd like it."

"Yeah that sounds...great." Light still had her slightly fazed. Had no one ever asked the girl out before? Or was his change in apparent personality just shocking? If it was the latter he would need to be more careful in the future. Time to set the date in stone anyhow.

"Good! I'll pick you up at 6:00 then." Light walked off, smiling and looking chipper, leaving Kallen wide-eyed and red-faced.

"Light you are one smooth guy, you know that?" Alone in the hallway he let his expression return to its neutral state.

"Yes Ryuk, I do know that."

L could feel the gazes watching him intently. It bothered him.

"If you would, go stare at someone else. I find it rather disconcerting." Matsuda actually looked away for a bit before turning back to him. L sighed.

"Never mind. I've finished." He went from his crouch to his hunch. After searching he'd found that a noble had left a rather expensive vehicle laying around an abandoned parking garage after an encounter with Lelouch. This was his first clue. His second was that Watari had placed a bug on Lelouch when they had met. For a leader of a resistance group, he wasn't paranoid enough. There was also the manner of the black uniforms that had been ordered. Even accounting for how much flair he had, Lelouch seemed to break more codes of stealth than was necessary. He decided to lay the plan out to his cohorts.

"It seems as though Zero is going to be making a move soon."

"And what are we going to do about it? We aren't completely opposed to him."

"We should be!" Matsuda interjected "He acts as though he's above the law! If only he worked to change Brittania instead of just opposing it, he could make a difference!" L sighed as Minase and Matsuda argued again. Always debating over silly things like wether it was better to fight against an unjust nation or change it from within. He simply wanted to know why he did it and if he was Kira. Nothing so fancy as the morality on rebuilding an unjust nation.

"If you would pay attention, here is what we are going to do."

Lelouch and the rest of the council assembled. Apparently, Shirley, Nina and Milly were planning on going to the Lake Kawaguchi Convention Hotel the next day. Shirley seemed rather determined to get him to tag along as well.

"Come on Lulu! You never hang out with us anymore, it'll be fun!" she made puppy dog eyes at him. However he had a presentation to make to his troops.

"I'm a little busy tomorrow. Maybe some other time?" he suggested as gently as he could. But if he knew Shirley, he knew what would happen next. She hit him on the head with a stack of papers

"Come on Lelouch! You're always busy, we're you're friends. You need to stop whatever it is that your doing now and hang out with us more." He knew it was coming. Every time he said he was busy Shirley would go through the same tirade, although this time there was a curveball. "If you won't come with us then we'll take Light with us!"

"What?" he, Light and Kallen spoke in unison. Wait Kallen? That didn't seem right, why was she so shocked at this development? He would have to press her on it later, because right now Light seemed to have dropped his guard.

"Excuse me?" he stated again. His eyes were wide but there was something strange about it. Light always had the calmest of demeanors, what had brought about this new change?

"You're free on Sunday aren't you Light?"

"I suppose I am..." Lelouch could definitley tell that Light was acting now. It was an excellent performance, but it was too drastic a change from the Light he had seen earlier.

"It's settled then! You'll accompany us on our trip!" Milly seemed almost egregiously happy with the decision. In the same moment Lelouch briefly caught a glance between Kallen and Light. This absolutely did not bode well.

"This is one fancy place, Light. You sure know how to pick 'em." Ryuk commented as they turned off the road and into the Stadtfeld estate. Light didn't find it fancy, just rather large.

"You know Ryuk, if you weren't incapable of being killed, I would have strangled you by now." Light jested with a smile. He tossed an apple into the back seat. "Don't make a mess." He must truly be in a good mood to be giving Ryuk a free apple after such a comment. Everything was going exactly as planned, with the added benefit of his own geass. He stepped out of the car, walking up the concrete path. He knocked on the door and a japanese maid opened it.

"Good evening, I am Light Yagami. I am here to take Kallen to dinner, is she ready?" he smiled politely. The woman seemed slightly surprised.

"Ms. Kallen, Light is here." Light waited as Kallen descended the steps, dressed in casual clothing. That was good, the way she acted earlier, it seemed as if she would do something stupid.

"Well then, shall we go?" Kallen nodded. As they walked out to the car, Light opened the door for her.

"Such a gentleman. How come you never open the door for me Light?" Ryuk sure was talkative today, though Light had become so adept at ignoring him it hardly mattered. As soon as the car turned onto the road, he began talking.

"I wouldn't suppose I could entice you to come with me to the Kawaguchi Center?"

"No, I have... plans that day."

"Ah. I see." So Lelouch was likely planning something the next day. More specifically, he planned to enact something for he was always plotting. There were several moments of silence between them. "You know, you didn't have to say yes if you really didn't want to go." But Light knew how things worked. She didn't really have a choice.

"Oh no it's not that. I just didn't really expect it, that's all." They made small talk, but Light was waiting for dinner to make a move. That's when she would be most likely to slip up. The pair walked inside and took a seat by the window. Light ordered oyakodon and Kallen chose a dish of gyudon.

"Enjoying your meal?" Light tittered. Kallen was ravenously devouring her beef and rice.

"This is really great, I love Japanese food." She spoke with her mouth full of food, her expression much less somber than usual.

"Yeah, I miss the old shokudo." Light gazed out the window "I'm glad Zero is working to free Japan. We could use someone like him." He muttered to himself loud enough for Kallen to hear. She took note.

"So you agree with Zero too?" Here was the delicate part. He couldn't be too vehement with his agreement with Lelouch but he also needed to seem dedicated to the cause. He didn't expect to be invited on the first date, but the idea needed to be planted.

"Of course! He works to free the Japanese from tyranny, show could any oppose such a noble cause?" Of course ridding the world of filth was a calling far above the capabilities of any mere mortal. Try as he may, Violet-eyes would never macapabilities powers.

"Do you really feel that way?"

"Of course," Light and Kallen looked at each other, not intently, not with longing, just interpreting the other.

"Eh, here's your bill..." A boy around Light's age with disheveled hair and torn up shoes slipped the tab in the center, attempting to be discreet. He was not the stealthiest of waiters, but at least he tried to be polite.

"I guess we should go now." Light paid the bill in cash leaving a generous tip for the waiter. He took a detour around the Shinjuku Gyoen, once a beautiful attraction now littered with plastic waste and graffiti. Bottles floated about the pond, nearly quacking. Such disgusting people to destroy a place merely to spite the Japanese.

"I'll miss that place,". Light falsely reminisced "I used to spend quite a lot of my time studying there."

"That's what we're fighting for." Kallen once again had returned to her serious mood. Perhaps Light could move ahead of schedule with the right hand.

"I don't know about you, but I certainly haven't found a way to fight yet. I wish I could do something..." He didn't press any further and began the drive back to the Stadtfeld estate. If probably wouldn't introduce him by name to Zero since she had no idea that he was Lelouch. Light walked her to the door and have her a quick hug.

"That was nice." She said halfheartedly, her mind seemed to be thinking.

"Again sometime then?"

"Yeah, I would like that." There were good chances that she was going to recommend him to Zero as she closed the door behind her. As he got back in the car he saw Ryuk curled up in the back seat, a grotesque parody of some domestic animal. My own pet shinigami. Only a god would be able to manage that.