Chapter 12: Designation and Question

Then morning came…

"Lucy," Lelouch tries to wake Lucy up, "Lucy it's morning already…" no response. He was definitely astounded by how his only niece snores—it was loud and a little bit disturbing, he kind of reminds her of his late best friend, Suzaku. "You know what they say, what you plant is what you sow" but still very disturbing…

Lelouch has no choice but to carry her to the dining room for breakfast. She was a little bit heavy compare to her mother, 'Is she having a workout routine to be this fit?' Her ask himself with sweat coming from his forehead.

"Am I still dreaming?" Lucy asked drowsily, "Why am I floating?"

"That's because I'm carrying you Suzaku junior."

Soon as she realize, "What the—put me down!"

"You don't like to be carried?"

"No!"

"Well…okay." Gently he brought her down, "Geez, you're different from your mother."

"Not really different. But I just don't like to be carried that's all."

"Suzaku junior..." Lelouch snapped.

"And don't call me that…"

The food presentation was great; Lucy concluded mentally. It was still morning yet pleasant sight could really set the mood to eagerness. Belly rumbled unexpectedly, Lelouch chuckled immensely.

"Just like your father."

Lucy looked at him with fury forming in her amethyst orbs, Lelouch only smiled. "Seriously…? Instead making fun of me why don't you just feed me with this appetizing food on the table."

"Okay, okay…" The two ate their breakfast—no topics discussed just eating. Surely they had in their minds talking is just a waste of energy especially when lots of activities will be held when they arrive at his organized camp.

Soon as they arrived, Lelouch immediately received an urgent message. He now remembers that he was looking for a new event organizer for the camp and greatly Villeta Nu, Ohgi's beloved wife, came up with her news. "Lelouch we already found a person perfect for the said position."

"Great, tell that person to meet me at the office." Villeta followed as ordered. Lelouch still has to keep an eye on his niece if she's interacting up with her team.

As Lucy enters the room... "Hello Lucy!" Ann greeted her like a wild child on the loose.

"Hey, how's it going?" She smiled.

"Excited to see you again and…" Ann noticed Lelouch looking at Lucy from the corridor, "OMG! OMG! OMG…!"

"What?" Lucy questioned by how she acted.

"You're uncle; I mean your devilishly handsome uncle is outside."

Lucy frowns; she couldn't get it why he's always concern about her action as if she's a weakling little duckling lost under the dark shades of a forbidden forest. "Wait there for a second." Feet where in hustle as she went straight to where her uncle was observing, "You can leave now…"

"I was just worried."

"Worried about what? Flying paper planes might crush into my eyes?"

"You're being funny Lucy. I should be worried because we might not know what will happen to you if geass of a certain student might activate and use it against you."

She was silent for a second reminiscing what he just said, "Right, thanks for reminding me that I'm the outcast of this camp. And you know you should be going now because I could definitely sense my classmates or your fan girls are peeping from the door looking at you so heavenly."

Lelouch glanced on the door and Lucy was right about it. He should definitely go by now, "Okay and you'll meet me at my office this lunchtime."

"Okay…" Lelouch gives her a big hug as if it was his late sister, Nunnally, in front of him. This made some of the girls feel jealous.

"OMG…! He hugged you!" Ann exclaimed

Lucy raised a brow in curious, "Uh… definitely, because literally, he's my uncle."

"Oh I wish he was my uncle."

"Trust me you'll get irritated somehow."

The bell already rang; students were in a hurry to go back into their respective seats, fearing that the teachers would see their pointless acts before they came in.

"The same routine as always, "Jade commented.

"Hey Lucy…!" Jane greeted as he seated by her side.

"Hey," plain yet a little jolly reply.

Ohgi now enters the room with a hunch of excitement in his face. "Okay class now I got good news for you."

"Are classes canceled Mr. Kaname?" Jose blurted.

"Very funny Mr. Aldante, the news is, you're survival challenge will going to start after your lunch break so better prepare you P.E. uniform and be on your team before it starts."

Complaints of each student filled the air, some were scared and some were annoyed by the news.

"But isn't it the survival games starts next week?" A young lady asked.

"Yes but Scouts moved it this week starting today."

"But we're not ready yet." Gustav retorted.

"First challenge is easy…" Ohgi remarked.

On the other hand, Lucy suspected this was something to do about Lelouch's stupid plan. 'What on earth is he thinking?'

First half was over, Lucy's team were having a short discussion about the challenge…

"Okay guys I know we're not prepared but let's just be alert to what's going to happen, I say let's eat out lunch together." Jade stated.

"I believe I can't," Lucy honestly said, "Uncle and I have something to discuss."

"Yeah and I still have to pass something to Mr. Kaname." Bee also explained.

"Okay, let's just meet by the gym shower."

"Uh, Jade how about us?" Mark questioned, "You know there are two gym showers—for boys and girls."

"I mean near the office gym, let's meet there."

"Okay, let's wish ourselves good luck." Ann remarked as each of them leaves the classroom.

Lucy was really wondering why Lelouch moved the schedule. As she was about to step inside the office, she heard that there was someone other than Lelouch, inside the room.

'Who could that be?' The door just open though she haven't knock yet, and there inside, she saw a woman with blonde hair talking to her uncle.

"Lucy, I was expecting you."

"Oh my goodness…" the woman cried out, "is this Lucilla?"

She was surprised, "How do you…"

"Well Lucy, she is a good friend of your father's and mine back in high school, she's Milly Ashford." Lelouch introduced.

"Goodness, you have Nunnally's cuteness and Suzaku's eyes but you got Lelouch's hair and iris color."

"Well at least she's very pretty." Lelouch added.

'Awkward…' Lucy thought.

"Pretty…? Is that all you can say to your niece? I think she's gorgeous!" Milly praised, "I really couldn't imagine before that Nunnally and Suzaku could produce a lovely kid."

"Okay enough with that Milly; say why not join us for lunch?"

"I loved to but I still have to meet Miss Villeta. Enjoy your lunch!" Milly then exits the room leaving a funny and awkward aura inside.

Lucy looks at Lelouch with a query on her face…

"What?" He asked her.

"Is she really like that?"

"Yeah but I'm really afraid of what might happen to all the events she's going to approved."

"Speaking of that…Why on earth did you move survival challenge this week?" A bothered Lucy faced Lelouch at that moment. She knew that though Ohgi said that it will be easy in the first level but who knows it is applicable to geass users and that fact is she's not a bearer, she had nothing to rely on.

"I think it's for the better Lucy because…"

"Because of what…?" Before he could finish, Lucy came in with her premises, "To see whether I had geass? Uncle, you know I had no powers such as that."

Lelouch remain silent, he knew very well Lucy, in some way, read people's mind without any doubt but still he wouldn't let his pride down.

"I already bought the pasta you like."

"Great, changing the topic..."

"I know you're hungry."

The girl had no choice but to let hunger prevail. She ate and ate making no words to say.

'She may have the cuteness and perspective of Nunnally but she sleeps and eats like Suzaku—very peculiar.' Lelouch thought as he peeps at Lucy while eating."Lucy…" he started to call out.

"Hmm…?"

"About the lady in your vision…"

"C.C.?"

"Uh, yes, how does she look like every time she appears in your vision?" Concern runs over his veins; he could remember the promise he made to her that shatters like a mirror—broken into bits of pieces.

"To be honest with you in pain… It's really sad to hear that your beloved one's in pain."

Lelouch got choked hearing her last account, "What…? What are you talking about?"

She started to tease him, "Don't lie to me I know there's something about her. What was she to you?" Those words brought him back to the past—the time when Charles was about to suck the life out of C.C. He wasn't that sure also what to say when said these phrase: "No... She's my…"

"Uh hello…?" Lucy was in awe when she noticed her uncle was just staring at a blank wall. She tried waving her hand in case his mental presence would come back.

"What…?" He asked soon as he realize why Lucy was waving her hand in front of him.

"Uh you were like staring at a plain wall." Lucy explained ironically.

"Oh nothing, well C.C. is just my, accomplice. Nothing else…" Lucy's look seems to give a hint she was not satisfied with his answer, "She's just an accomplice, a…"

"An important person in life…"

Lelouch look at her with one brow raised in question…"You know you never let me finish my sentence. Let's just continue eating anyway."

After an hour of break, each team was now having their meet-ups for the survival challenge. Lucy's team was now having a short meeting…

"Okay what's the plan?" Gustav asked.

"Well Mr. Kaname said that each team member should have a pair for a certain designation." Bee informed the group as she lends the paper, which serves as a guide, to each of the member.

"Do our partners be in the group?" Lucy asked while reading the guide.

"Yes, and it says it depends in our strength and Miss Villeta also gave me this paper and she said it contains our names and our partners with our designation."

Alexander received the second paper first and he read out loud what was written:

"Water designation, Gustav and Jane

Earth designation, Bee and Mark

Wind designation, Jose and Jade

Light designation, Gigi and Ann and last…"

Alexander gave a short pause as he look at Lucy, "And Fire designation, Alexander and Lucilla."

"Is Miss Villeta playing tricks on us…? She knows I didn't want to be with Ann." Gigi noted.

"Huh!" Ann started to fuss, "As if I like to be with you Gigi or should I say Geronimo Andreas!"

"Oh yeah well I didn't like you because…" Before things could get worst between Gigi and Ann's childish quarrel, Jade came in to impede it…

"Okay, okay enough with that. Let's just wish each of us good luck."

While leaving the corridor, Alexander's gaze on Lucy was quite furious, it was really disturbing. Upon reaching the gym, Lucy tries to confront Alexander about his mysterious way he looked at her—as if he's going to kill her. "Okay Alexander, what's with the evil gaze?"

He didn't reply…he continued to look at her, examining her features just like how doctors used to examine their patients.

Lucy was irritated…she grabbed him by the collar then asked him the same question, "I said, what's with the looking?"

"You said that you didn't have geass," Lucy wonders, "during the challenge, you should call me whenever you're in need."

"What's with your concern?"

"I didn't want to screw up. You know because you are the late Empress's daughter and I might get killed if you're hurt. And I don't want mistakes to happen again."

"That's okay if I get hurt, on the first place; it's my uncle who signs me up for this and what's with the mistake?"

"I'll tell you when we're inside."