Phase XXV: The School Festival Declaration
(Ashford Academy)
"Certainly, the invasion by the Chinese Federation and the E.U and the 'Slayers' terrorist activities have thrown things into disarray. However, this is a separate matter entirely! The fact is that you two have not met the minimum number of class hours!"
"No matter how good your grades are, regardless of the fact that you are a Prince and a Field Marshall, irrespective to your status as a Colonel in the Black Knights and as Princess Euphemia's personal knight, if you don't have enough class hours , you'll be expelled!" the homeroom teacher said to Lelouch and Suzaku.
Outside the door the other teachers from which Lelouch and Suzaku played hooky were waiting their turn to 'have a crack at them'.
"I guess it'll be a while!" the history teacher said.
"Think we'll even be done tonight?" the geography teacher asked.
"Huh!" Lelouch exhaled a breath of exhaustion, he had always thought that the night of the battle of Fukuoka was the one he though the hardest of all, but now he wished he was their instead of here.
(Slayers military submarine)
"The Slayers are savior!"
"Even an Eleven can become great! Just look at Kururugi Suzaku, a Colonel in the Black Knights and a Knight to a Princess!"
"If I hadn't been for Lelouch the Chinese would have taken Kyushu!"
"They protected it so they could control the Sakuradite, they don't give a damn about the people!"
"I don't care, as long as there's peace!"
"But it's peace at the cost of freedom!"
"Even the ghetto's opinions are divided?" Ohgi asked Yoshida who had read the report on the ghettos.
"Yeah, between rebels and collaborators!" he replied.
"Man, people would be shocked if they knew that in order to free the country we needed the Chinese to take Kyushu!" Sugiyama said.
"So is it a good thing or a bad thing that Kyushu didn't fall to the Chinese?" Inoue asked.
"This could work to our advantage!" Kaguya replied.
"In what way?" Kallen asked curious.
"The victory Zero achieved when everyone expected a defeat shook the world of its weary foundation, we can take advantage of that chaos to unite the anti Brittannian elements worldwide!" Kaguya replied.
"People have been trying to do that for years, why should they unite under our banner?" Yoshida asked.
"Our success against Brittannia namely Narita, the train rescue and Shikinejima no matter how small they may be have happened during a period in which everyone else have experienced nothing but defeat! This has given us great influence abroad!" Todoh responded.
"So we will be using Zero's own victories against him! I like that!" Tamaki belted out.
"I wonder are we stealing Zero's thunder or merely riding the coattails of his ascension to greatness?" Kaguya though to herself.
"Then it's settled! Kyoto and the Slayers will begin starting diplomatic relation with the E.U and the Chinese Federation, I will meet with Empress Tianzi as soon as possible!" Kaguya replied.
"Lady Kaguya in regards to that we would need to distract Lelouch in order for you to slip out of the country and to the Chinese Federation!" Minami stated and that was true since Lelouch and not Cornelia was the military commander responsible for Japan.
"I think I can do that!" Kallen said.
"But with Kamine Island Lelouch knows you're identity and he could arrest you!" Ohgi said concerned for Kallen.
"That's even more reason for me to go, he will focused on finding me if he thinks I'm in the open" Kallen lied she knew that soon she and Lelouch would have to break up and tomorrow could be their last day together so she decide to make the full of I t and if by doing so she would help their efforts then that was double the reason to do it.
"Besides, we can only use the escape route Kaguya-sama found until tomorrow!" Kallen replied and that put the lid on it.
(Ashford Academy, the next day)
Fireworks flooded the air announcing the start of the school festival.
"Sorry to keep you waiting folks! I'm proud to announce the start of Ashford Academy's school festival!" Millie said over the speakers
"You may begin as soon as you hear the signal!" Millie then said to Nunnally.
"Um, is it alright?" Nunnally asked hesitantly.
"IT's fine!" Millie replied.
"Well then….." Nunnally said as she inhaled a breath of air.
"Meoow" Nunnally said through the mike like a little stray lamb shouting for its heard and "Awhooo" the entire male population of Ashford replied like a pack of hungry wolves.
"It's awfully noisy today!" C.C said as the sounds of the festival woke her up from sleep.
The school festival was like nothing you would expect from a school in the mainland, Ashford had adopted that tradition from the Japanese schooling system and it was a sight to see.
Food stands, merchandise booths, theater plays, people dressed like the Lancelot or the Colgrevance Shinkiro making it look like the love child of a circus and a carnival.
"I see, the fleets gathered and will be ready for deployment as soon as the necessary supplies are gathered!" Lelouch said to his cell phone.
"Yes, also reports have arrived that the fleet which was dispersed in order to maximize it's pirate activities has began to amass it's forces" Diethard replied from the other end of the line.
"Also the items you requested has been manufactured, absolute secrecy has been employed and not even the soldiers we used to created it know of its purpose!" Diethard said.
"How's Kewell?" Lelouch asked.
"He has recovered from his wounds and with Viletta and Odysseus is currently making plans for our fleet's deployment and order of battle in order to maximize the effectiveness of the long range missiles and guns!"
"Also the reports regarding the recent expansion of the Black knights have been put on a flash disk and Lord Jeremiah has decided to come to Ashford to deliver it personally to avoid information leaks!" Diethard replied and added.
"That was wise of him!" Lelouch replied
Diethard heard him and tried to say another portion of his report but was cut off by the following.
"We're in trouble! We're in big trouble!" Millie said rushing towards Lelouch for help.
"I'll call you back." Lelouch replied and closed the phone.
"Trouble?" Diethard said to himself in confusion.
"What're you doing up there? You're the vice-president Lelouch!" Millie said as she dragged Lelouch throw the crowd.
Lelouch had been a sort of celebrity at Ashford ever since he came here three months ago, and there were even theories that he was royalty, those sprang up from his handsomeness, high intelligence and uncanny ability to lead, so it wasn't such a big change that they found out he was a prince.
"I am a Field Marshall who has an army to organize and a Navy to supply, also we're proceeding as scheduled!" Lelouch said amused.
"Besides, it's your pet project. We had trouble with 2 meters. No wonder you're having trouble making a 12 meter pizza!" he added.
"It's amazing isn't it. When we're done, it'll be the biggest ever!" Millie said with excitement in her voice.
"It was a bitch just getting the oven and ingredients ready! And why did you call the TV station? I already have enough trouble with the paparazzi!" Lelouch said annoyed/
"We have to record the pizza! Just stay in the booth, okay? Chairman's orders!"Millie said with a smile.
"You know I wonder what people would say about you if they found out you had the power to order me around!" Lelouch said with a chuckle at which Millie replied with one as well.
"All right, stop!" Rivals said as he helped with the preparations.
"Rivals, we're done over here!"Nina cheerfully replied.
"Oh. You're in a good mood! Something good happen?" he asked Nina.
"Well, yeah!" she replied happily.
(Outside Ashford Academy)
Jeremiah was at the entrance of the academy when he saw Sayoko.
Both of them greeted each other warmly, just then a pair of students dragged into the festival saying that couples get a discount, this made Sayoko blush, unknown to her Jeremiah also was as equally if not more embarrassed at the current situation, it was a good thing for Jeremiah that she didn't notice, for in matters of war he was a well experienced man and even more experience in the art of bedding women.
Skilled in sex and war, but unfortunately when it came to love he was a virgin.
(Ashford Academy kitchen)
Suzaku was helping out and was chopping onions with the speed of a machine gun, when he sensed Kallen was behind him.
"Thank goodness! I thought that after the beach barbeque you avoid contact with is and not come to school anymore!" Suzaku said happily to Kallen.
"Why are you so friendly to me? You and I are enemies?" Kallen asked and she sheathed her switch blade knife, she did not want to kill Lelouch, but it was common sense to keep one's guard up around Suzaku.
"You're Karen Stadfelt right now, not Kallen Kouzuki! If we meet in battle, I won't pull my punches, but I will keep trying to change your mind. I know it's against regulations, but I want to try and convince you, rather than fight you, at least while we're at school!" Suzaku replied and Lelouch who was listening on the conversation from the hallway felt as Kallen's anger simmered down.
"Also Lelouch would be sad if his lover would be arrested by me!" Suzaku jokingly said and Lelouch felt Kallen's fury go over 9.000.
"Do you have a death wish!" Kallen said blushing like crazy and menacingly at Suzaku!
Suzaku at the combination of emotions before him didn't know whether to laugh or tale battle stance, but Lelouch quickly intervened.
"Ah Kallen there you are! I have something which would require physical efforts from you." Lelouch said with his usual lady killer look, put a hand over her shoulder and let Kallen out off the room.
Kallen knew or thought she knew what his tone implied and she started her reply with lust and affection in her voice:
"Oh! I can handle…
…..Killing you!" and finished her though with anger and frustration as she screamed at the pair before her, emerging from her hideout and making them run away from fear.
"This isn't even remotely scary!" Kallen said dismayed while in her 'monster' costume.
"Damn you Lelouch! If you're going to put me in the haunted house, you should say so! After this is over I am breaking up with him!" Kallen said as she got back to her hidden position.
"Oh, another couple? Man if they took the trouble to put a tracking screen in here, they should have made the whole thing mechanical! This is just as crowded and hot as my early days in the Glasgow. So, come on, hurry, hurry….."
"HURRY!" Kallen screamed as she got up at Jeremiah who pulled out his gun and Sayoko who pulled out her kunai.
"Oh? Lord Jeremiah, and Sayoko –san?" Kallen asked surprised it was them.
"Are you feeling all right miss Kallen?" Sayoko asked her.
"Just fine, thank you" she replied still surprised.
Jeremiah then took a moment to analyze their situation. "I am currently in a haunted house, which is in a school with super maid, facing off Lord Lelouch's red face painted classmate who is wearing a…block monster costume? You think you've seen it all!" Jeremiah said to himself, there were many things you could say about Lelouch, but one thing was certain serving under him was never boring.
(Ashford Academy field ground)
Cecile who along with a few other was acting as Euphemia's guard was playing a variation of whack a mole with students as the moles and she was constantly whacking one particular student.
"Oh, this school festival is so much fun!" she said.
"Don't you think the one she keeps hitting looks like Earl Lloyd?" one of the other guards asked.
"So that's why she keeps playing that one game!" Another guard said.
"Yes, the pizza will be done this afternoon!" Lelouch said to one phone call.
"Now's not the time for this crap!" he thought to himself and reached for another one who was ringing.
"Hello! The theatre clubs? Ah, I've already spoken to them!" he replied and closed the phone.
"Preparing the making of Millie's giant pizza while building and army and supplying a navy at t he same time…..what the hell's wrong with me!" he thought to himself and rubbed his head in frustration and his own silliness and indecisiveness.
Only to be interrupted by a hit on the head from Cecile's hammer.
"I'm sorry, the handle just broke…ah you're highness!" Cecile said as she caught the handle.
"Come to enjoy the festival Cecile-san?" Lelouch replied.
"Hey you!" C.C said behind him.
"This is not happening!" he said in his mind.
"Where's this 'biggest pizza in the world?'".
"Oh it's you!" C.C said to Lelouch who turned around.
(Tokyo harbor, Cornelia's departure point)
"I'm sorry I have to make you come all the way from Asia minor here and then make you go back to face the E.U like this Cornelia" Schneizell said to her.
"It's nothing, also my movements are made easier because of your forces rapid deployments!" she replied.
"It's the least I can do" Schneizell said.
"The E.U shouldn't be too much of a problem with my army reinforced and the Gladstone knights now with me from the mainland and I've finally got the Zattel Buffin for my Gloucester as well" Cornelia said
"I'm am aware with that, I also negotiated with the Chinese Federation for your army's safe passage also Lelouch should be able to take care of that Fleet which has been plaguing these waters after you depart!" Schneizell replied.
"I thank you" Cornelia replied.
"Oh what an honor!" Schneizell said.
"Eh?" Cornelia replied caught off guard.
"To be thanked by Princess Cornelia, peerless warrior!" Schneizell replied
"Please don't tease!" she said a little embarrassed.
"I'm serious! You are more beautiful in battle than any dancer, any flower, or butterfly. Yes! You're like a flash of light!" Schneizell replied.
"Stop it! You know I'm not! Where's Euphie? She should be here for you're the departure" Cornelia asked while looking around for her sister.
"I spoke with Euphie last night, she said she wanted to see Lelouch's school!" Schneizell replied.
(Ashford Academy roof top)
"But it's the biggest pizza in the world!" C.C said.
"I'll bring some to you, so stay in the room!" he replied.
"I don't trust you, liar!" she countered.
"We don't have any choice! I noticed that father himself is looking for you, there are soldiers and reporters all over the campus!" Lelouch said.
"I want it fresh. Bring me a disguise." C.C said unfazed by what he said.
"I'm stretched thin between the festival and the fleet and the army, so please just listen to me and stay here hidden!" Lelouch said and he left the roof, C.C watched him go, deciding that as soon as he was out of site she wouldn't.
(Ashford Academy field)
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to see the school!" Euphie said in disguise to her two body guards, although people were used to Lelouch, there were many who wanted to 'meet' the angel of Narita so to speak.
"Not at all!" one of her guards said and Euphie's mind flashed back to her meeting last night with Schneizell when she presented him with her idea.
"Euphie, I think it's wonderful idea!" Schneizell replied and he was sincere.
"Then!" Euphie said squealing with joy that he liked it.
"Do whatever you think is best. I'll talk to Cornelia for you, and I know Lelouch and Nunnally will approve of it!" he replied and the flashback ended.
"With this we can start the real changes" Euphie said to herself, which caused her to be temporarily off guard and she bumped into Nunnally.
"I'm sorry, are you hurt?" Euphie asked.
"No! not at all!" Nunnally replied.
"Oh sorry Nunnally!" Euphie replied.
"Hello sister Euphemia!" Nunnally said delighted she decided to visit Ashford.
(Ashford Academy's small backyard forest)
"Well that was unexpected to say the least!" Jeremiah said to Sayoko.
"Things are always fun round this school!" Sayoko replied with a smile.
"Makes me want to be in high school again!" Jeremiah joked and both he and Sayoko shared a laugh, and after that an uncomfortable silence.
"Shit what do I do now?" Jeremiah said to himself as he starred into her eyes and found that he lost himself in them
(Nunnally's room)
"He! Lelouch has turned into such a womanizer!" Euphie said in shock as Nunnally told her over a cup of tea of Lelouch's 'exploits'.
"Do you remember when we were very little and we used to fight over which of us would marry him?" Nunnally said changing the subject.
"I remember! We use to try and make Lelouch decide right then and there!" Euphie said and the pleasant memories caused both girls to giggle.
(Ashford Field ground, 20 minutes latter)
"And now, without much further ado, we will begin baking the biggest pizza in the world! What is this building at my feet, you ask? It's a special oven, designed for this very purpose. It was a huge waste of money, and-" Rivals trailed off to the assembled crowd.
(Ashford broadcast booth)
"Al right. Shirley, I'll make time, so just go help Group B with the stage!" Lelouch said over the phone.
"How carefree they are. IT's not like anyone will die if they mess this up…sooner or later I will have to go to war, when that happens this place I will long to return to it." Lelouch said to himself and looked outside to see what was happening, only to be startled by what happened next.
(Giant Pizza area)
"Well then, it seems that the ingredients are all ready! Now then, let me introduce the star of the show, the Ashford's own Ganymede!" Rivals said and he unveiled it.
"It's a bit of a classic model, but the pilot is our Student Council treasurer, Colonel in the Black knights and knight to Princess Euphemia, Kururugi Suzaku!" Rivals said and the crowd responded to a cheer when they heard his name.
"Suzaku seems to be pretty popular!" Millie said to herself out loud.
"Well it's an open campus festival and many elevens came in the hopes of seeing Lelouch and Suzaku, they are after all along with Euphemia their idol and beacon of hope!" Lloyd replied to Millie's question and came up next to her.
"Ah! Earl Lloyd, come to admire the Ganymede in action?" Millie asked curious
"Yep! Also don't think I haven't stopped trying to acquire it!" Lloyd said playfully and they both watched the event.
Kallen was next to them and she took Lloyd's words to heart and was amazed at how many people believed in Lelouch and Suzaku and hoped for a better future.
"Lelouch!" Shirley said as she angrily went to get him making her accidently bump into Euphie making her hat and glasses fall of.
"Princess Euphemia!" she said in surprise, the crowd heard this and rushed over to where she was surrounding her.
Suzaku saw this, abandoned the pizza and rushed with the Ganymede to her aid, needless to say that the pizza was ruined, much to C.C horror.
"Are you all right, Princess Euphemia?" Suzaku said as he picked her up with the Ganymede.
"Yes. I'm fine!" she replied.
"Princess Euphemia, a comment please!" one reporter said to her.
"Can you show this transmission throughout the Country?" Euphie asked.
"He? Live do you mean?" the reporter asked.
"Euphie what are you doing?" Suzaku asked curious.
"I have an important announcement to make!" she replied to Suzaku with a smile.
(Tokyo harbor, Cornelia's departure point)
"Your highness it's princess Euphemia!" Guilford said to Cornelia as she was tending to her machine.
"What's she up to now?" Cornelia said a tired tone in her voice.
"We now go live to an announcement by the Vice-governor" the news anchor said.
"This is Area 11 Vice-governor Euphemia, of the Holy Empire of Brittannia , I have something I would like to tell all of you, my brother Lelouch labor law reform and 'Phoenix Fund' was just the first step in a much larger program!" she said and it astounded all t hose present at what she was talking about.
Euphie lied about Lelouch's reforms but she hoped he wouldn't be to upset about that and she continued.
"This following announcement is the next step in the program: I, Euphemia di Brittannia, hereby declare the establishment of The Special Administrative Zone of Japan around Mount Fuji!" and the crowd was shocked and astounded at her words.
"WHAT!" Lelouch said in shock.
"The existence of Japan is acknowledged by Brittannia?" Suzaku said astounded.
Within this special district of Japan, the Elevens will be returned their true name of Japanese. All restriction on Eleven's actions as well as special Brittannian privileges will be overruled in said area. Brittanian and Japanese will exists as equals!" Euphie happily pronounced.
"Stop it Euphie! What you are saying would be the natural course of how things went, but it's too early for that, I wanted to eliminate all of the racist nobles and men in power before doing that and now since you made this announcement they will come gunning for you!" Lelouch screamed to himself in his head with concern for his sister.
"Can you hear me? Members of the Slayers! I will question neither you're pasts nor you're true identity, so please, be a part of the new Japan! Todoh, Ohgi and all the others, join me and my brother Lelouch and create a new future from within Brittannia!" she said to the cheers of approval of the Japanese present.
"Japan? Is she serious?" one student asked.
"Well she has the hot's for that stinking eleven Kururugi!" two racist students of Ashford said.
"Hey don't talk about Suzaku that way!" A third student and a fourth defended him.
Lelouch who by now left the booth and heard those words knew that the quarrel between those four students was actually predicting the future of the Empire.
Half would be pro equal rights and half against it, and sooner or later the house could not remain divided and it would have to be unified, by whatever means possible….
Author's note
Read and Review, let me know if I should continue.