Disclaimer: I own nothing of Code Geass, nor of Guilty Gear, nor to a lesser extent, BlazBlue and Rewrite. I do own this story, and all the inspirations along with it. And of course, the brain where the ideas came from.
Okay, okay, just do what the instructors said. Focus, focus, focus on a single thing, focus, focus...on what? Lulu? No, can't focus on him, then there'll be a whole lot of other thoughts intruding, like the fact that he was hurt protecting you, or that he's- ah, wait a sec! There, you're being distracted! Focus, focus, focus, you can do it, you. Can. Do~~~~
A splash of water. Shirley's eyes popped open to see the sakuradite pendant glow with a blue aura, looking damp around its multi-faceted surface. The girl exhaled a deep breath when she felt the pull of seithr withdrawal in her hands, making her shiver.
She'd failed. For one thing, the pendant looked perfectly fine. If her ars had worked, then as he instructor had said, it would be glowing a luminescent blue instead of pale pink.
Maybe if she put a little more force into it...
"Yes," she murmured fiercely. "I can do it!"
"Miss Fenette, if you insist on performing ars experiments then would you please use the hall outside the infirmary? We're very concerned about accidental seithr ignition, especially when your friend's still under the healing field."
The nurse's voice intruded into her inner mind, making Shirley squeak and jump, almost dropping the pendant. She turned to look past Milly's growing smirk and a sleeping Nina at the nurse, who had already looked away to test the monitor showing Lulu's vital signs.
"Not a good sign, isn't it Nina? Talking to yourself? Nina? Oh, you're still asleep," said Milly, who was seated on the other side of Lulu's bed. Shirley gave the Prez a look, saying, "I-I-I was just practicing, that's all. This is about the only specialty I've got but it looks like I still need more work! I mean, I mean," she was rambling, and didn't seem to realize. "I mean, I could've been able to help Lulu back then-" she choked back a sob, tightening her hold on the pendant. The President rose quickly to go over to the other side to hold the girl's shoulders.
"And I wasn't able to- not a single spell- and that-that Knight said I would only be making things worse for him if I- if I'd-" Milly kept on patting her, as Shirley saw the scene again, as clear as day.
Lulu had turned into a horrific, unidentifiable mass of blood and flesh. The President was still unconscious, and was left behind in Nina's arms while she and Rivalz hastened to the fallen boy's side.
"Lulu!" "Oi, Lelouch!"
She vaguely remembered a voice in a Knightmare shouting as she instantly began weaving an ars, forgetting the basic principle of sensing the seithr left in the area before casting, or the way her hands and voice shook as she grasped helplessly at the ripped fabric of his clothes, or how a blind, hot pain had assaulted her mind when she started to cast healing ars which backfired spectacularly.
"Me, a student of two years, and I can't even think straight in situations like that! The Knight said I could've killed Lulu, and she was right! I can't do anything."
Milly said nothing, only continuing to pat her friend and making shushing sounds. She'd herself only woken up to the news in the infirmary hours after the event, looking past the beds on the other side to see the huge healing field with nurses and medics, including the school's own Dr. Baldhead who prowled like an oversized spider, gathering around Lelouch's bed. She had suffered mild seithr feedback from the effort spent being the focus of the ars. Lelouch had suffered multiple organ system damage. Shirley was suffering in her own self-appointed misery.
"I wish I could say it's alright," she said at last when the nurse had left and Shirley was sobbing into the silence. She narrowed her eyes at Lelouch. "Well, technically it is, since Lelouch's alive and kicking and all that - but that's not the point now is it- but I would just like to tell you, Shirley, that your very intent of trying to save Lulu was a good thing in itself. Your heart was in the right place. And sometimes, in crazy situations like that, people tend to do even crazier things, like forget the basics of ars casting or putting their own bodies at risk... And it's not like it's your fault Lelouch was hurt. So cry it out, but don't keep on feeling bad. Here now, I want to see a biiiig smile after the tears."
"Yeah, easy for you to say..." said Shirley gloomily. "I mean like, even if I didn't screw up, I bet I didn't even have the power to heal Lulu anyway. It'd have just been another failure."
"Now honey, you can't say that. I mean, even Lelouch screws up sometime you know? The best thing you can do is learn from this experience. And the best thing you can do like right now, is just to be the supportive friend. Well at least, like, the best friend that Lelouch could ever look for – 'out of my face!' and all that."
"But you don't understand Prez," insisted Shirley stubbornly. "I mean, just look at this!" the girl showed the sakuradite pendant, exerted some seithr and after a small splash of water, the pendant remained as pink as ever. "That's as good a proof as any. I'm just useless."
"What, you're pushing your what-might-have-beens on yourself? Geez, you two really are that similar, like little kids who need someone to take care of 'em. ("Prez!") I told you, you have got to just press on forward, collecting your experiences here so you can use it the next day. That's the best advice grandmama Milly can give you. I won't say you forget about that event, but don't let it rule you! Trust me, I know."
"Then tell me," muttered Shirley listlessly, her gaze on the pendant. "How can I become as powerful as you?"
"Eh..huh?" For once, the upbeat Milly was caught at a loss.
"Unlike me, you're perfect in every single way Prez. You can cast as fast and as good as Lulu, you're a powerhouse like Kallen, you've got a brain like Nina, and you can sync well with a Knightmare, just like Suzaku. I mean, what have I got? I'm just a nothing!"
"Eh... hohoh!" Milly laughed in a false manner. "Thank you for the compliments honey, but I'm not sure it's appropriate for this moment. I mean, this is all about you, not me. And you can worry about how you're going to go about improving after you've given me a smile!" The Prez reached out to give the other girl a pinch in the cheek, causing angry red marks to appear on the skin.
"Well, if i's abou' me, then thew's weawy noffing I can do."
"Really nothing? As in nothing nothing?" pressed Milly. She let go.
"Nothing." The girl had almost settled back into her gloom.
"Well how about you join Gaia?" That earned a horrified look from Shirley.
"No way! That's a creepy suggestion, Prez." It was like asking to join a group of psychos, to Shirley.
"Ah...then, how about you become a magical girl?"
Shirley jerked violently, her mouth opening and closing like a goldenfish as she squawked, "W-what are you saying, Milly?"
"Well, you mentioned you wanted more power right? Well it just so happens that your gender fits! You could try becoming a magical girl to protect good ol' Lulu when the time comes."
Shirley stared at Milly for what seemed like a minute, dumbfounded by the Prez's statement. "Ah, I'm getting into your pace again, Prez, thanks for the lift..."
"What, you don't believe me?"
"Well I do, but..." the makings of a smile twitched in Shirley's mouth. "Haha, Prez. Thanks. In the first place, aren't I too old to be a magical girl?"
"No one becomes too old enough to don the Mask-and-Scepter, silly girl! And not all magical girls start out as kids! Did you know the oldest recorded first transformation was in a young woman of twenty-five? Or how about the oldest successful transformation beyond the age of ten is..."
The sombre air had been filled with the positive energy of humor that flowed from between the girls, and Nina, who had woken up at that moment, was already distantly wondering why the nurses had allowed this noisy pair into the infirmary. When Milly caught her eye, Nina was instantly drawn to the discussion, and the arrival of Rivalz at that moment sparked a healthy debate which she was forced to join involving whether or not someone of Shirley's age would still be qualified to be a magical girl.
It was then that Lelouch awoke, irritated, his hale appearance behind the barrier met with looks of concern and well-wishing from them, and a smug statement from Milly that "President Power" was the best medicine.
"I don't remember such a dangerous sounding drug," commented Lelouch idly, and that statement alone was enough to drive the lingering doubts in Shirley's mind to the "for immediate procrastination" section of her brain. Though the blood that seeped out of a corner of the boys mouth also drove the girl herself away from the bedside after a terrified squeak.
"Hey, why are you crying, Shirley?" wondered the boy later, and Milly instantly sank a hand through the barrier to bonk him with a conjured toy hammer while Shirley made one sob and dashed out the infirmary, crying happy tears. The nurse hastened to Lelouch's bedside to infuse sakuradite into the machine over the boy's protests that he was feeling fine.
Just you wait Lulu! I'll get better, so please be ready for that day when I'll show you my new, upgraded self! So until then...
)()()()()()()()(
"But I didn't order this," Diethard Reid protested, looking up at the red-dressed waitress over his noodle soup.
"Special order, on the house. No payment," she said shortly before she was taken away by the glittering circular transport platform. The reporter watched her go dubiously before turning the look at the other bowl on his table.
Gaia, was his immediate, obvious thought. Shaking his head at the absurdity of all these measures of secrecy, the man set to finishing the meal he did order.
The restaurant was crowded, and was lit cheerily by many lights, lamps and signs of many shapes and sizes, like a serpentine dragon or a fish. It was located on a particularly noisy part of the Federation district, which in itself already had the distinction of being the liveliest in the Eleventh Preserve, hosting concerts and public outdoor galas every night. Much of the background noise was tuned out by the earphones inside the reporter's ear, giving the latest information his official employer's automated news relay could bring.
After slurping the last mouthful of liquid from the bowl, Diethard took out the notepad from his pocket and activated it, fishing the chip inside the bowl inconspiciously after making it look like he was picking at his second serving of food.
His first weeks in the Eleventh Preserve had been very fruitful, his specially customized Observer having gleaned as much footage as it could take on the Kururugi Trial Affair, including differently angled shots of the renegade Gear, Zero. Being the first to provide thus to the worldwide network, he was given a fat check which he immediately spent trading for new information with his peers from the other preserves.
Certainly, Zero was a hot-seller. A channel segment, news story or blog post was guaranteed to sell for as long as the Gear was a hot trender. And it was not limited to the public sphere. Many intelligence agencies were looking for any scrap of information regarding the Gear, it being strictly restricted and monitored by the Guardians. They would pay Diethard and his fellows through the nose to acquire what amounted to common debriefing knowledge to the average Order Knight.
Everyone that is, save Gaia.
His correspondence with the group located here in Area Eleven had produced useful and lucrative information, even if the mysterious organization's purpose for needing and divulging said info was yet unfathomable. So far since Zero's "debut", Gaia had not done any major moves nor had made official announcements from their public sympathizers, and that set minds like Diethard reeling as to its significance.
And now, here was another Gaia trade being set up with him, with his mind burning to find out what it contained.
)()()()()()()()(
On the far side of the restaurant, hidden eyes observed Diethard Reid's every movement, some eyes closing when the reporter left, others following him through the crowds as he made his way back to his hotel.
All along his route, many eyes opened and closed, some of them not even human. All of the images were fed along confusing pathways back to a receiving zone, which were then broken down and released into different parts before being sent all over the world as innocuous data. Dummies were placed at every corner, in every intersection, with layers of encryption that required keys to crack. It wove through official and underground channels, some reaching remote-control nodes that were placed all the way into the wastes of the Dead Zones. Once the process was complete, all of it was then sent to be collated into a single whole again in another junction zone, before being sent to their intended destinations.
All of it was done in mere seconds. That was how Gaia kept its eyes on the world.
Even before Diethard activated the little information chip on his pad, the minds behind the infallible eyes had already decided that the secrets were safe, and closed them to open more to watch other things.
Another set was watching the known Gears in Area Eleven, who had been steadily refusing the invitations sent to them.
"Do we consider blackmail?" said one Gaia controller, sitting behind his desk at one communication array.
A distorted voice answered him/her over the phone, "I would think those at the top would just threaten to reveal their identities and have our men at the Order come to seal the image."
"However, they seem to have been influenced by Zero, to some extent," said another controller days after the conversation, replying to another similar concern voiced by an unnamed colleague.
One thing was certain. The infallible eyes knew not who or what Zero was, his powers, his identities and his allegiances. Many in the world claimed him to be Gaia's but their dossiers on the enigmatic Gear drew a blank. And thus, because of Zero, Gaia was vexed, urging their members to step up their paces.
For there was no secret that Gaia will not fight to uncover, and fight even further to keep.
"But then, did the Mirror of Orochi really reveal all those things?" asked yet another voice, booming out from the darkness.
"Yes," was the reply. "Her Exalted One is convinced that the old ones think of Zero as the catalyst of change."
"Most certainly it has brought change. Already, our bases are under threat from increased Order vigilance. It remains to be seen if this Zero will turn the world further, or will be swallowed into it. A force that moves or a footnote in history?"
"Your wisdom is certainly greater, my lord."
"...Gaia will keep on treading carefully until then. The earth is sacred after all; one misstep and we risk shattering it forever. Please continue your protection of our most esteemed Holy Woman of the Far East." And a connection between two voices that would never speak to each other again winked out.
)()()()()()()()(
"Increase injection rate."
"Increasing injection rate," The mechanical voice informed the Prince as he stood watching the proceedings with a calm, clinical eye. The sight before him was a flurry of red and white, the sounds of the agonized victims muted by the barrier separating Schneizel from the experiment.
A moment later, the ars settled, leaving a thick cloud of bluish smoke behind. The Prince made a note of it, taking a second to tally up the differences of the data in his mind. The difference (or lack thereof) did not produce a visible change in the Prince's expression, who ordered the automated machine once more, "Clean-up." The built-in systems in the room immediately set to work retrieving and disposing of the human debris left behind in the experiment.
Later in his room, the Prince added a new palm-sized stone, lime green-colored this time, to his personal vault of "failed" results. Schneizel had a habit of keeping track of even the lowest points, but did not dwell on them long. He shrugged, unaided, into the regal attire of his station, before exiting his Palace to attend Court. Much as he wanted to pore over research, the Prince had to perform his duty.
There was much to do in the meantime. The poorly-planned and supplied Imperial probes into Gibraltar had been repulsed, the fool maneuver no doubt the instigation of a noble or at worst, a Sibling, and it had caused unnecessary tension between the Empire and Europe.
"Kanon? A report if you will. I need information on the intended deployments under Captain Balest and Vice-Admiral Landhearth. Thank you, that will be all." Passing by the sealed Grove, the Prince was reminded of another battle that would hopefully be handled by the li Britannia sisters.
In the receiving hall in the Imperial palace, after the Emperor's audience was over, Schneizel beckoned to an archmage from one of the Circles, drawing him into a corner to discuss his newly-discovered brother's "cursed" condition.
"It sounds mighty complicated," growled the mage, absently stroking his beaded beard. "I agree with your opinion. It demands study."
"Hopefully, those who study Shadow will be able to uncover and cure my brother."
"My earnest pardons, my lord, but I would not be banking on that. There are few in the world who understand the Shadow, and it seems the instigator, this Zero, is one of them. It was Zero who did it to the Prince, right?"
Schneizel pursed his lips, weighing the impact his reply would make. "I believe there is more than a small chance of Zero's involvement, but since he has not made explicit threats against the Family, then the seed of doubt must remain until proven otherwise. But still, that is indeed a worthy speculation to look into. More reason for increased funding of Shadow research. I shall probably discuss it with the Emperor." The mage snorted, grumbled something under his breath before he bowed and left, possibly to discuss what the Prince had told him with his circle.
The Second Prince dismissed the arch-mage from his mind, already occupied with other matters.
)()()()()()()()(
"Hey, hey, master, is this really a good idea? Won't the Order dogs get a good sniff of us if we return here?"
In the darkness of night, three ominous figures stood in the whirling dust of the Dead Zones. Their voices were mute, spoken in a language that only they knew.
"I suppose it is their prerogative to get a good 'sniff', for that is their necessary purpose. As doing this action is mine."
"I guess you are concerned about that Zero kid. That guy's gonna be trouble, you betcha...But now that the third wheel's gone, we can't protect you as much, master."
"Do not worry yourself needlessly. Zero as he is will pose no threat to me or mine plans. In addition, I am certain the two of you can stop anything he – or the world can summon. And if all else fails..."
The three disappeared into the darkness, their passing unmarked through the howling wind.
)()()()()()()()(
"He's late, why the hell is he late?" bellowed Tamaki, crouching behind an abandoned food stall in their and Zero's supposed meeting place. "If that bastard sold us out to Gaia or the Order, then I ain't gonna rest till I blow him to high heaven, ya hear that?"
"Kallen," Kaname Ohgi asked their youngest member worriedly. "You're Zero's contact. Has he-?"
"Like hell I'd know where that guy is," she replied irritantly, brushing her hair lower over her face to hide it from observing eyes.
"Hm? Why do you sound angry, Kallen?"
"Yeah, weren't you Zero's yes-man since you met him?" cackled Tamaki, jumping at the new thread of the conversation. "Seriously though, man did you see what that guy did? No one could touch him, he was like a frigging god! One thing's for certain, I don't want to be that guy's enemies, he's a real menace!"
"Yeah..." Ohgi and the others reluctantly agreed. The way Zero just invaded the room full of Order soldiers and throwing back every attack against him was the mark of a truly powerful Gear. Only a few of their kind could ever attest to rattling the Guardians, and those high-levels were eliminated soon enough. Compared to Zero, those others were raving loonies compared to the sophisticated might that was the self-proclaimed Command Gear.
Kallen, on the other hand, was entertaining quite different thoughts. She still could not shake off the sight of a fallen, torn body, blood gushing out of every orifice as its soul selflessly took the first chance to defend its friends.
Why? She kept on asking. Why would he-? If he was?
The banter between the human-disguised group came to an end when the familiar, baritone voice of "Alan Spacer" spoke. "I apologize for being late, my friends."
"Oooh, you're finally here! Here comes the hero of the fucking century! Hey, tell us how you managed to be all powerful like that huh?"
"Patience. I will share the knowledge with you, and with all our brethren in time."
As the rest of the group stood to gather around the Britannian youth, Kallen narrowed her eyes, thinking Why were you late? Oh, maybe because you spent the entire two days cooped up inside the infirmary and had to walk despite your still-recovering wounds? How's that for a deduction, you hopeless idiot, you heartless, murderous fiend, you stupid, stupid liar-
"Kallen Kouzuki." The masked face of Alan Spacer approached, walking with a slight limp. Kallen raised an eyebrow, crossing her feet and her arms as she replied belligerantly, "Yeah?"
Seeming to interpret Zero's surprise as a question, Ohgi butted in, "Oh, please don't worry, Zero. Kallen seems to be having-"
"Yeah, the new meat's seems to have some issues today. I mean, it's probably that day," commented Tamaki salaciously, which earned him a swift kick to the groin that sent the man crumpling to the floor.
"My apologies, Zero," said Kallen in her most oily, formal voice. "There's been too much on my mind, don't you remember that day when you called me? Well, a Gear attacked us then, and some brainless idiot decided to go and have himself nearly killed. It's upset many."
"Is that so?" murmured Zero, wrenching himself away from Kallen's burning gaze. "That is troubling."
"Yeah," agreed Ohgi, for the wrong reason. "Kallen had no choice but to fight it since it was berserk and all, but we can't help but feel for whoever it was..."
"Indeed! Well said, my friend. And that is what I shall be teaching you for now," Zero declared suddenly, rounding on the rest of the group. "To better yourselves as Gears, I will first have to teach you how to manage yourselves when you slip to the other side."
"Lessons? Are you gonna be like a teacher then?" asked Tamaki densely.
"Yes. It might be impudent for me to say, but there is but one way for us to proceed for now. You will have to learn to manage your innate powers before we can make our first move as a family. We will all have to gain some measure control of our own magics, for that is our only strength in the face of overwhelming odds. I do assume everyone here has agreed to join me in my quest?"
A chorus of agreements, some less enthusiastic than others followed. Only Kallen had not spoken, and when the face of Alan Spacer - the face that wore a lot of masks - turned to her, she frowned. Gently, the boy said, "If you still have doubts, I will not hold it against you, young flame."
Hah! As if I could just allow you the luxury of your lies, Zero! "No," she replied curtly. "I will join. I wish to learn to master the Gear cells in my body, I wish to join in your quest to free our brethren. I have things to fight for, things to protect."
Zero seemed to be taken aback for a brief, shining moment, allowing Kallen to see a tiny glimpse of the unmasked face, before he smirked and said, "I thank you all for your trust. Well then, we must now discuss a meeting schedule. We only have a short amount of time before the forces of the world shakes itself from the shock I have given them, so we must use it well before my next move..."
Whatever your game is, Zero, I won't rest until I unmask the real you! And then...and then... and then what? Kallen was surprised to learn there were depths to her intentions that even she did not realize herself. And then...?
If Lamperouge really was Zero, if the apparently selfless man was the ruthless, dark-winged Gear, what then?
"Ah, if you could please, young flame, could I have my feather back? I shall use it for a little demonstration this session." The redhead absent-mindedly gave back the feather she always carried around in her pocket to the masked boy. His hand brushed against hers briefly, and in that moment she had the strongest impulse to reach out and crush it inside her own.
She looked at her palm where the feather had been.
And then I'll...
AN: Twelve years and a thousand titles of visual novel gaming experience has given me too much of a jaded attitude when it comes to establishing flags in my ficcy fics. Especially in my earlier attempts at after-story fics for my favorite games, I've always been lazy enough to establish a flag as definitely placed, definitely done. My apologies if the "romantic" relationships seems too heavy-handed.
To this day, I'm still wondering why the writers of Code Geass had to foist such a cruel fate on light-hearted, innocent characters like Shirley or Euphemia. From a story-telling perspective, it made sense, and from the perspective of this story, it's a necessary part of their character's role, ("oh noes, it's a hint on what's to come for those two...jk") else they become hopelessly static like Milly and Rivalz. But sheesh, why couldn't they invent more Rolo-esque characters so the tragedy won't seem so...so..so damn un-tragic. Better to be the pretty ornament than to be involved as a plot device.
Of course, opinions will differ, but as to this fic, well who knows? A motto of mine is to accept the happy things and the sad things, even in fictional media like anime (and fanfiction). The example set by their sacrifice will probably never fade.
Here's to you, B. Rock on!
To you readers, thanks for reading!
Merlin Out.