A/N: haha! :D Double update it is :3 kekeke~ I enjoy feedback guys ; u ; remember that~ It inspires me *sob*
Lelouch: *rolls eyes* No need to cry about it..
Kari: SHUT UP! I'm happy ok? STUPID! *throws random things at Lelouch*
Lelouch: *dodges some but gets hit by heavier metal-made things and freaks out when a bra hits his face* AGH! Is this yours?
Kari: Pft.. no.. *blushes and grabs it back*
Lelouch: You're small- ACK!
Kari: *hit Lelouch in the head with plastic squeaky hammer thingy* SHUT UP!
Linamae: *sweatdrops* er.. R&R Please~ Enjoy and Karichan-senpai only owns me, Sorale, Z.Z. and the Rosen.
Kari: Oh and thank you for the feedback guys :D I did pretty well on my auditio lol *keeps hitting Lelouch in the head with the plastic hammer* Enjoy!
"Just hold out a little bit longer! Wait until Zero can get a layout of the building" Kallen spoke through the Black Knights' communication to the losing-hope soldiers trying to prevent the Britannian forces from coming into the building, "We'll back you up but you gotta stand firm!"
"So.. Kallen was there when.. Suzaku shot off your mask.. ?" Linamae asked, turning off the mic on her ear and flipping her hair over her shoulders as she spoke to Lelouch who knelt down on the ground, inspecting the notebook with his information in it. When she didn't get a response she nodded, "I see.. so that's how she knew. She never really told me how she found out, I just assumed that it was told to all of the remaining Black Knights that C.C. was still in contact with.. " there was a long silence before she spoke again, "Lelouch.. what.. happened.. ? I mean.. after.. "
"Hm.. I was defeated.. by the old me.. by Suzaku.. " Lelouch finally spoke, making Linamae look up at him slowly, her expression holding calm. Lelouch flipped another page in the journal, "And by my biggest enemy. Kh!" he glared forward at nothing, as he recalled his memories from a year ago, "He dragged me before the Britannian Emperor.
Suzaku slammed Lelouch's head down onto the red carpet just before the steps to the throne where the Britannian Emperor, Charles Zi Britannia sat in all his glory.
"Kh!" Lelouch winced, unable to move as his arms were bound by a straight jacket, similar to that of C.C. and Z.Z.'s.
Suzaku kneeled in respect at the Emperor, holding down Lelouch's hand with his free hand that wasn't resting on his upright knee.
"The former seventeenth heir to the Imperial throne.. " the Emperor spoke slowly as he stared at his 'son', " ..Lelouch Vi Britannia" he breathed out, almost amused as he watched his son on the ground, "It's been a long time, hasn't it my errant son?"
Lelouch opened his eyes in anger and tried to glare up at his 'father', though difficult due to Suzaku holding his head down, "How dare you?" he lifted his head, only to be slammed back down by a dangerously calm Suzaku.
"You won't use your geass" Suzaku spoke down to him, causing Lelouch's anger to grow as the black haired boy grit his teeth.
"Kh!"
"Your majesty I have a request" Suzaku looked up at the Emperor, "Please sire, allow me to join the Knights of the Round. The twelve strongest knights of the Britannian Empire"
"As a reward for capturing Zero?" he asked though it sounded more like a knowing statement, "Is that it?"
"YOU!" Lelouch glared up at Suzaku now.
"I told you before Lelouch," Suzaku started, "that I was going to change this world from the inside"
"Even if it means selling out your friends!"
"That's right"
"Kh!"
The Emperor smirked, "Very well.. I like the answer you just gave him, now then as a Knight of the Round I order you.. " Charles stood up and stared down at the two teenagers, "Cover up Zero's left eye" he spoke in amusement.
Suzaku immediately obeyed, pulling up Lelouch by his hair and using his free hand to cover up Lelouch's geass eye, at the same time forcing his normal eye to stay open and glare at the Emperor, "Yes.. your majesty"
"My unworthy son," the Emperor started to step forward toward Lelouch and Suzaku, "who raised the banner of rebellion although he was a prince. Still, there's another way we can make use of him" he stopped just in front of Lelouch whose features twisted into shock as he stared up at his so-called 'father'.
"W-What?" his eyes widened in fear upon seeing his father's eyes fade into the familiar red geass insignia.
"I will rewrite your memory, about being Zero, about the death of your mother, about the very existence of Nunnally"
"Kh! No! Geass!"
"You'll remember none of it. You'll just be insignificant"
"NO! Stop! You're stealing what's most precious to me again!" Lelouch screamed, trying to struggled against Suzaku in an attempt to get away or close his eye, "First my mother! And now you're taking Nunnally!"
Suzaku prevented him from moving and widely opened his eye, "Charles Zi Britannia engraves into you.. " Charles spoke.
"STOP IT!" Lelouch screamed.
" ..false memories of a false life" the Emperor finished, forcing his geass on Lelouch.
'Mother! Nunnally! Linamae! Zero!'
"C.C… " Lelouch spoke in a low voice almost dangerously.
The said witch got off of the column that she was leaning back on behind Linamae, who followed the witch with her eyes as she stood with her shoulders relaxed, one hand clutching the spot that she had been 's hot', and strolled off somewhere else nearby, "Don't even think it. I'm not the one who gave him his geass"
Lelouch glared behind him without turning his head, "Hm! Where's Nunnally now.. ?"
Linamae stepped forward this time, slowly making her way over to Lelouch, trying hard to prevent herself from stumbling so that she wouldn't worry him or have him preventing her from fighting, "I'm sorry Lulu.. we tried to find her, but with the Black Knights all but destroyed and my geass for seeing anywhere at anytime having disappeared I.. " she trailed off feeling helpless as she stopped just a yard from him, looking down in sadness.
Lelouch's features softened before he spoke again, "What about Sayoko?"
"She and Diethard escaped to the Chinese Federation" C.C. explained now, seeing that Linamae was trying to recompose her near broken self, "She still doesn't know Zero's true identity," C.C. made her way over to Linamae, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders from behind in an attempt to calm the girl down, "and she didn't know Nunnally's real importance so she can't be blamed"
"Hm!" Lelouch turned away from them, standing up and glaring at the ground, taking the notebook with him, "I'll find the one who gave the Emperor his geass and then.. get Nunnally" he nearly whispered, holding up his hand and staring into his palm before clenching it, "Gh!" he looked up in realization, "I had a younger sister but not a younger brother!" he grit his teeth in resentment at the thought of Rolo, Linamae looked up at him slowly, "So who is he.. ?"
Linamae shook her head in response, "I wasn't able to investigate him thoroughly, there wasn't much to go on. He was just placed in your life to replace the memories of Nunnally and to take her place"
"Hm.. " Lelouch looked more into the journal before shutting it closed, "This has the layout of the building in detail but the I.D. code I need isn't here.. Lina.. " he turned to the girl who had lowered her head again in thought. Linamae looked up at him, slightly startled by his voice. Lelouch softened upon seeing her; he paused for a moment before speaking again, "Where's the Gawaiin?"
"Uh.. i-it's in the B-Black Knights' custody. We can't use it without two pilots are right now it wouldn't help much due to it's size. Also-" she rambled nervously, shifting her eyes away, unable to meet Lelouch's eyes as she lowered her head to hide her soft pink blush.
"Lina" she stopped at Lelouch's slightly amused voice, "I understand, anyways.. " he turned back to look up at the Britannian knightmare, " ..we can't commandeer this knightmare, can we?"
"What are you doing there?" a fourth party made the three turn sharply where the voice came from.
C.C. quickly pulled Linamae along to hide behind the Britannian knightmare's legs, out of sight from the oncoming party.
The approaching similar Britannian knightmare stopped a few yards from Lelouch whose back was turned towards the new knightmare as he fixed his face to that of an innocent mirage. Lelouch turned toward the new knightmare, making sure to hide his geass eye from view, "Oh! You're a soldier! Thank goodness!" he smiled in fake relief, "We need to help this man at once!" he kneeled down to place a hand on the chest of the dead baron.
"Office of secret intelligence.. ?" the man inside the knightmare mused before pulling out his knightmare's key, "What are the Emperor's personal agents doing here?" he ejected himself out of his knightmare and lowered himself to the ground and running forward.
'Good.. these reports are accurate.. ' Lelouch smirked as he watched the pilot run towards him, referring to the journal in his hand 'Calares's forces don't know about me.. so I can use the data in this journal.. '
"There's only one survivor?" the pilot asked once he stopped in front of Lelouch.
"Yes.. just you.. " Lelouch smirked as he stood up, much to the confusion of the pilot.
"What?"
"That's right" he continued speaking in his mellow voice, but soon turned commanding as he reached up to dramatically cover his geass eye before using it straight on the pilot, "Now, give me your knightmare"
After a moment the pilot spoke, "I understand" the pilot spoke in a monotone voice, "The I.D. code is QR5YK1D6" he explained, dropping the knightmare key into Lelouch's awaiting palm.
"Thank you.. " Lelouch smirked, closing his long, slender fingers around the key.
C.C. rolled her eyes and narrowed them, letting go of Linamae's shoulders and walking away to board her burai, "Even though you need direct eye contact, are those theatrics necessary?"
Linamae stepped out to peek at Lelouch, her features slightly worried as she lowered her hand from her non-existent wound, "Hmph!" Lelouch turned to the side to smirk at C.C., "I don't need comments from an immortal witch.. " he tossed the key up and down.
C.C. turned toward him and smirked in amusement, but they both stopped upon seeing Linamae's retreating figure going towards the Rosen. C.C. turned her eyes toward Lelouch knowingly, and indicated him with just a look to talk to her.
Lelouch rolled his eyes and just turned toward the newly captured Britannian knightmare, "Let's get going then.. "
Linamae bit her bottom lip and sighed to herself before slipping into the Rosen and following Lelouch and C.C. to their first destination.
Linamae fought off the Britannian knights in the Rosen, fighting with ease at the low-leveled opponents as she listened to Lelouch's commands through the Black Knights' channel.
'Why am I so unstable right now.. ? I feel like if I take a sudden move with Lelouch, I' won't be able to hold back.. ' she narrowed her eyes in both fear and confusion as she clutched at where she was 'shot'.
"Infinity make your way to my location"
"Uh! R-Right.. " she nodded as she spoke into the mic, speeding off and destroying enemy knightmares along the way as she made her way to where Lelouch was commanding.
She parked the Rosen into a hidden lower level just beside where Lelouch's captured knightmare was parked and made her way up the stairs, her eyes widening upon hearing Kallen and Lelouch's conversation. She stopped in her tracks reaching up the stairs just before her face was revealed, only enough so that she could see the two figures clearly. Kallen was currently pointing a pistol at Lelouch, still in her rabbit suit and Lelouch's back was facing Linamae as he spoke to the red-haired girl.
"You, who abandoned Zero at Kamine Island. What do you want to tell me?" Lelouch spoke calmly.
Linamae's eyes narrowed in remembrance, her fist clenching on reflex as she looked away for a moment, just listening to their conversation, "Lelouch.. " Kallen seethed dangerously as she narrowed her eyes at the male, "You were deceiving me right from the very beginning.. "
"About Zero being your classmate? Or about my geass power.. ? Which one has offended you?"
"Both of them" a small silence fell in the room before Kallen spoke again, "Tell me this, did you use your geass on me like you did the others? Did you twist my mind and my heart, and make me follow you?" she glared harder at him. Lelouch chuckled in response making Kallen look at him in bewilderment, "Lelouch!" she cried out, sounding offended.
"Your mind and your heart are yours alone.. " he explained, "As was your loyalty and admiration for Zero" his velvety voice spoke before making his way over to Kallen.
"Don't move!" Kallen yelled out, extending out her arm with the hand that held the gun and pointed it straight at Lelouch's head.
"Kallen.. you should be proud of what you did.. you decided," Lelouch continued walking forward until the gun's barrel poked him in the chest, "you made the choice," he reached up and gripped the barrel, lowering it away from his chest, "you chose.. Zero.. " he breathed out. making Kallen let go of the gun and recoild away from him in alarm.
Lelouch continued holding the gun by the barrel just near his chest, "You don't believe me.. ?" he asked in a slightly seductive voice.
Linamae's heart throbbed at the tone of his voice, 'No.. he's just trying to convince Kallen.. '
"Ngh!" Kallen stared at him in shock for a moment before staring down at the floor in sorrow, "I wanted to believe.. so much that I'd become a slave.. " she looked off the side, her eyes shaking.
"I see.. " Lelouch visibly softened at her.
"But! The one that I believe in is Zero!" Kallen declared, looking back up at Lelouch determinedly, "Just him. It's not you, Lelouch!"
"Well fine with me.. " Lelouch replied.
"Another thing.. " Kallen spoke glaring up at him again, "Linamae.. she's.. Rinalin from school.. right? Your childhood friend.. ? She's.. of royal blood, related to Empress Sumeragi. Yet she's Inifnity.. it doesn't make sense that she'd join the Black Knights. So.. did you use your geass on her?"
Lelouch's features turned serious and Linamae tensed up as she turned toward them, listening carefully.
"No.. I have never, and will never.. use my geass to bend Linamae's will.. " 'If I did.. then I have truly lost my purpose.. '
Linamae's heart skipped a beat, a red blush creeping up to her cheeks as she gulped down her nerves.
"I see.. but then why-"
"Why don't you ask her that yourself? Lina?" Lelouch stepped backwards and turned his head over his shoulder to face the steps where he knew LInamae had been listening in.
Linamae flinched, jumping slightly before standing up from where she sat on one of the steps and making her way up the remainder of them, continuing to walk as she stepped beside Lelouch, her long hair waving behind her and settling around her as she stopped beside him, first looking up at Lelouch who smiled gently at her, then looking determinedly at Kallen.
Lelouch turned his attention to the red-haired girl once again, smirking as Linamae stepped forward in front of Kallen. Lelouch stepped backwards and smiled in slight pride at the princess in front of him, her back turned to him.
"Kallen.. " Linamae spoke to the girl in front of her.
"Lin- I mean.. Infinity.. " Kallen narrowed her eyes slightly at the younger girl.
Linamae closed her eyes for a moment, "I guess I owe you an explanation.. " she breathed out softly before opening her eyes then reaching up to take out the make-shift contact covering her right eye, her geass fully activated and glowed in the dark room, making Kallen step back in shock and surprise.
"W-What? Y-You have a geass too?" Kallen asked in horror.
Linamae nodded once, "But.. that isn't the reason why I'm with Lelouch.. " she placed the contact back in her eye as Lelouch stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on Linamae's shoulder.
"Her geass is harless.. in fact, it takes away all harm. Her geass is healing.. " Lelouch explained.
Kallen softened slightly but still tensed as she fixed her posture, standing up straight now as she continued listening, "I see.. then why.. ?"
"Lelouch is.. " Linamae began but paused, unable to bring herself to find what Lelouch truly meant to her, 'Lelouch is what.. ? Who is he to me.. ? My childhood friend.. ? My first love.. ? The father of my child.. ?' Linamae's shoulders lowered as her eyes lowered to the ground.
Lelouch looked at her in worry, 'Lina.. what am I to you.. ? You.. to me you're.. you're.. everything.. ' "I'm her childhood friend" Lelouch pulled a fake smile at Kallen as he finished the explanation, "We grew up together in Britannia and she's.. been promised to me.. meaning.. we were engaged to be married before we both headed for Japan. Our families promised us to one another, and she's been hooked to my hip since" Lelouch quickly explained, making up a story to appease the red-headed girl.
Linamae tried not to look at Lelouch as her eyes widened at his words, the blush on her cheeks growing with each word he spoke, "E-Engaged.. ?" Kallen asked in disbelief, "I-I see.. well.. I guess that explains things.. "
Lelouch's mic beeping in his ear interrupted the conversation, making Lelouch reach up to speak into it, "Go ahead"
"Britannian reinforcements approaching.. " C.C.'s voice spoke through the mic.
A/N: Well whatchu think? :D sorry kekeke~ I got distracted by Lelouch's face *still hitting him*
Lelouch: So she says but she keeps hitting me!
Kari: *sticks out her tongue* Blehhh~
Linamae; R&R Please!