Disclaimer: Code Geass is owned by Sunrise Studios
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Dammit! Dammit! How could I have let this happen? How could I have let my guard down and let my mother fall into that conniving bastard's hands? Pathetic! Despicable!
Steel panels monotonously flashed past her eyes as she ran through the brightly lit halls. Hair the color of fire—a color befitting of her burning soul, bounced up and down and her heart felt tight in her chest. She clenched her jaw and bit back the angry tears that threatened to escape her. A low growl rumbled in the back of her throat as her self-loathing and guilt continued to claw at her with each passing footstep.
Disgust, despair, betrayal, and fear swirled within her body with no end in sight. In the past, someone had always quelled those emotions—now, she was utterly alone. With her true identity revealed, she could no longer return to the carefree life she had as an Ashford student with Milly-chan, Rivalz, and the others. If she were to try to contact them, she could potentially expose them to more unnecessary conflict. After everything she already put them through, that was the last thing she wanted to happen. Ohgi, her beloved friend and comrade in arms whom she had often seen as an older brother of her own, was now her enemy along with the rest of the Black Knights.
Involuntarily, the image of a certain ebony-haired silhouette crept up in her mind: his brilliant violet eyes bore into her and his trademark smirk was plastered onto his face. She fervently shook her head side to side to erase the image and raced around the corner only to stop in front of a steel door. She stepped through as the door hissed open before her and found herself welcomed by the darkness that was her quarters.
She flicked on the light and was suddenly bathed in light, illuminating her things that were placed neatly around the room. Her living space was small, but she didn't mind. As a soldier, she had to be ready to go at any moment's notice and carrying unnecessary belongings would only serve to weigh her down. She was so used to her Spartan way of life that any luxuries actually brought her a sense of discomfort and unease. She could barely remember her life living in the Stadtfeld household: she tried her best to forget, as it was a constant reminder of the cruelty of Britannian aristocracy and the harsh treatment her biological mother received. However, as much as she had tried to suppress those memories, she couldn't completely rid of them. She had long since accepted her past as a fundamental part of herself that helped shape her into the person she is now, but…
That doesn't mean I can forgive those monsters.
And just like that, the warrior's mind began to wander into the memories she thought she had buried long ago.
Sunlight peeked through the flowing curtains and shown directly into her eyes. She groaned and shifted underneath the covers, trying to escape the relentless rays that seemed to target her. After a moment, she realized that her fight was futile and decided to get out of bed, all the while cursing the sun underneath her breath. Her fingers grabbed hold of the warm blanket covering her body and flung them to the side, exposing her slender legs to the chilly air. Her brows furrowed at the slight breeze touching her skin. She swung them over the edge and forced herself off from the haven that was her bed. Her feet daintily touched the cool floor and led her to her closet where she was met with a seemingly infinite number of gowns to wear. Bored eyes scanned the gowns and her fingers ran through each of the elegant garments, feeling the ribbons, lace, and the satin graze her skin. A knock sounded at the door nearby, followed by a muffled voice:
"Ms. Stadtfeld, are you awake? Your breakfast is ready."
"Mm, thank you!"
"Would you like assistance in getting dressed?"
"No, it's alright, I'll be out shortly!" she called out.
"Very well," the voice responded. The fiery-haired woman faintly heard the shuffling of feet as they retreated from her door. Her attention promptly returned to the myriad of gowns before her. Bright blue eyes began to glaze over as her thoughts wandered, her hands mindlessly sifting through the various dresses.
'Is this all there is to this life? Living in the lap of luxury while being attended to hand and foot while others are suffering? All for what? To play into this puppetry that the aristocracy crafted? I refuse to believe it…there has to be more than this, right?'
She snapped herself out of her intrusive thoughts and once again summoned the concentration needed to complete the task at hand. Her hand stayed at a bright blue gown with a white trim. She perused over it briefly before grabbing the dress and hastily throwing it over her. Her hands ran over the length of the dress, quickly smoothing out any wrinkles. She loosely tied a white ribbon around her neck and gave herself a once-over before heading out the door. As soon as she pulled opened the mahogany door, she was met with two women humbly dressed in the traditional maid outfit. They bowed their heads and greeted her with a warm smile.
"Ms. Stadtfeld, are you ready?"
"You don't need to accompany me everywhere."
"We serve the Stadtfeld family. It would look poorly on us if one of the esteemed family members were to need something and we are not there to fulfill that wish."
"I am more than capable of doing it myself," the girl retorted.
"As I am sure you are, Ms. Stadtfeld," the woman replied. "However, Master Stadtfeld requested that we stay by your side."
"Of course he did," she trailed off.
"In any case, shall we make our way to the dining hall? Lady Stadtfeld is awaiting your presence."
"I guess I can't help it. Alright then, let's go."
The woman nodded in agreement and the trio made their way down the steps. Kallen held onto the wooden banister with her gloved hand and the bottom of her dress in the other. Silence surrounded them save for the soft thudding of their heels descending the staircase. They were about halfway when the sound of porcelain crashing onto the floor rang through their ears. A shrill voice followed suit, stopping the trio in their tracks.
"What is this disgusting abomination that you just served me? This isn't even fit to feed a dog!"
The women recognized the voice belonging to none other than Lady Stadtfeld. It wasn't particularly uncommon for her to be upset at something. However, this time, it seemed to be a little different: it was especially hostile.
"What are you doing just standing there? Clean this mess up!" the voice continued. Only when a sharp slap pierced the air and a small yelp was heard did the blue-eyed woman spring into action. She gasped at the realization of what had happened and dashed down the stairs. The two women called for her and a hand desperately tried to grasp her arm from behind. The hand from behind merely grazed her, but failed to stop the red-haired woman that was burning with rage.
The woman sprinted down the hall and burst through the door that separated her from the origin of the sound. The door flung open, banging against the wall behind it and instantly bathing her with a sudden flood of sunlight. Shards of porcelain were scattered all over the floor with its contents strewn alongside it. Beside it, a slender blonde woman in a deep violet gown stood with her palm raised high in the air. Her head turned towards the doorway where azure eyes met cerulean. In that instant, time stopped as their gaze locked onto each other: both were filled with a deep-seated hatred. The fiery-haired woman peered down and saw the outline of another woman donned in a maid outfit curled up on the porcelain-laden floor.
The brunette slowly lifted her head and met her savior's worried stare, revealing a pink, dirtied cheek underneath the stray strands of hair cascading over her face. At the sight of the helpless woman on the floor, the young woman bared her teeth and aimed her deathlike glare at the assaulter. Without another moment's hesitation, she leapt over with arms splayed to interject between the two. Hurried footsteps approached them and the two women from earlier appeared from the doorway.
"Ms. Stadtfeld! Lady Stadtfeld!"
"What are you doing?" the assaulter asked coldly, lowering her arm while maintaining her icy stare.
"I should be asking that of you!" she spat. "There's no need for this violence."
The older woman looked down at her with unflinching eyes and a snarl forming on her lips.
"Servants are meant to serve. If they don't do their job correctly, punishments are to be given. If not, then order is disrupted and everyone does whatever they damn well please. Do you want that to happen?"
"This is not justice! What you're doing is wrong. You should be ashamed of yourself for abusing your power over this poor woman."
"Don't you know?" the blonde figure hissed. "That's just the way of the world."
"No, it's not! Who says you need to be cruel? Who says you need to bully the weak?"
"The strong rule over the weak," she stated fiercely.
"No!" the young woman shouted. "The strong should help the weak! But you're not strong at all. In fact, you're the weak one—"
"That's enough!"
The hand that had stayed by her side swung across the younger woman's face, the effects of the contact echoed in the tension-filled room. Kallen took a step back to steady herself and winced from the pain that stung her cheek. A low growl escaped her lips; she gritted her teeth and opened her eyes to stare daggers back at her attacker, the intensity behind the vibrant blue eyes increasing every second.
"Try that again," she snarled.
The other woman furrowed her brows and scrunched up her face. She balled her fists and moved to raise her hand in the air once more, but ultimately decided against it. Instead, she unfurled her hands, let out a disdainful scoff, and swiveled on her heels. She stepped towards the door where the other two ladies were standing motionlessly before glancing over her shoulder.
"I should have never let her in this household," she muttered, just loud enough for everyone to hear. "There's only been one problem after another. Clean this up."
The blonde, elegant figure made her exit while the two women bowed their heads and scurried past her. They immediately dropped down to their knees and began to pick up the shards and bits of food with their hands. The two subsequently rushed out of the room in search of a broom and a dustpan. Meanwhile, Kallen let out a sigh and lowered her arms in relief. She spun around and knelt down to the still huddled figure on the floor.
"Are you hurt, Mother?"
"I'm alright. Thank you."
The brunette smiled up at her, but the light did not reach her eyes. Her deep, ocean-blue eyes were instead filled with a certain sadness and another emotion that she couldn't place her finger on. Kallen's mother reached up to touch her daughter's face, gently running her fingers over where she had been struck. At that, the young woman flinched and let out a tiny hiss. The small fingers retracted instantly and rested onto her lap.
"Are you hungry?"
The young lady shook her head side to side.
"I think all this commotion made me lost my appetite," she smiled. "But then again, I don't think I had an appetite to begin with."
The brunette flashed a forlorn smile at her brazen daughter before taking her hands in hers.
"Come now, you're getting your beautiful dress dirty," she said as she got on her feet while pulling the fiery-haired woman up with her. "I have something for you."
"Hm? What is it?"
Wordlessly, Ms Kouzuki released her hold on the other's hands and strolled over to the side of the great wooden table. On top of its polished surface was a small black box with a crimson bow tied neatly on its face. She carefully picked up the box and offered it to the wide-eyed youth.
Confused, the young woman took the box from her and cradled it in her hands. She undid the bow and deftly pulled the top off the box, revealing a gold heart-shaped necklace. She let out an audible gasp and gingerly lifted the necklace from its padded bed. The rays of light that poured in from the windows fell upon the necklace, accentuating its beauty while it glittered before her eyes.
"Mother, you didn't have to—"
"I wanted to," the brunette interrupted. She took the necklace by its chain and stepped behind her stunned daughter. "Let me help you put it on."
With her nimble fingers, she effortlessly did the clasp. Kallen could feel the cool touch of the golden heart sliding on her skin and held it in between her fingers.
"It's beautiful," she whispered, tracing her finger along the smooth surface.
The youth lifted her gaze from her new necklace to face her mother. A genuine smile now adorned the tired woman's face and her eyes looked upon her lovingly.
"Happy birthday, Kallen."
She was thrown back to reality. Instinctively, her hand shot up to grasp the necklace hanging around her neck. Her fingers did not meet the cool metal she sought for. Instead, they only clashed with air. A tinge of fear shot through her and she glanced down in response. Her widened eyes returned to their neutral position as her heartbeat calmed and she let out a soft sigh.
"Ah, that's right."
She sauntered over to her bag and thrust her hand into one of its many pockets. After some time, the hand appeared from out of the bag, fishing a little black box in its clutches. She lifted the top to reveal the shimmering golden necklace. It shone brilliantly in its case unscathed. Her blue eyes rested on the necklace and she ran her fingertips across its smooth surface.
Mother…
She shifted her fingers and immediately spotted her own reflection sparkling from behind them. Staring at her face, she paused: her lips parted and moved to clench her jaw instead. Her brows creased inward and she let out a mighty roar. She hurled the box at the wall opposite her with all of her strength. The box soared in the air and collided into the wall with a loud thud. The box then silently fell with its contents spilling upon the floor. The golden chain shimmered in the light and at the sight of the necklace, Kallen flew into a rage and grabbed the nearest thing that had the misfortune of being within her reach.
With her fist clutching onto her bag straps, she hurled the black bag straight into the floor. Various items spilled and clattered on the battered floor. She grabbed the small bottles of shampoo and conditioner with one hand and her toothbrush in the other before flinging them at the wall adjacent to her. She picked up other items strewn on the floor and hurled them as well. Hours—no, mere minutes passed by while the warrior relinquished the emotions that filled her burning heart. She reared her leg and kicked the open bag up and towards the wall where the necklace laid on the floor. Her legs sprang into action and bolted in its direction with her right arm cocked. The second the bag made contact with the wall, her fist followed closely behind with a loud boom that echoed throughout the room. She panted loudly, gazing at the bag that was pinned underneath the force of her knuckles.
She gradually released her hold on the bag, allowing it to slowly slide down the wall and land with a soft thump. The fiery-haired warrior inhaled and squeezed her hands once more. She raised her fist and proceeded to punch the steel wall repeatedly while simultaneously letting out a battle cry. This was not the typical battle cry in the face of danger—no, it was a cry of despair, one filled with anger and regret. It was a daughter's heartbroken, thunderous cry that shook the earth and reached the heavens.
Beads of sweat rolled down her cheeks and her chest heaved up and down rhythmically. A sharp pain shot up her arm, but she didn't care. She gave the steel wall one last good punch before she straightened herself. With the back of her hand, she moved to wipe the sweat dripping from her chin. Her hand swept across her forehead and chin, but when she removed her hand from her face, the smell of iron wafted up her nose; she stole a glance downward and saw that her knuckles were bruised and covered in blood. To confirm, she swiped at the bottom of her chin again with her other hand and found small trails of blood streaking its back. She clucked her tongue and swiveled on her heels to have her back turned against the wall.
Exhausted and shaky-legged, she laid her frame against the cool steel and collapsed under her weight. A leg slid out from under her and the other propped itself up at an angle. She rested her bloodied hand on her knee and her head on the wall while looking upwards at the bright lights fixated above her.
"What am I going to do?"
A rueful chuckle escaped her lips and she nestled her head between her hands.
"I've gotten stronger, but looks like I still can't save anyone. I'm sorry, Mother, for being such a reckless and stubborn daughter," she continued. Kallen took another glimpse at her bloodied knuckles and rested her gaze on the ever-buzzing lights. Her mind was clouded and her heart trembled thinking about how her innocent mother ended up getting ensnared in her affairs. And now she will have to suffer the consequences.
Because of me…
Staring up at the light fixtures showering her in their rays, she played through countless scenarios in her mind. However, each outcome seemed to be the same.
She closed her eyes trying to restrain the tears welling up from behind her eyelids. Despite her efforts, she uttered a choking gasp and a single teardrop managed to break through. It slowly trailed down her cheek and stained her fair skin before mixing with the speckles of blood that adorned her face.
"Please forgive me."
Meanwhile, a green-haired witch clutching a Cheese-kun plush doll tightly to her chest calmly wandered down the brightly lit halls. No one was in sight and the only company she had was the sound of her heels beating against the floor.
"It's oddly quiet around here," she stated aloud. "I wonder where the two have run off to this time."
She figured a certain violet-eyed man and a blue-eyed woman would be in shambles after Prince Schneizel's transmission announcing Nunnally's return and holding Kallen's mother hostage. It came as no surprise that they would, that was for certain. Now the question was, where were they holed up in? She strolled further down the hall and stopped at a junction. She peered to the left and she turned her head towards the right. The left wing would lead her down to where Lelouch's quarters lied. The right wing would be where his beloved Royal Captain, Kallen Kouzuki resided. With outstretched arms, she held Cheese-kun in front of her.
"Which way should I go first?"
The plush doll gave no reply and merely stared back at her with its unchanging expression. It was then that she heard a faint noise coming from the right wing that piqued her interest. She turned her body to the right and began to make her way towards the strange commotion. The golden-eyed witch looked over her shoulder at the left wing and paused briefly before repositioning Cheese-kun at its usual place against her chest.
"Looks like something interesting has come up," she smiled to herself.
It wasn't very long before she stood before the entrance where the unknown noises were emanating. From beyond the steel door she could clearly hear items clattering about and the roar of a certain rival.
"Oh? You lost your cool, huh?"
The green-haired woman turned on her heels and leaned onto the wall beside the door.
"Not like you had much composure to begin with," she smirked. Almost instantly, as if the fiery-haired warrior had heard her musings, she had rammed her fist into the wall that C.C. was leaning on. C.C.'s eyes slightly widened at the violent vibration directly behind her head. Curious golden eyes fixed onto the entryway beside her, waiting for a hot-tempered someone to appear through it any minute now. When she suspected that the Royal Captain wouldn't be making her appearance, she turned her attention to the plush doll snuggled in her arms. Raising a hand, she gently stroked the top of its head and plucked stray green hairs from its body. Shortly after, the vibrations of the wall restarted, followed by a harrowing, winded cry.
Thud, thud, thud, thud.
The punches just kept coming. The witch continued to lean upon the wall, feeling each pounding make its way to her. The blows were rhythmic, soothing even, and began to be white noise to her. Her thoughts began to wander, but at that moment, the vibrations suddenly stopped. She looked up from her beloved plush doll just in time to hear what sounded like sliding against the wall and end with a muffled thump.
"Looks like she's tired herself out. Ah, that's no fun. There's no use in teasing her when she's like this." She pushed herself off the wall and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. A small smile played on her lips as she started to walk in the other direction. "Let's see what our other hero is up to."
The pale witch strolled down the hallway and passed the junction from earlier. She continued the path she found herself walking oh so many times and rounded the remaining corners almost automatically. Eventually, she came to be in front of a slightly more extravagant entryway. With ease, the door hissed open and she stepped inside. Her golden eyes scanned the seating area only to find the room devoid of life.
The red and black chess board was still atop of the coffee table but several of its chess pieces were scattered below. At closer inspection, several books that lined the shelves were pulled from their place and also tossed to the side. Her gaze trailed onto the steel door on the opposite end that would lead to the man responsible for this mess. Her lanky legs led her across the room and stood by while waiting for the door to open for her. The moment it did, a ray of light broke into the dark room and revealed an ebony-haired man seated at the edge of his bed with his head hung low and his normally radiant violet eyes cast downward. The man being swallowed by the light entering the room looked like a tragic saint or perhaps a fallen angel in his long, elegant white robes. With his arms propped neatly on his thighs and his hands hanging limply between his knees, it was truly a picturesque sight.
"I see you've taken the news quite well," the witch goaded. "All the more reason to be impressed with the show you put on not too long ago."
He didn't even bother to break his trance to take a look at the intruder who had interrupted his thoughts. He instead lowered his head to allow locks of his jet-black hair to mask his deepening frown.
"Oh? Nothing?"
"I'm not in the mood to play your games, C.C.," he murmured. "I'd like to be left alone for the time being."
She paused for a moment to ponder at his words. Instead of complying with his wish, with heavy eyes, she crossed the room and stopped just before him. Even though she was within arm's reach, he remained silent and continued to hold his trance. She proceeded to drape her arms around his broad shoulders and snake a hand behind his head. In one swift motion, she gingerly pulled his head towards her. His silky hair tickled her hand and she could feel his body stiffen under her fingertips but surprisingly, he didn't fight her. He allowed his forehead to land against her midsection and the warmth emanating from the otherwise cold-hearted witch to encase him. It was a familiar sensation, the way that she placed her hands on him and invited him to her. He was racking his mind trying to remember why he felt this way. It wasn't until he felt her hand stroking his hair did he remember:
Kallen.
Yes, that's right, it was her. It felt like ages ago, but there was a point in time in which she held him just like this and comforted him in his time of need. She was of the rare few that he allowed to break through the walls of his hardened heart and see him in such a pitiable state. He envisioned her toned arms wrapping around him and breathing in her earthy scent opposed to the clean scent, like laundry, that was pressing against him now. The feeling of these arms surrounding him was not a bad experience, per se, but it was indeed…different.
"Haven't you done more than enough, Lelouch?" a sultry voice asked softly. "Look at what it's doing to you. You've defeated your father and already paved the way to the future you sought for. Let someone else take over for a while."
"I cannot do that."
"So, what is your next move? What are you going to do now that you know that Nunnally and Kallen's mother are being used as your brother's pawns?"
"I don't know."
"Oh? How unusual. This isn't like you: you always have a trick or two up your sleeves."
"You forget that I am still human. Unforeseen circumstances can throw even the best of us off course."
"Are you giving up your plans?"
"No."
The beginnings of a smile started to curl her lips.
"Now you're just being stubborn."
"Perhaps I am. However, whatever it is, I must see this through. The world that I envision cannot be complete if I were to stop here."
"Even if it means losing everyone around you?"
His hands that dangled between his knees began to tremble.
"Whatever it takes," he muttered. "Those who have sacrificed their lives for my sake: Euphy, Shirley, Rolo, and the countless others will have died in vain if I were to stray from my goal."
He furrowed his brows and tightened his jaw; he then removed his head from her midsection just enough to stare into her golden orbs.
"I absolutely cannot stop."
"I see," she whispered while gazing deeply into his determined eyes. Her arms surrounding him pulled him into an even tighter embrace, feeling the weight of his head on her midsection once more. "In that case, I hope you don't mind my staying beside you for a little longer."
"Do what you will, witch."
"That's more like it," letting out a soft chuckle. She released her hold on him and took a step back. Violet eyes curiously followed her only to find an outstretched hand before his face and a warm smile awaiting him.
"Shall we?"
He hesitated for a moment but continued to lay his hand atop of hers. Her fingers gently wrapped around his and his legs began to shift. They firmly planted onto the floor and pushed the man off the bed and onto his feet, the hem of his robes trailing closely behind him. The soft, slender fingers gripped a bit tighter and urged him to come with her. Step by step, the two turned their backs to the darkness and marched out into the light.
A certain warrior awoke with a startle. She automatically swished her head left and right to gauge her surroundings. Once she recognized that she was still in her room and far from harm, she eased herself back onto the wall. She wiggled her right hand only to find her fingers stiffened from her heated battle with the steel wall. She let out a groan as she hoisted herself up from the floor.
"How long have I been asleep for?"
She swatted at her uncooperative legs and shivered at the tingling sensation that shot through her lower body. She always hated that feeling. At the same time, she ran her bruised hand over the length of the wall, feeling the indented grooves that marred its otherwise perfect surface. In the corner of her vision, she saw something that caught her attention.
Once she regained control of her legs, she stooped down and pushed away the hefty bag to get a closer look. The golden necklace—still laying where she had thrown it, glistened in the light. With her left hand, she grabbed hold of the chain and lifted it up from the ground. She cradled the heart-shape jewelry in the palm of her callused hand and gently rubbed the speck of dirt off its surface with her thumb. Kallen locked eyes with her reflection and exhaled deeply before scooping up the tiny black box and stuffing the necklace back into its housing. She then tossed the container back into one of her bag's many pockets and made her way towards the exit.
The steel door slid open and the fiery-haired warrior began venturing down the halls once more. And yet still, not another soul was in sight. Minutes passed until she heard a faint voice coming from the rear of the aircraft.
"Wait! Not that one!" she heard, barely audible.
"Hm?"
"What do you mean?" another voice sounded. "This design is superior!"
"It won't be able to handle the configurations!"
"You two, let's not fight," a third, familiar voice responded.
The woman's legs started to move on their own towards the noise like a moth drawn to a flame. The bickering voices grew louder and louder as she approached the hangar. The double door before her slid open to reveal a spacious hangar filled with various machinery. The most notable ones were her Guren S.E.I.T.E.N, Suzaku's Lancelot, and a third unfamiliar one that was in the middle of assembling. She leaned over the railing to marvel at the behemoths staring back at her. Down below, she could clearly hear the clacking of the scientists' keyboards and the disputes between the lead developer and his assistant.
The lead scientist, the only man in the little group, donned a long, white lab coat and wore glasses that were a bit too big for his thin, sharp face. Even from a distance, she could spot the fragments of the crazed smile he wore underneath his mop of lavender hair. Seated behind him was a uniform-wearing, indigo-haired woman sporting a cropped bob. In the manner her face contorted and in the tone of her stern voice, it was easy to say she was the more responsible of the two. The third one, a girl with forest-green hair and large, round glasses desperately, but futilely, attempted to defuse the argument between the two.
"Oi!" Kallen called out.
The trio immediately stopped to gaze up at the intruder. Their faces were briefly struck with confusion before recognizing the owner of the bellowing voice. The man donned in a white lab coat immediately rose from his chair.
"Well if it isn't His Majesty's Royal Captain," he smiled widely.
"Kallen," the young bespectacled girl murmured as she watched the warrior descend the staircase.
"To what do we owe the honor of your visit?" the man asked.
"You're the one responsible for upgrading my Guren, right?"
At this point, she had reached the bottom of the staircase and was casually approaching the scientists' work stations. The figure standing before her was tall, slim, and definitely held the stereotype of a mad scientist.
"Upgrading?" he mused, adjusting his round glasses. His eyes shined momentarily as the realization dawned on him. "Oh, yes!"
"I wouldn't say it was much of an upgrade since the Guren S.E.I.T.E.N. became inoperable to every other pilot," the lady beside him commented. She flashed a gentle smile towards her superior. "But I can't place the entire blame on him. We both ended up getting carried away with the modifications."
"Yes, yes," he nodded fervently. "Once I got my hands on it, I couldn't stop. But it seems that it wasn't completely useless seeing as how its infamous pilot managed to do away with half of Britannia's forces."
"As well as successfully defend against a Hadron cannon blast and defeat the Knight of Ten."
Kallen's cheeks suddenly felt warm and she sheepishly rubbed the side of her arm in acknowledgement. "Y-Yes."
"Now, now, no reason to be shy!"
"Mm. W-Well I just wanted to give my thanks. Without your help, I wouldn't have been able to defeat Knight of Ten or escape the FLEIJA blast. I owe you my life."
"Oh nonsense!" he shouted. "To be frank, I didn't care who was piloting it: I just wanted to put my creation out there for the world to see. The look on Rakshata's face must have been priceless!"
The fiery-haired woman was visibly taken aback by his answer and blinked rapidly in confusion.
"What he means is, it's just our job as scientists, is all," the indigo-eyed woman interjected. "Ah, I believe this is the first time meeting the infamous Royal Captain face to face. It's a pleasure to meet you. This man here is Lloyd Asplund: lead developer. I'm Cecile Croomy, this fool's assistant." She extended her arm to offer her hand.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kallen Kouzuki," taking her hand in her own.
"Fool?" Lloyd asked, incredulously. "That's cruel, Cecile."
The woman ignored his comment and motioned towards the silent girl still sitting at her station.
"And I believe you two have met."
Blue eyes locked with lilac. The girl displayed no emotion and merely stared at her with a steely gaze before tilting her head into a bow. She pursed her lips until it was but a thin line and her thin brows moved inward ever so slightly.
"It's nice to see you again, Kallen."
"Yeah, nice to see you again too, Nina. It's been awhile. Have you been well?"
"I appreciate your asking. Yes, I have. Lloyd and Cecile senpai have been taking good care of me since I started to work alongside them. I apologize, but as much as I'd like to continue talking, I do have a lot of work to get back to."
"O-Oh, okay. Sorry for intruding."
The young girl swiveled back to face her computer screen, the various codes rapidly scrolling by and reflecting off her glasses. With one hand on the controls, she nonchalantly took the cup beside her with the other and grasped the straw between her lips. Kallen was a bit stunned at the cold treatment she received, but deep down understood her reasoning. She was sure the girl hated her still for even associating with the man who had killed her idol of worship: Princess Euphemia. Unconsciously, she squeezed her fist together. There was nothing the blue-eyed woman could really do to dispel this hatred but to accept it with open arms as punishment for her involvement.
"Don't mind her," Cecile added. "But it is true that we have a lot of work to catch up on. His Majesty asked us to find a FLEIJA countermeasure and we've been researching since."
"We also are in the middle of assembling our latest creation," the bespectacled man announced proudly. He gestured towards the hulking rose-tinted machine behind them.
Widened blue eyes followed suit to admire the work in progress.
"It looks like the Lancelot," she wondered aloud.
"Correct! This design: Lancelot Frontier is based on Suzaku's own Lancelot Albion. There's just so many possibilities and yet so little time. Unfortunately, with having access to only spare and salvaged parts, the performance of this one will definitely be weaker."
"That's why I said we shouldn't use the configuration designed for high performance Knightmares!"
"Nonsense! We just have to revise some of the functions and it'll be just as powerful," he rebutted while laughing gleefully.
"Like I said, it isn't going to work like that!"
"We are scientists, Cecile. We will make it work."
"If I left you to do as you please, you'll create another impossible machine," his assistant scolded.
The two increasingly became more absorbed in their usual banter and slowly began to forget the presence of their esteemed guest. Kallen wanted to quickly thank them once more and bid them farewell, but was unable to get a word in. She had thought about slipping away, but felt that doing so was rude and a bit disrespectful. At the start of her lips beginning to utter a sound, they were instantly drowned in the two's bickering. The fiery-haired warrior stood bewildered and was brainstorming as to how to make her exit when another booming voice cut through the air.
"With all the time you spend arguing with each other, it's a miracle you two ever got any work done."
Everyone's attention shifted to a figure staring them down with his emerald eyes. Black, shin-high boots stepped out from the looming shadows of the Knightmares and a statuesque figure came forth. The man, draped in a thick, heavily decorated black and maroon cloak peered at them in curiosity. A head full of chocolate colored hair came into view along with furrowed brows and a scowl that seemed permanently etched onto his tanned face.
"You're back safely," Cecile beamed. "Nice work completing your mission."
"Yes, thank you. Have you made progress in finding FLEIJA countermeasures?"
"Ah Suzaku, good timing," the lavender-haired man grinned. "In fact, we do have a bit of progress to report."
"What is it?"
"Thanks to Nina, we are developing something called the FLEIJA Eliminator."
"FLEIJA Eliminator, huh? Does it work?"
"Hard to say, really. We won't really know until we find out."
"I see. Please do your best. We have a lot of people depending on you."
"Ah, the work of a scientist is never done," he sighed in feigning frustration as he planted himself in his seat to face his computer screen. "But it's to be expected. After all, we're merely cogs in the grand scheme of things."
The steady clacking of the keyboard resumed and filled their ears. Cecile remained standing still in her place. Looking upon the young man before her, a slight smile crept on her face. Suzaku had taken notice of this and managed to return one of his own. She tilted her head into a nod and without another word, she took a seat and joined the others in their endeavors. Kallen observed the exchange between the two and how casually they interacted with each other. However, with the others fast at work, she didn't have time to ponder any further as emerald eyes quickly settled on her own. He scanned up and down her body and she could feel his intense stare bore into her.
"You're bleeding."
He reached for her right hand and she jolted at his touch. She instinctively pulled her hand away but the grip on her tightened too fast for her liking. He raised her hand closer to his face to glean over her bruised knuckles. Drops of blood were leaking from underneath the newly formed scabs and were starting to run down her fingers. As she was wondering how she had opened her wounds, a gloved hand had already pulled out a white handkerchief from his chest pocket. Before she could protest, the man ripped the cloth with his teeth and gently, but deftly tied it around her hand. Unbeknownst to the two, three pairs of eyes were watching over them and their intimate display: one looked on blankly, another with an approving smile, and the last with a slight frown.
When he finished dressing her wound, he stuffed the other half of the handkerchief back into his pocket, and released his hold on her hand.
"It's not much, but you wouldn't want that to get infected."
"O-Oh. Thank you."
For a moment, she could have sworn that his hardened stare softened a touch and he cracked a tiny smile. It seemed uncharacteristic of the stern-faced man standing in front of her but it was truly reminiscent of the youthful Suzaku she had known just a year prior. Now, it seemed that long were the days where they were able to live more carefree lives.
"Kallen," a deep voice called out.
She shook herself out of her trance and glanced up at him.
"This is a good time to discuss how we will proceed," the man said curtly.
She nodded in affirmation. She too was curious as to how these new developments would affect their plans. It was at this time that the cloaked man motioned to take their leave. He brushed past her and she followed after him up the stairs and past the double doors. A certain quietness hung over their heads while they walked in step towards their leader's quarters.
"It's a strange feeling working alongside Britannians instead of against them," she muttered aloud. The man beside her remained silent and continued making his way down the hallway. Kallen's eyes removed themselves from him in resignation but was shortly met with the low reverberations of his voice.
"Unfortunately, it doesn't get any easier."
"How do you still do it? You've gone through so much hardship for the people who refused to acknowledge you. Hell, they still haven't truly accepted you."
At that, his echoing footsteps stopped and he turned to face her squarely while she mirrored his actions. A look of determination glistened in his emerald eyes and his features hardened.
"It's because I have to. Because it's the right thing to do."
"Even if you're labeled a traitor?"
"You forget that I've been labeled a traitor ever since I was named Princess Euphemia's Honorary Knight and then later Knight of Seven," he chuckled. "I'm surprised you don't remember, since you yourself called me a traitor back on Kamine Island."
She shrank within herself at the last statement. Her cheeks began to feel warm and she suddenly couldn't bear to meet his gaze.
"I don't recall," she lied.
"That blow to the head when I captured you must have affected your memory," he teased.
"You ambushed me while I was bathing!" she barked back, her face immediately taking on several shades of red as memories of that day rushed back to her, particularly the moment a certain Knight had straddled her exposed body and effectively pinned her against the rocky ground. A fire lit up on her face as she angrily bared her teeth at him: her body instinctively moved to take on a defensive stance and looked about ready to pounce on him at any second.
In response, his eyes widened in surprise and she expected him to admonish her or retaliate somehow, but what she didn't expect was his expression softening and a forlorn smile turning his lips upwards.
"So much has happened since."
She in turn, indicated her own surprise and proceeded to relax her muscles. She straightened herself but the warmth on her cheeks lingered.
"W-We should get going," she uttered.
He agreed and restarted their journey down the halls with her following closely behind. Silence continued to hang over their heads with only the rhythmic sound of their boots hitting the floor to accompany them. However, not long after, the cloaked man broke the silence.
"It's been nice…" he mumbled, almost too quietly for her to hear.
"Hm?"
"It's been nice being able to talk freely like this. I don't remember the last time I enjoyed having a conversation with someone."
Kallen felt the blood rushing to her face again and silently cursed at herself for being so weak.
"Y-Yeah, same. In any case, I'm sorry for calling you a traitor. I know we were on opposite sides at that time, but I still shouldn't have been quick to call you that."
He suddenly stopped in front of an embellished door—so suddenly the blue-eyed warrior almost collided into him. He turned his head towards her and his lips crept upward into a half smirk.
"Your apology is unnecessary, but I accept it nonetheless."
As soon as it came, his boyish charm disappeared and was replaced by the stern-faced man that she came to know. Like the flip of a switch, he returned his gaze onto the door and narrowed his eyes; locks of chocolate-colored hair fell over his face, his back stiffened, and his gloved hands curled into half-formed fists.
"But now the time for niceties are over. It's time for action."
Before she could get in another word, he strode forward and the steel doors hissed open before them where their leader—and emperor awaited them.
C.C. had led the sullen figure into the living room and seated him onto the white, wood-trimmed couch. He leaned forward and immediately resumed his position. He turned his palms upwards to face him and noticed that they were still trembling.
With these hands, can I do what is needed? For Nunnally? For a better world?
He could hear his green-haired companion shuffle about the room and pick up various items. After a moment, she reentered his field of vision with an armful of books clutched close to her chest. With her back turned to him, she began to shove the books back onto their shelf. In the corner of his eye, he could see her beloved Cheese-kun plush doll on the furthest end of the couch and beyond that, the scattered black and white chess pieces on the floor beside the witch's feet.
"You've made quite the mess this time." Her slender body dropped down to the floor and scooped the pieces into her palm.
"Sorry about that," he replied in a low voice. "I didn't mean for you to clean up after me."
"Well, it can't be helped," her bored face returning to her face but the amusement in her golden irises lingering. "You did just find out that your dear sister was alive and being held captive. By your elder brother, no less. I'm sure it hasn't been easy for you."
She then dumped the pieces onto the chessboard with a soft clatter. He watched her intently as her fingers swiftly placed the game pieces onto their rightful squares: pawn, rook, knight, queen, and so on. Sometime later, she rose to her feet and made her way towards him, her flowing green hair swishing to and fro with every step. Violet eyes did not follow her and instead fixated on the square with its missing piece—the gap on the board a glaring error. At that moment, C.C. plopped down onto the couch beside him and grabbed his hand. Pulling his open hand in her direction with her thin fingers, the golden-eyed woman slipped a small black object into his palm. He stole a glance downwards to find that the king chess piece was in his grasp.
"As a reminder," she cooed.
He parted his lips to form words in response, but was interrupted by the sound of the doors opening followed by thundering footsteps.
"Lelouch!" a familiar voice boomed.
Violet eyes trailed upwards to find his Knight of Zero and former best friend, Suzaku, glaring down at him. However, he took more note of the woman who scurried in after him and took her place beside the cloaked figure.
"I demand to know if the plan we agreed on is still underway," the man snarled.
Instead of answering, violet irises remained locked with blue. His gaze trailed down her slim form until he rested upon her bandaged hand. His lips pulled downward into a slight frown at the sight. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that they weren't bandages that were wrapped around her hand, but a torn handkerchief hastily tied to her knuckles. He spotted a bit of said handkerchief peeking out of Suzaku's chest pocket and his frown deepened at the sight of the two standing so closely together. A pang of jealousy struck through his heart and a low growl rumbled in his throat. It took all his might, but he managed to swallow his jealousy and meet the emerald eyes of the glowering man standing near the entryway.
"Answer me!"
Everyone watched him in anticipation and tension filled the room as they awaited his answer. Lelouch held the black, wooden piece in his palm and ran the pad of his thumb over its carved features, feeling its smooth curves and sharpened points. Through this wooden game piece that represented himself and symbolized his ultimate goal, he was able to muster the resolve to utter a single word:
"Yes."
"Even with Nunnally alive?" Suzaku asked cautiously while maintaining his icy tone.
"What of my mother?" Kallen added. "What about her?"
"Nothing has changed."
"But—"
"We will proceed as planned, Captain," he shot back sternly—perhaps a bit too much. He lowered his head to allow strands of his jet-black hair to conceal his emotions.
"She is but another casualty in this war and I cannot risk everything for one life. I need your full attention for the upcoming battle. Do you understand?"
He scanned the faces of those around him. C.C. still retained her usual, bored expression. The only difference was that she now wrapped herself around her treasured plush doll and her own golden eyes were fixated on the two standing figures. Moving on, he studied the face of his former best friend. The scowl on his face remained unchanged but upon a closer inspection, he could tell that the look he was receiving from him was nothing short of disgust. Suzaku had agreed to his plan, dubbed Zero Requiem, although with much resistance, but it did not mean he still did not despise or resent the ebony-haired man. But that was to be expected.
Now his sights focused on the woman beside him who glared at him with disappointment and shook with rising anger. He could see that she was struggling internally and was biting back her words. He also tried his best to keep a neutral face. Finally, her fists unclenched and she forced herself to part her lips.
"Yes, Your Majesty," she strained.
She stared at him silently hoping that he was playing some cruel joke or tell her that he had a separate plan in store. But no, he merely returned her stare with a blank one of his own. Excruciating seconds passed by and seeing that nothing further was going to be announced, her heart sunk and she suddenly found it harder to swallow. Restraining herself to the best of her ability, she snapped her arm into a salute, clicked her heels together, and quickly made her exit.
"You should hope this Zero Requiem of yours better work," Suzaku hissed. "I can only pray that no one else should get caught in this web you weaved."
And at that, he also made his way towards the door, letting his words gradually sink in the room. When the door slid closed behind the cloaked figure, the two were met with silence once again. Golden irises tore away from the steel door and instead rested on the ebony-haired man sitting next to her.
"Are you sure you want to continue like this?"
"Yes," he replied solemnly. "It's for the best."
"That woman is quite impulsive. Don't you think she would do something unexpected that would hinder your plans?"
"No, I sent her away on purpose."
"On purpose? You were protecting her by pushing her away?"
"That was precisely my intention," he quipped. "Schneizel will use his FLEIJA arsenal without hesitation. We are currently in the process of developing a countermeasure to contain its destructive force, but there is no certainty that it will succeed. In the chance that it does not, at least she will be safe from harm."
"By telling her that you won't save her mother?" C.C. continued. "That's a little cold of you," she added, a sly smile creeping up on her face.
"As I predict, she will most likely disregard my orders to focus on the attack and try to rescue her anyway."
"As expected from the Miracle Worker," the witch cooed. "Always so full of surprises."
Lelouch took one last look at the wooden piece still in his grasp and rolled it over in his palm. He then rose from his seat, stepped towards the chessboard on the coffee table, and gently placed the piece in its designated place. With the king back, the board was now complete and its players were ready for battle.
"Let's see if I can pull one last miracle."
It's been 4 years too long since my last update. To be honest, this story was indeed abandoned long ago and I apologize to all my fans. My original draft got deleted and I didn't have the heart to continue for a long time. However, I recently decided that I should at least try to finish this so please be patient with me. Thanks again for reading and I hope you liked this latest chapter!