Chapter Twenty-Nine
November 20, 2018
The atmosphere at the party was stifling, her dress was too thick for a room this full of people, and they were all ignoring her in favor of Schneizel and Cornelia. Nunnally frowned, taking a sip from her wine glass.
It was barely a month since Lelouch's death and it felt like the whole world had just forgotten that he had ever existed. Nunnally's fingers tightened on the stem of her wineglass for a moment before she forced them to relax. She understood that the world had seen him as a tyrant, one worse than their father, but the few ambassadors and former nobles that had tentatively begun to return to Pendragon during the first week of November had too quickly forgotten that the empress of Britannia was his full sister. Lelouch's beloved sister.
Nunnally frowned, turning her wheelchair to place her wine glass on the table. She wouldn't be drinking anymore tonight. In fact, she wouldn't be staying at this party a moment longer. She would return to her rooms and change into something more comfortable. Perhaps she would read a bit before retiring to bed. Right now, she felt angry and exhausted, two things that she had been feeling all the time since she had returned to Pendragon.
She turned her wheelchair and headed for the door, ducking her head so her hair would cover her eyes. No one noticed the crippled empress leave the room, at least no one but Schneizel and Cornelia, but they didn't stop her. Nunnally knew that they wouldn't hesitate to cover for her, making some excuse about her poor physical health or pulling up some half remembered story about how she and Lelouch had danced in this room when they were children and it was suddenly too much for her. She knew that Schneizel and Cornelia cared deeply about her, that's why they hadn't said a word about her giving up her position as empress, but they weren't helping.
Nunnally didn't like to be reminded that she was weak, and she didn't like anyone else hearing about it either. Those people could see it. The moment she entered the room, all eyes dropped to her wheelchair, and then to her legs. There were times that she wanted to scream at them to stop looking at her like that. It wasn't her fault that they had schemed and killed her mother, those bullets were the ones to blame for the fact that she would never leave this chair. She didn't ask to be cripple for the rest of her life.
Most of all, she hated the pitying looks that they shot her at the mention of Lelouch's name. They were well aware of the relationship between the two siblings. And, at first, Nunnally had been glad that they had avoided talking about Lelouch with her or mentioning him. It was only later that she realized that they acted that way because they thought that she knew nothing about what her brother had done and none of them wanted to be the one to reveal to the empress that the whole world had hated him.
Her whole return to Pendragon had been like that, people treating her delicately, which she always appreciated in the beginning. But then it became too restrictive, something that was nearly hilarious after having lived with her overprotective brother for so long.
The problem was that people were being overprotective of her, making sure that she wanted for nothing while she mourned for the loss of her brother. Nunnally had lost count of the times women had come up to her and gently told her that it was alright to cry, the people wouldn't look down on her for it. Had they all forgotten that Nunnally had been raised in the same court as Lelouch and the others? She had been younger, but she did remember her brother's early complaints and the lectures her mother would give him. It had become second nature to not show weakness, originally because her mother had told her to and then later because she saw it was true. The smiles in court were false, everyone pushing to get more favor with the emperor. It was enough to make her glad that Lelouch had banished the court, she would have been happier without it.
And that led her to another problem, Cornelia and Schneizel. When they had returned to the administrative building the day after Lelouch's death, she had been overjoyed. The three of them had remained together for the whole day, just talking about anything but the war and Lelouch. It had mostly just been the three of them sitting and silence in the wonder that they were all alive. Nunnally hadn't noticed their worried looks or their quick glances at each other, too focused on not crying again and explaining why she wanted to abandon the building here and return to Pendragon in the next few days.
Now she could admit to herself that she had been running away. Pendragon had never felt like home, she and Lelouch had spent a lot of time there, but it had always been so cold. A place of fake smiles and fear. Area 11 had felt like their true home, the one place they had managed to be happy and then, suddenly, it wasn't. So she had run as fast as she could away from it, leaving the government there in a panic and a wreck. It had been so fast that only the essentials had been on the plane with them. Some of her things from Area 11 were still coming in, the last load promised to come tomorrow.
Even with her quick escape, she had still managed to complete one thing. She had buried Suzaku's empty coffin, although not with the decorum that he probably deserved. It had just been Schneizel, Cornelia, Jeremiah, Gino, Anya, Cecile, Lloyd, the guard who had acted as the decoy and herself. It was completely wrong for the man who had been the emperor's most trusted knight, but it was perfect for the disgraced image that Suzaku had seemed to want. And Nunnally still couldn't bring herself to correct it. In her mind, he had disgraced himself by not being there on that day. But he had upheld his end of the promise, leaving the Tokyo settlement by dawn, so she had held hers.
After that she had just stopped, she had kept to herself in her room or the gardens while Cornelia and Schneizel handled everything. It was easier this way, they could keep the empire safe while she made plans about what she wanted to do, although she was mostly finding deserted corners of the palace and crying.
Cornelia said that she was dealing with her grief well, the statement always coming with a pat on her shoulder and a kiss on the cheek. And a look of understanding and pity. Cornelia knew what it was like to lose a sibling, and she wasn't judging Nunnally for crying everyday. Because of that, or maybe because she only spoke like that in private, Nunnally could handle Cornelia's pity. The pity that she was shown by the rest of the court made her want to scream.
Did they honestly believed that she enjoyed crying at least once a day? Or that she liked spending her days carefully not thinking of Lelouch because it still hurt? There were days where she went about her duties listlessly because she couldn't bring herself to want to do anything. Was that what the court wanted to see? Did they just think her a weak princess, something to be liked because it was pretty and pitied because it was in pain?
She wasn't helping them dispel the image, especially since she had been leaving things to her siblings. But she had never wanted to rule the empire, she had never liked politics. She had only started speaking to Lelouch about it because she had felt that he needed someone else, someone other than Suzaku, to speak to. But she didn't have the quick mind or the firm grasp of the political world like Lelouch did, she hadn't been trained that way. She had been trained to look pretty and smile, because that's all she had been good for after she had been crippled.
Nunnally shook her head, suddenly angry with herself. When had she started believing what the court believed? Lelouch had never seen her like that, he had seen her as completely independent, even if he never wanted to acknowledge it. He had trusted her enough to speak to her about his plans for Britannia and had never spoken down her, like Schneizel did. Although, that was probably her own fault too. She had never been anything but the pretty princess around Schneizel, he had never gotten the chance to see the real her. That Nunnally had been reserved for her brother alone. But if she wanted to be taken seriously, she couldn't act that like anymore.
She sighed, finally paying attention to where she had been going. She had been so focused at getting away from the party that she hadn't cared where she went, just as long as it was far away. She had managed that at least, she had gone to the wing where they were storing all of Lelouch's things. Nunnally had yet to start sorting through the stuff, she hadn't even looked at it.
But, the good news was that no one would look for her here, something that she was counting on.
Nunnally swallowed and looked around, picking the door closest to her and opening it. Where she hid didn't matter anymore, the party would be going on for hours anyway, which meant that Schneizel and Cornelia would be busy for the rest of the night. They wouldn't come looking for her until the morning at the earliest.
She groped for the light switch, jumping in surprise when she realized that she was the room where they had moved everything from Lelouch's study. And everything was arranged exactly as it had been back in Area 11.
Nunnally pressed a hand to her mouth, willing herself not to cry. It was a stupid thing to cry over, the fact that the furniture was in a familiar arrangement. But, there was the desk that Lelouch had sat at with that perpetually bored look on his face, the one that would always disappear when she came into the room. And there was a couch that Lelouch and Suzaku would sit on together, always close together, and Lelouch would push away as soon as he realized that there was someone in the room.
She reached up to wipe the tears that were starting to fall from her eyes, attempting to force herself not to cry. She had to distract herself somehow without leaving his room. By now, guards would have followed her, and she didn't want to see the pity on their faces as well.
The desk was the first place she started, Nunnally resting a hand on the top before opening the first drawer. The items that had once littered the top of the desk were there, including a picture of Lelouch and her. Nunnally smiled and pulled it out, setting it on the top of the desk. She would take that back to her room. It would probably make her cry in the morning, but she didn't care, it was a picture of her brother on one of the rare occasions that he was truly smiling. Nunnally gently traced her fingers over the edge of the frame, smiling to herself.
She shook her head, shutting the drawer and leaning over further to pull out the next one. The drawer was filled with papers, Nunnally freezing at the familiar folded paper on the top. Her hands shook as she lifted the letter out of the drawer, staring at her name written on the front.
This was the letter that had been on her beside table the day that Lelouch was assassinated. She hadn't gotten the chance to read it that day and she had just left it afterward. When she hadn't been able to find it with her furniture, she had though that it had gotten lost. Apparently, it had been put with all the other papers.
Nunnally shivered, carefully unfolding the letter, glancing at it without reading it. She only saw the name at the bottom before throwing it away from her. Suzaku had written that letter. Suzaku had written that letter and had left it on the day of her brother's death. She stared at the letter on the floor, shaking her head. It was probably good that she hadn't read it before, because she would have just ripped it up at the first sign that it had been from Suzaku. Now, she just wasn't sure what to do about it.
She gave the letter one more glance before turning her attention to the other papers in the drawer. She rifled through them, not really paying attention to what they said. There was nothing that could interest her here anyway, just a distraction from the party and Suzaku's letter.
She reached the bottom of the stack quickly, Nunnally sighing and staring at the last folder at the bottom. She frowned as she actually began to read the letter attached to the front, getting through the first sentence before she reached down and pulled the folder out, her heart beating faster.
'At the time I'm writing this, there has been no successor chosen to take the Britannia throne, so you'll have to excuse the lack of proper formality.
Contained in this folder are the documents that will start your reign and the few things that I will absolutely make sure that you do. After this, what you do with the rest of your reign is your own. Although, be aware that I will be watching you. Attempt to bring the empire back to full strength or abuse Nunnally in any way and the throne will be taken from you as quickly as you gained it.
Enclosed in this folder are the documents needed to begin the process to free the Areas from Britannian control. I have studied each of them to the best of my abilities and have laid out a tentative schedule for their release along with a detailed list of prerequisites that they must have before they are truly free to recover their old names. Each Area should be made aware of the opportunity and be given the chance to take it. The prerequisites should be made known to at the start so they know exactly what they must do to gain their freedom. If the status of any Area has changed since you have come to the throne, make adjustments as needed. But all of the Areas must be freed. This is my order as emperor.
Second, there is a charter for an international body of nations to prevent an empire like Britannia from rising. The United Federation of Nations will stand as a ruling body over the entire world, comprised of all of the nations who wish to join. Their main purpose will be to hinder the rise of any superpowers who wish to gain power but subjugating the weak. Britannia must join this federation with the promise of freeing the Areas. If this order is not followed within three years of your coronation, then my agents will start it in other countries and pressure Britannia into joining.
All of this must be done to create a world were the weak can have a chance to defend themselves.
Third, enclosed are the plans for the restructuring of the Britannian government. With this system, the people will have the power to check the emperor and the emperor will have to answer to the Senate instead of wielding all the power. It will prevent another tyrant from rising again, although it will diminish the power of the emperor greatly. Even so, I doubt that a smart ruler will let that stop them.
Finally, I charge you with the protection of my sister, Nunnally, when she returns to Pendragon on days of her choosing. She is to be treated fairly and equal to her station. She has chosen to give up the political life and is therefore not a threat to your power, nor is she a tool to be used.
Failure to free the Areas, start the United Federation of Nations or treat Nunnally with respect will be met with immediate removal from the throne. The creation of a kinder world requires sacrifice and the willingness to give up your own desires for the sake of others. I have done the difficult part by ensure that I will be hated and that countries won't be as willing to jump into war, now it is your task to restore peace and keep it.
I am aware that peace cannot be expected to last forever, but as long as you make a visible effort to keep it. I also warn you to choose your successor carefully. The peace that we are both working for is too precious to waste.'
Nunnally stared at her brother's neat handwriting, carefully resting her fingers over the words. So this is what Lelouch had been up to, the one thing that he had never told her when they had talked. He had been working to create peace and a better world.
She winced, dropping the folder onto her lap. He had been doing all of this for her. All of this because of one stupid comment at that she had made. Lelouch had always been asking her what she wished for when they were younger, always trying to make sure that he was keeping her happy. All she had wanted back then was a kinder and gentler world. She had been young and naïve back then, before she knew what people really had to do to keep the peace. But Lelouch, Lelouch had managed to create a scenario where her wish would come true.
Nunnally laughed, reaching up to wipe the tears from her eyes. "Brother, I meant with you. What's a kinder gentler world without you?"
She shook her head, sitting back in her wheelchair and staring at the wall. Lelouch had done all of this for her, had risked his life for her. Creating this world had taken his life, but he had promised her that it wouldn't, and she believed him. Even his letter hinted that he wouldn't hesitate to take back the throne if the next emperor had tried to ruin what Lelouch had put into motion. Lelouch had intended to live in this world with her, and a cruel twist of fate had taken him away.
She pressed a hand over her mouth to smother a laugh. She was just so tired of crying that laughing seemed to be the only thing left to her. Nunnally shook her head, tipping her head back to look up at the ceiling. For some reason, it felt good to know that Lelouch had intended to stay with her, that his assassination hadn't been a part of the plan. It had been a mistake, a horrible mistake. Just like the fact that Suzaku hadn't been with him on that day had been a mistake.
At the thought of Suzaku, she looked down at the letter on the ground. She didn't quite hate him anymore, it was more resentment that he hadn't been able to do anything. She was crippled and weak, she couldn't protect her brother the way she should have been able to. That was why Suzaku had been there. She had trusted him completely with Lelouch's safety, which is why his failure had hurt so badly.
Now, she was just resigned, resigned to the fact that her brother was dead and that nothing would chance that. Her reaction to Suzaku that day had been harsh, banishment was a bit too much, but she still didn't think that it had been completely unwarranted. Still, she had handled the follow up sloppily. He didn't deserve what she had done, because he was probably hurting from losing Lelouch too. Suzaku and Lelouch had been in love, so Suzaku had to be out there, hurting as much as she was.
Nunnally took a deep breath and leaned down to pick up the letter, gently unfolding it.
'Nunnally,
I never meant to lie to you about Lelouch. I wanted to protect him from everything. The truth is that I am loyal to him over Britannia, which is what makes this decision hard. I don't know if I'll ever get the chance to tell you the whole story or if there is time to tell you it here, so go ask Cecile and Lloyd and then you'll understand what I mean.
I had to choose between the good of the world and Lelouch, but now it is obvious what I chose. It may not help you much, but Lelouch almost won.
I never meant to hurt you or make you hate me, but I guess that it doesn't matter now, especially after what I've done. And since I admit that I knew what was going to happen to Lelouch from the moment I got here, I expect that the hatred is deserved. I wanted to stay away so you two wouldn't have been caused so much pain, but obviously I failed in that to.
I really did lo-I tried to make your brother's last months the best I could.
I understand if you never want to see me or hear me again. And, by all means, make whatever you want of my 'death'. I probably deserve it for keeping this from you and Lelouch.
I think I can safely promise that you will never see me again, Nunnally, and I understand if you want to keep it that way. After all, I caused the loss of Lelouch and Euphemia, all because I was too selfish to give up my future. But, for what it's worth, I am just as loyal to you as an empress Nunnally and I'm not mocking you when I say that I am grateful for what you have done to help the world. Your brother would be proud, you created the world that he always wanted.
Suzaku.'
She stared at the letter, feeling her hand shake.
Somehow, Suzaku had known what she was going to do to him, and he had still left his fate in her hands. He had known that she was going to banish him. He could have run away on that day, but he had stayed because of his loyalty.
And he had called her empress.
Nunnally clutched the letter to her chest, blinking quickly. Suzaku had called her empress and thanked her for all that she had done, when she had done nothing at all. He had vowed his loyalty to her after she had banished him and thanked her for letting others take over.
She knew what Schneizel and Cornelia were trying to do at that party. They were trying to gain the support of the rich people, to raise them back to nobles. They would bring back the aristocracy and return Britannia to the way it had been before. The Areas would never be freed, because they were too valuable to be let go. Everything that Lelouch had worked for, everything that he had sacrificed, everything that he had died for would be worthless. She couldn't let that happen.
Nunnally dropped the letter into her lap, staring at the folder before carefully taking Lelouch's letter off the front. She slipped both of the letters into the folder before turning to face the door. It was time she stopped moping around and hoping that someone else would do something to make the world better. It was time to make her own wish come true instead of depending on other people. And she wasn't alone, she had Suzaku's support and Lelouch's plans, with those she could do anything.
She jumped as the door opened, surprised to see Gino and Anya waiting outside. "Lady Nunnally?"
"I'm fine, Gino." She smiled at the two of them, heading out into the hall. She glanced back over her shoulder, clutching the folder close. "I have a favor to ask of the two of you. Will you help me change the world?"
Gino looked surprised, Anya just looking at her with the usual even expression. Nunnally bit her lip, looking back down the hall. "My brother was working for something, something that none of us even knew about. Everything he did was for me, and I've been doing nothing."
"You were mourning."
"For too long, Gino." She looked over her shoulder at him. "I've gotten used to everyone doing things for me, but not anymore. And I'm tired of watching them pity me and I'm tired of crying everyday. I want to be happy again."
"I understand."
"Thank you." Nunnally smiled and gestured for Gino to come to her side. The knight obeyed, Anya stepping up to begin pushing Nunnally back down the hall. "We'll return to the party, I have an announcement to make."
"What do you want us to do?"
"Remain by my side, support me." Nunnally tapped the folder against her chest. "I don't think they will do anything, but I want to be ready. More importantly, I want to be taken seriously."
They made their way back to the ballroom, Nunnally not surprised to see it was in full swing. Schneizel was doing his best to make these people believe in the promise of getting their titles and land back. He was creating his own image of Britannia, and Nunnally wouldn't let him. Since her brother had died, the title of empress went to her, passing through the family since Lelouch had declared Schneizel and Cornelia rebels. It would only go to them if they killed her and took the throne, something that she didn't believe that they could do. Cornelia certainly wouldn't, and she would keep Schneizel from doing the same.
All the same, they would be problems for her. Nunnally flinched, realizing why Lelouch had been so eager to get them out of the way. She wouldn't use her brother's tactics, but she would have to think of something. Still, it could wait a little longer, at least until her plans were in motion. She could count on them being as shocked as the rest of the nation after her announcement.
Nunnally quickly adjusted her skirt and wiped the tears from her face, knowing that she didn't look her best. But at least she looked presentable, and that was all that mattered. She cleared her throat and tipped her head up, trying to look like an empress. Lelouch had managed to look so regal all the time, something that she would have to struggle to do.
She must have managed to do so, because heads were turning as she was wheeled to the front of the room where the emperor traditionally sat. The place had been kept empty out of respect for Lelouch, and it had been empty for far too long. Nunnally took a quick breath, forcing herself to keep looking ahead. She was safe, with Anya at her back and Gino at her side. Somewhere in the crowd was Jeremiah, and he would defend her if she got in trouble. She had seen the soldier that had helped her back in Area 11 as well, standing somewhere along the wall. She had allies, and that was enough to keep some of her nervousness at bay.
Anya pivoted her wheelchair when they got to the front of the room, Nunnally looking out at all of the people and clearing her throat. "If you would excuse me, I have an announcement to make."
It took a few moments for the room to quiet down, Nunnally lowering the folder to her lap and holding onto her skirt so that no one could see how much her hands were shaking.
When it was relatively silent, she began. "I have decided on what to do, as the empire has gone without a leader for too long. And for that, I apologize, it was selfish to keep you all waiting. But I have come to terms with my brother's death and I am ready to take my place on the throne." There were gasps, and Nunnally caught the look of horror on Cornelia's face, she ignored them, continuing on. "My brother did a lot of bad things in his reign, but I will fix them to the best of my abilities and make sure that we never suffer under such a tyrant again."
There was silence in the room, Nunnally afraid that the people could all hear her heartbeat. She had gambled with this announcement, and it looked like it wouldn't pay off. The people weren't responding and it would only take Schneizel and Cornelia to ruin her chances forever.
Her breath caught in her throat as Schneizel and Cornelia walked out of the crowd. She tightened her hold on her skirt, aware of how Gino leaned closer to her. Then Cornelia knelt.
Nunnally leaned back in her wheelchair at that, staring at her half sister in surprise. Cornelia glanced up at her before lowering her gaze again. "If this is what you want."
"It is."
"Then I recognize you as empress." Cornelia looked up with a smile, Nunnally belatedly remembering to give her permission to rise. Cornelia got to her feet and walked to her side. "I was hoping that I wouldn't have to step in, I never wanted to be empress."
"And Schneizel?" Nunnally watched as the other people in the room dropped into bows and curtsies. Schneizel was the last one to join, Nunnally not quite able to read the expression on his face.
Cornelia leaned closer to her. "He'll have to now."
Nunnally nodded, finally relaxing as they started chanting her name. She hoped that, wherever he was, Lelouch was watching her, because she was going to make him proud.
Despite the prevalence of the nickname the Traitor Knight, Sir Suzaku Kururugi was perhaps the best knight to ever serve under Britannia. He still holds the record for the second best performance percentage on a Knightmare, second only to the last Knight of One, Sir Bismarck Waldstein.
The Lancelot that Sir Kururugi piloted was also perhaps the best Knightmare to come from Britannia. The Knightmare was created as a prototype by Lloyd Asplund and remained the one Knightmare that all the newest systems were tested on. It was the first Knightmare to be equipped with the float system, to come equipped with the Blaze Luminous shield system, to wield the VARIS rifle and the refined version of the MVS swords that were later used on Knightmares after it.
The success of this experimental Knightmare has been contributed to its design, the Lancelot kept as streamlined as possible, but also to its pilot. Sir Kururugi managed to get the most out of the Knightmare by using a combination of martial arts and recklessness, which made it deadly in battle.
The original Lancelot Knightmare was badly damaged in the Rounds Rebellion on November 7, 2017. Displayed here is the Lancelot Albion, the Knightmare that was based entirely on the original design, built with the useable pieces of the Lancelot and with the experimental features that were on the original Lancelot coming as standard. The Lancelot Albion served as Sir Kururugi's personal Knightmare until the day of his death on October 29, 2018.
-From the Knights and their Knightmares Exhibit at the National Museum of Military History in Pendragon
Perhaps the best known scandal of Lelouch's reign was his relationship with his knight, Suzaku Kururugi.
Servants and guards at the time state that Suzaku Kururugi was picked out by Euphemia li Britannia to be the Knight of Seven in an attempt to appease the JLF, but evidence hints at the fact that he was already close to Lelouch then. As a Royal Guard, Suzaku had been assigned to Lelouch and was sleeping in Lelouch's rooms by his second day. He continued to sleep in Lelouch's rooms during his time as the Knight of Seven, even while he was conspiring with Euphemia, making it impossible for Suzaku to have been having an affair with Euphemia at the same time. Euphemia too was in a relationship at the time, with the Knight of Five, Albert Raleigh, so she would have not involved herself with a relatively unknown Eleven knight other than to satisfy the demands of the JLF.
The exact date that the two became lovers in unknown, although there are a few theories that have been put forward. One is that they became lovers sometime after the battle of Narita, after Suzaku risked his life to save Lelouch. A second one is that they became lovers after Suzaku became the Knight of Seven. The final theory is that Lelouch seduced Suzaku from the moment he was promoted into the Royal Guard.
The scholars on the reign of Lelouch vi Britannia are generally divided on these theories; although a good portion of the scholars believe that there isn't enough evidence to hold most of the theories up. A few believe that the first two theories are more accurate, seeing as Lelouch and Suzaku were not seen speaking to each other publically until that moment. Most scholars believe that the evidence supports the third theory. There is well documented evidence that Lelouch vi Britannia preferred men to women, including statements from his own siblings.
This final theory also explains how Suzaku rose so quickly through the ranks, appearing suddenly in the Royal Guard before moving on to be Lelouch's personal knight over the space of nine months. Lelouch must have found Suzaku in the ranks of the Honorary Britannians when he returned to Area 11 to quell the rebellions there and had begun to put Suzaku on a path that would rise him through the ranks quickly by sending the Lancelot Suzaku's way and then demanding that the experimental Knightmare be included with the Royal Guard.
Suzaku's rise through the ranks should not be interpreted as Lelouch trying to show that the Elevens could gain what they wanted if they were peaceful, but as an attempt to get his lover closer to him and in a position where a relationship between the two would be accepted if not expected by the common people.
-From Scandals of the Britannian Royal Family by Erik Sherrard
The person with the most power during the War of Ascension, aside from Lelouch vi Britannia himself, was the knight Suzaku Kururugi. Little was known about him at the time, save that he was an Eleven that rose quickly through the military ranks to become a Knight of the Round and, later when the Knights of the Round were dissolved, the personal knight of the emperor himself.
Recently, because of the Royal Document Release Act of 2025, historians have been able to look over correspondence, laws and personal diaries of the royals during this time, revealing much about what was going on behind the scenes in the Britannian empire. It was through these documents that historians were able to find out that the man known as the White Death, Suzaku Kururugi, was merely an alias.
The exile of Lelouch vi Britannia and his sister after the assassination of their mother is a well known fact, but exactly who they stayed with over the course of that summer before the invasion of Japan was a mystery. Through a series of letters between the prime minister of Japan, Shou Kato and the 98th Emperor, Charles vi Britannia, the hiding spot of the two siblings was revealed to be with a family of influence, the Sumeragis.
What happened during that one summer and the invasion that followed it is still unknown, as many documents from that time were lost or destroyed by the invading Britannians. However, it is known that most of the family managed to escape from the destruction of the government building and their family home, only to die in the harsh conditions that followed for days after the defeat as Britannia gathered their hold on the government. In the end, only Yaso and his daughter, Kaguya, survived to the public's knowledge. Yaso Sumeragi's heir and only son, Daiki was never found.
Daiki's whereabouts remained a mystery from the time of the invasion until the year 2017, when Emperor Lelouch turned his full attention to Japan, then called Area 11. Speculation runs rampant about what Daiki Sumeragi did during the interim, as he was never listed as one of the members of the resistance groups nor ever mentioned as one of those who had lived in the survivor's warehouses during the rebuilding period. Theories and evidence lean away from the popular idea that he was either a spy for Lelouch in the various resistance movements or a personal servant of the young emperor during this time. Instead, they point to the fact that he joined the military as a self preservation method.
The fact that Daiki was missing during the critical first years of the War of Ascension means that he and the vi Britannia siblings must have been separated during the Invasion of Japan, a fact that Empress Nunnally herself admitted when these papers were released to the public. She also expressed a fondness for Daiki when he was younger and implied that he and Lelouch had been childhood friends, which further explains why Daiki joined the Britannian military despite the hatred for his race. At the time, he was merely trying to find his two childhood friends or continue to show his loyalty to them in some small way.
The event that catapulted Daiki into the spotlight was his recovery of the experimental Knightmare Frame Lancelot during the Battle of Shinjuku. From what little there remains of the transcripts of that conversation, it was clear that he was given the choice to return with the unfamiliar Knightmare, as Japanese at that time were not allowed to pilot the Britannian war machines, or continue on the original mission. His loyalty to the emperor made him chose the latter, thus leading him back to Lelouch.
It is the fact that they were old friends more than anything that led to Daiki's first promotion in the Britannian military, the first Japanese man and, certainly, the first person from the captured Areas, to become a member of the Royal Guard. Following his promotion, Lelouch immediately assigned Daiki to himself alone, to the point where Daiki was practically living in the emperor's rooms as a precaution against assassination attempts.
The reason for Daiki's promotion to the Knights of the Round is equally as clear. Transcripts and records from the G-1 vehicle that was used at Narita show that Euphemia li Britannia made a deal with the JLF to save her brother's life, one that entailed a show of trust. With vacancies in the Knights of the Round, Daiki was quickly knighted to show his support to the JLF. The cover story for his involvement in Euphemia's plans was equally as easy, he was Lelouch's best friend.
Speculation that he slept with Euphemia at this time remains just that, speculation. Euphemia li Britannia is noted for her long affair with Knight of Five, Albert Raleigh. The relationship between the two was ongoing until Euphemia's death on September 23, 2017 and there is no proof that an affair between Daiki and her actually occurred. The reason for those rumors was so that they could continue to work closely without having Lelouch suspect them of treason.
Certainly Daiki was an important part of the work to free Japan from Britannia's hold under Euphemia, but the extent that he believed in it was not known. His promotion to the Knight of Seven was done because the JLF demanded it and Lelouch trusted him enough to allow the promotion, Daiki didn't know Euphemia until they met during this period of time. Surely this split in loyalty was enough to make him nervous, along with the threats on his person by Albert Raleigh. While it is not known if Daiki told Lelouch about the plans with Euphemia, it is a telling sign that Lelouch left Britannia after he had arrived only a few days before without telling any of his staff or the Knights of the Round. Eye witness reports from the JLF put Lelouch's Knightmare, the Japanese made Shinkiro, at the stadium where Euphemia's Special Administrative Zone was scheduled to open as well as Raleigh.
According to the official reports and a statement from Lelouch vi Britannia himself, Albert Raleigh was the one to murder Princess Euphemia by ripping her apart with his Knightmare. Evidence suggests otherwise as Raleigh was fiercely loyal to his country and Euphemia. Lelouch had given his blessing for the Special Administrative Zone to be created, so Raleigh would have taken that as his law. It is more likely that Lelouch returned from Britannia because of what Euphemia was planning. He ordered Euphemia's death for her treasonous actions, which Daiki almost certainly carried out since his loyalty was to Lelouch and not to the empire. Albert Raleigh was to follow his princess as he attempted to protect Princess Euphemia and committed treason himself.
Lelouch surely ordered the assassination of the JLF representatives that were to meet with his sister that day as well. Unfortunately, that move did not have the success that his sister's murder. Instead, it incited the First Attack on the Tokyo Settlement, a last ditch attempt by the JLF to take the capital and force the Britannians out. Common knowledge at the time suggests that no one knew that Lelouch had returned, so his appearance on the battlefield demoralized the already outnumbered JLF force. They retreated quickly with large casualties and went underground.
To tell whether Lelouch's shock over his half sister's death was faked or not is impossible, since no records survive of him talking about her save for her funeral address and when he pin-pointed her killer, naming Raleigh to protect Daiki. It is known that this accusation caused his popularity with the Britannians in the homeland to dramatically decrease. He destroyed his popularity further by enacting the laws that would grant the citizens of the Areas more power, keeping his publically made promise that he would finish Euphemia's work, continuing the lie that her death had been a murder.
The final blow to his popularity came when he passed the laws that would destroy the nobility entirely. By stripping the nobles of everything but their land and their titles, he managed to stop most of the corruption of Britannia that that time, although his motivations were less than noble. Lelouch created that law to punish the ones who had supported the assassination of his mother.
The frustrations from these new laws culminated in the Rounds Rebellion where eight of the eleven remaining Knights of the Round attempted to destroy the seat of the Britannian government in Japan. The Knight of Three, Gino Weinberg, and the Knight of Six, Anya Alstreim, were not present in this rebellion. Anya Alstreim was from a poorer noble family, so had no complaint about the laws as they, in fact, made her situation better than before. Gino Weinberg is still well known for his scorn for his noble status and has stated that as his reason for avoiding the rebellion. The whereabouts of the Knight of Seven is well known at the time as he was the one responsible for the deaths of the eight knights, all killed single handedly.
The Rounds Rebellion preceded another change, the complete dissolution of the Knights of the Round, a group that had been around since the beginning of the Britannian monarchy. Knights retained their titles and lands but they were no longer recognized by number, another unpopular move.
After the Rounds Rebellion, it is hard to find evidence of what Lelouch was doing as there is little left from the months of November 2017 to April 2018. Daiki Sumeragi was grounded during this time as the Lancelot had been damaged enough to warrant its complete destruction and replacement. It's logical to assume that he returned to his duties as a guard to the emperor.
It is around this time that the rumors began that Lelouch vi Britannia and Daiki Sumeragi were lovers, something that is neither supported in the paper evidence of the time or during the recordings. Most conspiracy theorists cite the one recorded incident where Lelouch leaned on Daiki after the announcement of Euphemia's murder, but nothing follows after that. Empress Nunnally vi Britannia herself has pointed out that after the Knights of the Round were dissolved her brother feared another assassination attempt, so he kept Daiki closer as protection.
Only in April did the emperor feel safe enough to emerge from the seclusion he had kept himself in. Daiki was promoted again on April 10, 2018 to the position of personal knight to the emperor, a position that hadn't been held since Marianne vi Britannia. It was the position he would retain until his death.
Once again there was a period of calm until August 10, 2018 when the newly renamed JLF, now calling themselves the Black Knights, attempted a raid on the Tokyo Settlement. Tired of repeated failures to win, some of the pilots pulled away from the raid on the warehouses and tried to storm the administrative building. Daiki was the first Knightmare off the ground and the bait in Lelouch's plan to trap the Black Knights. However, Lelouch only succeeded in momentarily crippling them by forcing them to retreat and abandon some of their Knightmares. Although the Black Knights recovered most of the Knightmares they had left behind, Lelouch did managed to cut their number again.
They clashed again on August 29, 2018 at the Battle of Mount Fuji this time with support from Prince Schneizel and the EU. The F.L.E.I.J.A. was introduced at this battle, the weapon equally damaging to both sides.
Daiki appears again as one of the important fighters in the battle. He was a part of the core team that disabled Schneizel's Damocles fortress. His shining moment was when he defeated and captured the ace pilot, Kallen Kozuki, crippling the Guren and stranding her on the top of the Damocles. The Guren Mark-II was later salvaged and now stands with the Lancelot Albion in the Britannian National Museum of Military History.
He continued to be a strong force in Britannian politics after the defeat, sticking by Lelouch as the emperor systematically worked through the executions of the Black Knights, saving the leaders for last. The executions and small rebellions that came with them took so long that it was well into October before Lelouch could turn his attention to the leaders.
On the morning of October 29, 2018, Lelouch set out to preside over the executions of two of his remaining siblings and the rest of the Black Knights. He was assassinated around one in the afternoon by a single man, one part of the band of assassins made up of the few Black Knights that had managed to escape from the Battle of Mount Fuji. Lelouch was stabbed in the chest and bled out on the platform where his throne sat before his body was carried away so the guards couldn't prevent its eventual dismemberment and burning.
Why Daiki wasn't with his friend on this crucial day was still a mystery as none of the servants report an argument between the two of them. It is known that he was confronted by Nunnally for his failure in his duty and that there was an order for Daiki Sumeragi's execution in Lelouch's desk. Why that order was there is still unknown, although most scholars speculate that it had been signed and then put away during one of Lelouch's more paranoid moments. Certainly, Lelouch never intended to use it on his most loyal servant.
If Daiki found out about the order and Lelouch's moment of doubt is not certain, because he was found dead in the room he had shared with the emperor by Nunnally vi Britannia. He was found run through by his own sword with only a single note to explain his actions: 'Where my emperor goes, I must follow.'
He was buried quietly on the orders of Empress Nunnally in one of the cemeteries in Japan under his false name of Suzaku Kururugi. It is ironic he was buried so far from the few remains they had managed to gather of Lelouch, the emperor interred in the same mausoleum that his mother, Marianne vi Britannia, was buried.
-From Decoding the Demon by Samuel S. Copen
The assassination of Lelouch vi Britannia was a last minute attempt to get a victory for the rebellion, one that succeeded and brought his sister Nunnally to the throne.
The plan and the choosing of the five assassins was done under the orders of one of the Black Knights leaders, although the identity of that leader is still unknown. The five chosen for the job fled from the Battle of Mount Fuji when Lelouch entered the Damocles, ditching their Knightmares and heading for Tokyo. There, they stayed in the warehouses by the docks and waited for news.
The assassination on October 29, 2018 was a combination of orders, to prevent the execution of the leaders of the Black Knights and to kill the emperor before the end of the year. The assassination was carried out flawlessly, the five assassins hiding in Lelouch's escort and attacking him when he had come halfway to the execution grounds.
After the deed was carried out, they scattered carrying the body of the emperor. Whether they planned to dump the body elsewhere or give to the crowd is unknown, but the crowd did get their hands on the body. By then, the assassins had returned to the warehouse where they were captured by Jeremiah Gottwald and a small group of soldiers who had received a tip from one of their own.
That day four of the five assassins were caught and taken in for questioning. They refused to reveal who had really sent him or their names. Instead they identified themselves as Nine, Thirteen, Seventeen and Two, indentifying themselves by the names of Areas.
Some scholars have put forward the theory that these four were rejects from the Black Knights, soldiers and pilots who were too violent to be kept with the rest of the group and to obey orders. Sending them to assassinate Lelouch would have not only gotten rid of the people that would have caused them trouble when they took control of Japan, but it also would have led to their escape from Lelouch in the panic that his death would have caused.
In any case, the actions of those five men changed the world, although only four of the five were ever caught.
The fifth assassin's identity is still a mystery to this day. The four that were caught admitted that there were only five of them involved in the plan and that none of them were the one who stabbed Lelouch early on in their interrogations. Searches to find the mysterious fifth assassin have proved fruitless, and none of the other four would recognize their colleagues in a line up, even if the other three were present.
As a play off the other four's names, the fifth assassin was called Zero by the papers, as the man couldn't be found so his Area couldn't be identified. The people quickly adopted the name and it remains the only way of indentifying the fifth assassin.
The evidence that has been pieced together about Zero is that he escaped the country that day and hid in one of the countries that had made up the Chinese Federation. The search for the fifth assassin didn't start until a week after the other four had been captured, when they finally revealed that not all of them had been captured. The other fact that is known about Zero is that he was the one who gave the emperor's body to the crowd, presumably because he wanted to get away faster and it would keep the crowd and the Britannian army distracted.
Many reports have come in over the years from people claiming to have found Zero, but there had been no way to prove them. Even with one of the former assassins working to find his missing comrade, the one that still calls himself Thirteen, Zero has not been found.
-From The End of an Era: A History of Political Assassinations by John Kato
After declaring herself the empress of Britannia, Nunnally vi Britannia called off the search for her brother's body. A televised ceremony of the funeral was shown, although it was specifically stated that the coffin they were burying was held only a few scraps of fabric that had escaped the fires. A monument in the Aries Cemetery was erected for Lelouch vi Britannia beside the mausoleum that both he and his mother, Marianne vi Britannia, had been buried in.
Immediately after the funeral, Nunnally called all ambassadors back to Pendragon. In the week of messy negotiations and demands, Nunnally managed to form the United Federation of Nations and get the EU to agree to join. When the news that the EU had joined the UFN, the rest of the free nations scrambled to join.
Nunnally waited until the UFN had formed and procedure had started before petitioning for the right to have Britannia enter. Her request was quickly refused as Britannia would have had the voting power to overturn the entire assembly. In a brilliant political move, Nunnally revealed her plans to free the Areas, producing outlines and requirements of each Area to be met before they would be freed. Not long after the news was sent to the Areas in control of Britannia and Britannia was promised entry into the UFN as soon as the first two Areas were freed, until then, their council member would be allowed to sit in on meetings but not vote.
Schneizel el Britannia, Nunnally's half brother, was the representative picked. Schneizel was well known for his diplomatic success in the EU before Lelouch had taken the throne. Sending Schneizel to meet with the UFN, whose headquarters were then located in Australia, one of the neutral nations, also kept him out of Nunnally's way. Schneizel was the most likely out of the two remaining Britannian heirs that had survived to take the throne from Nunnally.
Cornelia was also sent away to help with the rebuilding of the Areas, as one of the requirements was to have the beginnings of a militia. However, Nunnally soon withdrew Cornelia from the job and instead sent one of Britannia's best generals, assigning Cornelia to the training of the Britannian army.
Nunnally then turned her attention to Japan, the Area most affected by the War of Ascension. Cities in Japan still and ruined portions from the battles that had been fought and the riots that had started on the day of Lelouch's assassination. The Japanese people were struggling to meet the requirements that would gain their freedom with the rebuilding efforts going on and miniature rebellions began popping up.
Sir Gino Weinberg was sent to oversee their efforts and act as a temporary viceroy until an election could be held. He remained viceroy for a year, resigning officially in early December 2019, just two days before Kaname Ohgi, the former leader of the Black Knights, was elected as the Prime Minister of Japan. The election of a rebel leader to Japan's government nearly caused the UFN to refuse Britannia entry when Iceland and New Zealand, formerly Areas 5 and 9, gained their freedom. However, after seeing how smoothly Japan ran under Prime Minister Ohgi, Britannia was granted entrance.
All but Japan and the Middle Eastern Federation, formerly Areas 11 and 18, were freed over the course of the year 2020. Those two countries followed in early 2021, leaving the world without any of its former superpowers.
Without Britannia supervising them, the Areas then began to tear down the Britannian administrative buildings. Only through quick negotiations was Nunnally able to save the gardens and the copy of the Aries Villa that was at the top of the administration building located in Japan. They were both taken and put in one of the Ueno Koen Park, the villa made into an art museum. In the place of these buildings, monuments or embassies were built.
Tensions between the EU and the former Britannian empire began to escalate in 2028 when the last Area has stabilized as it looked like some of the EU countries wanted to join together. But they were stopped by Nunnally and the UFN, both stating that they wouldn't fight a war and that the member nations that began to form a superpower would be thrown out. An uneasy peace was settled between Britannia and the EU, one that makes the scholars predict that, after the death of Empress Nunnally, the EU will prove to be the next problem for the world and the UFN.
-From The War of Ascension and Aftermath by Judy Garver
December 18, 2028
Cecile sighed as she jerked the door to lab C-2 shut, rattling the handle to make sure that the lab was securely closed before locking it. She leaned against the door for a moment, resisting the urge to hit it. She had lost count of how many times this door had prevented her from getting home on time, or at least before Lloyd started complaining that he was hungry and rooting around in the fridge. Cecile was getting close to telling him that he was old enough to cook his own food and just letting him starve, but then she would have to put up with him looking miserable for the rest of the night.
She shook her head and pushed away from the door, snatching up the trash bag. At least C-2 was close to the kitchen, which meant that she was essentially done. All she had to do was drop this bag in the dumpster and then she could go home. Lloyd had already left earlier, rushing to check on something in the garage after hearing about Rakshata's latest triumph. Cecile was expecting to get home and find that Lloyd had duplicated her success and that he was working on making it better.
One of these days, she would have to get the two of them together, secretly of course. Cecile was sure that the rest of the scientists that worked with Lloyd would be thrilled to watch that and even join in. If she could just get the two of them to collaborate and then reveal that they had been working together…it would be the best reaction ever.
Or Lloyd would mope around the house for a week before nearly setting the garage on fire. That was probably the more accurate version of events.
Cecile winced, dragging the trash bag into the kitchen. She didn't want to have another panic caused by chemicals set on fire. While it wasn't her dream house, she still liked the house they were living in. It had just enough room to hold a family if she ever got married and had children and it was in a nice neighborhood, many of the Britannian scientists who had decided to come over when Nunnally had offered it to them were living there. It was close enough to her dream home that Cecile was happy with it.
Although, it would be even closer to perfect if she could kick Lloyd out, or at least move him into a roomy shed in the small backyard. It wasn't that she didn't like her employer, she had long since gotten used to the way Lloyd thought, it was just that she was sure that it looked questionable to the new employees and the government officials that visited.
Lloyd was living with her just because he had appeared one day, and it had been impossible for her to not help him. It had just spiraled out from there until he was essentially living in her garage. To be brutally honest with herself, she enjoyed his company.
Cecile sighed and set the trash bag by the door. She would have to walk to the front of the building to lock up, turning off the lights as she went. She wanted to be sure that everything she had was here before leaving. Her purse was on the bench seat behind the table, hidden by her coat. She set both of them on the table before turning to the door that led outside.
She turned the doorknob, nudging the door open as she dragged the bag after her. Cecile had to pause for a moment, jumping awkwardly over the bag to stick her foot against the door to edge the bag out just a little further. She smiled when she managed the job, shivering in the cold. It would have been smarter to put on her coat instead of just going out in her work clothes. Even her lab coat would have given her a little bit more warmth. She shook her head and walked towards the dumpster.
A can was suddenly thrown from the dumpster, knocking against the ground before rattling across the pavement. Cecile followed the movement of the can with her eyes, not aware that she had pulled out her gun until she felt the familiar weight settle into her hands. She blinked in surprise at her action, she had always tried not to resort to the soldier mindset. She was a scientist, she should have been above all of that. But she had gotten so used to carrying a gun around, for her own protection and as a habit from the A.S.E.E.C.
The Japanese people still didn't trust them, the ones who had made the Knightmares who had helped keep them quiet, and Cecile couldn't blame them. But she wanted peace as much as they did, and it was a bit disheartening to be lumped with the other Britannians who wanted the empire back.
Cecile shook the thoughts from her head, taking a careful step forward. "Who's there?"
For a moment, no one answered. Then a dark shape appeared from the dumpster. The head of the shadow dropped, staring at her gun before cursing. The shape remained still for a moment longer before scrambling out of the dumpster, dangling over the side before dropping down to the ground.
She followed it, keeping the gun trained on the shadow. "Stop. Put your hands in the air and turn to face me, slowly."
The shadow hesitated before it moved, slowly raising it's hands up into the air. It remained like that for a second before edging into the light, Cecile's mother dropped open as she saw it was only a boy, scrambling to put her gun away. "Sorry. I'm so sorry. I though that you were…"
She trailed off as she got a good look at the both, her mouth dropping open in shock. Despite the dirty that covered his face, she recognized him. She knew that face, although she knew it better with most of the baby fat gone. She knew the curly brown hair that was always a mess, although it looked like an impossible tangle right now. And, most of all, she knew those green eyes. It was Suzaku.
The gun dropped out of her hand, clattering on the ground. Suzaku flinched and took a step backwards.
Cecile grabbed the gun and put it safely back, taking a step back, suddenly desperate to keep him here. "No, no. Don't be afraid." She swallowed, trying not to move to quickly. She didn't want to scare him away, not after not seeing him for ten years.
She wracked her brain for something that would keep him there, only now noticing the state he was in. His clothing was tattered, large holes doting both his shirt and pants, and both looked like they were ready to give at any moment. She bit her lip to keep from saying anything, he was frightened enough as it was. Talking to him like she knew him would do nothing but scare him away faster.
Cecile sighed, taking another step back. She had waited ten years to see Suzaku again, he had said that he would see them again in the future, that they would meet again. But she hadn't expected to meet him like this, a skinny kid from the streets.
She smiled as she got an idea. "Are you hungry? I could get you something." She reached back to open the door, gesturing inside. "Come in."
Suzaku took one look at the kitchen, before shaking his head. Cecile could tell from the way that he leaned forward, his hands wrapped around his stomach, that he was hungry, but he was afraid of going inside.
She frowned. "Alright. I'll bring you food then. Just promise me that you'll stay here."
Cecile waited until he had nodded before rushing inside. She stumbled to the refrigerator, pulling it open with a little more force than needed. She had to hurry, because she wasn't sure that Suzaku would stay there. Her Suzaku, the one she knew from the future, he would have stayed there. But this Suzaku was frightened and starving, he would probably run at the first noise that he couldn't identify.
She pulled out the lunch that she had brought for Lloyd, the one that he hadn't eaten. It was probably barely enough for Suzaku, but it was something.
When she dashed back outside, she was relieved to see that Suzaku was still there, although he was looking around nervously and rubbing his arms. He jumped when he saw her, taking a step back into the shadows. Cecile shook her head and held out the container, smiling when he edged towards her. "Here, for you. You must be hungry."
Suzaku glanced at the food before staring at her, Cecile feeling her heart beating faster. He didn't trust her at all, and that hurt. She had expected him to trust her because some part of him recognized her. But that wasn't possible, he wouldn't remember her like this because he hadn't travelled to the past yet.
She knelt down on the ground, stretching out her arm and putting the container on the ground between them. "You can take it." She laughed when he gave the container a sideways glance, sitting down and pulling her knees to her chest. "It's for you. You need it more than I do."
Suzaku's eyes lit up at that, the corner of his mouth twitching up before he took a step forward.
Cecile held her breath as he edged toward the food, letting it out in a rush as he grabbed the container and ran to the mouth of the alley. Cecile jumped to the feet, surprised that Suzaku paused, turning around to look at her. "Thank you!"
And then he was gone, running across the street and into the night.
For a moment, Cecile was ready to go after him, but she held herself back. That would just scare him even more. Besides, he knew the alleys better than she did. She took a step back, nearly falling over the trash bag.
She caught herself on the door, staring at the ground, unable to keep the smile from her face. She had found Suzaku once, and she would find him again. She would volunteer for trash duty every night if she had to.
Cecile picked up the trash bag and tossed it into the dumpster, walking back into the kitchen and pulling on her coat. She locked the back door and pulled the purse over her shoulder, walking out of the kitchen and shutting off the lights. On automatic pilot, she walked through the lab, turning off the lights as she worked her way up to the front. She had found Suzaku, which meant that she would find him again, he had told them as much.
She walked out of the front door, locking it behind her before turning to face the street. Cecile turned to stare out at the street, unable to keep the smile from her face. She took a deep breath before turning and running for her home. She couldn't help it, she was just happy from that one sighting of Suzaku that it had made some of the worst times here worth it.
At her front door she fumbled with the key, finally managing to turn it and stumble into the house. She stripped off her coat, aiming to hang it up on the peg and missing, but she didn't notice. She followed the sound of the television into the small sitting room, not surprised to see Lloyd sprawled out on the sofa.
He looked up at her and sat up, probably getting ready to demand some crazy thing of her. She didn't let him speak, sitting down in a kitchen chair and tugging off her shoes. "I found Suzaku."
"Hm?" Lloyd stared at her for a moment before standing up and stretching. "And you outran him?"
"N-no." Cecile tossed her shoes away, her euphoria fading away quickly as she remembered how she had found Suzaku. "He ran away from me."
"I always knew you were scary, Cecile. But I doubt that you're that scary."
"It's not that." Cecile looked up from the floor, watching as Lloyd walked over and pulled up a chair. The scientist turned the chair around backwards and sat on it, resting his hands on the top, obviously waiting for her to continue. She sighed and leaned against the kitchen table. "He's not our Suzaku."
Lloyd snorted. "Of course not. He hasn't gone back in time yet." Lloyd tipped his head back and hummed. "I guess this means I'll have to start working on that time machine."
"You don't understand, Lloyd. I didn't just meet him holding the hand of his mother, he's out on the streets." She saw Lloyd's eyes widen slightly. "He's all alone, his clothes are falling apart and he's so skinny. I want to help him, but he doesn't trust me. He's alone and scared and I can't help him."
She shook her head, looking up at Lloyd. "I don't know what to do."
"I would think it was obvious." Lloyd shrugged, leaning back. "Gain his trust and then offer him a place here."
"Would you be alright with that?"
"Of course." Lloyd gave her a lopsided smile. "I miss my favorite devicer."
Cecile made a halfhearted swipe at his head before standing up, picking up her shoes and heading for her room. She heard Lloyd shouting for her, but she ignored him. Her mind was still focused on the Suzaku that was out there. Lloyd's advice was the only sane thing she could think of, especially since she just wanted to rush out there and scoop him up. She wanted him safe again.
She shouldered open the door to her room, dropping her shoes on the floor and shuffling over to her dresser. There, stuck in the frame of the mirror that hung above it, was the letter that Suzaku had written to her ten years ago. The paper was a bit yellowed with age, and one corner was torn off from where it had been stuck in her mirror in Pendragon, but the most important parts were still visible.
Cecile carefully removed it from its place, resting it on the top of the dresser as she read it over again. After seeing Suzaku again, she just wanted to remind herself that there was a future him that was smiling and happy, not cold and starving.
She skimmed over the letter twice, ready to put it away when the last paragraph caught her attention, Cecile frowning and leaning forward to read it again.
'You may not understand this now, Cecile, but you might later. Thank you for saving me. I don't think I'll ever be able to tell you this myself, but it matters a lot to me that you did what you did.'
She pulled back and blinked quickly, her mouth falling open. So she had been the one that had saved him, the one who had taken him from the streets. Cecile picked the letter back up and set it back in its place. She stared at it a moment more before turning away and walking into the bathroom.
Tomorrow, she would bring extra food for Suzaku and begin to start getting him to trust her. Then, she would ask if he wanted a home and take him in. There was no way that she was just going to let him live the rest of his life on the streets.
February 9, 2030
Lloyd glanced down to the twelve year old boy at his side, Suzaku licking the last of the pudding from his spoon as they both leaned against the counter that ran along the back of the garage. Lloyd reached down to ruffle Suzaku's hair before turning his attention to jumble of parts on the floor. He had enlisted Suzaku's help to take apart sections of tangled wire and spare parts that he would be using on the time machine. At least he would be using them as soon as he found a car to work on as a base. That was his next project.
He turned and set his empty cup of pudding on the counter, Suzaku doing the same. He gave the boy another look before gesturing towards the door. "Go on. Cecile will be looking for you."
"I told Miss. Cecile that I would be helping you." Suzaku turned to glance at the clock. "But I did promise my friends that I'd play outside today."
"Go on."
"Thanks Lloyd!"
He jumped as Suzaku hugged him quickly before running out of the garage. Lloyd shook his head, taking off his glasses to clean off the lenses. Despite what he had said to Cecile, he hadn't been sure about taking Suzaku in. He knew that they had to in an attempt to preserve the time stream, but he hadn't been sure about raising a kid. Of course, Cecile would worry about matters like that, and he would just continue as he had before. He had experiments to run and a time machine to build.
But Suzaku had proven to be useful. With him around, Cecile's cooking had started to be at least edible, and Suzaku could cook for himself. He also had useful little hands and an endless amount of energy, perfect for helping Lloyd for projects that required another set of hands. Cecile would always turn him down, saying that she worked for him during the week and that was enough for her. Suzaku would always agree, and he would always listen to Lloyd's explanation of what he was doing. Suzaku sometimes didn't understand all of it, but it just gave a Lloyd a chance to explain it in more detail. For once, it was nice to have an audience.
He only wished that that knowledge would go into Suzaku's grades so Cecile would stop talking to him about it. Suzaku was doing fine in school. He wasn't the top of his class, but he was working hard and had a solid grasp of the subjects. Besides, he was only twelve, there was plenty of time for serious thought later. Like when he went back to the past.
Lloyd froze at that thought, glancing towards the tarp where the pieces of the Lancelot's armor waited. Suzaku would be as ready as he could be when he went back, and neither he or Cecile could prevent Suzaku from going back. They could just send him off and wait for him to come back.
Still, it was a relief that Cecile knew that Suzaku would be coming back, or she would be more worried about him than usual. Lloyd was just glad that he would be getting his favorite devicer back. He was fond of the miniature version, but it wasn't the same. He kept having to be careful.
He shook his head, turning to face the corkboard that he had hanging above the counter. Dangling from one side was the key to the Lancelot, the one that he had scavenged before they had taken the Lancelot Albion to the museum. He frowned at the memory, reminding himself to call the museum to make sure that they were taking proper care of his creation.
Then there was the letter in the far upper corner of the corkboard, put there during one of his weaker moments. He was sure that Suzaku meant well by trying to alert him of something in the future and, from his one read of the letter that Suzaku had left Cecile, he had done a good job about not revealing too much. But it was still a bit too much of a temptation. Aside from knowing that he would complete a time machine and it would work, Lloyd didn't want to know about his future. What was the point when he could change it in a moment?
He glared at the letter for a moment more before rolling his eyes and taking it down. If Suzaku had wanted him to know something so badly, then the teenager would have told him. Cecile's letter had been more of a general thank you and the letter that Nunnally had told them about had been an apology to her. His couldn't be more than a thank you as well and, if that was the case, there was no point in not reading it now.
Lloyd stuck the pin back in the cork and unfolded the letter, leaning back against the counter as he began to read.
'Lloyd,
I know you don't want to know about your future, but make an exception for this.
On the night I go back to the past you're killed. It's not in the line of science or in any way that you would like to go. It's because of some Japanese boys on the anniversary of Lelouch's death. They were drunk and mad that there were Britannians in Shinjuku and decided that we would be eliminated. I don't know what happened to Cecile, the last I heard from her was that she was running back to safety.
I don't care what you do with this information, even if you tear it up and never look at it again. But I want to warn you because I came back to the past to try and save you from being shot. I never meant for it to get so complicated, I was just trying to keep my life the way I knew it. But please, try to attempt to find a way to avoid being shot. If you do die, who will beat Rakshata to the new scientific discoveries?
Suzaku'
Lloyd stared at the letter, resisting the urge to rip it apart. Giving him that much information about his future could have been disastrous, not that he'd ever not build the time machine. The future and his pride as a scientist were on the line. But he already knew that he wouldn't be able to show it off, Suzaku would want to destroy it after he got back and Lloyd found that he reluctantly agreed with him. The past was something that shouldn't be meddled with not when so much could change so fast and there was a chance that you could wipe out your own future. But what was the point of building a time machine if he couldn't show it off. It was like building the most advanced Knightmare of its time and then getting it stuck in a museum.
He sighed and stared at the letter for another minute before ripping it up, letting the pieces drift onto the counter. Lloyd started at the scraps of paper before storming over to the trash can and brushing the pieces into it.
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