Hey again, folks! Chapter 36, comin' up.

This one actually took a little time to write- I got stuck about 2/3 of the way through, and ended up rewriting a lot. Just how it goes sometimes, I guess. This version is much better than the original, though, so no regrets there.

It's been a while since we've done this, so let's address some reviews! First off, both Inc0gnit0 and knuckz wrote in to ask that AR feature a little more focus on the romantic side of the series. It's true, I've played it pretty easy on the love. There are two reasons for this- one, it's the quickest way to piss people off. People read a fic that has a pairing that they don't like featured heavily, and no matter how good the rest of it is, they can't stand the story. I don't want to compromise my goals for the story in order to get more readers, but what would be the point of a perfect story if I scared everyone who was reading it off, you know?

The other side of it is that I just don't feel comfortable writing it. I've had relationships, sure, but I'm not the most experienced guy in the world, and I feel like writing this stuff, I'm just talking out of my ass. It's hard stuff, really- making it legitimately seem like two characters like each other and have good reason to like each other. Well, hard for me, anyway. But I will try to get better at it, and feature it more... and have some more interaction between Lelouch and some other females. I want Gaspar to ultimately stay true to Karen... but people make mistakes, you know? And with this many beautiful women around, it would be all the more easy to.

Second (and final, cause that last rant went longer than expected), there was a bit of confusion as to why exactly Gaspar got mad at Tohdoh so incredibly quickly. That's really a matter of their history.

When Tohdoh and Zero first met, Tohdoh told him straight off that he didn't trust him. Not a great start to a relationship. Then the JLF fell apart, and Tohdoh refused to join the Black Knights- again, because he didn't trust Zero. Gaspar was okay with that, but of course, he's human. He was offended, he just chose not to act on it. Now fast forward to the time skip, the two and a half month period in between chapters 33 and 34. During that time period, Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords are operating alone, constantly on the run. And naturally, as they are operating by themselves, they get into trouble now and then, need a little help. And when they do, they ask the Black Knights for help.

So when that meeting started, Gaspar was already pretty mad. He'd given Tohdoh supplies, offered him a leadership position, and been insulted by Tohdoh in response over and over. Then Tohdoh did a few more stupid things, and Gaspar basically lost it. He has okay temper control up to a point, but when he snaps, he really snaps.

Hope that clears a few things up. Enjoy the chapter!

I bit back a curse as Tohdoh's sword slammed into my side. "Lelouch, focus!" exclaimed Tohdoh, pulling back his sword.

I grimaced, and hefted my own sword- nothing more than a weighted, curved piece of wood. "Aren't we supposed to be doing this with padded sticks? Or bamboo swords?" I asked unhappily.

"Pain is the best motivator, Lelouch. I'm surprised it bothers you so, when you've been stabbed at least twice before," commented Tohdoh.

I raised an eyebrow. "How do you know that?"

"When we had our fight, before, and I stabbed you... you hid the pain very well. You were used to it. It was clearly not your first stab wound."

He was right, of course- I'd been stabbed by Colonel Kusakabe early that year, not to mention a knife wound I'd received back in middle school, but the less said of that one, the better. I was just surprised that he could tell. "Let's just continue," I said, hefting my practice sword.

Tohdoh nodded solemnly, and then rushed forward with a deceptively fast shuffling step, his blade lashing out in a quick slash. I brought my sword up to intercept, and our weapons met in a series of resolute clack, clack, clacks. He chopped at my head, and I ducked it, lunging forward with my sword. He sidestepped the stab, and quickly backed away. "Good. That was a very risky move, but at least you're learning to read my moves better."

"...It didn't occur to me earlier, but you were holding back during our duel, weren't you?" I asked bitterly.

Tohdoh closed his eyes with a slight nod. "At the very end, I was serious... but up until then, I was just trying to keep you from stabbing me. Which actually took more skill than I expected- amateurs are dangerous, not because of any skill, but because they are just so unpredictable."

"So I did as well as I did because I did stupid things that you didn't expect? Now I feel better," I replied sarcastically.

"An honest evaluation of one's self is the first step toward progress," he answered solemnly. "If you do not accept that you have things to learn, you will not be able to learn them."

Since when do other people get to make up words of wisdom around here? That's supposed to be my schtick. "Alright, let's go again."

As we began to spar again, I tried to focus on his movements, on his arms and wrists. Despite how rapidly his sword was moving, he himself was not moving his arms all that much... there was a centralized space that he was keeping them in, fairly directly in front of his chest. If I were to attack outside of that angle...

"Good!" exclaimed Tohdoh, narrowing blocking my thrust. "I was hoping you would see that opening in my defense. Analyze your foe's movements, and figure out what they aren't doing. There is always something- always some flaw, no matter how small. You just have to find it, and capitalize on it."

I frowned slightly. "That was a false opening, though. You faked it to see if I would notice it."

He nodded. "Of course- that's another layer to the strategy. Fake an opening to get an enemy to overextend in trying to exploit it. That doesn't mean I don't have a real opening. It just means you can't see it, not yet. It will come. As you grow in experience, you will learn what to look for. Now, come on. Let's get some more practice in before we need to call it."

"Lady Sumeragi!" I exclaimed, smiling as I stepped out onto the terrace. "It is a rare privilege." Kaguya had seen my face when I had originally met Kyoto, so I was able to meet her with my mask off, and my goggles hanging around my neck rather than across my eyes.

Out of deference to Kaguya, we had decided to hold the meeting on ground somewhat more neutral- the terrace attached to the guest room she was staying in. It was still part of the Black Knights base, of course, but she had a few of her staff with her, so she was able to make the space feel at least a little bit like home. A Japanese style table had been set up, with cushions to sit on. Seeing them made me flash back to how uncomfortable I was using them when I first came to Japan... but I had long since made my peace with them.

Kaguya Sumeragi was already sitting at the table, a faint smile on her face. "The honor is mine, Zero," she answered warmly. "I... must confess, I am uncertain of the etiquette here. Should I be calling you 'your highness?'" she asked, sincerely concerned.

I can see she did her homework... I suppose having seen my face before, it was not so difficult for her to determine my true identity. "I don't believe a disowned prince gets any special treatment, but thank you," I said with a smile. "Zero is fine."

"Please, have a seat," she suggested, gesturing at the spot opposite her. "I'm very grateful for the accommodations- already, this feels like a home away from home. Your staff have been extremely helpful. I must admit, I am quite surprised to see such nice rooms in a military installation. In my admittedly limited experience, they tend to be more... spartan."

"Well, this base is as much a diplomatic enterprise as it is a military one," I said smoothly. "I would not want to insult ambassadors or representatives that visit, so we tried to plan for guests as well."

It was quite true. The base was in truth a former Japanese army base, out in the countryside. Much of the base was underground, and the part that was above ground was the more civilian side of things. We bought it for a song from its Japanese owner, who had tried to turn it into an immense warehouse, but simply run out of money. We put the finishing touches on the place, and then we all moved out here after the Developing Technologies Exposition. It was certainly a step up from the improvised bases we had used in Tokyo- though we still held those, of course.

"I can only imagine the work that goes into keeping this place off the map," noted Kaguya conversationally. "It must be quite difficult."

"It is certainly one of the stranger challenges we've had to deal with," I smiled wryly, and gestured to one of the Black Knight aides that was standing nearby. "Could we have some tea, please?" I requested. "Lady Sumeragi, do you have a preference?"

"Please, feel free to call me 'Kaguya,' Zero," she smiled. "And I'm sure whatever you pick will be excellent. I leave it in your hands."

"Ceylon, then," I said, and the aide nodded, and bowed gently before turning and leaving. "You would think a revolution would be all blood and gunpowder, but there's a discouraging amount of paperwork as well," I noted with a helpless shrug.

Kaguya laughed at this. "I know that all too well, trust me. Kyoto is... was... about revolution through paperwork as well." She lowered her gaze slightly at this. "And now so little of it is left."

I frowned sympathetically. "You certainly have had your fair share of trials. Are those that came with you... all that is left of Kyoto? I did not see Kirihara among their number, for one."

Her face darkened. "Kirihara... I do not know what became of him. When the attacks began... he just disappeared. Told us that Tohdoh would be there soon, that we should go with him... and then he was gone. I am uncertain as to what to think."

I narrowed my eyes slightly at this. "Kirihara... is a survivor. He would not be taken down easily. And if he had been caught or killed, Britannia would make sure it was on every newspaper and channel. He is alive, and he is free. Of that, I am certain. Where he has gone to, however, is anyone's guess." I shook my head. "And the other members of the Five Houses?"

"Killed in the raid," Kaguya answered simply. "I am all that remains." She stirred a small amount of milk and sugar into her tea.

"I suppose that means Kyoto is yours, then... the parts of it that Britannia have not confiscated yet," I sighed.

She gave me a skeptical look. "Don't underestimate us, Zero. Britannia has confiscated next to nothing. Our assets were liquidized as soon as we knew the attacks were coming."

I raised an eyebrow. "All of them?" I asked, and she nodded calmly. "That's... how? You couldn't possibly have had time to line up buyers..."

"We have had the buyers lined up for years, Zero," answered Kaguya. "It was part of our emergency protocol. We had prices and buyers worked out for all of our assets in case we needed to dump them quickly. Then we spread that money among hundreds of private accounts at various banks. Our assets are quite well secured."

"That... is impressive planning," I answered, pondering the logistics of keeping an up-to-date list of prices and buyers for all of your assets. Kirihara was a hell of a man... and Kaguya a hell of a lady, for her part.

"You are kind to say so. But yes, we in fact have more money at our disposal than ever before. The benefit of liquidation. The downside is that we will not replenish that money once we spend it, but... in the short term, it should be able to get quite a lot done."

I almost wanted to ask what her plans were, but that would be unthinkably rude- if she wanted to tell me, she would. Asking would be a suggestion unto itself. Instead, I simply sipped my own tea quietly.

She smiled at me. "I must say, Zero, you are not quite what I expected. In our previous meeting, you were much more... angry, if saying that does not offend you. Not the gentleman I see today."

There was a moment of silence between us as I considered my words carefully. This was a problem I knew I'd have to face... the only other time we've met ended with my pulling a sword on Kirihara. "I endeavor to have a keen sense of the appropriate, my lady," I answered. "I apologize for any distress I caused you during our meeting at your former headquarters- it was a very confrontational meeting for all involved."

She shook her head gently. "Kirihara was too used to barking orders and having them followed without question. While it is unfortunate that you came to blows, it was good to have someone put his ego in its place. He needed to reminder of his limits. I suppose it just gave me an improper understanding of your character." Kaguya turned her head, and stared through the sliding glass doors at the garden beyond. "You are a man of... remarkable character. Capable of serene dignity and burning rage, brilliant plans and hand-to-hand combat. It is for that reason that I would like to place the future in your hands, as others have."

"Place the future in my hands?" She's talking about Kyoto's remaining funds, of course, but... such a gift does not come lightly. "I take it you refer to Japan's liberation," I hazarded. As if I didn't need to watch my words carefully before, now we're talking about billions of dollars...

She nodded. "Naturally. You will need resources, connections... and of course, funding. These are all things I can offer. I would like to be your councilor, Zero- offering my insight and aid as you fight for the freedom of us all. But first... I have a request."

Here it comes. "I would be all too happy to hear it, my lady," I offered. In truth, though, I was feeling extremely anxious. The sort of things a woman like her requests... are not small things.

She stared into my eyes for a moment, and then said, "Would you honor me with a game of chess? I hear you are quite the master."

It took quite a lot of willpower to keep my jaw from dropping. "Chess...?" I repeated weakly. "Why, certainly. Let me tell my staff to bring it with the tea." I think we just went off the script. What is she going for here? Does she want to scout out my mind through chess?

After a moment, the aide came back, carrying a tea pot, two teacups and saucers, and a handcarved wooden chess set. He set them on the table reverently, and then bowed himself out again. "White or black, my lady?" I asked, pouring the tea.

"White," she answered without hesitation, accepting the cup of tea as I offered it. "I am not accustomed to black teas- what does one usually add to a black tea?"

"Milk and sugar are traditional," I answered, stirring some into my own cup of tea. I took a sip of the tea, and then set up the chess board.

Kaguya gazed at the board for a few long moments. "Chess is such an interesting game... the opening and the ending can be fairly systematic, but it is the middle where skill really shows itself." She picked up a pawn, and advanced. "There is also a decent history of chess as psychoanalysis, but it seems a bit ridiculous to me."

"How so?" I asked, moving a pawn forward. "It is an overly simplified representation of real world situations, but a person's reaction when confronted with a problem is still sincere."

"Is it, though?" she asked, frowning. "I have known men who played chess incredibly carelessly, but were very thorough and thoughtful in real life. My late brother was an extremely skilled player, and... not overendowed with motivation." Aka, he was lazy. "There is some association, but in the end, it's just a game. Men do not treat a game the same way they treat life and death."

"Well, to be certain," I agreed. "But there are basic truths to the way a person plays that reveal aspects of their personality. For example... we have been playing for six turns now, and I have on two occasions applied a little pressure. On both occasions, you have chosen to fall back, rather than to bolster your defenses."

"And what does that say about me?" she asked, a smile on her face.

I frowned for a moment. "You don't like to waste resources," I said after a moment. "In some, it would suggest that they were gunshy, but that is not the case with you. You retreat after considering the options, not right away. You're retreating not because you fear the conflict, but because you want to hold off on a direct confrontation until you can make it in your favor, rather than in mine, or even neutral." I slid my bishop into an attacking position.

She nodded gently. "Whereas you, Zero, are applying steady and constant pressure, even when it is not all that much to your advantage. You are... testing me, in your own way. Trying to see what I will go for, and what I will not. You are not trying to destroy me yet, just to bait me."

"Always be wary of one who remains composed even when in a corner, for you know not whether that was their plan all along," I grinned.

Kaguya tilted her head. "The motto of schemers the world around, I take it? 'If it seems too good to be true, it probably is'?"

I pressed a hand to my chest in mock offense. "Schemers! Your words wound, my lady!" I said with a grin, and she grinned as well. "Well, that is essentially the logic. Don't attack in force until you know what you are dealing with. Though I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir on that matter."

She frowned. "I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with that expression..." she confessed.

"Ah, my apologies... it is an idiom, made popular in Area One. It refers to, essentially, trying to convince someone who is already on your side," I explained.

Kaguya laughed a little. "As in delivering a sermon to the church's choir. I see. My English is pretty good, I think, but idioms always give me trouble."

I chuckled a little. "When I first came to Japan, I was staying at the Prime Minister's house, and his son was running about, causing some chaos... he apologized for his behavior, and then said 'shouben kusai.' I know the idiom's meaning now- 'immature'- but at the time, I took it literally, and was incredibly offended that he was claiming that something 'smells like urine.'"

Kaguya blushed slightly as she laughed. "I suppose Japanese has its fair share of strange idioms as well, I'm just so used to them that I don't notice." She frowned a little. "I didn't know you knew Suzaku Kururugi."

...I can't believe I slipped up like that... well, this will make things complicated, I thought in frustration. It was a stupid mistake, but I'd made it, so there was nothing else for it but to deal with it now. "Yes, we were friends during my diplomatic visit," I acknowledged.

"And now he is a member of Britannia's elite Knights of the Round organization. The Knight of Seven, one of the most skilled and influential soldiers in Britannia," she noted.

There was no point in pretending I hadn't heard Britannia announce it a few months ago- I had, and it had infuriated me. "Yes, indeed," I agreed. I had the upper hand in our game, but only by a slim margin... and only because she was still backing down when pressed. "He's certainly made something of himself."

She picked up a pawn, and slid it forward, suddenly switching from defense to offense. "I would be interested to hear what you think of him... I knew him a little before the war, but I was too young to really understand the way he was. To me... he has been a traitor to this nation and a hindrance to its independence for quite some time."

I twitched ever so slightly- Kaguya was picking at a sore spot, and she knew it. Suzaku had once been my best friend- perhaps he still was, I didn't know- but I also harbored a lot of resentment toward him over the choices he'd made. "He is as honorable an enemy as we could hope for... but an enemy all the same," I managed. I moved my rook up to bolster my defenses. "He does not believe in revolutions. He believes in change through reform- using the existing systems to reshape the world."

"Systemic reform? That hardly seems sufficient to deal with a problem of this scope," balked Kaguya. "Perhaps he has simply ceased to care about us entirely. He is now one of the most power of non-royal Britannians, he hardly has any use for Japan anymore." She hardened her lines, entrenched within my territory, pressing on my ranks.

"It is not beyond the realm of possibility," I shrugged, picking up my bishop. "I hold out hope that he will see sense, but if he does not, he will need to be dealt with. It is... not a thought I relish." Then I took her queen.

Kaguya blinked, and then flushed with embarrassment. "Oh! ...How long have you been waiting to do that?" She stared at the board for a little while, and then a slow smile played across her face. "You were leading me on from the start. You let your defensive lines collapse so that I would overextend, and then struck."

I shrugged slightly. "An opportunity presented itself. There's not much else to it."

She shook her head gently. "There's no need to be so humble. You played well." She sighed. "Though how I will salvage this situation... I am not sure." Kaguya looked up at me, her face serious. "What do you have to say about my offer, then? I will stay on as a councilor of yours, and provide the funds that Kyoto has at its disposal in their entirety."

I raised my eyebrows slightly. "As you said yourself... 'if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.' That is, of course, a very agreeable deal to me... which is why I am anxious about any strings that might be attached."

Kaguya frowned. "Another idiom?" she asked.

I sighed. "I worry about any unknowns- any conditions or requests that you will have to go along with this deal," I explained.

"There are no extraordinary details, Zero," she answered with a shake of her head. "You are within arm's reach of Japan's freedom- closer than any group before you has come. It is something we both desire, and I simply want to be part of the solution. I want to help you, to stand by your side as you fight on."

I hesistated for a moment. "That... almost sounds like..." I began, and then trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. Like a confession of love or something. It... must have just been bad phrasing.

"I have admired you since your debut, Zero," declared Kaguya. "Your intelligence, your cunning, your bravery, your charisma... your intense devotion to your cause. And nothing would please me more than to be yours."

I blinked, completely taken aback. "As in... marriage?" I asked weakly, my face flushing. I wish I had my mask on right now...

"As in marriage," confirmed Kaguya, her eyes shining. "Will you be my fiance, Lelouch?"

My face was previously a light pink, but now it was a full scarlet, and I looked away, my face glowing with the heat of embarrassment. "I... I... I'm flattered," I stammered, "but I just-"

"No, then," sighed Kaguya. "Well, that is fine. With as much time as we will be spending together with me working as your councilor, I will have plenty of opportunities to change your mind." She finished the last of her tea, and then pushed over her king with one finger. "I resign. You are as good as they say- it was an enjoyable game."

I remained motionless in embarrassment and amazement as she rose to her feet. "I think I will take a walk, Zero. Would you care to join me? ...No? Unfortunate. In that case, I will see you later." Then she left.

I took a long, deep breath, and then stared down at the chess board. "Women just don't play fair," I sighed, and pushed myself to my feet.

I stared at the phone, reached for it, and then lowered my hand again. I really... really don't want to make this call. Is there some other way... but no, of course there isn't. I've gone over it a thousand times in my head. My only other options... are too costly to even consider. I have to do it. I took a deep breath, picked up the phone, and dialed.

After a moment, Cornelia's voice rang through. "Who is this?" she demanded, her voice angry. "And how did you get this number?"

"You don't honestly think my intelligence network is incapable of getting a cell phone number, do you, Cornelia?" I asked in jest. The number had been a little tricky to get, admittedly- it wasn't simply a ten digit code, but a thirty-two digit monstrosity, incredibly secure and practically impossible to tap or trace.

"Lelouch," she noted, her voice relaxing. "You didn't have a more subtle way of contacting me, brother? I thought you would be a little more cloak and dagger. This is my personal cell phone, you know."

"Sorry, I'm fresh out of courier pigeons and decoder rings," I snapped. I was not enjoying this- I hated bargaining with nothing to offer. It felt uncomfortably like asking for charity.. "Look, sister, I don't have time for formalities. I'm here to ask a favor... and to find out what it would cost."

Cornelia's tone changed. "Favors to enemies of the state are hard ones to follow through with..."

I took a deep breath. Calm. I need to be calm. "I need someone released from prison. Nonviolent criminal, no political value."

"And what's your interest, Lelouch? We have a Parole Board for this sort of thing, you know," noted Cornelia mockingly.

"The woman in question is the mother of one of my subordinates. I don't want to see her caught up in this," I said bluntly.

Cornelia thought on this for a moment. "...I understand how you must feel," answered Cornelia, her voice a bit more soft. "But I can't just release a prisoner from jail for no reason. Even if no one raised an objection, Schneizel would pounce on the oddity of it right away."

"You can't do it, then?" I asked bitterly. I had tried to call in all sorts of favors to get Karen's mother out of jail, but all of them had fallen flat. This was my last option.

"I didn't say I couldn't, Lelouch... it would just have to be for a reason. And don't tell me 'good behavior,' no one would believe that."

"What did you have in mind...?" I asked, gritting my teeth with the displeasure of asking.

"A prisoner exchange. You have quite a few Britannian soldiers who have committed no crime in your cells. Let them go, and I will get this woman out for you," replied Cornelia.

I narrowed my eyes. "And now even the honorable member of the family," I spat, "is using innocent people as bargain chips. Oh, how the mighty have fallen."

"Says the man holding innocent soldiers in his cells right now!" snapped Cornelia. "Stones and glass houses, Lelouch!"

"'Innocent' is such a stretch that it borders on insanity, and you know it!" I argued. "They have gunned down civilians, they have blown up apartment buildings, they have violated international treaties and they have done so with pride."

"They have done their job, Lelouch, and I don't think a terrorist gets to complain about people not following international treaty."

"Neither I nor my men have turned our weapons on civilians, and you know it. Do not pretend that we are the same, that 'terrorist' is anything more than a label your media have slapped on us to make us look like villains."

Cornelia paused. "It will keep Schneizel from suspecting much, it will gain me support in the court for having successfully gotten some of our troops released... and to get something, Lelouch, you must offer something in return. This is the price of that woman's freedom." She let me stew on that for a moment. "There is no need to answer right away. Let the release of those prisoners be your answer. If you do not release them within a week, I'll know you're not interested. If you do release them, I will hold up my end of the bargain. You know that I can be trusted for that. One week, Lelouch. Think about it."

I hung up, and stared off into the distance for a while. I had little choice but to do it, of course... but it brought up all sorts of problems. Setting aside the fact that I would be handing experienced soldiers to my enemy to use against me, many of them knew my identity thanks to the earlier incident with Mao, and then there were the problems with them knowing information about our base... though that one, at least, was not too difficult to handle. They knew the prison cells, and that was it. It would be child's play to get them out without showing them the rest of the facility, with a little applied intelligence. But that still left me with my fair share of problems.

"Not a productive talk with your sister?" asked a bored voice.

I sighed without looking at the speaker. "Most people knock, C.C."

"And yet I don't. Such is the nature of things," commented C.C. dryly. "I thought you could use a little advice. You seem conflicted."

I hesitated. I wasn't sure I wanted to share this with C.C... but I hadn't kept anything from her before, and she'd always been a helpful source of wisdom. To ignore her now would be insulting and foolish. After all, she was the only person around right now that fully understood the situation. "...Karen's mother is being held in a Britannian prison," I answered quietly. "This is not a problem in and of itself, as she is technically a criminal-"

"But you don't want Britannia using her as a bargaining chip, so you want Cornelia to release her, and Cornelia wants something in exchange. Something you don't want to give. I know, I heard the conversation," shrugged C.C.

I sighed. "Eavesdropping as well? It's enough to make a man give up hope."

"A councilor can't council if they don't know the situation. I was just taking the initiative. And don't pretend it bothers you, I know you don't care," added C.C.

"Anyway... what she wants is for us to release the Britannian soldiers that we're holding as POWs," I answered.

C.C. frowned. "But you want to do that anyway," she answered. "You don't like having them trapped in those cells, it doesn't feel right to you. Isn't that so?"

"They're war criminals, C.C. They've slaughtered civilians and crushed houses. I have no qualms about keeping men like that behind bars," I answered.

"But they're not all like that. You're overgeneralizing. Quite a few of them are just regular soldiers who we threw in jail because it was either that, or shoot them, and shooting unarmed people isn't exactly good PR," argued C.C. "Releasing the prisoners is good PR, plus it's a weight off your mind. No reason not to."

"We'll be handing Britannia back skilled pilots!" I exclaimed.

"Because we have so many aces locked up in there, right?" asked C.C. sarcastically. "There are a few knights, Lelouch, a few stewards of the crown, but that's all. Most are just regular soldiers. Like I said."

"And they also know my identity, which is dangerous," I protested.

C.C. threw up her hands. "Then Geass them or something! This is only hard because you're making it hard, Lelouch! Geass them and move on!"

I blinked, and then a slow smile spread across my face. "No. No, I have a better idea..."

She rolled her eyes. "Good, I was getting tired of playing muse anyway." She paused. "Really good idea?"

"Really good idea."

Alright, that's it for now, folks! Review, comment, question, and I'll see you later!

Change Log:

02/06/11: Changed ending scene to be more interesting.