The Familiar of Zero was written by Noboru Yamaguchi and published by Media Factory.

Code Geass was directed by Gorō Taniguchi and created by Sunrise.

I own neither, will not profit by these works, and will abide by the rules set before me, copyright held by them. I own only the creative bending of these worlds into a new project in an exercise of the imagination.

·◊◊◊◊◊◊◊O÷O◊◊◊◊◊◊◊·

Zero Over Zero

Stage Eight

Nunnally's Secret

·◊◊◊◊◊◊◊O÷O◊◊◊◊◊◊◊·

Dear Miss Kozuki Kallen,

You are formally invited to the first-anniversary celebration of V-Day to be held in the newly rebuilt city of Tokyo in the United States of Japan. Should you choose to come, know that there will be a public ceremony in the first half of the day to celebrate the erection of a new monument and a private one in the second half, the latter shared only by a few members of the Black Knights and other close companions of which you should be well familiar with.

I look forward to meeting with you again.

Sincerely, Zero

·◊◊◊◊◊◊◊O÷O◊◊◊◊◊◊◊·

"God, why is he always so stiff? Did he even write this?"

Kallen looked at the invitation to tonight's party in all of its clean and boring script. As Ace of the Black Knights, she had at least some respect for her superiors, but there wasn't much for the fellow who currently wore the mask. Even if no one else would know, even if it didn't matter to the world anymore, she couldn't help but hold a special sort of contempt for him.

The first would always be irreplaceable, after all.

She kicked back in the G.U.R.E.N.'s cockpit and looked over all the other books and papers that had overrun the space. Thanks to years of fighting in a rebellion her studies fell behind and while being an accomplished soldier was swell and all, it didn't help her with calculus. She felt something like a headache coming along when a singsong voice came echoing through the hangar.

"Helllooooo, Kallen?" stumbled Lloyd, "Getting ready for the party yet? It's not too long from now. You should hurry~!"

"Yeah, I'm just wrapping things up here!" Taking it as a signal to dump the mountain of work in front of her, she hopped out of the machine and onto the floor below.

"You should be careful, you know? Wouldn't want my second best test subject ever to be suffering from any injuries now."

She felt a twang of annoyance, immediately knowing who he was referring to, someone preoccupied with the Empress almost more than the team he was supposed to lead. "Don't worry, I can take care of myself."

She had hitched a ride with the airship that was taking her Guren back to Japan. Lloyd and Cecile had tagged along for research purposes of course. She found them to be frequent companions on her missions these days as they were the best of the best when it came to Knightmare tech. Part of her wished it were Rakshata instead, but the laid back developer was working on some other important project as of late. Scientists and their almost religious obsessions were truly both helpful and not.

Ready to go, she waited by the ramp as the ship prepared to land when Miss Croomy spoke up.

"Ready to see your friends again Miss Kozuki?"

"Always. Those boneheads probably missed me. Tamaki'll never admit it though."

"Do you think he'd appreciate my new recipe?" Cecile held up a basket of who-knows-what and Kallen nodded in approval.

"Definitely."

"My! I hope he likes peanut butter and natto!"

"Oh, I bet he'll appreciate it way more than I ever could."

"Look sharp girls, we're about to land."

Hanging loosely to the wall-mounted handholds, Kallen felt the massive construction land with the ease of a feather. At the familiar hiss of the airlock, the cargo bay's ramp opened up to a red-orange sky. Kallen took a stretch when she felt the concrete ground. A deep breath. Home sweet home.

As scheduled, the ride took them from the military complex and within the hour they were at the new capitol building. Waiting outside were familiar faces. She could see Tamaki with his arm wrapped around Oghi's neck, manhandling him like always and spouting some nonsense. She could see other members of the Black Knights, both new and old gathered around sharing a good laugh.

"Man, look at this guy, thinking he's all hot stuff now. Just because you're Mr. President now doesn't mean I'll be going easy on you pal!"

Oghi was at the mercy of his friend's banter, hands up in full surrender. "Hey now, I'm not trying to compete with anybody."

"Says Mr. Popular here!"

"Hey! Knock it off. I think Oghi's had enough encouragement for one day."

Cheers and greetings echoed throughout the courtyard at their Ace's arrival. The red knight joined the group with pats on the back and congratulations on another mission accomplished. Turning to the former resistance leader, she put on a proud smirk.

"Sorry I couldn't make it to the ceremony."

"Don't worry about it Kallen, what matters is that you're here. We know you've been pretty busy with work. These days the lack of major conflict makes it more effective to send out fewer people at a time."

"Hey, I know you don't really care about all that fancy shit. The afterparty is where the real fun starts anyway!"

A good punch to the arm shut him up as usual.

"But as you can see that means we have to deal with the likes of Tamaki on a daily basis."

Everyone shared a laugh at the soldier's expense.

"Hey, hey! It's not my fault there's not much for me to do. The world's at peace now, right guys?" He turned here and there as they began to walk past him, some patting him on the shoulder. "So not fair guys! Come on! Say something at least! See if I give you all drinks on the house next time!"

Kallen looked back at the one-man commotion. "He's got a point though. Most of the world hasn't seen conflict in almost a year now."

"I know. The others may not have anything to fight for anymore, but that's for the best, isn't it? Think of it this way, Kallen. It is better to have a reason to fight than to have to fight for a reason, right?"

The pilot turned the words over in her head. "Y'know, you're starting to sound older every time I meet you now."

Oghi flinched and his smile twitched in that awkward way that she was sure would never disappear no matter how involved in politics he became. The First Lady came up to him to save him from the clutches of defeat and Kallen was left to wander the party room, picking up a few snacks to munch on.

Her head meandered as much as her feet did and she went to her usual destination. She knew that the past should be left behind—or at least that's what she told herself—but she couldn't help but think of it. Her hard work brought her here, but a nagging feeling in the back of her head asked her if she could have done more. Was it too selfish to ask for more?

A light touch crossed her hand and she flinched back slightly. Her sight came upon waves of pink and she eased herself.

"Kallen, are you okay?"

She was taken aback at the sudden inquiry. "Uh, yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for asking though." She knew Nunnally was perceptive much like her brother. How much so she was unsure. "Did you need me for anything?"

"No, not really. I just wanted to catch up with you. I hope the work I've given you hasn't been too hard on you."

"Oh no, not at all! I'm proud to be helpful, truly."

"I'm happy to hear that." A smile and a tilt of her head and Kallen's heart melted.

"So am I."

And it froze again.

From the very start of the end, she had an idea of the charade those two men had set up. They did it for the sake of the world and for the same reason she played along. Didn't mean she had to like it though.

"Empress, the next group is ready to see you." The young lady briefly said her goodbyes, leaving the two of them facing one another.

"Hello there, Kallen."

"Zero." She stood rigid, professional.

"Please, enjoy yourself. There's no need for formalities."

"I could say the same, sir. You never take it easy, do you? Always with the mask." She remarked with happy sarcasm, subtle enough to be looked over but sharp enough for the man it was aimed at. As long as it wasn't life-threatening it flew. Pastimes of highschool teasing proved true to that.

If it affected him, he didn't show it. "What can I say? I enjoy my privacy. Besides, one cannot be too dedicated to justice."

Just when she was about to prod him more She spotted someone whose company she much rather preferred. There couldn't have been any better reason to leave the caped crusader behind.

"Rakshata! How's it going? Got anything new for me?"

"Oh, Kallen, you're always like a child when I have a new toy for you. It always makes me happy to know that someone enjoys my creations so much." She took a long whiff from the pipe she always had with her. "Unfortunately my most recent work didn't bring any improvements to the Guren."

"Then is it a new Knightmare?"

Another puff. "No, not at all."

"Wait, if you're not working on a Knightmare, then what?"

The engineer frowned puzzled at first but returned with a smile not too long after. "Ah, I see. The Princess hasn't had her little meeting with you yet, has she? That was today I believe, but not yet it would seem."

Kallen thought back to Zero and the Empress earlier. "What's it about?"

"I couldn't say, not that I know what she wants to tell you anyway. You'll just have to trust her on this."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"My, who knows?"

Kozuki could feel some element of secrecy, but there was a silent trust between almost everyone there. She wouldn't pry, knowing that there was likely a reason for the tight lip that Rakshata was giving her. No big deal in her mind. Most people who bothered her with that sort of talk were long gone from her life, for better and for worse. She would just have to wait to know what was so important, for it was a time to take things easy.

But of course, her mind wouldn't let her. Having been surrounded by conspiracy did that to you.

At first an itch, and then a scratch, and so her mind began to move. Amid the laughter, her thoughts were elsewhere. If it were a mission then they would've used the usual channels. If it was to catch up then why did things seem so hush-hush? Others were meeting with the Empress in a similar manner and she had a feeling that it only involved those who she could trust with life and death.

"Crap, this is something really important, isn't it?"

"Miss Kozuki? Miss Kozuki."

Her head snapped up to see a young butler. "Huh?"

"The Empress is ready to see you."

She let go of her wandering thoughts like she let go of her chokehold on Tamaki's neck, following the servant without another word. The sounds of life behind her faded away until all that could be heard with her footsteps on the plush carpets and cold, hard floor. The hallway they entered was long and dark, save for a sliver of light that escaped below a set of grand double doors that no doubt contained but a rather ordinary office, as all Britannian things tended to be in her mind.

Kallen almost walked into the man in front of her, realizing they had stopped to face the pilot, gesturing to the room. She took a small gulp and laid a hand on the handle, opening just enough to take a peek before entering, and at that moment she felt a rush of dizziness.

Green.

"That bitch," she growled under her teeth. She reached for the knife she always kept on her leg but felt someone tug at her arm and twist it behind her back, pushing her into the light. The sudden change in brightness blinded her as she rolled forward to escape her aggressor's grip, Springing up with a knife in hand and a thousand questions in her head, she brought her guard and attention to all things around her.

The Empress was the first to answer. "Sayoko, it's alright."

Kallen saw the butler come to attention and move to remove their mask. She didn't have to see whose face was underneath, instead, turning her sight to the immortal. "And what the hell do you think you're doing here?"

All that was returned was a puzzled look. "What? It's not as if I went and died."

"Lelouch died because of you!"

"That's enough."

Nunnally hadn't raised her voice in the slightest, but Kallen could still feel a steely conviction radiating from it, much like the kind her brother had too. Memories begin to sting at her eyes again before she shook them off. She stowed her knife away. "So, what am I here for?"

"Something I can only ask you," began the young lady. "What I am about to ask of you I will not ask lightly. Not as the 100th Empress of Britannia, but as my brother's sister and your friend."

The pilot was taken aback by how personal this had become. "Hey, wait, I know that you're royalty now, but you don't have to be so cautious. You can ask me anything."

"Oh, but we do," stepped-in the witch, "Because while the world is at relative peace, I would say that this matter holds but the highest of personal stakes."

Kallen caught on quickly. There was but one person who connected the three of them. "What do you mean? He's dead." She felt her breath hitch. "You're talking as if he's still alive. Zero killed him. He's dead!"

"Kallen, calm down."

"Calm down? You telling me to calm down?! You've got no right to tell me that. You're the one who got him killed and after all this time you think you can tell me to calm down? Why? Why didn't you do anything? Why now?"

C.C. frowned. "I'm not one to reflect on the past too much, but that was his choice, not mine. As for all of your other questions, I suggest directing them towards the one who started all this."

She followed their gaze to a gentle face. "Nunnally, you brought her here?"

"I did, and not without reason." She took a breath, easing her shoulders, making the agent feel a little sheepish. "As you know by now, my brother is still alive. I've already spoken to a number of our allies and friends to see who would be suited to help us, but you were someone I had in mind from the beginning. That is why you're the last one I wanted to speak with." A folder much like any other was passed from pink to red. "Rakshata and Lloyd have been working on this for some time now and have developed specialized units to assist Jeremiah, Sayoko, and you. Your mission will be to find him and help him in any way possible."

Kallen did her best to let these new revelations settle and shove the butterflies in her stomach elsewhere. "Shinozaki and Gottwald? I guess I can see why. What about Zero?"

"The man in the mask doesn't know."

"What," she yelped, "why not?"

"His involvement isn't necessary. You could even say it would be detrimental for the time being."

The Empress intervened. "His time is better spent as Zero. It's what my brother would have wanted and in our best interests as of the moment. He will be informed when the time is right."

"Well, that's too bad, huh?" She bit back a smile. "So, where's Lelouch?"

She looked at them with expectation, but a silence permeated the room. The atmosphere felt thick with bleak expectation again and a palpable dread began to fill her heart again.

"Well, where is he? Don't tell me this is some kind of joke. We're just going to retrieve him, right?"

Nunnally spoke up. "I'd like you to look at the files I gave to you."

She eyed them with suspicion and flipped through the papers. The more she read, the more she grew wide-eyed. For a minute, she held her breath. "I don't believe this."

"And what about Geass?"

"Oh shut up! If what you're telling me here is true, then…"

"Then you'll be gone for a very long time at the very least and there's a good chance that you might never be able to come back."

The documents she held suddenly felt like lead. She felt light-headed and stumbled, but held her ground.

"I know this is a lot to take in, but please consider it. This mission will proceed with or without you, but I truly hope that you can be a part of this as well."

"Go home and think about it. We'll be waiting for your answer." With that, C.C. threw her a phone that she caught with ease. "A burner."

"You don't have to tell me." She was about to leave when the woman spoke once more.

"By the way, we'll look out for your mother while you're gone."

Softly closing the door behind her, she made her way down the hall. She said her goodbyes to her friends, almost like it was her last, and left the way she came.

The click of her heels was no more, now replaced by the mellow thump of her black, leather boots. The pavement was littered with bits and pieces of confetti that stuck a little too much to her feet. She shook off a particularly stubborn one and it flew up in the breeze.

Her eyes followed it to the new monument. Two men and two women. Two soldiers and two civilians.

Oghi told her that they were modeled to be vague, unfamiliar faces so that everyone could fill their visages in themselves. She ran her hands along the names etched into the walls that surrounded them.

An old face came across her thoughts. "Naoto… what would you do?"

·◊◊◊◊◊◊◊O÷O◊◊◊◊◊◊◊·

On her way home, Kallen recalled the end of the War on Refrain. For years since its outbreak in Japan, those who consumed it were usually punished more severely than those who distributed it, no thanks to corrupt officers and the scapegoating of "Elevens" at the time.

Much had changed since then.

Ever since the ascension of Nunnally vi Britannia, laws concerning drug abuse shifted from punishment to a focus on rehabilitation. Gone were the days of being locked away forever for succumbing to self-destructive escapes. There were even research incentives introduced to study the potential effects of refrain on memory loss, depression, and dementia.

Naturally, her mother had joined one of the new programs, albeit with some special perks due to her work and friendship with the Empress.

Keys rattled and a door opened.

"Mother, I'm home."

Her greeting, as always, was met with silence. Though her mother would recover someday, it would still take time. The locals and the doctors who would visit did their best to help, but it was still painful to hear yet not be heard.

"Here, some tea, just how you like it."

Kallen always set some out for her in a nice teacup from a bunch of things she swiped from her old house. Sometimes she would take it. More often than not it went untouched and cold.

"I'll be making some porridge if that's okay."

After the war she began to live a life of independence, meaning that she had to learn how to cook. While she was able to manage the basics, it was mostly Britannian-style dishes. She had some of her teammates help her put more Japanese recipes under her belt, but she really couldn't get anything to taste like the past quite yet.

"I hope you're feeling okay mother."

Kallen sat by her mother after dinner. Like the tea, there were times where she'd ignore the food in front of her, but much to her daughter's relief, she'd eat without help most of the time.

They sat quietly. Looking at the clock, she realized she had been sitting there for almost an hour and poured a hefty sigh into the blankets.

She looked at the older Kozuki. "Mother, there's something I have to tell you. It has to do with my job." That blank stare nearly discouraged her from continuing.

"You see, it's really important that I do this, but it's going to take a long time. Not months, maybe not even years, and that worries me." She pursed her lips. "I mean, it's not as if I don't risk things every other time but this is different. This is far away. I can't say where, but I know it is and it feels like there are so many things that we still have to make up for, and… I don't want to lose any more time. I wi—"

She felt a hand on her head, stroking her hair with a familiar grace. Her eyes felt warm and her cheeks felt wet as she bit her lip in frustration.

"Everything will be just fine, my dear little girl. As long as you can set your mind to it you'll be just fine. I'm sure of it."

She buried her face in her mother's lap for a long time after, no longer feeling any lingering discomfort, silence turned to peace. Once she had fallen asleep, Kallen went back to her room and sat at the edge of her bed.

She took the burner out of her pocket and turned it over in her hand, reminding her of rebel days. Flipping it open, the brightness illuminated the walls, scattering long shadows and bands of light throughout. She rang the sole number in its contacts.

"Well now, that didn't take long."

"I did some thinking, but yeah."

"And your answer?"

Though no one was there to see it, she put on a face of determination.

"I'm in."

·◊◊◊◊◊◊◊O÷O◊◊◊◊◊◊◊·

Mr. Colbert leaned over his tomes with a squint. Pouring over texts in the afternoon light was the easiest part, finding what he needed without blowing up his lab again was not.

For a while now, there was one thing that had eluded him even more so than his research. He glanced to a book he'd set aside—small but relevant—when a knock on the door drew his attention away. On the other side was someone he hadn't expected to see.

"Good afternoon, professor. I hope you don't mind my intrusion."

"Ah, you are Louise's familiar, yes?"

"That I am, though I'd prefer to be called Lelouch."

He stood out of the way to welcome him in. "Lelouch it is then."

Jean eyed the boy. He carried with him a stack of books and papers all neatly aligned.

"I assume that Louise had some questions she'd like you to ask me? If it is in the scope of today's lessons then I can write something down for her to look at later. Otherwise, she should come to see me when she can, though I have been busy as ever, mind."

He set the literature down on the floor, with no room on the tables within sight.

"Questions yes, but not from Louise."

The teacher perked an eyebrow. "And what could you mean by that?"

"Allow me to explain. Through the help of the library as well as some resources I have in town, I was able to obtain plenty of literature to provide myself with some knowledge. Learning without guidance, however, has proved to have its limits and I seek out the council of only one teacher in particular."

"And would that be me?"

"Indeed, Mr. Colbert."

He shuffled to another workstation. "Well, I'm rather flattered, but if I may ask, what use would you have for such information?"

"I wish to help Louise."

The fire mage would have scoffed if he were less of a person. "I must say that I appreciate the sentiment, but I highly doubt that you could teach her much."

"Oh? And why is that?"

He stopped whatever he was doing and sighed. "As much as she is incapable of casting anything but explosions day in and day out, her theory and academia have always been near if not at the top of the class. Her efforts are many times more than you or I can offer. I can only assume that each failure to cast only brings her to try harder and I'm sure you've seen that by now."

"And can you say with certainty that such is the case?"

He curved a thoughtful frown and looked at Lelouch. "I cannot say that I know everything—only that I do not—though I do think I have at least some idea of what I'm doing."

"Wise words professor, much different than the other staff here."

"I could say the same about you, young man."

"And what do you mean by that?"

Colbert flinched. He'd let his tongue slip just a little. He did mean to speak to the boy about this sometime. Supposedly, that time was now. "Ah, well, you see, you may not be a noble as far as I can tell, yet your demeanor would suggest otherwise."

"Is that an issue?"

"It does give rise to some concerns, but it is perhaps refreshing in some way?"

"And what gave it away? Was it my behavior in class? Or perhaps the duel with Guiche."

"The other students could do to act as polite as you are, as ridiculous as they would no doubt find the idea, but based on what I have caught wind of, I can't say that didn't shake my perception of you—and on that note, I would prefer it if you refrained from physically injuring any of the students if you can help it."

"Duly noted, sir."

Papers shuffled and glassware clicked. He swung his book shut and pushed it away. "I'm sorry, this has turned out to be somewhat long-winded. The point I am trying to make clear is that I feel that you are more than you let on. It is but a hunch, I believe you to be sincere, and I do trust you."

"But it still concerns you."

"Precisely."

As the light in the sky shrank away, the fireplace and candles lit to the snap of Colbert's fingers. Long shadows crisscrossed and flickered with the flames.

"Rest assured, professor, but I do not wish to bring anyone here any harm. All I seek is to learn more about myself and the world around me. I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to help Louise."

"Well, I'm glad we could be on the same page then." He began to put his things away. "If that is all then I must be on my way. You ought to be as well."

"Ah, but I had one more question for you."

"And that is?"

The man's heart stopped for but a second when he lifted his left with a dagger in hand.

"What do you know about these runes?"

He was clutching his chest and had a hand toward his staff. "You startled me."

"I apologize," and the stiletto was stowed away with haste.

Catching his breath, Colbert began, "First of all, never do that again. Friend or not, one spell is all it takes to incinerate a man. Second," he straightened himself out, "the Headmaster meant to tell you, but I suppose I could let him know I have explained things to you."

"That would be much appreciated." He eased his shoulders, making it apparent to the elder man that the youth was still a youth. "So what, or rather, who am I?"

He cleared his throat. "In short, you are Gandálfr, the Left Hand of God."

·◊◊◊◊◊◊◊O÷O◊◊◊◊◊◊◊·

Lelouch mulled over the new information brought to light. It was more than he could ask for but less than he had hoped.

Of course, they've been watching me from the start and yet they know so little more than I. It's almost pitiful. At the least, they can't read minds.

A good number of his hunches were correct—these powers allowed him to have more strength, speed, and stamina with a weapon in hand and that in some aspect they were special—but what interested him the most was the supposed reason he was brought here.

A calamity was upon them. What exactly that would entail they did not know.

From these slivers, Lelouch could finally piece together some parts of the grand scenario placed before him.

The arrival of the Gandálfr is connected to their founder, Brimir. Thus who would know better than the Pope himself?

He would need to arrange a meeting somehow, but that was easier said than done. Though the Vallieres were second only to the crown, their business was primarily with the military and Germania. The only issue that would bring them together would be war.

And so, Reconquista.

At face value, it was a group of lower nobles rebelling against the royal family of Albion to fight injustice and for the people, but he knew better. Matilda's reports told him just as much of how their leader, Cromwell, was "a greedy opportunist that couldn't be cared more for" in her words. He wasn't without his shrewdness, however, and Lelouch was no longer prone to letting his guard down when he could afford it, careful nevertheless. The unstable Albion which they inhabited happened to be closest to Tristain, and so conflict would be inevitable. Other countries no doubt had an interest in taking what they could get from this predicament, placing the familiar literally in the middle of a continent-wide crisis between the strongest, Gallia, the largest, Germania, and the most influential, Romalia—seat to the Pope.

It was all rather poetic in his mind.

He didn't get this information for free of course. Besides his direct sources, he provided a handful of Reconquista contacts with half-truths and half-lies and to Colbert some information from his world of which the believing professor found rather fascinating. Turns out the man was also a chemist who just so happened to be formulating what he knew as gasoline.

And that brought Lelouch to his second interview.

Siesta shifted in her seat. He hadn't given her a reason why he wanted to talk. No note of any message, meeting, or delivery to be had for the business. He only told her to meet there, in front of what could be called his living quarters.

Each day he would rise early and each night he waited for his master to fall asleep first, returning to a well-made shed complete with furniture, supplies, and a bath. He requested that one be built in Louise's name and the unwakeable girl was none the wiser as he rested in comfort and privacy. It was here that he held his personal belongings and managed his documents and affairs.

He poured some tea for the both of them. Siesta used to protest, but those had been reduced to a second-nature twitch in her hands. Taking a seat, he started.

"How are you today, Siesta? I hope things haven't been too hard on you lately."

"Oh, no, not at all. Just a bit…"

"Nervous?"

He hadn't meant to startle her, but he found that he did so more and more often. He hoped that she would become more relaxed around him, but time had the opposite effect. For what reason he couldn't fathom. He hadn't sent her to do anything far too serious, yet.

"Are you wondering why I've called you here?"

A vigorous nodding.

He dropped cream and sugar into the fragrant black water. "I needed to speak to you regarding your hometown, Tarbes, and by extension, you and your family."

The maid didn't show any surprise but still felt her tense up at the moment. "This won't be an easy thing to ask you, considering how personal it no doubt is, so I only ask that you answer what you are comfortable with revealing to me. Am I clear?"

Another vigorous nodding.

"Good." A sip and he set his tea aside. "First, do you recognize these?" He fished out a stack of paper filled with bilingual notes. One half in Halkagenian, the other not. Yeah to

"I am only very vaguely familiar," she stuttered, "with these letters."

"So you recognize them as letters?"

"Yes, I do."

"And how, if I might ask?"

Siesta pursed her lips and put a finger to them in thought. "Well, there are a bunch of places and things in my village that have symbols like these all over them. What they mean though I couldn't say."

"Do you know who wrote them?"

"I've been told it was my great-grandfather."

"And is he still alive?"

She didn't say anything for a moment. "I'm afraid not. He passed away shortly after I was born."

"I see. I'm sorry to hear that."

She waved her hands around in front of herself. "There's no need to apologize, Lelouch! It was a long time ago—before I could remember anything."

"Indeed." He wove his fingers together and leaned in. "Could you tell me more about him? Anything at all?"

"Yes, quite a few things." She cleared her throat and sat straight. "He was an intelligent man who knew many things and made Tarbes what it is today as one of the larger villages in Tristain. He only spoke a little Tristanian when he came and became a craftsman and eventually chief."

Lelouch digested the words. "How did he arrive? Was he summoned?"

"No, he came from the sky on the Dragon's Raiment."

"I'd heard of that from Colbert. Who else knows about it?"

"Only me and my relatives otherwise, sir."

"Do you know where it is?"

"Yes, but I've never seen it for myself."

A long quiet followed and Siesta began to fidget again. Seeing this, Lelouch stood up.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Siesta. Ever helpful as always." He reached into a wooden box nearby.

"No need, Lelouch. It's just that all this seemed rather important to you and I'd be lying if I didn't say I wasn't interested too."

"Well then, you can put that interest to the test then." He brought out another stack of papers, this one much thicker than the first. "I want you to learn how to read and write in Japanese."

"Japanese?"

"Yes, this writing, your heritage." He set the stack in front of her. "Based on what you've told me, your ancestor was from another world, my world. He was a citizen of Japan, a country which I am very familiar with."

Her eyes were filled with wonder. "Does that mean you are too, Mr. Lamperouge?"

He chuckled. "No, I am not."

Another stretch of peace and Siesta's vision shot up to his face. "I don't mean to protest, but why? If no one speaks Japanese, then why would you possibly want me to learn?"

He pulled a quill and ink from his writing-table as she spoke. "Let this be my first lesson to you." He wrote down a pair of symbols, small and complex. "Remember this well, Siesta."

He slid the piece toward her.

"Remember that himitsu means secret."

·◊◊◊◊◊◊◊O÷O◊◊◊◊◊◊◊·

Author's Notes

·◊◊◊◊◊◊◊O÷O◊◊◊◊◊◊◊·

Hello once more, Verrill here~ Have you all been well?

All hail… Nunnally? As you can see, the characters of Code Geass have made their return! I'm quite happy that I've gotten to this point, but I believe it will be some time before we see more of them, unfortunately.

On the bright side, progress~!

This chapter has a large focus on the setup for future events. How exactly that will play out will be a mystery for now. Just know that my plans excite me and I can't wait to see what comes of these ideas!

And so, once more, as usual, thank you for your time~ Hopefully, I'll see you all again soon!

P.S. I'm so excited for the new Code Geass announcement this coming December. Will it be the next movie? Another spinoff? The suspense is killing me!