Turn 2: The little ninja

Kyoshiro Tohdoh thought he was going nutso. It had started several months ago, with small items going missing around the shrine. Sometimes, it was a toy. Sometimes, it was a pastry. Sometimes, it was a book. Those items were commonly found in the hands of Nunnally vi Brittania, who always returned them afterwards – except, of course, for the snacks. But there was no way in hell she was the one stealing them. The girl was blind and paraplegic. She simply didn't have the skills to steal anything. When asked who had given her the pilfered items, the answer was always the same:

"It was my shadow!"

Yeah. Right. Tohdoh wasn't buying it. If somebody asked him, it was more the work of a ninja. A very sneaky, very skilled ninja who had decided to watch over the girl and make sure she was happy and entertained by stealing whatever might amuse her. Much as he appreciated the thought, it still irked him that the ninja acted covertly. He didn't mind the princess having a caretaker, especially since Nunnally was fond of them. But was it really so hard for them to act openly? Why by the kami did they think they had to hide? It wasn't like their head was wanted or anything, right?

Right?

Lelouch strenuously disagreed. His training with Sanjati had taught him many things, the most crucial being that, if you can't be seen, you can't be caught, and if you can't be caught, you can't be hurt. So, he stayed hidden. It wasn't for the shrine's lack of trying. The general had tripled the guard, set cameras at every corner, installed a high-level security system and even hired a couple of actual ninjas to catch Princess Nunnally's "shadow". Nothing had worked. Lelouch found the measures mildly frustrating at worst and a good training at best. Perception Filter at its strongest, he emerged from the shadows and did a gig before sticking his tongue. Then he hid again and waited. Fifteen minutes later, Tohdoh and Ryoga Senba came looking. The boy peeked into their mind and was pleased to see the screen only showing a blurry dancing form. Not worth a memory rewrite. So long as they didn't see him clearly, it was fine. Besides, their frustration was amusing – so long, of course, as they didn't take it out on Nunnally.

Kneeling before her, he reached out and joined his mind to hers. Nunnally gasped as she felt her brother's mind caress hers. He was probing, gently asking for entrance because she was his sister and, if she didn't want the link, he would accept it. Nunnally smiled and opened her mind in full. Lelouch had to control himself to avoid being caught in the storm of sensations. He still did, carefully crafting the link between his sister's mind and his own.

"Alright. Nunna, do you hear me?"

"I hear you, Big Brother."

It took them some time to learn to calibrate the bond. But they did, eventually. When Lelouch was on Ravnica, it took the shape of an empathic link. They could keep it on this level on Earth, but its most common intensity was telepathic. This way, no matter where Lelouch was, his sister could reach him. She just had to call.

"Big Brother, what are they making for dinner?"

Lelouch didn't answer immediately. Instead, he crept to the kitchen and peered at the maids' minds.

"Miso soup, oyakodon, squid tempura and curry, with anpan for dessert."

"Oh, this is going to be tasty!"

"Agreed. It sounds great… I never ate Japanese food. How would they react if I stole some?"

"They would freak out. Your visits spook them a lot."

"They will not keep me from seeing you." Lelouch's voice was cold in her mind. "Nothing will."

"I know, Big Brother."

He ended stealing some dangos for Nunnally and a bowl of tekkadon for himself, much to the maids' exasperation. In the princess's room, brother and sister sat back-to-back as they ate. The hiding prince had to admit the dish was good, so long as the tuna sashimi was dipped in sauce.

"My mentor had me eat only what I stole for a whole month to teach me thievery. And I could only buy things with stolen money." He reminisced. "It wasn't fun, but it sure taught me fast."

Nunnally shuddered.

"I hate that you have to do bad things to survive. But you don't have a choice. If they catch you, they will put you in chains and lock you up. Just like I am."

"Well, about that, I have an idea…"

Said idea was put in practice after dinner, shortly after night had fallen. Focusing on their bond, Lelouch carefully calibrated its intensity until he had achieved what he wanted. He heard Nunnally gasp before grinning from ear to ear.

There was a very good reason for that: before her, the girl was seeing none other than herself, even though her eyes were still closed. Lelouch turned to a mirror and felt the elation in his sister's chest as she saw her brother's reflection. She saw the purple eyes with a glowing blue corona, the black hair under the dark blue hood and the black tissue clothes, the pale skin, even paler than she remembered courtesy of her brother's nocturnal lifestyle. This was him, no doubt about it. This was her brother. And he had just given her back her sight, by letting her use his. It was awesome.

Lelouch grinned and snuck out, connection still active. Nunnally shuddered as the link expended. Soon, it wasn't simply the sight she shared with her brother. It was the smell, the hearing, the touch. She felt the freshness of shadows as he merged with them, then the sensation of legs running and body stretching itself as Lelouch scaled the shrine's wall to reach the rooftop. As he crossed it, she found herself forgetting she was confined to a wheelchair. Her brother was free of movement, running across the roof until he reached the edge, and through him, so was she.

It wasn't simply her eyes her elder brother had returned her. It was her freedom. Through him, she felt the world in a way she simply couldn't now that she was blind and paraplegic. It was an amazing gift, the greatest anyone had ever made her.

Lelouch did some quick math and jumped. Nunnally gasped as she felt him – and herself – soar through the air and grab the edge of the opposing roof before nimbly lifting himself. The boy grinned at the feeling of elation coming from his sister. He sat and watched the stars, and Nunnally marveled at the beauty of the night sky, the moon a shiny crescent above them. It was a clear night and the shrine had very few lights on.

"I'm shutting the link, Sis. Time to go home."

"Alright, Big Brother. Thank you so much!"

And she was back in her wheelchair. The girl sighed and went to bed. It had been great, to run through her brother. But they would do it again, she knew it. Lelouch had created the link specifically so they could. For a moment, she envied his freedom until she remembered the dirty tactics he used were specifically so it wouldn't be taken away. Though Nunnally was in a gilded cage, her brother wasn't. And, so long as he wasn't, neither was she. Not now that she could live through him.

In Ravnica, Lelouch and Sanjati hopped from rooftop to rooftop until they reached a spire overlooking the Gateway Plaza.

"So, how did it go with your sister?"

"It worked as expected. Nunna can borrow my senses so she is no longer confined to her wheelchair. I'm happy."

Sanjati rubbed the boy's head.

–v–

A few days later, a surge of terror shot through Lelouch as he was spying on a meeting between a Wojek sergeant and an Azorius lawmage. A quick focus told him it was indeed Nunnally, and she was utterly scared. A quick mental message to his mentor and he Planeswalked.

In Kururugi Shrine, things were tense. Daichi Shimada, one of the guards, had decided enough was enough and, if they wanted to catch the princess's shadow, drastic measures were in order. So, he was holding her head with a tanto on her throat as Genbu Kururugi, Taizo Kirihara, Kyoshiro Tohdoh and two terrified Suzaku Kururugi and Kaguya Sumeragi watched.

"Come on, you goddamn shadow! Show yourself! You care for the girl, right? Where are you? Aren't you going to save her?"

"You idiot!" The Prime Minister growled. "If you kill the girl, you will bring the wrath of Brittania on our heads! Is this what you want?"

"What I want is to see that goddamn shadow! Come on, show yourself!"

In the Shrine, Lelouch opened his link with Nunnally and listened to the guard's ranting. A snarl escaped him. Running inside the shadows, he quickly made his way to his sister's room and snuck in the guard's back. Unseen by all, he readied a shadow knife and aimed. The situation was tense. Everyone, from adults to children, waited for someone to make a move. Strangely, Nunnally had relaxed.

Unbeknownst to them, she had sensed her brother linking their senses. She was safe, now. Her Big Brother was here and he was going to deal with the bad guy. The guard roared madly.

"Come on! Show yourself or she dies!"

"You first!"

The voice came from every shadow of the room, cold, angry and, above all else, childish. But it was from a single place that the blow came. The guard gasped as something sharp and cold struck the back of his skull, killing him on the spot. Nunnally, having seen through Lelouch's eyes, pushed the hand holding the tanto and fell on the ground. Suzaku and Kaguya ran to help her sit while the adults gathered around the dead man. When they turned him, there was no weapon to be found. Shadow knives always vanished after a few seconds. All they saw was the clean stab wound in the skull, lethal and clear.

"The princess's shadow has struck again." Tohdoh said evenly. "You're still in there. Can you show yourself?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I am Nunnally's shadow."

Genbu grumbled.

"This isn't an answer. And why do you sound so young?"

"It is an answer. I am her shadow. This is all you need to know."

"I don't think so, young man." Kirihara retorted. "You are someone, with a name and a face. We would like to see it."

"Never!"

The answer was snarled. Everyone tensed. In the shadows, Lelouch was furious. He wanted to explain them, to tell them who he was so they would understand how he couldn't let them catch him, how he had to remain hidden and free, or else he would be put in a cage like his sister was. But he couldn't. If they knew his name, they would try to catch him. He took a moment to find the right words.

"You're right, I am someone. Someone who calls the shadows their home and finds safety and freedom in the darkness. Do not try to see me. Do not try to catch me. My only goal it to keep Nunnally safe and happy. Only in the shadows can I achieve it. Do not force me into the light. If I step within, I'll die. If I die, Nunnally will have no one else to watch over her."

The adults shared a look.

"Why would you die if you step in the light?" Tohdoh asked. "What do you have to fear of it?"

"Everything." Lelouch sighed. "In the light, nothing is hidden. Everything is revealed. The good… and the bad. Light blinds. It scorches. It consumes. It hurt. I cannot afford to get hurt. I cannot afford to be blinded. All I can afford is to survive, and to survive, I must hide."

Tohdoh closed his eyes.

"Then what are you hiding from? We could provide you with protection and shelter, and you could protect Princess Nunnally without having to conceal your presence."

"You cannot protect me from them. No one can. They are too strong. If I could fight back, I would have. But I can't. All I can do is hide and survive. Make no mistake, there are days I watch her and Suzaku and Kaguya and wish I could join. But I can't. I have to protect Nunnally, and it isn't something I can do if I'm dead or in chains. I have to remain hidden and free, for her sake."

The general sighed deeply. It seemed nothing could convince the little ninja from showing himself.

"Fine, we will drop the matter. In any case, even though your means are utterly lacking in honor, your devotion to the princess is admirable. This is something I can respect."

Lelouch scoffed.

"Honor is for those who can afford it, general. You're big and you're strong and you have a sharp sword. I am not big. I am not strong. I only have my knives. I cannot afford honor."

A sad but true fact. The adults took the corpse away and burned it without any form of ceremony. The man didn't deserve it. Tohdoh also relaxed the security. The little ninja in the shadows had made clear he was only out to protect Nunnally, and the reason he hid was because he was hunted and currently too weak to oppose an open resistance. None of the adults liked it. A lot of them wished they could help him and provide protection. But none of them knew who was after the boy, and they had the gut feeling he meant it when he said even they couldn't protect him from his foes.

"Who is after you, anyway?"

The question was never answered. When Lelouch told Sanjati about the incident, the infiltrator just sighed.

"Guess we'll have to start your assassination training early."

The months went by. Lelouch learned as he grew. On the anniversary of his arrival on Ravnica, Sanjati and Vatra organized a small party. It was fun, but also sad at the same time since the day his Spark Ignited was also the worst of the boy's life. But it had granted him a new power he now used to protect his sister, and a year was still a key milestone, no matter the reason why. That night, he Planeswalked to Japan, snuck in the Shrine and brought Nunnally her favorite treat, rice pudding with cinnamon and strawberries. The people of the Shrine didn't question. They had given up on the matter.

Then, one year and three months after Nunnally's exile and Lelouch becoming a Planeswalker, disaster struck. It happened on August 10th, 2010 a.t.b.

–v–

August 10th, in the year 2010 of the Imperial Calendar. The Holy Britannian Empire declared war upon Japan. The island nation in the Far East, which argued for its neutrality, and Britannia, the world's greatest superpower. There was a dispute between the two sides over Japan's underground resources, and the diplomatic tensions between them were deep-rooted.

A wave of terror surged from Lelouch as he pocketed the stolen purse. A quick message to Sanjati and he Planeswalked. His sister was in the shrine as always, but she, the Kururugis, Kirihara, Tohdoh and Kaguya Sumeragi were watching the Tv and listening to Emperor Charles' declaration of war. After long months of tensions, the Britannian Empire had finally decided to invade, even though the Prime Minister and his family held one of the Emperor's children hostage. Kirihara turned to Nunnally. A knife of solid shadow struck the table, a warning that Nunnally's hidden protector was watching. Anyone who tried to harm the princess would die, simple as that. The adults collectively sighed.

"Message received. We won't touch Princess Nunnally."

"Good."

Lelouch briefly Planeswalked to Ravnica to inform Sanjati and Vatra of the situation. The infiltrator and the angel winced.

"Alright, this is bad. Go back to your sister, Child. She needs you more than we do."

"If you aren't back within a month, I am sending Vraska the Unseen to find you. She may be the Golgari Leader, but she is also a Planeswalker like you are. If she can't bring you back, she will at least be able to help you."

"Thank you, Teacher."

And he was back to Earth. He stayed with Nunnally the entire duration of the war, hidden in her shadow. Through their link, Nunnally sensed his presence and it brought her comfort. Then, despite a vicious resistance from the Japanese, the Britannian forces made landfall, bypassing the entrenched defenses with Knightmare Frames carried by drop-ships. Lelouch overheard as Genbu Kururugi furiously argued with his generals.

"We have to resist! Surrender is unacceptable against these monsters! Seriously, they are willing to strike us even though we have one of Emperor Charles's children at our mercy! Clearly, they do not care about the girl… Why isn't she dead? She is of no use to us, dead or alive. And I refuse to dirty my hands with the blood of a blind, crippled little girl. No, we must resist. Tell every man and woman to take arms, tell the people of Japan to fight until their dying breath. If we are going down, we are going to make Britannia bleed for their victory."

Then he saw Suzaku enter with a sword. Lelouch listened as the pair started arguing…

Suzaku lunged with his sword. Lelouch lunged with his mind. The boy collapsed, clutching his head as a brutal migraine invaded him. Genbu watched his son, surprised. Then he looked at the shadows and saw.

He saw the boy hiding inside, clad in black and dark blue, hood covering black hair and an ivory skin, purple eyes glaring at the scene. And he understood.

"No greater love than a brother's, uh? Get your sister, boy. Take her somewhere safe. We will do everything we can to slow your family down and give you time to hide."

"Thank you, Sir."

And Lelouch vanished, diving in Nunnally's room and getting her on his back.

"Today's the day, Nunna. We are getting out."

"Where are we going, Big Brother?"

"Somewhere no one will ever find us, especially our family."

He filled a bag with food, let Nunnally carry it and moved among the shadows, linking their eyesight so his sister could see as well. Their destination was Mt. Fuji. The volcano was huge and forested. So long as they stayed in the woods, Lelouch could use the shadows to conceal the two of them.

As they walked toward their destination, they passed by a flowery meadow edged by trees. Lelouch shuddered. He could feel mana lurking beneath the ground. Nunnally, meanwhile, admired the vista. The multicolored flowers were wavering under the wind as the trees' leaves rustled around them. Hard to believe that such a land was at war. Nudging her brother, the girl let him carry her in the meadow. She held a hand and touched the flowers. Lelouch held a hand and drew the mana. Green and white lines crossed the field, tiny leylines which fueled the land. The energy seeped through his fingers like water, the energy bearing no meaning. But Nunnally held her hand and touched the golden energy. And she felt its power.

Morality

Order

Uniformity

Structure

Purity

Peace

Honesty

Balance

Nunnally shuddered. She understood. The concepts embodied by the energy found echo within her and let her harness it. Lelouch turned to his sister, eyes wide.

"Nunna… You can use mana?"

"Is it what this strange energy is called?"

"Yes. I can control it too. This is how I manipulate minds and the shadows. The energies I control are blue and black." He looked at the meadow. "I can't control the other three colors. You want to try the green one?"

"Yes!"

The boy went to the green leyline and let his sister touch the energy. Once again, the girl felt its power.

Nature

Community

Life

Strength

Harmony

Instinct

Determinism

Growth

The notions found an echo within the disabled princess and let her command the green energy. Nunnally giggled and Lelouch marveled at the sound. But the true miracle was yet to come. Suddenly, the green and white energies combined in a swirl and flowed over the girl, carrying her in the air. Her brother watched in awe as the gold and emerald lights seeped in her back, then in her hips, in her legs and finally her feet. And Nunnally moved her legs. She pedaled in the air, trying to balance herself as the mana kept her airborne until it was done. When it did, she landed and stood. Carefully, she took a step. Then another. Then another. Then she turned to her brother and jumped in his arms. Lelouch held her tight, silently thanking the land. Though Nunnally's eyes were still closed, her legs worked again. The land had healed her.

–v–

They weren't the only ones who sought haven on the slopes of Mt. Fuji. There was a group made of six adults, three teens and four children who wandered the woods, carrying backpacks as they fled the fighting. Lelouch and Nunnally joined them, the boy having stolen a hooded coat and shawl to cover his sister's face. His own face was covered by a navy-blue scarf, so none of their faces were fully revealed.

"More refugees?" One of the adults sighed. "Best not ask what happened to your parents. Come with us, we'll keep you safe."

Lelouch peered in their minds and agreed. They shared the same goal. For now, they had everything to gain from teaming up. They eventually found a cavern in which they settled. One woman set a small shrine and spent her days praying the kami they wouldn't be found. An adult set a radio to catch the news. Lelouch, a man and a woman set watch, the boy perching in a tree.

"Are you a ninja?" A blue-haired teenager asked.

"Yes, in-training. My dojo was ruined."

The lie came easily. The group shared resources, saving the best food and warmer bedrolls for the children. The adults satisfied themselves with the rest. They were grown men, after all. But Lelouch refused the tasty food and bedroll. He slept in the tree and ate what was left. Once or twice, one of the adults made a swift supply run to a nearby village on his motorcycle, which he hid in a bush. For one week, the group hid. Then, as the second week started, a group of four refugees found them, three adults and a teen. The teen was hurt. Instinctively, Nunnally went to him and summoned the green energy. The emerald light danced over the teen and closed his wounds. The whole group looked at her.

"How did you do that!?"

"What do you care?" Lelouch snarled. "She healed him. That's all you need to know."

"Well, maybe we could learn it too."

"You can't." Nunnally said gently. "You are the wrong color."

Lelouch raised a brow. Nunnally explained.

"I see the colors within people. As you said, there are five. You, Big Brother, are black and blue. I'm white and green. You, Sir, are red. But a lot of people in the group are white or blue."

So, Nunnally could perceive people in accordance to their mana affinity. That was interesting. And it reassured Lelouch: his sister wasn't completely blind anymore.

Two days later, an army patrol passed by the area. With the help of Nunnally and the children, the adults had patched together a ghillie net that could be unfolded over the cavern's entrance to conceal it. The moment Lelouch caught the soldiers' thoughts, he warned the group who lost no time unfolding it. The boy stayed outside, hidden within the shadows, his link with his sister open to telepathic level. The army looked around, unaware of the little ninja ready to stab them with shadow daggers. They didn't notice the net, nor the cavern hidden under. The group held its breath, hidden deep within its hideout as fear gripped each member. Would they…

They weren't. The soldiers shook their head and walked away. As soon as they were beyond Lelouch's reach, the boy tugged the net.

"Threat is gone."

Everyone breathed in relief.

On the last day of the second week, Japan was finally defeated. Cornelia li Britannia personally cornered Genbu Kururugi in the Shrine and found him sitting in seiza on a white sheet, dressed in an immaculate three-piece suit and carrying a wakizashi on his knees. The Prime Minister was surprisingly serene as the Britannian princess held him at sword point.

"Genbu Kururugi, your forces have been defeated. Surrender yourself."

"Surrender, uh? I concede, Princess, you and your forces were masterful in your battle plans. I am impressed my people resisted so long against such forces."

Cornelia tried not to blush. She still smirked.

"How kind of you to praise my skills. But flattery will get you nowhere. We won. Come with us, now."

"Princess." Genbu said gently. "You haven't won."

"Excuse me?"

It was the Prime Minister's turn to smirk.

"I admit, with my forces defeated, Britannia has officially won the war. But our natural resources weren't the only thing you were after, right? You were looking for someone. Are they in your hands?"

If they had actually found Nunnally, he would be surprised. Knowing who exactly was watching over her and what skill little Lelouch possessed, either the Britannians had neither royals or they had only captured them after a long chase and a lot of casualties. Lelouch would have never let himself or his sister be caught without a fight, and the boy was a supernatural ninja. Cornelia froze.

"We… didn't find her. You know where she is, right? You know where Nunna is. You have to. Where did you send her? She wasn't in the Shrine."

"She is with her shadow." The Prime Minister chuckled. "If you want your dear sister, you need to ask them first. Princess Nunnally's shadow is fiercely protective of her. You will not get her without getting past them."

"Her shadow? What do you mean by that? Did you send one of your Japanese assassins to keep her from us?"

Genbu held a laugh. The little ninja watching over the princess wasn't Japanese. He was Britannian.

"I didn't. In fact, the princess's shadow gave us a lot of trouble when they first appeared. They nearly drove Tohdoh insane with their thefts and evasiveness, until we understood all they cared for was making Nunnally happy and keeping her safe. One of the guards threatened her at sword point. He never saw the knife that killed him. When the war started, I told them to take Princess Nunnally with them since it is obvious your father doesn't care the slightest about her well-being." The Prime Minister frowned. "We could have killed her as punishment. Many of us argued in favor of it. I decided to entrust her to the one who truly cared for her. They are gone, now, the two of them. Away from us and away from you. I cannot tell you where your sister is for the simple reason that her shadow didn't tell me."

"Then tell me who is her shadow!"

Genbu closed his eyes.

"Why should I? Your family doesn't care about Princess Nunnally. Your own father sent us his own flesh and blood to us, to use as hostage. You. Do. Not. Care. We do. This is why neither of us know where she is."

Cornelia felt sick.

"You're wrong. I care."

"Really?"

"Yes. I care for Nunnally. Once I found her, I will bring her back to Pendragon and watch over her. Then we'll go look for Lelouch together. It has been more than a year since he disappeared. He has to be somewhere. I have to find him and bring him home. I have to keep him… them… safe."

"Who says you can? It is their own father who put them in jeopardy, Cornelia li Britannia. Can you protect them from your father?"

Cornelia flinched.

"I…I don't know."

"Then you don't deserve to find them. Not until you can ask yourself that question again and answer *Yes*."

Cornelia snarled, both in anger and helplessness. Genbu smirked and opened the suit to bare his stomach.

"Princess Nunnally is hiding and Prince Lelouch is missing. Neither are within your reach. You may have conquered my homeland, but the one you sought to find is safe from your grasp." He took the blade and opened his belly wide. "You… You lost, princess… Won the war… but lost… what truly mattered… Victory… eluded you… Goddess."

Cornelia roared in anger and emptied her gun in the ceiling. On the floor, Genbu Kururugi was dead, his final smirk firmly etched on his face.

–v–

Japan surrendered quickly, after that. However, the Prime Minister had a point: Cornelia hadn't found Lelouch or Nunnally. The two siblings were safely hidden in the cavern. Lelouch silently thanked the Prime Minister for taking his secret to his grave. Now the war was over, the refugees decided to leave and go home. Hopefully, things had calmed down. As soon as their back was turned, Lelouch used his mental powers to blur their memories. The group would only remember the pair as vague figures, their actions hard to remember.

"Where to now, Big Brother?"

Lelouch had spent the past two weeks thinking. One idea chiefly stuck.

"Time to see if the Ashfords are still loyal to Mom."

And so, the pair made their way to Tokyo.