It was August of the year 2017 and the world was about to change, again.
(F/N): "Oh Britannia how I love thee for thou strength and beauty. For is there no greater being than the flag thou is waving? Oh Britannia does thou loveth me? For I serve knowing there is no greater-"
Milly: "Boring! Also, I'm pretty sure you misused 'thee' and 'thou'."
Student Council President Milly Ashford, daughter of the Ashford family of which Ashford Academy gets its name. Not a bad person by any means, however, I'd prefer she didn't force Lelouch's, the Vice President, work on me. Currently, the Student Council is gathered in the club room to spitball ideas for the annual school festival and review submissions for stalls. Seated at the table, or in Milly's case, on it, was Rivalz, Nina, and Shirley. Kallen would be here too, but she is often sick at home. As for the poem that I was reading, it doesn't have anything to do with the current meeting, it is part of a plan to get out of work today so I can tackle the small mountain of homework that has begun to form. It's trading one evil for another, but my grades are more important right now.
(F/N): "Not everyone is a poet, don't you know it?" I said with a cocky smile.
Milly: "I know you're only reading your poems out loud to be annoying. It's not going to work." I slowly turned my eyes away from her. "How about this? You find out where Lelouch has been disappearing to and I'll give you a kiss on the cheek." Rivalz shot out of his chair, shocked as he spoke the following words.
Rivalz: "Madam President, you can't be serious!" I leaned back into my chair. "Lelouch has only missed a couple of days."
Milly: "I'm simply curious about what Lelouch is up to. I bet someone else is too." She looked at Shirley.
Shirley: "No, I'm not!" She protested with a red face of embarrassment. "He's probably off gambling again, why would I care?"
(F/N): "Anyway, you can calm down Rivalz." My eyes went back to Milly. "A kiss from a witch is something I don't need. Getting back to my studies? Definitely."
Nina: "Are you struggling that badly?" She asked in her timid voice, to which I responded with a sigh and partly defeated voice.
(F/N): "When you move around a lot the quality of education isn't consistent. I hate to admit it, but I barely got in."
I put my homework on hold and we continued on. When I first arrived I didn't get comfortable and so I didn't make any friends or join any of the clubs. I honestly didn't expect we would be staying in Area Eleven for long, but as time went on I realized I had become kind of a loner and we weren't moving anytime soon. Strangely, there was a day I couldn't really remember. It was the same day I started to feel stings in my chest and was when Lelouch found me on the roof overlooking the courtyard. He looked rather serious, sizing me up by the guess of it. But then it softened and he invited me to join the Student Council. I had been avoiding clubs, which is mandatory for all students to join, on the grounds that I'd probably be moving. But since that because less and less of the case, I gave in. They were really welcoming, and I enjoyed it until Lelouch's work got pushed onto me.
I've wanted to talk to him about that day at some point and with the work I've been getting recently steadily increasing, now was a good time before it became too much. Thankfully, even though the academy is an extremely large place, I won't have to travel far to look find Lelouch and talk with him. Assuming he is back on campus. As I understand it, Lelouch and his sister Nunnally have permission to live in the Student Council building here on campus due to his sister being confined to a wheelchair and unable to see. Despite whatever caused her circumstances and only meeting her a few times, I couldn't help but believe she was the most kind-hearted person I had met.
Lately, because Lelouch has been nowhere to be seen, Sayoko, their maid who works for the Ashford family, has mostly been the only one taking care of her. Though I haven't heard any complaints, I found that odd after learning how much he cares about his sister from the others. Namely, Milly, who advise against doing anything bad to her on the joking grounds that Lelouch would kill me. I believed it. Back to Lelouch, I didn't want to pry into the privacy of other people, but I really wanted to have a proper talk with him. So I decided to take a more direct approach to it and figure out what has been going on. After we were done with our work for the day, I went to find Nunnally, who was in the dining room folding paper.
(F/N): "Hey Nunnally, sorry if I'm interrupting."
Nunnally: "(F/N), not at all." She said with a sweet tone. "How have things been? I hope your studies are going well."
(F/N): "Sadly, I can't say that they are. I know she doesn't mean anything bad by it, but I wish Milly would help with Lelouch's work. Did he return yet?" I almost regret asking because I could tell the answer from her tone alone.
Nunnally: "No, I'm sorry." She said saddened.
(F/N): "You don't need to apologize, I didn't mean to, you know." I should say something to make her happy and lighten the mood. "You're probably worried more than anyone else when it comes to Lelouch, but I think if he's in trouble he'll be alright." Though her eyes were still close, like always, Nunnally looked even sadder.
Nunnally: "You really think he's in trouble?" She asked, innocently hoping I was wrong. Why am I making things worse?
(F/N): "No, I mean- I meant, Lelouch is a smart guy. He knows people care about him and are more than willing to help, that's why I'm sure if he was, he knows he could rely on us to help and run to his rescue." That earned a faint smile from her, one that says 'I understand you mean well' even though I was struggling.
Nunnally: "You're right, I'm sure he knows that."
I said that, but I honestly have no idea where he goes when he disappears or how I can help him. It's not like he's gone every day, all day, but still, people are worried. Namely, Nunnally and Shirley, the latter could be more opened about it. Worrying about people. That's been on my mind since that day. How can you worry about someone you've only known for a short time? Every time I'm near either Nunnally, Lelouch, or Kallen, when she's in class, I feel a sting in my chest. There was even a guy on the news, Suzaku Kururugi, an Eleven, and Honorary Britannain, he was said to have killed Prince Clovis and was being escorted to his execution, but in that same broadcast, a masked man dressed in black named Zero confronted the escort and took credit. And with both of them, I felt the same sting.
Sayoko: "Sorry for the delay." She said as she came in with a freshly cooked meal. "Oh, (F/N), how nice of you to stop by."
(F/N): "Don't mention it, but I should get going." I started heading for the door as Sayoko placed down the food, but I turned around before leaving. "I'm stopping by my dad's work tomorrow to see him, I'll ask if he can keep an ear out for Lelouch. He's usually busy, but reliable."
Nunnally appeared more comforted by my words, better than leaving her on a down note of her brother not being around much. As for my father, what I said isn't wrong, but saying he will do something just because his son asked him, is not really likely. Especially at his place of work where I doubt he'll hear Lelouch's name. Conor Crowel, a Director of Operations within the Britannian Military, though not the highest nor most powerful position, only being third from the lowest in terms of rank, he is still a man who hears and has more information than most.
He doesn't come home often, which was part of the reason I was visiting him. I had to call ahead the next morning and inform him that when I was to stop by I wanted to speak about an important matter. Why not ask over the phone? For starters, if something comes up he will quickly hang up. If he does hear my request, he'll say that he'll keep it in mind, and then hang up. Usually, that means he'll forget about it once something has come up. If he asks about my grades, usually does, I'll feel the urge to hang up. It doesn't end well for me if I hang up.
While I don't think he'll hear anything about Lelouch, it is worth a shot since there isn't much I can do besides follow Lelouch all day. I'm not going to stalk the guy, last thing I need is rumors going around about it and in the process, getting labeled a creep. An hour before we were to meet at his office, I had arrived at the road toward the government building where he was stationed, carrying a gift bag of my father's favorite whiskey from home. That was until I saw someone I didn't expect, the one from the news broadcast, Suzaku. He was wearing dark shades to hide his eyes and was dressed casually, but I still managed to easily tell it was him. Before he walked past me, we both looked at each other for a second, only to stop when we heard a girl yell from above.
Girl: "Out of the way, please! Look out below!"
I didn't think I'd die from being landed on, but amazingly, in a more comedic moment than it should have been, I somehow managed to catch the girl. I fell backward because of her and nearly banged my head on the ground when Suzaku moved to catch me. He succeeded, but the weight of two people left all of us on the ground in the end anyway. I got a good look at the girl after she got off of me. Her long pink hair was the most notable thing. But more than her appearance, I noticed that sting in my chest was worse when I gazed upon her. Also, the whiskey bottle hit the ground, cracking the bottom of it.
After apologizing for what happened, she claimed that bad guys were chasing her and so she asked if we could help. I glanced at Suzaku with a confused expression. The only reason I didn't believe her claim was one simple truth, the building she jumped out of is where my father works. For there to be bad people there, who were after a girl, it would mean that everyone there was being completely incompetent and didn't notice. I strongly doubt that would happen. But still, I ended up playing along, as assumingly did Suzaku. I walked behind them to call and inform my father that I would be unable to make it, which mattered little since I ended up with his voicemail.
Euphy: "We haven't introduced ourselves yet, have we? My name is... Euphy." She commented as we walked rather slowly along down the sidewalk of a nearby park. Right, being chased, sure.
(F/N): "(F/N) Crowel, pleased to meet you." I said as I catch up beside them. "As long as you don't make a habit of landing on me."
Euphy: "I really am sorry about that."
Suzaku: "My name is-"
Euphy: "Don't tell me." We stopped walking when she did and turned to face her. "'Cause I already know it. You're a celebrity. Son of Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi, Private Suzaku Kururugi."
(F/N): "First you fall on people because you didn't pay attention, then you call someone a celebrity when you know they were nearly convicted. Truly inconsiderate." Euphy was shocked at the thought.
Euphy: "Oh, I didn't mean to offend at all."
Suzaku: "I'm not offended, I think he's the one with a bone to pick." He turned to face the way we were going. "But, I would prefer the truth, no one was chasing you before, were they?"
I saw Euphy get distracted right before he asked and so I put my hand on his shoulder, pointing the thumb of my other hand to Euphy, who went over to a stary cat and was now meowing to it. Somehow it appears to understand her as they meow back and forth. Despite having an injured paw, it allows Euphy to pick it up. When she brought it over Suzaku tried to put his hand near the thing but it instantly bit his finger. Buying some disinfectant and bandage wraps, we sat on the short steps of the park. I treated Suzaku's bite mark while Euphy took care of the cat's paw.
Suzaku: "Thanks, but I'll be fine."
(F/N): "It's the least I can do after you saved me." I looked at Euphy. "From having my head smashed into the pavement."
Euphy: "I've said before that I apologize for that." Her louder tone scared the cat off running. "Oh, no, the kitty ran away." I sighed as we watched the cat run off and laid my back on the ground, oddly, it didn't hurt.
Suzaku: "Is something wrong?"
(F/N): "No, I guess I'm simply tired from being worried about today, even more now that I have to explain things later to father." I tilted my head to Euphy. "Sorry for being rude about the falling thing, it's not every day I get to tease someone instead of being teased." Finally relaxed, my stomach growled, causing me to sit back up. "How about we get some crepes?"
The three of us spent the next few hours looking around, checking out stores and stalls, while along the way, we partly got to know each other better. Euphy was apparently a student from the homeland up until recently. She really wanted to know what kind of place Area Eleven is, it was shortly after that that she made an unreasonable request. To have us escort her to the Shinjuku Ghetto. Putting it bluntly, I didn't want to go. But Euphy was steadfast about it, to the point Suzaku agreed out of concern for her safety, had she chosen to go alone.
The Shinjuku Ghetto, ruined buildings, heavily damaged during the occupation, they barely stand for the ruined lives of those Elevens who are too stubborn or unfortunate to become Honorary Britannians. It isn't a place for Britannians.
We did manage to make our way to a memorial site for the deceased in the evening, but we weren't the only ones there. Judging by the way they acted and the uniforms, the two were Britannian students from Ashford. Posing in front of the ruins and damages, taking pictures of it and themselves. While Suzaku didn't show it, Euphy looked disappointed. Though they are Elevens, even I wouldn't pose or dance on someone's grave. It didn't take long for locals to appear and immediately make it clear they were having none of it. Unwisely, one of the students referred to them as Elevens, which would be fine in the settlement, but not here. Angered, even more, one of the locals went as far as snatching their camera and throwing it across the ground. Things were about to get physical, that's why Suzaku ran over. I was annoyed by his choice to step in but ran over with him.
Eleven: "Stay out of this!" I grabbed the man's hand before he smacked Suzaku. "Let go of me!"
(F/N): "That's enough, Eleven." I looked at the students. "You two, get your camera and leave."
Student: "Why should we have to leave for an Eleven-"
(F/N): "Leave. Or else I'll let the Elevens beat some sense into you." The two, registering the seriousness and the genuine threat in my voice, quickly picked up the camera and ran off while the Eleven pulled his arm free.
Eleven: "I'm Japanese, not an Eleven!" That's right, focus on me, not the two idiots.
(F/N): "I don't care what you call yourself, Eleven. Resorting to violence as you have only goes to prove how beneath Britannians, and beast, you truly are." Completely enraged the Eleven lashed out.
Eleven: "Why you bastard!" The man threw a punch, thankfully, Suzaku stepped in and threw him onto the ground.
Suzaku: "Please, stop. They've already left and we'll be leaving too, there's no need for this to escalate further." The Eleven got up, calling him a Britannian lapdog before one of the smart Eleven's told him to let it go and the three left. Suzaku was clearly disheartened.
(F/N): "Suzaku."
Euphy: "Are you two okay?" She asked as she finally came over.
Suzaku: "Yeah, we're fine." He looked at the statue, still disheartened. "A never-ending cycle of hate." He spoke softly before an explosion rung out and a pillar of smoke came from a ruined dome.
(F/N): "This day, it's one thing after another."
A large brown military transport drove in, screeching to a halt before a woman in a military uniform opened the door and called for Suzaku. The three of us ran over, her name was Cecile, she told us to get in as the man that was with her, a scientist by the looks of it, informed us that some purebloods were fighting and said that we should leave. But Suzaku wasn't for it, mentioning the Lancelot and how this could be used to gather data for it. This caught the man's attention, much to Euphy's noticeable worry. While Suzaku entered the transport, the scientist, Lloyd from what Cecile said while failing to convince him to stop Suzaku, came over to me with an amused look.
Lloyd: "(F/N) Crowel, a student of Ashford Academy and son of Conor Crowel. So you're the son he keeps bring up every now and again."
I was surprised to hear that, but more surprised when the back of the transport opened and shortly after a white Knightmare Frame, a humanoid machine of war, launched out of it. Those machines were the main military force in Britannia, making any pilot a one-person army. It was because of the Knightmares that Japan fell quickly, and now one was making its way to the dome with a Japanese pilot. Its appearance captivated me for a moment.
Lloyd: "That's the Lancelot, a real marvel isn't it?"
(F/N): "Yeah, would it be possible to get a closer look at it? Maybe pilot it?" Lloyd laughed.
Lloyd: "Oh I don't know about that-"
Cecile: "Hey!" We both looked at her when she reemerged from the vehicle. "She's running after him!" Lloyd and I turned toward the direction the Lancelot went, sure enough, Euphy was running after it.
Lloyd: "I suppose that's not good."
No, what was not good was the stinging in my chest as I saw her running off. A feeling surfaced that I needed to run after her. Both that sting and feeling engulfed me to the point where I couldn't hear a word anyone said or even realize that I had started sprinting my heart out. They only stopped when I saw Suzaku and Euphy above me as I laid on the ground, a damaged Lancelot standing behind them. It all turned dark after that for a moment before waking up in a hospital bed. Surprising to me was that my father was sitting with his arms crossed, and his eyes shut, in the chair next to me.
(F/N): "Father." I tried to sit up but felt a wave of extreme tiredness, Dad's eyes instantly opened to the sound of my voice, he showed that he was worried as he quickly moved closer to keep me laid down. "I thought you were busy?"
Conor: "Nonsense, not after what I heard. Are... are you okay?"
(F/N): "Yes, I'm fine. I don't even know what happened, to be honest." Dad seemed caught off guard by that remark, he didn't expect this calmness from me, I didn't either. "I'm sure mother is worried too, could you call her for me and tell her I'm awake?" He nodded then stepped out for a moment. When the door opened it wasn't him that came in, but Lloyd. Faintly smiling he walked in and stood beside the bed.
Lloyd: "Cecile told me to check up on you, something about human decency, or some other nonsense. I suppose I should hand it to you, taking a hit for Princess Euphemia like that."
(F/N): "Euphy was a princess?"
Lloyd: "Yes, and by royal standards, I'd say having a scarred back is hardly a loss when saving royalty. Honestly, that shouldn't have even happened, I took examined the Lancelot and found that the Blaze Luminous power consumption was off, we're investigating who made the unauthorized changes currently." He scratched his head. "You are a rather lucky one, had your back been any higher than the shrapnel from the Chaos Mine would have torn right through you instead of grazing."
(F/N): "How are they doing? Suzaku and Euphy- I mean, Princess Euphemia. They didn't seem hurt from what I can recall."
Lloyd: "Both of them are well. All the shrapnel missed her entirely and although the Lancelot was damaged, Suzaku wasn't hurt. I suppose I should add that he wasted no time trying to stop the bleeding and carried you to the transport."
(F/N): "Then I owe Suzaku for that."
Lloyd: "Saving people in a firefight is becoming an odd habit of his." He took a tired breath as if the conversation was draining him. "I think I'll go inform the others of the good news."
He sounded reluctant to but left right after that without a single word more. Later on, I was told by my father to keep quiet about Princess Euphemia and especially not to tell anyone what had happened. Leaving me to come up with a reason for the scar on my back if anyone were to ask. Milly might try to dig into it, but I doubt she'd continued and would understand me if I simply told her that I didn't want to talk about it. I'd rather nobody learn about it. Getting the all-clear to return to school, I was told not to overexert myself since the wound was still healing. Technically, I wasn't actually supposed to leave so soon after getting there, but I insisted on it since it didn't hurt. And I would be glad I did, since the following day the academy was in for a surprise.