A/N: it's sooner than I was planning, but I am in a reasonably good mood tonight, so I'll post this for you guys so you can see things building towards Ryuko's appearance.

But before I go further, I want to say thanks for the reviews and input because it is very welcomed and it helps me a lot. Haven't found a beta reader yet, but I did give this chapter a quick go over before posting it.

I'll save the rest of my notes for the end of the chapter, but to answer some common questions will I pair Lelouch with Ryūko because they make a more compatible couple than Satsuki and Lelouch do at the moment? Well yes, but I am keeping in mind the various events and x-factors in play, some of which might be hinted at in this chapter if you read some parts carefully which could become unexpected complications for Lelouch.

So depending on how specific events play out it could go either or, but a key factor would be which of them finds out Lelouch is Zero?


Chapter 2

Tipping the Balance

The rest of the day was uneventful. The only thing worth noting was the uniform thief's body had been hung at the academy's entrance as a warning. Lelouch merely gave the corpse an annoyed glance, knowing that it was only a matter of time before another idiot attempted a similar stunt. Lelouch sighed, annoyed at how poorly thought-out the attempted thefts were. Still, he had to hand it to Satsuki Kiryuin. Her anti-theft defenses were no joke.

Regardless of what I think of Satsuki Kiryūin, her ability to choose skilled subordinates is impressive,Lelouch thought with a bit of jealousy.

Lelouch's thoughts were interrupted by a very familiar presence as Mako came barreling down the hallway. When he had met Mako as a first-year student, she had attempted to tackle him in a hug. Of course, he had dodged. Her complaints at hitting the ground have since convinced him to intercept her and set her down gently.

"OH LELOUCH!"

At the right moment, Lelouch grabbed Mako and gently stopped her in her tracks. Getting around his grip, she hugged him tightly, which left Lelouch feeling slightly uncomfortable. Still, it was better than being tackled to the ground.

"Are you heading home, Mako?"

"Uh-huh, but what about you?" Mako asked with stars in her eyes. "Are you going home, too?"

"Not yet. There's someone I have to see," Lelouch answered, forcing a slight smile that was the opposite of how he felt.

The truth was, Lelouch never looked forward to going to the slums to meet this ally. This ally sometimes frustrated him so much that he'd preferably get dragged to dinner with Mako's family.

Lelouch and Mako traveled together until they had to go their separate ways, leaving Lelouch some time alone as he made his way to his next destination. A part of him was in no rush to go over there, but he also knew that he had to get it over with, despite how uncomfortable the meetings made him.

As he walked, his mind drifted back a year-and-a-half, the time he received his Kamui…


For the first time, and last time, Lelouch was called to meet with Isshin Matoi, a man who had helped him since the end of the war. Matoi lived alone, but comfortably, in a mansion in the mountains. His comforts came from the money he made patenting his various inventions, some of which helped prevent the collapse of the Ashford family, which convinced the Britannian government to turn a blind eye to him.

Isshin Matoi had given Lelouch and his sister, Nunnally, a place to stay after the war. Lelouch had stayed there for most of his teenage life.

Lelouch entered the mansion and navigated its halls until he found the secret elevator to the lab that very few people, not even Isshin's own daughter, knew of. As he stepped out, Isshin Matoi turned to face him, sitting on the opposite side of a table, a serious look in his one good eye. Isshin looked quite old, had long, gray hair and a long beard to match. He wore a black eye-patch over his left eye and had a mouse perched on his shoulder.

"Lelouch, this is the last time we will see one another in person," Matoi solemnly informed him, tightening his grip on the wooden case he held. Lelouch noted that there was also a silver one sitting on the table as he sat down.

"Have you been discovered?" Lelouch asked in concern.

"No, not yet. But I fear it's only a matter of time before I am killed," Isshin said calmly. Lelouch knew that it was an inevitability, given the research that Matoi conducted. "I fear that this will be sooner rather than later. This is why, after today, we must never speak to one another again."

"I understand," Lelouch replied.

"However," Isshin began, opening the case, "consider this a parting gift."

"Is this a Kamui?" Lelouch inquired, perplexed and concerned.

"Yes, but, unlike the prototypes, this one is a success. I used your blood in its creation, so only you can wear it," the old man explained, gesturing for Lelouch to take a look at what would be his Kamui. As Lelouch examined the neatly folded Kamui that lay within the opened case, Matoi slid a small knife across the table. "I've left the honor of naming it to you."

Lelouch stared at the Kamui for a full minute in silent contemplation. He felt a degree of fear because he was fully aware of the test subjects' fates. However, Lelouch knew that Matoi wouldn't be presenting it to him now if his many years of hard work and sacrifice hadn't paid off.

To achieve my goal, I must take this risk, Lelouch thought, taking a deep breath. Once he had calmed his mind, he focused his full attention on the Kamui before him. Lelouch picked up the knife with his right hand. As he brought the blade close to the open palm of his left hand, the young man hesitated again. He took a deep breath and focused on what was driving him.

He, Lelouch vi Britannia, was once the eleventh prince of the empire and seventeenth in line for the throne. That world ended when his mother died, assassinated. His sister was crippled in the attack, and blinded from the trauma. All the while, the man that dared to call himself Lelouch's father sat back and did nothing. The sorrow and anger over his mother's death paled in comparison to the anger he felt towards that man.

With strengthened resolve and a hard look in his eyes, Lelouch cut the palm of his left hand. He barely flinched at the self-inflicted cut. He put the knife down and waited for the drops of blood to hit the Kamui.

Suddenly the eyes of the Kamui shot open, and it turned its bloodshot eyes towards Lelouch.

"More…I must have more!"

"You'll have it," Lelouch said with a grin. As the Kamui climbed out of the case, Lelouch began to undress. "You and I are partners from this day forth."

The nameless Kamui leaped at Lelouch, delighted to be worn by such a willing wearer. Despite being prepared for what was to come, the Kamui nearly tackled him to the ground as it began to put itself onto him. Lelouch's precarious balance was further tested as sparks of gold energy began erupting from the suit.

"I am a perfect fit. Thank you for being so willing."

"I am glad you approve, Reiketsu," Lelouch said, grinning, as the surging energy began to envelop him.

"Reiketsu?"

"Yes. It's only proper that you should have a name. You and I are going to change the world. I shall build a world where my sister can find happiness. To do that, I need power…I need you," Lelouch replied. As he finished speaking, a pillar of gold light burst from within him, forcing an involuntary scream as the Kamui adjusted itself and adapted to Lelouch.

Lelouch took a deep breath as the Kamui settled into its transformed state. Lelouch then dismissed the transformation, causing Reiketsu to return to his natural state as a sailor uniform.

"It suits you," Matoi complemented.

"It's exactly what I needed," Lelouch replied. "Still. Why not do this for Ryūko?"

"I plan to, but now isn't the time. I sent Ryūko to boarding school because I didn't want her involved just yet. Besides, knowing her, she'd outright reject me if I asked her to get involved as things are now."

"You believe that your death will motivate her to join the cause?"

Matoi kept silent.

"Cold, but efficient," Lelouch complimented. Lelouch's eyes wandered to the silver case, reminding him of its presence. "What's that?"

"That is for later," Matoi replied cryptically. "I'll be sending you my research notes after you leave. Hopefully, you can use them to master your Kamui. Now, listen carefully. There is much I need to tell you."


After that encounter, Lelouch moved to Honnō City and joined the Academy as a first-year. He left his sister in the hands of the Ashford family, and she attended their academy in safety. Matoi made sure that a friend of his watching over her, putting Lelouch's fears to rest.

Lelouch didn't immediately begin going after the clubs when he arrived. Not only would that present an apparent link between himself and Zero, but he knew that he wasn't ready to go up against Satsuki and her Elite. So, during that first year, he spent his spare time training to master his Kamui.

Thanks to the notes that Matoi had provided, Lelouch knew that his Kamui could evolve and gain new abilities. He studied the notes religiously, learning all he could about the Life Fibers. Lelouch then began to hunt the petty criminals that lurked in the slums. Through those encounters, he gained combat experience and first-hand knowledge of how a Kamui worked. Since almost no one cared what happened in the slums, it was surprisingly easy for Lelouch to practice on the scumbags without drawing attention.

Roughly an hour after separating from Mako, Lelouch arrived at the home of the man that Isshin had recommended during their meeting. Lelouch saw him every day at the academy, but they purposefully avoided contact outside of what was necessary. For the sake of preserving both their covers, they could not be linked to one another.

Lelouch took a deep breath before he reluctantly knocked on the man's door. The man lived in a small, run-down apartment complex, which was probably all that a teacher working at the academy could afford. Still, a single room and a small bathroom were luxurious compared to what else the slums offered.

The door opened, revealing Aikurō Mikisugi, who had a smug smile on his face.

"Welcome, Lelouch. It's nice to see you again."

"Yes…you too," Lelouch replied reluctantly, sighing.

Aikurō gestured for him to come inside so they could talk more privately. Once he was inside, Lelouch put his bag down by the door and moved to sit on a chair while Aikurō stood by the window.

"Something new has come up," Lelouch stated, narrowing his eyes at his 'homeroom teacher.' "You wouldn't have called this meeting, otherwise."

"Things are going to be changing. We both knew that this was going to happen after Isshin died," Aikurō explained. He removed his sunglasses, revealing blue eyes, and swept his hair back, allowing his façade to drop as his real personality slipped back into place. To the students, and even other staff members, Aikurō Mikisugi was a lowly, boring, submissive teacher. However, Lelouch knew this was merely a front. In reality, Aikur ō was a high-ranking, undercover agent for the rebel group that Isshin had founded. His real personality, which Lelouch found unsettling at the best of times, was also very different from his teacher persona.

"I see," Lelouch stated. Remembering the subject of many prior conversations, he added, "Ryūko Matoi is coming to this school."

"You, Mr. Lamperouge, are correct," Aikurō said his tone noticeably more chipper than the one he used as a teacher. Lelouch rolled his eyes as, inevitably, the buttons of Aikurō's shirt began becoming undone, as Lelouch expected.

This is why I hate visiting him. Why the hell does he always have to act like a male stripper whenever I come over?Lelouch thought as his eyebrow began twitching in annoyance. It was the driven, stripping, and exhibitionist mindset of real Aikurō showed that made Lelouch reluctant to meet him.

"Aikurō, I am only going to say this once: if your pants start coming off, I am out of here," the former prince said, his voice showing clear signs of barely restrained irritation.

Aikurō only smiled in response, slowly suggestively shedding his shirt. Lelouch looked away uncomfortably. Fortunately, that was as far as the stripping performance went.

"You always have to be so serious," the undercover agent said with an amused smile.

Yes, but it also has to with the fact that I am not the kind of person who enjoys watching you…uh…perform like that,Lelouch thought as a possible counter to that statement.

"Anyway, let's move on to the business at hand. As you have already guessed, this meeting is about Ryūko Matoi. She'll be beginning her first day tomorrow, and she has, surprisingly enough, been assigned to my homeroom," Aikurō replied smugly. Lelouch had a sneaking suspicion that Aikurō had informed on the spy to clear a seat for this occasion.

"I guess that is quite convenient for you," Lelouch said, rolling his eyes at the convenience of Ryūko being in his class. "But we both know she'll likely go after Satsuki, seeking answers for her father's death."

"Yes, and we know how that is going to end. As tough as I've heard Ryūko is, she doesn't have a chance against Kiryuin's loyal students," Aikurō said. Both men thought of the chaos that would be unleashed with Ryūko's arrival.

"So you want me to make sure she survives?" the former prince asked, a stoic expression on his face. He would be directly confronting the higher-up students sooner than he preferred, but it seemed like Ryūko Matoi wouldn't give him a choice.

"The best-case scenario is that she escapes the school and goes to her father's old home. Then I can use this to be sure she gets the help she needs to survive," Aikurō said proudly, drawing a small remote from his pants pocket.

"I see. So you're going to lead Ryūko to the second Kamui," Lelouch said as his eyes narrowed in understanding.

"Yes. All that field data you collected helped Dr. Matoi complete it," Aikurō replied, the smile on his face showing no signs of fading.

"I see," Lelouch replied as the wheels in his head started going into overdrive. Even though Ryūko's arrival would force Zero out into the open, if he could sway her to his cause, the benefits would be more than worth the risks. Lelouch smiled at the possibility of having another Kamui wearer at his side. Her involvement would be a great benefit to his plans. "I think tomorrow promises to be a little more interesting."


At the same time, in space that didn't seem like it belonged on Earth, a man in his late sixties sat in a chair atop a giant, platform-like altar. Four pillars were planted at its corners, and stairs connected it to other platforms. The entire structure floated in the air above a cloudy, unnatural, sinister sunset.

The man was surprisingly well built, despite his age. He was quite tall and had broad, imposing shoulders. Charles zi Britannia adjusted his extravagant mantle as his purple eyes looked down at the table before him. Despite advancing in age, he was still handsome. Charles sat like an imposing statue upon his chair, wearing a purple and gold trimmed uniform styled after Victorian-era clothing. A white cravat and a white cape completed the outfit. His own long white hair has been done into Renaissance-style curls.

The sound of approaching steps drew Charles's attention to where he a man in his late twenties was approaching the throne. He had fair skin, corn-silk blonde hair that fell across the back of his neck, and cold, violet eyes. Like his father, he was quite handsome. The twenty-six-year-old prince wore a long, royal purple tunic that was bordered with black and gold accents. Around his torso were a loosely fitting white belt and a pair of white slacks. He wore a regal coat over the outfit, one that sported a stiff, high-backed collar with crimson silk on the inside and golden epaulets similar to the ones on his father's royal garb.

"I have to say, I am surprised you summoned me to a place like this, Father," Schneizel el Britannia said politely, despite his confusion towards his father's intentions.

"Indeed. I have no doubt that you have many questions for me Schneizel. Do not be afraid to ask them. Here, we may speak freely," Charles said to his second oldest son, gesturing for him to take a seat at a nearby table, opposite of the Emperor.

"Then let's get the most obvious question out of the way," Schneizel said with a coy smile.

"Yes. I called you here to discuss the future ahead of us, as well as some complications that could threaten it," the Emperor of Britannia replied. He then added, in a stern voice, "But know this: whatever is said here cannot be discussed with anyone outside of this place."

"Fear of retribution from the masses?" the blonde haired prince inquired, a curious look in his eyes.

"No, merely fear for humanity's future," Charles replied. Schneizel was intrigued, given the dangerous nature of his father's secret research. "Don't think for a moment that I haven't been aware of your efforts to challenge me, Schneizel, but I need your talents to save humanity from a fate much worse than you can possibly imagine."

"That is an interesting choice of words, Father," The prince replied calmly, internally trying to determine what his father was about to say.

He looked down at the table before him and saw what appeared to be a chessboard, complete with pieces all set up. Schneizel had been given the white chess pieces, while his father had taken the black. As he studied the set, Schniezel noticed something odd about it. The white king was modeled after someone. After a close inspection, Schneizel recognized the figure.

"Why is this king molded after Satsuki Kiryuin?"

"It's to make our game a little more interesting," Charles replied with a smirk.

Schneizel studied the black king that his father was using. He quickly saw that it, too, was modeled after someone, though he didn't know who.

"This king has been molded after your supposedly-dead half-brother, Lelouch," Charles explained with a grin, holding up the black king for the blonde-haired prince to examine.

"Wait," Schneizel said upon noticing Charles's specific word choice, "you speak as if Lelouch is alive."

"He is, and he too is part of the discussion we're going to have as we play," Charles answered with a smile. The odd reply further piqued Schneizel's curiosity as to what they would discuss.


Back in the slums of Honnō City, the former prince was heading towards another secret meeting. He rubbed his right temple, allowing his frustration with Aikurō to diminish. Still, the meeting had gone smoother than Lelouch had expected, due in no small part to Aikurō choosing not to strip completely naked.

"Are you feeling alright?" Reiketsu asked, concerned.

"I am fine. It's just… Aikurō is difficult to be around," Lelouch replied, taking a calming breath.

"Isn't it better to have more allies than enemies?" The Kamui asked.

Lelouch thought about it for a moment, before reluctantly nodding in agreement.

"It's true I can operate more efficiently, but…" Lelouch allowed the sentence to trail off. He was concerned about the number of people who were aware that he was once a prince. The threat of being sold out to the royal family always loomed over his head.

It was a threat that he'd been dealing with ever since he sought the Ashfords' protection after Japan became Area 11. But he didn't have much choice, as going back to Britannia would have been a death sentence. But, the Ashfords' position had fallen in recent years, especially now that Honnōji Academy was expanding its influence to academies throughout Area 11. The Ashford Academy was one of the few to have not yet been taken over. Not only was their school in danger, but they were also busy trying to restore their former status as nobility, a status that they had lost due to the death of Lelouch's mother, and several failed business ventures.

He knew that they wanted to restore him to being a prince, as that was another route they could take to nobility, but he'd resisted those efforts. They only accepted his desire to go Honnōji Academy because they figured he'd die there, and then they could use Nunally much the same way.

I am probably going to have to deal with the Ashford Family at some point, Lelouch thought. Their efforts to marry their daughter into nobility were failing, Lelouch had ensured that restoring him to the throne wasn't an option (though, they probably couldn't do it, even if he were willing), and Honnōji Academy was presenting an ever-looming threat. They were starting to become desperate.

Fortunately, Lelouch had worked out several contingency plans with Isshin and Aikurō to get his sister out of the hands of the Ashford Family, should anything happen.

I hope they don't become necessary, but with the Ashfords growing more desperateLelouch thought as his concerns continued to mount.

Lelouch shoved those thoughts aside to focus on the task at hand, as he'd reached his destination. Oddly, the store Lelouch stood in front of was a small sewing supplies shop, the only one of its kind in the slums. The sign above the door going inside reading: Naoto's Sewing Supplies. To the left of the sign, there was a somewhat cartoonish, red-haired doll holding a pair of needles and striking a superhero pose. Compared to other stores, the one before Lelouch was the best in quality. Both its clean and appearance and quality of goods made it popular among the slums, especially for those who needed to repair clothing, bedding, and other items.

Lelouch walked into the store, which had a surprisingly large interior, considering what it looked like on the outside. However, like everything else in the slums, it was built with whatever materials the owners could get their hands on. As the former prince entered the store, a bell rang, alerting the men attending to the store that they had a customer.

"Oh it's you, Lelouch," said a man in his early twenties with a unique hairstyle.

He had brown hair and matching eyes. He wore a red shirt with blue jeans and a white apron with the store's mascot stitched on it.

"Good Afternoon Ohgi. Is Naoto around?" Lelouch asked the store's employee, Kaname Ohgi.

"He's in the back working on one of his projects. I take it you're here for backroom business?" Ohgi inquired, to which Lelouch nodded in response. "Right I'll cover things out here so you two can talk."

Walking towards the back of the store, Lelouch placed his free hand into his pocket while the other held onto his school bag. He stepped passed many shelves and racks that held different kinds of fabric bundles, tools, and kits for almost anything related to sewing. Still, having spent over a year living in the slums and seeing the various businesses that operated down here, both legal and illegal, Lelouch had to give credit where it was due. Naoto had one of the best businesses in the slums.

Lelouch made his way to the supply room, found a set of stairs leading to the basement, and approached a secret door made of metal plates. Stopping at the door, Lelouch knocked on it three times and waited for a response from the man on the other side.

"What's the password?" a male voice shouted from the other side of the metallic door.

"Peek-a-Boo," Lelouch replied with a deadpan expression. It was a ridiculous password, but who would ever expect anyone to use it? Especially Lelouch.

The door opened to reveal an Eleven in his early twenties. He had red hair that hung down to his chin, wore a black shirt and matching pants, and wore a gas mask with lenses that allowed his eyes to be seen.

"Hey, Lelouch. What brings you here?" Naoto Kozuki inquired as he shook Lelouch's hand in a friendly greeting.

"I just got back from a meeting with Aikurō. We have to talk," Lelouch said, his expression turning serious.

"Sure," Naoto said, gesturing for Lelouch to come inside.

Once both men were inside, the door closed behind them, locking them inside. The room was armored, almost like a bank vault, and contained a high-tech sewing machine as well as a workshop with advanced scientific tools and sewing equipment. Some computers sat in another corner of the room, acting as a kind of scientific research station while a sealed, reinforced door lead into another room marked: Life Fiber Containment. In the last corner of the room was a storage cabinet containing five black uniforms trimmed with silver.

"So what did that male stripper have to say this time?" Naoto asked lightheartedly as he sat down on a chair in front of his computer workstation. Lelouch took another chair that sat before the large sewing machine, which Naoto used for his more unique projects.

"Ryūko Matoi will be starting her first day at Honnōji Academy tomorrow," Lelouch said. Naoto's cheerful expression faded, replaced with a serious look.

"I see. Does that mean we need to accelerate our plans?" the redhead Japanese man asked. Lelouch nodded in response.

"If what I have heard about Ryūko is correct, then I think we can expect her to cause some kind of mess tomorrow. I'll probably have to move out into the open sooner than I had planned," Lelouch said, having already considered some revisions for his plans. He also had some contingency plans if things really hit the fan.

"Yeah, that is going to be a pain for us," Naoto said, swiping his hair back and thinking about what he'd do if Zero were forced to act in the open.

"Yes, I know. Still, we'd have had to make a move eventually, regardless of whether or not Ryūko decided to come," Lelouch said. It was inconvenient, but dwelling on what-ifs was pointless.

"You're probably right, considering the clubs you have taken out in the last six months," Naoto said in agreement. He then added, "We can't expect the student council to do nothing in response."

"Yes. Speaking of which, how many of the new you uniforms have you completed?" Lelouch inquired with a faint smile on his face.

"I have finished six One-Rank Knight Uniforms. Including the two Second-Ranked Uniforms, I have finished two out of the four special uniforms. I already sent Sayoko hers, and she told me it fits perfectly," Naoto replied with a proud grin on his face.

"What is the status on the other two?" the former prince asked. He was thankful that Sayoko had finally gotten her uniform. It would certainly come in handy if she were forced to get Nunnally out of Ashford.

"They are not ready yet. We just don't have enough Life Fibers," Naoto admitted, looking annoyed.

"I see, so all that remains is finding some wearers," Lelouch, touching his chin in thought.

"We have some of the no-stars recruited to receive our One-Rank uniforms, but we don't have any candidates for the Second-Ranked uniforms among our followers," Naoto reported as Lelouch carefully considered each opinion.

They had to be cautious in their recruitment. Once word got out that someone was developing their own variant of the Goku uniforms, Satsuki and her subordinates would mercilessly hunt the producers. Lelouch would have liked to have more outfits produced before he faced Satsuki openly, but he no longer had that luxury. Even if he did, the shortage of Life Fibers, a critical component of both the Goku and Knight Uniforms, was making production extremely difficult.

Still, things could be worse off. Being an offshoot of Aikurō's resistance, Naoto, Ohgi, and Lelouch's group enjoyed the benefits of support from the Six Houses of Kyoto, a secret organization made of the elite of former Japan, who had used their standing to obtain positions of power. The used their power to secretly support various resistances throughout Area 11. Lelouch, with Isshin's help, had convinced some members to support their offshoot directly. With that support, and Naoto, who had been an assistant to Isshin, Lelouch had begun development of the Knight Uniforms as a counter to the Goku Uniforms. Aikurō was unaware of that development. If he and the primary leader of the resistance group knew, they wouldn't approve. Lelouch understood their reasoning, but fighting Satsuki Kiryuin was a case when fire needed to be fought with fire. Isshin was hesitant to support Lelouch's plan but reluctantly agreed, on three conditions.

The first, and most obvious, was that Lelouch looks after Ryūko. The second and most surprising one was that Lelouch could not kill Satsuki. As part of the final condition, Lelouch was given a pair of lockboxes that were biometrically sealed and could be only be opened by their intended recipients.

One was for Ryūko while the other was intended for Satsuki.

Lelouch had tried breaking into the boxes, but they proved to be far more robust than they looked.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say those boxes are probably made out of hardened life-fibers, Lelouch thought.

Lelouch was instructed to present the lockbox to Ryūko when he felt the time was right. There was a lot about Isshin that Ryūko didn't know, and adapting to that knowledge would take some time, especially given that their relationship had been strained before Isshin died. So, Lelouch understood why Isshin wouldn't want him to provide her with the lockbox immediately.

However, Lelouch couldn't make any sense of the lockbox for Satsuki.

He sought to bring down the Kiryuins, yet he insisted that Satsuki live and be given a lockbox, Lelouch thought, confused.

"There is a second box here; intended for Satsuki. Like Ryūko's, I trust you'll give it to Satsuki when the time is right, and when she is worthy of it," Isshin Matoi's words about the second container echoed in Lelouch's mind.

Lelouch became lost in thought, so much so that Naoto had to shake him out of his thoughts.

"Uh, Lelouch? Are you ok?" Naoto asked, shaking Lelouch's left shoulder to get his attention.

"Sorry. I was lost in thought there. We need to accelerate our preparations. Begin testing out our newer followers. I need to know if they can use the Knight Uniforms. And, more importantly, I need to know if we can trust them," Lelouch ordered.

"Right, I'll talk with Ohgi, and we'll get it done," Naoto said with a look of determination in his eyes.

"Tomorrow everything begins," Lelouch said before looking down at his uniform, which was in its standard sailor uniform state. The eyes looked back up at him, and understanding passed between them. They both knew what was about to happen tomorrow.

They needed to be ready for it, regardless of what would happen.


A/N: next chapter Ryūko shows up and just as Lelouch, Naoto and Aikurō are expecting everything is going to head south with Lelouch already beginning to plan accordingly, but he might not be fully prepared for what is coming.

Zero shall make his first public appearance in his Kamui.

And now to finish the rest of my author notes now that you guys read through the chapter.

Given the scene with Charles, one must wonder why he made Satsuki of Area 11. Was it really her works that were the deciding factor or was there something else? The JLF and Nudist Beach are the two most prominent resistance groups in Area 11 right now, but that could change.

Another factor to consider is the fact that Naoto and Lelouch are working to produce their own versions of the Goku Uniform, but the most significant problems they are facing is finding suitable and trustworthy people to wear them, trying to keep it hidden from everyone, and getting enough life fibers to finish them. How specific groups might react to what he and Naoto are doing are part of the mentioned x-factors I mentioned that could influence pairings and where Lelouch's story could go. I was reluctant to do the Knight Uniform idea, but it was hard to imagine Lelouch not trying to find ways to produce his own. But in exchange for Isshin Matoi providing what would be the building blocks for the Knight Uniforms that Naoto is making Lelouch is tasked with the care of sealed lock boxes for Ryūko and one for Satsuki.

If Lelouch isn't careful things could go south for him really quickly.

So yeah I'll save the rest for the next chapter and tell me what you guys think. Sayoko so far has the only working Three-Rank Knight Uniform while the others are incomplete or don't have a wearer for them yet.