Turn 11.2
Nunnally and I quietly make our way out, after putting the unconscious CC back into bed.
Both because I have other things to do today, and because I'd rather not be there when she wakes up.
Sayoko catches sight of me...and cannot stifle a fit of the giggles.
"Sayoko, when CC wakes up from her self-induced concussion, tell her 'Lelucia' said payback is a bitch," I say cheerily as I wheel Nunnally out.
Nunnally breaks out laughing again as we make our way back.
I snicker to myself as we re-enter the room.
Milly raises an eyebrow, "So, Lelucia, what was that about?"
I fan my face coquettishly, "Just was feeling a touch of the vapors, Mr. Ashford. Had to make sure I wasn't feeling a touch green," I say with a wink.
Milly doubles over guffawing as she picks up the joke.
Kallen steps over, wooden geta clacking. "Is that why you an' Suzuka took so long? Feeling un'er the weather, Lelucia?" Kallen says gruffly in a masculine voice.
I raise an eyebrow, "Miss Suzuka and I were just getting more closely acquainted, Mr. Stadtfeld. Feeling jealous? Oho ho ho," I chortle at her behind my fan.
Kallen smirks, "Maybe I'm just trying to protect yer reputation. Ashford here has got an eye for the ladies an' wandering hands."
I smirk back, "Then you should stake your claim first, before he does something to impugn my virtue."
Suzaku snorts and mutters, "Too late," only to get an elbow from Nunnally.
"Shh. I'm enjoying the show."
Nina steps in between Kallen and myself, "Leave her alone! I won't let you bully poor Lelucia, you, you... you ruffian!" she says with some hesitance as she looks Kallen in the eye.
I mock-gasp, "Why, I do declare, Mr. Einstein, are you proposing to defend my honor?"
"Big sister is such a ham," Nunnally whispers.
I turn my head and raise an eyebrow at her as she looks to the side and whistles innocently. Clearly, someone inherited the family talent for shit-disturbing.
Milly raises my chin up with one finger. "A beautiful damsel like this one should be adorning MY arm," she says, leering at me.
"And you people call ME a ham?" I mutter at her.
Suzaku puts his hands on his face, "Noo! Lelucia! Don't be indecent!"
Nina steps back, her expression confused, "This has gotten ridiculous..."
I step back in exaggerated terror, "Save me, Mr. Einstein! These scoundrels are after my hand!" I say, pulling Nina out of the room.
"Who's saving whom?" she mutters.
I sit down outside next to her. Nina is looking a bit frazzled.
"Lelo-, sorry, Lelucia, that was...odd."
I pull out a joint from my cigarette case and light up.
I smile at her as I blow out a smoke cloud, "You seemed to be having fun for a bit. Got a bit too meta for you? Girls dressed as boys flirting with boys dressed as girls while both acting like their costumed gender."
Okay, in hindsight? That IS way too fucking meta.
Nina slumps back in her chair with a sigh, "Milly is so weird..."
"Yes, but that's why we love her." I tap the ash out onto the concrete and offer her the joint, "Hit?"
Nina scrunches her brow and then looks down with a sigh, "Why not?"
She takes the J from my hand and takes a deep puff.
Ugh. Amateur mistake. And she's now coughing her lungs out.
I text Milly, [Having a chat with Nina. She was feeling weirded out by the role-playing. Back in a bit.]
Milly's response is a thumbs up.
I pat Nina on the back, "Take it slowly. You don't need a lot. And make sure you take air in with it." She takes a moment to regain her breath, then puts her glasses down.
"Lelouch...Tell me about Japan."
I look sharply at her, her hair in front of her eyes. "What brought this on?"
She looks up, her eyes tearful, but determined. "I tried talking to Suzaku...but I couldn't ask him. I know you're my friend, and you'd never lie to me. And after the Elevens at the hotel...I want to know the truth."
I put the joint down, giving her my full attention.
"What happened at the hotel?"
She fidgets with her shorts, "One of the Elevens...he was going to take me away because I got scared. But...Princess Euphemia was there. She stood up and took my place. But...she wasn't the one who saved us. Zero did. I asked Milly later...if the Princess hadn't been there, what would General Cornelia have done?"
She looks at me tearfully shaking her head, "She said the only reason that General Cornelia didn't attack was because of Princess Euphemia. Lelouch, would the Viceroy really have just killed us with the terrorists...?"
I close my eyes as I lean back in the chair, steepling my fingers. I can lie to her. But she's already suspicious about Britannia after what I showed her about Code-R.
Let's roll the dice, shall we?
I breathe through my nose and turn my head towards her.
"Yes," I state with finality as I open my eyes, violet irises cold with the harsh truth of my words. "The Viceroy would have slaughtered every last one of you as collateral damage. Britannia does NOT negotiate with terrorists."
I shake my head slowly, "You should thank whatever powers you pray to that the younger li Britannia princess was there, and that Zero is more merciful than either the JLF or Britannia."
Nina slumps into her chair, horrified.
"Is...is that why you're in hiding?"
I light up the J, taking a slow toke. "Hiding from what?"
Nina gulps, then looks me straight in the eye, "The Emperor... Your Grace."
I literally choke on the puff, coughing as what she said connects in my head.
"How *coughcough* how did you find out?" I say as I slowly put down the J. God dammit. She's closer than I'd like, but she hasn't cracked my identity yet.
Nina trembles as I stare intently at her, eyes calculating.
"You said you were here before the war. And you know Suzaku far too well for a casual acquaintance. The son of Japan's last Prime Minister isn't someone that an ordinary person would be friends with. So I hacked the school's database."
She slowly puts her glasses on, pushing them up her nose with one finger.
"The records were partially deleted. And there wasn't much public information about the name Lamperouge. But... they were listed on the rolls of nobility. Once you said you were here before the war, and how much you hated Britannia, it all fell into place."
I purse my lips as I consider my options. Fuckkkkk. She's so wrong, yet so close.
I could keep talking, see what else she knows. I could Geass her. I could intimidate her.
Or...I could kill her.
...It would save me an immense amount of trouble later. Without her, FLEIJA might never exist to begin with. That might very well be a service to the world worth murdering an innocent girl over.
But if I were to do that...would that not be a betrayal of my own manifesto? Of the code of the Order of the Black Knights? Where would the honor in that be?! Nina is my friend. She deserves better than that!
I slump into the chair, rubbing my forehead, "You've put me in a very difficult position, Nina. Who else have you told?"
She shakes her head, "No one. I wanted to talk to you first, Your Grace."
Hmm. She hasn't connected us to the so-called martyred royals yet. Whether that's because of my over-the-top luck actually being in my favor for once, or something else, is impossible to say right now.
Nunnally and I were likely scrubbed from all 'official' records in addition to being removed from the succession.
Of course, it's possible I'm wrong and all this speculation is just me pulling theories out of my ass. Charles may just have not cared, or Marianne could have intervened ex post facto to protect us by obscurity. But on the other hand, if Cornelia or other royals had been there that day I flipped Chuck the bird and they just can't recall it...then my explanation is correct, and there's a more sinister reason for the coverup.
Because Lelouch's canon cover was quite frankly flimsy as shit. Using the name Lamperouge, not even changing his first name or his appearance? What the fuck had I been thinking?
No. After turning the facts over, I'm fairly confident that Charles has in fact been covering up our tracks from OSI, whether by Geass or other methods. But I can't prove anything.
At any rate, something to look into later. Anything that isn't confirmed by my knowledge of the original timeline before I entered the stage is in the fog of war.
Alternatively, I could just ask CC, Marianne, or even Charles himself when I confront him. Too many puzzle pieces missing to speculate.
But the explanation I gave Nina is logical enough to hold up under scrutiny.
I steeple my fingers together. "You haven't told the Empire, despite knowing that this could get you an in with Princess Euphemia. Cornelia would see you raised to nobility for this." For reasons that I reeeeaaaally hope you don't connect the dots on.
I lean forward, my tone curious, but frosty. "So why? Why come to me first? There are those who would execute you for hiding this, Nina."
She nods, then stands up, walking over to me.
And then she gives me a hug, trembling.
"I..I know. I know this is disloyal. I know that I'm doing something dangerous. But...You're my friend. I can't throw away someone who's taken so much time to be nice to someone useless like me..."
I shake my head, a ghost of a smile on my lipstick-covered lips.
"Nina, you're a beautiful and intelligent young woman. You shouldn't slander yourself so."
I kiss her forehead, "And by the way, I saw that thumbs up. Clever girl," I say with a raised eyebrow.
She hiccups as I pat her back.
"I'm s-s-sorry for not telling you sooner."
I ruffle her hair with a gloved hand, "Nina, had you gone behind my back to Britannia... yes. I'd have been outraged. You would have endangered Nunnally."
I give her a fierce glare, eyes turning icy cold for a moment, before warming up again as I smile.
"But instead you went to me first. Thank you Nina," I say as I hug the small girl.
She sniffles as I stroke her hair, "I just...I looked up the history of our country. I tried to look at things without the lens of a Britannian."
She breaks the hug and sits back down, shivering.
I hand her the joint, "Take a puff, then continue."
She takes a small hit, then passes it back with a cough.
"I'm scared, Lelouch. I'm still terrified of Elevens...but I don't blame them for hating us."
She looks at me with wide eyes, "We ruined this country. We took everything from them! How can they not hate us?! How does Suzaku not hate all of us for what we did to his people? How is Sayoko, your maid, not furious at working for the people who destroyed her country?!"
"Nina! Enough," I say, emphasizing the last word.
I take a deep breath. This is becoming a much more involved discussion than I had expected. Still, at least FLEIJAs won't be in Britannia's arsenal anytime soon.
I rub my forehead in frustration. It would be sooo much easier if I was more of an asshole and could just mind-rape people into loyalty.
Heh. But where's the challenge in that? And did I not say I would not fuck up the same way Lelouch had in the original timeline?
Hmm. Speaking of which, I should introduce Viletta to Ohgi. Part of me is tempted to release her later. Did I forget to mention that I'd Geassed her?
Huh. Shit. Guess I did forget. I'll tell Jerry and let him figure it out. He probably won't be mad when I tell him she had me at gunpoint. And it's not like I destroyed her personality. Merely her loyalties.
But I digress. Back to Nina.
"Suzaku is the finest man I know. And I'm not just saying that because he's my boyfriend. He's the very example of a knight in shining armor," I say wistfully.
Nina blushes as I mention his name. Huh. But she's not interested in him, so why...?
Ah. So she does still like Euphie. Hmm. I should let her down easy.
"Contrary to the attitudes at the school, you can have homosexual relationships as an adult. It isn't just youthful experimentation."
She blanches as I say it point-blank.
While Britannia has no official policy on homosexuality, there are some who do not like it. However, Charles himself doesn't care at all. And with Schneizel openly in a relationship with Earl Kanon Maldini, no one would dare say anything. Gay marriage is de facto legal.
The problem is the inheritance laws for the nobility. Which no one wants to deal with yet, due to the hideously complicated legal code surrounding it.
And, those in the lower classes who would disapprove. While the upper class, particularly anyone involved in the royal court, would be smart enough to keep their heads down to avoid incurring Schneizel's wrath, the lower classes have no such compunctions.
So while youthful dalliances are ignored, adult homosexual relationships receive greater scrutiny.
I take a puff before speaking, "Nina, no one on the student council would care. But, you should find someone easier to access."
She fidgets with her shorts, "But Euphemia was so brave, so kind..."
I put an arm around her shoulders, "She's also tied up in the royal court. And take it from someone who's been there."
I give her a flat stare, "It's a deathtrap that devours people."
She sniffles and looks down, "I know that...but I was just so awed by her presence. I just...couldn't help imagining..."
I fan my face, "Does that mean you don't think I'm pretty enough for you?" I say, pitching my voice higher and fluttering my eyelashes.
Nina's eyes gape at me, then she starts giggling.
"He he he, no, Miss Lelucia. I would never, he he he, insult your beauty...hahahaha!"
She holds onto me as she laughs.
It's a hard thing trying to fix people who don't realize they need it. But it's moments like this that make it worthwhile.
With our raids on Refrain happening every few days, recruitment is going up. And the incident with Kallen's mom didn't happen. Though I really should ask Q-1's permission to Geass away her addiction.
A ping on my phone gets my attention. I look at the screen and read the text from Ohgi.
[The Western Capital has sent an envoy. What's our response?]
Western...? Kyoto. So my gamble has paid off. I had hoped they would contact me before Narita; perhaps Tohdoh forwarded my letter to them.
[Recall all command staff for an emergency meeting tonight. Bringing Q-1. The forcing move has paid off.] I send in reply.
A forcing move is a move requiring a specific counter in Go. And by poisoning the JLF's reputation, Kyoto now must confront the unknown element early.
計画通り。 (Exactly as planned.)
And once Kyoto is consolidated under me, all tasks at hand for Narita will be cleared.
I chuckle sinisterly to myself as I pocket my phone.
Nina glances up at my face, "Should...I even ask?"
I pat her on the head, "Oh, it's nothing serious. I took a gamble and shorted some stock awhile ago. The business just tanked, so now the bottom just dropped out of the market price."
Nina sighs and snuggles up to me, "Shirley's right. You gamble too much."
I shrug, "Not a gamble if you know what you're doing."
Time to bring the Six Houses under my banner.
End of turn.
