THWUMP!
It was the sound of a Britannian student's body falling onto his mattress. They had escaped from the Palace, but now all of the adrenaline from the fight was gone, leaving him exhausted. He hadn't realized just how much his legs were rebelling after the desperate escape from the Palace. Arsene granted him stamina well beyond his normal limits while in the Metaverse, but that couldn't help him now that he was back in the real world.
He had nearly collapsed as he walked past the dinner table, declining to eat dinner, to Sayoko's concern, and limped into his room, not even bothering to take off his uniform. He was too tired to think of any excuses for Sayoko, though he knew that would make her suspicious of him. In turn, Sayoko would tell Nunnally, who would then beg his friends to know why her big brother was so worn out.
But he would deal with that when the time came. For now, Lelouch could only replay day's events in his head, scene by scene, but he dwelled on none of them more than the battle against Shadow Villetta, or rather, her true form, Leviathan.
A chill traveled along his spine.
More than once, Leviathan had nearly killed them. For instance, if Kallen hadn't blocked the blows from Leviathan's tentacles-
Milly would have died.
From there, it seemed a near certainty that the rest of them would have perished too. Stealing Leviathan's Treasure back would have been nearly impossible without Milly's Medea being able to swoop in and grab it. Still armed with her scepter, Leviathan would have overwhelmed them, systematically destroying any places they had to hide in the throne room and forcing them to lower ground. There wouldn't have been another Persona awakening to miraculously save them. The Back Knights would have been ripped apart by Leviathan's tentacles, fried by her lightning, or left drowned in the pool, their bodies forgotten inside an otherworldly castle, if Shadow Villetta didn't decide to dispose of their remains first.
He had always appreciated the risks intellectually, and in the heat of battle, there wasn't time to think about them. But the thought of coming so close to losing his friends now filled him with a dreadful anxiety. He had long believed that the only ones who should kill were those who were prepared to be killed, and though he had decided against killing Coach Nu, changing her heart had been no less serious of an undertaking. Was someone like Milly really prepared to be killed? Was he?
Still, with his tactics, Personas, and teammates, they had pulled through their ordeal together.
Teammates.
He found himself marveling at how much he had already come to rely on them. He had expressed the sentiment to Kallen earlier, but really, he had entrusted all of them with his life and secrets, and so far that trust had been richly rewarded.
Without Kallen, he couldn't have overpowered the Baroness' army of Shadows. Arthur's experience had helped guide them through the perilous Metaverse, and his healing magic had helped them outlast the enemy. And of course, Milly offered them the power of flight through her Persona, opening new tactical possibilities, and her connections around the school had allowed them to place the calling cards with minimal difficultly. Indeed, all of them had been instrumental in the victory, and though he couldn't think of them as mere chess pieces, they had nonetheless helped him put their enemy in checkmate.
The assistance of the Velvet Room could not be forgotten either. Without Shi and Tsu, he couldn't have fused his Personas into more powerful forms. And loathe as he was to admit it, Igor's gifts had consistently proved useful, even if Igor's advice was frustratingly vague at times. More to the point, if it hadn't been for the strange old man, he would have never received the Metaverse Navigator, and he would still be powerless, stuck in the life of an ordinary student.
But for now, he was too tired to think about it for any longer, and he closed his eyes, seduced by the darkness.
But before long, his vision was flooded with blue.
"It appears you have completed your first heist, Trickster," Igor told him. "You have graduated from petty thievery to becoming a thief of hearts." He chuckled. "How will you use this power, I wonder? Don't tell me that this only heart that you plan to steal."
"I have to make sure the change of heart process actually works on Coach Nu," Lelouch replied carefully. He no longer felt tired now that he was in the Velvet Room, but he was wary of Igor as always.
"Of course," Igor said. "But if all goes as you expect it to, will you steal hearts in order to reform society, or will you use your power to cast it into ruin? You once promised to destroy Britannia, did you not?"
Lelouch's eyes narrowed.
"I can see many things from my Velvet Room," Igor continued with amusement. "Do you know what this design for a prison is called? It is a panopticon. It comes from the words meaning 'all-seeing' in your world's ancient Greek language. How very fitting."
"I thought a panopticon was supposed to have a tower in the center, so the prisoners wouldn't know if they were being watched or not."
He couldn't tell if Igor was offended by him choosing to talk back at that moment, for the old man's rictus grin was the same as ever.
Igor waited a moment before speaking, and Lelouch wondered if the old man was trying to make him squirm.
"The point remains, Trickster," the Master of the Velvet Room finally said, his voice firm but not seeming particularly bothered by the interruption.
"In any case, it's not just a promise," Lelouch told Igor. "I will destroy Britannia!"
"Even though that may bring about ruin as surely as Ragnarok will?" Igor pressed.
Lelouch laughed. "Britannia is rotten to the core. There's no saving it in its current form. Only through its destruction can a new world rise from the ashes, the kinder and gentler world that I desire for my sister. The idea of merely reforming Britannian society is absurd; its very structure is designed entirely to enable the parasites who call themselves nobles. But if my method is proven to work on Coach Nu..."
A wicked grin spread on Lelouch's face. "If my method is proven to work, I will proceed to target key individuals, and I'll force them to expose Britannia's corruption in such a way that the people can no longer ignore it. Britannia's citizens will waver in their convictions, and the Japanese will be emboldened to rise up against their oppressors. A successful rebellion will cause a domino effect of unrest through the Empire, and overextended, Britannia will soon collapse on itself."
Igor's bloodshot eyes bored into Lelouch for a moment that seemed to stretch on forever. And then the old man began to chuckle, restrained but deep and resonant, somehow reaching into his soul and causing even his Personas to tremble.
"A lofty ambition, Trickster. I did not take you as one who put such faith in the indolent masses. How amusing. You are even more interesting than I thought. And so you have my continued blessing to pursue your rehabilitation with vigor. While you may lay low as you await your teacher's change of heart, remember that time is a fleeting thing. Days squandered will never return, making what time you have left ever more precious as the world marches toward Ragnarok."
The prison bell rang, causing Igor to look up slightly before returning his gaze to Lelouch.
"We will talk again, Trickster. And should you wish to return earlier of your own volition, remember that Tsu will always be watching over the entrance to my Velvet Room for you in the real world."
xXx
Lelouch awoke, once more in his bedroom. It was a Monday morning, one week from the hearing at which Kallen and Suzaku would be expelled - unless stealing Coach's heart had the desired effect.
The nasty rumors flying around the school hadn't stopped, but now they were mixed with rumors about the Black Knights. At first, most of the students had thought that the calling cards were just a prank, but when Coach Nu didn't show up to gym class that morning, they began to change their tune.
"The Black Knights were the ones who threatened Coach Nu the other day, right?"
"Yeah…"
"Do you think they…"
"Stole something from her heart? Don't be ridiculous. Whoever heard of such a thing?"
"You'd need magic or superpowers!" a girl piped up.
"Besides, didn't they say that Coach Nu would 'confess to her crimes' by the end of the day?" asked another student. "Well, yesterday already came and went, and that didn't happen!"
"I don't know…missing class isn't like Coach Nu… she didn't seem sick or anything… doesn't the timing seem odd?"
"What I'm sure of is whoever really put up all those calling cards is having a good laugh right now."
"Do you think they'll be caught?"
"Who knows?"
On its part, the SSDF seemed intent on making its presence known across the campus, trying to convince the student body that they were up to the task of providing security on campus after their embarrassing failure to catch those who had posted the calling cards. They were also determined to make themselves look tough and remind the student body about who held power at Ashford. Soon enough, everything would return to normal. At least, that was the prevailing attitude around the school.
Kallen didn't show any signs of nervousness to the student body, careful to avoid any outwardly incriminating behavior. But she had to be feeling at least some anxiety simply from not knowing if they had been truly successful. Milly couldn't fully hide her own restlessness, but others would attribute it to the stress of her position rather than an indication of suspicious activity on her part.
All they could do was wait for Coach Nu to confess.
xXx
Lelouch returned early to the Student Council Clubhouse that night, and found his sister in their living quarters' dining room. She was folding brightly colored pieces of paper, though of course, Nunnally could not appreciate the colors with her blindness.
"Big brother!" she called out happily. "Is that you?"
"It is. What's that you're working on, Nunnally?"
"Sayoko was showing me how to fold origami cranes."
"Do you want any help?"
"I'd love to fold cranes with you, big brother!"
Lelouch sat down and began folding cranes with Nunnally. Making a crane well required a good amount of proficiency, not to mention manual dexterity, but before long there were well over a dozen cranes between them on the table.
"Sayoko says that if you make 1,000 origami cranes, your wish will come true," Nunnally explained as they worked.
"Does it still count for you if I'm making some?" Lelouch asked.
"Making cranes for another will help their wish come true," Nunnally replied, nodding.
"So what are you going to wish for?" he asked her.
"It's a secret," Nunnally said with a small smile. She paused. "But having you here with me is all I really need. Sayoko is good company, but it's not the same without you."
I'm sorry, Nunnally. I've had a project that I've been working on lately," Lelouch said, the words coming effortlessly to him. It wasn't even really a lie in the strictest sense. Infiltrating the Palace had been a project of a sort.
"A project with Kallen?" Nunnally asked, tilting her head slightly.
"You're still on that rumor?" he chuckled. "Well, I suppose it's no longer entirely unfounded. We're not dating, but it is a project with Kallen." He decided to change the topic slightly. "Milly and I are thinking that she'd be a good addition to the Student Council when the whole thing about her decking a member of the SSDF blows over. I was as surprised as anybody when she did that, but that creep definitely had it coming."
"You're sure it's not anything that would get you in trouble?"
Lelouch raised an eyebrow. Was his sister really that perceptive? Did she know that he wasn't being entirely truthful with her?
"Of course not. That would make you cry, Nunnally, and that's the last thing I want."
"You promise?" She held out her pinky toward him, though he didn't understand what she meant by the gesture.
As if sensing his confusion, Nunnally quickly explained, "It's something else Sayoko taught me, a pinky promise!"
"Alright," Lelouch said, extending his own pinky finger and hooking it around his sister's. "I'll never lie to you, Nunnally, and I'll help you make the rest of these cranes."
"Cross my heart, hope to die, eat a thousand needles if I lie, pinky promise song!" Nunnally sang, surprisingly cheerful in spite of such morbid imagery.
I am thou… thou art I
Thou hast acquired a new vow
It shall become the wings of rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of captivity
With the birth of the Star Persona,
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
shall lead to freedom and new power…
The Star… Nunnally had been his guiding light, the one thing that had given him a reason to go on in the darkest moments of the invasion of Japan, and when he had faced death at the hands of Shadow Villetta's guards, she had been the one other person he had thought of. It was fitting for her.
"I'll make cranes for you too, Lelouch," Nunnally smiled innocently. "Maybe they'll help you get closer to that special someone…"
Had his little sister been talking to Milly again? He shook his head. He would have to have a word with his fellow Black Knight about putting strange ideas in Nunnally's head.
Days until Kallen and Suzaku are Expelled: 6
xXx
The week passed by, with the Black Knights doing their best to maintain a low profile as far as Coach Nu was concerned. Of course, as the boisterous Student Council President, Milly couldn't maintain too low of a profile, as that would look even more suspicious. On the other side of things, Arthur was completely beneath suspicion. Few knew of his existence in the first place, as his small size allowed him to remain well-hidden. Most the students would think he was just an ordinary stray. They would never imagine that a cat could be a member of the Black Knights.
Lelouch passed the time doing work for the Student Council, hanging out with Rivalz at the bar after school, and folding cranes with Nunnally at night. In turn, he felt the strength that he could draw from his bonds with each of them starting to grow, which in turn would translate into new power when he created Personas in the Velvet Room. Still, he couldn't help but feel a bit guilty about how he was exploiting his bond with his sister, but he reassured himself that it was ultimately for her sake.
Coach Nu had continued to call in sick, but had not yet made a confession. Lelouch felt anxiety starting to eat away at him. Had it really worked? Or would everything be for naught? They wouldn't have another chance to try to forcibly change Villetta's cognition, for her Palace no longer existed.
At the very least Coach Nu's absence meant there was less pressure on the Student Council to pass the SSDF's proposal. The motion was once again tabled without much fanfare, but the Black Knights on the Student Council could only wait for the moment of truth.
Days until Kallen and Suzaku are Expelled: 0
xXx
Early in the morning, before Suzaku's and Kallen's expulsion hearings were scheduled to begin, the headmaster convened a special school assembly. A few days before, a nobleman and his wife had been killed in a car crash in the Tokyo Settlement. While the third occupant of the car, the couple's only daughter, had survived the crash with minor injuries, that did little to calm the nerves of the Britannian public.
All sorts of rumors had begun to circulate, as they were among the highest profile deaths so far in the Tokyo Settlement. Some thought an act of sabotage by terrorists was somehow responsible for the crash. Others whispered that the couple had suffered from a mental shutdown shortly before the crash, causing them to lose control of the car. In any case, the result was that Settlement on edge once again, and Ruben Ashford found it necessary to reassure the student body that they were safe at Ashford Academy.
"By now, I am sure you have heard the news of the untimely deaths of Earl von Breisgau and his wife," the Headmaster began. "In trying times such as these, it is all too tempting to let our fears get the best of us, and to surrender that which we cherish most in the name of security. But I urge you to never -"
Suddenly, the door to the gym unexpectedly slammed open, causing the headmaster to pause.
"Coach Nu! What are-" he started.
Villetta looked haggard. Her long hair was unkempt, no longer strictly organized in a ponytail but loose and free-flowing ,yet mussed like a bad case of bed hair. It seemed as if she hadn't slept well in days, and had lost some weight. Her eyes were downcast as she began to speak.
"I… I have been reborn," she said after several moments, her words heavy with shame.
"I'm not the same person now that I once was," she continued. "But the pain left by my old self's crimes still lingers, and I couldn't bear the guilt for them on my own any longer. That is why I have decided that I must confess to all of them before you."
The assembled student body broke out into murmurs as Coach Nu crossed the gymnasium toward the podium, and even the headmaster didn't seem to know quite what to make of her sudden change of heart.
Glancing around him, Lelouch could even see that a few students had started recording Coach Nu's confession on their phones. Excellent. No doubt at least one of those recordings would make it onto the Internet, while saving him the trouble of doing something potentially incriminating himself. It would be much harder to sweep everything under the rug when it would be there for everyone to see and hear.
"I wanted to have Suzaku Kururugi expelled from this school, just because he was an Eleven. To that end, I directed members of the SSDF to plant items in his room, framing him for theft. Likewise, I spread false rumors about him using performance-enhancing drugs, again through the SSDF, to further turn the student body against him. I helped organize the SSDF in the first place to curry favor with the Purist Faction, and as a way of forcing the school to bend to my whims."
"Wait… does that mean Suzaku is innocent?" students whispered.
"The SSDF did that?"
"We're supposed to trust people like that to keep us safe?"
"Though it was kept quiet, I was also going to have Kallen Stadtfeld expelled for the one time she decided to stand up to me and the SSDF," Villetta continued. "I then repeatedly tried to provoke her during her PE classes with me, so that I could have an excuse to have her expelled sooner, all because I didn't like her."
Curiously, Coach Nu did not mention Kallen's heritage even now. Was Villetta choosing to protect Kallen's secret now that her heart had been changed?
"But that's not the worst of my crimes," Villetta said with a sigh. "I've blackmailed more people than I can count… and I physically abused the members of the Swim Club. I was so desperate to distinguish myself, that I subjected them to a training regimen that would be considered harsh even by military standards. I verbally abused them too, breaking them down and making them afraid to speak to anyone about the treatment they were suffering at my hands. Is Shirley Fenette here?"
Shirley nervously stepped forward, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing and expected Coach Nu to hurt her at any moment.
"Of all of the members of the Swim Club, I must apologize to you the most. You bore the brunt of my petty envy. You were young, carefree, and friendly to everyone, including Suzaku Kururugi… I hated that. I threatened you with losing your spot in the Swim Club to force you to come back to practice, which was no better than torture for you."
Villetta dropped to her knees. "I beg of you: please forgive me!"
"Do you think you can simply ask to be forgiven after what you've done?" Lelouch shouted, poison dripping from his words.
"No, Lulu, it's okay," Shirley said, holding out a hand. "What good would it do for me to stay angry at her? That anger would just fester and eat away at my heart. Nothing is unforgivable." Shirley shook her head. "It doesn't make what Coach Nu did right, but she's come clean now and admitted that what she did was wrong, before all of us. And so… I can forgive her... even after everything she put us through."
Shirley was crying now, as if all of the anxiety and fear that she had silently borne for so long were at last breaking free.
"You're too kind, Shirley," Lelouch murmured. Her idealism truly was a rarity in the world. Many in the so-called 'Holy' Britannian Empire might pay lip service to religion and its instruction to "turn the other cheek," but Shirley lived by the rule, even though it was at odds with the empire's ideology. Though come to think of it, there was one member of the royal family, besides his little sister, who he could never hate, and who had shared Shirley's idealism, at least when he had known her…
Euphemia...
"Thank you," Villetta sobbed, bringing Lelouch's attention back to the present. "I shall resign from Ashford Academy, effectively immediately. Then, I will kill myself."
The assembled student body gasped, and the headmaster was every bit as alarmed.
"Coach Nu!" Ruben Ashford cried.
Lelouch personally didn't care whether or not Coach Nu killed herself now that she had confessed, which would be enough to exonerate Suzaku and Kallen; Villetta was of no further use to his plans. But nearby him, Kallen shifted in place, clearly displeased with the idea of Villetta trying to take an easy way out even now. However, she had to force herself not to confront Villetta in front of everyone, as the Kallen Stadtfeld the student body knew was a quiet, meek girl, and she had already come dangerously close to blowing her cover when she fought back against the SSDF. Milly also seemed dismayed. She hadn't wanted to risk killing Coach Nu, and if Villetta committed suicide now, Milly would certainly feel that blood was on her hands.
"You can't do that!" a male voice suddenly shouted out.
Villetta looked up. "Suzaku Kururugi…."
You have to turn yourself in," Suzaku told her as he stepped forward. "Killing yourself accomplishes nothing! We all have to live according to the rules of the system, and trust that justice will be done."
Annoyance crossed Lelouch's face, and for once, Coach Nu seemed to share his opinion.
"You speak of justice and the system, but I was going to use that very same system to have you expelled under false pretenses," Villetta laughed weakly. She sighed. "But have it your way. I'm tired of it all, and my career is finished no matter what." She turned to look up at the headmaster. "Please, call to have me arrested and escorted from here, lest I do further harm to the students or myself."
xXx
The rest of the school assembly was canceled as the police arrived to apprehend Coach Nu, and no one could focus on their classes after that. The other students couldn't stop talking about the Black Knights and Villetta's change of heart.
"Everything they said was true!"
"I can't believe it… that calling card was real?"
"They really changed Coach Nu's heart!"
"The SSDF's finished, if you ask me."
"I knew Kallen wasn't the violent type."
"So Suzaku was innocent?"
"He's still an Eleven though…"
Lelouch grimaced. Of course, one could not expect that the student body as a whole would let go of its prejudices overnight. But at least it appeared that, with the SSDF being discredited in front of the whole school, racist efforts to harass Suzaku would become far less organized, and the Student Council would be more able to rein in offenders.
Seeing Suzaku nearby, Lelouch approached him. "So did they cancel the hearing after Coach Nu's confession and resignation?"
"They did," Suzaku replied. "But I can't say that I'm happy about it."
Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "Why not? You heard it from Coach Nu herself; it was going to be rigged against you from the start."
"Do you remember those calling cards that were placed around campus a few days ago?" Suzaku asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Of course," Lelouch said smoothly. "Who could miss them? They were plastered everywhere. Getting them all cleaned up was a pain."
"These 'Black Knights' claimed they would 'steal her twisted desires from her heart' and force her to 'confess her crimes with her own mouth,' didn't they? I don't know how someone would go about stealing from another's heart, but you saw the results of their work!"
"Yes, Coach Nu became a better person who sought to atone for all the pain she had caused."
"Not by her own choice!" Suzaku took a deep breath. "From where I'm standing it looks like they somehow brainwashed her. And that's not to mention that they were basically blackmailing her themselves. Two wrongs don't make a right!"
"You're really that concerned about someone who would have had you expelled for her own gain?" Lelouch asked incredulously. "And let's not forget how she tried to expel Kallen too, and was abusing the swim club. However they did it, I'm glad the Black Knights put an end to Coach Nu's reign of terror here at Ashford."
"The ends don't justify the means, Lelouch! Thinking that they can just go around and force people to change who they are… it's the height of arrogance!"
"Hey! Lelouch! Suzaku!" Milly called, at once interrupting the exchange. "We need both of you over at the clubhouse right away!"
"What's this about?" they asked, nearly in unison, causing Milly to giggle. Her laughter was so lighthearted that the tension that there had been between them seemed to fade at once.
"I think Lelouch has a pretty good idea already," Milly said. "But you'll find out soon enough, Suzaku!"
"You're going to ask me to join the Student Council again?" Suzaku sighed. "We've been over this before. The student body won't -"
"Nope! I'm not asking you to join, Suzaku," Milly said cheerfully.
"She's telling you that she's making you join, whether you like it or not," Lelouch whispered.
"Hey! Don't spoil it!" Milly pouted.
"It will be good for you, Suzaku," Lelouch said, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"You need to belong to some sort of club. Having you work alongside us will go a long way toward showing the rest of the student body that they can trust you. Besides, it's not like you'll be the only one joining the Student Council today," Milly added. "And it's not like you'll have SSDF harassing you about it either. They're as good as done after this morning's assembly."
"If you're sure," Suzaku said slowly.
"There's no point in resisting," Milly said with a grin. "But it'll be fine! Now come on!"
xXx
When they arrived in the foyer of the clubhouse, boxes from Pizza Hut were stacked on a table, and Shirley was putting up a banner that said, "Welcome Kallen, Suzaku, and Arthur!" Nunnally was there too, sitting in her wheelchair, and, Arthur was nearby her, stretched out lazily on some cushions.
To Arthur's side, Lelouch spied some boxes with brightly colored fabrics within. He shuddered. Were those what he thought they were?
"It's not much," Milly said, "But it's what I could come up with on short notice."
Lelouch eyed her warily. His suspicions had been correct. Maybe the pizza was on short notice, but those cat costumes in the boxes certainly weren't! Milly had clearly been busy preparing for this party over the last week.
Wait… would she be cosplaying as her own thief alter-ego? Would she really be so reckless? Granted, nobody else would realize its significance, but still…
"You're not going to make us wear those, are you Madam President?" Lelouch asked cautiously.
"But of course I am," Milly said with a mischievous smile.
"I refuse."
"Don't be like that. Otherwise, we'll have to tie you down to a chair until you cooperate."
He knew she wasn't joking.
"You really want to go all out on this, don't you?"
"It's been much too long since we were able to let loose with a party around here," she said with a smile. "We need to show everyone that the dark days are behind us here at Ashford Academy!"
Kallen was escorted to the party by Nina at Milly's instructions. Nina seemed at ease around Kallen, perhaps seeing her as a fellow introvert and one of the top students in their class. Lelouch doubted that Nina would be so calm if she knew that Kallen was half Japanese. Tellingly, Nina froze up a bit when she saw Suzaku already at the party. She was still prejudiced against 'Elevens', even if she was by now thoroughly disillusioned by the SSDF. Yet she seemed to relax slightly when she saw Milly teasing Suzaku like he had always been a member of the Student Council. That was a good sign. Perhaps Nina would be willing to give Suzaku a chance after all.
"Is that Kallen?" Nunnally asked, turning her head toward the new arrivals.
"Indeed, we finally have all of our guests of honor assembled!" Milly announced. She stepped forward into the center of of the room. "We have gathered here today to welcome Kallen Stadtfeld and Suzaku Kururugi to our Student Council! And let's not forget Arthur! Kallen was taking care of him before, but now he will live here and be our new mascot! And after we enjoy some pizza, I've got some purr-fect costumes for you so that we can properly welcome Arthur to his new home!"
"Did you remember to get sardines on the pizza? Arthur asked excitedly. "You can put them right here!"
"He certainly seems happy!" Shirley said, a genuine smile breaking on her face for the first time in far too long. "Listen to him meowing like that!"
That was another good sign. The sort of abuse Shirley and the other members of the Swim Club had suffered typically left not only bruises, but mental scars that would last long after the actual abuse ended. That Shirley had been singled out during Villetta's confession as a particular target of the former coach's mistreatment meant that plenty of students would surely be badgering Shirley in the coming days to hear her story, whether or not she wanted to relive such painful memories. But Shirley's smile gave Lelouch hope that his friend would make a good recovery.
Suzaku looked at Shirley for a moment before realizing who she was talking about. "Oh, right!" He knelt down and began petting Arthur on his head. "Where did you find him, Kallen?" He asked. "He - Ow!" Suzaku winced as Arthur promptly bit his hand. "What was that for?"
"Wrong place! I've got an itch further down!" Arthur replied.
"You don't like that?" Suzaku wondered. Cautiously, he approached Arthur again, and began rubbing the cat's back.
"That's better!" Arthur said contentedly. "You may be self-righteous, but you pet pretty well." He yawned, and then bit Suzaku's other hand without warning.
"Arthur!" Milly scolded.
"I can't help it!" Arthur protested. "Something about his hands…. It's like catnip!"
"I'm sorry…" Kallen said, affecting a meek voice. "I've never seen him bite anyone before. He's usually quite friendly."
"I know it seems strange, Suzaku," Milly added, "but I think Arthur likes you in his own way."
"I guess I'll take your word for it," Suzaku grimaced.
"Anyways," Milly said, "let's have some pizza!"
Before long, everyone on the Student Council had steaming-hot slices of pizza on their plates, and was busy chatting amongst themselves. Lelouch took the opportunity to introduce Kallen to Nunnally, as he had promised.
"I've heard a lot about you, but its good to properly meet you, Kallen," Nunnally said.
"Likewise," Kallen replied with a faint smile.
"I hope you don't mind me asking," Nunnally said sweetly, "but are you really dating my big brother? Lelouch denies it, and he promised not to lie to me, but…"
"That's just a rumor," Kallen said, frowning slightly.
"Thank you, Kallen," Nunnally said. "I hope that you'll excuse me for asking such a question. I'm sure you must be sick of it by now. I just needed to hear it from you. Well, there's still time…"
"Wh-what's that mean?" Shirley asked nervously, overhearing the conversation.
"I'm wondering which of you will one day be my sister-in-law." Nunnally looked thoughtful for a moment. "Though maybe it will be both of you. I don't mind, as long as I still get to spend some time with my brother."
It took Kallen and Shirley a moment to process what Nunnally had actually said.
"What?" they said together.
Lelouch groaned. What other ideas had Milly put in his little sister's head? He wasn't his father, who was well-known not only as the Emperor, and for his rabid support of social Darwinism, but for having taken 108 consorts throughout his reign, siring with them a veritable army of children. But as Charles zi Britannia had made all too clear when they were exiled over seven years ago, he had little real affection for any of his children, and was only concerned with how they could be of use to him.
"By the way, I heard what you said to Coach Nu this morning," Nunnally told Shirley quietly, in a way that indicated her approval.
"It-it was nothing," Shirley said nervously. "Really… but I don't want to talk about it. Can't we just leave it behind us, and enjoy the party?"
"Of course, Shirley," Milly said, placing a hand reassuringly on Shirley's shoulder. "You don't have to talk about it until you want to. We'll make sure the other students know not to harass you or the other Swim Club members either."
"I'm sorry for bringing it up," Nunnally said, frowning.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Nunna," Shirley said. "You meant well. It's just… too soon."
"Um… where's Rivalz?" Nina murmured, noticing that they were short a Student Council member. She also seemed troubled by the mention of Coach Nu, but wisely chose not to speak of the matter further to avoid upsetting Shirley.
"Sorry, I'm late!" Rivalz shouted as he entered the clubhouse, almost on cue. "But check this out!" He held up a bottle. "Since it's the first real party Madam President's thrown in a while, I managed to get us some champagne!"
"Rivalz!" Shirley said sharply. "We can't have that! We're minors!"
"Ah, loosen up, Shirley! Don't we all deserve to have some fun after everything that's happened?"
"We'll get in trouble if we're caught with that!" Shirley said, grabbing the bottle and trying to wrest it away from Rivalz.
The two tugged back and forth on the bottle for several moments, before Rivalz, getting it free from Shirley for a moment, held it up and yelled, "Lelouch, catch!"
Rivalz lobbed the bottle over toward him, and Lelouch managed to catch it before the wine smashed on the floor. However, the champagne had become too agitated, building up enough pressure to cause the cork to pop out of the bottle, sending it flying straight at Kallen. She was able to swat the cork away from her with her quick reflexes, but she couldn't avoid being sprayed with the stream of champagne that followed.
xXx
Milly's plan to have them dress up in cat costumes had to be put on hold, much to her disappointment, as they worked on cleaning up the mess. As for Kallen, she had already left the party to clean herself up in the shower. But it seemed that Milly was plotting something even now. Lelouch could see the glint of mischief in her eyes.
"Lelouch, would you be a gentleman and bring Kallen some dry clothes?" she asked.
"Why me?" he asked. "Shouldn't it be another girl?"
"But we'd have to go all the way back to the girls' dormitories to get something that would fit Kallen, and that's on the other side of campus," Milly said with a wicked grin. "Your clothes might be a bit big for Kallen, Lelouch, but at least she'd probably be able to wear them. You don't want poor Kallen to be without something to wear, shivering in the cold with her constitution, do you?"
Lelouch's eyes narrowed. Milly knew perfectly well that Kallen, as their fellow Black Knight, was far more fit than she pretended to be.
"This is so you can get blackmail material on me and use it to force me to go along with your crazier ideas, isn't it?" he asked.
"Maaaaaaaaaybe," Milly said with faux innocence. "But you will help out another member of the Student Council, won't you?"
"... Fine, though if you think I'm going to do anything funny with Kallen, you're sorely mistaken."
Lelouch retrieved a set of his clothes and carried them to the bathroom where Kallen was showering.
He knocked twice "It's me, Lelouch. I've brought fresh clothes."
"You can leave them on the counter," Kallen responded.
Entering, Lelouch could see the silhouette of her naked form behind the shower curtain. He felt his cheeks growing uncomfortably warm, and so he averted his gaze. Plopping the clothes down, he was about to turn to leave-
"Wait," he heard Kallen say.
Still averting his gaze, he paused where he was. "What is it?"
"What do you plan to do now, Lelouch? We still have a deal, remember?"
"Do you still not trust me, Kallen?" Lelouch wouldn't admit it, but the thought hurt him. Did their battle against Leviathan mean nothing to her?
"You certainly weren't lying about your sister. But the whole thing of… you know… being a former Britannian prince." She spat out the last two words, and took a breath. "It still isn't something I can just accept so easily. You have every reason to rebel against your father. But what if-"
"Do you think I would stay my hand against the other members of the Imperial family?" He let out a short, harsh laugh. "I can count on one hand the number of half-siblings I that I still feel even the least affection for. But I won't hesitate to dive into any of their Palaces, no matter who they are. Nunnally is the only family that I need."
"What about Milly?" Kallen pressed. "She helped us because she had a stake in stopping Coach Nu. But can we really trust her going forward? She even said that she didn't know if she had any interest in taking down Britannia itself I mean, it looks like all she cares about it having fun, and Coach Nu was just a bump on the road to her. We were eating pizza and having 'fun' at that frivolous party, while thousands of Japanese are practically starving in the ghettos, and they're killed if they dare stand up for themselves! AGH!"
He heard Kallen slam a fist against the wall of the bathroom stall. "It's yet another thing I hate about Britannians!"
What Britannia itself did to the Japanese people was unforgivable, yes, but in many ways Kallen was just as prejudiced against ordinary Britannians as Nina was against the Japanese. That rubbed him the wrong way, and so he couldn't help but make a retort.
"Even though you're also a Britannian yourself," he mused softly.
"Why YOU!"
Kallen lunged forward, throwing the shower curtain to the side. She reached for her pink pouch on the counter, but she slipped on the wet floor of the stall.
Out of reflex, Lelouch reached for Kallen-
"Got-ugh!"
Lelouch was able to successfully prevent far a worse accident, catching her and cushioning her fall. However, it left a wet and naked Kallen on top of him.
Her bare breasts, somehow seeming even larger now that they were no longer constrained by her uniform or thief outfit, pressed against his chest. Her quivering lips were just centimeters away from his, close enough to kiss. Involuntarily, Lelouch felt a sudden stiffness in his crotch, which happened to be just under Kallen's now.
Why was he feeling that way now? It made no sense! Could it be... the influence... of one of his Personas?
But in that moment, he couldn't come up with any plan that would let him gracefully escape from this predicament, and nor could he come up with any definitive answers. Yet as he looked up into her blue eyes and their inner fire, he couldn't help but find them beautiful.
"P-pervert!" Kallen stammered.
Scrambling back to her feet, she promptly covered her breasts with an arm before pulling the shower curtain closed behind her.
"Is that how you thank me for catching you?" he asked, doing his best to seem unperturbed. Glancing at himself in the mirror, he was glad she couldn't see just how red his cheeks were. And he supposed he could count himself lucky that Kallen hadn't chosen to slap him or worse, given how angry she had been.
"I wouldn't have been in that position if you hadn't provoked me!"
"Maybe I shouldn't have phrased it that way, but I was going to say you should really give the others on the Student Council a chance. Milly can get a little wild at times, but her heart is in the right place. Shirley is one of the friendliest girls you could meet. Rivalz is pretty reliable. Suzaku… he can be annoyingly hardheaded at times, but he's loyal to his friends."
"Does that mean Britannia now?" Kallen huffed.
Lelouch ignored the question.
"And Nina… prejudiced opinions aside, she's brilliant when it comes to science, and she's unwittingly become our accomplice. You know those smoke bombs we were using in the Metaverse? She made them for us."
"Huh? Really?" Kallen asked. "How did you manage that?"
"It's a secret," he smirked.
"Fine! But not a word of what happened here to anyone! If-"
"If I talk, you'll kill me." He shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "Isn't that the same deal we've always had, Kallen?"
"You really get on my nerves sometimes, Lelouch, you know that?"
"I can see that. But it would be a shame to let a squabble like this stand in the way of our shared goal, Queen," he whispered.
"What, you think you're Zero now?" she huffed. "I'm willing to follow you in the Metaverse when you're him, but you're just insufferable as Lelouch."
"I'm always Zero, Kallen, even under the mask I wear here. My whole life as Lelouch Lamperouge is a lie, but as Zero, and with you, I can speak the truth. And I meant what I said before in the Palace. I didn't name you Queen lightly. I hold your abilities in the highest esteem, and I know I won't be able to do this without you."
"Lelouch… Zero… I- " Kallen started, trying to find the right words.
Seeing his chance, Lelouch made a tactical withdrawal from the bathroom, before he could give his fellow rebel another chance to get angry at him.
He almost immediately came face to face with Milly Ashford, who only needed a moment to glance down and see that the front side of his uniform was wet. A devilish grin spread on her face.
"Did something fun happen in there?" she teased.
"No," Lelouch said quickly. "You're imagining things."
Her smile grew. "You're not as good at lying as you think you are, Lelouch."
"I told you, Milly, nothing happened."
You're no fun, Lelouch." She pouted. "But don't worry, I'll get it out of Kallen eventually. I'll just have to schedule a girls' night in the school baths. You know, so that Shirley, Nina, and I can all really get to know one of our newest Student Council members."
"You wish."
But as much as he wouldn't admit it out loud, it was good to see Ashford Academy starting to get back to its old self, zany hijinks and all, and it was all because of their victory.
He had no doubt that Coach Nu wouldn't be the last person whose heart they would change. But the first objective had been cleared, and at the end of the day, Lelouch couldn't help but feel a little closer to his confidants.
He would need their strength for the trials ahead.
A/N:
Thanks to my beta readers, who helped me flesh out the details of this chapter.
The next chapter is one of the Interludes, so that will be much shorter and hopefully won't take me a whole month to get out. But for other full-length chapters, I would assume that it will be at least a month between them, at least until the next time I have a vacation. Still, I may pleasantly surprise myself. Thank you for your continued support and interest in the story, and my apologies to those still waiting for updates on other stories. I'll try to squeeze that in too when I can. Unfortunately, my job does take the majority of my time, and I do have to prioritize real life before I can write.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed what we have here. I suppose the Kallen fan service scene is pretty much obligatory for capturing the feel of the original Code Geass, but hopefully it served its other purpose of some development of Kallen's character and advancing her Confidant rank. This story will not feature explicit lemons (as those are not allowed on this site anyways, and nor do those appear in Persona or Code Geass), but stuff may be teased, and there will be the occasional ecchi scene. I am not going to promise any particular pairings at this point, though I do have some ideas for how things will go.
Astute readers may also notice some foreshadowing in the chapter as to further differences between this universe and the canon Code Geass Universe. I'd also like to note that from this point forward, the Palaces will start to diverge from their Persona 5 counterparts. There will still be the familiar theme of the Deadly Sins, and we're still following the overall arc of Persona 5's plot, but do not expect an Art Museum for the second Palace... something different is planned.
The first half of this chapter's name is based on the track "Regret" from the Persona 5 OST, played whenever a Palace Ruler has a change of heart and makes their confession.
Edit: As of this point, I have completed my revisions on the first arc. Like the previous chapters, I have added more details, improved the pacing, and made some minor changes for more faithful characterization.