While classes were over for the summer, the next few days saw a flurry of activity at Ashford Academy, not least of which was throwing a large party among the members of the student council.
Indeed, there was plenty to celebrate. Not only had Nunnally regained her sight, but they needed to make up for having forgotten Shirley's birthday earlier. Suzaku's birthday, just two days after Shirley's, also needed to be celebrated, since no one had thought it was right to throw a party when Shirley had been kidnapped. Rivalz's birthday was in just a few days, and Milly's four days after that, so since they were already celebrating Shirley's and Suzaku's birthdays, it was decided to roll them all together into the rather wordily named Ashford Academy Student Council Summer Birthday Bash and Nunnally's Eye-Opening Celebration Party.
Everyone seemed to be having fun. Lelouch supposed that was a good thing. He still worried though about the Black Mask who they had encountered in the circulation system beneath Ashford Academy in the Metaverse. From the way the assassin had talked, it seemed that the Black Mask knew exactly who they were, which once would have been his cue to flee Ashford with Nunnally, go into hiding, and establish new identities for themselves. That the Black Mask had not turned them in yet despite having had every opportunity to do so if they desired was a small comfort. "You are being watched." That was what the Black Mask had said. But if he were stop showing up at Ashford Academy, that would doubtlessly be noticed by that spy and detective among them, Rolo Haliburton, who might in turn report it to his superiors, putting the rest of the Black Knights and Student Council at risk.
"Hey, loosen up, Lelouch!" Milly said, coming up to him. "You should be happy, not brooding! Sure, a lot of girls like brooding guys, but there's a time and a place for everything."
"Nunnally is doing remarkably well," he conceded. He had previously done quite a bit of research into cases in which individuals recovered from blindness, in preparation for the day that Nunnally might open her eyes again, though he had started to think that it might never come. Normally, someone who had newly gained the ability to see where they could not before would have significant difficulties with depth perception, object recognition, or reading facial cues, simply because they had no existing schema to match what they saw to. Nunnally had been able to see for the first several years of her life, so at least these schema existed for her. But then there was the fact that her vision, even once her eyes were open, should have deteriorated from years of darkness and disuse. Yet Nunnally could apparently see perfectly now.
"Remarkably well is an understatement," Milly said, echoing his unstated thoughts. "I'm sure the doctors would consider it a medical miracle. But I wonder if it's something more than that. Maybe…"
"Cognition?" Lelouch murmured so that only she could hear him. He couldn't discount the possibility. While Cognition for the most part appeared to be limited to the Metaverse, he did have an example in Arthur of Cognition affecting sensory perceptions, namely hearing, in reality. Could the same be true of Nunnally's sight?
Arthur was there on Nunnally's lap, who was petting him. Nunnally appeared to be holding a conversation with him, though those members of the Student Council who had never been to the Metaverse would only hear contented purrs. Alice was there as well, as she had been invited by Nunnally, and stood by the side of his sister's wheelchair.
"There's been something I've been meaning to ask you," Lelouch said, his eyes on Nunnally's partner in the Irregulars. "About Alice…"
"You mean how she enrolled at Ashford Academy?" Milly replied. "That's easy. Nunnally asked if I could do a favor for a friend of hers, so I pulled a few strings. Being the headmaster's granddaughter has a few perks. I had assumed you knew about it already, so I didn't say anything. She was paying her own way, so that kept anyone from grumbling too much about it."
Lelouch suspected that it was less of "paying her own way" and more of "outright bribery" to overlook something as glaring as forged credentials for a person who was legally dead. For a moment, there was the question of where Alice would have gotten so much money; tuition at Ashford Academy was not cheap, especially if she was paying extra in bribes. Then again, the Irregulars were phantom thieves of hearts, just like the Black Knights, and as he had discovered, stealing from Palaces could be quite lucrative, far more so than illegal gambling on chess matches. If Alice was putting most of her own share of the loot toward her tuition at Ashford, it might be possible. Perhaps Nunnally was contributing as well, so it would not be as much of a burden on her friend.
Vaguely, Lelouch wondered where the other Irregulars were staying. They were all of school age, with the possible exception of Order, though even if that was the case, he doubted she could be much older than Milly. But that would have to be a conversation for another time.
"We should rejoin the others," Milly said quietly.
"Indeed," he nodded.
"Lelouch!" Nunnally said as she saw him approach, her violet eyes sparkling with delight. "It's so wonderful to be able to see you and all of your friends after so long!" Of course, Nunnally had already seen several of them in the Metaverse, and as Black Knights no less, but she was putting on a very convincing performance of seeing them for the first time. Alice did her part as well, acting as if she hadn't murdered Mao just days before, though she continued to hover close to Nunnally, her eyes constantly surveying their surroundings.
"They'd been described to me," Nunnally continued, "but now that I can actually see them with my own eyes… The girls on the Student Council are all so pretty! Milly… Kallen… Shirley… you too, Nina!" Nunnally said, catching sight of the budding scientist, who had seemed to wilt as soon his sister had begun praising the other girls. Hearing herself called pretty as well, Nina forced a slight smile, but it was clear that she thought that Nunnally was simply trying to spare her feelings.
"It really is incredible, Nunnally, that you were able to open your eyes after so long," Suzaku said warmly. "How did it happen?"
"Um, it's hard to explain…" Nunnally said, offering him what looked like an innocent smile, though Lelouch knew that she was putting on an act for him, as she couldn't explain her involvement with the Irregulars to him. He would be as sure to disapprove of their actions as he did those of the Black Knights. "I just really wanted to see again, and my eyes opened."
"Huh? So it was as simple as that all along."
"I guess so," Nunnally said, glancing at Lelouch. "Oh… I almost forgot!" Her eyes lit up again. "This is for you, Suzaku!", she said, pushing a small box into his hands. "I have ones for Shirley, Milly, and Rivalz too! Happy birthday to all of you!"
Suzaku opened the box that Nunnally had given him. "They're origami cranes…" he murmured.
"I made them myself!" Nunnally said proudly. "May they help your wishes come true!"
"Nunnally… thank you," Suzaku smiled.
"That's so sweet of you, Nunna!" Shirley beamed.
"This is some Japanese thing?" Rivalz asked. "I don't really get it, but I do appreciate the thought."
"Sayoko taught you how to make these, didn't she?" Milly said knowingly.
"That's right!" Nunnally replied happily.
Since Nunnally had gotten the ball rolling, the rest of them gave their gifts in turn. Lelouch couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. Every person whose birthday was being celebrated was one of his confidants, and as such he had a vested interest in their reactions to his gifts, something that he couldn't help but feel a bit slimy about. Then there was his increasingly complicated love life to worry about. If his gifts to Shirley or Milly were taken in the wrong way, whether by them or by Kallen, the results could be disastrous.
"A new motorcycle helmet and googles!" Rivalz grinned. "These are so much cooler than my old ones! Thanks, Lelouch!"
"Swim trunks?" Suzaku asked Lelouch.
"The Student Council will probably be going on a beach trip some time during the summer. You could use another pair."
"Got it. Thanks, Lelouch."
Next up was Milly.
"Riding boots! How did you know that I had started collecting them lately, Lelouch?"
"I've been around you for a long time, Madam President. I know what you like."
"Maybe we should go riding together one day, just you and me," Milly said suggestively, earning her glares from both Kallen and Shirley.
"I'm just kidding!"
Finally, it was time for Shirley's gift. This was the one he was most anxious about. Shirley was in love with him to the extent that it had caused her to form a Palace. While she had been able to come to terms with her feelings, he didn't want to hurt her again. He was sure that it was something that Shirley wanted, but Milly's gift had been significantly more expensive. Would Shirley appreciate the thought that had gone into his gift for her, or would she instead feel slighted?
He needn't have worried.
"Thank you, Lulu! I've been looking everywhere for this album!"
Masquerade. How oddly fitting.
With presents out of the way, all that was left was for the Student Council to enjoy slices of an enormous chocolate cake that had been specially catered for them, decorated with rich, creamy frosting, glaze, fresh fruit and nuts, and so many candles (seventy in all, seventeen each for Shirley, Suzaku, and Rivalz, eighteen for Milly, plus one in the middle for Nunnally) that it was a wonder that they hadn't needed a fire permit. Or maybe Milly was just skirting that rule.
Four verses of "Happy Birthday" later, plus a new verse that Milly apparently made up just for Nunnally, the candles were extinguished, and the Student Council was cutting into the cake. Of course, there was ice cream as well.
It was utterly decadent, and Lelouch knew that a part of Kallen was bristling at the thought of enjoying it while so many Japanese people had to do without in the ghetto. But then an uncharacteristically devilish expression crossed her face, especially for her meek guise at school. Taking her fork, she scooped up part of his cake and some of the vanilla ice cream next to it, before raising it to his mouth.
"Girlfriend's prerogative," she whispered, affecting a sickeningly sweet voice. Was that her idea of how a stereotypical noblewoman was supposed to act with her romantic partner, and meant as part of her cover? If that was the case, she was overdoing it by being far too bold. Or was Kallen's jealousy acting up, prompting her to break character by conspicuously "claiming" him in front of all those present?
It would do no good to deny Kallen in either case, so he let her slide the dessert-laden fork into his mouth.
The cake and ice cream melted in his mouth.
Looking awfully pleased with herself, Kallen then proceeded to use the same fork to feed herself a piece of her own slice of cake.
"I never thought I'd see that from Kallen," Milly chuckled.
"An indirect kiss!" Shirley gasped. "Oh, Lulu…"
Lelouch felt his cheeks flush. But with everyone here together, he felt a tiny bit closer to all of his friends at Ashford Academy.
xXx
The members of the Student Council gradually dispersed, fighting off catatonia induced by all of the sugar that they had consumed in the cake. There was still a fair amount of cake left though. There was no way that even the entire Student Council could have eaten it all in one sitting. Lelouch thought he might take some of it up to Shi. He didn't know if the concept of a birthday even had meaning to the wardens of the Velvet Room, but outside of her visits to Nunnally and her own interactions with him, Shi's existence seemed utterly miserable, trapped in a blue prison and enslaved to a tyrannical master. Shi needed more joy in her life, and he was sure that she would enjoy a slice of cake. Then again, Tsu would probably demand some too, if she saw him bringing some to her sister, though she would probably mutter that it would have been better if he brought her pizza.
There was another member of the Student Council who had lingered after the others had departed, Rolo. He seemed rather pensive. Any interaction with Rolo necessarily carried with it some risk, but he had still formed a tentative bond with the spy, the Moon. Perhaps this was an opportunity to gain insight into the progress of the investigation into the Black Knights.
Lelouch walked up to him. "Rolo, what's wrong?"
Rolo sighed. "Every time I think I find a lead, it turns out to be a dead end."
"What do you mean?"
"Call it a crazy theory of mine, but I almost thought Shirley might know something about Medjed."
Lelouch froze, though he forced himself to keep a neutral expression before Rolo picked up on his unease.
"What makes you think Shirley would know anything about Medjed?" Lelouch asked cautiously.
"She went missing right around the same time that Medjed made his challenge to the Black Knights, so I thought that he might have been the one who took her."
"Why assume that Medjed kidnapped someone at all?" Lelouch asked, choosing his words carefully. "If I recall correctly, Medjed said, 'I will have taken something important from you.' He didn't say, 'someone important," did he?"
"But that's not mutually exclusive, is it, Lelouch? Besides, Medjed said that if the Black Knights didn't find him within two weeks, that what he took might not survive? Would he really use the word 'survive' if he wasn't talking about a person?"
"Medjed also said he would admit defeat if the Black Knights successfully retrieved what he took. That hasn't happened yet, and there are five days left until his deadline. Shirley was found and Medjed didn't make so much as a peep about it, so he couldn't have taken her."
"Someone kidnapped her. Why else was her roommate knocked out, and how else did Shirley receive what appeared to be a stab wound? Besides, aren't you overlooking the obvious, Lelouch? What if the Black Knights have already killed Medjed? He wouldn't be able to make any sort of statement if he's dead."
"But what sort of connection would Shirley have to the Black Knights? It's said that they killed her father, so I'm sure there's no love between them. Maybe the Black Knights would want to tie up a loose end after her father's death, but then wouldn't Medjed be doing them a favor? No matter how I look at things, it just doesn't make sense."
"Hence my frustration."
Lelouch looked carefully at Rolo. "But there's something else on your mind, isn't there? You looked distant during the party."
"I've never been to such a party before," Rolo said softly. "I felt overwhelmed."
"You've never been to a party?" Lelouch asked incredulously.
"Well, that's not entirely true. I've been to parties, but only for business, not for fun or celebration. I told you that since I work as a detective, I've never stayed in one place for too long. But that's not entirely true either. For my early childhood, I was raised in an orphanage. I never knew my parents. I'm told they died when I was very young. It was a cold and cruel place…. Some of the other children there didn't make it, but their deaths were covered up."
"But then you got out?"
"You could say that. Of course, you never really leave a place like that, do you?"
Lelouch nodded. "I suppose not. I trust that you've already looked into our backgrounds?"
"What kind of detective would I be if I didn't, especially when the Black Knights probably started at this school?"
"Then you may know that my father sent Nunnally and myself here to be educated. But really, it was really because he couldn't be bothered to take care of us himself after our mother died. He abandoned us." That was a sanitized version of his history, which he had given to any member of the Student Council who started to pry too deeply into his background. It would hardly be a unique story in Britannia, and as he always said, the best lies contained elements of truth. Indeed, his exile to Japan had been most educational for him.
There had been a time when he had… idolized his father. A time when he thought Charles zi Britannia was the greatest man in Britannia, if not the world. He had even said that during his fateful audience with the Emperor, when he was struggling to understand how a man who was so wise and powerful as his father could idly stand by as his supposedly favorite wife was murdered, and her daughter left crippled and blinded.
His father had callously shattered those illusions, revealing that he had never cared about them at all. They were dead to him, from the moment they had been born, and he doubted that his father had ever truly loved their mother at all.
Who would he have become if not for that hail of bullets, or his reckless defiance of his father? Lelouch could almost see that man in his mind's eye, a distorted reflection of himself who was everything that he hated. His Shadow, a cruel, imperious prince, his cold calculations untempered by friendship or love, save perhaps for his own immediate family, who remained fully committed to Britannia's manifest right to conquer the world, and who would lead its armies to crush all opposition, the Emperor's favorite enforcer. Perhaps that Black Prince would have one day come into conflict with the Emperor, perhaps even overthrowing Charles zi Britannia, and seizing the throne of Britannia himself the moment the Emperor showed weakness, in perfect accord with Britannia's social Darwinist ideals.
That was Lelouch vi Britannia, as he could have been. As he likely would have been. With a start, Lelouch realized that in a sense, being exiled to Japan was the best thing that could have ever happened to him. But all the same, he could never forgive his father what he had done.
"Lelouch?" Rolo asked.
"I'm sorry. I was lost in a memory."
"You know, I think we're more alike than we realized, Lelouch."
Something resonated within Lelouch as the Moon's power waxed within him.
"Maybe we are."
xXx
The next day, Milly assigned him to tutor Shirley to help her prepare for her make-up exams, nominally because she had missed her exams while she was in the hospital, and in any case had been in no condition to study for them in the days leading up to her kidnapping. While all of that was true, Lelouch suspected that it was just a smokescreen for him to finally fill Shirley in on his past, since as a member of the Black Knights, she would eventually find out the truth, so it would be for the best to just get it out of the way.
"I heard that you scored in the top ten in our year on the exams," Shirley said. It was just the two of them in the Student Council room, which had a sign reading "Studying in Progress: Do Not Disturb", taped to the door. "Nina told me. I knew you had it in you, Lulu, if you actually chose to apply yourself."
"In the past, I had a good reason not to."
"I see…" Shirley frowned. "That girl… Noire… You said she was your half-sister. But who is she really?"
"Euphemia li Britannia, Third Princess of the Empire, and sub-Viceroy of Area 11."
Shirley stared at him for a moment, and then her expression changed to annoyance. "Very funny, Lulu! I'm asking you a serious question, and your first response is to try to pull my leg like that? Kallen was right! You really are liar, aren't you?"
"I'm being completely serious, Shirley. That was Princess Euphemia, and she is my half sister, though it had been years since I had seen her when she came to Japan."
"No way! That would mean you and Nunna…" Shirley gasped. "Each have some royal blood…."
"We do."
"So, let me get this straight! I don't follow the imperial family that closely, but I'm guessing it was something like this. You, Nunnally, and Princess Euphemia all have the same mother, but your mother then had an affair with another man, and you and Nunna were sent here because you would have been seen as an embarrassment to the imperial family and they wanted you away from the court in Pendragon?"
"Don't you remember what I told you, Shirley? Nunnally and I were sent here by our father after our mother died. Princess Euphemia and I have different mothers, but we share the same father."
"Oh, right… Sorry… I was just rambling there-" Shirley's eyes widened, and her voice trembled. "Wait… that means… if you and Princess Euphemia have the same father… that means…. Your father… Your father is…. The Emperor!" she squeaked.
"And my mother was the late Empress Marianne."
Shirley fainted.
xXx
Shirley blinked her eyes as she slowly regained consciousness. She felt lightheaded and found herself lying on the floor. Someone had elevated her feet to help blood and the oxygen that it carried with it flow back to her brain. Presumably that someone was the one kneeling next to her, saying words she couldn't quite clearly make out yet.
She blinked her eyes a few more times. Her vision started to clear, and the person's words started to make sense to her.
"Don't try to rise too quickly, Shirley. You fainted, but you're going to be okay." The voice sounded relieved.
Her lashes fluttered again, and she saw violet eyes gazing down at her with concern.
"Lulu…" she murmured, finally recognizing her crush. "I was having this crazy dream…. You told me… You told me Princess Euphemia was your half-sister, and that your father was the Emperor…"
"That wasn't a dream, Shirley. That just happened a minute ago."
"So…. The Emperor really is your father…" Shirley frowned. "Which means… you're a prince, Lu-" She cut herself off. "No… Prince Lelouch? Your Highness?" She shook her head. "I'm sorry… I don't know anymore."
"I'm still Lelouch, Shirley. Though I don't mind you calling me Lulu. Truth be told, I renounced my claim to the throne years ago, just before my father, the Emperor exiled Nunnally and myself to Japan. You see, I dared to question why he did nothing when my mother was murdered and Nunnally was crippled in a terrorist attack at the Aries Villa… except I don't think it was a terrorist attack. I think someone else in the royal family was behind it, and my father covered it up."
"Lulu… that's awful… I'm so sorry…"
"Why are you apologizing, Shirley? You weren't there, and that's all in the past now." He scowled. "Of course, my father then decided to send us to Japan as political hostages, lulling the Kururugi Administration into thinking that Britannia wasn't already planning to conquer the islands to seize control of their sakuradite. We were left for dead in the aftermath. Of course, Britannia blamed Japan for our supposed deaths, all the better to justify the oppression of the Japanese people, or as they were now called, Elevens."
"So that's how you know Suzaku! From before the war! But… you must really hate your father, don't you?" she said sadly. Horrific as learning the true nature of her father's work had been to her, she had still loved him dearly, and that wouldn't change. That Lulu could hate his own father so much… "You don't suppose that-"
"No. Reconciliation with my father is not possible."
"I see… I've always believed that nothing is unforgivable. You just don't want to forgive him. "
"You're too kind, Shirley. Some people simply don't deserve forgiveness."
Sensing that it would be pointless to continue that line of conversation further, she asked, "So what happened next, Lulu?"
"To make a long story short, Nunnally, Suzaku, and I traveled across the war-torn countryside for some time, eventually becoming separated from Suzaku. We then found our way here, where the Ashfords took us in. They used to be some of our mother's most loyal supporters in the Imperial Court, before their demotion. And the rest is history. Though since I've filled you in on who Noire is, I should let you know who the rest of your fellow Black Knights are…"
xXx
"That's a lot to take in, Lulu…" Shirley frowned. "It all feels so silly now… My crush on you, I mean…. You may no longer be a prince, but you're still of royal blood. Why would someone like you ever take notice of me? "I'm not a noble, I'm not as strong as the real Kallen, nor have I known you for as long as Milly, and I'm not as pretty as Countess Breisgau… I'm just…. Shirley."
"Did I ever ask you to be anyone but Shirley?"
"Huh?" Shirley's cheeks flushed red.
"You weren't there to see it, but when Medjed kidnapped you… What I mean is… if something were to happen to you, Shirley…" He shook his head. "Umm… what I'm trying to say, is that I need you Shirley, not only as a Black Knight, but here at Ashford as well! You're important to me, and-" His own cheeks were burning. "Don't say such things about yourself again! You're fine just as you are!"
"Lulu…" Shirley murmured. She shook her head. "You already have Kallen. But I'll remain by your side… And… thank you…." She glanced at the clock on the wall. "Oh! Look at the the time Lulu! We really need to start studying, if I'm going to pass those exams!"
"Indeed."
"A bit awkward, but nicely done," Mermaid whispered to Lelouch from within him.
The power of the Lovers Arcana grew, filling Lelouch with a pleasant warmth.
A/N: Next up, Lelouch's next meeting with Kaguya and his reunion with Kirihara! After that, it will be time for the Student Council to have some fun in the sun!