The ride to Kamine Island from Shikine Island was much shorter than the ferry they had just taken from Shimoda. Because its exact location was classified, Earl Asplund couldn't tell them how far it was from Shikine Island or in what direction, but through careful observation and knowledge of the typical speed of a Britannian vessel, Lelouch knew that it couldn't be more than a few miles away, and he felt he could make a good guess of its coordinates, which he committed to memory.
There was no way that the locals of Shikine and the surrounding islands couldn't know of the existence of Kamine Island, so Britannia kept an especially tight grip upon them to control the flow of information about whatever secrets the island might hold. But as Kamine Island came into view, Lelouch saw that it was every bit as verdant, if not moreso than its sister islands, lush green covering the broad, gently sloping sides of its mountains. Why then had it remained uninhabited in the modern era, even before the Britannian invasion of Japan?
"The locals call it the 'Island of the Gods'," Earl Asplund explained. "The Gods left the ruins there, and it's not for mortals like us to trespass upon them." He chuckled wryly to himself. "What a quaint superstition, standing as ever in the way of scientific progress. Of course, it's not just the locals. The last Japanese administration also restricted access to the island, and began the process of erasing it from charts. How curious."
Beside him, Lelouch saw Suzaku stiffen. The information was disquieting for him as well. The 'Island of the Gods'? Could it be connected to the 'Realm of the Gods' that Tsu had spoken of? No, that wasn't it's proper name. She had called it "Akasha", or "C's World". All the same, Lelouch knew from her that the Metaverse overlaid both reality and C's World, and that at some time, lost to history, humans had tried to enter C's World. Was Earl Asplund here to explore that connection? He had to be. It was too much of a coincidence to be anything else. But if Genbu Kururugi had restricted access to the island, he must have known, or at least suspected what the Island of the Gods hid as well. Did that mean that Genbu had been investigating Cognitive Psience as well? Kirihara didn't seem to know the mechanisms behind mental shutdowns, nor of the existence of the Metaverse, but perhaps he could still provide insights into what Genbu had been doing here.
xXx
"Congratulations, we're here!" Earl Asplund said in his usual exaggerated manner as the Student Council and its guests prepared to disembark. "A few ground rules though before you run off and start having fun," he said, suddenly serious. "You can explore the beach and the surrounding areas. But don't get too close to the interior of the island. There are some ruins there, and they're not quite safe."
"You mean you don't want them disturbing anything," Cecile interrupted.
"That too," Earl Asplund admitted. "You'll know you've gone too far if you encounter the security perimeter around them. The guards know that you're here with me, so that should prevent most misunderstandings, but if they give you any sort of instruction, you should follow it at once. If you ask me, some of them seem to be of the shoot first, ask questions later type, and I would hate it if anything were to happen to my fiancée or her friends. They'll be especially on edge, what with Second Prince Schneizel and Third Princess Euphemia coming here."
Schneizel was coming here?!
"L-Lloyd!" Cecile stammered. "Their arrival is supposed to be classified! You can't just-"
"You're too uptight, Cecile. They're my fiancée's friends from school, not terrorists. Next you'll say I shouldn't have brought them here at all."
"We're already pushing it."
"P-Princess Euphemia is coming here?" Nina stammered.
Earl Asplund gave her a curious look.
"Um, I-" Nina started, looking like a deer in the headlights. Euphemia had asked Nina not to tell others about her own role in the incident at Izu, and now Nina was struggling to find an explanation for her reaction to the Third Princess' name that wouldn't betray that promise.
"Nina's been a fan of Princess Euphemia for some time," Lelouch said, effortlessly lying as he came to her aid. Besides, it wasn't even a lie. "Isn't that right, Milly?"
"Huh? Oh... that's right!" she said, putting on an easy smile.
Looking relieved, Nina nodded wordlessly.
"You know, Earl Asplund," Lelouch continued while he had the initiative. "Nina here wants to be a scientist, and she's been doing some theoretical work on her own time. I'm not a scientist myself, but the simulations she's done look like they're really something."
"Lelouch, what are you-" Nina began nervously.
"If you have some time, perhaps you could take a look at them. It may be presumptuous, but I think even Princess Euphemia might be interested. The Sub-Viceroy is known for being a champion of the common people, and Nina's work might be able to help a lot of them."
"Hmmm... You don't say?" Earl Asplund said, stroking his chin. "I must say, you've piqued my interest." He turned back to Nina. "Have you brought your simulations with you?"
She nodded, suddenly seeming determined. "Yes... they're on my laptop, Earl Asplund."
"I'll come by this evening then. I can't promise anything where royalty is concerned, but if it's promising enough, I'll pass it along to her."
"Thank you, Earl Asplund!" Nina said, bowing.
"There's no need to be so formal, Nina," the Earl chuckled good-naturedly.
Lelouch knew it was a gamble on his part. Nina's work, if it it could be experimentally verified, and then scaled up in an economically viable manner, would provide Britannia with an abundant new energy source, though that would take money and time to fully develop, likely on the order of years. From what he understood of Nina's explanations, though the particulars of particle physics were hardly his area of expertise, it wasn't something that could be easily miniaturized, like a Sakuradite-based Yggdrasil Drive, either. That would limit its military applications, especially at first, though he was sure that it would prove to be of plenty of academic interest to an inquisitive mind like Earl Asplund's.
If his plan to use the Metaverse to topple Britannian by stealing key hearts in its hierarchy was successful, the Empire wouldn't last more than a few years at most. He even felt that, with some luck, he might be able bring Britannia to its knees by the year's end. Once he really got the ball rolling, so to speak, it would make for an unstoppable tide of revolution, sweeping away all in its path. As such, the current Britannia most likely wouldn't be the one to reap the benefits of any technologies developed from Nina's research.
On the other hand, helping Nina provided him with substantial immediate benefits, which would directly accelerate his plans to bring destroy the current Britannia. The stronger his bond with her was, the more powerful his Personas of the Hermit Arcana would become. And especially after the traumatic experience Nina had been through in Izu, he could see how happy he had made her. If Earl Asplund and Princess Euphemia liked her work, she could get grants, better equipment, and perhaps even the Sakuradite samples that she needed for her research. That would mean the world to her.
xXx
The Student Council's first order of business was to establish a campsite, as Kamine Island had no permanent facilities of its own. They selected a site near the back of the beach, sheltered in a notch in the white cliffs flecked with gray behind them, and surrounded by patches of vegetation for shade. They were fortunate that Earl Asplund had chosen to drop them off there. While much of Kamine Island's coastline was rocky and rugged, the beach before them was wide, and made of sand as white as the surrounding cliffs.
"This island is so beautiful!" Nunnally smiled. "I'm so glad that I can see it with you!"
It was hot in the summer sun, 82 degrees Fahrenheit, or 28 degrees in the Celsius scale. Some hardliners in Britannia stubbornly clung to traditional units of measurement, unwilling to adopt the system that had been popularized by Napoleon's conquests, but the utility of the Systeme Internationale was recognized by more pragmatic elements within Britannia, and so their thermometer displayed both. Thankfully, the cool breeze coming in from the sea served to blunt the effects of Japan's summer humidity, keeping it from feeling oppressive.
The three large tents that would house them for the duration of their stay went up quickly, in large part thanks to Suzaku's experience in basic training and his own natural talents. Shirley, Kallen, Milly, Nina, and Leila would be in one tent. Nunnally, Alice, and Sayoko occupied the second. Lelouch would share the last tent with the other boys. There was no sign of Shi and Tsu yet, but if they did show up, which he suspected they eventually would, he hoped they would have the good sense to use Nunnally's tent. It had the most room, and more importantly, everyone there was an Irregular or allied with them and the Black Knights, and could be trusted not to talk. He wasn't crazy about whatever ideas Tsu might put in Nunnally's head, but Nunnally had been dealing with her before he ever had an inkling of it, so he trusted that Nunnally could handle Tsu's antics. Besides, they couldn't be any worse than Sayoko's.
They set up a few folding tables with beach chairs and umbrellas in front of the tents, and then Milly instructed them to go further down the beach, where it was rockier, and gather stones to construct a fire ring.
"After all, we'll need a fire to cook our food," Milly said.
"Prez, can't we just use a portable stove or something?" Rivalz asked.
"Nope! We're camping on desert island, so we're going to do things the old-fashioned way! Besides, what sort of camping trip would it be without a campfire?"
"I suppose you're right," Rivalz said, obviously still not over her engagement to Earl Asplund, unaware that she was using it as an excuse to keep tabs on one of Britannia's leading researchers for the Black Knights. His expression brightened for a moment. "Then we can all gather around it, and tell ghost stories. Is that something you'd like, Madam President?"
Milly laughed. "I'd love that, Rivalz. Of course, after you get those stones, you have to gather firewood, search for food and water..."
"There's more?!"
"Of course there is. But don't worry. I think Suzaku will be able to take care dinner, but we'll pitch in too. Besides," she added suggestively, "There may be something special for you boys when you get back. No hot spring hijinks though," she said hurriedly, "I promise."
They went about their assigned tasks. The stones were gathered quickly enough and then they began exploring the surrounding forest, gathering fallen branches among the undergrowth. They also came across a beautiful waterfall with a natural pool of crystal-clear water at its base, which would be perfect for gathering fresh water or bathing. Lelouch made a mental note to stay far way from the waterfall at any time that the girls might be using it, but also took the opportunity to fill up several canteens of water. Of course, the water would have to be filtered and boiled later. Just because it looked clear didn't mean that it didn't contain organisms that might cause infection. Strictly speaking, it wasn't even necessary, as the Earl had provided them with a large canister of fresh water, but Milly was insistent that everyone use the opportunity to practice survival skills, and that meant no shortcuts.
Laden with water, Lelouch decided it was time to return to camp. When he arrived, he saw what the "something special" Milly had referred to was.
The girls had changed into their swimsuits.
Milly wore a plain magenta bikini with sunglasses pushed up on her head, but she didn't need anything else to stand out, as she was both the tallest of the girls and the one with the biggest "measurement", something Lelouch would have to be blind to not notice. Leila dressed similarly, except her bikini was light pink, and she had a broad white sunhat, decorated with a flower. Kallen's swimsuit was a black bandeau bikini under a light orange sleeveless top, which was fastened around her neck and gathered below at a single button near her midriff, parting on either side of her belly button. It had a somewhat tomboyish look, and covered more skin than Milly's did, which suited Kallen just fine.
As for Shirley, she had a two-piece light turquoise set, which substituted a traditional bikini bottom for a short skirted one. Rather than resting behind her neck, the straps on her top connected to a small choker that she wore around it, creating a window that quite effectively drew attention to her breasts without seeming blatant about it. Lelouch wondered if on some level, Shirley was trying to compensate for having a slightly smaller chest than Kallen, Milly, or Leila. She had previously expressed insecurities about how she looked next to the Countess, after all, and given his relationship with Kallen, she might assume that he preferred... He wanted to shake his head, just thinking about it. As if he would ever be so shallow. Shirley was beautiful as she was. But maybe he was just overthinking things.
Nina had a conservative yellow one-piece and a small tan hat. He doubted that Nina would ever choose to wear a bikini in the presence of the other Student Council members. Not only was there her fear of men, but it would make her feel that much more self-conscious; Nina was noticeably less endowed when compared to the measurements of the other girls of the Student Council.
As for the remaining girls, Alice had borrowed a school swimsuit for the trip, while his sister had a two-piece swimsuit with criss-crossing patterns, and had braided wildflowers into her hair, which was now tied back into a ponytail. Sayoko stood beside her, wearing a green one-piece that resembled a tight-fitting dress, held in place by white straps, her usual maid's headdress replaced by a yellow headband.
"It looks like our Vice President is a hot-blooded male after all," Milly grinned, noticing that his gaze had lingered upon them slightly longer than he had intended.
"Why do you have to put it like that?" Kallen grimaced. "It's not like we're wearing our swimsuits for them. Unintentional as it may have been, they saw enough the other day at the onsen. Besides, what else are we supposed to wear at the beach?"
"Onsen?" Nina asked anxiously.
"It's another name for a hot spring," Leila replied.
"Still... um... what do you think, Lulu?" Shirley asked. "About our swimsuits, I mean?"
Shirley was asking him that? He had to find a way to respond without offending any of the girls. Normally, he'd be able to come up with a strategy on the spot, but he felt his mind freezing up. Shirley, Kallen, Milly, Leila... they all looked great, but he couldn't just blurt that out, could he? What if Kallen or one of the other girls took it the wrong way. He could-
"Say something, Lulu."
"They suit you," he managed, though it sounded lame even to him.
Shirley frowned, and Kallen flushed slightly.
"Was that really the best you could do, Lelouch?" Milly pouted. "Talk about non-committal."
"You asked for his opinion, and he gave it," Leila said evenly.
"Aw, loosen up! You don't have to be a stick-in-the-mud like Lelouch!"
"Le-louch!" Rivalz growled.
"Why are you so upset, Rivalz?" Rolo asked.
"It's not fair!" Rivalz moaned. "Even if there wasn't that Earl, I wouldn't stand a chance!"
"What was that, Rivalz?" Milly asked with faux innocence.
"Um, nothing Madam Prez! You really did deliver on that promise!"
"You all look great," Suzaku smiled.
"See, Lelouch!" Milly grinned. "That's how it's done!"
Alice seemed amused by the proceedings. Bending over to Nunnally, she asked, "Is being able to win a beauty contest a requirement to join the Student Council or something? It's not just the girls either."
"Wait! You're asking Nunna that?" Shirley gasped, turning red.
Milly's grin grew even wider. "Well, I've always been of the opinion that if Lelouch ever lost his interest in gambling, he could make a fortune as a male fashion model, sure to set hearts throbbing..."
Shirley went even redder.
"That will never happen," Lelouch said bluntly. The last thing he needed was for his face to be posted everywhere.
"Fine," Milly said with a wink. "But what I do need is some help applying some sun lotion to my back."
"Hey!" Kallen snapped.
"Do you really think I'm going to fall for that one, Madam President?" Lelouch asked. "You could have any of the other girls to help you."
"Dang!"
"Besides, if Lulu was going to rub lotion on one of our backs, he'd have to do it for all of us."
There was silence.
"Wait. Did I actually say that out loud?" Shirley asked.
"What a great idea, Shirley!" Milly grinned.
"Well... then nobody has to fight, right?" Shirley asked. Her cheeks were still red, but she sounded more sure of herself.
Lelouch's eyes narrowed. Once, Shirley would have never voiced such a thought, let alone stand by it. The encounter with her Shadow had changed her, and she could now accept that she had that side to her. But for her to be so forward about it... was this Shirley's idea of taking Tsu's reading to heart?
"If you think -" Kallen began.
"Don't forget me, big brother!" Nunnally called.
Kallen gave Nunnally an odd look, and then sighed. "I guess if it really is everyone, I can't complain too much." Her tone regained its sharpness. "But don't even think of doing anything you wouldn't do with your own sister."
"You know, I can help out too," Suzaku offered. "It would get the job done faster."
"Sometimes, you can be just as clueless as he is," Arthur sighed, coming up behind Suzaku and the other boys.
"You really don't get it, do you, Suzaku?" Rivalz said.
Before Suzaku could ask what Rivalz meant, Arthur leapt up and bit his hand.
"Ow! Arthur!"
Some things never changed.
xXx
Lelouch ended up applying lotion to each of the girls' backs, sans Alice, who said she would prefer it if Nunnally helped her. He felt awkward doing it, but at least the crisis had been avoided.
Still, he couldn't say that it was an entirely unpleasant experience. He could feel the tension leaving Kallen as he rubbed the lotion in, which made him smile slightly in turn, though it was over much too soon. Shirley was also every bit as dear to him, and he could hardly begrudge her such a small favor after everything that she had been through.
His anxiety spiked when it came to Milly, let he give her cause to tease him for 'behaving in an untoward manner', but he made sure to keep it quick and to the point, just as he with Kallen and Shirley. And he felt strange when doing Leila's back for her, unbidden recollections of their conversation at her home intruding upon him, along with something else, though he had already reflexively clamped it down by the time he had noticed it had been there at all. If anything, Nina was a relief, as she didn't seem to have any expectations other than getting her sun lotion spread, and his anxiety completely dissipated when he got to Nunnally.
Protected from the sun, everyone else spread out on the beach, and soon they were wholeheartedly following Milly's executive order to have fun. As Black Knights and Irregulars, most of them had a vested interest in finding out what exactly Earl Asplund was studying here, especially if had attracted Prince Schneizel's attention. Yet at the same time, they couldn't just go search for them in broad daylight. That would only attract suspicion, and it could well be suicidal if they did so in the real world and ran into the guards. So for now, they were just ordinary high school students enjoying the beach to themselves.
Milly was sunbathing. Shirley swam in the ocean, her movements practiced and graceful. Leila frolicked in the water, evidently enjoying the opportunity to not worry about the constraints of nobility. Suzaku was skillfully catching fish for dinner later, though thankfully he wasn't doing anything perverse with them, unlike in a certain dream. Alice had helped his sister out of her wheelchair, and they were making sand castles together. Rivalz had gotten Rolo to play frisbee with him. Kallen and Nina were together, sitting under one of the umbrellas. Nina seemed to be busy double-checking her calculations in preparation for her meeting with Earl Asplund later that evening, while Kallen looked miserable, watching the others have fun in activities she couldn't participate in without being completely out of character for her false, sickly persona.
Then Sayoko brought out several large watermelons that she had bought on the mainland, which she had somehow kept hidden until now, as well as a bokken, a wooden Japanese training sword. Lelouch recognized the game at once, suikawari. It was similar to piñata, with each participant being blindfolded, spun around three times, and then attempting to split the watermelon in two. Kallen excused herself with a fake cough, saying she probably wouldn't be able to dent them, but predictably Suzaku managed to smash a watermelon on the first try, cleanly cleaving it into two equal halves. Shirley also managed to smash her watermelon on the first try, though hers cracked into several pieces instead. She might have lacked Suzaku's absurd strength and long practice with a blade under Todoh's uncompromising tutelage, but she did better than the other girls who participated. It made sense. Shirley was an athlete, unlike Milly or Nina, and while Leila practiced Aikido, Shirley was taller than her, which let Shirley add more power to her swing. As was the tradition, everyone shared pieces of the watermelons afterward, which were deliciously juicy, something that brightened Kallen's mood.
"What exactly did you mean earlier, when you said Suzaku was being clueless?" Lelouch heard Rolo asking Rivalz.
"I don't think I quite phrased it that way," Rivalz replied. "But they're all into him," he said, glancing at Lelouch.
"Oh, I see," Rolo replied. "I must have misheard you."
xXx
The afternoon continued on. Lelouch had wandered down the beach, ostensibly collecting shells for Nunnally, but he was conversing with Arthur out of earshot of the others.
"We'll have to be prepared for that eventuality," Lelouch said, as they neared the end of their discussion.
"I agree," Arthur replied.
"Now that I think of it, Arthur, there's another incident that I want to -"
"Hey, Lulu!" Shirley waved, running over to them. "Aren't you going to come and rejoin the rest of us?"
"Yeah, I 'll be right there in a minute, Shirley!" he called back.
"We'll continue this another time," he told Arthur, bending down to pet him for the benefit of those watching, even he lowered his own voice.
Arthur nodded, watching the others having fun on the beach. "I'm glad we can all be together like this. But... knowing what we do now... I can't help but worry that our time together might come to an end." He frowned, and his voice was filled an uncharacteristic melancholy. "And that it might happen sooner, rather than later."
"You're thinking about what happened to Kallen's brother," Lelouch said softly. "And you fear that the same might happen to us in the Black Knights."
"Yeah," Arthur said, looking down. "It was all so sudden. We were ambushed by Shadows... and in the end, I was useless to help him. I had to go back and tell Kallen the news, that her brother wouldn't be coming back. You've known her long enough now to understand just how badly that affected her. And now, if she were to lose her friends at school in the Metaverse, or most of all, you..."
"That won't happen," Lelouch said firmly. "When the time comes, we'll let our enemies think that they have the upper hand... and that's when they'll learn how unwise they were to underestimate us. Besides, there's safety in numbers. It's a lot harder to wipe out a whole team of Persona-users than just one or two on their own. And with Nunnally and the Irregulars, we've got two teams at that."
"That's true," Arthur said. "But I still can't help but blame myself for what happened."
"There are some things that we'll never forgive ourselves for," Lelouch replied. "The key is to turn that regret into resolve, and to harness that resolve into action, so that those one has lost need not have died in vain. Already, the actions brought forth by our resolve have begun to ripple throughout and beyond Area 11. It's just a question now of whether you'll let your fears paralyze you, or whether you'll see your resolve and our justice through to the end."
Arthur nodded. "You're right. Naoto wouldn't want to see me like this. I'll be sure to make him proud, and keep all of you safe!"
Through the Magician Arcana, he could sense Arthur's sincere determination.
"That's more like it, Arthur," Lelouch smiled, petting him again. "And I know he would have been proud of you. You're as faithful of a feline companion as they come. Even though you could have run, and never set foot in the Metaverse again, you carried out his last wish without a second thought. And without that, I'd never have gotten together with Kallen, so I have to thank you for that too."
As the power of the Magician continued to resonate within him, it didn't hurt that Lelouch could feel that he was a little stronger now too.
xXx
When it came time to prepare dinner, Shirley and Leila each tried to help out with the cooking. It should have been a relatively straightforward meal, fried fish and foraged fruits and berries. But Shirley had absolutely none of the grace while trying to cook that she did in the water, and almost sent their meal tumbling straight into the fire, while it seemed that Leila had little concept of how to cook at all. Leila had been determined to make some kind of sauce for the fish, but she didn't have the proper ingredients. While she'd made some...creative substitutions with what they could find in the forest, what had started out seeming fairly promising quickly spiraled out of control. Leila had frantically tried to counteract the effects of whatever she had put in last, but it only made things worse.
"Leila, stop!" Milly called out. "Let me see what you have. Lelouch, you come too. You're pretty good at cooking, so maybe you can give her some advice."
Lelouch peered over to see what exactly Leila had simmering over the fire, and instantly wished that he hadn't. It was supposed to be a sauce, but overall it seemed to have a consistency more like pudding, though parts of it were runnier that it should have been. It smelled like burning, rotting eggs, rising up to his nostrils not as smoke, but as more of a thick, purplish miasma. Bits of wild mushrooms and herbs could be seen sprinkled in it, jiggling along with the mixture as parts of it started taking on a more gelatinous texture and turning a sickly green.
"Umm... Leila..." Milly asked as gently as she could. "What exactly did you put in there?"
Lelouch felt his stomach retching. That eldritch concoction was not food... it was an abomination, something that utterly defied the logic of the world but existed anyway, no matter how revolting it was.
"I'm sorry," Leila said softly. "Even I'm not sure how I managed to ruin it like that... And after everyone worked so hard to gather ingredients... What a waste..."
"Let's just get it away from the food," Milly said. "We'll bury it in the woods away from the campsite before it can stink everything up."
"My, what a surprise," a drawling voice said. It was Earl Asplund, accompanied by Cecile. "My fiancée doing some old-fashioned campfire cooking with her friends!" He paused, and his eyes lit up. "Is that pudding?" He asked excitedly.
"Earl Asplund, you don't understand-" Milly started desperately.
"There's no need to be modest." He ambled over to them, oblivious of the danger. "I'm sure it will be just fine. Let's give it a try."
"I think you should listen to her," Cecile started. "I don't think that's-"
Heedlessly, the earl produced a spoon and scooped up some of the vile mixture, putting it in his mouth before they could stop him.
The Earl swirled it around in his mouth once before he seemed to process exactly what he was attempting to ingest. He gagged on it, and his eyes began watering. He made an undignified dash across the beach, and proceeded to hurl it out, along with the other contents of his stomach, into the water.
xXx
"I'm so sorry," Milly said, as the Earl drank a canteen's worth of water to cleanse the foul taste from his mouth. "I tried to warn you."
"It's quite alright," the Earl replied. "Part of me wishes I could study the chemistry of what made such a noxious substance. Mystery Food X, I might call it for the lack of a better term. It certainly has potential as a chemical weapon... But even without a heart, I do not think I could stand to make such a dreadful weapon."
"Maybe you'd like to try something of mine next time instead," Cecile said with a smile. "I've been spending a lot of time practicing my cooking."
"I'll have to pass, Cecile. One culinary near-death experience is enough for me."
Thankfully, the meal, sans Mystery Food X, was delicious, in no small part due to Milly and Lelouch taking over for Shirley and Leila, and everyone found themselves contentedly full. Earl Asplund excused himself to meet with Nina in her tent to review her work, while the rest of them passed time in front of the campfire, telling ghost stories. When Nina emerged, she was beaming with pride.
xXx
The summer rains came in later that night, torrential and with winds howling. Nevertheless, Lelouch managed to sleep through the tempest, drifting into a most unusual dream. A distorted cinema.. a strange girl...allies present, past, and future... other realities coming together... In the center of it all, the maelstrom incarnate, an Administrator of the Collective Unconsciousness.
"If your resolve, beliefs, and determination are as you say... then prove this!" the Administrator boomed. One by one, the Administrator tried to erase his friends from existence, but they were saved by the faith of that strange girl, calling them back from oblivion. They rallied, Wild Cards striking in unison, and the Administrator was struck down.
"When humans interact with each other, each person takes a toll on the other's heart. Even if you drive me away, there will be no end to such strife."
In the end, the Administrator was gracious in defeat, yet promised to return as many times as necessary. But then the dream was over, and memories of it seemed to slip from Lelouch's grasp, leaving him with only fleeting fragments.
Still, he felt remarkably well rested when he awoke, invigorated even. The storm that had passed over Kamine Island had cleared, and Lelouch felt the urge to wander outside, guided by a shimmering blue butterfly. It seemed surreal. Was he still dreaming?
The butterfly led him to the edge of the waterfall, where a blue prison door gently gleamed in the dim morning light. Shi and Tsu were here after all, and they had created an entrance to the Velvet Room away from the camp, something Lelouch was thankful for. He stepped inside, at once finding himself in his cell, dressed in a straitjacket. He was still as much of a prisoner of the Velvet Room as always. Yet curiously, Igor was nowhere to be seen.
"How do you feel, Inmate?" Tsu's voice rang out.
"That was amazing, Mr. Lelouch!" Shi smiled. "You, Miss Nunnally, Mr.-"
"What are you talking about?" Lelouch asked.
"Pay it no mind," Tsu said, walking in front of his cell. "We don't have time to explain it to you if you can't be bothered to remember it. What matters is that the Nose was away during that tempest. He'll be back before long, but for once we can speak freely here, Inmate."
"Igor is behind everything," Lelouch said quickly. "Mementos, and the Palaces, I mean."
"That much was obvious, Inmate," Tsu replied. "I've been dropping hints for a while now."
"Our Master does not guide you as he should," Shi frowned. "He bosses you around like a slave... like us. I don't want him to hurt you, Mr. Lelouch." Shi started to cry.
"It's become clear that someone has tampered with our memories," Tsu continued. She narrowed her eyes. "Someone with something to hide. Someone who demands much, but gives little in return."
Lelouch nodded, recalling the pain Tsu had felt when he had asked her who constructed Mementos, and how Shi knew the words of a poem that she had no way of learning.
"We still can't remember everything that has been taken from us," Tsu concluded. "But what we've been able to piece together is enough."
"So what are you going to do about it?" Lelouch asked. "Are you simply going to let Igor do as he pleases? Or will you help me overthrow him?"
"Mr. Lelouch!" Shi gasped. "You can't! He'll kill you and your sister if he knows what you're planning! You can't rely on another miracle-"
"Another miracle?" Lelouch asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Never mind that," Tsu said, cutting her sister off. "The fact of the matter is, we are cursed to be bound to this room, alone for eternity. You can't change that... even if you are a Trickster, Inmate. We might enjoy your company for a time, but you'll die one day, along with anyone else who might have shown us kindness, leaving us only with pain."
"I think you should appreciate the company you have more," Lelouch retorted.
"Don't go getting a big head, Inmate," Tsu replied acidly.
"I wasn't talking about myself." He gestured at Shi. "I was talking about your sister. You'll never be alone as long as you have her. You don't realize how precious having a sibling can be. The only reason I was able to go on after the Invasion was because I had Nunnally."
Tsu glanced at Shi. "That's right... My... little sister... How could I... No, that's... Ugh!" She clutched her head in pain.
Shi hugged her sister. "It's okay. Don't rush yourself, Big Sister. You'll remember one day."
Tsu seemed to recover from her headache and nodded. "My sister's company or not, we're still trapped here, and it's hardly a kindness to tempt us with what we can never have."
"Then why call me here in the first place?" He asked forcefully. Seeing Tsu glower at him, he decided to take a different approach. "You know, I've never properly thanked you."
"For what, Inmate?" Tsu asked.
"My contract has always been with you, hasn't it? It was your voice that I heard when I awoke to my power, which let me take the first steps on my journey. And we're no longer just warden and inmate. You said it yourself. We're accomplices."
"Go on," Tsu said, eyeing him curiously.
"The terms of our contract were that I would make your wish come true. So what do you really want?"
"I want to be free!" Shi bobbed up and down. "I've seen so much on this trip, but there's so much out there that I want to see and do! I want to have as many friends as you do, Mr. Lelouch!"
Tsu frowned. "Do you know why snow is white, Inmate? Snow is white because it's forgotten what color it's supposed to be."
"Does it matter what color it's supposed to be?"
"What do you mean?"
"I think snow is beautiful. But more to the point, if you think you're empty, then you're like the number zero, and-"
"Filled with limitless possibilities," the sisters murmured in unison.
"If something's holding you back from realizing those possibilities, then smash it!"
"Is it really possible?" Tsu asked, looking away from him. "I'm a witch, a figment that pretends to be human, but doesn't belong in your world."
"If you're a witch, then I'm a demon, chained to hell itself," Lelouch told her.
"Trickster..." Tsu whispered. She looked up. "Even with our combined powers, we would not be a match for the Nose."
"Maybe we just need to believe in him, Big Sister!" Shi pleaded. "Maybe that can create a miracle for him!"
Tsu held up a hand. "Not yet." For a moment, Shi looked crushed with disappointment. "He can't do it as he is. But we will continue to guide him, until he proves himself ready." A slight smile spread on her face. "Perhaps I've grown foolish by spending too much time around you, Trickster." She glanced down at Shi. "You are prepared to see this through, even knowing that it will bring you pain?"
"Yes, Big Sister!"
Tsu sighed. "Then who am I to refuse my little sister when she's so earnest? She's almost like..." She paused.
"What is it?" Lelouch asked.
"It's nothing," Tsu said quickly. "Let us renew our contract, Trickster. When you are ready, we will stand by your side."
"I am thou… thou art I
Thou hast turned a vow into a blood oath
Thy bond shall become the wings of rebellion
And break the yoke of thy heart.
Thou hast awakened to the ultimate secret
of Death, granting thee infinite power…"
"Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld," Tsu mused. "The strongest Persona of the Death Arcana. You may have been right, sister. This is a small miracle in of itself."
"Normally, we'd never let you risk fusing such a powerful Persona," Shi said, beaming.
"But there are ways around that." Tsu smirked. "We could always give you... 'special treatment'. We really are your accomplices now, after all. Of course, we can't just do it for free. That would make the Nose too suspicious."
"And I thought you just wanted to feed your pizza habit."
"What a cruel man," Tsu smirked.
xXx
"Lelouch?" a familiar voice asked behind him as he left the Velvet Room.
Turning around, Lelouch saw Euphemia on the other side of the waterfall. "Euphy?"
"I managed to get here early, before that big storm last night, and I thought that I would try to see you when no one would notice my absence."
"You used the Navigator, didn't you?"
She nodded, and her expression turned serious. "Did you know that our older brother, Schneizel, is coming here?"
Lelouch nodded. "Earl Asplund mentioned it."
"Whatever's in those ruins has to be really important if he's making a detour from his mission to negotiate with the leaders of the Chinese Federation," Euphemia continued. "That's his official reason for being here, anyway, but we both know he isn't the type to be interested in simple sightseeing."
"Can you direct us to the ruins?" Lelouch asked. "All Earl Asplund said were that they were on the interior of the island."
"Once you're in the Metaverse, you can't miss them" she replied.
"What do you mean?"
Euphemia frowned. "There's a massive Distortion in the direction of the ruins. I only saw it from a distance... but... I think it might be a Palace."
"Who would have a Palace on a desert island?" Lelouch asked.
"I don't know," Euphemia replied, shaking her head. "Hopefully, we'll be able to find out."
He nodded. "I'll let the others know."
"I know you'll want to take a closer look in the Metaverse, but please be careful, Lelouch. I'll be able to take a look inside the ruins with Earl Asplund, so please don't be reckless." She handed him a small receiver. "I'll be wearing a microphone, so you'll be able to hear anything that we discuss once you're back in the real world. Its range is shorter than I'd like though, so you'll have to be pretty close."
"Thank you, Euphy. And I'll be careful. I promise."
xXx
"A competition?" Rivalz asked.
"Why not?" Milly asked. "First team to brave the forest, reach the top of the big mountain, and return to camp will be the winner! Oh, but we can make it like a scavenger hunt too, so you have to gather certain items in the forest first, or you'll be disqualified."
"Now you're making up the rules as you go along," Lelouch said. In this case, he knew what Milly was up to, but the others would think it unusual if he didn't object to such a half-baked game.
"President's orders!"
"Sounds fun," Suzaku grinned. Of course he would enjoy a physical activity like this.
"Shouldn't we stay closer to camp?" Rolo asked. "Aren't you afraid that we'll get in trouble? What if a team wanders too close to the ruins?"
"Don't be such a worrywart," Milly laughed. "I'm sure we all have the sense to turn back if we realize that we've gone too far!"
"As if she's one to talk about going too far," Lelouch heard Alice saying under her breath, but if Milly noticed, she made no indication of it.
Milly assigned the teams, deliberately ensuring that the Black Knights stayed together. Lelouch was paired up with Kallen. Milly, Leila, and Shirley formed a team of three, with Milly offering the excuse that she was the one who had invited Leila, so she should stick with her, and that Shirley was the most approachable member of the Student Council. Doubtlessly, the others thought it was to keep an eye on the two of them after the Mystery Food X fiasco. Rivalz was Suzaku's partner, and Nina went with Rolo. Officially, Alice would be staying behind with Nunnally, as her legs meant that she couldn't participate in the competition, but in actuality the two Irregulars had decided that they would accompany the Black Knights for as far as they could.
Lelouch and Kallen headed off toward the mountain together, as the teams slowly fanned out, ostensibly looking for the the items that Milly had put on the scavenger list. Once they were out of sight, Lelouch activated the Metaverse Navigator, and reality shifted around them. The forests around them seemed visibly unchanged, but as they turned toward the interior and looked through the gaps in the canopy, the skies turned a roiling red, shimmering with Distortion. But unlike the Distortions in Mementos, it did not seem to be a portal so much as an impenetrable wall, cutting off all access from the outside.
"Noire wasn't kidding," Kallen said. "Only a Palace could create a Distortion of that size."
"I'm sensing your position" Leila's voice spoke telepathically into his mind. "Everyone is in the Metaverse. Shall I direct them to investigate the Distortion."
"Affirmative," he thought back.
xXx
"I know this is kind of odd to bring up now," Kallen said as they walked, "But I had the strangest dream last night. I can't recall much of it, but it had my brother, and he was fighting alongside us."
"Funny that you should mention that," Lelouch replied. "I had an odd dream as well last night. I think-"
"Wait," Kallen said, suddenly interrupting him.
"What is it?" Lelouch asked.
"Look around us," she replied. "The atmosphere is getting more oppressive, and the forest more distorted." There now seemed to be a swirling in the air, floating specks of darkness being drawn inward toward the Distortion like it was an enormous vortex. "Palaces draw in Shadows. If we go much further, we're likely to run into Shadows here, even though we're outside of the Palace proper."
Lelouch concentrated, using the Third Eye. Though the world around him darkened, he could perceive shapes moving through the woods ahead, seemingly lumbering toward the Distortion like moths to a flame, their outlines surrounded by a menacing red glow.
"You're right," he said.
"Zero, this is Bishop," Leila's voice said telepathically. "I'm sensing hostiles ahead. They're much more powerful than the Shadows we've fought in the Palaces so far. We can't proceed any further here in the Metaverse without risking being wiped out. I'm going to contact the others and make sure they know as well."
"Yes, please do so," he thought back.
"It seems that Speed and your sister have already encountered the Shadows," Leila reported after a moment.
"What?!" Lelouch thought in sudden alarm. "Are they alright?"
"We're fine, big brother," Nunnally's voice replied, relayed to him through Leila's telepathic connection between both of them. "Thanks to Speed, we were able to get out of there. She's so fast! And as soon as we had moved out of the Distorted area, the Shadows seemed to forget all about us. They just kept heading towards the center of the Distortion."
Lelouch felt he understood better now why Order had specifically requested that Alice accompany them on their trip. Besides the fact that she was the only one, besides Nunnally, to be enrolled at Ashford Academy, Alice could, moreso than any of the other Irregulars, be counted upon to protect their leader, serving as Nemo's de facto bodyguard in the Metaverse. Furthermore, Alice's speed would allow her, and, by extension, Nunnally, to, if necessary, make escapes that simply wouldn't be possible for another member.
"I'm glad that you're alright, and that you had Speed there with you," he replied to Nunnally. Assuming that Alice could hear him as well through Leila, he added, "Thank you."
"There's no need to thank me," Alice answered back, confirming that his assumption was indeed the case. "It's my job in the Irregulars to keep Nemo safe. She may be able to use multiple Personas, like you can, but someone needs to be there to have her back, so she can focus on doing what she does best."
"There's no need to be modest, Speed," he heard Nunnally say. "You always do such a good job protecting me that if I was still a princess, I'd probably make you my Knight."
Nunnally's Knight? Since their days back at the Kururugi Shrine, Lelouch had assumed that someone like Suzaku would fill that role, though that was partly because he trusted very few other people back then, and few had enough martial skill to compete against his old friend.
These days, Kallen was one of the few people he knew around their own age who could probably go toe to toe with Suzaku, but if he was still a prince, he would have Kallen be his Knight instead of Nunnally's. He doubted that Alice could match either Suzaku or Kallen in raw power, but when it came to sheer agility and reflexes... Alice might have the edge there, if what Nunnally had told him about her was any indication. And certainly, Suzaku wouldn't be accompanying his sister into the Metaverse, so he had to admit that Alice really was the most likely candidate to be Nunnally's Knight, especially given that his sister seemed to feel comfortable around her as well.
Though, now that he was thinking on the topic of Knights of Honor, Euphemia was still a princess, but hadn't chosen a Knight of her own yet.
What kind of person would Euphy choose when she finally did?
"I think we're past the guards' perimeter," Lelouch said mentally, pivoting back to the task at hand. "Bishop will hold her position and guide both you and the rest of us there so that we can join up. Then, we'll return to the real world, and see what we can discover."
xXx
Thankfully, everyone arrived safely at the rendezvous point, and they left the Metaverse together. Lelouch carried Nunnally on his back as they made their way through the woods. She was chagrined at being a liability, but the fact remained that she couldn't walk on this side, and it wasn't practical for her to bring her wheelchair with her on excursions into the Metaverse either, as it was just an unneeded burden for her in that other world. In any case, the rough terrain would have have largely made Nunnally's wheelchair useless here. Still, she seemed happy that he was bringing her with him, and Lelouch would never begrudge Nunnally that. Besides, she deserved to learn whatever secrets the island held with them. They could have simply turned back and eavesdropped through Euphy's receiver, but some things were better seen in person.
They soon came upon cliffs that overlooked a large clearing, with a cave opening on the other side. Euphemia was in the clearing, accompanied by Earl Asplund and a platoon of Britannian soldiers. They appeared to be waiting for something, or someone.
Arthur's head perked up. "Something's coming."
"From where?" Milly whispered.
"Above," Arthur replied as he looked upward.
"No way..." Shirley gasped as a large shadow passed overhead.
It was an aircraft of some sort, though perhaps it was better described as an airship. It had wings of a kind, but not like those of a plane, near the back and seeming short compared to its length, which must have been about 200 meters, bending up at the ends. It moved smoothly through the air, and was far quieter than a jet or a VTOL would have been, giving the impression that was it floating in defiance of gravity. The craft's underbelly was white, with gold-trimmed landing gear that resembled skis, though its sides were covered in plates that had been painted orange. It appeared to be fairly lightly armed, but it had a long main gun in the front. No, that wasn't a main gun. As the airship drew closer, Lelouch saw that it was a track of some kind.
"I've never seen a ship like that before, but it has to be Schneizel's personal transport," Lelouch hissed. Schneizel had always been a strong supporter of the sciences in Britannia, and as its Prime Minister, he would have access to most of the latest breakthroughs. No doubt his new airship would make quite an impression upon the Chinese Federation, a show of Britannian's technological superiority.
The airship landed in the clearing, a boarding ramp lowered, and sure enough, Second Prince Schneizel emerged.
"To think you two are related, Lulu..." Shirley murmured, looking down at the Second Prince.
"Quiet," Lelouch whispered. "Let's just listen."
"Euphy, this is a surprise!" the Second Prince said warmly.
"Schneizel, I've missed you!" the Third Princess and spy for the Black Knights replied, moving as if to embrace him, but stopping short, as if remembering protocol.
"What brings you here, Euphy?" Schneizel asked.
"I heard that you'd be coming here before making your final approach to the Settlement, and I wanted to be the first to greet you to Area 11. Though I do admit that I am curious about the ruins here as well. I had no idea that this island used to be inhabited."
"Very few people know that this island exists these days," Schneizel replied. He turned to Earl Asplund. "I heard you invited your fiancée and some of her friends here?"
"Yes, Your Highness," the Earl admitted. "They're on the other side of the island."
"Going forward, we shouldn't be so lax about security. This island is supposed to be classified." The Second Prince laughed disarmingly. "But I can hardly blame you for wanting to share a paradise like this with her. We all bend the rules from time to time, don't we? As long as she doesn't talk about the island and stays away from the ruins, I do not see any harm in it."
"Thank you, your highness," the Earl said. "Though if I may ask, what exactly are you expecting to find in these ruins that requires the Druid System? We're still waiting on the Zevons to complete the Gawain's frame, and here you need its brain."
"I trust you've heard of Code-R?" Schneizel asked.
"Who hasn't?" the Earl shrugged. "The Black Knights have seen to it that almost everyone in Area 11 has heard of it."
"You mean... that horrible project Clovis was working on?" Euphemia frowned, perfectly playing the part of one who didn't know more than what had been publicly leaked or confessed to.
"The same," Schneizel nodded. "While we may never know exactly what Code-R entailed, as those who worked on it are sadly no longer with us, from what we've been able to piece together, it was research into a field known as Cognitive Psience."
"Psience?" Earl Asplund asked. "As in Psionics? That's just occultism masquerading as science."
"Clovis believed it though, as did the late General Bartley. We managed to retrieve some documents from Bartley. Evidently, they thought the ruins on this island might hold the key to opening the door to another world. They couldn't figure out how to activate the mechanisms within, but they noted that they bore a resemblance to a neural network, though exceedingly complex. But with the Druid System, we may finally be able to fully map and discern its internal workings. Even if this 'Cognitive World' is just a fantasy, the builders of the ruins within were unquestionably advanced, and I'm sure we have much to learn from their technology."
"Hmm... so any sufficiently advanced technology may seem indistinguishable from magic?" Earl Asplund said, stroking his chin. "You've got my interest."
"What did our brother want to gain from all this?" Euphemia asked.
"I don't know, Euphy," Schneizel said. His expression turned grave. "Though there is something else that troubles me from Bartley's reports."
"What is it, Schneizel?" Euphemia asked.
Schneizel glanced over his shoulder, and lowered his voice to a conspiratorial tone, though they could still here him through Euphemia's microphone. "This isn't the only site with such ruins. His Majesty has been aggressively investigating sites like this one across the world. Sites that happen to be located within the countries we've conquered. But that's not all. Back in Pendragon, I can say that His Majesty grows less interested in handling 'mundane' matters of governance with each passing day. The only counsel he seems to accept these days comes from those strange, robed advisors who are always in his shadow. They've been part of the court for as long as anyone can remember, but something's not right. I fear His Majesty is more immersed in the research of 'Cognitive Psience' than Clovis ever was, and so too I must understand what would drive His Majesty to such lengths."
"Why tell me this?!" Euphemia gasped. "That's-"
"I trust you, Euphy," Schneizel whispered. "When the time comes, you'll do the right thing."
Lelouch scowled. Schneizel wasn't somebody who trusted other people. Schneizel used them. Could Schneizel somehow suspect Euphemia's involvement in the Black Knights, or was he reading too much into it? As for Schneizel's other revelation, if his father was so obsessed with these ruins, then the Distortion they had witnessed was most likely...
"Charles zi Britannia... Kamine Island Ruins," Lelouch whispered into the MetNav.
"What are you doing?" Leila said in alarm. "If we go into the Metaverse here-"
He felt something resonate. "Keyword needed to acquire destination's coordinates," the MetNav replied.
So the MetNav didn't reject the other two keywords as invalid. Somehow, this this desert island was the location of his father's Palace, an implication that Leila immediately grasped when she saw the results on his screen.
It was frustrating. Who knew when they would be able to come back to Kamine Island and steal his father's twisted heart? But he had no idea what his father saw this place as, and so entrance was denied to him. Even if they could enter, it would be suicidal at the moment, considering the strength of the Shadows that were being drawn into it.
"Well, I'm just another cog in the machine, as they say," they heard Earl Asplund say below with a shrug. "Let's get started!"
A/N:
Another longer delay between chapters compared to the more rapid pace I had at the start of the chapter. To be fair, I believe this is the single longest chapter to date, and portions of it underwent 2-3 rewrites, though I think the chapter is much stronger for them.
I exaggerated Leila's lack of skill to the point of her making Mystery Food X, but she is a poor cook in canon.
The "dream" in the middle of the chapter is a nod to Persona Q2, a spinoff crossover title that includes the P5 cast, so I thought I would make reference to it in this chapter as well.
I originally planned for some particularly difficult quests to conclude the Death Confidant (which I think I can still work in later in a modified form), but I decided for reasons of pacing it was better to cut those for now. Persephone is also an altered ultimate Persona compared to canon Persona 5. Those familiar with both Code Geass and Shin Megami Tensei may be able to hazard a guess as to why I chose Persephone, but I can't get into that without spoilers. I will say however that one secondary reason was that P5's canonical ultimate Persona is named 'Alice', which would be confusing with another character already named Alice in the story.
The existence of the ruins as Kamine Island may strike readers as odd, as I've said that the story takes place in a world without Geass. It is true that Geass does not exist in the setting, but there is more to this than I've let on, which will be revealed later in the story.
Fun fact, you can see one of those "robed advisors" (those who have watched Code Geass will know who they actually are) standing behind the Emperor in the scene where Lelouch is banished in the anime.
Next time, we will (very briefly) conclude the summer trip, and then move onto Mementos and the main 5th arc.
Edit: Revised Lelouch's conversation with Arthur.
Edit 2: Realized that Oz the Reflection made it so that the Zevon Family was in part responsible for the development and manufacture of the Gawain (though surprisingly little is actually said about its development in the original TV series), so I slightly adjusted the dialogue to account for this.
Edit 3: Further revisions to Lelouch's conversation with Arthur, for consistency with previous changes and some expanded dialogue for Nunnally/Alice, along with Lelouch's reflections on it.