"Please tell me you don't have a pizza obsession." Suzaku asked when it was just them.
("My, you must be referring to someone in particular. Another immortal?") E2 smirked.
"Well, you suggested we get to know each other." Suzaku actually pulled the cloth mask down.
("I can't stand the stuff. Those people who held me captive would eat it constantly. I despised the smell.") E2 studied the young man's face curiously.
"How did you get captured if you don't mind me asking?"
("I shared a bit of myself, now it's your turn.") The smirk returned as Suzaku scowled.
"What do you want to know, then?" He gave in.
("Let's start easy. Favorite hobbies?")
"I like practicing with the sword. I study Britannian fencing and Japanese traditional styles."
E2 blinked. His eyes lit up.
("Would you mind a sparring partner?")
"You know how? What styles?" Suzaku was a little surprised. Then he recalled when they first met. E2 had moved with experience in turning the weapon against its owner.
("I studied traditional Japanese katas, Britannia fencing, Old Britannia sword fighting, and French.")
"Old Britannian?" Suzaku raised his eyebrows.
("It's based off of Old English, way back to Arthurian days. If you'd like, I can teach you.") E2 offered.
"It would be interesting." The young man could see the vast differences between E2 and C2.
For one, E2 wasn't so secretive the majority of the time. He has thus far shown he doesn't like to remain idle and watch the world burn. Although towards the end, Suzaku supposed C2 wasn't so idle anymore. She realized she gotten herself attached and began to take initiative.
("So, tell me about this immortal that casted a bad light on you.") E2 sensed that Suzaku's mind wandered.
"Her name is C2. She was the one who made a contract with the original Zero. I was there the day they met, actually. But I didn't witness the contract being initiated."
A deep scowl took form. And Suzaku couldn't help but compare it to Lelouch. He had to remind himself that this was an immortal who was more fluent than Lelouch in Japanese.
"I take it you know of her."
("To be honest, I can't stand her. I've only met her once to understand that we would clash. But, I suppose someone as old as her would be excused for her view of the world.")
"To each their own, I suppose." Suzaku hesitated for a moment. He had a very sneaking suspicion. "Are you tied in with the royal family?"
("Britannia?") E2 tilted his head. But after years of knowing Lelouch, Suzaku could see the guarded mask slipping onto the immortal's face.
"I mean, you have an uncanny resemblance to the tyrant emperor. Even Nunnally was almost fooled. And you claim to have been a diplomat who was assassinated by your own people."
("This is my personal sin to carry on my own. If you wish, I will explain that I am indirectly an ancestor. I've never been the heir or inherited the throne.")
"Explain indirectly." Suzaku was curious now.
"My grandson inherited the throne because my daughter was a woman and lost her husband to a war."
"And why was it your grandson?" Suzaku noticed the change of language.
"My mother was sister to the emperor. And his only son was sickly. My cousin lost his wife and child during labor. So he named my grandson as heir instead of marrying again to try. He died young in the end and my teenage grandson became the direct ancestor of the current royal family."
That was a lot to take in. So technically, E2 wasn't ever in power. But in the end his family line inherited the power. Although Suzaku still had a lot of questions, there was one that stood out the most.
("What was your relationship with the original Zero?")
"We were childhood friends. But then we changed. I believed that Britannia can change from the inside. He believed that it needed a great force to break the cycle."
("And in the end you became Zero and he was the tyrant emperor that needed to be stopped. Interesting.") E2 hummed.
"So if your cousin was sickly, why weren't you ever considered heir?" Suzaku turned to him. If he was right to assume how these things worked, shouldn't E2 have been named heir?
("The Emperor made a mistake. He asked me if I would accept the title before going public.")
"Why is it a mistake?" That was surprising.
E2 made a face. He could have countered and ask Suzaku a question to answer. Instead he continued.
("My father believed I was not his. From an entire family of blonds and redheads, I was born with brown hair. So my father forced my mother into having another child. My brother became the heir of my father's legacy, leaving me with nothing.)
"I see. I don't think he would have been very happy to learn you becoming heir to the throne." Suzaku assumed. Honesty he couldn't understand how people thought sometimes.
("I named myself a diplomat before my dear uncle could name me heir. He was infuriated of course. But I couldn't explain why I refused. And so I earned my own place in the world without my father's help.")
"Except you were turned by your own people?" This puzzled Suzaku.
("They wanted Japan. They knew with my death on their soil, it would give them reason to invade. But behind the scenes I pulled the strings, and forced my brother to come forward with evidence that it wasn't the Japanese who were behind my death. It was the least I could do when they were more welcoming than my own family.")
Suzaku could understand in a way. Now he was beginning to understand the full picture of E2.
("Why did you accept the role of Zero?") E2 finally turned it around.
"I have to see it through. The dream of a peaceful world. And protect Empress Nunnally." Suzaku stared out the window.
E2 stared. He read a strange mixture of pain and hope in those eyes. E2 supposed it wasn't so different as himself pulling the strings to save Japan from war.
"May I ask why you believe it's your sin to carry alone? Is it because of what Britannia became under Charles and Lelouch?"
("Partly. The other is I should have done more. But I believed that they would make themselves fall. I didn't count that the rest of the world would hurt in doing so.") E2 looked away, staring out the window.
Suzaku considered his words a bit. So the immortal believed himself to carry the burden, the blame for how the world was almost destroyed because of the royal family? His direct descendants at that.
He approached closer to the immortal. E2 noticed and watched warily. He still had to unlearn that everyone was out to get him and hurt him. This was his first day out of the bed after being bedridden.
"I don't believe you are fully to blame. If anything, you now have a chance to help reshape the world to heal. Lelouch was exactly what we needed to break the world. And we're meant to pick up the pieces." Suzaku explained. "So allow me to help you carry that sin."
E2 blinked slowly. Although he didn't fully believe what was said, he felt the weight not so heavy on his shoulders. He silently nodded.
xXx
A few days later Kallen began hearing sounds from a courtyard. Like sword fighting? She glanced out a window to the sight of Suzaku sparring with the immortal they most recently rescued.
Having already heard that they were given the green light from Empress Nunnally, Kallen grew curious enough to meet the man. Everyone who knew the specifics were talking. Apparently he went by E2, and he wasn't afraid of being social.
Kallen approached but remained well away as they practiced. She was surprised to notice that Suzaku was without the Zero costume. It had been a long time since she's seen him this relaxed.
Then she turned her attention on the shorter man. And noticed a detail she found a bit surprising.
"You're left handed?" She asked.
("I can use my other hand if I wanted. But, yes, I am.") E2 paused to glance her way.
"So you really can speak it fluently." Kallen had her doubts at first.
Suzaku stopped altogether. He took this opportunity to grab a water bottle. He tossed one at the immortal, who caught it with his non dominant hand.
"I've been around for a while." E2 stated before sipping the water.
"Kallen, this is E2. E2, this is Kallen." Suzaku introduced after nearly gulping his whole bottle.
"The one who strikes first in Zero's forces?" E2 had been given some history of the people closest to the young man.
"Yes. And you're someone special. You did cause Suzaku to break a promise to Empress Nunnally." Kallen felt smug when Suzaku began choking on the last of his water.
"Is my existence an offense to you personally?" E2 didn't even bat an eye. In fact he turned his full attention to her, but even the tone of his voice was meant that he enjoyed the fact he can irritate people.
"No." She huffed. "I'm just stating facts."
E2 smirked. He wasn't at all bothered by her. In fact he seemed to be relaxing. And Kallen couldn't help but make a connection.
"You're related to Lelouch." This earned very interesting reactions.
Suzaku's face hardened. He had turned around to address them when Kallen spoke. E2 simply shrugged. But something about his eyes changed. Kallen had been around Lelouch long enough to sense the mood change.
("Perhaps I am, maybe I'm not. I won't answer yes or no.")
That was confirmation enough.
"Does the Empress know?" Kallen turned to Suzaku.
"That is for me to speak with her about."
Kallen didn't like this one bit. Already she was seeing so many similarities. And it horrified her on the inside. The world had one Lelouch. At least this man was an immortal and thus, no Geass power to create chaos.
"If you'd like, would you be interested in learning the art of a sword?" E2 made an attempt to diffuse the atmosphere.
"You would really teach me?" Kallen blinked.
("If you're to remain as Zero's right hand, then I would like to see how you would hold up if a situation arose that you are forced out of the Guren and nothing but a sword at your side.")
"We use Knightmare Frames, not hand to hand combat." She scoffed.
("Tell me one situation where you were separated from your Knightmare Frame and you managed to fend off enemies successfully without help.") He looked her dead in the eye.
And she paled. Kallen frowned, recalling a very distinct memory of being captured by Suzaku single handedly. And it took trading her with Princess Euphemia and then they just so happened to fall straight down to a Knightmare Frame.
It all must have been read on her face, for E2 smirked. He was also trying not to laugh because Suzaku might have recalled the same incident. The two didn't know it, but there was a faint blush on both of them.
("I rest my case. Suzaku, take a break. If you wish to come back and help, by all means. So long as your break is twenty to thirty minutes.") E2 instructed.
Suzaku left swiftly. He decided it was time to inform Empress Nunnally what he knew. They chose a balcony to oversee E2 training Kallen.
"I think I know who he is now." Nunnally stated after Suzaku explained.
"So it's true?" He had some doubts, but the pain E2 showed wasn't a farce.
"Yes. I am unsure about the whole speculation that he's the product of adultery. But the rest of his story aligns with what little I remember. Big brother looked up to him when we had to learn about our family tree."
"I see. Was that when you were both heirs?" Suzaku wasn't sure how to take this information.
"Mhmm. Everyone pointed at Elijah's grandson as the reason for our great beginning into the modern era. But Lelouch pointed at Elijah. Apparently, he was a great diplomat. And a skilled swordsman. He was unrivaled even for the Knights of the Round at that time."
Suzaku glanced down. He could understand why. E2's movements were fluid. He had the ability to calculate ten steps ahead and act accordingly. From their distance they could hear him giving tips.
("Your best bet is surprising the enemy. Don't focus on overpowering. It will waste your energy. You do have speed on your side. But it means nothing if you tire out and unable to escape after you've won.")
For Kallen, she watched his movements. She was beginning to understand how he guarded. There were two second windows. But if she timed it wrong then his sword will pierce through her.
Then I just need to be faster! Kallen poured all of her speed into her legs. E2 sensed that she was up to something. He tried to block.
With the motions of their weapons Suzaku felt a spike of fear. He leaped down from the balcony like two stories was nothing. He rolled and got up, but had missed the critical moment only to see that they ended with a draw.
Kallen's sword had nicked the immortal's cheek. Meanwhile his was twisted around to press against her exposed throat. Perhaps the only reason it didn't mark her was because of Suzaku's sudden appearance in an attempt to interfere.
"...Like that?" Kallen breathed, taking in large gulps of air.
That took everything out of her. The shocked and furious expression was replaced with a smirk. And although his crimson eyes danced with boiling anger, there was also a sense of pride in them. He was the first to pull away, and she relaxed as they placed some distance between them.
("Yes. Just like that. But without the risking your own safety. As a fair warning I do tend to snap at the sight of my own blood. You're lucky Suzaku had the chance to interfere.") E2 explained.
"I won't apologize for something I didn't know." At the glare from Suzaku, she continued. "But, I will keep that in mind in the future."
("I suppose that will do. Let's turn this into a habit, shall we? Both of you need some work.") E2 wasn't bothered by her manners.
"Just so long as I'm around to intervene when it's you two." Suzaku made a stipulation.
("Fair enough. Let's say, twice a week for the both of you then? Oh, and feel free to extend the invitation to anyone who would be interested.") E2 surprised them.
"If you're okay with speaking English. I don't fancy myself as a translator." Kallen suggested.
"I don't mind the occasional common speech. It is my birth language, after all." E2 shrugged.
"Then why prefer Japanese?" Kallen asked what was on everyone's mind.
("It's the native language of someone very dear to me that I've lost.") His voice softened, eyes distant.
They didn't inquire any further on the matter.
