Chapter Title: French Meddling

Alternate Chapter Title: Of Children and Subterfuge

Area Two was the largest region under the control of a single Viceroy within Britannia. It was first established by Ricardo von Britannia when he conquered Canada in 1823 and then extended to the North and Western Coast. Due to its climate, most of Area Two remained unsettled and unexplored until a westward exploratory push in the 1860s which resulted in Alaska joining Area Two. Already larger than any other area in Britannia, it grew even larger when Iceland and Greenland petitioned to join Britannia to stay out of the European conflict. The large landmass made it difficult to govern and react in a timely manner to internal threat.

Canada retained much of its French roots and within the E.U, the French believed that Canada was rightfully their territory. These factors led to massive espionage efforts within Area Two, specifically the Canadian portion. Taking advantage of ineffective governance, the E.U. supplied weapons and trained terrorists. Initially focusing on those with French heritage, operatives began to also focus on Irish refugees who struggled to establish themselves.

While numerous terrorist cells operated within Area Two, nothing prepared Britannia for the devastating Bombing of Maineige Delac on March 7, 2012. The opening gambit of the elusive Count's Crows created ripple effects within Britannia. Area Two turned into a bloodbath as both sides mounted indiscriminate attacks that often caught civilians in the midst.

—Terrorism in Area Two

Unknown Location, Pendragon

Inside her decadent room and out of sight, Marianne gingerly held the letter from Lelouch. It had arrived in the mail at last. Her son had finally written back. He had been rather cold in his reply, writing only the bare minimum, but he had replied. She breathed in deeply and a smile formed on the small childish face of Anya. Her fingers traced his neat penmanship and she could feel a tear forming in her eyes. Her son...

Nunnally had written to her too. The letter, while more verbose and kind than Lelouch's felt colder. It lacked the personal touch of ink gliding across the paper. V.V. had stolen her daughter's sight and with it, a fundamental connection. At least she seemed to be doing well, cheerfully elaborating on the upcoming party she was planning with Milly. Marianne was proud of her daughter for continuing to strive forward and not letting her disability hinder her.

If Lelouch knew of her current predicament, of being unable to return to her body, because a part of her yearned for the return of her legs, he would be disappointed. Very disappointed.

Marianne set the letter down and glanced at her body hooked up to an I.V. in the corner of the room. It looked like she was sleeping and could wake up any second. Yet, Marianne was trapped outside of it. Without her body, she would be unable to reply to her son. To write a new letter. To greet him when he had military leave. To celebrate her daughter's birthday. She already missed three birthdays.

Walking to her body, Marianne sat down beside it and grasped its hand. She was pathetic. A worthless mother. Lelouch and Nunnally were right to be cross with her. How long had she stayed away? And now? They were growing older and more distant while she masqueraded as a child. The question was what could she do to fix it. Lord Siebenberg had revealed that there were nobles targeting her sweet precious angels. The noble court wasn't safe and, as much as she loathed to admit it, their current anonymity kept them safe. But did that mean she had to leave them alone? Surely there was room for a mother in their lives still.

She wanted to see them.

To hold them.

To fight for them.

Her eyes opened and stared at the paneled ceiling. Familiar aches crossed her body and Marianne grimaced, before smiling. It didn't matter if her body was weak. She would overcome it. For her children. There was no room for doubt anymore. The only path was forward.

"I'm sorry" asked a small delicate voice, and Marianne turned to Anya pressing her head against the ground. "I'm so sorry your majesty. Please forgive me. I'm sorry for being a bother."

"Shh, sweetie. It's alright. Can you pass me the phone on the table?"

Anya nodded hesitantly and Marianne smiled. Charles would take care of things and insure that she remembered nothing of importance. But Marianne would make sure her service was acknowledged. If anything, she could make sure that Anya had refuge from that awful woman. It was the least she could do after co-opting the young girl's body. Especially, because she wasn't foolish enough to discount the possibility that it could happen again.

Anya pressed the phone into Marianne's outstretched hand, bowing and retreating meekly. "Your majesty."

"Thank you Anya. Why don't you sit down. No need to be so formal." Marianne looked down at the phone and sent a quick message to Charles. Anya sat and folded her hands together. Marianne pursed her lips. The poor child looked like she wanted to disappear. "What do you like to do Anya?"

Shinjuku, Tokyo, Area 11

Tohdoh smiled as he and Lieutenant General Iki passed a few Japanese children collecting scrap and shouting in excitement when they found something rare or particularly shiny. A young girl sprinted past them with her bounty, laughing and pursued by a younger sibling shouting, "neesan". Britannia might have tried to grind them into dust, but they had failed. There was a glimmer of hope and life continued on. It was up to Tohdoh to nurture the small sparks and let them grow into strong powerful flames.

"We have an additional twenty young men and women that expressed interest in joining. Right now, Narita is self-sufficient enough, but if we continue to grow, we'll need our own supply chain."

Tohdoh nodded as his eyes passed over the various Japanese signs hidden out of the way. Numbers weren't supposed to engage in business, but the underground market was flourishing. People traded goods for food and rarely yen. Origami cranes littered one stall as industrious children worked. Less savory business hid weapons in the back, only visible when a customer flashed them accidentally while walking away. Knives were particularly common and Tohdoh mused that former cooks were making a decent fortune, especially those, selling hot, Japanese meals.

Tohdoh finally said, "We'll need to do it soon. We cannot become reliant on Britannia. Food is of utmost important. Then we need to distribute medicine and books."

"Are you sure that is wise? We'll be redirecting important resources and we still do not have an adequate funding source."

Tohdoh knew what the late General Katase would have thought. He would have focused all their effort into military might and waste away in the Narita mountains, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. But patience could only do so much. Patience was key, but the people of Japan were more important. If the culture of Japan and the very essence of what made them Japanese was lost, no military victory could recapture it. No, they could not be idle.

"Britannia will not protect our people. We will. That's our job. We're not terrorists or criminals, but protectors. And right now, our people need food, medical aid, and time to recover," and then their people would be loyal. There would be those that disagreed but the Japan Liberation Front was for Japan and all those in it.

"And are we going to be able to secure the necessary resources? The Endo house is rumored to be aiding a vigilante group the Namazu in Nagoya and the Haneda are supporting the Fukushu, safe within the E.U."

Todoh snorted. "Rich cowards the lot of them. They can hide in Australia, China, the E.U, and live in the lap of luxury, while we toil away. And when we reclaim Japan, they'll come back, expecting a warm welcome for the meager efforts, despite the fact the Endo sold weapons to Britannia and the Haneda family circumvented the embargo to sell Britannians luxury cars. At least the Kyoto House is honest about their betrayal."

"My grandfather had a will in Australia and some assets out of the country. Would need to show up there myself to claim any of it." Lieutenant General Iki looked to the side as they entered the plaza with Britannian merchants on the side. His voice lowered, for one could never be too careful. "I'd like to wait a while. There's... a chance that he is still alive. But if not, I think he'd support you. It could get us some decent supplies for a couple of months."

It was a nice gesture, but he wasn't going to force the young man to part with his inheritance. Tohdoh silently cursed his own foolishness for not keeping some money offshore. It wouldn't have been a lot, but it would have been something. Instead, he just had hard cold cash and with little Ko, that would soon run dry.

They walked into the courtyard as Britannians began to mingle in the crowd. Tohdoh raised his eyebrows as he saw a small group of school children, huddled together, browsing the wares. There was a new mall nearby, he would have expected them to go there, but then, the goods were cheaper here.

"They're from Ashford Academy, aren't they? Of course, while Ashford is pushing the envelope allowing commoners and nobles to attend, our own people cannot," bitterly said Lieutenant General Iki.

Tohdoh nodded. "We'll need to find school teachers. Just because Britannia may forbid us from forming schools, does not mean we have to comply. It would go a long way."

The younger man nodded and pulled out a small notebook to make a note. He suddenly stopped. "Is that? Suzaku?"

Turning around, his heart hammering in his chest, Tohdoh caught sight of Suzaku's familiar brown hair. He wasn't in danger. Wasn't doing anything dangerous. He was... working?

"What the hell is he thinking?" Tohdoh hissed and marched forward.

Looking up from setting down a large box, Suzaku caught sight of him and his face paled. A dark skinned woman shouted at him, and Suzaku hurried inside the stall. Lieutenant General Iki's hand settled on his shoulder and Tohdoh took a deep breath, trying to process the sudden surge of anger inside him.

Suzaku was bowing his head to Britannia. But he was making money for his family.

Suzaku had found a job. But he wasn't in danger.

Suzaku had accepted... No.

There had to be a mistake. Tohdoh took a deep breath. Suzaku cared about his country, he had been traumatized by the invasion, and this was just a way of coping. It didn't mean Suzaku would let Britannians roll over him. This was a means to an end. A means of survival. He had to believe that. Nagisa had known. She had told him. Everything was fine.

Suzaku slipped away from the stall and stopped before him. "Tohdoh-Sensei?

His mouth suddenly felt dry. "Suzaku, you don't have to do this."

Green eyes stared at him in confusion. "We need the money."

The woman was staring at him, waiting for him to let Suzaku return. "Suzaku. I'm here now and we've got it under control. I know some people and we'll get food. Everyone will get food, medicine. There's no need to work for... Britannians."

"But that's illegal."

Tohdoh opened his mouth to argue back and closed it again. Illegal? Britannia had taken everything from them and wanted to crush them under its boot. And Suzaku was worried about legality? "We won't get caught. Nobody will get in trouble."

Suzaku shook his head. "It's wrong... Britannia won. We lost."

"And we should just roll over?"

"Yes," Suzaku answered simply as if there wasn't a question in the first place. "Britannia has the power to do whatever it wants. Resisting... will only lead to more death. I don't want anyone else to die."

Lieutenant General Iki interrupted, his voice severe, "Britannia doesn't care if we live or die. It's our duty to resist!"

Suzaku shot back, "And the law exists for a reason! If everyone did whatever they wanted, the world would fall into chaos. I'm going to go back to work now."

Tohdoh now grabbed his subordinates shoulder to stop him from storming after Suzaku. "Let him be."

"He's you student isn't he? The Prime Minister's son. How can he say that!"

"Kururugi-Shushou taught his son to obey the law," Tohdoh explained sadly. And Suzaku had killed his father to save lives. There was still a part of him broken, laying beside his father and the pool of blood. Or maybe it had been lost even earlier when he wandered through the mounds of the dead. "Let him be. He has his own grief, and I will not deny him."

The burning anger and indignation fizzled out within him and Tohdoh suddenly felt drained. Tiredly, he watched Suzaku diligently work with his head bowed. Where was the proud student that he had taught? The war had caused a chasm, and watching his student now, drove home the distance between them.

Tohdoh wanted to build a bridge and help Suzaku off the ledge that he had inadvertently trapped himself on, but Tohdoh had a duty to Japan; a duty that had to come first. And in committing to helping Japan, his student would be lost. He had failed.

Turning around, Tohdoh returned to the previous subject, "We'll be meeting with the French representative before heading back to the base. It should temporarily solve our cash problem, especially if we can show some strength. I don't want to give them any of our scavenged knightmares yet, but they should sell for a decent profit should the French be unaccommodating."

If Lieutenant General Iki heard his voice crack, he didn't comment. "We can't trust them. There are rumors that they were involved in an assassination attempt during a peace talk. It doesn't show honor."

"Ah, Empress Marianne. Wouldn't you do the same to take out a dangerous enemy commander. She led the attack on Japan. If the French were successful, they did us a favor." Hopefully, she was dead. She had wanted to kill his student and she and her husband had deceived Japan. Using children as political tools was reprehensible. Not to mention her reprehensible executions in Tokyo.

"I would treat my enemy with honor even if I despised them. The French have just shown themselves to be cowards, unbefitting the legacy of Napoleon and his grand conquest."

Tohdoh lowered his voice as a Britannian passed them with a look of disgust. "It isn't necessarily what happened. Britannia had a tendency of lying to its people. Napoleon's guillotine for example. Any historian worthy of their title, would say it's poor Britannian propaganda, but Britannia still continues to claim that his people dragged him to the executor's block."

"So you'll trust the French spy," spat Lieutenant General Iki.

"Trust. No." Tohdoh turned into an alleyway, eyeing the damaged walls with concern. The bullet holes were recent judging from the plaster on the ground. It hadn't been disturbed yet. His hand drifted to the gun, hidden beneath his bulky clothes. "Stay sharp."

His subordinate fell silent and leaned against the opposing wall, his eyes sweeping the alley. "Come on out."

From behind a small crate, a short man emerged. He looked like a Britannian, even spoke his words with no English accents. "Your group has good eyes. Have that going for you."

Tohdoh frowned. Of course they had competition. There were civilian groups and criminal syndicates who wouldn't lie down their arms. That would make things difficult, especially if they managed to secure French funding as well. The JLF was better equipped and Tohdoh trusted the moral integrity of his subordinates, or at least their obedience to his orders, but rogue agents did not have such stipulation.

Lieutenant General Iki didn't lower his gun, bust stepped away from the wall and in front of Tohdoh. "And you are?"

The man stepped forward, no weapons in sight, allowing Tohdoh to get a clearer view. His clothes were of a distinctive Britannian cut and he wore his hair loosely to obscure a small scar on the side of his face. Perhaps it was real. Perhaps it wasn't. Or perhaps this man was a Britannian agent there to root out any resistance movement before it got off the ground.

"Alphonse, but please call me Al. And would you do the honor of introducing yourself. I don't deal with unnamed entities."

The smile sent shivers down Tohdoh's spine and he refused to look up and search for Sayoko's shadow. She would step in if necessary, but she was his trump card if this turned sour. "Who sent you?"

"Ah, very, very good. You're quite careful. Although the young one here seems to be a little more hot headed. Got him trained well." As his subordinate stepped closer to Tohdoh, Alphonse smiled widely. "I do like you. And I'm from the E.U, of course you wouldn't believe me. No, you're too smart for that. So how much do you want?"

Tests within tests. This man had already confirmed they were rebelling, but surely if he was a Britannian operative, he would be calling in their arrest. Unless he wanted to know more about the size of their group. And cash, it could be tracked. "Medicine. And rations."

The smile slipped and the man stepped back, his heels crunching debris on the ground. "I've got some penicillin on hand. Rations as well. Give me a list and I'll leave it at a drop point."

Lieutenant General Iki lowered his gun a hair. "Why the change?"

A bitter smile formed on Alphonse's face. "Espionage is bitter work. Of course the E.U. would love to support your group with weapons so you can sow dissent. But I will admit, that it never seems to stick. I'll give you the big guns and in a year or two, you'll be gone, and I will be back to begin the cycle anew. Until Britannia catches me off course."

A good soldier. Tohdoh understood. "We don't need weapons right now. Food, medicine, and books would be good. And our group doesn't plan on dying anytime soon. We have people to help."

Alphonse nodded. "Watch the docks. There'll be a ship with a green flare. Container 278 will have your goods. Do something flashy, and more will come. Your group have a name?"

"The Japan Liberation Front. And we accept your conditions."

The spy nodded and walked away, blending into the shadows. Something dark lurked above him and Tohdoh smiled Sayoko. She had been there, ready to strike. Now, he had to find some place to make a statement. A grand statement. One that would show strength to the E.U. and bring aid. But not too intimidating. He couldn't afford the Britannians retaliating. No harm could come to the Japanese as a result of his actions.

The mines? No. Too many Japanese depended on the meager income to eat.

The viceroy? No. Too intimidating and would cause severe retaliations. They had just been able to subvert Marianne.

A gift. A gift for Britannia and one that would protect his people at the same time. A corrupt noble or businessman. Someone Britannia would want taken care of, but done in such a way that it showed the strength of the JLF. A way to make a statement.

"General?" Lieutenant General Iki asked.

Tohdoh turned around, a small smile on his lips. And this way he could show Suzaku that they were saving lives. He didn't have to abandon his student for Japan. He could achieve both things at the same time. It was possible. "Come on Lieutenant General Iki, we have a gift to find."

"A gift?"

"A Britannian criminal. One hurting Japanese as well. We're going to offer them up gift wrapped. It will be a most unique opening act although I expect other groups will be proclaiming themselves soon. We must hurry." Blood would spill in the streets and the E.U. wouldn't care. They weren't allies; they just shared a common enemy.

Unseen to his subordinate, a small shadow departed. Message received.

Maineige Delac, Montreal, Area 2

Brigit stared at the trickling icicle, watching it melt under the unforgiving sun. There was something wonderful about ice. Mystical in a way. Everyone knew the dangers of fire, but they also used it. But ice was cold. Unrelenting. And burned the unprepared hands. It could burst pipes, wear down machines, and hide the lurking dangers beneath people's feet. It was inspiring and deadly.

Footsteps echoed outside the door and she could hear the key in the lock turning. Brigit let her emotions slide off her and stood tall, straightening her skirt and checking that her shirt was still tucked in. The small mirror behind the candle assured her that her red hair was for once compliant. It didn't matter that she was dressed in peasant garb; she would stand like a noble.

The door opened and the beautiful Lady Amelia Melbourne, Viscount of the Iceplains, with luxurious golden locks and violet eyes, strode forward. Behind her, stood her knight, a young man who stared at her with a harsh scowl. Brigit resisted the urge to wave at him, mockingly. His opinion obviously didn't matter, for Brigit was here now, before his illustrious lady.

Lady Melbourne wrinkled her nose as she looked at Brigit, before sighing and nodding to her knight. He grimaced and lay his black briefcase down on the ground and then kicked it across to the floor to her.

"And what, Lady Melbourne, have you hired me to do?" Brigit asked as she opened the briefcase and ran her fingers down along the pound notes. They felt real, but she couldn't be too sure. Withdrawing a bill, she held it up to the light, letting it filter through and the ink change color. If it was fake, it was a convincing copy which was enough for her.

The lady wrinkled her nose. "That's the first half of your payment. The second half will be delivered to you upon the completion of your task. I assume... someone of your nature wouldn't work for me for free, even if I pulled the strings for your early release."

Early release. Brigit laughed. "You had no proof my lady. Even your corrupt court would have little to charge me on. But do tell me, what do you think I can do for you. I'm a fiddle player, a rather good one, but you don't appreciate the art, so I wonder what I could offer to one as esteemed as yourself."

Her eyes narrowed. "You may have bought their loyalty from me, but it wouldn't have mattered with Margrave Gottwald's support. He too tires of your constant ridicule. Still, I found your knightmare scores. Defeat Earl Armfort as my champion and you may go on your way to cause trouble elsewhere."

"If you found those, you'll know why I quit. Besides, prison isn't too bad."

The noble glared angrily before smiling cruelly. "Your younger brother Einri, wasn't it? Even with your ample savings from those performances, well, he surely would struggle if I pulled funding from the clinic. Or maybe, I'll press him into service. After all, his kind of people aren't fit in society and accidents happen all the time. A little slip on the ice and their neck is broken."

The carrot and the whip. A most effective combination. Brigit should feel scared, but instead anger coursed through her veins. Yet, she didn't allow herself to show it. Einri would be safe. That had already been insured. The doctor would tend to him always. Lady Melbourne had miscalculated for Brigit never left her weaknesses exposed. But that she thought that Brigit would succumb to such a threat, was patronizing. She withdrew a small slip of paper, prepared for such a moment, from her shoe and kept it hidden within her fist.

"A Duel of Honor? That is... an honor." Brigit said and smirked as the knight scowled at her. It must chaff the idea that he wasn't good enough. "I accept. It's been a while since I've piloted a knightmare... I admit that I miss it. It would be a pleasure to fight for you."

"Good. Let me show you the knightmare."

Brigit stood up, clasping the briefcase and followed Lady Melbourne out of the room. This was indeed the most fortuitous gift to fall in her lap, but truly, nobles were predictable beasts. Of course, Brigit was too. Power was everything and without it... Well, she would be nothing again. Still it had been all too easy to arrange. A few whispers here, some coins there, and a private performance with her fiddle. Blinded by their greed they were. Nobility did not suit her, but it made an excellent hunting ground.

A small servant boy, dragging a bucket and mop behind him, brushed past her. Brigit passed the small slip of paper in her right hand to him. Just a few more minutes and the woman would know how she had been played. Revenge was sweet and a thrill of excitement shot up within her. It would be her pleasure to pilot a knightmare again, especially against that arrogant knight of hers.

The fresh cold air of the courtyard greeted them and Lady Melbourne drew her coat tighter. Brigit took a deep breathe and relaxed. The cold was familiar and she felt warm. Two knightmare frames at the edge of the courtyard towered over them both. Walking forward she strode up to Earl Armfort, and bowed. Everything was in place.

The Earl stepped forward. "My champion has arrived. Thank you Lady Melbourne for fetching her. And who will be your champion?"

Red was not a good color on Lady Melbourne. "You! You stole my champion."

Earl Armfort laughed loudly. "Well we can't both have the same champion. And you did challenge me. Or do you mean that there is no one will fight for you. Are you that weak?"

Perfect. Everything was perfect.

"Prepare Sir Rolf's knightmare." She spun around and walked to the side.

The earl turned to her, his hand settling on her shoulder and she suppressed the shudder that yearned to crawl down her spine. No weakness. Not know when she was so close. A little physical contact was nothing. As long as she kept her eye on the prize, everything would work out.

"As agreed," Earl Armfort began, "You'll earn her noble title. Viscount Ceallaigh of the Iceplains has a nice ring to it. This has been a most splendid business arrangement."

Turning around, Brigit plastered a kind smile on her face. "Of course. Your pay is most generous. But the contract please?"

Pulling the contract out of his coat, he chuckled. "I'm quite glad that I'm the highest bidder. But I doubt anyone could top my offer of a noble title and it gives me the most beautiful ace pilot of Britannia."

Her eyes scanned the contract. It was iron clad and signed by Margrave Oberstein and Viceroy Stephanas Dampierre. The earl, despite his rather oblique nature, had stayed true to his word. There was no way she was going to be screwed by this contract although Margrave Oberstein's involvement was concerning. She would rather have kept him out of this contract and surely he foresaw the consequences. By all accounts, he was a shrewd man.

"This is in order. Thank you Earl Armfort." She bowed and walked to the knightmare, beginning her ascent to the cockpit. Behind her, the earl pouted.

The hatch closed over her head and, secure in the silence, she laughed. This was exhilarating. The controls responded to her eagerly and she closed her eyes as she developed a feel for the machine. Conviction. Passion. All elements essential to piloting a knightmare. Without it, a pilot was useless. And that pitiful knight of the Viscount had no passion. Her victory was assured.

At last, his knightmare, painted in glorious silver, rolled into the courtyard. He did look like a charming knight of the old legends. But knights weren't heroes. No. Not to her or her family. They had always been the oppressor. Too bad her own knightmare wasn't green, it would have been a befitting color, instead it was a dull grey. No need to waste paint on a commoner after all. Well, that wouldn't be the case for much longer.

The signal was given. And the knight charged.

She slipped by his blow, letting the wind shake her frame. Good. It hadn't scratched the surface. She hadn't lost her touch.

Slowly, moving like an enormous beast, he turned around. The slash harken shot forward, aiming for her own cockpit.

Oh. He was going for a kill. This had just become much more exciting. Her chest tightened as energy surged through her veins and she stepped to the side with the grace of a master fiddliest and their bow. In the end, there was barely any difference between the skillful dance of fingers and the rhythmic motion of the bow to a knightmare. She played them both, equally well.

The knight charged again, his rifle shooting bullets and the ants beneath their armored feet, scurried out of the way. She had underestimated him. He had passion. The passion of death. It seemed the Viscount's knight mirrored her more than Brigit had thought. It didn't matter.

It was time to end this.

She didn't dodge the next blow. Instead, she leaned, her hands grabbing the metallic arm. Knightmares had weak shoulders. It was why they had shoulder pads to prevent bullets from disturbing the delicate mechanism. But with just the right amount of pressure... The metal groaned.

The arm froze in midair.

With just enough pressure, the joint could buckle and grind into the mechanism, making the arm a dead weight. She could imagine his confused face, but she didn't give him any respite. Her leg bore down into his chest and the knightmare flew into the courtyard wall. The wall cracked under the weight and slowly began to crumble. The ants scurried further away.

She walked forward slowly, readying her arm to tear out his cockpit. He could see her, she knew. She walked forward slowly, relishing the panic he must be feeling. The certainty of knowing death was coming.

He ejected.

In the end, he didn't have what it took to win. He wasn't willing to die. A pity.

According to the rules of Duels of Honor, Brigit brought her knightmare to a stop and stepped outside. Victory was hers. She lowered herself to the ground, rejoining the ants of the world, and smiled in amusement as Margrave Gottwald tried to calm down a seething Lady Melbourne. Earl Armfort walked over, intent on gloating.

Predictable. She scoffed and turned away. The contract was secure in her coat. She had no reason to stay any longer. It was best if she was off.

Nodding at the small servant boy who she had passed the message to, Brigit passed the guards and entered the building. The servant boy fell into line behind her.

"All done Brie, just like ya asked. Need me ta do anything else?"

"No." Brigit walked forward eagerly and noted in amusement as guards rushed towards the courtyard. The former Viscount had to be putting up quite a fuss. She almost felt sorry for the woman. Almost.

"Ya gonna act differently now that ya noble?"

She glared at the boy. "Art, this is just a means to an end. Now keep your mouth shut."

He lowered his head and hunched his shoulders protectively. She smiled. He feared her, as he should. Only fools thought her innocent. Fools like the Earl Armfort and Amelia Melbourne. It was fate that it would end this way. The strong devoured the weak. And Britannia was weak.

The sound of the blast reached them first. The strong gust of hot wind knocked them to the ground. Brigit laughed as turned her head to watch the flames eagerly rise to meet the sky. There was no ice anymore, just pure destructive fire. The air rushed inwards again and her ears were ringing. She could see emergency services closing in.

Nobody could have survived. All according to plan. Predictable fools they were. And now, she had everything.

Glenshire Town, Near Fort Necessity, Pennsylvania

Lelouch stepped off the bus and into the small town. The air was clean and fresh. Invigorating. Footsteps echoed off the ground, in wonderful dissonance. The sweet scent of the bakery drifted through the air. It was amazing.

Alex ran out of the bus and eyed the locals hungrily, his eyes drifting to their purses, before tearing them away regretfully. Lelouch silently vowed to keep an eye on Alex and on his own wallet. Pulling it out, he counted the meager coins and the fresh new bills courtesy of his first paycheck from the military. Unfortunately, there weren't enough coins to use the pay phone.

"Lelouch!" shouted a familiar voice and Lelocuh looked up, his stomach dropping as he recognized Rick smiling like an idiot.

Roy stopped beside him. "Thought you said you didn't have any family greeting you today."

"He is my neighbor." Lelouch replied. It was too late to run and pretend that he hadn't seen the annoying redhead.

Rick jogged over, and Roy, the traitor, moved out of the way. Ruffling his hair, he said, "It's good to see you again kiddo. Was worried that the military would spit you out. But you still got all your limbs."

"It's training, I wasn't going to lose my limbs."

Rick snorted and turned to Roy and Alex. "Ah, you've got two friends. I totally won the bet."

Lelouch stared up at him, aghast. "What bet?"

"If you were lying in your letters about having friends. Gwen seems to think you would lie to us, but not me, I knew I could trust you. You just have this magnetic personality about you." Rick laughed and stepped back. "Well they're invited. Being the good friends we are, we heard your complaints. We got a kitchen. They're all waiting there."

"A kitchen?" Possibilities ran through Lelouch's mind and he smiled. Finally, he could make something truly edible. Of course, he had to decide on what to cook. It would have to serve many people and not be too complicated or expensive, but maybe they could get their hands on some decent spices. He hadn't had anything decently spiced for ages.

"You can cook?" Roy looked at him skeptically. Alex too narrowed his eyes.

Rick laughed. "Sure can. Can't change a light bulb, but cooking is one thing that he is good at that can't be done with pen and paper. It's a real treat too. You'll love it."

"Did someone mention food?" Frederick asked, sneaking up on them with Edgar. "No complaining rich boy."

Roy blushed and Lelouch fought to keep his own face blank.

"More friends Lelouch?" Rick asked as he looked at the older teens. "That's impressive."

Lelouch smiled at his two squad mates. "You can come as well if you wish. Anyone else?"

Frederick shrugged. "Henry already has plans. So what are we eating?"

"Don't know yet," Lelouch mused, "it depends on what we have. I'm thinking of some sort of stew since we're a rather large group. Pasta would be great as well and cheaper."

They talked amiably as they headed into the village. Rick happily grilled Alex and Alex happily obliged, sharing every embarrassing detail about Lelouch. Had he done some to upset Alex? The other boys laughed and Lelouch slowly shook his head.

Roy smiled. "You're forgetting the time Lelouch had to do a pull up. I was embarrassed standing across the room, and then he fell down and had to desperately jump back up while the Drill Sergeant yelled at him for being a toothpick. Although… if I remember, you had your own problems that day."

Alex flushed. "It's not ma fault that I'm short! You're the freakishly tall one. And I've got embarrassing stories on you too."

"Oh do tell," Rick leaned in closer. "The more embarrassing the better."

Roy puffed out his chest. "I've no need to feel embarrassed. I've succeeded in all tasks assigned to me, not like the rest of you jokers."

Staring at Roy, Lelouch could only shake his head. Surely he wasn't that oblivious. Alex, nowhere near as subtle, burst out laughing. Frederick joined quickly after, while Edgar wheezed for air.

Edgar, still gasping for air, "You seriously didn't mean that. Right?"

"What?" Roy answered, looking at them in confusion. "I've nothing to be embarrassed about."

The squad leader was oblivious. It was official and this time when everyone began laughing, Lelouch couldn't suppress his own chuckle.

"Lelouch laughed!" Rick exclaimed. "It's a miracle… Or the end of the world."

"He totally is. Dammit." Alex said staring at Lelouch who quickly schooled his face. Turning to Edgar, he pulled out a pound note and handed it over.

Lelouch glared at all of them. They were betting on his life. What had he done to deserve this? "I'm not talking to any of you anymore."

Rick began opening his mouth, a familiar mischievous glint in his eyes.

"And if you say anything about what that brat of your younger sister, Nikki, did, I won't cook for you."

"Fine you win Lelouch. Guess fun time is over." His eyes raked over everyone else present and settled on Roy. "Rich boy right? Lelouch might be fun to tease, but you look like you'll be a close second.

Alex began recounting their first meeting, as Roy turned bright red, "So Lelouch called our Roy's name and he was standing there, ten feet away, looking at us all imperiously. Because, guess what, we were supposed to go over to him! Lelouch and I didn't even know his name."

"I actually did," Frederick commented, "He looks kinda like his dad, but it was too hilarious to see his face when I said I recognized Lelouch and Alex instead," he smirked and looked at Roy, "You looked so insulted."

Rick laughed appreciatively and stopped in front of a quaint old house. "We're here. Belongs to a friend of Gwen's. And kitchen is all yours kiddo."

Lelouch took the opportunity to take a strategic retreat into the kitchen. It turned out that Gwen had thought ahead and brought various vegetables and some left over scraps. Unfortunately, no interesting spices, and Lelouch settled with pepper, mustard, and onions to bring some flavor to the meal. He missed Suzaku's kitchen. It had spices from all over the world and fresh curry. Not to mention an abundance of cinnamon.

The pot simmered and he gently set the lid down. It was nice to cook again even if Nunnally wasn't there to enjoy it. Next time he saw her, he would cook a Japanese meal for her. It would be wonderful, but this... this was nice as well.

Gwen stepped into the kitchen, smiling. "Need any help Lelouch. I know you said we were getting in the way, but I feel kind of bad for letting you cook for all of us."

"Really, it's fine. I like cooking. Everyone can help with clean up, besides, it's almost ready." Lelouch turned to the oven and watched the golden crust rise. It would need just a little longer.

"It smells really good Lelouch. You should sign up to be a cook. Classes start next week, right? You'll need to decide on what to specialize in. If you're lucky, you'll end up being good at the simulators. Knightmare pilots make lots of money."

Lelouch grunted. He wasn't good enough of a pilot, especially to earn enough money to pay back the knightmare. It was a foolish dream meant to entice people into debt. For a few, it would pan out, but for most, it would be a waste of money and time. And... Lelouch wasn't too thrilled at the idea of piloting one, not after seeing the destruction to Japan.

She sighed and started cleaning some of the used pots. "Nunnally is doing mostly fine according to Allie. There was some bullying going on, but they're managing."

"Bullying?" Lelouch turned to face Gwen. Nunnally hadn't said anything. Someone dared to hurt his sister.

She rolled her eyes. "Nunnally is fine Lelouch. But you do the exact same thing," she stretched out the spoon and pointed at him. "You and Nunnally keep lying so no one else worries. But now I'm constantly worrying because when you say you're fine, it doesn't mean you're fine."

He hadn't thought of it that way. Lelouch hung his head. "My apologies. I should have thought of how my actions would come across."

Gwen threw up her hands and smacked the soapy spoon on his head. "This is exactly what I'm talking about. You're not a burden. It's okay to rely on others and ya need to stop acting like everyone's your enemy." She swallowed and lowered the spoon. "Friends rely on each other. We're friends aren't we?"

Lelouch nodded.

"Then let me help you." She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and looked at him with wide, pleading eyes. "You're upset. Tell me why."

"I'm not." She looked at him in disbelief. "I'm happy right now. This feels wonderful and I wasn't expecting it and thank you. Really thank you."

Her eyes bore into him, pinning him in place.

Lelouch glared at her. "Fine. I miss Nunnally. Training is hell. We barely sleep, then wake up, and train, until we sleep again. I barely have a moment to think and when I do, I now have to think about why my father wrote me a stupid letter."

Something flickered in her eyes and she rested a hand on his shoulder. "You don't talk much about your family. Nunnally doesn't either."

"I hate them," Lelocuh declared, surprising himself with his vehemence. "They hurt people... and people aren't supposed to be like that. Rick... he's always nice. Always cares and tries to make people smile. And he expects nothing in return! And you're just listening to me rant and I shouldn't be telling you any of this..."

Gwen pulled him into a hug. "Lelouch. I'm not going to use you. You're my friend. I want you to be happy. I won't tell anyone."

He wanted to believe her and trust in her, but he pulled away from her hug. There was too much at risk. He couldn't endanger Nunnally like that. Gwen looked at him, unable to hide the hurt in her eyes. Before she could say anything, her phone rang. She listened quietly and her face paled and her hands shook in horror. She snapped it shut and stared off into space.

"There's been a terrorist attack in Area Two." Her eyes returned to Lelouch. "I'm sorry. This is work. I've got to go."

Lelouch watched her leave feeling as if he should have said something. A terrorist attack in Area Two. It had to have been big for Gwen to be called in urgently. Somehow, it affected even the Homeland. His eyes turned to the simmering pot and he slowly lifted the lid. He would have to wait like everyone else to hear the news. The lid shook and he set it down on the counter. Fort Necessity was too far North, if they didn't have enough soldiers to deal with the crisis, they would use the recruits. He would be breaking his promise to Nunnally.

He was no longer safe through no fault of his own.

Worldbuilding Thoughts:

-Canon says sakuradite was discovered in the 14th-15th century. And that Marco Polo discovered sakuradite in Japan. Not sure how I feel about Marco Polo discovering it in Japan. I would have thought it would be discovered more recently like aluminum which was discovered in 1825.

-There is absolutely no list regarding what Britannia conquered between the Philippines and the Middle East. This would be somewhat useful information since Africa turning into seven separate areas seems like a bit much. Anyone got any ideas? Megiddo (which has a wiki) has an idea that sort of works so I might stick to that.

-Why are the names a bit weird? I'm terrible at naming and either mush words together from Google Translate or grab a handy dandy website 2000 names where they're sorted by origin and grab one from there. As a result, I'm using some older spellings for names and right now I've been using quite a few Irish and French names.

Author's Note:

You guys said you didn't mind longer chapters and thus I present my longest one yet. To be honest, I thought I would be disappointing all you long chapter lovers with one that was 5k, but it turned out to be 7k. Shows what I know.

Thank you for all the reviews. I enjoy reading them and they do have a minor influence on what I write. What did you like? Dislike? Thoughts?

FFN: PM alerts are still not working. I can send PMs and you'll receive them, but there won't be an email notification. Check your settings and go to private messages to check if I replied to your review. Spoiler alert: I probably did.