OK Number 31 - Fainéant
"After the shocking conclusion to yesterdays Grand Prix, Lelouch Lamperouge, who suffered significant injury following his grievous assault at the hands of his teammate Kallen Kozuki, was helicoptered to the Accident and Emergency ward of the nearby Sao Paulo Hospital, where it emerged that the prognosis of trackside officials was ultimately incorrect. In addition to his multiple broken bones and a potential ruptured stomach, it emerged late last night that he had suffered significant brain trauma due to the various blows to the head inflicted on him by Kozuki. Multiple doctors worked late into the night to stabilise his condition, however based on a statement released this morning by the hospital it does not appear that he will ever be able to race again."
"In particular, blunt trauma to the right side of his head appears to have damaged his primary motor cortex, which leaves him susceptible to permanent physical and mental disability. However, as we go to press, the surgeons are in the theatre with him attempting to arrest his internal bleeding at the liver. While he remains in critical condition, he is reportedly stable, though it is not known how much of Lelouch may return to us once he is discharged, in light of the gravity of his injuries."
"In related news, solicitors representing the three Lamperouge siblings, independent of the broader family in light of their collective emancipation, have filed a civil action against Kozuki in Brazilian courts for losses flowing from the injury. As Lelouch was on a two year contract, this could extend beyond the cost of Lamperouge's medical bills, and include paying for earnings lost pursuant to the assault, depending on the ruling. We will keep you updated as we learn more."
It had been a gruelling task reaching Lelouch's hospital bed. Between the media swarming the outside of the building and the denizens of the Vila Clementino haplessly going about their day, access to the Accident and Emergency ward was hard to come across, even for the younger sister of the injured. By the time Nunnally Lamperouge had found the room, and the means to enter it, Lelouch had gone through two rounds of surgery, and was filled with more drugs than a Russian athlete, but alive.
But not conscious.
She rolled her wheelchair towards his bedside and moved her hand to grasp his, cradling his exposed index and middle finger in hers, as he lay still in the bed, face covered in bandages and body completely limp.
She wondered if this was what it was like for Lelouch, as an overwhelming feeling of helplessness fell over her. All she wanted to do was something; anything, if it would make his material situation better. That she had no capacity, that there was no productive avenue for her to pursue but to sit and worry, drove her up the wall, almost to the point where she distracted herself from the implications.
Lelouch wouldn't be able to drive, which already was an issue. But that was simply one of the knowns, and there were plenty of unknowns as to how bad the extent could be. Would he be able to hear? To speak? To walk? Any one of these would be catastrophic in their own uniquely cruel way, and yet Nunnally was, for the second time in her life, in the dark.
A nurse came in and out, leaving a few needles and some encouraging words, but precious little else. They were just as in the dark as she was, which was hardly encouraging, as she felt so desperately alone. Rolo was on the other side of Sao Paulo and had not yet been told, given that he himself had a race today that she did not want to compromise. Even so, it did little to aid the overwhelming sense of fear that crept over her, as she sat in the hospital, shivering with nerves.
She shook herself forcefully, at least insofar as her body was able to. Lelouch had been in exactly this situation before, when she had been injured, and he could well have been as scared as she was; in fact, in spite of his brave face, she would bet on it. However, he didn't give in. He had made sure to look after her, and had succeeded and then some. Nunnally would not be outdone.
Lelouch was going to be just fine. Nunnally would make sure of it. She would not be afraid; she was ready to repay Lelouch's kindness in kind.
"Where is he? I need to see him!"
The desperate, hoarse shout rang through the thin hospital door, dry and emotional. Nunnally turned just as the shouter barrelled through the door, and revealed himself to be Suzaku Kururugi. His hair was sweaty and standing at all ends, and he had clearly been crying at some point earlier in the day.
He stood at the door, mouth half open as he panted, catching his breath as he took a look at his friends condition. Eyes wider than anyone Nunnally had ever seen, he slowly approached the bed, pale and shaking with shock.
"I remember when I last saw him…" he whispered, trembling. "He was on the grid, pacing up and down. He was so fidgeting, couldn't keep him still…"
Suzaku paused, as his head shook. Contrasting the mobile, jerky Lelouch from the last time he had seen him with the still body that lay before him was visibly causing Suzaku quite a bit of disquieted distress. It took him some time to dab at his eyes, before he could continue.
"I remember saying to him, 'Be careful, you clot- I need you keeping my soles lit.'…"
Nunnally moved towards the foot of the bed, and, holding Suzaku's hand, reassured "He'll be okay. He's not going to go down without offering some witty remark."
Suzaku chuckled through his shivers, nodding at her sound logic. Lelouch may not be brawny or sturdy, but he was tough. Suzaku knew that much from the Frenchman's teenage years, where he prowled the Formula Three paddock with scowls and an unstoppable determination, and Nunnally expected the same resilience from her brother now as then.
However, there was not much to say beyond this at that point, and Nunnally, hoping to avoid the harrowing quiet, acknowledged "Well done on winning the championship."
Suzaku smiled morosely, as his eyes stayed fixed on his friend. Head tilted, he noted "I cried on the podium. I hadn't heard at that point what had happened to him, not until later on, but I was just… it meant everything. And then, to hear about how Lelouch was injured, it was just horrible. I didn't know what had happened, or how bad it was, just that he'd been hurt. They wouldn't let me in for ages."
"I know." Nunnally sympathised. "I was a good while waiting as well."
Suzaku winced, realising he was being more than a little self-absorbed. Trying to compensate in his realisation, he squatted down to Nunnally's height and rested a hand on her shoulder, before saying "I'm just his friend, and I'm already like this. I can't imagine how much you're going through right now. You're so incredibly strong. If you or your family needs anything in the future, please let me know. Anything at all."
Nunnally gave a weak smile, and nodded, at least as much as she could. Suzaku gravely received this, before standing.
"I'll see about making sure this gets sorted, financially." Suzaku explained. "Don't you worry about a thing. Just don't tell him I cried."
Finally chuckling, Nunnally cheekily replied "No promises."
Kallen had argued Lelouch's deserving of his beating until she was blue in the face and Naoto had stormed off in frustration. She was eventually released when it was revealed that Brazilian State Prosecutors had no intent of pursuing criminal charges on her, though she was told that the FIA would soon summon her to a sporting sentence, and she was liable to tort action. Over the course of her twelve hour detention, her adrenaline had hardly tapered, as she continued to feel justified in her actions, even as she was released back into Sao Paulo.
Indeed, it was not until three hours later, once she had made her way through the waiting throngs of media and rented a quiet hotel room to unwind and had checked her voicemail, that she began to realise the trouble she was in.
"Ms Kōzuki, this is Taizo Kirihara, speaking on behalf of the Rebellion Racing board. In light of events that unfolded during the Brazilian Grand Prix, the board has decided to revoke your contract of employment with immediate effect. The early termination fee will be paid to your private account as agreed. We wish you the best of luck in your ongoing career."
Kallen sat at the foot of the rooms bed as the consequences of what she had done dawned on her. It was not just that Rebellion had seen fit to basically fire her, which was already a disaster, but the other shoe dropped when she considered where she consider what Taizo termed her 'ongoing career'.
Who in the hell would hire her now?
Kallen called Naoto to try and work out what to do, dialling up the first number on her contacts list in the hope that he would move past her roaring at him the previous night.
Pressing the call button, she held the phone to her ear as the tone rang up, holding her breath as the connection was made before she was greeted with an immediate hiss of "What the hell do you want?"
Choking, she said "Naoto, I-"
"You've been fired, yes I know you have you fool." he shot back, cutting across her aggressively. "And you called me to bail you out. Well think again. You're not an ounce sorry, you're just sorry that you're facing consequences for it. Well here's another one for you to think about; sod off and actually think about what you've done. Don't call me for help, you won't find it. Hell, don't come back to the flat in Tokyo until you've grown up. I bet you haven't even called the Lamperouge family, hm?"
Kallen was silent, proving Naoto's point. He made a demeaning tsk sound, before ranting on.
"I don't like the prick, but I didn't pull him aside and deck him. His life is ruined now. Have a moment of some self-reflection before buzzing me for help. You've made a point of showing that you can make your own decisions; what with betting your seat against Tohdoh. Fine. But if that's the case, you have to face the consequences for your decisions. Good luck, you silly child."
Kallen couldn't hear, but she had little trouble imagining that he slammed his phone down when he hung up on her. And, with that, she was alone. She felt her stomach twist itself as if it were a wet hand towel being wringed out for moisture.
She swore, quietly but forcefully. This was her fault. Naoto was harsh, but unavoidably correct; there was no point in weeping for her own challenges, as they were wholly self imposed. She had run herself up this one way road, had backed herself into this corner.
However, Kallen had been in a corner before, and as she washed herself with the cool water of the sink, she looked back up at the mirror and examined the face looking back at her in the mirror.
It wasn't sad; Kallen was not one to be gloomy or subdued, and certainly not fatalistic. It had elements of anger, entirely self directed, however rage was not the overriding emotion. It was grim, joyless, and wore the full recognition of the position she had put herself in. However, it was laced with a silent acknowledgement of duty, an understanding that she had a task ahead of her and that its course to completion would be difficult, and humiliating, and entirely deserved, and that she would, no matter how long it took, complete it.
"Can you move your left hand?"
"Hurts like hell, but I think so. Can you look?"
"It's clenching and uncurling, good."
Lelouch winced, as he released the fist formed on his left side. The movement was vague and numb, but whether that was drugs or long term damage remained to be seen.
He had woken up in a shroud of lights and panic, dreaming of choking on blood and feeling wracked with pain, even as the medication tried to mask it. It was, at least initially, more the memory and mental sense of agony than the actual sensation itself, however that legacy pain was quickly beaten out by the fading of the opiods that had held the real beast at bay. However, he could tell when he could move, even if it was through the aching and stabbing spasms that accompanied it.
"How about your right hand?"
"I've no feeling, I can't feel anything."
Lelouch reported the feeling succinctly; there was no connection that his brain could form between the will to act and any sensation in his left hand. It was surreal to sense the absence, as if it had been placed in a deep freeze to induce the ultimate numbing. His voice wavered towards the end as he realised the implications. Sighing, the nurse said "I just poked a needle into the centre of your right palm. What did you feel?"
"Nothing…"
"Can you move any part of your right arm?"
Lelouch gritted his teeth and tried to inject energy into the area he associated with his right arm, before groaning "I'm trying, is it?"
"It's not even tensing up."
Lelouch sighed, and shut his eyes. So his right arm was gone. One out of four limbs wasn't as bad as it could be, but it was still quite the uncanny sense that it would never return, that it was now lost forever and nothing could be done to restore it. Such a fundamental part of him that he had grown up having at his disposal, that he had used to steer himself to vague success, now eternally limp and helpless. He was now inert, his capacity to ply his trade now lost.
"I'm going to snap my fingers by your ears to test them, okay?"
Lelouch opened his eyes again, realising his nurse was not yet finished with him, and he croaked "Okay."
Not able to move his head, a function of his bandaging rather than injury thank goodness, he could only keep a close listen as the nurse leaned close, and, sure enough, he heard a definite clicking, muted by gloves to deliver a bassy, yet sharp and audible noise in his left ear.
"Clear as day." he affirmed.
He saw her hand retreat before it moved over his head and down past the edge of his peripheral vision, arm held up above his face. She was now testing his right ear, and he tried to distinguish the sound as she snapped her fingers again and again.
"It's faint, I can make it out but it's muffled."
She frowned, before taking a moment to press a wet cloth against his left ear, blocking it off, before moving her hand back across. After a few moments of silence, he whispered fearfully as he realised what had happened.
"I can't hear anything."
The cloth was removed, as he sighed. An ear and an arm, both to neurological damage. Not to mention the incessant headache that no amount of medication could beat out, and would in all likelihood stay with him for an extended period.
At least his stomach was repaired. According to the small talk he had engaged in over the last few hours, he was lucky his condition was not worse, as surgery to fix ruptures within his insides was performed within hours of the injury, a consequence of the repeated boots to the gut. The boots to the head may have disabled him, but it could always be worse.
Saying all this in his head did little to comfort him, Lelouch acknowledged. It was still a less than preferable situation, and one where he struggled to imagine a way to spin it.
He had been in bad situations before. He had been homeless, without a drive, beaten at the races, and broke at different points in his life, but at each instance he had made an effort to spin failure into success. He had converted a tragic backstory into sponsor appeal, controversy into publicity, and a lack of pace into a penchant in race strategies.
Motorsports punditry? Commentary? Perhaps, but accusations of a lack of impartiality would make that difficult to get into, what with his relationship with Rebellion having soured and the possibility of his brother Rolo getting a drive in the future. He had made efforts earlier in the year to in effect advertise himself when what he deemed to be his inevitable booting from Rebellion finally arrived, however that was predicated on projecting driving talent, a campaign proven redundant by Kallen's assault, which had removed his capacity to drive competitively.
The only possibilities lay now in chance, some unlikely happening that he could take advantage of. He did not know what it could be, and knew that he would not be able to predict it before it arrived, but his hopes now rested in some future disruption that he could take advantage of. He disliked the uncertainty, but it could be worse.
He'd pinned his future on the happenings of chance many times before.
Fortunately, I dictate chance, and there's something quite significant that is going to disrupt things rather spectacularly. However, while Lelouch has pinned his flag to the mast of probability, Kallen will have to do a lot of leg work to redeem herself after lashing out like she did. Given her well exhibited brashness, unwillingness to back down, and short temper, can she do it? We'll see. In any case, please leave a review, it's so great to hear what you have to say!
~Eth0