A/N: Hello everyone! I hope you guys are having a fantastic day. It definitely took me a little longer to update this chapter compared to how quickly I was able to update last time, but things have gotten substantially more hectic on my end. I'm starting a new job and my social calendar is...a lot fuller than it used to be too. This chapter was also a little rough on the writing end. I'm not sure if I'm fully satisfied with how this one turned out, but it's the best I can offer at this time, and...we're practically at the end of this story that has so many convoluted twists and turns that it's a wonder how any of you faithful and lovely readers have been able to get through this monstrosity. This story is close to my heart, no doubt, but oh my gosh it's SO LONG! Why did I let this get so out of hand? Anyway, enough rambling out of me. Let's just get to the chapter. I hope you guys will enjoy it. Best wishes and God bless you all!
Disclaimer: Too tired to write one right now.
Warnings: Honestly, I don't even know. The chapter is long I guess. Over 8,000 words.
Chapter 122
The Sound of the End Part 1
January 4th, 2018 ~ Kururugi Shrine
10:00 p.m.
Serena said I would wish I had slept for three weeks once we arrived here, but honesty, I wish this infernal Geass Chain would have woken me up a million times sooner. An instantaneous revival would have been especially convenient, but no. Nothing can ever be that simple.
Even this reunion transforms into a complicated matter once Lelouch collapses. I barely manage to catch him and end up standing frozen in shock for several seconds before snapping out of it to ease him back to his feet while simultaneously guiding him to the room he'd been resting in previously.
Lelouch cries out for water almost nonsensically through the entire process, leaving me with a horrible sinking feeling in my chest. As grateful as I am for his forgiveness, I don't deserve a fraction of it. The condition he's in is just another grim reminder of how far-off redemption truly is for me.
After another minute of chaos, I help Lelouch lie down on a futon in the center of the cramped room. Footsteps echo along the wooden deck outside, and the clatter of noise draws my attention to the open doorway where Serena appears almost instantaneously.
Her expression set in a determined scowl, she drifts into the space with a large cup of water already in hand.
"She's dealt with this before..."
"Raise him up," she orders, motioning with her hand for me to hurry. I wordlessly follow her command and slowly lift Lelouch back into a sitting position, then maneuver him so his head can rest against my chest while Serena moves to take a seat on his left.
Practically limp, Lelouch's head lolls toward the floor.
"W-wa...wa...ter..."
My heart starts racing.
"Serena..."
"Don't panic," she answers, gently guiding Lelouch's face in her direction. She stares at him for a long moment, assessing his condition even as he reaches toward the cup she's holding.
She lightly swats his shaking hand away.
"You'll drop it." Her gaze shifts to me. "Keep him still, okay."
All I can do is nod in response to the command and tighten my grip on Lelouch's shoulders. Serena brings the cup toward his mouth, and from his eager expression it's easy to see how badly he wants to guzzle the liquid down in one go, but she makes him drink it slowly. Each time she pulls the cup away from him she presses the palm of her hand against his forehead.
Through the fabric of his shirt I can feel the heat of his skin. He definitely has a fever.
"It'll go down in a minute," Serena murmurs after another handful of seconds, withdrawing her palm from his forehead while raising the cup to Lelouch's mouth again. "He has these fits every so often. It was worse a week ago. He's improving, so try not to worry too much."
I couldn't say anything back. All I could do was sit and watch her tend to Lelouch with a sense of wonder and gratitude. From the careful movements she made to the soft way she spoke while he recovered his senses, Serena embodied the spirit of the queen she would one day become.
This girl isn't Serena Tsukino anymore. She's blossoming into a new being before my eyes...and I have no idea how I feel about that.
"You can lay him down now," she whispers, feeling Lelouch's forehead a final time. Glancing down I note his closed eye. His breathing is slowing into something more stable.
"Thank goodness," I think, cradling him in my arms for a few more seconds before carefully lowering him against the futon. Once he's lying down, Serena pulls up the blanket to cover his chest, then rises to her feet.
"I'll be back with an ice pack and some medicine in a minute or two."
Pivoting on her heel, the meatball head departs almost as quickly as she'd arrived, leaving me alone with my thoughts for the second time tonight.
The only difference now is that I'm even more confused and worried than before. Lelouch regaining his memories, or pieces of them, is one thing. His deteriorating physical state is another. If what just happened is Lelouch getting better, I don't even want to think about how much suffering he's gone through over the last two weeks.
"I'm...s-sorry...you had to see that."
Lelouch's weak voice shakes me out of my stunned stupor, and though it's painful for me to do, I make myself look directly at his face.
His smile, tenuous as it is, displays his contentment.
This would be a whole lot easier to witness if he hated me outright.
"How can he still love me?"
Lelouch's expression shifts slightly, the smile transforming into something a little more sorrowful when he starts to stretch his hand toward me.
I don't hesitate to take his hand in mine.
"I'm the one that's sorry, Lelouch," I tell him, pressing his hand against my chest, near my heart. "I don't know what caused this, but I'll fix it, okay."
Lelouch chuckles softly, closing his visible eye again. "You've...probably done enough, Rei."
"Don't treat this like it's a joke you can laugh off," I retort, clutching his hand more tightly. "Aren't you worried at all? We have no idea what's happening to you!"
"That's not entirely accurate," Lelouch mumbles, exhaustion showing on his face now. "We at least know what triggered these symptoms, or were you not paying attention to the memories I showed you before?"
Without responding I think over the images I'd seen from the night Lelouch got parts of his memory back. My "death" triggered it, but something else happened at the same time, making it so Lelouch gained access to my memories too. Now that I'm back, it's as if he has this weird spiritual link to me. He knows exactly what's going on in my mind and heart at all times, which basically means I have no mental privacy whatsoever anymore.
"I don't exactly have mental privacy either," Lelouch mutters suddenly, a clear indicator that he's prying into my head even now, but he isn't wrong. Traces of his emotions and thoughts do reach me sporadically.
Then again, I'm certainly not seeing or feeling anything he doesn't want me to see or feel. That's probably because the man's mind generally goes a hundred miles a second, so when his thoughts do reach me...it's basically a rapid hum of background noise. Deciphering anything he's thinking is practically impossible for me, which is basically normal as far as my end of this is concerned.
What isn't normal is how Lelouch's mind is currently whirling through a multitude of calculations and assessments over different scenarios all at one time while maintaining his connection to my thoughts and emotions, analyzing them in quick succession, and responding to them out loud. If that weren't bad enough, most of the memories Lelouch recovered are basically a minefield for the Emperor's Geass to wreak havoc because it's still an active, supernatural force working double time to alter his psyche back into its amnesia ridden state.
And all of that is taking a vicious toll on his body. From my standpoint he could drop dead any second...
"Serena told you I'm improving, did she not?"
"Stop doing that," I mutter, lowering our entwined hands until they're resting in my lap. "You do not need to be in my head 24/7."
"True," he replies, sighing. "But your memories were a source of information for me while you were out of commission. I had to use them to survive." Pausing he takes a deep breath. "Examining life from your eyes...was comforting as well."
The words send a sharp shock through me, but the feeling soon ebbs into sorrow and guilt.
"It will...be okay...Rei..."
Lelouch's breathing slowly evens out. The poor guy passed out trying to ease my worries. Even though his condition is my fault...he's still trying to comfort me.
"No matter what it takes...I'll fix this."
Leaning down, I press a chaste kiss along his forehead, which is still damp from sweat. However, his skin doesn't feel as feverish now. That's a good sign at least.
The sliding door opens again, revealing Serena at the door once more. With an ice-pack and medicine in hand she quietly creeps over to place the ice-pack over Lelouch's forehead.
"Thank you, Serena," I say lowly, watching her as she lays the medicine near the cup she'd left behind earlier. "Thank you so much."
She nods once then silently signals for me to follow her out of the room so Lelouch could rest.
Truth be told, I didn't want to leave him. I would have sat by his side all night if given the option, but there were several issues in need of a resolution, and leaving them unsettled any longer would do us all more harm than good.
From what I can piece together, what's happening to Lelouch could be a direct result of the Geass Chain affecting the Sailor Scouts, but I'm not sure of that. I'm not sure of anything anymore...
"...Rei...get out. You're keeping me awake with all your frantic thinking."
Chuckling inwardly, I glance down at Lelouch's face a final time and brush a few strands of his raven-colored bangs out of his face.
"I love you too," I whisper, releasing his hand from my grip. "Rest well."
Lelouch doesn't answer me verbally or through the psychic link we have now, but the subdued smile on his face is enough to convey his feelings.
Tiptoeing as quietly as we can, Serena and I leave Lelouch's room and step out onto the deck.
"What happens next," I whisper after firmly shutting the door.
Serena's gaze is downcast when she answers.
"We have to deal with Rolo."
The information is yet another shock to my system. Consumed with worry for Lelouch, I'd completely forgotten about Rolo's presence in the memories he showed me.
"Crap," I murmur quickly, pivoting away from the door to face my friend. "He's still under the control of Lelouch's Geass isn't he?"
Serena's sapphire eyes widen, showcasing her surprise in a way more reminiscent of the meatball head I knew and loved.
"How the heck did you..."
"Lelouch told me," I explain hurriedly, leaving out the part about how he basically sent images from his past into my head. "But he failed to mention Rolo's presence here at the shrine."
Serena's gaze moves toward the courtyard beyond the deck. Toward the western edge we can both see traces of the stark white annex building through the thick foliage of the trees lining it.
Biting down on my tongue I face the meatball head again. "Lelouch didn't mention anything about how A.A. got involved in all this either..."
"How could he?" Serena asks, smirking playfully. "You were too busy making out with him again."
I give her my most deadpanned expression. "Were you...watching us?"
"Look, I've been the main one taking care of your man while you've been in a coma," Serena fires back, sticking her tongue out at me. "I was watching to make sure you had help if he had another one of his dramatic episodes." She forces out a fake-sounding laugh and shrugs. "I tell ya, you two are a handful."
"Sounds like a pretty convenient excuse to just spy on us outright," I moan irritably, rolling my eyes before offering her a genuine smile. "Still, I really appreciate you for looking out for him, Serena. He...means the world to me."
It was Serena's turn to roll her eyes. "Yeah, he's pretty crazy about you too. And now I know why you guys used to get so annoyed whenever I talked about Darien. You owe me big time for all the nights I endured Lelouch's ranting about how he wanted nothing more than to see you again. Who knew he was as hopeless of a romantic as us?"
Another sharp pang settles somewhere in my heart.
Lelouch, though he secretly kept a few romance novels hidden away in his room, isn't a hopeless romantic. He's more pragmatic and goal-oriented than anyone I know. Conveying his feelings for me the way he has to me and Serena is a clear indicator of how my emotions are altering his personality, if only slightly.
And knowing that makes me feel even worse.
I expected him to hate me once he got even a fraction of his memories back. Frankly, his hatred would have been far easier to swallow than this downpour of compassion I didn't even think he was capable of.
Less than half an hour ago, I was desperate for Lelouch to forgive me and love me in spite of everything, but...
Sometimes a desire fulfilled is just another curse to bear.
As the senshi of fire, I am a force of destruction. There's absolutely no running from this fact anymore. Lelouch is a man fueled by the demons of his past. The path he's destined to walk is soaked through with blood, memories or no memories.
I've made the choice to hold his hand along that road to Hell.
But is that the only option for us?
As Serena and I make our way toward the annex building on the other end of the massive courtyard, Lelouch's voice stirs in my head one more time.
"Fire isn't only destruction. Prove that to yourself by saving Rolo for me."
My footsteps halt and I pivot on my heel to look back at the imposing structure of the shrine behind us.
Serena stops moving too, her expression full of concern.
"What's wrong?"
I keep my gaze on the shrine for a few seconds more, unsure of how to move forward when all I want to do is go back to how things were before I received M's mission to save Lelouch and destroy Zero. Things were so much simpler then. I was a better person then.
But there's no point in ruminating on those wishes. The past is over. I have to walk ahead. Lelouch's request is my chance to grow past the mistakes I've made.
Redemption may be a long way off, but...I won't waste the forgiveness freely given to me.
Glancing at Serena, I offer her a soft smile.
"Sorry for the delay. Just needed a pep talk from Zero."
In times past, it has been said destruction comes before creation.
The Sailor Senshi, a group of young women bound together through the forces of destiny, were tested upon viewing the ugliness of humanity during the events of the rebellion Zero began in the Tokyo Settlement's Shinjuku Ghetto.
Sailor Mars, fueled by uncertainty and a mission given by an unknown entity, unwittingly set fire to the ties binding these cosmic soldiers together.
Betrayal between humans is inevitable. In families, in friendships, in romances...all of it can come crashing down through rash actions and broken promises.
However, betrayal does not always signal an end.
A trust lost can find its way back in time.
The reason for this phenomena is simple really.
If betrayal gives birth to destruction, then repentance gives birth to creation.
A bond burned to a crisp can rise up from the ashes like a phoenix.
Of course, the path of redemption is riddled in obstacles that seem insurmountable at the beginning. One may find themselves slipping back into old habits that do not match the lessons learned.
It's easier to seek refuge in the past.
Walking into an uncertain future is far more frightening.
As Rei Hino and Serena Tsukino make their way to the annex building on the property of Kururugi Shrine, they are joined by Ami Mizuno and Lita Kino. The four of them, walking together, feel the absence of their friend Minako Aino, but with determination and hope they continue moving ahead toward a former enemy waiting just outside Rolo Lamperouge's makeshift prison.
The immortal, A.A., watches the four women with his arms folded across his chest and an expression of detachment on his face. For him, working with these girls is a means to an end.
He knows something they don't.
And he's determined to keep the knowledge to himself until he can secure the journals his sister left hidden throughout the world.
In the past he went against the core philosophy of thieves and trusted in others, mainly the immortal demon who systematically destroyed everything good in his life under his nose.
Placing trust in the wrong people can be deadly.
Having learned this the hard way, A.A. has no room in his heart for trust.
To his core, he is a thief and a master manipulator.
He won't offer forgiveness nor will he take it.
In the end, his only concern is the fulfillment of his vow to his dear siblings, Ophelia and Laurent.
December 23rd, 2017 ~ Beneath Saitama Ghetto
2:30 a.m.
"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr."
My stomach twists painfully with hunger as I drag my feet along concrete covered in dust and lingering debris from the wreckage of abandoned subway machinery from past explosions through the space. My tongue feels dry from only having had a few sips of water earlier on in the day and a few measly scraps of crackers and cheese.
It hadn't been a satisfying meal in the slightest. My colleague could have offered me more but chose not to. She said I needed to lay off the calories since I was changing my diet...
She acts like I'm trying to lose weight as opposed to quitting an addiction cold turkey.
Even now as I wave a flashlight in front of me in search of my targets, she vexes me through the Bluetooth device attached to my ear. She called a few minutes earlier to gloat about eating an expensive steak with fluffy yeast rolls and creamy butter.
To add insult to injury, she relished in discussing how her subordinates found an abandoned corpse near a dumpster and what recipes we could have tried out with the human flesh if I hadn't gone vegetarian on her...even though I've never seen her take an interest to cannibalism once in my entire life.
And then, in the middle of all that she tosses crucial information at me as if it were an afterthought and not the whole reason I was even down here snooping.
"Are you absolutely certain of this?"
"A.A. honey, I have lackeys all over this crazy world spying for me. My information is 100% accurate. Need I remind you that you wouldn't be half the thief you are without me?"
"You would remind me anyway, even without provocation."
"Because you don't appreciate anything I do for you. See, this is why I liked Ophelia better. She actually thanked me every once in a while. But you? Nooooooo! Getting anything respectful out of you is like pulling teeth from a rabid squirrel! If you were a lackey, I'd chop your head off for insubordination on the spot. How lucky you are that you're immortal!"
"Please stop talking."
There was a huff on the other end of the phone. "E.E. really should have taught you manners."
Gritting my teeth, I point the flashlight to my right and listen for anything other than the rats squirming about.
"At any rate," I begin, collecting my thoughts. "If what you say is true, then we need to proceed with the plan at a much faster pace. The targets were spotted entering this subway, right?"
"That's correct. It'll be easier to manipulate the Sailor Scouts with those two as leverage."
"You think?"
"I've been watching things play out in the Tokyo Settlement for a while. Trust me. You get those two on board, you'll have the support of the scouts and your sister's journals secured in no time at all."
"You're not good at catching sarcasm are you?"
"Oh! You little, patronizing twit!"
Passing through a tunnel on my left, I hear the distant hum of a knightmare frame activating.
"I have to go. My prey are on the move."
"Oh no! Don't relapse into cannibalism now! You were doing so good, honey!"
And she says I'm patronizing.
Clicking off the Bluetooth device and my phone along with it, I take off my shoes and sprint through the tunnel toward the sound, maneuvering around rats, their excrement, and broken glass to ensure I'm not detected by my targets before the right time.
Once I'm close, I turn off the flashlight and move a little more slowly toward the tunnel's opening. Just up ahead is a narrow chasm just large enough for a knightmare to pass through, and within that chasm sits a custom Burai. A young man with ash-brown hair and violet eyes stands just below it.
Ah yes, I recognize him.
"A former associate of the Order. Rolo, I believe." Smirking, I peer up at the machine's open cockpit. Another young man is seated within it, his hands fumbling through a compartment inside the machine. It's more than likely that this person is Lelouch Lamperogue, the student Rolo was assigned to watch over.
For another minute or so I keep to myself, merely watching the ex-terrorist as he searches through the knightmare for something specific. Rolo remains standing by the machine's legs, his eyes vacant of any real awareness. Observing him for a few extra seconds reveals the telltale sign of a Geass influence.
"Right. Zero had a Geass," I think, withdrawing a handgun from my pocket. "I can't remember what type of Geass he had though. I suppose it doesn't matter. I'm immune to it anyway."
The rattling of Lelouch's movements in the cockpit halt abruptly, forcing me out of my musing to refocus my attention on him. He seems to have a small wristwatch in his hand now. It's hard to see from here with only the dim light of the Burai's monitor for light, but the back of the wristwatch appears to have a symbol I remember seeing in the journal I have on my person.
"The symbol for Mars..."
Lelouch stares at the wristwatch for a moment then quickly taps a button on it.
A few seconds later, he starts speaking.
"S-Serena, it's Lelouch. I n-need...your help..."
"Ah, Sailor Moon," I muse, grinning as I begin to creep out of my hiding place. "Perfect. That's just who I need to reach."
Rolo, though under the power of whatever Geass the older teen had used, seems to sense me coming and flies into a defensive stance the second I emerge.
"DANGER!"
It's the only word the boy gets out before I close in on him, dodging the quick swipe of a switchblade before ramming the side of his head with the base of my gun. The boy emits a harsh grunt of pain as he rocks forward on the soles of his feet.
"Rolo! Distract him for as long as you can!"
The boy immediately responds to the order by pivoting on his heels to switch into an offensive stance. Then, with a roar he springs into a roundhouse kick that forces me toss away my gun in order for me to properly block the attack with my forearms.
"Lelouch! What's happening!?
Grinning, I quickly shove Rolo's foot away. He retaliates with a few quick swipes of his knife toward my neck that are easy enough to dodge, especially since he can't use his Geass on me.
Finding an opening after a particularly vicious strike that nicks the sleeve of my coat, I ram my fist against Rolo's chest. It's a weak spot for him, especially near his heart.
The well-timed blow knocks the air out of the amateur assassin, leaving me with a window to descend on my other target. Though my back is turned, I can easily hear the teen's fingers moving along the control pad of the Burai.
Taking a step to my right, I peer over my shoulder as the machine moves. Its gun sails in my direction.
Smirking, I close my eyes and envision E.E. ripping my head from my body.
An instant later, my sister's Magic Crest activates, allowing me to reinforce my legs just as Lamperouge fires off his first set of rounds from the Burai.
"Too slow! Too slow!" I chant, dancing out of the path of gunfire while the shrill siren of an error prompt emits from the machine. "Can't Zero do any better than that?"
"ERROR! ERROR!"
"W-why...now of all times!" Lamperouge barks, clearly trying to input the prompt for the cockpit to close. "Rolo! Get up!"
The other boy moans, safely out of the path of bullets I'm currently cartwheeling out of. His breathing is shaky, and though he makes an attempt to rise to feet, he quickly collapses back on the ground.
"Where are you, Lelouch!?"
Before he has a chance to respond to Sailor Moon, I send as much magical energy as I can into my legs and leap off the ground, flipping in an arc while the Burai's gun follows my flight.
"Do you really think I'd be that easy to gun down!?" I ask, dodging around airborne bullets while simultaneously reinforcing my arms for my next attack. "This machine can't do anything to me so long as I carry my sister's legacy in my heart!"
Clasping my hands together over my head, I slam them against the mechanical joint connecting the Burai's arm to its shoulder, severing it in two with a monstrous shriek.
"WARNING! RIGHT ARM DISCONNECTED!"
Growling as the metal arm clashes against the ground, Lamperouge activates the slash harkens and sends them out toward me. One pierces the ground mere inches away from my right foot
"I expected more out of the terrorist that outmaneuvered Cornelia," I roar, grabbing onto the cable right as the retract sequence starts. The force of the pull immediately dislocates my left arm, but I maintain a solid hold on the rapidly retracting cable while withdrawing a combat knife from my back pocket.
His reaction to my rapid approach is a slow, wicked grin.
"Checkmate, A.A."
With a sharp, methodical gesture he cocks a handgun directly at my forehead.
I smirk. "Clever."
A deafening shot rings out through the cavern before I can even register pain.
The world disappears, that singular shot having plunged me into a realm of never-ending darkness. Mangled, sharp voices screech at me from every direction, disorienting me to the point that my own screams join theirs within seconds.
And then, as if none of it had ever occurred, I wake covered in cold sweat and in the dust of the hard ground beneath me.
Once more, the sound of a gun cocking draws my attention. Lamperouge appears seconds later, a resigned look of triumph shining in his lone violet eye. The other is covered by an eye-patch.
"Your recovery time is quite impressive," he murmurs, keeping the gun trained on my torso. "Less than five minutes."
I try to move but find that my arms and ankles are bound with zip-ties.
Though breaking free would be child's play for me, a begrudging sort of respect keeps me still when I gaze up at the man who bested me in tactics.
"My apologies for underestimating you, Zero."
Rolo approaches then, having recovered from my earlier attack. He has my abandoned gun in his hand.
It was definitely a mistake to just leave it lying on the ground. Definitely an oversight on my part. I got too cocky before.
"Lelouch, Serena has left several messages on Rei's communicator," the brainwashed boy says. "Are you ready to call her back?"
"I am," Lamperouge answers, holding out his free hand for the communicator without looking away from me. "Can you handle watching him?"
"Yes," Rolo states simply, aiming my gun toward my chest. "My apologies for failing you earlier."
Lamperouge sighs. "Think nothing of it. Just make sure A.A. stays still."
"You seemed well prepared for this," I proclaim, watching the former terrorist as his attention shifts to the small device in his hand.
"I'm in a precarious situation," he replies, tapping the same button I saw him use before. "So I took great care to keep a sharp eye on my surroundings. The people you had following us yesterday were sloppy. Certainly not agents of the O.S.I. Isolating one of them and using my Geass to extract information was child's play."
Shrugging, I keep silent as a dial tone rings out from the communicator.
"Lelouch!" came Sailor Moon's voice. "Are you okay!? What happened!? Where are you right now!?
"Rolo and I were attacked by A.A.," he begins, rolling his eyes when Sailor Moon explodes into another series of nonsensical babbling. "We're fine. I knew he was coming."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU KNEW HE WAS COMING!?"
"Serena, please calm down."
"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN! YOU SCARED THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ME!"
"Her Majesty is quite dramatic, isn't she?" I ask, chuckling.
"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS, CANNIBAL MAN!"
Groaning, Lamperouge rubs the back of his head. "Listen to me. I think I have an idea as to why A.A. sought me and Rolo out. That's part of why I called. I need your help."
Sailor Moon is silent for a few seconds.
"Lelouch...why is your left eye covered."
The teen's expression softens into a somber smile. "Are you just now noticing, meatball head?"
"Since when do you call me that?"
It's Lamperouge's turn to stay silent, but the quiet drags on for longer than I would have personally liked. Maybe I should have taken a nap through all of this.
Eventually, the ex-terrorist speaks.
"Tell me...is Rei...actually dead?"
An audible gasp from Sailor Moon's side echoes through the cavern. If only I could see the screen of that tiny communicator.
"L-Lelouch...I...how..."
"Mina was going to kill herself," Lamperouge cut in. "Rei used her Geass on her. It was Rei's will for Mina to shoot her."
Sailor Moon doesn't utter a word.
"Something happened to me that night, Serena," he says, his voice weaker now. "I have some of my memories...but I have Rei's memories as well. It's because of her that I have an idea as to why A.A. sought me out."
This was intriguing, but I knew better than to interrupt now.
"I could care less about what A.A. wants after he kidnapped and tortured Mina," Sailor Moon states plainly, her tone far colder than it had been before.
"Did I not already apologize for what I did to Mina?" I ask, sighing.
"Your apology doesn't mean much of anything to me," Sailor Moon barks back. "You turned Mina into a monster!"
Looking up at the ceiling of the cavern, I can't help but reminisce on my finest work as a specialist in the art of torture.
"I'm well aware of what she did in my mother's lair," I state after a few seconds. "And I'm aware Sailor Mars stole my revenge while I was indisposed. Frankly, you Sailor Scouts owe me..."
"We don't owe you anything!"
Lamperouge groans again, but this time he seems to be visibly shaking from pain.
"The two of you...are giving me a migraine," he mumbles, inhaling deeply. "Serena, I want you to meet us at Kururugi Shrine. Can you do that for me?"
The future queen releases a sigh.
"Yeah. I can meet you there, but Lelouch..."
"You have my thanks," he interrupts, his breath wavering a bit. "Meet me t-there in two h-hours, o-okay?"
"Lelouch, you don't sound good. Are you..."
He clicks off the communicator before she can ask any more questions. The device buzzes within seconds, but Lamperouge is quick to toss it on the ground and smash it to pieces with his foot.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "You do realize I've just been sitting here for what the kids call, 'hot tea' right? I could easily overpower you and your mind slave once I recover."
Lamperouge offers me a nod, but it's clear he's distracted. "You came here because you want help finding your sister's journals. That's the truth, right? Your attack before was merely a way of creating a link to the Sailor Scouts. You were going to use Rolo and I as hostages, but there's no need for that now. I've already arranged the alliance for you. After all, there's information in those journals they need as well. The arrangement can be a win-win for both parties, that is, if you're willing to share some of the more sensitive Intel you have about the Geass Order with me."
Offering him a low chuckle in response, I glance over at Rolo. "That's fine by me. Now, do you mind calling the zombie off? The vacant stare is really starting to annoy me."
"Remove the zip-ties, Rolo."
The boy responds without a word. He quickly undoes the ties.
"Kururugi Shrine is a peculiar choice given your history, Lamperouge," I murmur, rubbing my wrists as I rise to my feet.
"That place... has been...abandoned for some time," the teen says, his voice a little strained. "I w-was there recently. The shrine is isolated within the countryside outside of Tokyo Settlement's northern border. There are no military stations near it, making it an ideal place to hideout, even if only temporarily."
"Wouldn't Kururugi search for you there?"
"Not initially," Lamperouge answers, composed even as his breathing turns raspy. "It's not...a place the old me would have considered...I'm certain Suzaku would assume I went underground to reestablish the Black Knights...or out of the country to search for...for...N-Nunnally...urgggh..."
Collapsing against the ground, the raven-haired terrorist seizes against the concrete. Rolo rushes to his side, but offers no words or questions. He merely waits and stares into space, waiting for an order Lamperouge can't give right now.
Though it'd be more fun to do things my way, convincing the Sailor Scouts to assist me will be far easier if they believe they can trust me.
So for now...
"Let me call my associate," I groan, stepping away from the two boys to turn on my phone. "She'll provide us with proper transportation."
Regardless of how it came to be, the first stage of my plan is complete.
"Opehlia...Laurent...wait for me."
January 4th, 2018 ~ Kururugi Shrine
10:47 p.m.
"A.A., have all the preparations been made?
The centuries old immortal, with his arms crossed in front of his chest and his head tilted at an angle, appraises the future queen of the world with a cold, calculating grin as she stops before him with her three teammates behind her.
To him, their solidarity was a meaningless fabrication built on a desperate hope to reclaim what had been lost.
But rather than voice this, he merely jabs his thumb toward the door behind him, muttering, "Everything we need is inside. Ms. Mizuno should probably wait here while we get into position."
Rei Hino steps forward then, her expression one of apprehension. "What's going to happen now?"
The meatball-head frowns, her own eyes reflecting hesitance when she answers.
"The O.S.I have been on the move since Lelouch and Rolo disappeared from Ashford. A.A. has been able to keep them off our tracks up until now, but they've known your whereabouts ever since you were transferred to Tokyo General."
"So then..."
"That's right," Serena cuts in, placing a hand on her hip. "You and Lelouch are an item, so the O.S.I. assigned several operatives to watch the hospital in the hopes of spotting him. There was absolutely no way to get you out of there without someone noticing, so we need to settle what we can here and leave immediately."
Rei's jaw drops, raw surprise in her voice when she shouts, "Are you guys crazy!? Why would you bring me here if the O.S.I was..."
"Because this was the only place close enough to the settlement that Suzaku didn't already have an eye on," Ami interrupts, speaking up for the first time. "The old mansion, the remains of Hikawa Temple, the Kaiba Estate, and Ashford Academy are all under intense surveillance."
"And it's only because of A.A. that we know all that.," Lita chimes in, glancing at the immortal before fixing her eyes on Rei again. "The guy has a talent for impressions, so he was able to mimic Suzaku well enough to keep the O.S.I. operatives busy in other surrounding areas."
"But by now the O.S.I. has searched through nearly every inch of Area 11," A.A. offers, smirking. "There are only a handful of locations left to comb through. This shrine is connected to Lamperouge's past. If Kururugi suspects his presence here, your arrival here tonight serves as the an incentive to investigate the place personally."
Zipping up the front of her thick black coat, Ami pivots on her heel, turning her back to the group as she wraps her arms around herself.
"Lelouch knew all this before we made the plan to bring you here," she says softly, almost in a whisper. "There are two escape routes available, but..."
Ami trails off, her expression shifting into one of despair.
"But what?" Rei asks, her patience wearing thin. "We don't have any time for the theatrics if Suzaku is on his way. Let's cut to the chase here."
Serena glances at Ami with a look of sympathy then picks up where she left off.
"E.E. erased most of the O.S.I.'s data on the night of the Christmas Ball," she says. "The night Lelouch left, he took care of the rest while disabling their recording systems. They have no evidence of Lelouch regaining his memories or of Rolo being under the influence of Geass, which means it may be possible for those two to go back and play off the disappearance as an impromptu boy's trip."
"But the O.S.I. operatives know how to identify a person under the influence of Geass," A.A. states, moving away from the door. "If Rolo shows up and acts like a zombie, Lamperouge will no doubt find himself slated for execution."
"There's an alternative plan," Lita adds, her gaze also drifting to Ami. "We could simply leave Rolo here and run for it..."
"Leaving Rolo behind will confirm Zero's return to Kururugi," A.A. argues, silencing the brunette. "Lamperouge's condition isn't ideal for life on the run. His episodes would slow us down. The Geass command on Rolo only lasts so long as he doesn't see Ms. Mizuno at any point. Should Lamperouge's health start deteriorating rapidly, she is the only one who has the skill necessary to keep him alive."
Serena glares at him. "I'm perfectly capable of handling Lelouch's medical needs myself."
"No you're not," Ami cuts in, a hint of anger in her voice. "You got lucky before, Serena."
Rei's gaze snaps over to the meatball head. "What is she talking about?"
None of the Sailor Senshi seem willing to answer her question.
Annoyed with the silence, A.A. steers the conversation back to the immediate concerns at hand.
"Rolo is Lamperouge's slave so long as the Geass is in effect," he says carefully. "Separating the two would make Rolo useless moving forward. Lamperouge explained that himself. His best chance for survival is to return to Ashford with Rolo in his right mind. All they have to do is act like brothers as they have been, the only difference being that Rolo would know the truth."
Rei sighs inwardly, her mind racing with the conclusions Lelouch must have drawn from all these facts and the reason why Ami looked so distraught.
The entire plan to return to Ashford hinged on Rolo cooperating, and there was no guarantee that he would. He was an assassin sent by the Order to watch over Lelouch and kill him if he regained his memories.
It wasn't like Lelouch to make such a desperate gamble, but Rei had seen how weak he'd been. A.A. was right, he couldn't handle life on the run right now, but that wouldn't matter if Rolo determined within himself to finish his mission at all costs.
Even if he did cooperate, Lelouch's physical state was completely unstable. Returning to Ashford and hiding in plain sight would prove disastrous if he didn't recover some more first.
"Serena said he was improving, but even Lelouch must know he can't go back immediately, and with the O.S.I. already on the way...we might actually have to..."
Fire isn't only destruction. Prove that to yourself by saving Rolo for me.
Rei closes her eyes for a moment, releasing a low sigh. "I see now. He's had access to my memories and emotions for two weeks, which means..."
"This is a test," she murmurs, opening her eyes. "Lelouch is testing me...no he's testing all of us."
All eyes fall on the fire senshi as she speaks, but it's Serena's expression that shows the most impatience.
"Are you serious right now?" she asks.
"Think about it, meatball brain," Rei counters. "Don't you think it's odd for Lelouch to deliberately craft a plan that leaves us at a disadvantage? Furthermore, do you guys really think he'd believe he could go back to Ashford with Rolo as if they hadn't been gone for two weeks, or that the O.S.I. would just roll with it?"
Lita's expression shifts into something contemplative. "You have a point there, but where does that leave us concerning Rolo?"
"Lelouch could have killed Rolo with his Geass outright," Rei answers, ruminating over flashes of the memories he showed her. "And he would have if not for my memories influencing him. Ami is the catalyst for breaking the Geass command because I wanted to protect Rolo for Ami's sake.
The senshi of ice lifts her gaze from off the ground. "Rei..."
"All of this is his way of telling us to act like true heroines of justice," the fire senshi states, a gleam of certainty in her violet eyes. "He's leaving it to us to find an option that suits who were are as Sailor Scouts."
Mirthless laughter bubbles into the air. It starts as a low, husky chuckle then rises into a crescendo of maniacal yet hollow cackling.
All of this emanates from the immortal cannibal.
"Why are you all entertaining such meaningless sentimentality?" A.A. questions between fits of hysterics. "Rolo is an assassin raised by the leaders of the Geass Order. He was chosen to watch Lamperouge specifically because he has no will of his own. Frankly, Lamperouge's order merely forced Rolo to change who he takes orders from. He's nothing more than a puppet."
"That's not true!" Ami shouts, moving to face the immortal with an expression of pure rage. "Rolo isn't just a puppet for others to control! He's a person with thoughts and feelings just like anyone else! What right do you have to say differently!?"
A.A. waves her argument off with another humorless laugh. "Regardless of your opinion Ms. Mizuno, the boy is a liability, an unnecessary risk to our operation."
"But..."
"We have an agreement, do we not?" A.A. retorts, interrupting Ami's words. "Do not forget that I am still an agent of Britannia. I can easily use those connections to your detriment."
Gritting her teeth, Rei points an index finger toward the immortal, yelling, "Listen here you underhanded creep! You may have formed an alliance with the others, but you've made no such deal with me! What's the problem in taking a minute to think of an alternative to killing Rolo outright if he doesn't..."
"We might not even have a minute," Serena growls, a dark edge seeping from her words. "Test or no test...we have to act now, Rei. Believe me, I don't like this course of action either, but what other choice do we realistically have when..."
A sudden beeping blares through the air, disrupting the conversation as Ami immediately moves to retrieve her mini-computer from the inside pocket of her coat. With a somber expression on her face, she opens the device and taps on a few keys.
"I'm getting Sakuradite readings from seventy kilometers west of our current location," she states, her sapphire eyes scanning the data. "There's at least three knightmares headed this way. Based on the energy output, it's probably a police unit."
A.A.'s right hand drops to his pants pocket. Rei starts to move into a defensive position, anticipating an attack from him, but Serena tightly grasps her wrist, stopping her mid-motion.
Turning away from the Sailor Senshi, the immortal withdraws a cell phone and types in a few keys before pressing the device to his ear.
"He's calling someone?" Rei asks, confusion lighting up her features. "Who?"
Lita steps forward then, suspicion shining in her green eyes. "Some woman he knows. She's been the one helping him keep the military off our backs. Not sure how she'll be of help now."
Within seconds A.A. hangs up, a scowl overtaking his face when he stuffs the phone back into his pocket.
"My colleague has agreed to distract the units headed this way for fifteen minutes or so," he mutters, yawning as he reaches to open the door of the annex building. "If we're done entertaining Ms. Hino's idealistic nonsense, let's proceed and see what fate the assassin chooses for himself."
Serena is the first to move, her pace steady despite the pained expression on her face.
Rei glances at Ami again then marches forward to take hold of Serena's arm.
"What is it now?" she asks, sounding tired.
"Serena, you know we can't just kill him..."
"It's funny how you didn't say anything like that when Mina's mother was the one who needed saving."
These words stun Rei into silence.
Snatching her hand away, the future queen takes another step forward, her heart heavy with regret.
When she speaks again, her tone is much softer, but the words aren't any less harsh.
"Like it or not, this is who we are now. You can thank yourself for that."
Lita steps forward then, and with a scowl of indignation she places her hand against Rei's shoulder and screams, "You don't speak for the rest of us, Serena. How is it fair for you to put all the blame on Rei when you've made some pretty destructive choices yourself lately? I've kept silent about it until now, but I'm not serving a queen who thinks it's okay to throw people's mistakes back in their face like that! How is passing blame around productive in any way? We all played a part in how messed up things have gotten, especially with Mina!"
Ami grits her teeth. "Enough! Stop it! All of you. There's no time. If we have to kill Rolo tonight..." she trails off for a second, a sob in her throat. "Then...let's just get it over with."
Lita's expression softens. "But Ami..."
"Ladies," A.A. cuts in, still waving his hands toward the open doorway. "Can we please speed this up?"
Serena inhales deeply and schools her pained expression into something more neutral before hurriedly brushing past the immortal.
"Certainly. Let's finish this."
A/N: And well, that's the end of this chapter. We got, I think three more to go before this story's conclusion. Man, that feels crazy to say. Also, Serena is...wow she's all over the place right now. She's definitely out of character, which is intentional...but that doesn't make it hurt any less. The soldier that's supposed to reflect pure light is slowly becoming something else. With Rei having been in a coma for two weeks, all these different changes with Serena, Lelouch, and other characters are really sending her on a roller coaster where things might get worse before they get better. What is to come next? The only way for you guys to find out is to read the next chapter once it's up. Don't know when that will be yet. I've got a draft for the next chapter. I think most of it was finished...but I'm not sure. I haven't had adequate time to look over it. I'm rambling at this point. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Many thanks to you all for reading. I might be adding a Q&A section to the final chapter, so if you guys have any questions about this story, feel free to submit them in a review or through a PM. I'll answer those questions in the Q&A section of the final chapter once we get to it. That's all for now. Best wishes and God bless you all.
