Turn 6

If A equals success, then the formula is: A=X+Y+Z.

X is work.

Y is play.

Z is keep your mouth shut.

Albert Einstein


The emperor of Britannia, Charles Zi Britannia, a man who controlled a third of the world. Was standing on the edge of a horizon-less sky glowing in eternal twilight. Up, down, left, right all around him was endless sky, the true name of this place had long since been lost to the passage of time and was simply called C's world now. However despite it's empty appearance, C's world was not empty as the emperor was standing on a large platform, roughly the size of a football field and doted with ancient stone structures, whose original purpose had also been lost.

The emperor's focus seemed to be on the endless sky. Until a man in a black ceremonial cloak and mask appeared with a message.

"Your Majesty, the remains have arrived."

The Emperor seemed to sigh "I was just conversing with Clovis, actually."

"Huh?" the messenger was confused because it was prince Clovis's remains that had just arrived.

Since the Emperor knew he didn't have to explain himself he simply replied "The project must proceed, without a moment's delay."

The messenger simply bowed to acknowledge his sovereign's command and followed him as the emperor walked to a set of stairs that lead the way back to earth.


From the air it would seem that Ashford Academy occupied roughly one and a half square mile of the Tokyo settlement's surface, however, the actual extent of the schools facilities extended well into the bowels of the settlements structure. Everything passed the first sub-floor was reserved for utilities, storage, and other industrial based needs and was regarded as off-limits to the students. Who had all but free rein in the areas above the restricted section. In those areas students were only restricted from entering the teacher's lounge and parking lot, and of course there was the standard restrictions between the boys and girls dormitory.

Most of the school's surface facilities were focused at the front entrance of the school campus. The area behind the building was largely all forest and fields, all artificially transplanted and landscaped during the settlement's construction as well as the school's it was dotted with various minute structures such as outdoor bathrooms fountains small parks and playgrounds for the younger students and a couple of open-air amphitheater's mostly used for school events such as the cultural festivals, which the student council president enjoyed throwing as often as she could, and various other outdoor-based activities at this moment Lelouch was looking for his friend Suzaku to around one of the empty picnic areas.

Right after class ended Lelouch had tugged on his uniforms collar as he left the room. It was an old silent signal the two of them had made up when the adults were too busy to bother with the kids.

So far his friend had yet to show up and the student council vice president was starting to get a little concerned. It was no secret that the student self-defense force still held to the idea that Suzaku was still guilty. Lelouch knew that Suzaku could hold his own in most fights. However there was still the risk of him being overwhelmed, it was a popular club that was a few violent acts away from devolving into a gang.

Originally, the two friends were supposed to have met on the school's roof, however it was already occupied at the time. By another pair of students that were using the secluded spot to for a more, mature, rondevu. Lelouch had been rather shocked that the coat of the girl's academy uniform could come off that quickly. Of course he'd talk/yell at Milly about that later.

It was then that the banished prince's train of thought was derailed when something big and black covered his face. Once the initial shock had worn off and he'd pulled it off his head the boy realized it was a coat from an Academy uniform. Tracing it back up to it suspected origin Lelouch found the person he was looking for up in a tree and approaching a small animal.

"Is that a cat?" Lelouch asked as Suzaku crept closer to his target.

"Yeah this cat seems to be hurt and can't get down." as Suzaku slowly and gently reached out his hand the dark furred feline bit him, hard. In the confusion that followed, Suzaku slipped from his perch on the tree branch and fell to the ground. The cat was able to safely land in Lelouch's arms.

Where the former prince was able to get a clear look at this intruding feline.

It was a dark gray male cat with a large black spot over one of its yellow eyes. As Lelouch looked over this animal, he suddenly realize that this cat was doing the exact same thing to him. Like perhaps there might be some higher intelligence at work here.

However the moment quickly passed as the animal quickly forced way out of the student's arms and took off on its own once more allowing Lelouch to focus on his friend were just falling out of a tree. "Hey are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine." Suzaku said as he dusted himself off before taking his coat back from Lelouch.

"Seriously? What is with you and felines? Like all those times back at your family's shrine."

"Don't remind me." Suzaku groaned as the painful memories bubbled to the surface. "There was that one cat on the roof, I went up to get it down..."

"It scratched you on the nose and you fell off and landed in the koy pond. Then I fell in trying to get you out." Both Suzaku and Lelouch laugh together for the first time in seven years.

"Having a meeting like the old days, sort of." Suzaku said while he scratched his head at the very embarrassing spill he had taken. "I'm glad your okay.

"Alive and kicking thanks to you, you almost died trying to protect me." And if the cat was any indication Lelouch's old friend was making a habit of it.

"I was just returning the favor. From seven years ago." it really didn't seem like that for Lelouch, but Suzaku then remembered the third person from their reunion in the tunnel. "what about the girl from the capsule?"

"I don't really know, we got separated during the fray. But you would know about her more than I do right?" it was pretty much the truth, and it was enough for Suzaku

"No." Suzaku was still uninformed about what had really happened. The select few who did know were either in hiding or mysteriously dead.

"I see." Lelouch had suspected that had been the case, he just needed to be sure. Suzaku was still just an honorary Britannian.

"And about your name. Do I still call you Lelouch?" Suzaku asked. Shortly after they had parted ways Suzaku had done his best to keep track of his friends, to be there when they would need him, with no success.

A new life requires a new name, a new history, and the former prince had opted to keep it simple. "The records count my old identity among the dead. I go by the name Lelouch Lamperouge now."

"Oh." Suzaku recognized it as the maiden name of Lelouch's mother and he was one of a handful of people who knew that. Many of the knights of the round that came from humble families, would choose to erase their family name from their records. Some did it to protect their families from becoming a target, the rest to hide the shame of their heritage.

"And you? What happened at your court marshal? Why did you enroll at this school?" Lelouch asked, trying to find out who he needed to thank for this chance to talk with his friend again.

The soldier boy started to smile, and even laughed just a little bit. "I was surprised as you are. What are the odds that we'd end up at the same school. Truth is, I was told someone arranged for me to receive a proper investigation, and that person said a seventeen year old should be in school."

Lelouch couldn't help but laugh a little himself, then asked Suzaku a question he'd been waiting all day for. "If you have the time, could you come with me? There's someone else who needs to know you're here."


Under the Shinjuku ghetto, Phillips gave Noble Six the latest news update.

"The blood of the samurai faction is under attack and the viceroy is leading the charge. Apparently someone Started a rumor that Zero was working with them." Six said as he watched the recorded news video in the corner of his HUD while moving large chunks of concrete.

The containers with the parts for the stratellites were modular by design. Smaller boxes able to connect together for easier shipping. Detaching them from each other wasn't a problem, but some of them were still too big to carry up the ladder through the crew hatch. So for most of the morning Noble Six had been using the gravity hammer to clear away debris and break off large chunks of the tunnel floor covering the topside cargo hatch. Funny thing was, while the spartan had been using the blade on the other side of the hammer to split the stone like material, he did use the blunt end to clear away the remains of the semi-truck. That was when he discovered that the hit gauge on his HUD read infinite, something he'd never seen before.

However the news report had put the Spartan's mind on other things and even the dumbest of AIs could catch the agitation in Noble Six's voice as he read the current military deployments."Wishing you were there?" Phillips asked.

"A little bit." Noble Six answered as the final piece of the mortar floor broke off before picking it up. "Their group is still only using the original Japanese military surplus from the war. They'll be ripped to shreds in seconds."

"Too late to do anything about it now." Phillips flinched at the crunch of stone and cement as Six's grip tightened on the last slab of concrete. "we really need to find you a better stress reliever."

"If you want to do that then find a way to get me into the fight!"


At the club house that Lelouch and Nunnally called home, the older brother had a surprise. "Nunnally, I got a present for you today."

"Really! What could it be?"

Lelouch motioned for Suzaku to enter. He slowly approached, careful not to give himself away, then gently took Nunnally's hand in his.

"Huh?" even after all these years she still recognized his touch. "Ah! This hand... I knew it. I just knew you'd be alright."

"It's been a long time, Nunnally." longer than she could know, but now the trio of friends were together again. It was the happiest they had been in a long time.

They spent the rest of the day catching up for lost time. Trading stories, of course the topic of Shinjuku never came to light. It wasn't until Sayoko called them to dinner that they realized what time it was.

"So tell me you will stay the night won't you?" Nunnally asked looking for reassurance that once he left it wouldn't be for good.

Lelouch though was the one to give the good news. "Suzaku's enrolled as a student at Ashford academy now. So you can see him any time you want to."

"Is that true?" She asked.

Seeing her smile, it almost killed Suzaku to disappoint her. "Well, I still have military duties. So I can't be here everyday."

Nunnally was crestfallen by this news. "Oh you're... You're still in the military?"

"Don't worry. I've been reassigned to the engineering core. It's a lot less dangerous." Suzaku said putting her mind at ease.

"Oh cool, engineering." Lelouch said as he collected the tableware to take back to the kitchen.

Actually it was more like relief for Lelouch since that meant Suzaku would be away from the battle field and out of danger. Despite the success of the rescue, Lelouch still didn't want to see his friend at risk like that again.

"Oh let me help you." Suzaku said as he started to get up.

"You just sit down. Unlike seven years ago. we get to be your hosts now." it was here that Lelouch started to notice the changes that time had left on his old friend. "It's funny, you're a lot more mellow then you used to be."

"And you're a bit more rough." he said as he sat back down.

"Heh, I suppose."

When Lelouch walked into the kitchen he found his new green haired room mate. Always with that same dead pan look on her face.

"I told you to stay in my room."

She simply shrugged off his disappointment to focus on the elephant in the dining room. "That boy out there. He's the soldier from Shinjuku isn't he. Is that wise?"

"Don't worry it's fine. He's..." Lelouch was a little hesitant to tell her what Suzaku was to him and his sister. Not because of shame from him being an honorary Britannian, he'd never feel that. "He's a friend from the past."

"You should come by again Nunnally would enjoy it."

"Sure, but... Lelouch I... I don't think we should be seen together at school."

"What do you mean?"

"Think, how would you explain it? Being friends with an honorary Britannian." What came next to Suzaku's surprise, Lelouch almost exploded in anger.

"Doing it again huh? Everyone's needs but your own!"

"Again?"

"Forget it." Lelouch realized he was showing he had knowledge of events he had no part in. And immediately calmed back down.

"Thanks for having me. It was a lot of fun. See ya later."

"Right." his friend was safe, and now out of the line of fire, anything else could wait now.

Just before he was out of ear shot, Suzaku said this. "I'm so glad, you know. I never though we'd get another chance to talk like this."

All Lelouch could do was watch his first, and best, friend walk away. Back across the line that he had drawn for himself seven years ago.


While Shinjuku was a ghetto of damaged and dilapidated buildings, its neighbor the Tokyo settlement was a single 90 meter tall shining white immaculate structure covering 70 square miles.

In truth the entire settlement was a white wash, built-in a series of layers to hide the less pleasing parts. The concept wasn't new to Noble Six as many of the inner colonies used such structures around their capitals and space elevators. On the whole this Britannian design had three primary layers to the structure with various sub layers and other structures added to the lay out. On the top or surface of the structure were the public and comers sectors: parks, shopping districts, media entertainment, and educational institutes. One difference the spartan and AI had noted was several private residence mixed into the layout towards the viceroy's palace, probably the nobility and super rich. The two middle layers would be reserved for bulk storage and transit paths for the monorail and motor vehicles, the Britannians seemed to have also out fitted several sections with urban living structures for the working class and less. The third level focused on utilities: water, power, gas, etc. The bottom, ground, floor was where the utilities were meant to go, but really it was the real remains of the original Tokyo city.

While the two center layers could give anyone almost free access to any part of the settlement, they were also a literal maze down there. There was a report of an entire covenant battalion that chased a group of fleeing refuges through a similar structure on the Arcadia colony. Refuges came out the other end intact, the battalion blasted their way through the roof a week later after two platoons went in to find them. And didn't come back.

Which is why when Phillips was unable to create a proper map of the settlements internal structure despite his best efforts, Noble six had decided to use the Ashford Academy's front door instead of the usual back door infiltration.

It really wasn't all the AI's fault. He was able to gather a good amount of detail however all he really had to go on at the time was orbital satellite footage and a handful of traffic cameras which only covered about 10% of the settlements internal structure. The settlements primary security was run through the Military Police, which used a closed circuit, hard-line network run out of the viceroy's palace. Just out of Phillips reach.

Of course by now Phillips had been able to get access to the city records and compile a more complete idea of what the layout of internal structure was. However Noble Six was not getting there on foot this time.

With his rather restricted hacking ability Phillips was able to hire a local trucking company to move the stratellite components directly to the school. When Six asked how the AI was able to pull it off Phillips gave him a rather simple explanation of manipulating the company's transport schedules for the day to include a trip through the Shinjuku Ghetto to acquire a specific set of parcels at a predetermined point.

Also one of the local, minor, drug lords was going to be without his protection money for a while.

Once the UNSC crates were picked up the spartan was able to use active camouflage and hitch a ride inside the truck all the way to the Academy. Now he had arrived at his destination, and his patience had warn thin.

"Oh come on, its a little funny." Phillips said as Six jumped out the semi truck's trailer the second the double doors opened. Noble Six refused to dignify his accusation with a response.

Half way through the ghetto, the truck had hit an extra nasty bump. That sudden motion caused one of the stacks of boxes to break loose and spill their contents all over him. The good news was there were no liquids in the shipment, the bad was this was how the spartan discovered the trucks next destination was a bulk hardware store. After a box of hammers had landed on his head, Six had checked his helmet for dents over four times.


The next day Suzaku's luck turned on him once again. This time in the form of three Britannian students with an apparent axe to grind. "I know you killed him! Just admit it!" The leader of the trio said.

Suzaku had been expecting this for a while. These kids were members of the school's student self-defense force. They had cornered him behind one of the school buildings where no one would notice.

"I hear you're the son of last prime minister of Japan!" He continued to push his view like it was a universal fact. "You have the motive!"

"Is there any point to this? I went to court and was acquitted." Suzaku said hoping to calmly settle this.

However the three kids had no desire to listen to an eleven. "What!? How dare you talk back like that, you're a mere honorary Britannian!" The leader said with the same bravado that the vast majority of Britannians all but oozed.

"It's useless. I'm a trained soldier." Suzaku said since logic and reason didn't seem to be working perhaps they would listen to a show of force.

But then the other two students rushed him and pinned his arms to the wall.

"Hold Him!" their leader said as he moved in to strike.

But the kid's fist never landed as a large object struck the boy right on the top of his head.

'A book?' Suzaku thought As he realized what had hit his would be attacker. It was a thick hard cover text-book, the kind that could stop a bullet.

Two more thick textbooks then landed squarely on the heads of the kids pinning him to the wall. Suzaku looked up to find the source of his reprieve, a female student with long vibrant pink hair standing in a open second story window.

"Um… are you okay?" she asked, showing genuine concern. Between the tactical book strike and a very pretty girl talking to him, all that Suzaku could think of for a response was, 'What?'

"I accidentally dropped some books." She said, trying to clear up the boy's confusion.

Suzaku looked back down at the three kids that had been knocked unconscious by the falling literature. If a direct hit to the head was an accident, then what would it look like if she actually tried.

It was then she asked him the last thing he expected to hear. "Can you tell me where the library is? I just transferred here and I don't know where it is."

"Then you should ask someone else." he said as he began making the same excuse he gave Lelouch "You shouldn't get involved with me."

Despite being grateful, he didn't want to cause anyone trouble.

However any further words of discouragement were rendered moot as said girl suddenly jumped out the second story window. Suzaku immediately jumped into action and easily caught her.

"I'd like you to show me around. Suzaku Kururgi." she said to the shocked soldier boy. Whoever this girl was, it had become obvious she wasn't going to accept no.


A short time later Lelouch's phone started to ring. However it wasn't Shirley or any other members of the student council. This was a call from the terrorists he'd convinced into helping him free Suzaku. Their leader, Ohgi, sounded scared.

"It hasn't made the news yet but the blood of the samurai faction was wiped out by Cornelia. They were the largest group we had in central Japan. Look zero, it won't be long till she comes after us."

"Just keep your head, our chance will come." Lelouch said.

"But-"

"Sit tight I'll contact you latter." calls like that were starting to become more frequent. Asking for advice on possible missions or what to do, since things were getting heated. Lelouch was beginning to question the idea of cutting ties with them, before they got caught. 'If I do then I'll probably lose the Spartan too. No, I'll need him later. If I could get him to take off his helmet then I could use my Geass.'

Lelouch knew this Spartan could jump-start a lot of his plans. A man with possible military connections and technology that mainstream Britannian was nowhere near achieving. He would have him. Which reminded The boy that he had one more job to do.

A short while later...

"Fiddling with your costume again?" C.C. Asked as Lelouch sat at his desk with the mask of zero in his hands.

"I'm just checking everything to make sure it doesn't malfunction on me." While the green haired pest in Lelouch's room always spoke without any tone or spirit. He was starting to pickup some emotions, but it was still hard to tell.

"This is an intrecate design." she said as she got a closer look at it.

Thinking this might be her curiosity, he showed her more of it. "It has a voice changer, too. That way, they can't get my voice print."

"I see." she then poked it, as if it would respond.

"Don't touch it."

Then again maybe she was being sarcastic again, it was hard to tell with her. After one last look over he set it on a table next to the window. "Okay maintenance is done. Now for the cape…huh?"

He had taken his eyes off it for just a second, but the mask had suddenly disappeared, but there was only one other person with him. "C.C. Give it back."

"Give what back?" She asked.

"The mask."

"What are you talking about?" She was not playing dumb, it wasn't her style.

"Meow."

Both of them looked at the source of the sound and saw a dark grey cat, wearing the mask of zero.

The scream Lelouch let out was so loud the windows almost shook, and the cat ran like crazy out the door.

"What was that scream I just heard?" Nunnally shouted as she came into the hall.

"Nunnally? It's nothing. Don't worry about it-" the masked cat suddenly took off down the hall "HEY! Come back!"

The feline ignored any please from the boy as it bolted through an open window to the outside.

"There's no way I'm getting exposed by a lousy feline!" Lelouch shouted as he chased after said animal.


At that same moment Suzaku and his strange rescuer, who had asked the young soldier to call her Euphy, were sitting down at the edge of the academy's junior high section of the school, enjoying a break from walking, a snack, and surprisingly enough? Each others company.

"It's delicious." Suzaku said as he took another bite of the snacks the pinket girl had given him.

I'm glad. Please have some more. It's a token of appreciation for showing me around.

Suzaku couldn't help but accept. "You bring snacks in addition to lunch?"

"I need snacks at 10 o'clock and 3 o'clock."

While Suzaku was the only Japanese high school student at the academy, he wasn't the only one in the entire school. The year before many honorary Britannian children were accepted into the elementary and middle school classes. Not a popular move by the Ashfords, but it did eventually become a widely accepted one. To Suzaku it was an example of a step towards peaceful coexistence without bloodshed. But it still had its flaws, the three kids that jumped him were prof enough. However, Euphy was clearly quite the opposite of them. Not once during their walk through the school grounds did she talk down to him, ignore, or even try to distance herself from him.

"Okay I'll pass this back to you. I haven't kicked a ball since I was a little girl. Her you go!" however Euphy's effort ended with her landing on her back, hard, while the soccer ball only rolled an inch.

"Euphy!" that was the worst kick Suzaku had ever seen, and judging by the way she landed she might have hurt herself from the fall.

However before he could move to check, she just got back up. A little embarrassed and maybe a smudge or two on the back of her uniform, but other wise unharmed. She then brushed the bits of grass off the back of her skirt without a single complaint. Right before picking up the ball and walking it over to the two smaller kids.

"Here. I should have just handed it to you from the beginning. Here you go."

Suzaku watched as the two middle school kids thanked her and left. Keeping a close eye on her to make sure she was ok. An also, she surprised him. Like in some rare cases she wasn't what he was used to seeing when it came to typical Britannian behavior. She never yelled or complained, said please and thank you. proving one an honorary Britannian Suzaku met in boot camp wrong that those words did exist in their vocabulary.

"This is an ideal school," she said with a heart felt smile. "where elevens and Britannians are integrated."

But to Suzaku it was more bitter sweet. "Yes. But in reality, we do not get along. I wonder if it's even possible sometimes."

"It's not impossible. If both sides would get to know one another, that's all it takes." She said refusing to give into the negativity.

Listening to this girl was almost surreal, was this how he sounded to Lelouch? "You are free of prejudice aren't you Euphy?"

"Before we are elevens or Britannians, we are humans." She said as she sat back down next to him, "So why should we discriminate?"

For the first time in a long while Suzaku smiled, both for himself and her. "If everyone thought like you there would be no war."

"You don't share my views?" She said looking a little hurt.

"Well…" it wasn't like that, not at all. He shared her view, but "people are difficult. Although it doesn't mean I want to give up."


Back at the club house Milly, Rivalz, and Nina had come at Nunnally's request since their other activities were done. Not that they would have turned her down if they were busy, especially with the concern they could hear in her voice.

"Lelouch just took off after a small animal?" Milly asked trying to find out what happened.

"Yea that's right. I think a cat ran off with something pretty important to him."

"Important?" That got everyone's attention.

"Yea I'm not sure what exactly, but I'm positive it was something of value to him. Because… I've never heard my brother sound like that! He was completely hysterical."

"That is weird. What could be so important to the guy?" Rivalz had a big point. For as long as any of them had known their aloof student vice president. The most important thing in the world to him was sitting right there in front of them. So what could a cat carry off that would get Lelouch, the most stoic person they know, to freak out and chase after it?

Nina was the first to have a theory. "A love letter?"

"An embarrassing photo?" Milly suggested next, her inner gossip monger at work.

"Poetry he wrote?" Rivalz said being the last, and probably the most far off.

"Poetry?" none of those things they said sounded to Nunnally like something a cat would take, or her brother Lelouch would have on him to be taken.

But then it wouldn't matter as Rivalz and Milly shared a smile of a sinister nature. Their friend Lelouch was looking for something, and it was important.

"Leave it to us. Well get our hands on this thing before Lelouch has a chance to blink! Just you wait!" Rivalz said with his brand of enthusiasm. Lelouch was his friend and meant what he said, but not before the madam 'prez' had her fun first.


At that same moment, Lelouch was frantically trying to apply his big brain to this problem of feline catch and retrieve, and failing miserably at it. His biggest problem was his own body, Lelouch was in no real way out of shape but he also had no real athletic skill either. Several times he'd lost sight of it because it had taken a turn sharper, run faster, or jump higher than he could.. he needed help.

"If I had those terrorists with me, I could encircle the enemy. Maybe Kallen... No, she's suspicious of me enough as it is." Lelouch then briefly paused as the schools PA system gave off it's usual chime before unscheduled announcements were given.

"This is Milly Ashford, your student council president. Cat hunt, everybody!"

Lelouch's mouth could have hit the floor right at that moment.

"There's a cat loose on campus that needs to be rounded up. Put everything on hold people. Participating clubs will get budget priority. And whoever catches our feline friend will get an extra special prize: A big old kiss from one of the members of the council!"


Else where, two of the female student council members were brought to a dead halt at that news. Shirley, at the school's high dive, slipped from shock and tumbled end over end into the water.

Kallen, outside, walking to the student council club house was still processing the news.

"Members of-" Then it hit her like a load of bricks, "Wait Like Me!"

"Exactly!"

Kallen was shocked beyond words as members of the gardening and film clubs popped out of the bushs around her. Their imaginations twisting with the idea on what they might get to do with her, before they all scattered to find the notorious feline.

"There's no way that's how I'm going to get my first kiss." Kallen said as she ran off to find the cat herself and avoid the potential nightmare.


And since Milly's announcement covered the entire campus, Suzaku decided to throw his hat into the ring as well. His best friend was on the that council it would be wrong to do anything less.

"I'd better go, they may need help."

Euphy's smiled as she called after him. "Good luck."

An for the first time in years the young boy's heart was at ease. He'd never felt this way about a girl before. The closest anyone was came was Nunnally, who he loved like a sister. "I'll see you later. If that's possible."

"Yes. Of course, I'll see you again later."


Down in the school's knightmare hanger Noble Six watched the last few students there charge for the door in mass. It was a lucky break for him since he'd been stuck for a plan to get them out.

"Looks like you won't have to worry about pulling the fire alarm." Phillips said as the spartan dropped the active camo.

"We got lucky, some of those kids were getting a little too close to the stratellite crates." Six then paused looking back up at the school's knightmares once again. Compared to the sutherlands he'd seen in Shinjuku, the MR-1 was a metal scarecrow. What made it worse, almost all attempts by the UNSC to create their own piloted mecha had been epic fails. Only two models ever came close to the matching the MR-1's performance. The HRUNTING Mark III [B] Exoskeleton, or cyclops, was the first one produced, but it was designed for heavy labor and cargo hauling. The other one was the HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark IX Armor Defense System, also known as the Mantis, it was still in development but Six saw the designs while working in the saber project. Over all, it took a step back from the humanoid design of the cyclops and was actually more of a mobile weapons platform. Heavy machine guns and five barell heavy rocket pod with tracking missiles were the primary armament. That much fire power could easily decimate both covenant and Britannian armor in seconds. However what Britannia lacked in armor and weapons, they excelled in speed and mobility. All the guns in the world would be worth squat if you couldn't hit the target.

Noble Six rapped the side of his helmet, realizing he was getting side tracked, the kids were gone, he was alone, he needed to finish before someone caught this cat everyone was chasing. Six began opening the containers, "Okay, I'm gonna need a wrench, a power drill with a 3 1/2 inch hole saw, a soldering iron, and a ball pin hammer."

It was one of office of naval intelligence's little SNAFU tricks they like to put in their stuff when it was not being handled by them directly. The stratellites payload could be assembled without the tools since it was a series of interlocking pods filed with electronics, but then it would most likely explode when it was turned on. The hole saw was going to be used to cut open two plates that separated a critical power juncture. The soldering iron would close a gap in the circuitry, they never put it in the same place twice but Six knew what to look for. The wrench would be used to turn the handle for the main locking bolt that would seal the payload together. The hammer would then be used to knock the covers off the four latches that would secure it to the envelope.

Of course everyone he talked to that had to deal with these little traps said they'd rather be using it on the head of the guy that came up with them in the first place.


Back up above every student was looking for this mysterious cat that had appeared on campus. Kallen was tying extra hard to be the first to catch it, not because she wanted the reward, in fact quite the opposite.

"Offering up people as prizes. That's why I really hate Britannians." Kallen grumbled a loud before slowing down to a walk as several pairs of students passed her before taking off at a run again. "Dam it! Why do I have to act like I'm sick an feeble." Kallen rounded a corner and nearly knocked over another student. "Jeez I'm sorry about that. huh? Shirley, why are you dressed like that?"

The orange haired girl was still in her school issue one piece swimsuit instead of her uniform, and the pool was halfway across the campus.

"I didn't have time to change, they're going to make us kiss somebody! We have to hurry!" She said, almost scared out of her wits.

"I'm with you." Kallen said before taking off her school coat and giving it to the half naked swimmer, "but first you should cover up."


Over at the club house Nunnally was starting to regret going to Milly about the cat. In hind sight she should have realized the student council president would turn this into a circus. Any way it was too late to call the prez off the hunt now she had the scent. The whole thing had gotten so out of hand that she'd forgotten she was expecting company. Meaning if her legs worked, Nunnally would have jumped out of her chair when Ms. Sayoko opened the door.

"Lady Nunnally, your visitor is here."

The young blind girl easily recognized the footsteps of a small, lighter, set of feet. "Alice."

Alice Liddel was a blond, 15 year old girl, about the same height as Nunnally, if she could stand up, with her hair tied up in pig tales that reached down just past her shoulders. During her first year at Ashford, Nunnally, had been picked on relentlessly by her fellow, noble blooded, classmates. Since she and her brother had left the name Britannia behind,the special treatment given by the Ashford had put her in their crosshairs. Their abuse varied from name calling to trying to tip over her motorized chair. Despite all the trouble they gave here, Nunnally never told a word of this to her brother Lelouch, he needed to be here to have friends like he did now. Then one day someone made the bullies stop, Alice. But the former princess wouldn't know that until a week later, during the school festival that same year.

"What exactly is going on out there? Its mass chaos."

Nunnally started to pout, from all the trouble she caused. "It's mostly my fault, I told Milly about a cat that had taken something from my brother."

"You told her?" Alice shuttered, Milly Ashford, the student council president. Alice knew all to well of the president's style of doing things, flashy and extravagant, To the extremes. If she wanted it Milly would use every resource available to her. That kind of drive could be scary at times. "Its okay I've come to realize the president is only trying to help," a team of riderless horses suddenly ran past the french doors leading out to the patio. "in her own crazy way."


Eventually the two girls of the student council got lucky as the cat crossed their path and they chased it under a desk in a dead-end under some stairs. Kallen had ended up sharing her uniform's coat with Shirley to help her not draw too many stairs from other boys. A quote of "I would die of embarrassment if Lulu sees me like this." Had come from Shirley before she accepted, after Kallen suggested she take it to cover up. Now the cat was cornered, time to focus.

"Okay we do this right and our lips will be safe. Shirley you cover the rear." Kallen said as she started to approach the cornered feline. neither of them had gotten a good look at the cat before it had dived for cover but Kallen had noticed something strangely familiar about it and wanted to be the first to investigate.

However Kallen's eagerness suddenly sparked a rather unpleasant memory for Shirley. "Uh, Wait a sec!"

"What's the matter?"

"Who would you want to get a kiss from? Is there anyone in particular?" she asked, with the memory of Lelouch and Kallen kissing played in her head.

However since that never really happened the red-head had no idea what she was talking about and just replied with "Huh?"

"It wouldn't be Lulu would it?"

"Just what would make you think that?" Kallen asked back since she had no idea what brought this on. Kissing him was the last thing she wanted, in fact her one on one experience with him has made her want to slug him if anything.

"Oh well... I guess it's..." now Shirley felt awkward, now she wasn't really sure how to tell Kallen that she had seen her and Lelouch together the other day.

As both of them continued to argue about the reward the cornered feline in question silently slipped away.


Of course the chaos inside the school did not go unnoticed by those on the outside. Crouched on top a somewhat secluded spot of wall that circled the school's entire estate was a young man of apparent eleven dissent, wearing a black long coat, his long black hair was tied in a loose ponytail with a white ribbon, allowing some of the long, spiky bangs to hang over his face, obscuring a small part. At the moment he was doing everything he could not to laugh his head off while watching the students frantically run around the campus like chickens with their heads cut off

"I swear Lan, you really got to check this out it's like a three-ring circus in there.

While the young man watching the spectacle unfold was enjoying himself, his friend Lan Hikari was not. "Ling! Get down from there! The last thing we need is one of us getting into trouble that none of us can afford. Like getting us arrested!"

"Right," Ling Yao said just before shifting his position on the wall so he was hanging from it by his legs "Like you yesterday when you broke up that fight between the Japanese and those two brat Britannian students, back in Shinjuku?"

"And who was it that jumped in front of him two seconds later?"

Bother men turned to see their boss, James White. Looking less than pleased.

"Sorry sir." Lan said standing at attention.

However that was the last thing James wanted him to do. "SSSSHHHHHH! We don't have the luxury of military titles here."

"Yes sir-" Lan stopped himself there. "Right, sorry James."

"Anyway Ling, Get Down From There!"

"Okay, okay. But..." Ling flipped off his perch to execute a perfect landing next to Lan. "what's with putting Thomas in a headlock?"

James looked at the fourth member of their little troop who's neck he had securely wrapped his arm around.

"He tried walking onto the school grounds, via the front entrance."

"Come on, can't you cut me some sla-ACK!"

"Three times, three!" James said as he tightened his hold "Seriously Thomas, you're lucky I can't court-martial you for disregarding direct orders, several attempts of going AWOL, and-"

James voice was drowned out as a young girl's voice cried out "meow" shortly followed by the rest of the students. "If I had my M6 I could have you shot."


Lelouch was starting to question the idea of getting a new mask, or at the very least using his geass on the first person to actually catch this cat. Strangest thing was, it had been two hours Milly had gotten the whole school involved and no one had come close to catching this feline felon. The whole academy student body was searching, six grades of at least two hundred students each, and no one had even got a clear view of what the cat had on its head. Of course the vice president geassing everyone into forgetting what they saw may have been a minor factor in it.

Reguardless there was a limit to how well he could keep track of the animal. on several occasions he lost track of it only to find the small animal again later, running away in a completely different direction. plus there were the close calls when students came close to catching the cat. amusingly when it came to the male students they actually started beating each other up when any of them came close to cornering the animal. of course Lelouch's heart almost stopped when Shirley and Colin came the closest to capturing the poor creature. however they stopped to argue for some unknown reason, which he had no interest in since the cat snuck away before it needed to become relevant in total the entire thing was driving him nuts by this point he was stuck on the ground watching as the cat ran along the rooftops up till it found an open window on the schools Clocktower which was perfect for Lelouch that part of the school was technically a sealed structure one way in one way out at the bottom of the tower there is no way I could lose now he thought as he entered the base of the tower.

"Lelouch?"

Crud it was the last person he wanted to see at this delicate point. "Suzaku, Why are you here?"

A low meow echoed through the towers hollowed structure

"I was looking for the cat as well." He replied.

Double crud he was on the same feline Chase as everyone else and what's worse he was on a very very short list of people that Lelouch refused to use his power on. If he saw the mask on the cats head... it would all be over.

"Leave it to me I'll catch up on you don't need to I'll handle this." Suzaku said as he started up the stairs that ran up the clock tower.

"You don't need to do this!" Lelouch shouted as he chased after him.

"But I've always been more athletic than you."

Lelouch watched as Suzaku charged ahead by leaps and bound while he himself was starting to gasp for breath. "Oh for Pete's sake... He always was an exercise nut." But he wouldn't stop, his life literally depended on it.

Suzaku was closing in on the cat. Lelouch needed to think of something fast, but nothing was coming. Then another unexpected thing happened. "Woah!" The vice president shouted as he suddenly slid a foot down the roof.

"Lelouch!" Suzaku shouted before retreating back down the clocks roof to help his friend.

As Suzaku slid back down the roof, Lelouch was just barley able to catch the mask of zero slipping off the cat's head. Then tumble down the side of the roof where it got caught on a lightning rod above one of the other windows, just within an arms reach. Then he did something he did not intend, his footing gave out and he started sliding again. This time his feet failed to find any grip to halt his downward slide as they passed over the gutters and into open air.

At the last second Suzaku's hand reached out and caught Lelouch's wrist.


After Lelouch had been pulled to safty Suzaku climed back up the roof and caught the cat. Noticing it was the same one from yesterday, reminded him not to have a repeat of the tree. So when the cat pounced, he was able to block the teeth and claws with the thick fabric of his uniform. Now he was carrying the feisty feline down the stairs while it did its best to chew its way through his sleave.

Once he'd reached the ground floor, he discovered the crowd that had formed from his performance back on the roof. They could be here for the cat, if that was the case Suzaku had no qualms about giving him to the first one to ask.

"Thanks for saving Lulu." Said a girl wearing only a school swimsuit and overcoat

Thanks? That was the best responce that he could have hoped for.

"And where is Lelouch?" Milly asked with full knowledge of where the boy was, but more to discover why he had stayed up there.

"He said he forgot something so we told me to go on ahead." Suzaku replied

"That's it the embarrassing secret!"

"Please don't say weird things you always make up silly stories." There he was, empty-handed and void of any evidence of what the cat might have had on him.

"Aw," the perz moaned, "and just when I thought I had some dirt on you."

"Are you two friends?" Shirley asked, noticing their casual attitude twards each other.

"But... he's an eleven." Nina said like such an idea was the plot to a horror story.

And here it came, the moment where he would use to set the record straight for everyone. Forever. "No I'm-"

"Yes," Lelouch said cutting him off. "he's my friend. Milly, can we have him join the student council?"

"Sure I can't say no to the vice president"

Suzaku couldn't believe it. He'd tried to distance himself from Lelouch and Nunnally to protect them. Now they would be closer than ever, the eleven boy wasn't sure he should curse Lelouch or thank him.

"Well then I'd say that's the end of that." Nunnally said as she wheeled herself to the front of the crowd. "Now come here you two and lend me an ear."

As they both moved in they suddenly felt a light peck on the cheek.

"Nunnally!"

"There you go the reward miss Milly promised. Since you both caught the cat you'll just have to settle for me. Almost a real council member." In the end everyone excepted the young girls ruling and cheered the cats capture.

All though Shirley was a little disappointed that her chance at Lelouch had passed her by. She held no grudge for the young girl. In fact it was kind of a relief, of all the other girls she knew Nunnally was the best choice. Then Rivalz went and opened his big mouth and ruined the mood for her.

"All right then let's celebrate the catching of the cat! Everything's on the new guy naturally."

"Oh back off! I'm Shirley nice to meet you."

One by one the other members of the student council lined up to great Lelouch's old friend, save Nina. Who had worked her way to the back of the crowed that had formed.

"I'm the president, Milly."

"I'm Rivalz, the student council secretary."

Then out of the crowd a new and familiar voice shouted out. "Suzaku!"

"Euphy!" Suzaku quickly spotted the pink haired owner of that voice and helped her move to the front of the crowd.

"Euphy? No…" Lelouch recognized the girl as well, but under a different title. 'Third princess of Britannia Euphemia.

How could she be here?'

Had he been found out? No, she was wearing a standard academy school uniform. She couldn't be attending this school as an actual full time student otherwise there would be a big announcement and swarm of body guards present to protect her, or Cornelia herself at the very least, both he would be able to see coming a mile away. She could be on one of her little personal tours she likes to take, but there was the uniform again. Not just anybody could get their hands on one, even royalty.


Once the party was underway and everyone focusing on Suzaku. Lelouch and Euphemia slipped away for a private talk. She was a little surprised to see him when he approached her but she remained quiet as they moved around back of the student club house.

"So Lelouch, it is you. I was told that you died when japan was conquered. I'm really glad your alive." Lelouch would be lying of he said he wasn't happy to see her too, so he eagerly answered the expected question. "How's Nunnally doing?"

"She's doing fine. Although her eyes and legs are still disabled."

"I see." it was sad news to hear.

"Hey Euphy..." now came the hard part, she knew about him and Nunnally being here alive in area eleven. All it would take was one word and she could shine the biggest spotlight on him in seconds, he needed her silence. For a moment the power of his geass began to prickle in his left eye, he could make her forget, even force her to reveal anything she might know about her elder sister and what happened seven years ago. But the felling quickly passed, despite all the anger, the rage, and hate he had for the man he called father. There were still members of his family Lelouch and Nunnally still cared for, and at least one he knew could trust. "Officially, I'm supposed to be dead. This life is the peace we were finally able to achieve." Lelouch said as he pushed his power back down.

Euphy smiled in solemn agreement. "Yes I know. I won't tell anyone that I met you here today. I promise." She remembered the day he was forced to leave, the betrayal, the hurt. This was his nice way of saying go away and never come back. Such a thought pained her, she wanted to stay, to be a part of their lives, to be a family again.

However both of them would get a proverbial bucket of ice water to the face as a third party stumbled into their private talk.

"There you are, Lelouch!"

"Milly." that girl had the craziest timing in the world. Fortunatly it seemed she hadn't heard a word they had said.

Then he was forced to correct himself when she told him why she'd come looking for him. "We've decided on lake Kawaguchi for the social trip." And being a good sport Milly then turned to the pinket and asked, "Would you like to come too? It's this weekend.

Lelouch knew the prez was only trying to share the fun but this wasn't the time and he needed to find a way to separate the two of them. "Milly she's..." however he was drawing up a blank on excuses.

"I can join you?" Euphy said as she realized this could be the perfect chance to extend her time with Lelouch, maybe even see Nunnally.

Luckily for Lelouch the question would go unanswered. Three of the school's staff suddenly rounded the corner. At least that's what they looked like to the random person or student, but Lelouch could easily catch on to their movements, the way they scanned their surrounding, and moved in formation. These were the body guards that he had been waiting to see.

"There you are! Let's head back. The deal was only three days." a woman with short cut hair said while prepairing to give the vice president an icy stare. But Lelouch was already backing away, but for a different reason. Because while these people looked like school faculty members, they were actually soldiers that her big sister Cornelia had assigned to protect her precious Euphy. She was to make sure any boy that got to close to the young princess would have a good reason to go away, Lelouch would rather not risk someone else recognizing him.

As they lead her away she stole one last look at her long lost brother. 'Lelouch. I finally found you. I wanted to talk more.'

Once Euphy and her escort were out of ear shot, Lelouch explained who she was and why he was alone with her. In an interesting turn the gossip queen, who had dirt on all but two people in the whole school, had been completely in the dark to this. "I didn't know a princess was attending our school. Is everything okay?" Milly asked with the same concern Lelouch had when he'd found out the third princess was at the academy, but for slightly different reasons. She and her family were harboring two fallen members of the royal family, if any of the wrong nobles or aires to the throne discovered them here, the Ashford family could be labeled as traitors and executed without trial.

"It should be. Euphy keeps her promises." Lelouch knew he could trust her, unlike other certain members of the school board. "Besides, I think the school needs to check student registrations more carefully." Milly knew the blame would come down on her shoulders for this over site.

"I'll talk to grandpa." she said since she was also one of the few people who know his true identity as well. And feeling sorry that this great big piece of gossip had slipped by her without leaving so much as a smudge.

"Nunnally and I are in hiding here, you know. Please don't forget it."


Later that day at the school's auditorium. The entire student body came in to watch the prince's, official, funeral broadcast from the homeland. Publicly aired throughout the empire.

After the music ended the emperor himself got up to speak. His tone, stern and commanding as ever. When he spoke, everyone listened.

"All men are not created equal. Some are born swifter afoot. Some with greater beauty. Some are born into poverty. And others are born sick and feeble, both in birth and upbringing. In sheer scope of ability, every human is inherently different. Yes, that is why people discriminate against one another. Which is why there is struggle, competition and the unfaltering march of progress. Inequality is not wrong, equality is! What of the EU, which made equality a right? Rabble politics by a popularity contest. The Chinese Federation with its equal distribution of wealth? A nation of lazy dullards! But not our beloved Britannia. We fight, we compete! Evolution is continuous! Britannia alone moves forward, advancing steadily into the future. Even the death of my son Clovis demonstrates Britannia's unswerving commitment to progress. We will fight on! We shall struggle, compete, plunder and dominate! And in the end, the future shall be ours. All hail Britannia!" the Emperor finished, the people before him continuing his cry.

"All Hail Britannia!"

Lelouch tried to look sad on the outside, but he was seething with rage on the inside. If what the emperor said was true. Then what would happen to his sister, to Nunnally? He chose not to think about it, it wasn't the time or place to make a sean.

Deep in the back of the same auditorium the invisible spartan had his own opinion about the emperor's speech. "Darwin must be proud as hell, or rolling in his grave," Noble Six thought out loud as he left through the back of the auditorium, the only sign of his presence was a door suddenly opening and closing.

"He's not entirely wrong," Phillips interjected, "Such notions and concepts are still present, even in the UNSC as we know it. Such feelings are also behind the reasons for the wars and rebellions, even before the covenant ever showed up."

"However, he is wrong on one thing, we're not born into our lot in life, we are brought into it. We are all born equally because we have nothing when we begin just like when we die. we're born with nothing and we die with nothing, all we have to define that time are the choices we make between those points. It's that simple."

"Trouble is people are more willing to listen to a king then they are to you." Phillips added. "And if humanity continues down its current path there won't be anything left for the covenant to..."

"I Know…" Six stopped the AI there "I know. I know, We need to change things before then." the situation was continuing to evolve into an evermore complex problem. Political climates and the current status of the human condition would make any progress slow.

"We have several cryo capsules, if we wait a few centuries we could have better luck with a more advanced generation?" Phillips' idea sounded good, but there were problems with it.

"Not likely. The companies you're setting up need near constant attention. Plus you've got what, five years left?" Noble Six pinched the lip of his hood. It was almost a good idea. But then how many would die that he could have, that he should have helped. "we've got a small window to work with here and now, but if it goes bad? let's just leave that option open for a latter date."

"Very well then..." Phillips sighed, then chuckled just a bit. "I guess there really is no time like the present."

Noble Six looked up to the sky. The stratellites were little more than pin pricks in the sky now. Noble Six had taken a big risk sending them up during the broad cast. But with Britannian being the only real air power in the area the only flights not grounded at this exact moment were the fighter patrols along the chinese border.

"Yea," Six said as he began the long trek back to Shinjuku. "Let's get cracking."


Okay there are so many things I want to say about this chapter and few of them are good. One of the problems of being a writer, the worst critic you will ever meet is yourself. I might actualy revise this one before the next post.

But anyway, I noticed in the reviews some people wanted to see the mantis as Noble Six's mech. Sorry to disapoint but no, its a good machine but it still has some major draw backs.

Any how the spartan finaly has the network power to do some real damage, if he so choses. So please stay tuned for the next chapter later in ocober.