Once again, thanks to those that've reviewed and everything! It really encourages me to write more when I get feedback like that, little notes and suchs that let me know that people are reading and enjoying this.
This chapter gets dedicated to GoGothGirl, whose continuous long, in-depth reviews always put a smile on my face =D Thanks so much~!
Disclaimer: Don't own Geass.
Due to their popularity with the people of Japan, it was fairly easy for the Black Knights to remain hidden from the Britannian army. Many Japanese were willing to lend their services to those that were fighting for their freedom, and would provide space for the Knights' use upon request.
And when the landowners weren't quite so agreeable, well, Lelouch's geass helped there.
As a result, the terrorist group had quite the number of warehouses, bases and Knightmare hangars throughout Japan, most of these being in the Tokyo area. This way, they could house and construct their technology, and so long as the secret remained kept, Britannia would not find those bases until long after they'd been abandoned.
Lelouch stood to the side in one of those hidden hangars, this one concealed in a warehouse on the outskirts of Tokyo, watching with deep purple eyes the work going on all around him.
His mask was held loosely at his side as he took a moment to appreciate the rare break he had, what with all his subordinates too busy working on their latest project to pester him with questions. Though his identity as both a highschool boy and a Britannian prince was now common knowledge among the Knights, he typically would have kept his mask on to encourage them to keep calling him Zero. It was mostly to help avoid any mishaps that could occur if they got used to calling him Lelouch, like accidentally using his real name in less knowledgeable company. For this reason, Tamaki had been entirely banned from saying his name.
But now he allowed himself a reprieve and a breath of fresh air, air that wasn't being filtered first through his mask. The hangar was hot from the enclosed space, the amount of people and the blowtorches many of them used, so no one could blame him for taking advantage of his moment of freedom and removing that overheating mask for a bit.
Tugging down even the black fabric that covered the lower half of his face, the prince watched as Rakshata, off her couch for once, bossed around a group of newbie soldiers, making sure they made no mistake in putting together her latest creation.
The Ikaruga, an enormous airship that would take advantage of the experimental flight abilities of the seventh generation Knightmare frames. The ship was so large that they had to use their largest warehouse-hangar and modify the doors to allow it to exit towards the nearby sea as easily and stealthily as possible. Avoiding detection in this matter was as important as the building of the airship itself. The technology was quite a bit ahead of anything Britannia had together yet, so the surprise would be to their advantage as well. Much of the technology being used in the Ikaruga's production had not been extensively tested yet, but Lelouch trusted Rakshata's genius enough to work with that.
Across the hangar, Tamaki dropped the piece he'd been carrying, and Rakshata proceeded to chew him out brutally for possibly scratching a piece of her newest "baby". Lelouch allowed himself a smile at the Japanese man's expense.
"Having fun?"
He turned at the familiar cool voice, only mildly surprised to see C.C. standing there, still dressed formally in a blazer and knee-length skirt.
"Aa. How was China?" Lelouch asked while nodding. The green-haired girl scowled, crossing her arms.
"I really hate those Eunuchs," she said, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "They can somehow manage to flirt and make disgustingly lewd suggestions towards an attractive female even whilst turning down any offers of becoming allies. I mean, they don't even have–"
"They said no?" Lelouch cut her off with a frown, and C.C. rolled her amber eyes, shrugging.
"The Eunuchs want nothing to do with the Black Knights. They value their neutrality as a country, and their power as the leaders of that country, far too much to be making any deals that would risk turning Britannia's eye on them."
"We have no allies in the Chinese Federation, then?" Lelouch frowned. This would be an irritating setback...
"I didn't say that, did I now?" C.C. flashed him a triumphant smile. "I managed to speak with a man named Li Xingke while I was there. He and his followers are loyal to the Empress Tianze and wish to be rid of the Eunuchs and the threat from Britannia. For a while they've been searching for a method to begin a coup d'etat. He agreed in assisting us in setting up a new main base on that island you were looking at off the Chinese coast. According to him, the Eunuchs spend most of their time cooped up in the capital, so it will be simple to keep our presence hidden from them."
"And of the Geass Cult?"
C.C. nodded. "He said he'll being sending reports of any unaccounted use of electricity of supply trucks heading to unknown locations. If the Cult is in China as V.V. told me, we should be able to find it within the week."
Lelouch smirked in response. "It seems luck is on our side, then."
"They ask only for our assistance in removing the Eunuch's from power, and that we will become their allies once they've set up a new government."
"Easily done. We have nothing to worry about."
For a minute or two they were silent, watching on in amusement as Chiba, flustered under Tohdoh's gaze, nearly tripped over a stray pipe.
It was again C.C. that spoke first, her tone wary.
"Are you sure you're prepared to face V.V.?" she asked, eyeing him with that detached expression of hers. "The geass won't work on him, he's as immortal as I am...is it really worth it to risk making an enemy of him just for some kid you've never met, just because you happen to be related to them?"
Lelouch didn't look at her as he spoke, instead admiring the hard labor being put in by his soldiers. "I was going to face him sooner or later anyway. He killed my mother, remember? I want my revenge." He wiped his forehead with a gloved hand, grimacing at the sweat that collected on the fabric. "And don't I have an obligation to my own blood?"
"Not necessarily," C.C. pointed out.
"Then if not because we're related," he went on, "Then simply because I want to do this right this time. What I've done all these years as Nunnally's brother...I must have failed somehow. I screwed up somewhere along the line. If I'd done my job better then maybe things wouldn't have ended up this way..."
C.C. snorted. "Oh please," she said, shaking her head, the ends of bright green strands of hair swishing around her waist with the motion. "You're possibly the most doting brother I've ever seen in all my many years of existence. What happened with Nunnally isn't your fault."
Scanning over Lelouch for a moment, the witch asked, "Are you just lonely?"
"How could I be lonely when you insist on hanging around constantly?"
"You aren't likely to find a new Nunnally in this sibling of yours, especially after they've spent the last fourteen years with V.V. That would screw anyone up."
"I'm not looking for a 'new Nunnally'," the prince retorted, frowning. "Just..."
"Just," C.C. continued for him, "You feel guilty and lost without the little sister you've been fighting for all along and hope that, if you can retrieve your blood sibling, you'll be able to find a new reason to live."
Lelouch winced at the painfully accurate accusation. "Not in so many words, perhaps..."
"I doubt that child wants to be Nunnally's replacement."
"Not a replacement," he said firmly. "No one can replace Nunnally. This is just...I have to do this."
"Do as you wish." C.C. turned on a heel, starting away from him. "But you should be aware; just because you're all set to devote yourself to someone doesn't mean they're ready to accept that." With that, she strode away, intent on changing into something more comfortable, and likely, more revealing.
----
Rolo hadn't thrown the candy away.
It gave him an odd little thrill, disobeying V.V. for once. And while part of him was terrified of the consequences should he be found out, the larger part said that V.V. was just being paranoid and everything would be fine.
Even though he convinced himself of this, Rolo hadn't dared take the sweet out until his was safely in his small room, the door closed and the covers on his bed pulled up over his head.
He listened for any approaching footsteps, fearful for a moment of being caught, then chided himself for being childish. V.V. never came to the dorms himself, and the various researchers or Cult elders he'd send to retrieve Rolo had learned to knock first, least he slit their throats.
Slowly, he opened the plastic wrapping, wincing at the crinkling sound it made and wondering if V.V. would come swooping down on him in fury. When nothing happened for a full minute. The immortal's paranoia must have been rubbing off on him.
He hesitated just for a moment before taking a breath and popping the piece of candy into his mouth. Instantly the flavor hit his tongue, sweet and fruity. Cherry, the wrapper had said. Rolo couldn't remember the last time he'd tasted something so sweet. Most of the meals he was given in the Cult were rather bland, and on the rare occasion that he was able to buy something for himself while on an assignment, he typically just picked something healthy our of habit.
He sucked on the treat, closing his eyes and savoring the flavor. Slowly, it melted away, shrinking little by little over the passing minutes til nothing remained but the taste on his lips.
Laying back on his mattress, Rolo wondered if he'd die. Perhaps V.V. was right, and it really was poisoned. How long would he have before he stopped breathing? Would it hurt? Rarely was it that he felt pain, largely due to his geass. No one could touch him, save V.V., who'd taken advantage of that only a few times years ago, before Rolo had smartened up and learned to just do as the immortal said without complaint. The only hurt that came again and again was in his heart. The straining feeling there that came when he overused his geass, leaving him gasping for breath and at times unconscious.
The was another ache in his heart, but this one was always present, and he couldn't even put a name to it or determine its cause, so he'd simply gotten used to it and learned to live with it.
Rolo laid there for almost an hour. When there was no sudden pain, no fire in his veins for shortness of breath or clouded thinking, he allowed himself a tiny smirk, to celebrate this rare victory against his immortal master, albeit a victory that the tiny blonde would never know of, with any luck.
A knock at the door made Rolo jump, and he quickly stashed the wrapper in the gap between the wall and his thin mattress, before admitting the visitor. Today's messenger was one of the scientists in the research department, a jumpy 20-something year old man who checked Rolo's hands for weapons before speaking.
"It's t-time for your tests," the man stammered, and Rolo grimaced. He held a strong distaste for the weekly testing, in which he was hooked up to a large machine that buzzed and hummed all around him, getting prodded and inspected by various researchers, all apparently to check on the progression of his geass. But they were always disappointed, for Rolo's geass showed no signs of evolving or getting any stronger than it already was.
No wonder V.V. always called him a failure.
Ow, my hands...I fear when the chapters will get even longer... T_T
Oh yeah, anyone read about/hear the new Sound Episode? Homolust galore and SuzaLulu kissing? =D Yes plz.
Review please! It feeds my soul! And next chapter: the encounter you've all been waiting for! XD