You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
"Revolution", The Beatles
Chapter 8
Changing Water To Wine
"I think you need to give me a nickname."
Suzaku blinked, nearly releasing his hold on the controls of the Caliburn as he eased it slowly behind a stack of metal containers that concealed its form. "What?"
"A nickname. You know, since I'm your sidekick and all that," Milly continued over the communicator, absently humming to herself.
"What do you mean? You're not the one running around late at night fighting drug dealers and corrupt soldiers," Suzaku said defensively, rolling his eyes. "And is this really the time? There's still a few Knightmares around."
"Oh please, you've barely broken a sweat against these guys," she countered. "And why can't I have one? You have one!"
"I have a name that protects my identity, and the identities of people I care about," he retorted tartly. "And what do you mean, I've barely broken a sweat? Do you see that warehouse? It's on fire, Milly! Because they tried to burn it down with me inside! I barely got away!"
"Oh please, it was just a few barrels of explosives," Milly said sagely, before adding lightly, "By the way, you're going to want to duck."
"What-"
Suzaku was suddenly and violent cut off as a thunderous explosion turned the metal container he had been crouching behind into so much metal scraps.
"Guess they got reinforcements," Suzaku muttered.
"Looks like one of their Knightmare's has a rocket launcher- I think it's a Shinran, but it's all a little hazy. He's north of you, standing on a stack of containers. There's two De Dannan Knightmares waiting at the foot of the container for you to attack," Milly reported.
Suzaku bit his lip. "Milly, I thought I said for you to stay with the truck."
"Oh, I did," Milly said pleasantly. "I just also tapped the dock security cameras ahead of time so I could see where everything was. We can wipe the tapes later too, so the military can't get more footage of you and your garish little toy."
Suzaku blinked.
"Milly… sometimes, you really scare me."
He could practically see the saccharine sweet smile through the radio. "A maid's job is to support her master, Suzaku-sama."
"Well, thanks," Suzaku said, a tad grudgingly, as he really didn't want Milly involving herself to this kind of degree. Still, no use complaining now, he admitted, and charged out of the lingering smoke.
Just in time too, as it turns out, as the Shinran had reloaded and fired off a second rocket, probably hoping to finish him off. The Caliburn's armor was tough, but Suzaku wasn't sure it could take such a powerful weapon head on, and he shoved the Knightmare to the side, narrowly avoiding the explosive projectile.
Soon after, the De Dannan's fired at him, but Suzaku dodged the attack with almost contemptuous ease, closing the distance in seconds, slashing both of them apart in a series of swift slashes.
The remaining Knightmare, a Shinran, pointed its rocket launcher straight down at the Caliburn. In response, Suzaku hurled his Knightmare's longsword straight at him, spearing the surprised pilot and destroying the enemy before the shot rang out.
"Where the hell did they get a rocket launcher," Suzaku muttered, grabbing the Caliburn's sword as it fell back down to the ground.
"This is the third warehouse you've hit in half a month," Milly pointed out. "They were bound to start upping the ante."
Suzaku huffed, and turned back towards the warehouse. "All that's left is-"
Another explosion cut him off, and Suzaku wondered how they kept timing it like that, like some malicious figure was directing events to make things more dramatic.
"There's about a couple more Knightmares coming your way," Milly chirped. "Oh, and it looks like another warehouse caught fire from that last rocket. I guess something flammable was inside."
"Okay, this is why you don't get a nickname," Suzaku said sourly, charging back into the fight. These last two were simple outdated Kukai-class Knightmares, and were wielding only simple machine guns- they didn't even have a chance. Despite his annoyance, the Caliburn and his own increasing skill (thanks to increasing levels of resistance he had been facing) helped him make quick work of the enemy, leaving Suzaku free to continue.
"Is that all of them?" Suzaku asked, a tad breathlessly.
"Hmmm… looks like it," Milly said casually, as though he was not fighting for his life.
"Good," Suzaku muttered, and maneuvered the Caliburn back inside one of the warehouses, the one he had come out tonight to attack to begin with.
To make sure he could stop this.
Sitting in the center of the docking bay was a large freight truck, and Suzaku sliced open one of the sides to reveal a number of stacked wooden crates. With a single contemptuous backhand of his Knightmare's hand, he smashed one open, and a torrent of ruby liquid poured out.
"Reaper," he spat, narrowing his eyes in disgust. "Milly, call the police. Looks like we were right."
Milly hummed. "Alrighty."
Suzaku sighed, and turned towards the wall with a grim look on his face. "Only one more thing left to do."
"Why do you do this," Milly questioned curiously. "Why do you keep leaving this mark everywhere you go?"
Instead of answering, Suzaku moved the Caliburn's massive blade, and with a furious sweep of the weapon slashed two kanji characters into the wall.
"Because the Empire should know who did this. That this wasn't just some attack," Suzaku said, his tone ice.
"They need to know it was judgment."
00000
"In our top story this evening, the terrorist identified only as Jinchuu struck again late last night in the London docks area, leaving behind only the two kanji of 'Man' and 'Justice' carved into the walls of one of the building, symbols which have become the terrorist's gruesome signature.
"The terrorist first appeared two weeks ago during a raid mounted by the Japanese military against a suspected base for the infamous Brittanian Liberation Front, and has been claimed to have personally defeated Kouzuki Kallen-sama of the Shichitennou.
"According to our latest information, the terrorist burned down several warehouses and left over a dozen dead in the wake of the attack. As before, at this time we cannot confirm any survivors of the incident who may have been able to provide a more detailed accounts of what went on there last night.
"However, although the details are only just coming in, it appears a major shipment of the drug 'Reaper' was seized by authorities in the wake of the incident, which they discovered contained within several metal shipping containers inside the ruins of the warehouses.
"No official statement has been released by the Japanese government at this time regarding whether or not these recent attacks are actually acts against a hitherto unknown drug cartel, or what the intentions of this murderous terrorist are at this time.
"That's all for this story for now, and now we move on to the lighter side of things, with an interview with famous manga-ka Harima Kenji-"
The television clicked off.
"Enough," Naoto muttered, setting the remote down, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He had been up all night cooped up in the command center so far, and news that would distract him was the very last thing he wanted to hear right now.
"Why Jinchuu, Commander? Why does he call himself that?" Sancia asked softly, handing him a cup of steaming coffee which he took gratefully.
"To strike fear," Naoto muttered, sipping the coffee slowly (as was his custom, it was sweet, almost poisonously so, according to Kallen) grudgingly admitting it was a well-chosen name. "By using the language of the enemy, you make it known to them- Japanese is a language with symbolic meanings for each of part of their words. He makes it that much more real to us by doing this."
"What is this man?" Sancia questioned, sounding horrified by the implications. "He seems to strike randomly, out of nowhere- there seems to be no pattern to his actions."
"That's not quite true," Naoto corrected, glancing over the papers that littered his desk, brushing some of them aside to set his cup down. "He keeps hitting anyplace he sees as 'evil'. Two military bases run by officers that we've long suspected of being corrupt, along with three different warehouses where we just happen to find shipments of drugs that are polluting the streets- all of them doing something that this Jinchuu obviously has condemned."
"What a madman," she murmured.
"Is he, Sancia?" Naoto's question seemed to shock her, and he continued tiredly, "We've fought enemies fighting for land, for their country, for money. This is the first time we've gone up against someone fighting for justice… and I hate to say it, but that makes more sense to me than any other reason."
"You really think that's his only goal?" the lieutenant asked, sounding deeply skeptical. "That this isn't just a cover for some deeper, hidden agenda? Since his appearance, there's been an alarmingly sharp rise in insurgent activities." "
"I can't be certain, but… this doesn't feel like the actions of your usual terrorist," Naoto replied, shaking his head. "Just who is this guy? He comes out of nowhere with a machine that is on the level of the Amaterasu, and with enough skill to back it up. He obviously has some way of gathering intelligence, because he knows which of our officers are under suspicion and even knows of places we've only begun to suspect are smuggling drugs into the country."
"Is he a Brittanian terrorist?" she conjectured. "Or maybe an agent provocateur from the Federation or the SEL?"
"Or maybe none of the above," Naoto muttered. "Whoever he is, he's a deadly, determined, and utterly ruthless terrorist, and I don't know if anyone can stop him right now."
00000
"Suzaku-sama, quit slouching while you're eating! You're going to ruin your posture!" Milly chided, grabbing him bodily and forcefully straightening his spine with surprising force.
Suzaku groaned pitifully, looking up from his breakfast cereal with an annoyed look. "Milly, I was up all night again. Cut me some slack."
"No can do! What kind of revolutionary has bad posture?" Milly scoffed, shaking her head at the very thought of such a thing.
"One who is better rested than me, obviously," Suzaku muttered.
"Someone's cranky this morning," Milly noted, her tone of amusement fading slightly. "The price of leading two lives, I suppose."
Suzaku had to admit, she was right. He could barely remember the last time he slept for more than four or so hours at a time. His nightly battles as Jinchuu tended to make things very complicated for his daylight hours as a prince, bringing new work constantly to his desk. Add that to all the research he had to make in order to just pick a new target for Jinchuu to make his mark at next, and it was a wonder Suzaku hadn't just fallen asleep face down in his cereal.
"You are making a difference though, I have to admit. I can see it in people's eyes when I go outside," Milly added softly. "Who would have thought?"
"This is just the start," Suzaku muttered. "I've only just started to remove the evil that infests in this country."
Any more conversation was abruptly cut off as the door to the dining room opened and a yawning, sleepy eyed Kallen, dressed in a rumpled t-shirt and shorts, stepped into the room.
"Mornin'," she said drowsily, mid yawn.
"Good morning, Kallen-sama!" Milly greeted, and quickly moved forward, pulling out the chair for her. "I'll be back in just a moment with your breakfast."
"Thank you, Milly," Kallen said gratefully, practically throwing herself down on the chair as she did so.
"You've never been much of a morning person," Suzaku observed with a tone of nostalgia in his voice, chuckling.
"Some of us enjoy sleep," Kallen retorted. "You were up pretty late too, it seems."
"Finishing some paperwork left over from the last Jinchuu attack- and just in time too, it seems," Suzaku lied, trying to force an air of lightness in his tone. "He's struck again, apparently."
"I wish onii-chan would actually let me get back in the fight- I only bumped my head, that's all, and the Amaterasu's repairs are finished!" Kallen complained, as Milly stepped back into the room, bearing a steaming plate of bacon and eggs. "Ooh, that looks good, Milly, thanks!"
"My pleasure, Kallen-sama," Milly bowed.
For his part, Suzaku was glad that Kallen had been unable to fight for the past two weeks- not having to fight her was a huge relief, both in terms of the actual danger she posed and how conflicted he still was about fighting his oldest friend.
"No school today?" Suzaku questioned, trying to divert his thoughts away from such troubling issues.
"It's Saturday, dork," Kallen informed him sardonically, raising an eyebrow. "What's with you?"
Suzaku flushed. "Er… sorry. I guess I'm more tired than I thought."
Kallen clearly didn't buy it, peering at him closer. "Suzaku… are you sure you're okay?"
He squirmed, and refused to meet her gaze, feeling that if he did, some of his guilt would show through. "I'm fine," he said, a touch curtly. "Just… stressed, I suppose."
Kallen's face made remained skeptical, and Suzaku stood up. "I'm done. Thanks for the food."
And with that, he turned on his heel and practically fled the room, all the while hating himself for having to lie.
00000
"Did I say something wrong?" Kallen blinked, sounding worried. "He's… acting strangely."
Milly patted her on the shoulder, smiling. "Suzaku-sama really is just tired. This whole Jinchuu affair has him worried… especially when you came back unconscious. He wasn't willing to really admit it, but what happened to you scared him."
"Oh," Kallen said, face falling. She hadn't realized he had been so affected- but then again, Suzaku seemed far more secretive, unwilling to speak about his feelings. Not like when they were children, where he was brash and outspoken. "… I didn't realize."
"Suzaku-sama doesn't usually talk about things that bother him," Milly said, shrugging.
"But you knew," Kallen noted, glancing up at her. "You know him very well, don't you?"
"I've been by the master's side for almost seven years. You tend to pick up a few things, especially if you're always cleaning his dirty laundry," Milly replied lightly, flashing a mischievous smile.
"Then… can you help me? I don't want to see Suzaku like this," Kallen asked hesitantly, chewing her lip worriedly. "But I know if I just come out and try to help him, he won't talk to me. Not like before…"
"Boys are a little touchy, Kallen-sama," Milly advised her, placing a warm cup of tea down next to her plate. "It's best to help them without their knowing it."
"Without him knowing?" Kallen blinked.
"Just help him relax. Even for a moment," Milly suggested, before adding a salacious wink. "You know, I hear that there are certain activities that are extremely relaxing…"
Her tone of voice and that wink made the implications very clear, and Kallen flushed a bright red that matched her hair.
"I-I am not doing that!" she stuttered angrily.
Milly giggled. "Well, you two are fiancées. Sooner or later, you will!"
"That-that…" Kallen looked down, as if staring determinedly at her lap would make the heat in her cheeks dissipate faster. "That's not important right now!"
Milly laughed.
"And quit laughing, Milly!" Kallen scowled, crossing her arms.
"My apologies, Kallen-sama," Milly said generously, bowing deeply. "But really. I am sure that your thoughts alone will be enough to help ease Suzaku's mind. You two have known each other for so long, after all, that maybe words aren't necessary."
"Without words, huh…" Kallen chewed her lip thoughtfully, before her face lit up, and she smiled.
"See," Milly murmured, nodding with a small smile. "I knew you'd figure it out, Kallen-sama."
00000
"Oi. Lelouch."
The only response from the bundle of blankets that might have a human buried inside them was a low grumble and a shifting of weight.
C.C. narrowed her eyes.
"OUCH!"
Lelouch picked himself up off the floor, holding an aching head as he leveled a venomous glare at C.C. "Did you just push me onto the floor?"
"I didn't have the patience to run off and get a bucket of water," C.C. replied, shrugging nonchalantly. "Come on, get dressed."
"There's no school today," Lelouch muttered, gathering up his blankets and determinedly planting himself back down onto the bed. "So leave me alone, witch."
"We need to do some shopping today. We're almost out of supplies for the bakery, and indeed for ourselves," C.C. responded critically, crossing her arms.
"I wasn't aware you had grown a responsible streak. Do you need me to take you to the doctor?" Lelouch said sarcastically, though his voice was still somewhat muffled from being pressed into the comforting softness of his bed. His smug response was swiftly met by painful retribution, courtesy of a soft, but nonetheless jarring kick. "Oi! God damn it C.C.!"
C.C. sniffed, and held her head in disdain. "You're accompanying me. I can't carry all of the things we need alone. Your arms might be made of wet noodles and paper, but they'll do, I suppose."
Lelouch sputtered, and she continued on, "You've got fifteen minutes to shower and change. I'll meet you downstairs."
And with that, she turned on her heel, and moved towards the door, pausing only as she was halfway through, turning her head slightly and adding, "Oh, and Jeremiah said your order was ready. We'll also be picking that up today."
She smirked, and shut the door.
"All that fuss and those insults simply because she knew I had no choice," Lelouch muttered, pushing himself up to his feet. "… I really, really hate that woman."
00000
"Ugh…" Gino groaned, from behind an overly large pair of sunglasses that were hiding bloodshot eyes. His hair was mussed and clothes rumpled, all obvious signs of a very late (but possibly very good) night. "Why does this meeting have to be so early in the morning?"
"It's barely even morning anymore," Shirley replied, frowning as she grabbed Gino by the collar, straightening the shirt. "And it wouldn't be a problem if you and Rivalz hadn't gone overboard on the drinks last night."
"We were celebrating the boss's promotion!" Rivalz protested, from the seat next to her.
The three of them, alongside Kewell, were currently in a small backroom at Malory's, which Mac had kindly allotted them to use for discreet meetings. "And it wasn't the drinks, Shirley! Like I said, me and the boss had a crazy night, like I told you earlier!"
"Yeah, yeah, I remember. You ran into some kind of… 'shiny demon'," Shirley repeated disbelievingly, raising an eyebrow as she released Gino's now somewhat more respectable looking shirt.
"It's true," Gino chimed in insistently. "He made us play him a song for our souls."
"A song." Shirley's eyebrow was threatening to leave her face with how high it had been raised. "I suppose this was because Rivalz happened to bring his guitar to the party."
"Yeah," Rivalz said, grinning, as though unaware of her tone of voice.
"But we kicked his ass when we played that song! I don't even know how we did it! He was all like- 'be you angels'? And we said 'nay, we are but men!'" Gino grinned, laughing, until he remembered that moving his face tended to increase the headache.
"Kewell didn't see any devil," Shirley pointed out.
"Kewell had already gone home! He left like half an hour after you!" Rivalz said loudly.
Kewell coughed as Shirley looked over at him with a critical gaze, looking embarrassed. "I was… also a little incapacitated."
"I'll say! You were practically passed out!" Gino laughed, clapping him on the back.
"We really shouldn't have had anything to drink at all," Shirley muttered, but supposed that risking their lives in battle made things like a drinking age tend not to matter so much. "That celebration went overboard."
"Ah, lighten up, Red!" Gino said casually, clapping her on the shoulder. "It was all in good fun."
"Say that after you meet the rest of the district leaders looking like that," Shirley said sternly, shaking her head. "The Commander clearly doesn't know you all that well."
"She tends to judge people based off her own intuition," came a low baritone voice, and all eyes on the room turned towards the bear-like figure of Andreas Darlton stepping into the room, who had a slight smile on his worn features. "But I would say that a philosophy like Lord Weinberg's sounds refreshing in these times."
"Lord Darlton!" Kewell exclaimed, and stood. Following his lead, Rivalz, Shirley, and (after a prod to the ribs from Shirley) Gino stood.
"Please, sit," Darlton said generously, inclining his head. After a moment, his lips twitched, and he added, "It sounds like standing is a bit of an issue for some of you."
Kewell looked about ready to sink into the floor. Rivalz coughed nervously, and Gino smiled.
He took the far seat, across from them, and absently removed a pipe from the inner pocket of his coat. He was dressed simply, with a collared shirt and slacks, but there was an unmistakable air of authority that hung around him like a comfortable skin. Darlton had no need to exert his authority- it was simply part of who he was.
"What brings you here, Lord Darlton?" Kewell asked respectfully.
"As the newest regional leader, Lord Weinberg will need someone to help smooth things over with the more senior district leaders who have been passed over for promotion. For the time being, you can think of me as an advisor," he explained smoothly, chewing on the end of the pipe without lighting it. His leathery features cracked and softened, and he added, "The Commander is quite interested in seeing how you perform, and I'm here as her representative. You will receive your orders from myself, acting as her proxy, and in turn you will issue these orders to the different cell leaders."
"By the way..." Shirley said slowly, shifting uncomfortably as attention in the room drew to her. "I was just wondering… cell leaders don't usually meet, do they? Isn't that how the organization works?"
"Times are changing, my dear," Darlton said, his tone sympathetic to her confusion. "With the attack at Dartford, we've seen that the dispersal of our assets is becoming less and less effective. And…" he paused, as if uncertain how to approach the next issue. "There is another issue that the Commander wants to discuss."
"Jinchuu," Gino said quietly, and the room fell silent.
"From your report, it appears you were the first ones to make contact with him several weeks ago," Darlton commented, his tone neutral. "The Commander wants a free sharing of information to build a profile on this man."
"You want to know if he's a friend or a foe," Gino concluded.
Darlton nodded.
"We might have a lead," Shirley said quietly.
Darlton blinked, and peered over at her over the rim of his pipe. "Is that right?"
"There's a boy at my school I spotted there in the Underground on that day. I checked with the school and he was absent that day," Shirley explained quickly, feeling foolish all the while. All they had was circumstantial evidence on Lelouch, after all.
"You saw him?" he asked, raising a curious eyebrow. "Clearly identified him?"
"Y-yes. It was dark, but I swear it was him," Shirley said, now somewhat nervous.
"Hmm… I'm afraid that all is just too flimsy to proceed on," Darlton refuted, shaking his head and offering her a look of regret. "The Commander wants hard facts, not hunches. Do you have anything else on him that would make it stick?"
"I dunno, Shirley," Rivalz added in, crossing his arms behind his head, "I don't know any more if Lelouch could really be Jinchuu. Not after that incident the other week."
"He was absent again that day too," Shirley insisted, "He's just too suspicious-"
"Did you say Lelouch?" Darlton straightened, his eyes wide as though he'd just seen a ghost. "What was his last name?" When she didn't answer, he said roughly, "What was his name, girl?"
"L-Lamperouge," Shirley answered, startled by the sudden change in his tone.
Darlton jaw clenched, and he muttered in a voice that was so soft that it was almost inaudible, "She's not going to like this…"
"Lord Darlton?" Kewell asked, voice full of concern. "Is there something wrong?"
Darlton sighed, shaking his head as though trying to loose himself for a bad dream. "I can't speak about it here. However…" he looked over at Shirley, who suddenly felt uncomfortable at having brought the issue up. "Fenette, I was going tell you later, but I suppose now is a as good time a time as any. The Commander wants to see you personally, in a week."
"Me?" Shirley blinked.
Darlton nodded. "She's taken an interest in you. You've got potential, and the Commander always appreciates another female soldier with skill. She'd like to have you begin more formal training as a Knightmare pilot to sharpen your skill, and her requested meeting in a week is to broach this subject with you."
Shirley was flabbergasted. The legendary Commander of their resistance movement, Cornelia li Brittania, a princesses of the Empire, was interested in her?
"I… of course I would be interested," Shirley said hastily, nodding her head fervently. "But what does this have to do with Lelouch?"
"I'd ask you to keep that topic closed for now, until your meeting with the Commander. It's best if she hears the whole story from you," Darlton said reluctantly, shaking his head. "In the meantime, try to gather as much information as you can on this Lelouch to bring to her."
Shirley nodded, all the while wondering why it was Lelouch's name, of all things, that had gotten the attention of Lord Darlton.
Just who was he?
00000
"You, Lelouch Lamperouge, are an idiot."
Lelouch scowled. "How was I supposed to know that woman was the owner of the store? And besides, she pinched me!"
"It was just a little pinch," C.C. replied, shrugging nonchalantly.
"She practically groped my ass!" Lelouch practically shrieked, a suggestion of hysteria and trauma in his voice.
"Yes, and if you had just ignored that little poke on the bottom we would have gotten our next shipment of flour for far cheaper," C.C. said in rebuttal, rolling her eyes as she held up the receipt. "As it is, we got charged full price."
"Well I'm sorry I'm not willing to sell my body to shave a few extra dollars," Lelouch muttered sulkily, crossing his arms. He gave her a suspicious look. "You brought me along knowing I would be sexually harassed, just so you could barter better, didn't you?"
C.C. hummed an innocent little tune.
"I hate you so much," Lelouch growled. "Can we just get the order now-"
The gears in his subconscious clicked, and the metaphorical light bulb flicked on in his mind.
He paused, tilting his head to the side, as though something had just dawned on him. "You… we're not going to get the order, are we?"
C.C. said nothing, looking away.
"Jeremiah is picking up the materials on his own. That's why we're here, so I wouldn't be able to follow him. So I wouldn't be in danger," Lelouch continued, crossing his arms, mouth set in a thin line. "Is that about right, C.C.?"
"What gave it away?" she asked, still not meeting his gaze.
"We've made a scene for ourselves just about everywhere we've gone. Even for a day out with you, that's unusual," Lelouch replied, frowning. "You want us to be seen. So that, just in case, no one can trace later events to us."
"Give the boy a prize," C.C. muttered, finally glancing back over at him. "Feeling clever?"
"Feeling annoyed," Lelouch responded tartly. "This was my decision, and-"
Whatever he was going to say faded away as he stopped dead in his tracks, eyes widening.
C.C. glanced over at him. "What?" she followed his eyes, and her own mouth fell into a soft 'O', before she too stared.
There, in the alleyway between two of the buildings, was a Brittanian boy, barely older than twelve, with a can of spray paint and the half complete kanji of Jinchuu in massive bold lettering on the alley wall. The boy noticed their gazes, froze, and took off without a word, dropping the can to the ground with a loud clatter.
Lelouch only seemed to react to his surroundings again after the can had rolled all the way over and clunked against his foot.
"Vandalism really is tasteless," C.C. commented lightly, clasping her hands behind her back.
Lelouch remained silent.
"Why does this one vigilante bother you so much?" C.C. questioned, peering at him with an unreadable look. "Every time he's come up in the news or at school you get this look on your face…"
"It's because what he's doing is wrong," Lelouch hissed, voice low and dangerous. "Because someone who uses his power like this to enforce his own style of justice on the world is nothing more than a hypocrite."
C.C. raised an eyebrow wordlessly.
"Yes, the Empire uses power unilaterally," he said slowly, clenching his fists. "But then again, isn't that what he's doing? What does someone like that hope to accomplish, other than creating chaos and anarchy when he angers the Empire enough to strike harder? Does he even care that innocents will die as a result of his actions?"
Lelouch turned and started walking away from the symbol of Jinchuu, a look of supreme disgust on his face.
"I will never acknowledge someone like that," he snarled, eyes flashing, "Never."
00000
Though Gino himself was one of them, Gino had never met any of the other district leaders before- it had been one of the rules of the BLF before, in order to protect everyone's identities and ensure leaks did not happen. He spoke directly to Calares, or to the base at Richmond which handled most of the logistical aspects of the London-based resistance movement, but never with anyone directly at his own level.
It was somewhat exciting, and nerve wracking, at the same time, to know he was leading a group much larger than his own little cell. As they filed in, Gino took stock of them, gauging them in turn as they studied him.
The first two were women- beautiful women, at that, something that honestly shocked Gino, though he supposed that since the Commander was also a relatively young woman that this must be more common than he anticipated. They were an interesting contrast to each other as well; the first was a severe looking dark skinned woman with raven hair and striking emerald eyes, while the other was paler, with blond hair that looked almost bleached white and a smile on her face that made her seem younger than she actually was.
"So you're the new boss, huh?" the blonde said, peering at him inquisitively, hands planted on her hips. Gino blinked, and she smiled. "Well, you're cuter than Calares, at least."
"Nonette, please, try to behave," the darker haired woman chided, sounding resigned, seating herself across from Gino with a sigh. "My apologies."
"Oh come on, Dorothea, liven up a little," 'Nonette' replied casually, shrugging her shoulders as she took her own seat.
The last one to walk in was a pale young man maybe a year or two younger than Kewell, with pale brown hair that bordered on beige. As he walked in, he moved towards Lord Darlton, who was standing, and clasped his hand firmly.
"Father," he greeted, to the surprise of most of the assembled.
"Claudio," Andreas Darlton replied warmly, smiling. "I'm glad you could make it. Please, take a seat."
"The others send their regards," Claudio informed him politely, taking his seat as he was bid.
"Well, it looks like everyone is assembled," Darlton said, turning towards the table. "I suppose introductions are in order."
"Dorothea Ernst," the dark haired woman said without preamble.
"Nonette Enneagram," the other woman said, and winked. "Just call me Nonette."
"Claudio S. Darlton," Claudio said softly, inclining his head.
"Well, I'm Gino. Gino Weinberg," Gino replied, scratching the back of his head somewhat nervously. "I guess I'm your new boss, huh."
Shirley rolled her eyes discretely. Rivalz chuckled under his breath.
"Perhaps we'd better get right down to business," Darlton said slowly, coughing. "As you all know, with the attack at Dartford we've begun a massive restructuring of the organization to prevent us from being isolated and destroyed."
"Do we have any leads on how they located the base?" Dorothea questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"None, yet, though I understand your concern that there may be a traitor in our midst," Darlton rumbled, and Gino felt a chill run down his spine. "Still, we can't go accusing anyone- not until we are sure."
Dorothea nodded, looking satisfied with the answer.
"But since it appears our previous methods have begun to fail us, we have arranged this face to face meeting of all the district cell leaders in order to begin coordinating a more serious resistance effort," Darlton continued, crossing his arms. "The Commander wishes for a greater degree of cooperation in the face of this new threat."
"I'm surprised at how skilled their commander is," Nonette commented, sounding amused. "He's quite young- but then again, so is Weinberg here." She laughed, and crossed her arms behind her head. "I suppose it's the new age, hmm?"
Gino blinked, uncertain if he was being teased or insulted.
"Consider it us upping the ante," Darlton quipped, chuckling dryly. "But yes, Kouzuki Naoto is a considerable threat, a league above the bumbling idiot of his predecessor. And his sister is extraordinarily skilled- she bested both myself and Guilford in moments."
Claudio's eyes widened. Nonette whistled.
"I suppose Cornelia had her hands full then," she commented airily.
Darlton nodded, his expression dark. "This Kouzuki Kallen is extremely good, and not to be underestimated."
"She was beaten though," Dorothea pointed out slowly, crossing her arms. "By this… Jinchuu character."
"Have we been in contact with him yet?" Claudio added questioningly.
Darlton shook his head. "Not yet. However," he continued, glancing over at Gino, "Weinberg and his men were the first ones to make contact with this man, and thus I believe they would be best to lead this discussion. Lord Weinberg, if you would?"
Gino straightened, and picked up where Darlton had left off. "So… uh… a few weeks ago we made a quick smash and grab at the docks, and whatever cargo we hit must have been pretty important because Kusakabe's entire division went after us. A lot of my men were hit, and things looked really bad…"
"When our golden mystery knight showed up to save the day," Nonette finished, raising an eyebrow. "So two weeks ago wasn't the first time he's showed up."
"No, it wasn't," Gino admitted, nodding. "I really wasn't sure how to explain that we were saved by a super-powered Knightmare out of nowhere, so I didn't mention it. Plus, I had a little more to worry about at the time."
"No harm, no foul," Nonette shrugged. "So we know he's at least not our enemy."
"He's a loose cannon," Dorothea pointed out darkly. "He's attacking seemingly at random, hitting military bases and civilian sites alike."
"He's attacking anyone he sees as hurting the Brittanian people," Claudio countered politely. "It may be that he really does only want to help."
"He claimed he was here to destroy the Empire," Darlton said slowly, tapping his finger against the wood of the meeting table. "That doesn't necessarily coincide with our own goals."
Shirley stiffened, and Gino frowned as she spoke, "What do you mean, it doesn't? Anyone who kills the Japanese is on our side, right?"
Darlton gave her a severe look. "Young lady, our goal is the restoration of Brittania. What we do to achieve that goal may involve killing, but if we abandon our goal of restoring our national rights we lose all honor, and become little more than mad dogs," he chided, his tone holding a touch of ice. "Why we pull the trigger is vastly more important than who we're pointing the gun at."
Shirley said nothing, setting her mouth in a thin line as she looked away.
"Shirley…" Gino began, but she stood, and walked out the door without another word.
"That one's a bit touchy," Nonette observed, a note of amusement in her voice. "Is that the one Cornelia has her eye on, Darlton?"
"It is," Darlton said, sounding a tad concerned. "Weinberg…"
"She lost her father in the Bloody Sunday riots," Gino said defensively, narrowing his eyes. "Can you blame her? She's not like most of us, who joined up for idealistic reasons- she's after her father's killers."
The others seemed taken aback by the sharpness of his tone, but Darlton nodded in acceptance.
"My apologies," he said softly. "I shouldn't judge. The girl must have gone through a lot. I… sometimes forget I'm not working with trained, of age soldiers all the time."
"Fenette is just as, if not more reliable than any trained soldier you have. You don't have to worry about her," Kewell interrupted, much to Gino's surprise- Kewell was fairly cool with everyone else in the organization, save for himself. "She was the one who saved us in the tunnels, after all."
"That's right," Rivalz agreed cheerfully, grinning.
Nonette chortled, smiling widely. "I can see why Cornelia picked him, Darlton- he and his crew have some spunk, it seems. Loyalty was always one of her pet virtues."
` "Yes, quite," Darlton muttered, a small smile on his own face. "Well, I suppose we should determine a plan of action in regards to this Jinchuu- since we've settled on the idea that he is not hostile, should we attempt to make an alliance with him?"
"I've offered him that," Gino informed them, nodding. "I told him he could contact me here, at Malory's. He hasn't yet, but the offer is on the table, at least."
"Looks like you're ahead of the curve then," Nonette noted, smiling again. "Looks like working with you is going to be a lot more interesting than that ass Calares."
Gino grinned. "I certainly hope so."
00000
"Does she suspect anything, Milly?" Suzaku asked quietly, as she entered his room, shutting the door behind her.
"She's just worried about you, that's all," Milly said in a placating tone of voice, shaking her head. "Though if you keep acting suspicious like this you're going to tip her or someone else off."
"I guess you're right," Suzaku muttered, and fell back on his bed, sighing. "I just wish I didn't have to keep it a secret- but I guess I'm pushing it already, what with Lloyd-san and Cecile-san also knowing."
Milly hummed and nodded. "They've kept their word though, and haven't said anything. And they've been helpful enough to get us Sakuradite fuel for the Caliburn." Her lips twitched. "I bet you hadn't actually thought of how to resupply your little toy beforehand, did you?"
"I would have thought of something," Suzaku said defensively, scowling.
"Of course, Suzaku-sama," Milly agreed patronizingly. "Of course."
Suzaku rolled his eyes in annoyance, but gave up trying to argue, changing topics.
"Where's Euphie, by the way? I haven't seen her all day," Suzaku commented, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, I sent her out for groceries."
Suzaku jerked up from his bed, eyes wide as the blood drained from his face. "O-out? You mean… you sent her outside? Alone? Milly!"
"Oh, relax," Milly chided, pushing him back down onto the bed with a look of resigned annoyance. "I've taken her out any number of times to shop for groceries. She'll be fine, Suzaku-sama."
"Milly, I found her bound and gagged, about to be used for some sick science experiment!" Suzaku reminded her irritably, struggling to push himself back up- unfortunately, Milly had yet to relinquish her hold.
"Exactly- you can't just keep her locked up in this mansion like a prisoner, Suzaku-sama," Milly responded patiently, pursing her lips. "She wants to be a normal girl, or at least pretend to be one- so let her have some freedom."
Suzaku looked reluctant to agree, frowning.
"And if it makes you feel better, I did send a few of your guards to tail her. They're rather fond of her, like a cute little sister, so I'm sure she'll be fine," Milly added, and Suzaku's frown deflated as he shot her an annoyed look.
"You love riling me up, don't you?" he groaned, falling back fully into his bed, hand over his eyes.
"Perish the thought, master," Milly said, sounding completely and utterly innocent.
A knock at the door brought an end to the back and forth quips, and the door creaked open as Kallen poked her head in, looking hesitant.
"Suzaku?" she called out, finding him on his bed, Milly standing over him with a teasing look. "Do you have a minute?"
Milly gave him a significant look, which he ignored, and nodded, managing a small smile. "Of course."
00000
"And… um… now I need to make a right at… oh shoot, where is that list," Euphemia muttered, picking at the pockets of her maid outfit, trying to remember where she stuffed the shopping list Milly had given her, which also happened to hold the directions to the store. When her pockets turned out empty, she bit her lip worriedly. "Oh no…"
"Is there a problem, little lady?"
Euphemia's head jerked up, and her eyes met the wide, too white smile of an older man standing over her.
"Oh… um… hello," Euphemia said politely, bowing her head. "I just lost something of mine, that's all."
"Well that's no good," the man leered, wrapping an arm around her. "Why don't I help you look?"
Euphemia squirmed. "I… um…"
"Come on, sweetheart," he urged, pushing her against him a little roughly, "That maid outfit of yours makes it impossible for me to leave you alone, so how about we-"
A strange feeling began surging through her body, a tingling in her fingertips-
"Oi, creep, let go of her!"
The man turned around, just in time for his form to crumple around the fist of a strawberry blonde haired girl, around Euphemia's own age.
As he fell away, the girl turned towards Euphemia with an annoyed look. "You've got to be careful, you know- guys like that don't listen to reason," she chided, peering at her. "Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine," Euphemia said nervously, nodding. "Thank you for helping me."
"No problem," the other girl replied, shrugging. "What were you looking for, anyways?"
"My shopping list," Euphemia explained, glancing around now with a worried look. "I was supposed to order a few more things to be delivered… but I without the directions on the list I don't know if I can find the grocery store."
The girl pursed her lips, looking thoughtful. "Do you want some help?"
"I… would you really?" Euphemia asked, blinking in surprise.
"I need to clear my head anyways," came the casual reply, shrugging. "By the way, my name's Shirley."
"Euphemia," she said softly, smiling as she bowed her head. "It's nice to meet you, Shirley-san."
00000
"So what did you need from me?" Suzaku asked.
Kallen didn't reply. They had reached the small gardens that hid Suzaku's mansion from the hustle and bustle of the city of London, and had been walked outside for a few minutes in companionable silence.
"Kallen?" Suzaku said softly, glancing over at her worriedly. "Look, I'm sorry about this morning. It's been a rough few weeks, and…"
He trailed off as Kallen stopped mid stride- they were now standing next to the koi pond in the gardens, the fish idly splashing by in the afternoon sun.
"Kallen?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow.
Finally responding to his words, Kallen turned and gazed at him with an unreadable expression. She took a step towards him, and Suzaku briefly resisted the urge to take a step back- this was Kallen, after all, his oldest friend. He trusted her.
He regretted that trust an instant later when she placed her hands on his chest and toppled him over into the koi pond unceremoniously.
"Pffft… what the hell Kallen!" Suzaku sputtered- the koi pond was barely a meter deep, hardly anything threatening, but his clothes were now soaked and the fish certainly were not happy.
Kallen only laughed, voice high and clear like morning bells, and Suzaku narrowed his eyes.
"What is wrong with you-"
He paused, as a memory returned to him, an image of a Kallen from seven years ago standing over him in much the same position, laughing as he pulled himself out of a koi pond.
"This… this is what you did to me when I came back from Brittania, after the war," Suzaku said slowly, giving her a dubious look. "You wanted me to stop sulking and cool off."
"I hoped you would remember," she said, sound pleased as she clasped her hands behind her back with a mischievous grin. "The look on your face is as priceless as ever."
"Well I hope you didn't forget what happened next," Suzaku reminded her, and her eyes widened, just in time for her to notice Suzaku's hand clasping her ankle as he dragged her into the pond with her.
"You jerk!" Kallen sputtered, spitting out a bit of water and wiping away water from her eyes. "That wasn't fair!"
To punctuate her point, she splashed at him, sending water at his eyes in a counterattack.
"You pushed me first!" Suzaku retorted, sending a wave of water back at her.
"I was doing it to help you, jerk!" she shot back, narrowing her eyes, and splashed at him again, and soon enough they had degenerated into childish taunts and hitting each other with waves of water.
Wait… what the hell am I doing? Suzaku realized, and it seemed Kallen had realized it as well, as her lips twitched and she broke out into a fit of uncontrollable giggles.
She laughed, and Suzaku couldn't help but laugh along with her, with the absurdity of the situation of two of the highest ranking nobles in the Empire bickering like children and splashing each other.
And it felt good, to laugh like that again, he had to admit. It felt like it had been years since he had a good honest laugh like this.
"There we go," Kallen said softly, a gleam in her eyes as she stood up. "I haven't heard a real laugh out of you since I got here. I was starting to think you'd forgotten."
"Things have just been… busy, that's all" Suzaku muttered, shaking his head. "Can you help me up already? I'm pretty sure it'll look really bad for us to just be standing around in a pond. I know the groundskeepers are going to be pissed off as is."
Kallen smiled and nodded, clasping his hand and pulling him to his feet. As he returned to his feet, she murmured softly, "Look… I don't know how to help you stop worrying about all this. Or how to ask you what's wrong. But… I wanted you to remember we are still friends, even if a little childhood trick like this might be all you remember
She squeezed his fingers comfortingly- though whether that was to reassure herself or him, it wasn't clear. "Promise me that won't change, Suzaku."
Suzaku hesitated only for a moment, as he thought of the possibility of them clashing in battle unknowingly again, but it faded as a new certainty took hold of him. Whatever his duties as Jinchuu were, he, Kururugi Suzaku, valued Kallen, and he was not going to abandon that relationship.
"Never," he swore, and meant it.
00000
"So where are we off to now?" C.C. questioned, trailing a step behind him, arms crossed behind her head. "It's obvious you don't intend to go back to the bakery and attempt to follow Jeremiah to the meeting point."
"There's no point," Lelouch muttered. "He's a trained soldier- following him would be pointless."
"Then what are we doing here, Lelouch? Why are we still in this district?" C.C. asked critically, raising an eyebrow.
"I need to find a phone," he replied glibly, flashing her an impudent smile.
C.C. blinked, narrowing her eyes in annoyance. "Fine, keep your secrets I suppose," she murmured, "I'll just-"
A sharp sensation suddenly interrupted her speaking, a flash at the edges of the unnatural sixth sense provided to her by her Code- the same sensation as that day in the Underground.
She whirled about, using her eyes to try and confirm what her supernatural senses were telling her.
Where is it? Where is this sensation coming from?
Her gaze was almost feverish in its hurried manner. Unfortunately, this was a busy area, and the countless number of people milling to and fro were making it nearly impossible to-
A flash of pink hair, far away in the distance caught her eye, and the sensation magnified.
THERE.
Without thinking, C.C. practically sprinted forward, a pressing feeling in her gut- a sense of wrongness that she had to pursue.
She was going to find answers today.
00000
"You've gone awfully quiet," Lelouch observed, glancing backwards, "Are you that upset I'm keeping secrets-"
He trailed off, eyes widening as he realized he was talking to empty space.
"C.C.?" he called out, gazing around with a frown. "Damn it, where did that witch wander off to?"
He considered calling her cell phone, but thought better of it- C.C. probably had her own reasons for wandering off, and wouldn't bother to answer him. And even if she really had gotten separated from him, the amount of teasing he would receive from calling her wasn't really worth the effort.
Instead, he glanced around, trying to determine if there was any place he could use a phone for his intended purposes. A name on a billboard caught his eye, and a brief smile crossed his face as he entered the pub called Malory's, expecting to see Cardemonde at the bar- but there was only the bartender of seemingly indeterminable middle age, calmly wiping one of the bottles down with a clean rag.
Still, it suited his purposes well enough.
"Excuse me, sir," Lelouch said softly, walking up to the bar. "May I use your phone?"
The bartender wordlessly pulled up a cordless telephone from underneath the bar, and placed it on the counter.
"Thank you," Lelouch said gratefully, nodding and smiling in thanks, as he turned-
And accidentally bumped into someone else, almost dropping the phone from the unexpected force of the impact.
"Whoops!" came the apologetic tone of the person he'd bumped into, a blonde haired young man maybe a year older than himself, who steadied Lelouch. "Sorry about that man."
"It's no problem," Lelouch said politely, shaking his head. "Please, excuse me."
As the blonde stepped aside with a smile and a nod, and Lelouch stepped past him, he heard the blonde speak to the bartender gregariously, "Yo Mac. Some refreshments, please for everyone in the back- and where the heck is Red?"
The bartender's barely audible grunt was the last thing Lelouch heard before he made his way to a deserted corner and punched in a number he had memorized in preparation for just this day.
It rang twice.
00000
Minami didn't even look up from his paperwork as he picked up the phone, placing it against his ear. "Major Minami here."
"Ah, Major. Good to hear you're well."
He shot out of his chair so fast that it nearly toppled over, and his eyes went wide. "Y-You?"
"Yes," the voice murmured, a touch of amusement in his voice. "Me. And I have a proposal for you, Major, if you'll hear me out."
Minami hesitated, before finally replying, "I'm listening."
00000
"So, Shirley-san…" Euphemia began, but was cut off.
"Just Shirley is fine," she interrupted, shrugging. "I really don't care much for these honorifics."
She tried constantly to avoid using them, except at school, where it was far too suspicious in such a Japanese-heavy environment to not use them. But here, and now, she was free to be herself.
"Oh… okay, Shirley," Euphemia said, strengthening her tone as she questioned, "So, what were you doing before you helped me? I'm not taking you away from anything important, am I?"
Shirley shrugged. "Not really," she said casually, thinking of the meeting back at Malory's. "I was just taking a walk to clear my head, like I said. How about you? You said you were doing some shopping, but I don't see any bags…"
"Oh, well, I was told to have them sent over, but I needed to go in personally and make the orders in person," she answered simply.
"I guess that makes sense, but what's with the maid outfit?" Shirley asked curiously, peering over at Euphemia, giving her clothing a doubtful look. "Walking around London like that is just asking for trouble."
"It's my uniform," the other girl replied simply, smiling.
Shirley raised an eyebrow.
"Weird," she muttered, but shrugged. "So you're a maid, huh? Why'd you choose that?"
"I… didn't," Euphemia answered hesitantly. "My… my master saved me. He found me, and rescued me, and I had nowhere else to go."
Shirley frowned, casting a questioning look at her. "So he made you be a servant?" Her tone of voice sounding almost outraged.
"He didn't make me!" Euphemia corrected, a little sharply, as she crossed her arms.
"But it sounds like all he did was pick you up off the street," Shirley said doubtfully. "If he's such a nice guy, why doesn't he let you go?"
"He never said I couldn't go," came the stubborn reply.
"Then why don't you? You could stop being a servant, and-" Shirley was cut off as Euphemia's chin jutted out defiantly, and the pink-haired girl planted her fists on her hips.
The change in demeanor from the shy, hesitant maid to this more vibrant young woman was surprising to Shirley, who actually fell back a step in surprise.
"I don't leave because… because I don't mind being the maid… because it lets me be close to him," she admitted, "He promised to protect me, and that's why I stay."
As she finished, Euphemia's cheeks went red, and she slapped her hands over her mouth as if shocked at her own words.
"Oh," Shirley said in realization, and she suddenly felt completely at a loss. All her time spent fighting in the rebellion, making decisions like an adult, and the mere discussion of something that should have been normal for a teenage girl, like crushes, made her feel as utterly lost as a child.
"Haven't you ever felt like that, Shirley?" Euphemia asked curiously, starting to overcome her own embarrassment. "That you just wanted to be near someone else, because they helped make you feel safe?"
"W-W-Why is this suddenly about me?" Shirley said, startled, feeling her own cheeks coloring, practically burning with embarrassment. "That's a little personal, don't you think?"
"But you were asking me those kinds of questions," Euphemia pointed out, her tone utterly innocent, her eyes wide and trusting in a manner that couldn't be faked.
"I… well… that is to say…" Shirley stammered, and started glancing around frantically, willing some kind of distraction to appear to get this uncomfortable topic as far away from herself as possible.
And, as luck would have it, she found one.
"Here's the grocery store," Shirley announced, grateful at the lucky save, gesturing for Euphemia to move towards the store. "You can handle it from here, right?"
"Oh… thank you," Euphemia said gratefully, and unexpected clasped Shirley's hands warmly. "Thank you so much for helping me."
Shirley flushed, embarrassed by the effusive praise. "I-It's nothing, really," she said quickly, and shrugged out of Euphemia's grasp with an uncomfortable wiggle. "I'm just doing what anyone else would have done."
Euphemia shook her head, smiling with a look of such sincerity that Shirley was taken aback. "No, you are a very nice person, Shirley. I can tell. You're like my master- you do the right thing."
And with that, she bowed, waved goodbye, and went into the store, leaving Shirley standing in the street.
"A nice person, huh?" Shirley muttered, glancing down at her hands. She wondered what Euphemia would have thought if she knew that only an hour ago Shirley had advocated merciless killings to satisfy her own anger.
Would she still see her as a 'nice person'?
"I used to think like you do, Shirley-san. I used to think that you could do good with anger in your heart- I know in your heart you hate the Japanese for what they've done. But all that does is hurt others. What is necessary to change the world, to make things better, is not anger."
Shirley frowned, and turned on her heel.
Why was she thinking of Lelouch now, of all people, and remembering about his childishly idealistic words of peace?
00000
C.C. frowned as she turned a corner to find another crowded street and a large grocery store. She had mastered a lot of skills over the course of her centuries of life, but unfortunately tracking people had not been one of them, not in this kind of context anyway.
The sensation still tingled in her unnatural sixth sense, but it was fading rapidly, as though the presence was withdrawing from her "range".
Was it gone? Or had it simply spiked for a moment, and then quickly hidden its presence once more upon noticing her arrival?
Either way, C.C. had the sinking feeling she was losing her target.
But still… there had to be something.
As if in answer to her thoughts, her eyes fixated on a single familiar figure moving away from the grocery store, and with a few quick steps C.C. stood in her way, and called out.
"Well, well. Fancy seeing you here, Shirley-san," C.C. said coolly, raising an eyebrow.
Shirley's eyes widened, before settling into a neutral mask. "C.C.-san," she said tersely, her tone controlled. "Doing some shopping?"
"Of course I am," C.C. answered smoothly, smiling generically. "How about you, Shirley-san? Just taking in the fresh autumn air?"
Shirley reflexively pulled her jacket over herself as a chill wind passed by, highlighting the coldness in their conversation. "Why yes, I was, C.C.-san," Shirley said, her voice poisonously sweet.
"Good to hear you're feeling well," C.C. nodded, smile tightening. "Were you alone?"
Shirley paused, considering the question- the tone of voice in the green haired girl's voice made it clear that she already knew the answer. The question was… why did C.C. care?
"Yes," Shirley lied, smiling right back. "I was alone."
"Is that right," C.C. said slowly, fixing her gaze on Shirley, who met it fearlessly.
"Is that all, C.C.-san?" Shirley asked, and without waiting for an answer, pushed her way past the green haired girl. "I need to be going then."
As she passed, however, she heard C.C.'s voice.
If you are the one I sensed, and you hurt him, I will not show you mercy.
It was only after she had left that Shirley realized C.C. lips hadn't moved, and that her ears were not what registered the voice.
00000
"Is this it?" Lelouch asked softly, as he stepped into Jeremiah's room, glancing at the number of innocuous brown packages littered on the ready-made bed.
Jeremiah turned, and had the grace to flushed slightly as he bowed his head contritely. "Lelouch-sama… my apologies, but I could not risk your safety. The men I contacted… I do not know if I could fully trust them, and if it was traced back to you…"
"I know, I know," Lelouch said dismissively, eyes still fixed on the packages. Quietly, almost reverently, he reached into one, and removed the oblong object inside.
"So, we are set on this course, my lord," Jeremiah murmured, eyes fixed on the object in Lelouch's hands.
Lelouch glanced over at him with an unreadable look. "No doubts, Jeremiah?"
Jeremiah shook his head, and knelt in the classic pose of knightly fealty. "None, my lord. Your will is mine."
Lelouch's throat tightened, and he looked away. "Your loyalty is… commendable, Jeremiah. It truly is."
"So your foolish game will begin tonight, then," C.C.'s voice drifted into the room, and the two men turned to see her standing in the doorway, a dark look on her face.
"The decision is mine," Lelouch asserted stubbornly.
C.C. looked as though she was about to say something, but in the end closed her mouth and looked away. "Very well. Do what you must," she said quietly, and left.
"What I must," Lelouch repeated, and glanced down at the mask in his hands. Yes, that was what this was. Not any kind of heroism, but simply something he had to do, to make amends for his own sins.
00000
He stood alone, taking a deep, unsteady breath. Briefly, he placed his hands on his chest, checking the body armor he had secured on underneath his suit jacket, and the gun holstered in his pocket.
Was he really about to do this? He had never been the warrior, not like Cornelia, or the strategist, like Schneizel, or even… he swallowed, and shook his head. No, he couldn't doubt. He had read the lines, seen the Empire's control of his country tearing at the seams. Now was the time.
"Not having doubts, are you?" came a slow, mocking voice.
With a regal look of dismissive annoyance, he fixed the other man with a dark look. "Don't speak to me like that," he spat. "You are working for me, Luciano, and you should remember the difference in our stations."
"That difference will only exist if you succeed," Luciano replied with a grin, before adding mockingly, "My lord."
And with that, the man bowed, and left.
"Arrogant bastard," he seethed, clenching his white-gloved fists. It galled him that he had to work with slime like Luciano- but the man was a killer, and knew killers. His own hired guns had doubled in number and deadliness since Luciano had joined.
Now was the time, he assured himself. Seven years of hiding, biding his time, and now he would strike a blow for his fallen country. And with this start, surely his siblings would rally under his banner, and together they could retake the Empire- and on that day, he would be acknowledged as the one who had done it all.
Clovis La Brittania, Ninety-Ninth Emperor of Brittania, he though, and smiled. Yes, that was a dream worth fighting for.
00000
"There better be a good reason for this meeting, Major," Naoto warned Minami slowly, looking utterly exhausted as he plopped down on the lead chair. Except for the light just above the table, the rest of the conference room was utterly dark. "Especially one called at this kind of hour, and one you asked for total blackout security, meaning even the Prince is unaware of this."
"Thank you, by the way," Minami said quietly. "For that. I wasn't sure if you would actually listen to me when I asked you to do all this."
Naoto managed a small, indulgent smile. "For what it's worth, I do like you, Major. I think you're a good officer, and I'm not the kind of commander who dismisses what his subordinates have to say."
"Onii-chan, admit it- you're just lazy so you rely on your subordinates," Kallen called out teasingly, from the chair opposite to his own. She glanced over at Sancia, seated to Naoto's direct right, and smiled. "Sancia-san here does all your work, after all."
"Brat," Naoto muttered, sounding annoyed in a good natured way. "You're lucky I even let you follow me into this meeting."
"It's not like you can stop me," Kallen reminded him sweetly. "I have the Emperor's authority here."
"Hmph. A scary, scary thought, since I remember a time when you used to cry for hours unless I gave you a piggy-back ride to the park to get taiyaki," Naoto shot back, grinning as Kallen flushed.
"I-I was five," Kallen said defiantly, crossing her arms. "And you're exaggerating."
Naoto chuckled.
"Quit laughing, Onii-chan," Kallen growled. "And could someone turn on the lights already?"
"Certainly, Kouzuki Kallen-sama."
The lights flicked on, and everyone in the room suddenly realized there had been a fifth person standing in the corner the entire time.
The shocking presence of the voice's owner jarred everyone in the room, save Minami, and Kallen was halfway out of her chair, crouched in a self-defense position. Naoto himself hadn't gotten out of his chair, but his hand was resting on the butt of his service pistol.
"My apologies for startling you," came the distorted voice, and he stepped closer into the light so they could get a better look at his form.
The figure's form was shockingly white, swathed as it was in an ivory cloak trimmed with black that concealed most of the physical features of the body. The figure's arms were up in a gesture of peace, covered entirely by a length of a blue body-suit and white gloves that matched the cloak. Naoto guessed that the rest of the body was covered in similar material.
But it was the mask that caught his eyes. It was white as the rest of the ensemble, save for the one-way mirror reflective surface on the faceplate, and lacked any sort of angles at all, with the back jutting out a little farther to accommodate the figure's head, giving the figure an aura of ethereality.
Staring into it, Naoto saw only his own reflection, as though the figure within was a nameless, soulless being who had fallen from grace and locked themselves in this faceless form. He shivered at that thought.
"Who in the hell are you?" he asked, before he could help himself.
"My name… is Rei," came the reply, still distorted by the mask, which undoubtedly contained a voice filter. "Please, sit, Kallen-sama. I do not mean you or anyone else here harm."
The possibilities of meaning in the name came to Naoto in a flash. Rei, as in a ghost? Rei, as in a companion? Or even Rei as zero? Whatever the case, the name was obviously an alias, and one chosen for a reason.
"This man is the reason why the battle in the Underground wasn't a total rout," Minami cut in slowly, and Naoto fixed him with a piercing stare. "I wasn't the one directing the strategy after the Colonel died."
"You did that?" Naoto questioned, raising an eyebrow at the masked figure, who nodded. Despite himself, Naoto was impressed. "I've read the After Action Reports. The tactics were superb, and under the circumstances you acted swiftly and decisively. So I'll ask again, who in the hell are you?"
"I am a man who has come to you with a proposition, Commander," Rei replied, a note of humor in his voice.
"I'm listening," Naoto said patiently, though his mouth was set in a thin line.
Rei reached into his cloak, and everyone in the room reflexively tensed. But he removed only a single manila folder from the confines of the cape, which he threw casually onto the table, within Naoto's grasp.
"What's this?" Naoto questioned, flicking his gaze up at the white-garbed figure as he opened the folder.
"A list of probable sites that Jinchuu will attack next, listed in order of the actual probability of his attacking them. I calculated it out by either the frequency of suspicious shipments going through, possibly indicating the presence of 'Reaper', or by the reputation of the officers at the military bases," Rei informed him casually. "Also in that folder are a number of places I've indicated as likely strongholds of the Brittanian Liberation Front, based on a number of variables, such as holding capacity, access to the Underground, frequency of terrorist attacks in the region, and the level of control the Empire has in the region."
Naoto was stunned. He himself had considered doing something similar to this, but the level of research and the required amounts of intelligence necessary to process all that information was daunting.
"And… what, you're just here to give us this?" Kallen asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes. "Why didn't you just come forward like a normal person?"
"And would you listen if I hadn't made such a dramatic entrance, Kallen-sama?" Rei questioned neutrally. "I have my reasons for coming to you like this. I do, however, have a request to make."
"Which is?" Naoto folded his hands and narrowed his gaze at Rei.
"A level of control over the investigations, and tactical command over the actual battles with Jinchuu and the BLF," Rei said, and it was as though a bomb had dropped in the room.
Minami went pale. Sancia's eyebrows threatened to move off her face if they raised any higher.
Kallen actually stood up from her chair, face red with fury. "What the hell are you saying? You think my brother's just going let our soldiers be led into a trap by some creep in a mask?"
"Kallen," Naoto said in warning, and she turned towards him with a pleading look.
"Onii-chan, this is crazy," Kallen said disbelievingly. "Don't tell me you're actually listening to him."
"Everyone out. Leave me with him for a minute," Naoto said in reply, ignoring his sister's gaze, staring straight at Rei unblinkingly.
Minami and Sancia both stood, and moved towards the door, albeit hesitantly. Kallen, however, stood in place.
Naoto glanced over at her, meeting her gaze calmly. "Please, Kallen," he said softly. "Trust me."
After a moment, Kallen relented, but not before she looked over at Rei and said threateningly, "I'll be right outside. If you so much as touch my brother, I'll kill you."
Once they were alone, the door firmly shut behind them, Naoto said quietly, "I'm sorry about that. She's…"
"There's no need to apologize," Rei interrupted calmly. "She loves you. There's no shame in family protecting each other."
Naoto blinked at that, before he smiled slightly and nodded. The moment faded, and his face returned to a more serious expression. "Now then… please, take off your mask, and show me who you really are," he commanded, and leveled his pistol at Rei. "Please."
Rei looked caught, and for a moment, Naoto worried that the man would try something, would attempt to reverse the situation. He tensed as Rei's white-gloved hands began to move, and even as those hands settled over the mask, reaching to the back to press some recessed buttons hidden in the back and allowing it to be released, his gun never wavered.
It was only when the face of the man beneath the mask was revealed that Naoto's gun wavered, and only then, because of just how young Rei really was.
"There," the young man said quietly. "I have done as you asked. Now, will you lower the gun?"
"Who are you?" Naoto questioned. He didn't lower the gun.
"My name… is Lelouch Lamperouge," came the reply. "But I was born under a different name, as Lelouch Vi Brittania, Eleventh Prince of the Brittanian Empire."
00000
Taking off the mask had been a calculated gamble, Lelouch admitted, but not one he had not considered. Kouzuki Naoto was regarded as a little eccentric and very young for his position, but he was no fool. Blind trust was not something he would give. Thankfully, Lelouch's other gamble- that they would be alone when the request to remove the mask game- also held true.
Kallen's presence was unexpected, and Lelouch had felt terribly conflicted upon seeing her- he had hoped not to alert her to his presence, lest things grow more complicated than they already were.
But she too was not in the room, and Naoto and his gun still were.
"… this is why you have the mask, isn't it?" Naoto asked, but his question was obviously rhetorical. "You're ashamed to show your face as one of the former royalty of Brittania. But you know, if you did show your face, you could be a powerful symbol-"
"I can't," Lelouch interrupted, shaking his head. His fingers trembled. "I… I am not just another member of the Brittanian Imperial Family. There are sins in my past that prevent me from being that symbol- if word of my involvement reached certain ears, the fallout would be… disastrous. Not just to me, but to you, and to Kallen-san."
"You're familiar with my sister?" Naoto questioned, raising an eyebrow, but once again, he seemed to answer his own question. "You go to the same school as her, don't you? And… I've heard your name before, actually- you were Suzaku's friend."
"I am Suzaku's friend," Lelouch corrected, and nodded, a faint smile on his face. "I had hoped not to come into contact with Kallen-san yet, till we had formalized our deal. I am at least glad Suzaku is not here."
"Why hide your identity from your friends as well?" Naoto blinked, looking confused. "Your enemies I can understand, but…"
Lelouch shook his head. "Suzaku would only worry. I can't bring that kind of problem on him. And Kallen-san… like I said, if word of my involvement got out, things could be bad, especially for a known half-blood like her."
"What exactly have you done that is so bad?" Naoto asked curiously.
"I…" Lelouch hesitated, and something of the memories he was trying to suppress must have shown through, because Naoto's features softened.
"Nevermind," he said dismissively. "That's not important right now. So tell me, why are you doing all this?" he asked, gesturing towards the folder chock-full of information that some of the best analysts on his staff hadn't even come close to matching. "Why help the Empire which conquered your country?"
"Because I don't believe waging a war against the Empire would bring the dead back," Lelouch answered firmly. "I would rather this country settle into peace and prosperity while conquered than be torn apart in a conflict that will kill thousands."
Naoto was obviously taken aback by the force of the conviction in his tone, but swiftly recovered.
"Very well," he murmured, and held out his hand. "You've got yourself a deal, Lelouch-san. I will give you what you asked for."
"Just Lelouch will be fine, Naoto-san," Lelouch replied, a touch of warmth in his voice.
"Then Naoto will do as well. If I'm trusting you with the lives of my men, I'll trust you with my name," the commander responded, matching Lelouch's tone.
A sudden, urgent knocking on the door shook both men out of the moment, and Lelouch hastily put the mask back on. Once Naoto was sure Lelouch's identity was secure, he opened the door, to reveal a panicked Kallen.
"Terrorists!" Kallen said loudly, grabbing her brother's arms. "They took control of the Kojiki airport in London! They're holding everyone in there hostage, and have got the whole building locked down!"
"Shit," Naoto cursed, and glanced over at him.
"There's more," Kallen said softly, and glanced furtively at Lelouch's masked form.
"Just say it, Kallen," Naoto said impatiently. "I trust him."
Kallen gave her brother a dubious look, but told them just what was the real problem.
Lelouch felt his blood run cold. Naoto's face looked gray and death-like.
"Get every available unit," Naoto barked. "I want the regiment mobilized and ready to act, and I want it three hours ago!"
Kallen moved to obey her brother, when Lelouch spoke.
"Naoto-san. Let me handle this."
Kallen shot him a deadly look. "Didn't you hear me, you idiot?" she said scathingly. "This isn't just some terrorist attack. They have-"
"That's why I said to let me handle this," Lelouch interrupted, fixing his gaze at Naoto, who met his eyes through the mask with an unreadable look. He prayed that the older man would understand. "I can resolve this. You just have to trust me."
"I don't," Kallen informed him bluntly, but Naoto put a restraining hand on her shoulder and squeezed, rubbing his forehead with his other hand.
"Fine," Naoto said quietly. "I trust you… Rei."
The rest of the sentence was left to be held in silence, but Lelouch understood nonetheless.
So don't screw this up.
Despite himself, Lelouch felt a thrill in his stomach.
It was time.
"I won't let you down," Lelouch promised.
Author's Notes
Title paraphrased from the Eagles song "On The Border", with the full line being "Don't you tell me 'bout your law and order, I'm tryin' to change this water to wine" which I felt was a pretty accurate description on what this chapter was about. Plus the Eagles are awesome.
Milly is my favorite character to write dialogue for, ever.
Originally I picked Rei only because it's the Japanese equivalent of Zero, but since then I've learned several other Kanji with that same reading.
Reversing Kallen's attitude towards Lelouch's masked vs unmasked personas was probably one of the most entertaining switches I've ever done in this story.
P.S. Why yes, Tenacious D came up on my iTunes while writing this. Why do you ask?