Chapter Six

Suzaku slowly opened his eyes, suddenly keenly aware of how his back ached. He wasn't used to sleeping upright and his body was protesting. He yawned, reaching down to fumble with the end of the rope. He wanted to get down from the tree and stretch, but more than that, his stomach was complaining about the lack of food. A handful of dried fruit had not been an idea dinner. The knot slipped free, Suzaku carefully shifting on the branch, eventually getting to his feet. Suzaku balanced carefully on the branch, taking the chance to look around the stand of trees. Thankfully, there were no other tributes around. He glanced over at where Lelouch was sleeping peacefully before climbing up to the top of the tree.

The trails from the day before were still visible, which would make it difficult to see if the tributes were moving today. Suzaku frowned, turning slowly until he was facing the Cornucopia. There was no sign of movement around it for now, which meant that the tributes who had chosen to remain there had moved off or bedded down inside of the Cornucopia. Suzaku stood up on his tip toes, only managing to stay like that for a moment before having to come down. If he and Lelouch did go back down to the Cornucopia, they would have to be careful. He briefly cursed their lack of real weapons before shaking his head. There was nothing that they could do about it now in their position.

He slid down out of the tree, remaining crouched on the ground for a moment longer than he had to, just to be sure that no tribute was hiding and waiting for the opportune moment. Suzaku stood up slowly, glancing around as he backed toward the tree that Lelouch was sleeping in. He didn't remember being this worried the day before. He shook his head and scaled the tree that Lelouch was in. He was just being overly paranoid. There was a reason to be on the alert for other tributes, but not to the point where it interfered with survival.

Suzaku balanced carefully on the branch, shaking Lelouch's shoulder. Lelouch woke slowly, giving him a sleepy smile. Suzaku returned the smile, allowing himself a moment of weakness to hug Lelouch, pressing his face into Lelouch's hair. He jerked away a moment later, remembering the fact that there were cameras on them. Suzaku didn't know where the cameras were, but he could assume that they were everywhere.

"Anything?"

"Suzaku shook his head, shifting to a branch of his own as Lelouch untied himself. "Nothing that I could see, but I want to check the traps."

He didn't need to add that he didn't want to leave Lelouch behind. Lelouch just nodded, beginning to wind up the rope he had used to tie himself to the tree with. "After that?"

"It depends on what's in the traps."

Lelouch sighed, pushing the blanket and the rope back into his pack. "Then we go scavenge what we can and see who else is in the area. Baring a major disaster, we should stay here. We're better off here."

Suzaku shrugged, climbing down from the tree. It would be nice to be able to remain in one spot, but he was sure that they would have to move at some point, just to get away from Luciano's alliance. He glanced over to where he remembered seeing the group of rocks. That was guaranteed to be safe, but it would probably be difficult to get to. Then there was a chance that, if they used a base, that Luciano's alliance would come after them at their base.

He froze when he felt Lelouch touch his arm, slowly relaxing under the touch. Suzaku tipped his head so that he could see Lelouch. "Fine. Let's see about those traps."

Finding the snares again was harder that Suzaku anticipated. He was an idiot for not putting markers by the snares so he could see them instead of relying on his old path through the grass, or what he thought was his old path. It took for more stumbling through the grass than he anticipated as well. Suzaku was sure that Lelouch was losing his patience with him. Fishing would probably be safer for them from now on; at least it wouldn't give them this trouble.

Out of the five snares that Suzaku had set up, they had managed to collect one rabbit, a disappointment that he felt keenly. He had been the one in charge of getting their food and, so far, he was failing. They wouldn't be able to live off of what they had or what they could get from the Cornucopia forever.

Suzaku sighed, picking up the rabbit by its back legs and disassembling the snare. There was one more to find, and he could only hope that he had managed to get lucky.

They trudged to the last snare, Suzaku resisting the urge to move slowly because of the oppressive feeling of the grass. If they got out quickly, they would be fine, then he would have to worry. As it was, Suzaku felt like he was being pulled in too many directions at once as he tried to remain aware of everything.

It was Lelouch's hand on his shoulder that stopped him and directed his attention to the scuffling sound in front of them. Suzaku glanced back at Lelouch before nodding, reaching for the knife that he had kept in his pocket. He motioned for Lelouch to stay where he was, not surprised when Lelouch shook his head. Suzaku really hadn't expected Lelouch to remain behind, not with both of them so afraid of being separated. Suzaku slumped and rolled his eyes, creeping forward with Lelouch on his heels.

The grass had been trampled down around where the final snare was, Suzaku not too sure what that signified. In the quick glance that he had given the area, he didn't see any signs of blood, but that didn't mean a struggle hadn't taken place. Suzaku shifted his grip on the knife, freezing when he saw someone step into the flattened area. The boy gave a quick look to his left before lunging for the rabbit in the snare.

Suzaku waited only long enough to shove their rabbit into Lelouch's hands before charging the boy. The boy glanced up, dropping the snared rabbit and retreating. At the surrender Suzaku froze, watching the boy. At this point the boy could either run or try to kill him, although the latter looked like the least likely to happen as the boy didn't have an obvious weapon.

"Well?" They both jumped as Lelouch spoke, Suzaku flaring at his friend as Lelouch strolled towards them. "What are you going to do now?"

Suzaku noticed the boy reaching for something in his pocket, quickly revising his idea that the boy didn't have a weapon. There was probably a knife concealed on his person. He jerked forward only to be stopped by Lelouch. When he looked back Lelouch gave a small shake of his head before continuing to walk forward.

"Obviously you could try to kill us both, but I think you're outnumbered here and you wouldn't want to risk an injury so early in the Games. So, what are you going to do?"

"W-what do you mean by that?"

"I see that you have two options. One, you can run away and hide until Luciano and the others come after you."

"They won't. I'm not that important."

"But you got a score of six and you're a Haliburton."

"So?"

Lelouch grinned, Suzaku sighing and straightening out of his crouch. Lelouch was in his element now and there would be no stopping him.

"I seem to remember that your brother is making quite a fuss in Area 3. He's campaigning for the closure of the schools that produce career tributes just because he feels that it would bring some fairness back to the Games. Luciano was one of those careers, but he can't get to the one person making the fuss. He can get to you."

That made the boy freeze, Suzaku watching him carefully as Lelouch crossed the remaining distance between them. "There's safety in numbers, you know and we wouldn't mind your skills on our side. We could use a smart boy like you, Rolo Haliburton."

Rolo looked a little overwhelmed, not that Suzaku could blame him. Lelouch was going at full force, and Suzaku could tell that Lelouch wouldn't let Rolo slip away. Lelouch was desperate to stick to his plan, to play against the usual rules of the Games and, to do that, Lelouch would need people to support them.

"What happens if I join you?"

Lelouch shot Suzaku a triumphant grin. "We'll help each other, share food and defend each other. It will be easier than attempting to win on your own."

Rolo looked skeptical, but it was also looking at the rabbit that Lelouch was holding. Safety would be a big draw, but the fact that they could provide food was another one, almost more important. Suzaku was sure that the promise of food would be enough to convince Rolo.

Finally, Rolo nodded, pulling his hand away from where Suzaku assumed a weapon was hidden. "Alright, as long as I get my share."

"Of course you would." Lelouch took a step back, bending down to pick up the snare and the last rabbit. "And so would anyone you allied with already."

That surprised Rolo, Suzaku glancing over at Lelouch in shock as well. The fact that the offer was extended to the others that Rolo had already made an alliance with was admirable, but also worrying. The two of them could have gotten lucky today with the foot that they had caught. Even with more people to help there was no guarantee that their luck would hold. Then the alliance would fall apart. Suzaku frowned, about to demand an explanation from Lelouch when Rolo gave a decisive nod.

He expected Lelouch to shoo Rolo away with a promise to meet them later, not for Lelouch to wave the boy in next to him and start back up the hill. Suzaku scrambled to catch up, not surprised when the rabbits was shoved back into his hands. He fumbled with the two rabbits for a moment, trying to remove the snare one handed as Rolo and Lelouch fell into a conversation. Suzaku rolled his eyes, managing to free one of the rabbits from the snare as he listened to Rolo list off what he could do. The boy had an amazing array of talents he could do with a knife, but nothing more suited to survival skills, Area 3 was one of the more well off Areas.

Suzaku hurried to catch up to the two of them, settling into place on Lelouch's other side. He cleared his throat, ignoring the glare that Lelouch shot him as he leaned over to look at Rolo. "So what made that bit of flattened grass?"

Rolo looked nervous, glancing over his shoulder before speaking. "Luciano. He was going after someone, but I don't know if they got caught."

Suzaku tensed, resisting the urge to glance back over his shoulder. He had thought that Luciano and his alliance were further out and would stay that way, hunting the tributes that moved away from the Cornucopia. He didn't think that Luciano would start to move in on them for a good few days. Unless the scuffle was the result of an argument within the alliance, then they were still safe. Still, it was another fault in Lelouch's plan to remain in one place. If Luciano was moving, even if it was just to stop arguments within his own alliance, running was their best option.

He glanced over at Lelouch, slightly annoyed that Lelouch didn't seem to care. Lelouch just waved his hand dismissively. "Then he's come and gone."

"Lelouch-"

"One thing at a time, Suzaku."

Suzaku made a face, careful to look away from Lelouch and Rolo. They were all still on shaky ground and Suzaku didn't want to ruin any chance of an alliance so early in the Games. Besides, they had both wanted Rolo from the start; Suzaku remembered that the boy had been skilled with knives. Rolo was an asset to their team and he had to remember that instead of being paranoid. Suzaku looked over his shoulder, scanning the grass for any sign they were being watched before adjusting his hold on the rabbits. There were more important things to be worried about than Luciano.

Lelouch ignored Suzaku's frequent looks around. For the first few minutes of their investigations of the Cornucopia, Lelouch had looked up whenever Suzaku had, only to find that there was nothing there. He shook his head and continued working through the pile of leftover supplies, Rolo working further back where his small size came in handy.

As Lelouch had suspected, there wasn't much left in the Cornucopia by way of food, the tributes that had stayed behind had picked the place clean, probably gorging themselves before heading out. Most of the good weapons were gone as well, leaving them their pick of small knives and weapons that were too unwieldy to carry around. Lelouch pulled out a short sword, staring at it before letting it drop into a pile.

They had managed to find some useful things, a few first aid kits and more wire, and Rolo had found a bag of fruit that had been tucked into a far back corner. Now they were just looking to see if they had missed anything, Suzaku acting as their sentry. As it was, Lelouch didn't have much hope that they would find anything else that was useful.

He leaned back to give Rolo room as the boy came back with a bunch of blankets, depositing them into the small pile of supplies that they would take with them. Lelouch leaned back on his hands, watching Rolo pick his way back to the far corner of the Cornucopia. The boy would be helpful, Lelouch had seen that while they were training, but he was also the same age as Nunnally. Lelouch swallowed and started looking through the piles again.

He missed Nunnally badly, but it came with the relief that she was safe back in Area 11, especially with Clovis in Pendragon. Still, it left him without someone to take care of, something that he had been doing all of his life. He had taken care of Nunnally while his mother had been out hunting and then when Marianne had gotten a steady job. Suzaku wouldn't let Lelouch take care of him; he was more inclined to make sure Lelouch was alright. That left him to gather an alliance just to stop the general feeling of uselessness that had been hanging over him since the Hunger Games had started.

Suzaku would have accused Lelouch of trying to start a rebellion within the Games, and that wasn't entirely untrue. If he managed to keep a small group alive, then he would be successful in handling a rebellion against his father. If he could test his skills on a small group, then he would be sure of himself when he got out of the Games. It would also get him a loyal base, people that remembered him and would flock to his side when he called. Then there was the reason that Suzaku would never know, that he wanted to just save same people, partially to prove to his father that he could do it and partially because he wanted to. If he couldn't save a group of people, what chance did he have of getting Suzaku out alive?

"Lelouch." He jumped at the sound of his name, looking back at Suzaku. A wave had him walking over to where Suzaku was crouched in the shadows.

He dropped into a crouch by Suzaku, staring at the patch of grass that was waving. Lelouch rested a hand on Suzaku's arm, hoping to keep him in place as the tribute stumbled out into the open. He stared at the red haired girl, relieved when no one else followed her out. The girl looked nervously around before trudging their way. If the girl was alone, there was no harm in trying to recruit her.

Lelouch let go of Suzaku, giving him a pat before stepping out of the shadows of the Cornucopia. He saw the girl start before she fumbled for something in her pack. He put his hands up, remaining in one place until she looked back his way, obviously confused by his behavior. Lelouch attempted a smile, not sure if he managed a convincing one by the way she took a step back.

He was about to start his offer when Suzaku stepped in front of him, his friend smiling at the girl. "You hungry? We have rabbit if you want it."

"Really?" The girl inched forward, catching herself and blushing. "I didn't have much last night."

"Honestly, neither did we. So why not eat together with what we have now."

"Why?"

Suzaku shrugged, reaching out to grab Lelouch's arm as he backed toward the Cornucopia. "Why not? If we help you, you might help us, but I think that you'd like to have some other people around."

That made the girl take a step back, Lelouch wanting to reach out and hit Suzaku. They were supposed to be recruiting people, not scaring them away. It was tempting to insist that Suzaku should back down and let Lelouch hadn't the situation; at least Lelouch would speak without putting his foot in his mouth. He went to pull away from Suzaku, only to have his friend tighten his grip on his arm. "I think everyone just wants protection."

"Yes, but…"

"It's not real, right?" There was something wistful about Suzaku's smile now. "It's only until the end of the Games? That doesn't matter. I'm offering food and safety for as long as you want it, no catch."

The girl swayed in place, obviously thinking over Suzaku's offer. Lelouch was surprised that she was debating over it for that long. Usually other tributes jumped at the chance of an alliance, just for the safety it would bring. That she was even considering the future rather then the immediate result.

Finally, she nodded, walking over to them and offering her hand. "Shirley Finette."

Suzaku took her hand and gave it a shake. "I'm Suzaku and this is Lelouch. Rolo is somewhere back there."

"Rolo?" Shirley peered around him. "He's from my Area."

She walked away from them, Lelouch surprised to see her striking up a conversation with Rolo. He hadn't expected them to be on friendly terms with Rolo, just the usual civility that the tributes shared. For a moment, he wondered if she and Rolo had had some sort of alliance before his offer.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when Suzaku slapped his shoulder. "See it doesn't always have doesn't have to be a good speech."

Lelouch didn't answer, preferring to watch Shirley and Rolo interact. He didn't feel threatened by them, but he did want to know the extent of their loyalty, it was important for his plans. He wanted to be sure that he could trust him as much as he trusted Suzaku, that he could let them out without constantly having to check on them.

He leaned against the side of the Cornucopia, watching as Suzaku started to prepare the rabbits for cooking. They had already agreed that having a fire was worth the risk, especially so close to a stock of weapons. But they would eat on the move while returning to their base, so they would be long gone when Luciano came to investigate. Lelouch looked back toward the long grass that surrounded them, watching for any movement that would sow that a tribute was watching them. They had gotten lucky today, maybe their luck would hold out.

Lelouch looked back at the small group in time to see Suzaku sitting back and Rolo lugging out a case to sit on. He sighed and went to sit next to Suzaku, letting Shirley have the other seat.

Suzaku reached up to play with the end of the spit. "So, how far out have you two gone?"

"Not far." Rolo shrugged.

"As far as I could walk before night fell." Shirley sighed. "I just wanted to see what was out there, but it's hard with all of the grass. And, past that first hill there, things start to get difficult. There are hidden ravines and dips. I turned around before I could get much further. It seemed like the safer thing to do."

Lelouch glanced at Suzaku. It was probably for the best that they stayed where they were, just by what Shirley had said. Otherwise, they would have to be careful where they moved out of the safety of the Cornucopia. Lelouch was sure that Suzaku wanted to keep moving, to play the Hunger Games as they were supposed to be played instead of refusing to do anything. But Suzaku would listen to him, Lelouch was sure of that.

Shirley laughed, reached over to touch Rolo's shoulder. "I never thought you would join an alliance."

"I never thought that I would need one, but the offer was good." Rolo cleared his throat, refusing to meet either Suzaku or Lelouch's gaze. "What about you?"

"I was following some other girls, but I got lost. I'm not used to all of this grass." She paused and looked at Lelouch. "My father owned an orchard, or at least part of one. He retired from the military and bought a few trees, just to see if he could do it but…but he died. He was called back to duty during that little misunderstanding and there was a landslide…" Shirley took a deep breath. "It's just me and my mother now, although we're alright, we're handling things. But, sometimes, I wish that it hadn't been turned into more of a war. Then he wouldn't have died. I probably should have said that though."

"Why not? They can't do anything to you here." Lelouch ignored the look of fear from Rolo. "You're out of the government's hand here and all they can do is listen."

"What about you Rolo?" Suzaku jumped into the conversation before Lelouch could continue on. "I hear you have a brother, but…"

"My family isn't really close." Rolo's hands clenched into fists. "No one cares about what happens to me, they just want to know that I'll be able to support them when they need it."

Lelouch rolled his eyes. "I care." That made Rolo's head snap up and his eyes widen. "I care because you are an important part of our team. Just because they can't see your value doesn't mean that you don't have any."

It wasn't quite true, at least in the way that Lelouch was sure that Rolo was taking it. Lelouch cared that Rolo existed, but not personally, it was far too early for that. Rolo was simply an important asset and reminded him of Nunnally. Still, his words had provided the intended effect; Rolo was looking at him with awe. That was a loyalty that he could use.

He couldn't help but smile as Suzaku nodded, holding up his own statement silently. He wanted the alliance to function as a team, a lasting one that wouldn't break under pressure. That would be one sure way that they would beat Luciano.

Suzaku leaned forward to poke at the rabbits, peeling a bit of skin back with a hiss before pulling the spit away from the fire. Immediately, Rolo came forward to stamp out the flames, paying careful attention to the grass that surrounded them. Suzaku gave the rabbits one last look before jerking his head in the direction of the hill. "Come on, we'll eat on the go."

He pulled one rabbit off the spit, handing the spit to Rolo and Shirley, gesturing for Lelouch to come over to him. The four of them started walking to the hill, not even bothering to hide the remains of the fire. Everyone would assume that other tributes had bene there, which wasn't much of a surprise. Lelouch sighed, pulled a leg from the rabbit and making a face at it. It wouldn't be the best thing that he had ever tasted, but it was the best that they could do at the moment. He took a bite, chewing the meat as he thought over what they would have to do.

He was sure that Suzaku would want to fish to make sure they would have food for the next day. He was also sure that Suzaku wanted to try and find a more secure place for them to sleep, something that Lelouch wouldn't argue with. Another night in the tree was not the most appealing solution at the moment, especially with his back still complaining from the first night. Lelouch was at a loss to explain how Suzaku was able to move without looking sore, chalking it up to Suzaku just being Suzaku.

He swallowed and looked over at Suzaku, noticing that his friend glancing from side to side. He raised an eyebrow, glancing at where Shirley and Rolo were walking in front of them. "Are you planning to look for somewhere to sleep?"

"Yes. One of those ravines or dips would probably work. It's much better than sleeping in the open." Suzaku sighed, staring at the rabbit he held in his hands. "We also have to get water and food for our dinner."

"But that would be difficult with four people." Lelouch look another bite of rabbit. "We'll stick together until we find a place to bed down."

"Lelouch…"

"I'll be fine with Shirley. We both have weapons and we have the sense to hide. I'm not stupid enough to stand and fight against the careers."

Suzaku didn't look too convinced, Lelouch shaking his head. Suzaku would come around eventually, it was the logical thing to do at the moment. He turned his full attention to their food, sharing the rabbit with Suzaku and paying close attention to how much Suzaku ate. Lelouch was glad that Suzaku was willing to abide by his plans and that Suzaku would help everyone in their alliance, but he wouldn't let Suzaku starve himself for anyone, especially him. The whole point of sticking with each other was to take care of one another.

They skirted the base of the first hill, Shirley guiding them. It was exactly like she had said, the flat land changed into a rolling landscape, the dangers hidden by the grasses. There were a few times that they almost fell into the ravines that crossed their path or slipped into a dip. It was Suzaku who called a halt by a promising dip, the grasses falling over the front of it, almost creating a kind of cave. Lelouch slipped in, glancing around in the semi-darkness. It would be large enough for all of them with a bit of a squeeze, not that Lelouch would mind. He backed out of the shelter and nodded to the rest of the group. It would work for one night. If they could find it again, Lelouch would be happy to have a secure place to sleep.

Lelouch wiped his hands on his hands. "It's small but safe enough."

"Small?" Suzaku gave him a sideways glance, finally shrugging and walking around to look at the entrance of the fake cave. "Small we can work with. But we won't survive without food and water. Rolo, come on."

Rolo hesitated, glancing between Shirley and Suzaku. Lelouch tried not to show his displeasure. Rolo was still more loyal to the other tribute from his Area, not that Lelouch could blame him. It would take time for any trust to grow, but Lelouch wasn't willing to let it take too long.

"Shirley and I will be fine. We can hide if we need to."

"Yeah." Shirley reached out to touch Lelouch, only to pull away at the last moment. She settled for crossing her arms over her chest. "Go on boys."

Lelouch tried to hide a smile at the expression on Suzaku's face. He had to press a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter when Shirley made a shooing motion at Rolo and Suzaku. "Go on."

Rolo immediately stumbled back, pausing when he saw that Suzaku wasn't following. Suzaku made a motion for him to wait, taking a step toward Lelouch. He saw that Suzaku went to reach for his cheek, Suzaku grabbing his arm at the last minute. Lelouch glanced down at where he was being touched, looking up when Suzaku gave him a shake. "Stay safe."

"That goes for you too."

Suzaku nodded, turning and walking off without the expected comeback. Lelouch reached up to rub at his arm, watching as the grass settled back into place. He had expected the Games to be hard and that they would have to adapt, but he hadn't expected Suzaku to get so serious about them. As much as Lelouch wanted Suzaku to take the Games seriously, he didn't want to lose Suzaku because of it. If Suzaku changed, then his entire plan would be pointless.

"Lelouch?" He turned to look at Shirley. The girl looked torn between just turning away and speaking to him. Lelouch was about to ask her what she wanted when Shirley finally spoke up. "They'll be fine."

"How do you know?" Lelouch hadn't meant to snap. He swallowed and looked away from Shirley, turning his attention to the packs that Rolo and Suzaku had left behind.

To his surprise, when he looked back up at Shirley, she didn't look shocked that he had snapped at her, just amused. "To be honest, the both of them are better suited to survive than we are. With the training, I feel like I might make it through a few days instead of dying immediately." Shirley paused and looked over her shoulder. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think that the emperor had put me in here with the rest of the people that he despised."

Lelouch fumbled with the supplies that he was picking up, turning abruptly to stare at Shirley. She couldn't have known who he really was, he had never heard of any Finettes around the court when he had been there. He ducked his head, frantically trying to come up with a response.

"I doubt that though, my father was nothing but a solider, no one important in the end. But that doesn't mean that I can still just do what I want in these Games."

"That's a bit of a change from before."

Shirley looked around nervously before inching close to Lelouch. "That was…there are cameras everywhere. I can't be seen to be talking against the empire, because my family is still out there. So is yours and yours is in more danger. You're popular."

"That's not the point."

"It's one good point that we have to think about." Shirley raised one shoulder in a shrug before ducking into the dip.

Lelouch watched her go before shaking his head. He understood Shirley's fear for her family; it was something that he had already internalized. There were other things that he had to concentrate on at the moment, and trying to keep on the good side of the empire was not one of them. He sighed and picked up the last of their equipment, giving the direction that Suzaku and Rolo had gone in one last glance before following Shirley.

Milly looked up as Rivalz walked past her. He didn't stop but just gestured to the camera, ducking into his accustomed place behind it. Milly sighed and leaned forward. "Staying with me again?"

"Of course." Rivalz popped up briefly from behind the camera, beaming at her. "I have nothing better to do. And, apparently, I'm the only one who can film you right."

"So says Diethard?"

"So says Diethard." Rivalz looked over his shoulder, quickly ducking back behind the camera as the man in question walked over. Diethard took up his customary stand, which arms crossed over his chest. He gave her a curt nod, a signal enough to start running through the names of the dead.

Milly sighed and looked at the slides, flicking back and forth between the two slides as she waited for the signal. It came from Rivalz, the man waving his hand before pointing at Milly.

She flipped her hair back over her shoulder, remembering to smile. "Milly Ashford here, helping you wrap up another day of the Hunger Games. I could go on all night about the interesting things that happened, but my boss won't be happy with me. He'd have to pay for all of that overtime. What I can give you is the names of the tributes that were killed today."

Milly moved to the first slide, barely glancing at the brown haired, brown eyed boy, because he was just too young. "From Area 5, Saburo Okawachi." Her fingers trembled as she moved onto the next slide, wanting to get these two done as quickly as possible. "From Area 8, Edgar Dalton. Tune in tomorrow for another recap and then the continuation of this years Games."

"And cut." Diethard moved from his position by the camera, pointing at Rivalz and then Milly as he gave orders. "Get that out to the right people as soon as possible, we're running a bit behind. And, Milly, get some sleep. You're losing your charm."

Milly nodded, waiting until Diethard had left the room before she slumped over the desk, staring at the picture of Edgar Dalton. He looked too young to be dead to, even though he looked completely serious in his picture. The seriousness and quasi-military pose was ruined by his purple hair, but Milly would give him slack for that. You were only young once and, if you were chosen for the Hunger Games, for a very short amount of time.

She sighed when she felt a hand on her shoulder, sitting up slowly. "I'm fine, Rivalz."

"I know." He didn't call her out on her lie. "And I hate to agree with Diethard, but get some rest. I'll be here if you need someone to talk to."

Milly paused in the motion of stand up, looking at the cameraman. "Shouldn't you go home and sleep?"

"Nah, I couldn't. I'm not as brave as you." Rivalz shuddered. "I can't sleep without having nightmares about those kids."

Milly smiled and waved to him, quickly walking out of the studio before her façade could break down. Rivalz was wrong, she wasn't brave, she was just a coward. If she was really brave, she would speak out against the Hunger Games and call attention to the hypocrisy the emperor indulged in. If she really was brave, she would actually put money toward her favorite tributes instead of remaining just a smiling face and a voice. If she was brave, she would have done something by now instead of smiling at the camera and downing sleeping pills just to be sure that she could have a dreamless sleep.

If she was brave, she didn't think that the citizens of Pendragon would remain cowards.

Nunnally released a long sigh as the program switched its attention from the report on the Hunger Games to the news of the night. She closed her eyes and rested the back of her head against the back of her wheelchair. It had been hard enough to watch the first day, especially since it was the day that usually had the most deaths. Thankfully, both Lelouch and Suzaku hadn't been too exciting and hadn't been on camera much, which had left the program to focus on Luciano and the few other tributes that were still unaffiliated. It didn't make for an exciting show, which worried her. If nothing happened, then those who ran the Games would do something to keep the Games interesting. That was the last thing that Nunnally wanted.

Originally, she had wanted to wait one more day, just to be sure that she wouldn't be ignored by the rest of Pendragon. Just looking at the Games as they were, she would have to make her announcement sooner. She was nervous about going public with the news, not for a lack of concern about her brother, but because of what could happen. She trusted Euphemia; the princess had been nothing but accommodating and helpful. Euphemia was one of the few of her siblings that she felt she could trust, and yet she had brought Euphemia into this. If the emperor didn't approve and actually moved violently against them instead of using propaganda, then Nunnally would have brought not only Euphemia into trouble, but Kanon, Schneizel, Clovis and Odysseus too. And then Lelouch would really be dead, because no one would attempt to save him or Suzaku.

Nunnally took a deep breath, backing her wheelchair away from the television and toward the main room. She fumbled at the code for a moment before the door slid open, glancing outside. Euphemia was sitting in the main part of the suite, still watching the broadcast despite the fact that the coverage of the Hunger Games had stopped. Nunnally swallowed and rolled into the main room, Euphemia turning to smile at her.

"Hey. I'd say that went well."

"Yes. They're still alive." Nunnally didn't look at Euphemia, instead focusing on the carpet. "But that might not last long. I…It might be too early, but I want to go public, while they're both alive."

'Why?"

"Nothing has happened for two days. Maybe I can make it three days. I'll be a distraction for them."

"Nunnally…" Euphemia sighed. "It's early to be making a move, but I think that Schneizel could have the outside information you would need in the morning. If anyone can do it, Schneizel can."

"Thank you." Nunnally went to leave, surprised when Euphemia stood up.

The princess walked over and patted Nunnally's shoulder. "I wish I could be brave like you."

"I'm really not that brave. I just know what I have to do." Nunnally shifted so she could tip her head back to look at Euphemia. "Will you be there with me?"

"Of course." Euphemia squeezed her shoulder. "I wouldn't miss anything of this for the world, Nunnaly. If there's a chance, I want to help change things for the better."

Nunnally reached up to pat Euphemia's hand in silent thanks for her support. She doubted that Clovis would have put in as much effort; he had seemed to be relieved to get rid of her. Nunnally could just image how she would have struggled to do this on her own. She wouldn't have even been in a position to make an announcement; she would have been at the mercy of the royal court. Nunnally gave Euphemia's hand another pat before backing away, feeling lighter than she had in days.

As much as she feared going in front of cameras and what would happen to those that were helping her, she was more excited about saving Lelouch and Suzaku.