Chapter 13

All's fair in Love and War

Pt. 2

(Student Council Room, 09:34)

The smell of lavender and sparse amounts of ink filled the air of the student council room, with stacks of paperwork scattered all over the tables, and the sunlight filled the room with it's bright, shining rays. The morning had been slow going, what with all of the planning Milly had been putting them all through in the recent past. The entire council had been swamped with paperwork, from balancing the budget for 'Cupid Day' itself to filing the requests for the dismissal of classes that day. After they had all finished with the work they were required to do, the majority of the council had taken refuge to the couch, Kallen being the only one to stay at the table in order to read her book.

"You want to meet Princess Euphemia?" Suzaku asked the four-eyed girl in shock, being unable to anything but gasp at the idea. Euphemia was a member of the royal family after all, so it had been rather difficult to meet up with her at all, much less in a crowded area. As if things weren't complicated enough with her… He thought to himself, knowing that if their relationship were discovered, it would not only kill Euphemia's reputation, but he just might be court martialed for doing something like this behind the back of the military, especially with a princess of all people. That is… If Viceroy Cornelia doesn't execute me on the spot for it. He thought dreadfully, having heard the rumors about how protective Cornelia was of Euphemia.

"To thank her," Nina shouted, feeling as if she had to say it. Princess Euphemia… She thought to herself, remembering the time she had risked her own life for that of Nina's. She's a member of the royal family, and I'm… I'm just a nobody, a nothing. My family's always been a practically powerless one, so having a member of royalty standing up for us seems preposterous. She thought to herself fondly, knowing that among the royal family, Euphemia was by far the kindest. She then snapped back to reality, her expression becoming shy again as she spoke to the honorary Britannian. "I just... wanted to thank her." She restated in a soft, shy voice, not wanting to come off as anything more than a fangirl.

Milly couldn't help but smirk at all of this, knowing that Nina probably idolized Euphemia now. Well, that's not exactly surprising. She thought to herself, remembering how Euphemia had stood right up the moment an eleven terrorist had pointed a gun at Nina. "She risked her life to protect Nina during the hotel-jacking." She declared to them all, knowing that the fact wasn't exactly news to them. Her voice, for once, wasn't full of sarcasm or charismatic teasing. But rather, it was one filled with a sense of relief and enjoyment, because the memory of that incident being over had brought her a new sense of relief that the terrorist activities had died down recently, and that the only major group left were the Black Knights. "She stood right up and said 'I'm Euphemia!', right?"

Rivalz couldn't help but feel a bit excited at all of this. "Really? I want to meet her, too!" He exclaimed the very idea of meeting a real princess sounding almost too good to be true.

"Why is that?" Milly asked him immediately, a suspicious glare in her eyes. She knew that Rivalz wasn't thinking when he asked made that statement, or at least not with his head. Rivalz was a 17-year-old boy after all, his hormones going through the roof and all. But then again, Rivalz' mind isn't that dirty. She thought to herself, knowing that other than Nunnally, he probably had the cleanest mind in the room. So… If that were the case, then he's more likely thinking about- She thought to herself for a moment, before Rivalz had cut her off with the answer she was looking for.

"She's a real princess!" He exclaimed at the top if his lungs, delusionally thinking that if he could get to know Euphemia better, she might just fall for him. And if that were to happen… He thought to himself eagerly. "I could marry into royalty!" He accidentally thought out loud, alerting the others to what he intended to do once he met her.

Nunnally scowled at Rivalz, but only on the outside. Inside, however, she could feel her heart sing with glee at the funny moments she had with the Ashford Student Council. That whole time I was away from them, away from Milly's crazy actions, away from Rivalz' desperate attempts to get her to notice him, even from Nina's shy attitude towards Euph- She paused for a moment, remembering all of the people who had suffered during the Black Rebellion, the EU war, and the Second Battle of Tokyo, all of which resulted from Euphie's death. The Special Zone massacre, the Black Rebellion, Suzaku and Lelouch turning on each other, Zero's return to Japan, F.L.E.I.J.A, and the... Zero Requiem. She cringed on the inside. She may not have seen much of the destruction or deaths that occurred from it all, but she knew that all of the sins that Lelouch committed wouldn't happen this time. She refocused her attention to the group and began to speak her lines just as she did before. "I'm sure that you will never meet her with such impure motives." She softly scolded, knowing that was about all she could really say to him at that moment.

Rivalz gasped after a moment, bowing his head slightly at how quickly Nunnally caught on to him. "Impure?" He restated shamefully. He couldn't believe Nunnally of all people could see right through him. But is it really all that bad? I mean, it's not like living in the ghettos or being a Number, but life can still get sweeter right? Not to mention that I hear Princess Euphemia is so kind, gentle, sweet, and beautiful as well as being a princess. "That's a little harsh, isn't it, Nunnally?" He knew she had him begged, but there was no way he would admit it outright. In desperation, he then turned to the one person he could count on in this situation, and began to speak yet again. "You're on my side, aren't you, Madam Pre…" But as he leaned his head towards the blonde bombshell of a president, he found his face pushed away by the familiar feel of a rolled up piece of paper.

"Don't kiss up to me just because Lelouch isn't hanging around." She told Rivalz as she pushed him away with a rolled up newspaper, her eyes closed to emphasize her point on how pathetic he was being. "Nunnally saw right through you, and so do I." But as she said those words, she couldn't help but wonder where Lelouch was this morning. It had only been about a day since Shirley left, so she couldn't blame him if he was still in pain about it. Lelouch always was someone who'd fall apart if someone he cared about suddenly got hurt, especially if he thinks it was his fault. It was his tragic flaw, the one weakness he had always had.

Nunnally giggled at him for a second or two, wondering how long the good times would last. It's only a matter of time before the Special Zone is established, but I know Lelouch won't be too happy about it. She thought to herself, her memories of the previous timeline feeling more and more like a curse every day she had them. Her blissful ignorance of the days ahead were gone, and she knew there wasn't any way to forget any of those things on her own. But at the same time, now I know what's going on rather than just guessing and waiting for the next occurrence to happen. She looked over to Suzaku, knowing that it was only a matter of time before Lelouch finally restored his memories as well.

But when that happens, will they still be friends, or will they be enemies again? She knew that Suzaku had only agreed to join forces with Lelouch to end the cycle and to avenge Euphemia. But the day Lelouch died, he had been crying as much as she did. He may have been silent, and though he wore the mask, she could still feel the sorrow in his heart when he stood before the masses as they cheered him on. But then… She looked around her, remembering where she was, and instantly put on her charming smile, resuming her role as the innocent little sister. "Anyway…" She softly said. "I'd like to meet Princess Euphemia, too, if I could."

Suzaku could feel himself tense up as she said those words, knowing what would happen if she and Euphie ever laid eyes on each other again. Lelouch and Nunnally were outcast members of the royal family, and if their identities were discovered, they would no doubt be taken away and used as political tools once again. They suffered so much during the war. He thought to himself grimly, knowing how passionately Lelouch must've hated Britannia after all of the things he experienced at their hands. He had to protect their secret, regardless of the consequences. After all, they're my friends, and the lives of two are always more valuable than my life alone. He reminded himself, knowing that his mistakes were part of the reason they were in this situation, and who was he to ruin what was left of their lives because of a mistake he had made?

Milly looked at Suzaku carefully, seeing how Nunnally's statement had made him paler than a ghost. From the way he was reacting, she could tell one thing about Suzaku right then and there, something that she and Suzaku had in common: They both knew who Lelouch really was. Makes sense I guess. She thought to herself, knowing that Lelouch and Nunnally were sent to Japan before the war started as political tools. It would only make sense that they would've eventually arrived at the home of the Prime Minister, and if that were the case, then that would be how Lelouch and Suzaku could be friends to begin with. And if that were the case, then it would be correct to assume that he wants to protect their identities as much as my family does. She reminded herself, knowing that Suzaku was the kind of person who'd risk his life to protect another's, especially if the life in question was one of his friends.

Nunnally gazed at Suzaku with a puzzled look on her face, knowing that she had to be extra careful not to reveal too much about what she knew. "Oh, what's the matter, Suzaku?" She asked with an innocent tone of voice, just as she had before in the previous timeline. His expression changed a bit, now looking more nervous about her question than mortified. He slowly raised his hand to the back of his head, seeming to stumble over his own words at first, trying to make out an answer for the council.

"Uh…" He stumbled out, trying to come up with a reasonable answer for him to decline them an audience with Euphie. Wait… That's it! He shouted in his head as he came up with an answer that would satisfy his schoolmates. "It's just that... she's a member of the royal family and…" He stopped dead in his tracks, the sound of the phone ringing resonating through the room. He quickly turned towards said phone, Arthur under the table it was on, and picked it up, placing it to his ear. "Hello," He quickly answered, wanting to know who would call the student council room during the normal school day. "Ashford Academy student council."

"Suzaku?" A very familiar voice rang out, and Suzaku immediately responded to the caller, knowing the voice of the caller quite well by this time. "Lelouch?" He simply replied, a bit uncertain as to why his best friend would be calling the student council room at this time of the day. Is he out gambling again, or is it that… He stopped himself right there, silently scolding himself for jumping to such conclusions. I know it has to be him, but still… I can't allow myself to think like that. Even if all the deductions make sense, I can't think he'd be Zero. Lelouch can't be Zero! He just can't! He felt as if the darkness within himself had enveloped him, making him feel hollow and afraid that his deductions were right. But there was no possible way that Lelouch was Zero. There is no way Lelouch could know what I did to my father, nor about me being the pilot of the Lancelot. So he can't be Zero! He tried to remind himself, hoping desperately that his heart was wrong. But just as he was about to be lost in his own thoughts, he was immediately pulled back into reality by the sound of his friend's voice calling out to him.

"Suzaku, is there anything unusual there?" Lelouch asked him, his voice a bit weaker than normal, and his breathing was a bit shallower than it usually was. Did something happen? He thought to himself for a moment, then began to speak to his raven-haired friend. "Yeah, there is," He said with a melodramatic tone, waiting for just the right moment to say his next line. "You're not here." He joked with a smile on his face, knowing that he finally managed to get Lelouch's goat for a change. "I know you've got some things to do, but with both Shirley and Cecilia leaving for the homeland so suddenly, it just feels like the student council is beginning to fall apart." But as he said those words, he wondered who the strange girl he and Lelouch found in Shinjuku really was, and where she actually went. She certainly wouldn't go to the Britannian homeland, not with the military chasing after her. So where?

"I get it. Trust me." Lelouch told his long-time friend and foe, knowing that he even though Suzaku was his worst enemy in the past, he knew he would have to revive his Knight of Zero if his plans were to proceed any further. But it wasn't a question of if, when, where, or why. The real question was if Suzaku would be willing to work with Lelouch this time around, the Zero Requiem having succeeded in the previous timeline and their partnership concluded. Euphie's death, the SAZ massacre, the Black Rebellion; none of it has happened yet, and I won't allow some to happen. Still, memories of the previous timeline might awaken the bitterness and hatred Suzaku once had for me. If I awaken him, will he be my friend or my foe?

"Lelouch, are you feeling alright? You seem to be upset about something." Suzaku said to him through the phone, just as he did before in the previous timeline. Lelouch knew he couldn't stay on the line any longer than he already had, that is if he wanted to avoid any unnecessary effects caused by the laws of equivalence. He took in a quick breath, then replied to his long time friend/foe. "I'll explain once Cupid Day is over, and by that time you'll probably have already figured it out on your own." And with that, Lelouch hung up his phone, walking back towards the Black Knights headquarters.

(Special Corps van, 12:00)

Cecile sat down in her computer terminal, reviewing all of Suzaku's actions ever since he first began to pilot the Lancelot. He's not just trying to save people's lives, he demands that he does so. Whenever he goes out of his way to save someone, he treats that task as if his own life depended on it. She thought to herself grimly, deeply concerned about the honorary Britannians well-being. She looked over at Lloyd, whose eyes and spectacles were practically glued to his computer screen. He probably won't even care. She thought to herself, knowing that Lloyd was a sociopath that only cared about Suzaku as a part of his precious Lancelot. But even so… She thought to herself briefly, before her mouth and tongue decided to speak for her. "This thing about saving people's lives…" She began, and even knowing that Lloyd was probably going to just shrug it off, she felt that she needed to say it to him anyways. "At first I thought he was just, you know, sensitive, but now... I mean, it's more like an obsession, isn't it?"

Lloyd barely noticed his assistant's words at first, her voice being quiet and timid as always. But when he heard her say obsession, he immediately knew who she was referring to. Suzaku has certainly been on her mind lately. He thought to himself for a short-lived moment, going over Suzaku's performance data for the 9th time that day. Hmm… At Narita, his performance data was at 96 percent as always, but in this last operation it went down to 95.4 percent. I wonder, did something happen to him somewhere in between those 2 events? "His performance data is still solid, right?" He thought to himself out loud, not paying attention in the least to his assistant. "Is this a good time to put that new thing to a test with him?"

Cecile's eyes narrowed slightly at him, part of her wanting to beat his ass again for treating Suzaku so inhumanely. "But we're still fine-tuning." She quickly and slightly irritated with her silver-haired boss, knowing that if they were to just treat Suzaku like another part of the machine, it would damage his already suicidal mind to the point where he would do anything to die to save another life. "What I'm saying is treating Suzaku like he's just another part of the machine could have serious consequences," She exclaimed, knowing in her heart she was right. "We'd better deal with the human issue here first." But as she said that, she noticed, out of the corner of her eye, there was a small smirk forming on Lloyd's face.

"Pardon me, but really aren't you taking care of him in place of someone else?" The mad sociopath implied, knowing that Cecile was an exceptionally kind and compassionate person though he wasn't really one to judge. After all, he was born with an abandoned heart, never knowing or even understanding what compassion felt like. All he knew was his love for inventing, and his pursuit of knowledge in every regard to machinery. I'm a scientist, so it's what I do. I experiment, observe, analyze, repeat. Not much else that I like doing. The silver-haired earl thought to himself, shrugging off his noble status as if it were merely a burden.

Cecile almost gasped as he said those words, uncertain of what he meant by that at first. By the way he was speaking to her, it sounded as if he was accusing her of babying Suzaku as if she were his own mother. "I'm not sure about that, but…" She stopped herself right there, seeing that Lloyd was now snickering silently at her. She immediately put her signature fake smile upon her face, then began to speak once again, this time in her polite yet sarcastic tone. "You're quick to catch onto something silly, aren't you?" She told him, knowing that this behavior of his was certainly out of character for Lloyd.

Lloyd merely turned his eyes back to his monitor the moment she said those words. "I'm the boss so you're stuck with me." he then added in his usual, carefree manner.

(Black Knights headquarters, 18:54)

"Man, it was so close!" Tamaki barked out loud, a cold glass of beer clenched tightly in his hand. "We had her right there!" He could feel his frustration about all of this growing, the very idea that Cornelia was escaping their grasp every time they got close to her was almost too much to bear. That woman's as slippery as an eel dipped in grease and just as nasty. He joked to himself, finding that humor was often what was best during times like these. However, his attention soon returned to Kallen, their own little-redheaded ace pilot, as she began to speak.

Kallen looked at Tamaki with a frustrated expression on her face, even if it didn't represent what she was really feeling. "Next time, I'll beat that white Knightmare, and that damn traitor piloting it." But in spite of the boldness of her words, she knew she couldn't let herself win against Suzaku, because if she did, she'd have no choice but to finish him off. In the past, I would've tried to eradicate Suzaku without a second thought, but now... I just can't. If I did, not only will I lose a friend, but Lelouch will lose his second most valuable asset. She thought to herself in a biased manner, considering herself as his most trusted and valuable piece. She was his ace pilot after all, and to think of herself as any less wouldn't do her any good. Not to mention, that would cause a major shift in the world considering how important Suzaku was in the previous timeline, so killing him would be nearly catastrophic due to the Laws of Equivalence. She thought to herself grimly. But even so, Suzaku is still my enemy for the moment. So until he is awoken, I'll treat him like an enemy.

Silence fell among the group, all of them feeling a mixture of random, negative emotions too complicated to describe when they thought about Suzaku. He was Japanese and an honorary Britannian. He was also the one that was accused of Prince Clovis' murder before Zero revealed that he had done the deed himself. Zero was the one that rescued Suzaku from his impending execution at that court-martial, but in spite of all of that, Suzaku returned to the Britannian military and fought against Zero and the Black Knights. Tamaki sighed with a faint breath, then broke the tense, awkward silence the best way he knew how. "Ah, don't sweat it." He said to Kallen with a serious, somewhat mature attitude. The others looked at him for a minute, trying to figure out why the usually loud-mouthed dimwit would act so serious and calm in this situation.

Sugiyama smiled, seeing that Tamaki was trying to lighten the mood a little bit. "Yeah Kallen, you shouldn't sweat it so much." He chuckled, continuing from where Tamaki left off. "After all, Tamaki got thrashed in the first minute." And as the last word rolled off of his tongue, the others started to giggle, while Tamaki began to bark in angry protest like his usual self. But out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone else who didn't look like they were having a pleasant reaction to his crack about their idiotic comrade. It was Ohgi, whose hands were folded up and his elbows balancing on his legs so he could rest his chin on his hands. "Ohgi?" He called out in vain, Ohgi's attention seeming to be in another place altogether. "Something bothering you?" He called out again, somewhat reaching him this time.

Ohgi had been trying to relax as best he could, but lately his mind seemed to be restless. And last night seemed to drive him batty. He only managed to get 5 hours of sleep last night, which he knew wouldn't help him think any clearer. His brain felt muddled, his mind so overworked from thinking that he began to speak out loud without even realizing it. "Zero being a Britannian, his real motivation for helping us, The JLF warship, Cornelia's men, sending Katase to China. What does it all mean?" He spoke in a soft tone, even though the volume of his voice was loud enough for everyone to hear him. He looked back towards the floor, trying to put the pieces together once again, but none of them fit together in a logical sense. He could feel his own frustration as he squeezed his folded hands together, sending a small amount of pain through his arms. "It feels like I'm missing a piece." He cried between his teeth, lightly grinding his teeth.

"Pardon me?" A voice called out from the second story. It was a deep, refined, and somewhat familiar voice, one that sounded pompous and arrogant, but also charismatic and overly excited. Oh no. Kallen thought to herself as everyone at the table immediately figured out who it belonged to, and then looked up at the top of the stairs, only to have her suspicions confirmed. It was Diethard, whose sky blue eyes were as wide as plates. "Zero is a Britannian?!" He asked with a smile that sent chills down everyone's spine. And why wouldn't it? The senior members were the only ones in the Black Knights that knew about Zero's true nationality and about his face. They were supposed to keep that a secret from the rest of the Black Knights until/unless they made it into the inner circle.

And of all the people to find out, it had to be Diethard. Kallen thought to herself, knowing there were sure to be repercussions for this. The laws of equivalence were cold and unforgiving, as what happened to Shirley and Lelouch had taught them, and everything had an effect on them. Out of nowhere, Tamaki began to laugh like there was no tomorrow, and Kallen looked at him like he had just lost his mind. This is the worst possible situation we could be in, and he's laughing his ass off?! "What's the matter with you, Tamaki?! We're in deep shit, and you're laughing your ass off?! What the hell is so funny?!" She paused for a moment, realizing that she had just snapped at him. Fortunately, no seemed to disagree with her.

Tamaki paused for a moment to take a deep breath, his lungs feeling like they had nearly collapsed inside of him from laughing so hard. I never thought I could hurt myself from laughing in such a short time. He noted in his head, trying to regulate his breathing and make out a straight answer for the red headed girl next to him. He took in small breaths at first as he tried to regulate his breathing again, which caused his eyes to water a little. He wiped the small amounts of tears from his eyes. "It's funny because when Zero learns about this, you're probably a dead man Ohgi." He stated with a smart ass smile on his face, which prompted Kallen to smack him on the back of his head. The pain shot through him almost as fast as a bullet through the air, and he grabbed the back of his now throbbing head in agony.

Diethard couldn't believe his ears. He knew Zero had it out for the Britannian royal family and that he was a master tactician, but if he was indeed a Britannian, then the story was even more thrilling than he could've ever dreamed. His mind was full of questions now. Why would Zero turn against Britannia if he himself is a Britannian? How is he tied to Suzaku Kururugi? How would this affect the Black Knights as a whole if they found out- He stopped himself right there, knowing exactly how it would affect them. They would turn on Zero in a heartbeat, calling him a liar and a false hope for them at this point. But given a little more time, perhaps it would have a different effect on them. All they need is to see that Britannians can be on their side. He returned his attention to the group below him, watching them squabble over what had just occurred. They're certainly a lively bunch. Diethard thought to himself as he smiled at the group of elevens below him, knowing that this was exactly the kind of thing they needed to be doing after a letdown like last night. His smirk grew into a chuckle, and he began to speak. "And why should Zero have to hear about this?"

And as those words rolled off of his tongue, the senior members immediately turned their attention to the blonde Britannian. Kallen looked at Diethard with an unsettled glare in her eye, knowing that Diethard would traitor on them the moment that the Black Knights turned on Zero. He doesn't care about our cause. Not really. He just wants to document Lelouch, or rather, document Zero's story of revolution and triumph. She sighed inside, knowing that though he couldn't care less about the Black Knights completely, he was a vital resource to Lelouch and the Black Knights, so she had to tolerate him for the time being. "What are you implying?" She asked him, knowing the answer but also knowing that was exactly what the others were thinking.

Diethard didn't hesitate for a second as he responded to her question, his voice full of confidence as usual. "I have no intention of putting Zero or any of you in a tougher situation than we're already in. So, I'll keep my mouth shut for now." He came down the step, certain that the group in front of him were shouting at him in their heads more and more with each step he took. When he made it to the bottom of the staircase, he turned around the corner towards the exit. But as he did so, he let another thought escape from his lips. "But for future notice, don't talk about confidential topics when the possibility of eavesdropping is probable."

(In the Student Council room, 19:03)

Lelouch was beginning to feel like he was part of 3 councils now: The Ashford Academy Student Council, the Black Knights Senior members, and his own personal council that he had awakened with his second geass. Jeremiah was standing in attention at his side as always, Sayoko was tending to Nunnally by the door, and Kallen was sitting on the chair next to the couch at his side. But that was the last thing on his mind. "I see." He softly replied to his ace pilot. "Now Diethard knows about my true nationality as well." This wasn't an ideal circumstance, as Diethard wasn't among the people he trusted very well. He died before the Zero Requiem concluded, so that means my second geass will be useless on him. And because of the information I've given about my primary geass, he'll be extra careful not to let me use it on him.

Kallen squeezed her hands together at this notion, knowing that if she was paying attention, she would've remembered that Diethard had showed up at the hideout last time. But then again, this can't be my fault. Ohgi was the one who said it out loud, not me. She rationalized in her head, her body seeming to loosen up a bit. She let out a puff of air through her nostrils and began to speak. "Yeah, but without seeing your face, I doubt he'd be able to piece your real identity together." She told him with confidence in her voice before her gaze turned to the ground, and the confidence vanishing within her, mellowing her voice. "Ohgi, however, seems to have more mistrust in you than the last time."

Lelouch closed his eyes for a moment, knowing that Ohgi had been doubting him last time as well, but there was also something different about it this time. "I can't say that I'm surprised, but there's something else going on here," He stated to everyone in the room in a subtle tone of voice, trying to piece the whole puzzle together. According to what Kallen has told me so far, it seems like Ohgi was carefully examining everything I've done as Zero so far, and taken into account my true nationality along with it. He also said that he 'missing a piece', which implies that he trying to put everything together. He took in a deep breath, then began to speak again. "Considering my actions, Ohgi must have some doubts about me, and seeing that I'm a Britannian might not have helped, but it's more than that. Considering what you've told me so far about it, it might be safe to say that Ohgi is trying to figure out what my plans really are, and possibly even my true identity."

Jeremiah's gaze narrowed at this, knowing that if Ohgi kept digging at this rate, he could very well figure out who his master is before it was the appropriate time. If he finds out who Lord Lelouch, then there's a chance he might want to leave the Black Knights. If that were to happen, then the consequences would be… He stopped himself right there, trying not to think about the possible disasters the laws of equivalence could cause if that were to happen. "This could prove to be troublesome," He stated in a darkened tone, a serious scowl forming on his face. "Perhaps now would be a good time to-" He started to say, before he saw his master's hand raise in front of him, which told him to silence himself.

Lelouch could tell what Jeremiah was thinking. He was an easy man to read if you knew what to look for. 'If Ohgi discovers Lord Lelouch's identity before its time, he might leave the Black Knights and that would spell disaster.' That's exactly what he's telling himself in his head right now. He deduced. He knew the risks in this, but if he were to panic things would get out of control. He knew his emotions might cloud his judgment enough to where he might slip up, so he needed to remain calm in this situation. "It's all according to plan Jeremiah," He told him with a tone full of confidence, causing some distinct gasps of surprise from Jeremiah, Sayoko, and Kallen alike. He folded his hands in front of them, then rested his chin lightly on them as he continued to speak. "When the final phase of the plan is underway, you'll see how it all connects. Now then, has Villetta been placed where she was supposed to be?" He asked as he turned his eyes towards Jeremiah.

Jeremiah nodded to his master, his loyalty to Lelouch as strong as ever. Though he was once Villetta's comrade in arms, his duty and loyalty to his master trumps all. It wasn't easy to get them to trust me after Lord Lelouch died, especially after I served him loyally all the way through til the end. He thought to himself pleasantly as he remembered how things were after the Zero Requiem's conclusion. It had taken him months to regain her trust, and it was even harder to earn Ohgi's trust. But once he had it, Villetta had told him everything she could remember about her relationship with Ohgi, and Ohgi filled in the gaps she couldn't remember. They had even told him where Ohgi found Villetta after Shirley Fenette shot her and dumped her unconscious boy at the docks. "It was difficult locating the exact spot, but yes Lord Lelouch. She was left there at approximately the same location. Now we just have to wait for Ohgi to-" He began to explain, his sentence cut short as the redheaded ace suddenly interrupted him.

"Wait, Villetta was there again?" Kallen couldn't believe what she was hearing. Villetta had somehow, in spite of all of their efforts, shown up at the docks and found Lelouch unconscious just like last time. This wasn't part of the plan. "I thought Project Orange was meant to keep her or any member of the Britannian military from locking Jeremiah up, and plant the seeds of animosity among them and divide them with the thorns of mistrust. What happened to that plan?"She looked Lelouch right in the eye, trying to discern whether or not Lelouch was lying. He always had a certain look in his eyes whenever he was lying, so she had to be sure.

Lelouch focused his attention on Kallen, looking her directly in the eye with his stern and cold poker face, and began to speak. "Project Orange was made to keep most of the Britannian military from learning about our plans, but it was designed so that only one member other than Jeremiah would be able to discover the flaws in its deception." As he said those words, Kallen, Nunnally, and Sayoko widened their eyes at Lelouch, slightly surprised at this development. Kallen couldn't tell if he was being honest or not. He always was full of surprises. She admitted to herself as he continued to explain himself. "I had prepared for an unpleasant development caused by my time travel before I was even aware of the Laws of Equivalence, and took precautions. I left certain pieces of Project Orange out of place to make Villetta suspicious on purpose so that she would manage to find me at the docks that night. And since she suspected me of being involved with the Black Knights, she will most likely mutter about the Black Knights and Zero in her semi-conscious state."

Kallen's eyes narrowed at the raven-haired teenage mastermind sitting across from her, remembering that he was as clever and cunning as any demon with a silver tongue. He planned this out so that Ohgi would find Villetta in the exact same way, preventing any negative consequences from the laws of equivalence. She thought to herself as Lelouch began to speak again, but this time with his signature evil smile on his face. His voice sounded as arrogant and self-assured as ever, and she could feel it resonant all the way to her bones.

Lelouch's smile cracked wider, knowing that Kallen and everyone else in the room had figured out his motivation for the slip in his deception. But as he looked at his council in dead silence, his smile faded away into a cold scowl, as he could tell from the expressions on Kallen and Nunnally's faces that they felt uneasy about being left in the dark about it. "If I had explained it to you in the first place, you would've been made uneasy about the rest of my plans, and that would undermine the confidence in other endeavors." Kallen turned away from him as he said those words, looking a bit upset but not surprised. He closed his eyes, then sighed before he spoke again. "In any case, what holds value now is that we prepare for the Specially Administrated Zone of Japan-" But before he could continue, he saw Nunnally's expression turn from hurt and annoyed to downright fearful.

The Special Zone… Nunnally felt like she was having a heart attack. As Lelouch spoke those words, her blood ran cold and her breath nearly stopped altogether. But in spite of that, her skin felt hot to the touch, and she thought she was sweating for a moment. She could feel her heart slowing down and struggling to even beat once, causing her chest to feel like it's in an intense pain. She had never felt this kind of pain in her life before. Is this… an anxiety attack? She pondered, knowing that if she was having an anxiety attack, then she must've been more afraid of what happened in the previous timeline than she first let on about. But suddenly, she felt a warm hand rub against hers. She knew this hand. Whenever she touched this hand, she felt an overwhelming sense of security and comfort. Without even turning in the direction of the person, she knew who it was, and gently called out her name. "Sayoko…"

Sayoko smiled at the former Queen of Britannia, knowing that the anxiety levels inside of her always grew when people were in danger. She's anxious about the Special Zone and what will happen there this time around. She thought to herself behind her half-baked smile, knowing that Nunnally would never change when it came to her compassion for people. She was always a gentle soul. "It's alright Nunnally," She said in a calming manner, trying to ease the young girl's fears about the event. "I'm sure Master Lelouch won't let the massacre happen again." But in truth, Sayoko was worried herself. She could still remember the screams before the radio cut out as the Britannians tried to cover up the massacre over the media feeds. It wasn't right... She could still feel the anger and outrage she had from the massacre, even with the knowledge that it was a mere accident. But that's why Master Lelouch won't let it happen again. He won't! She declared in her head, but suddenly, her world came crashing down as her master spoke once again.

Lelouch's gaze veered down for a moment, the memory of the massacre stabbing at whatever was left of his conscience. He could still taste the blood that perfumed the air on that day, the sounds of screaming and gunfire filling his ears, and worst of all, he could still remember the look on Euphemia's face after he put her down. It haunted him like a curse and continued to gnaw away at him. It was like a splinter in his mind and soul. He sighed, then began to speak in a guilt-ridden tone. "That statement is only half-right Sayoko. I do not intend for the massacre to happen this time, especially by Euphemia's hand. However, Schneizel is the emperor this time around, and for all I know, a number of other changes are going to happen." He admitted, causing everyone in the room to freeze in their tracks in shock.

He couldn't blame them, though. The very thought of something like that happening again was almost too much to bear. But at the same time, when we do change it, the Laws of Equivalence won't just ignore something that drastic. He could feel a sense of impending doom hung in the air, looming over him like a cloud. The imaginary smell of blood lingered in his head, and the green geass sign appeared in his head in flashes of the past as the Laws of Equivalence repeated in his mind. He shook his head, or at least he did in his mind and refocused his attention on reality. His lungs felt like lead wanting to collapse, his breathing heavy and rapid. He could feel cold sweat running down his burning hot flesh. Jeremiah turned to his master to see if he was alright, but Lelouch merely waved that he was fine. He stood up straight in his chair and picked up where he left off. "But at the very least, I am certain Euphemia will not harm anyone this time." At least not by under my geass' control. He promised to himself, knowing that Euphemia wouldn't harm anyone under the spell of geass.

Kallen's hands clenched into a fist as she shook with anger, her teeth lightly grinding as she looked at Lelouch. After everything they've been through, he was still the same as ever. She rose out of her chair as fast as a speeding bullet, and she began to bark loud enough for her voice to echo throughout the entire clubhouse. "Lelouch, what the hell are you saying?! We can't just let all those people die! This can't be something we just ignore! So what are we going to do?!" And as those words flew off her tongue, she felt like crying but didn't let a single tear drop or even form.

Lelouch stood up as well in that moment, his emotions flooding out of him like a dam in his mind suddenly burst. "Kallen!" Lelouch cried out to her, Kallen blinking twice as he shouted those words. She looked into his deep violet eyes as he looked into her eyes. A moment passed between them before he closed his eyes, and they both retook their seats. He took in a slow deep breath, then opened his eyes as he began to speak again. "I'm saying there might be a few nasty surprises this time around, which is why we'll have to take extra precautions. As for what to do, there are a certain number of tasks we'll have to complete before we can successfully deal with the special zone. The first thing we'll need to do is awaken the memories of both Totou and Suzaku-He managed to get out before he was suddenly cut off yet again by his red-haired ace pilot.

"Finally..." She noted to herself out loud with a slight grunt in her voice. "Honestly Lelouch, how long do we have to wait before everyone is awoken?" She asked him with a little attitude. It was hard enough for her to lie to everyone around her, but it was even harder for her with Suzaku now that he knew part of her secret. I'm losing ground with Suzaku. If he gets any closer, and I know he will, then it's only a matter of time before he figures out my deception. We can't let that happen before he's awoken. She knew that once Suzaku had his memories back, they could finally work things out between them, and possibly settle their score once and for all.

Lelouch looked at Kallen with his smug smile for a few moments, reading her expression as if it were an open book. She knows that I'll need to revive Suzaku's memories for my plans to proceed any further, and she's been expecting me to revive him for a while now. She's probably expecting me to do it as soon as possible. "I can imagine how you must feel to have to wait so long before I revive him, but these things must be done carefully, and opportunity to awaken him without creating problems for us hasn't presented itself yet. I never used my geass on him before Shikine Island, so that'll most likely be the most appropriate time to awaken him."

Nunnally could tell her brother was lying about his motives for not awakening Suzaku. Or rather, she could tell that he was hiding something, something he didn't want to share and/or admit to the others. There's something eating away at Lelouch inside, and I can't help him if I don't know what it is. She took in a deep breath, looked at Lelouch with the imperial glare she picked up on during the Battle of Damocles in the previous timeline, and began to interrogate him. "Is that all that's keeping you from reviving his memories Lelouch?" She commented with a sudden flare of confidence. "Are you sure you're not carrying some kind of grudge against him? Or is that if you revive his memories, you're afraid that he won't cooperate with you?"

Lelouch cringed in his seat a little as his little sister asked that question. It was true. He was worried that Suzaku might feel resentment towards Lelouch if he awakened him. After all, we had an agreement. He would assist me in my efforts to gather all of the world's hatred and fix it upon me, and then he would kill me. The legend of Zero would be left behind for the Black Knights, Schneizel would work for Zero under the remaining effect of my geass, and the United Federation of Nations would lead the world in a peaceful way and discuss their problems at one table. I selfishly took it upon myself to come back in time and correct my mistakes, and without the consent of anyone. I thought I could make things better until I learned of the laws of equivalence. So now, everything will be balanced out and have similar effects on the world. The only thing that'll be different are the outcomes. But then again, the results are all that matter, right? He exhaled, realizing he couldn't get himself all worked up about this here. "Not at all little sister. I'm simply waiting for the right time to avoid any unnecessary changes to the timeline. For one thing, we need to wait until he at least until he becomes Euphemia's knight."

As soon as he said those words, Sayoko instantly figured out exactly what Lelouch meant by waiting until he was Euphemia's knight. In the Britannian military, the position of a knight is equivalent to that of a major. So, if Master Lelouch wanted to take down Britannia or was forced to in any way as a contingency, having Suzaku higher up in the military would be a worthwhile advantage. Sayoko looked at Nunnally for a moment with her deep amber colored eyes, and with a gentle tone of voice, began to explain what she had been told. "The advantage to that would be he would be higher up in the military, high enough to have some sway over the internal forces. Additionally, by the time he becomes her personal knight, he'll be cleared of any racist theories of him being a spy for the Japanese resistance and/or for the Black Knights." She speculated, and as far as she could tell from her master's expression, she was correct.

Lelouch looked around the room with his usual, cold and calculating expression, resting his eyes on his knuckles like he usually did while he planned these things out. "But in actuality, he'll be just that." He retorted deviously, knowing that Suzaku would more than likely have mixed feelings about Lelouch/Zero and his plans for the world once his memories were reawakened. But even so, Suzaku is a worthwhile asset, and I'll need him on my side for the coming storm ahead of us. He let out a puff of air as he refocused on the other matter he needed to think about: Cupid Day. Last time, Milly hosted this event to mark her graduation day, and as her last resort to get me and Shirley together as a couple. But now… He paused for a moment, remembering all the trouble Milly put him, Villetta, Rolo, and Sayoko through during the previous Cupid Day. The pieces on the board were different this time around, and now he had to make another plan to avoid Milly's wrath.