A month after the Second Battle of Tokyo, Lelouch Vi Britannia ascended the throne of Britannia in the most unexpected and shocking usurpation witnessed in living memory. Naturally, for weeks afterwards, Ashford Academy was rife with speculation of the identity of the new Emperor and his Knight of Zero.
The ruthless and cunning Lelouch Vi Britannia, the lazy but brilliant Student Council vice-president – the two were impossible to reconcile. Most students were convinced their similarities were superficial, though no one could explain the presence of Kururugi Suzaku.
Milly Ashford knew different, of course.
She remembered Lelouch Lamperouge, the little 13-year-old adult, exiled prince of Britannia, who would argue with anyone, fight any fight, do anything, for his sister. Throughout the years, that never changed. Even as he grew more secretive, better at hiding things, he never stopped loving and protecting Nunnally.
And in their earlier days at Ashford, before the Student Council, Milly often noticed Lelouch looking to the side after having said something particularly witty. As if expecting a comment from someone there. He also had the oddest habits like tugging at his uniform collar or spinning his pen in confusing patterns. "We had a friend," He said once when she asked "secret codes and all that." Milly couldn't decipher the look in his eyes, but she never brought it up again. He stopped after a while anyway. It was only when Suzaku showed up for school years later that she finally got to witness the cloak and dagger in action.
She didn't doubt those two would be able to accomplish whatever it was they wanted to achieve. Even with the little glimpses of the other side of themselves she got to see, Milly could tell.
She didn't doubt their intentions either, only wished they'd hurry up already. Given Suzaku's penchant for self-sacrifice and Lelouch's less obvious but equally as stupid tendencies, Milly had a good cause for worry. And they even had Nina with them too!
"Just come back in one piece, everyone." She muttered at the pictures of her friends staring up at her from the newspapers. "And I'll make sure there's an Ashford still standing for you to keep your promise, Lulu. So don't you dare back out!"
