Stage 12 "Absent from Kyoto…"

The morning light shined through the blinds while an alarm clock goes off across the room. A small grumble comes from a large human shaped bulge in the comforter while Feite's hand reaches onto the nearby nightstand. Her hand taps around to grab the edge of a magazine. She mumbled a undecipherable jumble of words while sitting up in the bed. Her hand moved up to her eyes and rubbed them softly. "It's time to go to class already?" Feite let out a small pout while turning to the empty bed at the far side of the room. It was strange being cramped in that transport she would be relieved to be alone for a change. She let out a small growl, and rubbed the back of her head.

Minutes later Feite took a few steps out of the dormitory to spot Shirley waiting beside the light post. Her eyes quickly turn towards Feite and gently waves over. "Feite, I'm glad your back; are you feeling better?" Feite waved over with a grin forming on her face. Her excuse was rather simple and straightforward, but it was somewhat embarrassing to tell her grandfather the superintendant about her need for "days" off from school. "Yes, I'm sorry I missed class, but I was really feeling bad…" Shirley waved her hands and laughed. "No problem, but you really shouldn't skip two days over your…" Feite grabbed Shirley by the shoulder and covered her mouth. "Please don't talk about it its embarrassing…" Shirley looked up at Feite and let out a small laugh. "Okay, but it's perfectly natural right?" Feite rolled her eyes back while she held her free arm to the sidewalk. "Do you want to go to class or not?"

On the way to the central quad a familiar face leans against the wall with his whitish hair falling over his right eye. "My my its been a few days hasn't it Feite?" Rai waved his hand slightly while a book bag was tucked under her armpit. Shirley looked over at Feite while she paused at the casual wave from Rai. Her cheeks turned red slightly while Shirley looked over with a catlike gaze. "I'll leave you two alone! I'll see you in class Feite!" Feite turned over slightly and held her hand out. "Shirley you!" She clenched her fist while Rai walked up. "So, I heard you were sick. I'm glad to see you're doing well. Do you want me to walk with you to class?" Feite put her hands on her hips, and sighed while starting off towards the front door of the school. Rai looked at her for a moment, and jogged to catch up with Feite. "Hey…wait up."

"So what did you have exactly? Milly didn't give an answer, and I…" Rai paused only for Feite to stare at him. She bit her lip and pushed him to the wall. Rai looks up at Feite while a few of the students look up at the two. She whispers into Rai's ear causing his cheeks to redden in embarrassment. "Please not anymore! I'll see you later class…" He paused and rushed up the stairs and towards his classroom. Feite paused and let out a small laugh while the students continue to move around her.

"Its nice to see you in good spirits, Feite Senpai!"

A few of the students from the lower grades greet Feite while she walked up the stairs to the second floor. "Hey, Feite, how's it going it's nice to see you back!" Rivalz ran up beside her and slowed down to match her pace. "Yeah, good morning…." Feite let out an uneasy wave while she opened the door to the classroom. Lelouch and Kallen's seats were empty, but there was plenty of time before homeroom started. "So, do you know what's keeping Lelouch? He's been away for a long time, and I think he's into some trouble." Shirley turned over while Feite shrugged her shoulders. "I don't really care what Lelouch does. I'm just his friend like you or Shirley for example. I'm not his private secretary." Shirley's cheeks reddened while she let out an annoyed pout. Rival rubbed the back of his head, and laughed while walking slowly away from her. "I guess that's true, hey are you coming to the Council building after class?" Feite pulled off her backpack, and placed it on the side of her desk. "I don't know, I have to make up a 100m dash for track and field, but I'm still a little sore so I may skip to help out." Rivalz turns up at Feite while unpacking his notebooks. "Don't overdo it; Milly was pretty upset that you missed a few days. So you should get some rest." Feite cast her gaze downward at her notebook. Her vision blurred for a moment while she rubbed her eyes. "I'm still exhausted from Narita?"

Minutes after the first bell rings, the teacher enters the classroom and taps his folder onto the podium. "Ah, I see that Ms. Avalon is back, but no Lamperouge, and Stadtfeld again…oh well let's begin shall we?"

Well into the history lecture, Feite scribbles down notes to the best of her ability while she spots Shirley hiding behind her textbook. Her hands play around with a letter opening it slowly. Feite leans over to Shirley and holds her hand to her ear. "A love letter?" Shirley's knocked her book down and turned to Feite with a shocked look. "No it's a letter from my dad." The entire class and teacher turned back to Shirley while she picked up her book. "Ms. Fenette, please refrain from shouting out loud during my lecture? Shall we continue from where we left off? Due to the loss at the Battle of Trafalagar, Elizabeth the third was trapped in Edinburg by the revolutionists…" Feite let out a small scoff, and continued to log the rest of the lecture into her notebooks.

The classes went by quickly while Feite sat on the rooftop during the lunch break. A small sandwich from the cafeteria sat beside her with one half already with a bite in the side. She takes a sip from a strawberry soft drink while Rai walked up onto the roof holding a similar lunch item. "So it's true…you really like strawberry even if it's just flavored that way." Feite looked over and stared at the drink and let out a small laugh. "So I have a preference…so what brings you up here Rai-kun?" Rai walked up and took a seat a few feet away from her. He placed his lunch to the side and undid the plastic wrapping on his sandwich. "Eating lunch, usually I eat it by myself, but the girls from the class under me keep trying to feed me their home cooked meals. Some of them can't cook too well, and I have to lie…" Feite let out a small laugh and took a small bite. "So how is your memory coming along? Did you remember anything when I was out?" Rai looked up at the sky and shook his head. "Nothing came to me, but the doctors said it would come back in time. Oh yeah, you know that DNA test I took about a week or so ago? The results came in…my DNA matched but it wasn't anything to go on. My last name however is Creswell."

"Creswell, that's a strange surname. Rai Creswell, at least it sounds okay…are you sure you want to go as that? Maybe you'll remember your last name and what if Creswell isn't it?" Feite put the rest of the sandwich into her mouth and licked her fingers. Rai let out a sigh, and took a forceful bite from his meal. "To be honest, I have no idea, but Suzaku has been helping me for a while. It's just that he's always so busy with his duties in the Military." Feite swallowed the sandwich quickly and patted her chest with her balled fist. "Yeah, I heard that there was some huge battle somewhere." Rai looked down at the ground and nodded. "A battle, where there was a huge landslide…the military and civilians were caught in the overflow of that. Some of the bodies are still being dug out over at Narita." Feite turned away while her heart felt as it was going to break. She had assumed that the city was evacuated before the operation, but it would seem it was neglected due to Cornelia's over-confidence. "I see, that Is unfortunate…I'm going to use the restroom, I'll see you later okay?" Feite wrapped her lunch up, and quickly walked over to the exit. Rai stared up at her and his eyes widen while he forgot to show her a new letter that had recently been delivered. "Damn, I didn't get a chance to show Feite this letter."

Classes went by smoothly for the rest of the day, and while students Feite included went to their after-school clubs. The track and field team ran sprints back and forth across the field at the back of the academy while Feite stood at the side holding a clipboard and a stopwatch. "It's unfortunate that you're still having cramps? Does your back hurt?" The female couch turns over to Feite while holding her own clipboard. "I feel a small amount of pain, but it's not that severe." She let out a sigh while blowing on her whistle. "Come on girls, we have an event coming up!" Feite let out a sigh while looking up at the sky as if some divine punishment was being thrown at her for using such a bad excuse to get out of school. "Why did I have to use that excuse…"

Feite grumbled to herself while walking into the student council meeting room. She looked over at Nina, then towards Milly and Shirley. "Oh, how are you feeling Feite, are you cramps still keeping you out of school?" Milly let out a small laugh and hid her smile with her open palm. "I guess it's something to do with Avalon women I bet?" Feite growled while Shirley rushed over to hold her back. "Milly you're stepping over the line!" Shirley sighed to herself, and shook her head. "Come on you two; stop picking fun at this Milly." Milly waved her hand and quickly changed the subject. "Well anyway, we have a lot of budget reports to do, Feite can you do them?" Feite scowled over at her cousin before taking the seat at the far end of the table. "I guess I could…" Arthur leaped up onto the table and purred while rubbing his head against Feite's hand. She caressed the side of his face, and gave the small black cat a smile.

Hours later, Feite closed the lid of the laptop and rested her head against the side. A lighthearted sigh exits her mouth while Milly looked at the documents that Feite had printed out. "These are all great, even the alignment has been fixed." Shirley looked uneasy at the side seat of the meeting table. She twiddled her fingers while Milly caught her strange behavior. "Do you have constipation?" Shirley gasped in embarrassment and stood up from the chair. "No, I don't! It's just….these tickets." Feite grumbled in her semi-conscious state and let out a small laugh. "Why don't you just ask him, and get it over with?" Shirley's face turns red while she placed the ticket envelope on a stack of papers. "Feite, I can't be that direct…" She covers her mouth while Milly and Feite laugh at the same time. Nina looks over at Feite with a detested look in her eyes. "Why does everyone put up with her? She's a low life, and needs to know her place!"

Lelouch steps into the room dressed in a casual red jacket and black slacks. "What's going on?" Milly and Shirley both gasp at his mysterious entrance while Feite had drifted off into a later afternoon nap. "Lelouch, aren't you absent today?" Lelouch looked over and smiled. "Nunally has a slight fever, and I have to run errands for Sayoko. Do you have anything you want me to do now that I'm free?" Milly looked over at Shirley and let out a smile. "I want you to hand out all these forms to the other classes, and have them fill it out." She picked up the stack of papers that Feite had typed, and the stack that Shirley was sorting. Lelouch looked at the papers, and nodded while walking out of the room. He stops for a moment and pauses at the door. "What's with Feite? She should sleep in her room if she's tired." He shook his head and walked out of the meeting room. Shirley and Milly turn over to Feite and let out a simultaneous sigh. "Ara?" Shirley looked down at the table and looked at the floor. "My tickets?" She covered her mouth while running towards the door. "I think Lelouch has them." Milly crossed her arms and smiled. "Go for it, this is your big chance."

Rai walked casually through down the hallway in the student council building towards the meeting room. He whistles a familiar tune while Shirley runs out of the Meeting hall in a hurry. Shirley smiles at him but quickly moves out of the way in order to catch up with Lelouch who had passed by a few minutes ago. "What's her hurry…." He shook his head and smiled before walking into the open doorway. "Hey, I put those posters up around the school as you wanted."

Milly looked over from the table and let out a smile. "That's great, oh by the way someone called for you." Rai walked over to the table giving Nina a small nod while making a weird face at Feite while she slept on the tabletop. "Who called for me? Was it important?" He pulled out a chair and sat down while Milly stood trying to recall the phone call. "Oh, it was someone called Cecile Croomy from the Britannian Military, she wanted you to call her. Are you seeing her? She sounded a little mature is that your type Rai?" Rai lightly put his hands on the table and taps his fingers randomly. "No, it's not like that, Cecile is basically my boss. I joined the Research and Development Division of the Britannian Military. Suzaku was pretty adamant about his job, and sounded interesting." Milly put her finger against her lips, and sighed. "Just when I thought I had something about you. Rai, when you leave can you bring Feite to the dormitories?" Rai let out a small laugh, and nodded. "Very well, since you asked so nicely."

Moments later, Rai stacks a few folders into a neat pile while Nina shut down the various computers in the background. "You don't need to bring her back to the dormitories. She falls asleep here all the time." Rai paused while putting reference books back onto the bookshelf. "Don't worry about Feite, I have it all covered Nina. You don't have to stay here and help me out." Nina looked down nervously while she let out a slight nod. "Okay, I'll leave you to clean up." She bowed and walked out of the council meeting room. Feite mumbled while her eyes open showing a familiar malevolent gaze. "She doesn't like me you know." Rai let out a smile, and glanced at Feite while she stretched. "That's what I assumed, you guys have a history or so I heard." Feite let out yawn, and stood up from the comfortable chair. "I guess word does get around at this school. Well I'm going to head to my room. I'll see you later Rai…" Feite started off towards the doorway while Rai waved while she exited.

Feite walked down the stairwell while her phone rang in her skirt pocket. She reached in and stared at the caller. It was Zero, there must have been a meeting going on somewhere in the settlement. "Hello? What do you want?"

Lelouch sat in the ready room onboard the mobile headquarters holding his mask in one hand and looking into the reflective visor. "There's a meeting, I can you make it? Kyoto was pleased that the Voulge and Guren outperformed the expectations. They have sent us an invitation, and I want you to come with me to accept it."

Feite stopped in the middle of the quad and looked up at the fountain. A few people were passing by while she shook her head. "I can't make it, as much as I want to meet them. I'm a little too exhausted…I can barely keep away right now…" She let out a yawn while holding the phone closer to her ear.

Lelouch put the mask on the side of the desk, and rubbed his temple. "I see, very-well I understand. Keep an eye out for Nunally. I won't be there, and would like for you to at least eat dinner with her. Can you manage that Feite?"

Feite growled while taking a seat by the fountain. "I guess, I could make something for her. Maybe someone elaborate that is fit for a princess." She let out a mocking laugh while waiting for Lelouch's reply.

He let out a small smile and turned to the knocking at the door. "The others are here; just don't over do the meal. I know that you tend to over-cook and make too much. So please for me don't use up all the groceries I bought."

Feite closed her phone and stowed it back into the depths of her pocket. She let out a sigh while clapping her hands against one another. "I guess I have a full day ahead of me…that stupid Lelouch…" She shook her head and walked off towards the girl's dormitory.

It took her several minutes to return to the upper floor where her room was. A few girls looked over at Feite, there were rumors going around like usual. This week with Feite being absent for two days, some had started to believe that she was a hostess at some scandalous bar in the red light district of the settlement. She could do nothing but smile at it. Being a hostess in the red light district would be easier than piloting that machine for Zero and the Order.

Feite walked into her room and rested her back against the door. She gripped her chest while she started to breathe irregularly. Several beads of sweat started to roll down her forehead while takes a few steps towards the desk. Her eyes turn to a single capsule of medication sitting on the edge of the tabletop. The label was a medication for a severe heart disease the same one that had plagued her since childhood. "How long will I be able to keep up, with this weak thing…?" Feite swallowed the pair of pills and washed it down with the nearby water bottle. Her eyes slowly close while her head lightly touches the edge of the desk.

Meanwhile, Lelouch sat on the couch discussing several matters with the rest of the black knights. Ogi looks around the room while he turned over to Zero. "Where is Feite? She should be here as part of the executive committee." Zero turned over to Ogi and shook his head. "She told me that she wouldn't be coming." Tamaki let out light hearted sigh while he let out a forced grin. "I hope she gets some rest, she's been putting a lot of effort in." Ogi let out a nod while Kallen looked at the others. They were in total agreement. Feite had put a lot of effort and gave a whole lot to the Order's foundation. It was somewhat wrong to have a meeting with her not present. "I noticed one thing about her…when she exited the Voulge, she looked pale, and exhausted…." Kallen crossed her arms and nodded slightly. "I've seen her that way a few times…even at school sometimes she'll be exactly like that." Zero shook his head and opened the book sitting in his lap. "Enough, we have business to discuss…"

Ogi let out a nod while he reached into his pocket to pull out a folded Japanese styled letter. He handed it over to Zero who quickly grabbed hold of it. "Hmm? What is it?" Ogi let out a small smile, and rubbed the back of his head. "A love letter." Tamaki let out an obnoxious laugh from his side of the room while Kallen tried to read the Guren's manual. "This guy is too dense to respond to a joke." Kallen turns to her side with a dull gaze. "Tamaki you're laughing to hard."

Ogi's looked away from Tamaki and made a serious expression. "It's a letter from Kyoto, they want to meet us directly." Zero looked at the letter, and shook his head. "Is that all the fuss was about?" Kallen looked over with shock on her face. "Calling it a fuss… We're talking about Kyoto!" Ogi let out a smile, and nodded. "They'll provide us with funds if we're accepted by them. Our pathetic financial affairs can finally…" Zero quickly interrupted and pointed his finger at Ogi. "Financial affairs? There should be any if you followed the plan that I had devised." Ogi looked down while Tamaki yelled from across the room. "Its not my fault…We've become a big group. The increase in numbers was above expectations. Kallen scoffs and lets out a smile. "Is pretending to be a big shot in front of the newcomers and bringing them to fool around within expectations?" The pair continues to argue while Zero continues to stare down at the letter. "For now, I'll leave the meeting preparations to Ogi."

The sound of sizzling seafood filled the kitchen inside the student council room while Feite stood behind the stove cooking some Pasta. The delicious aroma filled the room while singlehandedly Feite managed two pans and quickly set the scallops, and shrimp to simmer on a nearby burner. She took the pasta, and added the olive oil, and various other spices before continuing to cook. "Okay, this should be about done…" She stirred the pasta around only to turn around and place it on a large plate. Feite turned off the heat, and put the shrimp around the noodles in a garnishing manner.

"Are you finished yet Feite? I was getting a little lonely sitting the dining room…" Nunally let out a smile while she smelled the food's aroma upon entering. Feite turned around and let out a small laugh. "Its okay Nunally, I just finished…do you want to eat?" Nunally let out a nod while Feite started to place the pans into the nearby sink. "Do you want to help me bring the food into the other room?" She looked over from the running water of the sink to see Nunally wheel over to the edge. "Yes, please…"

"Why is big brother always so busy and going out late? Did he find a really difficult opponent in chess?" Nunally stared over in the general direction Feite stood while putting the food onto Nunally's plate. "Um, I'm not really sure, but I think it's something like that." Nunally picked up her fork, and turned to Feite while she made some noise sitting down. "I wouldn't be surprised if brother asked you out. I wouldn't mind it…" Feite let out a small laugh while covering her mouth. "You're embarrassing me Nunally…" Nunally let out a small laugh while Feite quickly turned back to the food. "Shall we eat?"

Hours later, Feite gathered up the plates while stacking them onto one another. Sayoko wiped the table down while smiling up at Feite. "Please Ms. Avalon you don't need to help me. I'll clean up you should go get some sleep. You have classes tomorrow if I'm not mistaken." Feite paused for a moment, and let out a small laugh. "I should wait at least for Lelouch to come home. It's the best I can do for him, and Nunally." Sayoko bowed her head and walked over holding her hands out for the plates. "Then perhaps you should sit, it would be rude for me to have help out any more." Feite handed the plates over, and took a seat at an empty table. Her eyes pass over to the origami crane that Nunally had made for her. She tapped it with the edge of her finger while letting out a sigh.

It was quickly approaching the midnight hour while the lights had been turned off. Feite sat in the same chair while staring up at the ceiling. She tapped on the arm rest with the sound of her tapping filled the small dining room. Her eyes turn towards the sliding door and in comes Lelouch stepping halfway into the room and pausing. "Feite?" She let out a faint smile and got up from her seated position. "I was starting to get bored waiting for you…business took longer than expected?" Lelouch looked at the closed doorways, and unbuttoned his jacket. "It would have gone faster with you present. Feite you're looking less energetic than usual is something the matter?"

Feite shook her head while letting out a bright smile. "I'm fine Lelouch; you don't need to care about me. I'm not that sickly little girl that you played with all those years ago." Lelouch turned his head quickly away and placed his hand on the nearby mantle. "Good, also tomorrow we're going to go ahead with the meeting with Kyoto. I want you there…" Feite's cheeks turned red while an uneasy look appeared on her face. "You want me there? A little direct aren't you my lord…" She let out a small laugh while Lelouch turned back at her with an annoyed look on his face. "Don't mock me, but meet me in front of the school around noon tomorrow." Feite tugged on her sleeve, and checked her watch. She let out a small yawn, and nodded slightly. "I guess I'll see you later than…"

Minutes later, Feite stood in her room with a towel wrapped around her midsection. She leaned into a desk mounted mirror, and rubbed some facial cream onto her cheeks. "So they've started again?" The voice of Azalea exited from the open mobile phone on the desktop. Feite turned over to the phone, and held it up to her ear. "Yes, it would seem that piloting has provoked my condition more."

Azalea sits in an office building while staring over various papers. She pulled off her glasses and turned to the large window at her backside. The oceanfront view of Sacramento was visible in the background while she rubbed her temple softly. "The medication is losing its strength again. How many times are you taking it now? I think that we should consider a transplant."

Feite pulled an oversize shirt over her undergarment covered body while sitting on the bedside. "I've started to take it at least three times a day since I got back from Narita. Slowly I can feel myself returning to normal, but…a transplant would put me in the hospital for too long…"

Azalea walked over to the bottle of scotch on the nearby mini-bar, and filled a small shot-glass halfway. She grabbed the small glass and gulped down the alcohol in one go. "There we go with your stubborn attitude. Feite, we all want you to live, I didn't build the Voulge to be your coffin. So promise me that you won't lose control when you sortie."

A small period of silence filled both phones with some static coming through both ends. Feite looked down at the floor while a smile flashed on her face. "Yes, I promise…I'll try to keep myself in check. Sis, I'm a bit tired it's pretty late here…I'll talk to you later…"

Azalea turned over to the glass, and stared down at the morning that had come by so quickly. She hung up the phone and shut off her headset while making an uneasy expression. She leaned forward and rested her palm on the edge of the table. "She never was one to tell the truth…" Azalea walked to the window and placed her hand against the glass. "You always picked the path that was the most difficult. Despite being born with such a fragile heart you still push on…but how long will you last…"