Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass. I do own the plot. (Also, many thanks for the reviews! You keep reviewing, I'll keep updating!)
Chapter Eight: Not So Fond Farewells
Cici watched the sun rise slowly, creeping up in the horizon and staining the sky with multiple shades of red, pick, and orange. 'This… This is my last sunrise,' She thought sadly. She had decided to come out here and greet the day. If she had to watch Suzaku and Lelouch cuddling up like two little puppies any longer she'd go mad with jealousy. She could never be like that with Kallen. So instead she watched the sun, unflinching and unblinking, as it came to greet the world. She perked up and looked over as Rin crawled up, in her wolf form, and sat beside the young ghost girl. She then looked back out at the scene before them, as if ignoring the now present living woman. "What do you want, Rin?"
"I've been thinking about all sorts of things lately. Things in the forest are getting complicated," She stated suddenly, staring off in the same direction as the other. They looked at each other, amber meeting with emerald. "Something's changing and I think it has to do with Genbu. Unicorns have flocked away, convincing dragons to fly them off to meet up with other herds. I lost contact with our sister pack and when I went to check all I found was a demolished village. Every single wolf from the sickly elders to the weak newborns were brutally slain. They had been dead for a long time. I'd guess a month or two at the least. Genbu had to know about this. He couldn't have been completely ignorant of it."
A hollow laugh escaped the green haired woman. "Is that why you want me to move on? So that you can investigate this further without having to worry over the sad little ghost of Ashford Academy?" She asked while letting out a few emotionless giggles.
"No. Marianne asked me to make you go on to the next life," She stated bluntly, causing Cici to fall silent and look at her calmly. She looked at her and a small smile slipped in to place. "She still frets over us like back then. She told me to try to not fight because she wouldn't be able to break it up any more for us. God, we were really stupid back then, weren't we?" She laughed lightly.
Cici smiled lightly and looked up at the sky again. "Yeah, you're right. I think we only fought because I was a ghost and you were a wolf. If we weren't what we were then we probably would have gotten along," She stated lightly, easing in to the conversation. She giggled as she remembered the many times Marianne had whapped Rin upside the head and used a sealing charm to lock Cici to one specific spot just so they'd stop fighting. And then, when Marianne left with Charles and Rin returned to her pack with Genbu, the poor ghost realized how lonely it was without them to keep her company. She had missed getting to harass the young brown wolf on a daily basis. And then Lelouch and Suzaku showed up, giving her the chance to relive her happier days a bit. She sighed and stood slowly, watching as the sun finally broke from behind the mountains. "Tell Lelouch and Nunnally to stay safe. And tell Suzaku that he better not slack on protecting Lelouch because it's all up to him. And tell Milly to go easy on the cosplay. Tell Rivalz to grow a pair and ask their psychotic president out on a date. Shirley needs to find herself a boyfriend that isn't in to dick, so make sure she knows that. Nina isn't trustworthy so make sure everyone knows it. She's up to something, considering she's the one who invited Euphemia down here. And Kallen..." She stopped here, closing her eyes tightly. What words could she spare the human who could become a ghost? They had shared many intimate memories and with the busty young red head's help Cici remembered what it felt like to be alive. So what words could possibly explain the depths of love and gratitude she felt for the human? "Just tell Kallen I said I'm sorry." She said without looking back.
Rin nodded sternly. "I promise to deliver your messages, Cici. And also," She stated slowly as a small pink mist crept to her cheeks, "thank you for helping Marianne and I when we were young." A sad smile turned up Cici's lips at these words. She turned slowly and looked at the female alpha with a sentimental gleam to her eyes. She saw the perky little girl with long chocolate curls and eager jade eyes that had some how managed to find her Partner by sniffing a ghost instead. A wind blew, a small silver dust being kicked up as Cici's legs began to fade. She whispered something but her voice was gone as she turned to glitters. But even though Rin knew it shouldn't be possible she saw tears stream down the green haired ghosts pale cheeks.
"Thank you for everything," Were the final words mouthed and then Rin, realizing that her only two real friends in the world had left her behind, fell to her knees and wept for their losses.
…
The first thing Suzaku noted after waking up, other than the fact that Lelouch made for quite an adorable Teddy bear, was that the usual smell of ghost was only a faint wisp, as if the empty shell of some much stronger and more prominent scent. He wondered briefly if he should go inspect the problem but when the raven haired male let out a muffled little noise and cuddled closer to him he rethought it. His mother was still over, after all. He guessed that if anything was wrong his mother would handle it for them.
"Suzaku?" He heard Lelouch mumble suddenly, voice groggy with sleep. His Partner was not a morning person, despite what many people thought, and his voice was always hoarse when he got up. It was something the young werewolf always found to be sexy. Hazy amethyst spheres slipped open and looked up at the cheerfully emerald orbs above him. "What time is it?"
The curly topped brunette flopped over and looked at the nearby digital alarm clock. "It's half past eight," He answered while turning back around. Lelouch groaned, squirmed so that his back was facing his Partner, and then yanked a pillow over his head. Suzaku had to bite back a laugh at the childish action, knowing better than to provoke the other male, especially if he was only half awake. "Lulu, it's time to get up." He sang warmly, using the affectionate pet name the girls of the student council gave him, while crawling closer and looping his arms around the other's petite waist. He heard a muffled response come from within the pillow and chuckled lightly. "I've heard of pillow talk, Lulu, but that's not what I thought it meant."
Lelouch poked his head out from under the pillow, looking at the other groggily, and promptly did the mature thing; he stuck his tongue out at the other boy. Suzaku smirked, taking this as a challenge, and quickly seized the other's pink appendage between his teeth. He purred to himself lightly as he listened to the small yelp then moan that came from the other's throat. He pressed their lips together, pressing his own tongue in to the others mouth. They battled for a few moments, both groaning and moaning, as they danced for dominance.
Finally deciding to show who was truly stronger Suzaku pinned the other down, slipping so that his hips were pressing the blessed human's legs apart. When they broke for air Lelouch glared at him with a faint blush on his cheeks. "What do you think you're doing?" He hissed breathlessly, voice softer and a bit this menacing than he'd been hoping it would be.
"You should know. You already know you'll like it," Suzaku hummed while slipping his hands up under Lelouch's black tank top. He lightly tickled the other's pale sides and grinned when he received the response of mewls and whimpers. He leaned down and kissed the other on the tip of his chin before yanking the shirt off the pale, lithe body below. He grinned as he watched twin pink nipples perk up at the cool air in the room.
He leaned down, lightly nibbling at one of the pink peaks. A soft, pathetic whining sound came from Lelouch, arching closer to the warmth of Suzaku's mouth. The wolf's tongue lightly prodded at the nub. And then, just as suddenly as he had attacked it, he separated himself from the other male. "Come on, Lelouch. You need to shower and then we need to go help Milly and the others clean up the dorms and stuff from all the holiday guests," He sang before walking out of the room, leaving a flustered and stunned blessed human lying on the bed.
…
A long silence fell between Kallen and Rin as they stood in front of each other, one looking completely shattered and the other looking away remorsefully. "So she's gone?" The red haired girl whispered, voice thick with sorrow. The older woman merely nodded, closing her eyes tightly, and waited for next to react further. They both looked up when they heard snow crunch, spotting Lelouch and Suzaku, dawned in their winter coats, approaching them.
"What's going on?" Suzaku asked worriedly, suddenly noticing the somber aura surrounding the two women. Kallen glared at him, turned and started walking off. Lelouch and Suzaku both blinked frantically, stunned that she was suddenly just turning away. "Where are you going?" The confused wolf called after her.
"Tell Milly I had a family emergency!" She screamed back before taking off running. Rin sighed, watching the girl flee. She suddenly wished that Marianne was still around. Rin had always been very bossy and demanding, using her fists and whip-tongue to keep those around her in order, while Marianne had been a bit more considerate of other people's emotions and needs. The irony of their sons made Rin laugh when she thought about it, staring off at the night sky as she wallowed in her loneliness. Lelouch and Suzaku were so grand a Partnership, able to reach the heights expected of them, because they were opposites as well. Lelouch was calculating, sometimes condescending in his moods while Suzaku was uplifting and inspiring with his demeanor. She perked up and watched the two walk away and thought to herself how much she missed that connection with her Partner.
…
Vladimir jerked up, his fur and feathers snapping up angrily, as Lelouch and Suzaku opened the door. He had been slipping and they had accidently startled him. Suzaku grinned and held up his hands, letting out a soft shushing noise. "It's okay, Vlad, it's just us," He said soothingly. Slowly the grey plumage slipped back into place and the little griffin watched them cautiously, slowly settling back in to a little ball. "Wonder what's got him on edge like that." He mumbled lightly.
"It's because we think there may be a Slayer lurking somewhere on campus," Milly announced suddenly, causing both boy's to jump. They hadn't noticed her in the darker corner of the room so seeing her appear from seemingly nothing had their hearts' racing. She grinned in that impish, or demonic if you were Lelouch Lamperogue, way of hers and gently stroked the aggravated creature's head. He cooed softly, closing his eyes and leaning closer to the warm fingers.
"Didn't Euphemia count?" Lelouch asked bitterly, walking toward a stack of papers near Nina's computer. He picked up the stack and began tidying it up, rearranging the papers in their proper order. "You think someone else from my father's little cult is planning to strike?" He asked flatly.
"We think they may be making sure you're not seriously hurt, actually," She stated evenly while gesturing to the long white wrap peeking out over Lelouch's jacket sleeve. He looked down and quickly tugged the fabric over it, glaring at the carefree blond. She shrugged at him casually, turning her attention back to the little ball of feathers rubbing against her in a cat-like manner. "I'm just saying. From what I know and what Rin told me Euphemia had not been planning for Yosuke to attack you just yet. If she had wouldn't she have simply stuck him on Suzaku while she whisked you away back to Daddy Dearest?" She asked, twirling one finger in the air when she said "whisked". Lelouch regarded her words with quiet agreement before turning his attention back to the papers in his hands.
"What do you suggest we do then?" He asked with a sigh, setting the papers back down and turning to look at her. Milly looked up, blue-grey orbs twinkling with a bit of surprise, before returning back to their usual merry gleam. She picked Vladimir up in her arms and looked at the blessed human before her with a little grin.
"What do you think is the best thing to do?" She asked with her usual sass back to her tone. The raven haired boy looked to the side, debating the different options he had, before looking back at her with certainty gleaming in his violet orbs.
"I think we should wait it out, see if that bastard really sends another of them after Suzaku and I, but still get our defenses on the ground up in case they try to use the students as hostages," He explained evenly. Milly nodded with a little grin. "I'll contact Kaguya and see what they can do for us. Plus I want to make sure Nunnally got the Christmas gifts I sent her." He added on at the end, a more sorrowful look washing over him. Nunnally had been gone for nearly a month and Lelouch, though still having Suzaku to take care of, was obviously missing his sweet little sister. Suzaku knew it must be difficult, considering Lelouch had lived his whole life in Hell and then raised the little girl alone.
"Well for now just get ready to come help with the clean up. You two have to do your part too!" She snag while flipping a few locks of hair over her shoulder and walking off, Vladimir perched like a parrot on her shoulder. As soon as she was gone the two young boys looked at one another.
Lelouch sighed and leaned against the computer desk. "Things are going to get more hectic," He stated, crossing his arms over his chest. Suzaku looked up, his emerald spheres glinting lightly.
"I know that," The young wolf replied evenly, slowly approaching the other. Amethyst spheres shimmered as they shifted toward the other male, watching him with a curious coating over his eyes. He waited until Suzaku stood before him, tanned hands resting on the edge of the table, to let his own arms drop to his side limply. He ignored the slight throbbing from the still fresh wounds trailing up his right limb.
"You may have to kill Yosuke to assure my safety. Are you prepared to do that?" He asked in a whisper, voice soft as the other leaned closer. Lelouch could feel his heart picking up speed, his blood singing in his veins, as the other's lips came closer to his own. They were just a few centimeters apart, breath fanning one another's faces.
"I'm ready," Was the only response Lelouch needed before he reached up, clenching on to the auburn curls belonging to the other with one hand, and yanking him in to a rather heated kiss.
…
Euphemia passed down the hall, thumb nail between her front teeth, as she waited to be called in. She nearly screamed when the old metal doors creaked open slowly, a tall form exiting. Yosuke, a few feet away from her, growled lowly. She knew he wasn't fond of this person but she needed to talk with him. "Well?" She asked nervously, dropping her hands to rest before her and toy with one another.
The other smirked and pointed to the silver furred wolf. They both looked alarmed but Euphy quickly looked panicked while the other glared at him harder. "Father's truly tempted to put this silly pup to sleep. And he's disappointed in you for not keeping him in check. He says it's disgraceful that you let him lead you around," He stated with a short laugh. Euphy felt tears prick at her eyes and she threw herself to her knees, flinging her arms tightly around the snarling animal, burrowing her face in to his soft fur.
"He can't! He can't kill Yosuke just for making one mistake!" She cried fearfully, fighting back her sobs. The male wolf looked at her worriedly and looked with a glare at the smirking male before them. She blinked when the growling stopped and looked at him curiously.
"He has a way for me to redeem myself, doesn't he? You wouldn't be talking with us right now if he was going to kill me. You'd simply do it and get in your father's good graces," Yosuke stated bluntly, hazel eyes swirling with rage. The other slowly applauded the wolf. "What's the deal, Clovis?"
The other flicked a few strands of golden hair over his shoulder in a very feminine manner and smirked at him. "He says he'll give you a solo mission and should you succeed he'll give you and Euphemia another chance at being useful," He stated with a shrug. The rosette haired female's violet eyes lit back up with hope, smiling at the scowling wolf. She blinked a bit, her smile slowly slipping away, before looking back at her older brother as well, face blank of any emotion. "But taking care of Lelouch and killing that pesky Suzaku is a task that has been given to me. Father says he doesn't want to risk the two of you screwing it up again. I mean, honestly, you were sent on a simple data recovery mission. You'd have to be a real bonehead to screw that up!" He laughed mockingly. Yosuke snapped, already at his wits end with his failure to remain level-headed on his botched mission and putting Euphemia's life on the line.
"Yosuke, no!" She cried desperately as he pounced, aiming to take the other male down. He ended up getting thrown backwards with a loud yelp, blood gushing from his left eye. Some had thrown a small dart right through it. Euphy was at his side in a second, trying to figure out how to remove it without killing him. He tried to swipe at it with one paw but Euphy kept it pinned.
"Learn your place, you beast! As a penalty for trying to mar my beautiful face enjoy life as half blind abomination!" Clovis laughed proudly, sneering down at the again growling wolf. He then walked over, kneeled down, and yanked the dart right out, leaving the eye gashed wide open. Euphy had begun to cry again, trying to help the injured creature, as he snarled lowly up at the Slayer. "You're a traitor to your own people, you revolting beast. Be grateful I showed you mercy; they would show you none for the crimes you've committed." He stated darkly before standing, putting the dart back in the little pouch on his hip, and walking off with a little tune humming out of his throat.
…
Rin stared up at the fluffy white clouds, watching them drift by in the endless blue sky. All day she had been thinking back, remembering every thing she had seen and been through so far in her life. She had found Marianne when she was younger, not realizing how much she would grow to admire and adore the other woman. "I know very little of my gift but I am so very glad you've found me. I hope for us to be grand, loyal friends," She had giggled happily when Rin had finished introducing herself. At first the young female was struck dumb. How could this girl not even know of her own powers?! At first she thought Marianne was too kind, too trusting, and too naïve. But she soon realized that it was those attributes that the wolf herself had most admired.
Unlike jaded Rin, who had been turned in to a somewhat cold hearted witch through having seen her own entire village murdered by a group of Slayers, Marianne was beautifully untainted by the scars of war or poverty. Her family came from Britain to Japan when they decided that it seemed like a good place to raise a child and had started a quite popular day spa. The gorgeous human girl didn't know what it was like to scrounge anywhere you could for food or shelter or to cry to sleep every night out of loneliness. It was for this fact that Rin first despised her Partner with a fiery passion.
It wasn't until they met a certain lime green haired ghost girl that she gained respect for the ebony locked woman she was forced to walk beside. They met Cici after a string of mysterious murders were committed at Ashford Academy and the headmaster, a man who was trying to find a way to help creatures like Rin, requested they take a peek. He said the only explanation was a poltergeist haunting the school. So when they entered the club house and Cici attacked, nearly taking off Rin's head with a butcher knife she had forced to hover in the air, they were only slightly prepared for what they had to face. After a long and somewhat tedious fight the chocolate hued wolf had pinned the ghost girl to the floor, one paw on her throat and the other crushing down slowly on her ribcage. Marianne then kneeled down, cerulean orbs soft with sympathy, and asked the girl her story. Cici broke down and told them about her peculiar sexual attract to the same sex, how her parents locked her up, and the botched electric therapy that led to her death. She explained that she had been buried under the building and when the school replaced the facility that murdered her she was bitter. She had wanted to get revenge on those that had killed her so began killing school kids to try and trick the old staff to come back to investigate.
Marianne explained things to Cici softly, saying that the innocent would not suffer for the crimes of sinners they never even knew. The ghost girl begged for her life and agreed to become a guardian over the halls of the school, rather than their tormentor. The raven haired female had both she and Rin transferred to Ashford, let it free of charge by the headmaster for their free job involving the ghost, and told Cici that any strange paranormal phenomenon was to be relayed back to either one of the Partners. It was then, when Marianne spared the life of a young ghost, that Rin came to admire and respect her Partner on a level that finally permitted them to fight as one.
The next few years they were happy together, kicking ghost butt on to the next life and enjoying one another's company. But then Marianne met Charles Britannia, a honey tongued player who was a quite few years older than Marianne and already had four children to take care of. Rin had tried to convince her dear Partner not to go with the man, that he was no good, but she refused to hear it. They fought and split up. In that time Rin met Genbu Kururugi and was accepted in to his village. It had been a long time since Rin had been part of the werewolf world but it almost came to her naturally, like breathing or sniffing out ghosts. Shortly after coming she found her mate in Genbu, settled down, and had Suzaku.
Ah, Suzaku. She loved her son so much. When he was born he was so small, such a tiny little ball of slightly curled brown locks and large innocent emerald orbs, and she had been so happy she wept with joy. She treated him like a little king, like there was no other apple in her eye. And to some degree there wasn't. Yes, she loved Genbu, but the way she loved Suzaku was so much deeper. She knew the minute he let out a little noise to announce his arrival to the world that no matter what she would always love him. No matter how angry he made her, no matter what crime he committed, no matter what mistakes he made, she knew that he would always be her little puppy. Shortly after Suzaku's birth she learned that Marianne was now wed to Charles and carrying their first child. She decided to bury the hatchet and try to rebuild the relationship they once had.
There was, however, a new obstacle between them; Charles. Rin didn't know he was a Slayer until he pointed the muzzle of his gun to her forehead and threatened to pull the trigger if she ever tried to contact his wife again. When she received no help from the close by Marianne, who merely caressed her swollen abdomen absent mindedly, she returned home and swore she'd be back someday to revive what had once been between them. She kept her eye on the Britannia family, making sure they did not ever step too far in to her territory. Even now, though Marianne had told her countless times it wasn't her fault, she wished that she had pressed on to see her Partner. She blamed herself for what came next in their story.
When the elders of the pack told Rin of the bond between Suzaku and young Lelouch she went back to the Britannia manor, aiming to kidnap the young boy and get him to safety. When she arrived, however, the boy had already broken himself out with his poor little sister. She found them in the woods, lost and scared, and offered her help. She lead them to the edge of the pack, where Lord Ashford and his granddaughter, little Milly, were waiting to take the two far away. They were found by a few guards and Nunnally was shot, her legs both crippled from the blows. Lelouch had panicked and Rin, frantic to save the poor children, turned to her wolf self and viciously murdered the corrupt men as the Ashford's' fled with the boy and his sister.
And then Marianne appeared herself, carrying her bow and arrow quiver fully loaded. "We don't have to do this Marianne! If you could just see the truth than we could reunite you with your children!" Rin pleaded one last time, trying to get through to any part of her Marianne that remained. It failed and she narrowly missed getting an arrow in her shoulder. She then accepted their fate and fought back, tears falling from her eyes from the beginning to the last blow she delivered. Charles had arrived with his oldest son, Schneizel, just in time to see the end. Rin stood there before them, covered in her own Partner's blood and said woman's body lying in a torn heap at her feet, as she silently mourned. Charles and Schneizel then left and Rin cleaned off the blood, not wanting the lingering scent of her own fallen friend to cling to her any longer. And then, shortly after that, a frantic Kanna came to her and declared that Suzaku and Yosuke had gone off on their own, At that instant she knew why Charles had left so abruptly and ran with the other fearful mother, searching and praying she'd make it in time to save her precious baby.
"Mother?" A familiar voice called, snapping Rin from her memories. She turned around, eyes spotting her son approaching her worriedly. She gave him a small, sad smile as he sat next to her, vert orbs filled to the brim with concern.
Instead of answering his unasked question she merely pulled him close, resting the side of his hand to her collarbone and resting her head on top of his. He blinked, confused, and tried to break away but she held tighter. "Please, Suzaku," She began in a voice on the edge of sobs, "just let me hold you like I used to. Just for a little while." He blinked a bit and then leaned in to it, closing his eyes and wrapping his arms around his mother's waist. He was the only thing in this world, Rin had decided, worth giving her life for if the future should call for it.
…
Nunnally looked out at the newly fallen snow, her dark purple spheres only a little sad. She wished her brother and Suzaku were here with her but she knew that wouldn't be safe. She sighed lightly, a small plume of smoke coming out from her mouth. She reached up and tightened the new pink scarf her brother had gotten her around her neck, fighting back the urge to shiver. She blinked, keen eyes spotting a little bit of motion out in the fields. She pressed a button, knowing she'd get scolded later for this, and slid down the stairs slowly and out in to the field. She followed the little splotch of slightly off coloring, ignoring the occasional stall of her wheelchair, and stopped a few feet from the little thing. It was then she realized it was a grey furred wolf.
He looked up sharply, suddenly noticing her closeness, and his bright yellow eyes widened a bit. He hopped back a bit, bowing down and growling lowly. He wasn't a puppy but he was no adult either. She assumed that if he was a human he'd be around her age, maybe a year older of younger. She gave him a little smile and held out her hand. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," She said in her usual soft yet happy voice. He looked up at her, distrust glimmering in those eyes, before gently sniffing her outstretched hand. He blinked slowly, sniffing rapidly, and then ran off as if suddenly startled. She turned, pushing her long pale blond locks from her face, and saw Takashi and Kaguya approaching her.
Takashi barked something at his Partner and then tilted his head toward the young girl. Kaguya blinked a bit, stunned, and then smiled at Nunnally. "According to Takashi that was a little werewolf you just made friends with," She announced happily. Nunnally's amethyst orbs lit up cheerfully, her hands clasping together and pressing in front of her chin as if praying.
"Really?!" She asked eagerly. She was answered by a gentle smile and nod from the young werewolf who had noticed it. Her eyes lit up even more and she looked out at the thicket in which the teenage werewolf had disappeared in to. She could wait to tell her big brother about her little tale with a werewolf.
END
Okay, so, this chapter may seem a bit like a filler but I needed it to be in here. I had to have a few of these things involved because they're foreshadowing some things that are discovered later in the story and the *ahem*sequel*ahem*. I hope you don't feel like it was a waste but I promise that I'll pay you back next chapter! I'll give you some more action and maybe a little nookie-nookie from out leading stars. But you'll only get it if I get reviews! See ya then!