Third Chapter up. This is becoming an interesting story to myself, and i find myself devoting more time to this one than i use to. Oh well, but i well try to update again relatively soon. Perhaps once more before i go back to school (i know, we go late into the year...)
"Brother, would you care to come out of your room for a minute," asked Schneizel, speaking into the door that closed off the small room Lelouch sat in. It was morning, the sun rising steadily over the town before them. He had sat in the small room speaking to his sister, his overjoyed voice giving her much comfort. All of the rage in him seemed to vanish, slipping underneath the dark crack beneath the door. "There is someone here for you." The voice slowly lulled him out of his unconscious sleep, turning his head towards the pearl colored door. Nunnally gently slept nearby, her soft presence undisturbed by the voice of man outside. He pulled himself up, waltzing crookedly towards the door.
"And what would that be," he quipped, opening it to the bright face of his brother. "Could it wait at all?"
"Why, Brother, that is no way to treat such guests," he replied, pushing his pink-haired sister before them both. "How would dear Euphemia feel?"
"Oh, I'm truly sorry. I didn't realize that you would be joining us, Euphemia. I apologize on my sister's behalf as well, but she is currently sleeping. I will wake her in a bit and she will join us, as well."
"You needn't, Lelouch. It is fine enough, and I did drop in unexpectedly. I wasn't expecting either of you to be ready for me." Both were incredibly casual towards each other, both favoring each other over most of their other siblings. He smiled at her, the girl returning the face.
"Heh. So, what brings you here? Is Cornelia here also?"
"Lelouch, we must continue this conversation later, perhaps over breakfast. For now, we both have some pressing business, if you remember correctly." He turned to the girl and smiled, his flashy grin spreading across his entire face. Lelouch looked on at him with contempt, hating him every second he continued to show his "second self". "Is that all right with you, Sister?"
"It is fine. I can imagine everything you have to attend to. I am sorry to wake you, Brother, and hope to see both you and your sister later."
"And I as well." They both hugged, quickly, before seeing her off. Euphemia turned and left, walking back down towards the main floor, a maid that had been standing silently nearby following after her. He looked back into the room, checking the small analog clock that stood upon one of the desks in the room. It read 10:46, much later than he had anticipated. "So, Schneizel, why didn't anyone wake me earlier?"
"You seemed to be in such a state upon hearing Nunnally's involvement in yesterday's event; we felt it better for you to sleep in, rather than wake up and still be in an altered state."
"That's usually thoughtful of you."
"Is it really? You still think ill of me? Lelouch, you will come to learn that I truly care for both you and your sister; I am acting more or less as a guardian, yet you still push me back. You need to learn to trust me, even if you don't believe in my brusque methods."
"Brusque? That is hardly the word for it?"
"No matter. We still have to deal with yesterday's situation, including those prisoners we had captured." They slowly started to walk away from the room, heading down the long corridor. Many different rooms sat on each side, the guest sleeping in late each day. It was almost a daily thing within the quite manor, yet outside, the world was an entirely alien thing. They walked down a slim set of stairs, hardly leaving them enough room to walk side-by-side.
"The prisoners… That reminds me. What is the status of Suzaku Kururugi?"
"Kururugi? Why does he matter? If anything, I thought you showed him the most contempt."
"No, I was only furious because of Nunnally. I personally know Suzaku; he is the son of the late Prime Minister, yet I find it curious that he has joined the uprising. I have known him for quite some time and he is hardly the uncouth person he is making himself out to be."
"It is their damned pride. They still hold it above all else, and yet everything around them crumbles."
"Schneizel, we must slow the military presence. I do not want a complete rebellion on my hands, nor do I want a massacre. It is our responsibility to hold these people to our own standards."
"And there you go again with your ideals. I don't want to break your faith, but you must look around you. Even if you did instill such a peace, do you think they wouldn't take it for granted? It could even lead to your own death, rather than theirs. Do you even think of these things?"
"The world does not revolve around me."
"But, the empire that we've built does, and its people rely on you. Think on these things, Brother. Perhaps you need to mature before resuming this course you tread."
"Fine enough. Now, what business do I have with these prisoners?"
"First, you must promise me that you will not show any special concern towards the one you know. He has disobeyed the current rules, claiming his life a forfeit. It is an example you must make."
"…"
"Lelouch, consider this your first lesson. We will be holding a public execution for the entire thing. Your presence is required; you will be sanctioning the entire thing, as well as executing the first prisoner."
"What?" He stopped, just as they started to descend into the lower levels of the large building. Below, the lighting was much darker, yet you could easily see. It housed most of the servants along with some of the storage spaces. Even further down were the cells that held prisoners, hiding feet down below the ground, a masked passage leading down. Schneizel kept moving, ignoring the remark. "I'll make an appearance, but will have no part in the execution. That has nothing to do with my position!"
"Lelouch, you must learn your place. Now, come. We will speak with this later." He led on, the younger boy following behind by a few steps. He hung his head low, watching his feet as Schneizel opened the passage to the lowest floor, the darkness instantly flooding in.
Suzaku sat by himself in a small cell, one secluded away from the others in the facility. The shaft reached high above him, a small window letting the small ray of light into the area. But, if it were any indication, he could have been hallucinating, as the hours had dragged by, his hunger encompassing every part of his being. His eyes had acclimated to the darkness long ago, allowing him perfect sight. He watched as more of his brethren were moved into the many different cells, all silent as they were locked in the darkness. Others moved back and forth, checking each cell, except his. Looking down at the ground, he touched the raw, bruised skin on his torso, the sore tissues still red.
"Lelouch, what is this," he said to himself, pounding his fists against the stone walls. "I thought that we were friends…" Each hand started to trickle small drops of blood, the sanguine liquid pooling on the cold ground. His fingers dug deeper into the palm, yet he let go as he heard someone settle before his cell. "Who's there," he shouted, waking the entire bloc. Although there appeared to be small rays of light shining on him, it was early in the morning, well before the lowest caste started to work.
"Wouldn't it be best not to wake everyone? I doubt they would appreciate fatigue on their last day." It was a feminine voice, although it held a rough, enigmatic charm to it. He turned towards the voice, the girl a shadow in the darkness. He squinted, the long hair slowly coming into focus. Although he couldn't make out the distinct color of her hair, he slowly recognized the face, one he had seen many different times before.
"Who are you," he asked, coming closer to the cell bars. "I've seen you many different times with Lelouch and his family; are you one of his sisters?"
"Hehe, I look about the age of one, don't I?" She got a little closer to the bars, her eyes showing a mysterious glint. On her forehead, a small "v" could be seen, but her long bangs covered it up. A few different shades of light spread across her lime hair, the girl nearly touch him. "No, I am not directly related to any of the Britannian Royal Family, although I do owe them much."
"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be watch over Lelouch?"
"Yes, but I can see something important in you, Suzaku Kururugi. As well, today is your execution day."
"So, you've come just to taunt me."
"Spoken like a true Japanese. Frankly, no. I believe that there is something that you could do for me, something in both of our best interests."
"Our interests?"
"For one, I doubt you would spend the remainder of your life in the cell, even if it were to be merely hours. Unless I am mistaken."
"So, do we have a deal?"
"How can I place trust in such things?"
"Remember, the world I built upon such leaps of faith. Do you truly have anything to lose in dealing with me?" She smiled cruelly, laughing on the inside. But, it was not a scornful laugh. Rather, it was one directed at her, one that mocked her own deceitful nature. "Only your life, your soul… My situation, where you will fall…"
"Okay. Open these bars."
"I will, but-" Nearby, the passage leading down into the dank dungeon opened, a large cascade of unnatural lighting pouring in. Still, Suzaku was immersed in darkness, as his cell only sat to view the light. Each eye begged to closed, to look away from what was held before him, yet out of his grasp. The girl stood up in a quick motion, barely making a sound. Instinctively, she hid back into the shadows, completely disappearing into nothing. Soft footsteps moved down the passage, the large aggrandized shadow of a girl walking into the cell bloc.
"Hello," Suzaku called out. It was his hunger speaking now, the small fringe his body clung to making everything a desperate attempt. "Who's there?" At first, no one answered, only moving down into the bloc further.
"Who am I addressing," spoke a soft voice, growing nearer to his cell.
"A Britannian," he followed up, but his mind scolded him. He shouldn't be expecting anybody else, as his own friends were now lying unconscious around him. "I believe that I asked first…" Although he shouldn't have been pressing his life against such odds, he decided to cast all safety to the wind.
"Oh, I'm… sorry." The girl moved closer and closer to the bars, the other lime-haired girl watching as well. "I am Euphemia vi Britannia, third Princess to the thrown. I apologize for disturbing you at this hour…"
"Princess of Britannian… Why are you visiting a cell bloc, and at this time." He didn't try to hide the fact that he despised the girl, even reveling in the emotion.
"I don't truly know. I apologize again for bothering you; I am just exploring the manor. I don't really know the place to well." He looked at her, confused. She seemed different that the others, almost kind, as Lelouch had been those years ago.
"No, it quite fine." He saw her long hair and face, the radiating beauty slowly making him smile. "You're quite beautiful, you know. I'm surprised to see someone like yourself around here."
"Ah… um, thank you, uh…"
"Oh, I am Suzaku Kururugi, son of the late Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi. Usually, I wouldn't be found in these situations, but times have recently changed." He turned his back, touching his hand up towards the wall. "You wouldn't happen to be related to Lelouch, would you?"
"How do you know my dear brother?" She held her hands up to the bars, peering in. "Lelouch and I are very close."
"Ah. He is responsible for placing me in here. I, too, was once a friend of your brother's, yet…"
"That does not sound like Lelouch at all. He may be cynical, but never one to jump at action without thinking it through. And if your claims are true, I doubt he would just cast you in here. What happened?"
"I am part of the rebellion, nothing more. To him, our friendship is nothing any longer. But, I wish that it was not like this."
"Mr. Kururugi, you seem different from the way my family portrays your people. It's interesting, almost… refreshing. I'll speak to my brother on your behalf, and perhaps he will see you."
"He has already seen me."
"Oh… But, still. I feel that this is wrong. You do not seem like the type to unjustly cause harm to others."
"…"
"Mr. Kururugi, please."
"I don't condone my actions. If it will change his opinion, I will do what I can."
"But, what will happen to you, Mr. Kururugi?" She looked into the cell, gazing upon the bruised and beaten man. But, she looked with sympathy.
"You can call me Suzaku. I don't need the formality, not this close to my death."
"Your death?"
"Please. I doubt that Lelouch would do anything less than have me executed. What else would they all do?"
"No, Lelouch would never do such a brutish thing. I'll go get him now, Suzaku. Please, I don't want you to feel such a way."
"Euphemia, I am thankful for you concern, but this is something that I have resigned myself to. If it makes you feel better, speak with you brother."
"…"
"Now, can you please leave? I'd rather not speak any longer on this." He sat on the ground, his legs folded in. A small headache started pounding on the side of his head, knocking and knocking. She didn't answer him, only turning around and leaving, her small footsteps following her out of the bloc. The lime-haired girl came back up to the bars.
"Well, wasn't that dramatic…? Quite the first impression she made, wasn't it?"
"Let's get back to what you were saying. I'd rather not waste any more time in this place."
"But, if that girl returns, and you are gone? What will her impression turn to, Suzaku? And I could ask about Lelouch's as well?"
"What right do you have to call me by my first name? Besides, I thought that I was aiding you in some way?"
"Oh, I have no intention in playing a different card. I was only seeing if you had been swayed by that girl's words. You both got along so well."
"Yes…"
"A Britannian and Japanese. Unheard of, correct?"
"No, but in this time, it would be." He stood back up and approached the cell door, waiting for whatever she would do. The girl took the opposite position, smiling at him.
"If you have no more reservations, then let us go." She drew a small key out of the white outfit she wore, it fitting perfecting into the small lock in the side. The door slid across, opening up to the young man. He took a few steps out into the open area, an entire alien feeling swelling into him. But, he was still in the same environment, the same dank dungeon that had been his new residence for the past few hours. "Come, Suzaku. We will talk more upon our exit." She almost made it clear as to keep a distance, her steps a few ahead of Suzaku. He followed, apprehensively, until they both walked up into the light, the girl taking easy strides, barely hiding herself. The sun was out, but it barely hung above in the sky, lazily waking the town at a lethargic pace. Each corner of the manor was supposedly guarded, yet it showed no sign of any other life than their own, both easily making it to the front door without trouble. The girl pushed both front doors open, not bothering to make sure the unsteady Japanese boy was behind her; he cautiously kept his distance, shielding his face as he moved out into the front courtyard. Bright rays of light reflected from the water feature, spraying his face with a thin yellow tinge, his eyes blinking rapidly. It was painful, as if a small beam was pressing into the back of his skull. Suzaku turned, trying to clear each eye with his coarse, dirty palms. "It is still not safe for you here," she spoke, almost fifty feet ahead of him. "If you wish to stay, be my guest, but I would truly prefer you to hurry up."
Breathing inward, he coughed a few times, clearing his lungs. "I understand, but what rush are you in?" He jogged, catching up to her with relative ease. Each leg felt a little strained, the time wasting away in the cell atrophying him slowly. Although it was a brief period, he felt the effects immediately.
"I am not in any rush, but you should be. Now, do you have any idea where you friends are? It would be the best course to meet back up with your comrades, if anything else."
"Yes, that's what I was planning. But, I don't know where they would be. After yesterday, they probably evacuated out of the city…" He looked around at the pristine buildings in the quarter, those in the background crumbling to fragments of dust. It was as if the city was split between eras, the past flashing its grandeur at the presence which collapsed inward, its bulk too much. "We have a few splinter cells moving around the city, but they hide themselves from everyone."
"What else should you do? I see little other solutions."
"No, we must search." He led on, walking past the buildings that shrouded over the true face of Tokyo, the rusted Tower swaying as it succumbed to the larger structures around it. Each minute he pressed further into the labyrinthine cityscape, the more his rage started, penning up within him. The lime-haired girl slowly took off the hat she wore, dropping it along the streets as they pressed on. Both eyes started flaring brilliant purple, her flowing hair dropping down behind her. Suzaku stopped, taking a breather, turning around to face her. She smiled, getting dangerously close to the boy. His eyes grew wide, his feet automatically backpedalling.
"Kallen, have you been able to pinpoint the location of the Britannian prison complex yet," asked Ohgi, his voice in a fatigued rush. He paced back and forth in the back of a large mobile transport, the truck filled with different equipment. Others moved back and forth, sending out transmissions for aid or scanning through different maps. Kallen kept searching through the Royal Quarter, but to no avail.
"No, Sir. I haven't been able to find anything."
"Damn… First, we can't get a hold of Tohdoh and then we lose half of our force. What the hell is going on?" The large truck, a Britannian emblem plastered on the side, kept rattling down the highway, moving through the center of the city. Their force, a mere handful of survivors from the conflict yesterday, barely could hold their own against anything. "Miyuki, try and send that signal out again. Keep trying until you get something."
"Yes," she responded, her attitude similar to everyone else's. Ohgi moved to the back, a small chair unoccupied by anyone sitting by itself. A television stood on the wall, the black screen blankly watching the entire cadre of people. He flicked it on, the sharp face of a Britannian appearing on the screen. He pressed the volume button a few times, the green lines spreading across the screen.
"-Reid, and we have an update on the incident yesterday." The man shuffled a few papers and flicked the large blond bang out of his face, his headset appearing plastered to the side of his face. "Both Viceroy Lelouch vi Britannia and his advisor, Schneizel el Britannia, have released a list of causalities and have captured a small group of Elevens. A planned execution is scheduled for tomorrow at noon. We'll have more on the situation as-" Ohgi looked to the ground, turning the television off. Everyone in the room looked at him, an awkward silence filling the area.
"Kaname…"
"We'll have to wait for tomorrow," he said, looking back up. "We'll just have to interrupt the execution; that's the best time for us to strike, to find where they are."
"Ohgi, isn't that a little risky," asked another, one of the youngest amongst the group. He was a small boy from Northern Hokkaido, his skin slightly lighter than the others.
"Wait, something's coming through!" Miyuki interrupted, grabbing a small headset. Tohdoh's group had finally made contact.
"Where has he gone?!" Schneizel turned towards the guard on duty, pressing his face close to the soldier's. "I ask again, where has this prisoner gone?" He pushed the man back, the soldier dropping his rifle in the process.
"S-sir, I don't know. I just got on duty; I haven't been here for quite a few hours."
"Schneizel, stop. It matters not if he escaped."
"Yes it matters. It shows weakness amongst our ranks, within our power. We cannot have things like this happening."
"But, I will have nothing happen to that one person. He is important to me. I could care less about his escape."
"Lelouch, why do you fight me at every step? Did we not just speak of this, not just come to an agreement over the situation?"
"Yes, but I never said I would harm him. Suzaku and I are old friends."
"He is beneath you, beneath us. Things like this shouldn't come as a concern; what if his escape leads to another crisis like yesterday? What if they attack the school once again, and what if your sister is hurt in the process?"
"…"
"Do you see, yet? We cannot leave this as is!"
"Schneizel, wait," shouted a voice behind them. Euphemia walked down the staircase, holding her intricate dress up so she would not falter. She approached both, catching her breath alongside Lelouch. "Please, slow down."
"Euphemia, what are you doing down here? This is no place for you, Sister." Lelouch smiled at the girl, his face warming up. Another voice called out; Nunnally sat at the top of the stairs, waiting for the pink-haired girl. "Nunnally, what are you doing here as well?" Nunnally moved down the stairs carefully, her eyes having trouble adjusting to the darkness.
"I'm sorry, Lelouch. We both happened to hear your discussion, and I did speak to Suzaku Kururugi before he escaped."
"What?!" Both looked at her, the girl backing a few steps because of the reaction. "Euphe, why were you down here?"
"I… I was kind of lost. I didn't mean any harm by visiting him. He was very polite and kept himself together, though. I was going to speak to you on his behalf later today."
"Why is that," Lelouch asked, looking back into the empty cell.
"He understood that he was to be executed, but didn't really want me to do anything about it. I didn't feel that that was the right thing to do, so I promised him I would speak to you."
"His execution…? I wouldn't have done any such thing."
"Lelouch, think before you speak." Schneizel was obviously overwhelmed by the situation, his hand constantly flipping his hair back. "Please, girls, can we take this elsewhere? We have to speak over what has happened, and this isn't the time for anything else."
"Yes, Brother. Lelouch, please, just don't do anything hasty to him." She turned around and led Nunnally away, both slightly confused at what had just happened.
"You much more popular with them than I am," the white-haired man said, his body turning towards the stairs up. "We have nothing else to do here, so let us take our leave. I believe that the parlor is empty now; we will talk over what we must do up their."
"Yes, Schneizel." Both walked back up, leaving the darkness. The soldier below slouched back over, exhaling loudly.
"Jeez," he said to himself, turning back to the small chair that sat the entrance.
"Would you care for anything, Young Master," asked a maid in the parlor room, her outfit different from the usual servants around the manor.
"Just a small cup of tea. I don't care what kind it is."
"Very good, Sir. What about you, Master Schneizel?"
"None for me but thank you." The maid bowed low and exited, walking away, her loud footsteps trailing her. She returned within seconds, setting a small saucer and cup of hot water down upon a coaster, a small selection of tea bags sitting next to the cup. Lelouch thanked the girl and she left them permanently, Lelouch taking a small bag of Earl Grey. He put it into the tea and slowly started stirring it around with the small spoon that accompanied the saucer. Just by touching the cup, his hand recoiled, the heat coursing through the cup.
"Ouch," he hissed, waving the hand frantically.
"Lelouch, please stop fooling around."
"Yes…" He left the cup alone, watching the steam rise above the fragile porcelain.
"Now, about tomorrow's execution. This is very important for our rule here, Lelouch. We cannot make ourselves appear as lenient or easy towards these people. Why do you believe that our father tasked us with this?"
"I still wonder myself."
"I've told you of the potential he sees. In fact, I can see it as well, but you must drop the kind act. We have to enforce a steel grip; if the people start to see that we do not uphold laws, they will openly rebel against us, leading to more than just an attack on a school. What if they were to secure some of our weapons and attack in the center of town? Do you understand how many innocent people could lose their lives?"
"But what of the lives of the Japanese?"
"You mean the Elevens… Their lives are nothing compared to ours. I cannot understand how you don't see this truth."
"This is a truth?"
"Lelouch, you must stop arguing with me. I have instructions from our father to carry out his will. By that, he understands that the course of action I am taking is what is best for the country. However, he does ask that I still bring you along on everything I am doing, if only to learn."
"Learn what? How to act like a monster?"
"… Enough, Brother. If you wish to insult me, then we shall have to do this later." Standing up, Schneizel left the area, leaving Lelouch to finish his drink. He picked it up again and brought his lips to the hot brew. Taking a sip, he coughed.
"Still too hot…"
"Father."
"What is it, Schneizel, my son? How is Japan treating you?"
"Ah, the country itself is fine, yet we haven't gone without trouble. And, it is not just the people, the Elevens, as well."
"I assume you are speaking of your brother. Has he warmed up to your ideals yet?"
"No, that is the reason I am speaking to you. Perhaps he is not yet ready for this responsibility. I feel that this is too much."
"Nonsense!"
"Father, he simply refuses to do anything about the people. He doesn't understand what precautions we must take; he has even shown clemency on certain Elevens."
"Schneizel, you are his elder. You must continue to show him how we conduct business."
"But he fights me at every turn. I have made little to no progress in this; he only showed any disdain towards them once his sister was in danger."
"Then you will have to exploit this."
"Father…"
"There was a specific reason for having both Nunnally and Euphemia sent down there. They can both be used to turn Lelouch. I hope that you will be able to."
"But what if something evolves from this? What if he discovers that you would deliberately put his sisters in harm's way? I doubt that he would show any love for us if that were to happen."
"Lelouch is too idealistic for this world. He has yet to learn of the treachery and failings this world holds. If something happens, it will be the perfect example to show him the truth, to teach him."
"Yes Father. I understand."
"Good, Schneizel. Now, I expect results."
"I will report back later. Thank you for your council." He hung up the phone, turning back to the small desk that sat in the middle of his office on the third floor of the manor. A small icon ticked in the corner, an email notification. He sighed and clicked on it, reading the small letter with a grain of salt.
Tohdoh snuck into a small garage, turning around to watch the back entrance. A few other soldiers, all donned in black outfits, came up behind, moving swiftly through the empty warehouse. Although it looked small on the outside, it grew as they moved inward, trailing off to the back. Each wall had a large stack of different colored boxes lining up against it. All were silent, moving in strict formations as they moved down towards the back of the complex. Many different doors were locked, leading off towards different parts of the city. As they reached the end of the room, they saw another large steel sliding gate leading off to another section of the warehouse. The word "Hanger" was emblazoned over the metal, watching as them moved over to the small power box next to the side.
"Kyoshiro, we're in," said one of the others as they manually opened the power box and restored the door's function. It rose up, noisily, causing the soldiers to move back into the darkness, their guns leveling up with their line of sight. Each held their breath, listening for any footsteps in the hanger. Hearing nothing, two moved ahead, securing the hanger with relative ease. A large door led out into a shipping bay, a large semi-truck docked and waiting.
"Tohdoh, are these what we're looking for?" Behind them, at the end of the hanger, many different Knightmare Frames sat. All of them were newer Glasgow models, each one equipped with the newest weapons. Around them were different boxes of spare parts and ammunition, all sealed away in large containers.
"Yes. Now, we have to move them into those Semi's out front. I doubt we have much time before a team responds to the break-in. Tate, you get the trucks ready. We need about four or five."
"Sir," said Tate, the dark figure moving outside. In just a matter of seconds, you could hear a few different trucks start up and back into the loading bays, ready for transport. The trucks were specifically built to hand the Knightmares, their cargo bays incredibly large.
"We need something besides trucks. Couldn't we secure a loading chopper and use that?"
"Where do you expect us to get one," said another troop, one who moved over towards the large controls used to load the mechas back and forth.
"Cut the chatter. Keep the lines free, just in case they're scanning the air waves."
"Yes, Sir." Each person moved with incredible skill, moving nearly all of the large machines onto the trucks waiting in the bays. After they had filled each truck, Tohdoh assigned a person to each truck. He chose to drive the lead vehicle, to keep them on track as they moved back to their base. Before getting into his own vehicle, Tohdoh stopped and looked back into the hanger. Each light was on, the entire area illuminated, yet no one had appeared to them yet.
"Tohdoh?" Tate stepped out of his cab, looking at the commander of the operation. They were all part of the massive Japanese Defense Force, all having earned a respectable career in the past. Each was now part of the newly created spec ops division, established specifically for the Britannian invasion. "Are you okay, Sir?"
"Isn't it suspicious that no one has responded to this? We've made much too much noise to go unnoticed and we breached their security almost a half an hour ago. Why haven't any troops moved to our location?"
"Sir, why don't we just move out instead of wonder about it? We are wasting valuable time just by standing here…"
"True enough. Okay, everyone move out. Remember to follow me and if anything happens, alert me."
"Roger," said the others as they all got into their respective trucks. Leaving the facility first, Tohdoh moved out of the area, turning onto the massive freeway. Behind, a few vehicles lingered, yet no Britannian forces seemed to respond to them. Little suspicion was drawn towards them, the massive army occupied with something else.
"Hey, lad, wake up," said an elderly voice, over and over again. He looked down on the sleeping young man, his eyes shaking as he tried to open each. The right one shot open, a look of surprise rounded in the midst of a purple orb. The old man looked quizzically at it, but the young man's hand shot up and started to rub each eye, clearing his line of sight. "Are you okay, son?" Suzaku pushed himself up, looking tiredly around at his surroundings. Everything was different from where he had last been; the unfamiliar setting of the ghetto was completely foreign to him.
"Where am I," he asked, shaking his pounding head. The dilapidated shack he was in seemed to be spinning, the windows leading out into darkness. Each inch he moved forward drove a nail further into the back of his head, the pain pushing him back. "Where is that girl?!"
"Calm down, son. Take your time and rest. You've been out for a while." He looked over the hurt body, his withered and emaciated frame worse than most other residents of the ghetto. His clothes were old and tattered, all dirty, with many different tears and rips in the cloth. The man stood up and moved to the tiny stove located in the corner of the shack, a small tea kettle sitting atop. It whistled out a hollow shriek, steam shooting out of the spout. He turned the heat down and opened the top, taking a dirty spoon to stir the drink. Heat seemed to spread throughout the enclosed space, the wrinkled face furrowing from the warmth. Slowly, the elder grabbed two cups, pouring both with the dark oak colored liquid. Setting the kettle down, he came back to the boy wrapped in the futon. "Now, here is a small cup of tea. It's nothing special, but it'll warm you up." Suzaku looked up, the overhead lamp blinding him. He tried to lift himself up, balancing on his elbows. The cup sat on the wooden floor, the dirty stains running up and down. Reaching out, he grabbed it, holding it inches before his face.
"Thank you."
"You haven't even tried it," replied the elder. He opened the sliding door, the darkness slowly pouring into the room. Above, the moon was full and a few clouds fluttered by, shrouding the sky in darkness, then letting up, releasing the light from its prison. "Believe me, you could be having better." The elder held a small lighter in his hand, the word "Zippo" across the metal exterior. He held one of the paper lights still, lighting the small candle in the bottom. He continued to do this with the others hanging, returning to room soon after. Suzaku looked at him peculiarly, smiling. "How is it?"
"Fine." He set the empty china back on the floor, prompting the man to pick it up and place it in the small sink near the old stove.
"Hehe. You're kind to humor an old man such as myself."
"Where am I," Suzaku asked, pushing the covers back. He slowly stood up, noticing his shoes absent from his feet. Even his old socks were gone, discarded somewhere away. But, then he noticed the large towers on the horizon, the familiar cityscape of Tokyo coming back into consciousness.
"You're in one of the Tokyo ghettos, near the south end of the city. We're one of the only Japanese settlements without any honorary Britannians."
"Hmm." He looked at the small mirror near the makeshift kitchen, his left eye oddly colored. Squinting, he realized that it was the dark shade of purple, just as he had seen in the girl's eyes. "I'm sorry, but did you happen to find a girl with me?"
"I apologize, son-"
"Oh, how rude of me. My name is Suzaku Kururugi."
"Ah, you are the son of the Prime Minister, are you not?"
"Rather, I was…" He looked at the floor, his father's death slowly coming back to him.
"Japan lost a great man, young Suzaku. I can honestly say that we all mourn his death, now more than ever. The world would be a much better place if he were still around."
"Thank you, Sir."
"I haven't even told you my name yet, Suzaku. I am Yuichi Hatake; I use to be in the service of your father and his father as well. In fact, I even had the pleasure of meeting you, yet you were perhaps too young to remember me."
"Mr. Hatake, I am sorry to have to cut this short, but I must get back with my group. I was separated from my commander Kyoshiro Tohdoh."
"Tohdoh? Are you part of the Japanese Defense Force?"
"Yes, I am." He shifted, the dirty garb rubbing up against his raw skin. It slightly irritated it, causing him to shift more.
"He had a small convoy of trucks head through this area. They were all moving South towards one of the abandoned outposts. I have a small truck that you can borrow, if you really need to."
"Thank you, Mr. Hatake. But, I have to ask again: was there a girl with me when you found me?"
"Suzaku, I didn't find you myself. A few others were checking out the other quarters and found you lying in an alleyway, almost completely in the center of the Britannian Quarter. They brought you here and I had room in my house. They didn't find anyone else with you. Especially not a female. Is she important to you?"
"Hmm… Not incredibly. She just helped me out a little bit, but she was extremely odd…" He looked out into the dark sky again, the bright city giving the sky a greenish glow. A few helicopters passed overhead, flying high above the city. "Thank you, though," Suzaku finished, picking up his pair of shoes. "You've been incredibly kind to me; I was a complete stranger too."
"We have to stick together, Suzaku. We are all supporting whatever cause you are behind. Just be careful. Here," said the elder, digging around his small pocket for the keys to the old vehicle outside. Upon finding them, he handed them to the boy, a smile spreading across his face. "I understand the pain you're in. My father also died when I was young, younger than you were. If you need to speak to me, just come on by."
"Thank you, Mr. Hatake."
"Please, you can call me Yuichi. You don't need to worry about formalities."
"Well, Yuichi… Thanks for everything." He bowed down, the elder doing the same thing.
"No, it's nothing. But, please, just be safe. If anything were to happen, I don't know if I would be able to face your father."
"I will." Gripping the small keys tightly, he turned to the old truck outside, starting it up almost instantly. The headlights shot on, the dull yellow light shining over the dirty road; the engine roared loudly, the only noise in the night. Everyone seemed to ignore it, letting Suzaku leave the small area with little problem. The elder stepped into the open air, the brisk wind blowing down on them. He looked up at the stars that weren't shrouded by clouds.
"Did you know this would happen, Genbu, all those years ago? Is this what you meant the entire time?" Turning back to the house, the elder put out all of the small lamps and closed his door, the entire ghetto losing all light.
"Hold," said a strong voice guarding a small door. The abandoned base had been a satellite station for another nation that had once had an alliance with Japan in the past, long before Britannia had started annexing the world into its own domain. Conspicuously, a few rows of semi-trucks stood before the underground hanger in the base, the large cargo trailers empty. Suzaku was surprised at the makeshift base, at how far they had come. "What business do you have here?" The female held a rifle trained at his torso, her face masked by a small cloth. Her outfit was olive drab, the usual Japanese Defense Force garb.
"Nagisa," he asked, tilting his head to get a better view. "Why are you out here?"
"Suzaku?"
"Yeah, it's been a little while."
"Where the hell have you been?! After we lost track of you from the battle, we thought the worst had happened…"
"Don't remind me. Did we lose a lot of people in the battle?"
"…" She looked down, shaking her head. "We came out of the battle with less than ten people. Along with that, we got separated with Ohgi's group and have only been able to get a few messages passed along. They probably fared even worse than us…" The door behind them slide open; both started walking back into the inner sanctum. "But, we have some good news along with all that has happened." The dark halls led into the large control room, the countless monitors watching them as they passed through. Most were dead, the blank screens forever staring ahead.
"What?" Another door opened and they both moved into a large, bright hanger, yet it was completely empty. As well, it was incredibly small, capable of only hold a few small transports, nothing more. Still they walked along, his legs weary from earlier.
"Here," she said proudly, as they moved into a large room with incredible activity. The ten or so people who had lived through the battle were marching back and forth throughout the area, but along the back walls were many of the different monstrosities that Suzaku had seen at the Ashford Academy.
"Those… what the hell are those damnable monsters doing here?!" His eyes grew wide, the shocking images from the days before, even the day his father died, flashing before him. Physically, he fell to the ground, holding the sides of his head, different sights spraying him with an indignant feel as all sight passed from him.
"Suzaku," shouted a voice, Tohdoh's, before he lost consciousness.
Hehe, as always... Review and etc. Thanks -AMP
