Disclaimer: I own nothing of Code Geass, nor of Guilty Gear, nor to a lesser extent, BlazBlue and Rewrite. I do own this story, and all the inspirations along with it. And of course, the brain where the ideas came from.
"Where have you been?"
The pink-haired lady scandalously attired in nothing but soldier's armor and a high-skirted dress strode past her sister and the line of Knights arrayed to the side. A trail of plant shoots followed in her wake.
Cornelia blinked as several of the nearby soldiers, including her personal Knights, winced behind their collars at the highly domestic affair which was about to happen before their very eyes on broad daylight. The Valkyrie snarled, as graciously as her office demanded, and turned on her heel to follow her truant sister, gesturing violently for her subordinates to stay put.
"You were gone for days, Euphie. Have you any idea how worried I've been?" She hissed, striding quickly after her younger sister who had entered the Palace proper and was now causing rampant growth over the carpets.
"I know, and I'm sorry, sister. But a really kind man helped me out when I was lost, so all's well and good! Plus, I know the lay of the land enough now for me not to get lost in future adventures."
"A young-? Adventure? Euphie, will you please stay put?" Cornelia reached out and grasped her sister's thin arm. The High Druid stopped, but the effects of her presence didn't, which was now converging on the area of the hall where they were in.
Euphemia formerly-of-Britannia stared at her with doleful eyes, but she wasn't easily deceived. She tilted her head, demanding an answer to her silent question as her younger sister jerked her shoulders in what she thought was a shrug. "What do you wish to know, sister?"
"Why did you leave?"
"To go on an adventure."
She pursed her lips disapprovingly. "And where...?"
"Outside. But not outside outside – just outside within the inside outside. You know, inside the...bubble?"
If she had gone outside (or'd have been allowed outside by the Order) the "bubble", there would've been an international scandal right then and there.
"I couldn't leave anyway, the shield was too strong, and mister Suzaku was there to stop me."
"Mister Suzaku...? That Eleven?"
Euphie's eyes sparkled at that. "Oh, do you know him sister? He is such a helpful young man, I should introduce you!" What did that upstart do with her sister? If he ever laid a hand on her, then no force on earth would stop her from taking his "anointed sword" and shoving it up his-
"Oh, and I brought you something too, sister. I almost forgot." Without warning, the feeling of Euphie's arm disappeared and then the High Druid exploded into a shower of pink petals, bathing Cornelia's whole body with an overpowering fragrance. It clawed up her nose and down her throat, making her gag and choke.
"...Euphie..."
"The kind trees at the Japanese district – and you must learn the distinction sister – taught me that! Isn't it wonderful?" A distance down the hall, her sister had materialized, veins of vines trailing after her through the ceiling. Cornelia brushed the unusual magic aside as she stumbled through the mass of pink toward her sister, who was already at the end of the hall, close to her quarters.
"Euphie!"
"Now please excuse me, sister. Mister Suzaku has given me some very good ideas to help my good idea! It must've been gaia's will that he and I met!"
"Euphie, we're not done talk- arg-"
Cornelia quickly gave chase, using a quick Ars to clean herself off the scent and summon a small persistent burst of flame from her fingertips to keep away the growing forest. The smell of fresh stems burning replaced the memory of her sister's scent as she watched Euphemia disappear around a corner into the receiving lobby near her assigned quarters.
"Hold on, Euphie, you've still got to answer me!"
"I can't! I said I had some good ideas!" Her sister called out over her shoulder, ignoring the incredulous looks of the servants and soldiers she passed by, apparently amazed to see their Viceroy chasing after the High Druid. It was a scene straight out of a comedy skit, the sight of the Valkyrie going out of control and breaking into a comical run made even more bizarre by the green shoots that broke through steel and concrete like they were made of paper.
"The idea and me are going to work on something, good day sister."
"Did you just slam the door in my face? Come out this instant, Euphemia!"
Guilford chimed in on the receiver phone, sounding incredibly panicked. "-Class D situation at the base, your Highness! Did something happen with the High Druid?"
Unable to get the awkward, embarassing event out of her mind, Cornelia spent the next few hours sequestered inside her quarters, fuming up a storm. She then decided to call mother.
)()()()()()()()(
"And where are you going now?"
Lelouch Lamperouge looked back, tilting his eyebrows upward. "It's dismissal, Milly."
"We all know that," she replied a bit too ungraciously, sweeping her hand to the people gathered around the crowded table. "But we've got work to do, and so as responsible students of the council, we are honorbound to-"
"Come now, do you really need me for something?"
"Yes! Why on earth would you think otherwise?"
Lelouch seemed to waver in indecision, glancing periodically between Milly, who stood at the head of the table with a large pile of papers close by, and the rest of the student council who were busy signing something with their pens or stuffing papers into yet more papers. The President saw only a few look up periodically – the usual suspects such as Shirley, who looked worriedly at Lelouch who'd claimed that his and Kallen's absences were their own businesses, Nina and Rivalz, who glanced askance at the Vice-Prez (and who had been severely and publicly reprimanded when Lelouch had come in) and Suzaku, who had a faraway look on his face after catching the boy in the eye.
"Fine. I'll take a raincheck. I promise that I'll start tomorrow, Milly. Just be sure you go easy on the load; I'm not an administrative god," Lelouch finally answered. He crossed his hands in front of him. "But as for today, I've got a schedule to keep, and a precious person to meet." The Prez snorted, as if it were a joke of an excuse. "Unless you're saying I can just throw that all away to attend to your every whim..."
"It's not just about that, silly." Milly sighed ever so dramatically, puffing her ample chest outward. "Quiz: what important day will be happening soon?"
"Many things. But I'd guess you're hinting at..."
"Exactly. Justice Day. Super big event and all that, and only a single opportunity for any student council president of Ashford to host it in their lifetimes."
"You're the heiress of the Ashford," he replied exasperatedly, leaning against the doorframe. Their little argument was now drawing a few more stares from the working council. "You can do anything you want even without being president. I'm not saying I wouldn't help you, but you don't have to worry if not everything works out this year."
"Not true. Grandpa's a stickler for the rules. But – look what you made me, I'm distracted now – but... okay... Lelouch. Oh boy, you are just not getting it, 'Lulu'! You don't seem to be grasping the severity of the situation here. Thanks to all of your... absences," emphasizing the word with a hiss that made Rivalz gulp loudly. "We've missed a lot of work that was supposed to be spent preparing for this self-same event. What was once a grand extravagance revolving around a play featuring Lelouch as the Emperor Frederick and Suzaku as Justice-"
"What?"
"-which has already been scrapped, pay attention, Lelouch... Suzaku, you don't have to look so mad, too... is now a boring old art exhibit featuring some contributions from Nina's art club, which although championing the exact aims and purposes laid out by the Ashford guidebook for student councils, is a dull, dull affair that'd make me, that'd make almost anybody lay down their arms in surrender and succumb to the boredom that will bear on them like a Gear in heat-"
Suzaku made a sneezing sound as Lelouch just stared, eyes narrowed, against the rapidfire spontaneous speech.
"- So you see Lelouch, we have to plan for the fun alternatives. A smashing, roaring affair that will knock my grandpa's socks off, that will be remembered for all posterity as the greatest Justice Week celebration of all time. Of all time! Students, like you, Shirley, will be telling their future children and their children's children, about 'that Milly Ashford's grand event to end all events' that it passes on to legend." The blonde took a deep breath. "So, that's why I need your help, Lelouch."
Lelouch bit the inside of his mouth. "Did you say Justice Week? We're going to be extending it to a while week? Why would you extend it like that? Does the Emperor know about this?"
"Because it will be doing great honor to the person who single-handedly rid the world of Gears, yadda yadda." There was a void of silence, quickly followed by, "And he invented Knightmares, so idol much?"
"Yeah, but why is it a full week, Milly-san?" Suzaku asked, his throat croaking from lack of use.
"Because promotions!" When Lelouch raised an eyebrow accusingly, she continued, "Hello? Always the best time to release products on the proposed next generation Knightmare series during Justice Day? It's almost like a tradition." There was a collective ah-ing and nodding of heads as each of the members at work got back to work.
"But, Milly...that still doesn't explain why you made it into a week..." Nina put in tentatively.
"Well, I go back to my first reason. It's to honor a great man. I'm sure some of you here realize that Britannian or not, we and the whole world owe a great deal to the Golden One, Emperor Frederick, who helped defeat the Black Beast and later bested Justice all by himself. When I see your wistful gazes, I am grateful for you guys understanding. Additionally, he's a straight A hunk, with many recordings of him being a bad boy and all that. It's always been a wonder why he didn't share His Current Majesty libido- ... not appropriate," And with that Milly laughed sheepishly, the rest of the council following suit.
Only Lelouch remained unmoved, one foot already outside the door. "Charming speech Milly, but I stand by what I said. I do have a prior engagement which I can't get out of, even if I could help it. So...good day to you all. I presume there will be very hectic days ahead!" And with those words, Lelouch flashed a smile, tipped an invisible hat and left.
"You know, on second thought, I think I am going to demerit him. And Kallen. I wonder why he's covering up for her? Those two couldn't be..." A few of the boys, including Rivalz, chortled in front of their papers. Shirley, and suprisingly, Nina glared at them.
Suzaku leaned back, glancing at Lelouch's empty chair beside him. To Milly, the boy seemed to have a dissatisfied air to him. Most probably due to Lelouch. Or a girl?
Seizing the chance, she put a question to the boy. Milly wore a winning smile when the boy crumpled like a bag of gelatin. A girl huh...?
)()()()()()()()(
It was a monstrous machine. And Kallen had fit just right.
He was quick to draft a quick message to Sumeragi Kaguya, his erstwhile, and surprisingly resourceful new patron in Gaia. He always knew he would find something useful to him beneath all the superstition, secrecy and subterfuge layered around the shadowy organization, but the boy never figured it would lead to such fruitful results.
Its name was the Guren, Kaguya's note had informed him. He'd check on the name's meaning later. What interested him now was the machine itself. The archaic scrolls that were sent over with the machine required a little bit of code-cracking on his part, but in the end he was able to peruse the information on the experimental Knightmare Frame that Gaia saw fit to hide as one of their guarded secrets.
Of course, he tried piloting it first. No sense exposing Kallen or anyone in the "family" to a defective Gear. C.C was present as he mounted the machine in his full Gear form, and it was a completely novel experience. Where his limited experience in the Gekka showed him a thin connection with the machine's core, the Guren, when he was inside, seemed like something living. It was as if he were inside the warm, beating heart of a magical creature than a mere machine, it drawing on his powers as surely as he drew on its abilities. For the first time, he felt connected to a Knightmare, and that knowledge pleased and frightened him. How soon before the esteemed scientist who developed this phenomenal machine mass-produce more, for his brethren?
"And they say this is a prototype?" C.C had remarked, visibly impressed. The pure-red paint made the Frame seem like a grotesque, hunched demon, with an oversized arm that extended into golden claws and a hadron furnace built into its very lining. The other arm was more typical of its Gekka base. "Doesn't it have ranged capabilities?"
When he'd turned the factspheres to the witch in surprise, the latter raised her eyebrows harmlessly. "Yes, little Gear, I know that the Devicer could just use Ars, but without ranged support, this thing will be destined to have to charge into the fray just to do attack. Sometimes, it's not always enough."
"Yes, that might be a scenario to plan for," he conceded. "But its specs are far superior to a Sutherlands, C.C. And combined with the syncronization with a Gear's magic core that the other Frames are under-equipped for and we're looking at a next-generation machine. This will do wonders for the next phase in my plan.." The witch had shrugged and said nothing more. Lelouch turned his attention to the Frame's upkeep, it having a peculiar design flaw that he wasn't able to understand from the manuals.
That wasn't the only thing he couldn't understand. Another was Kallen's later reaction, when he called for the next meeting.
"Absolutely not! Did you forget what happened to the Gekka back there, Zero? And yeah, Ohgi did fill me in," the redhead said, crossing her arms in frank refusal and nodding to Kaname.
"Poor kid who don't have control also don't have confidence. Wow," quipped Tamaki, paving the way for sparks to fly, had Zero raised his hand.
"You may not have known it already, Kallen, but you were able to exhibit control in that Gekka for a brief moment. It just so happened then, I believe, that it wasn't able to keep up with your magical output."
"Yeah, but you cn't be sure, right? I mean, you weren't even sure yourself when you were testing it out the first time."
It was then that Zero's tail visibly twitched, and the Gear shared a quick look with Ohgi. The man pursed his lips and nodded.
"Hey wait, where are you guys-?" The girl asked the others who withdrew from the spacious underground garage lit by the red glow of the Guren. Their departure left only him and the girl inside, and in the following silence, Lelouch stepped close to Kallen, pinning his hands together smartly in front of him.
"I won't go into trivial speeches, my young flame."
"Again with the condescending-"
"Please." He held up a hand in what he hoped was a placating manner. "Before anything else... I would like to confirm your conviction." He leaned forward and locked his eyes with Kallen's. "Kouzuki Kallen, are you really sure that this is what you want for your life? I shall hold no grudges if you choose to abstain at this point. Upon my word of honor, if you say the word, you won't be bothered for the rest of your life by us. But you need to know that if you choose to stay, you will have to play a big part in all this. And that big part includes mastering the part of yourself. Your power should not go to waste. And I tell you this: it will not be an easy life. You will have to keep our ideals, the family, all Gears – you will have to keep yourself alive through any means available to you, whether as yourself or with this machine, with allies or alone. The path of Zero is the path of loneliness – empty battlefields and a field of corpses. Will you follow that path too? Please, for all our sakes, answer."
He was hoping very much that Kallen would agree – most of his immediate plans wouldn't exactly work without her. But he could manage it if in some bizarre instance Kallen would refuse this time.
Lelouch was no reader of faces – he was more of a reader of words, of acts, of patterns in those acts. What went on inside Kallen's head when he was waiting for her answer in that moment was something he would only be able to guess at, and speculate about for many times thereafter.
Presently, the girl took a deep breath, which the boy took as the prelude to her answer. Lelouch tensed, bracing himself for it.
"I won't run away." She said in a clear voice. He exhaled. "But on one condition."
)()()()()()()()(
"Suzaku! Hey Suzaku!" Kururugi Suzaku blinked and stopped, turning his stiff, armored body to hail the Brother coming up behind him.
"Brother Weinberg," he greeted politely, lightly bowing.
"I was looking all over for you... whew..." The other Knight made a sign of stooping to catch his breath. "...So I'm guessing you didn't get the memo?"
"No, I haven't heard anything from the comm-center-"
"Not from the Order!" Gino hissed. Without delay, a privacy bubble erupted from the floor. Suzaku stepped back, surprised, as the other Knight grabbed his wrist. "Britannia. Word's gone through Lord-Brother Johnson, that's the Legion-Master over at New 'Shino, that the Viceroy has requested Order Knights to aid the Empire in some aspect."
"They should make the proper requests through the proper channels-"
"Right, but apparently the Viceroy specifically requested you as one of the escorts."
"Escort?" asked Suzaku.
"Yeah. Not too sure about the details myself..."
Suzaku thought on it for a moment, before turning. "I will have to speak to Legion-Master Tohdoh about this-"
"No, see that's the deal, Suzaku, you shouldn't talk-"
"I can't do that, Brother Weinberg. My loyalties to the Order come first above all things." He pushed through the privacy bubble, and it made a distinct pop when he emerged back onto the corridor. "I shall inform you what the Lord-Master thinks."
Gino Weinberg watched the newly anointed Knight put his hand on a glyph on the office's central staircase and disappear. The Knight sighed, removing his helm to rub the back of his neck. He looked up at the golden-hued statue of a horned angel wielding a shield which dominated the upper staircase. "Did I make a mistake telling him? I wonder if the Princess'll get mad... and I hear she's not too pleased the High Druid keeps talking about him." And then, after quickly looking about to see if his loud spoken thoughts weren't heard by any other Knight, he vanished in a flash of green light.
)()()()()()()()(
The squeals which echoed from behind the curtains into the chamber was not a really new thing – he'd heard his mistress say it many times before. (In particular, when the word had come out that Zero was coming to the base, boy what a day) As per his duty, he cheered graciously along with all the babbling sheep who were there to curry favor of the Holy Woman. He yawned graciously, glad that it would be taken by observers as him adjusting his mask.
Suddenly, a strange, prickling feeling washed over his skin. He tensed behind his mask, even as he reached for the only weapons he had on him still. He clenched his gloved hands together as he pushed away the next supplicant, transposing himself along with the other guardians who rushed to their mistress's side and instantly weaved protective Ars and summoned monstrous animals of their own. A shiver of unease went through the bewildered crowd of supplicants in front of them, but he paid them no mind. Only a few things could make his own blood chill and boil at the same time, an ominous, slimy sensation that slithered around and down his spine.
"Please make ready to greet our guest," came the Holy Woman's voice, in a tone that seemed to have forgotten all about the honey brought forth from "Lord Zero"'s reply.
A whirlwind appeared in the midst of the crowd, disgorging great, green-and-black dusts and the smell of sulfur. The teleportation ars was always a wonder to see for him, as anyone who could master that legendary spacetime magic was a cut above for him. The crowd withered and dispersed to the many corners, leaving the whirlwind in the center of the room.
The bodyguard-cum-assassin tensed. It would be the first time facing this creature without his masters beside him. And boy, did he ever loathe that guy. What with his bad manners, bad mouth, that uppity-ass tone he always does, and then those ingracious cracks he'd always make of the Exalted One. His mistress always took it in stride in those occasions, but he was sure she was at least disgusted by the man and his crass habits.
"Why does he have to be so flashy, damnit, " he muttered out loud, his eyes on the rapidly spinning winds.
"Because that's how I roll, shrimpie. Or were you limpy?" came the sudden reply, which made him jerk. "Oh, that's right. It's wee old wimpy, thinking he's already the big dog without that other big dog and the weird vampire walking him. Where's your collar, wimpy? You sure you can handle being a glorified gofer boy for one of Gay-a's queen bitches all by your lonesome? Cause let me tell you, that whole weak bodyguard turning hero thing? Turned lame oh, about the time of the cavemen? You need guys with big muscles. And big dicks. Hell, put you in a machine to bizarro world and that new you's a marginally better fit than the poor excuse who I'm about to see." Abruptly, the whirlwind abated, and in its place stood a vaguely humanoid figure, glowing grey and green, which was the only thing to outline him in the dimness of the Holy Woman's chambers.
His mistress was first to speak. "I greet you, winged serpent. What word do you bring from your master?"
"Get another dildo up your uppity ass, white lady, I ain't done. Wow. You sure haven't changed, wimpy." And at that, the shadowy figure glided towards the assembled bodyguards like a silent shade. "Nice mask you got there. You finally figure your current identity's not the shit but plain old shit? I was wondering when the vamp and the wolf were gonna break the news to you-"
"If it pleases you, dark messenger," his mistress firmly interjected. He was thankful, he couldn't stand looking at that guy without having the urge to punch him. "What is your purpose?"
The figure jerked its head left to right as if swilling the brain inside its head. "Uh, let me think. I'll quote master's words about that little something-something you've got going on with the you-know-what that master's just heard: 'Well done'. I don't know about you guys but I sure got hungry hearing that and so saved up a biiiiig appetite coming here. So did you save the wings? Because I do love them wings dipped in oyster sauce. Mmm-mm."
"Send our thanks to your master for his message. Was there anything else?"
"Ain't ya gonna offer me tea first? Or some cold soda to go with the wings? Seriously, did you roast the guy or end up fellating him? Because quite frankly, and let me tell you now from the bottom of my nonexistent heart: he's bad news."
"The affairs of Gaia are the Gaia's to keep, winged serpent. But we are grateful for your wisdom. And yes, tea for our guest!"
The shadow seemed to peer into the solid barricade of the curtain, though he couldn't be sure, due to the way the darkness seemed to hide him just as well as Zero could. Presently, he felt the guy's gaze turn to him, and he could almost sense the leer that was there. Then the figure raised its arms and clapped, at first slowly, then crescending up rapidly into full-blown applause.
"I suppose a fangirl is a fangirl. Can't do anything about that huh, wimpy? But I'm surprised you're following along with this. Is that guy's cum really so sweet?" The figure turned and sent something at the servant that was bringing over the tray of tea. The servant froze, as if the visitor had put a razor against her neck. It took one of the cups and gingerly balanced it on the tip of one of its fingers.
"Now I'd just like to remind you fellas that from now on and for the foreseeable future, we and the master's gonna be real busy with all these secret plans here at Eleven-land. So long as that numbered Gear don't end up disrupting master's work, I'm willing to let your make out sessions with the guy slide. Now, darling, be a dear and give his ass a good squeeze for me next time we meet wouldja? I hear that's a Gear's most sensitive of G-spots. I mean, you queen bitch types are into that sort of thing, right? Liking it rough...ruff! Ruff! RRR..." The figure chortled, about to take a sip of the tea, but was pre-empted by the bodyguard charging.
"That's it, you sonofabitch!" He felt his first punch cushioned into something that felt like the water's surface, and before he could roll right, the visitor had tripped him face forward into the floor.
"Whoa there! Feisty little wimp." He recovered quickly, bringing his fists up in a boxing stance to face the sneering figure. "If I were in a better mood, I'd have killed you. Instead, I'm gonna have to settle with her." At that instant, there was a keening sound followed by a scream, and the tray-bearing servant crumpled to the floor in a bloody heap.
The visitor turned to face him, still holding the cup of tea in hand. "See ya laterz, my pretties. Be good for master now, ya hear?" I'm gonna murder the bastard. One of these days... He brought up his hand to protect his face as the figure snapped its finger to bring about another whirling mass of wind. "Toodles!" There was the faint echo of laughter as the figure disappeard from their midst, and it was in that instant that everyone in the room seemed to feel a great, looming shadow lift from their shoulders.
"Please see to it that it's cleaned up," the Holy Woman said politely after a silent pause.
AN: Whew, now that those grueling weeks are done, I can get back into my "regular" groove. To all concerned readers, please be aware of the poll I recently put up on my author's profile concerning this story. It's a question on which version of Rolo I'm going to "adapt" for this story, the vanilla Rolo or the one from Nightmare of Nunnally. Nothing plotwise will change from the choice, as it will involve deciding what kind of relationship the guy will have with... other people. So vote, if you want, or a coinflip will decide! =)
chronodekar: A recap would be good to make, but that would mean making a whole chapter about it. I'll try to make that.
Thanks for reading!
Merlin Out.