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Ch 10

Leabella 12

"If you wouldn't have been selected for this squadron, you would have been dead in a battle field," [Yuuto] blinked, "And no one would have cared because you would just be suicide knightmares."

"Are they seriously dead?" Kichiro said trembling, "Kouru…brother."

"Damn," Masanori said gritting his teeth. He looked over at the door where Leabella and Richard had just left, leaving her new squad to their section of the military base.

"Can't believe they left us to a damn kid," Yuuto shouted punched a weighted bag in the corner.

"What?" Katsu asked in shock.

"You're Britannian?!" Yuuto lunged at Leabella, but was caught mid way to the princess by Masanori and a couple others. Leabella frowned at Yuuto as he struggled against the strong bodies.

"What's a Britannian doing in an enemy country's military?" Kichiro said looking very displeased sitting on the floor.

"She was handed over to this country by her father," Richard said in his chair in the corner.

"Her father?" Masanori said straining to hold Yuuto away from Leabella.

Leabella looked over at Richard glaring at the boy, "You weren't supposed to tell them that." Richard shrugged, taking out his bag of cookies.

"What sort of father does that?" Nobu growled. Sure, he didn't like the fact that his commanding officer was a Britannian, but he had his own daughter. Kiara. He would do anything to protect her. He couldn't fathom what sort of father would ship their own kin to a foreign land that was at war.

"The emperor of Britannia," Leabella said softly looking down.

That stopped Yuuto's advance at her. He stared down at her. She looked so small and weak with her downcast expression.

"Wait," Masanori said not letting go of Yuuto yet, "You're a princess?"

Leabella 13

"It's kind of upsetting," Masanori commented as he eyed the small form of Leabella looking over a torn city. They were in Krycau—(legitimately)a border town between Belarus and Russia—just after a Britannian attack.

"What part?" Kichiro asked walking over to Masanori while whipping his nose from the stench of rotting flesh, "The one where Britannia destroyed this place with no mercy a few days ago, or the one where a thirteen year old did the same on the other side of the border just a couple hours ago?"

"The one where she already doesn't react to death," Yuuto said flatly. Even he was disgusted of all the lying bodies on the crumbled streets.

"That one," Masanori said frowning, "Why is a child participating in war? It's immoral."

"I participate in this war because I want to," Leabella's small but strong voice interrupted Yuuto from replying. The three men looked down at her, "Every time we come out here, I know what we're going to see. If you can't take it, then prepare yourselves better because leaving isn't an option."

Yuuto sighed through his noise. He accepted what the princess said, but he still could see that look in her eye. This. The bloody bodies. The destruction. The inhumanity. It still had an effect on her no matter how much she tried to be apathetic.

"Still," Kichiro said.

"I'm an imperial princess," Leabella said. "I was bred to be a strategist of war. Seeing destruction is something we blood hungry royals are made for."

Leabella 15

Masanori looked around the circle of men sitting at the meeting table. There was half a dozen seats empty, waiting for their occupants. Then, the entrance door opened revealing a solemn Leabella and a stoic Yuuto.

Squad Q13 sat in a circle in silence as Leabella and Yuuto walked to their seats. She told them how proud she was of them. They ate dinner. And they sat in the quite. Then, Leabella started bawling. Most of the group members grimaced looking away from their crying leader. She clung to Yuuto for support as her sobs slowed and calmed down. .

Now, she was asleep leaning against Yuuto shoulder.

Kichiro was the first to make a sound. He leaned forward in his seat sighing deeply. "This girl," he started, "Just a few years ago, I wouldn't have given a shit if she died. Now…it's like….she's done something to us."

"She cares about us," Masanori said, "She the first non-Japanese that hasn't treated us like dogs."

"We care about her too," Yuuto said. Everyone looked at him incredulously. "What? I know I was a hard ass back then, but now? Don't tell me that taking her orders aren't second-nature to you." No one spoke to disagree.

Isabella 17

"Did you know that Naoto knew Blue John?" Kaname asked Isabella in confusion as they watched their group leader talking to a thick man inside a warehouse a dozen miles out of the settlement. Isabella peered through the window eyeing the two men. "I mean, I'm his best friend and I didn't even know."

"I got him connected through a few people I know," Isabella said watching closely trying to read Naoto and Blue Johns body language.

"Damn," Tamaki said, "What kind of connections do you have?"

"The kind of connections with fat criminals who like gambling," Yuuto muttered.

"Not the time, Yuuto," Isabella shot back. She tensed up watching the two men as they started talking more aggressively. "Crap," Isabella snapped getting up from where she was to head inside. "Let's-"

BANG

Isabella whipped around to the window and gasped seeing Naoto's falling form. "Go!"The group started yelling as they charged in, surprising the mafia man.

"Naoto!" Isabella skid to where the red headed man was lying on the ground. She looked at the wound—bleeding out from his rib cage. Naoto was now pale and unconscious. "Ah, crap." She looked around to see Kaname hovering over her and his friend with worried eyes, "We have to get him out of here."

"Right," Kaname said moving to pick up his friend. Isabella rose looking around at Blue John's retreating form as the resistance group defended some of his cronies from Naoto.

"C'mon!" Yuuto yelled when Kaname carried Naoto out the way they came.

The group started to retreat, but Yuuto and Isabella strayed to make sure they weren't followed. One of the men in black chuckled, "Heh, we were prepared for a military unit, not some sham resistance group."

It was silent in the resistant group's warehouse. Tamaki, for once, was quite. Isabella sat nest to the door of the room that held the group's leader.

Isabella looked up to eye everyone. Some of the people were in a pose similar to her. Others had secluded themselves to cry by themselves. Fewer—some couples—cried together.

She jumped when the door next to her opened. The first to step out was Yuuto. He walked out slowly before turning his head towards her. Isabella's shoulders slumped when she saw his expressionless face turn away and walk forward. The next one to walk was Kaname. He was looking down at the ground with a pained look. Everyone watched as they moved towards a couple of chair lined against the wall. The two men slumped in their seats.

Tamaki was to first to make any noise. He scraped his chair loudly against the hard floor and stalked over to the open door. Isabella slumped more when she heard his knees hit the floor in defeat. Everyone jumped when the large metal door at the entrance of the warehouse opened. In came a young girl with fiery red hair. Isabella raised an eyebrow at her. 'I swear I've seen her before.'

"Hey, guys," the girl said brightly, but her smile faltered when she noticed everyone's solemn attitudes. "What's wrong?" Kallen looked over everyone and found Kaname, running over to him. "Kaname, what happened? Where's Naoto?" she asked with worry.

"K-Kallen," Kaname started in a pained voice.

"Kaname," Kallen said again getting hysterical.

"He's," Kaname cut himself off before choking. Kallen looked over at Yuuto. He didn't know this girl, but just by looking at her he could tell she and Naoto were related. He frowned looking over at the room that held her brother. Kallen looked from Yuuto, to Kanme, then to the door. After a few second of silence she ran over to the door. Tamaki moved out of the way.

"NAOTO!" Kallen screeched. Isabella scrunched her eyes grimacing.

Yuuto looked over at Leabella. Her head was bowed leaning against the car window. He sighed turning to look back at where he was driving.

Leabella lifted her view to look out the window. It was fittingly raining.

Fat rain drops stuck to the window slowly traveling down the glass as she thought 'It's my fault.'

Leabella 17

Leabella looked blankly up at the ceiling of her office. She didn't analyze the perfection of ivory paint. She ignored the tension in her shoulders that the cushioned couched did nothing to help relax. She only blinked when needed replaying the scene back in her head.

The loud ear ringing shot. The falling body. The red hair that flew around in the air like falling plane parts.

Yuuto looked at her concerned from the couch across from hers. When they had entered their section of the military base, they had heard the rowdy training room from down the hall. When they entered, all sound was cut off. All eyes were on them. The two moved their way straight to Leabella office. From inside, they still couldn't hear anymore commotion.

"You know," Leabella said softly, "I thought that I had grown from last time." Yuuto looked up at her questioning. "Losing someone on a mission, I thought I could be strong about it." Leabella's voice cracked but she continued, "I didn't think I would be so affected from this one too." Yuuto got up from his seat to sit on the fancy coffee table in front of Leabella. "It's always me," Yuuto listened as he moved her to sit up and got her to lean against his shoulder. "I'm always the one making mistakes." Yuuto didn't say anything. He just patted her back feeling his shirt get wet.

After a while when she had calmed down, he spoke, "You didn't know. Things happen because of things that you can't control. And, that's okay."

"But," Leabella started.

"No, buts," He interrupted her. "You try your best for everyone. You can't make any regrets." She didn't reply. They stayed like that for hours in silence.

"Hm…"

Richard looked at Leabella in annoyance. He watched as she forwarded her brows in concentration. He blaimed himself. He had said was that he found a shipment due to be moved to a new facility under Bartley's orders.

Stupid. He was stupid.

Now, she had been at the computer for over an hour in silence only letting out simple 'hm's and 'Uhuh's. He sighed taking out his bag of cookies.

"Got it!" Leabella exclaimed brightly making Richard jump.

"What is it?" He asked popping a treat in his mouth.

"They're shipping some sort of military weapon. They don't have any pictures of it, though," Leabella said starting to type again.

Richard groaned reaching for another cookie.

"Noxious exhaust…." Leabella muttered. Richard rose an eyebrow chewing. Leabella blinked, "He's commanding a science division to make poisonous gas?"

"Told you it wasn't anything important," Richard said in irritated.

"No, it is," Leabella said, "They're having a military escort on the shipment. It's something big."

"Hello, your highness!~" Lloyd greet Leabella as she walked into his facility.

"Hello, Lloyd," she replied, "Cecile called saying you need my signature."

"Ah, yes," Lloyd said pulling out the plans for a custom knightmare, "I added some new things just yesterday. I finally figured out that new slash harken system you had brought up. It's wonderful!"

Leabella chuckled, signing the new blueprint, "Have you come up with a name for it yet?"

Llyod grumbled disheartened. Cecile then walked in holding Lloyd's coffee, "Oh, hello, your highness."

"Hello to you, Cecile," Leabella greeted. She turned to Llyod, "I'm taking that as a 'no'?"

"I'm not good with names," Llyod grumbled. "It's like naming a child, and that's just to abnormal."

"Right," Leabella said. She remembered meeting Rakshata; the woman was like a mother bear when it came to the knightmares she created.

"Perhaps you can name the project, Princess," Cecile said, "Consort Marianne named her own knightmare."

"Did she?" Leabella pursed her lips. She frowned, "I can't come up with anything."

"Would you like to see the knightmare?" Lloyd said, "That might spark something."

Leabella agreed excited. Knowing something new about her mother always put her in a good mood. Over the years, she had discovered that she didn't know all that much about Marianne, so learning something no matter how insignificant meant the world to her.

"It quite large," Leabella commented eyeing the knightmare. "Not anything like the European models."

Llyod sweat dropped, Yes, well..." He quickly changed the subject, "We haven't painted it yet, after we put in some finishing touches, we should be able to. Would you like it to be green?"

"No," Leabella said quickly, "My squad's knightmares are green, and I don't want them to match. I want this one to be special, unique. I want my knight to be its devicer. And, when I take the throne, he'll be my knight of one."

Llyod quirked a smirk, "I have a feeling like you have a color and name for it already."

Leabella smiled up at the unfinished knightmare, "Yes. Make it a white knight. Lancelot."

Isabella

"Kallen, no," Isabella heard Kaname's voice through the warehouse door. It had been an entire month since Naoto's death. The group had recovered some. They still had their solemn moments, but they had picked themselves up. They didn't go on big raids anymore, only small ones. Kaname was named leader. However, he always consulted with Yuuto and Isabella, almost dependently.

"I said, I'm joining, end of story," she heard a female voice rise as she opened the door walking in with Yuuto behind her. She came upon Kaname's back facing her. His shoulders were up in tension. In front of him was a seething Kallen. Isabella hadn't formally met her since the last time she had seen the girl she was sobbing next to her dead brother. Kallen caught her eye, and Isabella received a glare, "What's a Brittanian doing here?"

"Huh?" Kaname turned, "Oh! You guys are early."

"School let out early," Isabella replied, not lying. Apparently come second years did a prank that included stink bombs and marmite.

"You go to school?" Kaname questioned.

"Not the point," Yuuto said from behind Isabella, "Who's this?"

"I'm Kallen," said girl introduced herself "You are?"

"Yuuto," he replied apathetically moving over to the office.

Kallen's eyes landed on Isabella, and her sneered, "And what are you?"

Isabella smiled with a spark in her eye, "Isabella. I go to your school." Kallen blinked surprised. "I'm a member of this group. So, that makes me your senior, newbie," Isabella said promptly digging into her bag pulling out what looked to be a large first aid kit, "Akatsuki! I got the supplies, let me see that leg."

"Be right there, Isa," Kallen heard a reply behind her. She frowned. What was this? A Brittanian in a resistance group? It had to be a joke.

"Oh, and Kallen," said girl turned around ignoring Kaname's insistent orders to go home. Leaning against the office door was Yuuto. He motion towards the new knightmare simulator—two weeks old, "Start practicing."

"Lelouch," Nunnally addressed her brother during dinner. Isabella looked up from her plate to eye her brother.

"Yes?" Lelouch asked putting down his spoon.

"So," Nunnally scrunched up her noise, "Why didn't you tell me that you were dancing with Sissy that day?"

Isabella choked on her drink. She quickly dove for her napkin. "Huh?" Lelouch asked incredulously. He turned to Isabella, "Did you tell her?"

"I'm as surprised as you," Isabella said. It was true. She hadn't told Nunnally anything. "Don't underestimate your little sister."

"You too, Isa," Nunnally turned to Isabella, "You're at fault too for not telling me."

"How'd you figure out it was me?" Lelouch asked.

"I asked the student council to describe whoever was on the tv dancing with sissy for me," Nunnally said remembering when everyone was bugging out about Leabella dancing with a mysterious man.

"You didn't tell them did you?" Lelouch asked.

"Give her some credit Lelouch," Isabella said continuing her meal. "She knows when to keep a secret."

"Yeah," Nunnally chirped smiling Isabella's way.

"Are you sure about this?" Leabella asked Richard. The two were in Leabella's bedroom.

"It was your idea!" Richard snapped uncharacteristically.

"Yes, I know." Leabella shot back, "But, are you okay with it?"

Richard sighed, "It's the only way you can find C.C."

"And, V.V." Leabella added. She then turned to her mirror to remove her contact not bothering to look at her red eyes. She waited for Richard to remove his shirt.

"You do know how to do this, right?" Richard asked. Before Leabella snap back, he added, "Joking."

She grumbled and sighed. "Alright," Leabella said looking at his bright geass mark. She took a deep breath before courageously placing her hand upon her chest. Instantaneously the mark started to glow, and Leabella's head started to hurt with pressure. Leabella closed her eyes focusing on her mind.

Her mind's eye "saw" the world. A giant sphere populated with the subconscious minds. She started with Richard's mental signature. It was different than human mental signatures. She memorized it and moved on. She didn't travel far before she found the next mental signature like his. Before she could move on more, the pain in her head became too great.

Leabella pulled her hand away from Richard. The pain ebbed from her head and was now a dull ache.

"What'd you see?" Richard asked putting his shirt back on.

Leabella sighed, "I'm not sure which one, but there's one in Japan," she looked up to meet his eyes, "Here in Tokyo, actually."

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