Code Geass Chapter 15: Pack Your Bags
Once again as Lelouch entered his room, C.C. lay upon his bed. Did she have some sort of instinct that let her know when he would be back, or did she really do nothing all the time? He wondered if she had appropriate to wear for the trip, it needed to be practical. It was likely Light would try something, he knew Lelouch wouldn't send one of the Black Knights and probably inferred that he would send C.C.. However, suspecting this was his plan he would also need to send someone along to watch them. He didn't want to stick Kallen with Light and he didn't want Ohgi leaving the group, he was the old leader. Tamaki was a fool. Perhaps Ryuzaki would be his best choice, he seemed to have a personal interest in following Light.
"C.C., start packing. You will be accompanying Light on a trip to Australia."
"Oh am I? And why would I be doing that?"
"You are going to be keeping an eye on Light as he searches for a geass user. There have been clues to indicate someone with the ability to decieve roamed the eastern coast of Australia during the war. Do you have anything suitable to wear on such a trip? Light will probably try something, so you'd best wear something you can fight in."
"Or else what, I'll die?"C.C. scoffed "I'll have to do some shopping. I've not done that for the longest time."
"How far should I trust Light, C.C.?" He sat down next to her.
"Why are you asking me this?"
"As you are constantly reminding me of, we have a contract. Having my interest at heart is in your own interest, so I value your opinion."
"You both may have need for each other, but it is clear that Light will not hesitate to kill you as soon as he sees it to his benefit. As we are not aware of every factor, I believe it would be a mistake to get anywhere near him." She stood up and headed to the closet, removing a case for her clothes and began packing the few outfits she acquired with Lelouch's money.
"Still, Light is a valuable asset for us to use."
"That is precisely why he is dangerous. You are the same to him and he is much more inclined to dispose of you." C.C. had a point, the risks were undeniable. However Lelouch just had to dispose of Light first and there was no need to dispose of him yet.
"I am also going to be sending Ryuzaki to keep an eye on him. Light will notice and likely conduct his own investigation of him."
"Two birds with one stone?"
"Yes and I expect you to bring the birdies back in pristine conditions.
"Aww dammit! I lost again! There's no way anyone's this good, you're cheating you bastard!" L frowned, although Watari informed him he has an underdeveloped sense of social skills, even he knew it was bad form to react like this. Tamaki certainly was hot-headed and even stupider than Matsuda.
"Calm down Tamaki, it's just a game of dominoes." Ohgi made an attempt to pacify his comrade, but to little avail. Ever since Lelouch had acquired the transport, dubbed the Zeromobile by the fantastically creative and original Aizawa, it seemed to have members dressed in uniform constantly stationed. Permanent residents besides himself included Ohgi as well as some unimportant henchwoman.
Ohgi drank coffee regularly, in a disgusting, unsweetened state. Matsuda frequently brewed some up for him as he worked on finding jobs. Apparently Zero didn't have any insight into where to find the problems in the slums. Ohgi handled the specifics, finding corrupt officials selling relief supplies, organizing their own relief efforts and Ohgi's current thread of investigation, taking down a refrain dealership. He was desicated to the cause, and while he illicited positive reactions from the Black Knights he didn't seem all that fit for leadership.
"I don't see why you're even here, we can't trust you! I don't see how Sero would let scum like you even enter the Black Knights!" Tamaki stood up and continued yelling. Volatile as he was, L figured Zero secretly wishes he had an excuse to get rid of Tamaki. However with the size of the resistance as it was, he couldn't just let to of anyone. Perhaps removing him would have to wait.
"I don't see what trust has to do with it. Our interests coincide, we are not enemies."
"You shot one of your own to protect your face! You're a monster who wants nothing to do getting Brittania out of Japan." He shook his fist and seemed even more enraged by the fact that his spiel garnered no interest from L.
"Calm down Tamaki,". Ohgi rested a hand upon his friend's shoulder. "There's no need to start a fight."
"I don't know about Ryuzaki, but I'm fighting to end tyranny. Not just here but in every number district!" Matsuda interjected. The henchwoman, Naomi Inoue, chuckled.
"You really plan to liberate the whole world from Brittania? A little presumptuous don't you think?"
"Settle down. This is why I felt we shouldn't stop for a break, there is work to be done." Unfortunately within the hierarchy of the Black Knights, he did't have the authority to order them back to work. The room settled back down and returned to their duties.
Naomi's duties related to logistics, she worked with Ohgi much of the time checking ole retrain operations were feasible. Matsuda was the office pet, he walked around with encouraging words, doling out coffee as needed. He also had theminor job of occasionally making calls to prospected recruits, which was rare and scripted. L's own job included staring at some monitors while he thought. He did get Matsuda to watch the screens for him while he got something to eat.
On one trip back from the fridge with an Italian Ice he noted over Tamaki's shoulder
"Eight minus five is three, not one." L practically sighed as he said it. He knew Tamaki spent money on stupid things, but now he was embezzling? Actually it could probably be attributed to stupidity and not malice or greed.
"Mind your own damn business." He huffed, rubbing away his eraser at the page.
"Move the decimal point from there to here." L jabbed a finger at the paper. This was the last straw for Tamaki, who stood up and threw a punch at him. L simply cocked his head to one side, the fist flying harmlessly past. Cons of engaging in a fight with Tamaki: Making Tamaki angrier, Black Knights losing trust in him, Matsuda getting angry at him, potential loss of information from the organization. Pros of engaging in a fight with Tamaki: Matsuda getting angry at him, getting Tamaki to shut up around him. Difficult choice.
"Stand still, dammit!" Tamaki was still throwing punches and L dodged while he thought. He caught a nice vase as his opponent clumsily punched a table, reeling back in pain.
"Come now, I've yet to throw even a punch."
"Ryuzaki, Tamaki, what is going on here?" The cavalry had arrived, Ohgi trying to place himself between the two.
"I was merely helping him with his subtraction."
"Ryuzaki, I'm not sure what you're playing at but I am sick of you goading Tamaki. Your presence here is barely tolerated by the rest of us and I will see to it that Zero hears of this." Ohgi fully stopped Tamaki and showed the reason he must have been chosen as leader of the resistance. His usual spinelessness seemed to be due to the fact he did not wish to usurp Zero.
"I don't think we should blame Ryuzaki too much. In case you hadn't noticed his social skills aren't exactly equal to his brainpower."
"Matsuda, I can hear you whispering over there."
"It's not just that Matsuda. You genuinely wish to free Japan and end oppression across the globe. He doesn't treat it like that. To him it is some game he plays with Zero against Brittania. Ryuzaki may work with us but he is not one of us."
"No, I clearly am not. I wish to accomplish my goal, while you on the other hand make every step a moral battle." Not strictly true, he supposed. However L did resort to using the most efficient and accurate techniques as his first move. The Black Knights fought under their own definition of justice and refused to use methods as direct as his own.
Unlike the resistance group, L did not see himself as the moral arbiter of the world. Using unconventional and drastic measures was not a deplorable act, the goal was to end the war and Brittania, not fight for as long as possible. His methods may be questionable, but removing Brittania and their untruths would bring about justice.
"I will be informing Zero of this."
"Of that I have no doubt."
Light packed the barest essentials for his trip. Formal wear, casual clothes, money and identification. There was no need to bring the Death Note with him, though he contemplated the idea. Airport security could be waved somewhat, but should they so much as touch the Death Note, they would see Ryuk. There was also the fact would be traveling with C.C. and she was a bit too nosy to keep it with him.
"Ryuk, is there a limit to how many pages I can remove from the Note?"
"No, why?"
"And the Death Note never runs out of pages?"
"Nope, don't want you to stop killing just because you ran out." Light smiled at the ridiculousness of his discovery. If he continuously pulled pages from the Death Note and burned them, he could make a small electrical generator. It would be an egregious misuse of his godly might, but it certainly was amusing. Decidimg that if his pages were not limited, he would take several with him. Light could keep several pages in his socks for emergency use.
"Light, not to question you, but if you're trying to become god of the new world, why are you doing this? I don't get it, shouldn't you be trying to kill V.V.?"
"Ryuk, if I am going to become god of the new world I must be able to live so that I may keep the peace. Information on the immortals is of my top priority. Once I gain that power then I am garunteed the ability to save this world from itself."
Light checked his watch, it was only 3:00. If he hurried and Lelouch was able to convince C.C. then they could be off and in Australia by morning. He picked up his suitcase after resetting the trap he left for the Note. He tossed Ryuk an apple before beckoning for him to follow.
"Eat up, it will be a long time before you get another."
•••
Knocking on the door to the clubhouse, Sayoko opened the door.
"Good afternoon Light, how are you? I am afraid master Lelouch just returned, so I am not sure if he is ready to receive any guests." There was slight tension between them. The last time they had spoken had been when Light had revealed Lelouch's identity as prince. It did seem as if things had been smoothed over however, if not forgotten.
"I know, in fact I was the one who just dropped him off. However there are still some things we forgot to go over."
"I understand. Would you like me to bring him here then?"
"No that's fine. How is Nunnally?"
"Fairly well, although she does miss her brother quite often. He is becoming rather scarce around the house as of late."
"I believe I could help with that by dealing with some of his responsibilities. That's what I am going to get to now, if you'll excuse me."Light ducked out of the conversation, there wasn't much time for extended small talk. He walked briskly to Lelouch's room, opening the door to find just C.C.
"Where has Lelouch gone off to?" Hopefully the prince wasn't dithering about. Intelligent he may have been, but occasionally he lacked initiative.
"He's gone to fetch me new clothes for our romantic getaway together." What passed for pity within Light showed. Lelouch had to deal with this creature? She must have some mitigating factor that made Lelouch keep her around. Sayoko had also not noticed his disappearance and she was no fool. Lelouch must hav intentionally snuck away, probably toale contact with the Black Knights to assign a secret guard to him.
"We can buy you clothes when we get there. I would like to get there as soon as possible and what you are wearing is suitable for the plane." He took her hand and tugged lightly.
"Shouldn't we get married before going on our honeymoon?" Ryuk was finding the situation quite humerous and Light openly scowled at him. Let the Immortal know he had his own god on his side, as childish as the god was. He toiled her arm more forcefully and she didn't resist.
"We might as well make that as our cover if anyone is to ask. Your name will be Caroline if anyone is to ask and we've ruin away to Australia to get married." He sighed slightly. It was fantastically cliché, but Light supposed things became cliché because they worked well and often. He took her be the arm and started off.
"What do you hope to gain from all of this?" This was the voice he expected of an Immortal. Cold and cutting, without any nonsense, a break from the cheery facade.
"Immortality, no less." He whispered back.
"This is why I love humans," Ryuk announced "there's no reason for them to whisper, but they do it anyway. So dramatic!"