Code Geass: Lazos de Sangre
Chapter Three:
Memories
The day of the trial arrived, the first of three. Almost everyone involved has taken their place in the courtroom. Only the defense lawyer was missing. His booth was empty. Next to the seat was the defendant. Suzaku had been examining him while waiting. He didn't have the bearing of an assailant. His parchment skin, his lean cheeks, his vacant expression; under the artificial light, he was unable to kill a fly. He looked like a completely innocent old man. But Suzaku knew he shouldn't be guided by appearances. This would be the first blow against Britannia of many to come. He couldn't lose. He had promised it to Nina. In the courtroom, the judge had been reading some papers. He covered his mouth as a yawn escaped him. People in the audience were conversing with each other. There was nothing else to do. Bored, Suzaku drummed his fingers on the wooden surface. "Why is Lawyer Gottwald taking so long?"
Coinciding with that thought, the doors were opened wide and a young man in a black formal suit walked through them with his briefcase, attracting the eyes of all the attendees. They followed him until he lay down next to the accused. Suzaku went into shock. It wasn't Lawyer Gottwald. It was Lelouch, his old childhood friend. "What the hell was he doing at that trial?!" Lelouch didn't look at him, his focus of attention was the judge, but he knew he was there: in his opponent's seat.
"I'm Taizo Kirihara's lawyer, Lelouch Lamperouge," he announced.
"Lawyer, you're half an hour late. What's the reason?" The judge asked gravely.
"I needed to find evidence for the trial, Your Honor," he excused himself. "I didn't get it, but until now. We can start already."
He didn't apologize for the delay, although he did order when the trial was going to begin as if he were the judge. Suzaku had eyes wide open. Lelouch finished his answer with a smug smile. Then he turned slowly to the prosecutor. It was his greeting after seventeen years. Nobody noticed that just then a man with dull brown hair entered. He joined the auditorium by sitting in the back. The judge cleared his throat.
"Well. This is case No. 5697 of 2027. We'll begin the trial of an isolated case in the Central Court of Pendragón. Prosecutor, please," said the judge. The man in question didn't move. He is still in shock. "Prosecutor…"
The White Knight put his feet back on the ground. He got up.
"I'm indicting the defendant, Taizo Kirihara, on charges of sexual assault."
Again, he took a seat.
"Defending?"
Lawyer Lamperouge kept his gaze fixed on the prosecutor.
"The defense rejects all the charges. The accused pleads not guilty"
He had said those words so many times that the sentence had lost its meaning, but today it seemed to have partially recovered it. Prosecutor Kururugi continued.
"The accused, Taizo Kirihara, and the victim, Nina Einstein, were at a company dinner with some co-workers at the Horai restaurant around 7:40 PM. After the second round of drinks, Mr. Kirihara claimed he was unwell and asked Ms. Einstein to help him get to his car. She said she would call a driver and asked him to wait for her to come, thus leading her into the vehicle. However, he never came. There was no record on the phone of a call with the driver. I'll hand over Taizo Kirihara's phone records that day as evidence."
The prosecutor picked up some papers from the table and handed them to the judge. It was clear on the screen that there was no record of conversations after 4:45 PM.
"Inside the car, Taizo Kirihara tried to sexually abuse Nina Einstein," the prosecutor said. Nina was sitting on the first bench, among the audience, hearing the murmurings behind her; she closed her lids and pursed her lips as if she were holding nausea at the memory of something horrible. "I'm calling the victim, Nina Einstein, as a witness."
Hearing her name, the young woman took her place on the dais. Although her head was lowered, everyone could see the mixture of dread and despair that disfigured her face. It was understandable that it was hard for her to be in the same place as her attacker.
"Nina," the prosecutor softened his voice. "In your statement, you noted that the defendant made regular physical contact with you, correct?"
"Yes," she agreed without looking back at him. "He said that my shoulders were tense and that I had to walk upright or else my spine would twist and, although I didn't want to, I was massaged here." Nina touched her shoulder blades in keeping with her speech. She couldn't suppress a whimper. "I hated it, but couldn't refuse."
"What?!" yelled the Vice President, not believing his ears. The lawyer grabbed his shoulder, urging him to calm down with a squeeze. "She's lying! I never said ...!"
Mr. Taizo was silent. He sat down again with resignation. The lawyer got up.
"It isn't a confirmed act. If we were to take Ms. Einstein's words as evidence of sexual harassment at work, every male Britannia Corps employee would be prosecuted."
The judge made an affirmative movement at the objection of the defense, who sat down again. The White Knight resumed questioning.
"Ms. Einstein, just before getting out of the car, what did the defendant say to you?"
"That if I told the police or anyone else, I'd be fired," she said in a shrill voice.
"Since you started working for Britannia Corps a month ago, you were on a test period and he, being the vice president of the company, could fire you whenever he wanted. He told you that, right?" Prosecutor Kururugi asked, leaning up to Nina trying to meet her gaze.
"Yes."
"Your Honor, the real problem with workplace sexual harassment is the abuse of power. What is at discussion here is what Taizo Kirihara owns and what Nina Einstein has to lose. I'm talking about power!" The prosecutor explained with conviction, turning to the listeners. He turned for a second to look at Nina. "Please, Miss Einstein, look up, you've done nothing wrong."
Nina obeyed him. Of course, she did her best to avoid meeting a glance with the accused.
"Defense, would you like to question?" Asked the judge.
"No. I'm going to cross-examine the witness I have brought," said lawyer Lamperouge.
"I understand. Bring the defense witness to the stand."
In the courtroom, a young woman with brown hair appeared that the prosecutor didn't identify. Who was she? It couldn't be an eyewitness. He had found her before, hadn't he? As the victim left, he exchanged a brief glance with the defense witness. She looked as dumbfounded as the prosecutor Kururugi. The woman took her place in the auditorium, wringing her hands.
"Could you introduce yourself to the court?"
"I'm Sophie Wood, with a degree in chemistry."
Although it was a question, his intonation didn't match. The lawyer didn't seem to mind that the prosecution had the upper hand. It moved in a short sway with feline grace.
"What kind of relationship did you have with the victim, Nina Einstein?"
"We were classmates from college."
"And at that time, she sued you for the crime of injury, right?"
"Yes, she did"
The prosecutor frowned. "Where are you taking this to, Lelouch?" Nina's gaze wandered erratically from point to point. Not sure where to stop. Her breathing began to accelerate.
"And did they prosecute you in that lawsuit?"
"No. She withdrew it because we reached a monetary arrangement," the witness replied.
"It's a lie, Your Honor! There was no such agreement!" Nina protested excitedly.
"Is that it?" The lawyer questioned, putting his hands behind his back. He walked to his table and grabbed a sheet. He showed it to everyone present. "This is the record of the bank transfer of the settlement fund between the witness and the victim, Nina Einstein."
"Objection! The defense is bringing to light an event that has nothing to do with this trial and clouds the real problem," the White Knight intervened energetically.
"The fact that Ms. Einstein was involved in another assault case is important to the court," Lawyer Lamperouge added calmly.
"Objection denied, prosecution," said the judge.
The lawyer turned over the evidence and walked over to the witness once more.
"Ms. Wood, apart from the relationship with her companions, did you have another type of relationship with the victim of this trial?"
"We were girlfriends," she sighed.
"So you're saying that Ms. Einstein sued her own girlfriend for the crime of injury?" Asked lawyer Lamperouge.
"Yes."
"And who of the two brought up the subject of the agreement the first time?"
For that question, he slightly changed the tone of his voice. Unless someone knew him well, like prosecutor Kururugi, that gesture was priceless. The left corner of his stretched lip concealed a buzzing smile. The lawyer was enjoying it.
"It was Nina."
Sophie's response seemed to have chiseled the fate of the case, or at least for the moment, the tides had turned. Those present whispered about it.
Nina stopped short. She had to grab onto the back of the front side to contain herself.
"Damn you, why don't you also say you're a plagiarist?!" She roared. "Honorable Judge, she tricked me into thinking she loved me to steal my thesis project! That was why I sued her!" Nina admitted breathlessly.
"Please calm down," the judge ordered.
"Your honor, this is a trial in which the life of a man who has worked hard for the company and for his family is at stake," said the lawyer, using the same words as the prosecution. "The lies of Ms. Einstein, who has demanded money in a similar case in the past, shouldn't ruin a man's life. The defense rests."
The judge assimilated the final statement of the defense. Lelouch sat down having finished. Nina's face was seized with convulsions of fury and panic. Suzaku closed his eyes. The vice president himself was placidly perplexed. Not so much because of the surprising testimony, but because of the lawyer's exposure. That assurance, that cunning, those feline features were quite familiar. How hadn't he noticed when he went to visit him in the penitentiary? The man who had joined the auditorium last whistled in shock. The scandalous case of sexual assault instigated by abuse of power, had it become an attempt to extract money from a poor man? He hadn't anticipated that play on the part of the defense. The lawyer must have done a thorough investigation to find out that incident. Now the prosecution had to present strong evidence or else the defense would crush it.
Outside the courtroom, Suzaku met with the victim, who was sorry for her behavior at the trial.
"You should have told me," he chided her, sober.
"I didn't think it was necessary: it was a finished matter. In truth, there was no money. I withdrew it because she begged me. She said that if she was found guilty, her family would disown her and that she only had her career," she explained with tears in her eyes. "I felt compassion. She sent that money as a form of thanks and to clear her conscience."
"It's okay. I'm just telling you because if we get hit like that again, we'll lose the case," he emphasized.
Nina nodded, stifled. Suzaku realized that they weren't alone. In the hallway, Lelouch watched them. He grabbed hold of the collar of his suit and pulled it up. Then he left, without saying anything. Suzaku quickly ended his conversation with Nina and followed the lawyer to the roof. After climbing the stairs, the prosecutor searched the compound. Lelouch stood, backlit, facing a formidable city divided by a narrow river, his hands shoved into his pockets.
They were alone.
"Seventeen years later and I didn't think you'd use that 500-word sign language again," Suzaku observed wistfully.
"You haven't forgotten," Lelouch smiled proudly. "I created it to send us secret messages that nosy adults and annoying kids won't pick up on, who knew it would still be useful! You'll understand. It's better if no one sees the lawyer and the prosecutor in the same case talking. It's subject to misinterpretation."
Suzaku approached him from behind. Lelouch turned around. They exchanged a look in silence. How do you greet someone you haven't seen in almost twenty years? Suzaku improvised surprising his interlocutor with a hug. Lelouch ended up returning the gesture with some stiffness in his arms. As if he wasn't used to such displays. Suzaku didn't know how much he wanted to do that until he patted him on the back.
"How have you been, old friend?" Suzaku asked in a warm intonation.
They separated. Lelouch considered his answer.
"I'm better".
"Glad to hear it. I was afraid I had done something to upset you. You and Nunnally left the house without saying goodbye and you broke the communication! You completely disappeared! That's not right." He pretended to admonish him. He wanted to joke with him, but it was the first joke he had made in a long time. He felt rusty.
"You know that I hate goodbyes," He defended himself. "Anyway, Nunnally I left town. It was impossible to visit you again."
"I understand. That's a shame!" He exclaimed. Suddenly, he struck him amiably on the arm. "Look at you, how much you have changed! You are… taller."
It was the worst and the best that he could think of. Both start laughing.
"You're taller too, Suzaku," Lelouch praised slyly.
"Yeah, well, I would have liked you to try to contact me to meet in a better place than a trial. When did you both arrive?"
"The last week."
"How is Nunnally?" Suzaku asked with reserve.
Lelouch inspired.
"Happy to be back," he answered circumspectly. "Although she regrets not being able to go to her favorite places without Sayoko and see how much everything has changed."
That was a complete answer. Suzaku frowned in distress.
"I'd also like to greet her when possible," he said in a strangled voice. Topic change. "It's an irony of life that, even if we haven't spoken for more than ten years, we've studied the same career and we meet again as a lawyer and prosecutor in a trial, will fate have been planned?"
"I don't believe in predestination," Lelouch replied, shrugging. "As a child you displayed a strong sense of justice and duty. Although I didn't consider it as one of my favorite possibilities, since I didn't see you as a public servant: you were somewhat selfish then."
The comment made Suzaku smile.
"I didn't imagine you as a lawyer either. Detective, yes, of course you could never have passed the physical exam. You're still the same in that, right?" The man pursed his lips, avoiding answering, in order to protect his ego. Suzaku was amused. "Lelouch, I need you to answer me something" he asked, serious. "Why are you defending the vice president of Britannia Corps? You know what the owner of that company did to your ..."
"The vice president chose me to do the job. He doesn't think lawyer Gottwald is going to get him out of jail. That's all," Lelouch cut in brusquely.
"Is there no other reason?"
"There's nothing else," he confirmed innocently. "When a lawyer contracts with a client, guilty or innocent, he has to win no matter how."
The coldness in his eyes contrasted markedly with the smile that formed his lips.
Suzaku looked down for a moment, pondering. The way he ended his answer reminded him of what he said on the day of the trial against his mother's murderer. However, there was nothing else he could do. It wasn't the answer he was waiting to hear, neither the one who would be resigned to admit. His cell phone snapped him out of a trance. It was established that it was his superior prosecutor. He needed to see him urgently.
"Dammit! We'll have to postpone our talk. They call me from the prosecution," he lamented. "Great defense, lawyer," he praised him. Lelouch widened his smile. Suzaku was about to retreat when he turned suddenly. "I made you a promise seventeen years ago. I'll show you that you were wrong that time. There are still good men left, Lelouch."
They were the same words he uttered in that trial. The questioned raised his eyebrows. He couldn't tell if it was an ironic or a skeptical gesture. It could be both.
"No, he definitely hasn't forgotten."
At the end of the trial, the spectator, whom we left for the last time in the courtroom as the reader will remember, left the place, joining the human tide that had flocked to the auditorium. Everyone was commenting on the event. Our man, on the other hand, went to the drinking fountain and made a call from there. I haven't introduced him properly, so I'll hasten to correct my mistake: his name was Kanon Maldini. He's the Britannia Corps section chief. As soon as President Schneizel found out that the vice president undid his contract with the company's lawyer, replacing him with a younger one that he hadn't heard of, or believed to be, he had to make sure that Mr. Kirihara was in good hands, even if he had the reference from his little sister. Not many times Euphemia was ahead of him, so he wanted to hear her opinion from the lawyer. She showered him with praise. She considered him an intelligent man, of good sense and eloquent and not that she questioned his credibility, but it was difficult for Euphemia li Britannia to express herself badly. She could even highlight one quality of her worst enemy, if she had any, which is an impossible thing. To clear his doubts, he sent a trusted man whose work had never disappointed him. He confirmed what she said and added two qualities: thorough and self-confidence.
President Schneizel was working in his personal office at home when his cell phone rang. His loyal bodyguard, Luciano Bradley, was with him. With the long description of the trial, he was struck by curiosity. "Who the hell was Lelouch Lamperouge?" It was true that every day lawyers graduate and come to Pendragon because they can earn tons of money, but not everyone takes other people's cases. It was weird and dirty.
"If you allow me the audacity to give my opinion, President, unless the prosecution comes up with evidence of the type that turns the trial around, the defense will win."
"I understand," President Schneizel said. "The prosecution will need help to destroy Mr. Kirihara." The man shot a discreet glance at his bodyguard, weighing every word he intended to say. Luciano smiled playfully. On the other end of the receiver, his assistant shook his head. "Another task done perfectly, come back immediately."
President Schneizel hung up first. Luciano withdrew with a half bow. On the threshold he almost ran into the president's younger sister: Cornelia. He sputtered his apologies. Although what he said was unintelligible, he didn't entertain it and continued on. The woman entered the office.
Cornelia li Britannia, named for the legendary queen of the British and character in Shakespearean tragedy: Cordelia. For unknown reasons, at the last minute her father decided to change the "d" to "n" when registering. Perhaps because giving her a new name was emphasizing that she was his. Shakespeare was the same. He invented names for his creations. The typical arrogance that generated feeling original. Still, the noblewoman and warrior legacy inherent in the name wasn't lost, seeping into the veins and pores of Charles zi Britannia's third daughter. Like her ancestors, as it would be expected from a Britannia, Cornelia was a winner. From a very young age, she brought her family honor and glory. As a teenager, she was crowned as a professional judo athlete and model. Her career as an athlete was longer and more memorable for the general public, but she remembered both fondly since, when she reached the age of majority, she put all that aside to fully immerses herself in the family business. Of course, she could never bury her past: her graceful movements and soft swagger gave away her foray into the world of modeling; not to mention that she used to go to the dojo to practice judo twice a week.
Cornelia was the director general of Britannia Corps, and her father had made it clear to her that that was all she was going to aspire to. To which she reluctantly resigned herself. Well, she was able to "get even" by postponing the fate he had planned for her: marrying and having children with the surname Britannia. Something she could still do. At thirty-five, she was a stern, noble beauty who continued to captivate and intimidate the men around her. But no, Cornelia had already married her family and company. The lioness chose a successful life over marriage and her beloved brothers supported her. These generations of Britannia, in opposition to the rumors of the curse, were very close and openly manifested it.
President Schneizel knew the reason for Principal Cornelia's visit: she was in charge of organizing his pompous party for his appointment that would be that same night. They smiled fondly at each other.
"Are you busy?" Cornelia asked, coming closer.
"I always have plenty of time to talk to my sister." He smiled at her, setting aside the paperwork. "Are the preparations ready?" He ventured, intertwining his fingers.
"Almost," She replied, sitting in the corner of Schneizel's desk. "Euphemia is on it. You know she loves to decorate and is a better organizer in that regard than I am."
"That's true. The holidays put our Euphie in a good mood. She took care of the last one we had last year. It was for the anniversary of the company. If I'm not wrong, it was a costume party. She dressed like a princess."
"No, her costume was an angel. You presented yourself as king."
"Oh yeah! It was a suggestion from our associates. It was originally a joke, of course." He laughed at the memory. "I was short of ideas," he added. "I'm sorry you canceled your trip to New York. If I had found out that our father intended to throw a huge celebration for my promotion, I ..."
"Don't say anything about it. Flights can be rescheduled. You deserve a party. You've practically invested your entire life for this company," the director replied with a gentle smile. "I come from our winery. I was looking for the wine that would best accompany the canapés that we'll serve."
"Your taste in selecting liquor is exquisite," he pointed out earnestly. "I trust that you have made a good decision."
"The kitchen has always been my strength, hasn't it?" She acknowledged, grabbing her wrist, "but let's not kid ourselves: your taste in wine is indisputable."
The Britannia family owned a vineyard in California and the vine they harvested produced delicious wine, to which Schneizel had access. His fascination with this liquor was well known. He liked to taste wines of different brands and years to add new "labels" to his collection. He used to have a drink in the afternoon or evening and had a tradition of uncorking a bottle and offering his client a drink each time he entered into a deal to seal the happy partnership. Along with the white suits of Italian fashion, they were his greatest pleasures.
"I checked the guest list. We'll have a large number," the director commented. "More than fifty and less than a hundred. Assembly members, ministers, legislators, agents will come ... Didn't Dad tell you if he was coming?"
President Schneizel pretended to think so. He had already found out the reason for her visit. Well, with her sister he didn't have to resort to tricks. The trust between them was mutual.
"He has to. It was he who put the keys to the company in my hands. Anyway, it isn't the first time that he uses these parties to finalize his agreements without telling us anything. Besides," he stopped. Director Cornelia agreed with a sad gesture "He asked me to invite someone very special."
"Who?" She inquired, frowning.
"The key to his political campaign," He smiled. Of course, with such an answer he had said everything and nothing at the same time leaving his sister on edge. "Did Euphemia invite lawyer Lamperouge to the ceremony?"
Since Director Cornelia had brought it up, he could steer the conversation to his target without a hitch.
"She did. Doesn't it seem like maybe she's rushing everything? She met him a week ago at the art show and invites him over the house the next," she thought aloud.
"I don't think so. I guess it is good that she introduces us to her friend once, since we can study the nature of their behavior and thus Euphie shows us that she does not intend to hide anything from us. Cornelia, dear," he whispered, gently holding her arms, " I know how much you care about her, but let her be. Have you not noticed the spark of life in her eyes? Euphemia was downcast these months and it was thanks to the lawyer that she recovered that joy that makes us love her so much." he was about to add something, but changed his mind in the end. "Well, I must go. I'll try to return not so late. "Apologize myself to Euphie. I'll see the living room later."
Schneizel released Cornelia, put his phone away, and left.
Suzaku met with his superior, Prosecutor Guildford, in his office. It wasn't he who asked to see him, even though he had called, but the new chief prosecutor, which Suzaku couldn't believe. He had to ask a second time to make sure he heard correctly and he repeated his answer. He wasn't kidding. Now, why did one of the most important people in the prosecution want to speak to him? He reviewed his recent actions, was it because he had done something wrong or was he behind on other cases? Was it because his constant comings and goings to crime scenes bothered the police department and the new prosecutor wasn't going to tolerate that? Well, he couldn't be ignorant. Last week the news spread that that day he would go to work. Only that he had indulged in the sexual assault case in such a way that it'd been overlooked. Suzaku resigned himself. Whatever had to happen, he would take on if it was his responsibility.
The two entered the office. The hairs on the back of Suzaku's neck stood up: he recognized who was sitting in the lawyer chief's chair. A heavyset man with wavy dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, dark skin, thick eyebrows, and blue eyes. He wore a monocle over his left eye.
"Prosecutor Kururugi!" Prosecutor Guildford censured. "What are you doing? You're in front of the prosecutor's general, Bismarck ..."
"Waldstein. It's a pleasure to meet you," he muttered under his breath, bowing respectfully. "I'm the prosecutor Suzaku Kururugi."
Suzaku remembered the prosecutor from the Marianne Lamperouge murder trial seventeen years ago and his enthusiastic handshake with the defense lawyer. Of all those involved, in his view, the worst was Waldstein: his job was to punish the guilty, but because of the money he closed his eyes to injustice. How did a scum climb such a high position? He couldn't understand it.
"So you won the Prosecutor of the Year award? I didn't expect you to be so young. You must have worked very hard. Congratulations." He smiled at him.
For some absurd reason, he was annoyed that Waldstein was unaware that he was the winner of the award when everyone congratulated him on it.
"Thank you."
"No problem. One of these days, we should eat together. You know, to get to know each other. I hope my example inspires you to continue to do a good job."
Suzaku clenched his knuckles. The Chief Prosecutor had plenty of humor that Prosecutor Guildford lacked. The young man hated to be complacent, but he knew he had no choice and nodded. It appears that the prosecutor Waldstein called up him because he wanted to meet the winner of the prosecutor of the year award and congratulate him in person. He imagined a lot of possible scenarios that would explain that greeting and didn't foresee an optimistic one: it was true that this had been the only notable event in which he was featured as a star.
Suzaku felt like he was able to breathe again after leaving the office. With Waldstein on the prowl, it would probably be difficult to move with the freedom he had. Was this appointment due to the fact that the presidential elections were close? Yes, it couldn't be otherwise! His thoughts raced through his mind so fast that Suzaku didn't notice when he returned to his office. Inspector Croomy stood up just when she saw him.
"Suza… Prosecutor Kururugi, you've a visitor."
Suzaku looked away. President Schneizel was sitting on the green couch against the wall. He got up immediately.
"How are you, Prosecutor Kururugi?" It pleases me to see you again.
"President Schneizel! The pleasure is mutual," Suzaku exclaimed. This had been a huge surprise. "W-what brings you here? Would you want…?"
"A cup of coffee?" He advanced, shaking his hand. "Don't bother. Your inspector offered it to me upon arrival and I declined. I'm not here to steal an hour of your time to pester you about our vice president's case, unless you need to ask me questions."
"I don't have any, but if you didn't come for that, what's the reason?"
"Simple. I hate to brag about my achievements: it leads to overconfidence and then eventually disaster, but this time it needs to be mentioned to put it in context. My father made me president of the Britannia Corps," he explained laconically. "You may know about it."
"Believe me not!" He admitted, stunned. How much news had he missed that he kept falling into astonishment? His work absorbed him quite a bit. "Congratulations. So that means that President Charles ..."
"He'll prepare himself for his campaign. Because of my promotion," he resumed, "they're throwing a party tonight and I would like to invite you."
"And did you bother to come here from your company to invite me in person?" Suzaku stammered. He rubbed the back of his neck, overwhelmed. "You're very attentive."
"To use all known persuasion strategies," agreed the President.
"I'm flattered that you thought of inviting me, but I've been overworked with these ..."
"You're not understanding, Prosecutor Kururugi," he cut in, smiling. "I remind you that this sudden rise is the work of my father and the party too, and therefore ..."
"I see, and what's President Charles's interest in me?" Suzaku asked suspiciously.
"I couldn't answer that. I'm sorry. He just asked me for that favor and told me not to hesitate to be persuasive with you. And I believe that there is no better way than to be direct and sincere. However, of one thing I'm sure: President Charles isn't gullible. He's a visionary. Among all those running for president, he's the only one who can lead this country to the top. I'm not saying it because he's my father. He has a plan and we're all part of it. In his eyes, we're pieces on a chessboard." President Schneizel spoke absently without looking at Suzaku until he pulled out that fact. After a short pause, he asked, looking at him: "Did you know? He loves that game. I would say that passion for chess is everything that unites us, apart from blood and the company."
"No."
"So now you do," he said cheerfully. Will you come to our party?
Suzaku hesitated. "Do I have a choice?" He was dying to say, but held back. He finally blurted out:
"I'll be happy to go."
"Wonderful!" His smile widened. He walked over to him and took him by the shoulder, friendly. "One more thing: since it's a party, there will be dances that you don't want to miss. Take your girlfriend."
"I don't have a girlfriend," he confessed shyly.
"Oh no? Okay, never mind, I'm sure you'll find a match in time. As a young, successful, and handsome prosecutor, you must have hundreds of ladies eager to go out with you," he encouraged him gently. He patted him. "I'll see you tonight."
President Schneizel left. Suzaku had a lost expression. Suddenly, he had two concerns on his hands: President Charles, what the hell did he want to talk to him about, and his partner, where could he find one for tonight? It all led to an uncomfortable question: How did he end up getting involved in Britannia Corps affairs? Poor Suzaku, already assuming the inevitable, tried to be positive: this could be the beginning of the goal that he set himself seventeen years ago.
With this new lens, Suzaku couldn't wait for the night to come.
Why does a person go to court to give a statement? The first answer that comes to mind is because they receive a subpoena, which is impossible to ignore. Even though it isn't always like that. Most of the testimonies depend on the will of the witnesses, but what happens when they don't want to appear in court? There are several ways to convince them and it's here that the expertise of a lawyer is proven.
Following his buddy orders, Tamaki investigated Nina. He discovered her past relationship with Sophie Wood and the lawsuit against her. Coincidentally, her name was the same as one of the clients of a drug dealer he knew. He didn't delay in telling Lelouch and he planned a meeting with him. The Camel confirmed it. Right away, he found out when the next time they were going to meet would be and went with Tamaki. They made sure to take several photos of the reunion before cheering up to watch it. She wasn't very willing to cooperate with them when Lelouch asked her to testify in court. Lelouch couldn't afford to be patient. Each day that passed was one less for the trial and he needed to have the upper hand, so he offered her a "deal": she would attend the court as a defense witness and tell all about the lawsuit and he, for his part, would disposed of any evidence that accused her of drug possession. Sophie changed her mind on the spot and the rest is history.
Now, it was Lelouch's turn to fulfill the covenant. Sophie went to his office. He showed her that he had the photos in his possession. He took out the tinderbox he had "borrowed" from C.C. and in front of her he burned everything. Sophie breathed easy.
"Thank you very much for your testimony, Miss Wood. It was very helpful."
"If that's all, I'll withdraw."
"Wait!" He exclaimed. Lelouch picked up one of his business cards from one of his desk drawers, grabbed her hand, and placed it in her palm. "If you're not careful, you could end up in trouble one day and need a lawyer," he said in a seductive voice, closing her hand affectionately. She flinched at his touch. She looked at his fist and then at him. She hadn't noticed how pretty the lawyer's eyes were. "Go away," he ordered coldly.
Sophie snapped back to reality and nodded. Alone, Lelouch leaned back in his seat. His current office was larger than the old one he had rented in the other city. It was logical, since he had transformed his old bedroom into his office. In addition to having what other law firms possessed: a desk, a computer, leather chairs, a bookcase, his framed diploma..., he had a scale model of a castle that he was building piece by piece in a corner of the room and a chess board resting on a low, rectangular living room table. The piece will have been completely renovated, but the atmosphere smelled of nostalgia. The ideal setting to drink from the memories...
After Luciano Bradley was cleared of all charges, little Lelouch went straight to the hospital where his sister was admitted. Suzaku offered to accompany him, and he declined: he had to go it alone. Nunnally wanted to go to trial with him, knowing that he was carrying the consequences of a disaster that affected both of them equally; so the least she could do was share that weight. However, her condition prevented it. The doctor had informed Lelouch that the bullet had lodged in her spinal cord causing her to paraplegia. How was he going to tell his sister that she would never dance again, that she wasn't even going to walk? How was he going to tell her that the murderer was released that morning and that the case was going to close as a suicide? Nor did he want to think about his next concern: his mother's funeral. Lelouch went into Nunnally's room. She was restless in her bed. She wasn't used to having her eyes closed for long. He looked at her tiny, fragile hand on the sheet and grasped it with both hands.
"Brother! Is that you? Did you come back?" Nunnally gasped, tilting her head from side to side in search of him. "How was the trial? Tell me everything, please. Did they catch him?"
"Well…" he whispered weakly. He didn't know how to continue and left the words suspended in the air. The girl held her breath and then squeezed his hand fearfully. "No… I'm sorry," he spat out in frustration.
Nunnally opened her lids. Her eyeballs were two colorless shells, empty. Tears welled up in her eyes. She didn't say or do anything for a disturbing few seconds, compounding Lelouch's anguish. Suddenly, she choked on a terrible cry. Lelouch didn't know how to comfort her. Inside he was already fighting a fierce battle to contain himself. He wanted to cry too; but he didn't want to make things worse: Nunnally was too upset. He told himself that for the two of them he should remain calm. Just like his mother did.
"B-but how?" Nunnally yelled, unable to speak. "Y-you told him everything, w-what else did he need? Brother… you promised me that everything would be alright! It's unfair! What are we going to do?! Our mom died, our dad is gone, what will happen to us?! I don't want to be taken away from you!" Sob. She stopped to sniffle. "Lelouch! I want Mom to be back with us!"
The little girl was trembling. She lunged forward and cried hard on her lap. This time it was Lelouch who squeezed her hand and wrapped his arms around her. She rested her cheek on his back.
"Forgive me," he murmured, thinking that if he lowered the volume of his voice he wouldn't be in danger of breaking it. "Forgive me, please," he begged desperately. It was difficult for her to listen to her brother. "I broke my promise," he agreed. Immediately she had to blink many times to shake off the tears that were gathering on her lashes, "It all went wrong. The world isn't a fair place, but I promise you" as Lelouch controlled his emotions more, his tone darkened" that I'll fight to give you one: whoever did this to us will be punished and everyone who helped him too. Just give me some time. Trust me one more time," he asked. His features had hardened by that point. "Don't cry anymore: they aren't going to separate us. You'll not be alone: I'll always be with you. I'll take care of you."
Lelouch recalled that, having made that promise, his sister began to calm down. She was just whimpering without air. She still had faith in him. That had hit a sensitive key on Lelouch.
That July 10, her mother was killed trying to expose the Britannia Corps and her family had fallen from grace. President Charles had to lose everything in severance: his company, his reputation, his success, his family. An hour ago, he had sworn to destroy the Britannia Corps with Suzaku serving as a witness. In that conversation with his sister, he reaffirmed what he had said and even though he wasn't precisely thinking of becoming a lawyer, he was focused on drawing up a plan. If she hadn't taken him seriously since then, she would have been whispering hollow words. He wouldn't make the same mistake.
He would keep his promise to Nunnally at any cost. He would make justice.
Lelouch pinched the bridge of his nose. It didn't matter if seventeen years had passed. In his dreams, even every time he closed his eyes and the darkness swallowed him, he saw the sinister looping through his mind. It was as if he was condemned to repeat it.
The siblings were in Nunnally's room and Lelouch, indeed, was helping her with her homework at school. It was then that they heard the door open. Mom had arrived. They abandoned everything and ran to meet her. She was in the study. Nunnally welcomed her mother with a bear hug. He lagged behind. Water trickled through Marianne's hair. She was drenched from head to toe and gasped for air. He guessed that she had run to the house to get out of the rain.
"Mommy, you're home!" Nunnally exclaimed happily. Marianne shook her tightly.
"I am, sweetheart," she assured her. "We don't have time. Hurry up, kids! Help me pack. We must leave."
""Leave?" Why?" Lelouch asked, confused.
And so rang the bell
"I'll open up!" Nunnally exclaimed, smiling. The little girl let go of her mother and bounced off happily.
"No, Nunnally! Come back!" Marianne screamed, but her daughter couldn't hear.
"Mom, why do we have to go?" Lelouch insisted.
Marianne turned and looked at her son expectantly. Hurriedly, she picked up a picture frame that was hanging on one wall. She took the photo and then a pen from a drawer. She wrote down an address on the back, knelt in front of the boy, and stuffed it into his pants pocket, along with all the money in her wallet. She grabbed him by the little arms, forcing him to look at her.
"I've given you the Ashfords' address," she explained urgently. "If something happens to me, go with them and never come back to Pendragon again. Trust no one."
"Why…?"
"And take care of your sister! I need you to do that can you, Lelouch?" She asked, cradling her little face in his hands.
Standing face to face, the boy noticed his mother's dilated pupils. Marianne's nervous energy was rubbing off on him.
"Why do you say those things?" What's happening?!" He demanded to know.
One shot made them jump enormously. Nunnally screamed. The boy felt his heart rise to his throat. He wanted to go see; however, Marianne pulled him towards her, stopping him.
"No, Lelouch! Hide yourself! Hide yourself!"
And she pushed him towards the bookcase. The tone of alarm in her voice convinced him that he should obey. He opened the secret passage and entered. It didn't close completely. He glimpsed some unknown men arriving. He guessed that the leader must be the one who's a step ahead of the others, a guy with brown hair and a sharp jaw. Those with him fanned out around her.
"Hello, honey," he greeted with a dazzling smile that revealed his crooked yellow teeth. "Did you think you were going to run too far? Too bad we're faster." He laughed at his joke. "You know what we are looking for. You better tell me where it is."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Marianne muttered through her teeth.
"You don't know what I'm talking about?" He repeated. He walked slowly towards her in a zigzag, he looked like a predator. He grabbed her chin in a snap. "Fine," he said, sliding his pistol from her temple to the chin. Marianne stood firm. The bully widened his mocking smile. "So, I'll blow a nice hole in that head like the one I did to your daughter in her ..."
"What did you do to my daughter?!"
"SHUT UP!" He yelled, hitting her with the butt. Marianne broke down. The man reached down and pulled his hair up. Lelouch sensed that blood was dripping from his forehead. "Listen to me, honey!" He snapped, raising his voice. This threat wasn't directed at her. His eyes roamed the study frantically. "I know you're here! If you don't come out right now, I'll blow a hole in your mother's head. Would you like that?!"
"There's no one else here," Marianne moaned.
The bully pulled so hard from the roots of her hair that it brought tears to her eyes.
"Do you think I'm an idiot?! I saw a third umbrella on the stand in the lobby and I saw the pictures!" He barked into her ear. Marianne closed her eyes, protecting herself. "Let's go, baby. Don't you want to go out and play? I assure you we'll have a lot of fun." He broke into an ugly hyena laugh that gave Lelouch chills. The man seemed to be serious. "It's been enough already!" He roared, serious. "If you don't come out, I'll kill her. At one o'clock" he put the gun to his mother's temple; "at two o'clock" he put his finger on the trigger, "and at..."
"Let her go!"
Lelouch came out. He was taken by two men in the act. The ruffian left Marianne alone. He approached him with a heart of cucumbers, evaluated him and patted him with delicacy. The child made a superhuman effort to show immovability. The dogs frightened the people and, therefore, attacked them. Perhaps it would work with that man.
"Good, good, good boy. He looks like you, Marianne," he scoffed, turning briefly to her. "Hey kid, help me. If you tell me what I want to know, I promise you that your mother, your sister and you'll come out, if not unharmed, alive." He bit his lower lip to contain a giggle. Lelouch welcomed his efforts to keep his dating cool. His heart was beating a thousand times. "Don't you believe me? Sight!" He stretched the collar of his shirt, showing him part of his bare chest. "Look at it, cunt!" He ordered, increasing his voice. His tone flexed with his mood swings. The boy decided to listen, thinking that it was better not to exacerbate his anger. The man regained his good spirits. "You see it?" He asked, excited. There were thousands of notches on his chest, distributed from right to left. They had already healed, of course. Still, the image was awkward and hideous. Lelouch pulled himself together by taking a deep breath. "When I kill someone, I get a little cut. First than all, to keep the count; on second, to remember it. Each brand is special, you know? They are my trophies and, I'll be frank, I have so many that I hardly have space!" He stated proudly. "I had planned to cut myself in honor of you and your pretty mom here," he said, rolling up the sleeve of his jacket at the crease of his elbow. On his forearm, he noted that he, too, had scars, less than on his chest. He signed up in a free zone "Or I might not. It's all up to you. Answer me, where is the memory card?"
"He doesn't know anything, Luciano!" Marianne interrupted.
"You don't know?" Luciano asked him without taking his eyes off his prey. Lelouch's jaw stubbornly stayed closed. The bully bowed his head. "An innocent child ..."
Luciano got to his feet, walked around the boy, and stood behind. He ruffled his hair pretending to brush it. Suddenly, he grabbed him by the head and by the chin. Luciano felt the saliva pass through Lelouch's throat. Smiled wickedly
"Damn it, Luciano. Tell me you're not going serious."
This time the one who had spoken was one of the men who came with Luciano. Up to that point, the boy had only been watching over him. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at the owner of that voice that had suddenly come out. He was the youngest of all, tall, lanky, red-haired. Two locks fell down both sides of her face. Lelouch found the shape of his eyes peculiar: angular. Luciano didn't take it seriously.
"I've never killed a child," the bully rambled. "What would your broken neck sound like? I'm curious, just like an adult?"
"No! NO! My son, NO!" Marianne whimpered. "Fine. You win ... I'll tell you where it is."
"No, Mom! Don't do it!" Lelouch blurted out.
"I have to," She groaned. "Your life isn't worth more than a card."
The woman got up, defeated. She searched the shelf and pulled out a book. She opened it, turned the pages, and picked up a tiny device. One of the men took it off and conferred it on Luciano. He inspected it from different angles, making sure it was the card he was looking for, then put it away and pulled out his cell phone. He called his boss. Instinctively, he wandered around the room, dragging the little boy with him in order to get a better reception. They stopped in front of the bookseller.
"Sir, it's me," he said playfully stroking Lelouch's hair. "I recovered the memory card. What do I do with the lawyer and her children?"
"Get rid of them."
The volume was so high that Lelouch could hear. It was a deep booming voice. Impossible that it belonged to a woman.
"Alright," Luciano confirmed.
He hung up and put the cell phone away. He placed his hands on the boy's tense shoulders, massaging him. Lelouch flinched. He racked his brains wondering how to get rid. If nothing occurred to him, they were going to kill them. Unexpectedly, Luciano threw him to the ground and pointed his pistol at him.
"No! Please no! Don't kill him!" Marianne squealed, hugging her legs. Luciano winced. "I gave you the memory! You said you wouldn't hurt us if we gave it to you! What else do I need to do to… ?!"
Luciano silenced her by unleashing a blow on her.
"I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!" Why-is-this-damn-bitch-won't-stop-interfering?!" He gasped, kicking her hard between each short pause to get her to release him."
Marianne held on even tighter until her arms grew weak and she completely crumbled. Luciano was able to stop at that point, as he had achieved what he wanted. Yet he was so immersed in such an act that he lost consciousness. He liked to hear the mother sob in pain and plead for her son. Even more, as his bones creaked with each new blow. Lelouch was forced to watch in horror as his mother flinched in on herself as her body bounced from side to side. His mother, the imposing woman he had seen in various trials, the woman who always smiled at her children. It was on the ground vexed, bruised, broken.
"Stop, stop, STOP!" Lelouch thundered, pale.
"Sight!" Luciano roared, finally slowing himself down. Still looking at Marianne, he pointed her sticky finger at Lelouch. "Look what you did! You scared your son! It's your fault, you bastard bitch," he yelled, kicking her once more. "Now watch your son die!"
"Luciano! Think about it, please! This wasn't part of the plan," the young man tried to dissuade him.
"The boss said he didn't want any loose ends and I agree," Luciano cackled.
"It's just a boy!" What could he do?!" The other insisted.
"He's a boy who knows too much! And don't intervene anymore or I'll put a hole in your head too!" He replied. "Charles zi Britannia sends you his regards!"
Luciano was unable to shoot him because the mother rushed at him to protect her little boy with the last of her strength. Marianne tried to get hold of the weapon, but even if the adrenaline had renewed her vigor, she could not defeat Luciano and when his men entered the struggle: there was nothing she could do.
"Run away, Lelouch!" She ordered him. "I'll distract him! Don't forget what I told you!"
And a shot went off.
Severe pain in the frontal lobe disturbed Lelouch's musings. The lawyer covered the left half of his face with his hand. He squeezed his eyes shut. He felt a pang go through his left eye. He groped his desk blindly. He found a bottle of pills. He uncapped it, took out two aspirins, and swallowed them dry. Behind his eyelids, Lelouch saw a red pool, formed from his sister's blood, and his mother's body slumped backward. His head echoed with the gunshot that took his mother's life and Nunnally's screams. Pierced by memories, he loosened his tie.
C.C entered into the office.
"I have done the report you asked for on Lawyer Stadtfled." She trailed off when she realized Lelouch's pained expression. "That fucking eye hurts again, right?"
"Give me water," he muttered. "A migraine is the last thing I need today."
C.C. took the jug of cold water by the window. It only contained ice cubes. Instead of going to the kitchen and filling it, he transferred the ice from the jug to the glass and handed it to Lelouch. He fixed a grave gaze on C.C. She shrugged her shoulders, apologizing.
"Give the fusion process time. It won't take too long," She clarified, pulling out a cigarette. She grabbed the lighter from the desk.
"What did you find out about Miss Stadtfled?" Lelouch asked to talk about something else. He didn't feel like delving into what he had just seen. C.C. wasn't nosy, thankfully.
"Kallen is the youngest daughter of the Stadtfled couple. Her father is the rector of the University of Vogue, which is sponsored by the Britannia Corps," She reported, sitting at her desk, swinging through the unoccupied chairs. She lit the lighter, held her cigarette close to the wick.
"In some way or another, everyone in this bloody town is related to Charles and his company," she observed, clasping her hands and placing them under her chin. "But there is something else: when I paid for Kallen's mother's operation, I noticed that her last name was Kozuki. I see why she was so angry that I overheard her conversation with the doctor."
"Whoops, whoops, whoops! An illegitimate daughter?" Suggested C.C. pretending interest. "Anyway, you're going to love this: I found out that she graduated from Law School with the honorable distinction of magna cum laude. Her GPA was the best of her class alongside a scholarship student, guess who it was? Suzaku Kururugi, the prosecutor in your case. They have been in constant competition."
"That means they know each other well," he pointed out, raising his eyebrows momentarily.
"Even better, they have a lot in common. Did you know that prosecutor Kururugi's father was also a businessman? He was president of a company affiliated with Britannia Corps, but it went bankrupt and he committed suicide as a result."
"I didn't ask you to investigate Prosecutor Kururugi," Lelouch growled.
"I know," She admitted without attributing relevance to it. "Well, finally, Kallen worked at a prestigious law firm. I suspect her last name will have helped herself. She was there until her license was suspended. Apparently, she assaulted a judge. I couldn't find out why. You know they keep those details confidential, but I found out that he was presiding over a trial where Kallen was the defense lawyer. It was a case in which a woman killed her husband. She wanted to reduce her sentence and it didn't pass." She crossed her arms and laughed. "Ain't it funny how nemesis acts? The prosecutor rises and the lawyer crashes, they throw her out of her job and ends up becoming a delivery girl. Don't you wonder why her father didn't do anything to help her? That's the part of the puzzle that I'm missing."
"Life hasn't been fair to Lawyer Stadtfled. Poor woman," Lelouch commented with a sly smile, except that the tone he used was compassionate. "We showed up at the right time. I offered to work as a lawyer at the firm the last time I saw her, but if she is not licensed: then I'll hire her as my secretary."
"And what do you want two secretaries for?" Asked C.C. suspiciously.
"Because the current one won't be able to work full time for specific reasons, so I'll have to find another one. Don't look at me with that face," he explained without erasing his smile. "You're a centerpiece in my plan. You're my rook. I can't castle without you. That's why I gave you a more important task. I'll tell you the details later: now I must prepare for the Britannia party tonight. I'll go with the most beautiful woman in Pendragon. I'm lucky, right?" He joked. In the meantime, "I need you to do something for me. Go to the crime scene and check the black boxes. To ensure my victory, I must have hard evidence on hand," he concluded condescendingly. "Do I count on you?"
"Sure," she sighed. Her mouth wafted of nicotine as she articulated each syllable. "What would you do without me?"
"I wouldn't get that far," Lelouch replied with a theatrical gesture. Neither believed that, but he didn't mean to sound sincere. Immediately afterwards, he got up at the end that C.C. shot him a look. She realized he was already dressed for the party: a shiny black tuxedo.
"How is it?"
"Wait a minute," she said, clenching the cigarette between her teeth so as not to drop it. The woman slipped off the desk, snaked toward him, undid his bow tie, and did it again swiftly. Her fingers were light as feather strokes. Nor could he feel them. Did C.C. ever was a thief? Lelouch was sure he didn't know everything about her. "The bun isn't right".
"That's what you're here for," he mockingly replied. "The popular belief affirms that the bun is the work of the women…" he commented without changing the tone.
C.C. smiled, amused.
"Yes, except that I'm not a woman, I'm a piece of furniture ... Done!" She announced, pulling away.
"Thank you," he said, adjusting his bowtie so that it was in the center.
The ice cubes had melted. Lelouch concluded the conversation by sipping the glass in one gulp. Finally, he crossed the threshold.
Kallen was in the locker room changing her clothes into a sports bra and yoga tights. She had stretched out on the bench to tie her shoelaces. When she finished, she looked at her shoes and then around, checking to see if anything was missing. And so it was: she only had to place a red band on her forehead. She took it carefully, like she's holding something fragile. Originally it belonged to her older brother. He used it when training. Kallen went to all of his practices with few exceptions. She loved cheering on Naoto and was more fascinated by watching the fights. He couldn't help getting up and mimicking the movements. She stopped once the rest of the practitioners noticed what she was doing and laughed, overwhelmed with tenderness; then, she sat flushed. As a child, her hair was shorter than today, it looked like a reddish bush for her head and, although her legs were shorter and her appearance, attitudes and preferences could be judged as a tomboy; Since she was little, Kallen was a volcano of energy, light and life.
He interpreted her enthusiasm as positive and decided to instruct her in martial arts. Naoto had always been an attentive and affectionate brother; however, in training he was strict and is that under his mask there was a concern: he knew that he wasn't going to be with his sister all the time and she may need to defend herself. The world was cruel to children. Deep down, he prayed that Kallen would never have to appeal to her abilities. Yes, fighting was invigorating, but it also had its dark side, how did you convey that message to a totally excited girl?
"I want to fight as well as you do, brother. I know that if I keep trying: I'll make it!" said the girl. At this, an unexpected thought took her by surprise. "Oh!" She exclaimed. "I could become a bodyguard too! So I would break bones and noses with my fists, wouldn't you like it? We would fight side by side and punish the wicked!"
"You'd be a good bodyguard," Naoto smiled, nodding, "but may I tell you something? The strongest fist that hits things against the ground isn't this" he raised his fist "it's the hand that wields the law."
"You mean those gentlemen in those penguin suits?" I don't understand, what's so great about them? They spend it locked in their offices reading and writing."
"Well, bodyguards really aren't crime fighters like you think. They spend the holy day behind a person. You're more likely to have to face a shower of eggshells than an attack. Nothing happens most of the time. Compared to what lawyers do, it's not much fun either," Naoto explained. "If it happens that someone approaches our protected with bad intentions, we'll stop him; however, it's the lawyers, the prosecutors and the judge who determine the punishment of that criminal. Lawyers, in a way, are protectors like us since they are in charge of defending that person from the prosecutor, who's the one who accuses them. The judge is the one who decides in the end who of the two parties is right. Faced to them, a criminal can do nothing.
"Are you saying that I better be a lawyer?" She asked as he processed everything.
"Be what you want to be. What I want you to understand is that I'm not teaching you this so that you can attack others, but so that you can protect yourself and everyone you can."
Kallen pondered for a few minutes.
"Ok, brother. I'll be a lawyer!" She affirmed with assurance.
"A lawyer? Not judge? Not fiscal? I thought you wanted to punish the bad guys," Naoto said, stunned.
"Yes, but first and foremost I want to protect people, just as you protect President Charles and me. If you say lawyers are great, it has to be true. You'll see, brother, I'll be the best lawyer in Pendragon!" She promised, wasting emotion. "But, even if I'm going to be a lawyer and not a bodyguard, will you continue to teach me martial arts?"
Naoto gave a cheerful laugh and pinched his cheek in response. Kallen smiled back at him so big it showed all or any remaining baby teeth. They ended the break and resumed practice. After Kallen was taken down in every match, they jumped into a fun and adorable tickling session. Naoto certainly didn't think she meant it. If there was a way to tell her that she managed to graduate as a lawyer as promised that day ... But there was none and it wouldn't serve her at all. That red band that she had between her hands was the proof that each of the moments that she was with him were memories, not dreams. Maybe it was for the best. She would be spared telling him that she couldn't follow through on her promise because she had been demoted. The redhead bit her lower lip in regret.
Kallen shook her head, coming to her senses. The changing rooms weren't a good place to cry. She tied the band around her forehead and went out to the gym. She heard a thud. It was easy for her to guess who it was. Apart from her, there was a person who came the same days to exercise. She still didn't know if their meeting even in the gym was good or bad. Kallen walked over to where Suzaku was. Found him hitting a punching bag. He was sweating, which implied that he had been there for a long time. He looked much focused. "Maybe that's the way he is at work." She wondered if she should get his attention. She decided yes. He was going to notice her presence and she would have to greet him anyway. And, well, they had practiced together a few times, which hadn't been so bad.
"You almost got it, champ. Hit it harder," She teased.
"Kallen?" Suzaku asked, turning around.
"That's my name," she smiled proudly. "Is it enough for you to practice with your friend the bag or do you want to do it with me?" She asked as she unzipped her jacket. It rolled off her shoulders, uncovering them.
"Eh…"
Suzaku watched the smooth movement of the jacket and swallowed the words he was about to say as his green eyes fell on her bare shoulders. She caught the careless double intent of the words she used and the blush staining the young lady's cheeks. She threw her jacket right in his face.
"I meant training! What the fuck are you thinking of?!"
"Me?! Nothing, nothing at all. What were you thinking?" He stammered, in his defense.
"Ah! Forget it. You're immature," Kallen grumbled, regretting going on the offensive.
Suzaku was a delusional dreamer, but he wasn't a pervert and she knew it. Perhaps she had been quick to accuse him. However, she didn't want to retrace her steps.
"Wait, Kallen! Yes, I would," he blurted out. "Training with you, I mean," he added, putting a hand to his head.
"And what else could it be but?" Even if she thought about it, she didn't dare to tell him. She didn't want to prolong the misunderstanding and get entangled in an absurd argument. Since he was wearing his gloves, Kallen pulled on hers. They got into the ring and got into position. The woman took the initiative. He dodged her kick. She attacked again unloading a punch; he stopped it in time and all those who followed after.
"Hey, do you have plans tonight?" Suzaku ventured.
"What's the point of that? Shut up and fight!" She snapped, surprising him with a kick to the side. Suzaku grunted.
"For real, do you have something to do?" He tried again. "The thing is…"
"Concentrate, damn it! You're not using your full potential, and you know I can hit you harder than that if I feel like it!"
"It's just that I was invited to a party tonight and I would like to go with you."
"Enough, stop trying to distract me! It won't work for you!"
She spun on her axis and launched another kick. Suzaku saw the direction traced by her leg coming and was able to capture it. He threw it away. Kallen collapsed, but reacted quickly by doing a long backflip. Suzaku seized the opportunity by charging first. She caught his wrist seconds before it came into contact with her body. Still not releasing him, she lowered her arm and rolled her shoulders into an inverted position, leaning only on her other hand. Her legs wrapped around Suzaku's neck and she knocked him over to the ground. The redhead immobilized him by grabbing his arm and crushing his shoulder with her leg.
"I assure you I'm not trying it. How about this? If I beat you, you'll go with me," Suzaku wheezed.
"No!" Kallen barked.
"Why not?"
"Because no and that's it!"
Suzaku managed to get away, turning back. They both rolled on the canvas; however, he got up first and launched himself against her, holding her by the shoulders. Kallen squirmed. He felt her breasts brush against his torso, rubbing rhythmically in their struggle to get away now that the roles were reversed. Suzaku sucked in a breath of air, forcing himself to focus.
""Because no and that's it" isn't a reason. Let's go!" He encouraged her. "It's better to regret doing something than not having done it. You can't judge a party without going," he said. He could see that she was more concerned with figuring out how to get out than with her words. He continued speaking, "You might have fun. There will be food, dancing and you will meet interesting people. If what worries you is that you stay alone, I promise you that I'll dance with you. I'll not leave your side."
"Why are you inviting me? You and I aren't as close as you want me to see. Is it that no one else wants to go to that boring party and I'm the only one you have left?" gasped.
"No, it just seemed to me that this would be the occasion to get closer, don't you see it that way?"
It was a white lie. His first choice had been Anya, except that she would be working late on a case and Cécile had other plans. Kallen was his last hope. Although he was aware that the redhead preferred to hear the truth, he didn't mean that she was right: he was afraid of hurting her feelings.
"What do you say? It's at the Britannia mansion. I thought it would be better if I stopped by your house and we left together since it's a bit far."
Kallen's expression changed.
"What? Where did you say what it would be?"
"At the Britannia mansion," Suzaku repeated.
The woman looked him up and down. For an interval, they were silent and, with big eyes, they watched each other. Suzaku wondered inwardly what she was thinking. Why didn't she say anything? Would she be considering it? Or…? In this, he became aware of the narrow space between them. He hadn't spoken in a literal sense when he stated that he would like to get close to her. Suzaku was able to perceive Kallen's racing heartbeat echoing through her body, leading him to distraction and she took that advantage to lift him up with her feet. She threw him right into the air. The man felt oxygen abruptly leave his lungs as he landed hard on his back. He suppressed a wince. When he opened his eyes, she was next to him. Kallen jerked her head to the side to brush off a strand of sweat from her forehead, held out her hand and jerked him to his feet.
"Alright. I'll go. When will it be?"
"You will?!" He inquired without believing it or hiding his joy. "President Schneizel didn't give me an hour, but we could go at eight. Those parties last all night," he said. She nodded and slipped out of the ring nimbly under the second rope.
"Where are you going?"
"To buy a dress!" She answered from a distance.
A/N: Here's the update, roasted marshmallows! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it. I want to quickly clarify three aspects with you about the fanfic:
I know very well that the CEO is the one who occupies the most important position in a company and that a president is, rather, a second man. However, this isn't always the case. It depends on the type of corporation. And since this is MY WORLD, I decided that the person with the highest power in Britannia Corps is the president. why? Because "Director Charles" sounds whack. On the other hand, "President Charles" sounds imposing, even sexy. Therefore, that's the title that Schneizel will hold from now on, who will assume the functions of his father. I'm not a businesswoman, I'm a writer and I know that words have power. That I refer to Schneizel as 'president', replacing 'prince', is no accident. I'm reflecting something. Just like when I name Lelouch and Suzaku by their last names and their professions during the trial. So pay attention when he suddenly calls the blonde just Schneizel (without the "president"). It's an index of something. Here the "president" is the owner of the company, CEO and president at the same time, all in one person. Just like the father, son and Holy Spirit.
Nina in the anime is a physics (or expresses a high interest in this area, judging from the looks), but, for plot reasons, she will be chemical and something else that I'll save for when it's revealed. Don't get mad because she's still a scientist.
It isn't a gratuitous detail that Lelouch has addressed C.C. as its "rook". I want to clarify that C.C. in the series she is a spectator and not a piece because she has her personal agenda and never fully commits herself to the rebellion; however, since she is so into Lelouch's matters, I decided to change that and she is a key piece in Lelouch's game (concretely, she is the rook as you can see). I loved that Lelouch assigned chess notations to his Black Knights as code names and I regretted that beyond Kallen we didn't know what pieces the other characters represented in Lelouch's deadly game. I mean, I find it interesting to evaluate everything from a chess point of view. Fortunately, in my story I was able to fix that. I've been researching in depth about chess and its symbols. As we go into the fic, you'll see the chess counterparts of the important characters. As for the reasons, we'll briefly review them because I want you to discover for yourself why such characters are such pieces in chess.
Maybe you guys aren't interested. Clearly, the most popular fanfictions in the fandom are those that explore the rich world of Code Geass, the harems, and those that twist the premise we know because they believe they know enough about the characters and not so much their world as it could well be. As a result, stories with ambitious conflicts of epic scales that rival the plot of Game of Thrones and with an extension that seeks to compete with the One Piece manga and that neglect its characters predominate. But are you sure you think you know everything about the Code Geass characters? That there's nothing else to learn or discover from them? I'll prove them wrong. In this fic we will not explore the worlds of Code Geass, we'll explore the psyches of its most famous characters (which is a world itself and very complex).
All this being said ...
What did you think of this chapter? Why do you think C.C. is Lelouch's rook? (You can draw on the anime to answer the question; ultimately, I relied on the series to assign the pieces for each character.) Here we had the first confrontation between Lelouch and Suzaku and Lelouch won, will he have the same fate in the next one? Did you like this first trial? Who do you want to win: Lelouch or Suzaku? Also, three new characters joined our great cast: Kanon, Luciano and Cornelia, how is it? Do you think you could be in a locked room with Luciano? Okay, no xD I was kidding. Let's focus on the great events that the impending chapter four promises: what do you think Charles would want from Suzaku? Will Lelouch meet his friend in the company of Kallen? What do you expect at the party at the Britannia house? Tell me anything that has attracted you or made you noise that here were several interesting things (and memories). Also, tell me, why are you reading this story? What attracted you to it? What do you expect from it?
I'll be reading and answering to you guys.
Don't forget that this translation will continue to be uploaded as long as there are readers who are interested in knowing what will happen. The original fanfic will be published until its last chapter. The translation is uncertain. It depends on your support, guys.
We'll read each other if you want in chapter four of this beautiful story: "Decision."
Cheers, roasted marshmallows! Kisses on the tail!
PS: The translation is also up to if Alice ever pays me my damn cookies.
Atte. Cookie Monster.
PS2: LOL nope
Atte. AliceXS