Let's lead off with our mistakes here. Special thanks to Bassplayer for pointing out that I wrote down the wrong name for V-Two (Why I thought it was Vincent is beyond me).

Losing all my data may have been a blessing in disguise. I've ended up cutting out a lot of fat from the narrative, so I've been able to fit a lot more in this story. That is such a load off my mind. Though I may end up adding back some material later on, I'll worry about that later. Anyway, next chapter is the long awaited Festival, so I hope you enjoy this one. As always, please point out where I've made mistakes, be they grammatical, spelling, or story, and I'll make the necessary corrections.

I do not own Code Geass.

…...

The Tianzi's Private Chambers, Palace of Heavenly Purity, Forbidden City, Beijing, Chinese Federation, 2017

Rays of morning sunshine shone through the windows of the Tianzi's private chambers. The room had been cleared of attendants, leaving only the Tianzi herself, the Lady Sumeragi, General Xingke, and his subordinate Zhou Xianglin. What was to be said here was extremely sensitive; the room had been checked for bugs four times in order to ensure utmost secrecy.

The Tianzi stared down at a map of Japan alongside Xingke. It was spread out across a long table, and ticker flags bearing the Chinese banner rested at various important points on the map.

"Our troops will invade at these three main points," Xingke told her, gesturing to each with his hand. "At Sapporo, in Hokkaido; at Fukuoka, in Kyushu; and Komatsu, on the mainland. Our forces will move north, securing the major railway lines and interstate roads. Our main goal is the Sakuradite mining center at Mount Fuji." He drew his fingers over every objective in question, ending by tapping on Mount Fuji.

"This will effectively divide the nation in half," Zhou contributed, "allowing us to isolate the Britannian garrisons from one another and pick them off one by one, while at the same time denying them access to Sakuradite."

The Lady Sumeragi said, "It will take some time to force them to surrender, time we may not have if the Empire moves the Pacific Fleet too quickly."

Xingke turned to her. "We'll be keeping constant pressure on the besieged forces to ensure they use up their stockpiles as quickly as possible," he explained. "If the Britannian fleet does arrive, they'll have to retake the whole country from both of our armies."

"And with the Britannian army bogged down in Europe," Zhou said, "I strongly doubt they'll want a war with the Federation as well."

Xingke wasn't altogether certain of that assessment; Area Eleven was the crown jewel of the Colonial Empire, and the main provider of Sakuradite. One thing he was sure of was that the Empire would fight tooth and nail to get it back. He was, however, confident they could win, especially if it was a protracted war on two fronts.

There would be millions of casualties, he considered. The coming confrontation was going to be bloody.

"Very well," the Tianzi said. "I approve of the operation. What is our current timetable?"

"We should have the final preparations in place within the next three months," Xingke replied.

The Tianzi nodded. "Excellent. Then if you will please excuse me, I must prepare to hold Court."

Xingke and Zhou bowed and departed, leaving only the Lady Sumeragi to attend the Empress. The hallway was empty, not even an attendant in sight. The hairs on the back of Xingke's neck stood up.

Where is everyone? The halls should be much more crowded than this.

Once they were several yards from the Empress' chambers, Zhou asked Xingke, "Do you really think it will be that easy, General?"

She must have serious misgivings to be discussing this out in the open. Xingke shook his head. "No battle plan survives contact with the enemy," he said. "I expect resistance to be vicious. However, that isn't what she needs to hear. I will not trouble her dreams with nightmare scenarios." He adjusted the sword at his side. Something just didn't feel right.

Zhou frowned. "That isn't right, Li," she admonished him. Her fingers began tapping at the dagger on her belt, slowly easing it out. "The Empress deserves to know the magnitude of this decision."

There was a hallway intersection coming up, going in three separate directions. I don't like this.

"She is a child, barely thirteen," Xingke retorted. He slid his blade just slightly out of the scabbard. "Let her be a child a little longer."

Zhou looked at him concernedly as they approached the hallway intersection. "She may be a child, but she's also the Empress. She-"

"Is in a great deal of danger."

Xingke and Zhou drew their weapons as men in black suits suddenly surrounded them. Each of them carried machine pistols, their expressions threatening. Out of the crowd that surrounded them, Astsuhi Sawisaki, wearing a red suit and black tie, his dark eyes predatory, emerged.

Xingke scowled. "Remove yourself from my presence, cur," he commanded. "I have neither the time, nor the inclination to speak with you."

"Not even if it's to save the Tianzi's life?" Sawisaki asked.

Xingke's sword flashed, coming to a stop just before it touched his neck. "Choose your words carefully, slime," Xingke warned him, his voice dangerously soft. "Else I may have to ruin Her Majesty's floor."

Sawisaki was unimpressed. "You will not harm me, General," he said calmly, as if there wasn't a sword pointed at his neck. "The High Eunuchs take very good care of their friends."

Zhou laughed derisively. "'Friends?' Is that what you think you are?" she asked mockingly. "You are a slave, Sawisaki, nothing more."

"True," Sawisaki allowed, his beady eyes never leaving Xingke's, "but even slaves can find favor with their masters. And I am very highly favored." Sawisaki pressed his finger to the flat of the sword and pushed.

Xingke, reluctantly, lowered his sword. "What is it you want, cur?" he asked.

"The same thing as you," Sawisaki replied. "The safety of the Empress."

Xingke scowled. "You expect me to believe that?"

"Whether you believe me or not is immaterial, General. What is important is what I represent." Sawisaki clasped his hands behind his back. "You are outmaneuvered, General. The High Eunuchs are fully aware of what you intend, and they are not happy."

A cold weight settled in Xingke's chest. He kept his expression carefully blank. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Really? You mean you don't intend to take control of the Sakuradite in Area Eleven? You don't intend to choke the very lifeblood of the Federation's armies, ensuring a coup de'tat takes place?"

Xingke swallowed, but remained otherwise unmoved. He may have the details mistaken, Xingke pondered, but he has the end result. "No, we don't intend that at all," Xingke denied. He didn't specify what 'that' was, so technically he was telling the truth.

Sawisaki was not in the mood to parse words. "Then why is the Federation Fleet in the sea, on a direct course for Beijing? Why are marines under your command performing drills in mock-ups of the Forbidden City?"

Xingke couldn't believe this. "Those war games were scheduled months in advance," he replied honestly. "The Eunuchs signed off on them. I keep my men in a constant state of preparedness-"

"Bah!" Sawisaki waved his hand dismissively. "Spare me your lies, General. They do you no credit."

But they aren't lies! "Prime Minister Sawisaki," Xingke said, a sense of desperation beginning to overwhelm him, "I can assure you that none of these moves presage a coup attempt of any kind." Are we really about to be defeated by a misunderstanding?

Sawisaki shook his head. "There is nothing you can say or do that would convince me of your lies, General," he said, pacing back and forth. "You have been weighed, measured, and found wanting. All that is left is to mete out punishment."

Xingke ground his teeth. "Punishment?" He adjusted his grip on is sword. If the opportunity presented itself, he would make a move. He would die, but the Lady Sumeragi would at least have some warning. For the Empress. "Get to the point, cur."

"If Her Majesty continues, the High Eunuchs plan to remove the Tianzi from her throne," Sawisaki revealed, coming to a rest in front of Xingke. "She is becoming a thorn in their side, one they will not tolerate."

"You can't be serious!" Zhou cried out. "The Tianzi is our Empress! The Eunuchs can't just-"

"They can, and they will," Sawisaki interrupted. "The Eunuchs are the true power in this country. That the Tianzi still has her crown is a testament to their benevolence, but it will not continue. Not if she continues in this dangerous foolishness."

"But you-"

"That's enough, Zhao!" Xingke ordered, holding out his hand to silence her. He glared at Sawisaki. "You wouldn't be telling me this if you didn't need something. What is it you want?"

"To keep the Empress safe," Sawisaki answered him. "The High Eunuchs are angered, but not yet to the point of acting. You can ensure that doesn't happen."

"How?"

"By publicly disavowing the Empress," Sawisaki told him. "You are the Empress's main supporter. The nobility and military of this great nation look to you as an example. If you were to publicly disavow Her Majesty's ambition, it would isolate her. No one would dare rise for her, knowing that her greatest champion has turned his back on her."

Dismay and disgust welled up within him. His fists clenched, trembling at the restraint he held on the hate that desired to lash out violently. "You dare..."

Sawisaki seemed to realize that he had entered enter very real danger because he backed away, allowing the armed men to shield him from Xingke's fury.

"You need time to think it over, of course," Sawisaki said, a hint of fear in his tone. "But don't take too long, General. The High Eunuchs won't wait forever. Midnight is coming, and every second brings us closer to it."

The ranks of the armed men dissolved down each hall, leaving Xingke and Zhou alone in that empty hallway, not far from the Empress' chambers.

…

Conference Room, Black Knight Shinjuku Headquarters, Shinjuk Ghetto, Area Eleven

There was nothing special about the briefing room they had gathered in. It was about the size of a high school classroom, occupied with long tables at which just over a hundred officers scratched away notes as Zero briefed them on the coming campaign. Katase stood off to the side, Tohdoh and his Holy Swords with him, cold hate twisting inside of him as Zero spoke.

"The Chinese Federation has already begun preparations," Zero said, pointing with a metal wand at a large-scale map of Japan. "Even as we speak, marine divisions are participating in practice runs for amphibious assaults and urban fighting. Their forces will land here, here, and here," he tapped with the wand at each location, "in order to avoid the port strongholds. Even with as weakened as the garrisons have become, and will become in the coming months, their fortifications and defenses are formidable. That is why our sabotage behind the lines will be crucial to operational success."

Tohdoh raised his hand, and Zero acknowledged him. "Most of the garrison forces are being diverted to the Tokyo Settlement," Tohdoh said. "Won't that turn the Settlement into the most fortified city in the country?"

Zero nodded. "In theory, yes," Zero agreed, "but in practice, their numbers won't matter. I already have agents within the Occupational Forces, and in the Tokyo Garrison in particular, in place to surrender the city to us. Gefjun Disturbers will be smuggled inside the city in rail cars to deactivate those Knightmares that will still be under arms, but the Settlement will be in our hands within twelve hours of the insurrection."

Zero shifted the wand to the north of Japan, toward Yamagata. "With that said, we will still need forces to move against the garrisons in order to support Federation reinforcements. We can't let the Chinese do all the work." The crowd rippled with appreciative chuckles. "That's why I want General Katase to take command of the forces in Yamagata." Katase nodded respectfully. "Once the uprising starts, your forces will move south towards Tokyo." The wand followed the path projected on the map. "Eliminate the interior garrisons in your path. They should be substantially weaker than they are now."

Zero collapsed his wand. "With the Tokyo Garrison surrendered, and the interior garrisons eliminated, the liberty of our great nation will be secured." Zero held his clenched fist out before them. "The time of our redemption is at last at hand." He lowered his fist and shifted his attention to Katase. "General," he ordered, "report to Yamagata immediately to prepare your men." Katase saluted smartly. "This meeting is adjourned," Zero announced. "You are all dismissed."

As the officers stood, one of the younger men thrust his fist into the air and shouted, "HAIL ZERO!"

The other officers took up the chant, shouting, "HAIL ZERO!" as they thrust their fists into the air.

Zero cocked his hip arrogantly, one hand resting on his slim waist.

Katase, disgusted, scowled and left. He could feel Zero's eyes on him the whole time.

…

Student Council Clubhouse, Ashford Academy, Tokyo Settlement, Area Eleven

"You need to keep a close eye on Katase. Put a tail on him. Bug his computers, his phone, whatever you need to do."

"I will not spy on my subordinates," Lelouch rejected. He made a couple of marks on a print-off in front of him, adding a note for the play that Clyde and Daisy were putting on. "Unless you have something substantive for me to act on, I'm not placing him under surveillance."

"Katase isn't just one of your subordinates," C-Two retorted. "He's a man with a grudge. He's never forgiven you for your treatment of him at Narita."

Lelouch frowned distractedly. "There was no way of getting around that," he countered, scratching out a name on the list of students. "I needed every resistance group under my banners as quickly as possible, especially after the Saitama debacle. There was no way he would have followed me if I hadn't forced his hand."

"Yes, I know, and I agreed with you at the time," C-Two replied. "But I also advised you to put him under your geass at the earliest opportunity, something which you failed to do."

Lelouch sighed. "I've already said I won't make my followers into slaves. Anyone who joins me does so because it's their own choice."

"What about that group of commandos you geassed back in Shinjuku?"

"That's different. Those men were my sworn enemy. No way they would have served me willingly, and their service has already paid massive dividends."

"So would Katase, once he's no longer a threat."

"He's not a threat-"

"Of course he's a threat! You can't command a man's loyalty with a gun to his head, especially when he's out of sight!"

Lelouch snorted bitterly. "Sure you can," he reminded her. "I did it all the time as the Emperor."

"Lelouch-" C-Two cut herself off. He heard a sigh on the other end. "Lelouch, you can't use the Demon Emperor's tactics without using his methods. The Demon Emperor wouldn't have cared about the morality. He would have acted."

"And just how many millions of people died because I acted?" Lelouch asked her quietly. "How many pointless deaths were there because of Zero Requiem?" Far, far too many. A complete and utter waste.

There was a sound of disgust on the other end. "I've given you my council," she said. "Do with it what you will. I should know by now: you never do anything until it's about to bite you on the ass."

Before she could hang up, Lelouch, at the spur of a sudden thought, said, "C-Two, wait a moment."

"What is it?"

Lelouch pulled on the collar of his coat. What am I about to get myself into? "Well, that is, you know the Festival is coming up in a couple of days, right?" he asked.

"Yes, why?"

Lelouch swallowed. "Well, you see, I was thinking..."

"Yes?"

Screwing up his courage, Lelouch blurted, "Iwantedtoknowifyou'dliketocomewithme!"

"What?"

Lelouch took a calming breath. "I said," he repeated, his cheeks burning, "I wanted to know if you'd like to come with me?"

There was an explosion of laughter that forced him to pull the phone away from his ear. "Did you just ask me out on a date, Lulu?"

Lelouch groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Forget I said anything," he begged.

"Oh no, no, no, I don't think so," C-Two refused mercilessly, her tone light and teasing. "Do you intend to court me, boy?"

"I should have just kept my mouth shut," Lelouch grumbled.

Peals of musical laughter answered him. After a few moments, C-Two calmed. "It wouldn't be wise," she said. "Some of the Black Knight leadership are planning on going, and Kururugi is sure to be there as well. There's a big chance someone will recognize me."

Lelouch nodded in agreement, relief mixing with disappointment. "You're right," he conceded. "Forget I asked."

"Lelouch..." C-Two said softly. He strained to hear her, his heart pounding. "When have we ever done what was wise?"

The line clicked.

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Lelouch demanded too late.

He went to dial the number again, but sudden racking pain struck his eye. He ground his teeth as he pulled out a hand mirror he was keeping in his desk. With every ounce of his will, he forced his eye to remain open, and he saw it: the slightest flicker of red. The pain passed, and he collapsed into his seat. He stared long and hard at a picture on his desk; it contained himself and the other members of the Student Council, before Suzaku was shot; before he confined Nina to a missile silo; before he broke Shirley's heart; before he ruined Milly's life. They were all smiling at him. Moisture built up in his eyes.

"Just a couple of more days," he prayed. God had listened to him once before. Why not now? "Please, just a couple more days of peace. Just long enough for me to finish."

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He saw Orange's name on the caller ID and flipped the phone open.

"The Knight of Nine is in Area Eleven." The line clicked, and Lelouch snapped the phone shut.

He stared out of the window to the dark, murky storm clouds outside.

"You can't make anything easy for me, can you?"

…..

In Transit to Niigata Port, Area Eleven

Nonette Enneagram arrived in Area Eleven without any fanfare. She was the sole passenger aboard a C-130 that landed at the crack of dawn at the Tokyo Airstrip. Her personal Knightmare Frame, a green-and-gold colored Gloucester that utilized a sword-and-shield armament rather than a lance, had been flown over with her, and was now packed securely in the large armored transport truck she rode in. The truck was part of an armored convoy, consisting of eight humvees, two armored troop carriers, and a dozen Sutherlands evenly distributed on either side of the column. Nonette had attempted to refuse what amounted to a reinforced honor guard, but she was overruled by the Sub-Viceroy.

"We can't guarantee your safety," Princess Euphemia told her. "The roads across the Area aren't safe for Britannians to travel. Anyone driving across the country does so at their own risk."

I was under impression this was still Imperial territory, Nonette thought.

She stared out the window at the surrounding countryside, marking each town and village they drove through for potential ambush points. Each one was either abandoned or sparsely populated, their windows boarded up, cars rusting in parking lots and driveways, schools blasted by airstrike or artillery barrage, cast in shadow by the dark storm clouds that hovered in the sky. Area Eleven was less a colony and more a ruin, with seemingly no attempt made to repair the country's infrastructure. Perhaps this had made sense in the short-term, when it had been most important to establish swift lines of transportation between the Sakuradite mining complexes at Mount Fuji, and the primary shipping hub of Tokyo; but seven years had passed since the conquest, and the only thing the previous administration seemed to have fixed was the interstate highway system.

This whole country's a ghost town, Nonette mused, a strange sense of melancholy filling her. I wonder where all the people went?

The Occupational Forces did have aircraft, but when a C-130 carrying a platoon for deployment to Niigata exploded on the runway, all of their aircraft were grounded while a search was made for explosive devices, which had made them sitting ducks for acts of sabotage. That meant the only means for deployment was a convoy like the one Nonette was riding in, and they were not immune to ambush. The fact they hadn't been attacked yet could only be attributed to the sheer amount of troops in the convoy.

"My Lady," the driver said, pulling Nonette from her thoughts, "we've arrived."

Niigata was a northern port garrison that had been a trade harbor with the Chinese prior to the war. After the war, the city had been fortified in the event of a Federation invasion that never came, in those heady days when the EU and the Federation were saber rattling over the conquest of Japan. One of the few things the Clovis Administration seemed to have gotten right was a further fortification of the strategic port cities, including Niigata, swelling the garrison at each position to twenty-five thousand; a number which now was being bolstered by the nine thousand men commanded by the Viceroy as part of her mobile defense forces. From her place in the front seat of the armored transport, Nonette could see in the distance the long barrels of the sixteen inch guns, eight in all, secured in swivel turrets that ran underground. There was a wire fence that surrounded the perimeter of the city, manned by machine gun posts and field artillery pitched behind walls of sandbags. Knightmare Frames drifted inside and outside the fence on patrol.

It took twenty minutes to confirm her identity with the border patrolman, a young corporal who did his best not to ogle her. The Knight of Nine was a beautiful woman; her light green hair was cut short save for two crescent locks, one braided one not, that framed her long arched eyebrows, canted blue-gray eyes, and full red lips; her Knight uniform was form fitting, emphasizing her firm, plump breasts, her narrow waist that curved into round hips, and the long legs that allowed her to tower over the corporal. She gave him a warm smile when he allowed her access, and separated from the rest of the convoy.

A gray jeep was appropriated for her use, and she was driven to the downtown area where the Viceroy's headquarters were. The HQ was a simple box building, two stories tall, likely converted from one of the government houses, and she confirmed her ID again at the front gate. The inside of the building was bustling with soldiers who had little time to do more than salute her as they walked past her. She was escorted to the top floor by a young woman who blushed at the sly wink Nonette gave her, and entered the Viceroy's office.

"Presenting Dame Nonette Enneagram, Knight of Nine, to Her Royal Highness, Princess Cornelia li Britannia, Viceroy of Area Eleven," the young woman announced, her cheeks still flushed.

"You are dismissed." The Princess stood with her back to her, staring out the window at the not too distant sea, her hands clasped behind her back. With the light framing her, she looked every inch the implacable, unstoppable Witch of Britannia.

Nonette's escort gave a sharp salute and departed, leaving the Knight alone with the Princess.

"Nice view," Nonette remarked. "I'd kill for some beach front property."

"We're not here for your amusement, Lady Enneagram," the Viceroy said coldly. "We're here to win a war."

Nonette frowned. "I know why we're here, Princess," she said formally. "Your constant failures have disappointed His Majesty." Cornelia visibly stiffened. "I have been sent to resolve the situation."

"Does that mean I've been placed under your command?" Cornelia asked, her voice brittle.

Yes. "No," Nonette denied. Nonette was an extremely capable fighter, but she was no leader. Though by rank she commanded a division, she left the actual management of that division to her officer staff. Nonette was much more comfortable on the front line. So, she fully intended on interpreting her orders rather loosely. "We'll be equal partners in this," she told her. "Your advice will be consequential to every decision I make." In effect, she was placing herself at Cornelia's command.

Cornelia seemed to relax, if only slightly. Her back still to her, she nodded. "I look forward to working with you, Dame Enneagram. You may leave."

Nonette shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm not your servant, Princess," she pointed out, "you can't just dismiss me like one. I want a progress report."

"You should have received a briefing before you arrived," the Viceroy said, her tone steel.

"Not that kind of report," Nonette explained. "I want to know how you're doing, Nellie. You haven't looked at me once this whole time."

Cornelia was silent for a moment. She turned around, and it took Nonette everything she had not to grimace. Her friend's face was pale and drawn, her hair limp, and her eyes were dim, lifeless. Their were dark shadows beneath them, emphasizing the haunted look of her once vibrant violet eyes.

"You look like shit," Nonette observed.

Cornelia grunted. "Tactful as ever, I see," she said, sitting down in the chair behind her wooden desk. "I doubt my men look much better. We've been on the move constantly for over a month." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "We've combed every part of this island, but the insurgents know the area much better than we do. We found a few cells here and there, but not in sufficient quantities to make a dent in Zero's forces."

"I read as much in your report," Nonette said. She walked around the table to Cornelia's side and sat down on it, gazing down at her with undisguised concern. "Have you managed to get any rest?"

The younger woman shook her head. "Not a lick," she replied. "When we aren't on the move, I check casualty reports and logistical information. I write letters to the family of the fallen and request reinforcements." Cornelia looked up at her. "You didn't happen to bring more troops, did you?" she asked hopefully.

Regretfully, Nonette replied, "Sorry, but no. Between the unrest in the Colonies and the war in Europe, there aren't any troops to spare. There was talk about calling up the reserves when I left Pendragon, but until then we have to make do with what we have."

Cornelia nodded, rubbing her eyes. "I expected as much, but I had to ask," she said. She took a sip from a cup of coffee on the table.

Nonette eyed the drink critically. "How much sleep have you been getting?" she asked.

"Not enough," Cornelia admitted. "I doze in fits and starts, when I do let myself sleep at all. I can't remember the last time I had a full night's sleep."

Nonette crossed her arms. "Perhaps it's time you returned to the Settlement," she suggested carefully. "Let me conduct the hunt out here while you get some rest."

Cornelia shook her head. "There's no time for rest, Etta," she refused. "The situation is getting worse every day. Zero is no longer our only concern."

"What do you mean?"

Cornelia turned around in her rolling chair and gestured out the window. "The Chinese are conducting war games in the Sea of Japan," she told her. "They're on the very border of international waters. We received the news from them yesterday, as if to assure us that they're not planning an invasion."

Nonette narrowed her eyes at the unseen fleet. "They're certainly bold."

Cornelia huffed a weak chuckle. "They have every right to be," she said. "First Clovis and then me. Zero has completely humiliated us. They smell blood in the water. It's only a matter of time before they make their move."

Nonette blanched at the image it brought up: Federation forces making amphibious assaults while the Black Knights hit their forces from the interior. We'd be completely overrun.

"All the more reason for you to return to the Settlement as soon as possible," Nonette said. "You're no good to us exhausted, and it would be a huge relief to the men to know their Viceroy was as far away from the action as possible." As Cornelia opened her mouth to protest, Nonette continued, "And you'd be able to get some sleep."

Cornelia's mouth pressed into a thin line. "I can't," she said quietly, looking down, her hands clasped weakly in her lap.

"Why not?"

Without looking at her, Cornelia said, "I see them in my dreams."

There was no need to ask whom she was referring to. "It was a good service," she offered lamely. "For Andreas, and the other men who were…who were killed."

Cornelia nodded. "He deserved the best. Both did." She waved her hand. "All of them. I couldn't have asked for better comrades, and friends." She raised her head, a distant look in her eyes. "I'm alone now," she murmured. "I'm all that's left."

"Hey," Nonette said, lightly slapping her shoulder, "I'm still here. You're not alone. We'll beat this together, just like the good old days." She smiled saucily. "And if bad dreams are keeping you up at night, I can keep you occupied."

There was no mistaking the suggestive look in her eyes. Cornelia laughed, and Nonette was delighted to hear how vital it sounded. "No, thank you, Etta," Cornelia rejected. "I'm afraid I don't share your proclivities."

"My 'proclivities'? My dear Nellie, it's not my fault you had all the men at the Academy wrapped around your finger. You didn't leave anything for the rest of us."

"I'm sure Sir Weinburg appreciates that," Cornelia commented dryly.

To her own embarrassment, Nonette's cheeks burned. She puffed out her chest. "Gino's only sixteen," she said, crossing her arms. "I'm not a cradle robber."

"Your last one was seventeen, and Weinberg will be that in a month," Cornelia retorted.

Don't remind me, Nonette thought, blushing. Gino's open admiration of her was childish, but also endearing. And I'm a sucker for blue eyes. "My last one was also a gentleman," she sniffed, "though he did have a strange tendency to dye his hair white."

Cornelia raised an eyebrow. "Your hair is green, Etta."

"It's camouflage."

….

The Hall of Supreme Harmony, Forbidden City, Beijing, Chinese Federation

"Please help us, Your Majesty," Count Aiguo begged. "My people are suffering, dying. Without assistance, we shall surely perish."

The Tianzi smiled upon him, though inwardly she was seething. The Honorable High Eunuch, Cheng Zhong, was smirking delightfully behind his hand, positioned so that only she could see.

"Our Lord, Count Aiguo," the Tianzi began with a serene smile, "you came to our Court just over a month ago with this same petition, did you not?"

The thin man bowed deeply. "We did, Your Majesty," he confirmed.

The Tianzi adopted an expression of confusion. "Then why do you bring this petition before us again?" she asked. "As we recall, we requested that the Honorable High Eunuch, Cheng Zhong, provide you with relief supplies." She tilted her head to the side. "Surely the supplies made it to you?"

The Court awaited the answer with baited breath.

Count Aiguo raised his face to glare at the man in question. "We never received any of what Lord Zhong promised."

There was a loud murmuring within the assembled nobility at the Count's accusation.

The Tianzi turned to the High Eunuch and asked, "Is this true, Lord Zhong?"

Zhong's lip curled in evident displeasure. "There may have been a breakdown in communication," he admitted reluctantly.

The Lady Sumeragi leaned into the Tianzi's ear. "He lies, of course," she whispered. "He never intended to honor the agreement. This is why I advised you against this last time. We cannot act openly right now. We must stick to the plan."

"Then what would you have me do?" the Tianzi asked, silently fuming.

"Send this Count on his way with promises of aid, but do not specify a time. In this way, we do not antagonize the Eunuchs."

The advice Lady Sumeragi gave her was sound; there was no refuting the logic behind it. It was the exact argument an outsider could make, and the Tianzi treasured her counsel. But I can't act on it.

The Eunuchs appeared before her, smiling and simpering as they terrorized her and ruled her little world; the corrupt officers leered at her in the darkness of an alley way; Zhi You's broken body breathed its last. No.

"No," she whispered fiercely. "I will not be made a fool in my own palace."

Lady Sumeragi blinked at her in surprise. "My Empress?"

The Tianzi turned away from her and announced, "Promises were made on behalf of the Imperial Throne. Each proclamation made from this seat is backed by the Heavens. To break those promises is to defy the Will of Heaven." The whole of the Court was deathly silent. "As the fault lays with Lord Zhong, we have decided that Lord Aiguo's lands shall be expanded no less than 100 kilometers to the north, that the people on the lands we have entrusted to him shall prosper under his stewardship."

The Court broke out into loud murmurs, each of the courtiers and nobles looking to one another in disbelief. One voice broke through the clamor.

"You-You're Majesty!" Zhong's high-pitched voice cried out, distraught. "Those are the choicest lands of my fief! Surely you wouldn't-"

"The blame lies with you, Lord Zhong," the Tianzi reminded him, her sharp eyes fixing him to his position. "You promised you would deliver supplies to Lord Aiguo's jurisdiction, but you failed to deliver on that promise. That said," she shifted, allowing some leeway, "we do not intend this as a penalty. This is only so that the people that Lord Aiguo is responsible for shall have ready access to the goods they need to become self-sufficient." She smiled benevolently at him. "And you have so much other land. Surely this is not so great a sacrifice?"

Zhong swallowed loudly, sweat beading on his face. He looked around the Court, but no one seemed prepared to assist him. Obey me, Zhong, the Tianzi silently commanded. You can't defy me here, not in front of the entire Court, not when you are clearly in the wrong.

Finally, the High Eunuch gathered himself. "Very well," he said curtly. "You are correct, of course, Your Majesty. The fault is mine. I shall be delighted to rectify the matter."

The Tianzi smiled. "Our thanks, Lord Zhong," she said. She returned her attention to the Count, who had relieved tears in his eyes. "This should be satisfactory to our people, Lord Aiguo. You may leave."

The Count rose, bowing and thanking her profusely. As he left, hundreds of eyes followed him.

"This was a mistake." The Tianzi frowned at Lady Sumeragi's whispered reprimand. "Before, you were a child, and treated as a child. Your orders were ignored, your voice an annoyance. Now, you are a threat. Secrecy was our greatest weapon, my Empress. We're not ready." The High Eunuch was glaring at them with undisguised hatred. "Now we must prepare for them to make their move."

"Let them," the Tianzi whispered back ferociously. "I will be ready for them." She fixed Lady Sumeragi with a heated stare. "Sacred China will stand strong again."

…

Student Council Clubhouse, Ashford Academy, Tokyo Settlement, Area Eleven

Shirley opened the door to the Student Council room, a stack of papers in hand. She hoped that Lelouch wouldn't be in here, but that hope was immediately dashed when she saw him sitting behind his desk. She considered just dropping the papers on the table to her left, but decided against it.

I'm a member of the Student Council, too, she thought. I have just as much a right to be in here as he does.

Lelouch glanced up at her briefly before he returned to his work. "What's that you have for me?" he asked.

"Contact information for some vendors," Shirley replied evenly. "Kallen's heading home, but there were still a few businesses on the list that hadn't been called."

Lelouch nodded, flipping a page he was working on. "Alright. Go ahead and lay them on my desk. I'll get to them in a few minutes."

Shirley did as he asked, approaching him with quick strides of her long legs, laying the papers down before him. As she watched him work, she felt a tug in her belly. His calm, mechanical expression was fixed on the papers, making marks and crossing out names, violet eyes scanning back and forth.

"Is there something else you need?" Lelouch asked her suddenly.

Shirley jumped at the question. She bit her lip, debating whether she should say anything. We haven't talked in so long. Maybe...

Gathering her courage, she asked, "It's just, well, aren't you going to escort Kallen home?"

"Why would I?" Lelouch asked, not bothering to look at her. "Kallen can take care of herself just fine. And I have a lot of work left to do."

Shirley frowned. Confusion mixed with jealousy. "But-" She took a steadying breath. "But she's your girlfriend, isn't she?" she asked plainly. Lelouch looked up at her in shock.

"Girlfriend?" Lelouch looked utterly baffled. "Kallen isn't my girlfriend. Why would you think that?"

Shirley brought her hand over her heart. "You don't have to lie about it, you know?" she said, biting her bottom lip. "I get that Kallen is a noble so you have to keep it a secret, but," she squeezed her eyes shut, "but you don't have to lie to me about it!"

Lelouch's chair rolled backward as he made to stand up. "Shirley, why do you think she and I are dating?" he asked.

"W-Well, it's obvious isn't it?" she demanded. "The two of you are always absent at the same time, you have a great rapport, and, and..." She clenched her hand into a fist. "And you always look really happy when you're with her!"

Lelouch's hands rested on her shoulders. "Shirley," he said gently, "I'm always happy when I'm with my friends. As for absences, well..."

He hesitated for a moment, then turned away from her and reached underneath his desk, pulling out a large black bag. He unsnapped the top of the bag and opened it, revealing a large pile of cash. "I've been playing a lot of illegal chess," he told her, a slightly guilty look in his eyes. "I was hoping to contribute this to the Festival, but Milly secured our finances before I could."

Shirley stared down at the cash in surprise. "Wh-Why didn't you say anything?" she asked him.

He scratched his head, looking down. "Because you never liked it when I gambled," he confessed.

Warmth blossomed in Shirley's heart. "Lulu..."

He bowed. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I-"

Shirley flung her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight embrace. Her sudden action knocked him back against his desk.

"Sh-Shirley!" Lelouch stammered, his hands clasping her hips.

"Lulu!" Shirley wailed happily. "All this time, and that's what you were doing? OH!" She kissed him on the cheek, not yet brave enough to try for his lips. Besides, this wasn't the time for that. "I'm sorry for how I've treated you! Please forgive me!"

"Shirley..." Lelouch's voice sounded strained. Shirley pulled away and looked up at him, her heart beating furiously. His lips were pressed into a thin line, his expression stricken with some unidentifiable feeling. She thought, just for a moment, that she saw a strange light in his eye. "It, it doesn't matter, okay?" he said uncertainly. "Let's just...forget all about it, right?"

A wonderful heat was pooling in Shirley's belly. He still hadn't let go of her hips, and the relief of his forgiveness was mixing with the heat of his hands on her body. There were no words she could say, so she simply nodded. She rested her face against his chest, listening silently to the rapid beat of his heart.

They stayed that way for a long time.

…

Bus in Transit, Tokyo Settlement, Area Eleven

Kallen rested against the bus seat as the rain pattered against the window. She was worn out; a full day of running around, setting up the vendor stalls, coordinating with returning students, helping set up the basin for the giant pizza. It was a nightmare of calculation and organization, and it was hard to look at the masked Suzaku who helped her through it all.

He had offered to escort her home, but she didn't want to be anywhere near him.

They shot your face off, she thought contemptuously, and you still serve them. He had taken to wearing a white mask to hide what they had done to him, but Kallen had gotten the truth from Honorary Britannian spies and defectors from the Empire. That full blooded Britannians were defecting over the attempted murder, but the Japanese victim didn't, frustrated her to no end. Where's your pride? she silently demanded. Where's your honor?

The bus was crowded with people, tired and desperate, most just trying to find a place to stay for the night before trying to board a plane or ship tomorrow. At the next stop, most of them climbed off, some with squalling children in tow, leaving behind Kallen, a man in a black business suit, an older lady who slept in her seat, and a blonde woman who looked about college age, wearing a thin pink tube top over an ample bust, a brown coat her only means of warding off the cold and the rain. Kallen wondered for a moment why she was wearing such thin clothing, but when she saw the glitter on her cheeks, she guessed she was either clubbing or...something else.

She blushed at the supposition.

At the next stop, a group of Japanese men older than Kallen climbed on board, wearing heavy coats and sock caps. The young woman stiffened, her teeth worrying at her bottom lip. Kallen rolled her eyes, but said nothing, choosing to relax back in her seat till her stop came. Without her stepmother's staff, she was short on private transportation. Not that she minded public transit, though she could do without how cramped the buses had become.

The ride passed in silence for a while, but Kallen began to grow worried. From the moment they boarded, the Japanese men had been talking with each other in low tones, a couple of them glancing over at the blonde woman.

After the third stop, one of them with dyed red hair and a piercing through his lip, called out to the girl. "Hey there."

The young woman tried to ignore him, shrinking into her seat.

"Hey!" he called again, this time a little louder. When the woman still didn't respond, he grabbed the bar above his head and approached, stopping only when he towered over her. "I said 'Hey'."

The girl looked up at him nervously. "Hey," she said. Her voice was soft and quiet and full of fear.

"What's your name?" the man asked.

She swallowed. "Anna," she answered reluctantly.

"That's a lovely name, Anna. A Britannian name. I'm Sai," he told her. "You sure look cold in that," he said, pointing at her clothing. His finger hovered over the exposed skin of her breasts.

Anna seemed to realize that, so she covered her hand over the swell of her cleavage. "I have to work tonight," she said.

"Where do you work?"

Anna squirmed. "At Boomer's Club and Bar," she answered.

"Boomer's?" one of the Japanese men asked. "Hey, Sai, that was where old man Yamashita's store used to be, right?"

"Yep, that's the place," Sai confirmed. "Had some good times there. Yamashita always used to sneak me a sucker when my old man wasn't looking." He leaned over Anna. "Course, that was before a Brit bomber took his head clean off. Nasty sight, that one." He edged closer to her. "Listen, me and the boys are 'bout to hit up a party in the outskirts, and you look like you could use a good time. Whatcha think?"

Anna shook her head fearfully. "No, thank you," she rejected in a small voice. "I can't miss work tonight."

"Come on, hon, I'll talk to your boss, whatever his name is," Sai assured her, a lewd grin on his face. "I'm sure he'll let you go tonight, once he gets a load of me."

"Um, that, well-" Anna looked around entreatingly, trying to gain someone's attention, but the old woman was still asleep, and the business man turned toward the window, unable to meet her gaze. She looked back up at Sai. "Um, I, I..." she paused, unable to say anything.

The grin on Sai's face grew bigger. "See, now that's-"

"Leave her alone," Kallen ordered, having had enough. "She doesn't want to go anywhere with you."

Sai scowled at her. "Who asked you, Brit?" he asked. "She and me-"

"There is no you and her," Kallen interrupted, standing up with the help of the bar overhead. "Leave her alone."

A dangerous glint entered the older man's eye. "You-"

The bus suddenly stopped, the doors opening with a snap. Anna took her chance, sliding out from under the distracted Sai and fleeing out the door.

"Wait, baby, don't-"

The doors snapped shut and the bus took off, nearly knocking Sai to the floor. He scowled at the bus driver, but as the older man wouldn't look at him, he turned his attention to Kallen.

"That," he said, gathering himself up and stalking toward her, "was a big mistake. You just cost me a fine piece of ass."

Kallen scowled. She pulled out her purse knife and held it at her side, careful to not yet eject the blade. "You didn't have anything, punk. She didn't want anything to do with you."

His eyes were near murderous. "I fail to see how that's your problem."

Before he could say anything else, one of his friends said, "Hey, Sai! She's pretty hot, too! Maybe she can make up for it?"

Sai turned to look back at his friend, then turned his attention back to her. He had visibly calmed down, and was instead examining her with an appraising eye. "You're not wrong there," he conceded to his friend. "If you like the school girl thing, anyway. What do you say, school girl?" His lewd grin was back. "How's 'bout you make up for what you cost me tonight?"

Kallen's eyes glinted dangerously. "I'm taken, asshole," she said.

He cocked an eyebrow. "By who?"

By a better man than you'll ever be. "None of your business," she said out loud. "Back off."

Before anything else could happen, the bus suddenly stopped and the doors snapped open. A pair of Britannian MP's climbed into the doors at both ends.

"Alright, Elevens, fun's over, come on out!" one of them ordered.

"Got a call from a concerned citizen about a bunch of Elevens making trouble on a bus," another ordered. "How about you boys get off?"

The air was tense for several long moments, the Japanese men clearly weighing their options.

"Uh, Sai..." one of them said, trailing off.

Sai hadn't taken his eyes off Kallen the whole time, his stare predatory and calculating. Kallen returned it, her eyes promising nothing but trouble if he continued. Finally, he nodded. "Alright, boys, we'll cooperate. For now." That last he said under his breath, but he had made sure Kallen heard it. He leaned toward her, his eyes cold as ice. "Make no mistake, Brit. This is just a pause. Pretty soon, we won't need to take orders from your filthy kind anymore. And then, every Brit will get her due."

Kallen leaned into his face, her own voice as quiet as his. "Come anywhere near me," she promised him, "and I'll chop your balls off and feed them to your friends."

His eyes widened fractionally in surprise. He searched her face for any indication that she was bluffing, but the murder she was offering in her cold blue eyes left no such evidence. A smirk appeared on his face. "I like you," he said. He gave her figure another appreciative once over before he left. The doors snapped shut, and the bus continued on its way.

Kallen turned to the business man, still staring out the window. "Thanks for the help," Kallen said sarcastically. The man flinched, a guilty look in his reflection. The old woman snored. Kallen sat back down.

The remainder of the journey home was quiet, the bus driver smiling at her admiringly when she got off the bus. Don't smile at me, Kallen wanted to say. Be a man! Get off your ass and help! Rain fell softly on her head as she walked the rest of the way.

As Kallen approached the gate to her home, she spotted a black car sitting in the driveway, and noticed that the light in the foyer was on. She narrowed her eyes, removing her purse knife, cursing the fact that she'd just come home from school and didn't have her gun. She checked the car for any identification, but only found a rental tag on the back; the interior was empty.

She stepped up to the door, gripped her knife, and thrust it open. There was a woman sitting on the staircase, dressed in a simple black dress blazer and skirt.

Her jaw dropped. The knife clattered to the floor.

"Mom?"

Her mother stood up, brushing her arms nervously, a hopeful smile on her face. "Hello, Kallen," she said.

Kallen sprinted across the room and threw herself into her mother's waiting arms. Tears ran freely down her cheeks. "I'm sorry Mom! I'm so sorry!" she sobbed.

"Baby, baby, hush now, it's alright," her mother said thickly. Her arms were a wonderfully tight vice around Kallen's body.

"I'm home, baby. Mommy's home."

…

Ashford Academy, Tokyo Settlement, Area Eleven

Shirley clicked on each light as she passed, switching them off. She tried to hurry through the rapidly darkening school; it had started to rain much harder outside, and Lelouch had offered to escort her home. She didn't want to keep him waiting.

She smiled. It feels so good to have made up, she celebrated. She felt guilty over how she had treated him, but if he was willing to sweep that under the rug, she'd happily accept. Maybe we can grab something to eat on the way back. She could already picture the two of them sitting at a cafe or a coffee shop, enjoying each other's company, talking long into the night. Should I let him taste the cherry lipstick I put on? She giggled, blushing.

As she kept walking down the hall, clicking one light switch after another, she heard someone at work in one of the classrooms. That's strange, she thought, the engineers should have left by now. She approached the classroom where the noise was coming from.

The noise stopped abruptly, and as she entered, she met a man wearing a dark green jumpsuit and a black ball cap he wore backwards. A pair of head phones wrested around his neck, and he wore a pair of sunglasses despite the darkness outside. Short dark curls poked out from beneath his cap, and his jaw was working as he chewed what Shirley only imagined could be gum.

"Can I help you, miss?" he asked. His voice sounded foreign, though that wasn't surprising given all the contractors that had been hired. There were several boxes of electronics behind him, and a computer suite hooked up to the wall.

"Yes," Shirley said uncertainly. "I'm with the Student Council. I heard a noise coming from here." She eyed him a little concernedly. "What's all this?" she asked, gesturing to the electronics behind him.

He shrugged. "Computer set up for some drones," he explained. He walked over to one of the boxes and lifted a small drone out. What looked like a video camera was affixed to the bottom. "They'll be recording the event from every angle, so you'll be able to watch the fireworks over and over again."

Shirley relaxed. That makes a lot of sense, she thought. Was this Lulu's idea?

"Your friend, what was his name, Lulu something?" he asked.

"Lelouch?" Shirley asked.

"Yeah, him," the man confirmed. "He asked for it. But it's supposed to be a surprise, so don't let him know you know." She could tell he was winking at her.

Shirley nodded, smiling. "Understood. Then please, make sure you lock up when you're finished," she ordered.

"You got it." He gave her a mock salute and went back to work.

Shirley left him to finish up her rounds. By the time she had finished, the room with the drones was dark and the man was gone.

Shirley went outside to where Lelouch was waiting.

"Did something happen?" he asked her as her arm curled around his beneath the umbrella he was holding.

Shirley smiled. "Nothing, don't worry about it." Lulu, you sneaky devil.

He raised an eyebrow at her, but shrugged. "Shall we get going?" he asked.

Spurred by a sudden feeling, Shirley laid her hand against his chest, and pressed a soft kiss to his neck. Her lips left a pink mark against his ivory skin. Blushing at her own audacity, Shirley pulled the surprised, and also blushing, Lelouch along.

"Yes," she said, "let's."

…

Office of Prime Minister Sawisaki, Forbidden City, Beijing, Chinese Federation

A visibly ill Xingke stepped inside the office of Atsuhi Sawisaki, where the Prime Minister and the High Eunuchs awaited him.

"If you harm so much as one hair on her head," he warned hoarsely, the image of his Empress defiant, that damned Eleven egging her on, "I will do my very best to annihilate you people."

Sawisaki merely smiled. He drew a dagger from the table, cut a thin line in his palm, and held out his bloody hand. "Do we have an accord?"

Xingke drew his own sword, and cut his hand on the blade. He clasped his bloody hand with Sawisaki's.

He never said a word.