Turn 5: Agent Orange

The next day, Jeremiah visited Ashford Academy. Officially, it was to hand over a large check to Ruben Ashford as reward for his good job presiding the school. Unofficially, it was to visit Lelouch and Nunnally. Nunnally herself grinned when Lelouch told her about the man.

"He had a crush on Mom? Somehow, I'm not surprised. Mummy was very popular, back in Pendragon. Cornelia looked up to her, as well as nearly all the soldiers stationed in the city. But she also had her enemies, and they managed to kill her…"

"She will be avenged, Nunna." Lelouch reassured. "Lord Jeremiah provided me with a key piece: the night of her death, she had recalled the guards despite the risks. There are several conclusions to be drawn from them. But we'll need more information to narrow down the right one."

The moment he picked the margrave's mental schemes, he slipped in the picture of a place in the forested area of the school, away from prying eyes. Nunnally was naturally with him. The pair didn't have to wait long. The man showed up in his usual uniform. Lelouch raised a brow.

"Formalwear, Milord? You stand out."

"I am here on official business. I have to dress the part."

Then the margrave noted the two teens didn't look good. Nunnally was hiding her eyes behind sunglasses, and there was something that gave him the gut feeling she was unimportant. Meaningless. He had to consciously fight the influence, repeating to himself over and over that she was important to counter it. Then there was Lelouch himself. Not only was he hard to notice, as if there was a filter covering him and he had to focus to pierce it, the teen looked ill with his pale skin, mated hair and dull, half-lidded eyes.

Then Lelouch grinned and the effects dropped. Suddenly, both teens were fully visible and Lelouch didn't look sickly at all. In fact, he looked perfectly healthy. Nunnally removed her sunglasses to reveal her lilac eyes. The elder sibling nodded.

"Impressive. Of all the people I met, only Colonel Tohdoh came close to piercing our filters. You are the second."

"I remember out meeting from last night." Jeremiah noted. "Lady Nunnally is important to me, and you had to be in full shape to successfully sneak in the viceroy's palace. I was aware your looks were a disguise."

"Most people don't. You had the advantage on us."

The margrave nodded.

"I get this is how you remain hidden: you place yourselves beneath notice. Easy with your talents. I wonder how you came into them."

Lelouch shrugged.

"Between Father, Nunna and I, it seems our branch of the family has a knack for mental powers. Sanjati trained me when he noticed I had an affinity for it. Nunna discovered her ability during the war. As far as I know, Father can alter memories, but he could be capable of more varied feats. I am able to read and alter memories, communicate telepathically, share my senses and several other tricks. Nunna is a bit more limited, but her own skills aren't to be underestimated."

Jeremiah turned to the girl, surprised. Nunnally grinned.

"I can remove the aggressivity within people to make them more peaceful. Also, I can make myself look unimportant. That's about it, but that's enough."

"Indeed. No better way to break a fight than to remove everyone's intent to harm."

Pacifying didn't sound like much, but it was still a frighteningly useful ability. The margrave looked at the pair and a weight lifted from his heart.

They were safe. Marianne's children were safe, sound and skilled. They had developed supernatural abilities that allowed them to stay hidden and were as autonomous as school-going teenagers could be. They had survived exile, the war and its aftermath and found new strength in the process. He felt proud. Disowned that they were, Lelouch and Nunnally were still very much the children of Charles zi Britannia. Their cunning and resilience were proof of it.

They ended talking about their life, Lelouch and Nunnally telling Jeremiah about their various adventures while the margrave told them about his time at the Aries Villa, sharing stories of himself, Cornelia and, of course, Marianne. The two siblings were very happy to hear about their mother.

"I miss her, sometimes." Nunnally admitted.

"We all do, Milady." Then a thought crossed his mind. "Talents like yours can be taught. Would it be possible for me to learn?"

Lelouch turned to his sister.

"Nunnally, what color is he?"

The girl closed her eyes.

"White, with touches of blue."

"Hm. Blue mana, I can teach. White will be you."

The conversation thus switched to mana and its use.

"Let's be honest: what we do is magic. However, the skill is anything but widespread. Sanjati taught me, but Nunna learned pretty much on her own. As for Father, I don't know."

"It doesn't matter. As an adult, I should be able to expend upon your lessons."

"Then we have a deal. Contact us when you're free. I have two places in mind where we can find leylines of the appropriate color."

"Alright. And, if you don't mind…" Jeremiah looked a little sheepish. "May I humbly request a spar? I know you can fight, but I would like to measure your skills to mine."

"Sword or Knightmare Frame?"

"Sword. Or knives since you need to favor them."

"True. I like to keep my sword for last resort. How about both?"

"With pleasure! Let's see if I have a free slot somewhere…"

In the end, the three had a great time. It was warm and heartfelt reunion. Before leaving, Jeremiah had an offer.

"My Lord, I have a small request, if you please."

"I am no lord, Ser Jeremiah, but say still."

"Allow me to be your Knight of Honor."

Lelouch froze, his mind going momentarily blank.

"My… Knight of Honor? Ser Jeremiah, I am no nobility anymore! I'm just a commoner! I have no right for a Knight –"

"You will always be my Prince, regardless of your current standing. What happened to you was unforgivable, both from the one who murdered Lady Marianne and from your Father. I know it will never be official for all the reasons we know, but I would still like to be your Knight. Please." The margrave knelt. "My Prince, grant me this honor."

Lelouch closed his eyes. On one hand, he was serious when he'd said he was no longer nobility. The only thing binding him to the Britannian Imperial Family was his blood. On the other, Jeremiah was profoundly loyal, both to him and his mother, and loyalty deserved its reward.

"It will never be official." The teen eventually said. "This will be just between the four of us: you, me, Nunnally and Sayoko. No badge, just an oath no one but us will know. As far as everyone is concerned, what we are about to do never happened and it means the oath holds no meaning to anyone but us."

"I am aware." The margrave reassured. "I have no problem with it."

"Then let's go."

They headed to their home, Lelouch holding Jeremiah so his Filter covered him as well. No one noticed them, and the man found himself genuinely surprised by its potency. No wonder no one had found the siblings! And no wonder the Shadow Operative was so hard to catch. As soon as they were home, Nunnally quickly briefed Sayoko while Lelouch took the margrave's sword. Jeremiah knelt. He barely remembered the words himself but, fortunately, the margrave had them memorized a long time ago. He gently peered into his mind and decided to alter the oath a little. The circumstances were, after all, exceptional.

"Jeremiah Gottwald, willst thou, upon this day, pledge thy fealty to my family and stand as a knight of our people?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Dost thou wish to abandon thyself, and be sword and shield for the sake of the greater good?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Lelouch delicately tapped both of his shoulders with the tip.

"I, Lelouch Lamperouge, hereby dub thee Sir Jeremiah Gottwald. May your courage and devotion become a shining example to all of us."

The sword was handed back and swiftly sheathed. Lelouch moved his hand and Jeremiah stood. There was no crowd to cheer him but Nunnally and Sayoko. They did, the two women clapping with shining smiles. It was enough for them, especially after Sayoko bought everyone tea and cookies to celebrate.

Jeremiah left Ashford with a saunter in his steps and a smile to rival the sun.

–v–

The days went on quietly. Prince Clovis was still unconscious, even though the symptoms of the migraine were gone. Worst came to pass and he was still asleep by the end of the week, Jeremiah decided he would call Lelouch. The teen's mental magic was powerful and varied. As time went on, people noticed changes. Just for starters, several laws were passed that improved the lives in ghettos. It wasn't much, but it was a start, and Jeremiah silently wished he could push further without drawing the ire of the nobles.

The Japanese had watched over Lelouch and Nunnally during the war. The laws were his way of thanking them.

He also considered reaching out to the various terrorist groups to negotiate but decided against it. This would definitely get the nobles to call for his blood. Instead, he promoted arts and educations and started several programs to help include Honorary Britannians. The nobles were sweet and sour. The smallfolk, Japanese and Britannians alike, were more vocal about their appreciation.

Suzaku was still with Kallen's group. After consideration, Lelouch decided to talk with Jeremiah about it. The teen was an Honorary Britannian. The question now was his status as a soldier.

"MIA. Presumed deceased." Jeremiah read the files. "No further report. As far as the army is concerned, Private Kururugi is either dead or recovering from serious injuries and unable to contact us. What's the truth?"

Lelouch winced from the shadows and answered mentally.

"The Royal Guard tried to kill him and Nunnally in Shinjuku so I killed them first…"

He ended giving him the full story. Jeremiah was appalled.

"All of this for a single girl? And what is Project R, anyway? Can I ask you to look into it?"

"That's in my line of work, yes. So, about Suzaku?"

"We will need a good cover story but reintegrating him should be doable. He is Lady Nunnally's childhood friend and the son of late Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi. I will take him under my wing, both in regard to our agenda concerning Honorary Britannians and to honor the bond the three of you share. Who knows?" A grin crossed his face. "With sufficient training, he should make a good Knight of Honor for Lady Nunna."

Lelouch considered.

"Suzaku? Nunna's Knight of Honor? …Why not? It's an idea."

They ended having to alter a few minds and temper with several papers but, eventually, Lelouch snuck in Shinjuku one night and found Suzaku in company of the cell's leader, Kaname Ohgi. He emerged from the shadows, pointedly making some noise to not take the pair by surprise. Suzaku tensed before recognizing him.

"Oh, it's you. What do we owe?"

Ohgi tensed.

"Who are you? How did you find us?"

"The Shadow Operative has their methods." Lelouch simply answered.

Ohgi froze.

"The Shadow – Ah, that explains things. What do we owe? I don't recall either I or anyone in the group requesting your services." The man grimaced. "We don't really have the means for that."

"True. Otherwise, your theft of the *poison gas* would have gone smoother." The resistant winced. "My business is with Suzaku Kururugi. I will spare you the details, but I managed to have you reintegrate the military."

Suzaku and Ohgi tensed.

"How? And why?"

"How is trade business. Why is because everyone could use a double agent. Having an inside man is always nice when you need to run circles around the enemy forces."

Suzaku grimaced.

"I don't like it. At all."

"True. You are a man of honor. But let me ask you this: can you afford honor right now?"

The teen froze. The words found an echo in his memories, an argument between Nunnally's Shadow and Kyoshiro Tohdoh.

"Honor is for those who can afford it, general. You're big and you're strong and you have a sharp sword. I am not big. I am not strong. I only have my knives. I cannot afford honor."

"Can you afford honor?" Suzaku fired back.

"I can't, and I don't think I ever will. I may have gotten bigger and stronger and my powers may have improved, but those I am up against are stronger still. I cannot afford honor yet."

"At least, you're honest."

"Truths and lies are the two edges of a sword. Used right, they can inflict the same damage, and just because you have it doesn't mean you should use it."

"Nicely put." Ohgi hummed. "Suzaku, I think you should take the offer. It's a chance for you to go back to normalcy."

"But I'd have to fight you."

"Not necessarily." Lelouch reassured. "You will be under the tutelage of a man who owes me several favors. We have already made the arrangements necessary for you to balance being a soldier and being a resistant. All will be fine."

Suzaku sighed.

"Fine, we have a deal. What should I do?"

–v–

Lelouch was particularly proud of his cover story.

According to the reports his superiors were given, Suzaku had been badly hurt containing the poison gas, ensuring it wouldn't contaminate the ghetto at the cost of his own health. A couple had found him and watched over him, eventually calling for the services of the Viridian Healer, a known associate of the Shadow Operative. The Viridian Healer had nursed Suzaku back to health, allowing him to rejoin the army.

Everyone bought the tale hook, line and sinker. The people of Shinjuku felt grateful of Suzaku for saving them, the military praised his bravery and self-sacrifice and his act made people look more favorably toward Honorary Britannians. As a show of appreciation, margrave Jeremiah Gottwald personally took him as his squire. When he learned who he was under the protection of, Suzaku admittedly needed a moment to find his voice.

"The margrave!? How the hell did you manage to get the margrave in your pocket!?"

"Trade secret."

"Another…"

"I am the Shadow Operative. Before that, I was the Shadow of Kururugi Shrine. Secrets and misdirection are my trade."

Suzaku hated that he was right. Lelouch and Jeremiah, meanwhile, were having a discussion.

"So, Bartley Asperius, Joseph Fenette, Arthur Redford… These people are high-ranking. Prince Clovis has clearly entrusted this project to members of his inner circle."

"They were studying the green-haired girl. Why for, I don't know yet but I hope to find out soon. For now, we have names. Next step is their goal."

Jeremiah smiled fondly.

"You are skilled at your trade, my lord. Such talent would make you a terror in the Imperial Court."

Lelouch's full-body jerk told the margrave it was the wrong thing to say.

"Better death than going back to that viper's nest!"

"Oops, my apologies."

"It's alright." Lelouch reassured. "It's just… the thought of going back to Pendragon terrifies me, and not just because Father is there. Schneizel, Guinevere, Dorian, Anaelle, Lawrence, and that's just the siblings I remember who enjoyed the Great Game. Thanks god Cornelia, Odysseus, Carine and Hadrian hate it. And, if we're talking about family, there are Lorelei el, Nimue de, Regina ne… Mother was quite skilled at it as well. And, naturally, there are the other courtiers. Pendragon in general and the Imperial Court in particular are a web of intrigues, deception and plotting that will kill you through sheer paranoia, and Nunna already calls me cagey. You can understand my fears."

"I do relate, my lord." Jeremiah grimaced. "Your description of the Court is spot-on. I like it as much as you do."

"There is a reason I learned these skills." Lelouch hissed between his teeth. "When Sanjati and Vatra asked me about my home, the moment I was done describing them Pendragon is the moment they decided I had to learn stealth and trickery, just so I could survive. Nunna often calls me paranoid, but it's not paranoia if you're right. There are people after me. People who would love to send me back to the Court. I cannot afford that. This is why I am so distrustful."

Jeremiah understood. The teen had valid reasons to be so cautious. Still, to know he only trusted five people – Lady Nunnally, Vatra, Sanjati, Sayoko and himself – was something which saddened him deeply.

"I believe you can trust Suzaku as well."

"Excuse me!?"

Jeremiah frowned. Lelouch tensed.

"Suzaku can be trusted. He is close to Lady Nunnally and cares a great deal for her. Besides, from what I've seen, the boy is searching for a place to belong. He wants a reason to live. I discussed with him and he admitted how he tried to kill his father to prevent too great losses of life. A misguided decision, clearly, but he was only ten. He just wanted to do what he thought was right, and he didn't even succeed."

"I know. I was there. I am the one who stopped him by giving him a splitting headache. I was on my way to get Nunnally out."

"Ah. Well done. The Japanese still regard Genbu Kururugi as a legend. The Man Who Cheated Victory. Not many can boast having fleeced Lady Cornelia like that. In any case, I think that, if we give Lady Nunnally's friend a worthy cause and a reason to live, he will be a reliable ally. You are adept at manipulating people. It shouldn't be too much trouble."

"I could do that." Lelouch admitted. "And it would make Nunna happy. I will consider it, Sir Jeremiah. For now, we got work."

"Indeed."

"One last thing before we go."

The margrave shuddered as his liege opened a telepathic link. However, though the bond's intensity decreased, he still remained able to perceive Lelouch's emotions, albeit feint enough they wouldn't be distracting.

"Nunna and I share the same bond. It allows us to check on each other no matter the distance. If one of us is in trouble, the other will sense the negative emotion and telepathically inquire. If we need to talk, it allows us to do without phones."

Jeremiah grinned hugely.

"I am honored that you trust me enough to share such a bond with me, my lord. I will use it wisely."

"It's because I trust you that I set it. I hope I'm not making a mistake."

"You aren't. I swear on my name."

Through the link, Lelouch sensed the margrave's sincerity. It made his chest feel a little warmer. But it didn't stop him from worrying.

Disaster struck two days later. Jeremiah had just received the news that Cornelia and Euphemia li Britannia were on their way when Kewell Soresi came to him with info on Project R. That the man knew about the project, even though he and Lelouch had made a point of keeping it between themselves, set him thinking. When he told him to meet him in a rather isolated part of town to share the intel, the margrave got suspicious and decided to bring Suzaku along. The Honorary Britannian had proved his skills with a sword during their few spars. Then, maybe because his liege's paranoia was rubbing off him, he decided to have Viletta Nu hide and spy on the meeting, just in case of backstab.

It was indeed a backstab. Kewell had the decency of not showing in Knightmare Frame. He did, however, show up with fifteen underlings against just Suzaku and himself.

"You betrayed or cause, Lord Jeremiah. Until now, as the leader of the Purist faction, you were a staunch proponent of the Elevens' oppression. We don't know why you changed, but your politics are simply unacceptable, even and especially the integration of Honorary Britannians. Look at yourself: you even took one as a squire!"

'I am doing this because the Japanese sheltered Lord Lelouch and Lady Nunnally during the war.' Jeremiah thought bitterly. 'My actions are my way of thanking them. But they cannot know. Not until my lord and my lady decide to reveal themselves.'

Instead, he drew his sword.

"My decisions are mine alone. I do not have to explain myself to someone who cannot understand oppression will only lead to further opposition."

Kewell growled.

"Then die! You are only in command until Viceroy Clovis wakes up or Princess Cornelia gets here!"

Suzaku drew his own sword and the fight began. Viletta quickly called an ambulance for the casualties she knew would occur. No need to call the police. As Suzaku kicked one of the Purist neatly in the head and sent them crashing against a fellow underling, Jeremiah opened a throat and cut a wrist before stabbing the unarmed man in the heart. The two men didn't look like they needed help despite being grossly outnumbered. If anything, the numbers simply gave them more targets. Suzaku dexterously parried a blow and opened the Purist's stomach. Jeremiah shifted his grip and backstabbed the man who had snuck in his squire's back, killing him first. Suzaku turned, then lunged at the same time the margrave did. Their swords simultaneously stabbed the Purist. Kewell snarled and charged.

–v–

The first thing Lelouch had done after establishing the link was informing Nunnally. Naturally, his sister had been pleased.

"You are becoming more trusting, Big Brother. This is great."

"A little trust goes a long way. The less I use it, the further I go. But Ser Jeremiah repeatedly proved he could be relied upon. I…I trust him. This isn't something I can say about most people."

"Which is why you saying it is so important."

There were days Nunnally really hated her family for making her brother so overly cautious, and even more for justifying said caution. But they had no choice. The Imperial Court and their family was that dangerous.

That night, Lelouch had decided to indulge in his favorite activity: rooftop prowling. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop was one of his primary means of locomotion in Ravnica, courtesy of the Plane's architecture. He had kept the habit on Earth, soaring between buildings and relishing in the sensation of freedom.

So long as he could run under the stars, it meant he was free. No one would catch him, not alive. It was a promise he intended to keep.

A wave of anxiety washed over him. Stopping in his tracks, Lelouch traced the sensation back to Jeremiah and frowned. It seemed his Knight was in trouble. He dived in a shadow and dashed between them until he reached his protector, coming just in time to see a blonde man cut off the margrave's arm.

The teen saw red.

–v–

Suzaku gasped as Kewell cut Jeremiah's right arm cleanly at the shoulder. The margrave fell back, the shock making him pass out as he hit the ground. Reacting quickly, the Honorary Britannian kicked a sword to his hand and stood protectively before his guardian, holding the Purists at bay with the two weapons. Viletta gritted her teeth and drew her own sword, ready to join the fight. Then something jumped from the shadows.

"Leave him alone!"

Three shadow knives struck their mark, each killing a Purist. One turned and was disemboweled for their trouble. Another swung, only for the Shadow Operative to duck and open their throat. The shadow knife then went flying in the heart of the last Purist before the hooded figure turned to Kewell. The Britannian man lunged. The Operative grabbed his arm, stole the sword from his hand and stabbed him with it, right in the heart. Kewell was dead before hitting the ground. Suzaku and Villeta shuddered. For all his covert actions, the Shadow Operative was skilled in a direct fight. Then he took off his hood and his cape and they finally saw the upper half of his face. The sight made them freeze.

Lelouch summoned a shadow knife and cut his cape. He didn't care that the piece of cloth was equally stylish and comfortable. Jeremiah was heavily bleeding from his wound and he needed to staunch it. His cape was the biggest piece of fabric he had on hand. So, he cut it in a single long strip and wrapped it around his Knight's chest, then turned to Viletta and Suzaku.

"Are the emergencies on the way?"

"I called them when the fight began." Viletta reassured. "They should be here soon."

Lelouch breathed and delicately took the margrave's arm, cleaning the sword and sheathing it. With some luck, the surgeons would be able to sew it back. Then he realized part of his face was visible and stopped dead in his tracks. He only had to look at Suzaku to understand the curly brunette had put two and two together. And he wasn't the only one if Viletta's face was anything to go by. Silently, he gestured them to keep their mouth shut. Viletta didn't hesitate. She put a hand on her chest.

"My lips are sealed, my lord. I swear it on my honor."

Suzaku slowly nodded.

"I won't say a word either. Nunnally would never forgive me. I should have guessed, thought. In retrospective, it was obvious." The teen looked down. "Who is more protective of their sibling than another? All that sneaking around and thieving to make her happy, that anger and fear toward the Imperial family… It was you all along. We should have guessed."

Lelouch snarled.

"The only ways I am going back to Pendragon are bound and gagged or in a body bag. Either of you sell me and I will know. And I will kill the one responsible. Clear?"

"Crystal."

Lelouch didn't relax, not even when the ambulance arrived. Instead, he kept his Filter active just enough to keep his features blurry. Suzaku and Viletta seeing his face had been a major lack of caution on his side. He couldn't afford to make another.

Suzaku, meanwhile, silently wondered what kind of place the Imperial Court was that a supernatural ninja was scared of it. He wasn't sure he wanted to know.

As for Viletta, she felt silent sorrow for the hiding prince. She remembered Jeremiah telling her about little Lelouch vi Britannia. The two being close friends, they had shared tales. To remember them and see the guarded, nervous underground agent the prince had become made her almost afraid. The Imperial Court and Charles zi Britannia had scared the sweet prince in a way she doubted could one day be healed. And she hated it.