A/N: Hello and welcome all to this latest and greatest chapter. Let me get the review responses out of the way-
First for Ghostly: No worries about the excessive responses! I enjoy reading them, they often contain ideas and neat little bits of trivia I didn't know, its just hard for me to respond without making a chapter length authors note in response. As for the issue of our beloved pizza-loving green haired bitch tornado- There's still a chance that this will include C.C. in a realistic and organic love triangle, I just don't know for sure, it depends on how this whole thing develops. I'm putting it in the "Maybe but I can't promise" category. And yes, Jerry has been stationed in Japan for a while, he's probably getting a scene next chapter. In regards to the rebirth of the Ashford foundation: it's already happening.
CGFZ117: I felt like it was the most likely reason the whole thing happened. Clovis is desperate, he's paranoid, and he's afraid of his father offing him. He's spent years walking a constant fight of flight tightrope and he snapped when the Kozuki group stole the "Poison Gas" because he felt C.C. was his only chance for survival. Thank you for noticing my dedication to writing out Cornelia well btw. In this series of events, she directed her anger at her sperm donor rather than "the numbers", but she's discreet about it. As for the Non-canon additions for Knightmares. Don't worry, I have a few different designs in mind, they may not be wildly creative but I plan to introduce uncommon upgrades, modifications and design features to customize each knightmare for their pilot. The other stories are on a backburner. I have not forgotten about them, but this fic is flowing naturally so I will keep writing for it until I finally hit a wall.
RanVor: I know that if this story 100% followed canon I'd be wrong, I never said Glasgows didn't have IFF's installed in lore. I said in this story, at this time, they don't, an unintentional flaw in it's design and a result of the butterfly effect, the post in the previous chapter was mostly me explaining the details. I'm sorry that you're upset by it. As for the remark about the student council you'll have to wait and see.
Ghostly(2): I will address Lelouch's limited but worthwhile physical strengths and skills this chapter and a lot for the next chapter and how he hones them to his advantage. As for the suggested defenses in Shinjuku and the alarm system it is possible, but a long way off. When it comes to getting more knightmares, yes don't worry, there will be plenty in due time.
Blanchimont: Glad you like my story so far! It may admittedly be slower paced but I wanted to focus on character development and interactions to establish relationships. And in regards to the Kozuki matriarch, you must wait no longer!
Ryder77: I know right? Its perfect!
Raventus: Gremlins indeed, V.V. is a sweaty little hobgoblin.
It had been a couple weeks since Lelouch had scored a black market Glasgow for the Kozuki Resistance, and the boy was slowly becoming a bit of a mascot for them, much to his chagrin.
Ohgi offered to help Lelouch with his studies, and since he was a former schoolteacher there was perhaps no one better suited to the job.
Minami was an amateur electrician, and Sugiyama was a hobbyist gearhead. Both of them already taught him some things he didn't know about knightmares before, the little quirks, flaws and tricks to getting the highest optimization out of the old Glasgow was helping Lelouch understand the technology and its applications better.
Naoto had taken over Lelouch's training regimen. He was much like Kallen in how he approached the subject. Whilst Tohdoh was an outright menace of a taskmaster to Lelouch during his stay at the Kururugi shrine, the Kozuki siblings where encouraging and supportive, and it felt good to have them compliment him whenever he made progress, so he would push on to improve his body as much as he could.
Sure, he had his limits. The one thing he had to give his father was that he was right about people being born different. Lelouch just wasn't built to be a powerhouse, though he had built up a surprising amount of stamina and endurance, he could probably be a marathon runner one day if he put his mind to it.
But he wasn't about to go winning a head on fistfight with a full grown adult, much less a trained soldier. He wondered how he might approach close quarters combat if he didn't have a firearm...
Lelouch perked up, hearing a morose sigh coming from his favorite redhead sitting across the table. She was supposed go be doing homework since the student council room was basically a free period when there was nothing going on. But she couldn't seem to keep focus.
"Hey." Lelouch asked her, breaking the silence and causing her to look up from her empty page and right at him.
"Hey."
Lelouch frowned.
Kallen didn't sound like herself.
"Are you ok...?" He asked quietly, earning a slow shake of her head.
"No."
"Want to talk about it?"
"No."
"Kallen..." He began softly. "We're childhood best friends, boyfriend and girlfriend, partners. If there's anyone on earth that can help if you're feeling down, it's me."
Kallen stared for a moment, before sighing.
"It's my mother."
"What about her?" He asked, his curiosity piqued.
"I... I just wish she would leave." Kallen admitted, biting her lip. "She's staying in dad's house as a damn servant after he left and took on a new spouse. I don't know why she can't just... just get the hell out!" She said, finally snapping.
That made Lelouch narrow his eyes. "Elaborate."
She took a deep breath.
"I want her to leave because I feel like she's wasting her life... even after dad left... even after the war she still sticks around, suffering my stepmother's abuse all day. I want her gone, I find her depressing..."
"Kallen." He said firmly. "Don't you think there's another reason she might be staying at the Stadtfeld estate?"
Kallen wracked her brain, her face scrunched up in contemplation as she tried to understand what Lelouch was getting at.
He sighed, standing up from his seat and walking around to her side of the table. He brought an arm up as he sat down next to her, laying it over her shoulder as he gave her a comforting side-hug.
"Think about it, what irreplaceable object resides at the Stadtfeld estate?"
She blinked. "I... don't know." She admitted, cozying up in his embrace.
"You." Lelouch pointed out.
Kallen's eyes went wide, staring at the table for a moment before her head snapped up to look at him.
He nodded.
Her shoulders slumped and she began to cry. She never thought of it that way... was it a fluke? Or did she value herself so little that she didn't consider her own mother's love to be a driving factor?
"Kallen." He hugged her tight. "I know you're probably confused, and torn up inside... but please... don't scorn your mom."
That's when Kallen realized something, she wasn't just being neglectful of her mom, she admitted to doing it in front of Lelouch.
Her best friend, now boyfriend, an someone who would do anything, give anything to have their own mom back.
"I'm sorry..." She whimpered.
"Don't apologize to me, that's something you should save for your mom Kallen." He said as he gently rubbed her back. "I don't think you're a bad person, ok? You just misunderstood what was happening, you wanted your mom to have a life, that's a noble thing. You've just been seeing things from the wrong angle and reacting accordingly."
Kallen nodded lightly, and Lelouch used a clean handkerchief that he kept in his breast pocket to wipe away her tears.
"What do you say we head over to your place, alright?"
"Ok." Kallen agreed quietly, sniffing a little and appreciating the comfort Lelouch was giving her. The boy never seemed strong as far as outward appearances went, but in that moment she felt like she never met anyone with more strength. Not in body, but of heart, mind and spirit.
Kallen still had a mother, he didn't, Naoto was perfectly healthy, Nunnally wasn't. And even though her father was absent, he wasn't abusive.
"Lelouch?" She asked.
"Yes?" He answered softly.
"How can you be so strong? What is it that let's you still push through every day?"
"Well that's easy. My love for Nunnally, and for you. I have to be strong so that I can protect the people I care about. Even if the past hurts, I can't let it control me. If I allowed my pain and hate to guide me I'd turn out no better than the rest of my family." He smiled. "I'm strong because I have you."
Her heart fluttered in her chest, her hands going up to hold onto him.
"Can I have a kiss?" She asked with pink dusting her cheeks.
He answered by tilting her chin up and planting one on her lips, and she melted from it.
They stayed like that for a moment, before finally breaking away... before it had just been quick little pecks.
This one was deeper, and lasted longer. There had been soft moans coming from her, and she shifted a little in his grip.
Unfortunately the need for air took precedent and forced them to break it up, but both of them where very much pleased by the experience.
"That... was..." Kallen breathed out.
"Yeah..." Lelouch agreed with her unspoken observation.
That was good.
Lelouch cleared his throat after taking a moment to catch his breath.
"Lets get going, shall we?"
"Y-yeah, lets." Kallen agreed with a stutter as she was still recovering from the kiss. She was shocked by how good it felt. She wanted more, but knew that right now wasn't an appropriate time.
They left together and arrived at the Stadtfeld estate. Welcomed with no fanfare.
They stepped inside and Kallen called out.
"Mom?" She said questioningly. "Mom are you there?"
No answer.
"Maybe she's out running an errand?" Lelouch suggested.
"Maybe." Kallen agreed hesitantly, but something didn't feel right.
"Why don't we go to the kitchen? I'll make something for us since it's around supper time and she'll probably be home soon."
"Sure." Kallen agreed with a small smile. The thought of Lelouch's cooking always cheered her up.
The two of them would head through the main foyer towards the kitchen, and in doing so, would pass by the room where Kallen's mother resided.
Lelouch was the observant type, it was ingrained to his life. His paranoia about being discovered meant that he could sometimes spot things at first glance that others would ignore.
He stopped as they where about to pass the door.
"Lelouch?" Kallen asked, and noticed where his narrowed eyes had been staring. There was something up with the door handle to her mom's room. She reached out to touch it, only for the knob to fall out of the socket near instantly. The door itself cracked open.
Kallen paled and Lelouch tensed up as she slammed the door open and stepped inside.
She brought her hands up to her mouth.
Her mom was nowhere to be seen, but there was graffiti all over the walls. Dehumanizing, self-deprecating and cruel words scribbled across every surface of the room. There was almost nothing here. Only her bed, a dresser and a closet.
Lelouch quickly pulled Kallen back and hugged her tightly, and she buried herself into him, sobbing.
"Mom... I'm so sorry mom!" She began to shake.
If only she had known.
Lelouch was there for her, holding her close and tight as he stared into the room.
"Kallen, judging by the state of the door handle I think that this was a break-in. There doesn't seem to be any blood or signs of a struggle so I don't think she was harmed."
That caused her both panic and relief. Her mom might not have been hurt when they took her but she was still obviously in trouble!
"Wait here." He ordered. The less Kallen saw of this the better. He kissed her on the forehead and let her go, walking into the room and closing the door behind him.
He ignored the graffiti as best he could and looked for evidence. He searched the closet- finding spare uniforms and a few dusty keepsakes but not much else.
Then he began opening drawers on the dresser, finding toiletries and clothes until he reached a drawer that, once opened, clattered with rolling glass vials and an injector needle.
He narrowed his eyes, reaching in and grabbing one of the vials, seeing a few drops of hazy reddish-brown liquid still inside before stepping back out to see Kallen still shaken up and pacing back and forth, with shoulders slouched and arms crossed.
She turned to look at him and saw the glass vial he was holding up, and she looked both sad and outraged.
"You know what this is?" He asked calmly.
"Refrain." She bit out.
Lelouch hummed, looking back down at the glass vial. He had heard of refrain in passing when around the Kozuki group but it was never discussed in full.
"What is refrain exactly?" He asked.
"A narcotic, typically found in liquid forms. It targets the brain with a chemical cocktail that induces hallucinations. Memories usually, the kind that have positive emotions attached to them."
"Nostalgic Euphoria in a bottle." He commented. He could understand why someone might want this stuff...
"Yeah..." Kallen mumbled, before getting angry. "But, but why does she have that? How... how much does she have?" She asked.
"You don't want to know." He answered quietly.
That made her choke up and clench her fists. Lelouch threw the vial into a garbage can and grabbed Kallen by her shoulders.
"Kallen, I have to be strong for you and Nunnally. Your mother needs you to be strong for her. Hold it in for now. And once all this is over you can cry. You can cry, and scream and get it all out as much as you need. But right now we have to act."
Kallen nodded, forcing herself to calm down as she wiped her eyes. "Right."
"Does this estate have a security camera?"
"Yeah, we have a few hidden cams watching the perimeter and entrances."
"Can you access their recordings?"
"I can." Kallen answered, knowing what he was getting at, she led him to the small server room they had for the security system and pulled up the camera footage of the front entrance. They rewound it until-
"Stop." Lelouch ordered, and she did so. The screen paused and they both looked at it.
Britannian police where dragging her mother out in cuffs, making Kallen bristle with anger.
"Lets go, I'll call a cab and we'll head straight for the police station."
Kallen nodded silently, glaring at the camera, at the way the men manhandled her mother, the look of pain and desperation on her face.
She took another deep breath, repressing her anger as best she could as Kallen offered his hand to her again, helping her up.
They walked out towards the foyer and Lelouch quickly called a cab service. Within minutes they had a ride and departed immediately for the police station.
The ride was short, and Kallen's nerves where clearly shot. But Lelouch helped her stay calm by holding her hand, gently running his thumb across her knuckles in a circular pattern while she let her head rest against the glass of the cab's window and watched the traffic and buildings go by.
When the cab eventually reached its destination, Lelouch paid the full sum plus a tip for the smooth ride before getting out. He opened Kallen's door for her and offered his hand like a gentleman, earning a small smile of appreciation from the redhead before they both stepped inside.
They entered the front lobby and walked up to the counter at the public service desk, encountering a secretary.
"Hello, we're here about a member of staff that was forcibly removed from the Stadtfeld estate. The heir Countess is quite cross." Lelouch declared diplomatically.
He didn't like relying on noble titles, but this was a Britannian establishment. Nobility had certain perks when it came to dealing with law enforcement.
Upon the mentioning of Kallen being a Countess, the secretary sat up straighter and immediately called for the chief of police using the phone at her desk, dialing for his office.
"Countess Stadtfeld and her entourage would like to speak with you sir... yes sir... understood." She hung up the old phone and looked up at them.
"His office is down the hall on your right, can't miss it."
Lelouch nodded and uttered a quick thanks before ushering himself and Kallen down the hall and finding the chief's office.
They opened the door, and found the man sitting at his desk in a crisp uniform, his office was nicely decorated as well.
"Kallen, have a seat please, I'll be right back." He suggested, and she nodded, walking in and sitting down in a chair opposite of the man in uniform.
"Countess, I am honored. Tell me what brings you here?"
"There was a police raid on my manor. You know that."
"I do, but I didn't think you'd be upset with us removing a drugged up Eleven from your estate."
Her soul screamed murder, but she had to stay calm. Her eyes sharpened, but there was nothing more, at least not on the outside, but internally her blood began to boil.
"Who I deign to grace my presence on my property is my business." She said shortly.
"Of course." The officer said in a Diplomatic tone. "May I ask why you have come for her?"
"My mother and father are both busy people. The Eleven-" that word tasted like poison on her tongue. "-that you took from me has helped to raise me for many years and I am understandably attached."
"I see, I suppose I can understand then-" He said before the door opened and Lelouch walked back in.
"And who might your friend be?"
"Lelouch, Lamperouge." Kallen answered as the black prince stepped up to the desk.
"Lets make a deal shall we? We both know how this works so let's cut the charade, neither of us have time for games right now. How much?"
"My going rate is 200 pounds per month. Standard sentencing for possession of narcotics is 20 years with parole."
"48,000 pounds." Lelouch did the math in his head.
"Correct."
"This will clear her of all charges and remove any marks on her record?"
"It will."
Lelouch reached into his coat pocket. "I left to find an ATM." He said casually as he pulled out a wad of cash and dropped it onto the desk before sitting down, crossing one leg over another.
"That's 50,000. You can keep the change if you agree to keep this quiet."
The man picked up the cash, smiling as he ran a thumb over the inked paper and let it roll. Kallen found herself disgusted but didn't say a word.
Satisfied, he used a key to open a drawer and tossed the rubber band of cash inside before closing and locking it again with the same key.
"Consider her charges dropped and record clean, I'll have the Eleven brought out shortly." He declared. "It was a pleasure."
"I'm sure it was." Lelouch said dryly, before turning to look at Kallen. He used a much softer tone when speaking to her. "Lets go." He said, taking her hand once more as they stood up and walked out of the office without another word.
They waited then at the front lobby. The minutes ticked by, and Kallen was anxiously bouncing one of her feet off the ground as she sat on a bench next to Lelouch. He kept her calm by holding her hand and squeezing it comfortingly while massaging her knuckles with his thumb again.
She leaned into him in response, resting her head against his shoulder and closing her eyes, taking solace in his presence.
There was no way she could have done this alone. First he saved her and Naoto's lives 5 years ago, and now he was saving her mother from 20 years of incarceration.
She could never repay him. And yet somehow she felt like he didn't even want her to, and that just made her even more grateful.
Kallen perked up as she instantly recognized her mother being escorted down the hall, a few bruises where on her face, but the damage was superficial. The police uncuffed her and Kallen got up, running to her mom and embracing her in a hug.
"Kallen...?" The Kozuki matriarch muttered, dazed from the drug but recognizing her daughter's love through it all.
"It's ok mom. I'm here, I love you." She said quietly, making sure that only her mother and Lelouch could hear her. Lelouch smiled brightly at the scene and watched as the mother embraced the daughter, crying, but happy because they had each other again.
They returned to the Stadtfeld estate, but it wouldn't be for long. Kallen had made a decision that would do both herself, and her poor mother some good.
"I'm going to pack my things." Kallen declared. "I'll take care of your stuff too mom, don't worry."
Lelouch turned to look at Kallen.
"You're moving out?" He asked.
"Yes." She confirmed. "I can't stand this place. Naoto's basically moved out and has his own place, mom can't stay here and if she isn't here then I don't want to be here either."
"Where will you go?"
Kallen paused at that. "I figured since there's plenty of space, we can make a little nook for ourselves in the Ashford underground."
Lelouch frowned.
Nonsense, it might have been safe and somewhat private but it was no place to make a home. It was shelter and a place to work and plan, not for one to use for their livelihood, it wouldn't do.
"Let me make a call." Lelouch said, before pulling out his phone and using speed dial while Kallen waited to see what he was doing.
After ringing for a few moments, the other line picked up.
"Why hello my darling black prince, what can I do for you today?" Milly preened.
He knew he was gonna pay for this at some point.
"Hello Milly. I just wanted to confirm something. Members of the Ashford staff have access to free rooms and board correct?"
"Yeeeeeees?" Milly answered. "Go on."
"Kallen's mother is in need of employment and-"
"Say no more." Lelouch let out a sigh of relief at that. "I'll talk to grandpa, I'm sure we can afford a new member of staff. What are her skills?"
"Household chores. Cleaning and the like, she's been a maid at the Stadtfeld estate for the past 5 years."
"A new member of the cleaning staff then."
"Yes, though she is a refrain addict, we're going to try and get her some proper therapy and rehab if we can. See if we can't help her through the withdrawals."
"I see. That shouldn't be too much of an issue. Anything else?"
"Kallen is going to need a room as well."
"Oh well that's easy." Milly said in a tone that was just a BIT too playful for his liking. "She can just bunk with you~"
Lelouch would've done a spit-take if he had been drinking anything.
"E-excuse me!? But Milly I-"
"Sorry Lelouch, my word is final!"
"Why you-!"
"Quotaaaaaaa~" She reminded him in a melodic tone before letting out a mad cackle and hanging up on him.
He groaned
Bloody brilliant.
He cleared his throat as he slipped his phone back into his pocket.
"Milly agreed to having you and your mother stay at the Academy, free of charge."
The redhead looked elated, smiling brightly at her boyfriend, she jogged up to him and threw her arms around him in a hug. He had to force himself to remain calm as her bust pressed into his chest through the fabric of their clothing.
"Yes well um... there was a stipulation. You aren't staying in the girls dorm, she says you have to um... stay with me..." The shade of red on his face was a whole new one.
Kallen burned up at that, choking on her own breath as she let go and stepped back in shock. Miss Kozuki seemed to be attentive enough to understand what was going on in that moment and frowned.
"Look, Kallen, I'm sure I can convince her to change her mind so don't worry about that, just let me-"
"No."
Lelouch froze as she cut in.
"I... it's ok, we've known eachother for years, we're best friends. You're one of the kindest and most considerate people I have ever met, I trust you."
His heart leapt up into his throat. He wasn't opposed to living with Kallen but it felt like this relationship thing was going a bit too fast! They'd only became official just recently!
Still... there wasn't much of a choice. This place was toxic and Ashford would make a better home for both Kallen and her mom. He wanted them both to be safe and happy.
"Alright..." He agreed quietly.
Kallen smiled, stepping back up to him and planting a kiss on his lips, making him groan lightly in appreciation.
After a few seconds, they broke it up, and smiled at each other only to realize that Kallen's mom was watching, and she did not look pleased.
He coughed awkwardly.
"Kallen, why don't you start getting packed while I speak with your mother, she probably has some questions."
"Right..." Kallen agreed while feeling just as awkward, she was embarrassed to kiss someone in front of her mom.
Lelouch watched his best friend walk up the stairs before turning to look at Miss Kozuki.
"Well met Kozuki-san." He said with a bow. "You've seen me around a lot but we never officially met."
She nodded, her face set in a thin line.
"What is your intention with my daughter?"
A hardliner right out of the gate eh? She was a momma bear.
"Nothing nefarious I assure you. Kallen has been my best friend since I was 10 years old. I want her happy, healthy and safe just like you do."
His words where brimming with genuine honesty, and she seemed to relax a bit.
"I've been a terrible mother." She said quietly. "I wanted to be here... to protect her... but look at me, I turned into a useless druggie..." She said with shame.
"You are not useless." Lelouch said firmly, startling her, before relaxing his tone. "If I may- what is your first name?"
"Hina." Kallen's mother answered.
"Hello Hina, let's meet properly this time." He said, gently taking her hand. "My name is Lelouch."
His calm demeanor and respectful attitude did well to lighten the situation, she smiled a little as she started to understand Kallen's interest in him. He was a gentleman.
"Do I have your permission to use your first name, as I expect you to use mine?"
Hina nodded. "Very well, Lelouch."
Lelouch smiled back. "I am glad to finally meet you. Seeing how strong Kallen is, I shouldn't have been surprised to see such strength in you too."
Hina Kozuki shook her head in dismay, her eyes looking at the floor.
"You disagree." It was a statement more than a question.
"I do."
"You're wrong."
Lelouch was so unflinchingly confident in his response that it made Hina do a doubletake.
Lelouch approached her, gesturing to her arm. "May I?"
She nodded with a bit of hesitation. He gently grabbed it and rolled down her sleeve, showing the marks of many injections leading down her forearm, a few having missed the veins.
"Do you know what I see when I look at this?" He asked.
"Weakness?" She guessed, only for him to shake his head.
"No, no I don't see weakness. I see battle scars." He declared, causing Hina to look surprised. "You spent 5 long years in something tantamount to hell. A distant relationship with your children, an absent husband and an abusive mistress. Every day you where degraded and yet you carried on. When the pain became too much, you looked for a way to make it go away without compromising your dedication. Your vow to be there with your children. Where other mothers would have broken long ago you stayed defiant and unwilling to waiver in your dedication. You are perhaps one of the strongest people I have ever met."
His words moved her, and Hina smiled, unable to stop her waterworks.
"You're not like other Britannians, are you?" She asked through her sniffles.
"No, I'm not. I don't care about you being Japanese, or Kallen being a half-blood. None of that matters to me. When I look at a person, I see a person. I don't judge them by their skin, their nationality, their language, their religion or physical imperfections. Only the content of one's character matters to me. And you Hina, you have strong character. You have a powerful spirit and enduring will. Kallen is lucky to have you."
Hina finally allowed herself to relax and smile, she decided she definitely liked this young man. And she realized that perhaps she owed him.
"Thank you... for everything. Watching out for my daughter and... you're the one who bailed me out, aren't you?"
"I did. And I don't expect anything in return." He answered. "Kallen's happiness is what matters to me, no amount of money is worth more than that."
Hina stepped forward and hugged Lelouch lightly.
"I wasn't sure about you at first. But I can see it now, you'll be perfect for my daughter. I saw how happy you made each other when you played together as kids, she's in good hands."
Lelouch smiled, hugging Hina back a little, before letting go. His eyes wandered over to the grand piano in the foyer.
He used to play a little... back at the Ares villa. He hadn't touched one since but...
"May I?" He asked, earning a quick and firm nod from Hina.
He walked over to the grand piano and began to check it out to make sure it would play properly.
"Names have quite a lot of meaning, you know." He decided to converse with Hina idly. "Kallen's first name has a few. In old Irish dialect it means 'mighty warrior', in Britannian English it means pure, and in Japanese it means 'beautiful as a lotus flower." He pondered. "I can't help to agree with all 3 definitions for her. She's a hell of a fighter, she's pure of heart and soul, and she's by far the most beautiful girl I've ever met."
Hina looked at Lelouch, regarding him quietly.
"You love her."
"I do." There was no hesitation.
"...What about you, what does your name mean?" Hina asked, and he blushed a little.
"Lamb." He admitted. "Though it could also mean 'Shady' and my last name is Lamperouge, meaning red lamp."
"So you're a shady red lamp." Hina giggled.
"Not very powerful of a name, no." He agreed. "Though depending on the connotations... I could be a Lamb marked red. In some cultures the depiction of such is considered to be a mark of sacrifice."
"A sacrificial lamb?" Hina asked, now loosing all humor.
"Quite, one who's death was intended from the beginning, but would ultimately serve a purpose for the betterment of the community."
"Your parents have a sick sense of humor." Hina said dryly.
"You have no idea."
In her room, Kallen sighed happily and stretched as she finished packing everything. Most of it was sentimental stuff and important documents. There wasn't much else to bother with except for a suitcase full of clothes and whatever actual valuables like jewelry and money she had.
Once the youngest Kozuki finished gathering everything, she left her room and headed for the stairs, and her ears picked up on the sound of... a piano?
Kallen walked down the stairs with her luggage to see Lelouch and her mother sitting on a bench, both of them playing the piano together, making Kallen gawk at them.
Hina: "Oh Kaaaaaallen your eyes are so blue~"
Lelouch: "They remiiiiind me of the love I have for you~"
Hina: "When the sun goes down, we'll bid it's warmth adieu~"
Lelouch: "And when it returns the light breathes light anew~"
Hina: "But with you in our hearts"
Lelouch: "All our worries will depart"
Hina: "As our hope grew to be true~"
Lelouch: "That we are lucky to have you is something that we always knew~"
Hina: "How you don't see it, we haven't got a clue~"
Lelouch, the cheeky fucker, decided at that point to show off a little, his rust wearing off while his fingers delicately danced across the keys of the piano with a flourish, building to a crescendo before finishing and standing for an elaborate, dramatic bow.
Kallen was smiling and blushing out of embarrassment, but wouldn't deny that she was genuinely touched by the cute little song they sang and how well Lelouch played for her. And better yet, mother seemed to approve.
She walked over to him still flushed red and lightly swatted his shoulder with a playful tone in her voice.
"You're a dork." She declared. "But... you're MY dork."
Her dork grinned and grabbed her, engaging in a tickle fight as she began to beg for mercy.
Hina could only watch and smile, knowing her daughter was going to be ok.
The next day Lelouch would call a meeting with the Kozuki Resistance in the Ashford underground. The moment everyone was in attendance, Naoto gave Lelouch the floor.
"Everyone, I know we are still in the preparation phase before we go to war with Britannia. We need more time to build up and train. I know you have all been doing your part. However, something has been brought to our attention."
Lelouch pulled out a glass vial, the same he took from Hina's room the previous day.
"Refain rules the streets, the Japanese suffer, and it has been allowed to grow and fester unchecked. I propose that we move against them."
The rest of the group looked at each other, including Naoto who narrowed his eyes at the vial.
"What do you propose exactly, Lelouch?" Naoto asked, crossing his arms.
Lelouch smirked, his grin was violent, cruel, perhaps even outright evil.
"I propose that we remove the filth from our streets."
Ohgi looked at Naoto questioningly, who in turn was looking at Lelouch before he turned to see Kallen, who nodded firmly.
"We need to do this, Nii-Sama. Lelouch found that vial in mom's room..."
The older brother looked shocked and horrified, a grimace stretching across his face.
"Is she ok?" He asked fearfully.
"She is." Lelouch confirmed, causing Naoto to feel relief. "Kallen and Hina are both going to be living on the Ashford campus."
"That's good, at least... so... refrain huh?"
"Yes. I am petitioning you as... as my brother, please." Lelouch all but begged. Naoto was still the leader after all.
Naoto closed his eyes, thinking about it for a moment, before smirking and looking back at the rest of his resistance group.
"Alright guys. We have our first target, and that's the Britannian mafia, along with all the other drug smuggling rings we can find." He raised his fist into the air. "They've hurt our countrymen for too long! Lets get these sons of bitches!"
"Banzai!" Tamaki cheered, throwing his arms up into the air, and the action was parroted by the rest of the resistance group.
Naoto walked over to Lelouch then.
"We only have 1 knightmare for now." He began. "How good of a shot are you with a rifle?" The young man asked.
Lelouch smirked.
"One way to find out."
Naoto smirked back, before turning to look back at the rest of the resistance group. "Everybody, get back to your training, Kallen and Lelouch you guys go get dressed for a trip to Shinjuku, meet me near town square, break."
"Hai!"
Lelouch and Kallen made good time, arriving at the Shinjuku ghettos wearing their resistance outfits. Lelouch had his trademark all-black getup with the Kozuki headband as a choker, and Kallen was wearing her usual.
"So Lelouch." Naoto started with his hands on his hips as they where near an abandoned industrial zone in Shinjuku. "Got any experience with parkour?"
"Oh, you know, I've climbed a few skyscrapers." The exiled drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Naoto smirked, rolled his eyes, and playfully swatted Lelouch. "Fair enough, stupid question is stupid but I just wanted to make sure I was dealing with a newbie."
"A newbie I am indeed." Lelouch acknowledged.
"Good, means I have a clean slate to work with." Naoto hummed.
Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "I thought you where going to teach me how to shoot?"
"I am, but first I need to teach you how to survive." Naoto declared before gesturing at Lelouch with a 'come and get me' hand wave. "Throw a punch at me."
Lelouch seemed hesitant.
"Don't worry, you won't hurt me."
"I know, it's the reprisal I'm worried about."
"I'm not gonna hit you back, this is just a demonstration."
Lelouch nodded, getting into what he thought was a decent fighting stance before rearing his arm back and throwing a fist.
Naoto caught it easily with one hand, stopping the punch.
"You hit hard for a 15 year old, but you're still a 15 year old."
"I've noticed." Lelouch quipped. "What's the point of this exactly?"
"You're impatient." Naoto noted, making Lelouch bristle.
"It was never my strongsuit." The exile acknowledged.
"And that's fine, so is your general lack of strength. There's more than one way to win a fight." He said before letting go of Lelouch's fist.
"Your body isn't built for power, it's built for speed, endurance and flexibility. Kallen figured that out a long time ago which is why half of your exercise is cardio and leg day."
"You mean hell version 1 and version 2?"
Naoto shook his head and chuckled with mirth before turning to look at Kallen.
"Show em."
Kallen nodded, limbering up and jogging in place for a second while cracking her knuckles before stepping away from the wall, then sprinting towards it at an angle and running up the side of the building a few feet, gaining enough height to jump at the rafter of the second story. She grabbed the ledge with her hands and pulled herself up, before looking down at Lelouch with a smile and wave.
"That was awesome." Lelouch admitted outright. "But I don't think I can do that.
"Not yet." Naoto corrected. "But you have the right build. You're lean, your body has been trained for endurance and stamina efficiency. You're limber, and have a high muscle to weight ratio making it easier for you to lift your own body while exerting yourself less. You just need to train yourself to move your body in the right way to achieve the results you need."
Lelouch hummed. "I see your point." He agreed, looking down at himself. "But how will this help me win a fight?"
"What's one of the most important things you can have as a position in battle?" Naoto countered.
"... The high ground." Lelouch finally answered, and it started to click.
"Exactly. We only have one Knightmare, and Kallen is our Ace. When we get more knightmares then you won't have to worry about this as much, but it's still a good skill to have. I have you pegged as a skirmisher. With enough practice you could be our parkour marksman for when we start hunting these drug-peddling bastards."
Lelouch nodded.
"Alright... a question though, how did Kallen get so good at this?"
"She was a rambunctious little brat before the invasion." Naoto quipped, and Kallen pouted. "She liked to climb on everything and anything. Whenever we went hiking she always tried to scale the hills and cliffs. She has a natural affinity for climbing on top of shit, don't you sis?"
Kallen stuck her tongue out at him.
"Heh." Naoto let out a short laugh. "Anyways. I don't expect you to be good right away. It's gonna be a lot of trial and error. It's all about timing, coordination, balance, and controlling your momentum. You need to learn about your body and teach it how to move. It's like trying to learn how to walk all over again."
Lelouch sighed, he just knew this was gonna suck.
He stepped back, stretched a little, tried running up the side of the wall like Kallen did and-
Nope
He lost his footing, slipped, and pancaked onto the sidewalk.
"... Ow..."
"That looked like it hurt."
Oh REALLY?
Lelouch glared at Naoto.
"You're an asshole."
"I know." Naoto smiled, offering a hand for Lelouch to get up.
"C'mon little bro, practice makes perfect."
Lelouch rolled his eyes, smiled, and took his hand.
A/N: Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. You can call it filler if you want but I felt like we needed some wholesome Kallen and Lelouch fluff and I had this planned for a while anyway.
I'm thinking about having some propa action next chapter. Got a few ideas rollin around up here.
PS: When Lelouch played sang little ditty with Hina and played the piano, I imagined it was to the tune of "Ophelia" by The Lumineers.