Stage 9 — The Embassy Soirée
The central business district of the Tokyo Settlement was buzzing with activity. Tapping his foot on the pavement, Jack glanced at his watch. The reception at the Britannian Embassy was due to start in a couple of hours, and his 'date' was late.
Adding fuel to his growing frustration, he was drawing a few glances from nearby pedestrians— probably because his attire, which was perfect for blending in at the reception itself, made him stand out like a sore thumb on the busy highstreet. Catching a reflection of himself in the window of a nearby office building, he begrudgingly adjusted his blue cravat, which he'd been advised to wear with a white shirt, black suit and gray waistcoat.
Jack smiled wryly, reminding himself not to be ungrateful. Almost as soon as Princess Nunnally had announced that she would be attending a reception at the Britannian Embassy as a prelude to treaty discussions in Tokyo, Okazaki contacted him out of the blue. A high-flying dignitary needed a bodyguard to act as their escort to that very same event and had picked him from a selection of suitable candidates. To sweeten the deal, the paycheck was substantial—the VIP was apparently pretty important...
After a few more minutes of waiting, a black sedan pulled up near to where he was standing. Out of one of the front doors stepped a tall, purple-haired Japanese man with an average build wearing a plain black suit. As Jack approached the vehicle, the man held out a hand.
"Password," the man stated sternly.
"I am naught but a bird," Jack replied.
The man stiffened. "And what color is the bird?"
"White as the driven snow," Jack drawled, already getting bored of the theatrics.
Without missing a beat, the man continued. "And where does the bird fly?"
"It does not know, but the winds of fate carry it to the throne of the raven-haired Empress."
Hearing Jack's response, the man looked satisfied. "You must be Jack Reiner," he replied, relaxing his shoulders. "My name is Yoshitaka Minami—I'm in charge of Miss Sumeragi's usual security detail. I trust you'll be on your toes as my stand-in at the reception," Minami said in a neutral tone before opening the rear door to the sedan and gesturing for him to enter.
Ducking his head as he stepped into the passenger section of the car, Jack was greeted by the sight of a short and slender girl wearing an ornate, deep blue Kimono. As he took a seat opposite the girl, she smiled gracefully and clapped her hands together excitedly. "Oh, how marvelous! You're even wearing a matching cravat! I'm glad I took extra special care to pick my escort for this event!"
Jack raised an eyebrow, not expecting his VIP to be so… young. "You're Miss Sumeragi I take it?"
"That's right," she beamed as she placed a hand on her chest proudly. "My name is Lady Kaguya Sumeragi, the head of the Houses of Kyoto." She smirked. "You're quite lucky to have the pleasure of my company for the reception."
As the sedan began moving, he wondered if all Japanese nobility spoke like her. Although… something had been bothering him since he set foot in the car.
"Okay, then Kaguya, I have a question—".
"Lady Kaguya," Minami corrected sharply from the driver's seat.
Jack narrowed his eyes. That's right. Nobles, royalty or any kind of aristocrat loved titles and formalities. Before he could correct himself, he was taken aback by Lady Kaguya's expression.
"I don't think I've met anyone as forward as you, Mr Reiner," she said, her olive-green eyes glistening. "No man has ever addressed me so casually right away. It makes a woman wonder about your intentions…" she mumbled coquettishly as her face turned slightly pink.
He couldn't help recoil at her comment. There was no way this girl was being serious. How old was she anyway?! She looked way too young to be talking like that.
"T-there's no need to worry about my intentions, Lady Kaguya," he stuttered, trying to ignore his discomfort. "I'm just not accustomed to rubbing shoulders with those as distinguished as yourself."
She broke into a cheeky grin. "How kind of you! But remember it was me who chose you as my escort, so don't worry about being too formal."
Jack lay back into the plush leather seat, feeling more at ease. "Glad to hear it," he replied. "And, not that I'm complaining, but why did you choose a European like me to accompany you to the reception?"
Lady Kaguya placed her index finger on her chin and adopted a pondering expression. "Well… given the circumstances, I thought that going with a burly bodyguard would ruin the mood, so I needed to find a man who could protect me if needed but would also… look plausible."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Look plausible?"
Lady Kaguya grinned mischievously. "Yes! Someone who satisfies my lofty aesthetic standards."
He groaned. She was openly flirting now? Okazaki had told him to be on his best behavior, but his only real objective was getting through security at the Embassy. With that in mind, Jack decided that he didn't need to walk on eggshells as long as he refrained from offending his companion for the day too much. "Should a girl your age be worrying about things like that?" he asked airily.
"There's nothing wrong with being prepared for adulthood," Lady Kaguya replied cheerfully.
Jack let out a gentle chuckle. "That's true, but starting at twelve years old is a little—".
"That's so mean of you!" she interrupted. "I'm not twelve! There's no way I look that age…"
He smirked, feeling a little more satisfied. "My apologies Lady Kaguya," he said with faux decorum. "I shouldn't have overstated your age like that—".
"I'm fifteen!" she pouted before turning her head away petulantly, swishing her jet black hair in the process. He couldn't help but stifle a laugh at the display, which was actually rather cute.
Lady Kaguya gasped. "And now you're laughing at me?! You're not being very nice at all!"
Minami tutted from the front seat, clearly perturbed at how Jack was speaking to his charge.
Smiling, Jack wondered if he should offer to 'take her out for ice cream' as an apology, but decided against pushing any further. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself, but I'm sure you'd be bored if I was too nice."
Lady Kaguya gave him a sideways glance before responding with a hint of playfulness in her tone. "Okay, I suppose I can forgive you this once." She then lowered her voice to a whisper. "After all, you were the one who gathered that intel for me the other day."
He stiffened, realizing that perhaps it wasn't just his appearance that had earned him this job. "So you're the one who wants to keep tabs on Britannia?" he replied. "I assume you realize that you're playing a dangerous game?"
Lady Kaguya returned a sly grin. "Information is power, and I plan to use that power to preserve peace. Only by doing that can Japan help shape the future and secure its position in the world."
"How cunning," Jack replied. Something told him that she was much wiser, and much more intelligent than she appeared. He didn't have any stake in the correspondence data he recently obtained from the Britannian Embassy, but was curious nonetheless. "Did that information shed any light on potential threats?"
"There was nothing concrete, but it was rather concerning how many ex-nobles appear, in private, to crave their old status," she explained, looking slightly downcast. "Many are dissatisfied with Britannia's new role as an equal partner in global relations."
"Well that's natural," he replied. "Those with privilege will always cling to it. Having said that, if your objective is to assess threats, then keeping tabs on old enemies is essential."
She clapped her hands together, returning to a cheerier persona. "You sound experienced in such matters! Maybe I ought to consult you from time to time," she smirked, leaning closer. "Since what we're discussing is rather sensitive, it'll have to be in a more private setting."
He turned his head away quickly, blushing slightly. This girl was trouble, although spending time with her was a small price to pay for a one way ticket to his objective. After a moment of silence, he glanced back at Lady Kaguya, wondering what Amy and Naoto would have thought of this situation. Amy would most likely be pissed seeing him with a girl wearing, quite frankly, a beautifully decorated kimono. Naoto would have laughed, teasing him for Lady Kaguya's childlike appearance.
Jack returned his gaze to the window, his expression becoming fierce. There was no point even thinking about that. Neither of them could tease him or get angry at him ever again. They were gone—thanks to Kingsley, thanks to Granstein, and thanks to whatever 'weapon' Britannia tested on the day of Operation Quicksand. What did matter was that he would soon have the information he needed to exact his retribution.
He clicked his tongue. He was still bitter that he wouldn't have the pleasure of personally erasing Kingsley from existence. Although, if his lingering suspicions proved correct, then maybe there was still hope on that front…
After a short while, the sedan pulled up outside the Britannian Embassy — an off-white skyscraper generously fitted with large, polished tinted-blue windows. Stepping out of the car, Jack noted the stark contrast between the pristine, marbled front entrance to the Embassy and the grimy back-entrance he'd driven through on his last visit.
Being the proper gentleman he was, he opened the door for Lady Kaguya and gestured for her to lead the way to the reception. As they were about to leave, Minami handed him an earpiece. "Use this to contact us if it looks like there are any threats."
"Don't worry, I'll bring her home before 10pm, or… whenever her bedtime is," Jack replied facetiously (and fortunately out of Lady Kaguya's earshot).
Minami's eyes flickered with anger. "You should take this seriously!"
"Yes I know," Jack replied. "You should learn to appear more relaxed. It makes people nervous if their security detail is too uptight on the surface."
"Thanks for the feedback…" Minami tutted, clearly unimpressed with being lectured by a teenager. In this case, though, this teenager knew better.
After enduring an extensive security screening with Lady Kaguya, who seemed intent on clinging to him during the process, they ascended to the reception, which was being held on the 42nd Floor. Smiling smugly as they exited the elevator, Jack couldn't help notice the rather light security presence. If Zero was expecting any danger, he clearly thought he could nip it in the bud by focusing attention on the lower levels. That preconception would prove costly…
Glancing around the spacious living area, Zero was grateful that they had been allocated quarters at the Britannian Embassy during their stay in Tokyo. It meant less travel and, more importantly, fewer potential security risks.
"How are preparations for the reception coming along?"
"Everything appears to be on schedule," Zero replied, turning his attention towards Nunnally, who breathed a sigh of relief before responding.
"That's good news," she giggled, playing with a ribbon on her formal pink gown. "I've been looking forward to coming back to Tokyo ever since we talked about it. I know the conferences in Singapore and Beijing were important, but having a chance to see everyone again makes this event special."
"Of course," Zero acknowledged. "In fact, I hear that the first few guests have already begun to arrive."
"In that case, I hope we can go down to greet everyone soon," she beamed excitedly.
Before their conversation could continue, a couple of female attendants entered the room, each wearing black formal attire. After confirming their identification, Zero allowed them to escort Nunnally into a nearby dressing room to make some last minute adjustments to her outfit.
Now alone, he took the opportunity to admire the view from the window. The sight of the newly rebuilt Tokyo Settlement served as a reminder of what must be protected — the peace that Lelouch had died for.
Shaking his head gently, he willed himself back to the situation at hand. After doing some research into the breach involving the data on Julius Kingsley, he uncovered a few troubling coincidences. Chief among them was that most of the senior military staff involved with Operation Quicksand were now dead, each through unexplained circumstances.
The most recent death was of General Vardel around one-month ago. Even though it was recorded as 'accidental', Zero suspected it had been orchestrated by the military advisor who had been responsible for repeatedly rebuffing Kingsley's efforts to invade Switzerland earlier that year. After a few skirmishes, that advisor became known as the 'White Sparrow', a reference to a call sign he used during a particular engagement. Initially the Britannian senior staff joked about such an innocuous name. However, as the skirmishes grew more intense and underhanded, the 'White Sparrow' became a name synonymous with fear to all but Kingsley.
Narrowing his eyes, he vividly recalled returning to Pendragon with Lelouch after Operation Quicksand. Upon seeing his son's mental state hanging by a thread after his second run as Lord Kingsley, the Emperor graciously restored Lelouch's memories, with some choice alterations. It seemed that ever since then, this 'White Sparrow' had been waging his own seething campaign of revenge; one that he planned to continue even in this time of peace.
Zero clenched his fists, determined to put an end to that campaign. If this specter from his past had managed to piece all the information together about Kingsley and Lelouch, then Zero would just have to face him, for the sake of Nunnally and the future which Lelouch had given to them.
Jack scratched the back of his head, and subconsciously started playing with his thick white hair. Almost as soon as he left the comfort of the elevator, he had been pulled around the luxuriously decorated reception as Lady Kaguya introduced herself to fellow guests. He suspected that more groups would arrive shortly, so he took the time to observe his surroundings.
The reception itself was being held in an impressive open atrium that allowed generous amounts of light to stream in through various ceiling-height windows. Towards the rear of the atrium was a large central staircase that led up to a mezzanine floor which was supported by circular pearl-white pillars.
From his inside sources (paid for courtesy of his last paycheck), there were a couple of side entrances to the ground floor of the atrium which each connected to hallways leading to various conference rooms and break out areas. The mezzanine floor itself had two exits, both of which opened to a corridor leading to a security office. From the security office, one could view real-time footage from the surveillance cameras littered around the Embassy. It was also very private.
"Lady Kaguya! I must say you're looking stylish!" one guest announced, snapping Jack back to reality.
"Why thank you, Lord Weinberg. You're looking right at home in that Black Knight uniform — very sharp!" Lady Kaguya replied courteously. "Although not as dapper as my escort," she smiled mischievously, linking arms with Jack for what felt like the tenth time.
"How unexpected!" Lord Weinburg teased, adjusting the three blonde braids draped on his shoulder. "I should probably introduce myself then," he smiled, training both of his bright blue eyes on Jack and holding out a hand. "My name is Gino Weinburg—I'm the Chief of Staff for the Black Knight's Air Force."
Jack shook his hand, raising an eyebrow. He was sure he recognized Gino from somewhere. "My name is Jack Reiner," he replied. "So you're really a Chief of Staff? That's quite an accomplishment for someone so young."
Lady Kaguya turned to look up at Jack, still clinging to his arm. "Well he was the Knight of Three, so it only made sense for the Black Knights to offer him a fitting position."
Gino laughed. "You're too kind, Lady Kaguya."
Jack narrowed his eyes. That's why he was so familiar. If Gino had been the Knight of Three, he would have known that bastard Sir Honorary Britannian…
Before any of them could say anything further, a deep voice emanated from a nearby group. "Lady Kaguya, it's good to see you're well."
Turning, Jack observed the source of the voice was coming from a rather imposing Japanese man wearing a black kimono. At his hip was a … katana? How had this guy managed to get that through security?!
"Oh, how wonderful to see you here, Tohdoh!" Lady Kaguya beamed. "And I see you've brought Miss Chiba," she cooed, tilting her head at a woman with short-brown hair who was walking slightly behind Tohdoh.
"Thanks for noticing," Miss Chiba chuckled, adjusting the sleeves of her pink kimono. "Being here with the famous Kyoshiro Tohdoh means that you tend to get ignored, but I'm already used to that."
"How could anyone ignore someone as elegant as yourself, Miss Chiba," Gino interjected in a playful tone.
Smiling, Jack noted how Gino's comment drew an indignant glance from Tohdoh. He and Miss Chiba were probably in a relationship. He sympathized, also not being a fan of men who cozied up to women unsolicited.
As Tohdoh joined the group along with Miss Chiba, his eyes trailed up from Lady Kaguya's arm to rest on Jack. "And who is this young gentleman?"
"This is Jack Reiner," Lady Kaguya said excitedly. "I chose him specially to escort me to this reception."
Tohdoh raised an eyebrow. "Were there no… more suitable candidates?"
"You mean Japanese candidates?" Jack asked archly. He could tell that Tohdoh was a traditionalist and disliked the idea of a Japanese girl from a venerated household showing any kind of interest (feigned or otherwise) in a foreigner.
Tohdoh stiffened, but before he could reply Miss Chiba stepped in. "Of course not," she smiled, tugging gently at the sleeve of Tohdoh's kimono. "I'm sure Kyoshiro was just curious as to how you came to meet."
"We met at a diplomatic event," Kaguya explained cheerily. "He's from Europia and hails from a family with extensive commercial interests across the continent."
Jack couldn't help but admire how easily Kaguya had come up with a plausible story. She was a useful ally to have, although he wondered how long their 'partnership' would last given his objectives.
"I see, so you're from Europia," Tohdoh nodded, relaxing his shoulders slightly. "Come to think of it, your family name… sounds familiar," he continued, narrowing his eyes.
Jack titled his head in gentle surprise, his nonchalant expression hiding his true feelings. Now he remembered— Kyoshiro Tohdoh had played a vital role in initially repelling the Britannian invasion of Japan eight years ago, earning the moniker of 'miracle maker' in the process. Jack had studied his tactics during officer training as an example of how being outnumbered can actually have its advantages, with the right weaponry of course. A veteran of military affairs probably had heard of the Reiner family at one time or another. Using his current last name was a fairly large miscalculation on his part, although it shouldn't prove fatal. There were other families called 'Reiner' in the world after all. "As Lady Kaguya said," he replied, "it's probably that you've heard of my family's commercial interests. In any case, I'm pleased to meet you, Tohdoh; you as well Miss Chiba."
As they engaged in further small talk, Gino excused himself to meet up with some old friends. During their conversations with various other dignitaries, Jack counted the seconds before Zero and Nunnally were due to make their appearance. While he owed Lady Kaguya for getting him through the front door, she was being way too clingy. Sighing, he took solace in the fact that no one from his daily life would see him arm in arm with this… minor. He understood that the Japanese had different standards when it came to age differences, but this was almost too much to bear.
"What a sight for sore eyes! You lovely ladies are looking particularly dazzling today," Gino announced loudly from somewhere in the distance, his voice barely audible above the voices swirling around the atrium.
"Why thank you, Gino, I'd say that uniform suits you just fine too!" one of the women responded, her voice also loud enough to carry across the hall.
Jack tutted at the sound of Gino flirting his way around the room. It sounded like he'd already chosen his next target (or targets).
"Come on Gino, try not to turn on the charm too strongly, would you? It could give people the wrong impression…"
Smiling to himself, Jack agreed with Rivalz. It wasn't nice to toy with the feelings of others. Wait…
"Gino's just being nice, Rivalz! But enough about that, have you seen the finger food? The duck l'orange looks really tasty!"
Jack coughed, drawing a quizzical glance from Lady Kaguya. It must be his imagination. He'd probably spent too long at school. Now he was hearing their voices. That couldn't be a good sign, but he had spent a lot of time at council meetings recently, so maybe it was that. His heart rate slowed down after a minute or so. Yes, that must be it…
"So, my dear Milly, how's the life of a reporter treating you?" Gino asked, his voice sounding much clearer now.
"Well it gives me a chance to hear all the latest gossip," the girl, presumably Milly, replied excitedly. "Oh! And speaking of gossip, I heard that Kallen got all mopey the other day because she thought a guy forgot meeting her! How adorable is that!?"
"S-Shirley! What the hell have you two been talking about at your little meetings!?"
"It wasn't me, I swear!"
Jack almost choked, to death, on his drink.
Watching Kallen immediately focus her ire at Rivalz, Shirley grinned sheepishly at a nearby group of dignitaries while playing with one of the buttons on her yellow dress. To onlookers, they probably looked like a bunch of hyperactive kids. Milly and Gino were being particularly loud…
In fairness, it had been well over a month since they had all met up like this, so it was only natural that they'd be excited. Apparently, Nunna had reached out to Milly and allowed her to bring some extra guests to the reception. Given the schedule of a Princess wasn't exactly flexible, it was the only way they could all meet up. Shirley was still happy at the thought of seeing Nunna again, even if it would only be for a short while.
Grinning at Rivalz's panicked expression while Kallen berated him for gossiping, she wondered what Jack was doing right now. The three of them had mulled over inviting him, but with things as they were it was a little… sensitive to explain how they all knew Nunna. He'd probably find out eventually, but at the moment they all thought it best to keep a lid on their connection with Nunna… and Lulu.
Interrupting her thought process, a woman in a pink kimono approached the group. "Kozuki! Dressed for the occasion I see!"
Kallen's expression changed from infuriated to friendly as she quickly turned to face the new arrival, swishing the hem of her rose-colored dress in the process. "You're a fine one to talk, Nagisa!" she smirked. "Especially since you're the one wearing a kimono."
"Some of us have to put the effort in," Nagisa smiled. "I'm not getting any younger."
"Nonsense Miss Chiba!" Gino chimed. "I think you look very appealing just the way you are."
"Do you enjoy flirting with every woman you lay your eyes on, Gino Weinberg?" A serious looking Japanese man grumbled as he took his place in the group next to Nagisa.
"It was just a friendly compliment!" Gino smiled sheepishly, as though he'd been caught out.
Kallen folded her arms and raised an eyebrow at Gino in a manner which reminded Shirley of a mother scolding her child. "Tohdoh has a point Gino, you really haven't changed much…"
Nagisa chuckled. "Don't be so hard on him. At least he's not as bad as Lady Kaguya with her new boy toy."
Kallen's eyebrows shot up. "Boy toy?! Really?!"
Tohdoh's expression darkened. "You shouldn't speak that way. Lady Kaguya simply brought an escort. To imply anything else is—".
"Oh come on, Kyoshiro, lighten up," Nagisa drawled. "You're just angry he had the backbone to bite back a little."
Tohdoh shuffled uncomfortably and then sighed. "Perhaps you're right, Nagisa. I must say, I haven't met many Europeans, so I thought he was Britannian at first. I'm still trying to place his family name…"
"Are you still going on about that?" Gino laughed. "I'm sure there are plenty of Reiner families in Europia."
Shirley's ears pricked up. "D-did you just say his name was 'Reiner'?" she asked, glancing over at Kallen, who also looked as if she couldn't have possibly heard Gino correctly. Even if they did, it was probably just a coincidence… right?
"Yeah, why?" Gino responded innocently, glancing around the atrium. "Lady Kaguya should be around here somewhere; it should be easy to find them since his hair stands out—".
"Lord Weinberg! You really shouldn't talk about a lady behind her back like that!" a high-pitched voice called out from behind Gino. Looking surprised, Gino stood to the side to reveal Lady Kaguya beaming away. While Shirley had seen Tohdoh and Nagisa very briefly at Villetta's wedding, Lady Kaguya was someone she remembered vividly.
"Oh Lady Kaguya, that kimono is gorgeous!" Milly cooed. "I really must try one on someday."
"Well met, Miss Ashford," Lady Kaguya replied, grinning mischievously. "I remember you from that conference on urban regeneration projects a few weeks ago. Thank you for the flattering coverage."
"Never mind that!" Milly said excitedly. "Tell us more about your mysterious escort! Where is he?"
"Being a perfect gentleman and getting me a drink," Lady Kaguya grinned before wagging a finger at Milly. "Don't you dare try and use your feminine charms on him either. I've seen how you operate, Miss Ashford."
"Woah, woah, woah!" Rivalz cut in. "What are you trying to say about Madame President!? You might be a little girl, but that's no excuse."
"How dare you refer to her so disrespectfully," Tohdoh said sternly but without raising his voice. "Being a student doesn't excuse such impudence."
Seeing Rivalz reel at Tohdoh's intimidating expression, Shirley sighed. "Rivalz, you really should think before you speak. Lady Kaguya is actually really important, you know."
"No need to worry, everyone makes mistakes from time to time," Lady Kaguya said. "And to be clear, my comment aimed at Miss Ashford was a compliment more than anything else. It means I take her seriously as a rival."
From the corner of her eye, Shirley saw Kallen recoil at Lady Kaguya's boldness. She wondered if this sort of behavior was to be expected from her…
"Well, while he's getting drinks," Gino smirked, "I'm more interested in what Milly mentioned before." He then looked gleefully at Kallen. "Something about Kallen acting all adorable because she thought a guy forgot—". Before he could finish that sentence, his teasing expression abruptly twisted in pain as a hand reached out from the sea of dignitaries behind him and started tugging at one of his braids of hair. "Hey! T-that hurts…" he winced.
"My apologies Lord Gino," a deep, but familiar voice calmly explained. "It's a little noisy over here and that was the only way I could think of to grab your attention." As Gino stepped to the side once more, his locks now safe from any other threats, Jack emerged to join the group. Looking around, he walked up to Lady Kaguya as if nothing was unusual and handed her a drink.
"Why thank you!" Lady Kaguya beamed. "I was just telling everyone here about—".
"Just how the hell did you swing an invite to this reception!?" Kallen shouted, her expression a mixture of amazement and incredulity.
Milly and Gino both raised an eyebrow as Jack glanced over at Shirley, Rivalz and Kallen. "Funny seeing you three here," he waved nonchalantly. "I almost didn't recognize you in different clothes. You all look… nice… I guess?"
Rivalz gaped. "Er… yeah… you too."
Shirley stifled a laugh. She had no idea what was going on, but couldn't help finding Jack's 'compliment' amusing in contrast to Gino's over-the-top praise from earlier.
Before anyone else could comment at this bizarre twist of fate, Milly bounded forward to Jack. "Are you the new Vice-President?!" she gasped. "Could it be that you're the forgetful one!?"
"Yeah, I'm the Vice-President," Jack replied, ignoring the second question. "And I guess you're the former President, Milly Ashford? You're quite the celebrity. Rivalz is always talking about you. About how fun your events were… about how we need to carry on your legacy… about how much he wishes he could—".
Rivalz blushed and interrupted Jack mid-flow. "H-hey, that's an exaggeration!"
Shirley thought it was a little harsh to embarrass Rivalz like that. Although she could have sworn she heard Kallen say "how does it feel to have a taste of your own medicine?" under her breath while grinning wickedly.
Sighing, Shirley couldn't help but notice all the slightly annoyed glances being shot their way. Tohdoh and Nagisa had artfully ducked away from the conversation when she wasn't looking. They were even noisier now that Jack had joined them… It really was clear who the students were at this event, even if they were dressed up smartly.
She giggled to herself, thinking that Nunna would be so happy to see everyone so lively like this. Lulu would be too…
After a few more animated exchanges, the group split up to 'mingle'.
Kallen clicked her tongue. Jack never did answer her question; just how in the world did he end up here, with Lady Kaguya of all people?! She said something about his family being the owners of some big international conglomerate, but Kallen had a feeling it was a lie. The way he had spoken to Takeshi the other day didn't sound like someone who grew up with a silver spoon in their mouth…
"Kallen! Pay attention to my story! You didn't even laugh at the best bit!" Tamaki frowned, adjusting the jacket of his rather crumpled suit.
"I-I'm sorry, " she replied, returning to the world of the living.
"Can you try to be a little quieter, Tamaki?" Villetta scowled. She then turned to Ohgi. "Kaname, do you know if everything's on schedule?"
Ohgi sighed before responding. "Yeah… I think everything's going to plan. Zero seemed quite concerned about security, so most of it is being handled by him. We can't really interfere since this is a Britannian Embassy after all…"
Kallen couldn't help but notice the bags that had formed under Ohgi's eyes as he trailed off. Being a Prime Minister must be rough…
"You're looking awfully tired there buddy!" Tamaki remarked. "I know! Why don't you come on down to Café Zero and we can get some of the old gang together? It'll be just like old—"
"I'm not sure Kaname has time to be goofing off," Villetta commented coolly.
Tamaki grimaced at Villetta's icy tone, scratching the back of his head. Suddenly his eyes lit up, as if remembering something important. "Oh, yeah! I heard about the baby — congrats! I bet Naoto's going to knock 'em dead!"
Villetta's expression softened. "Thanks Tamaki. I'm not quite sure how I'll fare as a mother, but whatever happens I'm sure it'll be interesting," she smiled, subconsciously placing a hand on her midriff.
"Kallen and I even had a toast over the news the other day! At least she's being sociable!" Tamaki grinned excitedly.
"A toast?" Ohgi asked before stifling a yawn.
Kallen immediately shot Tamaki a piercing glare. She'd warned him on pain of death to never talk about their little 'party' the other day. She still cringed at how easily she'd been goaded into drinking a glass of liquor by that Tobias Underhill guy. Never again…
Noticing her glance, Tamaki adopted a sheepish expression. "W-well yeah! There were a few other customers around and they all joined in!"
Kallen smirked, wondering how one customer became "a few", but it looked like Tamaki was keeping to her script, so she wouldn't call him out. Before she could marvel at his powers of confabulation any longer, an all too familiar voice chimed from behind her.
"Oh how marvelous! I'm so glad to hear that your business venture is off to a promising start!" Lady Kaguya said, joining the group accompanied by a certain white-haired individual.
"Well said, Lady Kaguya!" Tamaki beamed. "The business acumen of the great Shinichirō Tamaki is not to be underestimated!"
Villetta smiled at Lady Kaguya but her eyebrow almost shot into space upon seeing Jack. "Hi Jack, fancy seeing here… Did Milly invite you after all?"
"No," he replied. "Unfortunately I wasn't included with the other council members. It hurts to be the odd one out," he sighed dramatically.
Kallen tutted. He didn't seem so dejected when Lady Kaguya was clinging to him earlier…
"Wait a minute!" Tamaki gasped. "Are you the new guy that's been giving Kallen a hard ti—". Before he could utter another syllable Kallen 'accidentally' stood on his foot, causing him to grunt in pain. "Hey! What was that for!?" he shouted in exasperation.
"How dense can you be!?" she fired back. "That's it! I'm never going to your stupid bar ever again!" As she finished laying into Tamaki, she heard Jack stifle a laugh. This was the worst.
"Are my ears playing tricks on me?!" another, sadly familiar, voice called out. "Is Kallen visiting bars after school!?" Milly gasped excitedly, bounding over to their group.
Kallen winced. "W-well, Tamaki owns a Café that doubles as a bar… so…" she explained.
Ohgi raised an eyebrow. "Tamaki, try not to pass on any of your bad habits," he said sternly.
Tamaki recoiled at Ohgi's expression. "O-of course not! Who do you think I am?!"
Kallen groaned internally. That reaction wasn't suspicious at all…
"Don't worry Ohgi!" Lady Kaguya said cheerily. "There's no way Kallen could be influenced like that."
Jack's eyes suddenly lit up. "I think you're right," he said innocently. "I really couldn't picture her being one to get peer pressured."
Milly narrowed her eyes and grinned in a way which made the hairs on the back of Kallen's neck stand up straight. "Oh I don't know," she smiled. "I have a feeling she could be with the right persuasion."
Jack shrugged. "Well I guess you know her best. But I can't imagine her doing anything crazy like underage drinking… That's something only a delinquent would do."
Kallen froze. Why did he hone in on that? They were talking about bars so it was kind of related… However, there was a glint in his eye when he said that which made her very uneasy.
"You're a fine one to talk about delinquency, Jack," Villetta frowned. "Remind me how many classes you've missed in the first three weeks of school?"
Lady Kaguya gasped. "Cutting classes?! Not my Jack!?"
Kallen almost burst out laughing seeing him wince at Lady Kaguya's comment. 'My Jack'!? She had to be joking. As she snorted with laughter, Jack clicked his tongue in her direction. Didn't he like being the center of attention? Well too bad. In a social circle involving Lady Kaguya and Milly, the hunter could become the hunted pretty quickly.
"What's this place of yours called anyway, Tamaki?" Jack asked, regaining his composure slightly.
Tamaki stroked his chin. "So you're interested, huh? Well—".
Villetta's eyes darted between Jack and Tamaki. "It is not to become a hive for delinquents who skip school!" she warned.
Jack laughed. "Nothing like that Mrs. Ohgi. It's just that some guys at school need somewhere student friendly so they can take a break between training sessions."
Folding her arms, Villetta sighed. "Is this for the members of that new boxing club at school? I actually had some questions about that. Some funding miraculously appeared for it and I have no idea where it came from."
Jack scratched his head. "I don't really remember the details all that well but I'll make sure to look into it."
Kallen narrowed her eyes. What exactly was there to look into? He knew exactly where that money had come from and probably hoped Villetta would forget about it. Not that she was planning to tell Villetta the truth… It had been quite fun to see Gibson slink away with his tail between his legs after lying the other day.
Ohgi looked wistfully at Villetta. "It's been a while since I heard anyone talk about boxing. Reminds me of a boisterous guy I used to know. "
Villetta looked surprised. "Don't take this the wrong way Kaname, but you don't seem the type to be friendly with someone like that."
Ohgi rubbed the back of his head. "Well he wasn't really a close friend; just someone I went to school with. Apparently he left Japan a few years after graduation. I think Naoto kept in touch with him…" he trailed off. He then glanced around and chuckled. "Sorry about the trip down memory lane… I suppose it doesn't really matter now."
Kallen tilted her head slightly. Her brother had the time to keep in touch with some old school friend who left Japan? Whoever this guy was probably left quite the impression, but she didn't remember her brother talking about anyone like that…
"This guy emigrated from Japan?" Jack asked, his expression more intense than usual. "Can you remember where he traveled to?"
Kallen raised an eyebrow. Is that what Jack looked like when he was actually interested in something? Even so, it was an odd thing to get invested in…
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" a strong voice called out, interrupting their conversation. Turning to face the source of the noise, Kallen could see an elegantly dressed man standing by one of the entrances to the atrium.
As the murmuring died down, the man continued his announcement. "Thank you for being patient. We hope you've enjoyed the reception so far. Please now join me in welcoming Princess Nunnally vi Britannia."
As the man stepped aside, Kallen could see Nunnally, dressed in an elegant pink dress, sitting in an expensive looking wheelchair that was decorated in tasteful shades of pink and purple. At her side were a couple of serious-looking Britannian women wearing black suits.
In response to her appearance, the room erupted in gentle applause. The three women then moved towards the foot of the central staircase at the far end of the atrium.
Kallen frowned as she laid eyes on Zero walking a few steps behind them. She couldn't help but feel tense knowing it was Suzaku under that mask. He was the one who Lelouch had entrusted to protect the era of peace that had cost him his life; his soul. Even so, it wouldn't be easy forgiving Suzaku for all the times they had crossed swords; for all the times he'd tried to kill her; and for all the times he'd killed one of her comrades.
She guessed that Suzaku had probably forgiven her for any transgressions, but she wasn't quite as willing to let things slide so easily. For the sake of the world which Lelouch had given them, she would try her best to have faith in the new Zero, even if she was more than a little skeptical of his ability to fill Lelouch's shoes.
Before Kallen could contemplate Suzaku's capabilities any further, Nunnally began addressing the guests in the atrium.
"Thank you all for coming here today," Nunnally smiled, prompting all remaining audible murmurs to cease. With the room now almost silent, she continued.
"After so much suffering and conflict, you can't imagine how happy it makes me to see the world at peace. Looking around this room, I see Britannian and Japanese citizens standing together as equals. It is my wish that our two sovereign and independent nations can work together to create a new world for everyone—a world without discrimination; without suffering; without poverty; without conflict. A world where power is shared equally and fairly; a kind world; and a just world."
Nunnally took a breath. "To that end, I will do what is necessary to give you comfort that my words are sincere and shared by those ruling over Britannia. It's the least I can do after the crimes committed by my late brother, Lelouch vi Britannia, left the world united in their condemnation."
For a moment Nunnally looked sad, but remained composed, donning the gentle smile she'd become known for around the world. "Britannia cannot turn back time and remedy all of its injustices. However, you have my word that I will do everything I can to create a future where everyone can be happy. Please join me in making that wish a reality."
As she finished her speech, the room erupted in another round of gentle applause. Kallen had to admit, her words were soothing, although it really can't have been easy to say that about Lelouch, especially since most evils being blamed on him were a consequence of the old Britannian Empire. Kallen knew that such a deception was necessary for people to move forward, but it wasn't an easy pill to swallow for her. She knew what Lelouch had done for Japan; for the world; and for her, and it would be a long time before she could get used to people bad mouthing him… even if it was what he wanted.
As the applause died down, the crowds of guests resumed mingling, with some making a beeline for Nunnally. Smiling, Kallen could see Shirley among the first in line. Rivalz wasn't with her but was instead standing towards the other end of the room deep in conversation with a blonde girl. Squinting, Kallen was sure the girl looked like Carol from school, but couldn't be sure.
"Kallen!" Lady Kaguya cried out from behind her. Turning, she had to stifle a laugh at how Lady Kaguya was straining to catch a glimpse of Nunnally through the crowd given her short stature.
"Are you looking for Nunnally?" Kallen grinned. "If so, she's by the stairs. Why don't we head over there now?"
Lady Kaguya frowned. "That was my intention, but I seem to have lost my escort. I could have sworn he was standing right here."
Kallen giggled and grabbed her hand. "Well if he's not around then why don't you come with me? Or are you going to snub the woman who guarded you with her life when we were in the Chinese Federation?" she said cheekily.
Lady Kaguya smiled. "There's no way I could turn you down, Kallen. And I think a chat between us girls sounds absolutely marvelous!"
Making his way through the sea of guests, Jack sidestepped a couple of the Britannian security staff who were a little too caught up in watching Nunnally's appearance.
Without drawing any attention, he made his way down one of the corridors adjoining the atrium and slipped into a deserted bathroom, one that had recently been refurbished. Relieved that the contractor he bribed had made good on their promise, Jack located the duffel bag, filled with his disguise and certain other useful items, that had been planted behind one of the wall panels.
Replacing his outfit, he steeled himself, mentally and physically for the first stage of his plan. Outside, he'd enjoyed light conversation and adopted the facade of the carefree student. It hadn't been unpleasant, but it was just a temporary ruse. His time in Tokyo would be coming to an end soon, and he was determined not to come away empty handed.
He took a deep breath, thinking about Amy, Naoto and some of the last moments they shared together. It was a useful way to remind himself of what they had lost—the anger evoked by that injustice would soon extinguish any lingering doubts…
Author's note
It was fun to write everyone together again, along with some interactions that don't happen in the main show.
While this chapter was planned to take place from the beginning, I hadn't expected to enjoy writing Kaguya so much. When I watched the show, I always thought she was forgettable, but actually writing her made me appreciate how smart / perceptive she is. It's insane that she's 15 and so well respected.
