AN:
DarkDremora: KT Suzaku was always the best Pilot in his timeline, due to having the best KMF (Lancelot Karma which was a combined effort from Rakshata, Lloyd, and Cecile, similar to the SEITEN, but not even close in scale), as well as a Geass command that forced him to exert 100% effort in everything he does. So, he's still in that mindset.
ryder77: Ah. Thank you for the correction.
Guest: Luciano will be a prisoner for a while. Giga Fortresses are in production. Kumei Sougetsu will appear, but I don't know about the pendulum, but given recent information about Mario/Maya's family, it might. I'm still thinking about the Geass canceller. Rakshata doesn't want to build a lot of Lloyd's inventions, as she's just using them to create her own systems (she's even doing that with the Blaze Luminous currently). Lelouch would probably perform about as well as he would in the Kagero.
Chapter 82: Knighthood
Ruins of Ashford Academy. March 22nd. 10:00AM.
A tear ran down Nunnally's cheek as Sayoko placed a bouquet of white flowers at the foot of a grave labeled: Lelouch Lamprouge. "I… I still can't believe he's gone…" the Princess sniffled as Euphemia, Lila, Milly and Alice looked at the mini funeral. "And Kallen too…"
"How'd you hear about it?" Euphemia asked as she placed her own flowers.
"Apparently… Britannia did a headcount of all the students, and any that were missing, were considered dead." Alice explained, while the members of the Foreign Legion hung out in the background. "They said: they don't have time to commit full searches for students, so if they don't turn up within a certain time frame, they'd be considered dead."
"Even so, doesn't that mean Lelouch could still be alive?" the pink-haired Princess asked optimistically, "Just because he hasn't been found, doesn't mean he's dead."
Nunnally rubbed her nose with a sniffle, "I hope so. If Lelouch really is dead… then I don't know what I'll do."
"Well… if you ever need anything, I'm here to help." Lila chimed in with a caring smile, "I… I don't know much about Lelouch, but I understand what it's like losing a brother. If you need a place to stay, we have a temporary residence with the Kirihara group."
"Kirihara? As in Taizo Kirihara?" Alice asked with a raised eyebrow, "Why would he let you stay with him?"
"Oh. Schneizel was actually the one who spoke with him. He said, they had a lengthy conversation that ended with Britannia getting a bit more Sakuradite to rebuild their military." Lila explained with a gentle smile, "The place is pretty spacious, almost like a mansion."
Sayoko's eyes narrowed upon hearing the mention of the blond Prince, "He visited Kirihara personally? I doubt the conversation was nearly as tame as she made it sound."
"I… I don't know." Nunnally looked down, "Can we really stay there? I'm sure Lelouch has told you, but it won't be good if the royal family finds out about our existence."
"It'll be fine." Euphemia playfully wrapped her arms around the Innocent Princess, "Kirihara's place is free from prying eyes of Britannia. Schneizel explained that it was tucked away deep in a forest, where no royal family member would bother searching."
"Clearly not too secretive if he knows about it." Sayoko got behind the Princess' wheelchair, "What do you say, Nunnally?"
"I… I want to go." she responded hesitantly, "Sorry, Milly. It's not that I don't want to stay here in Ashford, but-"
"You don't have to explain anything, Nunna." the blonde gave her a tight hug as Euphemia and Lila watched, "It's not safe here in Ashford anyway. But don't worry, we'll have the construction done real soon, thanks to the money we're making from the booming Knightmare industry." she giggled lightly while playfully pinching Nunnally's cheek, "I guess you could say that's one positive of all this."
The Princess giggled as she pulled away, "Hopefully you can come visit sometime."
"Don't worry, I probably will due to my connections with the Kyoto group."
"Shall we go?" Euphemia asked.
"Ah-You can take the Ashford car by the way." the blond mentioned at the last second while handing the key over to Sayoko, "I won't be needing it, and I know Sayoko will take good care of it."
"Thank you very much." the maid bowed before pushing Nunnally toward the car with Euphemia and Alice, leaving Lila and Milly alone.
"I just… wanted to thank you for taking care of Nunnally and Lelouch all this time." the small Princess expressed her feelings, "It makes me happy knowing that they had someone there for them."
"Oh? Where's this coming from, Viceroy?" Milly asked teasingly.
"It's just…" Lila grew a light blush, "I don't know. I probably don't have a right to care about them, since I hardly knew them 10 years ago. But for some reason… I feel like I have to get to know Nunnally better, at least. Maybe it's because I've lost Carine and Clovis… but I want to cherish the moments I have with my siblings, even if I hardly know them."
"Ah. I get it." the blonde approached the Viceroy, and patted her on the head, "You're a sweetheart, Lila. Japan is lucky to have you."
The Princess smiled as she heard Milly refer to Area Eleven as 'Japan', making her feel like the effort she was putting forth, is worth it, "Thank you."
The President took a step back, "Sorry about that. I just couldn't help it."
Lila figured she was talking about the head pat, and shook her head, "No, it's alright. I liked it. It reminded me of… Clovis a little bit." she began walking toward the car with a pep in her step, "I think I've made up my mind. Instead of wasting my time seeking revenge, I'll cherish the time I do have with my siblings. Even if they're bad people… even if they want to hurt me, I'll try to show them love. I know this family encourages each of us to pursue power over everything else, but in doing so, we lose out on a big part of our lives. At least this way… maybe I can set them on the right path."
ASEEC Warehouse. 10:20AM.
"Schneizel." Cornelia called her brother with a stern tone, "You wanted to see me?"
"Ah. It's good to see you, Cornelia." the blond responded with a subtle smile as Lloyd's team added finishing touches to the Avalon. "I trust that you've been enjoying your time in Area 11?"
"Euphie's been showing me around, but considering the current state of things… it's a trash heap." the Princess explained while following her brother inside, "Now, onto the task at hand. Why did you want to meet with me?"
"Just hold on." Schneizel calmly defused his sister's hastiness, "Euphie can live without you for longer than five minutes. She's proven that already."
"I know… it's just…" she rubbed her arm anxiously as Guilford and Darlton waited outside, "Area Eleven's not exactly safe, especially with Carine's stunt the other day."
"That's an excellent point. However, don't worry. I can assure you, I've found a safe place for our dear sisters to stay for the time being."
"You have? Where?"
"I've come to a rather… generous agreement with Taizo Kirihara." Schneizel explained while signing a document, "He's agreed, out of the kindness of his heart, to house the Britannian Princess' for the time being."
"You're seriously trusting those Elevens to protect Euphie and Lila!?" Cornelia roared, "Also, weren't you the one who told be that it was that old geezer who was supplying the Black Knights with equipment!? So why is he still walking free!?"
"Calm down. I've already confronted him about such a… trivial matter."
The Princess took a step back at her brother's eerily calm tone, "Oh. I see. You used that against him."
"Correct. Let's just say… the man won't ever dare commit such treachery ever again."
Kirihara Estate. March 20th. 1:00PM.
"Taizo Kirihara. I'm so glad you could make the time to meet with me today." Schneizel greeted the Japanese man by sitting before him. Kanon stood off to the side with a folder under his armpit.
"Please, the pleasure is all mine." the old man responded while tightly clenching his cane, "Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of meeting the Prime Minister?"
"I just wanted to inquire about the distribution of Sakuradite, that's all."
"Well… it's just as the agreement stated. A generous 50% is given to Britannia and her Areas, while the EU and Chinese Federation each receive 25%."
"Ah, but that's where the problem lies." Schneizel snaps his fingers, signaling for his assistant to hand him the folder, "You see, we want that 50%, increased to 75%. Can you please do that for us?"
"W-well…" Taizo watched as the Prince passed the folder to him from across the table, "I don't have the authority to do such a thing until August. However, I'll certainly take these into consideration."
"No." the Prime Minister said sternly, "You will do so now."
The Japanese man's face hardened, "And why should I?"
"Because… if you don't, I'll just execute you for treason." the room practically froze upon those words being uttered, "Oh yes. I know of all your… funding. Black Knights and JLF being the big ones, but you support other terrorist groups as well."
Taizo opened the folder, where dozens upon dozens of documents with proof of his incrimination laid, "And you'll just change it yourself if I don't comply?"
"Correct." Schneizel calmly put his hands on the table, showing that he wasn't a threat, "Taizo, you and I go way back. When Japan was invaded, who was it that extended the olive branch for you and your people to operate the Fuji mines? Who was the one who helped you establish all of this?" he gestured to the very room they sat in, "The answer, is me. Alongside my brother Clovis, we established the Kyoto Group to show the Japanese that, despite their disastrous defeat, they could still live normal lives." each word was carefully chosen to best play into the man's pride. To say that Schneizel was a master at manipulating conversations, would be an understatement, "It's in my best interest to keep you alive, Taizo. You are an old friend, after all."
Kirihara felt like he was being cornered at a rapid rate. All methods of escape vanishing as he alone was left to deal with Schneizel, "I… I can see your point. But… I still need the other houses-"
"They've already been dealt with." the Prince coldly cut him off.
"He killed them." Taizo realized as Kanon unknowingly slipped away, "So… you want me to officiate it by the end of the day?"
"I'd prefer it if you did it by 3:00PM, but if that's the best you can do, then I don't mind." Schneizel expertly gave the man some slack to have him feel some semblance of control, "You're an inspiration to the Japanese people, you know that?"
"I… you told me that before…"
"Because it's true." the Prince tapped his finger on the table, "Everyone sees how great Kirihara industries is. Believing that we can coexist successfully. I mean, you control Mount Fuji, the beating heart of the Japanese people. Sure, its beauty has been tainted by the Sakuradite mines, but that's also a symbol, isn't it? With time, we'll dismantle those mines, and when that happens, Japan will be even stronger than any of its predecessors."
"But how long will that take?" Taizo wondered as he shakily signed the contract, "I'll have this done as soon as possible." he looked at Schneizel, not noticing Kanon's absence.
"Thank you very much. Though, I have just one more thing to ask of you. Don't worry, it's nothing big." the blond pulled out a picture of Euphemia and Lila, "I'll need you to take these two in while the Viceroy Palace is being built." he slid the pictures over with a smug smile, "And the best part is, you can't kill them. After all, they're…"
"Completely innocent." Taizo looked at the pictures, "If they die while in my care, it will only scorn the Japanese people even more, and cause Britannia to crack down even harder." he put on a fake smile, "Damn you, Schneizel. You've put me in an impossible situation."
"I trust that smile means you agree." the blond stood, and headed for the door, opening it for the old man, "Will you see me out?"
Kirihara took the folder, and the two slowly walked along the tranquil path that was situated near his Zen garden. It was adorned with beautifully trimmed bushes, neatly placed pebbles, and a filled with Koi fish. The silence broken by the occasional crackle of the Shishi-odoshi. This garden was something Taizo adored greatly, as with how isolated his home was in the forest, he felt like he was still in Japan before the invasion. Unfortunately, the only thing that ruined his experience, was the ugly side of Mount Fuji, which was a cruel splash of cold water to the face every time he woke up in the morning.
Once the men got outside, Kanon was waiting for them with a sleek black car, and multiple bodyguards. He gave a single nod to Schneizel, before entering the vehicle, "I'm glad we could come to such a peaceful understanding, Taizo." the Prince bowed slightly, "Perhaps I could visit my sisters in the future?"
"We would love to have you." the Japanese man responded while staying on his porch, "Have a safe trip."
Present Day. ASEEC Warehouse.
"Alrighty." Lloyd announced as Cornelia walked past him, "Your chariot awaits you, Schneizel."
This made the Princess pause, "Wait, you already repaired it?"
"Yes. The only real issue was the power system for the float units. It was an absurdly easy fix, if you must know."
"Thank you, Lloyd." the Prince headed outside, where the Avalon's engines were getting warmed up, "You're going to see Lila and Euphie, right Cornelia?"
"Obviously."
"Well, can you please treat Taizo with some semblance of respect? I know you don't like our sisters staying in his estate, but he's still more useful alive than dead."
"Whatever." she then jammed her finger right into the blond's chest, "However! The second I catch a whiff that he's up to something, I'll snuff that old geezer without hesitation."
"I have no doubt you would." Schneizel politely waved at Darlton and Guilford, who returned the gesture with a smile, "Now, I'll be heading to Area 6. Unsurprisingly, there have been a few uprisings that need to be dealt with immediately. Speaking of which, how's Area 18?"
"I have the Zilkhstanian Mercenary's dealing with it." the Princess responded as her brother boarded the ship, "They're surprisingly reliable, for a price of course."
"And I suspect you'll be paying for that out-of-pocket, right?"
Cornelia cleared her throat, "Actually… what they ask of me is… something out of my power."
"Out of your power? I find that hard to believe, since you're one of my most accomplished siblings."
The Princess blushed slightly at the rare compliment, but pushed on regardless, "Well… it's… something to do with Knightmare's. And as you know… I'm not exactly in charge of such matters."
"Ah. I understand. Don't worry, I'll deal with it myself." Schneizel reassured her as the ship began to ascend.
"Thank you, brother. Have a safe trip." Cornelia covered her face as the wind blew her hair into her face. The blond waved her off as the door closed behind him. "Guilford, get the car."
"Heading to Kirihara estate, I presume?" her Knight asked while leading her to a black car.
"Correct. You got the coordinates from Schneizel, right?"
"Of course."
Guilford opened the door for her, while Darlton stayed back, "What shall I do while you're gone?"
"Oversee the reconstruction of the Viceroy palace, and subjugation of any terrorist groups that pop up. I don't want my time with Euphie disturbed."
"As you wish, my lady. Enjoy your R&R."
Avalon.
Schneizel sat in his quarters with a glass of scotch to his right, "Kanon, you set up the cameras like I asked?" he asked as his assistant entered the room.
"Of course." the man handed over a tablet, "This will allow you to keep an eye on Kirihara."
"Thank you. Please stay with the bridge while I look this over."
"As you wish." with a brief bow, Kanon left the Prince's quarters as he opened the tablet.
"Another perk to having Euphemia and Lila staying, is that I know for a fact that Taizo will let his guard down around them due to their passive nature. Unlike myself or Cornelia, those girls have the natural ability to gain favor with anyone they come across by just being themselves. And honestly, I suspect Taizo won't be any different."
He shifted through the camera's, until he came upon the room where Taizo, Euphemia, Lila, and- "Is that who I think it is?" he turned on the microphone to listen in on their conversation.
"Thank you so much for having us." Euphemia said with a beaming smile, "You're too kind."
"It's no trouble." Taizo lied, "I understand that it must be difficult for you girls now, especially with the way the world is going."
"Even still…" Lila's eyes beamed with such innocence despite what she's been through, "You didn't have to."
Nunnally finally spoke up with Sayoko gently seating her on the mat, "I never thought I'd see you again, Taizo-san."
"You can drop the san." the man responded with a kind tone, "And I never thought I'd see you either."
"Can you believe how lucky that is?" Euphemia cradled her sister in her lap playfully, "It's like a mini reunion."
"It's a shame you couldn't meet Lelouch." the Innocent added with a sad expression, "I'm sure he would've loved to see you again."
"Lelouch?" Schneizel leaned back in his chair as the ice in his drink melted, "That confirms it. She's Nunnally. So, they survived the invasion?"
"What happened to Lelouch?"
Schneizel noticed Nunnally's hesitance, so Euphemia stepped in, "He… unfortunately got caught up in the Ashford Bombing, and is now-"
Taizo raised his hand, commanding silence, "Say no more. I understand. Nunnally, you can stay here for as long as you want, just like you could back then."
"Thank you so much." the Princess nestled herself deeper into her sister's lap, looking for comfort.
"Oh! I know." Lila interjected, desperately trying to change the subject, "Can we watch the new Knights of the Round inauguration?" she practically crawled onto the table while clasping her hands, "Pretty please?"
Soon, Euphemia joined her, "Pretty please?"
Followed by Nunnally, "Pretty please?"
Taizo sighed as he walked over to pull back a curtain, revealing a surprisingly modern flat screen T.V, "He's really living it up over there." Schneizel smirked at the reveal, "So much for 'old Japan', I guess."
"Let's give a warm welcome to his majesty, Charles Zi Britannia!" they announced as the man walked on stage with a suffocating presence, enough to force everyone to clap. Once he reached the center, he took a seat on the throne, and awaited the two Knights to approach him from the other side of the room.
"Ugh. I don't really like these events." Euphemia muttered to herself as the trumpets played on, "They're always so loud."
"Agreed." Nunnally added while covering her ears.
"Now, onto our Knights! First, is…" the announcers voice lowered as all enthusiasm was drained, "Suzaku Kururugi."
The boy walked down the red carpet wearing a white regal outfit with gold accents and a royal blue cloak. His face was stern, making him seem as professional as possible. Lila squealed upon seeing her Knight dressed up, "Ah! Suzaku looks so good!"
However, the crowd didn't clap at his reveal. Instead, they just stared at him with silent disgust until he reached the stage, where the announcer introduced the second Knight. "And up next, is the Knight who single-handedly killed the treacherous Dasko La Clermont, taking revenge for the late Carine Ne Britannia… Rai-" they hesitated upon seeing the second half of his name, "W-wait… is that right?"
Regardless, Rai began walking down the red carpet, receiving a warm welcome as the crowd cheered him on. Similar to Suzaku, he wore a white regal outfit, but instead of a blue cloak, he had a silver one that reflected the light nicely. Upon reaching the stage, both Knights bowed before the Emperor as he rose to Knight them.
"Lila." Euphemia called gently, "You seem to be taking this well."
"I know…" the small Princess looked down, "I didn't want him to leave, but at the same time… I can't hold him back forever." she then let off a beaming smile, "Besides, with this he'll be able to help Japan even more."
"That's… very mature of you, Viceroy." Taizo responded with a soothing tone as he poured himself and the girls freshly brewed green tea.
"Please, you can just call me Lila. We're in your household, after all."
"You're too kind."
"Do you, Suzaku Kururugi, pledge your life to the throne I, Charles Zi Britannia, rule?"
"I do."
"Are you prepared to lay your life on the line for the prosperity of Britannia?"
"I am."
Charles outstretches his hand, allowing for Suzaku to draw his sword, and hand it over handle-first, "Then I dub thee, Knight of Seven, Suzaku Kururugi. With this title, you will ensure Britannia and her people a long and successful reign."
The Knight of Seven retrieved his sword, and returned it to its scabbard. However, he didn't rise yet, as Rai was still undergoing his knighting. "Do you, Rai Sumeragi…"
This made Taizo spit out his tea comically, "S-sumeragi!?"
Apparently, his surprise wasn't unfounded, as nearly everyone in the hall gasped, including Suzaku, and Rai himself, "Sumeragi… isn't that a Japanese name?" the boy felt his world, his very identity shatter all around him. The reason for this wasn't that he found out he was Japanese. No. It's the realization that, he might've not known who he was this whole time. "Wait… how would they even know? If I don't even know my heritage, then who told-"
Bartley. Barley Aspirus told them everything. He knew the whole time what Rai was. The reason he treated him like trash, the reason he forced Rai to go through those horrid experiments, it was because he's-
"Rai Sumeragi." Charles' booming voice broke the boy out of his thoughts, "Are you troubled by your heritage? Is that why you're hesitating?" before he could answer, the Emperor continued, "Then throw it all away." an ice-cold feeling overcame the crowd and the viewers watching from home, "Throw away your heritage, because as a Knight of the Round, you pledge yourself to something greater than such feeble connections. You made the same vow when you became Euphemia's Knight." he threw out his hand as a show of strength, "I care not for who you're related to! For as a Knight of the Round, your duty is to serve me and Britannia! And through those victories you achieved, you've proven yourself loyal to this great Nation! That's why I'm giving you Luciano Bradley's seat. He was incompetent, unable to comprehend simple tasks! Now, will you, Rai Sumeragi, take the pledge to become a Knight of the Round, or will you fade into obscurity just like those nations we've conquered?"
The boy was utterly speechless. He felt the weight of the world's eyes on him, anticipating his response with bated breath, "I… I will!" he proclaimed with conviction, "For Euphie!"
Charles smiled victoriously, "Do you, Rai Sumeragi, pledge your life to the throne I, Charles Zi Britannia, rule?"
"I do."
"Are you willing to lay your life on the line for the prosperity of Britannia?"
"I am."
Charles extended his hand, and Rai handed over his sword, "Then I dub thee, Knight of Ten, Rai Sumeragi. With this title, you will ensure Britannia and her people a long and successful reign." he took a step back, "Rise, my Knights. Show the world your strength, and you will be subsequently rewarded."
The camera panned out, showing the packed hall as the crowd stood up cheering for the Knights, inspired by Charles' speech. "Soldiers of the Britannian army, there still remain seats for the taking. Fight hard, and you could achieve your own audience with the Emperor. All Hail Britannia!"
Euphemia sighed as the T.V returned to normal news, "I really didn't like that…" she muttered.
"What do you mean?" Nunnally asked while cutely reaching for her tea, only to have Sayoko hand it to her.
"The whole 'forget your heritage'. If Rai really is Japanese, he should be proud of it. Hiding such a side of himself will only cause his heart to fall into further turmoil."
"Is that so?" Taizo mumbled as the Ninja maid moved to clean his face, only for him to swat her away, "I can take care of myself! I'm not decrepit yet!"
The Princess' giggled at the display. However, Euphemia still wasn't sure about something, "Nunnally… I know everyone deals with loss differently, but… I expected you to be a little sadder about Lelouch's death." she caressed her sister's face with an adoring smile, "Then again, maybe you're just bottling up everything inside, and if that's the case, you shouldn't be doing that. But… I just wanna know… is Lelouch alive?"
Somewhere off the coast of China.
A young boy looked out at the serene ocean as the tide moved back and forth, the orange glow from the sun illuminating the landscape as he checked his watch. "Doesn't seem like they're showing up today." his father said from behind him.
"Do you think… they're really gone?"
"Could be possible." the man shrugged, "Then again, it's not our problem. Let's pack it up for today."
The boy stood up, and gave one final look toward the sea, before turning to walk away. That's when he suddenly heard a loud crash. The two turned around only to see a massive Submarine beaching itself with heavy damaged sustained on all sides. Soon, a black-haired girl emerged from a hatch, and fell into the water. Then, she crawled onto the sand like a zombie, feeling the grainy substance sift through her hands as another submarine beached itself to her left. However, she paid it no mind. Instead, she raised her fists full of sand and shouted, "LAND-HO!"
Soon, dozens of crew members emerged from the beached craft in a zombie-like fashion, fawning over the dry land as they were finally freed from their cage. Meanwhile, the girl stuffed some sand in her mouth gleefully, only to have her fun ruined by a rude smack in the back of the head, "Don't eat sand, you idiot!" he assaulter shouted.
"H-hey! I'm just trying to have fun, Mario!" Maya argued while coughing up sand.
"I couldn't care less! Don't eat sand." he grabbed his sister by the ear, "Understand?"
"F-fine! I get it! Just let me go!"
The boy sighed while releasing his sister from his hold, "On your feet, Bradley." he instructed the former Knight of Ten as he ground his teeth.
"Y-You'll regret making me feel like this."
"Oh, I'm sure I will."
Finally, Zero emerged from the first submarine, watching as his men hobbled toward the boy and his father. Upon further inspection, he spotted dozens of Semi-trucks with large trailers and plentiful staff to boot, "Your contact sure is reliable, isn't he?"
"You could say that." Rakshata responded as the Knightmares were taken out of the hold, "She took a real beating, so we couldn't go straight to India. Sorry about that, I should've had the Blaze Luminous activated sooner."
"It ended well. Now, all we have to do is take a plan the rest of the way." Zero watched as Naoto and Tamaki dragged their feet along the sand with dejected faces.
"What are you going to do about them?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"What do you suggest I do? Offer words of encouragement? No. This is something they're going through together. The words I have to offer won't do any good."
"Even so, something is better than nothing." Rakshata tapped the man's helmet as Kallen emerged while holding her side, "Then again, what do I know?"
The red head watched as the Indian woman oversaw the Knightmare transfer, leaving the two alone, "Lelouch…"
The man turned around, and took off his mask as everyone left for the trucks, "How are you feeling?"
"Good. Well… as good as I can be." she covered a bruise she had sustained from her battle with Suzaku. Apparently, it actually broke a few ribs, but she didn't feel it due to the adrenaline. "How about you?" she caressed the boy's forehead with her thumb, "Can't believe it was the same place."
"It's nothing. Like I said, my mask stopped most of the impact." he explained just as Rolo emerged from the sub, followed by Clara. The Prince put on his mask and wrapped his arm around the red head, causing her to blush at the sudden display of affection, "Don't push yourself too hard, okay?"
Kallen merely nodded in response as Rolo approached with red rings around his eyes, "Follow Clara's lead until I say otherwise."
"Yes, my lord."
The former Geass Assassins jumped down from the sub, and Clara couldn't help but probe, "Can't believe you actually got hit by his Geass." However, the boy didn't answer, "Hey. Answer my questions like normal."
Rolo's rings faded slightly, "Shut up."
"Jeez. No need to be so hostile."
"This is all your fault." he stated with a hostile tone, "It's because of you that V.V's now turned his back on us… on me."
"Oh come on. This isn't so bad."
"Says the one who's not under a Geass command."
"Um…" Clara motioned a knife slitting her throat, "Remember?"
Rolo rolled his eyes, "Oh screw that. You just so happened to have a perfect counter to it, remember? Speaking of which…" he pointed at himself, "Free me."
The pink-haired girl took a breath, "Ah… about that. I actually can't use my Geass reliably anymore." she scratched her head, "I got beaten too badly by the red head."
"Defective product."
"Don't be so hostile. These people aren't as bad as you think."
"He made me a slave."
"No. Lelouch told me the command he gave you was 'do as I say'."
"It's the same thing, just a different phrasing, idiot." Rolo kicked a pebble, striking Maya in the back of the head as she collected seashells.
"Mario!" she cried while facing down her brother, "Stop hitting me!"
"What!? I didn't do that!"
"Liar!"
The Disel siblings began wrestling in the sand as the assassins watched with a blank stare, "Animals…"
"Oh shut up." Clara ordered, causing Rolo to instantly close his mouth as the red rings brightened.
"Tamaki." Zero called the man while sitting next to him in the front of the truck, Kallen following close behind, "How are you feeling?"
"Fine, dude." the man lied as Naoto climbed into the driver's seat, still looking dejected.
"If it's any consolation-"
"Just…what's done is done." Tamaki hunched over the dashboard, "You said your piece, and I said mine."
Naoto stayed silent as he followed the truck in front of him, "I still can't believe he's gone… and Naomi too…" he clenched the steering wheel tightly as memories of his friend and lover passed through his mind.
"Really? Well, I can." a suffocating silence took over as Tamaki continued, "Ohgi put his life on the line for those kids." he wanted to strike the dash, but held himself back, "And you know what's fucked up? They're gonna be told that we're the ones who caused that! Fuckers!"
March 20th. 3:00AM.
"We should be in the clear." Rakshata announced as the red lights of the sub blared, "Check the damage! The Blaze Luminous might've activated a little too late."
"We've taken substantial damage, but not enough to sink us!" a crew member responded, "But I advise we stop somewhere soon."
"Zero. I have contacts in China that we can meet with. They'll be able to provide us with enough planes to finish the trip."
"Do it." the masked man responded, "The rest of you, man your post, and report anything suspicious to myself or Rakshata." he stood up, and moved toward the med-bay, passing Rolo on his way to Kallen. He pulled the curtain for privacy, and took off his mask, "Kallen. How are you feeling?" he called gently while placing a hand on her stomach.
"Uncomfortable. These cots suck." she groaned, "They said… I might've broken a few ribs in my fight with Suzaku." her eyes moved to her boyfriends face, which had a streak of dried blood, "What about you? How'd this happen?"
Lelouch motioned his head toward Rolo, "He got a shot off before my Geass could take effect."
"Make sure you clean up, okay?" the red head giggled, "Blood doesn't look good on your face."
The Prince could tell his girlfriend was still drowsy from the drugs they gave her to deal with the pain. It looked like she was struggling to even keep her eyes open, "Kallen, get some rest, okay? You're probably going to be in here until we reach China."
"China? Why the detour?"
"We took too much damage from our escape, so we'll ditch the subs in China, and head to India via plane." he soothingly caressed her forehead, causing Kallen to get even drowsier, "Goodnight." he kissed her forehead, before putting back on his mask, and leaving.
"Hey…" Rolo's hoarse voice called, "Just gonna walk away without saying anything?"
"You'll have Clara to keep you company." Lelouch stated before heading out.
The assassin turned to the red head, who put as much power into a death stare as she could, but it was difficult due to the drowsiness, "Can't believe I have to be stuck on this tin can with these people." he rolled over, trying his best to fall asleep.
Lelouch opened the door to his quarters, but stopped upon hearing Naoto call, "Tamaki! Stop!"
However, the Japanese man didn't listen, and grabbed Zero by the collar, "You bastard!" he threw him against the steel wall, "Ohgi's dead because of you! Naomi's dead because of you! Everyone's dead because of you!"
Naoto pulled his friend from Lelouch as the door closed, "Don't listen to him! He's just lashing out."
"Screw that!" Tamaki tried to desperately make his way toward his target, only for the Kozuki to stop him at every turn. "This ain't some temper tantrum! I want some answers, fucker!"
"And what answer could I provide to provide you solace?" Lelouch asked while massaging his back, "Ohgi died putting his life on the line for something that he believed in. As did Naomi. Their losses will be remembered."
"Their losses will be remembered? Don't give me that bullshit! You don't care about them!"
"Tamaki, you don't know that! I know Zero, and he-"
"That's the problem!" the enraged man took a step back, "Only YOU know him. Nobody else! How can I continue trusting this… this motherfucker who keeps a mask all the time, huh!?" he dug out a pair of cassette tapes, and handed them to Naoto, "These were recorded as our last words. Obviously, I'm not giving you mine, but Naomi and Ohgi wanted you to have those." his attention turned back to Zero, "As for you." Tamaki shoved Naoto out of the way as he stared at the cassettes.
"Wait, don't!"
But it was too late, Tamaki grabbed the mask, and pulled it off, revealing the identity of the man he had been following this whole time, "Y-you… it's fucking you." he pointed Lelouch in the face, "You're that guy from Kallen's school." he gasped, "Oh god. You're her boyfriend." he dropped the mask as he began feeling overwhelmed by the boys piercing gaze, "And… you're just a kid."
Lelouch moved to grab his mask, only for Tamaki to stop, "Wait… she knew, didn't she?" The Prince merely nodded in response, causing the enraged man to calm slightly, "So… you two faked a relationship this whole time-"
"You didn't even know there was a relationship in the first place." Naoto finally interjected, "And no, it wasn't fake. I… you know my informant from back then? It was him."
"What…" Tamaki felt the breath practically being taken out of his lungs, "Wait… but that would mean…"
"I was here the whole time." Lelouch picked up his mask, but didn't put it on, "You might not have met me directly, but I knew the Kozuki resistance extensively from conversations with Naoto and Kallen. Obviously, I don't know each of you personally, but it's not like I wouldn't care if you died." he put a hand on the seemingly tame Tamaki, as he took everything in, "I've been watching your growth since the beginning, and it made me proud, seeing how far this ragtag group of resistance members, who actively harassed me one day, to proud Knights who defend the weak. Even Britannian kids." the man looked Lelouch in the eyes, "That's something to be proud of. Ohgi sacrificed himself to ensure a better future could be built for Japan, so please don't diminish his actions by taking your rage out on others."
Tamaki shook his head and began pacing back and forth, "God… damn it. Fuck. Why'd it have to be you? Why!?" he pointed at Zero with teary eyes, "I… I just wish I could knock your fucking lights out! You know that? And if you were anyone else, I would've. But… it's because of Kallen… and Naoto…" he massaged his temple, before heading toward the door.
"Where are you going?" the latter asked.
"I just… need to think. Okay?" he wiped the tears from his eyes, reminding himself that manly men don't cry on his way to his bunk. There, he sat down, pondering, "What would Ohgi do?"
"Do you think he'll tell anyone?" the Kozuki asked Lelouch as he made sure the door was closed.
"No. He won't. It's just as Tamaki said. He came in here wanting to knock my lights out. His goal was merely to relieve some anger. Of which, he successfully did."
"Still… are you really going to let him walk off like that? He did attack you…"
The Prince shook his head, "Who am I to punish him? Was what he did wrong? Yes. However, I can't punish him, that's not how we do thing around here."
"Even so…"
"Did you check on that girl he saved?"
"Ah." Naoto looked off to the side, "She's… currently unconscious. I imagine the shock of losing her parents, and being whisked away by a Knightmare must've taken a huge toll on her."
Lelouch sighed, "We'll have to take care of her, you know that, right?"
"Didn't know we were a daycare."
"Haha. Very funny."
"Jokes aside, there has to be something we can do about her, right? We can't just send her out in a Knightmare to fight."
"Correct. However, we can't exactly return her home either. When the time comes, we'll allow her to make the decision. We don't have the right to force her into anything."
"By the way… are we going to tell Kallen about what just happened?"
Lelouch smirked, "Absolutely not."
"Lying in a relationship? That's not healthy." Naoto joked as he grabbed a clipboard and a blank sheet of paper from a cabinet.
"Yeah? And neither is a broken nose, which Tamaki will surely have after Kallen's done with him."
"Oh, trust me, he'll have way more than just that."
Zero rubbed his face, "Just don't let this incident get out. The walls are thick on this ship, so I'm certain nobody heard all of that."
"Got it." Naoto walked out of the office with a sigh as he looked at the tapes once again, "This is gonna be a long trip."
Present Day.
"Zero…" Tamaki called the masked man, "Look man, I'm sorry about what I did the other day."
This obviously caught Kallen's attention, as the man in question responded, "It's alright. Just make sure it doesn't happen again."
Lelouch expertly kept the conversation vague as to not let anything on, but this didn't stop Kallen from being curious, "What are you talking about?"
"They're just referring to a mild argument over the food varieties on the ship, that's all."
The red head's eyes narrowed with suspicion, "Is that so?" Tamaki and Lelouch nodded in agreement, clearly getting their story together prior to this interaction, "Fine. I'll pry the information out of one of you later."
While it could've been any one of them, Lelouch felt like that statement was specifically targeted towards him as the red head nudged his side. "This is gonna be a long trip."
AN: Reading Rai's wiki made me hate him all over again. Nah, just kidding (kind of). It said he was related to Sumeragi, so I went the option that he was related through a branch family that broke off from the main family due to her having a kid with someone who wasn't Japanese. How do they know this? Bartley and V.V. Did I have to choose a last name? No. But did it make the Knighting sound better? Yes. So I chose to give him one.
Nunnally will be hiding in Japan, because C.C and Clara couldn't just take her knowing Lelouch wouldn't want her involved. So, she's hiding in plain sight (V.V's gonna think they took her away with the Black Knights, since it's obvious C.C's with them.), but Schneizel won't be revealing his knowledge of his wareabouts due to a certain reason.
