AN:

Guest: Due to the properties of his Geass, I thought it would be fair to have Orpheus trying to probe for information that way. At first, he tried to appeal to Lelouch's Britannian side, then when he saw it wasn't working, he chose to approach using the interaction he saw with Kallen, and finally it ended with him pushing for answers. Onto the Geass itself, I think I've got a good grasp on it now.

Alan Wake: I was planning on Lelouch and Mario having that this chapter, but then I just couldn't figure out how to make it happen.

Dark Dremora: Well... I said maximum, meaning if there would be more chapters on the train, it would only be three. However... I can't take it anymore.

Ryuto: While I do admit, a lot do repeat themselves, there is some useful information that can be gathered from Guest Reviews. (also I didn't know they could be turned off. But even so, I won't do it.)

Chapter 90: Upgrade

"Jeez… it took you long enough to get back." Maya scoffed as her brother took a seat across from her, "Seriously? Was Rolo that much more entertaining than me?"

"Like you wouldn't believe." the boy responded while turning to Naoto, "By the way… we need your help."

"With what?" his sister asked while trying to get in on the conversation.

As the boy explained the situation in a hushed tone, Kallen gave Clara a perplexed look as she stared out the window, "What's wrong with you?"

"Kally…"

"Why are you calling me that?"

"I'm bored." the girl ignored the red head, "Is there anything we can do on this train?"

"It's a train. I don't think there's an entertainment compartment." Kallen replied while eyeing her brother, who gasped upon hearing Mario's words.

"Actually, I already had a run-in with one of those guys." the Kozuki explained as the boy tilted his head, "Real strange, but I doubt he has any bad intentions."

"Wait… seriously?" Mario turned to his sister, who merely shrugged in response, "Then… I guess I'll just… tell him?"

"Go ahead."

The Disel slowly stood up, still utterly confused by the situation, and headed back to the caboose, "What was that about?" Kallen asked as Clara pouted.

"Beats me." her brother muttered while looking out the window.

"Hey… don't ignore me." she began pulling his cheek with narrowed eyes.

Naoto couldn't help but snicker, before responding, "Fine. We've run into… not really a predicament, more like… a bump in the road?"

"Stop speaking in riddles."

Clara rolled her eyes and got up, headed to the caboose, in hopes of causing more trouble, as one could assume. Upon reaching the car, she opened the door, scanning for her next victim, "Ah! There you are."

Lelouch sighed in frustration just as Mario finished explaining the situation, "Just how many of you are going to come back here?"

"What? You don't like my company?" she took a seat next to Rolo, making sure to bump his shoulder, "By the way… I heard you were cooking up some kind of scheme back here-"

"It's already been resolved." Zero answered, "So, just enjoy your time on the train."

"But I-"

"You heard him." Rolo turned to the girl with stern eyes, "Just enjoy your time on the train."

"Since when did you start being so obedient?"

"Since we came across Orpheus."

"That's enough, Rolo." Lelouch put a firm stop to any further escalation, "The situations already been taken care of."

Clara's eyes widened with shock. She figured that Rolo might've seen him, but she didn't expect him to tell Lelouch, "Snitch."

"Can you really say that to me with a straight face?"

"Didn't you hear me?" Zero tried to draw their attention, only for the former Geass assassins to stand with their fists raised, "That's enough-"

Clara launched the first punch, only for Rolo to parry her strike, and slam his foot into her sternum. She tumbled into another row of seats, where the boy tackled her into the wall, crashing against the glass as she delivered strike after strike to his exposed back. Eventually, Rolo lifted her for a suplex, forcing her to roll away in pain.

While staying low to the ground, Clara picked up a cloak that was tucked underneath a seat, and threw it at her opponent. Using the fabric as cover, she moved behind Rolo, and kicked his leg, forcing him onto one knee while grabbing the cloak once more, using it to smother him. In response, the boy sent his elbow into her rib, causing Clara to groan in pain, before being sent flying backwards with a kick.

Mario turned to Lelouch, who had his head in his hands, "Want me to take care of this?"

"I implore you…" the Prince mumbled in a muffled tone.

"Rolo, kill yourself!" Clara ordered as her Geass flared, only to find the command falling short.

The boy kicked her in the face, only for Mario to intervene by grabbing his shoulder, slamming him into the ground, "Didn't you hear? He said stop."

Rolo groaned as the door to the car opened, and Naoto entered, "Um… did I come at a bad time?" he asked while observing the former assassins sprawled on the ground.

"Oh great. Did you happen to bring Tamaki with you too?" Lelouch said sarcastically while rubbing his face.

"I'll take that as a yes…"

"No. Sit down." Zero sighed, turning off his tablet as Mario sat Clara and Rolo in the row ahead of them, "Now, what are you here for?"

"Peace Mark." Naoto set the tone of the conversation with a single name, "So… we'll still be working with them?"

"Correct. He might've seen my face, but it doesn't change anything." Lelouch explained, "For the rest of this train ride, I want to avoid as much confrontation as possible… if you catch my drift."

"Understood." the Kozuki nodded, "Though… I also wanted to confirm another thing…"

Assuming this was another serious topic, the Prince nodded, "Go ahead."

"So… about the birthday supplies."

"Get out."

"At least let me finish my sentence!"

"Naoto, I'm not talking about this now." Lelouch responded while checking the car's entrance, "Just go back to your seat, please?"

"Jeez…" the Kozuki got up, and exited the car. However, he didn't seem disappointed. Instead, he left with a smile on his face, as if he was plotting something.

Regardless, Lelouch didn't have the time to deal with something so trivial. He approached Clara, who was still gasping for air as Rolo stared her down, "You two done?"

"Not… even close…" she mumbled while sitting up.

"I knew you two didn't get along, but I would've figured you would at least try to be civil in my presence."

"Why didn't you just use your Geass?" Clara asked, "You could've ordered him to stop."

"No. Not now." Lelouch responded while turning to Rolo, "You'll be under Mario's care from now on." he turned to Clara, "And you need to be with either Maya, Kallen, or both."

Rolo sat up, "Sounds good to me."

Though, she didn't quite feel the same, "What!? You're separating us just because we don't get along!? We're not kids, you know?"

"Well…" Mario interjected, "You technically are…"

"This isn't about semantics!" Clara shouted, "Please. I know I failed, but just give me another chance to-"

"No." the Prince put his foot down, "Until Rolo fully settles into the Black Knights with Mario, your interactions will be minimal. That's final."


15 hours later. Agra.

"Finally! We're off that train!" a random Black Knight voiced while stretching his arms, "I feel so free!"

"Free? The ride wasn't even that bad." another Knight interjected.

"You wouldn't get it."

"Let's get moving." Naoto announced, "Keep orderly, and don't cause trouble. We already draw enough attention as-is."

Compared to Chennai, Agra certainly had a lot more going on, even at night. In the distance, numerous lights shone upon Taj Mahal like a beacon for all tourists. The cold, crisp air from the river was certainly a welcome change from the harsh, humid one from the beaches of Chennai, which obviously prompted the question, "Why don't we just set up our warehouse here?"

Naoto turned to the man who asked, Tamaki, and said, "You know we're trying to hide, right?"

"So… we, as a group of Japanese, took a train to Agra, the place which wouldn't be suitable for hiding, so we could meet up with Rakshata, right?"

"I can see where you're going with this, Tamaki." Tohdoh interjected, "However, this is merely a temporary visit, so we could easily pass off as tourists. If we stay any longer, it'll draw unnecessary attention."

"That's right." Zero announced as he towered over the group on a warehouse. He expanded his cape with great flair, before saying, "As you know, we've been beaten, battered, and bruised. It may sting, but I'd like for us to maintain that narrative; it'll be easier to operate that way." he leapt down, sticking the landing as his cape acted like a buffer for the fall, "Any other questions?"

The silence that held the Black Knights in a chokehold was soon replaced by crickets, answering Lelouch's question. With a final cape flip, he led the way through the warehouse district, followed closely by Kallen, Naoto, and Tohdoh. Only a few minutes later, they reached Rakshata's base of operations, where the aforementioned woman was awaiting them, "Welcome, Zero." she announced with a pipe in her mouth, "You know… for a second there, I thought you'd never get here."

"There was a slight delay on the train." he responded while motioning his Knights inside, "I trust that development has gone well?"

Rakshata guided her guest toward the center of the bare storage space, "Who do you take me for? With something as interesting as the Gawain, how could I not jump at the opportunity?" she clicked her heel on the floor, causing a hidden lift to activate, taking them underground.

"Woah!? Do we have anything like this?" Tamaki asked as darkness consumed the lift as the hatch closed overhead, then light flooded the space as they descended upon the real warehouse.

"Not to my knowledge." Naoto mumbled as he saw the Gawain towering over a group of Gekka's and the Aroundight. However, what caught nearly everyone's attention, including Kallen's, was the presence of a White Guren. Unlike the , this had a strange attachment on its right arm, like a Swiss-army knife.

"I see the Byakuen's caught your eye." the Indian woman broke their concentration.

"It kind of looks like a Rhino." Tamaki commented at the horn.

"A Rhinoceros Beetle, to be exact." Rakshata explained as the lift came to a halt, allowing them to explore the massive underground warehouse, which was substantially bigger than the space above. Following the woman, they came before the White Knightmare, which was being looked over by Zi Dien, Orpheus, and an Indian man. "And this is Ganabati, the man responsible for most of the operations behind the Byakuen."

"Zero." Zi Dien stepped forth to meet with the man, "On behalf of Peace Mark, it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." he handed over a small badge with the Peace Mark insignia.

Lelouch looked it over for a second, before passing it to Naoto, "Likewise. We'll speak after my people get a tour of the operation."

"Actually, we were just about to do the same." Dien turned to Orpheus, who merely nodded in response, "Mind if we join you?"

Lelouch's eyes narrowed underneath the mask, "He's not as talkative as before. Why is that?"

Upon sensing Zero's gaze upon his ally, the Chinese man stepped in, "Don't mind him. He's not very sociable, but he gets the job done. The best we have."

"The best?" Lelouch turned to Rakshata, "Shall we begin the tour?"

The Indian woman motioned for the group to follow her into another Area, where the Gawain was stationed, "At first, I had no faith in this, due to Luciano's underwhelming performance. However, upon further inspection, there's a lot we could use within this beast of a frame." she motioned to the mech with her pipe, "Obviously, the first thing you would notice about it, is its sheer size; easily towering over the Gekka's even in a sitting position. Of course, that's only surface level." she pointed at the shoulders, "There lies the hadron cannons, which, unlike the Zetland, is designed to fire in a spray, presumably to deal with large crowds. I've modified it with Gefjun disturbers to add better control to the shot. This also renders it invisible to radar."

"Convenient." Naoto stated while walking up to a whiteboard, "What about this… 'Druid system'?"

"I'm getting to that." the Indian woman replied while returning her attention to the Knightmare, "The next piece of impressive technology is obviously the Float System, which we've already begun reverse-engineering for my own version: the Air-Glide system. Soon, we'll be able to take to the skies similar to the Lancelot, Bradford, and, with time, the Avalon."

"Then why don't we just call it a Float System?" Tamaki asked, before being silenced with a glare from the scientist.

"It's my technology at the end of the day, Mr. Shinichiro."

"O-okay…"

"Now…" Rakshata approached the whiteboard, and tapped it with her pipe, "Possibly the MOST impressive part about this Knightmare is the Druid System." she turned to Zero, "It's a highly advanced command system that allows the user to have a nigh perfect eye on the battlefield."

"Doesn't Maya's Knightmare already do that?" Lelouch asked while being handed a clipboard detailing the systems.

"Not exactly. You see, the Druid System not only allows you to view enemy positions with pinpoint accuracy, but you'll also have access to their probable movements, making it far superior to what the Sougetsu can achieve." Rakshata explained with an odd gleam in her eyes, "And… even if it were similar, wouldn't you want to be able to procure the information yourself, instead of having to rely on Maya?"

"Two eyes are better than one." Naoto commented while peering over Lelouch's shoulder, "Man… this really is impressive…"

"But that's not all…" the Indian woman kept them in suspense while flipping the white board to the other side, where it detailed possible improvements that could be made, "You see… if given the time, we could possibly make the system able to even predict Knightmare movements in battle."

"Elaborate."

"Gladly." the woman pointed to a small doodle of two Knightmares, "As you know, aces like Kallen, Tohdoh, and Mario have great battle sense, something pilots like Tamaki lack."

"Hey!"

"Combined with their Knightmare, and skill, this easily allows them to outperform enemy combatants. But what if we could equalize just one of those variables? Maybe even two? Or perhaps all three." Rakshata explained, "That's where this new Druid System comes into play. It'll improve the pilot's battle sense, calculating the probability of attacks, while also giving suggestions on how to counter. This can effectively make up for two of the missing variables, while the third, Knightmares, can be provided."

"In the hands of the right pilot… they'd become a monster." Mario mumbled while turning to Zero, "However, I can't help but wonder what it would take to utilize such a system in the first place."

That's when Tamaki interjected, "Wait… does that mean we'll all be getting a Druid System?"

"Not exactly." the Indian woman flipped the board back to the original side, "You see, the first iteration of the Druid System already required a complex mind to fully operate, given all the variables and such. So, this improved version would require the same." she pointed at the group, "And among the Black Knights, only two people could possibly use it." her pipe stopped at Lelouch and Naoto, "Zero and Naoto."

"Seriously? Me?" the Kozuki pointed at himself, "I mean… I'm flattered, but I don't see any purpose for something so advanced to be in my Knightmare."

"Naoto, if you're ever going to lead the vanguard in the future, I suggest you have the Druid System, even if it's just the first iteration." Lelouch added, while keeping in mind the combat aspect, "As for the second iteration… how long would it take to develop?"

"Hard to say. Maybe 4 months?"

"I didn't know this was your specialty."

"It's not. I just have a team who is more than eager to tamper with something so… interesting. For the most part, you'll be communicating with them regarding the system." Rakshata explained, "So, I'll take it you've given them the green-light?"

"Go ahead."

Kallen's eyes narrowed as she stared at her boyfriend, "Sounds like an excuse to not train with me."

The Woman nodded, before proceeding down the line, stopping in front of the Aroundight, "Now, onto the bulk of our forces. If you don't mind, I suggest we use Gekka's considering how well they performed in previous operations with the Holy Swords. Not only that, but by combining the Aroundight's advanced Landspinner technology, we could very well achieve a force that has maneuverability rivaling the Gun-Ru's."

"Woah… that's incredible!" Tamaki shouted with great zeal.

"What's the catch?" Lelouch asked, drawing attention back to Rakshata.

"Well… considering how experimental all of this new technology is… I doubt we'd be able to implement it into many Knightmares, in such a short time. So… maybe 100 or so?"

"Only 100!?" you-know-who exclaimed, only for Naoto to tap him on the back.

"Look around you, Tamaki. We don't have that many people to begin with, so 100's plenty."

"Oh… right…"

The Kozuki turned to the woman, "Thank you for everything you've done. Other's would've given up on us by now." he bowed his head slightly, only for her to lift it with her pipe.

"I'm only doing this because our goals align." Rakshata gestured back to the Gawain and Aroundight, "Not only have you allowed me to further my research, but you've also given me perfect test pilots to use them. That's more than a fair trade to me." she began leading them to another section of the warehouse, where two Gekkas were facing one holding revolving blades, while the other and MVS, "This is the last thing I have to show you. Boys. Hit it."

The first activated his revolving blade, brandishing a blue chain light instead of the normal orange, while the second raised their MVS. Soon after, they entered a clench, with the MVS cracking within mere moments of coming in contact with its counterpart, and shattering in the next. "As you can see, we've upped the anti, making the chains spin significantly faster, allowing it to cut through MVS in seconds, juxtaposed to our normal blades, which would take a minute with multiple strikes. Speaking of which… again!"

The second Gekka grabbed another MVS off the rack, and the two began attacking each other's blades repeatedly, with the replacement being destroyed in three strikes. "Woah… if I had that… Rai would've been…"

"No use thinking about such a thing." Rolo stopped Mario from finishing his sentence, "You failed once, but you shouldn't fail again."

"Thanks for the support." the Disel responded sarcastically with a blank stare.

"I'm not good with words."

"You said it." Clara added before quickly returning to Maya's side, much to his annoyance.

"According to my calculations," Rakshata continued, "We shouldn't have any problems breaking through heavy Knightmare's like the Zetland in the future. With these new blades, they'll have the normal spinning speed, so to access this new one, you'll have to calibrate it from your cockpit. But be warned: it won't last long, since it's very taxing on the gears, so only use it when you're up against a heavy frame, or in a duel. Otherwise, your weapon will practically be useless after."

"And the chains will surely be damaged." Tohdoh pointed at the weapon, as its teeth were bent out of place.

"I actually have a special weapon for you, Tohdoh." the Indian woman added, "Though, I'll have to show you later. For now, I'll have someone show you to your temporary sleeping areas."

"That would be me." a familiar voice cut through the group, instantly drawing their attention to the sight of Zero's 'secretary'.

"I was wondering where you were." Lelouch turned to C.C as she wore a white belly dancer outfit, "And what's with that getup?"

"Awe. Did you miss my touch that badly?" she extended her arms lovingly, inviting him for a hug, "Go ahead, I'm all yours."

The Black Knights turned to their leader, then back to C.C, before back to Tamaki, "looks like you were right, dude. She is his mistress."

The Japanese man scratched the back of his head, "Wait… isn't he dating Kallen? Then that means…" he gasped, "Zero!" he approached the masked man, and wrapped an arm around him, "I never took you as a two-timer, but I suppose as a manly man-" he did a double-take, "Wait a minute! How can I be okay with Naoto's-"

Before he could even finish that sentence, the aforementioned man came in, and covered his mouth, "Shh. You tryin' to get us killed?" they turned to his sister, whose hair was practically floating upward with rage as a red aura encompassed her.

That's when Kaguya ran up to the masked man, wearing her normal outfit without the sleeves, "Master Zero!" she practically rammed her head into his body with a smile, causing Lelouch to groan in pain, "With help from your secretary, we've already got your room ready. Not only that, but I've prepared a bath where we could get to know each other better-"

By putting a hand on her head, Lelouch pushed the Princess away, saying, "Kaguya, I'm not looking for a relationship right now."

"I know." the young girl stated with a gleefully ignorant smile, "But you'll need one after this ends, so I'm just preparing myself."

"Man… this is kind of pathetic…" Tamaki looked off to the side as his mouth was still covered by Naoto.

C.C suddenly began pushing Lelouch through the warehouse, "Come on, Zero. Everyone's gotta let loose once in a while~" she gave a final glance at the red head, who was absolutely livid.

Kallen quickly stormed after them, with Tamaki thrashing about in Naoto's grip. Once he was released, he shouted, "Urabe! Get the camera! There's a cat fight!"

Nagisa grabbed her fellow Holy Sword by the shoulder, and slammed him into the ground, before he could even move. Meanwhile, the Kozuki grabbed his friend by the collar, knocking him out cold. "Sorry about that… we're all pretty tired." he turned to Rakshata, "Do you have someone else who could lead us to our sleeping areas?"


Ashford Academy. March 28th. 8:00PM

"Lord Jeremiah." Villetta called as the Margrave overlooked the ruins of the once-proud Britannian Academy, "You called?"

"Yes, Villetta." the man turned around with a solemn smile, "I have no doubt you remember what happened here, correct?"

"O-of course. Princess Carine she… ordered a bombing here." the woman's eyes scanned the desolate grounds once more. In the distance, there were orange cones marking off certain areas for construction, "We were here when it happened, after all."

"And I presume you heard of the casualties?" at first, Villetta was surprised, but then he continued, "It's no secret you held an… attachment to the students here."

"Lord Jeremiah, if you brought me out here to ask if I'm okay, don't worry." she turned to the side, rubbing her right arm, "My work won't be affected by this tragedy."

"But whose fault does it lie?"

"Pardon?"

"Who do you think was responsible for this?"

"I just said… it was Carine who ordered-"

"So, are you suggesting that Britannia was in the wrong?" Jeremiah pushed the subject, much to his subordinate's confusion.

"N-not at all." thinking this was some kind of loyalty test, Villetta answered like a good Britannian, "Princess Carine doesn't represent the whole of Britannia. I'm sure if it were Princess Cornelia, or Prince Schneizel, a different solution would've been figured out."

"But what if I told you Prince Schneizel gave those bombers to Carine?"

Villetta's eyes narrowed slightly, "What are you suggesting, Margrave?"

"Isn't it obvious? Prince Schneizel didn't care. He didn't care about the lives of our fellow Britannians, because honestly? He was more than capable of single-handedly taking control of the battlefield, and pushing the Black Knights back." Jeremiah turned to face his subordinate, "Yet… he didn't. Instead, opting to delegate the tasks to a known psychopath among the ranks of the Royal Family."

The woman took a step back, tensing up as her face turned stern, "Jeremiah… it may be dubious to say, but the way you're speaking; it's teetering on the edge of treason."

"Please, don't act like you don't have your own doubts." the man responded while staring her in the eyes, "It's no secret that ever since that incident, people have begun questioning Britannia's methods, more so now than ever."

Villetta's eyes wavered, seeking to escape this uncomfortable situation. Never before have her moral's been questioned, as she always strived to show-out her peers, proving that despite not being of Royal Blood, she was just as good as any of them. And, with time, she would also achieve a noble title through achievements. But now… now her ideals were being questioned by the very man who gave her a chance despite not being a pure-blood. Now, that same man was questioning her ideals; her very being. "What are you suggesting?"

"Absolutely nothing." Jeremiah responded without missing a beat, "I'm expressing my current thoughts about the situation. How you interpret it, is up to you." he faced the school once more, "You're free to leave. I'll stick around for a while."

Villetta hesitantly left the Margrave behind, contemplating what her next step was. She knew she could try to report him, but who would believe her? No. That wasn't it. She didn't want to report him. Jeremiah wasn't wrong when he stated everyone was having doubts. Even the most loyal Britannians were looking down upon the bombing due to their kids attending that very school. And while it was true the Black Knights took it hostage, it was due to their efforts that student casualties didn't exceed 5.

If they really wanted to, they could've abandoned the school, allowing for part of Britannia's future to be wiped away with the dust. Instead, they stood by their ideals; protecting the weak, even at the loss of their own. "Why… why am I hesitating now?" the woman clenched her chest, feeling the beat of her heart race as she strolled down the sidewalk, "It can't be because of the kids… have I gone soft? Did I grow a conscience while teaching at Ashford? I hate this feeling…" the woman slammed her fist into a nearby wall, "Damn it."


"Ah, so you've returned?" Jeremiah asked as he heard footsteps approach from behind, "I didn't think it'd be that fast, Villetta."

"Villetta?" a boy's voice chimed in, sending a chill down the Margrave's spine, "Meh. It doesn't matter."

The Man turned around, coming face-to-face with a cyan-haired boy, "Who are you?"

"Me? I'm just… admiring the scenery." he observed the school a suitable distance from the soldier, making sure to take in the chilly landscape, "It's a shame what happened here. My sisters sure can be ruthless, can't they?"

"Sisters?"

"You know. Carine, Cornelia, Guinevere; they're all monsters, just to different extents." he intended to take a step forward, only for Jeremiah to stop him.

"Who are you? I won't ask again."

Despite being threatened, the boys soft face never wavered. Instead, turning into a slightly confused head tilt, "Really? You don't recognize me? I thought someone of your status would know the Royal Family by heart. Even the obscure kids."

Jeremiah moved to pull out his pistol, only to hear a set of rapidly approaching footsteps from behind. So, he turned to face them with his weapon drawn, only to feel something slam into the back of his head. This was soon followed up with a strike to his stomach, which felt like a metal pipe, knocking the air out of him. Finally, they ended it by slamming his back, causing him to crash into the ground.

"Looks like missions been accomplished." the first boy stated while poking the nearly unconscious Margrave, "Why do you think Uncle wants this guy anyway?"

"Who cares?" a second voice added, "We aren't supposed to question his methods, no matter how vile."

"I guess… he did save you after all…"

"Damn right. Not only that, but he made that grand promise."

"Do you really think he'll keep it?"

"He didn't have to help us, so I doubt he'd flake out on us now." the second boy chuckled, "Although, the experiment does sound kind of gross."

The first boy joined with a light giggle, "Well, Uncle sure does some of the grossest things."

They kicked Jeremiah's body once more, before striking his head with a metal pipe, knocking him out cold.


Kirihara Estate. March 29th. 1:00AM

"It's getting late, you girls should head to bed." Cornelia stated as Nunnally laid across the futon in exhaustion.

Euphemia groaned as she pointed a stick at her sister, "Oh yeah? And what about you?"

"Me?" the Witch raised an eyebrow while getting up, "You already know. I'm heading back to the temporary base we've set up in Tokyo. There's no way I can stay here."

"I don't see why not." Lila added while rolling across the floor, messing up her freshly washed hair, "It's not like anyone would question it."

"That's not the point. Someone has to be on-hand to deal with the recent terrorist uprisings." Cornelia explained while heading for the door, only to be stopped by Nunnally, who grabbed her legs, "Ah-Nunnally, what are you-"

Suddenly, Lila and Euphemia pounced her, sending the Witch of Britannia crashing onto the futon back-first, "There's no way we're letting you leave!" the pink-haired Princess proclaimed while desperately pinning her sister down.

"Agreed! What happened to our sleep-over!?" Lila added as Nunnally crawled up Cornelia's leg like a koala.

The woman sighed in defeat as her sisters practically smothered her under their weight and cuteness, "Ugh. Fine… just… move your knee. It's crushing my ribs."

The Princesses giggled while snuggling up to their big sister, while Guilford listened to the commotion outside. Sayoko approached the Knight, gesturing to the door, "What is it?"

"The light. I'll need to turn it off." she explained calmly.

"Oh… right…" he stepped to the side, allowing her to enter.

Within seconds, she exited, motioning for him to follow her, "Kirihara had me set up a room for you. Please follow me."

Guilford hesitantly did as told, still suspicious of Taizo, and especially this maid who always keeps track of the Princesses. Regardless, he'd sleep with one eye open, making sure to have the ability to respond to Cornelia's call.


Kirihara Estate. March 29th. 6:00AM.

"Is this the place?" Rai asked as they stepped out of Schneizel's car.

"Yes. It's quite grand, isn't it?" Kanon added while staying by the Blond's side.

"Wow! Is this what Japan's like?" Nonette hung off the silver-haired boys side, "Jeez, you must be really proud of your heritage, Rai."

"Um… considering that I didn't even know I was Japanese until a week ago… I suppose…"

The Knight of Nine turned to Suzaku, "What about you? Are you happy?"

"It's certainly… nice." he responded, "Certainly better than how I thought it would be."

"Regardless, let's head inside." Schneizel announced while opening the door, letting himself in, only to be greeted by Sayoko. "You must be the new maid. Nice to meet you." he said charismatically while taking off his shoes, "Would you mind taking me to my sisters?"

The Japanese woman eyed Suzaku as he rolled his eyes, "They are currently asleep."

"Ah. Well, I know it would be disrespectful to intrude, but would you kindly? It's pretty urgent."

"As you wish." she led them down the hall, to a set of sliding doors.

Meanwhile, Nonette whispered, "So… do Japanese people just not lock their doors? Or is this a special case?"

"I don't doubt that Maid was the one who let us in." Suzaku stated in a low voice.

"Woah? She knew we were coming? She must be some kind of Ninja." the woman giggled while clinging to Rai's side.

"Like you wouldn't imagine."

Schneizel calmly opened the door, to the sight of Cornelia, Lila, Euphemia, and Nunnally sleeping in one big pile. However, the one with battle instinct woke up upon hearing the entrance open, "B-brother!?" the Witch exclaimed, waking her sisters. Soon after, Guilford, who was missing his glasses, came rushing down the hall, only to stop upon seeing the Knights of the Round.

"Good Morning, sister. I see you've gotten comfortable with-" his eyes landed on Nunnally, and he faked a surprised expression, "Oh wow. Is that who I think it is?" he knelt to her level, "My… look at how big you've grown, Nunnally."

The little Princess rubbed her eyes, clearing her vision to meet the blond, "O-oh… Schneizel." she looked away, "I… It really has been a while…"

"It sure has." he stood up, just as Nonette entered.

"Oh my god! I never thought I'd see the day, where Cornelia would be cuddling with her sisters!" she walked up to the witch, much to her dismay, "Hey, it's been a while."

Euphemia tilted her head in confusion, "Who are you?"

"What!? Has Nellis never told you about me?" the Knight of Nine wiped away a fake tear, "I'm so offended."

Corenila collapsed back onto the futon, "Oh god. Could this day get any more complicated?"

Meanwhile, Nunnally was following a similar line of thinking, "Uh oh. Lelouch isn't going to like this. Euphemia, Lila, and Cornelia were one thing, but now Schneizel knows about me… I sure hope this doesn't come back to-"

"Suzaku!" Lila called out to her former Knight, "You… look so good in that uniform."

He bowed slightly, "Thank you, Princess."

"What about Rai? Isn't he just the cutest?" Nonette grabbed the silver-haired boy, and began stroking his hair, causing Euphemia to gasp in disbelief, "I mean, I just couldn't believe how well the cape looked on him."

"Wh-what is this feeling!?" the pink-haired Princess thought as her cheeks puffed out, and matched her hair, "Why does it feel so… wrong to see Rai being handled like that? It can't be because she's treating him like an object, right?" she shook her innocent little head, "Maybe it's just that Nonette rubs me the wrong way."

Cornelia witnessed the mini-argument her sister was having in her head, and sighed, "Every time Nonette appears, something always goes wrong."

"Wow. Isn't this just a splendid reunion?" Schneizel stated while clapping his hands, "Come. Let's all get to know each in the dining room. I'm sure there's much to discuss."


AN: I know the end to the train was abrupt and lazy, but after spending a straight week of thinking what to write next, I couldn't stay on it any longer.

I also just found out that when I copy-paste words into the document manager, it now removes the bolds and italic words, meaning I now have to go back into the previous chapter to fix that manually.

Also, also, Norland is low-key one of the funniest villains I've seen.