AN: I do not own Code Geass.

Samurai seven: It might be the former, but not for the reason you think.

Ghostly: You could. It might not be from me, but you could.

DarkDremora: I'm glad someone else pointed out Lelouch's Knightmare skills as being 'better than average', I mean, he was the only one in Shinjuku to actually block an attack from the Lancelot. Sure, he would've gotten folded in the end, but it's still impressive.

tl34lt12: Yeah, I've never really been a fan of harems, so that's probably what'll happen.

King daibo: Probably not what I'm going to do to Suzaku considering what I have planned for him.


Chapter 31: New Year's Day

December 31st. 6:00AM

Lelouch, Nunally, Kallen, and the rest of the student council patiently waited for their final transfer train which would take them straight to Kyoto. It would take about two hours, so if they wanted to have time to see the sights, they had to get up early in the morning. Of course, not everyone was happy with this arrangement.

"I'm so tired…" Rivalz complained while kicking his feet up on a vacant seat. "I'm going to sleep."

"Okay, then don't expect us to wake you up when the train comes," Milly answered cheerfully while taking care of some emails on her laptop.

"Oh come on! You text us at the last minute to meet up here, and now, you won't even let us get proper rest while we're waiting?"

Shirley yawned in agreement, "He's right, Madam President. Don't you think we could nap for a bit?"

"No way." the blonde was practically radiating with energy, "I told you guys to get some good night's sleep yesterday, because as the student council, we have big plans today."

"But… you didn't tell us those plans," Nina, who had black bags under her eyes, spoke up meekly.

"Well, I think today's going to be a great day." Nunally innocently chimed in, "Especially since we're going to have a full day of relaxation at a hot spring."

"That's right!" Milly gave the Princess a hug, "See? If you all just acted like Nuna, your energy levels would be up!"

"Speaking of which, why do you have so much energy?" Lelouch asked as Kallen looked for the train.

The President smiled confidently, "That's easy." she pulled out an energy drink from her suitcase, "Take one of these bad boys, and you'll be awake for eight hours straight." she announced while cracking open the can, taking a sip.

Rivalz peered into her bag and took out one of the cans, "Hey… this one's empty. Just how many of these have you had?"

"I dunno, like… seven…"

"Ah… but president, it says here that you shouldn't have more than two of these at a time…" Nina pointed out while reading the back of the can.

"Who cares? Nobody reads those things anyway." Milly tried to take another sip, but it was promptly taken away by Lelouch, "Hey! Give that back! It's mine!"

"Not until you learn to control yourself," he scolded while tossing the can into a nearby trash bin.

"Hey! I can control myself!"

"Then don't drink one of those for another hour."

Milly laughed in response, "Fine! That'll be easy-peasy!"

"The trains arriving." Kallen announced.

"Good." Lelouch responded before grabbing the blonde's suitcase, and taking out a dozen energy drink cans.

"Wh-what are you doing!?"

"Getting rid of the source." he grabbed all the cans, and tossed them into the bin next to him, "This shouldn't be a problem, right? After all, you won't be drinking them for the next hour."

Milly gulped and said, "O-of course. Who do you think I am?" she started scratching her arm.

The group boarded the train and took their seats in one of the middle cars, though, they weren't the only ones who were seeking a relaxing day at a hot spring. "I thought ASEEC wasn't supposed to take breaks?" Suzaku asked Lloyd as they boarded the same train, only in a different car.

"I did say that… didn't I?" the mad scientist, along with numerous other members of the ASEEC crew, took their seats on the train. "Though, in my personal opinion, it's always good to take breaks while you can, and with the Lancelot repairs nearly complete, I say we've earned it."

"Look at you, you're actually saying something sensible for once," Cecile added with a gentle smile, "And Suzaku, make sure you don't push yourself too hard today, after all, those injuries of yours haven't healed just yet."

"Yes, ma'am."

"It's almost like having a mother, isn't it, Suzaku?" Lloyd asked while an attendant walked past them.

"It's not called being a mother, I'm just caring for Suzaku like he's one of our own."

"I'm sure you are."

"Do you want to get hit again?" Cecile asked while menacingly rolling up a newspaper.

"N-no thank you…"


"Hurry up, C.C," Mario whispered as they boarded the car closer to the end of the train, "I don't know why Lelouch told us to bring you along, but clearly, he doesn't trust you at Ashford… alone."

The green-haired girl had her hair up in twin tails and was wearing Lelouch's red jacket, and gray trousers. "Sure, sure. Do you think I can order something?" she asked as they entered a food car.

"Get whatever you want, after all, Lelouch is the one paying," Maya added while holding onto a credit card.

They took a seat at a dining table, and a waiter soon came over and asked, "What would you like to order?"

Without looking at the menu, C.C said, "Pizza."

This made the waiter tilt their head slightly, "Oh… um… sure. What kind of Pizza would you like?"

"Pepperoni, mushroom, and cheese."

"Okay, it'll be right out in a second…"

"Do you like pizza?" Maya asked, as the waiter soon came back with three waters.

"Yes. It's one of the few foods which actually intrigue me." C.C casually responded as they entered a tunnel.

"Then… do you mind answering a few questions I have?" Mario inquired while taking a sip of his water.

"Only if they interest me."

"How demanding."

"That doesn't sound like a question."

The black-haired boy sighed, "Who are you?"

"I'm C.C."

"No, I mean more than that. Like, where did you come from, and what connections do you have with Lelouch?"

C.C looked at Mario, "Are those really the questions you should be asking? What if Lelouch doesn't appreciate your snooping?"

"Then I'll take whatever consequences come my way."

The pizza arrived, taking its place at the center of the table on a round metal platter, "If you need anything else, feel free to holler."

After the waiter left, their conversation continued, "Well… my relationship is very similar to yours. I have him working to do something for me, and vice versa. As for where I come from, I won't be answering that question."

"Fair enough." Mario leaned back in his seat.

"Wow, such a serious conversation. You know we came here to have fun, right?" Maya chimed in while taking a slice, "So, just enjoy the day, bro."

C.C took a bit out of her slice and smiled, "Oh, that's pretty good for train pizza."


Lelouch flipped the page of his book while Milly, who was sat in front of him, incessantly tapped her foot on the ground, "How long has it been?" she asked Kallen, who was seated to the right of the boy.

"Not even 10 minutes."

"You're kidding me!" the blonde nearly shouted.

"Shh, you'll wake Nunally," the Prince pointed at his little sister, who was fast asleep in the aisle across from them. It seems, despite how zealous she was earlier, the little Princess was just really tired in the end. Lelouch put his book down for a second, and gave the President a judgmental look, before returning to reading, "See? You do have a problem."

"Lulu, I think you're being kind of cruel to Milly," Shirley chimed in from the seat next to the blonde.

"Thank you, Shirley!"

"No. We shouldn't perpetuate her addiction. It has to be cut off now while it's not a big problem." Lelouch responded casually.

"But that's not fair!"

Rivalz snickered from across the aisle, "Looks like you've finally got a taste of your own medicine, huh, Prez?"

"Shut it!" that's when Milly suddenly got an idea, "I don't know why you're siding with Lelouch here, after all, he did ditch you on Christmas day, didn't he?" her foot tapping speed increased.

"Hey… that's right! You did do that!" the blue-haired boy pointed at his friend, "What's up with that?"

"Didn't I tell you before? Milly kidnapped me. So, I couldn't join you-"

"Those are just petty excuses!" the blonde interrupted, "If he was a true friend, he would've escaped those binds and met you anyway!"

"Don't give me that!" Lelouch responded while putting his book down, "I was trying my best to escape, but the rope was too tight!"

"Excuses!"

"Shut up!"

Rivalz wiped away a non-existent tear and said, "Well jeez Lelouch… if you didn't want to hang out, you could've just said so…"

"You can't be serious right now…"

Kallen sighed upon seeing the disagreement, and said, "I'm going to get a drink. Does anyone want anything?" as soon as Milly raised her hand, the Kozuki shot her down, "Not you."

"Whyyy!"

"Oh, do you mind if I go with you?" Shirley asked while getting up.

"Of course, I would enjoy the company!" with that, the two girl enthusiastically headed to the dining car.

"So…" Rivalz moved next to Lelouch, taking Kallen's vacant spot, "Let's continue talking about how you abandoned me on Christmas."

"We can't get to Kyoto fast enough," the Prince looked out the window as they passed a gorgeous snow-topped forest. He then turned to the other side, where an absolutely stunning view of the sea was present. "At least the sights are nice…"

"Hey! Are you even listening!?"


Suzaku's stomach growled, drawing Cecile's attention away from her laptop, "Are you hungry?"

"Oh… it's fine. We'll get to Kyoto pretty soon, so I'll eat something there." the boy responded while crossing his legs, hoping to somehow magically fend off his hunger.

He failed.

Once again, his stomach growled, making the rest of the ASEEC crew laugh, making him blush in embarrassment, "Hey man, if you're hungry, let's go grab a bite to eat in the dining car." one suggested.

"Hell yeah! I've never had train food before, I wonder what they have?" another member added.

Cecile reached for her wallet and pulled out a few bills, before passing them to Suzaku, "Here. Go get yourself something with them. It'll be a nice bonding experience."

Three ASEEC members got up and motioned for their latest member to join them, to which he soon followed. On their way to the dining car, they overheard numerous conversations, however, only one managed to catch Suzaku's attention. "Oh c'mon! You gave me these favor cards for a reason!" a girl complained, most likely arguing with her boyfriend.

"You're right, I did," but it was the boy's voice who caught Private Kururugi's attention, "but I'm not going to get you a drink, no matter what that card says."

"Lelouch?" he tried to turn around, but was promptly stopped by the ASEEC members.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"He must be socially awkward. How ironic, he can pilot a Knightmare into battle just fine, but when it comes to making friends, he freezes," a mechanic said while wrapping his arm around Suzaku, "C'mon man, we don't bite."

The group walked past the arguing 'couple', and made their way to the dining car, "Y'know, when I was your age, I used to be just as strong, but… as you can see, age got to me, so I can't really pilot Knightmare's anymore!" one of the old guys jested.

"No way man!" his compatriot held up the old man's hand, "You see? These are mechanic hands, we're meant to be doing grunt work while you're out breaking the shit we fix."

They took a seat at a table for four, "Oh, well… I'm very grateful for your help." Suzaku thanked the workers.

"Bah, don't mention it. You're not too bad yourself, y'know? I saw how you helped lift that Lancelot arm just as it was about to fall on Jack. That's some impressive shit, where'd you learn to do that?"

"It's nothing really… just a lot of training is all…"

"Not much!? Kid, you're too modest!" he then whistled for one of the waiters, who promptly joined them, "Could I get a plate of hash browns, egg, and sausage? Make 'em sunny-side up."

One of the younger guys ordered just a coffee, while another ordered the same as the old man, "What're you getting, Kururugi?"

"Um… I'm not that hungry…"

His stomach betrayed him, "Nonsense! Waiter, he'll be having double what I'm having."

"D-double!?" Suzaku stuttered.

"Yeah, you're a growing boy! And a growing boy needs his nutrients. Otherwise, how're you going to pilot the Lancelot effectively?"

The waiter took their order and walked away with a smile, before Suzaku asked, "S-should we really be talking about such a thing in public?"

"Yeah. It's not like anyone cares." the rest of the car was relatively quiet, with diners either peacefully enjoying a meal, or looking at the ocean with a cup of coffee. "Oh, and don't worry about paying, I got you."

"Th-that's very generous of you, but why?"

The old man leaned in and said, "This way… you can keep Cecile's money, and spend it on something you really want in Kyoto. I hear they got some sick stores around there that preserve the old Eleven culture."

Though, not all of them were enjoying the sites, as a certain group was keeping an eye on Suzaku, "What's he doing here?" Mario muttered as C.C took the last slice of their fourth pizza.

"I dunno, maybe vacation?" Maya suggested while covering C.C's head with a hat, "It looks like Lelouch jinxed it, though. He said if we came across Suzaku during the trip, we should keep Ms. C.C here out of site."

The green-haired girl's eyes wandered to Kallen and Shirley, who were getting soda and other small snacks at the drink bar, though, it was the red head, who gave occasional glances at the Japanese soldier. "What're you planning, Kallen?"

Once the two girls were done getting snacks, they began heading back, just at the same time as the waiter carrying the soldier's food walked past them. "And here you go. A healthy breakfast plate for you two," he placed the food in front of the mechanics, "And a double portion for you," he happily gave Suzaku his food, "And I'll be right out with your coffee in a few seconds."

The younger soldier waved the waiter off, saying, "It's fine, take your time."

"Thank you." the other three said.

Kallen and Maya made eye-contact as she walked past, sharing a brief friendly smile, before going about their day, "Do you know that girl?" Shirley asked as they walked past Suzaku's table.

"Oh yeah, she's from school."

"Really? I've never seen her before. Could you introduce us sometime?"

"Of course."

Suzaku's eyes kept track of the pair as the door to the next train car closed behind them, "Ho? Did you see something you like?" the old man teased.

"No. It's nothing like that!" Suzaku denied the assumptions, "It just… I feel like I've seen her somewhere before…"

"Ah, to be young again. I wish I could experience love at first sight in my younger days," the old man sighed while putting ketchup on his hash browns, "If you think she's cute, you should go talk to her."

"Like I said, it's nothing like that."

"Sure it is."

"Guys, stop." the younger man said, "I really don't want to be associated with the old men who ogle teenaged girls."

This made both of the old men choke on their food, "Wait, no! I swear it's not like that!" they pleaded, but it was too late, as everyone in the car was already giving them stares of disdain. "Aw, man… we can't get to Kyoto fast enough," the old men muttered while holding their heads in embarrassment.


"We're back," Shirley announced while taking her seat.

"Move." Kallen commanded Rivalz while picking him up by his collar, and throwing him back into his own seat, "Here you go." she handed Lelouch a bottle of green tea.

"Oh, thank you-"

The Prince was promptly interrupted by Milly, who shouted, "Lulu's a liar!" her hair was disheveled, and she was holding up a card which said 'one free drink'. "He said I could use this whenever on Christmas! Now, he's backing out because I'm asking for an energy drink!"

"I'll get you anything else other than that infernal energy drink. Besides, I thought you said you could go an hour without drinking one?"

She got on her knees in front of the boy, grabbing him by the collar, "Well, I lied! I need one, like right now!"

Lelouch put his hand on her head, pushing her away, "No. You need to go through a caffeine detox or something."

Milly slumped onto the Prince's shoulder, earning a glare from Kallen, "But then I'm going to crash! And you'll be charged with dragging my limp body to the hotel." she leaned into his ear and whispered, "And that's not something you want to do, right?"

"Get off me." he said while pushing her off, "I can feel you drooling already."

"You say that as if you don't like having a girl fawning over you~" Milly teased while glancing at Kallen, who wore an annoyed look.

Shirley didn't notice. "Still, Madam President, it's not nice to put such a burden on Lelouch, especially since you know how physically inept he is."

"Hey! I'm not that bad!"

"Hush Lelouch, this is girl talk." the red head commanded sternly. "Listen Milly, when you're on your crash, I'll be the one to carry you to the hotel, okay? Just sleep off the caffeine high you have right now."

"No way! I can't possibly sleep now," Milly replied, "I feel like I can keep going for another five hours! I'm practically bouncing off the walls here!"

Lelouch sighed, "Maybe they have sleep medication somewhere on the train?"

"That's a great idea!" the blonde grabbed the Prince by his arm, and pulled him out of his seat, "You and Rivalz should go and find some."

Rivalz and Lelouch looked at each before shrugging, walking toward the front of the train in search of sleeping medication.

"Now that we're alone." Milly leaned in, "Where do you think we should visit first once we reach Kyoto? I was thinking of going to a secret shrine, and make a few wishes."

"Oh! That sounds so cool. What do you think, Kallen?" the orange-haired girl asked.

"Well… we'd have to find one first…" the red head replied, "After all, weren't most shrines destroyed in the war?"

"Yep. But it just so happens that I know where one is, and it's a pretty big one."

"It's not so secret if that's the case…" Kallen watched as they passed Mount Fuji in the background.

"What're you going to be wishing for, Shirley?" the blonde asked while rubbing the girl's shoulders, "Let me guess… is it about Lulu?"

"N-no way! I was thinking of wishing for next year to be prosperous or something like that."

"Hm… how modest, unlike these!" Milly began groping Shirley's breast.

"S-stop that!" the girl responded as she tried fending off the pervert, "Kallen! Help me!"

The red head laughed before assisting her friend, prying the blonde's hands off within a few seconds, and pushing her back into the seat, "Let's tie her to the seat." Kallen suggested while the orange-haired girl took off her cardigan.

"No! You can't do this! I'm the president, show your senior some respect!" Milly pleaded as her 'subordinates', began tying her to the chair.


Rivalz and Lelouch entered the next car, where they were promptly stared at by nearly every single passenger, before they returned to their activities, "That was weird," the blue-haired boy muttered as they walked past the soldiers.

"Lloyd, did you take your medicine today?" an indigo-haired girl asked a scientist who was admiring the landscape.

"Yes, I have." Lloyd responded, "I'm just not tired yet."

"Really? I have a feeling you're lying to me."

"Well, I'm not."

Regardless, it wasn't any of the boys business, so they passed the two quickly, coming across a train attendant who gave them a big smile, "Can I help you boys?"

"Um yes… do you have any sleep medication? Our friend needs some as she's had one too many energy drinks." Lelouch explained.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but we don't carry such things with us." the attendant replied.

"Ah, that's too bad. Looks like we'll have to try somewhere else."

That's when the indigo-haired girl raised her hand, "Actually, I can help you with that."

"Cecile," Lloyd muttered, "I know I'm not really a professional when it comes to human interaction, but I think it's common knowledge that you don't just give medication to random kids on the street. Especially when not asked."

Cecile used her rolled up newspaper, and smacked the scientist's head, "I'm just trying to be nice."

This made the other passengers chuckle, "Haven't you ever heard of stranger danger, Ms. Croomy?" one asked.

"Shut it!" the woman commanded, making all the men shudder in fear, "Anyway." her tone turned sweat while talking to the boys, "From what I could gather, it sounds like your friend suffers from the same thing Lloyd does." this made the scientist sigh, "Would you like some of the medication I give him?"

Rivalz nudged Lelouch slightly and whispered, "Y'know… I don't know if we should trust her. She seems kind of… weird."

Cecile overheard his sentence and glared at the men, who frantically said, "We were just joking! Cecile's actually a very kind woman, almost like a mother to the rest of us!"

The indigo-haired woman seemed satisfied with this answer, and went back to normal, "Uh… I guess when you put it like that, we could use the help…" Lelouch felt awkward taking medicine from the woman, especially after seeing such an interaction, but he also felt like he wouldn't be allowed to leave unless he took the pills from her. So he caved.

Cecile reached into her bag and pulled out a name-brand medication, before giving them two blue pills, "These should do."

"Th-thank you," Rivalz replied while taking the medicine. "Let's hurry back."

Once the boys left, Lloyd let out a deep breath, "Great, now we look like a bunch of creeps."

"As if you care!" Cecile responded while hitting him on the head with a newspaper.


"Let me go!" Milly's voice rung out as Lelouch and Rivalz entered the car, "I've done nothing wrong! I'm innocent!"

Suzaku and his group also entered the car at the same time. However, due to him being at the back of the group, he wasn't able to see Lelouch, and vice versa.

As the two groups approached each other, they eventually reached the point where they had to pass each other, that's when Rivalz and Lelouch crowded the left side, while Suzaku and his group crowded the right. With a man separating them, Suzaku and Lelouch passed each other without realizing it, "I sure hope we get to Kyoto fast," Shirley said as Kallen tightened Milly's binds.

"What happened here?" the Prince asked as the blonde tried biting his girlfriend.

"She was groping Shirley, so I had to restrain her." Kallen replied while getting back in her seat.

"And if I had the chance to do it again, I would!"

"You really are just a perverted old man at heart, aren't you?" the slightly blushing, orange-haired girl muttered.

"Guilty as charged."

Lelouch sighed as Rivalz handed him the medication, "Here. Take this, you'll go to sleep real fast after this."

"Ooh, are you trying to drug me so that you can take advantage of my body?" Milly said suggestively, "How naughty~"

"Just take your medicine. Once you wake up, we'll probably already be in the hotel by the then."

The blonde moved her mouth away from the boy's hand as he tried feeding her the pills, "Wait! If I got to sleep now, I won't be able to go sightseeing in Kyoto!"

"Seems like a drawback from having too many energy drinks."

"Stop! Wait, please!" the President's eyes dilated, her lips turned glossy, and coupling that with her disheveled clothes and hair, it made her look submissive while asking, "You'll wake me up once we get to Kyoto, right?"

Lelouch's heart skipped a beat at the sight, making him blush slightly while saying, "Y-yeah, I will."

This didn't please Kallen. "Don't try seducing him!" she shouted while taking the pills, and shoving them down the blonde's throat.

After swallowing the pills, Milly was let go, and began coughing profusely, "Hey… you're so mean Kallen! I could've died there."

"I know what you were trying to do!"

The President pouted in response, "Just get me out of these binds, you brute."

"No. I'm leaving you like that until you apologize."

"What!? Even when it's time to get off!?"

"Yep."

"Ack- Lelouch! Help, please! Kallen's being too mean to me!"

The red head grabbed the Prince's chin, and forced him to look at her, "Lelouch, you better not help Milly, or else."

Lelouch nodded, "Sorry Madam President, but you're on your own."

"What!?" the blonde shouted, "I guess in the end, none of you were really my friends…" she said with fake tears.

"We're not falling for that." Kallen replied while taking out her phone.

Just like the boy who cried wolf, Milly whined in anguish while trying to break through her binds. Though, it was hopeless in the end, and she soon fell asleep.


After three hours. The train finally came to a stop at Kyoto Station, and that's when the ASEEC crew got off, eagerly looking around the settlement, "Ah! So this is Kyoto! Or at least… what's left of it." Lloyd announced

"I hear the six-houses of Kyoto have full jurisdiction over this city, so that's why there's still a lot of Eleven culture present." an ASEEC staff member muttered as they pointed at the many signs written in Japanese.

"Man, these guys don't have that bad of a deal, huh? I mean, I'm sure you enjoy being here, right Kururugi?" the old man asked.

"Oh, um… yeah, it's nice. Definitely more Eleven than anything." Suzaku replied as the group headed toward Mount Hiei.

"Why do you call everything Eleven? I feel like your people would like to be called Japanese or something like that."

A younger mechanic slapped the old man's arm, "Don't be rude."

"What do you mean? It's a genuine question. I just don't understand it, that's all."

"It's okay." Suzaku said reassuringly, "I've just gotten used to calling myself an Eleven, that's all."

"Is that really it?" Lloyd asked, "Or is it something else? Perhaps duty to your country? Or maybe you just never liked Japan in the first-"

Cecile promptly hit the mad scientist over the head with a newspaper, "That's enough out of you!" she shouted, "I think Suzaku can refer to himself however he likes. Who are we to judge otherwise?"

"Uh oh, it looks like you made mom mad, Lloyd."

Lloyd rubbed the back of his head, "Yes, I suppose so. Anyway, we better hurry up if we want to catch our train."

The rest of the team groaned, "Oh c'mon! Can't we just have a little fun? I don't think even half of us have been to Kyoto before, so can't we just see the sights?" a member pleaded

"Yeah! He's right!" another added.

The mad scientist sighed upon hearing their numerous protests, "Fine. You have two, no… three hours to play, then I want you at the subway station. Oh, and any amenities you wish to purchase must come out of your own wallets! I'm not giving any of you spending money."

"Yes sir!" the group responded before heading their separate ways.

"Man! Where should we go first?" the old man asked while pulling Suzaku along.

"Oh! I know, maybe we could look at one of those convenience stores!" a younger mechanic suggested.

"Dude, we have those in Tokyo…"

"Yeah, but they're different here!"

"How?"

"I don't know… they just are!"

The old man shook his head, "What do you say, Kururugi? I know Cecile's money's burning a hole in your pocket, so let's go somewhere you want to visit."
Suzaku smiled awkwardly, "Oh… there's no where I really want to go…"

"Nonsense! Every kid's got a place they want to visit! C'mon, do you like video games? Maybe clothing?" the group's eyes landed on a pawn shop, "Or maybe… do you wanna look at some old Japanese history?"

"Japanese?"

"Yeah. Look," the group led him into the shop, "This place is full of good 'ol Japanese memorabilia, maybe you can find something in here?"

Suzaku timidly began browsing around the small shop; it was incredibly cold, as it seemed like the owner couldn't afford a heater. For the most part, he only had small knickknacks in glass cases, with graded cards behind the counter. Though, one item did catch Kururugi's eyes, as he stepped forward, and asked, "Um… how much for that Okatana?" he saw a yellow price tag on it, but couldn't get a good look at the price itself.

The owner, an old Japanese man, shakily stood up, and picked it off the wall, "This?" he looked at the price tag, "$50."

"Why so cheap?" the old mechanic asked.

"This thing's been a pain in my ass for years. I think it might be bad luck." the owner set the Okatana on the table, "You see, ever since I got it, I hardly get customers nowadays. Been like this for years."

"Years?" Suzaku picked up the weapon, "This handle-"

"It's Britannian made. From what I heard, it used to be owned by an… Eleven general that fought in the second pacific war. The handle was blown off in battle, so when a Britannian officer collected it, he had the handle remade, since you can't exactly find someone who can make the blade anymore."

"Whoa. So this thing's got some history to it? Sick." the younger mechanic chimed in.

"I think I'll take it." Suzaku said as he felt the red handle.

"Are you sure? It might be bad luck?" the old mechanic warned.

"If it'll take the curse off this old man, then I'll gladly take the burden."

"Bah, your funeral kid." the owner replied while taking his money.


Lelouch could feel Milly's head dig into his neck as he carried her around Kyoto, her drool trailing down his shoulder, all the way to his chest, "Jeez, that medicine really worked, didn't it?" Shirley pointed out while pushing Nunally, who was still recovering from her nap, "We should really thank whoever gave it to us."

"Speak for yourself." Kallen muttered while pulling the blonde's head up, and wiping away her saliva, "Even after trying to wake her up, Milly didn't bat an eye. Whoever gave us that medicine needs to be investigated or something. Because it worked too well." once she let go of Milly's head, it instinctively went to Lelouch's neck, almost like she was teasing her.

"Even in your sleep, you still manage to annoy me." Lelouch felt a death glare from Kallen drill into the side of his head.

"Hey, didn't you guys say something about visiting a shrine?" Rivalz asked as they passed a relatively big one, "This one looks great."

"Yeah. It's pretty intact," the Prince added as they headed up the stairs, "Which is surprising, considering how Britannia destroyed most of the big one's."

"Really? I didn't know that."

Kallen passed a sigh which said, "Rebuilt July 2015."

"Oh, I guess that answers a few questions." the red head muttered.

"I hope that doesn't mean the sacredness has been destroyed." Shirley said while heading toward the offering box.

"Sacredness?"

"Yeah. Like, if man touches something too much, maybe the god's'll get mad, and leave the temple, taking away all their luck. Or worse…" she shuddered, "Give everyone who visits bad luck."

Everyone except Nina chuckled at the thought, "I don't think the gods are leaving just because we repair their shrines." Lelouch replied as he sat Milly on a bench.

"But it could still be a possibility!"

Kallen grabbed Shirley by the arm and pulled her toward the offering box, "Well, if it's true, then we've already got bad luck. We might as well beg for their forgiveness while we're here."

The read instructions that were clearly put up for Britannian tourists to follow, "So… we just clap our hands twice after putting money in the box? Then we pray?" of course, a lot of steps were missing in this case.

Milly, who was holding Lelouch's hand like a toddler, walked next to the girls, "I notice you guys didn't wake me up until we reached the shrine."

"Is this the one you wanted to visit?" Kallen asked.

"Nope. I had a different one in mind, but I don't think we'll have time to get there." she responded groggily, "Let's just get this over with." the blonde placed at bill into the box and clapped her hands.

Kallen, Shirley, Lelouch, Rivalz, and through some convincing, Nina mirrored her movements. Since she couldn't reach the box opening, the red head put in a bill for Nunally.

"Please, make this a Suzaku free day. I mean, what are the chances he's going to same onsen as us?" Kallen started her prayer, "Though, if you can't grant me that wish, at least let me spend some time alone with Lelouch. I really don't like how Milly's been acting around him."

Shirley tried to mirror her friend as much as possible since it looked like she knew what she was doing, but it was to no avail, "Please god, I know this might be cheating, considering it's divine intervention, but could you help me get with Lulu? With how Zero's activities are ramping up, I'm afraid he'll get dragged into it with those terrorist. At least if he's with me, I'll be able to keep him out of it." she opened one eye, and looked at Kallen, "And if you could, please help Kallen too. I think she and Lelouch are both in on those activities. That's the only reason I could possibly think of for why they're spending so much time together."

"Oh god! Please, help me get with the Prez! I know I've never spoken to you before, but please… this is something I really want!" Rivalz clasped his hands extra hard, "If you can do that, then I'll become a monk and spread your message to all the lands!"

The President in question, wasn't praying, instead, she had fallen fast asleep the second she closed her eyes. The only person to notice this was Nunally, who heard the difference in her breaths change. While giggling on the inside, the Princess prayed Milly would get a good rest.

Of course, the blonde wasn't the only one not praying, as Nina didn't feel safe standing in such a place. For her, it was teeming with Eleven's. Why she was afraid of them was a mystery, though, one could only assume she held a deep, traumatic experience with one as a kid, that was the only plausible explanation. But for the bespectacled girl, she would never tell a soul, as it wasn't a memory she would want to relive.

Once the group finished their prayer, Lelouch tried to walk away, but was stopped by his sister, who said, "Milly fell asleep."
This annoyed him.

"Milly, is that true?" he asked.

There was no answer.

"Looks like we got our confirmation." Shirley giggled.

Lelouch sighed while putting the blonde on his back, who immediately assumed her previous position, burying her head into his neck as he carried her away. This angered Kallen slightly, but she would get her revenge later.


4:00PM

"What took you so long?" Lelouch greeted the Disel twins and C.C as they entered the hotel, which was located near Mount Hiei.

"Hey, you weren't spending the day chasing this green-haired freak all around Kyoto!" Maya replied with hastened breaths, "Seriously, do you know how many pizza shops we had to try before finding her?"

"How many?"

"Not enough, because we found her on the sidewalk, enjoying the sights like some kind of cat!" Mario added as C.C simply smirked.

"It's not my fault you two couldn't keep up." the green-haired girl said with a smug smile.

Lelouch sighed, "Yeah, these are the people I mentioned earlier." he told the clerk, who responded with a smile. "Let's hurry inside, the other's have already gone into the hot spring."

"Have they?" Kallen interrupted the boy once he opened the sliding door. She was wearing a light blue robe, and had a perturbed look, "Good evening, C.C. Maya, and Mario."

"Kally!" Maya hugged the red head enthusiastically, "We can finally spend some time with each other!"

Kallen returned the hug and said, "Yeah. I told Shirley I would introduce you two, so that's something to look forward to."

"Your room is the one all the way at the end. Ours is the one next to it, so if you need anything, you know where you can go." Lelouch told the siblings as they walked away.

However, just as C.C was about to walk past, the red head stopped her, "The military's here too, so be careful who you talk to in the onsen."

"Don't worry, I can take care of myself, Kally~" the green-haired girl responded casually while heading inside.

Kallen ignored that comment and focused on Lelouch, "What's wrong-"

Before he could finish his sentence, she pulled him close to her, "I don't appreciate how you treated Milly today," she ran her fingers up his chest, "Allowing her to nuzzle into your neck." Kallen wrapped her arms around Lelouch and whispered into his ear, "Did you forget who your girlfriend is?"

The Prince shuddered slightly, "I'm sorry, but… someone had to carry her, and Rivalz-"

"That's not what I'm mad about." the red head interrupted him again, "What I'm mad about, is how you never tried to correct her. How you just let her drool all over you. And, how you just let her hold your hand out in public, that's what's got me annoyed."

"W-what're you going to do?"

Kallen smiled, "Nothing… for now. You see, I want to speak with you… alone, later."

"W-well, with how crowded the hotel is today, I doubt we'll get the chance."

"Then it seems I'll have to settle with Maya and Mario being my witness'." she pulled away, "For now. Enjoy your time in the onsen."


"It's about time you got here, Kallen!" Shirley said, as the red head entered the wash area, which was situated just before the open-air onsen.

"Sorry about that, I just had to tell Lelouch something." the red head responded while taking a seat next to her friend.

"Oh yeah? What's that about, huh?" Milly asked as she was washing Nunally's back, "Don't tell me you're trying to leave Shirley in the dust."

"What? But isn't brother-" before the Princess could finish her sentence, the blonde whispered into her ear, "Oh… I see… that's pretty cruel."

"Yeah, but it's their decision."

"What're you talking about?" the clueless Shirley asked.

"Nothing at all." the President said, "Anyway, let's talk about something else… perhaps a bit more… intriguing." she now wore a devious smile. Any sign of grogginess from her earlier nap was gone, replaced with her teasing personality, "Kallen, what're your three sizes? I'll need them when planning events in the future."

"As if I'd tell that to some perverted old man like you." the red head responded, immediately seeing through her question, "Besides, Nunally's here, so have some class."

"Aw, Nunally's okay with this kind of talk, isn't she?" Milly asked while playfully 'booping' the Princess' nose with foam, making her giggle, "Besides, what's the harm in talking about such things now? We're all girls here, after all."

"It's you who can't be trusted," Shirley responded, "After all, who knows what you'll do with that kind of information."

"Gah! You think so low of me!"

Nina dumped a bucket of water onto her head, washing away the soap, "Of course we do. You're just some pervert at the end of the day." they said while walking over to the hot spring, before settling into it. Milly placed Nunally next to her and Kallen.

"That's not a very nice thing to say," an indigo-haired woman joined in on their conversation, "Sorry about that, do you mind if I join in?" she slid over from her side of the water.

"Not at all, the more company, the merrier!" the blonde responded, "What's your name?"
"Cecile."

Once the rest of the girls introduced themselves to the woman, their conversation continued as normal, "Anyway, I was wondering where we were going to use those fireworks we got." Shirley pointed out, "They're not that big, so maybe we could use them outside."

"That's a great idea!" Milly replied, "We'll need a bucket of water to put the ash in, though."

"I think I can get you a bucket," Cecile added, "Our crew always shows up prepared."

"Really? You'd do that?"

"Of course. Though, I have to ask, how old are you?"

"I'm 17, though, everyone else is 16." the blonde explained.

"Oh, that's perfect. You see, I have this kid who travels with our group, and he doesn't have anyone his age to talk to, so I was wondering if you'd allow him to hang out with you."

"Oh? What's his name?" Shirley asked.

"It's Suzaku Kururugi."

"Great… I was hoping to avoid him today." Kallen secretly rolled her eyes at the mention of the boy, "Actually… Lelouch has probably already met Suzaku, after all, everyone's in the onsen today."

"Kururugi? Is he… an Eleven?" Nina timidly asked.

"Uh… yes. Is that a problem?"

"Not at all!" Milly answered.

Before their conversation, the voice of Maya cut-in from behind, "Kally!" she opened the door proudly, "We're here!" C.C followed close behind.

"Oh ho! It looks like new competition's arrived." the President said while ogling the two girls.

"Quit it with the perversion." Kallen ordered while playfully striking the blonde's head.

Once C.C and Maya cleaned themselves, they entered the onsen. "Hi, I'm Maya," the girl greeted Shirley, "Kallen's told me quite a bit about you, Shirley."

"Has she?" the orange-haired girl asked.

The two continued their conversation in the background, while Milly, Kallen, and C.C were busy talking privately, "And who are you?" the President asked while leering behind the newcomer.

"She's C.C," the red head explained in a low voice, "She's helping out with Lelouch and I in our… activities."

"Really?" Milly asked as Cecile joined Maya and Shirley's conversation. "Do you also go to Ashford? You look about our age."

"No. I just stay in Lelouch's room during the day." C.C responded casually.

"That's it!? You don't go outside?"

"No. Lelouch is too cruel, as he keeps me locked in there, saying it's too dangerous for me to go outside."

"Quit lying." Kallen said bluntly, "You're the one who barged into his room, and made yourself at home."

"Still… if someone sees you around Ashford, they'll be suspicious, after all, to them, you don't belong…" Milly put a hand on her chin, and thought, "Oh! I know! How about I enroll you in Ashford?"

Kallen's eyes widened with shock, as C.C casually responded, "I think that's a great idea."


Lelouch's expression was very similar to his girlfriend's, as he was now face-to-face with someone he least expected, "Lelouch? Is that you?"

Unlike the girls onsen, the boys onsen was packed with members of ASEEC, who were taking a relaxing day off, "Suzaku? It's great to see you!" the Prince feigned, "When I saw you on the news, I thought you were done for!"

"I know, it was pretty scary. Luckily, the judge dropped the case, otherwise, I might not be here with you right now." the Japanese boy responded as they sat in a relatively empty corner of the hot spring, alongside Mario, "I see you've made some new friends."

"It's nice to meet you, Kururugi." the black-haired boy shook his hand.

"Aren't you scared of me?"

"Why would I? It wasn't you who killed Prince Clovis, it was Zero after all." Mario casually responded.

"Right… Zero…" Suzaku shook his head, and asked, "Anyway, what're you doing here?"

"I'm currently celebrating the new year with my friends from the student council, what about you?" Lelouch responded.

"More or less the same. Though, I'm celebrating it with the rest of the engineering crew." they looked at the rest of the mechanics, who were enjoying the relaxing heat from the hot spring, "We usually work on Knightmare frames, but today, our boss wanted us to take the day off. Though, it turns out he actually doesn't like the heat, so he sat this one out."

"Really?" Lelouch and Mario made eye contact, before the former asked, "Hey, we're going to be shooting fireworks later, do you want to join us? Nunally'll be there."

"Nunally's here too? If so, I'd like to meet her again. It's been a while." Suzaku replied with a smile.

"Of course. I'm sure the other's would like to meet you too."

"Look at that!" the old mechanic from earlier chimed in, "You've already made some friends! Maybe that Katana's bringing you good luck instead!"

"Katana?" the Prince questioned.

"It's an Okatana. Something I bought earlier today, you don't have to worry about it."

"If you put it like that, then yeah, it's nothing special." a younger mechanic chimed in, "But apparently, the shop owner who had, said it brought him only misfortune. So he sold it to Suzaku for cheap."

"Misfortune? Why would you buy something with that kind of label?" Lelouch asked.

"Wow, you really have changed. I thought you didn't believe in such superstitions." Suzaku replied with a smile.

"I don't… but why take the chance, right?"

"I suppose…" the Honorary Britannian looked down, "But… I figured if I could take the burden away from that old man, then I would happily buy the blade."

"There he goes again with that savior complex," the old mechanic added, "I honestly am starting to get concerned. It's good to help people, but at times, you have to worry about yourself. Otherwise, you'll just be self-destructive, then you won't be able to help anyone."

"Maybe you're right…" Suzaku's face turned melancholic.

"Hey, don't worry about it." the Prince said, snapping his friend out of his thoughts, "Just think about how much fun it'll be firing those fireworks later."

"Fireworks? Ah, to be young again. You know, when I was your age-"

"Shut it, gramps!" a young mechanic shouted from the back.

"Hey! I'll have you know, back in my day, we used to celebrate New Year's by firing our rifles into the sky." everyone laughed at the ridiculousness, "It's true! Y'know, one time, my cousin accidentally shot himself in the foot because he's trying to figure out how to turn off the safety, so once I showed him the switch, he flipped it, and test fired the gun. Only, he didn't know he was aiming at his own foot!"

The story went on much to Lelouch and Mario's boredom, though, it seemed like Suzaku was enjoying it, "Suzaku, I'm glad you were able to find a group you could feel comfortable with, and it makes me even more happy that you found a profession that keeps you off the front-lines. At least this way, I won't have to worry about you getting caught in the cross-fire."


Once the Prince, Mario, and Suzaku entered the hallway, Kallen came out of nowhere, and grabbed her boyfriend by the hand, saying, "I need to borrow him real quick." she began dragging Lelouch toward the end of the hallway. Before she threw him into the room, she told the other two boys, "Everyone else is waiting for you outside."

With that, she and Lelouch entered the room alone. "So… what're you going to do?" the boy asked.

"Turn around." she ordered.

"What?"

"Turn around. I don't want you to look at me while I'm doing this!"

Quickly, Lelouch turned around, but upon doing so, he only felt more questions flood into his mind, "What're you going to do?"

"Don't worry about it." Kallen replied while pulling down his robe, exposing his shoulders.

"Is it going to hurt!?"

"Shut up." the red head ordered while grabbing his shoulders, "This is a punishment, so what if it hurts?"

"Whoa, why am I the only one getting punished!?"

"Because, I can't think of a punishment for her. Now shut up. I'll get her in the future."

Before Lelouch could respond, he felt a sharp pain envelope his left shoulder, "I-is she biting me!?"

Indeed, this was what the red head was doing. It was something that may have been irrational on her part, however, after losing him in the last timeline, she didn't want to let him go, especially when she has him like this. And while she knew Milly wasn't trying to steal him away, this was just so she could feel a sense of security. Of course, she also knew Lelouch wouldn't like this, but that was the point. With this, it would always be in the back of his mind that Kallen would mark him whenever he interacted with a girl similar to Milly. In short, it would deter him from taking such actions in the future.

Once Kallen was done, she pulled his robe back up, hiding the bite mark from the rest of the world, "What if someone see?" he asked frantically.

"Well… as long as you keep your robe on, nobodies gonna know." the red head replied while walking away, "And by the way, I think it looks good on you." she cheekily added before walking away.

Once she left, the Prince rubbed his head, "What the hell was that!? Is she crazy? I can't go out like this! But if I don't… then Nunally's going to worry. I'll talk with Kallen about this some other time, but right now, I've gotta go."

"You two should really get a room." C.C abruptly said while entering.

"Where were you?" Lelouch asked

"Trying to avoid your little friend. I don't know if you know this, but if he spots me, I'm basically finished." the green-haired girl laid down on a rolled out futon and said, "Now, get out, that bath's made me sleepy."

Despite her rudeness, the Prince knew she was right. So, he quickly left the room, making sure to close the door behind him.


"About time you two showed up," Milly greeted the couple as they joined the rest of the group.

Lelouch noticed Suzaku and Nunally were already having fun together, alongside Shirley and Rivalz. Then, there was Nina, who was playing with a sparkler alone. "It looks like they're getting along all right."

"Yeah. You should've seen Nunally's face when she touched Suzaku's hand. She must've really missed him."

The Prince nodded, "I remember back when we first came to Japan, Suzaku beat me up the first time we met. But it was at that same time when he found out Nunally was blind. It took a while, but we soon became best friends after a few bonding moments involving her." he smiled as his sister innocently waved around four sparklers, two in each hand, "She's really the main reason Suzaku and I are such good friends."

"So that's why you chose him…" Kallen listened intently to her boyfriend reminisce about his childhood with Suzaku, "Despite seemingly hating each other's guts for a good year, you two chose to work together because of Nunally… I wonder… if things came down to it, and you had to make a decision between me or him, who would you choose?"

"Kallen? Are you okay?" Lelouch asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." the red head responded, "I was just deep in thought."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Kallen shook her head, "No. It's okay." she walked over to the fireworks bucket, and pulled out two sparklers, "I just wanna have fun today."

Before the boy could reply, his sister shouted, "Look at me, Lelouch!" the Princess now held up six sparklers in total, "I'm like a star!"

Lelouch smiled warmly and gave a head pat to his sister, "Yes, yes you do."

Suzaku watched the interaction, and said, "You really haven't changed."

"Really? I think we have." the Prince lifted his sister off her wheelchair, "Look at how big she's grown!"

"Ah! Put me down!" the Princess playfully shouted, "Help Suzaku! Some ogre is kidnapping me!"

"What!? I'm not an ogre!"

The Japanese boy stood up and said in a brave voice, "Don't worry, Princess! Your loyal Knight is here to save you once more!"

"Really? We're playing this game again?" Lelouch asked while putting his sister back in her chair, "Fine, then bring it!"

With that, Suzaku charged into his friend's chest, slamming him to the ground, "Oh, that's gotta hurt," Rivalz announced as the two began wrestling on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

However, due to the difference in strength, the Japanese boy was eventually victorious, as he put the Prince into a pin, "That wasn't bad, certainly better than how you performed before." he said while getting up, "Don't tell me you're actually doing exercise now."

"Some teacher at schools got me running dozens of laps around the track nearly every day." Lelouch replied while panting, "Though, I don't think I'll ever be on your level, you freak."

"I'm not a freak, you're just below average."

"That's a lie, and you know it!"

The two boys laughed heartily as the others crowded around them, "Y'know, I was surprised when Nunally knew this guy, but after seeing that you know him too, I've gotta know: How do you know each other?" Rivalz asked

"He's just an old friend. We knew each other before the war, but once it began, we got separated," the Prince responded, "Suzaku's not a bad guy."

"I can tell." Shirley chimed in, "The way he treated Nuna, it was very similar to the way you treat her."

As the rest of the group began asking Suzaku questions, Kallen snuck up behind Lelouch and whispered, "Did you forget about me?"

This made him jump slightly, "Of course not. I could never forget you."

A warm feeling resonated in the red head's heart upon hearing those words, but she wouldn't let the teasing end just yet, "Really? Because from what I saw, the first chance you got, you chose to spend time with Suzaku instead of your girlfriend."

"That's not true. It's just… we can't show each other much affection in public."

"That's only because you don't want others finding out about us." the red head responded while poking his shoulder, specifically, the part with her mark present, "Why don't we just let the other's know? I'm sure we can trust the student council."

"I… it's just… hard for me to put my feelings out there…"

"I know it is," Kallen draped her arms around Lelouch's neck, "That's why I'm here. I'll be with you every step of the way, I promise."

For the Prince, he felt reassured with hearing such words. For the longest time, he kept his true feelings reserved, never letting anyone know what he was really thinking, not even his little sister. But now, he had Kallen, someone who knew almost everything about him, someone who wouldn't judge him harshly for his thoughts, someone who wouldn't be scared of his actions. With her, for the first time in a long time, he felt safe. He didn't want to lose this feeling, no… he didn't want to lose her. So, that's why, even if it makes him uncomfortable, he would try to do the same for her, "Alright… I swear, I'll tell them." he replied.

"Is that your New Year's resolution? Or a promise?"

"It can be both."

Kallen kissed his cheek before saying, "Then I'm counting on you."

She joined the main group as they were trying to put as many sparklers in Nunally's hand as possible, that way, she could shine as bright as possible, "How do I look?" she asked while waving around 12 sparklers, 6 in each hand.

"Like a lighthouse." the red head responded, "Lelouch, even though I know why you trust Suzaku so much, I still can't let him live. I know you might hate me if you ever find out… god I hope you never find out… but knowing what he's capable of, and how much of a pain he'll become down the line, I have to snip the bud early before it blossoms into a flower. However, for today, and today only, I'll let him live. But only because I want to see both you and Nunally continue to smile tonight."


AN: Resolutions'll be revealed later through one-off comments.

As for the Christmas one-shot, I'll work on it in the backgroud, and once it's ready, I'll post it.

I might come back in the future and add a bit more to the end conversations, but right now, I think this is what I've got.