AN: I do not own Code Geass

DarkDremora: I might actually have a few more things planned for NT Suzaku in the future.

Samurai Seven: I honestly don't think, in an infinite amount of possiblities (exagerated), that Lelouch can defeat Suzaku in Knightmare combat. That is my sincere opinon. At most, I'd say he'd be able to take an arm or something, anything else is just asking for too much.

Guest: So, I don't know if I said this before, but I'll say it again, I'm going off the wiki's timeline, because that's the only timeline that I've found that seems to be set in stone. On the Wiki, it says the events of R2 begin in May 2018. So, while not exactly a year, it's only three months away. Also, what backpedaling have I done regarding the time travel? The idea of time travel has been kept the same this whole time. Nothing has changed (at least not that I can think of). Lastly, an OT Suzaku after end of series wouldn't have a reason for killing Lelouch, as at that point, his conflict had been resolved. Maybe an OT Suzaku after Euphie's death, or before the events of R2 would want to kill Lelouch, but not end of series.

Guest(regarding Nemo): I probably won't be including Nemo, since Nunnally having that kind of ability would be overkill. Though, how would Nemo existing be a screw up on Kallen's part?

Chapter 50: The Next Stage

February 5th. Unspecified Black Knight Warehouse

Zero sat across from Rakshata inside the Black Knight van, looking over a clipboard that detailed a shipment that was to be loaded onto a large cargo plane. Its destination: the Kingdom of Zilkhstan. "Mind telling me why you're showing me this?" the masked man asked while placing the clipboard on the table.

"Well, as I was saying, my company supports numerous resistance groups all over the room, not just the ones in Japan. And, it just so happens that one of my biggest backers, the Kingdom of Zilkhstan, needs to have a special shipment delivered to one of their drop points." Rakshata explained while fiddling with her pipe, "Now, in case you didn't know, the Middle East is currently in a war with a large Britannian Army led solely by Cornelia Li Britannia. Due to this, most of our normal drop points have been compromised, thus I need someone to hand-deliver this special package to them."

"And that's where the Black Knight's come in?"

"Correct."

Lelouch sighed within his mask, "I didn't start this organization to become mailmen for your special projects. You know that, right?"

"Is that so? Then think of it like this: By helping with the delivery, you'll be able to come in contact with other nations that share your views with defeating Britannia. Of course, this would also turn the Black Knight's international. Showing that it's not just Japan you care about freeing."

"While it sounds like a good plan, that means I have to personally be present during the delivery for it to work."

"Correct once again."

"In that case, who'll lead the Black Knight's while I'm gone?" It was a rhetorical question. Lelouch already had the perfect person in mind to take his place temporarily.

"I'm sure you can figure it out. Though, who else are you going to send for this mission?" Rakshata asked, "After all, I need to outfit their frames with a special sand cloak."

Without hesitation, Zero answered, "I'll be taking Kallen, Maya, and Mario with me."

"Oh, now that you mention it. Could you tell those brats to stop using their Naginata's so recklessly? It's honestly starting to get annoying with how much I have to replace them." the Indian woman commented as Lelouch got up to leave.

"I'll be sure to tell them that. When are we scheduled to leave?"

"In two days. Make sure you've settled everything beforehand. I don't want to make last-minute changes, you hear?"

Zero ignored the woman's last comment, and headed across the warehouse floor. There, he saw Maya and Mario looking over their Sougetsu's added specs, courtesy of Rakshata. In the center stood the Guren , whose pilot was suspiciously missing. Or at least, that's what it looked like to everyone else. Only Lelouch was aware of her location. However, there was still one more Knightmare; it was still in production, but it was supposed to be Zero's personal frame that he would ride into battle. The Zero Kagero. The Kagero is outfitted with an advanced factsphere system that's designed specifically for a commander to take the field and lead from the frontline. However, thanks to Naoto's Sutherland, an additional sensor was added to detect any machine powered by Sakuradite. Of course, the man in question was looking at the majestic frame as it had two spotlights focused on it, "Damn… this thing's nice." Tamaki commented while approaching his 'best bud' from behind, "Hey, Zero! When am I going to get my own personal frame?"

"When you prove yourself to be a competent pilot!" Ohgi chimed in from across the warehouse, "Now, get over here and help me move these boxes!"

"Aw man…" as he was walking away, Tamaki pounded his chest while pointing at Zero, wordlessly saying, "I'm your man."

After that short interaction, Lelouch approached Naoto and said, "Hey. Can I speak with you in my office?"

The duo then headed upstairs, toward Zero's office, which had black-out curtains covering every window for maximum privacy. Upon entering, they were greeted by the sweaty sight of an injured Kallen doing one-handed push-ups, of which Lelouch asked in a stern voice, "What are you doing?"

The red head looked at the duo, before quickly running into bed like a kid caught staying up past their bedtime. Due to being in hiding, Lelouch was forced to install a bed in the corner of his office that naturally had black-out drapes, which could be pulled to cover the Prince as he slept without his Zero outfit on. "N-nothing…" the girl muttered while hiding under the covers.

"Kallen." Lelouch sat on the bed next to his girlfriend, "I know you want to get back into action, but you have to rest. Please." he gently caressed her forehead. It had been a little over a week since Suzaku's surprise attack, and the Prince had only just barely recovered mentally from it. While he was still searching for answers, his top priority was tending to Kallen, who, at the time, was at the brink of death.

"Like I said before, you don't have to worry about me." the red head cooed as she sunk into the mattress, "I should be more worried about you. After all, you just found out your best friend wants to kill you-"

"Ex-best friend." Lelouch corrected her coldly, "I can't… I won't accept his behavior, no matter his reasoning."

What bothered the Prince wasn't the fact that Suzaku tried to kill him. In fact, it was a strategy he silently approved of, as going straight after the king is a strategy that he implemented against Clovis, and attempted against Carine. No. What bothered him was how he went about it. He hurt Kallen bad. And while injury is to be expected, seeing his girlfriend be hurt by his 'best-friend' like that ignited some kind of deep hatred deep within him. Even thinking about it now… it made him-

"Shh. It's okay." Kallen said while putting her hand on Lelouch's fists, which he was unknowingly clenching, "You don't have to worry about that now. Let's just focus on other things."

Currently, the Prince had Sayoko guarding Nunnally just in case the unlikely event of Suzaku coming to Ashford with malicious intent planned for her happens. Though, considering how he approached trying to deal with Lelouch, he concluded that his ex-friend wouldn't do such a thing. Of course, he didn't have the maid do this without first hearing her out on why she has such… useful skills. Considering the craziness he experienced earlier that day, understanding that Sayoko was secretly a ninja tasked with guarding Nunnally and himself was surprisingly palpable. Though, that might've just been him trying to clear his mind quickly. Regardless, Lelouch gained a valuable asset that day, one that he would be sure to utilize in the future.

"Thank you, Kallen."

The red head smiled, and gently took off her boyfriend's mask. Allowing her to stare into his amethyst eyes, "You can always count on me. I hope you know that."

The two leaned in for a kiss, only to be interrupted by Naoto, who cleared his throat, "So… you wanted to talk to me about something, Lelouch?"

"Oh… right." Lelouch left his girlfriend's side, much to her dismay, and placed the Zero mask on the table, "I need you to take my spot as Zero for the time being. Don't worry, I'll have a separate suit made for you by tomorrow."

"Woah, slow down. What do you mean, 'take my spot as Zero'? Where are you going?"

"I'll be leaving for the Middle East in two days. We'll be delivering a special package to the Kingdom of Zilkhstan."

"Zilkhstan? I've never heard that name before."

"Neither have I. But apparently, Rakshata's got some kind of connection to them."

"Do you know what you'll be delivering?"

"Apparently, it's some kind of Knightmare frame that's supposed to be easy to mass-produce. Rakshata wants the Princess to take a look at it before handing over the blueprints."

Naoto took a seat on the Prince's couch and asked, "How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know."

"Oh c'mon. You have to have some kind of idea, right? The Middle East is currently in a dangerous state, with Cornelia turning it into Area 18, and most of them being savages with outdated tech, it's not exactly pleasant to be around."

"From the way you speak of it, it sounds like you've personally been there." Lelouch asked.

Of course, Naoto instantly understood the implications, "Listen, I'm not trying to be racist here. It's just a fact. I mean, don't you remember the time when the federation was trying to decide what kind of government should rule? They barely got out of that deal, only because they collectively annihilated one of the smaller nations at the will of the second largest, due to the agreement needing their approval the most."

While this opinion was primarily shared by the Britannian public, the Middle East federation was heavily looked down upon by Europia and the Chinese Federation, which is why those haven't made a move against Britannia since the attack. They didn't care. It was only Britannia who publicly expressed their disdain for the 'backwards' nation.

"Even still, they've got deep pockets, and as long as they're willing to pay, Raksahata will supply them with whatever technology they want." Kallen chimed in.

Lelouch put at hand on his chin, "Encountering Cornelia while meeting with Zilkhstan would be unwise, as we'd be heavily outnumbered. If thing's go according to plan, we'll be there for three days, max."

Naoto sighed, "As long as you don't go rushing toward Cornelia in a frenzy, I'll have faith that you'll be safe." he turned to his sister, "Especially with her around."

The red head playfully stuck her tongue out before retreating under the covers, creating a cute lump that made Lelouch chuckle. "Anyway, I'll need you to give me your measurements. That way, I can have the outfit tailored specifically for you."

Naoto stared at the boy for a few seconds, before saying, "Oh yeah, just let me conveniently pull those out of my- who the hell knows their measurements by heart!?"

The Prince sighed as he heard his girlfriend giggle at her brother's overreaction, "I suppose that was a stretch of me to ask. Very well, I'll bring you to the tailor, and we'll get it done there."

Suddenly, the door to the room opened, causing Lelouch to swiftly grab his mask, and cover his face, "What about me?" it was C.C, and she wore an Ashford Academy uniform with her hair dyed black.

"Why the hell are you here?" Lelouch asked as the immortal closed the door behind her, tossing a school bag onto his bed, taking Kallen by surprise with the weight, "And in that outfit? Are you insane?"

"Oh please. No one cares about me around here." she locked eyes with the Prince, "Except you." Kallen popped her angry head out of the covers and gave the challenger a death glare. Making her back away temporarily, "Anyway. I was listening to your conversation, and noticed a lack of me in your plan. So, I just want to ask what I'll be doing?"

"Nothing. Suzaku doesn't know about your presence in Ashford, so I want you to stay there for the time being."

"Rejected." C.C responded while taking a seat on the bed, "That boy's been coming around the clubhouse to have tea with your sister way too often. It's obvious that he's waiting for your return."

Of course, his presence creates complications for C.C, as, if she gets spotted by him, he'll begin bombarding her with questions. Or worse, turn her over to the military. Neither option was pleasant, so she told Milly she'd join Lelouch and Kallen on their vacation, much to the blonde's teasing pleasure.

"He has?" Lelouch clenched his fist, "I can only imagine what he's telling Nunnally about me. I hope she doesn't believe any of it."

"So we're going to Zilhkstan?" upon seeing Zero clench his fist, the witch changed the subject, "I want in."

"No way. I need you to stay here and help Naoto."

"Are you saying he's an incapable leader?"

"That's not what I'm saying at all. Naoto's more than capable of leading the Black Knight's. That's been proven with how he was able to lead his resistance group in the past." Lelouch complimented the Japanese man, making him scratch his head in embarrassment, "No. The reason I want you here is that everyone knows you're someone I trust, especially after the stunt we pulled with meeting Taizo. By having you stay here, you'll be able to-"

Before he could finish his sentence, C.C playfully threw a pillow at his head, "Lelouch, I just want to point out that you'll be putting your precious girlfriend, who just survived a vicious attack from Suzaku, into another operation with little rest. With me there, I'll be able to support her in a Knightmare."

While it may've been under the guise of teasing, C.C truly did care for the red head. She knew from the last timeline how hard Kallen would push herself if it was for Zero, or rather, Lelouch. While it might've been a blessing in most instances, there were times when she needed to slow down. This was one of them.

"I'm fine. Really." Kallen sat up, showing off her bandaged shoulder, "As long as I'm in a Knightmare, these injuries shouldn't affect me too much."

"No. C.C's right." Lelouch surprisingly said, "We'll take her on this mission, and she'll pilot the Knightmare we're supposed to be delivering."

The red head didn't protest, as she knew that the witch's presence would be useful, even if she would serve as a teasing annoyance most of the time. Though, when it came down to business, C.C was someone who hardly messed around. "Alright. If you say so."

The immortal put on a smug smile, "Well, I'm glad we could get that out of the way." she then motioned toward the door, "I'm going to check on Maya and Mario."

"Not dressed like that, you're not." Lelouch reprimanded, "Go put on your Black Knight uniform."

"But that's so uncomfortable." C.C complained, "Kally, can I borrow some of your clothes?" she pointed at the newly implemented drawer, which currently only had one Zero outfit, a single pair of casual clothes for Lelouch, and multiple outfits for Kallen, of which she brought from home.

"If I say no, will you still take them?"

"Of course not. After all, I respect your privacy."

The red head narrowed her eyes. She couldn't tell if C.C was joking or not. Regardless, she responded, "Fine. You can wear some of my clothes."

"Thanks, Kally." the green-haired girl said graciously while digging through the drawer.

"Stop using my nickname, please."

"Why? I think it's cute." the witch turned to Lelouch, "Don't you agree?"

The Prince waved her off, "Whatever. Come on, Naoto. Let's hurry to the tailor."

Suzaku clenched his teeth as the weights on his back commanded him to fall to the ground. Despite this, he persevered through the pain, and eventually completed his final hundredth push-up with three 50-pound weights on his back. "Hey, Suzaku, don't you think you should rest now?" Rai asked his mentor while wiping the sweat off his brow, "I mean, you've been at this for almost three hours now."

"No. I need to get stronger." the Knight replied while walking toward the closest treadmill. Images of his fight with Kallen flashed in his mind while he started his run, "This body is weak. I'm a whole year behind on my training, but at the same time, I can use this opportunity to rebuild, and get even stronger." he started off with a light jog, before hitting a full-sprint, "Last time, I did take my training seriously, but only because I thought it was a necessity as a soldier. Now, with this added motivation… I should-" His phone suddenly rang, causing him to stop his run, "Oh. I lost track of time." he muttered, "It's time for tea with Nunnally."

"You've been doing that a lot recently. Is she… someone special to you?" Rai asked innocently.

Memories of the previous timeline flashed through Suzaku's mind, before he said, "Yeah, she's special. And not just to me."

"Well, I hope you get to rest for the remainder of today."

The Knight stopped at the door of the gym, before briefly saying, "Thanks."

"I'm so glad we're spending more time together, Suzaku." Nunnally said happily as her guest took a sip of tea.

"Well, Lelouch did say he wants me to keep you company while he's away on his trip." Suzaku explained while Sayoko kept an eye on him from the kitchen.

"Honestly, he should've told me he was going on a trip with Kallen. Sure, I know they're dating, but it's only been two months." the innocent Princess expressed her disappointment, "Though, the most unbelievable thing about this, is that he told Milly about his trip before me. I mean, she's the gossip queen! How could he trust her like that?"

Suzaku listened to the little girl ramble on with a gentle smile, "Nunnally, I'll make sure nothing happens to you in this timeline. That's my promise to you."

Suddenly, the blonde girl with red eyes known as Alice, walked in holding a brown paper bag, "Nunnally, I've brought the scones." her eyes then met Suzaku's, "Oh. Hello again."

That's when the Princess giggled, "You know, it's funny how Lelouch hasn't even met Alice, and yet you've already had tea with her a few times."

"Once again, thank you for protecting Nunnally from those bullies." the Knight thanked the girl, "I just know if Lelouch found out you did such a thing, he'd be grateful."

"It's nothing, really." Alice took a seat at the dinner table, "I just can't stand bullies. Especially when they pick on the vulnerable for no good reason."

"I couldn't agree more."

Suzaku calmly watched as Alice took the scones out and placed them on a plate at the center of the table, "By the way, how did you get to know Lelouch?"

"Well, it's as I said before, we're childhood friends."

"Really? How does a nobody like Lelouch become friends with the son of the former Prime Minister of Japan?" the blonde asked, "It's not like you took public school, after all, I'm pretty sure all royalty gets their own private tutors to teach them."

"What are you trying to insinuate?" Suzaku asked with hostile eyes.

"Nothing at all." Alice instantly backed away upon hearing his response, "I just wanted to point such things out."

No. Alice was showing Suzaku how much she really knew about them. But how? Wait… does she even know Lelouch and Nunnally are Britannian royalty? If so, why hasn't she exposed them yet? It can't be because of this false friendship, can it?

Suzaku shook away those questions, realizing they weren't important now. After all, if she was choosing to defend Nunnally for whatever reason, that was fine by him, as it meant they had a common goal. However, if it turns out she doesn't know, then it doesn't really matter. So long as she doesn't get in his way, or bring harm to Nunnally, her presence won't hinder, nor aid the Knight's future plans.

"Hey, did you hear about the valentine's festival Milly's planning?" Nunnally asked with a wide smile as her hand reached for the scones, "I wonder what kind of event she'll have planned for my brother when he gets back."

"Speaking of which…" Suzaku pulled out his phone, "Would you mind calling me when he returns? I never got the chance to speak with him about the… thing from before."

"Sure. Just give Sayoko your phone number, and she'll take care of it."

Suzaku's eyes narrowed at the ninja maid, as she returned his glare with full spite. "Good job, Suzaku. Kallen was right when she said things would be harder if I failed to kill Lelouch." the Knight chastised himself.

ASEEC Warehouse

"Again?" Euphemia asked Rai as he told her about his mentor leaving for tea, "Is he avoiding me or something?"

"Not at all, Princess." the boy responded frantically as the ASEEC members chuckled at the interaction, "It's just… the woman he's been seeing is someone special to him."

"W-woman!?" the pink-haired Princess exclaimed, "He never told me he was spoken for!"

"I-is that a problem?"

Euphemia shook her head in response, "Not at all. Well… I mean, it kind of makes the question I want to ask complicated. Do you know where they usually hang out?"

"Um… I believe they have tea at Ashford Academy."

"That school again? I thought he only went there to confront that lead who…" she gasped, "No way! It can't be!"

"C-can't be what?" Rai asked while taking a step back.

"Do you think… he's conducting his own investigation of Ashford?" Euphemia grabbed Rai by the hand, "We have to help him!"

"Ah- I don't know about that. I genuinely think he's just there to have tea with someone."

"Every day? Oh come on, you can't seriously believe that." the pink-haired Princess retorted, "Well, let's just check to make sure. You lead the way." She then began pushing the boy out of the warehouse, ushering him toward Ashford, saying, "You're the only one who has any clue where they hang out."

Regardless, they made their way to Ashford.

Random Alleyway in the Tokyo Settlement

"The outfit should be ready by tomorrow." Lelouch said while handing Naoto a ticket, "Make sure you show them this, that way, the Geass command will come into play, allowing you to pick it up without issue."

The resistance leader grabbed the ticket earnestly, "Thanks. By the way, I want to ask; Why are you going to the Middle East?"

"I already told you-"

"The real reason." Naoto cut Lelouch off. "I remember a week ago when you practically dragged my sister into the warehouse, muttering about how Suzaku tried to kill you. For the first time in a while, you looked truly terrified."

"And what? Were you not angered by your sister's state?" the Prince asked, trying to change the subject.

"Of course I was. Or rather, I still am. However, I can't shake your face that day. The genuine fear, anger, and confusion that was in your eyes. It was like nothing I've ever seen before." Although, the Kozuki wasn't letting him get away that easily, "That's why… I want to know if you're running."

Lelouch clenched his fist. Confirming the resistance leader's suspicions, "I'm not running. I just need time to think, that's all." Of course, he wouldn't admit to it.

Naoto sighed. He realized that he wasn't the right person to be trying to get through to the Prince. Not right now, at least. Though, that wouldn't stop him from trying, "Listen man, I know you're going through some hard times, but if you need someone to talk to, I'm here."

Lelouch sighed once again, "I'm just… just so confused. Firstly, with how Suzaku knows I'm Zero. Someone from our inner circle must have leaked information, but that doesn't make sense, as everyone who knows my identity is someone I know personally. They'd gain nothing from providing Suzaku with such information. Then there's him attacking Kallen. From how she described it, he just attacked her out of nowhere, saying she was in his way."

Naoto put a hand on his chin, "Well… I don't think someone from our inner circle leaked information. After all, I met up with him before the attack, and he didn't even recognize me."

"Really? How odd…"

"Odd indeed." The two stood in silence for a bit, contemplating what to do next, "So… are you running away?"

Lelouch sighed with frustration, "You're really not letting that go, huh?" Naoto shook his head with an amused smile, "Fine. I'm not running away. I just need to resolve myself if I want to kill Suzaku. Don't get me wrong, he hurt Kallen, and that's something I can't forgive. Even still… he's-"

"A friend." Naoto finished the boy's sentence, "Even though he did a horrible thing, it's hard to just drop him like that, right? It's okay to feel that way. I'd actually be worried if you could drop someone so easily."

Lelouch looked down with a smile, "Thanks, Naoto. Hopefully, once I face Cornelia, I'll gain the courage to face Suzaku."

"That's good to- wait!" the resistance leader shook his head, "Did you just say Cornelia!? I thought you weren't going there to fight her!"

"No. I said it'd be unwise considering that we'd be outnumbered. However, it wouldn't be impossible."

"Lelouch. I'm not going to just allow you to send my sister to fight against Cornelia's army. That's practically a suicide mission!"

"Relax. I'm not going to face off against her directly. After all, there'll be plenty of chances with the Middle East constantly battling against Britannia on those deserts, we'll surely encounter Cornelia once if we're looking for her."

Naoto clenched his fist in frustration, "Just don't go out looking for trouble on purpose. Can you promise me that?"

Lelouch nodded, "Don't worry, I'll only face off against Cornelia if she corners me. Otherwise, I'll try to avoid her as much as possible."

"I hope so."

Rai and Euphemia tiptoed around the Ashford Academy campus carefully, making sure they weren't spotted by the students. Sure, it was the weekend, but there was still the faint chance of them being present. "Seriously, why's this school's security so lax?" the Princess asked while comically poking her head out from behind a tree, just barely above Rai's, as he scanned the area.

They looked both ways, before skedaddling behind a building, "Um… I'm pretty sure that's the place." the silver-haired boy pointed at the Ashford Clubhouse.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because Cecile had me tail Suzaku after he left for tea a few days ago. So, I followed him all the way up until this point, where he found me hiding behind a bush, and reprimanded me for stalking him."

Euphemia giggled at the thought, "Well, at least we know Suzaku cares." The two headed toward the front door, before Rai knocked on it without a second thought, "What are you doing!?" she chastised him, "Are you trying to get us caught?"

Rai froze as the Princess began shaking him by the shoulder, "Uh… I thought you wanted to speak with Suzaku about something."

"Well… yeah, but I can't face him now!" she began fidgeting with her fingers, "I mean… what if we walk in on him during an embarrassing moment with that woman?"

Suddenly, the door opened abruptly, revealing an unamused Japanese maid, "Can I help you?" she asked rhetorically. She was already aware of why they were here. Not only that, but Sayoko also knew who Euphemia was.

"Oh… I was just looking for Suzaku Kururugi." the pink-haired Princess began, "I was told he came here for tea with a… special someone."

Sayoko sighed, "Come on in. He's in the kitchen." she stepped out of the way, allowing for her new guests to walk in, "If I deny them entry, they're just going to spy on Nunnally through one of the windows. So there's no point in holding off their reunion any longer. Forgive, Lelouch."

Euphemia and Rai carefully popped their heads into the kitchen as Sayoko watched in the background, "No way… is that… Nunnally?" the Princess whispered as her 'dead' sister cheerfully took a bite of a scone. However, she got a few crumbs on her face, so Alice came in with a napkin, and wiped them away.

"How do you know her name?" Rai asked in a similar tone.

"What? You know Nunnally?"

"No. But Suzaku did mention her name…"

The trio's conversation suddenly went silent, causing Euphemia to see what happened, only to have both Alice and Suzaku staring into her eyes, "Uh… um… hi." she said awkwardly while entering the room, "I just… wanted to see where you went to have tea… Suzaku."

"You shouldn't've come here." the Knight muttered.

"Why's that?" the pink-haired Princess asked with a disappointed look.

Of course, there weren't any current repercussions for her actions. Suzaku's just thinking about the future, and this early meeting might affect it. "Is that you? Euphie?" Nunnally asked while turning to face the source of the voice.

"Ah… so it really is you, Nunnally." she responded before turning to Suzaku, "Why didn't you tell me about her before?"

"Because-"

"Wait!" Nunnally shouted, "Before we continue, Alice, I hope that this information you're about to learn… doesn't affect our friendship."

The blonde already knew what the Princess was talking about. Regardless, she responded, "Don't worry, I'm sure it won't be anything too bad."

Suzaku hesitated at first, but knew if he didn't tell her, then Nunnally would instead, "Lelouch and Nunnally are in hiding."

After explaining everything to Euphemia, she and Rai joined them at the table for tea, "I see… I had no idea Lelouch suspected someone in the royal family assassinated Marianne. That's so sad…" that's when an image of the malicious Carine popped into her head, "Maybe it's… no. I have no proof of that being the case."

"You'll keep our identity a secret, right?" Nunnally asked.

"Of course. There's no way I'll let anything happen to you. Not so long as I have the power to stop it. By the way, where's Lelouch?"

"He's on vacation with his girlfriend."

"What!? Really? Lelouch's got a girlfriend!?"

"I couldn't believe it either." Suzaku chimed in, playing the innocent act, "I always thought that guy was unresponsive when it came to love."

Rai calmly stirred his tea, while Alice slowly disengaged from the conversation. However, she would soon be brought back in when the pink-haired Princess asked, "How're you taking this? Alice?"

The blonde shrugged, "I mean… it doesn't really make a difference. Not to me at least."

"Really?" Nunnally mumbled with tears beginning to form, "Do you really mean that?"

"Of course. I didn't fend off those bullies just so I could become one of them after finding out something vulnerable about you."

"So you won't tell anyone else, right?" the Knight asked with a stern look.

"Yeah. I won't." Alice responded with a hint of hostility. She still didn't fully trust the Knight, especially with how his tone changed once he was around Nunnally. It was… suspicious to say the least.

"And Rai? You won't either, right?" Euphemia asked the silver-haired boy.

"Uh… yeah. Don't worry about me. As long as Suzaku wants me to, I'll keep this secret to my grave."

"We'll see about that." the Knight thought as Nunnally began fawning over her new friends.

"By the way, what's Lelouch's girlfriend like?" Euphemia asked.

"Oh. She's…"

"Stupid, headstrong, and reckless." C.C said as she filled out a crossword, "Hey. Oddly enough, these words describe the old you-"

Kallen slammed a pillow into the immortal's face, before retreating under the bedsheets, "Can you stop that?"

"You're right. That was a bit mean of me." the girl responded with a chuckle, "Though, let's talk seriously now." The red head popped her head out of the covers and faced the green-haired girl, who sat on the couch, "What do you think about going to the Middle East?"

"I… I don't know. At first, I was scared, since I've never really been there before. Especially with Cornelia being present, there's no plausible way we can enter a large confrontation with her and exit unscathed. Now that fear's mostly subsided. Though, I'm still worried about Cornelia."

C.C smiled, "Don't worry. I'll be there to assist if we ever get in a pinch."

Kallen let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you. It's good to know that I won't be alone in this."

"Oh? What about Maya and Mario? They'll be escorting Zero too."

"Well… they've still got plenty of room to grow. Right now, they're exceptional pilots, but they don't know me like you do."

"And don't you forget it." the witch chuckled while looking at her crossword again, "Hmm… what's a six-letter word for going out?"

"Seriously? You don't know?"

"I was never good at brain-teasers. After all, they're quite boorish."

Kallen turned over in the covers, before attempting to go back to sleep. Of course, she didn't drift off without one last comment, "It's exodus."

AN: There will most likely only be two chapter's this week, as I'll be extremely busy with work.

Naoto's hate for Suzaku is present, but it's just not being shown in full force right now. Also, the 'Zero Squad' going to the Middle East is mainly because Rakshata said she had some kind of connection to Zilhkstan in the past, so I thought it'd be obvious that she sold them Knightmare schematics. Of course, this little exodus will serve more than just an introduction to Shalio and Shamna, as it'll have some (maybe) major impacts regarding the story.