AN: This took way too long to write. Hopefully the next few chapters won't be similar.

DarkDremora: Honestly, Clara's not close with any of the Irregulars, so I can't see any teasing from them happening, unless they spend time some time together.

Samurai Seven: Pretty sure V.V hasn't found out about Suzaku's 'betrayal' yet. And the story (seems) to be in slow progression right now, but that could change if I get some motivation.

Ryuto: I haven't had plans to show moments from the Original Timeline, but that could change in the future. Though, I'm not able to promise anything.

Chapter 122: Commodities

Vermilion Forbidden City. October 4th. 9:00AM

"Woah! Look at the size of that thing!" Dalque – wearing a floral shirt and shorts – shouted as her eyes landed upon a massive cruise ship anchored in the harbor. In the background, the group led by Lelouch and Cornelia slowly caught up to the eager girl, "C'mon, guys! You've gotta see this!"

Sancia – whose outfit was similar – quickly tossed out her hand, calling to her sister, "Wait, Dalque, you still need your…" though, the dark-skinned girl quickly sped off before she could finish her sentence, leaving their commander exasperated, "Ticket…"

"We'll go find her." Lucretia told the Prince, who simply nodded, clearly not wanting to deal with the headache.

Meanwhile, Cornelia – who wore a purple t-shirt, alongside blue jeans and an oversized sunhat – let out a sigh, "Do you have the tickets?"

"Yes." her brother replied, wearing a black shirt and jeans, similar to his sister, just without the sunhat.

"Geass sure comes in handy, doesn't it?" she mumbled while taking the tickets, still fearful of her brother's power.

"I suppose." he said simply, continuing to stare at the cruise ship, "You have my phone number, correct? So when you need to-"

"Call. I got it." Cornelia interrupted him, before asking, "Why are you still so cold?"

"I…" the boy fell silently, trying to find the right words to describe his feelings.

However, the Princess had a sneaking suspicion to what was troubling him, "You were going to kill me, weren't you?"

It took a moment, but the Prince finally nodding, confirming her theory, "For a long time… I hated you for failing to protect my mother. Failing to protect Nunnally. Actually… maybe it wasn't as strong as hate… but it was definitely a feeling of resentment. And I thought that would hold true when it came time to face you again. Yet now… I'm letting you walk free, even getting a ship to send you to Japan."

"Well… I'm glad you are, brother." Cornelia responded, turning to face him fully, "If Castor and Pollux had their way, I'm sure I'd have been killed in a heartbeat."

"Speaking of which… what did you know of those two?"

The Princess took a moment, tossing the question through her mind numerous times while trying to recover long-since buried memories, "Well… I don't know much, but I do recall a vague time where someone was exiled for going on a bloody rampage – one of our siblings specifically."

"What else is new?" the Prince jest as Sancia tackled Dalque.

"Joke all you like, Lelouch, but this case was especially strange. For starters, this sibling was Castor – as you know, twin brother to Pollux. However, Pollux succumbed to an illness shortly after birth."

"Obviously, that's not true." Lelouch protested, "You met Pollux face-to-face, and so did I. Furthermore, there's no way he could be an imposter – I verified the body myself. Including Castor's – as mangled as it was."

"Regardless, Pollux had been pronounced dead-at-birth, but the problem's didn't stop there. You see, years later Castor began raving to his maids about all the fun he was having with his brother, showing art they created using crayons and such." Cornelia explained while watching the Irregulars in the background, "Nobody thought anything of it, considering how many siblings we have, so they assumed he was referring to one of them. It wasn't until he brought home a signed work with the name 'Pollux' poorly scribbled on in the top corner."

"And that wasn't somebody he was supposed to know existed, correct?" the Prince added, trying to piece the story together in his head.

"Exactly. So how did he know the name? They asked him about the sibling, where they were subsequently led outside, where he would try showing them." she then faced her brother fully, "Obviously, they didn't find anyone."

"Creepy."

"This went on for two more months until the massacre occurred. In that time, the maids – and his mother – tried convincing him that Pollux wasn't a real person, and not his brother. That would later end in their deaths, and Castor's exile, as he wished to harm the Emperor as well, under the guise of his 'brother's wish'."

"And I'm related to them? Ugh." Lelouch shook his head, "Did you attend his exile?"

"No, but Schneizel did. He's the one who told me about what happened in the first place."

"Then that leaves only one question: what really happened that day?"

"The only ones who could've possibly known are dead."

"And V.V."

The Princess scoffed at the mention of that name, learning of the true identity of that man earlier in the morning, "Ah yes, our phantom Uncle. The cause of all this sorrow. I still can't believe how well his existence was hidden from us."

"Agreed." Lelouch added, refocusing his gaze on Cornelia, "It's a bit concerning, isn't it? That we could get attacked by siblings we don't even know exist, I mean."

"You'll be fine, especially if you keep the company you have now."

"Oh? I thought you hated anyone not Britannian?"

"That's not true. Not anymore at least." the Princess looked towards the town, where she spotted Kallen, Naoto, C.C, and Jeremiah, patiently waiting for their leader's return. "I do wonder… had they not been around… how different would our meeting go?"

"I'd rather not ponder the possibility. It'd be a waste of time." Lelouch answered. Though, that's when he was pulled into an unexpected embrace by his sister, causing him to gasp in shock, "Wh-what are you doing?" he sputtered as she rested his head on her chest.

"I'm just giving you a hug." Cornelia said without hesitation, "You used to love these. Especially when you were tired from being chased by both Euphie and Nunnally." she then began caressing his hair, "Then you'd fall asleep as I gently played with your hair-"

Suddenly, the Prince tried slapping her hand away, his face blushing profusely, "Th-that was a long time ago. I'm not a kid anymore."

"Awe. I know." the Princess' hand quickly returned to her brother's head, resuming the petting motion, "But you'll always be my little brother, even if you hate me."

Lelouch hesitantly snaked his arms around the woman's torso; embarrassed yet still embracing his sister, where he carefully rested his head on her bosom, "This is stupid…"

"If you didn't like it, you'd have pulled away." Cornelia whispered, before proceeding to her true objective, "Lelouch… I know you've already made up your mind, but Nunnally and Euphie misses you a lot. So, even though I know it's fruitless to ask; will you come back?"

"I've pushed too far to give up now, sister." Lelouch answered softly, feeling her hold loosen slightly, "I won't return until I've completed my objective."

"Very well. I didn't expect to change your mind anyway." the siblings slowly parted, with the Older one messing up her brother's hair for the last time. "Until we meet again. And thank Kallen for me."

"Don't worry, I will, so long as you tell Euphie I said hi."

Cornelia nodded in agreement, before walking after the Irregulars, tickets in-hand. Though, unbeknownst to her, one girl stayed behind, unintentionally listening in on their conversation, trying to seek an answer for herself, "Um… Lelouch." Alice called the boy from behind, wearing a tank top with shorts and a backpack over her shoulder, "Can I ask you something?"

"You're still here." the boy faced her, his eyes scanning to determine her purpose. Though, nothing he or Cornelia were discussing was exactly confidential, so he wiped away those concerns for a brief moment, "What is it?"

"Wh-why did you reveal your identity to me?" she asked nervously, fearing the possible repercussions, "It's just… you didn't have to, considering the circumstances and all…"

"Well, I didn't have to explain why I wanted you to protect Nunnally by revealing my identity, did I? You could say it was out of convenience more than anything."

"Convenience?" Alice looked down, taking the information and running it through her mind, "I understand. Thank you for explaining."

"Is that all you wanted? Or was there something else?"

"No… I don't have any other questions at the moment."

"In that case… you understand that you can't tell Nunnally we met, correct?" the Prince asked while turning around, avoiding eye contact with the girl.

"Naturally…" the blonde responded, still teeming with questions internally, but refrained from speaking freely, as she was worried how the boy would react. To her – who had been punished in the Geass Order for less – the possibilities of Lelouch suddenly turning on her were too great to risk. So she'd save those for later, planning to spend valuable time with Nunnally, hopefully forgetting about the questions all-together. Though, even she knew that wasn't possible.

"Your 'sisters' are waiting." Lelouch reminded her, "Good luck living in Japan."

However, just as she was about to respond, a loud shout from Dalque cut into their conversation, "Alice! Hurry up! The boats gonna leave soon!"

"Ah, alright!" the blonde gave the boy a brief nod, before running after her group, standing next to Lucretia in line.

That's when Cornelia turned to give them a few rules, "Listen up, while we're on the cruise, I want all of you to behave, understand? Don't go poking your nose where it doesn't belong."

"Understood." the responsible Sancia answered on behalf of her sisters, secretly signalling them to form a single-file line behind the Princess, trying to reinforce her statement with action.

Instead, the Witch found the line slightly frightening, noticing how silent they became, especially Dalque, each strictly looking ahead without deviation. "Uh… you don't have to be so uptight. Just do what I say, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am." the girls said in unison, earning another sigh from the Princess.

Kallen approached her boyfriend from behind as the cruise set sail, waving goodbye to his half-sister one last time. "How are you feeling?" the red head asked, wrapping her arms around his chest in the process.

"Relieved… I guess." the Prince whispered while holding her hands, "Never thought I'd be letting her go like this…" then, he turned around, facing her fully, "Thank you, Kallen. This wouldn't have been possible without you."

"Lelouch… you don't have to thank me." she responded, "We're supposed to be there for each other, so it was the least I could do."

"Don't be so modest." he said while playfully flicking her forehead, "Most people would've jumped at the opportunity to kill Cornelia – Britannia's most fearsome Princess. For you to protect her so adamantly – convincing me to spare her – is… extraordinary to say the least."

Kallen puffs out her chest pridefully, a feeling of warmth spreading throughout her body with each compliment, leading her to grow enough confidence to say, "Well… if you're so thankful… I guess there's something you could do to repay me."

Intrigued, the Prince smirked, leaning in to touch her nose with his, "And what's that?"

"A massage." she smirked.

"Oh? Is that it?"

That reaction caused the red head to pout, clearly dissatisfied by his tone, "What do you mean 'is that it'? Is giving me a massage boring now?"

"Th-that's not what I was saying." he responded with a nervous chuckle, trying to recover, "It's just… it's not what I expected."

"Oh? And what were you expecting, hm?"

Upon witnessing a teasing grin grow on his girlfriend's face, Lelouch decided it was time to change the subject, "W-well, before I give you a massage, I have to deal with Wizard first."

Kallen's eyes narrowed, instantly figuring out what he was trying to do, but played along anyway, since she knew how important the subject of 'Wizard' was, "What about Oigaros Zevon? Any thoughts on his whereabouts?"

"If you're suggesting Wizard to be our man, I've already taken that into account. That being said, I can't definitively say they're the same person, especially considering that – according to Oz – Wizard is a legitimate member of Peace Mark." the Prince explained, continuing to hold her close, "He matches the description and all."

"Do you think Oigaros could've joined Peace Mark? He is a part of Pluton after all, and they're supposed to be a secret organization. It wouldn't be too far-fetched to say some Pluton Agents infiltrated Peace mark."

"Of course, that's always a possibility. Though, he'd have to be pretty committed to the role to gain the reputation Wizard has. After all, Wizard has been funding Peace Mark for years. If Oigaros' true objective was just to infiltrate and destroy the organization from within, why wait so long? It just doesn't make sense."

"That's a good point… but we should keep our mind open to the possibility."

"That's exactly what I'm doing, Kallen."

The red head nodded, knowing her boyfriend had everything under control, "And just so you know, the massage won't be like the last ones."

"This again?" Lelouch rolled his eyes, "Don't worry, you'll get your massage in due time, I promise."

Ikaruga. Mess Hall.

Orpheus tapped the table repeatedly, making sure to keep a stern eye on the masked man before him – sitting upright, as if trying to take up as little space as possible out of respect. Though, internally, he watched the boy's unreadable expression, which stayed the same for the past hour, "You know there's nothing to fear, correct?" Wizard tried starting a conversation, hoping to get a reaction, "After all, you've already been in contact with Miss X, haven't you?"

Orpheus didn't answer. He just continued to – unknowingly – stare blankly at his uncle, until he was approached by Luciano in the distance, "Who the fucks this freak?" the Vampire rudely asked, freely taking a seat and spreading his legs apart, taking up more space than needed.

"I believe we've already met, Luciano Bradley." Oigaros responded, only for the former Knight to give him a disgusted look.

"I've never seen you in my life." Bradley answered blankly, feeling a ball of frustration growing in the back of his head. Having his memory of the Geass Order unknowingly wiped by Lelouch.

"Right… perhaps I have you mistaken for someone else." Wizard played along, chalking it up to Zero's Geass, "So, is there something you need?"

"Not from you." the Vampire turned to Orpheus, "Hey, have you seen Naoto? I tried asking Tamaki, but the punk was no help."

"Mhm…" Orpheus nodded, refusing to comment, as he had witnessed plenty of Luciano's antics by now. Perhaps 'antics' isn't the correct word… they more align with 'problems' or 'trouble making'.

"If you're referring to Naoto Kozuki, he was heading to the Knightmare bay, last I checked." Wizard answered the man's questions, trying to be helpful, but only earning a scowl in response.

"Thanks." slowly, the Vampire got up, shooting Orpheus a glance, "Have fun with your 'date'." he snickered while strutting away.

Once the troublesome Britannian left the cafeteria, Oigaros looked at his Nephew and asked, "Is he always like that?"

Surprisingly, the Mercenary answered, "Usually."

Seeing that he caught a line, the Pluton Leader pressed for more, "Would you mind telling me why he comes to you, of all people?"

"Probably because I'm Britannian, that's all."

"Do you believe he sees you as a friend of some kind?"

"I hope not. I don't need that kind of trouble." Orpheus answered, noticing Zi Dien watching the interaction from across the room.

"Say, what's it like here with the Black Knights? Do you enjoy your time? Or would you rather be somewhere else?"

Perhaps Oigaros said too much, because that question made Oz's eyes narrow with suspicion, "My enjoyment is irrelevant. I'm just doing as I'm told."

"Is that so?" Wizard sighed, knowing not to push his luck, "When do you think Zero will be back?"

"Do you have someplace to be?"

"Actually, yes. I'm supposed to be meeting with a very important contractor in Korea. Obviously, I can't reveal the details."

"Obviously." Orpheus mumbled while glancing at the door, finally spying a familiar red head enter, absent of the masked man's usual presence.

"Wizard." Kallen approached the two, "Zero wants to speak with you. Follow me."

The Zevons got up simultaneously, with Oigaros being the first to trail behind the red head – his nephew keeping behind as a precaution, in case he tried anything. As they strutted through the hallway – which was bustling with light traffic – they passed Jeremiah, who was being 'interrogated' by Rakshata, "What do you mean, 'you were attacked'? I doubt a basic militia would be able to pierce through the Siegfried's armor like that."

"As I've told you before, Ms. Chawla: we were ambushed, where I was forced to get between the Kagero and a bullet aimed for its cockpit." Jeremiah calmly explained, "If I hadn't stepped in, then Zero would've been injured, or worse, dead."

"Oh? And how do you explain Luciano's Gekka?"

"Sheer recklessness on his part, I'm afraid."

Realizing she wasn't getting anywhere, the Woman scoffed while twirling her pipe, "Whatever. You'll have to join me in assessing the damages."

"Of course." Jeremiah agreed, knowing he was the only one capable of activating the Knight Giga Fortress.

Kallen led her group passed the duo, maintaining a firm gaze forward as they encroached on the second Knightmare Bay – the door soon opening as two Black Knights entered, before quickly making way for the red head by stepping to the side. "Clearly there's some kind of respect for her beyond just being a great pilot." Oigaros observed, taking careful note of everyone's role on their way to Zero.

"A little to the left!" Maya's voice ordered her brother, who pushed a heavy workbench into place. Though, with an unsatisfied look, the girl rubbed her face before saying, "Actually… move it back to the right."

Mario did as told, listening to his sister's faint coughs in the process, "Is this good?"

"Um… how about you move it back to the left?" she repeated, letting out another set of coughs that caused her brother's eyes to narrow.

"I told you to stay inside, Maya. It's obvious that you're sick."

"I'm fine." she argued with a sniffle, "Just… move it to the left already!"

The boy gave her a glare of disapproval, "No way. You go back inside, and rest. Once I'm done with our Sougetsu's, then I'll make you some soup."

"No!" Maya blurted, before quickly covering her mouth.

"No?"

"I mean… you don't have to do that… we can work on the Sougetsus together." she quickly recovered, trying to mask her true denial.

Mario rolled his eyes, before turning his sister around, and giving her a gentle shove, "I'm not stupid, Maya. I can handle these types of things, alone. So, go get some rest."

The girl wanted to protest, but as soon as she turned around to do so, she lost the will and stormed off, a pout ever present on her face.

"Zero." Kallen called to her boyfriend as he and Naoto were conversing privately, "I've brought him."

"Thank you, Kallen." the masked man turned to face the towering figure known as Wizard, "Forgive me for making you wait, but I had some important matters to attend to. Now, what is it you wanted to discuss?"

Oigaros continued to search for any sight of Cornelia, not seeing her ever since the Geass Order, and worrying for her safety – feeling responsible considering it was he and Suzaku who got her into this mess. Unfortunately, he was quickly led from the sector by Clara and Orpheus before he could get a thorough check, so all he could do was make assumptions, and they were looking grim.

"You see, I'm aware that you've come in contact with General Smilas of Europia, correct?" he asked, hiding his intent behind a stern voice.

"Is there something you wish to tell us about him?" Lelouch asked, instantly trying to get to the meat of the conversation quickly.

"Your instincts are correct, Zero." Wizard patted his chest twice, "I don't have the photos with me right now, but you'll find that Europia is no better than Britannia in their treatment of Numbers."

"Elaborate." Naoto stepped in, clearly intrigued by this revelation, "Because if I remember correctly, millions of Japanese citizens fled to Europia and the Chinese Federation searching for safety from Britannia. So, why would Europia turn against them?"

"The answer is much simpler than you think, Mr. Kozuki." Oigaros gestured with his hands, outstretching them slightly, "To Smilas, the Japanese are losers seeking refuge in his land. Thus, he's not responsible for their wellbeing. Even giving them a ghetto to stay in is sufficient benevolence in his eyes. And the rest of his citizens silently agree."

"So that's why it's been so difficult with him." Zero put a hand on the chin of his mask, "Damn, I wasn't aware of the intricacies of Europian politics. Still, not everyone holds the same opinion, right?"

"What about Euro Britannia?" Naoto asked, "Why does he have such a vendetta against them?"

"I assume you mean outside of being a part of Britannia, correct? Well, the countries that make up Euro Britannia used to be part of Europia. Upon witnessing how effortlessly Japan was conquered, they seceded, creating their own nation that swore fealty to the Holy Empire." Oigaros explained, "Smilas sees them as traitors, and wishes to absorb the lost nations back into Europia."

"If that's the case… then it sounds like long-term diplomacy won't be possible with him." Lelouch concluded, realizing that Smilas had too much in common with the enemy he 'supposedly' despised. "There's no way we'll be able to enact that plan as long as he's around."

"Seriously? You think he'll be that much political trouble?" Naoto raised an eyebrow, "Perhaps it'd be better if you met face-to-face."

"Naoto, he's refused potential meetings in the past. There's something off about Smilas, and I don't like it." the Prince responded, "Of course, I'll give him a chance, but it's beyond apparent that'll be a waste of time."

Suddenly, Kallen let out a few coughs, which gained her boyfriend and brother's attention. Though, she waved them off while rubbing her sniffling nose, "I'm fine. Continue."

Zero nodded, before telling Naoto, "Tell the bridge to prepare for departure. We'll be leaving for Europia once the Knightmare's arrive."

"In that case, I must beg my leave." Wizard tried excusing himself, "I've got some very important business to attend. But, I wish you luck on your endeavors, Zero."

"Goodbye, Wizard." Lelouch responded, while heading inside – Kallen following close behind.

Oigaros quickly made his way to the Agravain, which he entered and instantly checked its systems upon starting up. "Doesn't look like they've messed with it. But that doesn't mean anything. I'll have to check for a tracker later."

"Kallen, how are you feeling?" Lelouch asked as they entered his office, noticing the slight change in her voice – like she was sick.

"I'm fine." she assured, rubbing her nose in the process. Though, her eyes instantly locked onto a new set of shoes that were lazily tossed onto the floor, giving her an opportunity to change the subject, "Someone's here."

The Prince glanced at the shoes, instantly figuring out that they belonged to the troublesome half of the Disel siblings, "Maya! Where are you?" he called while taking off his mask.

Slowly, the girl's head poked out of his bedroom, cheeks slightly red from embarrassment, "H-hey… I didn't expect you two to be back so… soon."

"What are you doing here?"

With a thick blanket covering her body, Maya took a seat on the couch, coughing several times, "I… I'm hiding from Mario."

"Why?" Kallen sat across from her as Lelouch went into the bathroom, where he was preparing her bath.

"Because he thinks I'm sick."

"Are you?"

The black-haired girl crossed her arms in frustration, "That's not the point, Kally." she puffed her cheek out in a cute pout, wrapping the blanket tighter around her body, "I shouldn't be babied just because I'm sick, you know? Ugh, Brothers are the worst."

"It can't be that bad!" Lelouch called from the bathroom.

"Oh yeah? Well, that's not even the worst of it!" Maya furled her brow in frustration, "Whenever I'm sick, Mario forces me to eat this disgusting soup, saying I can't have anything else cause my stomach might reject it!" she turned to the red head looking for pity, "It's like eating cough medicine!"

"I didn't know Mario was terrible at cooking."

"He's not… at least normally he's not. But ever since he caught onto Clarice's recipe, he's been trying to replicate it every time I'm sick. Which was heavenly, might I add."

"Well, we've got things to do, so you can't stay here." the Prince reentered the living room, and pointed to the door.

"No!" the girl pleaded while grabbing onto his leg like a child, "Please! You can't just abandon me like this! What happened to the Black Knights defending the weak!?"

"As if you're weak." Lelouch argued while hobbling toward the door, clearly fed up with Maya's antics.

"Wait! Please! You and Kally won't even know I'm here! I swear!" she tried striking a deal at the last moment, "I'll hang out in the upper level, out of sight out of mind!"

Finally, the red head let out a sigh and chose to intervene, "Lelouch, why don't we let her stay?"

"Kally!" Maya gazed upon her savior with hopeful eyes.

"What? Why?" the ever logical Prince asked.

"Think about it, Maya's not the type to cause trouble on her own, so if she's just up there by the books, I doubt there'll be any problems."

"Yeah! You two can suck each other's faces all you want, and I won't interrupt!"

"Maya, that doesn't help your case."

"O-oh sorry…" the girl turned to the Prince, watching as he tossed the thought around in his head, so she decided to try one last time to sway him, "Please, Lelouch! We're practically brother and sister!"

"Didn't you just say Brothers are the worst?" the boy raised an eyebrow, causing her to gasp in shock.

"Eek! I mean… cousins! Yeah, we were always more like cousins!" she then turned doe-eyed, looking as innocent as possible.

Lelouch let out a sigh, feeling Maya's grip growing tighter and tighter around his leg, "Fine. You can stay-"

"Yay! Thank you!" the girl prematurely shouted while getting to her feet.

However, the Prince still had more to say, "Until your brother comes looking for you."

"Oh come on!"

"As a brother myself, what right do I have to stop him from taking care of you?"

"B-but-"

"No buts. That's my condition, understand?" Lelouch firmly put his foot down, which caused Maya to turn to her savior. "Don't even think about it, Kallen. I think it's nice enough to let her stay."

The red head shrugged in response, "Sorry Maya, this is the best I can do."

The black-haired girl let out a frustrated sigh, before heading to the nearby ladder, "Okay… I guess this is better than the alternative." while heading to her perch, she grabbed a pillow and blanket, leaving the couple alone.

"You're too nice." Lelouch told his girlfriend while heading to the bathroom.

"What do you mean 'too nice'?" the Kallen questioned, following him inside, and closed the door behind them, "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Not at all. In fact, it's endearing at times, but others…" the Prince used his thumb to point at the general direction of Maya.

"You could've said no, you know?" the red head pointed out, stripping herself bare in front of the tub – which was built into the wall. At the same time, Lelouch opened a cabinet, where he would begin changing into a shirt and shorts as she careful settled into the warm, bubbly water.

"Of course I could've said no, but I have a feeling it won't be long until Mario knocks on my door looking for her." the Prince explained, hanging up his Zero outfit and moving to sit at the edge of the tub, "Let me wash your hair."

"Mhm. Thank you." Kallen mumbled, fully settling into relaxation as her boyfriend began applying shampoo to his hands, before beginning to massage her crimson red hair. After mere moments, a smile subconsciously made its way onto her face, which prompted her to ask, "Are you sure you don't want to join me?"

"Don't worry, I'm quite alright." Lelouch answered, "Because, I'll probably fall asleep shortly after we get out."

The red head nodded to his answer, then smirked teasingly, "Or are you still scared of taking a bath with me?"

"Oh, hush." the Prince rolled his eyes, shaking her head playfully in the process. That's when he got an idea, "Alright, it's time to wash off the shampoo." he then plunged her head into the water, before quickly pulling her back up.

Kallen gasped for air while shaking the water out of her hair, "Lelouch!" she shouted, her fiery gaze turning on him, "You're gonna pay for that!" she proclaimed while grabbing his shirt, pulling him into the tub alongside her.

Lelouch tried his best to prevent this from happening, but her strength was far too great, causing him to be easily overpowered, and quickly drenched in soapy water, sticking the white shirt tightly against his body. Luckily, due to the abnormal depth of their tub, he avoided hitting the bottom. Soon, he resurfaced, inhaling an ample amount of air as the red head sat on his lap, trapping him there, "That was uncalled-for." he mumbled, feeling her arms wrap around him.

"It's what you get, meanie." she stuck her tongue out playfully

Lelouch's face flushed pink as her body rubbed against his, causing him to grip the side of the tub tightly while trying to get out. However, she quickly slapped his hands, halting any hope of escape once again, "Kallen." he looked into her eyes, "I can't stay in here clothed."

"Then take them off."

"Wh-what!?"

The red head let out a light giggle, slapping her boyfriend's chest repeatedly, "Oh come on, Lelouch. When's the last time we bathed together?" she poked his cheek while keeping an arm around his neck, "Please? You're already here anyway, so you might as well."

The Prince let out a sigh, before saying, "Fine. But turn around."

Kallen raised an eyebrow, followed shortly by a smirk, "'Why? I've seen you like this before.'" her words, echoing the Prince's from before.

"Funny call-back, now turn around." he quickly dismissed her teasing by spinning her by the shoulders.

Ikaruga Knightmare Bay 2.

"Hey, bitch." Luciano rudely called Naoto, hands in his pockets, coupled with a confident stride. The ruckus caused the personnel to glance at the Britannian instinctively, eager to witness what was about to go down, "So this was where you were hiding, huh?"

"Here to cause trouble, Luciano?" the Kozuki answered without facing him, instead opting to cross a few items off his list first.

"You know why I'm here, Eleven." suddenly, the Vampire drew a dagger, lunging for his opponent's neck, only for his attack to be diverted with a swift strike of a clipboard.

"I said we'd fight in Knightmare's." Naoto answered before driving a heavy kick into Bradley's chest, causing him to gasp in pain.

"Oh please…" Luciano wiped his mouth while skidding to a halt, "I wouldn't have attacked you if I knew you'd fall easily." he cracked his neck, making sure to plant his dagger into the floor with a metallic thud first, "You don't know how long I've been waiting for this, Eleven."

"Save the talk for later, scumbag." the Kozuki passed his clipboard to Tamaki, who quickly ran to his side, "Make sure this stays intact. I'd hate to rewrite everything."

"Don't worry, the head custodian will keep this safe." the man reassured his friend, "Just make sure you kick that guy's ass. For our sake."

"Was planning to regardless. He's really getting on my nerves." Naoto seethed, motioning to a set of Gekka's in the process, "Those will have to do for now."

"Fine by me. I'd kick your ass in a Glasgow if I had the chance." Luciano answered while snatching the activation key from the table in front of the frames, "This'll just make everything easier."

"We'll fight below. No weapons." the Kozuki set the rules, ignoring his opponent's taunts, "And don't damage the ship."

Bradley quickly sent his Gekka off the side of the Ikaruga, landing with a thud along the cave floor – crowded with hundreds of massive stalagmites that provided protection from intruders. Soon, Naoto joined him as a crowd watched from above, including Mario and Rolo.

Without warning, the Vampire charged in, landing a cheap shot across Naoto's head, sending him stumbling back. Despite this, the Japanese man instantly recovered, using the momentum from the attack to launch his own, landing a direct hit on Bradley's chest. The Britannian slid back, feeling the vibration course through his body, "Good." he hissed with a smile, "You're serious about this."

Naoto ignored his opponent's words, instead lowering himself into a judo stance as Luciano took an unorthodox one. Predictably, the Vampire jumped the gun, striking first with a leaping kick, which was instantly grabbed; even so, he had already foreseen this outcome, and firmly planted a hand on the ground, which he used as support to lift the Kozuki upward, where he would land a follow-up kick.

Luckily, Naoto blocked the attack at the last moment, recovering with a flip. Though, when he tried to face Bradley, the Vampire broke off a stalagmite with a punch, before hurling it at him, forcing the Kozuki to shatter it into a dozen shards with a strike of his own. However, as soon as he did, Luciano crashed through the dust, soaring his fist straight into his opponent's face.

"Hey! He cheated!" Tamaki shouted from above as Naoto recovered, "Damn that Luciano, we said no weapons!"

"Relax, Tamaki." Tohdoh suddenly called, with Nagisa at his side, taking everyone by surprise, "Naoto can handle this. I know he can."

"You're here to watch the fight?" Mario asked.

"Actually, I forgot that this was supposed to happen. No, I'm here to speak with Naoto, but it's clear he's a bit occupied."

Meanwhile, Naoto and Luciano used their shoulders to crash into each other, coming to a dead-stop. The Kozuki was the first to make a move after; using his forearm to force his opponent's chest to face him, allowing for a devastating punch that earned a massive reel in return. Bradley clenched his teeth in pain as he felt he shock travel through his body, nearly rupturing an eardrum in the process from the echo. Even so, this only made him smile with glee, carefully studying Naoto's moves in the process, "I love watching you struggle!" he taunted while dropping to the ground, where he would unleash a sudden high-kick that managed to send the Kozuki flying backwards.

That was until he caught onto a large rock, using it to support his recovery straight into a block to stop an incoming fist, that – once stopped – he converted in a crushing reversal that sent Luciano over his shoulder, and into the ground. However, instead of taking the hit outright, the Vampire used the momentum to slide between Naoto's legs, dragging his arm in the same motion, turning the flip on the Japanese man. "Damn it. There's no rhythm to his fighting style at all!" he reasoned while recovering, hearing Bradley's maniacal laughs in the background, "The only explanation I can come up with… is that he's more of a brawler than anything else. Taking everything he's learned throughout the years, and mashing it together."

A style he was all too familiar with, because Naoto was the exact same way before undertaking Tohdoh's training.

That's when Luciano lifted his leg to deliver an axe-kick to the recovering Kozuki, forcing a block with both arms. With a smile, the Vampire quickly drove his other knee into his opponent's face, before committing a backflip by boosting off their shoulder, sending the Gekka tumbling further away. "Looks like someone's gonna have to lick my shoe later." the Britannian taunted as he lost sight of his opponent in a dust cloud, "Come out and take your punishment like an Eleven always should."

However, once the dust settled, the Kozuki was nowhere to be seen, causing Luciano to panic slightly, glancing in every direction for his opponent, only spying dozens of rocks, obscuring his vision, "Damn it… why don't these things have factspheres!?" he cursed while feeling his skin crawl with unease. Then, he spun around upon hearing something approach from behind, only to find nothing.

That's when Naoto bursts from his original spot, never moving despite being concealed by dust, "Take this!" he shouted while sending a strong punch into his opponent's cockpit, knocking them forward.

"Not bad, squinted-eyed freak!" the vampire retorted, catching another punch just in time as blood dripped from his nose, "You're seriously trying to kill me, aren't ya!?"

Wordlessly, Naoto grabbed Luciano's free arm, before pinning him to the ground with his leg, and beginning to twist the limb until the opposing Gekka's began beeping red internally, indicating critical damage.

"Yes! I knew there had to be one interesting guy on this pathetic crew!" suddenly, he voluntarily ejected the arm, straight into his opponent's chest, causing them to reel back in shock, allowing him to quickly get to his feet, and wind a counter-punch, "You're just like me, aren't you!? A secret desire to watch those below you writhe in pain! It's utterly exhilarating!"

Naoto let out a pained cry as the attack made contact with his chest, sending him crashing into a stalagmite, where he would remain open to a follow-up kick, shattering the rock. After entering a recovery roll, the Kozuki shot out like a bullet, tackling his opponent's chest just as the dust began settling, sending both of them into another formation, where he now had the advantage.

Leading with a strong crescent kick, Naoto forced Luciano on the defensive as he changed fighting styles, from the one Tohdoh taught him, to his own, "I'm nothing like you!" he proclaimed, while slamming a fist into the Britannians head, causing him to bounce just enough for a follow-up kick to be landed square on the chin. "I honestly don't know where in your fucked up mind we're alike, but I'm putting that to an end right now."

"Of course, I wouldn't expect an Eleven to understand!" the Vampire proclaimed, catching his opponent's leg as they unleashed a kick. "So let me make it simple for your tiny mind to comprehend!" he pivoted left, sending Naoto into a midair spin that he would follow up by slamming him with both hands. "Despite what this being a 'friendly match', your movements are more like an experienced killer's, stalking his prey carefully before striking!"

"Oh please, I'm merely taking revenge for everyone you've annoyed on this ship!" the Kozuki corrected while driving a knee into his charging opponent.

To recover, Luciano did a handstand mid-tumble, letting a sadistic smile form on his face, "That's just an excuse, you ultra-psycho. Just like on a battlefield, if you kill a man there, you'll be regarded a hero. But if you kill some chump on the street, you're a murderer. Why do you think that is?"

"Sounds like you've got too much brain damage to realize the difference." Naoto replied, "So my explanation will do little good for someone who was dropped at birth."

"Oh, that's a good one." Bradley chuckled, "But highly inaccurate. You see, my mom loved me very much, unlike my father. Though, that's a story for another time!" he rammed shoulders with the opposing Gekka, cancelling each other out due to identical specs. "No! This is about prejudice!"

Suddenly, Naoto dropped his shoulder and used Luciano's center-of-gravity to throw him into a stalagmite, cutting the speech short, "Ugh. Sounds like I'll get brain damage if I keep letting you speak."

"Is that so? Have you ever thought about why you're fighting the enemy? Obvious, you Eleven's want whatever pathetic freedom you can get. But what about Britannia? They merely fight because their glorious Emperor points them in a direction, and tells them to." Bradley rolled to his feet, where he got into a stance, "That being said, don't you think your anger should be directed towards him?"

"Since when did you get so philosophical?" the Kozuki questioned.

However, in doing so he fell into the Vampire's taunting ploy, "Well, I'd say you're the exact same with Zero, are you not? He points you in a direction, and you obediently follow like a dog."

"Not even close." Naoto tried shutting him down by rushing in with a punch, only to get dodged at the last moment, "We're partners fighting for a common goal."

Luciano expertly slipped behind his opponent, a devious grin plastered on his face as he let out one last taunt, "Oh? Does that partnership extend to him fucking your sister?"

However, that was the last straw for Naoto, as he delivered a powerful backhand to the Vampire's chest, causing him to groan in pain while accidentally biting his tongue, "What makes you think anything like that is happening?" the Kozuki asked, menacingly towering over his defeated opponent.

Meanwhile, Luciano let out a bloody cough, gasping for air as his Gekka began shutting down from the damage, "Looks like I struck a nerve… bahaha!"

"Why you-"

"Calm down, Naoto. It's pretty obvious from the way she looks at him." Luciano explained, clutching his chest in the process, "But I don't care about a small-fry like her, nor do I care about Zero for that matter."

"Yeah. Yeah. It's all about Rai, isn't it?" Fed up with the Psycho's comments, Naoto began ripping into the fallen Gekka's chest, exposing the vulnerable pilot, and forcefully pulling him out, "Now, you lost, understand?"

Feeling the metallic arm tightly wrap around his body, Bradley let out a bloody cough before responding, "Yeah, I'll stop referring to you lot as Elevens." he smirked, knowing that he didn't have to necessarily call them Japanese either. Though, it seemed like Naoto knew that as well, as his grip tightened around the Britannian, purposefully causing more harm, "Argh! That hurt, you fucking psycho!" the defeated man shouted, before growing another confident smirk for some reason.

"Like you're one to talk." Naoto's eyes narrowed, "I can only imagine that command is suppressing his true personality, if only a little bit. Ugh, there's no way I'd be able to handle him if it were any worse." he then begrudgingly returned to the Knightmare Bay using a slash harken, despite such a victory.

This feeling was only further amplified by Tamaki, who happily greeted him as usual, "That was amazing, Naoto! You really showed him!" he punched the air victoriously as Bradley collapsed, feeling the effects of his injuries in full force.

The Kozuki rubbed his shoulder, holding an annoyed gaze, "Thanks." he replied, watching the loser scurry off quickly, "I barely managed to scrape by in the end there. The Gekka's almost toast. Speaking of which…" he glanced at Rakshata, who approached him with a raised eyebrow, "I'm sorry about taking those Frames so suddenly."

"Your apology should be directed at the mechanics for adding onto their workload. And honestly, I couldn't care less." the Indian woman answered simply, putting her pipe to her mouth in the process, "Though, I would've appreciated it if you tested the Gauntlets out in your little match."

"You know it would've been too dangerous, right? Aren't they supposed to be highly volatile?"

"Not anymore. We managed to tone them down quite a bit, so we'll be equipping them to your frame shortly."

"Oh great…" Naoto muttered before spying Tohdoh and Nagisa approaching.

"Shouldn't you be happier?" the Miracle Worker asked with a slight smile, clearly having good intentions, "After all, you just beat the 'snot' – as a certain flamboyant man would put it – out of that Britannian."

Eyes turned to Tamaki, who rubbed his head nervously, "Oh come on. Everyone was fired up back there, so you can't single me out. And hey! That Luciano had it coming, okay!?" he desperately tried diverting attention from himself, "In fact, I think it's a bit weird that you aren't happier, Tohdoh! Wasn't he annoying you too?"

"Other than a few passing comments, Bradley never bothered me."

"I can imagine why…" Naoto mumbled, figuring that Tohdoh wasn't 'interesting' enough for the Vampire.

"Of course, that doesn't mean I was a big fan of him, either. Even still, it's important to remember that we're all on the same team, for one reason or another. I believe Luciano realizes this too, somewhere in his screwed up mind – that's why he hasn't turned on us… yet."

This caused the Kozuki to raise an eyebrow, "That's… an oftly passive opinion of you."

"Is that strange?"

"No… I mean… you've never really been the one to resort to violence first, but it's still strange to be so accepting of someone like Luciano, even if it's for Zero."

"Perhaps it's because I haven't had any personal confrontations with him." the Miracle Worker reasoned, "In any case, I do agree with the sentiment that we should keep an eye on him. He's still unpredictable. But that's enough about Bradley. I'm actually here to speak with you-"

"On the route we'll be taking for Europia?" Naoto asked, his face softening as the conversation shifted to business, "Right, I still need to quickly run it by Xingke, but I'll show you what I have for now."

AN: Europia arc coming up, with (possibly) two chapters of set-up.