AN:

REKS021: To be fair, there's no real 'tell' about Akito having a Geass command, especially when you consider that Suzaku isn't nearly as aggressive with his.

Chapter 130: Caesar's Palace

October 5th. 1:00PM. Euro Britannia. Caesar's Palace.

"Zero. It's a pleasure to meet you." Grand Duke Veilaines greeted the Black Knights – consisting of Tamaki, Luciano, Naoto, Orpheus, Zi Dien, and Rolo – as they entered the grand hall, their boots echoing across the ground until they came to a stop before the Vassal States audience. "Again, I must thank you for your assistance against Europia. Not only did you save the city, but you've also made it easier for those evacuated to return to their normal lives. Or at least… what we can hope is the start."

"This guy sure talks a lot." Tamaki thought as Luciano stood next to him and Naoto, smirking at something across the room, "What are you smiling about?"

"Oh? Nothing at all." the Vampire answered mysteriously, "Nothing at all~"

"Creep."

"Fuck, you just call me?" Bradley turned to the Japanese man, "Say that again, I dare you."

Luckily, before their argument could escalate, Naoto grabbed both of them by the hair, and dragged them outside, silently excusing the rowdy duo. Zero sighed internally while stepping forth, "I appreciate the Audience, Grand Duke. As Black Knights, it's our duty to defend the weak, despite what others may say."

"And you proved that today, Zero." Augusta said with a proud smile, "Honestly, when I saw you and your force's arrival, I was certain you were here to finish the job, and wipe Euro Britannia off the face of the map. The last thing I expected was for you to actually assist us." the Duke then gestured to The Order of Michael's Grandmaster to step forth, "Allow me to introduce you, this is Michele Manfredi. If that name sounds familiar, it's because he was originally the Knight of Two. Though, at my request, he kindly left it to enter my service. He's a good man who wears his heart on his sleeve. There are other Grandmasters, but unfortunately they were sent to other fronts, where the Europian's were attacking."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Zero." Michele bowed, scanning the Black Knights with an infatuated gaze, "I hope we'll be able to work together."

"You must have a lot of faith in the Grand Duke to have left everything behind in Britannia." Zero responded, his tone suspicious as the Grandmaster nodded in agreement.

"Well, I've known the man for years now, so I know his ideals directly align with mine, especially when it comes to foreigners." the man then motioned for Shin to step forth, greeting the Black Knights with a brief bow, "This is Shin; a Japanese boy who was able to find his own path to success through hard work, and became a Knight. Despite this, he was still discriminated within Britannia for being Japanese; a problem which is virtually nonexistent here."

"That's quite a statement. Well, we'll see how much truth there is to that." Lelouch announced as he turned to the Grand Duke, "Since you've kindly announced some of your people, I'll do the same." just then, Naoto re-entered with both Tamaki and Urabe, who were trying to look as serious as possible, "This is Naoto Kozuki. My right-hand man, and someone I trust to lead the Black Knights in my absence."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." the aforementioned man stepped forth, causing the troublemakers to snicker behind his back.

Orpheus made direct eye-contact with Michele, who happily waved at him, clueless to the boy's disruption of him in the past, "To think I'm actually working with someone I was tasked to fight just months ago. If I actually cared, I'd say this situation was awkward."

To preserve as many cards as possible, Lelouch refrained from bringing up Oz and his connections with Peace Mark, so he glanced at Luciano, and motioned him forward, "And this… this is someone Michele Manfredi may know. Luciano Bradley, the former Knight of Ten before he was betrayed by Britannian, causing him to inevitably side with us."

The Vampire let out a snicker at the masked man's words, ignoring his own introduction as he focused on the former Knight of Two, "Oh trust me, Zero. That man and I go way back."

"Regrettably so." for the first time, Michele's voice turned low and spiteful, setting a clear tone between his and Luciano's relationship.

"Well, perhaps you could save that reunion for later." Augusta kindly said, clearly sensing the hostility between the two, "For now, I'd like to move our conversation to a more… pressing matter."

"If we are to begin conversing plans about taking on Europia, I'd like this discussion to be moved elsewhere." Zero commanded, "After all, there are too many prying ears, no offense."

"None taken. I understand that discretion is your specialty, so I will do my best to make sure we meet our end of the bargain, just as I know you will. That being said, I would like to take at least Michele with me into the meeting. Safety reasons and all. I hope you understand."

"Very well. Then I'll be doing the same with Naoto."

"Understandable. Now, please follow me to the Atrium. We won't be bothered there." the Duke got up, and led the way down a hall, leaving the remaining Black Knights alone. Specifically, alone with Luciano.

"Yo, Shin. It's been a while since I've seen you." the Vampire casually strutted across the chamber like he owned the place, much to everyone's annoyance. "Tell me, are you still that same old brat with Michelle's ridiculous ambitions?"

"For the last time, Sir Bradley, it's pronounced Mich-ele. Like Michael. Not Michelle." the Japanese man corrected him with an annoyed gaze, "And for your information, Michele's ambitions aren't nearly as foolish as you say they are. In fact, I'm more curious as to why you're here."

"What? I heard Russia's winters were lovely this time of year, so I obviously had to see for myself."

"That's not what I meant, sir." Shin scolded him, "Last I heard, you were captured by the Black Knights, and yet now you're here. Officially partnered with Zero. How… uncharacteristic of you."

"Hm? And what does a brat like you know about my character?" Luciano laughed heartily, "I can change, you know? I actually quite like it in the Black Knights."

"Oh? Please, do elaborate."

"Yeah. I'm interested in what you mean by that too." Tamaki added suspiciously.

"Heh, there are just plenty of amusing guys on that ship. Most give a good show whenever I bug 'em, including the chump behind me, Naoto, Tohdoh, and-"

"What about the red Knightmare?"

The Vampire smirked at the mention of the Guren, "Oh? Her? Awe, did you get some kind of crush, Shin? The brat's all grown up now."

"How dare you!" Jean stepped forth, finally breaking her silence after listening to Bradley's disrespectful words, "Lord Shaing merely asked a simple question. After all, everyone's eager to meet the pilot, especially considering what she did to the Europian forces!"

"Oh? Jeanne? Is that you?" Luciano focused on his new prey with a malicious smile, "Did you cut your hair or something? Because you actually look kind of cute now."

"Don't ever call me by that name!" the red-haired girl shouted in outrage, "And stop trying to change the subject."

"That's enough, Jean." Shin stepped in, "He's just trying to get under your skin, like he always does."

"Fortunately, it looks like the same shit still works on her." the Vampire roared with laughter as Zi Dien looked away in embarrassment.

"Oh god… why did Zero have to take this guy? I mean, we could've brought anyone… so why him?" the Chinese man thought as Shin let out a frustrated sigh.

"So, about the pilot-"

"Ah, enough about her." Luciano changed the subject, "Say, what happened to that dagger I gave you? Don't tell me you threw it away. After all, it's disrespectful to throw away birthday presents."

"Sir Bradley, do I have to remind you once again that you're only older than me by a mere two years? I'm not some child that you can scold about birthday presents." the Japanese man said sternly, only for the Britannian to snicker in response.

"Hm? Avoiding the question? It's okay, I get it. You don't want to hurt my feelings and all. That's fine." he joked while draping an arm around Shin's shoulders, to which the Euro Britannian kept as still as a statue, not reacting to the sudden contact. "Though, I'm a big boy, so don't worry, I won't be hurt if you did toss it. But… it was a nice blade… embroidered too with a carved handle."

Gritting his teeth in frustration, Shin finally answered the man's question after pushing off his arm, "If you must know, I gave the dagger to Ashley. I figured he'd have more fun with something like that."

"Ah, I forgot about dear Ashley. Tell me, how is my favorite nephew? It's been quite some time since I last saw him."

"I still don't know why you insist on calling him that, Luciano. You've only met him three times, so I bet he barely remembers you."

"Oh come on! I always brought him gifts, so surely he has to have some recollection through those."

"If he does, they're probably nightmares. After all, I doubt anyone would have pleasant experiences with you."

The Vampire smirked upon hearing those words, before saying, "That's not true. Just ask your mom."

Finally, something snapped within Shin, because for a brief moment, his calm expression turned to one of annoyance, "You know… it's truly a shame I don't have that dagger, because now would be a perfect time to demonstrate its effectiveness."

Luciano's taunting smirk only seemed to grow at the Knights threat, "You know… it always took a bit, but eventually you'd crack like all the others." he said, moving closer to the Japanese man, lowering his tone to a whisper, "And you always put on a good show."

"Enough, Luciano." Shin put his foot down, dropping all previous pleasantries, "I've had enough of your antics."

"Oh? But I haven't had enough of yours." the Vampire said as he caught the man's arm, which was moving to strike him. This motion from Shin didn't truly shock the Black Knights, since they thought it was a normal reaction to Luciano's antics. However, those that did know Lord Shaing, were stunned by this, as he wasn't usually the type to lash out, "You might have everyone else fooled, Shin." Bradley said at a haunting whisper, "But I know who you are. What you are. That's why, to me, you'll always be just some brat. Too afraid to go after your ambitions, because of what your loved ones may think of you."

Shin's eyes turned deranged at the Vampire's taunts, followed shortly by flashes of red passing within his mind, alongside brief visions of his Geass, "Shut up, Luciano. You know nothing about my ambitions."

"Is that what you truly believe?" Luciano's smirk widened once more, seeing the deranged look in the Japanese man's eyes grow with each passing second, "I know your type, Shin. You're just making an excuse so you can kill as you please. Remember what I said to you once before?"

"Shut up." the Euro Britannian tried to pull away, only for the Vampire's hold on his arm to tighten, keeping him in place as he finished his sentence.

"You're exactly like me. The only difference, is that I'm honest about my killing."

"Enough!" Shin gave Bradley a hard shove, causing him to take a few steps back with a low cackle, "You say that about everyone, psycho."

The entire side of Shin's room glanced at him in shock, still surprised at the kind of reactions Luciano was pulling out of him, "Hm? Yeah, but I only meant it a handful of times. And guess which case this is?"

"I've had enough of your riddles, Vampire." Shaing said while turning to walk away, "I tried showing you respect despite our past, and yet you spat on it like always. Whatever reason Zero's taken you into the Black Knights, I hope it's a good one, because it's blatantly obvious how destructive you can be. Especially when it comes to numbers."

"Now, hold on just a moment." Tamaki – surprisingly – stepped in, "It's true, Luciano's an asshole. An especially annoying one at that. And sure, it's also true that his allegiances are… questionable at times. He also takes what he wants from the freezer whenever he wants… which is super annoying too, especially when the ice cream-"

"Is there a point to your rambling?" Luciano asked impatiently.

"Shut up! I'm getting to it!" the Japanese man cleared his throat once more, and turned to Shin, "In the end, he hasn't done anything detrimental to harm the Black Knights, so in my book… he's an alright guy."

"Awe… Tamaki. You're gonna make me blush." the Britannian said sarcastically, draping his arm around the Head Custodian's shoulder, "How about this, I'll buy you one of those pornos you love so much as a reward."

"For the last time, that's not what that was!" Tamaki retorted while driving his elbow into Luciano's chest, who responded by putting him in a headlock, taking him to the ground where their scuffle would continue, resulting in a comical mini-dust cloud to form.

"Seriously? Last I checked, Luciano hated number's with a passion. So the sight of them actually… getting along is revolting." Shin clenched his fist as he stormed out, followed closely by Jean.

"Ah! Make sure to ask my favorite nephew what he wants for Christmas!" Luciano shouted as he pinned Tamaki to the ground, "After all, I don't want him missing out!"

"For the last time, he's not your nephew!"

"Awe, don't be like that, Shin. You're technically my nephew too. Jeanne as well."

"We are not. That's a title you bestowed yourself, Vampire." Shin responded in a spiteful manner, "Come on, Jean. We're leaving."

Once the duo left, Luciano turned back to normal, getting off Tamaki, and even helping him up, "Yep, he's still the same as back then." he mumbled.

"I knew Naoto was right. Yet, you were questioning if this was even the same guy." the Japanese man shook his head.

"Oh please, it's been a while since I last saw Shin. Michelle didn't bring him around the villa often, so I thought he'd change or something. Looks like I was wrong." Luciano shrugged his shoulders while moving to Orpheus' side, "Meh. Not like I care anyway. My part of the bargain's complete."

"What did you want anyway?"

"None of your business."

Tamaki's eye twitched with annoyance at the crude response, "It was just a simple question. You could've answered anything, and I'd believe you."

"It's not pornos, if that's what you're asking."

"Can you stop that!? It's embarrassing!"

Ikaruga. Research and Development wing.

"Honestly, what is he thinking!?" Kallen vented as she paced back and forth within Rakshata's office, the owner, C.C, Maya, and Clara watching her restlessness, "I mean, one or the other would be fine, but both Tamaki AND Luciano!? He knows how they are, so why would he take them over me!"

"Well, you remember what Naoto said about that Shin, right? Luciano apparently knows the kid from his time in the Rounds, so his knowledge in invaluable in this case." C.C reasoned calmly as Rakshata oversaw the repairs of the Guren's surger.

"Then, how do you explain Tamaki?"

"Like Zero said, he doesn't want to expose everything we have, so taking Tamaki should seriously keep everything a mystery, especially considering how much the Euro Britannian's want to meet you." Maya added, playfully kicking her legs as she sat upon the scientist's desk like a little kid, "Keeping your identity a mystery until later would add to the 'menacing' factor."

"And, besides, if something goes awry down there, you could easily get into the Guren and help them." Rakshata said as she reentered the office, "Remember, the possibility of the Duke betraying us is still high. Even though first impressions said otherwise, you can never truly know."

"Even so… that doesn't stop me from worrying." the red head muttered as she took a frustrated seat, looking at the new reports regarding the Europian Knightmares.

"Honestly, you sound like an angry housewife who just found out her husband went drinking with his friends."

"It's not like that!" Kallen sputtered, before instantly changing her mind upon a moment of reflection, "Okay… maybe it is a little… but can you blame me, Rakshata?"

"Relax. It's none of my business anyway." the Indian woman calmly stated, trying not to be rude, "So long as you pilot my Guren, I don't care what kind of intimate relationship you have with Zero."

"Wh-what kind of relationship do you think we have!?"

"Oh please, Kallen. Even someone like myself can see it a mile away." the scientist said casually, "Unlike everyone else, you don't have a dedicated sleeping quarters, despite having such an important role within the Black Knights. Not only that, but plenty of the gossip-centric women on this ship have seen you constantly enter and exit Zero's quarters late at night."

"I-I've never heard those rumors!"

"That's because they're about you." Clara added with a cute giggle, "Besides, it's not like you can deny it anyway."

"Wh-whatever." Kallen crossed her arms, pouting cutely with pink cheeks, "People can talk all they want. It's not like it affects me."

"Of course it doesn't, Kally." Clara pulled her friend into a tight hug, causing both of them to burst into a chorus of giggles. Slowly, their laughter eventually died down, allowing the pink-haired girl to ask, "By the way… about those Europian pilots, do you think we'll have to face them again in the future?"

"If they somehow survived out there, definitely." Rakshata stated, "Though, it'll be a cakewalk once more if they use the same frames. Europia's so far backward's technologically, I doubt they'll be able to make any meaningful improvements to their designs. At least, meaningful enough to close the gap." the Indian woman watched as Savitri and Benio looked over designs for the Benihozuki, the latter of which beamed with excitement upon noticing Kallen looking her way.

The red head smiled while waving at the girl, returning to her friends shortly after, "Well, that just makes everything easier for us, right?"

"Should be. However, what I'm really worried about is Britannia." Rakshata said as she took a seat, "They've been eerily quiet ever since that Cornelia incident, so they're cooking up something dangerous in the mainland."

"And they're the only force that can really challenge us at this stage." C.C added, nonchalantly scrolling through Lelouch's phone to check on the closest Pizza Hut, only to find it still closed, "Ugh. Looks like I'll have to wait until tomorrow to get one."

"All we can do is make the proper preparations for our next face-off." Kallen said, crossing her arms as Mario entered the R wing, looking for his sister, "Anyway, I'm gonna go get some rest. That fight took a bit out of me."

Maya hopped off the desk and happily reunited with her brother, who glared at her unamusingly, "So, this is where you've been? Never thought you'd willingly hang out with Rakshata."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me." the black-haired girl proclaimed smugly, putting her hands on her hips in the process.

"Oh yeah? Sure. Whatever you say." the boy waved her off, "Anyway, let's get back to the Sougetsus. I'm still trying to figure out the new docking system."

"What? It's just a button you press, dummy; not that hard."

"Oh yeah? You try it, stupid."

"What!? I'm not stupid!"

The siblings continued their playful spat as they exited the room, which Kallen shook her head at, "Jeez. Those two never stop fighting."

"I think it's a cute quirk they have." C.C threw in her thoughts as she joined the red head outside. "By the way, are you planning on giving Zero a piece of your mind?"

"For what?" Kallen asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow in the process.

"'Why didn't you take me with you?'" the Immortal began mimicking the red head's voice, as if she were talking to Lelouch, "'Oh Zero, how cruel can you be?'"

"I'm not going to do that! I know why he didn't take me. The only problem is that he chose Tamaki and Luciano instead of literally anyone else. Urabe would've been better."

Their boots echoed on the way to Zero's office, passing several Black Knights in the meantime, who paid no heed to their conversation, "Oh? Are you going to complain for a minute, then melt into his embrace as he ruffles your hair? Or are you going to be complaining as he's taking you from behind-"

"C.C! Keep your voice down." Kallen warned as a nearby door abruptly opened, allowing the soldier leaving to catch the very end of their conversation, and give them an odd look, "See what you're doing?"

"I thought you said it doesn't affect you?" the Witch teased as they finally arrived at their leader's office, where the red head would use her key card to get inside.

"That doesn't mean you can just say those things out loud." she responded while landing on the couch with a puff, quickly grabbing a nearby blanket and placing it over her lap.

"Relax, I'm just messing with you." C.C said, as she took a seat next to her, sharing the blanket, "By the way, you're going to be looking out for that Geass I told you about, right?"

"Of course. How could I forget?" Kallen turned on the TV, letting out a sigh, "Also, you never told me how you found that out."

"That's because I can't really explain it. In the middle of the battle against Europia, I suddenly felt some kind of malicious energy from within Saint Petersburg." the green-haired girl looked down at her lap, deep in thought, "Honestly, I don't know what could be causing it."

"Well, at least Rolo and Naoto's down there, just in case something happens." despite saying this, the red head couldn't hide her nervousness, as her leg bounced uncontrollably. "I hope Lelouch gets back safe."

"Me too." C.C a head on her friend's shoulder, resting her eyes in the process.

Caesar's Palace. Atrium.

From a small, round section of the ceiling, sunlight peered through the colorful glass panes, descending upon the Duke and Zero, who were seated at a square table with two chairs. In the background, Naoto's blue eyes – which were covered with contact lenses – let off a gleam within the shadows. Across from him, Michele stood solemnly in his own shadows, his posture straight and unmoving, making it more than obvious how well he was disciplined as a Knight, despite his earlier zealousness.

"Forgive my lack of intel, for our spy within the Europian lines cut contact with us a few weeks back. Most of us suspect that he's done so because we were losing the war, and I believe they're right. However, he could easily reestablish his contact now saying otherwise." the Grand Duke explained, his voice echoing throughout the barren halls, save for the massive pillars surrounding them. He reached for a nearby pitcher of water, pouring himself a glass as the ice clinked against the interior, "Would you like one?"

"No thank you." Zero responded calmly, his voice stern, "At the end of the day, most spies are unreliable, only choosing the side that will benefit them the most." he added, crossing his arms while leaning in, "However, I'll accept any information you do have, regardless of when you received it."

"Thank you, Zero." Augusta nodded, "Now, those slim, white Knightamre's you encountered the other day are called Alexanders. They're highly mobile, and can easily match a Gloucester in one-on-one combat given the right talent. However, until recently these units were only used as suicide bombers, taking out droves of Euro Britannian forces in a single explosion."

"Similar to Kamikaze?" Naoto chimed in respectfully. Though, upon noticing Manfredi and the Duke's perplexed reaction, he explained further, "It was a technique Japan employed during the first Pacific war, where they would fill fighter planes with bombs, sending the pilots on suicide runs against enemy ships." he cleared his throat as the former Knight of Two's expression changed, "While the tactic was very effective a causing damage, it wasn't sustainable in the long term, as could be inferred from how desperate the move was."

"Thank you for your insight, Naoto Kozuki." Augusta said with a smile, "And… it does pain me to inform you, that the pilots of these frames are typically Japanese citizens."

"We've heard that they're treated as Second-class citizens in Europia, but I never knew it to be this bad." Zero added, putting a hand on the chin of his mask, "All the more reason for us to liberate them."

"I couldn't agree more. Forcefully dragging innocents into battle, turning them into suicide bombers by pumping their veins full of drugs, including steroids; it's something every nation should frown upon, regardless of your opinion on numbers. Just because – to Europia – the Japanese are Second-class citizens, doesn't give them the right to do whatever they want regarding their lives." the Grand Duke said passionately, making it more than clear where he stood in preserving human life.

"I'm glad we can agree. I'm honestly surprised that Euro Britannia's ideals don't align closer to the mainland's."

"Honestly… that was true in the beginning, when we first pledged our allegiance to Britannia. However, as time went on, we realized how little they thought of us; more specifically Charles, who couldn't care less about Europe, and it's feuds."

"And from there, disdain for the mainland grew?"

"More or less." Augusta agreed, "By the way, I would be honored if you would join my people for a – lack of a better term – party later tonight."

"A party? I understand why your people would want to celebrate, but the Black Knights have just got here." Lelouch explained, before respectfully being corrected by the Duke.

"Well, it's less of a party and more of a meet-and-greet. You see, the other Grandmasters are on their way to Saint Petersburg. If you were to join us, you could surely meet them for yourself, and see what else Euro Britannia is made of."

"If that's the case… then I'll consider joining you."

"Ah, would you mind bringing the pilot of that red Knightmare too?" Michele kindly asked, "I'm certain everyone would like to meet her."

"Her?" Naoto raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised at their knowledge, which caused him to ask, "Why do you think they're a girl?"

"Oh. Well, it was all just a bunch of rumors from the guys in Japan, where they got a hold of some audio logs."

The Kozuki let out a sigh, before turning to Lelouch, "So, what will we do?"

"I'll bring it up to her. However, I can't promise she'll actually show up or not."

"That's all right. As long as you try, that'll be acceptable. Thank you." Manfredi said respectfully.

Ikaruga. Zero's Office. 2:00PM.

Kallen's eyes slowly fluttered open as she heard the door slide open, making a faint clicking sound as it closed, followed by the muffled footsteps of someone walking across the carpet, stopping by the couch to take off their boots. "Lelouch?" she mumbled cutely as C.C remained asleep on her shoulder. In the background, the T.V still blared as the movie she put on came to a close.

Meanwhile, her boyfriend began taking off his cloak, the sound of latex squeezing together eventually woke up the Immortal, "I'm home." he said with a playful smirk, ruffling the red head's hair, "You should go back to sleep if you're tired." he then did the same to C.C, knowing it was only a matter of time before she opened her mouth, "You too."

"No way. Not when there's amusement to be had." the Witch proclaimed, slowly removing her side of the blanket, using it to cover the rest of Kallen's firmly. "How did the meeting go?"

"About as well as you'd expect." Lelouch explained as he sat across from the two girls, "What Naoto said about Shin seems to be true. At least, that's what Luciano confirmed through his… unconventional investigation. Of course, whether the man's attitude was purely a result of being annoyed by Bradley's presence or not is to be decided, but for now, I'm inclined to believe your brother's findings, Kallen."

"I see." the red head nodded slowly, completely forgetting about her earlier complaints due to the fog within her mind, "What are the chances of him being the source of that Geass C.C was talking about?"

"Well, there's always a chance he is. Though, if he really did have one, I was hoping he'd recklessly use it on Luciano to get him to shut up." the Prince explained calmly as he turned the T.V off. "Unfortunately, he seems to be smarter than that. Or – and the more likely answer – is that he doesn't have a Geass at all."

"Sorry that I can't be of more use in this situation." C.C – uncharacteristically – apologized, "If there was some way for me to magically find out if someone has a Geass or not, I would."

"Oh? Never thought I'd hear a genuine 'sorry' from you."

"Hey, I can be nice at times. You know this." she responded with a smirk.

"Of course. I know you're not some pervert 24/7." Lelouch said jokingly, before returning to the topic at hand, "Anyway, don't worry about it, C.C. Just being able to tell that there's another Geass around is plenty enough as is. I've told Jeremiah to be ready for such an emergency to arise, and those that do know about Geass will be more careful when conversing with the Euro Britannians." he explained in a serious tone, "I'll make sure Luciano keeps an extra eye on Shin in the meantime. However, I don't wanna tunnel-vision on him, leaving us open for the real culprit to strike."

"If that's the case… don't you think I deserve some kind of reward?" the Immortal asked eagerly, rocking back-and-forth in her seat. This made the red head's mind clear up in an instant, allowing her to fully glare at C.C with all her might.

"What kind of reward?" the Prince asked suspiciously, knowing that it could only go one of two ways.

"Well, you know how all the shops in town are closed due to the battle from earlier, right? That includes all the pizza shops." she then pointed at his face, her voice turning demanding, "Make me a Pizza, boy."

Due to her dramatic display, Lelouch ended up chuckling as Kallen let out a relieved sigh, returning to her nap, "Very well. What do you want on it?"

"Cheese, pepperoni, sausage, and mushrooms." C.C said without hesitation, "Make sure the crust is stuffed too. I haven't had one of those in a while."

"Very well."

"Oh, and one more thing!" she then blew a kiss toward the boy, fluttering her eyebrows in the process, "Make sure you make it with love~"

The Prince rolled his eyes at the display, before glancing at Kallen, "Looks like she's too tired to go tonight. I'll leave her alone for now. She deserves the rest."

However, as if she were sensing a disturbance in the air, his girlfriend shot awake, glancing at him with curious eyes, "Is there something wrong, Lelouch?"

"Not at all. You just get some rest, okay?" he got up to lay a kiss upon her forehead, only to be grabbed and kept in place, like an interrogation.

"Wait." she ordered, squishing his cheeks together, "Tell me what's wrong."

"It's nothing serious. There's just going to be a kind of meet-and-greet later tonight. In truth, it's probably closer to a party than anything else, but it'll be nice to know who we're dealing with around here." he explained in a slurred voice as she repeatedly squished his cheeks together playfully.

"Are you gonna go?" the red head asked, releasing him.

"Yeah. I was planning on asking you originally, but you're too tired."

"No I'm not." she protested, "I can go just fine." Kallen tried getting to her feet to prove a point, only to fall directly into her boyfriends arms, face red with embarrassment, "I'm just light-headed! That's all!"

"Kallen, it's okay if you stay here." Lelouch said soothingly, caressing the back of her head as he gently placed her back on the couch, "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"No…" his girlfriend cutely whined while clinging onto him like a koala, "I wanna go."

"I know you do." he responded, gently joining her on the couch by laying on her body. Though, she eventually managed to flip their positions out of rebellion, "But Kallen, this is about your health, okay? I don't want you getting sicker for no reason."

"But Lelouch, I'll be okay!" the red head then began snuggling into his neck, firmly embedding herself to make sure he couldn't get up. "I swear! I'll stay practically glued to your side the whole time!"

"That's not what this is about." Lelouch said, firmly putting his foot down. "Kallen, you're not going, and that's final."

The girl puffed her cheeks out, still feeling there was a way of convincing him otherwise, "Please! I don't want you going out there without me!" she pleaded, "It was already bad earlier, but if you go now…"

"Then I won't go." the Prince compromised, "If you're really that concerned for my safety, then I'll just have Naoto go in my stead."

Worried that she was holding him back, Kallen shook her head in protest once more, "No, you can still go, Lelouch. Just take me with you."

"Oh jeez. You two are just going in circles." C.C finally moaned in frustration, "Why don't you give her a Tylenol or something? I'm sure it'll last long enough from beginning to end of the party."

Seeing her friend come to the rescue, the red head beam with excitement, "Yes! See? C.C gets it!" she then pulled him close, whispering in his ear with a slightly hurt tone, "Please, Lelouch. I don't want to be the reason you can't lead properly. It would hurt me more than any kind of illness."

"K-Kallen…" the Prince's eyes turned soft, and understanding, "Why do you have to make everything so difficult?"

"I know… and I'm sorry. I don't mean to. It's just… I'm worried about you. Always. So please, let me go with you." she said, pulling back to look him dead in the eyes, "It'll help ease my heart."

Lelouch took a moment of reflection, gazing deep into her expression, only to find himself getting lost in her bright blue, innocent eyes, which only got bigger and bigger giving her an adorable expression. "Fine. But you better stay glued to my hip."

"I understand!" she responded with a frantic nod.

"And you're going to be wearing plenty of layers."

"Of course!"

"And, the moment I catch a whiff of you getting sicker, we'll be returning to the Ikaruga immediately."

"Okay!"

After one final sigh, the Prince sat up with her in his lap, "Then go get ready. The party's at 4."

Caesar's Palace. Gathering Hall. 4:00PM.

"Zero! It's truly a pleasure to meet you once again!" Michele happily greeted the masked man as he entered, accompanied by Kallen, Luciano, Naoto, C.C, Rolo, and Clara. "I'm so glad your group could join us tonight. Admittedly… the party isn't as grand as it usually is, but we'll be saving the big stuff for when we win, and free Europe."

"Well, I'm glad you're not getting ahead of yourself." Lelouch mumbled as he shook the Knights hand, "Say, there were supposed to be other Grandmaster's right? Where are they?"

"Oh, them?" the man happily turned to face the relatively thin crowd, pointing at a bald, old man, who wore a broad white cape, with an orange under cloak, "That is Raymond Du Saint-Gilles. Grandmaster of the order of Uriel. He's a bit rough around the edges, but that's only because he's still skeptical of your involvement. So please, forgive him."

"That's quite alright. In fact, I respect that he feels that way. It shows that he's not naive. He's clearly been through a lot considering his age." Lelouch motioned Naoto to mingle with the Grandmasters; getting to know them as much as possible. First impressions were important, after all.

"Like you wouldn't believe." Michele moved onto the next, pointing to a rather rustic man, who looked nothing like a proper Knight, wearing a broad white cape, with a black under cloak, "That is Gaudefroy Du Villon. He might seem unapproachable from a distance, but you'll soon find out he's just a proud, passionate man that has undying loyalty to the Grand Duke."

"I've met men like that before. Rather rough around the edges, but agreeable once you find a common interest." Zero commented as Luciano went to the champagne table, rubbing his hands together mischievously.

"What do you think you're doing?" Rolo appeared behind the man, his tone sharp and precise.

"Hey! Zero said I can have a few drinks!" the Vampire argued as he grabbed a champagne glass. "It's my reward for earlier."

"Good. I was just making sure you weren't planning on spitting in the glasses."

"Pft. As if I would do something so vulgar." Luciano stuck his nose up smugly, "Well… not anymore."

Michele groaned as he caught sight of the Vampire, "Zero, do you mind if I ask why you allowed him to join you?"

"Who? Luciano?" Lelouch glanced at the aforementioned man as Kallen approached the troublemaker from behind, giving him a stern warning before returning to the Prince, "I'll admit, he's difficult to work with at times, but he can be reliable once he gets going."

"Even so, don't you know his past?" the Grandmaster asked worriedly, "He's happily killed 'numbers' without question, and even purposefully commits 'collateral damage' just because he enjoys taking someone's life."

"I agree, he's committed heinous acts, and there are no excuses for that. However, he's shown considerable loyalty to our cause for the past few months despite such hatred." Lelouch explained, obviously withholding the information that Luciano's been Geassed. "I have faith that he'll hold up his end of the bargain, so long as we hold ours."

"Bargain? What's that-"

"You heard the man, Michelle!" the Vampire announced as he wrapped an arm around Manfredi's shoulder, getting on his tiptoes to do so, "I'm on the good guys now, so that means we have to work together. Who would've thought!? Us working to save the Japanese and Europe from Britannia? If someone told me that a few months ago, I would've killed them! Bahaha!"

"Please, keep your voice down, Bradley." the Euro Britannian reprimanded, "And for the last time, my name's Michele Manfredi. Mi-kael. Not Michelle!"

"Oh hush! Let's go reminisce about old times, right, friend?" Luciano said as he slowly dragged the man away.

"Friend? Since when were we friends? And hey, I haven't met the Ace of the Black Knights yet!"

"Oh, her?" the Vampire forcefully turned his head to face Kallen, who – like every other member – wore a Black Knight trench coat. The only difference: hers was buttoned all the way to her chin, giving a rather menacing look, "There she is. Kallen Kozuki. Pilot of the Guren, blah, blah, blah, super cool awesome, whatever. Anyway, how are my nephews?"

Before the red head could hear more of their conversation, she was suddenly approached by another Grandmaster, one that Michele didn't get to introduce. Luckily, the rather proper-looking man would do so shortly, "My name is Andrea Farnese." he greeted, wearing a blue cape with a white under cloak, "Pardon my rudeness, but is it true? Are you truly the pilot of that red Knightmare?"

"Um… yeah. It's nice to meet you." she said awkwardly as Naoto joined them with Gaudefroy scanning her body.

"Certainly don't look like it." the rugged man blurted, before extending his hand, "Though, looks can be deceiving. My name is-"

"Gaudefroy Du Villon? Michele already pointed you out in the crowd." Kallen cut him off respectfully while shaking his hand.

"I see… well, I hope what the Knights of Michael are saying about you, turn out to be true. It's unfortunate that I wasn't able to see your fighting prowess in-person, but from what I've heard, you don't disappoint." he smiled while nodding confidently. "So, are you and Naoto here related? I heard he has the same last name."

"That's correct. We're siblings." the Older Kozuki answered for his sister.

"And you just let her fight on the battlefield? Aren't you worried about the risk?"'

"Obviously, there's a bit of worry. However, I wouldn't dare tell my sister what to do, especially considering how hard-headed she can be. And her strength is undeniable. We'd be foolish to sit her out otherwise." then, Naoto's eyes narrowed. Not threateningly, but in a curious, almost questioning way, "Unless there's another reason you believe she shouldn't be fighting?"

Gaudefroy shook his head, "If you're suggesting it's because she's a woman, you'll find no such discrimination within the Knights of Gabriel. So long as you have the strength to back up your claims, I'll treat you just like any other man." he then glanced at Andrea, making a snide remark, "Though, I can't say the same for the Knights of Raphael."

"Don't tarnish the names of my good soldiers with your uncouth language." the blond responded methodically, "In fact, I'd like to point out that the Order with the fewest female soldiers is Gabriel's."

"Well, there aren't many that meet our standards, simple as that." the bearded man scoffed, "After all, I can't sully our orders' strength with weak soldiers. We are the Pride of Euro Britannia."

"And who decided that?" his fellow Grandmaster raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of his champagne in the process, swirling it around the glass afterward, "If it were up to me, you'd be anything but our Pride. Perhaps sin would be a better title."

"Huh!? You take that back!"

"Based on language, he kind of reminds me of Schneizel." Lelouch thought as he glanced at Andrea Farnese, "Perhaps not as charismatic, but he's respectful even when being insulted. Or at least, that's what I remember." he then turned to his left, where he would spy Shin – accompanied by Jean – approaching him.

"Zero. We didn't get to properly meet before." the Japanese man said, holding two champagne glasses, "I hope you're enjoying your current stay within Euro Britannia."

"It's certainly not what I'm used to." the Prince admitted, "Especially with so many statues of Charles."

"Ah, my apologies. Those will be torn down by tomorrow, as per the Grand Duke's Decree." Shin explained as the girl continued staring at Kallen, who silently watched the two Grandmasters bicker, with one being considerably louder than the other, "I know you may still be skeptical, but we're truly on your side, Zero."

"I have no doubt that the Duke is a good man, I can tell that from our conversation earlier." the masked man explained calmly, gesturing with his hands to emphasize his words, "He values the lives of innocents greatly, which is drastically more than what most leaders in this world believe. For that, I respect him immensely." then, his tone darkened as he stared into the man's eyes, "Though, I must ask. What do you believe, Shin?"

Lelouch knew full-well that he wasn't going to get an honest answer here. He was only making idle conversation, taking careful note of the Indigo-haired man's facial expression, "Most of the same, thanks to Michele's teachings. I'm very grateful to him for finding me when I was a kid. It truly helped shape who I am now."

"Hm? Would you mind enlightening me on your first meeting? It sounds interesting."

"Oh… well, the story would take some time, and I really don't want to bore you." Shin deflected while taking a brief glance at Kallen, "Forgive me, Zero, but I would like to meet this ace pilot of yours."

"By all means, go ahead." the masked man then turned to the red head, instantly gaining her attention as she sensed his gaze, "Kallen, come here for a second." he said kindly, earning a faint smile in return.

The girl casually sauntered to his side, positioning herself across from Shin's company, "So, you're the famed pilot?" the Japanese man questioned, "I must say, you don't look very Japanese."

Kallen tilted her head suspiciously, "Oh? How do you figure that?"

"Your facial structure. It's more Britannian, especially around the jaw and cheek." he calmly observed, glancing toward her brother in the process, "Though… I believe I heard that you two were related."

"Well, Naoto and I are half-Japanese, and half-Britannian." the red head elaborated, "Of course, as you noticed, my brother is closer to the former than the latter. I'm impressed that you were able to pick up on that."

"Well, I've always been quite the observer growing up." the Euro Britannian moved both glasses of champagne to one hand, then gently took hers – which was gloved – and laid a kiss to the back of it, shocking Jean internally, "My name is Shin Shaing." he introduced himself, as Lelouch raised an eyebrow at his gesture, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Kozuki."

"Right…" Kallen mumbled while secretly taking her hand to the back of her coat, and wiping it out of sight. Was it an overreaction? From the outside, sure. But internally, Kallen was already feeling a tad uncomfortable by Shin's act, recognizing all the characteristics from others she's met in the previous timeline.

"Would you like a glass?" he asked, offering his other, untouched champagne.

"No thank you. I'm too young to be drinking." she refused, moving slightly closer to Zero.

Taking careful note of her actions, Shin glanced at the masked man for a mere moment, not knowing that their eyes would meet in the process, "Hm… as I thought, she seems to be entirely dependent on him like a dog." the man thought, his hold tightening around the glasses, "If I can somehow separate them… then I'll be one step closer to obtaining that Knightmare. All I need is a little push-"

Ironically, at that moment, Andrea's came crashing back-first into him, nudging him forward just enough toward the red head, who was pulled away by Zero, upon noticing the confrontation between Grandmasters. Though, she wouldn't get away unscathed as the champagne spilled onto her coat, creating two big splotches on her left side, "Ah, sorry about that, Shin." the blond apologized, "Whenever Gaudefroy runs out of things to say, he always turns to violence…" his voice then trailed off upon noticing the stain on Kallen's clothes, "M-My apologies." he frantically turned to her, pulling out a light purple handkerchief from his pocket, "This isn't how we usually act. If you'd like, I'd happily pay for your dry cleaning."

"It's alright." the red head said as she took the cloth and began trying the splotches with it, "Things happen. I get it."

"No. This is unacceptable." Michele's stern voice entered the conversation, as Luciano sneered in the background. "We were supposed to be showing our best, yet we failed that today. Please, accept my sincerest apologies." he then turned to Gaudefroy with a stern gaze, approaching to reprimand him.

"Like I said… it's not that big of a deal." Kallen assured, before letting out several soft coughs.

"Let's return to the Ikaruga, and get you cleaned up." Lelouch tugged his girlfriend's arm, to which she nodded in agreement.

"Ah, Zero. Will you be back to see the Duke?" the former Knight of Two asked, "I hope our actions haven't offended you."

"Not at all. I'll return to meet the Duke shortly. For now, I'll take Kallen back to the Ikaruga. It isn't proper to walk around with a stain." Lelouch said, reminding the red head of the time Rivalz spilled champagne on her back at Ashford.

Then, her eyes trailed downward, getting saddened by the memory, "I hope we get to see them again."

Seeing her downtrodden look, Zero tugged on her arm, whispering, "Come on. I'll make you something to eat when we get back."

The red head's frown quickly turned into a smile, nodding enthusiastically, "Okay."

While this interaction went unnoticed by most, who were busy talking to Naoto, or dealing with Luciano, Shin took careful note of the couple, "Interesting…" he thought before turning to join his mentor.

AN: Next chapter will focus on Wyvern Squad, alongside a bit of C's World.