August 25th, 2018. Yokosuka Port, sunset.
As a warship sailed into dock beneath the scarlet evening sky, a man in a white-and-gold uniform enjoyed reclining in a beach chair on the top deck.
"I'd always heard Area 11 was supposed to be a beautiful place," he idly remarked. "If nothing else, I'm sure this lovely red sun is doing it a favor."
In the man's right hand, a half-empty glass of deep red wine.
In his left hand, a knife he found amusing to play with in spite of the rocking seas.
"Your Lordship! We'll be prepared to disembark within moments!"
Reddish-orange hair swaying lightly in the wind, the man looked over his shoulder at the subordinate who had addressed him – a pretty little thing wearing just the uniform he'd picked out for her, showing exactly as much mouth-watering flesh as average public decency laws would permit.
Of course, he couldn't see her slim legs on account of the majestic cape she was carrying in the arm that wasn't needed to salute, but that would change soon enough.
What was the girl's name again...?
Ah, whatever. He'd remember it when he needed to. Unless a fight broke out, she didn't merit much more attention than a sexy lamp.
"Excellent," he replied without getting up or allowing her to stand down. A moment later, he smiled. "And might I offer my congratulations for remembering to bring my cape. It just wouldn't do to meet with these frontier dullards in anything less than the full augustness of my earned regalia… your predecessor seemed not to realize these sorts of things, you know."
The subordinate swallowed, and it was only by a herculean show of discipline that she didn't break into a sweat.
A discipline he'd made certain to thoroughly and vigorously instill in the girl himself, of course. A certified genius like himself had to uphold certain responsibilities...
"Your praise is more honor than I could ever deserve, Your Lordship!"
Downing the rest of his wine in one go, the man stood up and lightly tossed his knife into the air - before catching it between his fingers by the blade. Over and over again he repeated the action as he approached her, before leaning in to sniff at her neck.
The delicious scent of terror...
Showing the girl his back so that she could affix his cape in its proper place, he let out the sigh of a man experiencing the very best version of his life. "I just adore working with people who keep their values in mind."
As the ship's boarding ramp set into place, the man spared one last moment for self-inspection before tossing his empty glass aside and letting it shatter on the deck behind him.
Enough waiting; let's have at these pathetic little upstarts!
"Now presenting His Imperial Lordship and King's Executioner the Knight of Ten, Sir Luciano Bradley!"
Knight of Ten. As far as titles went, it just didn't have quite the same ring to it as Genius, or better yet Vampire... but it had proved convenient time and again, so he didn't complain.
Much.
Descending the ramp with a quartet of Valkyries on either side, Bradley enjoyed making use of his altitude to look down on all the walking blood bags on the ground beneath him. Though his above-average height allowed for a diminished form of the effect even at street level, it just wasn't the same.
There to greet him were, of course, the pretty little Viceroy and her cadre of traitors-in-waiting. Princesses Merrybell and Cornelia, their Knights, a handful of lesser but presumably locally important military officials… but as Bradley started to look for the Eleven in their midst upon reaching the dock, something struck him.
"Begging pardon, Your Highness," he said with a smile, "but you have the most beautiful eyes I've seen in quite some time."
It was even true. With a little bit of work, they'd make perfect ornaments to put in his parlor back home.
The little girl playing at politics blushed, seemingly less from the compliment itself and more a significant surprise at hearing it from him. "Er… thank you very much, Sir Bradley."
"I know I carry a certain reputation," Bradley continued with a weary sigh, "but I'm sure you can imagine how people just love to sensationalize those they don't know for the sake of a story. Rest assured that I'm not out here to sow unneeded chaos or cause distress; it's just part of my responsibility as a Round to account for what people value most. Someone of your regal position can understand that, I hope?"
Euphemia nodded, every bit like the gullible sheep he'd pegged her as. "Yes, I believe so. I'm certain that you and your crew must be weary from your long voyage; palatial accommodations have been made for as much rest as may be required, additionally, we've made preparations for a small wargame tomorrow to assuage any concerns the homeland may have regarding our combat readiness."
Impressively on the ball, Bradley noted, letting his gaze dip below the Viceroy's waist as she turned away to lead his entourage to a capital-bound transport.
As fine in the back as she is in the front… how fortunate that people only need eyes for so many things in life.
"I apologize for being so nosy," he lied as he, a blonde Valkyrie, the Viceroy, Merrybell, and her Knight piled into a nondescript van at the center of a motorcade, "but wasn't there an Honorary fellow of some import in your group? I confess he's a subject of no small curiosity back home-"
"My deepest apologies for not having been able to greet your noble personage at the dock," a young man replied from the driver's seat. "But I was restrained under medical examination with regards to an unexpected combat situation earlier this afternoon."
Bradley blinked, and found Suzaku Kururugi staring at him through a windowed barricade with eyes just as striking as the Viceroy's.
Not because they were particularly beautiful, but because of the sheer and unfiltered hatred shining out from them like a prison spotlight.
So sudden and unexpected was the experience that Bradley himself had to smile to keep from swallowing. "That's a pretty intense look there, kiddo. Upset that your enemy got away? Or just afraid of needles?"
Knives were close enough to needles. They'd stick into the Eleven's flesh just the same, at least, and the results were much more appealing to look at anyway.
"There's no need to worry with a Round around," Bradley said with a grin even as the women around him all visibly had to suppress groans at the pun. "From what I've heard we're all heroes here, so let's be friends, okay?"
"Of course, Your Lordship. I'm sure our bond of camaraderie will be lifelong and legendary."
This backwater Eleven can't begin to imagine the irony of his words…! It's so hard not to laugh!
"Glad to hear it."
Whatever the little bastard thinks he knows, I'll gut him like a fish before he has a chance to gather evidence – no, Bradley, breathe! The odds of some rando Eleven having any kind of inside information that could threaten a Genius like myself are so small as to be insignificant… and even if he did, I'm a Knight of the Round! A Hero of the Empire! It's not just anyone's word against mine; indeed, my word has the weight of Bismarck Waldstein behind it! I'm sure that hatred in his eyes is nothing more than a reflection of his wounded pride at being a whipped dog begging for Britannia's scraps… doubly so given all the half-brained women in charge around here.
"In any case, Viceroy," a much calmer Bradley said as he turned his attention back to Princess Euphemia, "your… military preparedness isn't the primary concern of my visit here – this unfortunate Zero business notwithstanding; you are aware that we can't allow the existence of someone potentially Closer to Eden as an enemy, I hope?"
The car they were in continued driving just as smoothly as before, but Euphemia was sitting at the one and only angle that would allow her to see Suzaku's jaw tighten at the subject. She herself frowned, wondering if Bradley might have brought it up in part to antagonize him, but understood that it couldn't be ignored. "General li Britannia's… experiment at Saitama Ghetto earlier in the week strongly suggests that Zero can be baited into appearing in circumstances where the civilian population are put at risk, all but confirming that he's our enemy. However, any further such military activity on our part will only galvanize the Elevens against us and drive them toward joining resistance groups."
Locking eyes with the man whom her sister had identified as a Genius of Homicide just before his ship came into dock, Euphemia added, "I recognize and appreciate that the Homeland has a vested interest in seeing Zero eliminated as a threat as soon as possible. However, in light of the volatile situation here, I've decided that our best move is to play a longer game and force Zero into being the antagonist. With repeated acts of benevolence and a little luck, the civilians will turn against Zero as recklessly endangering their well-being for little gain; additionally, playing for time like this will allow A.S.E.E.C. to better engineer special weapons and tactics for disposing of Zero when he eventually does resurface. I've already spoken with the Prime Minister at length on these matters, and have obtained his support in this course of action."
Bradley leaned back in his seat, admitting to himself that at least the chicks running Area 11 had fine taste in comfortable upholstery. "It's reassuring that your inexperience hasn't stopped you from planning a response," he praised. "Lackluster though it may be."
Sitting next to Euphemia and across from Bradley, Merrybell's mouth set in a thin line. "I presume a man of your station would have enough matters of import as to preclude coming all this way across the Pacific simply to discuss one mere terrorist."
Hmph. This one could make a fine Valkyrie if not for using that mouth with such impudence.
Crossing his arms over his chest, Bradley put on a serious face for the Viceroy and her next in line. "Indeed; the court in Pendragon's been in a real tizzy ever since that address you made over a week ago. You know, the one where you called His Majesty's guiding principles into question and incited the entire Area to rise up against them?"
"Why is it that of all species on Earth, humanity has emerged as the dominant one? It's not merely that they struggled and competed against each other to develop their talents! No, our ancestors had the wisdom to band together and pool their talents! Not blindly conforming with each other to erase whatever differences may lead to conflict, but playing their different strengths in concert with each other!"
"THE ULTIMATE PATH OF NATURAL EVOLUTION IS FOUNDED NOT ON DISCRIMINATION, BUT ON COMBINATION!"
Euphemia leaned back in her seat, arms crossed over her chest. "With utmost respect for your concerns and your noble intentions, Sir Bradley, you are mistaken. I expressed disappointment in my late brother Clovis for his shallow-minded discriminatory policies, and laid out a few of the policies by which I intend to set myself apart with blessings from the Prime Minister. If my words have been misconstrued as disputing His Majesty's assertion that Britannia and its people are superior to all others of the world by virtue of its rapid and ever-progressing evolution, then let me assure you that such could not be further from the truth."
She smiled, then. "Unless you think His Majesty so indecisive, so inept, that he'd fail to answer a challenge as blatant as you accuse me of even after ten days."
Merrybell adjusted herself in her seat next to the Viceroy, coincidentally causing her sheathed sword to scrape against the door.
Suppressing the urge to pull out his butterfly knives and sink them into the vexatious girls before him, Bradley exhaled through his nose and gave the pair a solemn nod. "...that's a compelling argument," he admitted. "All the same, I think the fact that there's room for confusion is enough to merit my people making a few inquiries around your people. Just to help old Bismarck sleep at night, you understand."
"Of course," Euphemia said with a nod. "I wouldn't dare begrudge the Knight of One his peaceful rest."
Even if I can't come up with a good enough excuse to put these bitches in their place where they belong… come Hell or high water, I'll at least make an example out of this pink prat's pet Eleven!
Before anyone could attempt to continue the facade of polite conversation, the limousine rolled to a stop, and a moment later, the door next to Euphemia was opened for her. "We've arrived, Your Highnesses. Your Lordship."
Euphemia beamed as Suzaku helped her out of the car, and Bradley knew in an instant that he'd been right in guessing that punishing the Number would replace the smile on her with the despair that belonged there instead.
Merrybell retrieved her sword and was next to exit, before Bradley himself followed at last. While Suzaku's hand was still extended from assisting the ladies, the Genius took hold and gave it a firm shake. "It's not often I see your sort in such auspicious company," he noted with a friendly grin. "I'd like the chance to see what you're made of before I move on from here."
When Bradley attempted to tighten his grip, he was surprised and alarmed by just how sharply Suzaku's grip tightened in response. "Then tomorrow's wargame should be quite a show for you, Sir," came the polite reply.
With that, the pair parted ways as Palace Security took over escorting Bradley and the Princesses to their rooms while Suzaku was released to his own devices for the night.
A while later, we strolled up to Ashford University. It's almost hard to believe that we haven't been here a week, when it feels like it was just yesterday…
A split-second flash of rage flits across our mind, and I sigh.
He stole an entire week from us...
"We're gonna get Zero back one of these days, buddy. Just be happy it wasn't nine years, and be patient… the longer it takes him to make another move, the more time we have to work our way down the list of other shit to deal with."
Suzaku gets himself back under control, and slips into the driver's seat as we enter ASEEC's illuminated office. As Cecile, Elle, and Viletta turn to look at us from various points in the room, he snaps to a smart salute. "Suzaku Kururugi, reporting for duty!"
"At ease," Cecile replies with a tired but warm smile. "And welcome home."
Glancing at the clock as he falls back to parade rest, Suzaku notes the late hour and frowns. "I'm sorry if any of you had to stay up on my account…"
Elle runs up and wraps him in a hug, which after an awkward moment, Suzaku returns. "Don't be silly! If we couldn't be there when you woke up in the hospital, then we at least wanted to be here to greet you when you got home."
Home.
It's a peculiar, unexpected word, and one that hits Suzaku like a brick upside the head each time he hears it.
"Indeed," Lloyd calls out from a hall, stepping into the office in a ridiculous nightgown and a fuzzy pair of slippers while holding a mug of what smells like hot chocolate. "At the very least, I need to run my prize Devicer through a brief inspection; to make certain our healthcare system wasn't too lazy in conducting your repairs…"
Elle breaks off her hug and steps back to let the head scientist poke and prod at us for a few minutes, before leaving again with a satisfied hum when we don't scream or convulse in agony.
Sitting in a chair at a desk covered in paperwork, Viletta rests her head on her hand with an exasperated sigh. "Not to intrude on the feel-good mood, but I promised I'd get you up to speed on what happened over the last week, didn't I? I can start whenever you're ready… but if you'd rather go to sleep first after the day you've had, I certainly wouldn't blame you."
"It's… a lot to take in," Suzaku slowly admitted. "From my perspective, I haven't even been gone a full day… but things are so different now, it would be clear that a lot's happened even if I didn't already know it had been a whole week…"
Elle takes a step back, and before she can get out of range I put a hand on her shoulder. "Before anything else, I wanna thank you. And also you, Cecile," I say while turning my attention towards her too. "For giving a damn. It… really means a lot to me."
A part of Suzaku panics at the next few words on my tongue, and comes within a hair of starting a fight with me over whether they're gonna get said or not – but with everything these ladies have done for us, even if I have to throw it in his face to remind him of it, they deserve to hear it.
Our mouth's dry. Lips probably a little cracked. Throat raw with the realization we've barely consumed anything all damn day because of being unceremoniously hurled from one set of bullshit to the next.
At least, those are the excuses I'm hiding behind if anyone calls me out for our voice cracking.
"…it's good to be home."
Elle's eyes widen as tears start to well up in them, before I stumble back at the redheaded missile throwing itself against our chest. "I was so worried about you!" she cries. "And I missed you so much…!"
Cecile comes our way at a much more sedate pace, before wrapping her arms around us just the same. "It's a relief to see you back safe. More than I hope you ever know," she adds with a kiss on our forehead.
I… don't know that I've ever been held like this, Suzaku admits in our head. Not before I came here, anyway...
If I ever was, it would've been as a small child when my dad's parents were still alive...
I don't know how long we end up staying like this, but the standing hugpile has to break up eventually. "And now that I've gotten that grossly unprofessional display of emotion out of my system," I quip into a tissue before turning to Viletta as Suzaku takes back over and asks, "what happened at Saitama?"
The brown woman sighs in exhaustion, face held in her hands. "General Cornelia ordered a military exercise in the ghetto as an attempt to draw out Zero by recreating the conditions at Shinjuku, even going so far as to announce the date and hour ahead of time as if inviting Zero to a duel. Given your comms records from Shinjuku, I assumed you'd want to prevent as many innocent Eleven casualties as possible, and mobilized Celestial Being to carry out an emergency evacuation of the populace while Cornelia's strike force engaged the Yamato Alliance."
For a moment, she looks up and smirks, though it only lasts for a few seconds. "The Viceroy seemed rather impressed that I'd already mobilized without her needing to ask, and as far as can be measured, we got more than ninety percent of the civilians out, but…"
"But given that you were a Purist just a few weeks ago," Suzaku asks, "it's hard to feel much accomplishment saving the lives of people you'd been so occupied insisting aren't? Your troops probably didn't get much gratitude either; just hostility and confusion, given that it was still Britannian soldiers you had to come in and protect them from…"
Viletta's eyes widen, and she leans back a bit in her office chair with what seems a lot like relief. "...I'm a little surprised that you seem to understand it so well."
Suzaku smiled at her. "I'm proud of you for stepping up like that. I need people willing to do the right thing and protect lives, while knowing that the people being protected will be too self-centered and ungrateful to thank them for it. If you're willing, I'm of a mind to keep you in charge of operations like that on a more permanent basis."
Viletta nods with an easy smile. "I'd be glad to, Captain Kururugi. Speaking of," she adds, "I arranged with the Viceroy to have you promoted a few days after what happened with Zero. We sold it to the public as partly being in recognition for our results at Babel Tower, and partly for the valor shown in pursuing Zero and forcing him to retreat before he might have been able to cause any further meyhem… but to be honest, Celestial Being wouldn't be taken seriously for long if its head remained a non-commissioned officer. I also secured us a few new pilots, so we won't be quite as reliant on commandeering force from other units. Their duty shift ended some hours ago and they should be asleep, so I'll recommend holding off until tomorrow to meet them. They'll be taking part in our wargame, as well. Further, I've put in request for a flood of additional transfers so that we can expand the organization-"
The brown woman almost jumped in her seat at the unexpected touch on her shoulder, and looked up to see Suzaku looking down at her with sympathy. "We can discuss that kind of stuff another time, when we're both not exhausted. After that, I'll ask Euphemia about restoring your Knighthood; if you've really been burning the candle at both ends, then I think you have to have earned at least that much."
Viletta almost wanted to cry. But rather than show that much weakness, she merely nodded. "We'll talk about it tomorrow, then."
As a pair of night-duty operators came in to relieve the group, Suzaku and the ladies left for the dormitory area and went their separate ways.
...or would have, if I hadn't tugged on the sleeve of Elle's uniform once Viletta was far enough out of conversation distance.
"What's wrong, Suzakkun?"
In our mind, Suzaku laughs at me behind the hand on his face for having just enough courage to stop and get Elle's attention but not remotely enough to look her in the eye or to be direct about it.
Even though the bastard admits he wouldn't have even tried the first part of that.
"Look, I know this is probably a huge imposition and I feel selfish for asking," I softly ask, "but… could it maybe be possible… like that night at the hotel..."
"Of course I don't mind staying with you for the night."
"Might I ask what this is about?"
...and of course it turns out I underestimated Cecile's hearing, though it probably counts as a dick move that I haven't talked with her about this beforehand.
Before I can try to stammer out any kind of explanation, Elle throws up her hands as if to ward off an evil spirit and beats me to the punch. "Look, you remember when I had to go track him down in the rain a while before the Babel Tower raid? I found him in pretty bad shape that looked self-inflicted, and took him to a nearby hotel to get him a shower and help him clean up. We ended up staying the night and sharing a bed, and I didn't realize until too late that it was a love hotel… and I accidentally walked in on him in the shower," she adds with a face almost as red as her hair, "but we didn't do anything more sexual together than just cuddling."
Cecile watched us with a thoughtful hum and her arms crossed, before eventually giving a slow nod. "As long as it's not going to be anything more serious than that," she seems to decide mid-sentence, "then I'd like to join in, if the two of you aren't too opposed."
Elle makes a sour face at the suggestion, before stopping herself from answering with a deep breath. Rather than respond to Cecile, she instead turns to look back at me with a pout. Before I can even think to open my mouth, she steps in and gloms onto my right arm. "To be completely honest, I don't like the idea of sharing you with Cecile or Euphemia, or anyone else for that matter… but," she continues with a sigh, "it's a fact of life that you're in serious need of help, we're not allowed to get that for you, I'm not ready or able to take on the burden of helping you manage your psychological issues all by myself, and causing unnecessary friction between you and other people you care about for my own benefit isn't likely to help anything. So I'm willing to try an open relationship, on the condition that you make damned sure you don't take either of us for granted."
As Elle finishes talking, Cecile sidles up close to take my left arm in the same way. "I'm not quite as jealous as she is," she adds, "but the condition that Elle raises is sound enough that I'm going to second it. And while I personally don't mind as much if you take an interest in seeing other women, I think it's only appropriate that you introduce them to the rest of us so we can get a feel for them first."
"...yeah, I guess that's fair enough," Elle mutters with a grumpy nod.
On one side, an adorable redhead.
On the other, a gorgeous bluenette.
Both carrying their own histories of pain, both of them full of love and trying to help me… no, to help us more than we ever could have deserved.
Suzaku, you'd better-
Say no more. This is our responsibility. Together.
I close my eyes, and take a breath.
WE let it back out and open them again.
"...I don't think I'm in any way qualified to talk about love," we say. "But both of you – and Euphemia – mean a lot to me. It's not just that I want to keep you in my life; I want to be a positive impact in your lives too – even if that's not something I really know how to define or picture in my head yet. Even if I'm going to need to put some serious work in, and even if I'm probably going to need a lot of help becoming the kind of man worthy of your affections."
Elle scowls, and our stomach drops through the floor –
"If I ever get a name for the person who made you think being treated with decency is something you have to earn, I'm gonna punch them in the mouth. Even most Numbers aren't so battered as to think being treated less than human they deserve."
"I think you mean we will," Cecile adds with a frown.
– right before the butterflies send it flying back up into our throat.