A/N: Special thanks to Icysnowsage and Greatkingrat88 for their help, especially for the latter's help in the beta work on this chapter. And thank you to everyone who had reviewed, followed and favorited the story.
Now this ended up being a short chapter, because I will say among the issues I had with some of the early chapters of this story the problem I ran into was trying to learn what was around, like books and etc. And of course what characters did when they were young beyond some bits regarding some characters and such. Everything else was a bit of guess work too, so I did my best with what I had. I was also worried about dragging things out for too long, and its something I am being mindful of.
So without further delay, let us proceed.
Anonymous Review replies will be at the bottom.
Chapter 3
His first new friend
Five days had passed since Lelouch and Nunnally had come to Watatsumi Island. While Dainsleif was out dealing with the local Hilichurls, Siegfried was teaching Lelouch to better read and write in the Teyvatian language. When Dainsleif was available, they would spend the day roaming the islands. Just getting around the terrain was itself a workout, adding more to Lelouch's strength, endurance. Coupled with continued sparring, he inched ever closer to the goal of being able to fend for himself, without the two men having to watch over him. On top of his physical training, he was now also being instructed in how to master Electro. It was a trying time, the whole regimen intensely challenging, but this was his life now.
For now he had to learn how to use Electro offensively, such as unleashing lightning bolts at targets.
Dainsleif had prepared some crudely made wooden dummies, perhaps made from the Hilichurl camps he had wiped out, given how the targets all had Hilichurl tribal masks.
"Again," Dainsleif commanded, as an exhausted Lelouch stumbled, nearly dropping to his knees.
Struggling to stay upright, he channeled the energy once more. Sparks surged in Lelouch's hands. Come on, you have to do this! Lelouch envisioned the target as his father, the Britannian Emperor. He wouldn't be destroying a target, he'd be lashing out at his hated father, the man who had abandoned them. With a roar of rage he unleashed a bolt of lightning from his fingertips, but it veered away from its intended target, shattering a tree branch off a nearby tree.
"You are at least making progress, but your accuracy clearly needs work," Dainsleif said as the tree branch fell to the ground.
"Well, learning to shoot lightning from my hands isn't something I ever expected to do," Lelouch said, his knees finally giving out as he sank down to the ground, sweaty and tired.
The warrior shrugged. "Life is strange in that sense. This might be a bigger surprise than you expected, but you must adjust to it. You have your goals. Will you not take every advantage you can?"
Lelouch couldn't argue with that logic. Yes, these skills would be vital to survival, and the future past it. The dangers of Teyvat aside, he had to be ready for the possibility of his uncle's agents coming for him or Nunnally, even if C.C. was their target. And one day, he still wanted to bring his father to justice, to pay him back for his crimes.
I'll take advantage of whatever I can use because one day, I'll raise an army to destroy Britannia. I will create a better world for Nunnally, Lelouch thought, forcing his body to move. Even so, he was too exhausted.
"I suppose we can call it a day," said Dainsleif. "Come, there is something I want you to see," he beckoned Lelouch to follow him. As exhausted as he was, he managed to get to his feet, hobbling after his mentor on unsteady legs.
Lelouch followed him to a shoreline, where Lelouch was intrigued to see some stone structures. In fact, he had seen the remains of similar stone buildings on the nameless island he and Nunnally had stayed on for three months. But unlike the ruins he had seen, these seemed roughly intact around the base. The structure, once large and imposing, had still largely crumbled away from the ravages of time and the elements.
"The locals call this place the Suigetsu Pool, hidden in these old ruins. It is said an influential man from Inazuma hid a palace here," Dainsleif, leading Lelouch towards a water-filled pool in the heart of the stone platform surrounding it.
"We're not here for old legends, are we?"
"No, but I thought this place would be good to show you something," Dainsleif said, motioning for Lelouch to follow. "Behold some of the war machines made by our people."
Leading Lelouch to an upper section of the ruins, Lelouch saw what he could describe as a four-legged mechanical spider patrolling the beach. Its armored body was covered in brown metal plates, and it had a single glowing eye.
"That is called a Teyvat Ruin Defender, one of many surviving war machines from Khaenri'ah. It was forged for war by my ancestral homeland."
"And they are still functioning, after all this time?"
"Yes. They were made with a near inexhaustible power supply. As long as they are not too critically damaged, they can continue to function for hundreds of years," Dainsleif said.
Lelouch was intrigued. If I could get the resources to reverse engineer such technology, that could give me an edge against Britannia, he thought.
"I'll demonstrate how potentially dangerous they could be. You will witness what they can do firsthand. Watch closely," Dainsleif said, before jumping down from the structure, headed for the creature.
Lelouch obeyed, watching the warrior intently. He had an idea of what Dainsleif was capable of, and this was a chance to see him in action. Dainsleif boldly approached the the machine. It was strange; in an instant it went from slowly and methodically patrolling the beach, moving gracefully, to suddenly tensing up, springing into action, rushing toward the knight.
Dark power gathered in one of Dainsleif's hands, his other summoning his sword from an unseen pocket dimension. The Defender stopped, digging its forward legs into the ground, the construct deploying some kind of energy-based shield from its legs. Dainsleif balled a fist, and darkness quickly gathered around it. He thrust his palm out, a stream of darkness lashing out, striking the machine to disrupt its movements. He leapt over the Ruin Defender to get behind it. His first attack impacted the shield, but as the construct reeled back, Dainsleif was already behind it, carving into the Ruin Defender's backside, quickly disabling it. The Defender went inert, going still and silent. It had all been over in a few seconds…
"You hardly made it look like a threat," Lelouch called out from his observation point.
"Knowing how these machines operate is key to knowing how to beat them quickly. Having come from a nation who built them, I know the best way to dispatch them," Dainsleif explained. The Ruin Defender lay in a broken heap before him. "Something I intend to teach you, should you decide to explore any old ruins where machines such as these can be found."
Hearing a sound Dainsleif saw a few more Ruin Defenders coming his way, likely drawn to him by a combination of his first clash with the first Ruin Defender and Lelouch's voice alerting them.
"It seems you are about to get more of a demonstration," Dainsleif said as he readied his sword.
Dainsleif raised a hand, blasting them from afar with the same bolt of darkness, three missiles streaking out and forcing the Ruin Defenders to stop to shield themselves from the attack. The warrior ran to engage the Ruin Defenders head on, more than capable of handling them; his confidence was obvious. Lelouch managed to climb down from where he had been watching to better observe the battle, but as he neared the beach something caught his eye in the water.
Is that a girl?
He couldn't tell for sure, but he saw long hair dragging in the water. Someone looking to be his age was down in the water, swimming. Lelouch was about to look back to Dainsleif as a giant humanoid machine, akin to the Ruin Defenders had joined the battle, when he saw the child dive under the water.
He wanted to look back to Dainsleif's battle against the ancient machine, but Lelouch grew concerned, as the child never came back up. Soon after Dainsleif finished the ancient machines and rejoined Lelouch, who noticed he was looking at the water with growing concern and alarm.
"What's wrong, Lelouch?"
Without wasting time Lelouch dove into the water, Dainsleif watching in shock. He was ready to use his magic to pull Lelouch from the water, but wanted to see what compelled him to do something so unexpected.
The water was cold, and Lelouch almost immediately regretted jumping in with his clothes on. Regardless he pushed on, forcing himself deeper under the surface despite the drag of his wet clothes. But he was still tired, reaching his limits, and only a few feet down he felt his limbs begin to fail him, even as he approached the spot where the child had sunk. As Lelouch lost strength, he could see the girl who had dived seemingly relaxing underwater. She noticed Lelouch, flailing as he was, and swam up to carry him back up to the surface as Lelouch's limbs gave out.
Dainsleif watched from the shore as the girl surfaced before pulling an exhausted Lelouch back to shore. He coughed out a mouthful of water, taking in long, deep breaths. He blinked and looked up to see a girl's face looking down on him. She had long light salmon pink hair with light blue at the tips of her hair, and light indigo eyes with no pupils. She was dressed in a simple white shirt and shorts, dressed for a swim.
"You know, I could have used my magic to pull the girl from the water if she was in danger, rather than you attempting an ill-fated rescue," Dainsleif said, scolding the young man.
"I apologize, I didn't notice anyone was watching," the girl said, feeling slightly embarrassed to have caused such a scene to happen, even unknowingly.
"Not at all. The boy is the only one to blame here. His intentions were noble, but his execution and lack of stamina should've made him consider an alternative approach at least," Dainsleif said.
"I… I… I… thought… you… were… drowning," Lelouch managed between breaths.
"Oh, that," The girl said with a nervous titter. "Diving is my favorite pastime, and I can stay underwater for a very long time. I do apologize if I worried you. Most people are surprised by how long I can stay underwater."
"Quite impressive, Miss…" Dainsleif said.
"My apologies. I am Sangonomiya Kokomi."
"The heiress, next in line to become the new Divine Priestess? I've heard of you. It is an honor to meet you. I am Dainsleif, knight and protector."
"Yes I heard of you too, Sir Dainsleif. My mother mentioned you once, and you look exactly as she described," Kokomi said as Lelouch gradually recovered before setting up. "Thank you for helping our island in your visits."
"Of course. The Sangonomiya Shrine, your mother included, has been helpful in my efforts to deal with the Abyss Order. They always have valuable information for me."
"Ugh," Lelouch groaned, struggling to get on his feet.
"I think he'll need to dry off," Dainsleif said before walking away to collect sticks. "If you don't mind Lady Kokomi, could you give me a hand?"
"It's no problem at all," Kokomi said, helping the exhausted Lelouch to his feet.
A short while later, Lelouch and Kokomi were sitting around a fire Dain had made. Lelouch was leaning against some broken stone blocks just outside the ruins of Suigetsu Pool, Kokomi sat next to him, warming herself by the flames to dry off while her white and blue kimono robes laid nearby. Dainsleif was sitting on a large stone block tending to the fire.
"Lean from this and take it to heart," Dainsleif said, adding more sticks to the fire to keep it going. "Know your limits, boy. You have made great progress so far, but you are far from ready to go gallivanting around doing heroics. You do not use the skills you've gained recklessly. Jumping into the water when you were near exhausted- what were you thinking?"
"I just felt I had little time," Lelouch muttered, too proud to admit fault directly. He knew he'd been too rash, but to say it out loud…
"Think before you act, in the future." Dainsleif chided him.
"I thought she was in danger! Aren't- aren't I supposed to help people if they need it? Isn't that what you would do?"
"You had the right idea," Dainsleif acknowledged with a nod, "but you need to be wiser. I would have done much the same, but not if I thought it might get me killed."
"He is a good boy, even so," the girl interjected. "I am Kokomi. Your name is Lelouch, right?" Grateful for the rescue, Lelouch nodded encouragingly.
"It is, and you are the daughter of the current head priestess?"
"Yes. In a sense, that makes me the next leader of Watatsumi Island," Kokomi said, with a saddened expression.
"It's not something you want?"
"Sorry, that just came out," Kokomi sighed. "But my family has served as the Divine Priestess for generations. Once my mother passes on I'll become the next Divine Priestess. I'll be responsible for everyone on Watatsumi Island. It's… a considerable burden."
"And you can't say no to it," Lelouch said. He couldn't hide his dislike for the idea, that your role in life would be chosen simply by the family you are in.
"Unfortunately, no, I can't deny the blood in my veins. But I do not want to abandon or disappoint my friends and family either."
"If you could be something else, what would you want to be then?"
She paused for a second, seeming to think. Then, with an embarrassed smile, she said,
"Well, it's a little unseemly to say, but I would want to be… a military advisor,"
The young prince blinked in surprise. That would not have been his first guess for a lithe young girl raised to be a priestess.
"A military advisor?" Kokomi nodded.
"Yes. I've always taken an interest in reading books on ancient battles and tactics. It's just so compelling to read how these tactics were devised and executed. I've wanted to try something similar myself, although it's not like I want a war to happen."
"But at least a part of you would like an opportunity to test and use whatever strategies you could've created," Lelouch deduced.
"Yes… it's terrible, isn't it? I have this fascination, but I can't test it out without a lot of people being hurt. It's not something I want anyone to go through," Kokomi said, sounding slightly ashamed.
"There are other ways to practice your talent without a war. I don't know what kind of strategy games you have on Watatsumi Island, but I know games like chess."
"Chess… I heard Liyue has such a game," Kokomi said. Lelouch was intrigued.
Interesting, but is it the same game I am familiar with? He could only hope the game was identical to the one from Earth.
"I don't know if we have one at the temple we could play, though…" Kokomi said, putting a hand on her chin in contemplation.
"I would be interested in a game if you do," Lelouch said. This outing had turned more interesting than expected…
Once Kokomi and Lelouch had dried off the group returned to the village, Kokomi having put back on the kimono she had removed to go swimming. Upon returning they were quickly greeted by a trio of women. Two of them wore blue and white kimonos, but the third woman stood out with a more elaborate and elegant style of dress. The kimono was blue like the others, but it had a light blue pattern decorating it, and she wore a hair clip fashioned after fish-fins holding some of her long hair into a ponytail.
Given the resemblance, Lelouch figured she was Kokomi's mother, the ruler of Watatsumi Island. They looked quite alike, the only significant difference between mother and daughter being their eye color; her mother had light green eyes.
"Kokomi, my darling!" her mother proclaimed, rushing to her daughter to embrace her.
"Mother, I-" Kokomi tried to say more, but was cut off as her worried mother hugged her.
"Why didn't you ask for an escort or someone to watch you?" The older woman demanded.
"Respectfully mother, I cannot enjoy diving if the guards assigned to me begin worrying I've stayed down for too long and drowned."
"But you are my daughter. I can't bear the idea of something happening to you too."
"I understand," Kokomi replied with a look of resignation, knowing she wasn't going to win the argument.
Where is her father? Does she have one? Lelouch thought.
Kokomi's mother sighed. "Perhaps next time I should go with you."
"That would be wonderful, mother," Kokomi replied, looking relieved. It seemed she wouldn't be scolded too badly after all.
"I have you to thank you for escorting my daughter safely home, Sir Dainsleif," Kokomi's mother said.
"Not at all. She rescued my foolish charge from drowning when he mistakenly believed she was drowning. Quite ironic, really."
Kokomi's mother could only laugh, "Yes, I suppose it is fortunate my Kokomi is a talented swimmer. Forgive me, where are my manners? My name is Kasumi, the Divine Priestess and Kokomi's mother. You must be Lelouch, correct?"
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Lelouch said politely.
"Likewise. Thank you for the concern you showed my daughter. I do wish we had met under different circumstances, though," she mused. "I had planned to meet you and your sister, to properly welcome you both, but alas my schedule has been quite busy."
"I understand. Being the divine priestess and leader of the people on this island must be a demanding job," Lelouch said, glad to be moving the conversation away from what happened earlier.
"I am glad you understand. That being said, I should be free the day after tomorrow evening, so why don't you, your sister, Mr. Dainsleif and his companion come to the shrine for dinner? We should have plenty of time to talk, and I am sure Kokomi would appreciate having children around her age to talk to."
"We will be there," Dainsleif replied.
"Very good. We can talk about another matter I will need your special skills for," Kasumi said. Dainsleif gave her a knowing nod, leaving Lelouch wondering what they meant.
The next day Lelouch was made to run six laps around the island, but this time he had to carry a bag full of rocks, weighing him down. Was punishment for his lack of swimming ability in his failed attempt to help Kokomi? It was close to noon when he finally finished, collapsing on the beach with the bag on his back.
"Don't you think you are being too hard on him?" Kokomi asked worriedly.
"Given the dangers in our world and the enemy he has, he'll need to be strong to survive it. How badly he failed to save you only proves he has a very long way to go before he is even capable of walking to another town without being attacked by monsters," Dainsleif replied.
Kokomi knelt down next to Lelouch, helping get the heavy sack off his back and then rolling Lelouch onto his back so he could breathe and rest more easily.
"Thank… you…" Lelouch managed in between breaths.
"Don't mention it," Kokomi said, sitting next to him. "Why are you being put through so much? Our world is dangerous, sure, but you aren't going to change overnight."
"I have enemies. Dangerous enemies that would take my life in a heartbeat, should they find me," Lelouch managed as his breathing became more steady. "My sister and I barely survived one attempt on our lives."
"One attempt?"
"We were saved. I doubt we could've escaped them indefinitely, and I have no doubt they would try again," Lelouch said, not wanting to think about what might have happened if not for the intervention of Siegfried and the others. Even thinking about what might have happened, about what dangers they would have had to endure even if they had somehow survived trying to survive in a conquered Japan, sent a shiver down his back. Even the Ashford Family seemed less safe of an option with all of that in mind.
"I don't know how you could've lived like that," Kokomi said, placing her hand on Lelouch's shoulder to comfort him.
"No, I doubt I would've been able to live like that. It's an existence I would have hated. Even more, I would have hated being powerless to stop it. What would be the point of living then? I may as well be dead or just a zombie. No. This life is hard, but the alternative is worse."
"I am sorry there isn't more I could offer you beyond my words," Kokomi said, looking sad.
"It's fine. None of this is your fault. If nothing else, I appreciate having someone more understanding to talk to compared to some of the people in Japan."
"I take it that living in exile in Japan was difficult?"
"Yes. While we didn't starve, we were forced to live in a shack made by the Prime Minister's son. My sister and I were disliked by the Japanese. It was hard to blame them since not only were relations between Britannia and Japan were deteriorating, but it was clear Britannia was eyeing Japan's abundant Sakuradite Mines."
"Sakuradite?"
"It's a valuable mineral, a key resource in the development of technology," Lelouch explained. "It's used in the creation machines and devices that power things from weapons, ships to cities. Even in its raw form it is a powerful explosive. While there were mines in other parts of the world, Japan's deposits were so abundant they provided most of the world with Sakuradite. It made the country rich with trade, but also a lucrative prize for the world's great powers."
"Who were they? I take it there's more than just this 'Britannia' nation."
Lelouch nodded, "That's right. The other two superpowers, the Chinese Federation and United Republic of Europa each wanted control of those mines. However, all three knew that if one tried to seize the mines the other two would quickly get involved under the pretense of protecting Japan, to fight over the resources."
"That sounds like a stalemate. But that didn't happen?"
"No," Lelouch shook his head. "Britannia simply invaded with an absolutely overwhelming force, seizing Japan in a single month. Japan surrendered, becoming a new colony of the Empire. It was over before China or Europe had time to react. I think the Japanese were painfully aware that the involvement of the other superpowers would've seen them taken over by the victor, and the resulting devastation from the three-way war between them there be nothing left of Japan as a nation," Lelouch explained.
"Why were they so hostile to Britannia then?"
"Well," Lelouch said, finding the strength to sit up. "Britannia is a ruthless dictatorship that imposes a harsh, unequal rule upon the territories they conquer, humiliating and subjugating them. Japan is- was- a very proud nation too. Why wouldn't they be hostile?"
"Britannia sounds terrible," Kokomi sighed, shaking her head.
"You have no idea," Lelouch said darkly.
"Could they overthrow Britannian rule?" Kokomi inquired.
"Unless they change and develop new tactics with the creation of their own Knightmare Frames, I doubt it. Even if they did succeed, they would have to worry about being taken over again by Britannia, or the Chinese pouncing on them."
"It doesn't seem like they had any choice."
"I suppose so, yes. They were in a similar position to me, come to think of it."
Later that night Siegfried was walking alone, following a drift trial into the mountains, toward some ruins. Unlike most ruins around these parts, these were fairly recent, much of it the result of a fierce battle. He cautiously entered the ruins, not certain how stable the remains were. Finding a wooden table in the middle with three chairs, Siegfried stood by the table looking around. The minutes passed and Siegfried grew tense, until a cold chill was in the air.
"It's been ages, my old friend."
Making his presence known, a man of imposing stature entered the ruins. The ground froze over where he walked, his black boots polished as pristine as his black uniform. The winter coat he wore flowed with the chilly wind his arrival brought, his hands covered by claw-like gauntlets. His long black hair fell down his shoulder, his head hidden by an ornate black helmet.
"It has. I was surprised to learn of your new position with the name you have using Captain, but…" Siegfried said, guilt written upon his face. "I should've stayed to defend our homeland."
"Nonsense. You were tasked by the king to protect his daughter and our people who evacuated to the other world. You fulfilled your duty to the letter. Staying was the right choice."
"I know, but I still wish things had ended differently."
"As do I, but we both know there was no stopping what happened," Il Capitano said, offering a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"I know. I suppose we must make do with what lies before us."
"Indeed," a third voice said, joining the gathering.
A black cloak and a hood obscured his face, but as he approached he pulled the hood back to reveal himself. The new arrival had tanned skin, long white hair and small beard, and a black mask covering the right side of his face, a purple four-star pupil in his right eye.
"I am glad to hear the expedition her highness led succeeded, with at least some of our people escaping the destruction of our homeland and the divine wrath that followed," the new arrival said with a smile.
"Lord Pierro- or should I call you Jester?" Siegfried said, recognizing the man.
From a minor court mage of Khaenri'ah to the founder and director of the Fatui, Siegfried thought. Pierro had been among the few voices who tried to halt events that led to the Khaenri'ah catastrophe.
"No need for titles here, my friend. Imagine my surprise when you managed to contact me through the Captain. Learning of a world with no gods where humanity has been allowed to flourish outside of their influence was very intriguing. And our people built a new empire in that world thanks to you. A praiseworthy accomplishment."
Siegfried's expression darkened. "I made the mistake of no longer involving myself after Britannia flourished. Now it's eating itself alive, and it may do far worse than what happened five hundred years ago,"
"Then enlighten us. What can we do for you?" Pierro said, curious.
The following day, Lelouch was dragged out of bed at the crack of dawn. Today he was set to learn how to swim better than the pitiful display he showed when he tried to rescue Kokomi. The girl in question was with Lelouch, trying to help him as they swam together. Kokomi was easily outpacing him, the exiled prince struggling to keep up even when Kokomi slowed down to allow him to catch up. His doggy paddling display was embarrassing, made even worse by Nunnally being there at the shore. Even if she couldn't see what was happening, her presence was unknowingly wounding his pride. No matter how much Lelouch tried, he seemed unable to do more than flail around weakly until Kokomi helped him back to shore.
"Huff… huff," Lelouch's lungs were on fire as he looked up at the sky while lying in the sand.
"Are you alright, Lelouch?" Nunnally asked, sitting on a rock near the water with Dainsleif behind her.
"He'll be fine," Dain replied. Kokomi looked at him with a doubtful expression. "He just needs rest."
"Okay," Nunnally replied, worried because she could hear Lelouch's labored breathing.
"How about we let your brother rest while I ask one of the shrine maidens to take you for some dango?" Dainsleif offered. Lelouch had at least put effort in; he deserved a short rest.
"Sure," Nunnally replied, before Dainsleif wheeled her away leaving Kokomi to look after Lelouch.
It took several minutes, but Lelouch recovered enough to regain his composure before getting up to sit up right. Kokomi sat beside him.
"Did you never learn to swim?"
"Just for recreation, but nothing beyond that," Lelouch answered.
"Really?" Kokomi said, tilting her head to one side. "All the children I've seen learn swimming early on, learn it for the sake of being safe should they go with their families on a boat, but never for recreational purposes only."
"In my world… well, in my culture at least, we'd swim for the joy of it alone," Lelouch explained. I guess it's no surprise it's different for her, since this nation is made up of a chain of four islands, he thought. Out here, swimming was very much a practical need.
"But you are familiar with military tactics, are you not?"
"I am."
"Then maybe we could…"
"Huh!?"
Lelouch wondered what caused Kokomi's words to trail off, but noticing her expression and the direction she was looking in, Lelouch looked in that direction. His eyes went wide at what he saw: a lone humanoid creature with dark blue grey skin, tribal clothing like a loincloth and a wooden mask over their face.
What is that? Some kind of goblin? Lelouch thought, realizing he and Kokomi were alone against the Hilichurl.
Armed with a club, the Hilichurl began rushing towards them with hostile intent. Dainsleif wasn't around, the monster would reach them within seconds. Panic and desperation welled up within Lelouch, followed by the memory of his mother lying dead holding a traumatized Nunnally flashing in his mind.
"NO!"
Lelouch extended his right arm, and there was a surge of power and a flash of lightning. Without realizing it, he had channeled power instinctively. The Hilichurl twitched as if to dash to the side, but it was too late. The blast struck it in the chest, sending it flying.
"Lelouch, did you do that!?" Kokomi asked, stunned by what she just saw.
"I…" Lelouch began, equally shocked and confused by what he had just done.
But he didn't have a chance to explain as more Hilichurls were coming into view in the distance, having heard the commotion. Lelouch stared them down, but his arm felt numb as he tried to pull at the power he had just summoned, to no avail. But before he could panic, Dainsleif rushed forward, putting himself in between them and the charging Hilichurls. Tendrils of raw, dark power emerged from his hands, and the limbs grabbed them by the neck, the beasts dropping their weapons before grasping at their necks trying to free themselves from the invisible hand that had them. With a movement of his hand, Dainsleif hurled the Hilichurls high into the air and far out to sea.
"Are you two alright?"
"We're fine, but Lelouch passed out," Kokomi said worriedly, as Lelouch had collapsed.
"Let's take him back to the village," Dainsleif said, picking up Lelouch to carry him while Kokomi followed him.
Dainsleif stopped for a moment. Something was amiss- but only for a moment, then it vanished. He hurried towards the village. But minutes after leaving, a diminutive humanoid creature wearing a heavy set of blue robes with a dark blue feathered collar and a white mask holding a staff appeared from behind a tree overlooking the beach. The creature brought a free hand to its chin in quiet contemplation, before vanishing in a flash of magic.
A/N: Well Lelouch is making progress and Siegfried is once again making some questionable decisions, which I hope will drive Lelouch to become more independent and self-sufficient sooner if things pan out as I hope.
But what will come of such a bargain and what could happen in the future because of it? Such answers will come later.
However, Lelouch is already getting some ideas for his future plans against Britannia.
And Lelouch has made friends with Kokomi who will likely be Lelouch's first love interest.
The others so far and likely locked in unless things pan out differently than expected will be: Keqing, Kuki Shinobu (a maybe since given her personality and feelings towards anything that could tie her down), Kamisato Ayaka, and Furina de Fontaine.
Code Geass characters like Kallen, Milly, Kaguya Sumeragi, C.C. and Shirley are possible choices too, but it will depend on how Kallen, Kaguya, Milly and Shirley end up in Teyvat with Kallen likely the easier of the four.
Other Genshin Impact characters are also in consideration for Lelouch, there are just specific questions on politics, their feelings regarding polygamy and other details unique to them to work out. The "Maybes who could join/Alternatives" thus far: Naganohara Yoimiya, Yae Miko (a big maybe on her given her personality), Raiden Ei (a big maybe too), Mona Megistus (she has fewer things that could impede her romantic involvement with Lelouch), Navia Caspar, Clorinde (a big maybe), Arlecchino/Peruere (I am personally very skeptical of this one as I think Lynette could work better and maybe be easier to work with, but what do you guys think), Hu Tao, Yun Jin (she is a maybe due to her occupation), Eula Lawrence, Amber, Noelle, Lisa Minci (a big maybe on this one too), Nilou (she is a big maybe too for reasons I can't explain without spoilers), Candace (her duties to her home could be a big issue), Citlali, and Xilonen (I am very skeptical of this one too.)
If you don't see a character mention, they are out of the running for one reason or another during the great debate between me and Icysnowsage and his friends, all of them Genshin Impact players like me. Some I won't deny I am sad about, but their reasons on why they wouldn't work, I do acknowledge and agree with.
Of course you are welcomed to offer your own thoughts on it too. I am more than willing to reconsider some characters if I can be convinced they could work despite their problematic issues, but be aware there are a few characters I will NOT pair with Lelouch, some should be obvious why.
That is all for this chapter, next chapter Kokomi will begin bonding as friends while preperation for Lelouch to move to Narukami City with chapter five the siblings will stay with the Kamisato Family for a time until everything in Fontaine is ready for them.
Thank you all for reading and thanks in advance for any feedback, the next chapter is undergoing beta work and will be posted once its done.
Anonymous Review replies:
Alan wake: No he'll get his canon Geass, since that will be the most useful for him.
Samurai seven: Maybe, but who knows if he could get something else.
Samurai Seven: True, but they won't be Lelouch's only trainers, and keep in mind don't expect events of CG to follow canon, especially at this point.
Alan wake: Maybe, but all that is a long way off.
Jay Jason Wu: Thank you.