Chapter 26: Onyx Hound, Crimson Queen

A sliver of the moon floated through the narrow gap of Ashford's academy's indoor pool's sunroof. Atop its highest diving board, C.C. stood, dressed in the school's swimming uniform, her hair let out. A cool breeze carried a faint scent of chlorine, tickling her nose, but she didn't mind it.

Looking up at the moon, she took in its white glow without saying a word. Then, after seemingly gathering courage, she performed a perfect dive into the water. Off to the side, Lelouch sat in his school uniform sans jacket and his computer on his lap.

C.C. had been eager to try the school's swimming pool after hearing Shirley's recommendation. Lelouch, however, had reservations about letting her go with Shirley that afternoon. Not because he distrusted Shirley—but because he preferred to keep C.C. hidden from the other students. It would take little for them to realize she wasn't a student, the costume party a few days ago being an exception. Beyond that, rumors would swirl—everyone would assume he finally had a girlfriend, and Lelouch wasn't keen on that added scrutiny.

The label itself felt off, somehow ill-fitting. C.C. sensed his unease but kept her disappointment private; she didn't fully understand why she was upset.

Fortunately, it was late enough that the building was deserted. Matilda and Beren could join C.C. in the water without anyone crowding them or cooing over how cute they looked. At the same time, Pedro lounged at Lelouch's side as he reviewed Black Knights applications, a task he revisited at least twice each week.

Most applicants were familiar suspects: educated Japanese who, before the occupation, had held far-left or far-right views but hadn't yet radicalized into joining established terror networks. Their resumes boasted solid skills—assuming they'd been honest, which Lelouch planned to use fully. One name, though, drew his attention: Diethard Ried, a Britannian graduate of Imperial Britannia Central University’s Law Department, now employed by Hi-TV. Strange—his background differed markedly from the usual Britannian applicants.

“A spy, perhaps? Too confident. No, Cornelia wouldn’t deploy someone so conspicuous. An extremist hiding in plain sight?” He mused. Such positions required a ‘safe’ background and loyalty. Was Ried always subversive, or had his proximity to the regime’s corruption turned him?

“Isn’t it wonderful how our numbers keep growing?” C.C. remarked from the pool, two small dogs trailing close.

“It was simpler than I expected,” Lelouch replied, marking Ried’s file for further review. “I despise the Britannians and all they represent, but I refuse to stoop to their terrorism—or condone it. That’s the prevailing sentiment among the Japanese.”

"So the Japanese largely support the Black Knights since we're seen as separate from other terrorist groups," C.C. ventured.

Lelouch scratched Pedro's head, eliciting a happy whine. "That does make operations easier—fewer people report us. However, with Britannia's brutality, many fear reprisals. I'm almost grateful for Clovis and Cornelia's heavy hand; people dread getting dragged in."

C.C. floated on her back, eyes on the ceiling. "But that secrecy brings advantages—Kyoto's noticed and promised to send knightmares," Lelouch noted. Likely just another batch of Glasgows alongside the Guren Mk II. Still, beggars can't be choosers.

“All because of your ‘knights of justice’ image?” C.C. chuckled.

“People can’t resist supporting chivalry,” he replied, frowning. “What better symbol than knights?”

C.C. laughed softly. “True knights wouldn’t cynically exploit that image.”

He shrugged. “Perhaps, but if the facade works, why not use it? Too many see evil yet refuse to act, shunning violence even when inaction compounds suffering.” His tone turned bitter. He’d seen it at school and in settlements. Expose a tyrant, and voices rise—then fade once life resumes.

C.C. climbed from the pool, water dripping off her. “It’s human nature. Most focus on immediate goals, not the bigger picture. Why risk everything for war? It’s terrifying.”

She understood his frustration but viewed humanity differently. Expecting the worst makes the rare good moments taste sweeter.

Lelouch met her gaze. “I need everyone—Black Knights and supporters—to accept this is war, nasty though it is. Only by enduring its horrors can we secure any victory. Otherwise, we remain shackled to Britannia—my father’s dogs.”

C.C. raised an eyebrow as she toweled off. “So you’ll rally them under your banner for liberty? I once knew someone like that. He spoke of freedom, too—but without so much deception. It didn’t end well.”

Lelouch’s eyes hardened. “This time, it must.”

“What an arrogant thing to say.” C.C. laughed at his statement, turning her attention to Matilda as she came out of the water, shaking it off her body. Lelouch returned to the computer, not conceding the point, but his words still stood. They…he had to win, else what hope did his sister have? What sort of future would the world have? If he had to lie, he would. If he had to kill, he would. He refused to stop, not till he succeeded or he was dead, and he'll make damn sure to drag as many sinners with him to hell if the latter was his fate.

Line Break

The following morning, Diethard was busy in his much less affluent office when he got two unexpected guests: the former interim Viceroy and his right-hand woman, who seemed surprised that they were led here instead of further up the building to where the important people worked. "Yes, I was demoted from my position the very same way you were." Jeremiah's gaze narrowed at the slight, but he kept silent.

He let Villetta do the talking. "We have no intention of letting the situation end this way, and we have the sneaking suspicion you don't either."

Diethard played dumb. "Hmm, well, who can say?"

"Diethard, we came here asking for a favor. Could you try and take things seriously?" Jeremiah asked him, as while the media man was difficult to deal with before, he seemed extra annoying this time around.

Diethard put down his pen and focused on them. If they wanted serious, they'd get it. “And what would that be? As you can see, I don’t have nearly as much influence as I used to.” He gestured to the mid-rank office he was given and the fact he was barred from fieldwork for the time being so he couldn't interfere with broadcasts and allow, as his superior told him, 'subversive and unpatriotic messages' from spreading over official channels.

"We're working on a case, and we have reason to believe that a male student from Ashford Private Academy could be related to it," Villetta replied, keeping things vague. While useful, neither she nor Jeremiah trusted this man as far as they could throw him. However, they knew he was smart, so she had to play a careful game of giving him just enough bait that he would be satisfied.

“Oh, anything else?” Diethard leaned forward.

Jeremiah scoffed. "Don't get your hopes up. The Viceroy doesn't trust us with anything important enough to be newsworthy. We came to you because we don't have the resources to chase such a minor case with Viceroy Cornelia focusing on reforming the government. We would do so ourselves, but we're shipping out to Narita for training drills."

As Diethard moved to type Ashford into his browser, he looked back at them and mused, "Narita? Isn't that where the Japan Liberation Front's headquarters is rumored to be located?"

"You may be a bit too clever for your own good. Besides, those are rumors, nothing more." Jeremiah, in not so many words, warned him not to get nosy, but on the other hand, it could help keep him from suspecting anything more about their real case. Hopefully, he just assumed it was corrupt or criminal as they didn't need or want his 'help' in tracking Zero's network of sympathizers and agents.

Diethard, in turn, gave them a disarming smile. "Yes, well, every rumor has a sliver of truth, or so they say."

Line Break

As night fell over the settlement, down by the docks, the Black Knights were making their move. But on this night, there was no attack or drug bust. Instead, the warehouse they came to was one that their new backer in Kyoto had instructed them to, with the promise that they'd get some equipment that had been moved there.

When the lights turned on, they weren't disappointed. Inside, they found at least a dozen Burai, the Japanese modification of the Glasgow model. Despite being modeled after an outdated frame, their new recruits were excitedly awed by them, many talking about how this made the long application process worth it.

However, when it came to the core members who formed the commanders of this growing resistance movement, they only had eyes on the show's star.

“Those guys from Kyoto, they believe in us.” Sugiyama smiled as he looked over the sleek, menacing, yet beautiful unit, painted in red and dark orange.

“A completely made Japanese knightmare.” Minami was just as excited as the Burai, who were all good. Still, they could never match a Sutherland, and even the materials used to produce them were inferior to those of Glasgow. Their Sutherlands were their best weapons, but they had to be careful as they lacked resources for proper maintenance.

But this? This was something completely different, as no expense had seemingly been spared with its development and production. Each piece made for the Guren was a cutting-edge prototype, from its unique land spinners, which were stored in the legs, not to the sides, to its right hand, which was its prime weapon.

“The Guren Mk II.” Kallen looked on in awe at the unit.

"Did you check out the manual? The thing is going to be a beast on the battlefield." Inoue called out, as something like this was worth 20-no 50 Burai in battle, and if it could move and fight half as well as promised, it’ll live up to that rating.

“I am loving this. The big shots at Kyoto recognize us; we got their approval.” Tamaki was getting a little tired of the Robin Hood stuff, though it had grown on him knowing he was doing a ton of good; with something like this, Zero's gotta be plotting to use it on some Brits.

“Tamaki-san! Could you show me how to use this equipment over here?” One of the recruits called out, standing over a crate filled with fresh firearms.

“Oh, sure, give me a second!” Tamaki had a quirk of turning to rush over to help, and he denied that it had something to do with the fact that the recruit asking was a cute girl.

"Newbies, what are you going to do?" Inoue chuckled as she and the rest went over to help Tamaki in case he screwed up or familiarised themselves with their equipment. Inoue knew she would need to see everything and mark it so she could keep tabs on it.

Kallen was the only one who stood, keeping her attention on the Guren. She hoped that with this, they won't need to worry about that white unit ruining things again. From the shadows, Zero's inhuman voice could be heard, causing her to jump in fright. Reaching for a pistol, she stopped herself.

“First Tamaki, now Inoue and the rest are treating this like a party.” Zero silently exited the shadows, which seemingly tried to latch onto him like water flowed off a man leaving the ocean.

Kallen sighed before shooting him a look. “Man, we gotta get a bell on you, Zero.”

She had no clue what his face looked like with the mask on, but she got the impression he was smirking. “If you think I'm silent, you haven't met true ghosts yet, and it might be best you never do." Well, it wasn't that ominous, but he turned his gaze to their new unit. Kyoto, they back numerous resistance groups, do they not?”

Kallen nodded, as this was good news for them. “Yeah, which means we've finally made it in. They know we're worthy.”

“Incorrect,” Zero moved to stand before the Guren. “This is a test, little more.”

"Well, so what? This is still incredible. They even sent something this power for us to use; that's got to mean something.” Kallen countered. How many groups out there got their hands on something like the Guren?

“You’re an optimist," Zero noted as he tossed something her way. Kallen was caught off guard, still caught it, and when she looked into her hand, she saw a small thumb-drive-like device encased in a wing-shaped shell.

“What’s this?” She asked.

“The activation key to the Guren Mk II, as of now, you’ll be its pilot.” She looked up in shock, thinking he would just hand that over.

“Mine?” He nodded.

“The best pilot should have the best machine, or am I wrong?”

She was flattered by that statement but couldn't accept it. “But shouldn’t you take it? We can’t afford to use you and the Guren’s capabilities-”

“Would be wasted on me.” Zero softly yet decisively cut her off. “I am important, Kallen. That comes with being the leader, but why doesn't Cornelia pilot the best machine? Why wasn't she the pilot of the Lancelot?” He asked her, to which she paused to think. Cornelia wasn't like most commanders and had proven she could fight in a knightmare, often leading the charge so...

Zero nodded as he saw her thinking. “Because such tools should be assigned to those who can make the most out of them. As a 7th-generation machine, the Lancelot, like the Guren, needs an exceptionally skilled pilot to bring out its most potential. My simulator scores aren't bad, but I've seen yours, Kallen. We all have them, and they make the rest of us look like amateurs.”

There, she couldn't stop her face from going red as she recalled the training they had gone through. She had a perfect score in their simulator, running on Sutherland settings. Zero hadn't done too bad himself, getting the second highest, but when the second best was 78%, she had soundly bested them.

Zero had even put in another program, one for Lancelot, though he hadn't told them. Despite how much harder it was, she still came out with a final score of 90%, while he barely scraped by with 54%.

“That is why I designed my knightmare the way I did, to suit my strengths as a commander who needs to move around, keep track of things, and keep me out of danger; it was designed to excel in ranged combat.” Zero explained that he had plans to produce a better model as soon as possible.

Kallen still looked unsure, not that she could counter his logical argument. So he went with something else as he approached and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “More than that, you have a reason to fight…a reason to survive and make it home. That is just another reason why the Guren shall be your weapon.”

Kallen thought about her mother, and in that instant, her hesitation vanished as she closed her hand tightly around the key to her unit. “I won’t let you down!”

“I doubt you will.” He gave her his confidence, but then the rest of his words caught up with her.

“Wait, you said Lancelot just now. Is that the name of that white unit from Shinjuku?” Kallen asked, as this was the first she heard its name, or was this just what Lelouch coined it over 'white knightmare'?

“And from the hotel incident, yes. I acquired its data some time ago and had time to review it all. Provided we pass this test, I'll send that information to Kyoto to develop our variants or create effective countermeasures.” Zero casually stated, making Kallen more dumbfounded that he somehow managed that.

“Who would you…?”

Zero chuckled, recalling the break-in; that was too crude as that implied they had to break anything. No, he and C.C. had walked in and out, leaving no trace of their presence. “You'll be surprised how skilled I can be in infiltration.” He would have already sent Kyoto the info, but as they didn't trust them, he didn't anyway.

“You are something else, you know that?” Kallen shook her head, wondering if he enjoyed surprising them. “Why didn’t you say this before?”

“Because it wasn't necessary. However, I've reviewed both units' specs, and I say they're comparable in almost every regard except one: Versatility,” Zero explained. He had poured over his stolen data multiple times now and was both impressed and concerned about it, especially as the Lancelot was a prototype, which would lead to the next generation of Britannian units being that much deadlier.

“Along with the Lancelot, weapons for it were developed, in the form of swords, a rifle, and what seemed to be an additional piece of hardware which would grant self-sustained flight.” Kallen increasingly looked worried to hear all that, but flight? How the hell was she supposed to fight that?

Zero also shared those concerns, but with the data, they weren’t as helpless as she might assume. “The Guren was designed for close-quarters combat and should have the edge in speed. I've already compiled the data here. I want you to study it so you're ready for it when, not if, but when we encounter the Lancelot. Understood?” He handed her another thumb drive.

“But why just me? Wouldn’t the others benefit from knowing this?” Kallen asked, even as she pocketed the thing and made a mental note to look it over.

Zero shook his head. "No, the unit and pilot performance difference would make it a moot point. Also, limiting the number of people in the know decreases the chances for the Britannians to realize something is wrong.”

“Zero, you got a second?” Both turned as Ohgi came over, holding a report.

“We got some intel here from a Britannian that wants to join up with us," Beneath the mask, Lelouch, in mild surprise as Ohgi handed him the details for the two to peruse, with Lelouch seeing that it came from his suspicious applicant, Mr. Ried. "I say it's just a trap, but even if we wanted to confirm the information, it's too risky to contact him and do so. Still, news like this isn't something we can ignore, so what should we do?”

All good points, but this seemed too suspicious to be a trap. No, it made perfect sense that she would seek to wipe them out. "Ohgi, have the other commanders prep. This weekend, we'll engage in a pitched battle against Cornelia.”

Both Kallen and Ohgi looked at him like he was insane. “What, are you sure? We've grown a lot, but we just don't have the manpower…” Ohgi looked around, seeing many of the people he knew and cared for, but also fresh recruits.

“And neither did the old Japan. We can’t think like that, Ohgi. Not when our enemy is an empire that spans one-third of the world.” Zero reminded them, as they can’t use conventional thinking for this war.

“Still…”

“You are worried that we’re not ready and will be crushed. That is understandable." Ohgi certainly didn’t feel any warmth when Zero looked his way, his featureless mask unnerving. "But the fact of the matter is, if we do nothing, Cornelia will wipe out the JLF, which will not only be a massive blow to the morale of the Japanese people, but it will also mean that the Viceroy can focus on us.”

Kallen crossed her arms. “So, for our self-interest, we must fight to keep them around?”

“Selfish, selfless, call it what you will.” Zero retorted. “Remember, Ohgi. We can't and won't remain just another resistance group. We already plan to wage war on Britannia. If we can't work up the nerve to face them now, when?" Zero's gaze pierced into Ohgi as he asked that, the man looking away as this was all things he knew that he had agreed with. Still, there was a difference between agreeing with a statement and now needing to prep for battle against Britannia's best field commander, who would no doubt out-number and out-gun them.

Ohgi was still on the fence, so Kallen threw her weight behind Zero. “I'm with you; we got those Sutherlands, Kyoto's support, and the Guren. They won't know what'll hit 'em." She pointed towards the Guren when she mentioned it. And now that she had the Lancelot's secrets, she'll be prepared to leave it scarp if that thing shows up.

Ohgi sighed but relented. "All right, but how will we do this?”

“Give me 2 days, and I'll have a plan of action drawn up for us." Ohgi shook his head, turning to leave and muttering that that only gave them a day to finalize things. Watching him walk off, Kallen turned to Zero.

“You could stand to open up to them, you know.” She stated.

“I did that by telling him my plans in advance." Kallen groaned at that retort as she felt he legitimately thought that was enough.

“It’s a hell of a low bar.” She remarked.

“A reasonable one. Ohgi's fears are tempered by the fact he's a leader and experienced fighter. The same can't be said for our recruits, who would get cold feet unless they're tricked into standing by the ideals they're to uphold." Zero told them, as he recalled C.C.'s words, but also knew that it could be done, that he could make proper warriors out of them, and that all he had to do was create the conditions.

“That's sinister; you do realize that, right?" Kallen told him, as she could already tell this would ruffle some feathers, to put it mildly, so he'd need to deliver something big like their rescue of Suzaku to justify it.

“If it gets the job done, I'll happily use such underhanded and sinister means.” Zero retorted, Kallen seeing that he wouldn’t be so easily swayed, at least not now.

“We'll work on that, but before that, can we talk? In private?" Kallen's question got him to look her way. With how she was looking at his mask, he suspected he knew what this was about, and so he nodded.

Line Break

Not too long later, with the warehouse having been emptied of their supplies, including their knightmares, Zero and Kallen remained. Having moved to the manager’s office to talk. The rest, having been curious why they were staying but seeing how Kallen lived in the settlement, and Zero was a ghost, believed them when they said it was just about the Guren and that they'd find their way out.

With the door closed behind them and the blinds drawn, with a hiss of air, Zero removed his helmet and placed it on the table. "So, what do you want to talk about?" Lelouch asked.

Kallen looked hesitant and confused but also hopeful. "It's about my mother. You said you could help her, and I've been thinking about it. What did you mean by it? Did you mean you could as Lelouch Lamperouge or as Zero? Do you know some kind of specialist that can help her kick her habit, or some favor with the police to reduce her senten-"

Lelouch raised his hand, stopping her rambling. “Take a breath, Kallen. You don’t need to say it all at once.” He stated, lowering his hand when she complied. "First, I should apologize for not being clearer on your birthday. Truthfully, I had to ensure I knew what was going on with this, as any mistake could only make things worse."

"As for what that help will be, it'll be better if you see it yourself. We'll visit her tomorrow morning; we can skip the first period for it." Kallen glared at him, as she wasn't a fan of all these surprises…but on the other hand, it wasn't as if they had all been bad. Her surprise birthday ball had been some of the most fun she'd had in a while; it was there where Lelouch hit her with his little 'announcement'.

Line Break

After she had been bullied into it, Kallen went onto the stage and gave a cobbled-together thank-you speech to the council and students for attending. Lucky for her, no one cared for the quality of the speech, so she didn't need to worry about getting teased later. At least, not in the way she would have thought, as when it came time for dancing, she was given the first dance with the belle of the ball herself, Luciebelle.

She was so embarrassed by it, made worse as they were given the floor for their solo dance despite it being time for everyone to dance. Of course, she had been to dancing lessons, both before and reluctantly, after the invasion. Still, she had already been taught with her being the girl in mind for obvious reasons. So, she struggled to follow through with the song being played. In contrast, Luciebelle seemed to flow about like water in a stream, her dance bringing attention to her…his movements.

Having nearly fumbled yet another step, which her partner covered for, Luciebelle leaned closer to her ear, which only made her redder. "You seem stressed. Relax, this is meant to be your night to have some fun, and after all the work Milly forced us through, I would be most upset if you couldn't do that." Lelouch spoke in his normal voice, Kallen still wondering how he could so easily change how it sounded.

Kallen grunted in a fashion that was quite unladylike. Still, at least for tonight, she could pass it off as being in character. "Easy for you to say.”

“It's not as if I'm not unaffected, as I'm in a dress and wearing 3-inch heels." Kallen noticed that already, as he was already the tallest person on the council, just barely beating out Suzaku, but with heels, he had to be at least 6 feet taller. She made this dance feel much weirder as she leaned into him.

“You’re far too comfortable in a dress for this to be your first time.” Kallen tried fishing, seeing if she could get under his skin.

In turn, Lelouch only laughed. "Of course, it's not. Do you honestly think Nunnally didn't like playing dress-up growing up? I was often her doll for whatever new dress or tutu that came to mind.” He remarked with fondness instead of exasperation or annoyance, but Kallen understood that by this point, he just cared for his sister, and to him, that probably wasn't something to be ashamed of.

But why was he so against it now, she wondered? Well, she could ask him that later. For now, she just tried to follow his lead and enjoyed their dance. Lelouch proved to be a good dance partner, as despite her accidentally stepping on his toes a few times, he hardly flinched or seemed all that annoyed by it.

When their dance came to an end, she parted with him and danced with someone from the Botany Club while Lelouch gave his next dance to his girlfriend before Shirley mustered up the courage to ask for one as well. Kallen danced with a few more people. First, Richard from Botany left, and then she danced with Rivalz, whose eyes remained on Milly the entire time.

She would have been offended if she didn't catch his obvious crush on the president. After him, Nina was at least a more active and attentive partner; this time, Kallen needed to guide her through as she was eager but had no clue and seemingly 2 left feet, but Nina was happy when they ended. After which, she danced with each of the irregulars, though Alice vanished as soon as it was over and returned to Nunnally's side, much to the younger Lamperouge's chagrin, as she wanted her friend to try and get to know the others and have fun like her sisters.

Eventually, while others continued to enjoy dancing around the bonfire, Kallen watched from afar, having already eaten a slice of care and had a drink or 2, having been assured that no one spiked them, so she and everyone else didn't need to worry about getting wasted and making bigger fools of themselves then already.

“Considering how that champagne incident went, it seemed like bad taste to have alcohol.” Milly had told her when asked about that.

Kallen was taking a break from things when one of the boys from the rugby team approached, dressed like a sexy teacher of all things. Kallen raised an eyebrow at his attire and how he seemed to manage with heels. Was that just something Ashford boys just knew? “Pardon me, Kallen, but I have a request from Luciebelle. She'd like to speak with you."

Kicking off the wall, she shrugged. “Lead the way.” The ruby player did just that, taking her to the side where they had set up some tables. One of whom had been moved further from the rest, with Lelouch really milking his crossdressing for all it was worth.

Several people who had arrived dressed like the help around her, seated like a relaxed woman of high class, Luciebelle’s dogs at his side while his crows, wearing pink and blue bows respectively, perch on 2 bird stands brought outside. At the moment, she entertained a conversation with the irregulars sans Alice.

“Oh, Sir Stadtfeld. Thank you for coming. I had something I wished to discuss with you.” Kallen rolled her eyes at how Lelouch was playing his role, though she couldn’t deny that he wasn’t good at it as he could fool someone with those acting chops.

Luciebelle smiled. “Please, please sit. Would you like a drink? Something to eat?” One of the butlers pulled a seat out for her while another held a tray with drinks on it.

"Thanks, but I'm good." Kallen waved off the drink but took the offered seat with a quick thanks.

“And now? Leave us, shoo, shoo!” Luciebelle waved towards the others, who, a little flustered, did as asked. She relaxed and returned to him only when they had vanished into the crowds. "I don't know how actors can hold that performance for as long as they do." Once more, he returned to his regular voice.

“You’re the one who indulges in it, Lelouch. No one else is trying that hard." Sancia replied, to which

"Oh, they are; they just suck at it. Like really bad, but it's kinda funny, you know?" Dalque chuckled as even before the apparent queen of drag made himself known, some had a little too hard time getting into character, but after? Well, he had set the bar real high, and so many were trying to match it to, in Dalque's opinion, hilarious results.

Lelouch lounged, somehow getting comfortable in a dress he needed 2 people's help getting into. “And that’s why I’m doing it. To show off what practice can get you.”

"Should I be worried that your practice sounds like a uppity bitch?" Kallen asked how he was acting…she was sure it couldn't just be an act but came from seeing such behavior closely. Was he a noble? He mentioned that bastard kids get tossed out on the regular. She knew he and Nunnally were wards to the Ashford, so did a close friend of the old principal decide he didn't want them, and Lord Ashford took them him?

She had a feeling that if she asked, she'd get nothing out of him or Nunnally, who, despite her friendlier exterior, was similarly cagey about such details. She would rather not upset his sister by pushing that and ending up in dog food.

"No more than you must already worry about me, Ms. Shinjuku." Lelouch joked as she grunted his way. He took a sip of his drink before giving her a more relaxed smile. “But in all seriousness, how are you enjoying things?”

"It's a party, I'll give it that," Kallen replied, looking out at Milly as she led a group in a terrible-sounding sing-along. "Milly certainly knows her stuff, but you had to know since she dumps all the important stuff on you."

Lelouch didn't fight that. "Correct; after the council meeting ended, she called and explained it. Part of why she wanted to do all this was to cheer you up." Kallen looked at him funny, to which he laughed. "Don't look at me like that. She's noticed you've been down since your mother's hospitalization."

Kallen would have been angry that he was saying that so openly, but the only ones present were the 3 girls who already knew more about her than just about everyone else here. So she could forgive him for being open on that front. Still, while she felt it was sweet that Milly would plan all this to make her happy, she recalled something else.

"And yet you seemingly fought her every step of the way," Kallen noted as Lelouch had acted like a stubborn old dog told to move and dug his heels in just about the entire way. When he wasn't, he looked as grumpy as she would suspect.

"Tell me, Kallen, why do you think Milly and I get along so well?" Lelouch asked, to which Kallen thought about it but couldn't find a real answer. In fact, she found it odd that he could keep such bubbly company like the council. He seemed like the type who valued peace and quiet when he wasn't running a growing resistance network or killing royals.

Lelouch had a glint in his eye as he answered. "It's because we're so different, and even those differences lead to fights and disagreements. We still care for each other and are somewhat co-dependent. I keep her more insane ideals in check and act like the hammer when her honey doesn't get things down. At the same time, she ensures everyone at Ashford feels welcome and is having a good time while keeping order even in the madhouse she creates."

Kallen and the other 3 knew that Lelouch was very much a war dog when he needed to be, which made it so odd that he would willingly let him and his menagerie be dolled up for a fancy party, but the part about Milly.

Well, they looked around and saw that the atmosphere was light, smooth, and fun. Laughter and smiles abound as even Milly's terrible chorus is performed by people who seem to be having an enjoyable time, with an audience cheering for more. Lucretia softly smiled when she could even make out Alice, for one, not with Nunnally, faintly smiling as she talked with some people as they played a card game.

Kallen also found that she…was having a great time. She wasn't stressed, she didn't feel worried, and the added bonus of being a crossdresser meant she didn't need to act nearly as feeble as she typically did. This made her wonder if Milly had planned that, but when she looked towards Lelouch, his smile told her he knew what she was thinking but wouldn't answer.

'Different, my ass. He and Milly both enjoy messing with people.' Kallen surmised, but unlike other times, she wasn't nearly as annoyed as she could be.

“She had that magic touch, doesn’t she?” Kallen quipped as Rivalz joined the band and sang louder and prouder than anyone else, though it sounded like a dying walrus.

Lelouch nodded. "That she does. From the moment we met, I've seen her capacity to rope you into just about anything. Yet, despite everything…make you forget all that troubles you. It's because of things like that the mask of Lamperouge can feel lighter."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Shame she's a senior. No offense, but I doubt you can match her energy." Kallen joked that, with his position, he'll automatically replace Milly when she graduates, though if he could bring some of that Zero charm to things, it might compete.

“Didn’t I just admit that?” Lelouch shook his head with a hearty laugh as the group fell into silence for a moment, just soaking in the atmosphere.

"I just wish I could have brought her here. I have a feeling she would have found this place wonderful, and she always did try and plan crazy birthdays for me and my brother." Kallen looked down, recalling those happier days.

"Well, we'll just have to fight for the day when we can have something even better than this and ensure she gets a hand-delivered invite," Lelouch stated with a casual confidence that she was coming to respect, and yeah-that sounded like another good thing to look forward to when all this fighting finally ended.

But there were more obstacles in their way than she had once thought. “If she recovers, and we handle that stupid sentence.”

Lelouch went silent for a moment as he thought about Kallen's predicament. Truth be told, he did have…something of a solution, though it wasn't one he could use so casually; looking at Kallen, even his morally dubious heart couldn’t help but feel something for her.

So, with full knowledge that C.C. was close and listening, he asked, "I never did get you a birthday present, did I, Kallen?" He drew her attention. Well, I might have the means to give you one hell of a present, which would be lending your mother a helping hand."

Her gaze grew protective. “Are you joking?”

Getting up and flattering his dress, he responded. "I would never joke about this, but now isn't the time to discuss it. I need to make some calls, check some things, and plan. But please, do enjoy your evening, Sir Stadtfeld.” He fell right back into character at the end, bidding Kallen adieu. The girl was so surprised by his statement that she didn't notice that Sancia and her sisters followed after Luciebelle.

Falling into the group, C.C. didn’t mince her words. “Was that wise?” She asked.

"Doubtful, but when it comes to family, one is allowed to be irrational occasionally, no?" Lelouch asked her, to which she didn’t immediately deny. "Her mother went through hell for her daughter, without a complaint, even though she had to resort to refrain; she never left because she refused to lose the one place where she could still see her daughter grow and perhaps have a role in protecting her. However, she could."

He sighed. "In the world I seek to create, such actions wouldn't be necessary…but in this current world, they should be rewarded."

Line Break

Kallen recalled that night as she came to the hospital bright and early with Lelouch at her side. Getting in was easy enough. Asking to see an Eleven's name got them surprised and slightly disgusted looks from the receptionist, but Lelouch, dropping that he knew the people who signed their pay cheques, kept any unwanted opinions from being said as they sighed in to see her mother.

Entering her room, they found Ms. Kōzuki awake and somewhat alert, reacting to seeing them after a few seconds. "Oh, Mis…Kallen," she corrected when she saw her daughter about to complain about her addressing her like that.

"Morning, Mom. How did you sleep?" Kallen sat next to her mother's bed, her hands reaching for her hand.

“Well, the doctors are doing a pretty good job, but I can’t be sure since I’m not a medical expert.” Ms. Kōzuki replied. "My legs are going better now. They think I'll be back on my feet in a few days, and I'm not as forgetful now."

"That's good…that's really good, I mean." Kallen's quick nod turned hesitant as, despite this not being her first visit, she struggled to find what to say to her mom, especially when it came to matters of memory of an unspoken side-effect of a drug that sent you back into pleasant memories was that it damaged the parts of the brain that stored and processed such memories.

"Who's your friend? He's wearing your school uniform…I think?" Ms. Kōzuki tried changing the subject.

"Oh, yes-yes! He is. Mom, this is Lelouch; he's the VP of the student council, the one I told you about." Kallen introduced him, to which Lelouch stepped forward.

"Oh, so he's the chronic gambler? Seems to me we both have bad habits." Kallen looked shocked by such a joke, but Lelouch could appreciate black comedy; if it helped people cope with how terrible their situations could be, why not have a laugh or two? He certainly did it more often than not.

"I've been cutting back on it as of late; a scare a while back had me coming home far later than I would have wished," Lelouch replied. "And it's a pleasure to meet you, formally meet you, I mean, Ms. Kōzuki.”

The older woman smiled a little mischievous sparkle in her eye. "Oh yeah, I know the feeling. Kallen has habitually returned from her extra activities at all manners of the night." "But I expected it, just like Naoto, she's a fighter, so resistance work will keep her busy."

“Y-you knew? For how long?” Kallen asked her, to which her mother gave her a bittersweet smile.

"Who do you think your brother talked to when he wanted to bring you in? I already knew he was in the fight, and he even started up his own little group." She paused because she didn't like thinking about what befell her baby boy. "I'm just happy I got to see you return each time."

Kallen gave her a strong hug, as she also recalled hearing about it—about why she would never see her brother again. Pulling back, she made sure to assure her mother, “I…I don’t want to leave you, not ever but…”

Ms. Kōzuki looked where her daughter was to the young man who had accompanied her. “Oh, I know he’s trustworthy. The nurses talk about him, you know. My stay here isn’t one they like, but they can’t mistreat or get rid of me when he’s got the hospital director in his pocket. Someone willing to do all this for me, I bet he would be sympathetic."

“To put it mildly,” Kallen muttered, and Lelouch chuckled. It seemed that when the refrain wasn't running its course, the older woman was as smart as her daughter.

Along with that intelligence came an appropriate curiosity. "But I do have a question: What did you do to get them to agree?"

Lelouch flashed a happy-looking smile, one that was as welcoming as a shark's. “Let’s just say Lady Grantham is a terrible chess player and would want stories about what she does at parties with younger men who never reach her husband's ears."

In response, Ms. Kōzuki laughed; oh, she was well aware of unfaithfulness among the nobility. Gods knew how many times she had watched Lady Stadtfeld bring home men and defile the marital bed she shared with her former husband. The only reason she wasn't already gone was that she was barren as a dessert, so Kallen's inheritance would remain unchallenged."

“Well, if they leave themselves open, why not exploit it.” Ms. Kōzuki as Lelouch’s smile only grew wider, much to Kallen’s fear.

“I think you and I will get along quite nicely, Ms. Kōzuki.” He noted as she scoffed.

"Oh, you're already covering my hospital bills and rehab; please, call me Yuri.” Ms. Kōzuki replied, which only made Kallen worry about what Lelouch could learn with his closeness to her mother.

Lelouch, having had his fun of messing with Kallen for the moment, brought things back into focus. “Before Kallen drags me out of here, I did come here for other business related to you.”

Pulling out a letter, he handed it to the woman, who opened and read it, finding that it was the charges against her. "I've pulled some strings and got your sentence reduced. It'll be 6 months house arrest." He explained that both women looked up in surprise, skipping to the bottom when clear as day, with an official seal, and they saw what the judge had decided on appeal.

“Oh, that’s good…I mean, that’s much better than I was expecting.” Yuri tried to take it for the good news it was, as she didn't know what strings he had to pull and what he had to do to make this happen, but it had to be pretty big as to have such a pull didn't come cheap.

Kallen glared at Lelouch like he was insane. “You can’t be expecting her to go back to that hell pit, Lelouch.”

He raised his eyebrow. "I never said that. Yes, Yuri's got house arrest, but by sheer chance, it will be served in the household of Lord Ashford, who lives on the school grounds." Ultimately, he couldn't hide the smile as both women realized what he meant.

“So…we’ll…we able to see each other more?” Kallen asked, close to tears, as…this was something she never would have imagined.

Lelouch nodded. “Milly already knows, and she and I can cover for you whenever you want to." Lelouch nodded, as unlike the charge, which required he geass the judge, Lord Ashford had been more than willing to help with it." As he finished, he was assaulted by a hug from Kallen, the girl nearly crushing him. "Oh…okay, ease a little, well you? Men need to breathe too, you know?"

“I don’t know how you do it,” Kallen pulled back, wiping away some tears as she went to her mother’s side.

"Well, that was the easy part; now comes the harder one." Lelouch turned and gave Kallen a look as serious as the grave. "Kallen, whatever happens, don't interrupt me; this will be delicate."

Before she or her mother could react, he activated his geass and looked Yuri in the eye. “Yuri Kōzuki, for the next 60 seconds, you will obey whatever I say and once the time period passes, any long-term orders will last as long as they are specified to, or till upcoming conditions relating to each order have been met.”

Line Break

When she came to, she felt like she had forgotten something. She recalled seeing her daughter, bringing along a friend, and talking up until seeing that she'd be spending her short house arrest as close to her daughter as possible. "Oh no, it happened again. I didn't miss anything important, did I?" Yuri looked at the two but found Kallen glaring at Lelouch. What happened?

Even with Kallen eyeing him like she was nearly jumping him, Lelouch played it off. "No, Kallen was just talking about all the things you, too, can do, but most of it was still unfeasible. Perhaps you can talk about it again, even write them down."

“Lelouch, we should get going if we don’t want to miss 2nd period.” Kallen's tone was tense with a hidden edge to it. Okay, now Yuri was sure she was missing something.

Kallen had already made her way to the door, leaving Lelouch to follow, but not before he said goodbye. “Well, that’s our call then. I wish you all the best, Yuri.” When the door closed, Kallen grabbed him, a purse knife to his side.

“What did you just do?” Kallen demanded as she had just…she didn't know what the hell she had just done, but that wasn't normal. One minute, her mother was normal; the next, it was like watching someone verbally program a damn computer!

"Before you stab me and possibly leave me to bleed out, let's head to the roof and talk, yes?" Lelouch advised, which got her to reluctantly release him as he led up to the roof. They didn’t speak throughout the walk, and when they got there, Kallen made sure the door was closed before she pointed to the very edge.

He didn't know whether it was because it was furthest from the door and would be eavesdropping or because she planned to toss him over the edge should she not like his answers.

"Now talk, what the fuck was that?" Kallen demanded, as she wouldn't accept half-truths, delays, or run around here.

Lucky for her and Lelouch's general health, he had no plans to make her wait. "That, Kallen…was my geass." With that said, he started to explain to her what he knew. From what his power was and how it worked to its side effects of short-term memory loss at varying times. When asked, he admitted he had already used it on her to ask some questions about how Clovis and Claude, who went by C.C., were involved.

By the end of it, Kallen both wanted to punch him and thank him for keeping that out of Britannia's hands. "So you haven't used it on the others?" Kallen asked, having calmed after hearing all that.

“No, I intend to bring people to my side by their free will. An army of slaves…that terrifies me.” Lelouch shivered at the notion.

“But you’ll happily trick them to fight?” Kallen reminded him of their upcoming Narita operation.

“I merely force them to reach their full potential. They chose to side with Zero and the Black Knights, knowing what we stand for and what we intend to do. If anything, I will ensure they can't let fear cloud their better judgment."

"Let's hope that better judgment doesn't end with you shot full of bullets," Kallen told him, and he laughed.

"It's an occupational risk, I'm afraid." She joined in on that bit of humor but got more serious.

“Why?” She asked him. “Why tell me?”

Lelouch looked out over the settlement, silent momentarily before he replied. "Because I'm a prideful man. But I don't want to be an arrogant one. I need people to keep me in check, to keep whatever humanity I have left from burning out. C.C. already knows, and she's immune to my geass, so I couldn’t just make her go along with whatever madness that takes me.”

Looking towards her, he saw that she was uncertain about this. "You're the same Q-1. You, my strongest soldier, have a good reason to fight and don't let hate or blind lust for revenge or carnage control you. So, as your friend and commander, I give you this order."

“Should I ever lose my way, if you or C.C. can’t pull me from that darkness and prevent me from becoming anything close to Clovis or Cornelia, I want you to stop him, terminate me-!” Kallen socked him in the face, knocking onto his back.

Lelouch grunted on impact, as he hadn't seen that coming, only for Kallen to climb atop him, grab his collar, and hold a fist up, ready to pummel him.

“Idiot!” She yelled at him, her eyes burning with anger but also…disgust? “As if I could…” Oh…oh yes, he forgot people didn't like being asked to kill friends, nor did she understand that he would rather die as he was than live as a monster.

Kallen, however, did know that. But she just refused to entertain his pessimism. “My mother puts her faith in you. Milly and the rest of the council see you as their friend. Sancia, Dalque, Alice, and Lucretia see you as their savior. You are Nunnally's big fucking brother! I'm not about to rob them of you." She near choked at the end, which only made Lelouch feel like worse crap. He must have been a real fool to not realize she would see herself in Nunnally's shoes on top of all this.

Dropping him, she got up and wiped her tears away. "If you ever get close to that abyss, just remember that even you have more reason to fight than revenge, and if you can't, then I'll beat that lesson into you, understand?" She glared at him, her gaze promising that she wouldn’t take anything but yes as an answer, so he nodded.

“Crystal.”

"Good, let's leave here before we are late for the second period!" Kallen grunted as she turned to march off, leaving him to pick himself up.

‘Kallen,’ Reaching for his jaw, he could feel that it still hurt. Still, despite most likely needing to ice it, he didn't care as if anything; he chuckled at the outcome, which wasn't what he expected, but one that he was more than happy with. 'Seems I was right to make you my Q-1, for you are the strongest in all the ways that count.' Not keeping her waiting, he quickly jogged after her before she came back.

Line Break

I've got some good news, both with this and concerning a WIP that I've been working on! I've got enough material planned for at least 25 chapters, which seems enough for now. Hopefully, it'll get traction when it's uploaded, so I can continue giving it love and affection. Now, as for this chapter, I admit that some stuff came from the last chapter, which ran a little long, so I cut it for time and had to reintegrate it into this one.