Turn 03 : Family Talk

In the middle of the fight between Kouzuki Kallen and Li Xing Ke...

Kallen see a chance. She can win. Just when she about to closing in and use that opening, her knightmare frame's energy level dropped to zero. Xing Ke, not wasting any chance, catches and immobilize the Guren with Shen Hu's slash harken. Everyone in Ikaruga gasped in surprise, including Lelouch.

"No! Kallen!"

Nobody realized, even Xing Ke, that something moved in a blur towards Shen Hu and cut the slash harken that trapping the lifeless Guren. When everyone realized something happened, a knightmare frame with similiar color with Guren, albeit of slightly different design, is already supporting the powerless Guren and flying back slowly to Ikaruga, completely ignoring Shen Hu. Needless to say, Xing Ke is furious.

"You…Just what do you think you're doing!" he exclaimed angrily in open channel and approaching to deliver an attack.

The unidentified knightmare frame didn't even turn back. Instead, a blinding flash comes from its frame, blinding every sensor, including Shen Hu and Ikaruga. Even Avalon and Knights of Rounds knightmare frames which quite far from there is also affected quite a bit and have some of their sensor suffer from jamming. In the Avalon, Schneizel flinched slightly with this unexpected development. Blinded, Shen Hu forced to halt its advance, while the unidentified knightmare frame safely brought the Guren to the retreating Ikaruga's flight deck.

They landed on Ikaruga safely. Opening the hatch with the emergency power reserve, Kallen immediately coming down to see the person who bringing her out of the mess. She is quite surprised when she found a crimson schemed version of Zangetsu, despite sporting several different details in shoulder armor and shorter air glide wings as well as sleeker frame.

"Please do not being too reckless, Karen-sama...Zero-sama would be very unhappy if he lose his ace pilot..."

Kallen was surprised when she hear that. The hatch opened and the pilot climbed out. The pilot is none other that Shinnozaki Sayoko, not in a flight suit, but in rather casual looking attire with trousers and jacket. However, if looked a bit closer, the material had striking similarity with the flight suit Black Knight's used. Seeing Karen's surprise, Sayoko bowed to her.

"I am sure you have some questions to ask, Karen-sama. If you don't mind, I would like to explain myself to Zero-sama as well."

Kallen, seeing no other better alternatives, nod in approval. Then with Sayoko, they walked to the bridge.

After listening to Sayoko's explanation and some of her apologies, Lelouch, as Zero, stay silent for a few minutes. This situation is quite out of his plan, although not that very much troublesome. Nevertheless, he had to response to her act.

"Sayoko, I cannot say that I'm pleased due the fact that you are doing a rather reckless thing over there…" he calmly said. Sayoko lower her head apologetically. "However, your intervention was preventing us from losing our ace pilot. Should she fall to enemy's hand, our plans would be drastically hampered at this point, not to mention that it is definitely a great loss for all of us. Therefore, I thank you…"

Sayoko seems surprised, but Kallen could see from the corner of her eyes that Sayoko was smiled in relief. She couldn't blame her for that, since she saved her life after all. However, she noticed the rather odd expression in her face when Zero talked to her. It's almost like someone who is happy for being praised instead of being scolded.

"Therefore, as it should be, there would be no further consequences toward your action. However I would like you to inform us of such this development in the future to prevent possible…misunderstandings…Is that clear, Sayoko?" Zero asked her directly.

"Hai, Zero-sama..." she said and bowed deeply. "Please forgive me, this will not going to happen again."

"Well, as long as you understand...Although I also understand if you have a secret or two because of your job." said Zero. "It would be very unreasonable to divulging you for unnecessary details."

"Thank you for your consideration, Zero-sama…" Sayoko replied, bowed slightly.

"Good. And also… Diethard…" Zero called to the Chief of Intelligence.

"Yes, Zero" he replied, awaiting his order.

"I would like to borrow Sayoko to form a special task force under my command" Zero ordered. "Would you mind?"

"…No. Please do as you wish…" Diethard answer comes after a bit of consideration. "I will arrange for the adjustments…"

"Excellent" Zero seems satisfied. "Now, if there is nothing else, we shall retreat to Tiandi Bashiba Ling. If any of you still have further question, you may ask it to me personally. I will be in my quarter."

The conversation pretty much ended. Those who still had some questions but decided to watch and see, like General Todo, did not press any further. That being said, only a number of people who still had questions and have enough guts to confront it directly to Zero. Kallen is one of them.

"Zero, may we have a moment?" Kallen asked him after they leave the bridge. Her face is serious, and Lelouch knows he cannot stop her. Motioned her to enter his quarter, they entered his room.

Sayoko and CC has already waiting there. This, Kallen did not expected. What Lelouch did after that completely shocked her. Lelouch open his mask so casually in front of them.

"You…" said Kallen surprised. Lelouch only grinned to her instead.

"Yes Kallen, she knows…" Lelouch answered for her. "Sayoko is one of us, as she should be from the very beginning…"

"…Did you put Geass on her?" she asked again, little doubt in her voice.

Lelouch chuckles a bit before answered, which slightly irritating her, but she has already gotten used by it.

"Yes, I have. It's just like your case when I first obtaining this power…" he answered, smiling to Sayoko, which smiled back at him. "Therefore, her decision to follow Zero and everything happened after that is completely by her own free will…"

"It is true, Karen-sama… My loyalty to Zero is by my own free will…" said Sayoko. "Just as my loyalty toward Lelouch-sama is…"

"…You sure pick the most difficult master, Sayoko-san…" said Kallen, now accepted the bizarre development. She flump herself on the sofa right next to CC who is busy eating her pizza as usual. "I'm almost feeling sorry for you."

"Hai, it might actually be, Karen-sama…" Sayoko replied, holding back her stifled laughter.

Lelouch, on the other hand, rubbed his temple and sighed in mock defeat, then taking his own usual seat at the end of the table.

"Now what will you do Lelouch? We already have Tianzi…" said CC, who staying silent all the time. "How will you use her?"

"If my prediction were correct, which I know it is, her part will come after we arrived at Tiandi Bashiba Ling," said Lelouch, leaning on his own chair. "Where is she now?"

"Tianzi is currently with Kaguya-sama in her room" Sayoko answered. "It seems she is still…scared…"

"Hmph… it can't be helped… She's still a little girl who knows nothing of politics, after all…" Lelouch scoffed, then grinning. "Which is exactly why she will become very useful when the time comes."

"You are going to use her naivety?" Kallen throw a snide remark. "Hmph…that's pretty low, I'd say…"

"At first, yes… however…" Lelouch smiled. "I do admit that I had a change of vision of how should I use her."

"…For better…" CC asked, smiled lecherously. "…or worse?"

"For better, of course…" he replied, smiling proudly. "Zero is a savior after all, not a tyrant."

Both Kallen and CC smirked hearing that.

CC has already asleep, monopolizing his bed as usual, while Lelouch drink a cup of warm tea prepared by Sayoko. Its something that Lelouch felt very grateful that people who he knows since the day of his past life as ordinary (albeit not so ordinary) Lelouch Lamperouge is now still with him, alongside his trusted few.

"… I cannot say how grateful I am that you are here, Sayoko…" he suddenly said. "And here when I thought that I'm almost going insane and losing myself, I realized that I still have you on my side…"

"That is not necessary, Lelouch-sama. My duty is to serve the Lamperouge after all." said Sayoko, offering her generous smile. "Besides, it is indeed true that I believed in your ideal… to create a peaceful world for everyone…"

Lelouch smiled, then stood. He walked over to the tactical screen, the only piece of equipment that never turned off in his room, and observing the tactical report. There is nothing unusual there, but it reminds him of his current identity.

He is Zero… the mortal enemy of Britannia…

"… I need power, Sayoko… more than now, more than ever…" he clenched his fist. "I need power to save Nunnaly and destroy Britannia!"

Lelouch gritted his teeth. As long as Nunnaly is still belongs to Britannia, the peaceful world she dreamed for will never be realized. Lelouch had to make sure that he will realize her dream… at all cost… He turned to face Sayoko…

"Sayoko… I need you to save Nunnaly…" Lelouch plead to her. "I will assemble the man, prepare whatever you need, anything… just please bring her to me!"

Sayoko said nothing. Instead she walked towards him and pulled him into gentle embrace. Lelouch is surprised, but he did not refusing the warmth of her embrace. He relaxed himself, surrendering to the emotional atmosphere… to the warmth that he missed for a long time…

The warmth of someone who genuinely cared about him… the warmth of a family…

"I promise you that I will bring Nunnaly-sama back, Lelouch-sama…" Sayoko said reassuringly. "I will do your command without fail…"

They broke the embrace and looking at each other.

"You too… must come back safely with my sister…"

"Hai, Lelouch-sama…"

"Promise me, Sayoko…"

"You have my word."

They both smiled. Sayoko stepped closer to Lelouch, hesitating, but Lelouch eyes said that she may do whatever she pleased. With this, Sayoko did what she did back then, but this time with him wide awake. She kissed his forehead gently, like a mother kissed her son. Lelouch blushed a bit, but since it's also pleasant, he let it be without even flinched. They looking at each other again before Sayoko bowed and take her leave.

"… Sayoko…" he called.

Sayoko paused right next to the door, turned her head to him.

"We are family aren't we?" Lelouch asked.

Sayoko smiled heartily to hear that.

"Of course, Lelouch-sama…"

Lelouch throw himself on his bed, completely ignoring the fact that CC is sleeping just right next to him. He was just too relieved to take care of such mundane detail, named sleeping CC beside him.

"You DO realize that I am sleeping here aren't you, boy?"

Okay…she's not sleeping… heck, she might hear everything from the beginning…

"I know…"

Lelouch didn't even bother to turn his head. He didn't care about that. He ACTUALLY didn't care, even with CC boring into his skull with her glare in her attempt to irritate him. Realizing her effort was completely ignored, she pissed off.

"And you ALSO realize that I will NEVER surrender this bed to you?"

"Uh-huh…"

"…Then? Are you going to sleep with me or something?"

"All I ask is just to share the bed…"

"Oh? I thought you want to include me into your harem…"

"… Harem?"

"Add Kallen and Kaguya, and you will have your own personal harem… what do you think?"

"... I already have more than enough trouble with you, thank you very much..."

"Oh? You didn't like younger girls? I thought it was all man's wild fantasy?"

"… Are you out of your mind?"

"Well, whatever suits your tastes… why don't you invite Sayoko then?"

"…She's… different… besides, what with this harem about?"

"Just wondering, boy… Still, didn't you feel curious?"

"…CC… please…"

"Mmhmhmhmhm… Then I'll have the blanket!"

"…Witch…"

With that, she rolled over and monopolizes the blanket. Lelouch, on the other hand, still wonders…

"…CC"

"…What?"

"…We are just like a real family, aren't we? You, me, Nunnaly, and Sayoko…"

CC visibly stiffen, before relaxed. She still didn't reply, though. Then after a rustle, she replied...

"Stupid boy…" she muttered. "Go sleep!"

Lelouch sighed, and decided to get the rest his body so deserved. It didn't take that long for him to sleep soundly… something that he didn't get to experience anymore since he became Zero…

In her sleep, CC is smiling.

Author's notes :

I truly felt like... damn... I'm getting a good job, which is good, but it makes me so ridiculously busy... Nevertheless, I'll keep writing, and will keep updating!

Still, I'm sorry of the very late updates, and also I thank you all readers who has give their encouragements and suggestions... Really, I thank you, guys...