7 「RoSuto Wan」
The very news of him asking out the girl had become the talk of the Student Council as soon as it reached Milly's ears. Just like when Lelouch goes on a date with Shirley in the not too distant future, Milly and her 'minions' wanted to catch a grasp of what they were doing.
Shirley wasn't all that interested, the only reason she was going though, was because she could be oh so close to Lulu who also seemed somewhat interested. Though it was for different reasons.
Graham and Kallen entered the courtyard come lunchtime. The girls who were originally going to accompany her for lunch, gave them their space.
"So.. uh, what made you ask me out?" She had her facade up and going, her mellow tone and gentle eyes. Her supposed alter-ego as an invalid seemed to be attracting unwanted attention, at least that is what she might be thinking.
When asked that question, his eyes darted about. This immediately made her somewhat suspicious, though those suspicions were put on hold, he was part Japanese like her after all. Maybe he was disillusioned with the Britannian rule as well?
She was trying to rationalize his actions in her mind, pulling up scenarios. She was ready to use her hidden weapon, the pouch with an extendable blade.
Despite how hidden it was, he knew exactly what kind of weapon she was might be using.
That's when his eyes rested upon the student council. They were far enough to avoid being heard, being on the upper level and looking down upon the courtyard while remaining partially out of sight.
The only reason he could see them was because of Lelouch who was the most visible beside the redhead Shirley. Personally he always thought they made the perfect pair. While she was distressed by his arrogance, they always melded well together.
His eyes seemed to calm down, which visually put the alerted Kallen at ease.
"Let's have a seat, shall we?" Graham said with a professional tone, as if this was going to be some sort of interview, or something formal along those lines.
Kallen hesitantly nodded as they sat down and put their bento boxes on their laps, gazing at each other thoughtfully for that moment until he opened his mouth once more to speak.
"Q-1," This single phrase made her eyes widen. No one had referred to her as the Queen on a chessboard except for the unknown person on the other side of the radio the other day.
She immediately almost pulled her blade, but paused. His back was to the Windows above them. Her eyes caught a quick glimpse of people watching, the student council. She glanced away for a moment, feinting a blush, before looking at him again. "Who are you?" She said in a low tone.
"My name is Zakku, no surname, Orphaned well before the Invasion of Japan."
Blinking a few times as she was given this information freely, she nodded and leaned in. She showed interest, but it was also for a show. She wanted to show fondness, to give an cool feeling to those watching.
"And... Why did you refer to me as Q-1? Were you listening? Do you know the man in the Sunderland who was relaying orders?" She asked, her weapon was hidden in the palm of her hand, she could use it at any moment. Though she had a feeling she didn't really have to do so.
"He wears a mask, dresses extravagantly and holds a deep seeded hatred for Britannia. He wishes to obliterate it, to liberate Japan. He saved me from death during the massacre yesterday. For that I am thankful. As did you."
She leaned back as she took in a deep breath, hearing that this man sitting in front of her had been at the Ghetto when the soldiers of Britannia had been ordered to kill everyone. He was a survivor it seemed.
"How did you know the codename the voice used?"
"Because he refers to me as K-1. I'm his Knight." In a sense, he was superior to that of a Bishop, being able to jump over obstacles. At the same time, he had lesser range in the game of chess. "Though I wouldn't mind being K-2."
Basing her knowledge off of the Britannian Noble System, she figured this man had more of a relationship with the one who helped save her resistance group than he was letting on. She didn't push any pressure on him however. He came to her, she didn't come to him.
"K-2?" She asked curiously, she was somewhat familiar with the game of chess. Though it took a few seconds for her to realize that he was saying he wouldn't mind being her Knight. Her face turned a bright red flush.
Seeing her realization, he snickered quietly to himself as he watched her caress the weapon in her hand. He himself turned his arm over, and lifted his sleeve, revealing a holdout pistol.
With that, her face paled a bit. She could shoot her before she even left her seat to stab him. Not that she was going to. "I'm not blind," he stated as he gestured to the hidden blade disguised as her pouch.
She chuckled awkwardly, the wide range of reactions that the president could see made most of the onlookers curious. What could they possibly be talking about that gave so much emotional responses and alertness?
That's when a honey bee came fluttering around in front of Kallen's face. Both of them just watched the annoying buzzing critter floating about before their sights.
Suddenly, her eyes snapped to attention as she watched a geass symbol appear on his right eye. It was a strange occurrence, especially since he wasn't using it on her. She didn't know what it was, but she watched as the bee itself impaled its stinger into itself and fell to the ground.
She wasn't exactly sure what just happened, but she was pretty certain she just witnessed a Bee commit seppuku. "Did that just..." Her eyes watched as his hand reached up and massaged his temple, as if he was in minor pain or stressed.
"Yes, yes it did."
Kallen became even more cautious of him, suspicious even. He had a power that she had never seen before, as she had never seen a power at all. "You're not going to use that on me, right?"
"I will only use it on my enemies," He leaned into his hand as he rested his elbow on his knee. "Are you my enemy?"
"No." Kallen squinted at him, narrowing her vision and brows. She knew he gave information to her freely, now she wondered what else he would disclose to her. "Does he have an ability like you?"
"He can communicate one way from a distance. I don't know his limitations or other applications."
Kallen blinked a few times hearing this, this meant that the man who coordinated their victory path over the Britannians in the Ghetto, could coordinate without conventional means? This would make them nearly invincible as their plans couldn't be directly intercepted!
"Why are you so open to me, Graham?"
He smiled quietly when asked this question, and remained silent for a few moments. "Because you are my Queen?" He closed one eye, staring through her with his gaze.
She felt a bit cold as she felt the gaze pierce her, but she felt assured by his interest in her and the fact that she could relate to him. "Say... If you were to use this power you have on me, how would I know?"
"There may be a blank in your memory during the duration it was used, unless you were ordered to remember or given false memories to overlap the missing information. I can edit biological and technological data, so my power isn't limited to people."
She clenched her jaw hearing the information he continued to give out freely. He was being incredibly honest. It was as if he was pitching himself to her. She didn't like the idea of using people, nor manipulating them. Yet he would make a perfect tool for her brother's resistance.
"What kind of man is your 'king,' I need to know..." Her face seemed solemn as she began to unwrap and then open her bento box and reveal her sandwiches she had packed.
"He's a man of blind justice, a man of intellect and a man arrogance," he began to unwrap his own bento box which was made of expensive durable wood, painted black with golden branch like patterns all over it. "A man who constantly denies himself what he wants for himself, for the sake of someone else. A man of self-sacrifice, a man who can be easily manipulated if his true identity should be known."
When he said this last sentence, it was clear that he knew exactly who the man truly was. He had said earlier that he wore a mask, but didn't entirely deny he knew who the man who would become Zero truly was.
As he spoke however, his bento box grabbed her attention almost immediately. Not only was it handcrafted, but it also was covered in traditional Japanese art.
Taking a triangular cut sandwich from her bento, she placed it in her mouth and slowly ate it, guiding it with her lips and teeth as her hands rested on her lap. Once she was finished that one piece, she sighed quietly.
"Why are you giving so much information?"
"To liberate the Japanese. To reforge the Japanese Empire and restore its honor, to eliminate Britannia before their Emperor and Empress destroy the world as we know it. I will be blatant about my motivations, and I will be blatant about the fact that the resistance needs to be united as one. That is why I have come to you."
She stared at him for several moments in thought before slowly nodding. "And what do you want to do from here?"
"I want you to arrange a meeting with Kaname Ohgi and the rest of your resistance cell. We'll be sure to be there." He responded with a light nod, a small smile across his lips.
He was able to name the leader of their cell, it made her flinch slightly to find that he was so informed. She could only assume that he had some sort of connection, or there was a leak. Not that it really needed to be investigated, since no one would know if they were his source. Like he had said, he could rewrite memories on top of control people's actions.
"May I know his name?"
"Zero. His name is Zero."
"...I'm going to assume you're going to want your identity hidden as well? What shall you be called?" She asked curiously as she leaned forward, tilting her head to the side slightly.
"Rosutowan," he responded as he spoke in a heavy Japanese accent for the first time, calling himself the Lost One. It was rather cliche in his opinion, but something he thought sounded cool.
