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OK You guys! Here it is at last! The long awaited Sixth Attempt! xD I think I replied to all the reviews, except the anonymous ones (apologies) I had been informed that replying to reviews in the fic was against the ToS. Anyhow, I'm sure most of you received replies that said I'd be getting this up this week. Well, it's up much sooner than I planned, Lol. I don't think it's still as good as the first few chapters, but hopefully it's alright, and I certainly had some amount of fun with it C: Enjoy!
The "No Talking" Rule
THE SIXTH ATTEMPT
Journal of Kozuki Kallen
The 31st of August, 2018. 0700 hours.
Tamaki was right. The party was definitely what I needed to relax. It was fun, even the cleaning up part (if only because Diethard got swept away with the tide). But I think the best part of the evening was when Zero wasn't allowed to go to the Beach Party. It was…the highlight of my night. I was cracking up so much. You see, the conversation went something like this:
Tohdoh: Hey now, wait a second there, Zero. You can't come.
Zero: (Affronted! Ha!) What? Why not?
Tohdoh: (Totally serious) Your name isn't on the sign-up sheet.
Zero: Are you kidding me? (His face—well, alright, what I imagined his face would look like—was PRICELESS!)
Tohdoh: . . . (Still completely serious)
Zero: (All smug and whatnot) Do you realize who you are talking to?
Tohdoh: . . . (I had never loved his serious face more)
Zero: (Spots C.C. walking by with a box of pizza) C.C.!
C.C.: (Pauses and looks at Tohdoh) Hmm?
Tohdoh: His name isn't on the Clean Up.
C.C.: (Blinks) Well that's just ridiculous.
Zero: Thank you--!
C.C.: Why are you even trying to attend the party, Zero?
Zero: -Insert Swear Words Here-
In short, it was just a very amusing night. And that's all that happened. Nothing involving Zero and I took place. The night ended. Period.
"Kallen, you are in no condition to get up!"
The pilot gave her nurse a withering glare, trying to hide the excruciating throbbing in her head. "I'm fine," she insisted roughly, brushing a hand through her mess of tangles; the infirmary pillows always made her hair stand on end.
The nurse replied with a stern look. "Zero-sama gave me direct orders to keep you in bed," she said firmly. "He told me to use any means necessary."
A statement that caused the others in the medical ward to chuckle in their pretend-sleep.
ZERO MEMORANDUM
The 31st of August, 2018
Notes to Self:
(1) Enforce rule in which any and all who disobey Zero will be punished.
(2) Punish Tohdoh.
(3) Geass the Knights into forgetting what happened.
(4) If Kallen was not inebriated enough to completely forget what happened, bribe her.
Message sent at 1001 hours, Day 31, Month 8, Year 2018
TAMAKI!
Great party, man!
- Randall
Message sent at 1001 hours, Day 31, Month 8, Year 2018
I can barely remember half of it, it was that intense.
- Anonymous
Message sent at 1002 hours, Day 31, Month 8, Year 2018
Has anyone seen my jacket?
- Asahino
Message sent at 1008 hours, Day 31, Month 8, Year 2018
ATTENTION BLACK KNIGHTS:
The clean-up was a huge success, except for one problem. Thanks to the ingenius party idea, the beach is, once again, a mess. Another Clean-Up sheet will be posted outside Utility. Sign up or Die.
THE HEAD COUNCIL
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"Don't you think Sign up or Die is a bit extreme, Zero-sama?" Tohdoh inquired of his masked liege.
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Message sent at 1010 hours, Day 31, Month 8, Year 2018
ATTENTION BLACK KNIGHTS:
Correction – Only Kyoshiro Tohdoh will be responsible for the clean up. That is all.
THE HEAD COUNCIL
New Message (1)
From: NONFRIEND
View Ignore
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Sender: NONFRIEND
Sent: 1100 08/31/2018
Have fun last night, Kallen?
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ADDRESS BOOK
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NOLAN
NONFRIEND
NUNALLY
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Delete all contacts?
Delete selected contacts?
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NONFRIEND deleted from contacts list.
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Missed Call: SMOOCHES
1205, 8/31/2018
Kallen frowned as she settled back into her cot, trying to ignore the round of whispers going on around her. She would yell at the blurry faces if her head would just stop its goddamn spinning. She would have to make sure not to drink as much as she did – not that she had meant to get so smashed, of course. Who would have figured that Tamaki would provide—? Oh, who was she kidding, she should have known! Even so, that didn't keep her from putting all the blame on Tamaki. Perhaps no one remembered—?
Yeah right!
She was the laughingstock of the base!
Grudgingly, the pilot snatched her phone from the nightstand and stood from her bed.
"You sure you can walk without Zero helping you?" Came a snide remark from…somewhere. Kallen swirled around at the voice, unable to place it to a face, but scowled in the general direction to her left before staunchly marching out of the infirmary.
It would have been much more dramatic had she not walked straight into one of the three doorways that swam in her vision.
Kallen!
What!
I'm surprised you called—
I'm only returning yours.
—Right, of course. … How are you feeling?
What do you want, Zero?
I had called earlier to…check up on you.
…
You took a nasty fall the other night.
Oh really? Before or after we—
So you remember.
…
Well then, I'm willing to offer you a proposition for your…cooperation.
Cooperation.
Yes. You will be exempt from the mission tomorrow if you pretend to simply forget.
Forget.
I will Geass the Black Knights to erase their memory.
Frivolous with your gift, aren't you?
Do you enjoy their snickering, Q-1?
You are in no position to be calling the shots. I'm the only one other than you who knows just what happened in that boathouse.
You wouldn't dare speak a word of it.
Wouldn't I? You've already managed to destroy my reputation here. Everyone already believes I'm in love with you.
You're bluffing.
Am I?
Listen to me Kallen—
(Dial Tone)
"Dammit!" Zero exclaimed with a swing of his arm. His phone flew through the air, landing along the hardwood floor right at C.C.'s feet. He gave the witch a glower as she stepped over the cell phone, closing the door to his quarters behind her. A box of pizza was in her hand, and she moved easily over to the table. "Where've you been?"
She blinked at her accomplice before settling down on the floor and prying open the box. "Doing all of your chores because you've been in bed so late. How are you feeling?"
He did not appreciate the smugness in her tone. "Fine," he snapped, stalking over towards the door to grab his discarded (and broken) phone.
"You don't sound fine," C.C. teased, picking up a hot slice of pizza.
Zero glared at her, the effect weakened by his visor. "Shouldn't you be off doing something productive?"
The witch only gave him a most pointed look. "I don't understand why you're so angry. It's your fault, you know. For being so irresponsible."
"I was not—!"
"Lelouch, it's not like you to be so defensive."
Zero fisted a hand around his phone. "Rumors are one thing. Situations to base those rumors off of are another!"
"Since when do you get so worked up over simple rumors?" C.C. countered with a most catty smile.
The prince glared in contempt, understanding her words for what they meant:
That the rumors were more than just rumors.
"Hm," the prince scoffed before marching on out of the room, the door not closing behind him fast enough to block C.C.'s lazy aside,
"She's with her Guren."
ZERO MEMORANDUM
The 31st of August, 2018
Notes to Self:
(1) Enforce rule in which any and all who disobey Zero will be punished.
(2) Punish Tohdoh.
(3) Geass the Knights into forgetting what happened.
(4) If Kallen was not inebriated enough to completely forget what happened, bribe her.
(5) Threaten Kallen to forget.
(6) Prohibit C.C. from buying/eating Pizza.
(7) Buy new phone.
Kallen frowned as she stumbled, ramming her shoulder into a pillar. The room spun with the motion, and she doubled over, catching a hand over her mouth. Clearly she could not hold her liquor, and why she had been drinking in the first place was beyond her. It had been fun, she recalled; she was laughing the other night, laughing at absolutely everything, even things that were not funny in the least bit. But she had a good time, and it was likely because she was inebriated. Parts of the evening were nothing more than black spots in her memory, except for that one vivid moment – the only time during the party that she wished she could forget.
"Here you are."
The pilot rolled her eyes, knowing instantly who it was. She didn't bother turning, or even glancing over her shoulder to make certain – only one person had that voice. The deep resonating timbre that demanded both fear and admiration. Kallen picked herself up, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. "Don't you have important things to attend to?"
His mask was over his face, but she swore she could see his violet eyes shine through the blackness. "And here I am, attending to the top priority."
Kallen didn't bother hiding her glower. "You never cared what anyone thought about you," she said.
Lelouch only shook his head and removed his visor with a skilled hand. "Kallen—"
"You really think it a good idea to reveal yourself in a place so public?"
He only gave her a pointed look, before nodding in agreement. "You're right. Let's continue this in my quarters, shall we?" And he turned on his heel, expecting her to follow.
She did.
TRANSCRIPT OF DEBATE SUBJECT: Zero and Kallen
DAY: 31 AUGUST, 2018
HOUR: 1220
Typed up by Unofficial Conference Secretary – Shinichirou Tamaki
(Because Diethard is still injured, and this is a meeting called together without Zero's knowledge. He is believed to be somewhere having a chat with Kallen, or so my sources say—
C.C. (Reads over my shoulder): You don't need to type all of that, idiot.
Tamaki: We'll all look back on this one day and laugh.
Kaguya: Or Zero-sama will find this and kill us all.
Diethard (In a neck brace): We need to record everything that takes place! Now stop dallying and let's get this meeting started before Zero-sama returns!
"Kallen, what happened last night was…"
"A mistake," the pilot finished haughtily, immediately taking a seat on the couch so as to keep the room from spinning out of control.
Lelouch, unmasked and beautiful as ever, arched a single brow. "No, I don't believe it was a mistake…"
"What?" She snapped, slightly flustered.
"You see, Kallen, I believe that alcohol brings out the truth in people," the prince continued off-handedly, setting down his mask on the table with relative ease. "It loosens the tongue and unscrews the bolts. It is a person's bare instincts, needs, wants, shining through. Do you understand?"
"…Yes?"
Zero nodded in a most business-like manner. "Good. So whatever happened—"
"We—"
"Please refrain from mentioning it. Thank you. The 'Incident' must be overlooked. Must be forgotten. Never happened. Do you understand?"
"I'm sorry you find the idea of it so revolting!" Kallen exclaimed, insulted.
Lelouch only chuckled. "Think about it. Such affections are signs of attachment. Attachments are signs of weakness. The heart is the most vulnerable place an enemy could dare attack. No one, not even dear comrades, can know about such a delicate…"
"Delicate what?" She pressed on, still scowling, still angry.
He sighed. "Flaw."
Everyone settles into the make-shift conference room (i.e. – the kitchen), clearly all afraid of Zero-sama's wrath. I don't really understand why…if he's with Kallen, I'm sure they'll both be preocuped—
Diethard (Also reading over my shoulder): You spelled p-r-e-o-c-c-u-p-i-e-d wrong.
Tamaki: Uh, thanks.
Kaguya: Order, please, everone, listen!
Diethard: And 'everyone.'
Humble Typist is too lazy to edit.
Kaguya: It has come to all of our attention that there is something going on between Zero-sama and Kozuki Kallen. We were all shocked by the earlier revelation of the latter's love for the former, however, none of us could have foreseen that such affections were reciporocated!
Diethard (Whispers): You spelled—
-- eight minutes --
New Typist, Nagisa Chiba, taking over. Tamaki bashed Diethard over the—oh, that's not important.
Kaguya: Has everyone settled down now? Good. As I was saying—
Tamaki: I say we have a bet!
Randall: What kind of bet?
Tamaki: A bet with Zero-sama and Kallen!
Kaguya: A bet?
Tamaki: You know, we'll all bet on what happens to them as a couple.
C.C.: We'd need to narrow down the choices.
Diethard: How about, we hold polls?
Tamaki: Yeah!
Did Tamaki and Diethard just agree?
Diethard: We can have people place their bets on what they think will most likely happen. Option one – Zero-sama and Kallen are between the sheets in a day.
Tamaki: Option two – Zero-sama and Kallen will kill each other in a day.
Tohdoh-sama (?!): Option three – Zero-sama and Kallen will be between the sheets in a week.
Chiba: Uh, they will kill each other in a week!
C.C.: What about months?
Kaguya: Show of hands – who thinks this will drag on for months?
A few hands in the crowd raise up.
Kaguya: That's settled then, shall we place the bets?
This is ridiculous, childish, juvenile, unprofessional—
Tohdoh-sama: Here's to hoping they kill each other in a day!
Chiba: I'm betting my money on kill each other in a day!
Zero: What's going on here?
Oh shi—
Kallen: Chiba, what're you typing up over there?
Chiba: Typing? What? Nothing, nothing at all—
Diethard: CHIBA, NO!
INVENTORY/RENOVATIONS REQUEST FORM
Filed by: Official Black Knights Typist
Renovation:
Items: Keyboard
Condition: Need to be Replaced
Comments:
Request Status: accepted declined
Signature: Zero
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INFIRMARY: Patient Log
Name: Nagisa, Chiba
Injuries: Mild contusion
Cause: Keyboard
Message sent at 1410 hours, Day 31, Month 8, Year 2018
ATTENTION BLACK KNIGHTS:
It is now prohibited to hold meetings without Zero's consent.
THE HEAD COUNCIL
ZERO MEMORANDUM
The 31st of August, 2018
Notes to Self:
(1) Enforce rule in which any and all who disobey Zero will be punished.
(2) Punish Tohdoh.
(3) Geass the Knights into forgetting what happened.
(4) If Kallen was not inebriated enough to completely forget what happened, bribe her.
(5) Threaten Kallen to forget.
(6) Prohibit C.C. from buying/eating Pizza.
(7) Buy new phone.
(8) Find Secret Conference Transcript
Honestly, I cannot fathom this apparent lack of respect for Zero. These people, these Black Knights, serve under me and do my bidding without question, but lately they have been showing signs of rebellion – ironic. I need to tighten the reigns. On another note, Kallen was very angry with me today. I can't imagine why. But we both decided never to mention that Incident ever again. And she still agreed to do the mission tomorrow. I suppose everything worked out according to plan. Except she broke a keyboard today. She's been breaking quite a few things lately. I could have ordered her to stop but…she was greatly enjoying herself.
(9) Grow backbone.
AND there you all go C:
Not my best, but…getting there I hope?
The Incident will be exposed in an upcoming chapter
So no worries about all that, Lol.
Of course, I'm not sure which one yet, but just for kicks
What do you all think the Incident could be? ;D
F L ii C K