A Place With No Darkness-Chapter Nine
Title: A Place With No Darkness
Author: Spirithorse (eachainn )
Rating: M
Pairing: Suzalulu
Warnings: Character deaths, violence, death
Summary: AU. In one move Lelouch saved his sister and damned himself. Now he has to compete in the Hunger Games and figure out some way that both he and Suzaku can get out alive and get home. Suzalulu.
Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass or The Hunger Games.
1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8-9
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Chapter Nine
Lelouch leaned against a tree, tapping his fingers against his arm as he considered the wall. The flood waters had receded sometime in the middle of the night, before his watch. Suzaku had shaken him awake before down with a muttered update about the situation. The water had disappeared, leaving the grass flattened completely, which had taken away their advantage. Lelouch huffed and pressed his back more firmly against the tree. There would be no hiding now, just running. In that equation, Lelouch knew that he would be the loser. There were plenty of others that were faster than him. He bit his lip, looking over the wall.
All the more reason for them to advance their plans. It was far earlier than he wanted and possibly very dangerous for all of them. The longer the Games went on, the more likely it was for the attention of the public to slip away or turn on them all together. Lelouch didn't particularly enjoy the idea of being shot at as they tried to escape. Then there was the fact that Lelouch hadn't even considered where they would go. He just knew that he would go to get his mother and sister before running. Maybe there would be a place for them in the EU. It would be less likely that they would be handed over then if they fled to the Chinese Federation. But all of that hinged on their ability to escape within the next few days
The confrontation with Luciano had boosted his confidence in their group but Suzaku's pessimism had gotten him thinking properly again. They had gotten out of the situation too easily and Luciano eagerness put him on edge. Luciano would come back for them and they had nowhere to go. They could always fight again, but Lelouch was sure that they would lose and lose spectacularly. He touched the cut on his face. It was enough that his mother and sister had to see him suffering; he didn't want to make them watch him die. Lelouch shook his head and pushed away from the tree, turning to walk back to where the others were.
The alliance had already eaten, Lelouch could tell by the fish bones that were scattered and the fire. He didn't meet Suzaku's gaze, sitting down close to Mariel. "Could you do it today?"
Mariel jerked back in shock, but nodded, looking at the ground. "It would be difficult, but I think I could. Y-you would just need me to short out the force field?"
"Yes. We'd get weapons and run. It's the best plan."
"So we'd run away?" Lelouch looked over at Sophie, expecting her to argue. Instead she looked relieved. "That makes more sense than staying and fighting."
Lelouch ran the numbers in his head. Eleven of the tributes were dead, which left only thirteen tributes, including him and Suzaku, in the Games. Knowing that there were two alliances with six tributes each left just one tribute running around and Lelouch wasn't even sure that the tribute would want to join them. It was more likely that the tribute would kill them. Lelouch clenched his hand into a fist. They were outnumbered and outclassed any way he looked at the problem, which was even more of a push for them to move. There would be enough tributes to carry out the Games if Pendragon demanded it. He stood up and wiped off his hands. "Come on, let's get this done."
There were murmurs of assent, Lelouch stepping back and letting the others gather the minimal supplies they had left. He fell into line, smiling as Rolo dashed to his side, the younger boy walking very close to him. Lelouch ruffled Rolo's hair, listening to Rolo laugh before he turned to look over their group. If there had been any other circumstances…Lelouch frowned before he could complete the thought. There were no other circumstances, and he would do better to remember that. Thinking otherwise would make him too slow. His gaze drifted over to Suzaku, watching as his friend guarded the rear.
Suzaku was taking his job completely seriously, not that Lelouch blamed him. But he wanted Suzaku up by him. Lelouch doubted that Luciano would use a surprise attack, not with the way that he had been gloating. That was even more of a reason to keep Suzaku close and within range in case something happened.
He turned his attention to the others, surprised when Mariel dropped back to walk with him. She pulled at the end of her sleeve, refusing to look at him. "It might be harder than you think it would be. We have to find where the mines are and then there's the matter of getting them activated and in place before they go off because of the force field."
"I'm sure that you already have a solution."
Mariel nodded. "I just worry about what they'll do when they figure out what we're doing. What if they send in soldiers?"
"We'll have weapons and we'll post a guard. We promised to protect each other and I don't make promises like this lightly." Lelouch tried to keep his voice steady. "We'll all stand by you until everything is completed."
That seemed to be what Mariel wanted to hear. She smiled at him before pulling Rolo aside to talk to him, something about his small hands. Lelouch sighed, listening to them talk with only half his attention. Posting a guard would have been a good idea in any case; it would relieve some of Suzaku's tension as well. Then there was the fact that planting the mine might cause it to explode. Lelouch looked at the wall again. They would have to blow up the entire wall itself instead of the generators of the force field. It wouldn't be the subtle escape that he wanted; they would have to be ready to run fast when the time came.
They walked out into the area around the Cornucopia, Lelouch surprised to see that the leftover supplies were still there. He would have thought that the people who ran the Games would have removed them just to make their lives harder. Still, Lelouch was not willing to bemoan the windfall. Lelouch tipped his head to the side, wanting to see if Suzaku was thinking along the same lines that he was. He narrowed his eyes when Suzaku's face remained blank. He wasn't sure if Suzaku was still mad at him for the night before or because he was completely lost in thought.
Lelouch took his place by the Cornucopia, watching as Sophie, Shirley and Suzaku took their places around where Mariel and Rolo were working. Lelouch watched the two of them work for a moment, Mariel and Rolo testing the ground for where the mines were buried. He looked away, scanning the area. He felt more exposed now without the tall grass, which was strange because it had been so annoying before. Lelouch rolled his shoulders forward, trying to dispel the feeling. They were all safe; the other alliance was far away. But he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.
He heard something knock against the side of the Cornucopia, jumping before he calmed himself. Something had just fallen over in the Cornucopia. There was no need to jump at every noise. Then again, there was every reason to be on edge. Lelouch swallowed and moved to look inside the Cornucopia. He squinted into the darkness, only having a moment to comprehend what he was seeing before he had to stumble back, ducking the swing of a sword.
He fell onto his back, Lelouch rolling to his side and trying to get to his feet. He felt someone step on the edge of his jacket, Lelouch spending a moment in panic before he jerked the jacket out from under the tribute's feet. He scrambled to his feet, clutching his jacket close. Lelouch turned to face the person who had attacked him, his eyes widening as he saw Luciano smirking down at him.
"Told you I would be back."
There were shouts from behind him, but Lelouch didn't pay attention to them, he was too busy thinking over how they had been out maneuvered. The flood had disappeared during the night, so they must have waited for that moment before moving down to the Cornucopia. They had slept right through the set up of the trap and Lelouch had led them into it.
He snapped out of his daze as the rest of the alliance stepped out of the Cornucopia. Lelouch stumbled back, fumbling for his knife before making a quick decision. They couldn't fight again, they had gotten lucky once, but Lelouch didn't think they would do too well. There was no way he could make them fight. Lelouch looked away, keeping an eye on his alliance. From the looks on their faces, he was sure that they agreed with him.
Lelouch took a deep breath before turning and running. All he could think of was that they needed a place to hide, or a place where they could turn the tables on the other alliance. It hurt his pride to run, but it would be stupid to stay and fight. Lelouch put his knife back into place, looking up at the hill before making a split second decision to avoid it. They could lose the alliance in the landscape beyond the first hill.
The sound of someone running beside him made him turn his head, Lelouch finding himself staring at Shirley. She glanced at him before grabbing his hand. "Come on."
He let himself be towed by her. Shirley still knew the area better than any of them did, so she would find them a place to hide. Shirley had been the one to find hiding places every night. He trusted her with their lives.
After his initial burst of speed, he struggled to keep up with Shirley, stumbling along after her. It didn't take long for the rest of their alliance to catch up, none of them running past Shirley. None of them wanted to get lost and become easy prey for Luciano and those that followed him.
Shirley suddenly pulled him to the side, letting go of his hand and pressing on his back. Lelouch stumbled into a ditch, Shirley immediately pulling him down the length of it. She dropped to her knees, pulling drenched grass aside to reveal a small indentation. She looked back at them before jerking her head. "Get in."
Lelouch dropped to his knees and crawled in, pulling Rolo in after him. Mariel rolled in after them, pressing herself into the farthest part of the indent. Shirley was the next one in, passing off the duty of holding the grass aside to Suzaku. Lelouch let go of Rolo, reached out a hand to Suzaku only to be pushed away. Lelouch gritted his teeth. 'Get in here, you idiot."
"Sophie is still out there."
Lelouch frowned and crawled forward, sticking his head out into the open. Sophie must have fallen behind during their escape or had gotten lost. Lelouch groaned, shaking his head before reaching for Suzaku's arm. "We'll keep an eye out for her, but don't wait out here."
"Lelouch…"
There was a scream from the way they had come. Lelouch jumped and crawled completely out from where they were hidden. He felt Suzaku place a hand on his back, the two of them jumping as the cannon fired. They exchanged glances, Lelouch hearing the mutters from the rest of their alliance. He swallowed and looked down at the ground. There had been threats to their alliance but never a death. There was no one that it could be other than Sophie, and it was surprising how much Lelouch felt like he had failed her. He hadn't known her for too long, but he had been responsible for her. He hung his head, taking a deep breath before grabbing Suzaku's arm. "Come on."
"Lelouch," Suzaku didn't look back at him, "they'll find us, it's not too hard to. We can't fight them here."
"What else can we do? They're too close to run again.'
Suzaku glanced at him, holding his gaze for a moment before looking away again. "He won't stop, Lelouch. He'll keep following us until we drop."
"He has others."
"That he promised to keep alive until he has no other choice. For now, it's safer and easier to hunt us."
Lelouch shook his head. Luciano had the two Daltons he could kill and get a reward from the emperor. The rest of the alliance was probably too scared of Luciano to do anything to cross him. "Suzaku, that's-"
"What? Not logical? It's completely logical, Lelouch." Suzaku pulled away. "I promised that I would protect you."
"Who asked you to? I can take care of myself."
"Nunnally, your mother. They want you to live, Lelouch."
"They want you to live too."
"I know, Lelouch. I know. And," Suzaku gave a laugh that sounded more like a sob, "I won't want to make them sad, I really don't. But I can't-" He swallowed and leaned close to Lelouch, whispering in his ear. "Your mother made me promise, she knighted me Lelouch."
His eyes widened. His mother had never told him that, he had thought that his mother had abandoned all vestiges of the royal family when they had moved to Area 11. He had thought that they had been safe enough for them not to need knights. He thought that his mother had trusted him.
"I didn't plan on doing this, honestly. It was something to do if everything went wrong and we couldn't get out."
"We can get out."
"Lelouch, I don't think we can and I don't want to risk it. I'm sorry." Lelouch opened his mouth to protest, snapping it shut when Suzaku grabbed his hand. Whatever Lelouch had been planning to say disappeared when Suzaku lifted Lelouch's hand to his mouth, pausing just inches away. "Come find me."
"I will."
Suzaku smiled at him before kissing is knuckles, Lelouch tempted to jump away. It was an action due to royalty. He had never thought that Suzaku would do it to him. He had never thought that Suzaku would have the chance. Lelouch felt his mind reel, trying to keep ahead of Suzaku. His friend wasn't making sense. Suzaku was just acting as a distraction, but it felt more like a goodbye. Lelouch licked his lips. "Suzaku?"
"Stay safe, my prince."
He was gone before Lelouch could process what Suzaku had said. Lelouch stumbled forward a step. "Suzaku!"
Lelouch's only answer was the sound of shouting and people running through the grass. There was an overenthusiastic whoop before Lelouch recognized Suzaku's yell. He listened intently for a while longer, waiting for a scream or the sound of the cannon. When neither came, he fell to his knees. Suzaku had managed to lead them away and would probably lead them on a merry chase, but Lelouch wasn't sure he would be able to find Suzaku before something happened to him. He had promised the others that he would get them out, but he couldn't leave Suzaku. He had promised himself that they would get out of the Games alive. There were many plans that he could have been making, but all he could do was stare at where Suzaku had run off.
"Lelouch." He turned his head at the sound of his name, staring at Shirley as she tugged at his sleeve. "Lelouch they might come back."
When he didn't respond, Shirley gave his sleeve a harder tug. "Lelouch please. We need you."
He looked back at Shirley, the girl taking advantage of his distraction to pull him back inside. Lelouch let her pull him to one side, settling him against someone else before going back to cover the entrance. Lelouch almost told her not to, but he let himself get pulled back against the wall. Suzaku would come back, he was sure of it. Suzaku would always come back. He fixed his eyes on the entrance and settled down to wait.
---
Nunnally stared at the screen waiting for the camera pan to where Suzaku was. Instead, it was still fixed on Lelouch. It had been hard enough watching Suzaku run away, but it was worse to see Lelouch breaking down. There was no other word for what her big brother was doing. He had been kneeling on the ground, staring at where Suzaku had disappeared to while the rest of his alliance shouted his name. She swallowed and turned her head away, biting her lip.
She turned back when Lelouch was finally pulled back into safety, pressing her hand against her eyes. She wouldn't cry, not while they were still alive. She was sure that they would still get out of the Games; there was just the fear that they wouldn't find each other in time. Nunnally shivered, taking a deep breath.
When she looked up, she saw that they broadcast had started to replay the scene, Nunnally wanting to shout for them to stop. She didn't want to watch her brother suffer again. Nunnally went to pull away, freezing when she heard Suzaku's voice.
"Stay safe, my prince."
"You heard that right folks." Milly's voice was an unwelcome interruption, far too cheerful for what was going on. "We have royalty in the Games. No only has he risen from the dead, but he's volunteered for his sister despite his station. What an exciting twist to the Games. First a new princess and then the return of a prince! Even I didn't expect this to happen."
The broadcast switched back to a live feed, following Suzaku as he continued to run from Luciano and the rest of his alliance. Nunnally stared at the screen, shaking her head.
"Why?" She turned her head to look at Euphemia, the princess leaning heavily on the chair. "Why would he do that? Lelouch was safe and then…Luciano will be after him now. What good was it to let that out?"
"I'm sure that he was just acting for the best."
Both of them turned as the door to the sitting room they were in opened. Schneizel walked in, followed closely by Kanon. Schneizel nodded at the two of them before claiming one of the seats. "It was a good move."
Euphemia pushed away from the chair and spun to face her half brother. "How is what just happened good?"
"Suzaku Kururugi just confirmed what Nunnally said and what I told the nation. While they might not believe what I have said, they would definitely believe Suzaku. It essentially boils down to the same thing, there is a royal in the Games, a prince of Britannia who is competing, and they will expect him to be withdrawn."
"But he won't do that, will he Schneizel?" Nunnally couldn't meet Schneizel's gaze. "Father wouldn't, because it would be acknowledging us. He hasn't come after mother, so he doesn't care."
"I doubt he cares much about any of us any more." Schneizel pressed his fingers together. "No, if he removed Lelouch that would be playing right into what the population wanted. Lelouch is completely innocent and shouldn't be in the Games. Also, by failing to recognize either of you or look for Lady Marianne, he has already lost."
Schneizel looked back at Kanon. "We've been getting calls since Suzaku let the secret slip. The nobles are suddenly interested in our cause, although I wouldn't look too deeply into why they decided to choose our cause now. The important thing is that the nobles are flocking to us and the rest of our siblings will follow, or at least the cowards among them will."
Nunnally winced at the easy dismissal of so many of their siblings. It wasn't a crime to be frightened, it was how she had lived in Area 11, afraid that someone would come and send them away. It was fear for her brother's sake that she had come to Pendragon. The only difference between her and the others was that she wasn't allowing her fear to stop her.
She pushed her hair back from her face, addressing Schneizel. "And the next step will be?"
"We'll speak to the people again, before the emperor reacts. We have the advantage because the emperor won't give into the whims of the people, not even to save his son. That will win us the sympathy of the people. For now, we'll play your announcement and try to keep the people firmly on our side."
Nunnally exchanged a glance with Euphemia, clearing her throat. "I would like to speak to the people again, for myself. Being distant is what got father into this position and I don't want to be put into the same position. I may not be the one who will take the throne, but I am a princess and there is no use in hiding from my people."
"It would be dangerous." Euphemia sighed, coming around her chair to sit next to Nunnally. "Riling up the people is always dangerous."
"Rebellion has always been that way." Nunnally smiled at Euphemia. "But Lelouch would be disappointed if I didn't lead what I started. Despite your help, this is my rebellion and I have to see it through to the end."
"Then you'll need guard."
"And she'll get them." Schneizel leaned forward. "The army is already on our side simply because we have invoked the name of Lady Marianne. It may be only a fraction of the army, but the rest will come soon enough. We just have to show that we hold the power."
"Then that will be your task. I will continue to speak to the people with Euphy. Contact mother's old supporters and see if they will come to our side."
Schneizel nodded and stood up, Nunnally expecting him to give another order. Instead he just bowed and turned to leave the room. "I sometimes forget that you and Lelouch are brother and sister, but you never let me forget for long."
Before she could ask what he meant, Schneizel was gone. Nunnally sighed and looked back at Euphemia, trying her best to smile. "I guess we should plan our next moves"
Euphemia nodded and stood up to turn off the television, Nunnally getting one last glimpse of Suzaku before the screen went black.
---
Lelouch stared at his knees, barely paying attention to what the rest of the group was talking about. He was waiting for the sound of Suzaku returning, or the sound of the cannon. He was sure that the cannon wouldn't go off, Suzaku would come back. Suzaku had always come back. They had even managed to find each other when the Games had started. If that didn't prove that they could do anything together, Lelouch didn't know what did. And they would have done anything, if Suzaku had stayed with them.
It had been a stupid plan to begin with, for Suzaku to give up his life. Lelouch was still in trouble, now more than ever since Suzaku was no longer there for protection. Luciano wouldn't stop chasing Lelouch, he would just chase Suzaku until he had lost Suzaku and then go right back to chasing Lelouch. It was stupid and so very much like Suzaku to do something like this.
He swallowed and pressed his forehead against his knees, not sure if he wanted to laugh or cry. Neither choice was the better one, especially since the others were still looking for him to lead. But what he really wanted to do was sit and wait. Lelouch squeezed his eyes shut, taking a deep breath.
"Lelouch?" He looked up as Shirley called his name. She was probably able to ask what they were going to do. He went to stand up, only stopping when Shirley rested a hand on his arm. She pulled her hand back almost immediately, blushing. "A-are you really a prince?"
Lelouch nodded, there was no reason to hide his identity any longer. "Lelouch vi Britannia, eleventh prince of Britannia. Well, former prince."
"No, you're still alive, so you're still a prince." Shirley attempted to give him a smile, scooting closer to him. "So it still counts."
"Why didn't you get out?" He turned his head to look at Mariel, the tribute nervously clutching her sleeve. "You could have called your father. You didn't even have to volunteer for you sister. Why are you here?"
"If I could have gotten out, I would have already." It was a lie; he wouldn't have let Suzaku go through the Games alone. "He doesn't care."
"If he doesn't care about you, what kind of chance do we have? If we had escaped he wouldn't have stopped because of you. We would have been killed." Mariel scooted back. "I don't want to escape anymore. I don't want to die."
Rolo snorted. "You're going to die anyway."
"At least that will be a choice of my own. I don't want to be gunned down like a criminal."
Shirley moved away from Lelouch to comfort Mariel. "Lelouch is going to get us out. I still believe in him."
"How can he protect us? He couldn't protect Sophie. Suzaku is going to die protecting us and it's all his fault!" Mariel pushed out of their hideout and into the open.
Shirley gave Lelouch a quick glance before following Mariel. Rolo was quick to leave as well, muttering something about food. Lelouch let them go. They had to adjust to the new dynamic and the loss of two members of the alliance. Lelouch had no doubt that Shirley and Rolo would come back, he had their loyalty. It was Mariel that he had to worry about. Sophie had been the one closest to her and Mariel had, apparently, trusted Suzaku more than him. Then again, she had nowhere else to go.
He sighed and closed his eyes, curling up on himself. Everything would be fine. All he had to do was convince himself of that, to trick himself into seeing that. Lelouch shivered, trying to move off to another train of thought, another plan. But he just kept chasing the same thoughts around in a circle.
He jumped as Shirley ducked back into their hideout. "She'll be fine, just give her a while. It's been a day full of surprises for all of us."
She sat down next to him, Lelouch feeling the sudden distance between the two of them. They sat in silence for a while before Shirley touched his arm. "It's not your fault, remember that. It was his choice."
"He was an idiot."
"Suzaku just cared. You two are best friends. He would do anything for you and you would do the same."
He appreciated what Shirley was trying to do for him, but he just felt annoyed. He didn't need to be reminded of his failure. "What do we do then?"
"I don't think anyone would care if we waited to escape until we found Suzaku. Until then, we can focus on taking out Luciano's alliance. We just survive, Lelouch. And, if something does go wrong, then we can move forward with the plan. We have our alliance, we stick together."
Lelouch nodded, hoping that Shirley would get the hint and move away. Instead, she just moved closer. "Tell me about him. Suzaku."
"Why?"
"We don't know anything about the two of you, but you know about us. Now we know why you didn't talk about yourself, but what about Suzaku. What was he, some kind of secret guard? It wouldn't have been coincidence that he was chosen after you volunteered. One of your half brothers is the viceroy of Area 11."
"No." Lelouch still wasn't sure what Suzaku had meant when he had said that he was knighted. It couldn't have been official since their entirely family was in exile, but the message was still there. His mother had wanted to make sure that they were protected, which was why she had seemed slightly relieved that Suzaku was going with him. Knowing Suzaku, Lelouch would have been well protected. He might have even won. He still had that chance to win as long as Suzaku was still alive. "He's just my best friend. We were…close."
Shirley patted his shoulder awkwardly. "It'll be alright. Suzaku is smart enough to get through this on his own."
Lelouch gave Shirley a weak smile. She was trying her best, but she was just making it worse. One of the worst things had happened. He had wanted to keep Suzaku by his side and safe, because Suzaku was important as Nunnally and Marianne, perhaps even more. Part of him was relieved that they had stopped at a kiss, while part of him wished for more. Maybe he wouldn't have been regretting what he had allowed Suzaku to do. Then again, it probably would have been worse.
"Lelouch…"
"I know he'll be fine, Shirley. It's just the waiting and not knowing."
Shirley nodded, Lelouch relieved when she changed the subject. "Do you think that you'll get pulled from the Games now?"
"No. If I wasn't before I won't be ever. As I said, I'm an former prince, useless for whatever my father wants."
"So we just have to tough it out on our own." Shirley didn't sound too enthusiastic about the idea, something that Lelouch felt the same about. He ducked his head, intending to zone out. Shirley patted his shoulder again. "You're not alone, you know. I'll help you. I want to help you." Shirley blushed. "If we get out of this, I think you would be a good prince, someone that would help us all. You could be a good emperor, if you wanted to."
Lelouch shook his head, not quite sure what he was refusing. He just knew that he was surprised that Shirley trusted him. "You barely know me."
"I've seen you in the worst conditions; I think I can trust you on what I've seen."
Lelouch turned to look at her, suddenly wanting to send everyone in the alliance away. He knew himself well enough to know that he would go after Suzaku, whether or not it was good for the rest of the alliance. But they would be safer if they stuck together, and Lelouch wouldn't turn them away at the moment, he had already promised them too much. Lelouch sighed and reached out to grab Shirley's hand. "I'll get you out of here. I'll get you all out of here. I promise."
Shirley didn't answer, but she squeezed his hand, enough of an answer for Lelouch. He had his priorities now and there would be no more running. "We move tomorrow."
"Alright, Lelouch. We'll be ready."
Lelouch nodded, about to thank her, but Shirley was already gone, probably to help Rolo with their camp for the night. It was hard work for two people, especially with Mariel avoiding him, which just left him to help them. Lelouch hauled himself upright and walked into the open. He could sulk and curse Suzaku some more later. He turned to look in the direction that Suzaku had run in. "Stay alive."
---
"Perfect, just the thing to change the direction away from those annoying announcements. Remember to keep an eye out for more of those seditious messages. It's too bad about the death count; it would have made the day perfect."
Milly watched Diethard walk off, still muttering about how well the Games were going. Of course he would be encouraged by a day like this, anything that spiced up the Games. It was almost ironic that Diethard was crowing about the thing that just confirmed the messages that he hated, all he cared about was that there was someone who claimed to be a prince. For Milly it just confirmed that what Nunnally had said was true. There was a prince in the Games, and nothing had been done about it. The common people would react, just the thing that Diethard wanted, but not the reaction that he wanted. They people would be outraged.
As strong as Diethard felt about the emperor, most of the team was willing to turn to Nunnally's side, especially with the evidence that was being put out by legitimate sources on the internet despite attempts to silence them. In fact, aside from the comment by the emperor, there had been little done to stop them, just proving that the emperor cared little for what was going on. The favor of the people seemed to be turning towards Nunnally.
Milly pushed away from the desk, pulling out her phone and walking out into the hallway. She didn't hesitate to call Kanon's number, waiting until the second prince's aide answered. "We'll take any interview that you can give us. Diethard doesn't speak for all of us."
"Ah, I was just about to contact you Miss Ashford. We were actually more interested in you than anything else. We want the face of the Hunger Games and the daughter of Lady Marianne's strongest supporter on this."
Milly nodded, freezing a moment later. "For what, exactly?"
"A simple interview, on the same set as the other tributes if you can manage it."
"I suppose that your people will supply the questions."
"To a degree, just be aware that there are some things that it would be better not to ask. We want to keep the public firmly on our side. And there is the spectacle to think about."
"You're sounding more like Prince Schneizel the more I talk with you."
"That tends to happen with prolonged exposure to another person. And in this case, I have spent a lot of time organizing for the second prince. I suppose that you would like to know when the interview is scheduled before I allow you to return to work. I'm sure Diethard will call you back to work at any minute. How does tomorrow sound?"
"Tomorrow?"
"It would be best to follow up on the reveal of Lelouch. We can't let the emperor get ahead of us this time. Diethard won't be a problem; the second prince will take care of him. Does eleven sound good?"
"Sounds fine."
"Good. Thank you for your support Miss Ashford. I hope to find your family equally as helpful."
"Ah," Milly didn't get a chance to thank him, Kanon hanging up. She groaned and shut her phone, staring at the wall. At least she had gotten the interview, which was one thing that she could be happy about. She tapped her phone against her leg before turning and walking back into the studio.
She would tell Rivalz, the rest of those that would be needed would be contacted by Prince Schneizel on the day of the interview. Rivalz she would try to maneuver into the position of director. He had been directing enough late night sessions for her to feel confident that he would be handle the set up well. Rivalz was, after all, sympathetic to their cause. Diethard couldn't be trusted to handle the subject matter.
Milly sighed and glared at her phone again. As soon as they were let out, she would call her family and warn them of the upcoming call from the second prince. Maybe she could even encourage them to call up their other contacts. The sooner they could get a sizable force behind Nunnally, the sooner Nunnally would be able to do what she wanted and the sooner the Games would end.
---
Suzaku pressed his stomach to the grass, carefully watching the tributes. Somehow, Luciano and the others had managed to circle around him, but he had lost them sometime in the early evening. That alone had almost gotten him to turn around and find Lelouch, but he had stopped himself. It would be better if he stayed on the outside and tracked them. He was sure Luciano would chase him no matter what, and that could be the thing that saved Lelouch and the others.
He took a deep breath before crawling forward, trying to make as little noise as possible. He wanted to see if he could get close enough to hear any plans that were being made before he had to find a place to sleep for the night. Hopefully, he would get the information he needed to start trailing the alliance.
The sound of beeping made him tense up, Suzaku losing a moment to panic before he realized what was going on. Luciano was getting a gift from his sponsors; the sound was just the homing device as it signaled that it was close to its target. Suzaku let out the breath that he had been holding and pressed his forehead against the ground. Whatever Luciano was getting he would have to warn Lelouch about, somehow.
He heard the alliance gathering around the gift, picking up bits and pieces of their conversation and a thud as the carrying case hit the ground. Suzaku pulled himself closer, catching the glint of moonlight off the case and the small piece of paper that had been discarded along with it. Suzaku glanced over at the alliance before reaching for the scrap of paper, only to yank his hand back when the tributes moved closer to where he was hidden.
"What is it?"
"A blow pipe."
"Can you use it?"
"Of course." That was Luciano, Suzaku lifting his head to see him. The tribute was smiling and holding the blow pipe. "I was trained to use every weapon."
"What about the darts?"
"Careful, they're poisoned!"
"Was that what was on that paper?"
"Yes. The emperor doesn't tell me who to kill, that would take all of the fun out of the Games."
"Can we test it?"
"No. I have an idea on who to test it on. If that works, then we know we're good. We shouldn't waste the two darts here on rabbits."
There were various noises of agreement from the other in the alliance. Suzaku closed his eyes and took a deep breath. At least Lelouch and the others would be well prepared for what was coming next; he would make sure of it. A poisoned dart, even if there was only two, would disable their alliance. With Sophie dead, they would be down to four people if the darts were used, not enough to stand against Luciano and the others. It would affect their ability to survive as well, since everyone was already so specialized in what they could do.
Suzaku chewed on his low lip as he adjusted his plan. He would return to Lelouch and the others in the morning, and he would somehow have to convince Lelouch to allow him to return to spy on the other alliance. If the emperor was giving Luciano gifts, then they would need to know about them. Lelouch wouldn't agree with the spying missions, but Suzaku would insist. Lelouch wanted to get everyone in their alliance out alive, so it was a sacrifice that they would have to make.
He opened his eyes, relieved to see that Luciano and the others had started moving away, probably trying to find a spot that wasn't soaked through. Making a fire would be difficult for everyone tonight since everything would create a thick cloud of smoke. In Luciano's case, it wouldn't matter; there was no one after him. Suzaku wouldn't put it past Luciano to try and attack Lelouch and the others in secret. If it had worked once there was a very high probability that it would work again. That would be another thing to watch for, something that he would entrust Rolo to look out for. If Lelouch tried to do everything, as he was prone to do, then their alliance would be in trouble.
Suzaku went to scoot back, pausing and looking at the scrap of paper that Luciano had discarded. He wouldn't put it past Luciano to lie to his alliance, especially on the matter of killing. The emperor's favorite had to receive orders, how else were they supposed to receive the gifts that became their rewards.
He reached out to grab the paper, carefully pulling it toward him. There was barely enough light to read the words typed on the page. Suzaku glanced around before turning onto his side, holding the paper on a slanted angle so the moonlight would help him. Even then he had to bring the paper close to his face to make out the small words.
'Eliminate Lelouch over all others. The reward will be great.'
Suzaku didn't realize that he had crushed the paper in his hand until he heard it crumple. He felt himself shaking, too far removed from everything to pay much attention to what he was doing. The order had come to take Lelouch out and Suzaku would not let that happen. Even if he had to fight off Luciano and all of the others, he would keep Lelouch safe. Sleeping would have to wait; it was time to return to Lelouch.
He went to back away from where the alliance was, wanting to remain flat to the ground until he was a good distance away before getting up and running away. If they did chase after him again, Suzaku wanted as much distance as he could get between them. He shifted so he was completely on his stomach, pushing himself backward. He paused for a moment, jerking his head to the left as he heard the grass rustle. It was the only warning he got before someone stepped on his back.
Suzaku froze for a split second before he began thrashing on the ground, reaching back to claw at the person's leg. When the pressure let up for a moment, he tried to reach for his knife, cursing aloud when the person took it away. He heard it tumble into the grasses a few feet away before the pressure returned to his back. Suzaku growled and tried to push himself up from the ground and onto all fours, the air being pushed out of him suddenly as the person stepped down.
"Hey Luciano, come and look at this."
"What is it?" Suzaku looked up as he heard Monica speak, his eyes widening as he saw the girl bounding over. She froze part of the way between where Suzaku was trapped and where the others were. Monica stared at him for a moment before squealing and jumping in place. "Luciano!'
"What is it?"
"Look Luciano," Monica pointed at Suzaku, "we caught ourselves a rat."
"Really?" Luciano strolled over, Suzaku keeping an eye on the blow pipe that Luciano held in one hand. The tribute laughed when he saw Suzaku, crouching down to stare at him. "Eleven! Were you so eager for our rematch that you came after us? I'm flattered, but I don't really want to waste such a good finale. Tell me where your friends are."
Suzaku tried to get up again, coughing when he was kicked in the side in addition to being shoved back down again. He gritted his teeth, meeting Luciano's gaze. He couldn't get free, so he would have to play their game for now. "I don't know."
"Come now, Eleven, you were doing a good job of keeping up with them before you distracted us. You know where they are."
"I don't."
"Pity." Luciano stood back up as the three others in his alliance joined him. Suzaku stared up at them, watching as Bart nocked and arrow and aimed it at him. The others took up similar guarded positions, all save for Monica and Luciano.
It was Dorothea that spoke up after looking nervously around at all of them. "Aren't you going to do something about him?"
"Yes."
"Then use that blow pipe."
Luciano grinned and shook his head, using the blow pipe to point at Dorothea. "I like the way you think, but no, he's not the one I was going to test it on. It would be too easy." He faked a yawn. "I'm too tired to deal with Eleven right now, so I think I'll give him to you and Monica, since you've been kept away from the action, and that's not fair. Enjoy."
Luciano gave a lazy flick of his fingers, Suzaku feeling the weight lift from his back. He rolled to the side, jumping to his feet. The entire time, Bart kept an arrow trained on his chest, Suzaku taking a step back as he considered his options. He didn't know what Luciano really meant to do with him, whether the tribute really meant to pass him on or if he would actually kill him right there. Suzaku swallowed, carefully looking at all of the alliance. Save for Bart, all of them had put their weapons away, obviously obeying what their leader had ordered. Suzaku was at the disadvantage because his knife was somewhere in the dark and any move he made towards it would just end in an arrow sent his way.
He settled into a slightly alert stance, feeling that it was his best decision for the moment. That drew more laughter from the rest of the group. Suzaku rocked forward at a slap to his shoulder, glaring at David Dalton as the tribute walked around to join the rest of his alliance. "You've got guts to want to fight all of us."
"Eleven's got spunk." Luciano laughed before waving him away. "Go ahead and run, I won't stop you. Monica and Dorothea can have their fun. Keep up with him girls, he's all yours now."
Suzaku glanced over at them. There was no other choice that he could have made. Both Monica and Dorothea had drawn their weapons and were advancing on him. Suzaku was unarmed and at a distinct disadvantage. He couldn't run back to the others, not without leading Monica and Dorothea to them. But he did have the advantage in speed and he was sure that he could outrun them.
Suzaku gave the two girls a grin before taking off at his fastest run. He heard the alliance laugh a few of them calling him a coward. They could jeer all they wanted, but that was still not going to get him to turn and fight, he was smarter than that. The sounds of the calls got drowned out by the sound of the two girls running after him. Suzaku glanced over his shoulder, seeing the shadows of the two girls running after him. He gritted his teeth and focused on running.
If he couldn't find a place where he could hide the he would do his best to eliminate the two that were following him. Suzaku was sure that he could get them to break a leg or lose them in the dark. Anyone stumbling around in the dark would probably end up hurting themselves and Suzaku was sure that Luciano wouldn't hesitate to rid himself of a useless member of his alliance. Maybe if Luciano kept directing his alliance to keep chasing Suzaku then he could be outnumbered when he faced Lelouch. Even then, Suzaku wasn't sure that Luciano would go for the plan. Luciano was the kind of person who would go after the easiest prey. It was why he was tormenting Suzaku now, because Suzaku was on his own and far away from any help. Suzaku smiled to himself and darted off to the right. He couldn't do much, but he could do his best to lead the two girls on a merry chase.
He cut across the even ground, keeping one eye on the ground. It was mostly flat for now, but Suzaku was sure that the terrain would get difficult soon enough. He jumped up onto a small rise, slipping on the damp grass. He grunted and scrambled to his feet, listening to Monica babble excitedly about what they were going to do to him when they caught him. Most of the suggestions had to do something with dismembering him. Suzaku gritted his teeth and concentrated on keeping upright.
His luck ran out when he slid down into a ditch, Suzaku climbing up the other side only to stumble into another ditch. The ground briefly stayed flat for a single step, Suzaku having to scramble on his hands and knees just to keep from falling. He threw a quick look over his shoulder, seeing that Dorothea was running right up behind him. Suzaku flipped onto his back, catching Dorothea's arm and flipping her over him, planting his foot on her stomach to assist in the flip. Suzaku didn't wait to see where she landed, getting to his feet again.
Suzaku heard Monica's shout for the other tribute, bending at the waist as he used another ditch to put more distance between them. Monica alone could probably best him on her own just by jumping on his back. He shivered, finding a place where the ditch was washed out. Suzaku took a short break, catching his breath. Hopefully the two would give up, because he wouldn't be able to keep up the same pace all night.
"Eleven!" Suzaku jumped at Dorothea's scream, turning and taking a step to the side.
His foot didn't land on solid ground, Suzaku stepping into a hole. He flailed, trying to keep his balance only to fall backwards. He caught himself on his elbows, gasping as he felt his ankle twist. He turned his head biting down on his sleeve to keep from making any noise. When he was sure that he could keep quiet, he reached forward and gently pulled his leg from the hole. He clutched at his ankle, checking to see if it was broken before getting to his feet.
He wobbled on the first step, but the pain wasn't enough to make him stop, he could still manage a limping run. Suzaku gritted his teeth against the pain and forced himself to keep moving. With the lack of flat land, where he could depend on his good leg alone, he had to use both legs to transverse the rises and dips. He could feel his leg trembling the longer he used it, his ankle throbbing any time he put pressure on it.
"There he is!"
"He's moving funny. Do you think he hurt himself?"
"I hope he has. That hurt!"
Suzaku's eyes widened, trying to pick up the pace only to fall as his ankle finally gave out. He groaned, curling his fingers into the grass before dragging himself forward. There would be somewhere he could hide. If he pressed himself into the shadows then Monica and Dorothea might not find him. He would figure out what he would do once he was safe.
All the air was pushed out of him as he felt someone jump onto his back. "Hold on there, Eleven."
"Hold him Monica."
Monica laughed. "You gave us a fine time. It's disappointing that you failed just when it was getting fun."
"Don't encourage him. He's more trouble than he's worth."
Suzaku tried to look over his shoulder, his eyes widening as he saw Dorothea pull out her sword. Suzaku twisted, trying to get out from under Monica. She just laughed and elbowed him in the side. "No way. You've been running all night. Rest for a while Eleven."
"Get off!" Suzaku bucked up, Monica squealing as she was thrown off. He fell to his hands and knees when he tried to get to his feet. Suzaku hissed and started to drag himself along the ground.
He didn't get far, Dorothea kicking him onto his side. Suzaku glanced up at her, surprised when she just shook her head. "Monica, hold him down."
Monica grabbed onto his shoulders, Suzaku not willing to look away from Dorothea. He reached up and tried to pull her hands off of him, freezing when he saw Dorothea raise her sword about her head. Suzaku shifted, twisting so he was lying on his side. He sucked in a deep breath, watching as the sword came down.
Author: Spirithorse (eachainn )
Rating: M
Pairing: Suzalulu
Warnings: Character deaths, violence, death
Summary: AU. In one move Lelouch saved his sister and damned himself. Now he has to compete in the Hunger Games and figure out some way that both he and Suzaku can get out alive and get home. Suzalulu.
Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass or The Hunger Games.
1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8-9
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Chapter Nine
Lelouch leaned against a tree, tapping his fingers against his arm as he considered the wall. The flood waters had receded sometime in the middle of the night, before his watch. Suzaku had shaken him awake before down with a muttered update about the situation. The water had disappeared, leaving the grass flattened completely, which had taken away their advantage. Lelouch huffed and pressed his back more firmly against the tree. There would be no hiding now, just running. In that equation, Lelouch knew that he would be the loser. There were plenty of others that were faster than him. He bit his lip, looking over the wall.
All the more reason for them to advance their plans. It was far earlier than he wanted and possibly very dangerous for all of them. The longer the Games went on, the more likely it was for the attention of the public to slip away or turn on them all together. Lelouch didn't particularly enjoy the idea of being shot at as they tried to escape. Then there was the fact that Lelouch hadn't even considered where they would go. He just knew that he would go to get his mother and sister before running. Maybe there would be a place for them in the EU. It would be less likely that they would be handed over then if they fled to the Chinese Federation. But all of that hinged on their ability to escape within the next few days
The confrontation with Luciano had boosted his confidence in their group but Suzaku's pessimism had gotten him thinking properly again. They had gotten out of the situation too easily and Luciano eagerness put him on edge. Luciano would come back for them and they had nowhere to go. They could always fight again, but Lelouch was sure that they would lose and lose spectacularly. He touched the cut on his face. It was enough that his mother and sister had to see him suffering; he didn't want to make them watch him die. Lelouch shook his head and pushed away from the tree, turning to walk back to where the others were.
The alliance had already eaten, Lelouch could tell by the fish bones that were scattered and the fire. He didn't meet Suzaku's gaze, sitting down close to Mariel. "Could you do it today?"
Mariel jerked back in shock, but nodded, looking at the ground. "It would be difficult, but I think I could. Y-you would just need me to short out the force field?"
"Yes. We'd get weapons and run. It's the best plan."
"So we'd run away?" Lelouch looked over at Sophie, expecting her to argue. Instead she looked relieved. "That makes more sense than staying and fighting."
Lelouch ran the numbers in his head. Eleven of the tributes were dead, which left only thirteen tributes, including him and Suzaku, in the Games. Knowing that there were two alliances with six tributes each left just one tribute running around and Lelouch wasn't even sure that the tribute would want to join them. It was more likely that the tribute would kill them. Lelouch clenched his hand into a fist. They were outnumbered and outclassed any way he looked at the problem, which was even more of a push for them to move. There would be enough tributes to carry out the Games if Pendragon demanded it. He stood up and wiped off his hands. "Come on, let's get this done."
There were murmurs of assent, Lelouch stepping back and letting the others gather the minimal supplies they had left. He fell into line, smiling as Rolo dashed to his side, the younger boy walking very close to him. Lelouch ruffled Rolo's hair, listening to Rolo laugh before he turned to look over their group. If there had been any other circumstances…Lelouch frowned before he could complete the thought. There were no other circumstances, and he would do better to remember that. Thinking otherwise would make him too slow. His gaze drifted over to Suzaku, watching as his friend guarded the rear.
Suzaku was taking his job completely seriously, not that Lelouch blamed him. But he wanted Suzaku up by him. Lelouch doubted that Luciano would use a surprise attack, not with the way that he had been gloating. That was even more of a reason to keep Suzaku close and within range in case something happened.
He turned his attention to the others, surprised when Mariel dropped back to walk with him. She pulled at the end of her sleeve, refusing to look at him. "It might be harder than you think it would be. We have to find where the mines are and then there's the matter of getting them activated and in place before they go off because of the force field."
"I'm sure that you already have a solution."
Mariel nodded. "I just worry about what they'll do when they figure out what we're doing. What if they send in soldiers?"
"We'll have weapons and we'll post a guard. We promised to protect each other and I don't make promises like this lightly." Lelouch tried to keep his voice steady. "We'll all stand by you until everything is completed."
That seemed to be what Mariel wanted to hear. She smiled at him before pulling Rolo aside to talk to him, something about his small hands. Lelouch sighed, listening to them talk with only half his attention. Posting a guard would have been a good idea in any case; it would relieve some of Suzaku's tension as well. Then there was the fact that planting the mine might cause it to explode. Lelouch looked at the wall again. They would have to blow up the entire wall itself instead of the generators of the force field. It wouldn't be the subtle escape that he wanted; they would have to be ready to run fast when the time came.
They walked out into the area around the Cornucopia, Lelouch surprised to see that the leftover supplies were still there. He would have thought that the people who ran the Games would have removed them just to make their lives harder. Still, Lelouch was not willing to bemoan the windfall. Lelouch tipped his head to the side, wanting to see if Suzaku was thinking along the same lines that he was. He narrowed his eyes when Suzaku's face remained blank. He wasn't sure if Suzaku was still mad at him for the night before or because he was completely lost in thought.
Lelouch took his place by the Cornucopia, watching as Sophie, Shirley and Suzaku took their places around where Mariel and Rolo were working. Lelouch watched the two of them work for a moment, Mariel and Rolo testing the ground for where the mines were buried. He looked away, scanning the area. He felt more exposed now without the tall grass, which was strange because it had been so annoying before. Lelouch rolled his shoulders forward, trying to dispel the feeling. They were all safe; the other alliance was far away. But he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.
He heard something knock against the side of the Cornucopia, jumping before he calmed himself. Something had just fallen over in the Cornucopia. There was no need to jump at every noise. Then again, there was every reason to be on edge. Lelouch swallowed and moved to look inside the Cornucopia. He squinted into the darkness, only having a moment to comprehend what he was seeing before he had to stumble back, ducking the swing of a sword.
He fell onto his back, Lelouch rolling to his side and trying to get to his feet. He felt someone step on the edge of his jacket, Lelouch spending a moment in panic before he jerked the jacket out from under the tribute's feet. He scrambled to his feet, clutching his jacket close. Lelouch turned to face the person who had attacked him, his eyes widening as he saw Luciano smirking down at him.
"Told you I would be back."
There were shouts from behind him, but Lelouch didn't pay attention to them, he was too busy thinking over how they had been out maneuvered. The flood had disappeared during the night, so they must have waited for that moment before moving down to the Cornucopia. They had slept right through the set up of the trap and Lelouch had led them into it.
He snapped out of his daze as the rest of the alliance stepped out of the Cornucopia. Lelouch stumbled back, fumbling for his knife before making a quick decision. They couldn't fight again, they had gotten lucky once, but Lelouch didn't think they would do too well. There was no way he could make them fight. Lelouch looked away, keeping an eye on his alliance. From the looks on their faces, he was sure that they agreed with him.
Lelouch took a deep breath before turning and running. All he could think of was that they needed a place to hide, or a place where they could turn the tables on the other alliance. It hurt his pride to run, but it would be stupid to stay and fight. Lelouch put his knife back into place, looking up at the hill before making a split second decision to avoid it. They could lose the alliance in the landscape beyond the first hill.
The sound of someone running beside him made him turn his head, Lelouch finding himself staring at Shirley. She glanced at him before grabbing his hand. "Come on."
He let himself be towed by her. Shirley still knew the area better than any of them did, so she would find them a place to hide. Shirley had been the one to find hiding places every night. He trusted her with their lives.
After his initial burst of speed, he struggled to keep up with Shirley, stumbling along after her. It didn't take long for the rest of their alliance to catch up, none of them running past Shirley. None of them wanted to get lost and become easy prey for Luciano and those that followed him.
Shirley suddenly pulled him to the side, letting go of his hand and pressing on his back. Lelouch stumbled into a ditch, Shirley immediately pulling him down the length of it. She dropped to her knees, pulling drenched grass aside to reveal a small indentation. She looked back at them before jerking her head. "Get in."
Lelouch dropped to his knees and crawled in, pulling Rolo in after him. Mariel rolled in after them, pressing herself into the farthest part of the indent. Shirley was the next one in, passing off the duty of holding the grass aside to Suzaku. Lelouch let go of Rolo, reached out a hand to Suzaku only to be pushed away. Lelouch gritted his teeth. 'Get in here, you idiot."
"Sophie is still out there."
Lelouch frowned and crawled forward, sticking his head out into the open. Sophie must have fallen behind during their escape or had gotten lost. Lelouch groaned, shaking his head before reaching for Suzaku's arm. "We'll keep an eye out for her, but don't wait out here."
"Lelouch…"
There was a scream from the way they had come. Lelouch jumped and crawled completely out from where they were hidden. He felt Suzaku place a hand on his back, the two of them jumping as the cannon fired. They exchanged glances, Lelouch hearing the mutters from the rest of their alliance. He swallowed and looked down at the ground. There had been threats to their alliance but never a death. There was no one that it could be other than Sophie, and it was surprising how much Lelouch felt like he had failed her. He hadn't known her for too long, but he had been responsible for her. He hung his head, taking a deep breath before grabbing Suzaku's arm. "Come on."
"Lelouch," Suzaku didn't look back at him, "they'll find us, it's not too hard to. We can't fight them here."
"What else can we do? They're too close to run again.'
Suzaku glanced at him, holding his gaze for a moment before looking away again. "He won't stop, Lelouch. He'll keep following us until we drop."
"He has others."
"That he promised to keep alive until he has no other choice. For now, it's safer and easier to hunt us."
Lelouch shook his head. Luciano had the two Daltons he could kill and get a reward from the emperor. The rest of the alliance was probably too scared of Luciano to do anything to cross him. "Suzaku, that's-"
"What? Not logical? It's completely logical, Lelouch." Suzaku pulled away. "I promised that I would protect you."
"Who asked you to? I can take care of myself."
"Nunnally, your mother. They want you to live, Lelouch."
"They want you to live too."
"I know, Lelouch. I know. And," Suzaku gave a laugh that sounded more like a sob, "I won't want to make them sad, I really don't. But I can't-" He swallowed and leaned close to Lelouch, whispering in his ear. "Your mother made me promise, she knighted me Lelouch."
His eyes widened. His mother had never told him that, he had thought that his mother had abandoned all vestiges of the royal family when they had moved to Area 11. He had thought that they had been safe enough for them not to need knights. He thought that his mother had trusted him.
"I didn't plan on doing this, honestly. It was something to do if everything went wrong and we couldn't get out."
"We can get out."
"Lelouch, I don't think we can and I don't want to risk it. I'm sorry." Lelouch opened his mouth to protest, snapping it shut when Suzaku grabbed his hand. Whatever Lelouch had been planning to say disappeared when Suzaku lifted Lelouch's hand to his mouth, pausing just inches away. "Come find me."
"I will."
Suzaku smiled at him before kissing is knuckles, Lelouch tempted to jump away. It was an action due to royalty. He had never thought that Suzaku would do it to him. He had never thought that Suzaku would have the chance. Lelouch felt his mind reel, trying to keep ahead of Suzaku. His friend wasn't making sense. Suzaku was just acting as a distraction, but it felt more like a goodbye. Lelouch licked his lips. "Suzaku?"
"Stay safe, my prince."
He was gone before Lelouch could process what Suzaku had said. Lelouch stumbled forward a step. "Suzaku!"
Lelouch's only answer was the sound of shouting and people running through the grass. There was an overenthusiastic whoop before Lelouch recognized Suzaku's yell. He listened intently for a while longer, waiting for a scream or the sound of the cannon. When neither came, he fell to his knees. Suzaku had managed to lead them away and would probably lead them on a merry chase, but Lelouch wasn't sure he would be able to find Suzaku before something happened to him. He had promised the others that he would get them out, but he couldn't leave Suzaku. He had promised himself that they would get out of the Games alive. There were many plans that he could have been making, but all he could do was stare at where Suzaku had run off.
"Lelouch." He turned his head at the sound of his name, staring at Shirley as she tugged at his sleeve. "Lelouch they might come back."
When he didn't respond, Shirley gave his sleeve a harder tug. "Lelouch please. We need you."
He looked back at Shirley, the girl taking advantage of his distraction to pull him back inside. Lelouch let her pull him to one side, settling him against someone else before going back to cover the entrance. Lelouch almost told her not to, but he let himself get pulled back against the wall. Suzaku would come back, he was sure of it. Suzaku would always come back. He fixed his eyes on the entrance and settled down to wait.
---
Nunnally stared at the screen waiting for the camera pan to where Suzaku was. Instead, it was still fixed on Lelouch. It had been hard enough watching Suzaku run away, but it was worse to see Lelouch breaking down. There was no other word for what her big brother was doing. He had been kneeling on the ground, staring at where Suzaku had disappeared to while the rest of his alliance shouted his name. She swallowed and turned her head away, biting her lip.
She turned back when Lelouch was finally pulled back into safety, pressing her hand against her eyes. She wouldn't cry, not while they were still alive. She was sure that they would still get out of the Games; there was just the fear that they wouldn't find each other in time. Nunnally shivered, taking a deep breath.
When she looked up, she saw that they broadcast had started to replay the scene, Nunnally wanting to shout for them to stop. She didn't want to watch her brother suffer again. Nunnally went to pull away, freezing when she heard Suzaku's voice.
"Stay safe, my prince."
"You heard that right folks." Milly's voice was an unwelcome interruption, far too cheerful for what was going on. "We have royalty in the Games. No only has he risen from the dead, but he's volunteered for his sister despite his station. What an exciting twist to the Games. First a new princess and then the return of a prince! Even I didn't expect this to happen."
The broadcast switched back to a live feed, following Suzaku as he continued to run from Luciano and the rest of his alliance. Nunnally stared at the screen, shaking her head.
"Why?" She turned her head to look at Euphemia, the princess leaning heavily on the chair. "Why would he do that? Lelouch was safe and then…Luciano will be after him now. What good was it to let that out?"
"I'm sure that he was just acting for the best."
Both of them turned as the door to the sitting room they were in opened. Schneizel walked in, followed closely by Kanon. Schneizel nodded at the two of them before claiming one of the seats. "It was a good move."
Euphemia pushed away from the chair and spun to face her half brother. "How is what just happened good?"
"Suzaku Kururugi just confirmed what Nunnally said and what I told the nation. While they might not believe what I have said, they would definitely believe Suzaku. It essentially boils down to the same thing, there is a royal in the Games, a prince of Britannia who is competing, and they will expect him to be withdrawn."
"But he won't do that, will he Schneizel?" Nunnally couldn't meet Schneizel's gaze. "Father wouldn't, because it would be acknowledging us. He hasn't come after mother, so he doesn't care."
"I doubt he cares much about any of us any more." Schneizel pressed his fingers together. "No, if he removed Lelouch that would be playing right into what the population wanted. Lelouch is completely innocent and shouldn't be in the Games. Also, by failing to recognize either of you or look for Lady Marianne, he has already lost."
Schneizel looked back at Kanon. "We've been getting calls since Suzaku let the secret slip. The nobles are suddenly interested in our cause, although I wouldn't look too deeply into why they decided to choose our cause now. The important thing is that the nobles are flocking to us and the rest of our siblings will follow, or at least the cowards among them will."
Nunnally winced at the easy dismissal of so many of their siblings. It wasn't a crime to be frightened, it was how she had lived in Area 11, afraid that someone would come and send them away. It was fear for her brother's sake that she had come to Pendragon. The only difference between her and the others was that she wasn't allowing her fear to stop her.
She pushed her hair back from her face, addressing Schneizel. "And the next step will be?"
"We'll speak to the people again, before the emperor reacts. We have the advantage because the emperor won't give into the whims of the people, not even to save his son. That will win us the sympathy of the people. For now, we'll play your announcement and try to keep the people firmly on our side."
Nunnally exchanged a glance with Euphemia, clearing her throat. "I would like to speak to the people again, for myself. Being distant is what got father into this position and I don't want to be put into the same position. I may not be the one who will take the throne, but I am a princess and there is no use in hiding from my people."
"It would be dangerous." Euphemia sighed, coming around her chair to sit next to Nunnally. "Riling up the people is always dangerous."
"Rebellion has always been that way." Nunnally smiled at Euphemia. "But Lelouch would be disappointed if I didn't lead what I started. Despite your help, this is my rebellion and I have to see it through to the end."
"Then you'll need guard."
"And she'll get them." Schneizel leaned forward. "The army is already on our side simply because we have invoked the name of Lady Marianne. It may be only a fraction of the army, but the rest will come soon enough. We just have to show that we hold the power."
"Then that will be your task. I will continue to speak to the people with Euphy. Contact mother's old supporters and see if they will come to our side."
Schneizel nodded and stood up, Nunnally expecting him to give another order. Instead he just bowed and turned to leave the room. "I sometimes forget that you and Lelouch are brother and sister, but you never let me forget for long."
Before she could ask what he meant, Schneizel was gone. Nunnally sighed and looked back at Euphemia, trying her best to smile. "I guess we should plan our next moves"
Euphemia nodded and stood up to turn off the television, Nunnally getting one last glimpse of Suzaku before the screen went black.
---
Lelouch stared at his knees, barely paying attention to what the rest of the group was talking about. He was waiting for the sound of Suzaku returning, or the sound of the cannon. He was sure that the cannon wouldn't go off, Suzaku would come back. Suzaku had always come back. They had even managed to find each other when the Games had started. If that didn't prove that they could do anything together, Lelouch didn't know what did. And they would have done anything, if Suzaku had stayed with them.
It had been a stupid plan to begin with, for Suzaku to give up his life. Lelouch was still in trouble, now more than ever since Suzaku was no longer there for protection. Luciano wouldn't stop chasing Lelouch, he would just chase Suzaku until he had lost Suzaku and then go right back to chasing Lelouch. It was stupid and so very much like Suzaku to do something like this.
He swallowed and pressed his forehead against his knees, not sure if he wanted to laugh or cry. Neither choice was the better one, especially since the others were still looking for him to lead. But what he really wanted to do was sit and wait. Lelouch squeezed his eyes shut, taking a deep breath.
"Lelouch?" He looked up as Shirley called his name. She was probably able to ask what they were going to do. He went to stand up, only stopping when Shirley rested a hand on his arm. She pulled her hand back almost immediately, blushing. "A-are you really a prince?"
Lelouch nodded, there was no reason to hide his identity any longer. "Lelouch vi Britannia, eleventh prince of Britannia. Well, former prince."
"No, you're still alive, so you're still a prince." Shirley attempted to give him a smile, scooting closer to him. "So it still counts."
"Why didn't you get out?" He turned his head to look at Mariel, the tribute nervously clutching her sleeve. "You could have called your father. You didn't even have to volunteer for you sister. Why are you here?"
"If I could have gotten out, I would have already." It was a lie; he wouldn't have let Suzaku go through the Games alone. "He doesn't care."
"If he doesn't care about you, what kind of chance do we have? If we had escaped he wouldn't have stopped because of you. We would have been killed." Mariel scooted back. "I don't want to escape anymore. I don't want to die."
Rolo snorted. "You're going to die anyway."
"At least that will be a choice of my own. I don't want to be gunned down like a criminal."
Shirley moved away from Lelouch to comfort Mariel. "Lelouch is going to get us out. I still believe in him."
"How can he protect us? He couldn't protect Sophie. Suzaku is going to die protecting us and it's all his fault!" Mariel pushed out of their hideout and into the open.
Shirley gave Lelouch a quick glance before following Mariel. Rolo was quick to leave as well, muttering something about food. Lelouch let them go. They had to adjust to the new dynamic and the loss of two members of the alliance. Lelouch had no doubt that Shirley and Rolo would come back, he had their loyalty. It was Mariel that he had to worry about. Sophie had been the one closest to her and Mariel had, apparently, trusted Suzaku more than him. Then again, she had nowhere else to go.
He sighed and closed his eyes, curling up on himself. Everything would be fine. All he had to do was convince himself of that, to trick himself into seeing that. Lelouch shivered, trying to move off to another train of thought, another plan. But he just kept chasing the same thoughts around in a circle.
He jumped as Shirley ducked back into their hideout. "She'll be fine, just give her a while. It's been a day full of surprises for all of us."
She sat down next to him, Lelouch feeling the sudden distance between the two of them. They sat in silence for a while before Shirley touched his arm. "It's not your fault, remember that. It was his choice."
"He was an idiot."
"Suzaku just cared. You two are best friends. He would do anything for you and you would do the same."
He appreciated what Shirley was trying to do for him, but he just felt annoyed. He didn't need to be reminded of his failure. "What do we do then?"
"I don't think anyone would care if we waited to escape until we found Suzaku. Until then, we can focus on taking out Luciano's alliance. We just survive, Lelouch. And, if something does go wrong, then we can move forward with the plan. We have our alliance, we stick together."
Lelouch nodded, hoping that Shirley would get the hint and move away. Instead, she just moved closer. "Tell me about him. Suzaku."
"Why?"
"We don't know anything about the two of you, but you know about us. Now we know why you didn't talk about yourself, but what about Suzaku. What was he, some kind of secret guard? It wouldn't have been coincidence that he was chosen after you volunteered. One of your half brothers is the viceroy of Area 11."
"No." Lelouch still wasn't sure what Suzaku had meant when he had said that he was knighted. It couldn't have been official since their entirely family was in exile, but the message was still there. His mother had wanted to make sure that they were protected, which was why she had seemed slightly relieved that Suzaku was going with him. Knowing Suzaku, Lelouch would have been well protected. He might have even won. He still had that chance to win as long as Suzaku was still alive. "He's just my best friend. We were…close."
Shirley patted his shoulder awkwardly. "It'll be alright. Suzaku is smart enough to get through this on his own."
Lelouch gave Shirley a weak smile. She was trying her best, but she was just making it worse. One of the worst things had happened. He had wanted to keep Suzaku by his side and safe, because Suzaku was important as Nunnally and Marianne, perhaps even more. Part of him was relieved that they had stopped at a kiss, while part of him wished for more. Maybe he wouldn't have been regretting what he had allowed Suzaku to do. Then again, it probably would have been worse.
"Lelouch…"
"I know he'll be fine, Shirley. It's just the waiting and not knowing."
Shirley nodded, Lelouch relieved when she changed the subject. "Do you think that you'll get pulled from the Games now?"
"No. If I wasn't before I won't be ever. As I said, I'm an former prince, useless for whatever my father wants."
"So we just have to tough it out on our own." Shirley didn't sound too enthusiastic about the idea, something that Lelouch felt the same about. He ducked his head, intending to zone out. Shirley patted his shoulder again. "You're not alone, you know. I'll help you. I want to help you." Shirley blushed. "If we get out of this, I think you would be a good prince, someone that would help us all. You could be a good emperor, if you wanted to."
Lelouch shook his head, not quite sure what he was refusing. He just knew that he was surprised that Shirley trusted him. "You barely know me."
"I've seen you in the worst conditions; I think I can trust you on what I've seen."
Lelouch turned to look at her, suddenly wanting to send everyone in the alliance away. He knew himself well enough to know that he would go after Suzaku, whether or not it was good for the rest of the alliance. But they would be safer if they stuck together, and Lelouch wouldn't turn them away at the moment, he had already promised them too much. Lelouch sighed and reached out to grab Shirley's hand. "I'll get you out of here. I'll get you all out of here. I promise."
Shirley didn't answer, but she squeezed his hand, enough of an answer for Lelouch. He had his priorities now and there would be no more running. "We move tomorrow."
"Alright, Lelouch. We'll be ready."
Lelouch nodded, about to thank her, but Shirley was already gone, probably to help Rolo with their camp for the night. It was hard work for two people, especially with Mariel avoiding him, which just left him to help them. Lelouch hauled himself upright and walked into the open. He could sulk and curse Suzaku some more later. He turned to look in the direction that Suzaku had run in. "Stay alive."
---
"Perfect, just the thing to change the direction away from those annoying announcements. Remember to keep an eye out for more of those seditious messages. It's too bad about the death count; it would have made the day perfect."
Milly watched Diethard walk off, still muttering about how well the Games were going. Of course he would be encouraged by a day like this, anything that spiced up the Games. It was almost ironic that Diethard was crowing about the thing that just confirmed the messages that he hated, all he cared about was that there was someone who claimed to be a prince. For Milly it just confirmed that what Nunnally had said was true. There was a prince in the Games, and nothing had been done about it. The common people would react, just the thing that Diethard wanted, but not the reaction that he wanted. They people would be outraged.
As strong as Diethard felt about the emperor, most of the team was willing to turn to Nunnally's side, especially with the evidence that was being put out by legitimate sources on the internet despite attempts to silence them. In fact, aside from the comment by the emperor, there had been little done to stop them, just proving that the emperor cared little for what was going on. The favor of the people seemed to be turning towards Nunnally.
Milly pushed away from the desk, pulling out her phone and walking out into the hallway. She didn't hesitate to call Kanon's number, waiting until the second prince's aide answered. "We'll take any interview that you can give us. Diethard doesn't speak for all of us."
"Ah, I was just about to contact you Miss Ashford. We were actually more interested in you than anything else. We want the face of the Hunger Games and the daughter of Lady Marianne's strongest supporter on this."
Milly nodded, freezing a moment later. "For what, exactly?"
"A simple interview, on the same set as the other tributes if you can manage it."
"I suppose that your people will supply the questions."
"To a degree, just be aware that there are some things that it would be better not to ask. We want to keep the public firmly on our side. And there is the spectacle to think about."
"You're sounding more like Prince Schneizel the more I talk with you."
"That tends to happen with prolonged exposure to another person. And in this case, I have spent a lot of time organizing for the second prince. I suppose that you would like to know when the interview is scheduled before I allow you to return to work. I'm sure Diethard will call you back to work at any minute. How does tomorrow sound?"
"Tomorrow?"
"It would be best to follow up on the reveal of Lelouch. We can't let the emperor get ahead of us this time. Diethard won't be a problem; the second prince will take care of him. Does eleven sound good?"
"Sounds fine."
"Good. Thank you for your support Miss Ashford. I hope to find your family equally as helpful."
"Ah," Milly didn't get a chance to thank him, Kanon hanging up. She groaned and shut her phone, staring at the wall. At least she had gotten the interview, which was one thing that she could be happy about. She tapped her phone against her leg before turning and walking back into the studio.
She would tell Rivalz, the rest of those that would be needed would be contacted by Prince Schneizel on the day of the interview. Rivalz she would try to maneuver into the position of director. He had been directing enough late night sessions for her to feel confident that he would be handle the set up well. Rivalz was, after all, sympathetic to their cause. Diethard couldn't be trusted to handle the subject matter.
Milly sighed and glared at her phone again. As soon as they were let out, she would call her family and warn them of the upcoming call from the second prince. Maybe she could even encourage them to call up their other contacts. The sooner they could get a sizable force behind Nunnally, the sooner Nunnally would be able to do what she wanted and the sooner the Games would end.
---
Suzaku pressed his stomach to the grass, carefully watching the tributes. Somehow, Luciano and the others had managed to circle around him, but he had lost them sometime in the early evening. That alone had almost gotten him to turn around and find Lelouch, but he had stopped himself. It would be better if he stayed on the outside and tracked them. He was sure Luciano would chase him no matter what, and that could be the thing that saved Lelouch and the others.
He took a deep breath before crawling forward, trying to make as little noise as possible. He wanted to see if he could get close enough to hear any plans that were being made before he had to find a place to sleep for the night. Hopefully, he would get the information he needed to start trailing the alliance.
The sound of beeping made him tense up, Suzaku losing a moment to panic before he realized what was going on. Luciano was getting a gift from his sponsors; the sound was just the homing device as it signaled that it was close to its target. Suzaku let out the breath that he had been holding and pressed his forehead against the ground. Whatever Luciano was getting he would have to warn Lelouch about, somehow.
He heard the alliance gathering around the gift, picking up bits and pieces of their conversation and a thud as the carrying case hit the ground. Suzaku pulled himself closer, catching the glint of moonlight off the case and the small piece of paper that had been discarded along with it. Suzaku glanced over at the alliance before reaching for the scrap of paper, only to yank his hand back when the tributes moved closer to where he was hidden.
"What is it?"
"A blow pipe."
"Can you use it?"
"Of course." That was Luciano, Suzaku lifting his head to see him. The tribute was smiling and holding the blow pipe. "I was trained to use every weapon."
"What about the darts?"
"Careful, they're poisoned!"
"Was that what was on that paper?"
"Yes. The emperor doesn't tell me who to kill, that would take all of the fun out of the Games."
"Can we test it?"
"No. I have an idea on who to test it on. If that works, then we know we're good. We shouldn't waste the two darts here on rabbits."
There were various noises of agreement from the other in the alliance. Suzaku closed his eyes and took a deep breath. At least Lelouch and the others would be well prepared for what was coming next; he would make sure of it. A poisoned dart, even if there was only two, would disable their alliance. With Sophie dead, they would be down to four people if the darts were used, not enough to stand against Luciano and the others. It would affect their ability to survive as well, since everyone was already so specialized in what they could do.
Suzaku chewed on his low lip as he adjusted his plan. He would return to Lelouch and the others in the morning, and he would somehow have to convince Lelouch to allow him to return to spy on the other alliance. If the emperor was giving Luciano gifts, then they would need to know about them. Lelouch wouldn't agree with the spying missions, but Suzaku would insist. Lelouch wanted to get everyone in their alliance out alive, so it was a sacrifice that they would have to make.
He opened his eyes, relieved to see that Luciano and the others had started moving away, probably trying to find a spot that wasn't soaked through. Making a fire would be difficult for everyone tonight since everything would create a thick cloud of smoke. In Luciano's case, it wouldn't matter; there was no one after him. Suzaku wouldn't put it past Luciano to try and attack Lelouch and the others in secret. If it had worked once there was a very high probability that it would work again. That would be another thing to watch for, something that he would entrust Rolo to look out for. If Lelouch tried to do everything, as he was prone to do, then their alliance would be in trouble.
Suzaku went to scoot back, pausing and looking at the scrap of paper that Luciano had discarded. He wouldn't put it past Luciano to lie to his alliance, especially on the matter of killing. The emperor's favorite had to receive orders, how else were they supposed to receive the gifts that became their rewards.
He reached out to grab the paper, carefully pulling it toward him. There was barely enough light to read the words typed on the page. Suzaku glanced around before turning onto his side, holding the paper on a slanted angle so the moonlight would help him. Even then he had to bring the paper close to his face to make out the small words.
'Eliminate Lelouch over all others. The reward will be great.'
Suzaku didn't realize that he had crushed the paper in his hand until he heard it crumple. He felt himself shaking, too far removed from everything to pay much attention to what he was doing. The order had come to take Lelouch out and Suzaku would not let that happen. Even if he had to fight off Luciano and all of the others, he would keep Lelouch safe. Sleeping would have to wait; it was time to return to Lelouch.
He went to back away from where the alliance was, wanting to remain flat to the ground until he was a good distance away before getting up and running away. If they did chase after him again, Suzaku wanted as much distance as he could get between them. He shifted so he was completely on his stomach, pushing himself backward. He paused for a moment, jerking his head to the left as he heard the grass rustle. It was the only warning he got before someone stepped on his back.
Suzaku froze for a split second before he began thrashing on the ground, reaching back to claw at the person's leg. When the pressure let up for a moment, he tried to reach for his knife, cursing aloud when the person took it away. He heard it tumble into the grasses a few feet away before the pressure returned to his back. Suzaku growled and tried to push himself up from the ground and onto all fours, the air being pushed out of him suddenly as the person stepped down.
"Hey Luciano, come and look at this."
"What is it?" Suzaku looked up as he heard Monica speak, his eyes widening as he saw the girl bounding over. She froze part of the way between where Suzaku was trapped and where the others were. Monica stared at him for a moment before squealing and jumping in place. "Luciano!'
"What is it?"
"Look Luciano," Monica pointed at Suzaku, "we caught ourselves a rat."
"Really?" Luciano strolled over, Suzaku keeping an eye on the blow pipe that Luciano held in one hand. The tribute laughed when he saw Suzaku, crouching down to stare at him. "Eleven! Were you so eager for our rematch that you came after us? I'm flattered, but I don't really want to waste such a good finale. Tell me where your friends are."
Suzaku tried to get up again, coughing when he was kicked in the side in addition to being shoved back down again. He gritted his teeth, meeting Luciano's gaze. He couldn't get free, so he would have to play their game for now. "I don't know."
"Come now, Eleven, you were doing a good job of keeping up with them before you distracted us. You know where they are."
"I don't."
"Pity." Luciano stood back up as the three others in his alliance joined him. Suzaku stared up at them, watching as Bart nocked and arrow and aimed it at him. The others took up similar guarded positions, all save for Monica and Luciano.
It was Dorothea that spoke up after looking nervously around at all of them. "Aren't you going to do something about him?"
"Yes."
"Then use that blow pipe."
Luciano grinned and shook his head, using the blow pipe to point at Dorothea. "I like the way you think, but no, he's not the one I was going to test it on. It would be too easy." He faked a yawn. "I'm too tired to deal with Eleven right now, so I think I'll give him to you and Monica, since you've been kept away from the action, and that's not fair. Enjoy."
Luciano gave a lazy flick of his fingers, Suzaku feeling the weight lift from his back. He rolled to the side, jumping to his feet. The entire time, Bart kept an arrow trained on his chest, Suzaku taking a step back as he considered his options. He didn't know what Luciano really meant to do with him, whether the tribute really meant to pass him on or if he would actually kill him right there. Suzaku swallowed, carefully looking at all of the alliance. Save for Bart, all of them had put their weapons away, obviously obeying what their leader had ordered. Suzaku was at the disadvantage because his knife was somewhere in the dark and any move he made towards it would just end in an arrow sent his way.
He settled into a slightly alert stance, feeling that it was his best decision for the moment. That drew more laughter from the rest of the group. Suzaku rocked forward at a slap to his shoulder, glaring at David Dalton as the tribute walked around to join the rest of his alliance. "You've got guts to want to fight all of us."
"Eleven's got spunk." Luciano laughed before waving him away. "Go ahead and run, I won't stop you. Monica and Dorothea can have their fun. Keep up with him girls, he's all yours now."
Suzaku glanced over at them. There was no other choice that he could have made. Both Monica and Dorothea had drawn their weapons and were advancing on him. Suzaku was unarmed and at a distinct disadvantage. He couldn't run back to the others, not without leading Monica and Dorothea to them. But he did have the advantage in speed and he was sure that he could outrun them.
Suzaku gave the two girls a grin before taking off at his fastest run. He heard the alliance laugh a few of them calling him a coward. They could jeer all they wanted, but that was still not going to get him to turn and fight, he was smarter than that. The sounds of the calls got drowned out by the sound of the two girls running after him. Suzaku glanced over his shoulder, seeing the shadows of the two girls running after him. He gritted his teeth and focused on running.
If he couldn't find a place where he could hide the he would do his best to eliminate the two that were following him. Suzaku was sure that he could get them to break a leg or lose them in the dark. Anyone stumbling around in the dark would probably end up hurting themselves and Suzaku was sure that Luciano wouldn't hesitate to rid himself of a useless member of his alliance. Maybe if Luciano kept directing his alliance to keep chasing Suzaku then he could be outnumbered when he faced Lelouch. Even then, Suzaku wasn't sure that Luciano would go for the plan. Luciano was the kind of person who would go after the easiest prey. It was why he was tormenting Suzaku now, because Suzaku was on his own and far away from any help. Suzaku smiled to himself and darted off to the right. He couldn't do much, but he could do his best to lead the two girls on a merry chase.
He cut across the even ground, keeping one eye on the ground. It was mostly flat for now, but Suzaku was sure that the terrain would get difficult soon enough. He jumped up onto a small rise, slipping on the damp grass. He grunted and scrambled to his feet, listening to Monica babble excitedly about what they were going to do to him when they caught him. Most of the suggestions had to do something with dismembering him. Suzaku gritted his teeth and concentrated on keeping upright.
His luck ran out when he slid down into a ditch, Suzaku climbing up the other side only to stumble into another ditch. The ground briefly stayed flat for a single step, Suzaku having to scramble on his hands and knees just to keep from falling. He threw a quick look over his shoulder, seeing that Dorothea was running right up behind him. Suzaku flipped onto his back, catching Dorothea's arm and flipping her over him, planting his foot on her stomach to assist in the flip. Suzaku didn't wait to see where she landed, getting to his feet again.
Suzaku heard Monica's shout for the other tribute, bending at the waist as he used another ditch to put more distance between them. Monica alone could probably best him on her own just by jumping on his back. He shivered, finding a place where the ditch was washed out. Suzaku took a short break, catching his breath. Hopefully the two would give up, because he wouldn't be able to keep up the same pace all night.
"Eleven!" Suzaku jumped at Dorothea's scream, turning and taking a step to the side.
His foot didn't land on solid ground, Suzaku stepping into a hole. He flailed, trying to keep his balance only to fall backwards. He caught himself on his elbows, gasping as he felt his ankle twist. He turned his head biting down on his sleeve to keep from making any noise. When he was sure that he could keep quiet, he reached forward and gently pulled his leg from the hole. He clutched at his ankle, checking to see if it was broken before getting to his feet.
He wobbled on the first step, but the pain wasn't enough to make him stop, he could still manage a limping run. Suzaku gritted his teeth against the pain and forced himself to keep moving. With the lack of flat land, where he could depend on his good leg alone, he had to use both legs to transverse the rises and dips. He could feel his leg trembling the longer he used it, his ankle throbbing any time he put pressure on it.
"There he is!"
"He's moving funny. Do you think he hurt himself?"
"I hope he has. That hurt!"
Suzaku's eyes widened, trying to pick up the pace only to fall as his ankle finally gave out. He groaned, curling his fingers into the grass before dragging himself forward. There would be somewhere he could hide. If he pressed himself into the shadows then Monica and Dorothea might not find him. He would figure out what he would do once he was safe.
All the air was pushed out of him as he felt someone jump onto his back. "Hold on there, Eleven."
"Hold him Monica."
Monica laughed. "You gave us a fine time. It's disappointing that you failed just when it was getting fun."
"Don't encourage him. He's more trouble than he's worth."
Suzaku tried to look over his shoulder, his eyes widening as he saw Dorothea pull out her sword. Suzaku twisted, trying to get out from under Monica. She just laughed and elbowed him in the side. "No way. You've been running all night. Rest for a while Eleven."
"Get off!" Suzaku bucked up, Monica squealing as she was thrown off. He fell to his hands and knees when he tried to get to his feet. Suzaku hissed and started to drag himself along the ground.
He didn't get far, Dorothea kicking him onto his side. Suzaku glanced up at her, surprised when she just shook her head. "Monica, hold him down."
Monica grabbed onto his shoulders, Suzaku not willing to look away from Dorothea. He reached up and tried to pull her hands off of him, freezing when he saw Dorothea raise her sword about her head. Suzaku shifted, twisting so he was lying on his side. He sucked in a deep breath, watching as the sword came down.