Assembly [Both Schools]

[musicalee]

By Sunday morning the translation system was back online. Signs were readable to everyone and each screen ordered students to the Battle Arena for 12 noon. Prefects were sent out to make sure no one leaves the campus until that time and then gathered up everyone to take to the battle arena.

Once everyone was seated, the prefects taking up the first two rows, the staff appeared. All of them looked grim; even Recette who's usually cheery face was gone, Dolorosa had an expression usually worn by Santana. As they came to stand in a row in front of the students, it was Dunleavy that stepped forward.

"As I am sure you are all aware, yesterday there was an attack on the Exaclan system and the city of Rakuen itself. I first would like to apologise for the inconvenience and the amount of time it took to get the system working again. Luckily there was no permanent damage."

That was the easy bit, Lee blinked, they hadn't had any sleep at all, working until the early hours to help repair the system. Considering the six of them did not share a common language, it had been a difficult process. The next bit was harder; she hated punishing people. She always felt like she had no right to. But she did, she had taken on that right and responsibility when she became mayor and this was a serious attack.

Perhaps they had been too soft with them, experimentation and trying to cheat was one thing. But this was an entirely different category.

"We have, of course discovered the perpetrators of this crime." She nodded, sending Santana and Nanami to collect Suzaku Kururugi and Lelouch vi Britannia from the stands. They were both prefects which was disappointing. Lee would have hoped they would know better.

"Lelouch vi Britannia and Suzaku Kururugi were both found to be the ones that began the attack." Though she had a feeling she knew which one had had the idea. The other didn't seem intelligent enough.

At least they were responsible for each others wrong doings, and so Lee didn't have to punish an innocent.

"You have both been found guilty of attacking the city of Rakuen." She paused, because giving the accused a chance to speak was considered civilised in most worlds and cultures.

Comments

2/4

[musicalee]

After Lelouch had said his piece, which made no difference in the long run. Dunleavy spoke again. "Lelouch vi Britannia you shall take the punishment of Suzaku Kururugi. It will last for fifteen minutes and silence is expected from everyone during that time." With that Lelouch was hit by a high level punishment.

Fifteen minutes was an incredibly long time, longer still for Lelouch. Lee felt guilty even though she knew he deserved it, he had seemed like such a polite young man.

However Lee was not known for her good judgement of people. When it was over she gave him a moment to stand before speaking again. "Suzaku Kururugi shall take the punishment of Lelouch vi Britannia. It will last for fifteen minutes and silence is expected from everyone during that time." The same level of penalty was sent towards Suzaku. When it was finally over she let the boy stand but did not send them back to their seats.

3/4

[musicalee]

Dunleavy turned to a box that she had brought to the battle arena. Opening it she brought out a robotic rabbit, currently not working at all and a PDA. "The third culprit of the attack seems to have been this... rabbit. I ask that the owner or person who sent this rabbit to attack the city of Rakuen own up now, otherwise I shall assume the... rabbit acted on it's own devices and destroy it."

Of course that was ridiculous, but although Dunleavy knew who it belonged it, she wasn't sure it was her that had sent it to attack the mansion. And though Lee had her suspicions, she wasn't going to accuse anyone without proof. Which she didn't have.

So instead she held up the rabbit, and waited.

4/4

[musicalee]

Once that was dealt with she looked out at the see of faces. Though a fifteen minute penalty was severe, the crime was serious and so after much discussion once they had regained the ability to understand one another.

"Furthermore Suzaku Kururugi and Lelouch vi Britannia are stripped of all rights for the week of the thirteenth round of this session. Though they may fight if chosen as Players, or be owned as Weapons they shall have no rights and therefore shall be treated as discards effective immediately until the next rest day."

Now that that unpleasant business was attended to it was time to actually announce the next round. "In other news I would like to congratulate Conquest for winning the round, and Cirno especially for her round win. I am sure you will each do wonderfully next round, and we will not have a repeat of this unpleasantness."

The screan turned on behind them and Dunleavy read out the names that showed on the screen.

Conquest

Suzaku Kururugi
Arthur Pendragon
Ein
Jack Noir
Yuka Kazami

Fortitude

Rebecca Harcourt
Dave Strider
Merlin
Juri Arisugawa
Nanami Asagi

((Note that if Dirk confesses he will be added to the punishment of having no rights also, if Jane confesses she will be and if neither of them confess they will not be.))

Lelouch's defense

[veepofchess]

His expression was controlled, but inside he was roiling with rage. When he was presented with Nunnally's hair this morning, he knew exactly who had a message for him. He turned toward the gathered students briefly, but then partly back toward the people gathered. As he started to speak, he paced back and forth, using all of his rhetorical skill on this particular event. Those that knew the difference would see more dynamism than the cold, stern Emperor had, but not as over the top as Zero was. "The question I have for you, Dunleavy, Dolorosa, and Day, is if I am being punished today because I have done something wrong, or because I am simply standing against the system we are a part of. A system that routinely allows those that have power to use it against that don't just for their entertainment. And, to further add to this injustice, all of those that are able to do this are people that were just like us, once. Those that seem to have forgotten why they sought their own escape. They have either forgotten, or choose to ignore, any sense of standing up for what is right they may have had. Any goals they may have had for theselves, their friends, or for their worlds seem to be laid to the wayside in favor of the promotion of a puppetmaster's strings.

"So, I am here to state this unequivocally: There is nothing you will do to me, or to Suzaku, no amount of threats that can be made against the innocents I love, that will stop me from sending everyone here, and all of those trapped souls in those towers back to their homes. Kill me, put me through an entire day's worth of the worst pain the six of you combined are capable of inflicting upon me. None of it will stop me. Your tools are powerless. I have sacrificed things far more precious to me than my own life in the pursuit of destroying a corrupt world. There is only one thing that will be made clear by what you are doing today. That you value the integrity of a depraved "game" over the happiness, safety, and well-being of your fellow captives. You do not punish me today. You are placing yourself on a side that will receive no quarter. You punish the hope that so many have that they'll be able to see the people they love back home someday." He simply spread his arms out wide when he finished, as if to give then their cue. He made eye contact with each of the women on the stage when he came to a specific accusation for that particular individual. Santana and Day's enjoyment; Dolorosa's rebellion; Nanami's threats against Nunnally. And he endeavored similarly with the crowd as he talked, but he didn't even come close to Nunnally or anyone near her. So he left it to them.

Their decision hadn't changed. When the punishment hit him, he gave an initial shout from shock of the intensity and fell to his knees. After that one sound, he refused to give the satisfaction of any more. He curled up into himself, squeezing his fists tightly against the stage floor. Slivers under his nails were among the least of his worries. He tried to control his breathing. He bit down onto his first knuckle to keep himself quiet. He tasted copper but he didn't care. Oh, it was agony. Worse than when he'd woken up to find a hole in his chest. Tears came involuntarily down his cheeks, under the shaggy mess of hair he wore.

And then, when it was over, he wiped his mouth with the base of his thumb. He wiped the rest of his face with his sleeve before he finally lifted his head and pushed his hair out of his face. It was hard to keep that cold look on his face as he got back, shakily, to his feet. It was only then that he found Nunnally's eyes. He gave her a slight nod, to tell her he was okay. He just prayed she could stay quiet for Suzaku's punishment, too.

[sword_that_protects]

Aria was off to the side, not having made any friends yet, looking thoroughly confused, yet the idea of pain was not making her react in any noticeable way. None of these names meant anything to her.