[Round 3, Rest Day] And They Said: Let There Be No Light.

[utopiamods]

Characters: ALL
Format: ANY
This log is: OPEN
Location: ALL OF CAMPUS
Summary: In a flash of lightning and the deafening roll of thunder, the power goes out across Utopia Academy.

It's early in the morning when it happens, about six o'clock. The clouds were gathering gradually through the night, the rain only getting heavier from the near-constant downpour during the previous week. Lightning crackles across the sky, the water around the academy is violent and the waves are high. And in a particularly loud clap of thunder, what lights were still on go out and the academy is plunged into darkness.

Comments

[trollofthree]

Gino looked down at the sodden Lelouch with something approaching deep satisfaction. The towel followed him down onto the floor, draping with a certain majestic dignity back over his head.

"You should've stayed in your dorm, man. There are enough of us in here to help her, and the sky could've gotten you at any time. It's dangerous out there!"

He was, perhaps, having too much fun with this. Especially now that Kallen had withdrawn her support and left it at overwhelming odds versus one scheming royal. Speaking of Kallen... "Kallen, you going back? Oi, Kevin. Pass me your towel."

[queenscheckmate]

"Yeah, I'm heading back. I need to get out of clothes." Kallen had been outside, even if it was for a moment. But being outside ten seconds or ten minutes did not matter. Taking a shower, even though she didn't need it, was going to be her best bet. Just to get warmed up and changed into something more comfortable.

[imperceptible]

"We're what?" Kevin shot back at Mei, a look of utter disbelief crossing his face at her reply. He couldn't honestly have heard that right. Maybe he still had some water in his ear...

Regardless, when Gino asked for his towel Kevin wordlessly tossed it at him and wondered which was worse. Hashing out the bad weather in this room with a bunch of strangers or going back out in the storm. ... the latter option really shouldn't have been so tempting, seriously.

"So what's the plan? We're just gonna camp out here till it all blows over?" He asked, merely for the sake of conversation.

[forthward]

Nunnally just giggled, both at the situation, and then intensified by her brother's really dignified fall to the floor. "B-big brother, are you all right?" She couldn't help laughing while asking.

[veepofchess]

Lelouch finally got the towel off of his face, and he held it in a pile between his legs. "Yes," he said, smiling fondly and looking somewhat abashed for the fall. "I'm fine." He started to his feet again, but used the opportunity to get nearer to his sister.

"It's the way we've always done it, right?" He put the towel down on the blanket and he sat down on the bed near her, crossing his legs at the knees. "You wouldn't understand, Gino, because you and Nunnally were never at Ashford at the same time." He leaned back with his arms splayed behind him for support. "And besides. I think the rest of you ought to dry off before you all catch colds." And he smiled again, a look that would be unnerving to those that feared the demon emperor, and likely annoyed those that despised him.

[trollofthree]

Oh, it was unbelievably annoying. Gino's smile gained a whole new layer of edges as Lelouch sat down and smiled at the collected group. A shark's mouth had fewer edges than this smile, and it boded ill for anyone who recognised it.

"Dunno about that, we visited a few times after the restoration." He threw the almost-dry towel to Kallen - to, rather than at, a subtle distinction - and turned back to look at short, prickly tennis player currently glued to the far wall. "Yeah, that's the plan. No point going outside more than we have to in this weather. Right, Lelouch?"

[veepofchess]

Lelouch had had quite enough of this knight. But he had a solution. But he didn't need witnesses, least of all Nunnally. "Gino, why don't you and I go get towels for the others? I think they'll need them." He stood, and smiled at Nunnally. "I'll be back," he told her, giving her hand a light squeeze. Gino's inconvenient memories were about to be less of a problem.

He stood, and headed for the door.

[trollofthree]

Oh? Gino shrugged and followed, curious to see what kind of plan the ex-regicide had thought up this time. Kallen was right there, and Mei was more than a match sitting with Nunnally, so he deserved this chance for entertainment.

"What's this about, anyway?" He waited until the door had shut behind them to speak. "You trying to add another count of regicide to your list?"

[veepofchess]

He scoffed. "Nonsense, Gino. I would never harm my sister," he replied as they made their way down the hall. He reached up to move some of his hair away from where it stuck to his face. At the same time, he removed his contact lens. One should do.

He looked up at the Knight again, and made eye contact. "You'll follow my orders, won't you?" He asked it amiably, just in case there were other ears in the hall.

[trollofthree]

"Could've fooled me." He hadn't been watching Lelouch too closely as they'd headed down the hall, but he looked back at the movement of his brushing hair away from his face. A casual glance, really, but that changed when Lelouch spoke.

His orders? Eyes hardened in a second.

"What was that?"

[veepofchess]

Well fuck. That was a problem. The only sign of things not going his way was in the beat it took him to respond. "Of course. You're a knight of the realm. While I'm far from Big Brother Odysseus' standing, I should hope I could count on you." Yes, the Bullshit was strong with this one.

[trollofthree]

"The dead don't have a rank," he pointed out, simply. "Where were you taking Nunnally?"

[veepofchess]

"Wherever she likes," he replied. "Once we get dressed, anyway. Is that a problem?"

[trollofthree]

"Yeah, I'd say so." This is punctuated by the windowframes beside them rattling in a particularly strong gust of wind, which provides an explanation beyond 'I don't trust you' "Especially when there's a storm and a power outage."

And especially when you were sneaking around, talking to Kallen. He didn't know where the traitorous ex-Knight of Seven was, but he suspected he wasn't still sleeping in his room.

[veepofchess]

"Honestly, Gino, I'm rather certain I'm not on the list of people that threaten my sister." He chuckled a bit, acting as though this were all a huge misunderstanding. "I only mean to get her started on her day, if she'd like to. She hasn't even had an opportunity to say if she'd like to or not."

[trollofthree]

"Pretty sure the day's been cancelled whether the empress likes it or not." The comment was so bland it was a warning in and of itself, the only one Lelouch would get before Gino moved from his casual slouch and shoved him into the nearest wall to pin him there. He could have lessened the force, but if he was really honest with himself, he didn't feel Lelouch deserved that. "She might've forgiven you for what you did, but. Well. What she doesn't know can't hurt her, right? What were you planning?"

[veepofchess]

"Holding me responsible for actions I have no recollection of committing is asinine. In my memory, my sister was dead. She was killed in the FLEIJA explosion over Tokyo," he protested. The lighthearted look had been replaced with distaste. Sure, Gino had no trouble shoving him against a wall. And he wasn't about to fight him in that way. "And if you serve my sister, then you would do well to know she deserves and expects the truth. She can see through your lies fairly easily. The same applies to me. I'm not capable of lying to her."

[trollofthree]

"Not remembering it doesn't make you innocent." He'd never really been too choked up about the deaths of the other Knights, but they had been comrades. The atrocities after the capture of Damocles, though... He had been imprisoned for most of it, but news had found its way in regularly.

Nope, Lelouch vi Britannia was firmly on his list. He grinned, sharp and amused.

"I'm not going to lie to her, man. She's the empress! She knows the truth already. You and your knight're the only ones who don't remember. How does that feel, anyway? Not knowing?"

[veepofchess]

He neither responded to the question, nor showed any of the distaste the concept had brought to mind. That Gino knew more about this than he did was disgusting. But there was something else that was worse. He was using Nunnally as a means to try and keep him under control. And that he would not tolerate.

"My sister is not a bargaining chip for you to use to control matters you do not fully understand. If she would like you to accompany her, then so be it. But that is all it will ever be. Company. To assume otherwise would be foolish." And if Gino perceived a threat in those words, that's good. Because that's exactly what it was intended to be.

[trollofthree]

"Sure, sure. " He shifted his grip, head tilting as he considered what to do with Lelouch. Killing worked here, right? But there'd be awkward questions... He could save it for later.

"You didn't answer my question, though. What are you planning? Your knight's not here, so he must be looking for someone else."

Yeah, he's fucked

[veepofchess]

Lelouch had really had quite enough of this. His arm was starting to hurt. He decided to try his Geass again. Maybe he hadn't made proper eye contact the first time. Or maybe his wording was off. He pushed some of his sopping wet hair off of his face, removing his contact as subtly as possible. This time, there was no mistaking what he was attempting. "Obey me, Gino Weinberg," he commanded, no small amount of contempt in his voice.

Just a tad

[trollofthree]

Another disbelieving, brittle laugh was Lelouch's answer. Gino wasn't as oblivious as he had been those two years ago; he'd seen the trials, the debriefings, the pardons. He'd heard about 'Geass', this mysterious free pass from execution for countless allies of the demon emperor. It had just slipped his mind entirely that the guy might still be able to use it. Or that he might think it was a good idea.

Was this what he'd done to the Knight of Seven, he wondered, vaguely. But no, that guy'd betrayed the emperor even before that.

"And then what? You'll order me to die?" His eyes narrowed again. He didn't know Lelouch's plan, but that was fine. The campus was only so large; he'd find it sooner or later. "That's a messy way of getting the job done."

One of Lelouch's shoulders was released. That was the good news. The bad news was the punch that followed immediately afterwards.

Re: Just a tad

[veepofchess]

If Lelouch's skull were a bell, it'd be ringing for the whole campus to hear right now. His head was swung to the side by the impact, and his nose crumpled. Blood spurted forth, and he let out a quite undignified grunt. He pushed against Gino's torso, struggling against the knight's grip. A completely irrational urge to escape had come over him, overriding his rational mind for the moment.