rakuen | Next stop: Utopia Academy

You're falling, and you can't remember why. It's a sickening feeling that makes your insides lurch; the darkness and the vertigo combine, and all you can think of is a story you heard once, somewhere.

-I remember now. It's a simple story that everyone knows. A legend of a Princess, the Demon Lord who kidnapped her, and the Knight who fought to save her.

The Demon Lord had kidnapped the Princess countless times, but every time the Knight bested his challenges and rescued the Princess.

No matter what tricks and ploys the Demon Lord used, the Knight would always triumph in the end. This was because--

The world tilts on its axis one last time, and the dream slips from your mind as easily as it arrived. A new voice intrudes on your sleep.

"Next stop: Academy Main Entrance. This tramline terminates here; all change. Next stop: Academy Main Entrance. All change."

Sunlight streams through the windows of the long carriage, making the seats almost uncomfortably warm beneath its sleeping passengers. The air is muggy and thick, the atmosphere relaxing. Almost too relaxing; the warmth and the silence make it difficult to immediately muster any kind of reaction or thought. Your nausea settles, slowly. The last of the dream fades.

"We have arrived at Utopia. Repeat, we have arrived at Utopia Academy. Could all passengers please leave the tram, as it is terminating here."

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"Must be nice to stretch your legs, right?" His tone was light as he sauntered up beside her, careful as to test the waters. Weird things were going on with people's memories, from what he could gather. Weird things were going on with his memories. Who knew what she knew that he didn't? Or vice versa. The last he remembered, they'd been squaring off in their Knightmares, alongside... the Knight of Seven. Still couldn't remember his name, but it'd come to him. It was, he mused, a good thing they had titles.

He stopped as she did, and shielded his eyes so he could get a better look at what must have been the main entrance further down the path. He had to admit, it was pleasant to talk to her without the prison wall in the way. Even if he was absently ready to dodge or grab if she tried anything. "Sitting down for so long really takes it out of you."

Edited 2010-12-28 03:17 (UTC)

"Gino." Kallen turned slightly to look up at him. Thankfully he was tall and blocked the sunlight. She wasn't that excited to see him, but a familiar face was better than none.

"Yeah I guess. I just...something doesn't seem right." Nothing at the moment triggered lost memories yet...

Well, okay. That was a surprising lack of hostility of any kind, right there. He didn't even particularly mind the lukewarm response; what was he expecting, a hug? They were still enemies. He smiled back anyway, in case she wasn't expecting it.

"Really," he murmured. "I've noticed plenty of 'not right' already. Feel like sharing?"

"For starters, this is not Ashford Academy. And I don't fall asleep on trains or miss stops. What about you?"

He nodded, with an amused kind of approval. "Right, that's two. I'll raise you on the Ashford Academy one: this isn't Area 11. They don't even recognise the name."

Kallen cast a small glare at Gino. "Are you trying to tick me off?"

"Trying to-? No." It was half the truth. Technically he was always partly trying to annoy her, because ... he couldn't recall why. It was just fun. "You'd know if I was trying to tick you off. What'd I do this time?"

"I know I would know, and you're doing it now. You know how much calling Japan..." Kallen stopped her words for a moment before speaking up again. "...'Area 11' bothers me." Well he was expected to know that. She didn't fight for them to keep the name. The name that bore the hate and resent.

"Ah, sorry. But you know that's what it's called, Kallen." He frowned down at her for a moment, then shifted to the side to clear a way off the platform for the other passengers. "And anyway, what I'm saying is, this isn't it."

"What's with you?" Kallen questioned. Seriously because this was staring to weird her out. "I know what it's called and it's not Area 11 anymore."

She stopped walking and turned to face him. "I know what I fought for Gino and I know this isn't it. But don't insult me, my land, and what I have stood for all this time."

What was with him? There were about five different alarm bells going off in his head, and he couldn't work out what any of them were for or where they came from. Maybe this entire thing was some kind of terrorist plot, wishful thinking on their part, but he didn't see how Lelouch fit into that... Nothing made enough sense that he was willing to risk getting into a fight over it. He stopped again, and raised his hands in a brief gesture of surrender.

"Sure, sure." He could play along for now. "So, this isn't Japan."

Under his 'surrender' sign, Kallen walked on, not dare looking at him again. "We agreed on that. Now tell me something that I don't know."

"Man, that's harsh. Let's see..." He looked back at the tram, quickly, then grinned, "There's one. Would you like to know where Lelouch is?"

Kallen stopped again, her gaze turning hard... until it softened. "I know where he is..."

"Really?" This surprised him, she'd woken up and walked out of the tram without looking anywhere near their seating. "Didn't think you'd spotted him. There goes my advantage."

"What are you talking about Gino? Lelouch isn't here. You know what happened to him. It's because of you that I... had to watch."

"Because of me?" Gino sounded - Gino was - genuinely baffled. "Kallen, what are you talking about?"

"I knew you weren't the brightest with common sense but... there's no reason for you to flat out forget what happened two months ago." Her arms folded over her chest, her facial expression looking somewhere between annoyed and upset.

His expression darkened. "Isn't there?" It wasn't really a question, he could already remember the briefing, though he couldn't remember where it had been or when. That was another hint, he decided; it could easily be the work of Geass. Lelouch had... But why would Lelouch, vice-president of the student council, have Geass? Why would he want to use it? No, this could be someone else. He cut off that train of thought. Time for action.

So, abruptly, he took a few steps away down the platform. "I'm going to find someone who can give some real answers." One half-wave, half-salute later, and he was striding off in the direction of the signs.

[OoC: see you in the next post I guess! 8D ]

Kallen held her tongue, not saying anything as Gino left. Seriously, what was his problem? Bringing up Lelouch, not remembering what happened... Both were sensitive subjects to Kallen and it felt like a sudden case of whiplash.

"Yeah, good luck with that," she said to the air once the male was out of hearing range. She placed the book she was holding into her bag and followed the signs. Obviously not right after Gino, but there was only one path and it was leading to some sort of establishment. For the moment, Kallen needed some answers as well.

{Yep!}

Next stop: Utopia Academy

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