rakuen | Knightly Honour Demands...

She shook her head, his apology only cementing her resolve. "I should have remembered this isn't our academy. When I heard her scream, I forgot that and just had to save her... she's really strong, but she's been through a lot and you were all in our uniform. The boys at our school were, um..." she didn't really want to go into too much detail, it felt like she'd jinx it. And he didn't need to know the details to understand why she'd screamed and Sora had reacted how she had.

She decided to stay vague, "It's terrible there. I promised her - I promised all of them that they wouldn't be hurt again. Because I'd save them, and even though I can't protect her as a Player right now, that doesn't mean I'm not still their Knight. You understand, right? Wanting to protect someone, seeing them be hurt over and over. I wasn't thinking at all, and-" she cut herself off, and leaned over to take one of his hands in hers, earnestly. "I'm sorry, this must be really confusing to you. You aren't like the boys in our school, but it's difficult for us to remember that."

Edited 2011-01-05 17:06 (UTC)

Suzaku looked down at the uniform, there was another school with the same uniform? Was it the same? Did they have to fight also. Yuki had seemed to know a lot about the 'game' they were meant to be playing, she had either managed to memorise the manual before she had met Suzaku or had been in a similar situation before.

Suzaku raised his eyebrows as she started speaking about her old school! It sounded horrible, why would they stay at a place like that! Or had they been forced to go, like here, would this place turn out like that? Suzaku hoped not, no it would not.

He nodded at her again, indeed he knew exactly what she was feeling, the need to protect people and being unable to. It was the worst feeling in the world, he nodded. "I understand, and I really didn't mean to scare or hurt her, you were right to come to her rescue!" He would have done the same if it had been Lelouch, or Nunnally in danger.

Sora blinked, then smiled, first in relief, then with genuine, unreasoning happiness. "Thank you!" She was beyond glad he understood; she'd been worried that her actions had alienated him and the others. If anything, her hands tightened around his. "That means we're allies, right? You're a Knight too. A Knight who saves princesses." She paused, remembering Lelouch, then added, "and princes!" without missing another beat.

"If we work together, I'm sure we can save everyone."

Suzaku returned her hand clasp, but was a little surprised when her hands just clasped his tighter. He said nothing though, just listened as she spoke and he smiled slightly. Allies, he wasn't too sure how she had jumped to that conclusion but as she continued he smiled again. So she was a Knight also? Not a Knight of Rounds, but Suzaku was not going to argue with her, he had a feeling something more bizare was going on and he was determined to find it out.

His smile faded though when she mentioned saving princesses, Suzaku had failed pretty badly at saving his princess, Euphy. He closed his eyes briefly and then went cold as he realised he could not picture her face in his mind.

That was cruel, whoever had Gaessed his memories away, he would find them and defeat them! He nodded at the girl who was sugesting working together, definatly. The more people working together the more they could work out what was going on and how to get home. If she was also a knight, a knight who saved princesses, then they would make a good team. Not to mention she had a extremely powerful kick.

"Yes," he said giving her hands another squeeze, "We shall save everyone."

He looked confused, so she added, "Ah, Lelouch told me. That you were his Knight. I was surprised that there were others, but happy too." She released his hand, at last, and then realised that she'd missed something rather important. With all of the problems with the others', she'd forgotten entirely to give her own name.

"I'm Sora! Sora Himoto."

So she had met Lelouch, for more than the small time when she had attacked him and Lelouch had turned up anyways. In fact Suzaku could vaguely remember Lelouch telling her that Suzaku was his knight when he turned up. Suzaku was glad that that was what she thought his hesitation was. However her comment about being surprised there were other knights was a little confusing.

"Of course there's others..." he trailed off, he didn't want to confuse her too much, "Lord Weinberg, I mean Gino, the blonde tall man who was with me and Yuki and..." he never had found out the other boys name, "He's a knight too!"

He smiled when she finally introduced herself, "Pleased to meet you Sora Himoto," he smiled again, "So was your last school like this? With the Players and Weapons and things? Did they steal your memories there as well?"

"Gino," she repeated, to remember it. So many allies! She really didn't see how they could fail to beat the game and free everyone, at this rate. "He's a Player, isn't he? Since we both got the warning penalty, I mean. Is he yours?"

She hoped everyone had a Player by now, with the rules about discarded students. Then again, she couldn't see any chocolate cake on this table, so maybe not. Really, she should have checked her group's files beforehand.

Then again, the idea of a Knight vowing to another Knight confused her a little. She decided to think about that later, and just continued the conversation. "Ah, it was a lot like this, but girls were weapons and boys were the only ones allowed to take part in Exaclan. Except for me. They didn't take any memories, though..."

Edited 2011-01-05 20:23 (UTC)

Suzaku blinked, "No, he's not, I don't have a player..." according to the manual this made him a Discard, which sounded like a neutral word, but in the context that the manual used it was given an overtone that made it sound bad, and wrong to be one. Suzaku thought though that it was just another way to make sure that everyone played the game.

Indeed some people had seemed pretty upset earlier at the idea they couldn't go to certain areas or eat cake without having a Player and that Player giving permission.

He listened carefully as Sora explained how her school was different. Really how these places existed; for if two existed maybe there were others, and Britannia had not heard of them, well that either meant they had been set up by Charles and his Gaess users or it was something else outside of Britannia's control completely.

Sora's school sounded even more messed up actually. Only boys were Players? Why was that? Why would the boys be the only ones who could play? Except for Sora? He nodded at the fact they had not taken any memories, maybe Sora's school was controled by different people, people without Gaess?

"That sounds strange, why would only boys be Players? And why were you the only girl player? Do you know?"

"Because of Iwahijiri," she explained, "The group that runs the school. Their CEO hates girls, that's why he set up the school. So girls could be dominated by the boys. That's why she was scared of you, before... I only enrolled this term, and I've been trying to save them ever since." She looked away, back to her table. The others had all finished their desserts, and were deep in conversation. Again, she felt the pressure of all the girls back at their school. Has she saved them, but didn't remember it? Or were they all still there, stuck in Iwahijiri's system? The idea was too terrible to think about; she shook her head to dispel the thought until she could work it out properly, and continued, "I'm a bugged player, Tsuki says. The only girl with a glove."

She rubbed the back of her hand, missing the feeling of the glove on her skin. "It's the power of the Knight - it allows me to protect everyone. That's why I was invited to the school in the first place." Focused again, she added, "Suzaku, you should vow with someone. We have to do everything we can to beat this game, even if it isn't Iwahijiri's. "

Suzaku raised his eye brows, why would anybody hate girls? What would the point of that be? And a school set up so that girls could be dominated by boys, what kind of twisted idea was that, who would even go there? He guessed that they were also taken unwillingly. It made him angry that such a place could exist and no one had done anything about it. Sora was a very good person doing as she had, going into the school to save everyone within it. She sounded very brave.

Iwahijiri though, that was a Japanese name, not a Britannian one. So whoever had set up the twisted school Sora had been to had been Japanese. Suzaku shook his head sadly.

He did not know what she meant by the Power of the Knight, but he understood the sentiment and that she had been chosen, or had chosen to rescue all the girls who had been weapons. He heard her last words and nodded, she was right and she would know better then anyone coming from the other school. It seemed the only way to beat the game was to play it, and thats what they had to do, beat the game and save everybody.

There was only one problem, "You are right," he told her, "But I don't know any of the Players, only Lord Weinberg and... well its complicated he should hate me but seems to have forgotten. I don't even know who the others are... I kind of was asleep when we arrived and missed the introduction that everyone was talking about."

"You could serve my Player," she glanced at her hand, where she'd scrawled the names from her cheat sheet for easy access. "Koharu. I'm not sure if ... um, he hates you?" She thought back, and blinked. "I thought you were friends, from what he said. That's weird."

But anyway. Here she could help; she'd at least remembered the other names. And one she knew. "There's Dave Strider, and Molly Hayes. And Grenn. Ah! You could serve Grenn!" That would be a good idea, actually, Grenn was a noble person who disapproved of the system as much as they did. "She's a good person, and a strong player."

Suzaku raised his eyebrow as Sora checked a sheet before saying a name. Could she not remember her Players name? Was it perhaps one of the memories taken from her, did that mean she had known her player before, from her old school. Like Yuki? At her question he nodded sadly, he hadn't wanted to lose Gino's friendship but it had been inevitable when Gino had decided he was betraying the emperor. Which he had been, and then there fight...

"He can't remember, I think its one of his memories taken but I did something he considered wrong," and Suzaku could see how Gino considered it wrong, how it had been wrong. And Gino had been brought up in Britannia, he had seen things from a different angle than Suzaku. "We had a fight, and hadn't seen each other since until today."

He let her tell him the other names, trying to remember them for future reference. As she got to the last one Suzaku nodded grimicing slightly.

"We have met, I am not sure she likes me either, I think I insulted her..." He felt bad about that, actually. She had seemed pretty nice, they had just had a few differing opinions.

Euphemia wanders to the cafeteria after loitering in the lobby; she's hungry and there's not much else for her to do here. It's not such a bad place, here-- large and unfamiliar to be sure, but not necessarily bad. She thinks to herself that she could get used to it.

She shows the woman handing out food her slip from Gino, and takes her cake with her real supper. He'd mentioned Suzaku... she feels full of light air at the thought of him being here, happy yet also sad. She didn't want him to get hurt, but was glad that she could find him and see him.

Her eyes scan the people sat up and down the tables, and they pause on a head of curly brown hair. Euphemia rushes up, unsure if it's even truly him, and plops down right beside him, gracelessly.

"Suzaku? Suzaku, you're really here!"

"Ah, but if he doesn't remember, then doesn't he think you're still his friend?" Sora scratched her head, "I don't really get how these memories work, but maybe you could explain to him now, or stay with him... then, when he does remember, you'll be able to fix it, right? It's a horrible feeling, being avoided all the time."

She could remember the first few days of school, with everyone avoiding her eyes and slipping away before she could talk to them. Until she'd met Koharu, she'd been afraid of going crazy from it. "If there's anything I can do... Knights should stick togethe-- eh?"

A girl interrupted her, dropping into the seat next to Suzaku. Sora stopped talking and stared, partly because the girl was gorgeous, with a bright, open smile, and partly because Suzaku hadn't mentioned her at all. It looked like they were friends, though. She blinked a little, but decided against answering before Suzaku did.

Suzaku frowned, she had a point but still, wouldn't Gino then think he had been decietful if Suzaku pretended they were friends and then remembered what had happened. Still he did not say anything, he did not want to insult his new found ally. Allies were rare in this place and Sora was right, they all had to stick together.

He nodded but turned to look at the girl who had sat down next to him, she was very pretty and Suzaku smiled at her politely wondering if she was one of Sora's friends.

Then she spoke, he would have recognised that voice anywhere and he jumped to his feet, eyes widening. No, it couldn't be...

She'd died... he'd failed to protect her, Zero had gotten to her and she'd died. Tear's filled his eyes and he shook his head stepping backwards. She was here, it was her voice, though he didn't recognise her he couldn't remember her face at all either. It was her... but it couldn't be.

She was dead, he'd watched her die, he'd watched her kill and he'd watched her die, and here she was.

"Euphy," he said almost choaking on the word, "Euphy?" He was trembling and he did not think he could stand for much longer, so he sat, but having moved backwards meant there was no chair. He fell to the floor. "Euphy..."

Euphemia's face slowly curves onto itself, going from the gentle yet bright smile to a look of shock and surprise-- and much more distantly, hurt.

"Suzaku?" she says, unsure, rising to her feet and crouching by him, hands going to touch his own. "I'm sorry, did I-- did I startle you?"

She doesn't understand, and her face reflects that.

Sora managed to get around to the other side of the table quickly. Not fast enough to stop him hitting the floor, but enough that she could help him up and catch the chair before it clattered and drew more attention.

"What's wrong?" She didn't want to intrude, but if there was something up, she felt the need to help them. And there was something wrong; as she leaned forward to support him, she realised he was crying. "Suzaku, is it your memories?"

"Euphy," he took a breath trying to calm himself down as she came closer and touched his hands, she was real. She was real and she was here. But she should not be, she had died, she had died more than a year ago but here she was, she was here and talking and... "Euphy!"

He looked at Sora as she came closer to him and was thankful for the support, he did not think he would get up unaided. He shook his head at her question, no it was not his memories, he remembered very well what had happened. They were seered into his memory, those events.

But... how could this be! "Euphy..." he reached out and touched the face that held no recognition for him. "It is you!"

She rises at the same time as they do, unsure and hands clasped to her chest. Her heart aches to see him in tears-- she gently brings her fingers to his when he reaches for her, and smiles. She feels on the brink of tears herself; she's never really been good at keeping it together when she sees someone else cry.

"Yes, it's me!" Euphemia says. "What's the matter, Suzaku? Are you okay?"

Sora stayed with them, one arm across Suzaku's back, in case he fell again. His reaction... She had to be someone incredibly important to him. And she could see why; from Euphie's expression, he must be just as important to her.

Of course, it also made it rather awkward to be standing so close to them both, but as long as he needed the support, she'd be there. He also apparently needed some time to get himself into a state where he could reply, so she cleared her throat and said, "Ah, you're Euphie?"

She tried not to sound too baffled. She failed.

Through the tears in his eyes and his confusion he saw the face that he did not recognise, but that he knew belonged to Euphy, he saw her own confusion and the tears that were welling up in her eyes and instantly felt bad for upsetting her.

He still did not understand how she could be here, but the point was she was here and from her reaction to him she remembered very little. Or she would not be confused at why he was crying. Blinking tears out of his eyes he sat up, not removing his hand from hers. "You startled me is all!" He said, trying to keep his voice calm, his tears under control. "I am so happy to see you," there he could be calm, calm for her sakes.

If she could not remember it was definatly for the best and Suzaku knew it was best to keep it that way, working out how on earth she was here with him, past this being some sort of Refrain induced halucination, which he really wasn't convinced it was, could come later. "Eupie, this is Sora Himoto, she is a knight." He gave a weak smile, trying to act normal.

"Sora this is Princess Euphemia li Britannia," he said and then almost winced a moment later, though he was careful to keep it off his face, would Sora recognise the name? Know what Euphie had done? He hoped she didn't or if she did that she was sensible enough not to mention it.

He took a deep breath, calm, he could be calm. It was amazing she was here, that he could see her again, no matter how it had happened.

"Ah, I see." And she laughs light and small, taking his hand and squeezing it reassuringly. She'd never seen Suzaku in tears before; surely being surprised was not all there was to this. So to say it was startling was to put it mildly.

She does feel overwhelmingly happy, though-- her brother and her knight are here together, two people she loved very dearly. She wasn't alone in this foreign place.

"It's good to meet you, Sora," she says politely. "Who do you serve...?"

Luckily, and obviously, she didn't recognise the name at all. Mostly she was just thrilled to be meeting a real life princess. "Ah, pleased to meet you!" And then she asked who she served, and Sora froze. Then looked across Suzaku's shoulders, to where her hand with all of the names was currently hidden.

"Uhhh," she glanced down, but the treacherous paper was somewhere back in her room, left in her other blazer before dinner. She'd have to guess. Except, technically she served all of them, right? Not just her Player. "Ah, I serve my princesses." She nodded to the table across the room, where they were all still seated. "The three there!"

Aaand back to Euphie. "Do you know Lelouch? You have the same family name..."

Suzaku looked between Sora and Euphie as they spoke, he was still in shock, but hiding it well because he did not want to upset Euphie in any way. He glanced over to where Sora had pointed out her princesses, he was more sure now that their names were some of the things that Sora had forgotten.

He also realised he was still sat on the floor and ushed himself to his feet giving a small shaken smile of thanks to Sora for helping him when he had fallen. He rerighted his chair and waited for the other two to sit down before joining them.

He let Euphie answer the question about Lelouch, let her decide what information she wanted the people here to know. As they settled though he saw that Euphie was holding, and had persumable always been holding, a piece of chocolate cake.

She hadn't been on the list of players Sora had given him so... "You have a Player Euphie?" He asked, he wondered who it was and he felt himself becoming angry. He didn't like the idea of Euphie being anyones weapon, of anyone 'owning' her. He had been explaining to people all day how he thought they should play along, but now it was someone he cared about. Well he wanted to rip apart the school to find who was keeping them and demand that they let them go!

She had set the plate down when she had sit at first, and does so again. Sitting feels less formal, more personal somehow, and she likes that. Euphie glances where Sora points and smiles gently. She'd thought Sora a knight of one of her siblings perhaps, but it's evident now that isn't what she is-- an unofficial knight, then.

"He's my brother," she says and takes a bite of her food. "You've met him?"

Then, Suzaku speaks up. Euphie turns her attention to him and replies, "Umm... that's right. He's someone I've met before at a fancy dinner party. His name is Gino, do you know of him?"

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