Check and Mate (Closed)

[veepofchess]

Lelouch vi Britannia and Suzaku Kururugi vs. Gino Weinberg

Weapons: Koharu Izaki, Utena Tenjou, Enki, Nunnally vi Britannia, Kallen, and others to be added once I have some confirmations from people.

Lelouch took aim with the rifle as he moved as fast as he could to get away from the blasts from Gino's weapon. Which. Wasn't particularly fast at all. This was exhausting, but if he had to be the piece in play, then so be it. He would not go down without a fight. He lifted the rifle, and took quick aim to get a shot off before Gino got the machine gun trained on him again. While he didn't have the endurance, he certainly had the motivation to fight this out and do all that he had to. He had to get Nunnally back himself. There was no other option.

Well, that crack in the pavement certainly presented Gino with a few options. Particularly when Lelouch tripped on it and the rifle went tumbling out of his grip.

Comments

[1] Lelouch v. Gino

[trollofthree]

If he was totally honest, Gino would have preferred some kind of melee weapon. Not that he didn't enjoy working with Kallen, and he'd be lying if he said shooting Lelouch vi Britannia wasn't enjoyable, but guns were slightly unsportsmanlike when you were fighting someone with reactions this slow. Not to mention he was hobbled by the presence of Nunnally and her order not to hurt Lelouch more than necessary.

"Should've left this to someone else," he called, "This is making me look bad."

Speaking of which, he wasn't particularly interested in hurting Koharu Izaki, either. He glanced over at the small - well, not small, really - crowd around the edge of the battle area to see if she was there, only half-tracking Lelouch's next dodge. He sighted briefly down the barrel of Guren, and fired another burst of holographic bullets.

And then the guy managed to trip on... what? He couldn't see the crack from here, but it didn't matter. The trigger was already pressed, the spray of bullets originally intended to barely miss now heading for a more painful target.

[willbeurprincess]

Koharu winced as her rifle hit the ground and bit her lip. Lelouch was going to lose momentarily if he didn't move and even if she had no lasting attachment to him, she never wanted her player to lose.

"W-Watch out Lelouch!"

[swordofzero]

Suzaku was stood at the side with those who were being used as weapons in the battle. He looked uncomfertable and he was, because he wanted nothing more then to jump into the battle and kick Gino. Not that he wanted to be violent towards the knight but it was almost painful to watch Lelouch struggle like this. He had tried to convince him not to do this, for them to convince Koharu to vow with Suzaku instead and Suzaku fight Gino.

After allBritannian prince or not Lelouch had no fighting ability, did not fight in battle. But Lelouch had been stubborn and now... Suzaku winced as he tripped, "Lelouch!"

[veepofchess]

And move he did. He scrambled after the rifle while picking himself up off of the ground. But Gino's bullets found a mark as they raked across his stomach. He squelched a cry in his teeth as pain shot through him. Yeah that's definitely what being shot felt like. His hand had reached the rifle but it faded away under his fingers as the system registered a victory for his opponent.

He got back to his feet again and glared at Gino his attitude now was far from the almost bored way in which he'd challenged the knight. But Lelouch wasn't beaten yet. He turned to walk toward the small audience and one individual in particular. Utena.

[swordofzero]

Suzaku stepped forward, coming in between Lelouch and Utena. This sealed it, if Lelouch couldn't beat Gino with a rifle he wasn't going to with Utena's weapon. It was a rose, one of the weapons that really you just had to fight unarmed with.

Lelouch was definitly not an unarmed fighter. "Lelouch, this is a bad idea, let me chalange him," of course Suzaku had no usable weapons, but if Utena agreed to be transfered Suzaku would have a better chance at beating Gino unarmed then Lelouch would.

[veepofchess]

Just because Lelouch had no weapons, that did not mean that he was unarmed. And while no, he did not have a chance at winning this battle, he expected to win his war with this move. "Stand aside, Suzaku. I do not intend to continue to fight him." He boredly inspected his palms as he spoke. They were a bit scraped from his tumble, but that was the least of his problems. He had a different plan, one he didn't expect to work right away, but to instead sow the seeds for a later victory.

He turned to Utena. "If you wouldn't mind?" He held a hand out toward her.

[swordofzero]

Suzaku scowled but moved out of the way, he had no idea what Lelouch had up his sleeve but had to trust him. Because if there was anything Lelouch could win at it was outthinking people. He watched as Lelouch approached Utena, wondering what he had planned.

[formerly_known_as_prince]

Utena was fairly shaking with the wish to jump in. She'd never fired a gun before in her life, but then at the start of the duels at her old school she'd never fought a duel with swords either.

She nodded to Lelouch and took his hand (so pale and fine...could he really win this?). This was a familiar ritual. "Alright."

[veepofchess]

He clasped her hand in his, and closed the distance between them. With his other he reached for the center of her chest, and from it came a rose. He placed it in its proper place on the lapel of his uniform vest.

Then, he turned to Gino. "Lord Weinberg," he began. "While I am glad that my sister has gained such a stalwart protector in her new role as Empress, as her brother I have some questions about your motives in the last few weeks.

"I have told you in the past that I find it very difficult to lie to her, as if I ever would, and by now you should know the reason why. Which is why I have a certain concern. What have you been keeping from your Empress, Gino?" His eyes flitted from Gino to Nunnally briefly and then back again.

[trollofthree]

Gino blinked, the weight of the gun in his right hand the only thing preventing him from folding his arms at the question.

"Huh, I don't know," he grinned briefly, then shrugged with the expression of someone casually - and falsely - unafraid of a dead man. "You wanna tell me?"

[veepofchess]

He started making his way around the battle area they had created toward Nunnally. "The fact that I have been denied the ability to spend time with her as we used to is after making the discovery that she hadn't died in the FLEIJA over Tokyo is a lot for one man to take. So I hope you'll understand my questions about your integrity, Gino. I want nothing but the best for my sister. But she cannot trust you.

"You told us her Weapon was FLEIJA, Gino. And you seemed perfectly prepared to use it when you were goading Suzaku. It would be a cruel choice indeed, but that is what you claim. Why don't you show us the truth? If it is the truth, then I will no longer press the issue and accept you as Nunnally's knight. Otherwise, it is time for her to make a new appointment."

[swordofzero]

Suzaku watched, he had absolutely no idea what Lelouch had planned but he trusted him. Gino might be able to beat Lelouch hands down in a fight of strength but in a battle of wits the tables were turned and...

What? There had been a FLEIJA over Tokyo? Suzaku's mind started to fuzz but yes, when he thought about it there had been. And they had thought Nunnally dead, it had been Suzaku's fault; he remembered guilt but wh...

The moment between Suzaku's mind putting the pieces together; he had fired... and his memories being lost, taken again by the system that ruled the school.

He stumbled, ever so slightly and looked at Lelouch and Gino, what was going on again. He took a few deap breaths as his mind caught up with him, Lelouch was trying to win this battle with words alone. Suzaku could only hope he succeeded.

[choseanidiot]

Enki had seen the small crowd, and recognized the signs of an Exaclan battle, and had been about to veer around and away from it, but Suzaku was over there... And his expression shifted from a fairly neutral one, to a subdued sort of realization coupled with self-recrimination and then... it melted away.

With a frown, Enki wandered over, briefly supporting Suzaku as he stumbled, having been close enough to hear what Lelouch was saying before Suzaku's reaction. Scowling fiercly at the scene, Enki felt the urge to barge away again, because he could hear the notes of manipulation. Politics. Even if this wasn't a court, that's what Lelouch was playing. Power games.

And considering the opponent was holding a gun, that meant this still was a battle, and while he was somewhat concerned over whatever it was Suzaku had remembered (and forgot), Enki wasn't gonna stay around much longer.

[formerly_known_as_prince]

Utena also rushed over to Suzaku's side to support him. She wasn't understanding what they were arguing over. 'FLEIJA' meant nothing to her. This wasn't her kind of game. Perhaps it was Lelouch's and they were duelling in a way she did not immediately understand. But she wanted him to just start the fight already just the same.

"Suzaku...what is going on?"

[swordofzero]

Suzaku managed to recover himself enough to give a small smile at Enki. Though he was worried, the Kirin shouldn't be here. Even though Suzaku was hoping Lelouch managed to finish this without having to physically fight Gino there was no guarantee and Suzaku knew how much Enki hated violence.

He looked to his other side as Utena got close. "I'm not sure... but I think Lelouch is trying to win this battle with words." His head was still a little fuzzy and Suzaku took a few breaths to clear his mind.

[trollofthree]

"Don't remember goading anyone." It was an off-hand comment, really, considering that he was happily accepting Lelouch's call. Nunnally wasn't exactly far away, and he nodded to her in lieu of a bow as the system's light blossomed just beneath her shirt collar.

Drawing such a small weapon was quick and painless, and he flipped it in his hand several times as he looked it over, casual as you like. "But, hey. I never saw it up close. This it?"

[forthward]

Nunnally wasn't entirely prepared for the sudden withdrawal of her weapon, but she regained her composure almost instantly, eyes widening a little bit at the form it took in Gino's hand. She hadn't had her weapon used before, and though she had a feeling about what it would look like, to see it as the key of Damocles again for real, was a little unnerving. She didn't like the sight of it.

"... yes, it is," she answered at length, letting out an even breath, still tinted with a sort of resigned recognition. She didn't want either of them to fight, and she feared the damage that could be done if the key was used. She wanted to prevent it if she could.

[veepofchess]

And so, there it was. So far, the conditions were coming together. There was one thing that didn't make sense. And he was sure he knew why. "I'm sorry he had to do that, Nunnally," he said sincerely. But then he turned to Gino again.

"It's clear you have chosen to stay near Nunnally for the power her Weapon affords you. I won't sit by calmly and allow you to manipulate her as you please anymore. So I'll ask you to transfer her over to me, now." He approached Gino, holding a hand out. "You'll either transfer her to my care, or destroy me where I stand, Gino."