Chapter 27: Lelouch and Nemu

(A/N: I have a working new title for Lelouch's soon to be formed team, but a couple things have to happen before it's even formed).

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Code Geass

Lelouch's pov

It's been eight and a half years since I was discharged from the 4th Division. Rukia and the others graduated three years ago. Rukia had had her sister pull some strings so I wound looping with her, Renji, Izuru and Momo in my Kido class for the remainder of their academy studies. With the exception of Renji, who it was painful to watch, quite literally because half the Kido blows up in his face, it was nice having them around. Renji got just barely passing grades in my class.

When Shuhei graduated a little more than five years ago he became its 14th seat upon graduation and has since then become 9th seat. He was promised the position in his fourth year because of his grades. During the time he's been there I've read a few articles written by him in the Seireitei communication. He's a good Soul Reaper. Words of his accomplishments reach my office now that I have a position as a senior officer. He will certainly go far.

When the time came for Renji, Rukia, Izuru and Momo to graduate, Izuru graduated with academic excellence. It prided him that he could make his deceased parents proud of him. It was Aizen who bestowed him with the reward as he was the one, along with Gin, who was selected to oversee the graduation ceremony that year.

Later that evening, when it was time for the senior officers to greet the new recruits, Rukia, Momo, Renji and Izuru all turned up at the ceremony.

Rukia said she was eager to follow in her sister and brother-in-law's footsteps. Ukitake-taicho had offered position of 17th seat, the only one out of her and my other three students to make ranked officer straight off and she had grown to 11th seat under my guidance. She's stayed with us all this time and I'm sure she'll do great here.

Renji wound up an unseated member, but two years ago Uktake-taicho had him transferred to the Eleventh Division because of his roughneck tendencies. Renji wound up climbing all the way to 17th seat, on par with Rukia as he bragged to her, as a starting position. I spoke to Shisato about toughening Renji up and making him work hard. She said she would make sure he had plenty of field work. Shisato was not only the only Eleventh Division member I could really count on, she was also its only senior officer that wasn't a complete battle drone.

Izuru worked with us until he was transferred a year and a half ago to 4th Division. He's risen in rank since then to 14th seat. He considers Shuhei both his senpai and his rival and uses him as a purpose to keep getting better.

Momo stayed with us up until just last month. My promotion was announced three months ago, with my move being today, and since Momo wasn't qualified to follow me to 12th Division, as she desired, she did the next best thing and became a seated officer under Aizen. I didn't think I'd hear from Momo again, but to my surprise Aizen was being a lot less strict with her than he was Hisana. I'd grown to understand Aizen's thought process over the years of working against him. The fact that he was being nice to Momo in a different way than he had Hisana either meant that he learned from his mistake with Hisana or he was planning to do something else entirely with Momo. I didn't know what, but I was going to keep an eye on him.

Byakuya and Gin both became captains about a year after my students graduated. Gin took over the open 3rd Division captaincy slot and Kuchiki Ginrei stepped down as head of 6th Division. Since the 6th Division functioned differently than the other divisions did all Kuchiki Ginrei had to do was turn in his Zanpakuto to be locked and sealed away and he could retire in peace and live out the rest of his life sipping tea under a tree at the Kuchiki manor. It was perfect timing on Byakuya's point too since his grandfather was starting to get old and, unlike Yamamoto-soutaicho, was starting to lose his edge.

Hisana became Byakuya's new Vice-Captain. The 6th Division continued under the banner of Kuchiki-taicho and fukutaicho as it had for so many generations. Now the only divisions without Vice-Captains were Divisions 9 and 10. Tosen-taicho would obviously start to cultivate a Soul Reaper of Aizen's choosing and Isshin-taicho said he hadn't gotten any recommendations or seen anyone with exceptional enough skill and responsibility to take the mantle.

The Gotei has gone under many changes since I first started here and today those changes would continue with my promotion. The paperwork finally came through and I change positions today. Kiyone and Sentaro were sorry to see me go, but both fought over who would carry my bags and equipment to my new position: 3rd seat of the 12th Division and Deputy Head of the Department of Research and Development.

I had made my mark here in the 13th Division so I wasn't exactly reluctant to leave. Ukitake-taicho, Shiba-fukutaicho, Miyako-senpai and Rukia each gave me a heartfelt goodbye.

"You don't have to worry about a thing Lelouch." Kaien-san told me. In the time I had known him we had become less formal with each other. "I'll make sure to take good Kuchiki here." He patted Rukia's head.

"You'd better. You wouldn't want to anger Byakuya-taicho or Hisana-fukutaicho would you?" I asked.

"Of course not," Kaien-san stated with an overly enthusiastic grin, "Getting the evil eye from Byakuya-taicho is bad enough. I don't need it from his spouse too."

"You have been a great benefit to us these past years Lelouch-san." Miyako-senpai stated.

"It's been a great pleasure to have worked with you." Ukitake-taicho complimented me.

"Senpai, I think that's the last of everything!" Kiyone saluted.

"We've moved all of your belongings and set things up exactly as your blueprints described sir!" Sentaro saluted as well.

"Thanks you two. I'm glad I could count on you." I said. I stepped onto the grass from the deck outside my now old office. "Well, I'm off."

"Bye Sensei!" Rukia waved. Everyone waved goodbye to me as I left. 13th Division made me feel what it was really like to have a family. We all took care of each other there due to Ukitake-taicho constantly going in and out of fevers so we all split the workload or did what we could to help Kaien-san since he sometimes took it upon himself to do all of it.

As I walked calmly with my hands in my pockets to 12th Division, I thought about what I would do as Deputy Department Head. Nemu was assigned Department Head Assistant, as was the Lieutenant's job to directly assist the Department head. It had been a long time since I had worked alongside Nemu. It had been almost forty years actually. We'd seen each other from time to time, but nothing more than an exchange of pleasantries. She often hung around with Kotetsu-san and Rangiku. I was glad she had found someone to hang around with.

I first made an inspection of my new office to see if Kiyone and Sentaro had set it up to my expectations. They did a phenomenal job. When those two get fired up they really got the job done well. With everything set up the way it was supposed to I grabbed my lab coat out of the closet and put it on before heading out to the main research building.

Since its construction the Department of Development and Research has grown exponentially. Its size and stature make it comparable to some of the power plants and heavy industrial buildings I was used to being around when I was growing up. The technology had expounded profusely along with it. If only Urahara-san could be here to see his creation grown to this magnitude. I decided I'd grab a camera, take a view pictures and send him a postcard through Kukaku at some point.

As I entered the main office building, there was Nemu, sitting at the receptionist desk. She was absorbed in her work on the computer at the desk. I walked right up her. "Morning." I greeted.

Nemu turned away from her computer and was shocked to see me. "Lelouch…sama?"

"What you didn't know I was coming today?" I asked. "Didn't the captain tell you about my promotion?"

Nemu rose to her feet and bowed to me. "Ah, Mayuri-sama did say we were getting a new Deputy Head, but he did not say that it was you. I…I am very happy to see you, Lelouch-sama."

"I as well to you," I responded, "It's very good to see you too Nemu."

"Nemu! Who are you talking to?" a crabby voice, of which I recognized, came over the intercom sitting on Nemu's desk. "Stop blathering and get back to work!"

"Sir, Lelouch-sama is here, our new deputy head." Nemu responded.

"Oh, oh right that's today isn't it. Yes…yes…both of you come up to my office immediately. I suppose I'll have to do proper introductions, even if Lamperouge used to work around here."

"Hai, I understand Mayuri-sama." Nemu said and then look towards me. "Please follow me Lelouch-sama." I followed Nemu up the winding staircase to Kurotsuchi-taicho's office. When I walked into the office the stench of death filled my nostrils. Kurotsuchi-taicho, surrounded by other division members left whatever experiment he was engrossed in and exited the room to greet me.

"Ah Lamperouge Lelouch…it's such a wonder to see you again. It will be so nice to have a competent deputy head." Kurotsuchi-taicho stated. "Good help is so hard to find these days. Nemu is barely of any use sometimes and the last three deputy heads I've had have all wound up dead."

"Actually we've lost four of them, Mayuri-sama," Nemu corrected, "Ayumi Rei, Ryusaki Vander, Shishimi Kin, and now Kozou Mimi."

"Ah yes, I suppose since we're still picking apart the last one that I don't exactly consider her dead." Kurotsuchi-taicho said pushing his index finger into his forehead.

"Wait, what do you mean picking apart?" I asked, crossly.

"It's a sad thing, the last three—"

"Four," I corrected.

"Right four. The last four deputies I've had were so incompetent that they wound up dead from results of their own experiments. Tch, if I've said it once I've said it hundred times: never undertake an experiment that you can't handle the worst case scenario of. I swear it was insanely difficult to scrape the last of the pieces of my last apprentice off the walls," Kurotsuchi-tilted his head, "I trust you won't make the same incompetent mistake Lamperouge Lelouch?"

"Of course, I'm not looking to research things that could potentially get me blown up." Just what has been going on here since I left?

"Very good then," Kurotsuchi-taicho sighed, "At least with modern science the remains don't go to waste. We've been using my last apprentice's remains to determine what went wrong with her experiment so that I might perhaps continue what she started as I have continued and finished the failed experiments of my other now deceased apprentices."

"Ah, speaking of which, Kozou Koga has sent another petition asking for his daughter's ashes so that they may be buried." Nemu spoke up.

"Wait, father?" I asked. Kozou…male…adult…could this be the man I've been searching for? I didn't even know deputy head Kozou even had parents. They keep family matters under lock and key most of the time.

"Tch, again? Dear me, he is really starting to become a bother. Lamperouge, as your captain I would like you to go to this annoying pest's house and explain to him that he will get his daughter's ashes when I am finished examining her body. Make him understand that we are working science here!" Kurotsuchi-taicho demanded.

While I'm not too keen on preventing a parent to grieve over the loss of their child, I'm very interested in seeking out this Kozou Koga. "Sure, where to?" I asked.

"How in the three sixty degrees of a circle should I know? Ask Nemu, she's the one who keeps getting the petitions." Kurotsuchi-taicho stated. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have science to discover." He went back in his office and shut the door.

Same old Kurotsuchi-taicho. I thought to myself. "Well Nemu, care to show me these petitions."

"Hai, follow me, Lelouch-sama." Nemu stated.

Seireitei South Market

As it turned out, Kozou Koga was a discharged Soul Reaper. He had suffered a crippling injury in a battle with a hollow nearly fifty years ago, forcing him to use crutches to get around since his legs were almost useless. My suspicion about him lessened, but not by much. Even a former Soul Reaper could still hold important information.

I entered the house since there was no door. "Hello?"

From out of an adjoining room a man, wearing leg braces, walked out. He had a long beard that looked like it could use a shave. He looked at me. "Yes?"

"Are you Kozou Koga?" I asked.

"I am." He said.

"Sir, my name is Lamperouge Lelouch. I'm with the Department of Development and Research. I'm here on behalf of my captain to speak with you about your recently deceased daughter Kozou Mimi." I told him.

"Ah, ahhhh. Sit, sit!" He gestured eagerly. I sat down on a stool and he collapsed into the nearby easy chair. "What news do you have for me? Are Mimi's ashes being sent to me?" he asked. "I've sent inquiry to Captain Kurotsuchi ten times, but he hasn't answered me until now."

Oh that's mature taicho. I thought to myself. At least let the man know what you're doing. "Well, unfortunately no. My captain is picking apart her corpse to try and learn how she wound up in such a sorry state to potentially continue her research in her place."

"Tests? He is running tests on my little girl? How can he?" Kozou got indignant.

"Kozou-san, please try to remain calm. My captain is doing this for science. I am sure once he is finished that he will give you your daughter's ashes. If not I will cremate the body myself and hand deliver them once he is complete." I said.

"How long must I wait? I have been waiting three months now." Kozou said irritably.

"That…I do not know. I will ask my captain and I will be back when I learn anything." I told him.

"Thank you Lamperouge-san, truly you are a kind and just soul to all." Kozou Koga told me.

All that deserve it. I thought to myself. Still…this man is too frail and friendly to seem like the kind to commit murder. I guess it's interrogation time. "Kozou-san, if you don't mind me asking, what happened to Mimi's mother?"

"Ah, Kyria. I miss her so much. She passed away some time ago."

"Some time like over a century ago?" I asked.

"Oh, no, no! This had to be no less than twenty!" Kozou cried out. "My…sister died around that time though."

"Your…sister did?" I asked. Kozou wasn't the actor's name, it was the victim.

"Yes, her name was Kozou Mariko. I became a Soul Reaper because of her…at least until this happened." He gestured to his legs.

So Kozou was the victim's maiden name then. "Mariko…she was married before she died right?"

"Ah, so you know about that. Are you a friend of Tosen Kaname? She was rather close to her I know. She spent a lot of time talking to him." Kozou told me.

Bingo! "Not particularly, however I am interested in what happened to her." Once this is over I'll Geass Kozou to never remembering anything of our conversation outside his daughter.

Kozou sighed. "It was a little over a hundred and fifty years ago. She was married to a man, a noble. My family used to be of nobility until Mariko was cast down and her husband robbed us of everything. She was a foolish girl. If only the marriage hadn't been arranged, perhaps she would've married Tosen-taicho."

"I see." So the marriage was arranged and they used to be nobles. The pieces are starting to fall into place. "How well did you know Tosen-taicho?"

"He was a young man, lived in the Seireitei Market District for the time I knew him before Mariko was killed." Kozou stated.

"Yes, as I recall in an article Tosen-taicho wrote he became a Soul Reaper on her honor to create the peaceful world that she had envisioned. She was cut down by her husband after she scolded him for killing a subordinate over something petty." I said.

"Yes and he was not punished for his crimes either." Kozou became angry at the remembrance of that part of information.

"Is that man still alive, her husband?" I asked.

"I believe so." Kozou said. "His noble house still stands. He's also remarried and had a child, a son if I recall."

"Is he still a Soul Reaper?" I asked.

"No, that much I know. He was discharged when a hollow sucked his spirit energy dry." Kozou told me.

"Interesting," I said and then asked, "Do you remember the man's name?"

"I do. It was Atrumier Rehten."

I grinned widely. "I see, thank you very much Kozou-san." I told him.

"It's no trouble, anything for the man who finally answered my prayers." Kozou told me.

"Good, then before I leave I need you to do one thing for me." I said and reached for my contact lens.

"What's that?" Kozou asked me.

I removed my contact lens and activated Geass, "You will forget everything we discussed that did not relate to your daughter Mimi once I leave your house."

"Yes, Master Lelouch." He said in monotone.

"Good, then I will be seeing you." I left the house and went back to my division.

So what's next? Eien Tamashi asked. Do we go bursting into the Atrumier manor guns ablazing?

No we can't. I responded. Nobility has special protection and high security. With my ability I'd never be able to do it solo without being caught, even if I persuaded Nemu to join me.

So then you'll have to get yourself a team won't you? Eien Tamashi stated.

That I will indeed. I replied and went back to the division.

Private Technology Lab

It's been about two months since I met with Kozou Koga. Since my return to the department I've been hard at work on a project to create transformation wristbands made with the same technology as my hyperspace capsules. If I'm going to have a team at my side to help me uncover corruption we're going to do it in style.

Nemu and I are still close. It's as if nothing's changed between us since I left. However, one thing is very noticeable. I'm starting to notice Nemu suddenly showing random injuries and symptoms: scars on her wrists, circles around her eyes, pale skin. All of them are gone by the next day. Nemu won't tell me what's wrong all she does is make excuses or pretend as if she has to be somewhere. Whatever's going on she's afraid both for herself and for me if she won't speak with me. There aren't many people I know that can make her shut up in front of me. I can get a lot of things out of Nemu that most can't, same with Vera. Even after I left 10th Division the second time, Isshin-taicho would constantly call me to talk to her one on one if he found her being difficult. I still haven't found out why she won't open up to anyone.

Speaking of Vera, I talked with Isshin-taicho about possibly transferring her to the 13th Division. Ukitake-taicho and the others were so good to me. I was certain they could get Vera to open up if they could. I don't know if it's me. Normally I can tell if a girl likes me, but I don't get that from Vera. I definitely think we're just friends. I think perhaps she somehow found someone who understands her. I haven't learned much about her over the years, she would still communicate in silence. I've only ever heard her speak twice. The first time was the day Akari-taicho died when she vocalized that she wanted to hear my plan. The second time was when she bade goodbye to me when I was in my two month coma. Other than that I've never heard her speak. I spoke to Kotetsu-san about it, Vera's medical records didn't show anything and I'd think twice before letting Kurotsuchi-taicho experiment on her.

I had no idea my captain was so twisted. 12th Division is going to be in need of a new captain at the rate he is going because I will not stand for the torturing he is giving to live human beings. The screaming I've heard is unbearable, but good old Central Forty Six is turning a blind eye because all of his experiments have been filled out. Dear Britannia we need some better ethical boundaries in this society.

There are ethics in place already. Last month something called Project Spearhead was called off on ethical grounding. The project was the modifying of souls out of normal gikongan. It came to light that these modified souls were to be used to reanimate dead corpses to battle hollows. It's nice to know I'm not needed to stop everything. Still, it would be nice for Central Forty Six to stop turning a blind eye to my captain's experiments. I swear on my life if I have to hear one more blood curdling scream in the middle of the night, I'm geassing the man. I haven't already because I thought I could resolve this peacefully by throwing some reports on the Central Forty Six's front table.

"How can you look at these reports and not do something about it?" I had shouted when my request for warrant of investigation was turned down. Kurotsuchi-taicho, unlike Aizen, didn't seem to care at all about his actions. It was much easier to finger him that it was Aizen.

"Deputy Head Reseacher Lamperouge Lelouch," one of the members had told me, "This is simply not enough to vindicate Kurotsuchi-taicho of any wrongdoing. His experiments do not warrant investigation."

"He dissected a live human being while he was still breathing!" I had yelled.

"Watch your tone. You are addressing superiors of high council, Deputy Head Researcher." I had regained my composure and stood in place.

"We have read the reports. Kurotsuchi-taicho's own experiment files overturn your accusations. Rest assured if Kurotsuchi-taicho was acting outside ethical boundaries we would shut down his experiments like we did with project Spearhead."

"Also do not forget that you are accusing a captain Deputy Head Researcher. The Soutaicho worked very hard to keep all divisions standing that abruptly lost their captains after the incident with Urahara Kisuke. Kurotsuchi-taicho himself has given us substantial proof that he is fit to be a captain and that, were he to lose his position, his Vice-Captain, Kurotsuchi Nemu, would be unfit to keep the squad from imploding. One accusation of unethical experiments, while the experiments themselves are a bit gory and rather hard to swallow, is not enough to warrant the dismissal and incarceration of Captain Kurotsuchi that you seek."

Bunch of aristocratic fools! I thought as I sat here working on my wristbands. As long as there isn't widespread panic you'll do anything to obstruct justice. I continued to work on the wristband until I finished it and not soon after that fell asleep at my desk.

…

…

…

"UWAOAH!"

I bolted up to the sound of screaming. That sounded like Nemu. I grabbed my Zanpakuto, which was sitting by the nearby file cabinet and bolted towards the sound of the screaming.

My, look at you so quick to play hero. Eien Tamashi teased.

This is not the time for jokes. Nemu and I are like brother and sister. I'm not going to let something happen to her so long as I can stop it. I drew Eien Tamashi out of her scabbard and tried to track Nemu's spiritual pressure, having lost my sense of direction of how to track the source of the screaming. Five seconds later another similar scream rang out and this one was close. I could sense Nemu just beyond a heavily locked door. It was protected by a heavy metal bar and a numerically encoded password. I drew a mental map of the department building in my head to remember which room this was. When I remembered I entered my identification code and the security lock came undone. I opened the latch, which required six precise motions to open, and then wrenched the door ajar to go inside. "Nemu!" I shouted.

"My, my, such a barbarian," I heard my captain's voice, "I really thought you were better than that Lamperouge Lelouch."

I took a moment to see the scene laid out in front of me. Nemu was on the ground, face down on the floor. Her arms were wrapped around her body and her legs were pulled in. She was twitching and had to be in immense pain. Her Shihakusho was torn, fresh lacerations covered her body, mostly her back. An empty syringe lay on top of the table and Kurotsuchi-taicho was holding another one as well. Alongside the empty syringe was a blood covered machete.

"What in the world is going on here?" I demanded to know.

"Tch. Really, must you raise your voice?" My captain asked me. He acted as if nothing was wrong with this picture.

"What…are you doing?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"It's nothing too serious. Since the Central 46 has scrutinized my involuntarily experiments, I have to resort to other methods to get the job done." Kurotsuchi-taicho replied…no…no, I don't have a clue what to call him right now.

"So you use Nemu? She's your Vice-Captain, your blood born daughter and this is how you treat her?" I growled.

"I don't see what you are getting so worked up about. If there were a problem she would complain." Kurotsuchi-taicho stated.

"Don't you get it? She's afraid of you. She cows to authority because that's how I taught her. You…you don't care about her at all do you? To you she's just a puppet, a tool for your experiments, isn't she?" I was livid…no I was past livid. There's not a word in my vocabulary to describe how infuriated and outraged I was feeling right now. I watched…Mayuri…pick his nose and fling the mucus on his finger halfway across the room. "PAY ATTENTION TO ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!"

"Really, is that how you dress your superiors?" Mayuri asked me.

Nemu will understand, if not I can force her to. I will not allow this to continue. "You are no superior of mine. Not while you harm innocent people. I was at my breaking point with all the screaming I've had to hear since my return here and then…you go and make Nemu into your next victim? I won't have it!"

"And just what could you possibly do about it hmm?" Mayuri asked me.

"This!" I said and removed both my contact and stared Mayuri straight in the eyes. "Kurotsuchi Mayuri, I, Lelouch vi Britannia command you! From this moment forth you shall never harm Nemu again! You will conduct all your experiments in an ethical manner befitting the standards a captain should uphold! And if anyone ask about your sudden change in behavior you will tell them that you saw Nemu twitching and sprawled out on the ground as you experimented on her and were overcome with grief and decided to turn over a new leaf! You will obey my commands!"

"Why in the de—ehhhh…" Mayuri's facial structure became subdued and he looked at me with a deadpan look. "Yes…master Lelouch…I will obey."

"Good. See to it."

As I learned when I overwrote Shirley's history, when I gave complex orders that rewrote a person's entire mental structure or when I do something that was vehemently against the person's morals, as with Euphimia, it takes a bit longer to kick in. Mayuri would probably be standing there in a daze for a good few minutes while my Geass overwrote years upon years of mania to make him a less horrifying person. He'd still probably act like a complete freak, invading people's personal spaces and being a complete and utter satanic prick. My orders were specific: do not harm Nemu, conduct experiments in an ethical fashion, and I added an excuse as to why Mayuri made this sudden switch.

While he was in a daze I got Nemu up off the ground and helped her to an unused lab room. I helped her gently onto her stomach on top of the table and began to get some ointment to heal her wounds. Nemu cried out when I rubbed the ointment on her back. It was a natural reaction though; the stuff I was using was highly chemical and very cold, but it would treat her wounds rather quickly.

"Lelouch-sama…" Nemu wheezed weakly.

"Shhh," I stroked a part of her back where there wasn't any damage, "Everything is going to be all right. I'm going to make you better Nemu. I just put some healing ointment on you, don't worry I won't do to you what your father did."

Nemu tried to speak, but wound up heaving over the side of the table. I got a cloth and wiped her mouth for her. I didn't want her to move.

I suppose I'll do a toxicity screening later.

It took me a good five hours straight to completely heal Nemu. Her wounds scabbed over and I drained all of the poison out of her system using highly advanced equipment. I even removed an embryo that, upon analysis, was pure hollow DNA. Mayuri had been attempting to grow a hollow inside of Nemu's body. Reparable body or not, there are some things you DO NOT DO!

I was now in my bedroom and I had Nemu laid out on the couch, fast asleep with a blanket over her, while I sat in front of the coffee table filling out a report. I had paid a visit to the security room to have the tape destroyed of the recording of mine and Mayuri's little exchange earlier, only to remember that the incident had occurred in his private lab that only the top five ranking officers had access to and no cameras were installed to constitute privacy.

Which means the only one who now knows about Geass, and my real name, besides me, is Nemu. I thought as I looked over to her on the couch. It had been about two hours since I had healed her. She had been out for 90 minutes of that. With the way the natural sleep cycle worked, Nemu would awaken within five to 15 minutes. I looked at the clock on the wall. It was 2 o' clock in the morning. I'd have to go most of tomorrow without sleep most likely. Looks like I'll be paying a regular visit to the coffee machine. I thought to myself.

After seven minutes Nemu stirred and woke up. I made sure I was right next to her when she did. She sat up and looked at me. She was still wearing her torn Shihakusho. I didn't have it in me to change her clothes or go through her dresser. I had no idea what I might find.

"Lelouch…sama?" she looked at me.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her as I sat down on the couch next to her.

Nemu laid her head against my shoulder. "I am…confused."

I knew she'd have questions. "What do you want to know?"

Nemu picked her head up and looked at me. "You taught me to bow to authority, but…you defied Mayuri-sama, told him and…were able to make him agree not to harm me ever again. Why?"

"I did it for two reasons. The first is something I never got the chance to teach you. When a member of authority orders something that goes against everything you stand for, it is ok for you to question authority, sometimes act against it." I told Nemu

"I do not understand." she replied.

"I don't expect you to." I pat her head. "It's something that is very complicated to understand. You don't have to change, you're fine the way you are, but you can start by having some self-respect for yourself."

"I understand. I will…start having some self-respect for myself." Nemu replied.

"The second reason," I said and I put my hands on Nemu's shoulders. "I did it because I care about you Nemu. You said I was like an older brother to you. What kind of older brother figure would I be if I didn't take care of my little sister?"

Nemu actually smiled. "You are…right about that, Lelouch-sama." She nuzzled into my embrace and I hugged her.

"I'm sure you want to know about what I said and how I pulled that off, don't you?" I asked.

Nemu shook her head. "That doesn't matter to me. You…have always been kind to me, Lelouch-sama and I am just grateful that you protected me. Mayuri-sama…what you saw…it was all him…he…"

I stroked Nemu and shushed her. "It's all right. That's over now. He'll never hurt you again. I made sure of it. However, you cannot tell anyone what happened."

"I would not dream of mentioning it. I don't want to remember all of that pain." Nemu responded.

I held her more closely. Nemu was now sitting on the couch on her knees with her arms and head placed along my chest, hands gently placed upon my shoulders. I had one of my hands stroking the back of her head, the other holding her body to me. "It's all right. You don't have to." After a moment of silence I said to her. "I'm so glad you are safe."

"I am glad to have been saved by you." Nemu responded. She pushed down on my shoulders and propped herself up, bringing her face inches from mine. I was surprised when her lips reached mine. Nemu pulled away after a few seconds. "Lelouch…sama, what's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Is it not normal to kiss someone who saved your life that you have deep emotions towards?" Nemu asked.

"Deep…emotions?" I asked.

"I…what I feel towards you…I don't know if I could consider you a brother anymore. It would feel…unholy…I…I don't know how to describe it. I don't know the extent of my feelings, but I…I felt as if…kissing you was ok…unless you object." Nemu stated.

"No," I responded and kissed her back, "It's perfectly fine." I cared a lot about Nemu too. I don't know the extent of my feelings towards her, but what I feel about her runs deep. Nemu, at her own request, stayed with me that evening, just to 'feel secure' as she put it. She slept in my bed. We didn't do anything, just sleep.

I will always protect you Nemu…

Always…

(A/N: Together with me now: Awwwwwwwwww. Well Lelouch finally realized what an a-hole Mayuri is and geassed him into submission. Let's hope Mayuri doesn't have some way of figuring out how to rewire his brain to reverse the effects…assuming he even realizes he's been changed. And it seems Lelouch and Nemu are becoming rather close. Is this the start of a romance? Mayhap it is and mayhap it isn't. I will not comment or confirm XD. I will say that Lelouch and Nemu share almost the same relationship as Lelouch and Nunnally without being blood siblings. Make of that what you will. Anyway, once again it is late and I am going to bed. Next time on Soul Chess, unless I change my mind, Metastacia Attacks! Kaien's Life Hangs in Lelouch's Hands!)