Tunguska Conference: Wrapping Up
It is a few days after you've arrived back at New Caledonia, thankfully whole and healthy. Milly has, of course, returned to one of her family's properties in the homeland, inevitably reaping the rewards of being the date of a now-international celebrity on a social level and the personal benefits of the in-process deal between the Ashfords and Steiner Konzern for a proposed high atmosphere delivery system. She'll likely ride that wave of popularity for all its worth and you wish her the best of luck with it.
In the meantime, though, you have your own matters to settle.
Specifically, with Kaguya Sumeragi.
Part of you, it should be said, and a not-
insubstantial part at that, wanted to simply call the young woman into your office and play the political games that two of your social class were so accustomed to. Doubtless, you would spend a few hours poking and prodding at each other's defenses before forwarding an abridged agenda to the other, then agreeing to something both unspoken and intentionally poorly illustrated so that neither of you could be held to anything but the most basic of agreements of cooperation.
Then, you would do the same the next month.
And the next.
All the while creeping towards a much more concrete establishment of a working relationship between yourselves as each meeting gave you more and more understanding of the other party. The entire affair would be masterfully choreographed such that any misstep would demand concession on the part of the individual who had slipped up. It was so much a part of the world you moved in, it was somewhat alien to even
contemplate disregarding it for an intimately casual and deeply revealing conversation.
It was one thing, after all, to take the aforementioned tack with Kallen or even perhaps Gino. Neither precisely held grand political ambitions, after all, and were maybe the closest thing to 'friends' you had ever possessed. You would like to add Jeanne to the list, but the woman was too much of a consummate professional to even consider the title of confidant, let alone 'friend.'
Kaguya, though... was not at that level.
Perhaps not ever, given her foreign ties and obligations.
But, that did not mean there wasn't a middle ground you could exploit.
Approaching the diminutive Japanese woman rapidly within the hallway, you discreetly signaled her security detail. It wouldn't do for them to open fire because of a simple misunderstanding. Kaguya turned, blinking as she caught your aggressive advance, taking an unwitting step back as you failed to slow. Finally, you stepped into her personal space and, in one smooth movement, slammed your open palm against the concrete wall behind her in such a way as to produce a thick, deep sound which numerous sources assured him would be pronounced 'don' in Japanese onomatopoeia.
Kaguya's eyes widened, the bridge of her nose stained with red as she looked up into your eyes, your face looming over her. Your strike was further punctuated by her sudden gasp, one hand coming up with the sleeve of her long robe to cover her open mouth instinctually.
You let those few seconds hang for an infinitely long moment, before you cracked a smirk, raising an eyebrow as you spoke. "Well, I do hope I
performed the technique correctly."
The foreign princess blinked several times, obviously attempting to reboot her brain in the wake of something so fundamentally bizarre happening so suddenly. "T-t-technique?"
Okay,
perhaps the Japanese were onto something.
The way she had just squeaked was
cute beyond words.
Finally, though, you nodded, pulling out an
extremely flowery book with incredibly stylized art of a swooning woman and handsome man in clothing from a few hundred years ago. Expertly, you flipped the pages to your key example and presented the man in the artwork to Kaguya.
Almost involuntarily, you saw her eyes dip to the page, another long moment passing between you as she took in what was pictured in the book. Blinking again, she looked back up to you, down to the book, once again up at you to trace your outstretched arm, then back to the 'manga.' After an unsure eternity in which you silently prayed you hadn't just made a horrible mistake, Kaguya began to giggle quietly, the sound blooming into full laughter as the girl doubled-over, almost collapsing into you bodily as she helplessly rocked with joyful amusement.
Several minutes and a fortifying glass of wine apiece, Kaguya was still shaking gently with mirth each time she happened to glance at you, her face still adorably flushed.
"
You, Lelouch vi Britannia,
are an absolute cad," she pronounced with all the noble temper of an especially irritable kitten. It didn't help that she couldn't quite keep the smile off her face either. You wished you were in a better position, though it would be a lie to say there weren't traces of abiding laughter in your smile.
You held your hands out, palms towards her. "Guilty as charged I am afraid. Many have often informed me of the same."
Kaguya chuckled, shaking her head before taking a deep drink of her wine. "You deserve it. I cannot
believe you would do such a thing! What on Earth possessed you to make such a fool of yourself?"
Instead of the political dance that was second-nature to you, instead, you planted your feet and
stood. Metaphorically, at least, given that you were currently seated with your legs crossed at the knee and quite relaxed.
Simply put, you place your glass back down on the table and look her directly in the eyes. "I wanted to see you smile again."
The Sumeragi heiress gasps sharply, her emerald eyes widening before she bites her lip and looks away from you.
You allow her time to consider her response, but do not take your eyes away. You can't help but consider the fact that, even in a moment of anguished internal conflict she looks strikingly beautiful.
"Do you believe you would be inclined to smile if your father banished you to a land which might as well be on the edge of the world for all that it differs?" Kaguya finally asks, her shoulders sagging.
You sigh and look towards the darkening evening sky for a moment as you think. It is no easy or simple question that the woman opposite you asks and it deserves consideration.
"I believe that, were my sister with me, I would smile." You answer after thinking on it. "If only for her sake, because she would smile for mine."
Kaguya sighs in response, shaking her head. "But I have no siblings, sometimes I think my parents barely tolerated the reality of one child, let alone the thought of more. My cousin, the closest thing to a sibling I have, is also not nearby. So tell me, Prince Lelouch, if there is no one for me to smile for, why must I smile?"
Tentatively, you reach out, grasping one of the curled fists resting on the table with your own hand, the contact of skin on skin startling the young woman before you and snapping her head upright to lock eyes with you once again.
"Did I not already say?" You ask, frowning as you attempt to convey care for the woman in your every movement. Perhaps you do not
love her, if two of your peerage are allowed that luxury, but you can at least express concern for her. Beyond the use she has in loyalty to you, your own decisions have engendered this situation, such that you owe
something to her. "Please, smile for me at least, and me alone, if you feel no one else deserves to see your happiness."
A shiver seems to run through her body, something she guards well enough that you only feel through the connection of your hand with hers. A shuddering breath produces another whispered rebuke, this one traced by a wet half-sob. "You
absolute cad, your highness," she repeats, "you
utter and absolute cad."
Unable to do
nothing, you remove your handkerchief and stand, only to kneel and begin wiping away tears at the girl's side, which only sets off yet more soft cries. Eventually, when she comes back to herself enough, she pushes your hand away gently and removes her own handkerchief to dab at her eyes.
"Please, Prince Lelouch, return to your seat. If word got out that I made royalty kneel I don't think I could take the denouncements of my character." The heiress eventually says, though you pay her words little credence. Instead, you return to your chair only because of the tender upturn of her lips, because she has
smiled.
You are not, though, heartless enough to deny her another moment to compose herself. Instead, you wave a servant over and issue a few quick orders for dinner.
"Thank you," she nods when you return, her glass of wine a bit lesser for your absence. "You did not need to do...
any of this, you know?"
You deny her with a shake of your head. "If I did not, then who
would?"
Kaguya's smile turns helpless and she sighs again.
You spend an age there, quietly contemplating each other, her emerald eyes met by your own violet orbs. It takes some time before either of you speaks again, but when one does, you are unsurprised by the fact that it is Kaguya, not yourself.
"You are not going to ask why I requested to work under the Shinozaki, are you?" She finally asks, but gives you no time to reply. "No, of course you are not. I do not know why I believed you should meet any of my expectations tonight after what has already passed between us."
You simply smile and cock your head. "When a lady puts it in that manner, I almost feel as though I should apologize."
A surprised giggle bursts its way from her throat and she hides behind one of her voluminous sleeves for a moment. "Your highness, please, you have nothing to apologize for."
Your smile fades for a moment and you can't help but press. "Are you sure?"
Kaguya's gaze turns down for a moment, suddenly solemn, but after a scant consideration, she shakes her head. "No, I do not believe you do. If anything, I am given to understand my father has much more responsibility in that regard. He came to you as a salesman would and, therefore, any fault one would find lies with him."
Not an explicit passing of blame or guilt, but the fact that she would even come close...
You disregard the thought. It would be easy to misinterpret things at this stage.
Instead, you press onwards.
"You've asked for a position underneath Sayoko, within the thinking brain of my organization. As I deigned to grant you your desired position, I will not go back upon my word." You state, setting your elbows on the armrests of your chair and allowing your tone to grow serious. "However, as you have brought the subject to the table, I fear there will be no better time to press for an answer then. I will not ask why, nor what you hope to accomplish as a result of this, because you will either be honest or you will not. In either case, I will either believe you or doubt your word. All things being equal, there is only a twenty-five percent chance of either of us coming away with a mutual understanding to our exclusive benefit. What is worse is that there is a six point two five percent chance of the two of us
agreeing on a mutual interpretation of the other's intention, whatever the outcome of our exchange."
At the very least, you've sent Kaguya reeling again, her eyes wide at the sudden shift towards an onslaught of facts and figures. Giving her a moment to compose herself again, you take a sip of your wine to quench your thirst.
"In the interests of avoiding all of that, I will instead ask you what you believe your duties should be." You state calmly, smiling again, if with a hint of predation to it. "Tell me, Lady Kaguya, were your position and mine exchanged, what would you have yourself do when presented with such an audacious request as you have presented me with?"
Kaguya stalls a moment, the last scales seeming to fall from her eyes as the mind behind them sets to work with a will towards a problem you have given it. Her narrowed green gaze considers both you and your question as you wait patiently for a response.
"I would..." she begins, then whets her lips with a quick swipe of her tongue and tries again. "I would give an individual in my position work of a sensitive nature which, should I prove disloyal, would not compromise your organization and only produce minor setbacks or deny you an unexpected boon instead of disrupting already-beneficial arrangements." She pauses, and bites her lip. "At the same time, I would expect the individual in question to volunteer substantial information which I would have every expectation to be used
against those I should have loyalties with."
You lean back, taking the pressure of an aggressive stance off the girl and
think...
With the Sumeragi heiress agreeing to the intelligence equivalent of 'scut work' while
volunteering to provide intelligence against her father's sakuradite trade and businesses, your options open up quite a bit. However, you decide to choose...
[ ] Kaguya will serve as Xiǎobāo's minder when she is not writing up reports on what she knows of Japan's businesses.
[ ] Kaguya will monitor relations between the governors of Area Eight and Nine when she is not writing up reports on what she knows of Japan's businesses.
[ ] Kaguya will monitor what intelligence you have coming in from the Chinese Federation when she is not writing up reports on what she knows of Japan's businesses.
Regardless of your decision, the fact that you and she have cleared the air means that the meal you share is all the more delicious afterwards and, you think, conversation flows much more freely between the two of you. You leave Kaguya, at the end of the night, on the doorstep of her room, your lips brushing the back of her hand, and feel that it was a night well spent.
Kaguya Sumeragi's SL Increases (+1)
QM's Note: As of the outcome of this update, Lelouch believes he has a good understanding of Kaguya. 'Trust' here is the wrong word, possibly, but he feels that he knows what to expect of her and that
immediate betrayal is deeply unlikely. The choice presented is not whether your will give Kaguya responsibilities, but the question of how much you will give her. Minding the former sacrifice child will have few consequences if she screws it up, even intentionally. Monitoring Area Eight and Nine will have
some, but nothing disastrous and nothing outside of your ability
eventually correct. Placing her in a position of influence could go very badly, but given her connection to the Chinese Empress she would have to burn a serious bridge to screw you over, in Lelouch's estimation. As a last point of consideration, there is the possibility of trading the former sacrifice child to the OSI in the event people believe he's too much of a time-sink. Placing Kaguya in charge of him may make such a transaction difficult in the future.
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