Third Princess (Audio)

[whitequeens]

[Euphie's voice comes over the communicator, but to those of you who are familiar with her customarily cheerful, upbeat tone, she sounds... scared? There's a desperate confusion in her voice, which shakes and trembles and even wavers in volume-- mostly because her hands are shaking and moving the communicator back and forth.]

Wh... what... Suzaku? Suzaku, can you hear me? It's Euphie. I'm here, so... Where are-- where am I? The Japanese SAZ, it... [She trails off, her voice sounding now absolutely stricken.]

Lelouch, why? Why did you... what's going on? [And it goes silent with a click.]

(ooc: Euphie's back from her canon update).

Comments

Video

[rassera]

[Had Kaneda not recently had that accident and met up with her again, he might not have recognized her voice. But when her voice trembles on the other side of that feed, Kaneda's ears metaphorically perk up. He's in his way home from Maurita Falls, a little bruised from fighting but otherwise fine, sitting in his bike.]

Hey...

[Hopefully he sounds familiar enough cause there's no introduction.]

Are you okay?? Hey...just--easy now..

Video

[whitequeens]

[Like with Josuke, the voice is familiar, but with everything that's happened she can't place it.] I don't know. I... I'm not hurt, but how can that... I shouldn't be here.

Video

[rassera]

Well, technically, none of us should be here, but I'm thinking that's not what you're talking about.

[He searches her face, though, trying to read it.]

Where did you think you were?

Whoops, it was audio until now, when it's video

[whitequeens]

[The video turns on... and she barely looks like herself. Her skin is deathly pale, her hair disheveled and messy. More to the point, she's not wearing anything except for what looks like a bedsheet wrapped around her body at her shoulders. Her expression is confused, eyes flicking back and forth.] It was... Area Eleven. The Japanese SAZ dedication. I... I went, and then... then I don't remember.

no worries! we'll pretend it was audio

[rassera]

[This is...completely opposite from the Euphemia that he'd met both on the freeway and at the July Swear-in. Outfit aside (although honestly it's hard not to notice that), she looks like she's been through hell and back, and his shoulders hunch up a bit at that.

Area Eleven..why did that sound so famil--eyes widen as wide as they can go. So she went back home? Like Franziska had...but worse. At least Franziska remembered doing something back there. Euphie? That face is utterly blank.

Loss of memory is never a good thing.]

Where are you.

[There's a snap of his fingers from under the feed, video turning a bit shaky as he starts walking towards...an engine sound?]

[whitequeens]

Where am I?

[There's a blank look on her face, confusion like she's having trouble even just understanding the question, and then her expression blossoms into realization.] This is... it's my apartment. I was living here.

In Maurtia Falls...

[rassera]

Alright, princess.

[He smiles, getting on the bike and setting the communicator on the dash as he pushes some buttons on the bike interface.]

What house? I'm stopping by.

[It shouldn't take him too long. He's actually in the area.]

[whitequeens]

[His carefree offhand comment of 'princess' might be designed to be familiar and friendly, but her eyes go wide.] I didn't-- how did you know about that?

You mustn't come by! I can't-- I don't think I can meet anyone right now.

[rassera]

...

[An awkward pause goes over him.]

Know about what?


[At least it distracted him from taking off.]

[whitequeens]

[She doesn't answer his question. Well, not directly.] All I wanted was for an area where the Japanese could call themselves Japanese! Where they could govern themselves! It was a peaceful solution, I-- I know it was! Nobody would have to get hurt anymore!

...why did he... why did my brother do that?

[rassera]

[And right there--right then--Kaneda's blood runs cold. He remembers this from July. Euphemia explaining how her world works, and how Japan had been stripped of all their sense of pride and nationalism, referred to by simply a number.

Remembering even more what Euphemia's opinion on it was. His hands grip the sides of his bike around the communicator, dark eyes flashing.

What. Happened.]

JAPAN?!

[It's hard to not practically shout it, and were it not for her state, he probably would have. He settles for frantic statement, a hand running through his hair. Sure, it wasn't HIS Japan...

but he was Japanese, through and through. And when it came to the world...Japan was all he had.]

What did he do??? You're not making any sense, what happened to Japan??

[whitequeens]

[Euphemia flinches at his sudden anger, gathering the bedsheet around her more tightly. She doesn't look at the communicator, but what he can see of her expression is... haunted. Distant, even.] My brother, Lelouch. I invited him to join me, to work together and support the Special Autonomous Zone... I remember him coming, I remember him taking off his mask, but then... ...no, it was later. It wasn't then, was it? But when, how did... [She's beginning to get lost in her thoughts again.] ...he shot me.

[rassera]

[Okay, calm down Kaneda. Don't scare her. Whatever's got her is pretty bad. His hand wrings through his hair as he slows down his speech, the accent trying not to flow too much into what he's saying.]

And this...zone would let us--them be Japanese? Completely?

...


[And in turn, his eyes widen, trying to meet hers. Searching to try and get her attention.]

That bastard.

[Anger doesn't even begin to describe it. Despite the fact that Lelouch shot her, or even moreso, a woman who he can only assume was defenseless, but he shot family.

You don't do that.]

[whitequeens]

Y-yes, that's what I wanted, a place where you could call yourselves that, where you could govern yourselves without any Britannians! [She sounds almost desperate.] And the rebellion would have been over without anyone else having to be hurt! [She flinches at Kaneda's anger, shaking her head and gathering the bedsheets more tightly around her.] N... no, he's not! He would never have hurt me, I know it, so... ...so why did he?

[rassera]

I told you, I told you things would be good if you took charge of it. [Despite his anger, he can't help but utter that out. Their first talk rings in his ears, about what she thought about her world...and his offhand comment of her trying to fix things.

A small part of him wonders if he influenced that back home. Wishful thinking, but...

He shakes his head, eyes darkening.]

He shot you.

[whitequeens]

It was a good idea, I know it was. And Schneizel thought it was a good idea, so even Cornelia had to agree to let me do it, and... and...

If I was shot, what will happen to it? To the people? [Suzaku, he'd told her that it was a success. That people were happy.

She'd died with that knowledge, died happy. But now that she's thinking about it...]

[rassera]

See? And you didn't think you had it in you to make decisions like that.

[And even now, after knowing she was shot, her thoughts were still on the people. It's weird...it's almost the exact opposite of his world.]

You...

[A pause. From her words, it's obvious she knows the outcome of that bullet. And his head ducks.]

Damn well better respect it, that's what. You sure you're gonna be okay?

[whitequeens]

Suzaku... I asked him if everyone was happy with it. If the Japanese, if they... if they were happy. [She doesn't quite respond to what he says, now being lost in her thoughts, in faint memories of how she died.] He told me that everyone loved it.

But... but then I don't understand, why...

[rassera]

[He waits, knowing that letting her work through these things is better than shoving your words out. Kei was the same way.]

Hey...listen to ya, all worried about Japan, when you're the one who got shot.

[His voice is considerably gentler now, reining in that anger, despite how he wants to punch her brother.

Just a bit.]

[whitequeens]

But if I died, then there's no point in worrying about me, is there? That can't be changed. But everyone else... [Her voice breaks.] --all I wanted was for people to be happy! Nobody else would have to get hurt! So why, why did this have to happen?!

[rassera]

Can't even mourn your own death. You're something.

[A small smile before it falls again, looking back down at his bike controls. His heart's aching for you right now, Euphemia. ]

Suzaku, right? He said it worked. Your plan worked.

[whitequeens]

[She looks away.] He did tell me that. He... he held my hand, and promised me that everyone was happy. He wouldn't lie, right? Never... he'd never lie, not to me. [She sounds like she's trying to convince herself.]

[rassera]

[Kaneda has no idea, honestly. For all he knew, Suzaku could be just saying what she wanted to hear in her last moments. It takes a moment, as she tries to reassure herself, before he speaks up.]

Who could lie to a face like that?

[whitequeens]

[That is, in fact, exactly what happened. Good thinking, Kaneda. It does get the tiniest ghost of a smile on Euphemia's face.] ...I suppose you're right.

[rassera]

[See that? That's a better look for you. He's quick to return it.]


Ah, there we go, there's that smile.