*he goes out into the city alone, runs into Kallen, almost takes refrain, and meanwhile the Black Knights submarine is attacked by Suzaku. Lulu comes to the rescue and then announces that he and the Black Knights would participate in the SAZ and so Suzaku & co are forced to retreat*

Lelouch was withdrawn and quiet when he rejoined the rest of them, but luckily no one said anything since Raina had told them he was ill. Also luckily, Suzaku wasn't there. Raina teased Shirley as usual to try and take her mind off things, but it had been a very trying day and even this, one of her favourite amusements, didn't give her the joy it usually did.
After a while, Lelouch excused himself. Raina wondered whether or not to follow, but decided against it. He needed to be alone. Instead she went up to Rolo and Lelouch's rooms in search of Kiara.

((Ah thanks. I couldn't remember of Refrain was R1 or R2.))

"Hey," Kiara said, turning when she heard Raina come into the room. "Is Lelouch any better or did he take off again?" she was pretty sure she knew the answer. She'd seen him walking about the grounds earlier and since Raina hadn't followed she supose that he wanted to be alone. "Got any plans for the rest of the day?" she asked curiously.

"He took off," Raina sighed. "No plans today either. I think we should leave Lulu alone, he-"
She broke off as her phone began to buzz. She didn't recognise the number that was calling her, but she picked it up and answered. "Hello, this is the Tokyo Settlement sex change clinic, how may I help you?"
"Ah good to know. How much do you charge?" It was Gino's voice.
Crap.

If she'd been a cat Kiara was sure her years would have perked up as she heard the voice on the other end of the phone. So the knight had called Raina back. SHe allowed herself a little smirk before slipping away so that Raina could talk to the blonde haired, blue eyed Britannian alone for a bit. It really wasn't any of her business after all and she'd ask for details later. She took out the small slip of paper she'd stuffed in her pocket and stared at it, remembering the black haired, grey-green eyed boy from the dance before shaking her head and stuffing the paper back into her pocket. Not now. There was too much to do. She'd worry about that late.r In the meantime...
Kiara set a quick text to Kallen, telling her to be on the lookout for Lelouch since he wasn't at Ashford, just in case he did anything stupid.

Raina stared desperately at Kiara as her friend left. She could expect no help there. What do I say?!
Act natural, the practical part of her said. You can't let him know that you're a Black Knight.
She managed a shaky laugh. "More than you can afford."
"Shame. Guess I'll just have to keep my manliness."
"Oh, it's not so bad."
He laughed. "Hey, sorry I haven't called already, I had some urgent stuff to do." Like protecting the new governor from terrorists.
"I might consider forgiving you." What was she doing? Was she actually flirting with him? A Britannian Knight? It was just so easy to talk to him, to forget that they'd faced off against each other the other day in Knightmare frames.
"So anyway, I... what is it Suzaku? I'm busy with -" Gino began speaking with someone on the other end - most likely Suzaku. Raina could hear conversation, but she couldn't make out the words. Then Gino was back. "Hey, sorry, but I gotta go. I'll call you another time, k?"

Kiara glanced over to Raina and saw that the conversation was over. Well that was quick. Receiving a reply from Kallen that she'd keep an eye out for Lelouch she stuffed her phone back into her pocket and walked back to her friend.
"So how is your knight in red, white and blue armor?" she teased, smirking at Raina even as she leaned against the wall and folded her arms accross her chest. "We shouldn't need to worry about Lelouch. Kallen's going to take care of it so we don't need to start hunting him."

"He's not only a knight, he's a Britannian noble!" said Raina, wide-eyed. As soon as Gino had hung up she'd looked him up on Britapedia. "Lord Gino Weinburg, the Knight of Three. His family is one of the biggest and most influential in Britannia!"
She sat down. What had she gotten herself into? "I should really tell him I'm not interested or something..." An outright lie, but still the most practical solution. She hated practical solutions sometimes.

"You definitely know how to pick them," Kiara commented, coming over and looking at the Britapedia page. "Hmm...well if things go well at least you can be an official Lady." She smirked at her friend at the last comment. "Besides if you think about it this doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing." Really ti could be quite useful. Raina obviously liked the guy, well obvious to her anyway, and if her friend was able to get close to the other he could inadvertantly slip them information which they could use for the Black Knight opperations. That and they might be able to make sure that he wasn't injured or killed on one of their missions now that they knew which knightmare he piloted.

"I know I said before I'd marry Suzaku to get a title but I didn't mean it." Raina managed a smile. "I don't think I'd make a very good Lady. They have to wear really stuffy dresses... I guess I just have to think about it." She sighed, then looked thoughtfully at her friend. "What about that guy you met at the party? Did he turn out to be a Britannian prince or something? Because that would be just our luck right now."

"No he was Japanese," Kiara replied. "Although since he was at a Britannian event I guess he must be something high up but I'm not sure...I think he said his name was Hikaru or something but I didn't get a last name..." She frowned, trying to remember if he had mentioned anything but there was a blank. "He looked a little like Suzaku but his eyes were grey and his hair was black so I don't know and it isn't as if I can go up to Suzaku and say "Hey, do you know someone that looks like you with eyes like this and hair like this." She sighed, blowing out a large breath before leaning against the nearest wall. "And if you were a Lady maybe you could get some of the other ladies to act less snobbish, either that or you could toy with them." She smirked at the thought. Raina would either corrupt them or make them go insane. Either way it would be amusing to watch.

"He looked like Suzaku?" Raina raised her eyebrows. "As in vaguely like him or as in family?"
She knew Suzaku had relatives, but he didn't tend to talk about them much, and she'd never met any of them.
The idea of influencing other Britannian ladies had some merit, she had to admit. But she still didn't really see how a serious relationship with Gino would work.

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "I'd probably need to see them side by side to know for sure though. Although..." The general shape of the face and colouring had been the same, just the eyes and hair colour but still...was she just seeing things that weren't there?
"Either way it doesn't matter right now since I don't think I'll be calling him any time soon since there's too much going on." Speaking of she wondered if Kallen had found their runaway black prince yet. She'd check to see if she had any messages later.

"You might not get a better chance, Ki-chan. When is there not too much going on for us?"
Her phone began to buzz again. Her mind instantly going to Gino, Raina began to panic, but it wasn't his number - it was Kallen's. Maybe she had news on Lelouch!
"We've got a problem!" The Guren pilot said the second she picked up. "Suzaku and the Knights of Round - they've found the submarine!"

"Chikusho!" Kiara cursed, staring at the phone in Raina's hands. If it had been anyone else she would've snatched it out of the other's hands right away but she restrained herself.
"When did it start?" she asked, leaning closer so taht Kallen could hear her.
"Not long ago but we could really use your help here," Kallen replied.
"We're on our way," Kiara replied. SHe looked to Raina. "Is the Tenshi on teh base?" If it was they couldn't really do much and without Lelouch they could be in seriously deep water.

Raina nodded. "All the Knightmares are there. If they're under attack, I don't see what we can do, Ki-chan."
Her mind raced through all the possibilities. They had no Knightmares, that left geass. But minor telekinesis and some fire wouldn't stop Suzaku and his knights. There was Gino. She could call him and... and what? Ask him to stop? Probably not the best of plans.

Damn it.....
"We need Lelouch," Kiara growled. SHe grabbed her phone and dialed his number but there was nothing.
"Damn it!" she cursed. "Come on," she said, grabbing Raina's arm and practically dragging her friend from the room. "The quicker we find Lelouch and knock some sense into him the quicker we can rescue the others."
As Kiara pulled Raina out into the open air she looked up and frowned. "Fireworks?"

"The field trip! I knew we were forgetting something..." Raina looked up at the roof, where the fireworks were being set off. She imagined that Milly, Rivalz and Shirley were up there. "We were planning a field trip with the student council, with fireworks. They must have stuck around and just set them off here since me, Lelouch and Suzaku never appeared."

Kiara bit her lip in thought. "Do you think one of them might be able to get in touch with Lelouch?" she asked, gesturing up to teh roof. They needed to get to him and soon. They couldn't see who was up there from this angle so Kiara moved back a bit, straining her neck. "Hold on a sec...Raina, is that Lelouch and Rolo up there?"

*I've forgotten - does Lulu appear for the fireworks before or after saving the Black Knights?*

((Before and then he goes all badass and appears and stops Suzaku and the rest of them from destroying everything by making giant bubbles! I always loved taht scene))

*Ok. I remember the scene all right, I just couldn't remember when it happened. Where is Rolo all this time? Does he go to the fireworks? I'd rewatch the episode but I don't have it on my laptop yet*

((Rolo was at the fireworks trying to convince Lelouch to give up being Zero adn just be happy so he could keep his big brother if I remember right))

"I think it is! We have to tell Lulu about what's happening with the others!" Raina raced towards the stairs to go up to the roof, where all the fireworks were being let off.
"Raina? Is that you?" Milly came into view as she climbed the last of the stairs. "We're almost all here now!"

Crap, Kiara thought as she saw the student council members. SHe quickly ducked out of sight but she was still close enough to see and hear them alright. Lelouch looked at Raina and then his eyes darted in her direction and Kiara knew that he'd seen her. She breathed out a silent sigh of relief as she saw that he didn't look as...empty...as he had before he'd left. That was definitely a good thing. Whatever had happened had clearly given them back their Lelouch, the real Lelouch, not the moping thing he had been after Suzaku took Nunnally away from him again. She silently mouthed to him, hoping tha the would understand what she was saying.
"Black Knights in trouble. Need to get you out of here now."

Lelouch looked over at Raina.
"Lulu! There you are!" She gave him the "Zero up and help us" look. "I was just speaking with some of our mutual friends who were telling me how much they missed you!"
"Gambling again?" Shirley huffed.
Lelouch turned his attention on his fake brother. "Rolo, I meant what I said. And I'll keep my promise. Come on, Raina."