Kallen finally returned home; she had no energy to deal with her adopted mother's comments. Instead, she ignored her and went to her room.
The moment she got into bed, she spent a couple of moments resting before she scooped her old phone out and called a specific number.
After a couple of beeps, she got connected.
"It's me." The girl started the conversation.
"Where have you been? You forgot to call in." A guy on the other side of the line complained.
"...Busy…" Kallen sighed before rolling over on her back.
"...I have been recruited." The Crimson-haired girl dropped the piece of news.
"Recruited? To where?"
"...To join something…very big."
"...Can you tell more?" The guy asked.
"...Not much… It's that this… organisation took over Kyoto House… they won't help any Freedom Fighters anymore." Kallen dropped the news, and the guy on the other side of the line suddenly got quiet.
"Are you certain about it?" The voice dropped; it was clear to Kallen that he was shocked to hear that. She was in the same boat, still is.
"Yes. Very, the boss himself of this organisation told me." The girl's voice changed; there was a hint of fear.
"Ohgi… his influence and power… and technology level is something that boggles my mind."
"...I see…"
For a second, none of them talked. But then the guy on the other side of the line asked.
"Can they fight Britannia? Can they help us regain freedom?"
When Kallen heard that, her lips trembled. She realised that Ohgi sounded just like her!
"...Ohgi…remember what we saw at the battlefield?" She got a flashback of the power of those machines.
"..."
"Those things… those things are made to destroy entire nations," Kallen whispered into the phone. Thankfully, Area 11's comms are under Legion's control, and no one is listening to what the girl is speaking.
"...You mean…"
"Yes, those. I got invited by the leader to pilot one of them."
"..."
"So…you can help us?" All of a sudden, he got happy.
"...Doubtful, Ohgi. HIS goal is total world domination." Kallen recalled Marcus A.K.A Lelouch vi Britannia's grandiose declaration of Galactic Domination; it made her shiver a bit.
"..."
"What are you going to do?" Ohgi's voice was full of distress.
"... Join them. I will try to assist you guys in some way. While I can't promise Freedom for Japan, I do know that we will be able to practise our tradition and culture.
That much HE promised to Kyoto House and me."
"...I see… if that is the case, there is not much we can do." He sighed in resignation.
"I know. I will contact you when I have more information."
~~~
Milly sighed as she saw the message she got from Marcus. It would seem Kallen is the next mobile suit pilot.
'What a surprise.' A thin smile appeared on her lips.
It took her years to get closer to Marcus, to get to the point that he would open up to her. But then all of a sudden, he brought a European girl, and now Kallen.
A supposedly sickly girl who is not sickly, but natural at mobile suit piloting…
'Just great.'
"Madam President, are you okay?" An orange-haired girl asked the blonde.
"Shirley? I am fine. Don't worry." The girl smiled back before shaking her head.
"Just got news that Kallen Stadtfeld is joining our Student Council, since she is sickly, she can't do anything else," Milly explained, playing along with the story.
"Oh, I don't know much about her. She missed a lot of classes." The orange-haired girl replied as she was doing paperwork.
"And where is Marcus?! It's a day off! He shouldn't be in Anaheim at the moment, right? It's a national holiday! He should help us with the council stuff!" The girl growled from annoyance.
"He is most likely with Leila, doing things." Milly spoke in a suggestive tone, making the girl blush on the other side of the table.
"..."
"..."
"And you are fine with that?" Shirley asked her.
"Oh? Don't worry about me. I will get back at him at some point." The blonde chuckled before getting serious.
"And you? You've been gazing at him~."
The girl got self-conscious. The moment she heard that comment from Milly.
"I-I am not interested in a womaniser! Is he trying to copy His Majesty?" Shirley stuttered, complaining about the Vice-President of Student Council.
"...Maybe."
'They are related after all.' The blonde said that to herself before realising that one individual was missing.
"...By the way, where is Nina?" Milly realised that the nerd girl was not around.
"...Oh, she is away, busy on a project." Shirley casually replied.
"...I see." Milly slowly nodded. She had been paying close attention to this girl. Well, to all of them. The blonde Ashford is, after all, part of the Anaheim company and is getting paid already.
She is part of Human Resources and is looking for talent in the school. Nina is one of them; she showed great intelligence when it comes to computers and science.
With that in mind, she sent a message to the AI. Legion began its surveillance to make sure nothing happened to the nerdy girl.
After all, Nina is a bit too curious.
~~~~~~Several Days Later, Late Afternoon~~~~~~
As Marcus was finalising the assembly of the Blackbird, his AI announced something that made him pause.
[Sir, a priority person has been located entering Ghettos.]
"Huh?"
A hologram window appeared before him, and he saw a green-haired girl with glasses entering the Ghettos.
"Is she mad? What the hell!?" He exclaimed before ordering his AI.
"Send out the drones for assistance. I will go in person."
Marcus was nervous and elated. He might be able to secure his nuclear asset early!
"You are now spying on girls?" C.C. asked out of nowhere. She was the only one who was not doing something.
Milly is doing her school things, and Leila is working in logistics now that the plane is almost done. Kallen is practising inside the Sphere… that leaves the witch.
"Only interesting ones." He replied, before explaining in detail. "This girl is studying something that opens up doors to my technology. If I take her under my wing, the world will be delayed in finding out about my tech." He talked about the importance of this girl.
"...ah, makes sense. Well, good luck then." She waved her hand before returning to her pizza.
The girl learned that she can get unlimited food from the assembly line…
Ever since then, she has been living in the workshop.
"Don't get overweight. I don't like when my girls get fat."
C.C. waved her hand at him, as if she was getting that. Not that she cares, as she can't change physically.
Marcus sighed before looking at the screen. Even nerdy girls can look sexy…
With that in mind, he decided to be the girl's black knight.
He grabbed his jacket and katana before taking his bike to one of the elevators that led to the outside.
Once out, he got on and rushed out at top speed.
~~~
Dark green-haired girl stumbled back as a group of gangsters was about to circle her.
"S-Stay away from m-me! I-I only wanted to ask some questions for a project I've been working on!"
"Hehehe, don't worry, girlie, you can ask as much as you want, once you come with us… that is." One of the gangsters cackled as he licked his lips.
A cold chill passed through her whole body as she felt like passing out. She has messed up!
She didn't imagine this would happen! After all, the Tokyo Settlement is extremely secure; the surrounding areas should be the same!
Well, she was wrong, and she is about to find out… or not.
Buzzing sounds surrounded the area as greyish-white triangle-shaped things surrounded the gangsters.
"W-What are these!?"
"N-No way! The grey death! G-Get away from here!!!" The guys scattered in all directions.
The trembling girl stopped as she looked around. She realised that these things were robots of some sort.
Before she could ponder what was going on, a bike stopped not far from her.
"...M-Marcus?" Nina gawked, as she didn't expect him in a million years to rescue her!
"Yep. Good to see that you are okay, Nina." He smiled at her. That smile caused her heartbeat to go through the roof.
"Y-Yes! Thanks to you!"
All of a sudden, she teared up before rushing at him and going for a hug. It was suddenly that it surprised him.
Regardless, he hugged her as she began to cry her heart out.
After a while, she calmed down and realised that she was hugging him and that her tears and other stuff were on his jacket.
"I-I am sorry!" She got self-conscious about what she just did.
"It's fine. Now, why don't you hop on?" He offered her a helmet.
"...Okay."
As she got on the bike, his drones left one after another.
Moments later, the girl ended up hugging him, her cheeks heated up as she could feel his muscles.
'Wow, I always thought he was a lean type…but he is lean and muscular…' Something in her started to awaken; this rescue made her feel something she had never felt before.
"Hold on, we are leaving the ghettos."
"...O-Okay." She replied, her voice stuttered, not that Marcus cared, as the pair drove away from the derelict district and into a recently rebuilt area.
After driving for a while, he parked his bike in a parking area near the park.
As they got off, the girl once again thanked her.
"It's fine. Come, let's talk." He motioned for her to follow him. The dark-green-haired girl shilly smiled as they walked to the bench and sat there.
"...umm… what is it that you want to talk to me?" Nina started first. Part of her wondered what those flying things were and why those gangsters called them grey death…
"I wanted to ask if you have decided what you want to do when you graduate?" He asked her as he pulled out a bottle of mineral water and offered it to her.
When she saw it, she felt thirsty.
"...No idea… I always wanted to work like a scientist or researcher… maybe even an engineer like you."
Yep, the girl was attracted to Marcus from the very beginning. She was awed by his talent. One of the reasons why she even went to the ghettos was that she wanted to help them like he does!
But to think they planned to do those things to her for no reason! It was crazy! She was terrified!
"...What do you think about joining my Anaheim?" His proposal made her face heat up, and she began to get flustered.
"D-Do you think I am good enough? For your company?" She asked. She couldn't believe what she was hearing from him!
He smiled at her for a second, making her even more flustered.
"Believe me, you are more than good enough. The question is, do you want?"
"...Y-Yes! I want to join your company!" She smiled brightly; she felt like she had gone from Hell to Heaven in a single swoop.
"Wonderful."
All of a sudden, he patted her head, making her nearly pass out.
'Ugh…'
Warm feeling washed her over, she was close to losing her consciousness from all the fluffiness she was feeling!
"Then, here is a phone and a temporary employee ID card. Once you are in the building, the ladies will take care of you." Marcus explained to her as he pulled out a brand new phone and a blank white security card.
"Umm…" Nina took them with shaky hands; she had a bunch of questions.
"...Don't worry, I will take you there tomorrow myself." He winked at her.
That wink caused her to get lightheaded.
'T-This is too much… I think I will pass out.' The dark-green-haired girl gushed internally. This was like an experience from a novel!
"O-Okay…"
"Good, now why don't we get some food?" He asked her, making her gawk at him! Was this a date!?
"..."
"Don't worry, it's my treat." He showed her another smile.
"S-Sure…"
With that said, they got up from the seat, the girl grabbed the water bottle and took a sip. She then wondered what to do with it, as she doesn't have enough space.
But then Marcus took it and took a sip as well, when she saw that her cheeks exploded deep red! It was an indirect kiss!
She was so taken aback that she nearly missed a step and faceplanted into the ground; thankfully, Marcus caught her.
"Are you okay?"
"Y-Yes, I am fine…" She looked at how he was holding her.
'...nope…this is to much…'