"It's taking quite long for my chocolate to come.
Hmmm... Excuse me as I will take a look at it personally." VV said with a frown as he felt thirsty and he does not want to continue sipping tea anymore.
The others just nodded at him, I mean, just Charles, while the others just ignored him after giving him a look sideways.
VV saw that but just ignored them too as he hop down from his seat and got out of their meeting room.
"So... We don't really have anything to discuss now right?" AA asked the others with him as he raised his brows and made a gesture signalling the same question.
"Yes, I do think that we are done here now." CC said with a slight smile as she put a hand on her chin while giving a thoughtful look.
"Really?! Then, let's go! I still need to prepare my empress knight! Hehehe..." Marianne said excitedly, full of energy.
While looking at Marianne, AA thought to himself: 'Marianne really became much different from her cannon counter part.
I remember from my previous life's memories that the Marianne in canon was supposed to act and look as feminine as possible while being quite strong when she starts fighting or something.
And even then, she would still try to look as feminine as she can.
Right now, Marianne seems to not care too much about looking feminine.
It seems that not becoming a 'real' couple with Charles had spared her from adapting and changing herself to suit her surroundings.
This kind of changing and adapting in terms of personality is definitely not good, you would not you anymore if you continuously do this kind of thing.
Maybe this is why her geass ability is possessing someone else.
She really might have really wanted to live a life where she could be who she wants to be.
Now that I think about it, is this even the real Marianne?
Damn, maybe, I should not go this way of thinking.
I would just be opening a can of worms if I do so.
I can just do my best to make her as happy as possible.'
"Then, We officially end this meeting. Sigh...
Let's go. I still have many things to do.
I am quite busy after all.
Also, Charles, give me a time for when to start joining the research and also have someone fetch me as I don't know where that is." AA said with a relieved look on his face before facing Charles by the end, he paused for a bit before continuing. "Also, I cannot be always doing the research on the thought elevator.
You should remember that I still have to finish making the exclusive knightmare frames for the knights of round and also complete the mass production plan for the next generation knightmare frame."
Everyone had already stood up by the time he finished talking.
"Hmm... Understandable." Charles hummed and answered with a nod in agreement to the things that AA said while looking at his own clothes and arranging which that looks out of order.
CC just remained silent together with Marianne as they got out even before AA who stood up before them.
"Hey, CC! Where should we talk about the detail of your exclusive knightmare frame?" AA asked as he got beside her in the hall way.
"Let's go now." CC said calmly with a slight smile that seemed to not get tired of showing. "How about you Marianne? Do you want to come with us?"
"Hmm... Should I?" Marianne asked herself as she heard CC's question. "Nah, I don't want to. I still need to prepare some things.
Right! You also need to prepare some things too!
You are going with me using the multi purpose knightmare frame right?
A knightmare frame mostly needs to be tuned up you know.
It would be quite hard to pilot one without some time of training if you don't do so."
"You seemed like an expert on this already? Have you also learned about knightmare frames technically?" CC asked with curiosity and her fervent slight smile.
AA just looked at them both while thinking. 'CC seems to be always wearing this slight smile. I don't have any memories about her doing this kind of thing.
The only things in my memory about her behavior most of the time is a neutral face.
Wait...
I think, this is her expression when she encounters something amusing or entertaining?
I remember her having this same slight smile while teasing Lelouch or taking the pizza from the delivery guy.'
"About that, no. This is just one of the proper procedures and protocols when you are a pilot of a knightmare frame.
I just became so used to it that I can remember everything that is needed to be done by now.
It really is quite something you know~.
There is so much to do and maintain if you become a knightmare frame pilot.
I remember being quite hustled by it but then, I tried forgoing everything and it resulted in me having some discomfort or feeling that something is not right while piloting." Marianne explained with a 'matter of fact' tone in her voice before facing AA. "Right, Alister! When can you make a knightmare frame that does not need much of this kind of hustle?!
I am really getting tired of it."
"Sigh... I also want to make something like that.
But, you see. Our current technology can't really forgo this kind of maintenance.
This is also why we really needed more staffs like mechanics and scientists.
Most of my personnel had been taken by the guys in the frontlines you know.
In fact, they still needed more but my department is already at it's limit." AA explained with exasperation as he too really wanted to make something like the Freedom and justice gundam which does not need much maintenance at all.
- meanwhile -
In the meeting room.
"Huh?!" VV exclaimed to himself as he got back to the meeting room with a chocolate drink in hand.
He look around as placed the chocolate drink onto the table as he made a gesture to himself on 'where the hell are the others'.
"Fuck! Wait for me, brother!" VV shouted suddenly as he hurriedly drunk his chocolate drink before rushing out to look for Charles as they got in this place together so he might need to wait a while if he does not go back together with Charles too.
- word count 1097 -