Walking the Halls(Lelouch)

[Alexander Engel]

Alexander, often called Alex by many of the students here at the school. As he walked along, a black colored sling backpack over his left shoulder and the bag portion on his right side. The hallway was loud as usual at this time of day, the time for lunch had just started and everybody was anxious to get out of the classes and eat. He was trying to get out of the school, avoiding as much as possible all of the people that were going down the hall at the same time as him. The rush of students was annoying and he wanted to sit on the front steps of the school with his lunch to eat. Avoiding as best he could any of the other students that would simply get in his way and prevent him from getting out as quickly, it wasn't long before he walked out the front doors. He had a sandwich for lunch, along with a small bag of chips and wanted to enjoy it in relative peace. While he realized absolute peace of mind was something nobody could really gain, he wanted to be as set off from the rest of the students as possible.

As he was sitting there, he thought he heard a noise from behind him. He would ignore it, but stay alert just in case it was a person and they decided to stay there and sit down next to him. He would make sure to simply be himself, wait the other person out and see how they acted and reacted to stimuli in the environment.

[Lelouch Lamperouge]

What a nuisance.

Considering his history and former rank, one might expect that Lelouch would be above mundane interactions and unnecessary duties. If his life were crafted into some sort of fictional work, one could almost certainly assume that it would focus more on his past as an heir to the throne, and almost entirely cut out his work with the student council, or the individual conversations he had with the students. However, as much as it may be convenient to see Lelouch as the protagonist of a story nearly entirely centered around his life, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, here in Area 11, he was about as nameless and irrelevant as any of the numbers; perhaps worse so, in fact, being that he was actively hiding from the ghosts of his past, while the oppressed masses had the potential to stand up and actually do something about their lot in life. Looking around the campus of Ashford Academy, he couldn’t help but mentally compare the slick, pristine look of the campus with the near crumbling state of the nearby Shinjuku and Saitama ghettos. At times, he found himself sickened by the apathetic disposition of the general populace, though he supposed he could hardly blame them. When the will of a nation is broken, the nation itself becomes stagnant. Drug use, organized crime, all of these things are results of Japan being seen as more of a gaping hole where history was once made than a defeated nation.

Regardless of his thoughts on Japan, however, the vice-president of the student council had been issued a task by Ms. Ashford herself. Although the president didn’t ordinarily concern herself with the affairs of an individual student, but rather focused on making the lives of everyone on campus both more interesting and more difficult, she was making an exception in this case. There was a particular student that had seemed to have trouble adapting to life at school. This wasn’t necessarily because he was new, but rather because his personality made him introverted to a level that even Lelouch had to admit was startling. Milly cared about her peers, this much was true, but she wasn’t the type to go out and talk to the boy herself. Naturally, she seemed to think it funny that the exiled former eleventh prince of the Holy Empire of Britannia was now spending his time as a tour guide of sorts, and tried to act as though she was too busy to deal with these issues herself.

Sighing, Lelouch examined the boy’s schedule. Noting his name at the top, Lelouch gently turned the surname over in his head. Engel. Unless he was very much mistaken, this was almost certainly the name of a family of nobility from back at the Britannian mainland. Although he didn’t have an eidetic memory or anything of the sort, Lelouch had always had a talent for pairing names with faces, and remembering specific facts about these people. This wasn’t due to any sort of “royal upbringing” as far as he could tell; he just had a natural talent when it came to reading people and storing information away for later use. He’d used this tactic countless times in playing chess. Getting into an opponent’s head was one of the most important things a true master could do to ensure he kept the upper hand. Storing the above consideration regarding the student’s potential nobility away, and having already examined his student photograph, Lelouch walked at a brisk pace to the boy’s class, which would be getting out soon.

However, as Lelouch took a couple strides up those last few steps to the third floor, he found himself almost unreasonably winded. Slowing his pace, Lelouch resolved that he would try to better weigh his physical limitations from this point on – a vow he made at least once a week to himself. Hearing the ringing of the school bell, which indicated the progression from one period to another, Lelouch once more withdrew the student’s schedule from his pocket, and read. Seeing that the boy had lunch during this time, a small pang of annoyance sprang up in the back of Lelouch’s mind. He couldn’t wait for the boy to go to his next class; he was supposed to meet with the Culture Club during that period, and from that point on he was booked. However, because students could bring their lunches around campus, this boy Alexander could be anywhere by now. Not only that, but this could all have been avoided if Milly spent more time doing her own dirty work and less time doing…whatever it was that she does.

Letting himself half-walk, half-collapse down to the ground floor, Lelouch found that his breathing was steadying, and his heart rate slowing. Well, that’s at least one thing he didn’t have to worry about anymore. Making his way to the door, set to exit through the front, a boy sitting on the steps suddenly caught his eye. Recognizing the boy’s profile, Lelouch immediately knew that he must be Alexander Engel, his mark, so to speak. Opening the door, Lelouch nonchalantly stepped out onto the porch.

”Alexander Engel?” He questioned, schedule in hand.

[Alexander Engel]

Alexander had been sitting in quiet, pondering what his family back in the Britannian mainland were probably thinking. It always made him curious about his life when he wondered what level the nobles of his family were on compared to some of the nobles at this school. As he was sitting though, a member of the student council appeared, another of the people that the foolish girl Millay sent to try and bother him to make him interact with the rest of the school. It was bothersome for him to say the least when she did this to him, the most socially outcasted student being forced to interact by a student council president who herself sent her flunkies to do her dirty work while she lived it up like a queen with her friends. However, this boy he could tell was no regular flunky, he was the legendary Lelouch Lamperouge. Only he would have black hair with that intensity and those startling purple eyes that held such secrets behind them.

'Is this really Lelouch Lamperouge though, I wonder why he would waste his time with me when I have heard that he was an accomplished gambler. Probably just being sent here for me and making his way out to do some gambling since he couldn't find me and didn't expect to run into me here. I doubt he'd put off gambling to look around the school for a missing student whom he doesn't especially care about in the first place. Which make me wonder, what DOES Lelouch care about. His sister I suppose is the obvious answer, perhaps if I can bring her up I will avoid talking very much unless he starts interrogating me.'

He looked up at Lelouch, the man whom some of the girls of the school loved deeply and knew that he probably did not reciprocate any of the love they felt toward him. It was sad really, the foolishness of girls to think that they stood a chance with somebody as harsh and focused on victory as he had heard Lelouch was, but that is what made him a natural leader. The willingness to sacrifice to win, but it did not seem that he would sacrifice meaninglessly, something that probably came from his constantly playing chess. Something that he could relate to with his poker habits since they both involved strategy and reading the opponent, but both in very separate manners.

"So Lelouch, how's your sister been doing? I ask because I have heard she is of very high importance to you. Oh, maybe we could play poker sometime if it isn't too much to ask, I have heard you are a great strategist and would love playing an equal mind."

[Lelouch Lamperouge]

As the young man looked up at him as he questioned him as to his name, Lelouch saw that this was indeed Alexander Engel, the boy he’d been sent to speak with. Examining him, Lelouch made a quick assessment of the situation before either of them had spoken another word. Though this was his lunch period, the boy hadn’t chosen to eat with any friends, or even near any other people in the area. Rather, he seemed to have chosen as isolated a location as he could without sacrificing comfort. This wasn’t surprising in and of itself, being that Alexander’s introverted nature was the whole reason he was speaking to him in the first place, but it helped Lelouch understand how he might be able to approach this better. If Alexander had let his guard down because he didn’t think anyone else would speak with him, then perhaps it would be easier to get a feel for what kind of person he was, and why he tended to shy away from others.

It might seem rather foolish for Lelouch to be examining this from such a logical, almost strategic standpoint, but even in the most unfortunate of circumstances there was always room for the improvement of one’s ability. As student council vice-president, and someone who regularly interacted with less than wholesome characters, he had much experience in using what he extrapolated of another’s personality for his own benefit. He would treat these absurd assignments from Milly as a practicum, of sorts. Alexander had something to hide, and Lelouch was seeking to learn what this thing was. It was a rather realistic situation, in terms of what one might encounter in a more serious situation, and would be treated as such. If Alexander was in a vulnerable position, then Lelouch could take advantage of this before he was able to raise his guard once more.

"So Lelouch, how's your sister been doing? I ask because I have heard she is of very high importance to you.”

Alexander, however, seemed to be well versed in avoiding the prying questions of others. Almost immediately, and without much acknowledgement or any real formal introduction, the student turned the conversation back to Lelouch, asking about his sister Nunnally. It was no real secret around campus that Nunnally was the most important thing in the world to the older Lamperouge sibling, though this wasn’t exactly an oddity. What brother wouldn’t worry about his sister if she were in the same position as Nunnally? This didn’t worry him, nor did it really make things uncomfortable. It did, however, force him to answer the question for the sake of being formal, which would let Alexander get back into a more comfortable mind-set, now that Lelouch had lost the element of surprise.

“Oh, maybe we could play poker sometime if it isn't too much to ask, I have heard you are a great strategist and would love playing an equal mind."

At this, Lelouch smiled politely. In his travels, Lelouch had indeed picked up a certain amount of knowledge regarding the more luck-oriented game of poker. Though not necessarily a learned individual when it came to the many strategies and tactics he was sure were present in a typical game, he had no doubt that he could hold his own in a game with the boy solely through the use of logic. However, this wasn’t something he really wanted to do at this point. He wasn’t here to bond with Alexander, necessarily, but rather to inquire about his state of mind. Along with this, Lelouch had always preferred games of the mind to games more dictated by luck, and didn’t see this preference changing anytime in the future. Responding now, Lelouch decided to keep his responses relatively neutral, both to cut down the amount of things Alexander could ask for clarification on, and to avoid being seen as impolite.

”My sister is doing fine, I appreciate your asking. As for poker, I haven’t played in a long time, and the luck of the draw and I aren’t always on good terms.” He chuckled politely to accentuate the friendly nature of their conversation. ”I’m more interested in your experience here at Ashford. The student council likes to stay up-to-date on the needs of the students, and I was wondering if you had any comments or questions about life on campus, or any of our available organizations.” Although he was being friendly, Lelouch couldn’t completely eliminate the almost didactic tone that he used to speak with others on campus. It wasn’t as though he thought others were less intelligent than him, or needed to be lectured. Rather, from a young age Lelouch had displayed a certain brutally forthright personality. Combined with his own impressive ability to think critically and provide constructive criticism, and there wasn’t much that the exiled heir couldn’t find a flaw in, or believe he could improve. This often put him in less than desirable situations. For example, although Milly likely would have given him this objective regardless of his own behavior, her reasoning for him being the one to go had been that he’d criticized the way in which Rivalz had handled the situation. In dealing with Lelouch, the general reaction to his personality often involved demanding that he do any better than the others he appeared to be looking down upon.

Being rather self-aware, and wanting to avoid having Alexander believe he was looking down on him, Lelouch decided to level with the boy a bit. ”I understand that the campus can seem large, even intimidating. Is there anything that can be done to make you feel more comfortable around your peers, or in your classes?”

[Alexander Engel]

Alexander listened as this person answered his questions rather vaguely, munching on his lunch as he spoke. Then before he could come back with some more questions due to quick and concise answers there were some questions for him. Of course, he kept on nibbling at the sandwich that was in the bag and would wait for Lelouch to stop talking before he stopped eating, but it bothered him that he had found a way to break his defenses. Normally, he was able to keep people talking about themselves quite easily but this person had broken through that introverted nature with questions of his own. Of course, he was no fool and was plenty capable of coming up with a strategy himself to continuously avoid giving out personal information. This being the first time somebody actually had broken down the first wall of barriers though impressed him to no end that this person here seemed to be an intellectual rival to see through his attempt at getting him to just talk about himself until the next class began.

'Well, I can not be rude to him, after all since he is the vice-president of the student council and I must choose my words carefully. Perhaps I can give his questions back with a question of my own, get him to stop bothering me while I focus on my lunch and relaxing out in the open without the bothers of school life.' He looked once again at Lelouch, wondering what this person was hiding behind such a calm and calculating demeanor. 'Perhaps he has an equally horrifying past, but I mustn't let that become a concern to me for I may actually find myself opening up before I befriend him. Although, there may be something I can do to get him playing a poker game or two with me. It would be an excellent way to get to know him better, without the need for meaningless conversation that can never show the true thoughts and motives behind a person's actions.'

He would speak up once again, keeping the sandwich in his right hand while he did so and looking into his eyes with his own as he answered to show that he meant no rudeness. "Well Lelouch, you have been here the entire time I have been here and maybe even before which has been five years. So perhaps I may ask you the same question as you have for me if it does not bother you." However, without so much as a pause he would continue as if he already had a no response to this first question that was asked in a statement format. He would also make a sweeping movement with his left hand while referring to the school just as a form of making himself seem more proper. "Well, do you have any questions about campus life or available organizations? If not, then I do not see the reason for such questions of myself since we should both know similar amounts after having been here for the time we have been. As for feeling more comfortable, you can tell Milly to quit sending student council members to do her bidding for her and actually come here herself."

As he spoke, he almost regretted his last statement since Milly would probably be the only one that would open up to him and seem friendly. Being that she was very friend orientated and cared about all members of the student body it would likely be difficult talking her down without it bothering him. At the same time, opening up to her could be just as troublesome because opening up to her would involve meeting all her friends. This would end with having a constant pressure from people whom were nowhere near as open about themselves as that president of the student council. He would be lead into being peeled like an onion or pulled apart like a garlic clove should that happen unless he turn down Milly to prevent that.

[Lelouch Lamperouge]

Awaiting a response from Alexander, Lelouch highly doubted he was going to get any further than Rivalz or the other students that had tried to initiate conversation with the boy had gotten. After all, he hadn’t asked anything exceptionally different. The vice-president was certain that Engel had any number of answers to this question that he could pick from his prior experiences. Lelouch would, instead, look forward to the remainder of their conversation. If Alexander refused to open up to him, then what could Lelouch do to make him feel more inclined to talk? Thinking on what the president had told him of this young man, it wasn’t as though he were necessarily quiet by nature. A person is generally at their most talkative when they’re around people that they trust, or people that they’ve befriended. However, Alexander’s issue seemed to revolve more around developing these friendly bonds with others than around the way in which he dealt with people once these bonds were established. Perhaps he just needed someone he could act friendly with, or feel comfortable around.

"Well Lelouch, you have been here the entire time I have been here and maybe even before which has been five years. So perhaps I may ask you the same question as you have for me if it does not bother you."

Glancing at the boy after he’d made this response, Lelouch had to admit that this was a far bolder retort than he’d been expecting. It obviously wasn’t delivered in anger necessarily. Perhaps there was a bit of frustration there, but he clearly had nothing against Lelouch, at least at this point in time. This frustration was likely the results of previous attempts on the part of the president to get him to act in a more extroverted manner. All people were different, and perhaps Alexander believed that these actions were infringing on his own personal preferences to a point. It wasn’t as though Lelouch couldn’t relate; after all, he preferred keeping his head down on campus whenever possible. It would be hypocritical of him to suggest that being a quiet man was something negative. However, even he had those whom he could converse with regularly. Even if they were necessarily confidantes, all members of the student council were people whom he spoke with on a regular basis. In addition, he continually spoke with both Nunnally and Sayoko, whenever he was home. Alexander, on the other hand, didn’t really have anyone to go to. How was he able to find catharsis, and vent his problems? Were his social skills really something to be neglected in such a manner? This was a matter of practicality. Along with this, Lelouch had been given an objective. Objectives were meant to be fulfilled, and if he failed in this, then he would take it as seriously as any other failure. Not only that, but he doubted very much that Milly would ever let him forget it.

"Well, do you have any questions about campus life or available organizations? If not, then I do not see the reason for such questions of myself since we should both know similar amounts after having been here for the time we have been. As for feeling more comfortable, you can tell Milly to quit sending student council members to do her bidding for her and actually come here herself."

Smiling slightly at this, a genuine smile this time, Lelouch nodded his head. It was as he’d suspected then, although this suspected feeling had been more of a certainty than anything. Milly had a tendency to get on the nerves of the more introverted students. Such was her nature, he supposed. Lelouch hadn’t liked her very much when he’d first met her either, though the circumstances of their introduction were far more unique than the way in which Alexander must have first made her acquaintance. This response seemed more like a defense mechanism to Lelouch than anything. The boy was frustrated, but it clearly wasn’t in his nature to lash out, or to call out a particular member of the council for doing something wrong. It was, however, a rather effective way to get Lelouch to drop the topic, and give up on him. Most other students probably would. Lelouch, however, was on a mission.

”I’ll be sure to pass that message along.” Lelouch responded, his voice sympathetic in nature. ”Being vice-president didn’t remove all of my reservations about the way in which Milly handles things. Still, she means well.” He concluded his thoughts on her, making casual eye contact with the boy opposite him. Continuing the conversation, he decided to both respond and turn the conversation back to the boy. ”As for questions I might have, there are a few. Mainly I’d like to know more about you. You came from the mainland, didn’t you? How has the transition been?” He questioned the boy, examining him for any facial cues that might give away something about his reaction or his personality.

Still, things seemed very formal between the two of them. He needed to find a way to break the ice, so to speak. As much as he hated being forced into activities that he loathed, Lelouch found that he was often more than happy to be forced into activities that he enjoyed. As much as he wasn’t a huge fan of the game, Alexander had already expressed an interest in poker. Although he knew very little about the boy, he could play on his interests as a way of extracting more information from him. Before the boy answered, Lelouch looked at him once more, chuckling in a seemingly casual, unplanned manner.

”This seems more like an interrogation than a conversation. I think I will take you up on that poker game. Where do you suggest we play?”

[Rai]

Rai had just come out of the Library with a cluster of books under his arm, history mostly. Since it seemed as though be living there for the time being at least he figured he ought to learn as much as he could about this... what had Lelouch called it again? Area 11, that was it. A sad sort of name which apparently had a sad enough history tied in with it as well. According to what he'd read the former nation of Japan had been annexed by the Holy Empire of Britannia in... what year was it? Well, it didn't matter, Japan had lost the war, lost its independence and even lost its national identity as a result. Leaving people with nothing wont make them any more inclined to accept your ways though. Well that was a peculiar thought, but then he'd had a fair few of those over the last couple of weeks, or at the very least they seemed strange thoughts for a student to be having even if they were his own. Then again it didn't seem that very many people who attended Ashford met with the usual appraisal of 'normal,' so it probably wasn't worth fretting over. As if in cue with his thoughts Rai would come across two examples of that very fact.

Lelouch Lamperouge whom Rai had met on his first day at Ashford, he knew Lelouch to be a young man of superlative intelligence but with social graces that were not exactly negligible but certainly lacking, it wasn't so much that he was unaware of what was expected of him so much that he just didn't seem to care. The other was Alexander Engel who to Rai's understanding was not intellectual slouch himself, but even more so than Lelouch he had failed to integrate properly into the student body despite having attended the school for some years. He knew that much as he'd been present for Lelouch's 'briefing' with the Student Council President, if indeed it could be called that. He could appreciate the want for a certain degree of harmony amongst the student body, but it seemed to him as though Alexander's choice not to engage was solely his business... not that he was about to say that Milly. Pleasant as she was a majority of the time she could get pretty intense at others.

As he was passing by he couldn't help but overhear Lelouch was reciprocating on the offer of a poker game. Rai was fairly sure he didn't have anything to do for a good while and so he figured it might be a nice enough way to kill some time, besides which it was within his limited understanding of the game that it was much easier to play the more people were involved. At least it made the game more interesting.

'Lelouch.' He hailed his fellow student only raising his voice a touch and offering a wave of his hand as he approached. You must be Alexander,' he offered the young noble a courteous nod as he addressed him before continuing. 'I couldn't help overhearing your conversation with Lelouch here as I was passing and I thought if you were going to take up the game then you might appreciate a third to make the game a little more dynamic. Oh sorry, I'm Rai by the way.'

[Alexander Engel]

Alexander looked at Lelouch as he spoke, thinking back to his past as the question was asked. What he remembered first was of course the terrible history that he left there, other children making fun of him for not having a father. Of course, he obviously had a father but only his mother knew who it was and and children made fun of him for being a bastard. This was something that so set his mind apart from this school for the moment, thinking back to how his mother had done the kindest act she could do for him by removing him from the mainland and allowing him a life of peace and solitude in Japan. Area eleven as it was called and where nobody knew of his past life in Britannia, nobody knew that he had no knowledge of his father and his mother had only came to Japan because her son had been so traumatized by the past of being called a bastard by other children.

While at the moment, such words would hold no sway over him the words of the past did prevent him from being a socializing young man like most students. This would be referring exactly to the transition to life on Area Eleven, or Japan as it had been called, a good thing for him but still did not free him of the past. However, if Alexander told these thoughts to every student who inquired about them, he would not be the private person that everybody had come to know him as and would instead obviously be considered a sociable person. This past did not cause him great distress anymore, but the lack of trust for people as a whole and wanting to get to know them very well before opening up to anybody stemmed directly from this dark and cruel past that the children of the Britannian mainland so pushed onto him. At the very least though people in Japan, even of nobility, were all very kind to him which was probably because the Elevens were so considered scum.

This feeling however, which Alexander knew all too well of feeling like scum made him sympathize with the Elevens. Even though he was nobility and was considered to be holier-than-thou in this area, he hated that prospect and wanted Britannians and Japanese to be equal in the country of Japan since the Elevens or Japanese as he called them when not inside of social circles were people he respected. While the general public and most other nobility would call him crazy and have him disgraced because of these thoughts, his goals were to protect the rights of the Japanese as much as possible. Nonetheless, he would need to respond to his classmate sooner or later and better sooner than later.

Just as he was about to speak though, Lelouch spoke again, this time mentioning a poker game and asking where Alexander would feel comfortable playing one. This was something that gave him a slight grin as he very much enjoyed it and would likely be able to get the first couple of games as a win for himself. He thought about it for a moment and decided that should Lelouch be able to, the student council building would be an excellent place to have a match. Again, just as he was about to speak though, another student showed up. Rai was his name if Alexander wasn't mistaken and this other student also wanted to join in on the poker game. This would definitely be quite fun to do now, a three person game would allow much better draws and would definitely make it harder for the others to guess what anybody else might have.

"Alright, I would like to suggest the student council building Lelouch, I have heard it is very spacious. Not to mention, I think it would be a great place to have in peace and quiet allowing for a game without interruption. The more silent and able to focus we all are the better with poker, so if it is alright with you then the Student Council building would be the best place."

[Lelouch Lamperouge]

As Lelouch examined Alexander for any changes in his disposition, he noticed a considerably positive change in his mood immediately after the vice-president had mentioned poker. Supposing that this had been a good way to tackle the problem, Lelouch began to look ahead to how he might be able to use this game to his own advantage. Putting Alexander into a situation where he would have to divide his cognitive processes between two tasks that could both be seen as mentally draining (these being shielding his opinions from Lelouch and competing with him) may lower his inhibitions, as he is unable to attend to the first process with the same vigor that he had been previously. Not to mention, although competition also builds adversity, it can also have the opposite effect. Indeed, playing a quick game of poker together could lead to them developing a certain sense of camaraderie. Such was Lelouch’s course of action, even in a situation as seemingly routine as speaking to one of his peers. He would develop rapport, and use the bonds of any small notion of friendship as the means to attain a desired end.

'Lelouch.'

Hearing a somewhat reserved voice acknowledge him from the side, Lelouch turned his gaze to the source of the introduction. Standing there was Rai, a reasonably new student himself, and yet one that didn’t seem to have much trouble adapting. In fact, he’d just recently become a member of the student council himself, taking on the responsibilities that Rivalz foisted off on him. Lelouch supposed that many of these responsibilities were duties that he himself shirked in favor of reading a book, gambling, or doing just about anything else that he found more intellectually stimulating, but he wouldn’t think too hard on that now. In a way, Rai was the representation of everything that Milly hoped they could turn Alexander into. Though not unreasonably outgoing, the boy clearly wasn’t afraid of social interaction, but rather welcomed it once he got past the awkward introductory phase. Lelouch and Milly had happened upon him while evaluating the plausibility of constructing a new shed in which they might house the various costumes and party favors their benevolent president ordered over the course of the school year. He’d been pretty out of it at the time, and apparently he couldn’t remember where he’d come from or what his reasons for being on campus were. Regardless, being that he was around their age, the president had pulled some strings to allow him to attend, if only to give him a stable place to settle down for a while.

'I couldn't help overhearing your conversation with Lelouch here as I was passing and I thought if you were going to take up the game then you might appreciate a third to make the game a little more dynamic. Oh sorry, I'm Rai by the way.'

So, Rai wanted in on the game as well. It hadn’t been Lelouch’s intention to turn this into a group affair. After all, who on campus didn’t remember the infamous Go-Fish incident of his sophomore year? Still, this could be helpful. As he’d said before, Rai was a fairly outgoing student in his own right. Surely, he was trying his best to get Alexander to come out of his shell, as well. So long as he didn’t throw a wrench into the works by pressing the issue too much, having two people that Alexander would have to divide his attention between could only serve to put more of a strain on his defense mechanisms, and grant easier access to the more latent meanings of his thoughts and actions. The only thing that worried him was whether the addition of an extra competitor would make the game less desirable for Alexander. If he no longer wanted to participate, then he would lose the interest that he’d developed thus far, and that would set Lelouch back a few steps. He couldn’t allow this. If need be, he would dismiss Rai on the grounds of him being a bit too forward with a student he hadn’t known until this moment. He was sure the boy could take it; he dealt with Milly on a regular basis, after all.

However, glancing back to Alexander, the boy didn’t seem put-off by the suggestion, but rather was more invested in the game. Lelouch had heard something about poker being more enjoyable if there were multiple people involved, but he as he wasn’t a regular player he had no way of knowing if this was objectively true. Nodding his head at Rai as a late response of sorts to his introduction, and an acceptance of his request to join in their game, Lelouch listened as Alexander came to a conclusion about exactly where would be an ideal location for this bout.

"Alright, I would like to suggest the student council building Lelouch, I have heard it is very spacious. Not to mention, I think it would be a great place to have in peace and quiet allowing for a game without interruption. The more silent and able to focus we all are the better with poker, so if it is alright with you then the Student Council building would be the best place."

Well, this student certainly wasn’t shy about making requests when it came to feeding his hobby, it seemed. Nodding his head as a response, Lelouch didn’t see any problem with them using the clubhouse. Lelouch and Rai were, after all, members of the student council. And being that this was for a mission given to him by the president, it wasn’t as though he couldn’t justify prioritizing this game over whatever Milly or anyone else may have wanted to do in the clubhouse.

”Yes, that sounds fine. Just be prepared for an interruption if Madame President or any of the other members decide to enter. Lelouch responded, now turning his back and walking a few steps in the direction of the clubhouse. He doubted that Milly would stay long after seeing that the two of them were actually engaging this difficult case, but he wouldn’t put it past Rivalz to muscle his way into the action. Planting his right foot and turning his gaze back to the two of them, Lelouch gestured for them to follow him. ”It’s right this way, I’m sure you know.”

[Alexander Engel]

Alexander expected he'd be able to get access to the student council building for this game, especially considering it was one of Milly's tasks. As Lelouch apparently agreed, it seemed like he would finally have a poker game that would be in an area more private and secluded than the lunch room or his own bedroom. This would also probably be one of the hardest poker games he'd be in, since Lelouch was apparently one of the school's smartest students even though his grades were lacking due to laziness. Rai on the other hand he didn't know much about; he was in the same year as them, but was a new student and apparently didn't have much memory of his time before Ashford. 'An advantage, since he is being allowed in I will have a way to get a good lead in the beginning of the game. At least until such time as Rai has figured out the mechanics of the game is the point I will majorly dominate the game.'

He had expected that Lelouch would remark about the student president, but still figured it wouldn't be a big issue and when he suggested that he knew the way, Alexander obviously started walking in the lead toward the building. It wasn't like him to take the rear if he needn't, since that usually resulted in questions which were harder to dodge than if you were in the lead and could feign focusing on the path at hand. He guessed that Lelouch would still need to open the doors, but that didn't stop him from going at a fast pace and probably leaving Rai and Lelouch a little behind. He would move quickly and make sure to avoid many of the more populated areas on the was from the front of the school to the council building since he wanted to maek sure to avoid any unnecessary conversations or questions which he would be compelled to turn down. As they neared the buidling, he slowed down a bit and would await Lelouch to open the doors.

"So, I assume you both know at least a few of the rules. I can give you a quick run-down otherwise and make sure that we can all play at least knowing what we need and how best to make use of what you have. Of course, knowing the different combinations and the order of what beats what is a necessity for this game and the basis of all knowledge." While he hadn't done much talking, it was more than he usually did, and toward the end of this last bit of speech, his voice started sounding slightly raspy and hoarse as if he had been talking for extended periods of time. While this was not the case, his seldomness of speech caused this and it was something that made some people wonder sometimes if he ever spoke when not around people since it occurred so quickly.

Alexander would wait for Lelouch to open the door to the student council building and then quickly make his way to a table so that he could get settled down and pull the deck of cards and poker chips he usually carried from his backpack and set them out on the table.

[Lelouch Lamperouge]

While this wasn’t necessarily the end he’d had in mind when he’d original set out to look for Alexander, Lelouch couldn’t deny that things were looking more promising with every moment. In just a few minutes, it seemed as though Alexander had gone from sullen introvert to typically shy student; a marked improvement, considering how little others who’d tried to spark this shift had been able to do. Not only did he not seem intimidated by this social interaction, but he’d also taken the lead in their walk to the clubhouse. This in and of itself wasn’t necessarily an expression of some sort of great upheaval in his personality, but it definitely proved that Alexander was willing to expose himself to the unknown if it meant getting to what he desired faster. Yes, one could take this action to mean that he had no desire to engage either himself or Rai in conversation, but few actions carried singular meaning to them. Taking the lead didn’t necessarily denote confidence, but it implied a willingness to face the unknown, rather than relying on another in the group to take point. It seemed Alexander was more willing to put himself out there than he was likely to admit or act on, even if this willingness was more subconscious than anything.

That was a basic psychological principle, wasn’t it? Well, more of a theory he supposed. There are certain needs that must be met in the psyche of an individual. These begin with basic, obvious needs, such as the need for nourishment and shelter, and quickly evolve into more high-order needs, such as the need for positive regard on the part of others. Now, although this was only a theory, it made sense that a human being would have a tendency to strive for tight-knit relationships with others. The human’s greatest strength is, after all, a social one. On the surface, Alexander may want to avoid others, and stay isolated from society as a whole. However, it was very likely that his subconscious was longing for a connection of some sort, to a peer or potential friend. Lelouch would keep this in mind; perhaps developing their relationship would be the best way to extract information from the boy.

Following close behind Alexander, well aware that he would probably have to unlock the clubhouse for them, Lelouch glanced to the side at Rai, who was walking alongside him. He came to the realization at about the same time as Alexander that Rai would probably be unable to follow along, at least to the level that they two of them would probably be playing. Then again, Rai had confided in him that he hadn’t truly forgotten everything. He was able to perform actions that he must have learned previously in life, but couldn’t recall such things as basic information or statistics. The dividing line between procedural and declarative memory could be rather blurred at times. Perhaps he may instinctually have an idea about what hands he should play and which he should fold, but wouldn’t be able to explain why? If Lelouch weren’t so focused on the curious case of Alexander, he would find this “experiment” of sorts rather fascinating.

"So, I assume you both know at least a few of the rules. I can give you a quick run-down otherwise and make sure that we can all play at least knowing what we need and how best to make use of what you have. Of course, knowing the different combinations and the order of what beats what is a necessity for this game and the basis of all knowledge."

As they arrived at the door to the student council’s clubhouse, Lelouch reached lazily into his pocket and retrieved a small ring of keys. Inserting a small, somewhat worn bronze key into the keyhole, Lelouch gently swung the door inward. Knowing full well that Rai would need an explanation when it came to the rules, out of sheer common sense, even if he didn't, Lelouch decided to answer for the both of them. It wasn’t necessarily to save Rai from any embarrassment, but rather he found taking charge to be the simplest way to handle any given situation. ”That could be useful. Why don’t you give us a quick explanation?” He suggested, stepping inside.

(OOC – Sorry for the length guys. I’ve gotta step away, but I wanted to get this up.)

[Rai]

Rai could kind of see the problem with Alexander after having only spent a few minutes with him. It seemed that for Lelouch at least engaging him had been easy enough, albeit he had done so indirectly, he didn't expect someone like the Vice-President to notice that engaging Alexander in a game was not the same as getting Alexander to engage with them per se. It seemed he was proven right as the young noble's focus seemed to remain solely fixed on the game itself. There was something else which had bothered him as well, but he couldn't quite put his finger on the reason why. His choice of venue just seemed a little off, not only for the fact that Rai could think of at least three other perfectly acceptable and secluded spots within equal or lesser walking distance, but there was something more. It seemed almost as though, no, that couldn't be it.

If I were to think of it in certain terms, it's as though Alexander has given up the home field advantage to Lelouch so they can have the sort of encounter which suits him. He gave up the advantage of Earth to secure the advantage of Heaven, so all that's left to decide the result is Man. Wait... ugh, what am I thinking. Rai shook his head as they walked towards the Student Council Building. He understood then that the game and the place were largely immaterial, since conditions favoured neither one player nor the other it meant that Alexander would have no choice but to focus more closely on Lelouch. In hindsight it suited him quite well to be there, but he was well aware that he was almost entirely ancillary to the entire proceeding. Still, if it meant that Lelouch and Alexander could have a more stimulating engagement then so much the better. He imagined that would be what the President would have wanted.

He was glad that Lelouch spoke up for him, socially awkward as Lelouch could be sometimes he seemed to have Rai's measure and so he didn't really mind the Vice-President having spoken for him.

[Alexander Engel]

Alexander smiled ever so slightly and only for a moment as the Student Council member opened the door to their clubhouse. 'Playing right into my hands, what better place to keep him off guard than the place he feels most comfortable at? Of course, he may think he stands a better chance of getting me to speak in there, but that is not the case. I have spent so many years training myself to be immune to even the most piercing comments given for introspect into my life.' As they walked in, Lelouch spoke up for the both of them, saying that they would appreciate the rules of the game. It was obvious that they would want these, as without them, neither would stand even a beginner's chance against him. This didn't mean that with them they would stand a chance; but it meant that even if subconsciously, Lelouch knew that he was stepping out of his area of home-field expertise. "Well, there are three major ways to play poker; there is Texas Hold'Em, Five Card Stud, and Seven Card Stud. Each of these forms have very different rules, but they all have the same card combinations. Texas Hold'Em is a game where each player gets a hand of two cards, and then they all share 5 cards in the center which are flipped over whenever the next round of bidding is reached. For five card stud, you get five cards in your hand immediately, but can toss up to three of them for that number in return; in addition to this, if you have an ace all of your cards may be returned if the ace is face up on the toss, for an entire new hand. Seven card stud only gets you seven cards, and you do not get to toss any of these cards, those are your hand."

As he finished speaking, he finally went to sit down at the table, pulling a case out of his bag. Inside of this case, he had a set of European style poker chips, a higher grade set of ceramic rectangles. Each player got a million "dollars" worth; two blacks for $250,000, two reds for $100,000, two greens for $50,000, and five whites for $10,000 each. After this, he gave out fifty circular chips for $1,000 each, black in color. Quickly pulling out the deck of cards, he arranged them so that the spades were on top, then the hearts, clubs after that, and then diamonds on the bottom. Now he simply placed all the cards after that in order of highest to lowest. Ace on the far left and two on the right. "Alright, spades are the highest suit, and diamonds are the lowest in this order. Ace is the highest card, and two the lowest in this order." He quickly pulls all the 2 and puts them together in a group. "You can get a pair, three of a kind, or four of a kind. A pair is the lowest hand, and three of a kind only just above it. A four of a kind is the second highest hand, beat only by a straight flush." Quickly pulling together the two, five, six, seven, and ace of spades, Alexander puts them in a pile. "This is a flush, it is above a straight and below a full house." Pulling together now the four and three of hearts, he puts those with the five, six, and seven of spades. "This is a straight, it is just over a three of a kind and under the flush. This..." He pulls the three twos still together and places them next to the five of spades and hearts. "is a full house, under a four of a kind, but better than a flush." He finally makes the last two hands, pulling together the four, five, six, seven, and eight of spades, and then the Ace, Queen, King, Jack, and Ten of hearts. "These are the straight flush, and a royal flush. The royal flush can beat any hand except for a royal flush of a higher suit. High card and suit always wins with straight flush. So, a straight flush of seven and down to three would lose to the same straight flush in spades, but beat the same straight flush in clubs or diamonds. However, if the straight flush in clubs or diamonds were eight down to four, that straight flush would win."

As he finished talking, he realized that he had rambled on about the rules quite a bit, but he wanted to make sure that they at least thought of him as a person who was honest. He quickly pulled all the cards together, spinning them in the pile face-down, and then pulling them into a pile and shuffling them three times. He glanced to his right, and spoke. "Counter-clockwise cuts the deck." He had a slight smile on his face, it wasn't every day that people challenged him to poker, and it was even less often that he got to play in such seclusion from the student body. He would simply take this to be some good luck and perhaps a chance to play poker more often if they find it to be enough fun. Otherwise, he would need to stick with chess, a game he knew, but found rather difficult to stay interested in for him.

[Lelouch Lamperouge]

Seeing the coy smile on Alexander’s face, Lelouch could immediately tell that he believed himself to have the upper hand in this situation, both when it came to the game and also in regards to their conversation. There was something in that smile that didn’t relate directly to his confidence in his poker skill, but rather suggested a conversational superiority. The face of a man who believed he was one step ahead when it came to the rhetoric at hand. Any confidence on Alexander’s part, however, could bode rather well for Lelouch’s intent. The question of how he should handle this game had been tugging at the back of his mind since Alexander had originally suggested it. Although he’d been set on playing adequately at first, once Rai had joined the group he’d even considered playing the incompetent, and allowing the two of them to compete while he made the occasional blunder, so as to make Alexander feel a bit more comfortable, and give him the boost he might need to open up. However, looking into the boy’s face now, he could see that a lack of confidence wasn’t necessarily the problem. The boy didn’t need to be reassured of his own skill at all.

Presented with the problem of a boy being confident in two factors, both his game play and his strategic position in the conversation, the course of action that Lelouch would most like to take quickly became clear. By shattering the boy’s confidence in the more certain of these two (that being his superiority in poker), Lelouch could be certain that his confidence in his own, silent disposition would waver at least a bit. This could allow for an opening in his defenses, which Lelouch could immediately exploit. Not to mention, he might be more likely to befriend those whom he perceives are excellent poker players. Though he didn’t generally enjoy playing cards, Lelouch understood the game well enough to have a working knowledge of it. As such, he set his mind to the task of deciding on what variation would suit his needs. Texas Hold’em and Seven Card Stud seemed the most dictated by luck of the draw, whereas Five Card Stud depended at least somewhat on the decisions one makes in regards to what cards they sacrifice, and what cards they keep in their possession.

Still, was he going about this the wrong way? Being that Alexander had known about him before their conversation had started, it was very likely that he’d know of his penchant for chess. Would him choosing Five Card Stud, rather than one of the other variations, make him seem as though he were running back to what he was comfortable with? Making his decision, Lelouch nodded his head after the boy finished his explanation of the various hands and suits involved, responding as Alexander shuffled the deck. ”Texas Hold’Em sounds the most appropriate.” Lelouch commented, now taking the deck from Alexander, being that he was counter-clockwise to him. Casually lifting a bit more than half of the cards up, and placing them on the table, Lelouch cut the deck as he continued to muse on the situation.

Texas Hold’Em would allow him to objectively analyze probability, while at the same time retaining a bit of the more luck-oriented aspect that poker was so well-known for. In addition to this, even with his rudimentary knowledge of the game, Lelouch knew that poker was about playing the opponent more than it was about playing the game. Although his specialty was in strategic planning and tactical execution, such as can be found in chess, Lelouch was certainly a master of the human psyche as well. He was able to read others with proficiency most would find nearly inhuman, and come to intellectual conclusions regarding his next course of action in the blink of an eye. In addition to this, living as Lelouch Lamperouge had divided his personality somewhat. In a way, Lelouch Lamperouge was the façade, whereas Lelouch vi Britannia was the metaphysical observer that monitored Lamperouge’s actions. He was able to act his part well, and could contain his emotions even under extreme duress. At the very least, in spite of his lack of experience, he would be able to compete with his opponents.

Taking a seat at the small table the three of them had moved to now, Lelouch’s postured remained firm and upright, as he paid attention to Alexander’s actions even here before the game. He had to set up an emotional baseline, and use this opportunity to examine both the boy’s facial quirks and tendencies in his body movement, so as to scan for any abnormalities once the game had begun. He was focusing on Alexander now, though he wouldn’t entirely ignore Rai either. Though he didn’t have a drive to best Rai in the same way that he wished to defeat Alexander, he was curious as to how the amnesiac would handle the game.

”So, shall we begin?” Lelouch suggested, sliding the deck to Alexander.

[Rai]

So it isn't solely a game of deception in this case, but much more so of chance and probability. Not to mention the five common cards, one must also account for however many are held by one's opponents. Even in a case where there are only two players and therefore four cards removed from one's own sphere of influence, combined with the five common cards it alters the dynamics of the deck quite drastically. Rai again summarised the rules Alexander had relayed to them as he seated himself, reaching forward and placing a gentle hand atop the deck before Alexander could lay a hand on it. He slid the deck smoothly across the tabletop towards himself. As he did so, his gaze momentarily becoming much keener and colder before his eyes slid down from the other boy to the deck.

'I might not know much about poker, but I know enough about cards to distrust someone whose deck I haven't cut.' He proceeded to do just that, cutting the deck not once, but twice leaving the deck in three roughly equal stacks. He then placed the middle stack above the third and then placed the two back in to one before sliding the completed deck back to its owner.

'Not that it's a reflection on either of you, just thought that I would be prudent.' It occurred to him what Aexander seemed to want more than a friend was something like an 'adversary.' The action which would usually be considered poor form would add a charge, however small to the situation and Rai being generally more competitive and confrontational than he usually was would no doubt provide them with an inroad. No doubt, Alexander expected them to be charming, accommodating, flexible, courteous and while he was perfectly capable and indeed well disposed to being all those things he knew that not being that might be more intriguing to Alexander than being pliant ever would.