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### 45 Minutes Earlier...
Shikamaru blinked, confusion clouding his mind. "Where... am I?" he muttered to himself. One second I'm in the academy hallways... and the next... Just where the hell am I? I'm in this weird place...
The room was unfamiliar, a stark contrast to the academy halls he had been in moments before. His sharp eyes scanned his surroundings, alert to any movement. Suddenly, he heard the faint sound of someone grabbing a door handle, trying to open it. Someone's here...
The door creaked open, revealing a young man with sharp, intelligent eyes. Lelouch stepped into the room, his mind already calculating the situation. Another person's shown up... So I'm the second one to be transported here... Well, me not being the only person in this place... was easily within the boundaries of expectation. Now the only thing left to figure out...
Lelouch's eyes met Shikamaru's. "So, you were the first to get here? I assume you were transported here too?"
Shikamaru nodded, his expression wary. "Yeah. Transported, huh? And then the next thing I know, I'm... The last thing I remember is walking in a very different building to this one."
Lelouch's mind raced as he considered the implications. Using his Geass, his voice took on a commanding tone. "The only thing left to figure out... is are we really in the same predicament? Answer me truthfully. Have you had any intentions of lying to me?"
Shikamaru's eyes glazed over under the influence of Lelouch's Geass. "No."
"Do you know anything about this place?" Lelouch asked.
"I just got here. No," Shikamaru responded mechanically.
"Interesting," Lelouch mused. "Okay. Last question... Who are you?"
"My name is Shikamaru Nara. I was born into the Nara clan which specializes in shadow techniques. A clan that is also close to the Yamanaka and Akimichi clans. At age 12, I passed the Chunin Exam and was later promoted to Jonin. My hobbies are strategic games like shogi. Currently, I work as the Hokage's advisor and second in command."
"Shadow techniques...? Hokage's advisor...? What uncanny language... Well, I've heard everything I needed to hear. It seems I can trust him, for now."
Lelouch released his hold, and Shikamaru was free from the Geass. Shikamaru rubbed his temples, feeling the aftereffects. "So... as I was saying... It seems some exterior force whisked me here. That's at least one of the possibilities, though the idea that someone could do this without my alert..."
Lelouch's thoughts raced. Where is he walking to?
Shikamaru continued, "...is quite an unsettling thought." He glanced at Lelouch. "Hey, tell me earlier, you did something to me, didn't you?"
Lelouch tried to move but found himself immobilized. I can't move!?
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