Of Misplaced Devils and Unmeant Queens
Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass.
Author Notes: This is the first fan fiction request that I got. The plot ideas for this fic belongs entirely to Lord Joyde. I am just the writer. I would like to clarify that this is NOT a time travel fic. More like Alternate Reality kind. I hope you enjoy this. Thank you.
Chapter 1: Second Chance at Life
His sister's tear stained face was the last thing he remembered seeing before he closed his eyes.
The Zero Requiem had come to an end (Though, in reality, it would go on until Suzaku's death) and he would finally rest in peace. He was well aware that he would most probably end up in hell for everything he had done, for all the people he had killed.
'Well, at least I would have the satisfaction of seeing dear Mother and Father suffer along with me.' He thought.
Then, realizing that he shouldn't be able to think so clearly- he had just died- he opened his eyes.
'I shouldn't be conscious so quickly. Have I reached hell already?" He thought. But that thought was quickly discarded when he noticed how white the place was. The only thing present as far as his eyes could see was the colour white. The floors, roof or sky, everything was white. If Lelouch was not so sure he would end up in hell he would've thought that it was heaven. But he wasn't all that optimistic about his destination and he decided that it must be a 'waiting' place.
The floor seemed solid enough if he was able to stand on it. He took time to inspect his body and didn't find himself too surprised to find himself adorned in his Emperor's 'uniform'. The only thing missing was his rather ridiculous looking hat. There was no sign of any blood nor did he feel any wound on his body. He actually felt better and stronger than he had in a long time.
"Where am I?" He muttered.
"Welcome, Lelouch vi Britannia." Jerking his head upwards, Lelouch looked around, trying to locate the source of the voice.
"Who are you? Where am I?" Lelouch snapped back. He wasn't going to risk relaxing his guard. Even though he was dead the fact remained that he was in an unknown place with no one around.
"I would prefer it if you kept quiet dear boy." Lelouch was the Emperor of the World and he didn't like being ordered around. One might say that being the Emperor had made Lelouch even more stubborn and arrogant- something CC would wholeheartedly agree to.
"I demand to know where and why have I been bought here." Lelouch decided that his most commanding tone would do the trick. There were very few people who would completely disregard that tone of his- some including She Devils like C.C and Milly.
'Am I actually alive? Is it Schneziel? But it can't be. I geassed him to obey whatever Zero ordered and he has no choice but to obey it. Unless Jeremiah cancelled the geass he couldn't have acted on his own and there is no way Jeremiah would do something like that. No one else would go to such lengths if they wanted to punish or question me. So who can it be?'
"You wish to know who I am, Son?" The voice sounded amused.
Lelouch didn't answer and merely glared at the sky from where he guessed the voice was coming from.
"I am the Collective Unconscious." Lelouch felt his eyes widen. "Or as you humans tend to call me, God."
"Why have you bought me here?" Lelouch's eyes were now narrowed as he considered what 'God' had said. He was a sinner; plain and could be no argument against that fact that he was the one who had destroyed the lives of millions- and maybe billions- of people, some of them his own.
"Straight to the point as usual. I have decided to give you a second chance at life." And Lelouch, who was about to say something else, stopped with his mouth wide open. "A second chance at life. A life in which you don't have to worry about anything, where the fight for freedom wouldn't be on your shoulders."
Lelouch took a step back in sheer shock.
"Wh-what? A second chance?" He whispered, before regaining his usual attitude. "Why should I believe you? How can you even do that?"
"Collective Unconscious or God is the strongest being there is. There is very little that he cannot do." Lelouch turned around to face his partner in crime.
"CC... What are you doing here?" Lelouch asked. Though he guessed he shouldn't be too surprised. The Witch had a habit of appearing where she was least expected. She had appeared literally out of thin air and Lelouch half expected her to be holding a slice of pizza in her hand.
"World of C is, in a way, my home." Lelouch scoffed at that. The Witch, as he liked to call her, never considered any place her home. He valued her and at times even respected her and thought of her as a friend but he didn't have any illusions of her character or what immortality had turned her into.
Her lips curved up into a small smile. "I thought you wouldn't believe me." She turned towards him. In some idle corner of his mind he registered that she was naked but his major attention was focused on understanding the expression on her face, Peace and happiness. After 2 years of knowing her and working with her, Lelouch had never seen such an expression on her face. It was always guarded and the few times Lelouch had seen her vulnerable, her expression was always downcast.
"The- I mean God has made me a deal." She paused. "He will end my immortal life and give you my code." She tilted her head to the side. "You have to accept it though." She had come to stand in front of him and as they faced each other Lelouch could see the hope in her eyes.
"So it's true?" Lelouch asked, disbelief still strong in him.
"Yes, it is. Of course, it won't be the same life that you left behind. There will be a few changes."
And that was enough to put Lelouch on his guard. "A few changes?" He looked suspiciously at CC. "What do you mean by that?" He trusted her with his life but the woman was devious and he had no doubt that she would enjoy seeing him in an uncomfortable situation.
"She has already told you all she knows. The changes will be unknown to you until you start to live that life. What fun would it be if I told you everything beforehand?" Lelouch never thought that 'God' could have a sense of humor. "But I can assure you that the you will have a chance to change everything and have fun doing it."
"So do you accept?" CC asked turning towards him expectantly. He looked at her. It was his call. He wanted to return. No one wanted to die when they barely lived their life. There were many things he had to do, many amends he had to make. And he never did get to say her... And then there was CC. The way she was looking at him now reminded him of the 'Slave' CC. The same innocence and hope. She wanted to end her existence and since he had made her promise not to make a contract with anyone after he died, there was no chance for her to die.
"I will do it."
CC smiled. He should've known that she had already predicted his answer. There was no sign of surprise on her face as she stepped closer to him. "This was the most memorable part of my entire existence and I have learnt more things when I was with you than in my entire living experiences. This is something that I will cherish forever." Her amber eyes shined with happiness as she stepped back and looked into his eyes.
"Thank you and goodbye." That was all CC said before the symbol on her forehead started to glow. Before Lelouch could say anything else, his right hand started to glow as well. He closed his eyes against the bright light.
He opened his eyes to find no sign of CC. "Goodbye." He whispered looking at the geass symbol on his right hand. He would miss the Witch greatly. She had been his partner-in-crime and had been with him in his weakest moments. After 2 years, he could at last call her a friend.
"Look at your left hand." The voice commanded.
Lelouch did as he was asked. And was surprised to find another geass symbol on it. He stared at both his hands trying to figure out what happened. "How can I have two symbols on me? Isn't there supposed to be only one?"
"When you killed Charles to prevent him from destroying me, you inherited his code. Since you weren't his contractee, even though his Code had been transferred to you, it had not been able to activate when you were killed. But now, using CC's code, I have activated it."
Lelouch stared in wonder at his hands. "So now I have two Codes?" He asked.
"Who said so?"
Before Lelouch could ask what the voice meant, a searing pain overtook his eyes. He could feel the geass burn bright in both his eyes and a blinding headache overtake his head. "What- what is happening?"
"I am bestowing the power of Ultimate Insanity over you. With it, you can retain both your power and your own Code that is separate from CC and Charles. So now you will have three Codes along with your Geass power with the small price of your sanity. Not that you were sane in the first place." If Lelouch had been able to talk he would've cursed God at not warning him in advance. But as it were, he was barely able to stand up due to his pain so he just knelt on the ground willing the pain to go away.
He could feel the skin over his heart burn and he clutched it through his robes, trying not to reveal his pain.
It seemed like a long eternity of silence, broken only by his painful groans, before he could stand up.
He quietly opened up his robes and looked at the place he felt his chest burn. There was a big bird-like sigil etched to his skin. His lips slowly curved up into a manic smile. "So this is how it feels to be an immortal." He traced the symbol with his fingers, a mad look in his eyes.
"I am ready." Lelouch looked up. On his normally cool face there was a huge evil grin. "I am ready to start my life again. And this time, its going to be on my own terms." The geass in his eyes burned brightly as he clenched his hands into his fist and began laughing evilly.
There was no one who could stop him this time. He would remake the world without getting himself or anyone he cared about killed. The world had dubbed him as a villain so he wasn't about to rush to the rescue of the world so foolishly this time. This was his chance to live his life on his own terms. Let the world be damned! He would not hesitate to destroy anyone who stood in his way. He had already gone through the pain of losing the people he loved and that had made him stronger. He wouldn't be so emotionally incapacitated now.
"I have decided to give you an extra power along with all that you have." Lelouch stopped his musings to pay attention to the voice though the grin still hadn't faded away from his face. "You will be able to revive the memories of this life of anyone you wish."
The grin on Lelouch's face only became sharper. "Well, that's a very generous gift. I accept it."
"Then its time for you to proceed into your new life." The place started to glow brightly as Lelouch once again closed his eyes.
He was ready to take on the world and this time, he would have fun doing it. He wasn't going to spare anyone in his path. This time, things would be very different from before. Lelouch vi Britannia was no longer going to hold back.
"Lelouch vi Britannia will live once more!" And then he faded away.
Author Notes: This chapter is more of a prologue than anything else. Please review your suggestions and thoughts.