Authors Note: Alright everyone, this is going to be a doozy.

First, this series is based on the spin-off manga series called 'Suzaku of the Counterattack'. Several changes were made to the cannon and I will be combining them to the best of my ability. Some of them will be readily apparent, while some will take awhile. There will be a more detailed desciprtion of this at the start of the next chapter.

Also,I would like to apologize in advance for what I anticipate will be a very irregularly updated story. I'm a full time college student taking a science major, with an errant muse and several forms of procrastination. Who has final exams in two weeks. Therefore, do not expect weekly updates. Not gonna happen. However, I think that I've stumbled onto a good thing so I'll try to keep active.

Brittania a.t.b. 2010

Reuben K. Ashford slowly paced done the long hallway of the now deserted workshop. Once, not so long ago, this had been a thriving and busy department, scientists ecstatic over the idea of creating something so useful. Frame production had increased rapidly with the backing of Marianne vi Brittanian. The Ganymede had so much promise…but with their greatest Knightmare pilot gone, the project was withering on the vine. His few remaining contacts told him that the military was following suit, dropping their own 'Knightmare' project, despite how close to success they seemed. It appeared that another solution, mini tanks, had been presented. Reuben personally despised them, but now with the loss of his nobility and the subsequent blow to his company's finances he had little say in the matter.

"Lo-Mr. Ashford!" Reuben looked up, seeing one of his employees breathless, his face ashen. It was still going to be a while before people managed remember his loss of title, but compared to the other things there were to worry him, it was inconsequential. "They did it! They attacked Japan."

Rueben suddenly felt a chill going through his body. How could they? They had sent Marianne's children there! What kind of father would do something like that. What kind of father would strip his children of rank and title and hurl them into a warzone. It was a question he didn't dare speak out loud.

One Month Later

Suzaku hunched over, hand clasped together to prevent them from shaking. He didn't dare look his closest friend in the eye. Lelouch, if nothing else, was smart. If he ever learned of the crime he had just committed….

The war had looked hopeful at first. The Brittanian miniature tanks had proven to be a grave failure on open battlefields and with General Todou leading the defense it seemed as if the small country would be able to hold off the superpower. However, Brittania had discovered their usefulness in urban warfare and with their vast resources they had outlasted the Japanese, even with blockades from the EU and Chinese.

And then, his father…

Suzaku shut his eyes, trying to blot out the memory. How many lives had he saved by that act? He had done the right thing…hadn't he? But he had, then why did he feel so…wrong?

"Suzaku."

Suzaku looked up slightly, not daring to face his friend directly. There was a tremor in Lelouch's voice and Suzaku wondered if he was going to cry. He had every reason to after all. While he wasn't an orphan, his father had all but killed them and he had to deal with the shame and horror of this war.

"I will…CRUSH BRITTANIA." Suzaku looked closer. His friend's eyes didn't have any tears, or sorrow, or shame, or regret. All that remained was a violet fury, a hatred which couldn't be extinguished by time or comfort. It would be seven years before Suzaku would see those eyes again, but when he would the fire would not have dimmed in the slightest.

Code Geass:

The Counterattack

Suzaku breathed slowly as he peered around the corner, the optics on his helmet allowing him to see the outline of the truck through the darkened subway tunnel. He grabbed his radio, hissing quietly into the small box. "This is Private Kururugi. I've located the terrorist's truck." There was no need to give his position, as the transceiver in his armor would alert them to his position. His commanding officer had few qualms about telling off of the Honorary Brittanians that they could track them wherever they went. Trying to a spy and defect would only betray the enemy.

"Good work Private Kururugi. Keep them there until the rest of the disposal squad arrives. Sir Jeremiah is battling the terrorists on the surface. We can't allow the gas to be released while he is in position."

"Affirmative. Over and Out."

Suzaku watched as the back door to the truck opened, someone unsteadily falling out of the back. From what he had heard the terrorists had a bumpy ride, so a concussion wasn't implausible. Suzaku was sickened by this cowardice. He was paying for his crime every single day, and the people he had done it for kept killing innocent civilians. Why couldn't they understand?

Suzaku inspected the truck once again, noticing the gas capsule which the briefing had mentioned. The terrorist was leaning against it for support…or was he? In a moment of realization, it dawned on Suzaku what was about to happen. "Don't open that!" Suzaku yelled, charging the terrorist. The man went down surprisingly easy, even easier than Suzaku had expected.

"Why do you think that killing innocent people will make you free? It just makes you thugs!" The man slowly rose, glaring at him with eyes filled with rage…a surprisingly familiar rage.

"Who do you think created this weapon? If Brittania was so worried about innocent lives, then why would they create something like this? If you want to save innocent lives, you're on the wrong side. You ought to crush Brittania!" It was the final sentence that did it, the final trigger that stirred his memories and forced him to acknowledge what he had begun to fear.

"Lelouch?" The man's, no teenager's face filled with sudden surprise. Suzaku slowly pulled off his helmet, revealing his face. "Lelouch, is that you?"

"Su-Suzaku?" The Brittanian youth gawked in obvious surprise. "What are you doing in the army?"

"Never mind that!" Suzaku started. "Why are you with terror-" The sentence was cut off as gaps began to form in the gas capsule, fumes beginning to leak out. Without thinking, Suzaku grabbed his gas mask and pushed it against Lelouch's face. He looked back at the capsule, preparing to die when he saw girl. With the escaping gas she seemed almost ethereal, her eyes a stunning gold that was a stark contrast to her…green hair?

He could feel Lelouch struggling under him, though it seemed that his old friend hadn't become any more physically able in the seven years they had spent apart. Lelouch eventually squirmed out from under his friend, tearing off the gas mask and rushing over to check on the girl.

"Tell me something Suzaku, is she poison gas?" To Lelouch it was blatantly obvious what had happened. This girl was somehow important to the military, possibly a prisoner being transported. Whoever she was, they didn't want anyone to know that they had her…and would be willing to do anything to ensure that it would stay that way.

"But…the briefing was quite clear. They said what it was specifically!"

A spotlight snapped on, flooding the dark subway tunnel with light. "You have overstepped your boundaries Private Kururugi." The commander announced, flanked by all of the rest of the retrival squad, which had removed their helmets.

Suzuaku saluted briskly. "I'm sorry sir. I was worried that the poison gas was about to be rele-"

"Who gave you permission to speak!" The commander glared at Suzaku, pulling out a pistol. "But in light of the merit of your work I'll give you the opportunity to redeem yourself. Execute the terrorist!"

Suzaku's mind instantly began to churn. He had taken a vow to obey orders, and doing this would allow him to advance and begin the change that Brittania so desperately needed…but like this?

"I'm sorry sir…he's an innocent civilian. I can't do it."

The commander growled. "I'm giving you an order you monkey."

Suzaku closed his eyes and shook his head. "I'm sorry, I can't do that."

"Very well." There was a sudden crack as the commander fired the pistol between the gap in Suzaku's body armor.

"So long."

Suzaku's eyes slowly fluttered open, the fluorescent light above him stinging his retina as he was slowly dragged back into consciousness. Where was he? He had been on his mission in the Shinjuku Ghetto when-

Suzaku sat bolt upright, suddenly wincing from a pain in his ribs. He clutched his head in his hands as the memories of the incident washed over him. The truck, the capsule, Lelouch, the girl…his refusual and his 'execution'.

"Soooo close!" Suzaku looked up to see a skinny man with light blue hair in front of him. The man made an exaggerated movement to put his hands on his hips, a grin appearing on his face. "You almost made it to heaven Private Kururugi." The man pulled something shiny out of pocket. "It seems that you were incredibly lucky. The rest of your squadron was found dead in another warehouse, while this little trinket stopped the bullet."

Suzaku's eyes adjusted enough to realize that the man was dangling his father's watch, the symbol of his shame dangling, in front of him.

"Is it true what you Japanese say, that items can hold spirits? If so, I can't think of a stronger way for an item to say 'live on'!" The man grinned, spinning around before busily typing something on his computer. "Even so, this is quite a stroke of luck! I took the liberty of checking your neural patterns…I think you might be useful!"

"Um, what happened to Lelou-" Suzaku stopped himself mid-word. Even if he had found out, right now that would be admitting that his friend had been at the sight of a terrorist attack, no matter what reason he had. "What happened while I was out? How did the battle end?"

The man's eyes darkened a little, but whether it was from boredom or annoyance Suzaku was unable to tell. "When your squad failed to report in, Prince Clovis determined that the entirety of the ghetto was colluding with the terrorists and ordered a purge. The terrorists put up a surprising amount of resistance, but we had just about cornered them before Prince Clovis gave the order to retreat. But enough of this boring talk. Let's get you to the lab! It's been a long time since I've had so promising a specimen!"

"Excuse me." Suzaku began slowly, looking around. "But who are you?"

The man sent him a broad grin, adjusting his glasses for a moment. "Lloyd Asplund, Director of the Advanced Special Envoy Engineering Corps. And you are my brand new guinea pig!"

"Good evening Brother!"

Lelouch couldn't help but smile when he heard his younger sister, even with all of the anxiety he was feeling. He had done…he had actually done it! He had found a way to fight Brittania. With this new power, he could crush the country that had caused him so much pain! "Nunnally, I thought that you were in bed by now? You didn't wait up for me, did you?"

Nunally tilted her head down, looking slightly ashamed. "It's just that…I was worried about you. Rivalz said that you disappeared around Shinjuku and I heard on the news that…brother?" There was a sudden change in her inflection. "Brother, is there someone with you?"

Lelouch looked over at his new companion, the one who had given him the power to change the world. "Well…I was. I found this person in Shinjuku and she needs to hide as well. Like us. There are a bunch of bad men after her." Lelouch knelt down, taking Nunally's hand. "Nunally, this is C.C. Be careful not to mention that she's here to anyone, even the Student Council."

Especially the Student Council

Lelouch mentally calculated how big of a catastrophe it would be if they someone stumbled upon the fact that he was keeping a girl in his room. Discretion certainly would be the better part of valor in this case.

"Oh…" There was a slight pause from Nunally. "So, you're not bringing a lover home then?"

Lelouch was unable to suppress a groan. He really needed to have a talk with Milly.

Suzaku stepped cautiously through the doorway after Lloyd, who was already crowing with delight over the fact that he was finally going to be able to test his prototype. From what Suzaku was able to glean, Lloyd worked under the direction of the Second Prince Schneizel and was outside the normal chain of command. This was useful, as it allowed for little oversight but it made them the bottom of the pit when it came to receiving test personnel.

"Welcome, welcome!' Lloyd announced with his usual flair, spinning around in a small circle. "Everyone, this is our new subject, Suzaku Kururugi."

The 'everyone' seemed to be unnecessary, as the lab was only populated by two people: a blue haired woman and a girl about Suzaku's age.

"Welcome Private Kururugi!" The woman smiled at him, clutching a clipboard to his chest. "I'm Lloyd-san's assistant, Cecile…and this Mariel."

The girl, smiled at him before going back to her work, something that could not for the life of him guess the purpose.

"Boorrrrinngggg!" Lloyd spun to the table, holding up a helmet. "This…is my Lancelot." The helmet looked about the same size as his old one, but the structure was completely different. The eyes were larger and had a green tint and there was a spike jutting from the top. Even more glaring was the fact that it was painted a glaring white…not at all like the dark colors of his camouflaged armor. "This is the greatest-"

Lloyd was suddenly cut off when the door to the lab opened and the room was flooded by armed men, bristling with automatic rifles. A tall man stepped through, dressed unmistakably in the clothing of a nobleman.

"Private Suzaku Kururugi?" The man asked, not bothering to hide is air of disdain.

Suzaku saluted. "Yes sir!"

"You are under arrest for the murder of his Highness Prince Clovis!"