Flipped through the Code Geass manga again for the first time in a while. Because the anime came out first, the manga version of Lelouch of the Rebellion differed in many ways from the original version, contrary to how the usual manga-to-anime developments happen. I find the lack of Knightmares was a big one, as well as the various other things that set it apart from the anime made it an interesting read on its own.

It's not a complete departure, scenes are changed, characters are removed, but all the plot twists lead to to more or less the same outcomes in the end. But in reading it, I had an idea. Why not combine them? The idea of sending the hero back to the beginning of their journey is not an unexplored idea, in fact it's a rather common idea used in many different fandoms. There are even some good ones here on the site. But in combining the two worlds, anime and manga, well, we can have something wholly unique out of the deal.

Thanks to Sov for letting me bounce ideas off of you.

"Hey Rivalz, you know what's cool?" Lelouch yawned after his question.

"What Lelouch?"

"Giant robots."

"Huh?" Rivalz took a quick look of to his friend in the sidecar before returning his eyes on the road. The traffic that day was pretty light as he sped through the city, and Rivalz could afford to lose his attention every once in a while. "Where'd that come from? You never seemed like the giant mech kind of guy."

Flipping through his chess log, adding up his recent funds from an hapless noble with too much money and braggadocio on his person, Lelouch responded. "Never was, but they've been in my dreams lately." Finishing up his calculations he put away his book and glanced as they passed into the worse parts of town. "Having a lot of weird dreams lately."

"Is that why you've been even more quiet and drowsy then usual? I've noticed you snoozing away some classes." Rivalz grinned at the image of Lelouch drooling on his textbook, and narrowly avoiding the teacher finding out.

"Kind of." The day is the only time his nightmares don't assault him. "Might need to get some sleeping pills or something. You know anything that can chase away bad sleep and bad dreams?"

"Sorry man I don't have dreams, so I can't help you there." Rivalz made a sharp turn which thrust Lelouch to the side. "By the way we're taking a short cut today. We'll get home quicker." He said speeding past a dilapidated gate into the ghetto.

"You don't have dreams? At all?" Lelouch asked as they cut through the deteriorated numbered section of the town. Quick flashes of dirty people and broken buildings came and went as they passed through.

"Sometimes I think I can remember a dream, but most of the time when my heads clear I don't remember anything." Rivalz paused a moment as he took a turn back into the developed part of town. "Told ya we'd save time."

"Never said anything to the contrary Rivalz." Before Lelouch could dispense more of his wit, the large television that beamed down on everything changed it's broadcast from the news to an explosion.

"My heart is now torn in two halves!" The image of a building exploding and falling down was accentuated alongside the melodramatic speech. "Being torn apart by the emotion of sorrow and frustration!" The image of the ruined buildings were replaced by the image of a blond man with the captions:

BRITANNIA EMPIRE

GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF AREA 11

3RD PRINCE CLOVIS LA BRITANNIA

"But I, your lord of Area 11, will not be succumbed to the terrorists, not now, and not ever!"

"Man," Rivalz swallowed, "those terrorists don't let up, I think that's the 3rd time this month."

The former Japanese of the island, now relegated mostly as second hand citizens in their own country, have but two options. Swallow their pride and collaborate with the occupying forces, or resort to other means to fight against them. While many relegated themselves to the hope they could work for a decent living under Britannian rule, a minority went the guerrilla route. While not successful as many other Area rebellions, they did make the process of colonization hard.

Although, Lelouch wondered, are these attempts doing any substantial damage to Britannia? Will the occupying forces care for bad PR among the natives and the settlers? As long as money flows into their pockets, it's not like lives matter to their conscience or-

"-battle of Justice!" Lelouch thoughts were interrupted as Clovis's speech suddenly burst in volume, a grand orchestra playing behind his oration. "The battle of Justice, protecting all lives...Everyone! Salute these brave 8 men and women of our nation who gallantly gave their lives so others may live to see tomorrow!"

The sounds of Britannian citizens they passed saluting their fallen countrymen drowned out the television. Clovis himself went silent, assuming the patriotic crowds would accompany the orchestra. The few Japanese likely silent or out of the way in the better parts of town.

A war that seems like it'll never end, Lelouch thought, No matter how hard you cry, scream, wish, or pray, only action will change this world.

"Lulu! Rivalz!" With astounding speed, to Lelouch anyways, Shirley Fenette came running at the pair. "Where have you guys been! You better not have been gambling again!" She admonished them outside the various classrooms.

"Hey come on Shirley." Rivalz said trying to placate her. "It's not like we're spending our life savings on poker or anything. It's just some good old fashion intellectual gaming, with some cash prizes on the side."

Evidently this was the wrong thing to say to her. "I swear, Lulu you shouldn't be ditching class to do that." Turning to Rivalz, how jumped back at her gaze. "And you shouldn't be feeding his habit!"

"Hey now! You make it sound far more sinister then it really is you know!" He joked.

"I agree with Rivalz." Shirley jumped at the voice behind her. "It's not like the two are out dealing drugs or playing in some shady underground animal fighting parlors." Milly Ashford said.

"Indeed." putting his hand to the side of his mouth, Lelouch faux-whispered, "So when do you want your cut of the money boss?" Milly and Rivalz fell apart laughing, and Shirley became even more exasperated.

"I swear you two." Shirley shook her head. "You could have already graduated and made real money if you put in as much effort in your schooling's instead of goofing off."

"Come on now Shirley," Rivalz protested, "don't you think that's being a bit generous. I'm a B+ student at best. Maybe 'Lulu' over here could-"

"Excuse me!" The group turned to see Lelouch holding a redheaded girl in his arms. She looked extremely apologetic. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall on you!"

"It's alright" Lelouch said helping her stabilize herself. "Are you OK miss? You look a little pale. Do you need help getting to the nurse?" He said in rapid succession.

The redhead waved him off here face looking tired and weary. "It's alright, just a little dizzy. I'll be getting to class now." And so she she left to a group of her friends, who took over Lelouch's job of inspecting her top to bottom and asking if she was all right.

Milly put her hand under her chin in an inquisitive manner. Before she could say anything, Rivalz answered the question on everyone's minds. "That's Ms. Stadfelt right? Kallen Stadfelt. She's in our class I think. It's rare to see her though. I wonder what's up with that"

"That's because she's sick a lot I hear." Milly answered. "I think the poor girl has some kind of breathing illness, or at least I heard. And I think her name is Stadfeld, not Stadfelt, Rivalz!" She declared, pointing at him.

"Sorry!" He backed up at Milly's sharp finger. "I never see her, the teacher doesn't even call out her name anymore, how should I know?" He tired to defend himself.

All the while they were arguing over Rivalz ignorance, Lelouch was thinking about the girl that just passed him. She doesn't really look sick. Her paleness looks more like white face makeup then anything else. Her arms felt like they had some muscle. All the while Lelouch was staring off in the distance and rubbing the side of his head, Shirley was looking at him and wondering why he was keeping his gaze so transfixed on Kallen.

"I'm just saying Prez," Rivalz said. "I don't even know half the people in my class, let alone Ms. No-show." Before anyone had a chance to say anything regarding his mild hypocrisy, a loud voice came from across the hall. "The textbook is wrong! It's Britannian propaganda and doesn't show Japan in a fair light!"

When they turned, they saw a dark haired young man, wearing a Japanese flag bandanna, shouting his grievances. He, and several others with the same bandannas and school uniforms, were in front of some political posters. Another shouted "It's been covered by the lies of the Britannian government!" He and several other students were carrying around signs and a large banner.

Some of their signs were in Japanese text, which most of the Britannians at Ashford academy couldn't read, or even tell which of the Japanese alphabets it was. The few English signs said things like Kick the Britannia people out of school! or Opposing the discrimination of the the Britannian teachers!

"Oh man." Rivalz sighed while the others looked on with various looks of discomfort. "I told you guys there ought to be separate classes for Elevens and Britannians." He shook his head. Before he could continue he was spun around by the dark haired student. "What are you talking about! This school was originally ours! A Japanese school. If there's anyone who should leave it's you Britannians!"

"Hold on!" Rivalz shouted. "There's no need to be violent!" Luckily for Rivalz, the Japanese students punch was stopped and redirected his blow back. "Stop it. No fighting in school."

The one who stopped him was Suzaku Kururugi, a fellow Japanese student. He turned to the various other student protesters. "You all better not be going around causing trouble either."

Incensed, one of the protesters shouted, "You bastard! You're Japanese too!" Suzaku flipped him over when he tried charging Suzaku. Another shouted, "Do you enjoy being a Britannian dog!?" Suzaku grabbed him and quickly spun him into an armlock.

"No more fighting! All of you disperse now." He pushed the student off. What he lacked in numbers he made up for in military training.

The students obeyed him, some grumbling about him being a disgrace to the country. "Aw man I thought I was going to die!" Rivalz faux-cried. None of them said anything to the boy who just stopped Rivalz from dying.

"Don't exaggerate." Milly said while letting out a sigh at the averted altercation, glad no one go hurt or worse.

Shirley gave him the talk down. "Well maybe you shouldn't have said something that dumb in public Rivalz. What did you expect to happen?" While shaking her head she looked over to find Lelouch, only to see him following and calling out to Suzaku. "That's weird, why's Lulu being friendly with an Eleven?"

"Maybe it's to thank him?" Both girls gave him a weird look. "What? It's not like Lelouch was going to be able to fight them off on his own. Better to keep a guy like that on your side."

Shirley bit her nail. "Maybe. We should probably go to class huh?"

"Why are you avoiding me?" At the rooftop, with nowhere but down to avoid him, Lelouch started to question Suzaku. "You've been in the school for a while now. No calls, no visits, nothing?" Lelouch stood in front of the door as he said this.

Suzaku sighed at his friend questions. "Lelouch, it's better if we aren't seen together." His face held a small bit of anger as he said this. "It has to be this way. You should know this by now."

"Suzaku!" Lelouch tried to reason with him. But all he could come up with were emotional pleas and nothing concrete, logical enough to sway the other young man.

"If I'm with you, your identity will be in danger. It's better safe then sorry." He turned away to look at the distance, thinking back to when they first met all those years ago. A rage filled little boy daring anyone to approach him and his ill sister.

"Risking someone finding out your link to the royal family is worth a little loneliness." Lelouch didn't have a response to that, memories of his youth and mothers grave came seeping back in as he tried to say something, anything. Suzaku made his way past Lelouch.

Before Suzaku left Lelouch tried to call out to him. "It's fine." Suzaku halted his attempts. "I don't mind." With those words he went downstairs and left Lelouch to ponder. Suzaku, you don't fit in with this school. Not the Britannians and not with the Japanese. He kicked on the railings. But when will you realize your the one whose building those barriers, not everyone else, you idiot.

As Suzaku went down the stairs he passed a slightly older man, in a white labcoat and smoking. Normally Suzaku would berate him for smoking on school grounds, and especially in the building, but he wasn't in the mood or mindset to harangue someone.

"It looks like I've seen you somewhere before." The man said in a high pitched and jovial tone. Suzaku gave him a quick glance and an "excuse me" before continuing away. The man in the labcoat just smiled as his future colleague walked off.

"Welcome back brother." A small but inviting voice came as Lelouch returned to his home on the school campus. His dear sister Nunnally, blind and confined to a wheelchair was there everyday to greet him home.

Lelouch got down on one knee, smiling, and said "You knew it was me huh? Even if I didn't call out?"

"Well yeah." She held his hand. "I could tell it was your footsteps, because I can't see my other senses have to make up for them."

"Really? You're really awesome Nunnally." He said giving her a kiss on the cheek, which caused her to giggle.

"Anything cool happen today in school brother?"

"Well," he said leading her to her room, "I had a small talk with Suzaku, it's been a while since we were face to face let alone speaking to each other." He lifted her into bed with a "Hya!"

"I'm not that heavy Lelouch!" She complained in good fun. "You're just weak. You better not have been ditching gym class!"

"Must be all the food I've been cooking, we're both gonna have to work it off." Both of them laughed at that, neither being the physically active.

"You really should invite Suzaku over sometimes. I'd like to see him again." She held his left hand in both of hers as she made her request.

"I will." Suzaku's words rang in his head as he said this. "I'll bring him, definitely."

"Goodnight big bro." "Good night Nunnally."

A different sorts of nightmare hit Lelouch as he slept. This one all too real and tangible.

"Mum! Nunnally!" The young voice called out to no avail. "Where are you guys!" He could hear it but he could not say anything. The fog shifted around him, but it felt like it was solid, like he was at the bottom of the ocean and crushed from the pressure. He saw the small figure in the fog coming near him. Running to him.

It was him, young and still ignorant to the world's cruelties. "There you are." He saw his mother's visage, he heard her, and when he got close enough to hug her, she was covered in blood.

Lelouch jumped out of his sleep, nearly falling out of his bed. 4 A.M. He saw the clock tick just over to it. Deciding not to return to sleep, where nothing but annoyances and pain awaited him, he snuck off to the kitchen and gulped down a half-liter of ice cold water. Cracking his neck, he went and wandered around the house a bit.

Damn it. Weird nightmares, familiar nightmares, Suzaku's avoiding me. Nothings going right. He laid down on the couch and stared off into the blankness of the dark ceiling. What should I do? Ask Sayoko for some tradition medicine? Ask a doctor for prescription? He tried to blot out everything, achieve a kind of zen.

.

..

...

It didn't work. Too much was in his mind. The nightmare that he just woke up from. Suzaku. School. Nunnally. A giant bomb annihilating Tokyo. His mothers assassination. His father. The Ashford Academy and family. The image of Euphie smiling and covered in blood.

What the hell is wrong with me. He pounded his head at that last one. Why!? Why am I imaging all this weird stuff. What the hell is wrong with me! Almost as if sensing Lelouch's anguish, Nunnally could be heard silently wailing. Rushing over, as quietly as possible, he saw her tossing and turning and mumbling about "mum."

Carefully he sat down next to her and held her left hand with both of his. She gripped his hand tightly, still asleep, and slowly calmed down. For a while he just sat there, holding on to her and lost in his thoughts. Nunnally. Because of our the scheming of the Britannian royal family, mom lost her life, and you lost your eyes and legs. I promise, I'll keep you safe, and nothing will ever hurt you again.

Ironically, or not, he couldn't really tell, these same thoughts came to him when Rivalz woke him from the sidecar. His one good nights sleep had been in there of all places. Yawning and rubbing his eyes, he looked around on the sidewalk they were parked in. He vaguely heard Rivalz, who was grumbling about not having enough battery for his car.

While gathering himself he noticed a changing sound in the sky and looked. A plane was there, but it's trajectory seemed off from what it should have been. Is it going to...

"Hey Lulu, earth to Lulu! You there?" Rivalz broke his concentration by waving his hand in front of his friend. Lelouch flinched back at that. "What's up man, I know you just woke up but come on! Pay attention, we got a fuel issue here.

"It's going to land soon." Lelouch stated, with no context.

"Huh." As Lelouch pointed upwards Rivalz saw the rapidly descending plane. "That military transport plane, it's dropping altitude and it's going to crash." Something about it called him. Like a pulsing beat.

"Huh." The blue haired boy saw it going down and down as Lelouch said. "Holy crap you're right!" He turned to see his friend running toward the thing, his helmet discarded on the pavement. "Lelouch! What the hell are you doing, get back here!"

Somehow Lelouch, of all people, was running toward a soon to be crash site.

Down near the crash site, away from the new city and near an already abandoned section of the ghettos, the plane lay ruined. Lelouch called out for any survivors, but got no response. "Didn't make it in time. Did the whole crew die?" It was strange, something in his chest started to contract, he needed to find what was in the wreckage but couldn't say why.

"Is anyone there?" No response. "If you can here me make some kind of sound!" It was to no avail. But near the back of the place he spotted something. A large metal spherical container, with various tubes and appendages sticking out of it. Lelouch touched it, and somehow the whole thing started moving, opening up for him.

In it, a green haired women with restraint clothes, and a sort of sigil on her head laid in the machine.

"W-what on earth is this?" Why is there a human being in this machine? Before any more thoughts went through his mind, he noticed sparks coming from the machine. "Let's get out of here before anything blows out." He picked her up bridal style and left to a few feet outside the wreckage.

Tied up completely. Lelouch worked to undo her weird clothing's bands and restraints. Why is she inside a transport plane of the military. What is the military doing exactly.

*Chk* "And what exactly is a civilian doing here," asked a man in black military attire, "coming in here knowing full well this is a restricted area?" The Britannian Military. Lelouch noted there was a single leader, who held a gun to his head and had a scar on his right check, and a half dozen men behind him, all armed. He had to think quick if he wanted to get out alive.

"Who is this girl?" Maybe I can buy some time "Why is she like this-"

"You're just some civilian!" He shouted. "You have no need to know. And now that you've seen this girl, you'll have to die." Shit, no.

"Please wait!" A man in strange military attire, fully disguised unlike any of the other Britannians was the one who pleaded for Lelouch. His distorted voice sounded almost familiar. When he took off his helmet, Lelouch understood why.

"Please don't kill him!" It was Suzaku. "This person, he's my friend!"

"Suzaku." Impossible, him, in the military! "You...why..." Lelouch couldn't think of what to ask, what to say.

"Suzaku Kururugi, do you think that it is appropriate for a trainee to back talk his superior." Suzaku's scarred leader asked him very slowly.

Suzaku flinched at his accusation. "No sir, I just-" Before he could get a word in edgewise, he was interrupted.

"Being disrespectful to your superiors gets you in serious trouble." His eyes widened at his predicament. "But," the man moved toward Suzaku, handing him the gun, "I'll make an exception this time. You can use this," he smiled ear to ear when he referenced his gun, "and shoot your so called 'friend'."

"Wha..." Both boys were at a loss, Lelouch practically seeing double now from all the stress.

Quickly tiring of his non-responsiveness, he shoved the gun into Suzaku's chest. "So? This is an order. Didn't you declare your loyalty to Britannian?"

"Yes sir, that's true." It seemed like all hope was lost, no one was coming to save him. Lelouch had no weapon, couldn't outrun these soldiers, couldn't convince them to spare him. It looked like he was going to be gunned down by the very institution he wanted to destroy himself.

"But, but I can't sir!" Lelouch snapped his head upwards. "I just can't bring myself to shoot at civilians sir. And especially not at him." Both of them smiled at his words, for just a moment things seemed alright. Suzaku's superior did not share in their momentary joy.

"Then you die." And with those words he shot Suzaku in the chest. Despite his armor, Suzaku fell immediately at the close rang shot.

His friend, one of the few people who knew his identity, who knew the real him, was just shot. "Suzaku." He reached out, whispering his friends name, desperate to see if he were alright. But before he could, old faulty electrical wiring caused a spark, and the wrecked plane exploded with debris and and dust.

"Shit," one of the men coughed, "we can't see anything." In a split second Lelouch picked up the girl and ran as fast as he could for some kind of cover and hiding. In a few moments the soldiers would find out they disappeared and they'd rush to find him.

In one of the nearby buildings, he stopped to catch his breath. While he did it, he noticed the girl had regained consciousness. "Who are you?" He asked panting. "Because of you." *pant* "All this happened." *pant* "Britannia." *pant* "Britannia, even Suzaku." He stopped trying to talk for a bit and concentrated on regaining air. All the while she just stared at him, unblinking and unmoving. He couldn't tell if she could even understand him.

Taking in a final deep breath, he asked "Who are you exactly?" He spend a moment aking in her appearance. He failed to get off the mouth cover, although given how it was situated over his lower face, she shouldn't have had any problems breathing or even talking.

"Is he there?" They found us!? "Search!" They're coming this way. He grabbed the girl and pulled her toward the wall, squatting away from the entrance they came in. "Did they really escape to here." That army guy, the one who shot Suzaku-*RING* *RING*

Oh shit! My mobile! While trying to desperately shut it off, the soldiers spotted and surrounded him. One of them grabbed him and threw him to the wall and told him to stand up. "You stupid kid. If the plane hadn't crashed, or if you didn't have to stick your nose where it didn't belong, all this could have been avoided." The scarred military man made a mock tsk-tsk sound at Lelouch.

"What exactly is Britannia planning?" Lelouch asked dauntlessly, determined not to go out on his knees begging for this bastards twisted pleasure. "Who is this girl?" While Lelouch had a single gun pointed at his, the soldiers felt her important enough to surround her. Why? Why is she so important they crowd around her, why did they stuff her in that container?

"You have no right to know." The scarred military man said. "But, as a student, you've worked hard. Just as expected from Britannian blood. Sad to say, your future ends here." With no sign of said sadness, he took an aim at Lelouch's head.

"Don't kill him!" The green haired girl leaped from her captives and blocked the bullet, taking the headshot instead.

Everyone in the room stood dumbfounded, unable to speak or move for a few seconds. "Hey!" Lelouch said to her limp body. She protected me. She jumped in without a moments hesitation.

"Yaaa!" Everyone in the room looked at the source of the scream, a women and several others were gathered outside of a broken hole in the wall, aghast after witnessed the shooting. "Someone help! A lady was just murdered!" She screamed in Japanese, which most of the soldiers couldn't understand, but got the general idea.

"Captain, what should we do with the witnesses?" One of the soldiers asked. The captain just shrugged as if it were obvious.

"They're Elevens aren't they?" The captain rhetorically asked. "It's fine, just shoot them and be quick with it." And without a moments hesitation the soldiers aimed their guns and went on their way to silence them, only a few making outside before they were gunned down.

"My apologies." The scarred captain returned his aim on Lelouch. "So many interruptions today it seems. You're almost lucky, seeing this, getting several stays, but in the end you out of chances boy."

-You want to end it, don't you young one?-

He felt his hand grabbed, it was the green haired girl. As soon as she grabbed him, it was like falling into an ocean, submerged into a some else. Indescribable outside of this realm of polychromatic currents.

All he could see, focus on, was purple and yellow flashing lights, everything else slipping away from him.

The girl from just then, how. He asked himself as he felt weightless hovering in a void of colors. He saw her just a distance away, she turned back to see him

-You have the will to live don't you?-

It's the girl from just then!

-Create a contract with me.-

A contract? What?!

-You seem to have a reason to continue living-

I do! I have a reason! I need to live!

-If you sign this contract, you can receive power, the power to live-

What contract! What are you talking about?

-I'll give you power. But you will have to grant my wish-

-Once the contract is created-

-Although you will live among humanity-

-You will live a different set of morals from then other people-

What is this?

-A different fate-

-A different time-

-A different life-

Lelouch saw something, a platform in the sky?

"The Ragnarok Connection," a voice boomed out, one he knew all to well "is it starting again?" His father. The man who's life he planned to end with his own hands one day. The man who he envisioned turn to nothing but specks of light by his own command.

-If you have such resolution-

Nothing else needed to be said, without thinking or letting her finish he declared. "Resolution? Sure. Let's do it, you and me. Let's make a contract!" He thrust his hand upward, and his request arrived.

"Heh, did the kid die of fright?" The scarred captain looked at the paralyzed kid, his blank expression completely unresponsive to his words or even the warning shot he fired near him. "Maybe we ought to kick him awake." The captains mean all laughed at his joke.

"Hehe." They all turned to see the just unconscious school boy snicker. And then they heard him erupt into a full whoop like a mad man. "Something funny kid?"Something about the way the schoolboy got up, sides practically bursting open with joy unnerved him. He gripped his left eye closed and smiled at the group.

"It's funny." A momentary pause to let them take in his word, and another for him to unveil his eye. The girls sigil now replaced his iris. "That dogs like you act so high and mighty yet you only pick on defenseless prey." All of them were under his control. "You're nothing more then scavengers, not fit to prowl among the true king of the jungle." All were enraptured by his power, his eyes gaze.

"I, Lelouch Vi Britannia, order you, to go on your knees and die like the animals you are!"

Another moment passed, silence pervading the room. The civilians just slaughtered as motionless and quiet as the men under his power. "Yes sir." In synchrony they brought their weapons to their heads. "With pleasure!" And in synchrony they shot themselves and died, defenseless as those they just put down for the crime of witnessing the army's crime.

For a moment Lelouch felt ill, his stomach about to exit through his mouth, but that subsided in an instant. Those who kill should be ready to die. It's time for me to step up my game, time for me to exit my simple livings and move forward with my plan. To destroy Britannia.

He looked upward. He was ready to take on Britannia. His father, the army, the expansionist regime that caused so much suffering and hatred to happen. All of it would fall starting here, in Japan.

And the die is cast. It's been a while since I wrote anything, any amount of criticism is invaluable to developing as a writer, so hit me with your best.

Apologies to Sov for forgetting to mention him, can't do everything right the first time (despite my vain attempts).