Story Title: For Hearts And Minds
Rating: T for some coarse language and sporadic violence.
Characters: Lelouch Vi Britannia, Suzaku Kururugi, Kaname Ohgi.
Summary: Without Geass, but with his friends and comrades that will help him on his path, Lelouch Vi Britannia sets out to liberate the Japanese people on his own terms, rallying those around him under the pen, rather than the blade. Nonviolent!AU, with Lelouch and Suzaku working together.
Length: 48 Chapters
Disclaimer: All publicly protected or recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective legal owners. I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material, including but not limited to the Code Geass franchise. No copyright infringement is intended by this profitless derivative work.
Chapter One: The Long War
Arc One: Child Of War
Opening: "Swaying" - Soraru
2010
"The price per imperial tonne of Sakuradite rose 1.5% today to $182.2 per pound, as the 98th Emperor of Britannia, Charles Zi Britannia issued his final ultimatum to Genbu Kururugi, sitting Prime Minister of Japan to cede the Home Islands to his government. Following the discovery of Sakuradite-"
"Are you watching Britannian television again?"
The young boy sitting across from the television, who had up to this point been watching intently as the announcer listed the varying effects the upcoming war had on the Japanese and Britannian economies as they tooled up in the brief calm before the storm, turned to the voice, his amethyst eyes pivoting to the person diverting his focus, a tall, slender Japanese man, scowling down and addressing him with his deep growl. The child looked up, his eyes guarded by his long, jet black hair wildly falling down to his neck. He replied, not allowing himself to be intimidated by the man whose presence always seemed to fill whatever room he occupied.
"Indeed Tohdoh. Slanted information and bias in rhetoric aside, numerical forgeries are much harder to get away with in a public broadcast. More to the point, the Japanese media has just entered blackout."
Lt. Colonel Kyoshiro Tohdoh's scowl remained fixed as he examined the child as he spoke in his usual tone, both unapologetically apathetic and scarily intense, as he made his point, emphasising his words with the tonal control of a master. Not that this was surprising from this particular child, the child of the one who was about to destroy their peaceful lives.
Lelouch Vi Britannia. This child had been trained from birth to succeed his father as the leader of a third of the planet, and behaved as such, constantly remaining visibly reserved and yet always somewhat self absorbed, he always walked lightly yet confidently, as if wanting to leave a vague impression on any area he went, standing at the tender age of ten at four foot nothing, seemed thoroughly unimpressed by Tohdoh's stoic show. Tellingly, it was Tohdoh who was surprised at the end of the exchange, as he replied "The domestic stations are down already?"
Lelouch obviously appreciated knowing more than the domineering man, as he quietly responded "Unless the Prime Minister has decided to stop paying his television license, which I personally doubt."
Tohdoh ignored Lelouch's attempts at wit, as he simply said "Get your sister and gather your things."
Lelouch nodded, standing as he turned away to get his sister Nunnally, who had retired for the evening to her quarters, which meant a venture out from the common area across open ground, paved by loose stones and lined by native plant life in the open plan style of most traditional Shrines that were used for habitation. The sun was just setting on the horizon, the last glimpses barely visible over the hills that lined the distant edges of his vision forward. He paused in the open, hot air to peer at the cloudless view of the light red evening, before resuming his short walk between the thinly walled traditional buildings that made up the overall Kururugi shrine proper. He stepped through the sliding shoji doors into the plainly decorated room he shared with his sister. She was sitting in her wheelchair, plain and free of redundant frills, her clothes plain and traditional Japanese, unlike his uniquely Britannian attire, with a shirt and brown khaki's that he kept from his journey from the Mainland and maintained fastidiously, as there were no replacements. Not that Lelouch was particularly active or outdoorsy. Still, as his shoes clacked against the wooden floor, his sister's head rose up, her innocent, carefree face looking in his direction.
He instantly cringed and looked aside, as Nunnally's crippled form examined him through eyes that never opened, a symbol of why they were both here. His blood boiled every moment he looked upon that represented the open abandonment he had experienced. But even more than the hate he felt for the man who was about to disrupt his peaceful life for the second time, was the hatred he felt for the hatred. It was an odd paradigm, but in his heart of hearts he knew that anger could not rival any empire, no matter how hot it may blaze, and that he needed to think rationally to win the Long War. That was why, even as he calmed himself from his anger towards his father, it was swiftly replaced by a more bitter sentiment, an admission of his own weakness.
No, self doubt would not do either. He needed all his wits about him, especially for the next forty eight hours.
"Brother?"
If he was cross, his sisters sweet, genuine tones in stark response to his measured snark always took any venom out of his mind, as she drew him out of his internal monologue and into the present, as he approached his sister slowly, caressing her cheek comfortingly as he reached her. "Good evening Nunnally, how are you feeling today?"
She paused as she felt his slim, bony hand on her cheek. His brow furrowed, uncertain of what this meant, as she replied "You're trembling brother… is there a problem?"
His face flashed with self directed fury as his fingers flinched back. His sister could always seem to see underneath the underneath, able to discern what his face normally hid with the way his hands and fingers felt to the touch. He sighed, as he responded "Nunnally, the time I talked to you about is here." He had discussed it with her before, that while the elders had a plan of sorts to hide them, they would leave on their own together and be able to hide more effectively. She was hard pressed to agree, and even now she looked dubious. It was again her turn to seemingly wilt in realisation, as she herself began to tremble. "Already? But it's so soon…"
"Father was never known for staying his hand if the opportunity presented itself." Lelouch said bluntly. Nunnally seemed to break out of her own fret, before asking "Do you have a plan brother?"
A sly grin rose to Lelouch's face, before he guiltily retracted it, adding with some confidence restored in his voice, "Naturally. First-"
"Lelouch."
His brow creased, taking his brief moment of pride in the fact he had gone through his eight escape plans in his mind's eye in the space of an instant and determined the most appropriate one for the scenario of a naval landing with fully functional Knightmare Frames on the East coast and turning it into a moment of frustration as the largest irritation in his life over the last few years reared its head.
"Evening Suzaku. Heard the news? Your father has doomed us all."
Suzaku was indignant, responding "Would you rather he gave up?"
Lelouch did not turn to face the Japanese child, instead going over to his belongings and smarmily quipping "Fūrinkazan my good friend; In action, be swift and unstoppable, but when the situation calls for inaction, be steadfast and immovable, like the forest and the mountain."
Suzaku paused in abrupt surprise. "Are you quoting the Art Of War? To me?"
"Yes."
Suzaku seemed at once surprised and irritated by Lelouch's aloof tone despite the severity of the situation, as Lelouch grabbed his valuables, a chess board folded into a small briefcase, before turning back. "Nunnally, we're going now. I appreciate your hospitality Suzaku."
Nunnally seemed torn as Lelouch began to wheel her out of the building, as Suzaku incredulously protested, shouting "Are you just going to leave us?"
Lelouch was silently delighted to be able to deliver his second flat "Yes." of the evening to a speechless Suzaku, but it was Nunnally who gave him pause as he stepped back out into the open air, when she said "We can't leave Suzaku here…"
Her speech was quiet, barely able to contend with Lelouch's booming voice or Suzaku's snappy tone, but it could pierce the both of them out of their frequent arguments with its smooth, quiet innocence. He often struggled with this, as she could talk him out of what he held to be utmost certainties, such as this plan. Bringing more people exponentially increased so many hassles. It ruled out so many methods of transportation, so many hiding places, it meant less food, and money would have to be split three ways to pay their way North, he was Japanese and therefore a liability he-
"Brother…"
'Goddammit…'
He could think of a thousand very good reasons not to bring Suzaku Kururugi, but when Nunnally held his hand tightly and begged that side that went by what she wanted, to help her, to protect her fragile self from the world, he forgot all of them. As he turned up towards the Japanese boy, standing in the doorframe of the wooden house, he scowled, standing indecisively as he grappled with the two incompatible inputs.
"Fine." he hissed, as Nunnally's face perked up.
"But you carry your own luggage."
Several hours later, Lelouch groaned under the weight of Nunnally's body, as he carried it under the orange-red tint of the evening, with Suzaku taking up the weight of their supplies, significantly increased from his original plans, but when you took into account another mouth to feed, it made for a logistical nightmare. He had packed all their food into tailored packages, so he could easily keep track of how many days food they had, but to accompany Suzaku they had to bring more loose food, which meant he had spent the entire time since leaving the shrine trying to add apples and oranges in his mind.
Their leaving was not contested. The elder Kururugi was too busy to be notified, and Tohdoh offered only passive resistance, almost testing them to see if they were ready.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he had asked calmly, seemingly unperturbed that the two hostages and the son of the Prime Ministers were running off into the night the night war was declared, never to return. It seemed nothing could shake the mountain of a man. Lelouch knew better, but that was besides the point. Suzaku, being the one most trusted, took up their case, saying "With due respect Tohdoh-sensei, you and father will be busy defending the Home Islands. We can make it to safety ourselves, and you need not worry about us."
Suzaku was far better at groveling than Lelouch could ever hope to be; his ego couldn't take it, but Suzaku's placating tones seemed to go over well. He paused, eyes shut, considering it. "Suzaku, I have taught you since the age of 5, and you have grown into the kind of person I would be proud of in discipline, but I have no control over your deeds. I would ask one question of you. Will you regret running?"
Suzaku had no instant answer beyond a stammer, to which Tohdoh gave a rare chuckle and raised a hand "You misunderstand; Despite what my friends have said, retreat is a valid tactic. I am merely asking this. Will you be able to have the confidence to stick to your path?"
Suzaku looked like he was about to cry as he responded "Of course Sensei, thank you so much for everything you've done..."
That was Tohdoh's way, Lelouch reflected; he wouldn't stop an action, he would just make sure those undertaking it were ready. He was always aware of his own actions, quiet and rarely advising one way or the other, merely clarifying and allowing them to reach their own conclusions. Suzaku had held himself together as they walked down the hill the Shrine was built on, but he had begun to cry after arriving at the foot of the mountain. Nunnally consoled him, as Lelouch gave his best attempt, before telling him they had to move on. As he saw it, crying and wasting time would disrespect their wish for Suzaku to survive the invasion. Suzaku seemed to bristle initially, but accepted that as being rational and began to trudge behind them. It wasn't like Lelouch couldn't empathise. He'd had to leave everything behind, and Suzaku was doing much the same. He would never see his father again, never be able to say goodbye, and have to create a new life in a world that, if Lelouch's educated guess was accurate, would despise him. He felt sorry for him, but made a clear mental point to not allow that to slow their course. They trudged through the miles of soft dirt and slippery mud leading down into the dense Japanese forest. Lelouch's back and shins began to ache as they descended towards the sea. Suzaku seemed to see this, and suggested "I think we should pause, to rest."
Lelouch responded with a grunt before letting Nunnally down by a tree and doing a little scouting. About ten meters down from the tree, there was a sharp cliff above a road parallel to the sea, the waves just disappearing below the far barrier that stopped cars falling into the Sea of Japan.
"We've made it really far West…"
The comment came from Suzaku, who had joined him on the overcropping above the lone road. It would have been a picturesque scene if Lelouch appreciated things like that. But he was not Clovis, or even Euphemia, and thus only noted the sun setting at the edge of the visible world as proving they were on schedule. He could only ponder in a moment of calm relaxedness at that news about how Suzaku perceived the scene, before returning to his ordered manner.
"Indeed we have. Take one bottle for yourself and one for Nunnally, before we follow the road north to the port at Itoigawa."
Before the Japanese child could respond, a shout came up from across the road, short and cut short like a dog's last gasp, before a mass of cries erupted and the flurry of footsteps just beyond their sight, behind a curve in the road as a loud whirring sound filled their ears, immediately causing both boys to cover them with their palms. They looked as a horde of people, all ethnically Japanese, ran into their sight along the paved road, dropping luggage and rucksacks as they sprinted along, ignoring each other in apparent panic. The whirring noise decreased in pitch, as they saw what was causing the chaos; a pair of Knightmare Frames, like something out of a surrealist artwork compared to its serene surroundings as it scooted past the crowd, ploughing through and crushing people as they passed, bodies flailing as they were forced under the monstrosities wheels, their limbs reaching out as their lives were buried under the treads of the steel beasts.
Suzaku and Lelouch could only watch in horror as the Japanese were torn down as the gigantic machines turned on a cent, and began to mow through the crowd with arms barreling across rows, through the crowds like pigs at a country fair, fresh for slaughter. Body parts, cut short at odd lengths flew up in lazy arcs, bleeding red hues through the sky before coming to an eerily still rest, littering the landscape with feet and kneecaps and hands, all covered in red and white. The parade was hacked down at the centre mass, as people were steamrolled into mash, torsos winnowing to flattened paper, with crunches and cries cueing the ending of lives, limp bodies and empty faces lying without limbs to complete the surreal image. The splatter and roar gave a scent of death, iron drawn from blood and fuel, traces of unburnt fuel mashing with incomplete lives filling the air with a foul stench that permeated the scene of green meeting black meeting red.
For possibly the first time, Lelouch was glad his sister was blind, as he fell backwards and emptied his dinner onto the green shrub that guarded the ledge above the coast road, as Kururugi recoiled back, pulling on his friend's shoulder to get them out of view. The rational part of Lelouch that normally ran his life barely ran on a sort of autopilot, as the pair collapsed into the forest, the horrors now only audible.
Perhaps even more unnerving than the screams of the dying was the following silence of the dead, further echoed by the winding down of the Knightmares, leaving the two boys in their quiet huddle in the brush, neither risking a word as the giant mechas slid past, much quieter than before, in low power mode. Even once they were alone, and they knew they were definitely alone as the waves below slowly sloshed back and forward, generating the loudest noise for miles around, neither boy peered over as the sea began to flood with blood.
Several hours passed until Lelouch finally stirred, not speaking and moving almost robotically, like one of those monstrosities, his motions alien to even himself. His senses were numb as he moved forward forcing himself in the manner of mind over matter to take a step forward, one after another, a conscious effort that took all his will. Nunnally was silent, seeming to sense what had happened. He didn't check to see if Suzaku was following, as he descended onto the tarmac, now suddenly 400 degrees Celsius, his feet begging him to turn heel and run, as he stepped forward towards the massacre, the blood encroaching his shoes, staining them forever.
He looked down, staring at the bodies, some cut jarringly cleanly through by the superheated particles, others mangled and crushed by the uncaring treads, organs spilling like off red prawns and spaghetti, skin giving clear way to bone, sheared and snapped at the ends, wrapped in torn, blood stained muscle and organs. The smell was atrocious too, faeces excreted as the body emptied itself of its fluids and waste, and the overpowering stench of blood filling every sense in his body. Lelouch simply stared down, thinking. He wasn't sure what troubled him more; the redundant deaths themselves, or the one sided manner in which their lives were cut short. He didn't mind death, it was a natural process, nor did he have a particular objection to murder that advanced people as a whole, but civilians, with potential and wisdom still to give, being cut down in what seemed to be the prime of life struck him not only as fundamentally wrong, but completely counterproductive on the part of the only possible culprit; his father.
Of course, he knew the old response. It was practically a stereotype of the fearsome man, that he would declare these people weak, that if they had "won" the genetic lottery, they could outrun, outfight, or outfox their opponents and emerge champions of their environment. Those who could not would be filtered out, and society would be better as a whole.
"I swear…"
Suzaku's footsteps encroached behind him, as Lelouch's mind raced from visions of his mother, killed for as futile reasons, to the dead assembled before him, to the thousands that were to die from here on, to the man responsible.
"I swear, Suzaku, so help me..."
Someone had to do something.
"I will one day…"
He had to.
"OBLITERATE BRITANNIA!"
Lelouch made his declaration, initially intending to say this to Suzaku, but in his anger he ended up shouting at nothing in particular, emphasised by the silence that followed his declaration. He panted, as the waves ate up the silence, before a voice behind him broke it.
"Lelouch."
He turned, jolted by the voice that came from the Prime Minister's son, who continued "Lelouch, don't. Please, I know what you're thinking, and you need to stop. Where you're going isn't going to end well."
Lelouch pivoted, staring the other ten year old down. "What about yours? You'd just as soon join them!"
Suzaku grimaced. "Better that than killing others. At least then you could have sway."
Lelouch ran his hands through his messy hair, wetted by the heat and humidity, as well as the sweating brought about by stress. "What would you have me do?"
Suzaku paused. "You're smart, smarter than me, but you miss what can be obvious. Sometimes there are other ways to win than taking the enemy king. Leaning on a bishop can sometimes do almost as much damage. All you will do is hurt others."
"THOSE PEOPLE DESERVE TO BE HURT!"
Suzaku recoiled, before coming to a realisation. Lelouch saw it in his eyes, before a smile reached Suzaku's lips.
"Then you will be just like your father."
Lelouch face instantly scrunched, like it had just absorbed a foul taste, as he realised not only was Suzaku accurate but he had no retort. His eyes narrowed to diagonal slits as he practically oozed fury towards the Japanese child.
But Suzaku didn't back down. This above all was likely his best trait. Sensing victory was near, he continued "Now what are you going to do?"
After a gap for the Britannian Prince to gather his thoughts, he said "Regardless, even if that is the case, no matter what method I must use-"
"No."
This really surprised him. Suzaku was rarely this verbally aggressive.
"Not what you want, how you will get it. Look at me, right now, how will you do anything."
Lelouch stammered for possibly the first time in his life, before Suzaku continued his rant. "Don't you dare dishonour their memory by plastering it on some vague vendetta, only to get yourself killed or worse at the first turn! What are you going to do?"
Lelouch grimaced, turning to the dead bodies. Suzaku was right. His own mother's death couldn't compare to this. He had to put it aside his own grievances. He had his own mother, but that was a drop in the ocean compared to what his father was done.
"You need to decide Lelouch. You can stick to your own selfish ends, but I won't be staying with you."
Lelouch stood a little taller. "I already have. Now it's your turn."
Suzaku's ears pricked.
"Are you coming with me?"
The Prime Minister's son smiled. "Of course."
A lot of stuff happened this chapter. This fic will be taking a massive divergence from canon, particularly on Lelouch's and Suzaku's role in the plot. Canon events will happen, with other people causing them, but their role will be on a different playing field altogether. This chapter lays out their relationship, as well as showing the initial divergence from canon, being Suzaku talking Lelouch out of his plot of bloody vengeance as only he can.
As implied by the opening news broadcast, the first half of this story will be focusing on the economics of both fighting a war, and getting an economy off the ground and becoming functionally independent.
At least, that's their plan. Finally, the structure. There will be 48 chapters, split into an R1 and R2 with a time skip between them. There will be six arcs per R, with a designated opening per arc that fit the theme. Between every arc will be a flashback that also relates to the oncoming arcs theme, so in total, there will be 60 chapters. 48 story chapters and 12 flashbacks.
On a side note, my editor pointed out Lelouch never met Tohdoh before R1. This is true, that young!Lelouch never gets a scene with Tohdoh, but they are both in the Kururugi family photo. I also didn't want to add an OC for just one scene, and it also saves time having them already know each other later on. Tohdoh is not going to be important in R1, but he is almost a lynchpin in my plans for R2.
I hope to see you again. Next time, on For Hearts And Minds, Chapter 2; The Progeny and the Prodigy. Stay safe, and don't traumatise your little sister. Please rate and review!
~Eth0