-The Contract-
This is gonna be in the vein of my P3 two-shot series, The Other Path, and as the name implies, explores the possibilities of characters from different franchises granting Lelouch their inhuman assistance.
As a nod to my proof of concept, I'll start off with Elizabeth from Persona 3.
Lelouch didn't quite understand what was going on and that wasn't something that happened often. The former prince of the Holy Britannian Empire was between a rock and a hard place as a container for poison gas was just behind him and a platoon of trigger-happy soldiers looking to kill standing in front of him. Lelouch gave his best performance as the son of a noble and if the deliberately missed gunshots and his childhood friend being sprawled over the floor were to be taken as any indication, it did not work.
"This is far from ideal," the fallen prince scowled as he desperately tried to maintain his poker face.
[Disengaging safety, please remain ten feet away as the package is deployed.] the capsule behind the brunette announced mechanically as several whirs hummed in a synchronized fashion, releasing a cloud of gas as it opened.
The soldiers instinctively moved back several steps, but their gaze along with the targeting reticules of their weapons were firmly planted on the boy, there would be no escape for him here.
"This is even worse," Lelouch gulped as he expected his bodily functions to fail anytime soon, "I can't die, not like this, not before I have my revenge!"
"Revenge?" a soothing, yet mysterious voice rang in the boy's head, "Is it power you desire?"
"What the-?" the high school student voiced out in confusion as he scanned for the source of the enigmatic voice, "Where's that voice coming from?"
"Sir, it looks like the gas is already taking effect on the kid!" one of the soldiers pointed out.
"Looks that way," the captain of the Britannian infantry nodded, "even we're not that cruel, put him out of his misery boys!"
The soldiers' bodies tensed as they cocked their guns in unison, laser sights all flaring as they pointed at various vital regions in the Ashford student's body.
"It looks like your running out of time," the voice said cheekily, "I will ask once more, do you desire power?"
"Ready!" the captain let his weapon hang freely as he raised his right arm to signal his men.
"What do I have to lose?" Lelouch joked grimly, "Yes, I desire power. Power to crush Britannia!"
"Well said," the voice applauded the youth's decision as light footsteps could be heard in the direction of the capsule.
"A girl?" both Lelouch and the captain of the soldiers thought in surprise as a figure in blue walked out of the capsule labeled 'Poison Gas'.
"The power is now yours to use as you see fit," the pale woman with yellow eyes smiled at her new contractor, "just say the word."
"Ghak!?" Lelouch staggered as a sharp burst of pain surged within
"Fire!" the sound of the order resounded in the empty place as all the gathered soldiers pulled the trigger.
"Per...So...Na," the former prince mouthed as the flares of gunfire lit up his field of vision.
The expected feeling of being perforated like a sponge never came as the high school student stared at a grand figure floating above him. It stood at a height of at least a meter and a half, minus the distance between it and the ground. It's form was obscured by the night sky yet it appeared to Lelouch with perfect clarity. It stood regally, a cape over the left half of its armored body, a helm over its head, covering its bright red purple hued eyes.
"I am thou..."
"...Thou art I..."
"...From the sea of thy soul I come..."
"I am Odysseus, The Lost."
Odysseus, as the phantasmal being called itself, raised a darkly armored hand as it hid underneath its cloak, taking the brunt of the direct gunfire from the soldiers. A cloud of smoke soon covered the battlefield, the soldiers still keeping their weapons trained at where the being was.
"Incredible," Lelouch stared in awe, "is this real?"
"Impossible!" the captain of the Britannian forces yelled in disbelief, signalling his troops to fire once more.
"This is very real," the woman's voice replied in a neutral tone, "I suggest you retaliate before they resume their attack."
"Eh? Right," the brunette steadied himself as he took a deep breath, "I am Lelouch vi Britannia and I command you, destroy them all!"
The onyx shaded giant hummed into motion as it raised its left hand, revealing a sheathed sword at its hip. The former prince smirked as he saw the looks of terror plastered on his enemies' faces. Odysseus held the hilt of its blade with its right hand, turning its gaze towards its adversaries.
*FWOOSH*
The wind blew swiftly, followed by the immediate bisection of the soldiers that stood against the Britannian teen. The slaughter occupied the boy's mind momentarily as his Persona dematerialized. The click-clacking of heels awakened Lelouch from his stupor.
"Was this your doing?" the former Prince pointed at the bodies strewn across the ghetto.
"Partly, I merely awakened you power," the woman smiled in reply, "though my master might give me a stern talking to when we next meet."
"It's one mystery after another with you, isn't it?" Lelouch asked with a pained look in his face, "But I believe this isn't the place for answers."
"At a later time, then," Elizabeth answered as she exercised her arms and legs, "these accommodations left much to be desired."
"I can imagine," the Ashford Academy student stated as he looked passed the alley, "damn, the army's started to field KMF's, this is gonna be tough to move around."
[You two over there! This is Viletta Nu, Knight of Britannia,] the unmistakable whir of landspinners flared louder and louder until a Sutherland towered over Lelouch, [What are you doing here?]
"Thankfully, she hasn't noticed her comrades bodies all over the road," the boy sighed in relief, "but what now? I doubt Odysseus could pierce armor with his blade."
"Oh my, is this another Persona?" the pale skinned elevator attendant wondered as she studied the Knightmare, "No, it seems to be a machine of some sort."
"That's it!" Lelouch's quick thinking kicked into action, "Excuse me, officer, the two of us require medical attention, we were taken captive by some rebels and we only managed to escape thanks to the attack."
[I see, please stand where you are, I've got a first aid kit over here,] the female soldier's voice stated as she set her Sutherland on standby.
"Elizabeth," the girl in velvet blue projected her thoughts into the raven haired teen's mind, "that is my name."
"So we can speak, sorry, think freely?" Lelouch gave the woman a questioning look as he noticed the Sutherland's cockpit begin to open.
"In a manner of speaking, yes," the white-haired enigma smiled in reply, "though I sense you have a question to ask me."
"I'm coming down now," the pilot, a dark-skinned woman, announced as she began her descent via cord.
"How far can I summon my Persona?" the former prince asked as he prayed to whatever deities there were that the officer wouldn't see her bloodied compatriots.
"As far as you can see unaided, though the strain increases with distance," the yellow-eyed elevator attendant thought back, noting that the trusting KMF pilot was nearing them.
"You two did well to avoid the JLF," the soldier complemented as she set her kit down, "now, who should I treat first?"
"How about yourself?" Lelouch smirked as he raised his hand to focus his power, "Persona!"
Heeding its wielder's command, Odysseus sprang forth from the sea of Lelouch's soul, catching the Knight off-guard.
"What is this?" Viletta gasped for breath before she was knocked out by a single blow from the phantasmal creature.
"My apologies," the former prince said quietly, "but no one shall stand in my way."
Quietly, the Persona drew its blade and stabbed at the dark-skinned woman's heart.
"We need to get moving," the high school student stated matter-of-factly as he fondled the officer's pockets for the activation key, "from what I know of KMF's cockpits, we might have to squeeze in."
"Lead the way," Elizabeth whistled a tune, paying no heed to the raging gunfire nearby.
The pair boarded the stationary Knightmare with Lelouch acclimatizing himself with the available armaments. Elizabeth curiously looked at all the unfamiliar devices within the cramped space before resting on the ex-prince's lap, not noticing the blush beginning to form in his face.
"..." the Ashford student calmed himself, remembering that he shared a mental link with the woman sitting on him, "Landspinners in good condition and we've got a few clips on the assault rifle, tonfa and harkens."
"Would these be the weapons carried by this craft?" the pale woman inquired.
"Yes," the brunette replied calmly as he looked over the screen and began studying what he could about the battle.
"Will they suffice?" Elizabeth asked in concern.
"For now," Lelouch reassured her before he clasped his chest and forced himself to breathe deeply.
"Your 'power' is taking its toll," the woman explained, "it will pass in time, but until you condition yourself, it's best to use it sparingly."
"That would have been nice to know earlier," the boy snarked as he calmed himself, "for now, we'd best ally ourselves with the 'terrorists', considering we just killed a dozen Britannians."
"I leave it to you," the velvet-clad elevator attendant nodded cheerfully as she sat back.
-11:00 A.M. Ashford Academy Student Council Building The Next Day-
The battle went on without a hitch as the combined might of Lelouch's tactical prowess and supernatural ability overcame all Britannian opposition. Save for one mysterious next-generation KMF that shrugged off most of the attacks directed against it. Ultimately, Lelouch and Elizabeth managed to avoid capture and snuck their way to the governor's G-1 Base by a combination of stealth, cunning and an oddly powerful book dubbed 'The Compendium', culminating in the assassination of the exiled prince's half brother, Clovis la Britannia.
"I'm an enemy of the empire now,"the boy muttered weakly in his sleep.
"We're enemies of the empire now," a distinctly feminine voice corrected him.
"Eh?" the brunette's eyes nearly popped out as he was greeted by the sight of a half naked woman cradling him, and not the half that most people would think decent.
"You've had a long night," Elizabeth mentioned with a neutral tone, paying no heed to her lack of clothing, "I feared that you would not make it through the night."
The elevator attendant got up from bed, giving the boy full view of her ivory white skin, before finding her unwrinkled cap on a nearby shelf.
"So that wasn't a wild dream, then?" the teen groaned as he moaned at the massive migraine he was now nursing.
"I'd think not," the woman replied as she put on her clothes.
*KNOCK*
"Master Lelouch," a feminine voice came from outside the door, "Lady Milly is wondering why you missed your morning classes. If you are ill, then I can arrange for a doctor- "
*Creak*
"Sayoko, wait!" the boy panicked, falling off the bed, only to realize that he was naked underneath the sheets.
The maid stared quietly at the scene that unfolded before her.
3 seconds...Nothing.
6 seconds...Elizabeth makes eye contact with Sayoko.
10 seconds...
"I apologize for the intrusion," the Ashford family maid bowed low, "it was presumptuous of me to enter so abruptly."
"Sayoko, wait, I can explain," the exiled prince got up, revealing his manhood to his longtime caretaker.
"M-master Lelouch!" the poor maid was flabbergasted momentarily before steeling herself to regain her composure, "There's no need for an explanation, you are at that age after all. Do not worry yourself, I will not be telling Lady Milly about your...'overnight guest'."
Without anything else to say, the maid shut the door and went about her day, not before thinking to herself: "As expected of Master Lelouch."
-Back to the room-
"Elizabeth," the boy called out calmly as he dressed himself.
"Yes?" the woman replied innocently.
"Why were we naked?" the brilliant strategist inquired, his own conclusions leaving more questions than he'd like.
"Why, I've always been curious about the different cultural practices around the world," the elevator attendant began to explain as she straightened her cap and held her Compendium close, "and I came across one from Japan, I believe it was called 'skinship'."
"..." the teen let the thought sink in as he bade farewell to what little of his morals remained at this point, "say no more. Please."
"Very well," the woman acquiesced before flipping through the strangely blank pages of her book, "due to certain circumstances I am unable to contact my master, Igor."
"Igor?" the exiled prince imagined a shady looking character from a rather popular horror film.
"Yes, normally, I am his assistant in overseeing and aiding people with the 'potential'," Elizabeth responded as she closed the book, "people much like yourself."
"You mean people with Persona?" Lelouch asked as he folded his sheets.
"Yes, in a case such as this, I will be overseeing your growth and development of the power you have been given in his place," the ivory-skinned beauty stated, "I shall serve to the best of my ability."
"I guess I'm in your care, then," the boy sighed.
-Afternoon, Ashford Academy Courtyard-
Thankfully, Elizabeth listened to Lelouch's request to lay low in the club room as he performed damage control with his friends over the concerns of his being at the ghetto during the time of the battle and subsequent political assassination. The former prince wasn't fully there though, as pointed out by his friend Shirley Fenette, who noticed him giving thousand yard stares as if he were being contemplative. The high schooler laughed it off and the two went their separate ways, but her words rang in his ears as he thought over how Elizabeth explained Social Links and how they developed his power.
"What's the difference?" the strategist mulled over in melancholy, "How can I tell if I'm their friend or using them for power?"
*Bonk*
The brunette's brooding was interrupted by the appearance of a semi-spherical object which subsequently made contact with the former prince's face. The impact managing to knock the student council member flat on his back. Upon closer inspection, Lelouch realized that the object in question was his friend, Rivalz Cardemonde's spare bike helmet, however, that knowledge only led to a series of questions that the youth didn't really have the time for.
"Lelouch!" the voice of said friend yelped as he saw the other student knocked down, "Dude, are you okay?"
"My God, Rivalz," the Vice President of Ashford Academy's student council sneered at his so-called 'friend', "is that how you're greeting everyone now? Helmets to the face?"
"I called out to you, man," the blue-haired blunder defended himself, "but you looked pretty out of it...so it might be my bad, in hindsight."
"Might be? In hindsight?" Lelouch's left eye twitched, a show of his irritation at the moment, "however you look at it, throwing a bike helmet at someone is not okay."
"Sorry," the other boy sighed, "anyway, can we talk?"
"Sure," the former prince acquiesced as he nursed the massive headache that resulted from his recent bout of head trauma, "what's on your mind?"
"What happened to you yesterday?" Rivalz frowned as he asked, "We got split up, then all hell broke loose in the ghetto, heck, I hear that the rebels actually came close to winning the fight before the governor was, y'know, assassinated."
"After we got split up..." the avid chess player hummed as he thought over an excuse, "I found some of the armed forces and they escorted me out of the place, though the gunfire and explosions made it take much more time than it normally would."
"I see," Rivalz sighed, "look dude, if you don't wanna talk about the rest, that's fine, but I'm really sorry I had to leave you on your own back there."
"Don't be," Lelouch shrugged, "there wasn't much either of us could have done about it, at the very least, we're still alive."
"That's true," the blue-haired boy nodded, "wanna grab a bite?"
"Nah, Sayoko has the day off so I'm making dinner tonight," the brunette answered, "besides, don't you have to write a book report or something?"
"Aw crap," Rivalz facepalmed, "I completely forgot. Later, dude!"
And with that, Rivalz Cardemonde dashed away into the sunset, or in the direction of his house if you aren't in the mood for romanticizing the effort.
"Better head ba-!?" the sound of breaking glass interrupted the boy's chain of thought.
"Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Magician Arcana."
A mysterious voice, different from that of Odysseus', boomed from within his psyche.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to this," Lelouch sighed before calling it a day.
AN:
So, just a little side project I've had in the works for a while, everything else is still ongoing, but real life takes priority.