"In this world, there are two kinds of people: the winners, and the losers. The winners have the power to shape the world however they see fit... However, in a world where the people you love are dead and gone, what is the point of being a winner?" -Emperor Charlamaigne XIII

CODE GEASS
-Kill the Rebellion-

"...where am I...?"

Those were the words of a lone figure, floating aimlessly in the void.

The figure was dressed in elegant, noble white robes with gold tailings, bearing a young face with short black hair and violet eyes. All around him was a blank, endless void. It seemed to stretch on forever, no visible source of light in sight, yet in spite of that, he could clearly see his own body. At first, his mind was hazy, unable to process his own thoughts. After a few seconds, his body regained it's senses. He was able to move his fingers, then his arms, and then the rest of him.

His memories, which were blank, slowly became sharper in focus. His eyes narrowed in confusion as he looked down at his chest, which he expected to be bloody red, and pain roaring through his body. After all, only mere moments ago, he had been stabbed in the chest. "...am I...dead?"

...Yes...Yes he did die...he died for the cause of a new world...A peaceful world...for his little sister.

So... why? How was he still alive? "...you seem surprised, Lelouch vi Britannia..." a cold, raspy voice spoke, causing the teen to jump. "Was death not what you expected it to be?"

"What?!" Lelouch spun around in the endless emptiness, trying to discern the voice.

He soon found the source. Standing not far from him was a figure shrouded in robes. From head to toe, he was covered in black rags that looked as if they had been through a tornado, ripped apart and left to almost mere shambles. Covering his face was a familiar mask he had seen before, plain white with red markings, and bearing only a single eye hole, which revealed a black sclera and a green iris.

"Welcome, Demon Emperor..." the figure breathed. "I welcome you... to D's World."

"D-D's World...?" This was news to him. He knew of C's world, having visiting it before and requesting the Collective Unconscious to continue the flow of time.

He had no idea of D' World.

"Yes..." the masked figure nodded. "D, as in, Death. It is where all souls will pass before joining the World of C. You may think of it was the River of Styx."

"So...D's world is the transition of life to the after life?"

"In a sense..."

Lelouch smiled wryly. "So... the Zero Requiem was carried out without a hitch."

"Indeed it had. With your death...humanity has taken the steps to recover." That brought forth a sense of relief to him. Finally... their path had reached it's end. "Although, I must confess, I am quite intrigued..." the robed figure stated. "There is no certainty that the future will be set into place. Sooner or later, the peace you established will fall like all the rest... yet you hold the most absolute faith in your friend that he will guard that world with his very life." He tilted his head. "Why is that?"

"It is because he is my best friend that I have absolute faith in him." Lelouch responded.

"Oh?"

"Yes. Even though we've had our...disagreement...I'm sure he will see it all through."

"And what if he can't?"

"Then another will stand after him." Lelouch answered confidently. "Zero isn't just someone wearing a mask. It's a symbol, a representation. No matter how many will fall, there will always be someone ready to wear that mask. After all, a man is only human, and has an expiration date... but a symbol is something that will last forever."

"I see. So you left behind something immortal to ensure that peace. Not bad...not bad at all..."

The newly deceased ruler of the world chuckled. "Coming from the apparent grim reaper, I'll take it as a compliment."

"Indeed. But now you are probably wondering why you are here...correct?"

Lelouch nodded. "If I am here instead of C's World, I would assume this would have something to do with my Geass?"

"You assume correctly." the figure replied. "As I have told you before, all pass through this world before joining the collective subconscious." The feared Demon Emperor nodded his head. "However, I only greet those who carry the Power of the King... and only those who have, how shall we say... caught my interest?"

Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "Caught your interest?"

"I have been around for a long...long time. And because of that, I have become bored of many things. My only form of entertainment being the passing of souls and my duty. But as I peer into the lives of some souls, I can't help but be intrigued by some of the tales they have lived. I must say...yours is my favorite out of all of them."

The king felt his eyebrow twitch in aggravation. A scowl was made present. He didn't care if this being was the apparent god of death, his life was NOT something to be gained amusement out of! His life was something he wouldn't push unto anyone. he had lost so much, he was even forced to kill his own sister just to stop her from becoming a monster any further. Even worse, he had nearly lost Nunnally in the FLEIJA bombing.

And this bastard had the gall to tell him that his life was ENTERTAINING?!

"I know what you are thinking. And just because I said I was entertained, does not mean I found everything so amusing..." D interjected. "What I meant was I was most intrigued of your story than everyone else's. You have done what no other human was capable of. You truly changed the world of the living...you saved C from being killed by those arrogant humans."

The memory of his parents being engulfed into C's World made a relished smile cross his face. "I didn't say the collective subconscious because I was doing it for justice," he stated. "I did it because I didn't want to give those people the satisfaction of their new world coming about."

"Even still, it was a great accomplishment." the being said. "Then again, I would have expected nothing less from one who was granted the power of the King."

"About that...I'm still stuck on one thing. Just why is Geass called the power of the King? Just what is its origin?"

"I am afraid that is not my place to say." D informed him. "However, what I can tell you, is that it was called the Power of the King because those who have made their mark on the pages of history have beared that power. For years upon years, with the countless rise and falls, this one power centered on both it's creation, and it's destruction. Within time, the curse of Geass became known as the Power of Kings." A chuckle escaped him. "And yet... very few have ever bore a soul worthy of it, like yourself."

D looked back at Lelouch, his gaze smoldering with intensity. "And is because of that very reason that I have brought you here, Lelouch vi Britannia."

"So why have you brought me here? My purpose is finished. There is no other reason for me to exist."

"You are correct on that," D nodded his shrouded head. "However, it is here that I must ask: if granted the opportunity... would you present the change you brought forth to a world that is more corrupted than even that of Britannia?"

"...what are you implying?" Lelouch asked with narrowed eyes.

"Tell me, if I told you that other worlds exist, would you believe me?"

"...I have witnessed Cs world, and now this. I'm pretty sure I won't be too surprised."

D barked out a laugh. "True enough, young man." he said. "True enough."

"So what is this world you are referring to?"

The shrouded being waved his arm about. Instantly the dark void was erased, replaced with a brilliant, azure sky around them. However, below them was the bird's eye view of what looked to be a gigantic cityscape. Given the architecture, it was likely somewhere between the progression era and the Medieval ages.

It truly was an intriguing sight.

And yet, somehow, Lelouch also felt a disturbing unease from it as well. "What... is this...?"

"That...is the malice that has been accumulated amongst the people for hundreds of years."

Suddenly, the world around him shifted. Now, he was within the streets of the city below him.

What he saw... had ignited a flame of anger deep within his heart, a hatred so great that, if only for a moment, it surpassed even his rage towards Britannia. In the streets, there were many people, male and female, young and old, suffering at the expense of the wealthy. He could see the nobles and privileged individuals wallowing in their own corruption and greed, making the lives of the poor a living hell. He witnessed innocent people being incarcerated, tortured, and executed. He saw soldiers bribed to ignore the masses. He saw them slaughtering innocent people, those who had done nothing wrong, those who were simply trying to lead normal lives. They were all being trampled underfoot by the Empire. A complete cesspool of this corruption.

"Kghr!"

Lelouch gripped his head in pain. Emotions struck him dead on, like a freight truck at full speed with no intention of stopping.

Pain.

Fear.

Rage.

Anger.

Sadness.

Despair.

Hopelessness.

Fury.

Anguish.

Depravity.

Every emotion came with an image to it. He saw how women were thrown against walls, violated as their aggressors grinned with glee. He saw how men, women, and children were hacked to pieces by men with swords as they laughed. He saw how men with money watched as people outside the comforting walls of his house died of sickness and starvation, all the while smiling without a care in the world.

Every fiber of his being was burning in absolute wrath. He wanted nothing more than to eradicate every single one of those parasites!

"...I trust, you now see why I asked you what I did before." D said as the world faded to black once again. "Would you begin yet another revolution, in a world where the corruption of an Empire has run deeply for nearly a thousand years?"

Lelouch merely gave him a look. One that said 'Do you really need to ask?'

His eyes, even without the sigils of Geass, were burning red.

"I see. I thank you, Lelouch vi Britannia..." D nodded.

"...why are you thanking me?" the man asked out of curiosity.

"You are willing to bring about change in a world you have no reason to take part in."

Lelouch chuckled darkly. "Your certainly right about that..." he mused. "I don't have a reason to bring about a change to this world you've shown me. In fact, had you presented me with this offer a long time ago, even after I donned the mantle of Zero, I would have refused." He looked down at his hands, which trembled with rage. "Now, however... I understand the truth of things. It wasn't me who was wrong... It's this world. The world is wrong!" His eyes narrowed in rage. "If having power makes you righteous, then is being powerless a sin? No! I refuse to accept that!"

"Then what will you choose?"

"Isn't it obvious?! I will annihilate that twisted world. And create a new one in its place!"

D, beneath the mask, grinned. "Excellent answer... However, I should warn you in advance, in regards to this world you will soon be entering." he said, earning a frown from the teen. "In accordance to the laws of the Worlds of D and C, I cannot send you to that world with a body of flesh and blood. Instead, I will transfer your soul to the 'Lelouch' that exists in that world."

"The me... who exists in that world?"

"Yes. You already are aware of parallel worlds...The Lelouch of that world is a parallel version of yourself. A Lelouch living a life drastically different from yours."

"In other words, I will be living his life."

"Exactly." D nodded.

Lelouch chuckled mirthlessly. "Well, then I can only hope that me has a much more promising life ahead of him."

"You have no idea, Lelouch vi Britannia."

"Good grief, where in the heck did that guy go?"

This was the complaint of a young boy in his teens, bearing messy brown hair and green eyes. He was wearing a yellow sweater over a dress shirt with thick brown boots and blue jeans, and carried a sword over his back. "Oi! Akarui!" the boy called out, having traversed through the forest for miles. He eventually sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "How far did he go off?" he mumbled. "We're supposed to make it to the Capital before night fall dammit!"

He had been at this for hours. He had been looking for his friend, but they got separated.

It was bad enough because of that bandit attack that he had been separated from Ieyasu and Sayo, but if he were to get separated from Akarui... things would definitely become a lot harder for them. Sure, he was skilled, but when he and his friend took to the field, it was damn near impossible to stop the both of them. He liked to think of themselves as the ultimate duo, hence why he was worried about his friend's disappearance.

"Akarui!" he called out once again. "Where are you?!"

No response. The same response he had been getting for the past two hours.

Was he lost...? Again?

Another sigh escaped him. "You gotta be shitting me..."

Why do things like this always happen to him...?

Sighing for what was probably the upteenth time today, Tatsumi delved deeper into the forest, intent on finding his lost friend. He had the handle of his sword close in case the possible Danger Beast popped out. "Gods, this place gives me the creeps!" Tatsumi mumbled. The woods weren't lush and green with a sense of serenity, despite the monsters that lurked about within. Rather, the woods were cold, damp with shriveled remains of gray trees. "I knew we shouldn't have taken this short cut!"

It sounded a well-thought plan at the time...now he was severely regretting it. It also didn't help the fact that he heard noises every now and then, only adding to the creepiness of this place.

"Dammit Akarui! Where the hell are you?!" He shouted. Not even a second after he said that did he find himself tripping over his feet. "Oof!" he grunted, hitting the ground face first. "Ow..." The brunette growled in irritation as he rubbed his face, which was stinging slightly at the chin, due to the scrape. He slowly pushed himself up off the ground, shaking his head before he looked at what caused him to trip. It was a leg. To be more specific, the leg of the person he was looking for. Tatsumi's eyes widened in surprise. "Akarui!" He was slumped up against a tree, his eyes closed. Tatsumi's eye twitched. "You gotta be shittin' me!" he cried. "You've been here SLEEPING?!"The unconscious teen did not react in the slightest. "Oi oi oi!" he snapped. "Wake up you lazy ass!" Still, he did not wake up. Tatsumi growled. "Okay..." He rolled up his sleeve, fist clenched. "Just remember... you asked for it!"

He swung his fist down, intending to ram it into his friend's skull.

However...

A hand shot up and caught the fist just before it struck the man.

"...Tatsumi," a calm voice said plainly. The owner of the fist, however, was trembling as sweat poured down his face. "You have five seconds to explain why exactly you were about to punch me before I kill you."

"I-I-I was trying to wake you up b-but you wouldn't even twitch!"

Akarui's red eyes glared at Tatsumi intensively, as if flaring fires were staring deep into his heart.

"...five."

"W-wait, what?!"

"Four."

"C-c'mon, l-let's talk this through!"

"Three."

"S-seriously, it was just a joke!"

"Two."

"I-I'm serious! It was a joke! I swear!"

"One."

"...h-have mercy!"

Akarui grinned. "Zero."

"GYAAAAAAGHHHH!" The cries of a young male resounded throughout the woods.

"How much longer until we reach the capital, do you think?"

"A few hours, maybe. Still, I don't exactly like this idea. I mean, you've heard the rumors about the Capital, right?"

"Hey, I don't like this idea as much as you do, but how else are we gonna keep up business?"

That was the harsh truth. Despite the rumors, they had no choice. Perhaps it was the result of them choosing this profession. They were merchants who sold their wares to various people around the country, but they made it a point to stay far away from the Capital. However, their employers needed supplies they could only obtain in surplus from the darkened den. So much to their reluctance, they were on their way to the cesspool of corruption.

"I swear, this is bullshit..." one of the merchants sighed. "I'd rather get eaten by a Danger Beast."

Ask...and ye shall receive, as the saying went. The ground beneath the caravan trembled, breaking apart and pushed up. A second later, a gigantic beast rose up, rearing it's head and letting loose a loud roar.

"AHHH! AN EARTH DRAGON!" One of them cried.

"Shit!" the other scowled as he tried to calm the horses down in order to turn them around. "What the hell is a Danger Beast doing here?!"

"I don't know! We gotta get outta here!"

The beast reared it's head and roared once again, and then lunged for the caravan. However, before it could even get close, two blurs dashed right through. A second later, two gashes ran along it's body. One resided on it's shoulder, while the other was on it's arm, where blood spewed. The beast roared in pain before turning it's head to the ones that injured it. To the merchants' shock, it was a pair of boys, both in their early teens. One had messy brown hair and soft green eyes, a confident smirk on his face, while the other had black hair that was unruly and unkempt, and bore deep crimson eyes. In both of their hands were blades.

"An Earth Dragon, huh?" the green-eyed boy grinned widely. "Finally... A worthy challenge!"

The red-eyed boy scoffed. "This won't even take five minutes."

Before the merchants could question, the two were already in action. The dragon roared, and lunged, ready to devour them whole. However, the two were much faster and weaved around the Dragons jaws. The two then reappeared at the caravan. Their blades were placed firmly in their sheathes. A second passed. Two, then three. Then, two giant cuts formed on the danger Beast's body, and with it came geysers of blood.

"Gruuooooghhh..." With a wail of pain, the beast crashed to the ground, its body unmoving.

The green-eyed boy grinned. "Nothing to it!" he said trumphantly as he flicked his nose. "Alright!"

A sigh escaped his companion as he shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You get overly excited over such a simple victory..." he muttered. "Still, this was hardly a fight."

He was still bored. That Earth Dragon was really weak. It was barely worth his time.

"Th-Thank you two so much! You saved us!" The merchants exclaimed in gratitude.

Tatsumi grinned at them. "Wasn't nothing!" he told them. "Just what you'd expect from the two best swordsman that ever lived-ACK!" he yelped when Akarui rammed his fist into his skull. "Dammit! The hell was that for, Akarui?!"

"For being an arrogant git," he responded. A pause. "...that, and because I felt like it."

"Was this about trying to punch you awake earlier? I said I was sorry, like, fifty times!"

"It was fifty-four times to be exact." Akarui stated coolly.

The merchants chuckled. "Seems like you two are a bunch of lively ones." he said jovially. "Still, is there any way we can repay you?"

"Yeah, actually." Akarui nodded. "My friend and I were supposed to reach the Capital before nightfall, but-" he gave Tatsumi a sharp glare. "-we're a bit behind time. Would it be possible for you to give us a lift?"

At this, the merchants became disturbed. They shared a look, which confused the two, before they turned back to the teens. "Well, the Capital of the Empire is our destination..." he said slowly with a grim face. "But, if I were you two, I'd go back to wherever you came from." Akarui frowned in confusion. "The Capital is a very dangerous place... more dangerous than anyone realizes."

Tatsumi didn't seem to understand a lick of it as he waved off their concerns. "Thanks for the warning, but we can handle ourselves." he said, confident in his abilities as he turned to where the Capital rested. "Besides... I made a promise to my friends, and I intend to keep it."

The merchant sighed. It would appear that nothing he would say would get to them... He just hoped they really understood what it is that they're getting themselves into. "Well, alright." he said. "hop in."

Tatsumi smiled as he thanked the man. As the two boys hopped inside, Akarui looked down at himself, staring at his own physique as if it were the first time he had ever done so. He slowly flexed his fingers, clenching them closed and then opening them before a slight smile formed across his face.

'How ironic that this world's version of me is the exact opposite of myself in terms of physical strength.' Lelouch vi Britannia mused. 'So, that was a Danger Beast... Rather pathetic if you ask me, but interesting nonetheless.' A smirk began to develop. 'I hope the Prime Minister is ready. After all... a Demon is about to arrive at his front doorstep.'

"Hey, Akarui...you doing alright?" Tatsumi asked him.

"Hm? Yes. Why do you ask?" Lelouch acted.

"Well, I dunno..." Tatsumi shrugged. "You just seemed kind of out of it is all."

"I see...Well, you did wake me up from my nap. So maybe I'm still just half-asleep."

Tatsumi's face slightly paled as he laughed nervously. "Y-yeah, um... Sorry about that."

"Your forgiven... for now." Lelouch answered before he turned to the Capital. His eyes narrowed. 'I hope your prepared, Honest... Because, one way or another...'

For a brief moment, the sword in his sheath developed black and red sparks.

'I'm coming for you.'

Next Time!

Tatsumi: Sugoi! So this is the Capital!

?: I can hook you up with some connections, if your interested~

Akarui: I don't quite trust that girl...

?: Is... that you, Tatsumi...?!

Episode 1: A Demon's Arrival X Kill the Hellion!

?: It... can't be... Is that you... Nii-san?

A/N: Sorry if the beginning, or rather, the overall chapter, is slow-paced. Its been a really, really trying time for me. I promise that next chapter will be of better quality. Also, I would to say that this story, along with another that will be published in the near future, are going to be among of my last few publications until the completion of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R-eset, and Tatsumi ga Kiru! There may be other stories I will publish, but for now, they will be put on the back burner.

Also... I'd like to have a word with the guest who has been bugging me lately about me not keeping my promise about focusing on R-eset... Do you have any idea what kind of shit I am going through? That story was the work me and my friend Joshua did. Were it not for that wonderful son of a bitch, I would never have gotten into anime at all, nor would I have ever gotten to see Code Geass. He died not too long ago, and just looking at R-eset is enough to make me remember all the good times, and start balling my eyes out to the point where I can't stand to look at it. This means that, until after I've grieved enough, R-eset is put on indefinite hold.

Now, let me tell you, as nicely as possible... GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY FACE.

...aaaaand that's enough of my ranting. How did you like this story? Did you like it, did you hate it? Tell me your thoughts in your reviews. You all have a wonderful day or night, wherever you live. Please be safe.

Demons Anarchy of Pride, out.