I don't own Code Geass or any part of it in any way, shape, or form. If I did, it would never have been half as awesome as it was.
Hope you all enjoy the story!
Chapter One: Stories in a Cell
~~~~~Present Day (Between 5 and 6 years after the Zero Requiem)~~~~~
The once great and powerful emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire, Charles zi Britannia, sat alone in his cell– brooding, fuming, and pondering. What had happened to him? Why was he here? Who had taken the throne? How long had he been sitting alone in this cell? Charles recalled no memories beyond the time of his son, Lelouch, stealing his code and turning the unconscious mind of all humanity against him and Marianne. Yet, it seemed there must be something more; something he should remember but couldn't taunted his brain. Charles had fully expected to die after all that had happened at his last memory, but that wasn't the case. He knew he wasn't dead, for he was in neither heaven nor hell. Instead, the deposed emperor sat, silent but seething, in a lonely, lowly prison cell, shut off from the rest of the world.
Walls of cold, hard stone surrounded him on all sides, as well as from the ceiling and the floor. A sturdy, wooden door to the outside world, the only interruption from the harsh stonework, sat on the north wall, taunting him. If he could only pass through it, he might find the outside world again… and answers, answers to all of his daunting questions. But he couldn't pass through the door. He'd tried, but it was barred, and far too strong to break through anyway. So instead of trying, he sat on his prison bed racking his mind. Someone had gone out of their way to make the cell as comfortable as they could. The small, but warm, bed on which he now sat lay nestled against the wall on the east side of the door. In the northwest corner sat a tall, cordless lamp, the only source of dim light in the electricity-free cell. The southwest corner extended out slightly into a restroom.
The focal point of the room, however, lay on the east wall. There sat a wooden chair and large, ornate table. Upon that same table rested a few items of interest: pens, pencils, paper, but most intriguing of all, a few pictures of those rare things in life that once brought him happiness. A younger version of himself and Marianne smiled at him in one frame, as they sat together in Marianne's beautiful garden. A more recent picture showed him toiling within the Sword of Akasha, trying to unravel the mysteries of its activation. In the final frame, he laughed carelessly as rode his horse as a child, a snapshot of one of the precious few joyous moments of his childhood. Only half of that picture rested in its frame. Someone had ripped off the other half– the one containing his twin brother, whose side Charles never left, at least not back then. The old man had half a mind to use the pencils and paper on the table to try and sketch his brother's likeness to fill the frame, but then again, he never wanted to see that treacherous bastard's face again.
Really, now that he thought about it, he never wanted to see almost any face again. Marianne… he absolutely would've killed to see her. Everyone else though… well, he didn't really care about them. One other face popped into his mind, a face he wouldn't mind seeing for a few seconds… just before he shattered his skull or crushed his throat between his enormous hands. That face belonged to his errant son, Lelouch, the one Charles knew in his heart placed him in his current predicament, and for destroying the dream to which he'd devoted over half a century of his life.
Charles inaudibly promised himself proceed from this point with great caution, despite his wrath. If he'd survived, then perhaps Marianne had as well. Was she in a cell here somewhere too – alone, neglected, or worse? That thought stirred him to even greater fury.
The wooden door opened quietly, so quietly Charles almost didn't notice it. Three figures walked into the room, all shrouded by black, hooded cloaks. One of them placed a tray of food onto the table. Another set a few books down. The third sat down in the chair, facing toward the gloomy prisoner. All their hoods dangled past their noses. Charles wouldn't be able to geass them. And with so many, he doubted he'd be able to take them all down.
"Charles zi Britannia," a man's voice echoed from beneath the hood. Charles didn't recognize it.
"Yes, that is my name," he replied curtly. His voice still carried the authority of the Emperor.
"… I'm glad to see that your spirit isn't broken," the cloaked man responded after a brief pause.
"I've been through much worse than this," Charles answered.
"We know," said the figure who'd set down the books. This one had the voice of a boy, a younger boy. Judging by his height and tone, Charles guessed he must be about sixteen, maybe a little older. Still, he didn't know the voice.
"If you know so much about me, then perhaps you'd be so kind as to tell me a little about yourselves," retorted Charles.
"Actually," the figure in the chair spoke again, "we thought we'd tell you a story."
"Ha! Stories are for children," Charles replied indignantly, "I have no interest."
"Oh, I think you'll find interest in this one," said the figure who'd laid down the books again.
"Yes," said the third figure, speaking for the first time, "if you listen, you might learn a few things about why you're here and who we are." As usual, Charles had no clue who this one was, though his voice sounded vaguely familiar.
Charles felt very interested in the story after what the last figure said, but he managed to keep a bored look on his face. "Go on," he said dully.
"It's a very long story," Figure 2 (the one with the books) said, as Charles named him in his brain. "It will probably take several days, if not weeks to finish it."
"Then perhaps you should get started," Charles snapped.
"I was hoping you'd say that," the boy on the chair replied, picking up a pen from the table, and twirling it idly between his long fingers. "We'll start with telling you a little about your son, Lelouch, who took over the throne after your death."
"No surprise there," Charles replied.
"He did not keep it long, however," Figure 1 continued. "During his brief reign, he committed a large number of atrocities. In short, he did all that he could to make the people hate him, including holding the threat of F.L.E.I.J.A. warheads over any who dared oppose him. It seemingly worked too well, for one day, as he paraded his defeated brother, Schneizel, and his sister, Nunnally, before the people, Zero appeared and stabbed Lelouch through the heart."
"How theatrical," replied Charles. "Of course, that imp had already stolen my code, so it didn't kill him."
"No, but the Demon King was nevertheless declared dead to the world. The throne passed to his sister, Nunnally, and for a few brief months, all was at peace, until one fateful day…"
~~~~~Five Years Ago (Author's note, this is the story being told to Charles by his three "guests")~~~~~
Lelouch's eyelids opened to the brilliant sunlight streaming through the window of his tiny cottage. Well, to be more precise, he currently shared the cottage and its surrounding farm acreage with C.C., though he had paid for it with money "borrowed" from his former time as Emperor. A small circle of geass carefully placed on key individuals assured that a sizeable sum of money would go missing at the end of every year from the royal treasury. It would then proceed halfway around the world through dozens of countries and hundreds of accounts until it eventually landed in a private location where Lelouch could pick it up. The amount could easily provide for a small army for a year, but that was hardly his intention. Most of the money went to filling his roommate's endless pizza cravings.
The raven haired teen rolled over to avoid the sunlight and tried to go back to sleep. After a few seconds, the absence of C.C., who usually shared the large bed with him, fully registered in his mind.
Lelouch frowned when he caught the scent of tomato sauce lingering in the air. With a quiet groan, he pulled himself out of the bed and headed toward the living room, where his missing accomplice sat on a couch, watching the television while eating a large slice of pepperoni pizza.
"Please tell me you didn't max out another of my credit cards to get that," muttered the gangly youth.
"Good morning to you too, sleeping beauty," she replied with a smirk.
He was too tired to endure her teasing. "Just answer the question, witch. Did you max out another of my credit cards?"
"Of course not, all of your credit cards are already canceled. John Steele, on the other hand, has another one to add to his list." She took another large bite of the greasy delicacy.
Lelouch moaned and said, "C.C.! John Steele is my name now. It is absolutely imperative to my plan that no one knows I survived the Zero Requiem. Nothing can be allowed to jeopardize my new identity if the peace I've established is to last. That includes getting me investigated for bad credit. Frankly, it's too dangerous to continue to have pizzas delivered out here anyway."
"Oh, and how exactly do you plan to stop me from ordering pizza?" asked C.C. with an evil smile.
Lelouch scowled. I am without any doubt one of the greatest, if not the greatest, strategist in this world. I obliterated my father's Britannia, avenged my mother's murder and the attack on my sister, I overcame my entire family, and I have brought peace to myself and to the world around me for Nunnally's sake. I can do all of those things… and I still don't have a clue how to make C.C. stop ordering pizza. He permitted himself a chuckle as he thought Damned witch. "I'll get back to you on that one, C.C.," he conceded with a wry smile.
"What are you so worried about anyway, my Warlock? Neither of us can die, and no one is looking for you. After all, most of the world thinks you're dead," replied C.C., her mouth stuffed with pizza.
She did have two valid points. Lelouch subconsciously rubbed the code sigil on his neck, where it had appeared shortly after Charles had tried to strangle him. Somehow, he managed to become "blessed" with a code. He hadn't wanted it, and no doubt his father hadn't meant to give it up, but Lelouch had received it just the same. His geass still worked too, sort of. His power waned by the day. In time, he would be able to control its power again even without his contacts, at least for a while, before his gift disappeared altogether. Soon, the code would completely overwrite his geass, as happened to any geass-wielder who obtained a code.
This code offered one significant thing his geass couldn't:
immortality. Suzaku, dressed as Zero, had stabbed Lelouch through the heart live on national television. After that, naturally, all of the world's population assumed Lelouch dead. All except C.C., that is. The two of them had made another contract following Lelouch's discovery of achieving the code. Since C.C. was also immortal, the two of them would accompany each other on their long journey through life. Now, a fake burial and a couple hundred lies later, they were living out their final contract. Neither of them would ever be alone now.
It's really not the end of the world if we are discovered, Lelouch thought to himself, Jeremiah knows the truth too. I needed to keep him informed just in case I needed an ally in the future, either in keeping my secret, or in saving the world again from the shadows. I'm sure he wouldn't object to aiding the two of us if our identities are too deeply scrutinized. All the same, I'd hoped his services would never be required. I've done my work well as Zero and would very much prefer to live the rest of my life, or at least a few centuries of it, in peace and quiet.
That cheerful notion would come crashing down quickly if anyone emerged with proof Lelouch had survived. C.C. wasn't all that hard to trace, if one knew how. Just find the town with the greatest pizza demand in the world and follow the delivery guy to the location where the most pizza was consumed. Since C.C. was a well-known cohort of Lelouch's, any one of his old enemies or friends might try to track her down.
"Please, listen to me, Ingrid," Lelouch, referring to her by her pseudonym, "we have got to try to keep a somewhat low profile, at least for a while. Even if no one catches on that I'm not John Steele, I'd prefer not to spend the first few years of my immortal life in a jail cell for failing to pay my credit card bills."
"You worry too much," chided C.C./Ingrid Steele as she picked up another slice of pizza. "Are you going to watch your little sister's news conference?"
"What? Nunnally's giving a news conference? I hadn't heard about this."
"Evidently no one has. It's an emergency news bulletin to be delivered in five minutes."
"Emergency? I died to stop this madness! She shouldn't have to face any 'emergencies,' or if she does, then Suzaku should be able to handle them as Zero, especially with the Black Knights' backup."
"You're forgetting two things. One, no one in the list you've made, nor all of them collectively, are as intelligent as you. What most people might consider a national threat, you'd have likely steered off secretly long before anyone else knew how to react. Two, the world tends toward chaos and disorder. Even with your heroic 'sacrifice,' it was only a matter of time before someone decided to rock the boat."
"Yeah, but it should have lasted far longer than two months! What on earth could've happened?"
"It looks like we're about to find out," said C.C. gesturing to the television screen where Nunnally progressed quietly toward the stage. An entourage of caped, hooded figures followed behind her, all at least five steps behind whoever led them. Where is Zero? C.C. and Lelouch thought in unison. Nunnally stopped just before a microphone and looked the world head on, her cloaked followers turning with her, but remaining veiled to the world. Lelouch and C.C. didn't bother to think about them though. They gasped at what they saw as the cameras zoomed in on Nunnally. A crimson tint rimmed her beautiful violet eyes; she was under the influence of geass!
"My loyal subjects, I have called forth this emergency broadcast in order to correct a wrong. It is well known to all of you how the vile Lelouch, the Demon King, dethroned our Emperor, and usurped the throne for himself, surpassing many of his own siblings to do so. After he did this, our world spiraled into a new era of darkness, death, and persecution. Since his death, I've strived to do all I can to remove his sins from this world… But, I ask you this, noble Britannians. Do you not remember our anthem, 'All Hail Britannia'? And what does it speak of concerning our Emperor?"
"NO!" shouted Lelouch, already guessing what was coming.
"This isn't good," murmured C.C., biting off another bit of pizza.
"It… it doesn't even sound like Nunnally," replied Lelouch.
"No doubt because she's under the influence of Geass. Someone else is creating the words emerging from her lips."
On the screen, Nunnally went on, "His bloodline immortal, pure! What fools were we all to doubt my father! Behold! I return control of the Holy Britannian Empire to Charles zi Britannia!"
Right on cue, the leader of the caped figures dropped his hood and there, for all the world to see, was the former and reinstated Emperor in the flesh.
The Britannian anthem started to play, and Charles zi Britannia soon began to make a speech of his own, but Lelouch was far too enraged, and terrified, to hear a word he said. Lelouch's brain buzzed with questions. How did he survive? And how dare he try to interfere with my perfect world!? I worked so hard and did so much for Nunnally! Oh, no, Nunnally, now you're in the gravest peril of your young life, and it's entirely my fault! What am I going to do? What can I do? Damn you, Suzaku, how could you let this happen? Jeremiah, how could you let down my mother's family now?
C.C. looked at him and said nonchalantly, "We're not going to let this go, of course."
Lelouch looked at her with hardened resolve, "No we're not. But we're going to need help, lots of help. And a plan… I have got to start making a plan!"
Meanwhile, in an unknown location:
"Just as you predicted, my Love," said a young woman to the man beside her.
"Yes… Of course, such an appearance is quite… chaotic. The world will go into an absolute upheaval over this, to say nothing of how the royal family is going to take it. No, this doesn't bode well at all, my Love," the man replied.
"I assume we're going to get involved?" asked a younger girl.
"Of course we are, Rosaline, but we're going to need more help," replied the first girl. "David, my Love, would it be wrong of me to say that I want you to find some more help strategizing from this point on?"
"No, my Abigail, I wouldn't turn down the help for the world. I can't begin to predict how that monster is going to play this game," David replied.
"Great! We get to go kick butt and save the world again!" said a teenage boy somewhere between Rosaline's and Abigail's ages.
"Careful, Adrian, there's even more at stake this time," Rosaline replied. "Besides, big brother, our time for saving the world on our own has passed. The world has gotten older and wiser; the four of us have done neither of the above since the last time. We're going to require… modern assistance. What do you think, big sister?" Rosaline asked, turning to Abigail.
"I think," Abigail said hesitantly, "that Charles zi Britannia, is a very powerful and dangerous man. Such powerful and dangerous men do not gain their positions without making very powerful and dangerous enemies along the way. What say you, dear one?" Abigail asked, turning to a lone figure in the corner, shrouded by shadows, the only one in the room who had yet to speak. "Can I sway you to help us, or at least point out others who can?"
The figure chuckled ominously. "I can and I will help you. After all, I've got my own score to settle with that bastard. I'm also going to see if I can convince a few of those, 'enemies' you mentioned earlier to help us, starting with everyone's least favorite Demon Emperor."
"I will accompany you; my geass is weak, but it should still be strong enough to help you in a bind," said Adrian.
"No, Adrian," David replied. "You stay here with Abigail, me, and the others. Our new friend is skilled in secrecy and light on his feet. You mean well, but I fear you would slow him and his efforts greatly. Rosaline is a far better companion for him on this assignment. Her geass should also be able to help him, and I've no doubt that they will be successful."
"You aren't seriously sending me out with that child!" Rosaline replied indignantly.
"I'm no more a child than you, sorceress. Come on; we have work to do," replied the boy angrily.
~~~~~Present Day~~~~~
Figure 1 stopped speaking and looked at Charles.
"No, I don't remember any of that," the former emperor answered his unspoken question.
"That isn't surprising," said Figure 2. "After all, you did only have a brief role in this part of the story. Rest assured; your role will grow with time."
"Bah! It seems to me that it can only diminish. If what you say is true, then I regained the throne again after I lost it to that arrogant Lelouch. Obviously, I'm not the emperor now," said Charles, gesturing around his cell.
"No, you aren't," said Figure 3. "But you will hear of the current emperor within our story, which will be continued tomorrow." The three turned to walk out of the room. Charles didn't speak to them or try to follow. Figure 3 held back for a moment, turning to look at Charles.
"Bearing in mind that you are a prisoner of war, is there anything that you wish to petition for?"
"Yes, my freedom," replied Charles.
"That's not going to happen," called Figure 2, who peaked his cloaked head back through the door.
"Why exactly are you all here?" asked Charles. "What is it you want with me?"
Figure 3 waved his companions off a short ways, then whispered to Charles, when he was sure they couldn't hear, "Another day, another day, perhaps I am the fool, but still I trust your face."
"What is that supposed to mean?" asked the fallen emperor. He saw a familiar crooked smile form on Figure 3's face before he departed the cell, locking it behind him. Charles puzzled on the smile and voice of Figure 3. Why in the hell does he seem so familiar?
After the three storytellers travelled a fair distance down the hall, far out of Charles's hearing range, Figure 1 lowered his hood.
"At least he's not hostile," said the unveiled Lelouch.
"That's because he doesn't know what to do," replied Figure 3, removing his hood as well. A fourteen year old boy with green eyes looked to Lelouch as he continued, "As soon as he has enough information to work with, and begins to deduce who we are and all that has happened, then he will make his move."
"I'm glad you can read him so well," replied Rolo, aka Figure 2, as he pulled off his robe and started to remove the contacts they'd all worn on the off chance Charles was able to see their eyes.
"I would be ashamed if I couldn't predict his reactions," said Figure 3, removing his contacts as well, unveiling his true eyes. "After all, I am the one soul he fears," he replied with a dark smile.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hello! (cricket sounds) Oh well, I didn't respect too much of a response anyway. After all, I'm a new author here, and this is my first attempt at a fanfiction (which is really scary to me, because if this goes the way I think it will, it's going to be a relatively long story.) Anyway, as I am new to this, I welcome criticism! Flames, however, or reviews that just trash-talk my story for no good reason whatsoever can burn in the fiery pits of the underworld. :) Also, I'm in college. As such, I have a life outside of FanFiction. I will do my best to update quickly, but if I have to choose between updating this story and an exam, you better believe the textbooks will be open and the laptop shut! I'll get back to it as soon as I can.
Now, a few things about the story, I will be doing my best to keep all of the characters involved relatively in character; however, please understand that numerous characters will be undergoing various character changes. Example, a few former bad and good guys are going to be switching sides, for a variety of reasons. Another item of note: death is not binding in this story. You'll meet Exhibit A of that point in the first sentence. So don't go yelling at me for "So and so died in the anime!" I am currently rating this a T due to language and possibly some suggestive content in later chapters. If enough readers or I in general think it appropriate, the rating may increase in the future. Also, yes, this story will incorporate a few OC's unknown to the Code Geass universe. These characters are entirely fictional and come from my own mind. I will strive to keep their roles from overwhelming any of the real Code Geass characters though. The main story is set post R2, and is history during the time of this FanFiction, so I'll be incorporating several time skips. This is basically because instead of just going through another story of a follow up adventure to Lelouch's Zero Requiem, I wanted to do something at least sort of unique and this is what I came up with. If no one likes it, then I'll just delete the story and try again later, but I beg any readers who stumble across this to at least give me a few chapters to try and prove myself. Please? (puppy dog eyes) I understand that it may take a little while to really get moving, but I promise that I'll be doing the best I can. Finally, with limited exceptions that will be shown in the story, this will follow the cannon R1 and R2 plots of the anime "Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion."