Chapter 1: Dreams

Suzaku's eyes bolted open as he quickly gasped for air and began coughing. He sat there for a time until he finally had the strength to raise his head and look around for where he was, or rather, lack of where. He sat in an empty white void that seemed to stretch on for eternity. "No…" Suzaku thought "This doesn't feel like a void. It feels like a canvas."

Just as that thought crossed his mind, a rustling of leaves could be heard behind him. He sat up and turned around to feel a cool breeze blow past him as he looked upon a rolling grassland with a single cherry tree dotted upon the hill he stood on. He quickly turned back to where he originally was looking, only to see more rolling hills. He looked back at the tree and stood there in contemplation. How did he get here? Why was he here? Why was it just him?

"Very good questions, but a better one would be 'who' brought you here."

Suzaku stepped back and tried to reach for a sword or gun, only to realize he was not armed. He looked at the tree and saw a boy step out from behind the blossoming tree. The boy was tall, taller than him by a couple of inches, and was clothed in black. Black loafers, dress pants, and P-coat, but had a white collared shirt on underneath the coat with a purple tie. He had curly brown hair and piercing green eyes that looked directly into his.

"Who are you?" Suzaku asked tepidly looking over the boy with caution. The boy just held a soft smile and replied.

"My name a simple one. You may refer to me as Alpha."

Suzaku blinked and saw that a table that he swore was not there previously lay under the tree with two chairs on each end and a pot of freshly brewed tea, cream, sugar, and two cups in the center. "Please, sit," Alpha spoke.

Suzaku walked to the seat cautiously and slowly sat down. "Why am I here?" Suzaku asked.

The man named Alpha sat down and began to pour himself a cup of tea. "Because I am here to make a deal," he replied calmly as he grabbed a few cubes of sugar and tossed them into the tea. "Tell me, do you know how you got here?" Alpha asked, as he began to stir in the sugar with a spoon.

"No" Suzaku answered, confusion shown on his face.

"Don't lie to yourself. You know how you got here," Alpha said, pouring his cream into his tea. "Tell me, how old were you when you fell asleep?"

Suzaku's eyes widened as Alpha said that. He slowly realized the obvious answer that the boy implied. "I was a hundred and seventeen" he spoke to himself. "I-I'm dead?"

Alpha stopped stirring the cream into his tea and set the spoon down onto the small plate below the cup. "Lelouch's command certainly did its job, but it couldn't keep you alive forever."

Suzaku slouched down onto his seat as his dilated eyes fixated upon his shaky hands. He clenched his hands into a fist and looked towards the boy in anger as he took a calming sip from his tea. "What do you want from me?!" Suzaku bellowed out.

Alpha opened one of his eyes to look at him, before he set down his cup of tea. "I want you to intervene in another world's affairs, because if you don't, everyone in that world will die," Alpha responded. "By the way, how would you like your tea?"

Suzaku's rage did not subside, nor did he make any effort to hide it. "I don't care about their problems! My duty finished the moment I died."

Alpha looked deep into Suzaku's eyes. Suzaku stared intently back, but something felt off about Alpha's gaze. It was as if he was picking away at his soul. Alpha closed his eyes, dropped his calm smile, and spoke. "Death is not the only way to rejoin Euphemia."

Suzaku's anger quickly gave way to shock, and then sadness. How did he know? Alpha gave a moment of silence before continuing. "If you agree to do this I shall reunite you with her in this new world where you shall restore the order that will be lost and live the rest of your life with your true love."

Suzaku looked at this… thing in shock. It just offered him something priceless. There were still so many uncertainties, but he could not turn him down, could he? He didn't know what to choose. He wanted to join Euphemia in death, but to rejoin her in life was something he never thought possible.

"Will the curse of Geass…?" he began, but was answered by Alpha.

"No. Geass will not follow you."

Suzaku thought for a moment more before answering Alpha's pressing question. "I agree to the terms of your contract," Suzaku spoke.

Alpha smiled, before standing up and handing Suzaku a cup of tea.

"I didn't tell you how I wanted it," Suzaku said.

"I already knew what you wanted," Alpha calmly replied.

Alpha waved for Suzaku to follow him, and Suzaku did. They both stood atop the hill, silently looking at the eternal grasslands for a time, then Alpha spoke. "You will land in a forest of beauty and wonder with Euphemia beside you, but be wary as the forest holds creatures of the shadows that will kill you if you are unprepared. Do not let that happen. I will give you a sheathed sword, a revolver, and the Lancelot Albion. Protect her with your life."

Suzaku nodded in understanding.

"Good. Are you ready?" he asked.

Suzaku replied by closing his eyes. Alpha grinned at him as he raised his fingers towards him.

"Who are you, really?"

Alpha, that boy, stopped to look at Suzaku. Alpha with calmness and majesty responded softly, but with the power beyond that of any man.

"A God."

He snapped his fingers, and Suzaku's new journey began.

(=+=)

Suzaku's eyes fluttered open as the sun beat down upon his unmoving form. He sat there for a moment contemplating the events that seemed like a dream. He slowly sat up to look around at his surroundings. He was in a forest filled with red trees and soft red grass. A cool breeze slowly drifted through the air as sweet scents found their way wafting up through his nose. He looked down to find himself fill with joy.

Right beside him was Euphy. She was as young as he remembered her. Her pink hair laid still on the grass below her and her thin physique remained still as well, with the exception of the slight rise and fall of her chest.

Suzaku sat up and walked over to Euphemia. "Euphy, it's time to get up. We have to find shelter." Suzaku spoke softly as he shook her to help her to wake up. Her bluish violet eyes slowly opened as she began to look around only for her eyes to find Suzaku's.

"S-Suzaku?" She asked, "is that really you?" She slowly lifted her hand to touch his face and found her hand held by Suzaku's.

"It's me."

She jumped up and tackled him to the ground, only to begin tearing up. "I thought I'd never see you again!" She choked out.

Suzaku wrapped his arms around her as well and spoke. "I thought I'd never see you too."

They both sat there finding solace in each other's arms. Unfortunately their peace would not last forever in Forever Falls.