Chapter 1

In a dark stark Victorian era room is a woman in a beautiful red, black and gold ballroom dress that fiddled with her short red hair. In front of the red woman is a chessboard on a black wooden table and a man. The man had striking gold messy short hair. His eyes are warm chestnut brown and his skin is pale like ivory, he wore a pure white coat with a red sash pinned to his collar. They both sat on deep red loveseat opposite of each other. His eyes study the chessboard then he moved a white knight piece. The redheaded woman wore a full-face black mask with gold edges and details. The right eye of the mask had no eyehole but a golden geass symbol and tear drop and dotted lines running down the cheek of the mask and a stylised golden smile. Her bright blue eye flashed.

"Are you sure you want to do that, Abaddon?" She inquired with a smirk.

The man now dubbed Abaddon looked up at the woman sternly. He stared into the woman's eye. Blue and brown locked in a battle of wills.

"Is it the wrong move, Lady Ao?" He inquired sternly. Lady Ao laughed softly; her voice is like chiming bells.

"Is it?" She asked with glee. "What counts as the wrong move? You could lose the most pieces and still win the game due to a 'bad move'. Everything could fall into place without even you knowing, Abaddon dear."

Abaddon smiled at her warmly. Beside Abaddon a man with short cropped purple hair stepped forward. His dark eyes nervously looked to Lady Ao then to the two men in black and white suits with white and gold masks that covered they're entire face. The uniforms were reversed versions of the Knight of Round uniforms and the masks are reminiscent of Zero but held a similar dignified appearance. The three of them together held an intense intimidating aura.

"Is such a risk worth it, Lady Ao?" Abaddon asked as he observed her black pieces. Ao moved her black pawn to another space on the board.

"This is not risk I'm talking about, Abaddon dear. Its fate and coincide." She explained as Abaddon moved his bishop. He looked up at her with mildly confused expression.

"I don't understand. Which is it? Fate or coincide?" He asked puzzled.

"Both, my dear." Lady Ao said picking up her black king. Abaddon raised an eyebrow.

"The king?"

"If the king doesn't move, then his subjects won't follow." She placed the black king next to the white king ending the game. "All hail Britannia."

Lady Ao's eye then turned into a blood red. Her Geass activated. Abaddon smiled like a manic as his eyes too turned red.

"I look forward to working with you Lady Ao." He laughed like a maniac. She smiled and spoke.

"All hail Britannia. All hail Lelouch."

"Oi, Ohgi!" A voice snapped the brown-eyed man out of a daze. The Prime Minster of Japan, Kaname Ohgi stood ridged in office. His friend and former co-worker Shinichiro Tamaki looked at him with a content expression.

"Uh, yes." He stuttered. Ohgi turned to his head to his redheaded friend gathering some finished paperwork.

Tamaki frowned and spoke in a blunt tone. "What are you thinking so hard about?"

"Nothing you should worry about." He said with a gentle smile. "Doesn't Kallen have a school event on today? Villetta was telling me about it this morning."

"Yeah I was hoping to bring you with me. Come on man!" Tamaki said in a casual tone patting Ohgi on the back.

Ohgi smiled good naturedly before replying. "Sorry but I've got too much work."

"Eh!? Seriously! I mean rumour has it Empress Nunnally and Zero will be there! You have to make an appearance." Tamaki exclaimed.

"The Empress and Zero." Ohgi's gaze hardens at the mention of Zero. His thoughts drifted for a moment.

"But you didn't hear it from me." Tamaki whispered. "Kallen wanted me to tell you but also keep it on the down low. It was a surprise visit."

"If that's the case." Ohgi smiled. "How could I possible say no."

"Prime Minster!" A man barreled into the room with a panicked expression on his face. "There is something you need to see!"

The Ashford academy was alive and bursting with energy as a school event commenced. Students both Britannia born and Japanese pulled the strings of this celebration. Leading the event was the student council Rivalz Cardemonde and Kallen Kozuki.

"Looks like this year School Cat festival is a success!" Kallen chirped with a clipboard in hand and cat ears on her head.

"Maybe not as great as what Milly would have done but I think we did great job!" Rivalz said cheerfully. Rivalz suddenly made an, 'oh' noise and leaned over too Kallen's ear. "How are her highness and her Knight doing?"

Just before Kallen could answer Empress Nunnally in all her glory with the legendary Zero by her side approached the pair. Around the pair were four guards and a crowd of students in awe. Nunnally had an abundance of cat like sweets and objects in her arms.

"Your Highness!" Rivalz exclaimed while bowing to Nunnally. Kallen bowed slightly to with a small frown. Rivalz still had no memory of Nunnally being Lelouch's younger sister. The same went for Milly and all the other students.

"Rivalz, Kallen!" She exclaimed in a soft voice. "Its so good to see you both!"

"Its good to see you too…" Rivalz said taken aback by the informal way she spoke to him. He looked at Zero with mixed emotions. "I won't get tackled by these guys will I?"

"Eh, no it should be fine." Nunnally said shyly. "I'm just so happy to see you. The festival is wonderful."

"So it has." Kallen said smoothly. Her blue eyes flickered to Zero before going back to Nunnally. "Empress Nunnally, I was wondering if I could borrow Zero for a moment. We need sometime to catch up."

The other four guards almost practically recoiled at the suggestion. Zero himself stood still like a statue. Nunnally however raised her hand calmly to almost sooth the guards of her decision.

"Yes you may." She said locking gazes with Kallen.

"But Empress…" Before Zero could intervene on Kallen's request Nunnally spoke up.

"You two go have fun ok. I'll be ok with these four. Just don't be gone for too long." She chirped happily.

"Well… how could I possibly say no?" Zero said with ease.

Kallen and Zero walked together in silence to the top of school. The tension between them is thick and unsettling. As they reached to the top they looked down upon the festivities. Behind them and the school is the massive crater. The aftermath of the devastating FLEIA. Kallen was the first to break the silence.

"I didn't get to tell you this when you freed us but I know its you, Suzaku." She spoke with indifference. Zero said nothing standing still and appearing indifferent.

"I figured it out when you appeared to save us and when you killed Lelouch. And I know that this was just apart of his plan." Kallen said as her body shook with overpowering emotions of despair and anger. "He gathered the world's hatred on to him so once he died the world would be at peace."

A pregnant silence fell over the pair. Zero lifted his hand and leaned on the railing.

"There is no convincing you otherwise, is there?" He said in a flat tone. "Yes the man behind this mask is Suzaku Kurugi."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kallen said coldly.

"Its not really telling if you already know." Suzaku quipped back. "Besides, something tells me that won't say anything about it."

"… You are starting to sound like Lelouch." Kallen said avoiding the statement.

Suzaku suddenly fell silent after that. Kallen had notice the sudden behavior and called out. "Suzaku?"

"Kallen, who is Zero to you? What does Zero mean to you?" Suzaku asked suddenly.

"Who is Zero?" She repeated off guard. "Well… He's… it's a little hard to explain."

Kallen was unable to answer Suzaku's question. She followed his gaze to the young empress. Nunnally was currently occupied by some schoolgirls talking. In amongst the crowd Kallen could see a pregnant Villetta watching over the students. The constant chatter of students and visitors was like a dull roar. The solemn silence between the two however will soon be forgotten. The door behind them slamming open interrupted the lonely duo's moment of silence. Standing in the doorway was a maid.

The young maid had blonde curly shoulder long hair and a pair of sky blue eyes. She had seemed exhausted, as if she had ran a marathon. In her arms is a purple and black box.

"Lord Zero! Please forgive me!" She exclaimed curtsying.

"Miss Carter. What are you doing here?" Suzaku/Zero asked surprised.

"Who is this?" Kallen asked baffled.

"I-I. My name is Isabella Carter. I work for her highness and Lord Zero." Isabella said softly. "Which reminds me."

Isabella hands over the purple and black box to Zero. Inside the box were a few sandwiches, a marble cheesecake and an abundance of cat sweets from the school.

"I made you something for lunch." She exclaimed happily. "I was worried cause you can't eat with your mask on you have to eat alone, which is never fun. Then I thought you would just get some sweets from the festival. But then I realised that you would never buy sweets for yourself and would just concern yourself over her highness. So I bought some for you! Then I thought, 'he is still eating alone, silly Bella'. Then I realised that giving you something I made is still being with you without seeing you without your mask! So you won't be lonely!"

The blonde girl smiled brightly once her rant had ended clearly happy that Zero got the lunch box. Zero on the other hand looked quite flustered at the act of kindness. Kallen on the other hand had a devilish smile as she watched the maid and Zero interact.

"You didn't have to do that Miss Carter." He said softly.

"Of course I have to Milord!" Isabella exclaimed. "I do after all serve you, it's my job! And…"

The young girl then started to blush. Her cheeks looked like they are covered in pink dust.

"I owe you for helping me in the… Store room." She said shyly. Kallen made a small surprised noise. The maid then bowed and left running down the stairs with a spring in her step.

"Store room huh? I guess you picked up Zero's 'way' with women huh?" Kallen teased.

"No! It isn't like that!" Suzaku exclaimed embarrassed.

"The more you deny the more incriminating you look." Kallen enforced.

"Kallen be quiet!" Zero suddenly snapped. Kallen was about to bite back with a hatefully remark but stopped herself when she heard siren like beeping. The noise was slightly muted over the sound of the crowds. The pattern the noise made was like a countdown.

"A… countdown." She exclaimed softly.

An explosion suddenly ripped through the school like wild fire. The people below screamed and flew into a panic. The people started running out of the school grounds and on to the road to escape the fire that blazed.

"Nunnally!" Suzaku exclaimed. He turned briskly only to see a figure in his way. Suzaku and Kallen were stunned to see a man in black and silver attire. On his black high collared cape is the symbol of the Black Knights. His three-pointed mask had a silver visor and a silver geass symbol upon it. This man looked like Zero.

"The Red Knight, Kozuki Kallen and Zero the Miracle." The Zero impersonator said coolly.

"Who are you?" Kallen demanded flashing her hidden purse dagger. Suzaku however was in shock at the sight of this person.

"I am Zero."