Hey everybody! So, here's the deal. I've got a BUNCH of ideas for Code Geass fanfics, but NO time to write them. I've decided to publish the first chapter of 3 stories wondering around in my head and see how you guys respond to figure out how to proceed. If you like this story and want me to continue it in the near future, please follow, Favorite, or at least leave a review. It you think I need to hang this up for a while and focus on other stories, don't do anything. If you are interested in adopting this story or being a co-author so I'm not doing all the work, please PM me. Here's the catch: I only plan on focusing on one of the three fics I'm putting up today if I'm going at it alone. If you want more info on this or the other stories I am planning, check out my profile under the "Code Geass" part of "Future Stories."
Also, additional info on this story: It is not your typical Lelouch-has-to-return-to-the-royal-family story. There's nothing wrong with those stories, as a matter of fact, most of my favorite Code Geass fics are of that genre. However, this will be very diffrent from most of them, since I actually included some other elements of Cannon divergence, which you begin to see in this chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass.
Chapter 1: The Children Dragged From War
"Lelouch!"
Kallen's shout penetrated the abandoned Prince's unconsciousness. He opened his eyes to see the Half-Britannian and her brother looking down on him. Panicked, Lelouch looked for his little sister, but was relieved to see her hanging off Suzaku's back. For a few moments, the Prince was confused and couldn't remember why he wasn't in a posh Britannian household, but then everything that had happened in the last few months came rushing back to him. His mother's death, Nunnaly's blinding and crippling, that horrible meeting with the Emperor, being sent to Japan, those peaceful days spent at the Kurorugi's home that ended with the first shots of the invasion.
Lelouch started to push himself up. For some reason, he couldn't remember how he had gotten to be laying on his back with Kallen and Naoto looking over him. "What happened?" he asked.
Kallen scowled. "You were being an overprotective, self-sacrificing idiot again."
Naoto sighed. "An explosion went off next to you and Kallen. You knocked Kallen to the ground and protected her with your body. Some of the debris hit your head pretty hard, so you were knocked unconscious."
"Big Brother?" asked Nunnaly, "are you OK?"
Lelouch smiled. "Sure, it's only a flesh wound." He stood up and brushed off his clothes. "We really should continue moving. Suzaku, can I take Nunnaly for a little bit?"
"Sure Lelouch." Suzaku handed the blind and crippled princess to older brother. When he was sure his less physically fit best friend had a good hold on Nunnaly, he whispered to Lelouch, "You know, Kallen has a point. You shouldn't be throwing yourself into danger. How do you think Nunnaly would take it if you died?"
When he thought about that, Lelouch felt guilty. "Sorry. I just can't help but think that I owe it to Kallen and Naoto and everybody in Japan. It's because of me that all this," he indicated the destruction surrounding them, "happened."
"Lelouch, shut up or I swear, I WILL punch you," Suzaku grabbed Lelouch's collar and made him look him in the eyes. "Neither you nor Nunnaly are in any way responsible for this. You've explained to me some of the aspects of the Britannian government, and I can tell you that there is only one person who can truly be blamed for this, and he isn't you."
"You're right," Lelouch countered, "he's my Father."
Before Suzaku could find something else to say to his friend, he was interrupted by the sound of approaching Knightmares. The five kids quickly ran to find shelter among the surrounding rubble. From their hiding places, they were able to hear the Britannian soldiers conversing between their machines.
"Is it true that we have been ordered to retreat from the entire island?" one of them asked.
"Apparently, those filthy Japanese fought back the main force at Kyoto. They must have some kind of strategic genius on their side."
When he heard this, Lelouch breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, this nightmare was over. Suzaku, Kallen, and Naoto could all return to their families. However, his relief was short-lived because one of the soldiers noticed him and his companions.
"Hey, sir! There are some kids here!"
"Leave them, Cadet. Their countrymen will take care of them. We've been ordered to retreat."
"But sir, some of them look Britannian!"
Shit, Lelouch thought. He tried retreating deeper into the rubble. He didn't want to go back to Britannia. He didn't want to drag Nunnaly back to that nest of vipers.
The Knightmares came up and surrounded the children in their hiding place. One of the higher-ups piped up, "You know I think I recognize some of them."
There was a long, tense pause, during which the soldier probably looked up where he recognized their faces. Lelouch surveyed the situation, trying to see if there was any way he might get away with making a break for it. Unfortunately, before he could implement any of his plans, the soldier spoke up again.
"Of course!" The soldier got out of his Knightmare frame and walked toward Kallen and Naoto. "These two are Lord Stadtfeld's children. There are standing orders for any soldiers who come in contact with them to escort them to the homeland." He walked up to Kallen and offered her his hand. "My Lady?"
When she saw this, Kallen scoffed and muttered in Japanese, "After all this, he decides he wants us now?"
The soldier looked confused, especially when Naoto continued in Japanese, "I hate to say it, but I think we don't have any choice but to go with them, sis."
"Lelouch," Suzaku whispered, "I think you should go with them."
"What? There's no way I'm going back there!" Leouch gasped; outraged that Suzaku would even suggest the idea.
"Think about it," Suzaku hissed. "There's nothing for you here. In Britania, there is at least the chance – a slim chance, mind you, but still a chance – that you could go back with your family. Not to mention, you can take better care of Nunnaly in Britannia than in a recovering country. You want to be able to take care of Nunnaly, right?"
"Big brother?" Nunnaly whispered. "I really want to see Big sister Euphy again."
Unable to deny his little sister anything, Lelouch grudgingly agreed. "OK, we'll see if we can go home Nunnaly."
Kallen, who had been listening to their exchange, turned back to the soldier and switched to English. "Fine, we will go with you, but only if Lulu and Nunnaly come with us."
Lelouch came out of the shelter, clutching Nunnaly tightly. One of the soldiers let out a gasp when the prince came into view. He left his cockpit and marched to Lelouch and Nunnaly to kneel before them. "My Prince!"
"Lord Jeremiah? " one of the other soldiers asked. "Who are these children?"
"Lelouch? What is he doing?" Kallen asked.
The Prince took a deep breath. He had avoided telling Kallen and Naoto the whole truth about his family, simply explaining that he and Nunnaly had been abandoned in Japan after their mother's death. However, where they were going his friends were going to need the truth, no matter how much it hurt to admit it.
"I am Lelouch vi Britannia, 11th prince of the Holy Britannian Empire. My Sister, Nunnaly vi Britania, is the 23rd princess."
Needless to say, all of the soldiers were surprised by this new information.
There you go! Don't forget to follow, favorite, and review if you are interested in seeing more of this story. Also, you might want to check out the other two stories in this little competition: Son of a Demon and Code Geass: Naoto of the Revenge.
