Chapter 1: Dead Eyes

September 2017 a.t.b

Shikine Island

"SUZAKU!"

"LELOUCH!"

Their screams echoed throughout the cave as the former friends fired at each other. Lelouch's shot barely missed Suzaku's face, shattering Suzaku's communicator. Due to his shaking hands Suzaku's shot only grazed Lelouch's pistol, but even an armed Lelouch was no match for a trained soldier. With a flying kick Suzaku knocked Lelouch to the ground and quickly disarmed him.

"Zero!" Kallen cried, running to help the man she had idolized for so long. Suzaku pointed his gun at her, stopping her in her tracks.

"It's Lelouch!" Suzaku replied as he held down a struggling Zero. "The man who used the Japanese people, who used you; you want to defend a man like that?!" As he said this, Suzaku pulled the vial of liquid Sakuradite off of Lelouch's chest, removing the terrorist's last chance for escape.

Kallen only stared, still reeling internally from the recent revelation. Lelouch Lamperouge was Zero? How was that even possible? She felt defiled and betrayed—she had been used. Not by just any man, but by a boy she believed to be her smart but annoyingly apathetic classmate. Filled with anger and sadness, Kallen ran out of the cave, abandoning the man she had once followed so faithfully.

Suzaku got up and stood over a defenseless Lelouch. Initially Lelouch looked frightened, but as Suzaku raised his gun, he smiled cruelly. Suzaku looked him in the eye. This is not my friend, he thought. This is . . . "Zero . . . this is the end for you," he said coldly. The old Suzaku was gone; the new Suzaku stood in his place. No more was the Suzaku with the bright eyes, pure emotions, and a tender heart; his heart had hardened, and with Euphemia gone no one could melt it.

Suzaku Kururugi pulled a new communicator from his suit but continued to train his gun Lelouch. "Cecile…Zero has been captured. Send transport immediately to Shinkine Island. Make sure it's ready…we'll need to head to the Britainnian homeland immediately . . . yes . . . thank you Cecile."

After around 30 minutes, Cecile Croomy and Lloyd Asplund arrived in a transport ship. It was large battleship, and Suzaku recognized it as the Avalon, Prince Schneizel's personal ship. While he waited for the transport, Suzaku handcuffed Zero and ripped of part off Zero's cape to cover Lelouch's face and gagged him. "You won't be using Geass on any of them," he said.

Cecile came out to see him when the ship had landed. She ran up to him, but when she saw the young pilot's prisoner, she stopped in her tracks and gasped, "Suzaku, is that—"

"Where's the holding cell?" interrupted Suzaku as he shoved a masked and handcuffed Zero toward the ship. His voice was hard and stern. He looked at her with solemn eyes.

There it is, Cecile thought. There's that dead eyed look he's had ever since the princess had died. In fact, his eyes seemed to look even deader than before. She hoped she was imagining things, but in her heart she knew something was wrong. She shook herself.

"It's on the lower level in the rear of the ship."

"Thank you, Cecile-san." Zero struggled violently against his bonds and tried to yell something, but Suzaku simply shoved him into the ship without a word.

Cecile silently watched him push the terrorist roughly into the ship. She knew that she should be happy; after all, the terrorist who killed Princess Euphemia and Prince Clovis was dead. However, she could tell by watching Suzaku that something even bigger had happened. Cecile Croomy shook herself and re-boarded the ship. There was time enough for her to think about the boy later, she thought.

But deep inside she knew—after this day, nothing would ever be the same.

Hello citizens of earth! Welcome to my first Fanfiction Woeful Knight. This chapter and the 2 succeeding chapters were written nearly 5 years ago while I was in college and then abandoned. Originally published on DeviantArt, I have chosen to post to finally. (YAY!) I don't know if I'll continue this at all, but any and all feedback is welcome. Seriously, be CRITICAL. What's okay? What's boring? What sucks? What's good? What grammar did I butcher?