Code Geass: Requiem After

By Doctor Scraps

Disclaimer: Doctor Scraps, his alter ego James Lister, and parties involved, hold no ownership of Code Geass, it's related properties, and or any other property therein. This work is for entertainment purposes only.

Authors Note: We live in the age of the R2 Sequel fic. And this one will be no different. I will try to crank out future chapters on a week by week basis, and gladly accept all reviews and criticisms concerning the story. To my credit, I have 90% of season 1 of Code Geass under my belt, and episodes 18 to 25 for Season 2-- So I am hoping I know what the hell I'm talking about.

Anyway, let's get this train out of the station.

Edit: Edited for last-minute mistakes--I really need to proof-read better.

-------------------------------------------------[Cue 'Worlds End' for good measure]-----------------------------

Chapter 1- Requiem Prologue

'--ZERO! --ZERO! --ZERO! --ZERO!'

He remembers the deafening chant of the crowds, an outburst of thanks and praise. Fists pumping into the air, people storming the platform. They flocked to to him...their champion.

'--ZERO! --ZERO! --ZERO! --ZERO!'

He remembers seeing amidst the throngs that declared in one loud voice "The Emperor is dead, long live the Demon Emperor!", those who's sentiments were a mix and sorrow and awe. Lelouche Vi Brittania was dead, and Lord Zero, symbol of order and justice, held aloft the blade that stabbed the dragons heart.

'--ZERO! --ZERO! --ZERO! --ZERO!'

He remembers her clinging to his lifeless body, sobbing his name into bloodstained white robes. She was surrounded by faces that had come and gone in his life.

'--ZERO! --ZERO! --ZERO! --ZERO!'

Kallen, Miss Villetta, Princess Cornelia, Prince Schneizal...and others he couldn't name. They formed a circle around her, as though afraid. As though the slightest touch would cause her to shatter. He remembers her eyes turning to him, as he descended the platform along the path of blood. He remembers kneeling before her.

'--ZERO! --ZERO! --ZERO! --ZERO!'

He remembers the flash of anger in her eyes. He remembers her small, delicate fists beating into his shoulders. He remembers her voice, a mere squeak drenched in sadness and rage. She had called him every term to villify a man. And he took every strike of her fist, barely powerful enough to hurt. They finally pulled her away from him, and still she reached out with little claws to scratch him, the word "Murderer" drowned out amongst the chorus of his name.

---

He stood in the sunflooded halls of the Federations council hall, silent and still. Everything was happening quicker than the plan had predicted. Charles Brittania's ambitions were crushed as all the Areas enslaved by the previous regimes were freed under the First Decree of the 1st Empress of Brittania, Nunally Vi Brittania. Britannian forces would return to the Homeland, and there, they would remain, and the rights and names of all conquered lands returned to the rightful countries.

She had spoken with such passion as she stood before the members of the Federation, as though the spirit of her brother had taken her, showing the world in attendance a ferocity they never would have imagined from one so small.

Lelouche would have been proud.

As for him...As for Zero...He would go where he was needed. The new Empress would be returning to a wounded nation, left scarred by her brothers handiwork. There were deaths to account for, and the Brittanian people would be looking to her for inspiration in these times. They needed her...they needed hope...They needed Zero.

---

He remembers Kallen, dressed as a prisoner bound for execution, standing to attention with her hand raised in salute. Her voice wavered and her eyes watered as the words "Kallen Kozouki, reporting for duty!" left her lips. The one called Ohgi had proven more sturdy as he himself, and others saluted him, "Your orders, Zero?". So this is what it felt like. They knew he was not the Zero they had sworn allegiance to and had been betrayed by. He could see it in their eyes. But that didn't seem to matter.

"My Knights--" Lelouche had prepared him for this. A farewell written by Lelouche himself. "I thank you for your loyalty, in this time." He cast his masked gaze upon Lelouche's corpse, then gesturing to the crowd with a flourish, well practiced for the moment. "I am proud of each and every one of you. Your loyalty to Japan, to the persuit of justice, will never be forgotten. Because of all of you, Justice has prevailed!"

"No, Zero!" Kallen cried out. "Because of you!" Kallen, was this the love of Zero Lelouche had told him about?

"All hail Zero!" More declarations of his greatness. Did they revere this symbol so much?

He raised a hand to request silence, which was immediately obliged, everyone eager for his next words. "...Indeed...I...You...We did it together. We've done it...We've freed the world of a cruel enemy. Was that not our purpose? Was that not why we lived? Why our brothers and sisters died? But now..." He realized it was not just the Black Knights who's ears were lent to him- the whole word was watching now. From amongst the crowd a microphone was produced.

"But now, we face a new challenge..." A synthetic voice, to hide the accent within the mask. "The rule of the Brittanians and the Demon Lelouche may be over, but they have left in their wake a world scorched- It is now our duty, to throw down the vestments of war, and pick up the mantle of restoration. Now, then, let us go forthe and rebuild the world that was stolen from us!"

So this...was what it felt like to truly be Zero...

---

Nunally Vi Britannia was crowned Empress almost overnight. The move was quick, and decisively so. Within a weeks time, the path was set. How long, one could ask, does it take to rebuild the world?

It was also overnight, that the trouble began.

"We believe that a bulk of the insurgents are those whom the Geass power of the Late Emperor was used upon to ensure absolute loyalty. There, unfortunately, is no data currently to tell us just how large a force Lelouche Brittania has left behind."

Cornelia fumed silently behind crossed hands, staring needles into space- as well as to Schneizel, whom seemed to have forgotten completely about a certain incident involving a turret, and sat with such ease across from her at the table. How dare he pretend it never happened. The only reason she even entertained the idea of working along side him once more was because it was Nunally's wish that he be forgiven.

"Their master is dead, thus it's just a matter of how long they can go without some form of leadership." Schneizel mused.

"...We have the aid of the Black Knights on our side as well, and Zero." Vice Commander Cheron added.

"Zero, indeed." Cornelia's voice was venom. "What game is he playing at?"

"Whatever do you mean, sister-dear?" Schneizal asked, entertaining her more than he had interest.

"Excuse me, M'lords, I have a call..." Cheron took his leave.

"Please spare me the notion that you don't see it. We've been fooled far too many times in the past to truly believe that Lelouche is even dead!"

"A body double, you think?" Schneizel rubbed his chin in consideration. Inwardly he chuckled at her wild speculations. Even when she had witnessed one of Lelouche's few 'honest' miracles, even then would she cry fowl. 'Oh, little brother, what a fool our sister is.'

Cheron returned, looking ill.

"I want an autopsy on that corpse done immediately." Cornelia glared at Cheron. "I want proof that Lelouche is dead."

"Then...you would be interested to know that...The Late Emperors body has been stolen...it was last seen being thrown into one of the canal systems by a mob of Elevens...shortly after it was...ahem...heavily mutilated with gunfire." Cheron sputtered. Both royals baulked at the news. "I believe we can be assured that if...Lelouche Brittania was alive...if you will pardon my saying...he is probably very unhappy right now..."

...

"...Intel believes his body has probably already been ejected into the Area 11 river systems..."

---

The drain system into the rivers lay in a densely forested part of Area 11, far from the Tokyo Settlement. Drainage from the Settlement flowed from here, to the rivers. What wasn't filtered and rationed as irrigation was redirected to the ocean. That afternoon, more than sewage came tumbeling down...

'...I can hear birds...'

...

'...Ah, that's right...I'm dead.'

...

'But if I'm dead...why does...my whole body hurt...?'

...

'Sunlight...I can see...tree's...I hear a stream...I'm...in water?'

...

'I...can't breathe!'

A loud gasp desperately swallowed air as a body shot straight up in the shallow riverbed. He sat there, for the longest time, violet eyes wide in sudden panic. He raised his head and checked his surrounding. A river, that cuts directly through a forest. If this was some sort of trick, he was not amused. His chest hurt...his whole body hurt. Once white garments clung to his body, a collage of dark red patches and tears. But he found no wounds to speak of.

Slowly, he crawled from the river, muscles burning and aching with every move. He collapsed on his back on the rocky bank.

"I'm...alive?" He asked weakly.

"But...how...?"

He rubbed his eyes a little in angry frustration. What went wrong? How could he be alive after being stabbed in the fucking heart?!

He pulled his hand away, and felt his heart catch in his throat...In the shade of his palm, a symbol reminiscent of a bird with wings spread in flight, mocking him.

He stared long and hard at his hand raised above him.

Then, he laughed. He laughed as though he had just gotten the punchline to a long overdo joke.

His laughter quieted as Lelouche Vi Brittania draped his arm miserably over his eyes to shade them from the sun.

"...God Dammit...!"

...To be continued.