I'm Back!
I sincerely apologize, especially to those that had been waiting on NaF, and CG:tPW.
This story, as the title suggests, is a remake of my first fic: Now and Forever (NaF).
The main reason for such a remake was the quality of my work, a detail that I noticed as I was reading through the past chapters of the story. The plot development was rather slow, and certain things that did not make sense, even to me.
This story is, essentially, going to follow the same plot, or lack thereof.
Expect OC's and other things.
Also, a mild warning:
There might be slight ooc-ness on part of certain characters, especially on the part of our favorite demon. Most pairning will remain the same as the original fic, and AU elements beginning with the last episode.
This version of the story will also contain some pro-Charles spects.
You have been warned.
Enjoy.
Sincerely,
Toph the Trickster
Code Geass: Now and Forever
Prologue:
A Parade of Souls; No Rest for the Wicked
"Peace is a sham,
"Just like every other ideal that the cretins of this world breed.
"Only the Truth is absolute, it will remain forever there, staring the human fools in the face.
"But that doesn't mean that the comprehension of such a concept is as constant as it ought to be."
-Charles zi Britannia
~TtT~
Location: Britannian Imperial Palace, Tokyo, Japan
Estimated Date / Timeline: October 5th, One week before the execution of the Instigators of the Damocles Rebellion
Estimated Time: 6:57pm
Light shone through the stained glass windows of the Britannian Imperial throne room, amplifying the, already, forbidding air that the place produced; shadows lined the walls, dancing as the many candles, which illuminated the portraits of past emperors, let out their eerie glow.
At the center of the empty room's attention, were to men, one dressed in white, black, red, and gold, the other dressed in a different combination of the same colors.
"Suzaku," the black-haired man, better known as Lelouch vi Britannia, told his compatriot: "You shall be the one to take my life, as I promised you."
"Lelouch…" the person being spoken to: the brown-haired Kururugi Suzaku, stared at the object held in Lelouch's left hand, began. "Are you absolutely sure about this?" the, presumed diseased, knight asked the monarch with furrowed eyebrows.
The emperor responded with a scoff and a smirk, raising an eyebrow as he replied to his knight: "As intended, the world's hatred is now focused on me;" the teenage sovereign flicked his left hand, sending the mask flying in his friend's direction. "There is, now, no other source of unity on this planet that is greater than that hatred." He added when the Japanese knight caught the helmet with the latter's right hand.
Lelouch turned to the court, walking forward, until he came before the symbol of his nation: the lion and the snake; the royal raised a hand to his eyes, passing over the purple lenses once.
"And, with my elimination," he raised his right hand to the side. "The chain will break." He turned to face the knight, the former's eyes closed, but, somehow, still gesturing to the mask Suzaku held in his hand. "The Black Knights will have the legend, Zero, and Schneizel will work as planned.
"And the world can be united at one table, not by military might, but by talks, and negotiation." This was shortly followed by a scoff from the emperor, the odd action causing Suzaku to stare at his superior quizzically.
Despite the fact that the monarch could feel the stare through his closed eyes, Lelouch continued: "The world can now embrace the future." The Demon King sent the Knight of Zero a feral grin:
"And thus ends the Zero Requiem."
The dictator chuckled lightly before asking his friend: "Suzaku, What do you think of wishes?" the statement was then followed by another laugh.
Not even bothering to wait for an answer, the emperor spoke: "There are things in this world that we are not capable of achieving on our own." Lelouch strode forward, climbing the steps to the throne with ease, despite the fact that his eyes were still closed. "A Geass works in a similar manner, helping us get what we would, normally, not be able to obtain."
Lelouch vi Britannia then gestured to the stained glass window that was placed behind the throne, bringing specific attention to the roaring, red-skinned, purple-eyed, Arch Demon, which was clad in black and purple Imperial regalia, and his axe bared with both hands.
"And so a deal with the devil himself shall bring, to this world, the tomorrow that it so desires."
Suzaku kept his gaze trained on the demon in the glass, taking in the sight of its elongated fangs, dagger-like claws, and its long, black horns. The knight knew exactly who the demon represented.
"But first," the emperor began, breaking the knight's reverie: "Let us, first take care of some loose ends." Lelouch snapped the fingers of his left hand.
The demon's purple eyes glowed a shade of electric blue as an inverted crane emblazoned itself where the irises should have been, and energy scattered across the whole room, before dissipating as the demon's eyes turned purple once more.
~TtT~
Suzaku felt it, the strange feeling that came over him as the energy from the glass demon's eyes touched him.
It felt odd, like a lock to a cabinet being broken, as an outside will was purged of his subconscious.
It was then that he felt it:
The geass command. Suzaku's eyes widened at the though that plagued him next:
I-i-it's been removed.
The implications came shortly afterward:
No longer bound to life, no longer forced to live, allowing me to face death willingly, without fear, without the unstoppable compulsion to remain with the living. Suzaku smiled, staring at his hands as the thoughts continued to come: I-I I can die! I can see Euphie again; Join her in death when the time comes! He turned to thank the emperor.
"The Geass Canceller; Lelouch, thank y-." he stopped.
Why?
For, before the Knight of Zero, now Zero the Second, stood the Demon King, the latter's eyes now open, the twin crane sigils of his, fully-matured, Geass staring the latter's successor in the face.
"Lelouch vi Britannia, the Demon King, commands you, Kururugi Suzaku…"
There was nothing the knight could do, but stare in horror as the command settled in, the broken drawer repaired, and given a new secret to hold.
And there was nothing the knight could do about it.
And that ends the prologue for the rewrite of NaF.
Questions:
What do you think of the way the main / only scene of the prologue was developed? Was the transition between movements, actions, and words smooth?
Also, what do you suppose this main AU element will entail?
Announcement:
Question, clarifications, and what not can be asked via review or PM. (just in case there would be anything you might want to know about any of my stories.)
I hope you enjoyed it.
Sincerely,
Toph the Trickster