Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass and its characters.

Tokyo Developmental Zone, Area 11, Holy Britannian Empire

January 17, 2011 atb

Lelouch vi Britannia wasn't accustomed to this kind of life, the kind that involves strenuous physical exertion, the kind that tested one's survival skills and especially the kind wherein several MI6 agents hunted one's head. Although this was the flow of his thoughts ever since Japan surrendered to Britannia more than a month ago, the fact that he is still breathing at this very moment attests to the opposite.

After the initial strategic bombings that spearheaded the preemptive strike of the empire against Japan, most, if not all of the Japanese military's pre-war zeal was vanquished. The fact that Britannia launched a thousand sub-sonic aircraft and dropped tons and tons of ordnance against major cities and military installations undeterred quickly snapped any pretentious belief that the Japanese can hold out against a major armed movement. The rest of the world watched as one of the few countries which can match the empire in terms of technology fell within a month of campaign and all its vital sakuradite resource taken in as the spoils.

Lelouch thought that that would be the case long before the war was fought. Although still premature, his mind is one of the sharpest in Britannia's imperial family and all his inferences on how the war would go in case it happened was entirely spot on when it did actually occur. What he couldn't predict so well was the fact that he and his sister, Nunnally would be getting a front seat when it all happened. As keen a person as Lelouch was, certain events that defy logical expectations certainly do occur. One such event was the death of his mother, Lady Marianne.

That night that killed his mother and crippled and blinded his sister has left a deep scar in his heart. He genuinely asked himself later that evening if he was having a nightmare and if so, wished that he would like to wake up. Being the realist he is, asking about nightmares and dreams, the inability to distinguish fantasy from reality certainly seemed so out of place for him. Although he couldn't help it at the time, as the shock of the events led him to dip in between the surreal and real and as such he lost the ability that made him a prodigious child in that only night, the ability to think clearly in any and all situations.

Brought on by his horrendous experience, his thoughts were consumed of vile hatred that evening and Lelouch, at age ten, confronted arguably the most powerful person in the world, his father, the 98th Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire, Charles zi Britannia and demanded that justice be served. He rattled on how the most secure place in the world be infiltrated by the supposed terrorist that had done the misdeed against his family. The Emperor didn't even bat an eye and instead banished him along with his sister to the island nation of Japan as political tools to appease the growing apprehension in the country supplying Britannia with sakuradite. A few weeks later the empire invaded Japan.

Now here he was, in the wake of six dead MI6 agents at a backward alley with a smoking 9 mm pistol in his hand. Lelouch thought of what to do next, he was separated from Nunnally and Suzaku a few days ago as he tried to draw the attention of their pursuers away from the two of them and it worked. Even though he was deeply worried about his younger sister, he trusted Suzaku enough to know that he'll protect Nunnally no matter what and besides he had already planned out their rendezvous in case such a thing happened.

A few minutes of sprinting brought him to the scheduled point that Suzaku and he had conferred about. Lelouch had been running around these past few days in circles to confuse the MI6 although he kept his distance from the rendezvous point relatively the same all throughout. Now that the threats are gone, it's time to meet up with the two.

He looked around the corner of the road where they were supposed to meet, no one was there. Lelouch had set a time limit as to their rendezvous, when the other wasn't there by an hour and a half from the set time then that signaled that there is something wrong. They were supposed to meet at this exact moment, four pm, now he just had to wait and hopefully just until before dusk.

What's taking them so long? Even though Suzaku's just a child, I think that he wouldn't get caught that easily even with Nunnally tagging along. I even gave him a gun just to be sure. Just as Lelouch was thinking this, the people that he had been waiting for finally showed their faces. He rushed to the sleeping Nunnally and his protector but was surprised to find a sullen look on Suzaku's face which was very out of character for him. Before he can decipher anything of the situation however, he was suddenly grabbed from behind and they were surrounded by men in Britannian military uniforms.

"Let me go you fucking bastard. Let me go!" Lelouch shouted in rage and scrambled to break free but with no success.

"Your Highness, please remain calm." A stern voice, a familiar stern voice warned him. He wracked his brain to remember the identity of the voice but resigned himself to be calm so that the offender may introduce himself. Then maybe he can find a chance to…

"It's me your Highness, it's me, James." Lelouch's head flipped towards his back to see if the man was really Col. James Stadtfeld, one of the few decent people in the Imperial Army that he trusts. There was no shadow of a doubt, it was a friendly face. After ascertaining that the young man was indeed calmed, James released his hold on Lelouch.

"I see. So you've been part of the invasion force. I can't believe that the elite 76th Imperial Mechanized Battalion would be sent here. Apparently Wolfgang has lost his touch if you guys aren't needed in North Africa." He chided as he fixed his posture. Everyone in Britannia knew of the exploits of the 76th in the fight against the EU, especially in one of the toughest theatres of the war, the North African front wherein they went head to head against the elite of the euros, the 101st EU Combined Legion headed by the famous strategic mind, Brigadier General Anthony Wolf aka Wolfgang.

"That mutt really gave us a lot of trouble but we managed to push them out of Tunisia at least. I do hope he doesn't call in more hounds from Geneva." James chided in return.

"So, what of this latest incursion? Has Britannia finally felt the pressure to directly take control of all the sakuradite? How ridiculous." Lelouch asked in annoyance.

"Prince Schneizel actually recommended to the Emperor that he take control of the diplomacy here directly before the war but his Majesty rejected it. His Majesty seems adamant on bloodshed." James explained.

"It's funny actually, sakuradite aside, if he wanted me dead he could've just killed me when I was still at Aries, he didn't actually need me to kill these many people." Lelouch smirked at the direction of the alley where he killed those MI6 agents. James looked at the young prince with both pity and fear. Those eyes that once shined with liveliness and fulfillment were now replaced by anger and resentment.

"I was sent here by his Majesty in order to retrieve you and your sister. He said that the test is over and you have passed." James said blankly as he gritted his teeth at such cruelty.

"I have killed exactly fifty MI6 special agents and that is the prerequisite to pass and to return? That man must be joking." Lelouch mirthlessly laughed yet he cannot stop tears streaking from his eyes. What kind of man would send his children to a warzone just to test them? What kind of world does he live in? Despite the unfathomable rage that he felt, he still he couldn't keep the relief from showing on his face. He was glad that Nunnally may finally be safe.

"What are your plans now Suzaku? We could arrange for you to accompany me to the mainland, although this may sound ludicrous coming from me, a prince from your oppressors." He told the boy while he was fixing himself from his earlier outburst.

"So you really are going back, I thought you hated it there." Suzaku replied with a sad smile.

"I did and I still do however if it will grant Nunnally any semblance of a peaceful life, I'll gladly take it even if it means having that man back in our lives." Lelouch said matter of factly, whilst glancing towards the young girl resting at Suzaku's back.

"I don't know… I don't know what to do. I've got nowhere to go now…" Suzaku tearfully cried. Lelouch realized that his friend has been holding it in ever since that day and now it finally broke through.

"Let's go." Lelouch's words halted Suzaku's downpour of emotion. He understood. Their quest has finally begun.

_ o _

Aries Villa, Holy Imperial City of Pendragon, Holy Britannian Empire

January 18, 2011 atb

"It looks good on you although I don't think white's your color." Milly Ashford told Lelouch as she barged through his room while he was fixing the creases in his noble prince ensemble.

"I don't believe I allowed children to come in here so seamlessly." Lelouch chided his eccentric friend.

"That's mean Lulu, I'm eleven and you're just ten! That means I'm older and more mature than you are!" Milly cried out in protest.

"I see, more mature, huh. Still, it was good to see you again Milly. I never thought that I'd be back at this place." A sad smile crept into his lips. A mere day after his return, he was once again back into the place where he spent most of his young life in, Aries Villa, a place that holds most of his memories, both the good and the bad. And now, he's once again speaking to Milly, one of the regular visitors of this place and his closest friend outside of blood before he met Suzaku.

"I also thought that I wouldn't come back here you know. You've heard, haven't you? We were lucky that he still finds use for us." Milly spoke solemnly. Lelouch's eye widened for a bit. He hadn't anticipated that she would respond this way, back then she would just push through with her blind cheerfulness. Apparently more mature was correct.

"Lelouch! It's time to go! You're going to be late!" A young boy's voice can be heard coming from downstairs. Lelouch knew exactly who was calling him but his companion however had no idea and thus her curiosity piqued, she decided to confront the owner of the voice.

"Wait Milly! Don't do anything stupid! I said wait!" Lelouch called out yet only got air as a response. He hurried after her only to find that the interrogation has begun.

"Oh ho. Who do we have here? A boy, an oriental boy, a number, am I correct? Judging from your acquaintanceship with Lulu, you must be an eleven and from a family in government service. So, what are you doing here eleven boy?" Milly's deductive skills were pretty impressive were it not used for less graceful purposes. Suzaku reflexively clenched his fist. As much as he believed in using the system to achieve a change from within, he's still Japanese and to deal with such blatant derogation this early in his stay here. He wondered just how long his patience could last or if it could at all.

Lelouch got to the scene and heard most of what Milly had just said. He gritted his teeth. As much as he was grateful to see his childhood friend again, he cannot condone what she just said and to his best friend too.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" A deep voice filled with darkness came out of his mouth. His eyes were like daggers that pierced through Milly. She didn't know what to make of it at first as she didn't even know that Lelouch had this side to him. Usually he's so calm and composed even when he finds the situation unfavorable. The rage in his eyes was something she had never seen before. When it finally sank in, she found herself shaking and her knees started buckling. Even though she was only eleven years old and Lelouch just ten, life in the palace gave them wisdom beyond their years. For her to be terrified after just a few words. What happened to him?

Milly's stance gave way and she toppled. Her mind filled with nothing but fear. She wondered what pushed her closest friend to be like this. As she fell, she didn't even convey any intention of balancing herself, the shock must've been too much. After all, at the end of the day, she's still a child.

Arms enveloped around her body that stopped her freefall.

"I'm sorry Milly, I was too much, wasn't I? It's just that I get a little bit out of control when it comes to things like that." Lelouch whispered near her ear as he held her still. She began to whimper yet a smile still formed itself on her face, having seen that, Lelouch broke out into a smile of his own.

"You call that little? You meanie." Milly chuckled while getting herself proper.

_ o _

Pendragon Imperial Palace, Holy Imperial City of Pendragon, Holy Britannian Empire

January 18, 2011 atb

Lelouch stared at the massive double door leading to the throne room. Its majestic granite ornaments a relic of the mighty Arthurian fortress city of Camelot, the lion and the snake, strikes doubt into any who set foot here. It's only been a few months ago when he was here and yet the emotion that he carries are completely different. The rage that had ensued from his tragic experience alongside the fear and paranoia for his and his sister's life had dragged him into a careless and demeaning outburst in front of the most powerful man in the world. This time around though, what he brought with him is the calculating anger that fueled him together with a certain calm assuage. This time he was ready.

"Is that really you? Lulu!" As Lelouch was readying himself to face that man once again a certain female voice came echoing through his ears, he looked to its direction and found a tall woman with more than ample appeal and noble attire. Her cloak carries gold ornaments on top of purple colored base that extends to the back of her feet. The distinct designs meant she was of a very high status within the empire and she was, as she's a member of the Knights of the Round, the emperor's personal military institution of highly talented warriors and generals.

"Again with that Lulu, even Milly uses it so much now. Such a pain and it's all because you just had to have a cute little nickname for every one of your toys, Nonette." Lelouch stammered in annoyance.

"Who the hell cares about that! I'm just glad you're safe!" Nonette Enneagram ran towards him and enveloped him in a tight hug whilst tears were streaking from her eyes as she wailed onto his tiny body. Lelouch subtly returned the hug back as he was also glad to see one of his closest friends and ally to be doing well.

"Well look at this, if anyone sees you right now, no one would ever believe that you're the Knight of Nine and the one responsible for The Incident." The Pyongyang Incident or more aptly known as The Incident is a tactical counterintelligence infiltration mission at the city of Pyongyang in Korea carried out by the Holy Britannian Empire against the Chinese Federation to recover certain military secrets that the Master Chinese special agent Lu Xiao stumbled upon when he penetrated the Imperial Naval base, Hadrian's Bastion in New York. What made The Incident what it is was the fact that Emperor issued immediate action to recover any and all data stolen which was rare for the usually composed head of the nation and the fact that only a single person was to go and execute the mission. It was a top secret mission yet when the dust cleared, due to leaks in the information, intended subtle military propaganda or something else entirely, every single Britannian military personnel have heard of the person who successfully carried out the supposed one-man suicide mission behind enemy lines. The person that Lelouch was currently cradling is the one responsible for such an enormous feat.

Lelouch continued to hold the much older Nonette until she was able to calm down. It made him truly happy to see that she cares so much about his wellbeing that she'd show her vulnerability to him like this, not that he'd ever tell her that though.

"I'm such a crybaby aren't I? It's hard to believe that I'd get this high up with me being like this." Nonette jokingly remarked as she fixed herself decent.

"You're only like that for me and Cornelia right? I wonder what I had done to deserve such concern from the Knight of Nine." Lelouch amusedly rebutted back yet was surprised to see that sad, regretting look forming on Nonette's face.

"I'm sorry Lulu, if I had just followed you to Japan back then, then you wouldn't have had to face all that. I'm so sorry..." Nonette gritted her teeth as she expressed all of the guilt and anguish that she'd been feeling all this time since Lelouch's departure. Lelouch returned with a gentle look in his eyes, usually just reserved for his little sister.

"It's not your fault. I asked you to stay remember? I'd told you I'd need allies once again when I return and here I am. What's important is I'm here and so are you." Lelouch saw Nonette's face brighten as he said this and as such heaved a sigh of relief.

"What's this? Flirting with someone almost double your age? Aren't you a bit ambitious Lulu?" Nonette chuckled as she teased the young boy apparently already recovered from her earlier slump.

"I guess you're fine now if you could say that wholeheartedly Nonee." Lelouch stammered back with a playful wink. The Knight of Nine, a warrior among warriors couldn't help but blush at the moniker.

"Well I guess I'm going now. I need to ask him a favor." He earned an earnest smile from her before the massive double doors opened.

_o_

Holy Britannian Empire Throne Room, Holy Imperial City of Pendragon, Holy Britannian Empire

January 18, 2011 atb

The center of the world, where everything began and would most likely end is where Lelouch is now. This huge room decorated with the timeless artifacts smuggled from Buckingham Palace when Napoleon invaded along with the collected antiques for over a couple of millennia of Britannian expansive policy stands as the final bastion of empire. One couldn't help but marvel at the grandeur of the place. The windows were stained glass that were said to be the same windows that the legendary king of olden Britannia, Arthur Pendragon once looked out of. The tapestry that covered the walls were the ones that Queen Elizabeth I herself picked out to welcome her guests back in the 16th century. Even recent additions to the room spoke volumes of elegance such as delicately crafted chandeliers that was once a fixture from the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. Lelouch however, was for the most part unimpressed. In addition to having frequented here when he was still originally residing in Pendragon, he had little to no interest of the arts and is instead focused solely on the primary resident of the room.

"Prince Lelouch vi Britannia, the eleventh prince, returning from his tenure in Area 11." A throne guard announces Lelouch's arrival and instantly all eyes were glued to the ten year old boy. Most of the royalty were gathered here to peek at his arrival after rumors of his return from Area 11 and his visit to the emperor found their ears. Some watched Lelouch with neutral scrutiny whereas most were viewing him with disdain. Their murmurs evidently heard in such closed space only carry insults and ridicule. He is after all, the late empress' son, a fruit of a commoner. He paid no heed to them unlike his first visit a few months back when he gave them his equal animosity. Lelouch instead turned his young face towards the throne to take a look at the amused face his father was giving off. A seething anger was building up inside him yet he tamed such emotion and maintained a calm demeanor as he approached the seat of the world.

"I have returned, your Majesty. Faced with hells away from my sheltered upbringing, I bring news of victory from your trials." He spoke confidently as he kneeled in front of the emperor. Charles zi Britannia mirthlessly laughed with his deep bellows that ceased most of the murmuring going on inside the room. The emperor was clearly finding enjoyment at Lelouch's display.

"The arrogant fool has returned and what he is now, I would like to see. Well done. I take it you are seeking reward for these accomplishments?" Lelouch squinted his eyes on that. This was his chance.

"I have accomplished nothing your Majesty. I have brought no land, no wealth, and no prestige to your name and your empire. What I bring today is only myself and my intent to do so accomplish such by your name and by Britannia." He declared as astutely as he can possibly can.

"Oh. Very well and how do you propose to do so?" The emperor grinned, his interest certainly piqued.

"I would like to join the Imperial Army." The young prince declared while sporting a grin of his own.

Author's Notes: It's my first time writing a story and I hope it is somewhat to your liking. I have no prior experience therefore the structure might not be that well laid out. So anyway, I would certainly strive to improve as I go on. I appreciate any and all criticisms to make the best out of my story and concept.

Now then, on to the story itself. This is a Code Geass Alternate Universe story as where Lelouch was found prematurely by Britannia in Area 11 months after the successful invasion of Japan. So yes, he stays as a prince. I know this concept is widely used but I'm thinking of certain elements that could make this story standout from the rest of the Lelouch stays as prince dynamic. So I hope some of you are still tuned in by then.

What I disliked in the original show was that the Holy Britannian Empire along with Zero's UFN seemed to be on full hacks in terms of their ability to project their power on the world and thereby relegated the role of the European Union and the Chinese Federation to very incompetent fodder states. In this story, I've decided that they would not be handicapped by the empire technologically, culturally and socially to give the impression that the world is truly up for grabs. All of them would be trying as closely as they can to be ideal states following their own set of ideological tenets.

I'm sorry for the short length but since this is only an introduction and I am still testing the waters after all, I believe I can be forgiven. Next chapter would certainly be longer. Until next time.

EDIT: Date's fixed. Sorry guys, the excitement got the better of me. Thanks for pointing that out.

Next chapter: Royal Military Academy, West Point