A/N: Recently I have been watching the first season of Code Geass to get some inspiration for Here We Go Again when another idea occurred to me, one heavily influenced by how the Fate series (Fate/Zero, Stay Night, etc.) presents its stories. Fate/Stay Night in particular has three different routes that the story moves on. That got me thinking about one section of A Date With Destiny. Those who have followed that story know that the original A Date With Destiny follows the Code Geass storyline pretty closely with only minor changes, added scenes and dialogue, and an extra villain. Now, A Date With Destiny's sequel, Here We Go Again, is nearing its completion. For this reason, I have decided to write another route for A Date With Destiny. After all, it only takes a minor alteration to change the entire nature of a story. So, that's what we're doing here.

For this story, perspective readers need to have read up to Chapter 38 of the original A Date With Destiny, otherwise this whole story is going to be mega-confusing for you. For those who have been following my stories from the beginning up until now...this is pretty much a different take on what could have happened to Rei and company had one event been different. In other words, I'm taking everything you know about my collection of crossovers so far and throwing it out the window here. Now don't fret, I will still be continuing with Here We Go Again. This story (while it involves a similar plotline at first to the original Date With Destiny) has nothing to do with any of my previous works. This is just an alternate storyline. That is all.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or Code Geass. I only own the original characters that will appear later on.

Warning: This first chapter is the re-written version of Chapter 39 of A Date With Destiny. I figured this was the best place to start the chain reaction of changes.


Prologue: The Meeting at Kyoto


Some stories start at the beginning...

This tale does not.

For the beginning is of little consequence for those who know the original path...the destiny that bound two souls together.

Instead, this tale starts a third of the way through.

The reason for this is as follows:

Here, in the events recorded below, choices and mindsets began to change the course of every life involved in the struggle between Britannia and Japan.


"You're soft, and your methods and thinking are outdated. That is why you'll never win."

Those were the first words I uttered to the man known as Taizou Kirihara. Many years ago, he along with the prime minister of Japan, Genbu Kururugi, had taken my sister and I in as hostages to the country. We were sent there by my father, Emperor Charles Zi Britannia after the death of my mother. All this occurred seven years ago.

The guard on the left positioned his gun towards me as the lever system attached to my knightmare lowered me toward the floor, but he didn't shoot. His partner had stopped him with a silent gesture and shouts geared toward all of Kyoto's personnel.

"He can fire at us with that remote! Everyone stay back! Don't make a move!"

"That's right," I thought, smirking from beneath the Zero mask I wore. "You wouldn't want your last tie to the past to die, would you? These people are far too easy to read."

Kirihara growled in agitation. The sound of his anger almost made me laugh, but I held my mirth inside. Laughing wouldn't strengthen my chances of winning his favor.

"Taizou Kirihara," I began, ready to deliver words I had prepared for just this occasion. In my arrogance, I thought I had calculated every possible scenario. Unfortunately, within seconds all of my calculations flew out the window.

A circular flying disk came for my hand without warning, knocking the remote away from me. My gaze followed the device as it flew overhead and down toward the woman that had suddenly appeared to stand in front of Kirihara.

She was an attractive presence with shoulder-length blond hair that framed her face. She wore a red blouse with black dress pants and red high heels. Over her eyes she thinly rimmed glasses that reflected the dim lighting of the room. The glaring reflection of light made it difficult to see her eyes fully. However, when she moved to her left I caught a glimpse of dark amethyst irises that matched my own.

With a grin on her face, she lowered her arm. "Looks like I've beaten you at your own game, Zero."

Clenching my fists I glared at the woman through my visor, wondering if I should activate my Geass here. The guards standing on either side of her were aiming their guns at me agian, ready to fire at will.

But it seems the surprises aren't over yet.

Without any warning, the woman shot the guard on her left in the knee. The other guard aimed his gun toward her, but she was faster. She shot the gun out of his hand.

"No one is going to shoot Zero, got it!" she shouted, anger clear in her voice. "If anyone here makes any move toward him, I'll fire this remote and kill Kirihara.

"Himmiko, what it the meaning of this?" Kirihara asked, sounding completely dumbfounded by this development. Truthfully, I wasn't sure what to make of this woman's actions either, not that it mattered. She wasn't paying attention to Kirihara.

Her violet gaze was trained on me and me alone.

"Wait a minute," Kirihara exclaimed suddenly. "You're not Himmiko at all!"

"You guessed it," the woman answered, her gaze still focused on my mask. She's after something, but what? If this woman isn't Kirihara's trusted bodyguard, then who is she? Why is she standing in my way?

Inhaling slowly, she spoke again. "Zero, I ask that you show me your face now." She paused for a moment to steady her shaking hand. "You were going to reveal yourself to Kirihara anyway, weren't you?"

Her knowledge of my plans shocked me. Thankfully, my mask served to hid my reaction as well as my face. The thought to use my Geass on the woman entered my mind again, but something about her made me curious to know her motive behind these actions.

"Yes," I answered after a moment. "I intended to show him my face."

"Alright," she replied. "Go ahead then."

"And if I don't?"

"Listen Zero, I already have my suspicions of who you are," she stated, looking more than a little annoyed at my inquiry. "In fact, I'm certain that I already know, but I want, no...need a confirmation. I have to know the truth. That's all I'm looking for here."

What could her intentions be? She claims to know who I am already, but needs a confirmation?

Cleary she wasn't going to give me time to think this over. Her finger was fixed around the trigger and the shaking of her hand had stopped.

Though I hate to admit it, this woman defeated me.

"Very well then," I agreed, nodding my consent. "But if I reveal myself to you, I want to know your true identity as well."

"You're in no position to be making demands of me," she answered bluntly, making it obvious that she was fighting the urge to roll her eyes at me. "I'm the one with the gun and the remote that can end Kirihara's life. I can kill you right now if I want to."

"But you don't, do you," I remarked.

For a moment she looked puzzled then angry all over again. With a scoff she answered, "I suppose you're right, but that doesn't mean that I have to do anything you say. I make my own rules."

Interesting woman. "Is that so?"

The frown on her face deepened. "It is; however, I'll make a deal with you, Zero. I will reveal my identity to you on the condition that you allow me into the ranks of the Black Knights in addition to revealing your face to Kirihara and myself. Does that sound fair?"

"That's definitely not fair!" Kallen shouted from far behind me. The other members present loudly gaped at this woman's proposal, saying a number of things that probably would have been hurtful for this woman to hear had she been paying attention to them. It was a struggle for not to let out my own rebuttals to her proposal.

Why would she want to be part of the Black Knights? Is she a spy for the Britannian forces or perhaps she has her own personal vendetta against me for some reason.

Whatever the case may be, I'll have to use my Geass on her later. For now, I'll allow her to see my face. She can consider it a prize for outmaneuvering me.

Still, something in her eyes is familiar. At first I thought her eyes were a reflection of vengeance and determination sparking like a low burning flame, but after a few seconds I realized that those things weren't present in her expression at all. From what I could decipher, she just looked desperate for the truth.

With a touch of weariness in her voice she asked, "Do we have a deal?"

My, how pitiful she sounded. Chuckling in response, I brought my hands to the sides of my mask.

"Yes, I believe we do."


I've suspected him since before Narita and the mudslide that took Chad away from me.

You let me die!

Over and over I keep hearing those words. I keep wishing they weren't true, but...

My heart started pounding the second Zero lifted his hands to the sides of his mask. He spoke again in those slow seconds, but I didn't hear him due to the millions of thoughts cycling through my mind. As the seconds ticked by and the helmet lifted from his face little by little, a small part of me wanted to plead for him to stop before I could see. Perhaps knowing the truth wasn't the best thing. Did I really want to know? How would I react once I did know?

I was afraid to find out.

That and in a few short moments I would have to reveal myself to him too.

"Please just don't be..." My breath hitched in my throat as Zero lifted the mask above his head. His face was exposed now, but I didn't look at him right away. I couldn't. Instead my gaze fell toward the floor.

Kirihara gasped. "You..."

Gathering all my courage, I slowly lifted my gaze and nearly choked when violet eyes locked on mine.

"Lelouch...it's...it really was him this whole time..."

"It's been a long time Lord Kirihara," Lelouch remarked, his gaze shifting to the curtain his former caretaker hid behind.

"Yes, it's been eight years since that family took you in as a hostage," Kirihara replied.

"And I appreciate you taking care of me then."

"If I hadn't come tonight, were you planning on taking one of our messengers hostage?"

I had no idea what they were talking about. I heard their conversation, but all I could think about was the fact that Lelouch...my friend...was Zero...the man responsible for the mudslide that tore through Narita...and killed Chad. Yet...

Lelouch frowned. "Not at all. I came to ask for your help. That's all I'm seeking from you."

"And you girl," Kirihara asked, transferring his attention to me. "What is it that you are seeking?"

Seeing Lelouch's face had left me in a state of shock, so I couldn't properly respond to Kirihara's question. I thought I had been ready to know Zero's identity, but now...

How ironic. I hadn't been prepared for this at all, just as I hadn't been prepared to see Chad's body yesterday.

"Not now," I begged myself silently. "Please don't think about that right now. You can't afford to break here."

After a long moment of silence, Lelouch finally addressed me again. "A deal is a deal."

"A deal is a deal?" I wondered, completely lost on what we were even discussing. Between the shock of knowing for certain that Lelouch was Zero and Chad's voice ringing in my head every few minutes, I could barely even think straight.

"Well," Kirihara pressed, sounding impatient. "Go on."

Taking in a slow breath to calm myself, I closed my eyes and prayed that when I opened them the nightmare would be over, that I would wake up at the temple with Chad outside my room sweeping the patio.

Unsurprisingly, Lelouch was still standing in front of me when I opened them, gazing at me as if...well I don't really know how he's gazing at me. The look on his face is pretty unemotional. Not blank, but unemotional nonetheless, almost as if he were bracing himself. Did he recognize me?

After another deep breath I tossed him the remote back to him before placing my gun into my pants pocket. Then, by slow increments, I took off the glasses and removed the blonde wig fastened to my head. Once the wig was on the floor, I worked my fingers through my hair, unbinding it partially from the bun so Lelouch would see long, black tresses. It probably looked more like a high ponytail now, not that it really mattered. Lelouch would know my identity whether it was up in a bun or not.

I didn't see any sign of shock on his face. Mostly he just stared at me with a deadpanned expression of nonchalance. I couldn't begin to guess what was going on in his head. He didn't say a word. In a way, I was grateful for the silence.

Unfortunately, Kirihara wasn't as quiet as Lelouch.

"I knew it was you, Rei," he said while lifting the curtain in front of him in order to look at me.

"Really?" I asked, not surprised. "What gave me away?"

"Himmiko never wears red," Kirihara stated, smirking good-naturedly in a way that reminded me of my grandpa. "She absolutely detests the color, mainly because it reminds her of blood."

I almost shuddered at that, but kept my composure.

"You never answered my question before," he continued, his expression serious now. "What are you seeking?"

What a loaded question. To be honest, I don't really know what I'm seeking with this move. Did I want to sabotage Lelouch's plans? Was this a futile attempt to complete the first mission that had been given to me by M? Am I still trying to find my brother?

"No," I thought, mentally answering my own question. There was something more important that I had to do. Something I hadn't been able to do for Chad.

"What I am seeking has nothing to do with this," I answered, shifting my gaze back toward Kirihara.

"A stubborn girl as always," he muttered, laughing as he did. "Ohgi!"

A man with an odd hairstyle stepped forward. "Yes?"

"Zero is a true mortal enemy of Britannia," Kirihara stated. "His face must be kept hidden for vital reasons. Follow him and we shall assist you generously."

"We thank you," Ohgi answered, sounding a bit surprised.

"I'm grateful, Lord Kirihara," Lelouch muttered while sparing me a quick glance. He looked pretty angry now, but I couldn't bring myself to care much. Man, this situation has gotten far more complicated than I ever thought it would. I can't even begin to process what just happened.

"What am I going to do now?"

"Are you embarking the path of blood, Zero?"

I clenched my fists at the question.

"Indeed, if that is my destiny," Lelouch answered, now fully behind the Zero mask. He fastened it to his head within seconds, hiding his face from my view.

"And you Rei, what path will you follow," Kirihara asked. "Somehow the path of blood doesn't seem to suit you."

No, that path doesn't suit me at all, but...

"My hands are already stained with blood Master Kirihara," I stated bitterly. "As for the path I'm walking on...for now, I'm going to follow my heart and see where that leads me."

"The human heart is fickle young one."

"I know," I replied, offering him a small smile. "But right now it's all I can do."

Kirihara nodded. "Let me give you something before you leave." With slow movements he began to reach behind him. A few seconds later he withdrew a shethed sword with an engraving of a tiger on its hilt.

"This was your father's sword," he explained, holding it out to me. " This was to be given to your brother on his thirteenth birthday, but I believe this weapon is better suited for you. Within lies the heart of the warrior."

Kneeling in front of him, I held out my hands in acceptance. He placed the sword into my awaiting hands slowly. It was a heavy weight to carry, just as Chad's death was a heavy burden of guilt upon my shoulders. Still, regardless of how I feel...I have to keep going.

"Remember who you are Julianna," he whispered.

"I will," I replied, barely noticing that he had called me by my real name. Luckily, Master Kirihara had said it too low for Lelouch and the others around us to hear. "Thank you."

Rising to my feet, I gave my master one last glance before turning to face the old friend who may end up being the worst enemy I'll ever have to face.

Scoffing I walked past him, somewhat bitter about the whole ordeal. I passed by him quickly, stating that I would tell no one about him, then moved to stand with the other members of the Black Knights. Kallen started yelling at me immediately.

"Rei, you didn't tell me you worked for Kyoto!" she exclaimed harshly.

"You didn't tell me that you worked for the Black Knights," I shot back, meeting her glare head on. "So I guess we're even. Besides, our occupations aren't exactly the types of jobs we'd talk about in regular conversation genius."

"Do you want a piece of me smart aleck?"

Rolling my eyes I glanced over at C.C. who was also glaring at me a bit.

"Excuse me, shouldn't I be the one mad a you miss saucy pants?" I wondered silently. She's been working with Zero...Lelouch all this time. She probably knew from the start that Lelouch was Zero and never even bothered to inform me about it.

After leaving Kyoto's headquarters, we piled into a car and rode in silence back toward the Tokyo Settlement where the Black Knight Headquarters was located. I stared out the window for most of the ride despite there not being anything to really look at. Still, it was better than glancing around at everyone staring at me. Obviously these guys aren't going to trust me, but again, I don't care all that much. I have more important things on my mind. Thoughts of Chad, his parents...

"Not again Rei, not again!" my mind screamed. "Just get over him, he's gone!"

And of course, just like the other times that I had thought of Chad, his harsh words returned.

You let me die! You let me die! You let me DIE!

When losing someone you care about, things are supposed to get easier with time. At some point, you're supposed to move on. I know it's too soon for me to move on from this, but the constant thoughts of him and the nightmares about what happened...

"Miss Hino," Lelouch began, ready to dive into what would be a long debate between us. Unfortunately for him, I'm not ready to talk about any of this, especially with other people around.

"We're not going to discuss this now," I told him, my voice sounding weak in my ears. Stupid emotions.

"Rei."

"I'm not going to say it again!" I shouted, gaining the attention of the other Black Knight members. Growling I leaned back against the leather seat. "Please, we'll talk about this later." My voice broke on the last word. A lump was forming in my throat again too.

I have to get back to my dorm room at Ashford. There I could be away from everything and everyone...most of all Lelouch.


The story of this destiny did not begin here. It began many years ago at the Hikawa Temple when Rei and Lelouch were children.

Of course, even before then, their destinies were set in motion by people who lived millenniums ago.

Geass, a power created to defend a kingdom led to the birth of chaos' ultimate weapon.

Those who know the original story know the events that led to this moment, the moment Rei and Lelouch revealed themselves to one another. Those who know the tale of hatred, love, darkness, and light, know the tale of these two hearts...hearts that will fight together through many battles as one.

However, this is a different story...a diffrent destiny coming into play. After all, in the end, everything comes down to choice.

In a few days, these two paths will change in a drastic way, creating another route, another path to follow.

And all because of one small, seemingly insignificant choice.

But horrors lie in this path. Horrors of screams, bile, and blood. There is little hope to be had along this path and yet...strong hearts will fight and reach for a new and better world regardless.

This is a path of illusions and deciet, a path made from roaring flames.

This is the tale of smoke and mirrors.


A/N: That is merely a prologue to start the story in the middle of the action. Again, if you haven't read Chapters 1-38 of A Date With Destiny...well this story is going to be confusing for you. If you've never read my work before, I would recommend reading the original A Date With Destiny first...at least up until chapter 38. Although, if you want to stick to the original route this story normally goes in, read all 94 chapters of A Date With Destiny, what I have for Here We Go Again, and then come back here. Either way, I hope you guys will enjoy what I have planned for this alternate storyline. Have a very nice day! And if you have time, leave me a review. Feedback and constructive criticism are always welcome.