Dearest lovely readers.

I am ArtemisKey! Thank you so much for reading this beautiful story that I'm having so much fun writing with Fearel.

ALSO TODAY IS FEAREL'S BIRTHDAY!

SO YAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :D

and yeah. I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

(I ArtemisKey Command you! REVIEW!) (haha no... i am in no way Lelouch Vi Britannia, nor do I (or Fearel in that case) own Code Geass!)

intro-Fearel

Tohdoh–Fearel

Suzaku- Artemiskey

Strike 2: the weight of the mask

When catastrophe befalls it is the people in authority who we looked to for a solution.

The year is 2019 of the Imperial Calendar, one year after the combined forces of United Federation of Nations, the Chinese Empress, the 100th Empress of the Britannian Empire, and the special military force known as the Black Knights brought about world peace, that peace is once again being threatened.

The task of finding a solution falls upon the shoulders of one man.

His name is Zero.

Once a lone rebel he is now charged with the safety of the entire world.

His true identity: Suzkau Kururugi, one-time night of the Britannia military, but he is not the man who first created the legend of Zero. That triumph belongs to another. Lelouch Vi Britannia the 99th Emperor of the holy Britannia Empire, more commonly known as the Demon Emperor.

It was he who first decided to seek the future and so doing alter irrevocably the path of history. But now it is Suzaku who must carry on and it is on Suzaku's shoulders that the fate of the world rests.

Or at least that is how he and the world perceived it,

But if there is one thing that Zero must remember

It is that everybody has their own agenda

And that even the most cunning can serve a purpose not their own.

Confused stares followed Zero as he vacated the room, the thoughts of their own is practically transparent on their faces. 'What's going on?' 'Why is he leaving? 'What's wrong doesn't Zero have a plan?' 'He has to be able to do something he is Zero after all!' 'So why did he just leave without giving us instructions!?' The room's stunned silence was broken not however by a scared complaint but rather by the crisp voice of General Tohdoh, the Black Knights second-in-command since Oghi stepped down to a merely advisory capacity after his appointment as Prime Minister of Japan. "In light of what is just happened we will be adjourning this meeting early. You all, as the unit command staff, are to lock down security and are too personally conduct a sweep of your segments of the building. You will report to Caption Chiba of the First Division. When all of the reports are in Zero will incorporate them into his plan and will then call a meeting to alert us as to what step we will next be taking. Until we know more it is impossible to determine who our enemy is or what they are planning. That is all."

While it was clear that everybody present was still far from happy about the situation and Zero's reaction they seems to be slightly reassured by this plausible interpretation of Zero's actions and the addition of something they could do to help. The exception to this was typically enough Tamaki who after finally waking up was demanding loudly for someone to rexplain the situation and simultaneously assuring everyone that he could handle it. Tohdoh didn't listen; instead, ignoring the questioning look Chiba shot in his direction, he quickly crossed to the door and exited alone with the majority of the Black Knights Council.

Once outside he waited just long enough for Kallen to emerge. She came straight over to stand beside him. "We've got a problem," she stated flatly. He nodded curtly then tilted his head to the left in the direction of the private administrative offices. She returned his nod with a slight incline of her head and the two of them set off down the hall.

They walked a little way in silence until they had left behind the noise of the meeting and were surrounded in the quiet that always pervaded this part of the Black Knights base. Their offices here weren't for the smaller command staff like those at the meeting, their offices were in the area belonging to their unit, but rather for the most important members of the Black Knights as well as other officials like Lady Kaguya. As such, with the higher ranking commanders like Chiba off handling the current crisis, Oghi in the infirmary, and everyone else preparing for the upcoming UFN meeting, the area was completely empty. The only exception to this was Zero but his rooms were set away from the others on the 5th floor over the two-story tall docking bay with private staircase directly to the outside of the walled off section of the bay that was Lloyd and Cecile's mechanical shop.

Once they had left the crowd behind and were confident that they would not be overheard Tohdoh turned to Kallen and asked in a low voice "so what exactly happened?" Kallen explained what had happened, repeating what she had heard as she did so. She described how she had found Oghi how he had bin wounded and how as she had pinned Oghi's attacker to the floor she didn't notes him reaching for a pocket knife until he had taken a slash at her shoulder. She had recoiled in time and Oghi had shot him before he managed to escape. Then she had taken Oghi down to the infirmary before returning to the meeting. When she was finished Kallen sighed and concluded "I'm glad Oghi shot the bantered but the only thing I managed to get out of him besides what he said earlier was 'you think you can beet us so easily? Oh no there are far to many of us to loose."

Tohdoh sighed he had been afraid of that. "So this won't be an isolated incident then."Kallen shook her head slowly, "no I'm afraid this is only the beginning. That I trust is what you meant when you said we had a problem not the attack in particular." Tohdoh nodded and gestured her into the office on their left, which was his. It was a simple room with a metal table a couple of chairs traditional Japanese mats on the floor a TV screen a couple of lamps and a large Japanese flag on the wall opposite the screen. It was reminiscent of Tohdoh's room during the time of the JLF and on the whole he preferred simplicity.

Kallen sat down on one side of the table and after closing and relocking the door he sat down opposite her. "So you came to the same conclusion I did," it was a statement not a question. Kallen nodded, "he can't lead us." It was the first time they'd discussed the topic, over that entire year neither of them had mentioned it even once. The only time they'd even come close was when they'd help make Lelouch's funeral arrangements.

After he died and Cornelia's men had released them they, like the rest of the newly freed prisoners, had come to stand in front of Zero and cheer his "return". Tohdoh had, perhaps excluding Zero himself, bin the only one who had seen that the tears flowing down Kallen's face were far from joyful and that even as she cheered her voice cracked with a sob. It was after the mob had finally quieted and such technicalities could be tended to that Zero declared that the Demons body should be placed aboard the Damocles and the device should be set on course for the sun. Then it had been Kallen who had helped Zero to remove the soon-to-be empress Nunnally from her brother's lifeless corpse and at the same time keep the illusion that all three had hated the dead man. It was then that Tohdoh, feeling as though he ought to try and do something, had volunteered to drive the transports that would take the body to the Damocles.

He was not surprised however that, when Tohdoh had reached the place where the Damocles was docked, he found Kallen and Nunnally waiting for him along with Sayoko. In a quiet voice Nunnally had explained that they wished to give the dead emperor a proper burial. There was a black funeral limo waiting nearby and they intended to take the body directly to its final resting place at the Kururugi Shrine. Tohdoh had agreed and had been the one to place the body in the plain coffin that Sayoko had found to hold it.

The drive to the shrine was a silent one leaving each member of the party alone with their thoughts. Halfway there however the silence was broken by the screech and grown old the wheels as Sayoko slammed her foot down on the brakes. When both Tohdoh and Kallen stiffened in surprise and alarm Sayoko shook her head and assured them that the problem was simply a dumpster someone had pushed into the middle of the small alley they were driving through and that the darkness had stopped her from seeing it until almost the last minute. Sayoko got out to go move the dumpster and the others waited in silence for her return.

They waited and waited and waited growing more tense with every passing minute until after five minutes had elapsed Kallen and Tohdoh decided to get out and see what was going on.

The night was dark except for the distant glint of fireworks and their crackles and bangs drowned out any other noise. Tohdoh had only gone a couple of feet when he heard a groan from nearby and saw Sayoko scrambling to her feet. Tohdoh had shouted for Kallen to go protect Nunnally then he went to help Sayoko and find out what had happened. After helping her to her feet he urgently demanded to know what happened but she just shook her head and said that someone must've hit her from behind but that she was fine and other than that her only injury was a small inexplicable needlelike scratch to her left forearm.

They were just turning back toward the car when he heard the door slam. He and Sayoko took off for the car. Kallen, who had been standing by Nunnally's door in the middle of the card right side, raced around the car to join them. As they came level to the door that had been slammed all three of them saw a glimpse of green hair as the owner sped off around the corner. Kallen opened the door, which led to the back of most seat and the coffin, and stop. The coffin was still there but all that remained of its occupant was a bloody robe.

Nunnally cried when they told her but Tohdoh couldn't help but think it was for the best. He figured that if anyone had rights to his body it was the green haired woman who had acted as his personal aid for so long. They decided to continue on to the shrine anyway and in the darkness Tohdoh and Kallen dug the grave that would serve as a final resting place for the spirit of their worst enemy and strongest ally. They placed the bloody robe inside of the coffin and buried it then they returned through the streets lit by bonfires and fireworks where people celebrated the death of the man they had just tried to bury, the man who had brought them this peace, the man they called a demon.

Throughout that night they had exchanged words than was absolutely necessary and from that day on they had never spoken of it. There had been no eulogy recited no words of final peace, nothing, only a silence heavy with emotion, unanswered questions, and unshed tears. For Tohdoh it was a time when he began to wonder whether it was as ally and friend or as sworn enemy that he had stood beside the Demon's grave. It was a question that even now he could not answer.

Now however was not the time for such musings but rather to broach the almost forbidden topic, the topic of the new Zero. He took a breath then said slowly "although we've never discussed it I know we are in agreement over who is behind that mask and I've known him long enough to know that, while he is intelligent and an almost matchless warrior, he is no brilliant tactician, not on the scale we need, and certainly not on a scale to match his predecessor."

Kallen nodded, "you're right." She was starting to sound rather frustrated, the Black Knight's Ace was after all known for short temper, "dammit, but everyone's relying on him. They think he's Zero after all, there's got to be something we can do but he doesn't even know we know who he is." Tohdoh sighed "it almost makes you miss the Demon, at least he knew what he was doing, but then, even if he had his priorities figured out by the end, he did spend the better part of two years using us for whatever he was up to. For all we know he could have been working with the Britannias was all along." Kallen shook her head "he wasn't."

Tohdoh blinked at her, surprised by the vehemence of her reaction, "what are you talking about?" "I see," Kallen paused for a second and took a breath then she continued. "I suspected as much, whatever Schneizel told you he conveniently left that part out." Tohdoh blinked at her again even more confused, from the way Kallen was acting it seemed like there was some big secret she had been hiding for a long time and was now loth to surrender to anyone, but at the same time Tohdoh could tell by the flash in her eyes that there had been an injustice done that she was determined to correct.

"Did you ever hear of the Knight of the Round by the name of Lady Marianne the Flash?" The question surprised Tohdoh but he answered it anyway, knowing that it had to be important. "Of course every good nightmare pilot worth the name has." "Tell me what you know about her." He thought for a moment then said "Lady Marianne was a commoner by birth but she ended up one of the royal consorts. The only Knight that ever defeated her in combat was Bismark Waldstein, the Knight of One. Her Knightmare Frame was the Ganymede Corleone, the most advanced third-generation Knightmare ever created. The Ganymede series was built by her major supporter, the Ashford family, but after her death the whole line was abandoned."

"What do you know about her death?" "The rumor was that she was assassinated about a year before Britannia invaded Japan. Kallen are you saying that Lelouch have something to do with that?" Kallen shook her head, "not in the way you mean but he was involved. You see he and Nunnally are Lady Marianne's children."

Tohdoh raised his eyebrows. He had always assumed that Empress Nunnally was just another, though to be sure kinder, member of the royal family. He had never realized that she was Lelouch's full sister. "So that's why, after the F.L.E.J.A, he was so desperate to find her. I always wondered, I mean he heartlessly killed more than one of his other siblings so I couldn't understand why he cared so much about her." "It was more than that Nunnally, was his whole reason for living. That's why he tried so hard to capture her. That's why, during the Black Rebellion, he made Ashford Academy our base. That's why he became Zero to begin with!"

Tohdoh had always prided himself on his ability to understand what was going on around him and to turn that knowledge into a military plan. That was the reason he had been able to hold off the Britannian's all those years ago without a single Knightmare Frame. It was that same ability that had made him so valuable, first to the JLF then to Zero. Yet now in the face of what should be a few simple sentences he had to confess that he was completely lost. He tried to think of a reasonably intelligent question to ask but all he could come out with was "what does that have to do with Ashford." "That was where, no never mind I'm going about this all wrong. If I'm going to tell you I might as well do it from the beginning."

Kallen paused for so long that Tohdoh began to think that she had changed her mind about telling him whatever it was that had convinced her that Lelouch really haven't been working with the Britannian's. Finally she spoke, " Lady Marianne wasn't assassinated by some foreigner, her death was ordered by one of the members of the royal family."

Tohdoh stared at her not sure if he should be shocked by the news or if he should ask which member of the royal family or why it even mattered, but before he could open his mouth to voice any of these thoughts Kallen shook her head. "Let me finish.

Lady Marianne was murdered in cold blood and Nunnally was caught in the attack. That was how she became crippled and the trauma of the experience at such a young age ended up blinding her. When Lelouch when to the Emperor to demand justice the Emperor disowned him and sent both of them to Japan to be used as hostages. He was only 9 years old then. That's when he met Suzaku. After the war ended they were abandoned but Lelouch managed to make contact with Ashford family who had supported his mother and managed to talk Ashford into sheltering him and Nunnally. That's how I know that he was never working with Britannia, because it was the Emperor who destroyed everything he cared about. The Emperor said that Nunnally was useless and week and so that's why he did it, why he became Zero, because he wanted to create a more peaceful world for her, and because he wanted to get revenge on the Emperor."

Suddenly it all clicked, it all made sense. Lelouch's insistence that it was Britannia that was a real enemy and that it was Britannia they needed to fight. His Obsession with eliminating members of the royal family, which vied so jarringly with his orders that no one was to harm Nunnally. His reasons for keeping his identity concealed, not just as Tohdoh and the rest the Black Knights had supposed to keep them from discovering he was a member of the royal family and guessing at his intent, but instead so that he could be assured that no one could locate Nunnally through him. Even his reluctance to directly eliminate Suzaku and Suzaku's later part in Lelouch's master plan was explained. Come to think of it Tohdoh have heard something about the child or children of a Britannian noble being used as bargaining pieces before the war started and Suzaku had begun to show up late for his martial arts lessons around then due to the time he spent with some new friend but Tohdoh had never connected the two before. Yes, everything was becoming much clearer now, everything except…

"Did you say 9? But that would make him only what 17 when he became Zero? I knew he was young but… And also what happened during the Black Rebellion? Why did he vanish for almost a year if destroying Britannia was so important to him? Why did he abandon us? And how do you know all this? Why is it that you didn't seem surprised when he revealed his identity to us? As you pointed out you weren't there when Schneizel talk to us so how is it that you weren't shocked when he found out who he was? Did he tell you all of this? Is there any evidence to support it? How do you know he didn't use his power on you?"

"CC told me, remember I spent a year with her while you were in prison. As for the rest of it I trust him."

Tohdoh stared at her mouth agape, out of all the words that could have been spoken about the Demon out of everything he had ever heard or thought or thought that anyone else had thought those were three words that he had never, ever, ever have even considered applying to the man. Now Tohdoh once again began to wonder if Kallen was under the influence of Geass.

Probably in response to his slack-jawed expression of peer shook Kallen continued. "You see I've known him for longer then you have." Tohdoh notice that she said have instead of did, even now it seemed she was struggling to accept the reality of the man's death.

"You're right that I knew who he was before Schneizel arrived but I'm not going to go into the details of that or of the Black Rebellion now." As she said this Kallen tilted her head up toward the ceiling, eyes darting around the room. Tohdoh understood while she had already divulge a lot of secret information that they wouldn't want nosed about among the masses or even the other Black Knights, she had not as yet said anything that would in danger the newfound peace, or whatever was left of it.

Throughout the entire conversation they had both been careful not to mention the present Zero or the secret of the Demons death. No matter how sure they were that there was only one key to this office and that Tohdoh had had it with him all along they could not be too careful, especially after what had just happened. This thought brought Tohdoh back their current problem and the reason for their discussion. No matter how illuminating or important the first Zero's previously unknown background was there were more pressing issues, the man was dead after all and presumably wasn't going anywhere any time soon, his successor however well he couldn't wait.

Kallen seemed to be thinking along the same lines because after a moment she said, "let's save that for another time right now we have to worry about how we're going to get through whatever's happening without breaking the peace and without a decent leader." Tohdoh nodded "you're quite right let's start by figuring out how to get through this crisis and then we can worry about the past." "So, how do we make sure that Zero comes up with a decent plan and we don't have any more incidents like you running out of the meeting today?" Kallen asked shifting her position so that one foot rested on the chair her arms folded over at.

"Were just going to have to come up with the solutions ourselves," Tohdoh said. He wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea but what else could he do? "That's great at all but before we even start figuring out what to do, how are we going to make sure that he does what we want to do?" Tohdoh hesitated for a fraction of the heartbeat before he said "we're going to have to tell him that we know who he is and get him trust us and let us help him. It won't be easy but…"

"Right, it has to be done for the sake of Lelouch's peace and I think I know what to say to get him to listen to us the important thing now is to get him to listen to us as soon as possible, before something else happens."

Think! What would Lelouch do?

I can't. I am not Lelouch. I am not the schemer, the plan maker.

I'm the Knight, nothing else... not the king.

But he meant me to take over and sustain his peace.

I bare the mask as a punishment; I was never meant to have to deal with issues such as this.

The unmasked man thought as he sat on the edge of his bed in his windowless room.

The door was locked, only he could unlock it from the inside.

In here, he was himself, Suzaku, not Zero.

He glanced at the pictures from Ashford in the small photo album, disguised as a dictionary that often sat on the shelf of books.

The memories of happy times. When things were simple, less complicated, when zero was just a man behind a mask, his identity unknown to world.

And Suzaku's greatest foe, not his reflection.

He wished he could just think like him.

Perhaps just looking at his pictures may give an idea...

He gazed across each of the faces of those in the book.

Milly, Rivalz, Nina, Sherly, Kallen, Nunnally, and him...

Lelouch.

Never once did he falter after becoming zero.

Never.

He always could hide it.

He even kept Suzaku at bay, suspicious, but never having enough evidence.

Think! Think!

Maybe...

I Command you! Think!

What am I doing?

I am not him.

What am I going to do?

Direct approach?

Discover where their headquarters is and attack with Knightmares?

No, that will never work, eitherby the time we arrive they will have already gotten notice of our arrival... or there will be so many skilled knightmare pilots that the group I send will not be able to fight it off, even if I sent Kallen... There could be knights of the round, and more than two would destroy Kallen and the Gurren.

He knew he would not be able to go himself, piloting a Knightmare would be a dead giveaway to who he was, and then loyalty to the Black Knights would crumble.

Besides, where was he going to find their headquarters? It's not like they'd put a huge sign outside it saying:

BACK WITH THE BRITANNIAN NOBLES! FREE SIGNUP!

Maybe a spy...

But who?

Anyone he could send was too well known to not be noticed, even if they were to wear a disguise...

Besides... even if it did work, they would eventually get caught.

And where would they go?

There were just too many flaws for that plan.

Suzaku closed the book and stood up.

He began to pace.

Perhaps I should just wait until they strike again, then have a spy follow them?

No, that would kill the spy...

He stopped abruptly in front of the beautifully carved chess set left over from when this was Lelouch's quarters.

Suzaku examined the board.

From a glance, it appeared that the board was set up, waiting for the next game, but upon closer inspection, the side if the black king was a mess.

A white pawn now stood at the opposing side, now a queen.

The black queen stood on the sideline, like she had just exited, but she was guarding the king.

The white king was lying down on the board, and the white bishop's square was occupied with a black pawn, giving the white bishop little room to stand.

The black king still stood tall, the white knight standing behind it.

He knew that this arrangement made him the white knight.
He was the white knight, now cloaked in the black king's shadow.

He knew the Back king on the board was just an empty shell.

The real king was dead.

This was just a shadow of the king, left to protect the newly queened white pawn.

The burden settled upon the white knight's shoulders, but it was one he would gladly accept.

Suzaku set down the white knight, then continued pacing.

What should I do?

Every answer points to defeat...

Why? What makes Lelouch so different? How come he can make up the plans? Why can't I?

THINK SUZAKU THINK!

YOU AREN'T ZERO; YET YOU WEAR HIS MASK!

SO THINK!

Declare them an enemy to the UFN?

Yes. That's perfect. Then everyone would be out for them! They'd easily surrender to the black knights!

Suzaku then picked up the infamous mask, and slipped it on.

His identity disappeared, becoming that of Zero.

He quickly bolted out of his quarters and went to the PA system and picked up the microphone.

"I want to see all Primary commanders now. It's an urgent matter. Zero's personal quarters." he said, then he put the microphone down.

The members then flooded the chamber, now joined by Nunnally Vi Britannia, 100th Empress to the Imperial throne and Her sister, the commander of Britannia's home forces, Princess Cornelia.

They settled themselves on the couches, all spread about.

Zero stood in front of them, just the coffee table between them.

He scanned from his left to right.

On the way left saw his old teacher. Sitting as if he was meditating, placidly waiting.

Next to him, on the other side of the sofa, was Viletta.

Her arms crossed across her chest with a displeased, slightly worried facial expression across her face.

Cornelia walked to the center sofa, with her stern, commanding facial expression, quickly turned to a face of love and care as she lead the now blind Gilford to the sofa to sit next to her.

Sayoko sat on the sofa to the right, where Nunnally had been wheeled to next to it.

Kallen then briskly strutted in and stood next to Zero.

As he did so he saw her throw a glance and make eye contact with Todoh.

Are they on to me?

Zero turned to the audience.

"Where's Lady Kaguya?" Zero asked.

"She's meeting the Ambassador from Egypt at the privet air port, she'll be along shortly." Nunnally said.

"What is this all about?" Cornelia said with a huff.

"There has been an attack." Todoh said.

Cornelia paused for a moment.

"On who?" Nunnally asked, innocently, but with command. Calmness echoed in her voice while urgency echoed in her eyes.

"My Husband." Viletta squeaked.

"Oh... Is he badly injured?" Nunnally asked,

"No. Luckily. He should be better in a few days." Viletta said, calming herself.

Kallen then stepped in front of Zero.

"Although that matters, we have a bigger matter to discuss."

"Yes. Apparently the assassin was killed before we could question him, however he would not stop talking about noble birth and status." Zero said

Cornelia gave a bit of a wince at the word "noble", feeling the others eyes training on her and Nunnally.

"So I have come to a resolution on what we should do in the matter of the mysterious organization." He paused, trying to imitate his friend's dramatic speeches.

"We of the UFN will declare this unnamed group, an enemy to the UFN and anyone who wishes to act on their behalf will be prosecuted as a terrorist!" He said, thrusting his right wrist down like his predecessor did.

Suddenly, before anyone could react, the window crashed, and the floor shook, and a trail of smoke rose from a few buildings away.

"What was that?!" Someone shouted,

"The Airport!" Cornelia answered loudly.

"Lady Kaguya!" Nunnally shouted.

Next Time: Strike Three: The Day A Demon Arose