Hello. I'd like to thank all of you who favourited, followed, reviewed or even just read this fanfiction of mine. I'd also like to announce that the pairing for this story has been decided. I'm afraid this is one of the Harem stories. This Harem consists of the following: C.C., Kallen and Milly, with Kaguya being one-sided and added only because of their common interests. Would you guys like anyone else in it? I'm also thinking of changing the rating of this story to M. So, would you guys like some explicit scenes? Or should I just leave them out? You can either vote here, or I'll put a poll on my profile. *cough* Anyhow, Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter III: Two Sides of the Coin
I do not own Code Geass or any of the characters.
Act I: The Council of Fools
All I knew was the fire that burned so ceaselessly around me, the way breathing felt like swallowing endless pieces of sharp glass, how much my lungs hurt after every single breath I so desperately drew. Is this Hell? I did not know, but it felt like it.
I could not move a part of my body, like I was shackled with chains I could not see, but did not doubt they were there, which so tightly bound me, rendering me helpless. Such rage I felt then, greater than the one that ended the lives of my assassins. I trashed wildly against my shackles, so desperate with need to free myself. However, they were all fruitless, only scratching my skin and deepening the cuts that marred my whole body, causing even more of my blood to seep out on the dark, ashy ground.
Such great suffering I haven't felt in my whole existence until now. I growled out of the sheer anguish, which only helped the hellish fire in my lungs further spread. It was agonizing and blood spilled from my dehydrated lips, drenching me in the velvety liquid. If this was not Hell, I decided, then I do not know what is. For how long I remained there I did not know, but as time passed, so my trashing lessened, until all that I could manage to do were the short, shallow breaths I so painfully drew from my ruined lungs, prolonging the agony. It was a shame that I could not force myself to simply stop breathing, to end this horrible pain and force those invisible wounds to disappear.
Out of sudden, my shackles dispersed and I fell to the ground. I was so fatigued that I could not even raise my head to see my rescuer. I could only notice how my wounds were set on fire again, even worse than before, as I had gotten used to the pain and it lessened to a dull ache.
Before I could even let out a pained breath, I felt someone tangle their fingers in my hair and pull, forcing me to look at them in the eye. It was someone I thought I would never see again wearing such a victorious smirk. It was my father, the 99th emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire, Charles zi Britannia. Immediately, my strength returned and I began to trash violently, this time with more ferocity than before. It was the same rage that had driven me against my assassins. I growled and grasped at his hand, tearing it from his body, his blood making wet sounds, which sounded like the most beautiful symphony to my ears, as it splattered all over the two of us. Horror was evident on his face, looking so sweet and pure, just inviting me to end his miserable existence. Before he had the time to scream, my hand was already at his throat, as my fangs extended and I prepared to sink them in his neck. I inched closer slowly, wanting nothing more than to savor the moment and memorize it, I was mere millimeters away from his neck, and could almost taste him on my tongue. That moment never came, however, as I felt something hitting my head repeatedly.
I groaned and opened my eyes.
It was Milly with a roll of paper I suspected she used to hit me with. She then said something I did not quite catch, as I was still very drowsy because of the dream, no, nightmare. To think that after all these years my father would be able to appear in my dreams and with that smirk at that. I hated that damn smirk from the depths of my black soul. It was the one he was wearing while insulting both my mother and sister, and even while exiling us.
"No need to beat me over it, Milly." I complained, making sure the irritation I was feeling was leveled and tough to notice. I was not in mood for mindless banter, at least not now that I had more important things to tend to.
"Oh come on, Lulu ~!" Milly smirked at me coyly, and I shuddered despite myself. That smirk meant trouble, a lot of trouble, which often came out in form of an extremely perverted joke, aimed either at Shirley or myself. Even as a vampire, I still feared Milly, at least a bit. She was unpredictable, always teasing and making perverted remarks. Despite all that, she was still a friend I valued very much.
Rivalz sent me a smirk."Well, to be fair, you deserve it!" he commented from his spot across me, "After ditching me like that yesterday!" That's right... I haven't told them about what's happened. I had hoped I wouldn't have to do it at all, but then again, I suppose it can't really do any harm.
"Yeah, sorry about that." I grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of my head. I knew Milly was likely to fall for that innocent act, as I have found out she has a thing for it. "Won't happen again."
"So you keep saying Lulu! You could've been killed yesterday, and sorry is all you can say?" Shirley crossed her hands in a manner I guessed was supposed to be seen as threatening. However, with those magnificent breasts in the way, I could not take her very seriously. Wait. Did I just think about her breasts? Not only did I think about them, I was actually staring at them. I quickly averted my gaze, before the she devil, Milly noticed. When did all this come from? Being a vampire couldn't have changed me so much, so drastically.
"She's right, even I expected something more interesting than that!" Milly commented and I sighed. Well, I'll be telling them the truth one way or another.
"Well, I got killed by the Royal guardsmen, but a vampire entered a contract with me and revived me. With my new powers I killed the Royal guard and then killed Clovis. Is that enough for your taste?" I did not keep the sarcasm under the wraps, and at hearing my 'confession' the whole student council laughed.
"Yeah, nice job Lulu. That one is really nice. Can you turn me into a vampire as well?" Even if that was a joke, I still did not like the scenario. Milly was enough of a Devil without actually being one.
"M-Madam President!" Shirley stuttered, a surprisingly faint blush on her cheeks. Why would she blush over - Oh. She was afraid of that.
Milly smiled yet again and directed her attention to the blushing orangette. "Oh Shirley, no need to be afraid, I'd never steal Lulu from you." I did not believe somebody could look so red, but at Milly's comment, Shirley blushed even more, her face resembling a tomato.
"Wh-What do you mean, Prez?"
"Come on, Shirley! No need to worry, you're a ten, at least from what I've seen in the girls' bathroom." Milly winked at the poor girl, her gaze lowering to her chest. To my shame, I found my eyes following the blonde's line of sight. She was right, Shirley was indeed a ten, although I doubted they could compare to Milly herself.
"You've been filling up in all the right places, don't you agree, huh, Lulu?" I snapped to attention immediately, and cursed under my breath. Obviously, Milly had noticed me staring at Shirley's breasts. Now I knew I was screwed. She was never going to let this one go.
"Indeed, Prez."
She grinned cheekily at me. "That's what I thought."
I've had a strange feeling the day would be a very long one.
Act II: The Pawn Who Did Not Believe
As it turned out, I was not mistaken. Right after I left the Student Council meeting, my phone began to ring. I immediately recognized the ringtone I'd set up for Jeremiah and Villetta. I was beginning to get annoyed. I had told them specifically not to call me when in school. However, I quickly realized there must be good reason, there better be at least, or they would taste my wrath.
Of course, I made sure no one could hear me and hid in a corner before answering. "What do I owe this pleasure to, Jeremiah?" It was hard to keep the sarcasm off of my voice.
"I apologize for disturbing you, your majesty, but this is urgent."
I rolled my eyes. "Obviously. I'm not trying to rush you or anything, but it is quite risky for me to be having this conversation on the school grounds."
"I-of course your majesty. As you know, Prince Clovis is dead. The Purists or rather one of my subordinates, Kewell, have prepared a scapegoat, and began to leak it to the press without my knowledge. They have scheduled an interrogation in my name, which I had no choice but to agree with. They have already planted false evidence and as the new Viceroy, I have to formally reveal it to the press in two hours. I have to admit, their idea is perfect, but I am not happy with it. The suspect is Suzaku Kururugi, Genbu Kururugi's son."
Suzaku? I took a sharp breath. So he is alive? That was a relief at least, as in my rage, I had completely forgotten about him in Shinjuku. "Is there a way for you to free him?" I asked impatiently, aware of the fact that he could hear worry in my voice.
I could hear him as he swallowed quietly and knew my answer before he could even say it. I could see that he was hesitant to disappoint me. "Well, no, my lord. It's too late, but I'll try my best to-"
"I see..." I interrupted. I had no time for promises he was most likely unable to keep. What I needed was a plan of action. If what he was saying was true, then time was crucial. "If it cannot be helped, go through with it."
I could almost see the surprise on his face. "My lord? But isn't he your friend?" he protested. I wanted to snort. What was he expecting? A temper tantrum? As if I'd ever let anyone have the pleasure of seeing that.
"He is Jeremiah. That's why I'm going to rescue him."
Now that earned a gasp from Jeremiah. "I protest my lord! That is pure and utter foolishness! I cannot allow you to sacrifice your life in vain!"
His concern for me was touching, but utterly needless. "Jeremiah, how do you think I managed to defeat 50 VTOLs, over 500 infirmary and 64 Knightmares in half an hour?"
"This is different, my lord! You won't have the terrorists to use as meat shields!"
I rubbed my temples and sighed. This was slowly beginning to tire me out. "Jeremiah, do you really have so little faith in me and my abilities?"
"It's nothing like that, your majesty, I just think this is a little bit over the top!"
"Don't worry. I'll save him while the whole Britannia is watching and do it with a smirk on my face. I have a plan, Jeremiah, and all I need is for you to trust me. Can you do that, my knight?" I requested with a small smirk on my face. That was a checkmate. Jeremiah would never want me to question his trust in me, and believing I have a plan should set his mind at ease.
"I understand, my lord." He accepted at last, and I could hear the hesitation in his voice. It was disappointing how little faith he had in me, but alas, I guess it was to be expected. After all, I haven't told him about me being a vampire yet and I don't plan to, at least not in the near future. It's not that I do not trust him, but some things are better left unsaid.
"Thank you, Jeremiah. I'll make you see that your trust is well placed." I promised, and with that, I remembered something. I had to contact the terrorists, but I haven't left them any means of actually keeping in touch. Thankfully, I had their names and briefly remembered what they look like. All I had to do was catch one of them, and the rest would come alone.
"Alright, I need to you to do something for me, Jeremiah." Not even waiting for him to reply, I continued, "I'll send you a couple of names and explain their appearances. I want you to try to find then in the database of the Japanese living near Shinjuku. The first one is a woman, Karen if I remember correctly, with red hair and-" I did not finish, as I saw a beautiful redhead emerge from one of the classrooms. I recognized her as the woman from the Glasgow right away, most likely thanks to my newly awakened senses as a vampire. That fiery red hair was hard to forget. I only needed to hear her voice for confirmation, which was the easiest thing to do. No need to bother Jeremiah with it."Never mind, I'll give you a call later." I murmured and hung up, ignoring Jeremiah's confused cries of protest.
"Careful Lelouch, you'll make Shirley jealous!" Rivalz teased lightly, and I let out a start, as I was not expecting to see him.
"Why would I ever make her jealous? I did not do anything."
Rivalz jokingly nudged my ribs. "Oh yeah buddy? Don't play dumb. I've seen how you were looking at Kallen! She's a real bomb if you ask me. Kallen Stadtfelt, the heiress of Stadtfelt inc."
That was a useful bit of info to have, I suppose.
"Also, you have to ask her to join the Council, Milly's orders!" He winked at me before running off good knows where.
Act III: The Fake Cripple
"Miss Stadtfelt?" I called out, gaining the attention of the said girl. The look she gave me was filled with mild annoyance, and for a moment she seemed nothing like the sickly, rich girl she was pretending to be.
"Yes, what can I do for you?" Right after noticing her facade was down, she replaced it again and gave me a small smile that did not quite reach her eyes. At hearing her voice, I knew she had to be the one from Shinjuku. She had the same speech patterns, the same accent. I suspected she recognized mine as well, judging from the way her eyes widened for the tiniest bit, which would've been unnoticed if not for my superior senses.
"May I borrow you from your friends for a bit?" I asked for the sake of keeping appearances and gave her and her friends a small, fake smile. The girls, of course, swooned and left us alone, no doubt so they could pass the gossip around. For once, I was grateful for it.
"Wh-What do you need?"
"I am Lelouch Lamperouge, Vice President of the Student Council. Now, If you could answer a couple of questions I'd be most thankful for your help." I elaborated, soothing her suspicions with a silky tone. She relaxed immediately. I sighed. They never manage to fight it. It's no wonder Clovis was able to manipulate them so freely.
She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly, but relaxed not even a second after, no doubt so I could not see it. Too bad for her, as her every movement was visible to me. I suspected she was processing information, searching her memory for one individual named Lelouch Lamperouge.
At seeing her efforts, I decided to help her, after all, not helping a woman in need is considered ungentlemanly, and I had a reputation to keep. "We are in the same class, but it is no wonder you do not remember me, as I often skip classes." I shrugged.
She looked almost embarrassed then. "I... forgive me. I can't remember everyone because I'm sick and all..." she spoke then, and I had to hand it out to her. Her acting skills were on parallel with Clovis's if not my own. The way she could transform from a soft-spoken high school student to a fiery rebel was magnificent.
"Yes, of course, no need to apologize. It must be hard for you to be so absent from school and away from your friends here." Obviously, I knew those girls were far from being friends with her, but yet again, if you act, act it through to the end.
"Oh yes, so very hard, trust me. Excuse me for asking, but what did you need again?" Ah, so she was impatient, fine with me.
"Only this." I answered, and activated the power again, enjoying the confusion in those ocean blue orbs. "You will answer all my questions honestly and without delay."
"Understood." Kallen spoke in monotone, quickly succumbing to the power, or Geass, as my creator had dubbed it. It was near pitiful to watch the lack of struggle on her part, how her whole figure became boneless, and her eyes blank. The lack of resistance did not bring me any pleasure, as a resistant pray is so much more fun.
"Are you the one in the Glasgow?"
"Yes." She nodded. It's not like I expected anything but.
"Why?" it was indeed rare for a Britannian citizen to care, much less fight for numbers. The oppressors never helped the oppressed. It was what we were forced to learn, I in the Royal court, and all the commoners on the streets.
"I am half-Japanese. My brother, Naoto, was the leader of our resistance group and I joined to help him fight at 14." I nodded. That explains it. According to the reports, that were now no doubt falsificated, her sickness first began to show when she was 14 years old, which would further explain her long absentces. What a little box of mystery our little Miss Kallen is. I also took notice how she used 'was' instead of 'is'. Was her brother dead? Possibly killed by Clovis?
"What happened to your brother?"
"Dead. Prince Clovis killed him three months ago in a raid against terrorists in the Ghetto. He sacrificed himself so the rest of us could hide. Even if he had surrendered, those Britannians still shot him. I could not recognize him afterwards." Even under the power, I could see the unshed tears in her eyes.
"Who are the other members?"
"Kaname Ohgi, Yoshitaka Minami, Naomi Inue, Kento Sugiyama and Shinichiro Tamaki." I lifted an eyebrow in wonder. Their numbers were actually that small? I had expected not all of their cell had been fighting in Shinjuku.
"What about the location of your hideout?"
"We don't really have a place we could use, since the raids are getting more frequent, however, currently, we are using an old abandoned apartment building close to Shinjuku."
I snorted. It was no wonder, really. I could only guess how they're still alive despite their lack of efficiency. It was enough for now. I broke eye contact and she stiffened.
"Did you want something?"
"As you're aware, every student has to be a part of a certain club to be able to finish the school year. Taking your illness into account, we've decided to invite you to join the Student Council."
"Student Council? Me?"
"Yes. You're at the top of the class, plus, it's not like it's without benefits. We can go anywhere we like on the campus, even use the underground tunnels." I knew the last part would interest her. I had no doubts she would not join, as even if she refused me now, Milly never accepted 'no' for an answer.
I could see the wheels in her head turning, measuring. "Fine then, I'll join you."
I smiled. "Most excellent. Meet us in the Council building after school."
"I will, thank you."
I waved her off. "Of course."
Turning on my heel, I began to retreat, when I realized something. "Do not mention Shinjuku." I activated the power again. This time, however, she did not relax and she had an alarmed expression on her face. "What did you mean by that!?"
I grit my teeth. So, the power worked once on a single person. That was a great liability. "Nothing." I replied and used my super human speed to get away from her. If I was lucky, then she would dismiss it as just her imagination.
Act IV: The Fiery Terrorist
As it turned out, I was wrong to make that assumption. Somehow, it did not surprise me, as I was wrong about many things these days. I found myself in front of the bathroom in the Student Council building, armed with a handful of clothes Sayoko had prepared for Kallen, as the girl had been forced to shower thanks to the our resident klutz, Rivalz.
I admit, the scene was funny at least. The way she was glaring at him while covered in champagne from head to toe, the way those blue orbs illuminated anger was fascinating. I wondered how she did not blow her cover as in that moment, I would never have guessed she was supposed to be a timid, shy girl.
The way it soaked her uniform, making her clothes cling even more scandalously to her body, exposing the numerous curves- I shook my head at the last though. Thinking about that while alone with her would certainly be a liability more than anything else. I knocked politely on the door, giving her enough time to prepare. "It's me, Lelouch." I knew my name would ring quite the number of bells in her head, and expected the low hitch that she could not help. "I brought you some spare clothes. May I come in?"
"Ye-yes, of course."
I entered the bathroom and closed the door afterwards, after all, the conversation we're about to have is not for sensitive ears. Walking over to the counter, I placed the clothes there, and turned on my heel. I found it strange that she did not begin to bombard me with questions.
"Wait, can you hand me that pouch over there?" she asked and pointed her finger at a lone pink pouch on the counter. I was already suspicious, and when I took it into my hand, I realised this was far from a normal pouch. Did she really take me for a fool? Indeed, I've certainly been playing a role of an aristocratic Britannian, but how dare she doubt my intelligence so? I rubbed my finger across the ridge that was surely made by the knife. I grabbed onto it and quickly pulled out the said knife with no trouble at all. After all, I did not want her cutting herself on accident, as I doubted my ability to keep myself from pouncing on her right that second to drink.
I was not proud of that, but It cannot be helped, at least not now. Surely, I'll have to ask C.C. to help me with containing the need to drink somehow. After all, do vampires really use only blood to satisfy their needs?
Kallen was quickly becoming suspicious, even I could feel it. "Hey, is something wrong?" there was an edge in her voice, and I knew she was panicking on the inside, no doubt wondering whether I've accidentally found the knife.
"Nothing, I apologize, I'm just a little tired today," I answered and reached out to hand her the pouch. Not even a second later, she smacked my hand, and I dropped the knife pouch. I wanted to click my tongue, but I doubted her answer would be positive. It's a good thing that I've prepared for this situation already. I honestly hope all the trouble of getting C.C. to help me would be worth it, as I owe her a favor now, and I don't want to know what she wants of me.
"Now, aren't you a lively one?" I commented with dry humor in my voice. She did not answer, but grabbed my arm in an iron grip. For a girl, she was strong, as I was already feeling a bruise forming. I wondered if she even noticed that the knife was gone, or was she lost in the moment? She believed she held the reins, that I had no choice but to obey her. It was funny just how different the situation really was.
"Are you the one from Shinjuku?" So straight to the point, I see. Oh yes, she would certainly be a good subordinate if trained accordingly. I did not even bother to answer, even if she hardened her grip, making me wince slightly. Even as a Vampire, I was not yet immune to pain.
Apparently, she was losing patience. "Answer me, dammit!" she growled, and I honestly wondered whether her grip could be even stronger, as I was starting to lose the feeling in my arm. Before I could answer, the phone rang. I sighed in relief.
"You know, if I don't answer it, someone will come..." I commented, still acting calm and collected, as if we were discussing the weather, and not in a hostile situation. I felt her loosen her grip. It was enough of an answer for me. I reached for the phone and pressed it into my ear, and as expected, it was my own recorded voice that greeted me. "It's for you, he says he knows you," I said and handed the phone to Kallen.
I smirked as she yelled at the phone, unaware that her whole body was on display for my eyes to see. I could not help but appreciate the view, after all, I'm still more human than Vampire, and those curves were very distracting and hard to ignore. I felt my fangs hiss and extend on their own accord and barely contained a gasp. I needed to drink. Bad. So bad that even biting Kallen was appealing, so appealing...
After all, one small bite wouldn't hurt, right? I deserve as much after saving her life from- I forced the fangs back and barely suppressed a hiss. It pained me to ignore my hunger, but I would not stoop so low to feed on her like an animal. While I may not be wholly human, an animal I am still not, and not even hunger will make me change my mind.
I cleared my throat loudly and looked away, knowing she found the situation awkward. "You know that I can see you, right?"
She let out a girly yelp and hid. I smirked at the sight and left the room without a word, my purpose for that particular day fulfilled.
So yeah, this is it. Don't forget to review, follow or favourite, pals! Also, you can write your ideas for the story, which I will consider and, if we reach an understanding, add with crediting you, of course. I'd like to thank the amazing Draconias for reading this chapter first and helping me with the story. Check out his stories as well, you won't be disappointed. Until next time, -The Demon Prosecutor