Guardian Angel
Finally! It's been a while, my creative spark had been dwindling, and my desire to do anything along with it. But, nonetheless, I shall continue onward.
Hey guess what? I changed my pen name, in case you didn't notice, so no one stole the sorry or anything. I don't know, it could happen.
Chapter 3: Under the Mask
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
"So, your going to meet the terrorists tomorrow then?" Suzaku asked, handing Lelouch the recording device he had been using to fool Kallen earlier.
Lelouch sat down in a chair opposite to Suzaku, and looked out the window to the school grounds outside.
"Yes. If all goes as planned, I can recruit them as allies to our cause." Lelouch replied, still looking out in thought.
Suzaku had also been contemplating his next action. His goal here was to change the course of history, and everything he did would effect it somehow.
"Your cause? What cause is that Lelouch?" Suzaku questioned Lelouch, trying to discern what Lelouch's thoughts were at the moment.
"My goal, is to destroy Britannia. That will never change." Lelouch stated matter-of-factly.
"And you want to enlist their help?"
"They already know what I'm capable of, and a proper army respects their leader."
Lelouch smiled. "Besides, they owe me one."
"And you'll dress as Zero won't you?"
Suzaku asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yes." Lelouch replied flatly.
"If you want them to follow you, they need to trust you. How can they trust a mask?" Suzaku said.
Lelouch frowned, and stayed silent a moment. "Suzaku, you know perfectly well that I cannot tell them who I am." He said, after coming up with no other reason.
"And then what? If they were to find out later? The affect that would have would only escalate, and when things matter even more further down the road." Suzaku spoke of the future. Knowing full well what this would cause. "If they don't accept you, you can erase their memories. Forget all about them." Suzaku tried to reassure him.
"And what of Geass? Even if I could prove it to them. How could I possibly get them to trust someone with a power like that? Lelouch refuted, trying to argue his point.
"That's one thing you will have to deal with. Weigh the effects of both decisions." Suzaku answered truthfully.
"That choice is up to you."
Lelouch sighed, and leaned back; apparently in thought. "I suppose."
Suzaku got up, And headed for the door.
"I need to be leaving now, I have to report to my commander soon."
Lelouch looked up at him. "Will you be coming tomorrow than?" He asked.
"Yes, I will." Suzaku replied. He walked into the hall, and closed the door behind him.
Suzaku walked through the halls of Ashford Acadmy, waves of nostalgia and past memories flowing through his mind.
He passed by many students he knew, some of which he had never thought he would see again, particularly a certain student council member. It pained Suzaku to see Shirley look at him as an eleven; rather the friend to her he was. It reminded him just what kind of opportunity he had been given. He could save Shirley Fennette from the gruesome embrace of death, an so many others.
Suzaku walked the next few halls with more confidence then he had before. That is, until he passed the student council room. Suzaku stopped, he stared into the room, at the table in the middle. So many things, happier times before the realities of the world began to set themselves upon him and Lelouch. Suzaku longed for a world where they could be friends once more, no bitter hatred between the two of them. That would be heaven, to see Ninnally smile, Lelouch and he had one thing in common. Suzaku prayed he could find more then that this time.
"Can I help you?" Suzaku jumped, he turned to face a blonde student, one he knew.
"Um, I-Was just looking around." He stuttered.
Milly frowned. "I don't think I know you, and I know all the students here." She said, looking down at student uniform Suzaku wore as a disguise.
"Oh, I may be going here in the future, so I was just taking a tour, my friend gave this to me. So I wouldn't stand out." Suzaku said. Quite truthfully in fact.
"Really? Who's your friend?" Milly asked.
"Uh, Lelouch, Lamprouche." He responded.
"Seriously? Then you must know all sorts of stuff about him!" She said eagerly.
Suzaku backed up, smiling a little. How quick to see typical Milly.
"I guess, but I'm sure there's nothing all that special." Suzaku attempted.
"Oh, that's inconceivable! You have to tell me everything!" Milly squealed in excitement.
Suzaku scratched his head, and grinned even more. "I'd love to another time, but I have somewhere to be now."
Milly backed down, disappointed. "That's fine, I hope I can see you again sometime."
Suzaku smiled "I'd love to."
He headed back down the hall, and exited the building. He really hoped that he could make the same friends as before. He couldn't bare to go on without them.
As suzaku made his way back to his headquarters, he couldn't help but notice that building stick out like a sore thumb: the Britannian headquarters for honorary serviceman. That was the base he had spent so long a time at before he met Lloyd and Cecile, an transferred over to their employment.
The building itself was in shambles, stuck in the corner of the military district, home to all honorary Britannian soldiers. In truth, it was a hell hole. There was never a season when the weather didn't feel like it would kill you. And the way the Britannian commanders in charge of the unit treated them, Suzaku was glad he never came back here, and dreaded that he once again would report here on a daily basis.
As luck would have it, or perhaps it was the most cruel of fates, that's up to perspective; Suzaku was met by two Britannian officers at the entrance to the headquarters, one he knew to be Jeremiah Gottwald, the other he didn't know. Suzaku could only guess what they were here for.
"Suzaku Kururgi?" The other man approached him.
"Yes." He replied blankly.
Jeremiah grinned as he produced a pair if handcuffs. "Suzaku Kururgi you are under arrest for the suspicion of slander and treason against prince Clovis La Britannia and for assuming the identity of the wanted terrorist Zero."
Suzaku sighed, it didn't matter what happened, the purebloods would attempt to take control if area eleven. And the would use Suzaku as a scapegoat.
"How can you prove that?" He asked.
"We have been authorized to use force if we have to private Kururugi." Kewell said sternly.
Suzaku raises his hands willingly.
"You wouldn't hesitate to beat me to the ground now would you?" Suzaku mocked them. He had no patience for people like them. At least Jeremiah would turn out ok in the end.
Jeremiah twitched a little, but remained collected as he took Suzaku's hands and slapped the cuffs on to his wrists.
"I'd rather appreciate if you would remain silent until I tell you to speak."
"Yes sir."
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Tokyo tower at 0600 hours huh, it's so early the place barely opened. Kallen was still tried playing catchup last night for school. Groggily, Kallen looked around, spotting the friends she brought along with her, Oghi and the others. Despite what the voice, assumedly Zero, ordered.
They were looking out the window, upon the sin rising over the Tokyo settlement. It was shameful really. To see such a monument like the Tokyo tower glorify the nation of Britannia. It was sickening.
Minutes passed, and soon the group began to grow worried at the lack another presence.
"Do you think he will show up?"
"Maybe that guy they arrested really was Zero."
"Suzaku Kururgi? Maybe, he is the son of the primer minister."
Oghi soon came to the conclusion that it was a bad ideas to be here. "If that were true then this could be a trap, we should le-"
He was cut short when an female announcer suddenly spoke over a speaker.
"Paging a miss Kallen Stadfeld, one of your personal affects has been turned in to the front kiosk."
Kallen instinctively reached into her pocket, her phone and everything was still there, so what could it be?
She looked at Oghi, and started toward the front desk, her friends close behind her.
The lady handed her a black phone, completely oblivious to what was going on.
Kallen stared at the phone. She had never seen it before, and it looked brand new, like it had never once been used.
"What's the matter? It is yours right?" The lady asked.
Kallen looked up at her. "Uh, yeah, thanks."
She jumped when the phone suddenly started vibrating in her hand. She flipped it open and answered.
"Hello?"
A voice greeted her. "Leave the tower and take the next train west." The person then immediately hung up.
Kallen closed the phone, and signaled to her friends to follow her out of the building. They did as the voice said and boarded the train headed west he spoke of.
They were hardly riding for ten minutes when the phone rang again. Kallen immediately answered it.
"Look to the west, what do you see?"
She turned to look upon the barren ghettos of Tokyo.
"Our city, a wasteland after the Britannians sucked it dry."
"And to the east?"
She turned to the large grand skyscrapers of the settlement.
"Their city. A homeland for parasites and pigs."
The voice seemed satisfied. "Good answer. Now head to the front of the train."
Kallen and the others pushed their way past the crowd until they entered a dark and empty train car. A lone figure wearing the same cloak as the one Zero who appeared a few days ago stood in the middle of the space.
"Was that you in Shinjuku?" Kallen asked the figure.
"Yes."
"And you ordered that cease fire?" She continued.
"I did."
With that answered the rest of the group started asking questions of their own.
"Why such a complex method to meet you?" Oghi asked.
"To test your commitment." Zero answered.
"To what?"
Zero raised a hand, revealing the gold trimmed purple suit he wore.
"To a cause. A cause to destroy Britannia. That's why I brought you here, we share a similar goal."
Kallen frowned. "Destroy Britannia?"
"What else did you hope to achieve? That Britannia would suddenly decide to give up? Not a chance."
The group remained silent, until Zero spoke again. "That is why I am asking you to join me. To be part of something greater!" Zero exclaimed, his arms outstretched.
Kallen had to admit, the dreams he hoped to aspire, his goal for a better world; was very enticing. But there was one problem.
"How can we trust you?" Oghi questioned. "We don't even know who you are."
"Yeah! lose the mask!" Tamaki agreed.
Lelouch sighed, Suzaku was right. There would always a issue of trust should he go down that road. He took a breath.
"Admittedly, I was hesitant to the idea of revealing myself to you. We both have the same issue. Can I trust you? Or at least, to hear me out."
Lelouch reached for his mask, and with a silent whir, the helmet slid off.
He stared at the collective shock of the people in front of him, particularly Kallen.
"Le-Lelouch?!" She exclaimed, baffled.
"But how is that possible? You were..."
"Simple. It isn't very hard to fool someone like that." He replied.
Kallen thought about it for a moment, and realized something else. "But wait a minute! Your Britannian why would you be Zero?!"
"For a people who despises racism, you sure cling to its ideals." Lelouch said. "Why can't I have a reason for what I do as well?"
The group had nothing to say for the second time now.
"I hate Britannia. For the very same reasons you do." Lelouch said, becoming bitter at the memories of the past.
"My family, they don't care for each other, every day they all kill one another for power, stepping over each others bodies to get further ahead. My mother was killed by some fool who wanted to pass her by."
Lelouch stopped a moment, barely able to contain his fury, and those who listened continued to do so.
"My own father did nothing! He abandoned me with my crippled sister to fend for ourselves in another country! To survive a war when I was ten years old on my own!"
'That why his sister, Nunnally was in a wheel chair.' Kallen thought, making the realization.
"Britannia is no home of mine. I loathe the country I live in. And I despise my father. The emperor, Charles Zi Britannia." This gathered a shock from the crowd.
"My name is Lelouch Vi Britannia. The exiled eleventh prince of Britannia. I vowed to obliterate Britannia and with or without you. I will do so. I only ask you aid me in my path to vengeance. In return, I shall give you Japan."
With his monologue finished, Lelouch fell into silence, and met the heavy gaze if the others in the silent train car.
It was quite some time, the seconds moving passed painfully slow. Lelouch was getting more and more nervous, his resolve waiting in the growing tension. Until someone finally spoke.
"You're really a prince, Lelouch?" Kallen stuttered in disbelief.
"I am." He answered.
Admittedly, she didn't know him all that well, but the fact remains that she did go to school with him. And to think that the kid who never really tried, and seemed to not care for anything; was really, a prince if Britannia.
"I know it must be hard to trust someone like me. I know full well that my family is not one to trust, but, none of them know what it is like. What you and I both have endured."
Kallen looked at Lelouch. What was usually a blank face, impossible to read, was now one finally opening up to the world. You could see his pain, and the memories of his past. Was I really possible to lie like that? Or was he genuine?
"And what of we do decide to trust you? What then?" Oghi questioned.
Lelouch turned to him. "As I said, I intend to annihilate Britannia. And I am enlisting your help."
Tamaki snorted. "Destroy Britannia? Like anyone can really do that."
Lelouch glared at him, and took a moment to respond. "The Japanese people would be more then willing to support a righteous cause they believed could truly make a change, what makes you think seventeen other colonies under the control of tyranny won't ultimately follow?"
The group stayed silent, each trying to find an answer. Oghi spoke up.
"We all know you must be some, genius. Pulling off what you did in Shinjuku. Not to mention you have the reason to fight as much as we do." He paused, looking around at his friends. "I would be willing to support you."
Everyone gasped at Oghi, their leader was, essentially, giving command over to this person. Each one of them now had to decide, to stay or go.
"Ah, what the hell." Tamamki said.
"I think I can get behind this." Another-Inuoe- said.
And one by one they conformed to join Lelouch, all but one.
"Kallen?" Oghi asked.
She folded her arms. "You guys don't really know him. He lied to me."
"And yet there was a valid purpose correct?" Lelouch reminded her.
"I guess." She admitted.
"I hid my identity for the same reason you tried to kill me." Lelouch said.
This made Kallen realize that she may just be wrong.
"Okay fine. But I'm watching you. You had better not lie anymore."
Lelouch let out a sigh of relief. But he knew it wasn't over yet. There was still one more, much harder problem.
"I don't intend to. But." Lelouch gulped. "There is one other thing."
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
"Suzaku Kururugi. You were present at the Shinjuku operation correct?" Jeremiah questioned Suzaku from the opposite end of the small metal table. Suzaku, bound to that table by handcuffs, responded, "operation? I recall a massacre." He replied bluntly.
Suzaku's interrogator twitched. "You will answer my questions, and say nothing more." He looked down at the papers on the table containing information of Suzaku's militant history, as well as his past before that period of time. "You were ordered to locate the whereabouts if a particular chemical weapon." He looked up at Suzkau, expecting a response. He received none. "You were the one who reported discovering that weapon were you not?"
"Yes. I did." Suzaku said.
"And the royal guard was dispatched to that location." Jeremiah asked. "And then what?"
Suzaku grinned slightly, that was all that Jeremiah knew, and Suzaku knew perfectly well why.
"I was shot." Suzaku told him. "By the captain of the royal guard. I refused to shoot a Britannian civilian. And I was punished for it.
Jeremiah frowned, was that canister really that important? To kill Britannians to keep it secret?
"And that was when you found your self under the command of Lloyd Asplund, and you operated the Lancelot knightmare frame?"
"Yes." Suzaku said.
"And that is where you disappeared isn't it?" Jeremiah said, thinking he had finally cornered Suzaku. "Shortly after the terrorists were defeated, you went off the radar."
Suzaku sighed, to him, this whole ordeal was pointless. "I was rescuing a Britannian student. He had been caught up in the attack, and would have been killed if I ha not intervened. You value the lives of Britannians, don't you margrave?"
Twice now, Jeremiah flinched at his response. "Is that so? Regardless, you have the opportunity. And the motive, you are the son of Genbu Kururugi, the last prime minister of Japan correct?"
"I am."
"Then you have a clear reason to slander the princes name, and to commit treason against Britannia. And as we established, you had the opportunity to collect evidence against Clovis La Britannia." Jeremiah declared.
Suzaku only rolled his eyes, this man was far too one sided, eventually though, he would be a fine ally. But as of now, that was not the case.
"Funny, what you call slander and treason, you also entreat the name evidence. What is it that you think? Am I really here for treason, or is there another reason?" Suzaku said.
Had that not been a bad idea, Jeremiah would have punched Suzaku, it was next to impossible to get anywhere with him.
He stood up. "We are done here. You will be collected in the morning to be taken to your trial." And with that, Jeremiah left the interrogation room, leaving a rather satisfied Suzaku to himself.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
The tension in the air was high. When the realization of what they were actually about to do finally hit them, the doubt and fear started to settle in the room.
However, there was one who felt no fear, only a sense of excitement. To him, the worst was behind, the one factor in his plan was that of his own allies. What lay beyond, was child's play. Lelouch had to admit, he was more then nervous as he explained the nature of Geass, and what it was capable of doing. Not only was he afraid if them not believing him, there was a chance they would abandon him out of fear or lack of understanding. In the end, he had used his Geass on every one present to the affect that they knew he could not use them by any means. It was an understandable precaution. But Lelouch was still glad that was all there was to it. Now that thy was behind them, what lay ahead was nothing short of child's play for him.
Kallen popped her head up on to the platform Lelouch was sitting on, snapping him out of thought. "Lelouch, it's time." She informed him.
He stood, donning the black cape beside him. And he reached for the matching mask next to it.
"Right!" Lelouch exclaimed.
'Don't worry Suzaku. I will save you.'
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
The convoy paraded down the streets of the Tokyo settlement, a single transport surrounded by numerous knightmares.
The crowd around them booed and jeered at the vessel's prisoner: Suzaku Kururgi. Yet all that he did was look forward intently, as if he was expecting something. Above him, Margave Jeremiah Gottwald surveyed the scene. And just as Suzaku had expected, the convoy came to a sudden halt, and another vehicle came into view ahead of them. The lavish white car trimmed with golden lining was actually, upon examination, a shoddy mimic in which served a single purpose: theatrics. And it played its part, invoking curiosity among those who surrounded the newly arrived vehicle.
"Who dares desecrate his highness's transport?!" Jeremiah demanded. Suddenly, the banner of Britannia that christened the vehicle erupted in flame, revealing behind it, a familiar figure wearing a now infamous mask.
"What?!" Jeremiah exclaimed. Baffled.
"I am Zero. The very same man you have seen before. The one you claim is me is innocent."
Jeremiah gritted his teeth. "That's enough Zero! Take off the mask!"
Zero reached toward his head, hovered there a moment; the raise it up, snapping his fingers. Behind him, the top of the car fell away to reveal a metal canister.
The Britannians went pale.
"He's taken everyone here hostage! Without them even knowing it!" Jeremiah said.
"All I'm asking is that you let Kururugi go free. In turn, you will save scores of precious Britannians."
Jeremiah growled. "His is wanted for treason!"
"For being Zero. And yet here I stand."
Zero stated. "You want to use him so that the purebloods can take over area eleven. You know full well that he is innocent. But it won't work now." A panel slid away from Zero'a mask, revealing an eye glowing an unnatural red color. "So why don't you just hand him over to me?"
"Fine then. You there!"Jeremiah called out to the prison guard." Release the prisoner!"
One of the knightmares opened, and Viletta climbed out of it! "Jeremiah! What are you doing?!" She demanded of him.
"We have no choice. Stand down. We must hand him over."
Suzaku stepped away from the prison transport. And walked toward the other vehicle. He was met by Zero.
"Suzaku! Are you okay?" Lelouch asked him.
"I'm fine. How are you going to get out of here?" He asked.
Under the mask, Lelouch grinned. "It's all been prepared."
Zero produced a switch, and by pressing it; the entire street exploded in smoke. Mass panic swept through everyone.
Using the confusion, Lelouch and his friends launched themselves into the air , where a nearby knightmare fired a net to catch them shortly before it was destroyed by the Britannian purebloods who were firing at anything that moved. Together, they slipped away from the scene, without a trace.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Later, Lelouch and his allies regrouped at an abandoned building several blocks from the site of the rescue. While the others celebrated to their success, Lelouch and Suzaku were discussing more important matters.
"So you used the poison gas to escape." Suzkau said.
"No one but you and I knew that it was not a chemical weapon, it was a perfect bluff." Lelouch commented.
"Apparently so. And it seems you were able to make some new friends." Suzaku said, referring to the others beyond them.
"They know everything. And they accepted me still."
Suzaku bristled a sigh of relief. Thy alone would prove to be monumental in the future. Perhaps things really would go better this time. Suzaku was sure of it.
"Then we have some worth while allies then, don't we?" Suzaku said. "Ones that will follow you till the end."
Lelouch smirked. "I hope so."
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Good news! I have found inspiration! I thought of a new and really great story prompt, and now I have something good to work towards, hopefully, it will be posted soon, it won't be a very big story, but it will be several chapters long.
