The invasion of Japan suffered two major setbacks, the first was the economic depression brought about by the loss of the Ashford family and the major stockholders of the knightmare industry, it caused a chain reaction that slowed down the progress of the Glasgow's development, delaying the invasion by almost a year. The second was a much less known event known by those who do know about it as Marianne's Ghost, after the death of Marianne and Nunnally vi Britannia and the exile of Lelouch vi Britannia to Japan, certain state secrets were leaked onto the internet that caused a major fallout and rebellion in areas, causing the areas under imperial control to be reconquered before invasion could take place. In total, the machinations of Lelouch vi Britannia would setback the empire's invasion plan by almost two and a half years.

Great Figures of the Twentieth Century

UFN Press, 2066


The plane that carried Lelouch alighted on the tarmac of Tokyo International Airport in the late afternoon, the warmth of the summer in Tokyo was nothing compared to the average temperature of Pendragon. He had gone over the etiquette required of him as a visiting dignitary, with their prime minister meeting him, it was important to get things right, as he'd be their guest Actually, you're more of a hostage at this point. Lelouch shook his head.

He stepped off the covered ramp that brought him down and gave a slight bow, with their difference in size, his slight bow was enough as Genbu would be forced to bend lower, which was both disrespectful and painful to the aging man. "Welcome, Prince Lelouch. I am Genbu Kururugi, prime minister of Japan." he said amicably with a respectful tone and a nod.

"Thank you for coming out to meet me, prime minister." Lelouch said extending a hand that the prime minister gave a firm shake to. The latter gestured to the former into a limousine and they began the journey to the Kururugi shrine. The journey was spent in silence, with Lelouch looking out the window most of the journey. It was almost as he recalled, save the fact that Suzaku had been present the last time, yet there was no trace of him anywhere.

"My condolences on your mother and sister," Genbu said after a fashion. "I only learned recently, I must admit it slipped my mind with your arrival." he said. The two exchanged stories and Lelouch got a feel on how the prime minister worked. One thing was clear, he was a noble man, gentle yet firm.

Lelouch nodded, "It's alright. I've grieved, I'll be the first to admit I'm not convinced it was terrorists." he said darkly. "There was no way they would have gotten into Pendragon much less Saint Darwin street without being noticed."

The prime minister leaned forward in his seat, "What your saying can be considered treason." he noted, folding his hands together. "What can you hope to gain by telling me this?"

Lelouch smirked, "If it wasn't clear before, then I'll be plain right now, prime minister. I was disowned." he said. "There is nothing tying me to the empire now. I'm prepared to offer you information that could save your country, I only ask you give me asylum once I do."

Genbu frowned, "Truth often comes from the mouth of children even if we don't want to hear it. A boy of ten selling out his country that betrayed him, looking for safety in the country with the most valuable resource next to humans themselves. We'll talk more at a later date, but we must first keep up appearances. No sense alerting the empire."

The prince nodded and the prime minister sighed. "We must all play our part in the wars to come. I can only guide my people and pray we are prepared."


Jeremiah Gottwald sat in the home he had built for himself following his discharge from the military, Monica sat at his side, her head on his shoulder. "I still can't believe that all of us were discharged and we're still here serving our prince." he shook his head. "Two months since the empress died, and still no word from Lelouch." he took a drink of the wine his father had sent him.

It was surprising, he never thought he'd have fallen in love with anyone but the empress, and yet here he was. Monica made a good wife, he was the first to admit. She was funny, kind, and always full of life, much like the empress had been. Or was he simply substituting her for the empress. He had debated over this several times in the past, and he was not entirely sure anymore.

"Jerry," Monica said, snapping him from his musings. "What is his plan? Why ask us to go to Japan?" she asked. She sighed, shaking her head. It made sense on some level, Japan was out of the way despite the Britannian presence in Japan and the Sakuradite. It was quiet, peaceful, and altogether a pleasant place.

"Japan will be invaded, next year in August." Jeremiah said, looking at her seriously. "I should never have . . . if you're with child during the invasion I don't know what I'll do with myself." he shook his head.

Monica frowned, "With child." she repeated. "That sounds so . . . archaic, say it, I'm pregnant. It's not your fault, we both had too much to drink that night." she said sheepishly, patting her belly. "It'll be alright, but you never answered my question. What is the prince doing?"

"I don't have all the details myself. I just know he plans to make a difference, and he plans to change everything."


The Kururugi shrine sat in the countryside, it was here that Lelouch remembered Suzaku, and even Kaguya. The tall wooden house was built in the old style of Japanese houses, expansive and elegant, with a large sprawling garden out in the back and a stone pathway leading to the house itself. The familiar two floor shed sat out back at the edge of the forest and the hill that he and Suzaku had climbed up over and saw the invasion begin.

The door opened and Genbu went out first, opening the door for Lelouch who stepped out easily and walked with him to the Kururugi household. The stern face of Suzaku's mother looked at him with something of disapproval. Suzaku stared Lelouch down like he did the last time, as if daring him to do something. Kaguya looked on in fascination, as if seeing an animal at the zoo, with trepidation and wonder in her eyes. The last was an unknown girl, with the same brown hair as Suzaku and his green eyes. She stood behind Suzaku's mother, clutching her dress as she stared in fear at Lelouch.

This is interesting. A new variable. The assembled group gave a bow and Lelouch returned it, Genbu nodded. "This is my family and Kaguya Sumeragi. My wife, Midori, my son Suzaku, and my daughter Suzuki." he introduced. "Everyone, this is our honored guest, Prince Lelouch vi Britannia. I trust you will treat him well." he said, glancing at his wife.

Lelouch's days at the Kururugi shrine were anything but dull. He had since resigned himself to fitness, as his reliance on geass which he may not even gain, may prove useful in the coming conflict. Kyoshiro Tohdoh was his instructor, and he was a harsh master, Lelouch didn't mind. His afternoons were mostly spent on martial training with Tohdoh and Suzaku. He would never reach either of their levels of proficiency, and each night would retire bruised and sore from the day's beatings. A year would pass quietly in this manner.

It was one day in November, when Lelouch was reading a Britannian newspaper forwarded to him by Gottwald, who claimed he wanted to check on his former master, and brought a copy of the news to him as well. "Is this what you wanted, my prince?" Gottwald wondered as Lelouch's mouth twisted upwards in a smile. "This will affect more than just the war effort. What are you trying to accomplish?"

The boy smiled, Suzaku was with him and Lelouch had managed to gain his trust rather quickly after appealing to his honor. "It's alright Gottwald, I trust him." he nodded to Suzaku. "Yes, this is my plan. Delaying the invasion is the best course of action we have. However . . . I'm afraid that there is another complication to this plan." Lelouch said.

"The last time you said that, we ended up running fifty laps." Suzaku reminded him, messing with Tohdoh was never the best idea, and pulling a prank on him was less recommended by Suzaku.

"It was harmless, the dye would have washed off in a week." Lelouch waved his hand to dismiss Suzaku's skepticism. "We've given Japan the blueprints for the Glasgow, hopefully it doesn't receive too much red tape. At my last count, Britannia had ten thousand of them ready for active service. Once they reach the twenty thousand mark, it's likely they'll begin the invasion. The effects will be swift after that and will allow the world to catch up to Britannia as my goodbye present takes its toll."

"What exactly did you do, my prince?" Gottwald asked. "I built up project Hyperion as you requested, the Ashford family, Kingsly and Earl Stadtfeld's son have agreed to be our partners. I have sent offers to other corporations both local and abroad, but I fail to see how this will help your cause at this point." he said.

Lelouch looked at Gottwald for a moment then sighed. "Rest assured Jeremiah, it's because it doesn't help me and that the project began prior to my arrival that makes it seem like I'm not involved. I imagine a few years more before we're up to a good standard, and by then, I'll be forgotten and free to do my work from behind the scenes." He glanced up at the panicked face of his knight. "It's all part of the plan, soon we'll make a world where Nunnally would have been happy, where the strong don't oppress the weak. I've bought Japan some time, and I can only hope its enough."


Tokyo was a bustling metropolis, and Erica Kingsly had to admit one thing. "This place is so much nicer than Pendragon." she confided to Alice as the two and their mother went shopping together. Nunnally had transitioned into her persona as Erica quite well, and Alice, while having a little trouble at first, fell into place as well in around a month. Philip was a convincing father figure, a lot easier to approach than the man she actually shared half her genes with certainly, and he had come to love Nunnally as a second daughter. Beatrice took to Nunnally easily, as the child of her best friend, she felt compelled to shower her with affection like how a grandmother doted on her grandchildren.

Alice bounced around as any child who was currently on a sugar rush would. The two had managed to convince their mother to go to one of the famous mochi desert places on their way back from school. That was another thing that Nunnally loved about Japan, her anonymity had her pegged as just another student instead of on a pedestal. Nobody recognized her, which was obviously for the best, and she had made a good number of friends that were Japanese, Britannian, even some other nationalities and former Numbers that managed to immigrate to Japan from their respective Areas. "So much better, yeah!" she exclaimed.

Beatrice shook her head, Marianne, if you could see her now. she thought sadly. Nunnally, or Erica as she was called now, had grown up into a fine girl, not proud as someone of her birth usually was. She was down-to-earth, kind and a gentle spirit. She misses her brother, its been two months since she had last heart a word from him. A year and three months since Aires Villa had been burned down and her identity as Erica was established.

"Mama, what's wrong?" Erica asked, and Beatrice realized she had been staring into space as the other bounced around. She shook her head.

"Nothing, dear. I'm alright."


Omake: Yet Another Variable

Charles zi Britannia stormed into the geass research division, CC was sprawled lazily as VV was frowning at the green haired woman. "You've gone too far, brother." Charles spat, glaring at his older brother. "She was my wife."

"You have twenty more." he said dismissively. The giant of a man swept low and brought the man-child by the scruff of his neck nearly five feet off the ground.

"Missing the point." he said, before snapping the little man's neck and dropped his body on the ground. CC nudged him before looking quizzically up at Charles.

"He's going to remember that." she said.

"He had better. I leave him in your capable hands." he said, walking out the room.

It had been ten minutes before VV's body twitched and he sat up. "I don't think Charles is still convinced on Ragnarok." CC said.

"Maybe I should take matters into my own hands. We're going back to the base. I need to find Marianne's remaining brat before he becomes too big of a nuisance." VV smirked. It was the little things that made immortality worth living, and petty revenge was never above him.


A/N:

Hello everyone, ZE here. This and the next chapter are slice-of-life prior to the invasion. The invasion will be two to three chapters followed by the aftermath. The rest of the story is still in its planning stage so ideas are welcome. Before anything else, I'd like to welcome all the followers Fate Reforged is getting. Hope to hear from all of you, need your reviews to help me keep going. Constructive criticism is welcome as always. I don't want to hear vulgar comments to other members or myself, there are ways to express yourself that don't involve such words.

Lelouch has kept Nunnally away to keep her safe. He knows he's still probably being observed, and his knights have fallen off the radar to keep suspicions away. His idea is that a legitimate group could allow him some form of control over terrorist actions to better facilitate his plans while keeping the empire off his back. A multinational group will also allow him access to areas he previously didn't have and resources that will further his cause.

Until Tomorrow Comes, ZE signing off.