A Code Geass fanfic – The Rise of Cobra
Written by WDCain Man

Disclaimer: Code Geass – Lelouch of the Rebellion is not mine. It's created by Sunrise and licensed by Bandai Entertainment with characters created by Clamp. Cobra and G.I. Joe was created by Hasbro with the show produced by Sunbow and is currently owned by IDW Publishing.

Happy New Year! WDCain here. I was trying to finish my Castlevania story but it's turning to be a lot longer than I'd though. So I'm doing just a small update for this because I saw the trailer for the upcoming G.I. Joe movie and it looks great. I'm honest when I say that I think it'll be a lot better than Rise of Cobra. I'm really looking forward to it. Maybe if it does well G.I. Joe: Renegade will get a second season. I really enjoy that cartoon and I hope that it'll make it. Now, enjoy the story.

XXXXXXX
The Rise of Cobra

Part Four:

Storm Shadow

XXXXXXX

Jeremiah bore witness to Geass as the power flashed in Lelouch's eye. His voice rang out like that of a God's. So great was it that even Kururugi crumbled, collapsing to the floor.

Suzaku hurled into a ball crying; refusing, struggling, even pleading not to obey. He fought to his last breath, showing the strength that once made Japan so fearless. His was the strength of the samurai, the embodiment of the warrior.

But Geass was beyond the comprehension of man. It was nothing like he had ever seen before or imagined. This power was beyond his wildest dreams. Finally, like the weary warrior who could not stop the tides, Suzaku submitted and passed out weak and exhausted on the cold ground.

Lelouch stood stock still for a moment before turning to his Enforcer. Now, Jeremiah Mangrove Gottwald was by no means a sheltered man. In his life, he had seen plenty of violent, a lot of it he caused; but the sight of his prince's crying eyes and self-hatred made him freeze to his core.

He looked so vulnerable standing above Kururugi, as if he was left all alone. This was when Jeremiah begun to realize how harsh his lord's life was. Cut off from his family, banished to a strange land, and now he had somehow lost his friend.

His prince looked ready to break.

And as his knight it was Jeremiah's responsibility to protect him from every threat, even himself. "My lord, you must compose yourself. There are a dozen terrorists outside that will kill you if they learn your nationality. You must gather your wits or your life will be endangered."

The shaking boy breathed harshly and nodded. It was horrible, this pain that gutted his heart, but his knight was right. His safety and wellbeing was tied to his composure. "Thank you, Jeremiah. I will… deal with Suzaku later." There was a tremor in his voice that he swallowed to keep from vomiting. He had to strengthen his mind for this to work. "I had planned to slip away and take off my costume and head home with my frien," he stopped himself "with Suzaku staying with one of the terrorists. That won't, that will not work now. We will need to take Suzaku with us. Even with the effects of my Geass in place I'm not one-hundred percent certain how he'll behave."

Jeremiah stood to attention. "My liege, shall I run a diversion? I can definitely buy you the time to escape with Kururugi."

Lelouch shook his head. "No, no. I'm not losing you, Jeremiah. I finally recruited the one decent Britainnian to my side and I'm not throwing him away." He looked down at Suzaku and trembled. "I've already lost too much tonight."

He looked so sad. Jeremiah had never seen any of the royalty so despondent. In the grand hall of Pendragon or in public gatherings, they were always the very picture of pose and dignity. But here in the shadows of the condemned derelict theatre the mask was gone. Seeing his prince so distraught only strengthened Jeremiah's resolve to protect him from all his enemies, even himself.

"My lord, are there none others you rely upon? No other ally in Cobra? Is there anyone who can simply drive here to pick Kururugi and me up?"

Lelouch made a pained expression. "I didn't want her involve. She's served us for so long and Nunnally cares for her."

"A loyal retainer? Had another of Lady Marianne's faithful followers shepard you, my liege?"

His questions knocked some sense into Lelouch. The look on his face was a mix of anger and disappointment all directed at himself. "Of course, why didn't I think of that…" He pulled his cellphone and dialed a number. "Sayoko? It's Lelouch, don't talk; yes, I know Nunnally's worried but listen-"

Jeremiah grimaced as his lord begun his instructions to the woman. "Oh great, another miserable Eleven." It seemed his prince had developing a nasty habit of having filth do his tasks. He would grin and bear though, it was his lot in life.

"Yes, yes; by the old rundown theatre in the ghetto. Bring your mini-van to the rear entrance; come quickly but don't draw attention to yourself." Lelouch paused to look confuse. "I appreciate you reassuring me but what do you mean you know how this is done? Wait, never mind; answer that question later. Make haste, Sayoko." He switched off his cell. "I hope I won't come to regret this."

"Sire, forgive my impetuous but you will need to rely only on me for your most important tasks."

"It's not that, Jeremiah. Sayoko has served me and Nunnally faithfully ever since we came to the Ashfords. My sister cares for her so much." The revolutionary grew pale. "She'll hate me if Sayoko gets hurt."

Jeremiah placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "If she is that important to Lady Nunnally then I will keep my eye on her."

The color returned to Lelouch's face. "Thank you, Jeremiah. You will be a grand asset in my cause. Now I need you to watch Suzaku while I disperse my ragtag team of terrorists. Keep on guard as I don't know how his Geass will unfold once he's awake."

Wearing his reflective bullet helmet, Lelouch gazed at Suzaku before forcing himself to break away to give orders to the others. Jeremiah was amazed how much his Prince cared for this Eleven dog. It seemed he was a Numbers sympathizer; and it was not his place to reprimand him for it as much as he wanted to.

Left alone with the sleeping Suzaku gave Jeremiah time to contemplate his new life. Before he was a proud major in the Britainnian Knightmare Corps and now he was the elite amongst the drivel the Number slums produced. He once rubbed elbows with the nobles and men of proper breeding and now stood shoulder to shoulder with trash just a step above animals.

He was an outlaw now. He murdered one of his subordinates and dozens of civilians. Jeremiah had soiled his good name through the mysterious power that his liege had, the same power that was used to break Kururugi. It did not change anything, though. For Lady Marianne and justice in her name, he would fight the world for his Prince.

"It's done. I've order the others into hiding until they hear from me again." Cobra Commander returned to his Enforcer and the sleeping Suzaku. "So we are in no danger. All that remains is to wait for Sayoko's arrival."

"Please wait no longer, master Lelouch." A woman spoke, appearing out of nowhere right behind the costumed leader.

Jeremiah instantly moved to subdue her. He had fifteen years of combat experience and advance unarmed combat training from the finest instructors in Britainnia. He was larger, stronger, and most certainly faster; and he was moving in to take her down.

He promptly found himself on his back with a dislocated leg and the woman's heel at his throat before he could blink.

She bowed politely to Cobra Commander, still a step away from crushing Gottwald's windpipe. "I am here as summed, master Lelouch, to aid you in protecting Mr. Gottwald and your old friend."

Cobra Commander stumbled over her natural piety and nonchalant attitude of his getup even as she was dressed in a strange outfit. It was all skin tight. Her slim torso and leggings were white while the arms and well toned waist were pink. There was a disturbing large cap on her head and a massive yellow scarf that concealed her face. "Sayoko, how…" he mumbled, stunned that his maid could sneak into his makeshift base and the small detachment of terrorists and a fully trained soldier, especially in that garish outfit.

"Did I know of your identity as Cobra Commander? I am much more than I appear." She removed her heel from Jeremiah's throat (but not before fixing him with a death glare if he tried to attack her) and dropped to her knees. "I am Sayoko Shinozaki, 37th successor of the Shinozaki School of ninjutsu, and I am at your service."

"How…" he begun before she answered.

"On the day of the Shinjuku Massacre, Lady Nunnally was distraught when she heard of your panicked call to Miss Fenette and asked me to look for you." Lelouch promptly shook when he heard that he upsetted Nunnally. "I watched you from afar as you commanded the Shinjuku Resistance against Prince Clovis. After the White Knightmare decimated your forces, I took it upon myself to enter the Command Cruiser before you arrived to remove all personal so as not the hamper your fated appointment with Area 11's former Governor." That explained where all of his brother's aids and guards went to. "Hidden among the shadows of Prince Clovis' command center, I witnessed you executing the Governor after using an ability that no human alive possesses."

The other shoe just dropped. Sayoko knew all his secrets and for the first time Lelouch feared his maid for her deadly ninja skills. He couldn't use Geass on her again and she disabled Jeremiah effortlessly. He was completely helpless before her.

"And now?" he asked. "What do you want, Sayoko?"

"To offer you my kunai and my skills in anyway you see fit, master Lelouch," answered the ninja maid.

"Why?"

Sayoko smiled and looked up to him. "I have watched over Lady Nunnally and you for several years now, enough time for me to learn of your lineage, Prince Lelouch vi Britannia." Beneath the mask, Lelouch returned to being as pale as a ghost. "I have watched you as you matured from a young boy to a man of courage and strength. I have seen you ask your sister what she wanted most and admired you as you strive to give her the peaceful world she asked for. It is a grand and noble goal, one that I wish to see come true." She placed her ninja dagger on the ground before his feet. "All I ask is to obey you as you work towards Lady Nunnally's peaceful world."

Lelouch smiled as he beckoned her with the charismatic tone of Cobra Commander. "Than arise my ninja, arise Storm Shadow!"

Sayoko did so, offering him a bow. "I live to serve, Cobra Commander." She even offered the still downed Jeremiah a tender smile.

And Jeremiah's response from being thoroughly humiliated and owned in front of his lord by a lowly Eleven?

'What a woman!'

XXXXXXX
End Part Four…
XXXXXXX

Hoped you liked it.

Since this will be my last update for 2011, I'm going to list my favorites of the year.

Favorite new game: Without a doubt the best game I've played this year was Xenogears. I just had an absolute blast with that game. I might actually call it my favorite RPG if it weren't for the hacked fast-job on the second disc. I got it for my birthday and it was fantastic. Heck, I went out to my local Gamestop and bought all three of the Xenosaga games. The fact that Square Enix is bringing Xenoblade Chronicles to the US is totally boss!

Favorite new comic: Common Grounds. I was checking out tvtropes when I came across the 'Let's You and Him Fight' article and read how this comic brutally deconstructs it. I bought a copy off of ebay and found all 6 issues to be very enjoyable. Check it out, it has my recommendation. A close second though would be DC's Animal Man comic. Seriously, it's the cream of the crop from DC's reboot.

Favorite new cartoon: Phineus & Ferb. I never watched it until the 'Across the 2ed Dimension' movie and now I can't get enough of it.

Favorite new anime: The El Hazard OVAs. I got a great deal off of eBay and found the first two DVDs to be such a delight! It really harkens back to how amazing anime was when they first started dubbing it. It made me feel young just watching it.

Favorite new novel: Drew Karpyshyn's The Old Republic novels are fantastic! I guess shouldn't be surprise as KOTOR was my favorite X-Box game and he was one of the main writers.

Favorite new TV show: The Playboy Club. Alas, it tragically only lasted three episodes but it was great.

Favorite new musician: Undead Hollywood. I've gotten hooked on their music after watching that great Street Fighter x Tekken trailer. It's just great hard rock.

Favorite new movie: The Great Escape. I found the DVD at my library and was astonished. It's an epic movie that I hope everyone watches.

Those are my favorites for 2011. I hope everyone had a nice year and hope more that the next one will be even better!

Happy New Year to one and all!