AN: Thank you for all your support as readers and continue to review, I welcome your feedback, and it motivates me to continue working on this story.
As the story continues, there will be differences and divergences from plot due to Char's presence but will mostly follow the show's timeline.
Char is on his own side and will do what he sees is necessary to protect his new life and world, whether this means manipulating characters, stealing technology and playing both sides. He is looking to shape events towards a better future however he still is trying to have things follow the script to have the advantage in controlling the situation.
But as he intervenes and focuses shift, will his resolve be enough to shift fate and destiny from their present course?
Read and find out.
Now on to the world of Code Geass…that I don't own, but you knew that.
"One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives."
-Euripides
Charles Zi Britannia, the Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire, stood on a platform that seemed to be suspended in mid-air and surrounded by nothing but clouds and a limitless horizon.
This place was the platform of the Sword of Akasha.
Its true origins were unknown, as it has existed long before modern civilization.
The sword was a weapon to slay God and unite humanity into a singular entity while eliminating all lies in the world.
While that was the sword's theorized ultimate purpose, that was just one of the uses this place enabled a person to do.
In reality, the sword of Akasha was a tool to enable one to interact with the god's or humanity's collective unconscious, bridging the gap that separates the physical and mental/spiritual planes of existence.
For most humans, trying to interact with the collective will of every human soul and mind would be impossible to perceive and understand.
But for Charles, who was in possession of geass the power of the kings, he was no ordinary human being.
Geass for all its many forms and uses is an expression of the inner desire and personality of the user.
For those who mature and have the willpower to control their geass, they raise themselves above their fellow man like a king among plebeians.
If the user is not consumed by their power, they may be able to take on a code of immortality and become a being that exists outside of the concept of reality.
They remain anchored to the world and cannot leave unless their code is passed on.
To interact with the collective unconscious one would need to be a geass user or a code bearer.
A geass user can interact with the gods or humanity by using their power while a code bearer was capable of great power and the ability to grant the power of geass to others was an independent being closer to God than any mortal existence ever could be.
For Charles, his geass of memory manipulation, which he had full control of thanks to his willpower and commitment to his goal of a world without lies, allowed him to interact with the collective unconsciousness.
He was able to use his control over memory to sift through the collective unconsciousness of both the living and dead to find his recently departed son which he had a connection or memory of.
It was through this method he was able to learn the truth behind the demise of his insolent son Clovis.
He merely learned what he wanted to know and let his son's soul return to the collective until the day he would merge humanity and all conflict would end with everyone becoming one both the living and dead.
So his favorite son Lelouch had decided to make a move, no matter he will not stop the things to come.
Just as he finished what he had come to do a man dressed in the robe of the geass Directorate came into the temple.
"Your Majesty the remains have arrived."
"I was just conversing with Clovis actually."
The member of the directorate was surprised at the emperor's statement, but his lack of understanding did not matter.
"The project must proceed without a moment's delay."
Because not only was his favorite son making his move but his least favorite son was also beginning to make his move as well.
And that person must never reach this place lest all the work for the Ragnarok connection could be for nothing.
Ashford Academy
Lelouch p.o.v
I was roused from my thoughts of my next move as Zero when the teacher announced that we were getting a new transfer student today.
Looking to the front of the room I was shocked to see my friend Suzaku Kururugi standing in front of the class dressed in the Ashford Academy uniform.
"I'll be joining the student body, my name is Suzaku Kururugi it's a pleasure to meet you."
Cue whispers and gossip from my best friends revelation that he a Japanese honorary Britannian and a former suspect in my brother Clovis's murder was going to be in the same class as them.
Class went on with side-glances and shrewd looks at my best friend.
After class, the rumor mill started up again whether he was a terrorist even though my older brother Char absolved him of all guilt.
That still bugged me, though.
Why would my brother Char go out of his way to free Suzaku even when I revealed Zero to be the real murderer?
So as I got up and was about to leave but I pulled my collar signaling Suzaku to meet me on the roof.
Sure enough, Suzaku noticed my signal and walked up onto the roof so we could properly catch up after seven years.
"Seven years since we used this signal long time huh," I said to my best friend.
"Meeting on the roof like the old days." Yeah back before Britannia invaded where Nunnally and I lived with Suzaku's family.
"Yeah."
"I'm glad you're okay, I've been worried." Funny because you were facing charges for killing a prince until I saved you.
"Alive and kicking thanks to you, you almost died, trying to protect me," I said as I remembered my best friend being shot by Clovis's royal guard when he refused to kill me.
"Wait, what about the girl from the capsule?" Suzaku asked concerned about C.C., who was currently in my room at the clubhouse.
"I don't really know, we got separated during the fray, but you would know about her more than I do right?" I asked feigning interest, as I doubted Suzaku knew anything.
However, Suzaku got a conflicted look on his face and seemed to swallow his tongue.
"No anyone who knew the truth about her was the inner circle of the royal guard." I accepted his honest answer until.
"But, after I was rescued by Zero, I was on my way to my court martial I ran into your older brother Char."
What, Suzaku met with Char, how was I followed, no the escape was perfect, but could he have had a tracker on Suzaku but then why not come after me as well?
"In fact, he picked me up at the edge of the settlement and drove me to the courthouse and absolved me of my crimes himself."
Outside I looked to be an interested friend, but on the inside, I was stunned at my brother's actions.
"It wasn't even the first time we met, he even visited me and prison and we had a dinner on the roof. He said it was the last meal and that he wanted to meet me."
Now I'm wondering if my older brother is insane for doing something like that and why did he really do it.
"What did you talk about?" I asked trying to probe Suzaku for more information.
"Not much, but he did tell me that the girl was a part of a project of Prince Clovis's running human experiments on her."
Well, I could see why since C.C. is immortal and gave me my power, but how did Char know that and did he know what C.C. really is in that case?
"Also, he told me that I was a free man even before the trial because he knew I didn't kill his brother."
By now I was sweating at the fact that Char knew so much about C.C. and that Suzaku was never the killer, but how did he know so much?
"But that's all I know, I'm not even sure why he even took such an interest in me in the first place."
Why indeed Suzaku, it seems I would have to speak with my older brother in the future soon because he seemed to know a lot about what's going on.
Either my older brother was in control of an underground spy network surpassing that of the O.S.I. or he some way of knowing where and when to be.
So it seems that I would have to have a discussion with my older brother at some point.
"Besides that do I still call you Lelouch?"
I debated whether to press Suzaku for more information, but I couldn't do that to him and besides that is all Char probably told him.
"My record account my old identity among the dead, I go by the name Lelouch Lamperouge now." I did it in part to hide and to help me remember my mother as I had taken up her maiden name and shunned my father's name to survive for my sake and Nunnally.
"Oh, I see," Suzaku said as he remembered how I was bitter and anger with my family seven years ago and that anger had not disappeared after seven years in exile.
"I'm surprised as you are, the truth is someone who believed me to be innocent as well said a seventeen-year-old should be in school."
After our short reunion, we then began to make our way back down to classes after the warning bell had rung.
But Suzaku didn't say it was Char who told him to be in school, so who was it?
Britannian Military Prison
Jeremiah p.o.v.
After being rescued by Suzaku, Viletta, and watching the demise of my insolent subordinate Kewell.
Both Princesses Euphemia, as well as Prince Char, came upon the arena where Kewell had tried to kill me.
We all were ordered to disarm and I was taken in to be debriefed and give a report on my actions.
I told my story to the MP's but as I was being questioned, men from Princess Cornelia's forces came and put me under arrest for something I can't remember doing.
Their reason, "you should know Orange."
Orange, that was all it took to slander my name, ruin my reputation, and paint me as a traitor in everyone's eyes.
So I waited in this cell for my fate that was unknown as I thought how could this have all happened and gone wrong so fast.
What I did know was, that it was all zero's fault.
Suddenly the shatterproof glass wall of my cell opened revealing Princess Cornelia's personal knight Sir Guilford.
"You're getting out Jeremiah," Guilford said as he was flanked by two of the princess's men on either side,
"Lord Guilford, you see I'm innocent don't you?" I asked hoping that I could finally move on past this fiasco that has caused my life to spiral out of control.
However, Guilford only sneered.
"Well, it seems in the eyes of the court you are anyway orange boy."
I recoiled at his words as I was not innocent in their eyes, they just couldn't find the proof to put me away.
"It was only thanks to Prince Charlemagne's good word that you are getting out."
The prince, the one who chastised and threw me out of office was the only one believed me to be innocent.
I didn't know what to say I was shocked at the prince who stood against all I had worked for had been the only one to speak in my defense and doubted the allegations of zero about orange.
It seems I owed not only Suzaku Kururugi my life but the prince as well because without him I may have been stuck in a prison cell the rest of my life or executed for treason.
"Whatever the truth is Zero got away and you purebloods let it happen. You've been demoted three ranks for failure, you have two options, starting over as a pilot, or cultivating an orange farm." Said Guilford mockingly.
And with that, my legacy was tarnished and I had lost almost all the power and respect I had earned in these past seven years.
I'm sorry lady Marianne, I will redeem myself, and I will have my revenge on Zero.
Britannian Military Base
Char p.o.v.
I was currently pounding out my frustrations on a punching bag as I worked out in the private gym located on the base where I had the rest of the Chimera Corps stationed at near the airport.
I preferred working out with the men and women under my command to both build up a relationship and keep up morale by showing them I'm also a soldier just like them.
"AGGGH!"
I wasn't the only one who came down here often.
I looked over to an octagon cage that was built for mixed martial arts matches to help train the men in CQC and martial arts from many parts of the world.
"I give, I GIVE!"
However the one who seemed to dominate it was my knight Alya.
She was currently making quick work of her current sparring partner Naoto being her current victim as he was currently having his arm nearly broken by an arm bar courteous of the local champion of the Chimera Corps Alya Alstreim.
Alya growing up was a champion martial artist growing up who could have gone to the Olympics if she chose to, or if they even existed. But she had won many titles in her youth until giving up the pursuit of completion for the glory of the military.
I learned that Alya was a woman of many talents who put most people to shame, and I was fortunate to have her on my side otherwise, I'm sure she could have become a knight of the round or a general in her own right.
It was common practice to bet on how long new recruits would last against their superior, but like in battle Alya had a tendency to finish things quick and clean.
She took every opportunity you gave her whether it was an exposed flank or a vulnerable arm she took it and in this case nearly tore Naoto's arm out of its socket again.
Finishing up my workout I watched Alya make the rounds of defeating her daily challenges with ease I thought of what was going on at the moment.
Naoto was nursing a sore arm with an ice pack from his hazing experience of being the newbie to fight Alya.
My sister Cornelia was off hunting terrorists and doing her pointless duty with great vigor and intensity, which made me glad that I was not sitting inside of a stuffy G-1 command center with my grizzled mentor Darlton watching her rush into terrorist hideaways thinking that she'll magically find zero.
I had put in a good word for Jeremiah to gain the favor of the now former margrave. Because even though he has his many faults, I couldn't dismiss his skill and resolve especially when he was turned into a cyborg and was given the Siegfried he was a force of nature in that thing.
Euphie was taking a tour of my brother Clovis's collection of paintings, which mostly were pretty bad when compared to the work of real artists, and painters that actually had a shred of artistic vision and talent in their body.
It was also because of my sister that Suzaku was now attending Ashford Academy and not here getting his limbs dislocated though I would enjoy watching that fight between two seemingly superhuman soldiers in a cage match.
I would pay to see that, as I thought of an arranged match between the undefeated champion Alya the assassin and spin kick Suzaku.
Dismissing my inner promoter I had accepted my younger sister's suggestion that Suzaku goes to school.
Even though that meant less time to win him over, it did prevent a few bad things that would happen if he weren't there.
Shaking myself from my thoughts of events yet to come, I grabbed a water bottle handed to me by one of the men who was holding the heavy bag and took a drink.
I then walked over to the ring after Alya had finished off her fourth opponent, this time, a woman, by knocking her out with a spinning back heel kick.
"Alya, that enough victims enough for today don't know you think." Some of the men had grateful looks, others just chuckled at the
She merely walked off with a small satisfied grin at her handiwork and climbed out of the cage to go shower.
It was a damn shame that she was both so hot and so dangerous I might have been tempted to try and join her.
However after watching how she could take on men twice her size and rip their limbs from their joints I feared any sort of reprisal I may receive from my honey badger of a knight would lead me to a full-body cast.
Fear won out today as I retreated to my own shower to freshen up before I went to visit an old friend.
Ashford Academy
Lelouch p.o.v.
After a nice reunion dinner with Suzaku and Nunnally, I was still trying to get Suzaku out of his shell as he suggested to pretend we didn't know each other to prevent people from learning Nunnally and me were royalty in hiding.
The logical part of me wanted to agree because of all the attention Suzaku had on him, particularly my brother Char, who had taken an interest in my friend for some reason.
Still part of me felt indebted to my best friend for what happened in Shinjuku.
So I continue to plan my revolution and how to help my best friend at the same time.
School the next day was normal for the most part, however as I was contacted Ohgi to ask what should we do with Cornelia the new Viceroy was hunting down known terrorist groups.
I told them to stay calm and lay low while I was thinking that this country was getting quite a lot of attention from the Britannian royal family to have Cornelia and Euphemia sent here.
But after my brother handed over the power he didn't leave instead stayed on as a military advisor and started to move more of his personal forces to area eleven.
While this was a great opportunity having two conspirators in my mother's murder in Japan at the same time, I was still at unease at my brother's actions as he seemed to have another objective that has drawn him here, and I was fearful that C.C. was a part of said objective.
Still I will have to adjust my plans to accommodate my brother who seemed to be sticking around.
As I looked at the window after hanging up on Ohgi, I saw Suzaku scrubbing something in the outside sink.
As he lifted up his gym shirt that was vandalized with red paint saying, 'Go back to your ghetto you damn eleven.'
I was both angry and shocked that my best friend was taking such blatant harassment and knew he couldn't do a thing about it, all because of which country he was born in.
I then made a promise to myself to help him here at school to fit in because it was the least I could do for him.
After classes, I went back to my room to fix and hide away my stolen soldier uniform and Zero uniform.
Then in came C.C., who was in her straight jacket again, carrying what else a pizza.
I swear I don't know where she puts it all; maybe being immortal allows you not to get fat.
I was surprised that she has stayed put as much as she has especially after escaping from a lab that was experimenting on her.
But I guess with the army and possibly with my brother looking for her staying put was her best option to stay under their radar.
She had chastised me about getting close with Suzaku and not using my geass on my friend while she did have a point, he still was my best friend and I trusted him to protect Nunnally and me.
"So you still have that costume out," C.C. remarked as she grabbed her first slice of pizza that was bought with my money.
"I can't have my disguise out in the open if someone should discover it I would be ruined," I remarked as I packed it away in a portable case and put the iconic helmet down.
"Big brother the tea is ready." Nunnally came through the door asking if I was ready for our afternoon tea, thankfully she wasn't physically able to see C.C. or my Zero outfit out.
"Oh right, I'll be right there."
"Did you order pizza again?" my sister asked, as she smelled C.C.'s favorite food.
"Yeah I did."
"If you eat so much pizza you'll get a blubbery belly, big brother," She said with a bit of a giggle at the end.
"As long as you don't rub it if I do." That got a carefree laugh from my little sister who was the light in my life.
Even after all that she's been through she has the ability to smile and I will build the world for her to be able to attain happiness in.
Kallen p.o.v.
I was walking down a secluded path near a forested part of campus as I made my way towards the student council.
The student council was a weird group; you had the crazy president in Milly, who seemed to run the school how she wanted to. The apathetic vice president Lelouch who always seemed focused on something else. Eager to please Shirley, who held a possessive crush over our dark and mysterious vice president. Shy and slightly xenophobic Nina, who was traumatized at a young age and has a crippling fear of the numbers or anyone who wasn't Britannians, mostly elevens. And last but not least the apparently love-sick Rivalz, who was still chasing after President Milly after years dragging his feet.
They were good people, but besides them, this school was full of ignorant racists, Britannians who didn't have a clue of what life was really like outside of their perfect lives.
I still went here to act as a cover and to please Ohgi, who said Naoto would have wanted me to stay in school.
Naoto, I'm still not sure if he's alive or dead, but I will fight for a free Japan and realize my brother's dream.
"Excuse me miss, can you direct me towards the principal's office I seem to be lost?"
I was asked by a somewhat familiar voice, turning I had to stop myself from blushing at the handsome blonde haired man who was dressed in a fancy blue suit with a dark navy-blue tie and white undershirt, along with blue pants and brown leather shoes.
His face was young and attractive, but he had reflective aviator glasses that prevented me from seeing his eyes.
"Uh, huh, may I ask why sir?" I asked innocently playing my frail persona to learn about this mysterious stranger, whose voice seemed familiar.
"Yes, I'm looking for the superintendent's office because I'm a prospective teacher who is late for an interview so if you could point me in the right direction it would be a great help." The now handsome prospective teacher said.
He then brought out some credentials and notices of a meeting with the superintendent.
I nodded and told him where to go, he said thanks and to wish him luck, I did but something was off though that suit seemed way to expensive to be a teacher but with Britannians you could never tell who was rich or not.
So I continued my leisurely pace towards the clubhouse hoping nothing too weird would happen today.
Char p.o.v.
When I had gotten to Ashford I had underestimated how big it was, I guess that money I gave Milly's grandfather really went a long way.
However even though I knew who I was looking for I had no idea where I was going and shortly became lost.
I had sent Alya to accomplish her own little mission so I was on my own in a school of young Britannian students.
I was feeling good with my disguise until I heard some female students discussing all things me.
Fearing that my fan club would hone in on my presence, I quickly made the long way to the main school building.
That is why I asked the redheaded student for direction however to my own internal dismay it was Kallen of all people I asked for directions.
She didn't seem specious, but I decided to go with my alibi just in case.
One thing I learned when people asked if I was royalty or Charlemagne when I was trying to go somewhere incognito I found that the best way to remain hidden and keep them from blowing my cover was not to dismiss or deny it but to double down and continue the cover.
Which is why I carried some fake credentials with me when I decided to sneak into Ashford Academy.
Most people will go along with it and assume you are who you say you are but I had to be careful not to run into any of the other faculty anyone suspicious that could see through my disguise.
That included Lelouch, Suzaku, and Kallen.
Which is why I was sweating on the inside because I had not planned to fight and or arrest her in case she attacks me knowing I'm a prince of Britannia, because at this point I wasn't sure if she would lash out or not.
Also, it would not win me any favors with her brother who still was finishing up his training at the base instead of being dead or in prison.
I didn't want to play the, "I have your brother and he is alive," card just yet with her.
My cover as a prospective teacher seemed to satisfy her and she gave me directions to the principal's office.
I thanked her and gave myself a sigh of relief that my disguise had worked, and I made my way to meet with Milly's grandfather and hopefully Milly herself.
I just hope she isn't that mad at me; it has been two years since I saw her last.
I hurried up trying to sneak into Ashford without drawing further attention to myself and use the chaos of the soon to happen cat hunt for Arthur as cover for my visit.
Lelouch p.o.v.
While having a nice afternoon tea with Nunnally, who was worried about Suzaku, I saw a cat wearing my Zero mask of all things wander outside of the door and towards campus.
Quickly I left to try and grab the cat before my secret of being Zero was revealed to the student body by a cat of all things.
However, my lack of physical fitness proved to be my undoing as I made little progress as the cat eluded my attempts to capture it.
I contemplated what I could do from calling in Ohgi and the others to asking Kallen for help, however, they were all out of the question.
What would I say that I the mysterious terrorist zero the man of miracles lost his mask and needs your help to get it back from a stray cat at a Britannian school, no that was not going to happen?
So I struggled to keep up with the speedy feline.
Unfortunately, my concerned sister had garnered the attention of Milly and the prospect of getting dirt on me was too good to pass up for her.
"Attention Ashford Academy students there is a stray cat on Campus that needs to be rounded up people, clubs that participate get budgeting priority and as an extra special prize a kiss from a member of the student council, and bring what the cat is carrying to me to me too, ugh, ack!"
She started to cough at the end of her overzealous announcement from her amused laughter.
Still her proclamation got most of the student body to look for the stray cat as well.
I had to use my geass on more than a few who had seen my mask on the cat as I struggled to keep my secret from being known.
"Milly stay out of this will ya!" I yelled at the voice of my childhood tormentor in futility because like most Ashford's once Milly started something they went all out.
Damn you Milly you've always done this to me.
But I had no time to reminisce; I had a cat to catch and a secret to keep.
Milly p.o.v.
After setting the campus into an uproar to get whatever Lelouch was dying to hide, I set off to join Rivalz to join the chase myself.
However, my phone went off.
Digging into my jacket's pocket, I fished out my phone looking at who was calling.
Surprisingly it was my grandfather calling me.
"Hey grandfather, is this about the cat hunt?" I asked innocently knowing that he couldn't say no to my ideas because he was just like me in his heyday throwing wild parties when our family still lived back in the homeland.
"Yes, but there's something more important after you settle your little event I need you to come by my office as soon as possible ok."
Huh, grandpa was oddly serious in that request not like his jolly old self.
"Is everything ok grandpa, is this about more marriage interviews?" I asked hesitantly that my family was going to continue pushing me into an arranged marriage to help elevate our family back into nobility after our falling out after Empress Marianne's death.
"Well, not necessarily, but I still need you to come at your earliest convenience as I have a very important guest here that has asked to meet you."
He then hung up leaving me wondering who could get my carefree grandfather to be so serious?
Superintendent's office
Ruben Ashford p.o.v.
I put the phone down and looked at the smirking young man who had decided to visit here without notice or a least a heads up.
I guess that was normal for this man though no one really knew what he was thinking.
Like when he approached me and offered to buy the majority shares in the Ashford Foundation.
As I was going to be forced out of the company anyways, his generous offer would help sustain the Ashford family for generations and was key in building the Academy system I now ran in many different areas including area eleven.
What he did with the failing company surprised everyone as he turned it around to become on of the leading technology and R&D firms in the world.
I had contacted Sayoko to keep Lelouch and Nunnally safe and away from my guest's location discreetly, but it appeared that he still didn't know that they were living here at Ashford Academy. Which was good but why did part of me think that the prince knew more than he was letting on.
"Not to criticize Lord Ashford, but the way you talked to Milly on the phone made it seem like my surprise visit seem like something terrible, did I come at a bad time?" Asked Prince Char as he sat in the comfortable chair across from me as I sat at my desk studying the young man before me.
He certainly has grown up over the years, he now was very tall, and quite a handsome fellow I had to admit.
But what gave me pause when I was around Prince Char were his eyes.
His eyes betrayed his persona and mask he wore.
They held knowledge, wisdom, and showed that he was a man beyond his years.
"Yes, well I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise and you know Milly once she starts something she gets all wrapped up in it, just like I was back in the day."
It was true Milly took more after me than her parents but our family was still close even if her mother was pushing for Milly to marry up to help raise the family name.
It was also thanks to Char that we retained some support in the court mostly with Char and his brother by proxy.
But it allowed us to prosper more than if we were left to fend for ourselves against the piranhas that pick off disadvantaged families that fall out of favor back in court and the homeland.
"Yes she certainly is a spirited young woman, but having the entire student body to just catch a stray cat is something else." The prince said as he nursed his tea, which my secretary hastily made for him when he arrived.
Yes, Char and Milly were always close; it had come up in discussions for the families future that we should have Milly pursue the prince.
I for one didn't want to force the issue, but her mother did.
She wanted the family to regain its status after we had lost it after the death of the late Empress Marianne vi Britannia
And the choices were for her to marry into another noble family or the royal family.
Char was the families, and I think Milly's first choice in a perfect world as he was everything that made the perfect match. He was of royal birth, was a success both in the military and business, had plenty of titles to pass on. And he had a good chance of being the next emperor to boot. Also, the two always had a certain chemistry together.
My granddaughter had the uncanny ability to bring out the best in people and the prince was one of them and I liked to think the prince knew as well.
Sometimes I thank God for sending this young man for my granddaughter, but as he was very busy, he hasn't had much time to court anyone so thankfully he still was a single man.
Which was made clear in the many magazines and news articles about him that Milly seemed to collect over the years, which she kept in a secret album I had once caught a glimpse of.
Lelouch was out of the running because he was still in exile and revealing his existence gave no guarantee that it would help the family and Milly saw him as a younger brother, not a marriage partner.
There were plenty of other candidates out there but that did not mean that it would mean it would turn out well for my granddaughter by matching her up with some random earl or viscount seeking an attractive young wife.
"Yes, but Milly as you know, knows how to liven things up don't you agree," I asked gauging the prince's reaction.
The prince merely nodded but had a slight grin, as he knew first hand that my granddaughter could lift anyone's spirits.
Which is what the prince needs according to me as I spotted the signs of stress on the young man's face.
I couldn't imagine that pressure that man is under.
Having to run his own faction of the military, a successful company, multiple charities, royal obligations, court politics, and the talks of him being a candidate for succession with all his responsibilities and position it must be hell.
So we sat and chatted about what has happened over the past two years since his last visit.
He looks so much better since then.
When he was put on leave and came here after his first deployment, I was shocked to see the young man I once knew never came back from the battlefield and in his place was a battle-weary veteran who had seen horrors I couldn't imagine.
But Milly just acted like there was nothing wrong which seemed to put the prince at ease.
But she did notice and talked about with me afterward.
When I asked why she acted the way she did she replied.
Everyone needs someone to be there for them when they feel down.
She always did know just what to say to lift the mood and put someone at ease.
That may be why the prince still wrote and called my granddaughter after all these years after we left pendragon.
We continued to wait and talk about current events and waited for Milly to come back from her cat hunt of all things.
Ashford Academy grounds
Lelouch p.o.v.
After chasing the cat, I finally saw that it had trapped itself at the top of a tower on campus.
As I was going to retrieve my mask from that damn stray cat I ran into a familiar face.
"Suzaku!"
"Lelouch you're looking for the cat too?"
Yeah, but not for the same reasons you are.
We then heard the cat from the top of the tower meow.
Suzaku then shot off after the cat with me trailing behind my superhuman friend.
"Suzaku wait don't go up there!"
I can't have Suzaku find zero's mask on the cat; there would be too many questions.
"But the student council president said to catch it."
"Don't worry about it, I'll get the cat!"
"I was always agiler than you, remember when that little bird got loose."
Yeah, I remember, but you didn't have to flaunt it.
"Quit talking ancient history."
"It was only seven years ago."
"Oh for Pete's sake, he always was an exercise nut."
I was panting struggling to keep up with my best friend the soldier who surpassed my physical ability by far.
As I reached the top level, I spotted Suzaku climbing out onto the roof.
"Suzaku come back!"
I yelled trying to stop my overeager friend.
"It's all right, leave it to me."
I would but I can't have you catch that cat, so I decided to force my friend's hand and begun to fall off the roof.
Cue Suzaku's usual heroics and he gave up his pursuit of the cat and caught me before I fell to my doom.
As Suzaku was pulling me up, I saw that my mask was knocked off the cat by the school bell and onto a spire.
Great now I'm going to get that later.
After being saved, I let Suzaku get the cat that seemed to hate him for no reason.
As I made my way down I heard Milly asking about the embarrassing secret, I was trying to hide.
If only she knew.
"So that's it madam president?" I asked walking out of the shadows of the tower and stepping into view of the gathered crowd.
"Awe after all this time I thought I had some dirt on you," Milly said pouting.
"Yeah, he almost lost his cool for once," Shirley added in a deadpan from probably seeing my almost fall from the roof.
"So do you two know each other?" Kallen asked suspiciously to how Suzaku and I acted like we knew each other.
"But he's an eleven." Asked the shy and nervous Nina, who looked on concerned that Suzaku would lash out and hurt her.
"He's my friend, madam president would you permit him as a member of the student council."
My statement surprised the rest of the student council and Suzaku that I confessed to being friends with him and asked him to be apart of the council.
"The rules are clear all students are required to join a club."
Everyone seemed to look at Milly, who had adopted a pensive look pondering my request.
"Well, you are the vice president I suppose I can't refuse."
Everyone else in the council except Nina looked excited.
"Well then, that's the end of that, now come here you two lend me an ear." My little sister asked.
I looked at Suzaku and he each bent down, and my sister gave us each a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Nunnally?" A surprised Suzaku asked.
"There you go, the reward miss Milly promised, and since you both caught the cat you have to settle for me an almost real council member."
Everyone in the council seemed to Suzaku, and I hoped that my best friend experience at school would be a little bit better now that he isn't by himself.
Char p.o.v.
After catching up and talking to Ruben Ashford for the past hour, I was getting a little bored.
It wasn't that I didn't want to meet and talk to Milly's grandfather; it was just tiresome that's all.
He seemed to be interested in what I was doing with my company and how my life's been for the past two years.
I would much rather be doing something productive or hang out with Milly herself, than having to listen to his bad jokes and subtle mentions of Milly in our conversations to gauge my reaction.
I knew that the Ashford family wanted to regain its position of nobility even though they still had much financial success.
I also knew that their best bet to do so was to have Milly marry up into a noble family.
And I happen to be their number one target because what better son in law could they ask for than one from the Britannian royal family especially one who was even expected to become possibly the next emperor after my father.
The prospect of having Milly become at least a princess-consort and possible future empress seemed too good for them to pass up.
I wasn't sure when they would press the idea, but I knew I would have to decide what my relationship with Milly would be in not too distant future.
While it was true that Alya and I have an intimate relationship it never was a romantic one but one of mutual necessity, which sprung from the need to have an emotional connection with someone who could understand each other and support one another.
I did see her as an attractive individual, and we teased each other often enough, but I couldn't be together with her not until I save her sister Anya which after all these years I still was no closer to accomplishing.
It was true I thought of Milly as a good childhood friend.
Even now I could always rely on her to help ground me and focus on myself instead of just the future.
Over the years I came to realized that I cared for Milly, maybe something more as well, but I didn't want to drag her into everything that was going on.
It didn't work out for Shirley or Euphie when they got caught up in this conflict or will in the future.
I wanted to try and prevent their deaths in the future but still.
I didn't want that to happen to her, I don't know if I could bear it, but I didn't want Milly to be unhappy at the same time.
She may have lucked out with Lloyd in the original story but would it be like that this time; I wasn't sure.
Then there was a knock at the door and a voice belonging to a playful blonde announcing her presence before entering as per proper etiquette.
"So grandfather who was it you wanted me to meet so…" her words seemed to fail as she laid her eyes on me.
Clad in her typical school uniform, she stood shocked at my sudden appearance after two years with only letters and the occasional phone call to keep in touch.
"Hey Milly, how you've been?" I asked flashing a grin like showing up out of the blue after two years.
Her expression was hidden under her hair as she marched over to me.
That was never a good sign.
"Hey, are you ok Milly?" I asked concerned if I had chosen a bad time to visit or offended my usual fun-loving friend.
Her answer was a hard slap to my left cheek courteous of her right hand.
"OW, hey what gives Milly?" I asked rubbing my red cheek that was stinging from Milly's blow while Milly's grandfather had made a retreat out of his office leaving me with an emotional Milly.
"Two years, it's been two years since you last visited what took you?" She asked with a stern look on her face.
I wanted to tell her that I was busy building up my military organization, running a successful company, working with various charities, and multiple other plans behind the scenes as well as planning my revolution.
"I was busy." My mind and mouth both seemed to fail me, as Milly looked less than satisfied.
However, as she stepped forward, I flinched expecting another slap on the other cheek when she wrapped her arms around me and hugged me.
"I guess it doesn't matter; I'm just glad you're safe and sound." I returned the hug as I was always put at ease by Milly no matter the problem.
"So how long are you going to be staying in area eleven?" She asked with a somber edge to her voice as she didn't want to see me pop in and back out of her life again.
"Well, that's part of the reason I'm here actually I'm going to be here in the country for quite some time so I can make up for the past two years."
Backing out of the hug she had a genuine smile happy at my statement but I saw that she seemed conflicted over something.
Probably about finding the chance I might find out about Lelouch and Nunnally being alive and living here.
"That's good, maybe I can get you to stop being serious and have some fun for once," She said with a smirk.
I smiled at that. "Yeah I'm sure we'll being seeing a lot of each other in the future, but I'm sorry to say this, but I have to be getting back, my impromptu visit has gone on a little long."
Milly looked sad but nodded knowing that her cat hunt cut out much of the allotted time I had free in a given day that I scheduled to see her.
"Just promise me that you'll keep in touch, and visit from time to time," She asked with an expecting look.
"You bet you haven't seen the last of me." I was about to leave when Milly took my hand, pulled herself close and looked me in the eyes.
She looked up at me with a pleading expression with her dark blue eyes.
Before I knew it, I was lost in her eyes and we both had our heads inching towards each other.
As our lips were getting closer, I could hear both our hearts beating faster and faster as her body pressed to mine as her eyes began to shut and her lips purse ready to receive my own.
I found myself in no position to refuse her.
She was the one who first got me to start living again, who helped pull me out of my sorrow, showed me hope was possible in the world that I knew only going to have more suffering, and helped me realize that I could be happy with this new life as well.
Just as our lips were about to touch as I felt her breath on my lips, I realized that I…
Before I could finish my thought and kiss Milly the door opened showing a surprised Ruben Ashford.
We both pulled back embarrassed to have been caught in the act.
"Well I'll be seeing you later Milly, Ruben it's been a pleasure."
I then made a hasty retreat desperately hiding my blush from a smirking Ruben Ashford, who had a knowing look as Milly seemed interested in her hair at the moment, so I left the office leaving an embarrassed and somewhat disappointed Milly glaring at her grinning grandfather.
Char p.o.v.
As I made my way through an empty campus, I found my way to a nondescript black car where I entered the passenger seat next to a waiting Alya, who looked rather bored.
"Did you get it?" I asked knowing the answer.
She lifted up a hard drive, which I took and plugged into a laptop checking the contents.
"Any trouble?" I asked but knowing Alya this had to be one of the stranger and easier jobs I've asked her to do.
"No I copied the contents, planted the transmitter, and installed the virus like you asked, but I do have to ask stealing from your brother is one thing but stealing from a high school student?"
Looking at the data readout and checking the back door I installed into the computer I was satisfied.
"Call it a hunch, sometimes we find the most valuable things in the least likely of places." Alya just nodded and started the car taking us back to the Viceroy's palace.
While I was going to talk with Ruben and Milly Ashford, I had Alya sneak into the student council room and break into Nina Einstein's computer.
I wanted to get a hand on her research not only to prevent the creation of a nuclear bomb or fleas in the future but also be prepared to neutralize her weapons of mass destruction in the future if worst comes to worst.
So I had Alya not only corrupt her research but also, plant a bug on the computer in case she did fix it.
It didn't hurt to be prepared.
So I sat back satisfied at what I accomplished today as we made our way back to the Viceroy's place to watch my brother Clovis's funeral or rather my father make a state speech at a funeral.
Viceroy's Palace
Char p.o.v.
After making my way back to the viceroy's palace, I changed into my typical royal attire and joined my sisters for a viewing of our brother Clovis's funeral.
It was a long-winded program that seemed to go on forever, but I kept my composure as I saw the emperor was finally going to speak.
I originally had no intention to watch even the damn thing, but my sisters would think that suspicious as they knew I was drifting further from the family over the years.
The Emperor got up and instead of honoring his son he pushed his philosophy and agenda.
He showed no sign of weakness and put up a front of strength, which only served to cast the man as something other than human.
As any normal man may have been saddened by the death of their son, but not my father to him Clovis was just a disappointment for not making it that far in the race for the throne.
He was the embodiment of all the strengths and evils of his nation a beacon to which all looked to as a source of inspiration and testament to their ideals.
As he spoke of the inequality of people and how it was an example of social evolution I had to restrain myself from scoffing at the hypocrisy that man was showing.
Not in just his ideals of misguided social Darwinism but his actions to accomplish those ideals along with his true goal.
Endless war, death, cruelty, all in the name of eternal peace and understanding I fought the urge to laugh at my father's actions.
While I was no saint, at least, I was not blind to the truth.
He would throw away everything in this world and what makes us human for a dream, a dream he made when he was but a child.
Throwing away reality and humanity no matter the cost only solidified my resolve and hatred of that man for he had forsaken his soul for the sake of unobtainable utopia.
I turned away not bothering to hail the country I was from knowing that it was just another example of what is wrong with this world.
My sisters took notice of my departure, but they remained silent leaving me to grieve in my own way or so they thought.
I held no shred of sorrow for the death of someone as shallow and vile as Clovis if Lelouch hadn't existed or intervened I would have pulled the trigger myself.
I exited the viewing room making my way back to my forces garrison which I always felt more at home than even with my family.
If I was reincarnated for a reason, I had to say it was to stop that man and to change the world's fate.
What I would do is become a symbol to oppose him and rally those who believed as I did under my banner and raise forth a revolution to reclaim humanity's freedom and fate.
I would take the future with my hands for better or for worse.
No matter who stands against me, or stands in the way of my future, I will not allow them to deny me of my new life's goals.
I will shape this world in my image and if it comes to be, become emperor to bring forth a new world from the ashes of the old.
The emperor, geass, my family, or the world itself will not stop me from claiming a new destiny for this world.
I will change this accursed world for the better, or at the very least prevent the mistakes of my father and foolish little brother as well.
Because this is my story now, and they're all just part of it.
AN: So Charles is aware of what is going on to a degree, Jeremiah is released, Suzaku reappears at Ashford and joins the student council, Lelouch learns of Char's knowledge of C.C. but not why he is interested in Suzaku, Char and Milly reunite, and Char's true ambitions are revealed.
Quite a lot for an episode that focused on a cat hunt originally.
Let me know what you think and review if you have any comments or suggestions for me.
Next Time: Saitama and a Clash of Ideals
Pride comes before the fall; as the hunt for zero shifts towards the ghettos once again will Char save the innocent once again or will that responsibility fall to another.