Happy Day before Easter!

So, how many of you made "Tax Man" by the Beatles your song of the day this past Tuesday?

This is a continuation of last chapter. Read as though there were no chapter break.

Chapter 10

Suzaku stepped purposefully along the palace corridors. He could not deny that he enjoyed the feeling of power again. He had grown up the son of the Prime Minister of Japan. He had position and power from his father's title and job. Adding to his status was how people knew of his abilities in the martial arts.

Fear. Fear and respect.

He got those two emotions directed toward him often.

Since Britannia conquered Japan, though, so many times the emotions which greeted him were ones of distain. Yes, even as a Knight of the Round he was fighting an uphill battle. People still looked down on him and he had to constantly prove himself to demonstrate his worth. However, the fact that he was a Knight of the Round did make it so people were more willing to believe he had worth.

Perhaps, as a Knight of the Round, one of the good things that could be said was that he did not have to work quite as hard for people to at least show him some respect. Fear, distain for being an Eleven, and a certain allotment of respect.

People were more careful in what they said because of his position within the Realm. They may still think him lower than dirt because he was an Eleven, but they did not challenge him the same way they did when he was just a soldier. Others feared him for his ability. A few others respected him for his ability and the fact that he captured Zero. Of course, that was a double-edged sword in itself. Many Japanese, he was certain, would still be filled with distain for him for being a traitor, a sell-out to Britannia- same as before. Only now, it may be worse because he stole their saviour.

Suzaku had been summoned by the Emperor. Several ideas came to mind of why he would have been summoned. They were general ideas like he was going to receive an assignment; simple, rather broad ideas. Nothing stood out as being a more significantly likely candidate for the summons. He also could not think of any particular thing happening within the Realm that was not being sufficiently handled by others.

That just left why he had been called.

He would have already had a mental list complied and arranged by most likely to least likely, Suzaku thought against his will. The thought came so naturally. Even now.

He hated it.

As much as he hated Lelouch, the one who used to be his best friend, the one who had been his first Britannian friend, the boy was never far from his mind.

He already knew as much and he was fine with it more times than not. The part he could not stand were these fleeting times, the times when an almost reminiscent observation crept into his mind.

For that brief moment, he had let his mind slip. Lelouch would not have mere generalized ideas of why the Emperor sent for him- he would have, in moments (if it took that long), mentally formed a listed of specific reasons. 'The people in (blank) have been (blank). He might send me to do (blank)' or 'Area 5 (blank). I might be sent to (blank)'. The list would be a sizable length and Lelouch would have honed in on the most probable reasons and would act accordingly.

It truly set Lelouch apart how rapidly he could internalize information, the way he could read people so well, the way he could take what was going on in the world and calculate how people would react, what they would do or say- all of those types of qualities. They and their sub-qualities, which Lelouch had by default of having the main qualities, were too numerous to count on two hands.

He was, doubtlessly, a gifted individual. For these types of issues, try as he might... Suzaku knew he could never hope to compete confidently against Lelouch. Suzaku would always give it his all, though. It was his duty.

...Yet, there was a small part of Suzaku which wondered what Lelouch would determine to be the cause of the summon. Lelouch would have a good idea going into this. For Suzaku... he would just have to wait and see, then act from that point.

The way their minds operated set them as far apart as their physical aptitude.

Suzaku stood before the door. This door. Again. Two weeks had passed since he shoved Lelouch through them and since he carried Nunnally through them. Now, he was going through them alone, about to... well, he was not sure why, but it had something in line to do with the appointment he received for capturing Zero.

Suzaku opened one of the doors and strode down the red carpet, his head held high and his shoulders thrown back. He was a Knight of the Round. He was one of the strongest Knights in the Realm. No matter how this position became his, he was more than qualified for the job. So what if he used Lelouch to get this position? He never would have done it had Lelouch not rebelled against Britannia, had tried to take it down from the outside- by force and by bloodshed, had Lelouch not killed Euphy.

Stopping several paces before the steps leading up to the throne, Suzaku knelt before the Emperor, who sat upon his throne, waiting for Suzaku.

"Your Majesty," Suzaku greeted.

"Sir Suzaku Kururugi."

Suzaku's eyes widened in utter shock and horror. He could easily have been stabbed; the way he felt now would be no different. Heart racing and hands instantly glistening with a sheen of cold sweat, Suzaku looked to the one who spoke his name.

That voice...

that voice...

It came not from the Emperor. It came from one behind him.

That voice... that voice which haunted his daydreams, that voice which he longed to hear in pain in his nightdreams, that rich, smooth, arrogant voice, that voice which he had known for so many years...

It just could not be him. It just could not be him...

Laying sight upon the speaker behind him, Suzaku's eyes grew wider still, widening more than one would have thought humanly possible.

It... was him.

Lelouch.

He spoke in slightly deeper voice... One much like his Zero persona. However, unlike when he donned a mask and led a rebellion against Britannia, now he stood boldly before not only him, but his father. He... also was wearing... almost... regal clothing. A black and gold cape, black gloves, and... the gold emblem upon his black shirt... it... it was the same as the one on Suzaku's shirt.

A jewel-adorned black and purple eyepatch covered his left eye, leaving one amethyst revealed.

He looked... good. Really good. Raven hair silky and combed into proper place- just as Suzaku would have normally expected. He... well, he did not look a thing like a prisoner. He did not look anything like the high school student he was supposed to have returned to being. He... looked... like he was supposed to be in the military.

Lelouch.

In the military.

Suzaku could not imagine that. He would never pass the physical.

Yet, here he stood, wearing clothes befitting a high-ranking military man. Suzaku might have thought the Emperor had a change of heart and made Lelouch a prince again- or just decided a better way to use him which entailed his being a prince again (the latter being the more likely scenario). Yes, that was what Suzaku might have thought were it not for the golden emblem upon the chest of his fitted black shirt.

Suzaku could not think of a single member of royalty who wore it. Only those in the services of the crown.

Suzaku found himself utterly perplexed...

...and staring with his mouth hanging open- as he found out when he went to speak. Honestly, he did not know what to say. How should he greet Lelouch? Was Lelouch mocking his position within the realm? His tone did not seem particularly condescending, but with Suzaku's mind so muddled by confusion, he could not accurately recall Lelouch's tone. If his expression meant anything... he just looked... confident and dignified.

How... unusual.

He should be gloating... or something... if he had been given a position within the Realm as well. Although, why would Lelouch have agreed to work for the very man who he most wanted to kill? As a way to get even with Suzaku? A way to prove family connections superseded the law- especially when one of those family members could make any law he wanted... and, likewise, could amend or flat out break any law he wanted?

Or, would the Emperor have pardoned Lelouch? Suzaku could not imagine that. Not after so much bad blood between them. It was not just Lelouch who hated his father, but Charles felt no endearment toward Lelouch. So...

Wait!

Could Lelouch have gotten to the Emperor somehow and used his Geass?!

How? Not to mention, why would Charles have let his guard down? He knew about Lelouch's Geass, so how would Lelouch have been able to use it when Charles knew to be careful. Lelouch could be cunning, it was true, but Charles was no pushover...

Of course... why would Lelouch command Charles to make him a high-ranking servant of the Realm? Why not order Chalres to die, or for Chalres to make Lelouch Emperor? Was Lelouch so intent on getting back at Suzaku that he would have Charles give him a position that rivaled Suzaku's? So that he could prove himself better than Suzaku? More capable? Did that make sense?

Suzaku would not have thought Lelouch would be so... daft.

If none of that were true... then... what?

Not knowing what was going on, Suzaku had to give a safe reply.

A thought did cross Suzaku's mind that Lelouch arranged this to kill him for selling him to his father. It would not be unlike Lelouch to let the victim know he once again had the upper hand before moving in for the kill- whether that kill be figurative or literal. In this case, literal.

Suzaku knew, though, that he would have been able to stop Lelouch the same way he knew Kallen was sneaking up on him on Kamine Island when he had his gun pointed at Lelouch. Lelouch had not even known Kallen was there. Suzaku knew, though. His senses were trained-

Or... were they slipping?

He... had not known Lelouch- or anyone, for that matter- was behind him until he spoke. Moreover, he had not noticed Lelouch in the room. It stood to reason he had been in the room when Suzaku entered. So, how... could he, of all people, have missed Lelouch being in the room?

Maybe... he was slipping a bit...

Pushing that unsettling thought aside since he needed to be confident in his abilities- and maintain those abilities- not only for this situation, but for his new position as a Knight of the Round, and to prove himself to naysayers, Suzaku gave his safe reply in the firmest voice he could muster. Much of the initial shock had worn off, but there was still enough left (and enough confusion left) to make him sound... less than he should.

"That's right."

"Well," Lelouch began, a grin forming on his lips that could only be described as one Zero would wear beneath his mask.

The resemblance sparked a renewed rage within Suzaku, but he did an admirable job of controlling his emotions.

"It's nice to meet you."

"!" Suzaku's eyes widened in a different kind of shock this time. He recovered from this much more quickly, though. This smelled of the Emperor's Geass. Suzaku did not know what happened, why Lelouch was here dressed in those clothes and saying it was nice to meet him when Lelouch's new life at Ashford with his brother Rolo was supposed to have already begun.

However, he knew he would find out.

He also knew he needed to keep giving safe replies. He did not know if he was already supposed to know Lelouch was coming here to meet him. He did not think so; after all, this was a rather big deal. Someone should have told him about this. Still, he knew he needed to play it safe.

Suzaku opened his mouth to speak, but the first words upon the air were not his own.

"I am Julius Kingsley. I was called in by the Emperor to personally deal with the little difficulty with the Chinese Federation," Lelo-er, Julius, explained black-gloved hand extended toward Suzaku.

"It's good to meet you," Suzaku replied, taking Julius' hand into his own. He could not say one of the other common greetings that he might normally say. He could not say "I'm glad you could make it"; only an idiot would not come when specifically called by the Emperor. He also could not say "The pleasure is mine"; it was not. He was not "pleased to meet" Lelouch under a different name. He wanted to reserve the necessity of forcing out such a lie if only necessary.

"Lie" might be to strong. After all, the Emperor clearly must have found a better use for Lelouch and adjusted his mind accordingly. So, for Suzaku who knew most of the truth and would be learning the rest shortly, saying such things were not lies. They were merely lines in the most difficult and trying role he ever had to play upon the stage.

"Shall we go?"

"Go?" Suzaku repeated, a sick feeling rising from within his stomach, threatening to cause him to throw up.

"Yes. You are to be my escort to the Chinese Federation. The Emperor would only send a man of my talent with a Knight of the Round to be my shield and sword. My protection is vital."

Well, one thing the Emperor hasn't rewritten is Lelouch's overflowing belief in his own importance, Suzaku thought, dryly, though making doubly certain to keep his face expressionless. Little, so far, was known about this latest turn of events, but that line said it all. The sentiment was so Lelouch-like, so Zero-like, that the sick feeling within Suzaku had evaporated.

At least for those few blissful moments.

He then found himself on the side of the court needing to return the ball. He needed to say something or he would look inept. He refused to look inept- Lelouch's memories rewritten again or not! It did not matter if Lelouch did not recall they were "friends"- it only mattered that Suzaku knew and he would not be looked down upon by Lelouch.

"Of course."

Suzaku's true feelings lay at the polar opposite of his declaration. However, this was all for his role. Also, since Lelouch-Julius was saying this, it was clearly something the Emperor left in him... so he wanted it there.

…To be honest, I'm surprized no-one mentioned Lulu in the last chapter. I tried not to make it too obvious the one Vic and the others were working on was Lulu, but I didn't think I did a very good job considering we all know where this is going.

Still, I thought someone might say "To have disguised his identity a bit better, you should have (insert suggestion) or (insert second suggestion)". Yet, nothing.

So many of you are such quiet readers!

…Must say, though… it can get a bit lonely on this side...

Anyway, I left the author's note to the end in the event the pieces of who the identity of the young man from the last chapter was a mystery (or simply inconsequential) to some of you.