Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
R-eset
Part 6: Recurrence to Zero
Stage 33: The Wizard (of Oz)
Talks began shortly after the doors leading into the room had closed. Those present were Lelouch, Kallen and Ohgi from the Black Knights, and from Oz's group the man himself and Wizard, who sat across from Lelouch with a strange smile on his face.
"Now then, shall we begin our discussions?"
"That all depends. Would you mind answering a question of mine, first."
Lelouch was still suspicious about this whole thing. He didn't quite understand why Peace Mark would take such an interest in the Black Knights, even if they did organize countless other resistance cells across Japan. Admittedly, he could imagine that one possibility was that they wanted to ride on their coattails, but another probability was that they wanted to secure a partnership. Lelouch eyed Wizard, looking for anything he could use to his advantage. In the end, he found nothing.
Thus, he wished to be direct. "Why does Peace Mark want to cooperate with the Black Knights?"
At this, Wizard chuckled. "Oh no, they aren't after anything like that. If anything, they simply want a reliable ally in the event they find themselves backed into a corner. The Black Knights' continued success is one of the primary factors. As for myself, I had another reason for requesting an audience with you."
"Oh? How unusual for a diplomat to be so forward."
"I prefer not to beat around the bush."
Wizard looked at Oz and gave a nod. The young man understood what it was they were asking and sighed deeply, closing his eyes. The Black Knights looked at one another in confusion, uncertain of what the man was doing before they gasped when Oz opened his eyes, revealing them to have turned to a glittery red color with an avian sigil wrapped around his pupils.
"That's-!"
"Geass?!"
Oz nodded. "That is correct. My full name is Orpheus Zevon, a former member of House Zevon and brother to Oldren Zevon, the current head of the family and member of Princess Marybell's Glinda Knights. And a long time ago, I was once e member of the Geass Order."
Lelouch's eyes widened in shock. His companions immediately became on guard. Kallen grapsed her knife while Ohgi reached for his gun. Oz chuckled at their actions and raised a hand. "No need to be hostile. I said I was a former member. I no longer have any ties to them."
"Forgive me if I seem a little skeptical."
Wizard smiled at Lelouch's words. "Very good. I would consider you a fool if you had trusted his word so easily. But for now, let us discuss something else that might interest you. Tell me, Zero. How much do you know about the Geass Order?"
"...Admittedly, not much." He answered honestly. The only information he knew about it was what he learned from C.C. "I'm aware that it's been around for a long while, and that its current leader is the Emperor's brother who gained a Code. Under his leadership, there have been several Geass-users serving Britannia."
"That's the most basic information you could possibly learn, but I'll give you credit for knowing that V.V. is the Emperor's brother. However, there's more to the Order than you may realize. Tell me, does the name Pluton mean anything to you?"
"Pluton?"
Rather than Wizard, it was Oz who explained with a grim expression present on his face. "It's something of a black-ops military organization. It was originally a separate group before it was absorbed into the Geass Order, and ever since, it's been doing the Royal Family's dirt work. Espionage, assassination, the whole nine-yards. It was also led by the Zevon Family before Oiaguro, the former head of the Zevon Family, stepped down. V.V. took over afterwards and incorporated it with the Order, and since then, they've become more effective. One of their most esteemed operatives goes by the name of Rolo Halliburton."
Kallen's eyes widened at this. 'Rolo?' She glanced over to Lelouch, who's face was unreadable beneath his mask. She knew her lover's feelings towards Rolo were complex and what he wanted to do in the event they should meet again. Hearing that Rolo was somehow part of this group made her worry for him.
Oz wasn't finished explaining yet, however, as his eyes narrowed.
"I should also mention that Pluton has a zero-tolerance policy towards traitors. If anyone from the Geass Order or the organization itself attempts to leave, they're promptly hunted down and killed on the spot."
Lelouch's eyes widened. They would be hunted and killed?! He quietly clicked his tongue. It would seem he would now have to be more cautious on restoring his brothers memories and recruiting him.
He refused to get him back only to lose him again. That was, assuming he hadn't crossed the point of no return. A memory played out in the back of his mind, one he would rather not relive. His hands shook beneath the table, remember the feeling of Shirley's cold body as she laid bleeding on the floor.
"I see... And yet, you escaped?"
"Not without losing someone I cared about in the process." Oz admitted with a sour face. Wizard promptly took over the discussion.
"As you can imagine, with the Royal Family itself hiding their crimes and backing them, as well as the Geass Order itself making them dangerous enough, Pluton is not something you could deal with by yourself. Of course, given the nature of Pluton's existence, there are only a handful of people who know of it. This includes myself, Oz, and now the three of you as well."
Ohgi frowned heavily as he folded his arms. Clearly, this information disturbed him a great deal. "A Geass-using hitman squad... Not gonna lie, Zero. They sound like bad news."
"They are, especially Rolo Halliburton. I know of him. His Geass allows him to stop a person's perception of time so long as they're within a certain radius. It's only drawback, however, is that he risks undergoing cardiac arrest. When he uses it, his heart momentarily stops beating, hence why he has to use it for short bursts."
"You know more than I thought you would. It seems I am not the only man with secrets! Regardless, your comrade is correct in that Pluton is dangerous. Especially given their current assignment." The Black Knights looked at one another before turning to Wizard, who promptly began to elaborate. "From what I've been hearing, their current task is hunting down one of those capable of granting Geass. I'm not entirely sure why they're hunting him down, but he apparently has information involving a certain island Britannia, or at the very least the Emperor, has been searching for."
"Hold on a moment." Zero leaned in. "Did you say 'he'?" If they were referring to Beleth, then this could be both bad and good. Bad because Britannia was currently after something that gave hazardous Geass' away like candy to anyone willing, and good because he finally had a lead.
Sadly, Wizard dashed his hopes. "Yes. An immortal man by the name of U.U. As to what information he has, I'm not quite certain. All I'm aware of is that he's the only person who knows how to find an island Pluton's been after for a very long time. A historical site, or so I've been told."
"I see..."
"Now then..." Wizard smiled. "I've shared all that I have about Pluton with you. Now, perhaps, we can continue with this meeting. Specifically, what Peace Mark wants with the Black Knights, and what I can offer for our partnership."
"Indeed." Zero nodded in agreement. "What is it that you require of us, and what can you offer us in exchange?"
"Before we get into the nitty gritty, in order to prove our loyalty and sincereity, I've asked the higher-ups to allow Oz here to work with you." Wizard explained, waving a hand. "We'd like to ask the Black Knights a favor. To see what it is your group is capable of. Simply put, we'd like for you to find a certain someone."
Kallen narrowed her eyes. "Your group wants us to cooperate with each other, but you want us to do your dirty work?" she hissed. "The hell kind of a business deal is this?"
"You misunderstand. This will be a joint effort, hence Oz's placement with you all. His Geass will surely come in handy for any infiltration missions you may have planned, given its nature."
Lelouch hummed. "Interesting... And what is it you want us to do? Or rather, who is it that Peace Mark wants found?"
Wizard's smirk grew. "The long-lost heir to the late Akihito, Japan's last Emperor."
Kallen choked. Ohgi stared at Wizard as if he grew a second head. "D-did you just say the heir to Emperor Akihito?!" he cried. "But that's impossible! The Emperor had only one child, Naruhito-dono, and he died during the bombing of Hirasaka when Britannia invaded seven years ago! He couldn't have another child!"
"And that's where your wrong." Oz retorted. "The Emperor of Japan, unbeknownst to the public and known only to a few select individuals, even in the Six Houses of Kyoto, had another child. An illegitimate heir to the throne. We have no clue where he is now, but what we do know is that he has survived Britannia's conquest these last seven years."
Kallen whirled to face Lelouch. "Zero, this is...!"
"I know." the masked revolutionary nodded.
This news was quite the bombshell, in more ways than one. Though Genbu Kururugi, Japan's Prime Minister, was considered to be one of the most influential people in Japan, there was one other person who ranked even higher than him. To the whole of Japan, the Emperor's will may as well have been a order from God himself. Admittedly, the influence this one individual carried had waned in the years following the first Pacific War, but the Emperor was still the shining Beacon of Japan. It was not a stretch to say that the Emperor was Japan itself.
When news of Emperor Akihito's death was announced, as well as the death of his son Prince Naruhito in the initial stages of the invasion, Japan's moral had dropped to to the point where Genbu Kururugi was all that was keeping the nation's fighting spirit together.
If the inhabitants of Area 11 learned that Emperor Akihito had a remaining heir left, illegitimate they may be, they would surely rally to that person's side. As things stood, the Black Knights, with the remains of the Japan Liberation Front merged with them, were the sole biggest group resisting Britannia in the nation. Support for them was already high, but they had their detractors.
If this illegitimate heir was part of the Black Knights, and news spread, every last man, woman and child of Japanese blood would rally under their banner in a heartbeat. Doing so would bring about implications...fatal ones. Every human of Japanese blood would be put at risk of getting killed by Britannia in their rebellion. Many would die out of blind loyalty.
In a way, it was a double-edged sword. If this individual was announced to have joined the Black Knights, every Resistance Group in Area 11 would side with the Black Knights. And on the other hand, Britannia's war with them would escalate.
'I definitely don't recall any of this happening before.' Lelouch thought, troubled. 'Are all of these changes happening because this isn't a reset timeline? Or its because of Beleth? Damn it, I can't tell. Either way, be it for good or ill, the existence of Japan's so-called long lost prince is both a boon and a curse. We have to tread cautiously here.'
"Before we make a decision, there's one last question I'd like to ask." Lelouch said to Wizard, his body tense. "What does Peace Mark intend to do with this heir?"
Wizard let out a small smile at his question. "Our intentions with him are not malicious if that is what you are all concerned about. Peace Mark merely wishes for his safety."
"What would he gain from such a thing?"
"First of all, while his existence will remain a carefully guarded secret, in the event the Britannians are forced out of Area 11 and Japan is rebuilt anew, this young man will effectively become a symbol to the Japanese populace. Of course, that in itself is a daunting task, and one that a person certainly cannot handle alone. To this end, the new Emperor would require close allies and people he could trust. This is the first point, to establish a government with the Emperor as the basis for what we hope will be a system where the power is not just entrusted to the Emperor, but also to the people."
Ohgi blinked in surprise. "You want to create a democracy?"
"Correct."
"Quite ambitious." Lelouch mused. "And what else did you have in mind?"
"The second point, naturally, is related to the first point. Up until now, the long-lost prince of Japan has been in constant danger from the Britannians. If word got out that Emperor Akihito had a living heir, Japan's moral would skyrocket and take up arms. It would disrupt everything in Area 11. Therefore, a chaotic element like that cannot be allowed to remain." Wizard explained. "In short, we will offer him protection."
Oz sighed. "But as we've said earlier, he's become increasingly hard to track. The worst part is that Pluton is also after him, as per V.V.'s orders. We don't know who the little shit has sent, but..."
"If they find him, he's as good as dead." Lelouch finished, folding his arms. "Hence why Peace Mark is asking cooperation from the Black Knights. Extra insurance."
"And additional firepower." Wizard added. "And as of late, you Black Knights have developed quite the track record. So then, Zero... Would you be willing to take on this favor?"
Lelouch took the moment to debate about this. The offer certainly had its merits. Lelouch took the moment to debate about this. The offer certainly had its merits. There were dangers, of course. This Pluton was full of Geass users, and aside from Rolo, he had next to no information about their abilities. On the other hand, having this illegitimate heir on their side would definitely become a boon for them.
After a moment of silence, Lelouch gave his answer. "Very well. The Black Knights accept this task." he said, much to Wizard's pleasure. "What's the prince's name?"
"Renya. Renya Akihito."
Meanwhile, in the Britannia mainland of Pendragon, there was activity in the Palace brewing.
Striding through the halls was one of Britannia's princesses, her Knight trailing close behind her. The princess was none other than the Captain of the Glinda Knights herself, Marybell mel Britannia. The guards who watched her speed on past couldn't help but admire her and her companion's beauty. Perhaps among all the royal children, hers were the most beautiful, her pink hair tied back into a ponytail and her violet eyes crystal clear. The woman close behind her was not too far in the looks department either, wearing a red uniform with a beret atop her blonde hair, green eyes focused on Marybell's back.
This was Oldrin Zevon, the current head of the Zevon family. To her closest allies, she was called Oz. She was also the ace pilot of the Glinda Knights.
The reason why Marybell had been speeding through the halls of the Palace was simple. The Emperor himself had called on her to discuss something important. Neither she or Oldrin knew what it could possibly be, but they had no desire to anger the man. Not when Marybell had finally returned to the ranks of Royalty, following her confrontation against the Emperor so many years ago.
"Mary, slow down!" Oldrin chided Marybell. "If you walk too fast, you'll end up falling flat on your feet."
"I am perfectly fine, Oldrin." Marybell said with an even expression. "I'm no longer a child. I can walke perfectly-!"
It was at that point she tripped over her feet and stumbled over, catching herself at the last moment.
She fell silent for a short moment before she looked over her shoulder. Though Oldrin's expression was even her, her eyes were saying, "I told you so." In response, she pouted, causing Oldrin to smile a little.
"Not one word."
"I said nothing. Please try not to trip over yourself."
The two then proceeded on, the princess still embarrassed by her slip up. However, she was glad that only her Knight had witnessed it and no one else. The two had been close friends since they had been but children, and the Zevon family had shown her nothing but kindness since the day Marybell had been casted aside. It was a bitter memory to be sure. Only a meager year after her brother, Lelouch vi Britannia's exile, her own mother had died and had confronted the Emperor over it, even drawing her sword against him. Such an act was on grounds far worse than treason. By all rights, she was lucky that the Emperor had allowed her to live, albeit disowning her and revoking her status as a noble.
It had been many years since then, and now, after many long years of loyalty to her homeland, Marybell had been welcomed back as a child of the Emperor. Marybell realized that it wasn't Charles zi Britannia growing soft, he simply recognized that her hard work and talents were best suited were they lay. Under the power of the Emperor, the Glinda Knights, while receiving more backing than any group in the military, had effectively become the lapdogs of the Emperor.
While she was not entirely happy with the current status of her order of knights, she couldn't deny that the backing she received would go a long way in her pursuit to bring an end to terrorism. It was, after all, terrorism that robbed her of her family.
Eventually, Marybell and Oldrin arrived at their destination. Two guards, standing side by side, opened the door. Together, princess and knight stepped inside. Several men, all dressed in dark gray garb and wielding spears, all saluted and stood at attention, forming a long line that stood on either side of the red carpet that led the way to the steps of the Throne Room.
And there, Charles zi Britannia stood like a massive behemoth. A judge waiting to ascertain the worth of the two before him.
With her head held high and showing no signs of retreat, Marybell stepped forward, Oldrin following close behind her. With every move, the Emperor watched her carefully, gauging and testing her, looking for even the slightest signs of weakness. After a long moment, he apparently made his decision and sat down in his throne, face seemingly made of stone at that point.
Upon reaching the steps of the throne, Marybell kneeled. Oldrin followed shortly after, though unlike Marybell, she kept her head bowed.
"We have arrived at your request, Your Majesty." Marybell announced.
Charles nodded. "It has been some time since you stood before me, Marybell. I recall that not too long ago, when you were but a child, you stood at that exact same spot, sword in hand." Marybell did not flinch, nor did she look away. However, her hands curled into fists, something the Emperor did not let slip past him. "I casted you aside for the same reasons as your foolish brother, and yet, whereas he proved to be a weakling and a coward, you showed me otherwise. You proved your loyalty to Britannia, and more than that, you proved you were indeed worthy of the blood in your veins." The Emperor then narrowed his eyes. "And now, I ask that you prove your loyalty to me once again, my daughter. Rise, Captain of the Glinda Knights. I have a task for you."
Oldrin and Marybell rose to their feet. "What would you ask of us, Your Majesty?"
"As I'm sure you're aware, the situation in Area 11 has become most...unpleasant. I had hoped that, by sending Cornelia, she would prove more than capable of defeating the foolish resistance there. However, she's proven to be rather disappointing. I debated on sending her another of the Knights of the Round, but I believe you and your Order may prove a better choice."
Internally, Marybell was bouncing for joy. Long had she waited for the chance to go to Area 11. The Black Knights were, without question, the most powerful foes that Britannia had ever witnessed. Zero, their masked leader, had proven himself a capable leader and tactician. The fact that her sister Cornelia, a master in the art of war, had trouble proved how powerful this opponent was. Even Schneizel, upon his return to the homeland, had spoken of Zero being an intriguing enemy to have. On her part, Marybell was disappointed that such a person of such skill, earning praise from Schneizel of all people, was a terrorist. She wanted to defeat this person, and more importantly, to show the world that such despicable acts would never amount to anything.
No change in this world was worth the cost of such destruction and death.
"Marybell, you and the Glinda Knights are to go to Area 11. Crush the Black Knights. And capture their leader."
At this, Marybell paused. "Capture...Zero?" she questioned, confused.
Charles' face hardened. "Yes. Bring Zero...to me."
Guess who's back? Back again?
Sorry I've been gone for so long. I didn't mean to be gone from this site for as long as I was. It didn't really help there were a couple of video games that took away my time. Including the Yakuza games (finally got into that, but so far I've only played Yakuza 0, the Kiwami remakes and Yakuza 6) and participating in the Code Vein Network Test. God can't wait until that comes out. Here's hoping we get a release date at E3 in a couple of days.
Anyway, I've decided that, instead of just solely focusing on R-eset, I'd also work on other stories back to back while doing this, in order to prevent me from burning out on it. I updated my D Gray Man story, Hallowed Ground, after a very long time, and after this update I'm doing Of Crystal Shards and Dust along with my friend Daemon of Wrath. After that, it's back to this.
Going back to Code Geass for a second, I haven't seen Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection yet so NO SPOILERS DAMMIT!
Also, with this chapter, I've now officially included every Code Geass spin-off, barring the Fragments of the Mosaic light novel which has yet to be translated to the best of my knowledge. "Renya Akihito" is, naturally, Renya from the "prequel manga" Renya of the Darkness, though naturally some things had to be tweaked to fit the story. Lastly, the Glinda Knights, in the canon timeline, were created after the Black Rebellion. For this story, however, they're already an established order in Britannia. Another small change is that Oldrin is the head of the Zevon Family instead of her uncle, but more on that later in the story.
One last thing before I end this chapter. This is in regards to my Yugioh story, Pendulum's Fifth Swing. For that story, I had two partners. Well, three technically. Two of those partners were Donjusticia and Shimmering-Sky, both of whom were great help in creating the duels and the cards used in those duels. My third partner, however, is officially on my shitlist. I won't say why, just that we both got into a huge argument that led to us parting ways, and has left me without a story partner. You see, they were involved with the story as much as I was, as they helped planned out what direction the story should go, what the chapters should have, etc.
With this fallout, however, I'm now uphill in a creak with no paddle. It totally freaking SUCKS. To that end, I'm looking for a new partner to help with the story.
On that note, I'll see you guys in the next chapter.
Peace out, ya'all. And don't do anything I wouldn't do!