Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass, if I did we'd have more Percival awesomeness

Stats: 914 reviews (37 last chapter), 83328 hits (1315 last chapter), 19 c2s, 202 favs, and 205 alerts

Lelouch sat down in the throne of the Azuchi and watched as the coup began in full swing below them, "I wonder who will win?" Lelouch mused.

"Your majesty, we're receiving a communication from the Chinese Federation, shall I put it on?" Jeremiah asked looking at Lelouch from the corner of his eye.

"Make it so," Lelouch said as the High Eunuch's image appeared on the main monitor of the Azuchi, "What can I do for you?"

"We'd like to request your assistance," the leader amongst them said simply.

"Why? I have no reason to step into this," Lelouch responded, being very nonchalant about it.

"What? But you're…" the smallest amongst the Eunuchs began to object when he was silenced.

"Your highness, this would be beneficial to Britannia if you were to ensure our victory, with your power it would be a simple matter, wouldn't it?" the lead Eunuch suggested.

Lelouch smirked, they were right where he wanted them, "Tell me, why have you betrayed your nation exactly? It can't only be for noble titles in Britannia can it?"

"Do we need another reason?" the largest of them asked, "Britannia will be the winner if a war were to break out, and it will surely break out eventually. We decided it would be beneficial to join of our own free will."

Lelouch nodded his head, "No, surely that is a good reason. But what of your people?"

"Hohohoho, the Dragon is an idealist, who would have ever thought?" the leader said, amusement on his face, "Do you care of the ants beneath your feat or your used toilet paper?"

"Surely not, but that's hardly an appropriate to call your own people that. Tell me, are you familiar with my favorite game?" Lelouch asked, making it seem like he was making light conversation, "If so, what do you think is the strongest piece?"

"The queen naturally," the Eunuchs responded in perfect unison, Lelouch laughing at their single-mindedness, "What's so…"

"You can seek help elsewhere," Lelouch said with a smirk, "My only obligation was to secure to safety of Tianzi. Nothing more, nothing less. I have no reason to interfere further. Jeremiah, cut communications."

"Lelouch, you're trying to make them run to Schneizel aren't you?" Karen asked, looking at her Prince.

"I'm doing no such thing. I have no reason to interfere now, I naturally hope Xingke wins this because that means I'm off the hook, but I can't interfere without betraying the empire. Not without a very good reason at least," Lelouch stated, a smirk on his face, anybody who knew him knew he was trying to make them run to Schneizel. He saw the Lancelot and Tristan launch from the Avalon, "Oh, that was quick," Lelouch said as a wave of despair washed over the Azuchi, "Jeremiah, activate it."

"Yes your highness," Jeremiah responded immediately as the despair vanished, "Internal Geass Disturber activated and holding steady."

"Xingke…" Tianzi said watching the fight begin in full, the Lancelot facing off against the Gawain and the Tristan facing off against the Shen-hu.

Lelouch got up from his throne and said to Tianzi, "The way I see it, you've got a few options. Sit back and let the Eunuchs win this with my brother's help. Convince Schneizel to pull back. Convince me to help the Eunuchs. Convince me to help Xingke and his rebellion. And then you could always try to kill me, but I doubt you'd get very far with that." Lelouch began walking off the bridge when he said, "I'll be in the Apotheosis, do tell me when you've made a decision. Though I have a feeling I know which you'll pick."

"What…I'd have to go through with this…regardless, then you…" Tianzi said, shivering again.

"Unlike my brother, I would be very willing to greatly postpone it, no in fact I'd insist on it if this political marriage was on my terms," Lelouch stated with a chuckle, "Say ten years or, well I suppose a good time would be when I become Emperor of Britannia. We could seriously talk about the issue then. Whether or not to go through with it that is. In the meantime an engagement would give me every reason and right to help and use China." Lelouch walked off the bridge then and made his way down to the back hanger, climbed up into, and sat down in the Apotheosis' cockpit. Patiently waiting for the inevitable choice.

"Hello, my son," a voice suddenly said over the radio of the Apotheosis.

Lelouch immediately glared and then said, "Hello father, I'm surprised you knew where to get in contact with me."

"Your plans are complex, designed to glorify yourself. And thus they are lucid, I have seen through it quite clearly. I'm only unaware of what other weapons you possess," Charles said, the transmission coming from his throne room in Britannia, the man leaning back in his throne while speaking.

"Everything you say?" Lelouch asked.

"Indeed, everything. Absolute Obedience, the immortal witch C.C., the Azuchi, the Sword of Akasha Version One, the Black Knights, the other Geass users you have gained, and even the other immortal you gained. I'm well aware of all of it," Charles said, Lelouch's eyes going a little wider at each and every mention, "Your plan to get the Tianzi to enter into a prolonged engagement, your plan to make the coup a success, turn it into a civil war with you as the new ruler afterwards. The coup you plan in case you are not named my heir. You have done quite well, my Fenrir."

"Fenrir? The wolf who is part of Ragnarok," Lelouch said.

"Indeed. An apt name for you…continue as you are, win this confrontation and I'll name you the crown prince as you wish, if you fail Schneizel will be named the crown prince," Charles said, clearly amused by the sounds Lelouch was now making, "I knew, from the day I saw those eyes seven years ago, that you would be Fenrir. Don't let me down."

And with that the Emperor cut the communication. Lelouch was frowning, "How…I've covered my tracks. How did he find out? No one knew enough for that much information to reach him."

In the Britannian mainland, in the throne room, Charles had just turned off the communication with his son, "You majesty," the voice of the strongest knight of the empire, Bismarck Waldstein, a one-eyed, dark skinned man with semi-long hair. By his side was a smaller meeker looking man, expressing doubt in his voice he continued, "You have picked your heir? Your heir shall be Lelouch?"

"Knight of One," Charles said slowly, looking at the man before him, "What do you think would happen if I do not? This empire would be split into two. The young and virile Lelouch is almost universally viewed as the superior of the two choices. It is the reason Schneizel has been so desperate to enact this plan of his, to curb Lelouch's ability to claim the Throne. Schneizel will claim half the world for Britannia. Lelouch will claim it all. Britannia will be stronger with him as the Emperor, the ferocity of the Dragon is more powerful than the determination of the Hydra." The Emperor got up and began walking towards a large door behind him, he then stopped as the sound of a gunshot filled the room. Turned around, blood running down his lip as he clutched his chest, blood pouring out, he had been shot through the heart, "Waldstein…you…"

Bismarck Waldstein, the Knight of One, had just shot Charles. He tossed his gun to the meeker man by his side, "Catch," he said as he brought out a second gun, "It is your gun and it's still loaded." The meeker soldier gaped wide-eyed as he looked at Waldstein then quickly brought the gun up and tried to fire on him, finding the gun was empty, "Oops, I must have emptied it," Waldstein said and then shot the man through his head with a second gun he had, instantly killing him, "Goodbye my liege, I shall ensure the Empire survives without you." With that Charles fell to the floor, dead. Soldier began pouring into the room afterwards, Waldstein looked at them and then switched his gun to holding it by the barrel, "The Emperor has been assassinated, I have taken care of the assassin. It is my failing in that I did not predict this would happen."

The soldiers took his gun while others examined the scene, "Don't worry Lord Waldstein, will make sure to prove your innocence, why did he…"

"He was an assassin sent by Lelouch Vi Britannia. Prince Schneizel had just been declared the Crown Prince. The assassin's orders were apparently to assassinate the Emperor and anybody else in the room should such an occurrence take place," Bismarck reported, "This should be reported immediately to the Empire before it is too late."

In the Chinese Federation, aboard the Azuchi, Lelouch was still sitting in the Apotheosis and waiting for Tianzi's answer. It had been thirty minutes already and the fighting down below was getting fairly intense. Both sides of the fight had taken heavy damage, the Gawain and Shen-hu had managed to keep the Lancelot and Tristan on the defensive, no doubt thanks to the Geass users amongst the Black Knight Remnants. While he waited he was taking the time to analyze the information on the tactics being used on the ground between the two sides, and hacking into the communications of both sides. Though outgunned, Xingke's faction was doing quite well with the assistance of the Remnants, pushing the Eunuch's forces back slowly but surely. He grimaced, at this rate his own plan wouldn't go through. In fact at this rate he would be required to move in to rescue the Rounds. "Why hasn't Schneizel sent out Percival yet? In this fight the Vampire would be perfect."

"My lord, a message from the Avalon," Jeremiah said, "Shall I patch it through to the Apotheosis?"

"Do so," Lelouch said, smirking as the radio turned on again.

"Lelouch," a voice came over it, Schneizel's, "Why have you failed to join the battle?"

"I have no reason to do so, it's your show not mine," Lelouch answered, "And I was never placed under your command. My forces are here under my orders. When I have reason or necessity to do so I will intervene. In the meantime, interestingly enough, father called me just a few moments ago. The outcome of these events will determine who will be the crown prince it would see. If you succeed, you're it, if you fail and I manage to salvage this situation I will be."

"What…" Schneizel said, "So you expect me to fail…that's why you're holding back."

"Bingo, bingo, you fail and it becomes my show. But that is of course the least desirable outcome for myself," Lelouch admitted in amusement, "You're got the advantage, don't lose it now. You never know just when I'll promote that last pawn."

Aboard the Avalon, Schneizel abruptly cut the channel, glaring out at the battle, "Luciano, launch the Percival immediately. Destroy the rebel faction and protect the High Eunuchs' forces."

"Of course your highness, I wouldn't dream of doing anything like friendly fire," Luciano said with a dark chuckle, the Percival launching from the Avalon.

Aboard the Azuchi, Lelouch smirked, the Percival had launched. His provocation worked perfectly. The battle below immediately took a sharp change in flow, with the Percival's appearance Xingke's forces were now being pushed back. Lelouch leaned back in the Apotheosis' cockpit and continued his wait, things were going according to his plans. The situation was evolving as he wanted it to, now it was only a matter of, "Lelouch Vi Britannia," a small voice said from the entrance to the hanger, Lelouch looking up to see Tianzi standing there, grabbing onto the front of her dress nervously, letting go she then said, "I accept your conditions."

"A prolonged engagement?" Lelouch clarified, Tianzi nodding her head in agreement, Lelouch tuning to a new frequency, "Excellent. Diethart! You hacked into the broadcasting lines haven't you?"

"Yes your majesty," Diethart answered over the intercom, "Shall I play the conversation you had with the Eunuchs now?"

"Yes, do so. Karen, Anya, launch your Knightmares when you get down here, Jeremiah, turn the Azuchi over to Rakshata, and get into the Siegfried," Lelouch ordered as he started up the Apotheosis and lowered the eyepiece to his left eye. "Oh and before I forget, Tianzi," Lelouch said, grabbing the young empress' attention, and tossed a small radio transceiver, "Catch this, and do tell Xingke I'm joining in on his side."

On the battlefield, Xingke was barely holding off the Lancelot now, Suzaku's fierce array of attacks slowly pushing him back. "It looks like I can't keep my promise," Xingke mused as he lost an arm, finally taking damage from the Lancelot, "It looks like we've…"

"Xingke!" Tianzi's voice came over his radio, "The Dragon is on your side!"

"What?" Xingke said as the Lancelot was suddenly forced to fall back from two Hadron Beams, shields forming up around the Shen-hu, "What's going on…"

"It's simple really," Lelouch said, contacting Xingke, "I had no reason to interfere before. But now that the true ruler of China has convinced me to help her soldiers, I have every reason to participate in this battle."

Lelouch's Apotheosis floated behind Xingke, Lelouch smirking in the cockpit as Schneizel contacted him, "What do you think you're doing!?"

"Simple, my fiancé asked me to save her trusted soldiers. Considering the fact that if Xingke wins, she is the true representative of China," Lelouch said with a smirk, "And unlike the Eunuchs, I rather like Xingke. To care for the pawns of the nation as he does, and as Tianzi does. I'd rather side with them."

"I never figured you for such an idealist," Xingke said as his screens suddenly flashed two words in Chinese to him, "Bai-Hu?"

And that's where I'll end this chapter. You know, I completely rewrote the last part of this chapter, unusual for me. But I felt it moved a bit too fast for my tastes, and wasn't quite as dramatic. Well then, onto my questions.

1) My Chinese readers (or Chinese Speaking) are going to know why I ended the chapter on "Bai-Hu" but I want to see who else will get it. So why do you think I ended the chapter on "Bai-Hu?" And to my Chinese speaking readers, want to take a guess what it's going to do? Also, do forgive me if it's not considered two words.

2) Lelouch's plan is finally underway, but it looks like someone else is moving against him, namely Waldstein. So do you think he's a flunky of Schneizel's, a full blown villain, or a just a conscientious objector to the idea of Lelouch as Emperor?

Also, after the China Arc, I'll be taking a break from Prince or Zero, in the meantime "Spirit of the Wolf" will be taking it's place, do check it out.

And that's all, now press the review button before Waldstein objects to you as well.

Ciao for now

Tis has been a chapter from your unfriendly neighborhood LunaticChaos