Authors Note
Welcome to the Multiverse Saga! It was advised for me to place all these stories in one section instead of all over the place to make it easier to read. So this will be a collection of one-shot stories all in the same universe with the same characters with an overatching narraitve. Like a televison show, which is why each chapter is an "episode", not a chapter. Enjoy as our heroes find that the multiverse isn't as friendly or as great as it's chalked up to be! Because of being a massive crossover, I'm not name dropping series. Sorry.
Episode 1: Fateful Meeting
It was stereotypically, wasn't it? Once the hero had gone on their grand adventure and defeated the villain, they would find a nice, quiet piece of land to live out the rest of their days until they were called on again to save the world. Not that Van Flyheight ever cared about something as trivial as being "stereotypical". After all, he saved the world twice so why shouldn't he be allowed to live a quiet life. Thankfully the call to action never really sprung up again. Sure, he had lines of people wanting him to do things like star in movies, or write a book, or worse yet get into politics, but never someone telling him his services would be needed once more. It would undermine his efforts all those years ago. He fought for a peaceful Zi, and he got it.
Which is why one peaceful morning in his cabin Van was up early once again to chop firewood. While he had access to electric heating, he preferred a more "natural" approach as it reminded him of his youth back in the Wind Colony. As a bonus, it was a great way to stay in shape! As he stopped to wipe some sweat from his brow something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He sighed, rubbed his hands, and returned to chopping wood while humming a familiar song. After a while he stopped his chore and spoke aloud.
"Well, what do you want?" He turned to a man that was watching him from a distance. Van had never seen him before, this young black haired man. He was simply dressed save for the black cloak and he was remarkably thin with long legs. Also, his eyes were purple, but Van had pitch-black eyes, so he wasn't going to be one to point that out.
"You finally noticed me?" The other asked.
"No, I spotted you the moment you showed up. I was waiting to see if you left or not."
"Surprised you didn't take me as a threat." The other crossed his arms.
"Well, if I thought you were a threat." Van replied, heaving the woodcutting axe over his shoulder. "You'd have an axe head through your head."
"My, how violent." The other said with a smug expression. "Not something I would expect from the great Van Flyheight."
"Well. What do you want?" Van asked again.
"Cutting to the point?"
"Well if you're here you clearly want something from me. So, what is it?" Van asked, having now planted the woodcutting axe into the ground and leaning on the handle.
"I have an offer for you." The other said. "But not like the other offers you have received before."
"Heard that one before. Let me guess, journalist?" Van stroaked his chin. "No, journalist student. Am I right?"
"Wrong on both accounts." The other sighed and shook his head.
"Darn." Van grinded his teeth a bit, trying to read the other. His body language, his expression, tone of voice. He clearly wasn't hostile, but something was… off about him and Van couldn't think why. "Well, it's chilly out. Would you like to come in for some tea?"
"Wouldn't mind if I do." The other shrugged, following Van back to his cabin. All the while Van carried the axe over his shoulder, flexing his fingers on the handle. Van's home was small but humble. Overlooking a lake, the cabin had a wrap-around porch and after dropping the axe off at the front door, Van led the guest inside to a combined living room, dining room, and kitchen with an adjacent hallway leading to the bedrooms and bathroom. As the guest took a seat at the kitchen table Van prepared the kettle for the tea.
"Sorry, I only have a black tea if that's alright with you?"
"That's fine." The other shrugged, watching Van's handywork. It didn't take long for a hot cup of tea to be placed in his hand, Van sitting across from him.
"So, what offer do you have?" Van asked, sipping his tea. The other paused for a moment after sipping the tea, as if to possibly protest the taste, but sipped it again.
"Work." He said.
"Work, huh? Like what?"
"Mercenary." Van nearly choked on his tea.
"M-Mercenary work?"
"Yes. Mercenary work."
"Look, kid, I fought plenty of mercenaries in my time. Worked with some to. I'm not one of them."
"But you're ex-military." He replied. "I've seen your file. Outside of your notable records, you also worked in anti-terrorism including special operations."
"Noisy one, aren't you?" Van folded his arms. "Thought that record was permanently sealed?"
"I have my ways." The other shrugged. "So, I come to you with an offer for mercenary work."
"Why me?" Van asked, before pausing. "Outside of my notable record."
"Because of your notable record." The other replied. "I've looked far and wide for, well, people like you."
"Ex-military?"
"Heroes."
"Why thanks."
"Hear me out." The other sipped his tea. "I'm not from here. Not your country, or this continent, or even this world."
"You're from Earth?"
"Yes…" The other replied with a cautionary tone. "You know of Earth?"
"My ancestors came from there, least my father told me." Van sipped his tea in turn. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt."
"I thought you'd be more shocked you're talking to a person from another world?"
"Not much surprises me these days."
"Well, this may surprise you. I'm from another dimension." Van paused for a moment, to the amusement of the other, and placed his cup on the table before sighing.
"Alright, kid, who do you need me to call?"
"Call?"
"Yeah. Like friends? Family? Your, um, special home?"
"You think I'm crazy?"
"Well, no…" Van cleared his throat. "Sorta."
"I'm not."
"I know you're not." Van rose from his seat. "Do you have a phone number on you?"
"I'm telling the truth! If I wasn't how would I know about your military record? The off-the-book stuff, like you said." Van cupped his chin. That was a good point, regardless if the other was mentally all there or not.
"Alright then." Van sat back down. "Tell me something from the record. Something only I would know."
"The Jarmalter City operation. You single handedly defeated thirty-six hostage takers without your Liger to free the hostage. The Republic Crisis saw you help General Krueger get to become President. The Vito Assassination where…"
"Alright, alright." Van loudly sighed. "I believe you. You somehow got in my records. Great. What do you want? Money?"
"I'm not blackmailing you!" The other slammed his fist on the table. "I'm not insane, I'm not blackmailing you, I just have an offer for you. Now would you please just hear it out?"
"Alright." Van folded his arms and learned back in his seat. "Make it quick."
"I… let's start from the beginning."
"I said make it quick." Van interjected, although the other seemed to have not heard him or didn't care about his request.
"When I left my world, I thought it was in good hands. With people I could trust. I was wrong. Even after what I did, the sacrifices I made, it turns out there were evil people I never thought about. As I made my journey to other worlds, I saw the same thing over-and-over. There were truly bad people in the worlds that seemed to always be overlooked, that scheme from the shadows and wait for the opportune moment to strike. I decided I would become what they feared; a boogie man. Strike fast and true, from the shadows. Never having a place to call home, where they can never try to find me. The problem is that I'm only one person. I needed help."
"Which is why you sought me out?"
"Yes. You are a dying breed. A true hero. Your motivation was pure, least from what I read. Plus, you have experience. You're not some dipshit who by chance got dragged off to a magic fantasy world and have no life skills whatsoever." The last part sounded oddly specific to Van.
"So, are you complementing me or saying that I'm apparently the only competent person left? I'm not sure if I should feel insulted or pleased." Van replied.
"The latter."
"OK. So, you want me to become a mercenary, working for you, fighting against so-called 'bad guys' who I don't know about on top of the fact that you want me to go to other worlds with you?"
"Blunt, but yes."
"And you're sure you're not crazy?"
"You still don't believe me?" The other asked. Van leaned over the table and cupped his hands together in a pose that was more fitting a man with glasses and poor parental skills than him.
"It's not that I don't trust you, it's just I don't trust you."
"You want proof?" The other mimicked what Van was doing, the pose being much more fitting for him. "I suppose I can show you; I have come this far. Very well, stand up." Van did as was directed, while the other rose as well and placed both his hands on Van's shoulders. "Now, close your eyes."
"I'm not gay."
"What!" The other exclaimed, flustered. "That's… I mean… look, I'm trying to show you how I travel to other worlds and places."
"You could have started with that."
"Well you're the one that got up and let me put my hands on you without saying anything!" Van placed his hands on the other's shoulders. "What are you doing now?"
"Well I'm putting my hands on your shoulders." Van said.
"You're just making this awkward for both of us. Look, do you want to see my powers in work or not?"
"Fine, fine." Van nodded, closing his eyes.
"You still have your hands on my shoulders."
"Because they're closer to your neck if I need to strangle you." He replied, the other loudly sighing and mumbling some swear under his breath. It was then that the familiar smell of Van's home, that was no smell at all, was replaced with something saltier.
"Alright, open your eyes." Van did as he was told and found him and the other, still holding onto each other's shoulders, standing on a deserted beach. Letting go of the other person, Van looked at his surroundings before leaning down to pick up some sand and rub it between his fingers. It was sand alright, which ruled out the other person spiking Van's tea. The sights, the sounds, the smell, the weird ringed planet that was visible in the sky. This was not planet Zi.
"Welcome to… well, OK, I don't know where we are but welcome to not your house."
"The fuck did you do?" Van asked. The other grinned, although a rather smug grin which he seemed quite fond of, and pointed at his left eye.
"This is the power of Geass." Van took a closer look and saw a strange symbol in the other's eye. "I have two powers, in fact. One that allows me to travel between worlds and one that allows me to control people."
"If you use that one on me, I'm going to split your head open with my axe." Van warned. The other just shook his head with a sigh.
"Believe me, if I wanted to control you I would have already."
"And as I told you before, if I wanted you dead, you'd already have an axe wedged into your skull. Now I'm thinking about that axe more."
"Calm down, I'll take you back home. Just close your eyes." Van grumbled and did what he was told feeling the other's hand on his shoulder. "Open them." Van was back home, in the kitchen. Immediately he looked at his hand and saw there was still sand on it. "So, believe me now?" Van was silent, his face expressing no emotion. He walked to a nearby drawer, pulled out a pack of cigars, and put one in his mouth before pulling a lighter from his pocket.
"Want one?" He offered a cigar to the other, who only shook his head no. "Suit yourself." Van lit the cigar in his mouth and stored the others away. "OK." He let out a puff of smoke. "So, you do have the power to travel between worlds, and you have a power to mind control people which explains how you accessed my files." He pulled the cigar from his mouth and pointed it at the other. "Which of course means you've been planning this for some time."
"Correct. That's why I sought you out."
"Cause I'm a hero or some shit." Van leaned back on the counter and let out another puff of smoke. "Hoo boy, this is some weird shit." He was silent after that for a moment, drumming his fingers on the counter. "You have a name?"
"Hmm?"
"Name. Like what do I call you?"
"My name…" the other paused for a moment. "Yes, a name. My name is L… Z… no…"
"Lzno?" Van asked?
"What? No! My name is Lelouch!" He replied, before having a look of immediate regret.
"Lelouch, huh? Strange name but you're quite a strange kid."
"Y…Yes." Lelouch seemed to be at a lose for words, like a superhero accidently revealing their secret identity to a love interest. "W-Well, since you know my name that means you have to take up my offer!" Van looked at him with an annoyed expression. After a tense moment, he once again pulled at the cigar from his mouth, dropped it to the ground, and smashed it underfoot.
"See as you'll likely keep bothering me if I tell you no, I will give you this offer. I will do one." He raised one finger to Lelouch and waged it at him. "And only one of your 'jobs'. After that I will decide if I want to work with you or not."
"I suppose that's fair." Lelouch folded his arms and nodded. "Very well, one mission."
"Good."
"Indeed." The two looked at one another in silence and then at the floor and then back at each other. "So… I'll come get you when it's time."
"Fair enough."
"I'll be going."
"Please do." Van said, watching Lelouch use his so-called powers to leave. Interestingly, from a outside perspective, Lelouch just vanished. It made Van wonder why he had to close his eyes while Lelouch kept his open. Now that the stranger was gone from his house, Van loudly sighed and sunk to the floor. "Oh God, what did I get myself into?" He asked aloud. Getting over his short stage of shock, he shook his head, got up and washed his hands before finding a broom and dustpan to clean up the broken cigar. On the inside, he felt sick like he just made a deal with the devil. But it was just one mission. It couldn't be bad, right? He would do it, tell Lelouch no more, and be done with it. Still, Van was worried with Lelouch and his powers. Just who was he? And why did he call Van a "dying breed"?