Code Stratos 2
HI, THIS IS THE SECOND OF THE THREE PROLOGUES FOR MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT A FANFIC. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW IT YET/OR HAVE YET TO REALISE IT YET, THIS IS A CROSSOVER BETWEEN THE MECHA ANIME WITH OVER THE TOP DRAMA AND TRAGEDY WITH CLOSE TO LITTLE DETAIL AND DEVELOPMENT FOR ITS CHARACTERS CODE GEASS AND THE JAPANESE ARCADE GAME WHOSE POPULARITY HAS CAUSED IT TO NOT ONLY BE TURNED INTO AN ANIME, BUT HAS ALSO LEAD TO TALKS OF HAVING IT MOVED TO PC AND HOME CONSOLES ALL OVER THE WORLD: GUNSLINGER STRATOS. WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, HERE IS THE NEXT ENTRY OF THE SERIES.
Disclaimer: I don't own either of the series as they both belong to their respected creators.
Confirmation: the first chapter was just like the tutorial cut-scene of a game, it was meant to get you informed of what to expect from the story.
She didn't know how it happened or why this was happening, one moment she was aiding in the conquest of yet another area for her nation (which stood at the top of the food chain) and now here she is, fighting alongside people that, under normal circumstances, she would cut off her right arm in favor of not having to associate with to begin with. If this was a few months ago, hell better make that a year or two earlier, she would have shot these Eleven scum and not look back, but now here she was, helping them/fighting along side them to rid her world of the very monstrosity whose very presence seems like it could and will destroy said world and the neighboring other.
And that's where the problem began. It was just another day in Area 11 where she and her sister ruled over as the Viceroys for the land, following the demise of their step-sibling (said death came about in an unusual matter that they didn't quite understand until much later into the year). Later then they had to face off against what could only be described as something that they were very sure shouldn't be possible, even in their wildest dreams. One of their siblings, which according to the records and her own memories (1), should not only be dead, but also buried six feet in the ground back at the Royal Cemetery. And yet there she was, looking exactly like she would look should she have been alive and wearing odd garments that almost made her look like she were a magician. As if to make matters even more confusing, said little girl took on a whole squad of top of the line Sutherlands like they were nothing, without having to even lay a finger on them.
It was like something out of a fantasy or science-fiction comic that some of her men liked to read every once in a while. And as if to make matters worse, the moment she say her face, not only did she learn that it was the face of a sister she thought was dead, but also one that was furious with her to the point of even attacking her. It was a harrowing experience, especially as said sister kept berating her for doing her duty to her nation and essentially calling her a 'witch wearing the same face as the one she used to love', a moment that did not last long as she was then saved by another face she thought was long dead. The reprieve was short lived as whatever allowed them to pay the neighborhood a 'visit' was apparently out of juice so they couldn't sit around and catch up on old times.
Later that week she and her sister, along with some of her men ended up receiving word that similar incidents had been happening all over the world. Reports that people once thought dead or that looked like somebody else were suddenly appearing as if out of thin air for a short while and in the brief moments of their stay they had decided to go to town on the local armed forces (regardless of affiliation) and practically went on a RAMPAGE using weapons and abilities far more advance than what her nation could produce. There were even reports of HER and her SISTER performing what could only be described as act of REBELLION AND INSUBORDINATION like setting free the VERY prisoners and ENEMIES of the Empire that SHE herself had captured. And, though at the time no one knew what they meant, whenever these fakes started causing trouble or even before they left, they always left behind a message of what's to come (even hints of who or what they were), and even though some of them phrased it differently, they all said the same thing: "I would prepare myself for the coming storm, because once the gong sounds off, it'll be ME vs ME!". At the time, none of them knew what these words meant, until much later.
It wasn't until later in the year that they were informed about the 'operation' to save the world (both of them) that they learned of the existence of another reality populated by what could only be described as ACTUAL DoubleGangers of not only themselves but also of others who had lived completely different lives than them, resulting in what could only be described as watching a COMPLETE stranger prance around while practically WEARING MY FACE! To say that the first time meeting her other self was 'rocky' would be an understatement. She was an Imperial Princess of what could only be described as 'The Best nation/Empire the World had EVER seen' while known on the battlefield as both said Empire's 'Witch' and the 'Goddess of Victory', and yet her other world self was like the complete opposite (imagine someone with your face wearing what could only be described as a 'sexy' version of a military uniform with the personality and behavior being similar to that of a 'street thug'). To say that she was surprised by the complete flip of personality would be putting it mildly, as soon as there was an opportunity she went and challenged her 'clone' to a duel to prove once and for all who was the superior of the two (basically letting her arrogance speak for her) (2). The results where her own custom Gloucester being totaled in under 3 MINUTES and her copy turning around saying in HER voice that: "I have no business with spoiled brats who let their pride get to their heads and lose sight of what TRUE pride and honor means. Once you've learned what it truly means to have those, as well as what it truly means to be a warrior, then I'll think about giving you a rematch." To say that she took that well would be an overstatement, even as a joke (3).
That was then and this is now, about three years of having to endure those 'cage matches' and watch as her MEN and FAMILY fell one after another to these fakes, some of which fell at the hands of the one with HER face and the majority to her TRUE siblings (which she learn had not only survived, but also lived their lives in the otherworld)(4), the true masterminds of this crisis have finally decided to reveal themselves, which is why she and a few select others from both worlds are now fighting to bring and end to this madness before things could get more out-of-control and both realms could return to more peaceful times (and hopefully her siblings can return to her side so that they may go back to how things were/should be, but something told her that that day would/might never come).
She was broken out of her stupor by the flashing of her communicator, with the signal to put this nightmare to an end. As she looked back to her team, made up of both Britannians, Japanese, Chinese, Arabs and even some Europeans, she couldn't help but smile in pride of what her group had managed to accomplish during this final operation, as well as chuckle a bit when thinking of what the old her from three years ago might say/do if she were in this position right now(5). Once she saw that they were ready to bring this fight to an end to this crisis just like she was, with a nod of affirmation, they sprung up into action, roaring like the warriors that they were towards the 'last boss' to end all wars. It was then that the final battle for the fate of humanity, on both worlds, truly began. (6)
AND THERE IT IS, THE SECOND PROLOGUE OF THIS STORY. TO GIVE YOU A HEADS UP OF WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT AT THE END OF THIS TALE OF ACTION, ADVENTURE, ROMANCE, A SMALL BIT OF HAREM ACTION BETWEEN SOME CHARACTERS, AND MYSTERY. THIS IS, ONCE AGAIN, AN EXPERIMENT TO SEE HOW FAR I CA GO AS A WRITER, FOR YOU SEE, LIKE YOU, I'M A FAN OF STORIES AND NOGHTING MAKES ME MADDER, OR FILLS ME WITH MORE DISAPPOINTMENT, THAN WHEN A GOOD STORY IS LEFT BEHIND WITHOUT BEING COMPLETED. WHICH IS WHY I'M CURRENTLY TRYING MY HAND AT THIS TO SEE IF I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO TAKE UP THOSE ABANDONED TITLES AND, LIKE DIMONDS IN THE ROUGH, SEE IF I CAN POLISH AND REFINE THEM TO THE POINT OF SHINING BRIGHTER THAN WHEN THEIR AUTHORS ABANDONED THEM.
NOW FOR THE QUESTIONS YOU UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE:
(1): THIS LITTLE PROLOGUE IS SEEN FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF CORNELIA LI BRITANNIA AND, AS SOME OF YOU REMEMBER AND MAY HAVE NOTICED, SHE IS VERY LOYAL TO HER FAMILY, TO THE POINT OF HATING AN ENTIRE NATION FOR BELIEVING THAT THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF HER MOST LOVED OF SIBLINGS. COMBINE THAT WITH HER 'FATHER'S' GEASS ABILITY TO THREAT MEMORIES AS THOUGH THEY WERE A SCRIPT FOR A PLAY THAT CAN BE BOTH WRITEN AND RE-WRITEN, AND YOU BASICALLY HAVE A VICIOUS ATTACK DOG READY TO TEAR APART ANYONE UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE HER 'MASTER' SICK UNTO. THOUGH IT'LL TAKE A FEW CHAPTERS, THE CHAINS OF OPPRESSION AND DECEPTION PLACED UPON HER WILL COME UNDONE IN DUE TIME.
(2): LIKE IN CANON, THANKS TO HER UPBRINGING AND THE CONSTANT VICTORIES UNDER HER BELT, SHE BEGAN TO THINK THAT NO ONE COULD BEAT HER. ESSENTIALLY LETTING HER PRIDE BE CORRUPTED INTO ARROGANCE.
(3): HER OTHERWORLDY CLONE WAS NOT ONLY RAISED IN AN ENVIROMENT WHICH WAS A 100 TIMES BETTER THAN HER OWN, BUT SHE ALSO LEARNED HOW TO PRACTICE BALANCE IN BOTH HER ACTIVITIES AND THOUGHT PROCESS (ESPECIALLY WHEN ONES POWERS ARE FULLED BY ONES OUTLOOK OF REALITY). THE 'WITCH OF BRITANNIA' THOUGHT THAT THE 'LIGHTNING EMPRESS' WOULD BE THE SAME AS ALL OF HER OTHER FOES, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU TAKE INTO ACOUNT HER APPEARANCE. THE RESULT WAS QUITE OBVIOUS FROM THE START, NOT TO MENTION THAT (BEIGN THE SPOILED BITCH THAT SHE WAS AT THE START OF THE SHOW) DEFEAT (EVEN ONE WHOSE END WOULD GO AGAINST HER TERMS) WOULD BE THE SAME AS SPITTING IN HER 'PRIDE AND HONOR'.
(4): HOW THIS HAPPENED WILL BE REVEALED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER.
(5): THIS STORY IS ESSENTIALLY ABOUT HOW SOMEONE WOULD/MIGHT GROW UP AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR LIFE UPON ENCOUNTERING WHAT COULD ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS THE PHYSICAL EMBODIMENT OF HOW THINGS WOULD BE LIKE SHOULD CERTAIN THINGS HAD GONE DIFFERENTLY IN THEIR LIVES.
(6): FIRST, IT IS TO ADD A BIT OF MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE TO THE STORY AND GET YOU EXCITED FOR THE EVENTUAL REVEAL OF THE BIG, BAD, BAD GUY THAT'S TRYING TO END BOTH WORLDS, AND TO KEEP YOU GUYS GLUED TO THE SCREEN IN ANTICIPATION OF WHAT'S NEXT TO COME. AND SECOND, AGAIN I'M NOT MUCH OF A WRITER, BUT I WILL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER YOUR EXPECTATIONS (JUST DON'T EXPECT MUCH), AND IF SOME OF YOU ARE WILLING TO LEND ME A HAND WITH THIS, PLEASE SEND ME A PM.