31

"How did we get here? One might ask. Well, the same as anybody else really."

Lellouch gave his pre-oath speech as Xingke oversaw the first transport of anti-geass goods for mass consumption.

"A combination of circumstances and personal choice brings about the partially intended and unintended result."

Kaguya was now meeting with the General Warwick and Field Marshall Smilas to form an alliance to take down China, now that it was the current top dog and now the Republic was currently in last place, with their two factions in the middle.

"But the reason why I, of all people, am here. Is because I had a plan, a vision, an intent. And when I told the world of it, many felt the same as I do."

Lellouch's words where broadcasted trough the world as his own faction leaders were preparing his plan and Kallen was readying her weapons. She wasn't too keen on the change in demeanor that Lellouch was going through.

"And enough people agreed with everything I say that we are now at this vital crossroads." Suzaku and Jeremiah where getting ready to enact their phase of the plan.

They gave each other one last nod. 'Till the bitter end' it said. As the leading general and champion of Lellouch marched towards what could be their greatest triumph or their last stand.

"We are here. The Commonwealth. An exercise in the virtue of humanity. A testament of what we can all accomplished when the best of our natures comes to the surface."

Kaguya, Xingke, Smiles where now poised for another ground of power shuffle.

"For in the past we all fell prey to the great game of power. And today we say, today I say, that this is no game. And the mockery of villains shall reign no more."

Lellouch said before his demeanor changed and he gave out a fiendly smile to the gathered crowd.

"Today I take my seat as the Supreme Chancellor of the first ever global Commonwealth. For the next 4 years I shall hold this post till election comes, and for the next two years all countries that passed their referendum shall be members, with the option of renewing said membership with another referendum every two years. So for during that time period you all shall have my most devoted attention and actions."

Lellouch said as reports came to Xingke, Kaguya and Smilas that the Republic was cooking something up.

Something very, very big.

"And I want you to know that everything I do from now on, is a direct result of the will of the voters. Everyone, let's get this show on the road." Lellouch said amidst a flood of applause from the audience.

After he was officially sworn in on the holy books of all the major religions in the world, Lellouch withdrew to Pendragon, since there was no official capitol for the Commonwealth, yet.

"Your majesty, the Prime Minister of Japan, the Regent for the Empress of China and several ambassadors from the E.U are attempting to contact you." Sayoko, reported to him.

"Tell them it's a military exercise. And before Todoh, Xingke and Smila's lapdogs get jumpy, let me remind them that it's performed in the middle of the Texas dessert. And I may not be able to be an expert in geography, but I am certain that one cannot militarily threaten Japan, China or the E.U when one is 50 miles east of Houston." Lellouch replied as he moved to prepare himself some tea.

"They still desire an explanation for the sudden military buildup there, considering the current reshuffling of global power ranking." Sayoko replied after she gave her master's message to the respective heads of state.

"They are soldiers, who all have salaries and soldiers like gamble, and the casinos in Houston pay taxes, that and by doing so I also increase my budged and decrease the power of several corporations who's main income is Las Vegas casinos. And if they don't believe that then ask them what other reason I have for this, that and build a big military depot in the dessert, after all good climate, isolated area. Heck you can just leave them there for a pickup." Lellouch replied, then gestured for him to be left alone.

Once he was satisfied that he was isolated in his room he said the following:

"If you're going to strike, I would suggest now." Lellouch said and from the shadows Kallen appeared.

"No gun or knife?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

To which Kallen held up a syringe.

"Poison or an overdose of drugs?" He asked.

"Heart medicine. Enough to make sure that it breaks your heart. And something that can be easily covered up as an accidental death, after all given your recent medical history and the stress your under, it would be very plausible for this to be an accidental death." Kallen said, to which Lellouch gave an earnest smile.

"You're apprenticeship is over. Strike me down now, and all of my power will be yours, my apprentice." Lellouch said and closed his eyes and waited for oblivion.

And waited.

And waited.

Yet, nothing came.

Curiously, he opened his eyes and saw that Kallen was giving him an analytical look.

"Why did you start calling yourself the Emperor?" She asked.

"The power finally got to me. That's what it does, it corrupts. I mean look at you, you've become the leading figure in Brittannian politics, of the very country that you hated with all your heart. Can you say I am any different."

"Yes, you are. And now I finally figured you out. You weren't corrupted by power, you were already corrupt before you ran for office." Kallen said to him.

"You're babbling. Lellouch got up from his seat and moved towards his private cabined where he kept drinks and weapons."

"Am I? Cause now it's starting to make sense, you've always made plans, none of your actions are random, they all had a purpose. Like how you became an mp instead of claiming the throne."

"I stood for office for the money, luxury and pension!" Lellouch countered as he started rummaging through his weapons drawer.

"And when the opportunity came for power, for real power I renegotiated Casablanca and restored this country's economy. I reforged the armed forces, our weapons trade, I created a political union that was designed to fail, but when the Commonwealth succeed I once more took advantage of it. And now I call myself Emperor because once more I see an opportunity and I am taking advantage of it!" Lellouch said and pulled out a gun and pointed it at Kallen.

"For Nunnally." Kallen said, and this made Lellouch loose his composure.

"All you did was for her. Restoring power to this country, the trade deals and rebalance of power. The repurpose of the Commonwealth. Everything is so Nunnally can live in a world that knows only peace."

"I am pointing a gun at you Kallen. How does that figure into your little delusion?"

"You want me to fight and kill you. At this stage considering the military maneuvers you're performing and the recent conversation with the other international leaders, your assassination will seem like it was orchestrated by them banding together to take you down. This would lead to the politicians of the EU, Republic, China and Japans banding against them, since this level of assassinations is a big no no. This would lead to their downfall and from the political chaos brought fourth, it would give time to solidify economic warfare as more profitable than military warfare. That's what you have Dalton cooking up, he thinks that we're taking over at last, when in fact it's a rule changer."

Kallen said and took a few steps towards Lellouch till the gun barrel was right above her heart.

"You've learned my lessons well." Lellouch said and lowered and put away his weapon.

"Why do you want so badly to die so badly?"

"I don't. What I want is to pull of my plan, so I calculated pros and cons. This way a man dies and 3 superpower are humbled, humbled enough for the world to change, to truly change. I see that as a fair price." Lellouch replied.

"You idiotic, cowardly fool." Kallen said all of a sudden and crossed her arms.

"What!" Lellouch said in outraged.

"Yup, that's what you are, just a big dumb doo-doo-head."

"I become a prime minister using nothing but my words and wits. I have turned a country that was a joke into a superpower. I have forged union of nations who only days before killed each other for no other reason that they were on the other side of the border. How can you even entertain the notion that I am a fool!?" Lellouch said in outrage and anger.

"Then I dare you to prove it, do we have a wager?" Kallen asked and held out her hand.

Lellouch immediately shook it.

"Agreed then, you'll win this wager by never pulling an off yourself gambit ever again." Kallen said, this caught Lellouch off guard.

"Guess that means that you're gonna have to prove that you're not a fool or a coward by not taking the easy wait out by the path of self-martyrdom." Kallen said and withdrew, leaving behind a fuming Lellouch.

He paced up and down the room as anger overwhelmed him. The woman had the nerve to use such blatant manipulations one him. Using his pride and ego as a means to shackle him.

And the worse part of it was that it was working. Already Lellouch considered to just disregard the bet, renounce his Chancellorship, and just retire to some orange farm in the middle of the Californian fields, far away from the modern world.

But even then he could feel how his pride was fighting back against such thoughts?

Him give up a bet?

Him acknowledge that he was a fool and a coward?

He, who has conquered so many foes and accomplished so many deeds?

No! He would win this bet, even if it meant no more suicide gambits for the rest of his life.

"I'm starting to miss the simpler times when a pie in the face was the only thing I had to worry about from Kallen."

Just then he received the message from Sayoko that indicated everyone was in position.

"You were right about almost everything Kallen. But you failed to see one particular thing from my spider web, and that is I am never wasteful, especially considering how expensive mobilizing and army and an economy is. And you should know that a fiscally responsible official such as myself would never waste so many millions in mobilization without putting it to good use."

Lellouch said as he contacted Dalton, Jeremiah and Suzaku. He did have a prerecorded message ready for this, but since it seemed that he would not be dying a hero, it was time for him to live as the villain, so he disabled the various messages he had timers on and started to manually initiate the next step of his latest mater plan.

"The time has come. I am now the Supreme Chancellor, initiate Order 'Requiem'." Lellouch said to all his troops across the globe.

It was time for the game to change forever.

xxxxx

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