Code Geass: Specter of the Rebellion

by RangerDimitri

When a Person from a world like our's find's himself in a alternate version of the world of Code Geass, and as Lelouch LUX Britannia of all people in the world! He tries to figure out how to survive in a world that is so similar yet so different to one he watched and read up on in his old life. At least he doesn't have to kill his parent's. RATING MAY CHANGE! AU!

30. Chapter 29

A/N: I! AM! BACK! Well, sort of, honestly I've just spent most of the past two months just unsure what to write down exactly for this chapter, now though, I think I have something of an idea. I'll admit it probably won't be that much, but at least it'll be something you all can read and possibly enjoy! And to El Hermano, thank you for your kind words. I'm touched that you had such strong emotions from the ending of the previous chapter, don't worry the story isn't over just yet, in fact It's not at the half-way point plot wise, however I want to make sure that the story and it's chapters are of a decent quality regardless of how long it might take. Anyhow, let's get on with the story shall we?

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Code Geass: Specter of the Rebellion

Chapter 29

Aftermath...

Suzaku P.O.V.

It was so easy, handling that blade...

It's like it wasn't even there at all.

Not to mention, it felt like I was cutting air, rather than hard metal...

...

...

...

It takes a few seconds for me to process what just happened, what I had just DONE...

I suppose I should be thankful that his head, vanished for lack of a better word, right as the blade nearly made contact.

I have the bland to my side in one hand, the weight of what I did settling in...

Why?

Why is it that I am forced to take on the role of an EXECUTIONER?!

It's like I am always given no choice but to kill others, no matter how much I care for them...

I feel a comforting hand on my shoulder, and yet I feel as if the person that hand belongs to is look at me from, up above?

I turn my gaze and I see him, or rather, BOTH of them...

Him, and Her.

Ranger, and Wayfinder.

Both of them seem so etheric, like they are true ghosts, yet the expression on their faces, which are pretty much the same as Kallen's and Lelouch's with only one Eye being Brown instead of their normal color, it isn't one of sadness, but rather, they look like they are, happy?

"Don't worry Suzaku, Euphemira, this isn't the end, but rather just going back to where we always belonged, and reunite with that which we had been kept separate for so long." Ranger tells us, his voice very much that of Lelouch, but also with an undertone that hinted at something else also being a part of it.

No, not something, someONE else...

Wayfinder smiles warmly "Don't worry, you'll get your explanations soon enough." Is all she says, I can't help but feel like it's a bit of Kallen teasing at me with that look on her face.

Before I, or anyone can even try to say anything, the two of them separate and fly right into Lelouch and Kallen's bodies.

What happened next, I don't think will ever fade away from my Memory.

As to what that was...

I could deep cuts and gashes in the skin heal in seconds, broken bones mending and as if they never broke in the first place, all the while leaving the skin untarnished and unmarked, as if they didn't just came out of a fight just barely clinging onto life, and monitors showing their hearts healing and beating strong yet again as they had before. Even the bandages and wraps placed upon them began to loosen and come off, as if something was indicating they were no longer needed. And during all of that, both Kallen and Lelouch had a glow of some kind of Aura around them, it wouldn't be wrong to think that something akin to a Divine power was at work.

Then again, given what we are up against, would it really be that far off from the truth to call it as such?

A minute passes, and then the light dims and fades, and having a decent look, I can tell both Lelouch and Kallen seem fully healed, but it just the body? What about their minds?

I notice Lelouch's eyes twitch with movement, a slight groan comes from him as his eyes flutter open, and they are, Purple, like they always have been...

No, it's not just that...

The way his eyes look, it reminds of how it used to be with him, back when...

...

Is, is it really?

"I think I prefer having you stab me in the heart rather than having it take a bullet, considering I have the experience to compare and contrast, my Knight of Zero."

IT IS HIM!

Lelouch P.O.V.

Ah, to be the active personality again, after having spent so long letting the other one handle things the majority of the time...

Right after I say those words, Suzaku has tears well up in his eyes and he moves to hug me tightly, the former blade dispersing into nothing, not like he or anyone else was actually paying attention to that.

Agh, too, tight!

"Suzaku, as much as I am glad to see how happy you are, I do need to have some space to breath." I manage to say to him, to which he soon realizes how tight he's holding onto me and let's go and simply sits on the side of the bed, facing me...

It's barely after he does that is when my Sister's all rush to tightly hold onto me.

And I do mean all Four of them...

"S-sisters, could you all let go, otherwise I'm going to faint." I barely choke out as Euphie, Cornelia, Nunnally, and Marrybell all hold onto me with a tightness that makes it feels I might have my bones crack a little...

Thankfully, the girls manage to compose themselves and let go shortly after.

SLAP!

Only for Nunnally to Slap me hard across the cheek right after...

"YOU ABSLOUTE IDIOT!" She exclaims as she grabs ahold of my collar and pulls me up to her face.

It's right then that I and just about everyone else is reminded of the fact that despite all appearances to the contrary, Nunnally is a Birtannia through and through, and is also the Daughter of Marianne 'The Flash' above all else...

I can't help but chuckle as I am reminded of how Nunnally could be whenever she actually got angry and have my Forehead lean against hers. "Could you expect any less of me to act in such a way?"

BAM!

"OW! Okay, I deserved that." I say as I hold my cheek after Nunnally punched it with a fair amount of force, not enough to make it bleed, but it'll probably leave a bit of a burse for a little while.

"Serves you right! Going ahead and nearly getting yourself killed!" Nunnally say's with a rather smug expression on her face, before quickly softening and holding onto me rather tight, not enough to make it uncomfortable or hard to breath, but just enough to imply she has no intentions of letting go anytime soon...

Honestly, I have no intentions of letting go either, not after everything that's happened...

Darlton P.O.V.

I'll admit, it was rather harrowing when I first laid eyes upon Lelouch and that Kallen girl as they laid on their beds so broken and damaged. The sight from Dark Ranger and Shadow Wayfinder was, utterly strange to say the least. I still can't wrap my head around what exactly they meant by all of that, but I could tell they really wanted nothing more but to be allowed a chance to be free...

Seeing Kururugi and Princess Euphiemira carry out their actions however, it was a bit hard to watch, even for someone like myself, but I made sure to see it and not flinch away, I was surprised with what actually happened rather than what part of me expected, then again with figures such as those two, I should really have known it wouldn't be normal.

And what happened after...

Honestly, despite the Empire having the word 'Holy' in it's name, there isn't really all that much importance placed on Religion amongst Britannian's. But something like this...

Well, I suppose it might not exactly be 'God', but whatever forces were involved sure came close in my book to being along that sort of level. In a way it had it's own beauty within it all.

Seeing the Reaction of Kururugi seemed to suggest that the Lelouch who opened his eyes and spoke is the same one he had known from that other timeline, in which case I have to admit I am rather curious just what exactly he had dealt with in his time, Kururugi and Princess Euphiemira gave a general overview of events, but I doubt even they knew the full extent of what happened during all of that...

I'll admit, seeing how Cornliea didn't even bother trying to act dignified and rushed along with her other sisters to hold onto Lelouch gave a bit of a chuckle from me. And when Nunnally slapped him across the face and then actually punched him after that!

Yeah, she is definitely Marianne's little girl, without a doubt.

I wonder of their Parent's are watching this? If they are, no doubt Marianne is laughing up a storm at the antics of her children, when she isn't seething with rage at seeing what was done to her son that is...

"Mmnh, can't you guys try to keep it down a little." Ah, and now the other person of notice is awake.

"Sorry Kallen, but you can get all the rest you need later." Lelouch tells her, with a softness in his voice most wouldn't really see him give to others, and the look in his eyes...

I would not be surprised if the two of them had some major emotional attraction to each other, but it also wouldn't be surprising if they didn't really act upon it, living the lives they have...

Just one of the many reasons why I never got married myself, though I am sure there is a decent enough woman who would suit me well enough out there, as it stand's, things being as they are, it just isn't suitable currently. Perhaps one day, when this is all over and I happen to make it out of it all alive, I might consider it. But for now, I am just fine seeing how the younger people around me handle all of this...

Kallen P.O.V.

Ow, geez, why do I have to have such a headache?

Still, I suppose it ain't the worst thing to happen to me, so I'll be fine with just dealing with that by itself...

"Kallen?" Oh, Ohgi, heh, to think I'd have to be the one to deal with him.

Still, for what it's worth, I suppose it's only fair you rest up for now, you have been through a lot anyhow...

"Hey. I know you are probably going to give me a major earful about what I did, but could it wait a bit?" I ask him, even if it won't really placate him, doesn't hurt to try does it?

He looks at me, as if seeing me in a whole new light (which I suppose is sort of true). And sighs, taking a moment to process before saying. "Honestly, I doubt what I have to say will really compare to what your Brother and Parent's will have to say."

Oh yeah, that's right, Mom and Dad are still together even after all this time and Nii-san is alive still, gah, I'll just blame me temporally forgetting on waking up after a near-death for my body. Considering I know what it's like to come back from a full on death...

...

...

...

"So, you guys all probably want some answers huh?" I tell them all, to which all of them flinch and look rather embarrassed for some reason, probably because of the fact they never realized what the whole deal between me and Lelouch was.

"Well, perhaps explaining it all in a way that makes sense would be a good starting point. Unless you can't really tell us that is." Orange asks, wait, is he still called Orange in this timeline? Kerwell was the one that got the blame for letting Suzaku go...

...

Eh, screw it, I guess it doesn't really matter all that much right now.

Hmm, what would be a good way to explain it?

"Well, I don't think it'd be fair to go over the details our other halves have on their old lives, it's kind of a personal and touchy subject for them, or at least not yet. So I suppose we'll just talk about what exactly the deal was with Ranger and Wayfinder then and how that all relates to us now." I tell them, to which they all seem, tolerant of it at least, they seem to understand that it would be kind of rude to talk about the private details of another person life, even if that person is also kind of you, in a roundabout way...

Geez, even I am getting a headache from all of this!

Alright Kallen, time to come up with a good analogy!

AHA! That should work!

"Think of it like being in a car or on a Motorcycle, like the one Rivalz has for instance, with one person driving the vehicle, in this case our bodies, with the other mostly just not interfering much outside of at times pointing out any possible obstacles or hazards in the way. Though right now they are resting up right now."

Lelouch P.O.V.

Well put Kallen, that should be

"Indeed, that would be a rather accurate explanation as to what is going on, it just so happens the other two have been spending most of the time in active control and action with regards to the body, it is only now the two of us are being put into the 'drivers seat' if you will." I tell them, a smile on my face at her way of explaining, after all it's not like she is by any means stupid, just that she is in the company of individuals such as myself who's capability in various subject manners sets a rather high bar to reach.

"So, how exactly does it work? Is it based on any sort of condition or something? I doubt it's time based, given how the other halves for you both have been in the 'Drivers Seat' for years now." Cornelia says, a fair bit of concern in her voice, as is understandable given how it is a major unknown to her, and I know she is never fond of such things when she feels they could be a potential threat unless proven otherwise.

"It's really mostly a matter of one asking for control and the other giving it, sometimes it just happens as a result of the situation proving to be too much for the one in active control to handle, in which case the other ends up 'taking the wheel' without much warning or intent, like if I were feeling too much pain at any given moment that could make me unconscious, my counterpart would step in and allow me to recover from the excess stimuli while he dealt with it and worked to manage the situation until it can be resolved." I explain rather easily.

"Wouldn't that much pain also risk making him unconscious though?" Nunnally asks innocently enough...

Oh sister, you can't even begin to imagine what he's been through.

My eyes harden, my smile tightening just a bit more than what would suggest any amount of Joy behind it as I say. "Believe me when I say, that the amount of Pain that would risk me falling unconscious and having him take over, would barely even register in his mind as much more than a minor ache."

It's then when it starts to sink in for them just what I said implied, and they all look at me with disbelief in their eyes.

"You can't possibly suggest that the one you share a body with has actually endured that amount of pain?" Guliford asks, and to be fair, I would have once been hard pressed to believe such a person could have existed at any point in time...

But that was before I encountered my Counterpart, and what he has been through...

"Indeed, and the things he has endured would make what I have suffered through seem like a mundane affair to be brushed off like it was nothing of significance." I say rather plainly.

While most simply can only guess what that all entails, Suzaku and Euphie on the other hand...

They both know exactly what I am talking about, and they hold onto me Tightly. After a few seconds, Nunnally and Rai realize what I mean and they both also try to comfort me as well as they can.

"And you Kallen? What about you and, um, what exactly do you guys refer to them as anyhow?" Ohgi asks, and I suppose it is fair to bring up that point.

"We mostly view them as 'Counterparts' in that they are in many ways our equal's and opposites in even measure, but in terms of what we'd refer to them as so you all could understand..." She starts, before taking a moment to think, looking at me to try and come up with something that was easy to remember but also accurate...

"You could refer to mine as 'Lamprouge' and Kallen's as 'Kozuki'." I offer.

"Um, why those two exactly?" Milly asks, of course she knows how both are our Mother's Maiden name's respectively, but the others wouldn't exactly make that connection so easily.

"Because in his former life, my Counterpart was a mere commoner, just as my Mother was, having his indicator be that of a commoner's family name seems appropriate." To which everyone else realizes shortly thereafter.

"I must admit, it is appropriate, given how her Majesty was from rather humble beginnings, it makes sense to refer to the part of Lelouch that hails from such a background by such a moniker, as it is something he is more akin to from his prior experiences, whatever those might be." Jeremiah says, and I can't help but smile at how he is able to accept it well enough, in a way it is fair to pay tribute to my Mother's roots by referring to the part of me that knew what it was like to have once been a nobody to the world.

"Okay, and what about Kallen?" Nina asks.

"That's easy, my Counterpart was a full-blooded Japanese in her old life, so it makes sense she'd be referred to with my Japanese family name." Kallen says, to which Nina can't help but flinch in reflex at 'Japanese'. But it isn't as bad as it had been before, so I suppose it means she is doing better with regards to her Xenophobia at least, or is trying to anyhow.

"So, how do we tell you guys apart? I mean you share the same body and everything, plus if you are in your Zero outfit or whatever else you might have, we wouldn't be able to see any real difference anyhow if there is any." Rai asks, which is a rather valid point.

"Ask on occasion if you are speaking to 'Lamprouge' or 'Lux' for me, and as for Kallen, 'Kozuki' and 'Stradfeld' should suffice." I explain, to which Kallen nods in approval to me with what I suggest as ways to determine which one of us is active.

"I've got a question." Rivalz asks.

"Oh, and what is it?" I respond to him, probably about how things were for him in the prior timeline or something along those lines...

"Why did you guys keep it all a secret in the first place?" Is what he actually says.

...

...

...

I'll admit, sometimes I forget that as much of a goofball he is, Rivalz can have his time to be rather serious or focused on things, just most of the time he doesn't try to do anything that might cause him more trouble than it's worth.

Even still, this is going to be a hard topic to go over...

Cornelia P.O.V.

To say today has been full of shocking events would be an understatement...

First the Herald of the Lord of Wraith's himself attacks with his forces in the settlement, and the only reason it isn't a lifeless ruin is because of how Lelouch had his Black Knights do all they can to hold them off, but that just brings to the point about the second major thing that has happened, that being the near death of that very same Brother of mine.

Truthfully, part of me has half the mind to try and strangle him while another half just wants to hold onto him tightly and not let go for a moment, even if it would 'break character' for how most people see me, but the fact it's all people that both Lelouch and Nunnally know, perhaps they wouldn't hold it against me or find it odd...

But all of that might as well be nothing compared to the revelation both Lelouch and Kallen had to say.

To think, all these years, I've only been dealing with someone who just took on the ROLE of being my younger Brother, and had lived out a life as a simple commoner at that!

I suppose it just proves that one does not have to be born into a position of wealth or inherit greatness to be great, then again on some level, even the various noble and royal families where but commoners when their lineage's began, only having their positions because someone found them useful and worth keeping around and granting them some authority that they themselves probably earned simply because they had the means to sway others to grant them such power or rather simply dealt with all others vying for it and managed to come out on top...

Either way, it does seem rather appropriate I suppose, Lelouch always seemed to have a flair for the dramatic and to make everything a sort of performance. Something I feel both 'Lux' and 'Lamprouge' have in common.

Still, the young Cardemonde does bring up a good point, why even keep it all secret? From their parents even? Did they no one would believe them? I mean, I suppose there might be something of a point to that, at best most would pass it off at as being rather imaginative children and nothing more, but as they would get older and still have no real change...

...

...

...

"Honestly? We were afraid." Lelouch says, and I can't help but frown at the fact he felt so scared that he couldn't open up to anyone, not even Nunnally.

"Is because you didn't think anyone would believe you?" I ask, trying to keep my voice firm, but really it was mostly because if I didn't it might crack and be weak somewhat after the rather long day I have had...

I can not afford to show weakness, if I were to, then it would only justify all the things that were once said about me, and no doubt still are even to this day.

Not that anyone would be willing to say it in front of my face.

"Part of it was that, a good amount to be sure, but it wasn't all of it." He says to me, I wonder what the rest of it was?

"And the rest of it?" Darlton asks, I have to be thankful that he has always been amongst the more level headed of the senior ranked under my direct command, as much as I enjoy having Gilbert around to provide advice and other things, sometimes even he can't figure out a way to deal with something all that well.

Lelouch seems to mumble something.

"Well? Speak up boy, we are all curious." Darlton asks again, insistent but not trying to be overly firm in his question. No doubt practiced from speaking that way to his own son's when they were younger and he wanted to know what they did, even if they would try to deny having done anything of the sort...

"I... I was scared I'd just mess up again, if not make things even worse than how they turned out the last time." Lelouch finally says, and in that moment, what I see from him isn't the somewhat lazy but well meaning façade of the schoolboy, nor the proud yet not too arrogant royal, not even the charismatic and mysterious persona of Zero.

But rather, all I see from him, is the look of a man haunted by his actions, and doesn't believe himself worthy of having the sort of life he does now, and is just simply tried from it all...

...

...

...

Judging from the other's expressions, they seem to realize it as well just how much of a weight Lelouch must have, dealing with the fact he has already done this before in a manner of speaking, and that he feels he could have done better. And I can't help but feel saddened by that, as I know Lelouch has always tried to get the best outcome for whatever he sets out to do, the fact it has been as it has so far, it probably affects him a lot on some level.

"How bad was it?" Darlton asks, and while I'd rather not press Lelouch on what is no doubt a sensitive topic, I understand what my General is saying, it's one thing to hear about the events from Suzaku and Euphie, but they don't know how it felt for Lelouch, they had their ideas, but even they couldn't know everything...

Lelouch has a smile across his face, but it's clear that this one is of melancholy and sadness. "I'm sure some of you already know, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt telling the rest how things went. To make a long story short, I renounced my title as Prince and all claims to the throne after my Father did nothing to search for the killer of my Mother and was left to care for my blind and crippled sister by myself while we were sent to Japan, only to realize we were little more than a justification to invade the island nation and just as quickly forgotten about. The amount of times I stayed up at night and didn't sleep, fearful that an OSI agent might break in and kill us both. I honestly lost count, though to be fair, I don't think I ever truly got out of that mindset, and the times I did let myself slip, all it did was ruin things for me." He takes a moment to just breath a bit, and I understand the events for the most part, but to hear him say it himself, it really lends a whole new perspective on how things were then. Even now I can tell he is constantly trying to keep looking for anything that might be out of place, and the worst thing?

I can't really blame him for it or say it isn't justified...

After a few moments he continues, talking about how at first his 'Father' used his Geass to make him Julius Kingsley, a tool that might have had some use had it not been for the fact Akito Hyuga and his comrades had a knack for making a mess of his plans, the fact Akito's brother also had his own agenda and goals in mind certainly didn't help matters, and while the idea of a large Airship fleet might work on shock value alone, as well as have some strategic use of ease of relocation to battlefields in a somewhat shorter span of time, what 'Julius' tried was rather foolish, indeed, part of me wonders if Lelouch wasn't all subsumed and locked away, and made it just in such a way so as to cause such a headache for the empire when the plan blew up in their faces...

Given how it was not long after that he was quickly brought back to have his memories altered yet again to being just Lelouch Lamprouge, a mere schoolboy, I wouldn't be surprised if they at least suspected it a little. The time between that and what occurred at Babel Tower was mostly irrelevant, save for the fact Rolo wasn't the first pick of a minder to keep an eye on Lelouch to make sure he doesn't do anything by the Geass Order, and oh the explanation's of it all!

It was rather funny when Lelouch acted like he was going order Crademonde and young Milly to confess who they like in front of everyone, the looks on their faces! But any levity was quickly replaced with a grim sobriety when he went into extensive detail how if he still had his Geass of Absolute Obedience, even the most innocent of Jokes could be made into a command the unlucky person would have no choice but to follow, and given how Lelouch has a penchant for Gallows Humor and Sarcasm...

Needless to say, I can tell he feels much happier knowing that he no longer has to deal with that particular power, I have to ask some time why exactly he has his current one instead of his old power when I get the chance.

Regardless, to know that the Chinese Eunuchs were all too willing to sell off their young Empress and their countrymen for places among the nobility isn't exactly anything new, as really everyone around more or less knew their kind, the sort that will do whatever will get them the most comfortable spot, before stabbing someone in the back when an offer of an even better spot shows up.

But that all was somewhat minor compared to what happened when he came across the headquarters of the Geass Order that V.V. had, the fact it was operating in the Chinese Desert either implied that there was a lot of overlooking, or Geass somehow made it easy to not be noticed and scare off any wanders who didn't know better, or perhaps they were just that good at hiding...

Regardless, to hear him as he demanded it all be laid to waste, to hear how he ordered the slaughter of children, even if they were little more than trained killers that never had the chance to live an actual life...

Part of me wants to be repulsed at what he did, but part of me also understands how it might have been a mercy for them, even if not all of them had been granted a Geass of their own to use, the fact remained how exactly could they be integrated into society? Would they even want to be given the chance at a normal life? And what about those who had Geass? Could they be asked to keep such powers hidden? Or would they just use it for their own ends?

Things like this only make me feel it is better I went about my life as a Soldier rather than simply a cushy life like Guinevere or a number of our other siblings do. It's because of people like us that other's can live lives of relative comfort and safety, and not have to worry about making such hard choices, and I can tell while some, like the other members of the student council Lelouch and Nunnally are with are reasonably aghast that their Lelouch would do such a thing, the others like Rai, as well as Euphie and Suzaku, seem to know what drove him to do such a thing, and honestly it is clear in his eyes, he was angry, at the world, for making everything he did seem lacking and worthless, and I can also see there is a large amount of it directed at himself. If it was for feeling he didn't do a good enough job, or just simply a sense of internal loathing, I don't know. I just hope he is willing to talk about it at some point, to anyone really. Because I know from experience that keeping it all inside, only makes things worse in the end...

It's part of the reason why I decided to open up more to Gilbert and Darlton after the Invasion ended, because I had so much built up over the months since I had what I felt was my greatest failure, that I needed to talk to someone, ANYONE!

I couldn't ask it of Euphie, it wouldn't feel right to have her hear such thoughts, but my Knight of Honor and my lead General?

No wonder people started having rumors about the three of us, and in a way I can't help but envy them.

At least they are free to talk about all manner of things, whereas I am left to tend to my station and position in command of the forces I am in charge of, and not much else...

I know Lelouch must have had his things he wished he could talk to anyone, but from what I hear of his story, he had spent so much of his life alone and closed off, I doubt he felt he even could reach out to someone and talk to them about things, other than that C.C. Witch, I suppose.

Speaking of, I couldn't help but snicker as he glossed over a particular incident where the Immortal in question almost disrobed herself fully in front of him, but after he mentioned how she had in essence been regressed to that of a young slave after she locked her own memories, I can't help but feel a little sorry for the pesky Lime-Haired girl, while her past is ultimately her own to share, it is clear Lelouch had a rather strong bond with her. Perhaps even one that could have been viewed as borderline romantic in some level, then again the heart isn't an easy thing to understand...

Either way, after Lelouch had his forces trounce the Geass Order's base fully, he was confronted by the truth of what was really going on behind it all, and hearing him speak, it is clear that, even after all this time, he holds a large amount of anger of how the ones who were his parents decided that all the pain he, and everyone else, would be worth it in the end, as in the world they would have made they thought that somehow everything would be well.

What rubbish...

I don't claim to even begin to understand what exactly would happen if such an event were to truly come to pass, but they fact they seemed so sure told me they didn't really know either, and believed that their desired outcome would be just because they thought it would. Honestly, the arrogance in such a claim!

Then again, it is a version of Father and Lady Marianne we are talking about here, so anything could be behind it all really...

Still, to hear his voice as he described their ends, it sounded so cold, absolutely frigid!

And one would think that after all of that, he would finally get a break?

Nope. Because it seems the world just can't get enough of screwing over Lelouch...

I will admit, Schneizel has always been infamous for his silver tongue, which is just as sharp as it is effective at having others do what he wants, so it not really surprising how he managed to convince the Black Knights to betray Zero so easily, and really it seemed like a good deal, they'd get their country back, and all they had to do was get rid of Zero, for many, it is an offer that would seem stupid to refuse.

And yet, even as Lelouch goes into detail about it all, how Rolo overused his Geass to save him, among other things, I can't help but notice he doesn't seem angry or upset at all by it, in fact, it's almost like part of him had at one point actually CONSIDERED letting them kill him, if only after he made sure Schneizel wouldn't get to use his Damocles to threaten the whole world.

Not to mention, the name of it and everything very much lines up with what Schneizel would do. Even if the one that is currently replaced has had some work done to get him to at least reconsider the cost-benefit's from such a project.

If you can't get him to care from a humanitarian point of view, then give him evidence why it simply isn't practical to manage such a cost. Though given how his Avalon team and other such projects he has had worked on...

Hopefully, Lelouch can make sure he can give a good enough reason as to why threatening everyone who opposes you with destruction isn't really that useful with such devices.

And then we got to the final part, where he had the whole world focus all it's hatred on him and him alone, only for him to be cut down by his once and always best friend, using the identity he himself had created, in a way it's poetic, he started his tale cloaked in black with Suzaku in white, and at the end the color's, as well as roles are reversed...

It was one thing to hear Suzaku say it, with a fair amount of regret in his voice, and yet Lelouch seemed, content, happy even. Like he got a result that he could live with.

"But of course, nothing ever last forever..." He admits, before he starts going into detail on what he witnessed occur after his death, and it seemed rather well at first, baring a few incidents where some people did not take well to the idea of a peaceful world, be it those who's funding was only because of the constant conflict in the world, with a nation or two causing problems as a result, but mostly of people who either didn't think there was enough done following the war against those who they claimed to be responsible (mostly against Britannian's). Or of those who simply became too absorbed into the constant conflict they could never imagine living in a world of peace and were willing to do whatever it took to regain that feeling of how things were...

Sadly, I feel that such people will always be present, no matter how much might change from world to world, while many fight only to see it end, there are those who end up living only for the battle itself and nothing else, finding the rush all too intoxicating to let go for a lengthy period of time.

My greatest Fear, aside from losing those I care about, is that I would end up being as one of those people, unable to move past what I spent much of my life doing...

"Don't worry Cornelia, you took to a peaceful life rather well, granted I suppose it was in part because of how you had other things keeping you occupied." What is with that look on your face Lelouch? Why are you acting so smug.

Wait.

"Hold on, are you suggesting tha-" Cardemonde starts, before Milly puts her hand over his mouth to shut him up.

"Oh don't mind him Princess, you know how boys can be, right?" She says in an innocent enough tone.

"I'm sure you wouldn't mind having Rivalz do that and other things in private, Milly." Lelouch says in a rather flat tone, what does he mean by-

...

...

...

OH!

"L-LELOUCH?!" Milly says rather flabbergasted and face burning red!

My, my, little brother, it seems someone has gotten quite the mouth over the years huh?

Cardemonde, for his part, seems to not get what Lelouch meant, at least at first.

"Wow Lelouch, what a bold thing to say!" Nunnally says with a teasing expression on her face, I suppose she'd know best given how much time she has spent around him. And given how much Milly has liked to tease and act in ways that are rather 'unladylike', at least to the sort of stuck-ups like Mother anyhow...

I wonder what I should do to get her really ticked off? Perhaps going along with Lelouch and having all the soldiers under my command act against the Lord of Wraiths propely?

No, at least not right away, as it stands I'm not entirely certain of who among the various command official's across the settlement can be properly trusted to go along with such an action, while those under my most personal command no doubt would do whatever I asked of them, the fact is just they alone won't be enough, to say the least of all the materials and provisions needed to keep things in a combat ready state...

Sometimes it is annoying just how much paperwork has to go into managing a military, which is exactly why I've mostly just stuck to fighting from the front rather than sit back and let others do it all, if only because if I did just that. I'd probably go mad from boredom of having nothing but paperwork to manage all the time.

And that is all the hassles of being a General! The amount I could have had I were made Empress...

...

...

...

Yeah, I can see why Lelouch never seemed at all concerned with me taking the throne rather than Nunnally, but I have no doubt if I where to attempt such a thing, he would have had a plan in place to make sure Nunnally would be on the throne rather than me. Not that I'd try to argue against it mind you...

But really, out of all of us, you really are the best for the role Lelouch, so I have to wonder, when all of this is over, barring Father and Lady Marianne reclaiming their old positions, will you take up the role of Emperor in this life? Or are you content to just live out life as a Commoner, a Prince, or even just as nothing more but Zero?

Will you even have a choice at the end of it all?

...

I can't help but wish that you don't have to be forced to do more than you already are, but I suppose you already know that, don't you Lelouch?

You did it all once, and you probably don't mind doing it all over again...

Lelouch P.O.V.

Hmm, it seems Cornelia is having some rather dour thoughts at the moment, perhaps I should give her something else to think on, what to pick, what to pick...

Ah, that seems like a good idea.

"I do have to admit sister, I was rather honored when you and Gilbert were planning on having your child be named after me if it turned out to be a Boy, though part of me felt underserving of that honor, given everything I did in that world." I mentioned, speaking up a little so she could properly hear what I was saying.

And what happened next, was rather simple to predict, she passed it off at first, before the words sunk in, her eyes widening in shock at the clear implications being sent, and then...

THUD!

She fainted, of course she did...

"Princess!" Darlton say's in surprise as he moves to bring her up after falling down.

"M-me and Princess Cornelia, a-a, A CHILD?!" Gilbert exclaims in shock, before himself starting to be unsteady and just barely getting caught by Jeremiah.

"Well, I suppose that worked out rather nicely." I say to the others, to which Suzaku and Euhpie just barely keep themselves from laughing, Kallen just lets out a few laughs as she can manage, after all even if our bodies are healed, doesn't mean the pain just went away completely!

As for the others...

"Well now, I am SO interested in what you have to mention about that Lelouch!" Milly, as expected, focusing on the potential teasing material if nothing else.

"That sounds so sweet! I'm sure they'd be great parents!" Shirley, kind as always, says with a warm expression at the idea of the two of them having something to live for after everything that happened.

"Got to admit, that does seem rather funny, can only imagine what their kid was like as they grew older." Rivalz, as simple as he can be, put something rather well considering.

And yet, that is the one thing that gets to me, and I know it also affected Suzaku and Kallen rather hard given the sad looks on their faces, no doubt matching my own.

"Eh, was it something I said?" Don't blame yourself Rivalz, after all.

The one who really is at fault, is me...

"Lelouch, think you could give Cornelia and Guliford a bit of a 'Jolt'?" Suzaku asks, to which I wordlessly nod, those two ought to be awake for this...

ZZT!

"AH! What was that?" Nelly asks, confused as she starts to get back up from where she was.

"It felt like someone gave me a minor shock." Gilbert comments as his eyes start to open.

Both of them look at each other for a moment before turning their eyes away and trying to focus on anything but the other person, and do I spy a faint hint of a blush on their cheeks?

"Just a minor ability my Geass grants me, it's not enough to cause any real bodily harm, however it's good enough to cause a person to either be distracted or to otherwise get their attention, also as an effective way to rouse people who have fallen unconscious." I explain to them all.

"Amazing, how exactly does it work?" Nina asks, no doubt curious about the science behind it being possible.

"I haven't really had the time to look into how exactly it works, though if I have the spare time, along with my permission of course, I'd be willing to have you look into the possible ways my Geass works Nina, and I'd rather it be just you directing the tests if that were to occur."

"Um, why is that?" She asks me, rather innocently enough I suppose.

"Well, the only other two people who'd probably be willing to do so are Loyd Asplund and Rakshata Chawla, and I am not exactly willing to have either of them poke and prod at me..." And I really would rather not have to explain why, however if I must.

"Basically Loyd is a Sociopath, and Rakshata is a bit odd in her own right, point is neither of them would really show as much concern as you would Nina." Ah, thank you Kallen, saves me having to explain that whole tidbit.

Nina takes a moment to think it over, then says, "I guess it must be something if you'd rather have me be the one to do any testing related to you Lelouch, thank you."

Excellent! Now that has been cleared up...

"Anyways, I suppose I should explain what happened after my death, well, just because I was dead didn't mean I wouldn't be able to notice what happened, and to put it simply, I did not calculate the possibility of my Geass wearing off some time after my death on anyone who I placed it upon, with rather deadly results as a consequence..." I start, before going on about what Schenizel did...

How he started off rather small, going after former Black Knights who had more or less retired from the organization and mostly were out of the public spotlight. While building up a number of killers and soldiers who had nowhere else to go after Britannia's Military more or less was disbanded, as per the charter of the United Federation of Nations requiring all member states to do so, that left a fair amount of people without work, to say the least of a number of Mercenary Outfits and Private Military Contractors, which you'd think would be an ample opportunity for such groups, but after the first few years, conflict became less and less active of a thing, and some people just don't want that sort of world...

And the worst thing about it all...

"Everytime someone would up dead, I soon found myself encountering them within the world of C, where I had found myself in after my death..." I take a moment to pause and breath a little, as every time I think back on it, I can't help but feel my emotions start to rattle...

"You going to be alright?" Suzaku asks, placing a hand on my shoulder in a gesture of comfort, I nod to him, and even if I am not. I need to get this off my chest regardless.

"The first real people of note where Ohgi and Viletta, and their kids, quite a few of them I'd say." I mention, a slight smile as I notice the two in question blush a fair amount at the idea of such a thing.

"Wh-what did I have to say to you?" Ohgi manages to get out, no doubt feeling rather awkward for what the him in that timeline had done.

"That I was a magnificent bastard, and that it was stupid to have them all turn against me. Tamaki cried as he apologized to me, and you know how he can get when he really feels sorry about something." I mention, to which a bit of a laugh was shared from those who know him, for as much of an idiot Tamaki can be, among other things, he is at the very least earnest and well meaning, even if he is rather snappy at others and likes to run his mouth a lot.

After a few moments, I continue with telling them all what happened, how Schenizel wound up taking over Britannia and remaking it into an Empire once again. And how he treated Nunnally in particular...

Even now I still feel an intense rage for what he did to her, however I felt it best to not go into the details of what exactly happened, I don't need to bother them any more by filling their minds with such horrific imagery. Nunnally seems to understand though, and she holds me in a tight hug letting me know that she's fine. I know it isn't quite the same as how it used to be for me, but honestly I am not complaining. And really it was stupid of me to leave her unaware of what was going on, while I wanted her to be kept as innocent as possible, the fact was she is still my sister and knows how awful the world can be. Not to mention she can do plenty on her own when it comes to causing all sorts of mayhem against those who hate us. As that one universe where I had a different sort of Geass proved rather aptly. I wonder what that version of me is up to? I doubt he is truly dead, but even still. I suppose it's something that he seemed more well off than I was previously...

Well, he has his life to live out, and I have mine. Whatever path we go along, it seems we have a habit of changing things. I just hope that the changes in this world will be for the better, yes. I know people will die, I can only hope those who are close to me and I care for will not be among them...

But I suppose I have been thinking enough about all of that for now, and I shouldn't keep the rest of them waiting in suspense. So I resume where I left off for them...

"So to make a rather lengthy story short. Schenizel managed to take out various people's who could pose any real threat to him by whatever means necessary. And as the amount of dead people grew. More and more of them I found myself dealing with in the World of C. Needless to say having them all look at me as if they were ashamed of their actions to me. As if I were like Jesus Christ in the Christian bible, rather than a foolish boy who thought he could be a king and do that which other's were unwilling to admit was needed. It all became too much and I isolated myself from them all. Well, as best I could in such a space anyhow..." I explained, to which Euphie had a knowing look that had extreme sorrow and pity across her face. Even now, it feels a bit hard to look at her in the eye, knowing she was well aware of how I was back then...

World of C, previous timeline. No one's P.O.V.

Lelouch Vi Britannia was said to be many things by many people, to those who knew him as Zero, he was someone who was in a way a hero, even after he gave up the identity and mask to his trusted friend Suzaku Kururugi to take up the mantle instead, and it is not as if the son of the former Prime Minister of Japan and Knight of Zero was doing a bad job. If anything he was doing well given the situation...

To those who knew him as merely the Emperor of Britannia, he was nothing more but a Demon. A monster that no doubt would have been mentioned to misbehaving children to scare them off to behave. Honestly not the worst fate for someone like him, if anything he deserved to be reviled as the march of time went on. At least as much as he felt he deserved to be...

Those who knew him as simply Lelouch Lamprouge would have been surprised at the triple life he led, posing as a Terrorist/Vigilante while also posing as a mere student while actually being Royalty in disguise, claim to the throne or not. To know the rather plain, if not boring young man actually had far more to him and his life than anyone suspected would have come as a major shock to all who did not know either of his prior mentioned sides...

But none of them really got to who LELOUCH was, deep down. Past all the layers...

And the truth was that Lelouch.

He was just a foolish boy, an idiot who thought he planned out everything. But really all his effort's were amounting to nothing...

His friends who knew him as the mere Schoolboy?

Dead as means to drive shock value and any who cared of him from the world...

His Black Knights that served Zero?

All of them Dead aside from Kallen and Suzaku himself, with just a ragtag bunch of inexperienced soldiers who were simply fighting out of desperation. The rest killed off because of how they had stood by him for so long, even if they were no longer a part of the organization itself...

And the people who decried him as Demon Emperor?

Most of them were actually BEGGING that he somehow come back from the dead, once they realized just how awful the rule of Schenizel El Britannia was once he ruthlessly murdered Nunnally, and in such a brutal and heinous way...

But there would be no miracle resurrection for Lelouch. He would not arise from his grave and lead the world against a man who wanted nothing more but to watch it all be destroyed...

Indeed, Lelouch himself was actively trying his best to hide from all within the World of C. Which one might think absurd given how there is no real sense of 'place' within it's dimensions that make up the realm. But even still he tried his best to isolate himself from the myriad souls that were present. An ever increasing number of them constantly telling him things. That they 'were sorry', and 'never wished him to die if it meant all of this could be avoided'. And the greatest of all that drove him to shun himself the most...

'We should have never betrayed you in the first place...' Said by a number of Black Knight's. Todoh and Nagisa being the most notable among them, alongside the others as well.

All of it made him just want to cease to exist!

"Why? WHY DO I STILL REMAIN?! WHY CAN'T I JUST FADE INTO NOTHING LIKE MY MOTHER AND FATHER?! WHY AM I DEYNED WHAT SHOULD BE MY JUST PUNISHMENT! WHY CAN'T I JUST FULLY DIE!" He yelled out in anguish. His mind constantly trying to shut out the voices of all those who kept saying he was forgiven.

"WHY DO YOU KEEP TRYING TO FORGIVE ME?! DON'T YOU ALL KNOW WHAT I HAVE DONE?! I AM UNWORTHY OF REDEMPTION! OF ANYTHING! I AM NOTHING MORE BUT A MONSTER!" He screamed at them all, in an attempt to get the to be silent. He wasn't worth redemption, he wasn't worth forgiveness. All he did was destroy the world, and in his foolish mind believed he made a new one. But the truth was all he did was allow it to be destroyed in a far greater way in a number of years...

"Lelouch..." He heard the voice of Euphemia behind him. He couldn't even be asked to turn to look at her, such was his shame and regret. That he couldn't even look her in the eye, even after he killed her.

'It's my fault after all! I'M THE ONE WHO FORCED HER TO DIE! WITH THAT STUPID JOKE OF MINE!' He thought, feeling ever more regret for his stupidity. Why did he have to be so arrogant to believe that Geass would work under HIS commands? It wasn't his by birth, but something that was granted to him by C.C.!

Speaking of the Green Haired witch, he couldn't see here anywhere, be it in the land of the living, or in this realm...

"Lelouch, please..." Euphemia said yet again, this time having a hand on his shoulder.

THAT made him react. By turning around and screaming at her. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Euphemia appeared heartbroken at the sight of her half-brother. Being reduced to such a damaged state. Appearing utterly BROKEN with how his eyes appeared. As if he had lost every want and drive to live.

"Brother, please. Stop this, it isn't right..." She told him, attempting to get something out of him other than demands to be alone and left to wallow in his own misery.

"Isn't right? You want to know what isn't right Euphie? What isn't right is that Father and my Mother decided that having a world ending plot meant to kill God was the best option. That to achieve said plot that they had to invade and take over lands that should have been left to their own devices! THAT THEY FELT IT WAS PERFECTLY FINE TO LET THEIR OWN SON AND DAUGHTER TO BE LEFT TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES IN A LAND THEY INVADED AND NOT CARE TO ACTUALLY LOOK FOR THEM ONE BIT!" He yelled out, in anger towards the one's who were responsible for his and Nunnally's existence, who decided that it was better to make a stagnant world in the idiotic belief that is what was best for humanity! And were willing to leave them to suffer all manner of obstacles and adversities by claiming it would all be forgotten once they achieved their plan...

Part of him wished he could have them be called before him, if only just to see them BLEED for all they had done, both to him and everyone he had ever known and cared for!

How they left Nunnally blind and Crippled, leaving him to carry her across fields of corpses. Lying to her that it was merely them going through a 'Garbage field' when she noticed the smell...

How the people of Japan, who had in a way taken him in and raised him after the 'death' of his mother and their banishment. Were targets of conquest simply for the fact they had the most Sakuradite and also a Thought Elevator more importantly...

And how his Black Knight's, many of them being people who had only wished to live peaceful lives without the boot of Britannia being at their neck's. Were in many way's forced to side against him all because he was too afraid to tell them the truth about who he was and what he could do...

And how those he considered friends. And more of a Family to him than most of his blood relation's, were left to suffer in their own way's.

Shirley died because of Rolo, who was only there because he was originally meant to keep a leash on him and backfired in more ways than one, and actually at times felt could have been almost a worthwhile step-sibling...

The girl herself was a dear friend to him. But he could never love her, not as she loved him, for he was far too drenched in blood to be worthy of her affection. And yet when he first saw her in the World of C, she simply smiled and told him she wasn't mad at him for anything. Even her Father told him that he shouldn't blame himself for his death, that in a way it was his own guilt being involved with such a thing that led to his demise...

That was the first crack.

When Milly and Rivalz showed up. She smacked Lelouch, hard. Asking why did he think such was the only thing he could have thought of! And that he was far smarter to come up with something better than that! While Rivalz simply asked why Lelouch didn't say anything, because he and the others would have been willing to keep his secret, even willing to have helped him and the Black Knights!

Those two were the second crack.

Ohgi, and the other's were the third crack, all of them saying how they should have not been so hasty or stupid. That he had a good reason not to tell any of them, and that they were no better than the one's they fought against when they rebelled against him...

5th crack was Nina, who after learning why Euhpie was killed, pretty much forgave Lelouch for all his wrong-doings and wished she had never let Schenizel use her for his weapons program to develop F.L.E.J.I.A. at all...

The 6th crack was from Cornelia and Gilbert. Who said they understood why he did what he did, and that they wished he didn't kill himself, wishing he'd been able to see his Niece/Nephew in person, the child itself never appearing, if only because the parent's died before they knew for certain...

But the 7th crack, the one that truly broke him. Was Nunnally...

She didn't scream, or get angry, or sad, or anything really. Rather, she just walked up to him, finally able to after not able to for much of her life after she was crippled. And hugged him...

No words, no statements, nothing...

Just. A hug.

And yet, all that took to truly break Lelouch Vi Britannia, the Masked Rebel Zero. The Prince of Miracles, was but a simple hug, from the one who was the closest family member he ever had. The one who he did EVERYTHING for...

And yet, that same sister, alongside the one who he had shot and killed, lover to a man who he wished he could have called brother. Where hugging him now, in an attempt to put him back together again.

"Why?" Lelouch managed to speak in between tears and sobs.

"Because there is a way to fix this sorry state of affairs..." A voice said. And yet, this voice wasn't one of the people who was among the many masses of humanity that seemed to bombard him with asking for forgiveness. In fact, all the sound's around him, ceased!

"Who are you?" Lelouch asked. Trying to look around to find the source of the voice, noticing that he was all by himself all of a sudden...

The voice chuckled before, as if was always there, a figure appeared before him. It's appearance was, odd. To put it mildly. It seemed to have a masculine form, and indeed the voice sounded male. But at the same time, Lelouch couldn't help but feel this strange sensation surrounding it. Almost like it was a part of him or something. Even though it didn't look like him at all, but he supposed that wasn't right either. Because it did have part of it's appearance being that of his Zero costume. Yet at the same time seemed to have other things making up it's appearance as well, from what appeared to be a elite soldier's tactical armor meant to be a full body enclosed suit. To an armor that looked like it was some sort of techno organic entity rather than anything man-made. Even having part of it seem like it was from a proper mech like a Knightmare frame scaled down to a human form!

"Wh-what are you?" Lelouch asked, utterly baffled at the strange chimeric entity before him.

The figure laughed. "What you are seeing is nothing more but a means to render me in a way that is perceivable to 3-dimensional being's like yourself. My true self is so far beyond that even in a realm such as this, the presence of this construct of mine that you see before you, is causing some strain on the fabric of reality that makes this realm of consciousness exist." It told him in a rather jovial tone, as if it wasn't talking how it being here was enough to cause the World of C itself to effectively 'shudder under it's weight' as it put it akin to being...

"H-how? I-I don't..." Lelouch could manage, pretty much at a loss for words and unable to properly make sense of what was going on.

The figure sighed. "Even if my Aspect's are rather intelligent most of the time, it doesn't mean they all have the proper frame of reference to make sense of things when I first tell them." Lelouch was left wondering what it was going on about before it continued. "Think of it like this, if reality is a computer system, than people like yourself are the 'Computer Programs', while something like me is the 'User' in this example."

Lelouch had to admit that made some sense, at least in terms he could comprehend, though it probably was something FAR more complex than that.

"Alright then, so you said something about a way to 'fix this sorry state of affairs'? I know it isn't exactly ideal how everything is going on, but surely it can't be THAT bad for something like yourself to get involved. You probably see situation's like the time, assuming you even make sense of time like we do?" He said, finding it a bit odd how he was managing a conversation with what might as well be a Lovecraftian entity.

"Hey! I find being compared to the like's of his creations to be an insult you know! Assuming they were actually alive still that is. But I suppose it's natural for most Aspect's to assume that when they hear about the comparison. And yes, I know what you are thinking about. And yes, my sort pretty much killed them, well, they still exist, but only in fiction and nothing else. Kind of like Echo's I suppose would be more accurate? Because each Multiverse and their component Universes often have SOME fiction depicting them, which in turn lead's them to appear in various depiction's of media involving other Multiverse's as a result." And now he was lost again...

"Could you just explain to me why you are here? And what is it that you want?" Lelouch said, figuring that all of this side chatter would be a waste of time.

"Hmph! Well aren't you direct! Though I suppose that makes sense. You are of my essence after all..." It said, before resuming with a rather serious tone and feeling emanating from it. "The reason why I am here. Is because the action's of your Multiverse have brought the attention of someone who I have been dealing with for a LONG time, at least by your understanding of time anyhow."

Lelouch took it in with full attention and seriousness. Figuring whatever it was to cause such a change in tone from the figure before him must be major.

"Major doesn't begin to cut it. Think of it like this, what 'HE' plans on doing will make what your Parent's dreamed of with Ragnarok seem like absolute child's play in terms of reaching affect's. Of which there would have been MANY I can assure you. I won't bother listing them because you said you wanted the important stuff, besides even if it DID occur, there would be measures reality would take to prevent it from being what they intended."

Lelouch could only imagine what those 'measures' were. Were they to destroy the Universe and make a new one in it's place? Or would it simply reset things to a certain point as far as the world was concerned and have the universe carry on as it had with the same pace as always? It could even have just simply reset time actually to a point where a divergence could have been made, or even have people's mind's transported to their younger bodies. Or even-

"STOP! STOP, just please. Stop! Seriously, that kind of thinking will lead you down a rabbit hole you aren't ready to try and climb out of yet. But I will give you point's for considering them anyhow. Honestly it could have been any of them, or none at all and something else you haven't thought of yet. Multiverse is rather vast like that." Lelouch couldn't help but be annoyed at how the figure knew his every thought, but felt that it had a point. Now was not the time to speculate on 'what if's?'...

"Alright, so what exactly is it that got the attention of this... Individual?" He asked, unsure what it was but felt it might be something towards the level of the one before him.

"Hmm, well you aren't wrong about him being an Individual, though he's also sort of spread out across all of possibility? Well, okay, not ALL of possibility. But across the one's that could be said to matter. Well, as far as you'd understand it anyhow." It explained, not much but it is a start Lelouch figured.

"And why is it coming here?" He asked.

"Well that's the thing, he would have came here regardless, though the whole thing of people hating you for your whole 'Demon Emperor' stunt didn't exactly help matter. Granted it wasn't just YOU, but a lot of other 'You's' at the same time? It's complicated, but basically you can think of it like this. The whole stuff going on in your Multiverse pretty much was like a beacon drawing his attention towards you, granted it's not just YOUR Multiverse. But other's as well, but you don't really care about those other one's do you?" It said.

"Well, it's not that I don't CARE about what goes on with the other 'targets' of this figure. But I'm not sure how much help I can be for them. If I can stop him here, hopefully I'd be able to help them as well? And if it possible, even provide mean's to help them deal with this threat?" Lelouch offered, though he figured the means to travel to other 'Multiverses' as the figure had put it would be beyond any reasonable timeframe or scale that he could be around for, if there was a means to do it for some people of his Multiverse in it's collective future to achieve it, then it would be possible for them to do so. Perhaps even a version of him that happened to have his 'becoming event's' take place in that sort of time scale, perhaps even have these other universes intervene in that hypothetical universe's events when possible. And even if they would have a 'hand's off policy' when dealing with such things, when any major event's would be handled, surely they could step in afterward and provide a means to deal with it, right?

"Hmm, good thought process. But don't worry, there already is such a thing in place, well. More like a few equivalent's across the Omniverse, but there is a main one which my Aspect's as well as my feminine counterpart's have established, and who knows, when you get things done here. You might be offered the chance to join it." It explained, to which Lelouch couldn't help but want to smack himself in the head. Of course there would be other such people who came up with that idea! No surprise if some of them actually managed to get something that complex actually established!

"Alright, so how are we going to deal with this individual in THIS multiverse then?" Lelouch asked, rather odd he'd consider something as complex as a Multiverse as 'Simple'. But he supposed that it wouldn't be surprising, he had a plan that would involve the entire WORLD, a Multiverse seemed like a Logical next step when it came to more 'grand strategic theaters'...

"Well, the answer is rather simple, see. Your Universe could be considered the 'Prime' instance, well. Maybe not EXACTLY, but for all intents of what is going on it might as well be. Anyhow, point is, this guy will have to utterly get total control over this universe and render my aspect as well as my counterpart's totally dead and gone. And before you ask, no. You having assisted Suicide via Suzaku doesn't count. 'HE' has to kill you himself in order for it to count, and you are already dead. As for the other one, well, she isn't going to die by his hands." The figure explained, though it did bring up the question of 'who' was he referring to.

"Who is 'she' exactly?" Lelouch asked.

"Well, you can consider her the yin to my yang, the anima to my animus, the feminine to my masculine. Point is, she is my equal in every way, but also is different in ways that matter. As for who her Aspect is, well, you know her rather well. And were drawn to her a fair bit, even if you never gave her a proper answer." It explained, and Lelouch tried to think who he was referring to?

...

...

...

"Wait a moment, Kallen?" He asked, to which the Figure nodded.

"Got it in one! So yeah, she's your counterpart in that regard. And to keep it rather simple, there is something my and my counterpart are going to do that will change things up for the better. Yeah it'll let 'Him' in to run amok in your universe, but we have plans in place to deal with him, cause it's also when he is weakest." To which Lelouch was confused, to put it rather simply.

"But isn't the point is to prevent him from 'killing' me and Kallen? If he is in our universe, then what is to prevent him from having a means to doing that?" He asked, figuring something like 'Physical death' wouldn't keep this antagonistic force from going after him and Kallen.

"Well, that is rather simple Lelouch. You see, right now your Universe is pretty much primed for a restart, it was going to happen anyhow regardless of 'Him' coming in. But it's moment's like that which allow him to 'enter' and try and establish something of a foothold, however, it is also moment's like this which allow me and my counterpart to do our own tricks that will help ensure our plan to succeed. Basically it's like this, you open yourself to an attack, but your enemy also leaves himself open for a retaliation as well. Whoever comes out on top is who can deal with it the best and make the most of the opening. And he'd just try to force his way in anyhow, and if that were to occur... Let's just say it would end badly for you and anyone else involved..." The figure explained.

Lelouch could see the logic behind it, though he did have yet another question. "What exactly would you be doing on your end exactly?"

The figure almost seemed to be smiling despite it not having a visible face. "Well, there are plenty of other aspect's that I can pick to have involved. And I have one in particular who would be PERFECT to help you out with that, plus it helps my counterpart has one as well and those two aspect's are always together in most universes they are in. Aside from the one's they are in currently that is. Basically they were being 'tested' to see how they could endure lives of hardship, and before you go off saying how cruel of us to do it. They ASKED to have that sort of lives given to them, the one you'll be with lived a life where the whole world around him was reduced to ash in a grand scale sense, not that humanity is doomed, but rather it has had a rather intense rough point in history, you'll figure that out when you two are working together. As for her Aspect... Well, let's just say her life had things reduced to ashes on a more, personal level..."

Lelouch wasn't sure if he should be afraid of the terms used, but figured he couldn't really back out now, not when so much was a stake already.

"So, I assume this means I'll have to live out my life from the beginning, right?" He asked.

"Hmm... Not quite..." The figure said cryptically.

"What do you mean?" Lelouch asked, an annoyed look from this figure, honestly he was being MORE annoying and Cryptic than C.C. ever was...

"I'm not telling! Besides it'd spoil things for the audience!" It said.

"What Audience?" Lelouch asked, trying to find what it was referring to.

"Oh, don't bother looking for them, they aren't physically around. They just perceive all that is going on here in various Fictional format's. Be it official stories, or as Fanfictions. And yes, I know you guys are reading this and thinking this is just the Author being clever. But just because he is giving me a means to speak, doesn't mean there isn't a universe where this is actually happening for real. Because really, what makes you all think you know for sure all other possible universes besides your own aren't real? You can't. And that is why this is can be as real as the world you are in, be it sitting on your computer, or reading on your tablet or smartphone, or something else altogether like a freaking cybernetic space or Matrix or whatever else might be a thing in your particular universe." The figure said, to which Lelouch smartly chose to only listen to the part's meant for him and ignore the rest.

"Okay then, when do we begin?" He asked, figuring the sooner he got this over with, the better.

"SPLENDED! Well, I'll get things ready in just a moment, but you should go ahead and be with Kallen, looks like she could use you to Welcome her into the afterlife, and don't worry. Suzaku and Euphie will be along for the ride, those two can be rather helpful you know!" It told him, before finding himself facing Kallen and Suazku on the Daomcles, with Kallen looking like she wasn't long for the world of the living, and it seemed like it was an all or nothing attack, or just simply wanting Schenizel dead before the world ended. Either way, he knew what he needed to do. He let himself 'phase' into where Suzaku stood, and spoke through the voice modulator to Kallen that he loved her, and told Suzaku that he'd do justice for all of them...

ALL OF THEM!

And the next thing he saw, was a bright light, and he felt things shift and change around him, until...

He finally met his counter part...

"So, you're my partner? I look forward to working with you indeed." While the man before him seemed like he didn't try to be anything special, the fact he had lived through such a difficult prior life, made the face he lived in spite of it all just that much more impressive...

Ashford Academy Medical Room, current Timeline. Lelouch's P.O.V.

"And that's pretty much how Lamprouge and I came to be in our current situation. Alongside Kozuki and Kallen." I finished explaining to them. Having told them about my 'meeting' with the being that explained to me what was going on.

"So, did anyone else make sense of that, because I sure didn't!" Rivalz stated, to which everyone else aside from Kallen shook their heads...

Sigh, now I get what he felt when explaining it to me at first...

"Okay, basically the Lord of Wraith's is some Omniversal bad guy who is in a lot of multiverses. In other word's he is in A LOT of places. Some like ours, other that are more different. And the one's who had me and Lelouch partnered up with Kozuki and Lamprouge are basically Big Good Guys who work against him by having different people that are basically avatar's for their will because they are so high up there on the ladder that trying to go to the lower rungs risk breaking the whole ladder. And there are a whole lot of other people out there doing that same sort of fight as well wherever they happen to be. And basically the whole timeline got reset to zero in order to let things be different to make things easier for us. Because if they hadn't changed we would have been having a MUCH harder fight ahead of us. Like, REALLY FREAKING ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE HARD! Granted I suppose it still sort of is that hard. Just it'd be by a bit more harder otherwise." Kallen explained, and thank you so much my dear for explaining things in a way others can understand.

After the others had a few moments to process it...

"Okay, I think I'm getting it now. So, basically these two are like good Kami, and the Lord of Wraith's is more of an Oni, and you two are choosen by them to defeat it?" Suzaku posits, to which we both nod. "That's one way of looking at it, whatever helps you grasp it better I suppose."

Those who were unaware of Japanese Folklore were a bit lost. "So, in terms we could understand?" Cornelia asked.

I figured to take over. "Think of it like how in a number of myths and legends. A person is selected by a deific figure to be granted great power to face against a mighty foe. While the figure may not always be a deity or the person even chosen in a literal sense. The fact is the person often finds themselves in a position where they must face the foe in question even if all reason should say they shouldn't be forced to do so. It's a classic literary element that has been around even before human's learned to write. They have to have their source come from somewhere, right? We can say that what is going on right now is a real life example of the concept of 'The Hero's Journey' in action." I explained to them, and some of them no doubt would understand what I mean, as Joseph Campbell and his book detailing the concept's of the monomyth seems to be a universal fact across universes that have developed to the point where he would be present and able to compile his findings into his book.

Milly seemed rather aware what I meant "I get it! So it's like you guy's are given the aid of the divine in your quest and it's like your nearing the halfway point, right?" She asked, to the confused looks of others. "HEY! Just because I may not act like it all that much, doesn't mean I'm not smart where it counts! There is a REASON why I'm the President of the Student Council other than having Grandfather as the Headmaster of the school you know! Hmph!" She said in response to everyone's odd looks. Though I didn't really find it odd, nor did Nunnally really. We had both known her the longest and were aware of how she did make an effort to be rather well read. If at the partial behest of her parents to try and get a decent suitor to get them back into the graces of the nobility...

Still, she managed to turn something like that into a partial benefit, learning up on things such as the writing process, honestly it's no wonder she wound up becoming a reporter after she graduated. She always was most interested in the stories around her as much as those she read up about...

"Well Milly, if we were to work off of such terms, then yes. You could say we are nearing that point, though I do believe it is a long way off from that point in particular yet. We still haven't gotten to the point where we could be said to be 'ready' to face the Lord of Wraith's yet." I told them, to which Suzaku looked at me like he was being annoyed by my actions.

"Lelouch. Please, don't force yourself! You and Kallen need to rest!" He protested, though he knew as well as I and Kallen that we wouldn't take no for an answer.

"I understand Suzaku. That is why I won't be doing anything as Zero." I told him, to the confused looks of everyone.

"HUH?!" They all exclaimed in shock as they realized what I said. Everyone except Kallen that is...

"Yeah, I'm not going to be doing any operations in the Guren for a while either." She said. To which Ohgi winced as he heard the mention of her frame.

"Right. Kallen, the things is that, well..." Ohgi tries to say.

"The Guren is wrecked, I know. As well as the Gaiwan. We both know that." She say's.

"Right, I guess you two could have figured that out easily." Ohgi says awkwardly.

"While I am aware Rakshata will be no doubt very much annoyed at how her most prized child has been so heavily damaged. It honestly isn't that bad, besides it's best for the Black Knight's to go to ground anyhow." I explain, to the confusion of the others who weren't aware of the first time around.

"You sure that's a good idea? I mean, you guys managed to beat back the Lord of Wraith's soldiers! Isn't that a major win for the Black Knight's reputation?" Rivalz asked.

"Need I remind you all that as far as the rest of the world knows, Zero and his ace pilot both might as well be dead. If we were to just show up again, people might at best claim we are fakes, or that we weren't really there and let other's die in our place. Neither outcome would be good for the optics of the Black Knight's, much less for the idea of Zero and what is represented by it." I explain, to which everyone was able to understand rather easily enough, from an outside perspective it would be easy to write off the claims of Zero and his ace living as being either hoaxes and just pretenders wanting to cash in on the fame they had. Or worse, showing them as being willing to resort to using other people, probably innocent, as body doubles against the Lord of Wraiths. Which would make Zero seem far less of an ideal to look up to if he was willing to use other people in his place when he felt it 'important' to do so. Which could in theory mean anyone would be a stand-in for Zero, if it were to send the message that anyone could be Zero as a rallying cry to motivate them to fight back. Then it would be a benefit, however as it stood, it would only cause more issues that it'd solve. So him choosing to not do anything and leave his fate uncertain would hopefully benefit him when he would reveal himself once more as Zero.

"Okay, that makes sense. But what are we all supposed to do in the meantime?" Ohgi asked, wondering what to tell the others aside from just 'stay out of trouble, especially you Tamaki!'

"Oh, I wasn't saying EVERYONE wouldn't be doing anything, just that the BLACK KNIGHT's, wouldn't be. I said, oh how I love informing people of my plan's. If only because it is so good to get them to figure things out after I explain them...

Suzaku is the first one to put things together. "You're going to use this time to build connections. And make contact with people you think could help when the time comes, right?"

I nod. "Right you are Suzaku. And you should know as well as I do I have one person in particular I hope to sway to our cause along with the people alongside her."

The other's look at me, curious who I am referring to...

"Leila Malcal. And I assume you want her W-Zero unit along with?" Suzaku says.

"Indeed, plus that friend of hers who created that Alexander Knightmare Frame if possible, I imagine she could provide some helpful design ideas that simply having Loyd and Rakshata together wouldn't be considered. Plus I feel like she'd balance the two of them out by being rather normal by all accounts. I'm sure Cecile Croomy would be ecstatic to have someone around who isn't a Sociopath or has their Knightmare Frames as 'children'." I said, and I knew if the lady herself was here she'd probably be crying tears of joy at the idea of having someone 'normal' for a change among Knightmare Engineer's.

"Hmm, I recall the Bresigau's rather well of having left the homeland for the E.U. due to particular members among the Nobility having issues with them not agreeing with them on matters of Ideology. And while Father managed to stamp out such elements, they resurged with a vengeance after the Upheveal. How exactly do you suppose young Leila would help you and your plans?" Cornelia asked.

"My plans are twofold. For one thing, she desires more of a world where she and those under her current command didn't have to fight and could live in peace. The fact that the Lord of Wraith's exists mean that can never be so long as he is around. So we have a common goal and a common foe in that regard. Plus, I know she also has a Geass." I mention, to the surprise of everyone.

"What?! She has a Geass? How? What does it do?" Suzaku asked.

"Well, I can't say exactly what it does, but I do know how she got it. From the same source as myself in fact." I say with a knowing grin.

"C.C.?" Suzaku asks.

"C.C." Is all I reply.

To which he sighs. "Of course it'd be her! Why wouldn't it be her!"

"To be fair, there are other code bearers out there, and they are more than willing to provide their own Geass if they want too. They just don't bother because they know what happens if they make themselves noticed. Then again, I haven't really heard anything of them for a while." The witch herself says.

"There you are, was wondering when you'd show up. Witch." I say to her.

"Hmph, still the same as ever I see, Warlock." She says back, and we both share a smile.

"Good to see you again." I tell her.

"And good to see you to, Lelouch." C.C. says, before turning to face Kallen.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to get in the way between the two of you. But if you ever want someone to help.. 'spice things up a little'. Well, you know where to find me." She says, to which Kallen just blushes with a look of annoyance on her face.

It takes a few moments for the others to get what she means, only for the expected reactions of most people blushing at the implications, with Shirley seeming a bit faint at the idea of me and Kallen being with C.C. in that way, and Nina just having a slight nosebleed at the mental image of Kallen and C.C. 'doing things'. While Milly just had a Cheshire grin.

"Wow, Lulu, didn't know you had it in you. Think you'll have a Royal Harem like your dad?" She asked in a teasing way.

"No. No I will not, nor will I ever have one." I tell her, flatly and plainly.

To Rivalz, Shirley, and most everyone who didn't understand how the Royal Family worked, which was everyone aside from Milly, Suzaku, Gilbert, Darlton. As well as my Sisters and C.C. all were confused and look as if I said the sky is red normally.

"Isn't that, like a royal mandate or something?" Rivalz asked.

"Actually, there isn't anything legally stating a reigning Emperor or Empress has to have a Harem." Marrybell, of all people says as an answer.

"Um, could you guys explain this to us?" Ohgi asks.

"Well I suppose I might as well. Since I'm the one who actually studied all of that in depth." I say, to which my sisters nod and let me go over, I'm sure C.C. could as well, but I suppose she want's to know how well versed I am in all of the legal manner of the Royalty.

"Well, to put it rather simply , it is as Marrybell said. There is no legal Law, Royal Decree or Mandate or otherwise anywhere in the Britannain government that states a reigning Emperor or Empress is to have more than a single partner for the purpose of having Heir's, if their chosen partner is unable to have heirs though, or if it would be deemed a potential issue to have a limited amount of heirs if elder ones are deemed lacking in ability to lead. Then a series of concubines may be instated to ensure that the Royal Bloodline may yet continue. It just so happens no one ever bothered to mention it is entirely optional and even then, most of the Emperor's and Empress's didn't care because that wasn't the main reason why they had it." I explain to all those involved.

"So, it sort of just became expected for Royalty to have a Harem?" Shirley asked.

To which I nodded. "Pretty much, yes. Though I'd also say many of them did it mostly cause they would find just having a single partner boring and wanted 'variety' in such matters. Though I wouldn't really be able to say anything on that matter."

Rivalz took note of what I said, as well as how I reigned Emperor in the prior timeline for a bit. "Hold on, does that mean..."

I sigh, of course, leave it to Rivalz to ask THAT question. "Yes. I did in fact die a Virgin. What of it?"

Rivalz, for his part just looked at me like he was just a bit surprised. "Dude, you were the freaking EMPEROR OF BRITANNIA! Are you really saying you didn't even once care how that would have been like?"

Cornelia P.O.V.

The fact Lelouch had died never knowing the embrace of a woman is, oddly expected...

It's not to say I felt he never had an interest in the fairer sex, or even 'played for the same team' like some people...

But rather, it's more that he'd never have that much of an interest or prioritize it with any real importance as some people would. Which given how focused he can be with things at times, honestly does not shock me a bit he never cared about it.

Though, I suppose that would be hypocritical of me. Given how I am, well... Still a Madien by those standards as well...

It's not as if I am of the idea such things are only warranted for after marriage only! It's just that I never really felt like doing that with just anyone. Besides how unlikely it would be to have a man I would be willing to do such a thing with.

'Oh please. You know full well there is one man you'd want to do that with and he's right next to you...'

NOT HELPING!

"Honestly, I never really cared. And if used my Geass, well. It might as well be no better than drugging a girl and having my with her that way. And while I might have done a lot of things of questionable Morality with my Geass. THAT was one thing I would NEVER do." Lelouch explained, and it is nice to see that even when he had the ability to use a power that granted the means to command someone to do whatever he wished, he still had his morals and knew better than to use it for such petty means.

"I mean, okay when you put it like that. Yeah, that does sound kind of... Yikes." Cardemonde responds with once he thinks it through with what he could have also suggested.

"I suppose it's a good thing no one else had that sort of ability then right? I mean I don't know about you guys, but the thought of someone out there being able to do something like that. It honestly kind of creeps me out." Millicent says, and I think it's fair all of us shiver in revulsion at the idea...

"Okay, anyways, let's get back on the main topic. I am hoping to make contact with the W-0 unit and have Lelia and her forces work with the Black Knight's. Hopefully it shouldn't be that hard to have them desert from the E.U." Lelouch says, shifting back the conversation to a much more important topic.

Hmm, to be fair, he is right. It shouldn't be that difficult...

"Is it really that easy? I mean I don't think you'd show up as Zero, they might even know anything about you, much less all that much about the Black Knight's." Miss Fernette says. I must say the girl has a good mind about her considering everything around her.

"Point taken Shirley, however the reason why it would be easy is due to the fact that the E.U. as it stands, is all but ready to collapse. It's current leadership has been unable to provide an effective means of standing against Euro Britannia. Not to mention they hesitated to use their own men and women on the battlefield. The 'W-0' unit I have been mentioning is an 'elite' force composed of Japanese who live in an 'exclusive zone' that. While they are allowed to keep the names of Japanese and practice their culture. Really are no better in terms of living conditions than the Ghetto area's in the Settlements here. In effect, it provides a situation of people desperate enough to leave their squalor while also claiming to be 'better than Birtannia' by letting the residents retain their 'identity'. The fact is, all it does is make it far more easier for the Euro forces to find any number of hapless or desperate people who are willing to do anything to leave their current conditions, even if that means signing up to the Military to be put in suicide units." Lelouch says, to which I can't help but have my gaze harden at what he says. I know propaganda often say's how the E.U. treat the Elv-,no. Japanese as no better than Britannia does. But to know there is actual truth behind those words...

"Seriously? I don't see them in any of those Knightmares the E.U. uses for their standard forces." Cardemonde says.

"You probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference, the fact is they don't even include Ejection seat's for their unit's more often than not. But the Alexander is a more specialized unit compared to their regular forces." Lelouch mentions.

Well, might as well mention what I understand from the Military intelligence granted to me due to my rank...

Even if I am not as well-regarded as I used to be, the fact is that in spite of the people in charge mostly being of the sort conductive to the current regime. The fact is people still know my reputation, and at times that can be enough to have people give me info I am wanting for.

"Well, from what we have been able to understand about the Alexander Knightmare Frame. It's really the only one the E.U. has that could be considered a 'proper counter' for Britannain Knightmare frames. In so far that it follows a design structure that is similar to the sort Britannia uses, unlike the rest of the E.U.'s units. With a notable difference." I mention.

"That being how it is capable of taking a multi-legged 'insect mode' correct?" Lelouch says, I wonder for a moment how he knows, then I recall he had lived out a whole other life with Kururugi and Euphie and Stradfield-Kozuki.

'Not to mention one where you and Gilbert were married and-'

SHUT! UP!

"Yes. While it has been noted as a curious design feature, no one has expressed any interest in replicating the Design feature. I believe Loyd mentioned it being akin to a 'fruitless flower' in that while it might look pretty. It has no seeds by which more can grow naturally. In essence, an evolutionary dead end in his words." I tell him, though honestly I can imagine some tactical use from the design, however the practical application of said design feature, along with the potential maintenance issues involved. Means it probably wouldn't see widespread adoption by anyone else and that the frame would be the only one of it's kind to feature it. Fruitless flower indeed...

"Indeed, even still, while the Knightmare itself may not see any sort of wide spread success outside of a few limited units, the fact is that the person who came up with it had an ingenious design and I hope to have design expertise brought on to help with any R&D effort's for the Black Knights and indeed our allied forces as a whole as they continue to grow and expand over time. As I have already stated before." Lelouch said.

"Okay, and, what else? What makes this Lelia girl and her team so special?" Cardemonde asks.

"Well Rivalz, in the prior timeline the Emperor had used his Geass on me to first turn me into a useful strategist to come up with a plan to crush the E.U. However that failed because of Lelia and her team. To put it simply, she is the only other person who can realistically beat me on the battlefield in terms of strategy other than Schenizel. I'd rather work with her rather than against her." Needless to say, Cardemonde and the rest of the student council take what he says rather seriously, as for Lelouch to say someone could actually beat him at something involving Strategy is not to be taken lightly. Given how he was able to deal with Schenizel, or at least the one I know anyhow, as well as Father at Chess...

I can see where he is coming from when he would rather her on our side than not.

"Not to mention, the rest of the team are rather effective in their own right. With the veteran member of them being of particular interest. I believe you have heard of the so called 'Hannibal's Ghost' Nelly?" Lelouch asks, to which I nod, honestly it isn't hard to hear news on the Euro Front that would NOT involve reported sightings of the 'ghost'...

"Indeed, not something you don't hear brought up among the troops. Anything about him that interests you?" Darlton asks.

Lelouch nods. "Indeed, it involves him and his Brother, Shin Hyuga-Shiang." Shiang? I think I recall something about someone of that name?

"Isn't he one of the youngest heads of the of the Knightly Houses in Euro Britannia?" Cardemonde answers.

"Indeed he is, of the Knights of St. Michael, the fact is he didn't get his position naturally. In truth his predecessor was murdered." What?! But it was ruled as a suicide! Unless...

Lelouch sees the look in my eyes. "Indeed Sister. Shin has Geass, I can't tell you the exact details of it. Only that he can command others to obey a single command, not unlike what I could do. However in his particular case, his can only cast one type of command, for the person targeted to die. I think you all can put it together from there."

It is a troubling thought, to think such a man has a power like that, even if it can only do one particular thing. Being able to command another to die, can be very powerful and dangerous to deal with...

"Man! How many people with this 'Geass' stuff are there?!" Cardemonde asks in exasperation, and probably a bit of worry, though I don't blame him. A single person armed with such a power is bad enough, a large force of them?

Honestly, that is only a bit less scary than the idea of a Wraith coming after you...

"Enough to make up an entire order of them. I should know, I ordered the slaughter of them all." L-lelouch? Please tell me you are just joking little brother? Aren't you?

...

...

...

Oh, god. He is serious...

"Most of them were children you know, many of them orphans who were taken off the streets. No one would miss them. No one would care to look. And if those kids happened to be tested to receive Geass even if their bodies couldn't handle it, well. They always had more they could take. Sometimes though, they wound up taking a child someone wanted to 'disappear'... Like Opherous Zephron for instance." Zephron? Wasn't that Oldrin's family name? Wait a moment...

Oldrin said she had a brother she never met...

The Zephron's were traditionally had women as the head of the family, and in the case of twins with a boy and a girl, the girl would be picked as the head...

Oh...

Oh dear god...

Marrybell seemed to realize it as well, for she gasped in shock as she realized that Oldrin's brother did not in fact die, at least not then.

"In case you are wondering sister. Yes, he is alive still. He was been working for the organization know as Peace Mark. Yes, I am aware of what you both have to say about them, but consider what I am doing. Is it really all that much different? They just happen to be doing it for Payment as well as being able to target Britannia. Afterall, what is a Military than a Mercenary force tied to a single nation? As soon as the soldiers are no longer adequately funded. They will demand to be paid or stop following you. Granted I suppose it is not as simple as that, but there isn't much difference either way." Lelouch explained, and while I am not exactly fond of Mercenaries, I do have to concede that in a way a nation's military isn't exactly all that much different when you take away all the discipline and icons and such...

Although, speaking of Mercenaries...

"Hmm, now that you mentioned it brother. There is a Mercenary who appears to be working alongside the E.U. forces. In particular what I suppose is your interested W-0 unit." I tell him, that seems enough to get his attention.

"Oh? Tell me more sister..." He asks me.

Battlefield near Narva city. No one's P.O.V.

To say Lelia Malcal felt concerned about this operation might seem silly, as she was a Major in the E.U. armed forces! Even then it wasn't like she was on the battlefield herself!

But no, her concern wasn't for her own safety. but rather for the men that were being sent out by her superior with the last minuet 'additions' he made...

That being of course, making the Alexander Knightmare Frames they pilot being little more than suicide bombs, with the unfortunate men being the bombers.

Not that there would be any outcry, as they were merely 'Japanese' men who were 'willing to die for the cause'. She knew what it really was though...

It was all just throwing away people that the citizens of Europe could care less of, so long as it wasn't their own people dying.

And yet, it was clamed that the W-0 were a special unit, and indeed they were, technically...

But the fact was, anyone who was actually a part of it knew they were mostly just a type of cannon fodder and nothing more.

Still, she supposed she might as well count her blessings, from what she understood, the Euro Brits wanted nothing to do with the 'Wraith Corps' and distanced themselves from Main Britannia following the Upheveal. The fact that was they probably were only fighting in this war mostly to keep the gun pointed at their collective heads from going off.

Indeed, she heard rumors that many wished the return of 'The noble and kind Emperor Geroge, the true 98th Emperor of Britannia', among the Euro Britannia people, be they commoners or nobility who felt that their people had lost their way. Yet if any of them had any brains about them, then they would know to keep such things quiet and behind closed doors...

Still, the important thing she knew was that the likelihood of Wraith's being on the battlefield wasn't high, and hoped she wasn't jinxing herself and everyone with that.

"Why are there more enemies than predicted! Their forces are larger than we had anticipated!"

But of course. Some people are just plain idiot's, case in point being the 'commander' she is working under and head of the unit.

Pierre Anou might have been a decent soldier perhaps, though he could have just as easily gotten to his point by various other means. The fact was that he was really anticipating the battle not going as well as he had hoped, finding the amount of Sutherlands the enemy forces had to be far greater in number than it was initially calculated...

Even Lelia knew that the age old adage of 'No plan survives contact with the enemy' was treated with such importance for a reason!

Still, she supposed that it was to be expected, all she could do was try to point out facts and hope that she can help salvage this situation.

"Sir, I have to say I do not feel the strategy you choose was at all appropriate for the operation." Lelia said, to which Anou turned his gaze to her, still she held firm under his scrutinizing eyes.

"Oh? Do you believe my last minute adjustments to the Alexanders were inadequate?" The man asked her, seeming to try to intimidate her into compliance.

Yet she was having none of it, and kept her cool despite everything going on around her. "I feel such methods are a waste of resources, sir. The fact is we will have to requisition more Knightmare Frames, as well as more Pilots." Of course she knew what he was going to respond with when it came to the Pilots...

"Bah! Getting more Pilots will be easy! Those Japanese love dying with honor, what with their 'Kamikaze' and 'Seppuku' and other such things. I am sure those men we are sending out are happy to die fighting the Britannin's!" He said with a sneer towards her, mostly annoyed at how she was pointing out things that were rather flawed in his plans and methodology.

"And what about the Knightmares? They aren't exactly easy to replace Sir." Lelia questioned yet again, to which the man couldn't really come up with any sort of real comeback, the Alexander was in an impressive design, that her friend Anna had work hard on doing and having be presented to the leaders of the E.U., yet the best they gave her was a somewhat limited production run, that even then seemed to be used only for 'special' forces like the W-0. Or rather just the W-0 it seemed...

"Well, I am sure we can simply do just fine with what we have so long as they are placed in areas their blasts can do the most damage!" The 'commander' had as an attempt to counter her point, to which absolutely NO ONE in the room was buying, at all.

So, Lelia figured why not hit him with the most important question. "And what if the operation fails Sir? What if your plan leads to all the Alexanders being wiped out and results in the Euro Britannin forces gaining a morale boost? What would happen to the 132nd then? Their fate would be on your shoulders Sir. Are you sure that will look good to the Generals back home?" Of course, she didn't really think all that highly of the leaders back home, not in that she thought them lesser. But that they did not properly prioritize things as what was best suited for their nations and the E.U. as a whole. And while she was impressed by the Democratic system, she could easily point out the various flaws within it, how various special interest groups could easily sway matters in ways that did not benefit the regular person at all, and yet they populace went ahead and elected such people into their positions anyhow. Still, she also understood that having the populace decide everything could also be a danger, for the tyranny of the mob is as deadly as the tyranny of the one. Not that a Monarchic system was much better in her eyes. So much of history had clear tales of the dynasties of so many Kings and Queens, Emperors and Empresses, brought to ruin and ending all because of an inept ruler that came after the founder of said dynasty. Truth be told if there was an ideal government system that did not involve people being made into nothing more but a collective singular mind across many bodies, then humanity still had yet to figure it out...

Still, Pierre Anou did not notice, nor care for her musings it seemed. For he just pulled out a gun and pointed it at her face. Thankfully Lelia did not get to where she was just because of her current families social standing or being mentored by Gene Smilas. For she also knew how to defend herself, as evidenced when she disarmed and pulled the gun away from Anou, though not without it going off first.

Major Hamel quickly came in demanding what triggered the alarm, and after quickly being informed of the situation, moved to sedate Anou, but before he could do so...

"W-WRAITHS! Signitures of Wraiths are approaching the battlefield!" Olivia screamed from her screen, the signatures tell of the dreaded Wraiths appearing clear as day. Terror was clear in the eyes of the girl, and everyone else had an extensive amount of fear.

It was also long enough for Anou to get himself in order and grab his gun from the floor, pointing it yet again at Lelia. "Well, if Wraith's are here. Then I suppose it might as well be mercy killing at this point right now, starting with y-HRGK!" Was all he said before getting a hard punch from behind, knocking him cold and leaving him more or less incapacitated.

"I was hoping I could get to shut that idiot up. You alright kid?" The man asked her, holding his hand out to help her up, to which Lelia accepted...

"Thank you sir." She said as she got up and dusted herself off. The Man himself looked rather plain, dark hair in a short and somewhat neat cut, hazel eyes that had the look of someone who had seen far more conflict than anyone else in the room could have ever known. And he didn't really have a 'uniform' persay, yet he held himself with the same type of posture and readiness that even the most disciplined of soldiers would feel envious of.

This man, was a Mercenary, though he was rather special. For one thing though he charged a hefty fee to the E.U. nations, he was willing to fight alongside Lelia and the rest of her group without much of an issue. Yet there was also the fact of those who he had as a 'support team'...

The only ones out on field operations like this were a man and a woman, who had the strangest names, though it was probably more of a 'work name' than their actual ones. More akin to callsigns than anything else.

"Heh, guess that means we'll be out on the field now, eh kid?" The man said, he looked like he was in his late 40's, possibly even near early 50's. And looked rather, well-bodied as it were, not so much that he was obese or anything, but he looked as though he had a bit of weight to him that wasn't exactly muscle in origin, though in truth the man had a strength to him both physical and mental that at first surprised Lelia. Though given how he was one part Mechanic and one Part transporter for the group, equipment and all. It made sense he had some amount of strength to him that wasn't apparent at first glance.

The woman sighed, her cybernetic arm tapping against the metal wall. "Well, I suppose today will be a good payout, I'll go over the mission details as soon as you're ready to launch." She told the Merc, who simply nodded at her, looking to Lelia as if to ask for her approval to sorite on this operation.

Lelia looked at how there was only one Alexander that was left on the field now. She knew who it was, Akito Hyuga, the only one who ever seemed to survive among all the battles the unit partook in. And while she knew it was merely his commanding officer and he was her subordinate, she had to admit she had felt something of a connection to the young man.

"Go, please. Don't let anyone else die." Lelia asked the Mercenary, her eyes pleading with him the unspoken question of not letting Akito die, espically not on this battlefield...

"Don't worry, I'll get the operation done. And the only casualties that will be coming in will be the enemies." The Man said, before moving off to where his Frame was kept, he had an odd thing about him. In that instead of using a particular frame, he instead just used whatever he felt was worth using during his time with whoever he was working on behalf of, though he made it a point to heavily customize and modify the given frame to his specifications. Said customizations often made the Frame preform in ways never thought of, but also pushed it well beyond it's tolerance limits and would need to be replaced...

Already 3 Alexanders were used up in such a manner, and the man was on his 4th.

Still, she saw first hand how his combat prowess was, and Lelia felt it was a worthwhile trade off all things considered...

"So, any song you want to play for this fight? Or no?" The 'Fatman' asked, another oddity about the Merc and his team was how he always made a point to have music playing during the battle, it would be one thing to just have it for his own Frame to play it. But nope, he had it blasted on EVERY battlefield channel so EVERYONE knew he was on the field, be they ally or enemy.

Lelia assumed it was a psychological warfare tactic, in order to provide a moral boost to allies while demoralizing enemies, though in either case. She had to admit the man's choice of music was, interesting...

It wasn't like the music was bad. Just that, well, some of them she could find herself somewhat being okay with, other choices however weren't exactly the kind she would normally listen to, but she had to admit even those had a particular tune and tempo to them that seemed to fit for the battles they were used it, perhaps the man used them for that purpose? To 'pump himself up' as some soldiers would do before a battle?

"Yeah, I think this will do nicely." The man said over the comms in his Frame as he entered and began to start it up, the music tracklists were familiar to the two members of his team on the field, and the 'Fatman' seemed rather pleased with the choice judging on the grin he was showing and how his eyes lit up at the chosen track in particular.

"OH YEAH! That definitely fits!" He said as he got the launch systems ready, normally the frame would be inserted via a specialized combat helicopter the man would pilot himself, but given the situation standard launch methods were used.

"Alright boys, focus. So, we already know the ongoing operation, we are just sent in to support against hostile forces and deal with them to ensure proper cover for allied escape plans to go through. Simple enough mission of clearing out all hostile targets. Shouldn't be that hard right?" The woman said, she clearly had experience giving mission brief's and summaries before, because it was all to easy for the trio to work in harmony with each other. It honestly said something when Mercenaries were better coordinated that proper militaries, Lelia noted in her mind.

"Affirmative. Heading out." The man said simply before his frame launched.

One thing Lelia noted as being the most odd of all, was how each frame he had was to be painted white. Regardless of the terrain. Though she supposed it made sense, given the nickname his presence on the battlefield was...

How he moved so fast.

It was like all you ever saw was nothing more but a...

Ashford Academy Medical room, Area 11. Suzaku P.O.V.

"White Glint?" Ohgi asked in curiosity.

Cornelia nodded. "That is what everyone who encounters him on the battlefield refers to his frame by, regardless of what it actually is at the time. Because of how he always has it painted white, and also because of how fast it moves, it really is like that is all you see."

Huh, impressive. I'm honestly kind of tempted to meet the guy myself, if he really is that good of a Pilot. Then I can imagine he might even be able to beat the likes of me or Kallen, not to mention Lelouch.

Speaking of Lelouch...

"Um, Buddy? Why exactly are you grinning like that?" Rivalz asks nervously, because Lelouch is looking like he was just handed the keys to the whole world right now, but I'm not sure what unnerves me more, the fact that he is doing that because of just Merc being called 'White Glint'.

Or the fact that Kallen has that same sort of ecstatic grin on her face as well...

"Um, you guys mind filling us in?" I ask the two of them.

"Oh, not much, other than how we are definitely going to be getting that guy and whoever he is working with under a contract with us. I don't even care how much he asks for in payment, I'll give him the whole amount plus extra to make sure he doesn't get any better offers from anyone else." Lelouch says, and now I am kind of worried, because if he is willing to do something like THAT, with his financial sense being what it is...

Well, I really hope that when I meet the guy, he won't be against me.

Because now I feel like he wouldn't even find me a challenge and just destroy the Lancelot along with anything else sent against him...

"Um, is he really that big of a deal?" Ohgi asked, and I suppose it would be easy to think of it like that.

"Yep! He totally is! Especially if he paints and names his Frames like that! " Kallen says, honestly she looks even more excited at the thought of meeting this guy than Lelouch is.

"I'm kind of sad Lamprouge and Kozuki aren't awake to comment, if only because I know they would be over the moon to know he's real and around." Okay Lelouch, now I am really freaking out here!

Then, all of a sudden his face shifts, like he is just waking up from a deep sleep or something...

"Huh, what's going on?" Um, did Lamprouge just wake up? And judging on the expression on Kallen's face, looks like Kozuki might have just gotten up as well?

"Um, what's up guys?" Kallen asks?

"Uh, is this going to be a common thing with you two?" Shirley asks, and I'm kind of glad she at least is taking this all well enough.

The two with dual souls seemed to take a moment to get 'caught up' with what everyone else was told by their other halves. And after that occured. Lelouch had to ask something.

"So, basically you mean to tell me that a Raven is present in this world?" Huh, a 'Raven'? What is that supposed to mean.

The term seemed to connect somewhere with Viletta and Ohgi though "Didn't you say you and that Naoto guy used to play a video game franchise that had your character and others be mercenary pilots for some sort of Mech's be called Raven's?" She asked him.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure in English it'd be called 'Armored Core'. It's kind of funny how a lot of the Knightmare Frames kind of work in the same basic idea actually..." Ohgi said, before he managed to connect the dot's and realized what Lelouch was going on about.

"Hold on, are you saying that whole world is REAL!" He asked, and we all kind of looked at the two with suspense and curiosity at what they had to say.

"I mean, probably? Infinite possibility and all that. Wouldn't be surprised if that world really was as real as ours somewhere." Kallen said.

"In which case..." Lelouch had, before he had that grin yet again, only with a sense of mania behind it all.

"I think I know just what to give to him to let him not worry about his mech burning out on him because he is too good for it." Huh, what is he talking about?

"What do you mean Brother?" Nunnally asked him.

"Let's just say I've been busy with a project of mine, I was always a fan of that franchise in my old life, and I figured since I am in this one. Why not try to make something that can preform at that level? At first perhaps I could use it as a command frame of my own design, but honestly. Perhaps it would be better suited to serve the likes of someone who had spent his life working with mechs that can preform at the sort of level I intend on doing with the one I have been working on." Lelouch explained, and to think he was actually spending a good amount of his time to build up a frame that could actually work on that level?

"I wonder how Loyd would feel about that? Knowing you are trying to make a Frame that makes the Lancelot seem like a Glasgow in comparison." I mention, though I'm sure Loyd would have to actually look at the Frame to see if it could actually do any good.

"Actually, I wasn't building to make the Lancelot comparable to a Glasgow, I was making it to have the Lancelot be nothing more but a CHILD's TOY by comparison." Ah, Lelouch. Really trying to out-do others in anything huh? Well I hope your Frame ends up turning out to be something that will knock Loyd's socks off at least!

"So, what exactly are you going to do Lelouch?" Milly asks, and then he turns to face her and has this look on his face that makes her seem nervous.

"Why Milly, I was wondering if old Ruben would be willing to have a trip for the Student Body to spend some time in Eruo Britannia as part of a school trip? I'm sure after such harrowing recent events. It would do the student body well to have a chance to not have to worry about such thoughts of what happened recently and that a school trip to a part of the Empire they might not know much of would be helpful. Broaden their horizons and such, wouldn't you agree?" Yeah, no matter if it's Lamprouge or Lux. Lelouch is one hell of a schemer, and that whatever he plans, you have to worry for your part in it...

"Hmm, that might be good for you guys, but what about the rest of us?" Viletta asked, and I have to admit she does bring up a good point. It's not like the rest of us are allowed much leeway.

"Hmm, I suppose the situation in Euro Britannia would be enough for General Cornelia to come and look at the situation to determine if the forces stationed there are doing their proper duty. If it just so happens that her Sister chooses to accompany her, along with their chosen Knights with her head General, as well as that of a woman who has proven herself and is Aspiring to be among Nobility, then how could she refuse with having people that could be trustedd with ensuring their safety? And if Marrybell and her Glinda Knight's happen to be present to ensure no issue of Rebellion among dissatisfied members of the populace. Of course given how the Pilot of the Lancelot would be there as well, it would only make sense that the members of the ASEEC most critical to the Lancelot's function would be there as well. Does that seem reasonable to all of you?" Lelouch offered, and this is why no one questions his plans...

The seem utterly insane at first, but they seem to always work.

"I must admit, I have been wanted to see how the soldier of the Euro Front have been doing, while Schenizel has said things have been going well. He often says things people like to hear, and not exactly what they need to know. So I think an inspection on them is in order." Cornelia says, and we all pretty much agree that Lelouch can be scarily effective with his understanding of how people work...

"Alright then, I suppose it's best if we leave any further discussion on such topics for the future, and I for one would like to just relax and enjoy being with everyone else currently..." Lelouch says, and honestly I can't blame him, nearly dying can take a lot out of you, to say the least for Kallen.

"By the way, Kallen. How exactly are you going to tell Naoto and your parent's about, well, your whole thing?" Ohgi asks, and honestly I can't say I envy either of them for having to deal with that.

"I'll figure that out when I'm actually going to talk to them, also. Can you keep this from the other's until after I talk about it with Naoto and Mom and Dad? I'd rather not have to explain it to Naoto first and have us keep it from Mom and Dad, they honestly have had enough kept from them about us. Well, at least we tried to anyhow..." Kallen says, and I suppose that is fair enough, breaking it to her family probably is easier than just telling Todoh-Sensei and the others. Besides they are her Family, they have the right to know first.

Though speaking of Family...

"What about your Parent's Lelouch? When are you going to tell them? Assuming C.C. doesn't mention it already that is." I ask.

"Don't worry, I know when things are best left for family members to work out, that is for him to figure out. I won't spoil Marianne any details, other than just letting her know that her Son and Future Daughter-In-Law are okay and unharmed." The Witch says, to which both Kallen and Lelouch blush a little at the comment she made regarding Kallen.

Well, I figure it's nothing wrong to have something 'normal' talk about for a change.

"I'm going to be the best man at the wedding, right?" I ask Lelouch, a teasing smirk on my face as I know he doesn't always handle this stuff well.

"O-of course you will! Er! I mean..." HA! Nice to see you blushing red Lelouch!

The other's find it funny as well, given how his sisters are all giggling at his reaction.

"My, my Lelouch. Are you already planning on your wedding?" Milly asks with a cat-like grin.

"Hmph! At least I'll be married before you and Rivalz admit your feelings." Lelouch snipes back, to which the Devilish Student Council President and her not-so-subtle admier both blush like crazy.

"T-t-t-t-that's... THAT'S NOT FAIR LELOUCH!" Milly sputters out, to which the rest of us in the student council laugh heartedly at her being left unable to provide a proper counter.

"Still, I suppose if anything, I'll be married well before Gilbert and Nelly admit to anything." Oh Lelouch, are you going to make them admit it?

Given by how the Elder Princess and her Knight share a glance before blushing red, it seems like it'll be a while yet...

"That's... None of your business Lelouch!" Cornelia says, all attempts at having her imposing 'warrior princess' mask not really working due to how red her face was.

"Honestly, perhaps I should worry if Nunnally will be married before you to admit to anything!" Lelouch says, of course we all know he is joking, as he wouldn't let any boy near her unless he had his full approval...

Hmm, wonder what Nunnally is blushing for?

"Oh, has the young Princess found a boy she is interested in?" C.C. asks in a teasing manner, to which Nunnally shakes her head 'no'. Even though her blush is deepening.

"Who is he, and what has he done to you. If he attempts anything I will kill him, slowly..." WOAH, okay Lelouch I get you being the protective older Brother, but seriously, ease up a little on the death threats! Also that aura of yours is freaking me out a little...

"N-n-no one. I-I-I haven't even done anything like that yet." Nunnally says.

"It's Rai, isn't it?" Bold claim Kallen.

All of a sudden the murderous aura around Lelouch vanishes and he looks, normal? "Oh, in that case. I don't mind, so long as you don't go too far in your relationship unless you want to. And if he asks about that, I will make sure he promises me or I will make his life rather painful." Um, I'm not sure what I should be more scared of, the fact that he is okay with Rai of all people being with Nunnally. Or the fact he merely gave the threats if they moved their relationship too fast?

"Um, how about we just let these two rest? That sound reasonable?" Darlton asks, glad to have you as a voice of reason, Sir.

Battlefield near Narva city. No ones P.O.V.

It had been a rather brutal battle overall, but when the Wraith's came in. Akito honestly figured he was probably never going to face Shin and avenge their family, that the elder brother had killed...

He couldn't even explain how it happened, or even why. Much less why he of all people survived.

Yet, right as he thought he was going to meet is final end. That thing which flared up in his mind from now and then finally left him, it wasn't gone for good. That much he knew, but rather it seemed to realize what he was against, and perhaps his mind figured it'd be best to meet his end as 'himself'...

That was, until he heard the music start playing.

While Akito never really had much interest in anything really, he did realize the song being played had a rather heavy feel to it, as well as lyrics that seemed to be of someone saying something? He couldn't really make all of it out, but he had to admit it had a particular beat that could be considered 'catchy'.

Then the song opened up. And with it came the sudden destruction of the Wraith's...

The Frame was an Alexander, that much he knew. But it seemed customized and altered, with it's 'bug mode' systems replaced with some sort of booster set up. It cause the frame to move at an extreme speed. Rifle firing off in one hand hitting it's target's with a pinpoint accuracy only a seasoned pilot could achieve, while expert cuts with a blade held with in the other told how the pilot was as deadly up close as at range.

But the thing that was the most obvious to Akito, was how the frame was a brilliant white, with it's speed being enough to appear as nothing more but a glint of white along the battlefield...

He knew there was a Merc who worked with the W-0 on occasion and heard of the Exploits of said Merc, but to see it all unfold before him. Akito had to admit, he actually felt a sense of awe seeing the Merc cut a swath through the Wraith's.

"I''ll clear the Wraiths, you deal with the regulars. Alright?" The radio system transmitted over the music. Akito figured it was the Merc. And he merely responded by saying "Affirmative." And pushing his own Frame forward, he figured someone disabled the Self-Destruction system on his Alexander. Otherwise he would have blown up with the rest...

"What do you think of the music kid?" Another man's voice said over the radio, seeming to be going along with the tune in his own way.

As Akito finished off the last Britannin Knightmare Frame, with the rest retreating at the sight of him and the Merc's own Frame, seeing them deal such devastation to them. The Music began to close and end.

Akito figured to reply to the man. "It's not bad." And honestly he didn't really have much 'taste' in music, but it had an interesting tone and tempo to it.

The Merc's frame walked over this his own, not looking that much worse for wear, though it's blade was in the ground somewhere. And it extended it's free hand out to his own, figuring the Merc wanted to give a sign of respect, had his own frame's hand clasp out in return, and both shook hands. The two would walk back to the field command and Akito would dismount from his Alexander.

He noticed how it was Major Malcal who was there to see him when he dismounted.

"It seems like your the only one of the squad to survive Hyuga." She said with a sad look on her face. He had to admit it was odd at first having someone who appeared to actually care for him and the rest of the conscripts, but he figured that Malcal was something different from most people. It didn't really give an issue to him, but he honestly didn't have much of a care about anything.

Yet for some reason it bothered him when he saw her sad...

"They sortied with smiles on their faces." He told her, a ghost of a smirk on his own face. They both knew that wasn't really true, but they also knew it was better to think the ones who died might have had something of a semblance of peace in their final moments. Or at the very least no longer being bother anymore wherever they were...

They noticed the Merc's frame come in as well, only for it to start sparking as it stopped. The Merc dismounted and had his hand on the frame for a few seconds. Before he started walking towards them.

"He should be good for another sortie or two. Afterwards though he'll probably need to be replaced." The Merc told them.

Major Malcal looked to the man. "Thank you sir!" She told him.

"Thanks." Akito said, he figured since the man is the only reason he is still around, he might as well do what is expected in that regard.

The Merc looked at them, his eyes seeming to study them for a bit, before he gave a slight smile. "You don't need to thank me. But I'm sure you guys will have your hands full."

Akito wasn't sure how to treat the Merc, he seemed decent enough. If he had some oddities about him, though he supposed that the people he was with were and odd bunch themselves...

Two other people walked up to them, a man and a woman that were a part of the support team the Merc had, and the only two who went on field operations.

"Nicely done Kid! Sure proved who was the better of the battlefield!" The man said to the Merc.

The Merch tried to wave it off. "Come on Fatman. I wasn't doing all that much special. But I think we should be good for a few more sorties before we'll need to get a replacement for this guy yet again."

The woman smiled. "Well I suppose the expenses for this mission shouldn't be to much to deal with."

The 'Fatman' turned to her. "Uhuh, whatever you say Maggie!"

The Merc seemed to smile as he looked at them banter. "Well, I think we did a good job all things considered."

'Maggie' rolled her eyes at the Merc. "Yeah, though I suppose that is to be expected. Isn't that right, Raven?"

...

...

...

---

A/N: Kept you all waiting, huh? To be fair I had a fair bit of writers block and it was hard to get anything going. But I managed to figure out how to do all of this after I got my creative flow back.

Also, to those who know the references...

Whether you began flying as a 'Raven', fought with the speed and ferocity of a 'LYNX'. Or even only just started out as an 'Outer'. I want you to know I also await the day the Raven's can come home to nest once more, and fly on the skies of the battlefield once more. If you know what I'm talking about, then I think you guys know what that 'Project' Lelouch is working on is meant to look like. And tell me what you thought the music playing during the battle was? I'll give you a hint, it was from the game that claimed there were 'No Future for Mercs' in it's advertising and general theme...

As for everyone else, well. I think the game Ohgi reference is a good starting point as any to work off of.

Also, I'll admit I have some rather weird and out there things, possibly more than what is expected for a Code Geass fanfic. But it's something I consider important and ties into all of my other Fanfics as a whole. Don't worry, I won't get that heavy into it for the purposes of the story. All I am just saying is that it helps add a bit more weight and context to everything going on. You guys might not be able to make much sense of it at first. But I'm sure when it does all click together, you might apperciate all the work I've put into it a bit more.

Now then, soon we'll have the reactions from Kallen's parent's and Brother, before seeing how the rest of the Black Knights will react to what they have to share. And once that is cleared up, a number of people are going to be on a bit of a Trip to Euro Britannia! Right as when our Wyvern's are going to be busy with their own operation in the region. And in case you are wondering, yes they will cross paths with each other. And our Mercenary and his team will be alongside them as well. I think those who played the game the song is from will know why two of his team have those names, and in case you do know and are wondering. Let's just say he made sure she didn't meet her end that day on the battlefield, because he knew well enough that there was far more for her to do before then. That and also the fact he has been around for FAR longer then they all have been. I'd go on, but that would get into Spoiler Terittory...

Anyhow, till next time!