Disclaimer: I don't own anything belonging to Code: Geass or Naruto.
"Now Zero, since I agreed to play a game shall we make it interesting?" Schneizel asked, shaking the girl from her thoughts.
"Agreed. If I win I'd like to have one of your Knights." Zero said.
Suzaku looked surprised at such a request, thinking that Lelouch would ask for him.
"Agreed. And if I win you will remove you mask and reveal to us who you are." Schneizel replied.
"Agreed." Zero said, surprising almost everyone in the room.
'Is he really confident he can win?' Cornelia thought, remembering all the times Lelouch played against Schneizel and lost.
"What a fine evening of entertainment this has become." Schneizel said, pleased with how interesting things were becoming.
As a table and chessboard was set up for Prince Schneizel and Zero a small girl remained behind the crowd surrounding the two. A girl around the same age as Anya with long blond hair that fell straight to her back, bright blue eyes, and wore a cyan gown with long sleeves. The girl was looking at the Empress who remained under the scrutiny of the High Eunuchs as she was moved into another room with Odysseus.
'A mere child thrown into a position of power she never wanted and exploited by the advisors around her. This brings back so many bad memories in the Britannian Royal Court.' The girl thought, barely paying attention to the upcoming chess match. 'And to think the people here have yet to be poisoned by my former home's corruption.'
She could see the anxiety and fear in the Empress's eyes, knowing that no matter what her fate was out of her hands. It was a feeling she knew all too well and it was not something she would allow to linger for much longer.
'Zero is confident as he always is and must appear to be. He may be the only one here who can defeat Brother Schneizel at the game they both love.' The girl thought, picking up a glass of water and taking a sip. 'But the stakes, they are much higher with the future of a little girl on the line. I cannot imagine how easy it is to decide someone's future through a game.'
She looked around and saw everyone was watching the upcoming game intently.
'Brother Odysseus, is this the path you believe will allow you to serve the Homeland? You never expressed any interests in any of the politics, preferring to step back and allow the others like Brother Schneizel and Sister Cornelia to carry out the Emperor's will.' The girl thought, looking at the First Prince as he left. 'I do not wish for you to be an enemy but even if you did not chose this you have know that it is wrong.'
She frowned when she saw Nina glaring at Zero with hate.
'Nina, what has become of you? What has my brother done to deserve such hate from you that rivals even Suzaku's? Is it because you blame Zero for Euhpy's choice? It is so hard to believe that she and Cornelia would leave the royal family behind?' The girl sighed and looked away. 'So many friends gathered together and yet so much hate.'
Her eyes settled on Anya and saw a red outline surrounding her body. It was in the form a long haired woman.
'That form, I can't see who it is but it shows that Anya has a Geass.' The girl narrowed her eyes. 'I am not surprised that Man would send someone here. It doesn't matter though. Just another body thrown to the dogs.'
Nina walked slowly over to Euphie. "Princess Euphemia, is it true you've switched sides?"
Euphie glanced at Nina. "I am not a Princess of Britannia any longer. I disavowed any relations or claims to the throne on the day I attempted to establish the Special Administrative Zone. I am now Representative Euphemia Lamperouge of the United States of Japan."
Nina stepped back in horror. "You work with Elevens?!"
Euphie glared at Nina. "They are Japanese, not Elevens. I will not hear people being degraded for no reason."
Nina looked at Euphie with a look of someone whose entire world was shattered. Suzaku moved to speak with Euphie but Cornelia stepped out in front, ready to take out her pistol.
However before that happened Naruto stepped in between. "Let's not start something in the middle of an important game, please."
Suzaku glared and gritted his teeth. "Naruto."
Naruto stared back through the eyeholes of his mask. "Suzaku. How's it hanging?"
Suzaku clenched his fists. "You have some nerve appearing here. Do you plan to start another war in another country?"
"Start another war? Funny, I don't recall staring any wars at all. You really need to check your history." Naruto said sarcastically.
"Don't give me that! Japan was not enough now you're here to drag China into it!" Suzaku accused.
"At least he's the one who betrayed his country and people!" Kallen snarled as she stepped in, next to Naruto. "Don't you dare accuse us of being warmongers after everthing you've done as Britannia's lapdog."
Suzaku glared at the red head. "I was always fighting to protect Japan. You are the ones who caused a rebellion, killed thousands, and started smaller wars across the world."
"Those rebellions are from people who were forced into the Empire like Japan was and has their homes desecrated, cultures destroyed, and identities stripped. They were never the ones who started any wars, it was Britannia's fault from the start. Even now you plan to start another war and you are dragging China into it." Naruto retorted.
"That's not true!" Suzaku growled.
"Are you too stupid to not see how young the Empress is or how old that Prince is? And don't even say that little girl agreed to this." Naruto rolled his eyes.
"It's necessary for peace." Suzaku said simply.
"Yes, planning to extort China and its resources to revitalize Britannia's army so it can force the E.U. and thus unite the rest of the world against Japan. Very peaceful." Naruto shook his head.
Euphie stepped forward. "I agree with Seizan. This is no path to peace and the fact you try to justify it is sickening, Suzaku."
Suzaku stepped back, eyes widening. "Euphie…"
"Do not for one second tell me this is the best path to any form of peace. This is extortion and I can't believe both you and my brother would stoop to this level." Euphie said, looking between Suzaku and Nina. "I speak as the Representative of the Britinnians who were forced into exile after the Rebellion who would be forced to endure another war because of this fake marriage. Don't lie to me and say that is not your intention. I know that with the Chinese Federation as your ally Britannia's economy would be strengthened and allow them to force the E.U. to surrender or sign a non-aggression pact, allowing them to turn their eyes back to Japan. And considering how the last invasion had been without warning or provocation I don't imagine the treaty between the Empire and the United States of Japan meaning much if the Empire believes it can just take Japan like before."
It had been a year since Euphie had last seen Suzaku and last time she had spoken to him he left her in tears, believing her words to be lies and her to be a puppet of Lelouch. Since then, thanks to Naruto, Cera, Lelouch, and Nunnally Euphie had matured since that time and was brave enough to face Suzaku, her former love.
"Wow, she's serious." Gino said quietly, admiring Euphie for her bold stance in a room full of Britannian nobles who looked her and her sister like they were trash.
It was not everyday that two members of royalty betrayed the Empire after all.
"Princess Euphemia…" Nina stepped back, clutching her head. "This is not real, this is not real! This cannot be real!"
"What is your deal, girl?" Cornelia cut in, scowling at Nina. "Who are you and what makes you think you can speak to my sister like that?"
"She's Nina Einstein. She used to be a student at Ashford Academy." Kallen answered, glancing sadly at Nina.
Nina looked at Kallen and would have said something but the words died in her throat.
"I remember you." Euphie said, looking at Nina. "I am not sure why you find this so hard to believe but I will say it one last time, I am not a Princess of Britannia any longer. I work to create a world of peace and sanity, a world that would never exist in Britannia under the reign of the Emperor who does not care about me or the rest of his so-called family. It has allowed for a system of corruption to exist, suffocating people who were forced to live as numbers under their thumbs without a care to whoever they hurt. That is a world I am no longer a part of and I want you to understand, Miss Einstein, that I oppose it with all my strength."
Nina and Suzaku could only stare in stunned silence as Euphie turned back to the game.
Everyone turned back to the game upon hearing Prince Schneizel's voice. "Your king?"
"If a king cannot lead how can he expect his followers to follow?" Zero answered, having moved his black king forward.
"Interesting strategy. Infact I'll do the same." Schneizel moved his white king forward as well.
"Stubborn competition." Lloyd commented, looking amused while Cecile looked nervous. "It's practically a fight."
The game continued on until Schneizel's white king was one space away from Lelouch's black king.
"So you can't advance any further." Lelouch noted.
"Hmmm… We'll get into a threefold repetition at this rate." Schneizel noted.
"It was not my intent but shall we declare this a draw?" Lelouch asked, knowing now he may have to resort to his backup plan.
However Schneizel grinned and Naruto instantly knew Lelouch had walked into a trap. "You should not underestimate the white king."
He moved his king right in front of Lelouch's king, much to the shock of everyone watching.
"But if Zero moves forward-" Suzaku said.
"He'll capture-" Gino continued.
"Prince Schneizel's king." Kallen finished.
'Son of a bitch.' Naruto thought, looking at Schneizel's smug face. 'Smug bastard makes me think of Kabuto.'
"Schneizel is playing on Zero's pride." Cera noted.
Euphie looked at the chessboard in shock. "Schneizel, you'd really let yourself lose just to damage Zero's pride."
"I've never seen him do something like this." Cornelia whispered, just as shocked as everyone else. "Is he really throwing the game just to humiliate Zero?"
Both sisters knew that Lelouch would never accept a win like this and it was a complete stab at his pride as a strategist.
"This is a joke!" Odysseus said from the other room, having seen his younger brother's insane move.
"He's giving up on purpose?" Kaguya asked out loud, shocked and angered at Schneizel's move.
The silent girl who remained out of sight glared at Schneizel. 'Schneizel, how can you do something so horrible?'
Lelouch's hand on his king was shaking slightly as held up his king…
And moved it back one space, causing almost everyone to gasp.
Schneizel was the only one who was smiling. "With no hesitation whatsoever the Emperor would have grabbed it. I've just learned a little more about what kind of man you are, Zero."
Lelouch gritted his teeth as he glared at the second prince from under his mask. 'Schneizel, you dare look down on me?!'
"But since you've moved back you've left yourself open." Schneizel said, moving another white piece that put Lelouch in check.
'Damn it!' Lelouch glared down at the pieces with such intensity the pieces would literally melt from rage if possible.
His refusal to take Schneizel's king when he had the chance left him open to Schneizel's counter attack and forced him to struggle to keep his black king from being checkmated. But for every step he took Schneizel easily countered him and eventually his king was left in a corner and Lelouch realized that no matter which move he made now Schneizel would checkmate him.
'This can't be happening. If I lose I'll have to unmask myself in front of everyone. Schneizel will know who I am and the Black Knights may fall apart when they discover me.' Lelouch gritted his teeth, sweating as he struggled to find some way out of this situation.
"He's trapped now. Schneizl used his pride against him and left him wide open. Zero lost this game before it even began." Cera said under her mask.
Suzaku looked Cera, satisfaction in his eyes. "And when he takes off his mask everyone will know who he is. The Black Knights will be finished."
Kallen glared hatefully at Suzaku. "It'll take a lot more to bring down the Black Knights."
"Maybe but if their leader is humiliated and unmasked everyone will question his authority. Without their leader the Black Knights will fall apart along with the so-called United States of Japan." Suzaku replied smugly.
"And you believe this in someway will bring Japan down?" Cera asked rhetorically. "Are you so determined to see your people enslaved again?"
"They should never have supported a terrorist and a traitor in the first place." Suzaku said with no sympathy in his voice.
"But they should support you? The man who murdered his own father and condemned his own people? By your own words they shouldn't support you since you're a traitor to the Japanese. You supported the people who invaded our home, enslaved us, stripped us of our name and culture, killed us for sport, and even aided them in their atrocities." Kallen spat. "In our eyes you are the traitor and terrorist for turning your back on your people. Don't you dare look down on the Japanese and other people for not agreeing with you, you self-righteous hypocritical elitist!"
Suzaku narrowed his eyes. "How dare you, Kallen?! What about the people who had no choice but to join the system for their own safety? What is fair? You judge me for joining the system and for trying to change things for the better but ignore your own sins?"
"I never made excuses for anything I ever did, unlike you. If I joined the system I would have just been selling my soul, hoping and praying for things to get better but they never would because the system is rotten. That is why I joined the Black Knights and not Britannia. I know where both sides stand and I won't falter like you have." Kallen turned away. "Don't ever speak down on others for not accepting your selfish views."
Naruto and Cera both looked proudly at Kallen for not losing her cool in the middle of the room. She had come a long way since the beginning of the Rebellion.
But right now they had bigger problems than Suzaku's self-righteous attitude.
"You Eleven bitch!" Nina shouted, lunging at Kallen. "You lied to me!"
However Naruto jumped in and pushed Nina back, standing between her and the surprised Kallen. "That's enough!"
Nina however had a crazed look in her eyes as she tried to attack again but Cera grabbed her wrists and pinned them behind her. "Will you stop with the dramatics already?"
Nina struggled in Cera's grip. "You filthy Elevens! Why couldn't you just stay down and die like the barbarians you are?!"
"Nina…" Kallen said, looking at her former classmate in shock.
Did her words to Suzaku somehow set something off in Nina?
Kallen actually felt shocked as she saw the anger, the hate, and the crazed animal like look in Nina's eyes as she fought to reach her.
"You pretended to be my friend but all along you were a liar and just like those Elevens! You lied to and turned Princess Euphemia against me!" Nina shouted, struggling even harder now.
Euphie could only stare in sadness at the younger girl as she struggled harder and harder.
Naruto shook his head. "For someone who hates Japanese, you sure have a lot in common with Suzaku."
That comment caused Nina to stop struggling and look at Naruto along with Suzaku.
"You both refuse to listen and understand Euphemia's decision to no longer be a Princess of Britannia and you blame the Japanese and us for it. You direct all your hate on us but you never consider the fact that there might have been a reason why Euphemia chose to be with us. You Suzaku Kururugi are a fool who wants everyone to say you are the only one following the right path and you Nina Einstein are a little girl clinging to the image of Princess Euphemia as your idol but you never look at her as a real person and understand the kind of person she is. You are both selfish and pathetic for being the kind of people you are and never taking responsibilities for your own actions. Suzaku, you helped kill and oppress your own people and Nina, you threatened to set off a bomb that would have killed everyone at Ashford and the Tokyo settlement." Naruto's eyes flashed under his mask. "Is this how you both truly see the world? Seeing your people, Suzaku as traitors and fools for not supporting you in an Empire they never wanted to be part of? And you, Nina, you consider all Japanese to be mindless barbarians, even ones that have never committed any form of violence in their lives. If so then I can only say this, you are both among the most pathetic people I have ever met in my life."
Suzaku clenched his fist while Nina bristled.
Gino whistled. "Wow. This one's got a pair on him."
"You have no idea." Cera said loudly enough for everyone to hear.
Kallen's left eye twitched. "Seriously? Right now?"
"Those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum, but those who don't understand other's feelings are even lower scum." Naruto declared in a loud voice. "Remember these words because one day you might find yourselves facing a similar betrayal and you might not have any friends to help you through it."
Kallen stared at Naruto in surprise and awe. "Naruto…"
Cera smirked under her mask. 'Can't resist making a big speech can you? Got to admit, Lelouch's got nothing on you.'
Euphie was just as awed by how Naruto was defending her decisions. 'Naruto…'
'This boy… The way he speaks, he might be able to rally an entire army on his own without help from Lelouch.' Cornelia thought.
"I must say your knight has a way with words, Zero. It seems we'll have to put our match on hold, Zero." Schneizel stood up from the table and walked over to Nina. "I apologize for any trouble directed at you, Miss Kozuki."
Nina trembled slightly as Cera released her but wouldn't dare do anything with Schneizel now offering his apologies to Kallen. Lelouch stood up, still glaring at Schneizel and knew he had been saved by mere luck at Nina's attempted attack and Naruto taking everyone's attention. Not that he didn't appreciate the quick save but he was still humiliated by Schneizel defeating him even without officially winning the came.
"I believe I have had enough excitement for today. But perhaps we can speak again, tomorrow at the wedding." Schneizel said with a kind smile.
Zero merely nodded as he turned and left the room with his group.
"This is not going to be pretty." Naruto whispered to Cera and Kallen who both nodded.
Nunnally who was still wearing her Nemo disguise looked sadly at the back of her retreating brother.
"God damn it!" Lelouch threw his mask at the wall of his quarters back on the Ikaruga and safely out of hearing range of anyone.
He was so full of anger right now he was in no mood to speak to anyone about the plan for tomorrow. He had been confident that he could have at least reached a stalemate with Schneizel but his older brother played an unexpected move that turned the entire game around. The only thing that saved him from losing and removing his mask was Nina's assault, Naruto scolding her and Suzaku, and Schneizel deciding to end the match in a draw.
A draw that could have been a victory if Schneizel did not decide he was not interested anymore.
That had been an extra sting to Lelouch's pride and he was struggling to keep himself composed even if he was now alone. He had played chess against Schneizel as a child and thought even if he couldn't win he could have predicted Schneizel's move enough to reach a draw but what Schneizel had done was completely unexpected.
"Damn, damn, damn!" Lelouch banged his fist against the wall. "Schneizel, I swear this will be the last time you ever surprise me like that."
He would learn from this but for now he needed to focus and remember why he was here in the first place.
"What Schneizel did to Lelouch was cruel." Euphie fell back onto the comfy chair in the quarters shared by Naruto and Cera, having been invited in along with Kallen to discuss what had happened.
Lelouch obviously wanted to be left alone but they needed to discuss what would happen tomorrow.
"How could he do something so despicable?"
"It was a calculated move to understand his opponent." Cornelia shrugged, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "I've seen Schneizel gather many things from areas that have been conquered, saying that it was important to learn about an enemy's culture."
"Learn about their culture?" Euphie questioned.
Cornelia nodded. "Schneizel believes in understanding more than just the battle tactics of the enemy. He believes in learning their history and culture, claiming that by knowing everything there is to know about the enemy he knows them better than himself. I never bothered with such tactics because I prefer to leading soldiers out into the battle field but I know enough of Schneizel's skills as a commander that even I can't predict what he would do in most of the battles Britannia had waged against the E.U."
"It was still horrible." Euphie closed her eyes. "Schneizel did more than gamble on the outcome of that game he gambled with the life of one of his knights. And he didn't even finish the game. Why would he do that and not try and find out who was behind Zero's mask? Our father would never forgive him for letting someone like Zero slip through his fingers."
That was a question Cornelia had trouble answering. A chance to unmask the terrorist leader that had been Britannia's bane for over a year now and Schneizel passed it up. She was not sure how the Emperor would react if and when he learned of what had happened. It was hard to imagine if the Emperor would even punish Schneizel at all given how Schneizel was considered to be the best of the royal family and the most likely to succeed their father as Emperor.
"You are under the impression that Charles hasn't already predicted what would happen." Cera said, lying down on the couch, resting her head on Naruto's lap.
"Hm?" Euphie perked up. "What do you mean, Cera?"
"Charles knows how Schneizel thinks and he knows enough of Lelouch to know what Lelouch would do. So I doubt that even if something unexpected happened Charles wouldn't care enough to punish Schneizel at all." Cera opened one eye. "Not when he's more interested in seeing what Lelouch will do about the wedding."
"I thought the plan was in motion." Kallen cut in.
"Well, I guess it depends if Lelouch accepts Schneizel's offer to attend the wedding tomorrow." Naruto pointed out. "I mean, he did just dare Lelouch to show up and try and do something about the wedding."
Cornelia nodded. "So, Schneizel does suspect something will happen. That means we could be walking into a trap."
"So do we change the plan?" Kallen asked.
"Nope." Naruto shook his head. "Too late. We can't change the plan over night and besides, we can't let Schneizel get away with humiliating Lelouch like that."
"Huh?"
"Zero's the leader of new Japan and when word gets out he almost lost a match with Schneizel but was spared when Schneizel called off the game it'll totally have people thinking that Zero is vulnerable with the right kind of hotshot. Maybe even cause a few unhappy former Britannians in Japan to form their own group and do what we did." Naruto explained. "Stare a rebellion right in the very zone set up for them to be safe."
"Aren't they left alone with no chance of bringing weapons in or out of the zone?" Kallen questioned.
"Doesn't mean they still won't find a way. People can be resourceful when they need to be, Kallen. You should know that." Naruto said with a small smile.
Kallen silently admitted that Naruto had a point. "So if we do nothing it'll show the world that Zero and the Black Knights are not as strong as we appear to be. But if we disrupt the wedding we'll be playing into Schneizel's hands because he knows we will try something."
"Yep." Naruto nodded with a grin. "Been a while since we've had this kind of trouble, hasn't it?"
"Naruto, this is serious!" Kallen admonished. "We can't just take this lying down!"
"Motivated aren't we?" Cera smirked. "That's good to hear."
"And why is that?" Kallen looked down at Cera who was still relaxing with her head lying still on Naruto's lap.
"Because our glorious leader is right outside the room." Cera said simply.
The door opened, revealing Lelouch with his mask back on.
Euphie stood up as Lelouch walked in, closing the door behind him. "Lelouch, are you all right?"
Lelouch took off his mask. "I'm fine and I'm ready to continue with the plan."
"It's still on?" Kallen asked.
"It's still on."
It sensed the presence of Geass and the strange powers that were associated with the ones who damaged it . And it knew what they were planning to do tomorrow.
It would see to it that they were captured and brought to it s dwelling.