I don't have much here to say so I'm going to keep this short. Basically, I'm still debating on if I want a pairing in this crossover. Now, there are girls I won't pair and those are C.C. and Shirley (with Allen, I mean). However, other pairings I might be up for. If you guys have one, just PM me or tell me in a review and I'll think about it! Anyways, that's all for me right now, so let's get on with the story!
P.S. Also, I haven't seen the new movie yet so please don't spoil!
Disclaimer: I don't own -man or Code Geass, all rights go to their respective owners.
Chapter 4: Friends
"Great... where in the world did he run off to?" Suzaku said as he confusedly scratched his temple. After class was over, the new student just got up and left. Although, he couldn't really blame the guy.
"Besides Kallen and us, nobody here even smiled at him. It makes sense that he'd want to get out of this foreboding atmosphere." Lelouch sighed as he looked out of one of the classroom windows, the rain had finally started to slow, and several rays of sunlight had managed to break-through the dense cluster of clouds.
"Kallen, why did you talk to that guy? You do know he's Europian, right?" One of the girls asked as they all started to pack up their things.
"I don't know, I mean, he seemed like a nice enough guy." She told them as Lelouch saw her fingers start to twitch. She was probably at the end of her rope.
"Hey, Suzaku, why don't we go ahead and step in." He said as he lightly elbowed his friend. "Right now we need to focus on finding that transfer student, we can't afford to let Kallen get caught up in the daily gossip." This would both save time and provide Kallen with an escape. Suzaku nodded, that was definitely the best course of action.
"I agree, but I don't think we'll need to look for long." He said as he pointed out of the nearest window. There, sitting on a bench just outside, was the transfer student seemingly without a care in the world. "Maybe he just needed a breath of fresh air. After the hostility he must've faced since he first arrived, that would make sense." During his first few days at Ashford, he knew that there were times when he just wanted to sit back and watch the clouds roll by.
"That saves us the trouble of finding him." Lelouch said as he pulled Kallen aside. "Kallen, come on, we have to go." He said as he hurried out of the door. After saying goodbye to the girls, Kallen nodded and followed after him and Suzaku.
"So tell me, amongst the girls, what is the general consensus about Walker?" Suzaku asked her in an attempt to spark some idle banter. Kallen shrugged, there wasn't much she could say that they didn't already know.
"Most of them hate his guts, but there's a few who are willing to give him a chance." Not everyone in Ashford was a racist pig, after all. "I think they're all just scared of him." For once, Lelouch could understand that sentiment. The war between Europia and Britannia had been long and bloody, and even though Britannia was obviously the more powerful country, neither side was close to breaking.
"I heard that one of your friends siblings got killed in battle, is that true?" Suzaku asked Kallen as they walked out of the entrance. Kallen sighed and nodded. No matter where they turned war had touched all of their lives. That never ending hell of bullets and ash showed no signs of stopping, especially not when Britannia was at the helm.
"Yeah, she got the letter just a few days ago." Kallen mumbled as shadows covered her eyes. "But, in this world of ours, death is something we just have to live with. Isn't it?" Suzaku stopped and stared at her with wide eyes when he heard that. The persona Kallen had built up over the years rarely said anything as somber as that. "Oh, I'm sorry, forget I said that." Kallen immediately apologized once she realized what she was saying. Thankfully, Suzaku wasn't the judgmental type. And so the three of them continued their march in silence. The only sound they could hear being the pattering of the rain against the pavement. Eventually, after a minute or so of walking, they finally arrived at the bench the transfer student was sitting at.
"This country sure is a strange one." They heard him mumble as he got up and dusted off his pants. "If Reever was alive to see the technology these people have built... he'd go crazy." Lelouch frowned when he heard that. There was something in the boy's tone that was... unnatural... to say the least. However, before he could dig any deeper into the subject, the boy turned around and smiled.
"I'm sorry, did you three want to sit here?" He asked them as he moved away from the bench. Suzaku laughed and shook his head.
"No, no, in fact, we actually came here to talk to you." Suzaku told the boy as he walked up and shook his hand. "We didn't have enough time for a proper introduction. I'm Suzaku Kururugi, a member of the Student Council." As he talked, he motioned for Kallen and Lelouch to come closer. "You've already met Kallen, she's also a member of the council. And this..." he started as he placed a hand on Lelouch's shoulder. "This is Lelouch Lamperouge, he's the vice president of the Student Council. We all wanted to show you around since it's your first day and all."
"There's no need for you guys to do all of that, trust me, I'm fine." The student said as he turned around and looked at the city. The dark clouds which hung overhead casted a foreboding shadow over the landscape, making the distant cityscape shimmer in the distance. "Honestly, if you all are part of the Student Council, then I'm sure you have better things to do than look after little old me." Lelouch sighed as he listened to the boy and walked over to Suzaku.
"He sounds like your sort of guy, Suzaku." As he talked, he flipped out his phone and dialed Milly's phone number. "Allen, listen, we're just trying to help. Plus, your fate was decided by the Student Council president. And when that happens it's better for you to just sit down and take it." As his phone rang ominously into the cloudy sky, Lelouch turned back to Allen and smiled. "A few of the students here might not appreciate your presence, but I promise you that we on the Student Council have your back." Helping new faces was part of the job, after all. After a few seconds of ringing, Milly finally picked up the phone. "Hey Milly..." Lelouch started as he stared at Allen's confused face. "I know this is kind of on short notice, but after classes are over can you and the rest of the council come and meet us at the school's front entrance?"
"I know that face, what are you planning Lelouch?" Suzaku asked him as Lelouch smiled.
"You'll see," he said as he turned to the front entrance and cracked his fingers. "If this works out I'll be able to kill two birds with one stone." It was hard to make confidential calls in the middle of campus, after all. Plus, this way, he'd also be able to fulfill Milly's request. "Mr. Walker, I'm assuming that you don't have anything to do after school?" He asked the boy, who shook his head. "Good, then in a few hours meet us by that statue over there. If you'll allow us, we wouldn't mind showing you around town."
"Are you sure about that?" The boy mumbled as his eyes darted to one of the nearby windows, where some not-so-happy students were glaring at him through the blinds. "If you aren't careful you might end up making the very student body you serve resent you." Allen was used to the nastiness of his fellow man, but he wasn't so sure if these students were. However, after seeing their confident smiles, he stopped and sighed. For a second, his mind flashed back to the day when he first arrived at the Black Order. Where everyone, except Kanda of course, greeted him with a smile.
"Don't worry Allen, just give us an hour or two and we'll make this place feel like home!" Suzaku said as he raised a fist triumphantly into the air. Just then, as if God himself was listening, the rain started to pick up again. "Great, I think I jinxed it." Lelouch smiled as he felt the rain roll down his face. Unlike the near-monsoon that was pounding the city just hours before, this was more like a pleasant spring storm.
"It'll be a bet wet when we go out, but I'm certain that it will be fine." He told them as, yet again, his disposable phone started to ring. "Sorry, I've got to take this. Can you show him around campus Suzaku?" He said as he started to make his way back into the main building. He didn't even wait for Suzaku's response before he closed the door behind him and flipped open the phone. However, when he saw who it actually was, he sighed. "C.C. you know I told you not to call me on this line." He didn't know how, but the blonde witch had somehow gotten ahold of his confidential list of phone numbers. And, whenever she got the chance, used them to order pizza. "That woman, I swear." He grumbled as he headed up a staircase. As he passed by window after window, he stopped and took the chance to get one last good look at the new student. "That scar..." he thought as his eyebrows furrowed. When he first saw the boy's pentacle-embroidered scar in class, he thought he was some sort of rebellious delinquent. However, after talking with the boy for just a few minutes, he knew that wasn't the case. Plus, after getting a closer look, he noticed that the scar was indeed natural. The way the color embellished itself underneath Walker's skin was not something one could achieve by just getting a tattoo. "How in the world did his face get like that?" He thought as he shook his head. He was getting distracted by unnecessary things. In an instant, he took out another disposable phone and dialed Ohgi's number. There was some questions about the Black Knight's budget that he had to get out of the way. "Allen Walker..." he thought as he listened to the phone ring. "You certainly chose a bad time to come to Ashford Academy. This country is about to be embroiled in a battle for its freedom, and you've arrived at ground zero."
Four hours later...
"So this is what school is like..." Allen thought as he carefully placed his books and materials into his bag. After trudging through what seemed like an eternity of classes, he finally managed to make it through his first day. As he walked through the hallways, quite a few students turned and glared at him. However, thanks in part to the Student Council's efforts, nobody made an attempt to mess with him. There were also other upsides that he noticed throughout the course of his day. While there was at least one or two people in every class that hated his guts, there were also quite a few people who were actually nice and tried to approach him. Many of these people had questions about his life as a Europian, and thanks to his lessons during his stay at the Vatican, he was able to answer them all without fail. "Even with all of the hate I've been getting, I have to admit that this place is pretty amazing." He could definitely see why the pope wanted him to come here. The sheer amount of clubs and extracurricular activities was simply mind-boggling, and the relatively carefree pace the school crafted for itself was refreshing. And even though he wasn't participating in the vast majority of conversations he overheard, it was uplifting to see so many people with smiles on their face. During his stay at the Black Order, the fear of the Earl and constant threat of death seemed to crush most friendly interactions like this. Right before he left the Order, headquarters was as quiet as a morgue. Where the only conversations one could hear were either focused on research or new assignments.
"Oh, there he is, Allen! Over here!" He heard Suzaku call out to him from the other end of campus. Thankfully, by that point, the rain had completely stopped. Allen smiled as he walked over to the boy, his boots splashing water all over the place as he trudged through some of the many ankle-deep puddles. As expected, Suzaku wasn't alone. Lelouch and Kallen were also there, however, there were also some people that he had yet to meet.
"You must be the man of the hour." One of them, a blonde girl, said as she shook his hand. "My name's Milly, I'm the Student Council president and the leader of this little motley crew." She said as she pointed towards the other new faces. "The one with the blue hair is Rivalz Cardemonde, he's our secretary. Then there's Shirley Fenette and the last one is Nina Einstein. They're also members of the Student Council, and will be your two tour guides for today."
"Thank you all for doing this, really, it means a lot." Allen said as he gave them all another one of his signature bows. Milly smiled when she saw that and returned the gesture.
"If you keep up a positive attitude like that then the student body will accept you in no time!" She said as she turned around and dramatically pointed towards the city. "Okay everyone! Captain Milly's grand tour has now officially begun! Everyone keep your hands and feet inside of the car at all times and mind the gap. Now... onwards!" Allen smiled as he watched Ashford's president proudly march through the front gates. In more ways than one she reminded him of a certain redheaded bookman.
"Tell me, Mr. Europian, what do you think of our glorious Britannia?" Rivalz asked him in an overly-dramatic tone as they walked down the main road.
"It's honestly quite amazing. Your technology is far more advanced than anything I used back in my hometown." Allen told the boy as he watched a large knightmare transport start to move off in the distance.
"Ah, come now, Europia can't be that bad. I mean, they don't have our knightmares, but other than that our everyday items should be fairly similar." Rivalz told him as he whipped-out his phone. "With the way you're talking I might seriously start thinking that Europia is still in the stone age." Allen chuckled at the boy's joke as he scratched the back of his neck.
"Yeah, that would be a bit weird, wouldn't it?" No matter how hard he tried, no amount of lessons could change the fact that he was living in an entirely new world. There were bound to be topics that he didn't know much about, this world's technology was one of those topics. "Anyway... what do you all do for fun around here?" He asked Rivalz, desperate to change the conversation to a different topic. Luckily, the boy took the bait.
"Eh... to be honest, when it comes to entertainment Britannians like us are pretty normal. We go to movies, hang out, watch television." As he spoke Rivalz eyes lit-up and he snapped his fingers. "Right! That reminds me!" He started as he rummaged through his bag. Eventually, he pulled out small paper map. "Since you're new here, me and a few of the guys thought that this might come in handy. It's got all of the popular hangout spots and stuff written on it. And, if you're so inclined, recommended places to take dates." Allen smiled as he carefully folded-up the map and placed it in his right breast pocket.
"Thanks, I'm sure it'll be useful." Getting lost was kind of a specialty of his, so having a physical map was a godsend. After a few more minutes of walking their group arrived at an unbelievably large mansion. "I wonder who lives there?" Allen thought as he looked over the mansion's beautiful garden and lawn. As if Milly could read his mind, the girl walked over and tapped Kallen's shoulder.
"Kallen, isn't this your house? Do you want to get anything before we leave?" She asked the girl as Allen's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.
"That's her house?!" He thought as his jaw scraped the floor. He knew that he was attending a prestigious school for nobles, but this was something else. "Heh, I guess I still have a little bit of the street left on me." He mumbled as his lips curled into a sad grin. It was times like these that reminded him of his days with Mana. When they were wandering the streets, even the everyday inns seemed like castles. However, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. It was faint, but off in the distance he could smell the unmistakable scent of the gutter. "No matter where you go there are always slums." The Japanese, or Elevens as they were now called, had been mostly delegated to the underbelly of this society. Just that morning, when he was on the train, he got a good look at the Japanese new homes. Many were constructed from shoddy wood and rusty nails. While several others squatted in rundown buildings, still riddled with bullet holes from the war that once ravaged the country.
"In other news, Zero and his Black Knights have continued their assault on Area Eleven's foreign trade. This morning, at seven o'clock, the Luistannia, a munitions cargo ship, was attacked near the western coast of the Tokyo Settlement. Several casualties were reported, including both Britannians and Elevens." Allen frowned as they passed by an unbelievably large television screen which was currently showing the state-run news.
"Even after so many years, humanity hasn't changed." He thought as his left hand curled up into a fist. "The akuma are gone, but what does that matter if people are still killing each other?" During his stay at the Vatican, he had pondered this question many times. However, nobody, not even the pope, had an adequate answer for him.
"As long as men walk this planet, and not angels, war will continue to rage on." He remembered the pope telling him during one of their final meetings. "That left hand of yours was meant to save humanity from an unbelievable evil, not to save it from itself. You'll soon learn, Allen Walker, that in this world it is impossible to save everyone. That's why you must try to be a light in the darkness, no matter how small."
"A light... in the darkness..." he mumbled as he stared at his left hand. Just a few months ago, he was using it to help people and save akuma. However, now it seemed to be little more than a reminder of his past, like a long-sheathed sword.
"Now that I think about it, we should be coming up on the main square soon." He heard Milly say as she lead their group through a winding-maze of various back alleys and shortcuts. It didn't take long before they arrived at a gigantic central plaza. Shops and sculptures of all shapes and sizes lined the sidewalks. And, wafting faintly in the breeze, was the delectable smell of fresh bread and candy. "This place is kind of like the main hub of the Tokyo Settlement. When we're not in school, most of us students like to spend our time here."
"I can see why, this place is quite relaxing." Allen said as he watched a flock of birds fly overhead.
"Oh, if you think this is relaxing, then I can't wait to show you the southern part of town. Kallen, why don't you take the lead on that one-" Milly started, however, she stopped when she felt something dash past her legs.
"Milly, are you alright?" Rivalz asked her as he helped the Student Council president up off of the ground. However, before she got a chance to even utter a word, a group of men rushed past them.
"There she is! Grab that little thief!" They heard a large man, probably the leader of the pack, say as the sound of fist-against-flesh filled the air.
"What in the world?" A nearby spectator gasped as the entire plaza turned to witness what had just happened. Lying on the ground, limp as a doll, was a small girl who was probably no more than seven years old. Her hair was as black as the night, and her entire body was covered in bruises.
"You Eleven's should know your place by now." One of the men said as he straightened his jacket and placed his bootheel against the girl's cheek. "Stealing isn't a crime we Britannians take lightly, and we'll be sure to make you pay for it!" As he yelled, he raised up his leg and sent it straight into the girl's stomach. Her gags and muffled screams of pain completely shattered the previously peaceful atmosphere. And by the time they all finally realized what was happening, the group of men had completely surrounded the small child.
"What's going on?" Another spectator said as the crowd continued to grow. Soon, it seemed as if the entire plaza had been swept-up in this disturbing event.
"This little Eleven rat stole something from my buddy here." The ringleader said as he turned to address the crowd. "We're just giving this girl her proper punishment." He said as he kicked the girl again. With every impact Allen felt his body tense up. And he wasn't the only one, Lelouch and the rest of their little band were all disturbed by what they were seeing.
"Lelouch, do me a favor and wait here." Allen heard Suzaku say as the boy started to walk towards the group of men, his grip as hard as iron. He wasn't alone, Kallen also seemed to be preparing to jump in to save the child. For a few moments, Allen completely forgot that the girl he was staring at was also the same sickly noble he had met that morning. Like a hardened soldier, her eyes blazed with a fire that could burn anything to ash. However, before either one of them could make their move, Lelouch stepped in and stopped them.
"You two are going to get yourselves a world of hurt if you do that. Before you act, think, and take a look around." The boy said as he held the two in-pace. "Besides us, nobody here seems to be disturbed by this situation. If you save that girl now, it'll only bring trouble to the two of you. Kallen, you're in no shape for a fight. And Suzaku, your position in the military is a flimsy one at best. You can't afford to let some nobodies like them get to you. Unless you want to lose your post and start back at square one." His words hit the two students like a freight train, but they were the truth. Besides their little group, none of the spectators were even trying to stop this savage beating. Hell, a few of them were even cheering the men on! Nina, Shirley, Milly, and Rivalz weren't going to be any help either. All of them were simply too shocked to be able to do anything. And even if they did have the willpower, none of them had the strength to rescue the girl without injuring themselves. Lelouch bit his thumb as the men continued their assault. In the past, he had resolved matters like these using his geass. However, when he considered how public this area was, he decided against it.
"Then what do we do Lelouch?!" Suzaku said as he turned to his friend and yelled. "The reason I'm in the military is to stop things like this from happening. What's the point of my rank if I can't even do that?!" As the two friends argued, Allen looked down at his left hand and frowned.
"You must be a light in the darkness... no matter how small." Yet again, he found the pope's words ringing through his head. "In the past, you might've had to frequently rely on force to protect others. However, those methods won't work today. You have to remember that, in the modern world, violence only leads to more violence."
"Dammit..." Allen thought as he shook his head and walked towards the group of men. In this world stained by war, he'd strive to be a light for the weak and lost. "Crap, this is probably going to hurt."
"Hey! Allen! Where are you going?!" He heard Rivalz say as he walked out of the crowd. Without saying a word, Allen cleared the gap between him and the men. By this point, Lelouch and the rest of the group had noticed what he was doing. However, they were in no position to stop him.
"Excuse me gentlemen." He said in the kindest, most upbeat, tone he could manage. With the skill and grace of a talented magician, he slithered through the group of Britannians and picked up the girl. "Sorry for the wait, little one, it was quite the bumpy road to get here."
"W-what? W-who are...?" The girl started, clearly shocked by what had just happened.
"Shhh…" Allen said as he carefully pushed some stray strands of black hair out of the girl's eyes. "It's okay, you're safe now." With that, Allen lifted the child up and enveloped her injured body in a warm embrace. "You just let me deal with them." Once he was certain that the girl was in a comfortable position, he turned back to the group of men and furrowed his eyebrows.
"Hah! Looks like the little noble has a thing for rats!" One of the men said as he walked up to him and reached out his hand. "Listen, schoolboy, why don't you put the girl down and walk away? Neither of us want you to do something you might regret."
"Sorry, but she's staying where she is. I don't fancy watching children getting beaten in the streets." Allen told the man as he took a step back and stared at the spectators. "To simply sit back and watch as something like this unfurls right before your eyes, you all make me sick." He said as he took a step back and placed an arm over the girl's head.
"Wow, for a student you sure have some fangs! I certainly hope you know that little rat you're protecting is a thief!" One of the men said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a cheap-looking necklace. "I was just about to give this to my girlfriend when that little rascal ran in and stole it! Me and my friends had to chase her all over town to get it back! Don't you think she deserves what she's getting? I mean, she is, after all, an Eleven." The second that term escaped his lips the man's mouth contorted into a sadistic smile. "Well then, from Britannian to Britannian, why don't you just put her down?" Allen grinned as he shook his head.
"Sorry, but that doesn't really apply to me since I'm from Europia." He said as he stared at the man dead in the eyes. When the Britannians heard that they smiled like children at a candy store.
"Ah, well, if that's the case..." the ringleader said as he slowly walked up to him. "Then I'm sure you won't mind if we just take her from you!" Allen grimaced as he felt the man's fist dig deep into his gut. As if someone had fired-off a starting signal, the entire group of Britannians descended upon him to tear the girl out of his grasp. "What's the matter schoolboy?! Tired yet?!" The ringleader yelled as he smashed his heel into Allen's right knee.
"Heads up Europian!" Another one of the men called out as he immediately followed-up the ringleader's kick with a punch to the face. The group piled on blow after blow, and injury after injury, in their attempt to claw their way to the girl. However, no matter how hard they tried, not one of their attacks broke through his defenses.
"Allen! Wait! I'm coming!" He heard Suzaku yell as the boy leaped into the fray, but before he even had the chance to fight, Allen shook his head.
"No... violence only leads to more violence." If there was one thing his battles with the Earl taught him, that was it. People shouldn't be trying to hurt each other, and if that fact went unnoticed then they'd be no better than demons. In this new world, that would be his path. Since his duty as an exorcist was over, his responsibility now was to serve as a beacon to those trapped in the darkness. "To love thy neighbor was one of the lessons you taught me... Mana..."
"What? Are you just a glutton for punishment kid?" Another man in the group said as he crashed his fist into the side of Allen's jaw. "Europians like you need to learn your place, just like that rodent you're holding!" As he raised up his fist for another assault, Allen closed his eyes and tried his best to shield the girl. However, the blow never came. As Allen's eyes fluttered open, he looked up and saw that one of the onlookers had restrained the man. He had black hair, blue eyes, and was obviously Japanese.
"There really is no end to Britannia's cruelty. The discrimination wasn't enough? Now you want to beat up our kids? Don't make me laugh." As the man spoke, he turned to Suzaku and nodded. He appeared to know who he was.
"Now that I think about it, Suzaku must be quite the celebrity amongst the Japanese." Allen thought as more and more people walked out of the crowd, all of them Japanese. Even though none of them really did anything, the looks they gave the group of men said it all. Well... that and the phones they were holding, which they used to record every second of the assault.
"There it is! My opening!" Lelouch thought as he hurried to the front of the crowd. "Your fellow Britannians may forgive your crimes, but you have to wonder what will happen if news of this incident spreads online. You'll all become celebrities within the hour, and who knows what will happen to you then?" His words were short, but they burned like a heated dagger. As his purple eyes met the group's ringleader, the man gritted his teeth and frowned. "This plaza is fairly close to the slums, so don't act all surprised." The smug look Lelouch gave the man infuriated him like nothing else, but he was right. "These men came here for a fox hunt, and have now walked straight into a den of lions." He thought as the ringleader took a step back.
"Tch…" the man mumbled as he bit his tongue. "Dammit! Let's get out of here guys, these rats aren't worth it." As quickly as they had arrived the group vanished into a nearby back alley. The second they were out of earshot, Suzaku and Kallen sighed in relief. It was finally over. At that moment, the only thing Allen could hear was the distant sound of birds chirping. Time seemed to slow down for him as he looked up towards the sky and smiled. The storm which had previously ravaged the city had completely dissipated now, leaving behind a beautiful crystal sky.
"My friends, wherever you are, I hope you can see me now." Allen thought as he saw a single dove fly through the skies above. "I have finally found my path."
Author's Note
Well there we go! This chapter was a doozy to write, so I hope you guys enjoyed it! This one was definitely a trial to get out as I didn't really know how to word some of the scenes, but I think it turned out well in the end. If one of you guys disagree with me, go ahead and tell me in a review or something! Besides that, I have nothing else to say. So please, have a good rest of your day, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter of A New Dawn!
Chapter 5: Family