The Demon and the Red Moon

GASP! Is it? Could it be Why yes I think it's and upload!

Yes loyal fanbase I have returned from the depths of the underworld! (Or the basement for you non-crazy people.) And I've brought forth a tome of knowledge and wisdom to give you all! (or I just added a chapter for you semi-normal people.) Yes after much struggle and strife (picture: banging head on wall to the speech of "Fuck. you. writers. block. fuck. you. writers. block.") I have uploaded.

Plz enjoy. Hopefully this will lead to a more regular update schedule. (And by schedule meaning finally getting words on digital paper.)

p.s. to a certain reviewer expressing dissatisfaction with a video game developer and their famous(ish?) series: "Kept you waiting huh?" Sorry couldn't help trolling references. Please don't hate me.

Chapter 18: The Reason is Suzaku

(Zero's not waking up,) Kallen's radio barked. Kallen's concern was quickly swept aside as she used her radiant arm against the white Knightmare. It raised its green shield to block the radioactive furnace of her grip.

Suzaku opposite her was looking around. He'd heard the voice, and it had sounded like Lelouch somehow. He felt guilty somehow, as if he knew Lelouch was in trouble but had no way to help. Concentrating he fired his rifle at the red Knightmare assaulting him, but it dodged. Alarms went off to alert Suzaku of a new silver Knightmare trying to attack him from behind. He drew his sword and parried a sword slice. Suzaku blinked as he realized the enemy technique was somehow familiar as well. Like he was sparring with Todhoh-sensei.

Kallen backed off per Tohdoh's orders to observe the Holy Swords moving down on the white knight. If they could buy her a moment to strike it would all be over.

Suzaku blocked frantically against the rhythmical attacks made against Lancelot. Despite this, Suzaku knew he had to escape quickly. If he was outnumbered this badly, his life was measured in minutes, if not less.

0.0.0

Euphemia had the wind knocked from her as her bodyguards tackled her. She heard a voice screaming in rage, and gunshots. Between the press of bodies she saw someone in a Knightmare survival suit rampaging in between the Black Knights. A flash of turquoise hair, a few seconds of shouting that sounded familiar.

"Bring me zero!" Jeremiah raged, punching an eleven so hard, he propelled the broken body fifteen feet away from him. Jeremiah paused to examine his fist, covered in a red liquid. Time seemed to be going much slower than it should have been. He released a swarm of damage-repairing nano-machines into his bloodstream with out thinking to.

"Orange-boy?" Jeremiah spun at the voice and charged it to face the offender angrily.

"I'm not Orange!" Jeremiah's biological eye blinked into the stunned face of Cornelia vi Britannia. "Your highness," Jeremiah noted, his charm oozing back into his tone. "I'm relieve to see you well." Jeremiah caught a bullet in his left hand intended for the Viceroy.

"I...likewise, I suppose," Cornelia stuttered. Jeremiah spun in place to see the Black Knights retreating. "The cowards," Cornelia declared. "Gottwald, I would appreciate your assistance in our escape." Guilford made a thoughtful noise.

"Where's Suzaku?" Euphemia asked, rising again.

0.0.0

Suzaku blocked three slashes from the black Knightmare that seemed to lead the squad. The sword strikes were executed perfectly. Any one could have cut Suzaku in half. The Eleven Knight instinctively dodged an incoming thrust.

"Wait, who's piloting that black Knightmare?" Suzaku aimed a high-kick at the enemy's head. It was blocked with the black Knightmare's arm.

(It's impossible,) the Knightmare declared through its loudspeakers. (Is that you, Suzaku?)

In the Guren, Kallen froze at the name. Suzaku? That was impossible, he was an Eleven. Why would he be piloting that white Knightmare? And then, 'And he's Lelouch's best friend.' If Suzaku and Lelouch were enemies...

0.0.0

Lelouch blinked as he watched a ten-year-old Suzaku knock a younger Lelouch down. His Zero costume was hot in the summer air at the old Kururugi mansion. None of the memories, and that was the only thing Lelouch could think they were, noticed him, or even saw him.

{Lelouch,} Charles zi Britannia greeted. Lelouch spun in his Zero costume to see his father walking towards him. Lelouch's Geass was glowing in a second.

{Die!} Lelouch ordered, opening his helmet latch.

{We are inside your mind, Lelouch. Thinking of killing me doesn't actually kill me,} Charles explained quickly. {Clearly this memory means a great deal to you, if this is the shape that it took for this dialogue we are enjoying. And that your first thought is to kill me must mean you still harbor great anger over you mother's death.}

{You know who killed her?} Lelouch asked. {Tell me who!} Charles looked at Lelouch, smirking. Lelouch realized he was still wearing his Zero costume.

{Can you see me clearly Lelouch?} Lelouch blinked in confusion. What did he mean? When Lelouch demanded answers, the Emperor continued. {Your form in this mind-scape is unclear to me. I can't see you as you are. Something is blurring your image.}

{As to your mother, it's too dangerous for you to know. But the responsible party will face justice in the next world.}

{What about Nunnally's justice?} Lelouch roared, still angry.

{Tell me,} Charles spoke, still calm, {What do you remember of the night of your Mother's death?} Lelouch blinked. Night. Just as Euphemia had said.

{What of it?} The prince smirked beneath his mask.

{You parrot your father like an insolent child. Answer the question my son.}

{"Son?" I loathe that your blood runs in my veins! I despise you, and everything you represent!} Charles simply smirked at Lelouch.

{Is that why you took up the power of Geass?} Lelouch recoiled. {Before you ask I have always known about Geass. That you have one of your own means you are much closer to your mother and I than you would care to admit. And without it you would have never touched this place.

{Geass is a connection. To your fellow man. Imposing your innermost wishes. But that power comes from the knowledge of that connection to begin with. You must have glimpsed of what I speak when you made your contract with C.}

Lelouch looked away. Suzaku and Lelouch were walking across a mass graveyard. He remembered this, having Nunnally riding his back, leading Suzaku through the remains of a war zone. Soon he'd swear his oath. He frowned contemplatively at Suzaku.

{Your friend,} Charles began gently. {He's important to you?}

{Like a brother I never had,} Lelouch admitted without thinking. He winced and removed his helmet. He glared back at Charles out of the corner of his eye. His father was only a little taller than Lelouch now. He seemed less powerful than when Lelouch had been small.

{I understand,} Charles admitted. His voice was still the stern baritone, no matter what emotion Lelouch could sense from him. {I too have a brother to whom I was close.} Charles focused his eyes on Lelouch. The same purple bored into the Prince's orbs. {You look strong and handsome without your mask. You have your beautiful mother to thank for that.} Back to seriousness, Charles's face hardened. {Our time is at an end, farewell, Lelouch.}

"I swear Suzaku, so help me, I will obliterate Britannia."

Lelouch's hand clenched into a fist as he remembered the true meaning of that oath.

Suza-

0.0.0

Suzaku ducked as the Gekka's chainsword cut the top off the cockpit pod.

Kallen sat back in the Guren's cockpit as Suzaku's brown hair and determined face appeared in the drive pod. The white Knightmare that had almost killed her and Lelouch. Her mortal enemy...was her lover's closest friend. There was no way to deny it now.

"What are you doing in that Knightmare, Suzaku?" Tohdoh had opened his own Gekka's cockpit. Suzaku stood up as Tohdoh did.

"I'm in the Lancelot to serve the Japanese people!" Suzaku declared.

"By being the tool of their oppression?" Tohdoh countered angrily.

"With this Knightmare I will prove the worth of the Japanese people! When our people no longer rebel the Britannians will begin to improve the system!" Tohdoh almost scoffed.

"You would have us crawl on our knees for slack in the chains that the Britannians keep us in?!" Suzaku kept his composure solid.

Euphemia stopped in her tracks. She'd heard every word as Jeremiah escorted them from the factory. Cornelia tried to drag Euphie away, but Euphemia stopped to hear more.

"One thing is clear to me," Suzaku declared. "We won't win our freedom through mindless terrorism! Any results achieved with violence are worthless! We must make our changes within the system!" Suzaku's eyes widened as he saw Princess Euphemia watching him from behind Tohdoh.

"If you are serious, then you must continue down that path!" Suzaku blinked again at Tohdoh's words. "My unruly student, I wish you good fortune down your path!" Tohdoh tapped on the ear bud on the side of his head. "All Black Knights, fall back. This battle won't be settled today."

0.0.0

"I accept full responsibility, Zero," Tohdoh declared, seated in the Black Knight's headquarters vehicle. Kallen frowned as Zero paced around the small council-room.

"The Britannian forces took possession of Mount Fuji's resources," Diethard declared. "Kyoto's resources were siezed in the attempt. We're not quite back to square one, as Rakshata has been in communication with the Maharajah. More resources will be arriving."

'With Cornelia back in command we will never retake the initiative in our present state.' Zero huffed softly. 'We can't change what happened,' Zero finally declared resignedly. 'In the meantime we will have to scatter. Diethard, begin breaking up the Black Knights into cells. We'll continue with fighting crime in the meantime, build our public opinion. Tohdoh, I'd like to you to begin reaching out to the other resistance groups with Diethard's and Ohgi's help.'

"You're using me as a recruiter?" Tohdoh asked. Lelouch frowned inside his helmet.

'You involvement as Itskushima, miracle or not, still carries weight with the Japanese people. As the last of the JLF you also represent the strongest face to gather around. Zero is one face to rally the people. But it also helps to have a leader with a face people can believe in.'

"A wise move, very well," Tohdoh agreed. Zero walked from the meeting to his own office. Kallen followed quickly. When Kallen joined Zero in his office Lelouch made no comment.

'Yes Kallen? Was there something more to report?" Lelouch asked, taking off his mask mid-sentence. Kalen saw that he didn't seem different.

"What happened to you?" Lelouch didn't need to ask to know what Kallen meant. When he had awoken Ohgi had voiced a similar concern.

"I don't know," Lelouch admitted, brushing away a bit of sweat from his brow. "But I know that it felt like when I touched C on Narita. I believe I had a dream about my father, but I can't be certain that I didn't somehow actually communicate with the Emperor." Before Kallen could ask how, Lelouch spoke again.

"I'm not sure. Geass is a strange power involving psychic ability, a high-power form of hypnosis, or true mind to mind contact? After Mao I want to say the later. Perhaps it was the adrenaline of the situation, or the environment? Despite its widespread application most of the properties of Sakuradite aren't truly known."

"But you're alright?" Kallen asked. Lelouch blinked and gave a laugh as he sat down.

"Yes, perfectly back to normal," Lelouch affirmed cheerfully.

"Good," Kallen bit her lip. "Because there is something else. I asked Tohdoh not to report it, since I wanted to be the one to tell you." Lelouch jolted up, making Kallen fall on her rear.

"Are you pregnant?" Lelouch suddenly asked, worried.

"No!" Kallen shouted angrily. "God how would Tohdoh know if I was pregnant!?"

Knock knock. Lelouch glanced at the door.

"Go away!" Kallen shouted at the door.

'Fine you horny teenagers,' Tamaki grumbled back, his voice receding as he walked away.

"You really are a riot Lelouch scaring me like that!" Kallen admonished with growl.

"Then what is the report?" Lelouch demanded, eyes narrowing as he sat back in his chair.

"The white Knightmare. We identified it as the Lancelot. Direct from the pilot," Kallen reported efficiently. Lelouch raised an eyebrow. The Pilot? Tohdoh hadn't mentioned any captives. If this Lancelot was finally out of the picture the prince would have to reward him somehow.

"You captured the pilot?"

"No," Kallen corrected, avoiding eye contact. "The reason we retreated was Tohdoh knew the pilot personally and didn't want to harm him further.

"Because the pilot was Suzaku Kururugi."

Silence answered her. Lelouch was truly speechless.

Suzaku couldn't be the pilot. Because he was Lelouch's friend. The biggest obstacle he had yet faced, destroying every opportunity Lelouch created.

"Suzaku, I swear. So help me, I will obliterate Britannia," Lelouch repeated his oath. "For what they did to your home." Kallen's eyes went wide, despite not fully understanding. "That was my oath. Why I became Zero." Lelouch stood and stepped over to face the wall, his finger tips pressing into his forehead in thought.

"I always believed Nunnally deserved Suzaku as a brother more than me," Lelouch admitted to the room. "Jealously I tried to keep her to myself. I did want to protect Nunnally. That's always my desire, but I didn't want to destroy Britannia for that. My quarrel was with the murderer of my mother, who crippled Nunnally. But when Suzaku's home and country were destroyed around him I felt true anger."

Kallen's jaw dropped as the realization hit her.

'I'm sorry Kallen, but I can't defeat Britannia,' she remembered. 'Not that he had failed, but his reason to fight was walking away from him.'

"You rescued Suzaku the first thing," Kallen remembered aloud.

"I swore an oath," Lelouch continued. "I wouldn't let them execute my friend. But this, to find out he's tried to stop me at every encounter..."

Kallen saw Lelouch's shoulders trembling and moved to place a comforting hand.

"Lelouch," she started to speak, trying to think of something to comfort him.

Then she heard Lelouch's voice. It wasn't words. It was almost like...

Laughter.

Lelouch was laughing.

"I don't believe in destiny," Lelouch choked out between laughter. Uttering the word 'destiny' caused his laughter to increase even more. Lelouch spun and gripped her hand, grinning like an idiot as he tucked her close against him and wrapped her in his arms like they were dancing the waltz. Kallen held on as the prince began to twirl her around the room energetically.

"Well, my lover," the black prince declared to the red countess, "it seems my friend is on the wrong side. Together we may have to correct his judgment. As his friend I'll have to convince him of the true path to justice."

"And if he doesn't?" Kallen asked, smiling nervously into Lelouch's mad smile.

"Well, we'll see what dance destiny has planned for us," Lelouch declared. He stopped their waltz briefly. "Together?" The prince looked back at her, serious concern in his eyes. Her sapphire met his amethyst with a smile and an affirmative nod.

"Together."

0.0.0

Cornelia sighed as she was finally released from her bonds. The cowardly Black Knights had chosen to fall back rather than stay around and fight to their death. 'Weaklings,' she thought to herself. She sighed as she sat down in a upholstered chair. It was a small thing but you could learn to miss it.

"Euphemia you almost surrendered the whole area to a terrorist," Cornelia criticized.

"Sister," Euphemia said, still thoughtful. "I want to make an immediate press release."

"News of my capture would only serve to validate the Black Knights as a credible threat," Cornelia declared. "They're a bunch of weaklings who won't stand up for a true fight. It's like gripping sand. How distasteful."

"The reason they're a threat," Euphemia suddenly declared strongly, "is because we underestimate them and the Japanese people!" Cornelia sat up, suddenly feeling invigorated with rancor.

"Elevens!" Cornelia declared. "You've let your feelings for this Kururugi to cloud your judgment." More softly, she added. "We'll return you to the homeland immediately. You're clearly too soft to be an effective ruler here in Area Eleven."

"That's part of the reason the Black Knights are so effective. We trample on the numbers' civil liberties and freedoms and then we are angered that they rise up to attack us." Euphemia was holding herself like a queen and speaking like a ruler. Where had this girl before Cornelia been hiding?

"Sister," Euphemia added, speaking gently again. "You're a general, and that's why I always admired you, but general's have commanded this Area before, and that's what caused the numbers to rise up. We've tried to the rod, and now it's time to try the carrot. To that end I want you to go home to the Mainland, just for a little while.

"In the meantime, I want to increase the rights and freedoms of the Japanese. To that end, I am going to publicly announce my new personal Knight."

0.0.0

"Zero!" Diethard came bursting in. Lelouch was able to turn away long enough to get his mask on, Kallen backing against the wall. The reporter quickly grabbed the television remote from the desk. "The viceroy is making an announcement." The britannian flipped the television on and flipped to a news channel.

On screen, Euphemia stepped up to the podium.

'The Viceroy?' Lelouch asked, bemused.

(To the people of the former nation of Japan,) Euphemia began, (and to all Britannian citizens of Area Eleven, tonight I was made aware a cruel injustice against the people of this colony. The Japanese people, called Elevens have been placed under too many restrictive laws and regulations. To that end I will push through new laws that will allow the Elevens to refer to themselves as Japanese once again, and to give them equal rights to honorary Britannian Citizens.)

"Equal rights?" Kallen asked, not believing.

"The Emperor will never allow this to go on," Diethard declared, certainty flowing through him.

'Interesting,' Zero declared, placing a hand on the chin of his mask.

"What is?" the reporter asked.

(To that end goal, I will now announce the appointment of my personal Knight, Suzaku Kururugi, the pilot of the Lancelot.) Suzaku entered the stage, along with a picture on screen of Suzaku standing before the white Knightmare.

"What? An ele-Japanese Knight?" Diethard shouted, in shock.

(Additionally,) Lelouch's head tilted at this final declaration. (I would invite the Black Knights to join the Area Eleven government as a peace-keeping police force for this new Britannian Colony of Japan.)

"But...that's..." Diethard choked out, staggering.

'This game has just changed.' Zero finally declared, turning the television off. 'People will need to believe that this is only a symbolic gesture with no meaning. Otherwise our public opinion falls apart.' Kallen looked at Zero.

"No way! The Japanese will know that the Black Knights are their only way to freedom!" zero didn't look at her as Kallen said the words.

"Most of the Japanese people rely on the Britannian system of doing things now," Tohdoh corrected. "That their rights are being restored will raise questions if the Black Knights continue fighting Britannia. To a lot of people's view, we have won by achieving this. This Princess Euphemia is a genius. In one fell swoop she has made people believe there is no need for resistance."

"You mean if we don't join, then we'll be accused of being war-mongers," Diethard lamented, still staring at the blank television.

'Which means that our only savior in this instance is the Britannian Nobility that we fight against. If they refuse to support Euphemia in her approach to raise up the Elevens they'll go to the Emperor to replace her.' Lelouch smiled inside his helmet despite himself. 'Euphemia is insidious,' the exile thought to himself. 'Intentionally or not, she is the Black Knight's worst enemy in this moment.'

"And to top it all off," Kallen added, thoughtfully, "now the Japanese have a shining Knight to give them an ideal to strive towards. God this is why I hate Britannians." Kallen paused and blinked as Diethard and Zero stared at her. "Present company excluded I guess," she added nervously.

0.0.0

Charles sat in the Lion Throne of Britannia in silent thought. Lelouch was alive. Privately Charles was overjoyed at the fact, though he could never show it. With a Geass power as well. Finally an ally that V wouldn't detect.

He would have revenge for Marianne, at last. Eleven years of smiling at the slayer of his beloved. Always prevented from acting by his supposed "loyalty."

A light entered the dark throne room. Schneizel walked towards Charles. The Emperor kept his face impassive through decades of practice. When Schneizel finally knelt, Charles deigned to speak.

"Do you think me a fool, boy?" Schneizel showed no reaction if there was any.

"Father?" The golden prince replied, his eyes opening to gaze up at the Emperor.

"Your gathering of resources in South America? These so called 'Flight tests'?" Schneizel didn't wince, though a hint of a frown could have dragged at the corner of his mouth. Charles nearly growled at even this showing of weakness.

"Well as it turns out I have use for you and your contraptions," Charles continued. "You will go to Area Eleven and investigate for signs of Lelouch and Nunnally." This brought a surprised jolt form Schneizel. "I've just received evidence that your brother may be alive."

"But Cornelia is already in Area Eleven, surely she would be better suited to finding Lelouch and Nunnally." Charles wasn't even fazed by Schneizel's defense.

"Are you disobeying my orders?" Charles's tone made Schneizel wary. None of the Imperial Children had been killed or 'disappeared' before, but Schneizel still had a few suspicions about the various younger siblings and cousins.

"Then by your order I will leave immediately," Schneizel acquiesced.

0.0.0

A light clicked on as Lelouch entered his room. C stared at him as his eyes adjusted. He cast the witch a dirty glare and slid his red leather jacket from his arms.

"Anything eventful happen?" C asked coyly.

"Perhaps," Lelouch conceded. He spun and tossed his coat to the side.

"Lasciate ogne speranza yoi ch'intrate," Lelouch said slowly.

"Do you know what those words mean?" C countered.

"They're from Dante's Inferno. About a man going to the underworld to retrieve his beloved. Those words sit above the entrance to Hell." Lelouch said. His face was hard, an angry expression burning into the enigma's yellow orbs.

"And you didn't believe in religion," C joked sitting on Lelouch's bed. "Do those words mean anything to you?"

"I saw something," Lelouch accused. "I saw it before on Narita, and before that when we made our contract. But this was even more intense. It was enough to make me black out."

"You fainted," C accused quickly. "Don't try to be manly Lelouch it's a a cheap suit on you." Lelouch gritted his teeth. He brought his Geass forth almost by instinct, but then remembered it wouldn't affect the witch.

"It's only in one of your eyes," C noted examining his left eye for an extended moment.

"When I touched the collective unconscious it was in both-" Lelouch blinked at his own words. Collective Unconscious. Lelouch's mind was blank to any meaning to those words.

"You did touch something with your mind. You're lucky. You seem to have erased all of the knowledge from your mind to stop from going mad. You definitely weren't ready to know about it." Lelouch recoiled as C spoke.

"Then I'll develop even more? I'll learn more about what that thing was?" C's mouth opened in thought as Lelouch finished. She put a finger to her chin for a moment.

"I suppose you could say that," C decided. "As I can't see the future I can't say for certain. Geass is caused by someone being made aware of the collective. So as your Geass grows so will your awareness of the connection, though only on a subconscious level."

"Is that why Mao was the way he was?" C frowned at Lelouch.

"That's a bit too personal. Anyway you're home and should get some rest." With that C began to remove her outfit and curl the blankets around her. "I left a spare pillow in the closet with a blanket." Lelouch glared as she spun over and began to sleep.