"What rises must fall, it is something I have kept in the back of my mind my entire life, whether it be a man or an empire, a great rise comes before a fall. I will simply never stop rising until even a fall cannot effect me."
Alexander Andreas Gustavos Di Britannia
…
"So Lelouch what were you doing instead of gambling?" Rivalz wiggled his eyebrows behind his helmet suggestively. "Did you fall in love or something?"
"Unfortunately not, I have been doing some things to set myself and Nunnally up after school, I can't speak too much about it..."
"Illegal, understood, not getting involved with that."
"Glad to see you have a good sense of self preservation." Lelouch chuckled as he leant back in the sidecar of Rivalz motorbike, the previous chess match had been underwhelming and rather boring in truth, but at least it provided 100.000 pounds to his efforts. Clovis's speech was the by far more annoying thing however, the pompous man had no skill to back up his arrogance. Alexander had the same over the top manner, but at least the bloody Lion had the skill to back it up, as much as it pained him to admit it.
"Whoah!" Rivalz cry alerted him to the large truck about to rear end them, he clutched tightly to his seat as Rivalz slammed on the brakes in reflex, the truck flying off of the highway and into a nearby construction site. Rivalz stopped the bike and Lelouch instantly knew that its transmission was dead and would need replacement, he had been picking up more and more about the workings of machines ever since he was forced to assist in the construction of his frame.
"Fuck, looks like we got the best of it, that crash looks rough." He commented as he looked to the crashed truck, mentally recalling all his network had dug up the past few days that could connect this truck to any know resistance activity, no cell with more than a hundred was planning any operation within the settlement as far as he was aware. "I'm going to check it out."
….
The truck was damaged but surprisingly still had its engines on, when he got closer he noticed the heavy plating that it was made from, military grade, something was up with this. He climbed the ladder on its outside as he ignored the taunting off the surrounding crowds, noting the strange feeling at the back of his mind as he climbed in, hiding behind a large container as the truck began to move once more.
"VTOL behind us!" A male voice calls from the front of the truck, the previously mentioned vehicle swerving to avoid what sounded like machinegun fire, frowning Lelouch reached for his phone, ready to call Sayoko so she could bail him out of this.
"Should we set it off here?" That caused him to pause for a moment, what had they taken. "It could end it here and now."
"That would be a bloodbath and you know it, I will deal with them, its why Naoto had me be here in the first place." The female voice that answers is firm and just the slightest bit familiar, the door to the front of the truck opens as a girl, no older then him walks to the back of the truck, from his hiding place he saw her spiked up red hair, blue eyes and focused expression. He then finally noticed the Knightmare stored in the back of the truck, hidden underneath a large cloth that made it look like a simple pile of mechanical equipment, the rebels have a Glasgow. "You know what a monster like this can do!"
Her shout was broadcasted over the speakers of the Knightmare as it launched itself out the back of the truck, firing its slash harkens into a pair of VTOL's before the truck's back closed again. Right as he wanted to call Sayoko to finally get out of the problem his curiosity had created for him, the truck entered into the underground tunnels, cursing himself for not realizing their likely escape path from here, now he would not be able to contact anyone until he got to the surface again.
It seemed he was along for the ride with the terrorists, for now at least, he noted that girl had dropped something, a communicator, he picked it up, something he could maybe use later.
….
The truck came to a sudden stop after nearly half an hour of driving through the tunnels, seemingly crashing over nothing, Lelouch crawled back to his feet after being thrown across the back of the truck. The side panel had been thrown open by the seemingly random crash, shaking his head Lelouch looked at the now uncovered pod of something.
He came to the console on it, it was displaying Britannian text, because of course the stolen object was Britannian, he thumbed through the buttons atop it before he was interrupted by a flashlight shining into his eyes. The thing blinded him as he got ready to defend himself from the likely threat, an man wearing Britannian body armor entered his half blind vision, ready to tackle him, his training with Sayoko paying off as he just barely dodged out of the way.
It was in vain though as the man swiftly recovered, grabbing Lelouch by the arm and forcing him down despite his struggling, the man had some skill and far more raw strength then Lelouch found within himself.
"Get down terrorist! You shall do no further harm!"
"Terrorist, I am no Terrorist you fool! And harm, I have done no harm compared to what Britannia has done!"
"L-Lelouch?" The voice sounded strangely familiar to him now, as the soldier released him and removed his own helmet, the face of a Japanese man was revealed.
"Suzaku... its always something."
…..
"Clovis, why have you sent a request to mobilize the Purebloods." The tone my voice took made the question more a command than anything else, an answer or else sort of tone. Clovis cringed slightly at the words as he was want to do when anyone took an aggressive action to him. "They are your personal unit I know, but what threat requires them being fully mobilized?"
"A certain issue has arisen in the Ghetto's, several of my assets were stolen and I need to retrieve them, I am sure you understand Alexander, you did something similar when those prototypes of yours were stolen a few years back." Bastard, that was a moment of weakness and you know it! Little gets me to show real emotion other then something of mine being taken, what is mine is mine and no one will take from me and survive! "So Alexander, if there is nothing else I have things to do."
The bastard cut the line and I growled, the glass of whisky in my hand cracking at the pressure I was putting on it, I placed it down on the table slowly. Damned cunt, assfaced annoying ponce, fuckity, fuck, fuck.
…
The pods opening broke the argument he and Suzaku were having, the two of them looking on in utter confusion as a girl no older than them fell out, bound in a straightjacket her long green hair was ruffled and her tired looking yellow eyes were striking features. He just barely caught her before she hit the ground, he was amazed by how little she weighed, he was able to support her weight with ease, noting that she looked at him with a mix of confusion and recognition.
He was about to pull the gag out of her mouth before he noticed something more important, flashlights in another tunnel and small flashes of red uniforms between flashlights. Royal guard, this was bad, he once more lamented the fact that he had no reception underground, as Sayoko's aid seemed more and more important.
He was about to sprint for it with the girl in his arms, until he saw Suzaku walk towards the guards, he could not hear the words they exchanged, but he most certainly saw the moment the royal guard pulled his pistol and shot his old friend straight in the back. Resisting the urge to scream he began to run, slinging the woman over his shoulder like a particularly light sack of potatoes, grateful for the exercise he had been forcing himself through, at Sayoko's stern instance of course, it was part of the deal they made after all.
The explosion that threw him off of his feet was less then pleasant, as was the girl that crashed on top of him, bashing his head with her elbows, at least he could take hope in the fact that some of the Royal guard had likely died in the blast. Picking himself up and taking the girl over his shoulder once more he put his all into running as far away, as fast as possible, he had to get to the surface, he had to contact Sayoko.
…..
"This is bad, no safe way up, no way of communicating with anyone other than terrorist while underground..." Lelouch paused, thinking it over, if he were to escape he had to do something that would not be expected, something that could not be foreseen. "I don't suppose you have any suggestions?"
"Mhhpf." Oh right, he may have forgotten about the gag, he was far away from the exploded truck now, so he supposed a moments pause could not hurt. Stopping and realising now how tired he was from all the running he gently lowered the girl to the ground, swiftly removing her gag and beginning to work on the bindings strapping her arms and legs together.
"Finally." The girls tone was firm and annoyed, her voice flat and emotionless, he felt his eyes brows raise in surprise, he had not expected her to respond as such, as if she barely cared about what was happening beyond being freed from her bonds. "Its about time, boy, I was getting cramps."
"I would have thought a thank you was in order." He responded dryly, annoyed at the girls tone and dismissive attitude. "I did save you from whatever was being done to you after all."
"All you have done is run and hide boy, not much of a saviour really." Her words made his eyebrows twitch in irritation that could usually only be brought out by Milly's shenanigans, he had no idea what made her so annoying. Maybe it was because he was used to most girls fawning over him, even though he did nothing but ignore them. "Though as to your question I have nothing to offer in terms of advice, I do not know the surrounding area at all."
"Plan B then, head for the surface and hope nobody is there waiting for us, if I can get a connection I can call some allies to bail us out." He knew that he should probably not be speaking about this, but something told me that this girl would never speak about this to another soul.
"But getting to a safe location will be difficult yes?" the girl stood from her seated position on the floor, as she stretched he noted that she was just a few inches shorter then him, she pulled her hair back over her shoulders, the tangled mess of green falling behind her back. "I suppose you have a plan?"
"I do, the risks are great and the reward minimal on its own."
"Yet it is your only chance at victory."
"Yes, as such I must take it, with all I have." As he began to walk towards where he suspected the nearest entrance to be, he heard the girl mutter in a surprising tone of interest.
"How interesting."
…
Lelouch felt the sun strike across his face, a pleasant warmth despite the situation he was in, the two of them cautiously came into what looked like a ruined warehouse, he had pulled the small pistol he kept on him as he heard a few muffled gunshots above. The muffled voices of what were at least a few people rang out next, he was about to lean out to take a shot at one of them when the girl put an hand on his.
"I have another option for you Lelouch." He did not recall telling her his name, but he chose to listen to her before asking, this was not the time for that discussion. "I would like to make a contract."
"A contract?"
"Yes, I will grant you power, the ability to do much more than any normal human ever can or will, the power of a king will make you great, but it comes at a cost. The Power of the King will make you lonely in the world, it's both great and terrible, for it always ends in tragedy, in exchange for this power I require you to fulfil my one wish."
"And this power will help me achieve my goals?"
"Yes, the power will shape to your needs and desires." The woman looked him in the eyes, her yellow locked his purple in a trance, she seemed satisfied with what she saw, for she continued. "Do you accept the contract?"
"I do."
With those two words the girl leaned in and kissed him, before he could jump back in surprise his mind was swept up in a strange vision, he saw a great planet in the skies, a ruined temple floating, the shape of his father, laughing loudly at a great sword in the distance. He saw a great golden lion battling a blood red dragon an inexplicable smile on its mug, they were surrounded by thousands of black eyes floating in blood, he saw the girl besides him laying covered in blood on a cracked stone floor, reaching up towards him, he saw his sister standing with her eyes open, glaring at a horned man on a throne. He witnessed four great beasts dancing in the skies, battling with sounds loud enough to distort the air. Yet despite all of that, one thing stood out, he saw a shadow that covered it all, its shape undefinable but always there, watching, like it was enjoying a movie it itself had written.
His left eye burned as if it was lit on fire, as the visions faded and the images he had seen left his mind as quick as they came he knew instantly what he could do now, knew the power he had gained eclipsed all he had ever had before. He stood tall as the girl smirked beside him, still hiding behind the wall, he drew himself to his full height and walked confidently towards the sound of voices.
"What is this, a schoolboy? How strange, I suppose we will have to get ri-"
"Obey." His tone was firm, his voice echoing with more power than he ever thought a single word could have. His eye burned as the Royal guard stiffened, their eyes shining for a brief second in red and purple light before the pain faded.
"Yes your majesty!"
"All of you except the commander, kill yourselves." The men obeyed without hesitation, taking their firearms and ending their lives with the pulling of a trigger. The commander looked at him in adoration, a stark contrast to the anger and repulsion on his face before. The girl placed a hand on his shoulder in a surprisingly comforting motion, she slowly stepped around, circling him annoyingly. "I need information, what is Clovis doing, how are his forces spread out?"
"The Pureblood battalion has surrounded the ghetto, your great imperial majesty, the vile Clovis has left command of the extermination to his favoured general, a man of little skill in truth, great one."
"End you miserable existence."
"Yes my lord!"
Ignoring the splatter of blood across his face Lelouch and the girl moved away from the warehouse, staying there would have been a bad idea, he finally got a signal at the top of a nearby apartment building the Britannian's had already cleared. The girl had followed behind him silently the entire time, clearly contemplating something, he knew he could trust her, the power he gained made it clear that she was able to aid him greatly.
…
"B-1, are you free to speak?"
"I don't know if we have that in stock my lord, I will check right away." The code phrase made her exact location clear to the man she had sworn her loyalty to, they were things they had practiced a thousand times over. Walking out of the room where the Mistress was quietly enjoying her tea she locked the storage room door behind her, before speaking the next code.
"Yes we are quite out, do you want me to put it on the list."
"All clear then Sayoko, good, I need you to deliver the Shogun to the coordinates I sent you, bring the Shinobi too, use the throw away truck if you have too but make it fast."
"Understood, am I to assume the time has come."
"You may."
Her smile did not fade the entire trip towards the base after leaving Nunally in the care of her tutor of the day, the bases seven stage entrance was a pain to go through, but it was as secure as could be, her master had need of her quickly however, so she loaded the required machines into the explosive rigged one off truck and made it into one of the many intertwined and strangely connected subway tunnels.
….
"So now that she is underway, what are you going to do, just wait until you can escape?" the girl asked besides him as he had hung up the phone, confident that his knight was to arrive within a few minutes, the underground base being surprisingly close to the Ghetto he found himself in. The girl made a point however, he could not simply just remain here and do nothing, not when the Britannian's could finish off the terrorist at any moment, making his escape difficult, but was escape even his goal anymore?
Could he win. It was a question he had asked himself before he played every match since his embarrassing losses against Alexander and Schneizel all those years ago. What would happen if he were to try, the answer had always been yes since then, and it was the same here, if he could win, he will win.
"No I will not, I think it's time to call in another favour." He took his phone out once again, pushing in the memorized numbers with ease. "TIM, I am calling in that favour."
"You are?" the annoying cigar smoking fuck answered in a familiar drawling tone. "And what would it be?"
"I need you to divert a train to my location."
…..
"Death is something that has been on my mind lately, not what happens after it of course, for I am sure about that, no I am stuck thinking about what happens to the world you leave behind."
Alexander Andreas Gustavos Di Britannia