Ch. 4: Darkening Skies
12:45 PM , Shimonoseki Station, June 26th, 1918
When the steam locomotive came to a screeching halt at the train station, Lelouch immediately woke up to a loud whistle. He exited the passenger car and casually walked across the platform of the station.
Once outside of the station, Lelouch looked on the map he found on the train to see where the ferry service was located. He eventually spotted the ferries on the map and started to walk there.
"This worker's cap and jacket is really helping me blend in with the general crowd." thought Lelouch.
Once he arrived at the pier, Lelouch could see that the water was filled with small sailboats and large steamships.
Lelouch eventually found the ferries that crossed the Tsushima Strait. He approached the man working behind the ticket booth and asked for one ticket to Busan, Chōsen.
Since the ferry didn't leave for another hour, Lelouch decided to get a bite to eat at a nearby café. He also decided to buy the daily newspaper to see what else was going on in the world around him.
"Hmmm. Nothing substantially different. Russia is still in chaos due to the fighting between the Bolsheviks and the counterrevolutionary Whites. The war in Europe is starting to show some progress for the Allied forces. And Japan is still monitoring their occupation of the German concession in the Chinese port city of Tsingtao." Lelouch thought as he read the paper.
An hour later, Lelouch went back to the pier and boarded the ferry. While waiting on the ferry, Lelouch heard a loud foghorn nearby. Suddenly the steam started to be churned out of the smokestack and the ferry started to move.
Once the ferry was out on the open waters, Lelouch sat on a bench on the deck of the ship and just viewed his surroundings. The only thing that could be seen from the ferry was water and maybe some land in the distance. He looked up and saw the sky was clear blue, with patches of clouds dotting the sky.
As Lelouch felt the cold wind hitting his face, he thought to himself about those he had left behind.
"Nunnally...C.C...Kallen...The Black Knights..." thought Lelouch. "I really miss them. That is why I must find my way out of this world. There is simply too much on the line. The Black Knights need Zero to lead them against Britannia, therefore creating a peaceful world for Nunnally."
Once the ferry arrived at Busan, Lelouch exited the boat and planned his next phase of the plan.
"All I have to do is to find the nearest train station and hopefully find a line that will lead to Harbin, China." thought Lelouch.
Realizing he was low on money, Lelouch did the same trick he did in Tokyo. He persuaded people to follow him a secluded area before removing his contact from his left eye. Lelouch quickly geassed the people who fell for his trap to give him most of the money they were carrying.
Now with more money, Lelouch went to the Busan train station, where he bought a ticket to take him to the last station on the railroad line, Keijō. From there, Lelouch planned to board another railway line that headed northward to Manchuria, China.
As the train was heading from Busan to Keijō, Lelouch looked outside the window and noticed that he had left the urban area. Speeding pass him were many poor, rural communities along with acres of farmland. Rows of small stone houses with thatched roofs could be seen lining the various dirt roads.
Unlike the more urbanized areas Lelouch had seen so far, the rural communities seemed to show very little indication of having access to electricity or modern plumbing.
Lelouch also saw various farmers and their families walking through the streets. Even though it was just a quick glimpse, Lelouch could see that the people were wearing dirty, worn-out clothing. They were also carrying large bales of rice straw on their backs.
Some of the farmers appeared to be dumping half of their crops into a wagon guarded by what appeared to be the Japanese police.
However, the view of the small farming village disappeared as the train continued on its journey northward.
"That village...so simple...yet so dark..." Lelouch thought.
The sun then started to set, so Lelouch decided to pass some time by taking a small nap in his seat.
When Lelouch opened his eyes, he found himself once again in the foggy world from his "dream".
Suddenly an apparition-like figure started to manifest itself in front of Lelouch.
"What the? What are you? Who are you?" yelled Lelouch.
The apparition started to become clearer and more opaque until it became recognizable to Lelouch.
"C.C., is that you?!" yelled Lelouch. He tried to touch C.C., but his hand simply passed right through her.
"I am vision in your mind. But I'm afraid I don't have enough time to explain everything to you." said C.C. "I don't know how long I can maintain this connection between us since time in this realm flows at varying rates, but..."
"C.C.!" interrupted Lelouch. "I don't know what exactly happened to me. First I was in that explosion and then I find myself in some alternate world where the murder from that weird "dream" of mine actually occurred! Can you explain any of this?!"
C.C. was silent for a few seconds before answering Lelouch's question.
"I'm afraid I cannot give you definitive answers, only speculations." responded C.C.
"Speculations are good enough for me for now because the only thing I have to go is that murder I saw!" said Lelouch.
"Ok. First, I remember my Code activating immediately before the explosion occurred. It is possible that the quantum disturbances from the particle accelerator reacted with my Code, causing it to extend it's protection to you as well. The other issue though is another story. It proves my theory that similar consciousnesses can react with one another no matter the distance between them is correct." said C.C.
"Ok, ok." said Lelouch as he nodded his head up and down.
"However, the reason behind your presence in this new world could simply due to..." C.C. said before she started to fade away from existence.
"C.C.!" yelled Lelouch at the top of his lungs.
"Lelouch, listen! Time is limited so I'll just say this, it is possible that you were brought to this new world because it needed you. If you can manage to achieve what's needed to be done, then maybe you can return back to our own world" said C.C.
"That just doesn't exactly make sense!" yelled Lelouch.
"I know. But geass works with the mind, universe, and things beyond our understanding. It's the best solution I got but..." said the fading C.C. before her voice became inaudible.
Suddenly Lelouch opened his eyes and found himself laying against the passenger car's window. He looked outside and saw the moon hovering in the sky.
"Must've slept for a long time." thought Lelouch. "However, C.C., what exactly did you mean by being needed in this world?"
Author's Note: Sorry for the complicated ending. C.C. is basically saying Lelouch might possibly have to perform some task/goal for the universe (or some higher force/entity) in order for him to return back to his home world. C.C. though is merely making speculations and guesses based upon her knowledge of geass.
Next chapter will involve Lelouch finally witnessing the oppressive forces of the Imperial Japanese Empire first hand along with observing the people who resist their tyrannical rule.