Prologue

Lelouch vi Britannia: Origins

Aries Imperial Villa, Pendragon – Holy Empire of Britannia a.t.b 2009

Out of the many thoughts that ran past Lelouch vi Britannia's mind, there was one persistent thought.

Why?

Lelouch asked as he stood and watched as his mother and sister lay at the bottom of the stairs.

Why?

Blood pooled around them. His mother covered his sister with her body, blocking the bullets that would have penetrated her. And his sister lay under her, wide eyes staring in shock.

Why is this happening?

That question persisted throughout Lelouch's mind. He desperately wanted an answer to explain the sight before him.

Yet the universe provided him with no answer.

Throne Room, Pendragon – Holy Empire of Britannia a.t.b 2009

The large doors that lead into the Throne Room swang open.

"Announcing the 17th heir to the throne of Britannia, the Royal Prince, Lelouch vi Britannia!" A man's voice announces.

The child prince walked in and began walking towards his father, who sat on his throne. Various nobles were bowing towards the child in respect. However, that didn't stop their whispers.

"I heard that Empress Marianne was slain within the Britannian Palace."

"There's no way terrorists could have gotten in there."

"Which means that the real assassins must have been..."

"Shh. Quiet, lest you wish to regret those words."

"And yet the boy remains, even if his mother is dead."

"Doesn't matter. They're finished, along with the Ashford family that stood behind them."

"And the little sister?"

"I heard that she was shot in the legs."

"And that she lost her sight."

"Blindness caused by trauma."

"No difference. Now she can't even be married off for political gain."

Lelouch heard all this but didn't allow any of them to get to him. He was only here for one person in particular.

Lelouch finally reaches the throne and kneels. "Your Majesty, my mother, The empress is dead."

"Old news," The Emperor speaks without an ounce of emotion. "What of it?"

"What of it!?" Lelouch looks up at his father in shock.

"You dare request an audience with the Emperor just to tell me that?" Charles turned to the right, where his robed advisor stood. "Bring the next one in. I have no time to play with children.

"Father!" Lelouch rushed up the steps toward his father.

Two of the Emperor's Royal Guards quickly rushed to stop the boy's advance.

However, Charles raised his hand. The two guards immediately stop. "Yes, Your Majesty!" They stand on guard beside the Emperor.

"Why didn't you protect Mother!?" Lelouch demanded an answer from his father. "You're the Emperor. The most powerful man in this nation, if not the world. You should have protected her! Now you won't even visit Nunnally!"

"I have no use for that weakling." Again came the Emperor's cold response.

"Weakling?"

"That's what it means to royalty."

Lelouch trembles. Pure anger and frustration coursed through his veins. "Then I don't want to be your heir anymore. I renounce my claim to the throne!"

Gasps were heard throughout the throne room. A commotion began in the hall.

Lelouch ignored it and continued, "I'm sick of the fighting and sick of the scheming to see who will succeed you! I've had enough!"

"You are dead."

Before Lelouch could continue, his father's words struck him.

"You are dead. Dead from the moment you were born. Who gave you the fine clothes you wear? The warm comfort of a home? The food you eat? And your very life!? All these luxuries, I have given to you. In short, you are nothing to me because you have never existed! And yet, you dare to speak such foolishness to me!?" The Emperor stood and towered over Lelouch. The boy cried out in fright and fell on his back.

"Lelouch, you are dead. Therefore you are not entitled to any rights." Charles glared down at Lelouch. "I'm sending you and Nunnally to Japan. There, as prince and princess, you will serve well as political bargaining tools."

Hospital – Holy Empire of Britannia, 2009 a.t.b

Why?

Again the question rang throughout Lelouch's mind as he sat by his sister, Nunnally. There she slept on the hospital bed, sleeping so peacefully. He would say she was having a pleasant dream.

However, he gazes down at her hands. With how her hands are fidgeting, it's clear that the sleep she's experiencing was in no way pleasant.

Grabbing one of her hand and holding it to his face, Lelouch curses this world.

Why? Why were they suffer? What did they do wrong?

Why did Mother have to die?

Why did Nunnally have to suffer?

Why had their father abandoned them?

Yet again, no answer came forth. And in that absence grew a rage.

"Lelouch?"

He looks to his sister who was looking in his general direction. Gripping her hand tighter, Lelouch smiles and speaks, "It's okay, Nunnally. I'm here."

Nunnally furrows her eyebrows. "Where are we?"

"We're in the infirmary."

"Oh. Okay." After a moment of silence, Nunnally asks another question, "Big brother, why is it dark? And why is it hard to feel my legs?"

Lelouch froze. Should he lie? Spare her from any further pain? He takes a look at her face, which was facing again in his direction.

No.

He couldn't lie.

But he couldn't tell her everything. The memory of the incident is still fresh. No way in hell was he going to add further to her suffering.

So he told her the truth. About what to her eyes and legs. About Mother's passing. About their father sending both of them to Japan. All of it, as lightly as he could. Never sticking too much on one subject.

After he was done, another silence fell upon the two siblings.

"Lelouch?" Nunnally's other hand was placed on her brother's hands. "Can you stay here?"

Lelouch drew her hands to his face. "For as long as you want, Nunnally."

"Yes, please stay. Don't... don't leave me, please." Nunnally said, voice cracking.

Hearing this, Lelouch lets go of her hands and hugs her instead. "I'm never leaving, Nunnally. I'll always be with you." He whispers into her ear.

Nunnally bears her face into her brother's shoulder. Her quiet sobs prowled the room, heard only by Lelouch.

It was at that moment that Lelouch made a vow.

He would protect Nunnally. Whatever the cost.

Aries Imperial Villa, Pendragon – Holy Empire of Britannia

Weeks ago

"Mom!"

Lady Marianne vi Britannia looked up from the book she was reading.

She is the Empress-consort of the Holy Empire of Britannia. As well as an accomplished Knightmare pilot, managing to at a time become a Knight of the Round, an order of skilled knights who answer only to the Emperor. Skilled and fast was she, and she was often called by the public 'Marianne the Flash'.

However, as of now, she was just the wife to the Emperor and the mother of her two children.

Nunnally, her youngest child was running from her older brother, Lelouch who was behind. "Mom! Come play with us." Nunnally asks, reaching her mother.

Setting the book on the table beside her, Marianne asks, smiling, "Why? Getting tired of playing with Lelouch?"

Nunnally pouts. "It's no fun playing with him."

"You're only saying that because you lost to me." Lelouch comments once he arrives.

Turning to her brother, Nunnally pulls out her tongue, "That's because you want always play chess. I want to play something else now."

"Ok then. Tell me what you want to play." Lelouch crosses.

Nunnally hums, thinking until she finally got an idea. "Mom, can we go play with Euphie."

"You always want to play with Euphie." Lelouch points out.

"Only because you're boring." Nunnally turns back to her brother.

"I'm not boring."

"You are!"

"Am not!"

Marianne giggles at what happen in front of her. Ah, children. Truly the joy of this earth.

Standing up and making her way toward her children, she says, "Come on, children. There's no need for a fight." A thought came to mind. "I know. How about we all play a game that we can all like?" She proposes.

The two siblings look at each other before nodding. Nunnally asks her mother. "What game can we play?"

Marianne smiles.

That day the vi Britannians had the time of their lives. Just them and the villa. From tag to roleplay. Whatever it was, the family simply enjoyed themselves. Laughter was heard throughout that day.

Times were simpler back then. It seemed like those moments could go on forever.

But like all good things, they too must come to an end.

Japanese Airspace – Japan, 2009 a.t.b

Lelouch wakes up.

Rubbing his eyes and looking around, he sees Nunnally sitting next to him, squeezing his hand with hers. She was sleeping as well but judging by her expression, her sleep was not entirely peaceful.

Squeezing her hand back, Lelouch looks out the window next to him. They were on a plane en route to Japan. Publically, it was because they were studying there but behind the scenes, they were nothing more than political hostages. An illusion in which Britannia appears to be looking for diplomatic solutions to the growing tensions between the nations. But it's all just a bid to buy time.

Lelouch grits his teeth. No matter what happens, he would make sure that Nunnally remains safe.

One of the other occupants of the plane, an escort, came o them. "Soon, we'll be landing. Your Majestys."

Lelouch nods to him, before looking out to the window. Up here, he would admit that Japan was beautiful. He would like to hope that the beauty would reflect what is happening within the nation, but he's not that naïve. Not anymore.

Kururugi Shrine – Japan

Lelouch grunts as he takes another step.

Near the base of the stairs, the two siblings were getting escorted up to the shrine. They were going to meet the Prime Minister of Japan, Genbu Kururugi, at his home, The Kururugi Shrine.

Though he wished these stairs didn't exist. Why were they so long and high?

"Are you sure you're ok, big brother?" Nunnally is concerned by the sounds Lelouch was making. He seems to be struggling. They were walking up to the stairs which lead to the shrine. Well, Lelouch was walking while carrying Nunnally on his back.

"Ah, it's fine, Nunnally. I can handle it." Lelouch reassures. In all actuality, it was too much for a child like him to endure. But he would rather die than allow anyone else to hold Nunnally.

So steeling himself and enduring the strain on him, he continues up the stairs.

Kirihara Taizo stood staring at the entrance, cane in hand. Accompanying him was Kururugi Genbu, the patriarch of the Kururugi Clan, and two young children; a brown-haired, green-eyed boy and a girl with black hair and green eyes. These were Kururugi Suzaku, Genbu's son and Sumeragi Kaguya, Genbu's niece.

They were awaiting their guests. News was that two important individuals were coming to Japan. A Britannian prince and princess. Apparently, according to Britannia, they were sent here to study from abroad.

Taizo let out a weary sigh. With the current political climate, nothing could ever be that simple. He knows of the tension on the world stage. Britannia's territorial conquest hasn't earned many friends on the global stage. And with their eyes set on the Pacific, they are fears that they would soon try to conquer Japan.

He would be that surprised. Japan is home to the biggest source of Sakuradite ever found. And given Japan's lack of other natural resources and the ever-growing demand from multiple nations, it wouldn't be far-fetched to imagine Britannia deciding to just invade so they would no longer have the middleman between them and their desired resource.

And their neighbor, the Chinese Federation is much better. He was pretty sure that if they weren't having the internal problems that they were facing now, they would probably be as big of a threat as Britannia.

All in all, he didn't believe that these two royals were here just to study. His intuition is warning him that something might be amiss.

Well, looks like their guest has finally arrived.

Up the stairs, came a young boy and girl. The boy was carrying the girl on his back. The girl had her eyes closed. Blind, perhaps?

Judging by the exhaustion on the boy's face, it wasn't easy carrying her across the stairs. Which begs the question as to why he didn't just ask the escorts to help him.

Silence hang as the two groups looked at each other. The boy stared at them, his violet eyes showing a look no one his age should have. They stared back. Suzaku, the young boy glared at them. Looks like he doesn't like them being here. Kaguya on the other hand was grabbing the pants of her uncle. She seems to be wary of them. With Genbu just having an indifferent face.

After a time, the boy spoke first, "Hello, I am Lelouch vi Britannia and this is my sister, Nunnally." A pause, then with reluctance, "We are h-happy to make your acquaintance."

Hmm, looks like things at the Kururugi Shrine might turn out to be interesting.

Later

Lelouch stared in disbelief at the sight in front of him. There's no possible way that this was actually happening.

"Lelouch, how does it look like?" Nunnally asked innocently, seated in a wheelchair.

After their introduction, they were given the quarters that would be their home for the foreseeable future. However, when they had gotten there, Lelouch was less than pleased with what he saw.

It was a storehouse. An old one at that. Inside, it was big enough for the both of them, being around two stories but that doesn't change the fact that it was a dusty old shed.

"Well, Lelouch?"

With his sister, Lelouch could say one thing. "It looks wonderful, Nunnally."

There, hopeful that would be enough to-

"Oh, please describe to me." Nunnally clapped her hands excitedly.

"O-oh, uh. Okay."

Lelouch took a breath before looking inside again. "Well, it has walls as white as snow with flower patterns over them. There's even a picture window."

"Oh, so it's like Euphie's room, right?"

"Yeah, it's a little small but I think it will be enough for the both of us." This was of course, all false but what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Heck, for her he might make it a reality. Maybe tell her to wait while he cleans it up as best as he-

Seeing something in the shadows from the upper section of the storehouse, Lelouch shouts, surprising Nunnally, "Who's there!?"

Seeing no response, he calls out again, "Come out of there, whoever you are."

"Don't talk so big." A voice is heard. "This was my place before you guys even got here."

Coming down the stairs was the brown-haired boy who was glaring at them by the entrance.

"You Britannians have a lot of nerve, don't you?" The boy said as he reached them. "You're trying to colonize Japan now!?"

"Japan controls other nations too, you know?" Lelouch rebukes. "You just do it economically to underdeveloped nations?" Made all the more easier when you have a very sought-after resource.

"Um, well..." The boy looks caught off guard by this fact.

Lelouch lets out a smile. "In my eyes, Japan and Britannia aren't that much different."

"That's a lie!"

"It's not! Just go ask your father!"

"You're a liar! Why should I believe you when you lied about the walls being white as snow!?"

"Eh?" Nunnally lets out. Lelouch frowns.

"And where is this picture window in this storehouse!?"

"Stop it!"

Lelouch charges at the boy to stop him but the Japanese boy lands a gut punch, leaving Lelouch on the ground, breathless. Suddenly kicks begin to rain on the child.

"How do you like that, you stupid Brit?!" The boy shouts as he kicks him again. "Don't you ever insult us Japanese!"

"Stop it." Lelouch tries to get up but is quickly put down. "You barbarian."

Unable to continue hearing her brother's pained grunts, Nunnally shouts. "Please stop it! I don't know who you are but I'll do anything for you! Just please stop."

The boy stops and looks at the girl. His face softens as he examines the girl's condition probably. "You... Don't tell me... Are you blind?"

"Yes." Nunnally answers. "So please, don't worry about me. There isn't anything I can do."

She places her hands on her lap. "I can't run. I can't fight. So, please..."

He stares at her and then back to Lelouch, who was picking himself up. It was clear that he seemed conflicted with what was happening.

Then with guilt on his face and in his voice, he shouts, "I'm sorry!" He then proceeds to run outside.

Lelouch stares at the boy who was already far gone.

"Lelouch, are you okay? Please tell me you're alright?" Nunnally asks franticly.

"It's fine, Nunnally. He didn't hurt me that much." Lelouch reassures, trying to hide the pain from his voice.

"Who was that? It sounded like a boy."

"I think his name was Kururugi Suzaku. The Prime Minister's son."

It was that day that Lelouch meet Suzaku for the first time.

And against the odds, that boy would become Lelouch's first real friend.

Months later

"And... checkmate!" Lelouch proclaims, putting down his piece on the board. He leans back, grinning at his victory.

Sitting across him was Suzaku, pouting at the chessboard. He narrows his eyes before looking back at Lelouch. "Let's play another game."

Lelouch smiles. "Very well then. What do you want to do?"

Suzaku grins. "Kendo."

"No."

"Oh, come on!" Suzaku complains. "We played it your way. Now it's my turn. And I say we do kendo."

Lelouch scoffs. "You just chose that so that it will be easy for you to win."

"And you don't the same?" The Japanese boy crosses his arms.

"You have an unfair advantage in physical sports. While playing mental games like chess or shogi, in my opinion, is fairer."

"You just saying that so you don't have to exercise."

"Guys, come on. Please don't fight." Another voice interjects.

The boys turn to see Nunnally sitting by them in her wheelchair. She clapped her hands together. "I know! How about we do something we can all enjoy?"

The boys look at each other. That was a pretty good idea.

Lelouch smiles. "Fine then. We do your way, Nunnally."

Suzaku nods. "Right. What do you want us to do?"

Nunnally hums, putting a finger on her chin in thought.

Lelouch smiles. Well, if this wasn't a familiar sight.

Lelouch thinks back on the siblings' stay in Japan and recognizes that things have changed ever since they got here.

His and Suzaku's relationship is one example. They didn't have the best first impressions. But soon, they managed to get to know each other. And now, they were best friends.

And Lelouch wouldn't have any other way.

He had even met with the other occupants of this shrine.

Such as Sumeragi Kaguya. At first, his meeting with her was the same as Suzaku's in that, due to her attitude, he wasn't all that impressed by her at all. Then he proceeds to tell her so.

But after that meeting, she too changed as well. Huh, maybe his words had more of an impact than he imagined.

There were others to like Kyoshiro Tohdoh and Kirihara Taizo that he met.

He had the pleasure of learning many things whenever they met. From the culture to the social. There was a lot more to Japan than just what lay on the surface. Just like with Britannia.

With that thought, Lelouch let out a small frown. Bitter memories still plague him. Memories of what had happened to them in their homeland.

Why?

That question reared its head again and he still doesn't have an answer.

Why was his mother killed?

Why had their father abandoned them?

Why were they here?

He had yet to receive any answers.

Lelouch looks back to Nunnally and Suzaku. Nunnally with her beautiful bright smile and Suzaku's cheery nature.

He sighs before smiling again. Maybe he won't get all the answers he wants. However, that shouldn't stop him from enjoying what he still has.

He lets himself hope that maybe, with this, he can still salvage something.

You are dead.

Something worth living for.

Japenese Coast – Japan, 10 August 2010 a.t.b

It was a bright day this morning. Clear skies. Calm breeze. Warm weather. By all accounts, it was the perfect time to be outside.

Everyone was going about their daily routines.

The children were playing.

The workers were working.

And the elderly were relaxing.

Some people were even taking some time to enjoy the beach.

Suddenly a sound hum through the air. At first, no louder than a whisper. Some thought it was their imagination.

But the sound gradually got louder. Soon it becomes loud enough to people notice and wonder where it came from.

Soon, the source revealed itself. In the distance, off the ocean, people saw multiple dots in the sky. These were aircraft, lots of them. Some began to wonder if this was an airshow or a military exercise.

However, as the aircraft got closer, some were able to recognize these aircraft. Bombers and fighters filled the sky. And with the air raid sirens activating, an idea sunk into the minds of those who knew.

Those weren't Japanese aircraft.

They were Britannian.

Suddenly, from the many bombers came missiles. They flew and impacted, igniting a destructive firestorm. Many buildings laid destroyed, and many more lives were lost. Man or woman, children or elderly, it didn't matter.

None were spared.

With this fiery display of violence, it became clear as day what was happening. To those within the nation and throughout the world.

The Invasion of Japan has begun.

Unknown location – Japan, September 2009 a.t.b

A month later

Lelouch stared out at the horizon, its orange hue signaling that it was sunset.

A month.

A single month.

In that timeframe, Japan had been overwhelmed and conquered. Lelouch could still scarcely believe it. Yes, Japan is in no way a near-peer threat to Britannia, militarily. But he expected that the resistance would be very fierce. Not enough to win. But certainly enough to take a considerable amount of time to bring to heel.

Yet, the Knightmare Frames introduction changed that.

The new weapons were large humanoid machines. With the firepower of a tank yet with more agility than anything of that size should have.

With these, the Japanese military didn't stand a chance. Combined with the Prime Minister's suicide and surrender was an obvious decision.

The invasion had caused a stir back at the shrine. It was no longer safe to be there. Luckily he, Nunnally and Suzaku had managed to escape.

But along their journey, they saw it.

Large fields of corpses. Revolting stenches. The decay of ruined homes. The worst of humanity is on full display.

Death. Disease. Ruin. As they walked to whatever safe spaces remained, they saw the horrors of war. Its devastation.

They saw the truth of this cruel world.

There were times when Suzaku stopped to despair at what he saw. Lelouch had to keep him moving. He didn't want them here too long. Not only for his or Suzaku's sake but for Nunnally's as well.

After all, there were only so many excuses one could make about the terrible smell before they got suspicious.

Now here they stood. With Japanese soldiers in the background, looking at a large pyre.

Why?

Why is the world like this?

Why did people have to die?

Again, the question of 'why' came back to Lelouch's mind.

However, this time the rage he felt for a long time came back. Lelouch knows that it has never left him. It just laid dormant.

It's with this that Lelouch came to an epiphany.

This was a cruel yet beautiful world. This was a world where people as sweet as Nunnally existed, yet the worst of humanity also existed. He knew this from the moment his mother had died.

Yet, he can't accept it.

"I swear..."

His father, the Emperor.

Britannia, his homeland.

Even this world itself. Where the weak die and the strong live.

"Suzaku... on this, I swear..."

He won't accept it!

He'll tear them down.

He'll tear them all down!

Suzaku looks to Lelouch.

What Suzaku saw that day was something he knows he'll never forget. Even if years were to pass, he knew very well he'll never forget this.

"I'll obliterate Britannia!" Proclaimed the lost prince, violet eyes raging with blazing fury.

A/N: Wasn't too happy with the first attempt. Hope this is an improvement.