Vivian was certain she was fond of this school known as Ashford Academy. There were so many people here in all shapes and sizes and personalities and it was almost overwhelming for her at the start. The teacher's here were nice and there were a lot of clubs here that are involved in different things that she wouldn't even know where to join.

She along with Lelouch are in the middle school section along with someone named Milly that Lelouch knew from back in the place called 'Britannia'. A place of learning was something this spirit could enjoy as she was grateful Leon took her to this world.

Her old world was collasping; time was unravelling with space being unstable, and everyone nearby was already dead. She was the last of her kind until Leon found her and took her world to world while he sold his wares, trying to find her a place to call home with others like her. It was a nice thing the older man did for her but she did not want to burden him for his generosity. But she did not know how to repay such a favor just yet.

Then there was the boy who gave her a name, Lelouch, a forsaken prince of his homeland forced into hiding. He lost everything except for his sister whom was crippled and blinded and had to do everything in taking care of her. Even with the maid Sayako to aid him, he spent a great deal of his time taking care of the girl named Nunnally.

She heard about it being one of the four aspects of love, the love of one's family.

Leon was a chatterbox, always telling odd things ranging from his days of mischeif to dangerous battles. But sometimes he would explain some of the things that make the humans human. Love was one of these emotions and feelings that are a major force in some of changes in human history as he would say it. She was a young Undine so she does not fully comprehend it, but seeing an older brother care for his younger sister taught her family love.

Maybe one day, Lelouch could teach her more things during her stay...

*Lelouch*

If there was one thing Lelouch is known for is being cautious and paranoid. When he became a Cypher he did not know all the details of what it entailed and the entity he contracted with was very evasive with information. So he had one choice but resort into asking Leon whom was happy to indulge.

"Yeah that sounds like him alright, prick on details that is." Leon mused with a hearty laugh as Lelouch could feel the entity's annoyance at the rogue for that remark. "Coming back from the dead. Heh, not exactly what it seems." he let loose a tired smile for what came next.

"When you die, you're sent to a different timeline to be born again as the person you were in your first life. Once that's done, depending on your actions in your previous life either that timeline remains and goes forward or is erased completely along with the people in it." Leon explained as Lelouch felt his blood run cold at the statement. If he died without making some sort of impact...Nunnally and the others he knew would cease to be while he got away scott-free? What kind of system was that?!

Leon saw the outrage in the forsaken prince and held up a hand, "It's not us Cyphers that decide it, but the Multiverse's will. If mankind was to enter a path that was too peaceful or utter ruin in their futures they are to be culled right off the bat. Progress must be made or else everything collapses on a multi-dimensional level that would make us all cease to be."

"Then us Cyphers are the ones to make sure either paths do not come to pass or else face permanet extinction correct?" Lelouch stated as Leon looked amused of how right on the mark he was.

"That's right kid, your choices will decide either this timeline lives or dies before you move on to the next one with its own new alterations and continue your story there." Leon told him as he took a seat and began inspecting the frame of the revolver he was working on. "Our world's timelines are linked to a 'world tree' of sorts. Each branch is a different timeline depending on one crucial moment where one's decision alters history. Like for example your pops did seek justice for your mum's death like you sought. What would happen?"

"...Then I wouldn't have been sent to Japan and met Suzaku because I would have remained in Britannia." Lelouch realized as his mind was running numerous scenarios in his head. Every choice he made would affect how history played out due to his nature as a Cypher. He realized this 'tree of possibilities' was great and numerous for him, the trunk being the 'main timeline' while the branches that have sprouted from it are different possibilities leading to different endings.

One could be where he and Nunnally were found and returned to Britannia, another being that Nunnally could (he prayed one path does exist) recover from her injuries and be able to walk again to name a few examples. But there was a problem, when will these new possible branches sprout and how? He must have asked the question out loud as Leon was snickering.

"Kid, your branches won't sprout until the key event that starts your fight against Britannia appears. How do I know? It's a Cypher secret!" the man teased with a twinkle in his eye and a wink. Lelouch was already starting to hate how people know something he doesn't and it irks him to no end. But it seems to be a prelude at the moment, enough time for him to hone his powers and get his rebellion ready against Britannia.

Speaking of preparations..."Leon, what do you use this 'bio energy' I collect for you for?" the prince asked as Leon paused from his inspection and looked at Lelouch. "Oh, just a few odds and ends with experimentation while the rest go to some group that wants it all. I want to see if exposure to enough bio-energy can change the elements of things if there was too much of it. A science experiment that proved to be true. See this gun frame?" Leon explained as he held the frame of the revolver he was working on, and Lelouch felt something was off with the metal.

"This was once regular iron in the dirt, once exposed to a powerful amount of bio-energy its structure and properties were altered and gained some new surprises once refined into steel. Makes it more durable, stronger, sharper for warriors looking for a good weapon. For the guys that fancy magic and rich folk kind of thing, they'd use it to craft Royal Gems." the man sighed in recollection.

"Royal...gems?" Lelouch asked with a raised brow. "Meh, just gemstones exposed to bio-energy that altered them into something more than fancy decorations. I'd avoid those, greed and vanity at the worst." Leon grimanced as Lelouch nodded his head and left it at that. From the looks of it, Leon had seen utter hell and let him shell-shocked. It's best not to drag up bad memories and move on from there.

Best change the subject, "So using lightning, is that basic for a Cypher?" Lelouch asked as Leon blinked at looked at the kid like he grew a second head.

"Kid, you're a First Generation aren't you." Leon stated as Lelouch tilted his young head to the side in clueless innocence. "Hot damn, you really are First Generation Cypher..." Leon swore as he pushed his hair back in exasperation as he sat down. "Now where do I begin..." the man muttered as he gave Lelouch a look. This was going to take some time explaining to a junior the basics and mechanics of being a Cypher, he just knew it.

*Cypher's Domain*

"This Leon guy is in this part of the Multiverse correct?" A woman asked, gesturing to a complex map that was beyond human comprehension as a single beeping dot was on a peculiar spot as a man walked beside her with a file in hand. "Yes, he and his illegal goods are there. But he's been busy selling bio energy to those whackjobs back home in the research division. Results came in." he told her while handing it to her as she read through it.

"...So, a personal pocket dimension can be crafted. Our research from our battle with that Uzumaki yielded quite the boon for our people." she mused as the man pushed his glasses back. "Madame, comparing the pocket dimension to that realm is like comparing a yen to a gold bar. With all our coffers now empty, we can't do more research on the matter." the secretary explained as the woman rolled her eyes.

"Show them the results, and pursuade them into giving us a limited budget to test this pocket dimension out. If we're lucky we can then recreate his realm to our own advantage." the woman ordered as the secretary saluted and ran off.

Cypher Marrybel mel Britannia gazed upon the map once more, a sense of nostalgia entering her as she realized where the rouge was currently hiding out at before realizing only that Leon recruits Cyphers to harvest bio energy for his buisness and so far only four Cyphers in Area 11 across several thousand timelines have not been found with only one possible person be willing to work with things involving the man and the demons he summons.

She picked up the phone near the desk beside her and began quickly dialing a certain number to a certain Cypher. "Hello, Nunnally here." the gentle voice at the end spoke up.

"Hello Nunna, I think I've found Cypher Lelouch." Marrybell explained quickly. Needless to say things back in that version of Area 11 won't be the same in a few years time.

*Area 11*

Lelouch sat at the edge of the tub as Vivian dressed in a school swimsuit traced her water soaked hands over the prince's injuries from his latest game of Gambit as the wounds were healed in that instant. "I'm sorry for making you do this everytime I fight Vivian. It's not fair to make you do this when you should be having fun." Lelouch apologized.

"It's nothing Lelouch..." Vivian told him in a soft voice, one that had a gentle soothing effect to any that listen to her. "You've given me a name...and a home with new experiences...Least I can do for you." she told him shyly. This had been a daily ritual for the both of them whenever Lelouch does Leon's Gambit matches and coming home injured. Vivian uses her magic and water to heal Lelouch as he prepares to bathe himself. It was awkward at first but then became a bit calmer over the time spent together for these moments.

Vivian still had problems with talking even with Lelouch's hard efforts of tutoring but she's been getting better at it along with socializing with people around her age. But if she were to be honest, she would rather be by Lelouch's side (which is translated to being in the same room with him at most) as she felt safer near him that even the nicest person in the classroom.

Especially when it came to boys walking up and trying to talk with her for some reason.

It seems the young Undine still has a lot to learn about human nature, including those of boys and their attraction to girls. But that can be another story for another time.

"Lelouch...What did you want from Leon?" Vivian asked, taking note of his late night sketches of some sort of battle gear she could not understand. Then again, she didn't have much of an education at first to know even what goes on in her friend's mind half of the time.

"...It's..." Lelouch began trying to come up with an excuse. But with the innocent look on Vivian's face made it hard to lie to her and just gave her the truth. "I'm asking him to help me make armor." he admitted as Vivian blinked at that.

"You mean like those old sentai shows you've watched on old Japanese channels?" she asked as Lelouch sputtered and his cheeks turned red in embarrassment at the question. Little known fact about Lelouch's youth was that he was impressionable, and the old sentai shows got him doing the poses and such when he was younger; a dark and troubled past that best be forgotten ye who enter.

"Y-Yeah, an armor like in the sentai series..." Lelouch stammered, still caught off guard by Vivian's innocent yet armor-piercing question about something he dares not share with others-especially Milly. "It's to keep me alive in the future when I begin my fight against Britannia. Can't fight unprotected." he explained as Vivian rested her head on his shoulder.

The Undine was troubled by it, as she could not think of Lelouch waging battles against his own people, possibly even other kin. "Will you...kill kin?" she asked as Lelouch's lips thinned as he pressed them together. He resolved himself to do this not just for Nunnally's sake, but for the people of the here and now that would be erased if there future was denied to them.

"If only necessary Vivian. I have fond memories of some of my siblings, but I know some are too cruel to be left alive to do what they're doing." he answered honestly as he recalled Clovis, Euphemia and Cornelia, Marrybell and a few others amongst the royal family. He wondered how much had changed for them over the years as Cornelia was a general leading the warfront while Schniezel was busy playing politics as Prime Minister while Clovis was Viceroy of Area 11. Nothing about the others since they have probably yet made their debut to the public yet.

He wondered, would those siblings still care for him and Nunnally after all of these years or will everything be different after all these years? He was Cypher now, and he will walk a sad lonely path with only memories left of them. He closed his eyes as Vivian began singing a tune next to him and embrace the soothing aria as his aches and pains were fading under the ripples of a placid lake.

*Leon*

"Damn this kid's collection of bio energy is massive, and these components-whoo!" Leon grinned as he examined the tank of bio energy Lelouch had collected as numerous claws, horns, teeth and hearts of demons were lying on a table before him. He heard of Lelouch's most absurd request and was happy to oblige the kid with it, for he wanted armor crafted. ARMOR!

Now that was one hell of a project to give this Rogue that's for sure! But there was one problem...Leon specialized in classic old fashioned revolvers with a supernatural flair to them and not armor. No, that belonged to the forgers known as the Smithsonians-race of humans that evolved to craft as their purpose.

Luckily this sly fox has a few friends from those fellows that owe him big time and Leon grinned as he picked up an unusual communication device and activated it. "Hello Monty, you remember me?" he asked as he looked over the rough sketches on the table belonging to Lelouch's ideal armor. "Remember that favor you guys owed me? I'd like to cash it in for a special customer of mine."