Note: In the future, this aside will be re-edited and include more content.
Aside 0.01 "LL"/A New Life, Lelouch
[Music: Code Geass: "Baked Words" Looped]
Above the sky, a cloaked, invisible airship flew by. The Menorah. Inside was a demon and a witch guarding a verifiable dragon's hoard. In the cargo hold of the carrier were priceless goods. The Royal Britannian Heirlooms and prized possessions of those who had dared defy the Demon Emperor were all gathered. Mirrors with a permanent shine. Accessories and dresses lined with crystals. Impeccable statues wearing authentic armor and weapons from Britannia's past. Even the containers were extremely valuable, made with intricate designs and exorbitant materials.
To the left was a statue of a French girl wearing an ancient set of white and blue armor. In one hand it held a pole with a French flag and a cross on the top of the shaft. The other hand, which wore a ring, held a permanently bloodied sword. Its golden handle resembled the sigil of wings...
To the right was the Statue of Saint Christopher. The elegant statue beautifully depicted Saint Christopher with a baby Jesus Christ upon his shoulder wearing a simple cross necklace. (The same one Lelouch wears later) The statue of Saint Christopher wielded a staff planted into the base. And at the base of the statue was a small crystal box with what appeared to be a large eerily glowing nail with a shining red gemstone upon it…
In another room, currency of all forms, some including ones long since retired, were all labeled and contained. And in the corner was a miniaturized printing press for more should they expire. And of course, the ship was also loaded with the two universal currencies. A rack of unlabeled gold bars and other precious metals lined the shelves of separate rooms in the cargo hold. The other rooms had been completely crammed with containers of the now scarce Sakuradite.
But the valuables were not just money and luxuries. In the hangers in the place of knightmares were top of the line parts for knightmare and ship repairs packed within crates. In the corner, a workshop with machines and stacks of alloys awaited. CC's Personal Knightmare, the green Lancelot Albion Frontier, awaited orders. To its side was an unfinished white and black Gawain.
The ship itself also had a state-of-the-art navigation system. Using a combination of the Druid System and a private, unlisted satellite; the ship was also capable of automatically piloting itself. Or, failing that, would be able to be piloted by a crew of one. And of course, the ship had installed Gefjun Disturbers to prevent radar detection and the GLASS Stealth system to ensure no prying eyes.
The interior of the ship was no less impressive. Silver and copper wiring lining the walls , mixed with white Schrötter Steel. It made for a very impressive, yet also practical design. Inside one small room was a library. Another had a large computer containing a high density of information.
Nothing less for a king of the world.
But despite all these luxuries, its passenger was quite unhappy.
Lelouch opened a large metallic door. Inside was a massive cold room contained massive amounts of pizza and pizza ingredients. Nothing less for the Pizza Witch. As the door slid back behind him, he sighed. In the dining room, C turned her face towards him while gobbling down some pizza.
"I really wish I didn't pack just pizza for you, CC." Lelouch complained, walking into the dining room.
Lelouch sat down on an elegant throne chair bolted into the ground. The round kitchen table was small, extravagant, but also study.A screwed on Menorah (a Jewish Candlestick) was centered on the table while the intricate "Silver"ware had been carelessly pushed off to the side by a pizza box.
CC cut a pizza for Lelouch with gold and silver pizza cutter wheel, before offering it to Lelouch.
Lelouch graciously accepted and took a bite before frowning and placing it down.
"I thought Codebearers didn't starve," Lelouch complained.
"While you may not need any food, air, or water, your brain still believes that you do. After a few months trapped in a tomb or stuck underwater, you'll get used to it. It's a 'mind over matter thing' really."
Lelouch smirked. "Mind over matter huh?"
Lelouch's right eye flared green. The air began to thicken before the room suddenly became filled with seawater. The walls faded revealing a vast ocean. Lelouch uncomfortably put his hand before his heart, drawing a raised eyebrow from CC.
"Like Rolo, using my new geass slows down my heart." Lelouch explained. "I won't be able to die, but I'll rendered physiological and physiologically weakened. After extended use, I experience extreme psychological stress and pain centered around my heart and head. But it depends on what I show people and how many people see the changes. More realistic illusions are easier to maintain. However, I suspect that using it more often will extend my ability further."
Lelouch thought to himself for a second.
"Normally, I might be rendered unconscious if I continue holding this level of illusion for 3 minutes. But when I'm by your side, I feel like the stress is fading. It might have to do something with our contract or your code."
Several small fish swam past Lelouch towards CC.
CC waved her hand straight through a fish dismissively. Lelouch blinked and his eye and the room returned to normal. He leaned back exhausted.
"You're not going to make something yourself? Are you already missing the royal chefs, ex-Emperor of the World?"
Lelouch snorted as he recalled the royal cooks' faces when "Lelouch vi Britannia's Mistress" had demanded they make pizza. And only pizza. Every. Day.
"Yes, I also loved being poisoned every month." He said sarcastically. Lelouch placed his pizza on his plate.
"Maybe one day you'll understand my immortal fascination with pizza, Lelouch."
"Maybe one day," he said tiredly. "But not today."
"…Since it is your first day as an immortal, I suppose I can make an exception."
CC got up and entered the cold room. CC then came back inside carrying several ingredients and wearing an apron and tan bandana made of silk.
Lelouch made a funny face as CC neatly separated and organized the ingredients. "You? Cook?"
CC added spices onto the dough. "Of course, Lelouch. I was terrible at one time (*Renya of the Darkness), but I quickly picked up how to cook. And from what I've tasted…"
'Stolen from Nunnally,' thought Lelouch, rolling his eyes.
"…I'm a better cook than you," she finished, her eyes looking down on him. "You see, Lelouch, Codebearers can't forget anything. We have perfect memory storage and recall."
"Is that so?" Lelouch raised an eyebrow, interested in this new information.
"Indeed. Of course, that time after you destroyed the Geass Order was just a temporary exception. Normally, we can't forget the tragedies of the past," said C a bit sadly.
Lelouch smiled kindly. "But we can forgive and accept them. And we can't forget the happiness and joy of living either. And we won't be able to predict the brilliance of the future."
CC smiled as she put the lamb meat and the bread into the oven.
"Indeed. But back to the effects of Code. All of your senses have been improved. But it's important to remember that your body's physiology will remain the same. No matter how much you exercise, your muscles won't grow in the far future."
Lelouch instinctively checked his pathetic muscles while CC grinned, before distracting his mind with more information.
"Codebearers also gain unlimited stamina. Our regenerating bodies can allow us to do superhuman feats that would break a normal person's muscles and bones. Of course, they can and will still break if you push yourself. With training, a codebearer can be as strong as any seasoned warrior, regardless of their original body. So, I recommend that you begin to train your body now. However, I'm not sure how much you will be able to do with your current physical state."
Lelouch scowled while CC opened the oven removing the bread. She set the bread on a silver plate. Then she added honey before putting the lamb meat back inside.
"Codebearers also have the ability to connect people's minds to the World of C. Using it, we can communicate with other codebearers from afar. Even exchange memories, to a degree."
CC cut the bread quickly before adding cheese and spices on top. The cheese melted on the warm inner crust. She then opened the oven once more, taking out the perfectly tender lamb meat. Quickly and expertly, she cut it into equally spaced slices, then sliding the portion size onto the plate.
CC entered the dining area, carrying the food on silver platter. As she put it on the table before Lelouch, she smiled awkwardly.
"Not my best work, but I think the next meal will be better. Try it!"
Lelouch took a bite of the meat. It was rather good, compared to the royal chefs and given the limited range of supplies they had available.
CC then returned to the kitchen. Lelouch ate while she opened a cabinet, grabbing a rusty old grail from a collection of elegant looking cups. She returned to the dining room with the grail and a bottle of find red wine. CC popped it open and poured it into the grail. Lelouch frowned for a moment. He hadn't indulged in alcohol before.
"Poisons and drugs won't do much either. Good or bad. Eventually, they'll lose their effectiveness on the body. And your body doesn't grow anyways. So, enjoy wine while you still can, Lelouch."
Lelouch looked thoughtfully at his chalice. 'Perfect memory, enhanced perceptions, unlimited stamina, memory manipulation, and resistance to drugs. And I should exercise my body and drink while I still can.' Lelouch's mind noted.
"Is there anything else?" asked Lelouch, taking a sip.
C though to herself for a second before she smiled naughtily with her eyebrows raised. "Oh yes. We're infertile." She said suggestively as she took off her apron.
Lelouch spat out his red wine, coughing. "You Witch!" A blush appeared on the innocent boy's face.
CC laughed, having successfully provoked Lelouch. She grabbed a napkin, cleaning up the table. Lelouch hadn't acted so flustered in a long time. It was nice to see him less composed now that his role in the world was over for now.
"Alright, I've told you about Code, Demon. Now it's your turn to explain your new Geass. You've already taken Charles' code, but normally your geass should have disappeared as well. Not gotten another one. Where did you get it from? Who did you get it from?"
Lelouch's scowl disappeared as he recalled the events earlier last night. He took another bite of bread.
"I received it from a god who called herself 'C'. She claimed that she was the gatekeeper of the collective consciousness and the ruler of Eden Vital. Do you know anything about her?"
"Hmmmm. I've never heard her name before, but I've heard of Eden Vital before from my studies as the 'leader' of the Geass Order. From what we gathered, Eden Vital was an advanced civilization ruled by geass users and Codebearers whose influence extended all around the world. However, we never found out what happened to their technology or their civilization. The only clues were in specific temples and the thought elevators. But strangely, the carbon dating records on their relics only began just after the end of BCE."
"That matches with what she told me."
"Told you? What did she tell you?" asked C, also intrigued.
Lelouch thought for a moment. "Let me show you." He reached out his hand towards C, before hesitating and stopping.
C nodded and Lelouch put his palm to her forehead. Both of their marks lit up before several memories filled CC's mind.
[SFX: Code Geass "Devil Created".] [The voices overlap]
"I'm simply a sad fool who wished that everyone was happy. But you can call me 'C'" "I abandoned my destined throne and spent my days in charities and orphanages." "I was the first to receive the True Power of the King." "My ambition grew." "(M)y brother and several other Fallen Lords rebelled against me." "They suffer. I suffer." "I am already dead." "Please, take my Geass too."
"That was… incredible…" Her eyes bulged, processing the new information that she had just acquired. "To think that God was just a poor little child who couldn't accept reality." She smirked, amused. "And to think I used to pray to such a god…"
Lelouch panted as a sweat drop formed on his face. He was exhausted from using his Code. He took a proper drink from the grail.
"Back to what we were talking about, my ability to control illusions is different from my ability to 'Order' people around. Therefore, I think we should call my new powers 'Code Geass'."
"Pshhhhh. That sound too stupid/simple, Lelouch. It has nothing to do with your Code. Geass is the power of the king. Then that makes your new ability the power of God…. How about we call it "C"eass, in the honor of 'God'."
'That's pretty good.' Lelouch nodded tiredly. "Very well." He took another bite of the meat.
Lelouch took their dishes and brought them to the kitchen sink. He began cleaning them.
"One more thing, CC. We can't let anyone know my identity, so I need a new name. At least in public. How does LL (L2) sound?" he shouted from the kitchen.
"Well traditionally, you should be called VV (V2) since that's the name passed down by that Code. But I suppose that name is fine. If not cliché. I've never seen or heard of the real LL Codebearer, anyway." CC nodded. "LL it is, Lelouch."
"Still, I'm more concerned about all the Sakuradite you have in the cargo bay," said CC with a troubled frown.
"Well I was planning to use it during the Battle of Mt. Fuji against Schneizel. But fortunately, he spared me the waste," Lelouch stated.
CC smirked, remembering how he had baited the Black Knights into a trap, igniting Japan's main Sakuradite tunnels below them. And with it, a majority of the world's energy supply.
'That explains why you used a Kamikaze Class Aerial Destroyer as the basis for this ship,' CC thought.
Lelouch returned from the kitchen. CC got up and together they walked out of the dining room. The corridor lit up automatically.
"Sakuradite has no place in my new world. Most of the world's remaining supply is either in secret storage rooms across the world or is in this ship. As you know, Sakuradite is a key resource needed for Knightmares. Without it, the military might any one nation can wield will be limited. As will the tools of war."
"What about the other uses of Sakuradite, Lelouch?" questioned CC and looking towards him. "What about the power plants, the airships, and the cars?"
"I'm sure they'll figure it out in half a decade," dismissed Lelouch. "Some countries and companies in Europe are working on sustainable and renewable energy. Asia has plans for cold fusion. Britannia has a promising young woman. And from what I've seen, Nina was working on an entirely new type of energy. They'll be too busy working on those projects to get involved in war. Nunnally, Suzaku, and Schneizel will make sure of it. They will watch over the new world."
Lelouch and CC arrived at the Bridge. They walked to the single active computer as a hologram of the world was shown before them.
"So. Where shall we go first?" offered Lelouch.
CC pointed to Europe. "I think we should travel to France. I'm very familiar with the area, but I haven't visited it properly in peacetime before."
"The orange grove I gave to Jeremiah is in France as well. It would be an excellent opportunity to establish a home base. After our tour of France, of course."
"Are we going to tell them, then?" asked CC. She raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. Jeremiah can be trusted. And he'll enjoy an extra hand in the orange groves."
"What about the former Knight of Six, Anya Alstreim? Isn't she with him now?"
"It's fine. Anya was a victim of Marianne and Charles, so she'll understand. And she's taken a liking to Jeremiah. She won't tell anyone. If it comes down to it, I'll have to use my Geass on her. Jeremiah will understand."
"Very well. Let's go, Lelouch."
END
Author's Epilogue
Lelouch and CC have their pizza and eat it too!
I decided to keep this an "Aside" or a side story since the funeral was the best place to end off chapter 1 and this part doesn't have content to merit another chapter {that I could be proud of} yet. And since the next Act is after a time skip, it would interrupt the flow of the narrative. However, this is a good opportunity to keep you readers interested in my story with more regular updates. So, I plan on including side stories between chapters to keep you updated when I can. However, I can't promise you that I'll do it.
I also now realize that I should have called this fanfic, "Rei of the Reincarnation". Since the "Reincarnation" has "Re", and "Rei", and two RRs. Though "Rei" isn't getting "reincarnated" and "Rebirth", still has "Re i" so there's that. I have to warn you, the first few chapters are going to be slice of life, set-up, world-building, and HEAVY foreshadowing. I think Lelouch and everyone have earned few chapters of peace. The actual plot will begin around Act 3 or 4. Just be patient. You mustn't forget that you cannot have happiness before sacrifice and suffering… without a price, that is.
Thanks for Reading.
- HyperiorV
Retrospective Analysis
Acts and Asides
In R1, there were "Stages". In R2, there were "Turns". In Akito the Exiled, there were "Chapters." In my fanfic, I decided to use "Acts", in the spirit of Code Geass. "Acts" represent literal actions like moving a piece, but also imply "actors" or pretentious behavior. In particular, Act 0 is significant because it takes play during the Zero Requiem. Literally "Zero('s) Act" and Suzaku's first Act as Zero.
"Asides" were moments in (Shakespearean) plays where a character would talk 'to the side' to the audience. This allowed actors to communicate their inner thoughts. Particularly intelligent characters would employ them quite frequently. Also, it sounds like a'side' stories.
Code Geass had picture dramas between videos. I don't really understand the reasoning behind the numbering, so I'll just make it so that the whole number is the Act and the decimal places are the time between acts. Since this Aside takes place recently after Act 0, I'll make it Act 0.01
The Menorah
The Menorah is named after a sacred candelabrum with seven branches used in the Temple in Jerusalem. However, the Menorah was looted by the Vandals in the sacking of Rome in 455 CE, and taken to their capital, Carthage. After that, it disappeared. Like its namesake, it has 7 Automatic Hadron Heavy Artillery Cannons and 7 Automatic Single Gun VARIS Turrets that reflect the 7 candlesticks. The in-universe Menorah was also on the table. Screwed on. Oof.
The Menorah is an elongated Britannian design of Lloyd and Cecilesimilar to that of the Avalon and Ikaruga, though being smaller than them. Due to the space required for some of the functions of the ship, the interior is also smaller. However, it is not a problem because of the automatic/semiautomatic piloting system, which removes the need for a large barracks, dining area, etc. They were replaced with storage rooms or machinery
The Menorah was not fully specialized for battles, but rather for comfort, convenience, and freedom. A personal palace for C to stay in for "a while". However, the modifications have added several automatic weapons and cannons in case CC needed to either defend herself or others. However, the autopilot functionality will never replace a proper crew. For one, it cannot do self-repairs. And the cannons don't have the accuracy of a manned ship. Therefore, the ship would be best used for strategic assault. Furthermore, the ship could be armed with more weapons, but they are currently not attached.
As one of the perks of being the ruler of the world, Lelouch ensured that the Menorah and its spare parts were of the highest quality. Lelouch wanted to ensure that the ship would provide a home for CC for a long time to come. Which is another reason why he added so many Sakuradite containers. In the libraries, he put multiple instruction books on how to repair the ship as well. Anya uses those books later in her education.
System Features
o Type X10 Radiant Wave Shield System
o Type 100G Air Glide Wing System
o Type 1000P Float System
o Type 33A Harken Anchors
o Type E19 Multispectral Sensor System
o Type CZ-4 DRUID Piloting System
o Type Z01 GLASS Stealth System
Maximum Carrying Capacity
300,000+ metric tons
Armament
o 7 x Automatic Hadron Heavy Artillery Cannons
o 7 x Automatic Single Gun VARIS Turrets
o 8 x 10-Cell S Missile Launchers.
Unit Capacity
o 20 x Knightmare Frames
o 1 x Z0III Portman
o 1 x Type Z01 Britannian Aerial Float Shuttles
o 3 x Escape Pods
Lost Holy Relics
I went out of my way to ensure that they were LOST relics, which reflects how they were also lost to the world in the Code Geass Universe, just like LL and CC. In Lelouch's plunders, I specifically mentioned a few artifacts. Joan de Arc's real armor, ring, flag(pole), and sword. (The sword made a permanent mark on CC.) The rusty Holy Grail from Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade. And the most significant and my favorite, the Statue and Relic of Saint Christopher.
The Statue and Relic of Saint Christopher.
"Saint Christopher was later said to have visited Lycia where he tried to comfort the Christians who were being martyred. The local king attempted to get Christopher to make a sacrifice to pagan gods, but… he refused! {He loved saying "No" to strong people! (JoJo Reference)} Then the king tried to tempt him with women and riches, but instead he converted the women to Christianity. The king then ordered that Christopher be killed, and the Saint was beheaded."
The statue also features the staff which was said to bring the miracle of Christ for when Christopher planted the staff in the ground; to bare leaves and fruit the following morning. That's extremely relevant given that LL and CC's next destination is Jeremiah's Orange farm in France. However, the real statue irl is missing its relic at its base…
Pizza, the Best Parting Gift
Lelouch wanted to give CC an unforgettable parting gift. If you can remember, Lelouch first gave CC a travel suitcase with cold pizza with the basic necessities, as well as a ring, keys to a van, and access codes for a ship (The Menorah). In the van, he had hot pizza waiting for her, and other stuff. Then the Menorah was jam packed with Lelouch's largest final gift. The treasure/plunder of his rein and more importantly, a year's {a month's if we're being realistic here} supply of pizza and pizza ingredients. Not including the amount of pizza she could buy herself.
In addition to the Menorah, there are also hidden storage and panic rooms across the world that CC could use. They were filled with Sakuradite, spare parts, and other cool stuff. The locations were provided in the suitcase that he left CC with on the night before the Zero Requiem. You'll see some of these places in future chapters.
CC isn't very materialistic, but Lelouch decided to give her a lot of stuff anyway. If not for her, then to buy her freedom. In a sense, the pizza represents Lelouch's materialistic temptation and reminder for CC to continue living while remembering the good in the world. And it also represents CC's emotional reaction to the Zero Requiem and Lelouch's miraculous survival. It also reflected Lelouch's state of being "dead" (cold), "alive" (warm), and immortal (effective infinite pizza supply). That's right folks, you heard it here first. Pizza Symbolism.
Sexual Tension
The symbolic and actual sexual tension in this act is also really high. CC "tempted" Lelouch with alcohol. Two "young" people talking about the changes in their bodies. Tireless bodies. "Infertility." The transferring of memories. However, this is about as high as it is going to get outside of innuendos, implied backstories, and symbolism. CC and Lelouch's relationship was never sexual and to make it so I feel would "pervert" the nature of their relationship. Pun intended. Girls generally like to cook for the people they like. And their husbands. So the gluttonous CC cooking for Lelouch was something much sweeter than saaaay… straight up sex. {Alliteration of "s"} In my canon of this fanfic, they won't be having it because it will be important to the meaning of the ending. But believe what you want to believe. I will say this though: there is currently only one bed on the Menorah.
I'd also like to state that CC was telling Lelouch to train in order to tease him, make Lelouch more proactive, and to avoid having to move stuff for the next few weeks.
Extra
The other rooms had been completely crammed with containers of the now scarce Sakuradite. - These are the same type of containers that Lelouch and CC were traveling with in the prologue. Also, alliteration of "c".
Round tables imply a level of equality
Yes, it's unrealistic how fast the bread and meat cooked.
"Not my best work, but I think the next meal I make for you will be better. Try it!" - Implying that CC wants to cook for Lelouch more often. How sweet. …Unless she's just talking about Pizza again… By the way. Lamb, bread, and wine are all holy Christian food.
CC reuses the bandanna she wore in this chapter in her casual "Sundress" Outfit.
"They will watch over the new world." - "But who watches the watchmen?" -Watchmen
Thanks for Reading. Comments and Feedback would make my day