Disclaimer: Code Geass is obviously not mine. I wish it was. But it belongs to Bandai, Sunrise, or whomsoever technically owns it.
Chapter 2 - The Flight of a Caged Crane.
Lelouch sneered down at himself. He and C.C. were now dressed in clothing befitting Britannian Nobility. He hadn't been surprised when he saw that the Thought Elevator had been stocked with Britannian clothing but he hadn't expected the range of clothing to include his size. His father must have been planned for many different eventualities. Most of which he would likely never know.
Lelouch turned to look at C.C. While he had had to go through the clothing to find what he needed she had gone straight to a section of clothing that appeared tailored to fit her. While it wasn't unexpected he had felt surprisingly annoyed that his father had clothing set aside for her.
"What is it?" C.C. asked him after a few moments. "Does this outfit suit me so well that you feel the need to stare?"
"Clothing is clothing." Lelouch stated. "In this case our Britannian dress will allow for a better justification as to why Schneizel would aid us. With this my brother won't need to give as many explanations. Only Schneizel and the leaders of the Black Knights know that I'm Zero. With Nunnally being discovered alive the possibility I would be found exists. It's almost enough reason to discard Shinkiro."
"But not quite." C.C. said. "With Shinkiro damaged it could easily be explained as salvage. But are you sure only they know of your identity?"
"I can't know with certainty." Lelouch replied. "But the Black Knights have every reason not to spread the information. The same is true of Schneizel assuming he intended to contest the Emperor. The only one who may have felt the need to spread my identity would be my father. Other than Suzaku none of the Rounds knew my identity. They would have been the first to be told."
"So your secret is still hidden." C.C. offered. "But that is not what you were thinking of. What were you thinking when you were watching me?"
C.C. was smiling, Lelouch noted. She could read his mood better than anyone else he had known. But he wouldn't give her satisfaction on this so easily. "I was thinking about Geass." Lelouch said after a moment. "Are there any other surviving Geass users that you have contracted with?"
"Why do you ask?" C.C. uttered.
'This isn't about Mao.' Lelouch thought to himself. "I can feel only one remaining Geass connected to my Code." He said. "But if there are others I need to plan for them."
"I have no other contracts." C.C. replied. "The contract you feel is with Bismarck. His Geass involves seeing the future via predicting the actions of those around him."
"I see." Lelouch reasoned with surprise. "That would explain his rank as the Knight of One. In part at least. He will not be someone I can ignore."
"If he truly doesn't know your identity then he won't act against you without cause." C.C. offered. "But he was fanatically loyal to Charles. If he finds out you were the one who killed him then he would definitely become your enemy."
Lelouch nodded. "Good."
"Good?" C.C. started in surprise. "Why would making the Knight of One become your enemy be good?"
"Having him be my enemy wouldn't be." Lelouch explained. "But knowing his motivations and how he would react to my actions will be his downfall."
"Planning already, I see." C.C. observed. "But as you are already aware. Right now we must act."
"True." Lelouch confirmed. He turned towards the exit of the Thought Elevator. "Shall we go then?"
"Of course." C.C. replied as she walked past him with a wicked smirk. "Of course we shall, my jealous Warlock."
Lelouch frowned. He had thought he had managed to redirect her attention. "Witch." He muttered.
As Lelouch prepared the Shinkiro for liftoff he reviewed what he knew of the current situation between the Britannian military and the Black Knights. He had feared that retrieving the Shinkiro would be impossible. Thankfully Rolo had managed to evade their pursuers and hide their landing site when he helped him escape. He had hidden Shinkiro's trail further when he finished his trek to Kamine Island.
Even so if the Black Knights or Schneizel had begun seriously searching Kamine Island the Shinkiro would have been found long ago. It is likely that the Imperial Guard had challenged any approaching forces after the 'mutiny' had been quelled. The Imperial Guard wouldn't have had a reason to deploy a large amount of resources to search for him. Unfortunately, the Imperial Guard would have no reason to offer him asylum either. Just as Schneizel could be blamed for an assassination attempt on the Emperor, so could he.
Lelouch ran a fast sweep with the Shinkiro's Factshpere. As he expected there was a concentrated force hovering over Kamine Island itself. There were also two other diverging fleets detected in the direction of Tokyo. One fleet, the Black Knights, were holding position. The other, Schneizel's fleet, had begun to curve around the edge of Kamine Island towards the Imperial Guard. They weren't preparing to engage but to pair up. It was likely the Imperial Guard already had some indication that the Emperor was dead.
Then the Shinkiro received a narrow beam transmission. Lelouch quickly programmed the frequency and encryption data he had just received into the Shinkiro. "Have you found the Knightmare C.C.?" He quickly responded.
"Yes." Came C.C.'s reply. "It wasn't hard to backtrack Suzaku's path. This Knightmare, the 'Lancelot Albion', seems to have just been completed. The final programming hasn't even been installed."
"Then the security systems weren't completed." Lelouch said. "Is it safe to fly?"
"Oh my, you care." C.C. teased.
"Of course I do." Lelouch responded. "If we lose the Lancelot now we won't get it back. So, does it fly? Is it upgraded like the Guren was?"
"Yes to both." C.C. answered. "Where do we go from here?"
"We need to meet up with Schneizel before he meets up with the Imperial Guard." Lelouch replied. "The Shinkiro is closer to his position. Bring the Lancelot here while I get a hold of Jeremiah. We may need him soon."
"On my way." C.C. confirmed. The transmission terminated.
Lelouch sat back for a moment. It wasn't hard to communicate with C.C. without being detected. The narrow communication vector combined with encryption made it almost untraceable. If he hadn't wanted to keep their connection secret he could have just communicated with her through their Codes. This way their conversation would have a record if anyone chose to review the Shinkiro or Lancelot's logs. However to contact Jeremiah he would have to send a transmission directly at the Black Knights' fleet.
Thankfully Lelouch could contact Jeremiah the same way he contacted Rivalz. Unlike most of the Black Knights Jeremiah had plenty of reasons to have a cell phone independent of the Black Knights. He absently noticed that his phone had received nearly a dozen messages from Rivalz and Milly since he last called. He couldn't take the time to talk to them now.
"My Lord!" Jeremiah had answered immediately. "You are alive! What has happened?"
"Jeremiah," Lelouch began. "I must take my leave of the Black Knights."
"My Lord." Jeremiah responded. "They said you were dead. What happened?" He asked insistently.
"I have much to discuss with you." Lelouch stated. "But for now I need you to retrieve Sutherland Sieg and meet up with me. I will be visiting my brother Schneizel aboard the Avalon. I will have one other escort. An upgraded Lancelot piloted by C.C. When you approach mark it as an ally."
"Yes, My Lord!" Jeremiah exclaimed.
"I will tell you more about what has just occurred while we approach my brother." Lelouch confirmed. "From this point forward you are now officially my Knight Jeremiah. Meet me at the following coordinates." He commanded before relaying a location near Schneizel's fleet's path.
"Yes, My Lord!" Jeremiah repeated proudly.
Lelouch hung up the phone. C.C. had just arrived with the Lancelot Albion. She had remained land bound to avoid detection. Lelouch spun the Shinkiro around and set course for the bank closest to the assembly point he had set for Jeremiah. The Lancelot Albion didn't have a submersible form so they would need to fly to their destination. But flying for any greater distance than necessary would just allow them to be detected sooner.
"Let's go C.C." Lelouch called.
"Don't sound so angsty Lelouch." C.C. called. "You should be happy going to your first real reunion with your older brother."
Lelouch didn't bother to verbally respond. C.C.'s familiar snipes were oddly comforting. He had missed them while she was lost. She knew it too. He just pushed the Shinkiro to accelerate. They couldn't allow Jeremiah to arrive so much early than them that the Black Knights could catch up before they joined Schneizel.
Lelouch and C.C. had met up with Jeremiah and were now approaching the Avalon. While the Black Knights had deployed after and pursued Jeremiah, when they began closing with the Avalon the Black Knights had slowed their pursuit.
Only a few Knightmares had been deployed. More had launched when the Shinkiro and Lancelot had been detected but they were too far away to be a concern. Even then not many had been sent. It was obvious that the main force of the Black Knights were uninformed about Lelouch. They were likely told that Zero had died just like Jeremiah had been. They were lucky that Kallen hadn't been one of the pursuers because the upgraded Guren was the only Knightmare they had that could have overtaken the Sutherland Sieg.
About the same time that the Black Knights had slowed the Avalon had launched Knightmares of its own. They had deployed in a defensive screen. Schneizel wouldn't attack until he knew why Lelouch had taken such an action.
Lelouch finally decided that they were close enough that negotiations with his brother would need to begin. They were within the easily deployable range of the Avalon and her Knightmares but outside what could be considered attack range. The Black Knights couldn't attack without Schneizel's permission and he couldn't give it while under the Imperial Guard's watch. To them it appeared that two Britannian units were escorting a damaged enemy unit to the Avalon.
Lelouch had expected Schneizel to contact him by now but it seemed that the Black Knights were taking his attention. He couldn't wait any longer else they would close with the Imperial Guard.
"Brother!" Lelouch hailed on an open frequency. The transmission was powerful enough to be heard not only by the Avalon and the trailing Knightmare Frames but also the other two fleets. Immediately he received a visual response. Not only was Schneizel's curious and calculative face shown but also Cornelia's. "Sister too! I'm so glad I found you."
"Lelouch!" Schneizel began. "Brother, is that you? I thought you were dead." Lelouch would have smiled at the surprise on Cornelia's face but for now he had to maintain the innocent act of a long lost brother.
"No, I survived." Lelouch replied. "I had thought Nunnally would tell you, but now she's..." Lelouch didn't have to fake the tears that filled his eyes." I had thought she died in the Black Rebellion. But with our family's titles restored and war breaking out again in Area 11 I was trying to find my way back home."
"Nunnally had believed you died in the Black Rebellion as well." Schneizel explained. "I knew there was a chance you were alive but when you didn't return immediately after she became Viceroy of Area 11 I had lost hope." Cornelia's face had turned red with anger. She obviously wanted to say something but an unseen gesture by Schneizel had stayed her tongue.
Lelouch watched Cornelia turn and leave the control room. She would undoubtedly learn of the conversation later. For now she couldn't be seen losing her temper. "I have spent more than half the life I can remember here in Area 11." Lelouch answered the unspoken question. "I had hoped to reunite with Nunnally but here I was just a student. It's too late now."
"Unfortunately yes." Schneizel said despondently. "But the miracle of finding a brother may lighten that tragedy some. What are you doing here? Where did you get that Knightmare?"
"I fled from the Tokyo Settlement when the attack started." Lelouch reminisced. "I was avoiding the fighting when I learned that father had come here to this Island. I made my way here hoping to contact him. But just before I arrived the attack occurred. During the confusion I came across this abandoned Knightmare Frame. It's damaged but still functional. Father had already fallen by the time I had the Knightmare working so when I detected you I knew we had to meet up."
"Father is dead?" Schneizel asked with surprise. "You will have to explain what happened. Also who are those two who come with you? The one is the Lancelot Albion, Knightmare of the Knight of Seven."
"Alas, it is but an associate of mine." Lelouch replied. "The Knight of Seven fell in the same battle as the Emperor. The other is my Knight, Jeremiah Gottwald. But now I must ask that we be given permission to land so we can continue this discussion in person."
"Of course." Schneizel allowed. "I will send an escort to show you in. I will see you soon, little brother."
"And I you." Lelouch replied. When the transmission cut out Lelouch smiled. The first moved had been made, but the game was only just beginning.
"Schneizel! What is the meaning of this!" Tohdoh's cry filled the Avalon's control room the instant Schneizel had cut the transmission with Lelouch.
"The meaning of what?" Schneizel replied blandly. "Protecting a long lost brother who has asked me for help?"
"That's not what he is and you know it!" Tohdoh insisted. "He is just trying to escape from us and he's using you to do it."
"Perhaps." Schneizel allowed. "But he has played his part well. I cannot take direct action against him right now. Neither do you want me to."
"Of course I want you to." Tohdoh asserted. "After his betrayal-"
"No." Schneizel interrupted. "After Zero's betrayal. Just how many members of the Black Knights know that Lelouch was Zero?"
Tohdoh's only answer was silence.
"Lelouch has already attacked me." Schneizel continued. "Rather than with military force he has used the Emperor's death. My father died in an apparent mutiny while I was the only other Britannian Royal present. If your Black Knights had captured Lelouch before he reached Kamine and declared that he knew the fate of the Emperor in front of the Imperial Guard I may have been able to allow you to take him. But now any action by you would provide evidence that the Black Knights assassinated the Emperor. If I take action it would imply I have something to hide. That I assassinated the Emperor. Either way there would be no liberation for Japan. Instead Area 11 would most likely be decimated."
"That traitor has played us once again!" Tohdoh seethed. "Then what can we do? We cannot allow him to get away with this!"
"We will have to talk again soon." Schneizel replied. "For now I must ensure that Lelouch cannot use his Geass to control my own soldiers."
"Very well." Tohdoh agreed. "But I will expect you to contact us before the day is finished." The transmission was terminated.
"Well played Lelouch." Schneizel muttered to himself. He couldn't blame the Black Knights for the Emperor's assassination. Their search hadn't come close to reaching Kamine Island. If Kururugi Suzaku had been alive it would have been easy to blame the Emperor's death on him. He was an eleven. He had also been the one to launch F.L.E.I.J.A. Either way it would have meant the end of Area 11. But that hadn't mattered.
Schneizel continued musing. Now Lelouch had temporarily maneuvered the blame onto him. If he took action against Lelouch, or even allowed the Black Knights to he would be confirming his part in the assassination to too many of the nobility. That was something not even he could hide. Not when he was being watched by the Imperial Guard.
Lelouch had changed out of his Zero uniform. The Britannian garb he wore would lend credence to his story. However, Lelouch couldn't prevent suspicions from being thrown against him. His sudden appearance so close to the site of the Emperor's death made him the most obvious suspect. He had already admitted to knowing the identity of the Emperor's killer. He would remain the most likely suspect until someone tried to 'silence' him.
For now Schneizel would have to plan for the future. It didn't matter to him if he became Emperor or not. But he couldn't allow himself to take enough blame that one of his siblings could take the thrown. If he couldn't delay another Emperor's ascension long enough then Damocles would be discovered and taken over. He took the visor Kanon offered to him and put it on as he began to make his way to the Knightmare bay. It was time to confront his little brother.
Lelouch steered the Shinkiro into the final approach into the Avalon. "Jeremiah." He called over the radio. "A Geass can be either an active or a passive ability. How does your Geass Canceller react to each form of Geass?"
"My Lord." Jeremiah began. "The Geass Canceller works both actively and passively. To nullify an active Geass it must be actively used. It constantly prevents a passive Geass from being used. But only when the passive Geass is being used against me."
"Good." Lelouch replied. "Then I can trust that you will know when to act."
"What do you mean?" Jeremiah asked confused.
"Do not think of it for now." Lelouch answered. "If an opportunity doesn't occur soon we will need to create one."
"Yes, My Lord." Jeremiah acknowledged.
Lelouch was unsurprised when his 'escorts' never left their Knightmares after they landed. Even when he, C.C. and Jeremiah disembarked they remained at ready. The opening of the main entrance quickly drew his attention when Schneizel entered accompanied by several members of his guard. All wore one-way visors.
Since Lelouch wasn't being observed by either the Black Knights or the Imperial Guard anymore he saw no reason to hide his dissatisfaction. Let Schneizel think he had wanted to use the Geass of Absolute Obedience on him. If he could hide its loss until the inquiry into the Emperor's death its revelation should allow him to control the progression of the inquiry. For a time.
Lelouch would allow his anger at the betrayal of the Black Knights, and his mother, to color his reactions. Schneizel would expect an emotional response. While his older brother tended to plan and act dispassionately he preferred to use emotions as the driving force of his actions. He strode forward to put him several paces ahead of his companions.
"Welcome Lelouch." Schneizel greeted warmly as he approached. It was solely for the benefit of the men working in the bay. "I'm so glad you're alright. You look well."
"As well as can be expected." Lelouch replied sadly. "With the deaths caused by the rebellion, and with Nunnally dying. Not to mention the chaos and betrayals that occur with any war. I have nothing left here."
Schneizel knew what his younger brother was saying. Nunnally was gone and the Black Knights had abandoned him. He was no threat any longer. But the loss of the Black Knights only left him without resources to fight with for now. Without Nunnally as a reason to reform the Empire the death of his family may just cause him to act in revenge. Lelouch could be more dangerous now than ever.
"We all grieve for the loss of Nunnally." Schneizel replied. "More so that it happened so soon after she was found." He would have continued if Cornelia hadn't chosen that moment to enter the bay. She immediately rounded on them and stalked over to them. He had to keep Cornelia from acting too rashly here. For now they needed Lelouch. As least she had had the sense to wear a visor as well.
"Brother." Cornelia began icily. "I was shocked to hear you had gone to join our father. What has happened that left him dead."
Schneizel looked almost pained at the blunt near-accusation. Thankfully Kanon had removed all the personnel but his personal guard from the bay by that point.
"I saw what happened." Lelouch replied stonily. "While I couldn't join up with him we did manage to talk for a short time. He did tell me, perhaps as a reward for returning, the results of his investigation into my mother's death." Cornelia's sudden shock and pallor had destroyed any resolve she had to aggressively confront him.
"Lelouch!" Schneizel interjected before Cornelia could form a response. "You know who killed Empress Marianne?" Just what had Lelouch learned as Zero? What had the Emperor told him?
"The perpetrator was someone I couldn't conceive of." Lelouch replied. It was true. He had killed his mother. He did so using the Collective Unconscious of the human race. It was unbelievable. "Father had already killed the instigator of the attack on Aries Villa. For now I can't say much more. From there events begin to intersect with the death of our father. I cannot speak more of it until the inquiry begins."
Schneizel had snapped around to face the suddenly enraged Cornelia as Lelouch said this. He caught her arm just as she began moving forward. "Sister!" He cried. "If it involves the death of the Emperor it cannot be discussed until the inquiry. You know this!"
He had managed to make Cornelia stop, but the tension in her arm said she was only just able to. Lelouch knew all this too, they both realized. He had played his hand incredibly well. While there would be enough suspicion that he would be held under arrest, no serious action could be taken against him until after the inquiry. An inquiry he seemed to be pushing for with his every resource.
Schneizel didn't know what their father had planned. From how Bismarck had talked it wasn't something he could speculate to. Lelouch had likely been the one to stop it. That meant he knew what their father had attempted. What had their father tried that could allow Lelouch to come back to Britannia and go through an inquiry without fear of punishment?
Could it really be that Lelouch had no more reason to fight? Schneizel could hardly believe that Lelouch could be giving up. Perhaps he had no more desire to wage war against Britannia and just wanted everything that had happened to his family to become known.
Schneizel was watching Lelouch for any reaction. He had acted well. The only true feeling he could perceive was an odd sense of satisfaction in his brother's eyes. He had a feeling everything he had said since he arrived had been the truth. But he had no context by which to interpret it.
Inquiry or not Schneizel would have pushed to learn more about what happened if Bismarck hadn't taken that moment to come charging into the bay in his Galahad. He must have launched just after he received Lelouch's transmission. Bismarck had known something of what his father had planned, even if he hadn't known the details. He may not know what part Lelouch had played, or even that Lelouch was Zero, but he would know that Lelouch had intervened.
Lelouch had been surprised that Bismarck had come so quickly. He had known the confrontation was coming but expected it to happen back in Britannia. Even if he had to drop his persona it was better for the confrontation to happen here. Especially with only Schneizel, Schneizel's guard, and Cornelia present. If anyone had to observe their confrontation it would be least damaging for those two to see it. He quickly joined C.C. and Jeremiah. It wouldn't due to stray too far from his Knight.
Bismarck didn't wait to dock. He just disembarked. "Schneizel! Where-" Bismarck's bellow cut off when he saw them. "You," he began, gesturing at Lelouch. "What have you done to his Majesty?"
"Me?" Lelouch sneered. "I am a Prince of Britannia! You will address me as such, Knight." He turned to face Bismarck. "My business with my father is my own. Not even the Knight of One may demand answers from me."
Lelouch could tell that Bismarck was angry. He was still very angry so soon after the Emperor had died. He couldn't deny that the Emperor was dead because of the failure of the Ragnarok Connection. So his grief had progressed directly from denial to anger.
Lelouch strode right past the approaching Bismarck. He stood facing the open bay doors. They were facing Kamine Island.
"What did you do?" Bismarck insisted sourly.
Lelouch turned from Kamine Island and smirked at Bismarck. "I am a Prince." Lelouch mocked. "I don't need answer to a failure of a knight."
"Failure!" Bismarck cried, outraged.
"The Emperor is dead." Lelouch said coldly. He swept his hand toward the island behind him. "You let him be put down like a stray diseased dog. With that failure the purpose of his life was destroyed. The purpose of Marianne's life was destroyed. All because of your failure to act as his Knight!"
Schneizel had realized what Lelouch had intended. But the realization came too late. He could only cry out helplessly as Bismarck drew his sword and lunged at his brother. He hardly even saw his brother's knight dash forward and thrust a sword through the Knight of One's back. He had known that Jeremiah Gottwald had cybernetic implants but the inhuman speed at which he moved as well as the incorporated sword had been surprising.
Lelouch looked shocked as well. Schneizel knew it was a facade. He had intentionally goaded Bismarck into attacking. But why here? Why now? Jeremiah had removed his sword and quickly went to stand beside his Lord. Schneizel had rushed over to Bismarck. He peripherally realized that his sister had followed him over, her own sword drawn.
Schneizel had never stopped watching him, Lelouch noted. But Cornelia was a trained frontline officer. When she reached Bismarck her first reaction had been to kneel and check him over. He saw her face register shock once more at the glowing Geass Crane fading from Bismarck open left eye. The sword thrust had been accurate.
Bismarck had opened his eye when he had drawn his sword. Lelouch was grateful that Bismarck had allowed himself to be goaded. If too much time had passed after his father's death before he could confront Bismarck then he would never have lost control. Bismarck was incredibly skilled. Without making him so emotional that he would have to rely on a premonition by his Geass to avoid an attack Jeremiah may not have had the ability to strike him down.
"What is this!" Cornelia cried. "How could Bismarck have Geass?"
Lelouch watched Schneizel's shocked reaction. Then his brother's realization that this was the reason for his actions.
"I had thought Bismarck failed when father died." Lelouch began. "After this though, maybe he had a part in what happened. That would mean that my last enemy came to me of their own accord."
"Lelouch." Schneizel began. "What happened just now?" His guards had surrounded all of them. He noticed that the girl that had come with his brother was only now walking over to join them.
"Lelouch." C.C. began. "If we're going to be attacked by newcomers then I'd ask that we retreat to our quarters. It has been a tiring day. We should be rested when we arrived in Britannia."
Schneizel watched this new girl. She was composed. She had been calm through all of this, expectant even. She had faded into the background. Why had she involved herself in their encounter now? It was as if she waited until Bismarck was dead. She was also the one who had piloted the Lancelot Albion here. Even if she wasn't as skilled as Suzaku had been Lloyd had informed him that very few could hope to pilot the Lancelot Albion.
"You are right of course." Lelouch replied. "Brother, I hope you will forgive me, but after being attacked by one of the Rounds I think it would be best if I made myself scarce. I apologize but it seems I must leave this mess as well as the terrorists to you."
"Very well." Schneizel allowed. His brother had followed this girl's request. Who was she and how close was she to Lelouch. "But the Black Knights have requested to talk with us before we leave for Britannia. The revelation that a lost Britannian Prince was living among them has surprised them."
"Very well." Lelouch parroted. "Please call for me when you contact them."
Schneizel looked over at Cornelia while his guards escorted Lelouch to his quarters. There were far too many things that they didn't know or understand. But it appeared as if Lelouch had no grievance against them. Only their father's old guard. It wouldn't matter after much longer anyway.
AN: I find I'm writing Lelouch a little be 'lighter' than originally intended. When he's not planning the murder of his enemies at least. That being said, he's not planning to make the entire world hate him before causing his own death. I already said that I think C.C. was far more emotional and closer to Lelouch after the Ragnarok Connection. Since she was in on the Zero Requiem she would be more somber in canon as well. I think the view we see of her when Lelouch becomes the Emperor shows that.
I kind of hamstrung Cornelia for most of this chapter. Truthfully she had already been following Schneizel's lead before this. Lelouch's constant attempts to provoke varying emotions threw her off. Besides, I don't believe she was ever really portrayed as having exceptional diplomatic skills.
Two chapters down, two Knights of the Round down. I hope this doesn't become a theme. I really wasn't planning to kill a major character off every chapter. That won't stop me though.