Chapter 2

It's almost time. Lelouch thought to himself. He knew Villeta would enter at any moment. I wish she would hurry up. The smell of these corpses is starting to overwhelm me.

Like clockwork, Villeta showed up, shooting at the wall behind Lelouch. Villetta Nu, a knight of honor, but later consort to Ohgi. I cannot kill her, even if she causes me so much trouble. It would alter the timeline too greatly.

"What happened here, boy?! And why is a Britannian student in a place like this?! Are you deaf?! Answer me, or I'll" She fired at the wall around him, demanding answers. As if I would tell her anything. he thought to himself

"Answer me, boy! Or should I just kill your ass right here?!" Villetta was growing impatient. Lelouch knew that he had to do something.

"I order you to come out, at once!" He raged fully acknowledging the limits of his geass.

"Who the hell do you think you are to order me?!" She barked, just as she did before.

He smiled, and began to respond. "My name is Alan Spacer. My father's a duke." He paused for a moment waiting for his lie to sink in. "My ID card is in my breast pocket. Once you confirm who I am, I will request your protection"

Just like before, Villeta deactivated her Sutherland and pointed her gun at Lelouch. "Keep your hands up in the air! I'll take out your ID." He waited for her to get in close. Slowly, she began to walk over to him. Now! He thought.

"Now then, hand over your Knightmare." he ordered her, waiting for his geass to take effect. Her eyes glew red, and she turned her gun away from him.

"Understood" She told him, overwhelmed by his geass. "The code number is XG21G2D4." She tossed him the key, and Lelouch walked to the Sutherland, eager to re-establish himself as Zero.

Lelouch had to let Nunnally know that'd he'd be late tonight. The best thing to do is try to stay as close to the original script as possible. If that's the case. He knew what to do.

He pulled out his cell phone, and dialed in the number. Please pick up. He waited...the static keeping him on the verge of discomfort… until a familiar voice got through.

"Lelou? What in the world have you been doing? Where are you now? If you keep cutting class, you'll get held back." It was Shirley. Suddenly, the guilt he had bottled up inside had begun to rupture, freezing him dead in his tracks.

"Lelou? Are you there?' She said, her voice sounding like a ghost of his past. What's going on? Why can't I say anything? Is this guilt? Or is it something else? DAMN IT! Lelouch just couldn't think straight, which is extremely unusual for him.

"LELOUCH LAMPEROUGE! If you are there then answer me god damn it" Shirley demanded. He had to say something, but… No, stay cold and calculating for now. Zero must return!

"Shirley, I need a favor: Tell my little sister that I'm gonna be late home tonight, would you? Thanks." He said.

Last time they had that talk, he needed information about the public's knowledge on Shinjuku, but now.

"What?! Ooh, you're gambling again, aren't you?!" Shirley asked, furious at his audacity.

"Guilty." He confirmed. He was glad to hear her voice scolding him, to hear her worrying about him. To hear her voice again at all. He caught himself, shocked at his own thoughts. What am I doing? I just needed to inform her for Nunnally's sake. Get a grip! He ordered himself.

He hung up in a flash. He was sure that Shirley would be yelling at him behind his back, or trying to get a hold of him. But right now, all I need to think about is this.

He had the Sutherland get out of the area, trying to work with the limited controls he had. It's not like the Shinkiro. It's only a 5th generation Knightmare. He was about 25 meters away from his target area. And out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something he hadn't seen in a long time: The resistance Glasgow.

Kallen was at the end of her rope. She didn't have much chance to survive now. "Just 30 minutes left!"

"The west entrance." A voice told her. " Use the tracks to move to the west entrance."

What the hell?! Kallen asked herself "Who's this! How do you know this code?!" she demanded.

"Do you want to win?" the voice told her "If so, then you'll need to trust me."

Kallen hates taking orders, especially when she has no idea why. But still…

She jumped onto the tracks as she was told.

"Now what?" She asked being closely pursued by Sutherlands. 20 minutes left, if i even survive that long.

"You pathetic Eleven." A sutherland called out "If you simply run away, this hunt hasn't much to offer in the way of sport."

The radio sparked, and the voice returned "Good. It seems that you trust me. That certifies your victory. Now, jump onto the train."

"Understood" Kallen told him, having doubts about this. Who the hell is this guy?! She jumped onto the train, awaiting her next instructions.

The Sutherlands were gaining on her. "You think you can get through that way, hmm? If that's your plan, then…" He turned towards another Sutherland, and gave him orders.

"You! Go after the Glasgow."

As the Sutherlands jumped after her, a pair of Slash Harkens destroyed them. Kallen was stunned. Where did those…

The Sutherland commander seemed to be puzzled to. Gotta take advantage. "What the...?" He managed, before he was sneak attacked by Kallen's Glasgow. "Damn Elevens!" he shouted before he ejected.

"You saved me. But…" She turned, and saw nothing was there. "Where did he go?"

"Kallen!" A familiar voice called out. It was Ohgi. "What the hell was that radio message earlier?"

"What? He contacted you, too?" Kallen couldn't believe it. The man who just saved her had contacted her group. Damn it, what the hell is going on?!

Ohgi spoke as if he knew, yet didn't know, what was happening. "Sure did. And Yoshida's group ought to be here soon."

"Are you the one in charge" Lelouch asked him, already knowing the answer. I have to play it out like last time, or else this won't work.

Ohgi seemed to be startled, but managed to answer. "Ah, yeah."

"Well then, I present to you the cargo in that train over there. They're tools for your victory. If you want to use them to win, then follow my orders."

Everyone was examining his handy-work, gasping over the Sutherlands they had found in the cars. All of them saying, in awe, 'Maybe we should give this guy a chance'. She couldn't, she just couldn't believe it.

"Women in the Glasgow, Kallen right?" The voice asked her. How does he know my name? She answered. "Ok, we got your gifts. But we need to know right now; Who the hell are you?!"

"Kallen" Ohgi cried "He doesn't need to tell us anything if…." the radio came on, and he was cut off.

"Very well" The former Demon Emperor proclaimed " I am… Zero!"

"Zero? As in nothing?" Kallen asked her soon to be master.

"That is correct. But back to the matter at hand… What is your energy filler status?" he asked her.

She responded immediately. "About 15 minutes worth."

Lelouch made his orders clear. "Then recharge it! You're team is going to play decoy."

"Understood"

"In 10 minutes, I'll contact you with further instructions" he told the resistance.

That didn't happen last time. Kallen seems a bit more impulsive than usual. Maybe somethings different about her. I'll have to investigate that… later.

Tamaki :Hey, are you certain about this whole thing?

They've all had their IFFs removed.

What if this is a trap?

Ogi :The other side has total advantage in this war. They don't need to set any traps. Alright people, let's move. Get to your assigned points.

Lelouch gave his first battle order. "P1, can you move?

It operates basically the same as what you're used to."

"Got it"

"Understood. If Q1 is on schedule, enemy Sutherlands, probably two of them, will reach you in 23 seconds. Shoot them through the wall!"

Tamaki began to run his mouth, as usual. "Aaarrrg, he's out of his mind!"

Ohgi, full of faith, told them to follow his orders. "Everyone, double check your weapons."

They immediately checked to see if they're weapons were capable of such a strategy. Zero, if you can lead us, then it's time to prove it.

"What?! Are you serious?" Tamaki spouted off, unconvinced about Zero.

They waited… and when time was up. Ohgi gave the signal. "3, 2, 1 , fire!"

When the smoke cleared, the rebels couldn't believe their eyes: It actually worked. The enemy Sutherlands were destroyed.

"P1, P4, P7, move a hundred meter to the right and fire your slash harkens toward 3 o'clock." Zero commanded.

"You heard him." Ohgi told his rebels "Do what Zero says."

"Damn, what else does he want us to do?" Tamaki shouted.

"P5, ready?" Zero asked.

"Yeah yeah. But stop calling me that!" Tamaki said.

"Good, but be prepared. The Britannian Military is deploying a new Knightmare Frame, code named Lancelot, today. If you see an enemy that doesn't appear to be a Sutherland, eject immediately." Lelouch warned. Sorry Suzaku, but i won't let you have your debut on the same day as mine, not this time.

The battle had gone pretty well this time. All the enemy Sutherlands had been shot down, and nearly everyone ejected before Suzaku killed anyone, but it was made to look like the Lancelot had done it's job. That only leaves Clovis now. And I won't even need to dig through his mind with my Geass this time.

"Attention all forces, cease fire at once." He ordered, just as he did before, more or less.

"I, Clovis, third prince of Britannia and royal viceroy of Area Eleven, hereby command you, all forces are ordered to cease fire at once. You also cease destruction of any buildings or property. All casualties, whether Britannian or Eleven, shall be treated equally and without prejudice. In the name of Clovis la Britannia, you are hereby ordered, cease fire at once... I shall allow no further fighting."

The lights went out instantly, with the feeling of deja vu becoming more and more tangible.

"Are you satisfied?" Clovis asked, unaware that he just gave the final orders he would ever give.

"Quite. Very well done... brother." Lelouch said, making clovis uneasy.

"Who Are You?!" the prince demanded. "I have no family visiting, and no lowly Eleven shall ever be called my brother!"

"So you think me Japanese, do you Clovis?" He pulled off his mask. "Then you insult me, big brother."

"What?!" Clovis managed to spit out, before freezing in complete surprise.

"Lelouch vi Britannia, at your service." Lelouch told Clovis, bowing in fake respect.

"Lelouch? Is that really you? You're alive?!" Clovis asked, suddenly switching to a smile. "This is wonderful news. We should depart for the homeland at once. I'm sure that…"

"That what? I'd be welcomed with open arms? Or did you forget that me and Nunnally alike were used as bargaining tools?" Lelouch, with vengeance in his eyes, informed.

"Lelouch… Your mother?" His eyes widened, and began to plead. "I had nothing to do with it, I swear on Emperor Schneizel's honor."

"That man has no…" Lelouch was shocked. Emperor Schneizel? Since when did that happen? He quickly got a hold of himself, No time to figure it out right now, and activated his Geass.

"You will not move a muscle!" he commanded. Clovis' eyes began to glow. The geass had activated. "Understood" He stated, now at Lelouch's mercy.

Lelouch woke up suddenly, the pain of Milly hitting him with a magazine greeting him.

"Wake up Lelouch! I know you were sleeping. Your hands stopped moving."

Lelouch couldn't help but smile. Seeing most of the Ashford Student Council was like a dream come true. He had missed these days, even during the Zero Requiem. Miley hit him again, and he responded. Rivalz, Nina, Miley, and...Shirley. Lelouch's heart sank. After everything he did to hurt her, how could he expect to go on thinking it never happened. It will not happen! He reminded himself, clutching his fist.

" Well, you don't have to beat me up over it, do you?" Lelouch said, acting clueless.

Rivalz smiled, pleased to see that his best pal was getting what was coming to him. "Heh, serves you right for ditching me like that."

Shirley acted as if Lelouch had cancelled a date with her.

"That's right. What was up with you yesterday? Spill already."

"I..um well…" Lelouch stuttered, afraid he might say something about the past accidently.

"That's enough, you guys." Miley intervened. " Let's not get side tracked here. If we don't come up with a fix for the club activities budget, there won't be money left for anything at all."

Nina, acting like her old self, timidly spoke "And if it comes to that point…"

Rivalz: The equestrian club will be pissed. We don't want 'em comin' in here on horseback.

Milly gave him her signature look. "Rivalz, can't you be a more serious student council member?"

Shirley began to speak. "You know, it would have been nice of you if you would have reminded us about this mess a day ago, Madam Pres."

"I would have to say a day later. Then we would have given up." Rivalz joked

Lelouch thought he should try to stick to the old timeline as much as possible, for now at least. "Good idea. We can still do that."

Milly hated it when the Student Council were lazy, and she gave them her usual "GUTS!" spell.

Rivalz wasn't phased "Are you trying that guts spell again?"

Milly perked up "Yeah, I want you people to start putting your all into this."

Lelouch needed to reply, or else risk messing with the timeline. Alright then, same as last time.

" I really don't think that your magic's gonna do a whole lot." He said, unable to keep his eyes off of Shirley.

"Actually, it's got me going." Shirley argued

Milly gave her a flirty look. "Supple and willing, that's what I like."

Shirley gave a look of pride. "I train hard in the gymnastics club." She proclaimed, flexing her arm.

Milly chuckled, and responded "That's not what I was getting at." She said gazing at Shirleys boobs "You're a ten."

"Huh?" Shirley gazed downwards, and knew instantly what she was talking about.

Milly: From what I've seen in the girls' bathroom anyway, you've been filling out in all the right places, huh.

Shirley's face grew bright red, completely embarrassed. It was a lovely sight, seeing his friends enjoy the simple pleasures and deal with the simple problems of their everyday lives. It's a shame it won't last.

Shirley began to protest, still a bit pink. "Wh..What are you talking about, you perv?"

Lelouch began to speak, so caught up in his own thoughts that he was unaware of it. "You know… She's right Shirley. You are a beautiful young lady." He gasped, realising that he said that outloud.

Shirley was crimson now. "Beautiful?" she whispered, the shock making her woozy. Lelou, calling me beautiful… I think I'm gonna… Shirley thought, before she blacked out.

The others gasped at what he said, all of them with wide eyes. Nina was tended Shirley, Miley trying to revive her. Rivalz, on the other hand, grabbed Lelouch by the collar, giving him a suspicious look.

"Who are you?! And what have you done with Lelouch Lamperouge?!" Rivalz demanded.

"Alright, I'll spill. The truth was, I got caught up in the terrorist attack yesterday." Lelouch told them.

"WHAT?!"

(later, just as class was beginning to start)

"I can't believe you made Shirley faint like that. And you really meant it? What you said I mean?" Rivalz asked. Class was about to start. And every girl was talking about a girl who just got back.

Kallen.