CHAPTER 6:

THE DEBUT

How are you holding up, Suzaku? Lelouch asked as he waited in a junkyard for Kallen and whoever she managed to wrangle to her side to arrive. Tamaki was going to stay as a voice of dissent, to sell his role, and it was unlikely the cell, given Kallen's intelligence on it, would join wholeheartedly, at least just yet.

Well enough, Lord Momonga. I find it strange to address you as such, the former insectoid being sent back. We became like brothers when you and Nunnally were sent here as hostages by that vile fool you are forced by circumstance to call a father.

Lelouch chuckled. If you wish to call me Lelouch, that is fine. There's a difference between deference and hollow bowing and scraping. But are you fine, Suzaku?

Well enough, I supposed, Lord Mo…I mean, Lelouch. My strength as a Floor Guardian allows me to endure this discomfort, and I take comfort in knowing that this will be part of the plan. In any case, what can these dishonourable fools do to a Floor Guardian?

True, but we shouldn't take too many chances, Lelouch sent. The more we show our true power, the more likely that some escalation that will get too many innocents caught up will take place. In addition, the power of Geass, which appears to be unique to this world, is another complicating factor. While many of us, particularly the undead characters, should be immune to mind control, that's within the rules of Yggdrasil. CC has already stated that there are a variety of Geass users, and that she is one of at least two people capable of granting them. In addition, my father has a Geass of unknown ability. We move, then, with an appropriate amount of caution. Not so much as to be practically immobile, not like the JLF, who seem to be content with propaganda lately. But we will act as if this is still Yggdrasil, and that there are beings capable of being a threat, even subverting the Floor Guardians and the like. That is to say, not with total secrecy or immobility, but rather, we take calculated risks.

Then why announce your presence?

I told you, Suzaku, we're putting the Britannians on notice. Through this, Sebas and Lupusregina, in their guises as Gottwald and Nu, will come out, if not smelling of roses, then at least not having the stink of crap sticking to them. And if the Purist Faction is completely disbanded here in Japan, then that means that they can merely return to Nazarick. True, I will have lost a pair of useful moles within the system, but there is more than one way to skin a cat. Lelouch grimaced when he remembered an anecdote Ulbert had relayed from his childhood, of how desperate he got for food.

I see. Forgive the questions, Lelouch.

There is nothing to forgive, Suzaku. I may be your leader, but if there is something that needs clarifying, and I do not need to conceal it, then I will gladly divulge it. And if you need to question part of the plan, and have a better idea, then I will listen. I may not follow the idea, but I will listen.

Thank you, Lelouch. You magnanimity knows no bounds. Things were quiet on Suzaku's end, and Lelouch nearly thought the conversation over, until Suzaku added, tentatively, I have a confession to make, Lelouch.

What is it, Suzaku?

The people believe that my father surrendered Japan to the Britannians and then committed suicide, Suzaku said hesitantly. In truth…he was intending to order an all-out resistance, to the death. And he intended it for every Japanese, not just the soldiers, but every man, woman, and child. He…thought it better than subjugation. I heard him, and protested. I eventually killed him myself. Until I recovered my memories as Cocytus…I had joined the Britannian military as a means to atone, to try and change the system from within, or die trying.

Lelouch was shocked. Had his friend actually done that? And at the age of ten? How many other people know of this, aside from us?

Very few. My actions were covered up.

Hmm. Suzaku, make your loyalty to me, to Ainz Ooal Gown, paramount from now on. That shall be your atonement. While we cannot change the world without getting our hands dirty, I will try to ensure that our ascendancy is one that we can live with ourselves doing. I would have more of the blood of the guilty on our swords than the blood of the innocent on our hands.

Very well, Lelouch. Your will be done. After you free me, what then?

Play the part of a good little Honorary Britannian and head to your court martial. By the time I'm done, they'll have little choice but to throw the case out. Allow them to debrief you, and tell the truth, or at least what Suzaku Kururugi would know, rather than Floor Guardian Cocytus would know. Hopefully, you will be allowed to return to Demiurge and Yuri.

Suzaku's nervous chuckles echoed down the line, a hint of his human side compared to the insectoid Cocytus. I'm still a bit bemused that the Lancelot is Shizu Delta. Demiurge has gotten it into his head that I would be a perfect pilot for her, and she's telling me to be gentle with her.

Lelouch snickered, before he saw movement in the junkyard. Kallen and Ohgi were approaching. I've got to go. Hang tight, Suzaku…

Kaname Ohgi, Lelouch reflected, was a good man. True, he was a touch ineffectual, not as great a leader of Kallen's rebel cell compared to Kallen's own brother, Naoto, but he fought for the right reasons, not just revenge on Britannia, but to regain his people's standing. There was something of him that reminded Lelouch of Touch Me. Of all the former members of Ainz Ooal Gown, it was Touch Me that Lelouch liked the best. While he was friends with many, Touch Me's adherence to his sense of justice was admirable. And given his wife and children, Lelouch could understand him stepping down as Guild Master. It was thanks to Touch Me that Lelouch, as Momonga, even bothered to keep playing Yggdrasil.

Lelouch would have dearly loved to have revealed his true face to Ohgi, to reveal the truth, but leaving aside the whole 'exiled Britannian prince' thing, if Lelouch confessed the truth about himself and Ainz Ooal Gown, he'd probably be considered insane at best. And at worst…well, considering that Ainz Ooal Gown was filled with inhuman monsters…he'd certainly react badly to learning Kallen was actually a succubus.

Still, Ohgi had agreed to be part of this operation. They had Eight-Edged Assassins on stand-by if things went really badly. A key part of playing any MMORPG, especially where difficult missions were involved, was to prepare for the worst. Of course, it was different in this reality compared to Yggdrasil, but the same need for preparations to cover as many contingencies as possible applied.

Their plan was to take a junked truck of the same make and model as what Lelouch and Kallen liked to call Clovis' 'pimpmobile', and have Kallen drive it, disguised as a chauffeur. Lelouch, in his costume as Zero, would sit at the top, ready to grandstand. Hidden behind him, ready to be unveiled at a moment's notice, would be the so-called 'poison gas' capsule that had actually contained CC. He would use his Geass on Kewell, accompanied by a portentous bluff that would make it seem like Kewell had some deep, dark secret in his past that Lelouch had uncovered. Kewell's reputation would be in tatters, Suzaku would be freed, and Lelouch, under the guise of Zero, will have made his debut to the world, announcing the advent of Ainz Ooal Gown.

He would ask what could possibly go wrong, but that would be daring the universe to ensure something did go wrong. Instead, he helped direct the preparations to the decoy 'pimpmobile', ready to showcase his introduction…

Sometimes, there's not enough vomit in the world, Diethard Ried thought mutinously(1). He wanted to do more than pump out propaganda for the sake of Britannia. He wanted to be there when history truly happened, but instead, here he was, stage-managing one of the Purist Faction's little dramas from an Outside Broadcast unit van.

Anyone with half a brain (which sadly excluded much of the human race) could tell that this was a farce, a show. Suzaku Kururugi was unlikely to have gotten close enough to the Viceroy to plant any kind of bomb, or indeed have an opportunity to assassinate him by most means. It seemed, given what the placement was, that Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald agreed: he was allowing his subordinate take centre stage, a veiled way of showing that, if things fucked up, then Kewell Soresi was the one to take the fall. And Kururugi was standing there stoically, a shock collar around his neck (activated by an attempt to talk, or remotely, Ried wagered).

Every member of the Royal Family had enemies somewhere in the court at Pendragon: a Britannian from a rival faction was more likely to have done so. And a rebellious Eleven could have gotten lucky, somehow. Not to mention agents of either the Chinese Federation or the Euro-Universe. It would explain the mysterious explosion that had been witnessed from afar, though what sort of bomb caused that, Ried didn't know.

Still, Clovis' death had caused a power vacuum. For now, Margrave Gottwald and the Purists had taken charge. Rumour had it that Clovis' replacement would be Princess Cornelia, the so-called 'Goddess of Victory'. Ried would have sneered at such a title, but he knew that Cornelia had earned it, and was earning it even at this moment in the Middle East. Pacifying unruly Numbers was a specialty of hers, and Clovis' death was sure to make the various insurgents and terrorists bolder.

Ried was brought out of his reverie when the convoy stopped. And approaching the convoy…was that Clovis' personal transport? That ostentatious piece of shit? It would have been locked up safely in a garage. Draped over the front was the Britannian flag.

Eventually, it came to a halt, and Kewell had demanded that whoever had the temerity to defile Clovis' transport show themselves. And so they did, in spectacular fashion. The flag burned away, revealing a most extraordinary figure perched on the platform, in front of a large box or crate. Draped in a cloak, with a featureless mask concealing its features, it was certainly very striking.

"I AM…ZERO!" the figure proclaimed, their voice loud, and distorted by some sort of voice changer.

Even as Zero and Kewell exchanged words, and the box fell apart to reveal…something, some sort of capsule which the Purebloods seemed to panic upon seeing, Ried realised he was witnessing history in the making. For all this masked man's suicidal audacity, Ried also knew that this was brilliant. Eventually, he snapped, "Unit 6, boost the sound and get your camera as close to him as possible!"

"Sir, it's too dangerous out here, and…"

Amateurs! Ried snarled inwardly. He snatched up a camera and dashed out of the OB unit van. He got to where Zero was demanding an exchange of whatever the hell that thing was for Kururugi. And when Kewell refused, Zero then dropped the bombshell, actually turning to peer down the lens of the camera Ried was wielding.

"The one who killed Clovis was none other than myself!"

Well, you've got to give it to this guy, he's enjoying this performance, Ried thought. A good sense of the dramatic.

As Kewell threatened Zero, Zero then dropped the bombshell that took things to the next level. "I'd be careful what you do and say, Kewell Soresi. Do you think I acted alone, in total isolation? We of Ainz Ooal Gown have been preparing for a long time, digging up dirt on our enemies. Do you really think we couldn't find out about 'Orange'?"

Confusion spread throughout those present. And then, Zero said, "If you don't want the details of that sordid little part of your life going public, then you will do everything in your power to allow us and Kururugi go!"

And to Ried's astonishment, Kewell did just that, despite Gottwald and Nu interfering. He cackled inwardly at the chaos this was causing. And what was that Ainz Ooal Gown thing that they mentioned? Sounded like a bunch of nonsense words. Not English, not Japanese…so who would name their organisation that?

Still, Ried had wanted to see history in the making. And as Zero, his accomplice driving that gaudy transport of Clovis', and Kururugi made their escape, he knew that was precisely what he was witnessing…

In a guarded hotel room in the Britannian Settlement, violet eyes widened in surprise when their owner heard the name 'Ainz Ooal Gown'. Quietly, to herself, she murmured, "Momonga…if that's you…what have you done?"

CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:

So, Suzaku's staged rescue and Kewell being framed has gone off without a hitch. But who has just recognised the name of Ainz Ooal Gown?

I decided to show the debut of Zero (albeit in abbreviated form) wholly from the POV of Diethard Ried, partly because I wanted to have a relatively fresh take on the scene.

Before I get onto the reviews, I promised some recommendations for Overlord stories if people asked for them. Well, level 20 fnaf man did ask for them, so I'll list them here.

And They Call It Peace by lord of the land of fire: You'd probably know the author, but not this story. It basically has Nazarick transported to a post-apocalyptic world (not Earth). Sadly, it is probably a dead fic, but well worth a look.

A Chemist in King Ainz's Court by The Blight: What other fanfic starts with someone making a serious request for urine and faeces? This story has Genjiro, the canon Player who created Entoma (though he is basically an OC) joining Momonga at around the beginning of Book 2. What's more, he's a chemist, and thus uses his knowledge and whatever supplies he can get to create gunpowder and explosives, a boon in a medieval society. It's on hiatus, but given the adorable father-daughter relationship between Genjiro and Entoma, it is still worth a read.

Godsfall by Shurpuff: What if Momonga never went with Nazarick to the New World? What if he, and his friends, joined Yggdrasil 2? And what if, somehow, they were transported to the New World? A world that has suffered the attentions of the Floor Guardians and the Pleiades for years? A very dark story, but a good one.

The Antichrist Cometh by GoodguysRoverated: Momonga is a vampire instead of a lich. He's also much more embittered about his friends leaving him, and so decides on a quest of conquest much earlier on. Oh dear.

Six Paths of Overpowered by SaveTheWeak: A Naruto crossover, one of two that I know of where Madara Uchiha ends up in the New World. I personally prefer this one.

Fate Overlord by Leona-do: A Fate/Stay Night crossover where Shirou ends up saving the villagers of Carne…though that doesn't mean Momonga is out of the picture.

Death Parade of a Benevolent Overlord by Overfic23: A Harry Potter crossover where a female Harry is adopted by Momonga (Nazarick having ended up in the Potterverse). It's still in its early stages, but it's promising, and has a lovely maternal Albedo.

The Master of Death in Nazarik and Harry Potter and the Return to the First Life by dEBB987: A Potterverse crossover pair which is entertaining. The former is a straightforward crossover, with a MoD Harry instead of Momonga, while the latter is a sequel (written before the former is even finished) where Harry is summoned back to the past, along with the Floor Guardians, by a wizard who wants the Death Eaters dealt with.

Sage of the Forest by NeonZangetsu: Yeah, one of this guy's, but it's pretty good, though it'll probably update at a snail's pace. It's a Naruto crossover where Naruto headed up a rival guild to Ainz Ooal Gown.

Review-answering time! WarlockMastersOfTimeAndSpace: Firstly, go get the light novels at least, if not watching the anime. You'll love them…well, most of them. Books 4 and 7 are the weaker books of the series so far IMO, partly due to the lessened emphasis on the main characters, but they're not bad by any means. Secondly, Jeremiah and Suzaku were two of the trickier ones to find reincarnations for. You have valid points, but keep in mind, I also based it on more subtleties of their character. Sebas, for all his honour and good nature, is still a fairly harsh man in some regards: in Book 5, he only resolves to save the life of Tsuare when she shows she actually shows she has the will to live, and is a mentor figure to others. He, like Gottwald is in later parts, fits a 'retainer' role. Cocytus is also honourable, but he also has a more straightforward, 'taking orders' attitude, eager to please his master. So while you have valid points, so do I, and in the end, I am the one writing this. That being said, I'm glad you enjoyed the story so far.

1. This was inspired by the Everything, Etc episode of QI. In that episode, Clive Anderson's buzzer is a soundbite from (Everything I Do) I Do It For You by Bryan Adams. Ried's thoughts are a paraphrase of Stephen Fry's response.