I decided to continue Act I with one more story....I don't own Code Geass.

Act I Part 5

Home Coming

Black Knights supply plane, between Chinese Federation and Japan

September 26, 2018

"Got any fives?" Adam asked.

"Go fish," Lelouch answered boredly.

"Those two don't seem that dangerous," the co-pilot of the plane thought aloud.

"We're dangerous if we have to be Tim," Adam told the speaker as he sorted the cards in his hands.

The two fugitive Guardians managed to sneak aboard the supply plane by stealing Black Knights uniforms and masks. Once they were in the air, they made no attempt to hide themselves from the pilots, but warned them not to tell command of their presence aboard the plane. If they need to, Lelouch could Geass them...Lelouch doesn't want to have to use his Geass during a period of peace.

"You don't seem...," the pilot spoke to Lelouch, "You don't seem like the Demon Emperor that I remember."

"He's a really good actor, Deron," Adam said.

"Actor?" Tim repeated.

"Must I explain everything?" Lelouch questioned. "It's a long story."

"We have several hours before we land," Deron replied.

"Why do you care?" Adam inquired, putting down his cards. "Most Black Knights hate us yet you are willing to let us explain ourselves."

The two pilots shrugged. "It's true that most Black Knights do hate you and want to kill you on sight," Tim agreed. "Some want to see why you just left your control of the world behind. I mean, you had the world in the palm of your hand. If you survived, then why didn't you take back your power?"

Lelouch just sat there, staring at the two with an observing gaze. "What will you do after I tell you?" he asked them.

"Most likely nothing," Deron answered.

The ex-emperor laid down his cards. "Very well then...Listen to my story."

Lelouch began to tell his tell to the Black Knight pilots. He told them his days as a prince, when he and his sister were exiled to Japan, and his friendship with Suzaku Kururugi. He told them about his time as the first Zero and his plan of the Zero Requiem. What Lelouch did not tell them about was Geass and the identity of the current Zero.

Hours had past since the prince began his tale and now they were just over Tokyo. The two pilots said nothing after hearing Lelouch's tragic story. Whether they would turn on him and Adam was unclear to the two Guardians, but that didn't matter.

They were now a safe range from the Ark. Lelouch reached over and grasped Adam's shoulder just before they vanished in a flash of red light.

***************

Aboard the Ark, Noa's office

10:23 P.M.

Noa peered at Suzaku's forearm through his red sunglasses. "Are you absolutely sure about this, Suzaku?" he asked the young man.

"If I have to I'll use it," Suzaku answered, gripping his left arm tight. "If there are still Geass users wreaking havoc in Spain as I believe then this should help me even things out."

Noa closed his eyes in thought. "Using that kind of base though...There will be a price," he opened his eyes and stared into Suzaku's. "I suggest you not try to use it or attempt to use your Live command."

"Why not?"

"Like I said: There will be a price...Don't tell anyone about this."

"I don't intend to."

Noa sensed someone coming and smirked. "They're here," he said.

Suzaku raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Who's here?"

His question was answered by a flash of blinding red light. Suzaku blinked when he saw Lelouch and Adam appear out of the light. They were wearing Black Knight uniforms more than likely stolen. Lelouch noticed Suzaku and waved at him.

"Heya, Suzaku. How have you been?"

Suzaku chuckled. "Good, and you?"

Lelouch shrugged. "I've been better," he said giving a friendly smirk, "I mean being the most wanted fugitive in the world is tiring."

"Especially for someone with your stamina," Adam said smugly.

"I'm working on it," Lelouch told him bitterly.

"Yeah right."

"Wish I could stay and chat," Suzaku put on his Zero mask, "but I've got somewhere that I need to be at."

Lelouch nodded. "Alright, see ya." With that Zero took his leave.

Adam turned to Noa. "So, is there anything that we need to know?"

"Not really," Noa told them. "Just make sure you are hidden from the Black Knights stationed here."

"Will do," Lelouch said, yawning, "I'm heading to bed."

"Use the Guardian barracks," Noa told him as Lelouch walked out the door. The Guardian founder noticed Adam still glaring at him. "Is there something that you want to know?"

***********

Kallen walked back to her and C.C.'s room. Her muscles were burning from having to carry those weights again, but at least she didn't collapse. "Geez Lelouch," she sighed, "How you survived this training I will never know."

"It's simple as to how," said a familiar deep voice behind her. Kallen quickly spun around and saw Lelouch vi Britannia staring at her with that arrogant grin of his.

"And how is that?" Kallen questioned.

"I just did it," was Lelouch's answer. He looked her over, noticing her fatigue. Then he asked, "So, you're becoming a Guardian huh?" His tone sounded almost disapproving.

Kallen nodded slightly. "I just started training last week."

Lelouch walked closer to her. "Why?" he asked.

"I want to protect everyone in this world and preserve the peace," the Guren pilot told him. "Don't worry about me Lelo-"

"Do you know what you will have to deal with?" Lelouch inquired. "What it means to be a Guardian?"

"What it means is to pro-"

"That's only part of Kallen," he said, glaring at her with scolding eyes, "It also means facing and becoming the impossible....That's what we are. You being the Ace of the Black Knights means nothing here. It's too dangerous for you."

Kallen clenched her teeth. "Don't think that I don't already know that!" she yelled. "I've seen what every Guardian can do Lelouch. That's why I'm training right now! I want to become stronger so I can protect everyone I hold dear. So don't tell me that it's too dangerous for me when it's obviously too dangerous for you as well."

Lelouch sighed and softened. "Fine, I'll won't persuade you to quit," he chuckled a bit and smiled, "You are far to stubborn for me to try and change your mind on something like this." He turned around and scratched his head as he muttered to himself.

"Lelouch," Kallen said in a small voice.

Lelouch began to turn around. "What is it Ka-"

His sentence was cut short by Kallen's fist connecting to his face, making him stagger back to the wall. The red head did not give him time to recover as she kneed the ex-prince in the stomach. She grabbed the front of his shirt collar and dragged him up before Lelouch could double over. He stared down at her with a sorry expression while she kept her head down, keeping her eyes away from his.

"Kallen..."

"How can you be so nonchalant, Lelouch?" she questioned, "You left me...again."

"It's not my fault," Lelouch said casually.

Kallen released her grip but still kept her eyes away from him. "I know," she said, "Forgive me...I was being childish."

He placed his left hand on her shoulder while his right tilted her head up to him revealing her tear streaked face. "It's fine," he smiled warmly at her. "It's good to see you again Kallen."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tight despite the hurt in her arms. "I've missed you," she whispered.

Lelouch returned her embrace. "I've missed you too Q-1," he noticed the person watching them at the end of the hallway they were in and smirked.

"Such a happy moment," said a voice that made Kallen curse under her breath. The couple released each other from their embrace and looked at the witch who always ruined their moment. "It's good to see you again Lelouch."

"It's good to see you too C.C."

The green haired witch turned her attention to the silently fuming Guren pilot. "I hope you weren't thinking of doing anything with him Kallen...You both are too exhausted for overnight...exercise."

Both Lelouch and Kallen, mainly Kallen, turned deep red. "I-I-I wasn't thinking of doing that at all!" she protested.

Lelouch couldn't resist. "Kallen...I'm hurt," he fake pouted. "I thought you would love to move our relationship up to the next level," he added, smiling seductively, "I would try my best to pleasure my Q-1!"

Kallen turned a deeper shade of red that C.C. never thought possible. "L-Lelouch!"

Both of her torturers were amused at her embarrassment. C.C. returned her attention to Lelouch. "What are you going to do for your living quarters?" she inquired. "I don't think any of the soldiers posted here would like to know that the Demon Emperor is living on this floating island once more."

Lelouch shrugged. "I'm just going to use these barracks and as for the soldiers...I'll just have to stay out of sight, won't I?" He began walking toward the bathroom. "I'm taking a shower," he announced.

************

"Is there something you want to know Adam?" Noa asked again.

"Why was Zero here?" the white-haired boy questioned.

"I won't tell you," Noa stated.

Adam clenched his fists. "Why not?"

"It is something between me and Zero," Noa answered, "Just trust me."

"I do trust you Noa," Adam relaxed slightly, "I just want you to tell me what's going on for once. There's so many things that you never explained like that Mao guy and Remnants. That gave me a bad feeling when Mao died...Noa...What is going to happen?"

The blue haired sage sighed. "It wouldn't matter if I told you or not. You cannot stop it, but we can weather through the coming storm."

"But what is coming?!" Adam yelled, though he knew the answer. "Let me know so I can prepare at the very least!"

Noa thought about it. "War is coming again," Noa stated as he stood up and walked over to Adam. He put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I've always made sure that you are prepared. I want you to make sure Lelouch and Kallen are ready though. Can you do that for me?"

"Hmph. I will Noa."

Noa released Adam's shoulder and began to leave but stopped just in front of the door. "Adam," he spoke softly.

"What?"

"Someday you will-" Noa stopped himself, "No, not yet...Somnus, Adam." With that the sage left the Silver Guardian alone to wonder what Noa was going to say.

*************

Lelouch slept soundly in his bed...Well he did until he felt a cold liquid splash allover him.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Lelouch wiped the water from his eyes and glared at Adam standing over him holding an empty bucket. "What was that for?!" he looked over to the clock which said 5:16 A.M. "Why did you wake me up so early?"

Adam put down the bucket. "Quit whining and get ready," he ordered, "You and I are going to have a duel in the sim-room." He turned around and began to leave. "I'll be waiting," he said as he walked out the door.

Lelouch grudgingly got out of bed and took a shower. After dried off, he changed into his Guardian outfit. It consisted of a dark blue shirt with wide long sleeves, loose pants, a belt, black gloves and short boots, and a side skirt that covered his right leg and ended just above the foot. He also had a feather shaped badge that held the strap that held the sword on his back.

The Azure Knight walked into the sim-room to see Llyod, Rakshata, and Cecile monitoring it. "Hell~o, Lulu," Llyod greeted when he noticed the prince enter.

'When did he start calling me Lulu?' Lelouch wondered.

"Good morning your highness," Cecile greeted warmly whereas Rakshata just grunted hello. "Rakshata is not a morning person," she explained.

Lelouch yawned. "She's not alone...Why are you guys here?"

Llyod grinned. "I just wanted to see how you as a devicer works outside a Knightmare."

"Not to mention that you can't trust just any scientist to keep you a secret," Rakshata added, grumbling.

"Where's Eddie and Nina? I thought they would be on the Ark."

"Eddie slept in," Cecile answered, "Nina is in Britannia at the moment."

"I see."

"Well you better go inside," Llyod advised, pointing to the door to the simulated training room. "You don't want to keep him waiting.

Lelouch looked out the one-way window to see Adam standing in the center with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. He too wore his own outfit which consisted of a zipped up white swallow tailed short-sleeved shirt with a high collar that reached the lower half of his face, a black sleeveless undershirt, loose white pants that transitioned to black at the knees, short black boots, and black gloves with a gold colored fabric that ringed each finger. There was also a red Celtic cross he wore as a necklace.

Lelouch stepped inside and Adam opened his eyes, gazing at his rival. "What location are we doing?" Lelouch asked.

Adam continued to glare at Lelouch. "Use Simulation 20-D," he called out to Llyod.

"Rodger," Llyod replied as he typed in commands into the computer. "Be sure to give us a good show," he said as the room darkened and build's began to appear in the room Lelouch and Adam stood in.

Despite the size of the sim-room, space seemed to have no meaning once it was activated. The ceiling became a star filled night sky with dark, thundering clouds beginning to gather together. Buildings rose higher and higher until they became dimly lit skyscrapers. Despite all the things that were in front of them, nothing could block out he full moon that glowed brightly in the sky.

The Dark City, as Noa called this sim, was an entire city bathed in eternal night. Lelouch chuckled at the thought, it seemed perfect for he and Adam. Two dark souls locked in combat in a shadowed city.

Adam uncrossed his arms and stuck out his right hand. "Ready."

Lelouch reached for the sword on his back with his right arm. "Set."

A long sword appeared in Adam's hands as Lelouch griped his sword handle tightly. "GO!" they both yelled.

Adam threw the sword at Lelouch who quickly swung his sword down to knock away the projectile. The prince looked up to see Adam charging at him with an oversized sword. The greatsword swung downwards to it's target. Lelouch brought up his sword and blocked; the sheer force of the blow stung his hands.

The Azure Knight leaped back to make distance between them, but Adam charged him and launched an attack to his side. The blades connected again with a loud ring. Adam spun around and swung the large sword at the opposite direction. Lelouch parried the attack and countered with a kick that connected to Adam's stomach making him grunt in pain.

The large sword became transparent and disappeared in glimmering red lights. Adam replaced it with a falchion that he held backhanded. He slashed at Lelouch's chest. The blade missed but Adam continued the motion with a spin and low sweep kick.

Lelouch jumped back again and watched as Adam slowly stood up. A bright red mark etched itself over Adam's right hand while his irises began to glow the same color. In a blink of an eye Adam vanished and reappeared leaping toward Lelouch and swiping his sword toward the prince in a wide arc. Lelouch ducked under the blade and slashed at his mid-air opponent who disappeared once again.

Adam reappeared directly above Lelouch with a spear in hand. He pointed his weapon down as he dropped to Lelouch. The prince jumped out of the way and Adam teleported away once more. This time he didn't try his sneak attacks...He just didn't reappear at all in front of the Azure Knight.

Lelouch scanned his surroundings, searching for the white-haired Guardian. On top of a lone skyscraper Adam stood. Their red eyes locked with purple, both thinking the same thing...No more warm-ups.

Thunder roared in the sky as it began to rain.

Lelouch's blue Advent lit up on his left hand as his eyes glowed with a sapphire light. He ran up the stairs in front of the skyscraper and hopped on a windowsill. He hopped once more to the center of the building and began to run up the wall...Had anyone who knew of Lelouch's famous lack of any physical prowess would never believe what they were seeing...It's hard enough to believe anyone could do that! With sword in hand, the prince ran up the base of the seven story building to meet his adversary at the top.

Adam watched as Lelouch started up the skyscraper. He calmly conjured a sword into his hand and dropped it. The blade shone with the light from the windows reflecting off of it. When the sword approached the center of the building Adam teleported and grasped the sword's hilt. He skydived close to the side of the skyscraper and met Lelouch halfway.

They slashed once at each other, the tip of their swords clashed. Adam continued to fall as Lelouch quickly turned around and jumped toward him with great speed. They fought in mid-air.

Lelouch slashed down on Adam who dodged and grabbed his arm. Adam threw Lelouch toward another building. Lelouch recovered and hit the side of the building flat on his feet. He looked back and saw a spear soaring toward him. Lelouch moved his torso to make the spear miss and stick to the wall. He grabbed the handle and pulled himself up to stand on it. Lelouch silently thanked himself for working on his balance.

Adam threw more spears to the side of the wall; he then teleported and landed on top of one. Now brandishing the large sword once more, he jumped from spear to spear toward Lelouch. He jumped high over Lelouch, preparing for a powerful downward slash.

Instead of waiting, Lelouch leaped toward Adam, forcing him to go on the defensive. Once more they entered free falling combat. Lelouch hacked and slashed at Adam while he blocked every blow with the heavier weapon. When he got his chance, Adam twisted himself around and slashed upwards. Lelouch blocked it but the force pushed him higher into the air.

Adam switched to a scythe and warped up behind the airborne prince. Lelouch was wide open as Adam prepared the finishing blow. The eerie red glow of the Silver Guardian's eyes made it seem that Lelouch was staring at Death itself. His eyes went wide as the blade of the scythe came closer and closer to his face........

****************

Bang!

"You were half a centimeter off," Hawk said boredly, "Miss."

"Well sorry if I'm not a perfect shot like you!" Kallen exclaimed. In response, Hawk took her pistol and started shooting at the target. He made a perfect smiley face. "Show off," the Black Knights ace said through clenched teeth.

Normally Hawk would smirk at that comment, but he felt a strange breeze. "Seems like those two are at it," he muttered as he returned Kallen's gun.

"Who is-" Kallen began.

"Report to Ghost and Alice for stealth," Hawk ordered as he walked out of the shooting range, leaving a pondering Kallen.

****************

Lelouch summoned up all of his Advent power and released it in a great burst of wind. The gust blew Adam away. Lelouch grinned to himself as he began to plummet to the ground. "Heh, I guess I still need work on my stamina," he said to himself as he closed his eyes.

Before the prince hit the ground, Adam teleported and caught him. "You still need to work on your endurance before you try wind manipulation," Adam lectured to the unconscious Lelouch. He sighed, "Now to set up for the other one."

As Adam said that the virtual world began to dissolve.

************

Elsewhere, 5 hours later

"You need to learn to watch your step," Alice scolded, "How exactly did you become an ace?"

"Shut up!" Kallen yelled as she tried to untie the rope holding her foot while she dangled just above the ground.

"Don't tell me to shut up! I'm not the who fell for such an obvious trap!" Alice countered.

"Just wait till I get down from here!"

A masked white ninja shook his head as the two teenage girls continued to bicker. Ghost wondered why he had to teach Kallen stealth. She wasn't exactly the type to ever need it like he, a ninja, and Alice, a thief.

'Just in case I guess,' the ninja thought. He watched as Kallen noisily got down. 'She's out of her element. Kallen is a soldier after all.'

"That will be all today," he said suddenly.

"What?! I can still keep going," Kallen protested.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you're just the most awesome covert specialist ever," she said sarcastically earning a death glare from the Guren pilot.

"Today was your first attempt," Ghost told Kallen, "I have other things to take care of and besides...Adam wants to see you in the virtual training room." With that he left leaving Kallen alone with a now pondering Alice.

'Why does he want to train her?' the thief wondered. 'I've got to see this.'

************

Alice showed Kallen the way to the virtual training room. In it's monitoring room Lelouch, Rakshata, Llyod, and Cecile were waiting.

"Adam wanted to-" the Black Knights Ace began.

"In there," a tired looking Lelouch answered her unfinished question. Kallen noticed him trying to conceal his fatigue. Before she could say anything about it Alice spoke.

"Go inside. You don't want to keep our ace waiting would you?"

Kallen scoffed. "As if he could beat me in a fight," she growled, earning her smirks and giggles, even from Lelouch. "What?! You don't think I can do it?" the red-head questioned angrily at the prince who just had that cocky grin on his face.

"This isn't a fight for one," he answered calmly, "Second...There's a reason why he's considered the best." That last sentence had a bitter tone to it, like Lelouch's pride was hurt just saying that.

Kallen wondered about what he meant but said nothing of it. She stepped inside the training room where Adam awaited. The moment the Guren pilot set foot inside, the room began to change, taking the appearance of a still intact Babel Tower in the daytime. They stood on the roof.

Kallen looked around the once smaller space. She was amazed at how realistic the training room can be. She had to ask Eddie how this place worked.

"Rookie," Adam spoke in his cold voice, taking her out of her wonderment.

"Don't call-"

"I'll call you what ever I want," he snapped. The white haired Guardian walked over and stopped right in front of her. "I've heard about your two days of training," he breathed a long deep sigh, "Sword skills are in need of sharpening, hand-to-hand is down pat, piloting exceeds expectations. Your gun skills are mediocre at best and espionage..." He paused, thinking of how best to say it. "Stick to the bunny outfit," Adam finally finished.

Kallen's face flared red from anger and embarassment. "You think you can do any better?!" she retorted.

Adam ignored her outburst and continued. "This scenario will repeat the Babel Tower assault made by the Black Knights," he conjured a short sword and handed it to Kallen, "Your targets will be any who attack you, understood?"

'Kill Britannian soldiers,' she thought. "Yeah, I can do that," Kallen said confidently.

Adam nodded. "Your objective is to get from here to the bottom without getting killed."

Kallen started to become impatient. "Yeah, yeah, just start it already," she told him.

"Hmph. As you wish." At that, an explosion was heard and Kallen sprinted to the door. Adam smiled to himself. "I wonder just how far she will get," he mused aloud.

************

Kallen had run down the stairs as fast as she could. The Guardian rookie had dispatched several Britannan's on the way down, even stripping one of it's machine gun and ammo. The ace had successfully reached the 27th floor without too much incident, but the 26th downward stairs were a part of a different stairwell.

The half-breed found herself in a casino room, one all too familiar. Kallen took notice of the sound of running coming from her side. She dived for cover before looking to see who were her virtual assailants.

She waited for the sound of machine gun fire to cease before jumping out of her cover and returning fire. Kallen was stunned as three soldiers hit the ground with a thud. They were Black Knights.

"Why would he have me go against-" Kallen didn't finish that question for a Kightmare crashed through the wall and stopped in front of the Black Knights ace. "No way," Kallen breathed. The Knightmare that stood before her was not a Burai nor a Sutherland, but it was nonother than the Guren Mk-II. Kallen had never known just how frightening the Guren could be. Then again she never fought against it.

The cockpit block of the menacing red Knightmare opened and the pilot jumped out. Kallen was completely off guard when it was not herself that stood before her, but Lelouch's alter ego...Zero.

"Why are you here?!" the Black Knights Ace demanded, forgetting that it was a virtual program at that moment.

Zero said nothing but reached for the sword, that sword that had slain the Demon Emperor once. The Knight of Justice sped toward his ace and slashed the machine gun away before she could use it. Kallen drew her short sword and defended against the virtual Zero's onslaught, not allowing her an opening of any kind.

His attack pattern was different than Suzaku's who pretty much wielded the sword as a samurai. But this Zero held the sword with only one hand and moved with swift fluent cuts and kicks. It was as if it was a dance as he sliced the air and slammed Kallen's blade with his own.

Kallen began to tire against this Zero's assault. Zero noticed this and gripped the sword handle with both of his gloved hands. He released a heavy horizontal slash that knocked away Kallen's short sword and left her wide open to his next attack, which was a backflip kick square in the jaw.

As she soared in the air, Kallen Kozuki had a hard time believing that she would be defeated so easily by a mere program. She hit the ground hard and struggled to get up only to have the tip of Zero's sword pointed toward her face.

"Why are you here?" Kallen asked the program again. "Why am I fighting you and the Black Knights?"

"Does it matter who your enemy is?" Adam asked her as he approached behind Zero. Kallen narrowed her blue eyes toward his red ones as he continued. "If they are an enemy, then they will kill you. So do not hesitate and question why you are fighting someone, if they stand in your way, eliminate the threat post haste."

"My enemy is not the Black Knights," Kallen retorted.

"Things change," Adam responded simply as the Zero sheathed it's sword. "Speaking of which, why did you continue to fight? You no longer have anyone's dream to fulfill, for Japan is now liberated. So when the time comes, what will you be fighting for?"

Kallen was confused by his question. "Is there something wrong with fighting to keep peace?" she asked as she stood up.

"No," Adam answered. "It's just if you do not have your own reason to fight," Zero began to remove the mask, "How can you expect to overcome the person you were before?"

Kallen listened intently as she gazed into the blue eyes of her opponent. Then the virtual world collapsed and the training room regained it's default form.

"From now on, I will oversee your training regime," Adam informed her. "Hopefully you will find something more to drive you to continue to fight battles for peace." With that Adam left Kallen.

When he exited the training area, Adam past by Lelouch who was standing by the sliding door. "What is your reason to fight?" the prince asked the Silver Guardian.

"I could ask the same," Adam responded, not answering Lelouch's question.

****************

On Sunday when Kallen returned home, she went inside to find Kaylin comforting Kallen's sobbing mother. Roland was in the corner with an angry expression on his face. But their was one other person in the room...

"Gerald?" Kallen questioned, seeing her old servant again. "What are you doing here?"

Kallen's mother looked at her daughter with tear filled eyes. "Kallen...Your father has been murdered."

End of Act I

Act II: Unraveling Peace

That is the end of chapter 5 and Act I. Please tell me what you think in a Review.

Oh, there is a poll on my page on who you would rather have duel Kallen: Adam, Lelouch, or both. Please vote on it!