The Boy In The Scroll

Chapter 10: A Dead Prince and... school?

Lelouch stood in Clovis' shadow as the blond stared at the prisoners with cold blue eyes. It was a trap for Zero, and Lelouch could see that clear as day. As the minutes ticked by and turned into one hour than two a crowd began to form around the place of execution. The thirty or so Japanese all shook in fear as they knelt down with their heads bowed. All of them were wearing the same white suit with leather straps. No one should have to deal with the type of pain they were going through. By the look in their eyes, Lelouch could tell that everyone of them had given up hope and already saw themselves as dead.

Clovis motioned the guards to take aim. The allotted time was nearly over and Lelouch decided to not show up as Zero. The spirit sighed when guns were shifted and pointed at the defenseless people. It was now or never.

A knife slid out of Lelouch's sleeve and landed in his hand. For what he was about to do, Lelouch wished that someone would stop him. But no one did, so he stepped forward. Knife in hand, Lelouch allowed his hand to hover in front of Clovis' neck as he said a quick apology.

A glance, a flick of a wrist, one word, one death, it was enough to change the future. Enough to change the path that the world would have taken if that one action hadn't been made. And today the world would be thrown into an all out rebellion. A war for peace.

"Kill only if you're prepared to be killed. Good bye brother."

A single tear slid down Lelouch's cheek as he passed the knife through Clovis' neck. It was an instant death, the blonde didn't even know what hit him as his throat split open. Time seemed to slow as blood sprayed onto the pavement and sprinkled flecks of blood through Lelouch's spirit-like form. The spectators all shouted in alarm as they watched their third prince fall; and the news cast, though shocked, did their job and filmed the event.

Lelouch couldn't bring himself to look at the crippled form as the shouts began to get louder and louder and the people became hysterical. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Lelouch whispered. His form shook like a leaf as the shouts became almost overwhelming. "I had to do it. You were going to kill innocent people. I had to. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," he repeated to himself like a mantra. If he waited a moment later, the boy was sure he would break down sobbing amidst the people. Lelouch didn't even bother to open his eyes as he flew toward the Japanese captives. He couldn't bother to let his feelings get in the way right now. A job still needed to get done.

Working with tear blurred eyes, Lelouch was eventually able to cut the prisoners free from their binds. Floating back to his Zero outfit, Lelouch quickly flew to a decent hiding spot before slipping the costume on. He stuck his head out from behind a wall and waved for the Japanese people to follow him. They all looked at him with confusion for a while before obediently standing up and slowly move to where he was.

"Why did you save us?" a woman asked. She seemed to be the oldest out of the group.

"Because you have done nothing wrong," Zero answered as he began leading them through and alley way and toward a stair case that let to an under ground base. Zero needed to be emotionless; he couldn't show his emotions because emotions was weakness. "I'll stop by tomorrow to make sure everything is okay with all of you and to drop off a few things. None of you are to leave until I come back tomorrow," he said with a strong voice as he swept his gaze over the crowd. He felt as if he was going to break any minute now. He needed to get out. NOW. "There should be enough supplies to last you for the night or even a week. Stay here," was his last warning as he retreated back the way he had come only to collapse five minutes later when sobs wracked his body.

He just killed his brother! Lelouch pushed himself against the wall as he phased out of the costume and hugged his legs to his chest. The first time he killed, all he felt was emptiness. The people at the harbor were his enemies. That was all to it. But Clovis... Clovis was his brother! They might have only been half brothers, but blood was still blood.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Lelouch said, shaking with sorrow. He had to do it. He needed to kill Clovis. Lelouch shivered. So this was how the rebels felt when they lost Naoto... It must have hurt even more for Kallen considering she didn't have a seven year time gap away from her brother. She was strong... stronger than Lelouch at least. Just look at him! Crying like a baby for his mother! Hah, what a joke he was! He just started a war and didn't even consider the people that would be dying! Oh, Lelouch was a fool!

A small smile met Lelouch's lips, but it was forced and didn't feel real at all. It hurt, it really hurt and Lelouch didn't think he could convince himself otherwise.

x~XXX~x

Zero stared out of the window as he allowed himself a chance to breathe. It had been an incredibly long night, and the day was just as busy as when the moon lit the sky. Zero blinked at the sea of people before him. All of them Numbers, and all of them had almost given up hope.

To think that just the day before, their group of rebels had only comprised of eight people. Now it was well into it's hundred's and approaching a thousand. With the new lives that each number had been granted, almost all of them swore their loyalty to Zero... Lelouch didn't understand it. How could they easily swear their loyalty to him when they didn't even know who he was beneath the mask? How could they trust a murderer? A kin murderer!? For heavens sake, he killed his own brother! Wasn't that one of the worst crimes a person could commit? If murder was bad, then wasn't killing ones own kin worse? It was like the story of Abel and Cain in the bible, except this time Cain had killed a corrupted Abel.

Lelouch sighed, he feared that he would never understand the human race like he once had. Turning back to his laptop, Lelouch drowned out the booming shouts and crackling laughter of the people. Hacking the Britannian data base for what should have been the millionth time, Lelouch quickly added a name and fake information to the list of honorary Britannians. He was nearly done with this list of people. The next list involved hacking into criminal records and deleting the 'crimes' that the Numbers had committed. Most of them were silly. One person even got arrested for catching a child's ball! Yeah... that guy was total criminal material... Lelouch needed to refrain from rolling his eyes.

Working for several more hours, Zero didn't glance up until he was done with the first list. More than a thousand people now had new lives with a clean sleight to start off with. Sadly smiling behind his mask, Zero closed his laptop and picked picked the stack of documents that had been printing through out the whole process. They were 'fake' records of the Number's new lives. Each of them would have their own ID's along with documents that they would need or that they requested.

Stepping out of his room, Zero flinched from the booming noise. It was much louder out here, than it was in his room. Avoiding the drunk Numbers, as best as he could, Zero slowly made his way to Kallen's room without being swept up into the drunken games and slurs.

"Kallen, can you do a favor for me?" Zero called over all the shouts as he knocked on her door.

Despite the booming music and the chatter of everyone, he could have sworn Kallen just mumbled a complaint. "What favor?" she grumbled as she opened the door. Kallen blinked at Zero's shoes for a while before slowly looking up to his masked face. She gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was you, I thought it was someone else."

"That's understandable."

Kallen's face turned a light pink as she blinked up at him. "What's the favor?"

"Right," Zero nodded as he held out one of the smaller folders to Kallen. "I''d like you to take these to the Katsura Landmark. There's an underground base there and I promised the people from yesterday's execution that I would drop by today. Please give them my apologies. I can't go to pass out these papers to them, since I have other things to do. Also, invite them into our group and if they want to join then have them come back with you."

"Of course, Zero. I'll deliver these right now." Kallen nodded quickly as she tucked the papers into a brown messenger bag. If Lelouch wasn't so tired he would have found it odd how she jumped at every word he said. On a chess board she would be the ever so loyal queen.

Watching the red head leave, Zero figured it was time to talk to another red head. Even spirits needed breaks, and Lelouch's head already hurt from all of the hacking. Not to mention Tamaki would probably notice something if he didn't see Lelouch for a while. Ah, but he still had papers to hand out to each person... this was going to be a long night.

Sighing, Zero headed for Ohgi's room. It wouldn't hurt to give yet another person his job. In his defense Tamaki did it to him all the time! Lelouch deserved at least a small break. Right?

Zero knocked on Ohgi's door.

"Zero?" Ohgi asked through sleepy eyes.

"Pass these out to everyone. The papers are all in alphabetical order, by last name. It's the identification papers for everyone you rescued from the mines," Zero quickly explained.

"Oh, right. I'm sorry to have left you with all the hard work," Ohgi said sheepishly as he took the documents into his arms.

"It's no problem at all. If you need anything I'll be in my room."

Both males bowed their head to each other before walking in opposite directions.

Walking back to his room, Lelouch shed his Zero costume and floated through several walls before stopping before Tamaki's door.

Immediately the door swung open and the spirit jumped from the sudden motion. "There you are!" Tamaki grabbed Lelouch by the wrist and dragging him into the room. The man only released Lelouch's wrist after he closed the door. "Did you see what Zero did!?" Tamaki shouted.

Lelouch nodded. What did a guy need to do to get some rest around here? All Lelouch wanted at the moment was to curl up in his scroll and sleep.

"Do you know who he is?" Tamaki questioned as he looked at Lelouch with round eyes. The man didn't even wait for an answer before he shook his head. "The guy wasn't lying! I mean he actually saved enough people to make a small army. Isn't it amazing?"

"Yeah," Lelouch answered, but whether he was answering the first or second question, Tamaki didn't know. This wasn't a topic Lelouch was particularly comfortable with.

"So anyway, I've been thinking," Tamaki began. "Zero is making new identities for everyone. Why not add you to that list? He can make you an identity, and at the same time you could join the Black Knights."

Lelouch shot Tamaki a questioning look. "The Black Knights?" he repeated.

"Well, now that we're official we'll be needing a group name. Plus I saw it one of the boxes Zero brought in." Tamaki gave Lelouch a wolf like grin, "I don't think I was supposed to find out, but Zero bought a bunch of jackets for everyone who joined."

Oh, so that's how he knew. For a minute there, Lelouch was actually worried that Tamaki had found out about him. Then something else clicked. "Wait! Make an identity for me!?" Lelouch shouted, happiness and... worry mixed in his voice.

"Yep. It'll make introducing you to the other's easier. Just think about it. We give you a new identity, I allow you to be seen by people, and voila! You're a new person. We'll just need to sneak your name into Zero's list and introduce the two of you."

"Wait! Wait. Just wait," Lelouch breathed. He was beginning to feel light headed as he put a hand to the wall for balance. "You're letting me be seen? As in I'll have my own body?"

"Sure, it'll be the same like how it was for Naoto. Except this time you can choose if you want to be visible of not... So I allow you to be seen!"

Lelouch blinked, once than twice. He shook his head. This must have been a dream. It was too good to be true. 'I've killed my brother, and now I'm being rewarded... I've gone insane. That's the only conclusion,' Lelouch thought to himself as he repeatedly blinked up at Tamaki. The spirit could only guess that he looked to be on the verge of tears with all his blinking.

Tamaki grinned at the spirit, and took hold of his wrist yet again. "Let's introduce you to Zero!"

And his world came crashing down as Tamaki lead him through the crowd. A few suspicious eyes locked on Lelouch as he was obviously a Britannian, but the boy ignored it. He was begging to shiver, but whether it was from the happiness of being seen, or from the fear of his identity being found out, Lelouch didn't know.

"Ah, Tamaki I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Lelouch said shakily.

"Sure it is."

"He's busy, surely we can do this another time," Lelouch shivered. He was beginning to panic. No matter what, Tamaki could not find out he was Zero!

"You'll need to meet him if you want to join the new recruits, so we should get it over with right now."

"But doesn't Ohgi already know about me?" Lelouch asked, he was only grasping at straws now. They were getting closer to the room, and Lelouch hadn't bothered to lock the room. Oh god, he even left his disguise for 'Oliver' in that room, and the phone Tamaki had given him a while ago was also in there.

"Yes, but Zero's like our leader now," Tamaki shrugged as he reached for the door knob.

"Shouldn't we knock?" Lelouch asked, catching Tamaki's hand before he could touch the door.

"Nah, Zero and I are like pals! Besides he'll be grateful that we're distracting him from all that paperwork."

Tamaki twisted the door knob. God kill him now!

"Tamaki!"

Oh, thank you!

Tamaki turned to the voice and Lelouch let out an audible sigh of relief. He'd have to reward Ohgi for his perfect timing. Without waiting for any questions to be directed toward him, Lelouch slipped into his- Zero's room and locked the door.

Looking through the peak hole, Lelouch listened to their conversation.

"Who was that?" Ohgi questioned as he shifted the documents into his other arm.

"This is Lelouch," Tamaki said and motioned to the area Lelouch was in only seconds ago. His eyebrows scrunched in confusion when he didn't see Lelouch. "Well, that was him."

"He just went into Zero's room."

"Oh good, I wanted him to meet the boss," Tamaki said with his usual grin.

Ohgi raised an eyebrow, then frowned. "While, you're here you might as well help me pass these out," Ohgi stated as he pushed half of the documents into Tamaki's arms. It looked like he also wanted to add, 'since you have nothing better to do than fool around.'

Chuckling at the red head's misfortune, Lelouch moved away from the door and took a seat on the couch. He had some time to kill while Tamaki believed he was being 'interviewed' by Zero.

x~XXX~x

A month had passed since the Black Knights were formed. While they weren't public knowledge, the underground corporations knew about them and Zero was slowly planning his next attack to introduce the public of their presence. For know though, Lelouch was much more concerned with the current argument.

School. The bane of every teenager's existence.

"Why doesn't he have to go to school!? He's practically a free loader!" Kallen screamed as she pointed at Lelouch.

Said boy sunk farther into the couch he was sitting on, wishing that the couch would swallow him whole. Kallen was not a woman he ever wanted to be on the bad side on. Unfortunately for him, he was nearly always on her bad side. Lelouch blamed that fact on Tamaki.

"He's a good kid!" Tamaki argued back.

Lelouch groaned. If Tamaki was the only one backing him up, he was doomed! Ohgi shot a sympathetic look at Lelouch.

"So am I! And I still need to go to school!" Kallen shouted. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her glare on Lelouch. "Well, do you have anything to say?"

Lelouch vehemently shook his head but stopped at the glare Kallen shot him. "I've never gone to school before..."

"Do you hear that? You picked up a snobby Brit, Tamaki. And a dumb one at that. He probably drop out of school!"

"You've never gone to school before?" Ohgi questioned, nearly shouted as he stared at Lelouch with wide eyes. "You're enrolling in school," he said after a while.

"W-what?" Lelouch stuttered. "B-but I can't. I'll be behind on everything!" Unlikely, Lelouch was a genius after all, but he had a corporation to run. Lelouch didn't have time to go to school! What type of spirit goes to school, anyway? The boy looked around the room for help, but all he got was a smug look from Kallen and shrug from Tamaki. That traitor!

"Well you'll need to start somewhere. It's best to start now, instead of waiting for several years. Besides without an education you won't have a life to live. Even if you are a Britannian it's unlikely that they'll help an uneducated kid," Ohgi reasoned and Lelouch had to admit the man had a point, but he didn't need to go to school! He was smart enough already. Besides... he was dead... or at least he thought he was dead. Perhaps Lelouch was just roaming spirit with some last wish that he could only accomplish on earth. He'd have to look into it later.

"But... but... b-"

"No buts, you're enrolling to school," Ohgi stated. "We have enough funds to pay for your education, so Kallen will take you to her school-"

"NO!" both teens yelled, they looked at each other before looking back at Ohgi. "I can't bring him to school!" "I'm not going to that school!" Kallen and Lelouch shouted at the same time, respectively.

"To bad," Ohgi said, leaving no room for arguments. "It'll be safer for the two of you to go to the same school. That way if anything happens you can help each other out. Plus Kallen has straight A's, so she can help you with your work Lelouch."

He didn't need help, damn it! If only Lelouch was like other ghosts and could posses people.

The boy groaned, here was Zero being told to go to school by one of his men. Didn't that sound a bit weird. It's not like the emperor's soldiers ever told the emperor to buy a brain! "I don't want to go," Lelouch grumbled, crossing his arms in front of his chest in a typical pouting pose.

"You're going and that's final," Ohgi stated

Kallen stuck out her tongue at Lelouch.

"Oh and I believe your first class starts in an hour, Kallen. The two of you should get going."

"What!? B-but I was going to call in sick!" Kallen yelped. Her mischievous grin turned to one of horror as she stared at Ohgi.

"And you've already missed most of last month," Ohgi shot back.

Lelouch grinned at Kallen's misfortune. "What about me?" the boy asked. "I haven't enrolled and I don't have the school uniform. Can I start next week... you know, to get prepared...?"

"No. You two are both going to school today. Lelouch, you can have an interview with the administration, and maybe you'll get lucky and can start going to classes this week. Kallen, your brother would have wanted to you to go."

"Alright fine," both teens said. One in an irritated voice and the other in defeat.

x~XXX~x

"The office is over there," Kallen pointed down the hall. "I'll be in this room if you need anything."

Lelouch nodded as he watched the red head walk to her class. Stealing himself, Lelouch took a deep breath as he headed to the office. This was the first time he was out in public without his bandages, and he hoped no one would recognize him.

"Hello?" the spirit asked meekly as he peaked his head through the door.

"Can I help you with something?" a brown haired woman asked. She was probably one of the teachers.

"I would like to enroll into this school."

"I'll need your school credits and any papers you have on extracurricular activities," the woman said as she spun her chair around to face one of the cabinets.

Lelouch grinned nervously as he took out his fake ID. "I've been homeschool all my life until recently when my parents passed away," he said

The woman stopped looking for...whatever it was she was looking for and jerked her head toward Lelouch. "I'm sorry, but if you don't have any transcripts than I'm afraid that you can't enroll here."

"Is there a way you can bypass that?"

"I'm afraid not. Now I'll have to ask you to leave."

"Okay," Lelouch bowed. Well that was easy! He couldn't go to school! He was so happy that he didn't even notice a person approaching him until said person was literally in front of Lelouch and squinting his eyes at the spirit.

"Hello my boy. I don't believe I've ever met you before."

Lelouch looked down, toward the voice. The wrinkly old man, was about a head shorter than Lelouch and had full head of grey hair. Anyone could tell by the suit the man wore that he was an important person and could offer anyone a great education if he wished it. Most students would have jumped at the idea to talk to the principle. The man was like a walking wallet! He could get anyone hooked up with the best universities and scholarships. Lelouch, however was a tad upset. Just when he thought he could get out of going to school.

"I don't believe I've met you either," Lelouch lied. Of course he'd met OldMan Ashford. "I was just talking to this beautiful young lady, about enrolling in this school."

"Oh?" Mr. Ashford raised an eyebrow. "What school are you transferring from?"

"None, I've been homeschooled my entire life."

"In that case, let's move into my office where I can interview you."

"Alright." Lelouch agreed as he followed the older man into a room. This wasn't good, he really hoped Mr. Ashford wouldn't recognize him. Right now the only thing that was keeping him from running was the fact, the man wasn't wearing his glasses.

"You know, you look a lot like Lelouch vi Britannia. The deceased eleventh prince."

A/N: There's probably a lot of grammar errors in this chapter, more than usual anyway so if you guys see anything please shoot me a PM or something. I didn't feel like rereading this chapter... I'm not entirely happy with it, but here it is! ^^;

And thank you everyone who continues reading this story and reviewing. Just some shout outs to the allen walker, pft98811, lightshadow101, and... whoever this 'Guest' person is. 'Guest' whoever you are, can you please type in a name when you review? That way if there's multiple Guests with questions I don't need to number you guys... which will get a little messy. Also I just got 2 new favs and 4 alerts! For a total of six new people who're reading this story! Thanks for the support guys!

Next chapter will probably take longer. I have exams and a research paper to write, so I'll be busy. Sorry for the inconvenience.