R2 Episode 22: The King's Game-I
A full month had passed since the shocking return of Prince Lelouch vi Britannia, and, what could legitimately be called, his usurping of the Imperial Throne. He'd been largely forgotten for years, just one of many princes and princesses sired by Charles zi Britannia who came into being then were lost, either to death or to living inconsequential lives within the Imperial Palace. He himself had been presumed to have died during the 2010 Britannian-Japanese Trade War, or colloquially the Second Pacific War, but upon the revelation that Nunnally vi Britannia, his sister, still lived, his name came back into conversation, and it was generally assumed he might turn up alive as well one day and reclaim his birthright.
Little could anyone guess that the rail-thin man, barely out of boyhood, his noble purple gaze belying a smoldering hatred and dark vengeance, would ever come back to his people in such a manner, declaring himself king and demanding the entire Imperial Court simply accept it. The former Emperor Charles was dead, he explained, killed by his hand, and on that basis should he be most qualified to rule, against the official laws of succession. In fact it was Odysseus eu Britannia, the Crown Prince and first son of Charles, who was to inherit their shared father's vast kingdom. Yet when Lelouch appeared, walking out in front of the masses of nobility and royal brothers and sisters to sit upon the Emperor's throne, Odysseus immediately spoke out in favour of his younger brother - an act not out of character for such a mild and hesitant heir - and with his opinion carrying so much weight the others of the court were forced in turn to accept their new ruler.
At least, that was how it was perceived by most people in the world, the thought that Lelouch had somehow compelled them to obey not crossing their minds.
As time eventually proved though, despite his patricidal takeover of the Empire, Emperor Lelouch had the makings of a compassionate and just king, his first act being to abolish the Number System and create protections for the now-free colonial subjects. He allowed them to practice small aspects of their local cultures that would be beneficial to the Empire, encouraging them to remember and appreciate their origins, though simultaneously gave incentives to integrate fully as Britannian citizens - a small compromise that echoed of the Specially Administrated Zone of Japan.
Under Lelouch's rule the nobility was stripped of its traditional powers, specifically the right to a retinue of troops and special treatment before the law. It was his order that no Britannian should maintain a standing army that could be used to intimidate his neighbours or subvert the rule of law, which, he insisted, all Britannians should be equally bound before, and expect equal punishments for deviation, no matter their lineage or position in society.
In regards to the islands of Japan, Emperor Lelouch released them as a sovereign state under the name originally chosen by Zero, the United States of Japan, even recommending the use of the flag Zero had designed and unveiled to the UFN much earlier to great applause. It was a tribute to the old state of Japan while considering all the turmoil it had since endured - a red sun on a white horizon, black wings representing the Black Knights unfurling to its either side and lifting it to freedom. This was all done, he explained, in respect for the late Zero, whose heroic defiance in the face of tyranny was what had inspired him to destroy his father and make Britannia a force for good.
The similarity to Princess Euphemia li Britannia's original stated desires for a kinder and gentler Empire aside, these actions, among so many more, greatly endeared Lelouch to the wider public of Britannia, as well as to the leaders and peoples of the UFN, and especially the USJ. While the Pink Princess had claimed she wanted peace, she had used her SAZ plan to gather as many Elevens that would be the most likely to rebel into one place, and ordered them all to be killed as a message to those who remained: Japan as a nation was gone, and the Elevens should never even consider its return.
Lelouch however had appeared almost out of nowhere, and began making promises just like Euphemia had, but actually followed through on them. He had no past scandals to account for, made no reference to his association to Cornelia, among the world's most famous and bloodthirsty generals in over a century, and really, didn't seem to have a past to begin with. He would not speak of it in interviews or during speeches. If anything, he seemed to imply that his very existence had only begun the moment he took the Crown for himself.
He was a blank slate onto which the people could assign their hopes and dreams in a way no other prominent royal had or could ever hope to match. He was Britannian, but he was good, and only good, with no crimes to be blamed for and no history to scrutinize. And perhaps it was because of this so many people were so able to trust him.
Before Lelouch the rule of Charles zi Britannia had been one of prosperity and pride for most Britannians. Even as they fought war after war there was a spirit of optimism and invincibility among them that not even Zero could break. From the day of his coronation Charles had been ruthlessly efficient in his every undertaking, building infrastructure and crushing opponents to his grand vision in equal measure, and all while wearing a menacing sneer of royal superiority. Few if any in the empire thought they'd be able to get along with him in a personal setting, but that hardly mattered compared to the power he was giving them through ever lowering prices for ever more goods, and endless opportunities to settle in new, conquered lands. Charles zi Britannia, with all his pomp and ceremony and his cruel iron fist, perfectly embodied what Imperial citizens imagined an emperor to be.
Yet over time, starting around the invasion of Japan, public opinion of Charles began to drop ever so slightly. He was never a cheery man of the people, but his public appearances had started to become even more infrequent, and his remarks, and especially his speeches, were becoming increasingly cavalier and detached from the average Britannian's daily experiences. And while he was still clearly competent, and worthy of his crown, whispers began to circulate that the 98th Emperor was beginning to grow out of touch. By the time of his death these whispers had grown fully into rumours speculating about his constant delegation and flippant attitudes, and while the Empire mourned for his passing, quietly there was a sigh of relief as well, for unparalleled genius as he may have been, even at the end, Charles zi Britannia had clearly begun to go mad.
Upon Lelouch's succession of Charles most Britannians were filled with concern, though that quickly gave way to skepticism, and finally pleasant apathy. In their new young emperor they saw a more photogenic face than what they were used to and a no less brilliant mind behind it. Daily life for them barely changed or even slightly improved, and for many imperial citizens that was more than enough to be reassured and to earn their wholehearted loyalty.
Lelouch - quickly acquiring the moniker of 'the Redeemer' - was not universally loved though. The Empire's nobility understandably and predictably resented the new emperor for his policies, especially those that came at the cost of their privilege, and before they were forced to dismiss their personal levies of troops, many nobles declared open rebellion against his rule.
For a brief but terrifying few weeks Britannia descended into scattered and sporadic fighting between Imperial loyalists and traitor nobles, the insurrections, if counted as a singular uprising, practically amounting to a civil war. Unfortunately for the various dukes and earls and others though, who dared assume Lelouch to be soft and quick to capitulate to pressure, they were all either vanquished or arrested for treason, one after another, their uprisings isolated incidents, and thus being easily crushed in succession by the weight of the Imperial war machine.
The last dying gasp of the former Britannia - Charles' Britannia - came when the remaining Knights of the Round Table rallied a small force of men and knightmares equipped with Float packs, and mounted an assault on the Britannian capital itself with the intention of killing Lelouch and placing a puppet in his place on the throne. They were over a hundred strong, and with the custom 8th Generation knightmares belonging to Sir Bismarck, Sir Gino, Sir Dorothea, and Sir Monica among them, they descended upon Pendragon City with fierce pride and absolute certainty of their victory.
The world watched as news cameras and civilians in the streets streamed the Knights' bold attack on Lelouch's seat of power, all wondering if the Emperor's rule would be so short-lived, and most unsure if they'd be pleased if it was. But before anyone could truly realize what was occurring and contemplate the significance of it, the Knights still loyal to Charles were met just outside the city proper by a single Imperial KMF; the Lancelot, in all its blood-chilling white and gold glory, and its pilot, none other than Suzaku Kururugi, who alone challenged the entire rebel host in battle.
It was all over in but a few moments. The Lancelot had been rebuilt, its newest incarnation bearing the operational title 'Albion', and between its overwhelming technological superiority and the cunning and sheer violence of Sir Kururugi, the traitorous forces led by Sir Bismarck were routed, killed almost to a man. Bismarck himself had fought on to the end, but even Charles' greatest Knight was no match for Lelouch's own, and after trading several blows, Suzaku, the Knight of Zero, a title only he would ever carry, slew the former Knight of One, making it absolutely clear that the rise of Emperor Lelouch vi Britannia could not be undone.
And in the wake of all this, proving at every turn that his will was unshakable and his rule was law, what seemed unthinkable: Lelouch volunteered the Holy Britannian Empire to join the United Federation of Nations, which, if his proposal was accepted, would bind the world together like never before.
Only one month had passed and already Lelouch vi Britannia had become a sensational figure to rival even Zero - an icon for justice not just to millions across the globe, but even to his own people in the Empire. And with his declaration of intention to join the UFN, it was no exaggeration to say he was taking the final step to bringing about world peace.
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The site where the leaders of the UFN and Emperor Lelouch decided to meet was Japan as it was technically neutral after being freed as a colony of Britannia. More specifically, Lelouch insisted that it be conducted at Ashford Academy since it was an entirely civilian facility with no ties to any particular faction, was spacious and elegantly built, and also was mostly intact after the frightful end to the battle now being called the Second Black Rebellion.
The day of the meeting arrived and the sun hung high, casting a warm glow across what was left of Tokyo and a long shadow across the empty pit created by FLEIJA. Outside the school a transparent perimeter wall had been erected and dozens of Black Knight guards had been posted to keep order around it. Thousands of people, Japanese and former Britannian colonists alike, had come to witness this historic event, and hopefully even catch a glimpse of the Emperor in person, and they pushed and shoved eagerly to get closer for a better look beyond the security fence.
Inside the perimeter even more Black Knights stood by, covering every entrance or exit to the school, by every fountain and tree and around every corner. The Ashford students meanwhile had been temporarily evicted from their dorms and classes had been cancelled, leaving the entire campus oddly silent and still, the disciplined, unmoving ranks of black and silver-clad guards almost blending in with the statues and monuments littering the grounds.
Largely, the Black Knights were in favour of Lelouch, just as most people were, his efforts to promote freedom and order, where before Britannia clung to every tradition no matter how medieval, highlighting the stark differences between himself and the previous king. Charles zi Britannia had a virtually endless list of crimes attached to his name, ranging from arbitrary edicts, obstruction of justice, the numerous war crimes ordered to be carried out by his troops, all the way to a growing disinterest in actually ruling to begin with. He had been well-liked by Britannians, though his popularity had started to wane after Zero first appeared, but now his legacy was that of tyranny beyond any of his predecessors, and attempts to vilify him even further came from every direction. Lelouch could have done nothing and been a welcome improvement to his father, yet he toiled, fighting against the current of the Britannian aristocracy and Britannian culture itself, and for that he shone brighter, and his reputation only grew taller with every passing day.
The Black Knight High Command however was not so trusting of the new emperor. They knew secrets about him that they dared not share, and with his every action they saw cold manipulation hiding behind altruism. Lelouch had attained a great deal of power by becoming Emperor, and his reforms earned him incredible popularity, but all that was likely only a first step to accomplishing something grander and more dastardly. Or else it was a mere distraction so the world would not notice what evil he committed from the shadows.
For he had been Zero, the one who challenged Britannia and almost brought it to its knees all on a whim; who used nations like pawns and cast spells that stole people's minds.
There was no way the Black Knight leadership could trust Lelouch, his innocent request to join the UFN seeming to them the perfect opportunity for betrayal, and thus they had prepared all of their might for this day. The flagship KMF carrier Ikaruga hovered in the sky over Ashford Academy, all guns ready and Akatsukis standing by to be deployed from its depths at a moment's notice. Traffic had been cut off to the school, guarded by infantry and knightmares, and Captain Kozuki herself, along with her Guren SEITEN stood in attendance by the academy's front entrance, waiting for the Emperor to arrive.
Eventually he did, a flamboyantly painted and unarmed airship appearing over the horizon, flanked by grey VTOL transports, and the crowd outside the school roared and applauded in response.
The airships took their time flying, no doubt asking permission for landing, and passing codes back and forth between the Ikaruga, but they arrived above Ashford soon enough and made a slow descent to the tiled ground of the academy courtyard below. Everyone outside the perimeter wall watched on as the doors to the main Britannian transport opened, the 99th ruler of the Empire stepping unhurriedly out, back straight and eyes forward, appearing every bit the embodiment of Imperial authority and grace.
Lelouch vi Britannia was tall and dignified, night-black hair contrasting pale skin and deep purple eyes. He was dressed in white pants and shirt and coat, with burnished golden buttons and chains and embroidered with intricate designs of shining silver thread. An extravagant white cravat was around his neck, an emerald at its center, and heavy robes hung over his shoulders, red - the colour of blood - and lined in gold thread and covered in yet more dangling green jewels.
The crowd cheered at the sight of him, louder than ever, wonder in their eyes, and not even the Black Knights could help but to glance away from their duties to look upon him in awe.
The doors to the other transports opened and several Imperial Guardsmen in grey uniforms and white capes marched out. Immediately they took watchful positions before their airships and the Emperor's own, and two formed up at his either side protectively. Lelouch only waved them off with a small smile of apparent embarrassment, and they bowed and stepped back, allowing him to begin walking toward the school on his own.
The masses outside the perimeter wall howled in delight and screamed their praises at how humble and brave the Emperor was to go without guards, and he turned his head, casting his gaze upon them and smiling as he walked, raising a hand daintily into the air in greeting and acknowledgement.
"Lelouch!"
There came a single call from the crowd that rang out as different from the others. A boy with blue hair and dressed in the uniform of Ashford had climbed atop the wall while the guards weren't looking, trying desperately to catch the Emperor's attention. His face was pleading and his voice was desperate.
"I need to know the truth, Lelouch!" he called, catching the young king's attention. "Why didn't you ever tell me who you were?"
He was swiftly pulled down by a couple of guards for daring to intrude into a secure area, but before he could be arrested a girl poked her head between the others watching in the crowd and grabbed hold of him herself. To Lelouch she appeared to be vouching for him and trying to get him out of there before he could get himself into any more trouble.
He raised a brow.
'Rivalz and Nina?' Lelouch wondered to himself silently. 'Why would they...?'
Nina seemed to have had some success in convincing the guards to let them both leave in peace, but they were stopped as a shout came from the school courtyard, every other voice going silent in response.
"You two." It was Lelouch. He was staring right at them. Did he know them as the schoolboy claimed? No one could be sure, but the crowd parted around them instinctively to allow Lelouch a better view, and in hopes he might clarify his intentions for addressing them. "You're both Britannian, aren't you?"
Rivalz and Nina looked back and forth as the others around them stepped away and even the Black Knights withdrew. They held each other in fear and followed the sound of Lelouch's voice to look up the grassy hill and steps to the courtyard where their Emperor stood.
"Lelouch," Rivalz began, "you know me, right?"
Nina jerked anxiously on Rivalz's jacket.
"C'mon, Rivalz, let's get out of here."
Lelouch looked down at the other teenagers, his former friends before life became so strangely complicated, and considered: He hadn't expected this kind of meeting. He would have a use for Nina soon, and even had a plan ready to force her into his employment. He had thought she would never show her face in public again considering how many people knew she'd invented FLEIJA and were desperate to either murder her for it or enslave her to create more. But here she was giving him an even better opportunity.
And this was also a chance to get Rivalz out of Tokyo before...
"Black Knights, bring those two to me."
Lelouch was not their liege, but he was a figure of authority and the UFN's guest of honour, so the Knights complied, the two closest opening the fence and beckoning the students through to meet with their king.
Rivalz, though rather confused about all this, still gladly ran through the gap to see his friend, and Nina grudgingly followed after, fearful of all the eyes set squarely upon her. It was bad enough that she was going to be the center of attention for being given a personal audience with Lelouch vi Britannia, but if she turned and fled, she knew, it could only be worse.
"Lelouch, buddy!" Rivalz ran up the white stone steps leading into the courtyard, arms outstretched, then was met with the unrelenting figure of an Imperial Guardsman standing between him and his friend.
"We shall speak later, Student," Lelouch said politely, though with no familiarity entering his tone. "My men will accompany you into my transport. You will both wait for me there."
Rivalz was about to say something, his smile turning sideways in bemusement, before the Guardsman placed a firm hand on his shoulder. Another Imperial Guard took up position beside Nina, arriving behind Rivalz, and copied the gesture. It was not to harm them, but hold them in place, and the two students watched in a mix of puzzlement and despair, wondering what their fate was to be, as Lelouch turned away from them, continuing on his way toward the school entrance.
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