A/N: Before I begin, I noticed many of you have asked me to update Wings of the Future. While I'm glad you guys like that story, please refrain from asking me to update another story while reviewing this story. It makes me think you don't appreciate the effort I put into this story. If you are getting impatient, please PM me. Thank you for understanding.
Now let's begin.
I do not own Code Geass or Spider-Man. They are properties of Sunrise and Marvel Comics respectively.
His Name is Spider-Man:
"Do you recognize this gun?" Jeremiah Gottwald, who was surrounded by fellow purebloods, presented a pistol toward a bound and beaten Suzaku Kururugi. "It was the weapon used to take Prince Clovis' life. And after doing a little research on you, we found out you're related to the late Prime Minister. Your motive is clear."
"There's been a mistake! I've never laid eyes on, let alone touch that gun!" Suzaku spoke, only for another Pureblood to kick his chair sending him to the ground.
"Your fingerprints are all over this weapon." Jeremiah continued. "You're also guilty of killing several members of the Royal Guard. Fess up! If you come clean, you will be judged as if you were a born Britannian other than some worthless Eleven.
"You're wrong! I've done nothing…" Suzaku was interrupted with a kick to the face.
After the 'interrogation', both Jeremiah and Villetta walked down the hall, talking privately to each other.
"You do realize that if word got out on how Prince Clovis truly died, it would send the public into an outrage?" Villetta warned.
"I know," Jeremiah assured, "That's while the only ones who know the true manner of Prince Clovis' death are among the Purebloods, and that incompetent Bartley. Anyone else has either been paid off or eliminated."
"But what about the one who did it?" Villetta pointed out. "We haven't been able to find any trace of the culprit. He could easily reveal the truth?"
"There's no way our people would listen to some random lunatic over us. Besides, you saw the throne room, the blast that killed His Highness, and the Guards originated from one point. It was most likely a suicide bomber who got lucky and snuck in. No way they could have survived." Jeremiah said.
"But it wasn't a traditional bomb. You heard what the forensic team said. Both Prince Clovis and the Royal Guards died due to an overload of electricity, not an explosion. They could very well still be alive." Villetta pointed out.
Jeremiah hated to admit it, but she did have a point. When he first saw the destruction, he ruled it as a suicide bomb. However, looking closely, the marks on the walls and bodies of both the Guards and Prince were more in line with electrical burns. So maybe the true killer didn't blow himself up, but he most likely would have died with the Prince and Guards. But they found no other body. So they may still be alive.
"Regardless, even if this menace lives, they wouldn't dare try and stage a rescue. I will be there myself atop my Sutherland and with you all by my side. No one will stand in our way." Jeremiah then looked forward, an ambitious smile forming on his lips. "And once Suzaku Kururugi has been found guilty, the Honorary Britannian System will be nothing but a dark stain on the Empire's history."
Ashford Academy - Night
Lelouch moved to help his disabled sister out of the wheelchair and into her bed with ease. Before the spider bite, it was a pain for him to move her by himself, not that he ever complained or hated to do it. But with his powers, it was as if she was as light as a feather and no less delicate.
As he began tucking her in, Nunnally spoke up. "That was Suzaku on the news wasn't it?"
"Yep, looks like he's still alive." Lelouch said with a smile. It was a relief to see his friend alive and well… Okay maybe not the latter, but he was glad Suzaku was the former. He had been feeling guilty, thinking he was responsible for the death of another person dear to him.
But despite that, he was still responsible for Suzaku's current predicament. He had the power to fix it though, so it was his responsibility to do it.
"It's been ages since we last saw him. And Lelouch…?" Nunnally paused, afraid to ask her next question.
"What is it?"
"It wasn't true what they said on the news right?"
"Of course, it wasn't. Suzaku would never do that." 'Because it was me.' That last part went unsaid as a sharp pang of guilt settled in his stomach as he took Nunnally's hand. If she felt it, she didn't show it.
Nunnally smiled, reassured by her brother's words. "Yeah, must be." She then soon drifted off to sleep.
"Good night Nunnally," Lelouch said before standing up and moving out of her room. After shutting the door, he moved over to his room and looked at a project that lay nearly finished on his desk.
The fabric had arrived earlier that week. The lenses had come in yesterday. It was almost done. A few more hours and it would be complete. And then…
Lelouch moved to pick up the mask and stared into the white lenses.
It would be time to introduce himself to the world.
The Next Day
An assembly was held in mourning for Prince Clovis at Ashford, and classes were canceled.
As he stood with the rest of the student body, Lelouch wanted to be somewhere else, doing anything but mourn for Clovis. While he did feel guilty over killing his half-brother, he also didn't object that Clovis got what he deserved. He killed countless innocent people, and destroyed the homes of more, all to cover up a mistake. Lelouch would rather spit on his grave than mourn for that cold-hearted monster. Still, Ben and May raised him to be better than that, and he and Clovis were close once upon a time. So if he was gonna mourn for Clovis, it would be the Clovis he grew up with, not the monster he became.
Camelot Engineering Division
As Cecile looked over the analytical data of Suzaku's time in the Lancelot. She was surprised to see he had a 94% sync rate. She looked up at the white 7th-Gen Knightmare. Its hull had been repaired since Shinjuku and its lost limbs were replaced. However, several systems, including the Blaze Luminous had still been unable to turn on. She didn't know how it was possible, but whatever electricity that remarkable person hit the Lancelot with managed to short-circuit many of the Lancelot's systems, even a week after the battle.
Speaking of…
She then turned back to her boss and frowned when she saw him watching the same thing he had been looking at ever since Shinjuku.
It was the Lancelot's duel with that person wearing a soldier's uniform.
"Lloyd, don't you think you're developing an unhealthy obsession with that person?" She asked.
"Unhealthy?" Lloyd said, his body wouldn't stop shaking as he snapped another pencil in his hands (she lost count after a hundred) as the video showed the 'soldier' break out the Lancelot's grip, shattering the arm. "What's unhealthy about learning everything there is to know about the menace who destroyed my masterpiece!"
"Well for one, you look like you haven't slept or bathed in a week." Cecile pointed out, clenching her nose as she caught a whiff of his BO. He hadn't even changed clothes since the battle. And pudding cups littered the floor around him. "Besides, have you even managed to learn anything?"
"Yes, my dear!" He said excitedly. "I managed to learn the electricity he generates when he shattered my precious Lancelot's arm and shield were a form of bioelectricity."
"Bioelectricity? Like in electric eels?"
"More like the kind certain species of spiders have. Which makes sense given his sticking to walls."
"So he's like a human spider?" She asked. "Have you shown this to the authorities? This may be enough to prove Suzaku's innocence."
"I tried," Lloyd said. "But since we're an irregular unit, they won't listen to us. Plus, even if they did believe us, I think the military would want to keep something like this under wraps."
Cecile had to agree. If she didn't see it with her own two eyes, she wouldn't believe a Knightmare, much less the first 7th-Gen, lost to someone who used only his bare hands. And if word got out that Britannia's first 7th-Generation Knightmare frame was defeated by a terrorist, who wasn't even in a Knightmare of their own, people would begin to panic. Britannia prided itself on having the strongest military in the world, so of course they wouldn't want anyone to believe there was someone out there stronger than them. That was something the military couldn't allow.
"But, what about Suzaku?" Cecile asked.
"I'm afraid his fate is already sealed," Lloyd said, truly sad to be losing such a valuable test pilot for the Lancelot. 'Not to mention. He'd be the perfect candidate for that project.'
Back at Ashford, the assembly ended and the students began to exit the auditorium.
"Hey, Lelouch!" Rivalz said as he came up to his raven-haired friend. "Folks have been asking for a rematch. And with classes canceled for the day…"
"You are not gambling you guys!" Shirley cried, having overheard them. She turned to Lelouch. "Lulu, I thought you were serious when you said you quit."
"Aw, don't be such a stick in the mud," Rivalz said.
"She's right though," Lelouch said as he turned to Rivalz. "I told you I'd help you settle all the debts you gathered and then I was done for good. Best to quit while we're ahead."
Rivalz sighed. Guess there was no changing Lelouch's mind. "Well, I guess you have a point." No point in going gambling if Lelouch wasn't gonna be there to bail him out.
Shirley let out a sigh of relief. She was happy that her darling Lulu wasn't gonna be involved in anything dangerous.
"Besides, I got plans today anyway." Lelouch statement causes both his friends to look at him in surprise.
"Really? What are they? With whom?!" Shirley asked nervously. Could it be that Lelouch was going on a date?! She couldn't accept that!
"I heading into the Settlement to buy a camera."
"A camera? What for?" Rivalz asked.
"Well since we're not gambling anymore, I figured I'd get back into photography," Lelouch explained.
"You were into photography?" Shirley asked. She didn't know that.
"Yeah, my Aunt May got me into it when I was younger." Lelouch had a fond smile on his face as he recalled the time he spent with May, learning how to work different cameras, and how to take proper photos. It was some of his best memories with her. "After I started gambling I stopped doing it, so I figured now would be the best time to pick it back up."
"But why do you need to go into the Settlement?"
"The camera I have is an older model, so I'd like a new one. I may be gone all day so could you guys do me a favor and let Nunnally know?"
"Sure thing buddy! You can count on us!" Rivalz said with a wide grin as Shirley smiled. The three continued to talk, but in the corner of his eye, Lelouch noticed Felicia walking away from campus.
'That's right.' He thought with a smirk as he remembered something. 'Better let her know.'
After school ended, Felicia took her time before returning 'home', if one could call it that. She was walking through the Settlement, looking at the people, Britannians who believed themselves to be the superior race, and the Japanese who sold their pride and identity to live more comfortably, not that it made much difference to those living in the ghetto.
As she looked at the tall and pristine skyscrapers around her, the setting sun glistening off the glass windows, she kept the disgust and hatred from appearing on her face. She hated the Settlement. She hated how this city had to be built upon the bones of the Japanese. She hated the Ghettos, how it was the remnants of a forgotten time.
Overall, she hated how this world was. But what could she do to change that? Her resistance group wasn't doing anything to cause any real harm to Britannia, that's why they took the gamble and stole the canister of poison gas. And it almost cost them their lives, if not for the voice, who she hadn't heard a peep from since he decided to take on that white Knightmate.
Maybe Ohgi was right. Maybe he did die fighting. She would just have to accept that. There was no way he could survive a Knightm–
RING! RING!
Her thoughts were cut off as her phone buzzed. Reaching into her expensive, label-brand purse (playing the act of the rich girl had some perks), she took out the phone, which was the latest model, and looked at the caller ID.
Unknown.
Felicia frowned. This could be several people. Possible suitors, her father and stepmother set up. She wanted to ignore it, but she didn't want to have a lecture from either of them when she got home. So she accepted the call and held it to her ear, quickly getting into character.
"Hello, Felicia Hardy."
"Glad to see you still alive… Q1"
She froze.
It was him! The voice! He was alive! But wait, if this was the voice–
"How did you get this number?!" She demanded to know, her facade gone.
"I have my ways Q1… or do you prefer Felicia Hardy or Felicia Kozuki?"
She froze again.
He knew her name, both her names. How?! What else did he know?!
"Don't bother asking how I know any of this. I'm not trying to threaten you. Rather, I'm looking to extend an invitation."
Invitation? To what?
"Suzaku Kururugi? Make sure you and your friends pay close attention to the broadcast."
"Why? What does Suzaku Kururugi have to do with this?"
"You'll find out. Tonight, the world is gonna change."
And with that, he hung up.
Felicia looked at the phone with wide eyes. It could be a prank. But her gut told her no. She knew it had to be the voice who lead her and her group to victory in Shinjuku, who took on that white Knightmare and somehow managed to survive.
Regardless, it looked like she wasn't going home just yet. As she made her way to the ghetto, she then called Ohgi.
"Hey, Ohgi! You'll never believe who just called me!"
"Okay, do you want the good news or the bad news? Stupid question, everyone wants good news first! The good news is, that person you asked about is not listed among the casualties."
Suzaku let out a sigh of relief at Lloyd's words. Thank goodness! It seems Lelouch managed to make it out of Shinjuku alright. But then that left, "And the bad news."
"The bad news is your situation isn't looking any better," Lloyd admitted with a frown. "You may be getting a trial, but it's more of a formality and a show than an actual hearing."
"But, the courts are where the truth comes to light. I mean, there has to be evidence that I didn't…"
"That's what Cecile thought as well. Unfortunately, with the Purebloods heading the case, there won't likely be any that make it to the trial." Lloyd sighed. "They'll be more smoke and mirrors than anything. The truth is scarce as of late."
Suzaku shook his head in disbelief. With Lloyd and Cecile testifying on his behalf, there had to be some shred of evidence Suzaku was nowhere near Clovis when he died. He was engaging terrorists who had stolen Knightmares, and that guy… who managed to lift a semi-truck over his head and slam it down on the Lancelot.
Who was that guy? He was wearing a soldier's uniform, but Lloyd and Cecile hadn't been able to find anything, much as the former especially wanted to. It was obvious that he had stolen the uniform, as a way to hide his identity. But why hide? He was an Eleven. Wasn't he?
Regardless, it didn't matter anymore. If what Lloyd said about his trial was true, it was unlikely he would ever see that person again. Regardless, despite his death looming over him, he was content. Knowing Lelouch got out of Shinjuku alive gave him that peace.
"If that's how the world works, then so be it. I have no regrets."
The camera didn't take all day to buy, as he made Rivalz and Shirley believe, it merely gave him the excuse he needed to stay out late. He managed to buy a perfectly good camera, one that would suit his needs perfectly for the future.
As Lelouch walked through the Settlement, a duffle bag full of everything he needed wrapping around his shoulder, he took the time to observe the people. They went about their daily lives, oblivious to the suffering of others.
He used to be like that when he was still a Prince, he couldn't notice the pain others went through while being cooped up in Aries Villa. In some way, being exiled was a blessing. It opened his eyes to the rest of the world. And now, it was his time to do something about it.
After walking through the Settlement for a long time he eventually arrived at the top of a building's observation level. He saw families with little kids, running around, looking over the edge down at the city below. As he stopped and looked over the edge, a memory of the first time Uncle Ben brought him here entered his mind.
Flashback
"Wow!" A young Lelouch said with amazement as he looked down at the city below. "Everyone looks so small from up here. They look like ants." He felt a sense of superiority knowing that, at the moment, he was taller than those grown-ups.
"Yeah but all those ants are people. Just like you and me." Lelouch turned to the voice to see a middle-aged Britannian whom he had come to see as his father, though still preferred to be called Uncle Ben, claiming he was too old to be a parent.
"Millions of them. From all over the world. Each and every one of them is as important as anyone else." Uncle Ben said with a bright smile, one Lelouch returned as his sense of superiority left him immediately. This was one of the biggest reasons why Lelouch loved Uncle Ben. He was so caring and selfless, he treated everyone equally, never seeing one person as any less special than another.
Unlike his fath–Charles, who would've only used such an analogy to further claim his superiority over everyone else. Another reason Lelouch loved Ben Parker was that he was the exact opposite of Charles zi Britannia. He was kind, wise, and above all, loved Lelouch and Nunnally like a true father should. He could never be more grateful than to have met both him and May.
"That's why I love coming up here. Sometimes it's important to see things from a new perspective."
Flashback end
"Excuse me, young man."
Lelouch was pulled out of his memories as he turned to face a security guard.
"We're closing the observation deck early due to Suzaku Kururugi's trial, so you need to leave."
Lelouch looked around, and sure enough, the entire roof was empty except for him and the guard. Perfect!
Giving the guard an understanding smile, Lelouch spoke, "I understand. I'll be down in a minute, just want to take one last look at the city below before I do."
The guard eyed the young raven-haired boy in front of him. He didn't look like a threat, and his duffle bag didn't look big enough to carry any dangerous firearms. So with a nod, he permitted Lelouch to stay for a bit before turning and leaving.
Now that he was alone, Lelouch dropped his smile and turned back to face the city. The people still looked like ants from this high up, but no matter how high he or anyone else was, those ants were still people. People with hopes and dreams, pain and sorrow, families and friends.
They were people he needed to protect!
'Seeing things from a new perspective.' That was a valuable lesson Lelouch took to heart. And it was a lesson that he was going to share with the rest of Britannia, and the world, along with a few others.
Lelouch let out a sigh. "That was a nice breather. But it's time to go to work."
(A/N: Play "What's Up Danger")
Dropping the bag, he began undoing his school blazer. Normally he'd be wearing a white button-down shirt underneath, but today and from here on, he wore a red and black skin-tight suit, a large white spider symbol on the front and back, and a black web pattern throughout the suit. Opening his bag, Lelouch took out his remaining equipment: A pair of gloves he fastened on his hands, his web shooters that complimented his suit, and finally, a red mask with the same black web pattern and white lenses. He took a moment to stare into the eyes of the mask, before letting out a breath. He pulled the mask over his face.
(A/N: The second Suit style for the Advanced Suit 2.0 from Marvel's Spider-Man 2)
Rising to his feet, he took a moment to admire himself. He felt different. Good different. Like he did when that Spider first bit him. He felt strong. Powerful. Confident. Like he could do anything.
"Maybe clothes do make the man?" Lelouch said with a wry smile. His enhanced sense picked up the guard returning. Moving quickly, he threw the bag that held his clothes to the side and jumped over the edge, sticking to the side of the building.
After hearing the guard look around for a moment before turning back inside, Lelouch then looked down… Which turned out to be a mistake.
Now Lelouch was never one to be afraid of heights. He's seen enough horrors in his life for trivial fears like heights to lose their power over him. However, given how much he was breathing, and how hard his heart was pounding, he may soon develop such a fear.
Plus, he'd never exactly tried sticking to a surface this high up, so he could unstick at any time. There was also the fear that his webs wouldn't be able to hold him, despite practicing hanging upside down from them at home. And of course, there was the fear that his webs may not latch on to anything before he hit the ground. He may be able to survive a hit from a Knightmare, but he didn't think he was durable enough to survive a 40-story drop. Oh, there were so many things that could go wrong!
He was almost tempted to climb back up to the roof and come down the elevator, like a normal person!
But no. He couldn't falter here. Not when Suzaku needed him.
Taking a deep breath to calm his rapidly beating heart, he then narrowed his glowing gold eye lenses in determination.
"It's a leap of faith." 'Just without a basket of hay conveniently at the bottom to break your fall.'
And with that, he lept.
The glass from the building shattered as he broke contact. Time seemed to slow as he began to fall, head first.
It was strange, Lelouch thought, seeing the settlement upside down. Eventually, time began to speed back up as he continued falling, tumbling in the air. Many others on the street looked up at him, thinking he was a suicide jumper, and began taking out their phones.
Eventually, Lelouch gained control of himself as he continued falling. This is it. Moment of truth! He aimed both hands at the top of the building he just jumped from, forming the only hand symbol that didn't make him feel embarrassed that day he tried to see if he made his webs and pressed down with his middle and ring fingers.
THWIP!
Two white stands of webbing shot out of his web shooters, soaring high into the sky.
ZING~
His spider-sense was warning him that the ground was closing in fast. He should be panicking, but he had faith. Faith that his webs would strike true and–
He felt a tug on the web lines!
Got it!
His body stopped just meters away from touching the ground and went soaring back up into the air!
He let go of the web and fired another.
And then another.
And then another.
It was strange at first. It felt like flying. But the rising and falling gave it a different feel than what flying should be. The wind rippled through his body as he fell and soared back up into the air. His arms, which he was confident would be torn out of their sockets if he didn't have his powers, felt comfortable with the tug he felt as if the web was stretched to his limits. His heart, which just moments ago, was hammering with fear and anxiousness, was now beating with excitement and thrill.
He'd never experienced anything like this before.
And he loved every second of it!
He swung low enough that his feet touched the ground and he was running between a row of cars. His feet soon left the ground as his pendulum arc forced him to rise. He nearly collided with a truck before letting go of the web.
Flipping over the top of the truck, he jumps to the closest vehicle, running across the roof before leaping to another. He then jumped high, grabbing onto a flag pole, looping around it several times, and gathering momentum before launching himself higher into the air.
Shooting out another web, he couldn't suppress the "WOOOOOO!" escaping his lungs. He jumped between the walls of two buildings, and ran along the side of another, surprising any onlookers inside.
He landed on the roof and sprinted across, parkouring over the industrial objects in his way. Reaching the edge, he put power into his leg muscles and jumped over the gap between two buildings.
Landing on a building, he took a moment to catch his breath, pulling off his mask to breathe easier.
That was… AMAZING! The rush! The wind pushed against his body like he was on Rivalz's motorcycle, only better! Whether or not he could latch onto something with his webs before he hit the ground was as exciting as it was suspenseful!
He'd never felt so alive!
He couldn't suppress the chuckle he let out as he smiled. His smile soon dropped as he looked out in the distance to see the crowd gathering on a nearby bridge, no doubt gathering to watch Suzaku. He frowned in determination as he put the mask back on and swung off to the bridge.
Soon enough, a crowd of Britannian loyalists stood on either side of the street as a convoy of Sutherlands began to make their way down the streets toward the courthouse. And smack dab in the middle of it all, was the man of the hour, Suzaku Kururugi, bruised and beaten, a shock collar around his neck.
Immediately, the citizens began booing and even trying to throw things to hit him. Suzaku didn't react, having already resigned himself to his fate. This was what he deserved after all.
The Ashford Student Council, minus Lelouch and Felicia, were busy watching the whole thing happening from the meeting room.
Nunnally, in the Clubhouse, also watched this unfold with a worried frown.
"Suzaku." She whimpered. First, she lost Clovis, and now Suzaku was on his way to death. Why did this world have to be so cruel? And where was her brother?
Within the Kozuki's resistance base, if you could call a rundown building in the ghetto a base, the group sat pensively watching the TV.
"Not that we weren't planning on watching this anyway. But do you have a specific reason why you want us to pay special attention?" A rebel asked as they turned to Felicia.
"I told you, the voice called me and told me to give special attention." Felicia reminded them.
"And how do you know it wasn't just a prank call?" Tamaki asked. "I still think it should've been us who should've claimed credit for this."
"And what good would that do? It'd bring the whole army into the ghetto again." Ohgi pointed out before sighing. "Look, let's just watch the broadcast and see what happens."
They did just that. But as they focused, Felicia couldn't help the doubt creeping on her face. While she did want to believe in the mysterious voice, she wasn't sure what he could do. Nor was she sure what he was going to do. He just said to pay attention to the broadcast. Was he planning on rescuing Suzaku?
As he led the caravan, Jeremiah couldn't stop the triumphant smirk from adoring his face. Soon, very soon, that accursed Honorary Britannian system will be no more. And the Purebloods will finally be recognized as one of the greatest factions in the entire military.
Nothing could ruin his moment!
"Acting Console Jeremiah!" A voice broke through the comm.
"What is it?"
"We have an obstruction on the bridge."
"If it's just some cars, have them pull to the side. Use force if necessary."
"Well… that's the problem it's not any vehicles or even any pedestrians. It's… well…"
Jeremiah raised an eyebrow. What was causing this man to hesitate?
"What?"
"It's a web."
Jeremiah blinked. Did he mishear the man?
"Come again?"
"I swear a giant spider web is blocking the road!"
Jeremiah wanted to question the man on his sanity, but then he looked up. Lo and behold, a giant white spider-like web was currently in their path, stopping them from advancing. As soon as he saw it, Jeremiah was filled more with annoyance than bewilderment. The reason he picked this route was that he wanted to make a show of this, and this route was the most crowded, so more people would watch it. Especially the loyalists they placed within the crowd.
Whoever dared to stand in his way would face the wrath of–
"Hey! How you doing?!"
Jeremiah soon looked up to the source to see a man, wearing a strange red and black onesie, with a white spider motif on it, repelling upside down from a white thread. Seeing the web and spider motif, Jeremiah instantly connected the dots.
This was the fool who dared stand in his way!
Pulling out his gun and pointing it at the interloper, he demanded, "You! How dare you stand in the way of justice?! Who do you think you are?!"
The man was silent for a moment… before bursting out in laughter. Jeremiah blinked, and so did everyone else. Was this some sort of joke to the man?!
After calming down for a bit the man spoke, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry but I've just gotta ask. How many hours did you spend practicing that in the bathroom mirror before you started this whole farce!" He laughed some more.
Jeremiah's eyes twitched. This stranger dared make of mockery of him?!
"As for who I am…" The man then let go of his web line and twisted himself in the air before sticking the landing with a pose. "An emissary from Hell. Spider-Man!"
His statement sent murmurings throughout the crowd. Emissary? Spider-Man?
"What?" Rivalz asked, confused at the oddly yet cooly-dressed dude. The other council members shared his confusion.
Nunnally shifted at the sound of this Spider-Man's voice.
The Kozuki members looked at the scene playing out on the screen with confusion as the anchorman commented.
"Are we gazing upon the face of a terrorist? Not necessarily the wisest one."
"Come on! There's no way it's this joker!" Tamaki immediately voiced out.
Many of the others agreed with him. Felicia, however, stared at him with wonder and awe in her eyes. It was him! He may be dressed differently, but that voice! It was him! He was alive!
"Spider-Man?" Diethard Reid, a respectable reporter in the media said, the name rolling off his tongue. He then looked at the man's armor and the large spider web. "Well, it certainly fits."
'Is he, an Eleven?' Suzaku questioned as he stared at the masked man in wonderment. Strange, there was something that felt, familiar about this masked person. Which confused the teen. He'd never met anyone like this man before, and he was sure a masked man dressed like a spider would be hard to forget.
"I've had enough of these games 'Spider-Man'!" Jeremiah spat the name out as he pointed his gun at him. "Now why don't you take off that mask and remove this disgusting web!"
"I-Is that a gun?"
The audience blinked.
Spider-Man didn't move, only looking wide eyes at the gun in Jeremiah's hand, shaking as he pointed a finger at the firearm.
"Yes, it is!" Jeremiah answered.
"Oh gosh! It's a gun!" Spider-Man began to panic as he fell to his knees trembling, much to the surprise of all those watching. "You found my weakness! It's small firearms!"
Jeremiah soon smirked. It appeared this man was nothing more than a coward.
"Whatever will I do?!" Spider-Man cried before he stopped shaking, his body language changing from cowardly to cocky, smirking under his mask. "Oh, I know!"
He then looked Jeremiah dead in the eyes. "Now you see me," He began, waving a hand in front of his face before his form began to disappear, "Now you don't." He finished before he completely vanished, much to the shock of the Purebloods and viewers.
'He disappeared!?' Suzaku thought in shock. His mind then began to put the pieces together. Could it be… him?
"What the?! Where did he go?!"
"He couldn't have gotten far! Find him!"
"No!" Jeremiah shouted. "We have more pressing matters to attend to." He then looked at Suzaku with disgust. "Like getting this scum to face justice! We'll deal with this coward later!"
He heard cries of agreement as he began to start up his Knightmare again. He had to admit, he was thrown for a loop when that freak show appeared. But he was nothing more than an attention-seeking coward. Someone he could deal with later.
He then felt a tap on his shoulder, Jeremiah turned and came face to face with a red mask with narrowed white lenses.
"Peak-a-boo!" Spider-Man said.
Jeremiah reacted instantly, pulling his gun and aiming at the human spider, the barrel just inches away from his body, before pulling the trigger.
He fired two shots. Both missed as this Spider-Man reacted with inhuman speed and reflexes dodging the shots with ease. Before he could get out a third, his hand holding the gun was grabbed, and he was hoisted out of the Knightmare with ease. Jeremiah was dangling over his cockpit, being held up easily by Spider-Man. He tried to free himself, but this man's grip was stronger than iron.
Spider-Man sighed in what appeared to be disappointment. "Why is it that you Britannian elitists always shoot first and ask questions never?" He then put a little pressure into Jeremiah's grip, forcing him to let go of the gun. He then let go of Jeremiah's hand completely, causing him to fall back into his cockpit as Spider-Man grabbed the falling gun. Before Jeremiah could enter his Knightmare, Spider-Man webbed his hand to the top, trapping him. "Then again, I really shouldn't be surprised…"
CRUSH!
"Given what happened in Shinjuku." He finished as the remains of the crushed gun fell from his hand to the street. The onlookers were more surprised at his words than the fact he easily crushed a gun with his bare hands. They began to murmur among themselves in confusion.
"Oh~! Do you all know what happened? Well, allow me to enlighten you then!" He then turned to the crowd.
"Unit six, bring up the sound! And get that camera right in his face!" Diethard orders in full seriousness. He initially brushed off this Spider-Man as a clown. But after seeing his disappearing act, and blindsiding Jeremiah, his interest peaked.
"Sir, it's too chaotic out there!" One of his subordinates argued.
"Amateurs." He muttered under his breath as he grabbed a camera and exited the van. "You want something done right, you got to do it yourself." He then pointed the camera directly at Spider-Man as he addressed the crowd.
"You see, people of Britannia, these Purebloods, under the direct order of Prince Clovis I might add, carried out a massacre in the Shinjuku Ghetto!" Spider-Man revealed.
The entire crowd broke out in shocked murmurings, questioning whether or not it could be true.
"LIES!" Jeremiah cried, still trying in vain to free himself from the webbing. "Don't you dare try to sullen the name of His High-" THWIP! "Mmph! Mmph!" He didn't finish as his mouth was covered with a white gooey substance.
"Do you mind shutting up? I'm trying to tell these people something important." Spider-Man said as he turned back to the crowd. "Now where was I? Ah, yes! You see, Prince Clovis was involved in such a heinous act, that if it ever got public, it would mean at best disinheritance, at worst, death. And what was this crime you might ask? Human experimentation!"
His reveal caused more shock in the crowd, and those watching. Was it true? Jeremiah tried to object, but he couldn't form any concrete responses with his mouth webbed up.
"At first he only used the Japanese. But then, he moved to target even his people." The Britannians were shocked. Their own Prince used his people for his experiments?! It couldn't be true!
"However, his plans were soon compromised. To make sure no one knew of his crimes, he ordered the entire Shinjuku ghetto to be whipped out! Men, women, and even children, not a single person was spared. And the ones who carried out this sick order like the dogs they are were none other than the so-called purebloods themselves!"
Some members of the crowd, primarily those who weren't placed by the Purebloods, began to shout curses at the group. Jeremiah looked at the crowd with nervous eyes. This was getting out of control.
"And what's worse, they even sought to use the death of Prince Clovis to further their own twisted goals!" Spider-Man accused. "Their ultimate goal is to completely abolish the Honorary Britannian System, forcing those who had become Honorary Britannians back into the ghetto, not just in Area 11, but throughout the whole Empire!"
"And what better way than to pin the murder of a Prince on the Honorary Britannian standing before you all? For those who don't know, Suzaku Kururugi is the son of Japan's last Prime Minister before it became Area 11, Genbu Kururugi. If he were found guilty, it could easily be seen as a revenge killing, allowing the Purebloods enough motive to completely dismantle the system!"
If the crowd wasn't angry before, they sure were now.
"How dare you?!"
"Using Prince Clovis to further you're own goals! You scoundrels!"
"Your blood isn't pure! It's as dirty as a mudslide!"
The Purebloods themselves began panicking inside their Knightmares. They've been had! This freak figured out their ploy! But there was still a way to salvage this.
"And, worst of all, is that they got the wrong man!" Spider-Man revealed, shocking the audience again.
"What are you insinuating bug?!" Kewell shouted from his Knightmare. Spider-Man gave the man a glare that caused him to flinch in his Knightmare.
"Two things. First, spiders are not bugs, they're arachnids!" The crowd deadpanned. Was this guy for real? "And second," He then turned his glare to Jeremiah, "Let's ask the mastermind of this whole plot." He crouched low to lean dangerously close to the leader of the Purebloods. "Tell me, mud boy, how did Prince Clovis die?"
"MMRPH! MPF!"
"Oh right. Forgot about that. Sorry!" He then ripped off the webbing from Jeremiah's mouth, the margrave crying in pain as his lips were ripped off. He then glared at the spider!
"You son of a–" THWIP! "MRPH!"
"Ahahah! Language! Kids are watching this!" Spider-Man chided wagging his finger as if he was disciplining a toddler. He then grabbed the edges of the web gag. "Now I'm going to remove this, and you're not going to answer my question, and if you don't, I'm going to web the inside of your mouth to keep you from breathing. Understand?"
Jeremiah wanted to protest, but those eyes stopped him. He may act like a clown, but his eyes, now seeing them up close told a different story. He meant what he said. So he only nodded.
"Glad we understand each other," Spider-Man said, his tone chipper. He then ripped the webbing off his mouth, taking his lips with him again. Jeremiah continued to glare at Spider-Man but didn't say anything. "Now I'm gonna ask you again: How did Prince Clovis die?"
Jeremiah smirked. "I can answer that in my sleep!" He then gestured to Suzaku with his head. "Suzaku Kururugi took a gun and shot him in the heart, and took the lives of his faithful royal guard!" Jeremiah smirked. This freak show may know about their plans, but there's no way he knew the truth behind Clovis' death!
"Really?" Spider-Man said, sounding confused, scratching his head. "I was sure it was the electricity that killed him and the guards."
Jeremiah froze.
"How do you know that?" He asked out loud, loud enough for the camera to pick up what he was saying.
"Oh~! What's this?" Spider-Man said, a coy smirk forming under his mask. "Are you saying Clovis didn't die by a gunshot to the heart, like told to the entire world, just moments ago?"
Jeremiah froze even more. He'd been played.
"You hear that folks?! Old mud boy here just confessed that Clovis didn't die by a gunshot, but electricity!" Spider-Man said. "Which means that Suzaku Kururugi is innocent of killing Prince Clovis."
Jeremiah couldn't believe it. His plan, his ambition, his dream, was crumbling down in front of his eyes. All because of this Spider-Man!
"Aw, don't cry Muddie," Spider-Man said encouragingly, though he was mocking him. "There's one silver lining to this whole thing?"
"And what's that?"
"You found your man!"
Jeremiah's head shot up as he stared at the menace with wide eyes! He found his man? Did that mean?! Is this man?! "A-Are you saying…" He couldn't even finish it.
"That's right, mud boy!" Spider-Man said, waiting for this exact moment. "The man who killed Clovis la Britannia and his Royal Guard, in self-defense," He then found Diethard and looked at the camera the man held dead in the eye, "WAS MYSELF!"
And with that, the world grinded to a halt!
"No way! This is the guy who killed Prince Clovis?! And he just admitted it on live TV!?" A Japanese Liberation Front soldier cried out as the terrorist group watched the broadcast from one of their bases.
Kyoshiro Tohdoh, or Tohdoh of Miracles, watched this whole event with a stoic face. He was among those who decided not to act to rescue Suzaku, despite being the boy's teacher when he was younger, believing if it was his fate to die, then so be it.
He, along with the other JLF members was surprised by the appearance of this Spider-Man. When he began making a fool of himself, many soldiers just wrote him off as a clown, but not Tohdoh. Being the experienced soldier and teacher he is, he was able to recognize an act when he saw one, and this Spider-Man was putting on a show for the whole world to watch. A show he was in complete control over.
"Did he seriously say that out loud?! Does he have a death wish or something?!" Tamaki voiced the thoughts of the other resistance members.
Felicia continued to stare at the image of the voice, no, his name was Spider-Man, on the screen. Her eyes held awe and amazement at the figure before her.
Jeremiah stared up at the one who had ruined his plans and killed his Prince with such anger and rage. This freak! This menace! How dare he stand in Jeremiah Gottwald's way, and make such a mockery of it?!
CLAP!
He was pulled out of his thoughts when Spider-Man clapped his hands. "Well, I think that's enough drama for one night, don't you think?" He asked rhetorically. "Now if you don't mind, I'll just grab Kururugi and we'll be on our way." He said as he moved to hop off the Knightmare.
"Wait! You can't just leave! You just confessed you're responsible for killing His Highness Prince Clovis! You can't just leave after that!" Jeremiah yelled. If this freak got away with Kururugi, the Purebloods would lose everything. The only way to salvage this was the capture the true killer.
"And who exactly is gonna stop me? You, Mud Boy?" Spider-Man asked, his tone different than before, one that caused a shiver to run up his spine. The freak then leaned in close to Jeremiah, their faces almost touching. "Let's get one thing straight: You and your Purebloods' reputation are in ruins. Even if, and that's a big if, you somehow manage to capture me, you'd probably still be charged for using the death of a Prince to further you're own goals. Do you want to embarrass yourself any more than you have by trying and failing to stop me?"
'This is all one big performance to him!' Diethard thought with a fanatical smile as he kept the camera on Spider-Man.
Jeremiah was about to respond, but in the corner of his eyes, he saw a Knightmare, standing atop the bridge, aiming a sniper rifle down at Spider-Man. He smirked inwardly.
"Here's something you should know about the world Spider-Man," Jeremiah said, trying to keep this menace focused on him. "This world, especially Britannia, only listens to those who are strong!"
Spider-Man was about to reply, but then, his spider-sense flared.
ZING~
BANG!
Reacting, he grabbed Jeremiah and jumped off the Knightmare just in time to dodge the shot. The Knightmare went down due to the high-powered sniper shot.
Landing, he set Jeremiah down, who stared up at him in shock. How did he know the bullet was coming?! And why did he save him?!
"You're right Jeremiah Gottwald." The man blinked at Spider-Man's words. "This world does only listen to the strong. So I think I should thank you." He smirked under his mask. "Thanks to you, I now have an excuse to show off my strength."
THWIP!
He was firing off two strands of webbing at the Knightmare that tried to shoot him in the back before he could try again. With a mighty tug, he pulled the Knightmare down from the roof. The pilot screamed as he and his Knightmare fell to the ground.
CRASH!
The Knightmare landed with a loud crash. The impact damaged the Knightmare taking it out of the fight. Thankfully, the pilot was still alive. Probably.
The Purebloods and citizens looked in shock at the man. He managed to pull a Sutherland, something that weighed over 7 metric tons, and pull it down to the ground with a simple tug on a white string!
Seriously, who was this guy?!
Spider-Man then turned to face the Purebloods. "For the record, you started this. So any deaths that happen here tonight will be on your heads!"
"The only one who will be dying tonight is you bug!" Kewell yelled, bringing up his Knightmare's rifle and aiming it at Spider-Man, others following suit.
"Well, if you're that confident…" He then gave them a 'come at me' gesture.
The gesture caused Suzaku's eyes to widen with recognition. 'It is him!'
Kewell reacted first, opening fire with his Sutherland's rifle. Spider-Man dodged and weaved around the incoming bullets in an incredible display of acrobatic abilities. When Kewell was empty, Spider-Man fired off a web, the line hit the rifle.
"Yoink!" He then pulled on the line, wrenching the rifle out of Sutherland's metallic hands. He then spun around and threw the rifle back at the Knightmare. The gun impacted the Sutherland's head, sending it off balance. Taking his chance, Spider-Man shot two webs and pulled, launching himself at the Knightmare. Closing the distance, he dropped kick the Knightmare's chest, denting it significantly, and causing it to fall back.
Before it touched the ground, Spider-Man lept off the Sutherland and into the air. The remaining three Knightmares aimed and fired. He turned and twisted in the air to avoid the bullets, taking aim and switching the settings on his web shooters. He then fired off several small orbs that hit one of Knightmares. A second later, they exploded, a massive net of strong gooey web covering the Knightmare, keeping it from moving.
These were his web bombs. He got the idea from how his canisters would keep exploding in his face when testing his webbing. Thanks to the money he had, it was easy to develop them and turn them into actual gadgets. However, it was still a prototype, so he needed to develop them further. But so far, the field test has been going great!
He then fired off a web to the side to zip out of the way of the bullets from the two other Knightmares. He then went over the side of the bridge, shocking all those watching. He swung underneath the bridge, coming back up from the opposite side, the Knightmares' backs toward him. He fired off his webs and pulled himself forward. He hit the back of one of the Knightmares, sending it crashing into the one he trapped with his web bombs, knocking them both out of commission.
"Only one left." He said as he looked to the lone Sutherland, the one piloted by Villetta Nu. She had a look of shock on her face as she stared at Spider-Man. Surprised that one person could do this to them, the Purebloods! She gritted her teeth in anger as she fired off more rounds and even a slash harken.
Spider-Man dodged the bullets and narrowly avoided the Slash Harken, for show. He then webbed the harken to the ground, to keep it from returning to the Knightmare, in turn keeping it in place. Doing the same thing he did with the Lancelot in Shinjuku, Spider-Man ran across the line connecting the harken to the Knightmare.
Seeing her enemy closing in, Villetta threw away the gun and pulled out a collapsable battle ax. She swung the ax horizontally at Spider-Man, who lept over it with a somersault. Looking up at him, she saw that he was preparing an ax kick!
She was about to meet him head-on, but then she noticed something. Electricity began sparking on his leg. She wasn't sure why, but her battle instincts screamed at her, telling her to get out of there. Trusting her instincts, she hit the ejection button and her cockpit went flying out of her Knightmare. Just in time too.
In the next moment, Spider-Man's foot connected with the head of the Knightmare, causing an electric blast to explode from the point of impact. The Knightmare caved in under the power, the metal bending and creaking, being reduced to nothing but a compact pile of scrap!
When the dust cleared, the crowd saw Spider-Man, standing triumphantly on the scrap pile. He looked out at the crowd and asked, "Anyone else?"
The whole world was silent.
One man. One strange, oddly dressed man, just took on half a dozen of Britannia's Sutherlands with his bare hands, didn't kill anyone, Pureblood or citizen, and did it in under 5 minutes. And there was a question forming in the minds of everyone present. The question Lelouch wanted them to ask.
Could this man, be stronger than the Emperor?
Within the Student Council room, the members all looked gobsmacked at the screen before them. Nina's whole body was shaking with fear, worried a dangerous terrorist was now on the loose. Rivalz had stars in his eyes, despite the person on the TV appearing the be against Britannia. Milly and Shirley had looks of awe as well as worry.
Nunnally, despite not knowing exactly what was happening, held a worried look on her face. Lelouch hadn't come home yet, and with what was happening on TV right now, she began to fear the worst.
"Lelouch, please come home safe."
Within the JLF base, the members of the terrorist cell all looked with varying degrees of shock. And could you blame them? One person managed to pull off something they thought was impossible, and he did it without a Knightmare or killing someone.
Even Tohdoh couldn't keep the surprise off his face.
With the Kozuki resistance, all the members looked on with slack jaws. Those who doubted Spider-Man, which was nearly all of them, were so blown away, it was almost as if their eyeballs would fall out of their sockets.
"Did… did he just…?" Tamaki wasn't able to finish as he suddenly fainted.
"Yeah… he did," Ohgi said, not taking his eyes away from the TV.
Felicia herself was in awe as she stared at Spider-Man. She'd never met a man like this before. Someone so strong, and powerful. With the courage to taunt and mock Britannia. It was inspiring.
'And that costume makes him look good.' She thought with a little red forming on her cheeks.
Within the Camalot division, Lloyd and Cecile looked at the screen with different reactions. Cecile looked in awe, while Lloyd had an almost maniacal smile on his face.
"Camouflage. A form of precognition. Enhanced speed and reflexes. Super Strength. And some sort of bioelectricity." Cecile listed off the powers she and her boss just witnessed Spider-Man use. All that along with his name, there was no more doubt. "Lloyd it's…"
"Yes my dear," Lloyd said, the crazed smile never leaving his face. He looked as if he was a mob boss who finally found the man who killed his kid. "I found the menace who wrecked my precious Lancelot!"
"No? Well, that's too bad. I was hoping to build up more of a sweat in this warm-up." Spider-Man remarked, disappointed, as he hopped down from the remains of the Knightmare and began stretching. 'Still, I think I made an impression on the world. Just as planned.' He thought with a smirk.
He then walked up to the car holding Suzaku, no one stopping him. As he approached Suzaku, his two guards stood in front of him and pointed their guns at him, albeit shakily.
"S-Stop right there!" The guard begged. His voice shook along with his body. His partner was the same.
Under his mask, Lelouch raised an eyebrow, which reflected on his lenses. "Really?" He muttered. Were these guys getting paid enough for this?
His eyes then widen. "OH! Look there!" He said, pointing behind them. The guards turned and Spider-Man smirked. He jumped and did a split kick, kicking the guards' heads, and sending them off the car. "Made you look." He laughed.
He then walked up to Suzaku. "Hey, man! How you've been?! Aside from the whole you know, scapegoat situation. Sorry about that!"
Suzaku just looked at the man in awe. After seeing him in action, and all of his abilities, there was no doubt in his mind. This was the same person he fought in Shinjuku. The one who managed to beat him while he was piloting the Lancelot. The one who helped the terrorist. The one who saved that falling mother and baby. And right now, he just saved him. Why?
"Why did-ACK!" Suzaku's attempted question was stopped before by the shock collar around his neck. In all the excitement, he forgot that was there.
Spider-Man's eyes narrowed. "They wouldn't even give you the chance to speak." He growled as he turned to look at the pale white Jeremiah. "Despicable." He then turned back to Suzaku. "Let's get this thing off you now."
Before Suzaku could try to protest, Spider-Man grabbed the edges of the collar and pulled, easily breaking it. Suzaku ran a hand through his neck, to check for any more injuries. "There! Better?" Suzaku only nodded. Spider-Man then turned back to the crowd.
"Now I'm sorry to cut and run ladies and gentlemen, but my friend Suzaku and I need to split." He told the crowd before he grabbed Suzaku by the arm and pulled the arm around his neck, he then brought the other arm up and webbed the two hands together, to keep him from falling.
"You don't have a fear of heights, do you? I can't remember."
"Uhh… no?" Suzaku said. What did he mean by that?
"Okay good. Now hang on! This may get a little exciting!" He then took one last look at Jeremiah and gave him a friendly wave. "See you later Mudbloods!"
With no more words, Spider-Man shot out a web and took to the skies, with Suzaku holding on for dear life. He hadn't been swinging for more than a day, and he already had begun swinging with passengers. Maybe this wasn't a good idea.
As he watched Spider-Man swing off into the night with Kururugi on his back, Jeremiah Gottwald couldn't keep the raging inferno that his fury contained any longer. His plan, his ambition, his vision of glory, all of it crushed in an hour. And it was done at the hands of that menace, that clown who calls himself, Spider-Man!
From that day on, Jeremiah vowed that, if it is the last thing he did, he would see that menace die by his hands!
Another person of great emotion was Diethard Reid. But instead of anger, what he felt was a joy unlike any other. This was it! The key to escaping the boring life he led, and achieving his lifelong dream of recording history in the making! It was every reporter's dream! And he would seize this opportunity! No matter what!
"Did that just happen?"
"Yeah. I think it did." Ohgi said, still in disbelief. And who wouldn't be? One person just straight-up challenged the Purebloods, mocked and humiliated them on live TV, then made off with their scapegoat. Anyone would find that hard to believe.
"Okay! I'll admit the guy's good, but you gotta wonder how many times a play like that would work." Tamaki said, having come to a moment ago.
"You may be right," Ohgi said before he smiled. "Still, you gotta admit, no one else could've pulled that off. Not the Japanese Liberation Front. And certainly not me. We've always thought waging war against Britannia was impossible. But maybe with him, we could do it."
Felicia was silent her eyes still on the TV. What she was feeling, words couldn't even begin to describe it. The excitement she felt as she saw Spider-Man tear apart those Knightmares with just his bare hands. The way her heart began to race when he spoke. She'd never felt this way before.
All she knew was that she had to meet him again! Wherever he was!
"Well, that's one way to spend a Friday night. Wouldn't you agree Suzaku?"
After swinging away from the scene, Spider-Man took them to a ruined auditorium in the Ghetto. The place was abandoned, great for a private conversation. Spider-Man hung upside down from a web line as he stared at his rescued friend.
Suzaku himself was currently hunched over, his face almost as green as his eyes. While he was never one for motion sickness or fear of heights, he had to admit, all that swinging was something else. Thankfully, he didn't throw up while they were swinging, he wouldn't want to hit anyone. That happened after they landed.
After he finished puking out yesterday's lunch, he hadn't had much to eat since being detained, he then looked up at Spider-Man, a contemplative look in his eyes. There was no doubt in his mind that this was the same person he fought in the Shinjuku Ghetto, the one who managed to disable the Lancelot. He did wonder if he knew Suzaku was the pilot of the Lancelot. If he did, would he have still saved him?
But that wasn't the question he wanted to ask, what he wanted to know was, "Why did you save me?"
There was a long moment of silence, and Spider-Man's lenses reflected that of a deadpanned expression.
"Are you serious?" He asked, Suzaku nodded. He then sighed. "It was because you were falsely accused of something you didn't even do. So I had to step in. It was my responsibility."
"Responsibility?" Suzaku scoffed. "How was any action you took even close to being responsible?! You could've gotten yourself or worse, someone else killed!"
"I know." His sudden admittance caught Suzaku off guard. He expected him to make excuses. "I know people could've died tonight because of what I did. But I also know that someone definitely would have died if I did nothing!" His expression soon darkened as he muttered the last part, "And I refuse to do that again."
Suzaku picked up on it but didn't comment, must've been a tense subject. So instead he asked, "So… you did kill Clovis?"
The silence was brief but tense.
"Yes."
"Why? If he did all the terrible things you said, why not have him stand trial for what it all?"
"You must be either deaf or more of an idiot than I thought." Spider-Man spat out. "If you were listening, I said I did kill Prince Clovis and the Royal Guard in self-defense! I was planning on exposing Clovis to Britannia, to show them who their Beloved Prince was. But his guards got the drop on me."
Suzaku found that hard to believe, given that this man had managed to take on Knightmare frames and come out on top, but he didn't say anything.
"They began beating me and destroyed the evidence I was planning to use." Spider-Man continued. "Clovis also told me they would experiment on me, use me to make himself stronger in his desire for the throne. At that moment, I lost control of my powers and ended up killing everyone in the room."
"So, it was an accident?"
"Yes, if it makes you feel better," Spider-Man said as he looked away in slight regret. "Still, that doesn't change the fact that I am responsible for his death. And you shouldn't be punished for it."
Suzaku looked down. Guess not. But he still failed to stop Spider-Man in the first place. If he did, then maybe Clovis wouldn't have died. And besides, it wasn't Clovis' death he needed to atone for.
"Join me."
Suzaku's eyes widened as he turned back up to face Spider-Man.
"The Britannia you served was nothing more than a hollow shell, a lie," Spider-Man said. "Now that you've seen their true colors, join me, and together, we can not only change this nation, but the world."
Lelouch smiled under his mask. With the two of them working together, they would change the entire world, and shatter the illusion of Britannia's Social Darwinist beliefs. However, Suzaku's answer surprised him.
"I can't." He said, shocking Spider-Man. "This nation can be changed, and from within! Once I make them trust me, that change can come without bloodshed."
Spider-Man was shocked at his words. 'Changed? From within?' Granted what Suzaku had in mind seemed to align with his plan, so it would only make more sense for them to work together, but he could see the differences. While Suzaku's plan to rise through the ranks and gain their trust sounded like a good idea, Lelouch knew it wasn't a realistic goal. There was no way they would allow someone non-Britannian to have such a high rank that would allow them to invoke the changes Suzaku wanted. It just couldn't be done.
Besides, even if Suzaku somehow did reach that level of trust and authority, at best, he could only affect the Japanese. Any other people under the Empire's control would still be heavily persecuted by Britannia. It wouldn't change the people of Britannia, which was what Lelouch was after. He planned to show off his incredible strength, to show them that despite being the strongest man in the world, he was using his powers to help people, regardless of nationality. It directly clashed with Britannia's belief of "strong ruling over the weak". He wasn't going to rule, he was going to protect and serve. And he hoped his actions would inspire others in Britannia to use their power responsibly. He knew that despite the rotten orchard Britannia was, it still had a few good apples, hopefully enough to change it.
But Suzaku didn't see it like that. He was too naive. Thinking that everyone would go along with him as long as he won their trust. Lelouch knew that there would be people that opposed him, and he knew he would have to kill those people, for change to come.
"Any ends gained through contemptible mean aren't worth anything." Suzaku's statement brought Lelouch back as he saw the other boy begin to walk away.
"Wait, where are you going?"
"My court-martial begins in an hour," Suzaku responded as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, and that sent Spider-Man into outrage!
"Are you mad?!" He questioned. "The only reason they're giving you a trial is to find you guilty! The judges, the prosecution, and even the defense would have done nothing!" 'Except maybe that one guy.'
"Rules are rules." He said as he continued walking. "Besides if I don't go, they'll probably just start cracking harder down on Elevens."
"But you'll die!" Spider-Man yelled as he dropped from the web line, too angry to see the logic in his statement.
"I don't mind. Besides, it's not your problem." Unknown to him, his last statement struck a chord with Spider-Man.
Suzaku was about to exit the building but stopped as he felt something latch onto his elbow, stopping him in his tracks. He looked down to see a white strand sticking to the joint and turned to see Spider-Man, the web having been shot from his wrist.
"'Not my problem' you say?" Spider-Man's said, his voice colder than ice. "Don't be an idiot! I didn't risk my life and the lives of everyone there trying to save you, just so you could throw it away!"
Suzaku was shocked by the tone in Spider-Man's voice, but he held firm. "Are you going to stop me?" he asked, causing Spider-Man eyes to widen. "It's my life. I decided what to do with it. But if you're gonna keep me here against my will, then you're no better than the Purebloods you saved me from."
Lelouch was surprised, not expecting these words from Suzaku. He then looked down in contemplation.
He was at war with himself. If he let Suzaku go, he'd be sending his first-ever friend to his death, after having risked so much to save him. Once again, he'd be standing by and doing nothing while someone precious to him died. Nunnally would be left devastated. And besides, how dare Suzaku try to throw his life away after Lelouch risked so much to save him?
However, if he kept Suzaku here against his will, it would be like Suzaku was never rescued, he just exchanged one jailer for another. Plus Suzaku was right, if he didn't at least go to his court martial to face justice, innocent people would only be harder persecuted.
As he thought about this, two distinct voices, both of which had a massive impact on his life, began to argue in his mind.
"What's there to think about?!" The voice of his birth father, Charles zi Britannia asked rhetorically. "That boy is a fool! All that's waiting for him is death if he goes! You have the power to keep him and make him yours! Use it!"
"You know it's the right thing to do Lelouch." The voice of the man he saw as his true father, Ben Parker, encouraged him. "You need to let him go, or else a lot of other people will be hurt, because of your selfishness. Besides, using power to force someone, especially a person you care about, to do what they don't want to do is never right!"
"Don't tell him what to do pretender!" 'Charles' shouted in rage. "I am his father! Not you! You don't have the right to tell him what to do!"
"I'm not telling him what to do." 'Ben' narrowed his eyes at the Emperor. "I'm encouraging him to use his power the right way. After all, With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility."
'With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility.' Lelouch repeated the phrase he tried so hard to live by every single day since that night out in his mind. There were times, like now, when he found it difficult to see which action would be the most responsible.
After a long moment of thinking, he came to a decision.
Letting out a long drawn-out sigh, Spider-Man extended one of his stingers and cut the webbing freeing Suzaku. The boy looked surprised, not only at the stinger but also at Spider-Man's actions.
"Go on," Spider-Man said, refusing to look Suzaku in the eyes. "You should be able to make it if you hurry."
Suzaku then smiled. "Thank you." He said as he continued walking.
"Just one more thing," Spider-Man spoke up. "If you die, then the people who care about you would be sad. Just something to remember as you walk to your death.
Suzaku hesitated at that. He instantly thought of Lelouch and, if there was some chance she was still alive, Nunnally. Would they be sad if he were to die tonight? He shook his head. They would be fine without him. He was sure of it.
As Spider-Man saw Suzaku walk away from the ruined building, and after making sure no one else was around, he took off his mask. Lelouch looked at the mask with a wild expression on his face, his hands trembling with rage.
'How dare you, Suzaku?! How dare you turn your back on me?! After everything I did to save you!'
He couldn't hold it in any longer as he swung his fist at the closest solid object he could find, this being the wall.
CRASH!
The impact from his strength caused a hole to be blown through the wall. Lelouch was breathing heavily, trying to calm himself down from his rage. When he finally did calm down, he let out a defeated, yet accepting sigh.
While it was unfortunate that Suzaku wouldn't be joining him anytime soon, he couldn't deny that Suzaku had a point. If Suzaku joined him right after being rescued, the Purebloods could use this to salvage the incident and use it as an excuse to further persecute the Japanese, leading to more unnecessary death. He couldn't allow that to happen.
He could only take comfort that Suzaku was alive and well for the moment. He could only pray to any higher power out there that he would stay that way.
"I better get home. Nunnally must be worried sick by now." Lelouch said to himself as he slipped his mask back on, fired off a web, and took to the skies.
As he swung through the ghetto and Settlement, many people looked at him in awe and fear, recognizing him. Good. That's what he needed right now. But it wasn't enough. He would need to make more of an influence. Enough that at some point, when people come to a crossroads, they ask themselves, "What would Spider-Man do?"
As he continued swinging through the city, he felt strange. He felt light, unburdened, free. Like all his worries were left on the ground as he swung through the air with such finesse. Even the anger he felt at Suzaku soon left him. It felt good.
Lelouch smiled genuinely under his mask.
He then decided to take a detour from swinging back to Ashford and swung up to the highest skyscraper in the Tokyo Settlement. He made it to the top with no problem as he then perched on the antenna of the building.
Lelouch then took off his mask and looked out at the whole Settlement. He had to admit, that despite being built on the ruins of the old city, the Settlement was beautiful to look at, especially at night. It seemed so peaceful, even with the events of the last hour. Like everyone on the streets was living the dream life. He knew that was a lie.
A beautiful lie.
One that he was going to break.
Lelouch then slipped his mask back on and leaped off the building, backflipping into the air. He began falling before shooting off a web and swinging into the night.
This was just the beginning!
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.
So yes, I went with the Anti-Ock Suit from Spider-Man PS4. I think that suit is one of the coolest Spider-Man suits ever, and I feel that suit fits Lelouch perfectly. The dark and gold color scheme, I just feel like it works. Keep in mind, Lelouch is not dirt poor like Peter, he still has tons of money from his years of gambling, so he can afford to make a suit of this caliber.
I hope you all enjoyed the scene I did with the Purebloods. I had several ways I could go about it, so I hoped you guys liked the way I chose to do it.
Now, let's do a preview for the next chapter.
Fated Meetings:
As Suzaku is released from lockup, he has a chance encounter with a strange Britannian girl. Their meeting is soon joined by another strange one.
Yeah, not that good.
Stay safe everyone. Love you all and your support.
Update: On 10/31/23: I changed the suit. After some thought and the new Spider-Man game that came out, I decided to give Lelouch a more colorful suit. Plus, having a mask made of fabric instead of metal will make the upside-down kiss scene I have planned much easier. If you want a visual of what it looks like, it's basically Peter's main suit in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 with the blue being replaced with black.