A/N: This chapter being posted can mean one thing, the next chapter of my War of the Seven Kings has been delayed again, its finished, but the beta work isn't. So once again I wish to thank my main beta and co-author Greatkingrat88, and others who chipped in ideas for this story. I don't think I need to say where I am going with this chapter, so let's get right into it. Replies to Anonymous Reviews will be at the very end of this chapter.

Chapter 2

The Spark

The following day, at around noon, Lelouch headed downtown for an appointment at the Terminus Hotel and Casino. Sitting in the side car, Lelouch was reading a book while Sokkia drove the motorbike.

"Thanks for taking me," Lelouch said as they neared their destination.

"I told you, don't worry about it. Today has been kinda slow, so this is a nice change of pace," Sokkia replied, with her usual cheer.

"Still, I was concerned when Rivalz wasn't available."

Rivalz was spending his lunch period preparing for a make-up test he missed due to his work as a part-time waiter at a popular Britannian café. Unfortunately, this didn't leave Lelouch with his preferred mode of transport, and he was left without a ride. Thankfully, having heard about his troubles, Sokkia had offered to drive him in Rivalz's place.

Lelouch worried Rivalz might have been hesitant to let someone infamously known throughout the world of the KMF League as Crasher drive his bike. Sokkia was one of the more well-known members of the Fireballs, recognized for being Britannia's record holder for the most specular Knightmare Frame crashes. She didn't mind the title; in fact, many admired her even more for it; she had come out of every single Knightmare Frame crash unharmed. This was remarkable, given how flashy and showy her crashes tend to be. Denying Lelouch's concerns Rivalz accepted, thinking it would be an honor to have a sports star handle his bike. Before taking Lelouch, Sokkia had made sure to wear a pair of sport shorts under her skirt to preserve her modesty.

"You know I am surprised a guy like you doesn't have his own Driver's License," Sokkia commented.

Lelouch merely shrugged his shoulders before saying, "Well, there have been some issues I need to take care of, but I hope to resolve that soon."

The truth was Lelouch's background was falsified, to hide who he really was. The former prince was concerned his attempt to obtain a Driver's License might lead to his true identity being uncovered. There would be a background check, and somebody might notice something was off.

"Maybe you should fly to the Homeland and get it there. I heard the extensive background checks they run in the Areas are a real pain," Sokkia commented.

"Maybe I will, if nothing else works," Lelouch replied.

A short time later, they arrived at their destination as the pair found parking near the entrance reserved for motorbikes. As the two left their helmets and gloves behind in the side car, the two of them began walking towards the main entrance. However, across the street, a sports bike advertisement drew their attention.

"Oh, this one of the ones I did," Sokkia replied with a bright smile.

Lelouch looked at the advertisement on the enormous monitor across the street. It showed Sokkia riding a white and blue sports bike. The speeds and sharp turns Sokkia were performing were impressive. She was perhaps the most skilled of her teammates in athletics. The ad ended, and Sokkia came to a stop. The way she leaned forward and showed off the words Durandal printed on the rear of the shorts caused Lelouch to raise an eyebrow.

"Are you alright with that? That seemed a little too suggestive, doesn't it?"

"Nah," Sokkia said dismissively with a hand wave. "Besides, I am the exclusive model for Durandal Sporting Goods Products. Especially for this line of sport bikes, because even if Crasher rides it, our bikes will never break!"

I am not sure if that is something you should be proud of, Lelouch thought, feeling it was more insulting to her.

"Besides, they have been good sponsors for my teammates and me," Sokkia replied as she and Lelouch continued walking.

"I suppose," Lelouch replied with a sigh.

She is challenging to make sense of sometimes, Lelouch remarked internally.

Since meeting her and getting to know her, Lelouch had come to know Sokkia as a very sincere, cheerful, and lively person. However, she had some quirks to be sure, sometimes speaking her mind without restraint. Even more baffling was how she willingly partook of the Student Council President's wildest of ideas and schemes without a second thought. Adding to that was the fact that Sokkia was, without a doubt, the smartest girl in class, rivaled only by another girl he knew, and Lelouch himself.

"So, where are we going?" Sokkia asked.

"We're heading to a Penthouse, follow me," Lelouch said, gesturing for Sokkia to follow him.

Around the same time in another corner of the city, a large semi-truck was hurrying along the highway. Inside the driver's cab sat a man with long black hair, wearing a blue coat with a matching dark blue hat. Sitting alongside him was a young woman with red hair, peeking out from the hat she wore. She wore an identical uniform.

"Anyone following us?" the driver asked, cautiously using a side mirror to glance at the road behind him.

"No sign yet," the girl replied.

"Okay, so far, so good. The sooner we can get to the subway and out of the city, the better," the driver replied, clearly worried.

"Relax, Nagata. We got away clean," the girl said confidently.

"I hope so, as long as Tamaki did his part," Nagata replied.

Unknown to the pair, a Britannian Police VTOL followed them, the pilot staying out of their sight.

Lelouch and Sokkia arrived at their destination, a man in a black suit allowing them entry. The pair were led through the spacious penthouse apartment until they entered the living room where at the center, Lelouch saw the Shopkeeper he had met yesterday. The Shopkeeper was sitting at a table with a chessboard between him and his opponent. Although they were in the middle of a game, the Shopkeeper seemed ecstatic to see him arrive.

"Thank goodness you have arrived. You are a lifesaver, young man," the Shopkeeper said, greeting the Lelouch.

"So, this is your replacement, a schoolboy?" sneered the aristocrat.

"You must be my opponent," Lelouch said, sizing him up.

"Hey, I heard of this guy; he's Sebastian Smith, the famous fashion designer," Sokkia remarked.

"Now that you have mentioned it, I think Shirley and Milly have mentioned him," Lelouch said.

Sebastian Smith was recognized as one of the boldest young designers of his generation. According to what Lelouch had heard about, he was the head fashion designer for Venus Fashion, Britannia's oldest and most prestigious couture brand. He wore an appropriately extravagant and luxurious outfit, all purple and lace.

"It's wonderful to be recognized, but it's time to see if you can provide a better challenge than the old man," said Sebastian.

"I shall," Lelouch replied as he swapped places with the old man.

Meanwhile, Sokkia began examining the chessboard. From a casual player's perspective, the situation looked grim. Presently the Shopkeeper was losing and badly, but instead of feeling concerned for Lelouch, she was confident.

"I think you got this, Lelouch. I would say you could win in about nine to ten minutes," Sokkia remarked.

"Huh?" Sebastian exclaimed.

"Excellent. That should give us plenty of time to get back to school for our next class."

"Ten minutes. Did anyone tell you that you have only twenty seconds per move?"

"Plenty of time," Lelouch replied before he moved the king.

"You start with the king? What a funny boy you are. What's your name?"

"Lelouch Lamperouge," Lelouch replied as the game began.

Across town back at Ashford Academy, Monica was sitting among a group of her fellow students. Marirrosa was with them alongside Sandra and Lily, with three others among them. The oldest had shoulder-length blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing the standard school uniform, being the eldest and most buxom among the group.

"So, how would you girls feel about joining the Student Council?" Milly Ashford said to Monica and Marirrosa.

"Really?" Marirrosa asked, clearly surprised.

"I know you have been having trouble with finding the right club. However, the Student Council is always looking for a few extra hands," Milly offered cheerfully.

"I have had trouble finding a club. My half-Britannian heritage has been something of an issue," Marirrosa remarked.

"No one has tried to harm you, have they?" Monica asked, concerned.

Marirrosa shook her head, "No, just the usual teasing and discrimination you might expect."

"I am sure they are just jealous. Clearly you are beautiful, and you got a great figure," Milly said.

Marirrosa nearly choked on her sandwich in surprise but managed to drink some water to take care of it.

"That's not something you should just say to someone right out of the blue," said another girl.

The next girl sitting with the group had long orange hair and lime green eyes, being a year younger than Milly.

"Worried she might be a contender, Shirley? She and Lelouch became friends yesterday," Milly said, teasingly.

"Madam President, please. It's not that," Shirley said, sounding exasperated.

"Are they usually like this?" Lily said quietly to the young girl next to her. The girl in question had dark hair tied into small pigtails hanging over her shoulders, and indigo eyes. She wore a pair of glasses over them.

"Milly means well, so nothing she does is malicious," Nina Einstein replied. "I think she might just be trying to encourage Shirley to act on her feelings. She has a crush on Lelouch."

"I see," Lily replied, but she wasn't sure if Milly's idea of encouragement was a good idea.

Of course, I think half of the girls in this school have a crush on Lelouch. Even I find him quite appealing, Lily admitted to herself.

Monica and Sandra both watched Milly's teasing of Shirley, and indirectly Marirrosa continuing to unfold as the former of the two wondered if they should intervene on their behalf.

I am not sure if Marirrosa would be interested in joining the Student Council after that…

Back at the hotel, Lelouch smiled triumphantly as he moved his last chess piece into position before declaring,

"Checkmate!"

Sebastian looked at the chessboard in stunned silence as his loss sunk in.

"Eight minutes and five seconds. Even faster than I was expecting," Sokkia remarked, checking her watch.

"I…" Sebastian began, shell shocked from his loss.

"I know it's hard to accept, but you got-" Sokkia began, but Sebastian cut her off.

"What a magnificent display," he proclaimed.

"Huh?" Sokkia and Lelouch exclaimed, in chorus.

"I've been having too many easy victories. This game was becoming boring. Thank you for a challenging game," Sebastian exclaimed.

"Not the reaction I've gotten used to expecting," said Lelouch.

Typically, whenever he defeated a member of the nobility, they would either be in utter disbelief, or try to deny what had happened. There were even some who challenged him again, betting all they had, including rare instances where they even added the clothes they were wearing to the wager. This was the first time Lelouch met someone who had done neither.

"I am glad to have found a challenge. I'll pay you extra for it," Sebastian offered.

"Who am I to say no?" Lelouch replied with a satisfied smile.

A few minutes later Lelouch and Sokkia were leaving the building to start their return trip to Ashford Academy. As they drew nearer to the parked bike, a broadcast on one of the building wall monitors began playing. An image of the Britannian flag appeared, as a female announcer spoke.

" We apologize for the delay. His Royal Highness Prince Clovis, third prince of Britannia, will now address the nation."

The image of the flag faded, revealing a young man in his early twenties with blonde hair. As much as he tried to project the image of a just and capable ruler, Lelouch knew his blue eyes hid a more unpleasant side of him. He could try to hide it, but no matter how well dressed Clovis was, it not change his true nature.

"To all my imperial subjects! Including, of course, the many cooperative Elevens who choose to serve the empire of Britannia!" Clovis began. He extended his arms outward as he continued to speak. Lelouch could only roll his eyes in annoyance.

He's wearing a white cape and has the flag behind him. What a farce. It's all PR with him, thought Lelouch.

"Do you not see my pain? My heart was ripped from my chest, only to be torn apart!" said the prince, dramatically reaching for his chest as if he was in pain. "The remnants are filled with rage and sadness! However, as ruler of Area 11, I will not tolerate terrorism of any kind! Because the battle we fight is a righteous one, a virtuous battle to protect the well-being of one and all! Now then, everyone! I would like you to join me in observance of the eight who died for justice, in the line of duty."

As Clovis held his hands up in prayer as the screen faded to the Britannian flag, and the female announcer spoke again.

"A moment of silence, please."

Sokkia joined in, as did everyone else, but by the time it was over, Lelouch was gone. She almost panicked. Hurrying to the bike, she found Lelouch paying for the parking meter to release the bike.

"You didn't join in?" Sokkia asked, dumbfounded.

"I saw no point. Clovis's television appearance was nothing more than an act to boost his public image," Lelouch said dismissively.

"Isn't that really harsh?"

"It's all about self-gratification. I assure you, I am certain Clovis cares little for others, and plenty about his image," he offered confidently.

"That sounds really depressing, coming from you," Sokkia said with a sigh, accepting her helmet from Lelouch. "You live up to your reputation as an ice prince, don't you?"

"You prefer making people smile with your performances in the KMF League?" Lelouch offered as a counter and a way to change the subject to something more positive.

"Absolutely," Sokkia replied with a big smile.

She is quite the character, Lelouch mused.

Ever since he had met her, Sokkia been an oddity. Her cheerful and lively disposition hid an intelligent mind that could manifest when he least expected it, especially when they faced each other in a simulated battle.

"Damn it!" the red-haired girl cursed. "Nagata, we're being followed!"

"What!? Where are they, Kallen?"

Kallen pointed to the side mirror. A Police VTOL was following them.

"That guy must have been tailing us for the last fifteen minutes," Kallen reported.

"DAMN IT!" Nagata roared before slamming one hand onto the dashboard. "Tamaki didn't follow his part of the plan, didn't he? He was supposed to cause a diversion. Now we have a major problem!"

"What should we do?"

"We'll need to make for the Subway tunnels, but if we run for it now, they'll come after us."

"They are trying to follow us back to base, aren't they?" Kallen deduced.

"Most likely," Nagata said in agreement. "We'll keep driving as normal, but we need the nearest entrance to the subway."

"I'll find one before," Kallen drew a map from the glove box to search for an alternate route. She spent three minutes frantically browsing through the map before finding a viable route. When she finally found one, Nagata drove the truck to the direction she suggested.

Elsewhere around the same time Lelouch was reading a book in the side car, while Sokkia drove towards the academy.

"Say, there is something I have been meaning to ask you," Sokkia began. "Why do you open with the king? Usually whenever you take over a game someone is in the middle of, you move the king first."

"If the king doesn't lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?"

"A lead by example mindset?"

"You could say that," Lelouch answered, when suddenly a loud noise behind them drew their attention.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" Sokkia shouted as she tried to get out of the way of the speeding truck coming up behind them. "THIS IS A NO PASSING ZONE!"

Sokkia managed to get away from the truck, but when the truck tried to get around them it sped off an off-ramp, leading to an abandoned construction. The truck was going too fast with the road quickly running out, crashing into the unfinished structure.

"Huh?" Sokkia said, looking down at the bike, which was losing speed. "Damn, something's busted."

She pulled the bike off to the side as it lost power, as the dust clouds the truck crash had created began to settle.

"Uh, that wasn't my fault, was it?" Sokkia said, sounding worried.

"You didn't crash, so I consider that a plus," Lelouch replied.

Sokkia shot him an annoyed look. "You're being sarcastic, aren't you?"

"Maybe," Lelouch replied shrugging his shoulders before changing the subject. "Right now, you said something is wrong with the bike?"

"Yeah, it's not moving, but I don't know what's wrong with it," Sokkia said, starting to panic.

"Calm down. Let's deal with one problem at a time. I can always call a tow and have a local mechanic take care of it," Lelouch offered.

In the corner of his eye, he saw something. He thought it was some trick of the light, but when he looked again, he saw a shimmering light appear above the truck before vanishing.

What was that?

"Hey Sokkia, do you see this?" Lelouch said, but looking over his shoulder he saw that Sokkia was totally absorbed with the bike.

Looking to the side, Lelouch noticed that a group of people had gathered. Much to his irritation and disgust, he could hear some of the chatter from the peanut gallery. Instead of doing something to help, they were content to gawk at the crash and blame someone instead.

Those idiots...

Leaving the gloves and helmet in the side car, Lelouch hurried down toward the truck. Sokkia didn't notice him make his way to the crash, as she was busy panicking about Rivalz' bike.

"Damn Lelouch, what do we do?" she said. When she got no response, she looked up. Realizing he was no longer near the bike, Sokkia leapt up and began searching for the young man. Thankfully, it didn't take long for her to spot Lelouch approaching the crashed truck.

"Wait, is this the Good Samaritan thing he does?" Sokkia said, recalling something Rivalz had told her.

Rivalz had once told her that at times, Lelouch would intervene and help if there was somebody in need. For example, there was an incident during Lelouch's freshman year, where he and Lelouch came across a fender-bender accident. The young, snobbish driver of the vehicle was clearly at fault, but had tried to blame it on the elderly owners of the car he hit. When no one was watching him, Lelouch had calmly left the side-car, and calmly attached the snob's car to a tow truck, before walking away. The truck dragged away the man's car, defusing the situation and saving the older couple from paying for damages. Lelouch had never bragged about it, simply brushing off the incident as nothing.

"You know, you could've asked for help," Sokkia said with a sigh, running to help Lelouch.

As Sokkia approached the crashed truck, Lelouch was up on a ladder near the trailer. Then, suddenly, the truck reversed. Sokkia just narrowly backed away in time to avoid being hit, but Lelouch lost his grip and fell into an open panel on the roof of the truck. A shocked Sokkia watched the truck speed away.

Lelouch was trapped inside, although he didn't know why the truck had suddenly reversed and driven away. As he tried to find a way out, his situation progressively got worse.

" Stop the vehicle! Surrender now and you'll get the chance to defend yourself in court!" The voice came, carried by a loud speaker, presumably one from a pursuing Britannian military VTOL gunships. It could only be that, judging by the sound of gunfire and the truck swinging to the right and left to evade gunfire. " Stop and surrender at once. Give up now or we'll shoot to kill!"

Of all the trucks I chose to help… Lelouch thought, realizing the gravity of the situation.

Scrambling to look for something he could use, Lelouch knew that jumping off the truck while speeding would result in him breaking his neck on the highway, or getting shot. Yet, at the same time he knew staying would result in death, either by Britannia or the terrorists driving this truck.

As Lelouch examined his surroundings, he checked some of the crates and the large device aboard the truck when he heard a door about to open. As Lelouch hid behind the large machine, he saw someone emerge from the cab of the truck wearing a white coat. She was around his age, with spiky red hair and blue eyes.

"Can you enter the subway via the Azabu root?" she suggested to the driver.

The girl removed the coat she had been wearing, revealing an outfit consisting of brown shorts and a red sleeveless top with brown straps and attachments.

"Kallen! Let's use it here," The driver called from the front. "Why not?"

"No, because that will just cause a bloodbath!"

Lelouch watched Kallen enter the cockpit of a RPI-11 Glasgow Knightmare Frame stored at the back of the truck. Granted taking it could've given him a way out it, but it would have failed. He not only lacked the activation key, but even if he did get his hands on it, chances were he would be killed or arrested as a terrorist.

If they are going into the subway, maybe I'll have a chance to slip away unseen by both sides, Lelouch decided.

He did not like the sound of 'bloodbath', though. Thinking on it for a moment, he realized the device he had been hiding behind had to be some kind of bomb or biological weapon. He stared at it nervously. For all he knew, it could go off at any moment. He approached it carefully, almost falling onto it as the truck made a sharp turn. Catching himself against the device with his arms, he trembled. Briefly, he looked for some sort of panel, maybe some way to disarm the bomb… but what would he do? He didn't know the first thing about sophisticated electronics or bomb disarming. He was completely left at its mercy.

Just as he pondered this, the truck started to slow down.

I don't see anyone coming, Lelouch thought. This could be his best chance to escape.

He cautiously approached the doors of the truck, glancing out into the ruined and partially collapsed subway tunnel. Some light from above seeped through holes in the ceiling above, illuminating the tunnel very slightly.

Okay. I'll make a dash down the tunnel behind the truck and find an alternate path away and escape, Lelouch thought.

Glancing at the discarded coat Kallen had left behind, Lelouch noticed a green light in the corner of his eye. Kneeling down, he moved some of the fabric, discovering a communicator that had been left behind. He pocketed it, since it could be useful, and hopped out of the truck.

That communicator should help me monitor the situation. Hopefully, I can stay ahead of the terrorists and Britannia, he thought.

Unfortunately, upon attempting to exit the truck, he heard the sound of footsteps rushing towards him. Before he realized what was happening, he saw a figure flying through the air and spinning around, delivering a flying roundhouse kick to his chest. He raised his arms to block, but the force behind the kick was enough to send him tumbling to the ground. Lelouch tried to get back up to his feet and fight back, but he was quickly pinned to the ground. Glancing up at his attacker, Lelouch realized they were a Britannian soldier.

"Are you Britannian?" Lelouch managed, the soldier keeping him pinned down.

"That's enough mindless murder," the soldier snapped, as the gas-mask over his mouth detached.

"Wait! I'm not one of-" Lelouch started, but the soldier interrupted him.

"Planning to use poison gas. Don't play dumb with me!"

"Get off me," Lelouch shouted, finally managing to twist a leg up to force his attacker off of him.

"I'm not here by choice. And if that's poison gas, it was made in Britannia, wasn't it?!"

"What? My god…" the soldier said, as some kind of realization dawned on him.

"Mindless murder?!" Lelouch snapped angrily as he stepped into the light from above. "Then why don't you just obliterate Britannia!?"

"Lelouch…" the soldier said. He removed his helmet. "It's me, Suzaku."

Although older by seven years since he had last seen him, the brown hair and green eyes made Suzaku Kururugi easy to identify. Seeing his first friend he made in Japan in a Britannian soldier uniform was shocking to say the least, especially considering Suzaku was the son of Japan's last Prime Minister.

"You became a Britannian soldier?" Lelouch exclaimed, stunned.

"Yeah," Suzaku admitted, understanding Lelouch's surprise. "What about you? Why are you here, of all places?"

"Just what are you implying? I just had the misfortune of ending up here, purely by accident," Lelouch said irritably, but he understood why Suzaku would suspect him.

Suddenly the device's sphere-like center began opening. Locks around it began undoing themselves. Lelouch wasn't sure, but what he thought was a bomb was a containment vessel and the rough ride had triggered the capsule's opening.

Before Lelouch could react, Suzaku tackled Lelouch to the ground, placing his gas mask over Lelouch's mouth to protect him. However, instead of poison gas, the capsule opened to reveal a young woman with long green hair, yellow eyes and a white straitjacket, the kind worn by Britannian prisoners, restraining her arms and legs.

"That's not poison gas," Suzaku said in shock. Lelouch watched with an equal amount of surprise and awe.

In moments, his mind was already racing to understand the situation. This capsule wasn't poison gas, but a cover story to mask its true purpose. Lelouch assumed the terrorists probably believed the same, because he couldn't think of any other reason, they would steal it. He just couldn't imagine them risking that much by saving one girl.

Suzaku caught the woman as she began to fall out of the capsule, as Lelouch slowly got to his feet.

"Suzaku, tell me the truth. This girl doesn't look like poison gas," Lelouch said as Suzaku gently laid her down on the floor of the truck.

"It's what they told us in the briefing," Suzaku answered, undoing the straps binding the girl's mouth, arms and legs. Although she had regained consciousness briefly, the girl seemed to have passed out once she had been released, but Lelouch stayed on guard.

"An obvious cover story. Suzaku, did you inform your superiors you found this truck?"

Suzaku's eyes widened, and Lelouch realized he already had.

"Lelouch, you need to leave now," Suzaku said urgently.

"And the girl? I don't think your superiors are going to react well to you discovering the truth of that capsule," Lelouch warned.

Suzaku looked down at the girl. She gave him a pleading look. After some consideration, Suzaku said,

"Take the girl and get out of here, but help me close this capsule. If they can't tell she's gone, they'll have no reason to suspect me of anything."

It was a risky idea, and Lelouch didn't like leaving his friend behind to deal with triggerhappy, prejudiced superiors looking for any reasons to punish a Japanese conscript, but there was no choice.

"Alright," Lelouch said reluctantly, looking to the girl, "can you move?"

The girl nodded, managing to stand. As she climbed down from the truck's open door, Suzaku and Lelouch just managed to close the capsule, making it appear as it hadn't been opened. Lelouch leapt down to join the girl. The two of them made for the tunnel behind them, hoping to find an alternative exit.

"Take care, Suzaku," Lelouch said as he and the girl hurried away.

"Don't worry. As long as no one looks inside the capsule, I should be fine."

Luckily for Lelouch and C.C, the pair were long gone by the time Suzaku's superiors- members of Clovis's Royal Guard- arrived on the scene. Suzaku had even retrieved his helmet, putting it back on in time.

"Well done Private Kururugi," the Royal Guard commander offered as he inspected the site. "What of the driver?"

"He's dead, sir. It seems he bled out," Suzaku replied with a salute.

Unknown to Suzaku, the driver had actually managed to play possum, appearing to be dead when Suzaku first inspected the driver's cab. He had realized none of his comrades would arrive in time to save him, and it seemed more soldiers had arrived to retake the poison gas. Nagata had only one option available to him.

Reaching for a device attached under the dashboard near the steering wheel Nagata armed explosives he and Kallen had installed on the truck before fleeing with it.

"Death to… Britannia," he said with his last breath, flipping the switch. "Long live Japan!"

The explosion engulfed the tunnel the truck had been in. Suzaku was knocked out, a piece of debris hitting him as the explosion's shockwave sent him flying. His helmet and body armor protected him from fatal injury. The Royal Guard were not as fortunate, as the explosion sent shrapnel all around, killing them instantly. The blast left a large dust cloud, rising from the street level above the tunnel. Even Lelouch and the girl felt it.

"What was that?!" cried the girl.

Lelouch stopped for a moment, then led them to take cover in an abandoned subway music store. The pair waited quietly to see if anyone was coming, but after a few moments of silence, Lelouch felt reasonably sure they weren't followed.

"If I can find a map of these tunnels, maybe I can find a way out," Lelouch said, thinking out loud.

He didn't know every single tunnel and passageway by heart, and chances were they could be caught by either terrorists or Britannian forces. The girl complicated things further. Walking her back with him to Ashford Academy in a prisoner's outfit would draw too much attention. Not to mention the risk she presented to him, should someone identify her and inform Britannia of her location. That they would go as far to hide her under the story of a poison gas capsule meant she was important to somebody powerful.

I find it hard to believe anyone would dispatch the military to retrieve a single girl, even with the poison gas cover story. It has to be either Clovis, or someone close to him, who might have the influence to pull this off without too many questions being asked.

The more Lelouch thought about it, the more he suspected Clovis was involved. Was she a mistress, maybe? No- there were plenty of pretty girls, and nobody would put this much effort in just for sex. Some sort of high-ranking official, maybe? Unlikely. She had to have some unseen value, either as a hostage or something else.

"Why do they want you so badly? What is your value to them?" asked Lelouch.

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."

"Is that so? What is your name?"

"I am called C.C."

"C.C? What kind of name is that?"

"It's my name."

"Fine, but answer my first question? What value do you have to the Britannians?"

The girl offered only silence, and Lelouch was unsure whether it was trauma from what she endured, or simply refusing to answer. He contemplated leaving the girl behind, but with her having seen his face, she could identify him and place him here, and he did not need that kind of attention.

"Fine then. Don't answer, but follow me unless you want to be stuck down here!" he said sharply.

He checked to see if the coast was clear. When they were ready to move, a violent tremor suddenly shook the store. Another tremor came moments later, followed by what sounded like an explosion. These were artillery strikes, Lelouch realized, not an Earthquake. He turned on the communicator he had recovered from Kallen's coat.

" Those damn Britannians!" Kallen shouted. A voice spoke in return.

" Kallen, can the Glasgow still move?"

" Don't worry Ohgi, it's all right. I'll decoy them! Get the people out of here. The only ones that'll be captured are those of us in the resistance."

"I know, but we're trapped. They've got us completely surrounded," Ohgi replied.

Turning off the communicator, Lelouch sighed. He realized it was a mistake to have lingered for too long, but it might not have made a difference anyway.

"So that was their plan," Lelouch said. "They didn't just want to recapture you, they also wanted to wipe out the resistance cell in one fell swoop. They allowed them to escape to the Shinjuku Ghetto so they could follow them, surround it, then begin a systematic elimination of everyone here to dispose of any potential witnesses. I am sure the leaders of the resistance cell here will be captured for interrogation to find out how they learned of the poison gas."

C.C. was silent. Lelouch wondered if she was evading his questions because of trauma, or something else.

Just who or what are you? Why would anyone go this far?

"Follow me. We need to find a way out," Lelouch said.

"Fine by me."

"Could you handle yourself in a fight if needed?"

"I could," C.C. answered. "You're not planning to take them all on at once, are you?"

"Don't be ridiculous. But we may need some disguises to move around the ghetto more easily."

"I see. That would be acceptable."

Lelouch sighed before continuing on his way with C.C. following him. However, he was growing more alarmed and worried as the subway tunnels shook with every artillery strike. He needed to escape, and he couldn't risk approaching any Britannian soldier, since they were no doubt under orders to gun down any potential witnesses.

That exchange I overheard confirms the ghetto is completely surrounded. I'll need a disguise or something in order to slip past them.

First Lelouch needed to find a way to the surface, but almost every tunnel or passageway leading up was sealed or blocked by rubble. The two continued an aimless search of the subway tunnels, seeking a way out, but the sound of gunfire reached their ears as they neared an old subway station. Cautiously following the tunnel, they arrived at a subway station, where three Britannian soldiers were standing before a wrecked subway car. Lelouch hunkered down, sizing them up, trying to assess the situation.

There is a way out, Lelouch thought. There had to be a path to the surface if the soldiers were down here.

Using a hand to gesture for C.C. to follow him, the two made their way towards the exit, keeping to the wall while using the pillars of broken concrete to hide themselves from the soldiers. As long as they didn't notice him, he could escape and…

Suddenly his cell phone began ringing. Lelouch cursed himself. Damn it!

"Who's there?!" demanded one of the soldiers.

The soldiers turned around, opening fire. Lelouch was in good cover behind a slab of concrete, but as flashlights found him and the soldiers advanced, he realized he couldn't stay. A burst of gunfire narrowly missed him, striking just an inch from his feet, and Lelouch ran, heart thumping. If only he could get to the next piece of cover-

He saw two of the soldiers taking aim, and time seemed to slow down. Was this it?

But then the girl threw herself in front of him, her body wracked with bullets. She convulsed, and collapsed. Her bloodied body toppled on top of Lelouch, who fell onto his back.

He was panicking. He was as good as dead now. This girl… she had bought him a moment of time, but only a moment. His heart was racing, as he could see one of the soldiers walking towards him, aiming his rifle. The moment his flashlight found him, he'd be gone.

I can't let it end like this. There is so much I need to do. And… I can't leave Nunnally alone, Lelouch thought.

Suddenly a hand grabbed Lelouch's shoulder, and in that instant, he was transported into a realm he could not find the words to describe. The world around him had crumbled away, and he was in a reality beyond the one he knew. He saw images and flashes of a world and space he could not begin to comprehend.

Through it all, a female voice spoke to him.

"It seems you have a reason to live. If I gave you power, could you go on?"

What is this?

"If you promise to make my one wish come true, I shall offer you power, and I shall be your accomplice from this moment forward in whatever you wish to accomplish. But know this, accept this contract and you accept its conditions. While living in the world of humans, you will live unlike any other. A different providence, a different time, a different life. The power of the king will condemn you to a life of solitude. Are you prepared for this?"

Lelouch was questioning if any of this was real, until he saw an image of his father, the Britannian Emperor, standing among robbed figures in a temple-like structure. His resolve hardened.

"A convergence with the Ragnarök connection? So, the myth is beginning once again?" Charles zi Britannia declared. Upon seeing him, Lelouch lost whatever hesitation he had in accepting the power.

"Yes," he declared, "I accept the terms of your contract!"

The next instance, Lelouch was back where he was, but he was aware that something about him had changed. He could feel something in his eye. It was not painful, just… unusual.

The soldier approached, removing the girl's body to inspect him.

"What, what's a Britannian kid doing here?" The soldier said, sounding surprised.

"You shall do as I command," Lelouch said. He wasn't sure what this was, but somehow, he intuitively knew what to do.

"I shall do as command," the soldier replied in a monotone.

"Kill your comrades, then take off your uniform. Once you are done, find a ditch then kill yourself," Lelouch commanded.

"Understood," the Britannian soldier replied, returning to his comrades.

"So did you-" started one of them, when the afflicted soldier raised his rifle and fired two rapid bursts, catching both of his companions in the chest. A finishing shot to the head ended the both of them, and the soldier continued to obey his instructions. Lelouch watched, both fascinated and shocked.

Did…did I do that?

Lelouch observed as the soldier remove his uniform before walking off into the tunnel to find a ditch to commit suicide in. He looked at the green-haired girl's body, lying limp on the ground. He hadn't known her more than maybe half an hour, but she had still given her life for him. Now she was… gone, and this whole operation would be for nothing. Whoever she was, Lelouch hoped she would be at peace.

It took him a few moments to collect himself before he walked over to the two dead soldiers, picking up the discarded uniform. Using this, he had a way out of here.

Before Lelouch could begin changing, he heard something coming from within the subway car. Picking up one of the rifles the soldiers had dropped, Lelouch cautiously inspected the subway car. The sound of someone weeping could be heard among the corpses piled inside. Lelouch stepped over the bullet-riddled corpses of the dead civilians, and found the source of the crying. He carefully moved two bodies, a Japanese man and his wife judging by their close embrace. Under them was a young teenage girl, looking to be around fifteen. Her parents had died shielding her with their bodies.

She had brown hair tied into a pair of long pigtails and brown eyes, wearing a white, tattered dress shirt and a pink skirt. She was covered in the blood of her family, and very much in shock.

Lelouch waved his hand in front of her eyes. He didn't see the girl respond, which was not surprising given what had just happened. She seemed barely aware of him looking down at her.

The logical choice would have been to leave her, but Lelouch didn't want to risk her telling her the wrong person about his presence. And… the look of horror and stunned silence, combined with her pigtails, reminded him of Nunnally.

I should leave her, or use this power to make her forget seeing me, but…

He found himself unable to leave her. The image of Nunnally, held in the arms of his dead mother, would not leave his mind. He remembered how powerless he had been, how horrified and weak he was then…

Maybe now he could make a difference.

Lelouch knelt, and respectfully closed the eyes of the girl's parents, before offering her his hand.

"Come with me if you want to live," he said.

The girl did not respond at first, but her eyes began moving, focusing on Lelouch.

"I couldn't save your family, but I doubt your parents would want you to die. I can at least make sure their sacrifice wasn't in vain," Lelouch said, motioning with his hand again.

Slowly, trembling, the girl offered her hand and Lelouch pulled her up. At first, her legs did not seem to want to work, but thankfully she regained enough awareness to begin standing. She was shaking from what happened, but at least she was standing up. She continued to tremble, but Lelouch managed to walk her out of the subway car before finding a fallen concrete pillar for her to sit on.

Leaving her for a moment, Lelouch stepped behind the subway car to change into the soldier's uniform. Now, he wanted revenge for being dragged into this fight.

He carried the soldier's helmet under his arm as he stepped out from behind the subway after he finished changing.

"Will you be able to walk?" he said to the orphaned girl.

She was quiet at first, but as Lelouch walked up the stairs to check if the coast was clear, the girl finally spoke to him. She was in tears, her voice shaking as she spoke.

"Wait," the girl said. "Why did you help me?"

"Why not? Your family and those people were unarmed. They did not deserve to die. And neither do you," Lelouch replied. "They were killed because they just happened to be living in the ghetto, because someone wants to cover up something."

"Is that it?"

"No. But if you stay with me, you have my word you'll survive this," Lelouch offered, not wishing to reveal anything more to a stranger.

The girl was quiet and didn't stay anything further, but as Lelouch began to walk away.

"What is your name?" the girl asked.

Lelouch hesitated at first, but he answered.

"I am Lelouch. And you?"

"I am Benio…Benio Akagi."

"Benio. Right. Just stay with me, and you'll be fine. Just take cover when I tell you to."

Without another word, Lelouch departed the subway station. Upon emerging above ground, he saw a war zone. Columns of smoke were rising into the sky, and VTOL gunships hovered in the air over the ghetto, Knightmare Frames likely roaming about. Lelouch moved about cautiously. While the Britannians wouldn't shoot at him, there was a chance a resistance fighter would if they saw him.

It's as I suspected. Britannia had these forces prepared beforehand. However, if they want to keep a lid on what is really happening, they'll be limited to the forces they have now, Lelouch thought.

Lelouch kept to the alleyways, but eventually a Knightmare Frame- specifically an RPI-13 Sutherland- found him. The blue machine was Britannia's replacement to the aging RPI-11 Glasgow.

"What unit are you from? Your unit name and ID, soldier!" demanded the pilot from inside their cockpit.

"I am Private Tobias Rieper of the Third Reconnaissance Company. I obtained this item from one of the terrorists. Could I ask you please transmit it to headquarters for me, sir?" Lelouch said, offering the Terrorist Communicator.

"A terrorist communicator, huh," the pilot of the Sutherland said, opening the hatch. "Well, I still need to verify your ID first."

"Right, understood. But before we do that, sir, I'd like to borrow your Sutherland," Lelouch said as his left eye began glowing. "So, hand it over."

"Sure," the pilot said after Lelouch's Geass ensnared him. "No problem. Just take good care of it."

"Thank you, I really appreciate it," Lelouch replied with a grin.

A/N: And the Battle of Shinjuku Ghetto has begun, while it happened like canon there will be some differences brought up in the next chapter to change things up and add a few new elements going forward.

And yes Hitman game elements have sunk into this story again, XD.

All I will say for he next chapter, is that the Lancelot will not be the only possible problem Lelouch will have to deal with going forward.

Thank you all for reading, and I'll see you in two weeks for the next update.

Anonymous Review Replies, in order from the most recent.

Samurai Seven: Well Lelouch is no super athlete or anything, but enough that he can at least fight his way out of a water paper bag at least, which is still better than canon. Maya won't join until after that, which is due to originally this fic having been designed with Monica and Lelouch as a couple in mind, but Lelouch will give up after the first effort. Maybe so, but there are people who would not react well to that, but I have other ideas to deal with her.

Samurai seven: I am not trying to go crazy with Lelouch being too prepared otherwise I feel like I be copying from Seerking's story, hence the reason for some of the things I am doing and why. Because I didn't want to take away from what made Lelouch what he is either.

Alan Wake: That is on my agenda at some point, yes and I thinking it could be a couple thing for the pair to take her down if conditions are right at the time.

Jay: Right, they likely grew out of it, but for this fic I am set on Maya and Lelouch through, which would be easier to build up than Euphy anyway.

Samurai seven: Please don't focus too much over Lelouch beating Sandra in hand to hand I see no reason why that be so important, and even if he did that would draw too much attention, but as the first chapter showed he isn't ignoring his physical problems.