Summary: Waking up in a strange, new land, Lelouch is thrust head-first into a world of magic and mystery. With Geass at his command, Lelouch decides to create a world where justice and retribution go to all.
A cold chill swept through the sprawling city of Atlas, a testament to humanity's defiance against the relentless threat of the Grimm. Amidst the sterile spires and towering walls, the city remained an island of civilization in a world of darkness. But little did its inhabitants know, the floating city was about to undergo a profound transformation.
As the sun set behind the towering spires of the city, a figure lay unconscious in a shadowed alleyway. He was a stranger to this place, his identity unknown. The soft hum of Atlas' airships and the distant clang of machinery echoed around him as he began to stir, eyelids slowly fluttering open.
The young man's eyes opened to reveal a vibrant shade of purple. His mind still groggy, he sat up, rubbing his head. "...Wh-where... where am I...?" he uttered weakly, his confusion quickly turning into panic.
With no answers to his predicament, he stood up and looked around. The unfamiliar buildings in his line of sight brought the situation no clarity.
He looked down at himself, noticing the blood stain on his royal regalia. Memories rushed back and his fingers grasped his shirt. With his fist clenched around it, he swallowed, the beating of his heart accelerating.
Zero Requiem, Suzaku, Britannia, C.C. All of it started flooding into his consciousness. There, a realization hit: He died. Then why was he here? The last thing he remembered was collapsing in front of Nunnally and his vision going dark... and now Lelouch was here.
Pushing his bloody clothing to the side, he found no wound or scar; his skin was perfectly smooth and unscathed. No evidence was left on his body to signify the fatal stabbing. His mind reeling in a jumble of thoughts and questions, he began walking out into the dimly lit street.
His pace brisk and gaze low, he did his best to appear inconspicuous. Yet he didn't know where to go or where to begin. Despite his efforts, he clearly stood out from his environment, standing proud despite his injured appearance.
To any bystander, he'd look like an injured eccentric, not just in clothing, but also with a general air about him. Clutching the blood stain on his white outfit, Lelouch Lamperouge stopped and looked up towards the now starlit sky, shocked to find the moon shattered and scarred. "It's as if nothing makes sense anymore," he uttered to himself, exasperated.
"I don't get it, is this some sort of... afterlife?" Lelouch pondered aloud. "No..." he continued, "it must be a new-" Focused on the moon, the once-emperor wasn't paying attention, and bumped into a couple that had rounded the corner.
The three were unbalanced for a moment before stabilizing. Before Lelouch could say anything, the man shouted, "Watch where you're going, vagrant! Don't you have any manners?!" His brow furrowed and arms outspread, the man got up in Lelouch's face with anger written all over it.
Immediately Lelouch realized the kind of man he was dealing with. Having interacted with several arrogant nobles in his own time, this encounter was a bit of deja vu. His anger was unmistakably that of a spoiled noble who had his status to back himself up.
"Listen, it's been a rough day, okay?" Lelouch started arms held out in a friendly and apologetic gesture. "There's no need for hostility, I didn't mean to bump into you-"
"How dare you, how dare you!" the man cut in, yelling even louder. "I bet you're just another one of the filth that weaseled their way here through the borders. Now they just refuse to leave," he said, snarling in frustration and disgust.
Patience running short, the former emperor sighed. "Hey listen, just calm down, maybe? I-"
"Oh, and now you're telling ME to calm down? I've just about had it with your sort, and I won't take this from the likes of you," the man retorted, leaning closer and towering over Lelouch with his size.
Trying to stay composed, Lelouch kept his ground, a familiar sensation of Geass flowing into his eyes and readying itself. "Seriously," he started, "Get out of my sight."
At the words, the man paused and looked at him with a confused look, which was then replaced by a mask of resigned composure. "Right, I'll be on my way," he uttered, stiffly backing away, his whole bearing changed.
Bewilderment crossed the woman's features. Her fiancé had switched from furious and indignant in mere seconds to this, almost like an entirely different person. "...S-sweetheart? Honey? Are you alright?..." she asked, her words drenched with concern.
Looking between Lelouch and her companion, confusion turned to alarm. "My word! W-What did you do?!" she practically yelped, glaring at Lelouch and pointing, stepping between the man she loved and the so-called vagrant who had ensnared him with whatever the heck he did.
Smirking at the back of the man who now shambled aimlessly away like some lost drunkard, Lelouch turned to the woman in response, not even flinching from her aggressive stance. "Before you follow his lead," he uttered, ignoring her questions and letting Geass seep into his voice, "Answer all of my questions."
"You're absolutely mad if you think-" As the noble lady spoke, her tone instantly changed. Her body and expression softened, and she continued, "...yes. I will comply," the words slow, deliberate, and robotic.
A smile formed on Lelouch's face; clearly whatever was happening, the power that let him command his enemies remained intact. For this moment, at least, his existence in this unfamiliar and frankly perplexing place provided at least one positive.
"Well then let's start," he began, his hands folded behind his back. "Where are we?"
The man paced back and forth in his lavishly decorated office, pausing now and again to peer out the window at his city. James Ironwood had a lot to ponder over, given recent developments. Atlas' turbulent situation had only gotten more complicated following the fall of Beacon.
After Ozpin's disappearance, his greatest concern had been Salem finally making a direct move on the world and he knew that a big attack was coming. There was no doubt about that in his mind, the only uncertainty was the "when".
Thousands of lives in the City of Atlas and the surrounding Mantle were relying on him to keep them safe. If he made a bad decision, who knew how many innocent people would pay the price?
His duty came first to him, and his devotion to the people who needed his help motivated him to strive forward and give everything he could to prepare his city, his people, and his army for what was to come.
A grim expression etched on his face, he glanced at the paperwork piling on his desk. It felt never-ending: battle plans, supply orders, requisition reports, and the like, just stacked up with no end in sight. But he couldn't find it in himself to stop; a strong leader was needed to do this task, so he would bear through it.
Letting out an exhausted sigh, Ironwood stepped away from the window, an edge would have to be found, something to tip the scales in their favor.
"But what...?"
Entering a small cafe, a slightly shaken Lelouch sat at an empty table. Changed in a fresh set of clothing, and looking much cleaner, he was indistinguishable from any regular Atlas citizen.
The things he had learned made his mind spin, so much so in fact, that once he finished questioning the woman, he opted to interrogate a completely different person to corroborate the first story. And they seemed just as adamant: all the evidence pointed to the truth of her claims.
This place was Remnant, there was a war for survival being fought with Humans and Faunus alike fighting giant monsters known as the Grimm, Atlas floated, the moon was broken, there were people with supernatural powers referred to as semblances, and a lot, lot, more.
It was a lot to process.
It had taken nearly an hour to come to terms with the bizarre reality he had suddenly found himself in. Still, though, he retained his wits and bearings. Lelouch was used to learning on the fly in the middle of the action and quickly adjusted to his situation.
"Sir, is there anything you wish to order?" a female voice spoke from beside him, pulling him out of his train of thought. He tilted his head towards the source, an aproned employee standing expectantly, hands clasped to a notepad and pen.
"...A cup of coffee. I have some thinking to do..." Lelouch answered softly, leaning back into the wooden chair, still staring at the wall blankly.
As the waitress made her way to fetch his order, Lelouch sank into his seat, sinking deep within his thoughts. A wave of frustration and unease hit him and he instinctively let out a deep, heavy breath in an attempt to cope.
He was supposed to be dead. And yet, Lelouch Lamperouge still breathed. It was not part of his grand plan for things to turn out this way. In his mind, his death was the logical and final step in his Zero Requiem.
This whole experience was unexpected, alien, and yet he couldn't exactly claim to be displeased. After all, a new life of sorts presented itself to him, and he didn't want to turn away.
Even if this wasn't exactly the world he knew or grew up in, even if the rules were new to him, it had the opportunity for a brand new start, where the weight of past actions couldn't find him. He could become an entirely new person.
New goals could be set. His power could be used freely with none the wiser. This could become his home now... could, could, could. So many thoughts ran rampant in his mind as he struggled to formulate a plan or a general course of action.
Paying for the coffee with money he 'burrowed' off his second 'interrogation' subject, Lelouch rose from his seat and slowly meandered out. After exiting, he strode through the streets, one hand in his pocket, the other on the warm coffee cup.
The Kingdom of Atlas was located on the cold continent of Solitas, surrounded by unforgiving tundra. Snow and frost covered the majority of the area, though the city itself remained mostly snow-free due to a Hard-light Dust shield.
Lelouch took in the sights, glancing upwards at the myriad of floating ships patrolling above him. The blue glow of the buildings around him only added to the already vivid sight. It was beautiful, in a sterile and clinical way.
"I feel like a tourist," he muttered with an awkward smirk.
As he walked the streets, he saw what the locals had described: faunus. Many were in the same vein as he, simply walking around, others working menial tasks such as washing windows, hauling goods on a cart, or tending to the many decorative trees around.
All adorned with animal features, from ears to tails to scales. Onlookers shot them all with barely disguised glares of hate or discomfort, which brought Lelouch's gaze and pace to a halt.
"That's not new," he remarked with a bitter expression, sipping his drink. "In my old world too..." he trailed off, looking down thoughtfully into his drink and shaking his head. With an exasperated shrug, he resumed his stroll around the city.
Lost in thought, he eventually stopped walking when he noticed a large screen plastered onto a tall building. Catching the audio from the broadcast, he stood at a distance and began watching with mild interest.
"-new stricter regulations and crackdowns will soon be coming into effect to keep Mantle and Atlas secure in the event of an impending attack." An anchorwoman announced, her gaze steady, voice strong and stoic.
"General Ironwood has made it clear that in these troubling times, citizens must work together to combat the threat we all face, be it Grimm, or those who would threaten our nation in these times of great peril. Tomorrow, I will host a panel discussion between the General and various representatives from Atlas."
Ignoring the rest of the broadcast, Lelouch set a slow stride across a pedestrian bridge, the cold breeze caressing his cheek.
"If this world is going to become my home," he muttered, smiling gently, "I may as well acquaint myself with the rules... and the players."
Author's Notes: The first couple of chapters will be fast paced and somewhat short as they are little more than setups. Timeline wise these chapters will be set during volumes 4-6 (roughly), however certain events might not take place or will have a few alterations.
Also Team RWBY and friends will show up later as major players in Lelouch's plans, so please hang on a little longer as things pick up later.