2009-03-04 02:11![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
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code_geass
inulovinkit.livejournal.com in code_geassMy school and job suck.
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: (Much this time) LelouchxC.C., (implied) Suzalulu,
Summary: So, what would have happened if Suzaku had received the Geass in Stage 1 instead of Lelouch? We'd have one messed up story on our hands.
Chapter 1 here.
At least next chapter I won't stare at the screen for three days wondering "What am I going to do with Rolo?"
“Oh, you look better today, Lelouch.”
“Well, I did get a medical check after the incident, Suzaku, I should be perfectly fine.”
“Right…”
“It wasn’t much, I was just trapped in an abandoned building with no one but Kallen for company. You, on the other hand, head to deal with terrorists, I hear.”
Green eyes narrowed. “We’re not quite sure. We think its terrorists but—” A phone ring cut into their conversation. Looking down, Suzaku could see it was his own phone. “Excuse me for a second.” He answered the phone, “This is Kururugi.”
Suzaku seemed mildly surprised at the answer at the other end, “Gino?”
Lelouch vaguely remembered that ‘Gino’ was the name of one of the other Knight of Rounds. The Knight of Three, he thought. And there was ‘Anya’, the Knight of Six. Suzaku’s new friends.
“I thought you were in Britannia visiting—what?” Suzaku looked worried, but then calmed. “Oh…oh…all right, that’s fine, I guess…I don’t need—I can handle it fine here!...Alright…fine…if His Majesty requests, there’s little I can do about it…see you in two days.” And with that, he ended the conversation.
“Something going on?” asked Lelouch, wondering what Suzaku looked so worried about.
“Ah, it’s nothing,” Suzaku brushed it off. “After the attack of the Black Knights, His Majesty requested that Gino and Anya come to Area 11 to help me out.”
Lelouch never even changed expression. “Of course. With the Black Knights, you’d want to be careful.”
Damn, with more Knights of Rounds showing up, it would be even harder to operate—!
Out of the corner of his eye, Lelouch could see Kallen walking towards him. Well, it was getting close to their ‘tutoring session’. “By the way, Suzaku, I was wondering, are all Knight of Rounds as young as you three are? It hardly seems ideal for an empire that rules over at third of the world to recruit young teenagers to high posts—”
“Knight of Rounds are chosen based on ability, not by age,” he snapped back, as if offended. “Anya is a superb knightmare pilot, Gino has noble heritage and is actively testing a new type of ‘transforming’ knightmare, and then I—”
“You were appointed to the post by Princess Euphemia,” Lelouch filled in casually—though his jaw did tighten slightly at the thought.
Kallen, who had heard his comment, raised her eyebrows in shock. Lelouch mentioning Euphemia in front of Suzaku? Even if the Massacre Princess had killed elevens, even she knew that saying that name around Kururugi Suzaku was like inviting a spinkick to the face.
And it was clear Suzaku was fighting himself. Fists clenched, eyes narrow, his muscles in his face seeming to strain to keep his mouth shut and not from shouting out what he so dearly wanted to—“You killed Euphie, you bastard!”.
But Suzaku had better control that Lelouch expected.
Though his teeth were still clenched, Suzaku managed to get out, “Yeah, that’s right…Though it was a post I didn’t deserve.”
A post that you got me for your evil schemes!
“Now, don’t say that,” Lelouch smiled back, “I’m sure Her Highness would not have promoted you if she didn’t think you deserved it.”
“Well, maybe that’s true…” Or if she was geassed to do it!
At that moment, Kallen stepped forward, “Sorry to butt in, but didn’t you promise me you would help me today, Lelouch?”
“Ah, that’s right,” he spoke, as if he had forgotten. “I have to tutor Kallen for math today. All those sick days, you know, she missed a lot of the essentials.”
Green eyes narrowed, but he didn’t protest. “Right.”
“Well, we’ll see you again sometime, Suzaku,” Lelouch said, waving him off as the two parted, heading towards that secluded spot near the back of the school.
The instant they were out of Suzaku’s hearing range, Kallen asked, “Lelouch, why did you do that? Why did you bring up Euphemia when you know Suzaku—”
“Why? The answer is obvious. I was testing him.”
“Testing?”
“That’s right,” Lelouch smirked to himself. “Testing to see what Suzaku thought after the appearance of Zero the other day. And he was so very clear with his thoughts, like always. I’m sure he wanted to hit me, but he didn’t. He held himself back.” The smirk on his face widened. “He held himself back because there is still a little doubt within him. He doesn’t want to believe what should be obvious. And so, on the off-chance he was wrong, he didn’t act.” A chuckle left Lelouch’s lips. “Suzaku, your hesitation will be your undoing.”
Kallen couldn’t help but stare. Lelouch never outright challenged Suzaku before, he had always left the knight alone. What could Suzaku had done to him during that one year to make Lelouch so vengeful towards his former best friend?
“Also, it serves one other purpose,” he added. “Because of his hesitation, he won’t follow us and try to listen in, I’m sure of it.”
However, Lelouch was not right on the mark. Though Suzaku wanted to follow to try to listen in—having the man that once was Zero talk privately with the one who was nearly second-in-command of the Black Knights was dangerous—but there were other, more important things to attend to.
Thankful that no one else was around, Suzaku let the calm façade he had tried to put forth for Lelouch slide away, and took out his cell phone once more.
It seemed like an eternity until the one at the other end replied. “Suzaku? What’s up? You were so eager to get rid of me last time that I thought—”
“Shut up, Gino,” Suzaku ordered, fingers gripping the phone as if it was his only lifeline. “Now tell me everything about the situation with Princess Nunnally!”
“Oh, I’ll never be able to understand it!”
“It’s simple, really, you just have to learn the essentials, once you’re past that, everything’s a piece of cake!”
“But that’s the problem, once you get past the essentials, everything’s confusing!”
Lelouch chuckled to himself, and then took the pencil and wrote upon the paper, How many people are watching me?
“Hmm, I’m not sure about this problem…I think…15?”
Hmm…15 watching him, plus the cameras in the club house…That would make things tough. “Well, if you were able to understand that problem, then how about this one?” His nimble fingers quickly wrote in the margin, And Rolo? What is he?
“Well, let’s see…” She took the pencil from him. We don’t know. He showed up with you and started calling you his brother. Just before you returned, everyone was taken to the auditorium and the Emperor himself geassed them into believing that he was your brother, among other things. I only escaped it because C.C. put a seal on me. We think he was sent to guard you, though. I found a knife and a gun in his possessions when I searched his room, and there’s no official record of him anywhere.
So Rolo really was sent to keep an eye on him. It would fit right in with Britannia to use children to further their own schemes.
“Hmm, let me see…” But why keep me alive? What are they after?
“Oh, wait a minute—“ They’re trying to capture C.C. The Emperor wants her for some reason. They’re using you as bait.
Oh, that would make perfect sense. As long as he didn’t have his memories back, C.C. would seek him out to try to restore them. However—he couldn’t help but smirk a bit at his own cleverness—they had outwitted Britannia in that regard.
Where is C.C. now?
She is living in town, going by the name of Cera. We can keep in touch because Suzaku doesn’t want o shake his faith and test her number.
Yes, sounded like Suzaku all right. Always willing to believe in the good of people, even to the point where it would almost get him killed.
“You know, I think hanging out with your friend Cera is cutting into your studying time,” Lelouch said, for the benefit of anyone listening.
“Well, she’s an interesting person to hang out with,” she took the hint. “If you met her, you’d understand.”
“Really?” he smirked. “Then I might just have to meet her and tell her to let you have your studying time back.”
“We could do that. I was going to go see her tomorrow, actually—we were going to go shopping for shoes.”
“Yes, you certainly wouldn’t want to miss that,” Lelouch laughed with her. “It’s settled then. But before we go back to class, there’s one more problem I want to you try—”
And then he wrote it down. And, Nunnally?
Kallen sucked in a breath. She knew he would ask. Hesitantly, she wrote, She was taken back to Britannia after you were taken away. It was then announced that the royal family had found Princess Nunnally and she was in the public eye for a bit, but around six months ago, we stopped hearing about her. She must be still alive, since Suzaku goes to visit her a lot, but besides that we don’t know.
Lelouch let go a breath he was holding. Well, she was alive, that was something. He remembered hearing about a ‘Princess Nunnally’ before he got his memories back, but he had to be sure—he had to know that she was safe, for now. But that was that. If Suzaku was looking after her, then she must be safe.
Suzaku wouldn’t let anything happen to Nunnally, of that he was certain.
It wasn’t exactly the best place in the city—but it was probably the safest. On the outskirts of the settlement, near where Shinjuku was being rebuilt—that was where C.C. now lived. The building was dirty, surrounded by dirty streets and dirty people—but Lelouch had learned in his last stint in terrorism that it was in these sorts of places that you could be best hidden.
There wasn’t even a lock on her door, for god’s sake! And who on earth could live surrounded by towers of old pizza boxes?
C.C., that’s who.
“So, stopped playing the wimp, have you?” C.C. smirked, leaning back on the small bed.
He dodged her question. “No one followed us? There was that man when we went to the settlement—”
“But we managed to get rid of him going through that café,” Kallen pointed out. “Besides, what’s so suspicious about visiting one of my friends? I’m a good little school girl, remember?”
Lelouch snorted at that. Kallen glared back at him. What did he mean by that? It wasn’t like—Well, maybe the dress she had worn was a little bit short…
“So, now that we’re all here,” C.C. began. “What are we going to do? We can hardly take on Britannia with just the three of us, if that’s what you’re planning—”
“How many Black Knights managed to avoid capture?” Lelouch asked Kallen, ignoring the witch.
“Maybe about twenty of the lower level grunts—but everyone who held a higher position is in prison now.”
“They didn’t execute any of them?”
“A couple, but no one important. They wouldn’t talk, and I hear Suzaku wanted to keep them alive until they talked.”
“Hmph. Knowing him, he’d try to keep them alive as long as possible, but wouldn’t fight it when the higher-ups said it was time for capital punishment.”
“There are no higher-ups,” Kallen cut in. “Suzaku is governor-general of all of Area 11. And he’s a Knight of Rounds. The only people he can take orders from are royalty.”
Hmm…Suzaku, completely in charge? This was a new thing…he figured Suzaku was now made to take orders, bending over at the smallest whim of his superiors. Though, the Suzaku he knew as a child never took orders from anybody…if Suzaku was the Suzaku he knew in the past, then he might have a harder time against him now—the old Suzaku was a lot harder to manipulate.
But, with the right push, it could be done. It had to be done. He was Zero. And now, Suzaku was his enemy.
His enemy…
“Lelouch?” Kallen asked. “Are you all right? You zoned out for a bit.”
“Oh—oh, yes I’m fine, just thinking,” he spoke up, putting it out of his mind, for now. “Still, the first objective should be to get the Black Knights out of prison, as soon as possible.”
“My, going for the hardest task first. You haven’t changed a bit,” C.C. smirked. “Still, have you thought it over completely? What do you plan on doing with your newly-freed army? With Shinjuku being rebuilt, you can’t hide in the ghetto anymore.”
“Hmm…that’s true…I suppose we could try and steal a battleship from the army and hide it in Tokyo Bay—”
“Oh, stop it, Lelouch. C.C. and I already have a plan,” Kallen glanced back at the witch, who was smirking. “The Chinese Federation.”
Eyebrows were raised. “The Chinese Federation? What would we do with them?”
“Britannia recently invaded one of their territories, remember?” Hmm…he did remember hearing something like that a month ago, but still being in that…that condition, he didn’t look up the details. “Even though a treaty was signed, the Chinese are still furious. We made an appeal to their embassy, and they accepted. That’s where most of the Black Knights are hiding now.”
So, the Chinese were to be their allies? Well, he hadn’t thought of that. Though, maybe it would be good to have allies of a foreign power…it would be easier to get resources from now on. “What were their conditions?”
“They said they would harbor us as long as we didn’t bring them directly into the conflict. They oppose Britannia, but they don’t want outright war.”
“It’s settled then. The Black Knights will stay there until we find a more suitable base.”
“Alright, now that that’s decided,” Kallen sat down on the bed next to C.C. “How are we going to free the Black Knights?”
Lelouch smirked at her. “Really, Kallen, do you have so little faith in me? Zero, the man of miracles? I have a plan. As long as I have my geass, it is no problem.”
“What about Rolo?” Kallen asked pointedly. “If you keep this up, he will follow you around and find out. He nearly followed us here.”
“Yes, Rolo…” Thinking about that boy left a nasty taste in Lelouch’s mouth. “He is a problem, but don’t worry, I’ll find a way to handle him…I won’t have some dirty imposter ruin my plans.”
“Ah! Lelouch and Kallen are…going on a date?!”
“Quiet, Shirley or you’ll have us found out.” Millay hissed back to her as they hid behind the large sign outside the theater.
“But…why are they…Lelouch never…He never showed any interest in her before!”
“Shh! Here they come!” Rivalz shushed them.
It was quite surprising, for them to see the usual stoic Lelouch looking so cheerful as he walked with Kallen, laughing at something they had mentioned. And as for her…she positively sparkled with delight by just being with him.
“So, Kallen, what movie do you want to see? I know you’re no fan of horror movies, but do you really want to see this movie?”
She giggled, “Of course! Those other movies give me nightmares! Don’t worry, it’ll be fun.”
Lelouch sighed, “If you insist…” And handed over the money to the cashier for the latest romance flick that had come in.
“A romance movie? Wow, Lelouch is really going all out for her…What do you think Rolo? Does Lelouch normally do this on his dates?” Though Rivalz got no reply as pure rage burned in those violet eyes.
Lelouch walked in the theater, and a while after he disappeared, Rolo stood up from their hiding place. “I’m going in.”
“What? You’re going to spy on them directly?”
“That’s a bit too much, don’t you think?”
“You have to let me know, what’s going on in there!”
Rolo didn’t answer any of them, just merely clenched his jaw and walked inside the theater. It took a minute, but he found the right theater. Avoiding the guards (and occasionally using his geass to do so) he snuck inside.
They weren’t there.
As Lelouch and Kallen walked out the emergency exit in the back of the multiplex, Kallen glared, “A romance movie? Are you kidding me?”
“Well, it seemed appropriate for the audience—”
“Just because they wouldn’t be surprised seeing you go to one of those movies doesn’t mean that I’d ever lower myself to go to one of them.” She snapped.
Lelouch glared back at her, but he had no time to protest.
The operation would soon begin.
The emergency bells rang out through the prison.
“Prisoners have escaped the cell block! Repeat, prisoners have escaped the cell block!”
The crashes and bangs of never let up, as the remaining Black Knights continued to barrage the prison with their knightmares. The released prisoners dashed like madmen to the opening in the wall, towards the Chinese Embassy and to their freedom, not even noticing in the chaos that Britannian reinforcements had not been deployed.
Prison guards were found mysteriously shot in the hallways. Security cameras were mysteriously not monitored. And there was no one left to call for backup.
The lone man dressed in the clothes of a Britannian guard waited until he was out of sight to give in to that self-satisfied laugh.
It was almost too easy, with his geass. One order and all the guards were dead. He could not get into the main block, but by the time anyone answered those emergency bells, they would all be long gone.
Oh, he so very wished he could see the look on Suzaku’s face when he heard the news later today…
“Lelouch!” Kallen cried over the communicator.
“What, what is it?” he asked. “Are there any problems?”
“Not on this end, but be careful! C.C. just told me that she saw—”
Lelouch didn’t have to hear her finish. He saw it for himself already. “Rolo?”
It was true, as he passed an open hallway looking down to the floor below, he saw him. His fake little brother, bent over a corpse. One of his own Black Knights. Slowly, he watched the boy stand on his feet, a bloody knife in his hand. Almost as if he had another sense to him, Rolo turned to look directly at him—a suspicious glare in his eyes.
Rolo? No, that was it then, he really was working for Britannia—
Maybe it was his body language, but at once, Rolo’s violet eyes narrowed. A chill came up Lelouch’s spine. He didn’t have time to think—something told him to get out of there right away. He bolted, just as a flash of red came heading his way.
He had just barely missed that flash, when he heard sharp footfalls heading towards him. That’s it! So Rolo is working for Britannia, as what? I thought he was just sent as a guard to watch me. But with that knife…and that red flash—
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw another red flash. Damnit, I’m not going to make it—
Something hammered into him, knocking him into a doorway as the red flash just barely missed him. What the— He grunted, picking himself up after that sharp hit. Whatever had hit him had been caught in that red flash, so what—
“C.C.!” Lelouch gasped, seeing the witch lying on her side in the empty hallway, dressed in a sturdy Black Knight’s uniform like Kallen. “What are you doing—?”
The witch turned sharply, glaring at him. He knew instantly what she meant. Hush.
Lelouch retreated to the darkness of the room, as the footfalls became louder. Finally, Rolo Lamperouge came upon her, looking slightly surprised when the witch glared back up at him. “You,” he demanded, kneeling down to her level, with no emotion upon his face. “Why were you able to escape my geass?”
Lelouch froze. Geass?
A smirk came on the witch’s face. “Maybe you should watch who you’re using that thing on then.”
Violet eyes narrowed even more. Rolo did not like being mocked. “You…you can’t be—the only one who is not affected by my geass—you’re the witch C.C.!” He grabbed her sharply by the arm at once.
“I’m surprised,” C.C. smirked. “I didn’t think they would let a little boy like you in on official military meetings.”
In a flash, the knife was drawn. “Don’t you dare! You’re the reason those people are after my brother—”
Lelouch could only stand back and stare. What could he do? Rolo had a geass that he didn’t know what its effects were—it would be stupid to try to run out and geass him if the boy could just use his powers back. But…he couldn’t just stand there! C.C. was—
He stepped back, and his hand bumped against a box stacked against the wall. Looking up, he could see he was in some sort of storeroom. In only seconds, he had a plan.
“You’re brother, huh?” C.C. looked away. “Yes, that would be nice, wouldn’t it? If only Lelouch was your real brother…” Rolo’s fingers shook on the knife—she was going too far— “But its such a pity, having to pretend you’re his only family when you know his real family, the person he really cares for, is kept safe in Britannia—”
“You—” Violet eyes flashed murderously. “You shut your mouth!” The knife was raised—
“C.C.!” Lelouch yelled. “Get down!” A gas grenade was thrown.
“Who’s there?” Rolo barely had a chance to yell, before the gas took effect. The boy was knocked out instantly.
“C.C.! Are you all right?” He asked, rushing to her side.
The witch, who had covered her mouth until the gas dissipated, only smirked back at him. “Just who are you talking to?” she demanded. “Did you forget that I can’t die?”
He was taken aback. Well…maybe he had… “That doesn’t matter! He still could have taken you hostage—”
“It wouldn’t have mattered,” she said, getting to her feet. “As long as you don’t die Lelouch, it doesn’t matter.”
“Still, you saved me before. What sort of man would I be if I didn’t return the favor?”
She couldn’t help it, that sort of statement made her smile…just a little. “Fine, then. We’re even.”
Though she couldn’t see it through the helmet Lelouch wore in his disguise, he returned the smile.
Even…just as they should be.
“Now,” he said, looking down at the unconscious boy below. “What should we do about him?”
Damnit.
How could he have been so stupid? Why had he been so worked up by that woman’s comments that he failed to remember the first rule of being an assassin? Don’t get caught.
Damnit.
And now he was stuck in this holding cell somewhere without a way out. Even if he used his geass, it was impossible to pry open the door with his own two hands.
Damnit.
He’d just have to wait to see whenever they came in to feed him. If he could geass the guard as soon as they came in the door…yes, that could work. He could escape fairly easily.
Well, that was the only plan he could come up with. They’d have to hurry—he had disobeyed orders, chasing after Lelouch and Kallen, thinking they were here at the sight of the breakout. He’d surely be punished by Ms. Viletta as soon as he got back, but that didn’t matter.
He had lost sight of the target; he had lost sight of Lelouch. His mission could be anywhere by now, and without being able to watch him—who knew what he could be up to?
And more than that—if he had been wrong, had followed this stupid hunch to the wrong conclusion—then surely, his brother was worried about him. Getting back to Lelouch—his mission, he meant—was the main priority.
But for now, he’d just have to wait.
Damnit.
“What are you saying, C.C.?”
“I’m saying I figured out his weakness. It was fairly simple, if you think about it—why else would he come here without proof?”
“Because watching Lelouch is his mission?”
“Well, partly, but you’re missing the point entirely, Kallen. Lelouch, how long has Rolo been your fake brother?”
“Hmm…a year, I guess.”
“Can you remember what he was like in the beginning of that year?”
“I think…I think he was cold…hard to cheer up…moody, I guess. It took ages for him to smile, even. I remember I kept—well, I mean, because of the geass placed on me, I kept trying to cheer him up—he didn’t warm up until six months ago or so.”
“Right. So, why do you think that is?”
“Well…”
“You do have an idea, don’t you?”
“I do, but it couldn’t possibly be that simple…”
“Oh, I think it is. Don’t you think so, Kallen?”
“Don’t bring me into this!”
“Well fine, if it is that simple, then it’s that simple. And there’s really only one thing to do, then.”
“Oh, and what is that, Lelouch?”
“Perhaps…it’s time for him to meet Zero.”
The door slowly opened. Rolo turned his head, seeing that woman again, now dressed in her formal Black Knights outfit. She carried with her a plate of food. Heh, just what he expected—if his geass couldn’t affect her, then of course they would use her.
But there was another form following her, someone else came into the room.
Rolo slowly rose to his feet, heart thumping in—no, it wasn’t fear, more like…shock.
There he was, the Hero of the Elevens, the Greatest Traitor to Britannia—resurrected before him.
The door slid shut as he entered. “Are you surprised?” Zero seemed to laugh at him. “You didn’t expect to meet me, I take it.”
No! He must not show anything—no fear, no hesitation—it didn’t matter even if Zero decided to kill him, he must die with his head held high—he would have died for the mission, there was no shame in that. “I didn’t expect the leader of the Black Knights would be interested in meeting me.”
A chuckle escaped him. “Well, you’re an interesting young man, Rolo. I hear you have an interesting geass.”
“And how do you know about geass?”
“C.C. tells interesting stories,” was all Zero answered.
This is it…my chance…Rolo thought to himself. If he wanted to know of Zero was in fact Lelouch Lamperouge, then the chance was now. But how…how would he figure it out? As long as C.C. was there, he couldn’t hope of using his geass unless he tried to overpower her. And they had taken away his knife…
“So, tell me, Rolo Lamperouge,” Zero asked, sitting down on the small bunk in the corner of the room, crossing his legs in an effeminate way. “Why did someone who claims to be a student come all the way to interrupt an important operation, carrying a weapon no schoolboy should know how to use?”
“Heh, you know the answer already, don’t you?” Rolo shot back. “There is no need to answer you. But there is a need for you to answer me. “Zero! Who are you? Are you Lelouch Lamperouge? Or are you someone else?”
Zero didn’t even flinch. On the contrary, he seemed amused by Rolo’s assumptions. “Lelouch Lamperouge? Your own brother? Isn’t that a bit big of a statement?”
“Shut up!” The boy yelled back. “I only have one mission here—find out if Lelouch Lamperouge’s memories have returned. And if they have—kill him!”
Well, that was easy, Lelouch smirked underneath the helmet. “And if that is your mission—why on earth should I tell you? Even if I am not Lelouch Lamperouge, you would still know my identity. That is a problem.”
“It’s fine,” Rolo stood his ground. “You can kill me if you like, after you show me who you are. But that is my mission. It would be shameful to die if I didn’t know if I was wrong or not.”
Hmm…it seemed that the Rolo who was on the mission was a lot different than the Rolo he knew at home…so which was the real Rolo? They did a search on him before coming, but could turn up nothing—he had no parents, no family at all to speak of—it was only noted that he had a geass and had served as an assassin for many number of years. ‘Rolo’ was the only name he had ever gone by.
Still, if the emperor was planning on picking a fake brother for him, he had done a good job. Not many had that perfect shade of purple eyes…
“Still, I guess it would be unfair…would you like to know the truth, Rolo?”
If they weren’t in front of Rolo at the time, C.C. would have grabbed him back. Was he insane? He knew that he couldn’t do this now!
Still, she had to stay calm. If Lelouch was planning to do it, then he must already have a plan.
Rolo stepped back. “Why, are you planning on killing me after all?”
“No, it’s because…you need to understand.” His voice was softer, as he reached up towards the mask. “You need to know why I’m doing this…” The mask was slowly lifted off Lelouch Lamperouge’s face. “Rolo.”
The boy could do nothing but stare, horrified, back. While Lelouch merely looked calm, perhaps regretful (though C.C. was sure that was a stretch) anger welled up in the assasin’s eyes. “So…you really—you really do have your memories back!”
“I’ve had them back for a while,” Lelouch spoke frankly, sitting back down. “It’s just a credit to myself that Britannia hasn’t noticed, I suppose.”
Oh yes, C.C. could see it now—that anger, and almost sadness in Rolo’s eyes. Now she understood perfectly what Lelouch’s plan was…
“So, why?” demanded Rolo. “Even if you have your memories back, why do this? Why join back up again with a failed and worthless rebellion! Why not live your life free at Ashford Academy! Why not stay there, with—!” He cut himself off, but it was too late. All had been exposed.
“Why? Rolo, shall I tell you why?” Lelouch asked, that smirk long gone from his face. “It’s because I knew how this would end. Sooner or later, C.C. would be captured. Britannia would have no more use for me. What do you think would happen then?”
Rolo stared. Clearly he hadn’t thought that far.
“I would be imprisoned, or, worst case, killed. I would be ripped away from everything I had, to live out a punishment for things I couldn’t even remember that I did. I couldn’t accept it. It’s better to fight them to preserve what I had at Ashford than to give up all of my friends and family when the time came.”
Though he acted serious, Lelouch could not help the rush he felt when he saw the hesitation in Rolo’s eyes—that hesitation when he said the word ‘family’.
And now, it came for the final nail in the coffin.
“Rolo…I am Zero tokeep what I have…to keep you by my side. That year between us…it was not a lie, you know it. You are my little brother…and I wouldn’t give you up for all the world.”
Were those tears in Rolo’s eyes? Yes, yes…oh, how easily he had fallen…
But C.C. knew better—she could even feel the anger radiating off Rolo, and Lelouch, to stuck in his own swelled ego didn’t notice…he had gone too far with that one, Rolo wasn’t ready—
There was a flash of red, and Rolo dashed toward’s the frozen Lelouch, ready to beat into him with no weapons at all—just give that traitor and liar what he deserved—! “I won’t be your tool, Lelouch Lamperouge!”
“Lelouch!” He had forgotten about C.C. She grabbed him before he got to Lelouch, using her powers to try to knock him out like usual. But at the moment she grabbed him, Rolo released his own geass—making everything he saw behind his own lids rebound upon C.C.
Flashes of blood, death—a small child killing grown businessmen…loneliness, and emotionless young boy, being introduced to Lelouch Lamperouge—his new brother…happiness…and sadness…no family at all besides that one, sole person…
A locket, and when it was opened—
Many children all sitting in a circle, with a long haired V.V. behind. Rolo turned to the child next to him, laughing about something silly—
Geass…
The geass cult…
The last time he ever saw him, was he his first friend? The day he was taken away…
A silohette of family…his family…what was a family?
Something wonderful had happened…and V.V. was laughing, joyful…and Rolo laughed with him…
V.V.’s murderous purple eyes…knowing at last all had come full circle…
C.C. gasped, as she was released, letting go of the unconscious Rolo once more.
What…what was that she just saw? Were all those memories real? If that was so...
V.V….so that’s what you’ve done!
“C.C., did something happen?” Lelouch asked, as he was now released from Rolo’s geass. “Did Rolo—?”
“Yes,” she nodded. “He used his geass. It stops your perception of time, so be careful.”
She steadied herself on her feet, unable to look at him right now. “C.C.?”
“Its fine,” she said, heading for the door. “Get him restrained—you can try again later. Just don’t go overboard like you did just there, or you’ll end up in that same position again without me to help you.”
Only once she was outside the cell did C.C. allow her true feelings to show. Oh Lelouch…how could she tell him what she saw? If he knew what length’s V.V. had gone to this time, not only using the innocent Rolo, but what he was planning on doing next…
V.V….Charles…even you, Marianne…now I see what you all are planning to do…I didn’t think you three would sink this far, but clearly I was wrong.
I won’t make the same mistake again. No matter what…I won’t let you use Lelouch!
“Yes…I see…No, I understand. I’ll organize a team to take in the damage to the Detention Center, and then we’ll work on talks with the Chinese Federation…No, I don’t plan on creating an international incident. Tell the Knight of Three and the Knight of Six I expect them here tomorrow with reports…Yes, Thank you. Goodnight.”
The second the phone was hung up, Suzaku slumped in his chair, knowing full well the depths of his failure. All of the Black Knights successfully escaped confinement…just days after Zero appeared…Yes, it looked like a new Black Rebellion was sure to spawn in Japan again.
And now he had just heard from the Surveillence Team—Rolo Lamperouge was missing, and Lelouch Lamperouge was unaccounted for. They were told that Lelouch went to the theater on a date with Kallen earlier, yet he hadn’t returned yet.
Because of the confusion, he could have gotten lost in the attack—the theater he went to was near the edge of the settlement, and it was known that Lelouch liked to detour in the ghettos, and it was probable that Kallen had returned but not been noticed, he would give it that.
Yes, there was no proof at all. It was a long shot, but—
Suzaku slammed a fist against his desk, suddenly furious at himself.
A long shot? Was he trying to come up with excuses for him? This was ridiculous! How dare he try to excuse him when the truth was staring him in the face!
He didn’t want to believe it—some part of him couldn’t—after the incident with Euphie, it would almost be too painful to admit—After the last time he saw Zero, screaming in terror as his memories were wiped, as Suzaku himself held him down to accept his punishment—yes, that should have been the last of him. Zero should have disappeared from the world, even if his crimes could never disappear!
But…
Yes, he had to accept it. He was the Governor General of Japan, it would be irresponsible not to. Yes…yes…he had to…
But he couldn’t make any formal accusations, he knew that. At school, Lelouch would have to be left alone…well…he wanted to leave him alone at school. Politics had no place at Ashford. He would have to catch Zero in the act, this he knew…
And once he caught him in the act—
Suzaku banged his fist against the desk again, this time out of sheer need—it felt good to feel that pain. Compared to—
A tear fell onto his desk, staining a report on the Shinjuku construction lying before him. “Lelouch, you idiot,” Suzaku managed to speak, reaching up to wipe the rest from his eyes as another splashed down. “You stupid idiot!”
When he caught him in the act…he’d have to take him out.
No! Why was he crying at a time like this! Damn Lelouch, damnit, it was all his fault! And now he was planning on repeating everything he did before? Why should he care? Why did it matter! Lelouch had declared war on him! Now was the time to take a stand and do what was right!
Still…
I’m a coward! Suzaku knew it from before. It was his mistake and his hesitation that got Euphie killed! Who else would die if he hesitated? What about his own problems? What about the Geass—
“That’s right…” He knew what to do now. Wiping the reaming tears out of his left eye—that demon eye of his own—“As long as Zero exists, he is a threat to this world.”
It was his fault that Zero had been allowed to rise to power. He would take responsibility. Even if it was Lelouch Lamperouge—for everyone, including his former best friend’s sake, he would have to do it. Especially now with the situation with Nunnally—he would have to destroy Zero.
After all, one could only fight geass with geass.
“Lelouch?”
“Hmm, what is it, C.C.?” he asked, turning towards her as she came to his quarters in the Chinese Federation.
“Are you planning on going back to Ashford?”
He shrugged. “Once I get Rolo on my side. I need him to help identify the rest of those in the Surveillance Committee. Once they’re taken care of, I can move anywhere I want.”
“I see.” She came to sit beside him on the couch.
He stared at her for a minute. “Something wrong?”
Only then could she look back at him. “Lelouch…I need to go. I need to go to China…to the Geass cult.”
“What?” This was the first he had heard of it! “Whatever for?”
Her eyes glanced away again. “When Rolo attacked you, I tried to divert him. I caught of glimpse of his memories. In it I saw the Geass Cult…and V.V. He…he was planning something. Something that, if I follow this hunch, isn’t good for any of us.”
“V.V.? Wait…wasn’t he the one—?”
“Yes. He was the one that made you geass Euphemia.”
There was a rush of hatred in Lelouch’s heart. V.V.! That monster in a child’s form that made him—he was the reason that Euphie was now—! “What’s he planning?” he spat through clenched teeth.
“I don’t know everything yet, but from the glimpses I saw, it’s not good for you…or Rolo.”
Lelouch didn’t care about the Rolo part, but as for himself—“Why, is he planning on making me use my geass to hurt someone again?”
C.C. bit her lip. Even now, she couldn’t tell him the most important part. “Perhaps. That’s why…I need to stop in China to be sure.”
Lelouch was silent for a moment. Yes, it would be useful to know what exactly V.V. was planning, but letting C.C. go to China all by herself was…
“C.C., if you’re going to go there then…on your way back, could you stop in Britannia?”
“Hmm? Britannia?”
“Please…just go there…” He sighed, turning away. “Just…check in on Nunnally. Let me know if she’s all right…”
C.C. nodded. Even after all this…he’s still just a little boy that cares for his sister. “Of course.”
She stood up from her seat, still looking at him with those pitying eyes. Lelouch…if you only knew what they were planning to do now… “I’ll be gone for a while,” she told him. “While I’m gone…”
She leaned down, and, much to his surprise, kissed him. Just like that time in the knightmare on Kamenejima…As she pulled away, she said, “Don’t die.”
And without another word, the witch turned and left, Lelouch watching her walk away and leave the room.
Once she was gone, he sighed, leaning his forehead in his hand as he thought.
Without C.C. things would certainly be tougher…especially with the problem with Rolo…and he still had yet to figure out what to do about Suzaku…
If he wanted to do anything at all…
Chapter 11 here.
I swear to God I wrote this fanfic out of interest in what would happen if Suzaku had a geass and/or Code Geass went the way I wanted it to. I didn't expect it to turn into some epic love story between Suzaku and Lelouch. XD
Well, at least I'm adding in some LuluxC.C. for you het lovers. That's enough, right? (Maybe Lelouch is bi in this canon?)
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: (Much this time) LelouchxC.C., (implied) Suzalulu,
Summary: So, what would have happened if Suzaku had received the Geass in Stage 1 instead of Lelouch? We'd have one messed up story on our hands.
Chapter 1 here.
At least next chapter I won't stare at the screen for three days wondering "What am I going to do with Rolo?"
“Oh, you look better today, Lelouch.”
“Well, I did get a medical check after the incident, Suzaku, I should be perfectly fine.”
“Right…”
“It wasn’t much, I was just trapped in an abandoned building with no one but Kallen for company. You, on the other hand, head to deal with terrorists, I hear.”
Green eyes narrowed. “We’re not quite sure. We think its terrorists but—” A phone ring cut into their conversation. Looking down, Suzaku could see it was his own phone. “Excuse me for a second.” He answered the phone, “This is Kururugi.”
Suzaku seemed mildly surprised at the answer at the other end, “Gino?”
Lelouch vaguely remembered that ‘Gino’ was the name of one of the other Knight of Rounds. The Knight of Three, he thought. And there was ‘Anya’, the Knight of Six. Suzaku’s new friends.
“I thought you were in Britannia visiting—what?” Suzaku looked worried, but then calmed. “Oh…oh…all right, that’s fine, I guess…I don’t need—I can handle it fine here!...Alright…fine…if His Majesty requests, there’s little I can do about it…see you in two days.” And with that, he ended the conversation.
“Something going on?” asked Lelouch, wondering what Suzaku looked so worried about.
“Ah, it’s nothing,” Suzaku brushed it off. “After the attack of the Black Knights, His Majesty requested that Gino and Anya come to Area 11 to help me out.”
Lelouch never even changed expression. “Of course. With the Black Knights, you’d want to be careful.”
Damn, with more Knights of Rounds showing up, it would be even harder to operate—!
Out of the corner of his eye, Lelouch could see Kallen walking towards him. Well, it was getting close to their ‘tutoring session’. “By the way, Suzaku, I was wondering, are all Knight of Rounds as young as you three are? It hardly seems ideal for an empire that rules over at third of the world to recruit young teenagers to high posts—”
“Knight of Rounds are chosen based on ability, not by age,” he snapped back, as if offended. “Anya is a superb knightmare pilot, Gino has noble heritage and is actively testing a new type of ‘transforming’ knightmare, and then I—”
“You were appointed to the post by Princess Euphemia,” Lelouch filled in casually—though his jaw did tighten slightly at the thought.
Kallen, who had heard his comment, raised her eyebrows in shock. Lelouch mentioning Euphemia in front of Suzaku? Even if the Massacre Princess had killed elevens, even she knew that saying that name around Kururugi Suzaku was like inviting a spinkick to the face.
And it was clear Suzaku was fighting himself. Fists clenched, eyes narrow, his muscles in his face seeming to strain to keep his mouth shut and not from shouting out what he so dearly wanted to—“You killed Euphie, you bastard!”.
But Suzaku had better control that Lelouch expected.
Though his teeth were still clenched, Suzaku managed to get out, “Yeah, that’s right…Though it was a post I didn’t deserve.”
A post that you got me for your evil schemes!
“Now, don’t say that,” Lelouch smiled back, “I’m sure Her Highness would not have promoted you if she didn’t think you deserved it.”
“Well, maybe that’s true…” Or if she was geassed to do it!
At that moment, Kallen stepped forward, “Sorry to butt in, but didn’t you promise me you would help me today, Lelouch?”
“Ah, that’s right,” he spoke, as if he had forgotten. “I have to tutor Kallen for math today. All those sick days, you know, she missed a lot of the essentials.”
Green eyes narrowed, but he didn’t protest. “Right.”
“Well, we’ll see you again sometime, Suzaku,” Lelouch said, waving him off as the two parted, heading towards that secluded spot near the back of the school.
The instant they were out of Suzaku’s hearing range, Kallen asked, “Lelouch, why did you do that? Why did you bring up Euphemia when you know Suzaku—”
“Why? The answer is obvious. I was testing him.”
“Testing?”
“That’s right,” Lelouch smirked to himself. “Testing to see what Suzaku thought after the appearance of Zero the other day. And he was so very clear with his thoughts, like always. I’m sure he wanted to hit me, but he didn’t. He held himself back.” The smirk on his face widened. “He held himself back because there is still a little doubt within him. He doesn’t want to believe what should be obvious. And so, on the off-chance he was wrong, he didn’t act.” A chuckle left Lelouch’s lips. “Suzaku, your hesitation will be your undoing.”
Kallen couldn’t help but stare. Lelouch never outright challenged Suzaku before, he had always left the knight alone. What could Suzaku had done to him during that one year to make Lelouch so vengeful towards his former best friend?
“Also, it serves one other purpose,” he added. “Because of his hesitation, he won’t follow us and try to listen in, I’m sure of it.”
However, Lelouch was not right on the mark. Though Suzaku wanted to follow to try to listen in—having the man that once was Zero talk privately with the one who was nearly second-in-command of the Black Knights was dangerous—but there were other, more important things to attend to.
Thankful that no one else was around, Suzaku let the calm façade he had tried to put forth for Lelouch slide away, and took out his cell phone once more.
It seemed like an eternity until the one at the other end replied. “Suzaku? What’s up? You were so eager to get rid of me last time that I thought—”
“Shut up, Gino,” Suzaku ordered, fingers gripping the phone as if it was his only lifeline. “Now tell me everything about the situation with Princess Nunnally!”
“Oh, I’ll never be able to understand it!”
“It’s simple, really, you just have to learn the essentials, once you’re past that, everything’s a piece of cake!”
“But that’s the problem, once you get past the essentials, everything’s confusing!”
Lelouch chuckled to himself, and then took the pencil and wrote upon the paper, How many people are watching me?
“Hmm, I’m not sure about this problem…I think…15?”
Hmm…15 watching him, plus the cameras in the club house…That would make things tough. “Well, if you were able to understand that problem, then how about this one?” His nimble fingers quickly wrote in the margin, And Rolo? What is he?
“Well, let’s see…” She took the pencil from him. We don’t know. He showed up with you and started calling you his brother. Just before you returned, everyone was taken to the auditorium and the Emperor himself geassed them into believing that he was your brother, among other things. I only escaped it because C.C. put a seal on me. We think he was sent to guard you, though. I found a knife and a gun in his possessions when I searched his room, and there’s no official record of him anywhere.
So Rolo really was sent to keep an eye on him. It would fit right in with Britannia to use children to further their own schemes.
“Hmm, let me see…” But why keep me alive? What are they after?
“Oh, wait a minute—“ They’re trying to capture C.C. The Emperor wants her for some reason. They’re using you as bait.
Oh, that would make perfect sense. As long as he didn’t have his memories back, C.C. would seek him out to try to restore them. However—he couldn’t help but smirk a bit at his own cleverness—they had outwitted Britannia in that regard.
Where is C.C. now?
She is living in town, going by the name of Cera. We can keep in touch because Suzaku doesn’t want o shake his faith and test her number.
Yes, sounded like Suzaku all right. Always willing to believe in the good of people, even to the point where it would almost get him killed.
“You know, I think hanging out with your friend Cera is cutting into your studying time,” Lelouch said, for the benefit of anyone listening.
“Well, she’s an interesting person to hang out with,” she took the hint. “If you met her, you’d understand.”
“Really?” he smirked. “Then I might just have to meet her and tell her to let you have your studying time back.”
“We could do that. I was going to go see her tomorrow, actually—we were going to go shopping for shoes.”
“Yes, you certainly wouldn’t want to miss that,” Lelouch laughed with her. “It’s settled then. But before we go back to class, there’s one more problem I want to you try—”
And then he wrote it down. And, Nunnally?
Kallen sucked in a breath. She knew he would ask. Hesitantly, she wrote, She was taken back to Britannia after you were taken away. It was then announced that the royal family had found Princess Nunnally and she was in the public eye for a bit, but around six months ago, we stopped hearing about her. She must be still alive, since Suzaku goes to visit her a lot, but besides that we don’t know.
Lelouch let go a breath he was holding. Well, she was alive, that was something. He remembered hearing about a ‘Princess Nunnally’ before he got his memories back, but he had to be sure—he had to know that she was safe, for now. But that was that. If Suzaku was looking after her, then she must be safe.
Suzaku wouldn’t let anything happen to Nunnally, of that he was certain.
It wasn’t exactly the best place in the city—but it was probably the safest. On the outskirts of the settlement, near where Shinjuku was being rebuilt—that was where C.C. now lived. The building was dirty, surrounded by dirty streets and dirty people—but Lelouch had learned in his last stint in terrorism that it was in these sorts of places that you could be best hidden.
There wasn’t even a lock on her door, for god’s sake! And who on earth could live surrounded by towers of old pizza boxes?
C.C., that’s who.
“So, stopped playing the wimp, have you?” C.C. smirked, leaning back on the small bed.
He dodged her question. “No one followed us? There was that man when we went to the settlement—”
“But we managed to get rid of him going through that café,” Kallen pointed out. “Besides, what’s so suspicious about visiting one of my friends? I’m a good little school girl, remember?”
Lelouch snorted at that. Kallen glared back at him. What did he mean by that? It wasn’t like—Well, maybe the dress she had worn was a little bit short…
“So, now that we’re all here,” C.C. began. “What are we going to do? We can hardly take on Britannia with just the three of us, if that’s what you’re planning—”
“How many Black Knights managed to avoid capture?” Lelouch asked Kallen, ignoring the witch.
“Maybe about twenty of the lower level grunts—but everyone who held a higher position is in prison now.”
“They didn’t execute any of them?”
“A couple, but no one important. They wouldn’t talk, and I hear Suzaku wanted to keep them alive until they talked.”
“Hmph. Knowing him, he’d try to keep them alive as long as possible, but wouldn’t fight it when the higher-ups said it was time for capital punishment.”
“There are no higher-ups,” Kallen cut in. “Suzaku is governor-general of all of Area 11. And he’s a Knight of Rounds. The only people he can take orders from are royalty.”
Hmm…Suzaku, completely in charge? This was a new thing…he figured Suzaku was now made to take orders, bending over at the smallest whim of his superiors. Though, the Suzaku he knew as a child never took orders from anybody…if Suzaku was the Suzaku he knew in the past, then he might have a harder time against him now—the old Suzaku was a lot harder to manipulate.
But, with the right push, it could be done. It had to be done. He was Zero. And now, Suzaku was his enemy.
His enemy…
“Lelouch?” Kallen asked. “Are you all right? You zoned out for a bit.”
“Oh—oh, yes I’m fine, just thinking,” he spoke up, putting it out of his mind, for now. “Still, the first objective should be to get the Black Knights out of prison, as soon as possible.”
“My, going for the hardest task first. You haven’t changed a bit,” C.C. smirked. “Still, have you thought it over completely? What do you plan on doing with your newly-freed army? With Shinjuku being rebuilt, you can’t hide in the ghetto anymore.”
“Hmm…that’s true…I suppose we could try and steal a battleship from the army and hide it in Tokyo Bay—”
“Oh, stop it, Lelouch. C.C. and I already have a plan,” Kallen glanced back at the witch, who was smirking. “The Chinese Federation.”
Eyebrows were raised. “The Chinese Federation? What would we do with them?”
“Britannia recently invaded one of their territories, remember?” Hmm…he did remember hearing something like that a month ago, but still being in that…that condition, he didn’t look up the details. “Even though a treaty was signed, the Chinese are still furious. We made an appeal to their embassy, and they accepted. That’s where most of the Black Knights are hiding now.”
So, the Chinese were to be their allies? Well, he hadn’t thought of that. Though, maybe it would be good to have allies of a foreign power…it would be easier to get resources from now on. “What were their conditions?”
“They said they would harbor us as long as we didn’t bring them directly into the conflict. They oppose Britannia, but they don’t want outright war.”
“It’s settled then. The Black Knights will stay there until we find a more suitable base.”
“Alright, now that that’s decided,” Kallen sat down on the bed next to C.C. “How are we going to free the Black Knights?”
Lelouch smirked at her. “Really, Kallen, do you have so little faith in me? Zero, the man of miracles? I have a plan. As long as I have my geass, it is no problem.”
“What about Rolo?” Kallen asked pointedly. “If you keep this up, he will follow you around and find out. He nearly followed us here.”
“Yes, Rolo…” Thinking about that boy left a nasty taste in Lelouch’s mouth. “He is a problem, but don’t worry, I’ll find a way to handle him…I won’t have some dirty imposter ruin my plans.”
“Ah! Lelouch and Kallen are…going on a date?!”
“Quiet, Shirley or you’ll have us found out.” Millay hissed back to her as they hid behind the large sign outside the theater.
“But…why are they…Lelouch never…He never showed any interest in her before!”
“Shh! Here they come!” Rivalz shushed them.
It was quite surprising, for them to see the usual stoic Lelouch looking so cheerful as he walked with Kallen, laughing at something they had mentioned. And as for her…she positively sparkled with delight by just being with him.
“So, Kallen, what movie do you want to see? I know you’re no fan of horror movies, but do you really want to see this movie?”
She giggled, “Of course! Those other movies give me nightmares! Don’t worry, it’ll be fun.”
Lelouch sighed, “If you insist…” And handed over the money to the cashier for the latest romance flick that had come in.
“A romance movie? Wow, Lelouch is really going all out for her…What do you think Rolo? Does Lelouch normally do this on his dates?” Though Rivalz got no reply as pure rage burned in those violet eyes.
Lelouch walked in the theater, and a while after he disappeared, Rolo stood up from their hiding place. “I’m going in.”
“What? You’re going to spy on them directly?”
“That’s a bit too much, don’t you think?”
“You have to let me know, what’s going on in there!”
Rolo didn’t answer any of them, just merely clenched his jaw and walked inside the theater. It took a minute, but he found the right theater. Avoiding the guards (and occasionally using his geass to do so) he snuck inside.
They weren’t there.
As Lelouch and Kallen walked out the emergency exit in the back of the multiplex, Kallen glared, “A romance movie? Are you kidding me?”
“Well, it seemed appropriate for the audience—”
“Just because they wouldn’t be surprised seeing you go to one of those movies doesn’t mean that I’d ever lower myself to go to one of them.” She snapped.
Lelouch glared back at her, but he had no time to protest.
The operation would soon begin.
The emergency bells rang out through the prison.
“Prisoners have escaped the cell block! Repeat, prisoners have escaped the cell block!”
The crashes and bangs of never let up, as the remaining Black Knights continued to barrage the prison with their knightmares. The released prisoners dashed like madmen to the opening in the wall, towards the Chinese Embassy and to their freedom, not even noticing in the chaos that Britannian reinforcements had not been deployed.
Prison guards were found mysteriously shot in the hallways. Security cameras were mysteriously not monitored. And there was no one left to call for backup.
The lone man dressed in the clothes of a Britannian guard waited until he was out of sight to give in to that self-satisfied laugh.
It was almost too easy, with his geass. One order and all the guards were dead. He could not get into the main block, but by the time anyone answered those emergency bells, they would all be long gone.
Oh, he so very wished he could see the look on Suzaku’s face when he heard the news later today…
“Lelouch!” Kallen cried over the communicator.
“What, what is it?” he asked. “Are there any problems?”
“Not on this end, but be careful! C.C. just told me that she saw—”
Lelouch didn’t have to hear her finish. He saw it for himself already. “Rolo?”
It was true, as he passed an open hallway looking down to the floor below, he saw him. His fake little brother, bent over a corpse. One of his own Black Knights. Slowly, he watched the boy stand on his feet, a bloody knife in his hand. Almost as if he had another sense to him, Rolo turned to look directly at him—a suspicious glare in his eyes.
Rolo? No, that was it then, he really was working for Britannia—
Maybe it was his body language, but at once, Rolo’s violet eyes narrowed. A chill came up Lelouch’s spine. He didn’t have time to think—something told him to get out of there right away. He bolted, just as a flash of red came heading his way.
He had just barely missed that flash, when he heard sharp footfalls heading towards him. That’s it! So Rolo is working for Britannia, as what? I thought he was just sent as a guard to watch me. But with that knife…and that red flash—
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw another red flash. Damnit, I’m not going to make it—
Something hammered into him, knocking him into a doorway as the red flash just barely missed him. What the— He grunted, picking himself up after that sharp hit. Whatever had hit him had been caught in that red flash, so what—
“C.C.!” Lelouch gasped, seeing the witch lying on her side in the empty hallway, dressed in a sturdy Black Knight’s uniform like Kallen. “What are you doing—?”
The witch turned sharply, glaring at him. He knew instantly what she meant. Hush.
Lelouch retreated to the darkness of the room, as the footfalls became louder. Finally, Rolo Lamperouge came upon her, looking slightly surprised when the witch glared back up at him. “You,” he demanded, kneeling down to her level, with no emotion upon his face. “Why were you able to escape my geass?”
Lelouch froze. Geass?
A smirk came on the witch’s face. “Maybe you should watch who you’re using that thing on then.”
Violet eyes narrowed even more. Rolo did not like being mocked. “You…you can’t be—the only one who is not affected by my geass—you’re the witch C.C.!” He grabbed her sharply by the arm at once.
“I’m surprised,” C.C. smirked. “I didn’t think they would let a little boy like you in on official military meetings.”
In a flash, the knife was drawn. “Don’t you dare! You’re the reason those people are after my brother—”
Lelouch could only stand back and stare. What could he do? Rolo had a geass that he didn’t know what its effects were—it would be stupid to try to run out and geass him if the boy could just use his powers back. But…he couldn’t just stand there! C.C. was—
He stepped back, and his hand bumped against a box stacked against the wall. Looking up, he could see he was in some sort of storeroom. In only seconds, he had a plan.
“You’re brother, huh?” C.C. looked away. “Yes, that would be nice, wouldn’t it? If only Lelouch was your real brother…” Rolo’s fingers shook on the knife—she was going too far— “But its such a pity, having to pretend you’re his only family when you know his real family, the person he really cares for, is kept safe in Britannia—”
“You—” Violet eyes flashed murderously. “You shut your mouth!” The knife was raised—
“C.C.!” Lelouch yelled. “Get down!” A gas grenade was thrown.
“Who’s there?” Rolo barely had a chance to yell, before the gas took effect. The boy was knocked out instantly.
“C.C.! Are you all right?” He asked, rushing to her side.
The witch, who had covered her mouth until the gas dissipated, only smirked back at him. “Just who are you talking to?” she demanded. “Did you forget that I can’t die?”
He was taken aback. Well…maybe he had… “That doesn’t matter! He still could have taken you hostage—”
“It wouldn’t have mattered,” she said, getting to her feet. “As long as you don’t die Lelouch, it doesn’t matter.”
“Still, you saved me before. What sort of man would I be if I didn’t return the favor?”
She couldn’t help it, that sort of statement made her smile…just a little. “Fine, then. We’re even.”
Though she couldn’t see it through the helmet Lelouch wore in his disguise, he returned the smile.
Even…just as they should be.
“Now,” he said, looking down at the unconscious boy below. “What should we do about him?”
Damnit.
How could he have been so stupid? Why had he been so worked up by that woman’s comments that he failed to remember the first rule of being an assassin? Don’t get caught.
Damnit.
And now he was stuck in this holding cell somewhere without a way out. Even if he used his geass, it was impossible to pry open the door with his own two hands.
Damnit.
He’d just have to wait to see whenever they came in to feed him. If he could geass the guard as soon as they came in the door…yes, that could work. He could escape fairly easily.
Well, that was the only plan he could come up with. They’d have to hurry—he had disobeyed orders, chasing after Lelouch and Kallen, thinking they were here at the sight of the breakout. He’d surely be punished by Ms. Viletta as soon as he got back, but that didn’t matter.
He had lost sight of the target; he had lost sight of Lelouch. His mission could be anywhere by now, and without being able to watch him—who knew what he could be up to?
And more than that—if he had been wrong, had followed this stupid hunch to the wrong conclusion—then surely, his brother was worried about him. Getting back to Lelouch—his mission, he meant—was the main priority.
But for now, he’d just have to wait.
Damnit.
“What are you saying, C.C.?”
“I’m saying I figured out his weakness. It was fairly simple, if you think about it—why else would he come here without proof?”
“Because watching Lelouch is his mission?”
“Well, partly, but you’re missing the point entirely, Kallen. Lelouch, how long has Rolo been your fake brother?”
“Hmm…a year, I guess.”
“Can you remember what he was like in the beginning of that year?”
“I think…I think he was cold…hard to cheer up…moody, I guess. It took ages for him to smile, even. I remember I kept—well, I mean, because of the geass placed on me, I kept trying to cheer him up—he didn’t warm up until six months ago or so.”
“Right. So, why do you think that is?”
“Well…”
“You do have an idea, don’t you?”
“I do, but it couldn’t possibly be that simple…”
“Oh, I think it is. Don’t you think so, Kallen?”
“Don’t bring me into this!”
“Well fine, if it is that simple, then it’s that simple. And there’s really only one thing to do, then.”
“Oh, and what is that, Lelouch?”
“Perhaps…it’s time for him to meet Zero.”
The door slowly opened. Rolo turned his head, seeing that woman again, now dressed in her formal Black Knights outfit. She carried with her a plate of food. Heh, just what he expected—if his geass couldn’t affect her, then of course they would use her.
But there was another form following her, someone else came into the room.
Rolo slowly rose to his feet, heart thumping in—no, it wasn’t fear, more like…shock.
There he was, the Hero of the Elevens, the Greatest Traitor to Britannia—resurrected before him.
The door slid shut as he entered. “Are you surprised?” Zero seemed to laugh at him. “You didn’t expect to meet me, I take it.”
No! He must not show anything—no fear, no hesitation—it didn’t matter even if Zero decided to kill him, he must die with his head held high—he would have died for the mission, there was no shame in that. “I didn’t expect the leader of the Black Knights would be interested in meeting me.”
A chuckle escaped him. “Well, you’re an interesting young man, Rolo. I hear you have an interesting geass.”
“And how do you know about geass?”
“C.C. tells interesting stories,” was all Zero answered.
This is it…my chance…Rolo thought to himself. If he wanted to know of Zero was in fact Lelouch Lamperouge, then the chance was now. But how…how would he figure it out? As long as C.C. was there, he couldn’t hope of using his geass unless he tried to overpower her. And they had taken away his knife…
“So, tell me, Rolo Lamperouge,” Zero asked, sitting down on the small bunk in the corner of the room, crossing his legs in an effeminate way. “Why did someone who claims to be a student come all the way to interrupt an important operation, carrying a weapon no schoolboy should know how to use?”
“Heh, you know the answer already, don’t you?” Rolo shot back. “There is no need to answer you. But there is a need for you to answer me. “Zero! Who are you? Are you Lelouch Lamperouge? Or are you someone else?”
Zero didn’t even flinch. On the contrary, he seemed amused by Rolo’s assumptions. “Lelouch Lamperouge? Your own brother? Isn’t that a bit big of a statement?”
“Shut up!” The boy yelled back. “I only have one mission here—find out if Lelouch Lamperouge’s memories have returned. And if they have—kill him!”
Well, that was easy, Lelouch smirked underneath the helmet. “And if that is your mission—why on earth should I tell you? Even if I am not Lelouch Lamperouge, you would still know my identity. That is a problem.”
“It’s fine,” Rolo stood his ground. “You can kill me if you like, after you show me who you are. But that is my mission. It would be shameful to die if I didn’t know if I was wrong or not.”
Hmm…it seemed that the Rolo who was on the mission was a lot different than the Rolo he knew at home…so which was the real Rolo? They did a search on him before coming, but could turn up nothing—he had no parents, no family at all to speak of—it was only noted that he had a geass and had served as an assassin for many number of years. ‘Rolo’ was the only name he had ever gone by.
Still, if the emperor was planning on picking a fake brother for him, he had done a good job. Not many had that perfect shade of purple eyes…
“Still, I guess it would be unfair…would you like to know the truth, Rolo?”
If they weren’t in front of Rolo at the time, C.C. would have grabbed him back. Was he insane? He knew that he couldn’t do this now!
Still, she had to stay calm. If Lelouch was planning to do it, then he must already have a plan.
Rolo stepped back. “Why, are you planning on killing me after all?”
“No, it’s because…you need to understand.” His voice was softer, as he reached up towards the mask. “You need to know why I’m doing this…” The mask was slowly lifted off Lelouch Lamperouge’s face. “Rolo.”
The boy could do nothing but stare, horrified, back. While Lelouch merely looked calm, perhaps regretful (though C.C. was sure that was a stretch) anger welled up in the assasin’s eyes. “So…you really—you really do have your memories back!”
“I’ve had them back for a while,” Lelouch spoke frankly, sitting back down. “It’s just a credit to myself that Britannia hasn’t noticed, I suppose.”
Oh yes, C.C. could see it now—that anger, and almost sadness in Rolo’s eyes. Now she understood perfectly what Lelouch’s plan was…
“So, why?” demanded Rolo. “Even if you have your memories back, why do this? Why join back up again with a failed and worthless rebellion! Why not live your life free at Ashford Academy! Why not stay there, with—!” He cut himself off, but it was too late. All had been exposed.
“Why? Rolo, shall I tell you why?” Lelouch asked, that smirk long gone from his face. “It’s because I knew how this would end. Sooner or later, C.C. would be captured. Britannia would have no more use for me. What do you think would happen then?”
Rolo stared. Clearly he hadn’t thought that far.
“I would be imprisoned, or, worst case, killed. I would be ripped away from everything I had, to live out a punishment for things I couldn’t even remember that I did. I couldn’t accept it. It’s better to fight them to preserve what I had at Ashford than to give up all of my friends and family when the time came.”
Though he acted serious, Lelouch could not help the rush he felt when he saw the hesitation in Rolo’s eyes—that hesitation when he said the word ‘family’.
And now, it came for the final nail in the coffin.
“Rolo…I am Zero tokeep what I have…to keep you by my side. That year between us…it was not a lie, you know it. You are my little brother…and I wouldn’t give you up for all the world.”
Were those tears in Rolo’s eyes? Yes, yes…oh, how easily he had fallen…
But C.C. knew better—she could even feel the anger radiating off Rolo, and Lelouch, to stuck in his own swelled ego didn’t notice…he had gone too far with that one, Rolo wasn’t ready—
There was a flash of red, and Rolo dashed toward’s the frozen Lelouch, ready to beat into him with no weapons at all—just give that traitor and liar what he deserved—! “I won’t be your tool, Lelouch Lamperouge!”
“Lelouch!” He had forgotten about C.C. She grabbed him before he got to Lelouch, using her powers to try to knock him out like usual. But at the moment she grabbed him, Rolo released his own geass—making everything he saw behind his own lids rebound upon C.C.
Flashes of blood, death—a small child killing grown businessmen…loneliness, and emotionless young boy, being introduced to Lelouch Lamperouge—his new brother…happiness…and sadness…no family at all besides that one, sole person…
A locket, and when it was opened—
Many children all sitting in a circle, with a long haired V.V. behind. Rolo turned to the child next to him, laughing about something silly—
Geass…
The geass cult…
The last time he ever saw him, was he his first friend? The day he was taken away…
A silohette of family…his family…what was a family?
Something wonderful had happened…and V.V. was laughing, joyful…and Rolo laughed with him…
V.V.’s murderous purple eyes…knowing at last all had come full circle…
C.C. gasped, as she was released, letting go of the unconscious Rolo once more.
What…what was that she just saw? Were all those memories real? If that was so...
V.V….so that’s what you’ve done!
“C.C., did something happen?” Lelouch asked, as he was now released from Rolo’s geass. “Did Rolo—?”
“Yes,” she nodded. “He used his geass. It stops your perception of time, so be careful.”
She steadied herself on her feet, unable to look at him right now. “C.C.?”
“Its fine,” she said, heading for the door. “Get him restrained—you can try again later. Just don’t go overboard like you did just there, or you’ll end up in that same position again without me to help you.”
Only once she was outside the cell did C.C. allow her true feelings to show. Oh Lelouch…how could she tell him what she saw? If he knew what length’s V.V. had gone to this time, not only using the innocent Rolo, but what he was planning on doing next…
V.V….Charles…even you, Marianne…now I see what you all are planning to do…I didn’t think you three would sink this far, but clearly I was wrong.
I won’t make the same mistake again. No matter what…I won’t let you use Lelouch!
“Yes…I see…No, I understand. I’ll organize a team to take in the damage to the Detention Center, and then we’ll work on talks with the Chinese Federation…No, I don’t plan on creating an international incident. Tell the Knight of Three and the Knight of Six I expect them here tomorrow with reports…Yes, Thank you. Goodnight.”
The second the phone was hung up, Suzaku slumped in his chair, knowing full well the depths of his failure. All of the Black Knights successfully escaped confinement…just days after Zero appeared…Yes, it looked like a new Black Rebellion was sure to spawn in Japan again.
And now he had just heard from the Surveillence Team—Rolo Lamperouge was missing, and Lelouch Lamperouge was unaccounted for. They were told that Lelouch went to the theater on a date with Kallen earlier, yet he hadn’t returned yet.
Because of the confusion, he could have gotten lost in the attack—the theater he went to was near the edge of the settlement, and it was known that Lelouch liked to detour in the ghettos, and it was probable that Kallen had returned but not been noticed, he would give it that.
Yes, there was no proof at all. It was a long shot, but—
Suzaku slammed a fist against his desk, suddenly furious at himself.
A long shot? Was he trying to come up with excuses for him? This was ridiculous! How dare he try to excuse him when the truth was staring him in the face!
He didn’t want to believe it—some part of him couldn’t—after the incident with Euphie, it would almost be too painful to admit—After the last time he saw Zero, screaming in terror as his memories were wiped, as Suzaku himself held him down to accept his punishment—yes, that should have been the last of him. Zero should have disappeared from the world, even if his crimes could never disappear!
But…
Yes, he had to accept it. He was the Governor General of Japan, it would be irresponsible not to. Yes…yes…he had to…
But he couldn’t make any formal accusations, he knew that. At school, Lelouch would have to be left alone…well…he wanted to leave him alone at school. Politics had no place at Ashford. He would have to catch Zero in the act, this he knew…
And once he caught him in the act—
Suzaku banged his fist against the desk again, this time out of sheer need—it felt good to feel that pain. Compared to—
A tear fell onto his desk, staining a report on the Shinjuku construction lying before him. “Lelouch, you idiot,” Suzaku managed to speak, reaching up to wipe the rest from his eyes as another splashed down. “You stupid idiot!”
When he caught him in the act…he’d have to take him out.
No! Why was he crying at a time like this! Damn Lelouch, damnit, it was all his fault! And now he was planning on repeating everything he did before? Why should he care? Why did it matter! Lelouch had declared war on him! Now was the time to take a stand and do what was right!
Still…
I’m a coward! Suzaku knew it from before. It was his mistake and his hesitation that got Euphie killed! Who else would die if he hesitated? What about his own problems? What about the Geass—
“That’s right…” He knew what to do now. Wiping the reaming tears out of his left eye—that demon eye of his own—“As long as Zero exists, he is a threat to this world.”
It was his fault that Zero had been allowed to rise to power. He would take responsibility. Even if it was Lelouch Lamperouge—for everyone, including his former best friend’s sake, he would have to do it. Especially now with the situation with Nunnally—he would have to destroy Zero.
After all, one could only fight geass with geass.
“Lelouch?”
“Hmm, what is it, C.C.?” he asked, turning towards her as she came to his quarters in the Chinese Federation.
“Are you planning on going back to Ashford?”
He shrugged. “Once I get Rolo on my side. I need him to help identify the rest of those in the Surveillance Committee. Once they’re taken care of, I can move anywhere I want.”
“I see.” She came to sit beside him on the couch.
He stared at her for a minute. “Something wrong?”
Only then could she look back at him. “Lelouch…I need to go. I need to go to China…to the Geass cult.”
“What?” This was the first he had heard of it! “Whatever for?”
Her eyes glanced away again. “When Rolo attacked you, I tried to divert him. I caught of glimpse of his memories. In it I saw the Geass Cult…and V.V. He…he was planning something. Something that, if I follow this hunch, isn’t good for any of us.”
“V.V.? Wait…wasn’t he the one—?”
“Yes. He was the one that made you geass Euphemia.”
There was a rush of hatred in Lelouch’s heart. V.V.! That monster in a child’s form that made him—he was the reason that Euphie was now—! “What’s he planning?” he spat through clenched teeth.
“I don’t know everything yet, but from the glimpses I saw, it’s not good for you…or Rolo.”
Lelouch didn’t care about the Rolo part, but as for himself—“Why, is he planning on making me use my geass to hurt someone again?”
C.C. bit her lip. Even now, she couldn’t tell him the most important part. “Perhaps. That’s why…I need to stop in China to be sure.”
Lelouch was silent for a moment. Yes, it would be useful to know what exactly V.V. was planning, but letting C.C. go to China all by herself was…
“C.C., if you’re going to go there then…on your way back, could you stop in Britannia?”
“Hmm? Britannia?”
“Please…just go there…” He sighed, turning away. “Just…check in on Nunnally. Let me know if she’s all right…”
C.C. nodded. Even after all this…he’s still just a little boy that cares for his sister. “Of course.”
She stood up from her seat, still looking at him with those pitying eyes. Lelouch…if you only knew what they were planning to do now… “I’ll be gone for a while,” she told him. “While I’m gone…”
She leaned down, and, much to his surprise, kissed him. Just like that time in the knightmare on Kamenejima…As she pulled away, she said, “Don’t die.”
And without another word, the witch turned and left, Lelouch watching her walk away and leave the room.
Once she was gone, he sighed, leaning his forehead in his hand as he thought.
Without C.C. things would certainly be tougher…especially with the problem with Rolo…and he still had yet to figure out what to do about Suzaku…
If he wanted to do anything at all…
Chapter 11 here.
I swear to God I wrote this fanfic out of interest in what would happen if Suzaku had a geass and/or Code Geass went the way I wanted it to. I didn't expect it to turn into some epic love story between Suzaku and Lelouch. XD
Well, at least I'm adding in some LuluxC.C. for you het lovers. That's enough, right? (Maybe Lelouch is bi in this canon?)
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and I wonder, just what was that thing with Rolo? Hm...
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You write for Suzaku really well, with the way he's trying to convince himself that Lelouch isn't Zero, it's just the way Suzaku would think. :D
Veeeeeeery excited to see where this goes now~
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Well, that WOULD be the most obvious thing to derive from those hints, but it wouldn't be right unless I mindfuck'd ya, so things are a LOT more complicated then you think, that's all I'll say. XD
Glad you enjoyed!
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Hmm, now I'm all the more determined to figure out what it is! It'll be like the old days, coming up with crazy theories between episodes~ XD