Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass or any of its characters.

It is the year 2028 it has been ten years since Britannia's tyrant 99th emperor Lelouch died at Zero's hands. The progress of the world has gone from one of grudging hate between peoples of different nationalities, races, and religions to one that has new found respect between people with great differences and works around them. This great age is led by Britannia's Empress Nunnally "The Innocent", Zero, the leader of the Black Knights, Prince Schneizle of Britannia, and Empress Tianzi of the Chinese Federation among others.

Hannah sat at a table with a stack of tabloids beside her with sticky tabs sticking from the top of the pages. She was reading an article about the massacre Euphemia vi Britannia. It was controversial and the images were gory but it gave a good start to the event. "Bloodstained" Euphemia was in the tabloids for a week till the Black Rebellion washed her from the headlines and she was overshadowed by Lelouch's tyranny.

As she read she tapped her pen on a notepad that had several pages rolled over the top and she had written about three quarters of the way down. The writing was scrawled in Japanese, English, and French, in bold prints, erratic cursive and just scribbles from her boredom but one symbol was sketched all over the page was a bird sketch with the wings coming from an sharp angle down to a sharp u body. Another thing that stood out was underlined and bolded in thick block letters, "? ROLO LAMPROUGE?"

She finished reading the article and put the tabloid on the stack with the others. She stretched and looked at her watch, noticing the time she jumped up and pushed her chair in as she gathered up the notes and put them in a bag with a laptop and a few other items. Picking up the stack of tabloids she dropped them off at the librarian's station and waited a moment before she was helped.

A short fat balding man walked over to her and collected them from her. "Do you need me to put these on hold again?" he asked as he shifted them into a more comfortable position in his arms.

Hannah stood for a moment thinking before replying, "Yeah, hold them for a day if I don't come back tomorrow just put them away," her voice was sweet and innocent that made anyone want to protect her; not that her looks didn't help. Hannah stood at average height and was half Japanese, a quarter Britannian, and a quarter French, she had soft features, long straight black hair that was twirled up into messy knot at the back of her head. Her eyes were special as they could change colors depending on her mood, her nose was rounded and straight and her mouth was soft and full allowing her pout to get anything she wanted and had.

Waving good day she walked out of the library to the busy street and took a right to walk along the thrum of the crowd. Her phone rang and she answered hooking it to her ear so she could wade through the crowd with both her hands, "Yoshikawa Hannah," she said.

"Hannah, where are you?" a stern voice yelled over the speaker making Hannah wince as she picked up her pace and began to walk/jog to the subway.

"Just nearly there, I am trapped in the subway," she lied hoping her boss couldn't hear the announcements over the phone. "Outbound train leaving in twenty seconds," a mechanical voice spoke over speakers placed around the platform.

"Just get here as fast as you can. Zero will only be here for an half and] hour and if you want your time to ask your questions you should have been here ten minutes ago," the voice said before hanging up.

"Yeah I know," Hannah mumbled to no one as she squeezed into the train door just as it closed. Breathing a sigh of relief she waded around the compartment looking for a seat but couldn't find anything. Sighing she stood holding onto a pole watching the scenery pass by.

She was facing the outside of the settlement into the old ghettos. ten years before it had been jumbled ruins with few habitable buildings, there her father's people had lived and died at Britannian hands for years after the fall of Japan. Today it was being rebuilt as people from all over Japan came back to the city. Although a large part of the settlement had been destroyed when F.L.E.I.J.H. had been detonated, it still was a central city in Japan. Her own home was in one of the older buildings that had survived, not because she couldn't afford to live in the settlement but because she wanted to be closer to her father's living family while she could.

She still remembered the chaos that was here years before, she had been nine and her family lived in Paris at the time. AS scary as the world was back then to a little girl of nine there were some things that held her interest; Britannia had always held her interest as her grandmother had been Britannian while her grandfather had been French. Her own father had escaped the fall of Japan by being in France and marrying her mother a few years before hand. She was the only one to have had the courage to return to Japan and only because she wished to meet her father's family and she had earned an internship at the JPN at the age of fifteen and finished high school in the settlement before becoming a full reporter with JPN at seventeen.

As she contemplated her home she caught something out of the corner of her eye, a face that although older looked a great deal of a lot like someone else she knew of but couldn't be alive. As she turned to get a better look he stepped back, walked along the car through the mass of people, and entered the next car. She began to follow but stopped when she felt a hand on her arm. Glancing over she saw a young woman about sixteen, her red hair was pulled up in double ponytails held up with purple bands. She was pulling on a long black glove that was uncharacteristic for the summer weather they were having. She also wore a black zip up no sleeve hoodie. She had a round face that was hidden by heavy sunglasses. "Sorry," she said taking her hand to her forehead and rubbing her temple as if she had a headache. Before Hannah could turn and continue following the other person the voice called out her station and she jumped as her boss began yelling in her ear again.

"Hannah, you had better be coming up the steps of this building right now," the voice yelled. Hannah had forgotten to pull her phone from her ear and it had been set to auto answer, not a good idea for someone who spaces out and forgets where they are.

"train is just pulling up, be there in seven minutes and forty-six seconds," Hannah said as the train stopped and she jumped out at a run, dodging pedestrians as she ran across the platform and up the steps. She had said four minutes and sixteen seconds because she had timed herself once from when she exited the train to the time she landed on the twelfth floor of the JPN building when she was faced against large amounts of people and when she missed the elevator.

She dodged across the street to a building that was designed around the trees that grew up beneath it and allowed maximum light to play off its surface. She entered the front doors and through the security check swiping her card and racing to the elevators. Someone saw her running and stuck out their hand as she skidded in and the doors closed behind her a second later.

"Yoshikawa-san, what's the rush?" a male voice asked. Hannah looked up and saw that it was her friend Tanaka Ushio, he wore a grin and his eyes shone as he looked at her heave oxygen into her lungs after her dash.

"You know, told to jump, you jump," she heaved as her breathing return to normal.

"Yeah, Milly-senpai can be quite scary at times," he said.

"Don't I know it," Hannah said as she straightened and turned as the door opened and before her a Britannian woman with honey blond hair stood tapping her foot. Her eyes looked at Hannah like she was ready to scold her.

"Hannah Yoshikawa, do you know how much time you have left to get ready?" Milly Ashford stood bearing down on the nineteen year old.

"Just enough time to straighten up and prep the interview room?" Hannah asked.

"Barely. Do you know how many strings I had to pull to even get you a personal interview with Zero; plus A few others are cracking to be let in on the interview to ask some questions of their own and they aren't even delving into the past, they want to know about present matters," Milly said as she speed walked with Hannah down the hall to a bathroom. There Hannah went to a locker and began to change her blouse and shoes. She applied a thin layer of makeup and brushed her hair pulling it up into a graceful half pony.

"OK, I will head to the interview room then?" she asked.

"Actually, Zero is in my office. He specifically asked to be out of the way. So let me go let him know that you are on your way," Milly said and walked out. Hannah was confused but shrugged, gathered her notes, her recorder and walked out.

She walked across the floor towards Milly's office and stopped by the door. Taking a deep breath she took hold of the door handle and opened the door soundlessly. She stopped short as she heard Milly speak.

"Are you sure you want to do this. Hannah has been investigating the events from back then," Milly said trying to persuade the person she was speaking to.

"It's fine; I have come to terms with what happened and what my other self did; whether or not it was meant to happen," the voice was young and different from the voice Hannah knew as Zero's, plus it was familiar with Milly. Did MIlly know Zero?

"You know I watch out for everyone, even those who are still no longer here," Milly said with sad thoughtfulness.

"Are you referring to Shirley and Lelouch?" the young man's voice asked with hurt.

"Them too," Milly said as if she had been referring to others but both knew what she meant.

Hannah suddenly conscious of walking in on a conversation that wasn't meant for her ears closed the door quietly, knocked and thrust open the door in an exasperated manner, "Sorry to keep you waiting. My name is Yoshikawa Hannah. Thank you for agreeing to interview with me today." She bowed as she entered and saw Zero pulling his hand from his face as if he had just put on his mask.

"Well, since the reporter is here I will take my leave. Don't let her intimidate you Zero, Hannah enjoy!" Milly said as she passed Hannah and swept out the door closing it behind her and Hannah could hear the door being locked from the outside.

"Hunh?" Hannah asked as Milly left before turning to face Zero who was seated at a coffee table across from a couch that Hannah took a seat at. He wore his customary black suit and his mask covered his head, he seemed to be athletic and fit versus his old pictures from when he was just starting out and Hannah thought that he looked taller in real life than on TV.

"So I have you for a whole half hour?" Hannah asked as she laid out her notes and turned on her tape recorder.

"Yes, what did you want to ask me?" Zero asked placing his hand under his chin as he relaxed in the chair.

"Ah yes. Unlike others I am investigative reporter and for the past month I have been collecting data to write a historical account of the event ten twelve years ago; from your first appearance to the death of the 'Tyrant Lelouch.' I will not ask question about your identity but of your point of view and thoughts on things.

"Oh, All of that was many years ago but I will answer to the best of my ability," he answered and Hannah had the impression that he was uneasy.

"Ok, here it goes. When you first appeared at the parade of the previous Knights of Rounds Suzaku Kururugi was being taken to his trial when you came to liberate him. Were you sure that your plan would succeed and that Jeremiah Gottwold would not attack first?"

Zero paused a moment as if reflecting his thoughts back to a time he couldn't remember before he spoke hesitantly, "I had a dummy with me. Several days before a terrorist cell had stolen a weaponized gas from Prince Clovis. I had knowledge of the weapon and used it as a bluff against him to secure the release of Kururugi. I had bribed a few of the lower soldiers to make sure that our escape route was secure and we escaped in the ensuing chaos."

"There were reports the Jeremiah Gottwold was working for you then is that true?" Hannah asked.

"Jeremiah was a simple soldier believing in grandeur didn't understand the meaning of a trump cart and when he believed that the citizens were in danger and stopped his troops from hindering our escape. It was a miracle that occurred and thankful it happened." Zero said.

"A miracle? So you believe in miracles and not that you make your own miracles?" Hannah asked on impulse.

"Miracles happen whether or not you plan them, the ones you create are advantageous to you while the natural ones are a surprise and inspire you," Zero said with indifference.

"So rumor has it that the terrorist cell that stole the poison gas originally actually was the grounds for the Black Knights?" Hannah asked.

"The Black knights were originally a group looking for justice and freedom that was the platform for the creation of my army. It just needed guidance from someone who knew where to direct the pieces and not let them roam freely creating bias," Zero said as if he didn't a free with his statement but Hannah wasn't going to question it. Zero was full of contradictions, almost as if he had been two different men.

"So your relationship with Princess Euphemia li Britannia was a good one?" Hannah asked catching Zero off guard.

"Princess Euphemia showed herself as a friend to all people, Japanese and Britannian's alike," Zero said Hannah caught an edge of anger.

"Are you mad that Princess Euphemia tricked all those Japanese into coming to a bloodbath?" Hannah asked watching Zero catching his hands clenching in fists and shaking slightly as if in rage.

"Euphemia did not trick them," Zero seethed. He refers to her without title meaning he knew her well, Hannah thought.

"So did you do something to Princess Euphemia?" Hannah asked keeping her voice level watching Zero closely.

"That's enough on the subject?" Zero said and attempted to get up.

"So you did do something to her when the two of you stepped off the stage together. So something happened to act the way she did and before it could be reversed she was killed by you," Hannah accused.

"I never killed her," Zero spoke darkly as he walked from the office to the dressing room.

"But you did something," Hannah followed remembering to put her recorder in her pocket.

"I loved Euphy and would never have harmed her. It was all Le…" he stopped realizing he had said too much.

"It was all who. Who really killed Euphemia? You? Another Zero? Lelouch?" she said asking throwing the first names out she could find. Zero paused when she said Lelouch's name but after a moment kept moving leaving Hannah in the dressing room as he entered the deserted corridor and left the building.

Hannah stood stunned at Zero's reaction; it was almost as if he was a different person than the Zero who originally appeared. She may have lost her interview but she had gained a clue and she was starting to confirm her suspicions about Zero.

"So you are the new Zero? Where is the original then?" Hannah spoke to herself. Turning back she sat on the couch a moment thinking of what just happened before she fathered her things and walked out. Only to be ambushed by Milly on her way out the door.

"So he walked out of you mid interview? What did you ask?" Milly asked her face unhappy.

"I only got up to Euphemia," Hannah replied and Milly sighed as if she knew that is was what would have happened. She entered her office and closed the door leaving Hannah confused. The door opened again and Milly poked her head out.

"Oh Hannah, a kid was in here a few minutes ago looking for you. She said she would wait for you downstairs at the coffee bar," Milly closed the door again and Hannah was even more confused.

Going to her desk she repacked her bag and went to the elevator and rode it to the ground floor and went to the front lobby and entered the coffee bar that was leased out of the building. Since it was mid afternoon there were only a few people there, mostly her coworkers but a business group took a table in the corner. Only one person was sitting by themselves and she had her back to the door sipping something.

From behind the girls hoodie had a bird symbol on it and that is what caught her attention. Hannah strode purposefully to an empty chair beside the girl and sat. The barista recognized her and made her a caramel macchiato.

"Your right, Zero did something to 'bloodstained' Euphemia that day," her voice was low and as she put down her cup her hand brushed Hannah's.

"What did Zero do?" Hannah asked confused on how this girl of sixteen could know of her thoughts.

"Zero used Geass on her; forced her to kill all those Japanese and then used the opportunity to start the Black Rebellion. Also the current Zero and the Zero then are two different people, the previous Zero was killed by the current one. Oww, you have too many questions running around your head," the girl complained after she told Hannah everything in a low even voice. The girl began to pull her gloves back on and slid off her seat.

"Wait who are you? What's Geass? How can you say those things like you know my mind?" Hannah asked in a flurry of questions turning in her chair watching the girl go. The girl paused, turned, and gazed over the tops of her sunglasses showing her eyes; they were green with purple flying birds, the same as on her back, the same as her notes, the same she had seen in connection with Lelouch, Zero, and several others ten years ago.

"Call me Aaron, oh, and I am not a woman," Aaron said flipping back up his glasses and walking out.

Hannah: Who is Zero?

Rei: I know, the readers most likely know. Aaron knows.

Hannah: Who is Aaron?

Rei: a cross dressing boy with freaky eyes.

Hannah: what was up with his eyes?

Rei: Geass

Hannah: What is Geass?

Rei: This is going to be a long night… Please let me know what you think.