Fate's Second Chance

Chapter 3: The Budding Alliance

By: Terror of the Azure Flame

Disclaimer:

I don't own Code Geass but I do own any Oc's that may appear in this story unless otherwise noted.

Author corner:

I apologize for this rather long rant that I'm about to make but I felt that I needed to get this off my chest. At the end of chapter 2 I made a comment about that fact that I didn't like Suzaku and as I expected a reviewer labeled me as a hypocrite. The reviewer stated that the reason he called me one was because I didn't like to see Suzaku hurt Lelouch but I was fine with Lelouch hurting Suzaku. I wasn't particularly clear in explaining what I meant because I wanted to let my story explain itself but I will explain why I said so. My plan was to not have Zero ask Suzaku join his side but to instead put him into a number of situations to put his resolve to the test. I plan to force Suzaku to the point that he is will willingly join with the Black Knights in order to purge Britannia of the corruption that plagues it and not just bash him because of my dislike of him. Suzaku will have his moments to shine as well since I still do need him to become the Knight of Euphemia but I probably won't have him become the Knight of Seven though I am still undecided as of yet.

Despite the fact I haven't decided to outright bash Suzaku I still can't stand the guy. His entire reasoning for doing what he does throughout the series makes him a hypocrite in my honest opinion and I will explain why. You have a guy that murdered his own father since he wanted his countrymen to fight until the bitter end even if it meant the complete eradication of Japan in the process. I will admit that I respect Suzaku for that since he did save his own people because of that but that was the few good things that I felt he did. He constantly preaches his belief that results gained through wrong means are meaningless and he was the one that achieved peace through oppression with the subjugation of his people at the cost of his father's life. I understand that he feels guilt over what he did but if he really wanted to die so badly then, he could've easily taken his own life but he chose to find some form of atonement by living on following his belief. He betrayed Lelouch in order to gain his title as a knight and when Lelouch became Zero again used a blind, crippled girl that wanted nothing more than to see her brother as a means to draw him out and that really pissed me off. He even had the gall to claim that Lelouch's entire existence was a mistake and that he would take care of Nunnally even though he was constantly manipulating her to serve his own goals.

Even his desire to become the Knight of One so that he can gain Japan as his own was stupid since along the way he helped to subjugate other countries that were trying to retain their freedom while claiming he was doing it to end the fighting. Charles sick ambition's to kill god was the cause of all of the fighting in the first place and yet he sided with him time after time while looking down on Lelouch's desire for revenge and the Black Knight's desire for freedom. Even if he was grieving over the death of Euphemia he sought revenge against Lelouch just as Lelouch was seeking revenge for the death of his mother and what happened to him and Nunnally. It was indicated that Suzaku knew the reason why Lelouch hated his father and yet he still turns on him. This is why I hate Suzaku's character because he's a complete hypocrite through most of the series even if he redeemed himself in the end. Lelouch isn't that much better but I respect him more since he was doing all of the things in his own way to create a peaceful world for Nunnally and everyone else would've been included in that dream not just one country. Lelouch is a rather selfish person as well and a bit of hypocrite as well but he also goes out of his way to protect those close to him even if it means making them his enemy in the process and that is why I like his character more. I merely respect Suzaku's skills as a Knightmare pilot and I will not bash him to much but slowly rewrite his character the way that I see fit since this is a fanfiction which gives me that right. If anyone doesn't agree with me on what I'm doing then, I won't try to change your mind on the matter.

Many are well aware that Suzaku remained with the Britannian empire because he had the belief that by bowing his head and trying cooperate with Britannia that he could change how the Japanese were viewed by their conquerors. However, I decided to look at in a much broader sense that despite the noble reasons of Suzaku that he failed to look at the bigger picture. I mean with all of the areas that were conquered by the empire I'm sure that he wasn't the only one to choose that path once the Honorary Britannian system was introduced by Clovis and not much had changed. From what I was able to gather from the anime that much of the royal family and other nobles still tended to look down on the people of the areas they conquered but that may be just my own opinion. In my story I will have the Britannians look down on the numbers with the mindset that they are primitive, mindless bunch of people that prefer to cling onto a bygone golden age and refuse to embrace the wonders their culture that they have chosen to grace them with. As you may know most depictions of nobles are people that often have a very obscure view of the world around them and tend to be out of touch with reality and I plan to exploit that in this fic. I hope I made myself clear in my intentions and if any reader ever has a question to a plot point of my story then, don't be afraid to pm me or ask me in a review and will try to explain.

Also to StarDrago there is a special little scene just for you that I hope you like.

Lelouch found himself up earlier than usual going over another detail of his revised plan while C.C. was still currently sleeping off the aftermath of their previous night of lovemaking. He was currently sitting as his personal computer while putting the designs of the Knightmare frame designs that he had gotten from Lloyd while he was certain that he could still remember their details onto his hard drive which was protected by all sort of safety programs to prevent someone from hacking in. He was also drafting out technical data and schematics for his own eighth generation frames that he planned to have Rakshata develop for Todoh and the Four Holy Swords. Together with Kallen, the five former members of the JLF were his best Knightmare pilots on the frontlines and he wanted them to have customized Knightmare frames that would suit them based on what he knew from their fighting styles. He just had to make sure that they all survived this time around since only Todoh and Chiba had remained at the end of Zero's requiem and though they had betrayed him he still had a use for them for now.

His plans were coming together quite nicely so far and he could not help but wish things had been this easy the first time around. So far he had already contacted the rebels through Kallen by appearing before her as himself with the claim that he was representing Zero and was waiting for the reply that he already knew he was going to receive in response to his offer to have them join his cause. It knew that it wouldn't be that hard to get them to join him much like last time once he pulled of his little miracle but he had given them even more incentive this time around that it was a good idea to fall in with him. He had already help them achieve a great victory over Britannia at Shinjuku and had also given them brand new Sutherland Knightmares that couldn't be traced since he had erased their IFF signatures. Plus, he already had access to a number of Gloucesters that he would also provide them access to once they joined up with him after he rescued Suzaku.

The thought of his friend caused him to recall the events of the previous night when he had watched the broadcast of Suzaku being accused of assassinating his brother, Clovis along with Nunnally and Sayoko. Just like last time, his younger sister had been devastated to hear of the death of her elder brother even if they hadn't been in contact in seven years and he had to comfort her but she was even more horrified to hear that Suzaku was blamed for the murder.

Flashback

Lelouch was currently tucking Nunnally into bed when she spoke. "Brother, do you believe it's true what they said on the news about Suzaku?" Nunnally asked in a small voice.

Lelouch sighed. "I'm not entirely sure, Nunnally. First, we find out that he's still alive only to learn that he's been charged with the crime of assassinating our brother, Clovis. The newscaster clearly stated that he is an honorary Britannian and I find it hard to believe that he would go through all of the trouble of joining the military just to get the chance to assassinate the Viceroy. Suzaku was always firmly against the idea of siding with terrorists and believed that if the elevens could prove themselves to the Britannians that they would eventually be accepted by their society."

"Yes, I remember you and Suzaku were arguing about that right before he decided to leave saying that he was going to join the army. You told Suzaku that he was too honorable for his own good and that his idealistic thinking might get him killed one day." Nunnally said.

"Yes, that's why I know for a fact that they are mistaken and I think he's just being used as a scapegoat by some of the higher-ups like the Purist Faction. I've heard that with Clovis gone that they're now running the affairs of area eleven until a new viceroy arrives and they have always been opposed to the honorary Britannian system that Clovis started. It's most likely some sort of ploy to discredit the system by saying that this is how the elevens chose to repay our brother for the kindness he had chosen to grace them with." Lelouch replied, resisting the urge to gag at the words that left his mouth.

Nunnally trembled. "I just wished that it didn't have to be Suzaku that had to be used like that."

Lelouch held his sister's hand in his. "Yes, I know but there isn't anything that we can do about it. Since we're in hiding from the empire we have no means of influence that could be used to clear Suzaku of his charges. We just have to accept the fact that Suzaku will become another casualty of the corruption that has come to plague the empire under the emperor's reign."

An uncharacteristic frown graced Nunnally's features. "If we hadn't been abandoned by the others then, maybe none of this would've happened. If mother was still alive then, I'm sure things the world would've been a better place for everyone to live in."

Lelouch resisted the urge to tell his sister otherwise since he knew what their mother was truly capable of but he had to refrain for now. Eventually, he would have to change her perspective of the world around her but for now he would allow her to retain her innocence.

"That may be so but I don't want you to continue to worry about such matters. I don't know why but I just have this feeling that everything will turn out fine and that Suzaku will live through all of this." Lelouch assured.

Nunnally smiled in a grateful manner. "Whenever you say things like that they normally turn out to be true. I just hope your amazing good luck helps Suzaku out as well, brother."

Lelouch smiled before kissing her forehead. "I hope so as well. Now get some rest, Nunnally."

"Brother, could you stay with me until I fall asleep?" Nunnally asked, pleadingly.

"Of course, sister." Lelouch replied as he lay down beside her and held her in a gentle embrace.

"Good night, big brother." Nunnally said with a cute yawn.

"Good night, Nunnally." Lelouch said as he would remain by her side until she fell asleep.

Flashback End

He knew that he couldn't allow Suzaku to die because he had plans that still required him to remain with Britannia. He still needed him to become Euphemia's knight so that he could protect her from the aftermath of what he had planned for the Special Administrative Zone. Besides, his sister would eventually fall in love with him and he had no desire to take away his happiness a second time around. Even though he was still sore over the fact that Suzaku had used him as a means to get in favor with the emperor he was still willing to forgive him since he would've done the same if he was in his shoes. Besides, after he was through with Suzaku his faith in the Britannian empire would be completely shattered and maybe then, he could convince him to join his side. It would be a major blow to the empire to lose the one that would've eventually become their prized Knight of Seven but he would not allow the emperor to use any of his friends against him. As long as Suzaku were to remain loyal to the empire then, there was always a chance that such an event could happen if his identity as Zero was ever found out.

'No, I would rather have Suzaku at my side than to allow him to be manipulated by the Emperor or Schneizel to help them achieve their goals. However, I must play things correctly so that all of the pieces fall into place." Lelouch thought.

Lelouch was pulled from his thoughts by a feminine groan and turned his head to notice C.C. rousing from her sleep. A small smile graced his features as he watched the white witch take a moment to rub the sleep from her eyes before stretching in a catlike manner despite the fact she was still nude. The golden-eyed girl quickly focused her gaze onto Lelouch and tilted her head a bit as she regarded him.

"Don't you ever stop planning?" C.C. asked in her normal bored tone.

"I was merely working on the plans for a couple of Eight Generation frames for Todoh and the Four Holy Swords." Lelouch replied as he turned his chair to face her after turning off the computer.

"You seem to be quite forgiving of them and a bit too merciful if I must say so. If I'm not mistaken both Asahina and Chiba were quite distrusting of you with you supposedly abandoning the Black Knights after the Black Rebellion and what took place at the Geass Directorate." C.C. said.

"Yes, that maybe true but what more could I have expected from former members of the JLF. They were still my best Knightmare pilots and amongst the top members of the Black Knights. I merely need their cooperation and skills in order to help my plans along and I already know the means to solve their feelings of mistrust of my methods." Lelouch then, gave an evil grin. "However, if things do not work out correctly this time and I am still betrayed by the Black Knights then, I will teach them much like I did the last time why I came to be known as the Demon Emperor."

C.C. smiled and made her way over to sit in his lap. "So, what else do you have planned to do, today?"

"You're trying to tempt me, aren't you?" Lelouch asked with a raised eyebrow.

C.C. gave him a coy smirk. "Perhaps I am."

Lelouch shook his head. "Temptress!" C.C. giggled and gave him a brief kiss. "I plan to get Kallen onto the student council again since I require her to be in close contact with me from now on. I also want to get my Zero costume made and take a look at those Gloucesters that you acquired for me. I have to move them another location where I can be sure they won't be discovered and I have the perfect place in mind. We have a few more days until Jeremiah and the Purist Faction will be set to go with their public display of Suzaku's trial and I would like to at least make a few modifications to one or two of the Gloucesters during that time. I'm going to need you to pilot one of them and act as sniper to keep the rest of Purist Faction from interfering since I'm sure you're capable of handling it and keeping me alive."

"It won't be too difficult to take out a few unsuspecting Sutherlands when they don't expect me. I am your accomplice and I'm willing to help as long as I am properly rewarded. I also went about working on the Geass countering lenses that you asked for and I already have enough to make your mask out of." C.C. said.

"Good I'm going to need it for later when I go have my costume mad." Lelouch trailed his hands up her sides causing her to shiver. "As much as I would like to continue from last night I have classes to attend to. I've already informed Sayoko of your presence here and as usual she accepts you here and you can reveal yourself to Nunnally if you wish but no funny business. I don't need you filling my sister's head with any of your silly ideas on our relationship."

"Well, if I were to say that we have a future together then, it will be true this time around since we are lovers." C.C. replied with a smile.

"That may be so but you tend to twist the meaning of your words a lot and leave with a headache later on." Lelouch replied in exasperation.

C.C. pouted. "You're no fun."

Lelouch chuckled and gave her another chaste kiss before gently pushing her off his lap. C.C. quietly complied and made her way back to sit on the bed as she watched Lelouch get dressed for the day. After another brief kiss between the two, the violet-eyed youth left to join Nunnally for breakfast while leaving her his credit card and warning her to stay out of trouble even if he doubted she would comply. Breakfast was quieter than normal for the two Lamperouge siblings and Lelouch could easily tell his sister was still worried over the predicament of Suzaku. Sayoko was standing nearby as she gazed at her young mistress with concern since she had sensed the depressed mood of the younger girl.

Lelouch reached forward to grasp Nunnally's hand. "Nunnally, I know that you're still worried about Suzaku and I can't blame you. Suzaku is still my friend even if I haven't seen him in a long time and it angers me that he's in this sort of situation. I still have this feeling that everything will turn out fine and Suzaku will be allowed to go free."

Nunnally gripped his hand back. "Brother, I know that you're trying to cheer me up but I can't help but worry for Suzaku's sake. He's almost as important to me as you are and in a way I keep seeing you in his place and that also scares me."

Lelouch smiled, sadly at his sister. "Nunnally, I know how you feel about Suzaku since he used to dote on you as much as me but I need you to be understanding of the situation that he's in. Suzaku is Japanese and people like the Purist Faction are using whatever means they can to gain control over Area 11 since they are against the idea of any of the numbers be allowed to be treated fairly with special rights. Clovis did manage to do a few go things when he instated those special laws with the rest of the other areas adopting the same honorary system but now all of that is about to be put into jeopardy."

"Is it because of how corrupt Britannia has become under father's rule?" Nunnally asked while already knowing the answer. She and Lelouch had similar conversations in the past and she was well aware of how corrupt Britannia is now. Besides, it didn't take a genius to figure that out with how Britannia was trying to conquer the world while expanding the influence of their own culture.

"Yes, that's why people like Suzaku always end up suffering at the hands of those in power. Even we are not immune since if the emperor learns of us being alive then, he will either have us killed or brought back to Pendragon where we'll become his puppets. Don't forget that mother was a commoner before she became his consort and that's why they others always looked down upon us. The current world just happens to be like this where the weak suffer at the hands of the strong and there is very little that people like us can do about it. We just have to accept things as they are and hope that things will eventually become better." Lelouch replied. 'And I can promise you that I will make things better if only for your sake.' He added as an afterthought.

Nunnally reached up to his face with her free hand. "I can tell that you're angry about what Suzaku is going through but I thank you for being there for me."

Lelouch gripped her hand against his cheek and brought both hands to his lips to kiss her knuckles. "I will always be at your side to help you through the rough times just like I always have."

Nunnally smiled. "I love you, Lelouch."

"I love you as well, Nunnally." Lelouch replied.

The rest of their time together was still rather tense but Lelouch couldn't tell Nunnally that he already had plans to rescue Suzaku by beginning his revolution against Britannia by donning the mask of Zero. He knew she may become understanding of Zero was trying to accomplish but she was still an unknown variable since even Schneizel had been able to corrupt his sister and turn her against him before so he had to play things carefully. If he did then, he could eventually pull her completely to his side and have her become his second 'Goddess of Victory' much like Kaguya had been for him before. He hated that he wanted to bring her into the midst of his future battles but he would do anything to keep her safe at his side.

Informing Nunnally that he was going to head off to class as she kissed his cheek while wishing him a good day like she always did. The elder Lamperouge made his way through the hallways that led him out of their secluded section of the student council building. He wasn't even aware that Sayoko had been following him until she suddenly spoke.

"Master Lelouch, may I speak with you for a moment?" Sayoko said.

Lelouch stopped and turned to face her. "Yes, what is it that you need?"

"I'm afraid that I must express a bit of concern for you, young master. Last night as I was making my rounds I passed your room and happened to overhear your conversation with the young miss that is in your room at the moment." Sayoko replied.

Lelouch's eyes widened in surprise at hearing this. He realized that he had become a bit careless this time around since the last time he normally ended up speaking with C.C. about his plans whenever Nunnally was out or preoccupied in her room with Sayoko normally at his sister's side. However, he knew that he might not have anything to worry about since Sayoko had proved that she was still loyal to him even after learning that he was Zero the last time around.

"Exactly how much did you hear, Sayoko?" Lelouch asked with narrowed eyes.

"Enough to learn that you plan to join with a terrorist group to fight against Britannia." Sayoko bowed her head, slightly. "Forgive me for my intrusion and I will accept any punishment that you deem necessary. However, I swore to protect you and Mistress Nunnally and I only wish to express my concern for your well-being."

Lelouch snorted in amusement. "As if I were truly able to deliver in sort of punishment to you before you turned around and made my face familiar with the wall." Sayoko blinked at this then, smiled in understanding. "No, I won't punish you but I have a feeling you have another reason why you're speaking to me about this."

Sayoko nodded. "As I just said a moment ago, I made an oath to serve both you and your sister in any way possible. You have always treated me well and I am offering my services to you if you should ever require them."

"I had a feeling that was what you were going to say. For now all I ask is that you keep Nunnally safe and don't tell her about any of this." Lelouch said and sighed. "I will soon be making an enemy out of the Britannian Empire by working with the terrorists. However, I am putting myself at great risks because I am a Britannian that will be providing them assistance and many won't take too kindly to that if they were to find out. I don't want Nunnally to be targeted by anyone that becomes my enemy if my identity is discovered so I place my trust in you to keep her safe by any means you see fit." Lelouch finished with a serious expression.

"I understand, Master Lelouch." Sayoko replied.

"I may have other tasks for you in the future but for now this is all I need you to do for me." Lelouch said with the ninja maid nodding in understanding. "Thank you, Sayoko."

Sayoko smiled. "I am always happy to serve you and Mistress Nunnally."

Lelouch nodded. "Well, if there is nothing else I'll be going."

Sayoko nodded and wished him well before returning back to Nunnally's side to carry out her duties. She was well aware of his standing as the exiled 11th prince and 17th in line to the throne since she had actually been serving the Ashford family before they fell from grace. She had respected Lady Marianne and was honored to have been asked to watch over her children after the invasion of Japan following the Sakuradite conflict. If her young master was planning to fight against his father for the honor of Lady Marianne then, she would help in any way she could by protecting them both.

Later on that day during class, Kallen Kouzuki once again found herself frustrated at having to play her role as Kallen Stadtfeld and she was also frustrated because of the fact. This time her frustration wasn't due to the fact that she had to attend Ashford academy to keep up her front. No, her frustration was due to the giggling girls that she had happened to call her friends as they continued to hound her about her involvement with the academy heartthrob, Lelouch Lamperouge. Every time she saw him throughout the day he would casually greet her with that charming smile that had all of the girls around them swooning before they would glare at her for having his attention. She briefly wondered what they would think of him if they learned that he was willing to provide aid to a terrorist group planning to take on the empire.

Her thoughts were once again drawn to Lelouch and the little bit she had learned of him in their conversation yesterday. She had noticed him before but he had always seemed like a typical Britannian with his regal good looks and calm, aloof personality. He was also rather sociable and easy going with the ability to charm many of the girls and even some of the older women at the academy. However, she realized there was another side to Lelouch when he had spoken with such passion about his hatred for Britannia and everything it stood for. She found that he was similar to her in a way since her reasons for fighting were because Britannia had taken the freedom of the Japanese people and then, later own the life of her brother which caused her to seek revenge. He had also lost someone or something of importance to him at the hands of Britannia and wanted revenge against them as well.

'Plus, he already has some sort of connection to Zero and they both seem to want to help the resistance fight against Britannia. The only problem is we don't know if they're trustworthy or what they are really capable of. The fact that between the two of them we have all of those Sutherlands and we managed to win against impossible odds back in Shinjuku already tells a lot about them.' Kallen frowned. 'I still don't understand why they would choose our little group instead of a group like the JLF to provide backing to. I just might have to ask Lelouch next chance I get.'

It wasn't much longer until time came around for lunch with Kallen casually talking to her 'friends' while resisting the urge to groan at the topic they had chosen. Were they to dimwitted to get it through their thick skulls that nothing was going on between her and Lelouch? However, it seemed as if fate or some other higher power was conspiring against her when a sudden shadow fell across her as the surrounding girls lapsed into silence.

"Miss Stadtfeld." Kallen looked up to see Lelouch standing beside her desk with his charming smile that caused her cheeks to heat up a bit. "Would you care to join me for lunch today? I have a few things that I wish to discuss with you if you don't mind."

"N-No not all." Kallen replied with a slight stutter.

Lelouch turned to a stunned Shirley. "Shirley, if you don't mind can you gather Milly and the rest of the student council in the meeting room? Tell her it's about that little request that I asked her about earlier."

Shirley gave him a confused look before understanding dawned on her features. "Sure that's not a problem, Lulu. I'm sure that Madam President managed to work everything with no problems."

Lelouch smiled at the orangette causing her to blush at being under the strong, alluring gaze of her crush and quickly left the room to gather the others. Lelouch turned back to Kallen and her friends with a brief apology to them for taking Kallen away from them. The two future partners casually made their way through the halls of the school in silence though Kallen was aware of the fact that she was being led to the roof. Once they arrived and having made sure that no one else was around Lelouch turned to face Kallen with his smile still in place.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I've asked you to join me here?" Lelouch said.

"Yeah and I'm glad you did since I have a few things to ask you." Kallen said.

"By all means, ask away and I will answer to the best of my abilities." Lelouch replied with a dramatic bow.

Kallen rolled her eyes at the display. "I want to know the real reason why you and Zero decided to help our little group and not the JLF instead?"

"It is because we are completing the contract that was made with Naoto Kouzuki." Lelouch replied, simply.

Kallen's eyes widened in shock before narrowing with suspicion. "How do you know my brother's name?"

"Are you always so quick to make threats against people?" Lelouch asked, amused. "The reason I know of you brother was because he had contacted Zero for assistance before his untimely death. We were asked to provide the means to make your group into a stronger force by your brother but before we could give him a reply we learned of his death and since he was the only member of your group we ever had contact with we had to wait to you guys surfaced on your own."

Lelouch was obviously lying about knowing her brother but he needed to do this but couldn't help but feel guilty for manipulating Kallen in such a way.

"My brother never mentioned anything about you so how do I know that you aren't lying?" Kallen demanded.

Lelouch shrugged. "It's not surprising since we told him not to let anyone know of the arrangements he was making until we decided to help or not. After all, I am a Britannian citizen and if word got out that I was helping terrorists then, you could guess what would happen. Through my own means I learned of your groups little plan to infiltrate Clovis's little research lab and once you were caught up in Shinjuku you already know the rest."

Kallen calmed down at his reasoning. "I still don't know what else two of you can help us with."

"Both Zero and I are very capable tacticians and we have various connections throughout the Tokyo settlement that a group like yours require to become an effective fighting force. The Sutherlands that we provided you was only the tip of the iceberg since I also have access to the more advanced Gloucesters which are Fifth-Generation Knightmares that are designed for close combat. They are more advanced than the Sutherlands with superior mobility and heavier armor since they were meant for Anti-Knightmare combat. I have access to a substantial amount of funds through my dealings with the nobles of this area so you will gain quite a bit of financial backing as well allowing us to expand our ranks with more members." Lelouch said.

Kallen could only gape at him. "I really don't know what to make of you, Lelouch. If you had approached me with this before Shinjuku I most likely would've killed you for pointing me out as a terrorist. If you have access to all of this then, I'm sure Ohgi and the others will be more than happy to join up with you and Zero since we barely have enough supplies and weapons to support our group. Heck, the Glasgow was the only Knightmare we had until you gave us those Sutherlands and it was only pure luck that I managed to last as long as I did."

"Quite the contrary, Kallen. You proved yourself to be quite the pilot by using an outdated Third-Generation Knightmare to hold your own against a superior force with better Knightmares and numbers on their side. If your group had more pilots like you and were better equipped then, it would've been a lot easier for the resistance to obtain victory even before our help." Lelouch said causing her to blush at his praise.

Very few had ever had actually praised her for her piloting skills despite the obvious facts that she was their best. Only Naoto and Ohgi had constantly encouraged her to improve on her skills. To hear Lelouch suddenly praise her caused the redheaded terrorist to become quite flustered causing her to avert her gaze from his which caused Lelouch to smile. He had always found the sight of a blushing Kallen to be a beautiful and entrancing sight and was sad that he hadn't paid much attention to her the last time around.

"Zero and I wish to join forces with you since together we have something that the JLF lack." Lelouch said.

Kallen looked back at him. "What do you mean by that?"

"As you may or may not know the JLF is mostly comprised of remnants of the Japanese army and have the most backing of the Six Houses of Kyoto as well as the enough force to match the Britannian army but have never managed to land a decisive victory against Britannia. The reason why is that they lack support from the public, information, proper military technology, and the right motivation to fight." Lelouch replied.

"I guess I can agree with you for most of that but I'm sure that their motivation is to free Japan from Britannian's grip." Kallen said in confusion.

"Yes, they have the motivation to free Japan but they also wish for this country to return to its former glory as well. Japan didn't possess a very stable government or economic structure before the war but the members of the JLF still want to return to that bygone age. I wish for Japan to become free and be reborn anew to stand again as a proud nation with the might to oppose Britannia or any other nation that decides to darken its doorsteps. From there Zero and I wish to free other countries from Britannian control and to usher in a new era of peace and prosperity for everyone." Lelouch replied in a passionate tone.

Kallen was in awe of the boy in front of her. "I'm not sure we're the right people to help you with such grand goals."

Lelouch walked forward until he was standing next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I can assure you that you and the others are just the right people for the job and with our help you will come to realize that as well." Lelouch removed his hand. "Let's go meet up with the others."

"Why is that?" Kallen inquired.

"Because of your 'special situation' you aren't able to any extra-curricular activities and you are required to join at least one club while attending the academy. I merely asked Milly to convince her uncle the principle to allow you to join the student council and this will allow the two of us to keep in contact during the school hours." Lelouch replied with an amused grin.

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea." Kallen replied.

Lelouch merely chuckled and made his way off the roof with his crimson queen quickly following despite her better judgment. It wasn't long before the two teens made their way to the student council building and entered with Lelouch filling Kallen on what duties she should expect to have to perform. Kallen was still a bit undecided at first but had eventually conceded when Lelouch had begun to pour on the charm leaving her quite flustered and unable to deny a request from such a cute guy. She briefly wondered what Ohgi and the others would say if they found out she was crushing on a Britannian she had just met even if he was on their side.

"I'm glad that you decided to join us, Kallen. Milly and the others can get out of hand sometimes but I'm sure that you'll be able to get along with them." Lelouch said as they entered the door.

"Well, you are pretty convincing when you want to be." Kallen said with a small smile.

"I'm glad he was able to convince you. It would've been such a hassle for me if I went through all of the trouble of getting you inducted and then you turned down Lulu's offer." The voice of Milly sounded causing the two turn towards the source.

Milly was entering the room with a serving cart of food followed by the rest of the members of the student council. They all introduced themselves one by one until the sound of a motorized wheelchair was heard by all of those gathered. Nunnally was entering the room from the hallway that connected the east side of the building to the main room was where everyone was currently in. She was being accompanied by Sayoko as usual and Lelouch noticed something that he had never paid attention to the first time around when he saw Nina flinch in revulsion as the Japanese maid passed her. He narrowed his eyes at this and realized that Nina's xenophobia had caused her to be afraid of the kind-hearted woman that swore to protect him and Nunnally.

'I'm going to have to do something about her soon. I should've realized this sooner instead of just when Suzaku began attending school here. Her fear of Japanese could easily cause her to begin developing the FLIEJA just out of spite of them.' Lelouch thought.

The black prince was suddenly drawn from his thoughts by the sound of Rivalz voice. "Shall we kick this party of with a toast?" The blue-haired teen asked, gleefully as he produced a bottle of champagne. As he tried to pulled the cork Shirley suddenly pounced on him in an attempt to snatch the bottle from him while scolding him at the same time. "Lelouch, catch!"

The bottle was thrown at the elder Lamperouge quickly caught the bottle and noticed that it was already quite shaken up. He quickly moved the bottle out of the reach of Shirley while keeping it aimed in the direction of Kallen until moments later the cork popped off on direct line towards her. With surprising reflexes, Kallen lashed out and slapped the cork away but couldn't avoid the spray of champagne that drenched her seconds later.

"Oh dear, what a mess this is. Kallen, we have a shower upstairs that you can use and we'll see about finding you a change of clothes." Milly said.

Rivalz went to apologize but flinched at the combined glares he was receiving from Kallen, Milly, and Shirley while Lelouch helped Sayoko to clean up the mess that was left behind. Lelouch chuckled at the fact that this was similar to what happened the last time with the exception of the fact that he didn't think he would have to worry about Kallen threatening his life. Unless she tried to blame him for this mess when he went to bring her some clothes in a bit.

Kallen was angry as she stood beneath the shower and allowed the warm water to cascade over her nude form. She was glad for her school blazer since when she had removed it she noticed the champagne had completely soaked through her blouse and bra giving an excellent view of nicely formed breasts. If Lelouch or even Rivalz had seen that she would've been utterly mortified. She was turned her head, slightly when she heard a knock on the bathroom door.

"Kallen, its Lelouch. I've brought you a change of clothes that should fit you." Lelouch said.

"You can come in." Kallen replied while making sure the curtain was fully drawn.

Lelouch made his way inside and held in a whistle as he could see the shadowed, curvaceous form of the red-haired terrorist through the thin curtain that separated them. He placed the clothes on a nearby rack as he turned his gaze towards the wall.

"I'm sorry about what happened earlier. Rivalz tends to get a bit excited at times and can get carried away." Lelouch said, chuckling. "I blame Milly for that since she always takes things to the extreme such as when she plans out any of the school festivals."

Kallen laughed as she poked her head out of the side while still shielding her body. "I guess there's nothing wrong with that. I mean everyone needs to cut lose sometimes even if it had to be at my expense this time."

"I was sure that you would've wanted to castrate Rivalz after that little stunt. I can tell from looking at your wet clothes that you were really soaked and if it wasn't for your school blazer you would've given the two of us quite the show." Lelouch said and she could hear the smirk in his voice.

Kallen blushed. "S-Shut up, you pervert. Why did you have to be the one to bring me clothes if you're going to act like that?"

"Well, Milly and Shirley admitted that nothing they had would've fitted you and Nina is quite a bit on the petite side so she was definitely out. I actually live here with Nunnally and Sayoko in the east side of the council building that was cut off. The Ashford family is old acquaintances of my mother and allowed us to stay here given our special situation." Lelouch replied.

"I hope you don't mind me asking but what happened to your sister, Nunnally? Milly told me she was in a terrible accident that caused her to become disabled but she wouldn't tell me why." Kallen asked with a bit of hesitation.

Lelouch smiled, sadly. "I guess I can tell you that Nunnally is part of my reason for joining you." He leaned against the wall. "My mother was killed in what was considered a terrorist but I know that it wasn't. My mother was once a member of the Knights of the Round and was an incredible Knightmare pilot with a high standing in the imperial court. The Ganymede prototype we use here at the academy is the very same Knightmare that she used to pilot when they first began being developed by the Ashford family and they kept it safe. When mother was killed Nunnally was there as well and caught up in the attack causing the loss of her legs and for her blindness to be caused due to mental trauma she suffered. Instead of investigating the murder the emperor pushed it off as inconsequential matter and exiled me and Nunnally to Japan when I demanded that he due something find her killers."

Kallen whistled. "Your family must have been some sort of nobles or something especially if she was one of the Knights of the Round. I've heard that they are supposed to be the best Knightmare pilots that Britannia has."

"Yes, I guess you could say something like that about my former lineage but that's in the past now. My mother was the Knight of Six at the time but he didn't care enough to investigate her death and that allowed me to see the emperor for who he truly was. After I spoke out against him we were sent to Japan as political hostages and lived with the Kururugi family for a time during the Sakuradite conflict." Lelouch said.

"So, I guess that means that you know that 'Suzaku' guy they say killed the Clovis?" Kallen asked.

Lelouch grimaced at the reminder of his friend's predicament as he nodded. "Yes, he's an old friend of mine but we haven't been in contact for quite a few years now. It was only a couple of months later that Britannia invaded Japan with me and Nunnally being left here to die. I lost contact with Suzaku when we had a clash of ideals and I was left to take care of Nunnally on my own for a while. Luckily, I managed to keep the two of us alive long enough and eventually came across the Ashford family who immediately took us in. It was only due the fact that Ashford family had followed us to Japan after being stripped of their title of nobility simply because they were allies of my mother and wished to support us after our exile." Lelouch said and shook his head. "However, I can assure you that Suzaku was not the one responsible for the death of Prince Clovis as the media claims. The one that is responsible for the death of the Viceroy and the ceasefire order is Zero and before you doubt me I know this because I was there to watch him carry out these acts."

Kallen took a moment to gaze at the face of Lelouch whose expression was a blank mask as he told of his involvement in the death of the viceroy. She wasn't exactly sure to make of him at the moment but something about him sent a shiver up her spine that was neither pleasant nor unpleasant.

"Are you still fighting just for the sake of revenge?" Kallen asked.

Lelouch sighed. "At first, Nunnally's condition and the answer's to my mother's murder where all I cared about but after staying here for so long I began to see this as my home. Under the rule of the current Emperor Britannia has become completely corrupted as they seek to spread the influence of Britannian culture across the world and rob other countries of their own. Since I grew to see this as my home I wanted to see Japan become free once again but I had no idea at first until I was contacted by Zero and asked to join his cause. I don't know how he knew of my desire for revenge but he told me that he also wanted revenge against my former homeland for what they did to him and I agreed to join him."

Kallen nodded as she lapsed into a brief silence as she thought over everything that Lelouch had said to her so far. Despite the fact that he was a Britannian he had given her plenty of reasons to support why he hated his former homeland and she found that she couldn't dispute him on any of it. However, she still couldn't help but have her doubts about him and the mysterious 'Zero' that she and the others had yet to meet with.

The red-haired rebel was drawn from her thoughts as the sound of a phone ringing drew the attention of both her and Lelouch. Lelouch made a show of tracking it down to Kallen's discarded clothing since he already knew that it was C.C. calling. Unlike last time where he had Sayoko play a recording of him he was using his white witch to carry out this little ruse. Taking a moment to make sure that the caller id read Zero and not someone else he turned his attention back to the redhead as he made his way back closer to her.

"Looks like Zero finally decided that he wants to talk with you about your group's decision." Lelouch said.

Kallen quickly snatched the phone from his hand and glared at Lelouch. "Make sure you don't peek on me or I'll have to hurt you."

Lelouch couldn't resist the shudder that ran through his body as he offered a weak chuckle and turned his back on her. Kallen quickly flipped the phone open as she ducked her head back into the shower.

"Um...hello?" Kallen spoke into the receiver.

"So, Lelouch was able to successfully get into contact with you. I am sure that my partner has already informed you but I am Zero." The voice on the other end of the line replied.

Kallen stifled a gasp, clearly recognizing the voice on the other end from Shinjuku. "So, you really do exist just like Lelouch said?"

Zero chuckled. "I see that even after Lelouch provided all of the facts of why you obtained your victory at Shinjuku there were still doubts to our sincerity. It didn't take much to convince Naoto Kouzuki of what I was capable but I see that you aren't as open-minded as he was."

Kallen growled. "I still don't believe the fact that you knew my brother. I know for certain that he would've told the rest of us about the two of you even if you told him not to."

"Maybe but he also knew that if he did I wouldn't have provided him with my assistance but another group would've received it instead. I don't offer an alliance with just anyone due to the need for keeping the identity of Lelouch and me a secret. Lelouch is already putting himself at great risk since he is a Britannian student that is helping a rebel group but he can move more freely than I can so it is necessary as well. Think what would happen if we had been in contact with other rebel cells and some of their members were captured then, interrogated for information. The safety of Lelouch and his sister would no longer be guaranteed and they would put as much effort into finding me as possible." Zero replied.

"I guess you do have a point there but Ohgi and the others would like to meet the guy that helped us out." Kallen replied.

"That is the reason why I had Lelouch get into contact with you and provide you with that untraceable phone." Zero replied. "1600 hours, the day after tomorrow. Come to the Tokyo observation tower and be as discreet as possible."

Kallen was about to agree when a thought occurred to her. "Wait a moment, Zero! How did you manage to arrange that ceasefire and are you really responsible for the death of Prince Clovis? Are you just going to let that Suzaku guy take the fall for you?"

The only reply Kallen received was a dial tone causing the redhead to growl out in frustration for not getting her questions answered. However, she quickly reasoned that she would be able to get the answers to her questions when she told the others and they met with him the day after tomorrow. She really wanted to meet this guy that her brother had sought help from and to see what else he had to say. Closing the cell, she knew that she had to inform Ohgi and the others so that they could come up with some sort of plan just in case this whole situation turned out to be a trap. With that thought in mind, Kallen turned off the water and pulled the curtain back as she made to get out of the shower.

However, in her haste she had forgotten one crucial detail and that was the fact that Lelouch was still in the bathroom with her. When Lelouch had heard her growl out in frustration he had turned to tease her but was caught flatfooted when he heard the water shut off and could only blink when he she threw the curtain wide open. The two teens could only stare at one another in shock while blushing at the sudden situation that they found themselves in. The dark haired Lamperouge couldn't help memorizing every detail of Kallen's nude form as best he could. Kallen noticed his eyes roaming over her body which caused her to blush even more but also found herself unable to move for some reason. However, his next words quickly managed to dispel whatever spell that entranced her.

"Kallen, I don't know how you manage to keep up the illusion of a sickly, weak noble girl for so long with such an incredible body but in a way I'm glad. This gives me another reason to try and get close to you." Lelouch said with a smirk.

Kallen blushes an even deep shade of crimson and shrieked as she tossed a bar of soap at Lelouch before ducking down with a cry of 'Pervert'. Lelouch ducked out of the way of the impromptu projectile while backing out of the bathroom while laughing at the redhead. Kallen waited until she heard the door shut before peeking out through the gap in the curtains to make sure that Lelouch was completely gone before releasing a heavy sigh. She was beyond mortified that a guy had seen her naked like that and a Britannian at that but she couldn't really blame Lelouch for that. It was her fault that she forgotten about him in her rush but she still blamed him for the simple fact that he had ogled her the way that he did. The way his eyes had roamed over her body had caused a rather pleasant warmth in the pit of her stomach but she ignored that in favor of the sense anger and embarrassment that had soon followed. Next time she saw him she was going to make him pay for looking at her in such a way even if it hurt their chances at an alliance with Zero she would have her revenge.

The redhead quickly pushed away her dark thoughts as she quickly got out of the shower to get dressed so she could meet up with Ohgi and the others. As she made her way through the halls of the student council building she made sure to avoid Lelouch and the others just in case he felt like teasing her about what happened. She may have been mad at him but she didn't want to suffer a second dose of embarrassment if Milly and the others learned of what happened. Luckily, she was able to make her way out without being seen by the others but was unaware of a pair of gold eyes watching her with hints of amusement in their depths.

Suzaku found himself looking up at the ceiling of his confinement cell as he lay on the provided bed with his arms behind his head. His mind was still reeling from the fact that he had been charged with the murder of the Area Eleven Viceroy and Third Prince of Britannia, Clovis la Britannia. He hadn't even known that the prince was dead until he had been placed under arrest by the Purist Faction led by Jeremiah Gottwald. It didn't really surprise him that as an honorary Britannian that he was treated as a suspect since the Purist Faction but still felt that once he presented his case before the tribunal he would be allowed to go free. He was sure that Lloyd and Cecile would come to testify in his defense since they had clear knowledge of his whereabouts the entire time. However, Suzaku had no clue that the tribunal in charge of his case were firm supporters of the Purist Faction and also wanted the end of the Honorary Britannian system that Clovis had started.

'I wonder if Lelouch was able to make it out safely. Cecile had said there were no reports of a Britannian student amongst the dead or injured but that could've meant that he was captured by those rebels. If they did get him and learn that he is a apart of the royal family they will kill him despite the fact that he's an exiled prince and hasn't had contact with them in seven years. I still don't know whether I should've been shocked to meet him again the way I did or be angry with him for being in such a dangerous place in the first place.' Suzaku thought then, smiled. 'The last time we saw each other was not long after the war started and we had that big argument about what we should do. I had wanted him to take Nunnally and go to the Britannian forces so they would be safe but he had refused. He was so swallowed up by his hate for his father that he didn't want to return to Britannia even though it meant putting Nunnally in danger. I had called him a coward for not wanting to go back and ran away to see if I could talk to my father to make sure that Lelouch and Nunnally could go home.' Suzaku then, grimaced. 'Only to learn that my father was prepared to order everyone to fight Britannia to the very end even if it meant the complete eradication of Japan. I couldn't let him kill everyone like that and in my brief moment of anger I killed him and I've lived with the guilt of that act ever since.'

Suzaku recalled how he had lived with the Sumeragi family for a while after that and had hoped to hear news of Lelouch and Nunnally. He had been greatly saddened when the news of Lelouch and Nunnally had reached him with even Kaguya being saddened since she had always had a crush on Lelouch despite their age gap. He had submersed himself into learning as he could from his sensei, Kyoshiro Todoh with the thought of avenging his fallen friends but Kyoshiro had dissuaded him following such a path. It wasn't until a few years later when Japanese were allowed to join the military forces through the Honorary Britannian system that Suzaku gained a new goal. He wanted the Japanese to be accepted by the Britannians and felt that the Honorary Britannian system was the first step in that direction. With the thought that if he could rise in the military ranks he could gain enough of a voice to influence how his fellow Japanese were treated. Kyoshiro and the rest of his family told him that it was foolish dream and they would be unable to support him in such an endeavor but he chose to charge straight ahead no matter what the consequences.

Suzaku allowed himself a brief chuckle as he recalled his unexpected reunion with Lelouch before he had been shot by his commanding officer and the look of shock on the face of his friend. Even if his father's watch had stopped the bullet the impact had still hurt a lot and left his ribs quite sore causing him pain while he had been piloting the Lancelot. It seemed that despite the fact they hadn't seen each other in so many years Lelouch still tended to wind up in the middle of sticky situations like they used to often due to his bratty and selfish behavior. The only difference was that normally it was Lelouch thinking of some sort of way to get them out of since Suzaku had to admit that he was a bit of a troublemaker when he was younger. He absentmindedly rand his hand over the area where his commanding officer had shot him after he had refused to kill Lelouch but wondered what the man reaction would've been if he realized he was threatening a member of the royal family even if he was an exiled prince. Then again he didn't really know the whole situation back in the Britannian homeland in regards to Lelouch and Nunnally since the two had been already declared dead. They probably would've thought of him as an imposter or merely using the deceased prince's name and killed Lelouch anyway.

Suzaku sighed for the umpteenth time. 'It would've been nice to just get together with Lelouch and Nunnally and have it like it was in the old days before the war.'

The brown-haired Knightmare pilot was drawn out of his thoughts as he heard the door to his cell suddenly open causing him to sit up to see who was paying him this unexpected visit. His answer came in the form of three members of Purist Faction identified as their leader, Jeremiah Gottwald and two of his top subordinates, Kewell Soresi and Villetta Nu. This was the first time they had chosen to pay him a visit since his imprisonment and he knew that the resulting conversation would not be pleasant for him from the looks on their faces. Suzaku stood up completely to face the three but made no aggressive movements even if he didn't relax his guard since he was well aware of their animosity for Elevens and wouldn't put it pass them to attempt to ruff him up a bit if necessary.

"Private Kururugi, I hope your stay here has been most pleasant so far." Jeremiah said with an air of arrogance.

Suzaku bit back a growl as he addressed the man. "I've already told you before that I didn't have anything to do with the assassination of Prince Clovis. I was being treated in the carrier for the ASEEC and was piloting the Knightmare frame, Lancelot in combat against the terrorists during that time."

"Yes, do remind us of how you were given access to a Seventh-Generation Knightmare that we had no knowledge of in the first place? Not only was a mere eleven chosen to become its pilot you also were soundly defeated by a group of terrorists piloting stolen Sutherlands. Despite the testaments from the members of the Camelot team that you had performed quite remarkably before you were led into a trap I am still left to wonder." Kewell said in a smug tone.

Suzaku narrowed his eyes. "Are you trying to say that I purposely allowed myself to lose that battle?"

"From our records, you are a very capable Knightmare pilot and with what was reported of your performance against the terrorists it wouldn't have been no problem for you to handle the situation with such an advanced unit. Especially, since the rebels were piloting outdated frame and it was highly doubtful that the ignorant barbarians knew how to properly pilot them in the first place." Kewell continued in his smug tone.

Suzaku felt himself growing angry but a quick realization made a small grin to form on his lips. He knew that it wouldn't make his situation any better but he really felt like putting Kewell in his place.

"If the terrorists was as unskilled as you say then, they wouldn't have managed to take out so many of our forces before I was forced to pilot the Lancelot and engage them in the first place. I was merely following my orders like any other soldier and trying to end the fighting as quickly as possible." Suzaku replied.

Kewell was about to launch into another argument when Villetta suddenly spoke up. "As amusing as it is to watch the two of you bicker over such a trivial matter. I do believe that we are deviating from the reason why we came in the first place."

Jeremiah nodded. "Yes, Villetta is right and I believe you should better reign in your emotions, Kewell." He shifted his attention fully to Suzaku. "We are actually here to inform you that in two days' time we shall commence with your trial and that it will be a public event. I don't know how you manage to convince the members of the ASEEC to cover up for but for you to actually believe that you could assassinate our dear Prince Clovis and think you could get away with is foolish and laughable."

"I keep trying to tell you that I didn't have anything to do with the death of the prince. Why is it that you don't believe me?" Suzaku said with a bit of desperation in his voice.

"Even if you didn't have you didn't actually pull the trigger your actions in the latter part of the battle is still under heavy suspicion. I believe that you are in fact allied with the rebels and that you staged your defeat in order to divert the attention of our forces away from the prince's G-1 long enough for someone to sneak inside and assassinate him. However, we have also come to realize that you had an inside man who was Britannian and has proven himself to be disloyal to the crown." Jeremiah said.

"That is absolutely ridiculous!" Suzaku yelled out.

"Oh, is it truly ridiculous to believe the son of former Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi to want to strike such a blow against Britannia in retaliation for the death of your father during the war. Why else would you have joined our army in the first place if not for the sake of revenge in the first place? You clearly played yourself off as a loyal soldier of the crown using your status as an Honorary Britannian while providing intel to the rebels all this time." Jeremiah said.

Suzaku was distraught and livid at the same time. "Just because of whom my father was doesn't mean that I joined the military just for revenge. I joined to prove that I could change the system from within."

Kewell scoffed. "As if you expect us to truly believe such rabble. How were you planning to change the system when even with your status as an Honorary Britannian you a still just a mere number with a few special rights? Do you truly believe that you or any other number would ever be accepted by proper Britannian society and that we would eventually see you as equals to us? You are nothing more than a band of defeated survivors that by the mere grace of our emperor is being allowed to live on and bask in the glory that is the Holy Empire of Britannia. Instead rebels like your friends resort to acts of terrorism and lash out against us but fail to realize that their defiance is utterly pointless."

"Not everyone is dissatisfied with the way that things are. Many are willing to move on with their lives and embrace Britannia with open arms." Suzaku said.

This time it was Villetta that scoffed. "That is because they really don't have much of a choice but to bow their heads and accept their new place in our society. Don't forget that you and your fellow countrymen had your chance and failed just like so many others. Plus, you still expect us to believe that you never had any intention of assassinating Prince Clovis. You are not the first to attempt to do such a thing but this time you and your little friends got lucky and it will cost you dearly with your life."

Jeremiah smirked. "We gave you the chance to say a few words but in the end it will change nothing. In a few days you're scheduled to be put on trial and when it is all said and done you will be executed for the hand you played in the death of Prince Clovis. This will send a message to your little friends that you are just the beginning and we won't stop until we have wiped out every last one of you pissant eleven filth. If by some miraculous chance that you are able to walk away from this then you had best hope that we never cross paths again or you will regret it."

With that last parting comment all three members of the Purist Faction turned and left Suzaku to wait out the rest of his confinement. The brown-haired youth was even more disheartened than he was before. Yet despite all of the cruel words they had said he still carried on with the hope that he would be able to prove his innocence and continue on to prove to his fellow countrymen and his Britannian superiors that he could change their ways. He sat back down on his bed and leaned against the wall while propping up one leg and resting his forearm on his knee. He would continue to hold onto his faith that everything would turn out just fine and once everything was over he would search for Nunnally and possibly Lelouch if he was still alive.

Lelouch walked back into his room after a long and tiring day in his honest opinion. He realized that things were a bit harder this time around since he was doing much more than he did the last time. Once school was over he had quickly made an excuse to Rivalz that he had to go into town alone to take care of business instead of their usual gambling runs with the blue-haired Britannian offering to let him use his bike if he wanted. Lelouch had quickly made his way to where C.C. had stored the transport loaded with Gloucesters and had geassed several local workers into becoming more his sleeper agents. He did this since why bother with making use of them once when he could use his geass to make people loyal to him and use them later if necessary. He knew that he was abusing his power a bit but he wanted to make sure that his plans went smoothly and would repent by freeing the world from the evil that was his father and Holy Britannian Empire. He even had them begin modifying three of the Gloucesters with some of the spare weapons that C.C. and Villetta had also acquired for him and found them to be capable workers.

After having the transport moved to an abandoned warehouse that would later serve as a temporary headquarters for the Black Knights he went to the same man that he had geassed to make his costume the first time. The only difference this time he wanted the glass of his mask made out of the geass countering lens as an added precaution if his geass went out of control again like last time. Just because his geass had evolved there was no guarantee that V.V. couldn't influence it to go out of control again like he did last time and he already had a pair of contact lenses courtesy of C.C. as well.

Afterwards, the Black Prince had met up with several nobles that owed him favors and used his geass to ensure that they would provide future support to his operations as well. Just like last time it would require a large amount of money to fund his little revolution and as the size of his army grew he would need to make sure that they would be well-equipped. Even if most of the Black Knights would become nothing more than pawns to him since he never knew personally they believed in his cause and he wanted to make sure that as many as possible lived.

Lelouch also made contact with Villetta since C.C. had provided her with an untraceable phone much like he did with Kallen so that he could communicate with her whenever necessary. He had to make sure that no changes would be made for when they paraded Suzaku down the street during their public mockery of the Honorary Britannian system but she had assured him that everything would go exactly as it had the last time. Although, he was highly amused how she had described how Jeremiah and Kewell had helped her to tear into Suzaku when they had visited him. The two men had been purposely persuaded by the words of Villetta before the meeting not knowing that C.C. had previously instructed her to do on behalf of Lelouch when they had met the other day. With that the little bit of detail still the same Lelouch knew that his little miracle would go off the same way it did the last time but with a few changes. He was suddenly drawn out of his thoughts by the voice of his contractor and recently turned lover as the lights flipped on.

"Is this going to become a recurring habit with you? You're constant absences have been causing poor Nunnally a lot of worry and I don't really feel like constantly lying to her whenever she asks where you're at." C.C. said from her position on the bed. She was wearing her normal underwear and looking at him with an exasperated expression but her eyes twinkled with amusement.

"Sorry about putting you in that sort of situation but I had to take care of a few tasks. I need everything to be prepared for Suzaku's trial so that my little rescue goes off with a more dramatic flair than last time. I already began modifying the Gloucesters but I want the two of us to make sure that everything is fully operational for Zero's big debut in two days." Lelouch replied.

"You used your geass on some poor sap again, didn't you?" C.C. asked in a deadpan voice.

"Why of course I did. Geass is merely another tool at my disposal and just like last time I will use it as necessary to make sure that my rebellion goes as smooth as possible despite the fact it may sometimes go against my belief and morals." Lelouch replied.

"I'm in no way reprimanding you for your use of Geass since what is the use of having such a power if you're not going to use it. Just make sure that you use it in the right the situation so that you don't make the same mistakes as last time or worse. I would prefer you not having to run the chance of having to die again because you became too overconfident." C.C. said.

"That is why I have you by my side to rein me in whenever you feel that I may be getting in over my head." Lelouch said with a grin.

"A lot of good that may do me since you tend to be rather stubborn at times and leave me frustrated with how reckless you tend to be." C.C. said with an over exaggerated sigh.

Lelouch chuckled as he made his way over to the green-haired immortal and pulled her to her feet before wrapping his arms around her slender frame. C.C responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and gazing up into his violet eyes with a bit of confusion but also lust. She had grown to become a bit addicted to the feel of his arms wrapped around her though she wished he was more muscular but she could easily force him to remedy that.

"Cecilia, I want this to be the one and only time I ever have to do such a thing again. I had never planned to die but I had to in order to make my dream a reality with my main regret being that I had to leave behind so many people that I cared for. I want to live out the rest of my life with you, Kallen, Nunnally, and everyone else whether I am forced to become the 99th emperor again or just live as a regular civilian again." Lelouch said, softly.

C.C. rested her head against his chest. "You are aware that you're making me feel emotions that I haven't allowed myself to feel in a very long time. I find myself wanting to continue to live on even if it means that I have to watch you grow old but I will break our contract before that happens. Right now you are all I need to be happy in this world and once this is done with I want to settle down with you and have a family if possible even that means I have to share you with Kallen or anyone else. After all, Charles had numerous consorts so I am prepared for you to do the same since you have become such a flirt."

"That is another goal that I am happy to work towards but it all starts in a few days when we rescue Suzaku. I will once again have to embark on a path stained with blood in order to give the world the peace it so desperately craves for. Britannia and all those that threaten to oppress the weak shall once again learn to fear the name of Zero and his Black Knights." Lelouch said in a passionate tone.

C.C. lifted her head from his chest and gave him a coy look. "Just shut up and make love to me."

Lelouch chuckled. "As you wish my Emerald Queen."

With that said the two engaged in a heated kiss as clothing was quickly discarded before the two once again filled the night air with the sounds of their lovemaking. It wouldn't be till morning that Lelouch would find himself being chastised by Sayoko for such behavior and the obvious affect it had on her. With his resolve once again set Lelouch would once again set out to make an enemy that encompassed roughly a one-third of the world and dare to defy what many thought of as an seemingly unstoppable enemy.

Well, that's chapter 3 of Fate's Second Chance and I apologize for the slow update but I am across seas and with my duties I have very little time to dedicate to my writings. I will push them out as fast as I can but try to be patient since I have ideas for three different stories that come and go so I try to work on each whenever I have a good idea in my head. The anticipated return of Zero is close at hand but what changes does Lelouch have this time around and what are his plans for Suzaku? I have received quite a few requests to make this story a harem as well as other little requests from some of my reviewers that I am greatly considering. I had originally planned to have Lelouch make his debut as Zero but with the length of the chapter it would've been extremely long with everything I planned to put in it so I broke it down into two chapters instead.

In the next chapter, Zero will most definitely make his debut along with a special intervention by our favorite immortal witch. Also, like I said before I won't have Suzaku outright join Zero and his future Black Knights but will begin to test his resolve and see where that takes me. Suzaku has already had a small dose of how Britannian's view the numbers under their rule but I'm going to push that even farther. I also plan to bring up the subject of how Lelouch and the others acquire the Lancelot unit 2 as well as the Lancelot Club and maybe an added surprise but I won't say for sure. As usual read and review as you like and don't hesitate to send me any ideas or suggestions on how to improve my story or any content that you wish to see.