Chapter 1: Idle King

August 15 2017 a.t.b

Ashford Academy, Area Eleven

A little backstory seems to be in order. August 10, 2010. The Holy Britannia Empire declared war upon Japan, despite its neutrality. Now Britannia looms to be the dominant superpower of the world because of the Humanoid Autonomous Armoured Knight, better known as the Knightmare Frame. Japan was stripped of its freedoms, its rights, its name, and its resource, Sakuradite. With free access to this bright pink material, the Britannia war machine has essentially unlimited power.

The other superpowers, the United Republic of Europia and the Chinese Federation, are little better than Britannia Itself. The lowest classes are trampled upon and abused until they can't be used no more. They're only numbers after all and easily replaceable because some bastard decided that Social-Darwinism works and should be applied in a supranational level. Highly capitalistic and highly consumeristic, what do the people do about this? The royalty and nobility fight amongst themselves and the lower classes are too apathetic to anything.

Why am I not surprised?

Even back at home, things had always been crazy. Unlikely elected officials. Trade Wars ramping up. Entering into the first stages of another Cold War. Lower class apathetic, too busy with their own problems. The rich and powerful doing whatever they can to hold onto their own power. Yet, it is a much more favourable alternative than this place! Yes, these people may be both technologically advanced and primitive. Yes, these people have the best equal opportunities between men and woman. That will not excuse them for what they do to those below them. What, just because of where they're from and who they are, they are lower on the totem poll? I say, Hell No!

"David! Whatcha doing?" cried my more athletic girl buddy, hopping down to take a seat beside me. Can't really hide what I was doing, seeing as I had compiled photographs of blackmail of one Duke Halibut in some very compromising positions. Gwen was staring at the screen, wide-eyed with lust and mouth watering. I shook my head and admitted, "Compiling some blackmail Gwen. Just in case one of the Princess' adventures gets him into trouble."

She chuckled, shaking her head as she rested her head on my shoulder. "Naughty naughty Mister Manson. Sooner or later, you are going to get yourself into trouble yourself and I may just have to arrest you."

I often forget that Gwen Abigail was part of the Britannian Military. Then again, I don't see the point of lying to her and showed her my side project in the meanwhile. She grumbled, "And of course you're doing just that. Are you trying to get yourself arrested or killed?"

"Sorry Gwen but you know how much injustice there is in this world. No fairness anymore. Too much power with no checks and balances to make sure they are held accountable." I said for what seems like the fifth time we went over this. Old habits I guess. I admitted, "Listen. You know how I feel about Britannia, Europe, and the Chinese for that matter. You know that people are suffering out there. I want to try and make a difference. If that means I have to rip and tear through the web to reveal the darkness, I will bring it out kicking and screaming."

The endowed blonde turned to me, shoulder-to-shoulder, eyes narrowed. "Think about your friends okay? If you die, how do you think that'll effect us huh? How do you think that'll look on me?" She leaned her head on my shoulder, whispering, "I know you want to change the world but it never ends well if you chose to do it through fear."

I asked, "Then how would you like me to change the world? Sure everything is okay but there can be so much more we could do. No one thinks about the future because everyone is so focused looking in the past and present."

Gwen shifted back and smiled at me. "Well, you could always join the military and join the ranks. Now that you mentioned it, you always did say you want to be a journalist or one of those war correspondents." She poked my nose and giggled, "You even threatened acts of vigilantism."

I sighed and admitted, "Maybe I'll do just that. Who knows? For now, at least, I'm content living my life and enjoying High School."

My friend leaned in when her phone interrupted us. She picked it up, "Corporal Abigail, reporting."

She immediately stood at attention, eyes wide. "I'll be right there!"

Gwen closed the phone and grimaced, "Sorry, I gotta go. There's a situation at Shinjuku."

I waved her off. "Go. I'll find out using my usual method." I stated, revealing my little quad-rotor swarm She just shook her head, smile on her face, as she ran off. Guess she learned not to keep secrets like last time. Boy, oh boy, did I have a field day. I raced to the roof and launched my drone swarm. I often thanked my luck for establishing a backdoor via the Britannian Military Network. Thank you Gwen.

My swarm headed to Shinjuku at record speed. I hooked up the listening device. "-Tell them back home we're carrying out a planned urban renewal here. As Clovis, third prince of the Empire, I command you! Destroy Shinjuku Ghetto! Leave no one alive!"

Oh fuck. Fuckity, fuckity, fuck, fuck, fuck!

I can't do shit. Already, squads were filing into apartments and firing indiscriminately. Anything that moves and that wasn't them, murdered. I couldn't do a thing about it but continue to let the recordings play. No editing. No music. Just the constant chatter of Britannian soldiers breaching and firing. This was a dirty job and they were going to cover it up as an Urban Renewal?

My blood boiled. I felt it. I felt the heat get to me. I felt water from my water bottle hit me but it just evaporated. This…this…

I went back into the backdoor and typed away. Anything. Something. There has to be something I could manipulate. Something I could screw up or take control. I tried to access the soldier's HUD. Blocked. What about the tank's fire controls? Blocked. IFF systems? Blocked. Knightmares? Blocked! Everything fucking blocked and I can't do shit about it!

I let the drones go on autopilot, allowing them to stay up for three hours before Returning-To-Base. I have to sit down. I…I can't even…

The battle has long since been over and the damage was done. Britannian propaganda was covering up the incident as a poison gas attack. I could have leaked the recording to the public. I should have done that. Why didn't I do that? I got my answer by my same blonde, uniformed girl-buddy soldier returning to our usual spot at the Academy. She looked worse for ware and definitely needed some comfort. I didn't say anything. I just embraced her.

I was happy that she accepted. "Hey Gwen. Want me to carry you back home?"

She nodded, lifting a leg up. I grabbed hold and hefted her up. Funnily enough, she lives in the same apartment complex as I do. Walking on in, the landlord just saw us and shook his head. "You guys finally gonna do it?" Mack joked, trying to not take a picture of this exact scene. To be honest, it would have been funny. A Britannian soldier getting carried by a masked low-class street punk.

I cracked back, "I would really appreciate it if you did not mention it to the others. It's embarrassing."

Mack rolled his eyes and waved us off, letting me get on going. Didn't really take long for me to get into her room. I made a beeline to her room and stripped her down. Her only dignity I left her were her undergarments. I just took the rest of her uniform to the wash and ran it. I grabbed her armour pieces and began cleaning out the fabric parts. What am I going to do now? Can I be able to launch a rebellion? To fight back against a heavily established system? If I did, would I be able to live with the consequences?

I don't know if I have the courage to carry it out. So much blood on my hands. What about Gwen? Her reputation would be ruined. Shattered. I can't do that to her. It's not right.

But it also isn't right for the Numbers. They have been oppressed and beaten down. No one gives a shit about them and they can't fight. They try it, their lives become that much harder. They can't risk it. Violent uprisings just end in too much blood for my tastes. Guess I'm just not cut out for the task.

There has to be some kind of middle ground. Something that I can exploit and still damage Britannia with.

Money. That's it! Hit them where it really hurts. Fuck up the Holy Britannian Empire's economy. We don't even need to fight if everyone stops working. Output is way down. Companies will feel the pinch. Government will have to step in and they'll have to listen. Ideally, that is. Still plenty of complications on that one. Terrorist activity will always be a problem, especially if they enter a peaceful crowd. Organizing a large disgruntled workforce to suddenly stop working and join in a march has its problems with the courage of the workers. Will they put their family's livelihood at risk if it meant freedom?

Then there's the problem with leadership. I need to give this organization some backbone. Need to give it some strength. I need to be able to coordinate on a world wide scale. Workers of the World unite! Most importantly, I need to send a message. A clear message of my demands. Give the Numbers their dignity back and an equal opportunity. Investigate the corrupt and remove them. Put in more regulation and moderate politically.

What happens if we're fired upon and kill us? Would I be able to keep them together or would the organization break apart and the cycle continues?

I took Gwen's clothing and dried them. Why am I not tired? Why am I so bothered to do this? It isn't my fight. Someone else can do it. Yeah, that's it. Let them organize and take the fall. It's their country and they want their freedom back. I just supply one with the details and done. Clean my hands of all this. What's the worse that can happen? Perhaps it's because I gave him my ideas, he's taking the hits now. If it backfires badly, his family and his own livelihood would be at risk. It has to be me. I can't let anyone take the blows for me.

I folded up the uniform and laid them out neatly on Gwen's desk alongside her equipment. I got her spare Ashford uniform out and laid it out for her too. I set up her alarm to just the way she likes it. I think I have been idle for too long. Perhaps it's time to make a fucking difference.

August 11, 2017

Apartment Complex

Bacon. That's the smell that touched me first thing in the morning. That beautiful smell of meat. If I wasn't stripped naked, I would have loved to jump out of bed and walk over to the kitchen and get a piece. When was the last time I had bacon for breakfast? I can't even remember anymore. I got myself dressed and marched over to the kitchen. David's here, cooking for me.

"The plates almost ready Gwen. Why don't you take a seat?" he said tiredly, placing the strips of bacon on each plate before serving. French omelette with bacon, English Muffin, and jam. I took a seat and dug in, happy to savour every bit. It was just like how I remembered. There's literally nothing quite like it.

"Glad you like it Gwen. To be honest, I wouldn't blame you. Yesterday's been a rough day." He commented, eating his own big portion. He was right though. Yesterday's been really tough. Civilians were killed by us during the crossfire by jumpy soldiers. Poison gas had been released. Now Clovis had been killed. Downright awful. Had to spend so much time on clean up and helping out the orphaned. It's a straight mess through and through. Guess David saw all that.

I replied, "Yeah. It's downright awful. So many dead and for what? A waste of lives and in the end-"

He was silent for a long while. He was hiding something. Did he see more in his surveillance? He finally spoke, "Gwen. I need you to trust me. What I'm going to do next, it may cause problems for you and the country as a whole."

No…he wouldn't. Instinct took over and I felt myself tense up, ready to take him down. He let out a deep sigh. "Never mind. I probably shouldn't have said that."

I slammed on the table. "You better! If you're planning a rebellion, it is my duty to take you down before more people get hurt! Too many have died already!" I gripped his arm tightly, ready. "So tell me the truth. Are you planning a rebellion?"

I saw him bite his lips. Unsure. I pressed his arm up, his whole chest rising with it. He finally shouted, "Yes! Yes I was!"

Damn it all! Alright. I can trust that he hasn't begun yet so there's still a chance. I pressed up harder, asking, "How would you have started your rebellion?"

He whimpered, "I was going to gather around the disgruntled and the abused and have them stop working altogether and occupy a street. Companies will feel the pinch from the lack of work. Streets will be cluttered with traffic. The intermittent government will negotiate with them to give them more equal and dignified terms. Rinse, wash, repeat if need be."

Oh. That's definitely new. Just in case, I forced a growl and pressed up harder, eliciting a scream from him. I eased off a bit, barking, "You sure? You aren't lying to me, are you?"

He shook his head violently, pleading, "No! No, I'm not lying! Please let me go."

I released him and he cradled his arm and backed off. He looked at me, hurt in his eyes. I stepped towards him but he took five steps back. "I-I-I'll wait for you outside." he stuttered, rushing out the door before I could say a thing. He didn't even finish his plate. I hit the couch, rubbing my temple. Oh God, what have I done? I shouldn't have done that. I got too carried away.

My door creaked open, letting me hear David again. "Gwen? Uhm…I'm sorry for running out like that. Would you still like to walk to school with me?"

David…

I got up and collected my bag. "I would love to David." I said, carefully embracing him. God, I am so~ lucky someone like him exists. If it were someone else…. We stayed in place for a short while, enjoying each other's company. David broke off first, the fear having left his cool eyes.

He began, "Please don't do that again. It really hurts Gwen."

"I'll try not to do it again just as long as you'll try to be truthful to me. My fear is that you'll go down a path that I can't follow and that scares me. I don't want you to be my enemy." I said, holding his hand as tightly as I could.

David gave me confirming nod, saying rather reluctantly, "I…I'll be honest Gwen. I just can't see myself leading a rebellion like this." YES! "I don't think I can handle the blood on my hands."

I couldn't help it. I hugged him and held him there. God, why can't other boys be like him?

August 18, 2017

Why am I so pathetic?

One word from Gwen and I feel like putty and I give up right there. If I were to lead a mass civil disobedience it would have been over before it even got off the ground! GOD! Why the hell don't I have any backbone?! Just yesterday, I was helping her do some shopping for her friend's birthday! I mean, what's wrong with supplying them more money, that's a practical gift!

…am I just an asshole?

I went back to work on my side project, busily digging into the code. I won't lie, it's still a slow process but it's still progress nonetheless. If all else fails, this will be the great equalizer. Force a change and hope it won't be too late. There's no denying that Britannia will become the sole ruler of the world but it's stagnant and will most likely collapse on its own.

Ultimately, even though I hate the Social-Darwinist policy, the people are rather decent. Only thing that must change is the treatment of the Numbers. Some were advocating such changes but those were few and in between. Boasting that idea would start to change some things. I don't even care if it's a slow process, in the end, the civil rights train won't stop until the end.

"David." stated the familiar voice of the princess.

I turned around to face him. "Yeah Princess. How can I help you?" I asked, curious as to why he wished to talk to me?

He demanded, "I order you to stop calling me Princess from now on!"

My eyes widened and felt something click…and then immediately click back into place. Did he just try to? You motherfucking, gold bricking, mind raping, son-of-a-bitch! "No, fuck you." I flat out snarled, ready to pounce on the son-of-a-bitch.

Funnily enough, he lost his composure and slam into the wall. I cracked my knuckles. I leaned in close and whispered, "You try to mind rape me again, I will rape you. So try again Lelouch Lamperouge. What can I help you with?"

He coughed and regained composure. "I would like to invite you to the Student Council Penthouse."

I closed my laptop and crossed my arms. "Why should I?"

Lelouch gave a false smile. Oh shit. "We will have to suspend you if you don't join a school group."

I sighed, deducing, "Let me guess, Millicent's orders?"

He nodded, motioning for me to follow along. Across the grounds, Gwen was getting dragged along by Milly. We shared a look. Well…shit…