Title: Call to duty
Disclaimer: i do not own Code Geass
Summary: "Peace comes...and peace goes. But when it goes, someone has to bring it back, right, Lelouch?"
................After faking his death, Lelouch has managed to live with CC and a small community peacefully and undetected by the Britannia. However, after six years of silence and bliss, an unexpected guest appears and with him comes a war of pain and anger.
My eyes felt soft... how could they not be though? Never throughout my life have I ever felt at such peace, I had decided only moments previous as I moved around the small campus-like town. I could see them all running and smiling, my children, my creations and followers of C. Our settlement is located in an unobserved part of the world, Brisbane, Australia, where the beach stretches far and the main downtown takes all of the attention away from our small training segment. Here, CC and I have finally managed to gather all of those who were just like her once; lost and alone, unaware of how to treat their own powers and scared of someone figuring it out and treating them painfully. Yes, we had managed to gather them all here and taught them to control their powers and even use it for the greater good. And now there are children, carrying on with the traditions. How many of us geass-possessed beings are there? Almost 300.
This is our World of C. A peaceful land where everybody gets a long as we help each other towards salvation within the Lord's eyes. While the majority of us live above ground in the half circle shaped apartment complex, all of our classrooms and hideouts are located beneath the several Frangipani trees which litter our 2.59 km2 home. Truly, having lived here for so long, I must say that I have never felt more at peace. Being smiled at by my children without being threatened to and truly having my word heard without force is one of the most relaxing methods of life I have ever known.
Yes, i miss my dear little sister and my friend Suzaku. They were both so good to me and yet, neither of them are aware of my ongoing existence. Sometimes, when I'm alone, I can't help but think of how wrong, how sinister that was. How much pain I had put them through by faking my own death. However, it was absolutely necessary to the plan for if there had been any hesitation in the least bit, nothing would have turned out the way it did. While I also sometimes feel selfish knowing this, I have locked my children away from the outside world for my own desires. I do not want to know anything about Britannia: how it's progressing, how it's new emporeress is maintaining it, whether Nippon got it's name back. This is because i know that somewhere deep inside, I still miss Ashford Academy. I desire to be back there along side of Shirley, Milly, Rivalz, Nunnally, Suzaku, Kallen, Nina and even Rollo. Those times, still genuine memories, make me tear up whenever I think of how long ago it had been and how nice it always was.
Even now, I can feel the heat rising, dripping from orchid iris onto the marked paperwork beneath.
"Lelouch," came a still-cold yet ever so calming and familiar voice. I do not look up, not wanting her to see me in such a weak state. After all, this gift she had given to me seven years ago was far greater than anything I had ever had before. i couldn't let her believe that I was ungrateful. "A Britannian Airship has landed less than a mile away."
My head snaps up, eyes widen. "What!?" I turn in panic, knowing that we had somehow been discovered.
"Soldiers have already reached our borders. There are no methods of escape."
My mind reeled as i knew the submarines were all waiting. But how many of us would be killed in the process of running towards them, more than a mile away? It would be less than if we were to all just wait for the cold steel of a gun. "Tell every one to hurry underground. it's our only chance."
"Understood." Then, without another word, the witch vanished up the stairs and the sound of her footsteps disappeared through the soundproof barrier protecting our little underground classrooms. I began to wonder if the Soldiers were aware of our existence beneath and if so, what would they find. Turning, I realize that my existence now stood within the most dangerous of all rooms. Every piece of evidence of my being Zero: battle plans, maps and weapon count, all laid down here before me. I would have to hide them, and quickly.
The sound of footsteps throw me off guard as my head whips around, hand reaching for the nearest gun in preparation for some sort of weak but existent self defense. However, once the person arrived, I realized that this was no more than one of my children. "Kyn. Help me, Please." I practically begged, still managing to find holes in the ground to stuff papers and plans. We had run out of desk room far too quickly and I swore to myself that if our society survived this, that i would be better prepared for the future. These papers that sat before us, these simple dead trees had no meaning to us other than bring trouble. I should have burned them long long ago.
I couldn't help but feel a sense of remorse for Kyn through all of the organized panic streaming through my mind. He had come to me for peace and understanding and yet here he was being drug not only into a great fear and panic of possible death by Britannian Soldiers but also through a graphic and violent past that his beloved father experienced. I move my lips to apologize just before he suddenly gasps, trying to catch a paper which managed to slip from the pile and onto the floor. I turn along with him to grab it only to stop, finding a soldier staring between the two of us, mask on and gun armed. Through all of the white noise, we had failed to hear him.
The soldier begins to lean down, snatching up the paper with the barrel of the gun still pointing at us threateningly. Then, after looking it over, he looks back up. "This seems threatening enough." He mutters.
"Let me explain." I quickly rushed. "These papers were all from long long ago when the Black Knights were still in existence. They have nothing to do with these people or this time and-"
The ignorant soldier could care less. A click was shortly followed by a gun shot and I shook, feeling blood splatter against me, hearing Kyn's body collapse to the ground, my peripheral vision begging me to look away but my body stuck in a motionless state. Then the gun was turned on me and I knew this would be the end. Not the end of my life, nor the end of Kyn's life, but instead the end of the peace which I had fought so long for. The end of the world as some of these children had been born into and would now be forced to see the cruel laboratories which held others like CC for many years.
I had failed.
"That's enough, soldier." Came another voice. This one was strangely familiar and yet not. Like one I had known so long ago but it had developed. And at once, I recognized the man as he entered the room, eyes still as careful as ever.
"Suzaku."
However, the Japanese looked at me the same way he had almost a decade before. With contempt. "It's over. You and your people have been discovered."
So that was how it still was… Suzaku was still his enemy but for what reason now? Surely it no longer had anything to do with Euphemia and after six years, one would think that they'd be more thrilled than upset to see their long-lost dead friend. But I recognized the betrayal. He was no longer wearing the Zero Mask which I had so clearly explained to him that he must never remove. He must have given up with the masquerade and suddenly several different ideas ran through my head for why he could have. Perhaps it was simply broken. Or maybe Arthur had stolen it again. But once I was past both silly and unreasonable ideas, my thoughts turned to Nunally. He had been with her. So to have lost it meant that he had also lost her.
"Where's Nunally!?" I growled violently, fear bubbling in my stomach. I hadn't left my past life only to have her hurt or killed! I wouldn't allow it! My hand reached for the nearby pistol, aiming it directly towards my past friend's head. This reminded me far too much of the past… the worry that Nunally was in trouble while my friend betrayed her cruelly, going against me. Only this time, He didn't have an opposing weapon. Instead, Suzaku looked towards me, this time with a little more compassion, practically answering my deeply-rooted concern. She was…d-
"Suzaku?" came another voice, this one softer and even far more familiar. I looked up to find a girl starring into the room, her eyes wide and innocent, a deep shade of purple, closely related to the late Marianne. Her hair was cropped short, shoulder length and flat but remained the same color as it had many years before. No longer was her fragile body bound nor dressed in simpleton clothing but instead it now was strong and standing with ease, dressed in a flat suit similar to the one Kallen used to wear, only black and made of plastic. Gold rimmed around all of the corners and I wondered, what was an empress doing wearing something similar to that?
"Nunally?" I muttered softly. The name was barely audible through the whisper as I couldn't help but feel light headed. Here they were, my sister and my old friend… both within the world of C, a place I had created to get away from the past.
She smiled towards me softly, obviously glad to see that I really was still around, a deep sadness lifting from those revealing eyes. And just behind her came a pink haired woman, hair long and shaped more like CC's was. Her eyes remained downcast, clearly unforgiving towards me still for everything in the past. I greeted her as well just before my mind suddenly reeled once again with answers to why Suzaku no longer wore his mask.
It must have been Kallen's fault in some way; that maybe she had managed to somehow talk Nunally into searching for me. But why would she care to find me? Perhaps she still thought that our relationship could mean something or maybe she was still angered by my deception on so many levels now. What did she plan? To kill me? Impossible… I was unable to die without my own consent now, just all of all of the Children of C couldn't. Surely enough, she knew this.
They all seemed to look at each other and then move to sit around the table idly, causing me to feel trapped in a corner of the room. I stared at them, angered by their lack of response towards the situation. Not one of the three seemed to care that one of my children still sat unconscious on the ground, no longer bleeding but clearly having had lost too much for a human. I wanted to reach over and help him to a chair, but Suzaku's Chair blocked between me and him.
I couldn't help but feel infuriated by this situation as my eyes locked onto Suzaku with a deep glare. However, he seemed to be immune to this as he simply didn't look at me. What was he thinking as he sat her while soldiers ran around the area, possibly massacring my children? Was it because they weren't Japanese that he didn't care? So long as it wasn't his own people, did they not even matter to him. And what about Kallen?! My violently gaze swept towards her and I caught her flinch as she too attempted to look away. Why would she do the same? Was she really afraid of my dislike for her or could it be the fear of the geass? I had already put all three of them under a geass, so surely enough none of them were stupid enough to believe that I would have anything against them besides the pistol that still shook within my hand.
I turned my look against Nunally this time, instantly regretting it. No matter how much she had screamed her hatred for me, I still couldn't bring myself to hate her in any way. She was my reason for going on and my stare instantly became soft, staring into her eyes. She looked back at me, having obviously known on some sense that I was still alive and had not left her… this was the intuition of siblings.
Instantly, I realized why the three of them weren't moving, fear striking into my heart. "I'm waiting on him, aren't I?" I hissed violently.
Suzaku was the only to answer me, nodding simply but allowing me to know now that there was a new emperor of Britannia. But how could that have been possible? Nunally was still
alive and fully capable. Who could have turned her away form the power she possessed? Then, like clock worth, the three stood and I turned as we all stared towards the stare way in
which bulky boots made their way down.
I would have been fooled if my sharp mind didn't know better. There stood a Charles Li Britannia, his eyes cold, lips curled into a violent smile. Only he was darker, tanner and slightly less bulky. No, this was not my father. This was my uncle, Ayer. The three bowed obediently but I owed nothing to this man as I continued to stand, glaring him down violently, wanting to shoot him for ordering this attack against my people.
Ayer looked around the room, also having caught the old papers which to this day I regret having never burned. I clutched the gun harder, ready to attack him and knock him out of existence for ever having taken Nunally from the throne. Clearly, the only thought running through his head was that of pain and torture, world domination just like that of my cruel and wasteful father.
"I want this area destroyed." He ordered to Suzaku, leaving to turn without acknowledging anything more about the current situation. Immediately, I opened my mouth to testify against him, but was stopped, feeling cool and soft hands taking my clenched one gently. Nunally looked up at me with a gentle smile; clearly she understood this would happen eventually and she had taken the time to think it through. This made my little sister far more understanding and open than I think I could ever become.
Ayer left the room, shaking the insides with his massive body before disappearing completely. My eyes were weary as I wanted to hurry and run to kill the man who threatened CC's and my peace. However, I was stopped this time by Suzaku.
"I am the one with the orders." He said calmly. "Until I decide to issue them, your people are safe. So please, allow us the chance to explain ourselves." There was a pause and I knew I had no choice. My cooperation is what would decide how long my people had to prosper. Perhaps they would even try to escape. "Ayer took the crown only a year ago after convincing the counsel that Nunally was doing nothing to benefit their country. The counsel, all for Charles' methods had agreed and decided that they would allow him to take over but we all know that this is just because of a discriminatory point of view on their part.
"The Black Knights were destroyed and only those who would offer their services to Ayer managed to escape death. Nunally was exiled and managed to escape with Kallen. They both had to change their appearances and luckily enough, nobody seems to have caught on to who they are yet, not even Ayer. They have been living with me and I had been demasked before the entire world. But once Ayer had put everything together, he figured out that you were still alive somewhere and so he spared me and used me to find you. He wants to kill you to be sure that there is nobody against his throne.
"All of your brothers and sisters, are all dead. He killed them all in secret and won't have any children because of his desire to be emperor for eternity. He wants to own the world."
I had managed to take it all in stride and yet deep inside, my heart was panicking. I knew that this would result in war… no amount of fleeing would ever save my people….
"Lelouch, you only have three choices now." Began Kallen. "The entire world is following and they are all waiting for you to reveal yourself. So you can either come out yourself and announce to the world that you survived or you can be forced out by Ayer who will kill you in front of the entire world along with your people. Or…" she seemed disgusted by this last option. "You can somehow talk him into letting you survive… but this would mean ultimate succumbing to the empire."
"Don't count on that." I hissed violently. My mind wandered over the options as I couldn't help but feel regret for my lack of choices. I had just grown so accustom to peace… but I suppose that if peace wanted to run, then I would have to let it.
"Peace comes and peace goes," muttered a fourth voice. CC had entered the room, clearly having been listening to everything we had said. Her eyes were familiar, that smirk she had when we had first met with the attitude in regards to how powerful a team they were. "But when it goes, someone has to bring it back, right, Lelouch?"
I look up at her and immediately we share the same feelings as I nod. "You're right, CC." Then, with that I move to leave the room. "If this is how Ayer wants it, we'll give him what he wants and more." Then, she and I move up the stairs, any panic now set aside, the familiar smell of war replenishing out souls. Both Nunally and Suzaku followed closely behind us as we made our way to the beach and along the coast towards where the AirShip could clearly be seen.
Although this area had once been a very peaceful area where my children would sit and listen to the beautiful waves, I could already see the violence that would soon be to follow. The soft waves, the beautiful stars… they were all replaced now by the sound of warning sirens and solder's partying. And near ahead was a rally, Ayer standing before the troops and offering them a speech meant to create a sense of power.
"We're still with you, Lelouch." Suzaku muttered to me. "We always will follow you, no matter what." Nunally nodded and I knew that this would turn out in my favor.
Arriving at the scene, my line of sight landed on a tall pillar as I made my way up towards it, knowing that it would make me level with the emperor, a real threat to his own existence. Managing to make it to the top (as un-athletic as I remain), my cold eyes stared out towards the man dangerously as I called his name, seeing everyone turn towards me, whether they be in knightmares, in uniform or even behind the lens of a camera. The entire world is watching and it's too late to turn back now.
"Six years ago, I had faked my own death after taking the entire world's hatred upon myself. By doing this, I had created a sense of peace which had supposedly only temporarily last for nearly five years. I was unaware, having run and hid here in this retreat of peace where no longer could any wars or violence disturbed me or my children. However, it seems that while my selfish hide away has remained unknown, you have managed to destroy the peace and once again create war!
"We who live here exist in the World of C, a powerful creation far beyond the explanation or comprehension of regular humans."
I was interrupted as Ayer barked a laugh, however I knew his game. He was scared and he didn't want his people to see this. I continued, un-phased and this time cutting him off to show the people that I too was not afraid. "If it is so truly what you desire, to wage war against us, allow me to tell you this. Even though my army is only of three hundred people, including children, I swear that victory will rest in my hands. I would prefer that you left my children and I with our justly deserved peace but I promise you an amazing war that you will never forget if that is so what you chose. I swear this in my name, Lelouch Vi Cuchullain."
Then, stepping down from my post, I could feel the sense of panic and confusion I had left behind. But unlike my seventeen year old self who would have desired to bask in that creation, I had grown mature and began to move back towards my home, knowing that I must take responsibility and prepare my children. Ayer would not leave my world-wide threat unpunished.
Suzaku rushed ahead of me to warn all of what was to come, having clearly thought about the upcoming war ahead of time. Nunally smiled at me, promising safety for my people and I knew then that it was time for the Past and the present to come together as one. Together, we would all make peace again and this time, I would be ever lasting.
Arriving just outside of one of the classrooms, I know that Todo is teaching within his night class. He had managed to find us only three years after my death and I had accepted him into our clan of Cuchullain. Moving inside, I spotted the class learning how to use their geass and weapons to their advantage and moving to the front, I stepped next to Todo.
"Mind your teacher, children." I mutter to them, knowing that they would spread the word quicker than I could possibly. "For war is at hand once again. The emporer of Britannia no longer has passed over us and now our lives revolve around our ability to fight. Starting tomorrow, life as you know will change."
Turning towards Todo, I mumbled even lower, having managed to fall into a mild fit of depression, "Britannian reign hasn't ended yet. It is our duty to carry out peace."
A quick nod and I move away, back up the stairs and looking towards the stars. They were coated in the fumes left over from the AirShip. And allowing a single tear to stream down my cheek, I gave my farewells to peace and to the world which I had just begun to know and said hello once again to war.
So I've figured out that I am becoming incapable of writing Chapter Stories and do better just doing the entire thing at once. So my new stories that I am going to start writing will probably all be just one chapter long and they'll just be like a single scene or just random thoughts of characters. This one, I actually drempt of. My dreams get really really detailed and this is word for word and action for action of what happened in my dream. So hopefully just maybe you guys liked seeing inside of Lelouch's mind. Please review so I know what to change for my next one (it's almost done. It's a SuzakuxLelouch).
-HoneyFlavoredPocky