Disclaimer: What? Really? Does anyone here think I own Code Geass or these songs? Anyone? Is anyone that stupid?

"Only the forgotten are truly dead."

-Tess Gerritsen

Only the Forgotten

Prologue

A New Beginning

"No
You'll never be alone
When darkness comes you know I'm never far
Hear the whispers in the dark"

- Skillet, "Whispers in the Dark"

He looked out from beneath the safety of his cowl as the train bumped along the tracks. Nobody seemed to notice, but he couldn't trust luck. Moving out in the open was dangerous and foolhardy, and with what he'd done, it would be even more difficult to follow up the rumors C.C. had heard. He frowned. Still, it had needed to be done.

C.C. came back then, sitting next to him and fluffing her yellow skirt. He smirked. The woman hated skirts. "No one," she told him, keeping her eyes toward the front, and he nodded. For now, they were safe. They would have to take a different train, which would mean a long wait. Still... "You aren't a martyr anymore, you know. You don't need to be doing this."

"No. I must always do this."

She just sighed.

Someone got up from behind them, and both he and C.C. tensed. But the person moved to the back, and he heard the door to the bathroom open and close. C.C. sighed. "I'll check it out."

He nodded.

She was graceful as she slid right back out, her long hair flowing in green rivers. He watched as she spoke to someone behind them. It sounded like an old lady asking if C.C. was all right. She was laughed off. "Oh, I'm just restless." The old lady laughed and C.C. was on her way. He kept his head down. This was dangerous.

Again he pulled out the newspaper clipping. It was old and torn from the past year's abuse, but the picture was more in his mind now, and he didn't need to see it to know what it was: Zero, standing radiant over the tyrannic king's corpse. 'The hero of Justice returns!' the caption read, and under it, 'Lelouch vi Britannia dethroned a mere month after he takes command of Fleija.' Lelouch didn't bother reading anything else; he knew every word by heart. Instead he looked at Zero, the stance he had memorized, the chin lifted high. He frowned.

"He's out," C.C. said, sliding into her seat once more. He put the picture away. C.C. stretched her hands over her head. "This stop or the next?"

"The next," he said. "They'd expect this one."

She hummed. "Do you think they'll find out before we get off?"

He looked out the window. They were running through farmlands, passing row after row of greens. He tilted his gaze to the sky. It was bright, the sun strong enough to prove the summer's dawn. He rolled his shoulders. It was similar to that day, almost to a painful degree. He looked away from the window, but C.C. had caught him looking. "It's disconcerting, isn't it?"

He said nothing, just looked back. Yes, his body had been taken to a deserted farm. The building he'd been dropped near had been burned at some point; he knew it had probably been caused in some way by him. He'd been left for the birds; it was on Zero's order, the only kindness Suzaku could give him. They'd wanted his body in pieces, on a stake or hanging. Suzaku hadn't known, of course, that he yet lived, and he'd simply lain motionless until he'd been dropped. In that scorched field where soybeans had once grown, he'd found his goals reached and his life...

A loud ding informed them that the train was about to stop, and a few people behind them started grabbing their things. The movement made his shoulders itch; he'd chosen to keep his hair the same in a fit of narcissism, and it made it even more impossible for him to hide if he was seen. Yes, they'd taken quite a chance, starting this journey.

No, that wasn't true. He was the one taking such a chance. He could only hope it paid off.

"Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals."

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Is this report accurate?"

"Yes, sir, Zero. As far as we can tell."

He read over it with a frown, though of course the general couldn't see it. The report was similar to two others, both sitting in files gathering dust. The sunlight from outside glittered through the windows onto his back, heating his black cloak to fiery levels. What had Lelouch been thinking, making his outfit like this? "It says the man you found left cargo on a train. You've stopped it, I presume."

"Yes, sir, though it had made two stops before we made the connection." Suzaku let his arm fall to his side, sliding his form back inside the cloak. He'd thought Lelouch's adamance about theatrics had been absurd; he'd thought people would never fall for such shows. But here he was, a year in, and this general whom he had spoken to countless times was shifting from one foot to the other as he waited. Perhaps it was the mask. It had always slightly intimidated Suzaku, seeing it. Or maybe it was the symbol he knew himself to be. The symbol of peace and justice, love and vengeance in equal measures. Or maybe the man could just feel his frustration.

"And have you picked up these people?"

"Yes, sir. All but one. And older lady remembered seeing a young girl with odd-colored hair. She got off on the second stop."

Suzaku's eyes narrowed. Odd hair? "What color?"

"Greenish."

It was her. It had been a year since he'd heard of that C.C. girl, and he had to admit that he'd been pleased to be able to simply ignore her existence. Maybe he couldn't afford to anymore. But why now? And if he remembered correctly, she could make herself invisible. Why didn't she?

"Sir?"

Suzaku handed the report back to the general. "Take this and find her, but don't confront her. Once you've found her, contact me."

Yes, sir!" The man saluted and rushed off to do as told. The door closed behind him.

Suzaku was left alone in the room again. He looked around, hardly letting himself slouch, knowing men could pop in at any time. The room was austere, if plush, with a red sofa on the opposite side of the room. He stood by the desk, a deep mahogany that may or may not have been antique. There was carpet, soft and white, though Suzaku had never felt it through Lelouch's infernal gloves. It was the sunlight that he loved, and he wished he could let his face soak in it. He hadn't been able to for a year. His permanent tan was slowly fading.

"Zero?"

He turned as the door clicked open. Nunnally sat in her wheelchair with a grin. No one stood beside her. He allowed himself to relax, just a bit. "Nunnally."

With a flick of the joystick her wheelchair moved toward him. Those eyes of hers still ate up the sight of him; he, in turn, still found himself baffled by those almost-blue irises. Somehow he'd always thought she'd have purple eyes. Like her brother.

He scowled at the thought.

"How are you? I heard General Miyamoto was here."

"He was." Suzaku leaned against the possibly-antique desk and rolled his shoulders. "Do you remember the Oomi and Takagawa cases?"

She frowned a bit as she thought. "You mean the smuggler and the rapist, right?" It still disturbed him to see her speak of such things with calmness. He remembered her as Lelouch's little sister, always kept innocent by Lelouch. He didn't know if it was her time with Schneizel that had changed her or the murder of her brother. Still she always had a smile for him, and she'd told him she knew about their conspiracy, though Suzaku was sure Lelouch hadn't told her. "Yes, I remember them. Is there a new lead?"

"No. A new victim." She didn't seem surprised. "Kawa Hiromu. Apparently he was creating and shipping armaments to those with the coin to get them."

This made those bright eyes sadden. "Even after all he did..."

Suzaku looked away. His entire body tensed. "Miyamoto did say something else. Apparently a young woman with green hair was on the train at the time the body was dumped."

Nunnally leaned forward in her chair. "Wait... you mean–"

"Yeah. It may be her."

They were silent then, each contemplating it all. "Maybe she's continuing brother's beliefs?"

Suzaku ground his teeth. "That's even more reason to stop her." Outside his window, he could see a large spread of a garden, roses and crysanthemums playing around sakura trees. He remembered when the décor had been solidly less Eastern, and how Nunnally had asked it changed without him saying a word about how disturbed the sight had made him. The layout still had a slightly Eastern feel, but at least now he didn't feel like he was surrounded on all sides.

"I don't understand," she said finally. "Why would she show herself now? And why would she write that 'Shinjitsu' thing?"

He turned once more from the windows and looked at her. Those eyebrows of hers were scrunched. "She's killed three people, Nunnally."

"It just doesn't seem to be something she'd do." Nunnally rolled forward. "Besides, I don't know how much Japanese she knows. Maybe she knows something about who killed those men, though."

He took a deep breath. If he thought about it, if he let himself calm down enough, he could see what Nunnally meant. He couldn't see that woman doing anything like this on her own initiative. But maybe it was Lelouch who'd ordered it. Just as he'd been given orders to be Zero, maybe she'd been given orders to play... some sort of vigilante. "We need to find her."

A knock came at the door then, and both turned. The general came in again, wiping back his thinning hair. "Zero. The meeting with the Chinese Federation will start soon."

"Fine. By the time I return, I want that woman found." Suzaku threw out a hand with the order, causing the cape to fly out around him. The general rushed to do as told. Suzaku pulled his hand back and curled back under the cape with a sigh.

Nunnally giggled. "You're getting good at that."

She genuinely seemed to enjoy it, so he let it go. It was at least true that he was used to the uniform now. Before it had itched and cramped despite C.C.'s modifications, and the gloves had made him uneasy, not being able to touch anything. But the most disconcerting was the cape. The gloves and such he could get used to, so long as he'd thought it was like being in Lancelot, but the cape! It was heavy and thick and cumbersome. And on hot days like this, going outside in the sun was torture.

"In any case," he said finally, "we need to find out what's happening. The peace we have is still tenuous."

Nunnally nodded. "I won't let brother's work be undone."

Suzaku's lips thinned. He didn't have such faith in Lelouch, but he wouldn't let anyone compromise the peace brought by Euphemia's death. "Let's go. They'll be waiting."

Nunnally smiled as he took a hold of her wheelchair and spun her out of the room. "Aren't they always?"

"The greatest enemy of any one of our truths may be the rest of our truths."

- William James

The sandwich from the gas station wasn't quite what he would call edible, but it was better than some things he'd found himself eating in the past year. The streets were filled with cars at this point in the day, everyone returning to their homes. Someone placed their gas nozzle back and got into their car. He watched from under his hood. He could take the hood off, since he was hiding himself with the technique C.C. had taught him, but he found it necessary to keep hidden. It was habit now.

He felt a need to move, but he couldn't do anything. Not yet. Rushing would be futile, and it wasn't as if he hadn't safeguarded against this danger, anyway. He needed to remain calm. It wasn't any different than when he'd tried to get Nunnally back.

Of course, that had failed spectacularly.

He saw C.C. then, waiting for the light to turn red before jaywalking her way past the cars. A sort of shimmering around her told him she was hidden from normal eyes, as well. She gave him a little salute as she walked up. With two more bites, the sandwich was gone. He stood. "Anything?"

She nodded. "It happened again. 'Shinjitsu,' written over your handiwork."

He frowned. His fingers clenched. "And you're certain."

"It happened once before, just as I told you."

Someone exited the gas station. He watched them get to their car and leave. His eyes scanned the road as the light turned green, then moved to gaze at the skyscrapers. His gaze caught on a picture of Zero. It was some broadcast; he couldn't hear much over the cars, but it seemed like Zero was planning to attend a meeting today. That meant people. Press. "Last time, you said she killed several leaders of the witch hunts."

"That's right. I saw her once, as I was recovering from my burns. She wrote 'Truth' beside their bodies before she left."

"Truth." He repeated the word as if testing it out. According to C.C., this white-haired woman was a stickler for it. "And she's one of us."

"That's right." She stretched her hands over her head, arched her back. "She's even older than me."

Lelouch looked up at the broadcast again, but the picture of Zero was gone, replaced by Milly. A car passed, its frame pounding the hard bass beat of a metal song. "She erases the lies, then."

"Kills them dead. Though I have to admit that I hadn't minded the idea back then." C.C. looked over to the newscast, too. "Are you sure about this? You could get caught."

Yes, he knew the risks. "I won't let her erase everything I've done."

C.C. gave him a look, the same look she'd given him when he'd said he was coming out of hiding for this. A look that said she saw beyond his words. He ignored it. Finally she sighed. "Well, I won't stop you. This past year has been dull, anyway."

The news changed to a car crash on a highway somewhere, and he dropped his gaze. They were still too far away for now, in a subsection of the city. They had no means of transportation and couldn't expect any. Going onto a bus would mean going visible again, lest they have someone try to sit in their seat. They would have to walk if they wished to remain invisible. And now that he'd killed that man on the train, people were sure to be looking for them. "Let's go."

C.C. glared, but she didn't say anything. He knew why. He was acting out of character, rushing. But so long as they never mentioned it, they would be able to continue without issue. At least they both knew by now what was and was not acceptable conversational pieces. She wouldn't bring up those he'd left behind if he didn't bring up her continued existence. They both started down the sidewalk, leaving wide berths any time crowds started to crush in on them. He pulled his hood further up. Just in case.

"I remember," C.C. said as they turned a corner, "when we thought everything was over."

He felt something in his chest clench. "It is. Something new has started."

She laughed at that, but without any cheer. "Does that mean that your wish has a finite lifespan?"

"It means that my role will never die."

She sighed. He almost felt the echo of it somewhere. He kept his eyes straight ahead. "You'll spend the rest of eternity doing this? For what?"

He said nothing. Really, the idea of eternity had yet to touch him. It had only been a year. Maybe, over time, he would lose focus. Maybe he would forget why peace was important. He never really cared about it, anyway. He'd only wanted things for himself, for Nunnally... and yes, for his friends. Throwing away everything for their sakes had been easy. Maybe in a hundred years, when they were all good and dead, he would lose his purpose. Maybe he would end up like C.C., hardly caring to choose at all, simply wanting to see an end. But he wasn't there yet. "It doesn't matter."

A crowd came as the light before them turned red, and the two of them rushed into the street. There was so much conversation behind them that it sounded like buzzing in his ears. He felt C.C.'s eyes on him. It took longer than usual for her to look away. "All right, Lelouch."

He pulled his hood further up over his head.