4 「Clovis la Britannia」

Lelouch stood before his half-brother as he dropped his helmet. Seeing as the man had given into his demands with his weapon pointed at him. He was along on the conduct floor. There was nothing he could do to resist the threat to his life.

"I did what you wanted, now what?" He crossed one leg and looked over Lelouch as he began to speak in riddles. "Who are you?"

"You know who I am," Lelouch responded as he stepped forward, the helmet dropped to the ground and rolled off a few feet away as his face came into the light. "We used to play chess together... And of course, I always won."

Clovis had his eyes open wide as he saw his brother standing there. A man who he had once thought dead seven years ago. He had long since believed that this nation had killed his beloved siblings and yet, here he was?

He grasped at the throne's arms as he watched his brother kneel before him and reintroduce himself as Lelouch vi Britannia, saying how he has returned.

However in moments, he watched as his half brother stood and walked over to him with a weapon in hand. He brought himself to frown at this display, but when he aimed it at him. He hesitantly leaned back and spoke pleadingly. "I... I am so glad, Lelouch! I heard that you were killed during the capture of Japan... thought you were dead." His voice crackled with disparity, he didn't want to die. He was close to panicking, there was no one to call for help.

"What good news you are alive!" He continued to exaggerate his feelings towards the fact that he was alive. He could be used as another tool, but for heaven's sake, he knew that wouldn't work. However as he kept his character, "Why don't you come back to the homeland with me?"

Lelouch could see right through his half brother, knowing very well that not only could he not be trusted, was that there was a probability of him and his sister being used as political tools.

"You intend to use me as a diplomatic tool again? Don't you remember why we were used the last time we were used?!" Despite this, he sounded relatively insulted, yet he still loved his brother. For he was of course his kin, even if they didn't always get along. "Because my mother was assassinated! We were sent away, abandoned!"

Clovis pressed his head against the throne of the conduct floor, gasping as he had just made his brother even more angry with him. Should he just give up...?

"She held the title of Knight of Honor, but of course... She started out as a commoner. There was no doubt that the other consorts held her in contempt...Even so, you made it look like it was terrorists! You people killed my mother!"

This accusation almost made him explode, snap, frantically. What was this!? He didn't even understand why he was being accused of this! What kind of conspiracy was this!?

"I didn't do it!" Clovis squealed, moving his hands in front of himself to block the gun, even though it wouldn't do all that much against his brother's weapon. "I'm begging you, please don't kill me! I wasn't involved in your conspiracy!"

Lelouch could see the frantic thoughts running through his brother's head.

Pressing the gun to his brother's head, pinning him to his seat. "TELL ME! Who could be involved!?" He demanded information, even if he didn't have much to give.

"The..." The prince growled lowly before lunging forward at his younger brother. Attempting to pin him to the ground. Just as he did so, Lelouch's finger slipped and he pulled the trigger. Blood exploded all over his face, sending the prince back into the seat and slump over without a single sliver of life left in his eyes.

Lifting a hand to cover his mouth, Lelouch was just about ready to puke. Taking several steps back, he turned away and picked up the helmet. Hiding his identity, he hid his face with the helmet's gasmask.

Once he was clear of the transport, he made his way back towards the academy. Using the primary highway to make his escape after retrieving his uniform. He avoided the military patrols which were mainly preoccupied with the evacuation of the Elevens within the Ghetto.

Forced relocation. It was a tragic to see, but it seemed this was going to give fuel to the resistance members who survived. It also fueled the spirit of those who wished to be liberated from Britannian rule.

Lelouch's eyes lingered along the skylines and to the paved avenue ahead of him. Green decor, banners of the Holy Empire. He walked over to a public fountain and washed his face of blood. Stuffed his armor into a duffle bag, not knowing if he was going to need it again, but he wanted to be prepared.

His mind was still stuck on the fact that his brother decided to attack him, or at least that is what it had seemed to be, instead of giving him a truthful answer. Even then, he could tell he didn't know much.

In a sense, he told Lelouch the truth. Even if he had the Geass from before, it would only point the finger in the wrong direction. It wasn't any of his siblings who had a hand in the death of his mother, but his father's brother.

...

By the time he returned to the Academy, Zach was waiting for him, standing there at the main entrance. He came to a stop there, staring at the friend he had left behind earlier. A small smirk forming over his lips.

"Welcome Home," Zach stated as he began to walk forward, his hands pocketed as he was wearing his school uniform. He was no longer dressed in the asymmetric tunic and black cargo pants. "Lelouch."

"You make it sound as if I live at the school," Lelouch responded with a sarcastic tone, trying to drain himself of the disturbances in his mind. He did it to obliterate Britannia. He killed his brother because he needed to make a peaceful world; because his brother was an obstacle that had to be eliminated to secure the conditions he needed.

"I would like you to meet C.C."

"Who?" Lelouch asked, the name having slipped his preoccupied mind for a mere seconds. "Oh, the girl we saved." He smiled weakly, sick to his stomach, he nodded to Zach who was examining him closely.

"Are you alright?" He knew what Lelouch had done, but was ignoring the fact. He didn't want to press him into a corner, nor did he want to become a needed sacrifice to protect Lelouch.

He didn't want to die just yet.

Lelouch could tell something was up with his friend, but he didn't say anything. He had seen that weird symbol in his eye before, and the pilot acting strange. His friend, he could tell he could use some sort of mental prowess over others.

Just what was that? Did that girl give it to him?

Lelouch pursed his lips as the two of them made their way into the dorms. He was going to meet the green haired girl who looked as if she had been dressed to be held in an insane asylum.

Minutes after their reunion, they stepped into Zach's room.

Zach entered first, walking over towards the bed in which C.C. was curled up on, cuddling a plushie which looked like Cheese-Kun. It was one of his belongings in the first place.

Lelouch looked down at her. She was dressed in a pair of white shorts and a tank top. They weren't necessarily tight fitting, and were actually quite loose, to the point that he could imagine the shapes underneath.

Zach's smile curved partially to one side of his mouth as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "This is C.C. She's a friend, and an ally in your quest to Obliterate Britannia." He continued to keep his smile as he spoke in a hushed tone. The door was closed and it was sound proof. There was no overhearing them currently as the OSI hadn't moved into the lower sections of the school as of yet.

C.C. had her mouth pressed into the plushie as he looked over at Lelouch. A devious gleam in her eye. He had been found at least. The man she had been following. While she had already made a contract with Zach here, she didn't quite believe he would be the one to kill her and end her immortal life.

Seamlessly she reached out one of her hands, as if to shake. Just as she did so, he took hold of it with a puzzled expression.

Zach watched as his friend seemed to space out as he was mentally making a contract with the immortal girl known as the Witch of Britannia, C.C. or by those who know her real name 'Cera.'

He was curious now however, wandering what kind of geass he was going to get. Was he going to become invulnerable like in the Nightmare of Nunnally, or was he going to become like the animated series where he had absolute authority?

Zach was immersing in the moment, guessing, wondering. His eyes shifted between CC and the man who had become his friend just over seven years ago.