Code Geass 1. Paradise Lost

"Code Geass"

Salvation through Faith

Synopsis:

And so their messiah—for he was a messiah to them—said proudly, "Let there be salvation through faith; through me your Eden of tomorrow. For I have made a Faustian bargain, follow me and I will show you a world with no sin."

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Chapter One: Paradise Lost

"_With loss of Eden, till one greater Man_

_Restore us, and regain the blissful seat"_

An excerpt from "Paradise Lost" by John Milton (1667).

ooo

Since the fall of Britannia, her crown jewel—Pendragon, was reduced to ruin. Slowly, time wore on against her gilded edges and silver flows of beauty, dressing her in rags and memories of times better had. Her children were brutalized and forced into poverty while the usurpers enjoyed freedom and peace.

On every surface were traces of her rebirth, scattered, and torn. Posters of Britannia's saviour—her messiah—Zero had been defamed everywhere. Graffiti was evident everywhere by both Japanese and Britannians. They were the only remnants of proof that Britannia had fought back after the cruel regicide.

And everywhere you could see Zero's motto, _'Let there be salvation through faith.'_

The cruel reminder that Britannia no longer had any hope.

_It's sickening,_ Suzaku thought, walking through the streets towards the Lion's Edge café.

Upon reaching his destination, he waited outside at the usual spot. Japanese walking past eyed him curiously, but said nothing; it was unusual for someone like him—someone Japanese—to be waiting outside a well-known surviving Britannian establishment. It _was_ odd, he agreed, but it was completely necessary.

When the bell over the door chimed, Suzaku turned and—

"Suzaku!"

Suzaku laughed, holding onto her tightly, spinning her around to ease the momentum from her tackle. When it died down enough, he set her to her feet and smiled softly at her.

"And how was work today, CC?"

CC shrugged, slipping her arms from his neck. "Same old, same old. Lenard says that I'm the customer's _favourite._"

Shaking his head, Suzaku tapped her nose, wagging his finger. "Careful, CC, your vanity is showing."

Giggling, she took his arm and pulled him off in the direction of their apartment.

Suzaku always came to pick CC up from work. Lion's Edge was in a part of Pendragon that used to be the main street of the city. Now, all the affluent 'Britannian' areas were in ruin, a shell of what they once were—still inhabited by Britannians who could not let go of their past—of Zero.

As they passed another poster of the masked messiah, Suzaku clenched his fist.

So much blood was wasted and in the end the coward committed suicide—abandoning those he promised to rescue to their fates.

Such cowardice was unforgiveable.

"Suzaku?"

Shaking from his thoughts, he turned to CC. Her golden eyes laden with worry as she gripped his arm a bit tighter. He was almost shaking with fury and she could feel it.

"Sorry, CC, it's nothing."

"Alright then." A soft smile—CC knew better by now than to interrogate him further during his random lapses of rage.

Continuing on their way home, CC pointedly ignored all the stares they were receiving—including the insults tossed her way blatantly. Her golden eyes kept focused on Suzaku's face and Suzaku tried to watch her as much as possible while steering them both home. Even so, he could still feel her grip on his arm tighten every time his people mocked her—as if he weren't even there.

"Britannian bitch!"

Something was thrown at CC.

She gasped.

Spinning her around, Suzaku faced the assailant, knocking the projectile out of the way. The tomato splattered on the ground while a good chunk of it remaining on Suzaku's forearm. In a swift motion, he pulled out his gun and pointed it at the offender.

"Suzaku! No, it's alright!" CC cried, tugging at his gun arm. "Stop it! I'm fine!"

Angry emerald eyes fixed onto the hateful brown ones of a fruit seller. "Don't you dare!" he yelled. "I should—"

And suddenly he was looking at CC's stricken face. Tears were at the corner of her eyes. "Suzaku! It's fine! I'm fine! Stop it!"

Closing his eyes, taking a moment to calm himself, he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her eyes before cleaning off his arm. Pulling CC closer, wrapping a protective arm around her, he glared around at the other silent Japanese bystanders. Slowly, they all turned away, continuing on with their day as if nothing had happened.

They wouldn't have done anything if he had shot the man because Suzaku was Japanese.

But they hadn't done anything to discourage the man either.

"Come on, CC, we'll have to take 'that' way home again."

Nodding, CC followed his lead as he urged them both towards the Royal Plaza ghetto—once the very heart of the shopping district in Pendragon. Now it was reduced to ruin with a few Britannians still living there out of fear wherever they could. Dead Britannians weren't uncommon sights to find every day. It was even worse since there was no official police force in Pendragon.

The remaining Britannian police forces protected Britannians and the Japanese soldiers protected Japanese.

As they trekked down the side of a ruined building, climbing down into the ghetto, CC had continued chatting as usual, but now she had taken the liberty to look elsewhere. A Britannian ghetto was more comfortable to her than a Japanese district for her. It was a longer route home, but it was bereft of insults and name-calling. Suzaku always forgot this because she never complained when they went through Japanese districts.

Now he was cursing himself for forgetting.

Letting go of his arm once they crossed the threshold, CC ran around and look at the decayed remains of Britannia. She would pick up broken merchandise from various stores, inspect it for a moment, and then move onto something else—all the while keeping up constant chatter with him.

Suzaku liked seeing her so at ease and finally made the resolution that they would go home from her work through the ghettos. But he didn't like how uneasy it made the Britannians living in the slums when he walked through there—with or without her. They wouldn't harm CC, but they could—and would—kill him at a moment's notice. His was a recognizable face after all.

It wasn't safe anywhere for both of them when they were together.

It was unheard of for a Britannian to be coupled with Japanese after all. Even so, Suzaku wasn't about to leave her be. CC had amnesia, she had no idea who she was or what she was doing when he found her. All she knew was her name—which even Suzaku doubted to be real. Hopefully, she would regain her memories soon—but it seemed unlikely. So all he wanted for her was to be able to live life as happily as possible—especially considering her past, in that tattered pilot suit he found her in, might be a bloody and unpleasant one.

"Suzaku!"

Jerking towards the sound of her voice from his own musings, he turned to see CC clearing away rubble desperately—across the street from where he was. She struggled with a particularly large rock, pulling at it fruitlessly before lifting away the smaller debris around it with fervour.

"CC, what's wrong?" he called out, unmoving.

"There's—" she strained, pulling at the larger rock again, "There's someone here!"

Suzaku's eyebrows lifted and he slowly made his way over to her where she was struggling. Placing a hand on her shoulder, CC stopped and stepped back—a worried expression on her face.

"He looks hurt, Suzaku."

Pale skin was highlighted from the sunlight straining through a window into the damaged building. He had been caught up in the wreckage when the building recently collapsed by the looks of it. Most of his body was buried in rubble and only a portion of his torso was showing. A few rocks pitched a tent around his head to prevent his skull from getting immediately crushed it seemed. Lucky.

Dried blood caked the rocks around him almost endlessly.

"He's probably dead, CC," he said mournfully. "Leave it be."

"Suzaku!" CC cried as he started to continue for home. "He could be alive! You can't just leave him!"

Turning on his heel, he gave her a stern look. "CC, leave it be. He's just a—"

"Just a _what?"_ she said sharply, golden eyes glowing fiercely. "A _Britannian?_ Is _that_ what you were going to say? _I'm_ Britannian!" she declared loudly, turning back to the rubble, shifting a large rock with renewed vigour.

"CC…" Suzaku replied, feeling guilty.

A flicker of hatred remained in Suzaku from his piloting days—a flicker that occasionally flared up every now and then when he remembered how horribly his people were treated—how he had to grow up seeing smug Britannian politicians force their way around. Now that the tables were turned, however, he felt sick with himself. Despite that, more than once he had let this ugly reminder of his past show to CC.

_"Let there be salvation through faith,"_ CC said quietly, shifting her weight for better leverage around a piece of metal.

Sighing, Suzaku walked back and helped clear away the rubble. Kneeling down, Suzaku placed two fingers at the man's pulse and found that it was beating—weakly, but beating all the same. Finally jerking from the realization that he might be saved after all, Suzaku kicked into high gear and cleared away the remaining debris covering him.

He was slim, pale, and looked about ready to die. His clothes were covered in blood, but—upon Suzaku's further inspection—it looked like most of it wasn't his. Lifting him gently out of the hole, Suzaku saw the man wince sharply in pain from being freed from his stone cage. Bruises covered his skin and his hair was matted with blood where dried red trails streaked down his face.

CC knelt down next to him worriedly. "We have to help him."

"We should take him to a hospital," Suzaku agreed. "There's—"

"They won't take Britannians," CC interjected.

"But they're doctors, they shouldn't dis—"

"But they do."

Suzaku sighed. CC was right. Of course she was right. He remembered when he found her and needed medical help for her. So did CC.

CC traced her fingers over the man's lithe frame delicately, stopping at his wrist where a silver bracelet was. It was an ordinary chain except for the large plate upon it. Lifting his wrist delicately, she read the name aloud:

"Lelouch, V.B."

ooo

_Another swat to his head was eagerly administered. Lelouch growled and looked up at the chastising face of his sister, Euphemia._

_ "Lelouch, you have to pay attention or else—"_

_ "Or else what?" he cut off, taking another sip of tea and sitting back in his chair. "Why do I have to learn about politics? I'm a prince, and it's not like I'm going to succeed the throne anyway. Schneizel is the one raised and groomed for that role."_

_ Euphemia gave an irritated sigh. "But it's important for us to know what goes on in our country too. What if Britannia needs you one day?"_

_ Lelouch sighed, getting to his feet and stretching. It was a long day and he had no desire for Euphemia's tutoring in a subject he hardly cared anything about. It was his failing grades from his private instructor that urged this on—and Euphemia didn't seem to mind spending time with her favourite sibling._

_ "Britannia will never need me, Euphie. I'm the last in line for the throne. I will never be Emperor. Schneizel is kind, wise, and knowledgeable, he'll take care of Britannia far better than—"_

_ "Lelouch," she admonished. "Don't say that about yourself. You're bright and full of promise with a lot going for you."_

_ "All I have going for me is lesser breeding, Euphie. I love Mother dearly, but I have no one else but her to blame for that."_

_ Sighing, giving up the losing battle, Euphemia rose from her seat, straightening her dress out carefully. Lelouch held his arm out to her like a gentlemen and she took it. They continued to bicker, about Lelouch's dislike of politics, all the way to the gardens, where they often had late dinners together after Lelouch's tutoring sessions._

_ "Lelouch, if you could give this world something—anything at all, what would it be? As for me, I would give it ideal happiness."_

_ Humming, Lelouch took a sip of his tea. " 'Ideal happiness,' huh? Ideals don't exist in the real world, Euphie. You should get your head out of the clouds."_

_ Euphemia huffed. "You are so sour, Lelouch, I wonder why you're my favourite."_

_ Lelouch laughed, taking her hand up to his lips and kissing it. "Because I'm charming." She giggled at his display of chivalry. "Alright, my Lady, I'll answer your silly question then. I would give this world autonomy if I could. I would give everyone a solid sense of what's right and wrong so only good choices that don't harm anyone are made by people."_

_ Giggling, Euphemia leaned over the table and reached out to brush his bangs away, cupping his face gently. "And you say MY head is in the clouds."_

_ Lelouch sighed. "Well, you were the one who asked. Autonomy would give the world your wish as well. Don't you think?"_

_ "You're right," she agreed. "It would. Then," she twinned her hand with his, "Let's give them your autonomy together, shall we? A deal?" She raised their joined hands._

_ Laughing, Lelouch shook his head, taking a sip of tea with his free hand. Euphemia scowled at being made to wait. Lelouch raised her hand to his lips and he kissed her hand again. "A promise."_

_ A decadent smile spread over her face. "For that you will need to learn your politics, however, oh Rebellious Prince."_

_ Shoulders shaking in laughter, Lelouch shrugged. "I suppose so, my fair lady."_

ooo_  
_

2010 a.t.b. of the Holy Britannian calendar.

Britannia was enjoying wealth and prosperity at the expense of those under her harsh regime. Through almost limitless power and resources, she brought many nations under her heel, but her grace and generosity were as overwhelming as her power. Nations under her rule were—

—_treated well._

And good behaviour was well-rewarded. It came by this system that countries like France and Germany, well-known supporters of Britannia came to be known as Dogs of the Empire.

Japan was the last stronghold of freedom in the world, but eventually, even the great eastern nation—

—_she shall be reborn from the ashes of her—_

—fell to the military strength of Britannia. For many years the enjoyed tough love and harsh reprimand from their Britannian overlords. The prideful nation was too patriotic to kneel down and lick the shoe of those that conquered them. Many were brought to the Britannian capital, Pendragon, to work. To be sla—

—_let my words be my faith, my actions your salvation—_

The Japanese, who had been enslaved by their Britannian overlords, rose up and overthrew their Britannian subjugators in the event known as The Bloody Rebellion. They stormed the Imperial Palace and committed regicide on the Emperor, Charles di Britannia, slaughtering the entirety of the royal Britannian family.

Now, Japan enjoys a seat of power through the discord of the removal of Britannian authority.

Seven years later, Zero, a hero to the disgraced Britannians rose up. Gathering to him the remaining loyalists to Britannia, he ushered in a stage of revolution and revolt where Britannia was once again in a place to seize control. The Black Rebellion ended with his suicide and Britannia was once again at the mercy of their Japanese usurpers.

* * *

Comments:

This story was inspired by various literary works such as John Milton's _Paradise Lost_ and Dante's _Inferno_. I'm not, by any means, even adept at either texts and simply read them for pleasure. So if your interpretations of the various literature I mention or draw ideas from differ from mine, I'll keep it in mind while I write. Other than that, I can't really promise anything.

This story is a _joy_ for me to write, so I hope you enjoy reading what I've written.

Please R&R.

- Minute Maid

Beverage of Queens.


	2. Pride of the Faithful

Warning: For blood, violence, this story in general, and me. Reader discretion is advised.

Pre-Comment: I like pie.

* * *

Chapter Two: Pride of the Faithful

"_Through me you shall heal a city suffering,_

_Through me you shall raise a forsaken people,_

_Through me you shall bring our enemies eternal sorrow,_

_Justice urged on my high artificer,_

_My maker—_

_Insatiable Justice, Primordial Love, and Ultimate Intellect._

_Only those elements time cannot wear were made before me._

_And I, Zero, shall endure eternally._

_Let there be salvation through faith;_

_Through me your Eden of tomorrow._

_For I have made a Faustian bargain,_

_Follow me and I shall show you a world with no sin."_

_ - Zero, upon his unofficial inauguration_

_ 2017 a.t.b. of the Holy Britannian calendar_

ooo_  
_

Impossibly beautiful skin and sleek, elegant locks of dark hair framed his face. The slight rise and fall of his chest indicated that he was alive and well. Purpling bruises had faded on his flawless skin—as if they were never there and the blood had been wiped clean.

He looked like an angel that had fallen from heaven.

CC was enchanted.

Reaching out, she stroked his hair again—like she always did. For the life of her, she couldn't understand her infatuation with this boy—Lelouch. He hadn't woken up since she found him in the Royal Plaza ghetto a week ago. While it was worrying how he was still asleep after so long, what worried CC more was her insatiable worry for him. In fact, she couldn't leave him alone for so long that after three days of meaningless work, she resolved to stay with him until he woke up.

Suzaku was worried for her—more for her than for the unconscious vagrant they started looking after. While she knew Suzaku was worried, and while she loved and cherished Suzaku for all his uncharacteristic kindness, she couldn't help but feel that this man—Lelouch—was connected to her in some deeper way. It was a way that Suzaku could never connect to her in—no matter how much she had come to love him since he found her and took care of her.

CC couldn't explain it.

They had found a Britannian doctor—the same one who helped heal CC back to health. While he was distrustful of Suzaku, he treated CC like she was his own daughter and so he came at her request and hers alone.

An IV was hooked up to his arm and CC had succumbed to her desire of watching his sleeping face, the rise and fall of his chest, or the drip of that IV. It was boring, all in all, but she couldn't look away.

A knock at the door tore her from her thoughts and she turned to it as Suzaku walked in, carrying a bowl of hot soup. Kicking the door closed with a foot, he smiled at her as he set down the food on the table in the corner of the room Lelouch had been given.

"How's he doing?"

CC sighed, getting up from her stool next to the bed and went to sit down at the table beside Suzaku. "No change. He still sleeps. He still breathes. He's still alive. Even if he sleeps forever, he's still alive and that's all that matters, right?"

Suzaku smiled at her, petting her head slightly. "Right. At least then his dreams can be better than this waking nightmare we live in right now."

CC smiled softly at him. "Suzaku…"

Laughing her silent adoration off, Suzaku shook his head. "Come on, eat. My culinary skills are still lacking, but you can't be bothered away from Lelouch to cook for me. Isn't that right?"

"You're right. Not until he wakes up."

"I just might starve then."

"Suzaku!" she admonished, playfully punching him in the arm.

He raised a hand in defence against her gentle physical rebukes. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry! He'll wake up today and you'll be making a big dinner for all of us."

"That's better," she approved, folding her arms momentarily before starting on her food. "You know, I wonder who he is. 'Lelouch V.B.' It kind of reminds me of the royal family. Lelouch the fifth or something you know? It could be a number. The Kings of France were always numbered."

Suzaku shrugged, stirring his vegetables around on his plate. "Could be. There was no Lelouch in the Britannian royal family as far as I'm aware. None alive anyway. Especially not five of them. Not only that, but he couldn't possibly be a prince of Britannia; the royal family was all killed eight years ago. There was no way one of them could have survived. I… I would know…"

CC fell silent, placing a comforting hand over his. She could still hear him at night, apologizing in his dreams for killing innocent Britannians during the Black Rebellion, when he was young, inexperienced and just following orders. It was only a little under a year ago that Suzaku had found her and it was immediately after he had turned in his piloting keys—swearing never to harm an innocent ever again. It was a year ago when Zero committed suicide and disappeared from the pages of history.

It was a year ago that Britannia lost all hope.

Now, who she might have been, who he was, none of it mattered. They had resolved to live life as peacefully and as happily as they could—together.

CC sighed dreamily. "But wouldn't that be cool? A Britannian prince! We could get married and I would be a Queen!"

Suzaku laughed. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Nodding enthusiastically, CC commenced guzzling down the entire contents of her soup. Whenever it was cool enough, she would just slurp it down. Suzaku chastised her over it, but stopped bringing her a spoon nonetheless.

"And we would live in the palace—after it gets restored, of course—and we'd have lots of children and rebuild the—" Suzaku took a napkin and wiped the corners of her mouth with an amused smile on his face. She whined at the coddling. "We'd rebuild the Imperial Palace and you would be our knight in shining armour, ready to give up his life for his—"

"You, I don't mind, " Suzaku cut in, _"He_ is another story."

CC huffed, folding her arms. "Then you can protect me and I'll just have to protect him. That way you'll be forced to protect him too."

Suzaku laughed. "I guess so." Suddenly he rose from his seat, gathering up all the used dishes on the tray. "CC, I have to get going to work now, be good and don't leave the house, okay? If anything happens, call me and I'll be right over. Don't open the door for anyone."

CC nodded, rolling her eyes. It was the same worried speech he gave her every time he left her alone the house. It was getting tiring—but she followed his orders nonetheless. It was dangerous for her to disobey them.

"I'll be good," she assured. "Now get to work or Rakshata will have your head."

Suzaku laughed and saluted her before leaving the room.

Slipping back into the stool next to Lelouch's bed, CC rested her head on the side of the mattress, next to his hand with the bracelet. Slowly, without realizing it, she fell asleep dreaming of princes, kings, knights, and glory.

ooo

_"Lelouch, look out over Britannia. Tell me what you see."_

_ Stepping up to the balcony, lifting on his tiptoes to see over the railing beside his father, Lelouch squinted his eyes at the lights of Pendragon at night. They sailed high over the city, in the Avalon, taking a tour at night. It was his fifth birthday and he had asked for an entire day with his father—whom he rarely saw because he was so busy or away. While his complete wish could not be granted, Charles had seen to it that he spent the rest of his day after dinner with his youngest son._

_ "I see lights. I see Britannia's beauty. She's beautiful."_

_ Charles smiled, satisfied with this answer. "Yes, Britannia is beautiful. Our mother is beautiful. Do you love Britannia, Lelouch?"_

_ Regarding the glimmering city—Pendragon—a little longer, Lelouch was keenly aware of his father's intent gaze upon him. Pendragon was the diamond of Britannia, her bejewelled city. Britannia had given him everything growing up—love, kindness, warmth, a loving family._

_ Yes. Yes, he did love her._

_ "I do. I love Britannia."_

_ Another approving smile pulled at his father's face, but Lelouch was unaware, so entranced by the dancing lights below them. Without warning, he was suddenly lifted into his father's arms. Lelouch turned to look at him curiously, questioningly. It was rare for the Emperor to show favour or affection to any of his sons or daughters._

_ "A fine answer for a fine prince of Britannia, Lelouch. As the royal family, we are her children's messiahs. We are the chosen individuals charged with the task of supporting those under her golden and ivory wings. Let this answer, when asked of you, never change. Happy Birthday, Lelouch vi Britannia."_

ooo

"Britannia…"

Slowly, he felt sleep leave him as every limb, every nerve and cell in his body came back to wakefulness with a slight tingling sensation. A white ceiling met his gaze and he moved slowly, feeling achy all over from lack of movement. Shifting slightly, he looked around, gathering in his surroundings. He was in a white, primarily empty room. A table stood in the corner and an open window was to his right. The curtains fluttered in the light breeze of a clear and sunny day.

To his left there was a green-haired girl, snoozing quietly at the side of his bed. Taking note of the IV drip in his arm, he surmised she was his saviour from an uncertain fate. A silver bracelet around his wrist came to his attention. Raising it to his face, he breathed out the name.

"Lelouch… V.B. That must be me," he mused. "V.B… V.B… What does that stand for?"

Sighing, he let his hand fall back to the mattress beside him. It was no good, he had no idea who he was or where he was. For now, however, he knew he was safe. If he were somewhere dangerous, they would have restrained him while he was recovering. This girl wouldn't even be here—so open and vulnerable.

Clearly, the ones who had helped nurse him back to health were either naïve or didn't think he was a threat to anyone once he woke up.

The motion of his arm caused the girl to shift and he watched her carefully, sitting up against the headboard of the bed, wincing at the aching pain shooting up through his body. Blankly he wondered if he was severely injured somewhere—if he was maybe ripping out stitches of some sort.

Slowly, the girl woke up and when she opened her eyes, the first thing he noticed about her were her eyes. Gold. They were eyes of a colour he had never seen before. They were different, they were unnatural, and they captivated him.

"You… you're awake…" she breathed, suddenly getting to her feet. "You're awake!"

Lelouch blinked. "I… yes. Have you been…" he glanced at the IV drip again, "…taking care of me?"

She nodded. "Yes. For a while now. We found you in the Royal Plaza ghetto, unconscious under a lot of rubble. What were you doing there? What happened? How are you feeling?"

Lelouch looked away from her, staring into his lap and then again at the bracelet—blank except for his name. "I… don't know. I don't remember anything. I wouldn't even know my name if it weren't for this," he explained, holding up his wrist and the bracelet. "I don't even know if that's my real name."

The girl frowned. "Just like me…" she muttered softly.

"Pardon?"

Shaking her head, she smiled at him. "Nothing. So, Lelouch, you don't remember _anything_ about yourself?"

Sighing, Lelouch looked back out the window. "I just told you that didn't I? Must I repeat myself?"

The girl huffed. "You don't have to be so rude about it. I was just making sure. Besides that, how are you feeling then? You can answer that."

"I feel… a little dizzy. And hungry, now that I think about it." He turned to her. "Can I bother you for something to eat? I'm sorry for being rude earlier."

She got to her feet and smiled. "Sure thing. By the way, you can call me CC. It's nice to finally meet you, Lelouch."

Lelouch smiled at her uncertainly. "The same goes for me, CC."

CC nodded and ran off to the door.

"CC," he called out. She stopped and turned around. "Thank you for taking care of me."

She blinked, coloured slightly, and opened the door to leave the room.

Lelouch leaned back and sighed, staring up at the white-washed ceiling and walls. Turning back to the window, he saw a red-head putting up a poster of a masked man, carrying rolls of probably hundreds of others. A few teenagers jeered at her, calling her names and threw rocks at her. She ignored them, gritting her teeth, continuing on with her grudging work even after they gave up.

The poster was a bold statement; large print outlined a motto in crimson.

" 'Let there be salvation through faith,' huh?"

ooo

"Suzaku, you have to get rid of that girl. The only reason she's still alive is out of respect for you and the fact you'll shoot anyone who touches her. At first people thought you were just…" His face darkened at the words on the edge of his tongue. "But that's changed! Being the White Reaper won't—"

"Don't call me that, Ougi," Suzaku warned sharply. Most of the time, he ignored his senior's warnings, but all it took was a brief mention of his past for Suzaku's anger to flare up like a match thrown into a pool of gasoline. "I left all that behind me, remember?"

Ougi sighed, rubbing the back of his head, recognizing a losing battle. "I know; I'm sorry. It's just… we fought together, you know? Against the Britannians. We liberated our—"

Looking his friend in the eye sternly, Suzaku held him with hard, green eyes. "We didn't do anything quite that heroic, Ougi. What we did was continue to suppress people we shouldn't have. We killed innocents. What we did was murder," he finished, feeling anger bubble below the surface—anger against his own people's acts of injustice.

Regardless of his feelings, Suzaku knew, as one man, he couldn't do anything to appease his smouldering emotions at what was still happening today.

So instead he stifled them—for a year since the Black Rebellion, he stifled all of it.

"You should be on my side; our people _killed_ your wife just because she was Britannian!"

Another sigh escaped the older man and he shook his head. "It's not like I don't see it from your perspective, Suzaku, but you didn't… you didn't have to endure what I did. My marriage with Viletta was laughed at by the Britannians, not in our faces, but it was obviously unacceptable. She only died because no one knew she was my wife."

"And whose fault is that?" Suzaku shot back scathingly. "If we had sought a more peaceful measure to end Z—"

Ougi's shoulders slumped and he looked away.

Running a hand through his hair, Suzaku sighed looking away ashamedly. "I'm sorry, Ougi, you didn't deserve that. I'm just venting at you for no reason. CC picked up… a stray cat a little while ago and it's been getting on my nerves."

Nodding understandably, the man clapped his shoulder to show there were no hard feelings. "The Black Rebellion cost us all something, Suzaku. Japanese, White Reaper or not, though, you're starting to sound like Zero and you should keep it under wraps a bit more. The others aren't as understanding as I am. Also… I'd pay more attention to CC. She's… a sweet girl; don't let anything happen to her if you insist on keeping her around. Take care of her, Suzaku."

Suzaku smiled tiredly, deciding he would heed the advice and take her out to dinner sometime—somewhere nice. "I will, Ougi, thank you."

Ougi squeezed his shoulder and left to finish his tasks.

He couldn't understand it.

Why was she clinging to someone who was dead?

ooo

_"They say he committed suicide," CC explained. "It was exaggerated all over TV. Back then I saw a lot of it—back when Suzaku first found me. I don't remember anything before then either."_

_ Lelouch frowned at that. "Why would he lead a stupid rebellion like that? Nothing's changed. And even worse, he killed himself to escape the blame of not being able to live up to his own promises? How cowardly."_

_ Gripping her mug tighter, until her knuckles whitened, CC cast her eyes down into the steaming liquid. "I… Zero gave us hope. A lot of people don't see it that way. Even though I don't remember anything before that… I feel… I feel like he's still giving us hope, even now. 'Salvation through faith,' right? I have that kind of faith in him. Even now… people believe he's still alive; including me. That kind of faith. He promised us salvation after all." Her eyes went to meet his, lighting up in worry. "Oh, but don't tell Suzaku what I think of Zero."_

_ "Why not? Isn't he your boyfriend? He should be able to understand, right?"_

_ "Suzaku… was part of the suppression team for the Black Rebellion. I don't know what he thinks about Zero, but it's nothing good."_

_ "I see. Your secret is safe with me, then."_

ooo

Lelouch couldn't understand it.

What was he doing before waking up in this world? This world made no sense to him. It was all a bunch of ridiculous hypocrisy. The Britannians were too cowardly to do anything—too stuck on the past and pouring all their faith into one man: Zero. A dead man. A man who couldn't do anything for them anymore.

They should all just get up on their own two feet and use the hands they were born with to do something.

Lelouch felt sickened by their apathy.

It was because Britannia was weak that they lived like this.

It was because Britannia had lost the will to fight back, to reclaim power.

It was because Britannia still believed a dead man was alive.

Dead people don't rise from the grave, Lelouch thought acidly, feeling anger stir inside him.

After eating, Lelouch had taken to watching the girl outside. Another rock was thrown at the girl and she bore the brunt of it, ignoring the catcalls and wolf-whistles sent her way. Lelouch had lost count of the different names she had been called. Still, she pressed on, putting up poster after poster of a dead man who could do nothing for her.

Through curiosity alone, Lelouch had persuaded CC to let him go outside. She made him wear a hood to hide his Britannian identity and gave him a few very harsh and sound warnings. Assuring her that he would be fine, he left the second floor apartment complex and had started to tail the redhead putting up posters.

A group of three men suddenly approached her. One grabbed for her wrist and she cried out in pain, keeping her eyes averted from her assailants. Even when they tilted her chin up, sneering at her, she kept her gaze locked away.

How pitiful.

"Are you dogs _still_ crying for Zero? The man is dead! He left you all to rot!"

Gritting her teeth, she continued to endure it. When one of them placed a hand around her waist and thigh, she screamed.

"Hey."

The three men turned in his direction. One snickered at him. "This your girlfriend, pretty boy? She's such a pretty slut. Come to think of it, you look like you're just as pretty as she is. Maybe you're a slut too."

They all laughed at the bad joke.

Lelouch narrowed his eyes. He had no doubt that three of them were too much to handle for him—heck, he'd have issues with even one of them—but he wasn't going to stand by and watch a senseless crime happen to a helpless girl. Even if it came to that, the girl could run while they were occupied with him.

"My girlfriend isn't a slut and neither am I, you pigs. Unhand her at once."

One grabbed for his collar, lifting him slightly, Lelouch held his ground, glaring back at him. His hood fell off and the man at his collar chuckled.

"Or _what_, pretty boy? What are you going to do about it? Huh?"

"Don't you have something better to do? Like tending to your personal hygiene?" Lelouch grinned. "You stink, gorilla-man."

"That's it, you little punk!" The man decked him and Lelouch flew back, landing on his back with a groan of pain

Holding a hand to his stinging face, he hissed, wincing at the pain as his collar was grabbed roughly again.

"No! Don't hurt him! Stop it!" the girl screamed.

The other two laughed. "Boo hoo. Your poor boyfriend's gonna get the tar whipped out of him, honey. I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you."

"Feel like tossing insults now, you little asshole?"

Lelouch gripped the hand at his collar, feeling the fabric choke him slightly.

Why did he step in like this? For someone he didn't even know? How was he supposed to fend three well-built men off? Was he really that stupid? He could've just—

But then he'd be worse than these Japanese.

Lelouch laughed. "You Japanese monkeys! You make me sick. Is this all you can do? How dare you mistreat another person like this? How can you people even call yourself human? Is this what shameless monkeys do for fun? Terrorizing the innocent?"

The girl's eyes widened. "No, stop! Don't provoke them!" she pleaded. "I'll be fine!"

The three men grinned. The other two let go of the girl and she ran to his aid, tugging futilely on the man who had Lelouch pinned against the pavement. He delivered another punch to his face.

Lelouch hissed again at the pain blossoming on his face. "That's right. Japan is full nothing but cowards who can only prey on the weak and innocent!"

"Stop hurting him!" the girl screamed hysterically.

A booted foot touched on his forehead. "Why don't you apologize for insulting our country, pretty boy? Before I crush your skull in?"

Lelouch closed his eyes, expecting the worst.

There was a strangled cry and Lelouch suddenly felt something warm shower down on him. The foot over his forehead fell away and the man standing over him gurgled as blood spewed from his neck in a red shower, coating the pavement and falling on his face and clothing in tiny droplets.

Like rain.

When the man fell over, Lelouch's eyes widened to see the redhead; fire burned in her blue eyes and they were set in grim anger. One hand was holding a bloody knife and the other was holding a matching clean one. Her left hand was still raised, as if she had only just stepped back from slicing the man's throat out.

Lelouch was too much in a terrified sort of awe to actually be scared for his own well-being right now—too focused on watching the blood drip from the girl's dagger.

"You little bitch; you're going to regret that!"

As another brute lunged at her, she jumped at him, giving him a hard elbow in the gut, following it up with an uppercut to his jaw as the other man came from her back. Spinning around, she dodged his swings and sliced at the opening, tearing another neat gash in his throat too, giving him a powerful kick in the gut to fall away from her.

Standing alert and ready for more trouble, she glared at the man staggering in front of her, surrounded by the corpses and blood of his two associates.

"I thought I told you not to hurt him," she said in a deadly calm voice—much different than the earlier one.

There was fear in the man's eyes and he staggered backwards, pupils dilating at the sight.

Lelouch stuck his foot out and he tripped over it, crying out with a shock before scrambling to his feet and running away as fast as he could around the corner, screaming.

Watching him run off, Lelouch sat up, surveying himself—covered in the still-warm blood of someone else. The metallic tang and taste of it was thick in the air around him.

"Are you alright?" came a concerned voice.

Lelouch turned back to look at the girl—her mask of helplessness back on, as if he was the one who had just killed two men. The knives in her hand were snapped closed and concealed back under her skirt and she held out a clean hand for him.

Taking it, he found himself pulled to his feet.

Laughing, he dusted himself off. "And here I was thinking I would be the one saying that. But… did you really have to kill them?" Lelouch asked, wincing at the two bodies on either side of them.

The girl shrugged, returning to collect her posters, organizing them into rolls and piles once more in her bag. "It was either them or you. They would've killed you, you know. They would've killed you and no one would've cared."

Lelouch scratched the back of his neck sheepishly at his uselessness in the entire thing. "I guess so."

"Thank you for rescuing me," she said, turning to him with a smile. Her blue eyes twinkled.

Laughing nervously, Lelouch shook his head. "No, I should be the one saying that to you. I was pretty useless back there."

"Kallen Stadtfeld," she introduced, holding out her clean hand once more.

Taking it, Lelouch gave it a firm shake. "Lelouch. It's nice to meet you, Kallen."

She smiled again. "It's nice to meet you too, Lelouch."

Turning back to her task at hand, she continued to organize her posters.

"You've been following me," she stated. "Why?" she asked curiously, pulling a hat back over her head and low over her face after wiping off the blood on her hands. She frowned momentarily at one poster that received a splash of blood. Using her sleeve, she wiped it off before posting it up on the wall nearby, only five metres away from the last one.

Lelouch shrugged. "I was curious. Curious to know why you're putting up posters of a dead man. I saw you from a window. Why do you do this and take all that abuse? Why? When you can… do all this?" he asked with a vague wave of his hand at the two men. "Isn't this a crime?"

"It's only a crime if someone says it is. There's no police in Pendragon to enforce stupid things like rules and regulations. Where have you been for the last eight years?"

Lelouch quickly thought, not wanting to seem unaware. CC obviously hadn't given him a detailed enough history lesson. "My parents always told me that murder is a crime no matter where you go or who's there to enforce it."

Kallen smiled serenely. "They're good people. They're good citizens of Britannia. They brought up a good, reliable son. I'm surprised that killing them didn't send you off running too." She turned to him and punched his arm lightly. "Your parents brought up a brave son of Britannia too. They should be proud."

Returning the gesture, Lelouch turned back to the poster of Zero.

_Salvation through faith._

CC clung to that phrase, and so, it seemed, did Kallen.

It made him wonder just what kind of man Zero was.

"What was Zero like?" Lelouch asked, gazing at the poster.

Kallen followed his gaze and a warm, nostalgic smile settled over her. "He was a good man. He was a courageous man. He was a charismatic man. He was our hope. He was our light. He was our saviour." There was a pause, a necessary moment of silence. Kallen's eyes misted over with the thought of better days.

"That's… You have a lot of faith in him."

She smiled. "Yes, because Zero was our messiah."

ooo

_ The sensors started to fail and, although she was keeping calm, internally, she panicked. Guren had already taken too much damage and she was plummeting to the ground at a rapid pace. Not only that, but she was out of energy too._

_ Flicking switches, pleading with the controls and moving them to at least slow down her descent resulted in nothing as warning signs continued to flash all over her monitors in a red, angry glow._

_ Pounding a fist down on the control, she swore._

_ A transmission came on and Kallen was suddenly looking into the face of the one who had shot her down—the one who bested her in combat only by a sliver. She scowled at him._

_ "Repent for your actions and I'll rescue you! Britannia is lost!"_

_ "Fuck you!" Kallen cursed. "I have only ONE saviour! 'Salvation through faith!' Britannia WILL rise!"_

_ The man's eyes narrowed and he sighed. "Then die," he said simply, and the transmission closed._

_ Suddenly, a black Knightmare was falling beside her—no, flying to match her descent. Wide-eyed, Kallen adjusted her monitor to see the Shinkiro, wings splitting the air as it edged closer around to face her cockpit._

_ The cockpit opened and out stepped Zero. The wind whipped his cape around him fiercely, tearing it clean off his shoulders as he struggled against the buffeting wind. Holding his hand out, he beckoned for her._

_ Tears filled her eyes and Kallen immediately unstrapped her belt, opening the cockpit. He was still too far to reach. Backing up a bit, Kallen jumped for him off her Guren. For a few moments she seemingly floated in the air, reaching out for his outstretched hand as he reached for hers, only one hand gripping security._

_ The Guren fell away from them, small explosions marking the end of its generous life._

_ Their hands swatted at each other continuously and then—_

_ Hands linked together._

_ Kallen smiled as her tears fell away to the wind._

_ 'Let there be salvation through faith. I have only one saviour; one messiah.'_

* * *

Comment:

Yes. Dante's Inferno. Well, a modified sort-of version of it. I'm proud of it. I'm proud of my amazing naming sense for chapters. But you probably didn't need to know that.

Ahem.

So, as is customary, specifically for me, I have some questions for you.

1. Where do you think it's going? Willing to take a guess?

2. Now that you know more background, what do you think happened?

Please R&R.

- Minute Maid

Beverage of Queens.


End file.

Code Geass