Code IVANO: Omni Rising

Disclaimer:

I don't own the rights to anything related to the anime: Code Geass

The rights to it belong to…other people…

I do (for what it is worth) own myself…maybe…

Chapter 1: The Demon Rises

This is where it all ends, right? Where it all began? So it's fitting, I suppose, that we're interlocked in this damned chess game while pillars of fire come tumbling down around us. I can taste blood, foreign blood. The red substance stains my hands and clothes in an almost majestic pattern. The taste is sickening, yet delightful like copper punch.

Fear, hatred, love, despair, lust, greed, more fear, pride, envy! I can smell it! I can feel it crawling on my fingertips! I can see it, poorly disguising itself in front of us as the pieces we manipulate!

Can you?

Do you hear that echo, that bold voice beating against your ears? Can you even comprehend who or what the speaker is?

That voice is the voice of one of the few humans I've ever admired. It is the voice of a young man whose goal led him down a rough path, on which he sacrificed his life to bring about a period of peace that was too good to last.

Ah, how rude of me!

Let me introduce a tad bit about myself and part of the reason why I admire this human.

Would it be safe to assume that you understand the concept of Life and Death?

They are merely two sides of the same coin.

I handle the latter; I escort souls to where they belong so that they may be damned or saved. Some souls do not have the luxury of either option. Either my Superior wishes them to stay amongst the earth, or they hold this accursed brand that prevents me from leading them into the afterlife.

This human belonged to the latter group, something that never ceases to irritate me.

I do not care to delve too deeply into this matter; I feel it would be pointless to do so.

But if you really want to know more about this boy, the one you humans hated and revered, take this book and let it satisfy your desires.

-Unknown Location-

He was alone in utter darkness till he found an unexpected companion in his soft breathing.

Even though it was something so trivial and subconscious, the sound of his breathing startled him. Breathing did not feel right; it was something he should be incapable of doing.

He could feel his hands twitch slightly, something that increased his anxiousness. He tried to move, but his body was slow to react. Just like its owner, it seemed to have a difficult time comprehending his situation.

Slowly, his eyes opened and his senses began to come back.

He shifted his head slightly, causing his cheek to gently brush against the pillow beneath it. It was still dark; the only light came from beneath a nearby door and his eyes had not adjusted yet. He lifted his head and brushed his hands along the surface of what appeared to be a silk blanket.

Once they had adjusted, his eyes widened with shock as he began to examine his surroundings: a mirror image of his room at the Ashford Academy.

"Where am I…" he asked no one in particular, his voice somewhat shaky. He paused for a moment before pulling himself out of bed, shivering as his feet made contact with the cold floor, "Is this some sort of trick?"

He stared at the door producing his only source of light and made his way towards it. Shaking, his hand reached out for its knob and he slowly opened it. He cracked it open wide enough for him to stick his head through and found a long white hallway before him, the sight of which hurt his eyes a bit.

"What is this…" he mumbled as he squinted at the paintings lining the hallway's walls. He couldn't see all of the paintings from his current position, but what he could see startled him. One painting was of Kallen in her bunny suit, pointing a gun at someone (obviously him). Another showed Nunnally making paper cranes while Sayoko watched.

A smile was on both of their faces.

He subconsciously began walking down the hallway, becoming more absorbed in the mysterious paintings as he passed them.

"Jeremiah, Cornelia, Euphie's massacre, the Black Knights betraying me, Suzaku killing me and…"

He paused for a moment as he stared blankly at the painting to his right, his mouth opening slightly as if he were about to say something. It was a painting of Nunnally; her eyes were filled with tears and she was clasping onto his hand.

"Interesting…"

"Who's there," Lelouch barked, twirling around to find himself in what appeared to be a library. The mysterious voice cleared its throat, prompting Lelouch to turn around again. Off in the distance, he spotted a man leaning against a pillar while casually reading a book.

His skin was a dark chocolate color and he wore a white hooded vest that extended past his waist with golden wings printed on the back and a green stripe on both of his shoulders. The rest of his attire consisted of a white shirt, long white pants with a bronze sash wrapped around his waist, sapphire boots with black buckles, and red gauntlets that looked like claws.

"Perhaps I should be asking you that question," the figure sighed, closing the book he was reading and gently putting it back on the shelves near him. Quietly, he scanned for another book, letting out a small "ah-ha" when he found what he was looking for: a white book with a golden lock on it. Lelouch watched as the figure popped the lock and used his index finger as a pointer to find what he was looking for.

"Here it is…Lelouch vi Britannia…" he muttered, letting out a small sigh before closing the book, "You're not supposed to be here."

"Where is here?"

"The Archives, my home sweet home, as you humans would call it. It is the world between life and death."

"So, am I dead?"

The figure let out an annoyed grunt and turned his head towards Lelouch, revealing a skull mask. Lelouch watched as the figure popped the mask off and lowered it from his 'less than amused' face. His orange eyes seemed to flicker as he let out another sigh.

"No, in fact your time isn't even on the list," he replied, lifting and reopening the book to show Lelouch. The boy nodded slightly, prompting the figure to return the book to its proper place, "This happens from time to time, and it doesn't get any less annoying. You humans should learn to die properly."

"I'm sorry to have irritated you," Lelouch smirked, folding his arms. He wondered why he wasn't marked for death; perhaps it was because he had obtained immortality? But that shouldn't be possible; C2 said he'd only gain immortality through reaching his maximum Geass strength and receiving, or taking, it from another Immortal.

Did he do that?

"Those eyes of yours…" the figure mumbled, breaking Lelouch's train of thought, "You possess Geass, don't you?"

"And if I do?"

"Hmph, then you could be of use to me," the figure mumbled before he extended his hand, motioning for Lelouch to follow him to a wooden door at the end of the library, "Lelouch, do you know the origin of Geass?"

"I can't say that I do," Lelouch replied, rubbing his throat as he felt a slight itching sensation.

"Do you think it is human made?"

"No, its ability to grant such powers as my ability to control others and mindreading are beyond human capabilities. This is further supported by analyzing the memories of the one who gave me Geass, which show that Geass has been around long before humans could even create indoor plumbing."

"Smart boy…and do you know who the first bearer of Geass was," the figure asked as they finally reached the door, glancing over his shoulder at the boy. Lelouch paused before shaking his head, an act that caused the man to chuckle before he turned to face him, revealing a glowing purple Geass sigil on his white shirt.

Lelouch's eyes widened as the man flung the door open and grabbed onto the collar of his pajamas, "What are you doing?"

"I'm sending you to where you belong, child; somewhere you'll actually be useful," the man coldly replied before tossing the boy into the abyss behind the door. A small smile appeared on his face as Lelouch's terrified screams disappeared into the abyss, "…Now…I suppose I should make sure he's actually able to do his job…"

-Britannia Cemetery-

"Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, won't we get caught," a teenage Britannian male questioned his friend.

"Tch, as if anyone would care what we did…and get that stupid thing out of my face," the other Britannian male exclaimed, pushing his friend's lantern away, "Why'd you bring that thing anyways, huh? This is the 21st Century; we have flashlights now!"

"My batteries ran out…"

"Whatever," the other Britannian mumbled as they continued through the graveyard, carefully maneuvering from the guard's scheduled route, "Heh, we're gonna do the impossible!"

"Rob Emperor Lelouch's grave?"

"Duh, you idiot," the Britannian groaned, pointing to the shovel he brought on his shoulder. "Just think what could be in there…gold, money, chicks' phone numbers!"

"I don't think…"

"That's right, you don't," the Britannian interrupted before spotting their destination: a relatively large tombstone that took the shape of a cross. "Keep some light on me," he mumbled to his friend as he stuck the shovel deep into the moist dirt.

The white clad man watched this transgression from afar, long enough for the boys to actually reach the coffin. He let out a disgusted sigh and mumbled his disdain for grave robbers before producing a snow white scythe.

"Awesome…now put that stupid thing down and help me open this thing," the loud mouth Britannian commanded, receiving a nod from his friend. They tried in vain to pry it open, bruising their hands in the process.

"Did you hear that," the quieter Britannian asked, "It sounded like a bumping kinda sound."

"It's probably just your imagi-"

"It's not nice to rob graves," a voice echoed through their ears, sending a chill down their spines. Reluctantly, the Britannians slowly turned around, their eyes widening in utter fear as they beheld the man in white standing before them with his glistening scythe held over his head.

"…Boo…"

A smirk appeared on the man's face as the two boys squealed and ran as fast as they could, stumbling like the panic stricken fools they were. After letting out a satisfied sigh, the man turned towards the unearthed coffin and lightly tapped it.

"Vi Britannia, are you still alive?"

"…Unfortunately…"

"Count your blessings, child," the man sighed, using his scythe to pop open the coffin. Lelouch slowly lifted himself out, taking in as much oxygen as he could, "Are you okay?"

"I suppose…" Lelouch groggily replied, stumbling out of the coffin and falling to his knees. He licked his dry lips, finding his tongue to be dry as well, and stared at the moist dirt as its texture felt like heaven against his dry hands. "No…I'm not that desperate…" he mumbled with a slight smirk before he looked up at the man in white.

"…Do you have any water?"

"No…" the man replied, watching Lelouch rise to his feet. The boy stumbled a bit, but was eventually able to stand still long enough to look competent. Lelouch rubbed his skull before glancing at his tombstone, which read: Here lies Lelouch vi Britannia, 99th emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire.

There was graffiti on it, harsh words of damnation that made Lelouch smile a little. After all, his plan was to direct the world's hatred towards him, and this showed he had accomplished just that. This smile faded when he realized that he was still alive.

"My promise to Suzaku…Our plan…everything was supposed to come to an end with my death! Not like this!"

These thoughts prompted a grief stricken anger to boil within him, culminating in him clenching his fists as he turned to the man in white, "Why did you bring me back?"

"I didn't…even without my help you would have come back," the man sighed, unfazed by the boy's tone, "Blame yourself for using Geass like a party trick."

"How long have I been dead," Lelouch asked the man, calming down.

"Two months, approximately," the man replied, tilting his scythe so that Lelouch could see his own reflection. The image shocked him; not only had he been buried in his school uniform, but his hair had grown long enough that it reached past his shoulders, and a Geass sigil marked his neck.

"That sister of yours is very kind…Giving a tyrant like you a proper burial," the man joked, though he kept a serious face, "From what I've seen, the people wanted your body to burn for all the sins you've committed, hence why you weren't given a grave fit for an emperor, despite being buried amongst noble grounds."

"That's understandable," Lelouch replied, brushing his hair from his eyes, "As long as they hate Lelouch vi Britannia, all is well."

"You're mistaken…" the man stated in a manner that threw Lelouch off guard, "You've only provided a temporary peace through hatred. You and I both know that humans are driven by more than just hatred."

"I suppose you're right, but Nunnally has Suzaku, the Black Knights, and even Schneizel to help her uphold this new world."

Lelouch waited for the man to respond before continuing.

"You said you needed me for something?"

"Yes…but that's not important now…"

"Then kill me…"

"I said it's not important now, but later is a different story. Besides, I couldn't kill you even if I wanted to…and trust me…I am not pleased that you're still alive…"

Lelouch nodded before turning back to his grave, noting how problematic it would be to leave it open. With a sigh, Lelouch closed his coffin's lid before grabbing the discarded shovel to refill the grave.

"…Do you need any help…" the man asked, noticing how quickly Lelouch became fatigued after only a few scoops of dirt.

"My body seems to lack sufficient energy after having been inactive for so long," Lelouch panted, though he was never exactly the pinnacle of fitness in the first place, "And your help would be appreciated…"

The man nodded and motioned for Lelouch to stand back. He raised his scythe and, in one smooth sweeping motion, refilled the grave. He smoothed the ground out in an attempt to make it seem undisturbed and received a 'thank you' nod from Lelouch.

The young Britannian then examined his surroundings. This was where his mother was buried, so it's relatively close to his former Palace. "That means the river is…20 degrees north of here…" he mumbled before walking in the stated direction with the man trailing after him.

Lelouch could hardly contain himself when he found the aforementioned river, but managed to do so long enough that he was able to look casual when he dived into the surprisingly clean water source. This appearance of casualness was ruined as Lelouch resurfaced, splashing around in the water like a giddy five year old. The man smirked in an unsure manner as he watched this odd behavior, "…This is a bit disturbing…"

After he had his fill, Lelouch made his way back to land and removed his jacket and shirt, finding them to be uncomfortable and tight. He set them on the grass before walking back to the river and staring at his reflection.

He could hardly recognize himself, which was both good and bad:

Good: if he could hardly recognize himself, the average citizen wouldn't be able to either, and his Geass was covered.

Bad: he was a mess and that Geass sigil on his neck would attract unwanted attention.

"Do you have something that I could cover my neck with?"

"Perhaps," the man replied, reaching out for Lelouch's throat. He gently grasped onto it, producing a strange light that, once gone, revealed a hot pink choker around the boy's neck. Lelouch stared at his reflection, rubbing the choker in dissatisfaction.

"I want to be incognito…something hot pink, especially on a boy, would attract unwanted attention…"

"Ungrateful child…" the man mumbled, replacing the choker with a black one that had a golden eagle silhouette on it, "…There…I believe this is what you humans nowadays call 'cool'."

"It's suitable, but do you have any clothing you could spare?" The man sighed at this before removing his long hooded vest, which in turn revealed his short black hair. Lelouch waved it away, saying that he didn't want to steal his clothes.

"It's not stealing; you're merely borrowing this as part of our contract…" the man sighed, tossing the vest at Lelouch, "You'll return it to me when we're done."

"Who said anything about a contract? And what if I refuse to complete it," Lelouch asked, cocking an eyebrow as he slung the vest over his shoulders. The man smiled before snapping his fingers, causing the skull mask to appear on his face.

"You will complete our contract because it coincides with your interests…Besides, you don't have to fulfill it if you wish not to…" the man replied, lifting his scythe and swinging it down in a vertical manner. It seemed to catch on something, and a fabric ripping sound filled the air as it tore open a black portal.

"Wait! Shouldn't I at least know the name of someone I have a contract with?"

"…My name is ReeBop…" the man hesitantly answered, somewhat embarrassed by his name, "I'll be checking on your progress from time to time….so don't die…"

The man chuckled before stepping into the portal, which quickly closed once its creator snapped his fingers. Lelouch glanced at the vest still slung over his shoulder before slipping into it. After zipping the vest up, he pulled up its hood, and the shadow it cast, along with his hair, helped to obscure his face.

It was also warm and comfortable.

As he saw no further use for them, Lelouch threw his shirt and jacket into the river, waving goodbye to them as they floated down the river.

"…I have to start over…" Lelouch mumbled as he stared up at the starry night sky, wondering about Nunnally and Suzaku's well being. He shook the thoughts of them away, his eyes sparkling with determination.

"…No…I have to do this…I'll build a new life and find a new home…But first I'll need money…and food…"

Lelouch shivered as a cold wind brushed against his exposed arms, prompting him to rub them.

"…Maybe I should have kept my shirt…" Lelouch mumbled as he noted the lack of sleeves on RB's vest.

"…Live and learn, I suppose…"

-The Streets of Imperial City-

Lelouch's stomach nagged him as he made his way out of the graveyard and an annoyed groan escaped him. "I know…just be patient…" he mumbled, rubbing the growling beast as if that would soothe it. Suddenly, he grew tense with nervousness when, as he glanced up from his belly, he spotted a young woman walking towards him. There was a chance that she could recognize him and he considered crossing the street to avoid her until a thought crossed his mind.

"Perhaps she'd give me money or food if I asked nicely…but is that a chance I should take?"

His stomach growled and, with a heavy sigh (along with forgetting an important night time rule), Lelouch continued walking towards the girl, dipping his hands into his somewhat moist pockets. The woman saw him and seemed to grow nervous, something Lelouch's stomach refused to let him acknowledge. She slipped her hand into the purse she was carrying at her side and slowly pulled out a taser that she hid from Lelouch's view.

"Excuse me, ma'am…" Lelouch began with eerie politeness, "Could you spare some change or foo-"

"B-ba-back off, pervert…I'm not going down without a fight…" she interrupted, taking a step away from Lelouch.

"What…no, I-I just want some money and food, ma'am," Lelouch explained, taking a step forward, which was a mistake on his part. She revealed the taser and a branch of electricity could be seen as she held its button, "W-wait, I-"

"Sister, cease your paranoid behavior…" a young voice yawned. The girl released the button, turning to the 14 year old boy behind her, "It's embarrassing…"

"But he was…"

"Asking for money, don't you see," the boy sighed as he walked past his sister, circling Lelouch, "Can't you tell by this man's attire? His soggy clothing, wild hairstyle, unsavory odor, and his poor slouching all point to one thing: this man is a hobo."

Lelouch took offense to this but remained silent. The girl scrutinized him and nodded, bowing apologetically, "I'm sorry I misjudged you, poor hobo man."

"Uh…heh…it's okay…" he chuckled a bit, relieved that the woman put the taser away, "No harm done…"

"No, I am truly sorry…In fact…" she began digging through her purse and pulled out an exceptional amount of money, forcing it into the boy's hands, "Take this, you poor hobo man."

"Take some funds from me as well," the boy said, handing Lelouch more money.

"Th-thank you both for your kindness," Lelouch bowed, stuffing his new funds in his pockets.

"You're welcome, hobo man," the boy replied as he and his sister began to leave, "I hope you find a job and lead a successful life." Lelouch gave them a wave goodbye and made his way to the nearest eatery, which happened to be a pizza joint.

-Imperial Palace Garden-

Nunnally was quietly staring out at the moon as she sat in her garden, an activity that always calmed her nerves when she felt anxious or stressed.

By her side was the man who killed her brother: Zero.

She knew who he was and why he killed Lelouch, but that didn't make her feel any better about his death; no matter how she looked at it, Lelouch was dead and he wasn't coming back.

"Nunnally…are you okay…" Zero asked, staring at the moon as well.

"Yes, I was just thinking of Lelouch…" she replied, letting out a small sigh.

"Nunnally, he'd be proud of you if he were around to see what you're doing."

"Do you really think so," she asked, gazing at Zero with her big blue eyes. The man nodded, smiling under his mask, "Thank you, Suzaku." She turned back to the moon and smiled slightly. They continued this for a few more minutes before returning back inside, escaping the gaze of a sniper's rifle.

"I had them lined up, I could've killed both of them…" the sniper groaned, dismantling their rifle and carefully putting it in a silver case.

"I don't care…I didn't give you the order to do this in the first place…" a formal and irritated voice stated on the sniper's intercom.

"But it'd be easy to just-"

"I said no….Exit the area immediately and don't attempt something so foolish again or else the consequences will be severe."

"…Fine…" the sniper sighed before disappearing into the woods, their suitcase slung casually and effortlessly over their shoulder. Jeremiah arrived just in time to catch this retreat, a disappointed frown appearing on his face as he twirled a knife in his hand.

-Pizza Joint-

With a content sigh, Lelouch wiped his mouth on the sleeves of RB's vest before leaning back into his seat. He, along with the restaurant's owner, couldn't believe that he just ate two medium pizzas by himself. "But, then again, you are a pretty scrawny guy," the owner joked, receiving a smile and laugh from Lelouch. Though, his joy stemmed mostly from the fact that, not only was he full, his experiment worked. None of the people there commented on how he looked like that "evil Emperor guy, Lelouch" as he had heard people call him. Since he was dead, no one in their right mind would expect to see him eating two pizzas at Fantastic Mario's Pizzeria.

It was brilliant, he thought as he drank some of his Sprite.

He smiled to himself, reaching into his pockets to make sure his funds were still there. "Now that I'm full, I'll need a set of clothes and a place to stay for the night," he mumbled, wondering where he should go for some cheap yet quality clothing, "I remember a store that should still be open…?" His train of thought was interrupted by a jingling bell which drew his attention to the pizzeria's opening door.

"Ugh! I can't believe I'm stuck being the pizza guy," a familiar voice rang, causing Lelouch's stomach to churn, "I could've grabbed some food from that bistro nearby, but noooooo! He's just gotta have pizza!"

"Oh, be quiet…" another familiar, this time female, voice groaned, "I can't believe I was sent with you…"

Lelouch quickly popped his hood up and stuck his face in an abandoned museum brochure lying on his table. His hands shook slightly and he slowly peered over the brochure, only to confirm his fears that Kallen and Tamaki were there.