CHAPTER 5: THE HUNGER GAMES OF BRITANNIA

A/N: I do not own Code Geass nor The Hunger Games.

Here you go, another chapter of THGOB. Hope you guys enjoy reading it! =)

Thanks for all the reviews (maesde, agarrfinkel, 2lazy2login)! Really appreciate them!

"Hey! You!" The sudden grip on his shoulders startled him. Lelouch turned and gasped upon seeing two Peacekeepers standing behind him. He took a few steps back, keeping as calm as possible as his mind wondered whether did the Peacekeepers knew he was involved in Colonel Edgar and the guards' death.

"Move over there! Area Britannians like you are not supposed to be here!" they ordered and pushed him away. Lelouch nodded and heaved a sigh of relief.

It seems that Clovis had told no one of my presence in his office…Lelouch whispered. He was brought by one of the Peacekeepers to the common room where all the tributes were. Forcefully, Lelouch was shoved into the room like a rag door where he landed right on something soft.

Soft?

"Wow, what a nice way to greet people, Lamperouge. Your mother taught you that?" Kallen Stadtfeld sniggered. Lelouch's eyes immediately widened and found himself frozen as he realised dozen pair of eyes were on them. Kallen shoved the boy away and kicked him right at his stomach.

"Serve you right. You made us waited for you for more than an hour" Rai chuckled. The stylist lifted Lelouch up and dusted the dirt on Lelouch's shoulders. "Anyway, both of you should be ready in any moment from now. Your first debut will be starting soon" Rai winked and clucked his tongue.

"Where's the Cheese-kun loving green haired lady?" Kallen looked around.

"You mean C.C?" Rai replied. Another fellow stylist passed by and he raised his hand up to greet him.

The mentioning of C.C caught Lelouch. He gulped upon remembering the bloody scene where Clovis and his men killed themselves. And of course, the sight of C.C being shot right at her head. It wasn't as brutal as when he witnessed the assassination of his mother, Empress Marianne but it was gory enough to cause a churn in his stomach.

Do you want power? C.C's voice ringed in his ears.

Lelouch touched his left eye. "Geass" he whispered.

"Yea, where's she?" Kallen said.

Suddenly Rai was silenced. He hesitated for a moment before giving Kallen a light shrug. "Most probably at the pizzeria" Rai replied and quickly walked away, joining a few other stylists.

As soon after that, Effie Cricket came with her usual high pitched laugh. She gave both of them a large hug and peck on cheek. "Well, well. My beautiful tributes. Now, the most important time of the Games. Your first debut to the people of the empire. Isn't it exciting? And look at your beautiful dresses!" Effie pointed out at Kallen's pinkish red long dress with tiny sakura petals on the fabric. Meanwhile Lelouch was in a black mining suit with tinge of pink at certain parts.

"Kallen! You looked sweet in that colour! And Lelouch, my you looked really great in that suit with…what's that?" Effie squinted her eyes at the pinkish rocks in Lelouch's hand.

"Pure sakuradite. I guessed you Mainlanders have never seen one huh?" Lelouch sighed sarcastically much to Effie's annoyance. She stormed towards him and pinched his nose.

To his surprise, Effie wasn't angry. Instead, she treated it as a joke. She hugged Lelouch and patted his head. "You are trying to be cheeky aren't you?" she giggled. Lelouch looked at Kallen and raised his eyebrow. Kallen burst into laughter.

Buzz. The signal for the tributes to head out to the stadium was given.

Effie pushed them towards the other tributes who had queued up according to their Areas. The thought of his identity being exposed to the world rushed up to Lelouch. The ex-prince of Britannia stopped at his steps. He had settled the conflict with Clovis and now he need to face with his worst fear- revealing himself to the world that the vi Britannia bloodline had not ended. That Prince Lelouch vi Britannia was alive all along. And facing the man he loathed the most, the Emperor.

Kallen grabbed his wrist. "Come on, Lamperouge! Why did you stop?" she asked.

Lelouch gulped. He looked at Kallen, giving her an extremely serious gaze. "I have something very important to tell you" He said in a voice in a tone which made him sounded as if he was like those guys in the movies who wanted to confess to a girl. Lelouch pulled Kallen closer until their lips almost touched.

"Wh-what?" Kallen blushed.

The boy took a deep breath. "Kallen" he paused and was blushing. "I think I need more make-ups."

"What?" Kallen blurted out. "You meant by me isn't it? I don't think I need to drown myself in more of these Mainlanders chemicals…."

Lelouch shook his head. "I meant by me. I need make-ups. Anything that can hide my face."

"Why? Oh, you want to hide your oh so beautiful face?" Kallen teased.

Lelouch face palmed himself. "Oh come on. Just get me anything from those stacks of stuffs over there to hide my face! Or you don't want to dirty you oh so beautiful hands?" Lelouch snapped. He looked at the clock on the wall. Thirty seconds before their debut.

"Fine. Fine. I get it. Why should I go? Why don't you take by yourself?" Kallen hissed.

"Because…you looked like those kind of girls who can't get enough of make-ups and decorations on their body. You looked like a Christmas tree…just kidding." Lelouch smirked.

That statement really blew Kallen's top. She was fuming and stepped Lelouch's foot. "Okay, you bloody bastard. You win. I shall get you something that makes you look like an ogre!" she barked and headed towards the stack.

"I love to be an ogre, Kallen ojou sama. So could you please help your husband to get one?" Lelouch smirked and acted as if he was innocent. Kallen rolled her eyes and randomly selected one. She tossed it at Lelouch and quickly joined back the queue.

"Splendid choice, Kallen ojou sama. A half face masquerade mask." Lelouch chuckled and quickly put it on. "No make-ups?"

"I got you a lipstick and if you want with a blusher" Kallen sneered. She tip toed until she was Lelouch's height and drew stars along his cheeks and dabbed the blusher on it. She was about to continue when Lelouch grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

"That's enough, my dear. I looked fantastic enough." Lelouch grinned. He knelt down and grabbed Kallen's right hand. Slowly, he kissed it. "How can I repay you ojou sama?"

Kallen managed to prevent herself from blushing and turned away. She quickly pulled her hand away and gulped. "Don't call me a Christmas tree." she said.

"Deal" Lelouch replied.

As they were being led to ride on a chariot before their debut, Lelouch whispered at her ears. "You looked like a Christmas tree, really"

"Welcome! Welcome to the Opening Ceremony of the Hunger Games of Britannia!" the crowd cheered as the chariots rode by the tributes began to enter. Each waved flags of Areas and pictures of their favourite tributes.

Lelouch gripped the side of the chariot tightly. He can't imagine himself facing the royal family after for so many years. He can't stand it. Besides, his face and identity would be revealed to the whole world if the royal family were to acknowledge his presence.

Kallen glanced at the anxious looking Lelouch. She tapped on his shoulders and raised her eyebrow. "Are you okay, Lamperouge? Anxious?"

Lelouch forced a laugh. "Just trying my best to make myself look presentable to the crowd. We need their support in order to survive don't we? Aren't you feeling anything?"

This time it was Kallen's turn to laugh. "Nope. I accepted myself as dead the moment I was chosen as a tribute. Well, I wasn't chosen. I was actually forced to be a tribute. Wait, was it chosen with inverted commas over it? Anyway, I think I am hating this as much as you do, Lamperouge. I have no idea how should I smile to those Mainlanders bastards and that filthy royalties." her tone went lower as she spoke.

Hmm, looks like she hates the royal family too….Lelouch thought.

"Area 11!" the announcer shouted. The chariot began to move slowly into the stadium, greeting thousands of spectators.

"What should we do?" Kallen asked. "I can't even smile, you know. I can't smile at these people."

"Just wave and give a bitch face. Our pretty looks are good enough to make them swoon over us." Lelouch chuckled.

As the chariot move closer to the main podium, the sight of the most powerful family of the empire became clearer. The aura surrounding the place was totally different from previous experience. It was tense and really quiet.

The crowd stopped cheering. All eyes were on the podium which was built on a high rise stage. A man dressed in a blue and red coat and white pants stood at the podium. His iconic violet eyes scanned the crowd especially the tributes. It stopped for a few seconds at Lelouch and Kallen before turning to the others.

"People of Britannia!" he spoke in a loud, crisp, arrogant and commanding voice. "Welcome to the Hunger Games of Britannia!" The crowd cheered louder and shouted 'All hail Britannia'.

"The emperor…he is really…terrifying?" Kallen whispered to Lelouch. Unconsciously, she was holding Lelouch's hand tightly. Perhaps she was too terrified at the sight of the Emperor of Britannia that it was a normal response for her to hold hands.

"All men ... are NOT created equal! Some are born swifter afoot, some with greater beauty, some are born into poverty and others born sick and feeble. Both in birth and upbringing, in sheer scope of ability every human is inherently different; Yes that is why people discriminate against one another, which is why there is struggle, competition and the unfaltering march of progress. Inequality is not wrong, equality is. What of the E.U. which made equality a right? Rabble politics by a popularity contest. The Chinese Federation with its equal distribution of wealth? A nation of lazy dullards. But not our beloved Britannia, we fight, we compete, evolution is continuous. Britannia alone moves forward, advancing steadily into the future. We will fight on, we shall struggle, compete, plunder and dominate, and in the end, the future shall be ours. ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!" Charles presented his speech in his usual charismatic manner. The crowd clapped loudly.

"However" he paused, creating suspense. He signalled Schneizel el Britannia, Second Prince and Prime Minister of Britannia to head to the tributes. The blonde prince nodded and made his way through the clueless tributes, his eyes locking on only one tribute.

"As we all know, Empress Marianne vi Britannia had two kids, a prince and a princess who were said to be dead. However, it seemed that they were after all not dead. To be more precise, the prince is alive. A vi Britannia prince still existed." Charles said and eyed at a pale looking Lelouch. The cameras and the crowd's eyes followed suit.

"Lamperouge? What's going on? Why is the camera focused on you?" Kallen pointed at the screens which were all showing both of them. She glanced at the boy whose expression was hidden behind the mask. The screen then showed them the footage of Lelouch being chosen as a tribute and a photo of Prince Lelouch vi Britannia.

Kallen gasped so do everyone in the stadium. "Lelouch Lamperouge…who the hell are you exactly?" she gaped.

Schneizel was right in front of them. "Excuse me my lady, but I need to borrow your man for a moment" he said and ordered the guards to bring Lelouch down from the chariot. Lelouch refused but he was overpowered by the guards.

"Fuck it!" Lelouch cursed as Schneizel removed the mask. The crowd began whispering and the cameras were locked at Lelouch's face.

"It's the prince!"
"A prince as a tribute?"

"Oh my god! Empress Marianne's son is alive!"

Charles smirked at Lelouch. "It seems that even the Gods wanted the vi Britannia prince to be back in the royal family. Isn't this a blessing, my people?" The crowd cheered.

"Will he still be in the Games then, Your Majesty?" Schneizel posed a question.

Charles nodded. "Procedures are procedures. It is unfortunate to have a prince competing in this commoner filled games. I forbid Prince Lelouch vi Britannia from quitting the Games" he announced.

"You….!" Lelouch hissed.

Princess Cornelia and Princess Euphemia who were sitting among the royals sighed. However, the others were rejoicing. None of them wanted the vi Britannias to return. "Sister, isn't there anything we can do?" Euphemia asked.

Cornelia shook her head. "Sadly, we can't do anything once Father gives the orders. Sorry, Euphie."

Crush!

Prince Clovis stood up from his chair, his hand crushing the glass he had been holding. His face was as pale as Lelouch and he was trembling. The Third Prince of Britannia tried to rush down to the tributes but was stopped by Cornelia.

"Where are you going, Clovis?" Cornelia asked. A few Peacekeepers arrived to aid Cornelia.

"Fuck off!" Clovis hissed and forced himself through them. Cornelia grabbed her sword and held it at Clovis's throat.

"I do not allow such vulgar words to be spoken by a member of the royal family! How dare of you, Clovis la Britannia!" Cornelia growled.

Clovis bit his lips. He spotted Emperor Charles glancing at him so do Schneizel. The prince looked away and decided to head back to his seat.

"I am doomed" he whispered. "Why are you not dead yet, LELOUCH!"

The ceremony continued although the atmosphere among the tributes grew tenser with weird gazes directed at Lelouch. Kallen stood as far as possible from him, her feelings conflicting.

"Should I kill him?" Kallen thought. Her eyes met Lelouch who seemed half dead. He forced a smile at her and held his hands out.

"I…you can hold my hands if you want" he said.

Kallen shook her head. She stood further away from him. "No. Don't come near me your filthy royalty. I hate royalties. I hate you." she snapped and spat at him.

Lelouch sighed. "Alright then. If that's what you want….if that's what you want."