Code Geass: the Alternative Chapter 1: The Set Up, a code geass fanfic

"Alternate"

It's a rather mysterious word, isn't it? It has many meanings, such as a difference.

Were it not for that word, one would expect the world be tossed into ruin, and a demon to rise.

Instead, they received someone else. In this world, there is no demon.

Only a man out for redemption.

(Pendragon Imperial Palace)

The palace stood upon holy ground, painted brilliant white with golden trims. It was a sight to behold, a sight most fitting for a king to live, and for his children to one day inherit. It was here that all things were made. Peace, war, declarations, governments... everything that comes to exist in an empire is made manifest here, at the hands of a nation's ruler.

The throne room was filled to the brim. Princes and Princesses stood side by side with nobles, the highest of the elite, the ones the Emperor could trust within his inner circle. The royal guard stood ready, their spears in hands, waiting for any threat that would dare interrupt this occassion. Today, the 98th Emperor, Charles zi Britannia, would be making a declaration of some sort. What sort of declaration, no one knew. All they could was wait for his appearance, to see the giant of a man walk into the room, his hulking frame standing above all of theirs easily, and his cold and hardened face glaring at them.

One of the princesses, a young girl with cold blue eyes, looked around the room. Like the rest of her siblings, her clothes were designed only for royalty, of the superior, of the strongest of Britannia's world of nobility. However, confusion was marring her round face, alongside that of another, a voluptuous woman with long, flowing purple hair. "Didn't someone say the Emperor was missing?" she questioned her sibling.

The Emperor had not made any appearances, nor declarations, nor speeches within the month. That in itself was unusual, for a king must make an appearance to the public at least once or twice a month in order to build the morality and hopes and desires of his people. This was what his status demanded of him. However, Charles zi Britannia was not an ordinary Emperor. He did not care for such mundane prospects, and instead focused on matters that were important and vital.

"Bismarck was the one who reported that," her older sister replied with the same confusion in her tone. "And now even he is missing."

Their older brother, a tall man with short hair and a round beard intertwining with his mustache and dressed in a gray coat bearing golden shoulders, looked disturbed and anxious, glancing around the room, hoping to find another woman with violet hair and a fierce gaze to match alongside a young man with golden hair and calculating blue eyes. "As for Schneizel and the others," Odysseus questioned. "Where are they?"

"Don't know." the sister answered. "There's been no word from Cambodia, yet."

Just then, the sound of trumpets sounded off. Instantly, everyone tensed, and their eyes fell to the front. A guard performed a salute, his body straight as an arrow, and announced the presence of the king. "Presenting, his Imperial Majesty!"

Everyone looked on expectantly. However, when the figure that embodied their empire appeared, confusion began to sprout. "Wait," the younger Princess frowned. "That's not the Emperor!"

Indeed not. The one who walked out before them looked to be in his teens, yet his stance was the same as theirs. The very air around him reeked of perfection, his very form looked the part of nobility, and his face set in stone like marble. His attire was that of a school uniform, easily fitting his slim build like a glove. Only the jacket, which was closed up all the way to the neck, bared the golden trims. It was the uniform worn by the Ashford Academy students, those who were taught and raised, taking in all knowledge Britannia deemed them worthy of knowing. It was a facility ran by the supporters of the late Empress, Marianne vi Britannia, a powerful figure that had defeated the Knight of One, Bismark Waldstein, in the past. The youth had raven black hair, a shade that surpassed his own clothes, hiding away his forehead and reaching down to the collar of his uniform. His eyes were amethysts, a shade so deep that not even the gems themselves could hope to match their brilliance. This boy walked upon their presence, his smile neither kind nor cruel. It was a satisfactory smile, a smile worn by one who had achieved victory.

To their immense shock, the boy had the nerve, the audacity, to sit upon the throne of the Emperor, crossing his legs over each other, arms resting, and stared back at them all. He met their gaze, measure for measure, and even surpassed them.

Then he spoke, his voice calm, cool like brass, and his tone sharp and clear.

"Greetings," the young man began. "I am Lelouch vi Britannia of the royal family..."

Eyes widened in shock. Princes could only look at the boy with incredulous disbelief, their jaws hanging. Princesses stared in surprise, unable to rid themselves of his presence as they stared at him with wonder. Nobles whispered amongst each other, hushed quiet words filling the room. The Imperial Family knew this boy well. He was the eldest child of Marianne vi Britannia, formerly known as Marianne Lamperouge, the late consort to Charles zi Britannia, and the former Knight of Two. He was a brilliant child, and a caring boy towards his younger sister, Nunnally. However, tragedy befell the family when Marianne was murdered, and the girl, left blind and crippled. Bullets had severed nerves, and trauma had claimed her sight. There was no longer a use for the girl, not even for political gain.

The last anyone had seen or heard of Lelouch vi Britannia had been when he had barged into the throne room and stood before his father, demanding that justice be done. It was also that day that the prince had been exiled to the nation of Japan alongside his younger sister. It was that country that became their grave. It was that incident which led toward retribution. And so Japan fell, and in it's place stood Area 11. The Japanese were defeated, and their names robbed from them. Their history warped, their culture tainted, and their rights stripped of them. To Britannia, these were savages who lived an uncouth way of life. They should live the way they told them to, expecting them to be loyal servants. It was the least they could do to try and earn their forgiveness for robbing the world of their beloved prince and princess, exiled status be damned.

And yet... here he stood before them, alive and well... and looking dangerous. His very form breathed untold arrogance, a notion found commonly amongst the royal family.

However, he was not finished. His next choice of words sent the entire Britannia world into utter upheaval.

"...and the 99th Emperor of the realm."

Shock, disbelief, betrayal, surprise... these were but the first of many emotions. Their prince, who had been thought to be long dead, had crowned himself Emperor? Was that sheer audacity? Was that arrogance that surprised even theirs?

"It's... it's really you?" the younger Princess asked, staring at the boy in wonder. Her shock was shared by many, but that was but a secondary emotion. They needed to know for themselves if this truly was their long lost brother, and not some imposter seeking glory and gain.

"You're alive?" the older sister asked, confusion and surprise lacing her words.

Lelouch vi Britannnia nodded his head. "Yes, sister, I am." he confirmed for them. "I have returned from the depths of Hell, intact."

Odysseus stepped forth, smiling nervously, yet also relieved. "Lelouch, I am glad to see you again." he told his brother. "When Nunnally was located, I knew you would be alive as well! But, now..." A raised eyebrow settled on his face, a hand lifted in question. "Don't you think your carrying this joke a bit too far? That's the throne of our father-"

"Charles zi Britannia," the raven-haired boy cut him off sharply, his smile gone. Only an icy cold menace stood in it's place. "the 98th Emperor no longer walks among the living."

The next words he spoke made all of Hell, in it's full splendor, break loose.

"I was the one who killed him."

Gasps echoed and chorused. Revolt and horror appeared. Nobles stared wide-eyed, unable to believe their own ears. Princes glared in seething rage, and their sisters staring in fury.

"Therefore," Lelouch vi Britannia continued. "That makes me the next Emperor!"

Arrogance filled his voice, cold as the rest of him.

"What are you saying?! Are you nuts?!"

"What have you done?!"

"Surely, you jest!"

"I would not joke on so light a matter." the Emperor responded to the question/remark with a dark grin, earning him a terrifying visage.

The eldest Princess turned to the already advancing guards. "Guards, take that fool and execute him!" she had all but demanded of them. "He's guilty of murdering our Emperor!"

The guards ran up the stairs, their target locked in their gaze. All it would take was a single thrust, blades jammed in the flesh, and blood would fall. The betrayer would be judged, and peace would be restored.

However, the heavens had not agreed with them. Their spears were shattered. The shafts were torn from their hands. Their bodies were flung back, sliding across the floor and landing before their lords and masters. Shock and surprise filled the room when the descending angel slowly rose, dressed in the same garbs as the one they saved. Their face was cold, laced with a terrifying dedication to their duty, and glaring out at all of them were righteous fury in the form of soft green eyes, gentle orbs that were betrayed by it's owner.

"I will not allow you to touch the Emperor!" the Knight of Seven, Suzaku Kururugi, declared to all in attendances, turning his back to them and taking his place beside his master.

"Allow me to introduce..." Lelouch vi Britannia said with glee as he raised his hand towards his loyal servant. "Suzaku Kururugi, my knight: a Knight of the Round above all others. I hereby grant him the title, Knight of Zero."

Confusion rose among them. There had been many a great knight in the past, the most powerful being the Knight of One, a position most sacred and important, for they were tasked with guarding the king with their very life and being. That position and role was acted out by Bismarck Waldstein. However, none had heard of this position before, and some were curious of how powerful this new title was.

No one dared to walk up to them. Suzaku had instilled fear into their hearts. What stood before them was not a Number, but a man who would not hesitate to bring an end to their lives if they had so much as dared to defy their new king. However, Odysseus, the timid and most indecisive of the brood, was the first to muster the courage, standing before the Knight and the Emperor.

"Lelouch..." he said slowly and nervously. "Sir Kururugi, this just won't do. Pulling a stunt like this, and on an international broadcast no less! It is, well..." he trailed off, the meaning already stated.

Yet the Emperor did not falter. "Do you think so?" Lelouch vi Britannia questioned. His slim form rose from the throne of the Gods, and his hands, so slim and frail, slid over his eyes. "Then let me make it easier for all of you to understand..."

A pale crimson consumed the gems. The dot expanded and spread it's body, wings unfurling from it's form, forming into a bird captured in mid-flight, a avian creature found in motion.

And so the King commanded of them, with power unquestioned, and conquest undenied.

"ACKNOWLEDGE ME AS EMPEROR!"

"Lelouch, I insist that you stop joking around like thi..."

The words could not be finished.

The fear was absolved.

The hatred was cleansed.

The confusion was cleared.

The fear was removed.

Their minds became clear, removed of any doubt, and only one thing remained, a single word that forced every fiber of their being to follow its' command, like an absolute order that could not be denied.

Obedience.

Prince Odysseus placed a hand over his chest. The action was soon followed by his kin, and so too did the nobles mimic this action. "We hear and obey your command!" the prince announced, a calm smile over his face, and the sign of absolute obedience clear in his eyes... in all of their eyes. "You're Majesty!"

"All Hail Lelouch!"

The king smiled at their obedience. Soon, it would begin...

He would not be denied the redemption he sought. He would make this world a better place. His station demanded it of him. The world demanded it of him. The gods demanded it of him.

The dead demanded it of him.

And so... the reformation of the world begins.

Code Geass: The Alternative