az: I am writing three chapters of this at one go... because bunnies like to pull a fast one on me while I struggle to find ways to better word the fic. And recently... I hurt myself... so yeah... I feel as miserable as Lulu will be in this fic. Not... XP

Disclaimer: Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch is copyrighted by Sunrise as well as character designs by CLAMP. I’m only borrowing the fandom for the sake of the fic and the love of it. Note: This fic will take place in a probable future and will be Alternate Universe.

Shadow sun

Chapter 1: The day the sun sets

By honou-no-izumi alias izzu alias Izumi Ishtar

o

o

“Suzaku. Let”s stop this senseless fighting. I have enough entertaining you. I want to talk instead...”

Suzaku bit his lip as he tensed, eyeing the figure walking up amongst the rubble in front of it. He tried to control his temper and intense anger that he was feeling at the moment. Stay calm, don’t let yourself be fooled by him. For his own sake. For every—scratch that. A person who killed his own father has no right to act so noble...

xxx

“Zero!”, cried C.C as she poke her head out of Gawain’s cockpit. Zero turned as he cocked his head towards her.

“Stay there. I want to settle this myself, in my own way—”, he hollered as C.C cast him a disbelieving look. Zero shrugged. “Are you having doubts that I will not be fulfilling my side of the contract with you? Have faith in me—”

C.C was about to snap back at him at how foolish he was acting now but stopped at Lelouch’s last word. He said her name. Despite she thought that it sounded the same as the last time he had spoken her name aloud, this time—This time it sounded as if Lelouch was calling her name aloud... fondly. Had she dreamt it? Zero nodded his head to his side again as C.C had a strange thought that the young prince might be smiling at her at the moment under that mask.

Zero turned around as he continued his approach towards Lancelot in a very calculative move. Despite the war still continued around him, the young man was still unfazed by it.

Lancelot backed away a little.

“What are you up to, Zero? Don’t think that just because you had walked up to me without your KnightMare that you could convince me to join you! You—”

Zero looked up. “Do not just assume everything on your own. If you want to kill me now, just shoot. I intentionally cut our senseless dogfight short just to settle this down. So if you had no intention to hear me out, just shoot me. You know pretty well that I can’t escape Lancelot’s firing range fast enough at this distance and situation. Why don’t you shoot me? Kururugi Suzaku!”

Suzaku jumped at the cold voice that uttered his name aloud. His hands shook. Right, this is his chance! This is payback for taking away Euphemia's life from her. For turning her into that. He should be pushing the fire button on his targeting stick. Yes, he should... that will be the right thing. Zero must die for everything he did. He should die!

He jumped as he heard laughter coming from Zero. Zero looked up to him as he took off his mask.

Lelouch smiled.

“What are you contemplating for? Are you disregarding your words earlier? Are you still with those idealistic thoughts in your head? Suzaku! Look at me! This time I am not the same civilian you saw in Shinjuku!”

Suzaku glanced up towards the view screen to see Lelouch staring back at him without that Zero mask. With his left eye that revealed its bright purplish glow light. Making him looking more like a total stranger than the abandoned prince of Britannia, who had once been his friend. He still could not accept the fact that this friend had been so cold-hearted to the point that he would not bat an eye at killing his own siblings. To think he had stood beside this friend and not sensing this part of him.

“What are you hesitating?”

Suzaku frowned as he activated the targeting mechanism for VARIS. As the screen locked on target, Suzaku paused as he caught sight of Lelouch’s face again. The lad had not moved from his spot since earlier and somehow... just somehow, he thought he saw Lelouch staring back at him with his saddened face again. He shook his head. No, his mind was playing tricks at him. Suzaku looked back towards the viewscreen again. Staring back towards Lelouch’s face. That left eye of him really made him look... insane. Yes, that should be enough reason—

Suzaku let out a startled cry as he saw into Lelouch’s eye. Despite one of them had glowed so strangely, those eyes remained the same. Those were the eyes of Lelouch Vie Britannia. Lelouch Lamperouge's eyes. The same eyes that had always watch over Nunn ally, ever looking so kind... yet so sad during other times. His friend, how could he—?

Lancelot lowered its rifle as Lelouch let out an amused laugh.

“I... can’t!” said Suzaku as Lancelot’s cockpit opened and he stood. “As much as I hated you for what you have done and how much anger I felt at this moment, I just can’t! Damn you Lelouch!” shouted Suzaku. Lelouch chuckled as he took out a gun and point it towards Suzaku. Suzaku frowned as both remained still.

“Those who are prepared to be shot, are the only ones allowed to shoot... is it? You can’t pull the trigger... and you still held on to that naïve view of not taking lives. If you claimed to be doing the right choice, you should not be hesitating to doing anything! Even if it meant that you have to abandon your own personal emotion. That’s why—”

Lelouch sighed as he put down his gun.

“That’s why... I said that you are an idiot. Reality is different than what you thought. You can’t change anything while sticking to your own idealistic views and acting in a foolhardy manner! You—”

“That’s easy for you to say. Just because you think you are the one in the right doesn’t mean that you could freely play with people’s life—!”

Lelouch fumed. “I had never claimed that I’m doing the most righteous things. I knew it that the moment I started all this that my actions will affect the lives of many people. I know that while I’m fighting with the Japanese rebels, that I will also take the lives of Britannian soldiers. As well as any other innocent civilians that got caught in the middle of this! I accept the fact that sacrifices are inevitable! I stand to that belief and will not hesitate to eliminate any obstacles on my path!”

“Obstacles? So Euphie was just another obstacle for you?” snapped Suzaku as C.C called for Lulu from Gawain.

“Zero! Enough talk... the battle is still ongoing! I can detect more reinforcements coming from the Britannian side. If we didn’t gather our men now and retaliate later, there’s no guarantee that we can survive this battle!”

Lelouch turned towards Gawain's direction. Yes... while he wasted time here, the war still continued. And despite the Orders growing number, it was undeniable that many of them are civilians! Better they defended the area that they have taken over and secure their own positions before anything!

Yes, there is no turning back now, Lelouch thought as he started running towards Gawain’s direction...

“Are you trying to run away from this fact, Lelouch? You killed Euphie!”

Lelouch stopped.

“... you can’t possibly understand what I feel right now. Do not assume that you know me.”

xxx

C.C bit her lips as she noticed several KnightMare signals heading toward them in her sensor. She recognised those of Britannian army but one of them...

“Zero! Come back... we’ve got company! We have to leave NOW!”

xxx

Lelouch cursed under his breath as he continued running towards Gawain. A sudden sound alerted him as he turned towards the sound. C.C and Suzaku also took heed towards the incoming presence as C.C noticed an unidentified KnightMare was approaching them in a very fast speed. Lelouch frowned as he moved past the building to get a clearer look and let out a cry. That blue KnightMare... it could not be anything but Ganymede! But other than his late mother, no one had ever used it and he had thought that model had been pulled out. And the only other surviving frame of that model resided in—a realization came into his mind as he found his answer. Other than the Ashfords, who else knew about that?

He tried to run towards Gawain as he noticed Gawain’s gearing up. Could he reach it in time? His ears caught some sounds as he looked back towards the direction of the mad Ganymede. The KnightMare had pulled out its assault rifle—he thought that frame did not have any weapons installed? Unless... Nina? That nerd girl had always been so bright and the fact that her grandfather had worked on the Ganymede series as well. And considering that he had killed Euphie earlier—he had noticed how Nina had grown obsessed over his half-sister...

The tip of the assault rifle glowed with power not unlike what he was accustomed to seeing in normal rifles... Can’t it be? Did she modify it with her own theories and the research that she had been secretly doing? In such a short time?

Lelouch smirked at the irony.

“So will this be the end of me instead?”

xxx

“LELOUCH!”, shouted C.C in the cockpit as she saw Lelouch turned his face towards her. Before she could move, a huge beam of light passed before her towards Lelouch. It missed Lelouch by a meter as the missile hit ground and exploded. She saw Lelouch being thrown away and engulfed in the blinding light before she felt Gawain being thrown away as well with the aftershock. Lancelot also crashed into another building as the missile with the power of a large atomic bomb flattened that portion of the ghetto.

xxx

Bzzzt. “... C.C... Zero! Anyone there? Respond!” Bzzzt.

C.C eyes snapped open as she felt Gawain being raised upwards. She turned out the communicator as she answered. “Yes Kallen, I’m all right. What’s the situation?”

Guren Nishiki stepped back a little as Gawain stood on its own.

“Everyone managed to escape after that strange big blast. Toudou-san took the leadership for a while since we couldn’t contact you guys. What—”

xxx

Kallen gasped as Gawain ignored her and proceed towards the direction where the explosion had occurred. She followed it in suit as it was the only thing she could do.

Come to think... she had only heard C.C's voice.

Don’t tell me... ZERO—!

Gawain and Guren Nishiki surveyed the areas as dust and debris finally settled. The place was practically deserted by the Britannian army and of the Order’s troop. Kallen frowned as she watched C.C coming out of Gawain and looking around the area. The place was practically flattened by the last explosion and now, it was harder to distinguish where the Ghetto and Sokkai area had been. Should she be... glad?

No... she shouldn’t. She should not be glad with only this result. Because after the war is concluded, they will rebuild this land anew...

That would be the day when she should be glad.

Kallen's thoughts broke as she heard C.C’s gasp through the intercom. She brought her Guren to her side as she felt her blood ran cold at the sight she saw.

Few meters before them, Zero’s mask lie on the ground. Abandoned. Somewhere nearby, they saw a tattered purple and red cape which once worn by Zero; stuck under a pile of rubble.

Kallen gasped as she saw blood on the cape...

xxx

“He’s not here... Lelouch was not here...” muttered C.C softly under her breath. She should be glad. He’s still alive... but where was he? Looking at how much blood left on the ground, he could not have managed to go so far. Did that Lancelot pilot—?

C.C pouted by herself as she turned off the intercom. “So you”re saying that someone took him away before any real harm come to him? Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Ahh, okay. Can’t blame me also if I passed out... that was a big blast. Hmm...? I should lay low for now. Yes... you’d think I’d be bothered to take over a while for that prince of yours?”

C.C pondered a little as she sighed. “I’ll wait for him. That prince of yours would certainly find ways to get back. I hadn’t chosen him for no reason. That person has a reason to live. He wouldn’t give up easily—”

She pondered again over Lelouch and the few moments that they have shared during his vulnerable times. A hint of doubt suddenly interrupted her thoughts. “No, who said I was deeply worried for him? He’ll live... because he has yet to fulfil his part of the contract with me. He made his promise to me—”, she said, with an air of finality that her words would hold true.

She looked up to see Guren Nishiki move to search for Zero’s remains. C.C immediately stopped it as she got out of the cockpit.

“Enough, Kallen! He’s not there!”

Guren Nishiki's cockpit opened as Kallen came out.

“What do you mean? How’d you know...? He might be... Zero—!”

“He’s alive... somewhere. I’m sure of it.”

Kallen went quiet as she stared back towards her. C.C smiled weakly at her. “I have faith in him. He will be all right. Kallen... would it be alright if I entrust the Order to you and the others?”

Kallen blinked.

“Eh... what?”

“I have something else to do. Something that Zero would have wanted me to do... even though he wouldn’t have thought I’d do it anyway—”, C.C said as her thoughts hovered over Lelouch. She snorted as she imagined Lelouch’s reaction if he had heard her. He would have denied asking such a thing!

Kallen frowned as she remained dumbfounded.

“B-but... wait a sec! You can’t possibly be serious!”

“Zero had already noticed that the Order can manage on its own. It only needed a leader to lead it. I trust you can do well to succeed him? Or maybe you could choose a suitable person to take his place. I place that responsibility to you then—.” said C.C as she entered the cockpit again. Gawain started to move as Kallen got back into her Guren.

Can she do it...?, thought Kallen doubtfully as she piloted Guren Nishiki towards their rendezvous point...

xxx

“Welcome back... Suzaku!”

Suzaku blinked as Lloyd and Cecile greeted him.

“Good job.” said Lloyd as he patted him on his back. Suzaku just shrugged it off. Despite the fact that the Britannian army managed to defend Tokyo and the Order pulling out of the battle for the time being, he felt no joy in the victory. Especially after what had happened earlier...

Cecile frowned as she noticed the look on Suzaku's face.

“Suzaku? Is something wrong—?” asked the woman as Suzaku hastily shook his head.

“Nothing... I’m just, tired—”

Cecile blinked, but nodded her head just as well. Perhaps he was still morose over the princess’s death. She could understand that.

She patted the lads back as she tried to comfort him.

“Take your time... and rest. It’s hard on everyone also. Lady Euphemia’s death was after all too sudden...”

Suzaku nodded half-heartedly as he headed towards his bunkers.

xxx

“Brother... where are you?”

Nunnally wondered about her brother as she refrained herself from sleeping. It was already several hours... and he still hadn’t returned home!

Brother... please! Don’t tell me something had happened to you? If it does... the nightmares I’ll be seeing will not only just about mother...

Suddenly Nunnally felt a pair of hands holding her own. She was about to call out her brother’s name before realising the hands were not his.

“Sayoko... is it?”

The young woman shook his hand.

“No... it’s me...”

Nunnally gasped. “C.C—! Brother... have you seen brother? He hadn’t come home yet! I’m worried—”, cried the girl as C.C held the little girl closer.

“Lelouch... is not here. We had separated earlier... but don’t worry. I’m sure, he’ll be alright...” said C.C again as Nunnally nodded meekly...

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az: Because I was bored... and my mind cannot lie idle without thinking of possible Geass plots... so I did this. This... is kinda a possible alternate ending for Geass. Yeah... and the story will divert from any supposed plot of 24/25... so I’ll laugh at any reviews saying that anything that I typed here gonna happen... haha! This is all what random muse I’m having had cooked up. I know... I suck.