az: It crossed my mind that some scenes are left out and I can"t put it in chapter 2 or 3... so like a Geass tradition... will do the between the scenes chapter. XD. No... no recaps. 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 in a Alternate Ending/What-if scenario..

Shadow Sun

Chapter 2.75: On the other side of the moon

By honou-no-izumi alias izzu alias Izumi Ishtar

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Lloyd let out a whistle as some technician brought in a very questionable Knightmare into the garage. It struck him because he recognised the model as Ganymede. But as he remembered, the prototype that was once used by the deceased Empress Marianne was still kept intact at the homeland. So how did this machine came to be here... oh! He recollected seeing this at Milly"s school festival, the one that Suzaku used to make the largest pizza dough.

"A-ah, excuse me... may I know how you people acquired this thing?", asked Lloyd as the technicians shrugged to each other.

"We—found this somewhere near the destroyed Sokkai area while looking out for survivors. We had thought it was odd so we took it back. Pity for the girl inside though, we do not know what happened to her. Probably had snapped a nerve or something, she was mumbling some incoherent things like Lady Euphemia and exacting revenge. We sent her to the nearest mental hospital anyhow, seeing that she'"d gone too far than just crazy. No use getting out any info from her..."

"Oh, I see...", he said as he continued eyeing the Knightmare. "—can you leave it to me? I'd like to study this machine..."

"Very well...", said one of the techs as the three men left the place.

xxx

His mind had always been as calm as it always had. Today was not an exception. Today should not be an exception. Yet, he felt a sudden pull in his heart over something.

No, more to the situation that was happening in Area 11. Ah, should this be a matter of concern to him? After all, a number of his children had been involved in this. Two dead; the latter one just recently died. The other two had been trying to regain the control of the region. Yes, when he thought about it he had been thinking about his children. No, he had not been thinking about the four. He was thinking about the other two. Particularly, he had been thinking about the oldest of the two.

Lately, he had been thinking of that child. Regardless of the reports that he had received seven years ago, he had not truly believe the content saying that they have died. A fatherly thought? How long since had he ceased being a father to all of his children? He had been a ruler before he was a father and he had been so to his children. He could not particularly be sentimental about it. To him, how his children carry themselves in their lives would determine their worth to him. Death of one or the other would not matter much. It just showed how strong they were, how much they would fight to survive. If any of them fall that just showed him that they were weak thus death was one of the consequences.

Oh, and he had been thinking of this one particular child.

His youngest prince and although that was quite questionable considering what had happened in the past; the child that was also his most prized of all his sons. Yes, that child was the one he had most been proud of, regardless of how people may view it based on how he had treated the child in public.

Lelouch had been outstandingly bright, comparable to his brothers; and had a mind of his own. He had high hopes on the boy's potential. There was a setback though. That child was too kind. That for a future ruler; was not a very good trait to have. There were all sorts of people in this world, each with its own different manner and policies. In this world where the strong prevails over the weak, kindness would only pose as a weakness. It was because of this that he had made a lot of plans for him to have him learn all about the world; and how the world functioned.

It pained him when that tragedy happened. Nevertheless, he had gone on with his plans for Lelouch. The situation had changed but he would not back away from that. Just a change of words and his words would forever mark the child's heart till the end of time. He always knew that this child of his had looked up to him so much, no matter whether it was love or hate that was to be the root of the respect. He would have loved to see what impact of his words could bring change onto that child.

It was because of that; that he did not believe those old reports.

And now, he wanted to see the result that would rise. To do that though, he had to get all of the information he needed.

"Your highness?"

He grunted as he turned towards one of his advisors again.

"It seemed there was a peculiar movement again—"

"Schneizel?", he asked. The man nodded. He smiled in return.

"Very well. Then leave it as it is. Call V.V back again, he was more of use being here than over there. And you may excuse yourself..."

"You are not ordering us to observe Lord Schneizel?"

No answer was given to the man as he excused himself before the emperor.

"Shall I look forward to this development?", muttered the Emperor of Britannia to himself as he glanced towards the setting sun.

Should I... Marianne?

xxx

"A-ah! I'm so bored..."

He sighed. Eventhough he know that it wasn't anyone"s fault, but he could not help being bored the hell out of it. He wished that the world would return to the peaceful times of before. Of the times that he and Lulu would go around the town, gambling and challenging random nobles out of their money through a game of chess. Despite it was mostly Lulu"s work and he just reaping in the rewards. How he missed those times...

Rivalz kicked away the stray rock along his path. Where on earth did that idiot went to? Making him worry like this, making everyone worry about him by disappearing without a trace. He had cropped out a theory earlier, that Zero might be Lelouch because both of them disappeared at the same time but then changed his mind. But he was not the only one disappearing. Kallen... as well as Nina had also gone missing. What the hell was happening to the world? Would their old peaceful life returned to normal after all of this are over?

With a lot of his friends gone missing and acting differently, he doubt that wish would ever come to reality.

On the other hand, why is Suzaku not coming back to see us?, thought Rivalz as he sauntered towards the boy's dormitory.

xxx

What did she meant that time that all now depend on me? That just not making any sense! How could I alone manage the Order and lead the fight by herself? It was too much a responsibility! She already felt as if she had failed Zero.

Kallen sighed.

The morale in the Order were dropping. There were rumors flying about of Zero's death. And Britannian army were fighting back with even more force and with Lancelot leading them in the battle as well as aid from Lady Cornelia and Lord Schneizel. And the Order kept losing one battle after another.

xxx

Zero... I cannot do this alone! Where are you?

"Giving up Kallen? That so not sounding like you..."

Kallen gasped as she turned around towards the sound of the voice.

"Lelouch—? How... what are you doing here?", asked Kallen in alarm as Lelouch sat beside her. The lad chuckled.

"You looked like the weight of the world reside on your back, take it easy. Relax... or you'll end up looking like an old lady—", teased Lelouch, totally ignoring her earlier questions. Kallen's face flushed red. He laughed again before suddenly looked away as if in deep thought. Kallen frowned at the sudden change of attitude.

"Lelouch, wha—"

"Don"t worry too much! I'm sure that you can manage the Order by yourself. I have faith in you.", said Lelouch suddenly as he turned and smiled at her. Kallen blinked.

What? How... don"t tell me that Lelouch knew the fact that I'm part of the Order of the Black Knights? If not, why did he suddenly say this when I happened to be thinking about the Order right now?

Her thoughts were in a mess. Had she been reckless? Had she been careless so much that her identity was exposed easily by him? She thought she had managed to deceive him last time...

"Lelouch, I—"

Kallen suddenly froze as Lelouch suddenly gave her a kiss on her cheeks. She turned towards him as he started to say something. Kallen frowned for she could not hear his voice as everything around her become darker and darker...

xxx

"—llen!"

She felt herself being shaken by someone.

"Kallen... wake up!"

Kallen shook her head as she looked up towards Ogi. "Wha—?"

Ogi sighed. "It's about time you woke up. I thought you had been in deep thought or something the way you were sitting upright like that. It took me a while to realize that you were sleeping—"

I was... asleep? Then just now... was it a dream?

Ogi frowned. "Kallen? Is something wrong?", he asked as Kallen immediately shook her head. "—I know it's been hard to you as much to everyone right now. What with Zero gone missing... Kallen, do you want to take some rest or something? I'll handle the matter with the Order by myself then..."

"Ah... Ogi, you don't have to—I can't put it all on you—"

"Don't worry! You take some rest, Kallen... leave it all to us. You've done enough already for the time being. Don't push yourself too much. Don't forget that you have all of us to support you. All of us placed our trust on you and we know that you had the best of intentions for the Order. But you must really rest... we can't have you getting sick now, do we?"

I have faith in you...

Kallen blinked as Lelouch's words in her dream returned to mind. Wiping the stray tear that suddenly started to fall, she smiled at Ogi.

"Yes—"

A sudden explosion distracted her thoughts as everyone were thrown into chaos. Kallen cursed aloud as she ran towards her own Knighmare...

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az: If anyone reading this, I basing some of the events based on the lil trans I got from the novel through the LJ comm. As well as the drama CDs and Picture books. And since some of the new info sort of filled in the holes that I noticed earlier in the Geass story, knowing it sort of provided me with a stronger plotbase. If there was a need to update the summary with the Spoilers alert... please tell me. Since I will assume that all of what I"m writing will mostly contain spoilers for most of the later episodes and the picture dramas anyway... thus made me not bothering to put the spoilers alert thing.