Chapter 04: Whose Trapped Who?

Chapter 04: Whose Trapped Who?

After his arrival, the Black Knights watched closely. As this was, on some level, a peace conference, the Ikaruga wasn’t allowed within 100km of the Tokyo settlement. That said, that didn't mean that they didn't have eyes and ears on the ground.

"Did he come here to pull something?" Ohgi asked, worried for Kallen, who was alone with that devil and his latest pawn.

"He can't. The OSI's systems were completely shut down." Villetta spoke up; her testimony about geass and other secrets like Rolo was enough to get her a place with them.

“We’ve also supplied the guards with visors that should block his geass.” Hong Gu, a former subordinate to Xingke, pointed out, counting their blessings, that such a powerful magic could be countered.

Nagisa watched as Kallen led Lelouch around the campus, though they didn't know what they were saying. "Kozuki said to watch her. If we think he used his geass on her, the snipers are to take her out, while the regulars would detain him."

Zhou Xianglin frowned; as she had served under Xingke, she knew what a brilliant leader he was, yet he had been outplayed by Zero by Lelouch. Because of that, she couldn't buy that Lelouch would use his geass, either on Kallen or the guards present. "But that all seems surface level, tactics, and tricks."

“So, they could easily be a ruse, but he could just as easily be counting on us disregarding them.” Ohgi combed a hand through his hair, frustrated.

"It's hard to tell counter when we don't know his goals or methods for achieving them," Rakshata added as she lounged on the sofa installed just for her.

"You guys are being paranoid. He came here to make peace. Isn't that a good thing?" Tamaki asked.

Line Break

Throughout their walk, nothing was said. Kallen didn't know what to say, especially when they weren't alone. Every so often, she looked over her shoulder, and Lelouch’s gaze was elsewhere. Or perhaps he was looking at what once was, to memories he'd made at Ashford. She couldn't say, as even without the mask, she couldn't read what he was thinking.

Soon enough, she looked and saw the auditorium; their little walk was coming to an end.

"Nostalgic, isn't it? If I'm not mistaken, you were also a student here?" Lelouch continued to play dumb, but she was sick of it.

“Yes, but…” Kallen stopped, thinking of how to phrase it as they walked up the steps toward the entrance. “I’m grateful for what Zero did. If not for him, I would have died back in the Shinjuku ghetto, the Black Knights would never have existed at all, and I wouldn't have been able to make those fond memories here or learn what my mother was going through."

Kallen continued, thinking about her mother and how she still had her in her life because of the Black Knights, because of him. “Because of that, I was proud to be needed by him, to serve as Zero’s best pilot and right-hand woman. But then I learned that…” She couldn’t think of a way to explain without giving the ghost away.

“I didn’t know what to think, as his face and name were one thing, but his actions and emotions were the same as always. But Zero’s gone now, and Emperor Lelouch rules Britannia, having teamed up with Suzaku of all people. You were close at school, right?” She turned towards him, and just for a second, she saw his mask crack. He fixed it in record time, but she did get through.

"We were cordial," Lelouch replied, though that earlier friendly tone had shifted slightly.

Halfway through the foyer, she led him up the stairs. “But do you want? Is it personal power? Some desire to just be above the rest of us? Or is it some game to you, with everyone else your pawn, rooks, knights, bishops…and queen?” Her eyes conveyed more than her words, especially when she saw him twitch again.

“During the Black Rebellion, Ohgi told me to guard Zero with my life, that you could make my brother’s dream come true…!” Kallen stepped halfway up the stairs. She couldn't do it anymore. Turning to him, her eyes started to tear up. She didn't care if his stupid bodyguard was watching, and she wouldn't care if the entire UFN assembly saw; she just wanted answers.

"Lelouch, after everything, what do I mean to you? That day on the Ikaruga, you said, 'Kallen, you have to live’ after you broke my heart, and I’m sick and tired of not knowing anymore!” she demanded of him, and Lelouch didn't react. His face was cut from stone, but soon, cracks formed as he looked away from her eyes.

“I am…” Kallen wasn't meant to look like that. He didn't want to be the reason she did. "Not a good person, Kozu…Kallen. I haven't been one for years, nor will I start being one for many more. That won't change whether I'm painted black or white." He started, innocent and guilty, ally and enemy; he had killed many in all camps

“When the devil comes to take me to hell, I won’t fight it. I accept it because I have things worth damnation, people worth protecting." He looked her right in the eye, his own swirls of loss and regret, but also affection and kindness. "People I wished to return to Ashford with…but no longer can."

Kallen’s breath hitched as she remembered his words before they left for Tianzi's wedding reception. She recalled how passionate he sounded when she was captured in his desire to rescue her. Such passion couldn't be faked and could never be shown for something as trivial as a piece on a game board, no matter how grand.

Kosaka remained Lelouch's silent shadow, as this seemed like a long-overdue conversation. “But I still have a reason to fight because that is the only way I can atone because I want what few people I care for to live long, happy lives and pass on with smiles." His heart was laid bare, as his words carried a complete honesty and emotion to them.

Such made Kallen throw caution to the wind as, without a second thought, she grasped his face and pulled him into a kiss that had him wide-eyed. This was her first kiss; she had no idea what she was doing, but she poured all she had into it. Her love, her desire, her everything and more flowed into it, and Lelouch, to her elation, accepted that as she felt his once stationary hands move onto her hips, holding her tight.

He gave it as good as he got it, then got better, leaving the red-faced Kosaka looking away to give them some privacy.

When the need for air got too great to ignore, they finally broke off, but neither let go of the other as Kallen shifted her hands to hug him, resting her head into the crook between his shoulder and neck.

“You’re an idiot. An arrogant, lazy, prideful moron. Those that you care for…we would rather have you in our lives and be open with us so we can help you.” Kallen whispered to him. When she looked at his smirk, it differed from the one that made her want to punch him back in their council days.

"I'm starting to learn that, " he told her as she started to reluctantly pull away. They had taken enough time as his, but he let out a yelp as he pulled her back in for another kiss, which made her as red as her face. His hands shifted to cup her cheeks before he let her go. "I'm also learning to be more open and direct with how much I care." Now, his smirk made her want to kick him down the stairs.

But that anger flashed into being and vanished just as fast, while her joy and relief remained strong. “Then…we’ll see each other again?”

Lelouch laughed as he walked past her, his embarrassed shadow following as he looked at her over his shoulder. “Who do you think you’re talking to? I am the man of miracles.”

Line Break

Kaguya watched as Lelouch strolled in, not a step too quick, not a step too slow, head held high. He was assertive but not arrogant as his father would have been, and she could see that the other delegates picked up on that. She frowned, seeing how, without a word, he was already gaining favor with them.

She wondered why the school was chosen, as she didn't believe that it was merely because he felt nostalgia or that he believed he could use the OSI facilities Ms. Nu informed them about. They had time to counter such a notion and alter the school building into a proper meeting hall for this international body.

As chairwoman, she stood behind the podium, almost like a judge in this case, where Lelouch would argue for Britannia to join their federation. Lelouch walked towards a rounded table close to the front of the hall, directly in front of him. On it, he would find a couple of pens and paper, a bottle of chilled water, and headphones should he need translations.

As his eyes looked around, she watched him, just as the several automated cameras did, as he strolled up to it in his red and white robes. The newly reinstated Britannian crown rested on his head, polished gold in a sea of black.

He was dashing, the type of man who could garner much attention for his looks and cool demeanour alone. She would know, as she was once one of those girls. Of course, she wasn't so love-struck that she didn't think, but she believed that if she could tie herself to the masked Zero, she could tie this unknown to Japan and give her people and nation a better chance.

She had no clue to the treacherous and cruel snake he truly was. She had seen the evidence about it after he had escaped his poorly planned execution and heard right from Kallen's mouth that he called their struggle, their hopes, their losses, and victories merely a game for his entertainment. It was foolish for her to have ever believed him worthy of her affection or being corrected by a bride, which he shared with his father.

"Chairwoman Kaguya Sumeragi, UFN Supreme Council. Thank you for agreeing to this summit, but I shall get to the point. I want the Holy Britannian Empire to participate in the United Federation of Nations." Lelouch started once Kaguya had officially opened the meeting. His voice rang strong and proud for all the world to see.

Kaguya didn't think he would be so obvious as to crackle, demean them, or smirk, but she watched him either way. His mask of relaxed civility held strong.

She didn’t trust that statement at all. The news didn't report it, but they knew he had brought along a small fleet with him, something he had implied he wouldn't. She couldn't bring it up as he could easily mention how he worded his announcement two weeks back and how such a force was expected for an emperor when traveling, especially after Bismarck's failed attack on Pendragon.

But even so, those forces had to be feint. They had their UFN forces watching them, and every little change they made was reported back to command. The same is true for the security he brought, as all but one were in the room, the young woman standing at attention at the door, watched by two armed guards.

"You understand that participation depends on a two-thirds majority vote of UFN members?" Kaguya asked of him, to which Lelouch met with a confident and collected smile.

“Of course, that is the democratic way of doing things.”

“That’s right.” She tapped a button on her podium, and from the waxed wooden floor around Lelouch, massive shutters came up, reaching nearly as high as the ceiling. They were blank, adorned only with now blank screens. Her actions didn't go unnoticed or unchallenged as delegates started to talk.

“This is rather uncourteous, don’t you agree?” One asked another.

“Were protocols changed at the last minute?”

"Former Emperor Charles carried out all those crimes, right?"

“Even so, to treat the leader of a sovereign nation in such a manner breaks is needlessly belligerent.” Kaguya heard all of it and knew it didn't look good, but it was a necessary ploy now that it would be Lelouch at their mercy. No knightmares to save him, no geass to help him.

‘Geass countermeasures?’ Lelouch thought, amused by their attempts to cage him. Still, by doing so, they've also revealed their hand as such measures wouldn't have been carried out if the entire UFN Supreme Council was aware of his eyes. No, the Black Knights seemed to keep it to their high command and Kaguya.

'But then again, how would they have proven it?' Lelouch let his amusement rescind. No, if they had managed to convince the UFN, they would have never taken the risk of meeting him like this and insisting on a video link summit.

One of the screens in front of him turned on, Kaguya being front and center. "Now, what are you really after, traitorous emperor Lelouch?" She demanded, all pretense of cordiality gone.

'A rookie mistake, something I wouldn't expect from you, Kaguya.' Lelouch thought to himself as he frowned, looking around the cage for any means before returning his gaze towards her.

“And what, pray tell, is this all about? Have I committed some offense?" he asked her. Despite being unamused, he kept up the civility.

“That remains to be seen. UFN resolutions are always determined by majority vote.” The screen to Kaguya’s right turned on, displaying Xingke from his place on the Ikaruga. Lelouch's frown only grew when he saw the man.

“Voting rights are proportioned according to each member nation’s population.” To her left, the screen turned on, showing Tohdoh.

It would seem that the entire high command planned to say their piece individually. They joined into stating that with the Chinese Federation broken up, Britannia would be the nation with the highest population. Suppose they were to be allowed to enter the UFN. In that case, they'd have over half the vote, even if they exclude numbers, that would still give them a voting power only smaller than India and China’s; voting power would only grow how with his plans to allow millions to become full citizens.

“Regardless of the whin, if Britannia is allowed to join, the result is the same, you’ll usurp our power." Kaguya spelled it out, seeing how agitated Lelouch was getting. Undoubtedly, he didn't like them outlining a possible reason he ever proposed this.

“What is your response, Lelouch?” Ohgi demanded.

“Break up your empire and allow your territories to secede, or limit your total voting power to 20%." Xingke gave the ultimatum, and the supreme council watched and waited for the emperor's response.

Lelouch was silent; Kaguya believed he was stewing in anger before he spoke. "General Commander Li Xingke; General Secretary Kaname Ohgi; Head of the Joint Staff Kyoshiro Tohdoh and Deputy Chief Zhou Xianglin. Why would the Black Knights, a strictly military organization subservient to the UFN, think they have a place in this negotiation?”

Not done, he turned his irate gaze towards Kaguya. "Chairwoman, what cause do you have to treat me in such a manner?" Kaguya was surprised. Was he really playing dumb? "Why am I being treated like a common criminal?" he demanded, louder than before, as his anger seemed to swell almost out of control.

Kaguya did not let him build to anything. "You’re being detained because of the risks you pose.”

"Risks? I was checked when I arrived. I didn't even bring a pencil, which is why you provided one. What possible risk could I pose to the delegates?" Lelouch looked outraged and confused by the statement, which only left Kaguya in the dark. He knew that they knew his game, so why bother hiding that?

“Your geass is what birthed the concern, not any weapon you could carry.” She stated, which drew confusion from the rest of the delegates, no doubt to the questions they had, but while she expected that thanks to Lelouch’s insistence to play the fool, what she wasn’t expecting was for his puzzled face to only deepen.

“Why on earth would you bring up some old Celtic myth? Why would you even know about that when you-that’s irrelevant!” Lelouch’s bafflement switched back to anger.

Kaguya was missing something. Lelouch knew that they understood his power and the type of character he was. Of course, they'd prepare for it, especially when he gave them so much time. Was he stalling for time? What grand plan did he have?

She didn't know, but Lelouch wasn't don't. "I requested this summit in good faith to try and end the fighting and find a peaceful route to a long-term peace. I followed all the UFN regulations. I arrived with minimal security. I put my trust in this body.” Lelouch seemed seething before he threw his arm out, gesturing at the cage he was kept in like an exotic animal.

“And this is your response? To insult my character, lock me up, and explain UFN proceedings as if I’m a child, hand me unnegotiable terms, all before accusing me of magic? Please bring out the clowns and cake because this must be a joke!" He yelled at them, the typically cool emperor boiling in rage, but Kaguya found it strange that this was what he was angry about.

She needed to retake control of things; whatever plans they suspected he had planned, Lelouch might as well be playing an entirely different game. “Emperor Lelouch, you can understand that we of the UFN can’t trust-!”

But Lelouch wouldn't her speak; in his fury, he dropped decorum, the entire world watching as he snarled back. “Oh, this mockery is because of trust? What am I done to warrant that? I am not my father; I've made that clear for all to see and have spent nearly all my time since reversing his policies!"

Lelouch took a breath. He was still shaking in anger, which was clear even to fools watching. Still, his ire was contained, leaving him focused: “I came here today to see the birth of a long-term peace agreement, but if this body refuses to settle our grievances and differences through dialogue and mediation, then perhaps we should settle them through iron and blood.”

That statement was watched by millions, from civilians in their homes to troops manning the furthest reaches of the two fractions' borders. Kallen watched in horror as their plans fell apart, and Lelouch threatened war. Leila and Suzaku observed, the former letting out a saddened, exhausted breath while the latter hardly reacted at all.

Inside the auditorium, every delegate present started to sweat, as they knew that no sane leader would ever declare such a thing with such fury and passion.

“Emperor Lelouch!” Ohgi tried to stop him, but the emperor turned fury-laced violet eyes towards him, the older man quaking if only for a moment under such intense hate.

“And you! General Secretary, unless it’s a sincere apology for this parody of a summit, I won't hear another word! I will not have my character besmirched by you or anyone else!” Lelouch shut down Ohgi without extreme prejudice, the man’s mouth clasping shut.

Looking at Kaguya through the cameras, his fury mixed in with a genuine curiosity, the sort one would see in people seeing a fool explain why they did something moronic. “What do you even hope to accomplish with this, chairwoman?”

Kaguya had already explained this to him, shaking her head. She also knew that he was playing around and acting like he was unaware of it. Even if she had the time, the public was watching, so she couldn't harp on that point; she had already damaged her credibility enough. "Due to past hostilities with Britannia—" She changed tactics, but she saw his brow twitched.

Lelouch slammed his hand onto the desk, cutting her off. “That is irrelevant! I had no part in government or the military before I ascended to the throne, and I refuse to be held liable for prior actions! Shall I accuse you of any wrongdoing from the Kururugi regime, chairwoman?”

Kaguya glared at him for that comment but didn't say more as she chewed on it. He kept harping on how he wasn't to be blamed, couldn't be blamed, and had done nothing but good. But she knew that was a lie, so did he, Zero-!

Zero did all that…But who knew who had been behind the mask. Just as Kaguya realized they had made a grave mistake, the cameras cut, leaving the room in silence.

Line break

"Xingke, what the hell?" Tamaki turned to Xingke, the Chinese man sweating with his finger still on the emergency shutdown button, one they had implemented in case Lelouch’s geass could be cast via televised signals.

“He has us. Dammit, he had us the entire time!” Xingke growled, furious that they didn't think of this sooner. The rest of the bridge, which had every prominent leader within the organization, didn't know what he was talking about, but then Tohdoh caught on, replaying everything in his head, and Lelouch chose his words and acted, and he frowned.

"A trap was laid, but we fall for his first," Tohdoh stated, leaning into his seat with a scowl.

"I don't get it. Sure, he's talking a lot of shit about us, but he's stuck down there. Even with his threat of war." Tamaki asked, confused as was usual with the man.

Xingke knew he wouldn't stop asking until they explained, so he did it before he got a headache. "His trap was never his geass because it didn't matter what we did, he wins. If we refused his request to meet with the UFN, it would paint us as against peace. If we allowed it, he could geass the delegates into his puppets.”

Tamaki was following along so far, but he was still confused. Meanwhile, Chiba and Xianglin all figured it out as they paled. “Hm, yeah, we know that. That’s why he’s trapped, so shouldn’t that be a good thing?”

“It’s anything but because he never planned to use his geass. He knew that we would take precautions. Instead, all we did was give him a chance to denounce us for the entire world to see, and as far as they're concerned," Xingke tightened his fist, his posture shaking in anger. "He's justified."

That seemed enough for Tamaki, who loudly cursed that he always knew you couldn't trust a Brit, but they tuned him out.

“That’s why he kept asking what he did? Only we know he was Zero and about geass." Ohgi replayed the scenes in his mind, wanting to punch something at not seeing it sooner. They knew he was a master actor, but they had gotten too used to him playing one kind of archetype.

"Hammering it repeatedly that the name Lelouch vi Britannia was free and clear of any wrongdoing, and in fact is associated with upholding law, reform, and human rights." Xianglin’s brow creased as she saw the deception for the masterful performance it was. After all, that same kind of performance had been how they galvanized her people to reject the power of the Eunuchs and their attempt to sell them out to Britannia.

They couldn't even try to disprove him, as so few knew he was Zero; he could easily deny it. They had the proof from the day he fled, but Diethard had run off with the footage.

She shook her head. She and Xingke had already discussed it. Even if they could somehow convince people he was Zero, the fact that the high command had chosen to attempt to execute him without trial based on testimony gathered from Schneizel, of all people, would alienate many supporters. Ohgi's romantic attachment to a former Purist could also be used to discredit him.

That snake is Schneizel’s voice recording, and Lelouch could easily call it false, especially since the man he was talking to is his new Knight of One. So, lying if asked about that, the recording would be on the table.

Xingke was in a similar headspace, as he felt like a complete fool. He had believed that Lelouch would act as he did as Zero, with drama and scale taken to the extreme. They suspected that he would have tried to take the council, or at best, he would agree to their demand that he cut his voting power before returning to find ways to make other members vote with him, either through geass or some other means.

Instead, he had played the well-meaning reformer who, after extending an olive branch, was deceived, trapped, and belittled—and why wouldn't he? This served his goals more than merely gaining some voting majority in the UFN, which limited their options even more.

“We’re in a bad spot.” Xingke breathed out.

“Then what do we do?” Ohgi asked him.

“We’ve cut his chances to continue to belittle us, but seeing how we’re the ones managing the location, people will just as easily accuse us of silencing fair criticism from a well-respected world leader,"  Tohdoh stated as Rakshata waved her pipe.  

"But if we cut things here, it would strengthen his accusations." She said that seemed like a fool's approach.

“So, we have no choice but to allow the summit to continue, even if he does take every chance to continue his assault," Chiba asked. However, she couldn't offer much of an alternative.

Tamaki broke through the tension the only way he knew how, by asking a dumb question. “I mean, is that a bad thing? We look bad to the UFN? So what, not like they have anyone else. We can smooth things over with them later.”

“Besides the fact that it would make us look bad to the people of the UFN, Tamaki,” Minami started, reminding Tamaki of how they managed to win back in China. “It’s not them we need to be worried about.”

Sugiyama picked it from there: "Britannia. They hate us just on principle. We're not helping things by holding their emperor hostage. With his calls for war over it, he'll have large support behind him." Under Zero, two royals were killed by them. Sure, the second was framed by the bastard, but it wasn't like that was common knowledge.

“And seeing how we’re against Zero…I’m not sure it’s a war we can win.” Tohdoh hated that he had to admit as much. Still, while Lelouch had removed many enemies, intelligence confirmed that most commanders and officers remained. They knew what Lelouch could do with a fraction of such resources but with an empire at his command? They'll be lucky if the war lasts a year.

“There’s a means to solve it.” Rakshata took a drag at her pipe.

“We kill him.” Viletta filled in the gaps, but Ohgi went white at the suggestion, turning to Rakshata like she was mad.

"We can't do that! We're trying to avoid war with Britannia. We assassinate their emperor, and we'll get nothing but! Not to mention that people in the UFN might just rebel against us for that. It would be a global conflict mixed in with a civil war."

The scientist shrugged, finding it telling that he turned to her instead of the one who had said the quiet part out loud.

"Still, it's an option, though one of last resort," Chiba stated. She had never hidden her distrust of the masked Zero. If one said her bias clouded her opinion, she wouldn't disregard it. She wasn't so obsessed or hateful that it was the only thing on her mind. She was a soldier; she knew how to calculate risks for the mission and how to kill Lelouch, at least now, but she just carried too many unknowns.

“Last option indeed.” Xingke agreed with Chiba.

Part of him wondered if part of the reason he brought so little security wasn't that he was being agreeable but that he knew they couldn’t touch him.

"The only thing we can do is limit our losses now." Xingke's shoulders slumped as his fellow commander turned to him.

“What do you propose?” Tohdoh asked him.

Line Break

When the live broadcast of the summit suddenly cut, it was clear from the jump that this wasn't planned as every station running it had promised no ad breaks, and nothing played as screens across the planet remained on the multicolored test card. When they finally came back on, many news anchors had no clue what was happening. Milly was no different as she didn't know she was live for a moment, still discussing something with her staff before she noticed the camera on her.

She immediately slapped on a friendly journalist's smile and reported that it was merely a technical issue and that they're working to fix it. Though Kallen watched the proceedings and didn't buy any of them, most of the Black Knights around were in the same boat, and she suspected that Milly was as well.

‘But why?’ She asked herself. As she had known about the plan and had confidence that it would work…at least, she did before she got to speak with him and was reminded of something. His conduct at Ashford. His reluctant but determined words after Narita explain why they must keep going. His ardent words to her when she was kidnapped. What he told her when she pointed a gun at him.

"No." Kallen started to put the pieces together, but it was too late to stop, for it was already in motion.

She didn't hear the rest calling out to her as she ran off, and she didn't know when she started running. All she knew was that she needed to get back there because, just like with Kamine Island and the Black Knight coup, this was a defining moment for her when she had to choose.

And she was tired of making the wrong one.

Line Break

The UFN members grumbled inside the auditorium, troubled by how the conference was conducted. The entire affair was highjacked by the Black Knights in what could only be described as a vendetta against the young sovereign, which seemed to have been tacitly approved by their chairwoman, with their presence a mandatory formality at best and a nuisance at worst.

If the Black Knights could wield such power over them, what was the point of them being the elected body of officials? To act as a mere rubber stamp to whatever whims struck their army? Many delegates were from nations that signed onto the UFN to avoid the threat of a militaristic foreign force controlling them.

Then the screens had all gone dark, but at least this time, it seemed that even the chairwoman was just as mystified as the rest of them. Kaguya maintained her calm as she explained the how but not the why the feeds were cut. Did Xingke come to the same conclusion she did? She couldn’t confirm with them, certainly not now, so she stuck to keeping the delegates calm and, in their seats, apologizing for the 'technical error.'

Time still flowed, and she could tell how restless people were getting; she seemed to have only one friend among them. Lelouch, still trapped, would call out from the inside of his prison, asking if they could still hear him and for help, driving it deeper how poorly he was being treated, not that he felt any danger. A point she knew as he never once called for his bodyguard, who hadn't even moved from her spot close to the entrance.

Mercifully, the feeds returned to normal, and the screens on the walls of Lelouch’s cage came alive once more. It was a split between Xingke and Lelouch, with neither man looking happy to see the other.

"If you have more insults to hurl at me, save it." Lelouch dismissed him without letting him speak to the world; he was barely keeping himself from flying into a rant.

"No, Your Majesty, that isn't why I'm addressing the UFN Supreme Council." Xingke bowed his head enough to show remorse but no more.

"On behalf of the Black Knights, I apologize for our breach of UFN protocol and our baseless attacks on your character and name. I accept full responsibility for such a failure in judgment, and as recompense, I hereby resign from my position as General Commander, effectively immediately." Xingke bowed lower, the delegates wondering how many shocking events would happen in an hour. The Chinese delegation was especially caught off as the child empress seemed concerned about why her countryman would do such a thing.

“Thank you, Mr. Xingke.” Kaguya was similarly surprised, as she wasn't sure what decision they came to, even if such an act meant that they lost their best strategist and tactician, if only on paper. Needing to reestablish things, she tried to get the meeting back in motion. Xingke quickly left the call, leaving just the politicians, who adopted Kaguya's most sincere tone to address the body and their guess.

“Now, let this meeting of the United Federation of Nations-”

“No.” She was cut off by the emperor, his posture closer to an enraged wolf, while his expression gave away how livid he was. “I refuse to continue this charade any longer! If being a member state requires that those charlatans be our defenders, I’ll sooner surrender the throne to a dog!”

“Emperor Lelouch.” Kaguya tried to reign him in, but nothing short of the supernatural could control him now.

"No, Chairwoman Kaguya, have no power over me, and it seems you have little, if any, over your own armed forces. I demand to be freed; if not, I will take it as an act of war. One that Britannia will not shy away from responding to." With such a declaration, he threatened, leaving the room nervous as there was no mercy in those words.

But at the same time, was he in the wrong for saying them? From the moment he stepped inside, he had been treated with disrespect and hostility. His character was called into question, and his calls for it to end fell on deaf ears. To many watching, what right did the UFN or Black Knights have to treat him as such?

For many Britannians, from commoners to nobility, the entire affair only strengthened that had started under Charles, that the UFN was un-Britannian on a fundamental level as even when their new sovereign plays by their rules and attempts to build bridges, he’s treated like a wild animal. They'd never accept joining such a body if they could do that.

Kaguya didn't need to hear all that, but she suspected it as such as she could see that there was nothing she could do but oblige him. He had taken this round if this was just some grand game to Lelouch. They had blocked his geass, but he had clarified how he didn't need to use it to begin with. Even when trapped, he was the one in control.

"As you wish, Emperor Lelouch." With a button tap, the metal walls retreated, but Lelouch seemed to still vibrate with anger as being freed seemed to have done little to appease his mood.

“In the future, we hope that we can continue these-” Lelouch pointed at her, the young woman flinching almost as if he were about to gun her down.

“You are gravely mistaken if you think I'll ever let Britannia join such a body. I held respect for Zero, if for no other reason than the fact he was a capable and worthy threat to my father's ambitions. Still, with his death, it seems that compassion and respect died with him." He condemned them as he turned on his heel and walked towards the exit.

Stopping at it, his bodyguard came up at his side as he reached for his mic, but he paused as he wished to say one last thing. "Like my father's Britannia, a rot is growing within the Black Knights, one that will see them betray their founding principles. I already have enough dealing with rooting out such corruption in my empire; I hope that it doesn't overwhelm you." With that, he ripped off the headset, dropped it, and left.

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Back with another chapter, this one was harder to write as while I have plenty of notes, I AM writing with a word limit in mind, so I had to condense stuff to meet that limit. Still, what I was able to finish is something I can be happy with as we explore more of the changes in this AU. I've also started two other Code Geass projects. One is a crossover, but I won't say with what, and the other is a complete retelling of the series with new stuff added. The latter has notes and info written up to chapter 5.

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And done, and man, did we through a lot here. But the summit is over, and much like canon, it's a disaster but a different one, as he only verbally destroys them. Managed to discredit the UFN, cast doubt on the Black Knights, boast his own popularity and sympathy even among the UFN, and shit on the Black Knights for betraying him all without needing to use geass.

The bit about Britannians seeing themselves as better than the UFN is based on something I saw in an Oversimplified video about Henry the 8th. In it, he jokes that British euro-scepticism could be traced back to the wife-murdering, fat, and unhealthy madman the English called their king.

The part where Lelouch threatens war is based on what Otto von Bismark, the then Minister President of Prussia, said when he was speaking about the unification of the German territories. Much like the Iron Chancellor, Lelouch seems keen to achieve his goals without manipulation and war.