Death Note Fan Fiction / Code Geass Fan Fiction ❯ Zero vs Kira ❯ Assassination ( Chapter 2 )

Zero vs Kira

By

CrossoverManiac

 

Death Note is the property of Tsugumi Ohba. Code Geass is the property of Sunrise. This story is a work of entertainment only.

 

 

Chapter 2: Assassination

 

From Light could gather with his interrogation of Colonel Taurus, he was in sort of alternative universe whose timeline, at some point in the past, diverged from his own. In this one, the democratic government of the United States of America was replaced with the absolute monarchy of the Britannian Empire, and Japan is one of its conquered territories. After renting a room in the one of the rundown slums in the Area 11 ghettos with the money he picked up from his victims in the military compound, Light did a little more digging into this alternative history. China was still an empire and not the communist dictatorship of his world. The European Union was replaced by the more tightly joined conglomerate the Euro-Universe. Light wished he could go back to killing evil doers as Kira, but without further study and planning, it would be a rash action on his part. Not only that, he was Japanese after all, and this `Britannian Empire' would have to pay a terrible price for enslaving his country.

 

 

 

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The epicenter of the deadly massacre at the 731st Armory was blocked off and access restricted from the public. Britannian soldiers loaded the dead into Haz-Mat trucks. Those moving the bodies were dressed in NBC (nuclear, biological, and chemical) protective gear. The bodies were carried out in stretchers and sealed in plastic bags labeled with the biohazard symbol. Not far, down the road, Rivalz was giving Lelouch a lift on his motorcycle to a new store that Lelouch insisted they check out, when they were impeded by the barricades.

 

“Oh man,” Rivalz groaned, “I told you we should have taken the detour.” Rivalz looked crossed with Lelouch.

 

“Sorry, about that Rivalz,” Lelouch apologized, though in reality, Lelouch wasn't sorry at all. The visit to the recently opened store was really pretext to visit the armory on a fact finding mission to find out what happened.

 

Rivalz rolled his eyes. “Those warning sides were there for a reason you know.”

 

One of the members of the cleanup crew motioned to the Lelouch and Rivalz. “Are you two blind? This is a restricted area. No unauthorized personal is allowed pass this point by order of Viceroy Cornelia.”

 

“We're sorry about it, sir,” Rivalz apologized.

 

“'Sorry' don't cut it!” The soldier said. “Now leave!”

 

“Well could you at least give us directions?” Lelouch asked as he hopped out of the sidecar. He took a pen and notepad. “We're a bit lost.”

 

“Fine,” the soldier huffed. “But make it quick.” When Lelouch felt he was far enough away for Rivalz not to hear, he activated his Geass and enthralled the guard to his will.

 

“Tell me exactly what happened in this armory and keep your voice down low enough that only I can hear it.”

 

“This morning, all personnel from the 731st Armory died from unknown causes. From our initial examination, it appears that they all died from heart attacks most likely brought about by a new chemical or biological agent. Because the security video was erased, we know nothing of the attackers.”

 

“Was there anything important that happened?”

 

“A laptop went missing, but it was assigned to an enlisted clerk and had low-level clearance.”

 

“Thank you,” that'll be all. The soldier snapped to normal.

 

“So, where are you two going?”

 

“Oh that's okay. I just remembered how to get there. Thanks anyway.” Lelouch smiled at the soldier and walked back to his ride. Lelouch spent the rest of the trip wondering if he would have to deal with another terrorist group and how they manage to pull off such an impressive attack.

 

 

 

 

 

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Light lugged a plastic bag into his apartment. The bag was topped off and nearly spilled over with canned goods. He turned on the lights illuminating his humble living space, to use the term loosely. The walls had holes punched in it, some of them bullet holes, others brought into being by time and neglect. The ceiling was stained from water damage from the stream of water dribbling from above. Not that the extended family of cockroaches that scurried under the furniture seem to mind. Light sighed at the living conditions he would have to get used to for now, at least until he can figure a way back to his universe. But if he could never go back, well, he can make a new world for himself here with the Death Note, starting with the liberation of Japan. Light unloaded the bag on the beat up kitchen table until he got the bottom where he took out a video camera, which he bought from a shady man he met in a back alley which he probably stole, and some video editing software. Light looked hesitantly and sighed. It would better if he had a decent camera and program to make his video. Light took pride in his work and hated doing anything shoddy, but he also didn't want to stick his neck out too much either. But he wanted to make damn sure the Britannians got the message.

 

 

 

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A month later

 

Lelouch lugged into the room and crashed on his bed as if lead weights were chained to his back. He was mentally exhausted. Just an hour ago, Lelouch had a near nervous breakdown upon the revelation that his childhood friend, Suzaku Kururugi, was the pilot of the Lancelot Knightmare frame. It was Suzaku all alone that was the biggest obstacle to his plans to destroy the Britannian Empire. Suzaku, the closest thing he had to a friend since he and his sister Nunnally were exiled to Japan by his own father and left for dead; he and sister left in a nation that hated him and his sister for being children of the invaders. Lelouch knew that, without Suzaku, he wouldn't have lasted a month in Japan. Suzaku was a godsend, and Lelouch could never forget the time when that street gang of Japanese teenagers, bitter youths looking for someone to lash out at in their frustration and misplaced resentment, cornered him and his sister in a back alley. They threatened to gang rape Nunnally and kill him. Even if they weren't cornered, he couldn't flee, not without leaving his crippled sister behind. Thank God that Suzaku was with him. He learned early on how skilled of a fighter he was, and how big of a heart he had. But seven years have turned the world on its head, and now, he and Suzaku are on opposite sides of the war. Lelouch could barely lift his head when Nunnally knocked on his door.

 

“Lelouch,” Nunnally yelled from the other side of the door, “Milly called, she said she had something important to tell you.” But Lelouch wasn't in the mood for Milly's foolishness. “Big brother, are you paying attention.” Nunnally knocked again. “Lelouch, are you there?”

 

“I HEARD THE FIRST TIME! NOW SHUT YOUR TRAP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!” Lelouch shouted in annoyance of Nunnally's persistence.

 

“Big bro...brother I'm sorry...” Nunnally apologized. Lelouch hopped out of bed immediately and rushed to the door and grabbed Nunnally's wheelchair.

 

“Wait, Nunnally!” Lelouch pleaded.

 

“Why are you so angry, Big Brother?” Nunnally asked. She was shivering and was almost in tears.

 

“Please Nunnally, I didn't mean to scare you,” Lelouch apologized. He's never snapped at his sister like before. “I'm the one who should be saying `sorry'.” Lelouch stroked Nunnally's head to comfort her and show her that everything was alright.

 

“What's wrong, Big Brother? Is it that Kallen girl? Does she already have a boyfriend?”

 

Lelouch chuckled, “No, that's not it. It's something personal that I don't want to talk about right.”

 

“Okay, Big Brother.” Nunnally's smile soothed Lelouch.

 

“I guess I can humor Milly this one time,” Lelouch sighed. He took his cell phone out and called Milly.

 

“Thank heavens you returned my call, Lulu,” said Milly. “You don't how worried I was.”

 

“Well, what's the problem,” Lelouch said causally.

 

“Check your email.” Lelouch, as Milly instructed, switched his laptop on.

 

“I hope it's not another stupid chain letter. Because the last time...”

 

“It's not Lelouch.” Milly was uncharacteristically somber. Now Lelouch knows it's serious. Lelouch waited a few more seconds until his computer was booted up. He opened his inbox. Lelouch clicked on the last email Milly sent. The email had a video file attached.

 

“What am I suppose to be watching?”

 

“Just open the file. You have to see it for yourself.”

 

“Whatever you say, Milly.”

 

Lelouch opened the video file. It was a recording of the morning news. Two newscasters, one was a man in his early forties with slicked back brown hair, clean shaven, and the other man was much older, thinning hairline, and white mustache. The familiar logo of the Tokyo Hi-TV affiliate flashed on screen. Then the camera focused in on the younger newscaster.

 

“Bryant Smith here with Hi-TV News,” said with a pronounced voice, “the only source of reliable news in Area 11. In our story, Viceroy Cornelia has extended curfews in the Area 11 ghettos from 2100 hours to 2000 hours as a response to further escalation of violence by the terrorist group the Black Knights, and in a related story...wait...Hi-TV morning news has received new information on the attack at the 731st Armory that claimed the lives of 238 brave Britannian soldiers. This is a Hi-TV exclusive. It has been one month after the atrocious massacre at the battalion stationed at the 731st Armory, and now a terrorist group is claiming responsibility.” Lelouch flinched. Was it really the ones that attacked the 731st Armory?

 

“The package was addressed to Hi-TV news,” Smith continued, “with no return address except for an ominous phrase `from the instigator of the 731st massacre'. The package contained a video disk, quite possibly the terrorist's dema...What's that…”, Smith stopped his monologue to respond to the morning show producer who was offstage, “Hi-TV news is taking the unprecedented step of airing the terrorist video without prescreening.” The move was highly unorthodox enough to cause a commotion with the camera crew. “We must warn you; even Hi-TV does not know the content of the video. Viewer discretion is advised.” A television screen between Smith and his co-host switched on to a still frame with the words `KIRA' on it.

 

“I am Kira,” said the distorted voice, “and I have come to answer the grievances of the people of Japan against the Britannian Empire. For seven years, Japan has been brutally oppressed to satisfy the greed, ambition, and imperialistic tendency of Britannia, but now I am putting an end to that oppression. The Britannian Empire must pull their forces out of Japan in 52 hours from now. If they do not, I will kill the Emperor and his children. And to demonstrate my power, I will take the lives of two of Britannia's agents of propaganda. They will die for spreading lies and misinformation for the sake of the occupation and to make it clear that even the Emperor is defenseless against my power.”

 

The moment Kira's monologue ended, Bryant Smith grabbed his chest and fell back in his chair. The older co-host and some of camera crew personnel came to his aid, but then one of them also grabbed his chest, his face grimaced from agony, and then collapsed to the ground.

 

“Mr. DePaul, are you okay, sir?” One of the camera crew asked. “Someone call an ambulance for Smith and the producer.” Lelouch's popped wide open. This was exactly what happened at the armory. This `Kira' must have been the one responsible. Lelouch dropped his cell and dashed out of his bedroom.

 

“Lulu? Lulu? Lelouch!” Milly's voice called out from the abandoned phone. “Hello?”

 

Lelouch burst through the house and into the living room. “C.C.,” Lelouch said sternly.

 

“No, I never made a contract with anyone named `Kira',” C.C. said causally as she lounged on the couch munching on a slice of pizza.

 

“You'd better not be lying.”

 

“I'm not lying.”

 

“I already had dealings with one of your prior acquaintances.”

 

C.C. shot up from the couch standing straight up nearly knocking over the coffee table in front of her. “I'm telling the truth. I don't know anyone by that name, and I don't know anyone with an instant death Geass, either.” Lelouch rubbed a sore spot by reminding C.C. of the recent incident with Mao.

 

“The last person with a Geass contract threatened Nunnally, and now this `Kira' wants to eliminate the entire Britannian bloodline, and I'm afraid that'll include my sister and me.”

 

“You're really under the gun aren't you?”

 

“I only hope that Kira thinks we're dead.”

 

C.C. held her chin between her index finger and thumb. “Though one thing puzzles me: how is going to do it. A Geass has a limited range. The maximum theoretically range is line of sight, the end of the horizon; and no Geass has even come close. The royal family is spread all over the globe.” C.C. laid back down the couch. “Odds are this Kira is bluffing.”

 

“Either that or there's more than one person with an instant death Geass,” Lelouch conjectured.

 

C.C. shook her head. “Multiple contracts with the same identical Geass? Not possible. The power of Geass is different for each individual. It's nearly impossible for even two people to have the same kind of Geass manifestation.”

 

“We'll see in less than 52 hours from now won't we?” Lelouch paused for a moment. “Fifty-two hours? But why that particular length of time?” Lelouch went back to his room and called Milly.

 

“Lulu, are you alright?” Milly asked, concerned with the abrupt end of their last call.

 

“I need to know what time did that broadcast air,” said Lelouch.

 

“It was their early morning broadcast, about 0600, 0610. Why?”

 

“Kira said he would kill the royal family 52 hours from the time of that broadcast. What's going to happen two days from now that would involve the royal family?”

 

“The only thing that comes to mind is the Emperor's national address. Let me check.” Lelouch bit his lip anxiously waiting for Milly. “It's going to be two days from now at 1000.”

 

It was then, Lelouch realized: Kira was going to kill the royal family during the airing of the national address.

 

 

 

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Imperial Capital of Pendragon

 

The crowds gathered around the Imperial Palace for Emperor Charles Britannia's international address to the empire and its territory. St. Darwin Street was packed with onlookers on a pilgrimage to see the conquering hero shake a defiant fist at the world. Charles Di Britannia, the modern-day Alexander, as the more nationalistic citizens of the Empire coined him, glossed over the notes for his televised speech. Their warrior king sat on an old-fashioned wooden chair within the confines of the dressing room checking over the finer points of his address. As he was looking over his speech, the dressing room door opened.

 

“What are you doing here, Big Brother,” Charles said without diverting his eyes from the speech. Though it seemed laughable for the imposing two meter tall, barrel-chested Emperor to call the person who walked in his `big brother', the young boy with platinum blonde hair so long it dragged on the ground as he walked was in fact V.V., the elder twin to the Emperor made immortal by Geass.

 

“It's time, Charles, as we talked about so long ago,” V.V. said as his code activated. This time, Charles put down his notes and gave his `Big Brother' his full attention.

 

“And why now?”

 

“Just take the code, Charles.”

 

“You scare too easy, Big Brother,” Charles chuckled. “There's no need to transfer the code. This is probably some trick by Zero to embarrass the Empire.”

 

“Have you dismissed the possibility this is a manifestation of Geass?”

 

Charles arose from his chair. “No, I haven't, but we both know Geass has a limited range, we are in the safety of the Imperial City, and whoever committed these murders couldn't even leave Area 11 without border security finding out, and a certainty with Cordelia as Viceroy.” Charles walked around V.V. and as he was leaving the room, he turned to his brother. “Nothing bad will happen.”

 

A few minutes later, the Emperor stood by his podium. “People of Britannia: Why is it that our proud nation is deserving of its place as the undisputed superpower of the world? It is not because of compassion and fairness? That is the weakness of the EU. Is it the slavish devotion to pacifism? No! That was the weakness of the people of Area 11. It is survival of the fittest, not compassion. It is our inequality, not equality. It is our aggressive nature, not pacifism that...” The Emperor stopped in the middle of his speech and clutched his heart. The palace guards and V.V. rushed to his aid and took hold of him before he fell, but they scarcely held his massive frame up and had to ease the Emperor to the floor.

 

“I should have listened to you, Big Brother,” Charles said with his last breath.

 

V.V. shook Charles furiously as if he could be saved from death if he could remained conscious, but it was a futile effort. Charles Di Britannia was dead, but he would not suffer this fate alone.

 

In the front row of the Amphitheatre seating, two more people collapsed. Odysseus and his mother, the first queen of Britannia, fell over, also clutching their ruptured hearts.

 

 

 

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The Lancelot weaved around oversize road cones set up for training on Knightmare frames. Suzaku Kururugi was in the cockpit of the Lancelot giving it a road test after Lloyd and Cecile's tune-up.

 

“Now rev the speed up another 20 kph, Suzaku,” Lloyd ordered over the comm. link. Suzaku nodded and turned around to make another run when he received an emergency call for Princess Cornelia.

 

“Yes your Majesty,” Suzaku politely addressed from the Viceroy.

 

“Where are you, Kururugi?” Cornelia said in a panicked voice

 

“I'm at Knightmare hangers running tests...”

 

“Go to my sister, immediately! She's in her room!”

 

“Yes, my lord.” The Lancelot did a U-turn on the runway and towards the palace.

 

“Wh...wh...where the hell are you going!” Lloyd yelled.

 

“Viceroy Cornelia wants me to go to Princess Euphemia.”

 

“But in the Lancelot? Return it back to the hanger, first.” Suzaku heard a tussle over the comm.

 

“Never mind Lloyd,” Cecile said, “just go to her.” Suzaku nodded and made a mad dash to the palace.”

 

 

 

 

 

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Light was situated inside an abandoned shack on top of a hill just out of Tokyo. He sat in a lawn chair next to an old wooden kitchen table with the Death Note and a printout of the royal family in front of him and a portable, battery-powered television set propped up in the center of the table. He just wrote down `Cornelia Li Britannia' in the Death Note and then crossed out her face on the printout.

 

“I finally found you.” Light, startled by the intruder behind him, jumped up and almost kicked the portable TV over. Light backed away and glared into the murky, unlit adjacent room to a pair of glowing red eyes from within.

 

Light breathed a sigh of relief. “What took you so long?” The pair of fiery eyes closed in on Light until the outline of a face was illuminated by the red glow. The face was one familiar to Light, one he thought he would never see again: Ryuk.

 

“If you only knew half the trouble I went through just to find you,” Ryuk complained, “I'd have a life time supply of apples. But I'll settle for a bushel.” Ryuk frowned at Light who was adjusting the television. “Didn't I tell you I don't like being ignored?”

 

“I heard you Ryuk. By the way, how did you get here, and where is Rem?”

 

“The same way I got to the human world: the portals in the Shinigami Realm. But don't think you can get back to your home dimension either. Only Shinigami can use them.”

 

“So the Shinigami can travel to alternative realities?”

 

“Yeah, but it's a hassle because some Shinigami from the other realms don't always take kindly to visits. The Shinigami in the last dimension I was looking chased me around with swords. They even called me names. I don't know why they me `hollow', but I didn't like it.” Then Ryuk paused to think. “But how did you get here?”

 

“Last thing I remembered before I came here was Rem going back to the Shinigami Realm. The humans here have more advanced technology and were working on teleportation. I think the portal to the Shinigami Realm and the ones created by this universe's humans were connected. That's why I was asking about Rem.”

 

“Oh, as for Rem, she hasn't spoken a word since Misa killed herself. Your girlfriend didn't take your disappearance too well.”

 

“Oh well,” Light dismissively said; showing as much empathy for Misa's death as he would show a squashed bug.

 

“Just what I expected from you Light,” Ryuk whispered to himself.

 

“I'm glad you're here, I can use your help.”

 

“That's what you think!” Ryuk said sternly. “I'm not lifting a finger, not till you pay me back for the hard work of tracking you down.”

 

Light rolled his eyes. That Ryuk! He took his sweet time getting here, and now he's refusing to work.

 

Ryuk picked up the Death Note. “Boy Light, you're really think it's a good idea to put human rulers on your hit list?”

 

“I thought about that. I don't normally target heads of states, but this universe's Japan has been brutally oppressed by the Britannians. So, I won't lose much sleep over it.

 

“But all of them, Light?”

 

“Well, I thought about keeping one of them alive. I think her name was Euphemia. She has a reputation for being a pacifist and would probably pull out the occupation forces. But...”

 

 

 

 

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Princess Euphemia was slaving away behind her desk with the tedious chores of Britannian bureaucracy. She flipped through a hodgepodge of graphs and tables of casualties, supplies, budget expenditures, and complex legalese that only lawyers could wrap their brain around without giving themselves a migraine. But as she flipped through the papers, she heard the hum of the Knightmare Frame electric motors close by and getting louder. Euphemia peered out the window and saw the Lancelot coming her way. Suzaku drove up to the third floor balcony to Euphemia's room; close enough that he could hop out of the Lancelot.

 

“What's wrong Suzaku?” Euphemia greeted him outside and embraced him. It seemed so romantic-the brave knight scaling the high towers to wisp away the princess to be his bride. But this was Suzaku: though Euphemia knew that Suzaku had feelings for her, that he wouldn't be so rash and irresponsible to do such a thing. None the less, it was still nice to dwell on the prospect.

 

“Mi lady,” Suzaku genuflected before her.

 

Euphemia quickly corrected him, “it's Euphie.”

 

“I'm sorry, Euphie.” Suzaku stood up. “Please come with me. You're in grave danger.”

 

“From what?”

 

“Didn't Cornelia tell you?”

 

Euphemia shook her head. “I cut off the comm. links so I can concentrate on my work.” Euphemia rushed to the vid phone to call Cornelia, but it was Guilford that answered.

 

“Guilford! Where is my sister?” Euphemia asked, but now her voice was more stressed than before.

 

“The Viceroy has suffered a heart attack.”

 

“A heart attack!” Euphemia panicked. “Is she okay? Please tell me!”

 

Guilford shook his head. “I'm afraid she's passed on, mi lady.” But then Guilford turned his attention to Suzaku. “Take the Deputy Viceroy to the infirmary, immediately. Her life is in danger.”

 

“Euphie, let's go.” Suzaku paused for Euphemia to respond. “Euphie? You have to go to the hospital. They may be able to keep this from happened to you.”

 

“It's too late Suzaku.” Euphemia felled to her needs and clutched her chest. “It's hurt.”

 

“Euphie!” Suzaku cried out as he cradled the dying princess in his arms.

 

Euphemia wrapped her quivering arms around Suzaku. “I wished it didn't end like this. I wanted to become one with you, Suzaku.” She closed her eyes and died.

 

 

 

 

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“But what?”

 

“She's too soft-hearted,” Light said as he wrote `Euphemia Li Britannia' down in the Death Note. “The Britannian nobility are notoriously ruthless. Euphemia would eventually be assassinated anyway, and a new Emperor from one of the other noble houses would take her place. Rather than risk that, she'll die with the rest of her family.” Light set the printout to the side and turned on the portable TV.

 

“That's it?” Ryuk asked.

 

“That's all of the immediate royal family,” Light answered.

 

Ryuk chuckled. Light missed two on the bottom of the printout. It took a second for Ryuk to catch on, but then he noticed that the date of their death was listed on the bottom. But Ryuk's Shinigami eyes could see from the old photos of Lelouch and Nunnally Li Britannia that they were still very much alive. Ryuk laughed at the thought of how badly Light slipped up.

 

“What's so funny, Ryuk?”

 

“Don't humans get angry when your leaders get assassinated?” Ryuk said in order to mislead Light. “Doesn't your kind start wars over this? Not that we Shinigami are complaining; keeps us from having to work so hard killing your kind.”

 

“I know it's a bit extreme, but I want a war.”

 

Ryuk's bug eyes somehow managed to bulge out in even more. “'Start a war?!?' I thought you wanted to save your people, not get them massacred.”

 

Light smiled as if he was the magician that was about to astound an already awestruck audience still reeling from the last trick. “Let's just say the assassination of the Britannian royal family is just the first part of my plan to win freedom for Japan.” As Light was speaking, he glanced back at the laptop beside him.

 

 

 

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Well, so much for the Britannian royal family. And now a new wave of fighting will so break out in Area 11, revenge for the assassination. What is Light planning and how will it put an end to Britannian rule? And what roll will Zero play? Find out in the next chapter of Zero vs Kira.