Chapter 21: Lelouch Is Zero Once More

(A/N: I have nothing to say)

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Code Geass

Lelouch's pov

It's been five years since I first became a member of Division 6. The progress for my plan to get Hisana and Byakuya together has been well…stagnant. The fact that she's in Aizen's division makes things difficult enough as it is. Every time she's here in my division I've been out or unable to talk to her other than a simple greeting. Every time I go to her division to actually see her because I have paperwork she's flooded with work and the few times I actually have made the courageous effort to brave enemy territory, her direct subordinate has told me that Hisana is out for the day, having gone to Inzuri. I don't know what she's doing visiting her roots. To be honest I'd like to know, but I have not been able to get a hold of her.

Two years ago Isshin-fukutaicho became Isshin-taicho. He's now captain of 10th division. He didn't ask me to come back, I wouldn't have accepted anyway. I will never go back to the tenth division, not after what happened. I'll always be reminded of Yuna and Akari-taicho.

That's a little excessive.

Don't interrupt me.

Four years ago I geassed my direct subordinate and sent him with a message to indicate that I had no interest in joining him. Good thing I did or I would've been the one skewered and had my death covered up to make it seem like I was a traitor. The poor bastard had no idea I anticipated Aizen's moves. Eien Tamashi was pleased that I was so meticulous.

Speaking of my Zanpakuto, last year I finally mastered my Shikai's last technique. Eien Tamashi taught it to me as a reward for not caring about the welfare of my direct subordinate in the interest of self-preservation. The technique is called Uirusu Bakudan (Viral Bomb). To activate it I launch a toxic purple blast of energy at my opponent. When it dies or after a certain time limit, anywhere between one and three minutes, of which I have complete control of the time setting now, the body explodes with half the force of a gillian's cero. My ability to teleport makes it possible so that I can get away right as the blast goes off if I would be caught within it.

I've asked Eien Tamashi about the potential of teaching me Bankai, but she says I'm not ready. She wants me to absolutely wow her, to do something extraordinary before she starts teaching me a new level of abilities. She also said I need to get stronger and more versatile. My stamina is no longer in the toilet, thankfully, but it's nowhere near close to Suzaku's. My Hakuda and Kendo abilities are about average. I've gotten better at Shunpo, but it drains me rather quickly. 12 long distance flash steps is my limit before I start to get fatigued. My Kido is nearly impeccable. There's a reason I wear the silver vest that I do. In secret I've been practicing the rarely mastered Hado 90 and Hado 91. I've already fully mastered Hado 88 and showing it to Kuchiki-taicho got me promoted to 9th seat.

As a member of the 6th division, and Byakuya-fukutaicho's former mentor, I'm in with the family. I'm considered important; I'm invited to parties. I regard Byakuya-fukutaicho, when addressing the other nobles, as a perfectly good case of the student surpassing the master. Most of the times I'm dealing with them, when I'm invited to some formal occasion are kind of boring. Other times I'm normally taking a mental tally of how many times Byakuya-fukutaicho and I are hit on by the noblewomen and seeing which one of us has the higher total by the end of the evening. It constantly becomes a pain.

I find senseless infatuation appalling. There's no emotion there. I'm potentially interested in companionship not a one-night stand. That's…part of the reason why I haven't taken Rangiku up on her last two offers.

Every time I start thinking about deep emotions my mind always finds some way to go back to Yuna. I regret not telling her how I felt. I pushed her away and now she's gone. And to make things worse, I wouldn't have to have hid my investigation into Aizen. She already knew about it. I keep Yuna's diary and the picture of us locked away in my safe. I've thought about presenting her diary to the Central Forty Six as evidence, but knowing them they'd reject her accusations because there was no evidence to support her written words, just Hoshima's mask and I don't have any evidence that ties Aizen to the incident with Urahara-san. If anything they'd write of Yuna, and me, as being allies to a traitor, and have me thrown in the Maggot's Nest.

One interesting thing did come up in all of Yuna's files regarding how much she investigated Aizen. She had information on one of my leads. Said lead being the incident involving Tosen-taicho's fallen friend. She had cut-outs of the newspaper article attached to some of her files. However, all she has is that Tosen-taicho's friend's killer was let go by Central Forty Six due to temporary insanity. The problem is that Tosen-taicho neglected to mention his friend's name in the article and Yuna only managed to get one word to give me a lead into the incident: Kozou. It was a surname of that much I could be clear of. However, without regular access to a database of some kind my investigation is considerably stunted in progress.

This would be so much easier if I was still in 12th Division.

Well you're not so get over it. I ignored Eien Tamashi. Hey!

Currently I've been investigating into the events surrounding Kuchiki Sojun's death. I have reason to believe that Hoshima was responsible for assimilating the hollows that attacked him and his men. However, without having the ability to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Hoshima was involved and being able to link him to Aizen, I can't do much of anything except continue to investigate.

I also have been hearing a lot lately about the head of one of the noble houses beneath the Kuchiki family, Aisel Baedur of the Aisel clan. Apparently the eldest Aisel has been giving Kuchiki-taicho flack in the council. He's been a dissenting party in nearly every matter brought up lately and he's also been pushing for Byakuya to marry his granddaughter, Aisel Sabrina. He's even forced her and Byakuya-fukutaicho on three dates already. I've seen her and met her before, Byakuya asked for my opinion about her. I was honest.

"I seriously think you could do better." I had told him. Sabrina wasn't unattractive by any means, but only because of how she prepped herself. Even Akari-taicho never wore as much makeup as Sabrina does. Without makeup or a fancy dress she'd be nothing. Both Cornelia and Euphimia had her beat in the looks department, even if Cornelia were in uniform. In fact, as long as I'm being honest, Kallen has Sabrina beat in appearance. Just because you're blonde doesn't automatically make you attractive.

Of course looks aren't everything, but if I had to sum Sabrina in less than thirty words I'd consider her an over territorial, prissy, loquacious, bombastic, overly dramatic, bimbo with a voice so sweet and innocent you kind of want to throw up in your own mouth. She's also seriously lacking in basic intelligence. She and Byakuya are a horrible match for each other. Byakuya told me he agreed with me, and was just hoping he wasn't alone in that opinion when he asked me for mine.

I've thought about doing some serious investigation into potentially discovering some dirty laundry the Aisel's have neglected to wash, but Byakuya-fukutaicho has told me that, while he would love to grant me a search warrant or act as a distraction, he won't act without probable cause. He's also told me that acting alone would ruin me if I was caught and I haven't exactly come up with a flawless plan to do a serious hands-on investigation into the Aisel manor.

Right now besides Byakuya-fukutaicho there are only two people in my squad I consider myself somewhat close to. The first is my former student turned equal that is now my direct subordinate: 10th seat Shapikni Susanna. I remember when she first saw me walking around the division grounds.

Five years ago

"Sensei!" There were old a handful of people that ever called me by that title. I turned to see a tall woman with silver hair and red eyes racing towards me. "Lelouch-sensei, it is you, isn't it?"

In my time in the gotei there was only one female I knew that had silver hair and red eyes. "Oh, Susanna, how are you?"

"I'm great. I'm a tenth seat of the sixth division. What are you doing here? I thought you were in tenth Division with Homura-taicho."

"Well...actually…

Present day

I told Susanna about my transfer out. She was excited that I was in her division and especially excited when I became her direct superior. Susanna always revered me much like Byakuya-fukutaicho used to. He still holds me in high regard, but ever since he grew up he doesn't hold me in that childish high-esteemed idolization like he did. Susanna still does though, I can't for the life of me understand why, given that she has had her rank longer than I have when we were equals.

Clueless

Will you shut up?

No.

I growled. Eien Tamashi snickered.

The other person I get along with really well in the division is my direct superior, 8th seat Keshiba Ryou. He's a blue haired, somewhat laid back individual, but he takes his work seriously, unlike quite a few people I could mention. He's very adhesive to the law, much like Byakuya-fukutaicho, and especially like Suzaku. However, unlike both of them, he understands that some people will break the law to achieve noble goals. While he openly states he wouldn't want to be caught dead in that sort of situation, he doesn't exactly consider a criminal with good intentions scum like Byakuya-fukutaicho or Suzaku would. With a little persuasion he could prove useful to me.

While I'm on the topic of useful subjects, I've been thinking about starting a Gotei sponsored organization. We would be a game club, mostly chess, but there'd be others. However, that would just be a front to masquerade my organization's true purpose. My organization would allow me a way to converse with all the people who revere and respect me. I would form a new organization, like I did with the Black Knights, and I would dedicate our efforts to uncovering the conspiracies of the Soul Society. There are only two problems. The first problem is that in order to start an organization, the founder and club president must both be at least 5th seats in the Gotei 13. I'm not a fifth seat, nor do I have someone I can trust indefinitely that I could elect club president to watch over the actual club, while I work with my operatives behind the scenes. The second problem is I have no idea where I would get the proper funding for the club that could also fund my behind the scenes business and not ask questions. As I sit here, contemplating all of this, I receive a knock on my door.

Strange, I'm not expecting anyone today, I thought to myself. "Come in."

To my surprise, Hisana opened the door. "My subordinate told me you've been trying to get a hold of my Lelouch."

And here I thought today would be boring. "I have actually, do you have time for a social call?" I asked.

"Of course." Hisana told me. She closed the door.

"Have a seat then, make yourself comfortable." I told her. She did so. "Say Hisana, you like Byakuya-fukutaicho right?"

Hisana blushed. "I…why are you coming out and talking about that all of a sudden?" She looked like I had just made her short of breath.

"Well, here's the thing, I don't know if you're aware, but one of the lower noble families has been pushing for Byakuya to marry his granddaughter. I'm going to be honest with you: she's a horrible match. You'd do a lot better." I told Hisana.

"B-but…I-I'm not a noble…B-byakuya-dono isn't allowed to marry me." Hisana was redder in the face than Kallen's hair.

"True he's not head of the house, so he can't make his own rules, but…I can be very silver tongued. You try and get Byakuya to reciprocate your feelings, and I'll do what I can to convince my captain to let this slip under the radar." I told Hisana.

"You…seem very self-assured the head of the most famous noble house will listen to an individual of lesser rank, especially since you're not from a noble family."

"Does it matter my confidence level so long as you're allowed what you want?" I asked Hisana. She immediately dropped the argument.

"But what should I do then? I'm a high rank, so I always have a lot of work, not to mention my captain seems to enjoy loading me with paperwork for every division except this one more times often than not. And the times he does normally I don't have the time to be paying social visits with friends once I'm done. I just happened to catch a break today." Hisana responded. She seemed really ticked off Aizen, I wondered what could potentially happened if I pressed. "You're not fond of Captain Aizen?" I asked innocently.

"Would you be fond of a superior who insisted on acting like you're a fragile piece of glass, despite the fact that you're full capable of taking care of yourself? I swear I feel like a prisoner in my own division sometimes. I'd tell him where to go, but he's my captain." Hisana fumed. She took a deep breath and then tucked the segment of hair dangling down the bridge of her nose to one side. "Sorry, that was unprofessional."

"No worries, you're the superior officer here." I told her. It sounds like a certain 5th Division captain is after a trophy wife. Hisana's certainly not bad looking. Aizen's not a fool to target her. Too bad he's on the wrong side of a love triangle. Hisana's displeasure with her captain definitely works to my advantage.

"Say Hisana, if you're so unhappy with your position, why not transfer here?" I asked.

"Newsflash Lelouch," she said, "Kuchiki-taicho doesn't have any fifth seat or higher position openings. On top of that, Aizen-taicho would never consent to letting me getting a transfer. He thinks the other captains would be too tough on me. In his own words 'what have I done to make you unhappy here Hisana, tell me and I'll fix it'." I had to admit that Hisana did a sound impression of the man. "The problem is he's done nothing wrong and that's what irritates me so much."

"What about Gin?" I asked. "He was your classmate. Surely he'd do something for you."

"Ugh, Ichimaru-fukutaicho is such self-centered prick. He's also Aizen-taicho's pet practically." Hisana complained.

I thought of the perfect plan to get things to go how I wanted. "Hisana, why don't you leave all these obstacles in my hands and I'll see what I can't do about getting you here." I told her.

"Huh?" Hisana was confused.

"Having you here would be an inexpressible pleasure to me. I'd have three of my four star pupils in one squad." I told Hisana.

"Just what would you do to make that happen?" Hisana asked me.

"It's best if you don't know. Just put your faith in your former sensei." I told Hisana.

She thought things over before saying, "All right. I trust you Lelouch." She told me.

"Wonderful." I smiled like I did the time I first used my Geass.

Five Days Later

10th Division

I know I said I would never go to the tenth division, but I had to make an exception for my plan to work, besides, I only needed to find one person in particular. I knocked on the office door marked for Matsumoto Rangiku.

"Come in." she called jubilantly.

I walked in. "Hi, Rangiku."

"Oh, Lelouch. Hi! How are you?" she asked.

"I'm fine," I told her, "Listen could come take a walk with me somewhere?" I asked. Rangiku loves abandoning her work. She'll use any excuse to do it.

"Sure, where are we going?" she asked walking over to me.

I winked. "That's a secret."

I led Rangiku to an abandoned cabin, deep within the forest within the Seireitei. It was where Urahara Kisuke had once taken out a bunch of thugs when he was still in charge of the detention unit. The place was completely abandoned, but the structure was still intact. I led Rangiku inside, making sure she went in first. The inside was completely barren save for some items I had stored beneath a storage space hidden underneath the floorboards. Things were perfect. "What are we doing here?" Rangiku asked.

"Rangiku," I told her as I removed one contact lens rather commandingly, "Turn around and look at me." She did and I stared her right in the eye to use my Geass. "For the next eighteen hours you will fall into a deep sleep of which you will not awaken. You will not remember seeing me today," I had made sure we hadn't been spotted on the way over here, "You will believe you were kidnapped and the person who tells you they rescued you will have indeed rescued you from your kidnapper. You will also obey any of commands directly spoken to you if you hear the words 'Rangiku Matsumoto, I, Zero command you…' within that eighteen hour period. I, Lelouch vi Britannia, command you. Obey my instructions!" I used my Geass on Rangiku and she obeyed my commands. I removed a chair, some rope, and a blindfold from the storage space. I then bound Rangiku to the chair with some rope of which I set some explosives around the chair that I had arranged to look as if they were the property of the 12th Division's sixth seat that was still under the influence of my Geass to send Aizen paperwork. My plan today would have everything pinned on him. I then grabbed a replica of my Zero helmet that I had managed to craft when I was in 12th Division. Of course, cheap knockoffs of these helmets were available in Seireitei and Rukongai shops alike. I then put on a reiatsu masking cloak and sent out a Hell Butterfly to one Gin Ichimaru. I told him the following 'I have kidnapped Matsumoto Rangiku. If you want her back, come and find me' and then proceeded to give him the exact location.

I spent the time it would take for him to arrive on the scene preparing my escape. Once Gin got Rangiku back, he would attempt to both unmask and kill me. Once my escape route was prepared Gin showed up right on schedule two and half minutes later. By then I was already in place. Rangiku was holding the detonator to the explosives at my request and she was holding it right in front of her chest. If Gin tried to knock the remote out of her hand he had a very likely chance of hitting her as well or instead.

When he burst through the door I was standing right in the light of the doorway. Rangiku was hidden by the left side of my cloak flung out at my side. "Well, well, well. I was beginning to think you wouldn't show Ichimaru Gin." I spoke.

"Where is she?" Gin was really pissed.

"Right here." I told Gin. He saw the explosives.

"All right you mask wearing bastard what do ya want?" Gin asked.

"What do I want? That's simple, in exchange for Rangiku you will draft, right here, a transfer document for your 5th seat Sayuri Hisana." I told him, holding up a transfer document.

"And just how is Sayuri Hisana your concern?" Gin asked.

"I see. You don't know who you're dealing with do you. I am the defender of the weak, persecutor of the strong. I am the hero of justice! I am the great vigilante aide to those in need. Knowledge is my most potent weapon." I flung my cloak out to one side, "Preparation is my most loyal ally. I am Zero!"

"You!" Gin's eyes flung open. I smirked as I confirmed that Zero had been mentioned in the reports of having broken Urahara-san and the others out of prison. Things were going exactly according to plan. Gin shut his eyes. "This must be my lucky day." Gin drew out his Zanpakuto. "I'll wipe you off the face of the Soul Society. Aizen-taicho will surely be pleased with me gettin' rid of a pest like you."

"That would be ill advised." I said and flung out the other side of my robe revealing that I was wearing explosives around my own chest. "You shoot me and we all go to the great beyond."

"You're insane. And coming from me dat's saying somethin'." Gin smirked.

"It's like I always say, the only ones who should kill are those willing to be killed. Now do as I ask and let me go free, and your precious cargo won't have to suffer even a hair's breadth of damage." I enforced. "Oh, and just to make sure those papers are processed, I have your friend here under my power until you do. So I suggest you have them sent through the moment you have the chance. Fail to do so and I could just as easily have her attack you."

Gin was mad, but he wasn't a fool. I managed to get him to comply. When I had what I needed I looked over Gin's shoulder to scan the document to make sure Gin wasn't going to pull a fast one on me and then grabbed Rangiku. "When I am certain you have done as I asked, you can have this back." I disappeared with her and followed Gin with Bakudo 58: Kakushitsuijaku. When I was certain that he was near finished with processing the document I left Rangiku, untied and unbound in a remote area and told Gin where he could find her. I then stored the cloak and helmet inside a hyperspace capsule and then executed phase two of my plan. I went back to my division and waltzed into the office of my division's 5th seat, Kisra Raiden. I made sure to keep my left eye hidden from his line of sight, since I hadn't yet replaced my contact lens. I had left it out to ensure Gin's cooperation if we got into a tussle.

"Oh, good afternoon Lelouch," he said to me, "Something I can help you with?"

"Actually there is," I said. I closed the door and then looked Kisra-senpai in the eye. "Write a suicide note describing how you are overcome with grief and then kill yourself." I ordered. He did as I asked. As the blood dripped everywhere and I felt the life force drain from him I calmly left the office and went for Kuchiki-taicho's office. I decided acting slightly panicked, but not overly distraught, would be believable that I was acting genuinely surprised about having 'waltzed in to find Kisra-senpai's dead body'. "Kuchiki-taicho." I knocked on the office door.

"Hmm, what's all that banging?" I heard him get up from his desk and walk over to where I was to open the door. "Lelouch? What's wrong?"

"Kisra-senpai committed suicide!" I blurted out.

"This better not be one of your sick jokes." Kuchiki-taicho sighed.

I tell one joke in incredibly ill taste and suddenly he marks me as sick. Wonderful.

It was kind of a sick joke Lelouch.

It just goes to show not everyone has a decent sense of humor.

I led Kuchiki-taicho to Kisra-senpai's office. Kuchiki-taicho was even more stoic than Byakuya-fukutaicho had grown to be. "It's always the joyous ones that you miss." He didn't say anything for about half a minute before calling to me. "Lelouch."

"Yes?"

"Go and get my grandson." He ordered calmly.

"Yes sir." I obeyed. Like a charm.

Things processed exactly as planned. 12th Division's 6th seat, Dinrei Ichiro, was blamed for all of Zero's actions and executed as Zero. Boy would the Central Forty Six regret that decision the next time I disguised myself as Zero and declared that they had killed an innocent man. And to make matters more interesting I had managed to pull Aizen's eyes away from me. Gin would no doubt report that someone was onto him, but he'd have Aizen chasing after a phantom rather than going after me. Unlike Aizen's investigation into Zero, my investigation into him would actually go somewhere.

Hisana was given a transferal out of 5th Division and into 6th. I personally helped her get settled on her first day.

"Lelouch, I don't know how you did it," she said, "I'm in Byakuya-dono's squad."

Her zest over being in Byakuya's squad was all the positive reinforcement I needed to know that I had done something incredible. "Hey, I'm just happy to help an old friend." I told her. "If there's anything you need from me, just feel free to ask. You're my commanding officer now."

"Haha, that'll take some getting used to since I used to be your student." She chuckled as she began unpacking a box.

"How mad was Aizen-taicho when he found out you were transferring?" I asked as a continued stocking her bookshelf.

"To be perfectly, brutally honest Lelouch, the madder he is the happier I am." Hisana snickered. She then sighed as she stocked one of her desk drawers. "Unfortunately, I don't think I've fully shaken him off."

"Why do you say that?" I asked as I came down off the stepladder.

"That man is a stalker." Hisana griped. "You would not believe how many times he asked me to reconsider my transferal."

"Someone's not used to being told no it seems." I laughed. "Now all we have to do is get you into Byakuya-fukutaicho's bed and objective completed."

"Lelouch!" Hisana flushed. I just laughed to myself.

Another victory for the magnificent Zero! Eien Tamashi was acting like she was a sports announcer. Hero of Justice: 2. Captain Aizen: 0!

For once we agree on something. I responded. Everything, this time anyway, seemed to go…dare I say it?

Go ahead.

All right. I mentally cleared my throat. Everything went…just as planned!

To be continued…

(A/N: Another victory for the magnificent and fabulous Zero! Go Lelouch! It seems our anti-hero has found an ally in Hisana. Also, Lelouch isn't exactly thinking all the way, I can think of two people and a money funnel he can trust that are more than willing to show Aizen a thing or two. And also Lelouch is now a shipper on deck for ByaHisa. Next time: Lelouch will continue to mess with Aizen's plan. …yeah that's all I got. Later folks).