Lelouch's POV:
The first time it happened was entirely by accident.
I had been experimenting with my Geass in the privacy of my bedroom, testing whether it had transferred to this world along with my memories.
To my surprise, it had - though with subtle differences. The bird-like sigil still manifested in my left eye when activated(apparently it has weakened compared to when I could manifest the King's power from both my eyes),
but the compulsion effect that had allowed me to command absolute obedience seemed for now dormant -
though I suspect rather than a limitation its my own current fear of losing control as I did with Euphimia, for since it has regressed in evolution, my control over it has as well.
Instead, my Geass appeared to function solely as a tool of perception - allowing me to see things hidden from ordinary human senses.
I was gazing out my window at the night sky, idly wondering what insights my Geass might reveal about this universe, when Goku stepped onto the small balcony outside his bedroom.
He hadn't noticed me watching from my darkened room. As he looked up at the stars, I activated my Geass out of curiosity.
What I saw nearly caused me to fall backward in shock.
Surrounding Goku's body was an aura unlike anything I had ever witnessed - a vast, swirling field of energy that extended far beyond his physical form.
It pulsed with a power so immense that my mind struggled to comprehend it.
Layers upon layers of light, some rose-colored, others with a divine golden hue, others still with the pure white radiance I had only glimpsed once before in C's World.
But this was different from even that.
The collective unconscious of humanity that could remake the universe that my father had called "God" had been vast but diffuse - the accumulated will of countless souls spread across time and space.
What I saw surrounding Goku was concentrated, focused, contained within a single being yet seemingly infinite in its depth.
I quickly deactivated my Geass, my heart pounding. What had I just witnessed? Who - or what - was the person I had known as my adoptive brother and guardian for the past eight years?
That was three weeks ago. Since then, I have been observing Goku carefully, activating my Geass in brief moments when he wouldn't notice (doesn't he? I don't know, but I can't just not look. I need to understand more).
Each glimpse has only deepened the mystery.
Today is Saturday, and the morning sunlight streams through the kitchen windows as I sit at the table, pretending to read a book while covertly watching Goku prepare breakfast.
He moves with an efficiency that wasn't present before his change - before he remembered, as I suspect we all have.
"Pancakes or waffles?" he asks, glancing over his shoulder at me.
"Waffles," I reply, keeping my tone casual. "With blueberries, if we have them."
He nods, reaching for the refrigerator. As he does, I briefly activate my Geass. Again, I see that overwhelming aura surrounding him - power contained in human form, like an ocean poured into a teacup without spilling a drop.
I deactivate my ability before he turns back. "We have blackberries," he says. "Will those work?"
"That's fine," I respond, forcing my expression to remain neutral despite the existential vertigo I feel whenever I glimpse his true nature.
Mark shuffles into the kitchen, still half-asleep.
His transformation has been the most outwardly noticeable among us - the formerly exuberant, carefree boy now moves with a wariness that speaks of trauma and hard-earned caution.
"Morning," he mumbles, dropping into a chair beside me.
"Sleep well?" Goku asks, his concern evident. He's been watching all of us closely since our changes, just as we've been watching him.
Mark shrugs. "Well enough."
Mikasa enters last, already dressed and alert. Of the three of us, she's adapted most seamlessly to her remembered life - perhaps because both versions of Mikasa Ackerman share the core trait of protective vigilance.
"Training in an hour?" she asks Goku, who nods.
"The park should be relatively empty this early," he confirms.
This is new - since our changes, Goku has begun training Mikasa in hand-to-hand combat techniques that go far beyond the standard martial arts she learned at Gotham Academy.
I've observed some of these sessions with my Geass active, and what I've seen is remarkable.
Goku moves with a precision and skill that defies human limitation, and though he clearly holds back enormously, there are moments when his movements blur with impossible speed.
Breakfast proceeds with the comfortable familiarity of routine, though underneath runs the current of our unspoken shared secret.
We all know that we remember our past lives, yet some strange compulsion prevents us from discussing it directly. Instead, we speak in coded references and meaningful glances.
"Any plans for today, Lelouch?" Goku asks as he serves the waffles.
"Chess tournament downtown," I reply. "Should be back by dinner."
"Need a ride?"
"No, I'll take the bus."
The mundane exchange belies the complexity of our situation. In my previous life, I was Lelouch vi Britannia, the revolutionary who conquered the world to change it.
Now I'm just Lelouch, high school student and chess club president, living in Gotham City with my adoptive family.
Except nothing is "just" anything anymore. Not since we remembered.
After breakfast, I help clear the dishes, then retreat to my room to prepare for the tournament.
It's a local competition, nothing prestigious, but it provides me with an opportunity to exercise my strategic thinking without the life-or-death stakes of my previous existence.
Before leaving, I pause at my window, watching as Goku and Mikasa head toward the park for their training session.
Mark has disappeared into his room, likely to continue whatever research has been occupying him lately.
I activate my Geass once more, observing Goku from a distance. The aura is still there, vast and incomprehensible. What is he? A god? An alien? Some combination of both?
Whatever the answer, one thing is certain: the person who adopted us, who has cared for us with unwavering dedication, possesses power beyond anything I encountered in my previous life - perhaps beyond anything that exists in this world.
And yet, he uses that power to make waffles with blackberries and drive teenagers to chess tournaments.
The tournament proceeds exactly as expected - a series of predictable victories against opponents whose strategies I can anticipate five, ten, fifteen moves in advance.
Chess has always come naturally to me, but with the memories and experiences of my previous life, it's almost unfairly easy.
I allow my mind to wander as my hands automatically move the pieces. My thoughts return, as they often do lately, to the mystery of Goku.
In the weeks since I first glimpsed his true nature with my Geass, I've been researching this world's pantheon of superpowered beings.
The Justice League, with its Kryptonians and Amazons and speedsters. The various cosmic entities that occasionally interfere in Earth's affairs.
The New Gods of New Genesis and Apokolips - though only to the extent that is a available to the public. ( I haven't hacked the secret files yet. I first wish to adjust to this new life before seeking things that might make enemies.)
None of them quite match what I've seen surrounding Goku. The closest parallel might be the presence I encountered in C's World - the collective unconscious that my father sought to control and that I ultimately sided with against him.
But even that comparison falls short. The power I see in Goku is both more and less than what I witnessed in C's World.
More concentrated, more focused, more... personal. Less divided into bits like it was with the different souls. Yet also somehow more contained, more disciplined.
"Checkmate," I say, barely registering my opponent's frustrated expression as I reset the board for the final round.
My last opponent is a university student with a respectable rating - the tournament organizer's attempt to provide me with an actual challenge after I breezed through the preliminary rounds.
He plays well, employing a Sicilian Defense with competence, but I can see the flaws in his strategy almost immediately.
Twelve moves later, I've won the tournament.
The award ceremony is brief, and I accept the small trophy with polite thanks.
These victories hold little meaning for me now, but they maintain my cover as an ordinary (if exceptionally talented) high school student.
As I exit the community center where the tournament was held, I spot a familiar figure waiting near the bus stop. Goku leans against his car, arms crossed, watching the entrance.
"I thought you might appreciate a ride home after all," he says as I approach.
"Thank you," I reply, studying his expression. There's something different about him today - a new certainty in his eyes, a subtle shift in his posture that speaks of resolved internal conflict.
He's settled into his remembered self, I realize. Just as I have been doing, just as Mark and Mikasa have been doing.
We drive in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Goku speaks. "How was the tournament?"
"Predictable," I answer honestly. "Though the final opponent showed some promise."
Goku nods, a small smile playing at his lips. "It must be difficult to find worthy adversaries when you've commanded armies and outmaneuvered entire nations."
The statement sends a jolt through me. It's the closest any of us has come to directly acknowledging our past lives.
How does he know? Does he have the ability to glean through memories like my father did? Or is it simply his own ability to reason through the clues I have intentionally and unintenionally left behind?
"One adapts," I say carefully. "And finds challenges where one can."
His smile widens slightly. "Indeed."
We lapse into silence again, but it's charged now with unspoken understanding. As we stop at a traffic light, I take the opportunity to briefly activate my Geass, glancing at him from the corner of my eye.
The aura is there as always, but it seems more... settled now. More integrated with his physical form. Whatever internal reconciliation he's achieved has harmonized the vast power I perceive.
"You know," Goku says suddenly, his eyes still on the road, "perception is a powerful gift. It allows us to see beyond the surface, to understand truths that others might miss."
My breath catches. Is he aware of my Geass? Of my observations?
"But perception without context can lead to misunderstanding," he continues. "What we see isn't always what is."
"And what if what we see defies understanding?" I ask, unable to help myself. "What if it transcends our frame of reference?"
Goku considers this as the light turns green. "Then we must expand our frame of reference," he says simply. "Or accept that some things remain mysteries until we're ready to comprehend them."
The cryptic exchange leaves me with more questions than answers, but also with a strange sense of reassurance. Whatever Goku is, whatever power he possesses, he remains the person who has cared for us all these years.
Life settles into a new normal over the following days. On the surface, our routines remain largely unchanged - school, activities, family dinners.
But beneath that veneer of normalcy, subtle shifts continue to reshape our family dynamic.
Goku begins spending more time with each of us individually.
With Mark, he has long conversations that often end with Mark looking less haunted, more grounded.
With Mikasa, the training sessions become more intensive, pushing her already exceptional abilities to new heights.
With me, he engages in strategic discussions - sometimes over chess, sometimes while preparing dinner, sometimes during long walks through Gotham's safer neighborhoods.
We discuss philosophy, ethics, leadership, the nature of power and responsibility.
Never directly referencing our past lives, but always with the weight of those experiences informing our perspectives.
During one such conversation, as we chop vegetables for stir-fry, I ask him a question that has been on my mind.
"Do you believe in redemption?" I keep my tone casual, my eyes on the carrots I'm slicing.
Goku's hands pause briefly in their efficient dicing of bell peppers. "I believe in growth," he says after a moment. "In learning from mistakes and choosing differently when given another chance."
"Even for those who have committed terrible acts?" I press, thinking of the blood on my own hands from my previous life - the lives sacrificed in my campaign for a better world.
"Especially for them," Goku says, his voice gentle but firm. "What value would redemption have if it were only available to those who needed it least?"
The answer resonates with something deep within me.
In my past life, I had orchestrated my own death as the final act of the Zero Requiem - concentrating the world's hatred on myself so that it might move forward in peace.
It was atonement of a sort, but not redemption.
"And if someone has been given a second chance?" I ask, still not looking up. "A clean slate?"
"Then they have a rare opportunity," Goku replies. "To honor the lessons of the past without being bound by its mistakes."
I nod, absorbing his words. We continue preparing dinner in companionable silence, the philosophy of redemption simmering alongside the vegetables.
Later that evening, after Mark and Mikasa have gone to bed, I find myself unable to sleep. I wander downstairs for a glass of water and discover Goku on the back porch, seated in a meditative posture, eyes closed.
I pause in the doorway, hesitating to disturb him. As I watch, a faint aura becomes visible around his body - visible to my normal eyes, not just through my Geass.
It pulses with a soft rose-gold light, barely perceptible but undeniably present.
Curiosity overcomes my reluctance to intrude. I activate my Geass for a clearer view and nearly gasp aloud at what I see.
The energy surrounding him is in constant, complex motion - flowing through and around his body in patterns that remind me of the most intricate mandalas.
At its core, where his heart would be, is a concentration of light so intense it's almost painful to look at, even through the filter of my Geass.
As I watch, transfixed, Goku opens his eyes and looks directly at me. For a moment, I fear he'll be angry at my intrusion, at my use of Geass to observe him.
Instead, he smiles gently. "Couldn't sleep?" he asks.
I deactivate my ability hastily, but not before noticing something remarkable - he can see my Geass. He's looking directly at the sigil in my eye, not just at my face.
"No," I admit, stepping onto the porch. "Too many thoughts."
He nods understanding. "Meditation helps," he offers. "Would you like to learn?"
The invitation surprises me. "I... yes, I would."
He gestures to the space beside him, and I sit down, mimicking his cross-legged posture.
"Close your eyes," he instructs. "Focus on your breathing. In through the nose, out through the mouth."
I follow his guidance, trying to quiet my racing thoughts.
"Now, imagine your mind as a clear sky," he continues, his voice low and soothing. "Thoughts are clouds passing through. Acknowledge them, but don't hold onto them. Let them drift away."
The meditation continues for perhaps twenty minutes. I don't achieve anything like the profound state Goku seemed to be in when I found him, but I do experience moments of mental clarity unlike anything I've known before.
When we finish, I feel calmer, more centered. "Thank you," I say sincerely.
"Anytime," he replies. "It's a skill worth developing."
I hesitate, then decide to take a risk. "What I saw, when I came out here..." I begin.
Goku's expression remains open, encouraging.
"The energy around you," I continue carefully. "It's not... normal."
He smiles slightly. "No, it isn't."
"What is it?" I ask, then more directly: "What are you?"
For a long moment, Goku is silent, considering his response. Finally, he says, "I am exactly who you've always known me to be - the person who cares for you, Mark, and Mikasa more than anything in this world."
It's not really an answer, yet somehow it is. Whatever power I've glimpsed with my Geass, whatever cosmic energy flows through him, the core truth remains unchanged: he is family.
"That's enough for now," I acknowledge, understanding that some revelations must come in their own time.
He nods, seemingly pleased with my acceptance. "Get some rest, Lelouch. Tomorrow's another day."
As I return to my room, I reflect on the mystery that is Goku. My Geass has shown me power beyond comprehension contained within the person who makes us breakfast and helps with homework.
I still don't understand what I'm seeing - whether it's godhood, cosmic energy, or something entirely beyond my frame of reference.
But I understand enough.
Enough to know that whatever Goku is, he uses his immense power not for domination or destruction, but to protect three reincarnated teenagers navigating the complexity of remembered lives.
And for now, that's all that matters.
Sunday morning brings another family tradition: pancakes. Since our changes, these shared meals have taken on greater significance - anchors of normalcy in our increasingly extraordinary lives.
I enter the kitchen to find Mark already seated at the table, scrolling through something on his tablet. Mikasa stands by the counter, methodically slicing fruit. And Goku, as always, manages the pancake production with cheerful efficiency.
"Perfect timing," he says as I enter. "These are just about ready."
I take my usual seat, pouring myself a cup of coffee from the carafe on the table. "Anything planned for today?" I ask the room at large.
"Training with Goku this afternoon," Mikasa responds, bringing the fruit platter to the table.
"Research," Mark says vaguely, not looking up from his tablet.
Goku sets a stack of pancakes in the center of the table. "I was thinking we might all go to the museum later," he suggests. "There's a new exhibit on ancient civilizations that looked interesting."
The proposal is met with general agreement. These family outings have become more frequent since our changes - Goku's way of strengthening our bonds as we each adjust to our dual identities.
As we eat, I observe the others with careful attention. Mark still carries himself with that new wariness, but there's less tension in his shoulders than there was weeks ago.
Mikasa's vigilance remains, but it's tempered now with moments of genuine relaxation. And Goku...
I activate my Geass briefly, glancing at him as he pours more batter onto the griddle. The aura is there, vast and powerful, but perfectly controlled.
Whatever he is, he has mastered his nature in a way that my father, with all his ambitions to godhood, never achieved.
"More coffee, Lelouch?" Goku asks, turning toward me.
I deactivate my Geass quickly, but not before catching a knowing look in his eyes. "Yes, please," I respond, pushing my cup toward him.
As he refills it, his hand briefly touches mine - a casual gesture, easily overlooked. But in that moment of contact, I feel something extraordinary: a tiny pulse of energy, warm and reassuring, passing from him to me.
The message is clear, though unspoken: I see you seeing me, and it's alright.
I meet his gaze, finding no judgment there, only understanding. We share a small smile, acknowledging the unacknowledgeable.
Later, as we prepare to leave for the museum, I find myself alone with Goku in the kitchen, finishing the breakfast cleanup.
"The meditation helped," I tell him as I dry the last plate. "I'd like to learn more."
He nods, pleased. "We can practice together. It's good to have a training partner."
"Is that what we're doing?" I ask, a hint of my old strategic directness emerging. "Training?"
Goku considers me thoughtfully. "In a sense," he acknowledges. "Though perhaps 'preparation' would be a better word."
"Preparation for what?"
His expression turns serious. "For whatever comes next. This world has many challenges, many dangers. Being centered, being aware - these are the first steps toward facing those challenges effectively."
I think about the power I've glimpsed with my Geass, about the casual way he contains and controls it. "Will you teach the others as well?"
"In ways suited to each of them," he confirms. "Mark needs to find his balance before his strength emerges. Mikasa needs to channel her protective instincts constructively. And you-"
"What do I need?" I ask when he pauses.
Goku smiles, a hint of the old playfulness returning to his eyes. "You need to understand that seeing isn't the same as knowing, and knowing isn't the same as wisdom."
The cryptic answer is frustrating yet intriguing - much like the mystery of Goku himself.
"Ready to go?" Mark calls from the front door, interrupting our conversation.
"Coming," Goku responds, then turns back to me. "We'll continue this discussion another time."
As we join the others and head to the car, I reflect on my unique position.
Through my Geass, I've glimpsed something about Goku that perhaps even Mark and Mikasa don't fully comprehend - the true extent of his power, the cosmic nature of his being.
Yet that glimpse has raised more questions than it's answered. What I see when I look at him with my Geass defies categorization, transcends my understanding of this universe or any other.
But one thing remains clear, unchanged since the day he adopted three orphans despite barely being an adult himself: whatever power flows through him, whatever cosmic energy he contains, at his core is a being of profound compassion and unwavering protection.
And that, perhaps, is all I truly need to know.
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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all liked the chapter!
Yeah, Lelouch is the only one who understands Goku's nature to a certain extent. Lelouch's own Geass doesn't have this ability,
but it seems fitting for him to now have it after reincarnating, essentially a new form of existing, and after having aided C's world against his father, his own Power of the King aiding 'God.'
So yeah, do tell me how you found it and I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)