Hey everyone! I intended for this to be a one-shot, but if you guys think it's worth it, maybe I'll write a bit more on it! :) Enjoy!


She had quietly excused herself to her bedroom immediately after the meeting, and plopped down on a fancy leather armchair, staring unblinkingly at her mahogany desk. Procuring a hidden golden key hidden underneath the rug, she clumsily unlocked the forbidden, uppermost drawer, hands shaking with anticipation. Placing the key securely under the rug again, she focused on the drawer.

It had only been a day ago... And the pain was still fresh. A gaping open wound that nothing could cure. She forcefully tamped down her quivering lips and with a shaking hand, she reached into the depths of the drawer, and pulled out an ornate picture frame. Warm amethyst eyes, similar to her own, except that hers were melancholic and sorrowful, stared back up at her. Her world had shattered at the realization of her brother's plan that day. The Zero Requiem. She was shackled to the mobile unit, and her brother had slid down, having been stabbed, garbed in an Emperor's attire, but his snow white robes were stained a sick red with his own blood. The seeming solidity and permanence of her world was nothing but an illusion, and had collapsed in a terrifying manner. A sharp pain exploded in her chest, like shrapnel had tore through her, like a knife was buried deep in her chest, and twisted, and she wondered if there would ever be something more painful that what she had experienced. It would be less agonizing than dropping me in molten lava and quartering me alive. At the least, the pain would be physical.

Fingering the edges of the picture frame, she finally let loose the torrential downpour of bitter tears, violent sobs racking her slouched frame. The world would never know of his heroic deeds. The mask of Zero worn by its successor sung silent praises that the world would never hear, and the newly established peace of the world testified to her brother's selfless scheme. He had succeeded in unifying the world. But the world knew of him as the Demon King, and had glorified Zero, lionized him as the hero. The tears she shed for deceased brother had to be hidden from the unknowing citizens that she ruled, thus, she cried profusely, and often alone.

There was a short knock on the door, but she didn't care. She could easily blame the tears for those who had died due to 99th Emperor. No one would know for whom she truly grieved for.

"Your highness...? Nunnally?!"

Blinking back tears, and wiping her cheeks dry with her sleeves, she slowly raised her head, wavering before finally settling on the sympathetic gaze of cerulean eyes. A kindred spirit!

"Kallen." She choked out, acknowledging her presence.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all of this, and I know I shouldn't but I just have to ask... So that I can make peace with it..." Nunnally simply nodded, signalling for her to continue. "W-Was it h-his plan? Was it his plan all along? To sacrifice himself?"

With this, fresh tears leaked unbidden, and Nunnally could only manage to barely nod, before Kallen too, burst into tears. It came as no surprise to Nunnally, however. Although Kallen might not have had the chance to explicitly admit to Lelouch that she loved him, Nunnally could tell that at the least, she deeply cared for her brother.

After a moment of communal sobbing, another rap on the door announced the arrival of another being, and yet again, Nunnally did not care to ask who it was. Her abysmal expression would suffice.

This time, it was Zero. Awkwardly placing a gentle hand on her shaking shoulder, he silently comforted Nunnally, for he too, understood the unbearable pain. It had been the same when he had lost Euphy. Everything in the world just didn't matter anymore. He hated himself for following with the plan, for he was the one who physically robbed Lelouch of his life. He promptly removed his hand, ashamed of himself, for surely, Nunnally would hate him for this forever? A solitary tear trickled down his face, hidden behind the symbolic mask that he was unworthy of wearing.

Not long after, seeming as the prior meeting was ended, her sister stalked into the room, and upon seeing her, immediately rushed to her side.

"N-Nunnally? Nunnally?! Are you alright?"

Cornelia was in shock. She was confused, to say the least, as to why Kallen was also weeping, and if she didn't know any better, the nearly imperceptible trembling of Zero indicated that he too, was crying.

"What's wrong, Nunnally? Please, tell me!" Placing a hand under her chin, Cornelia caressed her face, before tilting it to meet her gaze. "Aren't we supposed to be celebrating?"

"NO!" Nunnally choked out. She was enraged that Cornelia would utter such an atrocious thing, but stopped herself, realizing that Lelouch had not only fooled the world, he had fooled his own sister as well. He had made her and everyone believe that he was a selfish, heartless dictator... But Nunnally knew better. It pained her that everyone she knew he loved was pushed away, in an attempt to atone for his sins, and to save the world.

Cornelia was taken aback by the sudden outburst, and glancing at both Kallen and Zero, she was convinced that neither would give an answer anytime soon, so she patiently waited, kneeling in front of Nunnally, the 100th Empress of the throne.

"I-I think she should know, Nunnally. Kallen?" Zero was the first to break the silence, and the cold, grated, metallic voice resounded clearly through the room. After a nod from Kallen, he swiftly marched to the door of Nunnally's bedroom and secured the look, ensuring privacy.

"Nunnally?" Zero inquired, silently asking if she would be capable or willing to give an answer.

With a shaky nod, Zero motioned for Nunnally to hand him her laptop, which she did so promptly, and in the depths of his cape, he withdrew a computer chip, with a recorded conversation. Yes, it was recorded, seemingly without Lelouch's knowledge. Or perhaps he thought it wouldn't matter anymore, since he was to die. Lelouch knew him well enough that even if he did have the conversation recorded, he was not a man to go back on his word.

Puzzled, but curious nonetheless, Cornelia turned to Nunnally, quirking an eyebrow. What is that is so terribly sad? Certainly it would not be as sorrowful as losing Euphy? If only she knew.

Taking several deep breaths, Nunnally finally managed to control her raging sorrow, and proceeded to explain of what she saw, after feeling Lelouch's hand, how he had planned to be killed all along. She told Cornelia of how he had protected her all these years, how they first came to Japan, and how their own father had ordered their deaths, and his solemn oath to destroy the Britannian system. She spoke of his wondrous deeds, and his keen reasoning behind them, and even the Zero Requiem, and his chosen destiny. Kallen cried harder when Nunnally truthfully stated that it was indeed heart-breaking for Lelouch to turn away from Kallen, when she had suddenly kissed him at Ashford, nearly breaking his resolve to be the sacrificial lamb. After all, to be selfish is an easier option, even though it would not be the correct option.

Cornelia was certainly not ready for this emotional rollercoaster, and was also in shock. When Nunnally had finally relayed the story to her, she turned to face Zero.

"H-How do I know if this is all true? Who are you then? N-Not that I don't trust you-"

Zero simply nodded. Reaching up to his mask, he pressed the hidden side button, and allowed the mask to fall into his gloved hand. Cornelia gasped.

"Suzaku! B-But I thought you- You killed him?! Why you- You traitor!"

Suzaku paid no heed to her bubbling anger, and advancing steps, and instead, played the recording from Nunnally's laptop. What she saw horrified her, and she froze.

"Suzaku, you have to kill me. You must promise." That was Lelouch!

"You're going through with this? No matter what?"

"As planned, the hatred of the whole world is focused directly on me. And now, the only thing that remains is to get rid of me, and to finally break the cycle of hatred."

Cornelia watched as Lelouch delicately held the iconic glass mask for Suzaku in outstretched arms, before listening intently again, ogling the laptop screen.

"The legend of Zero isn't dead. It lives within the heart of the Black Knights. Schneizel will serve Zero also. With this, the world will gather not for an exchange of force, but for an exchange of open dialogue around one table. Mankind will be able to move forward into the future."

In the video, Suzaku grasped the mask in his white-gloved hands. "And that..."

"Yes." Lelouch had answered, to Cornelia's disheartenment.

"Is the Zero Requiem."

There were renewed sobs from Nunnally as she watched the recording for the 100th time, and Kallen only cried harder.

"We both realized it back in C's world. We knew how humanity was longing for the future."

"Hey Suzaku, Geass power is similar to a wish, don't you think? It's a request to someone to give you the power to achieve what you can't on your own." Why would he chuckle at a time like this?! He's ordering his own demise with good humour?!

"A wish? No."

"Yes. And I'm going to grant a wish called Geass to all the people everywhere... For the future of the entire world."

Cornelia felt an awful urge to howl and cry out, like a lion in the desert. Lelouch... You did it for all of us... All this time... I tried to kill you... I loathed you... I can't believe I- This was certainly worse than Euphy's death.

An alert pair of golden eyes blinked and disappeared in a flash from the shadows...


Alrighty! :) Thanks for reading! Please review! :D