Several people appeared in a great multitude of flashing lights. Soldiers, school children, even royalty and diplomats appeared in a large living room-like area. There was a massive screen on the wall designed to allow for perfect inspection of what's being seen.
Zero/Lelouch's POV
'What kind of sorcery is this? I bet C.C is to blame.'
Lelouch appeared in the back of the room , which was an excellent for observing the others in the room.
He was garbed in his Zero attire. Through his helmet he saw some high-ranking members of the Black Knights talking amongst themselves.
'Why am I here with these foolish traitors' 'The hell is going on!'
"Lets see. I was just making plans with Suzaku, Jeremiah, Lloyd , Cecile and C.C for the Zero Requiem. What the?... Milly and the others are here too! Suzaku and Kallen. Better question, is that Cornelia and... is that Euphie?!'
Before he can allow himself to succumb to the guilt of getting his loved ones so entangled in his issues, he spots several Black Knights arguing with Gino and Anya.
'I got a horrible feeling about all of this.'
Lelouch is drawn from his thoughts by a voice.
"Lulu?"
He freezes instantly and turns, he comes face to face with Shirley Fenette, yet another person he lost to the curse of Geass and man's own evil karma.
Euphemia Pov
Euphemia Li Britannia looked around and observed the people that were transported to the room with her. She noticed her older sister is currently breaking her back in a heart-wrenching manner.
"Euphie! My sister… is it really you?" Cornelia asked her, as fresh tears poured from her eyes.
"Yes, sister its me." Euphie answered her.
"But how are you here?" Cornelia questioned. Embracing her sister afraid she will disappear.
"Is it really you?!" a voice interrupts.
The sisters look to see a shell shocked Suzaku.
"Euphie, how are…you here?" he stammers out.
She instantly takes him in here arms and hugs him close to her.
"Eu…Euphie... I missed you … so much" he sobs softly against her hair.
"I know my precious knight, and I you."
They hug each other tenderly afraid of the letting go of the moment. The reunited couple completely ignored the audience that was slowly building.
"It's been a long time since I seen my cousin so happy" said a Kaguya with a small smile.
Nobody's Pov
'What is going on here, why have we all been gathered?' Kallen thinks to herself.
'I can spot Gino, Anya, Cornelia with … a dead Princess! Don't tell me she's immortal now too?! Senior Black Knight members, and even my school friends. If all of these people are here then Lelouch has to be here also.'
She looks around the room and sees him embracing a breathing, talking, very much alive Shirley Fenette. Despite her uncertainty and the questions, she have for him, she does manage to smile, happy to see her valued friend at least for a while.
Even if a great weight settled in her chest making her feel heavy.
"What are these stinkin Britannians doing here!?" bellowed Tamaki.
"This is getting us no where," said a bored Lloyd.
"What was that riffraff?! Shouted an indignant Guilford
"Guilford don't let the heathen get to you" scolded Cornelia.
"Here we go" groaned Cecile.
"Yes, you Highness" nodded the ever loyal knight.
"Be better than them Tamaki" said Ohgi.
"Easy for you to say huh, Ohgi?" snarked the already frustrated Tamaki.
"What do you mean?" asked a completely confused Kaname Ohgi.
"I know all about you and your Britannian whore!" he shouted
"Calm yourself Tamaki, there is a time and place for such things." Tohdoh said.
"Oh my god is that Zero!? And the Black Knights! This is the coolest day ever." Rivalz gushed.
"Rivalz calm down your making us look bad" said Milly with a still surprised face.
'Who does that Brit kid think he is, praising Zero so casually, only us Japanese should praise his greatness' thought an incensed Tamaki.
More shouts and insults are thrown around by several people before a voice interrupts everyone.
"SHUT UP YOU IDOITS!" almost as if by Geass everyone complies sitting in different places.
"Hey!"
"This is starting to freak me out."
"I was already freaked out I just never said anything"
"Well good for you because I am handling this poorly"
"Enough, Tamaki we get it!"
"Jeez Kallen, what crawled up your…"
"Don't finish that!" several women protested.
With that settled everyone took the time to observe the large room.
The room itself was decorated in fancy yet homely dark red drapes and ornate wall paintings. The most beautiful aspect was the stained glass several feet above the Massive TV screen. On the glass was a decorative sunset overcasting a beach with the sky darkening into a sea of dark reds, purples, oranges and blues.
Several couches, bean bags and love seats were placed around for maximum comfort. Even snacks where placed on the table as well as various drinks.
"As some of you can attest to, certain people have been brought back here to this place and time as I feel they have a right to see that was, that is, and that will be."
Shirley and Euphemia look at each other while everyone else stared at the two.
"All of you have been taken out of time and space, here this room is stuck in a loop of still-time therefore time has stopped altogether.
"What is still-time?" asked Tamaki.
"When time stands still of course, it keeps the world from moving on without you" replied the entity, as if it were obvious.
"Too late for that" Euphie said with a sad smile.
Lelouch unknowingly grabs his chest where his heart is. Nobody notices expect for his closest friends. Kallen tried not to look like she cared. Suzaku looked away hurriedly and Cornelia on the other hand just frowned deeply.
The mysterious voice continued.
"Keep in mind that you are pulled from different points in time, so you would remember things that you experienced but not necessarily what someone else remember, since it has not happened to them yet. Everyone should say what they were doing or what happened before they arrived here."
Taking the lead, Cecile went first "Lloyd and myself were designing new knightmare frames in the year of 2018" said Cecile.
Lloyd nods in agreement.
Lelouch smiled, 'She didn't reveal anything of substance that would alert the others to our plans, well done'
That statement allowed for the others to share what they were doing.
"After I graduated I became a news reporter in the early part of 2018." Said Milly.
"Well, I was in my senior year" said Rivalz.
"I just defeated the Knight of Ten, Luciano Bradley and his Valkyrie" lied Kallen.
She actually came from the betrayal of the Black Knights but wasn't sure if she should reveal that or not.
"Specular as always, my Q1" complimented Zero. Lelouch was glad for his Zero mask, as his smirk would have gotten him slapped, had he been discovered.
Kallen tries to hide the blush that creeps up on her.
"I actually saw that footage, great fight Ms. Kozuki , if Suzaku fails as a devicer, I'll give you call" said Lloyd with a somewhat crazy smile.
"We don't blame you at all" Ohgi, Tamaki and Tohdoh freely admitted since, it was true Kallen was an elite pilot.
"Hey, I'm literally right here!" hollered an indignant Suzaku.
"No need for that" she waves off politely. 'Like he'll I'll fight for Britannia'
Laughs broke out throughout the room. Kallen on the other hand thought about what Lelouch said.
'Don't let his petty comments get to you, remember he was just using you' she tries to reason with herself. Though her light blush didn't fade.
After everyone controlled themselves Kaguya continued where Kallen left off.
"The Black Knights just gained the allegiance of Empress Tianzi and her cohorts"
"An empress?"
"That's so cool"
"Wow, ya'll don't do things by half" complimented Milly.
"We sure don't" said Kallen smiling at her school friend.
"Ohgi and myself were just rescued by Zero. Were close to being executed." Said Tohdoh.
Several eyes widen.
"The Black Knights were, umm… involved in a rebellion, yeah that's it" was all Tamaki allowed himself to sputter out.
Kallen only gave him a suspicious look that matched the one Lelouch gave him.
"I just departed from Ashford Academy to serve the military." Said Gino
"I was with Jeremiah harvesting a farm" said Anya
It was actually an orange farm, but to spare Jeremiah from scrutiny or cold remarks from different people she only gave a small bit of information, considering his disgrace from the military.
"That's… homely?"
"And significantly more mundane than what we heard so far." Gino quipped.
"I was getting The Lancelot upgraded." Said Suzaku.
"I was in the hospital" said Guilford
"And I was captured" said Cornelia much to the shock of everyone in the room except Lelouch, Jeremiah ,and Suzaku.
"Uhh Mr Zero, sir?" started an unsure Rivalz.
Lelouch instantly turned to his friend.
"What was you doing before coming here?" he questioned quietly, which sound even quieter due to everyone ceasing to talk.
"Its quite simple really, I was planning the destruction of the world" His voice as echoed and malicious as ever.
Unfortunately, it did not have its intended effect.
"HHHAha, your just as hilarious as always" laughed Tamaki.
Everyone else was reacting entirely different.
Suzaku and Kallen both face-palmed. 'That idiot'
Shirley just looked at him worriedly. 'Was he serious just now'
Euphie just smiled sadly. 'Brother, just what have you become in the future?'
Milly, Rivalz, Ohgi and Gino gave him shifty looks. Anya, Kaguya, Jeremiah and Lloyd were silently snickering at his 'jest'.
Cornelia of course sneered at her younger brother.
Guilford merely looked at his princess.
Tohdoh remained stoic through it all.
Before anything else could be said the voice resumed the proceedings.
"Pick your seats quickly so I can reveal to you the reason why you are here. To watch someone's past, present, and future."
Some eyes widen. Some people gasp while others openly look at each other awkwardly.
Being ever the brave one, Kallen asked the most important question, already getting a feeling. "Who is the person we are watching?"
If the mystical voice had a face it would smirking now. "The person you will be watching is …"
Everyone leans forward.
"Lelouch Vi Britannia…"
'Crap, Crap ,Shit If this thing !' Lelouch freaks out mentally.
'You poor bastard', despite the mixed feelings Suzaku had toward his former friend now co-conspirator. Even had to admit this was really messed up.
"Lelouch.."
"Why him?"
"Whatever happened to him anyway?"
"I don't know, I mean there are so many claims to the throne I wouldn't be surprised if somebody got a hold of him" Rivalz offered.
'less the family more that creepy brocon V.V' thought Lelouch.
Several people expressed their opinions on the topic.
"Hey we know a Lelouch, where is that lazy guy anyway?, he'll miss out like usual" asked Gino.
"Who knows, probably brooding somewhere" said Anya hiding a smirk, she even chances a look at the currently frozen Zero.
"Suzaku, you are old friends with our Lelouch, do you know why he wasn't selected to come?" questioned Rivalz.
"I don't really see how that's related but no, I don't know why" The former Knight of Seven lied, knowing good and well Lelouch was 10 feet away from them.
Suzaku look away from Ashford group feeling guilty for lying to them and for being a part of the whole false memory and Rolo-replacement thing that had developed.
'I suppose even I will be exposed here' The Knight thought to himself solemnly.
'You don't deserve to get exposed like this, Lulu, not in front of all these people.'. thought Shirley.
'Now we will see the truth' thought Cornelia and Kallen.
"I thought the prince was dead" Gino responded softly.
"You'll be amazed how often people come back from the dead" said Jeremiah showing the occupants more of his cybernetic enhancements.
Several voices rang out but only one was able to pierce through the loudness.
The occupants of the room turned to the voice.
"Big brother?"
Lelouch from within the garb of Zero, nearly had a heart attack.
"Nuna…" escaped his lips before he had the chance to stop himself.
Members of the Black Knights give Zero curious looks, while Tohdoh narrows his eyes in concentration.
The Ashford group looks between the two with the feeling that they were missing something.
Nunally's sudden appearance shocked several people, but her new ability to see really sealed the deal.
"Nunally?", several voices greeted her with happiness.
Cornelia and Euphie embraced her as The Black Knights and Britannian military personnel looked on.
The school students were really confused.
"I feel like I know her, but my memory feels foggy." Complained Milly
"Yeah, I see Rolo, but for some reason I keep wanted to replace him with her" says Rivalz gesturing to Nunally.
Kallen winces, knowing from C.C that Charles used his power to rewrite their memories.
Suzaku waited his turn and re-introduced Nunally to him now that she is not impaired with blindness
"Hey there, Nunally." he said softly.
As he hugs her, she whispers something to him, that the others cannot pick up.
"Suzaku… I know what the two of you are planning, but I won't say anything" She smiles and looks at Zero.
Lelouch just frowned from within the Mask of Zero. 'It's almost as if she knows. Then again with all this magic stuff going, on its not a stretch.'
'The Geass Charles placed on them must be slowly wearing off., I could have Jeremiah remove it, but I suppose we can save it for a while longer, We might need to make an example later.' Thought Lelouch.
After the last entrance everyone sat down.
Zero sat on a loveseat with Kallen on his right side. On the left of them, on another couch, sat Shirley, Milly, Rivalz.
To Zero's right, on another much longer couch sat Euphemia, Suzaku, Cornelia, Guilford, Cecile, and Lloyd. With Nunally positioned right between Zero and Euphemia.
Sitting slightly away from Guilford was Kaguya, Tamaki, Tohdoh and Ohgi. They occupied colorful bean bag chairs, much to Tamaki's delight.
Jeremiah and the two lone Knight of Rounds not named Suzaku, were sitting on another love seat. Which worked perfectly considering Gino and Jeremiah's large frames and Anya's much smaller one, sitting in the middle.
Zero looked at everyone gathered and said the words the voice had been waiting to hear.
"Let's begin" Zeros voice echoed
"I thought you would never ask" said the voice.
Instantly the lights in the room dimmed to a respectable level, and the massive screen cut on.
CODE GEASS appeared on the screen with the Geass sign glowing in a brilliant purple.