This little conversation has been occupying my mind for the last two days. As it took my attention away from my main story, I decided to write it down. So now, a few hours later, it's done. So here you have it, maybe you will enjoy it. It's not really proofread as I just wanted it out there so I could forget about it and try to get back to my main story. XD
After such a long time he was finally standing before his sister again. He could hardly think because he was so happy. His dear little sister was finally within reach...
"Zero, have you come to kill me? Like you killed my brother Clovis and sister Euphy? But please, hear me out before that! I think what you are doing is wrong!"
Of course she wouldn't trust him. She didn't know the truth and he had worked hard to always conceal the truth from her. It pained him to remember Euphy, it was his greatest failure and he could understand her being sad about that, but Clovis as well? It had been difficult shooting him but after he had witnessed the massacre of the Shinjuku ghetto and now that he knew what his despicable brother had done to CC he couldn't find even an ounce of sympathy for his brother.
But what to do? He couldn't reveal Zeros identity to her but how to get her to see reason? How could he show her that he wasn't the enemy?
"It's Britannia who is wrong. The Emperor only values strength, do you agree with that?"
His sister was visually hesitating. "Well..."
"Viceroy Nunnally. You're being used against your brother."
"What?"
She was clearly shocked at that. He couldn't reveal Zeros identity but he could still play the brother card.
"He trusted you to keep the phone call between you secret and now I will also trust you with important information. Are you willing to listen?"
"You know about that? But how? Do you know where my brother is?"
She seemed suddenly desperate. Seemed like she had missed him as well. He hated lying to her, but he would stay as close to the truth as possible and he had omitted details in the past too. He would do everything to protect her. After the devastating phone call he knew that she wasn't even safe with Suzaku anymore. At the thought alone rage nearly overcame him but he had to concentrate! That his friend would use his sister like that, the one person he had thought he could trust with her. Even after he had promised he would protect her! It was unforgivable. Betraying him was one thing but to use Nunnally just to get to him, giving her hope only to crush it again and all that just for his own selfish reasons.
"Yes, I know where he is. He is currently a prisoner of Britannia because of his importance to me and Suzaku was the one who sold him out to the Emperor. He has known where to find Lelouch from the very beginning as he is one of the people making sure he stays where he is and doesn't do anything wrong."
It was surreal speaking about himself like that but if he could get through to her that way it was well worth it. He would hate himself for the rest of his life for this but getting her away from Britannia, his father and especially Suzaku was worth everything. If she came to hate him for it so be it. This information was a harsh truth for his sister and it showed clearly on her face and his selfhate only increased.
"I... I had thought... that maybe Suzaku was lying to me. But how can I be sure you're telling the truth? Even my brother lied to me on the phone! And now you say Suzaku betrayed my brother?"
"He lied to you in order to protect you! He would do everything for you! Lelouch knows that if he doesn't play by his fathers rules they would use you against him! That's why I'm here. If I can get you away from Britannia he can escape but I also promised him that I would not force you. I don't think we have much time left as I'm sure someone will soon come to rescue you. So you have to decide now what to do. You can come with me and see your brother again and I promise we can talk more as soon as we're somewhere safe or you can continue on with Britannia, enforcing your father's rule in Japan or as you would call it - Area 11. So what will it be, Viceroy? Britannia or your brother?"
At this point she was shaking slightly and he had a hard time not rushing to her to comfort her, but she had to make the choice. Forcing her could hurt her more than the ugly truths he had to tell her to get her to cooperate. When she spoke again it was in a small voice.
"Can you tell me anything that only my brother would know? So that I can be sure that the two of you really know each other?"
That request he could understand and he was even proud of her for asking it even if it meant that the danger of someone coming for her increased minute by minute. He had given her a lot to think so it was understandable.
"It was Sayoko Shinozaki who showed you how to fold origami. The day CC arrived at your house she helped you with it too. And you told Lelouch that you would fold a thousand cranes because Sayoko told you that it would grant you a wish. And your wish was for a kinder and gentler world."
She was silent after that and seemed to think everything through. And he was getting more anxious by every second. He didn't know how much time they still had. And suddenly she sat up straighter in her wheelchair and nodded.
"I will come with you, Zero!"
Kallen was following Suzaku when he broke away from their fight suddenly. Most likely he would go to wherever Nunnally was and she was fairly certain that Zero, no Lelouch, would be there too. She activated the signal oppressor build into the Guren so that Suzaku would not be able to detect her and followed him at a slight distance. She watched him break through the wall with some kind of shield? Didn't matter at the moment.
As soon as he was through she stationed herself at the opening, right in time to hear Nunnally screaming. "Stay away from me Suzaku!"
She charged right in at that, immediately looking around spotting Nunnally being held in Zeros arms, standing beside her wheelchair at the entrance of a garden. Only freaking Britannia would build a garden inside a ship! They were at the other end of the room and Nunnallys declaration seemed to have stopped Suzaku right in his tracks. She used his shock to attack him from behind, not caring that it was not the honourable thing to do, her only priority was Zero and she would do everything to get him out of here. She trapped him in another gejfun net, even though she knew it wouldn't hold him up for long it should be enough, as a precaution she disabled his float unit before flying towards the siblings.
Zero was now kneeling in the doorway and holding his sister securely but gently in his arms, seeing him like this made her smile. He really was the caring big brother right now even while hiding behind his mask. Before they could be swept away by the wind blowing in the room she made the Guren kneel before them stretching the normal arm out for them. Lelouch quickly climbed up her machine and as soon as they were secure she took of with them at high speed, not once looking back to the white Knightmare.
They had escaped with the submarine like planned. As soon as Kallen had gotten inside they had gotten underwater. Lelouch had handed Nunnally to Kallen as soon as she left the Guren, not trusting anyone else with her. He had than met with everyone else, planning their next steps and he had called Rolo, telling him that he had succeeded and he should flee from Ashford like they had discussed beforehand. With his geass he would ensure Rolo would protect Nunnally with his life, against other geass user he was his best bet ensuring his sisters safety and that she wouldn't be taken from him again.
He was now entering the room where Kallen had been keeping his sister company and when his ace saw him she squeezed Nunnallys hand which she had been holding and said her goodbyes. She stopped next to him, smiling at him and putting a hand on his shoulder she murmured near silently to him, "I'm glad for you" before she left the room and closed the door.
CC had accompanied him and she had already sat herself on one of the couches while he still stood at the door looking at his sister and barely believing that she was finally safe and with him again. As they had yet to find a wheelchair for her she was seated in a comfortable chair with armrest. He walked further inside the room and seated himself beside the immortal woman which also meant he was directly across from Nunnally.
"Now that we're here, would you tell me how you know my brother?"
A seemingly easy question but still anything but that. He still wanted to protect her from the harsh truth of the world but he would have to tell her something... And that's when his damn witch decided to interfere.
"Maybe it's time for her to know the truth. Lelouch has kept her innocent but it didn't do him any good."
"So CC is here too? It's nice to hear your voice again, how are you?"
While he tried to process what CC had insinuated, the two of them exchanged pleasantries. Only when Nunnally spoke to him again was he able to concentrate on the here and now again, stopping his whirling thoughts.
"I know that my brother has always kept his secrets, because he was trying to protect me. I may not have understood that when we were children but while I was in Pendragon and someone would ask me how we survived the invasion some long forgotten memories came back. I have accepted that he only wants what is best for me but I'm not a child anymore and I don't want my brother to shoulder everything on his own. So tell me how the two of you met? Why would he know you or help you? I want to understand my brother, if he is still the kind brother I grew up with. I know he wouldn't tell me, because he wants to protect me but it's time for me to grow up!"
Her passionate speech showed how important this was to her and when he looked at CC she was nodding, telling him that she too thought that he should do as asked. Maybe it was time...
"I met your brother in Shinjuku Ghetto, he had just saved CC here from your brother Clovis and I helped them escape before going my way to defeat the Britannian army."
"Why did you kill my brother Clovis?"
"Apart from the fact that he was the enemy commander? He had just ordered the annihilation of the entire Ghetto because his secret project was stolen and he couldn't let it get out what he was doing."
"He... he did that?"
"Yes and your brother witnessed it too, that's why he isn't sad that Clovis died. Especially after he learned that he did Human Experimentation on CC. That's also the reason she came to live with the two of you, Lelouch protected her from being found again."
"Oh god... CC I'm so sorry!"
"Don't worry about it Nunnally. It had nothing to do with you and you have always been nice to me while I stayed with you and Lelouch."
They gave his sister time to compose herself again. He was surprised at the gentle tone from CC but glad nonetheless.
"Lelouch was a Black Knight almost from the beginning but only in secret. Only Kallen at the moment knows that he is a member."
"So he is still a member? Even after what happened with Euphemia?"
"What happened to her was tragic and Lelouch an I regret it tremendously but yes, as soon as we rescue him he will continue to work with me."
They were again silent for a time. Nunnally had a lot to think about and he had a hard time telling her some of the things he had taken so much care to hide from her in the past. CC squeezed his hand for a moment and it helped him focus. Nunnally was the one who started their conversation again
"Could you explain why Lelouch is being held captive? That's something I don't understand, is he that important to the Black Knights?"
"He is. Not only is he my top strategist but also a friend. Somehow Suzaku has gotten that information and during the Black Rebellion was able to take him hostage by telling him that you too have been taken and this way I was lured away from battle. Sadly he also captured me, only CC was able to escape. He brought us before the emperor, that's how he got a place as a Knight of Round, by using and selling out his best friend. As Lelouch was partly responsible for the success of the Black Knights, the Emperor wasn't too happy with him. But they still wanted to capture CC too, so they didn't kill us and instead tried to use us to get to her.
Recently she was able to free me but Lelouch is under considerably more surveillance than previously thought. We knew that he couldn't escape without endangering your life, but Lelouch still trusted Suzaku to at least protect you, he was ready to stay captive for your sake. That changed after the phone call. Suzaku would do everything for his own goals even tricking you.
This way at least we've gotten the information that you were coming to Japan and planned for it. So now, here we are and by tomorrow Lelouch will be were he belongs once again."
The next silence descended upon them. Nunnally was deep in thought and he himself wasn't much better. Even what relatively little he had told her was gnawing away at him. Was it really ok to tell her all these hurtful truths? It was again his little sister who broke the silence.
"I think, for now, that's enough truth for me. I would like some time to think about all you have told me. Can we meet again later?"
"Of course. CC or Kallen will stay with you all the time so just ask them if you need anything. I will come back later and we can talk more."
"Thank you. For everything."
"It was my pleasure, Nunnally."
And with that he left the two women alone, hoping that CC wouldn't do something stupid. He should see if he couldn't arrange for Sayoko to come and take care of Nunnaly again.
The next day the Black Knights hacked into the broadcast of the special report about the abduction of the new Viceroy. And what Britannia saw surprised them more than the sudden resurrection of Zero a few days prior.
"Hello, my name is Nunnally vi Britannia. As you have already heard I was supposedly kidnapped by the Black Knights yesterday. But I want to tell you the truth. I went willingly and without any force, Zero rescued me from being used by my own father and the one person I thought I could still trust against the one who I love the most.
I am an enemy to Britannia and I will tell you why. I don't think that the strong should oppress the weak, I too can be viewed as weak but I give the people around me the strength for fighting for what is right and they are the ones who have showed Britannia that it isn't as invincible as it thinks.
I want to tell you my story. I especially address every loving mother and older sibling. But especially the one person who seems to have forgotten what brought me to Japan in the first place.
Let me tell you my tale of eight years ago when everything began. It started when my dear mother, Empress Marianne vi Britannia was supposedly killed by terrorist..."