A strange take at the aftermath of R2. Ten years have passed since then, and Lelouch's friends meet for lunch.
Milly always thought Lelouch would have been amused by how his friends took his death. Ten years later, after they'd all admitted to themselves and the others that they always thought Lelouch innocent, and ended the two year period of time where none of them spoke to Suzaku, Nunally, and Kallen, they all met for lunch every weekend, even C.C. when she was actually there. Anya usually came as well, which surprised everyone besides C.C. and Suzaku. But that wasn't what Milly found amusing. What she found amusing was the way the conversations always went. She sighed as Nunally began the conversation anew.
"I don't care what you think Suzaku, I personally believe that Lelouch loved Kallen!" The young empress glared defiantly at the brown haired boy, who pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I know what you think, Nunally, but it makes no sense. He manipulated Kallen constantly, and he called her 'his most played piece.' It's not right for him to love her."
Milly grinned at Lelouch's oldest friends argument. As annoying as it was that they did this almost every lunch, it was strangely endearing to her that Lelouch inspired such loyalty. It would have horrified most of the populace, the part that called him the 'Demon King', and compared him to the likes of Hitler, Napoleon, and other malevolent leaders. She looked over at C.C., and asked, interrupting Nunally and Suzaku, "C.C., you knew him best during that time. What do you think?"
C.C. smiled, because she knew that they already knew what she would say. They'd had this conversation multiple times, and each one went the same way. Milly was at first frightened by C.C.'s immortality, but she realized that it meant nothing, in the end. They all loved Lelouch, and they were the lone few who felt they understood him. Who mourned for him.
The immortal replied, "I believe that he loved that which was described in the history books Nunally and Suzaku created." The two blushed. They'd create a fake history book, filled with the reality of Lelouch's life. They'd then hid the book, not wanting anyone to discover the truth of Lelouch's life. "'Lelouch vi Britannia, alias 'Lelouch Lamperouge', loved his country more than his own life. So much so that he gave up his life in return for peace.'" Milly's grinned widened. She knew the response to that.
An immediate denial, followed by a complete and total shotdown of C.C.'s idea.
Suzaku began. "Come on C.C., that's ridiculous. For one, we never wrote a fake history book. That would be embarrassing and stupid. Besides that, Lelouch hated Britannia with a passion. He wanted to destroy it, remember? Remake it in his own image."
C.C. smiled. She had begun to smile more often since these meetings began. Since Lelouch died, she'd followed his final request to the letter. He'd known she would hate him for betraying her, leaving her alone in the world he invented, so he asked her to travel the world, to see what he had created. She had. There was no more hate, no more war, no more anger at each other. He'd united them all in an undying hatred of him, and a pact to never recreate this again.
Nunally followed up. "And every great dictator needs a great love! Like one of his soldiers!"
They all knew that Nunally would rather die than admit it, but she secretly thought it was romantic for Lelouch to love Kallen, his most trusted soldier, the one who he had to force to betray him.
Kallen flushed before answering. "Don't be so dramatic Nunally, he didn't love me. While he cared for me, trusted me more than most of his Black Knights, he didn't love me. I think he loved C.C. over there, because she seems to have spent more time with him than any of us."
C.C. shook her head. "No, he did not love me Kallen. Why would he? He discovered that, to me, he was just a pawn I was using to end my existence. Even though he never admitted it, I betrayed him to the core, and it shook his entire being. When he learned of my secret betrayal, that was what destroyed his plans for Zero." Only here, during these meetings, could they discuss him like he wasn't considered evil. But Milly knew the aftermath of these talks. Kallen cried for hours, and came to meetings with red eyes. She refused to acknowledge how much she cared for her old leader, and Milly suspected she never would, until the day she died. Suzaku went to his quarters, and stared at the Zero helmet for a while, wondering why the friend who he had killed would feel now, if he could see the world he had created. Nunally put on a brave face, but cried inside when people used Lelouch as an example of tyranny. Milly herself, became enraged at her news network, who constantly used Lelouch as such. Anya herself seemed to be perfectly fine afterwards. Perhaps because she hadn't known Lelouch herself, only through the memories she regained when he had killed his mother.
Anya spoke quietly, attracting the glances of those she had met with for several months, "I... I believe that Lelouch was more than what you reduce him to. He loved all those in his life, so much that he gave himself up for them. He did not love his country, as C.C. claims, but the people in his country. Not just the ones he knew, but all of them. The ones he could not meet himself, and wanted to leave a gift for, a gift that would last forever. Lelouch vi Britannia was a true king, a king of worthy of the title. Perhaps the only one of Britannia since Arthur who deserves to be called such. King Arthur loved his people, and spent his life working to save them. Lancelot betrayed him, as did Guinevere. But Arthur continued, only wanting to help his people. When he died at the hands of Mordred, he was lain to rest in the Lake where he first drew Excalibur, to return when he was truly needed. Lelouch is the same. Suzaku, you betrayed him, even if it was accidentally, but he truly thought that you betrayed him completely and totally. C.C., Kallen, both of you betrayed him. You, C.C., when you retreated into yourself, leaving him alone. And you, Kallen, when you fought against him, his Q-1 turned to the enemy. Zero killed him, a persona he created, such as Arthur molded Mordred accidentally creating his killer. He was buried in C's World, where he would be safe from the ravages to time, perhaps to return when needed."
They all grew quiet at Anya's speech, and silence fell over the group for several minutes. She suddenly looked frightened, no longer the emotionless girl she had been for so long. "Did... Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry, I just said what I thought was true!"
Milly smiled sadly at her friend. Anya was new to friendship, and so could not understand the silence. "No, Anya. It's just... you described him perfectly for someone who only knows him through memories. And it hurts us to know that we can never see him again, never speak with him, or tell him that we're sorry for what happened. And it really, really, hurts."
Anya sat quietly for a while, before answering Milly. "If... If it's any consolation, I believe you were his Kay, Milly. The one who protected him when he did not know who, or what he was."
Lelouch's old friend smiled. "Oh? And who was his Merlin Anya?"
Anya pondered over the question in her mind. "I... I think Geass was his Merlin. The one who showed him a kind of power, and a way to use that power. No, that seems wrong. Geass was his Excalibur. And he was his own Merlin. He was both Arthur, the valiant king, and Merlin, the wise councilor."
The group sat still for sometime. Then a rustling began, as Suzaku stood, and said, "I think we're out of time for this one. I have to go to another meeting, and Nunally has to as well."
He smiled at the group, nodding as Nunally said her goodbyes while he rolled her out. Kallen to, began to leave. "I think I've gotta go with them. I am a Knight of the Round, required for those damned meetings."
She left as well. Only Anya, Milly, and C.C. remained. C.C. left quickly. She never spoke her goodbyes, because she thought them worthless. But her intent was left in the air. Anya quickly followed C.C.. She loved being around the immortal, who would tell her stories of the past, and fill what the young girl considered empty memories in her head. Milly sighed as she sat, thinking about the conversations they'd had. She knew something about Lelouch, and she would never dare say it.
Lelouch vi Britannia was not only a king, but a knight as well. He was the epitome of chivalry in this day and age, able to give and create undying loyalty. Lelouch didn't want to take over the world for greed, or power, but because he wanted to save the world from itself. Lelouch was a kind of vengeful god, come down from the heavens to fix the world, fix everything. And she loved him for it. They all did, those that knew. But they also knew they could never tell of it. Because if they did, his memory would be dishonored. But they all wished they could, because of what Anya had just said.
That Lelouch would return if they did, because he was needed to fix the world yet again.
Well, that's all of this one then. I quite liked it, personally.
~Fran