Yay! Summer vacation! Time for me... to... go... to... trigonometry...?

I had something planned to say up here, but I've already forgotten, so I'll think of something.

It should be known that I will be tampering with the settings quite a bit. While I've read many AUs that are incredibly AU based (entirely different reality), this does have the characteristics of an AU. Then again, most fanfictions are AU, so I'm tentative to classify this as such.

What's that? What settings shall I be changing? Well, there are a few things, some secret, some not. I'll probably address them as they come up. One example which makes a partial appearance in this chapter specifically is that Milly's mother died in childbirth. I never understood her familial status, and I felt that her character made more sense when you removed the potential 'embittered child' aspect to her and see her more as a 'necessary cheerful' person.

Another very important edit I made with the whole world of Code Geass is the timeline. In this, I am tentatively changing the date of Eowyn's ascension (and thus the start of the Britannian calendar) as well as the time of the French Revolution by a few decades, simply because I want more time to work with. If one were to examine the time that would've been when Britannia was founded, there would've only been around nine generations from then to present day. I prefer to think that Britannia has a much more ancient history, and as such, as the Grand Writer, the Unmoved Mover, the Voice of Being, and the Eternal Schemer, I made it so.

More to follow. The next chapter is already in the works.

7 - His Promise

"In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity." - Sun Tzu

A.T.B. 2010

"Just a few more miles. It's just a few more miles, and we'll be free of this nightmare. Free from... This."

Lelouch stopped to shift his sister's position on his back. There, in the distance, was the beginning of the Tokyo Settlement. It had taken no time for the Britannian forces to obliterate Japan's infrastructure, and it took even less time for them to begin their own reconstruction. In the matter of days, Tokyo devolved from a shining city to a crumbling, fiery wasteland. Now, new buildings were rising towards the sky, higher than any Japanese towers had ever stood. The twisting, gleaming architecture beckoned Lelouch, calling him home. But his anger was too great to dare consider returning to Britannia. It wasn't enough for his father to rob them of one home, so he had annihilated their second one.

"B-Brother?" Nunnally's voice brought him back to the present. What with his exhaustion and hunger, it was becoming harder and harder to stay concentrated.

"Yes, Nunnally?"

"Where are we?"

"We're outside of the Tokyo Settlement, Nunnally.

"Oh... So Tokyo is... Tokyo is..."

"Yes, Sister. I'm afraid that it's gone.."

"Do you think Suzaku made it okay?"

"I'm certain, Nunnally. He's stubborn, but he's smart enough to know when to pick his battles.

"Why are we here? What are we going to do?"

"We're going to find the Ashfords. Remember what Mister Todoh told us about their new school?"

"Do you think... Will they take us?"

"Will they indeed". Lelouch had mulled over this many times. Who's to tell whether Lord Ashford would take them in after what they had put the clan through? For all he knew, they would turn a blind eye towards them, or perhaps even ship them back to Britannia. If it was the latter, well...

Lelouch tightly gripped the gun in his jacket pocket. "I'm sure they will. Remember how nice they were? Remember Milly?"

He heard the smile in her voice as she recalled their playtime at Pendragon. "Yeah. I want to see her again."

"Don't worry, Nunnally. We'll be there very soon." He mentally steeled his resolve. "If they choose to betray us, I'll have to do the same in turn."

With that, he doubled his pace.


Arthur decided that it was going to be a good day. Already this week, two more investors had been signed on for long term support. At the moment, he was preparing to go meet with a viscount who had already set up shop in town. The man expressed interest in aiding the production of school supplies, and just so happened to have a leg in the textile industry.

The Eleven maid, (Saya... Saiko... Sayoko?) Sayoko walked alongside him as he briskly walked down the main hall.

"How has my daughter been treating you, Miss Sayoko?"

"Miss Ashford has been a very sweet girl. I couldn't ask for a better child to care for." She said as she helped him slip his jacket on.

"Good. I trust that your quarters are to your liking? Anything that we can do for you?"

"Your treatment of me is most kind, 's nothing more that I could ask for ."

Arthur sighed and turned to the girl. "Look, Ma'am. I understand that you're a new employee and this isn't your field of specialty, but I would appreciate it if you would offer your full opinion to me and my father. We Ashfords value honor, and pointlessly masking any discontent helps no one."

He frowned at the maid, who merely nodded back with the same, neutral expression. "Of course, Sir. I won't be indirect next time I need something."

"Good." Arthur turned to the door, taking in a deep breath. "Alright. I will be back in an hour. Be sure that Milly had eaten her breakfast by then. Also, tell my father to notify me if there are any developments with Baroness Luime."

"As you wish." Sayoko bowed. "Have a safe trip, Master." She opened the door allowing Arthur to step outside. He knew it would never be the same as the Ashford Mansion, but it was still beautiful.

"But who is it that is trespassing on my property?!" He squinted in the distance. The morning light was still rather dim, so he couldn't really make out who was approaching. Perhaps it was Mr. Quinn, or maybe Sir James? Or maybe it was even a Jap-Eleven, seeking to cause some trouble?He pulled his glasses from his dress pocket.

"Father!" Ruben Ashford's head snapped up from his book. Next to him, his young granddaughter was still immersed in her puzzle. "Father!"

"He's probably just overexcited about finding another backer. I swear, that boy gets so worked up over the small things, he couldn't have ever left the foundation to the department heads. He probably would have micromanaged us out of business." With a roll of his eyes, Ruben immersed himself in his book once again.

"Master."

Ruben took off his glasses and eyed the new caretaker sternly. "My name isn't Master, Miss Shinozaki. My name is Ruben, or Mister Ashford, if you prefer. As I've told you, there's no need for such rigid behavior, especially given the likeliness of this being a long-term employment. What does my son need?"

"Yes, Ma-Mister Ashford. Your son is asking for you to go to him."

"So I heard. What is it, exactly?"

"He didn't tell me, sir, but there were people that seemed to prompt his need for you."

Ruben raised his eyebrows. "He would engage in such unseemly behavior with guests? Who were they? Did they have any symbols on their coats?"

"No, Sir. They were just two children. One was a girl with auburn hair, and I think the other was a boy with black hair.

The soothing noise of jazz faded to nothingness as all sound was substituted with a high pitched buzzing. If Sayoko had said anything afterwards, he couldn't tell. His body began moving, slowly, as though he was moving through molasses. As he stood, he felt none of the normal fatigue that plagued his knees.

He was gasping for breath by the time he made it to the door. His son was still standing still, shaking as he looked into the distance. Following his son's gaze, he saw a child shuffling strangely from the fog. As he drew closer, Ruben's poor eyesight picked up a second person, apparently mounted on the boy's back. The two drew ever closer still.

"It... No. It just can not be. It's impossible!" But there was no mistaking the boy's features: that unruly black hair, a deadly sharp jawline, and those eyes. And the girl on his shoulders... Ruben's stomach sank at the sight of her closed eyes.

Time resumed at its normal pace as the Ashford patriarch fell to his knee, his right arm bent over his chest in reverence. His head was bowed, as was the obligation of a commoner in the presence of royalty. He heard his son follow suit, and the brushing of Sayoko's dress as she seemed to hesitantly kneel.

There was a pregnant pause, as Ruben's lips fumbled to compose a sentence. He chose to simply open up room to talk. "Miss Sayoko, please go inside and watch Milly. This... is a private matter."

She wordlessly went, leaving the involved parties to their own business. A little while after the door close, Ruben tentatively spoke. "Your Highnesses. It's good to see you again."

"Is that so?"

Ruben shivered as the boy's voice calmly questioned his intentions. "So even I am no longer above the net of suspicion?" He kept his head down, for he was no longer deemed worthy to meet the prince's gaze. "Of course, Your Highness." He kept his voice steady. "It broke my heart to hear that you were dead so soon after the loss of Marianne."

The eleventh prince continued glaring at the two men before him, before he spoke again. "Ruben and Arthur Ashford, as a Son of the Empire, I request your aid. You have no obligation to aid the Imperial House of vi Britannia, but your help would be greatly appreciated."

"My Prince, there would be no greater honor. What is it that you would require of us?"

"We seek protection and housing for an extended period of time."

"That will be an easy task to accomplish."

"You are not to notify anyone of our presence."

"I... Yes, Your Highness."

"Thank you. Please, stand. I assume you remember Nunnally?"

"Of course, Your Highness. How could I ever forget?"

Ruben saw Nunnally give a small smile from behind Lelouch. At that, he realized that the boy's shoulders were trembling with effort. He had never been the strongest, and had often ended up being wrestled to the ground by Milly, who would then sit on him and declare herself better than him until he conceded a point. Now, his sheer determination and the frailness of his sister were the only two things that allowed him to make the trek across undoubtedly long distances.

"Princess Nunnally, would you like something to eat, or perhaps some water?"

Nunnally suddenly tightened her hold on Lelouch, as though she was afraid of losing him. As the prince whispered into her ear, Mr. Ashford frowned sadly at the sight. "These two were once so full of life and love. Yet, in less than a year, they have already been exposed to so much more pain than most people. It's such a pity."

Nunnally seemed to be in agreement to her brother regarding whatever it was they were discussing, and she smiled to Ruben. "I would love to have some water, My Lord." Her voice was a soft breeze on a hot day, but it was brittle and weak, as though she had been drained of her very life.

Arthur took the initiative to step forwards and request permission to carry the princess. Lelouch agreed, but watched the man like a hawk as he relinquished hold of his most valuable treasure.

Lelouch regarded Ruben for some time, as clouds continued to roll across the sky. "Prince Lelouch, I never did get the chance to say that I am sorry."

"There are many people I blame for the struggles that Nunnally has been put through, and you aren't one of them. If anything, it should be me apologizing. If I hadn't been so hot-headed, this wouldn't have happened..." He looked depressed. Tired. Beaten down. As though he simply wanted to give up. Ruben feared for the boy.

"Mister Ashford, are you a loyal man of the Empire?"

Ruben cocked his head, his curious gaze evenly met by the boy's blank glare. "I would say that I am, Prince Lelouch. That said, some recent events that have slightly shaken my faith. Why?"

"What was it that caused you to lose your way, Lord Ashford?"

"It was the loss of your mother, then the apparent deaths of you and your sister. I was distraught by the lack of compassion some people have, and I was appalled by how your names were twisted."

"Twisted, Ruben? In what way?"

At this point, Ruben ducked his head and grimaced. He wasn't sure how to broach the subject to the poor boy. "You see... My Prince... You were a symbol. You are a symbol. A symbol of the Empire, correct?"

"As much as I hate to admit it."

"According to a dear friend of mine, the Imperial High Command issued orders to engage in Magnitude 2 warfare."

"Magnitude 2? Like from the Britannian Standard Strategy?"

"You have read it?"

"No, but I've caught glimpses of it."

"Well, you understand what it entails, I assume."

"Of course. It's essentially like the total war used in the North and South War, right?"

"Indeed. That is what happened here. The only reason Japan still looks somewhat intact is because of the value of the sakuradite deposits."

"What does this have to do with us?"

"My Lord, don't you wonder why they would bother making the Japanese bleed anymore than they did? You and your sister were declared dead over two weeks ago."

Lelouch froze, his skin paling to a snowy white. "They didn't."

"I'm afraid that it really is true."

"But why? Why kill so many of them just for us?"

"Some saw it as justice, and others saw it as a warning. Regardless, you and your sister were the catalysts."

"We were made into bombs. Somehow, even after being banished, we were still a weapon!" Lelouch was staring down now, his long, dirty hair shrouding his face. "Ha! Ahaha! Hahahaha!"

He brought his face back to the light, his shoulders shaking from suppressed sobs and chuckles. "Hehe... Can't you see, Ruben? This is our fate, our destiny. Everything we touch is destroyed. Our mother, our home, and now our hosts! We were always the abomination! Our blood was so impure that even God is insulted by our existence!"

He began to cry once more, releasing nearly a year of fear and sadness. "It's not fair! Why do we have to be hated? Just because their blood is pure doesn't mean that they're better than us!" He scowled, tears still ebbing down his face.

"I have the blood of kings, the blood of emperors! They were jealous, so they reached their filthy hands out and tugged us down! I will destroy them all! Them, and my evil father! I'll make them pay with blood!"

"LELOUCH!"

Lelouch spun around wildly, his crazed eyes looking for the source of the noise. By the time he had identified the speaker, she was nearly upon him. "Oof!"

The two youths fell to the ground in a flurry of movement. Big tears fell on Lelouch as Milly held him tightly, her face a conflict of emotion. "I-I thought..." She buried her head next to his, clutching at him desperately. "Y-you were..."

Lelouch broke into fresh sobs once again, but he still smiled wryly. "I missed you too, Milly."


A.T.B. 2017

"Disgusting." Cornelia looked out the windows in disdain. Truly, it was a sorry sight to behold. The Japanese had once been a fine breed, their ability and solidarity being bright signals of power in a world where countries usually participated in collective groups just to survive. After the invasion, however, the Elevens crumbled into pitiful, weak creatures. Once they lost their ancestral foundations, they lost their strength and motion. Now, the once-powerful race were nothing more than a pathetic, embittered mass of mediocrity.

"This is the primary entrance?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Good. Establish the perimeter at this distance and begin the enclosure as planned."

"As you command!"

Cornelia continued to survey the crumbling ghetto. It was a shame that there were probably some innocent Elevens that would be caught in the crossfire, but they were merely potential terrorists, or collateral damage. Anyways, they'd all had ample opportunity to simply apply for Honorary Britannian status, or at least report terrorist whereabouts.

"My Princess." Guilford stood next to a kneeling man. "I brought him in as you commanded."

"Hm. Rise, Lord Jeremiah."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"You're here for the purpose of aiding me with information on Shinjuku. Think of this as a way of redeeming yourself. Had your actions been any worse, or had I not known you beforehand, you would've been facing a much heftier punishment. However, you are still a valuable asset to Britannia, and you must prove yourself worthy before you can once again pilot."

"I am grateful, Princess Cornelia." Jeremiah's eyes hardened with determination, and he brought his fist up to a salute.

"At ease, Lord Jeremiah. As I've said, I remember your loyalty to the Empire. I also know the feeling of betrayal within one's ranks."

Jeremiah looked down, his shoulders slouched in a rare moment of defeat. "I don't know what happened to Kewell, but I apologize for my failure to correctly judge him. For him to collaborate with Elevens... It's so hard to imagine."

"That still doesn't explain 'Orange', though."

Jeremiah gritted his teeth as he turned to Guilford, who was staring at him neutrally. "As I've said before, I know nothing of what 'Orange' is, Lord Guilford. Perhaps you have some insight that I lack?"

"Oh, I have many speculations, Brigadier General. Interestingly enough, you're involved in several of them." Gilbert's lip curled ever so slightly as he met Jeremiah's cold gaze.

"Is that so?" Gottwald snorted, before leaning towards the knight. "Would you care to back up your words, Sir?" His eyes glinted dangerously, a flicker of madness that had cracked his refined, controlled exterior.

"Enough." Cornelia ordered. Clearly, Gottwald wasn't understanding how unstable his position was, but then again, her knight wasn't refraining from taunting him, either. "I will not have two of my most officers squabbling like children."

The two men turned and bowed, their voices echoing reluctance, but also bearing respect. "Yes, Your Highness!"


Elsewhere in Shinjiku

"No." Lelouch shook as Cornelia's order was relayed throughout the group of knightmares. "No."

The inside of the cockpit suddenly rose in temperature, and it suddenly became difficult to breathe. "Those bloody cowards... They were truly lost cattle, infinitely more useless than Britannian troops. They surrendered so easily, even though we had the upper hand! So much for their supposed 'Japanese Pride'. And now... And now I'm caught within the enemy's web."

Sweat poured down Lelouch's face and his eyes dulled as he contemplated the thought of his defeat. "What do I do?! If Cornelia sees me now, she'll surely be able to identify me, or at least recognize me to some extent!"

Pain shot through Lelouch's head as he clenched his hands over the controls. "Is this what true defeat feels like? Is this what the Japanese felt when the war took only a month to end? Is this what my ancestors felt when the peasants expelled them out of Europe?" Another ache, stronger than before, forced him to close his eyes and bite his tongue. The torture echoed across his body, causing his muscles to seize uncontrollably. "No! I shan't be defeated!"

Lelouch took deep breaths, trying to regain control of his body and mind. "This is unacceptable! Defeat now would mean that I would be captured! And Nunnally-..." As he gripped his head, his eyes darted across the ground, reflecting his terror. "Nunnally would be left to them with no aid! My capture would only cause her more problems!"

He banged his fist against the wall, his breath becoming shallow and rapid. Pain continued to pour from his head, and his fist started hurting from the repeated abuse.

Lelouch's reality was slowly flooded by a sharp, pure white.


"Huh?!" Cornelia's mouth went slightly agape as she watched one of the knightmares suddenly jerk and fall to the ground. Hard.

"What on Earth...?" Jeremiah muttered as he watched the spectacle below.

"My Lady, how shall we proceed?" Guilford's voice filtered in through the speakers.

Princess li Britannia rubbed her chin thoughtfully before determining a solution. "We can't be put off our guard, but this hardly seems like a viable offensive or an escape method, so we must be tentative. Make sure that the pilot can't escape through ejection. Send someone to remove the door, and we'll have a foot soldier investigate. I want my guard on the ready. Have your weapons trained, but don't overreact." Cornelia rolled her eyes. "The last thing we need is to shoot the son of a duke or something."

"Understood. I'll dispatch a footman now."


"Where? Where am I?" Lelouch vi Britannia called as he awoke. The last thing he remembered, he was home...

Suddenly, a great din started assaulting his ears. There was the sound of metal groaning and creaking from above him, before a human voice met his ears. "Put your hands up and slowly exit the cockpit!"

Lelouch frowned darkly. Ah yes, now he remembered. As he took deep breaths, meditating his response, he realized the voice hadn't come from a knightmare, but instead a person. A exposed, unprotected person. "Foot soldiers. Excellent..."

"This is PQ732 reporting in. I am approaching the entryway now. The target appears to be currently disabled, and- Oh. There is deep red on target. I repeat, the target is injured. Requesting meat wagon pronto."

The man slowly clambered into the awkwardly-positioned chamber with Lelouch, who had realized that there was indeed blood on his clothing and face, but not to a serious extent. It seemed that the impact had caused his nose to start bleeding. Fortunately, there wasn't much lasting pain. This soldier, however, didn't need to know that. In fact, he didn't need to know anything. Nothing besides his mission.

Lelouch took a loud, gasping breath and clutched at an imaginary wound on his chest. "Help... me..." The soldier jumped at first, but slowly drew closer in the tight space.

"Please... I need your help."

"Hang tight, soldier. We've got aid coming in soon. You'll be alright."

"No..." Lelouch twisted around. "I need your help now."

The man's hold on his gun weakened, and his face became blank. "Yes, sir."

Lelouch rushed through his command, as he heard the soldier's supporting troops beginning to call for a further report. "Continue to act as though I were injured. In fact, report that I require immediate and thorough medical treatment. Do everything in your power to help me escape from the battlefield!"

"Understood, sir." The man's posture jolted, and he quickly reached for his radio. "This is PQ732A, requesting high priority medical treatment. Target is critically wounded and requires immediate evacuation."

Outside, the sound of shouting men slowly grew louder, and it became obvious that the military medics had come at last. The soldier quickly unstrapped the limp Lelouch and slowly carried him up towards the exit. Above, heads popped out, carefully evaluating the scene. As he was handed off from person to person, stretcher to stretcher, he used his Geass carefully and quietly. "Believe I am injured, but do not drug me." "Cover my face with a towel except for my eyes." "Clean out the knightmare's interior." "Move faster."

By the time he was safely in an ambulance, Lelouch was panting with the amount of effort it had taken to repeatedly use his power. However, it was far from over. He was still stuck in enemy territory, and he wasn't sure whether it would be easier to escape or attack Cornelia. Regardless, he knew that he couldn't use the Geass too many more times before he'd faint from exhaustion. It had already drained him by a lot, and the prince was certain that using it more times would do him no favors. Thankfully, there was a certain someone who made his escape a lot easier.

"Attention to all units. The terrorist 'Zero' has been spotted in 43-C-9. Be advised that target is a known hostile. Commander Cornelia has ordered that we do not engage. Repeat: Do not engage with target."


"B-But Princess, please! He's right there!"
Cornelia glared at Jeremiah, who was practically trembling in excitement. "You heard Darlton, Gottwald. There's no point in pursuing Zero when he's deliberately revealed himself. Besides," Her nose wrinkled in disdain. "know your place. Even if I'm being light with your punishment, to have you questioning my orders is not something I take kindly to."

Visibly defeated and disappointed, Jeremiah kneeled. "I apologize, Your Highness. I've grown reckless in my desire to bring the terrorist to justice."

"I understand your pain, but don't allow it to consume you again, lest you find yourself killed, or perhaps worse, demoted."


C.C. gave a sigh when she saw Lelouch shakily making his way to her. It was so stressful to have an overconfident contractor simply throw his life around so aimlessly. "Too bad he couldn't just be a good boy and sit still for once."

"You... Why did you save me?"

As she slipped the mask away from her face, C.C. couldn't repress the smug expression that took ahold of her face. "It's just as I told you. I can't have you go dying on me. Not now, at least."

Lelouch grit his teeth as he saw the Witch looked down upon him. "This wouldn't have happened had the conditions been more equal! If those terrorists hadn't betrayed their own cause, we-"

"-would've won, I know. However, you lost tragically, didn't you?" C.C. was expressionless as she reprimanded her young contractee, before she turned around and began tossing the mask of Zero up into the air. "I thought that you, of all people, would realize that Britannia doesn't play fair. With or without the Power of Kings, you are fighting an uphill battle. Bemoaning the imbalance of power is hardly an effective tool. Too bad you don't have the power to set your own conditions, huh?"

Lelouch scowled. She was, unfortunately, right. "Even though I managed to escape, I can't hope to beat Britannia in this state. My plans were viable, yes, but I didn't take into account all of the variables. No, I need to set my own stage for this performance." He stumbled upon a solution. He may not be able to control the enemy perfectly, but it was easily within his power to properly establish his own pieces. With formation and ample weapons, even that ragtag terrorist group... "I will set my own conditions, then! I shall create an army that can't be defeated! No, more than that! They will be a perfect people! A perfect race!"

C.C. mulled over his words carefully, allowing a smile to slip over her face as she heard his statements and reminisced upon one of his earlier ancestors, the one who had spoken nigh the same words and ended up creating the nation Lelouch was fighting now.

"Before I can do that, though..."

She turned, curiously looking at the boy. "What?"

Lelouch brought his palm his his forehead, frowning at her as he did so. "What was it that I experienced earlier? It was like a migraine or something... I fainted from the pain. I've never felt anything like it. Was that a consequence of this power, this Geass? Or was it just some stress? Do you know?"

"So this must be one of the effects of that... thing. Must I really speak to Marianne about this?" C.C. nodded slowly. "I believe that this is merely a result of both your power and your emotional turmoil. You must learn to control your Geass and prevent it from getting the better of you." She carefully reached a hand up to his head, allowing her to channel minuscule amounts of stimulation directly into his nervous system. "Hopefully, that should help slow down the process."

Lelouch's shoulders slouched as the exhaustion of the day came into full effect, and he slowly began stumbling up one of the tunnels, planning to distance himself a little from the ghetto before calling a cab and wiping the driver's memories. Before he made it far, though, a certain immortal joined up with him and began to wonder aloud. "How do you expect your driver will react when he sees me dressed like this?"

In spite of the events that day (or perhaps because of them) Lelouch couldn't bring himself to care, and simply shrugged.


In Eternity

Clovis la Britannia was confused as he looked around. He was inside a strange structure that seemed to be...floating. "How on Earth...? How did I get here?"

A deep, powerful voice interrupted his thought process. "Clovis la Britannia."

Charles zi Britannia towered over his late son. His imperious gaze caused Clovis to shiver in fright, but the prince held his dignity. "Father." He kneeled. "May I request that I be told where I am? This is... A truly magnificent place."

Charles turned and surveyed the ruins of the Sword of Akasha. Indeed, it was quite the sight to behold. "You are dead, Clovis. You have returned to the collective of humanity, and you've no doubt already been judged."

Clovis stared at his hands as he remembered. He recalled his time in an empty, eternal room, trembling as he underwent countless deaths that he himself had been responsible for. It felt like forever before he could finally exit that prison and enter a different world of beauty and perfection, where there was little distinction between his surroundings and beautifully crafted works of poetry. "So, because I am dead, I was forced to pay for killing, before I went to... Heaven?"

"... To an extent. And now, I've summoned you here, so that you may continue serving me."

Clovis glared at his father, who showed the same blatant disinterest as always. "Why should I help you?" Clovis's hair grew longer as his figure swelled to new heights. His facial features grew stronger, and soon he was taller than Charles himself. "We were all happy together! There was harmony, unity even! Nunna and Lelouch and Euphie and Cornelia and even Schneizel! We were a perfect family!" He growled as he pointed to Charles, his long suppressed anger released in his dead state. "Then you destroyed it! You attempted to send Lelouch and Nunnally straight to their deaths, and you threatened Cornelia with the same thing to Euphie! Lelouch wouldn't have dreamed of fratricide before you threw him and his sister into a war zone! You even let Empress Marianne-!"

"I will have silence!" The Emperor's cape billowed from an unseen power, and light seemed to stream out from behind him. Clovis slowly reverted back into his younger self, his body shrinking and his face growing more boyish until he looked to be around 16 years old.

"You don't know the truth behind those events, boy, and I will not allow you to insult me so blatantly. Even though you're dead, Number Five, I still hold power over you. Do not test my patience." He breathed deeply, reminding himself that Clovis was essential for the plan to keep Marianne from driving her husband insane. "You realize my power, yes?"

Clovis, still younger than his original size, nodded. "Yes. I-I remember something totally different than what I thought before. The day you exiled Lelouch."

"Yes. This is part of the power that is carried by the girl you were trying to hide from me."

Clovis paled and shrank to a preteen. "You... You knew? You know of her abilities? How?"

Snorting, Charles discarded his blank mask and gave his son a look of pity. "There's little in the empire that I don't have the ability to find out. You were containing C.C. and experimenting on her immortality. I, on the other hand," Charles clenched his fist, emphasizing his point. "I know of greater powers that she possesses. Powers beyond her immortality and her mental weapons. Such as the power she granted to Lelouch."

Clovis looked up at his father with wide eyes. "Lelouch has that ability too? Like yours?"

Charles nodded, his gaze placed firmly on his son. "That's right. And you will help me figure out what it is exactly."

"Why?" Clovis was back to a strapping adult, his posture defiant and proud. "Are you just going to try to kill him again? Or maybe you'll taunt him about his mother's and sister's deaths, like when you so blatantly insulted him before you exiled him? Even though I've been naive in life, that... that place has taught me valuable lessons! I won't allow my brother, murderer or no, to become your victim again!"

"Tell me, have you seen Marianne or Nunnally once during your time in the afterlife?"

Clovis paused, jaw dropped as he wrapped his head around the implications of his father's question. "Are you saying that they... that both of them are alive?"

"Yes."

"I-Impossible! Cornelia told me about the scene! She said that Marianne's body was mangled, destroyed by dozens of bullets! And Nunnally was a crippled Britannian in the middle of an invasion in a foreign land! How could you be so sick as to make such cruel jokes?!"

"Marianne also possessed a special power. Not immortality, but instead she could preserve her consciousness through other people. It was fortunate that Lady Alstreim happened to be nearby when my wife was killed. Through her, Marianne has lived."

"The Knight of Rounds?!"

"Of course, insolent child. How do you expect a mere child to suddenly become an unrivaled ace pilot? And Nunnally had protection from Lelouch during the invasion. I suspect that the Ashfords are also involved. Now then," Charles paused. "Tell me the last thing you remember before you died, and I shall explain to you how I plan to use that information."