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Chapter Nine: False Victory, a prelude to Bloodbeard's Week
Euphie hugged herself in worry about Suzaku. She saw his wound and worried that he'd be killed by Ferdinand but when the battle was over and Lelouch was made the winner she sighed in relief. She desperately wanted her beloved to live and even more desperately wanted her to be able to live a healthy and full life in the sun.
"Thinking about tending the wounded Sir Lancelot my dear lady?" laughed Bloodbeard's voice in her head.
Euphie clutched her skull in pain and trembled in fear.
"No, I'm free," she cried.
"No, you're not," said Bloodbeard.
Lelouch stood stall and expressionless as medical teams tended to Suzaku and Milly. Rivalz was by Milly who was now clothed in a shock blanket, trying to comfort her. Lelouch smiled at how his friends had found some happiness with each other. He was about to turn when Milly stood up and walked to him holding his cape.
"Lelouch wait," she said.
He turned and saw his friend looking at him with watery eyes.
"Thank you," she said.
Lelouch smiled slightly and nodded. She held up his cape and he buckled it back up.
"Lelouch," said Rivalz as he walked up beside Milly holding her camera. "Milly's going to give your side of the story so that people will know that…"
"I take full responsibility for my actions," said Lelouch.
This hushed both Milly and Rivalz and caught the attention of a patched up Suzaku.
"No one else is to blame and I can think of no other explanation other than I sought to rid the world of hatred by turning it all towards me," said Lelouch. "I was wrong and Bloodbeard is now the enemy of the world and he has ordered the UFN to either disband or die by the end of the week starting at midnight tonight. I'm not looking for forgiveness. I'm going to fight him and…I can't do it alone. The populace is just going to have to try and be patient. I can't promise anything…only that I will try."
Lelouch then turned and walked off. He felt like walking back. Suzaku heard everything and from the sound of Lelouch's voice he still had some internal demons to wrestle with.
Lelouch walked to where his old home on the school once stood.
"Hail the conquering hero," said M.M as he appeared before him instantly.
Lelouch just sat on some rubble and thought. M.M noticed this and sat down next to him.
"In life we must put aside our childhood things and take up our adult lives," said M.M. "We leave the womb and venture out into the world as fully functioning human beings."
Lelouch remained silent and a tear dropped out of his eye.
"Why did he attack this place?" Lelouch asked. "What did I ever do to him to deserve his hatred?"
"You dared to make a corrupt world free," said M.M. "Bloodbeard cannot live in a world at peace, it scares him. He would have lost the world in which he could have lived happily in, a world of hatred and death. When you initiated Zero Requiem that stripped his world away. Now he seeks the one thing that can restore that world and make it last forever."
"The Eternity Chalice," said Lelouch. "The Holy Grail."
"In Bloodbeard's hands he would turn it into an Unholy Grail and so turn the world into an actual hell on Earth," said M.M.
"You said the Chalice tests those who seek it? If that's true then why not let him try and fail?" asked Lelouch. "His heart is anything but pure."
"But you're wrong," said M.M. "It is pure. Pure evil, but I doubt he is willing to be tested."
"What do you mean?" asked Lelouch.
"As I told you the Chalice tests your truest reasons for seeking it out," said M.M. "Providence is delivered on those who truly deserve it. The one with the purest and most honest motives who can use the power of Absolute Providence to heal the world."
"Then how can Bloodbeard get the Chalice if it goes to the purest and most honest person?" asked Lelouch.
"How indeed?" said M.M. "Who on this earthy plane is so pure and so honest that providence would shine down upon them? Someone who could nay would use the power only for good…unless told otherwise."
Lelouch was then struck with an awful realization. The mere thought of it sounded ludicrous to him. He wanted to banish the notion but it was staring at him right in the face. The cruel irony, the absolute demented joke that was the truth.
"He wouldn't," Lelouch croaked. "Not to her."
M.M's stern face gave the answer.
"No," Lelouch cried. "No, no, it can't be. No, it can't possibly be true."
"It is," M.M said sadly. "The cruel joke has been played and you have been made the fool."
"There has to be time," Lelouch said. "There has to be time."
"Only if you act now will the terrible truth be made false," said M.M.
He rose dramatically and held his staff up high.
"Go forth Lelouch the Godsend, go and rally thy troops and go forth," said M.M. "Turn the struggle in your favor and may the light be guarded."
Lelouch rose and heard someone run up to him.
"Lelouch what's wrong?" said Rivalz. "I heard shouting."
"Get Suzaku and rev up the William Wallace," said Lelouch. "It's time to fight back."
Rivalz ran out but an arrow scratched his shoulder and stopped him. In front of the two boys stood a dead man. In front of them stood Ferdinand.
"What the…Lelouch killed you," said a startled Rivalz.
Lelouch kept his face and raised his sword.
"Another Geass?" said Lelouch.
"Absolute Illusion," said Ferdinand.
That meant only one thing. The hounds were still alive and Lelouch had cheated.
"We're in for a long night," said Lelouch.
"Welcome to Bloodbeard's Week," said Ferdinand as he notched another arrow in his arm.
People ran like herds of frightened cattle as Ferdinand's hounds revealed themselves to be alive and began attacking.
"What the hell is going on?" yelled Tamaki.
"Ferdinand's clones are attacking, what does it look like?" said Tohdoh.
"But Lelouch won," said Nunnally.
"He won using Caledflwch," said Cornelia. "It was a trap to get Ferdinand out of his word."
"That coward," said Guilford.
Ohgi then activated his Geass and his body became solid steel.
"Ohgi…what are you doing?" asked Viletta.
"I'm not going to stand by while Ferdinand burns my city to the ground," said Ohgi in his metallic voice.
"Same here," said Tohdoh. "We have powers; we might as well use them."
Everyone wordlessly agreed and marched for the door where M.M stood.
"Off to save the day are you?" he chuckled. "Off to crusade with powers you haven't even begun to train with against an army of men each armed with twenty Geass powers. Powers they have honed and mastered over years of training and combat. Things look rather slim for you my friends."
"Do we really have a choice?" said Ohgi. "We're supposed to protect the world not hide here while an army of supermen threaten everything we've sacrificed to build."
"So they have more power and more training, so what?" said Tamaki.
"So, you might find your heroic actions all for naught," said M.M.
"We're not discussing this M.M," said Cornelia. "Either stand aside of we will move you."
M.M stared at their determined faces and couldn't help but recall how the Knights of the Round Table were also so determined to join Arthur on his last campaign. He stepped aside and they passed through.
"Ferdinand will be more concerned with fighting Lelouch," said M.M. "That should give you an edge against the hounds."
Suzaku had an injured shoulder but he worked through the pain as he punched the head off of a still living hound with his good arm. The minute the hounds seemed to revive Suzaku activated his Geass of Absolute Strength, the power of the Champion.
"Are you alright Milly?" asked Suzaku.
"I'm fine," she said.
"Get in the ambulance and get out of here," Suzaku ordered. "I need to make sure Lelouch and Rivalz are okay."
Milly nodded and the ambulance drove away into the city. Suzaku guessed that the rest of the hounds would already be attacking but he thought it would be safer for Milly if she were away from the real Ferdinand, if there was one.
Suzaku leapt up over a hill of rubble and from his high distance he could see Lelouch and Rivalz fighting Ferdinand. As he came down he delivered his signature spin-kick and struck Ferdinand in the back of his head…or at least he thought he did. Lelouch fell down with a broken neck. When he landed completely Suzaku was understandably horrified with what had been done.
"The power of the Trickster," laughed Ferdinand's masked voice.
Suzaku looked up and saw Ferdinand holding Rivalz by the neck.
"Absolute Illusion," he said as he threw the bruised Rivalz aside.
"You bastard, Lelouch won," said Suzaku.
"He relied on Caledflwch to win," said Ferdinand. "That was a direct violation of our duel. The minute he held his hand out this whole city was doomed."
Suzaku ran up to Ferdinand but the hunter drew out a sledgehammer and struck Suzaku in the stomach bringing him to the ground.
"I hope you said your goodbyes to your precious Euphemia," said Ferdinand. "Now she suffers the pain of losing her beloved."
Hearing Ferdinand mock Euphie brought rage and strength to Suzaku. As Ferdinand began to raise the hammer over Suzaku's head the white knight rammed his hand through Ferdinand's stomach. Ferdinand dropped his weapon and clutched his bleeding stomach.
"Absolute Regeneration…I shall heal," Ferdinand gasped.
"There's a limit to what the body can heal from," said Suzaku as he grabbed Ferdinand by the furry collar.
"Suzaku," said Lelouch, now healed.
Suzaku turned and saw Lelouch in a batting stance as if he were a baseball player and immediately knew what his friend had in mind.
"Throw me a fast one," Lelouch laughed with his old sinister smirk on his face.
Suzaku puffed up a cheek and threw Ferdinand at Lelouch.
The hounds were riding out like a cavalry of fierce Huns from the age of Attila. In true cavalry fashion many were on motorcycles and were chopping down any one they caught in their path. They were herding civilians into a corral like true hunters riding around them with great speed and power until a blur of white and a flash of pink began picking off the riders. The sound of a slashing sword rang clear in the daylight and the shining weapon did flash but no one could see it. All anyone could see was that the wicked hunters were falling dead like flies from slash wounds to the neck while others were disappearing from their rides and reappearing on streetlights impaled like the victims of Vlad Tepes. The once panicked citizens now stood in amazement as they were saved by some unknown gale force wind and a pink flash of light. Eventually all the hounds were slain and the white wind stood as a man with blond hair and the flash of pink was a small girl with pink hair.
"They weren't so tuff," said Anya.
"That's because we were too fast for them," said Gino. "Come on, let's check on the others."
With Lelouch battling the real Ferdinand, Li Xinke took over coordination of the Knights and split them into teams of two to quell the riots of the hound in the various districts of the city. In Shinjuku, Tamaki and Ohgi were fighting hounds left and right.
A hound was chasing after a mother and her child but rammed into a man forged from steel. The motorcycle was totaled and when the rider's head came to him Ohgi delivered a devastating punch to the helmet and rammed though the head entirely. Five more riders were on their charge for Ohgi but Tamaki leapt out and shouted. The force of the sound was too much for the bodies of the riders to withstand. Another rider charged down for Tamaki and Ohgi ran up with his hand fully opened. Bullets shot into him but they did no damage. Before the hound could change his weapon Ohgi rammed his hand into his enemy's chest. All the while he couldn't help but remember how Lelouch said that he would start out loving the power of Geass. Ohgi had to admit…the power did feel good.
Tohdoh threw the head of a decapitated hound into the head of another before it melted. This caused the other hound to fall back onto Xinke's sword. Xinke snapped the hound's spine and then decapitated its head. The street was covered the disintegrated bodies of the hounds.
"Just a bunch of thugs," said Tohdoh.
"They are just copies," said Xinke. "The real Ferdinand I suspect is much more of a threat. But as M.M said he's possibly more distracted with battling Lelouch."
"Then perhaps we should look into it in case he needs help," said Tohdoh.
"I don't think that's a good idea," said Xinke. "These 'hounds', as he calls them, don't have the hunter's drive but they have the skill and the array of powers. That makes them dangerous."
"Speaking of danger how bad do you thing the situation will be when the sun goes down?" said Tohdoh.
"We're already against a Geass army," said Xinke. "I'm not even going to think about the other enemies we have."
Lelouch picked himself and wiped the blood off of his mouth. He used Caledflwch as a crutch as he rose up.
"First you cannot fight without the sword and now you cannot walk with it," laughed Ferdinand as he walked up to Lelouch and kicked him down.
"It seems you are more crippled than your sister is," the huntsman mocked.
His stomach was healed and thanks to Absolute Prolonging, he survived the baseball trick. He then proceeded to tear apart the two warriors, one of whom was lying down with an injured shoulder and three broken rips. Rivalz was out cold with a concussion and now Lelouch was under Ferdinand's boot.
"You always seem to be relying on crutches," said Ferdinand. "You use a mask because you know your own face is weak and no one would have followed an obviously crippled king."
Ferdinand stomped on Lelouch's throat.
"You use magic tricks because you have not strength," said Ferdinand.
Another stomp followed.
"You rely on a sword because you cannot access your true power without it," mocked Ferdinand. "You are the very definition of a cripple.'
He raised Lelouch's legs and pulled them out of their sockets. Lelouch cried out in pain.
"Perhaps this is what I should expect from a foolish boy-king who was so weak he needed so many crutches," said Ferdinand. "Perhaps Kururugi will be more sport or even the Red Lotus herself."
Red Lotus, Lelouch knew that name belonged to his beloved Kallen. Kallen, the woman Lelouch was enchanted with. In that moment he saw every scene he ever had with Kallen from when he first saw her in that truck, to when he caught her breaking her sick girl act with the bee, to the bathroom, walking with her in school, seeing her dressed as a cat, the bunny suit incident, her capture that made him realize that he was unmistakably in love with her, the betrayal when he hurt her, and that look of disappointment on her face when she kissed him at the UFN. The then saw the joyous expression on her face when he first proposed to her. She, the woman he did not want to hurt anymore. The woman he had drawn since the awful tortures inflicted on him by Bloodbeard. The love of Lelouch VI Britannia's life…was now being threatened. He wanted to hunt her down like a mere animal.
Ferdinand raised his hand over Lelouch and was ready to activate his original Geass.
Kallen shot down three hounds with her corona while Chiba helped the last of the civilians out of the building they were corralled in. Every ounce of Kallen's being wanted to find Lelouch, to make sure that he was safe but she knew that this is what he would want her to do. She heard the sound of a breaking neck from behind her and she turned. Chiba got off the floor where the dead hound now lay. Kallen shot down a corona and the body was made into ash.
"Are you alright?" Chiba asked.
"I'm fine," Kallen snapped. "I'm just on edge from the fight."
"You're worried about him aren't you?" said Chiba.
Kallen dropped her defenses. She then felt the older woman place a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"I know what its like," she said understanding. "I know what it means to be doing what needs to be done while your loved one is off somewhere dangerous. Just be patient and let's try and focus on what we're supposed to be doing. Focus on being the kick ass women our boys fell in love with."
Kallen chuckled at Chiba's joke.
"Thank you," said Kallen.
"Think nothing of it," said Chiba.
Chiba found it ironic, she was one of the Knights who despised Lelouch the most and now she was comforting his bride to be.
"Ready?" she asked with her Geass of Absolute Agility shining in her eye.
"Ready," Kallen answered with her own Geass shining.
As Ferdinand's Geass began to activate Lelouch grabbed at his hand and broke it. The shout of pain from Ferdinand showed that this was the real Ferdinand. Lelouch then pulled himself up and his legs healed quickly and he punched Ferdinand across his face once again shattering the mask and showing the scared face.
"If you think I'm crippled then so are you," yelled Lelouch. "No more powers, fight like a man."
Ferdinand gave a smile and charged up. Lelouch breathed in and cleared his mind letting scenario after scenario run in his head. He would not use Caledflwch so he would use his greatest weapon: his mind. He grabbed his now torn cape and threw it over Ferdinand when he came up. Lelouch got behind the thrashing Ferdinand and grabbed his throat and hooked his right foot around the hunter's leg while also bringing up his left knee. In one fell swoop Lelouch forced the genuine Ferdinand the hunter onto his knee and pushed and bent until he heard a loud snap. Lelouch there the hunter to the ground and saw genuine fear in the hunter's eyes.
"Never threaten Kallen Kozuki in front of me," Lelouch said in a low growl.
Another Geass flashed in Ferdinand's eyes but Lelouch rammed two of his fingers into the eye sockets. Ferdinand's roar brought out a bit of sadistic pleasure in Lelouch. He imagined in that moment that Ferdinand was Bloodbeard, the man he despised more than anyone, more than even his own father. Lelouch picked up a small piece of the rubble of the home he once had and brought it down on Ferdinand's head. He brought it down again and again and once more imagining the damned foe he truly craved to slaughter. He imagined the demented grin of Bloodbeard smiling at him with C.C's flesh still in his mouth.
"How does it feel to be made the kill?" Lelouch yelled after his eighth smash.
Ferdinand's bloody and broken face chocked up some words gargled in the blood.
"Is this the real you Ferdinand? I hope so," Lelouch yelled.
He raised his fist just as Ferdinand began to speak.
"You're just like him kid," Ferdinand laughed.
Lelouch dropped the stone.
"Neither of you give up," the hunter choked. "You find a foe and slaughter him without mercy or regret. You are…you were my kind of emperor. One who drowns in the blood he spills. One who clearly enjoys what he does. Just like Bloodbeard."
"I'm nothing like Bloodbeard," Lelouch yelled.
"Look in the mirror boy," said Ferdinand. "All you're missing is pointed teeth and a bloody face. I'm sorry by the way, you are worthy of being my prey. I'll have to kill you someday."
Lelouch didn't want to hear more and brought the stone down only for Ferdinand to phase into the ground. Lelouch roared in anger and smashed down all the same.
"I'm not like Bloodbeard," Lelouch cried. "I'm not like Bloodbeard. I'm not like Bloodbeard."
Lelouch then broke down in tears. Was the hunter right? Was he no different than the deranged psychopath that he longed to destroy?
"I'm not like Bloodbeard," Lelouch cried.
Lelouch tilted his head upward to the sky as if looking for an angel to come to him and deliver him from his woes. The clouds of the morning had lifted and the shining summer sun was bright and…Lelouch's thoughts came back to him.
"Euphie," he gasped in fear.
"What about Euphie?" asked the weary voice of Suzaku.
Lelouch spun around and saw his friend healed though using Rivalz for support who in turn was using Caledflwch for support.
"She's in terrible danger," said Lelouch. "I'll explain on the way."
Lelouch ran for the William Wallace with Suzaku following suit along with Rivalz.
Cornelia looked over the last injured child that Guilford, Gino, and Anya had taken out of the rubble of the tenement building in which they fought the hounds in. It confused the princess why her power was Absolute Healing, but right now she didn't care. These people needed her and ironically many of them were Japanese whom she once despised as Elevens. She would perhaps ask M.M why this was her power later on.
"There you go," Cornelia said gently.
The child giggled in delight as her legs were rid of the burns she suffered. The little girl hugged Cornelia and went off to join her family.
"Well done," said M.M as he suddenly appeared next to Cornelia.
"I just wish I had a more useful Geass," said Cornelia.
"What makes you think Absolute Healing is not useful?" M.M said sarcastically.
"I'm a warrior not a healer," said Cornelia.
"Yet you want to heal your brother Lelouch," said M.M. "And now your dear sister is returned to you but she too is also unwell."
"Is something wrong with Euphie?" Cornelia asked in shock.
"If you hurry you could help save her from a terrible fate," said M.M.
Euphie stumbled along the halls of the building clutching her head in despair and pain.
"It's not fair," she cried. "Why can't you just let me go?"
"Because I'm a sadistic evil villain you stupid cow," said Bloodbeard's voice in her head. "And I want you to do something very special for me. But first I need you to run a little side errand."
"I won't help you," Euphie cried as her legs were forced to move forward.
"Lamperouge won't be starting a war on my watch," said Bloodbeard. "Break his spirit…BREAK HIS HEART."
Tears flowed like waterfalls down Euphie's eyes. Twice now she was under the damned influence of Geass to commit atrocity. The first was an accident she had long forgiven Lelouch for. He did not mean to hurt Euphie in such a way. But Bloodbeard was a different animal all together and he wanted to hurt Euphie, Lelouch, and just about everybody in the world. And he had absolutely no regrets.
"Please," she cried. "Don't make me do this."
"I warned Kururugi to either give you to me or kill you," said Bloodbeard. "It's time he learned that when you play cards with the devil, the devil always wins."
Euphie felt the shard of broken glass from the mirror Bloodbeard made her break now hidden in her sleeve. She thought she might as well be holding a piece of her now broken heart. Bloodbeard had turned her into a monster directly under his thrall. How could Suzaku possibly love a monster?
She silently entered Nunnally's private lounge where the young empress sat watching the television for any news about her brother and her friends. Sayoko was with Jeremiah dealing with the hounds, leaving Nunnally virtually unguarded save for the elderly gentleman standing next to her. Euphie crept up with the broken glass shard in her hand. She was being forced to kill her beloved little half-sister and he will was shattered. She raised the shard just as she came up to the ignorant Nunnally.
"You do have a choice," said M.M.
Nunnally looked up and then saw Euphie standing over her. She gasped in fear with her pleading purple eyes begging the question, 'why?'
"You can choose to stop him if you truly wish," said M.M to Euphie, while not looking at her.
Bloodbeard's voice was drilling into Euphie's head, commanding her to take Nunnally's life and break Lelouch's spirit. In a scream of pain as Euphie's will clashed with Bloodbeard's evil and in the end she threw down the shard and ran out the door. She kept running with Bloodbeard cursing at her and with tears running down her eyes. She refused to be used for evil. She refused to be seen as a monster in the eyes of her beloved Suzaku. Eventually she came to the grand door and threw it open revealing the bright sun. For a short time she enjoyed the warmth it gave but soon, too soon, the gentle warmth became savage burning. Flames blew as the sunlight touched Euphemia's skin. In the close William Wallace Lelouch and Suzaku's eyes widened with horror. Lelouch leapt down from the Knightmare just as a streak of white and purple flew by him. A panicked Cornelia and a speedy Gino quickly grabbed Euphie and brought her back inside while Lelouch followed and the William Wallace landed. Once landed Suzaku punched out the cockpit and leapt into the building just as Lelouch closed it shut from the inside. Once inside a mighty gust of an arctic wind blew out the flaming princess. The ordeal was such a great strain on Euphie's body that she could not stand. Cornelia caught her and set the critically injured Euphie down and activated her Geass. Suzaku and Lelouch knelt down beside her both with tears of fear and worry.
"Euphie…why?" Suzaku cried.
"He…he can't make me…hurt you now," Euphie cried weakly before she lost consciousness.
"No," Suzaku cried. "Not again. Not again, Euphie don't leave me."
He buried his head on her body and thanked God when he heard the sound of her heart beat and the rise and fall of her chest.
"She merely sleeps," said M.M as he stood with Nunnally.
Cornelia and Nunnally sighed with relief while Lelouch was worried.
"What happened?" he asked quietly.
"Bloodbeard influenced her to try and kill Nunnally," said M.M.
Everyone froze in shock at this. Lelouch nearly went catatonic with his shocked face twitching awkwardly. He rose slowly with his face still twitching until it was an almost demented scowl of anger.
"Bloodbeard!" he shouted in fury.
Bloodbeard strolled along the sewer lines where his recently made Infected held Ferdinand up by a sort of webbing.
"All I ask you to do is to keep Lamperouge busy and what do you do? You go out and try to steal his Geass," said Bloodbeard. "Well on the bright side you got people stirred up. The bad side is that now Lamperouge has an army of Geass enhanced soldiers."
"Not an army," said Ferdinand.
"They were large enough and powerful enough to kick your ass," growled Bloodbeard.
"I was focused on the real issue," said Ferdinand.
"The real issue is that if Lamperouge fights with his Geass force, squad, army, league, or whatever he has then we get balanced out," said Bloodbeard. "If he is able to maintain some stability against me then the Chalice won't need to come. If the Chalice doesn't come then I can't turn Absolute Providence into Absolute Damnation and…I hope you enjoy using wheelchair ramps."
Bloodbeard gave the order to the Infected to drive one of their stinger claws into Ferdinand's back.
"I also hope that you enjoy my old room," Bloodbeard growled.
Ferdinand's eyes widened.
"No, Bloodbeard please," said Ferdinand.
"The next time I make a Geass contract for someone who is willing to act as my personal mercenary, I'll be sure they're grateful enough to follow my orders," yelled Bloodbeard. "Enjoy my old room."
Ferdinand shouted in horror as the Infected carried him away. Bloodbeard scowled in anger but then breathed in to calm himself.
"My mercenary and my virgin slave fail," Bloodbeard mused to himself. "Well Bloody how are you going to get yourself out of this fine mess? Perhaps…no I did that in '39. Come on old boy and think. You have a week and you can't go out during the day thanks to lion neck's screw up. I need to think of a real steal…"
A brilliant thought then occurred to Bloodbeard and a sadistic grin grew.
"I could do that," he giggled.
Euphie slept peacefully on her hospital bed while Lelouch, Cornelia, and Suzaku were at her side. Suzaku and Cornelia were sitting while Lelouch stood awkwardly at the foot. The look of guilt on Lelouch's face did not go unnoticed by anyone. He hardly said a word before he walked out. Suzaku was about to move but Cornelia gestured for him to stop while she got up and followed Lelouch. As the second princess left the white knight alone with his beloved Suzaku heard a soft meow and saw Arthur on the floor. The cat got up on Euphie's bed and curled up next to her. Suzaku smiled and placed a delicate kiss on Euphie's lips, almost hoping it would allow her to awaken. His face fell when she did not. He clenched his fists just thinking about the man who did this to her. He had long forgiven Lelouch for the accident that took her life as it was an accident. But what Bloodbeard did was fully intentional. That made Bloodbeard Suzaku's enemy.
Lelouch stood at the window with his guilt taking over.
"Lelouch," he heard Cornelia's voice say. "Lelouch what's wrong?"
Lelouch didn't look at her.
"It's my fault," he said quietly.
Cornelia heard this only slightly and felt a pang in her heart.
"No, no Lelouch you did not…"
"But I did," Lelouch said turning to his half-sister with tears on his eyes. "I was the one who used Geass to make Euphie kill all of those people. I was…I was the one who killed her in the first place. If I never killed her maybe Bloodbeard wouldn't have taken her body and…and made her his slave and now…now he's placed this damnation upon her. Why her? Why Euphie?"
"Because he wanted to hurt you," said Cornelia. "He wanted to make you suffer. To force you to hurt Euphie yet again."
Lelouch's anger and horror mixed together.
"Euphie never did anything to hurt anyone," Lelouch cried. "Why did it have to be her?"
"Because she is pure of heart and honest in passions," said M.M.
Lelouch and Cornelia looked up to the mysterious old man.
"The Chalice only presents itself to the one who is the most worthy to wield and use it," said M.M.
"And Euphie is the purest soul I have ever known," said Lelouch. "Other than…Nunnally, will he…?"
"He will not bring harm to Nunnally's body," said M.M.
"Nunnally's Body?" Lelouch gasped. "How can you…wait…you knew this would happen to Euphie didn't you?"
"I did," said M.M. "But then again I knew your life story before your grandparents were even born. I cannot change what I see nor do I choose to interfere in the affairs of mortals. I merely influence in the right places. You have seen for yourself the effects of when one of our kind attempt to play god. And there are some things…which one can never change. No matter how much they wish they could."
M.M left without any further word. Lelouch turned and walked the other direction, not having anything else to say. Leaving Cornelia alone in the hall with her eyes turned towards the darkening sky.
Lelouch went to his room and flopped on the bed. He was tired, beaten, and desperately wanted the day to be over. He then remembered that when he awoke the next morning he would have officially entered Bloodbeard's Week. What more could the manic do to disrupt the peace? What could Lelouch do to stop him?
In that moment Lelouch felt so afraid, so weak, and so utterly alone. He then felt a warm and gentle hand run across his face. He opened his sleepy eyes and saw the Red Lotus. Her hair was down and her shinning blue eyes were simmering with worry.
"I'm finally dead," said Lelouch, "and the angels have come for me."
This brought a small smile to Kallen's face.
"Let me comfort you," Kallen sighed.
She was so beautiful, so kind, and so brave. How he praised all the gods of creation for molding the beautiful goddess out of marble and roses.
He was against a Mad Titan, facing a possible nuclear crisis, and the inevitable decision of the UFN would either be the world's best chance at survival, or its final damnation. Yet at this moment he only wanted Kallen Kozuki to be in his arms.
"I doubt even you can comfort me Kallen," said Lelouch. "I have only one week to try and prove to the UFN that the only way we'll have a chance of surviving this…hell is to stand united. And I'm up against a madman who is able to halt me at every turn. I hunt him down and he exposes me. I fight him in the streets and he destroys my home. I save my half-sister and he uses her to try and kill my blood sister. Kallen I don't know if I can stop him."
"You can stop him Lelouch," said Kallen. "You're Zero, you can do anything."
"Zero is dead Kallen," said Lelouch. "Bloodbeard killed him."
"Than think of something else," said Kallen.
Lelouch rose up to meet Kallen.
"Kallen this…monster…is unlike anything I've ever faced before," said Lelouch. "I only ever fought men, sane men. But Bloodbeard is a fiend out of hell. I don't know what to do. Did Tohdoh ever tell you he beat me in chess? I can't even think right to play chess. How can I possibly plan a way to beat Bloodbeard?"
Lelouch sighed in defeat and looked away from Kallen. He didn't see his beloved's hand raise and strike him in the face. Lelouch brought his awe-struck eyes to see the flow of angry tears in Kallen's eyes.
"What the hell are you talking about?" cried Kallen. "You don't know if you can beat Bloodbeard? War is never certain Lelouch. You're a master of war Lelouch. You're the man who works miracles, the champion of justice, and mankind's greatest hero. Think of something, order us like you did before, and then…then…."
"Then what?" asked Lelouch, a little shaken.
"Then we can be married," Kallen cried. "Unless you're not sure about that too."
Kallen took her ring finger and took off the ring. She dropped it to the floor. She began to walk out but Lelouch grabbed her wrist and fell to his knees in despair.
"Kallen please," Lelouch begged. "Please don't go. You're the most important thing in my life. You're the only thing that gave me hope, you kept me sane, and the only person who was able to break through my masks and melt my icy heart. Kallen, the day you were captured…I nearly broke down. I was afraid those…animals would do things to you. That you'd be touched by their filthy hands, raped, molested, and tortured. That I would never see your face again, never hear your laugh, or feel your warm skin. And now…I'm afraid that I have…failed you so badly that…that…Kallen, please don't leave. I'll do anything if it means I don't have to lose you."
Kallen turned back and saw how sorry, afraid, and truly repentant Lelouch was. He was without all of his masks and trickery. He was so vulnerable, so afraid, and so…human. Lelouch had never been one to completely break down and show all of his emotions to anyone.
"Please Kallen, tell me what I can do so that you won't leave me," begged Lelouch. "I…I don't want to be alone anymore."
Kallen knelt down to Lelouch and turned his gaze upward to meet hers.
"Win, Lelouch, win and marry me," said Kallen.
Kallen stroked Lelouch's trembling face and Lelouch stroked her gentle lips. They brought their faces together and their lips met with a gentle promise. Tomorrow started Bloodbeard's Week but tonight was just for Lelouch and Kallen.
Author's Note: Thank you DW77 for your suggestions and all of your help. And to all my other readers, let me say now that Lelouch and Kallen aren't going to end each chapter (or each other chapter) with implied sex (I'm trying to keep it T). I'm just showing that Kallen is the only one who Lelouch can really warm up to. Oh he loves Nunnally and his best friend Suzaku, and he does welcome Cornelia's comfort, but Kallen is his one true love (in my opinion) and she is able to be there for Lelouch when he needs hope the most. Anyway this is a prelude to Bloodbeard's Week which starts soon.
here...
