The surviving Black Knight and Britannian forces were forming into semi-battle lines in the sky, but neither side looked like it wanted to continue the fight. The Avalon had almost docked with the Ikaruka. Cornelia cut in on comms. "Euphy, did you get hit by the blast?"

"No," Euphy said. She looked again at the crater and, again, her heart sank. "Cornelia… did you get hurt?"

"Guilford needs medical attention, and I… I lost my men," Cornelia took a deep breath and said, in a steadier voice, "but I'm fine, thanks to Guilford," Cornelia replied. "But the people…"

Euphy didn't say anything and looked one last time at Tokyo before embarking the Ikaruka. She disembarked from the Guinevere and ran over to Nunnally in the Shinkiro's hands. "Here, Nunnally," Euphy said, pulling Nunnally down and cradling her, "let's get you a wheelchair."

"Euphy," Nunnally said, "have I… made you proud?"

"Huh?"

"The SAZ," Nunnally said. "I know you didn't get the chance… but you did the right thing, right? So… so I did it too."

"Thank you for believing in me then, Nunnally," Euphy said, hugging her. A Black Knight technician ran up with a wheelchair that Euphy put her in.

Lelouch emerged from the Shinkiro, his mask back on and walked over towards the Avalon, which had finished docking. Schneizel had disembarked, wearing what looked like sunglass-goggles. His sunglass-protected eyes swept across Lelouch and his group – and he smiled. "I see a large collection of traitors. Do you just like recruiting Britannians, Zero?" Schneizel said lightly.

"From what I understand, Prince Schneizel," Lelouch replied, walking up to him, "you enjoy attempting to murder imperial princesses."

Schneizel smirked. "Are you sure you want to go down that route, Zero?"

Lelouch glanced at him. "We'll see," he replied. "I take it Ohgi approved you coming on board?"

"Approved? He had no choice," Schneizel said. "I'm afraid I have little time, Lelouch. The Emperor arrived in the middle of our battle. I would like to kill two birds with one stone."

"Then why waste your time here?" Lelouch said.

Schneizel smiled but said nothing.

"Zero!" Ohgi said, running into the hanger, "Schneizel demanded a meeting with upper leadership-"

Lelouch nodded, then turned and looked at Euphy and the others. "Cornelia, I count you as part of upper leadership. And Nunnally, you should come too. Hear what our illustrious guest has to say."

"And me?" Suzaku said.

"That's for you and Euphemia to decide," Lelouch replied. He turned and began walking away with Schneizel and his entourage. "We will meet in conference room 1, Ms. Black."

"Understood," Euphy said. Cornelia wheeled Nunnally away, and Euphy turned to Suzaku. "Do you want to go?"

"In a little bit," Suzaku replied. He grabbed Euphy's hand and said, "I'm just glad to be with you again."

"We should go talk somewhere more private," Euphy said, "I don't want the crews to know who I am."

Suzaku nodded. The two of them walked into the depths of the ship, passing a few Black Knights who looked curious, but didn't say anything. Then they ducked into an empty conference room, and Euphy grabbed Suzaku and kissed him deeply. They broke off, and Suzaku smiled. "What's that for?" he said.

"Forgiving Lelouch," Euphy said, "you saved Nunnally."

"I was going to save her, regardless of what Lelouch did," Suzaku replied.

"Enough to order Nina kidnapped, send Lloyd and Cécile to safety, and blast a hole to the hanger?" Euphy said.

"Don't forget defying geass," Suzaku said. "Now we just have to deal with Schneizel." Euphy frowned, and Suzaku sighed. "Euphy, I know he's your brother-"

"I know," Euphy said, "I just… I don't like it."

Suzaku hugged her. "I'm sorry that's how things are," he said, "but when did you get Lelouch to agree to your plan?"

Euphy explained about the meeting. "That's why he's so confident…" Suzaku said. "There's nothing that Schneizel can hold over his head…"

"Yeah," Euphy said. "Now, Sir Kururugi – shall we go?"

"We shall," Suzaku said, taking her hand.

Schneizel had been smart enough to put protective glasses on all of his men, including himself and Kanon. But Lelouch had nothing to fear. The only people at the meeting that hadn't already heard the whole thing were Tamaki and Nunnally. High command was gathered, minus Kallen, who had an important task, and Asahina, who was just… gone. The two sides sat in awkward silence, with a bit of small talk between Kanon and Gino, until Suzaku and Euphy arrived.

Then Lelouch leaned back and said, "very well, Schneizel. You forced your way here by threatening to unleash more FLEIJAs. I am grateful for one thing, though: you've just eclipsed my massacre in the minds of the Japanese, which I must thank you for."

And with this one phrase, Schneizel was clearly off his game. "'Your' massacre?" Schneizel said, "do you want to be so cavalier, Zero?"

"We already know of the massacre," Tohdoh said, crossing his arms, "of Zero's guilt and attempt to make the most of a bad situation. We also know of the boy called VV."

Schneizel smiled. "I'm afraid that VV wasn't anywhere near Japan when the massacre came," Schneizel said.

But then Suzaku snorted. "Why bother, Schneizel?" Suzaku said, with all the contempt in his voice that Lelouch usually heard him talk about Zero in. "VV was the one who told me about geass. He was there."

Schneizel frowned. "Then surely you don't want your identity revealed, Zero?" Kanon said.

"We already know he's Lelouch vi Britannia," Rakshata said. "Do you have anything actually new to say?"

"Huh!?" Tamaki said, jumping up, "wait, Zero is-"

"You weren't important enough to come to our meeting about this," Ohgi said, glancing at Tamaki. "Sorry."

"What!?"

Lelouch undid his mask and put it on the table. "I see, Schneizel," Lelouch said, "that you're also not dumb enough to appear near me without eye protection. Clever."

"I think of myself as a clever man," Schneizel said. "Even now, I have my failsafe ready. But I find it hard to believe that the Black Knights would stick with a murderer like you."

"Oh, Schneizel," Lelouch said, "the only one I could never beat at chess. But this time, your pieces revolted. You wanted to use the Black Knights against me, but that has failed."

"I have a recording proving that you alone were behind the massacre, though," Schneizel said calmly, "and besides – what if Zero brainwashed you into loyalty?"

"Zero has done no such thing," Diethard said, "we followed him of our own free will."

"And that recording was Lelouch telling me what he thought I wanted to hear," Suzaku said.

"We've seen, first-hand, Zero-sama's grief," Kaguya said. "And we won't stop following him until Japan is free and the United States of Britannia is formed!"

"The what?" Schneizel said.

Euphy stepped up to the table. "We've decided to install my dear brother as the emperor," Euphy said.

Tamaki turned and stared at Euphy. "Wait, you're not – you're princess massacre!"

Euphy frowned. "Don't call her that!" Suzaku snapped.

"Tamaki, not now," Lelouch said, "she's no danger to us. And as a matter of fact-" he glanced at Diethard, who nodded. "-it won't be long before that no longer matters."

"What are you talking about?" Schneizel said, standing up.

"As soon as Britannia withdraws, we're going to broadcast the truth about the massacre, and about geass, and about VV," Diethard said.

Schneizel frowned. "How about this, then?" he said. "I will give you Japan and withdraw with my FLEIJAs. All you have to do is give up Zero."

The Black Knights all looked at each other, and then at Lelouch – who smirked. "Are you that desperate, Schneizel?" Lelouch said, "has it not occurred to you that I would order the fighting over the rest of Japan to resume?"

"What?" Schneizel said, "the cease-fire-"

"Is only in effect in Tokyo," Lelouch said, "and your treachery against the Emperor has been forwarded to the Empire. Bismarck has withdrawn to prepare for your attempted coup."

"I already know that," Schneizel said.

"And we've broadcast it to the rest of the empire," Diethard said.

But instead of grimacing at this news, Schneizel started… laughing. "Excellent," he said, "another condition met. Thank you for pulling the trigger. My generals already know what to do," he said.

"Regardless," Suzaku said, "I was under the impression the viceroy of Area 11 was Nunnally vi Britannia." He looked at her and said, "what do you say, Viceroy?"

"I declare that Area 11 is returned to Japan," Nunnally said.

"Hmph," Schneizel said as his men stood as well, "very well. The Sakuradite is of little use to me now anyways…"

"And why's that?" Kaguya said.

Schneizel smiled serenely. "You think I haven't been building up a store of it for months?" he said, "and besides. There are new mines in Cambodia and Cameroon and even near Moscow. Old Fuji-san is useless to me."

"Then what will you do now, Schneizel?" Lelouch said, "Japan will be free, and the Emperor will try and kill God. You'll just be fighting a pointless civil war."

"One that I shall win," he said. "And now…" He pulled out a remote that he pressed down. "I go to deal with the Emperor. Thank you for your hospitality, though I'm disappointed in your willingness to follow a monster."

He and his soldiers left. "Why don't we kill them now, Zero?" Diethard said.

"He can remotely activate FLEIJA," Suzaku said. "But what was that button? The failsafe?"

And then the Ikaruka shuddered. "What's going on!?" Lelouch said as the Ikaruka started tipping to the side before righting itself.

"A shockwave of some sort," Rakshata said.

"Was it a FLEIJA?" Ohgi said.

"We'd be dead if it was one here," Lelouch grunted. "Kallen should've messed with Schneizel's-"

Rakshata started saying something, but Lelouch missed it when he noticed Rolo, who walked into the room and stood by the door. He stared across the room at something. Lelouch looked at where he was staring – at Nunnally. He looked away when Lelouch noticed.

"Wouldn't they have guards, though?" Suzaku said shortly after Lelouch returned his attention to the conversation.

"Guards won't do anything if they think time has stopped," Rolo said.

"You wouldn't have much time, though!" Euphy said.

Rolo smiled. "Not if the doctors gave me something that keeps my heart beating," he said.

"But what was that shockwave? And what did you do to Schneizel's FLEIJAs?" Euphy said.

"Oh, we just messed with their timers a little," Lloyd said, appearing in the doorway and shrugging. "When he tries to shoot those bombs at Kamine Island, they'll detonate midair instead. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to mess with his missiles. So they'll probably just hit nothing, not the Avalon."

"And the shockwave?" Kaguya said.

Lloyd frowned. "About that…"

"You can see from outside," Rolo said. "Also, Lelouch, we've picked up a straggler. Anya Alstreim flew on the dock and disembarked just a little bit ago."

"Anya, huh?" Lelouch said, and he glanced at Rolo. "Can you go see what she wants?"

"Yes, Lelouch," Rolo said, and he left.

"Zero," Ohgi said, "what are we going to do about Schneizel now?"

"We send out the rest of Suzaku's recordings, including the one from right after they apprehended me," Lelouch said.

"The what?" Suzaku said.

"Your recording," Lelouch said. He smiled and said, "your acting was perfect, Suzaku. It's hard to believe we didn't plan it."

"I don't understand," Suzaku said, "Kanon stole that recording device."

"When Guilford knocked him down, the recording device slipped out," Cornelia said. "We retrieved it and transmitted what it had to the Ikaruka."

"Then Schneizel didn't even have the recording?" Ohgi said.

"We returned it," Cornelia said. "Kanon found it where he'd dropped it and didn't think anything more of it."

"Then… is Japan independent again?" Ohgi said.

"Japan is independent," Lelouch said. "But… 35 million lost their lives, at least."

"And that FLEIJA thing? Who made that?" Tamaki said.

Lelouch glanced first at Euphy, who shook her head, and then at Lloyd, who gave an apologetic look. Then he looked back at Tamaki. "Prince Schneizel is cleverer than I thought, to make a weapon like that," Lelouch said. "We have no way of knowing how many he has, but we do know that he just murdered millions. I want that information broadcast through the whole UFN – with the news of VV and geass in Japan."

Lelouch strode out of the room. "Where are you going now, Zero?" Ohgi called.

"To stop the Emperor," Lelouch said.

He walked away from the conference room, towards his office. He'd been wracking his brain all night over what to do to stop Charles. So far, he'd come up with nothing.

"Lelouch!"

Lelouch turned to see Suzaku. "What is it?" Lelouch said.

"What about the shockwave?" Suzaku said.

"Rolo said we could see it outside," Lelouch said, and together they walked outside.

In the darkness, what looked like a mountain was burning in the distance, the occasional explosion going off. "That… that's Mt. Fuji," Suzaku whispered. "He… he blew it up."

"It wasn't useful to him anymore," Lelouch said. "So he destroyed the symbol of Japan."

They watched Mt. Fuji burn for a few minutes, thick black smoke from burning Sakuradite being illuminated by moonlight. "No," Suzaku said, "this will be our new symbol."

"What do you mean?"

"Mt. Fuji is a volcano," Suzaku said, "and now it's been cleansed from Britannia with blood… just like Tokyo."

Lelouch nodded. "A symbol of the millions who died today," Lelouch said. "Long live Japan."

Suzaku nodded. They watched Mt. Fuji burn for a few more minutes. "Lelouch," Suzaku finally said, turning to face him, "the Emperor is on Kamine Island," Suzaku said. "What are you going to do?"

"Kill the emperor and come back safely," Lelouch said.

Suzaku nodded. "Promise you'll come back, for Nunnally's sake," Suzaku said. Lelouch nodded, and then Suzaku walked away.

Lelouch watched him go and said quietly to himself, "But I'm sorry I'll have to break that promise, Suzaku. Please watch Nunnally for me."

He went to his office, where CC was clutching her doll and looking at him wide-eyed. "Where is master going?" CC said.

"To stop the man who took your memories," Lelouch said. He took a deep breath and began writing a letter to Nunnally and the others. When it was done, he signed it and placed it on his bed.

He turned to go and found himself face-to-face with Shirley, her hands on her hips, and an angry look on her face. "What are you doing, Lulu?" Shirley said.

"I'm going to stop the Emperor," Lelouch said. "I might not come out alive."

"Might not? Or are planning not to return?" Shirley said.

"What are you talking about?"

"That letter," Shirley said, pointing at it. "That's you giving up. That's you thinking you'll never come back."

"I'm going to trap myself with the Emperor. While I'm there, I should be able to stop him from escaping," Lelouch said. "For at least long enough for Schneizel to find some other way to destroy the island. Then we'll both be stuck there."

Shirley stepped forward and put a hand on his chest. "Don't say that, Lulu," Shirley said, "there's always another way."

"Not this time," Lelouch said.

"Is this about atonement?" Shirley said.

"No, this is about protecting the ones I love," Lelouch said. "Surely you know that."

"And breaking our hearts!" Shirley said.

Lelouch stepped closer to her and drew her into a kiss. When they broke away, Lelouch said, "is there anything I can do for you before I go? Anything at all?"

"Yeah," Shirley said, "come back."

"Shirley-"

"I'm not accepting you staying behind, Lulu!" Shirley said. "I-I don't know how to trap the emperor with you escaping, but there has to be a way. Please, the world needs you! Only you can lead us against Schneizel!"

"Shirley-"

"Nunna and Euphy need their brother!"

"Shirley, please-"

Shirley threw her arms around Lelouch and pulled him close to her. "And I… I want you, Lelouch. I want you to be part of my family," she said quietly.

"Family?" Lelouch replied, equally quietly.

"Please, Lelouch, find a way," Shirley said.

Lelouch nodded. "I'll try." He looked at the letter and said, "if I don't come back, please, give that letter to Nunnally."

"Alright."

"I love you, Shirley."

"I love you too, Lelouch."

Lelouch felt a little guilty, seeing Shirley wiping the tears from her eyes, and he looked away so she couldn't see the tears stinging his own. But he had given his word to her. He would try another way. Another way to defeat or entrap an immortal.

He mounted the Shinkiro and took off. "Kamine island," he mused aloud, "time for us to meet again, father."

Suzaku watched Anya and CC get in the Mordred and take off after Lelouch. It was none of his business, however. None of the three seemed in danger as two large balls of blue light appeared on the horizon towards Kamine Island. Then the tiny speck that was the Avalon disappeared into the night as well.

"So, off Zero goes to kill an immortal," Max said. Suzaku glanced to his side and saw Max, his arms crossed, watching the Mordred dip into the night as the FLEIJA blasts receded. "And off Marianne goes to fulfill her plan."

"Off… what are you talking about?" Suzaku said.

"To end the world and remove all lies," Max said, "that's what it is, right?"

"How would you know?" Suzaku said.

Max turned to Suzaku, and a symbol – the symbol of geass, that VV and CC had – started glowing on his head. "I'm a little older than I let on," Max said, "although – it really was just luck I was on the Avalon."

"Are you part of their plan?" Suzaku said.

Max smiled. "In a way. It's taken me years of probing. But I was the doctor who preserved Marianne's body. I was the one who operated on Nunnally and preserved as much of her legs as possible. And I acted like my mind had been rewritten by the Emperor when he tried to change events."

"And Julie?"

"My long-standing companion," Max replied.

"Do you think that Lelouch is in danger?" Suzaku said, staring off at the horizon.

"Almost certainly, if not from the Emperor, then from Schneizel," Max said. "But you need a code user to power your way into the world of C's or a thought elevator. And you, my friend, are not one."

Suzaku looked at Max and the symbol on his head. "Well, then, doctor," he said, "are you volunteering yourself?"

"Your wish is my command," Max replied. They started towards the Lancelot Albion prototype.

"Why are you doing this?" Suzaku said.

"Because I don't much like the sound of the apocalypse," Max said. They got in the Lancelot and Suzaku began taking flight. "And VV is an old enemy of me."

"Then your name – is it Max?"

"MM, EE, I don't care," Max said dismissively. The Lancelot shot out of the Black Knights' flagship and off towards Kamine Island. "The important thing is stopping this apocalypse and bringing about our last vision."

"Your what?"

"The United States of America," Max replied.

Max said nothing more as they approached Kamine Island. Bright lights were already set up, and the Mordred were crashed on the sand. The Shinkiro was nowhere in sight. "What should I do?" Suzaku said.

"Follow your heart," Max said.

They landed and Suzaku looked over and saw Charles waiting. "Where's Lelouch?" Suzaku said.

"I don't know," Max replied. "Go ahead. I'll do backup."

Suzaku nodded and dismounted. He walked up to Charles and knelt. "Your Majesty," he said, "I assume you've heard of Schneizel's treachery."

"I have indeed," Charles said. "And I have heard of Lelouch and his sisters'. Tell me, Suzaku Kururugi, Knight of Seven – who do you serve for now?"

"For now?" Suzaku said.

"Soon, there will no longer be these petty political squabbles," Charles replied. "Did you stop Schneizel from destroying the island from these bombs?"

"For that, you may thank your son," Suzaku said. He grasped his sword, and in one fluid strike tried to bring it down on Charles.

He was stopped by Bismarck. "I see your mind is made up," Charles said, "for Lelouch."

"All hail," Suzaku replied. He tried to push into Bismarck, but Bismarck gave him a wicked grin.

"Don't think I'm some pushover, Kururugi," Bismarck said. His closed eye began glowing, and instantly live shot through Suzaku's mind.

Suzaku tried to fight through live, but he retreated as soon as the Emperor's flagship started firing on his own knightmares. Suzaku was forced back by Bismarck and only barely dodged a crater left by an enemy shell before landing in a new one entirely. More shots hit the beach, and sand rained down on his head.

When the geass dissipated, Suzaku crawled out of the crater to see that Charles was gone and a whole lineup of Britannian knightmares had their spears in an arch of glory formation. "There you are!" Bismarck barked, and again live fired.

Suzaku flipped past Bismarck, grabbing his sword and barely stopping another blow. He was almost to the Lancelot, and again live tried to take command. But it was too late as Bismarck struck the sword out of Suzaku's hands and lunged in for the kill.

But then Max jumped in front and took the sword. "The family doctor," Bismarck sneered, "what are you doing here?"

"Just seeing…" Max said, sliding up the sword, "what sort of man you are…"

He grabbed Bismarck's head and Bismarck started convulsing. Suzaku held up his sword. "No!" Max said, "get to the thought elevator now!"

Suzaku rushed past him to see Anya and CC at the geass door. Bomb marks were scorched on it. "CC?" Suzaku said, "Anya?" He looked between them and they looked at him – Max had said that Marianne was there, and then he said, "which of you is Lady Marianne?"

"What are you doing here?" Anya said. How she spoke was different. Suzaku looked at her closer and realized her eyes were a deep red, like a few weeks ago. "I get the feeling you didn't come to help out Charles." She reached into Anya's cloak, then sighed. "And I forgot my gun."

"So it's you," Suzaku said, crossing his arms.

Anya cocked her head, then nodded. "At the moment," she said, "I am the mother of Lelouch and Nunnally. Marianne." She twirled and bowed, before returning her attention to the door. "I suppose I can leave you be for now, Sir Kururugi."

Suzaku looked up at the door. "What is this?" Suzaku said.

"The entrance to C's world," CC said, "the collective unconsciousness. A collective of people's minds with memories. The sea of transmigration. The great consciousness. Some refer to it as God."

"Was that what I saw when we met at Narita?" Suzaku said.

CC nodded. "Well, there it was mixed with your personal consciousness," she said. "I'm merely guessing since I didn't see what you saw."

"I'm sure you would have enjoyed it," Suzaku said.

"Do you think I'm that shallow, Suzaku?" CC replied, frowning. "Anyways, geass, C's world, god – it's people. Their masks are the collective unconsciousness. Windows that open into their minds and memories. And the minds of people are-"

She cut off as Anya – Marianne – sighed loudly. "Forget it," she said, "it's too messed up for me to do. CC, would you please?"

"Do you really plan to go in?" CC said.

"Yes, of course. Charles has been waiting for us, after all," Marianne said. "This would've been so easy if only you'd given him your code." CC looked away from Marianne. "I'll go first, all right?"

CC nodded. Marianne put her hand against the door, and then… Anya's body collapsed to the ground, with Suzaku only barely catching her. "What're you doing?" Suzaku said as CC moved her own hand towards the door.

CC paused. "You know, Suzaku?" CC said, "you and I, we're really similar."

"Similar?"

"In the way that we both wish to die and yet are unable to."

Suzaku frowned. Wish to die? Once, that had been true. In that split second after Euphy had almost died, before Max told her she'd lived, he'd wanted nothing more than to kill Zero and then die himself. And many times since then – his shame over betraying his father or Britannia, his humiliation in letting Zero take Gino, and most importantly, when he was convinced that he would just kill Euphy again – he had wished for death, at least to some degree. But now? Now… "Are you sure?" he finally said.

"What do you mean?"

"I found a reason to live," Suzaku said. "I don't want to die anymore. I want to live."

"Really?" CC said, "no guilt over your father or everything else that's happened?"

Suzaku stared her in the eyes. "Dying won't erase it. My death can't fix my sins," Suzaku replied. "Why, CC? Do you feel guilt over what you've done – over what you've kept secret?"

CC looked away, over towards where the knightmares were still saluting. In the background, the Emperor's personal ship was still firing at his own knightmares. Other Britannian forces had arrived and were firing at them too, and the ship. Monica Krushevsky, one of the kinghts of the round, was out in her knightmare, shooting at the Emperor's other guards. "I used Lelouch," CC finally said, very quietly, "I was fully aware of the truth the entire time. In order to bring about my own death, I had to make his survival a priority."

"Any regrets?" Suzaku said, "at least that one?"

CC said nothing for a long minute, even as Bismarck's knighmare drifted off into the night towards Monica and Schneizel's forces. Schneizel must've finally escaped Max. "Not really," CC said, "no, no regrets. My sensibilities are quite different as an immortal witch. I abandoned my humanity long ago."

"Then we're not alike at all, CC," Suzaku replied. He looked at the door and put his hand against it. It was cool to the touch. "I want you to send me to the other world. You might think I'm foolish, but I'm not going to wait here and do nothing."

CC nodded.

And then he was in the thought elevator. Charles and a black-haired woman, probably Marianne's real form, stood opposed to Lelouch. "I see," Lelouch was saying, "all of the battle and bloodshed between Britannia and the Black Knights was done just to lure out CC. Well then, it seems that from the very beginning I was a mere nuisance." He looked at CC and Suzaku and said, "and what do you two think of all this?"

"Did you already know I was going to come here?" CC said to him.

"And you've regained your memories too," Lelouch said, nodding. "It was necessary for this plan, wasn't it?"

"Precisely," Charles said. He looked at Suzaku and said, "However, I cannot see any sense in your coming here as well, Kururugi."

"I'm sure you can't," Suzaku said. "I heard you're already immortal. I suppose there's not much I can do to you. But there's something I've wondered for a long time, since you showed me months ago," he said. He looked around the thought elevator and said, "Why did you make this thing? What's it for?"

"Why?" Charles said, and he gestured up at what looked like Jupiter – probably the collective unconsciousness. "Because it's what Euphy and Nunnally both desire – what Marianne and I desire. They – we – want a gentle world."

"Hmph, I see," Lelouch said lightly, "it's obvious."

The great twisting pillar of skewed people at the heart of the temple shot up into Jupiter. "Behold, it's begun! The Sword of Akasha is slaying God!" Marianne said, gesturing grandiosely, like a saint in rhapsodic prayer.

"Now once our marks of geass become one, the old world will cease and a new world will spring forth!" Charles declared.

"Lelouch," Suzaku said, turning to Lelouch, "what are your plans? What was the original reason you started this all?"

"Don't waste my time, Suzaku," Lelouch said flatly. "You already know it was Nunnally."

"Is that the entire truth, or was it just an excuse?" Suzaku said.

Lelouch thought for a moment, his eyes on the pillar. "I… you're right, Suzaku," he said slowly, "I have fought to protect everything I thought I wanted to protect. It was never just Nunnally."

Suzaku nodded. "If you're going to protect them," Suzaku said, "fulfill your promise – you need to do something."

"Yeah," Lelouch said.

"And what will you do?" Suzaku said. "What decision will you make, Lelouch?"

"I will make one I never thought of making," Lelouch replied. He turned away from Suzaku and looked at Charles and Marianne. "That decision is – that I… I…" he closed his eyes and clenched his fist before looking back up, his eyes blazing with determination, "I reject you! And I reject everything you believe! Why do people lie!? It isn't only because they struggle against each other! It's also because there's something that they're seeking! You wanna see a world without change. How stagnant! You could hardly call it life, the same as a world of memories. Just a world that's closed and completed! That's a place I wouldn't want to live in!"

"Lelouch!" Marianne said, rushing forward, "are you saying you're rejecting me as well?"

"That depends," Lelouch said, stepping out of her grasp, "is your desire the same as the emperor's, mother?"

"It will be so good to rejoin all the people from whom we've been separated!" Marianne said. "Be reunited with those who died! Make sure we'll all live on forever!"

"As I expected," Lelouch said contemptuously. "You both think this is for the best. But forcing your good intentions on others is no different from an evil act!"

"In time, people will come to accept it!" Charles said.

"That time will never come!" Lelouch replied, striking the ground with his foot. It reverberated, and Lelouch touched Suzaku's shoulder, causing him to be hit with a wave of memories – of a young Lelouch watching his mother bleed out, Nunnally in her arms, of Lelouch and Nunnally coming to Japan, of the three being separated during the war, of Lelouch and Nunnally going from safehouse to safehouse, to Lelouch meeting Shirley and Kallen and CC and Suzaku himself again, of seeing Shirley in the rain and Euphy on the island and shooting her and then seeing her again, in disguise, of a young couple on a park bench in China, of meeting Suzaku in the Kururugi shrine-

"The world you're speaking of will be kinder and gentler only for you!" Lelouch declared. Suzaku was drawn out of Lelouch's memories as Lelouch said, "the world that my sisters wish for is one in which kindness is extended to everyone, even strangers!"

Suzaku thought back to Euphy, how she'd never told him who Lelouch was, even as she thought she was dying. And how, after he'd known, she'd always refused to tell him what had happened until he forgave him…

"Let's say it's true!" Charles barked, "what of it!? There's nothing that can be done. The Ragnarok Connection has begun."

"You think so!?" Lelouch said, "I am Zero! The man who works miracles!"

"Your geass power will have no effect on me nor will it on anyone else here!" Charles roared.

"No! There's someone else here, isn't there? That's right!" he looked up at Jupiter, that was starting to meld into a great… thing, a great mashup of people, the longer Suzaku looked at it. "C's world is the will of mankind itself! And all men are not equal, remember those words!? They're your own and because of that, I'm sure you'll realize that my power will work!"

"You're a fool, Lelouch!" Charles roared, "God cannot be defeated by the power of the king!"

"I don't intend to defeat God!" Lelouch declared, "this is a request! A prayer! Yes. Now I know who I really am! God! Collective unconsciousness! Please, don't stop the march of time!"

Lelouch's other eye glowed red as well, and Jupiter stopped writhing as the pillar's surge stopped – and then Marianne and Charles began dissolving. "Lelouch, you ungrateful child!" Marianne snarled, rushing up, but Suzaku put his sword in her face. "We're only doing what they want – Nunnally and Euphy!"

"Nobody wants this! No one, and especially not Euphy!" Suzaku shouted at her.

"She was never going to be in danger again! You would always be together!" Marianne protested.

"Meaning you were going to force us to, right?" Suzaku said.

"You can't do this, boy!" Charles said, doing his best to approach Lelouch despite losing more and more of himself, "not against God nor all of humanity itself!"

He reached Lelouch's throat just as Lelouch said, "regardless, what I want is tomorrow!"

The sky pulsed and Charles was blasted backwards. The temple shuddered. The pillar began collapsing. "It can't be!" Marianne said.

"The thought elevator is falling!" Charles said, "the dream that we all shared!"

"Charles, just stop it," CC said, kneeling down "it was presumptuous of us to even attempt this."

"CC, we still bear the marks of geass," Charles said, reaching towards CC, "no matter what occurs, we-"

"This isn't a falsehood, father," Lelouch replied. "It's reality's response."

The bottom halves of Charles and Marianne were almost gone. "Darling, you…" Marianne said, turning to Marianne, and Charles cut in, "no, it's not possible! I'm supposed to be immortal! We're being absorbed? Consumed by C's world!?"

"But what about CC?" Marianne said, looking at CC, who was not being dissolved, "why isn't she disappearing as well? You supported this plan as much as we did!"

"Sorry," CC said, "but I finally realized. The love you have is only for yourselves."

"No, that's not true at all," Marianne said, shaking her head, "we love Lelouch and Nunnally very much."

"Do you have any idea what the meaning is behind Nunnally's beautiful smile?" Lelouch demanded.

"The meaning?" Marianne said, sounding dumbfounded.

"Why don't you understand!?" Lelouch said, "Nunnally was blinded, by you! My own sister is crippled! She knows… she knows that there were things in this world that she would never be able to do by herself. So her smile… Nunnally's smile… is her way of expressing gratitude!"

"Even now you spout that nonsense!" Charles snarled.

"I will not let you call that a lie – not even over my dead body!" Lelouch snarled back, "you've refused to face reality! Content to watch us from afar! Don't make me laugh! There's only one truth here: you, my own parents, you abandoned us!"

"You damned little fool!" Charles said, racing forward towards Lelouch again. Suzaku moved to get in the way.

"Suzaku, stay out of this," Lelouch snapped, and Suzaku shifted out of the way.

"Can't you understand that if you refuse me and what I offer, you will inherit his world, Schneizel's world!? Do not judge me, good and evil intentions are on each side of the same card! Even then, you still have-" Charles said.

"No matter what," Lelouch replied, "I will always reject the world you envision. Begone now!" Charles and Marianne finally dissolved. "CC, are you going as well?" Lelouch said, glancing at CC.

"When death comes, you want to at least be smiling, right?" CC said.

"Lelouch," Suzaku said, "I have a question for you, quickly. Why didn't you let Schneizel destroy Kamine Island?"

"It wouldn't fix the problem," Lelouch said, "FLEIJA couldn't kill my father. All it would do is make it harder for me to address it." Suzaku nodded.

CC looked between Suzaku and Lelouch and said, "I have a question for you two as well. What are you planning to do now?"

"Hm?" Suzaku said.

"You rejected Charles' plan. Instead, you chose reality and forward march of time. However…" CC said, looking at Lelouch.

"It seems that my future has already been decided," Lelouch said. "Your memories were sealed, though, you don't remember the plan that's been set up."

"What plan?" CC said.

"For me to become Emperor, and reform Britannia into the United States of Britannia," Lelouch said. "However, that whole plan hinges on… Suzaku." He turned to face Suzaku. "What do you think?"

Suzaku thought for a second. "You will become the emperor of Britannia," Suzaku said, "and I become your knight. That's the plan, right?"

"Yes," Lelouch said. He smiled and said, "a knight of the round can still be the personal knight of a princess, Suzaku."

Suzaku nodded. "Then, Lelouch," Suzaku said, holding out his hand, "I accept this plan."

Lelouch's smile grew and he took Suzaku's hand. "Very well," he said, "knight of zero."

A/N: You may notice that most of the confrontation between Charles and Lelouch is basically the same. This is partly because, originally, I didn't even show it. However, it was leaving a gap in the story, so I went back to address it. The part with Schneizel was also thoroughly different originally. It was really played more for laughs, which didn't fit with how I wanted to finish the story.

All that being said, several of the themes I've been developing over the course of the story have still appeared here. And most importantly, the real final moment of reconciliation between Lelouch and Suzaku is here.

One final note: Eberhardt's powers were foreshadowed way back in "Visits", but I'll say at a later date why I decided to make him what he is. I'm planning to do more "behind the scenes" as we go through this portion of the story, the most heavily revised portion.