Chapter 5: Euphemia

(7 years ago)

Rai woke up in his bed, he looked outside at the sky and yawned. "Mom?" He said seeing if she was around, as usual she wasn't.

"Rai..." A shy voice says peeking around the corner.

"Anya? What are you doing in here?"

"N-Nothin," Anya says with a blush hiding her face from him. Anya was still very new to living in the Palace and Rai was her only friend. Rai gets up and gets dressed, he wasn't sure what to do today especially if Cornelia was around Euphemia he wouldn't have a chance to talk to her but he was determined to try.

Rai walks out with Anya behind him, "Don't make too much noise alright?" He says and she nods. He looks around the corner to see Lelouch playing a chest match with Clovis again, as usual Clovis had no idea how to beat Lelouch it almost seemed pointless to watch anymore. Euphemia was watching on Clovis side, Lelouch asked her to maybe help him sometimes, maybe their 2 minds together could beat him.

"What are you guys doing?" Rai and Anya jumped seeing little Nunnaly come from behind, "Why don't you just go over and watch?" she asks.

"Well, they look kinda busy, ya know?" Rai says trying to come up with a good excuse but Nunnaly laughs at it.

"Come on silly," Nunnaly pushes Rai out as he falls over into the chest table.

"Ah! You ruined the game!" Clovis says.

"I think it's better that way, it was kinda embarrassing. Thanks Rai," Euphy offers Rai her hand to get up.

He blushes and takes it, Lelouch sets the table back up. "Since you ruined the game, I want you as my opponent Rai."

Rai twitched, "Uh..."

"Don't worry Rai, Lelouch will go easy on you, I want to see how this turns out!" Euphy says, Rai wasn't able to deny her so he sat down at the table. They began to play as Rai started pinpointing some of Lelouch's moves, they relied on traps. He placed a pawn near by and in 3 turns he'd have the queen but on the 2nd turn Lelouch would have his biship come from across the map. If Rai wasn't paying attention he would have fallen for all of Lelouch's traps, Rai could also tell he was impressed with how well he avoided him.

He pressed on until the end, he was a moment from victory as Lelouch had checked him and won the match. "I'm impressed, you've come closest to beating me other than Schnizel." Rai knew Schnizel was the only person Lelouch had never beaten, he played day and night to one day beat his older brother. He needed a real challenge and that is what Rai had brought to the table.

After the match Euphy takes Rai to the garden, "You did really well!"

"Wish I had won though."

"Well, it's been a long time since I've seen Lelouch enjoy himself so much doing it, I think it was a great match! Had me on the edge of my seat!"

"You were standing," Rai laughed at her. They both sat, Rai felt himself falling in love with sweet Euphemia every moment he was along side her. She smiled at him and sat a bit closer, they both laid down on the field of grass. He was happy, he was content just laying there with her just for a moment.

(Special Zone Cermony)

Lelouch takes off his mask and speaks to Euphemia, Rai makes his way through the back by using his geass. Kallen notices there's no sign of Rai so she believes he may have gone to be part of the special zone. After the short talk Euphy is able to convince Lelouch with ease to run the special zone of Japan together, Lelouch was overwhelmed by the love shown by Euphy at every turn just as Rai had.

"You could not," Euphemia says as Lelouch speaks.

"Yeah, in fact if I told you to ki-"

"Lelouch." Rai says as he walks out from the shadows and Lelouch is stopped.

"Rai what are you doing here?" Lelouch asked.

"I knew it was you, and I also know you'd give in to Euphy's request, what our goal is must be met."

"Rai it doesn't have to be this way, we can free the people of Japan, even if we can't do anymore."

"So you don't care about your mother anymore?"

"What?"

"You don't care who's resposible for your mother's death?" Rai says.

"Your mother's death?" Euphy says.

"The people, have to come first..."

"Yes, I agree." Rai says as he points the gun at Lelouch.

"What are you doing?"

"I choose the world over Japan." Rai shoots Leouch in the side making a good wound without making it fatal. "You have no choice now."

Lelouch grits his teeth but he knows he's right, Lelouch stumbles out.

"Why did you do that Rai?"

"The end will justify the means," Rai says unable to look at her, he needed to keep himself in check as best he could. "You have to get out of here, once he goes out there it will be known that you led Zero into a trap and the Black Knights will hunt you down."

"I can't just run away..." Euphy says standing firm.

"Damn it Euphy you have to go!" As he says that a shot is fired behind Euphemia, Rai watches as she falls to the ground. "Euphy!" He sees a bright grin in the shadow as the man runs, Rai chases him and the military runs in.

Rai follows the man to a dead end with his gun, "Don't you move!"

"This is what you wanted isn't it? Euphemia shoots Zero and Zero shoots Euphemia, both Japan and Britannia will once again be at war, with the slaughter of thousands on your hands."

"Who are you?!" Rai yells trying to fight his anger, his mind races as he sees Euphemia hit the ground in his mind.

He takes his goggles off, "Mao."

"...Mao?"

"Let's chat."

Act 2: Final Chapter: The Collasping Stage of Zero