"Hello viceroy" the woman in the line said. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine." Euphemia replied. "You are the informant?"

"Why so surprised?" The person asked.

"You are one of least likely people that would give me information on them." Euphemia answered. "Yet, you are talking to me on the phone now confirming that my siblings are alive."

"I have my reasons." The informant said.

"And those are?" Euphemia asked.

"None of your business." The informant answered. "Just know that I will keep my end of the deal as long as you keep yours and if ever you become a threat to them I will become your enemy."

"I will." Euphemia replied.

"Then goodbye princess." The informant bided, ending the call.

"In other news, an explosion levels an entire block in Narita killing more than eight hundred people both Britanian and Elevens and is still rising." The reporter said on tv. To his left shows the area that was decimated by the explosion. Where there used to be buildings now lay rubble with broken bodies trapped in between. "Officials and the military are keeping quiet about the situation. It is unknown whether this was done by a criminal or an act of terrorism."

"I'm worried" Suzaku said. "She's been in that room for three days now."

"It can't be helped Suzaku. She lost both her parents in one night." Lelouch said sadly. "Not to mention, about all the blood that's on her hands now. Just imagine the guilt and the sorrow that a person without training or experience would feel. All we can do is monitor the situation and be there for her when she needs us."

Three days before

Lelouch closed his awaiting his demise. A moment later he noticed that death did not come for him. He opened his eyes and found the bomb did not detonate but was still active.

"Shirley?" He called. She did not answer. All he could hear from the phone was crying. He then realized what had happened. "No! Why Shirley!? They're your parents! And those people!"

Again, he was answered with nothing. He fell to his knees at the sacrifice Shirley had made for him. The cross she must now carry. He cursed his own powerlessness. He tried to save her father but ended up killing both her parents in the process.

'What kind of sick joke is this?' He thought.

"What!?" Mao screamed while hyperventilating. "No! No! No! He was supposed to die! If you want to do something right, you have to do it yourself!"

He took a remote from his pocket and armed the detonator. Before he could push the button; however, the trigger was shot clean in half. Mao turned to find C.C. pointing a .45mm at him. He was then shot on both legs causing him to collapse on them.

"How?" Mao asked. "Without your code. I should be able to read your thoughts before you even get this close to me."

In response to his question, C.C. took a device from her pocket. A blue reversed geass symbol emanating from the middle. With his knowledge from delving into time travelers' memories, he understood.

"I see." Mao said. "You were preparing countermeasures for geass users such as me."

"Yes" C.C. replied.

"Why him!?" Mao shouted. "I would've done anything for you! Everything!"

"You couldn't" C.C. replied sadly. "My wish back then. You couldn't have granted."

"I could've done the same things he did!" Mao argued. "I could've taken his uncle's code and be with you for eternity!"

"What I wish for is not eternity, Mao." C.C. answered. "It is something that can come from nothing yet can transpose and take form."

"But I do!" Mao replied desperately.

"Yes and no" C.C. said. The canceller started malfunctioning. "I guess there are still improvements that can be done."

When the device was fully deactivated, for the first time in his mind he read C.C.'s mind. He was bombarded by emotion that he had never seen felt when he was with her. He was shown her memories, fears and desires. He was shown the depth of her resolve and the futility of his actions. With this enlightenment, his world caved in and he began to lose consciousness.

"I see, this is complete defeat C.C." Mao said. "No… Lelouch"

"Goodbye Mao" C.C. said. She shot the fainted Mao in the head and the heart. A few minutes later, she received a call from Kallen, Jeremiah and Sayoko confirming that they have rescued both Shirley and Lelouch.

"Ok" C.C. said. "I'll let Jeremiah handle the clean up then."

"Yes, milady" Jeremiah answered.

"I think it would be better for Shirley to stay with us for a while." C.C. said. "She's been through enough. We don't need the authorities harassing her when she's in this state."

"Yes, I'll talk to Milly." Kallen replied.

"Sayoko, any wounds on him?" C.C. worried.

"No milady; however, he is in shock." Sayoko answered. "He will need some time to recuperate."

"Take him home then." C.C. ordered.

"Thank you, Sayoko," the others said.

"You're welcome" Sayoko replied.

Back to the present

'Hmm… The knight of three was supposed to meet us here.' Marianne thought. 'He's usually the one who arrives first but he's really late.'

Anya was going through pictures of supposed memories that she could not remember. Out of frustration she threw the gadget and placed her hands on her head.

"Why!? Why!?" Anya asked in despair. "Why can't I remember anything!?"

'Poor girl' Marianne thought. 'But I am in your mind; therefore, you don't get memories for they become mine."

Gino entered the room in a dirty long coat and some ragged clothes. It was odd for a Britannian noble to be in such an attire. Marianne found it suspicious.

"Eleven clothes?" Anya asked.

"Uh…yeah" Gino answered hesitantly.

"But you're a Britannian," Anya pointed out with a stoic expression.

"I still want to understand them though." Gino said. "If we can understand each other then there wouldn't be any need for this pointless fighting."

'Hmm…. Noble as it sounds' Marianne thought. 'This sounds more of a secondary objective. What are you really after Lord Weinberg?'

"Well, let's forget about these depressing topics and go hangout in the mall or something?" Gino asked.

"Mall" Anya said. "Shiny things"

"Well then it's settled." Gino said energetically. "Let's go!"

"Shirley, I brought you some dinner if you're hungry." Lelouch said. He scanned the room to find the young woman had not moved from her spot the last time he saw her. Her lunch was also untouched. She was on the bed in fetal position. The moonlight was only illuminating parts of the room but one can tell that she had been crying. Seeing her in such a state, memories of all that happened to Shirley in the previous timeline flooded Lelouch's mind. He replaced the tray of food on the bedside table and sat beside Shirley on the bed. "I'm sorry."

"…"

"If it wasn't for me, none of this would've happened." Lelouch continued. He was not sure if the girl was listening to him but he needed to tell her nonetheless.

"…"

"If it wasn't for me, your parents would still be alive." Lelouch continued. "Mao would've never manipulated you because I have connections to C.C."

"…"

"I didn't want to involve you in this mess because I wanted to protect you from something like this." Lelouch continued. Tears falling from his eyes. "Haha some protector I am… Can't protect my, friends, can't protect my family, hell I can't protect a damn thing I care about without making a mess of things!"

"…"

"If only I wasn't born in the royal family, we could've had what you wished for." Lelouch ranted. "I guess if you were to look at things clearly. If I wasn't born then you could've been happy."

"…"

"If you want retribution, I'll happily accept my fate once I finish what I intend to do. I understand if your feelings have changed as well. I am the reason that all this happened to you after all. I'm sure that the others' feelings will change soon." Lelouch said in melancholy. "Who could learn to love a monster anyway."

He hugged Shirley and stood up to leave the room. Before he could open the door, a set of arms had snaked its way around his chest. Lelouch was frozen in place by the physical sensations that was assaulting his back and the warm tears that were drenching his shirt.

"Shirley?" Lelouch said in confusion.

"Please… Just let me be like this for a while." Shirley requested.

"Sure" Lelouch replied.

"I don't blame you for their deaths Lulu." Shirley said. "I'm sad that they're gone but I never once thought that it was your fault."

"I was the reason that this whole incident happened." Lelouch pointed out grimly. "Shirley, don't deny the fact that this is my fault because the target of Mao's plan had been me."

"I was the one who chose which trigger to push!" Shirley shouted. She spun Lelouch around so that he could see her face. "Mao was the one who instigated that incident not you!"

"I…was…" Lelouch tried to argue but was silenced when Shirley forcibly pressed her lips on his. The force slammed Lelouch's back to the door.

"Lelouch is everything alright in there?" Nunally's voice coming from the other side of the door. Lelouch went pale and tried to get Shirley of him but was met with an angry look. Shirley placed her hand on top of Lelouch's mouth immediately after she separated from him.

'Damnit she's surprisingly strong for her size.' Lelouch thought as he helplessly tried to get Shirley off him.

"Nunna, sorry but I just need to talk to Lelouch for a few minutes." Shirley said.

"Oh Shirley… I'm glad that your feeling better." Nunnally said. "It was heartbreaking to see you in that state.

"Would you mind making sure that no one disturbs us." Shirley asked.

"No problem" Nunnally responded.

"Um… Can you make that a few hours? This may take a while." Shirley said.

"Hmm… Oh, ok" Nunnally replied. "Don't strain yourself too much big brother."

'Did she just feed me to the wolves? Well wolf in this case but Nunnally! Why!?' Lelouch thought. Nunnally's humming becoming more distant. Shirley removed her hand from Lelouch's mouth

"Shirley, this doesn't feel right. You're not in the right state of mind and…" Lelouch said but was again cut off when Shirley pressed lips against his.

"I don't think you're a monster either." Shirley stated after breaking off. She placed her head on his chest. Tears still falling from her eyes.

"Say that after you met the entire family." Lelouch joked and was met with a slap on the face.

"I don't care!" Shirley shouted. "Even if your family is from the pits of hell itself. I don't care."

'Well I don't really see Nunnally coming from there.' Lelouch thought.

"What I care about is you!" Shirley screamed trying to make him understand. "Even if you're born from a royal family. No matter what happened. It still hasn't changed."

"There are many things that I must do. There were many things I failed to do. There are sins that I must atone for. I cannot give you a happy life." Lelouch said. "The fates have already damned me. I do not want you to bear such a burden. Please Shirley, leave me and forget about me. I have nothing to offer you but suffering and death."

"What if it's a mortal sin, denying the fates their play?" Shirley responded with resolution. "For my love, I'd gladly go to hell."

Lelouch fell silent. The girl had displayed a side which he had never seen in her before. Her eyes are a little faded from grief but fire can be seen in them. It seems that the lost of her parents had fanned the flames of her resolutions. It felt like the girl gained a decade's worth of experience within the span of three days.

"I see" Lelouch said. He placed his hand on her cheek and smiled. "I'm sorry… I didn't take your feelings into consideration. I was being selfish."

"Here is the report on the mission." Kanon said. He handed Schneizel a tablet containing the information of the topic.

"I see, it could not be helped then." Schneizel said after reading the contents. He handed the tablet back to his manservant and continued for the hangar exit. "Has the Camelot Unit arrived yet?"

"Yes, your highness" Kanon replied. "They are also very eager to see you."

"Oh" Schneizel said. "Best not keep them waiting then."

They continued toward the lab where the unit has been stationed while they waited. Upon arrival, Schneizel noticed something odd but before he could ask anything. Lloyd had run up to him and bombarded him with questions.

"Hello Prince Schneizel, it's very nice to see you're doing well." Lloyd said. He then immediately scanned behind the prince, expecting something to be there. "So, where is it?"

"Where is what?" Schneizel questioned Lloyd's question.

"The Gwaine" Lloyd answered. "It was supposed to be coming with you was it not?"

"As you can see, it is not with us." Schneizel answered.

"Huh, then, where is it?" Lloyd asked.

"The secret transportation mission that was supposed to bring the Gwaine here was leaked." Kanon answered. He handed Lloyd the tablet from earlier. "It is unknown how it was leaked but it was commandeered and taken by the Black Knights. According to Princess Euphemia, it was an ambush that consisted of several cruiser sized submarines and submersible carrier."

"Then how are we going to get my Lancelot back?" Lloyd asked disappointed. His last hope of getting his baby was taken away.

"I was meaning to ask that." Schneizel said. "What did happen to the Lancelot?"

"You see your highness, it was taken during the Kyoshiro Todoh's prison break." Cecile explained. She came with a tray of tea and served some to everyone. "It was defeated by the Black Knight's red knightmare and was captured."

"Then, can we not build another from the spare parts?" Schneizel said.

"I would love to." Lloyd said. "But we can't."

"How so?" Schneizel asked.

"Due to the recent events." Cecile explained. "We have exhausted the spare parts that we had."

"That's why I was hoping that you would lend us the Gwaine." Lloyd said. "To get my dear Lancelot back. So much for that idea."

"Lloyd!" Cecile shouted.

"What? They don't have the Gwaine and we don't have the means to make a new Lancelot." Lloyd said.

"It is alright Miss Croomy." Schneizel said. "What Lloyd is saying is true. It cannot be helped."

"But Prince Schneizel" Cecile said.

"It cannot be helped." Schneizel said. He turned around to leave the room but before he exited. "I hereby decommission the Camelot Unit."

"What!?" Lloyd shouted.

"May I ask the reason Prince Schneizel?" Cecile said.

"One for creating a unit that was defeated by an enemy unit; therefore, getting commandeered and leaking secrets to the Black Knights." Schneizel responded. "Two, losing such a valuable technology without any means to recreate or create an improved version of it. It was unfortunate but in the future, I believe the talent would have a more mature nature."

He left the room. Lloyd was silent. He was clenching his fist. His whole body was shaking. He bit his lip hard enough to make it bleed.

"Lloyd?" Cecile worried.

"We got fired." Lloyd said. "It's all my fault."

"It was inevitable." Cecile said. "Cheer up. We at least have our other job."

"But we won't get my Lancelot back." Lloyd replied. He looked like a child who was just scolded by his parents and had his favorite toy taken from him because he did something wrong. Cecile could not help but feel empathetic and maternal for the man in front of her.

"You can make a better one." Cecile suggested.

"But without the original frame I would not be able to recreate the chassis." Lloyd rebutted. "I doubt the military would also release the research to me on the grounds that it is my work."

"…"

"Damn you Zero!" Lloyd screamed. "Damn you Schneizel!"

"Everyone we have a new student joining our class today." The teacher said. "She was recently made an Honorary Britanian."

There were a lot of talking and amongst the student. Some were wary, some were angry, some like Nunnally were curious as to who it was. Even if they were given an Honorary Britanian standing, they should know what awaits those that came from the number system in a Britanian school.

"Let me introduce to you." The teacher said. Light footsteps came from the door. Mixed reactions can be discerned from the cheers and gasp. "Miss Kaguya Sumeragi"