A/N:Time for the next chappie of this story! Expect a quick chapter today! Let's see how many alerts and faves there are for this story now...hmm, 182 favorites and 179 alerts. WOW, keep it up, guys! 106 reviews and 85,306 hits! This story is even mentioned on google search, though it's mentioned by its old name. I changed the name since it sucked. Hopefully, I can write my way out of the corner this story has taken me, but since it's my most popular, I'll try to update as much as I can! No, this Alice is not a giant rabbit wielding a scythe.

Chapter 21 The ebbing current of despair

A blond-haired girl frowned as she studied her cell phone. She hadn't heard from her best friend Nunnally for a while, so she decided to contact her and see how the girl was doing. Sure enough, it turned out that her older brother had been rediscovered by the Royal Family and had been swallowed up by their regime again.

Alice didn't have a very high opinion of the nobles, but Nunnally was different. She was her closest friend, and didn't even consider her a cursed being...like most of the humans in the world did. Her red eyes opened for a moment as she pondered over how distorted and strange her world had become since she had met Nunnally.

She had transferred to Ashford Academy in order to try to maintain a pretense of leading a normal life-which was a contradiction in and of itself, since she was attached to something that made her less than human-and had found very few friends and admirers. Not that she was surprised-many Britannians tended to be too absorbed in their own wealth to really notice or care about others besides themselves, while the Numbers were too busy trying to stay alive to do anything else.

Which was why she was surprised when a blind girl in a wheelchair, of all people imaginable, was the one who had come up to her and introduced herself and asked her what her name was. Someone had noticed her, someone actually cared enough to invite her into the human world of society, and away from the whispers and cold harsh stares of her society.

As a child, her parents had feared her, called her a monster, called her inhuman-they had even thrown her out on the streets and left her to die. Alone and lost she had wandered, until she had finally met someone who had promised her hope in the form of the curse known as Geass. Like a fool, she had naïvely accepted and then her world had become darker rather than brighter, as she'd hoped for.

But then the angel who cloaked herself in the disguise of darkness had appeared, beckoning her to come and see her other fellow angels. Then her life had actually begun to shine for once, until a few months ago, when she had been called back out onto the battlefield. Her employers-or dictators-had told her that she was needed again for service. Regardless of how she felt about it-orders were orders, and she suppressed any thoughts or complaints.

"Alice, is something wrong?" The voice of the angel on the other end said, as pure as it had ever been since the day they had first met each other.

Alice shook her head, trying hard to rid herself of the memories, of the things she must not remember. "No, it's nothing. Are you worried about your brother? I can tell that he's all you think about, Nunnally."

Her friend paused. She could only imagine what expression was on her sweet little face. Anxiety, perhaps? Fear? Anger? Terror? She could only imagine what she must be feeling right now.

She continued speaking, deciding to comfort her lonely and afraid friend, because she too also felt the same way, alone, afraid, and dejected. She never wanted Nunnally to feel that way. Nunnally had a brother who would give the world for her, she had friends who were loyal until the end, unlike Alice, who had no one.

"Yes, but I can't help but wonder if you're the one who's hurting, not me."

She did it again. How did she know when someone was hurting emotionally? It wasn't like she had a geass-she hadn't told her a thing about Geass or Eden Vital-a sweet girl should not be tainted by something like that-or did she possess one?

"Nunnally, I'm just fine. When will your brother come back home?"

More silence ensued. "Nunnally?" She asked again, hoping her friend would answer.

The voice was soft and still, only this time laced with tears. "I don't know anymore. Big Brother lies to me. He says he'll be home and yet he never shows up. Where is he at, Alice? Does he even care anymore?"

Alice wondered how long Nunnally had been keeping these negative feelings stored up inside of her. Had she felt this way all her life and hidden it behind a smile, or had she always voiced her feelings? Something told her that her first guess was right. Nunnally wasn't the sort of person to burden others with her feelings.

That was also a problem. "Nunnally, I'm here for you. Lelouch hasn't forgotten about you and he still cares."

Sobs could still be heard, but she sounded happier. "Are you sure?"

Alice winked. "Am I ever wrong?"

"Thank you for listening, Alice." Then Alice hung up, unwilling to say any more to her friend.

If Alice truly wasn't human, why did she feel like crying just now?

Schneizel studied the chess board, staring at some of his pieces. He knocked the queen off of the table, and watched as it fell to the floor. "Ah, dear sweet Euphie, you have outlived your usefulness. I really do not care whether you live or die, dear sister."

Euphemia was so easy to manipulate. Others, such as Lelouch, were harder to control, and as such, they had to be, well...one could say, whipped into shape. These things took time. Manipulativeness was something one had to be born with. It was a gift...he thought.

"Lelouch...Zero, how will you two fare against each other in battle? I look forward to the day my interesting brother brings home Zero's head."

He smirked as he threw the piece in the fire and watched it burn. "Soon, Euphemia will only be a memory in people's minds. No one will worry about her anymore. This Zone was all a joke."

Euphemia couldn't believe how much her dreams had fallen apart. Why hadn't it worked? Why the heck was everyone killing even when she proposed a better, more mature solution? Were humans really that immature?

Her purple eyes widened upon seeing his number printed on her cell phone. She picked it up and thought about answering before shutting it. She heard it ring again and answered.

"Euphie, I need help. I'm about to be captured by the Knights of the Round!"

Euphemia frowned. Everything had gone wrong due to Lelouch, yet a part of her told her not to doubt in her brother. She loved him, after all. She had to believe in her brother.

"...Lelouch, I must know something." She spoke softly.

Lelouch seemed to be listening, if the static on the other end was a good indication.

"...Do you see me as a tool, or do you love me?"

Lelouch gasped. "What?"

Euphemia continued. "You heard me. You've used me and practically murdered everyone due to your stupid publicity stunt. What am I supposed to do now?"

Lelouch sighed. "Go into hiding with Nunnally. Better yet, just stay with Suzaku. He'll keep you safe. Yes, of course I love you. You're my sister and my closest friend. Would I ever want to harm you?"

Euphemia smiled. "But, I meant more than that-"

Lelouch blushed deeply. "Ahem, never mind, let's change the subject-hey, stop looking at me like that. Don't you take the phone-mo-er, Anya, give that back!"

Euphemia raised an eyebrow at the odd exchange over the phone line.

"Hello there, Euphie-muffin! How've you been, darling? Is Cornball still doing well?"

"Do I know you?" Euphemia stammered, a little shocked at how she knew those personal-and embarrassing nicknames.

"Know me? I'm a member of the Knights of the Round!"

"Give me the phone back!"

Lelouch was back on a moment later. "Euphemia, hide with Suzaku until further notice. I'm going to have to get out of here. First, I must change out of my Zero garb and into my royal attire."

"Lelouch, won't that attract suspicion?" Euphemia asked.

"Someone else is already playing the role of Zero. I just need to give her the signal and then she'll help me out." Lelouch said as he took his Knightmare off the main road and to a secluded spot...until they were ambushed by a white and gold Knightmare.

"Zero, what have you done with Euphie?" A familiar voice screamed.

'Suzaku, of all times, why must you choose now to interfere?'

"Ah, if it isn't Kururugi Suzaku, the foolish Knight of Justice. The one who foolishly serves the Britannian Empire, the relic of forgotten ages and a travesty for the world to see. Now, if you'll just excuse me, I must go find Prince Lelouch."

"I won't let you hurt Lelouch!" Suzaku cried and then charged at his foe, knocking his Knightmare over. Lelouch realized then that he was trapped. He had no choice but to surrender. He stepped out of the Knightmare, still wearing his mask.

"What an honor it is to meet you, Fool." Lelouch taunted.

"Take off that mask now." Suzaku demanded.

"Sorry, I can't." Lelouch said, praying that something would happen to deter his friend from unmasking him. The one who ruined that moment was 'Anya' who chose that moment to remove his mask, exposing him to Suzaku.

Suzaku gaped from inside the Lancelot as he stared at the face of Zero. "L-Lelouch?"

'Dammit, this isn't good.'