'Ah…' the demon king mentally sighed slowly delving into his reverie. Visions from the past day come to him. He remembers how he had arranged the floats into the carriers. He vividly remembers his comrades, hard at work preparing for the execution; the first set of prisoners and how he smiles at them one last time as they board the first carrier aircraft; how Jeremiah ordered the soldiers around, setting them into the second carrier plane along with the Knightmare frames and various other vehicles, all the while gazing down upon them; his talk with Suzaku about the sword he had left in the Knightmare frame he was to pilot; how he enjoyed C.C.'s company the night before today; how he went over the last bits of the Zero Requiem to the three, handing them their parts once more; the feast they enjoyed one last time; Suzaku's awe at the re-tailored Zero suit; the final time Lelouch thought about his life. All were precious memories to him, nothing more, and nothing less.
'I cannot say that life has been good to me, but rather maybe it had been too great for one such as I could bear. But if it is of any consolation, the memories that I have are worth more than this pathetic life.'
The pain the king feels now constantly breaks him away from his thoughts.
"Le-Lelouch…" says the man in front of him; his killer.
The king's eyes are slowly betraying his mind, for when he takes a glance at his assassin, he sees him as he once was; the arrogant boy whom he met years ago, the one whom caused more torture to him than anyone, his first true friend. But that is not how he is supposed to be. He is not supposed to be that same boy, and neither should the king be as he was before; the banished prince whom shouldered nothing but past aggression, the likes of which created the demon he is now. Or rather, created the demon he was portraying.
The assassin knows it, or rather infers it from his own thoughts. The king, the demon he will have killed, was nothing more than the angel in disguise.
The demon king does not look at it like he does. He knows that he was no longer pure in anyone's eyes, especially in his own.
And from doing so, only one of the two feels regret for everything.
The king knows his body is screaming to his mind. He feels every inch of his body slowly panicking from the sudden realization of the growing pain. A part of his mind urges him fervently to find a way to survive; plug the wound, stop the bleeding, anything to stay alive. In a way, he does want that to happen, but only to have time to feel the last bit of closure from his own affirmation of the acts he had committed.
'Let me…just remember…a bit more' he states to himself. Considerably, his mind does allow the messages to cease. His gasps soon quiet down, the blood only flowing a little bit now. The only thing that doesn't stop is the presence of numbness within his own body, starting from his legs and up to his wound. His mouth begins to move slowly, giving voice to words he must now give to his killer.
"This is…also a punishment for you…"
The king's legs begin to go limp as his head descends next to the shoulders of his assassin; an act that terrifies and intrigues his killer. He can hear the words through the mask he wears, tears not stopping as he pays witness to the last few words that his liege can give.
"You…you will now bear the sin of having only one identity; justice. You will no longer bear the name of Suzaku Kururugi…"
The words are harsh, but truthful. Zero slightly quivers as the king's hand, stained in his own blood, reaches and touches against the side of the mask. He knows that without it, he would be holding his face; his cheek would have been covered in the blood of his friend. He shivers at the notion for a moment, gripping the sword in an iron clasp.
"You will sacrifice your own happiness for the world and its people…forever…"
The killer cannot help but to harden his worn out soul with the command of his king. He is silent, knowing that if he were to let go now, then his friend would be left to his own death. So he holds fast in place, knowing that the more time he spends not moving causes his friend more pain. Time begins to slow significantly, allowing the two more time to reminisce.
The king sighs, his eyes fixed towards the approaching emptiness. He softly smiles once more.
"I am…sorry to have caused you so much pain…"
The assassin hears the soft words and replies. "Don't apologize…"
"No, I have to…for everything that has happened…" The king can give only more gasps. "When I look back at those days…I can't help but…"
Zero sees it; he can see the way the king's hand is trembling softly. He hears it; the voice of the king is becoming fainter. He knows it; death is slowly grasping his beloved friend. Yet all he can do, once again, is stand by as the man in front of him slowly gives himself to death. He knows what it feels like to see such a person die, and for so long he has wished that he would go like that too, before those whom he had cared for, and for those whom he cared about. Sadly that isn't the case anymore, because with this last act of true loyalty, as a follower and friend, he can no longer have that death. For after this, he is needed alive to stand as a symbol of justice, the righteousness that the demon king has so greedily taken away from the world.
"It was all…for her…and her world…then the world itself…"
The king, he notices, is speaking incoherently, drunk on the feelings of satisfaction and morbid pain. He wishes he could cease this senseless act and retreat back to when things weren't so complicated. He wishes that he could say 'stop talking' or that he could tell him that 'everything will be fine'. But he lets his friend continue, hoping that he could silence the shouts from his heart to stop.
"Heh…death is…cruel…" A small cough emerges from the king, but much to Zero's surprise, there is no blood to follow. He figures that the king is still holding on to his life as they speak.
A thought escapes from his mouth. "Don't worry, it will be over soon." It is cold, he knows, but it amazes him that he would let it slip through despite the time. He knows that there are other words he could/want to say to the king, but maybe he wanted to be the one to have the last laugh by speaking in a manner that would surprise anyone.
But the king sees Zero's logic, and can't help but to put on a miniscule smile and chuckle. He feels his body slowly being engulfed in sheer cold; up to where the blow was struck. He sees the many faces of the world once more; awed by a sight they cannot comprehend. He knows it to be true, and so he gathers himself up for one last burst of strength.
"Lelouch vi Britannia commands you…take care of the world…"
"This geass…" states Zero as he begins to readjust his grip once more, tears now blinding his vision. "…I shall accept…"
He sees the king's hand drop away from his face, and in one swift motion, rips the sword from his body. The king senses the sudden jolt of numbness as the sword, that severed his life and spine, is withdrawn. A few droplets of blood, from the tip of the sword, fall onto the platform as the king makes his way forward. Zero moves out of the way, in a manner similar, ironically, to that of a knight and his king.
He notices the sudden loss of his senses; from the beginning he could not smell his triumph, when he was stabbed the last thing he could taste was the bit of blood that was forced upward, the sense of touch soon was lost when the sword pulled away. As it stands, he knows that he has fallen forward, comically tumbling down the slope in a most undignified manner, but he does not feel the pain of his limbs as they hit against the float, nor does he feel the skin from the wound slowly pulling upward, causing a red streak of blood to form halfway down. He knows, however, that he has stopped, but can no longer tell which way is which, only that where he faces is forward. He regretfully smiles at himself and his actions. His sense of hearing stops before his sister, whom he knows is in front of him, can speak the words; though he knows that her mouth is moving. And at last, staring into the sky, as he used to do back when he was younger, his sight begins to darken; colors begin to fade to black and white, the light no longer showing upon him; his vision is lost. His world ends now and nothing but the numb, cold embrace of death awaits the martyred king.
"I…destroy the world…and…create…them…a-…new…"
There is a noticeable pause as the air surrounding the area begins to shift. Stunned silence is evident and all that could be heard are the cries of a little girl at the center of it all.
The assassin, Zero, knows what must come next, and so he whips the blood off of the blade and stands triumphantly upon the throne of the now slain king. He sees many things now, but what catches his eyes and pricks his ears are not only the cries of the girl in front of him, but of the clarion call a dissenter bellows from the building beside the procession. This was the turning point of the world, and the ones who have once believed the demon king now play witness to the effects of the plan.
In an instant, the world is filled with joy and celebration, mixed with frantic disbelief of the event that had taken place. People shout and rejoice as they rush the scene, feeling freedom once more from the hands of a tyrant.
All the while, Zero gazes onward, toward some unknown source, hoping that within this happy chaos, no one would suspect that it was a plan. He does not pay attention to the prisoners, though he has seen their faces. Disbelief was ever present upon them, but being too far from them, doesn't know what it really means. He can guess the assumptions, but that is all he can do, and allow.
The Orange Knight, the second follower of the demon king, glances at the crowds. He quickly glances back at the throne and sees Zero still standing. He knows what must be done as well, and so he continues with his part. Raising his hand to his ear, he gives the orders that his master gave him.
"All units retreat. We must withdraw now!"
Most of the soldiers hear the order, but only a few even follow it. Those who do, including the ones who've abandoned their Knightmare Frames, can only withdraw so far before the spell of the king wears off. Most, if not all in total, of the soldiers begin to scatter about, leaving the area immediately.
The Orange Knight however does not mind that they do so, and retreats in turn.
Zero sees this and waits. He must wait now until the last condition is accomplished. And when it comes, it comes down hard. The chants of the people ring in his ears as he looks forward at the sky.
"Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero!"
These shouts for the savior shake him to his core, searing into his flesh the irremovable truth of his deeds. It is only made more devastating as the cries of the girl become just as loud. But he knows that he must bear it all one last time, before executing his final order.
With the Orange Knight gone, and the chants continuing, the conditions have been met. 'It is time for me to withdraw from the area' he states to himself. The crowd is stunned when they see Zero running from the scene, but they pay no mind to halt his path. They try to gather and praise him as he runs, but he does not allow them to catch up; rather, he cannot do so. He clears half a mile without any fatigue; he has none to feel as his senses numb to what must happen next. Far beyond the sight of any civilian, Zero turns a corner and sees his target; his Knightmare Frame.
It doesn't take him long until he is piloting the machine. He surveys the area once more, using the various cameras and sensors of the suit to detect any signs of life; none have been found. He mentally sighs and thinks it impossible for any one to match his own speed a few moments ago, feeling slightly grateful at his own boastful intent. But shaking it off, he grips the controls and begins the final part of the plan.
Down the path, Zero sees evidence of life once more; the crowd has dispersed slightly after some time. Surprisingly, as he reaches the heart of the procession, Zero sees that most of the prisoners have been freed, including his former cousin, his sensei, and the only pilot who could match him in combat. He sees that they are unbounded, limbs free to move; however, their faces still show disbelief at the sight of one Knightmare coming towards them. Zero shifts his view towards the main float. In a surprising display, two people were upon the float; the dissenter and the little girl, whom had been upon the body of the king for some time, grieving. The Knightmare slows to a stop right beside the two.
He is at a moral crossroad now; whether to obey his liege and retrieve the body, forcibly taking it away from the girl, or to betray his king once more just to allow her some time to grieve her loss. His heart is torn by the decision, but his brain knows of the answer. Logically, he notes that the longer he stays the more chances he will be discovered under the hood. Of course, he wants to no longer cause pain to any person, especially to one that he has known for so long.
However, it is only because of the realization that he is no longer Suzaku Kururugi that he must drive forward with his part. He is dead to the world, so why should he conflict orders with old emotions?
His mind clears away the doubt and fear that was present, and raises his free arm and moves it towards the two. He remembers the reaction in total; the dissenter notices his presence and, presumably fearing the worst, lunges towards the girl. Her arm is grasped around the girl's waist as she pulls her away. Zero doesn't see the girl's face; he cannot look at her as he does what he had been instructed to do. All he can see is the frail little hand, which had grasped his liege's own hand, being wrought from its hold as the two pull away from the danger that might have been. But the danger does not come, for the hand had not come for them, but for the king. Zero had taken his friend's body into his grasp and for a moment, could only gaze at the sin he had committed. He takes no time to glance around at the people below and soon, with nothing left but an empty feeling of victory and shame, heads down the final path to which his friend will be taken to.
He does not see how this act affects the people around him. He is blind to their reactions, but he figures how it may be, which makes the feelings a bit more grave. All he can see is the goal that he had been instructed to reach.
Zero knows that what has happened may have been the vainest act committed not only from his friend, but of the people. He sees them cheering the Knightmare on, as if thinking that it will do the deed they so willingly want to commit. They sneer and hiss at the dead king even now, he assumes. But he cannot stop his advance, for he has one job left to do before resigning himself to his liege's final command.
Halfway to the destination, with no one around, Zero sees a small, open-top jeep fast approaching to the his side. He does not need to glance at the jeep to know who had been driving. As the top of the Knightmare opens, he sees the face of the Orange Knight in the driver's seat. The arm that had been holding the body stretched over to the back seat of the jeep, slowly placing the king in the vehicle. Zero then proceeds with the next part of the plan; setting a self-destruction timer upon the Knightmare and leaving with the Orange Knight in the jeep. The two ride off, not minding the shock of the explosion that had gone off a few minutes later.
The two rode in silence for some time, not wanting to distract each other from the objective that they must accomplish. Whilst the Knight drove, Zero could only gaze back at the body of his friend, lying on his back, slightly staining the seats with his blood. It was no surprise that they were silent up until they reached the landing zone where the procession had started; parking the car beside one of the big carriers. Not much to their surprise, the area was vacant, with no life in sight. When the engine stopped, the Orange Knight searched the area one more time; still no sign of life. Signaling Zero, he exited the jeep and moved toward the back seat. With some remorse, he pulled the body of the emperor out carefully as not to spill his blood on the suit. If he were still his old self, he would have taken much better care in respecting his friend.
The Orange Knight, at this time, explored the various carrier crafts, noticing odd switches, peculiarly standing in the open space, that were in each of the cockpits; two in total. This would be the last things the king leaves to him. Collecting them, he ventured towards his master's own private jet. In it, he moved toward a compartment on the side of the interior. When he opened it, his eyes grew wide at the sight of a rectangular coffin; unlike the ones for royalty, which held the royal coat of arms, this one was as plain as any other, only comprised of simple wood. Inside his conscious, it pained him dearly to think that his master would soon be in this mediocre casket, so much so that it made him shed a tear. Wiping the inconvenience away, the Orange Knight had started to wheel the casket out.
Zero had seen him coming into view. Opting to bring some dignity to his friend, he lifted him, one arm under his back and the other supporting behind the knees. He carried him thusly towards the Orange Knight, noticing the box that he must place the king's body in. The Knight pulled the top off and Zero then laid the body, crossing his arms before the cover had been placed. Of course, Zero had taken the king's cape, in exchange for the royal sword, and placed it into the jeep. There was no time to grieve in the open; they knew that it would not help but to worsen their names if they had been discovered.
The Orange Knight and Zero wheeled the casket into the main jet, and with one more scan of the area, they withdrew into it themselves. Zero proceeded to the cockpit and with the knowledge that his friend gave him, charted a course to Kaminejima using the autopilot. The rumble of the engine was evident as the pair took a seat in the chairs provided. Zero gazed out through the front windshield while the knight turned to watch the casket. The door closed and soon the jet was beginning to lift off. The knight began to finger the switches within his left hand. When the jet was safely off the ground, he placed the switches in each hand and with his thumbs, pressed down upon the buttons.
The carrier planes soon exploded into a firestorm, burning brightly as their fuel tanks lit up. The royal cape that Zero had planted in the jeep was set ablaze, flying out of the truck and onto the ground. The pristine material that was ruined with blood now stained with scorch marks and embers. Such big explosions could be seen from far away, but they did not mind. The comrades were flying low, trying to avoid detection. When out at sea, the two heaved a sigh, ones mixed with relief and slight despair that the deed was done. Even on the ride to Kaminejima, they still did not speak, feeling that words no longer meant anything to them. Then again, maybe the two were afraid; fearing that what may come out will not be kind no matter what the context was.
'Death has that appeal…' they think silently.
In half an hour, the jet finally arrived upon the shores of Kaminejima. For the Orange Knight, this place was tragically nostalgic; a turning point in his life that made him who he was now. His partially mechanized body, his failure at the hands of C.C., the last time he would pursue his former liege as an enemy. All of which made him feel slightly reminiscent.
For Zero however, it had been a place of great significance, one built upon the turning points to his whole life after his father's death. For him, it was the place that reminded him of his own will; two of those times confronting his best friend and his sins, with betrayal on his mind. It did not comfort him to feel like that, but it was the only way to shield him from the horror of what this place will soon become.
Another jet had been upon the same beach as they were; knowing who it belonged to, the pair continued with the plan.
The two soon stepped out, wheeling down the coffin from the back. It was difficult to maneuver through the sand, but that was nothing compared to the rocky ground that soon challenged their advance. They endured bumps and turns, avoiding boulders and ditches, all the while trying to keep the casket from falling and/or opening. The entrance to the cave up ahead was dark; no light penetrating deep enough to reveal the perils that might impede them. Deciding that nothing would stop them, they entered the cave.
The sight awed the knight, while Zero had begun to remember the times he was in here; times he would never forget. The two caught sight of the remains of a door, one which stood bearing the insignia of the geass power. The two ascended up the small flight of stairs and, at the top, was greeted by the last accomplice in the plan; the Green Witch. They were not surprised that she had been carrying her signature plush doll.
Her face was pale at the sight of the coffin, but she knew what to expect from the plan. Indeed, though her face was pale, her expression was stone-like now more than ever. Her eyes were fixed upon the top of the casket, her heart beating faster at the sight. She had seen coffins of all kinds; regal, modern, common, crude, and even those buried without coffins. And though this was the most plain-looking, she could not help but wonder if the casket was not fit for the king to be placed in. She mentally sighed at her own dwindling humanity, though she shook her head and moved her mouth with one final request.
"Please, let me see his face."
It was solid, unfeeling, and harsh for all to hear, but the two did not deny her wish and soon pulled the cover away.
The witch's eyes burned with unsettling tears as she approached and gazed upon the king's dead form. She noted every detail; closed eyes, pale white skin, no breathing rhythm. But she was caught off guard when she saw, or what she believed to have seen, the hint of a smile upon his eternally sleeping frame. She felt slightly at ease for a moment and wiped the tears away. The two closed the coffin and soon she spoke once more.
"I will take it from here. Stay if you want, but if not, leave of your own accord. I alone can take him there and beyond." She pointed to the broken doorway.
"I cannot stay here" started the knight. "Though I want to be by his side until the end, I believe that he would have not wanted me to see him off." Turning himself toward the casket, the knight placed his hand upon it. "Farewell, my liege" he stated solemnly, and then turned toward the witch and Zero. "I will take one of the jets and hide out for a while."
"Where will you go?" asked the witch.
The knight smirked. "To my job…"
The witch and Zero looked surprised. The knight laughed a bit to himself.
"I was hired as a helper on an orchard. The owners don't know of my real identity, so it is as if I will start with a new slate."
The witch nodded, not holding back the smirk that she grew upon her face.
"I would like to thank you two."
"For what?"
"For taking care of his majesty…You two have done more than what I could've hoped to do for him."
"It was no problem at all" stated Zero. "We had done the best we could…yet still…"
The knight shook his head when he sensed Zero's sorrow. "You've done what you could, and that's all that matters now."
"Will we see you again?"
For a moment, Jeremiah paused in his place. "Maybe, maybe not." He then turned away from them and proceeded down the steps. Shouting a "farewell", he disappeared into the darkness and out of the cave.
Suzaku soon turned toward C.C.
"And what about you?" he questioned her.
"I will attend to his final wish. That is the least I can do now for him." She let her hand slide upon the surface of the coffin. "And what about you?"
"Do you have a way to get off the island?"
C.C. shook her head.
Sighing, Suzaku understood the predicament. "I will wait for you here until you get back. I will then leave for the palace, and should you choose to come along, I won't stop you."
"That's very considerate of you" she remarked. "Fine then, but hold onto this for me."
C.C. threw her plush doll at Suzaku, who caught it successfully.
"Why won't you come with me to see him off?"
Suzaku paused, feeling the deep sense of remorse rising from his core.
C.C. took a moment to analyze the silence that Suzaku had emitted. Shaking her head, she spoke. "You don't have to say it. I understand your position. In any case, I will be going off now."
Suzaku nodded at her.
C.C. began to pull the casket towards the door.
"Wait…" She turned when she heard Suzaku's voice.
"If you could, for me, please place the sword where you will leave his casket. That is all I ask."
C.C. smirked at Suzaku's sense of sentimentality. She thought to herself, 'Why mark his gravesite?' Shaking her head once more, she glanced back at Suzaku.
"I'll do so, for you."
Stoic and unmoving, Suzaku took her acceptance with his own. "Thank you, C.C."
With that, C.C. approached the door, placing one hand over the insignia and another upon the cart the casket was wheeled on. Suzaku witnessed the same spectacle that he had seen back when he wanted to enter C's World, before Lelouch became emperor. The insignia upon C.C.'s forehead lit up and her hair flowed back with an invisible wind. Light began to engulf her, and within a split second, she disappeared from sight; the coffin disappearing along with her.
Suzaku sighed one last time, trying hard not to let the sorrow get to him.
C.C. once again appeared in C's World. Noticing that the surroundings were accommodating, her memories depicted as paintings, she gazed upon the far end of the large hallway that she was in. This was her part of C's World; maybe even a part of her in some ways. All her memories passing by as she proceeded forward. Memories of days, months, and years long since passed now hung like timelines of her own past. Past lives, friends, accomplices; all of which recorded in her memory, now pass her by as she continues with the coffin in her possession.
Nearing the end, she sees a large brown door coming into view. She knows what is behind the door, and somehow fears the notion of approaching it closer. It is truly the end of the road for Lelouch; sad to admit that she would end up being the one to take him to his final destination. A part of her wants to turn back, to run away with his body, not wanting to commend it to the ages. Another part of her wants to thrash about, like a child in a tantrum, flailing about at anything just to get rid of the frustration from her newly discovered emotions. She wishes she had more time with him now more than ever.
But she knows she can't do anything about it now. Lelouch is dead physically and willfully; though spiritually, she had not defined yet. So, she pushes the door away and finds herself in a familiar surrounding. It was here that everything changed for them, all of them. This was the room where Lelouch stood and challenged his father and bent God's will; towards what it should have always been doing, advancing forward. She places it solely in the middle, under the eye of God. She removes the lid and gazes at him one last time. C.C. removes the sword from the coffin, placing it off to the side. She looks back, one more time at Lelouch, her eyes squarely upon his face. She cannot help but to smile happily at him.
"Lelouch…" she starts. "I'm glad to have met you. You were the only one who could show me the good side of life when others could not. I cannot thank you enough for this gift you have given me. This new life, this renewed vigor for a better life, and all thanks to your sacrifice." Tears fall freely from her eyes. "I want you to know that I will make sure your sacrifice will not be in vain. But I will do it from the shadows. The world no longer needs you, or me, or Suzaku, but if the need should arrive, and I hope one day it won't, then I will surely help to correct it. You have successfully granted my wishes, and though I could not grant yours, I wish that we could meet again, one day far from now, in this world or the next." She closes the gap between her and softly kisses his cold lips.
"This is goodbye…I love you, Lelouch."
She closes the lid and gazes at the Collective Unconscious, grasping the sword in her hand. It flashes bright just once and soon the casket begins to disappear, just as Charles and Marianne did. When the last remnants fade away, C.C. lifts the sword and stabs the ground once with all her might. The sword successfully stays upright, lodged pretty deep into the ground. She gazes once more at God and smiles sadly. As she turns away leaving C's World in the process, her tears begin to dry.
Suzaku sees C.C. coming into view and straightens himself up. His eyes are perceptive enough to see that she had been crying recently. Knowing that it must have been for Lelouch, he decided not to pry.
"Shall we leave now?" he asks politely.
C.C. nods and soon they too disappear into the darkness of the cave. They soon arrive at the jet that C.C. had been using. The two soon take the jet back to the palace. On the way, C.C. turns the radio on and both soon listen to the breaking news report. The speaker was none other than Milly Ashford. She spoke about the incident during the midday, the assassination of the emperor. C.C. and Suzaku noticed, as well, that she had been really shaken up about the whole event, up to the point that the two may have thought that she was holding back the sobs. Her pauses were a bit long, longer than what they should have normally been, signifying that she was struggling to speak. It even came to the point where another speaker had to intervene.
There were eye witness reports of Zero's actions, commentary upon the hero of justice, and celebrating. Of course with their cheers, there came jeers; words spoken against the slain tyrant were heinous and spiteful, but the station did not bother to censor them. Swears upon curses alike were hurled at the emperor, but that was human nature in itself. Suzaku and C.C. felt bitter that the people; no, the world would immediately bash and slander the image of Lelouch vi Britannia. But they couldn't do a single thing but to take it all in.
They soon landed within the top landing zone of the palace. Suzaku unbuckled himself and proceeded to the door.
"Stay here, I have to do one last thing before this is all over."
"What is that?" asked C.C. in curiosity.
"I intend to give the news to everyone else." With that, Suzaku left the jet and ran into the castle.
Turning down many corridors, Suzaku headed for the prison cell blocks. On his way there, he noticed that no guards were around anymore; the palace felt haunted, as if the ghosts of former soldiers and prisoners still haunted the walls. Shaking the superstition away, Suzaku ended up at his destination. He emerged from the shadows of the corridors and into the blue glow of the prison cells. Instantly, the prisoners began to notice him as he approached the main console. Gazing around him, Suzaku noticed the disbelief in their eyes once more. Suzaku turned toward the console and found a button; pressing it, he activated the radio preset to the same channel that he and C.C. were listening to. The cracking sounds flickered and soon a voice came. Moving the microphone to it, the prisoners could hear the news.
"Breaking news here folks" spoke the announcer, with a noticeably elated tone in his voice. "I am here at Ground Zero of this historic event the world has not seen for so long. Even now the people still chant the name of the savior of the world."
The chants for Zero soon blasted through the speakers, and soon the prisoners began to romp and yell out too.
"Excuse me sir, you are on the Local News Network." The chants were louder, causing some to not hear the man's cheers as well. "Can you tell us exactly why you are cheering?"
"Because Zero has returned! Go Zero!"
"Yes, yes, Zero has returned. Now for what reason did he return?"
"He came and delivered justice! Yeah Zero!" The cheering man took his breath. "I've seen it with my own two eyes, but I still can't believe it."
"What can't you believe?"
"Zero struck down the tyrant! He has slain Lelouch vi Britannia!" The cheering man was soon cut off by others who testified that it was true. The prisoners were left speechless soon after, waiting to hear all of the news.
"Well there you have it folks. Lelouch vi Britannia, the 99th emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire has been killed by who seems to be Zero, the Hero of Justice. Now if you'll excuse me, there is a party going on over to my right that I would like to join, back to you in the studio!" The audio was still on and soon everyone could hear the annoucer's voice joining the crowd.
Suzaku cut the radio off afterwards, his ears now ringing with the sound of the prisoners cheering, chanting his name in unison. For Suzaku, it felt like too much to handle at that point, so he left to go to the next console on the next level up. The room was separated from the prison itself, but had a few cameras within the cell block so to monitor any changes. There, he saw the switch to open the prisoner cells. When he flipped the switch he saw massive chaos as the halls were soon flooded with prisoners, most of which trying to escape. He gazed at some of the monitors, seeing where the prisoners were headed, and then proceeded to head back to the jet. He was quick to not let anyone catch up to him; rather, no one could ever find him or catch up to him in the least.
Back outside, Suzaku took one last sprint and entered the jet. Without any question, Suzaku started the engine and took off with C.C., retreating to the other side of the mountain. When stopped, the two went up to the summit of the mountain and gazed down upon the palace. Suzaku could sense that most of the prisoners have already found the exit; though just little specks, Suzaku could see them feeling from the palace.
"Is it over?" Suzaku glanced at C.C., her grip tightening upon her doll. Turning back to the sight below, Suzaku cleared his throat.
"It is…" he stated calmly.
C.C. understood his words and soon both were gazing towards the new horizon lit by the midday sun. Turning back, the two soon headed for the jet once more.
"Where do we go now?"
Suzaku stopped in his place. C.C. noticed his action and turned back toward him. Beyond his mask, he could see the look in her eyes. The same look of wonderment must have been upon his face as well.
"I don't know…" was all he stated. C.C. smirked when she heard him speak and could only follow him back to the jet.
'Where can we go from here' was all that Suzaku could think about as they took off, away from Britannia and the rejoicing world.
To be continued…if desired…
A/N: Oh my god was this one such a hassle. I didn't want to have it end, seriously, but like my other chapters, this one should be no different. Now, I know that the events of this story might not have happened, but I would like to think that it would have probably gone down like this. In any case, I hope that I didn't rush this into circulation too fast. Points to know: I might have put in some fan-based assumptions, but hopefully it doesn't deter readers too much. It was unorthodox that I actually interchange between their names (Jeremiah – Orange Knight, Suzaku – Zero, C.C. – Green Witch), but hopefully I did get the point across. Making up the death scene was difficult, but hopefully the detail doesn't give foreshadowing of the next chapters/points of the story; also, I might have been a bit harsh toward Suzaku and Nunnally about the choice of taking Lelouch's body or not. Quick note: This chapter was made to describe the events that might have occured at the end. If it seems predictable, that is only because I had already revealed how things would go down in the previous four chapters. In any case, thank you all so much for sticking with this story. Hopefully I will get this done by the end of the summer. Comments/reviews are, once again, greatly appreciated. Thanks again.