IMPORTANT MESSAGE (MUST READ)- I will NOT be reading any suggestions/messages/requests/reviews from ANYONE once Code Geass Season 3 airs in hopes of avoiding spoilers; I am going to wait for the English dub to finish airing and then I will watch the dub. Once I have seen it, you will see this message get taken down from my profile. You may still send them to me, but once Code Geass R3 airs, it may take a while for me to decide to read them. I WILL continue to write on FanFiction.
This chapter is 9.8K words long!
"Even if we forget the faces of our friends, we will never forget the bonds that were carved into our souls," - Yuzuru Otonashi from Angel Beats!
"I know I said that I was proud of serving Britannia, but... this has gone beyond war!" Gino said, grimacing in disgust at the massive crater where the Tokyo Settlement once stood.
"If they ever use this weapon again, then the Black Knights will be annihilated," Tohdoh said.
. . . . . . .
The time was 5:30 PM. About half of Ashford Academy was destroyed, but the main campus building was mostly intact. Security and school officials helped citizens reunite with their loved ones by taking role-call.
The news anchor of Hi-TV delivered the results. "At least ten million people are confirmed dead. Whatever just happened, their was some sort of aftershock that destroyed even more of the city outside of the war zone. Another 25 million people were caught in that and disappeared, so it is extremely likely that a total of at least 35 million people are dead. We still know very little about what happened aside from the fact that the cause of this destruction was some sort of nuclear weapon. Never before have we ever seen millions get killed by a Weapon of Mass Destruction in the history of warfare. We'll be back with another update in an hour while we gather as much information as possible."
Rivalz sprinted up the stairs in the library, stopping in front of Milly, who looked at least somewhat relieved to see that he's alive. "Woah! Ahhhhhh! Oh my god! Pres, please tell me that you're alive?!"
Milly grinned. "Yeah. I'm still here."
The two of them half laughed and half cried, but above all, they were just glad to see each other.
. . . . . . .
Lelouch looked around in shock, trying to understand what just happened. There was no way that Nunnally was caught in that explosion, right? She escaped, right?
Before Jeremiah and Rolo could react to stop him, Lelouch landed the Shinkiro in the crater.
"My lord! It's not safe! Get out of there!" Jeremiah shouted, worried.
"All units, find Nunnally!"
"Negative, Zero. We're pulling out," Tohdoh said, knowing that if Britannia has another FLEIJA in the battlefield, then many more will die. Vast majority of those that died in the explosion were Britannian, but that doesn't mean that no Black Knights were killed; about 800 Black Knights were killed, a small number compared to the 12,000 Britannian soldiers that perished.
"TOHDOH!" Lelouch yelled.
Lelouch jumped out of his cockpit and started looking around, ignoring Suzaku, who simply landed his Lancelot, sitting in the cockpit, trembling.
"NUNNALLY!" Lelouch screamed. "NUNNALLY! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
He stopped to catch his breath, breathing heavily. His phone suddenly rang, the contact displayed as, "SUZAKU". Lelouch climbed back into the Shinkiro, took off his mask, and answered the phone. "Hello?"
"Lelouch, I need to ask you something. Are you Zero?" Suzaku said, his voice deadpan and completely devoid of any emotion.
Lelouch's eyes widened, but then turned serious. "... Yes. I am Zero."
"... Meet me at the Kururugi Shrine. Now. And come alone."
. . . . . . .
Princess Cornelia escaped from her cell. Again. This time, her captors were actually chasing her on the Ikaruga. She made it onto the runway of the Ikaruga before she got cornered.
"That's far enough, Miss Fugitive," Diethard said, pointing his pistol at her.
Just then, a VTOL slowly started descending as it landed on the runway, powering its engines off. The people that stepped off of it were Kanon Maldini and Prime Minister Schneizel el Britannia.
"Schneizel? Why would he walk right into the hands of his enemies?" Diethard said, lowering his gun.
Schneizel gave a knowing nod towards Cornelia. Walking up to Diethard, he said, "Are you the one in charge here, Diethard? I wish to speak with all of Zero's entourage and, if possible, Zero. You see, the VTOL I came on is armed with a FLEIJA warhead, the same bomb that destroyed the Tokyo Settlement; I'd rather not use it."
. . . . . . .
Kallen, who just returned from the battle, exited the cockpit of the Guren SEITEN to be greeted by Minami and Sugiyama.
"Kallen! We're so glad you made it back!" Sugiyama said.
"Thanks." She smiled but quickly frowned as she looked around. "Where's Zero?"
"Don't know. He hasn't returned?" Minami asked.
. . . . . . .
While Ohgi called the number to Zero's room through the landline, Tohdoh dialed his cellphone. He didn't answer either. Hanging up, Ohgi said, "No good. What could be wrong with Zero? Earlier, he was acting quite strange."
"What do you think Schneizel could be after?" Tohdoh wondered out loud.
Footsteps came from the metallic staircase; Tamaki. "Only one way to find out."
. . . . . . .
They all entered the conference room, one by one. Schneizel and Cornelia were already seated at the far end of the large, circular table.
"Sorry that it took us a while. We had our hands full with the ten million people you slaughtered!" Tamaki said sarcastically, forgetting the other 25.
"Diethard, I really don't think it's a good idea that Tamaki attends this meeting!" Ohgi said.
"It's alright. I prefer that I meet most, if not all, of Zero's best soldiers," Schneizel spoke up. "ShinichirÅ Tamaki, from what I understand, you are one of Zero's closest advisers."
Tamaki sat down, resting his head on the leather seat with his arms, kicking his feet up onto the table. Smugly, he said, "So, you've heard of me."
"What's the purpose of this meeting, Schneizel?" Tohdoh asked.
"Ah. Straight to the point as always, Kyoshiro Tohdoh. I'm very familiar with all of your names and faces, if not your capabilities, but I know full well what Tohdoh of Miracles is capable of. I know all of you that are here: Kyoshiro Tohdoh, ShinichirÅ Tamaki, Leila Malcal, Li Xingke, Kosetsu Urabe, Kaname Ohgi, Nagisa Chiba, Ryoga Senba, Rakshata Chawla, Yoshitaka Minami, Naomi Inoue, and Kent Sugiyama. Speaking of miracles, where is Zero?" Schneizel said.
"He won't be attending," Diethard said.
"I see. He isn't the type to involve himself with negotiations, as he doesn't like to sit at the table and talk. No. He keeps more to himself," Schneizel stated.
"Hm? You speak of Zero as if you know him intimately," Tohdoh noted. furrowing his eyebrows.
"More than any of you know," Schneizel said, earning him an alarmed, 'huh' from the Black Knights. "Zero is our, Cornelia's and my, brother."
This earned him an even more alarmed, 'What?!'
"What are you saying?!" Chiba demanded, wanting to know if this has something to do with the death of Asahina.
"He is the 11th Prince of the Emperor and 17th in line to the royal throne, Lelouch vi Britannia."
"Impossible!" Tohdoh said.
"What's more is that he has a power to control the minds of other people, a power called Geass. He can use it to bend and manipulate people to his will. You can think of it as extreme hypnosis."
"I already know all of this..." Leila muttered under her breath, sighing, but Urabe heard her, gasping.
"Even the stuff about Geass?!" Urabe whisper-yelled at Leila, to which she nodded.
"So, that's why Gao Hai was acting so strange. He wasn't a traitor, after all," Xingke said to himself.
Tamaki had enough of his own silence, standing up, slamming his hands onto the table. "Bullshit! Zero is a Prince with magical powers? Prove it! You're all talk!"
"We do have proof," Schneizel stated, taking out a voice recorder.
He let it play. "Lelouch, I need to ask you something. Are you Zero?" "... Yes. I am Zero."
Schneizel stopped the recording there. "This was taken about twenty minutes ago after the FLEIJA explosion. We wire tapped Suzaku Kururugi's phone."
"That recording is fake!" Tamaki shouted in denial.
"So what if he is a Prince?! You all accepted me, a Britannian, into your ranks! And if he has this Geass power, it could help us in our fight against Britannia!" Diethard said, earning him silence along with a tired sigh from Rakshata.
Kanon walked up to Tohdoh, handing him a large stack of papers. "This is a list of people that we believe he manipulated with his Geass."
Tohdoh went through the list, trying to comprehend how the child he met eight years ago is Zero. "Kusakabe? Even Major General Katase!"
"Of course. He probably even manipulated my sister, Euphie, to let him kidnap her!" Cornelia presumed.
"Dammit! I thought I could trust him. I wanted to bring myself to trust him!" Ohgi said.
'But... I think, therefore I am,' Tohdoh thought.
Tamaki, about to break due to the revelation that his loyalty has been supposedly misplaced, put his head down onto the table and screamed melodramatically out of frustration. "HYAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
"All of you, I have a request. Zero is my brother, so please hand him over to us," Schneizel said.
"Then we have a condition of our own," Ohgi began.
"You think you're in a position to negotiate?!" Cornelia yelled.
Schneizel raised his hand to silence her. "Let's hear him out."
Ohgi continued. "Our Japan; return it!"
Cornelia's eyes widened.
"We're about to betray our comrade. If we do that for nothing, if we toss him aside without regaining our home that we fought alongside each other for, then I could never forgive myself!" Ohgi said.
"I agree to your terms. Diethard, you and I both said that we don't know where Zero is right now, right? Well, I know where he is," Schneizel began.
Diethard blinked. "And where is he?"
. . . . . . .
Akito and the W-0 met up with Kallen elsewhere on the Ikaruga. "Did you find out where Lelouch is?" He asked.
Kallen shook her head. "No. He's not in his room. To add to our problems, it seems he took the Shinkiro with him to wherever he went."
. . . . . . .
At the bottom of the steps that lead up to the Kururugi Shrine, Lelouch began slowly making his way up. He was nervous; why would Suzaku want to meet him now, of all times? The Second Battle of Tokyo Settlement was the second time that the two crossed paths ever since their fight at Kamine Island. He also contemplated on his relationship with the Japanese boy. What could possibly have made his sworn enemy want to sit down and talk? At least that was what Lelouch was hoping for: a glass of wine or whiskey and a nostalgic stroll through the woods or some deep shit like that. But Lelouch already told himself that the past is dead.
Reaching the top, he came face to face with Suzaku Kururugi, who looked angry, but still nothing compared to the face he was making when he tried to shoot Lelouch on Kaminejima.
"You came, after all. I'm impressed," Suzaku said.
"Yes. According to this particular situation, there were a total of thirty-one routes I could've taken to get here, the least conspicuous-"
"That's not what I meant. Showing your face in front of me, that's what took nerve," Suzaku interrupted. "Why'd you come alone?"
"I promised."
"You promised? I have no reason to believe any of your promises anymore. You want me to believe you? Then why'd you kill Euphie?!"
Lelouch was surprised. He thought that the two of them were going to have a peaceful talk to understand each other, but this just seems like it's going the same way it did on Kamine Island; betrayal.
"Suzaku... I already told you. Euphie isn't dead."
Suzaku scoffed. "You're such a liar, Lelouch. Why do you keep insisting that she isn't dead when I saw you clearly murder her right in front of my eyes at the Specially Administrative Zone of Japan?"
"What Specially Administrative Zone?" Lelouch asked. His suspicions of the possibility that Charles used his memory-rewriting Geass on Suzaku just grew a bit.
Suzaku snarled. "What the fuck do you mean?! How could you not remember?! Zero caused a massacre!"
Lelouch scoffed. "Zero this. Zero that. Suzaku, this is bigger than the two of us. You can't blame all of your problems on me."
Suzaku took a couple steps back in shock. Maybe his memories betray him? But he remembers it, the incident that officially began the Black Rebellion; hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians took Euphemia up on her offer to take refuge at the Specially Administrative Zone of Japan. When Zero made an unexpected appearance, things went downhill really fast. He must've done something to Euphie to make her order a massacre before he decided to silence her.
"Lelouch, you will answer me! Why did you order me to live?! Why?!" Suzaku shouted, roughly grabbing the Prince by his collar, lifting him off his feet, choking him a little.
"I can't undo... what's already been done!" Lelouch said. "There was never any massacre committed by Zero before the Black Rebellion! The Shinjuku and Saitama Ghettos were destroyed by the men working under Prince Clovis! Would you really believe the government, which propagandizes the people of Area 11 with fascist patriotism, over your own best friend?!" Lelouch choked out, losing consciousness as Suzaku let go of his neck, letting him collapse.
Suzaku began another internal debate when he suddenly heard a voice behind him. "Suzaku."
He turned around, his eyes landing on a girl with long, pink hair. His eyes widened at the sight of Euphemia li Britannia.
"Euphie?!"
She looked pissssssssed. Stomping over to the shocked Japanese teen, who looked like he left the world, Euphemia slapped him across his left cheek. Hard.
"What is wrong with you, Suzaku?! Why would you think that I died?! Even if I did die, why have you given up on the peaceful world that Lelouch and I desired, destroying so much?!" Pausing for a few seconds, she took a breath before continuing to scold the angry boy. "Look, I love you, okay? But that doesn't mean that you can simply abandon your friends, especially your best friend, Lelouch, who would never do anything to hurt you!"
The bushes and leaves around them rattled as Britannian soldiers came out of their hiding spot; they were spying on them. A man wearing sunglasses walked up the stairs, whom Suzaku recognized as Guilford.
"Suzaku Kururugi, Prince Schneizel wishes to see you and your... friend. For now, we'll be taking Zero into custody."
. . . . . . .
Suzaku was brought onto the Ikaruga, where Schneizel and Cornelia, for some reason, hadn't been assassinated yet. He felt his tension rise as all of the Black Knights officers he passed by gave him angry looks. He ignored them, though, trying his best to put his coldest face on. Going to the brig of the ship, the door opened to reveal a cell block. Each and every cell was encased in bullet-proof glass.
As if god decided to give him a long-desired break, he saw Kanon Maldini and Nunnally vi Britannia in front of the cell that held Lelouch, who was still asleep. Handcuffed, Lelouch still wore his Zero outfit, but without a mask.
Nunnally began speaking. "I just can't believe that my big brother is Lelouch. Suzaku, were you aware of his identity? For how long were you planning on lying to me?"
Suzaku frowned, unable to say a word to the sister of his supposed 'best friend'. She tried to reach her hand out to hold his, but he pulled away.
Nunnally sighed. "You're just like big brother, aren't you? You're a liar."
Kanon turned towards the Knight of Seven. "Prince Schneizel wishes to speak with you now. There are questions that need to be answered, and you're the only one that can answer them. It seems that his highness is aware of the fact that you, Suzaku Kururugi, have shared the strangest and most unusual relationship with Zero."
Kanon walked past Suzaku, but Suzaku suddenly raised his voice, almost shouting in desperation. "What should I do?!"
Kanon looked over his shoulder. "Be realistic, Suzaku! The world is not going to become a kinder place for your sake."
. . . . . . .
Schneizel sat in the conference room, waiting for Suzaku. The only other people in the room with him were Cornelia, Tohdoh, Leila, Akito, and Xingke. The door slid open and everyone turned their heads towards the Knight of Seven.
"Took you long enough," Cornelia sighed.
Suzaku didn't bow, but he still spoke formally. "You wish to speak with me, your majesty?"
"I'm not going to waste any time beating around the bush. I know that Father, or someone under his orders. did something to you with something called Geass. I am also aware of the fact that Lelouch is Zero, but there still seems to be things that you're not telling us. Bring him in, Cornelia," Schneizel said.
Cornelia left the room and came back a moment later with Jeremiah.
"Lord Jeremiah has a Geass canceller. Will you please be so kind to use it on Sir Kururugi and bring his memories back?"
Jeremiah simply nodded. Walking up to the confused Suzaku, he did as he was told, getting rid of Charles' hold on Suzaku.
Suzaku felt his headache get even worse as the memories came flooding back: Lelouch revealing his identity as Zero along with his plan, the time they spent together, meeting the Black Knights entourage. All of it. Suzaku closed his eyes, sitting down, trying to not show that his legs began trembling.
"Well? Who is Lelouch to you, Suzaku? How are the two of you related?" Schneizel asked.
Suzaku opened his eyes. "We were, hopefully still are, best friends since our childhood. After Lelouch vi Britannia was kicked out of his own country and got sent to Japan, I met him and his little sister, Nunnally vi Britannia. The two of them took the alias 'Lamperouge' as their fake last name. It was just after the Battle of Narita, in which Princess Cornelia and I were captured by the Black Knights, when he revealed his identity to me. The reason why I lost my memories is because the Emperor rewrote them with his Geass. He did the same thing to Lelouch when I captured Zero after the First Battle of Tokyo Settlement."
Silence. A long moment of nothingness. Schneizel sighed. "It's just as I thought; not every conflict is as black and white as it seems. Kanon, bring Lelouch here. I want to give you, Suzaku, the chance to rectify your wrongdoings and to sort out your differences."
Four of them got up and left the room, leaving Suzaku alone with Nunnally, Euphie, Lelia, and Akito, a tight knot of guilt and fear in his stomach.
. . . . . . .
The door slid open and Kanon brought in a dazed, tired Lelouch. Lelouch yawned as the Knight of Schneizel took off his handcuffs, leaving him with Nunnally, Euphemia, Leila, Akito, and Suzaku. Looking around, he noticed how everyone was staring at him, their expressions mixed with worry and happiness.
"Wha-What's going on?" Lelouch asked.
Suzaku stood up. "I remember everything before the Emperor used his Geass on me. Lelouch, we need to talk."
Lelouch's eyes widened upon realizing that Nunnally was also present in the room. He chuckled, his giggling turning into an insane laughter. Laughter of a lost boy, which seemed to say, 'All this time, you were alive, Nunnally? I thought you were dead!'
Suzaku frowned, tears threatening to flow out of his green orbs at any moment; the sound of Lelouch's half-broken, half-relieved laughter, was too much to bear. Walking over to the Britannian Prince, Suzaku suddenly embraced Lelouch. Lelouch stiffened at the sudden physical contact, his eyes wide.
"Heh? S-Suzaku?"
"L-Lelouch... It's okay. You don't have to bear your pain alone anymore. We're here for you."
Nunnally moved her wheelchair in the direction of the two, joining them in a group hug. "Please don't cry, big brother. I hate to hear you like this when you sound so dead on the inside."
Lelouch's lips quivered as he returned the embrace, his laughter turning into all-out sobs. Crouching down with Suzaku so that the two could be on the same level as Nunnally, Lelouch wailed into the loving chests of two of the most important people in his life. Suzaku and Nunnally silently cried while Euphie, Leila, and Akito stood back, grinning at the heart-warming scene.
"You okay?" Suzaku asked.
"Yeah. I'm fine," Lelouch said.
The two friends stood up and sat down at the round table next to one another.
"Let me start by saying that I'm sorry for getting mad and slapping you, Suzaku," Euphemia said.
"It's fine. I had it coming." Suzaku turned towards Lelouch. "I'm really sorry, Lelouch; I was a fool for thinking that I wouldn't be asked to kill when I joined the Britannian military. I just... I never would've imagined that the consequences could be so cruel," Said Suzaku.
"It's okay. I forgive you. But Suzaku, your efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction."
Suzaku raised an eyebrow. "But... Let me give you an analogy on how my life is in the Britannian military: I was raised to treat the janitor with the same amount of respect given to the CEO."
"But if the king does not lead, then his subordinates will not follow." Lelouch grinned. "I don't think it's my forgiveness that we should be worried about. There is no way that Schneizel and the Black Knights will let us go unpunished for what we did. You killed over 35 million people, although the FLEIJA incident was an accident; actually, I feel kind of guilty now that my 'live' Geass command had such dire consequences. I, well... I lied by wearing a mask. Plus, I murdered Clovis; Cornelia must have been pretty mad about that," Lelouch stated.
"Shouldn't we try to speak with everyone? If you tell them how your Geass works, then they may come to trust you," Akito suggested.
. . . . . . .
That's what they did. Schneizel, Cornelia, and everyone from his entourage entered the conference room. Literally everyone was there; Lloyd, Cecile, Gino, Anya, everyone. Taking their previous seats, Lelouch began talking.
"I've called you all here because I am sure that Schneizel told you about my Geass and about who I am."
"What's this about, Lelouch? Aren't you going to at least try to defend yourself?" Cornelia asked, raising an eyebrow.
Lelouch sighed. "I am well aware of the fact that a lot of you distrust me. I understand. It's not easy to trust someone who hides his face behind a mask. However, that does not mean that I am evil. While I am a Prince from the very empire that we swore to overthrow, it isn't that simple. I have never used my Geass on any of the Black Knights. Well, except Kallen; that was during school; I asked you to answer my questions about the Shinjuku Ghetto."
"How are we supposed to know for sure that you didn't use your Geass on anyone other than Kozuki?" Chiba inquired.
Lelouch sighed. "Tohdoh, maybe you want to answer that question, as I'm sure that you and Xingke have already figured it out, seeing that the two of you are the smartest members of the Black Knights besides me."
Everyone stared at the two commanders. Tohdoh was the first to speak up. "I think, therefore I am."
"In simplest words, because your thoughts and willpower are yours alone, you are Kyoshiro Tohdoh, not a mindless slave of Lelouch vi Britannia, the man known as Zero. My Geass will erase the short-term memories of its victims when it comes to the circumstances that led to them being Geassed by me. My Geass also cannot penetrate sunglasses or the visor of a helmet or mask. For my Geass to work, I need direct eye-to-eye contact. To finish my reasoning as to why you all should believe in me, I can only use my Geass on a person once, meaning that I cannot use it a second time on Kallen or Suzaku, seeing as they're the only ones here whom I've used my Geass on."
"Why do you, the 11th Prince of Emperor Charles, fight for the Black Knights?" Ohgi asked.
Lelouch looked at him. "It's simple: to protect the ones that I love; my crippled, blind sister, Nunnally vi Britannia, is someone that I can never abandon. Look, people have been trying to assassinate me ever since I was a kid, so you can't blame me for playing dirty with my Geass. I have used it plenty on the enemy."
Everyone took a moment to digest this information. Schneizel frowned and Cornelia's glare towards Lelouch faltered.
"I knew I was right to trust you! So, what happens now, bud?" Tamaki said, smirking, straight to the point.
"I already used my Geass on some of the men on board the ships escorting the Great Britannia along with a few ground platoons. Now, according to my plan, they'll fight amongst themselves, giving me enough time to slip past them and get to Kamine Island. There, I have a score to settle with Charles zi Britannia. I promise that I'll come back, Schneizel, as I already know who is best fit to become the 99th Emperor, and that person is not among the four possible candidates here."
Lelouch stood up and, putting on his mask, left the room. Jeremiah, Suzaku, Akito, Tohdoh, and Xingke followed him, willing to fight alongside the Prince.
. . . . . . .
"My name is Lelouch vi Britannia! I am the eldest son of my late mother, Marianne!"
Lelouch walked on the beach of Kamine Island, the Geassed Knightmare pilots standing by and ready for his orders. A battle raged in the skies as Britannian forces turned on each other. Lelouch turned towards the leader of the squad. "If any Britannian soldier tries to pass you, kill them!"
"Yes, your majesty!"
. . . . . . .
Gino didn't join in on the skirmish after hearing how the Emperor used Suzaku, but Anya did. She already made it to Kamine Island before Lelouch. She hid on the platform on top of the stone gate in the cave.
"Are you sure about this? You realize that if this gate is destroyed, you may never be able to come back," Akito said to Lelouch.
Lelouch planted a time bomb on the stone door, the same place where he and Suzaku last faced each other on foot as mortal enemies. "I'm sure. I need to make sure that no one can interrupt us. Akito, you and Jeremiah should stay behind and guard our defenses."
"Very well. You guys should get going, then."
Lelouch placed his hand on the door and activated his Geass. Suzaku put his own hand on Lelouch's while Tohdoh and Xingke grabbed Lelouch's shoulders. The door opened and a bright light shimmered in his vision. None of them noticed Anya jump down and grab Lelouch's arm, her irises glowing red. She lost consciousness and collapsed. When the light went away, it was just Akito and Jeremiah left.
"Is that Anya Alstreim?" Jeremiah said, crouching down beside her.
"The Knight of Six? What do we do with her?" Akito asked, ready to shoot the girl.
"Relax. For now, let's take her with us outside the cave while we guard the place."
Anya woke up. "Huh? I don't remember anything... Who am I again? That's right! I'm Anya Alstreim. Wait, where am I? Who are you?"
"No memories? Could it be..." Jeremiah activated his Geass canceller...
. . . . . . .
"God, hear me! It is time to finish this!" Charles shouted towards the sky.
"You're mistaken! It's not god that you need to settle things with. It's me, your son!" Lelouch proclaimed, walking into view with Suzaku, Tohdoh, and Xingke following behind him.
Charles grinned. "Do you actually believe you can defeat me? I am immortal!"
Lelouch smirked. "You're wrong. There is a way for me to defeat you."
"Hm?"
Suddenly, lightning bolted across the sky and thunder boomed as the plastic explosives Lelouch set at the doorway blew up.
"You sealed the exit?!" Charles panicked.
"That's right. If I can't kill you, then I'll simply have to keep you here. Let us repent together, for all of eternity, for our sins!" Lelouch said, smiling wickedly.
"Lelouch!" Charles growled.
Lelouch sat on a pillar, one that used to belong to the shrine he destroyed during his first visit to Cs' World. "So, since we have plenty of time to talk, answer my question from before: Who was it that killed my mother? And what's your excuse for not protecting her?"
"How ironic; you wish to seek the truth, but you have had to lie to make it this far in order to learn it," Charles said.
"That is true. I am a liar. I have lied every step of the way. But we all wear masks, don't we? People lie all the time; when you come home and are asked how your day was, people almost always say, "It was good," and leave it at that when, as a matter of fact, it was probably stressful. You also wear the mask of an Emperor. None of us can make a move now without our respective personas."
"You're wrong," Charles said, turning around as their surroundings suddenly changed to a library of some sort. He picked up a book, reading some sort of social theory or philosophy in it. "When we realize that lies have no meaning in the endless flow of eternity, those personas will vanish. When we understand each other, conflict will disappear."
Lelouch looked away. "That all sounds like metaphysical nonsense to me."
"It will soon be reality."
Lelouch looked back at the Emperor.
"You see, this is my Ragnarok Connection. Soon, these masks of deceit will be discarded by the world, revealing the truth."
Lelouch heard high heels clacking to his left. He turned his head and gasped. "It can't be... Mother?!"
It's Marianne vi Britannia, his supposedly dead mother. "My Lelouch, how you have grown!"
"Marianne, I see you've come," Charles stated.
Lelouch jerked his head back towards Charles. "Is this an illusion?! You'd do this?!"
"No. It really is me, Lelouch. However, I can only take on my original appearance while I'm present within this system," Marianne said, spinning around, her dress flying up a bit as if she were showing off some new, girly outfit she brought.
Charles, ignoring Lelouch's shock, continued speaking. "Lelouch, I will now answer your previous question. Half a century ago, my elder brother and I existed in a hell on Earth. Our family was just full of rivals competing for the throne. Assassinations occurred with regularity, daily betrayals spawned by lies, killing each other off." He strolled up to a painting, which showed a younger Charles and V.V, disgusted looks on their faces; a memory. "My own mother fell victim to it. My brother and I were sickened and angered by the world. We therefore swore an oath: to create a world without lies."
"At first, both C.C and I agreed to this as well. Now, it seems that she's ended the contract she made with me, foolishly falling in love with you, Lelouch, instead of fulfilling her duty. V.V was the one that tried to 'kill me', but I used my Geass to transfer my spirit into the body of Anya Alstreim as I bled out. That's how I survived. I could communicate mind-to-mind with C.C, but she broke off any contact she had with me," Marianne said.
"But why wouldn't C.C tell me?" Lelouch voiced his thoughts. "I love her, but..."
"Lelouch, as much as I hate C.C for betraying me, she did a good job by keeping you alive, by protecting you. If this were a more normal world without war, I think I'd probably support your relationship with her," Marianne said. The scenery changed back to Cs' World's normal appearance, but the night sky showed along with Jupiter and the Sword of Akasha.
Suzaku really wanted to just kill these two lunatics, but he knows that Lelouch needs to do this on his own; it's a personal matter.
"I spoke to my brother about Marianne's death, but... by pretending to grieve for Marianne, my brother lied to me after we swore to create a world without deceit!" Charles growled.
"How dare you! Don't try to pass off blame for everything on the dead! Nunnally and I, you sent us to Japan as hostages!" Lelouch shouted.
"It was necessary!" Charles retorted.
"Necessary for what?! What kind of parent does that?!"
"'If you have someone you don't want to lose, you should keep them at a distance'. That's what C.C once said," Marianne stated.
"That's right. I sent you and Nunnally to Japan to keep you out of my brothers' sight. I also had Marianne's body secretly taken away," Charles said.
"As long as my body still exists, there's a possibility that I may be able to return to it," Said Marianne.
"Anya and Nunnally became witnesses, therefore it was necessary to rewrite their memories in order to protect everything," Charles said.
"Nunnally? You mean her blindness isn't psychosomatic, after all?" Lelouch asked.
Suzaku was done with staying quiet. "So, she might be able to see again someday?"
"Even though she was a false witness, there was a very real danger that she would be killed," Marianne stated.
"To ensure Nunnally's safety, proof was needed that would lead far away from the truth," Charles said.
"The original plan required that there be two Codes. When C.C left, there wasn't a one hundred percent guarantee that it would succeed," Marianne said.
"When Marianne was unable to persuade C.C to help us, we were left with no choice. We were forced to use you, Lelouch," Charles defended, hinting at the fact that Lelouch's exile to Japan was what turned him into a rebellious resource.
"What was the point of me doing this?" Lelouch scowled.
"These tragedies will no longer be necessary once the Ragnarok Connection is established," Charles offered.
"Masks will vanish and everyone can be exactly who they're supposed to be," Marianne said.
"I see... All the battle and bloodshed between Britannia and the Black Knights was done just to lure out C.C. Well, guess what? I'm not going to just fucking let you have her!" Lelouch proclaimed.
Charles scowled. "Where is she?!"
"Not here, that's for sure. She's far away and somewhere safe where you can't hurt her."
Charles frowned. "Well, I guess we'll have to proceed without her then and take our chances, Marianne." He turned around and pointed his Code towards the Sword of Akasha. "God, the time has come to complete the Ragnarok Connection!"
The voices of the dead on the Sword of Akasha screamed in the distance. Suzaku charged forward and slashed Marianne right across her stomach. Marianne fell backwards, coughing up blood; even though she's a spirit and cannot be killed through the use of conventional weapons, she can still be touched and hurt.
Charles' eyes widened. "Marianne! No! Why would you do that?! We were finally going to be happy!"
"The happiness you desire is only for yourself! But Nunnally... She wants a world in which happiness is extended to everyone, even strangers! I reject you and everything you stand for! Why do people lie? It isn't just because they struggle against each other. It's also because there's something that they're seeking! You now want 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. It's too perfect," Lelouch stated.
"Lelouch, does that mean you're rejecting me as well?" Marianne asked, sounding hurt.
"I'm surprised, Mother. I used to think that you always wanted what's for the best of your own children, but now I see what you really are. You're desires are as selfish as his."
Suddenly, Lelouch's right eye, his normal one, changed from its normal violet color to a Geass sigil, giving him Geass in both eyes; his power has evolved. Charles and Marianne began disappearing, half of their lower torsos already gone. The Sword of Akasha vanished.
"We're disappearing?! No!" Charles screamed. Turning towards Lelouch, he charged at the Prince, grabbing him by his neck with the hand that his Code is on. "You'll ruin everything, Lelouch! If you kill me, the world you'll return to will be someone else' world, Schneizels' world!"
"It seems that the love you claim to have for your children is really only for yourselves. Despicable," Xingke said.
"No! We l-love our ch-children very m-much!" Marianne said, trying to look up from her position.
Lelouch simply stared Charles down, not even a single hint of fear on his face, but rather the courage of a king. "Let me ask you something. Do either of you even know the meaning behind Nunnally's beautiful smile?"
"W-What?" Marianne choked out.
Lelouch began tearing up. "My sister was nearly killed during the Second Battle of Tokyo Settlement while the two of you sat back and did nothing. We suffered. Why don't you understand? My sister is blind and crippled. She knows that there are things that she'd never be able to do on her own, so her smile... Nunnally's smile is her way of expressing gratitude! Now, both of you, BEGONE!"
Charles and Marianne fully disappeared as they screamed in their fear of death. Both, his Mother and Father, Emperor and Empress, are dead. Lelouch sat down cross-legged, wiping the tears away, a victorious smile on his face.
"Well done, child," A voice suddenly spoke. Lelouch and his company looked around, but they couldn't see anyone.
"What? Who's there?" Lelouch said.
"Look up; I take on the physical form of Jupiter, at least in this world, because that's how the creators of this dimension wanted me to look like."
"Who are you?" Suzaku asked.
"I am God. I would like to thank you, Lelouch vi Britannia, for saving me," God said, his deep voice echoing.
"Why don't you just reveal yourself to us, then?" Lelouch inquired.
"I could do that, but I won't; showing myself to some mere humans could have god-knows-what kind of effect on the human realm, pun intended. Religious beliefs are created through Prophets, human beings who can supposedly communicate with me; Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, etc. One reason why people fight in war is because these Prophets spread their versions of their beliefs in me, causing conflict and discord. Revealing myself to humans would end all of their faith in me and they would stop being human; they'd become demigods. I only speak to extraordinary humans once in a blue moon. Also, showing my true form to humans can cause them to faint out of fright; I am just that beautiful," God said. "You have gained Charles' Code, Lelouch. The only beings who can steal Codes are those with Geass in both eyes. All that's left for you to do is to activate it. To do that, you must die. Five minutes after you die, you'll return to life."
Lelouch frowned. "Then why communicate with us if your very presence can easily negate the peace and harmony that humans seek?"
"Because I am here to offer you a reward for saving me. I will grant any three wishes that you have, Lelouch vi Britannia, and I will give one to Suzaku Kururugi for continuing your friendship with Lelouch."
Suzaku looked confused. "But I stabbed Lelouch in the back. Even if I made up with him, I'm fake; fake friends are like shadows. They follow you in the sunlight but they leave you in the dark. So, why?"
"I am proud of you, child, for facing who you are. You admitted your wrongdoings without hesitation in front of me, confessed your sins. For humans, all your beliefs cannot simply absolve you of your sins when you wage war in the name of religious beliefs, but for you, Suzaku, it's not about religion. It's about believing in your heart, in yourself, in the good of the world, and in Lelouch. The reason why I am offering Lelouch two more wishes than Suzaku is simple; through an Action, a Man becomes a Hero; through Death, a Hero becomes a Legend; through Time, a Legend becomes a Myth; and through hearing a Myth, a Man takes an Action."
Suzaku couldn't say anything. Instead, he looked at Lelouch. "You go first, then. But think it through."
Lelouch stood up. "I've already thought it through. My first wish is for my daughter, Leia, to become immortal when she becomes old enough, but without dying."
"Okay. Your daughter will become immortal at the age of 20. In that case, I will allow you and C.C to continue aging until the two of you are physically at the age of 37, which is still pretty young considering the technological advancements human kind has made to increase life expectancy," God said.
"Why 37?" Lelouch asked.
"Wouldn't it be weird if your daughter grew to be around your physical age, even older than you? Your family is now guaranteed a long, healthy life and will die peacefully when the world ends." God stated.
Lelouch chuckled. "You're a funny god. What about my daughter? Does she have hard times ahead of her?"
God cackled. "Don't worry. Your daughter will live a long, happy life. She will have a struggle at some point, as that's how all humans live; a life without pain is a life not lived. But your daughter will not go through as much hell as you have, Lelouch."
Lelouch sighed. "Alright. My second wish is for Xingke, Tohdoh, and Kallen to become immortal."
"What?! Why?!" Xingke shouted, surprised.
"Because Zero, like God said, will live in the hearts of many for generations, maybe even centuries to come. I'm sorry, Xingke, but I may need you to become Zero. With a warrior as intelligent and as strong as you serving behind the mask, and with the help of Tohdoh and Kallen, world peace is guaranteed forever."
"... I see. I guess that this really is bigger than any of us. Alright! I'll become Zero," Xingke grinned.
"And I'll work alongside you," Tohdoh said to Xingke.
Lelouch looked back towards God. "My final wish is for Suzaku, Nunnally, Euphemia, Akito, Leila, Jeremiah, and Sayoko to become immortal. All of them! No exceptions."
Suzaku blinked, surprised. "Then my wish is for everyone to stay friends forever."
God laughed heartily. "You, Lelouch vi Britannia, are quite the demanding one. Fine. I'll grant your wishes. As a matter of fact, the next time your friends go to sleep, they'll become immortal and they'll stop aging when you and C.C stop. Well, Jeremiah and Sayoko will already stop aging because they're adults. Your friends won't get any Codes; C.C went through so much pain because of that symbol. Your sister, Nunnally, will also be able to see when she becomes immortal tonight. I'll also spare you the trouble of explaining this to everybody else, as I'll just show them your memories of your time here in Cs' World."
Lelouch smirked. "You're still the same, 'cruel' god that humans struggle for, like Charles said."
Monday, September 3rd, 2018 a.t.b
Lelouch returned to the Ikaruga by early morning at 6:00 AM. Walking past Schneizel and Cornelia and towards his room, he said, "I'm too tired. Let me get some sleep and we'll talk later." Schneizel and Cornelia were about to respond, but he closed the door.
"He looked rather tired," Cornelia said.
"Let's not worry too much. He'll be fine," Schneizel said.
. . . . . . .
Lelouch woke up at 1:30 PM. He found Nunnally, Suzaku, and Jeremiah in the bridge of the Ikaruga. Nunnally was drinking a cup of tea while watching the news. Lelouch found it to be so strange that she was able to see now, her blue eyes focused on the TV, but he was content.
It was Milly Ashford giving the news from Hi-TV. "We've received news that, earlier this morning, his majesty, Emperor Charles, was killed in a firefight between Britannian forces. It seems that the Black Knights weren't involved and a very short civil war occurred. In other news, the Black Knights are negotiating with Prime Minister Schneizel and Second Princess Cornelia; it may be very possible that the war in Area 11 is coming to an end."
"Is that the script Schneizel gave them?" Lelouch asked.
"It seems so," Nunnally responded.
"Nunnally, I'm about to become immortal, as you saw in my memories, but in order for me to do so, I need to die first."
Nunnally turned towards Lelouch. "Big brother, what are you saying?"
"I'm saying that Schneizel isn't satisfied. In order to appease him and maintain the world peace we have achieved, I think it's for the best if Suzaku gets blamed for the war, therefore a court hearing is needed. You should be the judge and jury. I've already prepared the arguments that the lawyers will make. As for my punishment, I will suggest to appoint the new Emperor and I will help the 99th Emperor clean up the mess that Charles made. After that's done, I will shoot and kill myself."
"... You better not be lying to me, Lelouch," Said Nunnally.
"I'm not. My death will bring me back to life as an immortal, alright?" Lelouch said, kissing his sister on her forehead. He also took the opportunity to see if she had a Code on her forehead. She didn't have one, just as God said. "Thank god you don't have a Code."
"I don't need one, Lelouch. You only said for me to become immortal, not gain a Code," Nunnally responded. She dreamt of Lelouch's exchange with God, but it was still difficult for her to believe that she is now immortal. Not that she'll complain since things are getting much better.
"What happens to me?" Suzaku said.
"The world wants blood and someone to blame. After you give your speech, Schneizel and the Black Knights will announce that you were executed, when, in reality, you'll come with me. As a matter of fact, both you and Nunnally will live with me and C.C. I think I'll probably ask Akito and Leila if they want to move in, too."
"What speech? And don't forget Euphie," Suzaku reminded.
"Of course. Euphie, too. As for the speech, you'll see. That reminds me, what about our Ashford Academy friends? Milly and the others?"
"We're going to have to say goodbye before we leave because we'll probably never be able to ever see them again. Let's keep the immortality business to ourselves and those involved in the military or the ones we care about; we can't keep wishing immortality upon everyone," Suzaku said.
Lelouch got up to leave, but Jeremiah was next to the door. He suddenly kneeled. "It's been an honor serving you, Master Lelouch." A tear rolled down his face.
Lelouch sighed. "Get up, Orange. Stop acting like we'll never see each other again; this isn't the end for me."
. . . . . . .
They all went to their own private hearing in Japan. Lelouch already told Schneizel and Cornelia about the purpose of this trial: to announce the supposed death of Suzaku Kururugi AFTER Lelouch finishes his agenda. The people attending the trial are Lelouch, Suzaku, Nunnally, Schneizel, Cornelia, Ohgi, Tohdoh, and Leila. Xingke didn't attend because he wanted to practice Zero's body language. Lelouch sat on a bench at the left side of the room, his hands free, while Suzaku sat at the right side of the room, his hands handcuffed. There is a camera set up on the right side of the room, as per Lelouch's plan, to focus only on Suzaku at a certain angle so that neither Lelouch nor his lawyer show in the picture. After it's over, Lelouch will edit the footage to focus only on what they said about Suzaku before sending it to Hi-TV to release it to the public. He also had Schneizel go along with it to tell the press afterwards that the other man being prosecuted besides Suzaku was just a terrorist who killed many Britannians and never joined any official freedom-fighting organization, not a boy named Lelouch vi Britannia; if they are to ask why his identity is being kept secret, Schneizel will just end the conversation by saying, "Because he is a dangerous person," instead of hinting that Lelouch is important.
Nunnally sat in the front of the room on a pedestal. Reciting the script Lelouch gave her, she spoke. "Hello everyone. I am Nunnally vi Britannia, Viceroy of Japan and judge and jury of this hearing. This trial is happening under the orders of the person that we expect to become the next Emperor, whose identity we cannot tell you yet. Lawyers and attorneys, please now enter the room."
They strolled in, making everyone stare in shock. It was comedic to have these two as lawyers: Lloyd as Lelouch's lawyer and Cecile as Suzaku's. Lelouch tried not to smirk while Suzaku tried not to laugh; there are times when Lloyd and Cecile act like the weirdest married couple, even though he was supposed to get married to Milly.
"Yes, yes. I, ladies and gents, am Lloyd Asplund and I will be the defense attorney for Mr. Lamperouge." He sat to the right of Lelouch, giving him a grin. The very mention of Lelouch's name will be censored later on by Lelouch along with all of the evidence blaming him.
"I am Cecile Croomey and I will be the defense attorney for Suzaku Kururugi." She smiled towards Suzaku from the corner of her eyes, letting him know that she volunteered to do this for him.
"Alright. Cecile, we would like for you to make your case now," Nunnally said, motioning for Cecile to stand up. This was also a part of Lelouch's script; he wanted Cecile to make her entire case first so that he could just edit out his own incrimination quickly due to how time-consuming it can be.
She stood up and walked towards the left side of the room, stopping to stand right in front of Lelouch. Lloyd also tried his best not to grin at her. "Lelouch vi Britannia, the 11th Prince of Britannia, you are guilty of two crimes: using a false identity to hide your fraud and using the power of Geass. Here is a list of all the people that you used this power on. That is all!"
"How would the defendant like to plead?" Nunnally said.
"Guilty," Lelouch stated, bored all of a sudden.
"Well spoken, Miss Croomey. Now, whenever you're ready, Earl Asplund, make your case," Nunnally said.
Lloyd got up and stood right in front of Suzaku, making them the only two people visible on camera. "Ahem. Suzaku Kururugi, pilot of the Z-01 Lancelot, one of the most powerful Britannian Knightmare Frames to exist, son of Genbu Kururugi, Japan's lost Prime Minister, you are guilty of numerous crimes: the murder of over 35 million people, the murder of millions of Japanese, the use of a Weapon of Mass Destruction, the annihilation of tens of thousands of Japanese homes, the rape of thousands of Japanese, the pillaging of tens of thousands of Japanese homes, businesses, and stores, and the damaging and destroying of thousands of vehicles during the First Battle of Tokyo Settlement." That last one was to make it more believable by prosecuting him for at least one crime against Britannians. Lelouch decided that it'd be for the best if the public simply blame the war on Suzaku, who gladly agreed.
"How would the defendant like to plead?" Nunnally said.
"Guilty," Suzaku said.
"Then, under the ruling of international law, Suzaku Kururugi is to be executed immediately," Nunnally concluded.
. . . . . . .
After the trial, Schneizel and Lelouch began speaking. Everyone else left the room except for the two Princes along with Nunnally and Cornelia.
"So, who is this person that you want as Emperor?" Schneizel said.
"It's Prince Odysseus. None of the four of us are qualified to rule; Nunnally should not have to deal with cleaning up Charles' mess, as her body has already gone through hell. Cornelia's policies during her time as Viceroy of Japan never worked out, never appeased the terrorists. Schneizel, while you are a great military leader who has good intentions, you can be brutal; I'm certain that you had a less peaceful plan to stop the war before you found out that I was alive. As for me, people will think I'm a dictator if I suddenly usurp the throne; some may come around to support me, but others may try to send an assassin after me, which could only get more people killed. Odysseus is the best choice; he loves his siblings and would do anything for us, even if it means throwing away his wealth to those in need. I'm certain that he's the most sensible choice. And don't even get me started on Guinevere; she's a psychopath," Lelouch stated.
Friday, September 28th, 2018 a.t.b
A few weeks passed as people waited with bated breathe to see who the next Emperor will be. Schneizel, as Prime Minister, arranged a meeting with the nobility in the Pendragon Imperial Palace along with some of his siblings.
"Today, I have announced that the next Emperor of Britannia will be Prince Odysseus," Schneizel said, pointing to his 34 year old brother in the first row of the audience.
"Me? Brother, I would've been fine with you ruling the throne. Are you sure?" Odysseus said.
"I'm certain. As a matter of fact, would you please be so kind and come with me right now? There is someone I want you and only you to meet," Schneizel said, walking to the backstage area to the right of the room.
Odysseus followed him, albeit confused. Schneizel walked into the grand hall, a very similar room to the one in the Aries Villa where Marianne was assassinated. Going up the stairs and to the opposite end of where the staircase is, Schneizel stopped at the door that led outside. "He's outside. I'll give the two of you some privacy."
Schneizel left. Odysseus opened the door to see a young man leaning on a balcony. His mouth was agape a little upon realizing who it is.
"This place is so similar to the Aries Villa, where I spent much of my childhood in hiding," Lelouch said. Turning around, he smiled at Odysseus. "It's been a long time, 99th Emperor Odysseus."
"Lelouch? You're alive! It's as Schneizel thought; ever since Nunnally became the Viceroy of Area 11, Schneizel suspected that you were alive."
"Yes, but now isn't the time to catch up. Odysseus, we have work to do. I'll help you work from the shadows by giving you an agenda of what you need to accomplish as Emperor. I will take care of the task marked as number one on the priority list. Everything else is all yours to handle," Lelouch said, handing him a clipboard of a list of things that they need to get done within a month.
Odysseus read a few of the tasks before looking back up at Lelouch. "Is this about the war?"
Lelouch frowned. "Yes. Many people died. To prevent such tragedies from happening again, we need to change the way Britannia does things. Please help me, Brother."
"Of course! If it means that our siblings can be happy, then I'll happily do anything for them."
"Oh, and keep my identity a secret. I don't want people to know that I'm alive; my own mother was assassinated for being too popular. Once this is all over, I'm going to go somewhere far away; you'll never see me again," Lelouch said.
Lelouch got out his phone and sent a text to C.C reading, "I'll be coming home in a couple of weeks. I miss you. Sorry for texting because you'd probably prefer to hear my voice, but I'm very busy."
After a few minutes, he received a reply from his fiance: "It's okay. I miss you, too. I look forward to when you return." Lelouch smiled to himself.
For the first time in a long time, Lelouch felt very happy, knowing that he can finally accomplish something for the people he loves. Soon enough, the world will be so happy that people will forget that Charles zi Britannia ever existed.
To Be Continued
This is the longest chapter yet! Just a couple chapters left in this story. :)