Disclaimer: Code Geass is owned by Sunrise Studios
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The air was heavy and time seemed to have frozen in place—even the trees and the flowers could sense a disturbance as they fell still. The melodic jingle of the bullet casing bouncing to the floor broke through the silence and the sharp, metallic aroma of gunpowder wafted in the air. Fumes rose from the mouth of the smoking gun and the man wielding it wore an expression that was difficult to decipher. The distinct smell left a sour taste in his mouth that he was all too familiar with, but the sight before him had his insides twist into knots. The faint whiff of blood mixed into the air and just the sight of it would make any weak-hearted person sick to his stomach. Not too far behind, a woman with fiery hair and deep, ocean-blue eyes dropped to her knees. All her strength had suddenly left her and her body leaned forward at an alarming rate. Her callused hands instinctively lurched forward and slapped loudly against the stone tiles as she caught herself midway. She lowered her head to hide the tears pricking the corner of her eyes. A pistol clattered to the ground and dropped just into Kallen's view.

She raised her head and her line of sight trailed up the slender body, up the cascading brunette locks, and finally onto the girl's colorless face. Her violet eyes trembled and shimmered as tears were welling up behind them. Her mouth hung open and she struggled to find her words. A dull, aching sensation took over and she flung her hand across her body to grab at the source. Her thin fingers laid across her shoulder and encountered something warm and wet seeping up from underneath. She immediately withdrew her hand and saw that her palm was covered in blood. The red liquid assaulted her nostrils with its metallic odor and she began to feel nauseous at the sight. Her widened eyes glanced at her shoulder and saw the warm blood was rapidly spreading from the wound. She firmly pressed onto it in a desperate attempt to plug it. In doing so, she noticed something in her peripheral vision. It was hot and settled in the space just above her shoulder after nicking it. It was the bullet—deeply embedded into her wheelchair.

Several inches to its right it would have missed entirely, but several inches to its left and it would have found its home in the back of her throat. The thought itself was terrifying. With her free hand, the young girl snatched the Damocles key from her lap and shot the most venomous glare she could muster at her assailant. But nothing changed. His expression hadn't moved in the slightest. The violet irises glaring down at her held not an ounce of fear or compassion. The man standing before her was a stranger—a mere shell of her beloved brother.

"Oh? You're still not going to give up?" the man's asked in an icy tone. "You're stronger than you look."

"You're going to have to do better than that," she retorted in an equally cold tone.

"You should know better to be more careful of what you wish for."

He reached to pull the hammer back and took aim. Fear shot throughout her body and she squeezed her eyes shut. Any moment now she would feel the pain surge through her. Any moment now her light would be snuffed out.

"No," he whispered.

Her eyes snapped open just in time to see the gun lower and rest at his hip. Her gaze met with his and a wicked smile twisted his lips.

"Instead of killing you, you're going to be a witness to the world that will be reborn."

His other hand flew up to his face and swiped across his eyes. When the hand was removed, two crimson bird-like figures shown radiantly in its place.

"Geass!"

"That's right. Since you're unwilling to hand over the key I am forced to resort to this."

"No! I won't give in. I will fight it—"

"You may fight against it all you'd like, Nunnally, my dear sister, but the power of Geass is absolute. I, Lelouch vi Britannia, the 99th emperor of the Holy Empire, command you to—"

A blurry figure rushed in between with arms splayed. The trembling violet eyes he locked with were now replaced with that of an intense blue. Blue? Strands of red hair invaded his vision and the figure's face came into clarity. Anger lines were etched onto her features and a snarl played on her lips.

"What is the meaning of this, Kallen?"

"I won't let you continue any further."

"You dare disobey me?"

"I can't stand still any longer!" she cried. "I can't watch you lose yourself like this."

"Move. Or else face the consequences."

"No."

"Did you forget that we're at war, Captain? Precious time is being wasted. Every minute we spend arguing, another life is lost. You, of all people, should have realized that."

"We all knew the risks of picking a side in this war. We are all just fighting for what we believe is right. And now, I'm doing what needs to be done."

"Get out of my way," he hissed.

"I refuse."

"I said get out of my way!" he roared as he raised the gun to her. The gun was inches from her face, but she did not falter. She continued to hold her stare down the barrel of the gun—in the face of death—at him. She could practically smell the burning metal. Her blood pumped loudly in her ears and sweat began to form. She was absolutely terrified but she dared not show it.

An inkling of temptation to pull the trigger arose. However, as soon as the thought manifested, he squashed it. He was utterly disgusted at himself for even entertaining the idea. Besides, she wasn't going to make it easy. He looked deep into her unwavering blue eyes and saw a fire in them like never before. She was stubborn—always has been. And strangely, that characteristic drew him to her. Her burning spirit constantly clashed with his icy soul but he couldn't help but admire her. And right now, that very woman was at the end of the gun he wielded. Most would panic under these circumstances, but not her. Instead, those blue pools of hers were screaming at him, "do it and I'll kill you."

He was admittedly a little perplexed at why she was acting this way. He absolutely needed to get his hands on the key and he was going to get it one way or another. Did she not want to win this war? Crimson locked onto blue and their war waged on from within.

Perhaps I can use physical force to get the key—no. That's an impossible outcome. Kallen is well-versed in warfare. Her excellency in piloting a Knightmare as well as hand-to-hand combat were proven on countless occasions. Maybe distract her so I can snatch the key away from Nunnally? No. That won't work either. The space between us is too great. Kallen would catch me too quickly to make any real progress. What is it? What is she thinking?

Time dragged on and mere seconds felt like minutes and the minutes felt like hours. At one point, time felt like it had frozen. The only indication of it moving were the clouds lazily floating past the large windows. Kallen's lips began to part to speak but was interrupted by a silky voice.

"Do whatever you like," he muttered, just barely audible as he lowered his gun. The pistol rested at his hip and Kallen's arms quickly followed. She had silently sighed in relief that he conceded. Any longer and she would have had to resort to twisting the gun from his hands. She was sure she would win in any physical altercation, but he was right: time was of the essence. Someone had to act. Fast. And she was glad he did first.

She gave a slight nod in affirmation and turned to face the frail girl. Kallen dropped to one knee to meet the young girl at eye level. Her small hands trembled while keeping a tight grip on the key and the other on her wound. She could tell that the brunette was trying her hardest to keep a neutral face. However, her body betrayed her. Kallen reached out to lay her hand atop of hers but was met with the girl recoiling at her touch. Blue irises fixated on violet. In them, she half expected those violet pools of hers to resemble her brothers', but they were not cold and calculating as theirs. In fact, they were quite the opposite. They were compassionate and hopeful—just like her.

"Nunnally," the warrior called in a low voice. She looked at her tenderly. "Please let go of the key. I don't want to hurt you."

"B-But—"

"Please, Nunnally," Kallen repeated, this time a bit more firmly. She reached out and successfully encircled the brunette's small hand in hers. Little by little, she began to gently pry her fingers from the key. Before she was able to lift it from her grasp, the thin fingers quickly wrapped themselves around the key again in a last ditch effort to regain control. Her blue eyes snapped upward to meet the girl's determined gaze with one of her own.

"You don't have to do this, Kallen. We can find a way to achieve peace without sacrificing anymore lives. We can overcome this—"

"Don't make this any harder than it has to be," she cut in. Her brusque response elicited a soft gasp from the young girl. Kallen wasted no time in seizing the opportunity and snatched the Damocles key from her unsuspecting fingers.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to the stunned girl before rising to her feet. The slender figure turned on her heels to face the solemn-faced man. She closed the gap between them and offered him the key. He readily took it in his hand and took a moment to study its intricate design.

"Excellent work," he praised. A smile began to form on his lips but the light did not reach his eyes. With that, Lelouch turned his back to them and started walking. "We've succeeded our mission. Let's go, Captain."

She tilted her head into a nod. "Yes, Your Majesty." She clicked her heels together and followed after him. Behind her, the young girl, wide-eyed and quivering, violently shook her head side to side. She lowered her head in defeat. In doing so, she caught a glimpse of a black object on the ground. It was the pistol she had dropped. The beautiful metal piece shimmered in the light and its presence called to her. She bent towards the ground to reach for it.

A little bit more. Just a little closer.

Her fingertips grazed the cool metal but at that moment she suddenly found herself plummeting towards the stone flooring. She shot her hand out to catch herself but it was too late. Her forehead smacked against the unforgiving tiles as an involuntarily shriek escaped her. The rest of her body followed suit and she lied stunned on the ground for a minute or so. Her head ached at the impact and her vision was blurred. Gradually, her senses returned to normal and she frantically searched for the pistol in the meantime. In her panic, she lifted up the hem of her dress on either side in hopes of spotting the gun hidden under the fabric. In the corner of her eye, she saw something black and bulky just to the left of her. Nunnally's hand weakly clasped onto the pistol and inched it towards her. It was then she was aware of a pair of footsteps approaching her. They weren't hurried or frantic like she thought they'd be, but instead calm and collected. A hand gingerly wrapped around hers while another eased the pistol out of her grasp.

The vivid colors of the flowers and the green trees in the distance disappeared, for all she saw was white.

Her gaze trailed up the body clad in the white, elegant robes only to be met with brilliant violet eyes that resembled her own. Strands of the man's jet-black hair danced in front of his face as if attempting to cover his stare but she could clearly see the sadness in his features. Or so she thought. Her hand shot out to grab onto his wrist. Her eyes widened and she could see right through him. It was obvious on her face and he knew her better than anyone. The corner of his lips immediately curled up into a haughty smirk and he rose to his feet. He held the pistol in front of her as if taunting her.

"It's over, Nunnally."

Without another word, he turned away from her and proceeded to make his way towards the stairway. Nunnally's frantic eyes jumped from her brother's retreating figure to the stone-faced woman standing not too far ahead. Her blue orbs looked upon her tenderly—almost pitifully. Through their locked stares the young girl wordlessly pleaded to her but all the fiery-haired warrior could do was mutter an apology. The girl's heart felt tight in her chest and the feeling of helplessness welled up inside her. Her line of sight fixated on the tall silhouette walking in great strides and her feelings of despair instantly transformed into fury.

"Onii-chan, you're a monster! Cowardly! A demon! How can you be so cruel?"

The man continued his way down the stairs without a pause in his gait. He silently handed his trusted companion the pistol while stuffing his own in his inner chest pocket.

"I hate you!"

Her cry grew faint as Lelouch and Kallen reached the final step. However, as faint as his sister's declaration was, he still heard it. They spoke the loudest to him. Her words echoed in his mind even as they had walked out of sight and out of earshot; a pain surged through his torso and his legs suddenly felt weak. The exit was within sight but he couldn't muster the strength to move forward. He clutched at his chest and felt gravity pull him downwards. He gave into it and was ready to feel his body collide against the earth.

"Lelouch!" he heard.

However, before he could crash onto the stone flooring, something caught him midway. Something also wrapped across his back and latched onto his shoulder. It pulled him closer and his thin frame connected with something warm. It was soft against him and was comforting. Lelouch peeked down to see a hand placed firmly against his chest and a toned arm strewn across his torso. His eyes cracked open a bit more and his gaze trailed up the milky-white arm only to rest on his blue-eyed companion's face. Her head was tilted, her brows were creased inward, and her lips were pulled into a frown. Her features oozed concern—uncharacteristic of the bold, brazen woman he knew. At the sight of her he let out a soft chuckle.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine, thank you. I just lost the strength in my legs is all."

"You never were the athletic type," she teased. The worry on her face dissipated and was replaced with a creeping smile.

"I never liked participating in those brutish activities," he grinned in return. As quickly as it had come, the boyish grin disappeared. "Kallen…"

"Hm? Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong. I was just wondering about something."

"What is it?"

"I need to know. Why did you stop me?"

"Eh? What do you mean? Are you telling me I should've thought twice before catching you? You'd think—"

"No," he interjected. "Not that. Why did you stop me from using my Geass on Nunnally?"

Her expression darkened and she cast her eyes downward. Her hands instinctively balled up all while grabbing a handful of his clothing. He searched her face for an answer and waited patiently for her to speak.

"Because…because I was scared that if you did, you'd never be the same."

"How do you mean?"

"I mean…I know how much Nunnally means to you. I knew you'd never want to use Geass on her because of how much you care for her. Resorting to it would have gone against everything you stood for."

She stole a glance at the black-haired man only to avert her gaze again. "And if you had gone through with it, I was scared something inside you would have broken and couldn't be healed. I just couldn't let you do it."

"I see," he whispered. He straightened himself and shed Kallen's arms from his body. They hastily dropped and returned to her side. He turned to face her squarely.

"Nonetheless, it was an impudent decision. I pointed a gun to your head and I threatened you. What would have happened if I decided to make good on my word?"

"You wouldn't," she muttered under her breath.

"And why is that?" he pressed.

She grabbed at her upper arm and sheepishly rubbed up and down its length. Her cheeks were beginning to feel warm and she still couldn't look him in the eye.

"I-I had the feeling."

Curiosity began to glimmer in his violet orbs and the beginnings of a sly smile worked its way up the corners of his mouth.

Kallen heard shuffling and looked up to find Lelouch standing inches from her. She started to open her mouth to question him but was interrupted by a hand snaking through her red locks. Her mind raced and before she knew it, she was being led into his chest. Another lanky arm wrapped around the small of her back and squeezed her tightly. She could feel the Damocles key poke into her back but she didn't mind. She was instead focused on another matter. His scent—one that she came to crave, wafted up her nose. Her heart was pounding furiously as his warmth enveloped her and her face matched the intensity of her hair.

"U-Um—"

"You always find yourself in troublesome situations because you can never keep your nose out of matters that don't concern you."

"I don't seek them," she retorted hotly. "They only happen because you're at the center of it all."

"Are you're implying it's my fault?"

"Isn't it?"

He snorted in amusement. "Nonetheless, looks like you've saved me again. Thank you."

He pressed his lips against the top of her head and with that single, gentle kiss, he melted her uneasiness. She initially jolted at his soft touch but quickly relaxed into his arms. Without even realizing it, she nestled her face deeper into the folds of his robes. Her own arms trailed up his back, feeling the ripples and creases in the fabric, and pulled him as close as they allowed her. It felt so long since they held each other like this; she couldn't even remember the last intimate moment they shared. But to her, and hopefully to him, it didn't matter. What did was that they were content in each other's arms. However, the blue-eyed warrior was thrown back to reality when she felt the weight against her cheek peel away from the tight embrace. Kallen, worried she had done something she wasn't supposed to, looked up to shoot him a quizzical glance. His hands retracted from her form and instead rested on either side of her face.

Before she had a chance to speak her lips were captured in his. She was taken aback by his gesture: her body stiffened out of reflex—her eyes grew wide and without thinking her lips parted. Lelouch saw this as a sign and gently tugged her forward to deepen the kiss. She was stunned but his lips were soft and the kiss was sweet. Gradually, she could feel her muscles start to relax. Realizing that she was not in any danger, Kallen closed her eyes and leaned into the loving kiss. Her hands, rested limply on Lelouch's hips, found their way up his chest. The fabric of the robes rustled underneath her roaming fingertips before her arms finally looped around his neck. In response, the man's own hands released her face and wrapped themselves around her waist. Everything around them seemed to have melted away as they were caught in the moment. The two couldn't seem to get enough of each other and it showed. Kallen reached up and ran her hand through his silky, jet-black hair which earned her a low sigh. She let out a soft moan of her own and proceeded to softly bite on his lower lip when—

He tore away from her. Her eyes flung open and she found herself looking deeply into his violet irises.

"Did I do something wrong?"

The tall man let out a soft chuckle. "No, you didn't do anything wrong." He brushed away the stray strands of hair from her face before planting a quick kiss on her forehead.

"Right now, we have a war to end."

Kallen, suddenly remembering where they were, felt her embarrassment creep up her cheeks. She yanked her hands from his person and firmly held them to her sides.

"O-Of course."

He flashed her a smile before walking past her towards the exit. "Come. We have work to do."


The troupe walked through the silent halls and finally reached the center of the Damocles. From its massive screen, they could all witness the chaos that was continuing below them. Billowing clouds of dark smoke and bits of fire were everywhere. In the distance, the black dots could be seen zooming around the marred sky. Lelouch strode over and took hold of the commander's chair. He was going to put an end to the fighting, claiming victory finally after so long. His thin fingers clacked on the keyboard and various screens pulled up. The Damocles groaned as it came to a stop. He continued to input various other commands and soon enough, the flying fortress was descending from the heavens.

"Tie them up," he ordered his trusted companion standing nearby. She nodded and proceeded to look for rope or anything to serve as binds. Kanon glowered at the black-haired man upon hearing the order.

"Is this really necessary?"

"What can I say? I'm a slave to appearances," he smirked.

How easily the snarky response rolled off his tongue only served to anger the former earl, but he couldn't do anything about it. He eyed the gun still pointed at him; he was their captive, after all.

Kallen returned with a handful of rope and made her way to their prisoners. She expertly looped the rope around Kanon's gloved wrists and tied it off with a sharp tug. The man winced at the tightened bindings to which she could only apologize. Next was Schneizel. The blonde, statuesque figure stood silently beside his faithful companion; he merely held a neutral expression, but despite being under the power of Geass, his blank stare was still unnerving. Her blue eyes continuously darted up to him with half an expectation for him to somehow break out of the Geass's control. No one has been able to break from its power but she couldn't help but tense up. This was, after all, the man known as the Cold-Blooded Strategist. Not only that, but he was the one who orchestrated holding her mother hostage. At the thought, rage slowly began to build up within her.

That's right. He was the mastermind behind it. And I have him here right in front of me.

Various schemes of exacting her revenge flew through her mind. A deep growl rumbled in the back of her throat and her hands clutched the rope so tightly her knuckles turned white. She played with the idea of inflicting pain one way or another. However, something stopped her. She wasn't too sure what it was until she found herself roaming his features. It was his eyes, she discovered. His normally brilliant, violet eyes were dulled and lifeless. The cold, calculating smirk that graced his fair face was gone. He was now a puppet under the power of Geass—under Lelouch. Even if she were to satisfy her primal desires of using him as her punching bag, it wouldn't matter. He wouldn't be able to acknowledge the crimes he's committed or the hurt he's caused. He was only a shell. And she hated him all the more for it.

She yanked the ends of the rope to tie them off. Not a whimper was heard. She clucked her tongue and led the two towards the center. She took her place beside her leader and fixated her sights on the screen before her.

"And now, we begin," Lelouch smiled arrogantly. He sent out the transmission and in less than a minute, Xing-ke, Suzaku, Jeremiah, and a few other prominent figures in the battle appeared on the screen.

"Your Majesty!" Jeremiah exclaimed.

Anger erupted in Xing-ke's features. "That means…"

"Hear me! This war is now over by order of your emperor, Lelouch vi Britannia! Schneizel has been captured and I have taken over the Damocles. Lay down your weapons at once or prepare to face the consequences."

"I see you finally got what you wanted," the Chinese warrior snarled. "But at what cost?"

"None too great in exchange for a gentler world. You of all people should understand that."

"I do not. I am nothing like you."

"Perhaps. But it is far too late now to ponder what could have been. It would be wise to consider the gravity of your situation, Xing-ke. Tell your troops to stand down immediately."

"This won't be the last you hear of me," he spat as his image disappeared from the scene.

"Indeed, it won't. Suzaku. Jeremiah. Round up every last rebel and prepare for the next phase."

"Yes, Your Majesty! As you wish," Jeremiah shouted fervently. A moment later, his image disappeared as well.

Emerald eyes paused to glare at the familiar violet orbs. They jumped from the robed man to the fiery-haired warrior, to Schneizel, and back again. His lips parted as if he had something to say, but he bit back his words. Now wasn't the time, he decided. His brows furrowed and his expression darkened instead.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I shall await your return."

One by one, the faces that covered the wide screen vanished. In their place, the white clouds had parted, revealing Mt. Fuji looming in the background and the concrete jungle in the distance. A stream of air rushed out of his nostrils as Lelouch watched the screen unfold before him. He faintly heard the thunderous cries and cheers of the troops as they celebrated the end of the war. A rueful smile curled his thin lips. He had overcome a tough obstacle, but the most difficult one was fast approaching. Was he ready? His twitching fingers and pounding heart said no, but in the end, he would just have to find out.


Nearly two months have passed since the war ended but for some it felt like an eternity. The image of the rebels lining up and being escorted to the prison were burned into the people's minds. How considerate of their emperor to televise the whole ordeal. The clip of the captives shuffling in their white prisoner garb with despondent, ragged faces circulated throughout all the news stations; it was the hot topic for weeks. That and along with the new policies that were being implemented. Not before long, paintings, pictures, and statues of their young emperor were being erected. Soldiers now flooded through the streets and Britannian Knightmares claimed the skies. With these new developments, the citizens were fearful and rightfully so. Lelouch had proven to be far more ruthless and cunning than his predecessor; fear was planted deep into their hearts and with no one to come to their rescue, they were wary of what was to come.

"In celebration of his sweeping victory," Milly started as she stared intently into the news camera, "99th Britannian Emperor, Lelouch vi Britannia, has decreed that the rebels' crushing defeat be honored as a day of national observation. It is, quoted here, that 'this triumph does not belong to just me, but to all of Britannia and her citizens.' And to demonstrate so, a parade in His Highness's honor will be held tomorrow to commemorate this historic moment. Everyone, please join us tomorrow afternoon as we are broadcasting live at the scene."

"Thank you, Milly for your informative piece," her co-anchor smiled. "To add onto what you were saying, we were also just informed that an execution will happen during the parade as well."

"Execution?"

"That's right. We were informed that the masterminds behind the rebellion are to be executed for their crimes against the Holy Empire."

"That's a little harsh, isn't it?"

"His Highness himself announced it is a punishment befitting of their crimes. With the parade on top of the city reparations it looks like tomorrow is going to be quite the busy day. Wouldn't you say?"

The chatter of the TV went in one ear and out the other. Lelouch leaned over in his chair with his head rested on his knuckles. His heavy eyes drooped close as he breathed in the crisp air. He had a meeting to attend to but he contemplated even lifting a finger. The internal strife waged on all while he began to drift off. His body felt like he was being weighed down and the voice urging him to stand up quieted. Everything was nearly in place; it was alright to take a break, right?

Wrong.

"Lelouch!" a familiar voice called out.

The slumped figure awoke with a startle as if he had just been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to. Well, he wasn't supposed to be nodding off before a meeting. His eyes flickered toward the offender. He was immediately greeted with a disdainful scowl and intense, emerald eyes.

"You're going to be late," the gruff voice growled. "This will look bad on you."

"I'm sure those diplomats can spare a few minutes."

The disapproving stare only deepened upon seeing his former friend's haughty grin. "Weren't you the one who said appearances were everything to you? Wouldn't you want to make good of the time you are in a position of power?"

"I've always been in a position of power," Lelouch replied coolly. "Being emperor hasn't really changed my perspective all too much. If anything, having all this power makes everything a bit too easy and predictable."

"And that's bad?"

"It becomes boring."

"You're beginning to sound more and more like C.C. by the day."

"Don't compare me to that pizza-loving witch," he scoffed. He gently sighed as he ran a hand through his unkempt hair.

"Where has she run off to? I haven't seen her around since the Mt. Fuji battle."

"She's fine. She's off taking care of another matter."

Before Suzaku could ask further the man rose from his seat. "We better get going."

The emerald-eyed man paused for a minute before nodding in agreement. "I'll be heading out first then. I'll see you shortly."

Lelouch waved him off as he watched his childhood friend's cloaked form disappear behind the steel doors. He bent over and pulled out a drawer from the tabletop. Inside its wooden walls was a small, black pistol. He traced its outline and felt its cool, metallic surface against his fingertips. He gripped it in his palm—the weight of it noticeable in his hand. Funny to think that just over a year ago he wouldn't have gone anywhere near a firearm. Now he didn't feel comfortable without having one on his person. Or at the very least, standing beside someone who was capable in combat. A particular hot-headed woman came to mind. He chuckled to himself at the thought. The man quickly slipped the pistol into the inner pocket of his robes before making his way towards the exit.


His footsteps echoed in the lifeless corridors. Everyone had gone ahead it seemed. Moments later, he strode into the spacious assembly hall. The gorgeous room once filled with vibrant colors was dulled in the poor lighting and the emptiness. The darkness hid much of the room's intricate details and did it no justice. The throne, sporting a thin veil of dust, stood alone under the room's seemingly only light source. On either side, the massive pillars stretched up to the high-rise ceiling with a large Britannian flag pinned right in its center. The robed man climbed the steps leading up to the throne to lay his hand on its cool surface. His mind wandered as he ran his fingertips along the grooves and curves of its carved features.

"Lelouch!" a voice shouted nearby. The way his name was spoken was steeped with such anger it surprised him. But not really. At this point, he was used to being hated—with or without Zero's mask. He exhaled slowly to brace himself before calmly turning to its source.

A woman with distinct red hair and ocean-blue eyes stomped her way across the hall. Her hands were balled into fists and her shoulders squared. From the looks of it, with her purposeful gait and her clenched jaw, she was ready to fight someone. She stopped at the foot of the steps and glared up at him.

"What's the meaning of this?" she practically shouted. "You ordered Ohgi and the others to be executed?"

"They posed a national threat. They were allies with Schneizel who wanted to strip me of my throne. I cannot allow that. I must make an example of them."

"Don't give me that," she hissed. "We both know that without Schneizel or Zero leading them, the Black Knights are harmless—much less a threat to national security."

"Indeed. However, the public isn't aware of that. And that is why I must go through with this."

"So your solution is to kill them? This doesn't make sense! There has to be another way."

"It's for the good of—"

"Forget that! I refuse to believe killing them is for the good of a better world. Is this what you meant by creating a gentler future?"

"You had no qualms following me up until now. What changed?"

"That was before I knew you were going to do something as senseless as this! Is this what Nunnally would have wanted?"

"Don't be a fool," he retorted sharply. "This was always the endgame."

Kallen let his words sink in and could only stare at him incredulously.

"This is…" she started. She mustered her strength to continue. "This isn't the end I wanted."

"It is. It has to be," he said in a low voice. She watched him as he strode towards her. He silently began to descend the stairs with his robes lightly dragging along the carpeted steps. With the seemingly singular light shining from above, his image was almost saintly; it was as if he had descended from the heavens themselves. Kallen dared not let the holy figure out of her sight in fear he would disappear.

Before long, he reached the final step and planted himself within arm's reach. With hooded eyes, he peered down and studied her features. Anger, disappointment, shock, and sadness battled within her: part of her wanted to launch herself at him and let her fists fly, the other fought to keep from buckling. He could see it all through her telling, blue orbs. He lifted his hand to stroke her cheek to offer some sort of consolation. However, she backed away as if his touch burned her.

He understood how she was feeling very well but seeing her recoil like that still hurt. He reluctantly lowered his hand back to his side.

"Kallen, I believe it's time you know about Zero Requiem."

"Eh? Zero Requiem? What—"

"It's the name of the final act. Of a show that's coming to a close."

"What do you mean?"

She began to feel agitated at hearing his words. Her muscles tensed and she couldn't shake this feeling that he was going to tell her something she wasn't going to like. She waited with bated breath for him to continue.

"There's no need to worry about Ohgi and the others. They are far from harm; the only one who will be executed tomorrow is me."

Her eyes bulged and her mouth hung. With one fell swoop, she had forgotten her anger and disappointment. A gasp involuntarily escaped her and she took a step back to steady herself. She studied his face and searched for a reason to not believe him. His solemn features and his hooded, unwavering eyes told her otherwise. At the realization he was completely serious, her heart immediately sank to her stomach.

"N-No, this can't be. Why? Why you?"

"The Britannia name has forever left a blemish in history. To secure peace, I must end this vicious cycle. It is the only way to erase my sins as well as the sins of my family."

"No! None of this makes sense. You don't need to do this, Lelouch."

"On the contrary, I do. I have already directed the world's hate towards me. All I need to do is get rid of the hate and clear our name."

"You already decided just like that? What about the people you'll leave behind? Suzaku, Nunnally! …me."

The fiery-haired woman furiously swiped at the tears that were pricking the corners of her eyes. Her brief moment of sadness passed and was replaced with a burning rage. With it, she directed it all towards the man standing before her. Her jaw clenched and her hands shook; she tried to calm herself down but was failing miserably.

"You're willing to leave everything behind?"

"I am," he murmured.

Her hands shot out from her side and grabbed the front of his robes, bunching up a handful of the cloth in her fists. In one swift motion, she pulled him closer to her—so close she could feel his warm breath fanning her face.

"Bastard! Despicable bastard. Why are you telling me this? Why now?"

"You deserved to know," his expression unchanging. "And because I care deeply about you. I couldn't risk letting you know sooner in fear you would disrupt my plans."

She scoffed in return. She was ready to hurl another insult his way but to her own surprise her hands unfurled instead. She felt the white, silky cloth slip away from her fingers; she had tried so hard to capture the elusive man but it seemed like every time she was close, he would escape in between the cracks. This time was no different. Her hands dropped like weights back to her side and she cast her gaze downward.

"Do you remember, Lelouch? You once told me you could no longer live without me. After the incident with Rolo, you asked me to stay with you."

"I remember."

"Then tell me," her voice escalating, "Were you sincere? Or was everything you said to me all lies?"

Her head snapped up to lock with the familiar brilliant irises. She's seen them hundreds of times but couldn't help but get caught in their beauty. They were mesmerizing, comforting, and most of all, dangerous.

"I meant every word," he said in almost a whisper. She watched intently as the edges around his normally steely eyes softened a bit. Regardless, she couldn't help but feel betrayed.

"Then what am I to you? Do I mean so little to you that you barely gave me a second thought when you decided to go forward with this ridiculous plan of yours? Have you ever considered I couldn't live without you?"

Her facial muscles relaxed upon realizing what she had said. Did I just confess to him?

It was now his turn to be surprised. To the untrained eye, he would have appeared to be unfazed by the declaration. But Kallen knew better. She noticed his brows perk up ever so slightly and the surprise flash through his eyes. If she had blinked, she would have definitely missed it for his expression returned to its neutral position immediately after. A minute passed. Then another. She couldn't take it any longer; she opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by a low voice.

"Do you truly believe you don't mean anything to me?"

"I don't know what to believe anymore," she replied indignantly.

"Believe me."

"How can I? You've been planning Zero Requiem for who knows how long and you expect me to just accept it? Forget it."

"I know it's difficult to do. I'm well aware of the circumstances and how negatively you must feel towards me. Your reaction is perfectly acceptable. However, I want you to trust in that everything will turn out alright in due time. It may not feel like it, but I do value you. Not just as my subordinate or as my bodyguard—but something more. Kallen, you are, in fact, very important to me. You always have been."

His words flowed like honey and would have made any other girl weak at the knees. Many would kill to be in the position she was in: to have a tall, handsome, intelligent man like him utter sweet nothings. However, all the wide-eyed warrior could do was stand there with her mouth gaping open. She was accustomed to battle and the sight of it did not deter her; yet, here she was left speechless and defenseless against a few measly words. Upon hearing his words, her heart soared as it beat furiously within her chest; his words began to sink in and as a result, a certain heat crept up her face and thoroughly warmed her cheeks. All of a sudden, she couldn't bring herself to look at him. The woman bit her lip and averted her gaze elsewhere—anywhere but those piercing eyes of his.

The sound of rustling fabric followed by a clatter reached their ears. Lelouch, stone-faced, furrowed his brows and immediately turned his attention in its direction.

"Who's there?" he called out. "Show yourself!"

Kallen followed his lead and whipped around. She practically forgot the entire conversation between them as she instantly switched into battle mode. Her hand shot out to signal for the man to stay behind her. Her narrowed eyes carefully scanned the assembly hall for movement. She automatically assumed her defensive stance and squinted into the darkness. Was it a coup?

Everything was still. Uncomfortably still. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and her heart pounded feverishly in her chest. In what felt like forever, her eyes finally adjusted to the dim light. In the distance, she could make out a single shadowed figure darting behind a pillar.

"Over there—"

Thud.

She felt a sharp pain in the back of her head and she suddenly was unable to utter another word. She lost control of her limbs and her vision began to blur. Her legs gave in and the next thing she knew she was falling—she recognized the weightless sensation all too well. The floor was fast approaching; she desperately tried to catch herself but to no avail. Her body refused to obey her despite her attempts. Finally, in her struggle, she had succumbed to the darkness sweeping over her and waited for the cold floor to greet her. A loud thump resonated in the hall but she felt nothing. Her eyes drooped close and she quickly slipped into the void.

Standing over her was Lelouch with a pistol clutched tightly in his hand. A small, almost undetectable frown adorned his face as his sights settled on the unconscious woman at his feet. He then turned his attention to the mysterious figure lurking in the shadows.

"You can come out now."

A slender silhouette appeared from behind the pillar and calmly strode over. As the silhouette approached, golden eyes could be spotted underneath the curtain of long, flowing green hair. She knelt beside Kallen, nonchalantly waving her hand in front of her still face.

"She's out cold, huh? How cruel."

"You sure took your time," he quipped as he placed the weapon back in the folds of his robes. "Now who's the cruel one?"

In return, she rose to her feet and offered a mischievous smile.

"I couldn't bring it upon myself to interrupt your heartfelt moment."

"That was unnecessary. I much would have preferred it if you made your presence known earlier."

"No need to be embarrassed, Lelouch. Acting cute doesn't suit you."

He scoffed. "To think sparing someone is acting cute. That's laughable."

He dropped to one knee and rolled Kallen over to face him. He then snaked his arms underneath her knees and shoulders before hoisting her up with a soft grunt. He adjusted his grip to allow her head to lay against his chest. He somewhat expected her to wake after being jostled so roughly, but she continued to lie limply in his arms. Her arms and legs motionlessly dangled over the sides and her chest rose and fell evenly. Once secured, he motioned the green-haired witch towards the exit. She nodded and fell in step alongside her violet-eyed companion.

"But is it alright for her to know about Zero Requiem?"

"Are you worried?"

"Well it doesn't necessarily affect me so not really. But I can't imagine this brazen woman to idly stand by on the sidelines."

"You're absolutely right."

"Oh?" she turned to him and lifted a brow in curiosity. "That doesn't concern you? Seems like a perfect opportunity to ruin the sequence of things."

"Perhaps. But we can use that to our advantage."

"I can't see how this will be an advantage versus you leaving her in the dark. I get the feeling you just wanted to let her in on it because you felt guilty," she teased.

"I wouldn't have had to feel guilty if you had come in as planned, witch."

"Are you implying it's my fault it turned out like this?"

"Isn't it? I took matters into my own hands in the end."

She let out a soft chuckle. "You know, you're quite the actor. For someone who you say is important to you, you resorted to lying rather quickly. That's a dangerous quality to have."

His face remained neutral as he shot her a sideways glance. "I wasn't lying. Every word I said was true."

C.C. paused in her thoughts. She pondered whether she would press him on the matter. Her lips parted to ask, but she ultimately bit back her words. An emotion crossed her otherwise blank face that she couldn't put her finger on. Fear, perhaps? She hadn't felt that in decades. Did she even know what that was anymore? And what would she be fearful of? …His response, maybe.

"In any case," she started, focusing her sights ahead and burying her internal squabble, "I would hope, for your sake at least, everything goes smoothly."

"I fully expect everything to fall into place. That being said, there is still a minute chance it doesn't."

"Is that the percentage we should be worried about?"

The two had stopped in front of a heavily armored door. The two guards standing on either side immediately straightened and snapped their arms into a salute. The slender man extended his wiry arms out to the guards and signaled for them to approach. One of the guards immediately placed his hands underneath the red-haired captain's back and the two exchanged silent nods. Lelouch remained still as the guard removed her from his chest. As the man adjusted his grip the other quickly inputted the entry code. With a hiss, the guards disappeared behind the steel doors, leaving the other two behind in silence.

"I suppose that's something we both have to find out." Lelouch's lips curved into a small smile. Despite his appearance, the light of the gesture did not reach his eyes. His features instead told of a forlorn man deep in thought who, for once in his life, felt hesitant.

C.C. caught his change in expression but decided to keep it to herself. It would do either of them no good anyway.

"You know I've been practicing for tomorrow," she added. "It took some time but I believe I finally got it down."

"Have you?"

"It's a miracle you got me to do the most work I've ever had to do in my lifetime."

"After decades of apathy, I'm sure that's a disappointment in itself."

"On the contrary," C.C. chuckled. A sly, knowing smirk crossed her fair face. "I'm looking forward to it …Your Majesty."
-

I can't believe the story is coming to an end soon. Well either way, I hope you have enjoyed this latest chapter! I think the part I enjoyed writing the most was the interaction with Nunnally. I wanted to deviate from the series a little bit and felt the scene itself deserved more detail. I especially enjoyed writing out the scenes between Lelouch and Kallen. The way they play off each other is addicting to write! Anyway, thanks again for continuing to support my story. Happy new year!

Edit: Before the next chapter posted I might go through the earlier chapters to do some light editing. I realized that as someone pointed out, I was missing quite a lot of punctuation so I should get on that and maybe edit the chapters to improve the content itself.