Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass, if I did, well lets say we'd have more Guilford (I'm surprised I actually like him too)

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Author's Notes: I've started a new fic if you're interested, "Unassuming Enemy" which follows V.V. instead of Lelouch (strange I know), and it's the first V.V. fic on the site. If you want to know the update schedule for my fics, well check my profile.


"I still don't get it, why all the secrecy?" Gino asked Lelouch, the two taking the elevator back up above ground, out from the Azuchi's construction facility, "There wasn't anything there that needs to be hidden from the Empire."

"Because of Schneizel, he has something planned for me, I can tell. If I show my hand before he shows his I could end up losing the Throne," Lelouch answered simply, and fairly honestly, "I do want to know what it is though. Any ideas?"

"Not a clue, between the two of you, I'm lucky I managed to catch you doing something I could force my way into the know on. Speaking of which, who was that guy? He's the terrorist leader isn't he? Why did you…" Gino began to ask when Lelouch interrupted him.

"Because anything I did would have ended in failure at the time. That man is too powerful to take down without a plan. And I'm talking about him just standing there without weapons of any sort. He's deeply connected to the immortals and Geass," Lelouch said to Gino as the elevator opened, "Attempting to take him then and there would have likely ended in my death. I can only be glad he has decided to change stages for now."

"Someone that can give our Glorious Strategist pause, scary," Gino commented as the two exited, to find an entire squadron of special-forces troops waiting for them, Gino sighed and said, "Relax, he's loyal. Everything checks out."

"That's good, I was worried my little brother was into something illegal," Cornelia said, standing right to the left of the two of them, in a blind spot, "So what was down there?"

"Secret," Gino sang, "A good one too. I see why he's earned that nickname of his."

Cornelia sighed and looked Lelouch in the eyes, "You're using numbers for something, building an army right?"

"Won't deny it," Lelouch answered crossing his arms, "You and Schneizel can have Europe. I'll take China."

Everybody else but Gino was genuinely surprised by that little admission, "…I see," Cornelia said, shaking off the shock of his statement and then smiling, "Surprising that you admitted it."

"You likely already knew I had that planned. No sense in trying to hide it. I'll just hide how I'm going to do it," Lelouch said while looking around, "Well now this proves a problem, how am I going to get out without drawing attention, and I'm going to have to start using a different entrance after shutting this one down."

"Just like a fox," Cornelia commented, "Schneizel is planning on taking the Chinese Federation as well. He plans on selling you to them through marriage to their Tianzi."

Lelouch stopped cold in his tracks, Gino getting an ecstatic look on his face, Lelouch sighed and made a hand motion at Gino, "Get it over with."

"Nah, I'll wait, you expecting it doesn't make it as fun," Gino almost giggled out, he enjoyed that little revelation.

"So why did you tell me?" Lelouch asked Cornelia, "Aren't you and Schneizel closer than the two of us?"

"While I don't like your policy of integration. I can't agree with Schneizel's plans, making someone not of Britannia a member of the Royal Family and making that many non-Britannian Nobles as a result of his plan. If there's another way to take the country I'll support it however I can. It's only a question of, can you be ready before he is?" Cornelia asked Lelouch, narrowing her eyes while looking into his.

"Good question, if not, I can get out of it," Lelouch chuckled, stroking his chin, then he smirked, "Yes, it'd be risky but there is a way I can get out of that, take China, and never betray Britannia."

"Good," Cornelia said, nodding her head and then addressed the special-forces, "Make it so that no one can find out who exactly was here."

After thirty minutes, Lelouch, Cornelia, and Gino had gotten into an opaque window van and got into the backseats. The three of them being driven off by a pair of special-forces members, heading towards the government headquarters, after a bit Lelouch broke the silence that had fallen on the group, "Well it's nice to know whose on my side in this. But I'm curious, Cornelia don't you want the throne as well?"

"Not particularly, I just want Britannia in good hands, the throne has always meant little to me. I'm not interested in that power and responsibility," Cornelia answered after a moment's thought, "I can't completely agree with you or Schneizel. It's only by a little bit, but I agree with you more on this matter."

They pulled into the government headquarters and exited the car, when a soldier was waiting for them, "Your majesties, I have bad news," he said, gulping down his hesitation, "Princess Euphemia…something's happened to her."

"What?" Cornelia asked, slowly starting to lose her cool, "What happened?"

"She's, I don't know what exactly your highness. She was out with her escort and her knight when they were attacked, a European man in leather. They stumbled upon him and what looked like the remnants of the Black Knights," the soldier said, getting more and more nervous as Cornelia visibly lost her cool, "She's fine…physically speaking…but the man, he apparently looked her in the eye. And since then…it's like she's…"

Lelouch's eyes went wide at this, "Devoid of the will to live?" he asked carefully, clenching his fist.

"Yes," the soldier responded, surprised Lelouch knew what he was getting at.

"You know something of this?" Cornelia asked looking at him.

"Yes I do, I think I know what happened," Lelouch said through gritted teeth, "That bastard…" He looked at the soldier and said, "Where is she?"

"Medical Ward...thirty two, B…" he whimpered out, deciding an angry Lelouch was not a Lelouch you wanted to direct his attention on you.

Both Cornelia and Lelouch immediately began making their way towards Euphemia, both getting in the elevator and closing it before Gino caught up, "What happened?" Cornelia demanded.

"You know about Geass correct?" Lelouch asked.

"Geis? Yes, what does that have to…" Cornelia asked as Lelouch looked at her and turned his Geass on for a moment, "What is…That's what Geis is?"

After turning it off Lelouch said, "It differs between people from what I know and not everybody has the potential for it. The one who attacked Euphemia, his Geass is likely 'Absolute Despair,' despite attempts to lead me to another power. It likely has two modes, direct eye contact and no eye contact. The former likely destroys all hope in a person, which would make most people want to die. The latter application of his power probably only shakes people to a degree that they can barely take actions."

"Then, is there any hope?" Cornelia asked, her voice slightly shaky.

"My power may be able to do it," Lelouch answered slowly, "With mine, it may be possible."

"Your power, what is it?" Cornelia asked.

"Absolute…Obedience," Lelouch said, gritting his teeth, obviously he did not want to say it, but he could come up with a good lie.

"Absolute, Obedience…" Cornelia said, and then her eyes went wide, "You could have ordered Bartley to kill Clovis with that power…you did didn't you?"

Lelouch snorted in disgust at Clovis' name. "It was self-defense," Lelouch answered defensively, "He ordered my death if I learned anything about Code-R. They both were preparing to kill me when I confronted them about it and I barely survived being assassinated by special-forces members devoted to them."

"Then why didn't you report that?" Cornelia demanded.

"He was still family, and it would have caused a great rift in the family if I did. Placing the blame on my other traitor preserved what little unity we still had and kept public order. The minor rift in the military following that was acceptable and easily dealt with," Lelouch answered Cornelia and then smirked, bringing out a small device from his coat, "You're next question is answered by this, this conversation would be garbled to the point of irreparability. I've been caught by recording devices before, I decided to remedy that situation before it worked."

"Hard to imagine, Clovis would really do that," Cornelia said skeptically, not fully believing Lelouch's story, "And how do I know that you're not manipulating me with that power?"

"This secret, even knowing as much as I let you and Schneizel know. That was a secret Clovis was willing to kill to keep. As for how you know, would you be having that thought if I was?" Lelouch countered, "Would I leave the possibility that you'd doubt me if I was using my power. I don't like my power that much, the way it deprives people of free will. But I'm willing to use it when I need to."

"What powers do you know about?"

"Mine, Absolute Obedience. Euphy's attacker, Absolute Despair. Then three others, Absolute Epiphany the user of which I killed, Absolute Perception which I have under my control, and Absolute Understanding who I've captured. I suspect there are more I haven't learned of yet,"

"All those powers, they are mental in origin. So Geass doesn't physically manifest in powers…what of immortality?" Cornelia demanded.

"No idea how that works, but it's linked to Geass in some way, how I don't know," Lelouch answered, and then asked her, "So what will you do?"

"I'll remain silent, for now. I'm going to look into this matter myself. If I find out anything that proves that you're lying though…" Cornelia threatened.

"I understand. I've been completely honest with you here…Cornelia, my power only works once on each person…we need to come up with a command that will erase the Geass used on Euphemia. I can only think of one answer right now…and I don't like it," Lelouch said, clenching his fist.

"What do you mean?"

"Forget everything until you can only remember the time you were happiest without a worry or care, where hope was all you knew," Lelouch said, "That command is the only thing I can think of to erase Absolute Despair. But it would likely destroy who Euphy is now."

"…Don't use that command, there has to be a better one. She'd become a child again with that command," Cornelia said, "Only children…"

"I know, it'd be Euphy, but not our Euphy, nor the one we've come to know," Lelouch said, "It'd be the one from eight years ago."

"Why not, forget despair?" Cornelia asked.

"Same effect, she'd forget everything associated with that as well. It could be a worse command to give," Lelouch said while gritting his teeth again, "I'll tear that bastard to shreds myself if I ever get close enough."

The elevator opened up, the two of them storming out, several doctors appeared about them to escort them to Euphemia. They were saying something, but neither Cornelia nor Lelouch were listening to any of them when they came into the room where Euphemia was, she was asleep and strapped down to a bed, with Suzaku by her side. Lelouch turned to look at the doctors and said, "We are not to be disturbed, do you understand me?" he ordered, glaring at them, getting nervous nods and agreements. He walked in after that, Cornelia already having walked in, and having slapped Suzaku to the floor.

"You're her knight! How could you let this happen?" Cornelia roared at him, "You should have known better than this!"

"Cornelia, this is hardly his fault," Lelouch objected, "There was no way in hell he could have prepared for something like that man."

"He's an old friend of yours, are you telling me he had no idea about any of that?" Cornelia demanded.

"Of course not, only two people knew of its existence until recently. My own Knight and the one who gave it to me," Lelouch stated, "The less people who know of its existence the better. It's something that could cause widespread panic if it were to be released."

"…You two know what happened? Tell me, what happened? How can we fix this?" Suzaku begged the two of them.

"Nee-sama…you'll let me die won't you?" a weak, feeble voice pleaded, Euphemia having just woken up from all the screaming.

"…Euphy no, don't talk like that," Cornelia said, her voice becoming far kinder.

"No…Lelouch, please," Euphemia begged, looking him in the eyes.

Lelouch clenched his teeth and then said, "I'll release you from your pain, I'll fix this," he said and to Suzaku said, "I'll entrust her to you, take her back to the homeland after I do this."

"Lelouch, I thought I said we'd think about what to do," Cornelia said, her anger rising again.

"Look at her and tell me that there's time for it," Lelouch said looking at Euphemia, "Absolute Despair, it's already killing her. I think I have the right command to fix this."


And that's where I'll end this chapter. I was surprised it ended up being Cornelia who dropped Schneizel's plan on Lelouch, I expected Anya….Oh look, I see a lot of pitchforks and torches, I think the Euphemia fans are outside my door. Onto my lovely little questions before I pull a Phantom Prince, which I apparently need to restate why I ask them…

I ask these questions to help people review if they can't think of anything to say, the questions based on story elements I introduced that I want opinions on. Do you have to answer? Nope, you can ignore the questions and review however you want. Do I respond to reviews? Yes, if there's something worth responding to I always respond to my reviews (unless the only response I could do would be full of spoilers). Now onto the questions…

1) Well after we got a good look at what Absolute Despair really does (in case you haven't figured it out, it destroys a person's ability to hope) and that it has two ways it can be used, now which Geass do you think is the most fearsome? Alternatively, which Geass is the most monstrous?

2) What command do you think Lelouch has come up with to erase Absolute Despair?

3) I'm wondering, was this incident better or worse than the Euphinator incident?

And that's all, now press that review button before Lelouch gets mad at you.

Ciao for now

Tis has been a message from your unfriendly neighborhood LunaticChaos