Based the Picture Drama Stage 0.97 Hajimari no Zenya (The Eve of The Beginning), which was not officially translated as far as I've searched. In fact, this name was only found on a tumblr site that serves for index for many code geass extra content. Nevertheless, here it is...
Stage 0.97 - The Eve of The Beginning
Amidst the windy plains of a countryside, another day goes on to bring change to the march of time…
From the shiny sun of morning to the black gloom at midday, the weather darkens itself up in the deep clouds above, threatening to gather and condense as monsoon is boon to pour in the lands below. Such is the predicament of a lone soul that wandered across the plains right there, her commoner dress dancing in waves against the tide while a long green hair sways wildly around her frame. She appears nonchalant to it though, staring over the enraging horizon with her uncaring eyes, merely ignoring the incoming storm to see something beyond it.
"This feeling… A shift is coming..." She utters alone, her tone vague and ominous, briefly concentrated on some sense of thought before a gust of wind strong enough manages to breaks her posture, forcing her to realize that she ought to seek shelter as soon as possible.
"Over here, young lady!"
"...?"
Fortunately for her though, an selfless local around this vast yet empty greenlands came to her rescue, offering some refuge in his humble abode of a cottage, safe from the rain. Before she knew it, her hand was grabbed and guided forth as they ran for it, slamming the door out in a hurry to salvage their wet clothes from the now falling deluge.
"Uff! That was tough, wasn't it? Damned season… It always like this over the month, tough for anyone crossing the road like ya…" The stranger mentioned with a distinct countryside accent. With a invite, he directs his hand and offers a room right over the clacking fireplace found inside, right into the comfort of heat and health, "So what's ya name, lassy? It can't be safe strolling around by yourself…" He came to ask, already passing a nice mug of chocolate he had ready.
The young woman then stared at him, her face still inexpressive, "I am but a traveler sir, a hermit, walking the earth of these lands." She affirmed, taking a warm sip calmly and collected, "My name has been long forgotten and I wish to keep it that way…"
"Oh… Okay?" Confused, the kind stranger delves into wonder, his further attempts to ask more about her being ending as naught but a futile effort.
Then again, none of what though or wanted mattered to her. Being reserved as usual, her name was something so precious that few ever had the chance to learn it… And while appreciative to the man's altruist gestures, not even her initials would be told to him, for such is way C.C wants it, keeping her privacy and identity preserved, a state that allows her mind to go in other places such as reflecting her previous steps in life over this world that has chosen to move onwards, bereft of the chaos of the past.
Ten months… It has been ten months since she left Lelouch to let him play his gambit and perish as a sacrifice for his long life ambition. For a time, from all that she heard of him being demonized and called names at, she observed the changes in this world alone, seeking for some meaning, some experience, or some new life to stumble upon. At first things seemed fine, her lone reclusion and the newfound inspiration letting her move forward as he intended her to do it.
However, that came to change in a rather sudden fashion as of late, something quite unusual for a perpetual being such as her. Indeed, a worrying sense of commodity came to haunt her once again, creating this void of silence around her, muted and lonely. It is hard to say if she actually misses seeing anyone familiar, but at same time, it can't be denied that the solitude that she once embraced so easily was starting to make C.C unnerved. She seemed to long for someone lately, to long for some place to be. It feels like she is being called upon, her name cast through the winds, reaching her ears at each day that passes.
And it all started about a week and half ago, just after the passage of last month...
"Lelouch…" She called forth in expectation, thinking of the first name that came into mind out from this desire for company.
Oh, how fate can be so cruel? Her gallant warlock, given the mercy of death to unite the world. Truly, Lelouch had been the most curious being to ever reach her life, a man of unparalleled valor, as virtuous as he as flawed, capable of the most incredible miracles while living so mundanely sinful. Just the way he behaved, demonstrating that uncalled altruism, that resilient kindness, that unwieldy determination… It is impressive how he alone managed to do what few did after thousands of years in her life experience, to open her eyes of attention and spark that fluttering passion of love.
Yes, C.C loved him, she loved him deeply. She could never forget how he managed to touch her abandoned heart with but a few words and acts… Could it be due to mere constant presence they shared often? Due to them being together for so long as accomplices? Due to them being almost equal to each other's intellect? C.C doesn't know. She can't comprehend it. Such is the way of true love, so mysterious and grand, drawing all but a giant unending wonder into one's life no matter how old it is. Perhaps this is why God has taken it upon himself to represent it, or why it is so prevalent in the religions of old as a uniting force.
It explains so much to her in how she just misses him right now…
"Is this a sign I should return?" She considered, holding her legs closer to the chest while encroached near the fireplace, watching as the flames dance vividly in her eyes.
The ich is great, and it's growing ever stronger now, something that rather annoys C.C in a sense since it threatens to deconstruct all that he beloved desired. In fact, to have such calling now… Perhaps her humanity had surfaced through once more, courtesy of her experiences with Lelouch and his band of misfits entering in her life. If so, then assuming she does return, what awaits for her back "home"? The war is over and no longer her old companions group together anymore. Kallen isn't there within easy reach for her to poke and tease at; Rakshata must be busier than ever with her research affairs to drink with her; and Kaguya has the whole U.F.N council to worry about instead of gossips and schemes.
Tamaki, Ohgi, Todoh, the rest of the Black Knights... They've gone on their own ways now, too settled in this peaceful world they have long fought for to bear her ominous presence anymore. And how could they after the latest resolution? At best, due to past allegiances with Lelouch, they're more keen to imprison and pester her soul out in a interrogation first before inevitably pursuing experiments with her immortality, maybe even going on their own to pursue geass or seek to eliminate her for it. None can deny the fear and curiosity of common humans after all...
But of course, that might be an over exaggeration of her part. Obviously the venerable guardians of today's world wouldn't be so heartless to her being, minimal as the possibility might be. That said, this doesn't mean she is willing to risk it. Too much headache and pain that way...
Hmph, what about the Academy then? C.C remember being always close with the kids in some vague way. Though presenting herself as nothing but a ghost laying about, she was actually acquaintances with both Nunnally and Kallen in some hidden fashion, something she could rely upon if not for bearing the same risks above in slightly smaller scale. At this point however, it can't be denied that she was as much as strangers to them as she is an vixen enemy who led their brother/friend/lover right into death.
Oh, and speaking of the Empress herself... Nunnally, Lelouch's beloved beacon of hope, the goal whom he vowed to stand and protect since his budding age... C.C has heard much of her efforts lately, taking up the mantle of the crowd with dignity and authority to lead the remains of Britannia's society with a gentle yet firm hand. It is a vast change from the times where she was so sheltered and shy in seclusion. It shows how much she has grown, seeking desperately to make use what she was left with, regardless of the tragedy of it all. Whatever her goals must be now, she bears a much greater burden to bother receiving the immortal's presence, something that would only bring her even more pain after the loss of her brother. And with all the power she now carries, one word could sentence her life down on the spot...
In short, from all these thoughts gathered, C.C realizes there's no place for her anywhere now. She has... no purpose at all, no meaning of being. Lelouch was her only risen cornerstone in this world, and he is no more. Her inspiration of continuing living is running out at an alarming rate and only now she is realizing this, uncommon as it is...
"(...If only I had worked that plan before… If only I had smuggled his body out to search the signs... Maybe Charles's Code has-)"
"-Is everything okay, lass?"
"...?"
Caught distracted, she was brought back to reality by the sound of the stranger's voice nearby.
"I'm asking if you're okay..." The man repeats, glancing with a solemn expression at her, "Seeing you watching the flames like this, quiet as a shadow in the cold… You have this sad look at your face, lassy." He affirms directly, the tone revealing concern.
"..."
"I know it's not my business to bother but, aren't you a bit too young for this hermit stuff?" He inquired, chewing some hay to blend himself against her unaffected expression staring back at him, "Bah! You don't have to answer it. Wouldn't work out what's in ye mind anyway..." He quickly dismissed, easily intimidated.
"..." C.C however, left somewhat hanging at his curiosity and his attempts of lifting her spirit, she just closed her eyes and faced the flames once more, figuring that perhaps she shouldn't just dismiss his efforts of comfort…
"I'm looking for a place to be, a home to return to, one which I also seem to have forgotten about." She revealed, vaguely confessing her heart out, "A friend of mine reminded me of something important in life and set me to reach for it, telling me to just not give up until I find it… You could say he just made me realize how much time I've lost pursuing a petty wish to go way and settled me straight on this travel for a while."
And as the fire crackles once more in the man's blinking eyes, his face features soften a little, "Tsk, darn kids with ye wishes…" He first complains, his tone lecturing yet reminiscent, "My daughter is much like ye in a way, always drawing over the fancy… She left me home to go make living in the city to - live her own life - or so she said. Quite bright that one, very naive, but a bright one still… Too bad she never actually came back to us, to see her mother pass on to the next life…"
"..."
"Hmph, but I suppose I cannot blame her. I could never restrain her livid spirit calling for some good life out there. Maybe she is happy now, having found what she wanted. If so, I wouldn't know… Still, she may not have a friend like ours yet, but I sure hope to see her one day. Mistakes or not, one should always know they have a home to return to..."
C.C listened close to his passionate tone, already sensing the vague message laid within. She couldn't help but to relate, "(A home to return...)"
"So yeah... Maybe It's the same you, lass." The stranger continued, "I cannot speak for ye parents or anything, but I sure hope that you find what you seek. Trust that calling in ye heart. So long you retain that wit of yours, it will sure guide you to the right place."
His words echoed in the immortal's ears there, coursing deep in her mind as she patiently lays low and let her eyes set longly on the fireplace of the room once more, stretching the time of her gaze on the flames themselves, on the raging storm outside, on the clashing winds that raged on over the clouds, all the way long after his advice had passed, until it all arrived to a becalmed end, one cast in the rising sun of evening. Indeed, time flowed like a wind for her, and through it all, C.C stood there, watching it all the way from the windows, trying to see or sense that faint feeling that loomed over to call her presence again.
And in sure time, it would come, signaling her time to leave…
"Thank you, kind sir." She turned to the stranger, gracing him with gentle tone, "I shall take your advice to heart."
"Oh… I see. In that case, safe travels for you lassy. Godspeed."
A smile then would come to her face, pleased by the words of the simple man before her. It may have been a lonely company, one enshrouded over a solemn sadness of reflection, but it did serve as a good soul-searching experience nonetheless. From there, C.C would depart, taking the road alone once more, this time heading towards a grand city in pursuit of an airport. She would take detaur for good amenities, a proper bath for cleansing, and of course, a small turn into a all-you-can-eat pizzeria to fill quench her voracious stomach.
Yes, that's the plan now. She had decided herself. It's time to see what her mortal peers are up to. Surely, her arrival will no doubt shook them up real nice...
...As well as, put her into corner when they come for answers…
"(Hmm… Just how long will your miracle last, Lelouch? How long will it take for them to know the truth, if they haven't known already?)" Quite, now that she thinks of it, C.C realizes she needs quite the list of responses ready for her return and this could take a while. "Oh well, I have all the time I need~" She reasons quickly, not feeling the need to rush while her feet take to road in this beautiful horizon of a basking welcoming sun.
The walk alone will be long...
Alas, whilst one has all eternity on her side to review in patience, another cursed his infinity in doom in pure discontent…
Yes, the sight of his first meeting with Rivalz didn't appeal Lelouch much in regards to his tormentor's accusations. Arrogance? What arrogance? That Count that he faced back there had ten times more of such sin then he ever had in his life! Feeding his sadism, stripping wealth from others, living on top of those below him… Any comparison between the likes of this cuntish noble against him, the Demon Emperor, is naught but absurd offense!
"You're wrong..." Lelouch affirmed, feeling compelled to object, "My pursuit for power was never this petty. Everything I did had a greater purpose at hand, an focused intention, a means to an end. My actions there only serve to prove the difference between me and them, that I sought to be more than the mere decadence of the Old Britannian mentality looking down upon others."
The judge listened to him, not shifting in expression as to see him through, "And?" She inquires back, with a tone of rebuttal, "How does your answer challenges my judgment? Your ambition remains explicit, clear for all eyes to see. Petty or not, the way your actions and goals work together changes little of what I said. In fact, it only serves to confirms your own justification, as well as the true arrogance underneath. Not even you can deny this."
"Tch… Rivalz was-"
"Saved, yes, but your real mentality never changed… You may not see yourself as one of them but the deeds are the same. Like any other noble, you sought only to degrade another of your kin and revel in the victory. Anything else that comes from that, planned or not, is but consequence…"
"...!"
"In the end, you abused of your friends' trust and settled a path of your own doing on the long run, a path of self-destruction at the cost of millions of lives at your death." She accused him, ever condescending in her tone, "Did you ever consider what they would have thought had any of your mistakes echoed back to them? What consequences it would have in their simple lives?"
Heeding her words, Lelouch grimaced, recalling the moments where his mere mishaps costed the light and happiness of his colleagues. He had to agree, the ways his plans could have gone wrong… They could have brought terrible catastrophes. And though he had planned for them all, he couldn't deny the inevitable bits. Most in the student council might not been so affected by the end of it, or at least, Milly and Rivalz aren't as far as he was concerned, but these thoughts certainly highlighted a certain innocent redhead into the mind, her gut cut open amidst a pool of blood where a knife has been plunged upon...
"I… I did consider it. All of it!" Lelouch answered, his tone faltering to a stop. He knew it was a lie, guilty strung lie, "But there was nothing else I could do! We could only stay at Ashford for so long! Our future, our careers… Each day that passed was a risk, a chance that Britannia could have found us, a chance that Father could have found us! If that ever came to happen… Ngh, I had to do something!" He shouted, voice raising at every word while his emotions flaunted, with him unable to mask them up on spot as tried find a excuse.
"..."
"I could not live with that… not with Nunnally being used again." Lelouch continued, crushed under the cold glare of his tormentor, "She had only me to save her, only me to find some solution, a way out. The trust Milly and the others gave to me only brought time. Maybe I could trust them to hide us from our pursuers, help us get away, but even with that, the solution would be short-sighted. We would be forever fugitives, forever in danger, and they would just be left behind to pay the price!"
"..."
"So, I had to do something on my own, something with that time… I had years in hand, years to crack my head around this. It didn't matter what it would cost from me. At that time, I pretty much knew the consequences..."
Hearing his grunting excuses, the judge relieved him from her stare, settling down to contemplate. Lelouch could already feel that looming threat of her words, "Every action provokes an reaction… That's your justification." She first began, "The truth is that once met with brief peace, you've lost yourself seeking a future to secure… It may have started with gambling, but It evolved to something much worse, much costly…" She affirmed with a clear tone of pity.
"I had to protect Nunnally!" Lelouch screamed, gripping his chair with tense strength while facing his tormentor, only waver in a instantly, settling to look down. He seemed to enter into some trance, remiscining a memory much like a hallucination, his mind seemly manipulating his very perceptions through the Thought Elevator without a willing intention on spot.
It would just play it before him, the past of his memory just unleashed at every corner he looked from paranoia alone...
Such dread from the Fallen Demon seemed to echo over the Court, causing shivers on the spine for the Jury that now arrived. With a single glance, they all sought to keep themselves reserved once more as the unease settled in. And even the Student Council who is usually the most talkative of the crowd didn't seem keen to whisper a word despite the usual curiosity for tonight's session...
Indeed, what direction will the so called "Judge" will lead them now? This is the question plaguing everyone's mind…
So far, it has been revealed that no secret is unknown to her given how even she can extract memories even from the depths of one's mind to wrap a story at will. This much has done leagues to cut down many doubts to what expect from the Demon Emperor's past since historically speaking most, if not all, of the information shown here was accurate to a fault. So, there's no point on questioning it.
In fact, on waking side of things, no trace of King's Court can be remotely detected by the many scientists employed by the U.F.N coalition. The material remains of Britannia's old research in ancient ruins are doing little to appoint results, their mechanisms being far too strange and foreign to be comprehended. And even with the invested resolve from the now present veterans of the war in the room to seek answers, fear and caution was all too endearing as to prevent an calamity from happening.
And that's not to mention the forbidden wonders of Geass… Truly, just what mysteries it has? Most of the jury knows of it's dangers and expect much disaster to come out of it as days passes by without a solution. Who is to say what will come next after the Truth is revealed? What secrets will exactly be revealed? And more importantly, is even safe for anyone to be allowed to learn such truths? No one knows for sure.
The crowd can only wait in shivers, their anxieties growing deep under a the unusually oppressive atmosphere of tonight's session.
"Fear… This is what the Accused One have felt. The fear of loss, the fear of innocence, the fear of peace." Spoke the owner of this nightly domain, "Under such duress, the Tyrant did what he could to form some assurance for the future. The time he now had in his hands was to be spent wisely, lest he himself be cast into oblivion by his Father once more."
And revealing herself, the judge materialized in a pitch black stage, with no fancy pictures as a form in introduction…
"However, said time was growing short. Whatever blessings his new friends had bestowed to him, it did little to resolve that paranoia from ever growing in his heart. And as each day neared on, the Accursed One would begin to feel desperate as the looming obstacles of his ambition stacked up to contain him..."
Stage 0.97 - The Eve of the Beginning
Over the sound of working machinery and the trembling roar of gunfire, the session begins with straight ongoing action, the stage shaking under what appears to be an engagement of Knightmares from the point of view of a cockpit.
What the jury sees there is the resounding tension of the pilot, with young hands pulling and controlling the machine's levers as to retreat from the clear assault before it, trying a desperate attempt to escape the cornering squad of black painted Glasgows. Whoever his enemies are, or what scenario this is, the answers are all but unknown. The ruins of the battlefield seems bland to look at, the scenery is too blurry or unfocused to recognized and there's little to no comms-chatter transpiring to make sense of the situation, much less distinguish and recognize the skirmish itself from any historical event previously known before the revolution.
Alas, whatever situation is right now, the engagement neared into a corner when several hits seem to glance the pilot's machine, the bullets making the screen shake wildly on stage. Soon after, the sensors on his cockpit start to flare, beeping loudly as his both the interior and the screens go red, the damage doing something to his power readings…
"The Energy Filler!… Where's the spare!?" The pilot speaks, his voice clearly recognizable at this point, the panic taking over ever so slightly now that an alarm soars in his seat, "Damnit!" Which lasts for seconds until the whole screen suddenly shuts down, killing the lights and all the sounds within, leading to black end.
"..."
A sigh then is heard and from that moment on, only Lelouch's voice follows…
"Level B-." He utters begrudgingly, reading his own score on the cockpit's screen, "Is this the best that I can do?"
The tension from the battle is all gone for a reason. His supposed enemies just disappeared, and at the sight of his current location, it's certain now that something was strange for the Jury.
After pulling a lever to detach his seat backwards up to outside, the man himself is revealed, clad in his black student uniform of the old days. And from what can be seen around hin, Lelouch was in what appears to be an enclosed warehouse, his seat currently attached to sizable block-shaped container next a set of stairs, with a computer right over a table nearby. Lots of the crates surround the place, which seems to be deserted and untouched, with naught but low light illuminating everything from the ceiling.
Through this, It doesn't take long for anyone to understand what exactly followed there…
"A Knightmare Simulation..." Rakshata commented, lifting a eyebrow in praise, "How resourceful of him."
"Indeed~" Lloyd at her side agreed, "Although when it comes to being a devicer, His Majesty has little to offer." He added, judging the apparatus. Quite, it seems Demon Emperor comes off as nothing but a little above average in common knightmare models.
"Still, for a student like him to acquire such equipment..." Cecile on the other hand didn't know if she should feel awestruck or distressed when seeing proper military kit in the hands of a mere teenager, even if said teenager was fated to grow into a future menace.
"Well damn... I guess we now know where he was spending his gambling winnings on." Rivalz spoke whistling, "I've always wanted to play on one of these. Maybe I should find one to buy..."
"Cool! If you manage to get one, I could teach you some of my skills." Gino suggested, springing a smile at his eager friend.
Looking at the two, Kallen seemed doubtful, "Good luck with that. You won't find this stuff anywhere if you don't know where to look..." She affirmed with conviction. Now that revolution is over, all Black Market interests should be down. Either that, or the sellers are scattering like bugs to sell anything as quickly as they can before the products go obsolete...
Hearing the little chat of her friends and watching her brother deeds, Nunnally was rather pensive on it all. Now that her eyes can see, this fairly simple glimpse of a skirmish reminds her slightly of the few times she felt present in a combat scenario hearing the muffed sound of gunfire and the smell of death. And despite this being just a simulation of sorts, the brunette girl couldn't help but to ask, "Hmm, is this how the battlefield looks like?"
Kallen, having heard this fairly innocent question, glanced over Gino who just shrugged. The redhead ace didn't know how to answer, "W-well, kinda… It can be pretty chaotic at times." She answered reluctantly.
"No."
However, at the harsh tone of Zero's sudden voice, his denial is clear, "It is much worse Your Majesty, much much worse..."
"Oh..."
Said words silence the young adults as they vividly imagine what the vigilante meant through morbid curiosity alone. Quite so, the image of Japan's Invasion quickly comes into mind there...
"R-right, so Lelouch here is… Preparing for the worst then?" Milly pondered, taking a look at the stage, at the sour face of the young deadman himself. She tried to reason her friend's intentions with a optimistic look but found it hard to do so given the previous dark introduction and the implications within.
The rest of her teammates would silently agree with her there but only Nina of all people had the courage to say it straight, "He is preparing for the war."
Safe to say, that did quite the job of leaving them alarmed as their eyes turned to the session at hand...
Soon after, Lelouch is shown stepping down from the inert cockpit, his face solemn and thoughtful as he reads the flowing data that crossed over from the computer screen. There, he is quickly reviews the same engagement he just had gone through from the start to finish, down to his very defeat, all the in merest ounce of details.
"If only I could command a patrol plane... That would solve some of the problems." Alas, disappointed with the results, he just shuts down the equipment and proceeds to leave, his steps echoing loudly in the dark corridors, seen and witnessed by none, while his mind gears into self-reflection, "(That black market knightmare simulator is the top of the line. Assuming that Clovis will have at least five soldiers with him I might be able to scare him slightly...)"
...
"No, I've been deluding myself…" Alone in his mumblings, Lelouch appeared strained. His neck felt tight for some reason, and no matter how much he fixed it, the pressure could still be felt there, like a phantom pain strangling him down, "(When it comes down to it, I suppose I could use the KMF's ejection blocks to do the job…)" He continued, mentally putting into action what he had in mind to sort his current ambition: his plan to kill and overthrow the current Viceroy gleaming in his mind.
However, major issues remain, "...What I really need is another person I can rely on, someone I could be sure would never betray me but of course there's no one like that…" He verbally affirmed to himself, delving quickly into his option at hand, his intellect working overdrive to find a solution, "(...Suzaku Kururugi?)" The prince briefly considers someone, daring to find hope in a past long abandoned for a second before shaking his head in wanton pragmatism, "Even if he's still alive, he might have changed by now…"
(But if only I could find him again, then maybe-)"
"No, forget it!"
This is a strange self-discussion to follow. Two parts of a brilliant mind going in conflict over some escalating issue. The jury would have to pay attention to understand his ever growing concerns…
"(At any rate, I need to make a decision soon. My critical point will be my graduation from Ashford. Going on to any university will result in me being forced to separate from Nunnally and if comes to that I just won't be able to predict what would happen. So before I graduate, we need to escape from Britannia together...)"
"But where?... And how? Unfortunately, the EU still needs to shore up it's infrastructure and conditions inside the Chinese Federation aren't exactly stable for safe travel."
"(Hm… I've wondered about opening a money-laundering account and put my winnings from illicit chess there in order fill in savings but the risk of discovery is too great. It would be faster if I could take a loan out from the banks but that would require me to officially register my identity… These are not any choices...)"
"Tch! We'd better off as Elevens!"
"(We could use someone else's family registry. This would solve the issue quickly...)"
"But we would still need the passports in the end. I can't keep us safe unless our faces stay hidden!"
"(...)"
Frothing in contempt, Lelouch was visibly stressed under his circumstances there. No matter how he looked at it, he was pinned down at this avalanche of problems. It's nothing but obstacles pilling on top of obstacles coming out of this mental discussion, feeding his bitterness even further as the drive to survive and protect his beloved stood above everything and everyone his life had come through.
Even himself…
"Remember: Don't stand out. Don't draw attention. Don't let them find you… Stay quiet... Very, very quiet… Wait for your chance… Wait it, even as your heart and mind rot into dust... Just wait…" He whispered to himself, his tone almost falling to a mantra as it tried to quell the rage boiling inside him, to drown that indignation of a life unfulfilled, to kill this sadness that hoped to drag him into the abyss of depression.
Truly, everything just seeks to topple him down. In that dark warehouse, Lelouch felt alone in this battle, alone in this darkness that encroached everything around him. There, he feels that if he does one wrong move then it's all over for him and for Nunnally...
…
…
...
"(I know, I know it already!)" Frustrated, Lelouch's face warps into a deeper scowl. His steps catch up in pace, leading him to this light that could seen at the end of the corridor, "(In the end, there's nowhere I can run to escape them… Hmph! And what am I trying to escape from? An army? A nation? No, I'm escaping from my own father!)"
Soon enough, he finds himself walking outside, at the sunny sky of midday, his frowning face fully exposed just as the school bell chimes in the distance, it's echo signalling the end of recess…
"(Yes, that why I have to make sure. Repeating these words over and over to myself...)" Lelouch, stumbling to a sound agreement, seems to regain his resolve once more, the voices of his mind wrapping back to one, "(My name is Lelouch Lamperouge, not Lelouch vi Britannia. I'm not the son of the Emperor or the Empire anymore. That's how things are now. I have nothing but my own strength, determination and freedom to fight on!)"
"(But the time for resistance is nigh... I, who was exiled by blood, who was throw out from the Imperial Family, I'll work from the shadows to usurp this country. I know the cards are stacked against me, but so what? I don't have a choice… It won't be long before Cornelia starts to act and I'll have Euphy to worry about too. As far as I can see, going home with Nunnally every night will make us both easy targets!)"
Drawn passionate by his very own thoughts, his expression alleviates just slightly at the sight of his friends down the road. There, the many members from the young student council await for him, already calling for his presence. However, ignoring them straight, Lelouch's eyes remained focused on the one soul among them that matters him the most…
"(Yes… I made a vow to use whatever strength I possess to save Nunnally. That's all that matters to me in this world…)" His sister's smile, glowing as she turns at his direction, "(That is what I live for!)"
And so that's how it goes. Nunnally herself, brightening his very being, inspiring his ambitions to move onwards. Indeed, much of the obstacles Lelouch discussed alone there would one day be all tackled again, his worries and his goals clashing against each other over and over, until an answer is found.
Or, until a certain power falls into his hand to break the cycle...
Such was the ominous message there that it drawn the sheer attention of the jury down into Lelouch's inner monologue.
Quite, though the session was rather short, the deadman's words brought deep shivers to the shoulders of many at the end of the stage. And through it all, none had words to comment at first seconds of its passage. Rather, the crowd looked completely absorbed in the suspense of the prince's desperation, listening to his driven thoughts and his very motivation of being...
Everyone knew of the Demon's Emperor hatred for Britannia, his actions in life served much to confirm such thing. Yet, even then, to think this came from such conviction towards protecting his sister, from such obsession and paranoia… It adds much contrast to his crimes to the chargrim of the most skepticals and the resolution of the faithful.
"Heh, trying to kill a Viceroy with a couple of Glasgows and targeted ejection blocks… Not bad, for a desperate plan." Xingke praised first, unable to contain his short smile around Lelouch's ambition. In a way, he respected the fallen prince for his bold plans.
"Still, with such worries clouding his mind isn't better to just lay low in some other way?" Questioned Xiaglin, frowning over the demon's recurring dilemma, "He himself knows of his limits, but to drive himself this far..."
"Well, I don't blame him." The genius general however quickly dismissed such notion, "Given his circumstances, I would have done the same in his place." He affirmed, going as far as to see himself in Lelouch's shoes, also worrying about the fate his beloved in a country where all odds were against him. Xingke wouldn't admit it straight but he couldn't deny the resemblance between him and the Demon when it came to personal vows. Jiang's smile is proof of that.
"I suppose this makes it clear then..." Todoh reflected, drawing eyes to him, "By the time Lelouch got himself involved in the war, it was far too late for us to intervene… He was too embroiled in his hatred and fear to be reasoned with."
His sour conclusion, crude in truth, faced little argument to bear. As proven before, the man who would be known as the Demon had grown too bitter in his childhood to be convinced out of his machinations. In his mind, every action was justified, with all the reasons and the consequences paid in full, sad as it actually was for everyone to accept it...
"W-Was it really that bad?" A shy voice doubted, coming from no other than the little Empress of China, "Was there really no other way? No one to help him?" Though putting a strong face, Tianzi was distraught over Lelouch's worries. After adequately immersing herself in many history books over the past days, she had a clear picture of what horrors surrounded the fallen prince through time, something that deeply scared her when learning.
"Jiang..." Xingke could see her tremble yet he had no wisdom at hand this time around to bring her comfort, no clear way to diminish the uneasy reality of the facts revealed there.
And in that same notion, even Suzaku, who was silently listening in, felt broken in the bout of hopelessness and frustrations around Lelouch's inevitable fall. His old friend needed help. He needed someone he could trust to protect Nunnally. He needed someone to help him see some alternative other than usurping Britannia so that he could find peace. He needed something, no matter how small, to prevent him from necessarily starting that horrible bloodshed of a revolution.
This realization made the man underneath the mask shake slightly in resentment, "(...If only I was there for him!)" Suzaku couldn't help but to judge himself, blaming the past mistakes under the pointless self-righteousness. So blind was he was lost to his feelings there that he couldn't even comprehend what Nunnally herself felt after watching this stage...
"No, big brother… Not like this..."
Truly, to see Lelouch so devoted to her cause to the point of disregarding himself on the way crushed the poor girl's heart. It was already bad to accept how the loss of a proper childhood had led Lelouch into bad vices, but now, seeing him there, so committed to her happiness in a time where things were fine… It just shattered the illusion of her peaceful life in the Ashford Academy.
Her brother wasn't happy when he said it. Her brother wasn't fine when she asked it. Those were just lies he said to her face each day that passed back in the academy. All this time, he was there, constantly worried about her future, constantly planning and plotting while everyone carried on blissfully ignorant, all for the sake of working his revolution.
Was it all a lie then? All those joyful moments with the council? All those carefree moments of mirth and laughter with Milly's crazy schemes? Nunnally doesn't know, nor she wants to...
It is way easier to believe that Lelouch just latched himself to his friends for solace to one day fall to hatred than otherwise. However, to even have that cast in doubt when the facts lay before her… Nunnally didn't want to face it, she doesn't want to believe it. She could only stand there, crying to herself while surrounded by her shaken friends who could little but to stay close at hand.
"Aw, Nunnally is sad…"
And watching from afar, Anya pouted softly at the tearing sight of the Britannian Empress. She was indecisive about joining the others there, her sullen instincts wanting to guard her. That same hesitation was imprinted among the two beside her, their faces warped into self reflection in refrainment.
Still relenting from their discussion from yesterday, Jeremiah stirs once more under the despair of both his dead master and Her Majesty crying at distance. Their sorrow and struggles are such that it leaves him with both hand and gauntlet shaking ever so slightly from his own founded guilt, unreasonable as it is to be delving into from a past long resolved.
Fortunately for him however, with a single glance from Sayoko's comprehension eyes, filled with that humble smile she discreetly displays to him, the uneasy is washed off. The resolute maid once more proves to be stronger than him in a sense, the core of her chivalrous heart unwavering even at the most distraught of scenes… It really shows the willpower of the japanese at face of adversity.
"Now, that's strange..."
And to prove that point even further, amidst the growing sadness inside the court, one young voice let her words echo out loud for all to hear...
At glance, Kaguya appeared thoughtful to the crowd, her face heavy in expression, with a hardened mask of seriousness as to not disregard or disrespect those lamenting in the room, while at same time presenting herself straightforward for a epiphany, much like a politician with a proposal to offer…
"What's wrong, Sumaragi-sama?" Ohgi asked, uncomfortable with the looming silence.
She then turned to him, her face unchanged, "Lelouch's words back there: ...What I really need is another person I can rely on, someone I could be sure would never betray me…" She repeated, pointing it out, "It's strange. What about C.C? Wasn't she always been his ally from the beginning?"
...
….
…...
Her question hanged forth there, weighting in everyone's mind until it clicked them: The Witch isn't accounted for. The Demon didn't mention her directly as a trusted ally in his desperation. It is as if Lelouch didn't ever meet her before even though there was a whole discussion around her impossible presence in the Kururugi Shrine past 3 sessions ago. The implications of this are so deep that it couldn't be avoided.
"W-wait, what does this mean? Didn't we see her way back then?" Tamaki first inquires, head scratching in doubt.
His comrades quickly follow suit, "Yeah, I do remember. This is strange..." Sugiyama admits.
"Maybe it's because he was just a kid?" Argues Yoshitaka, "I mean, he could have just forgotten about it."
Among the murmurs, speculations ran wild, their thoughts winding back to when they accused little Lelouch of his crimes of weakening japan and paving away a path for Britannia's invasion…
If what is said above is true, then it's clear that they might have gotten things wrong, something that Ohgi quickly latched on, "T-Then the Prime Minister Genbu wasn't-"
"No, this is a trick!" Chiba retorted lashing out, "We can't just trust whatever this cursed dream reveals to us like this. Obviously, it would just obscure the actual facts from us, specially with the Demon looking so obsessed with his goals."
"Yet, where does this leaves us? Haven't we confirmed and agreed on the sheer accuracy of the sessions?" Villeta bounced back at her, "Back then, we weren't so sure of her involvement clearly but, for all that we know C.C could just have been acting alone all this time." She argued.
"I see, and since she might have held grudges against Britannia, it makes sense for her to plot against our country." Guilford complemented, pondering along, "She might as well have joined or used Lelouch for that reason..."
"And then granted him that accursed power to destroy us all in sequence!" Cornelia concluded, threading everything into a short yet plausible epiphany, which cast another gloom over the crowd, giving room for a uneasy mix of appealment and curiosity.
Once more this cursed plot leads them back to the mysterious Witch and her involvement with the Demon's rise...
"(But, is it actually that simple?)" Schneizel questions, also making his own conclusions about all of this, "(If Code-R really had such goals and powers in mind, she should have drawn far more notoriety as a enemy of Britannia during the war, specially with Lelouch in her palm. Hmm… No. I have hard time believing this to be the case. My little brother displayed too much caution and control over himself to be just a pawn. Did he came on the top over this to control her? Or was this her plan all along? Hmm...)"
Working his monstrous intellect at once, the gallant prince held his judgement at the face of uncertainty. He, like many in the crowd, has many spillaring theories on how it all begun. And with this one session sealing forth Lelouch's motivation, C.C remains as the only puzzle left as to gauge what her goals really were or are as of now. After all, with the Demon Emperor gone, the Witch still is out there, working whatever nefarious act she has in mind.
Their only hope is for her swift capture in the real world, leaving the nights and the dreams of the Court to elude them with the promises of the truth, all of which will come in time...
To be Continued… (In the first episode of the anime!)