Lulu's Bizarre Rebellion

by Ezit Meti

Lelouch Lamperouge was a boy with an ambition; To one day bring down the corrupt nation of Britannia and create a peaceful world for his sister. However, a single arrow gifted him a power that will help him reach his ambition. Stands... Ripple... A feud between two bloodlines that transcends time... And that's only the beginning of this bizarre rebellion!

62. Twelve Peers

Code Geass belongs to Sunrise. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure belongs to Hirohiki Araki.

Chapter 60: Twelve Peers

One day a hero fell from grace

Before his wicked foe.

Yet on his freshly wretched face

Remained hope for his soul.

====Suzaku====

You can train your body all you like. You can build up your stamina so that you can run at full pace for hours, you can condition your muscles to take any level of strain and pressure. You can push yourself past every boundary that comes in front of you, break through every wall that appears and achieve new heights, new records, new achievements in stamina and fitness.

But no matter how high you can fly by the time you are finished, all that strength drains away in the face of emotional exhaustion.

He might as well have slept through the journey back to Area Eleven after what he'd been through. Confronting his father, the battle with Kallen's brother and then there was the labyrinth of conflicting feelings regarding Lelouch and Shirley versus the idea of telling Nunnally about the Black Knights holding Lelouch for a trial on his actions as Viceroy of Area Eleven.

Exhausted was not a strong enough word. And every time he played out that future conversation in his head, he felt a little his life span shorten by another year.

"You should not force yourself too hard," said the one and only bright spot out of this entire affair. Princess Euphemia, recovered in more ways than one. "Have you slept since the battle? I will order you to bed if I must. I shall even use my imperious tone."

"Your highness, if I may ask a question?" Suzaku asked. She gave a small nod. "Why did you agree to help the Black Knights?"

"Atonement," she answered, while stepping closer to him. "My weak will allowed Anubis to hurt a lot of people. It seems only fitting that my weak will led me to desperately seek a way to redeem myself. I saw a chance to help the fight against a tremendous evil, and then I took it."

Of course. He'd thought it would be something like that. She was ruled by her compassion above all other things. Beyond reason, beyond common sense, her empathy guided every action she took.

"The experience was quite instructive," the Princess continued. "It assisted in my psychological recovery from that traumatic experience, and also helped me in other ways."

"Other ways, your highness?" Suzaku asked. In front of him, the Princess frowned in concentration as though trying to put into words what she wanted to say. However, before she could speak a word they were interrupted by an urgent signal. "This is Kururugi."

"Hello Sir Kururugi, welcome back to the Palace." They'd arrived already? He'd barely noticed. Maybe he had nodded off part way? "I understand Princess Euphemia is here as well? If you could both please come to the Viceroy's study for a debrief. There is a representative of the OSI who wishes to speak with you."

The Office of Special Intelligence? He'd been dreading the day he'd interact with them. They must have heard about what happened in China, and there were many elements of that adventure which would draw the attention of Britannia's highest internal security agency.

Suzaku stared out at the palace and let out a weary sigh that transformed into a strangled grunt of surprise. That window... was broken? How on earth did -

An OSI agent wanted to speak with them? A chill went down Suzaku's spine, and that lingering sense of dread became so perverse that he could almost see the word hanging in the air around him. As soon as the vehicle entered the underground hangar, he'd found his reserves of strength and marched out into the palace itself, with Euphemia hurrying close behind him. She didn't say anything, didn't protest. Suzaku was left with the distinct impression that she, too, had noticed the oppressively tense aura permeating the air around them.

As he walked through the palace, Suzaku was reminded of the tone in Lelouch's voice as they fought Naoto. He had been pushing himself to the limit, constantly using his power even to the extent of piloting Gawain. It was a big factor in why his plan was so insanely risky: What would happen if he hit a brick wall that he could not climb over? What if he could not push himself any further? What if Naoto noticed the discrepancy and used that moment of weakness to wipe him out?

In a sense he could understand that kind of exhaustion now. It's that point where a person thinks they are at their limit but can't stop now. It's too important that they continue on. So they find a reserve and they push on until it's not needed anymore. Then they can rest. That's another thing that makes humans so scary: Under the right conditions they can reach physical heights that seem completely absurd!

His hand wavered over the doorknob to the Viceroy's room. He glanced back at Princess Euphemia for a bit of strength. She noticed, nodded to him and then he turned the handle, entering the room first to ensure its safety. Then he held the door open for his Princess, allowing her to gracefully enter. Though somehow he doubted that 'grace' would be a word he would use to describe this conversation later on.

"Princess Euphemia, Sir Kururugi," said an unexpected voice. "Welcome back to Area Eleven."

"Ronald?" Suzaku asked. For some reason, Rivalz's roommate was sitting at Lelouch's desk.

"Rolo, actually," the boy corrected. "Special agent Rolo, though it seems as though my supposedly deep cover was already blown by the enemy. I was assigned to Ashford by the Emperor as a precautionary measure. I was supposed to act as a bodyguard to the Viceroy's friends."

"That is rather like his Majesty," Euphemia smiled. "He puts out a cold front, but his heart is as warm and comforting as a roaring fireplace."

Suzaku said nothing. While this was a surprise to him, it did at least make sense. Of course his Majesty would use the resources at his disposal to take care of Lelouch. He must have seen a potential vulnerability and sought to cover it in a way that would not embarrass or endanger anyone. Not to mention it would give him eyes and ears in the Area for the unfolding bizarre events that had been plaguing the island Area.

"In any event, for the time being I have assumed control over the investigation at the palace," Rolo said. Astonishing. The personality switch was extremely noticeable, so much colder and clinical than the naive boy he'd known. The mark of a true professional intelligence agent. And even younger than Suzaku!

"Investigation?" Suzaku asked. He could feel his fears coming to life. "What is the OSI investigating?"

"In addition, where is Nunnally?" Euphemia asked. "I was hoping that we could converse."

"We would like to know that as well," Rolo said, confirming Suzaku's worst fear. "While you were gone, a highly skilled and motivated team launched a precision attack on the palace."

"They took Nunnally?" Suzaku asked.

"Yes. As well as Milly Ashford, Nina Einstein and the Eleven maid her highness kept as a personal bodyguard." Even Sayoko...? "They are the only ones unaccounted for following the attack. The kidnappers took pains to minimise harm on others, but those four are missing."

"Rivalz?" Suzaku asked. "And C.C.?"

"C.C. is in the garden. Rivalz is in the living room trying very hard to relax."

Suzaku let out a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding. Those four, gone? He felt a hand on his shoulder. Euphemia had moved to brace him. Had he been on the verge of collapse? Physically, he felt fine. But this, on top of everything else? No wonder he felt exhausted.

No. This was no time for physical weakness. The four of them, their lives were hanging in the balance. Every second counted. To whit: "Why weren't we told en route?" he asked.

"Security concerns," Rolo said, sounding bored and clinical as though it were blatantly obvious. "We did not wish to release information about the attack to the public. It's the same reason Rivalz is still in the grounds, when we ought to have sent him back to the Academy already."

"Could you please elaborate on that?" Euphemia asked. "How would this compromise the integrity of our investigation? Surely it must have been noticed."

"The attack was extremely swift," Rolo said. "It comprised four known assailants within the building, and one Knightmare frame without. The only witnesses to the attack were directly associated with the military, and know better than to leak such matters to the public when instructed. They can imagine all too well the panic it would cause."

"And how did they get a Knightmare onto the grounds in the first place?" Suzaku asked. "The early warning systems - "

"Didn't notice it until it was already on top of us," Rolo interrupted. "The Knightmare pilot was using some kind of illusory ability, though I'm not convinced that is a sufficient explanation for how it was able to get to the palace. The reasons why will become apparent shortly. Please take a seat, and I will proceed with the debriefing."

Though Suzaku still felt tense about this entire situation, Euphemia gave him a calming smile, and sat down while Rolo held up a remote device. The agent gestured to the monitor sitting on the desk before continuing. It was showing a strange yellow Knightmare.

"This is the Knightmare that attacked the palace."

Suzaku frowned. "I've never seen that model before."

"No. You wouldn't have," Rolo said. "I only found out about it through my contacts in the OSI. It's new. Very new. And... It should not be anywhere near Area Eleven."

"And why is that?" Euphemia asked. "Furthermore, to whom does this Knightmare belong."

Little did she know that the answer would be so surprising that both of them would feel the compulsion to stand up. This was not the kind of answer that one takes while staying still. The body yearns to move, to take action so that it can exert the energy it needs to consider the ramifications. It is an answer that produces more questions than it resolves. It was a conundrum unto itself, a paradox, a riddle and perhaps worst of all it was intriguing.

"Europa United. They call this unit 'Alexander'."

"That is... Ridiculous," Euphemia breathlessly exclaimed. Sure enough, she rose to her feet and began to pace around the room. It was no aimless wander, however. Her target was a globe perched upon a table off to the side of the room. She spun it around until Europe showed on the Northern Hemisphere and lazily traced a finger around the continent. Then she began to explain precisely how ridiculous this claim was.

"In order to transport a Knightmare from Europe, there are very few routes that could be taken," she said. "Even the shortest sea route would be too long to be practical for a mere kidnapping, and flight isn't much better. Either way they would be noticed. Even using the most modern transport methods..."

"The enemy did make use of illusory powers during their attack," Rolo observed. "That alone would explain that issue. However, it misses the issue of 'timing'."

"An operation like this would take planning and precision," Suzaku thought aloud. "If it's true that Europe has only recently started using Alexander, they probably didn't have the time to move it here already. Not to mention that it must have relied on a moment of opportunity when Lelouch wasn't here."

"There are explanations for those as well," Rolo said. "If we assume a number of supernatural powers were involved."

He let the thought hang in the air as if he was telling a horror story around a campfire. Though in Suzaku's opinion that was an unfair metaphor. This was far scarier! He could already think of a few ways that a Knightmare could arrive in Area Eleven, at the Viceroy's Palace completely undetected. Each and every one of them had horrifying military implications. Then he had a thought that made this much, much worse: This exact psychological effect might be their intention from the very start!

"Do we know anything else about the attackers?"

"The details are all in the written report," Rolo said, tapping a folder on the desk. "Although, there is one other thing that it would be easier to show you. Please follow me."

Show them? Rolo went to the door, and led them out through the hall. Before leaving, Suzaku grabbed hold of the report and began to read through it. Not in detail, but a quick skim so he could focus his mind on something other than the implications of all of this. It was not working. Someone in Europe had kidnapped Nunnally? He had trouble wrapping his mind around that. Why go to all that trouble? It didn't add up no matter how he approached the problem! He could almost comprehend it if, for example, Lelouch had set something up to ensure his sister was alongside him in the Chinese Federation, but he had absolutely no opportunity to contact Europe to set up a scheme of this grandiose scale!

"Here we are," Rolo said. Euphemia gasped before Suzaku had even picked his eyes off the report, and he soon saw why. They were in the Palace's medical ward. Not a full hospital, of course. An on site emergency room, and all of the beds were occupied by men and women who Suzaku recognised on sight.

"These are... Knightmare pilots assigned to palace security," he said.

"They're so still," Euphemia said. "I can see that they are blinking and breathing, but they're not moving at all."

Rolo seemed to ignore their observations, instead electing to walk up to the nearest bed. He tapped the patient on the forehead and snapped his fingers in front of their eyes. "H-hey, come on! Show some respect," Suzaku said. "What even happened to these pilots?"

Rather than give a verbal answer, the agent opened a drawer, reached inside and pulled something out.

"Things just like these were found in the laps of each of these comatose pilots," Rolo said, turning it around in his hands. "They all had the pilot's full name written on one side. It was as though they were left there as an unwelcome parting gift."

Before either Suzaku or Euphemia could think to ask any of the obvious questions this brought up, Rolo had turned around and pressed the object against the pilot's forehead. It vanished in an instant, and in the next -

"- Near the palace!" the soldier yelled, sitting bolt upright in his bed. After that initial outburst, he looked around in confusion before settling his gaze upon Princess Euphemia. "Eh? Oh! I beg your pardon your highness. That was most unseemly of me."

"Think nothing of it," Euphemia gently said. "Please rest. You have been through a trying experience."

"This is the work of an enemy Stand," Rolo observed. "No, I should say that this is the work of an extremely dangerous enemy Stand."

Of that, Suzaku had to agree. Illusionary powers, and... this? It seemed quite devastating. Either of these abilities by themselves would make for a truly dangerous opponent, but mixing them together seemed more dangerous than mixing bleach with chlorine.

"Mister Rolo, I have a question," Euphemia said. "Did you lose the discs?"

"Not at all," Rolo said. "They're all in the drawer next to their beds."

"Then why are the rest of them still comatose?"

"Because if we are to combat this power, we must understand it," Rolo explained. He nodded towards a bed further along, where a man was lying there staring down at his own body in shock. "Otherwise, we risk them doing to other soldiers what they have done to Sir Alistair here."

The man's head snapped up to him. "My name is Lady Caroline," she corrected. "I'm going to kill that Stand user for doing this to me! Putting my memories into a man's body –"

"You will have your chance once you are medically cleared," Rolo promised. Euphemia moved towards the bed, her expression saying it all. She dearly wanted to console this poor soldier for going through a truly traumatic experience. So too did Suzaku, but he couldn't find the words. "Your highness, perhaps we should discuss this Stand in a more private setting? Hearing a summary of what we've learned could be quite painful for them."

"I... I see," Euphemia sighed. She cast the soldier a pitying look. Suzaku balled his fists. This was appalling. A person's memories were their sense of self. Stripping those away, replacing them with memories of another life. Forcing someone to live a life that was not their own, with a false past... He could hardly think of a crueller fate to inflict.

Rolo led them into a side office with a glass partition, so that they could look out at the patients while they spoke. Or at least that was what Suzaku had assumed. The boy closed the blinds.

"Is there anything we can do to help him... Her?" Euphemia asked.

"We are still determining that," Rolo said. "It may be best to keep him for extended observation. There may still be anomalies caused by inserting the wrong disc into a person."

A thought crept up on Suzaku out of nowhere. A dark and unsettling unwelcome thought that stole its way inside his brain and refused to leave: Why would the Stand user insert the wrong disc into Sir Alistair's head? If their objective was to render the pilots comatose, unable to pilot, then why put any memories into them at all?

Rolo then went on to say "It seems as though the Stand user can not only cause illusions but also perfectly extract memories from any number of given targets. The security implications of this power are quite worrying,"

"Security implications?" Suzaku asked. He felt a little numb, but the question had to be asked. "Rolo. Are you treating these people like guinea pigs?"

Euphemia gasped. Rolo quirked an eyebrow.

"That would be a most improper use of resources," Rolo coldy said. "For example, if the general public suspected we were using the nobility in such a way, they would lose complete faith in our ability to protect them."

This was beyond belief. He almost asked Rolo if he had agreement from the test subjects for this experiment before realising that this would have been impossible. They could no more consent to this than someone passed out a party. This... This was a violation the likes of which Suzaku could not have imagined before. That distressed face, that confusion- Suzaku could only feel pity for their fate and for the fact that he could do nothing to help. There was more empathy in him for this soldier than he thought he could give.

Yet it was but a drop in the ocean compared to the fury he felt towards Rolo for subjecting this person to it against their will.

"What other experiments have you done?" he asked, his hands reaching out to grab the agent by the lapels. "What other lives have you ruined? And how?!"

"Not me," Rolo protested. "If you want to blame anyone, blame the Stand user. Whatever you think that I've done, if they were willing to participate in an attack on the Viceroy's palace they are surely capable of much worse."

"Mister Rolo!" Euphemia snapped at him. He hadn't seen this side of Euphemia often. Normally she was gentle, kind and full of joy for the world they lived in. Sometimes her Princess upbringing peeked on out. That imperious tone anyone could tell she hated to use, yet was no less forceful because of it. "I must insist that your experiments cease forthwith, and that you use these storage devices to awake the other pilots."

"If that is what you want," Rolo said. "Would you prefer me to use Sir Alistair's on himself, or perhaps use it on Lady Caroline?"

Euphemia opened her mouth, then promptly closed it up again. The prospect of doing either was so horrifying to her that she didn't know what command to give. Leave Lady Caroline's body comatose for an indeterminate amount of time? Or force her to live with Sir Alistair's memories without her consent? Suzaku watched her closely, while still holding onto Rolo's lapels. He didn't know what answer to give if he was in that position. You could say that such decisions were the mark of a truly great leader: How do you address a situation where the only viable options are terrible?

"Ask Lady Caroline what she wants," Euphemia finally said. "Let her give consent for what you do with this next. It's the least we can do for her."

"We will not stoop to some hypothetical level to defeat them," Suzaku added. He let go of Rolo's lapels and huffed. Strange. Looking this boy in the eyes, even though he knew him quite well. It felt like looking into the eyes of the grim reaper. As though Rolo could still have killed him any time he wanted, even though Suzaku clearly had the grappling advantage. It was, to say the least, quite unsettling. "We're better than that. We will prove we're better than them by being better than them. You understand?"

"As you say," Rolo tutted. "All the other details are in the written report. If you need me for anything else, please don't hesitate. You'll find me quite... timely."

He couldn't stay in here a moment longer. Not one second. For all that he had been dreading telling Nunnally that Lelouch would be standing trial in China, he had thought that the most shocking things were behind him. Not ahead of him!

"Of all the thoughtless, immoral ideas," he complained, stalking out of the corridor with the Princess by his side. "He's treating those people like objects, their lives as though they are meaningless."

"It was rather callous," Euphemia said. "Someone as young as that in the OSI. This job must be all he knows."

Therein lay another problem. An agent that young? From his understanding training for the OSI can take years. They answered directly to the Emperor. Other intelligence operations within the Empire answered directly to the Knight of One, Prime Minister Schneizel or one of the Chancellors depending on their area of expertise. When it came to matters of internal security the OSI usually had the authority to order around an Area's Viceroy - Royalty or not. In the line of their duties their words was often the same as the word of the Emperor.

The fact that Rolo had rolled over so easily for Euphemia meant only one thing: That this 'experiment' of his was being done without his Majesty's permission.

"I need to get better at picking my friends," Suzaku said aloud. "That's the fourth that's made morally dubious decisions of late."

"Suzaku Kururugi, that is no way to talk about your friends," Euphemia said, her voice sharp and cutting, bringing his focus back to the here and now. She led him inside an elevator before continuing. "If your friends have stepped astray, then you must bring them back. Show them by example. Do not lecture for that will drive them further away. Show compassion, and they will return to the light of their own will."

She was right. People are stubborn. Hell, he had been called that himself often enough. The best way to change a person's mind is not to lecture them, for it sounds as though you are calling them fools for even considering the position that, to them, seems perfectly reasonable. The more effective tactic to change another's mind is simple empathy. It's a slow and patient path, but in the end it is the most effective of them all.

"Is this what you meant before?" Suzaku asked. "On the transport. You said that the experience with the Black Knights was helpful. You seem a lot stronger now."

"Perhaps I am," Euphemia nodded. "Though, one must confess that it was something else that one had in mind."

He turned to ask her what she meant. Then, without warning, she kissed him.

It happened so quickly that he didn't have the opportunity to properly digest it. Before he knew it the Princess had turned her back to him in order to hide her blush. A tactic which failed as he could see her face in the reflection on the elevator's outer wall. Which was just as well, because he could feel one of his own stalking in unwanted. Words... failed him. Of late, every time he'd thought he'd worked out how to expect the unexpected life threw a new curveball at him.

"Did that make you happy, Sir Kururugi?"

"Y-yes!"

"Good. Then we shall announce the engagement once the matter with Lelouch is resolved," Euphemia said. "Any sooner would be taken as in rather bad taste."

"Engagement?" Suzaku repeated.

"Shush, now. It would be best if we discussed it in more detail after we make the formal announcement. For the time being we have more important matters to worry about."

Emotional exhaustion can strike for any number of reasons. Trauma, revelations that challenged your worldview, experiences that you personally find morally repugnant... But, less common is the kind of exhaustion that comes from a moment of utter joy.

He travelled all around the Earth

To find goodness his plan.

Yet instead he found little worth

Among the deed of man.

====C.C.====

One of the most common refrains that immortals hear is that they have all the time in the world. Forever young, forever strong, forever beautiful. The world is your oyster. Yet it was not so simple as that. Time was not a friend, but a jailer to those who live forever. C.C. knew this far better than she would like. Time was not on her side. Time was not on anyone's side.

"Can you find her?" asked a certain presence. Quite insistently at that.

"I'm trying," C.C. said. "While we are connected through our contract - You should have been watching the palace. Then maybe we'd have an idea of where they went."

"Really now, there's no call for recriminations. What's done is done."

Indeed. Therein lay the real problem for immortals. What's done is done. The die is cast. There is no taking it back. And you have to live through the consequences. Short term. Long term. Longer term. You have to wonder, if you had done things differently would the terrible things you're seeing have still happened? Would the good things you are seeing? It's a responsibility that crushes the soul. The loneliness. The lack of rest. It wears you down, until there's nothing left of you but a shallow empty husk simply going through the motions.

"I can't find her through our connection," C.C. concluded. "Perhaps if we asked Joseph to use his Stand?"

"You must be desperate if you're relying on a Stand."

True enough. She had her reasons to hate Stands. They were a corruption. They were as unnatural as vampires and zombies. A mockery of the true nature of reality as she understood it. Having said that... If it would allow them to find Nunnally then she'd have no problems at all asking a Stand user for help.

"You ought to be taking this more seriously," C.C. said. "Whoever kidnapped Nunnally is putting everything we've worked for in jeopardy."

"Who exactly do you think you're talking to? Why do you think I asked Charles to make sure the OSI focused on finding her instead of capturing you? I do have a working sense of priorities."

"Sometimes I wonder."

A leaf crinkled against the ground a short distance behind her. C.C. lazily peered over her shoulder. Ah? That woman? "It's rude to eavesdrop," C.C. said. "Did they not teach you manners when they made you a Knight?"

"They were more concerned with ensuring I understood not to have private discussions where someone could eavesdrop," said Villetta Nu. Demonstrating that typical superior Britannian sarcasm in the process. "We need to talk."

"By which you mean, you want to talk," C.C. corrected. She spun sharply on her heel and strolled off down the garden, enjoying the feeling of the grass beneath her feet. "I, on the other hand, have more important matters than to indulge you."

It was depressingly predictable. The hand reaching out to stop her, the sneer on her face. All C.C. could do was sigh in irritation. Was this how Joseph felt immediately before predicting someone's next words? Villetta was about to say something like -

"You're not going anywhere until I get some answers."

C.C.'s response was too dismissive for words. That is to say, that she did not say anything. She brushed her fingers through her hair, transmitting Ripple energy directly into them. When Villetta grabbed for C.C.'s shoulder her wrist was immediately ensnared and twisted around to dump her onto the floor.

But this was no ordinary person that she could dismiss so easily as this. Villetta Nu was not a Knight in the Britannian military for nothing! She rolled with the throw and was back on her feet before C.C. could take another step.

"I dislike stubbornness," C.C. warned, as menacing as she could get. Considering her worldly experience, this was a level of menacing that only the most evil mortals could ever achieve, and even Villetta Nu was forced to keep her distance.

"If you won't talk to me, then I wonder who you were talking to," Villetta yelled after her. "It sounded like a close relationship. Someone you trust?"

"I fail to see how that is any of your business," C.C. replied, continuing on her way. She did not have any time for this. Her absolute priority was her missing student and she could not afford to dally. Delays bred so quickly they made even rabbits blush.

"When you flicked up your hair, I got a good look at both of your ears," Villetta said. "No hidden receiver, and no microphone in your collar. Is this another of your mysterious powers?"

C.C. continued walking. It was quite obvious by now that responding only encouraged her.

Villetta rushed ahead of her and positioned herself to fully block the doorway. One hand on either side of the frame, glowering at C.C. as if trying to look intimidating. Please.

"The hell kind of power did you give me?" Villetta asked. "What are you, really?"

"To begin with, I did not give you any power," C.C. corrected. "It was that copycat, as I recall. What's the matter? Are you not satisfied with the power that he gave you?"

Her eyes flickered with the stolen Power of Kings that she ought not to have. To think that a Stand power could exist that was capable of granting its master the ability to contract with others.

"I can force you to remember every little bit of pain you've ever felt in your life," Villetta warned.

"No. You can't." C.C. reached out a hand, and as expected Villetta shied away. Sensible. Given a taste of Ripple, she was acting like a dog that had encountered its first hedgehog. "You might as well give this up now. There is nothing you can do to make me talk."

"You contracted with an Eleven as well, didn't you?" Villetta asked. Ah? Bringing him up? How interesting. Especially considering... "I met him at the end of the battle. He seemed to know who you were, and... And he was losing control over his power."

"A former Purist concerned for the wellbeing of a mere Eleven?" C.C. teased. "Why, if I did not know any better, I would think you had a crush on him."

"If you think for a moment that schoolyard teasing will work on me –"

"You are blushing," C.C. sang.

"I - I just wanted to know if the same thing will happen to me!"

The same thing... happen to her? A rampaging Geass. She hadn't considered it, if she were perfectly honest. Technically she hadn't contracted with Villetta. On the other hand it was her Code that was being duplicated by the Stand user. C.C. studied this woman more closely, and gave the matter some more serious thought.

Of her current contractors, Nunnally was missing and Ohgi was clearly unsuitable to bear the Code. He could barely handle the responsibilities he already had, what hope had he with eternal life? On the other hand there was Villetta. She was intelligent. She had a strong will. Her horizons had been broadened. The possibility was there... Better for the likes of her to go through the experience of eternal life than Nunnally, right?

She could feel it. The inevitable connection between those who bear the Code, and the one who grants them Geass. Closing her eyes, C.C. felt something important coming up from Villetta's recent history through that connection. A pair of words that, to her, were the very worst taunt imaginable.

Memento Mori indeed. So. The false Villetta that had been living under the name Chigusa had managed to reach the goal so far outside of C.C.'s grasp for so long? How envious she felt of that false life, with false memories. For it was a truer existence than she had known for centuries.

"The power of Kings will condemn you to a lonely existence," C.C. said. "You shall live as no other. That is the universal truth of Geass. The rest is for you to discover on your own."

C.C. whirled around and kicked the door frame, sending a barrage of Ripple directly into it. Then she turned around and began to walk peacefully towards another exit.

"If you think you can walk away that - What in the world? My hand won't move!"

Ah... she won't be able to move for another five minutes like that.

That was rather the idea. She could almost see it already without turning back. Villetta Nu, with her hand stuck to the doorframe. Tugging and pulling with all of her might, but not able to let go. The power of Ripple was ultimately in its versatility.

You weren't seriously considering giving her your Code?

"No, of course not," C.C. said. "We still have too much work to do."

Only a partial lie to save some time, not that she'd want to have that conversation anyway. Though the eternal rest of death was calling for her, even now, C.C. knew far, far too well that this was a crucial period in the history of the human race. She had once heard that it would be best to 'leave the planet a better place than you found it.' It was her very intention of doing exactly that.

Besides which she could hardly let her cute little student suffer an unknown fate before she moved on to C's World. Whoever had kidnapped Nunnally left them with little alternative. For a matter like this she could hardly rely on Suzaku or Euphemia. Neither of them had the mindset to do what needed to be done.

In which case, she had made up her mind. It was time for her to become Lelouch's accomplice. Which was exactly what she was supposed to do in the first place.

He found that evil pushed its hand

Through Geass, Stand and worse

When Requiem came from a Stand

It formed power perverse.

====Kallen====

The quiet was unnerving, though not so much as the peace. Of late Kallen had been stressed, tensed up and ready for battle. She'd almost forgotten how to relax. Yet here she was. Lying on the bed provided for her within the Forbidden Vermillion City. Holding up a photograph, a reminder of a time that felt like it had happened to someone else.

Who was Kallen Kozuki? A warrior. And a damned good one. Trouble was, the fighting was dying down for the time being. She'd been fighting for so long, fearful for her life or that someone might figure her out that she'd forgotten how to relax, how to unwind, how to genuinely smile and laugh.

Not like the girl in the picture she was holding. A carefree child, laughing with her big brother, while their mother watches proudly from the background. The world seemed so much gentler then. How she would love to return to it, even if the past couldn't be changed to prevent the fate that came next.

But the future could be changed. That was what gave her hope. Her brother had said there were four possible paths ahead of them. Ruination. Ragnarok. Replacement. Requiem.

"You're wrong, Naoto," Kallen said, more to herself than any lingering spirit of her brother. "We'll forge a new future with our own two hands. If you could change it your way, then we can change it ours. If the path won't open up to us, we'll dig it out with our own two hands. If something gets in our way we'll knock it down!"

Her mind drifted back to the end of the battle.

"You idiot!" Kallen yelled, even as the Guren caught the falling Lamorak. "You actually went for it."

Up behind her was a dreadful explosion, the sort that she'd heard dozens of times before by now. A Knightmare exploding from the effect of the radiant wave surger. Her heart sank. Naoto's body had been totally destroyed. Her brother was gone. Again.

Kallen felt the edge of her soul strike hard against the whetstone of tragedy. It hurt like hell. The wound might never heal. Yet at the same time she felt sharper, clearer in her vision. Or rather, she would once she wiped these tears from her eyes.

"That's twice today I had to save your Royal ass from tumbling out of the sky," Kallen sniffed. She got him down to the ground. "At least this time it's a smaller Frame."

Naoto... What happens to the undead when they die again? Do they go back to the afterlife? Is it a true and final death beyond death? Listen to her getting philosophical. Anything to distract herself, right? She had met someone she never thought she'd meet again. Someone she would have given anything for the chance to meet with again. And what had she done? Helped ensure his defeat.

"No," Kallen told herself. "No, don't start feeling guilty or sorry. That's how they win." She shook her head. Clear out the cobwebs. Focus on getting angry. "Britannia killed him. The High Eunuchs corrupted him. The first killed his body, the second killed his soul. But nothing - nothing can kill his dream!"

There was a knock at the door that brought Kallen back down to reality. She was getting herself worked up again. "Come in!" she called. "It's not locked."

The door opened up, and Lady Kaguya's smiling face popped in through the crack. "Pardon the intrusion," she said while coming inside. "How are you doing, Kallen?"

"Nothing to complain about," Kallen cooly shrugged. "How about you?"

"Coping," Kaguya answered, smiling brightly. "In times like this it's tempting to throw oneself into work to distract from what you've gone through. But it's best to remember. If you shut yourself off from everything else, it's not healthy in the long run."

Not healthy, huh? Kallen could see the sense in that line of thinking. Trouble was she didn't really feel like hanging out with everyone right now. She knew what to expect. The sympathy in their eyes. 'We're sorry about what happened to your brother' on their lips. Just like before. Just like last time, except the meaning behind it would be all twisted up.

Except that Kallen recognised something else in Lady Kaguya's demeanour. This series of events had also been devastating to the Six Houses of Kyoto, hadn't it? Infiltrated by undead. Turned into zombies, vampires or flesh bud slaves.

"If I have to I will insist," Kaguya said, smiling but determined. Kallen could see it now. Kaguya wasn't being coy. She truly was coping, trying her hardest not to drown herself in work to numb the pain. "The Ace of the Black Knights shouldn't hide away where nobody can see her."

"Oh, alright. If you insist," Kallen rolled out of bed. "I should at least be aware of what's going on in the world, shouldn't I?"

The two of them left her room to wander through the Forbidden Vermillion City, home of the Empress of the Chinese Federation and her key administrators. And also, presently, the Black Knights. Calling it 'comfortable' didn't do it justice. While it wasn't quite to Kallen's aesthetic, it was clear that this entire city was designed specifically to ensure that foreign dignitaries and residents alike would leave this place with fond memories. It was a celebration of the kind of hedonistic lifestyle that Kallen saw all the time in Britannian nobility, ramped up to the next level.

And now the Black Knights were free to make use of the facilities, with the blessing of the Empress herself. Put in those terms, Kallen couldn't help but feel herself relax a little.

"So? What's the situation?" Kallen asked. As she expected Kaguya was more than happy to fill her in.

"We're moving a bit quicker than we expected, but there's a lot to be done," Kaguya said. "Restructuring a nation is hard enough at the best of times. When it's a superstate the size of the Chinese Federation..."

Oof, yes. She could see the point. Though it did make something else pretty clear: If they wanted to make Britannia and its people change, how much work would that take?

"To begin with, we need to get the governments of each sub-state to come to the table," Kaguya continued. "Some of them will be quite happy with a change to the status quo. Others, not so much."

"Which raises further potential problems," Xingke interrupted, stepping in from a side corridor. Great. Kallen still wasn't quite sure how to take this guy yet. Even if he had been forced, he still had a big part to play in the High Eunuch's plans. "For example, if we force them to comply by military strength, that paints the new regime in a bad light. On the other hand if we don't take action it could be seen as a weakness to be exploited."

"You think they might try something?" Kallen asked.

"For some of those in charge, embezzlement and corruption are more commonplace than dirt," Xingke said. "It's not a question of if they try something. Rather, a question of when."

"Fortunately, the civilians are irate due to that broadcast during the battle," Kaguya observed. "It's as if it lit a fire under them. I suspect that we'll be able to find allies at street level without much effort."

"Pardon my intrusion, but The Empress wished to speak with you," Xingke said. "She said to me that she had finished the album you had given her, and she wished to discuss some of the locations pictured within."

"Oh! Of course! If you don't mind, could you please catch Kallen up on how we're doing? Back soon!"

Off she went, with a dignified yet cutesy gait. You'd never know how dangerous Lady Kaguya was if you looked at her. Then again, the same could be said of a lot of Stand users. Though in Kallen's mind what made her truly dangerous was how easily she hid her sharp intelligence behind that smiling mask.

"So, she's become close friends with the Empress?" Kallen asked.

"It seems so," Xingke replied. "I suppose there's a certain kinship between the two of them."

Yes. Kallen could see that quite easily. They were about the same age. Both had privileged upbringings that resulted in them taking on a lot more responsibility than a young teenager ought. Even ignoring the fact they both had Stands, it made sense why they would be drawn towards one another.

"I'm sorry," Xingke said. "It might never be enough, but I am."

Kallen balled her fists and took a deep deep breath. It wasn't his fault. If he hadn't played along, then things would have wound up even worse than they had. Keep telling yourself that, Kallen. Maybe you'll believe it one day. Maybe you'll even forgive him.

"What's to apologise for?" Kallen walked off. "Don't let me keep you. I'm sure you've got a lot of work to do getting those sub-states sorted out."

"We do," Xingke said, quickly falling into step beside her. Kallen sped up. He kept pace. "Though we'd rather do so with minimal violent actions. If we relied entirely on military force –"

"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss," Kallen interrupted. To his credit, though Xingke obviously didn't catch the reference right away he mentally digested it pretty quickly.

"My point is, we suspect there's a lingering undead presence beyond the High Eunuchs," Xingke explained. "They'll need to be rooted out as a matter of course, but they could also be useful in providing incentive to persuade people to work with us."

"Careful now," Kallen said. "Remember, I've seen how easy it is to use 'fear of the other' to bring out the worst in people."

"Then it's a good thing we're working to bring out the best in people," Xingke said. "I think maybe you will understand if I take you to the training ground."

"I'll check it out later on."

The two of them turned a corner, and... They were at the training ground already. Kallen stared at it in disbelief, her mind quickly working it through. She had underestimated Li Xingke, it seemed. From the very start of their conversation, he'd been leading her here without her even noticing.

She turned to leave, her hurt pride insisting that she should not stay in a place she was manipulated to be at. The nerve of Xingke, tricking her into coming here so he could make whatever point he was trying to make. As if it would have worked anyway. What possible purpose would it serve to make her watch training drills involving a mixture of Black Knights and Chinese Military?

For someone with such fast reactions, it took her a little while to work through what she'd glimpsed. Training drills involving both Black Knight personnel and equipment, as well as that of the Chinese Federation. Kallen turned around.

It was a little surreal. There was Kyoshiro Tohdoh standing side by side with Hong Gu, both of them supervising a joint training regimine making use of a mixture of resources from both factions.

"Remember that at times, you might be fighting an enemy who can turn innocuous objects into deadly traps," Hong Gu said. "This is especially true when fighting Ripple Masters. Due to their existence, we have had to modify our training to adapt."

Tohdoh stepped forward, continuing while holding up a helmet. "While Rakshata Chawl has been developing technology to give us the chance to combat this, relying on it alone is to invite death, defeat and humiliation. For it is also necessary to learn how to fight an enemy who can attack from almost any conceivable angle in ways that you might not expect."

They were standing in front of an obstacle course set up to look like a house. They paired up in mixed groups, wielding paint guns and then moved in. At first, things seemed to be going very well. They scanned the room, swept it thoroughly. Then approached the door.

As one of the Black Knights -Gotou from the looks of it- reached for the handle, he was stopped by one of the Chinese soldiers. He produced some strange cloth and draped it over the handle, causing some strange spark to rise up, and only then did he open the door.

At which point Gotou pulled him back and dragged him to the floor just before a small red pointer light shone out of a concealed segment of the wall. They kept away from the red dot, and then fired a paintball at the source, covering it up and totally blocking it.

Another of the Black Knights used a table to pull himself up to his feet - and found himself doused in glitter a moment later. Then, while everyone was looking at that, a section of floor beneath the Chinese soldiers, revealing Chiba lying underneath with a laser pointer.

"Dead. Dead. Dead," she told them, quickly pointing to them each in turn.

"Both of our procedures are lacking in areas the other is strong with," Xingke explained. "The Black Knights have had more experience at fighting Stand users, and due to the High Eunuch's twisted influence our soldiers have had some experience at fighting Ripple Masters. Since there is no telling what sort of enemies we might have to fight in future, we have begun an exchange in information and training routines that should allow us a more flexible approach."

"While also building a closer relationship," Ryoga Senba intruded. The old man was sitting on the sidelines watching the training with his usual hawklike gaze. "An adept metaphor for what we're working towards, don't you think Miss Kozuki? Cooperation. Recognising the faults in ourselves and the strengths in others to create a chance to work together. Intermingling our ideas without losing our identities."

Right. Of course. That made a strange amount of sense. There had been this awful feeling in her guts: If even Naoto had been overtaken by the abyss when he stared into it, then she had thought it would be so easy for them to do the same thing. Imposing their ideals on everyone else around them. Becoming the very evil they wanted to fight, like Suzaku was always saying.

Now she properly understood the true reason that she could not relax. It was because she carried these heavy feelings in her heart.

"I didn't believe that I could live long enough to see us come so far," Senba said. "If only Asahina could have as well. If only the General hadn't..." He trailed off. The memory too painful, or perhaps he'd realised that Kallen was going through something worse?

"The High Eunuchs had a lot to answer for," Xingke said. "Instead of the prosperous heights we were capable of, they were causing our state to decay from within through corruption and savagery."

"Sounds a lot like Britannia to me," Kallen said. They really did have a lot of work to do. "It took me a while to understand what Zero was trying to say. When she was talking about justice for everyone, I thought it was a recruitment tactic."

"When what she really meant was, if you wish to fight the injustice you face then you must eliminate the injustice your enemies face as well," Senba said. "If you don't, then the wheel keep turning and you wind up back where you began."

"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss," Xingke said. "After the Empress told me how Zero risked her life to rescue her, it made me reevaluate her. At first, I did not think that she could be trusted."

"And now?" Kallen asked.

"And now... It does not matter who is hiding their face behind that mask. What matters is that their intentions are unmasked for the whole world to see. I trust you understand, Kallen?"

Kallen looked at her, then down at Senba in his seat. The old man nodded knowingly at her. Message received loud and clear. They very probably knew a bit more truth behind who Zero was - but they did not want to talk about it aloud. Was it because she was still useful to them? Because they trusted her? Kallen couldn't tell. Though it did lead to one other question on her mind:

"Where's Lelouch?" she asked. Oh dear. It was like she'd popped a balloon with that question and completely changed the atmosphere. The reaction to his name was, at the very least, very different to the reaction they'd had to Zero being brought up. You could taste the shift in the air even if your tongue had been cut out. It was salty and bitter. Kallen didn't much care for it.

"The Prince is in the underground prison," Senba grunted. He nodded in the direction of the entrance. "His trial is not exactly a top priority. Zero checks in on him from time to time to make sure he's not trying anything."

Or rather, to spend some time with her boyfriend. Kallen felt her face set hard. "Thanks," she said. "I'd like to check on that myself. He's a tricky one."

Actually, she didn't want to see him right now. He was the last person in the world she wanted to see. Yet her feet betrayed her, carrying her off towards the prison despite her internal protests.

So she tried to think of something else: Like, the fact that Zero was almost certainly getting his help in setting this all up. Shirley could play the role well enough. She had the charisma, the likability, all that was down pat. But the kind of political mind to set all this in motion? No. This was bound to be Lelouch's doing. He was almost certainly giving guidance from within that cell of his, and it was making her wonder: Was being imprisoned also a part of his plan?

She crept quietly down the was she really going there? For answers? Reassurance on how they were treating him? Showing him that confronting the reanimated corpse of her beloved brother hadn't destroyed her? Kallen hesitated a little before taking the next step down, her foot hovered in the air a moment. Naoto... How horrible must that future have been if you were willing to fight so much to prevent it?

"If we're forming a democracy, shouldn't we invite Europa United?" Shirley asked. Not Zero, but rather Shirley. The voice was distant, but she recognised it immediately. She should leave. It would be better if she left. It wasn't right for her to eavesdrop. The smart thing to do would be to cooly turn around and leave them alone.

Kallen summoned Jumpin' Jack Flash and had its head peek through the wall from high up above so that she could listen in.

"Not yet," Lelouch gently answered. "They would almost certainly attempt to absorb our new organisation into their own if we ally before we are fully formed."

"Oh, that makes sense!" Shirley cheerfully said. "People have been asking me about that. It's a relief to have an answer."

"No, no. That's the real reason, but we can't rely on that," Lelouch said. "It will make it sound as though we do not trust them, and that will make it harder to ally with them in future. Instead, say something like... Their elections are coming up soon. As their leadership will probably change, we should wait until that is finished."

"Got it!" Shirley said. Up above her, Schizoid Man was furiously scribbling on a notebook with one hand, while another was tossing flowers at Lelouch. "Gosh, this level diplomacy and politics is really involved. We never had to deal with anything like this at Ashford!"

"Indeed," Lelouch agreed. "All we had to deal with were clubs competing for their score of the budget."

Look at them. More specifically, look at the way Shirley was looking at him. She adored him. Well, you could tell that much from looking at her Stand. But if you couldn't see it? It didn't matter; Her body language was singing it.

As for Lelouch? He was poring over papers that she probably brought him. What he was seeing brought out this impish smirk on his lips, that only faded when he lifted his face to look at Shirley. Although, to Kallen that didn't strike her as the kind of expression a boy would show his girlfriend. It was strange. How best to put it? Her presence was cheering him up, but she couldn't quite bring herself to think it was because he thought of her that way.

Then again, that wasn't an entirely impartial reading. Especially considering...

Strange. Usually by now Lelouch would have said something that wasn't half as clever as he probably thought it was. Kallen had assumed Lamorak had run out of power, but he should still have been able to activate his external speakers at least.

"Lelouch?" Kallen asked. Oh, hell! She scrambled out of the Guren as fast as she could - and you had better believe that was fast. Even as she climbed up Lamorak, Jumpin' Jack Flash had already located and activated the emergency release. "Hey, stop playing around!" Kallen yelled into the cockpit.

Funny thing. Kallen had plenty of experience with Britannian nobility and a rather low opinion of them from that experience. Even she didn't think it was possible for a snore to sound snobby.

There he was. Lying in the seat, slumped down and all worn out. Casting her mind back, Kallen remembered that he didn't tend to do that well in gym class. He'd be fine at first, but after a little while his stamina would run out and he'd be trailing well behind everyone else.

"You're the dumbest smart person I know," Kallen whispered in relief. "Putting yourself at risk like that. What were you –"

While she spoke, Kallen had been moving into the cockpit so she could check him for injuries and move him out. But then, at the moment she was close enough her own fast reaction time betrayed her. Without thinking, she'd moved a little closer than she'd intended to and then -

Shirley was kissing Lelouch. It was a little bit awkward, what with the two of them being seperated by the cell bars and Schizoid Man trying to give him a shoulder rub.

"I'll make you proud," Shirley said. "Just you watch."

"You've already exceeded my wildest expectations," Lelouch said. "You don't need to stay. Before I left, I set up secret a route you could use to re-enter Area Eleven. With Shinkiro's stealth mode, it should be even safer to use."

"No. Suzaku will have me arrested the moment I go back." And there it was. She picked up the mask, and the inflection in her voice completely changed like a switch being flipped. "Joseph Joestar shall invent a cover story to keep people from worrying. All I am concerned with is ensuring the old world is torn down, so a new one can rise in its place."

This was enough. Kallen turned around and fled up the stairs rather than listen to any more. Blast it! Why now? Right when everything they were building towards was starting to come together? But most crucially why him? Her new best friend's boyfriend, a Prince of Britannia and prisoner of the Black Knights!

"Why can't anything be simple?" she wondered aloud. All of a sudden the tension she'd gotten rid of before had come screaming right back. "Focus, Kallen. You're a soldier. You're a warrior, fighting for the cause of justice! That's what matters. That's all that matters!"

His hopes were gone, already lost

The will of evil done

So now, his spirit felt exhaust

He planned to meet the sun.

====Schneizel====

Have you ever woken up in the morning and felt that there is something wrong? Something you cannot identify? Schneizel has felt that way. He felt it today. And yesterday. And the day before that. And the day before that...

It all began at about the same time his father's reign as Emperor did. Something changed in him. Something changed in the court. An intangible quality that forever eluded him, no matter how he puzzled around it. It lurked around the edge of his perception during every waking moment. A fundamental wrongness that his senses had detected, but his mind had not.

Though make no mistake. It did not vex him. He had no ambition to take advantage of whatever this was. For others it would drive them to the point of obsession, paranoia and perhaps even despair. Not Prince Schneizel. For him this was an idle curiosity. Like a crossword puzzle. A distraction, an intrigue. Nothing more. Nothing less.

"So this is the war room, huh?" asked Carine ne Britannia. His least favourite sister. "Why'd you give it such an exciting name? It's so boring in here!"

She was the only one here that had never been in such a meeting before. Around this table were some of the most important figures in determining Britannian policy. Though, of course, any member of the Royal family were invited there were only four present today: Himself, his warlike sister Carine, the First Prince Odysseus and First Princess Guinevere. Of these last two one played the fool to duck underneath the majority of the pressures placed on his head. The other played up to the stereotype of the nasty, spoiled Princess, largely for her own amusement.

In addition to them, there were a few Knights of the Round. It only went to show their importance that they were allowed to attend. Typically, they were members of nobility who had shown an exceptional amount of military acumen and ability in battle. Sometimes they were from the lower classes, and ascended through sheer skill, grit and loyalty to the Empire. Having one of them on the battlefield was akin to having an extra Queen on a chessboard.

The most important of them being Bismarck Waldstein, the Knight of One. His Majesty's personal bodyguard and oldest friend, and a mighty warrior who seemed to value diplomacy over violence. A sentiment Schneizel could understand only too well.

In addition, there was the Knight of Three Gino Weinberg. A cocky easygoing youth from a 'good family'. There was a bright future ahead of him, and from his own analysis Schneizel had to agree. Full of energy and genuinely believed in the Empire's righteousness.

Then finally...

"You know, that's exactly what I thought when I first went to one of these," said the Knight of Ten, Luciano Bradley. "I soon learned, it became so much more entertaining how many lives rest within the hands of those within this room. We're just like dragons, hoarding the precious treasure that is life."

These two being in the same room was not sitting well with Odysseus, that much was plain to see. He never quite knew how to handle either one of them, as there wasn't a violent bone in his body. On the other hand every single bone in the Vampire of Britannia's body bayed for the blood of his enemies. And probably a few of his allies.

"If we may begin our business?" Schneizel began. "There are several points of order to discuss, and I am sure we would all prefer to return to our own business as quickly as possible."

"You mean, you want to go back to ignoring the situation involving Lelouch," Guinevere sniffed. Haughty as ever. "It's an insult. Treasonous rebels holding our long lost sibling for trial? What possible charges could they have constructed?"

"His Majesty has taken a personal interest in this matter," Bismarck interrupted. "He has assigned an extremely trustworthy individual to resolve the matter."

Father? Taking a personal interest...? In anything outside of his research? Questions whirled around in Schneizel's mind. This felt like yet another clue, but to what he could not ascertain. Another move in some grand terrible game being played by players beyond his vision. A move from father? Against whom? What opponent was he playing against? For what stakes?

And how could Schneizel earn a seat at that table?

"Well isn't that a relief?" Odysseus chuckled. "It is nice to see his Majesty showing such careful thought about how best to resolve this."

"It looks more like his Majesty is playing favourites from where I'm sitting," Luciano said. "The missing Prince came back big and fast, but then burned himself out just as quickly."

"His Majesty has been showing unusual leniency towards Lelouch. Nunnally too!" Carina complained.

"Ah, never mind all that," Gino said. Bored of the gossip? Or perhaps sensing the uncomfortable direction this discussion could quickly take? "The agent getting sent in to bail him out. Is it anyone we would know? "

Bismarck's answer to that question was even more surprising than his initial statement.

"Nobody here has the clearance to know the answer to that question."

"That's ridiculous!" Carine yelled, pounding the table in front of her. "You're using OSI resources? This should be a military action, not a spy thriller! The idea that Royalty can be put on trial as if he's some filthy commoner, how insulting!"

"It would be troublesome if the Chinese Federation got its act together now that the High Eunuchs are gone," Gino wryly observed, while leaning back in his chair. "I hear tell they're setting out to form an alliance with neighbouring nations, including a couple who want out of the E.U."

"Hrm, I was getting bored of spilling European blood," Luciano chuckled. "I was beginning to wonder if Stand users beg for mercy the same way that other people do."

"Once again, I must remind you: His Majesty already has an agent in place to investigate the Black Knights," Bismarck sternly said. "Therefore, no action is to be taken against the Black Knights unless it is run through me first. It might interfere with ongoing vital operations that you are not aware of."

In Schneizel's mind, he knew better than to suggest the dozen or so plans he had developed for the express purpose of eliminating the Chinese Federation as a threat. It seemed rather certain that Bismarck would say no. He could hardly do any less. It would be trivial to gain an idea of the shape and form of these 'vital operations' if he said yes to those that did not matter. A smart enough person could feel out the boundaries of the scheme that way, and Bismarck was too canny to fall for it.

"In that case I should probably mention that I have already made a few attempts already," Guinevere admitted. "I arranged for insurgents in Korea and India to receive a shipment of weapons. I had hoped it would stir up some trouble and make it harder for them to maintain stability. Nothing major, a few unlisted firearms. Unfortunately they were intercepted en route. I'm still not sure how they saw it coming."

That filled in a few holes in Schneizel's knowledge. He had thought something strange was going on. But stranger still was the fact that it was countered so cleanly, so precisely. In point of fact it made quite clear to him one other truth: That Lelouch was in no real danger, and was continuing to make his own plays in the game of international politics.

Though that particular tidbit he'd keep to himself for the time being. If he wanted in on this mysterious grand game, then he shouldn't let slip such discoveries.

"Anyway! The reason I came here today!" Carine cheerfully announced. "I want to know what's being done about Nunnally?"

"I thought you didn't like Nunnally?" Odysseus asked.

"I don't!" Carine smiled. He would call it sharklike, but even sharks would swim away in fear from that smile. "I do like tormenting her, and this would give me such opportunities. Besides, it's a great excuse to drop the hammer on someone."

Now this, this was something Schneizel not only had an answer for, but also absolutely no drawback in saying aloud. "Our spy network within Europe has not picked up any sign that they have Nunnally hidden away," he said. "Though that is hardly proof that they are not involved. If anything, it indicates to me that they're being extremely careful with her. Though that raises further questions?"

"Further questions?" Gino asked.

Schneizel closed his eyes. Again, there was nothing to lose from revealing his thought process at this time. Yet there was everything to gain. The others present may have answers to the questions that had risen his curiosity. Or perhaps they had other questions that he had not yet considered.

"Why go this effort if they've not announced that they have her?" he pondered. "We have received no hostage notice. No requests for ransom. No demands of any kind. Nunnally does not possess any special knowledge of ongoing intelligence operations, nor any information that could possibly be useful in our battle against Europe."

"Even if we had, we would have changed those details as soon as we learned she was kidnapped," Odysseus said. A fact that should have been readily obvious to everyone present already.

"Who gives a fig about the motive?" Luciano asked. "What really matters is, it's obvious those Eurotrash layabouts took something that didn't belong to them. We oughta bomb 'em back to the stone age and take her back. No more of this fancy behind the scenes diplomacy malarkey! Let's take the most valuable thing they have, their lives!"

"I respectfully disagree," Schneizel said. Gino had grimaced on hearing Luciano's plan, and it worsened on hearing Schneizel speak up. Understandable. The Vampire of Britannia was well named. The Prince chose his words with care, so as not to cause a scene. "It is when you leave a people with no hope at all that they are most likely to rebel. That is why I have been adopting this strategy in the first place: To ensure the nations of Europe are left with hope even after they are conquered."

Behold the problem with the bloodthirsty approach. When you took away too much from people, they tend to fight back. Schneizel had seen it happen again and again whenever he read through history. Careless leaders who thought it just and good that they take everything for themselves winding up on the chopping block. Far better to give them at least the illusion of hope.

This was why Schneizel never allowed himself the will to win. He understood that it was a trap. To have that will meant 'blindly holding onto hope'. But one must ask what will be found at the end of that rope? Is victory truly your salvation, or is it a damnation worse than defeat? Far better to ignore the pointing finger and look to the sky it is pointing towards. Focus on the goal, but do not be its slave. Be willing to surrender it at a moment's notice, and your enemies will never be able to predict you. This is what it means to be the master of masks.

"People crave stability," Schneizel said. "Through my actions behind the scenes, the people of Europe are growing discontent with their lives, suspicious of their leaders. In turn, this makes the leaders wary of the next round of elections and shall make the winners of those elections more likely to sit at the negotiation table with me."

From there he could act to play them off against one another, dividing the continent even further. He had heard the theory of this strategy for a long time within Britannia's High Society, but it was clear to him that none of them understood Europe remotely well enough to comprehend the best way to do so. It had been an interesting intellectual challenge for him. A distraction from his true activities and investigations behind the scenes.

"Hrmph. Elections!" Carine scoffed. "I don't get this whole democracy schtick. Giving that kind of power to regular people? Who don't know anything about ruling? I'd bet the first thing they'd do is vote to give themselves tax breaks."

Spoken like the sheltered girl she truly was. Carine's understanding of the world was, at best, limited to the workings of the Imperial High Court of the Holy Britannian Empire. She wasn't quite as well read as she liked to pretend that she was, and nor was that observation even a tenth as original or insightful as she might believe. Much as those others he had heard from others who talked about splitting Europe apart at the seams, she lacked even this basic understanding.

"Europia United's democratic system doesn't quite work that way," Schneizel said, leaning back to recount his history lesson. He'd keep it brief, and employ a little 'lies to children' as the topic was rather more complicated and involved than Carine would understand.

"They established this system to minimise the possibility of tyranny," Schneizel began. "They wanted to emphasise the ideals of freedom and liberty within their nations, and so they set up a system of checks and counterbalances to ensure that no one man holds all of the power."

"Making themselves weaker in the process," Guinevere said. "Without one clear, consistent ruler their vision of the future is murky at best."

"Indeed, in its pursuit of stability mankind yearns to be led," Schneizel nodded. "That is why they elect a triumvirate, rather than a single leader. Several people put themselves forward for the role, and the top three out of all of them are put into place as the rulers of Europe. Any major decision that must pass by them must achieve at least two votes in favour among them before it is enacted."

"Sounds like a gridlock to me," Gino said. "They won't get anything through that way."

"Which is why each nation also holds a distinct elected representative. The Council of Forty have the power to veto decisions made - or not made - by the triumvirate. Though this requires a minimum of twenty four of the council to approve the veto, or 60% of all members of the council able to attend. This method ensures that power is not concentrated in any one person, or indeed a distinct enough group. If the people do not like how their leaders perform, they can always vote them out."

"There are a few obvious problems in this system," Bismarck observed. "Waves of populism, demagogues who appeal to the struggling lower class. Not to mention that the act of running for election skews expensive and so only the wealthier classes accomplish anything of note."

Indeed. It had been far too easy for Schneizel to locate powerful political figures within Europe who blatantly did not care one whit for the people - beyond the casting of their next ballot. Public image was everything. His Majesty was quite right to call it a popularity contest.

"That's not all," Schneizel continued. "In order to ensure they had the resources to remain a free people, the nations of Europe allowed for dictatorships in Africa and the Middle East to exist so that they could get easy access to their oil and sakuradite deposits." Or at least they did before he and Cornelia carved a path through Africa into the Middle East and poking into southern Europe.

"While Britannia tells things as they are, Europia United is a stellar example of blatant hypocrisy. Though they claim that all men and women are equal, they push refugees from outside their lands into ghettos and force their young men to fight for their militaries on the front line. "

"Then there's all the debauchery I hear of from their highest classes," Guinevere tsked. "Their media cycles seem to obsess over it."

"Watch a lot of European news?" Luciano asked. "To be honest, Monika did for a while too! She thought it was satire. The look on her face when she learned it was real? Priceless!"

"Anya took a picture if anyone wants to see it," Gino suggested. Nobody did. "Well anyway, I hear their leadership is a long line of merchants, politicians and Generals. Probably makes it easy for certain people to buy votes, right?"

Yes, it did. Certain people like Prince Schneizel, Prime Minister of the Holy Britannian Empire. "If there is no other business?" he asked. There didn't appear to be. "In that case, may we call this adjourned? To my regret, I have battle plans to draw up for the near future."

With that he left, rejoining Kanon outside the room. The others all returning to their business. Guinevere, Odysseus and Carine gossiping among themselves, while Bismarck cornered Gino and Luciano to discuss whatever business the Knights of the Round needed to attend to.

"Did it go well?" his faithful assistant asked quickly joining stride with him as he went back to his study.

"Terribly," Schneizel answered, smiling faintly. "It feels as though we are on the verge of armageddon without even knowing why."

And do you know something? Schneizel was quite excited to see what form the end of the world would take. Curiouser and curiouser.

But then a stranger intervened:

"First listen to my tale!

Together we can beat these fiends,

Justice can still prevail!"

====Zero====

"Three."

Modern technology is amazing. Once upon a time a moment like this would be experienced by a handful, who would tell others what they saw so it might be etched into the annals of history. Here? Now? It was broadcast live for all to see. This shining moment that would destroy the old order and begin the establishment of a new one in its place.

"Two."

You could taste the anticipation in the air. Out there is a sea of diplomats, ambassadors, politicians and more. The most powerful people of their respective nations. Waiting. With bated breath. Electricity sparks through the air, their heart rates a step faster than normal as they wait, and they wait, and the anticipation grows.

"One."

The anticipation of the moment that she arrives.

"Zero."

At the very peak, Schizoid Man pulls back the curtain, revealing her stepping forward with her arms held out wide. She bows as they erupt into thunderous applause. It's an intoxicating feeling. The adulation, the appreciation. Could you hear it, she wondered. All the way in that fancy prison cell, can you hear it Lulu?

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to a vital moment in the history of the world!" Zero began once the applause died down. "Today, no less than forty nations have come together from all across the globe! Nations whose people have grown weary of the old world order, begging for scraps from the powers that already were! Today, we shall create a new society, and a better world. A just and open society to surpass Europa United! Welcome, to the entire human race! This is the moment where we officially ratify the United Federation of Nations!"

More applause, and underneath her mask Shirley is glowing with pride. Up above her, Schizoid Man is performing a rather enthusiastic cheering routine that she's grateful nobody but her can see.

"Over these past few months we have faced many trials," she continued. "We have found masters of the ancient fighting style, known as Ripple. They had been hiding away from the vampiric tyranny of the High Eunuchs of the former Chinese Federation. Their patience and their bravery has finally been rewarded, as they take their rightful place in the sunlight while the undead they live to destroy have scurried back into the shadows - where these monsters shall find no refuge! No place for them to hide nor to feast on human flesh and blood!"

More applause, louder still than before. Oh yes. Casting her eyes around this room, Zero remembered all too well how shocked they were to find the presence of the undead lingering within the borders of their own nation. Learning of the influence that had been cast upon their own society. They had all but begged for assistance in excising this infestation. Xingke's observation from so long ago had proven more correct than he could have assumed.

"We are beginning our own research into the supernatural elements that are now beginning to rise in attention within our world! Stands, the undead and yet more beside that have lurked at the edge of human observation. There are those who would use these powers to do good - but also those who would do evil. To the former, I call for you to join us arm in arm! For the latter, I give this warning."

She stopped for effect, and swept back her cape, lifting her hand well into the air above her head as though reaching out for some invisible handle.

"We shall overcome those who would do evil with these powers the same way that humanity has overcome any problem it has faced in its entire history. By first understanding it, and then turning it to our own purpose! Through this methodology, we shall overcome the supernatural. We shall overcome injustice. We shall overcome evil in all its forms!"

Hear this, Lelouch! Hear what she was saying from the depths of her soul! Hear the cry for justice that all sentient beings cry. Hear the cry that all evil beings seek to smother before it becomes a shout!

"We have overcome attempts from the Britannian Empire to undermine our unity, for they are afraid of our cooperation. In their attempts to sow the Golden Apple of discord amongst us, they show only their own weakness: Intolerance! Of opposing ideals! Of differing people! Of cooperation overcoming their twisted ideas of social darwinism! Britannian tyranny will be discarded to the dustbin of history while the United Federation of Nations - No, rather the entirety of humanity reaches for the stars above through unity, justice and freedom!"

To think that she had once bought into that lie herself. It had come down to a certain tall, dark and handsome Prince of that self same Empire to open up her eyes to something that now seemed obvious to her.

This time the audience did not applause. Instead, just as they were about to clap some bright spark yelled a word while raising a fist into the air: "Ora!"

As one, they all joined in. "Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!"

It was amazing. Behind her mask, Shirley was brought to tears. It was the most affirming moment of her entire life. Listen to it, Lulu. Listen well. They were cheering the speech you had written for her. It was thrilling. It was cathartic.

"Ora! Ora! Ora!"

It was completely ridiculous and she was afraid she might start laughing any moment.

He listened true. He listened fast.

His horror grew and grew.

And when the stranger's tale had passed,

That man felt pain anew.

====Lelouch====

Imagine how it feels to have a goal that lingers for the better part of a decade, and for the majority of that time the means to reach towards it stay well out of arm's reach. You want it. You crave it. Your life exists to see it unfold.

Then one day the means to step towards it fall into your lap. Out of nowhere. As if God had gift wrapped it for you personally.

"Finally, article 17 of our new charter, all ratifying nations do now declare to abandon native military power forever."

Suddenly, you remember them. The scenarios you had built up over those years. Played with in the back of your head, thinking them harmless delusions. Suddenly, not so harmless after all. You could do it. You could step towards that goal. You could set things in motion that would bring it not just within arm's reach but so close you could wear it around your neck.

"To guarantee the security of member nations, we have agreed to employ a fighting force not affiliated with any one country. This role has been contracted to the Black Knights."

Then imagine that you can see it unfolding before your very eyes, while you're stuck within a prison cell. Reduced to an advisory role while awaiting 'trial'. Taking a back seat when you would rather be out there, with them all. Pushing and prodding. Exerting your natural charisma and intelligence to move things along more quickly.

"It's astonishing how fast they've set this all up," Lelouch said aloud. "Credit where it's due, they all acted with speed and precision to ensure everything is in place. With the leadership of the Chinese Federation toppled and discredited a power vacuum has been created. A vacuum that was ready to be filled at a moment's notice thanks to my machinations."

He slowly rose to his feet and switched off the television, keeping his back to the cell bars. "Would you not agree, Kaname Ohgi?" The man standing there said nothing. "Not celebrating with the others? At this moment of triumph! You have everything you need, don't you? To fulfill the dream your best friend had before he died. The liberation of Japan is well within your reach."

"I don't understand you." Ohgi said. His tone that of a policeman interrogating a known criminal associate, full of suspicion and caution. "What the hell are you trying to do?"

At that moment, an idle curiosity became a point of serious consideration for Lelouch: Why was Ohgi here, right now? Look at his body language. The way he carries himself. The dark glasses even indoors. He's fidgeting. Uncomfortable. Hiding something. A secret? What's he up to? Why stay away from the others like this? From his personality type he would want to be in there with his friends. There were only two reasons he would stay away: If there was something more important to deal with, but questioning Lelouch could wait. As for the other, he was trying to keep them safe from something but what -

"You've lost control over your Geass," Lelouch said. Ohgi's grimace said it all. "Just like Mao. You can't turn it off. You're projecting your emotional state onto anyone that hears your –"

That hears his voice. Lelouch turned to the wall and deliberately punched it as hard as he could.

"Were you hoping you could manipulate my emotions so I would let something slip?" Lelouch asked, the pain clearing Ohgi's 'suspicion' from his mind. "No... I'd say you were wanting to talk with someone you wouldn't feel guilty about taking on an emotional roller coaster. How am I doing?"

"Which of us is the prisoner?!" Ohgi yelled into the cell. How dare he speak to him that - Lelouch punched the wall again.

"That would be you," Lelouch smoothly answered once he felt himself calm down. "A prisoner of emotions, and your own weak will."

Though there was something else at the forefront of his mind. No matter how his mind swirled around this one point always stayed the same, an immovable bedrock about which all other thoughts and emotions anchored:

What about Nunnally?

Would she lose control as well? That is what seemed to happen to those with this power called Geass. That sneaky witch! What kind of game was she playing? What could an immortal Ripple Master desire that she would treat others this way? Subject them to this loneliness and despair?

"You should have taken a Stand instead of a Geass," Lelouch said. "I'm sorry. What you shall have to endure is beyond my imagination."

His reaction only made sense after the fact, after Ohgi had left. The man's face twisted up in frustration, and he reached forward to grip the bars as if trying to pull them apart with the sheer weight of his frustration. Then he grunted, spun on his heels and stormed back up the stairs.

Why did he react that way? Why else? Kaname Ohgi cannot stand manipulative elitists like Lelouch. Such a person offering him support in a time like this must be like nails on the chalkboard. Why is that? Any number of reasons. Take your pick. Because it makes him doubt the sincerity of the apology. Because it challenges his self view as the one who fights against the elites that prey upon him and his friends. He could develop a bond with the Six Houses as they were patriots fighting for Japan in their own way, but Lelouch could only be yet another exploiter. A manipulator. A shadowy presence out for his own ends.

People don't like it when their narrative is challenged. People would rather see the mask than the man that lay underneath. And now Ohgi had his own power betraying him to add onto his anger.

Which led him back to Nunnally. In particular the news items about his sister... or total lack thereof. She had been mentioned in the news exactly one time, mentioning that she was unwell and taking some time out of the public eye. That was it. No mention of her since then. At the time he had been concerned with how she had been taking matters, and hoped he could persuade Shirley to retrieve his sister, or at least arrange for a visit from her.

But... No. Nothing. Nor was there any contact from Suzaku or Euphemia to keep him informed of her wellbeing. Which led him towards one inescapable, horrifying conclusion.

Someone had kidnapped his sister.

It didn't seem possible, but the facts lined up. If she were unwell or deceased there would have been more information about what had happened. Which led him to the conclusion that they were covering up the truth, even from him, so that they could investigate without the entire world watching.

But who? The list of suspects was not small. The Emperor? Schneizel? Remnants of the High Eunuch's cult? The Black Knights themselves as a means to keep him in line? Another faction he hadn't heard about yet? He had so many enemies, or those who would wish to manipulate him. Too many motives, too many suspects. He ran through scenario after scenario but kept on hitting dead ends.

"Information," he scowled, pacing around the cell. "I need more information! I need to get out of here, I need to find ouwhat happened!"

There was a cough behind him. It seemed as though Kallen had decided to pay him a visit. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Are you not wanting to spend time celebrating with your friends?"

"That was hours ago," Kallen answered. Hours ago? Had he really spent that long obsessing over Nunnally without even noticing? "Are you alright?"

"Hmph, who do you think you're asking?" he smoothly answered. "So? Is everything proceeding apace?"

"Smooth as silk," Kallen said. "They all signed up without a fuss. The Black Knights are already taking volunteers from a whole host of new nations. On top of that, Britannia sent along a lawyer."

While that was encouraging in one sense, it was tiresome in another. His 'trial' must be due sooner rather than later. That was good. The sooner he was set free, the sooner he could seek out his sister. With or without the Black Knights at his side, he'd crawl through hell on his hands and knees to see her safe and then carry her on his back when they travelled out of hell to keep her safe.

On the other hand it meant that Britannia had taken the obvious personal interest in this case, which would severely hamper his movements.

"I'll meet with my lawyer another day," Lelouch said. "Tell them that I'm resting."

"That does make sense," said a familiar voice. "Given how tiresome you can be, you must have to rest quite often."

It was a woman in a powder blue wig and a smart business suit. Not that the disguise was especially convincing. She adjusted the triangular glasses she was wearing and fixed him with a cold gaze. Ah. Just this one time he'd allow himself to be relieved to see her here.

"She says her name is Cecila Chevalier," Kallen said. "Though I suspect you don't actually need any introduction."

"Please, call me C.C." his new lawyer said. She reached through the cell to shake his hand. "We have a lot to discuss, your Highness."

For once she had said something he was in absolute and total agreement with.

"Kallen, some privacy?" he asked. She looked between the two of them, then turned up her nose and left with her head held high. As much as he would appreciate having some backup to deal with C.C. this was his responsibility.

"So? If you're here you must have news of my sister?" Lelouch asked.

"Kidnapped," she confessed. He didn't flinch. He had been expecting that. Or rather, he had been dreading it. C.C. pulled a folder out of her bag. "I have the relevant information with me already. To cut to the point, we have a suspect but it doesn't make any sense."

Cutting to the point sounded like a tremendous idea. "Will my sister lose control over her Geass?"

"Never mind that for now, we should focus on finding her."

Dismissive? It was time she learned her place! "Kallen! I would like this woman –"

"How like your father," she interrupted. "You have to be in total control over everything, even when you're in a cell."

As he had assumed. She wouldn't have come all this way to see him unless she needed to see him. That gave him a tremendous amount of leverage in this conversation. He could have her removed at any time, presenting Lelouch with an opportunity too good to pass up. He wanted answers, and he was going to get them!

"It depends on her willpower," C.C. said, passing her report through the bars. He took it. Of course he did. Any information about Nunnally's kidnapping would give his mind something to work on. "But yes, eventually it will become too much and she will lose complete control. The more she uses it, the quicker it will happen."

And she knew this. C.C. knew this when contracting with his little sister. Giving her this power that would one day isolate her, keep her too scared to talk to anyone or look anyone in the eye with those bright and wonderful eyes of hers.

"How interesting," Lelouch coldly said. "You despise vampires and zombies with all of your being, and yet you're as much a monster as they are. Do you enjoy watching others slowly suffer? I can think of no other reason you would want to share that kind of power with others."

"And yet you have shared the power of Stand with others for your own reasons," C.C. replied. "Even though it might kill them. Even though it will attract other Stand users towards them. You have ended the lives of others through word and deed. You have manipulated those you claim to care for into dangerous undertakings. I have long since accepted what I am. Have you accepted what you are?"

Had he? There was a part of his brain watching, analysing his every thought. The answer: No. He hadn't accepted what he was. Not an entirely comfortable thought, especially when the watcher told him the name of the person he was really upset at: Lelouch himself.

"Read that file," C.C. said. "In the meantime we shall have to work on your defense. It's the surest means to ensure your escape, and then together we can locate your sister."

"Together?" Lelouch asked. "What makes you think that I'll help you find her, after what you've done to her?"

"Because if you're going to find her, you're going to need an accomplice. You won't be able to manage this alone."

Which left Lelouch running through the probabilities once again. He could push her a little further. Threaten to refuse her help. It was obvious she came to him because she needed him in order to find her, it didn't matter to her at all that they -

No, wait. That was wrong. Suzaku and Euphemia would have helped her. They might not be as capable at investigating as he was, but they would have the backing of the entire Britannian intelligence agencies at his beck and call. A missing Princess? Of course they'd devote their resources to finding her! He'd been so distracted and suspicious of her intentions that this entirely obvious fact had slipped by him completely!

Could it be... That C.C. was showing some form of sentimentality? Or was there yet another secret reasons she was here? Lelouch couldn't think of any reason. That didn't preclude the possibility that such a thing could exist, however...

"Very well then," he said. "I'd like some time to read through this report first. We shall discuss my case in more detail tomorrow."

In the end it didn't really matter. If C.C. was an obstacle to his sister's happiness, then he'd destroy her. He'd play along for now. Be her 'accomplice'. If he wanted to get at the deeper truth then he needed to pull her in close rather than push her away.

Although the watcher was still whispering in his mind: Is it because she's suspicious that you're thinking about her this way? Or is it because you have a hard time trusting people?

"I thought I knew what evil was

Yet only now I see,

That yours is a most righteous cause.

To you I bend my knee."

====The World====

The world watched with bated breath. The political landscape had recently transformed in ways that were unimaginable, to say the very least. What happened next depended solely on this event which happened only once every five years. Everyone who had the slightest interest in future events was gathered around their televisions, or their computer monitors. Even those in Britannia who spurned democracy, knew and understood the importance of these events and sought an understanding of what was still to come.

The monitor opens upon a simple room, full of smartly dressed representatives from all across Europe. They are all seated around a massive round table, which holds a gap in the middle where a speaker may address them all at once. The unmistakable sound of mass human conversation fills the background. There is anticipation, excitement and it is as contagious as any disease you care to name. Even the reporter standing in front of the camera cannot seem to stand still, so eager is he to see the event's proceedings begin!

"Reporting live from the European Parliamentary building deep in the Heart of Paris, where an exciting round of elections across the continent has brought up no less than three new Consuls!"

The reporter paused for a moment before continuing. "For those who are not aware of the intricacies of the European Union's political system, allow me to explain in more detail: As there are numerous involved nations with a wide variety of differing cultures spread across a large landmass, it was felt improper to place only one direct representative in charge of the entire structure. To this effect three Consuls are elected from a larger pool, each with slightly differing authority over sections of government. The intention is to prevent concentration of total power, while also allowing all people's voices to be heard. In a landmark election three new Consuls have been elected simultaneously. Ah! It seems as though the Speaker for Parliament is coming out to formally introduce them now! We're about to go live to that announcement!"

The camera shifted to show an old man walking into the chamber from a door in the back, walking into the centre of the large round table, where all of the regional delegates were waiting patiently. The old man smiled as he turned to ensure he had eye contact with all of them, and was careful to ensure he did not stay facing the same direction for more than a few seconds as he spoke. "Ladies and gentlemen! To you I need no introduction. To the world at large," he gestured to a screen on a wall showing a spinning globe, "I must introduce myself as Mister Vasily, Speaker of the European Parliament. My duty is to introduce proceedings and to ensure civil discourse amongst all parties. However, it is also my great pleasure to introduce all three of our new leaders to the world at large. Three tremendous men who have democratically earned their right to lead us."

A smattering of applause. Within Britannia, Charles scoffed. "Led by a mere popularity contest," he said. "What does popularity have to do with ruling effectively? Do they not see? By principles of survival of the fittest, their leaders turn into decadent, charismatic parasites!"

"In their pursuit of freedom," Bismarck mused, "They have surrendered it to the very kind of people they sought to protect it from."

The applause died down, in no small part due to calming gestures from Mister Vasily, who was grinning quite widely. "I know, I know. We are all quite excited. However, we must show the world decorum, as well as the wisdom of democracy. To begin with! Rudolph von Stroheim!"

A partly mechanical man strode into the room wearing a dark green suit that could almost double as camouflage. His blonde hair was cut into a flat-top, and the left side of his face was covered in metal, with a red lens covering his eye. He made a gesture like doffing a hat and, in a thick German accent, said the following:

"I may not be entirely human any longer! However, it seems the people do not hold that against me!"

Polite laughter, and he smartly walked into the centre to stand by the speaker. On arriving he immediately snapped to attention and waited with a peculiar smirk on his lips while the delegates all applauded him.

"Huh! Fancy that!" Joseph scoffed. He put his feet up on the table in front of him and waved his hand around in a circle. "That's quite the career path: Soldier, cyborg, politician. I wonder who else got voted in?"

"Our second Consul," the speaker continued. "Is Caesar Antonio Zepelli!"

"Nyohohoho!" laughed a strange man with his back turned to the others. He turned around and flashed them all a smile, revealing the words 'GO! GO! ZEPPELI!' on grills worn across his teeth. He looked like he had been forced into the suit he was wearing, which had a small peculiarity: A belt buckle, upon which were a pair of round holsters. "Well, I'd always heard that politicians were known for spin..." He opened the holster and retrieved a steel ball, which he began to spin in his hands. "I'd say they chose the right person for the job! Nyohohoho!"

"A coincidence...?" C.C. pondered aloud. "That is what Joseph believed, but..."

Zepelli stood on the other side of the speaker from Stroheim, adopting a far more relaxed (and also ridiculous) posture. Once the applause had died down the speaker spoke one last time and then stepped to the side: "And of course, our final Consul. To most of you here today, he will need no introduction. For the rest of the world, it is my privilege to introduce him."

As he spoke, a tall and thin man began to walk by the camera, mumbling to himself. His white hair was short atop his head, but the hair upon his face grew in a peculiar distinctive pattern. Two zigzagging strands from his eyebrows to his hair, and sideburns that spread at the edge of the middle of his jaw. The aura he gave off was absolutely unthreatening, in point of fact there was something peculiarly trustworthy about him. He wore a suit as dark as dark can be, and while awaiting his introduction he could be heard mumbling to himself:

"31... 37... 41... 43... 47..."

"Ladies and gentlemen, Enrico Pucci!"

"Prime numbers," Lelouch mumbled to himself, not particularly paying the stream much attention. How could he care about such matters when his sister had been missing for weeks?

"Gentlemen, it is a pleasure to stand here before you today," Pucci said, giving them all a deep, deep bow. "It has always been my belief that mankind is hopeless in the face of many forces that rule the universe: The gravity of fate cannot be denied."

"If you give up in the face of fate, then you give up the chance to fight back and win!" Zeppeli interrupted. "With the right spin, you can escape even gravity."

Stroheim spoke up next, his voice easily reaching all corners of the room even without the need for microphone. "Which is why our first official act as Consuls of Europe is to renew our struggle against the Holy Britannian Empire!"

Thunderous applause broke out at this. Back in Britannia, many nobles scoffed and rolled their eyes dismissively. Schneizel on the other hand, he was focused beyond belief, while Dio seemed greatly amused by the declaration.

"To date we have been a disorganised rabble," Stroheim sadly shook his head. "Britannia has been picking off individual nations one by one! A shameful display of what should be the greatest military in the world!"

"So to ensure that we do have a chance for this, we have selected... a Minister of War to take charge of the union's military!" Zeppeli announced. The delegates looked around nervously, wondering who it might be.

"A great man!" Pucci enthused. "A man who shall lead us, lead the entire world into heaven!"

Suddenly he appeared at the back of the room, a huge towering figure with his back turned looming over them all. The reaction across the world simply spoke for itself. In Britannia, Dio laughed. Charles angrily stood up from his chair. Joseph fell out of his seat. Lelouch slowly turned his attention towards the monitor, though he was having a hard time seeing. C.C. was up against the screen with eyes wide open, and all the Black Knight leadership was watching with bated breath.

"He looks exactly like..." Euphemia gasped. "But it can't be!"

"That - " Ohgi gulped. "I know who that is! That's -"

"Jonathan Joestar, at your service, though you may call me JOJO!" the vampire proclaimed, turning to bow to all the delegates. "Ladies, gentlemen. It shall be a pleasure to work with you."

"This is outrageous!" one delegate yelled.

"He's... A Britannian! And a vampire, to boot!"

"Boot him out, I say! I won't have my blood sucked! Guards, the anti-vampire equipment!"

Several soldiers did indeed step forward just then and aimed what looked like flashlights towards Jonathan. He did nothing. He didn't need to. The shuriken thrown from the ceiling seemed to do that for him, completely destroying the flashlights with precision.

Not content with this, the guards took an option that seemed suicidal to those with experience with vampires, and especially those who knew of The World: They attempted to rush Jonathan. But again, he need not do anything at all, for several figures dropped from the ceiling around him, creating an impassable wall of humanoids, all wearing the same clothing, or rather disguise.

The first to land was a mountain of a man, who made even JOJO seem small by comparison. He was carrying two others in his arms, and he set them down upon the floor, where one whipped out bandages from their sleeves and the other threw cards onto the floor in front of themselves. The one guard who risked stepping forward found himself buried in the floor up to his waist.

Another giant landed shortly thereafter, though this one was only carrying one other whom they set to sit upon a podium. A few guards dared to approach, but quickly found themselves tied up in hair.

The last three landed with swords drawn. They parried and disarmed the last of the guards, joining the others in forming a tight semi-circle around JOJO. Protecting the vampire, even though all of them put together couldn't hope to match him.

From head to toe these eight were covered in robes red as blood, and across their face was a grey mask which seemed to sneer at the very idea of goodness and righteousness. This was an expression that promised evil power to those that knew what to do with it.

"Stone masks!" C.C. frowed. "No... No, those are replicas. Light does not play that way off stone. There is a shimmer more like plastic on them."

"Th-Those are the people who –" Rivalz began, then realised he was at Ashford Academy. Rolo, next to him, put a finger to his lips and he kept himself quiet.

"We won't be threatened into this!" a delegate warned. "No matter what you say or do here, the entire world is watching. Our people won't follow a monster! They won't let you use them as food or turn their loved ones into zombies!"

"Gentlemen!" JOJO announced, stepping out from among his robed allies. "It seems there has been a misunderstanding. It is not my intention to feed from you. In fact, I make a habit to only feed when necessary, and only from those who volunteer of their own free will. Your blood is safe. My concern lies elsewhere."

"He's already in control," Diethard observed. "The camera angles, the lighting... It's all framed to portray him in a good light, and the other officials as weak or foolish."

"You mean he controls the media?" Tohdoh asked.

"Exactly," Diethard nodded solemnly, though smiling widely. "That is the crucial vulnerability of any democracy. If you control the media, you control the people."

"If this isn't a coup, then why these guards?!" demanded a delegate, gesturing wildly at the robed figures. "Be rid of them, and then we shall talk peacefully."

"Guards?" JOJO said. "These are not my guards. These are... My Paladins!"

"Hah! Most amusing!" Lloyd Asplund chuckled, watching the event in his laboratory. "Paladins indeed. My word, how clever."

"I don't follow," Suzaku said. "What's clever about that?"

"It's a twofold strike you see," Lloyd explained. "The historical paladins were also known as the Twelve Peers of Charlemagne's court. It's a rib on Emperor Chucky and his belief about equality."

"There's also a cultural tendency to view the Paladins as 'White Knights'," Cecile added. "So it is entirely possible that it's also aimed at mocking the Black Knights at the same time. Or I may be reading too much into it."

"My Paladins are not here to harm you either," JOJO promised. "Believe me gentlemen, I have no argument with any of you."

"Then who do you have argument with?"

"It lies with Britannia!" said one of the taller masked guards. "Their evil must be stopped if peace is to proceed."

"Their plans and plots are more insidious than you know!" hissed one of the masked guards, as if they were trying to keep their real voice from coming out.

"We must come together to put a stop to them," hissed the one to their left, though their voice was deeper. "There is no honour in what they seek."

Before anyone could ask the obvious question, another answered it: "They seek to destroy the world and create it anew."

Another continued. "No matter the cost to life, or freedom. And the Black Knights do not yet know it, but they are little better than Pawns in this game."

"JOJO is your only chance to survive," said still another. "JOJO is the only one that can stand up to them both."

"And on that basis alone," said the last masked guard, the smallest of them all sitting atop the podium. The others stepped back as she - for indeed this was decidedly a girl - took the attention of all of the delegates in the room as part of her mask slid open, revealing her left eye shining brightly with the Geass symbol as she spoke, "You will follow JOJO! All of you!"

Lelouch gripped the sides of the monitor so intensely that his hands had turned entirely white, but not nearly so white as his face. His expression had become a total mask of terror, confusion, and just a hint of madness. "N-Nunnally?" he asked, then repeated louder. "Nunnally?!" Curiously, the television chose not to provide him with an answer.

"What the hell is going on?!" Suzaku yelled. "Nunnally! Why would you - Why would you join that monster?" He stopped. "No, he must be controlling her through a flesh bud! That fiend! This must be tearing Lelouch apart if he sees it..." A pang of sympathy for his friend stabbed him in the heart. Even after their disagreements, this was too much to wish on anyone.

"That was Geass, wasn't it?" Kallen asked. "She used a Geass on everyone there!"

"But the majority of people wouldn't recognise Geass if they saw it," Rakshata observed.

"If he already has control over the media, it's just a matter of time before he brings the population in line as well," Kaguya said. "This is... He's prepared this so well. This JOJO is no vampire, he's a demon!"

"Thank you my friends, thank you!" JOJO said. By now, the three Consuls had left the middle of the table and were shaking JOJO's hand one by one. "Do you understand yet, representatives of Europe? If you cherish your freedom and the liberties of your civilians, you must follow me and my Paladins! However, this is still a democratic system. It would be most improper if we did not put it to the vote. Of course, you will need some time to deliberate –"

"I've already made up my mind," the Dutch council member interrupted. "Britannia's tyranny must be stopped, and I for one am willing to throw my support behind JOJO."

"You shall have Germany's support as well."

"France, also!"

One by one, each politician rose to their feet, casting their vote publicly in favour of this vampire who sought to guide their war effort. A unanimous approval from forty nations across all of Europe.

"Ladies, gentlemen, you are too kind!" JOJO bowed. "If Britannia seeks to divide us, then we should come together even stronger. They have been taking the fight to us for too long. Now it is time for a knockout blow!"

"This... Can't be happening!" Lelouch yelled, throwing the monitor to the ground. "C.C. you have to get me out of here!"

C.C. adjusted her glasses. This changed things. More than you know. She had believed that the stakes couldn't possibly get any higher than this. She was wrong. Oh, so very wrong!

Together they did hatch a scheme

The world rests in their hands:

The strongest of all Requiem

Has naught to do with Stands.

~Jonathan Joestar: The Hero's Requiem, 2000 a.t.b

====Dio====

Sitting in his palace at the heart of the Holy Britannian Empire, Dio leaned forward and tapped his cane on the floor while letting out a hearty, evil laugh.

"Very good, JOJO!" Dio smirked. "You've almost picked up how to mimic evil... But I can see through your charade for what it truly is. You still cannot escape my gaze no matter what you try."

On the television, the council room was silent for a moment, but then a chant began. "JOJO!" it went. "JOJO!" was the cry of battle. "JOJO!" The vampire stood there surrounded by his peers, the three elected Consuls and the eight masked figures. Soaking it up. "JOJO!" Letting him chant his name. "JOJO!"

"Which will reign supreme in the end?" Dio asked aloud. "Will it your World, or my Kingdom?"

In one fell swoop a vampire had seized control over a superpower. JOJO rested his hand in front of his face and peered out at the delegates with a grin on his face and his Paladins around him. He stared into the monitor as though making eye contact with his worst enemy, and he stared out as one of the few people still walking this Earth who could do so without flinching. To all of this, there was only thing thing he could say.

"Well then."

[To Be Continued |\|]