Within the nine months that have passed, D.D. and I continued to work and refine our plan of action. I relied heavily on her to help me break free from my Geass, as for one hour every night I had her watch over me. Not knowing enough about future technologies and needing to gather more information on certain people, I had no choice but to rely on my Geass for this. I had D.D. apply for Ashford Academy so she could stay close to me and so that she could move around the campus without issue.

Thankfully, her application went through without incident and we arrived at our new home in the place formally known as Japan. Every night I would go through different approaches with Lelouch and C.C. until I found one that led to the 'best' outcome. Meaning it took me around fifty out of over two hundred varying attempts, some of which were slightly different due to uncontrollable variables, to work out how to get them to trust us. This actually led to C.C. helping us with our plan, despite how insane it sounded for her to hear that she wasn't the real C.C. but one produced by my Geass.

Lelouch wasn't as keen on the idea that his world wasn't the real one, as that would mean his reason for living wasn't real as well and everything he had done and will do was meaningless. It was a challenge to convince him that, by helping me, it would result in not only saving Nunnally from all the problems in the future but also allow him to be with her in a happier world. C.C. thankfully pushed him by saying that I could also save Shirley and Euphy with his help. I'm not sure how many times we went over the same conversations, but it was enough that they were ingrained in my head.

D.D.: "Are you okay?" She asked with my head resting on her lap, we were home in her room and the stars were out.

(F/N): "Yeah, thanks to you, it's become easier to turn it off at will."

D.D.: "How was it this time?"

(F/N): "Better." D.D. combed her fingers through my hair. "I wasn't going to ask, but do you mind if we don't go to sleep tonight?" D.D. let out a huff.

D.D.: "Of all the nights to suggest such a thing, you pick the one before we're to meet C.C. and speak with her."

(F/N): "I'm not hearing a no in that response."

D.D.: "And you didn't hear a yes either." She patted my head before removing her legs from under my head. "Who were you investigating this time around?"

(F/N): "Anya Alstreim the Knight of Six and Nonette the Knight of Nine."

D.D.: "You're still trying to figure out a way to get her on your side." She stated correctly as she put herself to bed.

(F/N): "After several tests, I now have a firm grasp on how important Anya's memories are to her and what is important to Nonette." I crawled over to her on the bed.

D.D.: "And what about Gino?" She asked, lying on her side to face me. "He's on the same list as those two."

(F/N): "Through my interactions with Anya, I learned enough to know changing Gino's mind isn't easy. Not impossible, but it's not worth the trouble. This means we're done planning for now, or as Lelouch would say, all tasks at hand have been cleared."

D.D.: "How was Lelouch this time around? You're still playing chess with him?"

(F/N): "He was fine, still in the lead... annoyingly." I rolled on my back, my head on the second set of pillows.

D.D.: "It takes practice to be great at chess, so it's only natural that you would lose the first dozen games."

(F/N): "Hey, I managed to stalemate a few of those games."

D.D.: "(F/N)."

(F/N): "Yes?" I turned my head to see her.

D.D.: "What I wanted to say after that was, despite your thoughts and feelings at first, you've done well to work hard and improve yourself over the past months."

(F/N): "Yeah, well, I can't exactly afford to be lazy." I moved to get off the bed. "This feeling, it kind of reminds me of the day before Christmas when I was a little kid. I could never sleep that night, I was way too anxious."

D.D.: "Don't worry too much, you'll be fine."

The two of us have enjoyed our time at Ashford Academy so far, including the times that involved Milly and her schemes. That joy started coming to a close when D.D. had to convince Lelouch not to kill Clovis and instead to put in under his command. Unable to use his power on D.D., she explained some of his limitations before Villetta found them in her Knightmare. She had taken the lead and convinced her to step out of her Frame and hand it over. Of course, this included the command to forget about both of them so she wouldn't be chasing after them.

After getting what he wanted from Clovis, D.D. had Lelouch order Clovis to give up his title as a prince, leave Area Eleven, and go into hiding. If anyone was to learn of his identity he was to kill himself and exclaim that Zero can't find out about Code R. It involved a team of researchers that focused on researching C.C. and the power of Geass, but it wasn't the project that I cared about. When the events in the Shinjuku Ghetto were over, Lelouch tried to get answers out of D.D., only to be told that things would be explained soon if he's willing to listen and wait for C.C. to arrive.

Well, she did yesterday and this morning I had the unpleasant but necessary job of going to the clubhouse to speak with her. A normal student can't walk in unannounced which is why I made sure D.D. and I were members of the Student Council and that we befriended Nunnally to make things easier. This isn't completely correct because easier would imply that I am not bothered by the memories of them from the futures I saw. None the less after D.D. and I arrived at the campus, we split up, she went to go see Nunnally while I went to Lelouch's room and met C.C. for the first time, again.

C.C.: "If you're looking for Lelouch, he already left for class." She looked from the window over to me, as I shut the door behind it dawned on her. "But you're not here for him, are you?"

(F/N): "No I'm not, C.C., I need to speak with you about something important. You've likely already heard about D.D. when Lelouch went over his Geass, and let me confirm that yes, I am a Geass user as well. One that can see into the future and I've come here today asking for your help." C.C. didn't hesitate to question me.

C.C.: "And what reason do I have to help you? You who suddenly appear and claim to see into the future." I walked closer to her.

(F/N): "I was trapped in my Geass, it's visual so the moment I looked in the mirror and it ran wild I was basely done for. Physically I would have woken up okay, but I have no idea how many of the loops I could have taken before going crazy."

C.C.: "Can you get to the point?"

(F/N): "My point is, you realized it and freed me. As foolish as it may sound, as far as I'm concerned, that C.C. and you are one and the same. I owe her, so I owe you." I took her hand, she didn't seem to care, her neutral expression told me nothing. "You asked me why you should help me, but the real question is why should you trust me?" With all my heart I whispered her name, C.C. was stunned.

C.C.: "You... know my name. I haven't heard it spoken in that way in a long time."

(F/N): "Since the nun, if I had to guess. You asked me to say it the next time we met, with more heart than sorrow. That's why you should trust me, I always keep my promises and contracts."

C.C.: "Alright, let's say that I trust in you, what then?"

(F/N): "It's going to take some time to explain if you want to hear all of it." The two of us sat down and C.C. listened for hours as I explained the plan and my experiences.

C.C.: "Hm, essentially your goal is to alter the future by taking the mask of Zero for yourself and be the bearer of any of the mistakes that fall onto you. And to help achieve this goal you require my help, more accurately, right now you need me to speak with Lelouch about it."

(F/N): "Exactly that." She took a slice of the pizza we ordered for lunch.

C.C.: "I'll think about it and decide after talking with Lelouch."

(F/N): "I can settle for that. Well, I should get going then." I got up and went for the door. "C.C., I want to mention how I plan to repay you." She faced me, strings of cheese hung from the pizza to her lips. "I'm going to give you a reason to live." I said goodbye and spoke her name with a bittersweet tone before I was about to leave the room.

C.C.: "I told you to say that, didn't I?" I looked at her, her name strikes to her emotions. "Or you're simply a cruel man to use such a tactic to get to me."

(F/N): "Both are wrong. Friends call each other by name, don't they?" C.C. had earnest eyes on me. "Even if you don't help me, that won't change how I feel or treat you. You could come to hate me for real this time, but I won't hate you for a second." I reached for the door.

C.C.: "Could you... say it one last time?" I shook my head.

(F/N): "Don't say last time."

I said her name again with the same heart I did before, from her smile it seemed like I was getting through to her. Going to my remaining classes for the day, I made up an excuse to anyone who asked where I was. Telling them that my father needed me to bring him something to the Central Government building. That meant I went to the Viceroy's Palace, which grabbed the interest of the students that asked me questions about it. The truth was that I did plan on going there regardless of C.C.'s answer later today, as there was someone I wanted to see.

This time around, because there was no evidence of assassination, Suzaku was never charged with the murder of Prince Clovis. This meant in order to get him and Lelouch to meet, I would have to earn Euphy's favor and be her guide around the Tokyo Settlement. Not enjoying the idea of being landed on, again, I had made sure to exercise over the past months so as to catch her. But Euphy was someone to deal with later. Once classes ended and the Student Council work was done for the day D.D. and I had to meet C.C. and hear her decision. As we walked into his room, Lelouch turned to us from his desk.

C.C.: "You both came?" She asked lying on the bed.

D.D.: "Of course, I can't have Lelouch using his Geass on (F/N) after all. You did tell him to refrain from doing that, right?" She sat beside C.C. while I stood next to the table with the chess set.

C.C.: "Obviously. I also informed Lelouch about the thing you wanted to ask him." I gestured to the board.

(F/N): "Care for a game while we talk?" Lelouch was unsure about our intentions, so I attempted to ease the situation. "Just so we're clear, what I said to C.C. applies to you as well. If you don't help, it won't change how I feel or treat you. You will always be Lelouch Lamperouge the student, as far as I'm concerned." Lelouch stood up and walked over to the other side of the board.

Lelouch: "I find it hard to believe that there is a Geass that see so far into the future." He moved a black knight forward. "But I find it harder to understand why it is you want the mask of Zero when you could create your own if you have so much information."

(F/N): "Because Zero isn't a person." I moved a pawn forward. "Zero is a symbol, and if there are too many symbols, no one symbol will be strong enough to change the world."

Lelouch: "And you believe you're the one who should change it for the better. What gave you the right to decide that for yourself?" With each line spoken a move on the board was made.

(F/N): "Similar reasons to your own, the power of Geass, the reason to live, the desire for a gentler world. The difference between us is that I know the better course to take."

Lelouch: "That course requires that I give up on the idea of Zero and simply live here at Ashford in peace with my sister."

(F/N): "A small price to pay when you think it through. Hell, I can even reunite you and Nunnally with Suzaku. The three of you can be here with your friends, and enjoy your school life."

Lelouch: "That sounds idealistic."

(F/N): "But it is a real possibility. By the way, you're in checkmate." He looked down at the board and examined it.

Lelouch: "We've played this game before."

(F/N): "We've also had this conversation before." I went over and plopped myself down next to D.D. and gave C.C. a look. "What about your answer?" C.C. closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

C.C.: "What was the last thing I told you?"

(F/N): "You'll have to be more specific than that, there are a lot of last times."

C.C.: "The very last one."

(F/N): "I believe you said, and I quote, 'you were the biggest fool I have ever met, but a fool I was glad to meet,' end quote."

C.C.: "I see, very well, I'll help you. If I didn't you would just run along with a different plan to change the world." She sat up and looked over to Lelouch. "Lelouch, before you is a choice that could very well keep the people you love alive and well, including this Euphemia and Shirley girl. The other is an unknown road to an ending you may not want, and very well find more tears as a result."

Lelouch: "And what am I supposed to say? Because it sounds like there isn't a choice, that things have already been decided."

D.D.: "Choice is funny. Something I learned in the past months is that free-will isn't about knowing the future of your choices, but it's a belief. It says a lot about your character if you believe things either fated or not. It is your choice, you always have a choice, it only matters though if you believe it." Lelouch looked back to the chessboard.

Lelouch: "You chose to play the same game, knowing the match would be fated then. Just as you chose your words to make things certain." He picked up the black king. "Then I chose to ask before giving my answer, what happens to Nunnally?"

(F/N): "I can give you the long answer or the short one, neither are happy answers."

Lelouch: "The long answer, I want to know my sister's future."

And so, I regaled Lelouch with his story and my own. The tragic deaths of those we knew and his father's plan. Most important to him, the tears that fell from his sister on the day of his death. His failure to protect her during the Black Rebellion, and how he almost lost everything because of his blinding love for her. Lelouch found it hard to believe the part about the Thought Elevators and the Geass Order, but C.C. confirmed their existence. By the end, Lelouch sat in his chair slouched with an overwhelmed atmosphere. He asked what part he would have in my plan, to which I told him he would be the Knight of Ashford. Making sure the people here are safe.

Lelouch: "Why do you care about Ashford if the world is your goal?" I got up and walked over, kneeling in front of him.

(F/N): "I made a promise to your sister that I would make sure you and Suzaku were safe, I plan to keep my promise. But that's not all, I want Milly and every member of the Student Council to have happy memories. For all that, I'm willing to sacrifice my happiness for theirs." I held the hand that had the black king. "If you still believe a word I've spoken to this point, then command me to only speak the truth to you and you'll see that I'm being honest." Lelouch took a deep breath and lifted his head.

Lelouch: "So be it." He sat up and covered his left eye with his left hand. "I command you, (F/N) Crowel." He uncovered his eye. "Tell me only the truth." Things went blank for a moment, but when it all returned I had the mask of Zero in my hands. "It's hard to believe." He said next to the chessboard. "But you really were telling the truth. You really did put me in checkmate, so I'll have to admit defeat this time." He looked at me with serious eyes. "I owe you for dealing with Villetta and saving Suzaku."

(F/N): "Then I should take this as your answer?" I held up the mask.

Lelouch: "Yes, after everything I've heard I can't deny your words." He put the black king back on the board.

(F/N): "Lelouch... thank you." D.D. and I left with Zero's outfit, with C.C. following along after that.

C.C.: "You really are evil in your own way. Having him use his Geass against him, proving your intentions."

D.D.: "Hey, thanks to us Villetta won't be chasing after him and as a result, Shirley won't get involved."

C.C.: "But as a result of your interference, Zero can't save Suzaku from that Orange man, meaning you still need to prove yourself to the resistance group. But you already knew that."

(F/N): "You would be amazed how much knowledge you can get from reliving the same two years, two hundred different times. Such as how to become the Knight of Honor to Princess Euphemia without serving the military."

C.C.: "You plan to become a Knight?"

(F/N): "I plan to win over Euphy, to win over Cornelia, to win over Nonette. It's high-level chess I tell you."

C.C.: "Apparently."

With my mother and father not at home, there was no issue with C.C. using my bedroom until the hideout can be established. While winning over the resistance group is important it isn't the only thing that needs to be done. As I said, I need to win over Euphy and become her Knight of Honor. In the future when I have to deal with Cornelia, she'll be more open to listening to someone she knows after she's finished calling me a traitor. With her and Nonette being old friends from military school, she'll listen to Cornelia. But that's in the future, right now, I have to get comfy on the couch or I won't be well-rested for tomorrow. Would have been nice of D.D. to share her bed, just saying.