A/N: I do not own anything Code Geass or Batman Beyond. They are great works of animation that belong to people who are not me.

Suzaku groaned as he slowly awoke after the shock that he got from Lelouch's suit. He really should have known that Lelouch would put something like that into the suit, but he always did like having a surprise or two up his sleeve that he kept from everyone else that only he knew about.

He glanced around the Bat-bunker, searching for signs of the raven-haired youth that shocked him into sleep. Only finding that he was alone in the bat-bunker. The Kōmori was still here, so Lelouch must have traveled by foot, or more precisely wings, to get to the Viceroy Palace.

'That idiot!' Suzaku thought as he pulled up the tracker on the suit on one of the Bat computer's screens. He knew where Lelouch was going of course, but he had to figure out how far ahead Lelouch is. The tracker showed he was well over-half-way to the Viceroy Palace, so Suzaku wouldn't be able to get to him before he reached there. But Suzaku could still catch up to him.

But would it matter? Even if the two of them stopped Schneizel, Britannia won't exactly believe the word of a masked vigilante and an Honorary Britannian that their second Prince was involved in genetic mutations.

They needed evidence, and they needed someone they both trusted to get the word out. Fortunately, they already had the former, and even more so, he had a pretty good idea for the latter.

He grabbed his phone, thankfully the one he knew how to work, and dialed the desired number. The phone rang for a few minutes before the other end picked up.

"Hello?!" Came the singsong voice of the she-devil of Ashford Academy.

"Hey, Milly!" Suzaku responds with a smirk that could rival Lelouch's demonic grin formed on his face. "Man have I got a story for you!"


Getting into the new Viceroy Palace was easy enough. For one: it was still under construction so the guards couldn't develop an effective enough patrol pattern until it was complete. Two: thanks to Suzaku's surveillance, Batman had a good idea of the perimeter and where some good blind spots were. Three: the cloaking device in his suit was exceptionally good at keeping him, we'll, cloaked.

After roaming through the halls of the Palace, he came across the wall Suzaku indicated was the entrance to the laboratory. Following the same path Suzaku took, Batman entered into the secret hallway and made his way down to the lab.

After arriving at the door that required a keycard, Batman used his cryptographic sequencer to hack into the badge scanner. After a few tries, Batman found the back door code to unlock the door: 'Absolute Peace'. Ironic. As the door slid open, Batman stepped into the room…

...and caught his breath.

The room was empty. No computers, no test tubes, no chemicals, no nothing. It was just a blank white room that was empty save for him. He looked around frantically, disbelief filling his features as he looked back and forth around the room.

"What, what is this!?" He called to no one

"It's a white room? Isn't it obvious?" A voice he had not heard in months spoke from behind, sounding amused.

Batman growled as he finally realized what he stepped into. 'A trap.' he muttered to himself in his mind as he spun around to face his elder half-brother and the only one to have defeated him in chess.

There he stood, holding that amused, yet victorious grin on his smug face. To his right side was his aid Kanon, of course, along with a few royal guards, and Gino. But also was Ohgi and the other high command of the Black Knights. Guess his warning didn't do anything to dull the Black Knights' actions, but he should have expected it, yet that didn't keep him from getting angry.

"Schneizel," Batman growled out the name, assuming the role of the apex predator of the night, "Where are they?!"

"Where are what?" Schneizel asked innocently as if nothing is wrong.

"Don't you dare play dumb with or look down on me!" Batman roared, the fury was seething through his mask. "Where are all your projects on genetic mutation?!"

The Black Knights seemed to be confused by Batman's statement. "Genetic mutation?" Schneizel asked if the word sounded foreign to him. "I'm sorry, but you must be mistaken, genetic alterations were forbidden under the contract of the three world superpowers. So you must be in the wrong place?"

Batman then began to walk forward, in an attempt to viciously grab Schneizel, however, Kanon was faster. Pressing a hidden switch, two holes opened up in the floor near where Batman was walking. Then, red electric energy ropes shot out and wrapped around the figure of the dark knight.

The electricity danced around Batman's body as the shock also began disabling his suit. He fell to the ground, grunting in pain as the electricity flowed onto his body.

"Thank you Kanon," Schneizel said kindly to his faithful servant, who only bowed in response, before the second prince turned his attention back to the masked vigilante, "Now, for spreading false accusations, trespassing on the grounds of the Viceroy Palace without authorization, and threatening both a Prince of Britannia and an army of an organization, I believe it's time to see who you are."

He lifted his hand and gripped the mask tightly. Normally when someone tried for this, they would be met with a shock that would leave them residual nerve damage. But with the electric ropes around his figure, all the suits systems were shut down. And so, nothing stopped Schneizel from ripping the black fabric off his face, revealing a set of raven black hair, and violet eyes.

The faces of everyone present were mixed. The Black Knights held shock, which then turned to anger very quickly. The Royal guards had looks of disbelief as they saw the face of the one beneath the mask. Kanon only smiled, pleased with his masters triumphant. Gino's jaw dropped completely at the face of the weakling he met at Ashford months ago was the brutal dark knight.

Schneizel only held an impassive face at the reveal, not at all surprised, or pleased, like always, he never cared about anything. "Hello, brother." He said, his voice devoid of emotion. Lelouch only growled, both in reaction to Schneizel's action and the pain from the trap.

"So it was all just another con!?" Ohgi asked furiously as he came up to Lelouch. "The whole desire to be better than Zero?! It was just a con so you could get revenge?! Huh!?"

Lelouch said nothing to the accusation, his only reaction was wincing slightly in the pain from the electricity.

"Why of course!" Schneizel replied, in false cheerfulness. "Lelouch sought to create a new symbol of justice to replace what Zero was and become greater than he ever did as Zero. And then when he believed he was, he could strike out in revenge and seem justified in the eyes of the people. Isn't that right dear brother?"

Lelouch said nothing to deny it. Mainly because it was true that he became Batman as a way to become a greater symbol of justice than Zero ever was. However, the last part was a lie, though it wasn't like the Black Knights would believe him.

"Wait hold on!? Lelouch Lamperoge is Zero!?" Gino yelled in unbelief at the declaration made by the Black Knights.

Schneizel only looked at the Knight of Three with amusement in his eyes. "No Sir Weinberg, Lelouch Lamperoge is not Zero. However," Schneizel looked back down to his brother, "Lelouch vi Britannia, former eleventh prince of Britannia and seventeenth in line for the throne, is Zero."

If Gino's jaw could sink any deeper, it would have sunk to the other side of the world from where he stood now. And continue falling.

"A matter we will discuss for another time, Sir Weinberg." Schneizel interrupted before Gino could say anything. "For now though, we have other matters to discuss." He then called to outside the empty room. "Bring him in!"

Three individuals came into the room in a semi-straight line. The two individuals on the ends were members of the royal guard. While the individual in the middle of them was-

"Suzaku!?" Lelouch finally spoke, however, it was a painful effort with the electricity dancing all over his body.

Suzaku struggled to get free, but the guards holding him were some of the strongest in the empire. So Suzaku wasn't gonna win in a battle of strength with them.

"We know that Sir Kururugi has been conspiring with you for the last several months," Schneizel stated in a matter-of-factly sort of way. "However, if his actions are his own, or if he was made to do these things, we do not know. He claims that his actions are his own, but considering you and your Geass." Schneizel didn't need to finish for Lelouch to know where he was going with this.

"I told you! My actions are my own you monster!" Suzaku fired back still struggling against the iron grip of his captors. "Using people for your horrific experiments! Turning people insane for the sake of more effective weapons! How heartless are you for doing this?!"

"See what I mean?" Schneizel asked the whole group, ignoring the boy's accusation. "We don't know if this is what he truly believes, or if it is what Lelouch is making him believe."

He then pulled out a pistol and aimed it at the boy's head. "If it is really what he believes, then he must be executed with the charge of treason." He then glances back to Lelouch. "However, if he is indeed under your control, then simply release him and he will be spared."

Suzaku wasn't always the brightest person in the room, that much he admitted, but he knew what kind of game Schneizel was playing with Lelouch. He was threatening to kill Suzaku if Lelouch didn't do anything to drag his name in the dirt even more. And knowing Lelouch, it was obvious what he would choose. So take a deep breath, ready to finally die after so long of living with this guilt he opened his mouth.

"I, Lelouch vi Britannia," a voice that wasn't Suzaku's began speaking, stopping Suzaku from saying a word, "hereby release Suzaku Kururugi from my control over him!"

For a split second, the two's eyes met. Words were conveyed without even speaking. Suzaku's side with the plea to stop what Lelouch was planning on doing. While Lelouch was more frantic with the desire for Suzaku to live. Even more so than his Geass command to live allowed him to be. So, inwardly sighing, Suzaku accepted Lelouch's desire.

Feigning confusion, as if he had come out from a deep slumber into a new scene. He glanced around with the best look of confusion as to where he was and why he was there.

When his eyes locked on with Lelouch, he did the best impression of a stink eye he could give. He was able to get out of the lessen hold of the guards and stalk over to Lelouch. "You filthy lying murderous sonofa-" his next words were cut off when his fist collided with Lelouch's face.

He then continued to beat Lelouch as he sprouted up all the terrible things he had done. Killing Euphie, starting a massacre, starting a war, etc. During the beating, Suzaku felt as if long-dormant feelings of hate emerge. And it made him sick. As he beat on Lelouch he felt both pleasure and disgust at his actions.

All the while, all the occupants, except for two, smiled at the scene. Gino was just more confused as to what was going on, and Kallen was wincing in sympathetic pain at Suzaku beating up on Lelouch.

Eventually, Schneizel decided that was enough and motioned for the guards to remove Suzaku from Lelouch. The boy resisted and continue to beat on the restrained youth. Finally, they were able to remove the boy, but not before he gave one last kick to the boy's face before being pulled out of the room.

"Well," Schneizel said after a few moments of tense silence, "I believe that answers that question." He then looked down at the restrained and now beaten, form of Lelouch. "It appears there is only one criminal here. You'll face execution tomorrow for the murder of the Emperor, and the attempted murder of the Second Prince."

A guard then came up behind Lelouch and raised his gun. The next thing Lelouch knew, the whole scene became black.


When he opened his eyes again, the first thing he felt was the stinging pain from Suzaku's strikes. He knew that it was just an act, but man could that guy hit hard. He then noticed that his bat-suit was replaced with a straight jacket, much like he wore when Suzaku dragged him to the Emperor after the first Black Rebellion. Which meant he was a prisoner, but where was he a prisoner at?

The next thing he noticed was that he was in a cell specifically designed to stop him from using his Geass on others. Although that was unnecessary because he lost him, yet he couldn't let them know, he had to keep Suzaku safe.

As he continued to scan around his prison, he heard faint chatter come from what appeared to be the entrance to the cell. The door opened to reveal Ohgi, with a frown on features as he stared down the man he used to follow. At first, Lelouch was surprised that Ohgi came here without any sort of geass countermeasures, but after looking closely in his eyes, he noticed that he was wearing contacts used for geass countermeasures.

"How the mighty have fallen." Ohgi simply said. Lelouch didn't give a response to the Japanese man. "Months ago you had the world wrapped around your lies, now look at you. About to be publicly executed by the people you viewed as pawns on a chessboard, and the people who believed you to be a hero."

Lelouch didn't respond to the man's statements, he only looked down in shame. Ohgi frowned at Lelouch's silence, he expected an outburst or a denial. But no, he was only met with silence.

"The Black Knights don't need you anymore." Ohgi then said, trying to find a sore topic to get Lelouch to speak. "We don't need your influence or your plans. We already have a way to get what we wanted. You're useless to us now!"

Silence.

Ohgi then clenched his fist in irritation. "Say something!" Ohgi demand. No response. "SAY SOMETHING!" When Lelouch didn't respond, Ohgi gave up, it was pointless anyway. What did he hope to accomplish by coming here? He turned and made his way to the exit.

"What could I possibly say?" A broken voice finally spoke.

Ohgi froze before he could place his hand on the door. He turned back to the man in the straight jacket, who now had his eyes held up and looking at the Japanese man.

"What could I possibly say that you'll believe?" Lelouch asked rhetorically. "What could I tell you that you won't believe is either a lie or an excuse for my actions? If you don't believe a word I'll say, then what's the point of even talking with you?"

Ohgi seemed about to lose it before Lelouch interrupted him. "But, if it will satisfy you, I'll tell you the truth. The truth on why I became Zero, why I became Batman, and what my current mission is now. Though I doubt you'll believe it, I'm tired of lying."

Ohgi scoffed and rolled his eyes at the man's statement. "We already know the truth! You wanted revenge against your father when disowned you! And you became Batman just so you could gain back the title you lost as Zero!"

"Are you gonna let me talk like you wanted?" Lelouch asked with an exhausted tone. "Or do you like the sound of your voice so much that you rather just continue your baseless accusations? By the way, where did you get any of those ideas? Was it Schneizel? Or Viletta? Or did you come up with them by yourself?"

Ohgi merely turned away from the bound boy and crossed his arms. A scowl was clear on his face as he mumbled something that was not for kids to hear. Lelouch ignored him and took a deep breath before he began his tale.

"I was born Lelouch vi Britannia, eldest son of the late fifth consort Empress Marianne. Eleventh prince of the empire and 17th in line for the throne. I only had one full-blood sibling, my younger sister Nunnally, and who knows how many half-siblings."

"I didn't come here to hear your life story!" Ohgi interrupted, irritation taking hold of him. "I came here for answers! And you better give me them!"

"I will." Lelouch simply said. "But for you to understand them, you must understand my reasoning, and to do that, you must know the whole truth," Ohgi grumbled, but didn't protest anymore.

"For the first nine years of my life, I experienced nothing but happiness." Lelouch continued, feeling a sense of nostalgia at the memories. "I had my mother, my innocent cheerful sister, a number of half-siblings, some I loved, most others I couldn't stand. It was pure happiness for those nine years."

Lelouch then looked down, depression was now falling upon him. "But that was all ripped away from me when my mother was murdered," his voice then turned dangerously cold, "And my sister became blinded and crippled as a result of that. I barged into the throne room and demanded of my father that justice be done and why he didn't visit Nunnally. Do you know what he said? 'Old news what of it?' and 'I have no use for that weakling.'"

Ohgi seemed to be taken aback by that comment. "He calls his wife's, and everyone knew she was his favorite, death old news," Lelouch spit out venom, "And he called his newly crippled daughter a weakling! I then gave up the throne and any claim I had to it, voluntarily." He emphasized the word. "And he claimed that I was dead to him. Then he sent me and Nunnally off to Japan as political hostages! My father, basically told me my mother didn't mean anything to him, that Nunnally was now a weakling by Britannia's standards, and just declared that to him I didn't even exist!"

After a few moments of tense silence, Lelouch took several deep breaths to calm himself down. Thinking about those days always brought anger to him, but he was a lot calmer now, especially since he knew the truth.

"Anyway," he continued, the anger had faded, yet not completely, from his voice, "Nunnally and I arrived at the Kururugi shrine and that's where I met Suzaku, where he then proceeded to beat the crap out of me." Lelouch could've sworn he heard Ohgi snicker at the thought of it. "It wasn't until Nunnally called him to stop that he ran away in shame of his actions." Lelouch coughed out a laugh. "He's always been like that, compulsive, and idiotic in his actions, not taking in the situation at hand. But then a few days later we warmed up to each other and became friends." The ghost of a smile appeared on Lelouch's lips.

"I came to love the country of Japan and its people." Lelouch smiled at the memories of his time in the country after his exile. "It became like a second home to me after my first was ripped away from me." His joyous smile then turned to a saddened frown. "All that changed when Britannia invaded and ripped away from me the second home I ever knew."

Ohgi frowned in sadness when the memories of the war came back to him as well. It was a sore subject for him, so he didn't press Lelouch for any information about his own experience.

Eventually, Lelouch found his voice again and continued his tale. "For the next seven years, I've lived a false life under the name Lelouch Lamperoge. I had friends, I had Nunnally, but I also had anger." His voice turned dark at that. "So much anger just bubbling underneath my skin. And I didn't have a way to channel it or dictate it. I was dead for seven years. Dead for seven long years… Until Shinjuku."

He looked Ohgi back in the eyes. "You and your terrorist group got desperate and stole a canister of poison gas." His voice held a slight bit of anger at Ohgi for stooping down to that level. But then he remembered that desperation can lead to people committing rash actions. He should know. "Your hijacked truck nearly ran me and my friend Rivalz off the road. I ran to check up on the truck, to see who was hurt. Only to fall in the truck and get pulled on a joyride that would change my destiny."

"I met up again with Suzaku, who became a Britannia soldier, when the gas canister opened, revealing not poison gas, but a green-haired girl." Ohgi's eyes widen in realization at the description, recalling the same colored hair woman the following Zero around. "Royal guards came after us and Suzaku was shot down trying to protect me. They later caught up to us and shot C.C. in the head. That was then she reached out to touch me and gave me my Geass power."

"Wait!" Ohgi interrupted, confusion appearing on his face. "How could they shoot her in the head and still be with you when we were rebelling?! No one could walk away from a headshot!"

"True," Lelouch agreed, before grinning slightly, "No normal person could walk away from that kind of injury."

Ohgi frowned in confusion at the man's words before his eyes widen slightly. "Yes," Lelouch confirmed before Ohgi could get a word out. "C.C. is immortal, due to a power known as the code." Seeing more confusion on Ohgi's face, Lelouch continued. "The code is a point in which when a person's Geass becomes fully developed, they can take the immorality from a code bearer and become immortal themselves. However, they also lose their geass as a result."

As Lelouch watched Ohgi take in this new information, he then asked another question. "I'm sure you want to know more about geass right?" Ohgi only nodded. "Then I will tell you about the day I discovered the truth about the power of geass. That it is not a blessing, but instead, a curse. The Special Zone Massacre."

Something in Ohgi broke when Lelouch mentioned that. "You caused that!" Ohgi fired. "It's because of you that so many of my people were murdered! And it all was a publicity stunt so that you could get support to launch your rebellion that failed! You made your sister kill-"

"YOU THINK I WANTED ANY OF THAT?!" Lelouch roared, causing Ohgi to step back in fear. "YOU THINK I WENT THERE JUST TOO GEASS EUPHIE TO KILL THOSE PEOPLE FOR A PUBLICITY STUNT!? YOU ARE A FOOL OHGI! THE ONLY ONE I WANTED TO BE SHOT THAT DAY WAS ME!"

Ohgi's eyes shot open at that last part. "Wh-what…?" He asked softly taken aback.

"I WENT THERE TO HAVE EUPHIE SHOOT ME SO THAT SHE WOULD THEN LOSE CREDIBILITY AMONG THE PEOPLE!" Lelouch continued to rage out, tears of regret and anger at himself started to pour from his eyes. "I WAS JUST ABOUT TO DO IT WHEN SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE GAVE UP HER CLAIM TO THE THRONE AND THE TRUE REASON WHY SHE DID THIS! IT WAS SO THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT ANYMORE!"

Ohgi's mouth was held wide open.

"SHE SACRIFICED HER STANDING AND HER GUARANTEED SAFETY NET FROM THE NOBILITY AND OTHERS THAT WOULD SEEK TO HARM HER, JUST SO THAT SHE COULD BE WITH ME AND NUNNALLY, AND THAT I COULD STOP FIGHTING!" The tears were now falling freely and Lelouch couldn't stop them. "I then decided to go along with the plan, for both her and Nunnally's sake. We got to talking and I told her about my original plan to have her shoot me." His voice was much calmer now, yet still held in it great despair. "That's when it happened."

"I made a joke about what I could make her do, and it was too massacre the Japanese." Lelouch continued, his voice shaking. "That's when I lost control. My Geass turned on by itself, and she took the joke as an order. She fought it like no one ever had before. But in the end…" He closed his eyes in pain. "...she lost."

A moment of uncomfortable silence passed before Lelouch found the strength to speak again, barely. "I knew there wouldn't be any way to stop her from carrying out the command. So to stop her from killing any more innocent people, and to make sure she didn't have to live with the guilt," He steeled himself for what he was about to say next, "I had to kill her."

Lelouch then glared dangerously at Ohgi. "Do you know what it's like?" He asked with venom in his voice, daring the man to answer. "A sweet and innocent loved one gives up everything just so you won't have to fight anymore and be with you. Just because they want to help you and others. And because of your arrogance and stupidity, you end up making them hurt and kill the people they tried to help. And you end up having to kill them just so they don't have to live with it! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE OHGI?!"

Ohgi took a step back because of the fury that was in Lelouch's voice when he asked the question. However, he said nothing.

"That's what I thought," Lelouch said, his voice slightly calmer, yet the tears still flowed down from his face.

Deciding to change the topic, for his sake than Lelouch's, Ohgi then asked. "Did you kill your father?"

"Yes." Lelouch simply said. "I decided that would be my final mission: to rid the world of that man, even if I died in my attempt. I chased after him to Kamina Island and confronted him in C's world."

"C's world?" Ohgi asked, confused at the term.

"Is the realm of the gods," Lelouch explained. "Its where a being is known as the collective unconscious, which was called God by my father. It's the database of all the minds of humankind. Charles sought to destroy it to create a world without lies."

Though Ohgi was still confused, he let Lelouch continue.

"I rejected that kind of world. A world where people are stagnant, not progressing, stuck in the past. That's not the world I want to create, not for Nunnally."

"But there I also realized another truth. I learned the real reason behind my mother's murder. It was out of jealousy by my uncle, a being known as V.V., who is immortal like C.C." Lelouch continued.

"And then the unthinkable happened, my mother appeared right in front of me. My mother, who I believed was dead for eight years, was alive! The person that was the other half of the reason why I went so far, was smiling at me! SHE ABANDONED ME AND NUNNALLY, AND WAS SMILING!?" Lelouch's anger returned. "HALF THE REASON I DID ALL OF THE TERRIBLE THINGS I'VE DONE WAS TO AVENGE HER, AND SHE WAS ALIVE THE WHOLE TIME, AND SUPPORTED THAT MONSTER THAT I HAVE TO CALL A FATHER!"

The rage that he felt when he learned the truth burned bright in Lelouch's soul. The woman who he sought to avenge was supporting the madman Lelouch sought to stop. Not only that, but she also didn't care if he or Nunnally died, because they supposed they would later be resurrected with the other dead. And that broke Lelouch's spirit, or so he thought.

"I decided to reject the kind of world they desired." Lelouch continued, his voice returned to a somewhat normal tone. "The kind of world both of them sought sickened me. It was stagnant, you could hardly call it life! I wanted the future! So I was able to use my Geass to ask the Collective Unconscious to continue the flow of time. And in doing so, it erased the existence of my parents."

Silence followed after Lelouch's explanation. Though Ohgi had a hard time believing all of this, or even believing if any of what Lelouch was saying was the truth, he could see in the youth's eyes that the revelation of his mother broke him. Deciding to change the subject again he asked, "What happened with that C.C. woman?"

"She died," Lelouch said simply. Since he told Ohgi earlier that she was immortal, he was confused, so Lelouch explained. "She was a part of my father's plan and knew the truth about my mother from the beginning."

"So you killed her?!" Ohgi accused.

Lelouch simply looked the man in the eyes. "Yes." He lied. He may be tired of lying, but only to protect himself, not his friends. "But not for vengeance, or anger. She's been alive for over five hundred years, and all she wanted to do was die. So I gave her wish, and she gladly accepted it."

Ohgi frowned, feeling slightly skeptical of the man's explanation, but accepted it. He had other questions anyway. Such as: "Why did you create Batman?"

Lelouch seemed to ponder over the reason before saying one word: "Redemption."

Ohgi scoffed at the word. "It's true," Lelouch stated. "I became Batman to redeem myself of my past crimes and to truly be the kind of hero I made Zero out to be. Also to try and create a more gentle world for Nunnally in the process."

"Why didn't you just decide to die?!" Ohgi asked, sarcastic.

"I did," Lelouch said simply and emotionless. Ohgi froze. "I decided to die. But I was planning on viewing happier memories first before I did. I grabbed a vile of Refrain and prepared to inject myself when I saw a married couple being mugged. I looked around to see if anyone would help, so I could be left alone and succumb to my despair. But no one came, it was only me, and I couldn't let those people die. So I charged the man and I was able to subdue him, barely."

"And then I felt something inside me emerge," Lelouch said with a smile on his face, remembering the feeling well when he found his purpose again. "I felt as if this was what I was supposed to do. That I had to find another way to make up for the sins I've made as my time as Zero. So after a revelation in the Shinjuku ghetto, I adopted the guise of a bat to fight crime and protect all those in need, and hunt down the corrupt."

"Why a bat though?" Ohgi asked, confused as to why he would choose that kind of animal to imitate.

Lelouch thought back to the reason why. "When I was still living in Aries Villa," Lelouch began, thinking back to when he met his greatest fear and his new identity, "I was playing hide and seek with some of my siblings. It was Cornelia's turn to seek, I chose to hide behind a bush. Little did I know, there was an abandoned well behind that bush. I took a couple of steps back but the ground beneath my feet broke and I fell into the well. Nunnally and Euphie heard me fall and went to go get the servants and mother. I was able to get my bearings enough to hear a noise coming from a hole in the well. I took a closer look, and suddenly, an immeasurable number of bats emerged."

Lelouch's eyes narrowed slightly as he recalled the experience. "I haven't been scared much in my life, even at a young age. But that moment was when I first experienced true fear. My entire body trembled unlike it ever had before. I thought I was gonna die in that well!" His voice was shaking along with his body. "I don't know how much time passed, could have been minutes, could have been hours, but finally, one of the guards was able to repel down and pull me out. The event scarred me for life, I developed a fear of bats. However, with all that's happened in my life I forgot about my phobia. But after I encountered a bat in Shinjuku, I had the inspiration to use my childhood monster to prey on those who do injustice."

Ohgi frowned, not believing the boy's words. "So let me get this straight:" Ohgi asked for clarification, "You used an animal that terrified you as a child, as a way to put fear into criminals and scumbags?"

Lelouch chuckled slightly. "Well it works doesn't it?" He asked rhetorically.

"I guess it does," Ohgi muttered under his breath, feeling sick in his stomach that he was agreeing with the boy. "Still, why you chose a bat doesn't change the reason that you were trying to get revenge on Schneizal for what he did to you!"

"Your right, it doesn't." Lelouch agreed. "But I'm not doing this for revenge, not anymore. I'm done risking people's lives for the sake of my vendettas. If anyone is going to risk their lives for my mission, it's gonna be me!"

"And what about Suzaku?" Ohgi countered. "You used your Geass on him, he could have been killed for treason. But all you cared about was having a spy so you could steal all his secrets!"

Lelouch gave off the look of someone who couldn't care less. "He betrayed me!" He shot out in false anger. "He dragged me to my father and gave me away as a gift to get a promotion! He betrayed my trust when I went begging, truly begging for help, and gave me and my identity to Schneizel!"

He then gave out a fake sinister laugh. "So I figured if he was gonna use me for his accession, why not do the same!" Lelouch said in a voice that sounded pure evil, but he was doing the best he could to fake it. "I only let him go so that he could live because that fool always wanted to die, so I made sure he couldn't die."

He gained the reaction he hoped for when Ohgi grabbed him by the neck and began to strangle him. "You piece of-" he growled as he tightened his hands around the boy's neck. Lelouch made no move to stop him. And he honestly didn't want to. Maybe it was finally time for him to die for his mistakes.

However, Ohgi finally released his hold on the boy, causing him to slump to the floor and fell on his side, gasping for air. Ohgi stood tall, hands shaking with anger. One look in his eyes could tell Lelouch the whole story. He wanted to kill him. He wanted to kill him. But he didn't.

"The world will find out what kind of con man you are." Ohgi declared as he made his way to the exit. "And then you'll die."

He opened the door when Lelouch called back to him. "I meant what I said on the roof," Lelouch began, "don't trust Schneizel. He's a master manipulator who sees absolutely no value in people and so long as he accomplishes his goals he doesn't care."

Ohgi merely scoffed. "That rich coming from you." He spat as he made his way out of the cell, leaving the exiled prince turned masked vigilante alone with his demons.


"Dang..." Tamaki spoke out loud, as he and the rest of the Black Knights high command just witness the exchange between their former and new commanders. "I know he's a piece of crap, but it's hard not to feel sorry for the kid. I mean, if it were me, I'd definitely snap under all that pressure as he did."

"Are you actually taking pity on that con man!?" Chiba roared toward the redhead. "He used us for his own selfish gain to ascended to the throne of that blasted country! Viewed us as nothing but pawns on a chessboard! And you think he deserves sympathy!"

Tamaki held his hands up in defense of the accusation the woman was giving him. "I never said any of that!" He defended. "I'm only saying that the kid's been through more crap than possibly any of us, and he hasn't killed himself or taken Refrain. That's kind of inspiring, sort of."

"He could also be lying," Tohdoh commented as he watched the boy that was still sitting in his cell. "He could be telling us all this so that we would take sympathy on him and let him go. If it is then he is a fool for thinking that we would let him go!" Others nodded in agreement with the Miracle Worker's statement.

"He didn't lie." A new voice chimed in. The others turned to the source of the statement. The owner was Cornelia Li Britannia, second princess of Britannia, and older sister to Euphemia li Britannia, the massacre Princess, or in actuality the girl that Lelouch used his Geass to kill the Japanese.

"What?! You believe the words coming out of his mouth!?" Chiba asked disbelief filled her features as the second princess made her statement.

"No." Cornelia simply stated. "I don't believe he was honest about what happened with Euphemia. But his fear of bats, that was the truth." Cornelia's mind went back to that day in the garden where Lelouch first experienced true terror.

"So he is afraid of bats." Tamaki voiced out, disbelief filling his features. "Dang." He muttered as he scratched his head in disbelief. "Who would have thought a man like him was afraid of a flying rodent."

"Well, wouldn't you be scarred for life if a hundred bats surrounded you in well with no way to get out when you were a child?" Tohdoh asked rhetorically. This caused Tamaki to fold his arms and mutter under his breath.

Kallen, who had been silent during the entire exchange just stared at the screen that showed the boy that had been on her mind constantly for the past five months. There he was, he wasn't going anywhere, it was the perfect time to talk to him. And she was standing here doing nothing.

She wondered why she hadn't run down there and demanded the answers that she wanted for so long now. Maybe she just believed he would lie to her again? Maybe she was afraid of what his answer would be? After all, what would she do if her feelings for him were, in fact, a lie?

As Batman, he saved her mother and her life. And like Batman, he apologized for hurting her and said he was glad she was alive. But could all that have been a lie just do that she would doubt what others say about him. He may still see her as a pawn.

Regardless, Kallen knew she wouldn't be getting any of her answers to her with everyone else. So, with everyone distracted with the conversation, she made her way out of the room and down the hall to the prison cell.

The consequences of what he would say could be felt with afterward. She was tired of waiting.


"So that is what happened?" Schneizal asked Suzaku after he was recounted a false story of when he was under Lelouch's Geass. "After you helped him destroy the Emperor, he placed you under his Geass and you had no recreation of the time that has passed these past months?"

"That is correct Your Highness," Suzaku responded as he bowed to the Second Prince of Britannia. "I tried to fight it, but the power of Geass is absolute so I was unable to break free of its power." He then kneeled before the Prince, acting as if he was begging for forgiveness. "Forgive me for any trouble or problems I may have given you Your Highness."

Schneizal merely smiled as he rose from his throne. "Rise Sir Kururughi," He ordered the Japanese youth. "Those actions were not your own. So you cannot be put to blame for the actions of my brother. Though I do believe that it would be best for you to have time for yourself. Henceforth, I Prince Schneizal relieve you of your duties for the time being. You deserve a break from all this."

Suzaku gave his best false smile as he bowed before him. "I am grateful Your Highness," Suzaku began as he rose to face the Second Prince, "but I must decline this generous offer."

"What?!" Gino cried in disbelief as from the back of the throne room. "You finally get a day off, and you decline it?! Are you sure your still not mind-controlled?"

Kanon frowned slightly at the knight's decline of the offer. "I must agree with Sir Weinberg's statement, minus the mind-control. Why is it that you don't seek a reprieve from your time under an ordeal?"

"I seek to make up for the time I lost in service of the Empire due to Lelouch's actions," Suzaku explained. "I want to make sure I can make up for the sins which Lelouch has committed."

Schneizal sat back in his throne, a thoughtful, studying look on his face as he stared at the young boy. Suzaku hoped he would be able to fool him, but Schneizal was better at reading people than Lelouch ever was.

Finally, Schneizal straightened up in his throne, donning a small smile on his face. "Very well," he responded, "Your request is accepted! You may resume your duties as the Knight of Seven and serve Britannia with great honor."

Suzaku bowed before the Prince. "I thank you, Your Highness!" He responded, with false thanks in his voice. He then turned and walked to the exit of the throne room with Gino following behind him.

However, before he left, he turned back to the throne and asked Schneizal, "What will happen to Lelouch?"

A tense silence filled the room for a moment before Schneizal responded with, "He will be publicly executed within the next hour, I have guards already on their way to retrieve him."

"An execution?" Suzaku asked with disbelief on his features, the mask he built up shaking slightly.

Schneizal raised his eyebrow in suspicion, "Do you have a problem with that Sir Kururughi?"

After a brief moment of silence, Suzaku responded. "No. I just think that execution is too merciful for someone like him."

Schneizal simply laughed at that statement. "You are correct Kururughi," Schenizal responded with a smile on his face. "But since he did kill the previous Emperor, which was our original intention, and that he is my brother, I will let him die painlessly."

"Very well, Your Highness," Suzaku said as he turned and left the room.

Once the door closed, Schneizal frowned.

Noticing this, Kanon asked, "Do you believe he is lying?"

Schneizal just continued to stare at the door before he responded, "Yes. But lying about what exactly?"

"What about the special projects?" Kanon asked. "Where did you move them?"

Schneizal closed his eyes as he gave a 'hmph' and smiled. "Our benefactor took possession of all of the data and test physical components after Kururughi broke into the lab." He then opened his eyes back up. "However he hasn't gained access to project G. That one was moved onto the Damocles under my orders."

After a moment of silence, Kanon then asked, "What do you plan to do about the Batman? Now that we know the truth, will we reveal it to the world?"

"No," Schneizal answered. "If we do that, then the people will make a martyr after Lelouch and rise against me. We can have one of our soldiers continue to act as Batman and eliminate any threat to our rule under the guise that it is justice."

Kanon smiled at his liege's plan.

Schneizal then rose from his throne and began to walk towards the exit. "We can discuss the details of the plan later Kanon. Right now, we have an execution for my dear brother to plan."


"I still can't believe you refused to take a day off?!" Gino cried as he and Suzaku walked down the hallway of the Viceroy Palace to nowhere in particular. "I mean, we could have used that time to go to someplace and have some fun!"

Suzaku gave a small laugh to Gino's enthusiasm, yet also his stupidity. "I think you and I have very different definitions of fun." He told the Knight of Three.

"Yeah!" Gino responded as he threw his hands behind his head. "One involves actual fun, while the other involves nonstop work." Suzaku merely laughed.

Then he felt a buzzing come from his pocket. He pulled out his phone and looked to who was calling him and his eyes widen slightly.

"Hey, Gino!" He called, stopping in his tracks. "I have to take this. Go on without me and I'll catch up." Gino nodded and made his way down the hall as he went to find a secluded spot to answer the call.

When he did, he pressed accept and lifted the phone to his ear. "Milly is that you?"

"That's it?!" The former Ashford Student Council President began sarcastically. "No 'Hey Milly!' or 'How are you doing?' or anything? I am offended by you Sir Kururughi!"

Suzaku merely laughed before becoming serious again. "Did you watch the footage I sent you?" He asked.

"I did." She answered her previous sarcasm now gone from her voice. "And you weren't lying when you told me you have a story. If this thing gets out, the entire Empire could fall apart, or something like that could happen."

"Yeah," Suzaku said as he began to walk out from his shadowy corner. "Which is why you need to keep it hidden and off the air until me and Lelouch give the signal."

"Wait! What signal?!" Milly asked.

"You'll know," Suzaku said, smirking. "I have to go now. Get ready to send that broadcast when you see the signal." He then hung up the hone and left to go get ready for the upcoming execution.


When the door opened again, Lelouch expected someone like Cornelia, Tohdoh, or someone else to come in here and condemn him for his sins, and beat the crap out of him. But when he saw the face of his visitor, his mouth opened wide at the angelic face that had visited the demon.

"Hi, Lelouch," Kallen spoke softly as she made her way further into the cell. After the incident with Ohgi, the guards moved Lelouch to a different cell, one where the two were separated by a glass wall that could only be opened with the Royal passcode.

"Hello Kallen," Lelouch responded, his face slightly betraying the excitement he had to see her again, even though it was under the worst possible circumstances.

"How are you?" Kallen asked, attempting to make a brief conversation.

"Oh just dandy!" Lelouch replied sarcastically. "Just having to be reminded of my sins and mistakes by the man who organized the betray of the Black Knights against me, and sitting here waiting to be publically executed by my brother."

Despite the dark humor in that statement, Kallen couldn't help but laugh. And Lelouch couldn't help but join in on the laughter. After a moment of laughing, the room again filled with silence. Lelouch looked down, not meeting her gaze, and she with him.

"I heard what you went through when Ohgi came here to talk with you," Kallen said, still without looking at him. "And I just want to say that I'm sorry that you went through all that, and-"

"Don't." His icy tone cut her off.

"Wh-what?" Kallen asked, confused as to the boy's word.

"Don't take pity on me." He clarified in a less icy tone. "I don't want it, nor do I deserve it. Especially your pity. And if all you came here to do is take pity on me in my final moments, then I-"

"No! No!" Kallen yelled, desperate to make sure he didn't misunderstand her intention for coming here. "I'm not here for that! Not at all! I was just letting you know that I heard what you and Ohgi were talking about and I said the wrong thing! I'm sorry!"

After another moment of tense silence, Lelouch responded. "Okay," he said simply, "Sorry for misunderstanding and getting icy with you. Go on, you can talk about your reasons for being here."

Silence again filled the chamber as Kallen struggled with finding the right words to say.

Finally, she spoke, "I wanted to say thank you for saving both me and my mother those times as Batman. If it wasn't for you, me and her would have been…"

"You don't have to thank me," Lelouch told her. "I didn't do this for gratitude. If anything you should be blaming me for what to you and your mother." She the confusion on Kallen's face, Lelouch explained. "Kane kidnapped her as a way to get me to come so he could get revenge. And the Children of Zero was a cult dedicated to the image of Zero that I gave. So I was the one who got you into that mess. So don't thank me for getting you both in danger."

Kallen simply smiled. Typical Lelouch, always taking the blame so that one wouldn't feel bad about themselves. Probably another reason why she fell for him.

"Still you saved me and my mom." She reminded him, pushing her feelings out her mind for a brief moment. "She's all I have left since my brother died, and since my father and step-mother don't care that much about me. So I will always be grateful for what you did."

Lelouch's mouth hung open. He thought she would greet him with a punch to the face and a kick to the royal family jewels. But here she was thanking him for what he did, even though he unintentionally put them in danger.

Finally finding his voice again, he could say, "You're welcome, Kallen." He paused for a brief moment before he asked, "Is that all you wanted to talk about?"

Kallen began twirling her fingers in each other as her face grew a slight red color. That was the big question, wasn't it? She got through the ice breaker and the excuse. Now was for the real reason why she was here.

"Lelouch," she began, her voice was struggling to get the words out, "After everything we've been through, what do I mean to you?! On the day you left the Ikaruga you said 'Kallen, you have to live.' Then when you saved my mother you told her to tell me that you were sorry. Then when you saved me you said "I'm glad you're alive Kallen.' So please just answer me! I don't care if I mean nothing to you I just don't want to be left in the dark anymore!"

Lelouch's mouth and eyes widen slightly at Kallen's question. She wasn't being overdramatic about any of it. She was serious. He could tell from her trembling voice, her body shaking uncontrollably, and her desperate pleading eyes.

She wanted to know.

But could Lelouch tell her? He wants to, boy does he want to, but was it worth it? He hoped when he met her again he could finally be honest with her and tell her how he feels. But here, right now, when he was facing death. No. He couldn't tell her, because if he did, she would risk her life to save him, or be branded as a traitor and be executed along with him. And possibly the worst one of all, was that she would kill herself to be with him again. And he could never allow that.

But he also couldn't lie to her anymore. He was sick of lying to her because he was scared. And he couldn't be silent to her either. Because he knew that it would break her, and he wasn't going to allow anyone to break her, least of all him.

But what could he say? What could he say to make sure she knew what he felt without having her do something that would put her in harm's way?

"I see." Came Kallen's voice. Her tone sounded like a defeated person who just lost their most important fight. He looked up to see that same classification in her figure and her eyes.

His eyes widened in fear as she turned to the exit. He was losing her! He was losing another person because of his selfishness. 'Never again!' He told himself as she gripped the handle of the door.

"Kallen! Wait!" He called after her before he realized what he said.

She froze. Her hand let go of the door handle instantly. She straightened out of a slump she didn't know she had. She then whipped her whole body around to face him. Her eyes were now glistening with faint signs of hope.

Lelouch opened his mouth to speak but only unintelligible words came out. Just grumbles and stuttering. He couldn't form a single word as his mind was spinning in chaos.

"I-I-" He tried but still no sentence came out. Finally taking a deep breath to calm his nerves and mind, he opened his mouth again. "I-"

The door opened from the outside.

Two royal guards entered the room and moved their way past Kallen. They were wearing masks so Lelouch couldn't use his Geass on them, yet it was unnecessary since he didn't have it anymore, but they didn't know that. Lelouch's face fell at the sight of them. He missed his chance, his last chance. 'Coward!' He said to himself.

"Wh-what's going on?!" Kallen asked. Her heart rate calmed down slightly after the rush it had when Lelouch called her.

"The prison is being escorted to the throne room for execution." One guard answered as his companion moved to open the glass barrier and retrieve the said prisoner.

"Already?!" Kallen cried as Lelouch was pulled out of the cell and brought into the hallway.

"You got a problem with that?" The guard warned as he stood over the girl. 'Yes' was what went through her mind and what she wanted to say. She was about to voice it when someone interrupted her.

"No," Lelouch answered weakly, gaining the attention of the guards and Kallen, "She was just wanting to give me a beating for many of the crimes I've committed like everyone else."

"Well is that it." The guard holding Lelouch said. Though no one could see his face, they were sure he was smirking beneath his mask. He then moved Lelouch around in a way that was if he was presenting the exiled prince to Kallen. "Then, by all means, don't let us stop you."

Kallen stares at Lelouch in slight shock. He lied again, to protect her, and was willing to take a fierce beating just so she wouldn't be suspected of anything.

So she did. And boy did she beat the living daylights out of him! She had to admit, that it felt really good to get it out of her system. The guards then laughed together after she was done with him.

"Ha! Sucks to be you kid!" The guard laughed as he continued to drag Lelouch out of the room.

"Yeah, I know," Lelouch said, his tone sounded more defeat than Kallen's was a moment ago.

As the guards began to drag Lelouch down the hall to the throne room, Lelouch passed by Kallen. Knowing this would most likely be the last he sees of her he whispers so that only she can hear.

"So this is farewell, Kallen."

A/N: So I saw somewhere that it was International fanwork day today, so I thought I would post this chapter in honor of that day. And sorry if the action has been lacking in the past chapters, don't worry, I got some big action coming up next chapter so be prepared.

Although if I fail to live up to my hype, forgive me. Also, I know some of my characters may seem a little OOC, but this is my story and I get to decide how the characters are made.

Next update, Lelouch faces judgment for his actions and receives unexpected help from the last person he expected. Meanwhile, Schneizel reveals his trump card against all those who oppose him.