Countdown under pressure

Marrybell mel Britannia, the Witch of Britannia

Aerial Battleship Grandberry, en route to Cambodia

A week after the decision to resolve Damocles was made

Each stroke of the piano keys spouted forth trembling vibration into the bones of Marrybell's every finger. The reverberating tune strung together with a masterful manipulation of her instrument sung a saddening melody echoing in her private chamber, heard by no one except herself. At the manuscript's end, the music whimpered out as she bounced off the keys lighter and lighter for the outro, leaving her all by her lonesome.

In times like these, Marrybell appreciated music's wonders more than ever. It drowned out her sorrows, washed away her worries, calmed her nerves and prepared her for the finale. Months of groundwork all boiled down to a few hours of execution, she was so close to her journey's crescendo her heart could just about explode waiting for the beat to drop.

She glanced out the windows of her room aboard the Grandberry, a small fleet of airships acted as her escort, or so she wanted to believe. In the centre of the floating formation was her nation's representation of dignity and prowess, the flagship of Lelouch's aerial fleet, the Great Britannia soared across the sky ahead of her.

The two siblings eventually agreed on a much humbler strategy to neutralize Schneizel than either had recommended, a combined fleet of Lelouch's air force and Marrybell's Glinda Knights will advance on Cambodia, on the way she will message him with false intelligence and genuine threat. If the Emperor's wisdom was to be trusted, their brother shouldn't be able to resist the opportunity to receive a Geassed Lelouch delivered directly to his doorsteps.

If Schneizel doesn't scuttle the Damocles, tuck away his tail and bail, the plan should work. Their aerial armada might not be capable of withstanding a F.L.E.I.J.A warhead, that didn't mean it couldn't dish one out. It was the worst-case scenario to be sure, but if the battle ahead was to escalate to a conflict of mass destruction, Lelouch and team processed an ace up their sleeves, the F.L.E.I.J.A. Eliminator.

Well… none of this will matter anyway.

Feeling the mood for another song, Marrybell gently cracked her knuckles and placed her digits where they were the most comfortable. Soon afterwards her sweet and rich voice could be heard along with the piano string.

"…~I guess there is no one to blame… ~We're leaving ground! ~ Will things ever be the same again…?"

I'll be the batman our world needs.

"~It's the final countdown…~!"

— —

"Marry, you free? I wanna talk."

"You want to have this conversation again?" If Oldrin twitched her eyebrows at Marrybell's abrasive greeting as she proposed a theme, she didn't let it show behind the Glinda Knight's visor.

"This will be the last one."

"I am going through with this plan, my pretty."

"At what cost?"

"A calculated one. Picture it, for ten thousand lives we'll gift the world peace for years to come. As far as sales go, it doesn't get better than that." Marrybell was about to chuckle at her own insensitive quip, but the mood in her room didn't allow such jests to be made.

"You'll pay for it with your life."

"And maybe yours… and Orpheus', maybe all of us, maybe all for nothing too. Don't forget that part." Marrybell carefully settled the fallboard back down over the keys on her piano, the curtains of her solo concert had drawn to a close.

"That's different. We're soldiers, it's a risk everyone understands that might befall us. You're not the same, Marry. Victory or defeat, you only have death to look forward to ahead."

"I'll die a free woman, not a worm squirming in the glooms of the corpses left in my wake. I've been blind to the truth my entire life, no longer. I shall face my retribution standing upright."

"Marry, we all deserve redemption." Oldrin came in closer than the princess was comfortable with, resting a hand over her own as she felt the beating rhythms of their hearts in sync.

"Oz… why must you be so…" Why must the twist of fate act so cruelly upon her, to toy with her fragile emotions at the culmination of her odyssey. Why did Oldrin decide to only show her mercy and salvation when the dies were already cast.

"I thought you wanted to live."

"I thought you wanted my head." The Zevon daughter exhibited visible signs of irritation, having been touched in parts of her memories that she wanted to wipe out from ever existing.

"You can't just absolve yourself through sacrifice, that isn't… it's not fair!" There was an attempt on Oldrin's part to control her volume, it only lasted for so long as the tension elevated.

"Not fair to you?"

"Yeah, to me. You can't toy with me like this. I want an honest answer on how you feel!"

"My feelings about what?"

"…About us! You replaced me with Orpheus when I left, yet you couldn't leave me well enough alone! You had to take me back by force, just to abandon me again with this operation? Why're you like this, Marry!?" Oldrin's confession struck a nerve Marrybell didn't imagine could be so raw, perhaps the virtuous and reputable model knight was also crooked under the surface, just like the rest of them.

"It was you who forsake me in the first place for those scoundrels! Your place to be is by my side. Destroying my enemies and protecting me from danger! Yet you couldn't see through your misguided sense of justice to realize that!" Marrybell engaged her best friend in the verbal quarrel she initiated, demonstrating that she wasn't above the pettiness.

"M-me?! I'm at fault!? You were trampling over the citizens with your rule! Anyone suspected of harbouring rebellious intent was rounded up and disappeared! How am I supposed to serve you doing all that? You, whom our citizens dubbed the 'massacre princess'!"

"Everything I've done, even without knowing the truth- I did for the greater good! The masses are a foolish, disorganized bunch! They do not know how to compromise between freedom and security! Yet still, I do my utmost to provide both! Compared to that, what did joining the Star of Madrid do for your belief of protecting the weak!? What did you accomplish!?"

It was far too late at that point to retract her heated slanders and personal insults, Marrybell could tell. Even for a woman about to drown in hell, she still had the very human desire to defend her pride and meaninglessly argue. It was almost worthy of laughter were it not for the rapid and abrupt sniffs of her nose as wetness dribbled down her cheeks which interrupted her.

Mirroring her intense expression, Oldrin snatched the goggles from her eyes and stared down Marrybell venomously, a painful squeeze had replaced the soothing warmth between their interlocked fingers.

"I wouldn't know! Because you KILLED them all!"

"They were rebels after my throat! Should I've placed my neck upon the chopping block for you and your terrorist friends!? Instructing you where to make the cut!?" Deep down, Marrybell knew she was rationalizing her actions against her better judgement. What good would it do to dig up past grudges and lay them bear when nothing could derail the operation so close to fruition at that point.

"We only wanted to correct your flaws, your ruthless methods! A compromise between tyranny and anarchy! And they were my schoolmates, my friends! You robbed that from me! My only chance at normalcy!"

"I've been your only friend for your entire life, Oldrin! You'd be a nobody without me! You're NOTHING without me!" In the heat of the moment, Marrybell was savage enough to make any claim.

"And you've made me less than nothing! After you destroyed us… after what you did to me! After you took me… took my- you took me and…!" Polished nails found its way around Marrybell's neck, it wasn't the first time Oldrin had intended to strangle her.

"SAY it! Say it to my face! Bring me before the jury and accuse me!" There was no going back from that. Despite her heightened emotions on the verge of shattering, Marrybell understood perfectly that one of them had to yield for a conclusion to be attained.

Oldrin achingly tried to repress her overrunning tears to no avail, to preserve what little amount of dignity she had in reserve after Marrybell's treatment of her behind closed doors. The princess felt the scorching shame consuming her from the inside when her beloved knight broke down in a fit of screams, collapsing into Marrybell's laps as all the strength in her body vanished.

I won this one… Oz.

"…You- you chained me up… in your prison…! You- you t-t-tortured me! Forced yourself onto me! And- and you… you- I hate you! …I HATE YOU!" Her knight continued to sob endlessly, it reminded her of a similar sense that took place not a month ago, except with their roles reversed. How exasperatingly ironic it was, for Oldrin to be the one in shambles when her revenge was well within grasp.

"I've done horrible things to you, my pretty. My motivation was love, lust… jealousy… and my result is hatred and sorrow. I hope you can remember this feeling, keep it in your heart until you unleash it through a blade to mine. It is what I promised you, recall why you took up this mantle of my knight once more." Marrybell stroked the twisty drill that was Oldrin's bang, her voice soft and tender as the feud had served its purpose of reigniting her knight's faltering loathing for her lord.

"But…! But that hatred doesn't last! No matter what I do… I can't bring myself to keep the fire ablaze…!"

"…Huh?" That was all Marrybell managed to utter before the table was turned.

"For all the suffering you've brought me, for all the crimes you've committed against humanity. Whenever I see your smile, it banishes my morality… it reminds me of how much I love you, Marry!"

That wasn't the way her plan was supposed to carry out, Marrybell panicked at the realization.

"-No! Stop that, you! Don't! Y-you can't!" She fretted and blushed, but it was all too late. The fervour in Oldrin's eyes burned brighter than any resentment.

"I can't help myself. My love for you blinds me to your wicked deeds, enlightens me to your selfless motive. So please… don't abandon me! I'll accept your evil, renounce my own justice if it means I can be with you!" Faster than the speed of light, Oldrin shimmied up the princess's body and seized her lips for a kiss. A kiss that she returned all too eagerly without considering its implications.

The power of Geass was supposed to isolate her, this wasn't what isolation meant.

"Oldrin…! No! You're supposed to be the good one…!" What Marrybell believed to be a beacon of virtue and honour crumbled right in front of her, unwillingly toppled by their link. It only seemed to be fitting in hindsight, what villainy and menace could never hope to accomplish was attained so readily by the love for another.

"Not without you, Marry. You said it, I am nothing without you. We're the flame and the shadow, two sides of the same coin. You've deceived the world for too long, and so have I deceived my own heart. I've been a hypocrite for too long, please listen to my truth."

For all the effort Marrybell put into her offense to demolish the last surplus of Oldrin's affection for her, she didn't comprehend how the fortifications around her own sentiments had been left vulnerable.

"Oldrin… please, no…" She might be weeping tears of joy, but they were shed in regret.

"What say you, Marry, my one and only love of my life? Deep down, you also desire to see tomorrow's sunrise as your time ticks on… so live with me, because I know eighteen birthday cakes aren't enough to satisfy your sweet tooth."

Oldrin was expecting an answer, and Marrybell complied.

Aerial Battleship Great Britannia, Airspace over Pendragon

Orpheus was about to interact with the lever controlling the ramp mechanism of their VTOL when Marrybell seized his wrist, careful not to rattle his grip on the gas canister in his clutch.

"…Marry?" She had taken his hand, allowing it to be enraptured in her own warmth as she clasped it between her palms. He started off confused, but soon acquired a good read on her expression and struggled no more to break free.

"Orpheus… lend an ear to me now, my courageous knight." Marrybell said, almost beggingly. "Many great men, powerful men, men revered by the whole world had once tried to bring Britannia to its knees; for a dream of conquest, they had sacrificed their lives and the lives of millions. I am no different, I'm ready to sacrifice the entirety of my very being and thousands more. But not for triumph, for a dream of harmony."

"I know that. Had I not felt your genuineness, I would've done what I joined you to do." Orpheus disclosed, the glistering of his eyes conveyed an essence of resolution despite hiding behind the Glinda Knight's eyeshade. So intense was his resolve, and Marrybell only hoped part of that was fueled by his affection for her. "I truly care for you, Marry. You and your dream are the future for us."

"You really have… haven't you?" Marrybell fondly whispered, snuffling her nose covertly to maintain her grace. "You've been good to me, Orpheus. I don't deserve your service."

"Neither of us believes in that, Marry." For a second, the princess wondered who the 'us' was. The twins had so much in common without their own comprehension, after all.

"And with my stanch faith placed in you, it gives me the confidence to uproot our stagnating world. Wiping the slate clean of the blood we sapped, leaving a fresh start for the next generation."

"We'll succeed."

"I… I know, I-I know." Marrybell couldn't say much to counter his encouragement. The dwelling anxiety, the lingering fear, it was a daunting sensation she couldn't shake. However, both of them understood it was meaningless to put that dreadful angst into words, for all the good it could do.

"I will not fail you, Marry."

"You won't. It's only… I'm sorry to force such a burden on you. Soon, you will be one of the most powerful men to ever exist- of course, all of us shall be. I'm only remorseful that I cannot give you power in the presence of agency, for you're entitled to so much more than what I can offer."

"This is my choice. My blade is yours to wield."

She knew then, as she always did; it was fruitless to persuade Orpheus with his tenacity to stand so firm, nothing short of impossibility could stop him, maybe not even.

"And I appreciate you all the more… I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me, trying to reassure you when I'm the one in most distraught." The hierarchy between a commander and her soldier temporarily dissipated when Orpheus reversed the hold Marrybell had on his hands, letting his poise seep through their gloves.

"It's going to be alright, Marry. I am your knight and will do your biddings… until the day of the grand betrayal, you'll have all the time you need to hesitate."

"Time… so it shall be…" Trailing off her unfinished sentence which rejuvenated a flair of hope in her Head Knight, Marrybell reached for the lever and propped open a gateway into the hangar of Lelouch's flagship. "Go now, my brave Oz, set the stage for act one of our finale."

Kallen Stadtfeld, Knight of Ten

"So like… you two hanging in there alright?"

"Yeah… yeah, it's about… something like that- yeah. I mean, Gino is great. He's kind, tall and handsome… charismatic. He's honestly a great guy." Strolling side by side aboard the Logres-class Battleship, Kallen and Monica chatted about their daily lives as they savoured the remaining hours of quiet before the storm.

"That's gotta end with a 'but' in there somewhere."

"But… we're just not hitting it off as well as I thought, you know? And it's really not anyone's fault, I just feel like we're missing a bit of chemistry to make it work. Maybe it's just me, I dunno… I used to date this other guy in Area Twenty-four and…—"

Kallen relaxingly listened to Monica's polite rant about her relationship hurdles. Pretending to be a Milly wasn't her favourite pastime, especially when almost everyone else seemed to be having such mundane issues compared to the enormous triangular complication that was the thorn in her side.

"I'm surprised Emperor Lelouch permits our relationship at all, actually. The last Emperor was against dating in the workspace, he claimed it to be unprofessional."

"Isn't it though?" Kallen played a rare instance of the devil's advocate.

"Well, maybe. Except you can't call me out on it! Look who you're with!"

"Man… it's like an open secret, huh?" Everybody and their mother in the palace knew about Lelouch's two consorts, one of them much more elated about the publicity than the other.

"It's all good, you two are cute together. Maybe even all three."

"That makes me feel better, not one bit."

"Beggars can't be choosers."

"…Oof." Going by Kallen's grunt, that conversation was on its deathbed,

"Anyway, I gotta run back to the bridge, things are about to heat up in another couple hours."

"Righto, I'll do some checkups on my Knightmare." They had reached the main elevator of the airship where the two knights had discrete destinations.

"I wanna go out for a whirl too, honestly. Being cooped up all day with a briefcase chained to my wrist isn't what I'm hoping for."

"How you're still the Royal Guard captain is totally beyond me."

"I make do." The elevator beeped once, going down.

"See you around, Moe."

"Godspeed, Kallen, let's hope you won't need it." The Knight of Ten waved her fellow comrade farewell, contemplations on the upcoming mission already filling her mind as the doors sealed.

Kallen tightened the elastic straps of her mask around the back of her head, following strictly to Lelouch's orders for her to keep her face hidden at all times once they were near the zero hour. She tapped one foot at a constant rhythm as the simple elevator music played, waiting for the vertical ride to conclude and her tautness to dilute.

Not too soon after she entered the metal box, its doors opened, although on the wrong floor.

"Going… down." Kallen shuddered a little when it was revealed that C.C. was the one who called for a lift.

"Thanks, Four-Chan." The masked pilot let the moniker slide, not worth the effort.

"Where to?"

"Hangar."

"Hum…" Kallen pressed no buttons that weren't already pressed. "You're sortieing today?" Upon closer inspection, C.C. was donned in a flight suit much like herself.

"If we do sortie. I'm wishing we won't."

"Do you have a Knightmare?"

"They made me a pink Lancelot."

"Pink…? Gross."

"To each her own."

They weren't going anywhere fast, both in location and in communication. Thereby Kallen decided it was as good a place as any to voice her grievance.

"So I wanna ask you something."

"Ask."

"Can I get a Geass too?" C.C. shot a glance her way, it read something between absurdity and mockery.

"Do you think you deserve one?"

"When's that been a criterion?" Kallen injected a dose of indignation in her retort, unable to forgo the enviousness for her flying rival so casually.

"When I'm the one deciding who gets a Geass."

"You gave one to Suzaku."

"Suzaku is different."

"How so?"

"You won't get it." C.C. either didn't know or refused to temper Kallen's irritation, and it was about to show.

"C'mon, cut the shit! Are you honestly telling me that Suzaku deserves a Geass more than me!?" The Knight of Ten slammed her fist against the metal-plated wall next to C.C., demanding her full attention instantly.

"I gave him one… on Lelouch's order." When C.C. confessed, she didn't deluge in her complacency to the usual extent.

"Why would he do that for him and not me?" However, that excuse wouldn't do if the witch's goal was to throw Kallen off her case. What bothered her tremendously wasn't who in Lelouch's inner circle had a power, it was why she never received an offer to choose.

"I thought we're talking about you."

Kallen reflected fleetingly, she determined that a distraction was tolerable if it brought them back to a topic she was more invested in. "Fine, as I said, I want a Geass. And I feel that I perfectly deserve one, you should know, we've been together for so long."

"It's true, we've known each other for over a year, and precisely because of that, it never encouraged me to give you a Geass."

"Explain yourself right now." Kallen's blood boiled, just not on the outside, not yet.

"I see you seething underneath your mask, and that's always what you do. You're too impulsive. Call it passionate if you want, but to wield a Geass requires a clear head and rational thoughts, not anger or instin—"

"-That- that's so bullshit! You calling me stupid or something!? Besides-! I make split-second decisions on the battlefield based on smart and knowledge!" Kallen cut in before C.C. could speak more.

Words hurt, especially if it came from someone Kallen respected to a certain degree and were spelling out her flaws so forthrightly that it didn't sound like a cheap insult.

"I'm not finished, you're just proving my point."

"…Fine."

"A Geass manifests depending on the subconscious desire of its wielder. Lelouch wanted a tool to defeat Britannia, Suzaku wanted a method to reunite with his princess. Both of them had conviction and resolve to support their willpower. Tell me, what is it you want?"

"I… I want to protect…" That inquiry stomped her, not because she didn't have an answer for C.C., but more so that even Kallen understood her tenet could be considered as shallow by many. "I want to protect Lelouch, protect his ideals and future! I'll help him rule as a fair and just Emperor bringing peace to every corner of the world."

"You can exaggerate if you so choose, but I've seen what you've been doing for the past three months. Other than sleeping, eating, playing and fucking, what have you done that's truly important?"

Kallen remained speechless, her mouth slightly agape and her focus tousled by C.C.'s piercing golden orbs as she stared her down, claiming her victory. Just like that, one of the world's strongest pilots was brought to her knees, not physically, but she had been clearly bested by the undying witch.

"Hmmm… look-" C.C. sighed. She shuffled a bit closer to the girl teetering between wrath and self-doubt. "I've made a mistake in the past with a contractor of mine, I don't want to repeat that again. For Suzaku, I gave him one out of necessity more than anything else. If I am to grant you a Geass, I want it to be something that'll actually benefit you."

"Okay…"

"Talk to me again after this operation is done, we'll see how we can work something out."

"Fine… you promise to at least consider it once we're back home?"

"For sure, I'll do that for a friend."

At last, the longest elevator ride ever recorded in human history came to an end. Kallen didn't care much to continue their sordid bickering a second longer, so she exited the metal box as soon as able to terminate any semblance of hostility while she was still ahead of her compulsion.

"-…No, you're thinking too much. I was talking about a contractor I had after giving you yours. …Yeah, I said 'had'." Hushed mumbles drifted into Kallen's earshot before she was completely out of the picture. It was definitely C.C.'s voice, even though it lacked its essential smugness and condescension.

"What? Did you say something?"

"-Huh? Oh- no, nothing. Don't worry about it." Obviously, Kallen could still interject if she so chooses, but sticking her nose in the witch's business often led to unfavourable outcomes.

"I'mma gonna be by my Knightmare, you'll be fine by yourself?"

"What could possibly happen to me?"

"I wish for lotta things."

"Hush, child. Run along now." Kallen sneered back and flipped off her green-haired adversary, soon disappearing into the busy crowd of mechanics and pilots alike in the underbelly of the Great Britannia.

— —

Kallen was inclined to admit she couldn't be considered as someone with a fine eye for details when it came to observing her surroundings, that was probably why it took until now for her to realize Marrybell's Glinda Knights bore their own unique insignia in addition to the standard Britannian military mark.

From the extended ramp of the Glinda Knights shuttle out walked a formally dressed Marrybell and her faceless knight, an unannounced appointment seemed like their purpose aboard Lelouch's airship. Upon closer inspection, the princess was busily tapping away on her smartphone, oblivious to the Knight of Ten approaching her for an introduction.

"You shitposting on Twitter again, Marrybell?" Kallen casually greeted them both. As per usual, the masked bodyguard never untied his tongue a single time.

"…Just browsing… you won't believe the crap Euphie managed to stir up with her little stunt last week. We're hitting numbers you won't believe in these retweets."

"I have no gauge for what that's like."

"Imagine… let's say, if Michael Jackson or Elvis… or David Bowie came back to life or something—"

"David Bowie is dead? Whaaaaat?" Marrybell might be shooting her the 'is this girl serious' look, but her disbelief could never match Kallen's own shock.

"…Girlfriend, no."

"But I thought he was—"

"-I said no! Please! I-I… I don't wanna deal with this retardation right now! I'm not in the mood for it!" Marrybell all but screamed in Kallen's face, clearly demonstrating a degree of agitation unwarranted by the Round's pleasantry.

"I'm just joking, jeez. Calm down, Marrybell." It was apt for Kallen to repay aggression with aggression, Marrybell's reaction more than merited it. However, judging the Viceroy by her disturbing frown and brooding posture, the ace Devicer chose the higher moral ground of forgiveness. "Something got to you? Wanna talk about it?"

"No, it's just… apologies, I'm really stressed out right now. We're less than two hours away from arriving at the Toromo Agency, who's to say everything will work out the way we planned."

"I'm sure it will. It's you and Lelouch we're talking about here, maybe just one of you can't handle Schneizel, but with your IQ combined there's nothing you two can't overcome." Kallen had placed her bets on Lelouch since the birth of their rebellion all the way up to the Imperial throne, she wasn't about to fold now.

"Thanks for being so optimistic, I honestly don't know how you do it."

"Hey, I'm super worried too, but what can you do about it. Just try to relax, it'll come naturally."

"I'll watch and learn. Hopefully, it'll ease my burden too." Marrybell sighed, although not so tiredly.

"I guess you're under a lot of pressure… oh- hey! Under Pressure!"

"What…?" At first, she was confused, but it soon dawned on her. "Aaah- hahaha… ~Pressure…! Pushing down on me~! Pushing down on you~ no man ask for-"

It was only polite to participate in a bit of makeshift karaoke since Kallen brought her pun upon them, she just hoped Marrybell's knight didn't judge her too harshly. "~It's the terror of knowing what the world is about~! Watching some good friends scream- 'let me out!'~"

Despite their lack of background music, the two girls still could jam one out if they must.

For the last chorus, Kallen and Marrybell combined their voices, echoing the original recording of the song by the legendary artists of their decade. "~This is our last dance~! This is our last dance, this is ourselves… ~under pressure… under pressure~ …pressure…~" They hummed the epilogue of the tune, lessening the volume to the end. Chortles of joy were their encore, and that played on for a bit longer.

"I see you've been practicing." Marrybell commented through her chuckles.

"I take lots of showers."

"We should definitely do more of this." A fantastic suggestion from Marrybell, Kallen thought.

"Agreed, I'll hold you to it." Both of the jubilant girls paused to reassert the situation, smiles still lingering over their faces.

"Anyway, I gotta run. I'm going to meet up with Lelouch. Thanks for that, I needed it."

"No problem, see you on the ground."

"Good luck to you, Kallen."

Marrybell mel Britannia, the Witch of Britannia

One of the first impressions Marrybell gleaned of Lelouch was that he was secretly more of a coffee person, as compared to the average Britannian's favour for tea. To her mild delight, the Emperor proved her deduction correct as he stirred a mixture of espresso, milk and sugar by the lounge counter, where the two siblings rested in privacy.

Following suit, Marrybell poured herself a cup of Earl Grey. Smelling its rich amora, she grew conscious of her Britannian blood as she reaffirmed her cherish of the flavour leaves over coffee beans.

"Some for your knight?" Unexpectedly, Lelouch showered his generosity upon not only Marrybell but also her pilot standing silently at ease by the exit.

"-Oh, thank you, but not for Lyre, brother. We won't dare to overstep your goodwill, and he isn't a 'drinks person' per se." Lelouch aimed a single glance her way, slowly shifting it towards the Deceiver as he mused, his impassive character clouded in mystery leaked no insight into his opinions.

"I do appreciate your cooperation; hope I'm not intruding on his rights too much."

"No brother, not at all. Were I in your place, I'd have asked for a shape-shifting Geass user to never set foot on this airship. You're most kind already by allowing him to accompany me." Marrybell sipped on her tea elegantly, thankful that Lelouch only demanded that Lyre be only always accounted for and nothing else.

"As long as you understand."

"And I do. Like I said, you've been most kind, Lelouch. I shall be forever regretful that it took so long for us to reunite."

"It's never too late, we have plenty of time ahead of us." The Viceroy heard, but not heed.

It's too late, brother. Maybe in the next life. What was left unsaid pinged Marrybell's spirit with compunction, although no remorse was poignant enough to distract her from her final journey.

"Anyhow, what're your plans once we're done, Marrybell?" In the duration of Marrybell's self-conviction, Lelouch prodded her to imagine a future that never will be.

"I'll probably head back to my Area, there're things left I have to do. By no means do I wish to sound hubristic, however my trip to the capital is supposed to be a vacation."

"I am aware, I was hoping you can stay longer after today."

"Well… if His Majesty so requests, arrangements can be made." Marrybell said, a quiet chuckle from Lelouch was her reply.

"By all means, consider Pendragon to be your home away from home. It should've always been, were our father the emperor he should've been."

"Something that you've done wonderfully towards mending, I can surely attest to." The young princess sincerely meant what she claimed. Lelouch had been nothing if not a reasonable and unbiased king to the populace, and not just his own.

It is a tragedy of the highest order that our world is in no demand for a righteous ruler, but a necessary martyr.

"Do you really believe what you said? That I'm objectively speaking, to the majority of the population- a good king?"

"Yes, of course. Why else would I accept your claim to the throne?"

"You could've grown accustomed to a life of torpor, zapped of all ambitions day by day." So subtly, the pitch of Lelouch's speech shifted. The mellower atmosphere of seconds earlier snivelled out and was replaced by an attitude of authority.

"I disagree, for I believe the opposite to be true. Forget not that I too am an heir of the last emperor, and his children- us, are bound to be encased in conspiracies. It's only a matter of time until we break free from our cocoons of stagnation, a meagre life in luxury is no way to live."

"That is too true. My life after my exile was horrendous, but not unsustainable. I could've enjoyed mediocrity until the end of days had I accepted my fate. However, it was Geass that changed my destiny, giving me purpose. It was the mask of Zero that introduced me back to the world of men, to become an architect of schemes." Lelouch monologized the tale of his past, much to Marrybell's curiosity.

"It's not so different for me… I only recently came into existence."

"And with it comes plans for the future?"

"It does."

"Plans for the future incompatible with mine?"

The loud pumping of Marrybell's heart rang out endlessly on the inside of her ears, she felt her blood running cold in her veins on the edge of eruption. Could there be a trap in Lelouch's question, the Viceroy couldn't predict. For just like their father, Lelouch often employed the same tactics to unnerve his opponent and disassemble their façade before handing them a metaphorical defeat, or sometimes a practical one.

"…Who's to say, I haven't thought that far ahead." If what Lelouch sought for was an admission of guilt, he needed to at least bind her to a windowless cell.

"A word of advise, my dear sister. You have seen firsthand a king's magnanimity, so have you witnessed a revolutionist's brutality. Decide cautiously which is preferable to you, lest you find the ire of a king looming over you." How Lelouch managed to utter a phrase so frighteningly yet also so nonchalantly was a talent beyond recognition, his expression remained neutral all the way through and leaked no secrets towards his mindset.

"…Noted." That was as pronounced as a warning she would ever receive, and Marrybell was made to hear it.

"That is not to say I discourage you from chasing your own dream, you must have them."

"I do…"

"Care to share?"

"I wish to bring about an end to our era of endless war. To create a gentler world for all…"

"That's… it's a beautiful goal to have. If only it was so easy."

Marrybell knew exactly how impossible it was, for the fruition of that dream was her hill to die on.

"…This twisted game needs to be reset."

— —

Author's note

I'm honestly not too happy with the interactions between Marrybell and Oldrin, I wanted to develop their relationship for a bit longer before what happened this chapter happened, but I feel that would've taken way too long and bog downed the plot too much. My original plan was to give Oldrin more of an arc before she turned around, so I'm a bit embarrassed.

If you wanna get the gist of what happened in their past, the Code Geass wiki should have the articles. Of course, my take on the story does divert from canon, so it won't all match up. It does put me in a weird spot, since there're people who don't know the Oz characters and I wanna write the backstory into the plot, but there's also people who do know, and I don't want to waste their time.

Overall, it just feels kinda bad to have not planned this thing out better, sorry about that. I still hope you guys enjoy my interception on the spinoff characters, that's it's not too messy and stuff.

I won't be discussing too many plot relevant topics in the AN like I did the last couple of chapters, it feels like me copping out from writing it into the story and just explaining what happens. PM me if you're dying to know something plot related, but I'll try harder not to spoil my own story.

Thanks to everyone who reads this fic, I'm just slowly working on it over here.