《ーーA/Nーー》
Well...8 days huh. Right... right... right...
Well here it is! Finally! Reasons why it's SOOOO LATE at the end!
《ーーENDーー》
Chapter 3: Memories
The road was bumpy; this particular sentence had two meanings and both perfectly described CC's present situation.
For the first one, her journey in search to find a functional gate to the World of C was largely in vain. Out of 7 she had visited, 6 of them had already withered away either by harsh weather or by external human factors and 1 was preoccupied by archaeologists. She could have just sneaked her way into the temple and entered the C's World but it was far too risky in case someone had spotted her, or worse, him. Nevertheless, CC had also somehow grown to care more of her life despite her persistent immortality. Maybe Ciel's responsible for that.
The second reason was more literal. The road was bumpy. CC had been driving this old truck for most of her time on the roads of North Zilkhstan. Currently, she is heading to the 8th location and this time she is fairly certain that her journey would end here. If her memory serves right, the temple here is situated pretty deep under the ground; meaning it should be shielded from harsh overground weather or be affected by human factors unless someone dropped a bomb right above it.
The dry desert wind greeted CC when she finally arrived at her destination. She washed her face, wet her parched throat and kicked the truck's heated tyre in frustration as if it had some part in dictating the heat.
From where she parked the truck, the temple was in full view though brilliant sun overhead made it hard to look far long enough. The temple was situated in-between a crevice in the ground, fitted inside a strange natural structure jutting out from ground underneath. The crevice served as natural moat and may have served as an excellent defense against threats of old time but not so much for modern ones— the rubble at the entrance can testify to that. A iron bridge connected to the other side was old and rusty with few bullet holes gracing its structure. Perhaps this was used as a military base during the wars.
The civil wars that had escalated too far hadn't stopped until the UFN had thankfully interfered. Ever since the UFN occupation in Zilkhstan, the conditions have improved and the order was restored, at least on the outside.
CC hadn't stayed here for long enough to gauge full situation but the public's dissatisfaction for UFN was evident even to her. The common folk here blame their poor economy, inflation or just anything they can think of at UFN.
CC wonders if the native government is monopolizing this dissent for their gains.
Well that's that. She doesn't need to critique another country's politics. She has other things to fuss over. For example, while Christmas is nearing, why is she is in a dessert looking over a ruined prison…
"Ciel must be lonely…" She mumbled.
CC wished she could be with Ciel now and enjoy the silly Christmas party but here she is, in a desert. But it's not as if she hadn't been in contact with Ciel at all. In fact, Ciel would call her atleast twice every week and talk for hours about all kinds of things—perhaps even more things than she would have when face to face. She has been asking about CC's return but it's hard for even her to answer that. If this gate too proved to be dysfunctional for some reason, she would have to travel to next and continue doing so until there's none left.
The week before last one, Ciel had called her and informed with great zeal about how she would be visiting Japan for the Christmas. CC had questions: how and why Japan; she even wanted to object to it but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Could she destroy this child's happiness whilst she herself left her alone for her own selfishness? She couldn't.
CC sighed again and this time heavier. The dusty wind brushed against her hair tarnishing it. Christmas is nearing and she is in a goddamn desert of all places.
"Better be over with it already." And with that she began her work.
Kicking and pushing away rabble, she cleared the entrance to what looked like a prison. Passing by the countless cell doors flung wide open with occupants long gone, CC made her way down.
The stairs the led down showed obvious signs of conflict. The dark spots on stairs that must have been old blood and the empty bullet shells lying by edges and corners hidden under thin sheet of dust could tell the story of what happened here.
CC concludes that some rescue mission must have taken place here. She had originally thought that rubble at entrance may have been due to enemies' attacks but perhaps the prison's defenders had destroyed it themselves in order to prevent KnightMares' advance. Well it's not the best strategy but it seemed to have worked then atleast. As she made ever downward, she could see faint lighting at the end of stairs indicating an opening and rightfully so.
The stairs ended at a platform above a intricately designed stone platform. The large hall illuminated from sunlight creeping through places unseen extended all the way infront of her till the large gate on the other side.
The distance between platform and gate however was submersed in water. She could have just swam across if she really wanted but she was familiar with such camoflauge mechanisms from past experiences. A glance around revealed a lamp conveniently placed.
Twisting the lamp triggered some hidden mechanism underneath and then, the water that cut off the path lowered gradually till a path below was leading to other side was revealed.
The walk to the other side had CC's heart beating loud enough that she was afraid someone would hear it but luckily she was the only one here—atleast for now.
The fact that the water drainage system worked despite the ruin above was enough to cement her belief that this is the end of her two year long journey.
It was strange to her how despite her long journey that was the life as an immortal, those mere 2 years away from home, from her daughter Ciel, felt like forever. Perhaps this was another effect of having a child. She doubts she can ever truly become human again as long as her immortality accompanies her but maybe she can allow herself to become a little more human.
Placing her hand on the large Geass sigil painted on the gate, she activated her code. The Geass sigil on her forehead and door shined alike before she was sucked into the door.
Silent.
The World of C was always silent but somehow this was more quiet than usual. If silence was a emotion then she would have said that she could feel it in the air—a pleasant but little melancholic silence.
She walked around, passing consciousness of various people wishing she didn't come across Mao now. Some time—no time was a foreign concept here—some distance later, she came across a familiar consciousness floating around. She smiled as she drove her hand inside it and letting herself be sucked inside again.
Memories. Corridor of Memories.
She had been here before, many many times before when she was sad, grumpy, annoyed, irritated or just hungry. This place was her safe haven, a place she could hide in tough times and to get nostalgic over a few pleasant moments she had. This time however, it wasn't her own memories but someone else's.
Lelouch's.
She tredded down the corridor path, glancing at various memory paintings. She amused over one with Lelouch forcibly tied to chair as Rivalz and Milly dressed him as a cat. She felt a tinge in her heart seeing Lelouch kissing Shirley. She grimaced over a painting of Suzaku stepping on Lelouch's head and smiled over a painting of young Vi Brittania and Li Brittania siblings stargazing in Aries Villa.
Some pictures later, she finally found Lelouch sitting cross-legged as he absent mindedly watched a painting of group photo of student council including Nunally and Suzaku.
"When did you find out?" Without looking away from painting, he asked calmly.
"What? That you were alive or that you inherited the code?" CC asked playfully. She knows it would irritate him but irritation suits him better than facade of calmness.
However contrary to her expectations, Lelouch sighed and smiled at her.
"You know I mean both." He said.
"Well I suppose it would be two years ago. I can't really put it into words how I knew but probably a dream of you crying like a baby in C's World cemented my resolve."
"Wha-I am not a baby!"
Lelouch's face failed to reflect the mixture of various emotions: the annoyance, the nostalgia, the melancholy and confusion resulting a stupid expression as he complained. Ignoring CC's wide smirk, Lelouch continued.
"And what about the code?"
"There are only two ways you could have survived that day and it's not hard to deduce which would it be. Though I am unsure how you got the code, my guesses are Charles passed it on you."
"That man won't even let me die in peace…" Lelouch grumbled to himself.
"Or perhaps that was his last act as father?" CC suggested though she doubted that was so.
"By robbing me of my redemption? Don't joke around." Lelouch sneered.
Even after 12 years, Lelouch's contempt for Charles hadn't lessened but CC couldn't care much about that anymore. Charles got what he deserved and she isn't going to justify someone who would just throw everyone under the bus for his own ideals.
"Anyways, why are you here?" Lelouch asked, turning back to another painting of him and Rolo cooking.
"'Why?'" CC asked in disbelief. "To get you out of here of course!" CC exclaimed. Had Lelouch's brain cell gone dead during this time that he couldn't even figure out such obvious simple reason?
"I don't want to leave." Lelouch mumbled like a child not wanting to leave a amusement park. "Lelouch vi Brittania is supposed to be dead. The world doesn't need me anymore."
CC now was flabbergasted at Lelouch's answer. Lelouch doesn't want to leave? Does that mean her journey was in vain? Will she just let her journey be in vain? No way! No way will she let all this be in vain. No way will she let Ciel be fatherless anymore. No way will she be left alone again!
"What are you going to do here forever? You know you won't die so you will just sit here and reminisce?" CC asked incredulously.
"Maybe." Lelouch answered simply.
"Lelouch that's no different from refrain!"
Refrain: a highly addictive psychotropic drug that induces hallucinatory flashbacks to pleasant past experiences. CC hadn't the uttered the word in a long time ever since Nunally exercised power to ban all of it.
The Corridor of Memories isn't a addictive drug like refrain but it's having a familiar effect of Lelouch. But CC won't allow this on her watch.
Grabbing Lelouch by collar, picking him up from virtual chair, she said the words she had wanted to say that day, the day before Zero Requiem. But she had held them back for she feared it will weaken his resolve. But no longer will she…
"Don't leave me alone again…" CC begged.
Lelouch snapped out of his dreamy state faced with teary eyed CC.
"CC…" He said softly, letting CC's head rest on his shoulders as he patted her silken green hair.
CC didn't want to cry. She wouldn't let herself do it. That's why she would hold back even when it seemed like impossible. But that one embrace destroyed her resolve. She couldn't hold it in, she didn't want to anymore. It's strange how one man could make her feel more emotions than she had for last 700 years. It's strange, but she likes it.
•••
"You are leaving here with me. No arguments." CC announced once she had calmed down.
Lelouch wanted to object but couldn't, unable to find a argument, not that she would listen to it anyways.
"Our child…how is it?" Lelouch asked.
"Her name is Ciel. Since her father selfishly died, I took liberty of naming her." Lelouch smiled sad. "She's 12 years old currently. If you had seen her, you would be surprised how much she was like you in both looks and brains."
While Ciel may have different opinions on that, it wasn't that far from fact either.
"I see…" Lelouch said in a tone of father longing to see his child—oh wait that's him.
CC sighed. One need not be a psychologist to understand Lelouch now.
"If you want to see her, why don't you just do it?"
CC suggested.
"I can't. The world doesn't need Lelouch."
CC can't believe he is still saying that. Doesn't he understand the simple fact that…
"Your family needs you." Lelouch looked up, unable to argue. "You have done enough for the world, please think about yourself now."
Those words hit Lelouch harder than Kallen's slap. Lelouch didn't answer. He didn't do anything. In silence, he sat in his chair and just thought. Closing eyes, opening them, glancing at myriad of Memory Paintings once in a while as CC waited by him patiently. If you were to ask for how long, I would be at loss since passage of time is invisible in this realm. But after whatever amount of time that was, he finally stood up and faced CC.
"Are you ready then?" CC asked. A smile painted her face since she already knew the answer.
"Yes." He replied. "Let's see what the world has become."
《ーーA/Nーー》
I must confess something... I took shortcut here. I had originally planned this chapter entirely differently and infact had it ready when I posted Ch 1 but with great support I received, I thought it wasn't good enough to post and so I decided to rewrite it. When I didn't make much progress, I instead decided to post Nunally's story as ch 2. But it bit me back later since I had little flexibility now where story can go. And that route was one which was already written but I had decided it wasn't good enough. Long story short, After a month of procastination, I finally found a solution to the problem: bypass it entirely. Since I had to get Ciel to Tokyo... somehow but always felt the convo and story for that were very lacking, I decided to inform it to viewers through CC instead. I know this is very immature of me but I tried to make do that laziness through this chapter... hopefully I was able to compensate...
Sorry for late upload but I don't wanna name when next chapter drops but do know it will drop! It certainly will! But I don't know when but hopefully soon!
That's all〜 Byeee