Here's the next chapter. Anyway, I don't own Code Geass or any of the characters just the OC.
—…
41. The Ragnarök Connection
While making their way through the rocky area of Kamine Island, Suzaku and Logan suddenly spot two familiar individuals not too far ahead.
"C.C?" Logan thought.
"Anya?" Suaku thought.
The two of them quickly made their way forward to approach them, as the other two noticed their approach they turned to face them as they soon stopped in front of them.
"C.C, why are you here and how are you here?" Logan asked. "I told you to wait in the room."
"I had something I needed to do so I let myself out," C.C said.
Logan immediately noticed her tone and smiled. "I see, you finally got back your memories."
"You don't seem surprised?" C.C noticed.
"I knew a woman as stubborn as you wouldn't stay gone forever," Logan replied.
C.C smiled amused by his retort as Suaku stepped forward. "That still doesn't explain this, why are you here on this Island? And Anya, why are you here, and with C.C no less?"
"I'd like to ask you that question myself. What exactly are you doing here? Somehow I get the feeling that you didn't come to help out Charles." Anya (Marianne) retorted.
Suzaku blinked at her unusual speech pattern. "Anya? What are you…?"
Anya (Marianne) smiled at him. "Well, at the moment I'm the mother of Lelouch and Nunnally. I am Marianne." She revealed casually.
Both Logan and Suzaku were surprised and confused by her odd statement.
C's World, Sword Of Akasha
"So," Lelouch began as he rested against a piece of rubble. "Since we have plenty of time now, will you answer me? Who was it that killed my mother and what's your excuse for not protecting her?"
Charles merely chuckled at him. "How ironic. Here you are seeking the truth, you who made it this far only by your deception and your lies."
"That's true," Lelouch admitted with a grin. "I've lied every step of the way. And not just about my name and past. I've hidden my true intentions, too. But that's pragmatism, isn't it? People need to play along with each other. We melt into a place. If we didn't, then nations and people, these things called communities wouldn't exist. Everyone uses lies. On family, on friends, in society. And everyone wears a different face." Charles seemed a bit intrigued with where he was going with this as Lelouch continued. "But, is that a sin? What is one's true face? Even you wear a mask, that of an Emperor. None of us can make a move now without our respective personas."
Charles turned away and the setting in the parallel world changed into a library. "You're wrong."
This catches Lelouch off guard while Charles picks up a book labelled Akasha and started looking over the pages.
"When we realize that lies have no meaning in the endless flow of eternity, those personas will vanish," Charles explained. "When we understand each other, conflict will disappear."
"That all sounds like metaphysical nonsense to me." Lelouch rolled his eyes, not buying his father's statement.
"It will soon be reality." Charles countered, earning a serious look from his son. Charles turned to face him with a smile. "You see, this is my Ragnarok Connection. Soon these masks known as deceit will be discarded by the world, revealing the truth."
Kamine Island Cave
Outside the entrance to C's world, Suzaku, Logan, C.C and Anya (Marianne) were standing in front of the doorway while Anya (Marianne) was trying to activate the system so they could enter.
"C's world?" Suzaku asked.
"In current terminology, it's the collective unconscious," C.C answered. "A collective of people's minds with memories. The sea of transmigration. The great consciousness. Some refer to it as God."
"Was that what we saw when we fell for the trap last time we were here?" Suzaku asked.
"There, it was mixed with your personal consciousnesses. I'm merely guessing as I don't know what it was you saw." C.C clarified.
"But then, why did I only see your memories while Suzaku saw his own?" Logan wondered.
"How can say, I don't have all the answers," C.C said.
"How irresponsible." Suzaku berated.
"Do you like having others peep into your mind?" C.C asked, raising a brow at the Knight, which annoyed him.
"Liking or not doesn't change the facts, C.C." Logan berated her as well. "You're irresponsible, own it."
"Call me whatever you like. It's people. Their masks are the collective unconscious." C.C continued. "Windows that open into their minds and memories. And the minds of people are—"
"Ah, forget it." Anya (Marianne) interrupted, moving back from the entrance. "It's too messed up for me to do. C.C, could you please?"
"Do you really plan to go in?" C.C asked.
"Yes, of course." Anya (Marianne) replied, surprised that she would even ask. "Charles has been waiting for us after all. This would've been so easy if you'd only given him your Code. Oh, I'll go first, all right?"
Anya (Marianne) placed one hand on the door and used the other to hold C.C's hand to open an entrance to C's world. When it opened, Marianne's spirit left Anya's body and her own form materialized in C's world.
Suzaku quickly caught Anya's unconscious body.
"You know, Suzaku? You and I, we're very similar." C.C said.
"Similar?" Suaku repeated.
"In the way that we both wish to die and yet are unable to," C.C noted.
Logan sighed. "You, Suzaku, and Lelouch on a bad day. Seriously, am I the only one of us who's never wished for death at some point?"
"Probably, maybe that's why we're all still alive right now." C.C theorised with a smile.
"Who knows, you could be right?" Suzaku agreed.
Unbeknownst to them, the Avalon with Schneizel and his forces were closing in on Kamine Island from the east, while on the west, the Ikaruga and all the Black Knights were heading for the Kamine Island as well.
C's World, Sword Of Akasha
Lelouch's eyes widened with shock as he saw who had appeared before him.
"Wha…" Lelouch attempted to speak but was too shocked. "It can't be…!"
Marianne stood in all her glory, smiling happily to see her son again. "My, Lelouch. How you've grown."
"…Mother?" Lelouch breathed out.
"Marianne. I see you've come." Charles stated.
"Is this an illusion?" Lelouch asked becoming irritated with Charles. "You'd do this?"
"No. It really is me, Lelouch." Marianne assured him. "However, I can only take on my original appearance while I'm present within this system."
"It really is?" Lelouch realized with disbelief.
"Lelouch, I will now answer your previous question." Charles began his tale. "Half a century ago, my elder brother and I existed in a hell on earth. Our family was just rivals competing for the throne. Assassinations occurred with regularity. Daily betrayal spawned by lies. Killing each other off. My own mother fell victim to it." He recalled with hatred and disgust. "My brother and I were sickened and angered by the world. We therefore both swore an oath. To create a world without lies."
Marianne chimed in. "Both C.C. and I agreed to this as well. V.V, however…"
Flashback: 8 Years Ago, Aries Villa, Pendragon
8 years ago, in the middle of the night, Marianne was walking down the stairs to the main hall to meet with V.V.
"What did you call me for today?" Marianne asked as she stopped at the bottom of the stairs. "I cleared everyone out of here. I even had Cornelia withdraw."
V.V turned to face her. "Sorry to do this. Especially without Charles around."
"Is this about the Sword of Akasha?" Marianne asked.
"Hm?" V.V shook his head. "Oh, no. This is only about Charles." He began to explain. "Ever since he met you, Charles has been acting like a different man. It seems to me that you and he have come to enjoy learning more about one another. You realize that if this continues, the contract we made will never be fulfilled. I'll be left alone."
At this point, Marianne was getting suspicious as to what V.V had in mind.
"From the beginning of time, it's always been the woman who's led the man astray." V.V continued in a diabolical manner.
Marianne instantly knew what V.V was planning to do to her and her eyes widened.
"Lady Marianne." A voice called out.
Marianne turned to see two of her security guards coming down the stairs.
"I told you to stay out of here." Marianne berated.
Marianne went up the stairs a little. At that moment, V.V pulled out a sub-machine gun and shot both Marianne and her guards. V.V then pulled out a phone.
"The job's done." He informed whoever was on the other line. "Right. Begin the cover-up. Maybe we can make Nunnally out to be the witness. It's imperative that this looks like it was the work of terrorists."
The dying Marianne sees a little girl with pink hair hiding behind a pillar.
"Anya Alstreim. The young girl who had arrived a week earlier to be schooled in etiquette." Marianne recalled.
Marianne's Geass activated and targeted Anya via eye contact.
"My Geass power was to cross over into another person's mind."
Unaware, V.V began preparing the cover-up.
"The power that had been dormant for so long activated for the first time as I was dying. I hid inside Anya to save myself from being killed by V.V. And then I realized. Realized that when my consciousness surfaced, I could communicate mind to mind with C.C. When she discovered the truth, C.C left the directorship to V.V And then disappeared."
Unknown Location
Charles and V.V were observing the Geass users of the directorate.
"I spoke with my brother about it, however…" Charles recalled.
"I heard," V.V said stoically. "What a tragedy. I shall miss Marianne."
Charles was fuming with anger at his elder brother and balled his fist with V.V not even knowing.
Flashback End
"My brother lied to me," Charles said in anger. "After we had sworn to create a world without deceit."
"Khhh! How dare you!" Lelouch retorted with anger. "Don't try to pass off blame for everything on the dead? Nunnally and I, you sent us to Japan as hostages."
"It was necessary!" Charles countered loudly.
"Necessary for what?!" Lelouch responded loudly. "What kind of parent does that?!"
Tokyo Settlement
Meanwhile, at the remains of the Tokyo Settlement, Milly and her news team were preparing to do another news update near the crater.
"Milly, when the sun rises I wanna get a shot with ground zero in the background." Her producer said.
"Okay, gotcha," Milly responded.
"Sorry about this. Relief will be here from Niigata and Nagoya by afternoon so hang tight." A female crewman said.
"I'm okay," Milly assured her.
Milly turned to look below over the crater and was surprised at her old classmate, Nina Einstein there looking over the body bags.
Nina's eyes were sagging from the lack of sleep. She has been angry with herself for not fully calculating the full destruction capability of her creation. With all the dead bodies she has seen as well as more to pop up, it was something she never accounted for. This was something she didn't want. She wanted something to fill the empty void in her heart that was left by Euphemia and so she fully absorbed herself in her research, but the result of her desire cost the lives of millions of innocent civilians. The whole ordeal was eating away her very being.
Avalon
Bismarck was kneeling before Schneizel to give his report.
Bismarck: Right now, we're suppressing the rebel forces with the aid of the reinforcements from Shikine Island. However…" Bismarck reported.
"Hm? Is there something else?" Schneizel questioned him.
"Prince Schneizel, just how much do you know?" Bismarck asked almost condescendingly.
"How frightening. What are you referring to?" Schneizel asked, intrigued.
Kamine Island Cave
"I used them." C.C started. "I was fully aware of the truth the entire time. In order to bring about my own death, I had to make his survival a priority."
"Well, it's not like we were any different, we used you too," Logan admitted. "You gave us Geass and assisted us in our endeavours, but whatever your actual wish was, to us it was trivial."
"Any regrets?" Suzaku asked them.
Logan shrugged. "Everyone has regrets here and there, that's all part of being human, what's one more."
"It's different for me. My sensibilities are quite different as an immortal witch. I abandoned my humanity long ago." C.C said.
"We aren't all alike, you know. C.C, I want you to send me to the other world." Suzaku requested. "Regardless that you may think I'm foolish, I can't wait here and do nothing."
"I'm going as well. If this is the final confrontation, I need to be there with Lelouch." Logan demanded. "From the start, I never planned on letting him handle this alone."
C's World, Sword Of Akasha
The setting changed back from the library to the shrine in the clouds as Charles continued his conversation with Lelouch.
"That's right. I sent both you and your sister to Japan to escape my brother's sight. That's also why I had Marianne's body secretly taken away." Charles confessed.
"As long as my body still exists, there's the possibility that I'll be able to return to it," Marianne added.
"Anya and Nunnally became witnesses. Therefore it was necessary to rewrite their memories in order to protect everything." Charles said.
Lelouch became surprised by this new information. "Nunnally? You mean her blindness isn't psychosomatic after all? But…"
"Even though she was a false witness, there remained very real danger she would be killed," Marianne explained.
"To ensure Nunnally's safety, proof was needed that would lead far away from the truth," Charles added.
"The original plan called for only one immortal Code," Marianne stated. "However, for research to progress, we had to have an additional Code. In other words, without C.C., we didn't have a 100% guarantee that it would succeed."
"When Marianne was unable to persuade C.C to help us, we were left with no choice." Charles and Marianne looked at their son. "We were forced to use you, Lelouch."
"Then, what was the point of me doing this?" Lelouch questioned upset.
"These tragedies will no longer be necessary once the Ragnarok Connection is established," Charles promised.
"Masks will vanish. Then everyone can be exactly who they are supposed to be." Marianne added with joy.
Lelouch was shocked at this revelation and getting the legist of what all this meant.
"I see," Lelouch replied, astonished. "All of the battle and bloodshed between Britannia and the Black Knights was done just to lure out C.C. Well then… It seems that from the very beginning I was merely a nuisance. Just a ruckus in the world." He put on a sad smile. To him, it was like a bad joke, a tasteless bad joke. Then he chuckled when he heard footsteps behind him. "And what do you three think of all this?"
C.C, Logan and Suzaku made their way to meet with the others.
"Did you already know that I was going to come here, Lelouch?" C.C asked him.
"And that you regained your memories, too. It was necessary for this plan, wasn't it?" Lelouch responded.
"Looking back, it all seemed so obvious," Logan noted. "I almost can't believe we didn't see it coming."
"But that reason is precisely why the plan succeeded. At any rate." Charles brought up the matter. "I cannot see any sense in your coming here as well, Kururugi."
"I'm sure you can't. I heard you're already immortal. That's why there's something I want to know for certain. Why did you make this thing?" Suzaku earnestly wanted to know. "For what reason?"
Charles' expression softened. "Why. Because it's what Nunnally and Euphie both desired. They wanted a gentle world."
"Now I see…" Lelouch muttered. "It's obvious."
"The time is here. C.C," Charles began. "Since we are all assembled, the plan can commence now. I will grant your wish after everything has been completed."
Charles put up his right palm and his Geass symbol started to shine and CC's Geass symbol on her forehead resonated.
The ancient ruins all over the world began to activate and gave off the shaking of the very planet. The people in the world were panicking as to why the world was shaking. Over on Kamine Island, a huge glow was hovering over the island. The Black Knights were wondering what was going on.
Kamine Island Cave
Anya regained consciousness and was shot up and was looking around as the ground was and the cave was falling apart.
"What the…!?" Anya spoke in surprise, "Where am I?"
Avalon
Aboard the Avalon, they could also feel the tremors and warning signals were appearing all over the monitor. Kanon reported how far these strange effects reached.
"All over the world?" Schneizel asked.
"Yes," Kanon answered.
"Bismarck?" Schneizel questioned.
"It must be his majesty's plan come to fruition," Bismarck said with a satisfied expression. "If his majesty succeeds in carrying out his vision, then what's ever left of the world will be yours to govern per his royal decree, although the sense of politics will have changed greatly."
Schneizel could only glare at the fact that it may destroy his own plans before they could even begin.
C's World, Sword of Akasha
The atmosphere in C's World shattered to one where the Sword of Akasha was activating. The Thought Elevator that towered over them reached out to the ceiling of C's World and was seemingly stabbing itself into the large planet that always floated in the distance of the clouds. That planet itself represented God.
Marianne was looking up with joy. "Behold! It's finally begun! The Sword of Akasha is slaying God!"
C.C's code stopped resonating for the moment.
Charles began to walk towards C.C. "Now, once our marks of Geass become one, the old world will cease and the new world will spring forth.
"Lelouch, what was your motivation for wanting to control the world?" Suzaku questioned his friend.
"Don't waste my time, Suzaku. You know it was Nunnally." Lelouch answered stoically.
"Lelouch, stop that." Logan berated him. "You know it's pointless to lie at this point."
"He's right. Aren't you just using her as your excuse? Even I can tell." Suzaku added.
"Hm." Lelouch chuckled at their accusations. "Yes, you're both right. I am. I have fought to protect everything I thought I wanted to protect. We all did." He admitted.
"And so, if we still desire that result, then there is something that needs to be done here," Logan pointed out.
"Yes, the means to that end requires me to reject something." Lelouch summarised.
"Which is?" Suzaku asked.
Lelouch stood in the path between CC and his father. "That… I…"
"Hm?" Charles was surprised.
"I reject you!" Lelouch declared. "And I reject everything you believe!"
Charles didn't think this would happen. Logan also got in the path between Charles and C.C.
Lelouch continued. "Why do people lie? It isn't only because they struggle against each other! It's also because there's something that they're seeking."
C.C was a bit surprised.
"You now wanna world without change. How stagnant!" Lelouch proclaimed. "You could hardly call it life, the same as a world of memories. Just a world that's closed and completed. That's a place I wouldn't wanna live in."
"Living in a world that never changes would be akin to living in an endless loop where each day is the same, everyone would only be cogs in a machine following an eternal pattern. With no purpose or desire, there would cease to be any consciousness or sense of self." Logan agreed with Lelouch's sentiment. "And while it's true we would be free of war, conflict and sadness, we would also be robbed of freewill, growth and joy."
"And that is nothing more than one-sided ideal forced upon us without our consent, that is why I reject it." Lelouch finished.
"But Lelouch," Marianne spoke. "Are you saying you're rejecting me as well?"
"That depends. Is your desire the same as His Majesty's, mother?" Lelouch questioned suspiciously.
Marianne softly explained herself. "It will be so good to rejoin all the people from whom we've been separated. You can be reunited with those who have died. Even Nunnally."
Suzaku tensed when he heard Nunnally's name mention, Lelouch just let out a sigh. "As I expected. You both believe that this new world you envision would be best for all. But forcing your good intentions on others is no different from an evil act."
"In time, the people will come to accept it." Charles reasoned.
"That time will never come!" Lelouch countered angrily. "You can't just stand there and act as though you speak for all of mankind. You only believe this will better the world because you only consult the only opinions you consider important, your own!"
"A world without lies is one that any would wish for, it's human nature to want to trust those around and with this world we offer, everyone will be able to open up and trust one another," Marianne argued, still looking. "Just ask your friend."
Logan narrowed his eyes and Marianne referred to him.
"Even since you gained your Geass, you were able to see through truth and lies, and because of that you always knew who you could trust," Marianne said. "You always knew when those you cared about were truthful with you and you could be truthful with them. Don't you want to share that with the world, a world where lies will no longer exist and everyone can be happy knowing everyone around them will only speak the truth?"
"No, you couldn't be more wrong." Logan immediately dismissed this idea. "What I learned from having this power is that just because people tell a lie here and there doesn't mean they're untrustworthy. Even amongst loved ones, there are some things you just you'd rather not confess to, but that's not bad, it's natural to feel that way, believing you can spend your whole life without ever lying is something so childish it's not even worth considering."
"And you intend on taking that childish ideal and forcing upon the world." Lelouch narrowed his eyes at them. "You act as though this will bring happiness to the world but all you're doing is creating a farce, a utopia for fools trapped in an endless illusion."
"You act as though you have room to talk about speaking for all of mankind." Charles berated them. "It's hypocrisy when you consider how many times you did just that, even now you're doing the same thing by saying the world doesn't desire something simply because you reject it."
"What makes you of all people think you can accuse someone of hypocrisy." Suzaku count argued. "You keep saying how much you wish for a world without lies when you've lied about everything in life. Every speech you made, every declaration, your past, your ambitions, not a single one of them were true. Yet here you stand saying that lies are evil?!"
"I necessary deception to hold the world in check until the Ragnarok connection was ready," Charles said, not seeing a problem. "Now that the time has come, all my lies and the lies of everyone else in the world shall be washed away, so there's no longer a reason to dwell on them."
"There truly is no reasoning with you. But, only one thing is undeniably certain. I understand now that what you did to Nunnally and me may have been done out of good intentions. But… the hard fact remains that you abandoned us in a foreign land!" Lelouch accused them.
"But we did that to protect you!" Marianne defended.
"Then why didn't you stop the war between Japan and Britannia?" Lelouch countered.
Marianne found herself unable to answer.
"The plan was such a priority for you both that it didn't matter to either of you if Nunnally and I were alive or dead!" Lelouch spoke with bitterness and anger. "That's why you abandoned us. All you have left are self-serving excuses!"
"Lelouch, you're wrong." Marianne denied.
"You just told me! You said that the dead would rejoin the living! You don't give a damn about the future!" Lelouch countered back.
"The future is the Ragnarok Connection," Charles said decidedly. "Once it's finally done, the gentler existence that Nunnally spoke of—"
"Stop it! The world you're speaking of will be kinder and gentler only for you! The world that my sister wish for is one in which kindness is extended to everyone, even strangers!" Lelouch proclaimed with longing in his eyes.
"Yes, he's right. At the very least Euphie always believed in Lelouch even after knowing he was Zero. Even to the very end. Shirley did too. That's why I… I choose to believe in him, no matter where it led me to." Suzaku thought.
"Let's say it was true. What of it? There's nothing to be done about it. The Ragnarok Connection has begun." Charles said with confidence.
"You think so? I am Zero! The man who works miracles." Lelouch confidently activated his Geass.
"Your Geass power will have no effect on me nor will it on anyone else here!" Charles reminded him.
"No! There's someone else here, isn't there?" Lelouch pointed out.
Charles suddenly realized that Lelouch was right because the one in question was right behind him and Marianne. The Thought Elevator.
Lelouch continued. "That's right! C's World is the will of mankind itself! And all men are not equal, remember those words? They're your own and because of that, I'm sure you'll realize that my power will work!"
"You're a fool, Lelouch!" Charles responded loudly, glaring at his son. "God cannot be defeated by the power of the King!"
"I don't intend to defeat God! This is a request!" Lelouch looked up at the form that represented God. "Yes. Now I know who I really am! GOD! COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS!" Lelouch yelled as loudly as he could as the planet started to glow. "Please, don't stop the march of time!"
Marianne tried to stop him. "Lelouch, you ungrateful child!"
However, Marianne was stopped by Suzaku and Logan who held and Sword and gun to her respectively.
"Nobody would've wanted this! No one and especially not Euphie!" Suzaku declared.
"And there's no way Nunnally would have wanted this either!" Logan declared.
"But with this, you'll be able to talk to Nunnally again," Marianne informed them.
"Meaning you are going to force us to, right?" Suzaku countered.
"We've heard enough of your lies," Logan told her.
"You can't do this, boy!" Charles yelled rebelliously against Lelouch. "Not against God nor all of humanity itself!"
"Regardless, what I want… IS TOMORROW!" Lelouch roared.
Suddenly, Lelouch's Geass evolve and the sigil now awakened on his right eye as well, signifying that his Geass had finally reached its full potential.
As a result of this. The planet in C's World had the Geass sigil appeared on the centre and the Thought Elevator shattered to the ground.
Marianne looked back and was shocked. "It can't be!"
The thought elevator was being destroyed. The hard work that Charles, V.V, and Marianne had done for years was being destroyed before their very eyes.
"The Thought Elevator is falling!" Charles said in complete shock. "The dream that I and Marianne and my brother all shared!"
"Charles, just stop already," C.C said in a sad tone as she sat on the floor in a fetal position. "It was presumptuous of us to even attempt this."
Charles turned to face C.C while showing his Code on his right palm. "C.C, we still bear the marks of Geass. No matter what occurs, we…"
Charles cut himself off when he looked down and saw that his body was disintegrating.
"This isn't a falsehood, father," Lelouch said with acceptance. "It's reality's response."
"Darling, you…" Marianne ran to her husband until she saw that she was disintegrating as well.
Charles was shocked at what was happening. "No, it's not possible! I'm supposed to be immortal! We're being absorbed? Consumed by C's World?"
Marianne turned around to look at C.C. "But what about C.C? Why isn't she disappearing as well? You supported this plan as much as we did."
"Sorry," C.C spoke softly. "But I finally realized. The love you have… Is only for yourselves."
"No, that's not true at all." Marianne denied it. "We love our children very much."
"Do you have any idea what the meaning is behind Nunnally's beautiful smile?" Lelouch interjected.
"The meaning?" Marianne repeated.
"Why don't you understand?" Lelouch had tears streaming down his eyes. "Nunnally was blinded! My own sister was crippled! She knew… She knew that there were things in this world that she would never be able to do by herself. So her smile… Nunnally's smile… Was her way of expressing gratitude!"
"You're labouring under a delusion!" Charles argued.
"I will not let you call that a lie!" Lelouch shouted heatedly. "Over my dead body! You've refused to face reality! Content to watch us from afar! Don't make me laugh! There's only one truth here! You, my own parents, you abandoned us!"
Marianne was taken aback by what Lelouch was saying. Charles, on the other hand, was full of anger.
"You clever little fool!" Charles screamed as he charged at Lelouch holding out his right hand with the intent to grab his son's neck.
As he grabbed Lelouch by the neck, Logan and Suzaku planned to step in but Lelouch waved them off.
"Both of you, stay out of this," Lelouch told them.
"Can't you understand that if you refuse me and what I offer, you will inherit his world, Schneizel's world!" Charles shouted profusely as if he was warning him. "Do not judge me, good and evil intentions are on each side of the same card! Even then, you still have…!"
"No matter what, I will always reject the world you envision," Lelouch promised before flaring his Geass. "BEGONE NOW!"
"NOOOOO!" Charles and Marianne screamed before the last remains of their bodies vanished from existence.
Avalon
Bismarck felt a feeling. It was a feeling of what happened to the Emperor and his plan.
"It can't be!" Bismarck breathed out.
"Can I assume that…?" Schneizel asked for confirmation.
"Yes, His Majesty has now been…"
Bismarck felt sadness over what happened to the Emperor of Britannia.
Proof that the Ragnarok Connection had been stopped was all the warning signals stopping and all the strange tremors affecting different parts of the world had ceased.
C's World
Now with everything settled, Logan went over to C.C.
"C.C, are you alright?" Logan asked.
"I'm more than alright, see for yourself." C.C lifted the bangs around her forehead to reveal that her Code was no longer there.
All three of them back surprised at this as Lelouch spoke. "Your Code?"
"No matter what anyone says, I was also involved with their plan, so it's not like I was innocent," C.C explained. as she stood up. "This was my punishment, the immortal witch is no more."
"Are you upset?" Logan asked.
C.C shook her head. "I'm relieved." She then stood directly in front of him and as if on the spur of the moment, she planted a kiss on Logan's lips, surprising him, Lelouch and Suzaku. "I feel that now I can finally stop accumulating experiences and start living again."
"I see," Logan replied.
"And you three. What are you planning to do now?" She asked them.
"Huh?" Suzaku responded.
"You rejected Charles' plan." C.C pointed out. "Instead, you chose reality and the forward march of time. However…"
"To be honest, I don't know what I should do now," Suzaku admitted dejectedly. "I only came here to kill the Emperor, living behind everything in order to do so, but now, I don't know what comes next."
"In that case, why not come with us?" Lelouch offered him. "I… We all know the truth now, mankind is longing for the future and we need to be the ones to create that future. To that end, I now finally see what it is I should do." He smiled at them. "And we could use your help."
"But, do you believe we can reach that end?" Suzaku asked.
"I do, so why shouldn't you?" Logan reached out his hand. "Suzaku, let's go back to square zero and start over with a clean slate."
Suzaku blinked for a moment before looking down at his hand. The hand of a friend who never betrayed his trust and always stood by him, believing it wouldn't be wrong to place his faith in that, Suzaku reached out and shook his hand, accepting his offer.
Ikaruga Conference Room
A little while later, after everything had been dealt with, the Avalon departed from Kamine Island once they retrieved Anya and subdued the rebel forces. On the other side of things, the Ikaruga closed in on the Island and allowed Lelouch and the others to board the ship within their Knightmares.
Soon enough, they had arrived and entered the conference room, Lelouch and Logan had their masks back on, while C.C stood behind them. They entered the find Kallen, Euphie, Jeremiah, Shirley, Orpheus, Rolo and all the core members of the Black Knights there to welcome them. Kaguya and Xingke were there to.
"Greetings, everyone." Zero addressed them.
"Welcome back you two," Lyra said.
"Was the operation a success?" R.R asked.
"Before we get into that, let's get everything in order," Soul said, looking to Kaguya and Xingke. "I'm assuming you both were informed of everything?"
"We were," Kaguya confirmed.
"There are many things we'd like to confirm, but we're willing to wait for a more appropriate time," Xingke said.
"We appreciate that," Zero said. "Moving on, there's someone else who will be joining us in this discussion."
With that serving as a signal, the door opened again as Suzaku stepped into the room, standing beside Zero and Soul, surprising almost everyone in the room.
"Suzaku…?" Shirley gasped.
"Suzaku is…?" Kallen said surprised.
"Does this mean?" R.R thought.
"Zero, please explain." Diethard requested. "I thought Kururugi was our covert agent who behind the senses against Schneizel. Wouldn't having him here at this point in time jeopardise that role?"
"There is no longer a need for him to play that role." Zero informed him. "Therefore, we brought him here with us."
"Then, Kururugi." Todoh stepped forward. "Are we to take that to mean you are no longer a Knight of Britannia?"
"Correct, after the F.L.E.I.J.A. destroyed the Tokyo Settlement, I deserted the Britannian military," Suzaku said.
Euphie then went up to him, trying to contain the happiness she was feeling right now. "Suzaku."
"Euphie," Suzaku muttered before lowering his head and kneeling before her. "Forgive me, I left your services for so long and I know this sounds incredibly bold, but if you can find it in your heart to forgive my actions, I humbling ask your permission to stand at your side once more."
Euphie kneeled down to place her hand on his shoulder and look him in the eye with a warm smile. "This isn't necessary, please stand. There's no need to ask for forgiveness when you've done no wrong, I'm just happy that you're here now."
Suzaku felt his heart feeling touched when he was able to see the smile of the one he had longed to be reunited with for so long and thus, stood up again. "I thank you."
"My Lord, when you say 'there is no longer a need' can we assume that means you were successful?" Jeremiah asked.
"That's right. The Emperor is now dead." Zero confirmed.
This revelation caught everyone's attention. They weren't too surprised given that they knew that was the reason they went to Kamine Island in the first place, but it was still a lot to take in.
"That's awesome!" Tamaki cheered. "You guys really pulled it off."
"But that begs the question on what our next move should be." Diethard pointed out. "Do you have a plan?"
"About that." Zero began. "I have thought of a plan, our next plan of action. But, it's a very large, full-scale operation with a long-term objective. There'll be a lot to explain so I want you all to hear me out on this. But, if we succeed, then all these battles and this never-ending war can finally be put to an end."
Hearing that made everyone interested to know what this plan was and thus everyone listened as Lelouch explained what he had in mind.
One Month Later
Right now, Milly was giving her news report in the Tokyo Settlement. "It has been one month since the destruction caused by the F.L.E.I.J.A. warhead. Today His Majesty, Emperor Charles, will make an important announcement to the entire nation. We will be bringing you live international coverage of this from Pendragon Imperial Palace. Even though His Majesty has not made any public appearances in the past month."
Imperial Palace, Pendragon, Holy Britannian Empire
Members of the imperial family and other high ranking nobles awaited in the throne for the appearance of the Emperor.
"Didn't somebody say that the Emperor was missing?" Carine asked.
"Bismarck was the one who reported that. Now he is gone." Guinevere said.
"As for Schneizel and the others, where are they?" Odysseus asked concerned.
"Don't know. There's been no word from Cambodia yet." Guinevere said.
A palace guardsman stands in full attention. "Presenting, His Imperial Majesty!"
The people in the throne quiet themselves when the announcement is made. They hear the steps of someone walking from the side to make their way to the throne. However, what they see is not the tall 98th emperor of Britannia; instead, they see a young man in a black school uniform calmly making his way to the throne. As they see this, there is shock and confusion in the faces of the nobles.
"Huh?" Carine was surprised as the others were surprised as well.
"But that's not…" Guinevere muttered.
"Where's his majesty?" Carine asked.
The young man sat down on the throne, getting comfortable.
Makeshift Studio, Tokyo Settlement
"What the hell?" Milly spoke in shock.
Ashford Academy
"Whaaaa!" Rivalz blurted in shock he and some of his classmates were watching on Rivalz's mini television. "It can't be!"
Bridge Aboard The Ikaruga
The core members of the Black Knights, Euphie, Shirley and Viletta were also watching but none of them was shocked to see the person they knew was sitting on the throne.
"So it's begun," Kallen spoke.
Throne Room, Pendragon Imperial Palace
The young man crossed his legs and began to speak with a smile. "Greetings, I am Lelouch Vi Britannia of the royal family, 99th Emperor of the realm."
Unknown Room
Four Knights of the Round; Bismarck, Monica, Gino, and Nonette were shocked at what they were seeing on the television.
"Good lord!" Bismarck blurted in shock.
"How could this be?" Gino muttered in shock, more shocked at the fact the Lelouch he met in Ashford was the same Lelouch of the royal family.
Throne Room
The royal siblings were shocked at the revelation of their long thought dead brother.
"I-It's really you?" Carine asked surprised.
"You're alive?" Guinevere asked surprised.
"Yes sister I am," Lelouch answered looking over at his two half-sisters, "I've returned from the depths of hell intact."
Odysseus walks over with a smile on his face. "Lelouch, how good to see you. When Nunnally was located, I figured that you would be found alive, too. But now, aren't you carrying this joke a bit too far? That's the throne of our father—"
Lelouch interrupted him. "Charles Zi Britannia, the 98th Emperor no longer lives and I'm the one who took his life." He revealed without concern which causes gasps in the throne room. "Therefore, that makes me the next Emperor!"
"What are you saying?" Carine asked in anger. "Are you nuts?"
Guinevere turns her attention to the palace guards in anger. "Guards! Take that fool and execute him! He's guilty of murdering our Emperor!"
The palace guards run with spears pointed at Lelouch. Just as they were about to take him down, Suzaku and Logan jump from the ceiling, with a swift display of martial arts, they broke the spears of the guards and knocking them back as they came down before landing cleanly in front of the throne.
Unknown Room
Bismarck and the other three Knights were surprised once again when they saw their fellow Knight of Round helping Lelouch.
"Logan too?" Gino gasped. "But, why Suzaku?"
Throne Room
Logan and Suzaku moved to the sides of the throne as Suzaku stood at Lelouch's left and Logan stood at his right.
"May I introduce my Knights," Lelouch said. "First, Suzaku Kururugi, formerly a Knight under the previous Emperor. But now, under the New Knights of the Round that I establish, I grant him the title of my "Knight of One"." Lelouch declared before pointing to Logan. "And, Logan Raymond, my personal Knight. A Knight of the Round above all others. I grant him the title "Knight of Zero"."
Odysseus was not amused by all of this. "Lelouch, Sir Kururugi, this just won't do. Pulling a bad stunt like this on an international broadcast…"
"Brother, it is your tone with me that just won't do," Lelouch countered.
"Lelouch, I insist that you stop joking around like this," The first prince countered back as if he was scolding a misbehaving child.
"Prince Odysseus, I must insist you stop being disrespectful towards his majesty." Suzaku requested, sounding like an order.
"It's in your best interest to stand down, First Prince," Logan added giving Odysseus a cold stare.
"This is ridiculous!" Guinevere declared, "We will not stand for this!"
"Yeah!" Carine added. "Just who do you think you are?"
"Who am I?" Lelouch simply chuckled as he stood up from the throne and snapped his fingers. "Why don't I show you!"
Soldiers burst in the door and started surrounding the throne room. The soldiers saluted their new Emperor and Jeremiah along with Rolo walked in leading them, they both stopped in front of Lelouch, stood on one knee and bowed to their Emperor. Other nobles in the throne nodded to each other and the soldiers and gave their salute to Lelouch as well. The royal siblings and other high ranking nobles that didn't do that were shocked at the display that they were doing. Some asked them what the meaning of this manner was. The nobles that bowed to Lelouch simply gave them a smile and turned their attention to Lelouch.
"In the time since I killed our father, I've taken control of over 70% of all Britannian military, I've even gained the support of a few nobles," Lelouch announced. "To put it in simple terms, I now control more power than anyone in Britannia."
"How, that can't be possible in such a short amount of time?" Guinevere was in disbelief.
"You'd be surprised how easy it was to turn others to join our cause," Logan said. "When he truly demands it, no one can refuse our Emperor."
"Not to mention the fact that it doesn't take much for a man to hate his own country or its ruler," Suzaku added. "Our numbers will only keep growing."
"Understand now, I've already won." Lelouch proclaimed. "Besides, what reason do any of you have to deny me? Our father always made it a strong belief and duty for the strong to devour the weak. So, since I was able to take him down, it just proves that he himself became weak and I was stronger. And by that logic, I am the one who was more fit to rule."
Lelouch's siblings and the nobles opposing Lelouch were caught off guard with that statement.
"Let's hear it for our Emperor, Lelouch Vi Britannia!" Jeremiah declared with his fist in the air. "ALL HAIL LELOUCH!"
"ALL HAIL LELOUCH!" The knights, the soldiers and the nobles who pleaded loyalty to the 99th Emperor chanted.
"ALL HAIL LELOUCH!"
"ALL HAIL LELOUCH!"
"ALL HAIL LELOUCH!"
"ALL HAIL LELOUCH!"
C.C, in her white straight jacket, was standing in the side from where Lelouch came and looked around as the chants continued.
Lelouch, Suzaku, Logan, Rolo and Jeremiah all stood there with pride and satisfaction that everything was going the way they planned as the chanting continued.
Cambodia
In a room somewhere based in Cambodia, Diethard, Kanon, Cornelia, Darlton and Schneizel, who was sitting in a chair and holding his white king chess piece was watching the event going on in the Pendragon Imperial Palace. Schneizel was amused at the development while the others were shocked at what was going on.
"I need to thank you, Lelouch," Schneizel said. "Now that you and the other Geass users have reappeared on the scene, we no longer have a problem to contend with."
"But why is Kururugi helping him?" Cornelia asked with confusion. "What's his reason?"
"He succeeds in furthering himself by continually betraying others," Kanon commented.
"Don't be concerned," Schneizel said with confidence. "Let Lelouch have all of it. Because it doesn't matter. He can have Britannia, the whole nation. The question is what comes next. Which will control the world? Will it be Lelouch's Geass power or will it be…"
—
To Be Continued
And that's the chapter.
First of all, I decided to add the extra effect of having C.C lose her Code because I always found it had on how C.C didn't suffer any negative effects from C's World just because she "changed her mind at the last minute" or something. So, I figured this was good enough, plus, having immortality won't really serve a purpose anymore so it's not like she needs it anymore, so it's no real loss.
Moving on, if I'm being honest, I had a few other ideas on what the story's end game could have been beside the Emperor Lelouch route, a few of them I think could have been interesting. But, in the end, I thought of an ending I'd be most satisfied with and that involved Emperor Lelouch, plus, when you get right down to it, Lelouch is the best possible choice among the main cast to rule the world successfully.
As for what the big final plan he came up with and told the Black Knights was, you'll have to wait before you hear the details.
So see you next time, hope you enjoyed, if you liked the story leave a review, if you want more clicked the follow/favourite, if you want an early release feel free to become a patron and as always people have an awesome day.