Chapter 18: Zero's Revenge
When you create, the creation will fight back.
-A widespread maxim
Part 44: Early Warning
It was nine in the morning and Lelouch, the ninety-ninth emperor of Holy Britannia was still asleep in his bedchamber. A slight draft from the wide window of his bedroom blew in as he tossed to one side. A sudden knocking noise disturbed him from his slumber. C.C. was holding his arm while they were asleep but was not disturbed by the heavy racket. Lelouch carefully removed her arms and replaced it with his pillow and got out of bed to fetch the door.
Lelouch unlocked the door with a sleepy look, hunched and weak. "What is it," Lelouch stated directly.
"Your majesty, I bring to you urgent and dire news!" the young messenger exclaimed with an alarmed expression.
Lelouch walked out of his room, hid the door behind him and questioned, "Tell me, what news is so important that I cannot rest in this hour."
"Your benevolent excellency, the Black Knights have declared war against Holy Britannia!" the messenger humbly replied.
"Impossible! Zero is dead and I paid Britannia's reparations to previously owned colonies. There is no way they would rebel," Lelouch exclaimed, "What is their motive?"
"They said they fight for Zero's vengeance," the messenger said.
"That is just silly. Then who is their leader now with Zero gone," Lelouch inquired.
"Former Prince Schneizel of Holy Britannia and Lady Kaguya of the Kaguya Conglomerate, your royal highness," the messenger announced.
"This is inconceivable! They have a certain degree of wisdom, why would they do something so naïve," he asked.
"That is something I cannot answer, your royal highness," the messenger spoke with deepest respect for his regal status.
"This is bad but I know just how to destroy them!" Lelouch said as he pounded his fist on his hand, "They are old enemies chained by old traditions."
"You are dismissed," Lelouch ordered the messenger's leave.
The messenger bowed and marched away, leaving the quick-witted emperor alone.
Lelouch contemplated on this serious issue outside his bedroom. He paced forward, backwards, down the hall and thought silently to himself, "Shit! My sister is in the hands of the former Black Knights and the Lancelot and Guren as well! I know Kallen and Suzaku will probably refuse to fight against me, especially Suzaku for he listens only to my command. The Chinese Federation have vowed not to subject themselves to become an aggressor nation, so they leave the picture. That leaves Schneizel and Lady Kaguya left to kill. However, as a security measure, I must contact Suzaku."
Lelouch entered his room and discovered C.C. rubbing her eyes from her awakening. "Hello dear, you are unusually early this morning," she said after a light yawn, "Is something troubling you?"
"It's nothing," Lelouch said as he made his way back to bed.
"What are we going to do today Lelouch," C.C. said with a warm embrace. With a bright smile, she leaned onto his arm and touched his chest.
"I have to summon the court of security," Lelouch replied peevishly.
"I thought nothing was troubling you? What is it now?" C.C. asked.
"My love, there is nothing to worry about, Kaguya just wants revenge for Zero's death and I can handle this without any difficulty," Lelouch tried to calm her but sounded anxious as well, "Just hang in there, I promise everything will revert back to normal."
"Kaguya is but a blind girl encased within a strong corpse," C.C. compared.
"Do not underestimate her, my love; she is wealthy, powerful and collaborating with my able-minded brother Schneizel," Lelouch warned.
"What can a rogue prince and deposed puppet businesswomen do when the world follows your dictums?" C.C. asked.
"It is uncertain but anything that stands in my way or the in the way of the collectives' ideals must be vanquished for they are a cancer to our habitual wellbeing," Lelouch said.
"I see, you think you are the lord of this world," C.C. said as she trailed her hand down his side and caressed his body.
Lelouch did not respond, got up and left the room. C.C. watched him leave and looked at the bed sheets in a blue manner. She thought, "Lelouch, my heart longs for your tenderness for it stimulates my heart. But I worry about your wellbeing. I do not want to see you, of all people, go down the path of Geass. Nobody has shown me such great sincerity to touch my heart; nobody gave me this luxury called affection. This is all because I love you for life. Oh Lelouch, you are so strong at times but sometimes you are blinded by the people you hold dear. I beg for you to be happy. I beg of you, my indispensible lover."
Lelouch made his way down the palace corridor to a large office room and called Suzaku with the phone lying on a large desk, "Suzaku, it is me Lelouch."
"Hey Lelouch, so I heard you are the famous emperor of Britannia now! Nice work rerouting the world from its crappiness," his friend spoke casually over the phone.
"Listen, have you gotten any word from your cousin?" Lelouch asked.
"No, but rumours say she met up with your brother Schneizel and wants to re-establish the Black Knights."
"Is Nunnally safe then?" Lelouch asked.
"She is safe with me and Kallen comes by to check on her from time to time."
"Good to hear things are going fine. Listen Suzaku, you are my friend and I trust you more than most people so I ask of you, do not let Nunnally fall into Lady Kaguya or Schneizel's hands. On top of that, do not fight for them as well. Tell Kallen that too."
"Alright, I won't."
"Promise me Nunnally's safety?"
"I promise. Don't worry, I got it under control. Say, do you want to speak with Nunnally?"
"Please do, I haven't heard her voice for so long."
Lelouch waited for Nunnally to respond after the momentary intermission, "Hello Nunnally."
"Lelouch, I haven't talked to you for quite some time now and I was a little worried," she returned with a vibrant voice.
"Don't worry; I am fine here with C.C."
"You are living with C.C. in the Imperial Palace?"
"Yes and I want you to join us sometime soon."
"How are things going with C.C.?"
"Oh nothing much, I am working on restructuring all of Britannia and making it a happier place."
"Do emperors go on dates with their favourite girl?"
"Don't think that way Nunnally, C.C. is important to me but you are someone I cannot lose. You are my favourite girl."
"Do you remember your promise back at Ashford Academy?"
"Yes, I promise when you can see again, the world would be a kind and gentler place."
"I just wish that were possible."
"Don't worry, I have directed a lot of the aristocracy's money into medical research and the curing of your type of blindness is one of the top on the list."
"Lelouch, I know you are very dedicated and all but I think that is not necessary."
"Nonsense! The world is beautiful and I want you to experience it with your own two eyes!"
"Lelouch."
"What is it Nunnally?"
"I want to thank you for taking good care of me. I know it isn't much but can you reserve the Garden of Exelica for just the two of us?"
"I will Nunnally, that place was where our childhood was. I cannot let it be littered by the trash of city folk and tourists."
"I wish I could be there but it is hard for me to move around you know."
Lelouch gave out a heart-warming laugh and replied, "Nunnally, I will arrange a flight for you."
"Hope to see you sometime soon," she replied.
Lelouch laughed at that comment and said, "Same here, bye."
He hung up and thought to himself, "This is bad. I created the figure Zero, I created the Black Knights and I was the one who fought against Holy Britannia. Now, my own creation and self is tormenting me! What did I do wrong? Why is this world so difficult to work with?" He kicked the door and punched it repeatedly with angst.
After a couple of deep breaths, he gave out a sigh and thought, "She must not get hurt, for if she does my purpose here would drop to nil."
Meanwhile, halfway across the globe…
"Is the Damocles ready," Schneizel asked.
"Not yet, the warheads and main engines haven't been installed yet," a hunchbacked man replied.
"Get it finished by the end of this week or I will have your head!" Schneizel ordered.
The man jumped startled and humbly replied, "Yes your highness, it would be finished by then."
Prince Schneizel had always desired for the throne since early childhood. He felt he was the superior prince of all his siblings and wanted the world to follow his lead. As an adult, he demonstrated his superiority by supporting several classified research projects, developments of armaments and diplomacy. For three years, Prince Schneizel served as Holy Britannia's prime minister and second in line for the throne. But now, Lelouch grabbed that privilege away and this infuriated him since he is forced to seek refuge in Cambodia. Schneizel never tolerated failure, never showed signs of regret; he wanted revenge for Lelouch's unexpected ascension.
"Prince Schneizel, we must contact the emperor of Britannia face to face," Kaguya suggested as she entered the scene.
"I will deal with that matter myself," Schneizel returned with a straight face.
"But I want to lambast that no-good king," Kaguya said.
"This is an affair between my brother and me!"
"I must avenge for Zero! I want to tell him how I feel about Zero!"
"Foolish girl, do you know Zero isn't dead?"
"How is that possible? That evil Lelouch vi Britannia executed my saviour!"
"You are so naïve, believing in everything you hear or see."
"What are you trying to say?"
"So you haven't figured out Lelouch was Zero."
"No! There is no way that villainous tyrant could ever be Zero! Zero was the most just of men, I loved that man. He wanted to free the Japanese from slavery, and Lelouch enslaved the entire upper class!"
"Why would Lelouch liberate Area 11, why would he execute the aristocracy, why would he kill Zero? Weren't you even a little suspicious about Zero's disappearance when Lelouch ascended the throne?"
"No, those points do not suffice as evidence!"
"Must I tell you that Holy Britannia knew of Zero's true identity for quite some time? My father was the one who revealed Zero's true identity to me nearly two weeks ago. That tremendously shocked my nerves. Had I known earlier, my brother Odysseus, who was next in line for the throne, would not have been killed."
Kaguya gaped at what was a horrific revelation to her, "I can't believe it! I was there! I was beside him all along!"
"Now I have opened your eyes," Prince Schneizel said, "Now you will understand the big picture of things."
"That coward deceived me! I fell for him but now I know the truth behind his mask! I will kill him myself if I have to," she yelled ferociously.
"People are never born equal like that fool Zero believed. The poor become poorer and the rich become richer. The weak exist to serve the strong. That is how the world, no the universe works! You are a businesswoman so you understand this crystal clear. His ideals are just a romantic sham; they are not meant to last!"
"The only regret I had in my life was falling for that idiot idealist Lelouch vi Britannia!" Kaguya alarmed.
"My accomplice, hate him let us take him down! Once we apprehend this wretch, I will give you unlimited power! Join me and we will rule the world!" Prince Schneizel exclaimed. They shook hands and pledged to each other in destroying Lelouch's pacific regime.
Lelouch and C.C. were alone in the throne room. The entire hall was empty for the aristocracy have been crushed beneath his regal trampling. A recorded video message played on a wide holographic screen before their faces; it was Prince Schneizel speaking:
Lelouch vi Britannia, we the Black Knight now know you used Geass for your ascension. This is family shame! You are nothing but an over-privileged vermin for you have fed off too much of this world for your vengeful crusade. You have always spoken eloquent words of ending exploitation but you yourself are the living example of an overlord who does the same! You used the Black Knights to rise up the echelons of society. You used Lady Kaguya to finance your malefic plans. You relied on their servitude to slaughter everything that crossed your path. In the end, do you know what you are? You are a fool who wanted radical change and changes for yourself! You are a coward, selfish and nihilistic. You are corrupt and malicious beyond description! You are a sinner of ten thousand generations! Lelouch vi Britannia, look at yourself and see the demon inside of you or die under the sheer power of my flames! I will vindicate for the friends and family who were meaninglessly sacrificed for your lame ambitions! On the fifth of November, we will meet again in the Pacific!
"That was all," Lelouch responded to the short message. Nonetheless, Lelouch watched the entire video two more times and commented, with a tired expression, "That was the quintessence of lame." Lelouch rewound the message and inspected the background. He noticed a gigantic fortress behind his brother on the screen. It was nothing like he have seen before and he thought, "What is that. Where is he?"
C.C. was holding her Chizu-kun doll in and sat on the chair beside Lelouch. Lelouch stared at the widescreen and said, "I know something is troubling you C.C. You have something to ask me so spill it out and don't act all cutesy to lighten the mood, it won't work."
C.C. hugged her doll tightly and responded to his hostile remark, "Then I'll be blunt about this. Do you hate me for giving you Geass?"
"You asked me this before. I said no, what more do you want to know?" Lelouch returned.
"Then why do you show signs of despair?" C.C. asked.
"I am beginning to regret ever rebelling against Holy Britannia," Lelouch replied with a moody look.
"Why? Isn't this what you wanted to achieve?"
"Why not? C.C., my determination brought me to the top of the chain but at what cost is the question. I traversed this difficult road and lost everything I cared for in my youth: the death of my dearest siblings, Clovis, Euphemia and Cornelia; the toll of losing my friends at Ashford Academy. I do not have my trusted companion Suzaku with me anymore and my prized fighter Kallen Stadtfeld. Finally my dear sister is no longer in sight. She was my entire motivation and I fought because of her: I fought for her happiness and our freedom."
"I see, you grieve for the death of your friends and family, the downfall of your happiness. I felt the same centuries ago and ever since, I have lived a lonely life. I lost all hope for caring about another person and the need to experience life died along with it."
"It was my entire fault, not Geass, not yours; I could never blame it all on you! They were all my decisions!"
"But you have me beside you all this time. All along, I supported your crusade and achievements. In a sense, I contributed for the deaths of everyone."
"C.C., you are trustworthy because you treat everything like a contract. You see the relationship between two a pact governed by strict conditions, rules and goals. You are neutral, immortal, unchanged and unmoved. I repeat this again, you did not instil this bloodshed; I did. You only accelerated my progress. I thank you for always being beside me when I needed you."
"Lelouch, I have a confession to make. I am no longer the same contractor you once met back in Shinjuku. I am no longer a prisoner to Britannia and their painful Geass experiments. I am not C.C. anymore, not after I met you."
"Then may I ask you one simple question? You probably heard this throughout your life in solitude. Who are you?" She was trying to say, 'I have feelings now and I thank you for restoring them for me.'
"I am…" she was interrupted.
Lelouch placed his fingers on her lips and said, "Nuh uh uh, speak no more! I know who you are! Sorry, my question was meaningless."
C.C. stared at Lelouch with a surprised look and he continued, "My point was… my dreams were so big that I had to sacrifice everything around me in exchange for the existence to be realized."
"Others before you have experienced the same and paid the toll by secluding themselves from everyone else."
"Look, you are immortal, you cannot leave this world. I have to say, if you weren't immortal, I would have lost you since the day you gave me Geass."
"My love, what are you insinuating?"
"Never mind, it was nothing. I have you to live on and I promised you as well."
"Lelouch," C.C. said.
"Yes my lovely queen," Lelouch spoke with a soft stare.
"You are the most interesting man I had ever met," she placed her hand on top of his left.
"To make things more interesting, I will prepare all the force required to end this stupid quarrel. My brother Schneizel will receive one hell of a blow to his arrogant head," the young emperor declared with a sinister smile.