Crap, I forgot it was update day today. Well, only three and a half hours late, hey?

Alright then. Let's laugh at everyone's wrong answers.

NightmareSyndrom, you are WRONG!

Heraklinos, you are WRONG!
Also, technically there are nine alignments. And Sonic Mindscrewdrivers don't need sharpening.

Karasu, trust me when I tell you that this is relevant to the plot. Also, you are WRONG!

Naru-Chan? Me? Losing my touch? WRONG!

Anyone else? No? Then lets start pumping out answers.

-}+{-

I've been having these weird thoughts lately.

Like… is any of this real? Or not?

Why did Zero have my face? How did he disappear?

Am I insane? Am I wrong?

No… I am not wrong…

But… then who is..?

"It's similar, isn't it?" Suzaku asked Lelouch at the crime scene.

"Good eye." Lelouch replied. "The burns cover most of his skin, but you can still see the damage done by a tentacled creature. His right arm was violently torn off at the shoulder, as was his left leg at the knee."

"Still, that ruins your theory about the motive of these attacks being sexual." Suzaku added, crouching next to his partner. "Unless there's signs of this corpse being violated too?"

"Another angle could be that the killer is a violent monster that the first victim gave birth to." Lelouch suggests, furrowing his eyebrow. "Impossible as that is, don't forget that you lit this cigarette with blue fire from your thumb."

"True." Suzaku sighed. "Still, you're oddly calm for a possible paranormal case."

"I've seen worse." Lelouch scowled, remembering that time he entered C.C.'s mind. "Let's let the CSI's take a look at him." he yawned, standing up and walking away from the body. "I'm off home. Hopefully there'll still be some meat left."

Suzaku sighed as Lelouch stepped through the yellow tape and flicked his cigarette butt. "Shouldn't you be quitting?" he asked his partner. "What with the baby on the way?"

"I don't smoke around the house." Lelouch pointed out. "Besides, helps me think."

"That's the narcotics talking." Suzaku told him. "You've just associated the calmness of a nicotine fix with being able to think straight."

Lelouch stopped, then became surrounded in a dark mist. "Haze." Lelouch explained, shoving the box of cigarettes into his partner's chest before leaving. "There, happy?"

"Thanks for looking after him for the week." Cornelia told her sister.

"Oh, not a problem." Euphemia told her sister with a smile, glancing at her sleeping nephew. "Suzaku's going to be busy settling into his new job, so I'll be glad for the company. Besides," Euphie giggled. "Lelouch isn't the easiest person to work with, is he?"

"No, he isn't." Cornelia agreed with a laugh. "Well, I'd best be going. Morty's waiting."

Lelouch shoved the leftover steak into the microwave to heat up once he got in.

The kitchen was dark and empty, silent except for the hum of the microwave and the drumming of Lelouch's fingers on the worktop.

'I need a smoke.' Lelouch thought. 'No, I don't. Stop lying to me, me.'

"After all, I AM you!"

Lelouch grabbed his forehead and grunted. "Bastard…" he hissed.

"What were you saying earlier?"

Lelouch glanced at C.C. who was wearing one of his shirts. "You said you were going mad." She continued, walking up to the table and leaning onto the back of one of the chairs. "Talk to me."

Lelouch sighed. He knew better than to try to hide things from her. "I saw Zero in the burning apartment, but he wasn't there."

"Is that it?" C.C. asked him, her face impassive.

"He also took his mask off."

C.C.'s eyebrows raised and her mouth opened slightly.

"It was me when I was younger." Lelouch sighed. "I fired a shot, but he just vanished. Do you know something about it?" he asked her, noticing that she was glancing away.

"Nothing." C.C. lied with a sigh. "I'm just worried about you…"

The microwave pinged, and Lelouch decided not to press it further.

Prince Clovis put the telephone down by his throne. "Are you satisfied?" He asked the man pointing a gun at him.

"Very." The man stated. "Well done."

"And what shall we do now?" Clovis asked. "Sing a few lively ballads, or perhaps a nice game of chess?"

"That has a familiar ring." The faceless man replied as the world blacked out as he removed his mask. "Don't you recall?" the man asked the prince. "The two of us used to battle together as boys. Of course," the gunman sneered. "I would always win."

"Y-you…" Clovis gasped.

"It's been a long time, big brother." The gunman chuckled. "The eldest son of the late consort Marianne and seventeenth in line to the imperial throne, Lelouch vi Britannia, at your service."

Clovis's horror turned to shock and then to delight. "L-Lelouch-!" The delight turned to terror as he realized the man he was pointing a gun at his head. "B-But I thought—"

"That I was dead? You were wrong" gunman paused. "I have returned, Your Highness, and I've come back to change everything."

Clovis smiled. "I'm overjoyed, Lelouch!" He declared, standing to his feet. "They say you died once Japan was brought into the fold. What a blessing to have you back, we should depart for the homeland immediately."

"So you can use me as a tool of diplomacy." Lelouch sighed, shaking his head. "It seems you forgotten why we were used as tools in the first place."

Clovis gasped. "That's right." Lelouch told him. "It was because my mother was killed."

Lelouch stepped closer to his half-brother. "Mother held the title of Knight of Honour, but was a commoner by birth. No doubt the other imperial consorts held her in contempt. Even though you made it look like the work of terrorists, I'm no fool!" He shouted. "You people killed my mother!"

"It wasn't me!" Clovis protested. "I swear to you it wasn't!"

"Then tell me everything you know." Lelouch ordered. "The truth cannot be hidden from me any longer. By whose hands was she slain?" He demanded, activating his Geass.

"My brother, Second Prince Schneizel and Second Princess Cornelia." Clovis answered dutifully. "They can tell you."

"They were at the heart of this?" Lelouch asked, deactivating his Geass. "That's all that you know, isn't it?"

"I swear it wasn't me!" Clovis insisted in fear. "I have… nothing to do with it!"

"I believe you." Lelouch responded, lowering his gun. "However…"

Lelouch stepped forward and put the gun to his half-brother's forehead. "Please, you can't!" Prince Clovis begged. "We may have different mothers, but you and I are still blood!"

Lelouch smiled. "You can't change the world without getting your hands dirty."

BLAM

Blood and grey matter splattered on the wall, and Clovis fell back into his seat as blood seeped from the bullet hole in his forehead. Lelouch then took some pokéballs from his belt and placed them onto a table, before replacing his helmet and walking away from the murder scene.

Lelouch sat bolt upright in his bed, before rushing out to vomit in the bathroom sink. 'What..?' he asked. 'But… why was the dream from the killers perspective… and why did he think the killer was me..?'

Lelouch looked up and saw himself sneering maliciously in the mirror, a single Geass blazing. He blinked in shock and saw his normal reflection. "Dammit…" he sighed. "I need help…"

Lelouch was on time for work the next day, and was sat at his desk for a good hour before Milly saw fit to roar for him.

The detective stood up and smiled pleasantly. "Yes Ma'am!" he called back politely, before walking towards Da Chief's office.

Rivalz dropped his cup of water from the cooler in shock and spilled water all over Kallen.

She didn't even notice she was wet.

"That… was Lelouch, right?"

"You know, at times like this, I like to consult my coffee for advice." Milly told a bored Lelouch and a nervous Suzaku minutes later. "A fresh cup of coffee and some milk can be very helpful when I'm deciding what to do."

She opened the packet of milk and poured it into the milk, watching it without stirring it. "Did you see that?" she asked the two detectives. "Clear as a fresh spring morning- F.K., in my coffee. Know what that means?" she asked.

"Um, no sir." Suzaku replied as Lelouch yawned.

"IT'S TELLING ME TO FIRE YOUR ASSES FOR BEING SUCH SCREWUPS!" Milly shouted.

"Wouldn't that be F.T.A. for 'Fire Their Asses' at least?" Lelouch asked. "I'm your best detective, and I can't see how you'd get that from milk forming the letter's F and K."

Milly glared at him, and replied by splashing the scalding coffee into his face.

"Anyway, it could be argued that the bomb that destroyed the crime scene wasn't your fault due to the obvious lack of EVIDENCE, but that doesn't give you an excuse to shoot up the place afterwards." Da Chief added, pouring herself some more coffee as Lelouch screamed.

Lelouch pulled a Lava Cookie out of his pocket and bit down into it, thankful of its healing properties as the scalds began to fade. "However, you two are also the most suitable team to investigate the third victim of this case, so the get back to work."

"Third victim?" Suzaku asked. "Who?"

"Kanon Maldini." Milly replied distantly, handing Lelouch the case file. "Schneizel's secretary/bumchum."

"Eh?" Suzaku asked as Lelouch flicked it open. "Wait, Your brother is gay?"

Suzaku was answered by Milly splashing hot coffee into his face. "We do not tolerate homophobia in this office, Kururugi." Da Chief warned him.

"For the record, he's a pansexual." Lelouch sighed, closing the case. "Doesn't care if you're male, female or genderless, as long as you're interesting, you arouse his interest."

"Ah, oh…" Suzaku nodded, ignoring the scalding coffee dripping from his face. "Right, okay…"

Rivalz and Kallen were still in shock at Lelouch's behavior an hour later as they drove down to the docks.

"I mean… that was Lelouch…" Rivalz asked his partner with uncertainty "...right?"

"I already told you, I don't know!" Kallen snapped.

"Maybe the pressure of the murders on top of the Zero case finally made him snap?" Rivalz pondered. "Or maybe he's just… hello!"

Rivalz pulled the car over by the waterside and got out, eying up some crates marked with the Rocket 'R'. He turned back to Kallen, grinning. "What did I tell you? Anonymous drop off in the morning! And you wanted to wait until nightfall…"

"Hey, we don't have search warrants." Kallen warned him.

Rivalz grinned. "Oh, I know, relax… Oh no, I slipped." He announced, making an exaggerated fake trip-up and lashed out with his bionic arm at one of the crates to steady himself.

THUNK

"Oh no. One of my arm-blades is stuck in this crate." Rivalz said, winking at Kallen. "I hope I don't bust it open as I free myself. That would be bad, but perfectly understandable, wouldn't it?"

"What the hell?" a voice shouted as two Rocket members ran up to the police officers.

"Chiba. Asahina." Rivalz nodded, recognizing the two Rocket henchmen. "Could you guys do me a favour and open up this crate? My hand is stuck, you see…"

"Cut the crap." Chiba snarled.

Kallen stepped in. "Fine, we'll get right to the point. This is a new shipment, right?" she asked. "Open them."

"We have an agreement." Asahina growled. "Back off."

The two sides faced off against each other, neither backing down.

"It's been a while, Kallen." a fifth voice said. They turned to see Toudou approach. "Why is the police taking so much interest in a standard shipment?"

"There's been a pokémon related murder and we're confiscating anything tentacle based until we find the culprit." replied Kallen.

"And you think we did it?" scowled Toudou. "When it was Urabe who was killed?"

Kallen's eyes widened in shock. "Urabe is dead?"

"How do we know it wasn't an internal dispute?" asked Rivalz.

Kallen shook her head. "No… Urabe was loyal…"

Rivalz frowned, and was about to ask how she knew this, but he realised something. "Hey, seriously, could one of you open this crate? My arm actually is stuck…"

In one smooth motion, Toudou drew his katana and split the crate in two, freeing Rivalz and spilling several bound packages on the ground. "Slowpoke Tails. They've become quite the delicacy as of late." the Rocket Admin explained, turning away. "Now, if you are quite done obstructing business, present a warrant or leave."

Rivalz rose to make an argument, but then saw Kallen's troubled face. She turned and headed back for the squad car. "Let's just go."

Rivalz nodded and followed her, making one last motion with his fingers, pointing at his eyes. "I got my eyes on you, Rockets!"

"Reassuring." muttered Toudou, watching them drive off as Chiba and Asahina recovered the spilled Slowpoke Tails.

"Again, it's similar, yet not the same." Lelouch noted at the crime scene.

"Yeah, the killer seemed to grab the victim's wrist, them pull into a strike to the throat." Suzaku noted, standing up. "Know what else is strange?" he asked.

"No sign of a struggle at any of the crime scenes?" Lelouch asked.

Suzaku nodded. "Even if he victims knew the killer, the pain of the attack would make them scramble, or at least do something." He said. "It's as if the corpses were planted in each crime scene."

"Problem is, from the blood splatter and the staining, we know the victims died where we found them." Lelouch sighed with a growl. "The autopsy showed no signs of sedatives or poisons being used on the victim, so they were conscious when they were attacked-"

"Or they were sleeping in unusual spots within their homes or offices." Suzaku suggested.

"Or that." Lelouch nodded. "Problem is, there's no other visible connection between the three victims." He sighed. "Normally, this would be where we start interrogating the families and friends, but apparently there aren't any apart from those that worked with Kanon."

Suzaku sighed, sitting down on a window sill and pulling out a plastic bag from his pocket. "Is it wrong that I can eat at a time like this?" he asked, pulling out the sandwich.

"Depends what you're eating." Lelouch shrugged, glancing at the clock. "I could go for some food. What've you got there?"

"Turkey, Strawberry Jam, and Cereal." Suzaku replied with a smile. "The Sinners Sandwich."

"That's just wrong." Lelouch grimaced. "Euphie make that? She's always been rather inventive with her cooking."

Suzaku was about to defend his girlfriend, but his pokégear started ringing instead. "Hello?" he asked.

_\_ "I-It's Daniel…" _\_ Euphie gasped.

Suzaku stood to his feet. "Calm down." He told her. "What's happened to Daniel."

_\_ "He-he's dead…" _\_ Euphie gasped. _\_ "I-I don't know how, b-but he…" _\_

"What do you know about the Rockets?" Rivalz asked his partner. Kallen gave him a sideways glare from her seat in the squad car, but he didn't back down. "I'm serious. How can you be so sure they're not behind this?"

"I'm on your side, okay?" Kallen told him angrily. "I'm on your side, and Lelouch's and Da Chief's. Just… trust me."

"I do trust you," Rivalz replied without a moments hesitation. "But if you know something that could help…"

"…I wasn't always…" Kallen muttered. Rivalz frowned at her, and she sighed. "I'm on your side… but I wasn't always. I have my connections with Team Rocket."

Rivalz opened his mouth to reply, but couldn't find the words. "Oh…" was all he could manage.

"Look, Toudou and his four Swords, they're old school." Kallen explained. "Toudou is loyal to Silver, the Swords are loyal to Toudou, and everybody is loyal to the Swords. If it was an internal thing, someone up the ladder would have given us a heads up."

"Could it have been Zero then?" mused Rivalz. "Rumour has it old Lulu went toe-to-toe with him at the first victim's apartment yesterday…"

"Who knows. That man is obsessed…" Kallen yawned, grateful for the change of subject. "Man, I'm tired."

"Lunch?" Rivalz offered.

Kallen smiled. "Well, if you're paying…"

Suzaku comforted Euphie as Lelouch investigated the murder scene of his nephew- Cornelia's son.

'How am I able to keep a clear head at a time like this…?' Lelouch asked himself as he examined the body. 'This is my own flesh-and-blood practically, and I'm investigating this like it's any other crime scene- not even the death of a little boy…'

Lelouch shook his head. 'Focus on the scene, like you were earlier…'

He stood up and looked around the room. Near the door was a spilt bowl of cereal on a tray- Euphie had been bringing him breakfast in bed at the time.

There was a notebook on the table with bloodstains on it. 'A note from the killer..?'

Lelouch walked over and examined it. 'No, this is Euphie's handwriting… Nunnally mentioned she was writing a book or something…'

Lelouch picked up the page and began reading.

Long long ago, there was a monster without a heart.

It looked with jealousy at the other monsters, and envied their hearts, and the love the humans had for those monsters with hearts.

"If only I had a heart." the monster thought, "Then I too would be loved like the others."

So the monster came down from the sky, and it set out on a journey to take a heart.

It split into two, in search for a heart.

One half of the monster went far away, to strange lands in order to search for a heart.

But the other half of the monster found a beautiful young lady, who took the monster lovingly and gave it a name.

She raised the monster like her own child- giving it support, cherishing it, disciplining it when it did wrong, helping it make friends.

The monster was happy.

One day, the monster saw some strange men. They wanted to hurt the young lady.

The monster didn't like that. These men had hearts, and they refused to love the lady like the lady loved the monster.

The monster grew angry, and it took the hearts from the evil men.

The lady screamed.

She screamed in terror at the monster she had raised, beating it with sticks and ordering the monster to leave.

The monster took her heart too.

The monster went out into the village, and its friends turned against it too.

The monster took their hearts too.

Soon, the monster had many hearts, but it was all alone.

One day, it met with the other half of the monster. "Did you find your heart?" the monster that stayed asked. "I found many hearts. Look at all the hearts that I have."

"I did not find a heart." The monster that left said. "But I found something better. I found that I was happy without a heart."

"But you need a heart to be happy." The monster that stayed said. "Happiness comes from the heart."

"Love comes from the heart, but Happiness is in the mind." The monster that left told it. "I realised that I could be happy as a heartless monster, and that's what I became. I am happy with what I am; I do not need a heart."

The monster that stayed grew angry, and took the brain from the monster that left.

Then the monster that stayed realised.

A heart that is all alone is nothing but a heart of pain.

In fact, life as a heartless monster was happier, much happier, than that of a monster with many hearts.

Lelouch dropped the notepad and stepped backwards, clutching his head.

He'd never, ever read that passage before.

No, no he had never read that before.

But he'd read something like it.

'Where… where…?'

"Mirage Island…" Lelouch whispered, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket and twirling it between his fingers.

'I remember. I was there with Euphie… and there were those metal tablets with Braille… why…?'

"How're we doing?" Suzaku asked.

Lelouch caught the cigarette in his hand. "I'm too emotionally involved in this case." Lelouch said. "I'm stepping down."

"Wait, WHAT?" Suzaku shouted, grabbing Lelouch by the scruff of his neck. "You're the best damned detective on the force and you're leaving?"

"I haven't been able to think straight since last night." Lelouch told him. "And the way you are, you'll jump on the first suspect I come up with, you'll be convinced he did it."

Suzaku snarled at him, then dropped his partner. "Dammit…" he growled. "One day." He said. "We take the rest of the day off, come back with clear heads, alright?"

Lelouch nodded. "Get Rivalz and Kallen on the case." He said. "Help Euphie, Cornelia and Morty—".

'The child has black hair.'

Lelouch squatted near the corpse. 'Cornelia inherited her purple hair from her mother, and carries Father's recessive gene for brown hair… Morty's family are all blondes… so if neither of them carry the gene for black hair…'

"Lelouch?" Suzaku asked.

"Daniel was adopted, wasn't he?" Lelouch asked. "Because I don't remember Cornelia ever being pregnant."

"Y-yeah…" Euphie managed. "He's an orphan from a London orphanage…"

'That used to be our capital city, until we moved to Pendragon city in Arizona…' Lelouch remembered, clutching his forehead. 'But… Dad's the Governor of Zero City… not the Emperor of Britannia…'

'Wait… who is?' Lelouch asked, before realising.

'Charles Zi Britannia… it's kinda in the name…'

"I need to go." Lelouch told his partner, rising to his feet. "I've gotta clear my head."

"I don't blame you." Suzaku sighed, leading Euphie away from the gruesome scene as Lelouch got his head together.

Lelouch drove absently through the city, actually closing his eyes to drive on autopilot more than once.

To his surprise, autopilot didn't lead him somewhere he normally goes.

So when Lelouch went into the shady backstreet black market store, he ignored the shop keeper who told him that his kind wasn't welcome here, choosing instead to light up a cigarette to help him think.

A cigarette that was put out by a sandshrew's sand attack to his face.

"Like I said, pig." The shopkeeper warned. "Your kind is not needed in here."

"Erebus." Lelouch replied, dropping a Dark Ball on the ground to release the arbok within to smash the sandshrew to the ground. "Now…" Lelouch growled, the arbok transforming into a dark fox demon with a red mane and slamming the shopkeeper into the wall. "I suggest opening the secret door you have under the tatami mats so I can enter the secret compartment."

"Wh-what secret compartment..?" the shopkeeper asked.

'What?' Lelouch thought with panic. 'But, I've never seen this guy, much less Geass him into giving me a snag arm-'

'Yes I have.' Lelouch remembered. 'Why else would I be so specific in my denial.'

"You hold a large sum of illegal pokémon theft tools." Lelouch told him. "I am not here for those, but if you continue to resist then I will be back with a team and a warrant, and we will find them, and I won't be able to cover you then."

The man thought about it. He really did.

"Forget it man." The shopkeeper insisted. "More than my life's worth."

Lelouch nodded, recalling his zoroark. "I see." He said as the shopkeeper fell to the floor. "What about your eternity..?"

The man gaped as the room was consumed by blackness, and a hundred crazed eyes widened in the blackness, and a hundred more mouths grinned in the shadows.

The man looked down as flat, childlike hands crawled up his face and began scratching his skin. "O-OKAY I'LL TALK!"

The room faded back to normal as the shadows retreated, Lelouch grinning as the man jumped up and rushed to open the trap door. 'Nightmare.' Lelouch thought to himself gleefully. 'It never fails.'

"Senba-san? You in there?" Asahina called, banging on the old soldier's door. "Senba-san, open up!"

He tapped at the keypad of the door, which said the room was locked from within. Asahina sighed, realising Senba had fallen asleep again. The poor guy was getting old…

"Senba-san, I'm coming in." Asahina announced, swiping the Rocket override card on the door's panel. "We had a run in with the cops. Toudou-san wants us to assemble…"

He froze, the sight and stench of blood washing over him. "…Shit."

Lelouch didn't know what to expect down below. Guns, the Zero Cave, a robot zombie army, anything other than this.

Not a secret underground chasm bathed in red light as Groudon and Kyogre swam in a giant psychic cauldron of water and lava, mixing continually in chaotic equilibrium.

"Gaia's Vengeance…" Lelouch gasped, remembering the name of the system he designed. "So… mewtwo's…"

Something is wrong in the world

Lelouch turned around to see the dark monster of hate standing behind him.

He wasn't afraid.

"Hello Vengeance." Lelouch told his brother's mewtwo. "What's wrong in the world?"

The monster of many hearts has consumed the monster without a heart

Lelouch grabbed mewtwo's slender throat violently. "What. Does. That. Mean. Mewtwo?" he demanded, darkness coursing down his arm into mewtwo's throat.

You brother would be angered if you so foolishly committed suicide, human

Lelouch let go of Vengeance's throat, remembering how powerful the beast he was threatening was. "Sorry. Can I have an answer now?" Lelouch asked.

I know not the name you gave the monster who stole hearts, nor the monster without a heart

"Let me ask you this." Lelouch sighed. "Is Deoxys involved in this?"

We you not listening to me?

"No, I apologise." Lelouch replied with a sigh. "So, can you at least tell me what is real in this world?"

Names, Faces and Lies

"Thank you." Lelouch nodded. "May I ask why you're being so helpful?"

You have one week to remember the truth. Then, you can take more truth from the lies of others

"Good thing I was a trained detective amongst these lies." Lelouch sighed. "Is there anyone else who remembers?"

Yes

"No names though, right?"

Mewtwo simply walked away.

Lelouch needed a coffee.

He sat is his car for a few hours, sipping his drink and going over the Zero case file.

He remembered these events. He remembered planning them, he remembered carrying them out.

'Rivalz and Kallen were members of the Black Knights…' Lelouch thought. 'And Suzaku is my enemy in the real world…'

The more he remembered of that dreamlike past, the more the dark thoughts surfaced, threatening to overwhelm him.

It was clear to him now that by remembering, he had to choose between this world and that darker, blood drenched existence.

'Do I want to remember?' Lelouch thought. 'I was a horrible person, a terrorist, a murderer…'

'Shirley forgave me… Shirley…'

'Mao.'

Lelouch glared into the mirror as his Geass flared against the memory of the psychopath, but dropped it as his pokévice began ringing.

He picked it up. "Hello?" he asked.

_\_ "When are you coming home?" _\_ C.C. asked.

Lelouch glanced at the clock and swore. "Sorry." He apologised. "I'll be right there. Want me to pick up a pizza on the way?"

_\_ "You know what I like." _\_ C.C. smiled, hanging up on him.

He hung up and sighed. 'And why exactly is C.C. playing the role of housewife?' he wondered. 'Not really what I'd expect from that witch…'

Putting the thought at the back of his mind, he shoved the files into the dashboard before stepping out of the car and walking into Dominos Pizza.'It's not like Pizza Hut is the only place in the world.' He reasoned.

Of course, the way C.C. treat him afterwards for committing the crime of treason, Lelouch wished it was.

It didn't matter that he got it home in five minutes or less, thanks to the wonders of Teleportation, the fact that he betrayed Pizza Hut for their arch nemesis.

So Lelouch had to think quickly.

"You know, I'm thinking of taking next week off." Lelouch told C.C. "It's been a while since we last went to Hoenn."

"Lelouch." C.C. stated. "Are you trying to comfort me, pity me, or win me back?"

"Mao. You lose. In every sense of the word."

"All wrong." Lelouch replied. "It's my offer. A contract between us, this time from me, to you."

C.C. glanced at Lelouch suspiciously. "Odd way of phrasing something."

"Oh, it's just that last time you asked me that question, I was carrying you away from the bloodbath that was Mao."

C.C.'s eye's widened. "Come to think of things, there are a lot of things that don't match up." Lelouch said. "Like, how my father has the name of the largest empire in the world yet we aren't royalty, and how-"

"Lelouch." C.C. stated harshly, placing her pizza slice onto the work surface. "I'm sure you're just tired and not thinking straight."

"I think that you know what's going on." Lelouch replied as C.C. glared at the kitchen worktop. "Tell me-"

He was interrupted by a slice of pizza to the face. "Just… don't." C.C. begged. "Please."

Lelouch looked at his wife, then sighed. "Alright." He replied. "Will you at least give me the dignity of answering one question?"

C.C. folded her arms and looked at the wall.

"You know that we won't be going to Hoenn next week, don't you."

It wasn't a question.

C.C.'s eyes widened in shock as she recoiled visibly.

'I knew it.' Lelouch thought, slumping back into the couch.

She ignored her pizza and ran upstairs.

Lelouch sighed.

He knew better than to go upstairs when C.C. was like that, so instead he got thinking.

'C.C. knows that this world only lasts for a week. She also doesn't want me knowing this, and it hurt her a lot when it I told her I did.'

'Nothing hurts her. The closest I've seen her to hurt was when I entered her memories. She always hides her feelings by holding Jiro-'

'Where is Jiro?'

'It's a wish granting pokémon- able to grant a week of someone's wish once every thousand years when the millennium comet passes over the earth…'

'C.C.'s at least seven hundred years, from that time I entered her memories.' Lelouch realised. 'She's had that jirachi with her for at least five hundred.'

'Has she been keeping that jirachi with her all this time for one wish?'

'What wish could be worth waiting all that time for? What could she wish for that would change the world like this?'

'Oh.'

Lelouch ran upstairs into the bedroom and dive-bombed into C.C. "Lelouch!" she shouted in shock.

"I'm sorry…" he apologized, holding her close. "I'm sorry…"

"You're… remembering… aren't you..?" C.C. asked him.

Lelouch looked down. "Some things." He replied. "I don't know why I'd ever become Zero, but I'm sure it must've been a good reason- what does Nunnally have to do with any of this?"

C.C. sighed. "Do you want me to tell you?" she asked him.

"No…" Lelouch smiled back. "I'll figure it out myself." He pulled her back into the hug. "I love you. You do know that, right?"

C.C. was shocked, then closed her eyes with a smile "Of course." She lied. "Of course I do."

_\_ "We've found more bodies." _\_ Suzaku told Lelouch the next day as he was having his breakfast.

"Senba Ryoga is one of them, right?" Lelouch asked. "Old Japanese man, has a tumor or something on his forehead?"

_\_ "How'd you know?" _\_ Suzaku asked him.

Lelouch smirked as he sipped his coffee. "Call it my Detective's intuition coming back." He told him. "See you at the office." He added, hanging up.

'I remember.' Lelouch told himself. 'I wasn't the one who was wrong.'

-}+{-

Next chapter, we're back in business, and it all comes together.

However, it's the last month of school, we're working hard on coursework, and I've almost run out of buffer, so next week, updates will be irregular unless I take another level in badass. Wish me luck.