Bolmung LK used Ninja update; no one saw it coming! It's super effective! WILD reader is confused! WILD Reader hurt itself in its confusion! WILD reader has fainted!
The Dark Bride
Chapter 15 – Emperor and The Bride
-Morning of the play- (So rewind a bit)
"C.C., you know what to do. It's time." Lelouch said as he sat cross-legged on his bed. He had just returned from his confrontation with the false Zero at the castle.
"Yes, and don't worry about me. I'm immortal remember?" she reminded him with a cold glare.
"I know, and that exactly why this is your role." He smirked; revenge was nigh.
C.C. exited the room and left to her destination while Lelouch set off for school. On his way through the boy's dorm hallway he spotted an all too familiar face; Koji. Lelouch grimaced, he was the prime suspect. Lelouch deduced it down to Koji over two small factors. One, Koji was the only one in the entire school to ever fail the computers and video editing class. It was by far the easiest class anyone could take at Ashford and he managed to fail it with a perfect score; a zero. Secondly, Koji tended to stare at Kallen at times. This wouldn't normally stand out, except for the mischievous grin he always seemed to shoot her direction. Lelouch was always cautious and never tepid when it came to his suspicions. Koji was Zero in Lelouch' mind, and Lelouch was an insect in Koji's opinion. As Lelouch passed Koji in the hallway he paused inches beside him.
"Got a minute?" Lelouch asked as he leered at the boy to his side.
"Always for you." Koji whispered back as he rolled his head to the side to look him in the eyes.
They walked side by side, unusually closely, together down the hallway. To most this looked either awkward or suspiciously their arms were almost touching. This act of course wasn't Lelouch's doing, it was all Koji and the dreary way he presented himself. Once they reached the back of the school where hardly any student ever went Lelouch held the boy's bathroom door open for Koji to walk in. Koji smiled nearly innocently as he walked inside and Lelouch followed him. Koji walked straight over to a mirror were he leaned over the sink with his head faced directly at the mirror. To Lelouch this was a tad strange, but he ignored it.
"You must realize why I-"
"We have the same hair-cut, you know." Koji interrupted as he began turning his head in every direction then looking over to Lelouch who became instantly confused.
"I don't see how tha-"
"Quite strange, you know. How you and I sort of look-alike; I wonder if we feel alike as well." Koji cracked a grin at himself in the dirty mirror. Lelouch held back a choke of disgust.
"Koji, please focus! Yo-"
"Hah! I wonder if I could get Shirley to like me too!" he shouted wildly as he thrust his head back arrogantly. This was the moment when Lelouch realized exactly how dangerous this bastard actually was. Stupid; yes. Careless; yes. Harmless; absolutely out of the question. This guy was not just a loose cannon, he was a chemical-nuclear bomb going off in series of miniature explosions until he finally exploded and destroyed Lelouch's life entirely.
"Koji…what are you trying to do?" Lelouch finally managed to get a sentence in.
"I'm admiring us, how gorgeous we are! I wonder how you got to look as good as me!" Koji smiled brightly at the mirror.
'Great, now he's narcissistic!' Lelouch smacked himself mentally for not shooting this loon sooner.
"You and I look nothing alike." Lelouch stated flatly.
"Oh nonsense! Mother dearest always told me how you were growing up to look just like me!" Koji let loose a childish and rather innocent sounding giggle; although alarmingly loud. He reposed himself so that he was standing straight up and facing Lelouch directly.
Lelouch's eyes squeezed shut he tightened his fists and he gasped a couple times. He took a step back as he began shaking his head gently. He stumbled back into the wall as Koji closed in on him slowly. Koji leaned in to whisper to him.
"You may have gotten the brains, but I got the brawns. We shared the incredibly good looks though!" Koji giggled softly into Lelouch's ear, even though this tickled Lelouch slightly it enraged him more than anything. Koji leaned back, placed his hands on Lelouch's trembling shoulders and gave a gentle smile before asking, "So what'd you want to talk about, little brother?"
Suddenly a plan was concocted in Lelouch's head, a plan that might catch Koji off guard.
"We're brothers?" Lelouch feigned a smile. Koji nodded excitedly. "Why didn't you ever tell me?" Lelouch asked quickly as he too placed his hands on Koji's firmer shoulders.
"Oh you know…hiding from Emperor Charles, looking for Mother's killers…" Koji said, the smile never left his face.
"Oh this is too perfect, it's like he's trying to get himself killed!' Lelouch thought victoriously, but his happy facial expression did not mimic his thoughts.
"Wait, you don't call him father?" Lelouch asked.
"Well you see…" Koji started at he looked to the ground. "I'm not his son. I was Marrianne's son from her previous lover. I'm technically two years older than you!"
"Previous lover, who?" Lelouch asked.
"Yoshihiro Enkou, but that's not important! Now we have each other and we can avenge mother together!" Koji pulled Lelouch into a tight hug. Lelouch didn't know if his story was true or not, and if it was if the hug was a real one or not. Despite these questions Lelouch returned the hug to further his plans.
"I know you're Zero." Koji suddenly whispered darkly in a deep voice as his hug on Lelouch tightened aggressively.
"You do?!" Lelouch jumped back out of the hug in a false sense of surprise.
'I can't let him know that I know it's him. If he does then he'll instantly suspect me of foul play.' Lelouch thought.
"Well yeah, Euphie told me!" Koji placed his hands on his hips. Now Lelouch was certain he wasn't lying, this actually kind of stung at his heart, but that's only because he loved his siblings dearly. To find out he had an older brother that was this ape-shit insane was saddening. Lelouch was not one to fall into someone's grasp however relevant they were. Even Euphemia and Nunnally weren't entirely safe from Lelouch when we took on the persona as Zero.
"Does fathe- I mean Emperor Charles know you even exist?" Lelouch tilted his head.
"Oh yes, I just stayed in Japan when he married mother. He didn't like me very much and wasn't fond of having step-children."
Lelouch sighed audibly and let his shoulders droop, this was a massive problem now that he thought about it. Koji frowned slightly as he crossed his arms.
"Hey, since you're always so caught up in Black Knight duties why not let me play Prince Charming tonight so you can get some rest." Koji offered trying to be nice.
A sudden flash back of Koji practically raping Kallen flashed through Lelouch's mind. The sound of electronic sex playing from his Knightmare frame's cockpit filled with gunfire echoed throughout his mind as he looked up to Koji. Like hell this demon was playing Prince Charming while Kallen was Cinderella.
"Alright, but only if I don't make it to the play on time." Lelouch said lightly. "Speaking of not making it to the play on time, there's this movie I've always wanted to see and it's only in the theaters once. It's playing two hours before the play starts and I don't wanna cut final rehearsal alone, mind joining me? There's something I want to talk to you about. We could get to know each other!" Lelouch offered. Koji looked genuinely surprised for a moment, almost as if he were moved. With a couple of blinks of his red eyes Koji agreed.
'Perfect.' Lelouch thought.
"I'll see you later, big brother." Lelouch emphasized.
"You too." Koji said as he leaned over to Lelouch and kissed his right cheek gently then patted his left cheek softly a couple of times before leaving the bathroom.
As soon as the door closed Lelouch ran over to the sink and began scrubbing his cheeks raw. He let out a screech of aggravated stress as he used a wad of wet and soapy paper towels to ravage his own face. He didn't care that the soap was boiling his eyes red, he simply couldn't stand Koji's lingering touch. The boy disgusted him beyond words. As Lelouch washed his face repeatedly a very cold and chilling thought hit him. This thought made his dry off his reddened face and bolt out of the bathroom.
'Oh no, what if he tried to do something to Nunnally? No, I'll never let that happen. I promise he'll never get to touch her!' sheer fear skittered through his nerves as he practically flew passed Koji in the hallway and back to the boy's dorm. Koji stood motionless in the hallway as he saw Lelouch whoosh by him. He genuinely wondered what had gotten into him so suddenly. Rival approached Koji and joined him in looking at Lelouch's retreating figure.
"What's gotten into him?" Rival's eyebrows cocked.
"Not a clue, maybe he left his stove on." Koji wondered.
XxXxX
Lelouch was relieved to know that Sayoko was with Nunnally for the entire school day and wouldn't allow Koji to go anywhere near her. Koji had to be eliminated today, before he had a chance to do any permanent damage to his plans. He could handle the Kallen event if she never found out it was a false Zero, but he couldn't risk any other interferences. Lelouch was making his way off campus to tell C.C. of the change in plans, but Ms. Villetta caught him trying to cross the campus.
"Lelouch! You're not cutting class again!" the older woman yelled and Lelouch immediately made a break for it. He may not be athletic, but man did he fly across the track field to get away from the most insufferable teacher he'd ever met.
"Don't worry Ms. Villetta! I'll get him for you!" Koji shouted and he swiftly leapt from the window of the classroom and ran straight for Lelouch.
'Note; you are not faster than Koji!' Lelouch panicked as his heart beat increased rapidly.
Koji got right up behind Lelouch who suddenly gave it his all and got a burst of speed. Koji tripped thinking he'd caught Lelouch when he hadn't. He tumbled over, but got back up quickly and continued his pursuit. The difference in speeds reminded Lelouch of running away from Suzaku years ago. Koji got up alongside Lelouch finally and tried to grab at him, but only got the hem of his school jacket. Finally Koji managed to grab ahold of Lelouch's hair and it sent both of them tumbled down to the ground and down a steep hill. This hill ended straight into a thicket of thorn bushes and trees. With a loud smack Lelouch hit a tree and Koji tumbled into the thorny rose bushes.
"Iyaahh!" Koji cried out in pain as he rolled out of the bushes. Lelouch crawled army style a couple of feet then collapsed. "You alright?" Koji asked as he hissed in pain.
"Yeah….I just…..got the wind knocked out of me…" Lelouch panted as he rolled over onto his back.
Viletta came running up to the scene and stopped at the top of the hill. "You boys meet me in the classroom pronto. If you do not I'll assign you ten pages of extra homework every night for the next three weeks!" she shouted angrily.
"Yes Ms. Villetta…" the moaned in unison.
As Lelouch and Koji straightened themselves out they trudged silently together back to the classroom where Villetta made Koji wait outside for a separate yelling session later. She knew he had good intentions, but his actions were troublesome.
"I want no more of this class-cutting nonsense Lelouch." Villetta crossed her arms. The class giggled at him. "Do you understand? I don't care that you have special permissions from Ruben Ashford himself, your actions are inexcusable! One week of detention."
"I'm sorry." Lelouch said lowly. Lelouch heard loud banging noises coming from the door and walked over to it and opened it to see Kallen screaming profanities at Koji.
"Kallen Stadtfeld, two days detention for inappropriate language young lady!" Villetta said sternly.
'What exactly was he doing to her?' Lelouch thought as he noticed Koji grasping at Kallen's wrist. Yes he was angered and disturbed by this, but curious more than anything. What had he just done to his Kallen?
During class Lelouch excused himself to the restroom where he could finally make his call to C.C.
"C.C., change in plans. I'm meeting Koji at the theater downtown in the Monster Mash movie airing today. Buy yourself a ticket and wait inside for me and Koji to enter." He commanded.
"Alright, anything else I should know?" she asked.
"Yeah, wear the disguise in the bag under my bed." He smirked, but C.C. couldn't see this over the phone.
XxXxX
The tables were set and turned; just how Lelouch wanted them. As he and Koji entered the dark theater they decided the very back row that was empty was the best. The movie was currently playing and it was already more than half way through. The screen was almost completely black and the lights were completely off. The theater was full of the sounds of monsters eating each other and apocalypse survivors shooting each other followed by shrieks and screams of the audience. Lelouch tripped over something on the ground and fell over. It was so dark Koji couldn't tell what he had fallen over. As Lelouch stood back up Koji helped him regain his balance. Lelouch then cleared his throat, turned to face Koji and gave him a sincere look.
"So Lelouch, what'd you call me out here for?" the boy said as he smiled innocently.
"You've interfered enough with my plans. It's time you were rid of." Lelouch's voice was suddenly dark and ominous.
"Huh?" Koji blinked nervously as Lelouch pulled out a gun and cocked it.
Through the darkness of the theater, the shrieks of the crowd and the blaring epic music of the movie was the horrifying sound of a gun being fired. Blood stained the popcorn red and tears of children sobbing were met with the sounds of agony of the victim.
Lelouch swallowed hard as the lights to the theater room turned back on. Koji hovered over him with a gun in hand.
"Kallen shall be mine, I shall be Zero and you shall be obsolete."Koji's voice echoed in Lelouch's mind.
'Geass?! Koji has Geass?!'were Lelouch's last thoughts before his world went blacker than the knights he lead. Koji leaned down to Lelouch's ear.
"Goodbye, sweet prince." He whispered softly and patted Lelouch's head sarcastically. Koji exited the theater, now free from his demon.
Lelouch laid there motionless, coated in blood and shuddering. Even through his unconscious state his breathing was erratic, the bullet hit into the left lung. As the movie finally ended several minutes later everyone exited the theater. The clean-up crew that were picking up abandoned bags of popcorn and soda discovered the unconscious body of Lelouch and immediately contacted the police.
XxXxX
Knightmare Frames were the fastest mode of transportation known to mankind in this era. Lelouch was an excellent pilot, not quite like Kallen and Suzaku, but still very skilled. Since the death of the Queen Lauris hadn't been publicly announced yet, the Pendragon Castle was on lockdown. All of the servants were dismissed and forced into silence about something having even happened that morning. Her death wouldn't be officially announced for another day or so. This gave Lelouch a great window of opportunity. Kallen and, inadvertently, Koji had paved the way for him to make his final move. He alone, without the help of the Black Knights, made his way into the woods behind the locked castle.
He grew up here in this castle, he knew the exact layout of all the secret passages and entrances. He parked his Knightmare in the woods and casually strolled in his school uniform up to the backside of the castle gardens. He opened up a wooden storm cellar and made his way inside the underground passage. There was no one in sight, no one inside. The underground passage was always empty because it was usually only used by members of royalty to escapes during battle or storms. The servants and commoners hadn't the slightest clue this place even existed.
He reached a metal door that had no locks or handles. It opened easily with a gentle push and Lelouch elegantly walked with an air of impending victory down the long corridor. He was calm and collected, the events of the day weren't getting to him at all and he was prepared to erase them all from his mind the moment he pulled the trigger. He now stood in front of the entrance to the lower floor of the castle. He opened it with ease and strolled inside. He marched with a demonic aura in his steps towards the King's office. He knew full well at a time like this that this is where is father would be right now.
He knocked on the door lightly as he felt a wave of the most relaxed adrenaline pass through his veins and throughout his body.
"Who comes to my door as this moment?" came the Emperor's low and hoarse voice.
"Zero." Was all Lelouch said.
There was a moment of sheer nothingness as the Emperor did not reply. There was no sound coming from the room behind the large double doors. Lelouch smirked knowing that the Emperor likely felt immense fear at this moment. Lelouch's plans were to instantly kill him, he no longer cared to learn how his mother died. Not after what Koji told him. He knew that Koji was telling the truth about them being brothers. Not only could he see the similarities, but C.C. confirmed it back in the theater. She had warned him that she'd given Koji Geass so that he could survive on his own after Marianne had abandoned him.
Lelouch pitied Koji, but he didn't feel enough empathy to let him live after what he did to Kallen. He was going to end this, and quickly. If not for himself, then for Kallen, Nunnally and Euphemia's sakes.
"Enter." Came the voice of the Emperor.
Lelouch, as calmly as he possibly could, opened the door and entered the room. He fully planned on sitting across the desk from his father, but the strange contraption on the man's head made him stop in his place just inside the doorway. Lelouch slowly closed the door behind himself and stood there admiring the Emperor's frown sticking out from the underside of the strange machine on his face.
"Well this is certainly unexpected." The Emperor said with a hint of emotion in his voice.
"You honestly had doubts that I was Zero?" Lelouch asked in monotone.
"No, but for the last month or so you elder brother had been visiting me in your stead. His Geass gives me nightmares. Oh but I ruined the surprise for you, did I?" the King took the metal device off of his face and set it on the desk before him.
"What surprise?" Lelouch asked coolly.
"Geass, older brother…?" Charles made a hand motion.
"I have Geass, and I knew who Koji was already. The only thing I can't seem to figure out is what he Geass is." Lelouch frowned then took the liberty of taking a seat across the desk from his father.
The Emperor laughed loudly. "Smarter than I took you for."
Lelouch looked at him tepidly, completely unamused with the situation.
"So, you came back to visit daddy. What do you want now that you've revealed yourself?" Charles asked as he pulled out a hand pistol from his coat pocket and pointed it at Lelouch who remained uncaring.
"I'm here to reclaim my entitlement to the throne." Lelouch replied then leaned back in his chair comfortably. Charles grimaced in displeasure.
"Denied. I will soon become immortal and the throne will remain mien forever. The Ragnarok connection will begin in mere days from now. You may have killed my newest Queen, but she is replaceable; just like your mother was." The man grinned widely. Lelouch blinked uncaringly.
"I know she was, especially after I came to the realization that she was in on the whole Geass scheme as well. I'm not here to avenge her, I'm here to make a world better for Nunnally and Kallen." Lelouch spoke with the least bit of determination he allowed himself to show.
"Kallen Kouzuki? The girl I had molested this morning? Don't make me laugh." Charles spat out. Lelouch's brow twitched, but Lelouch didn't allow his mouth or eyes to display his disgust. He knew his father was only trying to rattle him.
"What is Koji's Geass ability?" Lelouch asked to change the subject away from Kallen.
"The full five sense experience." Charles said stoically.
"Pardon?" Lelouch's brow furrowed.
"His Geass allows him to warp what you see, smell, hear, feel, and taste. He can make you hear voices in your head, he can make you see anything his mind can channel, he can even rape you from afar, without even actually touching you."
Lelouch failed to conceal his horrified expression, but he quickly recovered and regained his calm composure.
"That makes a lot of sense actually. So he's been toying with Kallen and I this whole time…" Lelouch said darkly.
"Precisely, which is why I wore this today." The Emperor pointed down at the head mask on his desk that he'd been wearing when Lelouch first entered the room. "His Geass cannot be negated simply by hiding your eyes and holding your hands over your ears in desperation. He cannot know your exact location or else he will control you. With this mask I can't see his illusions, I can see the real him instead of the consistent illusory body he projects."
"So there's a high chance that he could be anywhere right now, even here?" Lelouch asked with a smirk.
"Koji, drop the act. I know full well that it's you. Lelouch would never come here like this. Do you honestly think that Lelouch would confess to being Zero in front of me or that I'd tell Lelouch your weakness? I want him dead just as much as you do. You even called me to tell me just how excited you were that you'd killed him in a horror film earlier."
"What if I told you that C.C. is an excellent actress and she took my place at school today?" Lelouch allowed his grin to spread across his face.
Without a further word the Emperor quickly lifted his gun and attempted to pull the trigger, but Lelouch was faster.
The gunshot rang throughout the empty castle. There were no servants around to hear it, no royals present to spread hideous rumors, and no Emperor alive to talk about it.
"Did I really just…?" Lelouch asked himself in disbelief as he stood up and walked around the side of the desk to inspect the Emperor's lifeless body.
"I did it, I….I won!" Lelouch cackled out madly. He allowed his demonic laughter to echo throughout the small room. The only other sound was the crackling of the dying flames in the fireplace behind the desk. He couldn't control it any longer.
He continued to laugh madly, allowing all of the years of rage escape from his mind in the form of his mad homicidal roaring. He allowed himself to fall into a sitting position on the floor next to the dead Emperor's desk. He tried his best to calm his giggling rage by putting a hand over his mouth. He wrapped his other arm around himself, still holding the smoking gun.
A trickle of the Emperor's blood fell from the side of the desk onto Lelouch's head. The droplet of blood rolled down Lelouch's cheek and down his neck. The blood of his father stained the collar of his uniform as he stood up and turned back to face him. He grabbed him by the back of his aged white hair and lifted up his head to admire his work.
There was blood all over the desk and a splatter on the wall behind them above the fireplace. The bullet hole in the man's forehead wasn't healing, telling Lelouch that Charles really was dead and not immortal yet. He let his head drop back to the table with a loud thunk and smirked.
"Goodbye, old bastard." Lelouch chuckled out grimly before pocketing the gun and exiting the room. He went down to his old bedroom in the castle, just to see if it was still 'his' or not.
Much to his surprise, but delight, it was indeed still his bedroom. Eight years and his room remained untouched. His bedding, décor and clothing all remained as he had left it when he and Nunnally fled the country.
'Mother had a robe made for me when I was younger. She said it was to commemorate when I'd reached adulthood and I was eligible to become Emperor.' He thought as he opened the closet.
There sat the white and gold robes, untouched by time and mortal hands. He smirked as he let his school uniform drop to the ground around his feet as he reached in and pulled the white robe out of the closet and out of its protective plastic sheath. He used his old undershirt to wipe the blood off of his face and neck then tossed it on his bed. He slowly, as if embracing his victory a bit longer, put on the wardrobe. He placed the hat atop his head then turned towards the mirror. It fit him perfectly and he admired himself for a moment before leaving the room behind, including his old uniform. He walked down the long corridor and back to the throne room at the head of the castle.
The lights were all off and there wasn't a soul in sight. He activated the switch that turned the lights on and he looked around at the massive, empty room. There were paintings of Emperors and Empresses past. A picture of Clovis, that'd been hung to commemorate his death that year, hung on the wall. Lelouch reach up and pulled it down roughly where it crashed to the floor. He yanked at the wooden frame until it broke apart then he ripped the canvas to shreds as he laughed loudly.
His own laugh echoed back at him a few times and he turned towards the other wall where a painting of his father hung. He staggered over to it with an evil glint in his eyes. His Geass inadvertently activated and he grabbed at the painting and threw it to the floor. He grabbed it and tossed it like a Frisbee across the throne room. He then snatched the vase beside the throne and tossed it at the painting on the floor.
"You sick bastard!" Lelouch screeched as the vase crashed into a million pieces atop the painting. He roared with slight again as he hobbled over to the painting of his father and proceeded to demolish it just like he did Clovis'.
"Ahah! You don't like the fate I've given you, do you? You're just another worthless piece of trash parent like everyone else with kids, aren't you?" the hysteria in his voice erupted into echoes that rang around him.
He took a moment to collect himself by closing his eyes and turning around to face away from the mess he'd just created. He inhaled deeply then exhaled and opened his eyes. Before his sights was the throne of the Emperor. He cracked another wild grin and strut up to it. He slowly sat down in it and soaked in the glory of declaring himself ninety-ninth Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire.
Without another moment wasted he stood up and left the throne room in its battered condition. He made his was out of the castle the same way he entered it; through the underground cellar. Once outside he stopped to bask in the light of the sun. The very son praised him for his victory and he walked with empowered steps back to his Knightmare Frame. The whole flight home he wore the proud uniform of the Emperor that he'd just become.
XxXxX
He landed back in Japan where he just casually walked up alongside the auditorium. He cursed himself for letting his temper wreak havoc on the castle, it cost him precious time for the play. He knew Koji would be there taking his place as Prince Charming, but he wasn't going to let him make it to the stage. He posed himself in front of the back door and regained his typical emotionless composure. He heard shouting and he knew it was Kallen in hysterics.
"He killed Lelouch!" he heard Kallen scream loudly. "He's the one who followed Lelouch into the theater! He's the one who fucking set all this up!"
Lelouch couldn't take it anymore, he didn't like the way Kallen's heart sounded so broken. He practically kicked the door open to see everyone in a tizzy around Kallen. Koji's head snapped up at Lelouch in horror. His delirious red eyes scanned Lelouch's dramatic appearance in pure fear. Lelouch stepped into the room and approached Koji, who was too confused and scared to use his Geass.
Lelouch gently laid a hand on Koji's shaking shoulder and said "Thanks for filling in for me while I was gone. I was helping Nunnally get to her seat in the audience." Lelouch faked a perfect smile.
"Why are you dressed like an Emperor?" Rivalz asked and Lelouch gave him a look.
"It's for the play." Lelouch responded flatly.
Kallen's watered eyes wandered from Lelouch, who looked absolutely godly, to Koji who was shaken and disturbed. She was too upset to even begin to wonder how or what had just happened.
"Then…then who was the student who was shot at the theater?" Milly asked as she too was a bit shaken.
"A student was killed at the theater?" Lelouch asked with a pretend frown.
"Yeah, they said a student in an Ashford uniform was shot at the theater." Rivalz added then shrugged.
"Well it has nothing to do with us, let's go entertain our audience now." Lelouch winked uncharistically.
"Let the play continue!" Milly shouted with a pumped first.
Kallen shook her head in disbelief at the situation. What the hell was going on?
"Kallen." Lelouch called out and pointed to the curtain. "Our scene is on."
"Wait, you're going in that?" Milly asked as she eyed his strange new outfit.
"Yeah, I wanted it to be a surprise. It's part of what took me so long." He smiled up at the blonde who smiled back at him.
"I guess you took it seriously when I asked you to put your heart into something for once." Milly sighed out. "Places everyone!"
The play went on at long last. Koji was forced to sit back in the audience with the old Prince outfit on. He sat grimly, yet oddly patiently, as he watched Lelouch take his place next to his beloved Kallen.
The lights dimmed again as Lelouch and Kallen took their stances on the stage. Kallen's head was still spinning, but she did her best to compose herself and follow her next cue.
Lelouch sat on a fake throne as Kallen scampered onto the stage and pretended to look around. She was at the scene where Cinderella has just entered the ballroom and is unsure of what to do. Milly, Nina and Shirley come onto the stage and spoke their lines.
"Who is that girl?"
"What girl?"
"I've never seen her before!"
"Oh no! The Prince is looking at her!"
"Do you see the look in his eyes? He looks at her with such…." Shirley paused, she hated this line.
"Such love." Nina finished for her as to not ruin the line.
Milly, Shirley and Nin stood off to the side of the scene to give the stage over to Kallen and Lelouch. They wordlessly locked hands and began the waltz. Their eyes stared into each other as they danced in lazy circles. All of the other pretend ball attendees swirled around them. Kallen blinked her sapphires up into Lelouch's sparkling purple eyes.
"Where were you?" she whispered softly. "I was so scared."
"I'm sorry, I had some things to take care of." He smiled lightly at her.
"Ohh!" a girl in the audience swooned. "Isn't it just so romantic how you can't hear what they're saying?"
"Yeah, it's just like in the Disney movie. You can only think they're whispering sweet nothings to one another!" another girl sighed dreamily.
"Kallen." Lelouch said gently. She smiled up at him with her rosen lips, painted just for him.
"Yes, my love?" she asked gingerly.
"I know our real wedding is soon, but I'd like to tell you something." He said as they twirled around.
"Please, can it wait until after the play? I don't want to get all emotional again….like I did earlier…" Kallen looked down at the ground, remembering the sheer terror that ripped through her when she thought Lelouch had been murdered by Zero. Lelouch's smile dropped and his heart sank a little. He opened his mouth to respond, but he remained silent. Kallen pitied the look on his face, he looked so hurt at this moment.
"Fine, tell me." She smiled and did her best not to laugh or break her composure.
"I'm Z-"
GONG!
GONG!
GONG!
"Oh no!" Kallen pretend cried as the clock tower bell rang to signal that midnight had struck. He gently pulled away from Lelouch who held onto her hand desperately.
"No please, don't go yet! Wait! Don't leave me yet!" he called out sincerely. It was worded a little differently than his real line, but this one came from the heart. Kallen wriggled out of his grasp as the bell rang again. She purposely tipped herself a bit and left the glass slipper in her wake. She took one glance back at him as she dashed away with one glass slipper on. The abandonment in Lelouch's eyes looked genuine.
The curtains closed and the crowd erupted for a short moment before the curtains opened again and Lelouch was still standing hopelessly on the stage with Suzaku playing as the King.
"This shoe, it's made of glass?! It's so small too!" Suzaku said as he bent down to pick it up. He inspected it in the light and Milly shined a special effects light on it to make it sparkle. The lights reflected off the shoe and hit the audience who were in awe.
"Y-yes! It's from Kall- Cinder- the girl I was dancing with! I never got her name" Lelouch stuttered with his lines. The audience laughed at Lelouch dorkiness. Koji sneered then got up from his seat and left.
"We must find this mystery girl! We shall try this shoe on every girl in the kingdom! Whoever it fits shall be your new bride!" Suzaku said proudly that he'd remembered his lines perfectly.
"Indeed, the girl with feet so dainty and eyes so elegant shall be my bride!" Lelouch said as he brought himself back down to Earth.
The curtains dropped and when they reopened they were at Cinderella's house. The scene played out and it was Kallen's turn to try on the shoe. As the glass heel was slipped over her feet she was then lifted up by Suzaku's strong arms.
"This shall be my new daughter-in-law! We will take her to the palace at once!" Suzaku exclaimed and carried Kallen off stage. The curtains closed again and the room went completely dark. The audience gasped when they heard a horse neigh and everyone immediately knew what was up next.
Kallen was thrown back into her black dress as quickly as possible and Lelouch was tossed into the carriage alongside her. When the curtains came back up and the lights turned back on they were inside the horde chariot. The stage was just barely big enough for the horse to trot through the scene and Kallen waved to the audience and tossed a bouquet of roses to the audience who went mad over it.
"Cinderella and Prince Charming lived happily ever after! And thus ends our fairy tale!"
"Encore!" the audience screamed in ecstasy.
"You heard 'em!" Milly winked then pushed Lelouch and Kallen back onto the stage.
"What're we….supposed to do?" Kallen asked dumbly.
"I guess bow." Lelouch shrugged then they both bowed to the cheering crowd.
"No! Kiss!" they all began yelling loudly.
Kallen and Lelouch stood up blushing. The chants to kiss grew louder and more ravenous. Lelouch turned towards her and Kallen gave in. He awkwardly placed his hands on her waist and she looped her arms around his neck. They stared at each other for a brief moment before they slowly pushed their lips together. The flashing of cameras and the girls whooping became unbearable so they pulled apart.
A loud crashing noise could be heard from backstage.
"Halt, Prince Charming!" spoke an ominous voice over the intercom. Lelouch and Kallen jumped in surprise.
"Wh-what?" Lelouch's eyes widened as a figure emerged onto the stage.
"Z-zero?" Milly blurted out from backstage. "This isn't part of the play!" she stammered.
"Did Lelouch plan this?" Rivalz hissed in surprise.
"I have no idea, but let's let it happen!" Milly cheered as she grabbed the microphone.
"Just when you thought Cinderella and Prince Charming were going to their eternal paradise, an evil villain appears to steal the beautiful Cinderella! What will Prince Charming do next?"
The audience gasped, then went wild with excitement.
'Damnit Milly, did you plan this? I can't tell if this is Koji's Geass or not! I'm probably up on stage acting like a fucking moron and don't even know it!' Lelouch thought darkly.
"Oh Prince Charming, you thought the divine Goddess Cinderella was all yours, didn't you?" Zero asked menacingly.
"I've never heard of a fairy tale ending with Prince Charming murdering someone, but I guess it will just have to do." Lelouch said as he took a step towards Zero and pulled his hand gun out of his jacket to point it at his new foe.
Kallen wasn't sure if the gun was real or not, but she took it seriously just on the off chance that Zero really did decide to wreck her play.
'Maybe this is what he meant by front row seat?' she asked herself in thought.
"Have you ever heard of those grim-brother fairy tales where the villain wins?" Zero asked.
"Yes, they all got really bad reviews as where the one where Prince Charming beats the living shit out of the villain is about to be written." Lelouch scowled up at Zero's faceless mask.
"Mmmm…..I don't think so." Zero said as he pulled out a gun of his own and aimed it at Lelouch.
"I don't want you anymore!" Kallen cried out suddenly. Lelouch looked back to see Kallen covering her face in tears.
"Oh Cinderella, you're just confused by the pleasures of marrying into royalty. You belong with me, like you always have." Zero said.
"No! I don't! There's a better world out there for! I don't need you!" Kallen retorted.
"Nonsense!" Zero roared loudly. "You loved me first! You fell in love with me long before you ever even gave this piss-poor excuse of a Prince a second glance!"
"I did love you, but that's over now! I don't want you! You're not the man I remember! Yes, when I first loved you I knew what you were, but you're not the real you anymore!" Kallen shouted back.
"Woah! This shit looks real! They did a good job putting this together!" Rivalz said behind the stage.
"No kidding, they haven't messed up a line yet!" Milly smirked.
"Whoever you are under that mask, I will end you here!" Lelouch cocked his gun. Kallen, for a very small moment, wanted to stop Lelouch from killing him.
Zero's death meant not only the downfall of the Black Knights, but her first true love would vanish. She accepted that he'd changed over time and he'd become nearly a different person, but she didn't want him to die. She wanted to marry Lelouch then continue serving Zero, even if he'd changed inside. She still wanted to help him defeat Britannia.
"Prince Charming, please don't kill him!" Kallen cried out, doing her best not to break persona.
"Why shouldn't I? He's trying to steal you from me?" Lelouch glanced back at her.
"I want to marry you, my Prince, but I don't want to see anyone I ever loved get hurt!" Kallen allowed real tears to streak down her cheeks.
"But if I don't kill him then he'll kill me!" Lelouch yelled out.
"Yes, Cinderella, if he doesn't kill me then I'll just kill him and force you back into my army! What will you do? Who will you pick? Because you can only have one!" Zero roared as he took a few steps closer.
"I…." Kallen choked out. She loved Lelouch dearly, but Zero was her savior. What was she supposed to do? "I don't know…" she sobbed and slumped to the floor behind Lelouch.
Lelouch was her Prince and Zero was her Knight. There was no choosing, there was no option that wouldn't leave her miserable.
"What does the audience want? Who should Cinderella pick? The evil Zero who has an army at his beck and call? Or Prince Charming with a palace and many riches?" Milly asked over the loud speaker.
"Chose Prince Charming! You'll be rich and loved!"
"No! Chose Zero! Become evil and give us a good ending!"
"Kill them both then take over the world!"
"Be a stripper!"
Kallen heard each thing the crowd yelled out, and she disagreed with them all. "I can't…decide…" she admitted defeat.
"Then there's only one way to settle this." Lelouch said hautly.
BANG!
The triggers were pulled and blood, real blood, had been spilled. Unbeknownst to the audience, someone actually died on that stage. Lelouch blinked and looked around. He saw a bloody mess directly to his left as apposed to directly infrotn of him.
'He has used his Geass. He displaced himself so I'd shoot at nothing and he'd shoot me without me ever having known he was right beside me instead of in front of me!' Lelouch looked down at the dead body of Zero.
He solemnly witness as Kallen screamed in horror and crawled over to Zero and grabbed his hand and began shaking him. Lelouch looked up to see C.C. with a hand gun sitting on the lighting system. He hadn't the slightest clue how she got up there, but he knew that she'd done this; she was the only one who was unaffected by Koji's Geass.
"Woah! How'd they do that?"
"How'd they pull off a realistic kill like that?"
"Geez that's a lot of blood!"
The audience ate it up.
"Well there you have it folks, Prince Charming is a sorcerer and defeated physics in the name of love!" Milly said nervously. She was still unsure of how, or rather what, just happened, but she accepted it.
The crowd cheered and the lights turned off. C.C. quickly leapt off the balcony and grabbed Koji's dead body before the other backstage found out it was a real body. She dragged it at best as she could.
"C.C.?" Kallen asked as she could barely make out the woman's lime green hair in the dark.
"It's okay, don't freak out. Zero isn't really dead!" C.C. said knowing that Kallen was likely freaking out.
"R-really?" Kallen stuttered with a hopeful smile.
"Yes, now I need to get him out of here before the police show up!" she hissed and Kallen helped her lift Koji's dead body off the ground. Together they dragged him off the staged where C.C. dismissed Kallen to join the after party.
The ambient cheers of the audience went ignored by both Lelouch and Kallen, but Milly and the others wallowed in it blissfully. After the cheers died down and everyone left, Milly started the after-party. Lelouch wanted nothing more than to run away with Kallen and confess his heart out to her, but he knew far greater things needed to come first. Milly opened a bottle of champagne and let the cork slam against the wall.
"Did you guys hear? That kid that got shot at our school actually lived! They said it wasn't a fatal hit and he already got discharged from the hospital!" Rivalz said then took a sip of his glass.
"Oh, I heard the body got up and escaped from a morgue." Suzaku replied as he looked down cautiously into his bubbly glass.
"What kind of nonsense is that?" Shirley huffed and gave Suzaku a goofy look.
Kallen and Lelouch instantly knew that it wasn't bullshit, C.C. probably looked like a zombie running out of the morgue.
As the party went on and Milly got drunk while Rivalz laid his moves on her trying to convince her to go on a date, Lelouch nudged Kallen off to the side.
"We need to talk, privately." Lelouch said back to his normal stoic self.
Kallen opened her mouth to speak, but the feeling she'd been holding down all night came back up full force. She put her hand on her mouth then turned to the side to expel her sickness. Lelouch gave her a worried expression before placing a hand gently on her back. Luckily Kallen hadn't gotten anything on her black dress and was able to stay in her outfit. Milly drunkenly offered to clean up the mess so that the two could run off on their own to talk.
Lelouch escorted Kallen outside. They were still in their pretty black dress and white Emperor robes. Kallen held Lelouch around the arm and snuggled up to him.
"So when did you and Zero plan that part of the play for me?" she asked with a whistful smile.
"We uh…. We didn't…" he sighed in agony.
"What? Then how-"
"Let's talk somewhere secluded." Lelouch hushed her. She obliged and walked with him into the dusk night.
He led her to the park where they visited just months ago when they first got together while he was Zero. Instead of the grass like last time, he sat her down at a bench and sat beside her. She cuddled into him and he used the overhang of his robe to cover her bare shoulders. It wasn't particularly cold outside, but he felt that it was the appropriate thing to do. She breathed deeply into his chest and sighed softly. He put his arms around her shoulder and stroked her auburn hair.
"Kallen, what I'm about to tell you will forever change us." He began with a sincere tone and a glare at the ground between his feet. She looked up at him almost worriedly.
"Tell me." She whispered gently.
"I-" he paused when a rush of adrenaline slammed into his heart. He was almost afraid to say it, he'd done so well all this time to keep it a secret, and now just spilling it out like this was wracking him.
"You what?" she asked softly as he hand wound around his torso to snuggle into him further.
All the Zero dolls and gifts he'd sent her as Zero over the months flashed into him mind. He scowled.
"Do you love me more than Zero? I won't question your feelings for him, but I need to know." He said suddenly more serious than before.
"Yes, I love you more. I did love Zero more in the beginning, but he's not the man I fell in love with anymore." Kallen replied as the vision of the play passed into her mind.
"If you marry me, are you going to continue to serve Zero?" he asked.
"Yes, but not like I did before. I won't be his mistress or even within his personal circle." She said as she craned her neck up to rest her head on his shoulder. His gasp on her loosened, then his arms feel to her side and he gently pushed her off of him so that he could stand up.
Kallen sat there looking at his back as he faced away. She became suspicious if not a bit worried. Lelouch swallowed hard, if he didn't force himself to say it, then he would chicken out and never tell her. Kallen let out a shaky breath before attempting to speak.
"Are you oka-"
"I'm Zero." He said quickly, interrupting her.
It was the most quiet wind Lelouch had ever heard. Kallen's mind had finished processing the words, but her heart hadn't finished processing the meaning. Kallen sat there, without saying a word, as yet again a tear welled up in her blue eyes. He became leery of her silence and turned his head ever so slightly so that he could see her bewildered face. They stayed like that for a moment before Lelouch turned all the way around and stood directly in front of her. Their eyes locked and Kallen's tear stained cheeks became red. Lelouch used a thumb to wipe a tear away. Her eyed went wide with wonder, she wasn't sure if she'd actually heard him say it or not.
"I am Zero, the real one. The one you confessed to, the one who gave you the dolls, the Zero that drove you around on his motorcycle and kissed you in the dark of your room late at night." He said as his violet eyes bore into her own.
"Th-the roof…was that you?" she finally spoke.
"No, but that never actually happened. Koji took my place as Zero to get closer to you. He has a Geass ability that makes other hallucinate horrible things. You never had sex with him." Lelouch said sternly.
"But…I…I don't understand…" she mumbled dumbly. "How can this be?" she let her head drop and she looked down at the glass Cinderella slippers.
He kneeled before her and cupper her face with his hands and forced her to look into his eyes.
"I love you, more than you'll ever actually know." He said as he showed the first sign of emotion and she smiled. He pulled her face towards his and their lips met in a tame manner. Just as Lelouch tried to deepen the kiss she turned her head to the side and pushed him away gently with her hand on his chest.
"So you've known all this time…that I was having an affair…" she whispered heart brokenly as more tears fell from her sapphires.
"I don't really call that an affair. Not only was I both people, but you were in a relationship with Zero before you were forced to engage with me. Hardly an offense on your part." He tried to calm her.
"Wait a minute, this means I don't have any issues…" she looked back at him and took his face in her hands.
"Pardon?" he asked, it was his turn to seem dumbfounded.
"I couldn't bring myself to choose between Lelouch the Prince Charming and Zero my Knight in shining armor. I guess I don't have to pick, do I?" she said as her face was completely struck with fell tears. Her smile was weak, but true.
He almost violently pull her off the bench and pulled her into a long repressed hug. He lifted her off the ground and she giggled in his ear. He spun her around once, letting her black dress fluff out into the wind, before setting her down on the ground. She immediately found his lips and captured them in a very fiery passion he leaned over her and she leaned back for him. She melded her hands him his hair as his hand wound around her waist and pulled her up against him.
"I love you so much!" she exhaled as their lips broke apart.
He relished in those words, he wanted to hear them again and again. They then stood still, holding each other in the dark of the night at the park. The few passersby gave odd looks simply because of their outfits, but none disturbed them. Lelouch waited until once again they were alone before moving to the next part of his confession.
"There's something else I need to tell you." He said and she looked worried again.
"Uh oh, should I be scared?" she asked.
"No, not at all." He smiled lightly.
"Alright, let me hear it." She said with a small laugh as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I killed my father today." He looked a little confused as he spoke, but Kallen was the one to look absolutely baffled.
"Your…father?" she asked as she tried to think, but then she remembered that he was a Prince of Britannia, his father was the Emperor. Her eyes widened at this realization. "Oh…" was all she got out before looking around awkwardly.
"I'm going to take the throne tomorrow when they inevitably announce his death." Lelouch said solemnly.
"But our wedding is tomorrow!" she looked up at him in surprise.
"I know." He smirked. "What better throne ascension than to take a woman in with me?" he asked almost courtly. At first Kallen laughed softly at first, then the true realization hit her.
"Wait, if you're Zero and you're going to become Emperor…." She stopped herself to look up at him in pure wonder.
"Japan will be your wedding gift." He smiled at the way her rosy red lips parted. The wondrous way she kept looking at him was unbearable, he planted his lips upon hers and she responded immediately. As their lips meshed together, they heard some odd sounds coming their way. They parted to look at a ball of light heading towards them and the sound of clopping hitting the ground repeatedly.
"Heeeeey guys!" came the drunken voice of Milly from atop a horse.
"Hey there….Prez…" Kallen said slowly, unsure of what to do.
"We came to find you!" Rivalz said from the other horse. Behind them was Suzaku on his own horse and Shirley and Nina sharing a horse.
"You brought us the horse carriage?" Lelouch asked with a slightly irritated look.
"Hop in! Prince Charming and Princess Cinderella should be escorted to their palace by the royal chariot afterall!" Milly cheered. Kallen smiled and pulled at Lelouch sleeve. He cracked a smile and bent down to swoop Kallen into his arms. He carried her to the carriage and set her inside then sat beside her.
Down the streets of Japan strode a four horse drawn carriage with a real Prince and Princess inside.
GONG!
GONG!
GONG!
"The midnight bells?" Kallen asked as she looked out the chariot window to see the Tokyo clock tower.
"Just for you." Lelouch smirked over at her.
"You made the Tokyo clock tower bells ring at midnight, for me?" she asked in disbelief. "Those bells haven't been rung in since Britannia took over."
"Yeah well, Britannia isn't in control anymore." He said as he leaned in to hold her closer.
Everyone in Tokyo looked out their windows and front doors in amazement as the clock tower rang for the first full minute of midnight. Many wondered why the clock tower was being rung, there was no special event happening and the Viceroy of Area Eleven had deemed it a disgrace against Britannia.
"I want to ride in horse drawn carriage like this at our wedding." Kallen said wistfully as she gazed out the window.
"Me too." Was all he said as he laid his chin on her shoulder to look out the window with her.
XxXxX
To say that Lelouch ascended the throne without conflict was a lie, but there's nothing Geass can't fix. As promised, in Lelouch vows to Kallen was the freedom of Japan; a gift that all of Japan could appreciate. Of course the news that Lelouch was an heir to the throne hit his friend in the face like a brick, but it was well accepted and no one had any issues about it.
The ceremony that came after the wedding was full of not just Britannian royalty and Lelouch's friends, but many of the Black Knights had been invited. Lelouch did not reveal his identity as Zero to the world, but he had C.C. play Zero to make peace with them.
"So Shirley, I know you had feelings for Lelouch. Are you going to be okay?" Suzaku asked. Shirley smiled bitter sweetly.
"I'll be okay. I mean he was only my first love, I'll fall in love again someday. I'm sad, but…this was for the best!" she smiled warmly, but Suzaku saw right through her fake smile and into the eyes a girl who wanted to just cry.
"You know, if Rivalz ever gives up on Milly then you can start gunning for him. I'm sure he's your type." Suzaku laughed and Euphemia joined in. Shirley shook her head and looked up to where Lelouch and Kallen sat at the main table.
"I'm glad it was an outside wedding." Shirley said as the wind blew her hair around. "The sun seems to like Lelouch."
"Or it could be all that gold trim on his clothes." Euphemia giggled.
"You guys laughing at me?" Rivalz spoke in as he walked up alongside Suzaku.
"Not at all." Shirley smiled.
"If anything we're making fun of Lelouch's hat." Euphemia lied.
"Oh yeah, isn't it just the most ridiculous thing?" Suzaku laughed fakely.
"I can hear you!" Lelouch shouted loudly over the table. Kallen clasped her hand over her mouth in laughter.
"It is a silly hat." Kallen said as she gave Lelouch a sideways glance.
"It's a crown!" Lelouch retorted.
"Big brother!" came Nunnally's gentle voice from across the table.
"Yes Nunnally?" Lelouch's tone changed immediately.
"Are you and Kallen going to have a baby?" she asked innocently.
"Well uhh…that's kind of far away…." Lelouch said as the corner of his lips twitched.
"Oh come on! I want a niece or a nephew!" Nunnally pouted. Everyone laughed, except Kallen and Lelouch of course.
XxXxX
They took the carriage ride back to Pendragon Palace alone, with the sole exception of the driver. Kallen was shivering, but it wasn't cold outside. It was midsummer and there wasn't but a gentle breeze to be felt. Lelouch put a hand on her shoulder to feel just how shaky she was.
"Kallen, are you alright?" he asked with worry in his voice.
"I feel sick…" she moaned lowly.
Lelouch stopped the carriage so Kallen could get out and throw up on the sidewalk. Thankfully there were no guests or guards on this stretch of road to witness the new Empress puking her guts out on her wedding day. He immediately became worried when she threw up for the fourth time.
"Do you want to go to the hospital?" he asked as he held her dress and hair back.
"I feel…so light and…and…" she went limp and Lelouch caught her before she hit the ground.
He urged the cart driver to go back to the castle as he hauled Kallen's unconscious body inside the chariot. They rushed off to the hospital wing of the palace where Kallen was taken into an examination room. They inquired Lelouch about Kallen's medical history to which Lelouch knew next to nothing.
"Is she on any anti-depressants or behavior mediation?" the doctor asked.
"No, just birth control pills." Lelouch answered as he became extremely anxious. It would be just his luck to have a happy ending only to find Kallen was secretly dying this whole time.
"Well we're going to do some blood work, I'm sorry your highness, but we cannot let you back there until we know what's going on." The doctor said sympathetically. Lelouch shook visibly at this point. He wanted his fairy tale ending, but it was beginning to look like that wasn't going to be the case.
He waited for over an hour before the doctors let him back in to see Kallen. She was awake and looked fine to him so he ran over to her side and she held her arms out to hug him.
"Are you alright?" he asked frantically.
"Sort of, I'll be fine, but I have to stop taking my birth control pills." She frowned.
"Why?" he asked with wide eyes. Of course the first thought that popped into his mind was that she was pregnant.
"I'm apparently allergic to them. They gave me an ulcer." She blushed in embarrassment.
"We'll be fine with condoms, it's not a big deal. I'm just glad you're not actually sick." He sighed in relief.
"The blood test said I'm also allergic to latex." He said with an even redder blush.
"They make latex free condoms Kallen, don't look so upset." He chuckled softly at her red face.
She didn't reply.
"I'm sorry, am I being forth coming?" he looked sad.
She shook her head.
"Are you going to throw up again? Do you feel sick?"
She shook her head again.
"Then what's the matter?" he asked puzzled.
She looked up at him with her sparkling, but half lidded, blue eyes and her reddened cheeks.
"I want a baby." She said so quietly that Lelouch barely heard her.
It was his turn to blush. "We don't have to rush it."
"Too late." She said with a nervous smile.
Bolmung LK: I didn't want to end it so cliché-like, but it just felt right. If I was going to write anything extra onto this, it'd be that they named their child George, after the newborn Prince of Whales.
I'm sorry this took forever to come out, but I had medical issues I was dealing with. Not to mention the previous chapter got me flamed pretty hard which discouraged me initially. I hope I did a better job of ending the story than I did of the last chapter.
Thank you all for sending me over twelve PMs within the same week asking to update it. It actually made me feel like I didn't go full retard with the last chapter. I felt very dark while writing it and while writing this last chapter I felt very empowered. I was listening to the OST for the Hunger Games, the song Panem Anthem.
For the record I did not proofread this. Deal with it!
AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY FUCKING AFTER!